Will The Real Tebow Please Stand Up.

As often as a "blue moon" graces the skies, an athlete transcends the game to reach iconic status. Tim Tebow is thus far the 21st centuries version of the this legend. It would be a slight to only refer to Tebow as the superstar quarterback out of the University of Florida. Tim Tebows's accomplishments on the gridiron have placed him in the upper ecehlon of college football's folk lore. It has been the character and personality of this young man that has allowed him to surpass the game. Tim Tebow, now has a place at the table in life's hall of fame.

Some may believe that it's bit premature for me to make such a strong statement. Many will point to the fact that he hasn't yet taken an NFL snap and his NFL career should be the ultimate barometer of his success. Others will attribute his collegiate success to Urban Meyer's system and Florida's strong surrounding cast. There are many experts that will continue to pontificate on his past and future achievements but unfortunately all would be missing the real story.

Former Congressman, JC Watts, Erving "Magic" Johnson, Muhammad Ali are a few examples of athletes that have used their sports accomplishments to catapault themselves to levels of unforseen heights. JC Watts, the superstar quarterback that lead Oklahoma to consecutive Orange Bowl berths fought racial inequality in football. The African-American quarterback stared down the barrel of the NFL's racism during a time in our countries history that many teams felt African-Americans weren't mentally able to play quarterback. This blatant display of racism ultimately lead Watts to forgo the opportunity to play a "skill" position in the NFL and enter the Canadian Football League where he was afforded the opportunity to play quarterback. Watts ultimately used his experiences to fuel his motivation to have a voice, subsequently being the first African American voted to a statewide office in Oklahoma and representing Oklahoma in Congress four terms over.

We all know Magic Johnson the Hall of Fame point guard that lead the Lakers to five NBA titles. It was his prowess on the hardwood that earned Johnson the moniker, Magic. His accomplishments on the court are too numerous to mention but they pale in comparison to his post career accolades. It was the 1991 press conference where he admitted to the world his contraction of HIV that set the table for his real success. Many thought Magic would fail to live past his basketball glory but he has gone on to build a billion dollar company aptly titled, Magic Johnson Enterprises. It has been his philanthropy and voice that has not only raised millions of dollars in Aids research but more importantly, awareness.

It's not very difficult to highlight to the many achievements of the greatest boxer to ever walk this earth. What is difficult is to point to the current condition of Ali as it relates to his respective sport. Parkinsons Disease was the result of the many years spent as a professional boxer. Many would feel the end result of his career outweighed the merits of it. This would be a grand misinterpretation of Ali's career and life. Ali used his platform as an athlete to invoke thought and change in American society. His famous.."I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong...They never called me a nigger" ultimately lead to his suspension from boxing but raised awareness to the Vietnam war no body was able to duplicate. Ali sacrificed the most pivotal years of his career because he took a stand for what he believed in. Not everybody has to agree with what Ali believed in but everybody has to respect what the man represented. To this day Ali uses his name and likeness to spread the seeds of racial and religious equality not only in America but throughout the globe.

No, I haven't put Tim Tebow in the same category as these great men. What I am saying is this, Tim Tebow is cut from the same cloth as these individuals and he has the opportunity to achieve great success. Whether or not he is a successful NFL quarterback is irrelevant to the social impact he can have. His decision to be a part of the "Focus On the Family's" Super Bowl add is proof positive he is willing to take a stand on what he believes in. Many people felt his involvement with the controversial group was in bad taste for the young Florida quarterback. Tebows devout Christian beliefs is just as much a part of who he is, as much as his innate ability to lead. His ability to be an NFL quarterback is highly debateable but the content of his character is irrefutable. As the greatest college football player to ever live, we should all hope Tebow won't succumb to the pressures of being the next Tom Brady but a key pillar in American society.