My Week in Sports

College Football:

• Texas A&M 12, Texas 7. After this score became final no other games mattered the entire weekend. I know, I know it was a cheap shot on McCoy but I'll still take it. If only USC could have taken out one of Vince Young's knees...
• Notre Dame is overrated again. Blow out by Michigan, blown out by USC. Their biggest win is beating Georgia Tech by 4 points. Every commentator in America was holding onto the wish/hope that ND would play for the National Championship. Please.
• Write it down - Steve Kragthorpe, head coach at Tulsa, will be the next head coach at Miami or Alabama. What would be hilarious is if he went to Miami and then Tulsa hires Larry Coker.
• If you watched the OU-OSU game, did you know that Boone Pickens is OSU's #1 fan?

NFL:

• Jason Campbell got his second start and first win in his pro career. Only about a year late Joe Gibbs.
• Tony Romo throws for 5 TDs. Good thing he was sitting on my Fantasy bench.
• Jay Cutler is in at Denver. After Shanahan's interview you would have thought Jake the Snake was already cut and playing in the Arena League.
  
• Mike Vick can run like the wind but does not know how to react to drunk fans.
• The Giants absolutely collapsed. Maybe Eli shouldn't have been a baby and gone to San Diego, I heard they have a pretty good team this year.

College Basketball:

• I know the game was in November, but the Kansas-Florida game felt like March.
• As much as I like watching Florida play basketball, I can't stand watching Joakim Noah. He acts likes a toddler.
• How about Gonzaga beating UNC? Looks like they can still win after losing Morrison.
  

Baseball:

• Cubs sign Alfonzo Soriano. They paid way too much. But it gives us Cubs fans hope for next year. Going all the way in '07.
  
• McGuire won't get in the Hall on the first ballot. Something to do with steroids.
  

NBA:

• It is still as boring as last year.

Hockey:

• Why can't they go on strike for another couple of years?

Black Friday...Cyber Monday...It's a scam

Oh how the holiday shopping season is upon us. There are more sales on Black Friday (the day after thanksgiving - to all of you living in a hole) than any other day of the year. I heard on the radio approx. 140 million people went shopping in America last Friday. This is day retailers tradionally turn profitable for the year. Today is Cyber Monday where there will be more internet sales today than any other day of the year.

Garden Ridge was open from 9am Thursday until midnight Sunday for 87 hours of madness (who goes shopping for towels at 2.30 in the morning?). You might even find a crazy deal on an EMachines computer at 4 am at Best Buy for less than $200 (for that computer it's not really a deal). Yes there are some good deals, but for the most part prices are really similar to the rest of the year. These two days are really about tradition. EVERYONE goes shopping on Friday because that is what they have always done. Oh, and the American media does nothing but hype the day even more (why would they not). If you truly are a smart shopper then you know there are deals like this all the time if you look.

My personal experiences of Black Friday - my senior year in high school I worked at Wendy's in the Mall and the day never ended. One thing Americans like to do about as much as shop is eat.
This year I enjoyed 18 holes of golf while people are sitting outside Target waiting to get $5 DVDs.

I will use this day to my advantage. 239 items are ending on ebay today from the username allcottcap. So fall into the trap, become a sad bargain crazed freak and go buy something.

Buy it, Buy it now!!!

The link to my PS3 auction on my previous post does not work. Here is the correct link. Bid on it!!!!

I own a 60GB

I own a 60GB...at least for a few more days. Yes, yes I am taking advantage of an opportunity to make a quick buck. Right now my PlayStation 3 is on eBay here.

Last week, I called Caleb and told him we would split whatever we made off of the PS3. Next thing you know he is picking up the cash from my wife (I was out of town - don't worry I would have been there too) and heading up to Best Buy at 8 pm on Wed. He can't buy one until Friday at 8am! Fortunately enough, he was number 20 in line and there were only 20 60GBs going on sale. There were a total of 26 people sitting outside the Best Buy (20 60GBs, 6 20GBs), all of them wrote their number on their hand, and they had a big party for a day and a half. All but one (a 14-yr old boy - does he have school?!) of the 26 planned on selling the coveted gaming system.

