300lb 7th grader wants to play peewee football

I caught wind of this last week but it seems like its picking up some momentum and wanted to share my thoughts for a minute. If you have yet to hear about this situation check it out-
Texas Pee Wee Football Player

This is stupid.

Most organizations have set rules in place and typically follows those. Right? So why is this kid even an issue? He's close to 3 bills on the scale yet wants to play ball with kids that realistically are ONE THIRD his size! The worst is the comments and feedback this story is receiving. But I'll get to that in a second.

First off, I need to bring up both sides here. I'd like to say I am not just talking out of my ass on this one but I've been through both ends of this argument already. Growing up I was already 5'8" 180lbs in 7th grade. I was pretty damn fat but also a LOT bigger than many kids my age. You think my peewee league was going to let me in? Forget about it. I never played football before than either. So it wasn't until freshman year I decided to play. Turns out I just wasn't any good at it nor liked football that much to begin with. Hindsight really wish we had a rugby club back then...anyways.

Fast forward about 6 or 7 years and there I was coaching a peewee league. I may not have been a very good player (I sucked) but I could coach pretty well. Now because of this I have perspective on the entire situation not just the tear jerker story this kids mother is trying to spin. People need to understand peewee is a developmental league but realistically its a d-league for those kids whose bodies forget to hit their growth spurt until they turn 16. We had kids that were 12 years old but only 5' and 115lbs. We had a few close to the league weight limits of 125 to run the ball, 135 to play anywhere, or even 150 to play offensive line but those were rare since the big boys went to play for the school. Where they don't have weight limits.

So lets paint a picture. There's 22 kids on the field. Combined weight barely over a ton. Roughly the total weight of a high school side or a college front line. They run around and make plays and awkwardly tackle each other while screaming in their high pitched kids voices. Parents cheer and coaches are calling plays. Now lets screw that situation up and throw a 6'2" 300lb grown man in there. Only he's not a man but a shy 7th grader. At least I'm going to guess he's shy. Can't imagine a outspoken young man willing to play beginner league with midgets. Regardless lets say he's on the defensive line because, well, obviously that's where he's going to be. The ball is snapped and he stands up, most beginning big lineman do that, and just walks through the center straight into the backfield. Maybe he makes a tackle. Maybe he puts his hands up essentially creating a 8' roadblock for passes. Or the team makes the dumb idea to run up the middle with him standing in the way and then the 120lb ball runner gets a concussion from running into the Fiat someone parked in the middle of the field.

Maybe a little overexagerrated but lets be realistic. He's big for high school and maybe small college standards and he wants to play with kids. I am not sure how many of my readers have ever made contact with someone who weighs 300lbs but its a odd experience. To hit, block, tackle, etc. a human being that weighs as much as a bear is a task. Even if they are standing still, fat, and nonathletic there is still the issue that you moving a dead weight object of 300 POUNDS. Once again assuming my readers are typically teenagers or adults, now imagine a scared shitless 12 year old that weighs about the same as Snookie being told that behemoth is his assignment.

So what are some viable solutions? Send the kid to a trainer or coach or camp to figure out how to play. If she can't afford a good one then simply set up a donation account and start raking money from sympathizers since Im sure there are plenty. Plus it only costs a few hundred to receive the type of training he needs so it won't take long. Bottom line the boy needs some confidence and hitting the gym and field are the only two ways thats going to happen.

There is a reason, once again, there are weight restrictions in peewee leagues. So this DOES NOT HAPPEN. It is legitimately comparable to a heavyweight wrestler demanding to go 135lbs or lighter because he is 'inexperienced and wants to wrestle with his friends'. Can you imagine what kind of crap that would stir up?

Which then brings up the next point. The flood of ignorant comments under every article that I can find. Its also one way or the other. Parents are crying that the kid should play. Others agree with me and say he needs to learn how to play ball at the school. What blows my mind is how those can say he should be allowed to play with the little kids but have absolutely no way to justify their logic. Mostly it just sounds like they feel bad because there is a sob story involved and 'Baby Huey' can't hang out with his buddies. That's life. Get used to it. Sure he is only in 7th grade but kids seriously need to stop being babied and coddled all the time and get used to life.

