Earlier today, I showed you NBC's promo for the Accenture Match Play featuring Tiger Woods, and now we get a chance to look at the Golf Channel's latest effort. They too went with the welcome back message, but took it just a bit of a step further. How so you ask? Well by getting Samuel L. Jackson to recreate his "Path of the Righteous Man" speech from "Pulp Fiction"....

Now that's how you make an ad! Now I'm ready to watch some Golf!!!

Of all the nonsensical things that ESPN has done over the years, this is by far the worst. Deadspin pointed out yesterday that Subway's commercial actor Jared Fogle was going to be on for an ESPN Chat, and The Sports Hernia decided to take in the fun. The only thing lamer than the actual guest were the actual questions that ESPN let through....

Leon (Maryland): Do you start singing the Five Dollar footlong song whenever you see it on TV like the rest of us?

SportsNation Jared: (11:28 AM ET ) Yeah, I think it's in my dreams these days. I do get asked to sing it quite a bit. But you don't want me to do it.

Steiny (NYC): So, Jared, do you eat at Subway?

SportsNation Jared: (11:32 AM ET ) My favorite now is the Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki. I still eat it about twice a week. The best thing about my job is that I don't have to pay for it.

Bob (Tucson): Do you think they should have 6 feet subs on the sideline next to the Gatorade for the linemen?

SportsNation Jared: (11:33 AM ET ) Yeah, they could. That would be good. It should be the official sandwich of the NFL.

Jack (Old New Orleans): What kinds of reactions do you get when you go into Subway restaurants?

SportsNation Jared: (11:34 AM ET ) It's pretty crazy. The amount of crazy stares and the people. They can't believe. I find I freak people out a little bit.

Godish (Chicago): Do you just go by Jared now? Is Fogel in the past?

SportsNation Jared: (11:40 AM ET ) It is. Sting, Madonna, Prince, Cher. When you say Jared, people know, but if you say Jared Fogle, they don't know.

Unbelievable. They say that not that many people made the trip to Tampa this week, and that's clearly evidenced by this lame chat. Hey ESPN, I'm pretty sure Terry Tate "Office Linebacker" is available as well if you need space to fill.

Finally, your Super Bowl chat with Jared from Subway (The Sports Hernia)

The new line of TNT Basketball ads, while very similar to the Monday/Sunday Night Countdown crew ads, are still pretty funny. The premise is that Charles Barkley is being questioned in a congressional'esqe hearing and certain people speak out against him. Those individuals are none other than Shaquille O'Neal, Lebron James and Kobe Bryant....

Very well done, and I think they could definitely play on that the whole season, but they should get all of Hollywood involved. Actually, scratch that. I know by suggesting that they will consider using the cast of "Leverage" or "The Closer" as their "Hollywood". Stick to Basketball players and you've got a winner.

I caught this commercial after going back and watching Monday Night Countdown from last night, and I think it's safe to say that the NFL Network's commercial for the Jets-Patriots game will make you sick to your stomach....

A "Heroes" parody? Ugh. The only my they could have made that more nauseating was to play the Foo Fighters "My Hero" in the background. I understand that networks need to attach their promos to someone, but when it's Favre, I immediately just roll my eyes. It'll be interesting to see if Papa and Collinsworth, fawn over Favre as much as the MNF crew did earlier in the year.

So Vitamin Water, who has almost every athlete on the planet under their umbrella, has now filmed a set of commercials with Steve Nash. There are two versions out there, but my favorite is Steve's trip to the VW offices....

That cursing lady just flat out cracked me up. Good stuff. You can check out the other spot, and all it's Zoolanderish goodness, over at With Leather.

Steve Nash Is Funny (With Leather)

I'm not entirely positive, but I think that's the "lead singer" of the Pussycat Dolls, in this new over 3-minute long commercial for Lebron's new kicks. Here the pop star and the basketball star go Cinemax for the shoes....

