Sunday, September 20, 2009
Journal Analysis
Fanzines are important to the communication of information from fan to fan. OK, so you are asking, what is a fanzine? Fanzines are a form of publication that is moderated and published by fans to the fans. Sports Illustrated is not considered a fanzine because it is not moderated by the fans. Cogen (2007) described the fanzine as more personal than a magazine article and more opinionated than a newspaper article. Since the inception of fanzines, webzines have spawned. Webzines are communcation tools like chat boards and discussion forums that allow fans to "sound off" about certain aspects of their favorite team or game. Any sports fan has debated the third down play that the coach called in or whether the base runner was safe or out. The attraction of sports and the passion that the fans have for it was the catalyst for fanzines. The popularity of fanzines could be directly related to the popularity of radio call in shows, webzines, and quite possibly sports bars. If BW3 didn't play the games, would they be as popular today? Fanzines were a product of popular culture and today are not as popular because of technological advances; regardless, fanzines were the pioneer of today's fan communcation and how a fan watches the game.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Weekly Analysis- Week 5
Clint Eastwood has been a fixture in Hollywood since 1959. According to 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons, as presented by VH-1; Eastwood was ranked 90. He has portrayed silent cowboys, obnoxious law enforcement officers, and the latest character, a prejudiced man that has his views changed by being open to conversation. Our topics for the past couple weeks in class have centered on a hero and the idea of hero worship. Eastwood’s movies have usually portrayed him as the hero of the movie. The Outlaw Josey Wales is a classic example of Eastwood’s hero status in movies. In this selected movie that is taking place in post-Civil War Missouri, Wales’ family is killed and he vows revenge. In his pursuit for revenge, he saves a girl from being raped by renegade Indians and helps an elderly lady move through the rough frontier of post-Civil War United States.
His latest movie, Gran Torino, was another Eastwood hero piece. During the film, the character changes his views towards the minorities that have moved into his neighborhood and eventually gives his own life so that the young people in his neighborhood have a better and safer place to live. Once again, the hero character in Eastwood shines through. It is roles such as this that placed Eastwood as a favorite when society is polled about hero worship.
How to be Great (1995) revealed that Clint Eastwood “often shows up on lists of today’s heroes because of his rugged individualism” (p. 50). The example of Eastwood is a result of the characters that he traditionally portrays. Eastwood’s characters fit the mold that was created for a hero by showing courage and strength in the face of danger. Eastwood hasn’t been placed into the marketing strategies of many companies like other people in the hero worship status. You will not find him pitching under garments or cars. His outside of Hollywood activities include public service, including a stint as the mayor of his town and serving as an advisor to the governor of California regarding environmental issues.
Eastwood has been a fixture in American culture for fifty years. His presence today was reaffirmed by the success of Gran Torino. The ruggedness and courage that the majority of Eastwood’s characters portray have led him to be a fascination on America’s desire for hero worship.
References:
Author, N. (2009, July 21). 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons. Retrieved September 14, 2009, from PopDirt: http://www.popdirt.com
Author, N. (1995, November/December). How to be great. Psychology Today , pp. 48-54, 62.
His latest movie, Gran Torino, was another Eastwood hero piece. During the film, the character changes his views towards the minorities that have moved into his neighborhood and eventually gives his own life so that the young people in his neighborhood have a better and safer place to live. Once again, the hero character in Eastwood shines through. It is roles such as this that placed Eastwood as a favorite when society is polled about hero worship.
How to be Great (1995) revealed that Clint Eastwood “often shows up on lists of today’s heroes because of his rugged individualism” (p. 50). The example of Eastwood is a result of the characters that he traditionally portrays. Eastwood’s characters fit the mold that was created for a hero by showing courage and strength in the face of danger. Eastwood hasn’t been placed into the marketing strategies of many companies like other people in the hero worship status. You will not find him pitching under garments or cars. His outside of Hollywood activities include public service, including a stint as the mayor of his town and serving as an advisor to the governor of California regarding environmental issues.
Eastwood has been a fixture in American culture for fifty years. His presence today was reaffirmed by the success of Gran Torino. The ruggedness and courage that the majority of Eastwood’s characters portray have led him to be a fascination on America’s desire for hero worship.