Crappy service...again?!?!

Man, I don't if I'm going to learn my lesson here. Buy from trusted sources and you can't go wrong. Even if it costs a few extra bucks. If you read my McMaster Carr post you already know where this might be going.

So before I blow up on some uncontrolled fit of rage theres a few things that any business should be good at-

NUMBER F&$%ING 1!! (so much for holding back already)
COMMUNICATION- Is it so damn hard to respond to emails? I know it takes time but if you are so busy go hire an intern or some broke college kid under the table to at least answer the easy shit and forward on what he/she cannot reply to. Wait...can't afford someone? Once again if you are THAT busy and still can't spring for some help then your prices are simply too low. Hey its great you want to cut the public a deal but when you can not even respond to some very concerned questions then you are going to have some pissed off costumers.

Number 2- Keep your stock updated
This I understand can be a little more complicated as it requires regular updating to the website. But my gripe here is how eagerly a company will charge you for a product that is not in stock nor won't be for some time. That essentially goes back to number-effing-1 on communication between supplier and distributor.

Number 3- Customer is always right
And for this the company that I am referring to just saved their ass from me bashing them on every forum I could find (of course, looking around there seems to be plenty out there doing that already). Sure I got better things to do with my time (lies) but when you almost get ripped for 1,500 you need to spread the word. Anyways, if the customer didn't get their product in a somewhat reasonable time frame then a refund needs to be issued. Most business I can think of won't even charge if they don't have the item in question and I like Best Buys policy (did I just say that?) that if it is not shipped in 30 days its automatically refunded. 

So anyways to my closing statements I need to make a note that I seriously need to only buy from Rogue as much as I can and, at times, EliteFTS. Seriously some hands down best service I could imagine so far. Granted EFS is a little pricey but when they have a sale Im all over it. Especially their bands.

Gym update 8/6/12

Well its been a bit again since I posted last so heres a little update with the goings on at the new gym.

Everything is in! Well for the most part. Truck is a little fubared for the moment so transporting a few hundred pounds of concrete and rubber in the form of balls and tires is turning into a problem. At least until I can find someone with a vehicle and a few hours. Everything else is in. Racks, bars, weights...those damn weights. That reminds me to email this supplier on why the hell my bumpers are not in yet.

DERAIL---- So over 2 months ago I ordered about 1100lbs in bumpers and still have yet to hear about them coming in. Apparently they were out of stock with the rest of the country. Well word is going around that they are now in. Except this company I bought from has been dodging my emails for the past 2 weeks. Needless to say Im getting a little annoyed. Getting close to demanding my money back.

Back on track....

Theres a few things I think I want to tweak before I am really settled in. The flooring I bought took up a lot more space than I originally thought so I may reorganize it slightly. I need more mobility room on the one half of the facility. Right now theres barely enough room to fit my 2 prowlers without crashing into each other. Plus theres a slight angle to the floor so if you're not paying attention its very easy to drift into the wall. Done it twice so far.

So phase 1 is about finished. If you're wondering I have an idea of different 'phases' that this gym will go through. Phase 1 is what I have now. Phase 2 involves a turf floor of about 12'x50' and band anchor stations on the far wall. Phase 3 is the addition of an indoor throwing area. Probably hanging heavy mats and nets from the ceiling to allow every indoor and outdoor event possible. Phase 4 is the addition of dumbbells and squat rack. Phase 5? Probably a bigger facility. Chock full of good shit to play with including but not limited to a a tred sled, Woodway treadmill, proper testing equipment (laser speed test, vertimax, etc.), and a full compliment of strongman equipment. But thats sometime far down the road Id imagine.

Anyways apparently most of the pics I thought I uploaded never made it. Looks like my 4g doesn't work too well down in the basement that is my gym. May just need to spring for internet but coughing however much a month it is for that just is not worth it right now. Which stinks since I need some sort of connection for my credit card terminal. Hmmm. Well thats something for debate later.

