My hick town

[Dock Ellis]

So the rocket scientists in charge of promoting convention business in my fair town came up with this steaming pile of shit-
http://www.raleighconvention.com/index.php/homepage/shine-video

I shudder to think how much of my tax money they wasted on this grade school video project gone wrong, but it has provided me with a decent amount of entertainment. I was wondering who was responsible for the video's hilariously bad theme song, but the Raleigh Convention website comes clean- "On "Shine, Raleigh, Shine," Event Sales Manager Michelle Boyette belts out lyrics by Sales Director Laurie Okun, with Boyette's band, Citizen Jane, alternately strumming and surging behind her."

The lyrics all sound like a third grader came up with them off the top of his head, but see if you can pick out these gems:

"got an old town feel/technical appeal/and everybody's mind will blow"

"It seems like a dream/this raleigh scene/like a diamond in the sky"

Whatever civic pride I ever had has now evaporated. Thanks.

[Dock Ellis]

It kinda reminds me of this-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INBayZpjeSY

For anyone who doesn't remember the 1986 superbowl, let me set the scene: the New England Patriots had somehow wound up winning their division, and were set to face off with Chicago. Everyone knew it was going to be the most lopsided matchup in NFL history- the Bears were in their prime, and the Pats were a joke in those days. The Bears were so confident that they took time off to do a rap song with accompanying video called "The Super Bowl Shuffle". For the time, it was inventive and pretty funny. Someone in Boston decided that a response was in order, and they produced the video I've linked above. It actually got played on MTV, where the VJs mocked it mercilessly (which it richly deserved).

On game day, the Bears slaughtered the Pats 46-10, setting several NFL records in the process. 

[Ping the Purrfect]

I remember that game very well. Right afterwards a McDonald's commercial aired showing the "Fridge" and other members of the Chicago team celebrating and high-fiving in the locker room, with a subtitle that read, "Congratulations, Bears!" This commercial was obviously filmed way ahead of time in anticipation of the Bears' win. I wonder if a similar commercial was filmed for the Patriots...

Probably not.

[Gurraskvinna]

I remember this well too. Jim McMahon being the cocky SOB he has always been. Notice he hasn't been invited to do any commentary on football.... I will have to say that William Perry, "Fridge" is a good guy. My brother was a collegiate wrestler at Clemson and Fridge was his workout partner. He's sort of a gentle giant.