This weekend the 2012 Olympics will come to a close, and I will be sad to see them go. Say what you will about the confusing plot of the opening ceremonies (which I totally LOVED), but I just love the Olympics. There are sports I end up watching that I would never watch any other time of year — boxing, gymnastics, cycling, archery — and I find myself rooting for the Jamaican who really deserves this, or the Korean who would really make his country proud.

Talking to my friends and coworkers, another thing I’ve found about the Olympics is that, since they are only every four years, they compress time. Each of us has Olympics memories from years ago — playing Mary Lou Retton off the couch (to Mom’s chagrin), or working to be Bruce Jenner or Usain Bolt on the track — and these moments are really what the Olympics are all about.

I remember gathering around a television hooked up with a computer in the early 80s, with my cousins and my sister. The 1984 games were in Los Angeles, and all my friends who took piano lessons were learning the theme to “Chariots of Fire” (1981) for their recitals. My uncle had gotten an Olympics video game (not officially licensed, but off-the-shelf) for the kids to play, and we played the hell out of it. “Summer Games” it was called (screen shot shown here). Every time we started a round, the Olympic theme played. I couldn’t get it out of my head for months.

I know I’ll have the same Olympic theme stuck in my head until this October, at least. Nice that some things stay the same.

The Nationals are such a lost opportunity. What a coup it was to get the team, we were all so happy to have baseball back in the Nation’s Capital! Hurrah!

And then ownership problems began. And then stadium budget problems began.

Well, today we have seen the new stadium design, and we have heard the wisely-chosen words of our leaders and their uncensored design team:

These facilities end up being a clam chowder of every great ingredient of every great facility across the country.”
— Mark Rivers, sports real estate expert.

We were looking for something that would… not make sense anywhere else.”
— Joe Spear, HOK Sport, the company that designed the stadium.

This stadium is being built to reflect the condition of this market, which is a huge corporate presence, a huge lobbying presence and high residential incomes.”
— Mark Rivers of Brix and Company

I am so proud to be a Washingtonian.

Boy, what a game! And for once in years, I found myself actually watching the game, and just giving up on the commercials. How pitiful is that?

I had my doubts — when the Seahawks came out onto the field to the tune of “Bittersweet Symphony,” someone should have clocked the DJ right then and there for the evil foreshadowing. Not fair. But the energy level cranked up, thank goodness, and the game got good. We weren’t so lucky in the marketing world.

Full Throttle — apparently provides caffeine and testosterone — seemed to be some sort of official sponsor at the beginning of the game, but luckily we were only submitted to one of those pied piper of the wiener ads.

And then, in a weird response to the wardrobe malfunction of the past, there was a rendition of “The Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Suess with a SuperBowl twist, saying someone will win and someone will lose but that’s okay, read by stars of turf and screen. For the families watching. And for the Seahawks. Trippy!

Okay now into the real ads… it seems like the big spenders were Pepsi, with a weird new URL — www.brownandbubbly.com — and a couple of ads that cost them a pretty penny. One with Puff Daddy and a calvacade of hip-hop stars, and a competitive one against Diet Coke with Jackie Chan. “Brown and bubbly” does not sound quite appetizing to me. But I suppose that’s what it is. And the ads were clever. I’m sure we’ll see more of this campaign.

The other ad that kept popping up, and is memorable to me because of its desperation, is Blockbuster’s online effort. They’re really trying to scramble to catch up with Netflix. But the ad was bland. A man walking through hallways of glass panels with a huge screen behind him — he may as well have been selling insurance. This did not look like a movie source to me.

GoDaddy.com did it again with two ads with a hot chick and the guy sitting next to me said — “Is that a porn site?” Very effective. Not. Or is it?

So — my favorite commercial? I’m glad the Careerbuilder.com monkeys were still in the running, but I love Jackie Chan and Diet Coke. Which one is going to work on me? I’m going to buy a copy of “The Places You’ll Go” for my nephew.

Jackie Chan Diet Pepsi Ad

Can’t wait for the Superbowl — the best new commercials of the year are supposed to debut next Sunday — what is going to be next? Last year’s Careerbuilder chimps are still playing out their time on the small screen here and there, and they still get a chuckle. Anything else you remember from last year? Here’s some animals auditioning for this year’s beer messages.

Not enough controversy for you? What do you think about cigarette advertising? This could get you going…
http://www.adrants.com/2006/01/rj-reynolds-returns-to-killing-people-wit.php

I’ll be back soon with Superbowl ad reviews!