But so much depends on which team wins, and right now my gut says Pittsburgh is going to win. America loves winners.

This is their chance to really shine with Madison Avenue.

With a few exceptions, it starts with gold. Americans love winning, and gold is the ultimate victory.

With a lot of athletes, it's a local market. Barry Bonds is successful in the Bay Area, but beyond there, everyone hates him.

He's already done well on a regional level, but this is his chance to really break out nationally, to become a household name.

It definitely has been a bit of a drawback playing in Seattle. If he were in a bigger market and not on the West Coast, he'd probably do a lot better marketing-wise.

Athletes are under the microscope, and it's a risk for advertisers to spend millions on someone who could get embroiled in scandal.

It's a brave thing. I think it will pay off for her. In this day and age, it may open up marketing doors because she's forthright. It might backfire with some mainstream advertisers, but there are a lot of businesses that cater to the gay community ... and this makes her more famous.

It's all about winning, and that's really what attracts advertisers. Particularly with the Olympics, it's once every four years and it's really your only shot at winning. The Olympic gold is really essential for making it big in endorsement.