Ian Needs To Clarify What Is Acceptable

[Dragda]

Just a thought, I would love to see a maximum number of posts per day ( not including game day or post game threads ). Patsfans.com has hundreds ( probably thousands ) of members, but so many of the threads are predictably dominated by the same handful of posters. Some (not all) of the multiposts are dedicated to shouting down and belittling other thread members' ideas.

A post limit would force members to use their daily posts to express their own constructive ideas. If posts were more precious it is unlikely they would be used to attack others. ( This idea was not meant to offend any individual(s) ).

Great idea! People should sieze more opportunities to shut up.

 

[mgteich]

Perhaps all post can go through a review board to make sure that they are suitable and well-supported. Spellcheck and grammarcheck can then be applied. And yes, restrict folks on how many ideas they can share.

Great idea! People should sieze more opportunities to shut up.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I guess there must be severe strains on the capability of the board. I have not seen so many threads closed since I started posting on the internet.

In the past two weeks, so many threads have been closed that I think Ian needs to clarify what is acceptable. I read just read a thread suggesting that Belichick should call all the offesnive plays. As was the case yesterday for it seemed dozens of threads, the thread was closed.

And no, I don't understand having only one thread of hundreds of posts to discuss various aspects of a given game and trends going forward. It seemed better in the past when folks who wanted threads on various aspects were free to post them.

This is just my two cents. I think this is a great board, with lots of great posters. And I think that Ian does a great job and is free to have whatever rules he wishes on his site.

It is just that I have been personally frustrated with the change in policy and the new censorship.

As a moderator I think you should have had the sense not to mention the decency to take this up with Ian privately. Or listen to what he's supposedly been discussing with you mods over an extended time. Just WOW.

As I said in the other thread, all I'm saying is if someone is going to start a new topic that you simply consider the following: "if you're going to criticize something or question it, please do so in a manner where you outline what you feel is wrong, and what you think they should do to fix it." That at least gives people something to discuss or debate. Saying so and so "sucks" or "needs to go" doesn't do that.

That's it - so I'm not trying to censor anything. Again - I'm just trying to encourage everyone to offer threads that we can discuss, because saying someone "sucks" without saying why isn't productive and doesn't allow us to have a good discussion with that thread. Nor do we need 7 threads that are similar but with slight differences. You've been here for nearly 10-years and have been a great poster and a mod, I'm sure you would agree with that.

The sensitivity to the c word is comical. Saying anyone associated with this organization sucks is the essence of indignity. We've been down this road before Ian, and as you well know players and their families lurk on these boards and the mindless venom spewed here reflects on the entire fanbase. Maybe we need less rules or zero enforcement so at least those of us who are take offense with the nitwit fringe can feel free to spew it right back at them no holds barred with the same impunity they are granted here. If they can say Brady sucks and Pees is worthless and Maroney's a bust why can't I tell them I feel the same way about them...as message board posters. At least then everyone acknowledges what the deal is here.

Actual enforced rules and some semblance of standards would be more civilized and productive IMO. But then what do I know.

I mean, you go over to the Indy Star boards and you have Pats trolls run amok, but no one over there deletes threads or freezes threads or bans someone for saying something negative about the team (sometimes I wish they would but they don't and in all honestly the forum is better for it).

I call bs. Indy Star went down the tubes a couple of years ago and all the worthwhile Colts and even Pats posters abandoned it because they couldn't get it moderated and several ignorant absolute ******* pats fans along with an ESPN level of disgruntled Colts fanboys drawn to engaging them made it worthless to even try.

That's where this place is heading. Life is all about choices. I don't understand why those who live to spew crap rather than engage in meaningful, civilized discussion come to places like this one was dating back to 2005 and demand to be granted the right to change them into cesspools. There are plenty of them on the internet if that's your thing. Ian seems to want his place not to turn into one, though he doesn't seem to know how to stop it and he gets little support from his moderators as he struggles with balancing EVERYONE'S feelings in the process. Always has... He's a shining example of how the road to hell is paved with good intentions, as they say.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Perhaps all post can go through a review board to make sure that they are suitable and well-supported. Spellcheck and grammarcheck can then be applied. And yes, restrict folks on how many ideas they can share.

