Week three of the college football season is in the books and there are no real surprises. At least not yet.
1. Alabama: Look for Nick and CO. to be in the big game at the end. Again.
2. Oregon: Top notch talent that destroyed a lower level SEC squad. The victory wasn't a surprise but the margin was an eye opener.
3. Texas Agriculture: Johnny Football is the real deal. Perhaps he will grow up some before long. Probably not though. Defense is a bit suspect perhaps.
4. Clemson: The class of the ACC and could challenge for the national title before all is said and done.
5. Georgia: Right behind BAMA and TAMU.
6. South Carolina: One mediocre outing does not count them out. A threat in the SEC.
7. Florida State: Perhaps ranked a bit high. A quality team none the less.
8. Louisville: A sluggish start against an inept team keeps them down a bit. To be fair it was against their cross state rival. Never can tell about a rivalry game..
9. Ohio State: The competition level has them looking like a top 5 team. They aren't. Yet.
10 LSU: Miles is coach. Probably won't rise higher. He will single handedly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory at least once this season. It's what he does.
11. Miami: Believe it. Al Golden will bring them a top 20 finish this season.
12. Oklahoma: The best in a mediocre Big Twelve.
13. Stanford: Probably not the team they were the last couple of years.
14. UCLA: Moving up. Shedding years of mediocre performance. Well coached.
15. Michigan: Quality win over Notre Dame two weeks ago. Embarrassed by a very close call with a lower level MAC squad. A well coached team that could move up. Or down.
16. Baylor: Possibly ranked a bit low. One of the best coaches in the game today.
17. Texas Tech: A good deal of speed equals a top 20 finish in the polls. Has to shed the disaster that was Tuberville.
18. Northwestern: OK. Some say they are a quality squad and I will give them the benefit of the doubt. For now.
19. Oklahoma State: Has yet to play a real game. A lot of negative allegations may become a distraction here.
20. Washington: OK. Might be a good team.
21 Utah State: May be the best of the MWC. Will be challenged by Boise State and Fresno State.
22. Ole Miss: Perhaps ranked a bit low.
23. Boise State: May finish in the top 25. A bit of an off year in Boise.
24: Notre Dame: OK. Maybe.
25: Florida: Over rated. A bit of a stretch to include them at this point.
On the bubble (in no particular order):
Rice: Rice? Yep.
Fresno State: May make it in before all is done. Would have traded them out with either Boise or Utah State had they played and (of course) beat Colorado. The game was ppd due to a flood disaster in Colorado.
Wisconsin: A let down yesterday.
Houston: Next week will be a challenge
Auburn: Better than last season. Way better. Well coached and will reach a bowl game.
Vanderbilt: Not the worse team in the SEC. By a long shot.
Mississippi State: Ditto.
Penn State: Over rated but will win some games
Navy: The best of the service academies. Again.
Ohio: May make noise in the MAC. Top notch HC.
Northern Illinois: Ditto.
Oregon State: Not sure what we have here.
Toledo: Another good MAC team.
Kent State: Well coached and could make some noise in the MAC
Arkansas State: May be the best of the Sun Belt and the best team in the state (sorry Hogs fans). Defeated Troy and will be further challenged by ULM. ULM has the best QB and one of the best receivers in conference but it might not be enough to unseast Arkansas State.
West Virginia: We will see what Dana really has before long. Hung tough with a good Sooner squad a while back.
Kansas State: Never count out Snyder. He does wonders with often mediocre talent.
TCU: Not as good as originally advertised. Looks like a rebuild.
UCF: Good win yesterday. This could be a top 25 team.
Arizona: Well coached.
Arizona State: Coached by a fool, but the guy does seem to know how to win. May make some noise in the PAC 12.
Nebraska: Could squeak into the Top 25. How the mighty have fallen.
Washington State: Could break in. The Pirate may be just what the doctor ordered here.
Arkansas: Trying to come back after the program was near destroyed by Petrino. Smith didn't help matters either. Probably has the right coach at the helm now.
ULM: May challenge for the Sun Belt. Would have to run the table to have any possibility of a top 25 finish. Should lose to Baylor next week but may make it closer than expected.
USC: Horrible coach. Should win year in and year out with the talent they have on the field. Still a possible top 25 finish in store.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Friday, September 13, 2013
Week 3 2013 College Football Predictions
I watched a little college ball Thursday night. Kind of hard switching back and forth between four games (three FBS and one D2 contest). The TTU/TCU game was fair but the best was the Arkansas State/Troy match up. At any rate, last week I went 8-2 with a total of 14-6 thus far. Let's see what can be done this week....
