I’ve posted a few sports commercials on this site in the past, and I figured it was time to expand upon the topic (even more there are about to be some repeats in here). Here are some of the best I’ve seen so far in 2008:

5. Shaq the Jockey

Shaquille O’Neal and his horse, Chunk of Love, win in a photo finish in this Vitamin Water spot. This originally debuted during the Super Bowl and I’m sure it caught everyone by surprise. Nice touch with the crotch pat at the end.

Note: no horses were euthanized in the making of this commercial.

4. NBA - Where Amazing Happens

This campaign has been going for a while now, but is totally worth mentioning in the top 5. Although the concept has gotten a bit played out as the season has gone on, no one disagrees how great these have been. Even through May, we are still getting some good ones, particularly the spots personalized by athletes, such as this one by Dwight Howard:

Don’t forget Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash’s questionable haircuts:

We’ve all seen the original spots before, but have you checked out YouTube in the past months? There are countless other versions created by fans that are good unto themselves. The simplicity of the commercials makes it easy for anyone to make their own. Some fans have even taken it upon themselves to do crossover ads into other sports to showcase their favorite teams:

A Philadelphia Eagles example:

Or how about a New York Yankees version recounting moments and figures in their fabled ballpark:

Ok enough of these… you get it. On to the next one…

3. 2008 NBA Playoffs - There Can Only Be One

The original split screen that debuted with Shaq and Kobe was incredible. Everyone knows their history and their story, and it was interesting to see them as one once more. Seeing this definitely got me amped for the playoffs.

Needless to say, several people within the NBA marketing department undoubtedly got huge raises this year for these two ad campaigns.

EDIT: PhDribble just posted this one and I had to include it as well:

Although not as simple as the Where Amazing Happens commercials, these too are clearly customizable and versatile. Hell, its even been extended out to movie advertisement for Adam Sandler’s new flick:

Oh, split screen goodness…

2. Sidney Crosby - League of Clutch

I included this Gatorade spot starring Sidney Crosby in an earlier post, but due to its significance to the sport, I’m placing it this high on the list.

It’s great to see Sid the Kid’s success in this postseason. Hockey is coming back big.

1. Nike Soccer in the first person

Another recent post, I’m still clearly not over this ad.

I’m aware the division is actually Nike Football. I’m a fan of the sport and all, but sorry purists (cough, Devin, cough) - for all intents and purposes, its known as soccer on this site.

Sure its a bit shaky, but Guy Ritchie did good work. This isn’t exactly Cloverfield or anything.

Soak that one in, tsarist subjects. This commercial is pure perfection.

The second round of the NBA Playoffs is upon us without a usual participant: the Dallas Mavericks.

Eliminated by the New Orleans Hornets in the first round, the end of an era was effectively ushered in. The end of an era of Maverick relevancy.

Ever since the snub in the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, this team has not been the same, subsequently getting humiliated and run off the court in the first round of the playoffs by the 8th seeded Golden State Warriors.

The next season started, and the Mavs were slow out the gate in a much improved Western Conference. Following the Pau Gasol blockbuster, teams entered panic mode. Brash decisions were made in a last ditch effort to gain an edge and get to the promised land.

Enter: Jason Kidd. Exit: the Mavs’ future

The move was definitely a bold one, but in case you didn’t see the team in action the second half of the year, it didn’t play out too well. The trade already had its skeptics, as Dallas gave up their future point guard, Devin Harris, in the deal.

The Mavs still made the playoffs as a seven seed and had the pleasure of being handled by the Hornets.

Cue the subsequent firing of head coach Avery Johnson, and where is this franchise?

From the top of the world at the NBA Finals to a struggling seven seed and a franchise in dismay.

My, how the mighty have fallen.

I had the misfortune of having to go to class on my birthday today to turn in an assignment. However, I have loose attendance morals and ended up leaving to go home and blog (sad).

Browsing the web in class, an ESPN article caught my eye concerning the Seattle Supersonics’ potential move to Oklahoma City. Apparently a deal is being negotiated to leave the Supersonic name, colors, etc… in Seattle for the next franchise that could come around.

Brilliant, I say!

Following this idea, the NBA would be an interesting place if names and identities were left behind from whence they originated.

The Los Angeles Lakers is an odd fit, seeing as how the Lakers originated in Minneapolis. Solution: give the Minnesota Timberwolves the Laker name, and have L.A. adopt the old ABA Anaheim Amigos or Los Angeles Stars monikers.

The San Antonio Spurs made the right move by leaving their former identity as the Dallas Chaparrals behind. Why won’t the Mavs rekindle that old flame? Their name isn’t there’s anyways since it originally belonged to the Houston Mavericks of the ABA. Solution: the Rockets (who got their name from their San Diego roots anyways) change their name to the Chaparrals and send their name to Dallas for the Mavericks name plus future considerations.

Memphis Grizzlies? Please. It’s a retarded name to start with, but I guess it somewhat made sense for the expansion Vancouver Grizzlies, since apparently the grizzly bear is a “longtime cultural symbol of Canada” (thanks Wikipedia!). Memphis had a slew of various names for their basketball teams, including the Pros, Tams, and Sounds. I vote for the Memphis Sounds - if that doesn’t speak of the identity of a city, I don’t know what does.

Most recently, the New Orleans Hornets relocated from Charlotte to their new home. The name definitely made sense in Charlotte, as General Cornwallis once referred to the area as a “veritable nest of hornets.” The current Charlotte Bobcats have one of the worst names and logos there is (another reason why you shouldn’t let idiotic casual fans name things). Lastly, why wouldn’t the New Orleans Jazz want to make a comeback? Yes, I’m aware they currently play in Utah, but does anyone care? Solution: Let’s orchestrate a three-way trade. Rename Utah’s franchise the Mormons and call it a day. Everybody plays, everybody wins.

Any other contributions to this list are welcome! To check out some more obscure old teams, check out Remember the ABA - or just Wikipedia your favorite team and see what you find out!