Lebron James “After Six” Commercial Features Nicole Scherzinger and Sir Charles

Many Fortune 500 companies use sex to sell. Companies like Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Ford, Nissan, Unilever (Axe Girl Fight), Virgin Media all used sexy ads to sell products.

If you watched the Super Bowl the past few years, then I am sure you are familiar with the “Go Daddy” Danica Patrick commercial (watch video).

According to Go Daddy CEO Bob Parson, before the game was over, Go Daddy “received right at 1.5 million visits to our Web site. We had a whopping 2 million visitors for the day. This compares to last year when we had less than 1/2 million visitors.”

That’s an astonishing number when compared to the previous year. Go Daddy purchased three spots, two spots during the game and one during the post-game.This year, Go Daddy only purchased one ad spot, which aired in the second quarter. According to Mr. Parson, the Danica Patrick ad “generated 4 times the action”.

“After all, sex sells. It’s one of those marketing ‘facts’ that everybody knows. Certainly the media reinforces this idea, bombarding us with dozens of scantily-clad women in every possible commercial outlet, hawking everything from light beer to garden tractors. All these high-priced ad executives must believe using gorgeous models to promote their products works.” Susan Friedman of About.com

Now Nike and Lebron James – aka Biz Lebron(Smooth Lebron) turn up the sexiness in this new Nike “After Six” commercial featuring Pussycat Dolls’ lead singer, Nicole Scherzinger.

The Nike commercial is almost 4 minutes long. It is sexy and funny at the same time (Sir Charles is featured as a fish). So for now fans can enjoy sexy Nicole in sneakers.

The commercial is too long and too expensive for TV. Nike released the commercial on YouTube and it is making its round around the Web.

[youtube width=”400″ height=”343″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6NkJzYAyN4[/youtube]

Lebron’s 41 too much for Bulls (106-97)

For the second straight game in four days, Lebron James dropped 41 points on Chicago and led the Cavaliers to beat the Bulls 106-97.

Lebron scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to start a 15-0 run as the Cavaliers turned a three-point deficit into an 89-77 lead. He dropped three three-pointers in the fourth quarter, two of them after Chicago cut it to two in the closing minutes. He scored 16 of his 41 points in the fourth.

“The fourth quarter is where I make my name,” said James. “I may not be able to do it every night but did it tonight. With the new guys and the bench we have, I’m comfortable coming out for a spell. Tonight I even asked to come out. Then, when I come back in with six minutes left, I can go at it strong for the rest of the game.”

“When you come into somebody’s building and make big shots like that to quiet the crowd, those bring smiles to my face,” said James, “That’s just how I’ve been playing lately. I’ve just been trying to keep a smile on my face and dominate at the same time.”

Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 16 points, Ben Wallace finished with seven points, going 3-of-4 from the floor with four boards.

“Even though we’ve seen him do some of this stuff over and over again, some of the stuff just catches you off guard,” Ben Wallace said. “You’re not really expecting it.”

Mo Williams had 11 points and a team-high seven assists. Anderson Varejao added another 13 points

Kirk Hinrich will miss up to three months with a thumb injury.

The Cavaliers play the next three at The Q – beginning with a Tuesday matchup with Milwaukee.

NBA highlights From November 8th

[youtube width=”400″ height=”343″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ygh7hm5iIQ[/youtube]

Cavaliers top Pacers (111-107)

The Cavaliers started the game Friday night against the Indiana Pacers sluggish thinking the Pacers (1-3) will go away with not much efforts. But for two and a half quarters the Pacers had more lively legs and they led for most of the game. The Cavaliers who had back-to-back blowout victories just went through the motion until mid through the third when they realized the Pacers were very hungry for a win.

Mid through the third quarter, the Pacers were leading 61-53, James decided to take over. It started with a hanging dunk for a three-point play. Then came a fast-break dunk. Then a driving up-and-under layup. Then a pass to an open Ilgauskas for a jumper. And then a heat-check jumper to put the Cavs ahead 64-63.

