This year’s NBA playoffs have brought one of the funniest sports commercials I’ve seen in a while.

It’s when Dwayne Wade baits Charles Barkley into talking about why Philadelphia hasn’t made a statue of him yet. Barkley’s “You tryin’ to be funeh?’ line is classic.

Check it out at Charles Barkley and his statue

It still doesn’t top my all-time favorite “Chicks Dig the Long Ball” commercial Chicks Dig The Long Ball that features former Atlanta Braves Cy Young award winners Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, but it’s right up there with Miller Lite’s “Tastes Great, Less Filling” classics.
Anyone else got some memorable — funny — sports commercials to share?

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I get a lot of flack from friends on the Mainland who aren’t able to enjoy the outdoors year-round like we can here, particularly because I’ve become a workout hermit of sorts lately.
Instead of hitting the beach or hiking trails I’ve recently been turning to the illiptical machines, stairmasters and treadmills for hours at a time.
The allure is the TVs on the newest equipment. Since I started this recent diet binge — or maybe I should call it attempted lifestyle change — I’m timing my workouts to watch the NBA playoffs.

I’ll be sweating out today’s Hawks-Celtics Game 7 for a lot more reason than just hoping Kevin Garnett finallly gets his ring.
The 40 games in 40 nights or whatever they call it has been a godsend for me. Great games, great young talent to watch.
This is my first extended look at Chris Paul and New Orleans. The way he sees the floor and changes gears is incredible. With Paul, Tony Parker and Deron Williams the new wave of superstar point guards has taken over, just as Dwight Howard has become the most dominant, athletic big man in the game today.

Anyone think Lebron James and the overlooked Cavs can sneak back into the finals?

Here’s something people who burn the Midnight Oil can appreciate: Some days, you come home and just sleep. No working out, no binging on food … just sleep.

Since I switched to four-day work weeks I’ve made Mondays, following my second overnight shift, the day of rest. I get home before 10 a.m. rarely leave the bed until I return to work at midnight.

It makes the rest of the week that much easier and after three straight days of 60 minutes on the illiptical machine and 200 flights on the stairmaster, golf, basketball and swimming,, so I don’t feel too bad about resting. I believe the body needs it, particularly as you grow older.

The added bonus to sleeping all day? Too tired to eat!

So, as promised, my diet update yesterday is open for public consumption: Switched to oatmeal overnight and cut out Jack in the Box tacos (damnit). Still having a java blast and fountain diet coke to start the shift; also had a banana, apple, yogurt and a couple of pop tarts. This morning, I made a salad to take to work, and since I like to snack, I’m trying out the flavored Quaker rice snacks.

So far, pretty good, but I couldn’t see eating the rice cakes all the time. Just a good change of pace.

For me, that’s about as good as it gets. A friend gave me some Arbonne weightloss shakes to try and some natural vitamins, so adding them into the mix and seeing where it goes.
My goal for when I get off this morning is to find a personal trainer and settle on a real weightloss program, be it weight watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem or something else.

A few years ago I did the Atkins and it worked while I was on it, but like all fad diets as soon as I quit, I gained it all back.

No more fads for me, but I’m still looking for input on what’s worked, and not worked, for you.

Join in!

One of the all-time great movie scenes is when the late great John Candy — aka Dewey Oxburger — is sitting in the barracks explaining to his his fellow troops why he joined the Army in the Bill Murray classic “Stripes.”
Dewey: “I dont know if you’ve noticed, but I got a slight weight problem.”
Troops: “Nooooo…”
Dewey: “Yep, yep, yep … My doctor says I’ve been swallowing a lot of aggression… along with a lot of pizzas!”
And so it goes. Dewey joins the Army to become a lean, mean fighting machine.
Me? I’m sitting at a desk at at 2:30 a.m. on a Monday morning, can of Mean Bean Java Monster on one side, a 32-ounce Kona coffee on the other.
And now, it’s time to do something really stupid: Announce a diet in public.
As Dewey would say, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’ve got a slight weight problem…”
Friends, not so much doctors, have been telling me I’m eating too many pizzas. And doughnuts. And burgers. And … well, you get the picture.

So I’m looking for a little help. A little public shame into getting into shape, a little guidance. I’ve never really had to try a “diet,” persay. I’m typically someone who when I finally get fed up with how I feel, I run/walk/play the weight off.
But I’ve been a diet yo-yo my whole life, and as I grow older there’s not as much yo in my game as there used to be and that sucks.

My already slow metabolism is at a near standstill, so I want your opinions on what’s the best option: Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers or NutriSystem? Other?
Also, what’s the going rate for a good personal trainer?

I can spend hours on a treadmill, stairmaster or elliptical machine — which I do already — but I’m looking for someone to kick my ass in a smart manner and who can set up a good diet. If I can find a good one, I’ll share our progress with all of you.

A lean mean fighting machine?
Ha.

Right now I’d settle for dropping 20 and going from there.

From here on out consider Midnight Oil a diet and workout tracker as a well as a place for overnights to congregate. I welcome input from all of you on your own efforts, successful and not.

I’m not sure if this is a good idea, but if public shame can’t motivate me I don’t know what will.

I can’t believe I’m doing this …