Saturday April 21st

Join us for a very competitive game of Football, Saturday morning at 10am; location - Glencoe Park.

Don't forget about the team breakfast before the game at 8:45am; location- Einstein Bagels (Abrams and Mockingbird).

Great time for Carb Loading!

See you guys there!

IS THAT GOOD BUSINESS?

“Is that good business” - a segment dedicated to discussing and exposing the frustrating aspects of capitalism in our day to day life that leave us questioning, “is that good business?”

Car Dealerships

My wife and I were looking to purchase a car this weekend. We had spent a couple of months researching and looking online, Craig List, Car Max, E-bay and the like, but none of those avenues had panned out. It did however; give us a good barometer of the kind and price of car that we were looking for, so we felt well equipped to purchase.

We set out to several nearby car dealership in Richardson TX, dealerships that are close to Campbell and US 75… after taking my wife’s advice, I have decided not to put the name of the dealership in the blog, but if you contact me, I will tell you each dealership name and the name of the sales person that helped us.

Dealership #1

My wife and I enter the establishment and were quickly greeted by a Salesman, we will call him Bob. Bob small talked a little and ask us
“What kind of car are you looking for today?”

We explain that we are looking for a used vehicle that we can purchase with $11,000 cash.

Bob nods in agreement that he understands what my wife and I just said.

He took us around, showed us a half a dozen cars, none of which were up to my wife’s liking.

Bob then asked the great line – “What do I need to do to get you into a car today?”

I replied – “Bob, I need a car that my wife likes and that you are willing to part with for $11,000 cash.”

Bob nodded in agreement like he understood.

He then showed us another half dozen cars, all of which were $16,000 and up.

“Bob, this car that you are showing us looks good, after a test drive and if we like it, will you part with it for $11,000?”

At which he responds – “that’s a Sales Manager question, I just show the cars.”

Bob doesn’t ask or make a move to go get the sales manager. We then start walking back to the store, at which point Bob asks,

“What do I need to do to get you in a car today?”

I replied – “Bob, I need a car that my wife likes and that you are willing to part with for $11,000 cash.”

At this point, Bob looks confused as we walk back to the main building. My wife and I thank him for his time and we leave.

Dealership #2

Before my wife and I can even get out of our car, we are greeted by a salesman, we will call him Ted.

Ted asks: “What type of car are you looking for today.”

“Ted,” I said,

“I need a car that my wife likes and that you are willing to part with for $11,000 cash.”

Ted, pretending to understand, nods his head and proceeds to show us several car with price tags in the high teens, lower 20’s.
After trying to get on my wife’s good side, Ted convinces her that we need to take a test drive on a Toyota Camry, approximately $19,000. I’m starting to be beaten at this point so I agree to test drive the car.

When we return to the dealership after the test drive, Ted asks us if we liked the car.

“Yes” my wife says – “I do like the car but I want to think about it. Can I get your business card?”

Ted, pretending to understand, nods his head and invites us into his office to get a business card.

After waiting in his “so called” office, which is nothing more than a “community” cubical that is up for grabs to the first Salesman to grab, Ted walks up without and business card but with a Sales Manager, a heavy set 6’6” middle age man.

“So, how did you like the Camry?” – the Sales Manager said.

Stunned and confused at this point, I starred at Sales Manager.

“No, thank you” my wife responds, “We’ll just take your business card Ted, thanks.”

We leave, confused and very annoyed. Thank goodness my wife was there to stay firm!

Dealership #3

My wife and I park and graze the front lot for a few minutes before venturing inside the building. This dealership is very busy and it takes a good 3 to 5 minutes before a salesman helps us. We will call this one, Jeff.

Jeff sits us down in his “community” cubical and takes down some information from us:

Name
Phone number
What car are you interested in.
How do you plan on paying?
Lease, finance or loan

I respond – “I need a car that my wife likes and that you are willing to part with for $11,000 cash.”

Jeff pretends to understand and nods. Jeff then takes my wife and I around the lot for about an hour and a half, showing us this and that and convinces us that we need to take a car for a test drive.