If they're idiotic ideas, why not...

 

[pats1]

This perhaps would have been best suited as a PM or an email.

 

[mgteich]

We can do that. However, the issues really concern the entire board and all the posters. I am still trying digest mo's last post.

Mo directly raises the reasons for why we should have censorship and why posts should be reviewed before posting. Ian has not ever come close to what mo suggests, and I don't think he will.

This perhaps would have been best suited as a PM or an email.

 

[IcyPatriot]

 

[mgteich]

I do understand Ian's intent. I just am expressing my views. See below for my response to your post.
======================

And WOW back at you!

No one should say that a player is a bust or that his play during a game sucks??????????? Posters need to find euphemisms for these words because families of player lurk on these boards?????????? And if someone posts such a horrible phrase as "sucks" relating to the public performance of a ballplayer, you serve the right to call names to the poster????????????

I am one of the strongest supporters on this board of individual players. I have been shouted down for years for my support of individual players, their rights and their performance. And I usually support players in their disputes against management. But no, I can't see how a football mom or sister will be offended more by someone saying that a player sucked against Denver instead of the politically correct: the player performed well below what we expected of him and what he is capable of. This is not a Boston grade school. This board is not about chess.

As a moderator I think you should have had the sense not to mention the decency to take this up with Ian privately. Or listen to what he's supposedly been discussing with you mods over an extended time. Just WOW.



The sensitivity to the c word is comical. Saying anyone associated with this organization sucks is the essence of indignity. We've been down this road before Ian, and as you well know players and their families lurk on these boards and the mindless venom spewed here reflects on the entire fanbase. Maybe we need less rules or zero enforcement so at least those of us who are take offense with the nitwit fringe can feel free to spew it right back at them no holds barred with the same impunity they are granted here. If they can say Brady sucks and Pees is worthless and Maroney's a bust why can't I tell them I feel the same way about them...as message board posters. At least then everyone acknowledges what the deal is here.

Actual enforced rules and some semblance of standards would be more civilized and productive IMO. But then what do I know.



I call bs. Indy Star went down the tubes a couple of years ago and all the worthwhile Colts and even Pats posters abandoned it because they couldn't get it moderated and several ignorant absolute ******* pats fans along with an ESPN level of disgruntled Colts fanboys drawn to engaging them made it worthless to even try.

That's where this place is heading. Life is all about choices. I don't understand why those who live to spew crap rather than engage in meaningful, civilized discussion come to places like this one was dating back to 2005 and demand to be granted the right to change them into cesspools. There are plenty of them on the internet if that's your thing. Ian seems to want his place not to turn into one, though he doesn't seem to know how to stop it and he gets little support from his moderators as he struggles with balancing EVERYONE'S feelings in the process. Always has... He's a shining example of how the road to hell is paved with good intentions, as they say.

 

[Frezo]

How many "this guy sucks" threads or "the play calling sucks" threads do we need? No content, just ranting and venting. It's the same thing after every loss and every close win.

Now, if someone should post a thread that had substance with real content and information, those threads don't get closed, merged, or moved. We are not being a homer board and not allowing critical threads about players or coaches, if they have any substance to them.

If that's the case, (and I agree with it), the knife needs to cut both ways.

Thread title: Dean Pees...
Message: ...is an idiot and needs to go.
This needs to be deleted. It serves no purpose. But, neither does:

Thread title: Bill Belicheck...
Message: ...is a God and should live forever.
This needs to be deleted. It serves no purpose.

