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Rabil Warrior Unstoppable Lacrosse commercial
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Music Monday: New ESPN Lacrosse Song, Warrior Loves Dub Step

Last week we asked when ESPN was going to unleash their 2012 lacrosse song of the year on us, and this past weekend they made good and dropped the Y2K12 song on us… and honestly, we’re not sure what to think.  The band they selected is Seether, and their music is… angry?  That might just be the best way to describe it.

Are we really still dressing our “rock stars” up in white cake face make up, black lipstick, eye liner and lip rings?  Is this 1998 all over again?  And do lacrosse players and fans listen to this stuff?

Evidently, the answer to the prior question is yes.  But the answer to the latter?  Pretty sure that’s a big old NO.  Lacrosse people didn’t listen to 30 Seconds to Mars, and they don’t listen to this either.  Oh well, ESPN, you tried.  We’ll give you that.  But this early 2000s style rock music is just awful, and boring, and straight up pedantic.  And doesn’t fit in with lacrosse one bit.

There is NO WAY that ESPN couldn’t have found a newer artist, with a better song, that was looking to make a name for themselves.  They could have gotten the rights to the song for next to nothing, but instead they went with a mid 2000s influenced semi-successful goth rock song.  Just what lacrosse always wanted.  We don’t follow the crowd, we lead it.

Of course then you look at the new Warrior commercial, and surprise, surprise, Warrior gets it right.  Or at least a lot closer to right.

https://youtu.be/tGnNoK7IUhk

Warrior went with the Dub Step craze for their commercial, and I can guarantee a LOT more people were jamming out to that, as opposed to the musical stylings of Seether.  I’m sure those guys have a following, but I just don’t think it’s in the lacrosse world.

Now my guess here is that Warrior went with something that would be slightly offensive to the older generations, but that wasn’t TOO over the top, while still engaging with the kids who are watching on TV.  It’s a little risky, but they dial it back enough to keep old school lax lovers happy or at least confused, while not making it so vanilla that kids are driven away.  It can be tough to achieve balance this way, but Warrior does it masterfully here.  Is it a HUGE departure from the GTG flavored Maverik commercial?  You betcha.  But it’s Warrior being Warrior, and that means being “cool”.  They pull it off to perfection here.

The ESPN song by Seether however, accomplished NONE of this.  Parents will find it far too grating, guys like us will find it boring and forced, and kids across the country will be saying, “Ugh, that kind of music is SO seven years ago“.  Basically NO ONE will enjoy it.  I know, I know.  We’re a demanding bunch.

Now ESPN could have gone with some dub step, but that’s probably an unrealistic expectation for the network.  It’s just pushing things a little too far.  But we wish they had found a newer, more interesting artist to showcase.  The Schemers EP by Skaters has some cool tracks on it.  I feel like they could have made that work!  We also got some calls in our post last week for M83.  That could also work well!!!

Got a song YOU think should be the ESPN 2012 Lacrosse Jam?  Think Seether is a good choice?  Love/Hate the new Warrior commercial?  Let us know in the comments!

https://youtu.be/_hllCV9DOkU

Rabil Warrior Unstoppable Lacrosse commercial
Rabil. Warrior. Dub Step.