It's Amazing What A Little Production Value and Talent Can Do

As much as I curse those in charge of Ole Miss (and, as a result, the day I became an Ole Miss fan as a young child) for over 30 consecutive years of making sure the right backs were scratched and half-assing their way through everything else, I must acknowledge those few, so very few moments when they do something well.  From the Ole Miss Media people:


"Preparation" - Ole Miss Football Spot from UM Media Documentary Projects on Vimeo.

I realize I'm getting way too excited about a commercial to drum up ticket sales for a team that is going 4-8 this year, but, as I've said many times before in this space, I've been given so little competency from Ole Miss officials/administrators over the years, it's almost overwhelming when something like this turns out right.  The last time I remember an Ole Miss commercial not being horrible was when Morgan Freeman was providing poetic voice-over to sweeping shots of the Grove and campus in the summer and fall, which is almost impossible to screw up (and of course we did by not keeping that same line of commercials cranking out from now until the end of time).

Who knows, this, along with the in-writing changes to be made to the stadium/game day experience, could be the first step in a widespread commitment to non-half-assery.  The TV version will be cut down to :30 and :60 spots (unless the WB has slots for 1:37 commercials, which they might, given their programming), which should make it the perfect length (97 seconds?  UGH.  I HAVE THINGS TO DO.).  Hopefully, the efforts to use quality production value and people who know what they're doing will continue, but a lifetime of bitter disappointment tells me that the first question to be raised about this by those who get the bill will be, "Is there any way we can do this chea...less expensively?"

And so, I know-

"YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW?"

Coach Mullen, wow, do you always travel with dry ice?

"I CAN SPIN A FOOTBALL LONGER THAN THAT."