Tag: management BS

My Version of Job Hunting

I decided to take a trip to Israel. I was sick and tired of sitting at my house, wondering if the teams’ reluctance to pay for my plane ticket was the only thing holding me back from a job. I figured if I flew out here a myriad of possibilities would materialize. That turned out to be wishful thinking.

Let’s start with a positive. I have been crashing with the family of one of my teammates in Beer Yaakov, and they are exceedingly kind. They have housed me, fed me, taken me to their family functions, and even done my laundry. I couldn’t ask for more. Continue reading “My Version of Job Hunting”

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Practice Fight, Media Consumption

Practice got a little out of hand today. One guy made a drive to the basket, another guy hit him with a hard foul, and then they got in each others faces. Then, guy #1 had the audacity to put his hands on guy #2’s neck, sort of holding him back, in a gesture that said “im older than you, so you might want to back the F up.” Of course, that sent guy#2 into a frenzy, and fists started flying. I’ve always said that these Israelis get too comfortable putting their hands on and around peoples faces. That kind of thing might send me over the edge too. Continue reading “Practice Fight, Media Consumption”

Team Meetings

I have a serious bone to pick with the concept of the team meeting. Maybe it is my tendency to view everything through the most bitter lens possible, but I believe they serve no purpose. They are only called when things are going bad. Everyone knows things are going bad. The problems with bad teams usually run deep, and a 45 minute meeting is not going to be enough to change the tide. Call me pessimistic, but that has been my experience.

I have been on some bad teams, but maybe none more dysfunctional than my team last year. The Calabasas Coyotes circa 2002 had some serious head cases, but that is too long ago for the memories to stick out. I also had some classic team meetings in college, but I’ll have to really think about those details before I write about them. So we are sticking with Haifa for now. Continue reading “Team Meetings”

How To Ruin a Negotiation Without Really Trying

1. Be angry from the moment you wake up.

From 10 AM on I was working myself up about my meeting with the team owner. I decided that there was no reason that he should have charged me for the car that he let me use for a month. There was no reason I should have to pay for a flight when we never the discussed the details before hand. There was no reason I had to go in there and be a kiss ass when I had not been paid in over 2 months. I was ready to really get into it with this guy.

2. Don’t Listen to Anybody’s Pre-Meeting Advice

Maybe my agent sensed the fury growing within me, because he called me around 11 AM. He told me that he had talked with the owner, that I needed to accept whatever money he offered me, and that he would work something out later. I asked him why everything always got pushed back around here. He insisted that nothing good would come of bringing the ruckus right now. Continue reading “How To Ruin a Negotiation Without Really Trying”

Rehab

     Had one of my typical, hectic Israeli trips yesterday while trying to find a physical therapist. I was “scheduled” for a 10 AM appointment, but I quickly found out that Gabbi (team manager) really had no idea where he was taking me. There was heavy rain throughout the drive, and we were stuck in traffic for 20 minutes. Both those things set an ominous tone for the morning. I was also coming off a night of 3 hours of sleep, so every irritation was amplified. Continue reading “Rehab”

1/4 Season Update

Things have been going well enough that I haven’t been compelled to write about something that was bothering me. Here are some things that have happened and things I have thought about since my last entry:
-ODWB gave me a clock as a holiday gift. I was grateful, but I am still suspicious. It seems like every night that I come back late there is some sort of work going on early the next morning. Once it was painting the hallway (which you wouldn’t think would be that loud, but he found a way to make it obnoxious and un-sleepthroughable) , once it was the roof. If he thinks I’m not on to him he is very wrong. Continue reading “1/4 Season Update”