Where did all the Cowboys go?
 

Am I the only one that is noticing that all the veterans seem to be leaving this place? Where is JR, Dan, Mark, Juulie, and many others I could name just do not seem to be around anymore. This place is turning in the NF website where you only see a new post every couple of weeks. Is this just the off season or are people getting tired of the direction of this site?

I know a couple of people got into with certain people and left, but this is getting ridiculous. :(

Peace

JR - While not an "old timer", I have obviously noticed it too over the last few weeks. IMO, bottom line - a) many posts were side-tracked, b) some didn't like the "humor", attempts at humor, or pictures, and c) as you note, some got very personal and aggressive.

The Forum has apparently gone askew and some apparently don't think the ends (information on actual refereeing) justifies the means (Forum) anymore and have either become silent, are gone for a short period....of for good - shame.

I hope folks like Julie and Mark come back during the season as I have found this an invaluable tool.

I have been a reader of this forum for much longer than I have been a member and have also noticed the slow down in new threads and posts. I hope it is just the off season and it will pick up soon. I do believe the direction may have driven people off. There are so many inside jokes that run through threads that unless you have been around for a long time you just scratch your head and move on. This is a hard place to come and jump in to a thread if you're a newbie and those that take comments personally can easily ruin and sidetrack an otherwise good thread. My 2 cents.

Sorry ...
 

I don't consider myself a veteran of the Forum, but I have been around for a few years.

My opinion:

a) (from above): I agree, many posts have gotten sidetracked. It doesn't bother me too much, unless the question, or comment, behind the original thread never gets resolved.

b) Guilty as charged. I didn't realize how irritating this can be to other Forum members. I'm bored this time of year. I have found some posts by members like Jurassic Referee, and photos by members like Mark Padgett, to be amusing, so I tried to join in the fun. I'll try to tone it down, but like I said, I'm bored. I can't wait until the season begins, and I can make some real contributions to the Forum.

c) I disagree on this point. I think that the personal and aggressive posts have decreased from a few years ago, especially since Old School left the building.

muxbule makes a good point about inside jokes, I still scratch my head about some posts.

JRutledge's point about the Forum turning in the NF website is kind of interesting. I've noticed that even the NFHS website was getting less business, and my twin brother, Billy Mac, mentioned it on the site a few weeks ago. http://www.nfhs.org/cgi-bin/ultimate...;f=11;t=001770 He's the 17th post on this thread, after absolutely no posting on this site for about two weeks. Check out some of the comments after his post.

Has the Forum been quiet? Yes, but I don't think that members are leaving because of sidetracks, humor, photos, personal and aggressive posts, inside jokes, etc. It's because it's off season, and as I said, even the NFHS site is quieter than usual.


Finally, I hope that my attempts at humorous posts, and photos, have been offset by some of my real contributions to the Forum. If I have offended anybody, I apologize. If I have bored anyone to tears, again, I'll try to tone it down, and if I can't, then I don't mind the moderators deleting my photos without explanation, I'll know why, and it may teach me a lesson.

Dan and JR are currently honeymooning in the bridal suite of the Hackensack Trump Motel 6. They spend their days catching crabs (yes, that's an inside joke) and their nights wantonly and feverishly dancing for tips and applause. JR does his patented Apache rain dance(clad only in an ankle-length loincloth that barely hides his esteemed member... and Gucci moccasins)....and Dan does <b>his</b> patented Mexican Hat Dance(the one where he dances nude( :eek: ) around a <i>sombrero</i>, praying for hair). They also employ as serving wenches and occasional lookouts a nameless troll who lives under a bridge just outside of Springfield and a hideous, deformed hunchbacked dwarf who lives in a bell tower and terrorizes little kiddies somewhere out on the left coast.

Note that neither Dan nor JR will do windows though.

Note also that there have also been very few threads lately actually related to rules, mechanics or officiating philosophies. That will change.

As for the off-topic stuff, the mods that we have had for years are quite competent and capable to deal with the direction of this forum as well as any problems that arise.

