A more surprising phenomenon has been playing out during pre- and post-game press conferences, at which players and coaches have been instructed to drink out of Gatorade-labeled cups—even if they’re not drinking Gatorade.

This caught my attention during one of the post-game press conferences where Buckshowalter sat behind a literal line of Gatorade products, even though I don't think he so much as touched any of them.

It's common in sports leagues for this to happen.

Anybody else imagining giant "Gatorade" labels glued over all the champagne bottles in the clubhouse celebration?

Pretty funny last line of the article:

A spokesperson for water could not be reached for comment.

Hasn't it been shown that sports drinks provide basically no benefits over plain water for all but super-endurance atheletes?

It's common in sports leagues for this to happen.

indeed, and nobody has been more conscious of its image and placement of its ubiq. orange cooler and cups than the Gatorade brand. Their contracts read like a Van Halen or Streisand Backstage Rider.

Hasn't it been shown that sports drinks provide basically no benefits over plain water for all but super-endurance atheletes?

I think the answer to this completely depends on what you define as "super-endurance."

Hasn't it been shown that sports drinks provide basically no benefits over plain water for all but super-endurance atheletes?

While I'm not so sure about the other advantages of them, but I do think that sports drinks have the benefit of helping to prevent muscle cramps.

A non-story clearly planted by Coca-Cola operatives. Seriously, it must be 20-25 years since NFL players were forced to put Nike swishes on the side of their Adidas shoes and such. For the Rugby World Cup, Wellington's Westpac Stadium had to cover over the Westpac and became Wellington Stadium because a different bank was the RWC sponsor. In fact every billboard within 1 km (or whatever) had to be covered over if it wasn't an official corporate sponsor (why the billboard companies didn't prepare for this and sell themselves to official corporate sponsors I don't know).

While I'm not so sure about the other advantages of them, but I do think that sports drinks have the benefit of helping to prevent muscle cramps.

I'm not sure how common it is, but some athletes use pickle brine to combat cramps.

I'm not sure how common it is, but some athletes use pickle brine to combat cramps.

The original Gatorade was much closer chemically to pickle brine. They changed it into a sugary drink to make it marketable to the public.

It's becoming increasingly common for performance-focused athletes to use specialized sports drinks. Great article about that here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/move-over-gatorade-theres-a-new-fuel-for-nhl-players/article591854/

And finally, FWIW, pickle brine is a great hangover cure. Works much more quickly than Gatorade in my experience.

And finally, FWIW, pickle brine is a great hangover cure. Works much more quickly than Gatorade in my experience.

Pickle brine is also a nice refresher after some whiskeys. Great if you're driving.

The key with Gatorade is to only have a glass or so, to perk up the stomach with sugar &cet;., then switch to neutral ol' water.

In fact every billboard within 1 km (or whatever) had to be covered over if it wasn't an official corporate sponsor (why the billboard companies didn't prepare for this and sell themselves to official corporate sponsors I don't know).

Without knowing where this RWC was held, I assume that most of them thought they lived in a free country and couldn't be forced to endure such nonsense.

I make Kosher-style dill pickles, and the brine from those is actually tasty. Also has a ton of probiotics.

Without knowing where this RWC was held, I assume that most of them thought they lived in a free country and couldn't be forced to endure such nonsense.

New Zealand, home of fascism.