I love Larry Bird commercials. Maybe it's the fabulous scripting, or maybe it's because Bird always comes off like he's acting at gunpoint. At least that might explain those blank stares and the lifeless oration.

But this commercial -- which is from Bird's rookie year -- shows us Larry's playful side. Also his painfully dorky side. The commercial's climax features a hilariously fake dunk, shameless mugging for the camera and the most awkwardly delivered line in Bird's long and storied history of awkwardly delivered lines.

I hope that bottle of 7UP was worth it, Larry.

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17 Comments:
Blogger DC said...
I'm not too surprised by Bird's enthusiasm, since he not only liked 7UP but also believed in its medicinal qualities. When he wanted to lose weight (or "become lighter" in his words), his diet consisted of nothing but popcorn and 7UP. Who says you need Gatorade and personal chef-prepared meals to perform your best?

Word Verification: vater

As in Larry Bird didn't need no stinkin' vater, since he had the magic of 7UP.

Blogger senormedia said...
Is he even doing anything in that first clip except jumping up while someone else's shot goes in?

Oh, wait, he's up, - maybe that's the point.

Anonymous flip said...
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Three Kings, all the animals, and whoever was in the neighborhood!!!
This was truly bawfuly awful.
I would love to see Bird staring in a major motion picture. Would be the first NBA Champion Oscar winner...

Anonymous Geert said...
John McEnroe went to the same barber as Bill Walton, obviously. Or rather didn't go toe the same barber Walton didn't go to. Something like that.

Blogger chris said...
All this talk about John McEnroe seriously reminds me of one of my favorite Homestar Runner clips!

Anonymous Anonymous said...
Bird sounds autistic when he says that line.

And I remember that commercial.

Blogger AnacondaHL said...
chris - Neverending sooooodaaaa! Ah ah ah, ah ah ah, ah ah ahhhhh

Blogger Unknown said...
Bird sounds like Sloth from the Goonies.

Blogger ChrisH said...
both bird and magic had 7up commercials that year. I was 10 and got pumped when they came on and would try to imitate them on the nerfhoop. the following year only magic had a commercial. maybe Larry's performance in the 1st left him off round 2

here's magics from the next year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ulWCb6_eO0 couldnt find his from the year before.

this commercial also came to mind starring maj, bird, and dr j. i have an odd memory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bll1AunxHtY

Blogger chris said...
Speaking of late 70s/early 80s ads, must repost this Magic Johnson gem from Buick, that ever-trendy subdivision of General Motors!

Anonymous AK Dave said...
AnacondaHL:

I tried very briefly to find a video of your neverending soda song, to no avail. Link? I now have that damn song stuck in my head. Thanks! Bastard :D

Blogger AnacondaHL said...
Strongbad Email #78 - anything. Wait a few seconds at the end.

Anonymous AK Dave said...
Awesome.

"I once made breakfast out of leftover pizza and a carton of half-and-half..."

XD

Basketball-related: The Heat have signed SHAVLIK RANDOLPH! The championship is all but guaranteed now!! Start printing hats and shirts and commemorative tube-tops!

Blogger David Robinson said...
Anaconda - This comment has been:

BAHLEETED!
DELTEATED!

umm...del taco?

Anonymous Anonymous said...
When will you guys do a post where you evaluate how you think teams did int he draft?

Blogger Basketbawful said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
Not related to this post, but it seems that George Hill has been using the Internet for other things than posting pictures of his pee-wee. According to his Wikipedia page, Georgie boy averaged 99 ppg in his freshman year in college. What a player!