The Nike Winning Isn’t Comfortable Commercial – The Music, the Running, and More!

Nike has been at the top of the shoe industry for as long as I can remember, whether it’s basketball shoes, football, soccer, casual, or running shoes. I remember my first pair of Jordans. Or the basketball shoes I wore to play college intramurals. In my 20s, I had a pair of Nike Shox half marathon training many years ago. There are two things I can say about those Shox running shoes: 1. They weren’t airy and 2. They were heavy. What was I thinking? They must’ve been twice as heavy as the average running shoe! Since then I’ve switched my loyalty to Brooks, a brand known for quality running shoes. I prefer them for their light weight, comfort for my heel and flat footedness, and I’ve found almost every pair I’ve ever purchased on sale. Research shows that although Nike was #1 in previous years, Brooks has taken over as the top running shoe brand and other players are making waves, too. Popular brands Hoka and On have carved a spot for themselves as athlete favorites.

But did anyone expect Nike to go quietly into the night? Not at all! They have a grab bag of new ads focused on running, one which you might have seen on TV and streaming in the last few days and weeks. Take a look at the new “Winning Isn’t Comfortable” commercial below then scroll down for more info…

Nike also posted an image on Instagram and I’ll just be 100% transparent here, I can’t stand Nike. It was a 180° turn about 10 years ago because growing up I loved Nike. It’s possible you might have seen a Nike swoosh shaved into my haircut in high school. I was a little obsessed. But when they steamrolled over decades of tradition at Florida State a few years ago, I gave up on Nike and Florida State, too. It became clear that money rules everything around them which is very, very unattractive. I don’t think it’s just me being stubborn, but I don’t ever envision a day where I’ll be rooting for FSU football or wearing any Nike gear at all.

But personal grudges aside, this Instagram post from Nike is so extremely on point! I feel this deep in my bones.

The Music. The ad includes a great use of a classic song contrasting all the athletes running in the rain. Why not use a timeless song from nearly 90 years ago? It’s been performed by many artists from Johnny Cash to Ike and Tina Turner. Adding her name to the list (covered in 2019) is Christina Perri and this is the version used in the Nike commercial. Also check out this list of the best “You Are My Sunshine” covers.

Run, Forrest, Run. Running is a big part of my triathlon training. The most fun part is also the hardest part: Taking that first step. And I don’t mean the first stride. I mean, getting off the couch. Getting out of bed. Committing. But once I’m up, I’m in! 🤪 Lately, I’ve been waking up once a week to do training intervals at a school track in town. And when I say waking up, I mean I’m on the track running at 630am. Yikes. I’m not the only insane person, though. There’s a group of people plus a coach and a tech guy who are faithful to the challenge and that helps me keep going, too. But….. we’re all a little crazy, huh? More on that insanity here.

What do you think about the Nike running commercial? Is it going to help their sales as other companies are taking bigger chunks of the running market? If you’re a data person, check out a ton of statistics about shoe sales over the past few years on RunRepeat.com. For example, based on data some folks are suggesting that trail running shoes will have the most growth in the next few years. In 2023, the average MSRP of running shoes is $132.90 while 18.7% of running shoes have an MSRP lower than $100. 

I’m just about due for another pair of running shoes so I’ll have another post about that when it happens. Until then, see you on the road!

-Out of the Wilderness

The Farmer’s Dog Referee Commercial – The Actor, the Music, and More!

Hello there! If you stumbled upon this post, you’re probably in the same boat I’m in. I was watching football and was immediately drawn to the TV screen which was showing the aftermath of a bad call on the field. It could’ve easily been mistaken for a referee calling penalties against whoever’s playing the Kansas City Chiefs. But nope, it wasn’t real life. It was a commercial and would you believe it was a dog food commercial? This ad is for dog lovers out there and you know who you are. You sing every popular song but add your dog’s name to the lyrics. You have 23 different nicknames that you rotate through hourly. You cuddle your dog way more than your dog wants to cuddle with you. I’m right there with you and so is The Farmer’s Dog. Check out their dog food commercial then scroll down for some details about it…

The Referee. The official who allegedly needs his eyes checked is actor/comedian Dave Colan (Instagram @davecolan). He’s an alumni of the famed Second City improv comedy club and teaches improv in Los Angeles. He also teaches us all a lesson in how to tell a story without any words with his referee performance. How many actors can do that well? It takes a lot to convey emotion without talking but watch the ad again and you can feel his pain…

Then he arrives home to a dog who loves him. Anyone who opens the door and is greeted by a happy pup knows how this ref feels in that moment. It reminds me of that phrase about being the kind of people our dogs think we are.

“There is nothing truer in this world than the love of a good dog.” – Mira Grant

The angry football player, actor Boogie Roberts, posted this behind-the-scenes clip from the shoot which took place at the USC football stadium in California. Also, follow Boogie here: @8_boogie

The Song. Wrapping up the ad with some feel good lyrics is a song called “I Believe in You (You Believe in Me)” by Johnnie Taylor. The song was released in 1973. I love the part of the chorus used in the commercial because it’s vague enough to leave us wondering if the owner is being comforted by the dog or the dog by the owner. The twist in the story is that both are true.

I have two beagles and they are 14 and 13 years old. I’d be fibbing if I said it was always easy. As they’ve gotten older, it’s sometimes tough to have patience. But I can’t imaging how much duller my life would be and would’ve been had we not found each other many years ago in Nashville, Tennessee. They’ve never said a word to me but we’ve had thousands of meaningful conversations. If you’re thinking about getting a dog, adopt one right this instant!

