ESPN takes a ton of criticism, especially in the sports blogosphere and on Twitter, and I think they deserve the vast majority of it. Still, they are the Worldwide Leader (self-proclaimed anyway) for a reason, and that reason is this: when ESPN is not busy sniffing its own flatulence, the network can produce some pretty damn compelling sports entertainment programming.
The most obvious example is the 30 for 30 documentary series, which is terrific and universally renowned for being so. But an even more ubiquitous example is the series of funny SportsCenter commercials featuring athletes that ESPN has been producing for 15 or so years now. These commercials rarely disappoint.
In this post, I’ll share with you my favorite current ESPN commercial and my favorite two from the voluminous archive of this series.
I am not a hockey fan, but every time I see the commercial with Steve Levy and Alex Ovechkin, it cracks me up.
Steve Levy: Hey, Ovie, what are you doing in the dark?
Alex Ovechkin: Nothing. Just…late night filings.
And then the innocent chuckle and subsequent expression on Ovechkin’s face when Levy leaves are priceless. Watch:
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As much as I like this one, it cannot compare to my all-time favorite ESPN SportsCenter commercial: the Y2K test ad featuring one of the greatest lines in the history of TV commercials, said by (who else?) Charley Steiner:
Follow me! Follow me to freedom!
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Steiner was also involved in another classic SportsCenter commercial moment, when ESPN “trades” Steiner to Melrose Place for Andrew Shue. That led to this line:
Hi Sidney. I’m Bobby. I’m the new pool boy. Want to rub some cocoa oil on my back?
Classic.
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You’re welcome for the free advertising ESPN. You are free to repay me by removing Matt Millen from all future broadcasts I am interested in watching.
What is your favorite ESPN commercial? Copy/paste links for embed codes below. This could be fun. There are definitely a ton of them to choose from.
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About Jerod Morris
