Author: gshorkeyblt2

It was great having the Duke football team in for their shopping spree (Cincy came Sat.) Sunday night, and maybe that’s because they looked an awful lot like what I remember about myself as a college athlete. Duke isn’t sporting a half dozen 6’9″ 347 pound linemen, and having met three of the running backs, including identical twins Jackson (generally fullback) and Christian Conway, I got a flashback to what being young and in primo shape looked/felt like. I won’t go deep on similar getting old and slow blast with all Ryan’s and Ian’s pals around at oyster roast, not when event set whole Christmas vibe up so wonderfully.

Duke provided a Belk Bowl crowd with all the excitement one could expect, a late fumble inside the 5-yard line while driving for a score in a tied game derailing a terrific effort. The final 48-34 score was enough to mark me down as someone who believes the rise of a new force in the ACC is coming. As one player laid it out, “Of course you start each year thinking national championship, but we took a major bite to make a bowl game after so long. I’m a junior; I’m looking forward to what we accomplish next year.” That’s legit, as was the player bringing over a sweater with a small broken button and asking if that might get a little further reduction. Suuuure–and its still not my stuff we’re shoveling out the door at 50% off (plus a 10% coupon on clearance).

The true Devil coming is an 11% reduction in fulltime associate hours. “Ho! Ho! Ho! peasants,” says store manager MiniMe after gathering all closer, “be glad you’re not being slashed like the maintenance and display people!” Calling for superior effort from those taking *NOT* the 5-6% cut he sorta-kinda tossed on the table as necessary to making budget is bulls**t when nary a single deposit has been made in the Trust part of a relationship. That shows a real cluelessness about personnel/personal concerns, but LYING about it adds an undeniable stench. To wit–hacking 4 hours from standard 36 is 1/9th or 11%, not 5-6– implies a mentality about everyone having STUPID tattooed on foreheads that he sees clearly. There was literally only ONE dips**t shouting ‘Allright you guys, yay! We can do $530,000!” at Friday meeting. Manager apparently feels he doesn’t have any legs (true enough) to stand on about ask/demanding more than starvation budget for hours, which he blew away with almost totally useless ‘extended’ times during December.

DUKE football sent a solid message of hope to many fans, and because becoming as big a deal as Coach K’s hoopsters isn’t a rationale goal, they’ll just build on this year and maybe become another Wake Forest, which suffered MANY years of beatings before getting into spirit of having a ‘real’ ACC program. Every message sent by TPTB is that the accounting unit each employee constitutes is going to be denigrated and abused more thoroughly in at least the short term, because if it works to balance things now, why change back? Managers are reworking their resumes, anyone having alternatives of any kind will be exploring them, and even if Duke returned in 6 months, there might not be anyone to serve them. Customer service numbers be damned-ignored-reinterpreted might also become basis for cutting hourly rates, but I’ve definitely been warning regular customers they’re in for more inconvenient questions than, “Do you work here?” and “Why doesn’t anyone have boxes at Christmas?”

And FYI, I have terrific personal/executive assistant skills…

Glenn S.

Yesterday Dad and I went shopping for things he hopes Mom will wear and some flannel shirts we hope the long, tall nephews will like. As a customer I was struck by almost the exact same “geez, what a freaking mess!”-minded feeling about areas I needed to search as I consistently bad-talk those less diligent associates about. Three out of four places we went (Jack obviously not included) said they didn’t have boxes, which is crap, since I KNEW I’d gone to get a supply myself on Monday when four skids worth of shirt/sweater boxes finally arrived.

‘Toast’ is where Jack and I are about possibility of hitting bonus for December, but we’ve been resigned to that for a while. After an $8800 Saturday where we lost another $3000 to plan, only an Arab sheik coming in and buying all the heavier coats for an extended family could make up being so far from $148,500. Store had several days of doing only 54-58% of goal last week, a hit that affected even Polo area and certainly wasn’t expected at this point in the season. While ‘Availability of Assistance’ score is back up, I suspect that’s due to customers knowing salespeople are behind the registers more than totally not there, but genuinely low staffing levels continue to be the case during extended hours (Sunday nights until 12:00 and THEN told not to close registers for 15 minutes? {bleep!} that noise)

Brother Steve’s Oyster Roast is something I’m looking forward to tomorrow in a big way. Nephew Ian did a great job on production two years ago, no roast last year because of Steve’s hip replacement, and because weather isn’t supposed to be ideal, a tent will make sure we’re relatively dry while scarfing and guzzling and enjoying the bonhommie of male bonding with perhaps 40 others. Nephew Paul is back from Oxford (England, not Mississippi) and Ryan, who turned 15 Monday and expects to pass drivers test for permit today are around, so all things are proceeding for family goodness. Mom and Mike making a huge comeback in pinochle the other night, well, that’s a burn I’ll just deal with.

