The Masters draws edgy Tiger Woods Ad by Nike Golf

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Phil Bronstein, SF Chronicle Editor-at-Large wrote a funny blog post about the new Tiger Woods Ad by Nike Golf shown during The Masters Golf Tournament. The Tiger Woods Nike Golf Ad, which is already over 1 million views on YouTube as of this writing, features Tiger looking straight ahead, almost frozen, but eyes blinking. As he looks - and he appears tired, with bags under his eyes - a voice, that of his father Earl Woods says "Tiger. I am more prone to be inquisitive, to promote discussion. I want to find out what your thinking was. I want to find out what your feelings are. Did you learn anything?"

Here's the video:



Bronstein wonders who's voice was actually used in the ad. According to ABC News, the ad, created by the ad agency Wieden + Kennedy, uses the actual voice of Earl Woods. The people who came up with the idea of using Earl Woods' voice, then finding it, was a genius team team headed by Creative Director Hal Curtis at Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, according to an email sent from the firm's PR rep.   Hats off to them; they've created a classic.

And the classic ad's getting a lot of buzz and reaction. Phil Bronstein says of the Tiger Woods Ad "I guess it's kind of brilliant, if shameless, though I haven't run out yet and bought a new Nike product." Greg Couch, National Columnist with AOL angrily writes "Disgusting. Woods is using his dead father to bail him out of his image problem. Nike has dropped to a new low, too."

Personally, this blogger likes the commercial. A lot. It's the latest in a long line of Nike Commercials that tap into the American cultural conversation of the Zeitgeist and essentially asks a question we've all thought at one point or another during the Tiger Woods Sex Scandal: "What would Earl Woods Think?" Bravo for Nike presenting a believable answer.

Bronstein and I want to know what you think of the Tiger Woods Ad by Nike Golf. Take the poll below:

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Watch The Masters and Tiger Woods online live here

Related searches: watch masters online, watch masters live, watch the masters live, masters odds, 2010 masters favorites

Thanks to ESPN and a some simple coding by this blogger, you can watch the 2010 Masters live online below. All you have to do is click on the image of Tiger Woods at The Masters Press Conference and since this post goes to Facebook, it should work there as well:






As of this writing, 67-year-old Tom Watson heads the leaderboard at The Masters. Watson is followed by Lee Westerwood and Phil Mickelson. Tiger Woods, once even, then 2 under par a moment ago, is now 3 under par and just 7 shots back of Watson with 9 holes to go. Here's the leaderboard (you need a frames capable browser to see this, otherwise click here).



Stay tuned. And let me know what you think; I'm trying to make my blog posts more multimedia.

Tiger Woods at The Masters - are you rooting for him? A poll

Related searches: tiger woods, the masters, masters tv schedule, masters golf tournament 2010, masters leaderboard, tiger woods ad, tiger woods commercial nike

On The Dan Patrick Show, with which this blogger has a running feud regarding their ill-considered blast at President Obama on The White Sox issue (more later), the question is "Will you root for Tiger Woods to win or lose?"

What's interesting is that some people are playing a new mind game with respect to Tiger Woods: if he wins, it means he's really not a good person because he has no conscience. Someone I will not mention from The Golf Channel said on The Dan Patrick Show that he wants Tiger Woods to lose, then crafted a rationale for why he should lose and how it would not be "good for Golf."

Oh, brother.

I'm rooting for Tiger Woods to win. Why? Because Tiger Woods has been talked about, made fun of, skewered, and even criticized by a black Associated Press writer because none of his mistresses were black. Boo Hoo. Everyone's had their turn at Tiger Woods; now it's his turn. He's apologized and is ready to move on with his life, which has always been Golf.

Even through all of this, Tiger Woods is a role model. He's the first black guy to be publicly skewered around the World for cheating on his wife. Don't tell me some kid isn't thinking "You know, if I'm really good at some sport, as good as Tiger Woods at Golf, I can get all the chicks and not be married." Don't tell me that idea's not rolling around some kid's head.

Hey, Tiger Woods even has copycats: Jesse James comes to mind.

Tiger Woods is a role model for anyone of color who wants to be successful, and legions of white kids who don't care what color he is. The fact that the whole World is focusing on this man playing a sport that was believed to be for white guys, and kicking butt, is amazing.

