Chevy Salutes Our Soldiers

As we always state, our mission is to do what is patriotic at all times and to put the strength and well being of America as a country first, as well as the preservation of the outdoors for many generations to come.

Not only does Chevrolet stand up for the outdoors and commit its brand to the great sportsmen of our country, they stand for what America is all about. In yet another convincing move, Chevy proves it is America’s Truck and America’s brand with their new “Salutes America’s Heroes” effort!

When we first received word about this effort at Concerned Sportsman, we were really excited! Chevy is saluting the soldiers of America, the true heroes of our great country that put their lives on the line day in and day out for our well-being.

Chevy is asking that friends and family of military nominate their everyday hero. Chevy is providing amazing prizes for lucky winning soldiers including, NASCAR events, the CMA Awards and perhaps even going on a hunt with Michael Waddell at the famous Timber Ridge, where Chevy Silverado does its video series, “In the Field with Chevy Silverado.”

As a Concerned Sportsman, I salute the great soldiers of our country and give much love to the military. Thank you for your efforts and for protecting this great land of freedom.

Sometimes we get too caught up in the day to day issues of our lives and forget how great this country really is. I love America, I love the military and I love the Outdoors! God bless!

Sincerely,

Concerned Sportsman

A Concerned Sportsman sees a comeback

I think we as a country are starting to listen to a common theme: It's time to buy American and it's time to take care of our own in this country.

Last week, the word came out that Ford Motor Company has started to make a profit again. This is huge for the domestic car industry, the Midwest and America as a whole. To me, this is proof that the auto industry, and the economy as a whole, has bottomed out and is starting a slow rebound.

Gas prices are now manageable and people have been buying American. They all agree that the American car manufacturers are now building the best vehicles on the road. As I sit here writing this, I'm right next to a small fishing lake in Northern Michigan staring at two Chevy Tahoes, a Chevy Silverado and a Ford F-150. My summer fun is all American!

While auto companies are preparing for a comeback, so am I. I'm tired about arguing about inflation, taxes and even Washington D.C. All I know is, Ford is making money and GM is right behind them. I would expect to see "The New GM" turning a profit soon. I feel like we as sportsmen are right at the heart of this movement! This concerned sportsman is very optimistic about the economy and the rebound of "American Made" products from cars to future concepts.

Concerned Sportsman

A Concerned Sportsman keeps his American pride

The weather cleared up brilliantly by Friday later afternoon in Northern Michigan. My skin is dark and I feel relaxed and I feel like my American pride is running at an all time high. This was a family and fun filled weekend indeed. Ah yes, I do love the Fourth of July!

In listening to the President speak about the need to tap into the deeper "American energy," I was inspired. As I attended two firework parties and two parades, I loved seeing all of the muscle cars, the drop back Chevy and Ford trucks, and the Red, White and Blue swag throughout up north. I am always moved by the soldiers of yesterday and today that walk the streets in the parade. I am always thankful for those that protect and serve us in America!

This country is the greatest and our people are the greatest. We need to keep reminding ourselves of that. America is still the world power, but we need to ensure it stays that way! We need to support America and support our American companies. Now more than ever it is most crucial to drive American and support American made everything whenever possible.

I'm pulling onto I-75 South and I'm as ready as I’ll ever be to get home. It has been another memorable weekend. I even got to hang a couple of tree stands, which was a total plus. I have already seen two bucks that are future shooters and I love that!

Stay true to your country and the companies that are fighting so hard to defend our turf against the foreign competition. And last but not least, go and buy an American vehicle and support our domestic carmakers!

Sincerely,

Concerned Sportsman

A Concerned Sportsman stays patriotic

Ah yes, it is independence day tomorrow! I love the Fourth of July! It is a day where I feel so American and so proud. Patriotism shines out on this day and this year more then ever. Let us appreciate our families, friends and the great outdoors of the United States of America!

This Fourth of July, when we stare up into the sky and see the flashing lights of fireworks, maybe it means more then usual. Perhaps this year with all of the challenges in this country and around the globe, we appreciate our independence to the fullest. As Americans, we don't realize how well we really have it sometimes! Tomorrow is a day to let those feelings shine brightly.

Between the bankruptcies, the lay offs and the hard times in general, this has been a tough year for many. Let us remember that we are America and as Americans we will stand as one nation! Let us first absorb each moment of this weekend and what it means to us.