Dad was nothing but cold at last roast and appreciated first white Christmas in 25 years only a little, but pushing him around in wheelchair because he got tired fairly quickly during 1 1/2 hour shopping is one of those moments that makes you realize just how precious time with loved ones becomes. You can’t watch the news about the funerals for those children and people slaughtered in CT and not sympathize with those who won’t be able to wrap their arms around a loved one again. Dad’s always been the Christmas cookie maker in our family, and a container of cantucci bars (I still think of them as biscotti) and haystacks (Chinese noodles with chocolate) are a far cry from the lacy pralines, date-filled or colorfully decorated shapes and other looked-forward to production of the 60s and 70s that will always be memories of The Good Good Times. At 83 he just can’t get up the energy to bake all day so ‘us guys’ can enjoy cookies any time we’re in the house and have tins full of stuff to take home too.

It impossible not to feel a small but real regret about that, even more than being toast about any dab of bonus that won’t appear in a January paycheck. Not when so many, in Conneticut, Syria and elsewhere lack basic necessities like food and heat and no longer around family and friends to laugh with or kiss good-night. I’m sincerely grateful for a haystack and being able to watch NCSI with the folks, even if Dad nodded off. I’ll hug them both for as many Christmas’ as possible, suck down my share of oysters and cold beers, and just maybe learn how to make cookies to bring to others less fortunate in the future.

Glenn S.

For all the naysaying about the Panthers failures, everyone contributed a fair share to Sunday’s 30-20 crunching of the hated Atlanta Falcons.  No one, and I mean NO ONE on the Carolina side was forgetting how Atlanta QB Matt Ryan told them to “get off my f**king field!” after he’d survived a seven sack performance to win the season opener 30-28.  I might’ve cooled off a bit since the late manager wouldn’t allow me to leave early last night despite having zero–absolutely true–ZERO customers for nearly three hours and a department in exquisite shape, but I have a feeling there’s going to be similar negative vibes sent his direction in the future.

Give the Panthers credit, especially for the 53-yd. TD from Newton to DeAngelo Williams at exactly the point in game (4:11 in 4th) that they’ve yakked up leads several times this year. Newton silenced, at least for one week, the critics of his less dynamic sophomore year in the NFL with perhaps his most solid effort since that first game, posting a 23/35, 280 yard-two TD day and adding another TD and 116 yds. rushing on 9 carries. Beginning with a high bullet to TE Greg Olsen on Carolina’s first touchdown drive of the day, both sides of the ball performed as most expected them to all year, the offense pounding out 195 yds. rushing while dominating possession (35:47), holding Atlanta to 35 on a paltry 11 carries and building a 23-0 lead before allowing a touchdown with 4:48 left in the third period. Linebacker Luke Kuechly continued his exceptionally solid season with 16 tackles (11 solo).

Of course, most Carolina fans have learned to be afraid of what could happen before the 0:00 mark, but the defense stopped a two-point conversion early in the 4th and recovered an onside kick with :53 left, so a collective sigh of relief was finally enjoyed by all, right Ron Rivera?

As to ‘Touch’ of that manager, such unimaginative play calling in my particular clutch situation (Newton apparently hasn’t learned to audible past things as well as the Redskins heralded RGIII either), the disconnect is definitely aggravating. The Powers That Be are on record as wanting to support associates with feedback, coaching, and an environment of ENCOURAGEMENT AND TRUST, but hearing, “Oh, you have tomorrow off? Go back and pick up another department instead of leaving a cheesly 25 minutes early” builds nothing but resentment. On the bottom line, the only fact that really helped me chill out was understanding someone between TPTB and him was probably responsible.

An old adage, “Stick a fork in me, I’m done” has come through in discussions with several associates and managers. Let a rising economy and the prospect of carrying health care benefits to another job become a hard core reality, a once-proud ‘team’ might quit on a coach who rules without integrity or charm.

Glenn S.

There’s no time for being satisfied this time of retail season, and my entire, make that *ENTIRE* sales career, that has meant putting up numbers, getting units out, “making it happen.”  Jack’s still a hero from big effort getting November bonus, but starting Sunday we were on to $148k we need for December. After first week we’re $8000 short, and while we’re considered a ‘self-sufficient’ area, giving ‘new’ area manager ANYTHING more to be concerned about now is beyond overloading the plate. New-ness isn’t her short-coming, more like she’s essentially running TWO major areas (plus us) without making nickel one more than before. She’s never gotten enough hours budgeted to cover all her departmental needs, and she’s almost a poster child for “Abuse as you please, everyone will accept crapola to keep their job.”

