Best National Anthem. Ever.

Posted August 25, 2008, 6:49 pm in Basketball


The late, great Marvin Gaye touched a nerve when he turned in the most soulful rendition ever of the National Anthem at the 1983 All-Star game. Nike has touched a nerve 25 years later by using Gaye's rendition as part of a commercial that celebrates the Olympic Dream Team. Nike stated the following on its Web site:

Performed for the 1983 NBA All-Star Game, Marvin Gaye’s remix captured the passion of '80s soul, mixed it with some old fashioned patriotism and created a timeless classic.

And like Marvin and the Dream Team before them, this year's Team USA intends to put on a show that will forever go down as one the greatest performances in the history of the sport.

While most are blown away by the ad, some say they find it disrespectful because it reduces the National Anthem to a commercial soundtrack. What do you think? Watch the original and then the ad. Does Nike deserve a gold medal or should they be disqualified?

The Original: 1983 NBA All-Star Game:



The Nike Ad: 2008 Olympics:





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