1. AFA vs Boise State: It doesn't look like this will be one of the Broncos' better seasons although they certainly should be right in the thick of the MWC race. Air Force is not very good at this point in the season. I would look for the Idaho bunch to take this one with relative ease in tonight's contest.
2. Delaware vs Navy: This one will be a toss up likely. I will go with the Squids in a close contest.
3. West Point vs Stanford: A no brainer here. Go with Stanford. It is almost embarrassing to put this one on the board.
4. Ohio State vs Cal: There are those who are saying that the Buckeyes are ripe for an upset. They may not really be quite as good as the pundits say. Cal is well coached but then, so is Ohio State. The team from Ohio will prevail. Hope not.
5. Nichols vs Louisiana: This is the week the Cajuns carve out their first win. If they don't then it will be a very very long season down in Lafayette.
6. Memphis vs Middle Tennessee State: This one has become a rivalry of sorts and is probably pretty even. I will go a bit out on a limb here and predict the Tigers will come away with a (very) minor upset. Go with the team from Memphis.
7. UCLA vs Nebraska: This is the big one some say. Of course that is ridiculous but it could be a good game none the less. UCLA is well coached and is moving up it seems after years of mediocrity. The glory days of the Huskers is long past and likely won't be returning anytime real soon. That being said this is an even game and I will have to go with the team from California.
8. Ole Miss vs Texas: There are problems in Austin. There have been for a number of seasons if truth be told. Ole Miss is supposed to be a vastly improving team and the Horns were embarrassed last week by a somewhat below average BYU club. It is still likely that the Longhorns will find a way to win this one at home. It may be close.
9. Northern Illinois vs Idaho: The Vandals are dismal. Why they didn't keep a very good head coach is beyond me. NIU might be a pretty good team. Not near what they were last year likely but still a pretty solid MAC club. The Huskies should win with relative ease.
10. Alabama vs TAMU: OK. Everyone knows this is the game of the week and may even have national championship type implications. A bit early for all that but there you have it.
It is relatively certain that young "Johnny Football" will show a few moves and have a few surprises. He is talented football player. He is also a punk. Be that as it may, he will make the Tide defense look foolish and inept on a number of occasions but just not enough to matter. Look for the Crimson Tide to win here.
Have a good week and enjoy the games.
1. AFA vs Boise State: It doesn't look like this will be one of the Broncos' better seasons although they certainly should be right in the thick of the MWC race. Air Force is not very good at this point in the season. I would look for the Idaho bunch to take this one with relative ease in tonight's contest.
2. Delaware vs Navy: This one will be a toss up likely. I will go with the Squids in a close contest.
3. West Point vs Stanford: A no brainer here. Go with Stanford. It is almost embarrassing to put this one on the board.
4. Ohio State vs Cal: There are those who are saying that the Buckeyes are ripe for an upset. They may not really be quite as good as the pundits say. Cal is well coached but then, so is Ohio State. The team from Ohio will prevail. Hope not.
5. Nichols vs Louisiana: This is the week the Cajuns carve out their first win. If they don't then it will be a very very long season down in Lafayette.
6. Memphis vs Middle Tennessee State: This one has become a rivalry of sorts and is probably pretty even. I will go a bit out on a limb here and predict the Tigers will come away with a (very) minor upset. Go with the team from Memphis.
7. UCLA vs Nebraska: This is the big one some say. Of course that is ridiculous but it could be a good game none the less. UCLA is well coached and is moving up it seems after years of mediocrity. The glory days of the Huskers is long past and likely won't be returning anytime real soon. That being said this is an even game and I will have to go with the team from California.
8. Ole Miss vs Texas: There are problems in Austin. There have been for a number of seasons if truth be told. Ole Miss is supposed to be a vastly improving team and the Horns were embarrassed last week by a somewhat below average BYU club. It is still likely that the Longhorns will find a way to win this one at home. It may be close.
9. Northern Illinois vs Idaho: The Vandals are dismal. Why they didn't keep a very good head coach is beyond me. NIU might be a pretty good team. Not near what they were last year likely but still a pretty solid MAC club. The Huskies should win with relative ease.
