I really like these new Nike Ads...

[AlexGrant]

I'm not huge into watching sports, but I do have a huge amount of respect for professional athletes. The guys I live with are very much into watching sports; I cannot count the number of times I've seen things like knocking on wood or heard things like "Don't say the S.O. word!" (Shutout). I know stuff like this is pretty harmless, it certainly hasn't cost me any friendships, but I can't say that I like it. I also know it happens outside of the sports world, but I just find mysticism very prevalent within sports.

Anywho, there are these new Nike commercials, in the wake of the World Juniors (hockey) and with the Winter Olympics coming up. I quite like them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSXVv80XXDQ

EDIT: this probably belongs in the miscellaneous forum eh? Apologies.

Edited January 7, 2010 by AlexGrant

[Zip]

oh-my-fricken-blue-headed-plastic-jesus... Why does everything in this ice encrusted country have to relate back to hockey? If the Taliban want to win in Afghanistan all they have to do is set up a massive IED in a similarly massive flat screen TV in the middle of Khandahar province showing the 1972 summit series and blow it up when the Canadians all stop to watch.

[AlexGrant]

Hmmm... You might be on to something here Zip. If we could only incorporate Oism into hockey we'd potentially have a whole nation with us.

Who needs the siren when you score a goal? Instead we just blast a Rand quote. A hat trick you say? You get the whole Galt speech, so grab another Keith's.

[Alfa]

I like those comercials, but my favorite is still this one:

[RussK]

First time I've ever seen a commercial dedicated to hockey equipment. I like the theme though; the ideas involved plus the in your face style.

[philosopher]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSXVv80XXDQ

Metaphysically excellent!

(I wish I had a t-shirt that said that

[flatlander]

oh-my-fricken-blue-headed-plastic-jesus... Why does everything in this ice encrusted country have to relate back to hockey? If the Taliban want to win in Afghanistan all they have to do is set up a massive IED in a similarly massive flat screen TV in the middle of Khandahar province showing the 1972 summit series and blow it up when the Canadians all stop to watch.

/

Ok, now that I have wiped most of my California zinfandel off of my screen after bursting into uproarious laughter, I can reply. It's funny because it is true.

But in all seriousness. It does seem more than a little, well, forced, that Canadian identity is so tied to hockey. As the years progress, it appears that Canadians (of a decidedly collectivist and anti-American bent) seem more and more vocal in their attempts to rally a sort of nationalism around the sport. The whole thing rings rather hollow, it's a massive evasion designed to cover up their extreme hatred-of-the-good-for-being-the-good regarding the USA.

[Novistador]

Aside from the issues of attempting to create a "Canadian identity" around hockey.

I must say that I really like those commercials, specifically because the only other Olympic commercials in Canada are constantly talking about faith and patriotism and have adopted the slogan "Do you believe?"(in what?).

My school actually went so far as to put up a huge banner with the word "BELIEVE" wrapped in a maple leaf in the cafeteria, felt like I was living in some sort of dystopian novel.