Posts from — January 2014

I’m excited that Russell Wilson and Seattle will be playing in the Super Bowl, but so irritated by Seattle defensive back Richard Sherman that I’m tempted to not even watch the big game.

Russell Wilson is an amazing human being

Richard Sherman (#25 for Seattle) is a jerk.  He’s the reason people are moving away from the NFL. He’s a punk.  He’s an embarrassment to the NFL on National TV.

It is a shame because Russell Wilson is an amazing player.  I was fortunate enough to meet him when I was working at NC State. He has the drive, the passion, the compassion that makes us all proud.  I can’t imagine how he deals with idiots like Richard Sherman (#25 for the Seahawks.)

So while I’ll be rooting for Wilson and the Seahwaks in the Super Bowl, I hope Payton Manning and the Bronco’s throw at least two touchdowns over Richard Sherman (#25 for Seattle) and show what a fool he is to the nation, during the game.  Even if he really is a good guy (I have my doubts) his “first impression” made him many enemies.

So go Russell Wilson and Seattle.  Eff you Richard Sherman (#25 for Seattle.)   You’re an effing idiot.

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Passion Rules!

It’s kind of surreal around here this morning.  Saw Garrison Keillor last night in Tampa and he talked about life and death; old age and turning 70.  Spent time with the Baby Gator in Gainesville  the day before noting how time moves on as she nears the birth of our first grandchild.  And just learned that Marty Rosenblum died unexpectedly in Milwaukee.

I was a motor geek growing up — bikes, cars, boats, airplanes, if it burned oil, I loved it — and I knew who Marty was before I joined Harley-Davidson; The Holy Ranger.  A figure larger than life who played music, rode Harley’s and wrote and sang about his passions.   A guy who lived to ride, rode to live.

But the Marty Rosenblum I got to know was no bad ass biker or crazy rock star.  He’d no more do something to hurt anyone’s feelings than to drop one of his beloved motorcycles or acoustic guitars.  He was a big man in a diminutive frame and he accepted you as you were.  Here was I, a “boat guy” representing Harley-Davidson to the media and the world.  His brand.  One of his loves.

Marty took me under his wing and we spent hours in the Motor Company archives.  We talked old bikes, new bikes, boats and music.  He loved sidecars.  I loved the cafe racer.  He must have been tickled to learn that I was in a junior high band named The People of Time.  I played bass and sang a little.  I was quick to admit that I had no talent, but that didn’t matter to Marty.  He was there to impart his wisdom on this youngster from Florida who had found himself in Milwaukee.

While I haven’t seen you in years, I’m going to miss you.  Thanks for being a friend.  So long Holy Ranger.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/obituaries/martin-jack-rosenblum-uwm-rock-expert-and-harley-historian-dies-b99182555z1-239837001.html

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Passion Rules!

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I’m doing a presentation about the importance of establishing your own personal brand  to a group of pharmacy students from UF and other schools in Florida in a week or two.  Last century when I was in college we never talked about a brand, let alone our personal brand.

I realized when putting together the slides that my own personal brand has been built over the past 40 plus years.  It really started in college and progressed along with my journalism career, into the boating industry and Sea-Doo, then to Harley-Davidson, Segway and UF.  Then to NC State and finally to Moffitt.

When was my personal brand completed?  Never.  It grows every day as my experience and interaction with others continues.

But that doesn’t mean the foundations of the Joe Hice Brand hasn’t been set for many years. After all, you’ve got to have a strong foundation from which to build…right.

I’ll post more about this after I talk to the kids (don’t want to spoil the presentation in case any of them check out Hice School) but I will admit that my Joe Hice Brand positioning line has remained the same for a long time now.  PASSION RULES!

And thanks Luis for getting me back online.  It has been so long since I posted that I’d forgotten my password.  The Word Press guru saved the day.

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Passion Rules!