Apparently the premise is that the new Lebrons are some sort of aphrodisiac, but I got extremely bored about twenty seconds in. If you made it through that whole thing....bravo.

New Lebron James After Six Commercial (Dock Squad Sports)

Wanted to get a post up (get it?) on all things associated with the NBA's opening night this evening. Below are a few links, your NBA Announcing Schedule for the rest of the week and also your first look at the new NBA on TNT commercials that they'll be airing this Fall. Make sure you check out the new look NBA TV tonight starting at 5pm and then TNT's pregame gets underway at 7pm. ESPN resumes their NBA coverage on Wednesday with NBA Shootaround starting at 7pm as well.

Here's the schedule, some links and the new TNT commercial staring none other than AA's featured man of the day, Charles Barkley, and Senator and Actor....Fred Thompson!

Announcing Schedule:

Tuesday, October 28th

NBA Tip-Off 2008 (TNT, 7pm)- Boston Celtics Ring Ceremony
Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics (TNT, 8pm)- Marv Albert, Reggie Miller, Mike Fratello and Craig Sager
Portland Trailblazers at LA Lakers (TNT, 10:30pm)- Kevin Harlan, Doug Collins and Cheryl Miller

Wednesday, October 29th

NBA Shootaround (ESPN, 7pm)- Stuart Scott, Jon Barry, Avery Johnson
Phoenix at San Antonio (ESPN, 8pm)- Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, Lisa Salters
L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers (ESPN, 10:30pm)- Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, Heather Cox

Thursday, October 30th

NBA Tip-Off (TNT, 8pm)- Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Chris Webber
Houston Rockets @ Dallas Mavericks (TNT, 8:15pm)- Marv Albert, Mike Fratello, Reggie Miller and Cheryl Miller
New Orleans Hornets @ Phoenix Suns (TNT, 10:30pm)- Kevin Harlan, Doug Collins and Craig Sager

Friday, October 31st

NBA Shootaround (ESPN, 7:30pm)- Stuart Scott, Avery Johnson, Jalen Rose
Chicago at Boston (ESPN, 8pm)- Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, Doris Burke
San Antonio at Portland (ESPN, 10:30pm)- Kevin Calabro, Jon Barry, Nancy Lieberman

Reading Material:

Field report: NBA Tip-Off Celebration, New York City (Ball Don't Lie)
While You Were Sleeping VII: The FreeDarko EVERY GAME PREVIEW (Free Darko)
The NBA finally has its curves back (Bill Simmons)
SLAM’s Official 2008-09 NBA Preview (SLAM)
Poor Kobe Bryant, the Video (True Hoop)
Celtics Begin Title Defense with Playoff Rematch (Celts Blog)
Game 1 Preview: Blazers vs. L*kers (Blazers Edge)
Superman Don't Need No Robin (Cavalier Attitude)

TNT's New NBA Spot:

Guitar Hero has sparked a virtual movement (no pun intended) in the video game world and in promoting their latest release, World Tour, they've turned to athletes A-Rod, Tony Hawk, Michael Phelps and Kobe Bryant, for their first campaign.

Paying tribute to the famous lip- and guitar-syncing scene that appeared in the popular film “Risky Business,” each ad will highlight different celebrities jamming on instruments from Guitar Hero World Tour to the song “Old Time Rock and Roll,” performed by Bob Seger. The first commercial, which debuts today, features Kobe Bryant rocking the mic, Alex Rodriguez and Michael Phelps dancing while ripping it up on the exhilarating new guitars, and Tony Hawk sliding in on a skateboard to play the drums. The new commercials are an extension of the “Risky Business” inspired Guitar Hero ads starring American Idol season seven-winner David Cook and runner-up David Archuletta that aired during the American Idol season finale on May 21, 2008.

While it's a very good ad, I just can't stand Michael Phelps anymore. His presence almost ruins the entire thing for me. Still though, while the franchise certainly needs no help, ads like this certainly won't hurt it.