Support our troops, support our outdoors, support our American car companies and support America as a whole! After all this is the "Land of the free and the home of the brave."

I love America!

Concerned Sportsman

A Concerned Sportsman keeps a sense of pride

I woke up this morning, jumped in my boat and started throwing flies. The fish were on fire and I could not seem to avoid the bass. This is fitting as I am beginning to feel a little more optimistic about our country. And as always, I am feeling proud to be an American sportsman.

The economy is beginning to feel a little something. I cannot explain it, but I see some reason for optimism. I see "The New GM" and Ford Motor Company moving to the top. May and June are already showing spikes in car sales, a very good sign. I see a concern once again about taking care of our country. A brighter day is upon us. A brighter day for the Midwest and a brighter day for America!

While fishing, I caught and released almost a dozen bass. The sun was creeping its way over the cedar trees to the east. I realized it was time to leave for now and head to the office. I caught my fair share and let them go, so that it is preserved for the next fisherman.

It was a great day of fishing and I plan to carry it over into a positive day in business. If we all stay positive and true to America this Concerned Sportsman see's room for less concern, and that's a good thing!

Sincerely,

A Concerned Sportsman

Today, I write as a concerned sportsman that feels a little bit better. I feel like there is a movement back to caring about America and each other as Americans no matter what region we are from.

Recently, I was sitting at the bar in an Irish Pub at Midway Airport heading back to Detroit from Chicago. At the bar was a guy from New York, a girl from Chicago and a really funny Bostonian. We shot the breeze about sports the most of the time, but one key thing stuck out: we are all becoming a little more patriotic in this country. There is a shift that is real.

When you get past all the fear and the drama that the economy is bringing, we are starting to care more about each other and this great country. All the people at the bar said they were all pulling for Detroit. They said things like "Detroit deserves some good news" or "It’s been real tough for you guys in that city." I understand that to some people who read this, maybe it’s no big deal. That said, to this Detroiter, it is a REALLY BIG DEAL!

I feel like the country is starting to come back together. I feel like we have seen the lows and we are starting to pull out of this. The big auto bankruptcies are past us now and the car companies are looking stronger than ever.

I am hopeful that the second half of 2009 will bring better news. I am even more hopeful that 2010 will prove to be the year of American car companies. I can't wait for the "New GM'" to be available on the stock market again as a publically traded company. I believe in my heart that car companies are the future of the automobile industry.

I don't know about you other sportsman out there, but I believe we are ready to get moving again! I am going to take my son fishing this afternoon, crack an ice cold American beer and go put the hurting on some large mouth bass. I love America!

Sincerely,
A Concerned Sportsman

A Concerned Sportsman must realize the Auto industry and the Outdoors are tied at the hip

As I sat watching The Outdoor Channel this morning, an interesting bow hunt was on. It kept me thoroughly entertained and my mind off of business, not to mention all of the hurt in my community. The heavy realities of what is happening here in Michigan have been weighing on me. I have watched so many friends struggle. People that have businesses of yesterday are falling so quickly. I have started to dread the call when an old buddy rings me out of the blue and I see their name on my caller ID. I just know that it is not a, “Hey how are you?” type of phone call. 

As the commercials continued, I realized a common theme. The outdoor industry and the auto industry are attached at the hip. Whether it is the show sponsors, product placements or simply the commercials, I realized the truck industry is endemic to the outdoors. There is no doubt about it.

As a man who makes his living within the outdoors, I am always focused on what is good and what is bad for the industry. I think of small towns around the country that have literally been built around a manufacturing plant. I think about communities and their reliance on car dealership’s support.

Many of these rural towns have some of the nation’s finest hunting, fishing, hiking and recreation within a stones throw from them. How will the hotels and lodges survive? How will the local diners or bars survive?

Then, there are the sportsman festivals and events that companies like Intermedia Outdoors put on. Can these types of events that express and bring together the passion of outdoorsmen survive without the support of the auto industry? I think of the charities that provide food, shelter and opportunities for less privileged kids to go on a hunt. Can any of these survive without the support of the auto industry?   

My point is, by supporting the American auto industry we are actually supporting our country and the lives of so many good people. In turn, we also support conservation and the outdoors.