If you didn't hear about the PlayStation 3 madness across America last week, then you truly do live in a hole. Here are some of the highlights from last week.
- I was in Cincinnati, OH and went by a Target at about 11pm on Thur. and there were 9 people in line. Target was only getting 8 systems and the last guy was trying to buy a seat. The lowest anyone would go was $1500.
- Thursday, Jayson, Johnny and I had a conversation about how this was the perfect night if someone was going to rob a video game store. But then we thought, there is no way - tonight would be the night where there is crazy security and there is no way something like that was going to go down. Well it happened in Dayton, OH.
- At the Wal-Mart in Carthage, MO there were 10 lawn chairs set out. If you got up from your chair to do anything, someone could run in and steal your seat. Talk about setting your self up for a riot.
- Rumors were flying about how many systems Sony was going to release and when.
- Pre-sales on ebay reached as high as $10,000.
- Rules were/are up on ebay for selling the item and less than 24 hours after they were released 40,000 PS3s were available on the auction site.

We will see what happens, but for now, I own a 60GB.

Act like you know what you are doing

Talk about a lack of security. Matt Foreman and I just returned from the Rose Garden in Portland, OR, where the Portland Trail Blazers play. We did have to walk around a little bit, but after a few trys, there was a open door. Next thing you know, courtside. We just walked right in. Then we walked on the court. Then we sat on the bench. Then we walked to the locker room entrance. This all took place in about 30 minutes. Then we left. Nothing. Nobody said a word. We walked past a few workers. There were some guys working in the arena. We acted liked we knew where we were going and knew what we were doing and nobody cared.

For all you farmers out there...

Watch the chicken walking behind the horse

Wing Lady

The other day my wife and I went into Wal-Mart to grab some of those Famous Boneless Honey BBQ wings from the Deli Dept. I gained a new perspective on customer service and what is acceptable and what is forgivable. We waited in line behind two other people and when it was our turn we ordered. A nice sweet slow little old lady was the only one serving the food at that time. Emphasis on slow.

Anyways, my wife got her meal, and then I asked for some wings. It just so happened they didn’t have enough for a full portion. So, this meant she had to go to the back, get a mixing bowl, wash her hands, get gloves, get sauce, get the chicken out of the fryer, mix it up, put it in the warmer, and then put it in the container. In the amount of time it took her I could have gotten my oil changed, my hair cut, and opened a bank account all without leaving the building. I finally got the wings, and I went home and enjoyed them.

The funny part of the story is that there were 3-4 people in line behind us. Through the whole “making of the wings” process, I looked at my wife multiple times and just chuckled. I laughed, not because it was slow, but because the little old lady was completely clueless to the line that was forming. If she did see the line, which I highly doubt, it made her move no faster at all. The guy directly behind me, also thought this was funny, and realized there was nothing he could do but wait patiently.

Why is it when it takes 4 minutes to get our latte, we wonder why the 17-year old can’t make it faster. When we hold for 2 minutes when we call a company our temper rises. But when Wing Lady moves at her own pace, we can only laugh. Is it because she reminds me of everyone’s grandma, she moves at her own pace or because it would do absolutely no good to get agitated?

Go to Webb City Wal-Mart, visit the deli, try the wings. But you can’t get upset at how long it takes.

Bad Weekend for Sports

Last weekend was a bad weekend for sports in my house. My beloved Auburn Tigers got smoked by the Razorbacks. National Title hopes destroyed. My wife's beloved Oklahoma Sooners got beat by the Texas Longhorns. I really can't stand Texas.

What could be worse than those two loses above is that I got beat in Fantasy Football in our office league. I was the only undefeated team left, and I got beat by a girl. I did help her draft her team, so I kinda got beat by myself. But really, who would have thought the Chargers would have thrown to Gates to get a touchdown and not let their pro-bowl back LT run it across the goal line? If only I had picked up a tight end that would have played. I digress.

What is even worse, is now Jayson is in first place. He has reminded me several times that he is now the one in first place.

Maybe this weekend will be better. Go Bears. Beat Texas.

I just want the seeds

On our way to Austin, TX, Seth, one of our interns for the year, told me about these sunflower seeds that were the best he's ever had. I told him I need to try them. Let me just say I consider my self a connoisseur of sunflower seeds. I played baseball for the first 21 years of my life. I have consumed dill pickle seeds. I typically have a spit cup in my car for seeds. So when Seth said they were the best ever, I was somewhat skeptical.

So I tried his seeds. They were good. They were really good. I would go as far to say they may be the best seeds I have ever had. Problem - I don't know where to get them!

Look at the picture above. This is the only label on the bag. I have no idea where to get more. Seth said he got them at a demolition derby in Colorado. Fat chance I will be at a DD in the Rockies anytime soon. Seriously though, there is no way for me to find out where the seeds came from. Horrible branding, marketing, selling, etc., etc., etc.