I was wondering just this morning why I haven't seen JR around. It seems really quiet lately, even for the off season. In fact, there's been more action in the volleyball forum lately than here. And that's just wrong ;)

My $0.02 on the direction of late...

a) For as long as I've been here, which is a few years now, it seems that all posts eventually get sidetracked. This is not new, although it seems to happen sooner these days.

b) Pictures, as long as they're family friendly, have never bothered me.

c) I also (dis)agree with BM on this one. We used to get into some pretty intense off-season brawls here. That was long before the days of ToadStool. I think there has been much less rancor of late than in some previous off-seasons.

What I have been contemplating of late is this: How useful is this site today? I've been coming here for years now. I have learned a LOT. I find it less personally useful than I once did, largely because I'm so much further along the learning curve.

But I also think this site is not as useful, friendly, or welcoming of new officials as it once was. It's my impression that collectively we're not as interested in answering questions and helping new members. There are a lot of inside jokes, so many so often that I don't get half of them, even when I'm here all the time. That's gotta be off-putting to newcomers as well.

And worst of all, I've noticed over the last year or so that some long time members have lost patience to the point where ideas contrary to their own get shouted down. It's done in the guise of ensuring newer officials aren't seduced by "bad ideas". But it makes for a pretty hostile environment, one that's not welcoming, either to newer members or to the free discussion of ideas.

You're welcome. :o

My own two cents is that everything will be back to "normal" by December 1. It always gets slow over the summer. I'm hoping that the start of the season will bring back some of the posters that JRutledge mentioned. But even if they don't come back (which would be too bad), the forum will get back on topic and basketball questions and plays will be abundant once more.

There should be a (non-spam) thread on shoes coming along any day now. :)

You sure know how to liven up a party! :D

All I know is I miss Chuck. I've probably spent more time here this off season than any other, due to the nature of my current job which allows me that luxury. That may or may not continue past September 30, so I may drop away at that point until the season starts.

I've never been particularly bothered by the pictures (although some of them make my wife say "WTH?") The good news is when I'm at work, I can't see most of them anyway.

As for the rancor, it's never bothered me. I'm probably less sensitive to how it affects newbies than I should be, which placed me near the center of the OS wars. This is my personal flaw (I'm only admitting to one).

I also miss Bhuck.

This is exactly where I am. I tend to ask subjective questions to take the temperature of the group on a particular play or mechanic but dont find too many threads that I am drawn to anymore.

I also think a lot of people are starting to realize the power of google and the ease in forwarding links and e-mails so in the ever more competitive "avocation" of basketball, I think some are more cautious with their online writings and persona.

Good.

Now shut up.

Nobody misses Diebler?

You can't be serious? :eek: Ever since he passed Chuck Norris' record for counting to infinity the most times, I kinda lost interest in him. I mean, how am I supposed to measure up? I prefer hanging out with more normal, and flawed human beings...like JugglingRef ;)

Hey! I don't resemble that remark! :o

Great. I just threw up in my mouth. But I did not inhale.

It's the off-season. When there are some good basketball topics to discuss, those people will bring their esteemed members back to the forefront of the board.

That's just the kind of mean spiritedness that's being lamented (I'd explain that word, but Dan's not around apparently).

BTW, I hear Rocky has some home made clam chowder for you.

And that's exactly the kind of inside joke that is ruining these threads for people.

Besides the fact that even I don't get it.

(thus opening the door for more short jokes and an eventual posting of the infamous squirrel picture)

The inside jokes have been told so often, that we don't even need to tell them anymore!! LOL. We already know the entire sequence. Along those same lines (and I apologize for adding a joke to this thread, but it fits with the rest of this post). . .

In the lifers' section of the prison, all the inmates had been there for years. One night after lights-out, one of the prisoners yelled out "22!" There was some quiet chuckling in various cells. Then a different voice yelled out, "54!" Again, there was some laughter in the darkness.

One inmate, who had only been in this prison for a couple months, asked his cellmate, "What's with the numbers?" His cellmate said, "We been here so long, we've heard each others' jokes 1,000 times. So instead of telling the whole joke, they just say the number of the joke, and the other guys remember it."

Just then, another voice in the darkness yelled out, "317!" There was silence for a second, and then the cell block erupted with laughter.

The new inmate again turned to his cellmate: "What was that all about?" His cellmate answered, "We'd never heard that one before!"

Sorry, it's just that JR makes me feel so welcome.

Okay, there is one picture that bothers me.