Anyways, Im wondering on having a "Grand Opening" next month but not sure if there would even be a point. Could be fun. Will have to see what happens between then and now. Meantime I got to find me some more athletes and get some signups.

Pine Tar - 'eff this...'

So did you know theres a difference in Pine Tars?

Yea, me neither.

Apparently when shopping for tacky to stick on your atlas stones/ hands its best to make sure you get heavy or thick pine tar. NOT Light Pine Tar. That stuff is like oil

Better yet don't bother with pine tar at all. It's sloppy and stinks to all holy hell. EVERYTHING smells like tar right now. Whether it actually has tar on it or not.

So now Im hoping a scalding hot shower and some bleach will do the trick since everything else hasn't .

***EDIT***
Apparently some Isopropyl Alchohol works alright. Still have a hint of pine but its more of a faint scent now not the overwhelming disgusting that it once was.

My misadventures with McMaster Carr

Well if you read my previous blog http://danprater.blogspot.com/2012/05/chain-lifting-accomodating-resistence.html Part 1 then you would have taken in the fun mishaps I had to deal with just buy some chains. It gets better.

First lets recap;
-I drove out there to order 6 chains at 5 feet in length to save on shipping.
-After stating I wanted to pick them up I was told an hour without actually receiving a billing statement or even so much as a "cost is..."
-I arrive an hour later to be told order was shipped.
-I am then charged for another set to be picked up in "15 minutes" which turned into waiting an hour and a half and having to cancel practice.
-Also, I am told I would need to send the other order back. Yep, because shipping 120lbs of chain is as easy as stopping by your local post office...
-I finally get my 2nd order only to find out after I already got back to the gym that I am missing a chain!
-Even better, NONE are the same length...
-So after emailing stating my frustrations I am told to keep one chain from the mailed order and send the other 5 back.

Which brings us to this week.

Monday rolls around and still no refund. I email. Suddenly I have a refund issued. Except its about 2/3 of what is owed to me. WTF?!? They refunded me for 5 chains despite me paying for 6 AND the shipping charge that I didnt want. So after I spent about 333 they only gave me back 225. Few days later I get another refund except this time its only 57 bucks. So it looks like Im not getting the shipping charge back.

Bottom line is Im already done with this company. Its a big place. Couple regional suppliers. But wow can they fuck up a simple order. It really felt like they were trying to screw it up repeatedly.

And just a little salt to be thrown on the wound- I looked at Slaters Hardware prices for complete chain sets....it would have cost me exactly the same and so far I have no gripes with Slaters. I could have ordered full sets of chains (I originally bought just the heavy chains then went to Home Depot to buy the attaching chains and clips) and then driven down there to pick them up.Plus they have a nice clear coat finish to them. These damn things I got were covered in oil and already look like they are going to rust.

By the way since I like Slaters Hardware I'd recomend them. Go check those guys out- http://www.slatershardware.com/
Im planning on buying a log or two and some more stone molds in the near future from those guys.

Well Im off to drain my finger (story for another day) and play some damn rugby. It is Saturday after all....

***BONUS***
So today, about a week later, they called me to ask about a shipping bill they received to their account for product they have not received. I am actually at a loss for words on this one. They already refunded my order, minus shipping, and now are asking why they were charged for the shipping?

Believe me when I say Im not trying to be TOO vulgar on this blog but ya know what?

Fuck these guys. 

Chain lifting - Accomodating resistence at its finest part 1

So I finally decided this past Monday that it was a good time to get some chains. Heard of a nearby place that sells all kinds of different hardware and at a reasonable price. To put it in perspective chains from a exercise equipment supplier have some crazy prices. Usually around 110-140 bucks for a pair of 20 pounds chains. Total weight at roughly 40-45lbs. So about $3 a pound. Kind of ridiculous. So I found McMaster Carr right down the highway in Aurora that has chains for dirt cheap compared to others. At about 9 bucks a foot I think I saved roughly 30 or more per pair with attachment chains and links included. So not a bad deal despite the complete utter cluster#$&@ that happened when I tried to order the damn things...

