Everybody gets so uptight about everything these days. Its like a vice, this society, just squeezing the hell out of you with...agendas.Everyone has an agenda of some sort of self interest bullcrap that keeps us all from just being freaking cool to each other. It's a common sense thing, sometimes. Just be cool. Don't be common . Don't know what cool is? I don't know if I can help you with that! Both nature and nurture had to put cool into you at a young age.
Of course, I think I'm cool, meaning that I don't go crazy with little bullshit that doesn't matter. You want to know how I handle my employees ? 3 Rules
1. Be on time
2. Do your job
3. No surprises.
Like John Madden said, the more rules that there are, the more chance there is of breaking them.
People make all these rules and start nitpicking and pretty soon people hate your guts and they assume no ownership in the place and then they sabotage you the first chance that they get. I have been there. At one university where I was a defensive line assistant and assistant strength coach, We (the collective young coaches) hated the head coach so much that you can't believe it. We worked our asses off for him and he remained a total prick the whole time. Basically, we wanted to coach so freaking badly that we would put up with pretty much anything.
Cleaning toilets, mowing the fields, re sodding the field, equipment, strength. At one point, I was in charge of all the fields, painting the fields, the defensive line and in charge of strength and conditioning. And guess what? I loved it. It was the camaraderie that made it so much fun. I had a shitty little apartment, Jimmy lived in the actual locker room known as the "bat cave", and then there was Todd, who was married and was the experienced one. He and Jimmy ran the town like madmen. I was of course, never involved. But the head coach? Had no idea on coolness, he never bought us a beer (not one), he never even said thank you. And I know that may sound sort of soft that I needed a "thank you" or a beer once in a while to validate myself, but screw it, maybe I did. Seemed like the right thing to do, to me at least.
It's so funny when people try to impress other people. Like tell them how, back in the day, they squatted this or that and it was deep, I swear it, but no, it wasn't official official, it was in a gym. Deep though, real deep. Nobody cares. And nobody believes you, anyway. That is zero self awareness if you ask me. And young coaches who try to act like they know everything. Seriously? You just started saying, "I Know , I know" when I was in mid-sentence.
It's ok, though. I have accepted the fact that not everyone can be cool. Like I remember every one of the guys faces and names that picked on me in the third grade, and I will still whip their asses if I ever see them. They were totally uncool, picking on a little kid. Of course, I took it like a man, and didn't tell the teacher or my parents. It made me tougher, but still, totally uncool.
If you are reading this, no doubt you are cool, but don't you know like 10 people that are so uncool
and so not self aware that it is embarrassing?
I have been around pro athletes that didn't want to sign children's autographs. Uncool.
What else is uncool?
Acting too drunk
not paying for gas money
eating the last one
calling "shotgun" all the time
not changing the weights for your partner, at least one side.
not realizing when you have it made as an employee
talking during a workout
interrupting some one's workout
making exercises look so damn hard, when its so damn light
not finishing through the line
cutting people off mid sentence to get your point in there
backing out at the last minute
playing anything but metal while lifting. Or Charlie Daniels. Or Hank Junior. I like Cody Jinks, too.
not being humble
not returning calls
not buying the beer at least once in awhile
talking behind people's back, then denying it. Or smiling right in your face. Uncool
Not having a dog
Having a small dog
not helping when setting out the decoys
Walking right past someone when you know that they freaking know you and saw you looking at them. Happened to me today. OK, Cindy? You know who I am.
Just some hints on coolness. Lots of folks should take them to heart.