For what it's worth, I'll throw in my perspective as a mid-level user. I certainly don't post as much as many users I consider to be the more experienced as far as officiating, but I am not a newbie either. I tend to absorb information more than offer my own perspective on things. And I find this site invaluable for learning and becoming a better official.

I definitely get the comraderie among the faithful, and the inside jokes and the threads that sometimes go way off topic. That is just the nature of internet message boards. No problem.

What I personally don't like are the users who seem to only post what they consider to be funny retorts. I don't think I've ever found any of their posts to be even remotely funny. I try to just completely ignore those people's posts.

I would hate to see any of the regular members leave because of the way the forum is moderated. I learn so much from the many scenarios that are played out here. The perspectives that I would never think of on my own. It's monumentally worth reading through the relatively small amount of drivel to get to the good stuff.

When I posted I realize that this is the off-season. But in many cases we are two months away from the season and usually there is a little more buzz about basketball at this time of year. One of the problems could be because Michigan no longer plays basketball during the fall and that has taken away some conversation we would normally have at this time. I just read a couple of very high profile people get upset and not come back recently. I personally do not care for all kinds of posts, but that is what makes this place special. I am just wondering if that is going to change or is this a trend.

Peace

I have been using this site for 2 years now. And no I am not the previous Old School. I am a newbie of sorts but the information has been outstanding. I only hope the questions are answered first before everyone goes off subject. Just answer the question and if you want to add what if after great. If it is heading in the wrong direction I will usually just exit. Some humor is great but most are just a waste of time. Keep the questions and topics coming. Thanks

I think another reason for the slowness is that there were no significant rule changes for the FED this season. And for NCAA the biggest one was moving the 3-point line on the Men's side.

A lot of the off-season talk in the past tended to be about major rule changes but how much discussion can you have about hair wraps and different color 3-point lines?

Michigan no longer plays football during the fall either.

Oh, you meant the <b>state</b>, not the <b>university</b>?

Never mind.....

Dallas?

I'll admit, I get caught up in the off-topic stuff myself, but I kind of enjoy both participating and watching. (Obviously <B>that</B> opens up all kinds of off-topic possibilities, but don't go there...) Maybe it's because we, as officials, have to carry a certain persona on the court (serious, calm, objective, etc.), and this forum gives some people's personalities a chance to come out where they don't really have that opportunity on the court. There are times we might go (a little) overboard, but how is that different than any other conversation about rules at the local watering hole? This isn't a mandetory gathering, so we shouldn't have the same expectations of decorum as we should at our local association meetings. But I do think the mods do a good job of not letting things wander too far off-track, while still keeping things loose enough.

JMO.

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there. :D

When was the last time the "Cow College" beat the good team in Ann Arbor?

That is right, never mind.

Peace

"Cow College"? You mean Holstein U.? Guernesy A&M? Are those the teams Michigan has scheduled for next season?

Oh, you mean U of I. I'm sure it's been a LOT more recent than the Cubs winning the World Series.

(Oh, crap...never mind.)

Hey M&M, I think he's talking about you!!:D

No, "Cow College" is a Michigan reference to Michigan State. We do not have references to Illinois, because we usually beat you. ;)

Peace

Hey! No reason to get short with me.

I was talking about someone else. Who's M&M? ;)

See, the sign of a good official - he's invisible. ;)

I do not know about your local official's associations, but almost every one I belong to there is a lot of personal jabbing at each other as a way to interject humor. Just like people get on people about being Cubs and Sox fans, we get on people for the colleges we support and even make jokes about many other things to have some fun. And all of this is done during the beginning or ending of the meeting. ;)

Peace

Is this an inside joke? I'm getting confused.

78.53242% (I thought I'd throw a stat out there since M&M mentioned the Cubs and the World Series in the same post again)

And that's just the stuff done in public, in front of each other. :)

Is that the percentage likelyhood I will tell you to shut up?

ROFLMAO!!

Good question.

Let's take a poll - Who is the REAL M&M Guy??

Michigan State is playing football in the fall now too?

When did that start?

Make sure that one of the choices in the poll is:
<i>"Who gives a sh!t?"</i>

(I figured I would get his picture in there first, and save him some time...)

Looks like you answered your own question.

Good thing I purchased these in bulk:

Shut up.