Tiger Woods is so good at Golf, some people were wishing for some bad news, like his many affairs, to happen, thinking that would derail him. It did happen. But Tiger Woods rolls on, still on the rails. That's why I root for him to win.

Tiger Woods winning The Maters is the ultimate middle finger to society. And people will love it. What do you think? Take my poll:

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NFL Draft: Tim Tebow an Oakland Raider? Why not Jimmy Clausen?

This NFL Draft news. The word is traveling fast that the Oakland Raiders are interested in Florida Quarterback Tim Tebow. Jerry McDonald of what I still call The Oakland Tribune passed along that NFL legend and NFL Analyst Gil Brandt (formerly the personnel director of the Dallas Cowboys), said that the Oakland Raiders were interested in Tebow in the 2010 NFL Draft, and were impressed with his knoweldge of football.

Nothing against Tim Tebow, but this corner's not sold on Tebow's new shot-put-style passing delivery. Yes, Tebow gets rid of the ball faster, but he has to literally heave his body to do it. It's just painful to watch because it takes him a long time to wind up and throw. It's as if he transfered the long-wind-up problem from his left arm to his entire body.

Check out the video Tim Tebow Throws at Pro Day:



Meanwhile, Notre Dame Quarterback Jimmy Clausen is available and while some have pointed again and again to an allegation that Clausen's hard to get along with in the locker room, no one can doubt that Jimmy Clausen was well-trained (by now-former Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis), is a masterful competitor who arguably almost single-handedly beat USC in 2010, and is well-coached int the modern NFL passing game.

Jimmy Clausen's a better quarterback to join a team like the Oakland Raiders, but only just so much. There's no discounting Tim Tebow's leadership, role-model demeanor, and desire to win. I just believe Clausen's a bit better to build a passing game around.

Does that mean I've given up on Jamarcus Russell? No. In fact, I really don't think the Raiders need a quarterback. The Raiders need to focus on how they coach their current signal callers.

Stay tuned.

Traci Lynn Johnson pictures surface on Tiki Barber's 35th birthday

Traci Lynn Johnson 

Related searches: ginny barber, traci lynn johnson tiki barber, tiki barber, traci lynn johnson pictures, tiki and ginny barber, tiki barber affair

As of the news that former New York Giants Running Back and NBC Sports anchor and Today Show Correspondent Tiki Barber was cheating on his wife of 11 years, Ginny Barber while she was three months pregnant wasn't enough, all of this comes today, on his 35th birthday.

Happy Birthday, Tiki Barber.

That's right. Tiki Barber turns 35 years old today, the very same day The New York Post went public with allegations that Barber was cheating on his wife Ginny with a former intern, 23-year-old Traci Lynn Johnson.

Tracy Johnson

Meanwhile, website after blog site is claiming to have 'photos,' of Traci Lynn Johnson from her MySpace page, causing yet another online free for all not seen in a since, well, Sandra Bullock and Jesse James and the alleged mistresses James had, or Tiger Woods 12 to 14 mistresses (which means that Raychel Coudriet is allegedly the 14th or 15h mistress) .

In other words, this process has become all too common.

And Ginny Barber, formally Ginny Cha who dated Tiki when they met in college at The University of Virginia, has not issued a statement as of this writing.

Traci Lynn Johnson: Tiki Barber leaves hot wife for Johnson

Traci Lynn Johnson 

The title says it all: Traci Lynn Johnson: Tiki Barber leaves hot wife for Johnson. Tiki Barber's the former standout New York Giants running back was profiled with his beautiful wife Ginny on NFL Network a few years back. 

At that point, this blogger was thinking "What a lucky man. He's got a Manhattan dwelling, a new start in broadcasting, a totally hot wife, and lovely kids." It was easy to be jealous of Tiki Barber.

Now, this space is wondering if Ginny's available for a date. According to The New York Post, Tiki Barber "dumps pregnant wife for hot blonde", but The New York Post got it wrong. The title should have read "Tiki Barber dumps hot pregnant wife for normal looking blonde."

Tiki Barber issued this statement in The New York Post today:

After 11 years of marriage, Ginny and I have decided to separate. This decision was a painful one, but we are moving forward amicably and will continue to work together to raise our children with the love and dedication they have always known

Ginny Barber 

What's wrong with him and why would The New York Post brand Traci Lynn Johnson as a "hot blonde" without even seeing a full body photo?

Not every blonde is hot, but I digress.

Ok. Maybe Traci is hot, after all we're talking about Tiki Barber, but Ginny's hotter.  

