
Rocky
at the base of the steps Your Business Blogger was in Philly recently and wondered about the Rocky statue that was briefly at the top of the 72 steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Since September, the statue is now at the base of the steps.
So I decided to ask the man who might know, Sylvester Stallone.
Why? I asked him.
Rocky Sly says, It's better where it is -- at the base of the steps. At the top was the completion -- the end -- but it's not the completion that counts -- it's the journey. The Effort; The Passion.
Or, as Rocky says in the movie, The Beast trying to get out.
The step-climbing, the process, the journey, reminded me of Earl Nightingale's definition of success: The progressive realization of a worthy goal.
Success on this side of eternity and finishing the fight, the race, for the other side of eternity. The passion and The Passion.
The new Rocky movie was about the beast, the fire in the gut getting out and lighting up the world.
The Completion and incidentally, The End.
Your Business Blogger and Charmaine were guests for a premier showing of the film in Your Nation's Capital a few weeks ago. A must see. Blood and a beating and a victory...although not quite what you would think. And not quite a tie.
The pre-screening was at the Regal Theater on K Street in Georgetown, DC.
After the viewing, we were invited with a few dozen of our closest new best friends to meet Sylvester Stallone at the Four Seasons.
I made a little wager with Charmaine: when Rocky walked in, he'd get a standing O. Charmaine said O, no -- it will be respectful silence.
As it happened, we were both right; both of us winning. (A nice way to end a marital debate, as well as a movie) When Sly walked in (with only three handlers, security out of sight) there was enthusiastic applause -- but not standing and shouting as I would have thought, and I almost did, Charmaine enforcing a restraining order on my arm...
Sylvester Stallone at three score years and zero body fat and six Rocky movies (Rambo et.al. aside) strolled in wearing a comfortable-looking blue long sleeve shirt and blue jeans and funky shoes Charmaine could not ID. He sat at the head of a long conference table to talk about The Final Rocky Movie.
His Faith made him do it. And Jesus was in the details.
The music score kept up the motivation: A big score for a little man, he says.
The music alone is enough to have Rocky Top any opponent.

Rocky Balboa at the Top
Museum of Art, Phildephia
Totally Rocky.com But not without effort. Stallone says that he's one of three Republicans in Hollywood -- and that influences getting work -- don't let anyone say otherwise.
No wonder Sylvester Stallone was comfortable in Washington, DC: Congress now looks just like Hollywood...
Except Hollywood might have more conservatives than Congress.
Sly (we are on first names, natch) is a real professional at work, especially in how he worked the room. He is immediately likable. I'd vote for him. And see his movies.
(And he embodies the difference between liberals and conservatives:
Reagan was an Actor who became a Politician.
Clinton was a Politician who became an Actor.
Stallone is genuine. Authentic. Transparent.)
He spent some 40 minutes sharing his Faith and eternal values and how that made the movie moving. He loves Jesus and Liberals hate him. (Both Jesus and Rocky.)

The Diva and The Dude with
Art in Philadephia There is room all over Philly for all manner of "art" but not Rocky at the Top of the Museum of Art. The Rocky Statue is not considered art but only a "movie prop."
ROCKY
A. Thomas Schomberg, 1982 Where marketing meets real life.
DAN GELSTON, AP Sports Writer, says in Stallone still packs punch with Rocky
Besides filming most of the movie in the city, mostly in Kensington and South Philadelphia, Stallone has made several trips the last few months. The Rocky Balboa statue returned in September to the base of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, not far from the steps where the fictitious hard-luck fighter made movie history. And Stallone promoted the movie at a Philadelphia Eagles game earlier this month, earning another boisterous reaction.
Not many movie characters are as synonymous with a city as Rocky and Philadelphia.

Rocky Balboa
Faith Based Resource Kit
GET THE BOX
free Also see Faith Based resources
###
Thank you (foot)notes:
Management training tips and for more on Philadelphia and business, see:
John Wanamaker, Half of my marketing budget is wasted...problem is...I don't know which half.
Benjamin Franklin, A success story -- read how Franklin got Benjamin's.
John Kerry, Learn how swiss cheese cost him the election at Pat's Steakhouse.
Clowns in Philly, What two groups of people should never be at a negotiation table?
Rocky Balboa is in theaters now. And be sure to stay to the very end -- terrifc clips of common tourists running and boxing at the top of the steps. Required activity when visiting Philadelphia. Like eating at Pat's.
Full Disclosure: 2 movie tickets were provided at no charge, no popcorn and no request for a favorable review. I did attempt to sell out. The PR team didn't bite.
See Movie Review: Rocky Balboa.
In Brief: ROCKY BALBOA
RottenTomatoes has more.
Continue Reading »