From the headline on Drudge to continual coverage on ESPN, to virtually every other news broadcast, the national phenomena that is Tim Tebow has officially made its way to table banter in most American homes.

Loved or despised, Tebow is now a household name.  Whether it's to slam the young man for his outward expression of faith (the prayer pose), or his uncanny ability to rally his team to victory when they most certainly deserve a loss...the man and his unique style have caught the short attention span of America.

Some call it "heart", others refer to his unending desire to be the captain of his fate; whatever the reason, Tim Tebow has captured something that has been missing in professional sports for a number of years:  Class, humility, conviction and the belief that we all answer to a higher authority...and I'm not referring to the team's owner.

With rare exception, too many sports headlines -- over the past two decades -- have revolved around the illegal use of controlled substances, salary contracts that resemble the GDP of third world nations, the infidelity of an iconic sports figure or an acquittal on charges of a heinous crime committed by a superstar.  The premise has been based on an "all about me" mentality. 

Professional sports, since the advent of multi-million dollar salaries and insane endorsement contracts, has been following the degradation of society in general --a slow motion train wreck as morals and ethics are abandoned for the promise of wealth, notoriety, fame and status. 

Tim Tebow has set a new standard for not only athletes, but for all of us.  He has been given a platform on which to display the blessings that have been granted to him.  I choose to believe that it us who have been blessed with a young man whose speech gives new hope to our own dreams and inspires so much in us.

On the gridiron each Sunday stands a man who not only leads a team, but leads as an example for an entire nation.  Tim stands up for what he believes in...he publically professes his love of God, and he provides a shining example for lost souls to aspire to...knowing full well of the impending fallout that is sure to come from those professions.  How can you not be impressed with the class that this young man exhibits...regardless of his team affiliation or his comparative skills to those who have found fame in Canton?

Perhaps the come-from-behind wins have been inspired from above?  Through Tim Tebow, we are being given a message:  It appears that this refreshing example of how man should act has caught the attention or more than just mortal folks.  Perhaps it's time that we set the bar a bit higher for ourselves?