Lebron James put up27 points, 20 of them in the second half, with nine rebounds, eight assists and four blocks.James hit his first 3-pointer of the season, and then came the highlight of the game in the final 1:15 of the game when he chased T.J. Ford and soared from behind to block uncontested layup on a fast break.

“I don’t give up on plays,” James said. “I was able to chase him down, I’ve been doing that since high school.”

For the first time this season, the Cavaliers were outrebounded (44-30).

“You are not going to be able to play the way you want to play every night,” Cavs coach Mike Brown said.

“I thought our group kind of figured out a way to win a ballgame. I don’t think we would’ve won a game like this in the past.”

The Cavs put up 40 points in the fourth quarter. Mo Williams scored 10 of his season-high 21 points and Wally Szczerbiak had seven of his 11 points in the fourth.he Cavaliers went to the line 28 times, making 24, while the Pacers were 11-of-11.

“I just shake my head,” O’Brien said. “Incredible, absolutely incredible. I can’t believe that. To take it to the basket as hard as we do and cut as hard as we do, and to get only 11 foul shots. I’m just completely dumbfounded.”

Ben Wallace had 0 rebound and no points for the third straign game.

NBA Highlights for November 7th:

[youtube width=”400″ height=”343″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSidneWreDA[/youtube]

LeBron tips the scales

Brian Windhorst reports that ESPN analyst Jon Barry, who was in town to work Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls, said on ESPN radio that LeBron James recently weighed in at more than 270 pounds. When he came into the league six years ago, James weighed 240 pounds and currently the roster lists him at 250. But last season James let it slip that he was 260, though he quickly took it back after it raised eyebrows.

Playing power forward for both Team USA and now for the Cavs, it would seem reasonable that James bulked up a bit in preparation, though maybe not to more than 270. It doesn’t seem to be slowing him down; his body fat is around 5 percent. But James is admitting nothing.

“What, 270? No, that’s not true,” James said. “It’s a rumor; I don’t like rumors.”

Cleveland.com

Could McDyess and Gooden become Cavaliers?

 

Brian Windhorst from Cleveland.com speculates on whether McDyess or Gooden could land themselves in Cleveland.

McDyess

McDyess is a versatile player, who can play both power forward and center, and is a strong shot-blocker, rebounder and outside shooter. He’s also a strong locker-room presence. All of which would make him a perfect fit with the Cavs. It would probably come at the sacrifice of playing time for rookie J.J. Hickson but would fill the role vacated by veteran forward Joe Smith after the trade for Mo Williams.

So why would he consider the Cavs? McDyess has a good relationship with Ben Wallace stemming from the time they played together in Detroit. The Cavs are also a contender, which would likely be a prerequisite for McDyess. But there’s also money and that may well be a big factor.

Gooden

Former Cav Drew Gooden is comfortable in Chicago, he is now the Bulls’ starting center and new coach Vinny Del Negro has named him one of the team’s captains. However, this is the final year of Gooden’s contract and for the first time he will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Whether or not the Cavs would be interested would depend on what happens with Anderson Varejao, who can opt out of his contract at season’s end. But Gooden, himself, may have some interest.

“I really enjoyed playing here and the people here,” Gooden said. “If they called, I would listen.”

Cleveland.com

Cavs top Bulls – What others are saying about the game

LeBron James scored a season-high 41 points — 15 on free throws — and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 15 points and 10 rebounds, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 107-93 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.

James, who briefly left the floor in the first quarter after twisting his left ankle, missed just once from the line. In his past two games, James, who has struggled with his touch from 15 feet throughout his career, has made 28 of 31 free throws after going 15 of 24 in the season’s first three games.

While engaging in some friendly trash talk with former teammate Drew Gooden, James scored 14 points in the third quarter, highlighted by a reverse layup he spun in off the glass right-handed while driving to his left. Over the final 5:05 of the quarter, James had a hand in all 18 of Cleveland’s points, scoring 10 with three assists.

