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.

Tonight, Sidney Crosby should return to the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup healthy and strong, having finally gotten back into better shape after missing the past 28 of 31 games due to a right ankle sprain.

With the Pens securing a playoff spot, Sid the Kid can ease himself back into action and start gelling with newly acquired Marian Hossa.

Already supported by Evgeni Malkin, Crosby now has an additional weapon to make him and the Pens look spectacular. This bodes well for their Stanley Cup aspirations as well as for the sport as a whole.

Sid the Kid came into the league to much fanfare, being heralded as the next Gretzky, the next big thing, the sport’s savior, and so on. And of course, he has been quite good - he led the league in scoring and won the MVP award in just his 2nd season.

And so finally, the masses are starting to take note, as evidenced through this commercial that has been running on television lately:

Hey NHL and ad execs - trying to capitalize on the success of the Outdoor Classic much?

As shameless as it is, the Outdoor Classic, and hell even that Gatorade commercial, are quite good. The ad has been running regularly, and Crosby definitely isn’t paired with slouches in the ad campaign either. If you don’t remember, immediately after the Super Bowl, retard-strong Eli Manning was featured in this very League of Clutch campaign.

However, it is necessary to keep wow-ing on the ice. None of this will have as big of an impact as it will if the Penguins can hoist the Stanley Cup.

As of now, the Penguins are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and will be heading into the playoffs with good health and a full head of steam. Hell, it might even be worth it to launch a conspiracy to help the Pens go all the way.

Crosby popularity + Stanley Cup status = NHL hype machine

Let Crosby be crowned king with his first Stanley Cup. Sell it for everything its worth. Yes, this will lead to most new hockey fans sporting #87 Pittsburgh jerseys, but who cares? You have fans now.

The NBA went through the same thing during the Jordan years. Everyone loved the Chicago Bulls and loved Michael Jordan. Eventually, Jordan retires and the Bulls are tanking it in the Central Division. The fans move on, and I’m willing to say that more often than not, they enjoyed the sport that Jordan introduced them to and ended up being an NBA fan for life.

Ditto with the Dallas Cowboys of the 1990’s or the modern New England Patriots. Granted the Cowboys are still relevant, but dominant players, championships, and dynasties garner a lot of attention and will hook new fans.

We’re almost there with Sidney Crosby and hockey. With my beloved Kings done for the year, I’m hopping on the bandwagon. It’s for the greater good of hockey, dammit!