Having admitted I was wrong about midnight T’giving opening–at least I won’t quarrel with actual PRODUCTION vs. any crushing of that old-fashioned family gathering hoo-hah–I *guarantee* that The Powers That Be (TPTB) have decided that maximizing results AND denigerating all ‘payroll expense units’ (employees) are inseperable decisions. My paycheck was $200 LARGER this period, part holdiay (7, not 8 hrs.) extra and finally back to regular 36 from 32 hrs. Black Friday is successfully past and despite being behind plan, we’re burning through inventory pretty steady with EVERYONE using EXTRA 25 OFF! coupon. If operation is about having multiple discounts that turn a small mountain of merchandise into $144 sale, so be it.

Know what?

It’s not my stuff,

and that’s exactly how a lot of formerly loyal but now frequently PO’d workers are acknowledging that the crap-meter seems stuck at the decision level. At least a portion of a VERY strong $11.1 million 3Q corporate profit must’ve come from chiseling those hours I previously mentioned, or maybe it’ll contribute to an even more incredible 4th quarter report. I’m personally not buying OR EVEN EATING Papa John’s pizza after his total s**thead remark/decision to cut hours of his (undoubtedly well-heeled) workers to avoid paying health care for full timers. It’s also blatantly unreasonable for any decent retailer to jigger regular work hours and pull register closing chicanery so peasants are available late to ‘remerchandise’ their AND OTHERS areas at end of shift (NFC!) versus hiring usual seasonal extras. TPTB decisions are moving the needle, well, not redder at all–‘cuz like I said, it’s stuck at Un-nice end. If mgmnnt is afraid of getting crappy temp workers (spare me!) then clarify with agencies how sending duds equates to losing a big account in future. But surprise! you’ll probably/undoubtedly see a LOT of crappy work effort if mistreating ‘payroll’ continues.

I’m working Sunday, and if weathers nice who knows what happens, just expecting to put a real number ($3000?) on the board and also be gone for the maintenance bs. Got to watch several conference championship games with Sat. evening off, thanks for the little things I guess. For sure I’ll be treating myself to a new Michael Kors suit tomorrow, one with a ridiculous reduction and THREE discounts that’ll leave final cost just over $70. People are definitely buying. Even if they’re still bitching about Obama whenever I conclude total with “including the governments split,” $31 sweaters and BOGO pants have a way of talking for themselves.

Wow–Wisconsin is laying waste to Nebraska 42-10 at the half, 63-17 mid-3rd quarter. I agree with commentator Gary Danielson that Georgia probably would’ve been better served by spiking after long gainer and having two throws for end zone in terrific earlier game with ‘Bama. That was a battle that shows whats great about college ball vs. pros. Every ONE of those players and fans truly cared, which ain’t the attitude I hear on the floor from the ‘players’ I’m talking to.

Glenn S.

Whatever negatives I espoused before Wednesday, I decided to quit any bitching and just produce the final two days, ride Black Friday like a bad boy and see what kind of a sprint we’d need Saturday to achieve Nautica bonus. I admit being TOTALLY wrong about just hanging for several hours–in fact, almost exactly half of $6000 volume came between 12-3am. Happy to report only ONE butthead customer in 12 hours, must be some kind of record.

The ONLY disappointing thing that’s happened since sitting down at 12:30 with brother Steve and doing traditional cigar (a solid Baccarat) & wine as turkey deep fried and discussing/observing Ryan’s bow-hunting, through terrifically entertaining 25 or so persons gathering where everyone understood my having to dine ‘n dash at 7:00 because of overnight shift, 5 delightful hours sleep afterwards, a smattering of college rivalry games like Washington St.’s overtime comeback win against Washington, another short but productive work day, and a Sunday morning cheese omelet and amaretto in my coffee was watching last two USC drives die pitifully on the Notre Dame goal line.

