When Reggie White came to Wisconsin, he said that God sent him here. For the most part, aside from some ill-advised stereotype statements on the floor of the Wisconsin State Legislature, we all embraced the Minister of Defense. After all, he was more than a football player; he was a superstar that made it desirable to play in then-downtrodden Green Bay, Wisconsin.

To be sure, there are some stark similarities and differences between White and his modern-day successor to the gridiron pulpit, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. For one, no one has to sell anyone on the merits of living in Colorado. Whereas the Rocky Mountain region is unquestionably one of the most beautiful places in North America, the Northern Fox River Valley is, well, not.

But what made believers out of all of football was when White spoke of his faith, his words were backed up by his play from the first day he stepped onto a NFL field.

Meanwhile, Tim Tebow is finally beginning to win over some, but not all, critics after his incredible performance in the clutch last week during the Broncos Wild Card round playoff game vs. Pittsburgh on Sunday. It is either that, or true divine intervention.

We have all heard the jokes.

What play does Tim Tebow run at the end of a game? The Hail Nana.

What did Tim Tebow get from his coaches for Christmas? Well, he got gold from Urban Meyer, frankincense from John Fox, and myrrh from John Elway.

Why did Tim Tebow need a new helmet? Because the last one couldn't fit his crown of thorns.

Why did Tim Tebow almost quit football? Because he couldn't fit all 12 of his guys on the field at the same time.

You get the picture. Tim Tebow is the chosen one. Tim Tebow is the son of Jesus and grandson of God himself. Who else could possibly have such divided opinions of a young man who lives his life according to no other mortal's rules?

Since the days of Rollen Stewart, the born-again superfan in the rainbow wig who would hold up his big "John 3:16" sign wherever the cameras were, that Bible passage has become synonymous with sports. In Stewart's time, he, his wig, and that sign was seen at the NBA Finals, The Masters, behind NFL goal posts, at the Moscow Olympics, behind the pit of Indianapolis 500 winner Gordon Johncock, and at countless other sporting events in the 1970's and 1980's.

Of course, Stewart was also a little unbalanced. He choked his fourth wife for holding the sign in what he said was the wrong place during the 1986 World Series, for example. He is currently in prison for his conviction on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges for a separate 1992 incident.

But what Rollen Stewart did do, much to his satisfaction, was get his message out. He wanted the world, particularly sports fans to see "John 3:16" and have it become the single most famous Bible verse known. It reads:

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

If you believe in supreme beings having a stake in a football game, try this on for size. Sunday, Tebow threw for 316 yards, had a completion average of 31.6 and the Broncos vs. Steelers game earned a 31.6 Nielsen rating.

No, none of that is made up.

Nor was the performance Tebow put in. In easily his best game as a professional, Tebow was poised, confident, and most importantly to both his supporters and detractors, accurate with his passes.

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