Note to Ian

[Scott37]

I made this comment to the moderators last week and now I will make it once again. I have been a member of this board through several different incarnations, visiting several times a day to check on the latest news, and posting only from time to time. In my opinion the messagboards have become entirely too specialized, especially the draft forum.

During this time of year, there is little else to talk about than free agency and the draft. With all draft discussion moved off to the draft board, we are left with nothing but junk on the main board (with all due respect to the posters). Such threads as as "What player would make the best President," "What former Patriots Player do you still own on some type of Apparel?," and discussions comparing Brady to Brad Johnson are now the best this board has to offer? You've got to be kidding.

Yes, these types of posts have their place (I honestly didn't have a problem with last year's cheerleader thread), but in the past they have always been the "filler" discussions next to threads about the current status of the team. Right now that discussion should be the draft, but thanks to the new policy there is none to be had.

One of the responses I received last week was "just go over to the draft forum." That isn't the point. Many times I access this board from work while I have a few seconds of down time - I don't have the time or the inclination to go searching through every subcategory for the latest news. I mean, fifteen differant forums?

Another item that truly bothers me is the deletion of posts. In my opinion, the only times a post should be deleted is either when someone is spamming the board or posts an unattributed article. At this point in time, it seems to be common practice to delete posts for very little reason at all.

In the past we've had discussions with fans from other teams. Yes, there were a number of idiot trolls, but also some good posters. Now these folks have their own board and the main board is that much worse for their loss.

There seem to be moderators everywhere, not just moderating, but actively changing, moving, & deleting. It is getting out of hand. I encourage you to simplify things back to they used to be.

 

[pats1]

Another item that truly bothers me is the deletion of posts. In my opinion, the only times a post should be deleted is either when someone is spamming the board or posts an unattributed article. At this point in time, it seems to be common practice to delete posts for very little reason at all.

What are you referring to?

 

[BradyManny]

With all draft discussion moved off to the draft board, we are left with nothing but junk on the main board

Just download Mozilla Firefox and open up the draft forum and regular forum in separate tabs. It's that easy.

 

[Scott37]

I'm refering to a post that was deleted about a week ago and then undeleted a few minutes later. There was no reason for the deletion of the post. You and I may not have agreed with the position the poster was taking, but for someone to delete their post out of hand is simply wrong. That person wasn't spamming the board, yes, they may have been annoying, but to censor someone for being annoying goes a step too far.

 

[Seymour93]

Just download Mozilla Firefox and open up the draft forum and regular forum in separate tabs. It's that easy.

The new Internet Explorer has tabs.

But I think you're missing the point of Scott's post. The forum is slow and most of the threads are either like he said, "What former Patriots Player do you still own on some type of Apparel?" or "Rick DeMulling (Who?) signs for Colts." You just can't talk about the Pats at this time of the year without mentioning the draft.

 

[pats1]

I'm refering to a post that was deleted about a week ago and then undeleted a few minutes later. There was no reason for the deletion of the post. You and I may not have agreed with the position the poster was taking, but for someone to delete their post out of hand is simply wrong. That person wasn't spamming the board, yes, they may have been annoying, but to censor someone for being annoying goes a step too far.

How does that make it "common practice?"

 

[Scott37]

Pats1's point is well taken. I should have said deleted or moved - which is certainly more prevalent. Still, it would be very interesting to know how many posts are deleted.

I understand moderators are doing a job at the direction of the owners of the site. I don't have a problem with them doing that job, rather, I'm trying to encourage a reconsideration of that direction given to them.

 

[spacecrime]

I made this comment to the moderators last week and now I will make it once again. I have been a member of this board through several different incarnations, visiting several times a day to check on the latest news, and posting only from time to time. In my opinion the messagboards have become entirely too specialized, especially the draft forum.

Disagree 100%.

I don't want to see only one forum for all the posts on Patsfans.

How much trouble is it to click on the flame forum if you like that stuff, or the draft forum if you like that, or whatever the political forum is called.

Lumping them all into one is just dumb.

If you think the main board has nothing but junk, and the draft forum has all good posts, they why would you want to merge all the good posts with the junk?

