Archive for February, 2007
02-27-2007
Does college hockey make sense this year?
This year, I have had the pleasure and privilege of covering the Denver Pioneers for US College Hockey Online. I’ve always had fun following the college hockey games; I remember staying up to watch Harvard beat Minnesota in quadruple overtime in 1989. Two things remain from that game; the thrill of Harvard winning, and the very strange clear boards that were used by the rink.
I am of the opinion that college hockey has more going for it than pros do. The players are just a slight notch below the NHL, but they often seem more enthusiastic. What truly sets college hockey apart are the student fans; the cheers they come up with, and the way they get into the game, really add a new dimension to hockey in a way they don’t seem to with football or basketball, despite those two sports’ rabid college followings. Between the bowl games and March Madness, those two sports are practically institutions. Not so college hockey, which, like its bigger brother, the NHL, has contented itself with toiling in obscurity behind its cousins.
That’s a shame, because college hockey is a blast to watch. It really should have more of a following (so should the NHL, but that’s another item).
Having watched the scoreboards almost every day this year, I have to wonder at what is going on in college hockey this year. No team has been consistent week in and week in. Almost every team to this point has lost games it should have. Last year’s two finalists, Wisconsin and Boston College, have had troubles. Wisconsin faces the prospect of winning the WCHA tournament in Minnesota or not having a chance to defend its title. BC is in better shape, and should make the tournament, but they have been so maddeningly inconsistent that I forsee trouble in them advancing to the Frozen Four in St. Louis.
Some of the other traditional powerhouses have had equal difficulty. Minnesota was rolling along, but then came the sweep by North Dakota, complete with Robby Bina’s 198 foot goal (check it out here), and Minnesota has since struggled, most recently being swept by St. Cloud. In the east, Boston University again won the Beanpot, and has at times looked very strong, but still struggles to score goals. Maine had a hot streak at the beginning of the year, but has been mediocre since January, and UNH, while strong, just got crushed by Providence and traditionally melts away come playoff time. Notre Dame had been cruising in the Central, till losing to Ferris.
I hate to say the dreaded P word, but college hockey sure has a distrressing level of parity this year. It’s made for some great games, and real excitement watching the season progress, but it’s impossible to predict.
And, in a way, that brings me back to me earlier point about college hockey; it’s brilliant and exciting and gripping. Too bad so many people are missing it.
Posted by Candace in Hockey | No Comments »
02-26-2007
Retail is hell
I’m currently serving my third stint in retail. And, as in my previous stints in retail, which have each lasted for about three years, I’m in management. I don’t know why I’ve been compelled to seek management positions. In my previous two retail positions, from 93-97 and 2002-2006, I was hired first for sales then pursued management. In my latest one, after working as an editor for magazine that folded, I was hired as a manager. And, with about seven years in retail, I can safely say that in retail, you end up dealing with the worst in people. Which makes me conclude that I’m a glutton for punishment, a completely depressing observation about myself.
So, what do I mean about dealing with the worst in people? Well, except for rare exceptions, as a manager, people usually don’t want to talk to you unless they’re upset about something. And in our somewhat hyper-me-centered society, many people seem to have difficulty putting themselves in another’s place, especially when it comes to finding out they can’t get what they want.
Rudeness has, apparently, become endemic in our society, and I fully cop to my own episodes of rudeness in dealing with clerks. Ever see the movie “Clerks”? I think Randal spoke for every retail worker in America when he said, “This job would be great if it wasn’t for the fucking customers. You gotta loosen up, my friend. You’d feel a hell of a lot better if you’d rip into the occasional customer.” This is followed by Randal asking Dante if there aren’t customers that annoy him on a daily basis.
Of course, you can’t really rip the occasional customer, tempting as it may be. But some of the things that customers try or say just leave you scratching your head in bewilderment at the audacity of their wants. I’ve had customers want to return things that are a year or more old. Granted, they may not have been opened, but at a certain point, you own it. And then there are the items that should never be allowed to be returned, like, say, books.
And that’s not to mention the variation on the “Clerks” milk maid customer, the price shopper. You know the one; the customer who spends 15 days pouring over different ads looking for a lower price to force you to match, then spends hours driving back and forth between different stores trying to get the best bargain, all the while spending more damn gas on the search than the money they are saving. Really, if you actually want the item in question, just pay the fraking money! Everyone will be a lot happier.
The big problem is that people just haven’t learned the value of anything. And the internet has really changed the retail landscape, and not for the better. People will come down to a brick and mortar store, take up hours of a salesperson’s time learning all the ins and outs of the item they are interested in, then buy it online from Bob’s Discount Barn for $200 less than you can possibly sell it, and THEN have the audacity to come back to your store to have you deal with the problems or learning curve, since the person they bought it from can’t be bothered, and doesn’t really have to. Isn’t it worth a little extra to actually buy from someone local who can actually help you learn about the product in question? Unfortunately, the answer often seems to be no.
And even despite all that, retail is almost worth it, because every now and then you get a customer who is a pleasure to work with, someone who listens to you instead of lectures you, someone whom you can establish a dialogue with and truly help find the best product for their needs. They are truly grateful for the help you provide.
But for every one of those, there are one or two who are demanding to the point of cruelty. They will sometimes even curse you out. There are the ones who don’t care that what they want is not possible, or even reasonable; they only care about making someone else’s life a living hell. I’ll refrain from the observation about what type of person delights in inflicting misery on others.
So, I’ll conclude this post with a plea for my fellow retail workers. The next time you go out shopping, try to put aside your own anger, your own life, and think about the person standing in front of you trying to help you as a PERSON. Most of the people in customer service actually do want to help; you might be surprised at what a little restraint and politeness will accomplish.
Posted by Candace in Rants | No Comments »