laud Tim Tebow's courage

So says Jemele Hill with ESPN.com...

I went to church with Tim Tebow when he was a high school senior and I was a sports columnist in Orlando. I remember thinking then that once he got to the University of Florida, it was only a matter of time...It's not that I thought Tebow wasn't being sincere...I just thought: "He's young. He'll grow out of it." Thankfully, he hasn't.

As most sports fans know, Tebow used his time at Florida not only to prove he's one of the greatest college football players ever, but also to promote his Christian values. And as he transitions into professional football, Tebow is showing his values remain important to him, even with millions of dollars at stake now. But anytime you believe in something as strongly as Tebow does, it's bound to cause problems.

On Super Bowl Sunday, Tebow reportedly will appear in a commercial with his mother, Pam. But it won't be one of those deals where he and mom imitate the Manning brothers and challenge each other to an Oreo-licking contest. The 30-second ad, which is being bankrolled by the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, reportedly will feature Tim and Pam telling their story of his birth....

Feminists suggesting women can't think for themselves? Talk about irony.

...let's put our religious and political beliefs aside for a moment and put Tebow's participation in this ad in its proper context.

It's his first major national ad since leaving the Gators, and he isn't hawking Nikes, energy drinks or candy bars. Instead, he's putting himself in the middle of one of the most divisive issues in this country -- and on the biggest sporting day of the year.

Just think about that....

Tebow's decision to appear in this ad should be considered just as courageous as Muhammad Ali's decision to not enter the draft, or Tommie Smith's and John Carlos' black power salute at the 1968 summer Olympics.

No, I'm not kidding. And yes, I'd say that if Tebow were appearing in an ad that advocated a pro-choice position....

We acted like Tiger Woods and LeBron James were the second coming of Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi because Woods voiced his support for President Barack Obama and James condemned the war in Darfur. I don't mean to belittle their opinions, but supporting Obama and condemning genocide isn't exactly joining the Black Panther party.

It's far more impressive when a person in Tebow's position chooses a lonelier path....

I'm a big fan of people who live the way they talk. You may not believe Tebow will become an NFL quarterback. You may think the media fawns over him way too much. And you may think he's overrated. But the one thing you can never say about Tim Tebow is that he's a fake.