Everyone else was in red shirts at midnight, but I’m guessing I was identifiable to customers desiring help. Wore tuxedo pants and long-sleeve fuzzy black shirt, then decided the proceedings rated blue and flowered Tommy Bahama shirt. Both Friday and “last customer” situations I wound up in Saturday were well handled by managers, but I didn’t get bulldozed either. “My customers” (and rest of Mens Better Sport) usually come later, because as regulars they know the sales times usually won’t matter, and from 6:30 until end of shift at 11:30 I pumped a mess of 50% off sweaters, and average sales were higher because of Nautica Week $25 off $100 purchase postcard. Best possible news came at 3:30 arrival for what I’d demeaned as a skimpy 6-hr. Saturday and learning Jack slayed it all afternoon Fri., finishing at record $12.4 (1000s). That whopping $3400 over plan left us a walk-over $1200 making month on Saturday. People were/are DEFINITELY in buying mode, but more just steady compared to bum rush.

Gotta give props to managers who backed me up (ask anyone in retail how rare but good it feels when that happens!) When I overheard one remarking that 12 hr. shift was no problem, he’d done 14-15 with Macys, I reminded him we called 8 open-to 10-close deals “The Iron” and he smiled. “Yes we did,” and that acknowledges a bit of the warrior mentality you sometimes need in high anxiety moments like some customers bring. Giving him my quick version post-dealing with, thats good management, even a change to applaud if we’ve finally gotten to where sales people aren’t automatically in default position at start. That last person Saturday, trying to get over on me about exchanging $200 jeans and eventually telling manager I’d disrespected him in front of girlfriend, I was half-amazed she took maybe three minutes to have him moving toward the door with jeans in hand and encouraging him to search hard for receipt if just got yesterday. Wow!

So we’ve made bonus, and hey! there are suppoed to be nights in the 20s coming along, so getting some of those good warm jackets moved will become a factor. I’m thinking cruise wear and a celebratory Caribbean swing in late February if cold means buying now vs. 70% off sales like last year.

Keep that optimism going America. Like that commercial that ends “the sky is not falling,” its not all doom and gloom. Pre-election polls showed that even with only 1.3% growth and below necessary numbers of new jobs filled, Americans were feeling things had turned, even a little, for sustainable progress. Predictions of 4% growth sounds somewhat lofty, but hey, would we trade marginal taxes if country wasn’t stuck in mud? Ending gridlock in Congress? Really? Something like that’s even open for consideration? I’ll take the check because we earned it, keep my eye on the rest.

Not sure how much I looked like either a big ol’ gimpy turkey or a pork chop, but nephew Ryan and Steve jumped on my question about how his tennis was going. “He’ll kill you. You won’t be able to handle his serve,” was Steve’s smiling and immediate response. Hope Ryan won’t feel bad about demanding a whole session of hitting and getting used to moving around on clay (new sneakers couldn’t hurt, right?) before trying to put a whuppin’ on me. I swam 100 yds. against a national champ at forty, and I’ll go witcha kid, but this ain’t gonna be like dropping that cow in with the velociraptors in Jurassic Park flick…

Glenn S.

After the Carolina Panthers spit the bit on an 11-point lead with about 6:00 left and lost to Tampa Bay in OT 27-21 Sunday, the level of negatives I’ve heard (and felt) has gone up in a major way.  It goes beyond Rivera’s 8-18 overall record as head coach too, but giving up late leads four times this year and at least the same number last year obviously aggravates all. When an owner like Richardson, KNOWN to make decisions in a very even-keel manner (vs. Jerrry Jones or the late George Steinbrenner) fires a GM like Marty Hurney, who only evaluates-brings in-pays the players vs. makes tackles and has zero input on what happens for 60 minutes each week, ‘discontent’ is at critical for sure.

This was expected to be a pivot year, away from the 2-14 train wreck of 2010 that got Panthers the right to select Cam Newton who, with an impressive rookie campaign under his belt, had many seeing 9-7 (and playoffs?) in the teams 2012 plans. Last year’s 6-10 *could’ve* been 8-8 with just a couple defensive stops, but Atlanta and Tampa losses this year were especially galling because they seemed to be in the bag. That Rivera said three weeks ago “at some point we’ll make the plays that close people out” is inadequate, and players supporting the coach and vowing to get it righter soon misses the point too. You play until 0:00 is on the clock, and if you back off the gas/play ‘prevent’ defense or run ‘safe’ but vanilla plays that wind up giving other guys another chance, that WILL wind up biting you in the behind.