Well, hold onto your hat, Rut!
I've got a middle school girls game on Monday, the 22nd. :)

So, middle school girls don't get the same constitutional rights as high school girls? ;)

Mick, we have only played middle school girls at this time of year when I first started. I am only referring to high school sports. I honestly do not care or compare what we do to middle school sports. Middle school is not regulated across the board like high school sports are. Even in my state we have a middle school organization, it does not apply to all schools in the state.

Peace

Well, ... maybe that discrimination is offset by the fact that they have a gym in which to practice. :)

Always a silver lining, eh?

Sorry, Off Topic Again, I Can't Stop, Help ...
 

Like Chuck ???

I don't care what BITS says, I miss Diebler. Went to his memorial service today.

Wow, we have really gone off topic in this one. :D

Peace

Not really - rocky's taller.

Maybe, but the margin is statistically insignificant. It's within the margin of error.

See what you started.

Would you call that a dead heap ?

It may be insignificant to you, but let me tell you - I feel like a freaking giant when I stand next to Chuck!!:p

Well, I won't be back much if at all. I got tired of the unwillingness of many (by no means all) to have civil disagreements. I got tired of being called names. And I don't see any reason to subject myself to the possibility of more abuse.

Do I miss it? Well, yea, a little, sometimes. But then I check in and see the same tired old jokes and the same OT stuff, and I just e-mail the personal friends, and skip the rest.

It's too bad, but, oh well. Life goes on.

Juulie, it's great to see you here, even if it's just once in a while. I hope you keep showing up from time to time. :)

JCrow
 

I still read the Posts. I learned so much from you guys. I sincerely appreciated all the knowledge & experience. I don't Post any longer as I hung up my whistle and one of my last posts involved the dog that ran out onto the court and bit A1 on a breakaway layup. I asked if I were correct in calling a foul on the dog and giving A1 two shots and the ball? Several members "bit" on that tale my reputation suffered.............then when an Official posted that his car struck a deer on the way the way to a Game. I started a new Post saying that I had a flat tire on the way to the Officials' Mascarade Party......I was dressed as a deer and when I was changing the tire...some nut ran me over.........that was it for me!

Still I wish everyone a GREAT upcoming season. Keep those stripes vertical!

I'm still here. Just lurking mainly in the off-season but will be more active once the season starts. Just got my JC schedule this morning and there was a bite of chill in the air this morning so we are not that far away.

Just like officiating, you can't have thin-skin if you want to endure some of the crap on this board. But if you can wade through it, there is still a lot of benefit that can be gained from this board.

SIDE NOTE: Hey Rut, the Indiana director of officials was a guest speaker at our Washington Officials Association conference back in early August. He said that bass fishing is going to be an officially sanctioned HS sport there in Indiana. Are you going to officiate? :)

Well in Illinois, we have Bass Fishing this year. ;)

No I will not be Bass Fishing. I do not think they will have that in the suburbs. I could be wrong, but just a guess. :D

Peace

You would be surprised how many of those subdivision ponds have bass in them.

Better start measuring your pole to see if it's regulation length. :eek:

I may have to order that particular rule book. I sounds impossible to officiate.
I've done some harm on the Mississippi [near Moline] with a 7'-6" graphite flippin' stick.

Competition For Mark Padgett ???
 

This is a very funny post, possibly as funny, or funnier, than anything posted by Mr. Humor himself, Mark Padgett. Please keep posting.

"Humor is mankind's greatest blessing". (Mark Twain)

Rut:

I am here. It is just a busy time of the school year right now. Mark, Jr. started college this last Tuesday; Andy is playing for the H.S. golf team; my wife and I are in charge of the concessions stand at all football games; and there is falls baseball and softball games to umpire.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, cheering on to victory the Youngstown State University Penguins (Boy did they play terrible last Saturday against South Dakota State Univ.; by the way how are the Leatherneckd doing?) and The Ohio State University football teams.

I am sure once the basketball season gets under way we will have some lively discussions.

Boy, I can't wait until Nov. 22nd. :D

Have a good football officiating season.

MTD, Sr.

He'll Be Here All Week Folks. Enjoy The Buffet ...
 

Off topic. This post belongs in the Old Joke Forum.

http://www.planet-science.com/text_o.../ICONgroan.jpg

Don't forget to tip your waitress. :D

I Remember Where I Was And What I Was Doing At 10:24 p.m. ...
 