10. Alabama vs TAMU: OK. Everyone knows this is the game of the week and may even have national championship type implications. A bit early for all that but there you have it.
It is relatively certain that young "Johnny Football" will show a few moves and have a few surprises. He is talented football player. He is also a punk. Be that as it may, he will make the Tide defense look foolish and inept on a number of occasions but just not enough to matter. Look for the Crimson Tide to win here.
Have a good week and enjoy the games.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Lessons learned after Week 2 2013 College Football
It is really too early to tell who is going to have a great season, who will have an average season, and who will be disappointed. It is also a bit early yet to see which team will rise above expectations and perhaps challenge for a "BCS" game. Way to early yet. Be that as it may there are a few things that we have learned after week 2 of play in the college game......
One of the most obvious lessons learned was taught to us very early in the second half of the Aggies/Rice game in week one.. It didn't take long for "Johnny Football" to prove that he is a horse ass of the highest order. If I were a betting man (and I am) I would wager that this kid has his clock cleaned but good before all is said and done. A hard lesson like that might go a long way in correcting the lad's behavior.
Could it be already that we can write off the ten team Big Twelve as weak. Perhaps a bit early. KSU did lose to a very very good FCS team (could happen to all but the top 4 or 5 in D1), and Texas suffered some humiliation at the hands of BYU. The Sooners may (or may not) be a team to watch out for nationally as with their up the road rivals. Texas Tech will likely prove to be a bit inexperienced yet and WVU, well, not much to them....TCU just doesn't look like a real good team at this point.
I would look for Baylor to be the dark horse in taking top honors in the Big Twelve but I would not expect any team from this conference to be a serious challenger for the big game at the end.
The SEC, some say, is going to be down this season. Not so sure about that quite yet. They may not have the best team in the land this year, but someone from this conference will be in the final BCS "National Championship" game. I would suspect it will again be the Tide. As usual they have a rather weak schedule as far as such things in the SEC go....
Is there really anything else worth talking about? I suppose it is a foregone conclusion that Lane will be out at USC at seasons end. Perhaps before that?
Oregon looks like they will have what it takes to challenge Alabama and or Ohio State. Their quickness is still apparent and I am starting to have some doubts whether the Buckeyes are quite as good as advertised. Time will tell.....It may be a mistake to discount Stanford. Somehow easy to forget them...
It is usually a foregone conclusion that Michigan has a good football team but one just not quite ready for prime time. I don't know. I may begin to believe in Hoke before all is said and done.
I am suspecting that no one is wanting to play Louisville right about now. Of course, before all is done, we will hear a great deal about Louisville's "weak schedule" (as if that matters). This is one dangerous team for anyone.
Just like folk have discovered (many against their will) that Louisville is the real deal, the same could be said about Miami perhaps. I would suspect that the Hurricanes are going to make some noise in conference and perhaps, just perhaps, be in the national picture. Whether they have enough to knock off either Clemson of FSU for top spot is a good question. FSU perhaps. Clemson? Probably not....
Which non BCS squad will make some noise and challenge this season?Won't be Boise State. Houston? Probably not. Just don't see one on the horizon this season. There are some teams that are quite good and almost there (Utah State perhaps), but I just don't see anyone making the kind of move that will rank them as a "BCS buster" this season. Could be wrong and hope I am.
Have a good week.
One of the most obvious lessons learned was taught to us very early in the second half of the Aggies/Rice game in week one.. It didn't take long for "Johnny Football" to prove that he is a horse ass of the highest order. If I were a betting man (and I am) I would wager that this kid has his clock cleaned but good before all is said and done. A hard lesson like that might go a long way in correcting the lad's behavior.
Could it be already that we can write off the ten team Big Twelve as weak. Perhaps a bit early. KSU did lose to a very very good FCS team (could happen to all but the top 4 or 5 in D1), and Texas suffered some humiliation at the hands of BYU. The Sooners may (or may not) be a team to watch out for nationally as with their up the road rivals. Texas Tech will likely prove to be a bit inexperienced yet and WVU, well, not much to them....TCU just doesn't look like a real good team at this point.
I would look for Baylor to be the dark horse in taking top honors in the Big Twelve but I would not expect any team from this conference to be a serious challenger for the big game at the end.
The SEC, some say, is going to be down this season. Not so sure about that quite yet. They may not have the best team in the land this year, but someone from this conference will be in the final BCS "National Championship" game. I would suspect it will again be the Tide. As usual they have a rather weak schedule as far as such things in the SEC go....