Green Bay and New Orleans NEVER stop trying to score, and if the Saints have to score 35 a week to win, Drew Brees can do that–you DON’T want to see either of them with the ball and game on the line. Cam Newton shouldn’t be questioning play calling post-game; even WR Steve Smith kept his mouth shut in public when things truly sucked two years ago. Last year Panthers discovered moving the chains with dump down plays to tight ends Olsen and Shockey was a huge advantage for Newton, and I felt sorry for Jimmy Clausen, because as a rookie QB in 2010 he saw continuous hard core blitzes on 3rd-long situations without such a safety blanket. The point is, you change what doesn’t work. Most commentators don’t believe Richardson will make a coaching change mid-season, but Rivera said this week if he’s not back next year, he’ll be A-OK anyway. (HUH?!!) Fan frustration probably won’t change that equation, but armchair QB-ing says examples of what NOT to do are abundant.

As for Wal-Mart employees threatening to walk out on Black Friday because company is working them through the holiday, and a Target employee started a blog that complained about similar treatment, I’m of opinion I’ll spend a majority of my first five hours (in at 11:30pm T’giving Day for 12 hr. shift) doing mostly nothing and I’m ticked about it too. Jack will be *killed* all afternoon because he’ll be by himself, and Nautica plan for the last two days of month total $15,000 and small change. With no secondary register (or me), he’ll have to ring customers,CLEAR THE CHANGING ROOMS/TRY PUTTING S**T BACK IN ORDER, take sensors out and bag everything himself–even the smallest glitch will be magnified and cause customer backups, which is never a good thing. Notice that “helping customers find things” isn’t in the mix.

Our manager was gone as of last Sunday, and schedule for this Saturday is 6 hrs. each with no overlap (9:30-3:30, 3:30-9:30) and that’s another disaster waiting to happen. While we get holiday pay (7 hrs. for T’giving and 45 total hrs. for week), beating the crap out of employees so selectively vs. cut to 32 until just last week, sucks in plain terms even if its Business. I talked in straight-ahead manner with new HR manager Sunday about management’s interpretation of loooow (40%) ‘Availability of Asst.’ numbers, but whether that means anything, I have my doubts. The company obviously doesn’t care that cutting hours meant Jack and I missed getting bonus $$ last month, but with a MASSIVE amount of merchandise in stores, it will behoove them (and ‘them’ includes Wal-Mart, Target et al) to remember you reap what you sow. We sold a lot of ladies boots opening at 3 am last year, but 95% of store saw very little business. Smarter coverage means enough people during max times, not just being open with half-staff in middle of the night.

Stomping on the familial plans/feelings of the peasants WILL eventually cause a backlash like Wal-Mart is facing. If losing $5-800 million or so because people drop stuff and leave would be a decent taste for other operations to consider too.

Glenn S.

Having mentioned this theory to people repeatedly, I believe the United States, and specifically NYC and NJ area that got thumped so dramatically by Hurricane Sandy, is about to show the world America still know how to unite on a common, obvious problem and git ‘er done. Yes, its going to take some time, but on the PBS NewsHour Friday night, hearing 400,000 without power (certainly less after three more days) sounded like quite an improvement.

No, this didn’t *WIN* election for Obama, but obviously everyone had an opportunity to see straight ahead leadership. I applaud NJ governor Chris Christie who, while stating he was still voting Romney, admitted he was certainly glad to shake hand of the President during New Jersey’s time of disaster. The “most bang for effort/buck” philosophy of restoration was so undeniably equitable, it (almost) smoothed over a HUGE negative issue from months of campaigning. There weren’t any bright lights for those perenially well-heeled residents of penthouses on Central Park West, and I doubt anyone believes gorgeous shoreline estates in the Hamptons received any preferential treatment from the storm either.

There were power company rigs from EVERYWHERE waiting just outside of the storm path ready to roll on repairs, and the difference in response to Bush-FEMA response to Katrina’s devastation of New Orleans is, well, possibly the greatest difference anyone can imagine. Interviews with a particular FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT crew were terrific, showing how complex the restoring power equation is–“sometimes we’re coming through back yards four houses away; people see some trucks but no workers, we’re probably hacking our way in.” I appreciated FPL guys expertise with hurricane damage, and its a long-standing badge of pride among many responders about payback because northern power companies historically send crews south after ‘canes leave a mess. One chief admitted there’s real pride in making a difference at times like this, results being almost as tangible as some extra heft in overtime checks. Maybe Europeans have a similar common sense of purpose, because they are apparently willing to bail out other countries repeatedly, but a hurricane isn’t just a perilous/iffy future situation, it in-your-face REAL.

The Prez mentioned in an economics speech Friday that Americans won’t abide gridlock in silence, but when you know The Right Stuff (power) will get there in relative future, we can all set our personal edge. Fact is, Speaker John Boehner et al will HAVE to recognize the reality of that gridlock remark, and having failed in goal of making Obama a one-term President as they declared on a regular basis, the GOP can only improve its current sorry state of disrespect by handling ‘business’ right. People *will* vote against the clowns who put ideology before the good of the country two years from now if necessary.