After just sitting in the car, my wife says that she doesn’t like the car and we proceed to go back inside to find Jeff and give back the keys.

Meanwhile, Jeff had taken the opportunity to go look at my car and value it for a trade in to see if he could rival that price I have quoted from Carmax.

After about 20min, we find Jeff and give him the keys so that we can go. Jeff then says he has another car that “just came in, that we have to look at.”

- “(How convenient)” – I thought.

At this point, I’m pretty beaten so we go look at the car and it turns out that this is the type of car that we were looking for from the outset of our day.

My wife and I take it for a test drive, and while on the drive, my wife and I discuss purchasing the vehicle (Jeff did not go on the test drive, he was back at the dealership doing the “paperwork.”)

We get back from the test drive, clearly sold on the car and tell Jeff that we would like to review the CarMax report and think about the car overnight. Jeff quickly agrees and escorts us inside to his “community” office.

He then leaves the office to do more “paperwork” and to work on getting us a “hard” quote on the trade in of my car and a quote for this new car.

After another 20min, Jeff finally comes back, and gives me a piece of paper with the number $1,400.

“What is this, Jeff?”

“This is the price that it will take to get you into the car. I have valued your car at $21,000 (this is 2,000 more that CarMax and this is just by looking at the car, no investigation on his part). And the difference with your car, what you owe and the price of the used car, we are looking at a difference of $1400.

My Car Value: $21,000
Note on my car: $7,000
Difference: $14,000
Price of used car: 15,400 (plug figure in order to owe 1400)
Difference for me to pay: $1,400

“No” – I said. This is about the time a heavy set Sale Manager walks into the “community” office as says:

“What will is take for you to drive out of the lot today in that car?”

To which I responded:

“Jeff, maybe you didn’t understand me when I said that I want to pay $11,000 for the car. That means I want to pay $11,000, which mean I wouldn’t owe any money on the car. Also, your value of my car is a “Soft Number” since you didn’t have a technician look at it, which makes me think the actual value you’re going to give me is the price that CarMax would give me (19,500). So instead of $1400, I would pay an additional $1500 for a total of $2900, out of pocket.”

“Oh, so you don’t want to pay any more than $11,000” – Jeff said.

“RIGHT” – I said, clearly annoyed. “Any what about the Carfax Report?”

“Right, let me go get that for you” Jeff responds.

He then leaves his “community” office to go into the next door “community” office to talk with the sales manager. 5, 10, 15, 20 mins pass and at this point, several salesman, along with Jeff, are in the office talking with the sales manager, laughing and talking loudly… not about work either.

Clearly annoyed and borderline rampant at this point, I tell my wife that we are leaving. She tells me to go get the car and she will stay to get the Carfax report.

I leave.

After waiting in the car for another 10 min, my wife finally makes it out of that HOLE with a Carfax report.

She then tells me that after I had left the office, Jeff had come in to the “community” office to change his offer from $1400 to Zero.

My wife said thanks; we will call you and left.

Time Total at this dealership alone was almost 3 hours, after which I had nothing to show for it but higher blood pressure!


Conclusion
I hated to walk out of the office and be so disrespectful to Jeff, but he was not very respectful of my wife and I, and it was only after I walked out of the office that Jeff started paying attention to us. In fact all of the salesmen that my wife and I were helped by were not respectful to us. There goal was to pressure and force me into purchasing a car at a higher price than what I told them I wanted to pay. I addressed the salesman straight forward and with respect. I told them exactly what I wanted and how much I wanted to pay for it. Instead of saying that they didn’t have a car for me in that price, they wasted my time by trying to dupe me into purchasing a higher priced car, making me wait and making empty promises about what they could deliver. And even when I found a car that I liked, they tried to “sweat us out” and make us wait for 40min for no reason other than to show that they have power to do so. As a result, they lost a sale of a car that day, and I will never shop there again. IS THAT GOOD BUSINESS?

