A Need To Know Basis

I have no idea what has been going on in the news lately. I overheard people at work talking about a Polish plane crash. I couldn't tell if they were serious or setting up some stupid ethnic joke. Something like, how many Polocks does it take to crash an airplane? Or something. Whatever. I try very hard to not overhear conversations at work. I tell people this: unless it's something I need to know, don't tell me. Please don't tell me. I have heard more about folks personal lives over the years than anyone could possibly stand. Some of my favorites pertain to the intimate particulars of medical conditions (I had a woman describe the strange color of her discharge to me one time, seriously), spousal issues (generally something along the lines of "I was up all night fighting with my husband about whether to eat Church's Chicken or KFC..."), the bus schedule ("The #7 was 10 minutes late this morning..."), car problems (lots of alternators, and I have no idea if that's even a thing on a car), political passions ("Sorry I was late, but I got so fired up by John Kerry's speech that I couldn't fall asleep..."), dreams (I remember a brother in Durham describing a particularly vivid one involving Halle Barry back about 5, 6, or 7 years ago), issues with children ("My daughter was out half the night with her no good boyfriend getting drunk and doing who knows what else..."), sports fanaticism ("I couldn't go to bed until the Braves game ended..."). And then there are the folks I respect, the folks who admit that they simply overslept, or just sit down and start working and feel no need to say anything to me, because they know it doesn't matter. As long as folks give me the professional courtesy to call and give me an estimate of when they'll be in, we're good. Because believe it or not, I do worry about folks who don't show up. I really do. Having said that, I don't need details. Please no details. As I mentioned above, the best way to operate in these situations is need to know basis. And if I don't need to know, don't say anything. You'll be one of my favorites. As I think I've made clear on this blog over its lifespan, I've heard too much already. Way too much.

The NBA playoffs are coming Saturday. And I'll try to get into plenty of it on this blog as we move forward. But I did want to mention a conversation I've had with way too many folks over the years about the NBA. I'm reminded of it because some guy was spouting off about it recently at the wing joint on Battleground. And it's this: the idea that somehow college hoops is a better brand of hoops than the NBA. Whenever someone tells me this (and it has happened very often over the years) I can't take anything they say about anything else seriously ever again. I especially love the argument that college ball "has so much passion," and "intense rivalries, " and "they play much better defense in college." Those asinine arguments. And I will occasionally respond to these morons with logic. But it never helps. These people can't be helped. If you enjoy college hoops more than the NBA, than you're not really a hoops fan, you're a fan of a certain school. That, or you're a racist piece of garbage who can't stand seeing brothers all tatted up making millions of dollars a year. It's generally the latter. Believe me. If you want passion, watch Joe Johnson, The Birdman, Dwayne Wade, and dozens others who would die on the court to make a play. If you want rivalries, watch the Suns/Spurs, or the Lakers/Spurs, or the Celtics/Cavs, or any number of others. And if you don't think they play defense in the NBA, please take a look at Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, Ron Artest, Dwight Howard, the entire Cavalier lineup, and come playoff time, everyone else. The whole topic makes me crazy. The mere thought that college hoops is even in the same stratosphere as the NBA is so utterly ridiculous.

I'm out - Peace.