Saturday, September 15, 2007

Volcanoes Win and a Decision for Me


Well in case you hadn't heard, the Volcanoes won their second straight Northwest League Championship last Sunday night.

It has been a very exciting season and always fun being the PA guy.

There was more news from the team, Pat Lafferty has retired from his longtime job of play by play for the radio.

Of course that means I am in the running to replace him. Now, decision time. If they decide they do want me, what about Salem Academy?

Much to think about.


As an aside, the Salem Academy Crusaders almost beat the #2 team in the state last night, losing 14-12. Kai Post made a solo tackle causing a fumble and was in on two other tackles as middle linebacker.

At this time he is the only freshman gettting significant playing time.........GO KAI!!!

11 comments:

ValJean said...

Seems like a no-brainer. The school wins.

Anonymous said...

Well, depends... how much do you love teaching? And how bad would you feel about leaving the school in the middle of the year? Of course, I think you should pick the job that would make you most happy. Good luck! Kristi

Anonymous said...

If you would be asked to leave SAC before finishing the year, I'm with valjean on this one. If it's after the year has been completed, it shouldn't be a problem. You never want to "resign" (aka: quit) in the middle of an academic year. Kristi needs to bone up on Genesis. Since the fall of man, we are supposed to toil. Past generations didn't always take a career path that was enjoyable, but rather one that put food on the table, clothes on your backs and a roof over their heads.

Jen said...

Wow...I'm out of the loop.

I had no idea that the Volcanoes won anything...this year or last. That's cool though. Guess we're too saturated in "Dodger Land" to notice..

Ouch, sorry Bill.

Good luck on the future decisions...sounds like some big ones may be coming your way. Jen

Bill's Waste of Air said...

ok finally have some time to address your comments.
1 - I am 99% sure I will not change to the play by play. I like being the PA guy at the stadium and the thought of 76-79 straight days and missing all of those Sundays does not sit well.

2 - How much do I love teaching? So far on a scale of 1-10 about 3. It will get better I am sure but kids just don't talk like adults, even seniors. They just don't get it half the time. Look, when you have to explain your joke, well, never mind.

3 - mick, contracts mean nothing to me. They were made to be broken. Covenants on the other hand cannot be broken. Perhaps if we signed marriage covenants instead of contracts that would help things. I am not condoning or saying I SHOULD break a contract, but in the business I was in, it was a daily occurence. Guy across the street offers more money and better airshift, you jump. If you don't someone else will and your owner will get wind anyway and might can you just for thinking about going. Get the picture. It isn't your cozy little "I signed a contract with Salem-Keizer and the union will protect me for my life" thing. No unions in radio. Every man for himself. So that is my programming. Perhaps I need to change that, but contracts are pieces of paper that we try to honor but life changes.
For now, I will be staying the course.

Anonymous said...

Well that's one take on it. Another take on the issue of contracts is that they were created because a person's (employee and employer) word no longer was of any value. A contract, verbal or written, is to be honored by both parties. It establishes the foundation for integrity. I had a custodian at Leslie MS explain it in rather straightforward terms: "if your word isn't worth a ****, then neither are you." He had a knack for cutting to the chase.

Bill's Waste of Air said...

Then why do most contracts say something along the line of: "this contract can be broken by either party upon agreement.....etc"?
I have that written into my current and every contract I have ever signed. If that is not in a contract, I will not sign it.
That would be suicide in some jobs. You have to have an out. If you are offered more money, better position, higher prestige or whatever, do you stay for the three years your contract is?
I don't see that as a moral issue, I see it as a business issue.
Yes I agree, a man's handshake should be good enough, but in this day and age of corporate takeovers and drastic cuts out of no where, the employee should make sure to cover all the bases.
Now a covenant, that is a different bird. That is a promise or vow, never to be broken. If I ever sign one of those (besides my marriage covenant) then I should be shot, hung and burned.

Bill's Waste of Air said...

Oops I mean if I ever sign and BREAK a covenant, I should be shot, hung etc.

Anonymous said...

It's there because both parties in the contract lack trust in the other. Sometimes staying in a crappy job for a year will develop perseverance or some other "benefit". We're already grooming another generation of quitters with their "cut and run" mentality. I understand the temptation that comes when another opportunity presents itself. I was interviewing for another teaching position before the school year had ended. It made it very difficult to give my complete attention and devotion to the task at hand. My dad will be retiring from the sawmill he's worked at for nearly 40 years. Every day, lunchpail and thermos in hand. Not a whole lot of glamour in that, but I see honor in it.

Bill's Waste of Air said...

I cam appreciate that mick, I have often thought how cool it would have been to be at a job for 30 years and get the "gold watch" at the end, but my dad on the other hand, owned 20-30 businesses, some failed some not, he worked for many different people and places, all of it leading up to what God really wanted him to do and that was create Northwest Medical Teams. My dad is a very honorable man, but he broke many contracts, moved many times, and did what he had to do to make sure his family was provided for.
In the end, it was NWMT that prospered because of his wanderings.
I don't think you can so easily broadstroke with a morality paintbrush why contracts are broken. It is not a lack of trust, it is there so that each party can decide if this is the right thing for them. That simple. If you allowed your mind to wander to the other job you probably should have resigned, bit the bullet and not taken a paycheck and then made the move.
In the radio biz many of our contracts give us an "out" but we can't work in that market for a set time. So, many jocks sit "on the beach" for that time or they move to another market.
I am rambling but I am saying, I admire your thinking but don't agree.

Anonymous said...

Same here, Dogbert