Sportscenter, certainly the most watched sports show on television, has no need to advertise in anyway, shape or form. It's the ABC Nightly News of sports, everyday. Yet the ESPN decided in 1994 to start an absolutely ingenious ad campaign for Sportscenter, including all types of athletes and all of the Sportscenter anchors. From day one the commercials were an instant hit, and still today, 17 years later, the ESPN writers are pumping out classic after classic. We decided to compile a list of the top ten Sportscenter classics for our viewers here. Enjoy the list:
10. Movember
ESPN tries it's hand at Movember and totally hits a home run. Ravech is bragging to 2010 MVP Joey Votto about his mustache and how he's going to win Movember. Well then Mr. Red walks out. "Good luck with that, uh, mustache."
9. The Chosen One
Back in the day when Lebron wasn't everyone's least favorite person, he was a regular on "This is Sportscenter." Stuart Scott's delivery, laughing at his nickname "The Chosen One" is so subtle, yet so unstoppably hilarious.
8. Ovie's A Spy
I could sit all day and listen to Alex Ovechkin butcher the english language with his russian accent donned with a nice old lisp. But once he laughs in this commercial, you immediately lose it.
7. Performance Enhancers
Yep, Sportscenter even touched on this one. Scott Van Pelt takes some "Performance Enhancers" in the form of a thesaurus, the rest is ridiculous. Check Stuart Scott's reaction at the beginning, amazing.
6.Brett Favre's Return
Sportscenter pokes a little fun at itself after over covering the multiple Brett Favre retirements and un-retirements. In only the way Sportscenter could, they use the UMass Minutemen mascot to help react "The British are coming," scene from the Revolutionary war. Ingenius.
5. Tim Lincecum's Nickname
I guess when Lincecum isn't striking batters out or hitting the bong, he's a pretty funny guy. Here he's deciding what nickname to use as his voicemail. Karl Ravech helps him out real nicely. "Hey Big Time Timmy Jim, what's up?"
4. Faking Soccer Injuries
"We've been watching a lot of soccer lately at the office. Seems to be causing a rise in workplace injuries." Nothing like an American chirp on the excessive injury faking that goes on in soccer. But John Anderson's acting is perfection.
3."You're From Minnesota Right?"
Anytime you put comedy and the state of Minnesota together, you get a masterpiece. Combine that with Scott Van Pelt's hilarious delivery and you have an instant classic. The accent gets me every single time. Nothing like good 'ol Minnesota.
2. Big Buddy Program
This is an absolute throwback. Kenny Mayne and Stuart Scott help Sportscenter "give back to the community," but instead just yell at the kids and play excessively hard. But even better than those two's acting, is the Jayson Williams appearance. Yeah, the Jayson Williams that shot his limo driver...oops
1.Manny Being Manny
The whole "Manny Being Manny" phenomena got pretty ridiculous right around his departure from the Red Sox. Most sports analysts were abusing the term like a fat kid abuses his arteries. Sportscenter obviously had to take a shot on the issue. I think this commercial achieved elite status because the dialogue is far from overwhelming. Plus, Steve Levy and Jay Harris seem to have formed a lethal duo over the years.