It is handy to be able to peruse all the draft threads at once without the other junk. Many of us find it very useful.

The only downside is that you have to click the mouse to get there. MY GOD! NOT THAT! I HAVE TO CLICK THE MOUSE?!?!?!

Visit the forum you want. When done, click another forum if you want that. Then a third and even a fourth forum if you want.

But please don't lump all the posts into one big forum.

Come on, really, is it that much work to put two favorites in your list? One for the message board and one for the draft board?

 

[Scott37]

And how many other forums should have to be searched through. For those of you scoring at home we now have 17, yes 17 forums:

PatsFans.com - New England Patriots Fan Forum
New Member's Area
Visiting Locker Room
Patriots Draft Forum
Patriots Gameday Threads
Tailgate Meet Ups
Road Games
2006 Training Camp Reports and Photos
Red Sox Messageboard
Boston Celtics Talk
Boston Bruins Talk
Boston College Talk
Fantasy Football
The Ladies Lounge
The PatsFans.com Pub
Religion and Lighthearted Discussion
Political Discussion

Somehow we used to manage with one forum. I'm not saying we should go back to 1, but 17, does anyone else think this is a bit much?

 

[BradyManny]

The new Internet Explorer has tabs.

But I think you're missing the point of Scott's post. The forum is slow and most of the threads are either like he said, "What former Patriots Player do you still own on some type of Apparel?" or "Rick DeMulling (Who?) signs for Colts." You just can't talk about the Pats at this time of the year without mentioning the draft.

Good for IE, it's about time they adopted that. I still don't like IE at all, but at least they're moving in the right direction.

I understood his point, but why not just go to the draft forum then? I don't see the problem with them being split, I think it's appropriate. The draft forum shouldn't be bogged down with some of the typical off-season threads we're seeing in this part of the forum.

 

[patchick]

You just can't talk about the Pats at this time of the year without mentioning the draft.

FWIW, as the draft board moderator I agree with this. You can be a Pats fan but not a "draft fan" per se, and expect some general talk on the main board about what the team needs and who they might target. (And personally I post different kinds of replies to threads on the main board vs. the draft board, anticipating a different audience. I like to know the context in which my thread will ultimately appear.)

At the same time, may I politely suggest that if a thread like this is really intended as a "note to Ian" it might be better sent to Ian, as a note.

 

[frankiesfly]

In my opinion I think the Moderators have done a good job since the addition. If you let one draft thread stay, then one not, its going to cause more contreversy. This way noone can say they were singled out. If it refers to the draft i think it should be where it is on the draft forum.

 

[Seymour93]

Disagree 100%.

I don't want to see only one forum for all the posts on Patsfans.

How much trouble is it to click on the flame forum if you like that stuff, or the draft forum if you like that, or whatever the political forum is called.

Lumping them all into one is just dumb.

If you think the main board has nothing but junk, and the draft forum has all good posts, they why would you want to merge all the good posts with the junk?

It is handy to be able to peruse all the draft threads at once without the other junk. Many of us find it very useful.

The only downside is that you have to click the mouse to get there. MY GOD! NOT THAT! I HAVE TO CLICK THE MOUSE?!?!?!

Visit the forum you want. When done, click another forum if you want that. Then a third and even a fourth forum if you want.

But please don't lump all the posts into one big forum.

Come on, really, is it that much work to put two favorites in your list? One for the message board and one for the draft board?

I really don't have a problem with the draft forum or any of the other sub forums. I think the draft forum adds to the discussion as posters are more inclined to discuss the lesser known prospects on the sub forum than they are over here. However we must realize that with a no tolerance policy, the main forum suffers as a result. Just look at the main forum today. There are still threads from yesterday on page one. And most of the threads on here, like Scott pointed out, are the the mold of "What jersey do you own?" etc.