Is there really anything else worth talking about? I suppose it is a foregone conclusion that Lane will be out at USC at seasons end. Perhaps before that?
Oregon looks like they will have what it takes to challenge Alabama and or Ohio State. Their quickness is still apparent and I am starting to have some doubts whether the Buckeyes are quite as good as advertised. Time will tell.....It may be a mistake to discount Stanford. Somehow easy to forget them...
It is usually a foregone conclusion that Michigan has a good football team but one just not quite ready for prime time. I don't know. I may begin to believe in Hoke before all is said and done.
I am suspecting that no one is wanting to play Louisville right about now. Of course, before all is done, we will hear a great deal about Louisville's "weak schedule" (as if that matters). This is one dangerous team for anyone.
Just like folk have discovered (many against their will) that Louisville is the real deal, the same could be said about Miami perhaps. I would suspect that the Hurricanes are going to make some noise in conference and perhaps, just perhaps, be in the national picture. Whether they have enough to knock off either Clemson of FSU for top spot is a good question. FSU perhaps. Clemson? Probably not....
Which non BCS squad will make some noise and challenge this season?Won't be Boise State. Houston? Probably not. Just don't see one on the horizon this season. There are some teams that are quite good and almost there (Utah State perhaps), but I just don't see anyone making the kind of move that will rank them as a "BCS buster" this season. Could be wrong and hope I am.
Have a good week.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Week 2 2013 College Football Predictions
Well so far the U.S. and whatever "coalition of the willing" has not attacked Assad and Co. McCain continues to prove his senility wherever he may roam, Excalibur is still, after all these years, a stupid movie, and my work load is off the charts. Despite all this the second week of the 2013 college football season must be played....Last week I went 6-4. Let's see how this one plays out....
1. Houston vs Temple: The Coogs proved nothing in their beat down of a SWAC opponent last week. The Owls are a bit of a mystery. This one could prove to be a good one and I will go with the team from Houston in a close one.
2. SE Louisiana vs TCU: The Frogs lost to the "premier" team in Louisiana last week and will take it out on this lower level FCS opponent. This one is a no brainer.
3. Chattanooga vs Georgia State: Georgia State transitions into the upper division but they are still, in reality, a lower tier FCS squad. The Mocs are habitual lower tier FCS in their own right. This one is a toss up and I will go with the team from Tennessee.
4. SDSU vs Ohio State: Some folk say this is the year of the Buckeye and I may be inclined to agree. Time will tell. SDSU may yet have a decent squad this year (although last week they sure didn't show it) but likely will not be able to hang long with the team from Ohio. Wouldn't it be nice though............Nothing is more annoying than Buckeyes and their fans except for perhaps the honks of Notre Dame.......Go with the Ohio team here.
5. South Carolina vs Georgia: This is the big one of the week (Florida and Miami notwithstanding). Georgia was tripped up last week against a Clemson squad that may be a dark horse in the race for the national title. South Carolina, also a dark horse, will have just enough in the tank to edge the Bulldogs here. I will go with the Gamecocks in a close one.
6. Notre Dame vs Michigan: Some folks tout this as the big game of the week but let's be honest. Neither will make any noise in the national race. Notre Dame was over rated all season last and are no better this year. Michigan is a good team for the Big Ten and not much more. This one is another toss up and I will flip the coin and go with the Wolverines.
7. La. Lafayette vs KSU: NDSU came to town last week and "upset" the Wildcats. In reality NDSU would be a top 25 team would they play in D1. The Cajuns had a horrible outing against the Hogs last Saturday and, if week one is any indication, are not as good as they were season last. I would go with the Wildcats here.
8. Sam Houston vs TAMU: One thing that was confirmed last week after the Aggie opener is that this "Johnny Football" is an ass. An over rated arrogant ass if truth be told. We also learned that a top level FCS, (ok I will get on the bandwagon and refer to the lower division as FCS), squad is every bit as good as just a whole lot of teams in what was formerly referred to as Division I. Sam Houston is one of those teams. Not quite the squad that North Dakota State is likely but a dangerous opponent for anyone outside of the top 10 in "big time" college ball. That being said, it is not likely that SHS will have what it takes to upend the Aggies. This would be another "wouldn't it be nice" game.......
9. Duke vs Memphis: At least the Tigers aren't playing a powerhouse in their opener. We will soon see if Memphis is going to be as inept as they are usually. I would go with Duke here.