AP

The Bulls couldn’t do anything to slow down LeBron James, who scored 41 points on 13-for-23 shooting and added nine rebounds and six assists.

Offensively, the Bulls had too many lulls to mount a serious threat. They also were outrebounded 46-35 and allowed former teammate Ben Wallace to grab 14 rebounds, including six on the offensive end.

”They killed us with second-chance points,” Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. ”And LeBron is LeBron.”

Suntimes.com

Though he wasn’t exactly thrilled when Gooden passed along some private conversations to friend and Washington Wizard DeShawn Stevenson after Gooden was traded to the Chicago Bulls last season. It kicked off a high-profile feud between James and Stevenson during last spring’s playoffs.

So perhaps James’ behavior Wednesday night was a little payback to Gooden. Or maybe it was the complete exploitation of the Bulls’ defensive strategy. Whichever, it resulted in James’ biggest scoring output of the young season and the Cavs’ second consecutive win, 107-93, over the Bulls at The Q.

Cleveland.com

Cavaliers Happenings

He is still on the roster because this is the final year of his contract, though he and the Cavs have filed paperwork and begun the process of retiring due to a disability for the knee which he injured a little more than a year ago in a pickup game. Within the next few months when several missed-game thresholds are met, the Cavs hope to win approval from an independent doctor to remove him from their books and save $7.3 million in luxury taxes and several million more with insurance coverage.

Cleveland.Com

Eighteen months ago, the Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers seemed to be on the verge of a great rivalry. Both young teams were nearing 50 victories and were battling each other for second place in the Eastern Conference late in the 2006-07 regular season.

Suntimes.com

Last year, Adrian sent an e-mail to Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, calling his attention to the product. One of Gilbert’s assistants introduced Adrian to the director of an entrepreneurship program Gilbert started in Michigan. That led to a giveaway of 60 All-Net Saks during a Cavs game last spring and, eventually, to getting the product on the shelf at the team shop.

Cleveland.com

Cavaliers win big in “Big D” (100 – 81)

The Cavaliers started the game strong and were able to build a 16 points lead. But as usual they managed to let all go in the third quarter and the Mavs tied the game at 63.

But this time, Mo Williams (14 points, 6 assists) came to the rescue and started the fourth quarter with four jumpers, including a 3-pointer, and delivered two assists to lead a 13-0 run.

“That’s what they expect,” said Williams, acquired in August to ease the load off James. “Tonight was a great sign. It was a long summer for me, two surgeries. I expected to get going kind of slow, but it was frustrating when you’re used to making shots, making plays.”

“It’s a nice win, a good way to close out the road trip,” said James, who finished with a season-high 29 points despite shooting only 8-of-20.

“It’s all about defense,” James added. “We took a stand. When they tied it up, we buckled down and worked defensively. Then we made some shots. I didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, like I know I can. I was in attack mode all night, but I missed some shots I know I can make.”

The Cavaliers led by as many as 25 points and outrebounded the Mavericks 52-35. Ben Wallace and Verajao held Dirk Nowitzki to only eight points.

“You’re not going to totally stop Dirk Nowitzki, but the combination of Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao did about as good a job on Dirk as I’ve seen since he’s been in the league,” Cleveland coach Mike Brown said.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Delonte West added 14 points and Wally Szczerbiak had 10. Wallace didn’t score, but had 13 rebounds.

The Cavaliers return home, where they’ll play five of the next six games at Quicken Loans Arena.

Mike Brown on Allen Iverson Trade:

“It’s good for both teams. A.I. is more of scoring point guard than Chauncey, but how does it change the Pistons? I don’t know. I’m just like a fan, it’ll be interesting to see. But I think they both got what they wanted – Chauncey’s going home and the Pistons got somebody they think will put points on the board.”

– Full Box Score

NBA highlights From November 3rd

[youtube width=”400″ height=”343″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud8QfXhtLy4[/youtube]