Getting Chippy: Musburger Mentions Tostitos Prior To Field Goal

Was Musburger's Tostitos Reference Off The Cuff Or A Shameless Plug?

ESPN’s Brent Musburger “set the Internet afire last night when he said ‘this is for all the Tostitos’ prior to Auburn's Wes Byrum kicking the winning field goal” in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game, according to Reid Cherner of USA TODAY. Musburger's remark immediately “became a hot topic on Twitter." Tostitos title sponsored the game, and there is a “split as to whether" Musburger was "having great fun or making a shameless plug” (USATODAY.com, 1/11). WEWS-NBC's Garrett Downing writes Musburger’s line "didn’t sit well with sports purists who are frustrated with corporate sponsorships becoming more and more prevalent in 'amateur' athletics." Immediately following Musburger’s comments, fans "took to Twitter to criticize him, and the #allthetostitos hashtag became a trending topic" (NEWSNET5.com, 1/11). But CNBC's Darren Rovell wrote on Twitter, "Estimating Musburger's 'All The Tostitos' line was worth $2.5 million in equivalent advertising (value of 3 30-second ads).

GAINING SOME HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: SI's Richard Deitsch: "I just checked, and yes, Washington said, 'This is for all the Tostitos' right before he crossed the Delaware." The National Post's Bruce Arthur: "As he crossed the Rubicon, according to the historian Suetonius, Caesar uttered the famous phrase 'This is for all the Tostitos.'" Pro Hockey Talk's Joe Yerdon: "Ask not what America can do for you. Ask what you can do for all the Tostitos." NHL.com's Dave Lozo: "'This is for all the Tostitos' is the new 'Taking my talents to South Beach.'"