10. Arkansas State vs Auburn: Auburn may be somewhat better than they were last season. The Red Wolves probably have fallen off a bit. That would make this a good game likely. I will go out on a limb and predict an upset of sorts here and go with the team from Arkansas.
Have a good week and enjoy the games.
1. Houston vs Temple: The Coogs proved nothing in their beat down of a SWAC opponent last week. The Owls are a bit of a mystery. This one could prove to be a good one and I will go with the team from Houston in a close one.
2. SE Louisiana vs TCU: The Frogs lost to the "premier" team in Louisiana last week and will take it out on this lower level FCS opponent. This one is a no brainer.
3. Chattanooga vs Georgia State: Georgia State transitions into the upper division but they are still, in reality, a lower tier FCS squad. The Mocs are habitual lower tier FCS in their own right. This one is a toss up and I will go with the team from Tennessee.
4. SDSU vs Ohio State: Some folk say this is the year of the Buckeye and I may be inclined to agree. Time will tell. SDSU may yet have a decent squad this year (although last week they sure didn't show it) but likely will not be able to hang long with the team from Ohio. Wouldn't it be nice though............Nothing is more annoying than Buckeyes and their fans except for perhaps the honks of Notre Dame.......Go with the Ohio team here.
5. South Carolina vs Georgia: This is the big one of the week (Florida and Miami notwithstanding). Georgia was tripped up last week against a Clemson squad that may be a dark horse in the race for the national title. South Carolina, also a dark horse, will have just enough in the tank to edge the Bulldogs here. I will go with the Gamecocks in a close one.
6. Notre Dame vs Michigan: Some folks tout this as the big game of the week but let's be honest. Neither will make any noise in the national race. Notre Dame was over rated all season last and are no better this year. Michigan is a good team for the Big Ten and not much more. This one is another toss up and I will flip the coin and go with the Wolverines.
7. La. Lafayette vs KSU: NDSU came to town last week and "upset" the Wildcats. In reality NDSU would be a top 25 team would they play in D1. The Cajuns had a horrible outing against the Hogs last Saturday and, if week one is any indication, are not as good as they were season last. I would go with the Wildcats here.
8. Sam Houston vs TAMU: One thing that was confirmed last week after the Aggie opener is that this "Johnny Football" is an ass. An over rated arrogant ass if truth be told. We also learned that a top level FCS, (ok I will get on the bandwagon and refer to the lower division as FCS), squad is every bit as good as just a whole lot of teams in what was formerly referred to as Division I. Sam Houston is one of those teams. Not quite the squad that North Dakota State is likely but a dangerous opponent for anyone outside of the top 10 in "big time" college ball. That being said, it is not likely that SHS will have what it takes to upend the Aggies. This would be another "wouldn't it be nice" game.......
9. Duke vs Memphis: At least the Tigers aren't playing a powerhouse in their opener. We will soon see if Memphis is going to be as inept as they are usually. I would go with Duke here.
10. Arkansas State vs Auburn: Auburn may be somewhat better than they were last season. The Red Wolves probably have fallen off a bit. That would make this a good game likely. I will go out on a limb and predict an upset of sorts here and go with the team from Arkansas.
Have a good week and enjoy the games.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Week 1 2013 College Football Predictions
The college football season is underway. There are a lot of other things one hell of a lot more important going on right now but..........why worry about that right about now. On to the predictions for the first week of the 2013 season.
1. NC vs SC: South Carolina may (or may not) be right there in the hunt for the SEC crown and a big time bowl. They are having no problem with North Carolina in the 1st quarter and will win by three touchdowns. Go with the Gamecocks here.
2. Utah State vs Utah: The Aggies were a solid bunch last season and of course the coach went on to "greener pastures." It will be interesting to see if Utah State can continue to have success in their new conference. The Utes on the other hand have been a disappointment since moving to the "big time" of the PAC 12. I will go with the Aggies here in perhaps a close one.
3. Western Carolina vs Middle TN State: Go with the Blue Raiders of MTSU.
4. USC vs Hawaii: This will likely be Lane's last year as coach of the mighty Trojans. His squad will fall shy of the top 25 again but their spiral won't begin this week. Go with USC.
5. Sacramento State vs San Jose State: The Spartans had a surprisingly good season last year and of course the HC moved on. SCSU is a pretty good IAA (err FCS) club. It might be close but I will go with the Spartans.
