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Monday, Feb. 08, 2010

Steve Cameron: Super Bowl wrong spot for Tebow

What possibly could connect a natural disaster of 121 years ago and Sunday's Super Bowl?

Well, I'll tell you.

On May 31, 1889, the South Fork Dam in Pennsylvania gave way after days of torrential rainfall. A wall of water exploded through the valley below and ultimately killed 2,200 people.

This was the famous "Johnstown Flood" -- which not only marked the first major relief appearance of the Red Cross, but also led to a change in U.S. law that brought the concept of liability in potential lawsuits.

Our story today, though, concerns media coverage of that tragedy.

All the major New York newspapers -- and there were plenty of them back then -- sent reporters to cover the flood.

One rookie newsman quickly realized the scope of the disaster and sought to write a suitably stunning, dramatic lead sentence for his story.

In those days, newspaper copy was transmitted by telegraph, and so the young reporter's story wired to New York began with what the aspiring journalist hoped would be a haunting image.

He wrote: "God sits on the hills overlooking Johnstown tonight."

Almost immediately, a cigar-chomping editor back in the city responded with a telegram of his own.

"Forget the flood," he wired. "Interview God!"

Any cynical editor would have responded the same way Sunday night.

Instead of reading about the championship battle between the Colts and Saints -- the supposed pinnacle of the NFL season -- most Americans have been swamped with coverage of the "Tim Tebow ad."

Tebow's message, paid for by the ultra-conservative group "Focus on the Family," created an echo of Johnstown...

"Forget the Super Bowl. Interview God."

Now then...

I am not an anti-religious person. Far from it.

Nevertheless, I believe the Tebow spot was wrong on a variety of levels.

First of all, the anti-abortion message promoted by the former Florida quarterback and his mom is a pure political statement -- a stand based on religious grounds in a country where separation of church and state is written into the Constitution.

CBS has refused quasi-political ads based on social agendas in the past.

That network and others broadcasting the Super Bowl always have stayed clear of controversial advertising -- especially anything where the messengers clearly want you to believe their position is "divinely inspired."

But now, here we have CBS apparently helping construct an ad advocating a specific religious position.

That's dangerous, and I wouldn't be shocked if a political group with opposing views appeals on political grounds for "equal time" to air its views.

Hey, can't we let sports simply be entertainment?

Forget the politics.

And yes, forget religion.

Certainly Tebow is entitled to his beliefs, as are all the Colts and Saints players, millions of spectators and...

Everybody else.

But it bothers me when people try combining these things. That's why, when some actively religious athletes begin every post-event press conference by thanking God for their success, I leave those sentences out of any story I'm composing.

Simple logic: If God decided to give an athlete divine help in any situation, it means He's chosen sides.

Former Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver overheard one of his players telling a couple dozen reporters that the Lord helped him hit a game-winning home run.

"Then the Lord sure must not like the pitcher who hung that curve ball for you," Weaver snorted.

And that's the bigger point here...

If God actually gave strength to the Saints and weakened the Colts in the Super Bowl, well, remember the message at Johnstown. We really should forget the game and interview God.

But I don't believe God picks sides, and neither do you, and neither does CBS.

This is America, so Tebow surely is free to share his beliefs.

It just shouldn't have been on TV at the Super Bowl.

Steve Cameron is a freelance columnist for the Sun-Star. He can be reached at stevecameron1000@gmail.com.