Guitar Hero World Tour Ad (Activision)

Here is your first look at FOX's World Series intro, and when I first read that John McCain and Barack Obama were going to be involved, I rolled my eyes. After watching the clip though, I have to say that it's pretty darn good. Here's your first look....

Man, that gave me some goosebumps. Anytime you use music from the movie "Glory", and add some inspirational quotes, you've got a winner. I'll be around later tonight with an open thread, and hopefully some vids later on in the night. Enjoy Game One folks!

I love simple commercials when it comes to Sports. Just showing old clips, or action on the field/court, is usually enough to give me goosebumps. Even more though, I actually pay attention. Well ten days ago, I told you that Turner Sports was going to create a campaign around that premise for NBA TV, League Pass and NBA.com, and it definitely doesn't disappoint. Here's the first one with Kevin Garnett....

Less is always more, and if you add in a piano slowly playing in the background, I'm sold. Good work Turner, and I can't wait to see the next one.

Turner To Heavily Promote NBA Product, Relaunch NBA TV (Awful Announcing)

Didn't think I'd be going with back-to-back annoying commercials department, but you can add Barack Obama's name to the growing list. Obama has officially decided to use a 30-minute....not seconds, minutes!....spot before the start of the potential Game Six of the World Series. Of course you could just skip it, but according to CNN....it's actually pushing back the start of the game....

The Republican National Committee took aim at Barack Obama Wednesday over the Illinois senator's half-hour ad buy that will delay the start of a World Series game by 18 minutes.

"It’s unfortunate that the World Series’ first pitch is being delayed for Obama’s political pitch," RNC spokesman Alex Conant said. "Not only is Obama putting politics before principle, he’s putting it before our national pastime.”

Major League Baseball has agreed to a request from Fox to delay the start time of Game 6 of the World Series (if a Game 6 is necessary) so the network can air the 30-minute Obama spot, a Fox spokesman confirms to CNN. The Illinois senator has also bought similar time on CBS and NBC, set to begin at 8 p.m.

The potential Game Six would be on October 29th, and it's seemingly a smart move as far as timing of the election goes, it's just another instance of Politics creeping into Sport. I know we've had this discussion many times in the past few months, but I just really can't stand when they mix.

The last thing I want before a potential World Series clinching game is a 30-minute delay.

Obama takes heat for delaying World Series game (CNN)

(Thanks to SL for the tip)

Big League Stew conducted an amazing interview with Jeff Gregor, the chief marketing officer for TBS and TNT, and more than anything it shed some light on the thinking surrounding "Frank TV". In fact, Mr. Gregor even went so far as to tell BLS that the ads are, "so good at entertaining," that you see one it just feels, "like you just saw one not too long ago"....

"Last year, we were part of the story," Gregor admitted. "Or (the FrankTV ads) were part of the story, and we knew that even if we ran less commercials this year, it would still be part of the story, because the spots are so distinctive, so different, and are playing to a large audience inside of baseball (telecasts)."

Gregor is also of the belief that the spots are just that good, and that is why people are drawn to them.

"This is just a hypothesis on my side: You think there are a lot of (FrankTV) spots, but there's actually not as many as you think," Gregor said. "They're just so good at entertaining and engaging that when they come on you feel like you just saw one not too long ago."

Now, I love what TBS and TNT are doing with their Sports content, and even some of their shows, but you have to be kidding me. I know most of us are pretty impressionable, but to assume something like that almost comes across as borderline condescending. I, for one, won't be watching the show out of principal now, and if they actually come out of this thing with passable ratings.....I'd be surprised.

TBS exec: FrankTV ads 'good at entertaining and engaging' (Big League Stew)

This actually debuted last Friday, but it's so awesome that I wasn't about to skip over it. Nike is back with another edition of it's "Leave Nothing" campaign, this time featuring Troy Polamalu and LaDanian Tomlinson. This one is titled "Fate" and it takes you all the way from the two star's respective births, to them meeting head to head on the Football field....

