Speed Dialing … and Sending a Message

A Seinfeld moment over the weekend.

My best friend, Big Joe, and I are driving down I-70 on our way to a Sunday morning round of golf when the subject turns to the new i-phone and then to our own phones and what they can and cannot do. Somehow, we get on the subject of speed dial — and Joe tells me I’m number 8 on his speed dial.

Number 8? What is up with that? I thought I would be higher. He explains to me that it’s easy to access my number at 8 because it’s in the middle of the keypad. This brief conversation got me to thinking – so I ask Sharon where I am on her speed dial. She says she doesn’t us her speed dial numbers — and then asks me where she is on my speed dial. I tell her third — and she has the same response I had when I asked Joe the same question — what gives?

I tell her that I didn’t think speed dial assignments on cell phones say what you think about the person in terms of where they rank in importance. I just assigned her “3” because it’s easy for me to press “3” with my thumb when I’m driving. I think she believes me.

For the record, here’s are the speed dials on my cell phone, in no particular order:

1. Voicemail

2. Big Joe

3. Sharon

4. WTAE Newsroom

5. Mom & Dad

6. My tailor ( hey, when you’rel osing weight like me, you need your tailor on speed dial )

7. My home phone

8. My car dealer and service department

9. My agent ( in case of career emergency )

FAN WALKOUT FIZZLES

So much for the “power of the people”. The much-hyped fan walkout during Saturday night’s Pirates game was much ado about nothing. Fans angry with the team’s 15-years of losing hoped to send a message to management by leaving the game in the third inning. An estimated 2,000 left the building and were booed by those who stayed.

While I think fans should speak their minds when they are not happy, walking out in the middle of the game sends a mixed message at best. I mean, imagine the lunch counter sit-ins during the civil rights battles of the 1960’s, only the protesters order a three-course meal from the restaurant and then stage their sit-in. Why would anybody pay attention to a fan who buys a ticket and then walks out. It was a bobble head giveaway night. There are plenty of fans who do that anyway just to get the free gift.

Want to really make a statement? Do what I do – don’t go. I have not been to a Pirates game this year – and have not seen a Pirate game in person since last summer. Why? Because I don’t find the team compelling and I have already done the PNC Park thing. I have seen enough losing baseball that I don’t care to watch. There are better ways for me to spend my time — and until the Bucs become a compelling story once again, I likely will only go to one game a year. If enough people stay home, management will get the message. Right now, all they are getting is your money.

( Photo courtesy: Verizon Wireless )