So heres the story-

I head out to Aurora around noon thinking I call them up and make the order, swing by play-it-again sports, and then come back to grab the chains. Seemed simple enough, right? Well it started that way. I make the call when Im about 15 minutes out and they inform me it will be about an hour to complete the order after I made it a point I AM ON MY WAY to come pick it up. So no worries. I'll get some shopping done and it'll be ready when I get around to them...WRONG. So a little over an hour passes by and I walk up, give them my info, and suddenly a puzzled look comes across the guys face.

"Hmmmm..."

Hm?

"Well it looks like your order was shipped." (Mind you it cost me about 10 bucks in gas to get there plus the tolls while shipping was somewhere around 90 dollars total so Im a little annoyed now).

"Hey it was supposed to be will call, man."

"Yea, Im not sure what happened. Well let me get you another order in and it should be ready in about 15 minutes"

So here I am thinking "great Im going to have 12 friggin chains when this is said and done and be about 600 in the hole. NOT what I was planning on.

"Ok. Yea they have the order so it should be out soon"

Alright. Whatever. I still have some time before practice. I can wait 15 minutes. So I shot some texts out to my athletes and let them know I was going to run a few minutes late but no big deal. Well except the man must've been on some seriously good medication as it took well over an hour and a half to get my new order ready. So not only do I still not have chains yet but practice AND the anticipated testing day is a complete wash. Its already 330 and Im still stuck in some massive warehouse the size of the IX center.

"Ok sorry about the wait you can head around back and pick them up."

Are you shitting me?? After all this they were around back?? For all I know they could have been ready for awhile but I was sitting up front waiting around with dumbass who doesn't understand how time works.

Alright, whatever, the day is already lost so lets make the most of it. I head around back. Grab the bucket of chain (which seemed kind of light for the listed 127lbs but I figured 'well I have been getting stronger') and was on my way.

Finally Im back in Brunswick. After a quick stop to Home Depot for the rest of the pieces I needed Im back in the high school weight room. Home sweet home.

Lets crack these babies open....

I pull two out and link em up to the bar. Bench a few times. All is well. Pull out two more, chain em up, bench a few more times. Feels good. So I reach in to grab the other two...remember when I said it felt light? There was only one chain left. I ordered 6 and was given 5. Alright now really? I was starting to feel a little better until this happened now I got 6 chains in the mail and 5 in front of me. Where do they hire these guys?

It gets better...

So I send them an email 'kindly' voicing my frustrations with the day thus far. Was responded later with "please use this shipping account to send them back and you be issued a full refund for the bad order". Ok well thats good to hear except I got to lug around a heavy ass bucket to UPS to send a bogus order back.

Then I noticed something-

The chains on the left side of the bar were grazing the ground like they are supposed to. The right side- hanging freely. I checked the links and they were even in height so wtf? Why is one higher than the other? I begin to take each chain off and lay them down next to each other....

AW SUNUVA $#%$^@#*$@#*%^#*($@($!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok so lets recap. Not only did they completely misunderstand "I am coming to pick them up DO NOT ship them", they have no idea how long it takes to cut chains and prepare an order, they can't count, and now apparently dont know how a tape measure functions. Its complicated stuff I am sure.

Heres the worst...maybe they just had their B-side working service that morning. Maybe it was just because it was Monday and McMaster pulled their complimentary employee coffee. Maybe the company Cinco De Mayo party just royally screwed up their staff so bad that they were still recovering until Tuesday and therefore normal human functioning on any sort of intelligent level just ceased to be. Tequilas ridiculous.

I don't know.

What I do know is they still have a better location and way better prices than anyone else. So what does this mean? Well like Jim Carey said in Liar Liar - "Guess Ill just piss and moan like an incompetent prick!"

No, seriously, thats about the whole point of this post. Have a good weekend!