Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Terry Bradshaw was visiting Springfield, Illinois over the weekend to watch his granddaughter, Zuri Hester, win two World Championships at the Palomino Horse Breeder’s Association World Championship Show. Bradshaw is obviously extremely proud of his granddaughter, but the end of the show took a sour turn for the Pittsburgh legend.
“It’s been a great day, so we went and as a reward, all the kids here at the fairgrounds had bicycles,” Bradshaw tersely explained. “She doesn’t have a bike, so we went to Walmart in Springfield to buy a bike and we couldn’t get anybody to wait on us. We stopped three people asking, 'Would you help us buy this bike?'”
All of us have felt this frustration at a retail experience and while we remain calm in the store, many of us take to social media and vent about our experiences. Bradshaw continued:
“We picked it out and we even eventually got it down from the top just by trial and error. We got nobody to help us, then finally Colton and I went to another stop and told the guy, 'Will you please help us? We’re trying to buy a bike.' He’s [like], 'Oh yeah, I’ll get right on that.' So he says, 'Customer service for the bike. Customer service for the bike. Alright, he will be right there.'”
Walmart employees are often overworked and underpaid and again I can empathize with Bradshaw because I remember what it looked like when the customer was a priority, but most of us learn to just go elsewhere because complaints too often fall on deaf ears. Bradshaw is steaming at this point:
"15 minutes later, now we’re mad. Here comes my wife, nobody would wait on her to buy a simple hair dryer because they keep them locked up now, I have no idea why. So, if you live in Springfield, Illinois and you want to go buy some stuff, don’t go to Walmart. Go to Target, go to Home Depot, and see if the service isn’t a little better there. I’m shocked that these people make billions of dollars every year, yet the service is so bad. I hope they get this message. I will never go back to that store. Maybe that’s the way it is, maybe they think everybody ought to wait an hour to buy a bike."
MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 21: Terry Bradshaw #12 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a pass against the Dallas Cowboys during Super Bowl XIII on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. The Steelers won the Super Bowl 35-31. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Bradshaw is a big star, and maybe he expected, or is used to a slightly different shopping experience. I do not think it is his first trip to the retail giant, but I do think he expected to be recognized and for things to happen quicker. Frankly, after waiting in line for hours on a Thanksgiving afternoon with my wife to buy the first iPad they released when my daughters were younger, with his platform I would have spouted a few choice words of my own.
It does not do any good to get mad. These stores are desperate for help and celebrity or not, they will get to you when they get to you. Bradshaw has since calmed down and recanted on Facebook. I would say it is too late and the damage was done, but the retailers at this point are just trying to avoid a scene and doing the best they can with what they have to work with. Bradshaw seems to understand this after the fact, but he just wanted to be the proud grandfather who helped his family and put a smile on a little girl’s face.
Maybe next time Mr. Bradshaw, avoid the headache and take them all out for ice cream.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Did Bradshaw overreact and are you glad he apologized? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
