by Ryan Markiewicz | Nov 4, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
Check this out. Pretty cool.
https://fb.watch/vDPLg3YjSl/?
I know you may not be a Bills fan (or a football fan). And some of you folks overseas might not even know much about football at all (though I know the folks in England, Germany, Mexico, and Brazil do, and our BIG fans 😉).
But I am a big Buffalo Bills fan and was at the game Sunday. It was an amazing game. Came down to the last play. The Bills did not play anywhere near their best game and still won. That’s not easy to do against NFL competition. And Miami’s quarterback Tua Tagovailoa played GREAT!
And though many of you know I am often critical of Bills’ coach, Sean McDermott, I think this was a very ballsy call to go for the winning FG as he did.
- It was over 60 yards. Longer than Bass has ever hit and longer than any in Buffalo Bills history.
- TBass (the Bills kicker) has had a rough year plus. He seemed to lose his confidence toward the end of last year and has been shaky.
- McDermott going for the FG in that situation took guts. The safer bet was a Hail Mary or even a punt to go into OT. The danger with the FG attempt is that 1. It could be blocked and returned for a TD or 2. If Bass misses (and who thought he would make it, honestly?), the Dolphins get the ball on the Bills 49 with only a few seconds left but with 2 timeouts. One 15-20 yard completion the Dolphins they could have kicked a much more makeable game-winning field goal. Gutsy call.
Now, I know how much McDermott and the rest of the team have had TBass’ back. And no one would have blamed him for missing a 61-yarder at the buzzer. But had he missed, and had the Dolphins scored a last-second FG, McDermott would have been pilloried for going with a guy who has been inconsistent all year (including missing an XP earlier in the game).
So, my hat’s off to McDermott for sticking with his guy, for having faith in him, and for putting his own rep on the line by bringing him out in that situation.
And clearly, you can see from the video how happy all of Bass’ teammates were for him.
And I would not be surprised if this kick (hopefully 🤞) restores Bass’ confidence, turns his season around, and maybe even saves his career.
Good for him. Good for McDermott. Good for the team. A good lesson for all of us. We have to keep faith in each other, lift up those who are down, don’t give up on them during tough times. What makes a team stronger.
Go Bills! -JB
PS–here’s a look at the play:
https://x.com/danfetes/status/1853183208164151737?s=61&t=wOTQcoLRVs8n-Qq-W8brCQ
by Ryan Markiewicz | Nov 1, 2024 | News
The Logistics Plus (LP) Vietnam and Denmark teams successfully coordinated and completed the export of a 40-ton autoclave from Vietnam to New Zealand. This complex operation involved careful planning and many factory visits to ensure the safe and timely loading of the heavy equipment. The teams’ expertise in managing large-scale logistics projects, along with their strong international connections, played a crucial role in the seamless execution of this project.
The scope of work handled by the LP Vietnam and Denmark teams included:
- Pricing and negotiations with local suppliers and carriers
- Supervision of dismantling the cargo in the Vietnamese factory
- Providing lashing certificate for the 3×40’OT (accessories dismantled from autoclave)
- Shrinkwrapping the autoclave
- Loading autoclave at the factory
- Loading the cargo to the ocean vessel
- Transportation from Vung Tau Port to the Port of Auckland
- Discharge and final delivery to the client in Auckland, New Zealand
Photos and a short video of the loading process can be seen below.
by Ryan Markiewicz | Oct 30, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
All,
Since you probably know I am a big Buffalo Bills fan (and since the Bills theme song is Shout) you likely think this is about the Buffalo Bills. But it’s not.
I am also a big BUFFALO fan in general. I went to school there. Spent my 20’s there. Started my family there. And only left at 30 because I needed a job.
So this is just a shout-out to Buffalo.
Today, a bunch of us went up there to visit our good friend and customer, Bill Hanes. I first met Bill at the Bills stadium when our good friends at M&T Bank invited us to a dinner with Buffalo Bills General Manager, Brandon Beane. Thank you, M&T guys 🙂
Bill and I struck up a friendship from there. We email a lot. I’ve gone to games with him. He is a long time fan and friends with many of the older Bills players and coaches. Great guy.
