Sure thing, Tiger. 
I have the same exact problem. Actually was told, by my shouty boss, that I needed to be more diplomatic. I said that if diplomacy actually worked, I’d be using it more. I did not mention that all of the MALES in the office were direct, and it was fine when they did it.
Hey, I would take Tiger in a fucking heartbeat! 
Much cooler than Champ.
“I appreciate cha”. Huh? My existence??
Yes, I’ve notice that “I appreciate it” has morphed into “I appreciate you”. Let’s just leave it at appreciating the specific interaction we just had, OK?
It’s okay to call somebody “champ” only if you’re talking to an actual champion of something significant.
“But I digress”, like “with no further ado”, means nothing more than “I’ve talked too long about this, so let’s get on with it.” By the time you say it, everyone else already knows you’ve been wasting their time.