Lindsay's Lessons

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, we are currently fixing a few things up around the farm. As if making decisions on what to do with a 100-year-old farm house isn't challenging enough, I almost turned 100 years old myself last night at the local Lowe's store.

Our work in the bathroom quickly revealed that we would need to replace the drywall on the bathroom ceiling, so I headed to the store for the simple task of picking up a couple of sheets of green board, or moisture-resistant drywall. It seemed easy enough and prior to my arrival I felt certain that I was up for the challenge.

Unfortunately, it took 40 minutes and five people to help me accomplish what should have been a very simple task. That's right, I spent twice as many minutes as I did dollars in the store and it took 2.5 times as many people as items that I was buying to assist me.

Upon arriving at the store, I headed directly to the lumber department in search of the green board. I was pleased as I was promptly greeted by a gentleman who knew exactly what I was looking for and assured me that it was right out back and if I just pulled around he would gladly load it up for me. He instructed me to pay at the front of the store and he'd be out back to meet me. I inquired as to whether I needed to take anything to the front so they would understand what I was buying and he said, "No, just tell them what you want and they'll ring it up."

Naturally, there was only one checkout line open when I reached the front and seeing the seemingly 14-year old gal behind the register I silently wondered the odds of her knowing what green board is. Sure enough when I made my request, she was totally blank. I explained what the product was as she tried to do a search on her computer to locate the item number. Unable to find it, she picked up the phone and began dialing one number after another seeking help. Alas, no one answered as the line behind me began to grow longer and longer.

Understanding the frustration of those behind me, I apologized even though I knew the situation wasn't really my fault. I offered to let a couple of people check out while the young girl awaited a return phone call. She was finally able to reach someone, but they also had no clue what to do. Strike two. Just then, a young male sales associate wandered upon us and she implored him for help saying, "Do you know anything about drywall?" His response, "You mean other than that we sell it?" Strike three.

I stood hoping that this young man, who was obviously not busy, would offer to hike back to the lumber department to sort things out, but instead he looked to me and said, "Why don't you go back to the lumber department?" My blood began to boil and even though I could have made quite a scene with about ten people now stacked up behind me in line, I restrained myself in realizing that these two youngsters combined would still be younger than me (and that's not to say that I'm old).

Instead I offered that I would pull around to the back of the store, if they could assure me that I would be able to check out back there without hassle. They insisted that I would, so off I went. I arrived in the loading area to notice that there was no green board laid out for me and the gentleman who promised to be there to assist me was nowhere to be found. Strike four. I proceeded to the cash register where I found what appeared to be the younger sister of the gal up front working at the checkout. Strike five.

Never to fear, she was about to go on break and be replaced by someone who was literally eight times her age. Strike six. Seeing the problems that lied ahead, I refused to let the young girl leave saying, "Before you leave for break, you've got to stick around and help me out because I've spent 20 minutes waiting for someone to help me make this purchase." Together, the two generations were able to seek out the item number of the product I was in search of and successfully ring up the order. Now that I owned it, I needed to load it, and of course, no one was around. Strike seven.

The ladies called over the intercom for a "Code 50," which after spending a little time in Lowes I have learned is a call for help. From a previous experience, I've also learned what happens when a Code 50 is issued. As near as I can tell, the person who is supposed to be a first responder immediately hides. This results in several more Code 50 alerts, thus ensuring that any other able-bodied individuals are given a chance to disappear. From there, the sales associate pulls out the cell phone directory and starts frantically calling associates and begging for help. When an available associate is finally reached, they will question why they are being asked, then suggest at least two other potential alternatives before finally committing to the task.

As I stood waiting, I finally saw a young man off in the distance making his way down the aisle as if he were dragging a lead sled behind him. Realizing that he was hopeful if he just moved slowly enough, someone else might beat him there, I called down the aisle, "Hi! You must be Code 50. Come with me."

Seeing the finish line in sight I backed up to the door to load my purchase. Wait a minute, I remember this guy! He's the one who said earlier the only thing he knew about drywall is "that we sell it." Strike eight.

Now for all of you who are saying, "See, you should always shop at your local store and not those big box stores," let me remind you to visit my earlier post - it was after 5:00 p.m. so everyone else was closed.

So there you have it folks. Just like all those home-improvement shows say, "Remodeling really is that easy."

In the spirit of improving our economic situation, House Democrats have said they will indefinitely delay action on the Columbia free trade deal scheduling a vote to remove the 90-day timetable outlined under trade promotion authority. According to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, "Congress needs more time to work out problems with the agreement." She also said helping the struggling U.S. economy is a higher priority at this time. Unfortunately, this comes as little surprise to the administration as Pelosi made the threat before the President sent the bill over urging that such action would be a mistake.

The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates that with a signed agreement the growth in U.S. ag exports could exceed 900-million dollars a year, with president Bob Stallman saying, "The growth reaches beyond the farm gate - providing an opportunity for additional American workers to move, store, process and transport U.S. farm products."

