Play the former and you may end up in the latter. Or if you are a certain Yankees fan who wishes to remain nameless you could just go for a run on an unseasonably warm winter day and end up in the latter. That's right sports fans no football involved (well not until later anyway)!
This anonymous fan (besides having horrible taste in baseball teams) slipped on some ice while running in scenic Rock Creek Park and because he, like many of us, wasn't in possession of his cell phone at the time, had to wait in the cool shade for over 30 min before encountering anybody else who could help him. Long history short he has a broken leg that required surgery and a titanium rod insert.
The real story here is not that he will be away from running for up to six months or that his wife (a frequent contributor to these pages) has to take care of him, or even that his dog can't play with him. Rather the moral of the story is don't go running with headphones (ala Mike Wise)
Achey-Breaky-Leg wasn't wearing them but more importantly. Seth (no last name available as of this printing) wasn't either. Seth (of no fixed address) rescued the gimp and helped keep him warm while waiting for the ambulance.
By the time I walked into the ER (he was being held in one of the “psych rooms”...how appropriate) half of the dead leaves from the park were deposited on the floor and in his gurney. The least the EMTs could have done is left a broom or a shop vac or something like that.
The good news is that he is on the mend and already putting pressure on his foot while walking on the crutches. We went over to visit on Sunday night and to watch the J-E-T-S sneak out of San Diego with a great playoff upset. So everybody was happy. Especially yours truly who got to watch the entire game without interruption, Hard Times Chili and Wings, and even some cookie cake. Now if he could just break his leg every week, we may go to the SuperBowl!
Showing posts with label SuperBowl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SuperBowl. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Monday, February 2, 2009
Great Game, Great Concert, Crappy Commercials
Not much needs to be said about last night’s game nor the half time concert by the legendary Bruce Springsteen because both of these events spoke volumes for themselves with their performances. What I, like many others in the blogosphere, am doing today is complaining about the lack of creativity in the commercials that have become their own must see event over the years.
Look the economy is in free fall, we all get it and I certainly understand that we’re not going to see another “1984”-type Mac commercial until times for everybody get better. I am looking beyond the three million dollars that each game time “spot” cost. The cost of the spot shouldn’t dictate the creativity. The advertisers that bought each spot had the money to do so and they also had the money to produce some sort of commercial, if not we’d have nothing but a guy holding cards up in front of the camera that had the company’s information on it. So in other words, there was some money for production here.
With that in mind, I will point out the three worst commercials and then the three best with a little explanation why (you can see all the spots over at Hulu).
THE WORST
1) Assorted Movie Trailers and NBC Promos
Clearly economic times are tough and NBC could not sell all their ad space (despite reports to the contrary) so there was advanced warning that a heavy dose of “promos” were coming, but they just weren’t funny. Especially notable in this category were the 3-D ad for “Chuck” and the “Heroes” spot where they are playing football. In fact the only one that was bearable was the “LMAO” which looked like it came from the TBS inventory of “really funny” then NBC’s stable. The movie trailers are even worse. GIJOE? Are you @$%@%$3 kidding me? My only hope is that the movie completely goes in the tank forcing the studio to shut its operations. My same thoughts for Land of the Lost, only this time I hope that Will Ferrell will also have to cease operations (die).
2) E-Trade Talking Babies
Oh you are so hip Mr. Head of Advertising at E-trade. You added a black baby to sit along the annoying white baby. Here’s a clue...neither one of them are funny, nor adorable, nor even mildly entertaining. We’re all taking a bath in the market and you’re not helping...Instead of spending money advertising, spend it getting better actors for next year.
3) Any of the Budweiser spots
The Clydesdales are no longer funny or cute. We’ve seen them do everything but take a giant dump into the vat of your crappy beer. I don’t know if it wouldn’t have been a good idea to let the Belgians take you over. At least I hear they know how to a) make a product people actually want to drink and b) can make a half way decent commercial that won’t remind me how much I crave a horse burger right now
THE BEST
1) Teleflora-Talking Flowers
Far and away the best spot was from Teleflora. They stepped up to the plate and not only took on 1-800-flowers and ProFlowers but also thought out their concept and executed flawlessly. How funny was it? Well it was already number one before the closing line “oh and no one wants to see you naked!” Classic. Congrats!
2) Tie: Doritos “Crystal Ball” and Bridgestone “Taters”
Nothing says funny like free chips and a guy getting hit in the groin in the same 30-second span. As Homer J Simpson is fond of saying “it’s funny on so many levels”. While I didn’t love Bridgestone’s other spots the one with Mr. and Mrs. Potatohead was well worth the money spent. Not only did it let me know that they have good tires (a fact that I probably won’t remember when it comes time to buy new ones) but it fulfilled every married man’s dream (for our lovely wives to have interchangeable parts!). Well Done
3) Cash 4 Gold.com
See they’re not only on at 4am and hour long infomercials on Saturday afternoon. This comes close to Teleflora in the “company you’ve never heard of walking away with the best of prize.” Getting Ed McMahon and MC Hammer (mallet) to unload their gold for much needed cash...classic (even if they did “bite” Nationwide Insurances’ MC Hammer spot a few years ago....the brutha needs money!).
That’s it I’m off to make my own commercial which you’ll only be able to see if you have access to my head. But I must warn you, it’s contents are graphic in nature and might be unsuitable to most audiences.
Bloggerman out!.