No game last week

Due to hectic schedules, last weeks game was cancelled, unfortunately. Apology's to "Blue Shoes" James as his last week to play fell on the BYE week. James - we look forward to seeing you out in a few months.

Stay tuned for the weekly e-mail and the game on Saturday.

Flurries Fury – April 7, 2007 Recap

The morning started great with four players enjoying a pre-game meal at Einstein Bagels. The Power bagel was the Bagel of Choice this morning. After some brief Masters talk and Aggie bashing with the Gillispie shadiness, we headed out to the field. The Tour of Dallas (Bicycle race) took precedence of our normal route to the field, making our normal tour to the field a bit of an exploration, but luckily everyone persevered and made it to the field.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the field was 100% cut this week and somehow still hard as a rock… even after the down pours of rain we have experienced over the past week.

Is this the effect of global warming?

Is the earth warming from the inside?

Those are some thoughts from my enemy, the inventor of the internet himself, Al Gore. Ok, enough of politics… back to the game!

To quote today’s game MVP;

“Today is the best weather possible to play football!”

That from mouth of Hunter Satterfield, who couldn’t be more correct! Temperature in the high 30’s, intermittent snow flurries, and slight north breezes made today's game reminiscent of those played at Lambeau Field.

Adam “Favre” Sandwick should have flourished under such conditions, but unfortunately he resembled the Brett Favre circa 2006, and not 1996.

“It was the nervous energy of playing in the Lambeau-esk conditions,”

Sandwick explained in the post game interviews. He goes on to state,

“You better have enjoyed my play today, because it won’t happen again! I’ll be ready to do it big next week!! You don’t know what I’m talking about but my team knows what I’m talking about! All day, all night!”

This reporter is unsure if even the Florida Gators NCAA Basketball team knows what Mr. Sandwick is talking about… perhaps it was just the bitter taste of a loss that was affecting his communication skills today.

Props to all the players who made it out today along with the weekly awards:

- Derek - (Top quarterback of the Day)
- Avery - (Fastest Blitz Counter)
- Tim D.- (O-Line Player of the Week)
- “Blue Shoes” James - (Best Dressed… I mean, it’s in the nickname!)
- Matt “Gimme” Moore – (Best trash talker… most of it done before the game)
- Hunter S. - (April 7th MVP)
- “Favre” Sandwick - (Best “Shut Down” Cornerback)
- Farrellio (Best Near-Miss Career Ending Injury) ***

*** The league will review procedures necessary to make the field more “player friendly,” including options of padding or removing the 30 foot steel light fixtures… Stay tuned***

Today’s match was a tight; back and forth battle of straight four on four plays. It had been many weeks since our last full game of equal strength teams.

“It was a story of one team hoping to win, verses a team that knew it would!” (Quote taken, with permission of the National Football League, from the 1993 Superbowl Champion Dallas Cowboys Year in Review video)

This week’s MVP, Hunter S., threw for 4 touchdowns and caught 3 more! Not bad for a man who spends most of his week catching vomit out of his sons mouth!

Hunter’s team enjoyed victory of both games played, winning 7-5 and 4-3. (First game is first to 7, second game is first to 4).

Looking forward to next Saturday, where “Favre” Sandwick has promised revenge!

Also, next week will be “Blue Shoes” James last week, so come see him in action for the last time. This is what happens when you get engaged; you can’t play and have to go to Europe instead.

Make it a great week gents, and remember…

-Stay Classy America

World Viewing Reality

The first of many segments which seek to explore political, social and economical events present in the World that contain foundational characteristics rooted in Biblical principals.

The following was taken from a monthly newsletter known as GLEANINGS, written by Gerald Chester, Ph.D [www.StrategiesWork.com]. Thank you Dr. Chester for allowing me to post your work.


Christianity: The Official Religion of China?
It has been reported that Jiang Zemin, president of China from 1993 to 2003, said that he was tempted to make Christianity the official religion of China (1) — a startling statement from the head of a country committed to atheism. What could have moved President Zemin to make such a declaration?

