Looney for Rooney

So it's World Cup season - in case you've been living under a rock - and I've been enjoying it quite a bit. I've watched a fair share of matches, even those involving "second-rate" teams.

This week is gonna be awesome, with the big boys going head to head.

So, anyway, I check out the score of the Germany-Ecuador game online today and the homepage for soccer on sportsnet.ca has a headline about "England just mad over Rooney ad". I'm wondering what this could be about. I click on the link and start reading. And I keep reading. I get about halfway through the article before I can figure out what the hubbub is about.

See the pic? Do YOU know what the fuss is about?

If you read the article and you don't blink, you just might catch the fact that the media seem to think this ad is "spoofing" the crucifixion. You know, the one with that Christ guy.

Are you sh*tting me?

See, it's quite clear to anyone who knows anything about soccer that this emulates the manner in which Rooney celebrates a goal - arms outstretched, fists clenched. Oh, and the colour scheme? Well, if you have half a brain you know that's the English flag.

Seems some folks think the red represents blood and anything in a t-shape is a reference to the crucifixion (Who said it was blood? And never mind the white paint). STFU already. It's an ad. It's great. It has nothing to do with Christ.

But it seems this fuss is a creation of the media (go figure) - seems no one has contacted Nike to complain, only to ask for copies of the ad.

...Why oh why do I work in media when I hate it so?