• Home
  • About “Knuckleballs”
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
Follow

Daily archives for October 13th, 2011

Paying to Bring Us the Playoffs

Oct13th
2011
Written by Jim Crikket

This is what it has come to. I don’t have anything all that interesting to post about so tonight, you get “Jim Crikket Reviews the NLCS… Commercials”.

That’s right, I don’t even have enough material about the Cardinals/Brewers game itself to fill a post… so I’ll sprinkle a comment about the game here and there, but for the most part, you get my impressions about the sponsors who are allowing us to see this game without having to pay for it.

And here we go…

I’ve been drinking Southern Comfort for over 35 years (no… not CONSTANTLY) and I like the relatively new SoCo Lime. But Southern Comfort Fiery Pepper (SoCo and Tobasco)? Um. I think not.

Seeing Brian Wilson eating at Taco Bell does not make me more inclined to eat there. I also have to concur with someone (Posnanski maybe?) who tweeted recently something to the effect that Brian Wilson might be the least likely ballplayer to fit the “Black Ops” mold.

I’ve been inside the Transamerica Pyramid building in San Francisco a few times. Trust me, it looks nothing like the new “Tomorrow Makers” commercials inside. I like the ads, though.

Holliday hit a home run… I thought he was hurt.

I don’t think the gal being driven by her boyfriend frantically around a city in his Chevy Cruze Eco is ever going to see the airplane with her boyfriend’s proposal… and if she does, she’s going to turn him down. Now… if he had just done something original, like proposing on a JumboTron at a baseball game…

James Beresford. Australian for "ballplayer"

I saw that Twins prospect James Beresford, who is from Australia, tweeted that he was glad to get home and not have to see the Foster’s “Australian for beer” commercials… but some of them still make me laugh out loud. I’ve been told I have an odd sense of humor. The “free agent” commercial where the Aussie footballer changes teams for the beer reminds me a bit of my 16″ slow pitch softball days.

Home run by Allen Craig (who the hell is Allen Craig?).

The Pepsi commercials in the middle of the cornfield aren’t great, but wouldn’t it have been a blast sitting around with all those former players in between takes on the set? I’d want a digital recorder just to capture the stories.

I’ve never watched “Big Bang Theory”, but after all the saturation advertising TBS has made us endure, if there ever was a chance I would watch it, that has disappeared. Enough, already! It’s almost enough to make me look forward to FOX broadcasts. (I said “almost”.)

Helluva head first slide by Hairston to score the Brewers’ first run.

All of the people in the “what am I going to do about retirement?” commercials seem to be younger than I am. It’s making me wonder if perhaps I should have started planning for that by now. Good thing I have this blogging thing to fall back on.

Conan O’Brien commercials: See “Big Bang Theory” paragraph above. Yes, the only thing worse than BBT and Conan commercials is BBT and Conan commercials running back-to-back.

The State Farm commercial where the wife “catches” her husband talking to “Jake from State Farm” in the middle of the night is hilarious. “She sounds hideous!” “Well, she’s a guy, so…”

Kyle Lohse leaves in the 5th inning with a 2-2 tie game and a man on 3rd.  LaRussa would never cut it as Gardy’s pitching coach. Doesn’t he know you don’t pull your starter until he’s coughed up the lead and fallen behind by 4 runs?

Over the years, Budweiser has come up with some memorable and imaginative ad campaigns. The one they’re using during the LCS is not one of them. I’m betting most of you reading this right now can’t even picture the commercial I’m talking about.

Another excuse to post this picture (Photo: Craig Lassig/AP)

The new Captain Morgan ads are fun, but the womenfolk in the ads have a ways to go to measure up to the ladies that accompanied the Captain to Target Field last year. But I love the new commercials. In fact, if I ever get drunk enough to get a tattoo, “To Life, Love and Loot” might find itself forever captured on some part of my body.

Speaking of rowing, the GEICO commercial with the gerbils rowing doesn’t do as much for me.

Did I mention the Conan commercials are just plain stupid? My first thought was, “he has to be flat out embarrassed to have to do those commercials.” Then I remembered. It’s Conan.

