Only way this commercial could’ve been better is if the kid put down his middle finger second.
Check out all of the Super Bowl commercials on YouTube here or on CBSSports here.
Best Super Bowl commercial, hands down
Published: February 8, 2010
Media Archive
Is Marvin Harrison gangsta or what?
Published: January 15, 2010
Marvin Harrison is a silent gangster.
You must read this article.
A few key points from the magazine:
- The alleged gun in the first shooting was not custom-made as it was purported in previous newspaper and television reports.
- The ballistics from the gun in question, a .50 caliber pricey piece, was matched to Harrison’s gun. Precisely five out of the six rounds.
- One of the bullets from the .50 cailber gun is still lodged in the back of witness and bystander Robert Nixon, who is in an unnamed jail. Nixon is suing Harrison for civil damages.
Again, read the article to get the full context. And if you’re really impressed, subscribe to GQ while you’re at it. It’s still a good magazine.
Here’s the thing, Harrison has basically moved on from this incident without any punishment. From all reports, he’s still in North Philly and he’s still the silent gangster he’s whispered to be. Prior to the shooting we didn’t know anything about him. Not a damn thing. Now, we’re getting the full scope of his triumphs and what possibly could be his downfall.
The GQ article is making headways, forcing ESPN to follow up (they showed some B-reel footage today of Dwight Dixon they had taped before his violent death — also suspected to be by the hands of a Harrison crony) and now the FBI is getting involved.
One question: How long do you think the mystique of semi-retired a pro athlete is gonna hold up when all of his gangster-ish secrets keep streaming out?
No wonder he doesn’t talk much.
ESPN prepares to launch 3-D channel
Published: January 5, 2010
Far be it of me to believe ESPN likes to hype gimmicks. But the professed WWL is know for its flashy graphics and flawless designs, both online and on TV. And if there’s a knock to be made about the company’s cool flashiness, is that it can be excessive.
However, today’s question is not about usage, but about what is the next step for said WWL? We’ll likely get a glimpse of that soon.
Today, ESPN announced it would be launching a 3-D network.
Here’s a bit of what was posted on the Web site today:
ESPN 3D will showcase a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year, beginning June 11 with the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match, featuring South Africa versus Mexico, ESPN and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer announced.
Other events to be produced in 3-D include the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, college basketball and football contests, up to 25 World Cup matches and the Summer X Games. Additional events will be announced at a later date.
“ESPN’s commitment to 3-D is a win for fans and our business partners,” Bodenheimer said in a statement. “ESPN 3D marries great content with new technology to enhance the fan’s viewing experience and puts ESPN at the forefront of the next big advance for TV viewing.”
Read the full story here: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=4796555
ESPN has testing 3-D technology for the last two years, according to the report. One wonders if 3-D technology has advanced enough for viewers to actually care to tune in, whether or not separate eyewear will have to be purchased to enjoy the channel and whether or not the technology necessary to produce the broadcasts will be unobtrusive to the sports being played.
None of these questions were announced in its announcement.
I’m all for the hype if it’s possible and looks good. I mean jaw wide open good. But I’ll hesitate on those expectations, especially after watching Jame Cameron’s blockbuster movie “Avatar” in 3-D. If anything, it just made the weird alien sexual tension just all the more whack. Oh, and it was incredibly underutilized for the hype.
Can we expect the same? I’ll be sure to tune in for the South Africa-Mexico game to find out.
TMZSports.com on its way
Published: December 23, 2009
Getting word from folks in the industry that TMZSports.com is on its way, expanding on its sports section which has been hammering Tiger Woods as of late.
The site is currently parked, registered to Telepictures Productions in Burbank, Calif., a division of Warner Bros which is partnered with AOL in managing TMZ.
Is this something to worry about for newspapers, blogs/Web sites? Not likely.