As I turned off the TV, I thought about some of the good facts.  I remembered that a hunter is around five times more likely to buy a full size truck than another buyer their age. A fisherman is like three times more likely.

I realized the bond is no coincidence. There is a perfect fit between the outdoor industry and the the truck sector. I also realized that the American sportsman has remained loyal to driving American trucks.

No matter how you feel at this moment about the auto industry, or the government, try to remember that they are only doing what they believe is best. Try to remember that this is a time, as Chevy said in a recent commercial, to “put on your rally cap.” This is the time we need to think about and support General Motors, Chrysler and the auto industry as a whole more then ever!

It is not in good times that a man’s character is tested but rather, when things are not at their best. Times like these are the ones that really count and really define the loyalty of a man. As a sportsman, we ask you now more then ever to “put on your rally cap” and buy American.

Sincerely,
A Concerned Sportsman

This whole debacle with the American car companies has been pretty hard to stomach if you live in the Midwest like I do. Today marks a very sad day for Detroit and our region. One of the most philanthropic companies in the world will move into bankruptcy, a thought that is still surreal.

As the bankruptcy filing moves through its course, there will be hard losses for many to endure in this process. It will no doubt sting badly for many aspects of the industry. There will be more job losses. Dealerships will close and dealers will lose their life’s hard work.  Other businesses will not be able to weather the storm, most likely closing their doors. But when it’s all said and done, I expect General Motors to come out as a stronger company, one that will finally be a healthier and more flexible business.

Even through all of this craziness, Chevy in particular, has remained a strong brand and one that is selling well. I believe that one of the main reasons why Chevy is such a strong and healthy brand is thanks to the community of outdoor enthusiasts in America.

There is something very American about trucks and the outdoors. Whether it is a brand new Silverado or a used Suburban with 250,000 miles on it, America’s trucks have remained the very symbol of American pride and American quality.
The days of foreign advantage are over. The days of a large quality gap are over, as American producers are turning around America’s best cars and trucks.

This is what America has become for the time being. We must all keep our heads up and stay loyal. We should all feel compassion for those in pain and do so as Americans. As a concerned American sportsman, it is my plan to go out and buy American. I believe in supporting those who support us and I will stay loyal to those who support my passion for the outdoors.

Sincerely,
A concerned sportsman

Initial push to congress and Senate

Join me in reaching out to Senate!

I am a 44 year old businessman and a passionate outdoor enthusiast. I am one of 7 children born and raised in the city of Detroit. While I am not employed by the Big 3, I have worked around the industry my entire career. For the following reasons, I believe the Senate needs to approve this bill and protect America from falling into a depression!

1. This is NOT a Detroit issue and should NOT be isolated as such. States like Ohio, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, along with Michigan and many others, will be crushed. Trying to fix this later will be far more expensive and perhaps beyond repair.

2. Even if businesses think they are not affected by the auto industry, they are. Companies that lose business from the auto industry (suppliers, law firms, accounting firms, ad agencies, etc.) would compete desperately with those companies temporarily unaffected by the collapse of the auto industry, thereby creating unfair competition. Many of these desperate competitors will be in stages of bankruptcy and operating on a cheaper scale, with nothing to lose under the protected rights of Chapter 11. This sort of collusion will create another massive wave of jobs lost. The loss of jobs will be pandemic and the entire country will feel the pain!

3. While bailing out the Big 3 is unprecedented, so is bailing out the banks and the insurance companies. People are ready to drive American again! In my business, I hear it everyday. Let’s save the auto industry and let’s save America! The longer we allow the current crisis to wallow in limbo, the more damage we do to the great brands that have been the backbone of America.

4. The big difference between today’s deep recession and the Great Depression is the unemployment number of 7% today vs. well into the 20’s during the Great Depression. Not passing the Big 3 bailout bill will cause the job market to spiral closer to the numbers during the Great Depression and will be tragic beyond our comprehension.

5. If we allow the auto industry to collapse, all of the $700 billion in the TARP fund will be wasted, as we will have taken 1 baby step forward and 5 big steps backward! I understand fully that operational changes need to be made, but if we don’t start now, we may never have the opportunity again.

With hope and belief that America will stand strong and move forward in these critical times, I ask you, Senators, to approve the bailout bill and save or great country!

