Wisconsin's Pro Sports Buds

The August 2012 issue of M: Milwaukee’s Lifestyle Mag features two of our fine state’s athletic leaders, the Brewer’s MLB MVP Ryan Braun and the Packers’ NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. There's no doubt that these 'It' Men are two driven individuals that have helped move Wisconsin to the forefront of professional sports.

Both the Green Bay Packers quarterback, Rodgers, and Milwaukee Brewers left fielder, Braun, attended the ESPN Wisconsin Sports Awards earlier in 2012 taking a few accolades home with them. Rodgers won Professional Athlete of the Year, nominated with Braun, former Brewers first baseman Fielder and golfer Stricker.

Rodgers also received the award for Player of the Year and repped Green Bay taking Team of the Year honors, not surprising since the footballers were the Super Bowl XLV Champions. Still, Milwaukee’s baseball squad was the Central League Division Champs in 2011. Their success is stunning separately, and even more so when put together. They've achieved quite a lot before hitting the big three-o.

Both hailing from the beaches of California’s West Coast, it’s plausible that the pair would find some commonality here in the Midwest. They’ve supported each other through growing periods and tests of integrity, proving to fans and foes alike that they’re a force to be reckoned with. And that they can have fun supporting their new ‘home base’ together too.

In Janet Raasch’s M interview Braun stresses consistency and preparation when showing up everyday, an uphill task – and certainly more easily said than done. The young athlete was falsely accused of using performance enhancing drugs last year and faced a long game suspension that was rightly overturned in the months following. Braun said, ‘You compete as hard as you can day in and day out. The more prepared I am the better chance I have to have success.’

Rodgers knows well how to remain strong, stay focused and keep a steady head, even while being pushed to the background by an older, renowned player that just won’t let go. But the past is history now and he’s already started on a road to greatness with potential far beyond his predecessor. He said, ‘you don’t know how much you have to sacrifice to be successful.’

Both men are well-dressed and dapper off the field and out of uniform. When it comes to style, in the interview Rodgers acknowledged that he is, clearly, the better dressed. While that may or may not be true - style is personal taste afterall - Aaron, when it comes to fancy facial hair, you are the clear Stache Winner.


What do you say, when you and the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl XLVII next year, go even bigger and bolder - establish the 'RodgerStache'?



As the Packers begin practice today for this next football season, the quarterback believes in showing by doing, a trait found in many of the most respected influential people in our world. He said, ‘actions always speak louder than words.’

Too true. In our personal and professional lives, it’s important to practice what we preach. People respond to action-takers. Action mobilizes us, gives us strength and a feeling of camaraderie.

It’s fantastic that these two men have found a unique companionship in their acceleration to excellence. Even though their fields of choice are not the same, they’ve grown up together in the wild world of professional sports where their choices and actions are a constant discussion whether it’s football, baseball or any other season (ESPN never stops!). Rodgers and Braun understand the sacrifice, the team aspect, the uninterrupted focus and competitive drive to do what it takes to surpass their dreams.

Most recently the MVP's have partnered together in a Farm-to-Table restaurant venture. Appropriately named 8-Twelve, the location on Bluemound Road in Brookfield, Wisconsin has had difficulty in keeping tenants over the last few years. Managed by SURG, Rodgers and Braun will have their work cut out keeping their numbers posted up on the outside of this building. But hey, if anyone can make it, it's these two.

In good Wisconsin fun, click here and scroll to the bottom to find one of my favorite Packers jokes. No offense to Vikings fans! The truth can hurt :-)

Here's to our state, these athletes, an excellent M interview and cover - and to many more years of Wisconsin being the Big Cheese!

Hainan: Econ Tourism

We arrived to China's Hainan Island (海南岛) from Shanghai late in the evening in the final week of the month of July. We thought the air there was full. In Hainan it was thicker still and held even more moisture. Our pores stretched wider releasing our sweat to cool us down. Our skin became sticky quickly as the air withdrew every droplet, drying it in a snap with the soothing warm breeze.