Chinese scholars spent twenty years trying to discover why America is both the most powerful and prosperous nation in the world. Consider the following quote regarding their conclusions.

"One of the things we [Chinese scholars] were asked to look into was what accounted for the success, in fact the pre-eminence of the West [America] over the world. We studied everything we could from the historical, political, economic, and cultural perspective. At first, we thought it was because you [America] had more powerful guns than we had. Then we thought it was because you had the best political system. Next we focused on the economic system. But in the past twenty years, we have realized that the heart of your culture is your religion: Christianity. That is why the West is so powerful. The Christian moral foundation of social and cultural life was what made possible the emergence of capitalism and then the successful transition to democratic politics. We don't have any doubt about this." (2)

President Zemin must have known of this research. And since he valued America’s economic prosperity so highly, he was willing to replace the atheism that communism is built on and in its place embrace Christianity. Sadly the Chinese may understand more about our prosperity than we Americans do. They reached the conclusion that our Christian heritage is foundational to our prosperity. If their research is correct, and I believe it is, shouldn’t we be eager to preserve our Christian values and principles? Wouldn’t it make sense for American business schools to teach biblical values and principles as the keys to successful business?
As logical as it may seem that America should be embracing Christianity as the foundation for business success, America is not. Instead there is a growing movement to eliminate Christian values and principles from American business. Some examples are:

-The growing movement to adopt the gay agenda;

-The wholesale embracing of non-Christian worldviews, such as Islam; and

-The inability to use religious convictions as part of a hiring criteria.

Many political leaders are leading the charge to de-Christianize America. For example, presidential candidate John Edwards recently was quoted as saying that he does not consider America to be a Christian nation. (3) What does this move to de-Christianize business mean for America’s future? Based on the Chinese research, one would conclude that America is on the road to economic decline. How long this might take is hard to gauge, but the inevitability of the reality seems certain.

What should American Christians do? American Christians should take a stand and resist the de-Christianization of American business. Christians must understand the critical role that Christian values and principles play in facilitating the economic success of our country and be willing to resist those who are promoting non-Christian values and principles. Only by embracing the truth of Christianity and being willing to fight to preserve America’s Christian heritage can we expect our nation’s economic prosperity to continue. If American Christians don't rise up and take a stand, in time, our economic system will implode. America will become a Third World nation. This will leave the door open for China and others to take America's place, and the nations that take America's place as the economic leader will do so by using the Christian values and principles that America is working so hard to reject.

So what are you going to do about it? Are you willing to answer the call to arms? If you want to do something, reject the policitically correct philosophy of the day and hold fast to our Christian hertiage. The economic future of America is at stake. This is no April Fool's joke!

1. Ken Eldred, God is at Work, p. 73.2. Rodney Stark, The Victory Reason, p. 235.3. Helen Kennedy, "How Edwards Sees Faith," http://www.nydailynews.com, 3/4/07.

No Blue Shoes

Congrats to those who made it out to this weeks game. Definitely the best weather of the year! A special thanks to the lawn mower man, who was able to mow 89% of the field, making the other 11% a slippery trap for anyone trying to make a square in or out (enter Jeremy and Jamison)... those guys spent more time on the ground than David Hasselhoff! he he... oh wait, that should read "more time in the sand than David Hasselhoff," which is a golf joke and doesn't make sense in this situation. MOVING ON...

We had three new players this week, Jeremy, Jamison and Robby. Judging by the look of the uniform after the game, Jamison and Jeremy have earned Exempt status in the league after only One Game! A feet which has not been done previously to date. Thanks for bringing them out guys and keep up the invites!

Another congrats goes to "Blue Shoes" James who recently got engaged! Congratulations James... although, I fail to see why you were unable to play at 10am on a Saturday... we'll let this one slide this week.

Highlights from this weeks game include two Hunter "hail marry" catches on 5th and 40, the Governor’s (Jared) 35 yard dash and being amazed at Hershel’s ability to get wide open on every play! Why didn't we throw him the ball more!?

Have a great week Gents, and we'll see you on the field Saturday April 7th.

-Stay Classy America