Please Make Some Noise For Bojangles!

The arrival of a rain stained Friday morning has introduced the vibrant edges of my wandering mind to the whereabouts of a long sought after answer: Why don't I find the XXX Summer Olympics in London attractive? Is it because Track and Field is righteously getting away with the biggest display of legalized Plugola on the planet? Actually I thought the men's swimming suits were pretty incredible until a serious case of plumbers butt broke out during Prime Time Television. The second my rear pops out of a pair of trunks my neighbors will think it's a new Lazy Susan and stuff napkins into it. Plugola: 1. payment or favor given to people in media or motion pictures for favorable mention or display of a particular product or brand name. 2. promotional mention or praise of someone or something on radio or television. Because of my addiction to purchasing tennis shoes with attitude; since the start of the Olympics the surface of My Face Book page has been pummeled with so called notes from friends unveiling Nike's latest, brightest and awesomely too cool for school fashions for all people including radio disc jockeys with big egos. We aren't watching the XXX Summer Olympics! It's the world's longest info-mercial! A fashion show staring really fast runners, swimmers and volleyball experts whose friends happily play soccer, martial arts, gymnastics and water polo. Where's Barbie in all this mess? Break out the bus and sports car and we've got Reality TV's true to life summer series The Real Dolls of Sports. Don't even get me started on professional basketball players stealing what rightfully belongs to the legends of tomorrow. Wait... I take that back. Accepting Ryan Seacrest as an NBC commentator is failing in the non-American Idol chambers of everyday people. We once laughed out of control when former Saturday Night Live's Mike Meyers sketched out a scene in Wayne's World that poked fun at product placement. The early 90's joke must still carry weight because the concept was totally swiped by Will Ferrell in his current flick on a stick Campaign where he denies accepting money from cigarette companies while holding up packages of puffs. When it comes to sports and fashion we instantly become the freaks on Big Bang Theory. I work with people, hang out with neighbors and spend time watching in restaurants fact spouting nerds that can easily outperform Shelton. At least Gerry Vaillancourt formerly of the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets could back it up? Jim Szoke of the Carolina Panthers knows his game so well he wouldn't have a problem selling me the spots off a leopard. The moment my uneducated thought process is challenged I whip out a pocket professor and Google the numbers. Which is no different than what we're doing with the XXX Summer Olympics in London. Where are the Hotdog Eating contests? How about the Last Comic's Standing? American's know "Reality" sports like The Bachelorette. For the love of God let's have a world championship round of bargaining from Pawn Shop owners! Car Wars that feature the repo men of Lizard Lick! If the Summer Olympics have to be about sports then show me the best damn high school football teams on the planet! Champion the girls of middle school Lacrosse. Show me the next Cassius Clay! Give me something to follow for the next twenty five years! We want Batman, Ironman and Spiderman not in their current roles of glory but the very second the bud pops out on a stem shouting, "I'm gonna be something one day!" How the hell did I get on this subject? Oh... I remember. The arrival of a rain stained Friday morning has introduced the vibrant edges of my wandering mind to the whereabouts of a long sought after answer: Why don't I find the XXX Summer Olympics in London attractive? The answer: Because the Southern fast food restaurant Bojangles might come across as a major league player inside a world of Corporate American driven ideas and deliveries but the one thing they have over McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King: Individuality. I drive past two Bojangles every morning and finally took note of something pretty damn spectacular. Both of their incredibly yellow road signs outside the front door promoted two different items on the menu. Clear Channel Radio could never do that. If you're gay and working at Chick Fil A I can't imagine the Olympic sized decisions you're having to silently make just to keep a paycheck coming in. Hats off to Bojangles for having the strength to pull up their big boy pants while having the guts to do your own thing. In an age where every Wal-Mart looks the same. During a time when the only thing different about Home Depot and Lowes is the color of the building. Inside a realm of history when being unique makes you a freak. Bojangles finds success in giving their managers and employees the gift of being themselves! I often wonder where this nation would be economically if corporate takeover's hadn't become the fashion. Hey if you can...please take the time to jot down a note today for your Great Grandchildren: Dear Future family member, Please don't be so willing to sell out. As great as it will feel to have more than ten bucks in the bank, it's gonna hurt a lot of people. Let's be honest a bunch of very rich people owning football teams and large ugly downtown buildings will come across that they care but numb is the word. Numb to the pains they generate while unbricking the foundation of success laid before they got there. Go! Bojangles! arroe@arroe.net