My Two-Cents: RIP Big 10 Commercial

I have entered a state of mourning. This will be the first weekend of the year where I don’t get to see my favorite TV commercial of all time. Well, maybe a second favorite of all time. My first all-time favorite commercial is probably the Deon Sanders/Leon Sandcastle 2013 Superbowl Commercial; a classic. But the Big 10 is a close second. The “I wanna live forever” jingle will forever live in my mind as a nostalgic reminder of my college football-watching experience. The snippet starts off panning the Rose Bowl stadium, then continues through the midwest schools, good old Memorial stadium (my personal favorite), the Wisconsin stadium jumping up and down, all the way to the east coast with Rutgers, the birthplace of college football. Someday when my children ask me what the Big 10 is, I hope I get to show them that commercial with a wistful look in my eye. It’s now 2023, but the masterpiece made its debut all the way back in 2014. Almost a decade of the best commercial known to man. So now we beg the question, what should happen to the Big 10 commercial next year? 

I suppose there are two schools of thought. Those enthusiastic that the Big 10 commercial can re-make its Fall 2024 debut with the simple addition of the 4 new teams. Perhaps with the camera scanning the West Coast before entering the midwest euphoria that is Nebraska. If this be the case, they should add the state motto, “Nebraska, It’s Not for Everyone” above Memorial. A nice touch in my opinion. And then above Kinneck it could read, "Iowa – Idiots Out Wandering Around." Also a nice touch in my opinion. Then above The Big House, it could read “Ann Arbor is a Whore.” Perhaps the nicest touch of all. However, there are also the spoilsports that nag it’s time for the Big 10 Commercial should be put to rest. To my own dismay, I think I’m going to have to side with the spoilsports. Here’s why – all good things must come to an end. All is fair in love and war, but it must not go on forever. The Big 10 commercial has had arguably the best decade run in all of commercial history. But it’s better to put a great thing to rest than to beat a dead horse. Though I will miss the Big 10 commercial, along with many other loyal college football fans, I’d rather see it go in its glory than fade in its prime. Much like Nebraska football, in a sense. 

Rest in Peace, Big 10 Commercial – you may be gone, but you will never be forgotten. "I fucking wanna live forever in a boat out in the sea. I hope we can all build a happy home, a home for you and me."