Look the economy is in free fall, we all get it and I certainly understand that we’re not going to see another “1984”-type Mac commercial until times for everybody get better. I am looking beyond the three million dollars that each game time “spot” cost. The cost of the spot shouldn’t dictate the creativity. The advertisers that bought each spot had the money to do so and they also had the money to produce some sort of commercial, if not we’d have nothing but a guy holding cards up in front of the camera that had the company’s information on it. So in other words, there was some money for production here.
With that in mind, I will point out the three worst commercials and then the three best with a little explanation why (you can see all the spots over at Hulu).
THE WORST
1) Assorted Movie Trailers and NBC Promos
Clearly economic times are tough and NBC could not sell all their ad space (despite reports to the contrary) so there was advanced warning that a heavy dose of “promos” were coming, but they just weren’t funny. Especially notable in this category were the 3-D ad for “Chuck” and the “Heroes” spot where they are playing football. In fact the only one that was bearable was the “LMAO” which looked like it came from the TBS inventory of “really funny” then NBC’s stable. The movie trailers are even worse. GIJOE? Are you @$%@%$3 kidding me? My only hope is that the movie completely goes in the tank forcing the studio to shut its operations. My same thoughts for Land of the Lost, only this time I hope that Will Ferrell will also have to cease operations (die).
2) E-Trade Talking Babies
Oh you are so hip Mr. Head of Advertising at E-trade. You added a black baby to sit along the annoying white baby. Here’s a clue...neither one of them are funny, nor adorable, nor even mildly entertaining. We’re all taking a bath in the market and you’re not helping...Instead of spending money advertising, spend it getting better actors for next year.
3) Any of the Budweiser spots
The Clydesdales are no longer funny or cute. We’ve seen them do everything but take a giant dump into the vat of your crappy beer. I don’t know if it wouldn’t have been a good idea to let the Belgians take you over. At least I hear they know how to a) make a product people actually want to drink and b) can make a half way decent commercial that won’t remind me how much I crave a horse burger right now
THE BEST
1) Teleflora-Talking Flowers
Far and away the best spot was from Teleflora. They stepped up to the plate and not only took on 1-800-flowers and ProFlowers but also thought out their concept and executed flawlessly. How funny was it? Well it was already number one before the closing line “oh and no one wants to see you naked!” Classic. Congrats!
2) Tie: Doritos “Crystal Ball” and Bridgestone “Taters”
Nothing says funny like free chips and a guy getting hit in the groin in the same 30-second span. As Homer J Simpson is fond of saying “it’s funny on so many levels”. While I didn’t love Bridgestone’s other spots the one with Mr. and Mrs. Potatohead was well worth the money spent. Not only did it let me know that they have good tires (a fact that I probably won’t remember when it comes time to buy new ones) but it fulfilled every married man’s dream (for our lovely wives to have interchangeable parts!). Well Done
3) Cash 4 Gold.com
See they’re not only on at 4am and hour long infomercials on Saturday afternoon. This comes close to Teleflora in the “company you’ve never heard of walking away with the best of prize.” Getting Ed McMahon and MC Hammer (mallet) to unload their gold for much needed cash...classic (even if they did “bite” Nationwide Insurances’ MC Hammer spot a few years ago....the brutha needs money!).
That’s it I’m off to make my own commercial which you’ll only be able to see if you have access to my head. But I must warn you, it’s contents are graphic in nature and might be unsuitable to most audiences.
Bloggerman out!.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Redskin Fan.....shut up!
This is to "Redskin Fan."Redskin Fan is not an actual person but rather a composite persona made up of fans who not only live and die with their team but who put all reality aside and don't think their team can ever loose. If you root for the Colts or even the Patriots (hard to say that as a Jets fan) you don't have to shun reality to know that your team (this season anyway) is really good.
Redskin Fan though, doesn't get that their team "ain't so friggin' good." Redskin Fan insists that because they've won a few games this season and they have "future hall of fame" coach Joe Gibbs back that suddenly they should buy their airfare for the SuperBowl.
Eh....maybe Redskin Fan might have thought better before making such proclamations as, "We're going to take New England!" or "They can't stand up to our tough Defense!"
I guess that tough Defense was in their other bags as the Patriots clobbered the Skins 52-7. In fact it wasn't until the Pats put in the 2nd team that the Skins managed their one touchdown...late in the 4th quarter.
So what made Redskin Fan so damn sure that their team was going to beat what some people are viewing as the best team in a long while (they're good I just don't know if they're that good.)? Perhaps it was that the Redskins had a top 10 ranked defense that really hadn't been tested (unless you count the vaunted attack of those Arizona Cardinals and their 79 year old quarterback with the bum elbow), or maybe it was head coach Joe Gibbs and his theory of "Well we're ahead by 3 points with a half of football left to play, let's get real conservative and not try to score again."
Whatever caused Redskin Fan to believe the unbelievable they need to stop. They also need to stop calling sports talk radio stations proclaiming their team's greatness. I root for the New York Jets, and that has taught me a lot about both the good and the bad. This year they stink. I mean really stink, like day old cheese, stuffed in a piece of fish and left on top of the radiator all day. I know that they won't win every game. Heck, I know they won't win most of them. It doesn't mean that I don't pull for them in every game until the end, but I don't call up the radio hosts with the opinion that every other sports writer/commentator in America (and England) is sleeping on them.
What Redskin fan really needs is a 2nd professional football team here in DC. I know Baltimore isn't far away but it's not the same. A second team in town would compete for airtime and could provide a more balanced opinion of either team. But I'm not here to help provide solutions. I'm here to tell Redskin Fan to JUST SHUT UP!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)