Good morning FS posters:

My operatives got a phone call last night from President Thames.  SFT had decided he wanted sign the agreement with the dummy corporation we had set up, and wanted to hold a press conference late Wednesday afternoon, before he headed off to the IHL Board meeting in Jackson.  With 3 huge deals signed/in the bag, he felt his report to Roy Klumb would be good enough to sway all but Shanteau-Newton, and he would be safe for a long time.  He even predicted that Robin Robinson would come out afterwards and give a very glowing report to the press about SFT's presidency at USM.

Well, this morning our plan was foiled.  We were told to have our CEO give Shelby a 7:20am phone call at the dome so that the two sides could arrange an early morning meeting today.  Well, at about 7:15 we pulled up next to Reed Green Coliseum in the surveillance plan, and our CEO operative placed the phone call.  Here's a transcript of it, you'll see where things went, well.., bad:

Thames: Hello, Shelby Thames

Our CEO: Good morning, President Thames.  This is XXX from YYY calling, how are you this morning?

Thames: Just fine sir, and yourself?

Our CEO: Very good Mr. President.  I am calling this morning so that we could set up a meeting, and introduce ourselves to you personally.  We are so looking forward to working with you at USM.

Thames: Thank you so much for calling, sir.  We are so happy your group has decided to come on board with us.  I am looking forward to a 'meet and greet' later this morning so I can tell you about all the worl' class programs we have here at USM. 

Our CEO: What time would you like us to meet today, Mr. President?

Thames: Well, sir, I would like it to be sometime soon, this morning even.  I have a President's University Council Meeting this afternoon I might attend.

Our CEO: That sounds wonderful, Mr. President.  This morning will work well for us, and I wouldn't want to be an imposition on your important meeting this afternoon.

Thames: That sounds great, sir.  Oh, and that Council is not important, it's just some window dressing we had to put out for the media.  I'm not sure I'm even going to any more meetings.

Our CEO: That's wonderful, sir.  What time would you like to meet this morning?

Thames: How about 9:30, and we'll have a press conference at 11:30.

Our CEO: Sounds fantastic, your excellency.

Thames: Well great, sir.  Goodbye Mr. XXX.  I'll see you then.

Our CEO: And goodbye to you Shelboo .... I look forward to...

Thames: Shelboo?  Did you say Shelboo?  Who is this?  (holding phone in hand now) ... Hey Cynthia, turn the machine on, I'll see if I can keep this guy on the phone long enough.... (back to phone)... Mr. XXX, before you go, let's go over one more thing about the press conference.  It will be held in the ...

Our CEO:  I must go now sir .... (hang-up)

Well, as you can see, the plan was derailed.  It's probably my fault.  The operatives are European, supposedly representing a Euro concern.  To prep them for the sting, I had them read every single thing on geocities.com/fireshelby they could in the time they had.  The CEO character just made a fatal slip of the tongue when he muttered "Shelboo."  He told me later he didn't understand that it was an insulting term.

On to Plan B.  I'm going to try to get myself into the inner circle through the Noetic Technologies group.  None of them know me.  I'll start with Kelli Booth and Vance Flosenzier.  I'll keep you posted.

The Associate