NOTE: An edited version of my article was originally published by Technorati at http://technorati.com/entertainment/tv/article/super-bowl-drama-pro-choice-groups/
The figures are out! According to www.hollyscoop.com Super Bowl XLIV was the first sporting event ever to exceed 100 million viewers. Sunday’s game drew 106.5 million viewers, demolishing previous Super Bowl records and blasting 1983’s M*A*S*H finale, which garnered 105.97 million viewers.
Depending on who you ask, Super Bowl commercials typically generate as much excitement as the actual game. This year was certainly no exception, especially one that hadn’t even aired yet.
Last week, addressing the feminist outrage over a planned Focus on the Family Super Bowl ad featuring Tim Tebow & his mother Pam, Gary Schneeberger, a spokesman for Focus on the Family stated, “There’s nothing political and controversial about it…When the day arrives, and you sit down to watch the game on TV, those who oppose it will be quite surprised at what the ad is all about.”
Truer words have not been uttered since Michael Jackson’s soprano-voiced crooning of “Billie Jean is not my lover…”
What WAS all the fuss about?
Forming gross presumptions about the ad’s content, feminist groups clamored for the spotlight, decrying the 30 second ad…which no one had ever seen…as anti-abortion, controversial, divisive. Over 30 women’s advocacy groups and other liberal organizations sent a letter to CBS demanding the ad be pulled. Jehmu Green, president of Women’s Media Center, issued a statement to Reuters. Claiming the ad “uses sports to divide rather than to unite”, Green said, “We are calling on CBS to stick to their policy of not airing controversial advocacy ads… and this is clearly a controversial ad.” Her Twitter comments shortly before noon on Super Bowl Sunday said, “CBS decision 2 air Tebow ad is sexism.”
Additionally, an on-line poll conducted by nydailynews.com asking “Should CBS pull Tim Tebow’s pro-life Super Bowl ad?” concluded with the following results:
28% YES. It’s not appropriate for a football game
65% NO. Let him tell his story.
7% DOESN’T MATTER, I’ll be getting snacks during the break.
Why is it that a movement screaming for tolerance is willing to indulge anyone and everyone UNLESS they fear there is a message contrary to THEIR opinion? The irony to all this hypocrisy is that with such ludicrous knee-jerk emotionalism, whiners at the Women’s Media Center, N.O.W., Planned Parenthood, Feminist Majority and their ilk continue to make fools of themselves, inviting mockery as they expose the truth behind their intolerant liberal agenda.
One look at the innocuous Focus on the Family ad and any rational adult would surmise all the needless drama surrounding this commercial was nothing more than foolish feminist bigotry. Irony, indeed.
Livin4Jesus 
I agree with Ms. Steele’s analysis in her article on the recent Tebow SuperBowl advertisement.
I have to admit, I was intrigued by all of the media hype as to the content of the commercial as I am sure that many Americans were. I’m not immune to the “lure of the marketing sirens” when it comes to a controversy and I have seen our media approach evolve over the years from the slick sales and marketing approach I enjoyed as a child of the 70’s to today’s 21st century “soapbox of political agenda” where special interest groups strive to subjugate our views to fit their morality.
My jaw physically dropped open when I saw the Tebow’s “controversial” ad air this past Sunday. Instead of political agenda, I saw a tough and classy family that has held onto their faith in God in ALL circumstances while serving him each day as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
No one and nothing can take that away from the Tebows or the millions of other Christian disciple families that serve him each day.
He’ll lead — We’ll follow. It is just that simple.
Andy Cooke
Prairie Village, Kansas
Di’s comments are spot on. Tebow’s homage to his mother, his very life, and his God was pure and simple, simply powerful.
Shame on those who shamed those women who hold the gift, and the responsibility of childbirth as a precious opportunity and responsibility.
I am married to such a woman. And we lost a full-term child at birth. But God graced us, still, by granting us two healthy sons, and a little Angel who reminds us every day to thank our Maker for her brief life, too.
Chevy C.
Colorado Springs, CO
After the commercial aired, I thought, “That’s IT? What was all the boo-hooing about?” On the other hand, I didn’t think the ad said ENOUGH about their pro-life view. All of this only serves to prove how intolerant the feminist groups are. I was more offended by the GoDaddy ads than the Tebow ad.
Miss Steele’s article on the Tebow Superbowl add continues to delight in her ongoing tradition of capturing and refreshing the intellectual Christian mind and spirit which is always hungry for truth and right minded writings such as hers.
The article captures the opinion of many and I am delighted to see Miss Steele’s passion and brave soul through sharing her analysis of the issue, her convictions and not fearing to address controversy head-on.
Excellent and well-written, Lady Dy. My wife and I were in the family room, chatting and waiting for THE ad during the pre-game show. The ad was about 10 seconds into it when we realized “this is it, shshsh.” Our after-ad response was, “So what was all the fuss about? Somebody, if they have an ounce of intelligence, ought to run to the mirror to see how much egg is on their face.” (Too much to hope for.)