Nike Football Leave Nothing

Update: An anonymous friend has posted link to a live video of Dougie MacLean performing The Gael. In the interest of driving link karma his way I'll add a link to a web site selling his CD The Searcher from 1991.

My 17 year old daughter says "I don't get it" watching the latest Nike commercial.  The commercial, featuring Sean Merriman transitioning seamlessly between games with different opponents and different playing conditions.  She's trying to find the logic in the action.  There's no logic.  This is all about emotion.  It makes me want to get out and tilt at windmills - it's just motivating.  Lets go kick some ass!

I get it.  The commercial hits an emotional key few commercials reach.  The music in the background is "The Gael" by Dougie MacLean and is most familiar to everyone that enjoyed The Last of the Mahicans.  In fact, what really works is to watch the clip from the movie and then watch the commercial.

So go out and rent the video and reward Michael Mann for some really good work.  The cinematography, the music, the direction - he's done some good work and this is some of the best.  (And if you're inclined, rent The Kingdom - another movie of his that hits the right chords.  It's hard to believe this is the same guy that subjected us to not only the original Miami Vice series but had the cojones to bring the series to the big screen (no link recommendation for that POS).

The Gael

The Last of the Mohicans

Originally posted on villiageidiot.vox.com