Football just one part of Tebow’s life

Never has a seemingly decent, honorable athlete been so polarizing. And now, former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is wading out farther into the choppy waters of public opinion.

Tebow and his mother, Pam, will appear in a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl on Feb. 7 -- presumably in an anti-abortion message sponsored by the Christian group Focus on the Family.

The group isn't releasing details, but The Associated Press reported Saturday that the commercial probably will chronicle Pam Tebow's 1987 pregnancy. After getting sick during a mission trip to the Philippines that year, she ignored a recommendation by doctors to abort her fifth child and gave birth to Tim.

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner ended his college career with several NCAA, Southeastern Conference and school records and two national titles. He also ended his college career beloved my many but despised by others -- most of those with roots in the SEC.

Say this for Tim Tebow: He isn't all about throwing a football. Nor does he care what his detractors think of him.

• WOODS TO THE RESCUE -- We want to give him the benefit of the doubt. We want to believe this isn't about rebuilding his fallen image. We want to accept Tiger Woods' reported offer to help the children of earthquake-devastated Haiti at face value.

We really do.

But it's difficult ... without rolling our eyes.

If Woods gives $3 million to support groups that will provide resources for Haitian children, as rap mogul Russell Simmons, a friend of Woods', said on Twitter that Woods would do, then it doesn't matter whether any ulterior motive is involved. Too much help is needed to obsess over whether Woods is trying to shake off the negativity of his marital infidelity and reshape his image through charitable work.

Greg McLaughlin, president of the Tiger Woods Foundation, said only that the foundation staff was evaluating "the most appropriate role" to help the Haitian people.

Woods' foundation, founded in 1996, gave $100,000 to tsunami relief efforts in 2004 through Give2Asia, with the money directed toward two groups providing sanctuary and relief to children. It also gave the Baton Rouge Area Foundation $200,000 to set up a Hurricane Katrina educational fund.

• BUT CAN SHE SEE CUBA FROM THERE? -- Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will be a VIP guest at next month's Daytona 500.

Daytona International Speedway president Robin Braig said Palin will make her first appearance at NASCAR's most storied track the day before she serves as guest speaker at the Florida city's annual chamber of commerce dinner.

Palin won't have any official role in the Daytona 500, but the former Alaska governor will be introduced at the prerace drivers meeting along with other celebrities.

Braig said track officials checked with NASCAR's political advisers before signing off on Palin's visit. Braig said the reaction was to "showcase her just as much as we would our mayor, our governor or our senators."

Never mind that she's merely a quasi-celebrity these days.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL WIRE SERVICES