-Out of the Wilderness

Run the Damn Ball – A Music Video by Jenna Paulette

Down, set, hut! Football season is finally in full swing with college teams already practicing for their week 2 games (or already rebuilding for 2025 if you’re Florida State) and the NFL starting their season tonight. What a glorious time of the year, isn’t it?

There have been plenty of country songs and music videos orbiting around football; Kenny Chesney “Boys of Fall,” “Tennessee Fan” by Morgan Wallen, and, of course, Hank Williams, Jr.’s “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” which was used for Monday Night Football for many years.

But how many football-related country songs can you think of that are performed by a woman? There’s a Megan Moroney song called “Tennessee Orange” that’s really not about football and Carrie Underwood performing the NFL Sunday Night Football theme song. In other words, Jenna Paulette is making up her own playbook and I think she scored a touchdown with her new song “Run the Damn Ball.” Check it out then scroll down for more…

Did anyone else hear this song and immediately think of the Seahawks in the Super Bowl? They had a beast of a running back and with 20 seconds to go 1 yard, it was a no-brainer. Give the ball to Lynch and you’ll be hoisting the trophy as Super Bowl champions. But they passed the ball and it got intercepted, marking one of the most embarrassing play calls of all time in the whole entire universe. All they had to do was run the damn ball!

Who am I to judge, though? One time I was quarterbacking a flag football team. We were about to win after scoring a touchdown to put us up by a point. On the 2-point conversion play afterwards, all I had to do was not throw the ball at all. So what did I do? I tried to throw it to my ex-girlfriend in the end zone. The pass was intercepted, returned all the way to the other end zone so the other team scored 2 points and won the game by a point. The game ended and so did my relationship with my girlfriend.

OK, I’m being dramatic. She and I broke up way before that game but I’m sure throwing an interception at such a critical time didn’t do anything to win her back. Actually, I know it didn’t. I haven’t spoken to her in over a decade. Football sucks.

But the video from Jenna doesn’t suck at all. She and a few of the players from the University of Texas had a lot of fun on the shoot as you can see if you check out her Instagram (@jennapaulette). Cool video, fun song, congrats to Jenna for being in rare company with a football song that many fans will be playing at tailgate parties around the country all season long.

-Out of the Wilderness

Why Taylor Swift Hasn’t Endorsed Kamala Harris – A Theory.

For a while I wondered why Taylor Swift wasn’t being outspoken in her support of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. I’m sure a bunch of people already know why, but then one day it dawned on me: She can’t endorse Kamala. Not yet, at least. While she’s dating Travis Kelce, start tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs, she needs to be hush-hush about who she’ll be voting for. Why though? If she were to endorse Kamala, that would hurt the Chiefs. Taylor is making a business decision but not one that benefits her necessarily. Most NFL fans lean to the right, politically, so the Chiefs reputation will not be colored in such pleasant ways if they are still courting the Travis / Taylor romance and Taylor is outspoken for Kamala or against Trump. Look at it this way, a lot of people already don’t like the Chiefs. If they want to win more fans, and keep the ones they have, they need to stick to the unwritten rules of keeping the base happy. Unhappy football fans means less revenue, and that folks, is the bottom line in the entertainment industry, of which the Chiefs (and all NFL teams) are part.

If (or when) Taylor and Travis break up, it won’t be long till Ms. Swift is very vocal about supporting Harris. Or if she was extremely smart, she’d jump on the Trump train. But then again, that might hurt her bottom line even if it would help the Chiefs profits.

-Out of the Wilderness

Donald Trump Is A Scab?

Democrats in Michigan called Donald Trump a “scab” as Kamala Harris spoke to union workers on the Labor Day holiday. In the background, I saw a guy wearing a shirt with that phrase… and thought to myself, “Aren’t scabs a good thing, biologically speaking?”

*proceeds to research*…

Yes. Yes, they are.

Scabs protect a wound against germs. Actually in this case, I’d have to agree with the Democrats because Donald Trump is trying to protect Americans from dirty Democrat germs. It’s yet another example of something I’m starting to believe is true about every Democrat: They claim to love science and then literally believe anything but.

Yes, I’m referring to the biology and science behind the suggestion that the fetus in a mother’s womb is not, in fact, the mother. Unless she is a freak with 20 fingers, 20 toes, and two different blood types (which *ahem* is biologically impossible but who’s keeping track anyway??).

While Harris sticks to her go-to talking points, she’s sure to include a woman’s right to choose (abortion or to give birth). It’s a thinly veiled argument for birth control but again, science and biology is not on their side. But why would they believe something that goes against their agenda? After all, they support a candidate who wasn’t voted for, and even going back to their daddy, Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize for work he hadn’t even done yet as President. About this he said,

“Perhaps the most profound issue surrounding my receipt of this prize is the fact that I am the commander-in-chief of the military of a nation in the midst of two wars.”

Maybe that’s when most of us finally realized that some things we once held in high regard are actually just a joke… like those awards show on TV. Or like recently at the Democratic National Convention when the young poet Amanda Gorman said of the convention,

“We gather at this hallowed place because we believe in the American dream.”

Hallowed??? It was the United Center, for Pete’s sake! The ONLY way that part of the poem makes sense is if she was referring to the years Michael Jordan played basketball there for the hometown team, the Chicago Bulls. Something tells me she probably doesn’t even know who Michael Jordan is, though. She was ascribing deity to politicians, which is actually weird.

Democrats will say they’re using scab as a slang term familiar with union workers, as in: a worker who refuses to join a labor union or to participate in a union strike, who takes a striking worker’s place on the job, or the like.

Using the word in this way dates back to the 16th (or 18th) century, depending on context. So let’s be very clear, the party who infamously says “we’re not going back” literally went back to a word from the 1500s!? Makes complete sense.

I’ll be voting for the scab.

-Out of the Wilderness