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How 'Timoteo Tibou' Made It South of the Rio Grande

by Alejandro Bermudez 

Going back and forth between Lima and Denver so frequently, I have to admit I am a Denver Broncos fan. A big one. And I count the years – eleven – since the last time “my” team won the Super Bowl.

Like many Latin Americans, I love football, or “Futbol Americano” as we call it down here. And there is no way I'll miss a Super Bowl, even if I am in Lima. Thank God, it is not a hard thing to do, since at least two cable channels carry the game in every Latin American country.

And although Latinos cannot follow the commercials live, we make a beeline for our computers to watch them. We talk about those ads with excitement, even if many of the products – like say, the Audi A3 TDI, capable of beating the “Green police,” are not available in most of our countries.

This year’s Super Bowl also brought the Tim Tebow controversy to Spanish-speaking countries. Since very few Latin Americans follow college football, many of them heard about “Timoteo Tibou” for the first time as associated with some controversy.

In fact, the influential ABC daily in Spain had to introduce him to its audience this way: “Tim Tebow is one of those ‘wardrobes’ with almost no neck and muscles all the way up to the ear lobes that American football produces. This spring he will become a coveted player for professional teams. … But at his 22, he is already a veteran cultural warrior in the trenches of the ethical conflicts that Americans fight among themselves.”

The Ecuadoran newspaper El Comercio also introduced “Timoteo” to its readership by describing him as “a highly successful young player who uses a sort of Evangelical makeup to preach his faith in a very non-private manner.”

“He has become,” El Comercio said, “one of the main characters of the upcoming Super Bowl, even if he will not be a player.” It continued, “Despite the fierce competition, his commercial will probably be the most anticipated one, a commercial in which he will appear with his mother, Pam, to deliver a message against abortion.”

“There is no doubt that his message will be quite powerful, considering that, for his many followers, Superman is lucky if he can wear Timoteo’s pajamas,” El Comercio said.

Spain's Radio COPE, in reference to the dramatic population decline the once Catholic country is suffering, also highlighted “Tibou” as the symbol of a new generation, “quite different from the one we believe is only hooked up to MTV.” And yes, MTV has a significant Latino following.

Monday morning show commentators in Latin America, even in countries like Mexico, where abortion is becoming a hot issue, were surprised at the brouhaha that preceded the Tebow commercial in the U.S.

“Some people really need to loosen up,” a news anchor said as I watched “America Noticias” in my native Lima. “C’mon, where is the debate here!” her female co-host responded. “Should more people be offended at a son tackling his own mom than at a mom being proud of giving birth to a son ... a quite handsome one, let’s say,” she added while laughing.

You know, in Latin America, we normally don’t tackle our moms. But our moms are not one bit less proud of giving birth to a son than Pam Tebow is.

No wonder “Timoteo” has made his way south of the Rio Grande in a big way. Because even if most Latinos do not understand the complexities of American  football, they certainly share the feelings of a son who has a soft spot for his mom, who had the courage to  keep him in her womb despite all odds. Actually, in that sense, “Timoteo” could not be more Latino.

After my brother, his friends and I had a good laugh at the Tebow commercial on a computer screen on Sunday night, I tried to explain that some groups in the U.S. actually tried to stop it from being aired because they thought it was hateful.

“Naaaaahh! No way!” was the response.

I decided not to argue any further. Actually, I was having a great time. The Saints had won, good friends were around me and they were all convinced that no one in their right mind would ever oppose airing “Timoteo” hugging his mom for all the world to see.

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(The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Headline Bistro or the Knights of Columbus.)