The 2017 state of the board discussion thread

Swamp Donkey

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7-14 vs P5 Fire Stricklin First
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Jun 9, 2014
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According to my suggestion, one more dislike would not create a ban, it would merely limit my postings to 2 per day for the next 3 days.

Some of you fear the possibility of putting some teeth into your peers' thumbs-down votes. Very understandable.
Shutup, youve been banned for three days.

With all due respect and I do mean all due respect, you realize the purpose of a message board is to CREATE clicks, right?
 

revgator

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Jun 19, 2014
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Ok Ox, I have some feedback. You know I've been here forever and rarely post. Just a few things.

The idea that people with negative opinions scare posters away is bizarre and foreign to me. I have no problem with people feeling one way or the other. I was a negator with Muschamp and I'm a pumper with Mac. I will gladly defend my position if needed and respect those who disagree.

One thing that someone mentioned was the personal attacks. Back when I first joined GSMB, I made one of my first posts ever, literally like my 3rd post. I was really new to message boards and I think like most people who find a message board, they want to participate. It was Sas who insulted me and made me feel like absolute garbage for having an opinion. That was a major turn off, and tbh, I'm still salty. I still censor myself because of that.
I feel like that's what most people mean when they mention the negativity. For the record I have never blocked anyone and never will.

One thing that i love about this board, is that literally it is like a fraternity. I'm on the outside but you guys are ALWAYS here. To outsiders it takes time to break in and get past the hazing. I've enjoyed watching newer members come in and find their place.
 

Gator2222

Well-Known Member
Nov 25, 2016
1,181
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My first post ever drew attacks like you wouldn't believe. The Donkey wanted me kicked out, Dirty South twisted everything I said and T-Rex called me every name you can think of. It was an interesting experience as I did not know any of the personalities. I got a lot of likes out of that thread too though (mostly Nav if I remember correctly).

I was hooked.

I personally choose not to resort to name calling or personal attacks. Nothing wrong with it if it is among friends and done in jest. In my opinion those who do it in anger are simply insecure. It's a sign of a lack of social skills. They have become used to gaining control through bullying others into submission.

The best strategy is to ignore them, don't stoop to their level and refuse to be intimidated.
 

TN G8tr

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The "Original" TN G8tr
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Jun 14, 2014
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This board has a good group and pretty diverse views on all things Gators. Sure, you're going to get some push back and criticism on things here....its a chat room. But for the most part this board BY FAR is better than any out there. I am glad that the GSMB led to the conception of GC. It is way better and managed properly, better than any other.
 

bradgator2

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Rioting
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Jun 12, 2014
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I would absolutely definitely not participate in a board with those rules. I'd tell the board owner to take his dislike quota and shove it up his newly acquired vagina.

Or.... personally ask the owner to be banned. But I guess that's kinda the same thing.
 

78

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Dazed and Confused
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Or.... personally ask the owner to be banned. But I guess that's kinda the same thing.
:lol: There are times when L-boy just can't help himself.

59f0f15f7bc6c3e60e6a5d4094444af3.jpg
 

OllieGator

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Member....huh, huh, huh
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Jun 13, 2014
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Checking in late as usual.

My 2 cents? People need to grow a pair and chill the eff out.

Love this board and all of the characters. Censoring would drive me away, not the lack of it. I need a place that I can vent and be my old grumpy self when needed and a place to celebrate when needed. We have it here with GC.
 

ExecutiveGator

Paragraphs are great tools. Use them.
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Dec 5, 2014
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Welcome to 2017 and the interweb ladies and gentlemen. Its a rough ride and getting rougher.

15-20 years ago, the only people you talked to all day were friends, family, coworkers, etc that you met face to face or talked to on the phone. Just about the only people who talked AT you were news anchors and DJs. Now, EVERYBODY has a far reaching voice. And boy do they like to use it.

But that isn't even the real story because if you heard everybody's voice equally, you would get a nice range of opinions that truly runs the spectrum of every topic. Because that is how real life is with real people. And, face to face, people temper their exuberance or their hate or whatever emotion is at hand, because face to face, people are polite. Just think about the difference between how you interact with someone you disagree with in person vs. how you might "disagree" with them while driving down the road (think screaming and obscene gestures because somebody wants to drive a different speed than you deem appropriate).