Ouch. That shot on the bicep taken by plate umpire Mike Everett had to hurt.

The “pay it forward” themed commercials by Liberty Mutual are kinda cool.

Arthur Rhodes is still pitching in the Major Leagues… and in the playoffs. Mothers and fathers, for God’s sake, if you have left handed children, teach them to PITCH!

The Allstate commercials with the guy from HBO’s “Oz” prison show (and narrated by Pedro Cerrano of “Major League” fame) are great. I’m starting to notice a trend. I really like a lot of insurance company ad campaigns. Wonder why that is.

I like Tommy Lee Jones, but I don’t recall seeing his eyes move to read cue cards in MIB the way they do in his Ameriprise commercials.

Yes, lady, your mother was probably right. You should have married John Clark instead of the hubby who paid AT&T for unlimited messaging just so your family could get unlimited calling.

Hey, did you hear “Big Bang Theory” is coming to TBS?

Little Nicky Punto did not look much like a Tiny Superhero with that pinch hit K in the 7th.

Will you just throw Conan out the window of the damn blimp, already?

The ETrade commercials with the babies talking investments (and wildebeasts propagating the heard) are still funny, but those kids must be about ready to graduate from college by now, aren’t they?

The girl in the pink dress doing the T-Mobile commercials looks strikingly like an old girlfriend of mine. Of course it’s not her. Daughter maybe? Hell, probably a granddaughter. Crap, I’m getting old.

Carlos Gomez looks weird, but better, with short hair.

Those guys are right. That thing really does not like Dwayne. But if the only reason I need State Farm insurance is in the unlikely event a giant robot terrorizes my neighborhood, I think I’ll take my chances going uninsured. Turns out I don’t like all the insurance commercials, after all.

Now that I think about it, I don’t think I like any of the GEICO commercials at all. Rowing gerbils, dunking 5 year old… nope. Bring back the little green thing that talks funny.

Note to Nissan: If you have to create fake stunts for your four-wheel drive pickups in your commercials, what does that say about your four-wheel drive pickups?

If the Cardinals don’t go to the World Series, it won’t be because David Freese (did I spell that right?) didn’t do his part.

OK, the last two innings brought no notable commercials that I hadn’t already commented on, so I guess that’s a wrap. If you feel inclined to share your thoughts on these or any of the other commercials we are getting to know very, very well during the postseason, please leave a comment.

Oh yeah… the Brewers beat the Cardinals 4-2. I’m sure my mother is not happy.

- JC

General    Carlos Gomez, James Beresford, Nick Punto, Playoffs
SHARE THIS Twitter Facebook Delicious StumbleUpon E-mail

Twins News

Knuckleballs Last 15 Posts

  • GameChat – Red Sox @ Twins #3, 1:10pm
  • Sunday Morning Comic Relief
  • GameChat – Red Sox @ Twins #2, 6:10
  • Minnesota Twins Podcast – Talk to Contact – Episode 38
  • Kernels Video: Harrison Walkoff Single Beats Cougars
  • GameChat – Red Sox @ Twins, 7:10pm
  • Kernels Video: Buxton Walkoff Grand Slam
  • Kernels Videos: Polanco, Hicks, Grimes
  • St. Paul Saints Opening Day!
  • GameChat – White Sox @ Twins #3, 12:10pm
  • GameChat – White Sox @ Twins #2, 7:10pm
  • Free Agent Pitching: 20/20 Hindsight
  • GameChat – White Sox @ TWINS, 7:10 pm
  • GameChat – Orioles @ Twins #3, 1:10pm
  • Sunday Morning Comic Relief

Other Twins Blogs - Recently Updated

  • A Fan's View - from Section 219

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Twins Insider

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • 6-4-3

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Babes Love Baseball

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • TwinkieTown

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • AaronGleeman

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Batgirl (cuz sometimes ya gotta go back!)

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • TwinsCentric

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Sooze!

