This commercial is for Reebok’s athletic shoe –Answer IX –that was released in 2005 and endorsed by NBA All-Star Allen Iverson. It depicts a shirtless Iverson before a game, and highlights the many injuries endured by the player throughout his career. The commercial ends with an announcer proclaiming, “This Guy is a Warrior”, and Iverson asserting that it is, “Time to go to work.”

discussion

How does the treatment of athletes in media relate to society’s ideas about masculinity? What are the implications of the “warrior mentality” promoted in this commercial for the health of athletes and for young people who might look up to them?

Compare this commercial with the Brett Favre Wrangler Jeans commercial. Are there differences in the way these two athletes are portrayed? In what ways, and why? Do the athletes’ race have anything to do with their treatment in the media? How so?