Hainan is located hundreds of miles southwest along China's mainland from Macao, separated by a small strait from the province of Guangdong, near to Vietnam and Laos. This is a tropical place.



In 1988 the island became one of the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) that guided the country into the open market. National and local Chinese government openly advocate tourism and business development by allowing open foreign investment and enacting visa-free policies for foreigners within the province. By 2020 a bridge is scheduled to be completed effectively linking the island to the mainland. For both vehicle and train traffic, the project will improve the commute between the two provinces to 20 minutes versus a five-hour ferry ride.


We’re here because APP (Asia Pulp and Paper) China invited a few ‘Western’ journalists – Brazilians, Canadians and an American - to visit its forestry division and paper mill in Yangpu where associates operate the world’s largest paper-making machine. The island is rich in natural resources including a variety of trees native to the island's soil and natural gas.

We stayed at the Meritus Mandarin Hotel in Haikou on the northern side of Hainan, which is the island’s most populous city with 2 million people. Sanya on the southern tip is known for tourism, luring foreigners, particularly Russians and Japanese, to the lavish beaches and resorts, golf courses and spas. The entire province is geared towards economic prosperity for the improvement of China.
Straightaway in the morning before our first group outing, I took an adventure around the area, taking in the glistening morning sun as it reflected off the mirrored storied buildings. I walked parallel to the rising sun on my right where I hit Evergreen Park (Wan Lu Yuan) on the coast. The modern terrain was revamped in 1996 for runners, Tai Chi practicers, walkers, bikers, families, lovers and strollers alike to enjoy the green surroundings – with clear aspects signaling the country we’re in.

The new high-rise buildings clustered sporadically in silver and gray flower bunches create a fence around the water's edge as if barricading the sea from the city. Yet this is the epitomized contrast of an urban jungle, a haven connecting the city’s habitants to the sea’s.



Mopeds and pedal bikes are abound, but according to The Urban Country bicycle blog, cars have taken over immensely in the last couple of years. In my route back to the hotel I noticed a woman wearing what looked like oven mitts on her hands as she drove her moped. It took me a minute to figure out why she’d choose such a design – the men on mopeds around her didn’t have such gloves. Then I realized after taking a closer look at her modern helmet with a tinted plastic face guard, that the gloves serve to protect her skin from darkening in the sun. Light skin is all the rage in Asia; and has been for centuries.

The day was special for me. I was celebrating a birthday by exploring Eucalyptus tree plantations interspersed amongst pepper and pineapple crops in an up-and-coming Chinese province - with new acquaintances that would become friends. Talk about Life'Sauce. After our mini-bus excursion over deep potted dirt roads through remote, rural villages (it was very cool! I'll write more about it soon.), we exited the air conditioned vehicle, salty from the day's heat, near the ferry terminal back in the big city. Our eyes lit up from the setting sun decending the curve of the earth.
The Century Bridge links the island to a smaller Haidian Island. Its white cables formed a web in the pink and blue tie-dyed sky.


What a celebration! It consisted of a lovely cake, a Canadian teaching the server how to tap a mini keg of Heineken and pour with appropriate head, and a serving of boiled chicken feet that came from a local hot spot known for making really good ones. We sat on the third tier of this outstanding deck overlooking the city and the channel while the night draped over us like a show's close, listening to the 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' Genius playlist from my iPhone. Other songs included Proud Mary, Already Gone, Maria Maria and Paradise City.





As the playlist of Western Rock'N'Roll came to its last song, and we had shared stories of business, adventure, love, concert venues, family and food, we watched a Chinese lantern float through the dark sky above us. Sophy, one of our gracious Chinese hosts, said when you see one of these released on the day of your birthday, it's good luck.

With the next one just around the corner, I have to say, while I love the idea of good luck and good fortune, we are the only keyholder's to our own destiny. It's been a great year - one of growth, experience, seasoning and accomplishment. Now, onto the next phase of Life'Sauce. I'm looking forward to it.


A great map
http://www.squidoo.com/Haikou

Official Hainan government website
http://en.hainan.gov.cn/englishgov/Travel/