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Twins Now

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Oh, it's THOSE Girls

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • OMG MN Twins

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • For the Love of the Game

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • K-bro's Baseball blog

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Picked Off At First

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • That's Twins Baseball

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Curve For a Strike

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Josh's Thoughts

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • The Tenth Inning Stretch

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • BallparkMagic

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Dez Says

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • North Dakota Twins Fan

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Twins Trivia

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Baseball Outsider

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Off The Mark

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • The Bat Shatters

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Twins Fan From Afar

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Kirby's Left Eye

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Twins Target

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Puckett's Pond

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Life of a Twins Fan

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Bollinger Beat

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • The Platoon Advantage

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Twins Daily

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • BaseballTwins

    Close preview

    Loading...

Other Sports Blogs

  • Jim Mandelaro's (Red Wings) Blog
  • Joe Posnanski's Blog
  • SB Nation – MLB
  • The Baseball Page

Official Baseball Resources

  • AAA Boxscores & Play X Play Data
  • MLB Boxscore & Play X Play Data
  • MLB Main Page
  • Official Twins MLB Site

Twins News Coverage

  • ESPN 1500 Sportswire
  • Fox Sports North
  • PioneerPress Twins Page
  • StarTribune Twins Page

Twins Minor League Affiliates

  • Cedar Rapids Kernels (A) Website
  • Elizabethton Twins (Rookie) Website
  • Fort Myers – GCL Twins (Rookie) Website
  • Fort Myers Miracle (High A) Website
  • New Britain Rock Cats (AA) Website
  • Rochester Red Wings (AAA) Website

Categories

  • BitchSox (30)
  • Books & Movies (17)
  • Contest (5)
  • Contests (5)
  • CR Kernels (29)
  • F'ing Yankees (22)
  • Former Twins (9)
  • GameChat (582)
  • Gatherings (4)
  • General (358)
  • Guest Posts (3)
  • Hall of Fame (13)
  • Hawkeyes (3)
  • Interleague Play (3)
  • Media (6)
  • Minor Leagues (99)
  • Offseason (41)
  • Orioles (5)
  • Other baseball (21)
  • Other Blogs (10)
  • Other Sports (7)
  • Photos (66)
  • podcast (22)
  • Polls (8)
  • Preview/Recap (6)
  • Royals (5)
  • Stadiums (5)
  • Target Field (2)
  • Tigers (17)
  • Tribe (8)
  • Twins baseball (1075)
    • Game Summaries (3)
    • Offseason (170)
    • Opponents (32)
    • Post-Season (40)
    • Spring Training (141)
    • Trade Talk (47)
  • Twins History (38)
  • Uncategorized (9)
  • Video (3)
  • Vikings (6)

Tags

Aaron Hicks Alexi Casilla Anthony Swarzak Beloit Snappers Ben Revere Bert Blyleven Bill Smith BOD Brian Dozier Brian Duensing Carl Pavano Danny Valencia Delmon Young Denard Span Drew Butera Francisco Liriano Glen Perkins Harmon Killebrew Jamey Carroll Jason Kubel Jim Thome JJ Hardy Joe Mauer Joe Nathan Josh Willingham Justin Morneau Kevin Slowey Kirby Puckett Kyle Gibson Liam Hendriks Luke Hughes Matt Capps Matt Tolbert Michael Cuddyer Miguel Sano Nick Blackburn Nick Punto Orlando Hudson Ron Gardenhire Ryan Doumit Scott Baker Scott Diamond Terry Ryan Trevor Plouffe Tsuyoshi Nishioka

Calendar

October 2011
S M T W T F S
« Sep   Nov »
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  

Archives

Visitors

Site Meter

NetworkedBlogs

NetworkedBlogs
Blog:
Knuckleballs
Topics:
Baseball, MN Twins, MLB
 
Follow my blog

MLBTradeRumors

Copyright 2010-2013 Knuckleballs. All Rights Reserved. - Banner graphic by Paul Caputo. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the specific authors and do not reflect the viewpoint of the authors' respective employers. Neither the authors of this site nor any member(s) of their immediate families are employed by any entity affiliated with Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball.

EvoLve theme by Theme4Press  •  Powered by WordPress Knuckleballs
"Like butterflies with hiccups"

Back to Top