Whatever happened to cause the separation of Tiki and Ginny Barber, it's unfortunate to see a couple that was at one point the toast of New York City split.

Moreover, it's sad to see Tiki Barber allegedly skip out on Ginny while she's three months pregnant with twins, again, according to The New York Post, who broke the story!  

Sad.

Stay tuned.

The Masters will be the second most popular TV event in history

Related searches: Tiger Woods, Woods sex scandal, Masters golf, tv ratings history



With Tiger Woods return to The Masters Golf Tournament after his sex scandal involving as many as 14 different women, and the subsequent daily media attention between the Friday after Thanksgiving and all the way to today, the stage is set. The prediction in this space is the Masters will be the second most watched television event in TV ratings history, second only to Super Bowl XLIV this year, which drew 106.5 million viewers.

People will watch this event everywhere. From places like The Beach Chalet in San Francisco and bars like The Balboa Cafe and The Alley in Oakland and Max Laeger's in Atlanta, to homes and house parties, it will seem as if everyone's tuned in to The Masters.

As sports agent Leigh Steinberg noted last year in December, now that Tiger Woods has suffered from the constant media blogs that have damaged his career, America's hungry to see Tiger Woods come back.

The bet in this space is that Tiger Woods will win The Masters.

Stay tuned.

AC Transit Bus Rapid Transit - Oakland and San Leandro should approve it

Related searches: Bus Rapid Transit, City of Oakland, City of San Leandro, AC Transit, BRT, Oakland transit, City of Berkeley transit

Bus Rapid Transit in St. Louis

AC Transit needs our help. Yes, this blogger has been critical of the AC Transit Bus Fight, but maintaining service for those who can't afford private transit is critical. For those of you who have followed the issue, AC Transit has been working with San Leandro, Oakland and Berkeley in developing a rapid bus system that will significantly improve transit operations from Berkeley to San Leandro.

The new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is particularly important to the Oakland area as it is one of the densest urban population centers in the country and most definitely the densest along the proposed dedicated lane for rapid bus service.

That is why the upcoming planning and approval meeting on April 19 is so important to the future of transportation in San Leandro, Oakland and Berkeley.  BRT is an idea who's time has come.

Already in use and popular in major cities around the world like Jakarta, Bus Rapid Transit can speed up travel times at a low cost according to Mass Transit. BRT is much cheaper than heavy or light rail, BRT would simply dedicate a lane for high-efficiency buses along the Berkeley – Oakland – San Leandro corridor. Riders would be taken along at speeds much faster than normal buses and would be unimpeded by traffic due to the use of dedicated lanes. It’s also much quicker to implement and really is a cool, futuristic approach.

At its City Council meeting on Monday, April 19, the City of San Leandro will decide if it wants to be included in this progress that could be in operation by 2015. If the San Leandro City Council follows the advice of the city’s planning commission, it will pass up this project and lose the opportunity to improve transportation for its residents and bring new customers to local businesses.

Hopefully, for the benefit of smart planning, the San Leandro City Council will re-think the recommendation and employ BRT in its City to improve commuter access and reduce vehicle trips.

Regardless of how San Leandro plans for its future, BRT is a must for Berkeley and Oakland and—in many ways—is just as effective and viable without them. In fact, San Leandro’s loss may mean Oakland’s win. Without having to build the San Leandro stop, the cost of the overall project would decrease, and thus save taxpayer money.

In this blogger's view, BRT is the fastest, cheapest way to get much needed improvements to our transit infrastructure in the heart of an urban corridor that so urgently needs it. With or without San Leandro, Oakland must approve if we're to secure a transit system that serves our residents for the future.

Stay tuned.

Dan Patrick is wrong about President Obama and The White Sox

On his Tuesday show, former ESPN anchor Dan Patrick, who helms The Dan Patrick Show on DirecTV, took an awful shot at President Obama for telling baseball sportscaster Rod Dibble the truth about his love for The Chicago White Sox.

Dibble asked the President - who threw out a not-great first pitch to open The Washington Nationals 2010 Season but did so while wearing a Chicago White Sox hat - who his favorite White Sox player was growing up.

Now anyone who knows Obama's background is aware that he grew up in Hawaii, and not Chicago, and did not move to my hometown until after college. But Dibble didn't seem to think about that, and Dan Patrick apparently didn't know it.

