Moderators

[mick]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

I happen to think that Snaq's point is perfectly valid. In that particular thread, the question was, "Is there anything wrong with changing shirts, as long as all of the new shirts match?" Once you say no, what else is there to discuss? Notre Dame's green jerseys? How is that any better than a binary joke?

You have read posts where some legitimately honest questions were asked by a younger/newer official and you have graciously sent them down the path of truth. These were possibly questions that, after achieving all your success, you would never think of asking (again).

The point of this thread is to attempt to keep an original subject [e.g., Changing basketball jerseys] open and welcoming, unmarred by such topics as the Notre Dame green jerseys or the biography of the author of the Notre Dame Fight Song.

This forum is top heavy with experienced and clever officials ready to offer advice and direction. All want to write something here or they would be elsewhere. But, because of the cleverness, we sometimes, inadvertently, type a knee-jerk response which deflects an original thread.
That makes it harder to jump in and for that "honest question" to be asked by new folks.

What the forum needs, as does officiating in general, is some newer/younger folks to ask and be answered. Let's make it easier for them.

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally Posted by mick

You have read posts where some legitimately honest questions were asked by a younger/newer official and you have graciously sent them down the path of truth. These were possibly questions that, after achieving all your success, you would never think of asking (again).

The point of this thread is to attempt to keep an original subject [e.g., Changing basketball jerseys] open and welcoming, unmarred by such topics as the Notre Dame green jerseys or the biography of the author of the Notre Dame Fight Song.

This forum is top heavy with experienced and clever officials ready to offer advice and direction. All want to write something here or they would be elsewhere. But, because of the cleverness, we sometimes, inadvertently, type a knee-jerk response which deflects an original thread.
That makes it harder to jump in and for that "honest question" to be asked by new folks.

What the forum needs, as does officiating in general, is some newer/younger folks to ask and be answered. Let's make it easier for them.

On the flip side, keep in mind that the reason so many accomplished and knowledgeable officials continue to hang out here is not to continue to ask a steady stream of questions. Nor is it an eager desire to answer new people's questions (I'm not suggesting those questions aren't welcome, nor even the lifeblood of a discussion forum, just that nobody logs on each day thinking to him or herself, "Gee, I'll bet I can answer four or five questions before heading out to work.").

It's the community that draws these people here. It is, to a lesser or greater extent, the chance to "hang out" with other really good officials that we don't get in the "real world". We're all still learning, 'tis true. And we're all still learning from each other, and that's a great benefit of being here. But honestly, does any of us sign on with a single-minded determination to engage in another "study session" on the forum? Or do you come at least as much to see "what's happening" as well as talk basketball?

I wasn't being flip when I said earlier, "It is what it is." Any community is more or less the sum of it's members, but is not any one of them. It draws people because it is better to be a member than to not. But it is not and never will be exactly what any one of us wishes it were. It's always a compromise.

This entire discussion has been about what one member wants this place to be, and why can't we all just conform to his view of the world? With all due respect to Tony, and I do respect him a ton, why is he here complaining about why this board isn't conducted and moderated to his view of the world. He's got a board that he moderates to his standard. Why does he need another? There's a reason I spend 99% of my time here, and 1% there. I like this place 99% better. Apparently I'm not alone.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

This entire discussion has been about what one member wants this place to be, and why can't we all just conform to his view of the world? With all due respect to Tony, and I do respect him a ton, why is he here complaining about why this board isn't conducted and moderated to his view of the world. He's got a board that he moderates to his standard. Why does he need another? There's a reason I spend 99% of my time here, and 1% there. I like this place 99% better. Apparently I'm not alone.

This is really not about one person. There is something going on and it was not like this just a few years ago. I do think right or wrong there are many people that have decided not to come here because of the tone of many of the discussions. When you have to read through a lot of stuff just to get to a solid discussion in this forum it makes people stay away on some level. Now it has not made me go away, but it has changed what and who I read stuff from. And this is not just happening in the off-season. Basketball is a sport that many of us work most of the year and heavily during the summer. This summer seemed to be very slow in comparison. I would never want to suggest this all comes down to the OT posts. I think there are other reasons for that decline, but I think it plays a significant role.

Peace