In order for the board to operate without being labeled homeristic, all self-serving purposeless threads whether they are negative rants or positive gushes need to be treated the same way. Deletion. What I believe Ian is trying to do is encourage threads like:

Thread title: Dean Pees...
Message: ...is an idiot and needs to go because during today's game when he did this in the third quarter and two more times in the 4th and the opposition had it all figured out, etc., etc...

Or:

Thread title: Bill Belicheck...
Message: ...is a God and should live forever because when I saw him do this during the game, etc., etc...

These types of descriptive posts foster discussion, learning, and arguing, which is also healthy until it turns personal with name calling. I would also like to see a prohibition of pictures, sigs, and animated gifs from the game day thread. They serve no purpose, hog resources and disrupt the flow. A text only game day thread could fit 50 or so messages on one page. Currently with pics and sigs allowed it can go down to 20 forcing more thread refreshes. Just a thought.

 

[muzz]

Another thing that might help is a post count requirement in order to be able to start a thread. My suggestion would be somewhere around 2,200

PATSYLICIOUS 2,226 posts.......

LMAO

 

[mgteich]

The voicing of idiotic ideas is okay, really it is. Having and voicing idiotic ideas is not dangerous or even undesirable.

If they're idiotic ideas, why not...

 

[Fencer]

Just a thought, I would love to see a maximum number of posts per day ( not including game day or post game threads ). Patsfans.com has hundreds ( probably thousands ) of members, but so many of the threads are predictably dominated by the same handful of posters. Some (not all) of the multiposts are dedicated to shouting down and belittling other thread members' ideas.

A post limit would force members to use their daily posts to express their own constructive ideas. If posts were more precious it is unlikely they would be used to attack others. ( This idea was not meant to offend any individual(s) ).

That's a terrible idea. It calls for way too much self-censorship and, by definition, it shuts down the most enthusiastic contributors.

 

[Deus Irae]

I always hate these threads because I end up getting censored for being opposed to censorship (No, I don't mean on this board. It's happened to me elsewhere.), so I won't go very far down this road or insert personal values regarding censorship into the discussion.

That being said, it's Ian's forum to do with as he will. If people don't like it, they can, and should, exercise their rights and simply stop patronizing this site. That applies to people on both sides of the more/less moderation debates.

 

[Fencer]

as you well know players and their families lurk on these boards

That line of reasoning is pretty ironic, coming from somebody whose screen name celebrates a Patriot player's life-threatening injury.

 

[Brady to Brown]

I do understand Ian's intent. I just am expressing my views. See below for my response to your post.
======================

And WOW back at you!

No one should say that a player is a bust or that his play during a game sucks??????????? Posters need to find euphemisms for these words because families of player lurk on these boards?????????? And if someone posts such a horrible phrase as "sucks" relating to the public performance of a ballplayer, you serve the right to call names to the poster????????????

I am one of the strongest supporters on this board of individual players. I have been shouted down for years for my support of individual players, their rights and their performance. And I usually support players in their disputes against management. But no, I can't see how a football mom or sister will be offended more by someone saying that a player sucked against Denver instead of the politically correct: the player performed well below what we expected of him and what he is capable of. This is not a Boston grade school. This board is not about chess.

These things tend to work them selves out MG. If the Patriots finish the season at 9 - 7 or 10 - 6 it will be hard to post here when you are only allowed to say positive things. When/if it comes to that, I will post elsewhere.

I have two eyes and two ears, I don't need someone telling me Maroney is a great back. If I am not allowed to state my views on Maroney like I said I will do it elsewhere.

 

[Brady to Brown]

That line of reasoning is pretty ironic, coming from somebody whose screen name celebrates a Patriot player's life-threatening injury.

Great point. I guess he means current players

 

[RoughingthePasser]

uh-oh...our team is imploding!

I hear where your coming from mhgteich.
I was posting on a thread that got moved while I was typing. I thought I was on the wrong thread.

I also understand the Mods need to be fair and make sure the server and all that technical stuff works so we can all have fun.

