Lou Pickney's Online Commentary
Buccaneer Blues
Wednesday
August 17, 2005
My Buccaneers season tickets finally arrived on Monday. Unfortunately, what arrived was not what I expected. It was the latest in a long line of hassles and headaches in the process of becoming a Tampa Bay Bucs season ticket holder.
When I moved to Tampa in April 2001, I signed up on the season ticket waiting list. That began the yearly tradition of the postcard that informed me after every season that I was still waiting. 30,000 deep was the list when I signed up, but there was no way to know how far up I was moving.
The Bucs winning the Super Bowl in the 2002 season didn't help my efforts much. But the follow-up to that was a non-playoff year, and last year the team had a terrible year, and suddenly the bandwagon fans were jumping off. I predicted in October 2004 that if the Bucs had double-digit losses for the season, I'd have a shot at season tickets. And, lo and behold, this summer I received a note in the mail telling me that I'd make it to the top of the waiting list.
I borrowed my Mom's credit card to charge the tickets/PSLs (personal seat licenses), and that's where the problems began. The Bucs charged my Mom's card TWICE, but only had record of charging it once. That lead to a whole mess of me calling the Bucs, my Mom contacting her credit card company, etc. Finally the Bucs realized that they had been responsible for the double-charge (after checking their overall billing records), but still it had been a huge hassle.
But still, the amount charged was for 100 level seats, so I figured I had landed some prime tickets. Well, think again. I opened the Priority Mail package that arrived on Monday (less than one week before game day)... and I was dejected to find that the tickets are actually 300 level. So not only was the card double-charged, it was double-charged too much. And the tickets for the first pre-season game arrived less than a week before the first exhibition game. Argh!
Now I know that mistakes can happen, but when you have so many mistakes all in a row from the same department... you really have to wonder what in the world is going on there. The Glazers would be well off to spend a little less time galavanting around chasing British soccer teams and a little more time keeping track of things like their NFL team's ticket department. Just an idea.
I'm not alone in my total disdain for the idiocy shown by "The Friendship" (aka "Cappy's Cult") on Big Brother 6. Someone has already created JenVasquezSucks.com (note: contains mature content) to show disdain for her boldface lying on national television (and consequent gloating about it). What is funny is how the BB6 producers apparently share my disdain; as the wake-up song two days ago, they played "Stupid Girl" by Garbage (Jennifer felt it was directed at her, which it probably was), and today it was "Better Man" by Pearl Jam (in all likelihood for Kaysar). Funny stuff, for sure.
The best was Howie going off on April (Jenn's partner) after the nomination ceremony on Monday. This may or may not make TV, but he went ballistic on her, using tactics/language that I'd be wanting to use on people in the house if I was stuck there. The best part was yesterday, when they had an outdoor "lockdown" (where BB6 crew members fix some things inside the house), allowing Howie to berate her for a good half hour outside, with nowhere for April to hide. The mind games in particular on Monday got to her; April was crying on Monday in the HOH bathroom, and she started "praying", conveniently out loud. But how she started was the hilarious part, saying "Dear Big Brother... uh, I mean, Dear God..." I couldn't make that up if I tried. I don't think I've ever laughed at someone crying before, but that was too funny to not laugh about, period.
Today someone flew a banner by the house outside, and BB ordered everyone inside. The houseguests apparently didn't get a very good view of it, but reports from people who saw the banner in the Los Angeles area are that the sign called for Jenn and April to give their DOR (Departure On Request). Actions have ramifications, even on a reality show...
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