J-Mac is THE MAN!!!

I love sports for stories like this. A 17 year old high school senior named Jason McElwain serves as the team manager/trainer for the boys varsity basketball team at Greece Athena High School in New York. Jason has been diagnosed with high funtioning autisim. He didn't speak until he was 5. He loves sports though and has been involved in track and the basketball program for the last few years under head Coach Jim Johnson. Jason rarely misses practice. He sits on the bench during games in a shirt and tie. To reward Jason's dedication and show appreciation for how he has helped the team, Coach Johnson decided he wanted to let Jason get into the final home game of the season, which was also "senior night." The coach said his dream would be to just get him in the game, and maybe get him a basket. So after building a 20 point lead in the fourth quarter, coach called Jason's number. His teammates looked for him, and got him the ball. Jason quickly fired up a 3 point shot that missed completely. Then he missed a layup. But his teammates kept looking to get him his basket. His next three pointer...nothing but net. Then another. And another. AND another. In an interview later he said,"As soon as the first shot went in that's when I started to get going." He described himself as "hotter than a pistol." His final stat line for his only high school basketball game: about 4 minutes, 20 points, 6 for 10 from 3 point distance. Check out some of these pics from the game.

I can't decide which person I admire most. Which part of the story moves me (and I'll freely admit, brings tears to at least the backs of my eyes). Is it Jason himself, who overcomes (daily, not just in this game) the challenges his life holds for him. Is it Coach Johnson who not only gave Jason the opportunity to be involved with his team, but then rewarded his dedication by putting him in the game? Sure they were up by 20. From what I have heard and read, they had locked up the district title, and were headed to the playoffs. But Coach Johnson didn't have to let Jason play. I think lots of coaches would never have considered it, let alone actually been brave enough to do it. How about the teammates who kept finding Jason and feeding him the ball? How about the players (high school kids remember) on the other team?!? They were already losing by 20 points to a powerful team, when the team manager comes of the bench to pour in 20 more points. But from all the clips I have seen, none of those guys tried anything unsportsmanlike or unwarranted towards Jason. It looked like several of them could have easily played better defense on him, and blocked or at least contested his shots. But they didn't. They knew what was going on it seemed. They knew what was more important. The students in the stands had made pictures and posters for Jason, and went wild when he got in the game. It only got louder with each shot. They rushed the court after the final buzzer, and lifted this kid on their shoulders. Awesome.

Who's next?

I go grocery shopping at least once a week. I wouldn't say I enjoy it, but I certainly don't mind this errand. I usually go to the store close to my house. When the contents of my cart allow, I use the self-checkout registers. I'm pretty quick and as a child I often dreamed of being a checker at a major grocery chain. (The first part is true) The self checkout is an easy choice over the traditional lane for me...When there is no one else at the self checkout. If there is not an open scanning station, there could be problems. I understand that it's still a relatively new application of technology in the retail food stuff environment. BUT....come on people. I should not have to wait 20 minutes to buy my can of shaving gel. None of you should either! Part of the blame falls on the store, part on the employees, and part on my fellow shoppers. So to clear things up, here are a few rules, or ideas, or observations regarding the self checkout registers, and the expected behavior when using (or planning) to use them.

In every store I have seen, there is a sign indicating something like "Express self checkout 15 items or less." After midnight when all the other lanes are closed, it is obviously OK to ignore this sign. But at other times too? What's the point of the sign? Do people not see the sign? Do the employees not see the people with 2 full shopping carts in these lines? Do I ever break this rule? Yes, but I'm really fast. Solution: take down the sign or enforce it. Don't leave it up there teasing me with unfulfilled promises of speedy "express" checkout.

Since we have licenses for driving, registration for voting, examinations for professional titles, etc. I propose a test before you can use the self checkout. Stop laughing. LOTS of people would not pass. Someone could make money hosting seminars on "How to Pass the Self-Checkout Exam." Sure it takes a few times to become well versed in the process. I didn't know what to do the first time I used it, or bought produce with no barcode, or wanted stamps. But the basic procedure should be understood before you get in line ahead of me and make me wait. Pick up the item, scan that item, put it in the bag, THEN pick up the next item and repeat. It is WAY too difficult for some people. And that is OK. That's why they still have checkers at the other registers. Solution: You must be at least as smart as the equipment in order to use it, smarter is preferred.

The problems do not start at the registers however. In the traditional checkout line, an orderly system easily develops: one shopper behind the other. I have never seen anyone cut in line at register 7. If Joe gets in line after Larry, then Larry gets his purchase processed before Joe. This is NOT the case in the self checkout area. Most setups include 4 stations for scanning. Confusion seemingly abounds when it comes to determining who is next. Among my observations: choose 1 of the 4 occupied stations and walk right up behind (the closer the better) the person currently using it, OR choose a side and wait for 1 of 2 people to be finished, OR join the group of people standing around the area and wait for the next spot open then try to run over there before someone else gets there paying no regard to the fact that they were there before you. The configuration breeds this confusion, but some common courtesy should prevent someone from waiting for 20 minutes (at one station, or side, or in the mob) while 3 people walk up and checkout at another station. Right? "You were obviously here before me, and are following the posted guidelines of having no more than 15 items. Please go ahead of me since I have 47 items, and just walked up here." Solution: standardize this queuing process. Reconfigure the stations, design clearly marked waiting lines, or have an employee act as a register usher.

But that's asking a lot of the employee right? It would seem so. I'm not sure if working the self checkout registers is a reward or punishment for the employees. Are these the best checkers they have? Or trainees? If I push the "call cashier" button, and there is no cashier there to hear it, does it make a sound? Actually I don't think it is designed to make a sound. I pushed it the other day for the first time because the scale did not notice that I had indeed placed the greeting card I just scanned in the bag, and not my pocket. The employee was right there watching me. I looked at her for about 15 seconds before pushing the button. We stared at each other for another 30 after I pushed it. I said,"Can you help me out here?" She quickly did so. The button does nothing. Solution: I don't know. I'm sure they are trying hard at what is probably one of their first jobs ever. Get rid of that button I guess, and fine tune the scale.

If everyone would follow these guidelines (at least when I'm trying to checkout) the world would be better. People would have more time to spend on other errands or with their families. Customer satisfaction would rise. Kroger stock would soar to new heights. The economy would improve. Gas prices would drop. The Rockets would go on a 20 game winning streak. The Texans would do the right thing and draft Reggie Bush.