Concerned Sportsman

A Time to be American

I am a guy that grew up in a household w nothing but American vehicles in my garage, mostly GM cars to be specific.  I was taught as a kid that driving foreign vehicles were not even an option. Watching these last 4 months in the Automotive sector has made my stomach turn.  I shed a tear the minute I heard John Rich sing that awesome song that captivated my heart. He really brought his life and deepest feelings into that song “Shutting Detroit Down”.

 About 4 years ago I bought a foreign car, and it just never felt right. I made that mistake one time and took our American automotive heritage for granted. I repeat, 1 time. The best part about making a mistake is learning from it. It doesn’t matter if its hunting season, fishing season, or just heading to work, I drive American. In today’s climate, I can only imagine the discomfort and embarrassment in someone that loves this country and its heritage must feel when they pull up at a traffic light, or go to park and they are driving a foreign car.  That is one type of shame that I will NEVER FEEL again, I drive American!

Nobody can build trucks like the Big 3. Personally, I roll around in a Silverado and my wife drives a Tahoe, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Whether you are driving a Ford, Dodge, or a Chevy you should be proud to be driving American.  I like feeling good about the truck I drive, and I like knowing that no matter if its 20 degrees and snowing, pouring rain, or a bright sunny day, my American truck gets me where I want to go every time.

 The last thing we can afford is anymore long term damage to our economy.  A healthier Auto industry equates to a healthier country. A healthier country is a safer country, a happier country, and a stronger country. It is okay to make mistakes from time to time, heck I owned one of those “other” vehicles like I admitted, however admitting your mistake and accepting it is the start to a better day! Outdoorsmen, non outdoorsmen, it is time to be patriots of this great country, it is time to be American baby!

- A Concerned Sportsman

No Bankruptcy

Have We Lost Our Minds?

I woke up yesterday morning and read the headline GM may go bankrupt.  Excuse me, what did I just read? The first time I heard this I actually laughed at how ridiculous this sounded. Unfortunately this has become a reality that we must seriously understand. This is the very company that I have watched and loved since childhood. Come on, the old school Camaro, or the Trans Am, and of course the legendary Corvette! The Blazer, the Tahoe, the Yukon!  The Silverado, the Avalanche the suburban, and of course Cadillac convertibles, trucks, and sedans, this is General Freeking Motors!  Let’s not let this company go bankrupt, or let this legendary brand disappear. A bankruptcy would be yet another brutal blow to its ability to sell cars.  Eventually the negative media needs to butt out and we need to see cars move. The frenzy of sensationalist media around a GM bankruptcy would cripple GM’s ability to sell cars.

As you look around our country we begin to realize just how regionalized this country has become. So many people rip on Detroit, the whole Midwest and the big 3 with no mercy.  Its as if people have dreamed up this idea that a GM bankruptcy will not affect them, and it is indeed a dream to think those thoughts. Well I’m sorry if I am in the minority of people that not only still care about our American Automotive Heritage, but I live for it! I love American cars, and Trucks. Heck, I love cars, period. Since I have been a little boy I have loved seeing the new cars that Motown pumps out.  I love seeing that new model truck and the ever so slight curves on the hood that a company tweaks in a given model change year. I love American Cars, and I love GM!

 Oh how quickly we forget just how philanthropic this great company has been.  GM has literally been one of the most philanthropic companies in the history of the world. They have single handedly kept community not for profits and government private development authorities and so many more alive.  They have sponsored cancer causes, Aids causes, and they have fed people all around the world.  Now all of a sudden in a moment where the whole country is locked up in total fear thanks to our sensationalist media and a somber society, we want to abandon this company? I’m sorry but I will go down swinging before I sit back and watch this happen.

 The thought of not driving my Silverado into my family’s deer camp, and not seeing Chevy Trucks and GMC trucks in the drive of our deer camp makes me sad. The thought of life without GM makes me sad. It should make our whole country sad, but apparently we have all lost our minds. We have obviously forgotten what this great company has done for us in America and how many of our fellow Americans rely on GM.

  I know there are many that say we should allow GM to go bankrupt.  Some even say that we should allow GM to go out of business, period the end.  Surely nobody could be that out of touch with society and human decency, and the patriotic spirit that would always protect what is important to America. Have we become so regionalized that we have forgotten about what this company means to us in America?

 - A  Concerned Sportsman