By RYAN TOLMICH
With the World Cup exactly one week away, ESPN has unveiled their latest soccer-themed commercial.
The commercial, starring U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Michael Bradley, pokes fun at the game’s longstanding tradition of including local youth in pre-game entrances. Bradley’s ad joins the ranks of U.S. Soccer SportsCenter commercials that have included Landon Donovan, Abby Wambach and Jozy Altidore.
Here is the newest USMNT ESPN commercial:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8d2Be79Ho8]
What do you think of the commercial? How does it compare to ESPN’s past soccer ads?
Share your thoughts below.
Haha, I’m liking that commercial. Good stuff, ESPN.
Steve please tell me you are joking. I don’t even no where to begin. Almost speechless if you think this drivel is going to produce players. Plus do you know anything about Perez?
Figure out where you want you to begin with your explanation and go for it. I am really interested to hear what you think of the curriculum (regardless, if I believe you are partially/completely right/wrong about it). And yes, I do know who Javier Perez is. I love working with clubs and colleges to help develop players, so I have a very deep interest in what goes on with U.S. Soccer’s curriculum and the implementation of it.
Ha….good one Smith…yeah it does look like that but what I said is so true.
Regardless of the commercial the kid should be the model for how we develop players in this country.
My college teammate grew up near him and said he was the most athletic but became our most valuable player by (among other things):
*Spending hours a day on technical repetition
*Always seeking good pick up games against older players
*Learning how to compete
US Soccer should take all of this into consideration instead of that bullsh8t curriculum that Javier Perez handed us
MB had some advantages but the kid is self made and earned his stripes
Until your last sentence I thought you were talking about the kid in the commercial.
Please explain how the curriculum does not address the development of technical, intelligent, competitive players.
I like it, but I’m still waiting for a spot where Tim Howard is in full GK mode, shouting and clapping and encouraging and berating people in their cubicles.
They could do the Landon Donovan one again, and it would still be better. They could bring it up to date, and get him sent off the roster, and Landon might even go along with it with a good sense of humor.
I liked it ok, but the Donovan one with the printer is the best. Love that commercial.
Lame. Don’t think it is all that creative either.
Bradley is the Xavi of the USMNT.
Even though MB is the engine of the team I’m not sure the guy with the reputation of never smiling should be making promotional spots.
If only Mix was in the starting 11…
this was decent but forgettable.
where are the ones for Jozy and Dempsey and Howard?
come on CORDDRY
Should have been Klinsmann holding hands with Julian Green.
Ha!
Not as good as LD being sent off by the copier/fax, but still funny.
Yeah. That one is great.
Booooooorrrrriiiiiiing. The one with LD kicking the photocopy machine four years ago was better. Not much charisma on this team.
The LD one with the copy machine is my favorite, Also like the one with Josey where he makes the guy change shirt for jersey at the end of the meeting..
I kinda liked it, guess I’m in the minority.
Agreed. I don’t think people are getting the sarcasm and poking fun at the tradition when applied outside of soccer. Man, the World Cup gets people high strung!!
I liked it too
PS Love the buttoning of all the buttons, too.
Yep, this is well done
If you’re looking for evidence that the USMNT is in desperate need of some personality this is it.
Did they even show MB’s face for more than 5 seconds in this spot ?
It’s not Bradley’s strong point….
Clint has personality but I be he is kinda grumpy and stuff.
Just throw Timmy and Beasley to the wolves.
Need more Deuce rap videos
Mix was busy flipping his hair around for a Loreal commercial, otherwise he would have done it.
+1
odd, very odd. A little bit creepy to.
I’m glad the kid didn’t come out of the bathroom with him 😛
Bradley didn’t wash his hands. =(
Yep. Total aural cue on that one. Nice touch.
+1. A little funny, but not enough to overcome the strange. They could’ve done a lot better.
“”damn he is TALL. I read he (Bardley) was like 5’7 when he was 15 and a year later grew to 6’2″”
Being tall, and naturally having good family connections within the USSF heirarchy, are prerequisites if you want to go anywhere in the US youth sawker system. They don’t call the ODP program, Overly Determined Parents for naught, you know.
Same with baseball, too. They don’t recruit pitchers under 6’2″ for sure. The exceptions are the rule of course, Tim Lincecum, being one.
dumb, espn is dumb
damn he is TALL. I read he was like 5’7 when he was 15 and a year later grew to 6’2
anyone ever had that kinda growth spurt growing up?
My brother was 5’2″ at 18 and got up to 5’10” in college. Late growth spurt.
I was pretty much the same, was about 5’6-5’8 in 7th grade and by the time i was done with 9th I was 6’2-6’3.
Just under 6’5 now, didn’t do much more growing in high school…or growing up for that matter…
I had an almost identical spurt. Was 5’7″ to start 8th grade, a year later I was 6’4″ starting my freshman year. Then grew an inch every year thereafter was 6’8″ by the time I was graduating high school.
I love the promotional material but why aren’t Jermaine Jones and Jozy Altidore more in the foreground?
PR should go in this order- Dempsey, Bradley, Howard, Jozy, Jones.
those are the 5 most famous. Jones’ story is good as he was born abroad but coming to love the nation of his forefathers.
JOzy because he’s young and battling the odds to get to the TOP
Jozy did one of these 4 years ago
Bradley because he’s the most important.
but Jozy is famous all over ENGLAND and Holland