I just think we’ll see an amped up effort by TMZ to go after the Tiger Woods’ of the world. If anything, single guys like Peyton Manning and the like shouldn’t be too concerned. It’s the married guys who should be worried, baseball players who think they’re anonymous, NBA players who are always on the road and apparently always in the club, and the athlete with multiple baby mamas (as one colleague so eloquently noted). Read the rest of this entry »
ESPN’s railing against Twitter makes it look stupid
Published: August 5, 2009
Guidelines, social media policies and rules are OK. They are the nature of the corporate environment.
But simply banning reporters from using Twitter for sports purposes, which is another means of extending the “World Wide Leader’s” brand, is absolutely demented in my book.
But hey, when you become a corporate entity too huge for your own good, this is the natural progression of things. As Frank Lopez said in “Scarface”:
You know what a chazzer is? It’s a Yiddish word for “pig.” See, the guy, he wants more than what he needs. He don’t fly straight no more.
ESPN is very much a chazzer. How much are they going to be in the news as a news organization? Who is their corporate communications czar? Whoever they are, they’re doing a terrible job of keeping the “entertainment” front and center for ESPN.
Lastly, that means no more gems like this from @jemelehill and @sportsguy33:
Sad news from Comiskey Park today: the White Sox offense overdosed on Phil Coke.
Will Michael Vick ever be forgiven?
Published: July 27, 2009
Every dog has its day, so to speak.
Simple question: What does two years in prison, millions in lost salary, promises to volunteer and the PETA cross on his back mean to Roger Gooddell?
Nil, he says. Nil.
“I accept that you are sincere when you say that you want to, and will, turn your life around, and that you intend to be a positive role model for others,” Goodell said in his letter to Vick. “I am prepared to offer you that opportunity. Whether you succeed is entirely in your hands.”
“Needless to say, your margin for error is extremely limited,” the letter said. “I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you and to dedicate yourself to rebuilding your life and your career. If you do this, the NFL will support you.”
Even the letter was condescending. I wonder if the ink smelled like rosemary.
But really, will PETA get off his back? Does he have a real chance with an NFL team? I believe a lot depends on who will go to bat for Vick, being the owners and the players and the NFLPA. Their say carries a lot more clout than just the whims of an animal rights organization.
It wouldn’t hurt if he keeps his mouth shut either. That could go a long way.
ESPN gets caught in awkward position
Published: July 23, 2009
ESPN's Erin Andrews at the ESPY awards. (AP file photo)
But not from the New York Post.
We see this thing happen pretty often, especially to celebrities. I wouldn’t call Andrews a celebrity (or any other journalist for that matter), but she’s known as a “pretty face” for the World Wide Leader. But that doesn’t take away from further sensationalizing the story, which is what the Post is accused of. The Post published three photos from the video, after it appeared on the internet in many places.
“While we understand the Post’s decision to cover this as a news story, their running photos obtained in such a fashion went well beyond the boundaries of common decency in the interest of sensationalism,” ESPN senior vice president of communications Chris LaPlaca said in a statement Wednesday night.
In response, ESPN has banned all Post writers from appearing on its network. Ouch.
Talk about bringing the hammer. Not sure how much this hurts because the WWL doesn’t share what kind of contracts it has with writers of news organizations. Are they paid like Mike Wilbon, or are they doing it out of a means to promote themselves and their newspaper’s brand? We really don’t know.
On the other end, ESPN has been taking hits this last week because they would not even mention the Ben Roethlisberger case, in which he’s been accused of raping a hotel employee in Harrah’s. (The thing is, the accuser waited a whole year to just file a civil lawsuit — that’s right, no criminal complaint — against Big Ben, Harrah’s Casino and some of its employees. This was the main cause for ESPN to hesitate.)
While the accusations looked flawed with the absence of a criminal complaint, most observers have noted that it is still newsworthy.
I agree.
The Associated Press had reported on the issue when it arose, getting a quote from NFL commissioner Roger Gooddell and Roethlisberger’s lawyer. So it was very weird to not see ESPN even mention it.
