One moderators take on this:
1) I agree that I would not have deleted many of the posts in the closed thread that Tim C started. That said, I know I didn't see them all.
2) Just like when we're on the field, comments about officiating (the calls) are generally acceptable; comments about the officials (personal) are not.
3) As one example, Kevin's "letter to the moderator" posted in this thread contains a personal attack (something like, "The truth about this is something you can't handle and you're supposed to be an official."). That's something that would normally be deleted. The questions he asks ("Why were my posts deleted?") are valid (I've been asked that before, and responded with my reasoning to the requestor.)
4) If I'm "in a good mood" I'll edit the post; if not, I'll just delete it all. The latter happens more often than the former.
5) My opinion of SDS' posts (since that's what seemed to precipitate this latest discussion) on Ed H (as I recall them -- but my memory isn't what they used to be): The were pure "fan-boyish" (I recall the trite "he cost us the game" BS) and didn't help anyone become a better official, especially on a baseball forum (I'm led to believe that there were posts on the football forum, but I didn't read any of those). I don't recall them being too personal, though.
6) In some discussions the moderators had about the thread, I discovered that the other moderator is "going through a rough patch." He apologized (both publically and privately) and even though it doesn't get the posts back, I'm inclined to cut him a break.
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