Sports Endorsement Stall of Fame

2/18/11, "Sports Endorsement Stall of Fame:...

• * ESPN’s Chris Berman — Simultaneous endorser of Nutrisystem weight loss products and fried meat and cheese platters at Applebee’s.

• * Dan Dierdorf — Simultaneously endorsed weight loss products and Lays potato chips.

• * Joe Torre — As Yankees manager he swore in his book that he never reads the local papers during baseball season, then was heard in commercials for a local newspaper claiming that he reads every word during the season.

• * Charles Barkley — Was surprised to learn the contents of a book he wrote.

• * HBO’s Jim Lampley — Played himself, a trusted national TV journalist, in an obviously bogus commercial for a finance company headed by a man who soon pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

• * Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — In one of his books he credits his NBA longevity — 20 years — to wearing low-cut sneakers, claiming that high-tops transfer shock to the knees. He then did TV ads for Reebok high-tops.

• In another of his books, Abdul-Jabbar claimed to assiduously

avoid drinking alcohol. He wrote drinking not only violates Islam, it destroys families. He then did a

• TV commercial for Coors."

from NY Post, Phil Mushnick, 2/18/11, "ESPN always wants it both ways"

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