Week #2: Viva La Revolucion

           Starting a new job is difficult everywhere you go. Maybe some people hit the ground running, but I tend to hit the ground stumbling and trudging. The first few weeks are like starting a new jigsaw puzzle: Everything you need is right in front of you, but it takes a long time to figure out how all the pieces fit. Right now, I feel like I just opened up a new puzzle box, and out poured 2,000 little pieces. A daunting task lies ahead.

I glided around the office in Week 1 with supreme confidence. I had the National Sales Center under my belt, the ace up my sleeve. At that point, I was completely free of responsibility and expectation, and somehow had a sense of entitlement to the sales world. But now the higher ups want me to perform, and I feel like I’m running around the place with my head dangling by a flap of skin on my neck. I jumped straight from the minors to the big leagues, and completely underestimated the size of the leap.

As for the office itself, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a greater collection of mid-20’s dudes in one office. Even my boss is 25 years old. Luckily, at least as far as I’ve seen, these aren’t the guys that make the freshmen prove themselves in bizarre, unappealing ways, but instead have proven to be helpful and accommodating, although I still can’t remember half of their names and a lot of their advice. I think it would be absolutely perfect if the Patriots, whose offices are a short walk and an elevator ride away, were the classic mix of jocks and sorority girls that everyone expects sports employees to be. It would be the meat-heads in football versus the nerdy, alternative kids in soccer. Alas, I still don’t have my Stadium pass that allows access to every door, so I’ll have to wait a little bit longer to let you know if the picture I’ve painted is real or not.  

Which brings me to another point: Why do The Patriots work on the Suite level while we are on the ground floor? Oh yea, it’s because they have a Hummer-sized waiting list for their 60,000 season tickets. Okay, fine, so people are waiting upwards of 5 years to buy tickets to Patriots football games, but why should that make our $20 tickets insignificant? What’s that? Because they are? Well, screw you America. Soccer’s coming around, as it has been since the 1970’s. Just give it some more time…

As anticipated, the worlds of soccer and sales have collided to consume virtually every hour of my waking life (disclaimer: Exaggeration). If you do get a chance to talk with me, I apologize in advance for the salesmanesque approach to conversation that I can’t seem to shut off anymore. Hopefully it won't be too noticeable. And that's the point ;-)