Caution: The Online Conversation

[BillyMac]

The interpreter of my local board suggested that I not use my real name, not indicate my local association's name, not indicate my hometown, and not use the name of any of the "higher ups" on my local board when citing their interpretations, on this Forum, or any other similar forum . His suggestion seemed fair, and not a big deal, so I made these changes about 18 months ago.

He mentioned this to me after a friend of his, like my interpreter, an NCAA Division I official, who actually went so far as to change his Forum name, his original Forum name pretty much gave away all his personal information, to a new "vague" Forum name. I figured that if this was a good idea for a well respected Forum member, who officiates Division I basketball, as well as high school basketball, then it was probably a good idea for me to follow suit.

[JRutledge]

I guess if you are engaged in activity that you would not be proud of in the public eye, then I guess you have something to worry about. I have always felt using my real name allows my words to stand by who I am. If I make a claim it is a lot easier to verify that claim because this is who I am. And as time has gone on I have realized what conversations I should have in public and which I should have in private. Since this is a public site, I use similar standards as to what I would say here as I would off this site.

It has not been a problem yet.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I guess if you are engaged in activity that you would not be proud of in the public eye, then I guess you have something to worry about. I have always felt using my real name allows my words to stand by who I am. If I make a claim it is a lot easier to verify that claim because this is who I am. And as time has gone on I have realized what conversations I should have in public and which I should have in private. Since this is a public site, I use similar standards as to what I would say here as I would off this site.

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

I am with Rut on this one. I have nothing to hide. I have never thought it a problem to put my money where my mouth, so to speak. I know a number of IAABO officials, including interpreters, from Connecticut and I am surprised at BillyMac being told not to use his real name.
MTD, Sr.

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Same here. Absolutely 100% willing to stand behind my words.

I give a lot of credit to those Forum members, like JRutledge, Mark T. DeNucci, Sr., Camron Rust, and others, who use their real name on this Forum. It certainly gives them a degree of credibility that anonymous posters, like myself, have to work a lot harder to achieve.

Regarding MTD, Sr.'s statement, "I am surprised at BillyMac being told not to use his real name". I was not told. It was only suggested to me, and since I have a lot of respect for the person who made this suggestion, I decided to do what was suggested.

Regarding JRutledge's statement, "As time has gone on I have realized what conversations I should have in public and which I should have in private. Since this is a public site, I use similar standards as to what I would say here as I would off this site". I had problems distinguishing between public and private. I made a few posts giving an interpretation by my interpreter, I believe involving advantage-disadvantage, mentioning him by name. Even though the information that I posted, attributed to him, was an accurate description of what he stated at our local meetings, he told me that he did not appreciate his name appearing all over the internet. Even if I hadn't used his name, and just referred to him as "my interpreter", if my real name were part of the post, it wouldn't have been too difficult to find out who "my interpreter" is, because his name, and title, is published all over the place, both in written publications, as well as our local board's website. So, at his suggestion, my real name, exact location, and local board affiliation, simply became BillyMac, an IAABO official, from Connecticut.

Another reason that I followed his suggestion, was that he pointed out to me that his friend, ChuckElias, had also decided to stop posting under his real name. At the time, I had a lot of respect for ChuckElias. I looked forward to his posts because they had a lot to offer, good solid advice, offered in an educational, not condescending, tone. For those of you who only know of ChuckElias as the "annual baseball guy", or don't remember why he left the Forum, let's go down memory lane:

A Fond Farewell

I figured that if leaving the Forum, or being vague about who you are, was good enough for ChuckElias, one of the most respected officials on the Forum, at the time, then it was good enough for me.

Hopefully, since becoming IAABO Connecticut BillyMac, I have gained some credibility as a Forum poster. I have always tried to be polite to those who disagree with me, have been open to constructive criticism, and have tried to post information that is helpful to all officials, as a retired teacher, and a member of my local board's training committee, especially to new officials. As JRutledge brought up, I don't believe that I have posted anything that I was not be proud of in the public eye. As Camron Rust pointed out, I am willing to stand behind my words, but not up to the 100% level that he does. Unfortunately, as MTD, Sr. stated, I do have something to hide, for the reasons outlined above.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I give a lot of credit to those Forum members, like JRutledge, Mark T. DeNucci, Sr., Camron Rust, and others, who use their real name on this Forum. It certainly gives them a degree of credibility that anonymous posters, like myself, have to work a lot harder to achieve.

