Overflowing with Country Pride at the New York Stock Exchange

Overflowing with Country Pride at the New York Stock Exchange
By: Todd M. Schoenberger, @TMSchoenberger
The U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Olympic Gold Medal Team visited the New York Stock Exchange yesterday and turned an otherwise boring August trading day into an exciting and electric atmosphere. It was awesome, and one of those moments’ people in attendance will not soon forget.

Similar to civic pride when a football fan goes crazy for their team, the capacity crowd on the floor was cheering for country pride. As the gymnasts made their way to the podium area, they were met with the roaring sound of appreciation: claps, cheers, smiles. It was hard to tell who enjoyed it more: the traders or the gymnasts.

There’s a common bond amongst the traders at the New York Stock Exchange, and it’s not about money or stock valuations. Similar to a team, the men and women on the floor share an appreciation for American success and history. A casual walk from room to room at the NYX, it’s easy to notice the abundance of American flags standing from the trading posts. It’s as Americana as say Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty or the mall in Washington.

When gymnasts Kyla Ross, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Jordyn Wieber and Gabrielle Douglas, best known as the ‘Fierce Five,’ showed off their bright gold medals to the onlookers, people seemed happy and proud. Nobody cared about political affiliation or your bull and bear stance on the markets; everyone found satisfaction that the USA was the gold medal champ.

Yes, patriotism at its finest.

And, what’s more Americana than capitalism. Indeed, it is time to turn gold into green.

With the gymnasts standing on the NYX podium about to ring the closing bell with a backdrop of a massive American flag, you notice a half-dozen Kellogg’s Corn Flake boxes surrounding the girls. And, as obvious as the sun rises in the morning, the Fierce Five are about to making millions.

The story of Gabby Douglas is the best rags-to-riches story. A product of a single-parent household, which saw her mother raise four children on a tiny $30,000 a year, the gold medalist will earn up to $10 million over the next four years. And, she deserves every nickel.

Don’t feel bad for the other girls, though. The remaining four are projected to earn a solid $1 million per year up until the 2016 Olympics. This sure makes the $9,000 tax bill on their gold medals much more manageable.

Wall Street loves turnaround fortune stories, and it explains the overwhelming attention given to the gymnasts yesterday. I was one of the fortunate ones there, snapping photos and attempting to get as close to greatness as I can. We’ve posted the photos on The BlackBay Group’s blog. Feel free to review, and take a moment to appreciate the champions.

www.TheBlackBayGroupBlog.com