The internet is road rage on steroids. And the polite way we moderate ourselves in real society goes out the window when talking to "someone" who you'll never meet in real life. Every discussion, whether its sports or politics or whatever, is mostly carried on by the people who are the most passionate about the subject. Here's a hint...when you're passionate about something you generally aren't that even keeled or moderate. Take Gator fans for instance....the real passionate fans fall into two categories: 1st are the ones who always think the OnB are the best no matter what, and if we didn't win today for sure we'll bounce back and win tomorrow! You may label these people "pumpers." 2nd are the ones who are so proud of their program that they can't bear to ever see us lose a game. Every loss is a travesty and drastic action must be taken immediately to correct this horrible injustice. Of course, these are the "neGators."

The fact is that most of us really fall somewhere in the middle and as such don't have quite the passion that either group possesses. Ergo, we aren't very likely to spend as much time commenting of every facet of every play in every game. As such, the conversations are going to be had by the pumpers and the negators. It is totally natural.

Is politics any different? Think of any controversial subject, from gun control to abortion to immigration to welfare to elections to taxes, etc. I'd be willing to bet that the VAST majority of Americans have moderate opinions about every one of those subjects. The right approach to abortion is probably somewhere between charging someone with murder every time his sperm goes unused and killing a crying child simply because the cord hasn't been cut yet. The right approach to gun control is probably somewhere between issuing everybody a flamethrower and an M-1 tank or going door to door arresting everybody who owns a BB gun. You get the idea. But because these people aren't the wackos on the extreme ends of the situation, they aren't nearly as likely to go on the interwebs and start proclaiming this and that to anyone who will listen.

The net effect is that every conversation is controversial and the dominant voices are the most confrontational. It isn't a mirror of society, just a predictable symptom of unfettered information sharing. Sometimes it feels like the death of moderation, as its hard to be what I call "aggressively moderate." You try that around here mister and you'll just be labeled as wishy-washy. I prefer the term reasonable. Anyway, it doesn't have to be the death of moderation unless we let it. Understanding this online dynamic and realizing how the real world differs from the perception one might get from reading the internet is a critical thinking skill that probably needs to be discussed more often and perhaps even taught in school from a pretty young age.

What is the answer to running a forum such as this? Every group I've ever been a part of has been a reflection of its leader. This is a great website because Ox and the mods have done (for the most part) an exceptional job of letting people vent, smack talk, emote, banter etc without too much censorship or heavy-handedness. There have been plenty of times when people have been censored, booted, banned, whatever but only just enough to keep the place together. I think that is the right approach. Some people won't handle the smack well....that is to be expected. There is one thing I know and that is if you try and make something that everybody likes, you get something that nobody really likes. Bland, boring, and tasteless.

Did I mention Bland?
Very well stated Zambo. I'd give your post more likes if possible.
 

stephenPE

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Jul 20, 2014
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I personally choose not to resort to name calling or personal attacks. Nothing wrong with it if it is among friends and done in jest. In my opinion those who do it in anger are simply insecure. It's a sign of a lack of social skills.
or the fact they sit behind a screen, insulated from the real world, and can say whatever the fck they want to whomever they want. Like you, I try not to call people names cause in my world that is one of the worst things that can happen in an elementary class. Sometimes I think Im reading the words of 8-11 year olds in here. But like most say, it is fun and those words carry no weight and speak volumes about the authors than than the targets................good post quadruple deuce............
 

rogdochar

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RIP
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What's this talk about sane places - they're no sane places here... just flakes ... & snow.
 

Blacklabgator

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Jul 7, 2014
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I don't post a lot, more of a drive by poster. The dynamics between the positive and negative posters is actually pretty amusing. But what stinks is when every single thread eventually just becomes one about how bad Mac, the team, players, strength coach, the AD, the former AD are . Take the Spring practice thread. There's post after post assuming because nothing has been talked about for days it must mean we suck. Until someone thankfully pointed out it's because there haven't been any practices . And now that thread has turned into the same as the rest. All about how bad Mac is.
 

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