RetroBuzz: Terry Tate
This week, we look at the best Super Bowl ads in recent memory.
The first time I saw Reebok's full-length Terry Tate spot — which debuted during 2003's Super Bowl XXXVII, best known as the game in which the Bucs had three pick-sixes — I literally laughed so hard that I cried. The idea of a marauding linebacker patroling a non-descript office block appealed to my love of absurdist humour, while the fact that the fictional company was called Felcher & Sons appealed to the fact that I'm fundamentally still 14.
What really made this spot pop, though, was the performance of Lester Speight in the titular role. Speight actually was an All-American linebacker at Morgan State, and signed a contract with the USFL. Sadly, he never played because the league folded prior to the start of what would have been his rookie season. He then spent some time as a professional wrestler before going into acting.
(Fun Fact: The video game enthusiasts amongst you may also recognize Speight as the voice of Augustus "Cole Train" Cole from the Gears of War series.)