It can be insulting to be judged.

Most boards are venting mechanisms for us die hard fans. I was on here before....I think it was a diff board-and I had a diff name. No, its not NEM!!!!

lol...

I love the insight from all fans, all ages....though I may be a jerk at times-I still love coming here because I love the team and I love to vent.

Sometimes we just need to express ourselves.
The threads usually disappear pretty fast anyway.


We have quite a few heartbroken fans...we need to vent.
Its all temporary anyway.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

We can do that. However, the issues really concern the entire board and all the posters. I am still trying digest mo's last post.

Mo directly raises the reasons for why we should have censorship and why posts should be reviewed before posting. Ian has not ever come close to what mo suggests, and I don't think he will.

There absolutely has been censorship here past and present. Trouble is it's inconsistent. That falls on Ian although he has made efforts/expressed his desire similar to this in the past to try to maintain some semblance of civility here and even foster a sense of community. Trouble is he gets no support or tepid support and inconsistent enforcement from you guys and backlash from the freedom of speech police. I recall a time when pats1 was merging with impunity, and according to Ian's expressed wishes at the time. Only other mods bristled or simply refused to play along. Once you get a handle on something like this, maintaining it isn't all that difficult. Some members will move on to crappier pastures. So be it. Ian is on record saying he doesn't want his place to be that place. The alternative is losing the more intelligent and sensible and well adjusted serious as well as casual posters. We've lost a lot of them over the last two years as well as any semblance of comminity Ian also said he wanted to see fostered here. We all know how that exodus started, amidst threats of bodily harm and lawsuits. That we have so many poor imitations of he who shall remain nameless sprouting up here almost daily is a testament to why being indecisive in dealing with pure provocatuers is never the best course.

Either have all at it in the football forum like the cesspool that swirls in the political forum, one Ian professes he allows to be maintained for reasons even he can't explain, or strive for something civilized and intelligent. God knows this team deserves to have such a site even if much of the fanbase doesn't. Ian created all these sub forums for a reason. These aren't new issues. That it elludes you that mods should actually be utilizing them as well as merging and/or locking threads or removing posters who hijack threads or turn them into pissing contests is your ongoing problem, not Ian's except that he continues to struggle reconciling his mods wishes to operate as they see fit or agonize over how to operate as opposed to simply doing as requests... If you all did that he wouldn't have to babysit gamethreads and postgame outbursts.

Honestly, the mod motto here could be I never met a rule I really liked. No wonder the Admin struggles so to clearly articulate any... It's a private board, most of those have some because it's some shmuck owners mug and name on the homepage.

 

[mgteich]

rofl...............

uh-oh...our team is imploding!

I hear where your coming from mhgteich.
I was posting on a thread that got moved while I was typing. I thought I was on the wrong thread.

I also understand the Mods need to be fair and make sure the server and all that technical stuff works so we can all have fun.

It can be insulting to be judged.

Most boards are venting mechanisms for us die hard fans. I was on here before....I think it was a diff board-and I had a diff name. No, its not NEM!!!!

lol...

I love the insight from all fans, all ages....though I may be a jerk at times-I still love coming here because I love the team and I love to vent.

Sometimes we just need to express ourselves.
The threads usually disappear pretty fast anyway.


We have quite a few heartbroken fans...we need to vent.
Its all temporary anyway.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

That line of reasoning is pretty ironic, coming from somebody whose screen name celebrates a Patriot player's life-threatening injury.

Had a *********** of resident trolls who used to make the same claim. Perhaps you were part of their circle. They couldn't add to an intelligent discussion so they lashed out at anyone attempting to engage in one as an attempt to hijack the thread.

Mo Lewis role in launching a dynasty is undebatable. That said I never wish harm on any player, unlike many here who do so regularly. And I joined the board long after Drew departed, in fact he was two franchises removed from playing here and making Tuna's life miserable by the time I joined.