Tent Frames & The Hawks

I dropped by REI late this morning on my way back from our Georgia Technology Planning Committee Meeting to see if they could help me sort out the frame for my 2 person tent (purchased from Dick's Sporting Goods about 18 months ago and never actually used). I managed to break a pole right at the seam of a joint and was hoping the folks at REI could help. Unfortunately, it is just one of those breaks that can't be easily fixed and will most likely require my purchasing a new frame for the tent. That's a bugger because Joe and I are heading off for another venture with the Scouts this weekend and we need a two person tent. So, I purchased a new one from REI and got a really good price plus my REI membership discount and the comfort in knowing that REI stands behind all of their products for the life of the product; all of which is great, but why can't I buy a kit to repair the bloody thing? That is the key question for me and it doesn't seem to matter whether I buy it from Dick's or REI because the nature of the construction of the frame lends itself to irreparable damage and there just doesn't seem to be anything one can do to change the situation. In other words, the product has a fundamental flaw in it and no one seems to mind all that much. Andy at REI (a super young man who is most helpful and genuinely interested in helping you make the right purchase decisions) doesn't seem to be all that bothered and Dick's doesn't seem to be all that bothered even though they sold me the product. It's just disturbing and given the cost of camping equipment these days (when I was a kid we went to the army surplus store and got everything you'd ever need for under $50........and it lasted) I'm upset that there isn't a replacement plan for every tent frame and at least spares on hand for the most popular models. Hell, give me the option of buying a spare and save me from all this anguish. Please!

On another completely different note, I attended the first home preseason game last night between my Atlanta Hawks and the Charlotte Bobcats and I'm happy to report that the Hawks are now 3 & 0 with wins over the Orlando Magic, the Miami Heat and last night's victory. Dare I say anything positive about this team after all the negative observations I had last season? I suppose that given I renewed my season tickets I've demonstrated some level of confidence in this year's playoff potential Moreover, after last night's performance (Josh Smith's pouty behavior aside) I even find myself believing the drivel I used to convince myself to purchase season tickets again. It was a strong performance by a remarkably young team with Al Horford and Acie Law showing that they intend to make a difference this year. Joe Johnson was back and in great form with 25 points including a few 3 pointers from downtown. Now, if only we could get Coach Woodson to sit down for ten minutes and actually let them play an up and down game, we just might find out how good they really are...........Go Hawks!