Interesting story of the day
So I'm on the sidelines for my youth football team (Leesburg Cardinals - B League - I call the plays) and we're in the middle of a barnburner. 14-13 "good guys" ended up being the final; we stopped them on an extra point in the 4th quarter to get the win. Well, during the nail biter, I thought to myself, "man I'm really nervous, my stomach is in knots". A few seconds later I proceeded to throw up a little bit in my mouth. I never could handle food too close to a game.
I kind of gave up on baseball once preseason football started; the O's and Nats both stink and they were well out of contention by that point. But, every once and a while I'll watch Baseball Tonight or peruse MLB.com and check out the standings. I like to have an idea what the heck is going on when playoff time rolls around and the games actually mean something. So low and behold who's in the hunt for the NL Wild Card; none other than the Atlanta Braves. Now make no mistake, I used to hate the Atlanta Braves. I hated their trifecta of pitchers (first Smoltz, Glavine and Steve Avery and then Smoltz, Glavine and Maddux). I hated their scrappy guys who the announcers always seemed to hype up more than I thought they deserved. I hated David Justice. I hated Chipper Jones. I hated they fact they beat the Pirates in game 7 two years in a row (with slow ass Sid Bream delivering the final blow). I hated the rube fans that did the Tomahawk Chop and I really hated Ted Turner and Hanoi Jane whooping it up from their box seats. To me they were on par with Duke, the Cowboys, the Pittsburgh Penguins...the bane of my existence. Then something happened; they only won won championship and then started to peter out. Instead of getting nipped in the series, they'd lose in the first round; and then they started not making the playoffs at all. So, I stopped caring about the Braves.
They haven't really made a serious run at the playoffs until this year, and with their slip-ups against the Marlins this week, they're likely not going to be able to catch the Rockies. But I'm still rooting for them to get in, if for nothing else to remind me of my youth. When the Braves were competing for World Series, Miami was contending for the national title and Duke was trying to break through during the tournament...and I HATED them all.
Like I said before, I hope to see Atlanta make it to the postseason. And then I hope they get swept by the Dodgers, so all the folks at Turner Field have to dry their tears with their foam tomahawks. What? Cut me some slack; old habits die hard.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Ruby Slippers and Redskins
So I'm getting ready for my first update on Sunday (quick plug - PGA TOUR Network, Sirius 209 and XM 146) and I turn on the monitors and TNT happens to be on. And interestingly they're showing "The Wizard of Oz". Didn't really log any time with it as I was busy working and football was on. Well at about 4pm I realized there was connection between Dorothy and her crew and the Burgundy and Gold.
I've been unable to blog over the last few days but I'll give a few quick thoughts...uninspired effort, poor coaching (motivation and schemes) and just a team not nearly as talented as they like to tell people they are. I could go on, but if you check out some of the work in the Washington Post or Times, you'll get my ideas, but much better written (check out Mike Wise and Thomas Boswell in the Post and Dan Daly in the Times).
But with all of the fan angst and vitriol over the last few days, a scene from "Oz" seemed apropos. Late in the movie, when Dorothy and the crew finally meet "the Wizard" and it’s the huge green image, Toto runs over and pulls the curtain back and they see it’s just the old man. That's kinda what happened in Detroit yesterday. The loss to the Lions made Skins fans realize what this team is; an untalented bunch that man for man (and coach for coach) might not be much better than the folks from Detroit that just broke their 19 game losing streak. And of course who created said team...the Great and powerful Snyder-rato (Dan Synder and Vinny Cerrato), who come to think it, works just about as secretly.
Anyway, don’t blame the Quarterback, don’t blame the Coach, don’t even blame the General Manager; this thing goes all the way to the top.
I've been unable to blog over the last few days but I'll give a few quick thoughts...uninspired effort, poor coaching (motivation and schemes) and just a team not nearly as talented as they like to tell people they are. I could go on, but if you check out some of the work in the Washington Post or Times, you'll get my ideas, but much better written (check out Mike Wise and Thomas Boswell in the Post and Dan Daly in the Times).
But with all of the fan angst and vitriol over the last few days, a scene from "Oz" seemed apropos. Late in the movie, when Dorothy and the crew finally meet "the Wizard" and it’s the huge green image, Toto runs over and pulls the curtain back and they see it’s just the old man. That's kinda what happened in Detroit yesterday. The loss to the Lions made Skins fans realize what this team is; an untalented bunch that man for man (and coach for coach) might not be much better than the folks from Detroit that just broke their 19 game losing streak. And of course who created said team...the Great and powerful Snyder-rato (Dan Synder and Vinny Cerrato), who come to think it, works just about as secretly.