6. TTU vs SMU: The Mustangs may be on the right track with Jones' rebuild (supposedly) of the program. TTU is in disarray after the disaster that was Tuberville. Both of the squads are a bit of a mystery and the game may be a toss up. I would go with SMU in a minor upset.
7. Southern vs Houston: Houston has certainly fallen off since Case moved to the NFL and Sumlin moved on to Aggie land. Still this should be a no brainer. Go with the Coogs.
8. North Dakota State vs Kansas State: This will be a good one. ND State (FCS)would certainly be able to compete with the lower tier of the top 25 and KSU is probably (again) under rated. I would go with the Wildcats in a good close game.
9. TAMU vs Rice: Rice came on strong the second half of last season and finished with a winning record (thus saving Bailiff and co.). That annoying "Johnny Football" is supposedly suspended for at least part of the opener with the Owls. I would still go with the Aggies here but wouldn't it be fun if......?
10. Louisiana vs Arkansas: We will see how the Hogs fare after the disaster of the last couple of years. How one can come back from Petrino is beyond me. John L. Smith had some problems of his own and was not the man to right the ship. We will see........The Cajuns are a good team and they may well "upset" the Razorbacks. I will go out on a limb and pick the team from Louisiana here.
Don't know about you but I for one am glad for the distraction that is college football...
1. NC vs SC: South Carolina may (or may not) be right there in the hunt for the SEC crown and a big time bowl. They are having no problem with North Carolina in the 1st quarter and will win by three touchdowns. Go with the Gamecocks here.
2. Utah State vs Utah: The Aggies were a solid bunch last season and of course the coach went on to "greener pastures." It will be interesting to see if Utah State can continue to have success in their new conference. The Utes on the other hand have been a disappointment since moving to the "big time" of the PAC 12. I will go with the Aggies here in perhaps a close one.
3. Western Carolina vs Middle TN State: Go with the Blue Raiders of MTSU.
4. USC vs Hawaii: This will likely be Lane's last year as coach of the mighty Trojans. His squad will fall shy of the top 25 again but their spiral won't begin this week. Go with USC.
5. Sacramento State vs San Jose State: The Spartans had a surprisingly good season last year and of course the HC moved on. SCSU is a pretty good IAA (err FCS) club. It might be close but I will go with the Spartans.
6. TTU vs SMU: The Mustangs may be on the right track with Jones' rebuild (supposedly) of the program. TTU is in disarray after the disaster that was Tuberville. Both of the squads are a bit of a mystery and the game may be a toss up. I would go with SMU in a minor upset.
7. Southern vs Houston: Houston has certainly fallen off since Case moved to the NFL and Sumlin moved on to Aggie land. Still this should be a no brainer. Go with the Coogs.
8. North Dakota State vs Kansas State: This will be a good one. ND State (FCS)would certainly be able to compete with the lower tier of the top 25 and KSU is probably (again) under rated. I would go with the Wildcats in a good close game.
9. TAMU vs Rice: Rice came on strong the second half of last season and finished with a winning record (thus saving Bailiff and co.). That annoying "Johnny Football" is supposedly suspended for at least part of the opener with the Owls. I would still go with the Aggies here but wouldn't it be fun if......?
10. Louisiana vs Arkansas: We will see how the Hogs fare after the disaster of the last couple of years. How one can come back from Petrino is beyond me. John L. Smith had some problems of his own and was not the man to right the ship. We will see........The Cajuns are a good team and they may well "upset" the Razorbacks. I will go out on a limb and pick the team from Louisiana here.
Don't know about you but I for one am glad for the distraction that is college football...
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Things Not To Do In Corporate America
Somehow or other I find my way back in corporate America. A trucking company true, but some of the nonsense that comes down the pike from the corporate types makes me wonder if we are in the trucking business at all.....The new one is some sort of truck rodeo that we have to plan (on a Saturday no less) for the drivers to participate in. Of course a couple of drivers (the nine to five types) are all for it, but the real drivers are cynical and those that are even home, are likely not to give up their time to come in for such nonsense. Still we must plan and put on this circus......
It is interesting yet predictable that the corporate honks misunderstand driver psychology to the extent that they do. Most drivers are not all that impressed with "free" hats and t shirts and could care less about the occasional "safety" banquets that they are "required" to attend. They find it silly and a waste of valuable home time. What a driver wants is a load that pays decently, equipment that does not leave them stranded, and reasonable home time. Period. Most are not interested in nonsense..........
