Nike's too-good-to-be-true coin flip photo is indeed too good to be true

Just after the start of the College Football Playoff, Nike offered up a fascinating photo that sure seemed to be a remarkable shot of the coin flip:

This isn't do-or-die. It's do or don't. You have to live with it or live without it. #justdoit http://ift.tt/1InBSwv

— Nike (@Nike) January 13, 2015

It was a fascinating shot, a miracle of composition and promise and symbolism. And, of course, it was fake and completely staged.

Yes, those are actual people and an actual coin. But as SB Nation notes, those weren't the actual players who went out for the coin flip. Check the numbers:

Another point: Nike doesn't tweet these photos out of the goodness of its own heart. This is an ad, and college players can't appear in an ad, knowingly or unknowingly, without risking their eligibility. Nike used models instead to pose for the picture ahead of time.

So, yeah: nice image, nice sentiment, false premise.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.

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