Anyway, we went to see him today and even though we don’t do a ton of business with his company, to me it’s just as good to get to know good people, even if you don’t do a lot of business together. One of the best parts of the job is the people you get to meet and hopefully get to work with. But even if no business, still glad you know them.
So, for lunch Bill takes us to his favorite local gin mill. Google Gin Mill if you’re not from here 🙂 There are dozens of these in Buffalo. Nothing fancy. Just great food and friendly people. Buffalo is known as ‘The City of Good Neighbors’ and deserves that title.
Well, Bill is (naturally) a regular there and we moved a few tables together to make one big enough for the 8 of us at lunch. Just then, an older gentleman–clearly another “regular”– wearing a veteran’s ball cap walks in and I hear him kind of jokingly tell the waitress, “Hey, They Took My Table!”
Bill (who obviously knew him) said, “Sorry John. Those other guys took the table for 8 so we had to make do.” No biggie. All good.
Well, I see the Veteran is wearing an old Buffalo Braves t-shirt.
Now, I know 95% of you won’t know this, but Buffalo had a (really good) NBA team back in the ’70s, and I was a big fan. That’s a whole ‘nother story for another day.”
I walk over and introduce myself. We shake hands and talk about the Braves a bit. Lunch comes (Beef on Weck for me, of course) (Google too, I guess 🤪).
A few minutes later, I notice John walk out of the bar. He comes back in a few minutes later with a plastic bag and hands it to me. It’s a gift—a vintage Buffalo Braves t-shirt.
Just like that 😊
And, believe this or not (but it’s true either way)–From all my years living in and around Buffalo– that’s a pretty typical Buffalo story.
Onward!
JB
PS–and, of course, we DID stop to see the new Bills stadium going up on the way home.
PPS–and for any of your poor souls who don’t know the Bill’s shout song, here it is:
https://youtu.be/1JpeDWbgUO8?si=68jID1lNtthEG_Mu
by Ryan Markiewicz | Oct 25, 2024 | Testimonials
“I just wanted to take a few minutes because it’s not too often in our professional lives that we receive positive feedback. I wanted to let you know how thankful I am for the Logistics Plus team. You are all amazing! Every time I need something, even when it’s urgent, your team is there for me! The other day, Abby Perez took it upon herself to call a company I had a shipment delivered to. I didn’t realize that it was on the second floor and an LTL shipment. She handled it for me—WITHOUT EVEN ASKING!!! Like what?!?!? Not to mention how incredibly nice and pleasant she is to work with. It’s rare to have people like this, and I just needed your team to know that it doesn’t go unnoticed!”
-Purchasing & Logistics
by Ryan Markiewicz | Oct 24, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
All,
Since we’re going on an Antarctic cruise over Christmas, and since there will be a polar plunge on Christmas Day, I want to get prepared. So today (with guidance from Coach Craig Warnshuis), I started my “training.”
The water in Antarctica will be 29 degrees. (And yes, I know that water freezes into ice at 32 degrees, but 1. Not salt water, and 2. Not with currents/waves keeping it from freezing).
Now, about 40 years ago, I jumped into 32-degree moving water in the North Hudson (not too smart) and immediately locked up. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Had to be pulled up back into the raft. “Memorable.”
And this will be colder than that. And I don’t want a repeat of that episode 🤪.
So, I’m gonna spend some time trying to get ready. I am going to the Lake Erie Recovery Zone at my old gym, Erie Fitness Now, where they have a cold plunge tub. And, while they can “only” get it down to 37 degrees (it was at 47 today), that’s just 10 degrees higher than Antarctica will be.
Today was not bad at all. Now, I only stayed in for 3.5 minutes. I didn’t dunk my head under. But it was not uncomfortable at all, other than my feet hurt. But I’m gonna get some neoprene diver’s boots to help that. But it was very doable. So a good start IMHO.
I’ve always been fascinated by Antarctica since reading the book about Ernest Shackleton’s journey there on Endurance. It is a story of incredible strength and survival against all odds. I look forward to seeing it (and letting you guys see it through my experience).
Onward! -JB
