Vote Bow for Birth?

The age-old saying: "having a right to an opinion" has certainly been expressed by college football standout, Mr. Tim Tebow. While it's refreshing to see an athlete stand up, as he said in today's news conference, "for something," his focus should be on impressing the NFL in this year's Senior Bowl. Perhaps it's the mucus of being "a little under the weather" that had him a bit sidetracked, but being "controversial" at this stage in his career is jumping the gun a bit.



I speak of the Tim Tebow commercial set to air during the Super Bowl XLIII broadcast on Feb. 7th. Critics say the ad will use Tebow to convey an anti-abortion message. It has already prompted women's groups in a protest campaign Monday against the ad. The ad is funded by the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family. It is expected to recount the story of Pam Tebow's pregnancy in 1987. After getting sick, she ignored doctors' recommendation to abort her fifth child and gave birth to Tim, a Heisman Trophy winner.



Tebow continued to say in the news conference, "I'm standing up for what I believe in." Then emphasizing, "many athletes don't (stand up for what they believe) .. But, I do." Tebow looking to be extremely passionate in his beliefs while explaining the why and never denying the ad's presumed message, ended it by saying, "my mother is a very courageous woman."

The Kingsmen that Could

Once upon a time, nestled in the heart of Thousand Oaks, the clashing of football helmets echoed throughout the California Lutheran University campus: the men have prepared for a battle.

For the very first time in their league, the Cal Lu Kingsmen are officially the outright champions of the Southern California Intercollegiate Conference (SCIAC). The Kingsmen motto: "All In" continues to motivate them to the next step – NCAA Division III playoffs.

Cal Lutheran will take a trip up north to take on the Linfield College Wildcats Saturday at noon at Maxwell Field (McMinnville, Oregon). The Wildcats, ranked as high as No. 5, qualified for the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time since 2005; however, California Lutheran, ranked 22nd, is making its first-ever NCAA playoff appearance.

Linfield (9-0) sewed up its 33rd Northwest Conference championship last weekend with a 62-44 win over Pacific Lutheran. The Wildcats face the once-beaten Kingsmen (8-1) in the first round of the 32-team playoffs. Cal Lutheran, riding an eight-game win streak, went 6-0 in the SCIAC.

Linfield and Cal Lutheran have three common opponents: Willamette, Occidental and Pacific Lutheran.

Linfield and Cal Lutheran have met twice previously, both times in the postseason as members of the NAIA. The Kingsmen won a 1977 playoff game in Thousand Oaks before the Wildcats prevailed 20-16 in a 1982 first-round game at McMinnville on their way to the college’s first national championship in football.

The 32-team tournament kicks off with 16 games Saturday and culminates with the Dec. 19 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the Division III championship game, in Salem, Va.

Saturday's Linfield-Cal Lutheran winner will advance to face the winner of the Mary Hardin-Baylor vs. Central game. The other West Region pairings include Coe at St. John’s and St. Thomas at Monmouth.

For tickets to Saturday's Linfield-Cal Lutheran battle, call 503-883-2229. A limited number of unsold covered reserved tickets will go on sale to for the general public. There are 500 uncovered reserved seats for Cal Lutheran fans at $12 per ticket. The Maxwell Field Stadium will open at 10 a.m.

Fans unable to travel and see the game can stay up to date via the Wildcats broadcast on the internet. Visit the Linfield athletics Website and click on "Listen Live" to catch all the action. The game will also be broadcast live on McMinnville radio station KLYC (1260 AM). There will be no live video streaming.


[[ Previously Posted at 10:15 AM PST, Fri, Nov 20, 2009 on NBCLA.com]]