Monday, November 6, 2006. The day the music died, a day that will live in infamy:

From ChuckElias: "After talking about this with some friends from the board and some other officials, I've decided to stop contributing to the forum. As Mick alluded to in the baseball thread, I was hired by a couple of D1 conferences (although I didn't recieve any assignments from one of them). Although it's not very likely, I don't want any of my comments to be misconstrued and then passed on to an assignor".

Disagree. We were discussing inside jokes. My comments were directly on that topic. :p

True enough. Maybe I'll go add it over there, if people dare to venture to the General Forum these days.

_______________

I was kind of wondering where Juulie, Tanner, Chuck, and lots of the regulars have been, too. I'll bet they'll be back as it gets closer to season. I sure hope so!

He Makes Tens Of Dollars A Year Doing Standup Comedy ...
 

Please don't twist my words. I said that it belongs in the Old Joke Forum, not that it should go there. Please don't subject any more internet surfers to this "joke".

ChuckElias, R.I.P. (Except For the Annual Off Topic Baseball Post)
 

Scrapper1: Why would you criticize me immediately after my memorable tribute to ChuckElias. Couldn't you have at least waited a respectful number of posts before attacking me. Have you no compassion for our dearly departed Forum member? I wish you had left the Forum instead of ChuckElias.

But then again, you came to the Forum after ChuckElias, so you really didn't get to know him. I'll apologize to you if you promise to search the Forum archives and read his old threads and posts, so you'll understand why we miss him so much.

http://re3.yt-thm-a03.yimg.com/image/25/m3/2454878563

Chuck who?

It's your lucky day, Billy.....

Sotheby's is currently auctioning off a certified, genuine, autographed, lightly skid-marked jock strap...size XXXXXS..... guaranteed to have been worn by your hero, Chuck Elias. It can be yours for the reasonable price of $6845.38... freight, insurance and handling extra.

http://bodybuilderfitness.com/librar...tion_CUP-2.jpg

Just think....your very own Chuck Elias(tm) jock strap! T'is to swoon. You could keep it under your pillow and pull it out in those darkest hours of the night when you miss him the most.

Note that Sotheby's is also auctioning off a certified, life-size, three foot-two inch tall Chuck Elias idol, carved out of genuine Eritrean marble. It comes complete with a hand-knitted Chuck Elias prayer mat. The cost is a below-market $11,245.99, well under what similar idols are currently going for on E-bay.

Please PM me for the details, Billy. I wouldn't want to post them....the mad rush to purchase the Elias icons would be on.

___________________

I hope you're going to reconsider this decision. Without the voices of reason we have had for years, the baboons take over.

I know who esteemed members are, but who are the baboons?

Once I start thinking about basketball, I'll be back. That will occur about 2 days after my last HS football game.

My pattern is as follows: Football from July through late October / early November, basketball from mid-November until March, baseball from late March until August. This is the first year there was no overlap whatsoever in my sports.

I am doing a weekend clinic in early November, but unless we go 3 weeks deep in the football playoffs, it won't conflict. And if it does, the clinic would go before the football game.

Isn't It Worth More After He Dies ???
 

And what memorabilia will be available when Jurassic Referee departs from the Forum? His stuff has got to be a lot more valuable than ChuckElias' stuff. I'd like to start the bidding right now. My opening bid is $6845.39 on anything that belongs to Jurassic Referee.

Am I the only one who remembers where he was, and what he was doing, on Monday, November 6, 2006, at 10:24 p.m, the day the music died, a day that will live in infamy? Jurassic Referee: Where were you? Scrapper1: What were you doing?

I was watching Monday Night Football.

I don't even remember what I was doing last Monday; never mind Monday 2 years ago. MNF is a pretty good guess, though.

Upon further research I have discovered that I had fell asleep on my sofa.

Mon November 6 Seattle Seahawks Oakland Raiders 16 - 0

It Only Seems Like It Was Just Yesterday ...
 

So was I. I remember it like it was yesterday. Seattle was leading 13 to 0, sacking the Oakland quarterback several times, when I got the bad news. I don't remember the rest of the game because I was so distraught, but the next morning, I was looking for news about ChuckElias in the newspaper, when I saw that Seattle held on to win 16 to 0.