I have no doubt been the most outspoken when it comes to the Packers' penalty woes.

And while I know people get tired of hearing me "bitch" about it, let me show you a good comparison of how/why this irritates me so much.

I think just about everyone here already knows, that I have never called in sick to work in my life. I started working when I was 16, and 16 years later, at 32, I have never called in to work for any reason. I am very proud of this, and don't mind bragging about it at all.

At every job I have had, there has always been at least 3 or 4 co workers that call in sick about 10-20 times a year. I think that is absolutely ridiculous; but all of my bosses, have always had the same cavalier attitude about it, saying "that's just the way it is, " What do you expect me to do about it." etc...

The last quote reminds me of a lot of fans' reaction to my constant harping on getting rid of the penalties. "What do you expect MM to do about it?!"

Going back to the calling in sick thing, I am dumbfounded, especially now, with the unemployment the way it is, that my boss isn't more strict about people showing up to work on a regular basis, and doing their job when they are here. There is one co-worker in particular, that has called in sick 20+ times in the last year, and does a shitty job when he is here. But nothing is ever done. Even though last time we had a job opening, there were over 50 applicants to fill 1 position.

So, when I hear people say "that's just the way it is." "Every team has problems." "What do you expect MM to do about it?" etc, I just shake my head, thinking, where have I heard that before....

Well said.

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I hate it too..

Just cuz that is the way it is and has been, doesnt make it right..

I've never missed a day of work due to illness either. Only day I've ever missed was the day after the army forced me to get my wisdom teeth removed and they put me on narcs. I still would've gone into work that day, but that would have been frowned upon by army regulations.

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It is not that difficult.

1. Show Up.

2. Show Up On Time.

3. Do You Best.

4. Work A Full Day.

5. At The End Of The Day As Your Self What You Could Do Better.

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I think what we need is your boss to be more candid 1) on the sidelines 2) in press conferences and THEN the guys would show up for work more.

As I see it, it's a "talent" problem as much as it is an enforcement issue. These fellas are missing work because they aren't good enough -- on their own merits -- to be at work when duty calls. It isn't necessarily that they miss work simply because your boss allows it.

Of course, I'm contrarian when it comes to anything that Ironman writes (or so it is thought, by some). Truth is, we'd probably agree on a great many things. We just need the right setting. No keyboards. In person, perhaps. Have football on in the background -- oh, and some beer.

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You would make an excellent defense attorney. Also, I think you would excel as a union chief. They often times defend the lazy workers at the expense of the rest of the good workers.

But yes we do agree on one thing: Beer = good.

I have called in sick (though never 20 times a year).

In fact, I am not going into work today.

I don't know what you all do, but what I do is not important enough to drive in this shit. Now if I were emergency room staff, or a policeman, it would be different. But I don't believe any job I have ever had is more important than my health.

And that includes certain kinds of severe "colds" or "flus" or contagious viruses or whatever.

So call me a lazy sack of shit. Call me a non-team player. Call me a wimp or a pussy or an asshole. I don't care.

If I'm sick past a certain point, the Protestant work ethic can just go and fuck itself.

Damn straight.

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I don't get sick very often. Hardly ever. So, I almost never call in sick. But i know that if there's someone in an enclosed room with me that has the flu or a nasty cold, i want their ass to be at home (actually, I don't care where they go as long as it's nowhere near me). I see what you're saying though, IM, and my guess is that's the issue for you isn't the sickness itself, but rather the sickness as an excuse for a lazy worker to be an even lazier worker. Fair?

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I liken this to women bitching about men treating them like shit. I say, its partly the womens fault. Reason being, if women collectively stopped putting up with men being garbage, men would inherently improve.

Man treats woman like shit, she moves on. He finds a woman who puts up with his cheating and demeaning ways. IF the latter woman doesn't put up with it, eventually the man shappens up. But if you can do what you want, with no consequences, why change?

Which leads me to this. Remember when Jolly had that stupid penalty that cost us basically four points against the Vikings? He had no remorse for his actions, for his penalty. Why? Because there was no consequence. And even mm stated that if he had seen it, he would have yanked him for a series, but then contradicted that statement by saying 'then i would have taken a tool away from Dom and you cant do that'.

So basically that says, if a player is really good, he can make stupid mistakes and get away with it. I don't like that. I don't care who you are, you do that, you suffer a punishment. The team would jump in dudes face saying you need to shape up bro, we need you, no more of this stupid stuff.

That in turn makes the team CLOSER as a unit.




No consequence for your actions, leads to more mistakes, with no resolution.

Crosby misses a field goal? Make him do 5 push-ups for each yard the field goal was.

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