Very OT: Favorite "This is Sportscenter" commercial?
It's a Monday, so why not throw out something to distract us from work.
The "This is Sportscenter" commercial series is iconic, so I figured I'd see what the MGoNation's favorite commercial is, and include some of my own.
Sportscenter calls up the rookie:
Y2K Test:
Posada & Ortiz switch caps:
And of course, the hands down greatest commercial, metalhead John Clayton (RIP):
Rich Eisen trolls Ohio State fans at the NFL Hall of Fame dinner - ESPN Video
Someone didn't understand the assignment.
Can trolling OSU ever be the wrong answer?
Almost never... but in this case...
August 8th, 2022 at 10:00 AM ^
I enjoyed the troll job more then any ESPN commercial.
August 8th, 2022 at 11:39 AM ^
Rich Eisen during the commercial break is brilliant.
I don't know how to embed. Please help me with this.
You had ONE job.
Not sure its exactly what you're looking for but..... Berman is one of my favorites....
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/370557-the-20-best-chris-berman-nicknames-of-all-time
August 8th, 2022 at 11:21 AM ^
My favorite Berman nickname ever: Bert "Be home" Blyleven.
August 8th, 2022 at 10:26 AM ^
RIP Steve Irwin.
August 8th, 2022 at 12:23 PM ^
"He was 44 years old. I'm like 'that's a ripe old age for a crocodile hunter.'"
RIP Norm MacDonald
"Voot Kenny Mayneski" and "Charlie, Come Out and Get Your Whoopin'!"
OP: What's your favorite this is Sportscenter commercial?
Everyone: Here's a completely unrelated video.
August 8th, 2022 at 10:09 AM ^
1. keeping us mgobloggers on-task and on-topic is like herding cats. nobody should express frustration or surprise at that.
2. it is also an undeniable mgotruism that some of the very best threads of all time are the ones that either start with very funny presuppositions - case in point is the lloyd brady threads which are all-time classics, or that begin in one direction and take hilarious turns in another. this thread has that possibility and is already enjoyable for those reasons.
August 9th, 2022 at 10:31 PM ^
Damn you
Maybe just me, but I think on many of those ads (and SportsCenter itself) ESPN goes just a little too far.
I would've found the Clayton ad (which is still good) funnier without the part where he shouts at his mom. It would've been fine (and better) if he'd just flopped on the bed and turned up some metal. Chinese takeout container? Not much of an impact either way ...
Similarly, when Chris Berman delivered all his wordplay he used a little too much emphasis, as if his non-Ivy audience wouldn't otherwise get it.
August 8th, 2022 at 10:24 AM ^
You're 10 ply, bud.
August 8th, 2022 at 11:47 AM ^
In related news, today’s my super-soft birthday.
pitter patter
August 8th, 2022 at 12:23 PM ^
Really think you're looking too deeply into 30-second Sportscenter spots.
August 8th, 2022 at 10:09 AM ^
“So what’s your nickname around here?”
”Hey how’s it going bedwetter?”
Adrian Peterson, SVP
August 8th, 2022 at 10:11 AM ^
Before "This is Sportscenter" commercials were a thing, I distinctly remember there was a series of SportsCenter commercials with athletes humming or singing the SportsCenter theme. I vividly remember the Fab 5 being featured in one of those bits so this must have been 30 years ago. If you search now, all you will find is the documentary trailers for their 30 for 30 special.
August 8th, 2022 at 11:38 AM ^
I remember those commercials, but not one of which included the Fab Five. I'd love to see it if it exists...
August 8th, 2022 at 10:16 AM ^
Van Pelt stealing LeBron's throne and then blowing him off. Never gets old.
August 8th, 2022 at 10:21 AM ^
“Going up?” *NJ Devil shakes head no*: https://youtu.be/ksTnfz-F8KE
These aren’t Sportscenter commercials, but these UM-OSU commercials were always good: https://youtu.be/Zv0_EpF5SyY
August 8th, 2022 at 10:22 AM ^
along those same lines, the terry tate - office linebacker commercials were some classics.
August 8th, 2022 at 10:23 AM ^
Any with a mascot is chuckle worthy. Since mascots are large and silent, the ads are subtle yet ludicrous.
August 8th, 2022 at 10:27 AM ^
Also, the early ones (from early-mid 90s) that were focused on the SC hosts instead of athletes were pretty great. They had a good theme of bringing a sports subject into the TV studio in a funny way: Steiner trade, SVP performance enhancers, and the Dan Patrick Perfect Show.
August 8th, 2022 at 10:51 AM ^
Agreed.
Also, early on in the ESPN days, the anchors were allowed to be personalities and became must see TV. Eventually Olberman/Kilbourne/Patrick/etc (and later Stuart Scott) became more recognizable than the show, and some became divas about things like pay and contracts, so ESPN decided to basically always rotate anchors and not let anyone get too big for a long time on the main SC flagship.
Eventually, they reversed that when they got to the heart of the PTI/ATH and Steven A Smith era.
If you ever have a lot of time to read the book "Those guys have all the fun", it's a super interesting read about how ESPN changed sports and broadcasting.
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/9476510-those-guys-have-all-the-fun
August 8th, 2022 at 11:48 AM ^
Stuart Scott was everything Steven A Smith ever hoped he could be. He left us too early...
August 8th, 2022 at 10:39 AM ^
A few of my favorites:
August 8th, 2022 at 10:43 AM ^
For the best ESPN commercial of all time, you need to go a little further back in history.
August 8th, 2022 at 11:00 AM ^
I always liked the more subtle ones like the tiger woods ones where he just has a huge crowd following him through the office.
August 8th, 2022 at 12:25 PM ^
Similarly, when Arnold Palmer mixes iced tea and lemonade in the cafeteria and SVP whispers to Stu Scott "that was so cool."
August 8th, 2022 at 11:02 AM ^
Easy... Gordie Howe, though the John Clayton one is pretty epic too.
August 8th, 2022 at 12:26 PM ^
Always loved Andrew McCutchen and the pirate mascots raiding the office after security changed the locks.
August 8th, 2022 at 12:40 PM ^
Y2K is my all-time fave. anything with charley steiner, really.
August 8th, 2022 at 12:48 PM ^
I love this one
Not a Yankees fan, but "hip hip JORGE" with Jorge Posada was always great to watch.
Ovechkin playing a Russian spy was always really funny too.
Several come to mind. The mannings on a tour of the campus. Drew brees cant get in, the gate is narrow! Bedwetter. Svp watching film of himself with Jimmy Rollins. John Clayton, metalhead.
Drew Brees' delivery on the "the gate is narrow!" is one of those lines that will stick with me forever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvAArB-IQFg
Switch from artificial to natural grass.
Totally forgot about this one. So good.
There have been lots of funny ones, but nothing compares to the Y2K commercial in the OP...