Forum Ettiquette

[asdf]

In prior years, we'd preach to our newbies that there are excellent resources out there above and beyond the books provided to them. We caution them to choose carefully, but historically encouraged them to visit this site for solid answers.

We aren't doing that any more as the feedback from the class is less than complimentary. Some examples are....

Useless after 5-7 posts on a particular subject
If I wanted a warm-up act at the Funny Bone, I'd go to the Funny Bone
My teen-aged daughters act better than this
Moderators employ the old "do as I say, not as I do" method
If I wanted to go to a pissing match, I'd find a campfire......

...amongst others....

Sad to see this going the way of McGruff's and the FED forums.

[Welpe]

I'll add a few thoughts here:

We always seem to be working to find the right balance. Some perceive us as too lax, others as too heavy handed. Sounds pretty similar to working a game, doesn't it?

There are a lot of OT posts that get removed as it is but clearly it is not enough.

We really are trying as a group of moderators to keep things running smoothly here. We are constantly discussing this forum and how to best keep it running.

Thank you for sharing your feelings. I certainly don't like reading that we have long time members leaving and reluctant to return.

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by Welpe

I'll add a few thoughts here:

We always seem to be working to find the right balance. Some perceive us as too lax, others as too heavy handed. Sounds pretty similar to working a game, doesn't it?

I would say that I see it as selective. Some things don't seem to apply to everyone across the board. I have also seen - before your time as a Mod - when certain members are coincidentally (not really) allowed to have the last word and the thread is locked.

To me none of this is a big issue though.

[tomegun]

I have to agree with many of the comments I've seen. Topics used to be more about officiating. "In my little corner of..." wasn't funny to me the first time and it was pretty annoying the 3,000th time.

Having said all of that, I can appreciate it when someone takes all the punches that life has to offer and fights back. I pray that you continue on the path to emotional and physical health. I would suggest you leverage the internet and find other forums that fit some of your specific needs. That way this forum will be a part of your day along with other forums.

[Smitty]

It all boils down to what are the priorities of this forum? This is the best place I've found to gain more knowledge about officiating basketball. While I might not agree with some of the more opinionated posters, they always make me think about situations and points of view I wouldn't naturally think about. It always helps me to be a better official. I don't post much because I often have nothing to add that would benefit anyone else and I loathe "+1" responses because I am pretty sure no one else cares if I agree with what someone else says or not. But when you have longtime and well respected members like Bob Jenkins, JRutledge, and BktBallRef, among several others complaining about someone who very rarely adds anything thought provoking to officiating discussions, then you, as moderators, have to decide what's more important for this forum. Keep this place the best place for those of us who really want to get better and learn and challenge ourselves.

[johnny d]

I don't mind billy mac's posts. I think everybody here takes officiating pretty seriously. Sometimes I think perhaps too seriously. For almost everybody here, officiating basketball is an avocation, not their full time job. I don't see any problem having some levity in the discussions. If I am not in the mood for his goofiness, I just skip his posts and any that are responses to them. It isn't that hard. Additionally, it seems to me that his long post in this thread was sincere and that his participation in this forum goes beyond just thinking about basketball and has helped him get through some difficult times. Billy, my prayers are with you and I hope you continue to do well. For the rest of you, I say lighten up Francis!

[Amesman]

Originally Posted by johnny d

I don't mind billy mac's posts. I think everybody here takes officiating pretty seriously. Sometimes I think perhaps too seriously. For almost everybody here, officiating basketball is an avocation, not their full time job. I don't see any problem having some levity in the discussions. If I am not in the mood for his goofiness, I just skip his posts and any that are responses to them. It isn't that hard. ... I say lighten up Francis!

+1


Good grief, we're supposed to be able to focus and cut through various guff for 48, 40, 32, 28 or however many minutes and yet we can't simply just "change the channel" or hit the "skip" button when needed?

And it's not as if Billy doesn't ever bring worthwhile discussion to the forum. That's painting with far too broad a brush. (And this is posted regardless of the guy's personal circumstances.) Lighten up, indeed.

[BayStateRef]

Billy's posts are always welcome here. I also ignore most of them.

It's no big deal to skip, read over or ignore posts. It's not hard to find the posts that advance knowledge of officiating. There are many posters on this Forum that, in my view, add noting to the discussion...any discussion. So what. They are free to pad their posting count.

If there are "dangers" that this Forum is going down a path of increasing irrelevancy, it has noting to do with Billy. I try to limit my posts to facts, plays, mechanics, etc. I rarely offer opinions. I don't judge others, no matter the level or sex they work. I don't need the "me too" post. But that's me. Others like to be seen, be heard and let it be known they have an opinion. That's part of the Forum too.

This Forum would benefit from more voices, not less. It would benefit from more respect and understanding of each other, not less. It would benefit from an understanding that because "you" do something a certain way in your state, your city, your association, doesn't mean I do or that I can. Billy's not the problem here.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by johnny d

I don't mind billy mac's posts. I think everybody here takes officiating pretty seriously. Sometimes I think perhaps too seriously. For almost everybody here, officiating basketball is an avocation, not their full time job. I don't see any problem having some levity in the discussions. If I am not in the mood for his goofiness, I just skip his posts and any that are responses to them. It isn't that hard. Additionally, it seems to me that his long post in this thread was sincere and that his participation in this forum goes beyond just thinking about basketball and has helped him get through some difficult times. Billy, my prayers are with you and I hope you continue to do well. For the rest of you, I say lighten up Francis!

I'll echo these sentiments. I hope that my opinion here carries some weight as I have been one of the most active posters over the past decade. My post count can substantiate that.
I've had agreements and disagreements with many different posters on this board and learned something from each experience.
If this forum has helped and continues to help Billy Mac in his LIFE, then that is wonderful and far more important than the time it takes me to scan a few of his silly pics or joke posts. While he is known to stray from the topic, he is never mean or rude to others and I will never put him on my ignore list.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by tomegun

"In my little corner of..." wasn't funny to me the first time.

Good thing, because it was never, ever, meant to be funny, just another way of saying, "When in Rome ...", combined with some very strong encouragement from my interpreter, and board secretary, to all of our local members, that we not divulge our real identity, and, especially our local board affiliation, on any form of social media. I'm IAABO, from Connecticut, and my day job is as an environmental chemical analyst. That's all I can give you, and maybe that's too much. I have divulged a lot more information about myself (real name, local board, email, phone number, home town, etc.) to those who have contacted me by private message, and hope that those members keep my identify a secret.

Note: I have a tremendous amount of respect for those Forum members who use their real names. Unfortunately, I usually do what I'm told to do by my local board and can't post under my real name. I'm not hiding behind my pseudonym, but it does seem somewhat cowardly. You may not believe me, but I would post the same thing if I were posting under my real name.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by asdf

...amongst others....

Sad to see this going the way of McGruff's and the FED forums.

Let us not be overly dramatic. This place is nothing like those places. This place actually has moderators. And we can dispute over a decision or two that the moderators make, but they are active. Those places you could not figure out half the time who was watching and the kinds of disputes were not anywhere near what is going on here now.

Peace