Michael Corley ([info]clivec) wrote,
@ 2009-07-04 10:47:00
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Current mood: geeky

In the name of all non-sports fans, I proclaim this awesome!
Last night after Sarah Palin’s “speech” (I use quotations because it in fact sounded like a jumble of half-sentences from someone on the edge of panic) the news horde went into full gear analyzing the bizarre resignation.

I’m not here to talk about that, but what the reporter said during an interview with Palin’s liaison.

The stand-in for Palin gave a cliché about Basketball, which mirrored similar lines from Palin’s speech (I believe the soon-to-be former governor of Alaska used to play B-ball). This pat response was meant to sound meaningful and powerful, while divulging no information.

The reporter replied, “I don’t know anything about basketball. I know politics. That’s what I’m asking you about.”



For me? Stunned silence. That’s the answer I’ve been waiting for all my life.

I’m sorry, but do you know how many times I’ve heard sports analogies in my endless sales meetings? Do you know how many times I’ve seen clips of the movie “Rudy” to inspire me? Do you know how the various images of monstrous football players and helmeted baseball folk running about is supposed to vault me to heights of glory?

Now, understand, I have nothing against sports. I just hate that I am expected to know its nuances, to love its trappings and to speak about it with authority because of my genitalia.

I have every intention of internalizing this, and the next time I am slammed with another tired cliché of “our goals are just like those in football” I can respond.

I can say with confidence, “I don’t know anything about football. I know about sales”.




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[info]shutterbug93
2009-07-04 04:42 pm UTC (link)
My BIG boss uses football analogies all the time and while, in this sad culture, I'm not expected to necessarily know what he's referring to... I hate that he uses this on our entire department as a means of motivating them. I think the next time he does it, I'm going to reply with a Broadway theatre analogy just to see the blank look on his face. ;) I'm kidding, of course,... I still do need my job. ;)

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[info]clivec
2009-07-04 07:52 pm UTC (link)
Seriously though, a broadway analogy is no more or less apt than football!

Personally, I'd love to hear someone say, "You can't give up on your dreams, the way Blanche DuBois did in Streetcar named desire!"

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[info]epiphany
2009-07-04 06:26 pm UTC (link)
And so it is. Amen.

And I'll go you even one better. I have never even heard of the movie "Rudy" and I love movies.

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[info]clivec
2009-07-04 07:50 pm UTC (link)
I had not heard of "Rudy" until taking my current job. Then we were reguarlly "inspired" by clips from it. The main character is the same actor who plays "Sam Gamgee" in the "Lord of the Rings" so at least it has that going for it.

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[info]cocoajava
2009-07-04 10:05 pm UTC (link)
I agree - that IS awesome!

I would also like to formally request that a football field STOP being used as a measurement. It's meaningless to tell me something is as long as 'four football fields' when I never SEE a field. On purpose. :P

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[info]clivec
2009-07-04 11:05 pm UTC (link)
Yes! We need something everyone knows... like the length of a super wal mart! :)

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[info]nsingman
2009-07-05 02:01 pm UTC (link)
They should stick to something that we can all appreciate, like breasts. "Okay, guys. Our business is already two years past puberty, but we've only got B cups. We need to make these things grow! Let's throw all the bras on the table and get inspired!"

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[info]clivec
2009-07-05 05:04 pm UTC (link)
BRILLIANT!

You're going to be the next Malcom Gladwell. Write that book immediatly!

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