The NFL Loves Morissey... Too Bad He'll Never Love No One Ever

Posted at 11:44 AM Sep 05, 2008

By Kenny Herzog

For all you fellow NCDSUV loyalists who enjoy both a good celebrity meltdown and the tossing around of the ol' pigskin, you were likely in a bit of shock after an ad for NFL.com during the Giants-Redskins game last night.

Playing prominently in the background as the commercial heralded the arrival of the '08 season was an ear-achingly reworked version of Morrissey's "Every Day Like Sunday." Obviously a suggestion of wishful thinking on behalf of football fans everywhere, it was also one of the most egregious examples yet of ad agencies hearing a song out of context and taking its hook as literally as possible.

In fact, I can't imagine any artist, or song, more ill-suited to reflect the fervor around football Sunday than sexually ambiguous, sad-sack Moz, who no doubt crafted his canon of mopey classics after too many beatings from the high school rugby team.

Of course, Morrissey likely gave permission for the NFL to appropriate his words and music. And if I were him, and no longer harbored such a personal connection to their meaning, I guess I'd toss them over to the highest bidder too. It would be like someone wanting my poems from 15 years ago and offering me thousands of dollars. "Uh, sure, have at it." Just another lesson folks: When you think your favorite artists' innermost thoughts are equal parts your property, double-check who owns the publishing rights.