Perhaps those with the most to lose are pork producers who are already struggling as they face the lowest prices we've seen in a decade. The National Pork Producers Council says, once fully implemented, the deal would add $1.63 to the price producers receive for each hog marketed, generate 63-million in U.S. pork exports and create 945 new U.S. jobs tied to pork exports. That doesn't sound too bad for the economy to me.

Add to all of this that by delaying the bill in an attempt to make a statement about who's in control not only jeopardizes farmers. Moreover, it undermines trade negotiations as a whole by saying that in America, what the President says means little. And with future trade agreements still in negotiations, other countries may reasonably ask, "Why bother?"

If these legislators want to hang their hats on the sentiment that we need to focus on help for a struggling economy, then I'm going to need further explanation as to exactly how the Columbia FTA fails to help meet that challenge. Once again, politics is getting in the way of policy and our producers are paying the price.

Believe it or not, folks have been clamoring to hear "What's the Matta," particularly in light of Ohio State's victory in the NIT (or as some folks call it, the 'Not Invited Tourney'). There's no doubt that Ohio State gave a strong effort last night finishing the season with their highest scoring performance. It was an effort that left me feeling somewhat hopeful about next season.

All things considered, the NIT tournament bid (and overlook by the NCAA) was probably the best thing that could have happened for this team. An appearance in the NCAA tournament most likely would have ended soon after it began as I think we can all agree that the Bucks had their share of problems to work out this season. Instead, our seniors (and Coach Matta) were given a chance at some sort of redemption, and the underclassman gained both experience and confidence. And, the fans walk away with some sense of pride after what was at times a difficult season to endure.

With the season now complete, it seems fitting to give a quick look back and a glance ahead at next year.

Some might beg the question of whether or not I stand by my criticism of Thad Matta's coaching decisions this year in light of the NIT title. My answer is simply, "yes." And, here's why -

While Matta has been known for growing a team throughout the season and building up toward the tournament saying that he aims to be playing the best ball in March, I would argue that there are a number of things that came to light early in the season that he failed to pick up on until much later.

Case in point - Jon Diebler. Everyone had high hopes for the high school phenom and all indications pointed to him being the next great thing. Unfortunately, the transition from high school to college ball proved to be a challenge and he spent the season trying to work it out with little success in small and inconsistent doses. The problem here isn't so much that the freshman needed more time and experience to develop, it's that the only consistency in his performance was the amount of playing time that Matta gave to him. Matta stood behind Diebler to the point of jeopardizing the team as a whole. Even in last night's tournament game in which Diebler once again struggled, Matta refused to keep him on the bench.

Lest you think I'm being too hard on Diebler, I'm not saying he'll never amount to anything. I'm saying that this year, he couldn't keep up and more often than not he was chasing his man to the basket on defense and unable to handle the pressure on offense. He needs more time; more time in practice, not in the game.

While Diebler enjoyed an excess of playing time, some other players were noticeably overlooked. One would think it would be hard to overlook Dallas Lauderdale with his massive stature and enormous wingspan (even bigger than that of Kosta Koufos), but our glimpses at Lauderdale, particularly early on, were far and few between. Last night, he showed that he was up to the challenge of being a big man by pulling down rebounds, stuffing down baskets and making the opposing team eat a handful of shots. Yes, last night, we saw the Lauderdale that I believed was there all season.

I still maintain that Othello Hunter is one of the most talented players we never saw fully utilized on the team. For whatever reason, Matta just couldn't develop the offense in a way that would let this big dog eat. What a shame. For only having played organized basketball for a few years, Hunter exhibited raw talent and tenacity. For me, he will be missed.

Then we have Kosta Koufos. I'm still not sure what to make of this kid, although I must admit that I've warmed up to him a little as the season has progressed. This is one situation where strength is the biggest weakness as Koufos just can't hang with the big boys on the inside and given any amount of defensive pressure, he can't go up strong and draw the foul. One thing he has proven, is that away from the paint, he's a shooting threat. That could prove to be interesting next year as, in theory, he will move to a power forward position with incoming freshman B.J. Mullens of Canal Winchester moving into the paint.

Then again, that's if Koufos chooses to stay at Ohio State. It is rumored that he may opt for the NBA draft with speculation being that although he wouldn't make the lottery picks, he would go early in the draft. After turning down the chance to play pro ball in Greece last year for a couple of million dollars, it may be a little harder to look away from the money this time around. For what it's worth, I think he needs to stay one more year and then examine his options, because I think he'll have a few more.

And, how about Matt Terwilliger? I almost feel like I watched this kid grow up as his development on the floor has been so noticeable. In his early days at Ohio State I remember at times thinking that he'd be better off playing in the backyard. He was slow and uncoordinated. While Terwilliger struggled to find his place on the team over the years, by the latter part of this season he proved to be a solid and steady force on the team. He's not going to go down in Ohio State history as one of the best players to ever take the floor, but his performance was respectable as he held up his end on defense and knocked down a few three-pointers that proved to be key. I wish him luck as he leaves Ohio State.

