State of the message board.

Ian said:

I've let this week run its course so people could vent and am pondering moving these discussions out and restricting discussion - unless a major headline breaks - to one thread. I agree it's dominated the forum and have been pondering solutions. But I'm not making a "football subforum" because the main topic of this forum is football, while this is a secondary - albeit a major one right now until it's resolved - topic at this moment. So if nothing else, these would be moved back into that other forum.

But I agree, the list is a little ridiculous at this point so I do plan on doing a little house cleaning over the next day or so.

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May I respectfully suggest that now would also be a good time to review the "Disagree" button, Ian? I don't think it's helping the tone of the discussions.

flasox27 said:

As I said before, if Brady is there and playing people will be focusing on the game not Kraft. However if Brady is not playing and Kraft is chumming around with Goodell in the owners box, I think the fans will be vociferously hostile. In either event the best policy for Kraft is to be inconspicuous and let Jonathan take the prominent role.

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They won't raise the banner without Brady and I agree on Goodell, I think Patriot fans should make it clear they never want to see that smarmy POS at Gillette ever again. As far as Kraft goes I think silence would be every bit as telling about the way the fans feel without being classless. Their smartest move would be for Robert Kraft to pass the torch because I don't know of any way he can regain his standing with Patriot fans, and trotting him out to give his "we are all Patriots" speech when they win another championship won't help him any.

I understand the OP complaints but I would not change the structure of the forum If I were the Admin, this is the kind of problem that is solved naturally with time, in a couple months I would say. Just let the time do his job (and lawyers too I hope).

Ian said:

OK - let's tone it down a little. I get people are mad but let's try and be the classier group before things start getting out of hand.

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Believe me, I was toning it down.

captain stone said:

Believe me, I was toning it down.

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LOL, then remind me never to get on your bad side

Mike the Brit said:

May I respectfully suggest that now would also be a good time to review the "Disagree" button, Ian? I don't think it's helping the tone of the discussions.

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Those buttons exist to help prevent people from making posts that add nothing new to a conversation but still allow them to voice their opinion.

People will disagree with you in life, I'm not sure why a tiny red X is considered personal assault around here.

fnordcircle said:

Those buttons exist to help prevent people from making posts that add nothing new to a conversation but still allow them to voice their opinion.

People will disagree with you in life, I'm not sure why a tiny red X is considered personal assault around here.

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That rating is actually listed as "neutral" and doesn't affect anyone negatively - which is why I set it up that way so that people could disagree without it hurting either party. The "Dislike" is the only one that applies negative ratings.

Ian said:

That rating is actually listed as "neutral" and doesn't affect anyone negatively - which is why I set it up that way so that people could disagree without it hurting either party. The "Dislike" is the only one that applies negative ratings.

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Now Interception is going to dislike everyone's posts instead of disagreeing, the secret is out!

Brady2Moss said:

Now Interception is going to dislike everyone's posts instead of disagreeing, the secret is out!

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Anyone who abuses that gets all the negative ratings they've given out deleted and they fall on my bad side...so doing that isn't advisable.

ian is there something wrong with the site? i havent been unable to get on. this happens at least twice a week.

fnordcircle said:

Those buttons exist to help prevent people from making posts that add nothing new to a conversation but still allow them to voice their opinion.

People will disagree with you in life, I'm not sure why a tiny red X is considered personal assault around here.

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I haven't been posting here in the last week because some of the things that have been said have been way beyond anything I want to engage with. I realize that one of the things a message board is there for is for people to let their feelings out and that Deflategate is humiliating and hard to deal with. But it's as if Mr Kraft -- who has disappointed me too -- has become the emotional target for everything that should really be targeted at Goodell, the NFL, the media, the teams that set out to trap the Patriots, and the rest of the scumbags out there. I don't want to speculate why. So I've lurked.

And it's obvious, reading some of the threads, that people throwing negative markers at one another without explaining why is inflaming feelings and making posts more uncivil. So, yes, I know plenty about disagreement, as it happens. And I've learned that it's important to handle disagreements constructively -- even on an internet message board.

Ian said:

That rating is actually listed as "neutral" and doesn't affect anyone negatively - which is why I set it up that way so that people could disagree without it hurting either party. The "Dislike" is the only one that applies negative ratings.

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I dislike "dislike." There doesn't seem to be much constructive reason for it. Looking back at my own use of that rating I've used it primarily in response to an attack or insult against myself or others. Many of the ones I've received are bewildering, only a handful of them somewhat understandable. Ian, perhaps you should post a sticky guide to ratings use so they're not used cavalierly or with nasty intent.

captain insano said:

ian is there something wrong with the site? i havent been unable to get on. this happens at least twice a week.

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I think Ian has banned us but the ban subroutine call isn't working well

Tunescribe said:

I dislike "dislike." There doesn't seem to be much constructive reason for it. Looking back at my own use of that rating I've used it primarily in response to an attack or insult against myself or others. Many of the ones I've received are bewildering, only a handful of them somewhat understandable. Ian, perhaps you should post a sticky guide to ratings use so they're not used cavalierly or with nasty intent.

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I will. I have something I'm working on to update guidelines, codes of conduct, etc. So hopefully I'll have that done in the not too distant future.

lurker1965 said:

I'm using this link PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum | New England Patriots Forums - PatsFans.com Patriots Fan Messageboard

The starbucks ad is at the top below that picture of Brady across from the current headlines.

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you should really e using some kind of adblocker

Ian said:

That rating is actually listed as "neutral" and doesn't affect anyone negatively - which is why I set it up that way so that people could disagree without it hurting either party. The "Dislike" is the only one that applies negative ratings.

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there are ratings??

this website is awesome and anyone who says anything to the contrary is an idiot

Tunescribe said:

I dislike "dislike." There doesn't seem to be much constructive reason for it. Looking back at my own use of that rating I've used it primarily in response to an attack or insult against myself or others. Many of the ones I've received are bewildering, only a handful of them somewhat understandable. Ian, perhaps you should post a sticky guide to ratings use so they're not used cavalierly or with nasty intent.

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Maybe we should add "trigger warnings" on each thread. Don't want to upset anyone's sensibilities.

this website sucks and I have never liked you...ever...not even once...maybe a half like and then I said "nah, eff him"...

PatsWickedPissah said:

I think Ian has banned us but the ban subroutine call isn't working well

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geez i hope not. i give out far more positive ratings then negative. if the rating options are such a problem why not just dump them all together? the message board was fine before them. if people are going to have a option to rate a post they are going to use it. we should live with the way it is or dump it. all the ratings seem to do is get everybody's panties in a bunch.