 

[pats1]

And how many other forums should have to be searched through. For those of you scoring at home we now have 17, yes 17 forums:

PatsFans.com - New England Patriots Fan Forum
New Member's Area
Visiting Locker Room
Patriots Draft Forum
Patriots Gameday Threads
Tailgate Meet Ups
Road Games
2006 Training Camp Reports and Photos
Red Sox Messageboard
Boston Celtics Talk
Boston Bruins Talk
Boston College Talk
Fantasy Football
The Ladies Lounge
The PatsFans.com Pub
Religion and Lighthearted Discussion
Political Discussion

Somehow we used to manage with one forum. I'm not saying we should go back to 1, but 17, does anyone else think this is a bit much?

The 4 "other" Pats forums are seasonal (along with the draft forum).

The visitors' locker room is for trolls. Do you really want them posting in the main forum?

The other Boston sports forums are to appease those whose worst nightmare is for Red Sox/Celtics/Bruins talk in the Pats forum. There are many.

The other 4 are four are off-topic discussions. Do you really want "Bush sucks" threads in with your Pats free agency discussion?

In reality, there's really only 4 forums with a good amount of activity - Pub, Political - which both have their own set of posters who I haven't even heard of - and then the Pats and Pats draft forum.

The draft forum is there for mock draft/prospect/combine enthusiasts to have a place to talk. But really, a lot of that has little to do with the Pats.

 

[Scott37]

FWIW, as the draft board moderator I agree with this. You can be a Pats fan but not a "draft fan" per se, and expect some general talk on the main board about what the team needs and who they might target. (And personally I post different kinds of replies to threads on the main board vs. the draft board, anticipating a different audience. I like to know the context in which my thread will ultimately appear.)

I actually agree with this and to the point that threads started getting hyjacked out of the main forum, this was the attitude that I maintained. However when a thread is started in the main forum, and meant for that audience, it shoud stay there and not be moved.

 

[pats1]

I really don't have a problem with the draft forum or any of the other sub forums. I think the draft forum adds to the discussion as posters are more inclined to discuss the lesser known prospects on the sub forum than they are over here. However we must realize that with a no tolerance policy, the main forum suffers as a result. Just look at the main forum today. There are still threads from yesterday on page one. And most of the threads on here, like Scott pointed out, are the the mold of "What jersey do you own?" etc.

Yes, it really is the offseason.

"So, what Pats news is there today?"

"Uhh..."

"What about yesterday?"

"Uhh..."

 

[tombonneau]

I think a Draft Forum is needed, but for posts such as "USC's Pro Day" or "Nelson runs a 4.57."

It seems way too highly regulated at the moment. I made a post essentially about BBs postiive track record drafting Day 1 DBs and it was immediately moved.

No, its not hard for me to click to the Draft Forum (I do), but the simple fact is 90% of the members & posts occur in the main forum, so topics don't get the traction they would if they were simply in the main forum.

To sum, I think the Draft Forum is great for people wanting to talk about specific players, but when someone wants to talk about "Pats need go LB in Round 1" that is about the Patriots and it should be in the main forum.

Just my $0.02.

 

[Scott37]

I think a Draft Forum is needed, but for posts such as "USC's Pro Day" or "Nelson runs a 4.57."

It seems way too highly regulated at the moment. I made a post essentially about BBs postiive track record drafting Day 1 DBs and it was immediately moved.

No, its not hard for me to click to the Draft Forum (I do), but the simple fact is 90% of the members & posts occur in the main forum, so topics don't get the traction they would if they were simply in the main forum.

To sum, I think the Draft Forum is great for people wanting to talk about specific players, but when someone wants to talk about "Pats need go LB in Round 1" that is about the Patriots and it should be in the main forum.

Just my $0.02.

Exactly my point.

 

[Kdo5]

The Celts, Bruins & BC forums just do not deserve a forum. Why not merge all of that into one forum, Other Boston Sports. Something like that.

When people come on and see a forum like the Boston Bruins and there is about 20 posts in there...it just does not deserve its own forum. Less forums is better...just bringing this up because a the Boston Sports category should just be one forum.

Doesnt have anything to do with the draft forum but I wanted to bring it up anyways.

 

[Seymour93]

Yes, it really is the offseason.

"So, what Pats news is there today?"

"Uhh..."

"What about yesterday?"

"Uhh..."

So we're not supposed to discuss anything other than the Colts signing Rick DeMulling?