Culture,  Sports

Tebow Not the First

I will never forget the 1986 Superbowl Championship when Phil Simms’ New York Giants defeated John Elway’s Denver Broncos. I was as proud as punch because my Dad had coached one of the Giants’ players when he was in high school—middle linebacker Gary Reasons. Not only did we watch the Giants win the game, but I also got to meet Reasons and see his Superbowl ring when he made a homecoming visit to his high school alma mater after the season was over. It was amazing.

I know about that season, and I know about that team. But I didn’t know until today about something else that team did after the game was over. It turns out that Tim Tebow is not the first football player to pair a pro-life message with the Superbowl. Players from the 1986 Superbowl Champion New York Giants team did exactly the same thing about 23 years ago. The video that they appeared in is posted above, and here’s a description:

“23 years ago, The American Life League, one of the largest Catholic Pro-Life organizations, produced a short featuring members of the Super Bowl winning New York Giants. As you watch former superstars Phil Simms — the game’s MVP and current sportscaster for CBS! — Mark Bavaro, Jim Burt, Chris Godfrey, George Martin, and Phil McConkey speak out against abortion, try to imagine what the reaction would be to this film if it was made today.”

This video is about 9 minutes long, and there is no subtlety here. It’s an overt condemnation of Roe v. Wade and abortion-on-demand.

I am grateful for these players from the 1986 Giants team, and I am grateful for Tebow. I hope and pray that the seared conscience of our nation might be stirred by such messages.

(HT: Mark Gibson)

4 Comments

  • Matthew Staton

    I was 13, lived in Colorado, and cheered my heart out for the Broncos. Way to go, bringing up all the painful memories!!!! 😉

    BTW, no fair-weather fan here – even though I no longer live in CO I am a life-long fan of the Broncos, so there!

    You can take your 1986 Giants and begone, but I do agree wholeheartedly with the desire that the nation’s conscience be pricked and abortion be unmasked and rejected as the horror that it is.

  • Matthew Staton

    BTW, I think sometimes the conservative Christian voice does not translate well, especially when condemning or criticizing something in culture. I often think it is more important to do something positive than to condemn the negative. I see this ad as an effort to do something positive and I support that effort. It is good to speak up for the voiceless and to stand up for the powerless. This is true when a minority is being oppressed (American Slavery, Apartheid, Rwanda, etc. etc.) and it is true in the case of humans not yet born. Not saying anything new, just voicing my support.

  • Kevin Fobbs

    I have been in involved in Pro-life efforts including helping to establish “Terri’s Day” in honor of Terri Schindler Schiavo. Please read and share my recent article on CBS scores touchdown for Tim Tebow’s pro life message — Most supporters of abortion rights will provide a litany of reasons,
    rationales and explanations for the termination of a life. Yet in the midst of the Reagan era a decision was made by a mother and a father that would go against the grain of accepted public practice…
    http://tinyurl.com/yh3kkwc

Leave a Reply to PolarbearCancel reply