Give me a website. Give me a phone number. For crying out loud give me the name of the company! There is no where to go. I know the seeds are Roasted, Salted, may have peanuts or tree nuts and are from the lot #RSS177. That's it. Thanks for nothing.

Here is a piece of advice. If you develop a product that is "the best" in it's category, allow people to buy it. Don't just sell your product at Demolition Derbies in Colorado.

Don't cheapen Jamba Juice

A few days ago when I was in the Llyod Center in Portland, I had a Jamba Juice. Typically I stop every time I am in the area of one. The other day Jamba let me down. They now have paper cups. Or at least the one I was at did. The cups looked the same, but they were paper. Don't know who made that decision. I sure hope that all of them aren't going that direction.

Not that the actual product (or drink) is affected, but what this does is tell me "cheap." Part of the Jamba Juice experience is the styrofoam cup. But you don't realize how big a deal it is until it is gone. If they go cheap on this, it begs the question, "What else do they or will they go cheap on?"

In my eyes Jamba is going down the cheap route to save, what $ .03 per cup. Raise the price of all drinks $ .05. I wouldn't notice. But I do notice when you change the cup. It is all perception.

What was funny was the lady in front of me. She asked for a second cup so she could "double" her cup. She said the drink feels cold on her hand.

I will still probably go to Jamba Juice every time I am in the area of one because they are stinkin' good, but I want the old cups back.

Jamba, please don't go cheap.

Oh also, get the double fiber boost....it's worth it.

Jr. High Kids in the Northwest

I just got done meeting with as many jr. high pastors in the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA area as I could in 2 days. I left my house at 2.45 in the am yesterday morning and I will return at about 10.30 in the am tomorrow morning (after flying the red-eye). It has been a crazy two days, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

I have had the chance to meet about 10 different youth ministers all of which are directly involved with jr. high kids. Andy has been at his church two weeks. Grant's jr. high weekly service was yesterday afternoon. I heard him speak on forgiveness. Tony told me about how he dressed up like Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer a few weeks ago. Jon is serving in the same church he grew up in. Jonathon has one semester left of seminary. Matt is in a great church. Casey has a passion for ministry.

Highlights - Sitting in a coffee shop which is part of a hotel (where I stayed last night), both owned by a church. All profit from either go directly to the church to ministering to the community. Eating fresh Mahi Mahi on the Washington river bank. Going to the largest bookstore in my life. Hearing ways to improve Believe straight from the hearts of those attending. Praying with and for youth ministers.

No matter where I go or who I talk to a few things remain constant. Small Groups and their leaders are important. Jr. High kids just want to be loved. It is about relationships.

Always waiting at Chatters

You don’t recognize customer service unless it is amazing or if it is bad. This past week my wife and I went to eat at new local restaurant, Chatters, with some friends. Chatters is a new restaurant in my town of Webb City. It is a sit-down similar to Cheddar’s (don’t know if that is where they got the name or not) or Applebee’s. They have really, really good food. We have been in twice, and both times the food has been great. Not everywhere can you get a burger with an egg on it.

The problem is that both times I have left frustrated and not wanting to come back. Simply because of customer service. I feel as if I can critique a restaurant objectively because I worked in a few for 6 years (mainly as a server). Let me rant for just a second and then hear me out.

There are things that I don’t particularly like about Chatters (walls are beige and empty, counter/waiting area reminds me of Shoney’s) but I can get past little things, but to get past poor customer service is hard. It is the little things that add up. When we were seated, we waited for 4-5 minutes before our server showed up. Ordering was annoying. Our drinks were always empty. We waited 35 minutes from the time we ordered till we received our food. We also had to wait for a long time for our check, and then it took forever for her to get our check back to us. It seemed as if there was something we were always waiting on. You may think I am just complaining, but from the time we sat down till the time we left it was an hour and twenty minutes. But I truly believe the problem is that her training did not emphasize the importance of customer service.

Now let me bring it back. I am a very easy customer and I rarely complain. I know what a server goes through, because I have been there. Multiple times, I wanted to fill out a comment card for the reason of improving the organization. But, my wife stops me not realizing my intent. I know that with a little bit of work, this could be an amazing restaurant. Like I said before, the food is stinkin’ good. Let me spend one night observing the staff, the procedures, the organization and then let me lead a re-training seminar. I could improve the customer service of Chatters, in turn changing the bottom line. I don’t think people realize how much one affects the other. Please, let me help - I’ll do it for free.

This is not a post about a restaurant.

Amazing customer service can fix a horrible problem. Poor customer service can kill an amazing product quickly.

Come to Webb City, go to Chatters, try the Gorilla/Lion Burger and tell me what you think.