Pro Athletes Earn Their Jobs Every Year. Would You Still Have Yours?

[Cementups]

I would have no problem making the grade.

 

[rod]

I enjoyed covering rural routes.
Long hours, lots of overtime, seat time of 6 hours a day.

Rural routes have their pros and cons. The biggest negative here is bad roads in the winter----all the time. That and if you've ever driven 25-30 miles of nothing but a washboard dusty roads ---that's no fun either. We had 2 routes that averaged 300+ miles a day ----a good share of it being on crap roads. Also the further from civilization you get the weirder the people are. We had one whole area whose inhabitants could have stared in those "The Hills Have Eyes" movies.

 

[Catatonic]

Rural routes have their pros and cons. The biggest negative here is bad roads in the winter----all the time. That and if you've ever driven 25-30 miles of nothing but a washboard dusty roads ---that's no fun either. We had 2 routes that averaged 300+ miles a day ----a good share of it being on crap roads. Also the further from civilization you get the weirder the people are. We had one whole area whose inhabitants could have stared in those "The Hills Have Eyes" movies.

Winter roads? You mean like snow? Never had those.
Dusty roads ... Oh yeah.
Weider people - Hmmmm, I thought they were more like me.

 

[sailfish]

Yeah actually, I would still have a job. In fact, I'm pretty damn good. One of the main reasons I often find the union hoops rather frustrating.

 

[oldngray]

look about average to me.

Campbell did have some hams on him.

 

[Re-Raise]

I may be showing my age here but I don't think speed is what makes a quality UPS employee.

A long time ago I decided that safety, consistency and customer service were more important than how fast I could run up to a house and throw a package at the door.

My customers can count on me, and management can depend on me to perform my job in a professional manner at a fair pace.

 

[Indecisi0n]

I follow their rules so I'm a piece of .

 

[box_beeyotch]

Just started my 27th year and my cover drivers still can't keep up.

Did you ever consider that maybe they don't care how "fast" you are and there in it for the paycheck?? Not everyone is a suck ass who tries to rush around and get done early...not because they cant but because their smart enough to know they don't have to.

 

[clean hairy]

If we did not have the Union, no one would last more than a year, and the Company would never have to pay for, paid Holidays or vacation for anyone.

 

[selfcancelsignal]

Just started my 27th year and my cover drivers still can't keep up.

Ok... So Davey runner gunner.

 

[Stopher]

Great thread. I used to run and gun. I wanted to have a life outside ups during the week but it's just not possible. To do this job effectively it takes more brains than braun. You younger guys will learn this one day. Preserve your body cause it's a marathon not a race. Trust me one this one.

 

[Stopher]

I can still work circles around the young guns btw.

 

[ArcherUTR]

In the pro athlete world, athletes must earn their jobs every year and even every game.

that got me to thinking about our jobs. we are pretty well protected by the union. however , if we had to keep our jobs by merit alone, how many of us would still have jobs?

I bet half wouldn't. after 25 years I know I cant keep up with the younger drivers but I hope my experience would make up for it.

what if performance counted for everything?

WOULD YOU MAKE THE TEAM?

Tangentially, the NFL has a very weak Union and veteran players get screwed over for younger players on lower wage progression contracts. Contracts are also not guaranteed in the NFL, but at least there is pension I believe after 4 years.

UPS will continue to push for a longer wage progression so that they can work rookie drivers late into the night. Those younger drivers will probably eventually quit over the bull. Bring in the next low cost rookie.

 

[bumped]

Ask Earl Campbell how that worked out for him.

I'd take his annual paychecks any year. It works out pretty good for him monetarily. Has a pension, and can make money pretty much every day of the week signing his name being a NFL Hall of Famer and a Heisman Trophy Winner.

His physical issues had nothing to do with the statement made.

 

[brownmonster]

I would be Craig Counsell. Have a mediocre career, win a few championships and reach the end un scathed.

 

[DumbTruckDriver]

pro athletes are over paid and so are the guys who own the teams. stadiums are heavily subsidized by government. isnt the NFL a non profit or something lol.

athletes should earn much less, the owners should earn less, and the fans should pay less for tickets

Would you still say that athletes should earn less if you were a pro athlete?

 

[rod]

I've kind of given up on pro sports. Baseball is like watching paint dry- Basketball is for the most part watching one team score a bucket then they shuffle down court and the other team scores a bucket- then sometimes in the last minute it might get exciting and football is fast becoming nothing more than touch football with all the new "you can't do that" rules. I would vote that all pro players could partake in doing all the physical enhancement drugs (steroids, etc) and turn them all into muscle bound zombies, get rid of half the rules and let them go at it. Now I would pay money to see that.

 

[Kicked Your Dog]

I'm the middle of the lineup, get on base and move the runner type of player. I can play middle infield and the hot corner. I hit .285 year in and year out and NEVER go down to injury. I'm not going to Cooperstown, but I come to play EVERYDAY. I'll rush the mound and slide with my spikes up as needed, too. I'm the dude you want in your clubhouse.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I would be Craig Counsell. Have a mediocre career, win a few championships and reach the end un scathed.

...and completely anonymous as I had no idea who you were talking about...

 

[rickyb]

Would you still say that athletes should earn less if you were a pro athlete?

YES! but thats easy for me to say.