:: The Last Word ::
pre-emptive note to those concerned: This is not a complaint, merely an observation. Cool your jets.
I realized today why I get so frustrated with people at work. Not the people I work with mind you, although they have their moments, but I'm talking about various people in the community who call and complain, email and complain, or see me at Subway and complain. The reason is, I like to have the last word, and this should come as no surprise to those who have read the epic Yahoo Hockey Pool message boards battles between Mike and I, or for those of you who have known me for more than 20 seconds.
Me and Ken were talking the other day about how newspapers are the only business that not only encourages criticism in the form of letters to the editor, but actually publishes these same complaints for all to see. I highly doubt that ol' Handeep at the Quickie Mart would ever post a sign on his door saying "Sorry about last weeks beef jerky, it was accidently mixed with arsenic. Our apologies, please come again."
But newspapers essentially do this, and what frustrates me is that I, as a journalist have very little recourse except to take the complaint, however ridiculous, in stride. Over the past couple years I've tried very hard to let things roll of my back, and I can actually do it very well. These angry complaints don't really make me mad, but they are certainly frustrating.
I'm talking about this today because this week I recieved two strongly worded, quite insulting, letters to the editor regarding my apparent "abuse" of the referees in this town. Keep in mind my "Abuse" wasn't exactly some vicious personal attack, I simply questioned a few calls in my weekly column. And from what I heard around the rink and on local radio, I wasn't the only one doing so.
Anyways, back to my original point. These people who write in are allowed to be as angry and insulting as they'd like, and I can do, for the most part, nothing. Although recently I have been using my column to take a few "pot shots" at those complainers, and this week I did the same - defending myself against these refs. So I can do that. But my "defence" in the column is not at all what I would like to say. Not even close. But it's the best I can do because, unlike these angry people, I'm a professional and I have to have restraint.
Also I have two bosses who have to approve my angry retorts.
Now I like to think of myself as a fairly smart, quick-thinking, witty guy, capable of winning my fair share of arguments with people, especially the people in this town. If i were arguing with them on the street I'd be pretty relentless, and it's damn frustrating not to be able to do that. Not in print. Not when people call me to bitch. Never.
I mean, I can take criticism and complaints when it's warranted, but the people in this town, for the most part, haven't a clue what goes on in a newspaper and what I am and am not capable of reporting and covering, and not having the option of telling them to "Take a flying fucking leap" is a real nuisance and it makes me wonder how much of a passive agressive pushover I'll have to become before I can be a successful sports writer in the eyes of the public.
Not that I really need the public's approval in this town, because they're ALL IDIOTS!!
That's right - idiots. Take that people!
Phew, boy that felt good.
No comments:
Post a Comment