Why America Isn't Good At Soccer

I say that America isn't good at soccer, when, in fact, America can compete quite well. They obviously made it into the World Cup, so they must be able to beat someone. I'm not positive at what point in time it was that some American said, "This whole thing of not being able to touch the ball with your hands is stupid" and then commenced to pick up a ball and throw it and continued calling it football. That's our first problem. But the biggest problem that America has in this strange game that the rest of the world is so fascinated with - we don't sell our fouls. Watch a hard foul occur in basketball and a man who has just been jumped on by three other men, who all stand over six feet tall and weigh 250 pounds, will immediately jump up and try to take on the entire team. And coaches. And fans. And their mothers. The most popular soccer player of any other nation when tripped is more than willing to lay face down in the grass, holding his head and crying for as long as it takes to try to convince the ref that what just occurred was attempted murder. Instead of rolling with the (literal) punches, maybe Americans should take a page out of the international playbook. We are playing their game after all.

Jet Blue sticks it to the Man

Jet Blue recently launched a new print ad campaign, which I find to be absolutely hilarious. It's about time someone finally said what the rest of America is thinking.

Is your boss an idiot?

I know I've had a few who were. Maybe yours is too... read this.

Whoa, that's a lot of Snapple!

This article discusses the many businesses who have been bailed out by the U.S. government using taxpayers' money. Some see them spending this money on advertising and marketing as wasteful. While I agree that these companies should be scrutinized and be held responsible for how they are spending our money, advertising is still a very important investment of businesses. Now more than ever, brands must fight for consumers- consumers who are tightening their wallets and being more and more careful about how they spend their money. Decide for yourself, and leave a comment with your opinion.

Oh, what I would do for a free breakfast

I was amp'd when I saw the commercial for a free breakfast at Denny's. I searched my brain for the nearest restaurant that I could wait in line at. After not being able to think of one in the vicinity of my apartment, or even the greater Knoxville area, a quick Google search proved that there isn't one. What a shame. Here is one first-hand account however.

Maybe not so dumb after all

Although there are few decisions in the past years that NBC would be praised for, this was actually some very smart programming.

Less than expected

Bob Garfield wrote his analysis and critiques of the Super Bowl ads. Personally, I was a little disappointed all around. There were some very funny spots, but in general the quality of all ads this year weren't what the public has come to expect. I understand the economic times, but if you are going to pay $3 million for a 30-second spot, you better make it count. My top three: Doritos (the one with the crystal ball), Coke Zero (great way to pay respects to an unforgettable commercial), and Hulu (it's true, TV really does rot your brain. AND that's the purpose). Watch them all, and tell me what you think.