Talk about burying the news. Would Michael Vick, Pacman Jones or Terrell Owens have received such restraint from the WWL? I don’t think so.
So on two different, totally separate fronts, ESPN is caught in these awkward positions to 1) do their journalistic duty as the WWL and 2) protect their own and uphold journalistic integrity.
Batting 1-for-2 when it comes to ethics, isn’t exactly admirable.
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Here’s another good read on Erin Andrews being “pretty” from Viv Bernstein.
T.O. Show will be one for the ages
Published: July 20, 2009
T.O. is focused on changing how you think of him. Will you let him sway your opinion?
I know it’s a little premature, what with the premiere of the show tonight on VH1, but this may be the biggest thing for the NFL — and subsequently the career of Terrell Owens — since the creation of the HBO series Hardknocks.
Don’t get this twisted either, it’s not going to be like the canceled ESPN show “Playmakers,” where the rambunctious, obscene and outrageous blend for the orgy of fictional entertainment. No, not at all. This is the real deal.
In sneak peeks already playing on VH1’s Web site, Owens is observed as he reacts to getting cut from the Dallas Cowboys, and then signing with the Buffalo Bills. He moves to Los Angeles in the offseason to “get his life together” and in the mean time, he showers viewers with promiscuity, parties it up lavishly, argues with his motherly publicists and generally shows off what all wannabe professional athletes hope to attain: The lifestyle of the rich and infamous.
It’s absolutely delicious.
I’m already hooked. I’ve got my DVR set up (grabbing the show at 10 p.m.) for its first episode. The thing is, this won’t be like that dry documentary “Kobe doin’ Work” or lack the reality like “Playmakers.” This will be straight from the horse’s mouth. And whether scripted or not, it merits the attention of those interested in what really happens on Monday through Saturday for a professional football player. I mean, outside of practice, what do we know?
Well we’ve been invited into the life of Owens, who for all of his ruggedness and infamy, is still one of the most charming and capable wide receivers in the NFL. And for once, he gets to shape his own message as executive producer. Therein lies the beauty of this historic endeavor.
An active, and readily hateable, superstar athlete is not just lending his voice to some radio show or commenting on some other football player’s on-the-field tribulation, but giving his image and credibility up for public consumption with the hopes that it may alter your views of what has become a sour story. “Team Obliterator” wants out of his skin.
Changing your mind is Owens’ chief inspiration for the show and the driving force behind his willingness to open up. He needs your love. As the tagline of the show touts, he wants to show the world Terrell the man — not T.O. the athlete.
It’s an admirable pursuit, which will likely see the keen critical eye of every pundit this side of the Atlantic. And with Skip Bayless as ferocious as ever, he’ll have to answer for all the unscripted meltdowns that VH1 so readily dishes up in the season’s previews.
Quite literally, this could be the first time a professional athlete breaks down on camera for not winning a game, or losing a game, or meeting their estranged father (which Owens does in this show). But for simply not being loved in the way that he wants. That’s compelling. That’s egotistic. That screams of conceitedness and vulgar vanity.
That’s great television.
Editor’s note: This column originally appeared in The Union.
Men’s Health ranked Sac 95 out of 100
Published: July 18, 2009
A screenshot of Men's Health Magazine's graphic of Sacramento's rankings.
My hometown of San Francisco was No. 39 on the 100-city list, with a grade of C+. But the whopper I noticed on the list was Sacramento, which was a dismal No. 95, getting a grade of F. Other, probably more notable, cities to get that grade were Orlando, Fla., Miami, Fla., and Newark, N.J.
The list was based on a couple of factors: Who’s looking to purchase tickets to games and sporting events, who is buying team apparel and who responded to calling themselves a “fanatic” in a survey done by Scarborough Sports Marketing.
The No. 1 city on the list was Arlington, Texas. Shocking, I know.
This kind of reminds me of ESPN’s Title Town campaign, where Valdosta, Georgia won for its “high school tradition, young but powerful Division II college football and overwhelming spirit.”