References:
Author, N. (2009, July 21). 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons. Retrieved September 14, 2009, from PopDirt: http://www.popdirt.com
Author, N. (1995, November/December). How to be great. Psychology Today , pp. 48-54, 62.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Weekly Analysis- Week 4
Michael Jordan was arguably one of the best basketball players of all time. His presence on the basketball court was strong, but his presence as a marketing model was nearly as strong. His playing days are over; however, you will still see him on commercials for Hanes and Gatorade. This week we focused on heroes and celebrities and the importance of heroes and hero worship. Michael Jordan was and still is an example of hero worship.
Jordan was inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame this week. Jordan fits a lot of our discussion from this week. He was a hero and idol to many of today’s basketball superstars, namely Lebron James who wears Jordan’s number 23 as a tribute. Jordan was a celebrated icon of popular culture of yesterday mainly because of the hero worship. Knight (2006) detailed how Nike Corporation was able to turn their future around by signing Jordan to an endorsement deal in the mid-80’s and taking advantage the hero worship that society had of Michael Jordan. Do you remember the Air Jordan basketball shoe?
Jordan’s image as a pitchman is nearly as large as his as a basketball player. Jordan has endorsed food items, underwear, athletic gear, and other items during his heyday as a pitchman. Even Greenburg (2009) noted of Jordan’s induction speech at the National Basketball Hall of Fame “In this sometimes funny and sharp-edged speech, the world's most ubiquitous and successful corporate pitchman proved he was still human. He wasn't selling Nike or Gatorade or batteries or hot dogs”.
While Jordan was one of the best basketball players to ever walk on the hardwood, he was one that was able to incorporate his position in hero worship to create a very lucrative position for himself.
References:
Greenburg, J. (2009, September 11). Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame Speech. Retrieved September 13, 2009, from The Man Behind the Legend: 2009
Knight, P. (2006, November). Sell the dream. Retrieved September 9, 2009, from Management Today: EBSCOhost
Jordan was inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame this week. Jordan fits a lot of our discussion from this week. He was a hero and idol to many of today’s basketball superstars, namely Lebron James who wears Jordan’s number 23 as a tribute. Jordan was a celebrated icon of popular culture of yesterday mainly because of the hero worship. Knight (2006) detailed how Nike Corporation was able to turn their future around by signing Jordan to an endorsement deal in the mid-80’s and taking advantage the hero worship that society had of Michael Jordan. Do you remember the Air Jordan basketball shoe?
Jordan’s image as a pitchman is nearly as large as his as a basketball player. Jordan has endorsed food items, underwear, athletic gear, and other items during his heyday as a pitchman. Even Greenburg (2009) noted of Jordan’s induction speech at the National Basketball Hall of Fame “In this sometimes funny and sharp-edged speech, the world's most ubiquitous and successful corporate pitchman proved he was still human. He wasn't selling Nike or Gatorade or batteries or hot dogs”.
While Jordan was one of the best basketball players to ever walk on the hardwood, he was one that was able to incorporate his position in hero worship to create a very lucrative position for himself.
References:
Greenburg, J. (2009, September 11). Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame Speech. Retrieved September 13, 2009, from The Man Behind the Legend: 2009
Knight, P. (2006, November). Sell the dream. Retrieved September 9, 2009, from Management Today: EBSCOhost
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Weekly Analysis- Week 3
How fitting that this topic would be discussed on week three.
The famed black number 3 was made famous by the late NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. Since his death on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, the number has not been used on any race vehicle in any of NASCAR’s three largest series. According to NASCAR.com (2009), that will change on Saturday, September 5, 2009 when the NASCAR truck racing series takes the green flag at Iowa Speedway.
Piloting the number 3 truck in Iowa will be Austin Dillion. Austin is the grandson of Richard Childress. Richard was the car owner of the number 3 car during its glory days while Earnhardt piloted the machine up until his death in that same black number 3 car. Prior to Earnhardt driving the number 3, Richard Childress himself drove the machine before he stepped aside as a driver and focused on the role of team owner and manager. When the 3 truck takes the track at Iowa, it will be adorned with decals commemorating the 40th anniversary of Richard Childress Racing. What a fitting tribute to acknowledge a longevity feat by using the flagship number that was the most identifiable of the team.