That's just too good. They honestly need to make about forty of these and turn them into their own 30 minute show. Just air them over and over again. I mean, the part when Young Troy jumps on that table and destroys it was just awesome. I still liked the Shawne Merriman-Steven Jackson one better, but they really can't go wrong with these.

LaDainian Tomlinson and Troy Polamalu Are Good at Football (Fanhouse)
Shawne Merriman And Steven Jackson Are Time Travelers (Awful Announcing)

It's getting ever-so-close to Basketball season (crazy I know) and Turner Sports had just unveiled a new ad campaign to raise awareness of their Basketball offerings. They recently added "Fan Nights", in which fans get to vote on which games they want to see on Tuesdays, but they're also planning a relaunching of the channel and a general NBA campaign. Via Sports Business Journal....

The centerpiece of Turner’s “The Game Happens Here” message is that the NBA’s digital assets cover every aspect of the NBA, from training camp through the playoffs. This message is embodied in a 60-second TV commercial that shows the highs and lows of last season for Kevin Garnett. The spot weaves Garnett’s on-camera quotes, beginning with training camp and continuing to after his Celtics team won a championship.

The commercial fades to black, then brings up the tag line: “The Game Happens Here.” Then, one-by-one, logos from NBA TV, League Pass and NBA.com appear on the screen.

“It’s important for us to give distinct and unique positioning and branding for our NBA Digital services,” Storms said. “We provide access inside these places. We can take fans on a journey like no one else.” Turner Sports used the Minneapolis-based agency Mono to help develop this campaign.

A "central part of the effort will be the relaunch of NBA TV" on the first night of the regular season, October 28, at 5:00pm ET. The net will unveil a "new on-screen look, featuring new sets and graphics, and its new schedule will devote much more time to live studio programming, which will use" TNT talent including Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith.

Interesting. I always love when commercials go deep into the game like that, or delve into the past like the ad above. Turner's delivery of the game of Basketball has always been stellar, but they still need viewers other than hardcore Basketball fans. Something like this might do the trick, and more importantly....won't alienate their core audience of NBA heads.

I'll try to get a hold of the commercial and put it up when I do.

Turner promotes NBA digital menu (Sports Business Journal - $)

Before I get into the story, I still can't believe that is the logo for Super Bowl XLIII. It's just boring and looks like the Patriots logo to me. Anywho, NBC isn't having nearly the trouble selling ads for the Super Bowl that it was for the Olympics. In fact at the start of the NFL Season they only really have about 10 of the 67 spots left. Via John Ourand at Sports Business Daily....

The strong ad sales market surrounding February’s game underscores the strength that big events like the Super Bowl have, even in a down economy. “We see the end zone right now,” Winter said.

NBC’s enviable ad sales position also marks resurgence of an event that had become a tough sell for networks in fall of ‘05 and ‘06. Last year’s game on Fox seemed to re-energize the Super Bowl, which stood out for its numbers (a 43.1 rating) and buzz factor (with the Patriots vying for an undefeated season against the big-market Giants). Coming off an Olympics ad sales effort that saw NBC sell more than $1B, the Super Bowl is another good news story for the network, and shows that big sports events are not being affected by the overall sluggish economy.

NBC’s $3M rate card marks an unprecedented 11% increase from the $2.7M rate card Fox used for this year’s game. Fox set the market at the end of last year, when it ended up getting around $3M for a couple of late-breaking 30-second spots. The $3M rate usually is paid by advertisers that do not buy spots during the season. “I’d be embarrassed to tell anyone that I paid that much for a commercial,” said one ad buyer, who asked not to be identified because he plans to buy at least one spot.

That's just wild, but it seems to make sense. With the economy as low as it's been in quite some time people are trying every way they can think of to put their money into sure things, and the Super Bowl is certainly one of those sure things. The majority of large businesses use the "shotgun approach" to marketing, which is to get your message out through many avenues as to as many people you can, but saving up for a huge event like the SB or American Idol might become more of the norm.