Enough of all that driver talk. That can come later. Right now however I feel it my sacred duty to give some advice on the things you should just refrain from while working in a corporate environment. Read on.......
1. One should always refrain from greeting coworkers with a "how you doing" in some way out "urban" dialect. If done correctly it comes out as a "how you durin" and, well, some folks would just take that the wrong way. Keep this one in mind....
2. Never ever tell a person of color that they remind you of someone else. Ever. That will bring forth a "we all look alike to you don't we" thing and you just don't want to travel down that road. Do you? I'm pretty sure you don't.
3. If you have access to "random drug test" information, then it would be prudent to wait until the list for the current month is out before partaking in the bounty of the earth. Once you have it and you are in the clear, smoke a little then cleanse and wait until the next month. Works for some folk. So I hear.
4. Never sing the Sophie B Hawkins' tune I wish I Was Your Lover while dancing wildy in front of an attractive co worker. Might give the wrong impression.
5. Don't play country music at your desk. Believe it or not you could be considered a racist of sorts. I shit you not.(I'm in the clear here as I detest most country music). It is ok however to play gangsta rap as long as the "fucks" and "niggas" don't get too loud and disturb your fellow sheep. (Although if someone does complain you can always say you are a victim of "discrimination." It might work for you and could extend your career by years before the corporate "legal team" decides it is ok to can your silly ass.
6.. You probably need to scrape the Confederate flag sticker off the bumper of your vehicle before parking in the corporate lot. Might save you some heartache. It is ok however to have "La Raza" or some sort of Black "separatist" memorabilia plastered on your vehicle. Taking a stand as it were......
7.. Don't announce to your coworkers that you are going home to "get your knob polished" or any type thing similar.
8. Probably be best not to point out the obvious on the state of Islam either.
9. If you think that Sharpton, Jackson and Co. are a bunch of race baiting opportunists, it would be in your best interest to keep that to yourself.
10. Don't use the word "fag" in any context. Ever.
Just following these few simple steps might keep you off the radar of the HR dept and save you untold grief.
You're welcome.
How 'bout some corporate babe Rule 5? Again, you're welcome.
It is interesting yet predictable that the corporate honks misunderstand driver psychology to the extent that they do. Most drivers are not all that impressed with "free" hats and t shirts and could care less about the occasional "safety" banquets that they are "required" to attend. They find it silly and a waste of valuable home time. What a driver wants is a load that pays decently, equipment that does not leave them stranded, and reasonable home time. Period. Most are not interested in nonsense..........
Enough of all that driver talk. That can come later. Right now however I feel it my sacred duty to give some advice on the things you should just refrain from while working in a corporate environment. Read on.......
1. One should always refrain from greeting coworkers with a "how you doing" in some way out "urban" dialect. If done correctly it comes out as a "how you durin" and, well, some folks would just take that the wrong way. Keep this one in mind....
2. Never ever tell a person of color that they remind you of someone else. Ever. That will bring forth a "we all look alike to you don't we" thing and you just don't want to travel down that road. Do you? I'm pretty sure you don't.
3. If you have access to "random drug test" information, then it would be prudent to wait until the list for the current month is out before partaking in the bounty of the earth. Once you have it and you are in the clear, smoke a little then cleanse and wait until the next month. Works for some folk. So I hear.
4. Never sing the Sophie B Hawkins' tune I wish I Was Your Lover while dancing wildy in front of an attractive co worker. Might give the wrong impression.
5. Don't play country music at your desk. Believe it or not you could be considered a racist of sorts. I shit you not.(I'm in the clear here as I detest most country music). It is ok however to play gangsta rap as long as the "fucks" and "niggas" don't get too loud and disturb your fellow sheep. (Although if someone does complain you can always say you are a victim of "discrimination." It might work for you and could extend your career by years before the corporate "legal team" decides it is ok to can your silly ass.
6.. You probably need to scrape the Confederate flag sticker off the bumper of your vehicle before parking in the corporate lot. Might save you some heartache. It is ok however to have "La Raza" or some sort of Black "separatist" memorabilia plastered on your vehicle. Taking a stand as it were......
7.. Don't announce to your coworkers that you are going home to "get your knob polished" or any type thing similar.