To the point of showing the world IT ISN’T JUST REP but The Real Deal about USA!USA! getting something done (no real need to get into that WW II thing, right?), the reality is it HAS to be done, and you simply won’t see the people of the greatest city in the world (lol, or Jersey) wringing their hands in despair. I loved that so many news programs pointed out individual people helping each other in the crunch, because thats part of the deal too. At work I got a kick from several people who said “someobody has to help them!” immediately after blaming Obama for increasing the national debt by $5 trillion (first $12T apparently gets a pass) because where DOES the cash for replacing infrastructure or pumping out the subways come from? My click for Red Cross sure doesn’t go that far.

OK, ‘they’ have to equals NY/NJ, since all we got from 1000 mile storm in Charlotte was a little rain and chill, but riding out a hurricane actually seems like a legitimate dividing line for “how long you been here?” My brother Dave and wife Donna and I visited here shortly after HUGO tore up The City of Trees (and churches) in ’89, so if anyone wants to use that as a badge for being a Charlottean…

Glenn S.

Only five guys at work appreciated the quality of knowing Jeff Blatnick when I was discussing how a contemporary had died, and I had to include Jeff’s Greco-Roman super-heavyweight wrestling gold medal in 1984 as the significant reference point first.

“One happy dude”

You *have to*have to*have to watch the last minute of match (including sign of cross thanks) and interview with ABC to comprehend just how much he deflected credit to an unreal number of others.

http://wn.com/1984_olympic_greco_roman_wrestling_jeff_blatnick is World News bio that includes about 4 minutes of gasping, inspired, 100% sincere and articulate thanks. Physically and emotionally spent as he obviously was, sucking it up and laying the love on for all before finishing with “I’m one happy dude!” was an incredible reminder to watching that original grand moment – I was a bit stunned for forgetting so much of it.

I’ve known Jeff since Webelos in Schenectady, NY, and even to our most recent call my Dad still remembers him for always grabbing guys vs. working on knots.  He’d become a major stud wrestling locally (through ’75) and at Springfield (D-2 champ) before I ran into him at the 1983 Empire State Games.

I was just back in NY after two years writing for ITS SPORTS! in Tampa, Jeff’s singlet wasn’t hiding much of that classic railroad track scar from collarbone through his chest after treatment for Hodgkins, which he eventually wound up beating twice.  Using that competition and recognizing that just 18 months after surgery he was back to top international level, its tough to imagine how impressive a feat that was.

Impressive at the Empire State Games

‘Knowing’ Jeff from attending ‘hate ’em’ rival high schools meant he wasn’t as athletically interesting as the unbeaten Long Island girls volleyball team I was thinking well of. A 15 y/old female javelin thrower, whose toss in Scholastic Division would’ve won the Womens Open BY 3 METERS! also needed talking to. I tracked the girl down mostly because I knew javelin wasn’t a high school sport in NY, so from whence came the awesomeness?

I asked if anyone had talked to her about heptathalon, her demurral being “my 800m isn’t that great.”  (Uhhh, in 3 weeks you’re throwing it further than grown women…you get big points for that in hep, and a slower 800 can be worked on).

“Well, last year I won a gold for long jumping, but hurt my back not long before trials. I asked coach what I might do that didn’t include getting back jammed a lot, and he said maybe javelin.”

Turns out she had all of two weeks training before qualifying first in Adirondack Region, then blowing everyone else up.  I asked if anyone had talked to her about heptathalon, her demurral being “my 800m isn’t that great.”  (Uhhh, in 3 weeks you’re throwing it further than grown women…you get big points for that in hep, and a slower 800 can be worked on).

I recall she left immediately after picking up her medal  because her  birthday party was that night.

Blatnick was All That in Many Ways

The last time I saw Jeff was probably 1993-4, just before he got involved with Ultimate Fighting Championship  (1994-2001) as commentator and eventually commissioner.

Between sales calls (scholastic fundraising) on a brisk and windy day in Albany, I wound up next to him on a corner and walked a couple blocks catching up, hoping he’d been able to parlay things announcing-wise, wanting to hear what was on the mind of an Olympic champion on a corner almost ten years after The Moment.

Turned out the few times I’d heard him during two Olympics was most of what ABC ever scheduled him for, and his focus on using his unique skills and tangible results probably benefitted something as edgy-different as UFC. I had no clue he’d authored Mixed Martial Arts Council Manual and been involved in the development of modern rules for the sport.