Boolsh!t!!

What they post gives people their credibility.

Didya ever hear the old saying about not judging a book by it's cover?

Saying that somebody is automatically more credible than some one else just because of the name that they are using might just be the dumbest premise I've ever heard. What you are saying is that if Chuck Elias is now posting here again under an anonymous nom de net, he doesn't have the same credibility as when he posted under his real name. That's stoopid! Chuck's posts gave him his credibility, not his freaking name.

Lah me.......too bad.....Mick, NevadaRef, Dan_ref, M&Mguy, Snaqwells, Scrapper1, BktBallRef, BadNewsRef, Tomegun, RookieDude, etc., etc., freaking etc.....these guys just aren't as credible as the others using their real names.

If OldSchool hadda used his real name, would that have applied to him too, Billy?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

What they post gives people their credibility...Mick, NevadaRef, DanRef, M&Mguy, Snaqwells, Scrapper1, BktBallRef, BadNewsRef, Tomegun, RookieDude, etc. If OldSchool hadda used his real name, would that have applied to him too.

You make a good point. The posters you've mentioned have certainly earned their credibility, as you have certainly earned yours.

Are you saying that OldSchool wasn't credible?

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

The posters you've mentioned have certainly earned their credibility........

And I can think of dozens more that I failed to mention too, Billy. That group might even include an anonymous poster called BillyMac.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

And I can think of dozens more that I failed to mention too. That group might even include an anonymous poster called BillyMac.

Thanks. I think. I just hope that you're not confusing me with the Billy Mac (note the space between the two words) who occasionally posts on the NFHS basketball forum. We share similar philosophies when it comes to basketball officiating, so it's easy to confuse us. Here's a photograph to help tell us apart. I'm the one in the striped shirt.

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Boolsh!t!!

What they post gives people their credibility.

Didya ever hear the old saying about not judging a book by it's cover?

Saying that somebody is automatically more credible than some one else just because of the name that they are using might just be the dumbest premise I've ever heard. What you are saying is that if Chuck Elias is now posting here again under an anonymous nom de net, he doesn't have the same credibility as when he posted under his real name.

And he would be just as annoying.

Lah me.......too bad.....Mick, NevadaRef, DanRef, M&Mguy, Snaqwells, Scrapper1, BktBallRef, BadNewsRef, Tomegun, RookieDude, etc., etc., freaking etc.....you guys just aren't as credible as the others using their real names.

You mispelled my name.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

You mispelled my name.

Fixed it. Wouldn't want you to lose any more credibility than you have now(if that's possible).

Btw, you misspelled "mispelled". Just saying.

[Camron Rust]

Quote:

Lah me.......too bad.....Mick, NevadaRef, DanRef, M&Mguy, Snaqwells, Scrapper1, BktBallRef, BadNewsRef, Tomegun, RookieDude, etc., etc., freaking etc.....you guys just aren't as credible as the others using their real names.

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

You mispelled my name.

No he didn't. He was talking about someone else!

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

...

Lah me.......too bad.....Mick, NevadaRef, Dan_ref, M&Mguy, Snaqwells, Scrapper1, BktBallRef, BadNewsRef, Tomegun, RookieDude, etc., etc., freaking etc.....these guys just aren't as credible as the others using their real names...

I may not be credible but I think making this list makes me "esteemed", or does it mean I have an esteemed member? I'm always confused about that.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

I may not be credible but I think making this list makes me "esteemed", or does it mean I have an esteemed member? I'm always confused about that.

I think it makes you a valued member. You can use that membership for discounts, you know.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Lah me.......too bad.....Mick, NevadaRef, Dan_ref, M&Mguy, Snaqwells, Scrapper1, BktBallRef, BadNewsRef, Tomegun, RookieDude, etc., etc., freaking etc.....these guys just aren't as credible as the others using their real names.

Ahem? AHEM?? AHEM????

I think maybe JR's been talking to my supervisor again.

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Ahem? AHEM?? AHEM????

I think maybe JR's been talking to my supervisor again.

You see where he says "etc., etc., freaking etc"?

That 3rd one would be you.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Ahem? AHEM?? AHEM????

I think maybe JR's been talking to my supervisor again.

Hell, your supervisor probably doesn't even know your real name. She calls you "that short, crabby l'il jerk that pisses off my coaches". I heard that she said if you didn't have that amazing ability to stick your tongue out and lick your eyebrows, you'd never get another game from her.

That oughta do it for this thread......