It’s hard to argue these things when you know towns like Valdosta just had everyone jam ESPN’s servers and vote the crap out of it. But Men’s Health is different in this regard. It actually did some evaluating and selected the cities and towns on its own. Which leads me to a very simple question: How can anyone argue for Sacramento to be any higher than 95th?
Let’s take a look at reasons why Sacramento is probably so low:
- The Sacramento Kings suck. With a stadium that seats one of the NBA’s lowest figures (17,317), there were many nights when the purple and black barely touched 5,000 because of an 88-158 over the last three seasons and an atrocious 17-65 season last year. All is quiet on the fandom front, with the faithful holding it down for next season hopes.. Rocking a Kings jersey right now, is not cool. Not cool, man.
- A lack of a second major franchise. How can Sacramento compete with the only major franchise in town of the four professional sports leagues is the Kings? There’s just no way possible. Add on to the fact…
- There’s no major Division I schools in the area. Sacramento State ain’t cutting it. Neither is UC Davis, which is down I-80. Although they do make for interesting Division-II fodder. (Yes, UC Davis is Division I, but how many people realize this?)
- People don’t respect Triple-A baseball. Maybe this is a personal opinion here … OK, they’re all personal opinions. But who gives a crap if Sacramento has a championship-winning Triple-A baseball team. The Sacramento Rivercats get their due in Sacramento, but nowhere else. Because no one pays attention to minor league baseball except “fanatics” and baseball writers. It’s surprising — really, shocking — that they’re affiliates of the Oakland Athletics which continue to suck in their own right.
Below is the full list from Men’s Health, as sent to me. Click on the link here for the article.
Mourning McNair, Jackson tragedies
Published: July 8, 2009
Former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was killed on the Fourth of July. Truly a tragedy.
There are many things to take away from the last week of celeb-craziness, hysteria, fame, infamy and alleged adultery. While the entire world mourned the loss of Michael Jackson, many sports fans and those who work in the industry found themselves mixed up in a tragedy too close for comfort.
These are the dog days of summer.
While initially annoyed by the response and attention Jackson received, I was overcome with sadness by the reaction of his only daughter, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson, crying out that her daddy had been “the best father you could ever imagine.”
These aren’t the times to be a curmudgeon. Not when folks are hurting.
On Saturday, the sadness came instantly. For while McNair didn’t have the same impact Jackson did globally, and while he didn’t carry any of the baggage that the King of Pop claimed, he was by all accounts a standup dude, and that warranted a moment of pause.
As investigators determine whether he died by the hands of his girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi who also was killed, or some third party, I think of his four kids as well. He only managed to get to 36. Still young. Still lively. Still destined for greatness. And unable to see his boys become men.
We can argue McNair’s merits for the Hall of Fame, his stature as one of the greatest black quarterbacks ever, or why he was mixed up with a 20-year old mistress, but somehow all of it feels so wrong.
The worst part, we may never know the complete details despite the openness of the Nashville, Tenn., police department.
“It may be we’ll never know exactly why this happened,” police spokesman Don Aaron told the Associated Press, referring to the rising media interest in the case.
Kazemi had purchased the gun used in both of their deaths and the police department is trying to determine if this is a case of murder-suicide, although there are no signs that point to any troubles between the two.
Meanwhile, McNair’s wife, Mechelle McNair, was apparently unaware of the affair. Again, as details dripped out, it was difficult to stomach the news. He had allegedly told Kazemi he was divorcing his wife, and yet she had no idea.
When this week is over, and all of these bodies are buried — Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Billie Mays included — it’ll be a good opportunity to look to the people around you and really consider what it means to lose someone you love. And then, what would it mean for them to lose you.
As Jackson has shown, with McNair following, no matter what transgressions may have occurred in their lives, it doesn’t take away from what they aspired to be. I’m sure if we dig long enough, we’ll find plenty of skeletons in each of their closets. But do we want to?
I don’t.
Editor’s note: This column originally appeared in The Union.