Anyway, don’t blame the Quarterback, don’t blame the Coach, don’t even blame the General Manager; this thing goes all the way to the top.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Customer service isn't dead, but it ain't where you expect it to be either
Random Thought of the Day
After MacKenzie Phillips' incest allegations against her late father, I can't wait to hear somebody come up with a "One Day at a Time" parody song. BTW...here is the theme from that show; late 70's - early 80's-ness at its finest. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M82CUd6isyY
So I go to the store to get fitted for a tux today. It’s the second time I've had to go through the process this year, as another friend got married back in August. That day was painless; today was not. To start off I had a trainee measure me, while his "trainer" sat behind her desk, plunking away on her computer, and snidely correcting him when he missed a step. THAT got me mad. As long as I've been in radio, I've had to train people. I always try to go slow and type out the steps so they can follow. In other words, treat 'em like an idiot until they prove otherwise. Today, I got, “hope you learned something, time to sink or swim, customer be damned”. Now being the patient guy I am I was able to control my anger through most of the session, but by the end, the lady in charge was getting short, terse answers with a raised tone. Lesson...take care of the customer, and train workers when you have time.
To steal a line...I told you that story so I could tell you this one. So within all of that, I’m listening to the local sports talk station "The Fan" discussing comments by Clinton Portis about the booing at Fedex Field on Saturday. Now admittedly I've never been a fan of Portis; I think he's overrated, overpaid, closed to washed up and his lax “I don't practice but I play hard” attitude rubs off on the team and we get sloppy, undisciplined football. BUT, I give CP loads of credit for the following statement.
"We're getting booed coming off the field," Portis said. "So I think everybody in this organization (is) on the hot seat. You know, I think you look at the owner, he (is) on the verge of losing fans. You know, how long before people just give up and stop coming? You look at the players, and people want you out of here. You look at the coach, people want you out of here. So who's not on the hot seat? Until we come out and play to our potential, I think everybody (is) on the hot seat. It's just people growing tired," Portis said. "You come out, you bring a family of four or five to come to a game, that's $500, and then you've got to eat and park. You're spending $700 a week to come there to see some entertainment, and you get there and there's really not a lot of entertainment."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/wire/chi-ap-fbn-redskinsdrama,0,4010803.story
Unlike the Cooley's and the Sellers' of the world that chastized the fans for booing a 1 and 1 football team, Portis actually gets it. Clinton realizes that the "rabid" Redskins rooters are fed up with 18 years of mediocre football...especially at a premium rate. He is trying to take care of the customer – a.k.a US! It takes guts to do what CP did (i.e. stand up to an owner who likes to send folks packing if they don't tow the company line; see Arrington, LaVar and Coles, Laveranues). Of course with a possible uncapped year looming in 2010, it’s possible that the free speaking Portis might just be watching his Snyder bought flat screen in Cincinnati next year.
(if you don't get the flat screen reference, read this http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/jeffri_chadiha/03/08/coles/index.html - 3rd paragraph)
After MacKenzie Phillips' incest allegations against her late father, I can't wait to hear somebody come up with a "One Day at a Time" parody song. BTW...here is the theme from that show; late 70's - early 80's-ness at its finest. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M82CUd6isyY
So I go to the store to get fitted for a tux today. It’s the second time I've had to go through the process this year, as another friend got married back in August. That day was painless; today was not. To start off I had a trainee measure me, while his "trainer" sat behind her desk, plunking away on her computer, and snidely correcting him when he missed a step. THAT got me mad. As long as I've been in radio, I've had to train people. I always try to go slow and type out the steps so they can follow. In other words, treat 'em like an idiot until they prove otherwise. Today, I got, “hope you learned something, time to sink or swim, customer be damned”. Now being the patient guy I am I was able to control my anger through most of the session, but by the end, the lady in charge was getting short, terse answers with a raised tone. Lesson...take care of the customer, and train workers when you have time.
To steal a line...I told you that story so I could tell you this one. So within all of that, I’m listening to the local sports talk station "The Fan" discussing comments by Clinton Portis about the booing at Fedex Field on Saturday. Now admittedly I've never been a fan of Portis; I think he's overrated, overpaid, closed to washed up and his lax “I don't practice but I play hard” attitude rubs off on the team and we get sloppy, undisciplined football. BUT, I give CP loads of credit for the following statement.