NBC Has Already Sold 85% Of Ad Inventory For Super Bowl XLIII (Sports Business Daily - $)

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sick of Bon Jovi getting into all my Sports. It was fine when he just had his AFL Team because that was avoidable, but now he's creeping into MLB and the NFL, and TBS has just decided to use his song "I Love This Town" for their postseason promos. Here's your first look at the spot....

I guess it wasn't that bad. The song is okay, and the player appearances are fun, but it just goes on forever. Shorter versions will be played on TBS this month, but you might not want to go to the movies until after October. The version you just watched is going to be played as a preview before movies on over 11,500 movie screens across the country.

Oh and one more thing. Remember MLB's postseason commercial featuring Spanish from Old School? Well TBS is also getting on board with that campaign and will have the "stars" from their shows blogging about the Playoffs. Those stars include "Beautiful Girls" actor Timothy Hutton whose on some show called "Leverage", Bill Engval and you guessed it.....Frank Caliendo!

Your First Look At The 2008 MLB Postseason Campaign (Awful Announcing)

I always thought those Chunky Soup ads with the likes of Mrs. Tomlinson, Hasselbeck, Elway and McNabb, were pretty cheesy but there was still something appealing about them. Well according to the Wall Street Journal, the mamas "have been canned"....

For the past six years, the company has been running a well-received series of ads for its "Chunky" soup that feature National Football League greats and their mothers calling them inside for dinner and serving them soup.

But starting with this NFL season, those moms will be riding the bench. The reason for the change? Campbell Soup says its new research has revealed that the company's target consumers -- men in their 30s -- are finally achieving soup independence.

The new campaign, dubbed "Working Day," features San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson. In one of the series of five ads, which debut when the NFL season kicks off on Sept. 4, Mr. Tomlinson is shown in action on the field as a voice-over describes his job in blue-collar terms.

"Another grueling day on the job," the ad begins. "You're dying to get out of those work clothes. You're hungry. You take a can of Chunky soup. You think about your day. Was I productive? Did I do right by my boss?"

Boooooo! Whether they were cheesy or not, at least they were original. The whole workday lunch thing has been done a thousand times over. Plus, where is Wilma McNabb supposed to get her income from now? Oh that right....her son is an NFL player....nevermind. I'll still miss you though, Wilma.

Campbell Soup Sacks NFL's Mothers (WSJ)

Last year, in EA's Tiger Woods 2008, a Youtuber found a glitch that let you hit off water and dubbed it the "Jesus Shot". Well Tiger Woods would like you to know that the "Jesus Shot" isn't a glitch and that he can, in fact, walk on water. Via You Been Blinded....

Pretty cool if you ask me. That kid is going to be the star of his highschool for about a week now and hopefully he (like us bloggers) can get out of the basement and meet a girl. Huzzah!


Video: Tiger Woods Walks On Water (You Been Blinded)

I Want My BTN found this (new?) Big Ten Network commercial featuring all the coaches of the conference and the unintentional comedy is off the charts. I'll let you watch first and then we can discuss on the other side (make sure you watch until the end though)....

Okay, the obvious comment I wanted to make was that Joe Paterno scares the crap out of me, but then Rich Rod had to go and steal the show. How many people think that he actually uses that, "our helmet's got wings," line for real? (Raises Hand)

Good times for a Michigan Fan I tell ya. Those grubby hands are going to be grabbing mom's brownies in a town near you soon! And I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Big Ten's newest ad for the BTN (I Want My BTN)

Okay, Nike has done it again and whoever came up with this idea is a freaking genius. The new campaign is called "Train Like LT" and features LaDanian Tomlinson heading over to Kimbo Slice's house to train the "old school way". Via Yardbarker....

First of all, that car that LT rolls up in is badass. Second, when Kimbo swung the freezer door open, I just lost it. Outside of that "I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier" ad, I can't think of one Nike has put out there that hasn't been awesome. Great work again, Swooshers.

First Look at Nike's New "Train Like LT" Campaign with Kimbo Slice (Yardbarker)