When I mentioned one particular Russian (Aleksandr Karelin) I’d read about in Sports Illustrated being a terror, Jeff said yeah, guy was only one he’d ever really worried about his physical safety with.

The Ruskies ‘move’ in a sport with no holds below the waist, was to elevate his opponents and then pile drive their heads into the mat. Being the airborne one means either risking spinal injury or protecting yourself during impact, and protecting wasn’t going to stop the guy from scoring points, which are at a premium in Greco.

Between Webelos and those Emipre State Games minutes chatting, I guess I recognize an ephemeral quality, not tight as classmates, frat bros or fellow wrestlers, more of passing decently close to someone/an athlete that actually surmounts big odds.

I’ll only briefly include the fact that Russians and lot of Eastern block countries didn’t attend the ’84 Olympics in return for Jimmy Carter keeping US from ’80 Moscow Olympics (props to Frank Famiano, a Schenectady and Brockport guy, best in world at 126 who got screwed) as protest of 1979 invasion of Afghanistan. I’m keeping that video available though, because I haven’t heard a more sincere ‘I love you guys!’ in 30 years since.

And Jeff, I’m hoping there’s someone in your class to grapple with when you get to the next level.

Glenn Shorkey

The only indisputable numbers I’ve seem lately involved Yankees being spanked four straight while being dismissed in ALCS with Detroit and the plus-10 my group hung up in a captains choice outing.  After 6-7 holes we knew there wasn’t a prayer of hitting 4-iron third shots to save pars playing from the blues, so we worked from the 390 avg. yd. white tees, which seemed more fun and reasonable. Turns out Crotty won one of closest to pins even if on outermost part of dance floor, contributing to one of our two birdies on a fine tanning day.  

With all sympathies due for True Professional Derek Jeter’s fractured foot (and many in Charlotte are thrilled by semi-reflected glory he’s coming here (OrthoCare) to get checked/surgery), the most surprising numbers I’ll mention aren’t even from various polls claiming to know how far ahead or behind Obama or Romney are on ‘enthusiasm of voters’, ‘ground game’, or whatever else in those crucial swing states. For once its not about credit apps either, because I got TWO last week and first customer on Sunday asked to get one, all of which has manager practically dancing. I rewarded the customer by ‘double-dipping’ on discounts, manually pushing a 20% allowance before also using another 20% coupon she wasn’t aware was available.

No, the numbers I’m focused on seem cold and accurate enough, and with customer satisfaction tracked every day via online surveys completed (44 this month), seeing 50% under the heading ‘Availability of Assistance’ is CLEARLY an indictment regarding how many fewer associates are available to provide knowledgable customer service. When the new store manager saw an overall rating of 70% approval and declared “associates must not be smiling and greeting customers adequately,” my hand HAD to go up; otherwise I’m a liar by omission.   My journalism career came of age during Nixon’s Watergate, and I learned that sometimes you have to say ‘Bullshit!’ no matter what.  Note that last Wed. I did $2250, but only $700 of it Nautica merchandise. I felt fine about upping my sales in a major way because there wasn’t anyone in Vineyard Vines, but I also patroled a major portion of Moderates area Friday ($1666) without such significant reward.

“The numbers show customers giving ‘Friendly/Courteous Service’ a 77 for the month,” I noted calmly, “its that 50 on Availability that’s pulling survey score so low.” Now EVERYONE THERE knew I spoke the truth about those numbers, but manager says, “Well, maybe if people saw **5-6** associates gathered someplace and they weren’t getting served, maybe that’s what they meant about Availability.” I pointed out that I can smile plenty, but if I’m NOT PHYSICALLY IN THE STORE nobody is served and THAT is when people remark about lack of available sales people to take their money. Example- over the last 6 weeks or so, Jack and I have been reduced from 36 to 32 hrs./week, and Sunday has always been one guy, all day, see-if-you-can-get-a-break day. This Sun. I was 12-6, an hour off each end of schedule. 

The managers slant was blatant crapola and noticed by all; I was congratulated several times after meeting about actually verbalizing those generally undeniable facts. We’ve certainly see it allll OVER the country, about corporations pushing up productivity/profits by stiffing workers, and you can be sure this retailer chintzing on hours after already having two years of record profitability during time of major economic turmoil isn’t being ignored by the worker bees.  Ugly rumor is they’ll also decline to hire extra Christmas help to take major weight off salespeople to refold and maintain departments, which is ludicrous.