"We're getting booed coming off the field," Portis said. "So I think everybody in this organization (is) on the hot seat. You know, I think you look at the owner, he (is) on the verge of losing fans. You know, how long before people just give up and stop coming? You look at the players, and people want you out of here. You look at the coach, people want you out of here. So who's not on the hot seat? Until we come out and play to our potential, I think everybody (is) on the hot seat. It's just people growing tired," Portis said. "You come out, you bring a family of four or five to come to a game, that's $500, and then you've got to eat and park. You're spending $700 a week to come there to see some entertainment, and you get there and there's really not a lot of entertainment."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/wire/chi-ap-fbn-redskinsdrama,0,4010803.story
Unlike the Cooley's and the Sellers' of the world that chastized the fans for booing a 1 and 1 football team, Portis actually gets it. Clinton realizes that the "rabid" Redskins rooters are fed up with 18 years of mediocre football...especially at a premium rate. He is trying to take care of the customer – a.k.a US! It takes guts to do what CP did (i.e. stand up to an owner who likes to send folks packing if they don't tow the company line; see Arrington, LaVar and Coles, Laveranues). Of course with a possible uncapped year looming in 2010, it’s possible that the free speaking Portis might just be watching his Snyder bought flat screen in Cincinnati next year.
(if you don't get the flat screen reference, read this http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/jeffri_chadiha/03/08/coles/index.html - 3rd paragraph)
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Let's kick this baby off...
So I decided to do a blog. No big whoop. Just thought, I got a lot of random stuff bouncing around in the brain and a blog seems to be a good place to dump it.
Random Story of the Day (actually happened yesterday, but who cares)
As I was walking into Giant, I heard the Spice Girls "Wannabe" blasting over the store speakers. This wasn't a good song when I was in high school; it's not like wine where it gets better with age. It's a bad, annoying song and I'm at a loss for why Giant Food thinks people would like to shop to it.
Sports Thoughts
After the Skins "brilliant" performance this past weekend, we've had two main Redskins discussions in DC; the fans booing the team after a win and the Zorn/Sonny fight. Just in case you have no idea what I'm talking about...the fans at Fed Ex booed the home team throughout the game, and after it was over (and then the players got upset about it) and in the locker room after the game was over, Zorn responded to Sonny Jurgensen saying he would have changed the halfback pass call (Portis throwing it on the goal line) by saying he would have benched Sonny.
Even though it has all the signs of a team in turmoil, I do like all of this. The fans (and the Skins legends that we have loved over the years) are starting to stand up for themselves. THAT IS A GOOD THING. For years there has been a perception that we need to root for Washington win, lose or draw...B freaking S. If you accept mediocrity nothing will ever change; the fans booing on Sunday were folks finally saying enough is enough! "You can't beat the sorry, no account Rams by more than 2 points...NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" Sonny telling Zorn point blank "your play calling stinks and you don't know what you're doing"; GOLD! I laugh every time I hear it. The only way for this team to become great is for the folks who root for it to not accept a mediocre football team...especially one led by a puppet coach and an inept front office.
I fully expect the turmoil to be good for the Skins this week...they'll band together and stomp on the pitiful Lions. But if they don't…(to paraphrase T.O) Zorn had better get his suitcases ready.
Random Story of the Day (actually happened yesterday, but who cares)
As I was walking into Giant, I heard the Spice Girls "Wannabe" blasting over the store speakers. This wasn't a good song when I was in high school; it's not like wine where it gets better with age. It's a bad, annoying song and I'm at a loss for why Giant Food thinks people would like to shop to it.
Sports Thoughts
After the Skins "brilliant" performance this past weekend, we've had two main Redskins discussions in DC; the fans booing the team after a win and the Zorn/Sonny fight. Just in case you have no idea what I'm talking about...the fans at Fed Ex booed the home team throughout the game, and after it was over (and then the players got upset about it) and in the locker room after the game was over, Zorn responded to Sonny Jurgensen saying he would have changed the halfback pass call (Portis throwing it on the goal line) by saying he would have benched Sonny.
Even though it has all the signs of a team in turmoil, I do like all of this. The fans (and the Skins legends that we have loved over the years) are starting to stand up for themselves. THAT IS A GOOD THING. For years there has been a perception that we need to root for Washington win, lose or draw...B freaking S. If you accept mediocrity nothing will ever change; the fans booing on Sunday were folks finally saying enough is enough! "You can't beat the sorry, no account Rams by more than 2 points...NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" Sonny telling Zorn point blank "your play calling stinks and you don't know what you're doing"; GOLD! I laugh every time I hear it. The only way for this team to become great is for the folks who root for it to not accept a mediocre football team...especially one led by a puppet coach and an inept front office.
I fully expect the turmoil to be good for the Skins this week...they'll band together and stomp on the pitiful Lions. But if they don't…(to paraphrase T.O) Zorn had better get his suitcases ready.
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