One of the best Vikings players of all time was Matt Blair from Iowa State. Just a few minutes ago he wrapped up a visit to my place of employment, and I have to say, he looks like he "could still play today."
Funny thing is, my department here is the one that set up the visit. Matt was looking for sponsors for the Special Olympics event this June. He was doing his job to come seek revenue from our corporation, and my department was asked to brainstorm how to conduct 100 pre-signed Matt Blair "To Be a Viking" give away books into a work function.
Without getting too detailed, my department choose my ideas; the theme, the slogan, etc. virtually verbatim. Here's the fun part, at the event itself, I was reduced to a participant, and was able to watch the event unfold while others got all the credit. I call things like this the "offensive lineman" syndrome, and they happen in corporate america all the time.
When the opportunity for me to co-host Matt Blair's actual walk-through tour of our facility came up at the last minute, I was thrilled!
"Finally, something cool to do," I thought, "I can't wait to tell my dad about this. He will think it's cool, too!"
But my happiness was short-lived. For some undefined reason- let's just say I really have no idea why, but I did blow it by tipping my hand and showing that this would actually be something fun for me to do- management decided to "squash my involvement." Again, I was given no reason for their change in tour guides.
How's that for a kick in the head? Here is the only person on this entire staff who actually knows who Matt Blair is, who actually has season tickets for the Vikings, and who actually has the ability to take a web picture, post it and write a blog about it on his website. One would think this is a person who is worthy of being involved in a frickin tour? Instead I am told "no" and what could of been a nice perk of the job I have, turned into another reason to be p.o'd. Great Mondays!
It would have been a privilege for me to walk the halls with someone who I once idolized. I would have liked to schmooze with him about my place of employment. I think I might have told him how cool it has been to work 19+ years for the same company! In those years I have had many opportunities to evolve my career into a new path.
I could have towed the company line and told him that all the great resources and books, and mentoring that were being promoted at his book signing, were all things that helped my career. However that would have been a lie. In fact, it's bullshit. The only way I have evolved my career at this place has been to do it myself. There was no manager, and no resource that "held my hand" through any process.
It would have been cool to ask Matt Blair what it was like to block a punt in Super Bowl IX vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers, "How did it feel to know that you created the only touchdown for the Vikings in a Super Bowl game?"
It would have been nice to tell him how fun it was to see him pick off a pitch-out on a kick return that sealed the NFC Championship game in 1976. His interception of a Rams last ditch effort sent the Vikings to Super Bowl XI vs. the Raiders, and sent my house-hold, on a cold farm in Watertown, SD, into frenzy.
But this was not possible today. I was reminded of my place in the pecking order of life. I am a football fan, and a person who can be asked for great ideas, but cannot be expected to represent them for the event to which they were intended. I am a grunt on the offensive line of the corporate food chain. I am a slug in the bowels of cube world.
I am person who will take my free pre-signed copy of Matt Blair's book with a smile, knowing that some corporate jackass now has an autographed football with several Hall of Famer's names on it. I get a book (and I appreciate that) but some rich, anti-stadium freak, who hates pro athletes- (and yet would brag about living next door to Daunte Culpepper to win over a crowd employees) will now get the prize. An executive who cuts the check, a person who wouldn't know a Viking from a High School Rugby player, will take home the prize because of the bigger wallet.
And what do I get? I get what I deserve. This is the name of the game. I showed them I liked something, and when you do that, you become just like that kid in the toddler room who makes no bones about liking a certain toy. You can be happy and blissful for a moment, but when you covet something and you show it, that's when it gets taken away. It kind of reminds me of one the three Viking Super Bowl games that Matt Blair played in. It's been that kind of day.