Having a job?  Its better than not, and Jack’s daughter being on his insurance is a very real piece of luck. While that arithmetic I previously mentioned says Jack and I need $8500 this week to make bonus again for October, that $2k on last day in Sept. means I’ll keep pushing for the extra rewards.  Despite how store manager tried to make numbers lie, my last hour (5:19 – 6:29 checkout which includes :29 over schedule) produced $716 in sales vs. $183 necessary to pay commish vs. hourly rate.  From another, far less kindly POV, wouldn’t that prove they scheduled right, getting damn fine production without extra compensation?  Only if you’re someone who also argues for giving a $5 trillion tax cut in a situation where there’s already massive national debt.  Fact is, that huge marginal sales rate wouldn’t have happened if my smiling face wasn’t present an extra half hour. 

Turns out there’s *another* corporate survey in progress, one where several co-workers indicate they will select ‘1- Completely Disagree’ on Qs 3-6 (of 6).  Let’s see anyone spin THAT level of collective dissonance!

Glenn Shorkey

Let’s start with what seems like the easiest of three situations to apply ‘How/Why?’ question to.  Why, after years of getting kicked around, would the Washington Nationals deny themselves an honest-to-goodness shot at a World Series by not putting Steven Strasberg on their postseason roster? My answer is he’s on the roster even if you don’t use him, but if he’s been throwing despite not playing, you stick him in the Cards ear, even if you keep your fingers crossed a little.

Strasberg, he of the 100 mph+ heater and knee-buckling curve, was 15-6 with 197 Ks in 159.1 innings in this season after reconstructive surgery on his valuable right arm when GM Mike Rizzo said he’d reached the limit they’d set for him. Nats lead baseball with 98 wins despite his shelving with 3 1/2 weeks to go, but after leading St. Louis 2-0 in games and then 6-0 in the deciding Game 5, just how much (or positive) of a “learning tool/experience” will sitting home during the Series be for the team?  Will players or fans ever stop wondering if Strasberg getting the ball in Game 3 or 5 would’ve been a ticket to the next round and possibly beyond? Answer: No, never. Not a chance.

Second Holy Crap! moment is Jack coming back to work Monday after two solid weeks in Memphis at his daughter’s hospital and our manager making a ha-ha comment about him getting a credit card application that played off his daughter being alive as a small miracle.  Jack was on the clock *less than a minute*, and while I actually PREDICTED manager would make exactly the style comment he did, there MUST BE some kind of common decency line waaaay back that should’ve kept him from saying anything except “glad she’s okay enough for you to come back.”

Lastly, when the word ‘SPECIFICALLY’ is used in an instruction, and watching the Vice-Presidential debate I’m certain I heard the moderator use it at LEAST three seperate times before giving the next question to Mr. Ryan, how could he continue giving generalized/rote answers and still have people think his measured tones beat the animated and very clearly on-point Joe Biden (even with facial gestures and interruptions he used being a little uncool)?  Example: $5 trillion in taxes cuts–how SPECIFICALLY will they be paid for (vs. adding to unreal debt)?  Biden says only two areas of budget, mortgage and college cost deductions, are  “loopholes” that provide enough dollars to close that massive a gap, and why can’t (or won’t) Romney-Ryan admit they are going to gut them if given the chance, but Ryan tap dances around things just the same. 

Iran and nukes situation–Joe B. said sanctions are proving to have a very significant effect (ie- 40% devaluation of currency in one week, reduced national income, rioting by the public) and Iran’s a long way from having a vehicle to deliver a weapon even if time of having refined materials has gotten very, very close.  Ryan kept saying ‘Obama foreign policy unraveling’, and (just?) “have to change ayatollahs minds.”  Yeah, like those guys have EVER shown the slightest movement off zero regarding anything the Great Satan wants. 

Afghanistan ‘surge’ troop withdrawals? Biden said 315,000 security forces had been trained and along with the U.S.’s 49 allies, 2014 is time to let Afganis take care of themselves, “otherwise (like in Iraq) they won’t step up, just continue to be content to let us handle things.”  Ryan says they agree with 2014 date BUT… shouldn’t give enemies a calendar date where they can wait you out and shouldn’t remove 30,000 troops if going to lose whatever alleged things have been gained in 10 years of combat. (Biden jumped in, “you think we should keep sending Americans on patrols instead?” to no answer.)

That political How? is the biggie of course, but here’s betting that President Obama takes a clue from Biden and jumps Romney every time he tries pulling a swift one Tuesday night, which he neglected to do in first debate. That’s the difference between the Prez and the Nats at this point–bringing ALL your ammo if you want to win.

Glenn Shorkey