President Obama remarked that he was growing up in Hawaii and was more of an Oakland A's fan at the time, not the White Sox. OK, honest answer.

But that wasn't enough for Dan Patrick, who uncharacteristically went into a low-IQ moment and laughed and howled at the replay of the video tape of Obama's conversation with Dibble, then got after the President for not naming a White Sox player!

Dan Patrick and the Danettes really looked not smart here. They're not obviously not Chicagoans. Chicagoans chose a team without having a favorite player. It's all about place: Southside or Northside. If you're living on Chicago's Southside, you pick The White Sox, period.  The South Side of Chicago has a brand that reads tough, blue collar, working class, and minority.  If you live on the Northside of Chicago, you go with the Cubs.

The Northside of Chicago is white collar, better-off, and mostly white.  It's only a weird, nerdy Chicago guy like me who goes with both the Cubs and The White Sox, and I have favorite Cubs players even though I grew up on The Southside, but I don't know the whole damn team or its history.

(And really, my favorite Cub wasn't a player, he was a broadcaster: the late, great Jack Brickhouse.)

And I don't have to know. That's not the point. Dan. Get it?

Dan Patrick doesn't "get" Chicago. If he did, Patrick would have left the President alone. Instead, Patrick's rant about Obama's reasons for backing The Chicago White Sox were a low intellectual point in Patrick's career.

Stay tuned.  Next, we turn to The Erin Andrews situation.

Star Trek's Denise Crosby at WonderCon SF

Denise Crosby was at WonderCon SF 2010 last weekend, and talking with this blogger about how she lands so many of her strong, smart female roles. From Lt. Tasha Yar on Star Trek: The Next Generation, to her current role as Capt. Susan Salinger on the TV show Southland, Denise Crosby has a long string - a tradition, really - of playing such television roles. Was it by design? In other words, did she insist on that kind of role?

"I never make those kind of demands," Crosby said. "Actors are kind of subject to the work available, you know?" I think I often get cast in those roles because there's a certain kind of energy I put out there."

But Crosby, in San Francisco to sign autographs as part of WonderCon SF, said she does play the vulnerable female roles, too. She just finished Orpheus Descending on the LA Stage where she played "Lady Torrance", ever the vulnerable woman if there was one.

Denise Crosby is part of what's commonly referred to as "The Crosby Family Dynasty" as she's the granddaughter of Bing Crosby, the daughter of actor and singer Dennis Crosby, and the nice of Mary Crosby.

Even with all that Hollywood royalty, Denise is nice, centered, and approachable. A very good conversationalist, she met her fans at WonderCon SF with a sincere kindness that wasn't always the norm during the event. That speaks volumes for her as a person.

What is a Didgeridoo?

As reported, the Didgeridoo was used by American Idol contestant Crystal Bowersox and played by Ernie Fields, Jr as part of her performance. Crystal Bowersox wowed the American Idol judges, but ahat is a Didgeridoo?


A Didgeridoo is an instrument with a unique kind of sound like something rubbing along a thin wire. It's said to evoke" reverence and oneness with nature. The deep drone of the didjeridoo allows us to relax and to reconnect with mother earth," according to the The Didgeridoo Specialists shop, where one can buy Didgeridoos.

There are a number of places where you can learn to play the Digeridoo.  Here's one online directory - Digeridoos in SF - with an extensive store listing.

Didgeridoo featured on American Idol as Crystal Bowersox shines again

Related searches: Crystal Bowersox, American Idol, Ellen Degeneres, Katy Perry, Randy Johnson, Simon Cowell

What's a Didgeridoo? It's a kind of wind instrument created by "Indigenous Australians of northern Australia" according to Wikipedia. In this video, famed Didgeridoo player Larry 'Winiwini' Gurruwiwi shows us how it's done"...



And in this video, the Digerridoo on Tuesday's telecast of American Idol (appears after Crystal Bowersox is interviewed by Ryan Seacrest):



The American Idol judges were, as Ellen Degeneres put it trying to find "a new way to tell you how great you are." Randy Johnson said "you're in the zone." Simon Cowell said "That's a song I could hear on the radio." and Katy Perry said the song was "Slinky. It was sexy. You were playful."

Then Ernie Fields Jr, the player of the Didgeridoo, was introduced and said "I'm the contractor. I got a call and I said 'I'll do it.'"

She wowed'em, with Ernie and the Didgeridoo's help.