Assignment 2-1: Weekly Analysis

Finally the city of Cleveland has something to be proud of. LeBron James has turned all eyes in his direction as he hopes to bring a championship to the city of Cleveland. He has propelled the Cleveland Cavaliers to the best record in the NBA and also home court advantage in the playoffs. LeBron is trying to help all of us Cleveland fans forget The Drive, The Fumble, and The Shot. The hope of the Cavalier’s fans rides on the shoulders of him. To better understand LeBron, it is important to understand where he came from.

LeBron James grew up in Akron, Ohio. Akron is roughly two hours away from Columbus, depending on where you are trying to get to. He played his high school basketball for Akron St. Vincent St. Mary’s. During his high school days, he had ESPN televising his games, picture on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and the city of Akron in the palm of his hands. LeBron finished his high school career winning three state championships and winning Mr. Basketball for Ohio three times. After high school, LeBron entered the NBA Draft. Luckily, the Cavs got the first pick, and the selected LeBron James in the 2003 draft.

James has been in the NBA for five seasons now, all with the Cavaliers. He has numerous endorsement deals but his most lucrative is Nike. James signed a $90 million contract with Nike out of high school before ever playing an NBA game. He has his own clothing line and shoes. It seems like everything this kid touches turns to gold. It seems pretty hard LeBron to do anything wrong. Hopefully, he can lead Cleveland to a NBA championship and also stay out of trouble. The worst thing that could happen to him is he does harm to his name.

Assignment 2-2: Icon Analysis

The three contemporary icons that I chose were: Hulk Hogan, Michael Jordan, and Bugs Bunny. The first icon that came to mind when I was thinking was Hulk Hogan. Hulk Hogan was the face of wrestling in the late 80’s throughout the early 2000’s. He was a fan’s favorite and always enjoyable to watch. Michael Jordan was the next to come to mind. Jordan played for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. Jordan is thought of as the greatest basketball player of all time. Jordan was also successful in his partnership with Nike. Together they launched the Jordan Brand and its one of the hottest selling shoes today. Bugs Bunny was my favorite fictional cartoon characters of all time. He played on the Looney Tunes and is the corporate mascot for Warner Brothers. Hulk Hogan, Michael Jordan, and Bugs Bunny are definitely contemporary icons.

The reasons that I picked Hulk Hogan, Michael Jordan, and Bugs Bunny were simple. In my opinion, all three of these individuals were the greatest in their profession. Hulk Hogan dominated the wrestling industry for numerous years. I am not into wrestling at all, but back in the day when Hulk Hogan was around I watched it. I feel that he was a great performer and a super athlete. Michael Jordan was on a different planet. He is arguably the greatest basketball player of all time. For my self as a sports fan, Jordan made watching basketball enjoyable. Also, his partnership with Nike is top of the line. I remember always having to have the new Jordan’s when they came out. In today’s economy, I don’t regularly buy new shoes like I used to, but it interesting to see what they keep coming out with. I chose Bugs Bunny because I love cartoons. I recently read in a magazine that since December 2007, Cartoon Network has had a 10-15% increase in viewers. Most of these were male viewers. I thought this was an interesting fact which backs up my point of Bugs Bunny being an icon. Cartoons are not just for kids. Most likely the main reason that I chose these three icons were because they were the best of the best in my opinion.

Out of the three icons that I chose, I would like to be most like Michael Jordan. I think that it would be awesome to have my own pair of shoes. The money aspect all three of these individuals wouldn’t hurt either. One always strives to be the best something and Hulk Hogan, Michael Jordan, and Bugs Bunny were defiantly the best at what they did. I look up to all of them and one day hope to be a household name like they are.

Assignment 1-4

When someone talks about motorcycles what is the first brand of motorcycles that most people think of? Most people would say Harley- Davidson. This is the top of the line motorcycle that most people dream of owning. Some would argue that Harley-Davidson is a name that is recognized all over the world. It is believed that this name is so recognizable because it is seen as an American legend. Harley-Davidson originated in 1903 in Milwaukee, WI (Harley-Davidson, 2009). Bill Harley and Arthur Walter Davidson were the developers of the first line of motorcycles that Harley-Davidson came out with (Harley-Davidson, 2009). These motorcycles were essentially a bicycle powered by a single-cylinder motor that drove the back wheel with a leather belt. This original motor would propel the bike about as fast as brisk walking pace (How Stuff Works, 2008). As time went on, new motor designs were made and three different styles of bikes were created which launched Harley-Davidson into what it is today.
Harley-Davidson has been in business for 106 years and continues to get stronger. They recently came out with their 105th anniversary bike which has become an instant classic. The most recognizable symbol of Harley-Davidson is their shield logo. In an article about popular tattoos, Dandenong artist Barry Gannon, of Waycool Tattoo, agreed Harley-Davidson logos were a fairly regular request (Herald Sun, 2009). On a list of the top 20 trademarked tattoos, the top three were Harley-Davidson, Nike, and AFL club logos (Herald Sun, 2009). Harley-Davidson most likely topped this list because bikers and tattoos go hand in hand with each other.
This economy that we are in will likely shape the future for Harley-Davidson. Currently there are four plants that manufacture these motorcycles: two in Wisconsin, one in Pennsylvania, and one in Missouri. On May 14, 2009, Harley-Davidson announced that its plant in Pennsylvania, which is its largest production site, might have to relocate to cut costs (Los Angeles Times, 2009). This plant employs more than 2,400 employees (Los Angeles Times, 2009). This plant is under a watchful eye and more details will arise in the months to come. It will be interesting to see how Harley-Davidson will rebound from the hard times faced in this economic time.

Business Breifing/Motorcycles; Harley may move jobs to cut costs. (2009, May 14). Los Angeles Times, Part B, Page 4
Logos spread thickly in wacky ink requests Hey mate, tatts really just an ad. (2009, May 23). Herald Sun (Austrailia), first edition
How Stuff Works, 2008 Retrieved May 23, 2009 from http://auto.howstuffworks.com/harley-davidson-history1.htm
Harley-Davidson, 2009 Retrieved May 23, 2009 from http://www.harleydavidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/home.jsp?locale=en_US

Assignment 1-2 What is Popular Culture

Ray Browne (2005) defines popular culture as the system of attitudes, behavior patterns, beliefs, customs, and tastes that define the people of any society. Popular culture goes on day to day and changes dynamically from moment to moment. As I pursue a career in the sports industry, I feel it is important for me to understand the role that popular culture plays on the industry.What are the demographics of the fan base? What type of music should be played during intermission? What color should the foam finger be? All of these questions are impacted by what is popular at that particular moment.

Gatorade is an example of a pop culture within the sports industry. Gatorade was discovered in 1965 at the University of Florida (Gatorade.com 2009). Scientist came up with a formula to help athletes from Florida replenish lost energy. Currently, Gatorade can be found on more than 70 Division I colleges as the official drink on the sideline (Gatorade, 2009). The most notable sports figure that was endorsed by Gatorade has to be Michael Jordan. Gatorade came up with a commercial “Be Like Mike” that was very popular in the early 90’s. Today, athletes like Tiger Woods, Derek Jeter, Peyton Manning, Mia Hamm, and Matt Kenseth are sponsored by Gatorade (Gatorade, 2009). With Gatorade being present in the sports industry, the opportunities seem to be endless for this sport drink icon.



http://taylorshocks.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/gatorade.jpg
Browne, R. (Ed.). (2005). Profiles of popular culture: A reader. Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin Press.
Gatorade. 2009 Retrieved May 22, 2009 from http://www.gatorade.com/history/