NIKE Commercials: Tiger and LeBron

An interesting article appeared on the Golf Channel website yesterday by Rex Hoggard which focuses on two of the biggest sports figures under NIKE sponsorship, Tiger Woods and LeBron James, and their respective television commercials that aired following certain... live events.

Tiger Woods’ first Nike Golf commercial post-Nov. 27, 2009 – you know the one with the grainy black and white imagery and the voice of his father, the late Earl Woods, that was roundly criticized – did little, if anything, to mend his tattered image.

Instead, Woods’ mass media mea culpa went to LeBron James, of all people. It’s simply dubbed “What should I do?” and in the hands of Woods would have likely advanced a healing process, at least publicly, that has been on the tectonic side of slow.

In a way, while both men seemingly flipped their sporting world and personal lives upside down (albeit for very different reasons), NIKE played their part and stood by their men even when many fans decided otherwise.  However, this is not to say that public opinion will remain as harsh for both men years down the road... but for now, at least, LeBron's "What should I do" question rings out loud and clear. Should I admit that I’ve made mistakes?

Should I tell you how much fun we had?

Should I really believe I ruined my legacy?

Should I just sell shoes?

Should I tell you I am not a role model?

Should I accept my role as a villain?

Maybe I should just disappear.

Or should we just clear the deck and start over?

Should I be who you want me to be?

What should I do?

Some questions are better left unanswered.  Some questions simply don't have answers.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhQF-0uazxQ]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdtejCR413c]