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I don't go to many high school basketball games. Is taunting of the opposing student section and pointing to the scoreboard and blowing them kisses at half-court after the game customary these days?
Maybe I've just been out of the loop as to how Ohio Division 1 high school basketball players conduct business these days, but this is what I saw at last night's Perrysburg-Whitmer game, which was won by Whitmer and Dan Dakich's protégé, coach Anthony Stacey, who was an outstanding basketball player for Dakich at Bowling Green.
Stacey's player taunted the student section from the first minute of the game until the end when he stood at half-court by himself and blew kisses to the Perrysburg students.
It just seemed…excessive.
But, maybe that's what's going on at the AAU level and in travel ball gyms across America. You tell me. Is being a jerkoff on the basketball court just how teenagers conduct business these days?
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
Do you tip your mechanic?
• Tom in Houston writes:
With the caveat that allows tipping real service workers, I'm officially on team no-tip. Tipping an auto mechanic that charges $100 or more per hour for labor? I guess I could see a reason why you might - if you got moved up in line to get your repair done faster or something. But they have a lot of damn gall asking for one, especially if they want a tip based on a percentage of the bill.
I believe businesses should not solicit tips unless their employees are paid at a tipped wage rate - as most restaurant workers are in many states. Seven states have the same wage minimums for both, but most allow tipped employees to be paid at a reduced rate. Fifteen states are at the Federal minimum of $2.13 per hour for tipped employees. 2024 rates are here.
Normally I don't like government stepping in, but I think it's time for a law that prohibits a business that doesn't qualify to pay employees at a tipped rate from soliciting tips. That doesn't mean a consumer can't tip somebody from a non-tipped category, just that the business can't ask for them to. Also doesn't mean an employer can't pay somebody more than the minimum tipped rate.
• Jake in Oregon writes:
This was a first for me the other day. What's next, dishwashers?, the hostess?
• Buzz, I think this is a first-time, emailer writes:
It all depends on your situation. I have "a guy" who has worked on my stuff for years. He had picked me up off the side of the road with his trailer and winch, done great work, and had always charged a reasonable rate. I don’t think twice about throwing a few bucks his way. Due to physical issues he only keeps a few clients to supplement the new business he runs. I am lucky to have him and even with tipping he has saved me tons over the years. If I go to the dealer who is ripping me off at over $100 per hour they can forget about it. If the mechanics aren’t paid reasonably, it isn’t up to me to make up the difference.
Kinsey:
Good point. If your guy is different from the faceless mechanic at the dealership, I get throwing him some cash to keep him around in a time of need.
• Joe T. has a good one:
I saw what you wrote about tipping today. Tipping your mechanic is crazy. I just heard a new one the other day. A buddy of mine is getting remarried and was booking the photographer. The photographer requires payment upfront, and when he went to pay, she asked for a tip before the service was ever offered. I had never heard of pre-tipping. How are you supposed to know what to tip, even if you want to, when you have no idea if the service was any good?
Kinsey:
This is insanity and it's exactly why we MUST have this conversation. Americans with their heads on straight have to lead this revolution.
• Paul B. wants in on this subject:
This tipping nonsense is out of control. Hell no don't tip the mechanic. Listen, if he does a good job and you spend a lot of money at his establishment then drop by at Christmas with a little bonus or something. We got a new dryer delivered from Lowe's the other day and my wife asked me if I had any cash as she wanted to tip the guys. I was hesitant but whatever. Guys leave, I go to start drying some clothes, the damn thing doesn't work. NO HEAT! Pffft. Still waiting on them to pick it up and give us a new one.
• Jim T. in San Diego writes:
Tip my mechanic? Atop what he already charges? I use him, loyally, because he's both honest and competent. For that, he gets my business.
The only folks I tip are wait help at the restaurant, and the hotel cleaning staff on the rare occasion I travel. I put myself through school busing tables, and know how hard and underpaid restaurant work is - and figure cleaning people's bedding is probably even worse. Other than that, I can't imagine tipping anyone.
And while I would prefer to tip from cash, I so rarely carry cash anymore than I almost always put it on the card. If I do have cash on hand, I'll tip from that - not only does the credit card company then NOT get a share of it, but I figure the waittress won't necessarily have to declare it on her taxes.
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As far as fast food, or fast casual, or whatever, I met a former colleague yesterday for lunch at a cool little family-owned on-off burger place near home, The Money Pit. Fried fish sandwich and a coke was $10. Not even fries! But my ex-wife and her husband also own another restaurant one town over, and their costs are through the roof: Meat and produce are both sky-high.
I sure go out a whole lot less than I used to. And my wife used to take our daughters out for Freddy's burgers or Raising Cane's after dentist and doctor appointments, but that's gotten more rare, too.
Scheffler or Rahm?
• Chad G. saw this one:
RIP ‘Toothpick’
• John in Milford, MI writes:
Don’t know if you heard, but U.L. "Toothpick" Washington, a shortstop who spent most of his career with the Royals in the late 70s and early 80s, passed away this week.
He actually batted and played in the field with a toothpick in his mouth most of the time. Used to get to see him play fairly often on the local Tigers broadcasts when I was a kid (which was about the only place to see games before cable - this was before interleague play, so you had to tune into This Week In Baseball if you wanted to catch any NL action). Lots of us wanted to play little league with a toothpick (especially the hot cinnamon pix) in our mouth like U.L., but we were generally told get rid of it before a wild pitch or bad hop resulted in a trip to the hospital.
The 1980 Royals team with U.L. that lost to the Phillies in the World Series was fun to watch, and not just because that was the year George Brett flirted with .400. They also had Willie Wilson (the fastest man in baseball at the time), Hal McRae, Dan Quisenberry, Jamie Quirk, Frank White, and Clint Hurdle. And of course Pete LaCock. If anyone was ever given a name fit for porn at birth it was him.
The Ts are back in Idaho
• Mike T. got home and went right back to having Friday night fires in his massive backyard pit:
Greatest movie titles
• Franco sent in this:
The Danny Trejo movie title was great, but I think this movie title should also be in the conversation for greatest movie titles. It stars the Sam Elliott too.
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That's it this morning. I have a ton of stuff on the to-do list and it's time to get this weekend rolling. Go have an incredible time watching college basketball and living life.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com