ARTICLE: A Big Shot in China: To fight Nike, an (sic) Beijing sneaker giant aims to turn NBA journeyman Damon Jones into a star,” by Stephanie Kang and Geoffrey A. Fowler, Wall Street Journal, 24 June 2006. P. A1.

ARTICLE: “Indiana Town Woos Honda: Region Reviled Japan’s Cars For Years, but Now It’s Battling To Win New Plant to Build Them,” by Ilan Brat, Wall Street Journal, 22 June 2006, p. B1.

ARTICLE: “Indiana Wins the Bidding for New Honda Assembly Plant,” by Micheline Maynard, New York Times, 29 June 2006, p. C4.

In Blueprint for Action, I describe the journey from Gap to Core, noting that a state’s status as New Core reveals a number of inconceivables, such as it now becomes highly lucrative to become famous in your market.

Well, that day has arrived for Damon Jones, journeyman NBA non-star. Watching a local sneaker firm use him like he’s some Michael Jordan reminds me of middling Major League Baseball stars becoming superstars in Japan in past decades (something that is greatly diluted when you get guys like Suzuki ripping up the record books here in the States).

And far faster than anyone realizes, Americans will soon be wooing Chinese manufacturers (yes, even car manufacturers) just like we now woo Japanese ones. Twenty years ago, if you drove a Honda in Indiana, you risked having it keyed by angry local residents who saw the state as GM territory and nothing else. Now, of course, Indiana woos companies like Honda (successfully, in this last investment decision).

I know, I know, it can never happen.

Except it will, and far faster than anyone can imagine.