Many NASCAR purists will argue that the number 3 should not be used again, except if Dale Earnhardt Jr. would like to take a few laps later in his career as a fitting tribute to his late father. NASCAR fans are loyal to the numbers and the driver that steers the machine. According the Marty Smith (2009), the most famous three cars and numbers in NASCAR history are the blue 43 that Richard Petty drove, the black 3 of Dale Earnhardt Sr., and the red 8 that Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove.
NASCAR is not the only sport that focuses on numbers. I was a baseball player and always wore number 6, except for my freshman year of college when because of the number already being assigned I was forced to wear an upside down six. This infatuation with the number crossed over into my NASCAR fandom and I instantly became a fan of the driver of the 6 car, at the time Mark Martin. Any of you that follow NASCAR, realize that Mark no longer drives the 6 car; however, the number infatuation did stop. Some NASCAR fans will tell you that they follow the driver, not the car or the manufacturer. This is the case that led to my wife and me driving nearly 700 miles in April 2009 to personally meet Mark Martin, driver of the 5 car.
The argumentative side would push that in NASCAR, the number of the car is its brand, similar to the wishbone C of the Chicago Bears or the star of the Dallas Cowboys. However, who owns that brand, the driver or the car owner? The car owner leases the use of the number and trademarks its font and appearance. The driver is best identified with the number. This became a hot topic when Dale Earnhardt Jr. no longer was the 8 and Tony Stewart no longer was the 20. For the driver to take their number to another car would be similar to an ex-employee of McDonalds to take the golden arches to their next place of employment.
References
Author, N. (2009, September 1). Number 3 returns to track. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from NASCAR.com: http://www.nascar.com
Smith, M. (2009, April 15). News that EGR plans to park to the 8 car until sponsorship is secured. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from ESPN: http://www.espn.com
Piloting the number 3 truck in Iowa will be Austin Dillion. Austin is the grandson of Richard Childress. Richard was the car owner of the number 3 car during its glory days while Earnhardt piloted the machine up until his death in that same black number 3 car. Prior to Earnhardt driving the number 3, Richard Childress himself drove the machine before he stepped aside as a driver and focused on the role of team owner and manager. When the 3 truck takes the track at Iowa, it will be adorned with decals commemorating the 40th anniversary of Richard Childress Racing. What a fitting tribute to acknowledge a longevity feat by using the flagship number that was the most identifiable of the team.
Many NASCAR purists will argue that the number 3 should not be used again, except if Dale Earnhardt Jr. would like to take a few laps later in his career as a fitting tribute to his late father. NASCAR fans are loyal to the numbers and the driver that steers the machine. According the Marty Smith (2009), the most famous three cars and numbers in NASCAR history are the blue 43 that Richard Petty drove, the black 3 of Dale Earnhardt Sr., and the red 8 that Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove.
NASCAR is not the only sport that focuses on numbers. I was a baseball player and always wore number 6, except for my freshman year of college when because of the number already being assigned I was forced to wear an upside down six. This infatuation with the number crossed over into my NASCAR fandom and I instantly became a fan of the driver of the 6 car, at the time Mark Martin. Any of you that follow NASCAR, realize that Mark no longer drives the 6 car; however, the number infatuation did stop. Some NASCAR fans will tell you that they follow the driver, not the car or the manufacturer. This is the case that led to my wife and me driving nearly 700 miles in April 2009 to personally meet Mark Martin, driver of the 5 car.
The argumentative side would push that in NASCAR, the number of the car is its brand, similar to the wishbone C of the Chicago Bears or the star of the Dallas Cowboys. However, who owns that brand, the driver or the car owner? The car owner leases the use of the number and trademarks its font and appearance. The driver is best identified with the number. This became a hot topic when Dale Earnhardt Jr. no longer was the 8 and Tony Stewart no longer was the 20. For the driver to take their number to another car would be similar to an ex-employee of McDonalds to take the golden arches to their next place of employment.
References
Author, N. (2009, September 1). Number 3 returns to track. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from NASCAR.com: http://www.nascar.com
Smith, M. (2009, April 15). News that EGR plans to park to the 8 car until sponsorship is secured. Retrieved September 2, 2009, from ESPN: http://www.espn.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