Then, we have Jamar Butler. It was tough for me to hear that Kosta Koufos took home the Most Outstanding Player award for the NIT tourney when Butler has been the steady force guiding this team all season. Butler brings a combination of confidence and athleticism to the floor and quite simply, he's a smooth operator. Unfortunately, he shared in the frustration of the fans about his team's performance this year and at times, that got in the way of his performance. After being fairly outspoken about those frustrations early in the season, Butler lost a little of my respect for dogging his teammates publicly. I'm not saying what he said wasn't true. It's just that it wasn't his place to say it. After all, that's what I'm here for.

So what does all of this mean for Coach Matta? Once again, he has escaped almost unscathed. He'll still get another notch in his belt for racking up a championship, even though it wasn't the big one. And next year we'll all still be in the stands rooting on our Buckeyes regardless of whether or not he knows what to do with them. Never to fear, he'll continue to have as much depth in his assistant coaches pool as he has on his team, and his trusty side kicks will continue to guide him through the process. As a Matta of fact, that's probably who we should be congratulating for this NIT victory: the men with the clipboards and good ideas that sit alongside the head coach and give 110% each game to ensure that our guys know what's going on. Although Matta may want to be careful as there are quite a few head coaching vacancies out there right now, so it wouldn't be too surprising if some of his top performers were looking. It may be worth his while to buy them all a little surf and turf before they leave the gym for the last time this season.

It seems that so often we hear owners of small businesses complaining about how tough it is to make it, particularly in light of larger stores moving in and absorbing much of the customer base. No doubt, this is a fact of life. However, I would argue that some small business owners aren't doing themselves any favors because while they want people to support them because they are local, they don't make it easy.

As a matter of fact, this is a point that Roy Williams, author of the "Wizard of Ads" and dozens of other things makes when he talks about the "world inside your door." Williams argues that even businesses that spend thousands of dollars in advertising will limit their effectiveness if they don't first address the problems taking place inside. For example, a restaurant can do all the promotion they want, but if the food is bad and the service is lacking, they aren't going to be successful.

Lest you wonder why I'm bringing all this up - it's because I'm currently experiencing some problems that not only involve the "world inside the door" at some businesses, but most importantly being able to get inside the door to begin with. Like many, my hours at work are often long. And, as small business owners ourselves, the shop is rarely closed and there's no such thing as standard hours.

This means that when I'm in the market for something, I'm most likely to do my shopping on evenings and weekends as opportunities to get away in the morning or afternoon are rare. Unfortunately, many local businesses close their doors at 5 p.m., with many not offering any weekend hours. It's something that I consider to be entirely frustrating as being a local business owner, I want to support other local businesses, if they'll just give me the chance.

Case in point - we are currently fixing up some things around the farm so I've been running around trying to research our options, gather samples and order supplies. Surprisingly, the biggest challenge hasn't been deciding what I want. It's been getting in the door to try and do business with local stores.

Since I am fortunate to be self-employed, I have raced out a couple of afternoons to try and visit stores before closing time, but aside from screwing up my day at work, I still have very limited time when I reach the store and am usually unable to visit more than one store per day. The result - a number of things I might have purchased from local businesses may come from large chain stores that are open to meet my needs, when I'm able to do business.

The worst offender is a store in the area that offers no weekend hours and is even closed one day in the middle of the week. I'm not sure when they decided that nobody wants to shop on Wednesdays, but apparently that's their philosophy. Not only have they missed the opportunity to earn my business on evenings and weekends, the other day I happen to come through on a Wednesday afternoon and I couldn't stop then either.

My point - the next time that a small business owner starts to complain, I challenge them to look at the way in which they're doing business and see if there is room for improvement. Maybe they can't afford to staff their store from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. everyday, but perhaps they could stay open late two or three nights per week for those who have to work during the day. Maybe they could add just a few hours on Saturday, to help those who can only stop in on weekends. Or perhaps, they just need to offer some training to the grouchy person who works the front desk.

It seems Ohio State's recent decision to host the second-round game of the NIT in St. John Arena to avoid a scheduling conflict with the Bruce Springsteen concert at the Schott has created quite a buzz.

As fans packed into the old arena, a feeling of nostalgia swept over the crowd. After all, the only thing louder than 12,000 screaming fans inside Value City Arena, is 12,000 screaming fans inside St. John Arena. Aside from the trip down memory lane, the smaller venue afforded the team the opportunity to play in a packed house as opposed to round one of the tourney where black curtains covered the unused upper deck of the Schott and seats on the lower levels were noticeably vacant.

After the game, OSU athletic director Gene Smith commented that it would be nice to play more games at St. John Arena - a comment meant as much to pay respect to the old digs as it was to thank fans for their enthusiasm and noise which rocked the house. Of course, leave it to the media to take an innocent comment and blow it out of perspective. Rumors immediately started to swirl that Smith tried to move round three of the tourney to St. John after the tickets went on sale and that Smith wants to start booking future games at the venue as well.

Let's think about this folks - do we really think the AD is looking to dump his state of the art facilities at the Schott to take a step back in time? I don't think so.

Of course, leave it to "The Boss" to have the classic response to the situation. When told about Smith's comment and asked how he would feel about more games being played at St. John Arena, University President Dr. E. Gordon Gee responded, "That would be great except that I'm the dodo that approved us moving out of there in the first place."

Thanks Dr. Gee. The end.