Fennelly: Tebow giving the shirt off his back

Column

Now he's shirtless.

We knew it was only a matter of time before someone got Tim Tebow down to his underwear.

The naughty people at Jockey turned the trick, with their new Tebow ad, and so now we have something else to obsess and polarize about when it comes to St. Timothy, who does battle with the New England Patriots and, more to the point, Tom Brady's dimple, in an AFC playoff game Saturday night.

Briefly put, Jockey's photo of a down-to-his-shorts and decidedly ripped Tebow, the man on the flying trapezius (Headline: "Playoffs. It's Tebow Time") is causing yet another Tebow sensation.

And the stakes are raised now that Tebow is a certified postseason winner, having led the Broncos past Pittsburgh last weekend — an 80-yard Tebow touchdown pass on the first play of overtime, naturally.

Now he's shirtless.

God only knows what will happen next, though God, who spoke with ESPN's Tom Rinaldi, isn't sure, either.

One thing is certain in American life. Sooner or later, stars begin removing their clothes.

Marilyn, Joe Namath … Brad Childress, Marty Schottenheimer …

Is this a crazy Bucs coaching search or what?

Did you know that Jockey sales have skyrocketed since Tebow became their pitch man?

Did you know that one Republican tracking poll shows 57 percent of South Carolina voters who would never have even thought about wearing underwear now support Tebow?

Did you know Romney is thinking about going shirtless at the Charleston debate?

Tim Tebow is America's most popular athlete, according to a recent ESPN poll, and its least popular athlete, if you run into a Tebow Hater.

There are people who are filling entire newspaper columns and radio shows with Tebow Loving and Loathing. What would we do without him?

We should get on our knees and start Tebowing. The kid is a godsend

The Broncos probably aren't even sure they want Tebow to be their quarterback next season.

It doesn't matter.

Brady and the Patriots sliced and diced Tebow and the Broncos to pieces when they met a few weeks ago.

It doesn't matter.

Needless to say, the TV ratings for that game were quite berserk. Saturday's prime-time fling promises the same.

You can't stop those Tebow jerseys from selling. You can't stop those kids from looking up to him.

Why would you want to stop that, anyway?

The problem for Tebow Haters is all these inspirational Tebow stories happen to be: true.

I've run smack dab into some of these stories and there's no way around them.

Why would you want to do that, anyway?

Why wouldn't you want that, anyway?

By the way, stand down, you breakaway Obama birthers.

It's a fact that our man Tim was born in the Philippines. His parents were missionaries — but American citizens — so he's in, yes, he's in — Tim Tebow could one day be President of the United States.

I wouldn't rule anything out at this point.

Now he's shirtless.

I saw once in a book that Lincoln didn't wear a shirt when he rassled.

The poster sold like crazy.