Tebow-mania predicts the Republican nominee

There are only two things I don’t love about Colorado- the Denver Broncos and the high concentration of social conservatism in Colorado Springs.

Tim Tebow has managed to combined those two things into one nationwide phenomenon. These days, I can’t log into Facebook without reading something about Tebow-mania. Tebow fans are everywhere and their voices should not be dismissed. Their voices will likely chose this year’s Republican presidential candidate.

As I pondered what created the tipping point for Tebow-mania, I discovered a few interesting observations as to why Tebow is just so darn likable to so many Christians.

Reliance on higher power

Whenever I feel stressed or overwhelmed I take a few deep breaths, clear my mind, and ask God for a fresh perspective. To friends who are atheists this may seem silly, but there is something powerful and refreshing about releasing control to a higher power.

I know that I do not make the world spin round. But silly as it seems I believe that we are all connected to the one who does. That life-line to God is a comfort to many people. There is a peace in acknowledging that we are not in control.

To see a football player so vocal and public about his prayer life is refreshing to many. To others (myself included) the PDA with Jesus seems a bit over-the-top. Kind of like the couple who won’t stop making out in the coffee shop who makes me want to scream, “Get a room!”

Unexpected role model

There are plenty of people who are public about their prayer life, but one of the things that makes Tebow stand out is that he is an NFL player. Let’s face it, when we think of professional athletes these days we don’t expect them to uphold high moral standards. When they get caught in sex scandal, we typically see it coming.

Tebow’s nice-young-Christian-man innocents makes people hopeful. “He is someone my son or daughter could look up to,” they say.

Fourth quarter ‘miracle’ wins

Tebow’s infamous prayers on the football field developed his fan base, but this season’s fourth quarter comebacks tipped Tebow-mania over the edge. And why shouldn’t it have? (I know, I know, there are plenty of football reasons why it shouldn’t have. The question was rhetorical.)

“Fourth-quarter comebacks” date back as far as the Bible. Look at Abraham and Sarah, founders of the Judeo-Christian faiths. They tried for decades, not years, decades, to conceive a child. Sarah finally gave birth to Isaac when she was close to 100, or something absurd like that. The Bible is full of these comeback-when-the-game-is-nearly-over stories, so we shouldn’t be surprised that people are inspired by Tebow’s fourth-quarter wins.

What does Tim Tebow have to do with the presidential primaries? Glad you asked. The same attributes that made Tebow-mania a phenomenon are present in Rick Santorum. He outwardly displays his reliance on God, his near win in Iowa was the political equivalent of a fourth-quarter win, and though he may not be the ideal role model he certainly tells the social conservatives what they want to hear. (It makes me extremely sad that they seem to want to hear that he will put an end to gay marriage.)

The point is, don’t dismiss Santorum in South Carolina. If he can get the Tebow votes, I think he can win the nomination. You heard it here first.

*Read my blogs, stories and more at herkansascity.com.