8. Probably be best not to point out the obvious on the state of Islam either.
9. If you think that Sharpton, Jackson and Co. are a bunch of race baiting opportunists, it would be in your best interest to keep that to yourself.
10. Don't use the word "fag" in any context. Ever.
Just following these few simple steps might keep you off the radar of the HR dept and save you untold grief.
You're welcome.
How 'bout some corporate babe Rule 5? Again, you're welcome.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Husky Boys In The Big Rig
A lot of truck drivers are overweight. Period. It can, it seems, go with the territory. Long hours sitting, bad (and overpriced) truck stop food........just a general unhealthy lifestyle.
There is an ongoing saga in my company where a man of certain girth has to get his weight under a certain (morbidly obese) level. A couple of months back the man had to be carted off in an ambulance in west Texas and his load "rescued." Needless to say this took a bit of work but as with most things trucking, it worked out. (The customer wasn't particularly happy that their load was to be late but I really didn't give a rat's ass). As it turned out the man had some sort of stomach episode which took him down. OK. These things can happen to anyone right? Read on........
This is not the first time this sort of thing has happened with this particular driver. He has been hauled off in an ambulance from the yard, has had numerous other health related episodes. and has been involved in more than one spectacular crash. I actually worked for the same company years back and vividly recall a non coherent phone call I received from him right after he ran over a stalled vehicle on the freeway outside of Atlanta. It was hard to believe that he was not canned - that would have been a no brainer in other trucking firms I worked for.
Now this gets interesting. The company required that he take a DOT physical after his latest episode involving emergency services. He passed. The powers that be then determined that he get under a certain weight before being allowed back in the truck. It appears they are betting that he is not going to hit the target weight and will just eventually go away. They (human resources, legal, corporate dweebs) have been very careful to make clear that he has not been "terminated" but is required to lose weight to get back in the truck.
As noted, it is readily apparent to any observer that the company is betting that he won't pass. Pretty obvious assessment of the situation if you ask me and, on a personal note, I am not particularly interested in seeing this driver back on the road with yours and mine. He is a menace in my humble opinion.
That being said, a part of me is rooting for this guy to do something. Simply losing the weight would seem his best option - that would place the ball in the company's court so to speak. It would be my guess that the powers that be will try to find something else to keep him out of the truck. And they will.
I guess it would be best to conclude that the corporate types are on the fence. Since they have made it clear the driver is not "fired" and at the same time keeping him out of the truck it seems that they believe they are in the "right" here but still a bit afraid of a discrimination lawsuit.
It will be interesting to see how this turns out.
There is an ongoing saga in my company where a man of certain girth has to get his weight under a certain (morbidly obese) level. A couple of months back the man had to be carted off in an ambulance in west Texas and his load "rescued." Needless to say this took a bit of work but as with most things trucking, it worked out. (The customer wasn't particularly happy that their load was to be late but I really didn't give a rat's ass). As it turned out the man had some sort of stomach episode which took him down. OK. These things can happen to anyone right? Read on........
This is not the first time this sort of thing has happened with this particular driver. He has been hauled off in an ambulance from the yard, has had numerous other health related episodes. and has been involved in more than one spectacular crash. I actually worked for the same company years back and vividly recall a non coherent phone call I received from him right after he ran over a stalled vehicle on the freeway outside of Atlanta. It was hard to believe that he was not canned - that would have been a no brainer in other trucking firms I worked for.
Now this gets interesting. The company required that he take a DOT physical after his latest episode involving emergency services. He passed. The powers that be then determined that he get under a certain weight before being allowed back in the truck. It appears they are betting that he is not going to hit the target weight and will just eventually go away. They (human resources, legal, corporate dweebs) have been very careful to make clear that he has not been "terminated" but is required to lose weight to get back in the truck.
As noted, it is readily apparent to any observer that the company is betting that he won't pass. Pretty obvious assessment of the situation if you ask me and, on a personal note, I am not particularly interested in seeing this driver back on the road with yours and mine. He is a menace in my humble opinion.
That being said, a part of me is rooting for this guy to do something. Simply losing the weight would seem his best option - that would place the ball in the company's court so to speak. It would be my guess that the powers that be will try to find something else to keep him out of the truck. And they will.
I guess it would be best to conclude that the corporate types are on the fence. Since they have made it clear the driver is not "fired" and at the same time keeping him out of the truck it seems that they believe they are in the "right" here but still a bit afraid of a discrimination lawsuit.
It will be interesting to see how this turns out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)