- Jun 12, 2014
- 30,413
- 16,768
Founding Member
The 2017 state of the board discussion thread
- Thread starter oxrageous
- Start date
- Jun 12, 2014
- 9,552
- 25,219
Founding Member
What would give you the impression that I am wrapped up over your ban request? I am actually very proud of you. It must have taken a great deal of courage and strength to make that request. It's very admirable.
gatorgrad'02
Newbie
- Aug 10, 2015
- 318
- 368
My two cents (which are probably worth less than most's one cent) ... I tend to post and browse this board in spurts. I'll go two months browsing and posting everyday and then disappear for several weeks at a time. Generally I've found two reasons for this: either one it's simply a slow gator news cycle and not much worth chatting about (atleast from my perspective and interests in Gator sports) or two the groupthink phenomenon begins to rub me the wrong way and I need to step away for a little while.
The former tends to happen after football signing day and before March Madness for me. I just don't get much enjoyment and can only read so much speculating on what is happening to the football team before spring practice starts ... everyone (including myself) think they're an expert, when in reality even the board as a collective has only a minimal amount of understanding or knowledge of the comings and goings of what is happening behind closed doors during the offseason. I love college basketball, but find the overall knowledge and passion for Gator basketball on this board is low (there are definitely posters who are exceptions, just stating in general).
Regarding Groupthink, I'm convinced there aren't nearly as many pumpers and negators as there seems. From my perspective I think there are many who post in an effort to find agreement with others (on either side) and honestly probably don't have as strong of feelings on topics as they suggest by their post content.
I don't think there's much to do in either case. I believe it's simpl the nature of message board communities and my own personal experiences.
Alll that said. This is hands down the best Gator message board around.
The former tends to happen after football signing day and before March Madness for me. I just don't get much enjoyment and can only read so much speculating on what is happening to the football team before spring practice starts ... everyone (including myself) think they're an expert, when in reality even the board as a collective has only a minimal amount of understanding or knowledge of the comings and goings of what is happening behind closed doors during the offseason. I love college basketball, but find the overall knowledge and passion for Gator basketball on this board is low (there are definitely posters who are exceptions, just stating in general).
Regarding Groupthink, I'm convinced there aren't nearly as many pumpers and negators as there seems. From my perspective I think there are many who post in an effort to find agreement with others (on either side) and honestly probably don't have as strong of feelings on topics as they suggest by their post content.
I don't think there's much to do in either case. I believe it's simpl the nature of message board communities and my own personal experiences.
Alll that said. This is hands down the best Gator message board around.
Bama&GatorFan
Friends in high places
- Dec 5, 2015
- 715
- 554
The problem with this board is that people are allowed to act stupid and childish. This thread is a perfect example. I just read the first two pages, and most of it is just stupid garbage, and totally off topic. People posting about Trump eating his steak and stuff.
So I cannot even get anything meaningful out of this thread and so I stopped reading it.
Here is the problem: People are allowed to act stupid and childish on this board.
I can handle negativity. Most of it is just realism anyway. The Gators are not performing (including recruiting) up to expectations. That is just the way it is.
But members are allowed to stalk people around and harass them. I complained and I was told to just use the "ignore" function, which works, but it does not solve the problem. People are allowed to post absolutely stupid stuff which is off topic and destroy every thread, just to get attention, IMHO. People are allowed to attack other people personally, including other members, college football players (who are still just kids in my book), and coaches in childish ways. Accusing people of molesting children and offensive stuff like that. Making fun of their teeth. Are these members only six years old? They act like it!
Others may have expressed this same sentiment, but I simply cannot read through all of the garbage to find it. Unfortunately.
O.k., I'm finished venting, but that is what I think is wrong with this board. Still a good forum, though, sometimes... :D
So I cannot even get anything meaningful out of this thread and so I stopped reading it.
Here is the problem: People are allowed to act stupid and childish on this board.
I can handle negativity. Most of it is just realism anyway. The Gators are not performing (including recruiting) up to expectations. That is just the way it is.
But members are allowed to stalk people around and harass them. I complained and I was told to just use the "ignore" function, which works, but it does not solve the problem. People are allowed to post absolutely stupid stuff which is off topic and destroy every thread, just to get attention, IMHO. People are allowed to attack other people personally, including other members, college football players (who are still just kids in my book), and coaches in childish ways. Accusing people of molesting children and offensive stuff like that. Making fun of their teeth. Are these members only six years old? They act like it!
Others may have expressed this same sentiment, but I simply cannot read through all of the garbage to find it. Unfortunately.
O.k., I'm finished venting, but that is what I think is wrong with this board. Still a good forum, though, sometimes... :D
- Jun 11, 2014
- 2,655
- 2,789
Founding Member
By the end of the first sentence, I could see where this was going. That didn't diminish the value or humor in it for me, however, as it was a slow build to the punchline at the end. Very well done. I'm sorry I can only like it once.
Bama&GatorFan
Friends in high places
- Dec 5, 2015
- 715
- 554
You deleted it, but that does not solve the problem. It just makes more work for the mods. When the childish stuff happens (including off-topic, name calling, personal attacks, etc.), you should:
- Edit the post to delete the inappropriate content, and warn the member who posted it.
- If they continue, give them a week's (or month's) vacation from the forum.
- If they come back and do it again, ban them permanently (or at least for a year).
And you could have one forum for "Anything goes", or something like that, where people can go to be childish and call each other names. I won't be going there.
- Jun 9, 2014
- 78,386
- 110,663
Founding Member
- Jun 11, 2014
- 21,077
- 33,799
Founding Member
Since I was the one that deleted them, I'll respond.
We have a culture of not banning anybody unless their infraction is egregious. This is a place for people to escape. And to maybe be different than the way they normally are. To not feel restraint. To be able to let loose. Maybe to be silly. Maybe to be serious. Everyone's different.
To case and point with the politics stuff. If they started to infiltrate multiple threads with this, I would ban them for a couple days for poor behavior. Basically for being petulant. But in all honesty, that rarely happens. And this comes from somebody who hates politics in any forum other than the intended one.
I don't want people to feel that they have to toe the line or they will lose their posting privileges. I want them to feel open and free. Does that mean there will be differences of opinion? Of course.
As far as childish? 95% of this board is. I mean its entire premise is based off of middle-aged men getting frustrated over the play of 20-year-olds. It's really ludicrous if you think about it. Yet, here we are.
- Jan 6, 2015
- 14,035
- 26,186
I'm sure you will be disappointed to hear that all my quotes from the first 6 pages were lost and I'm not going back to rebuild them. So, rather than the 8 reply mega-post (character limits are a btch) that would be more natural for me, I'm shooting from the hip and will attempt to hit the mark quickly.
State of the board? Specifically the Sports section?
Some of the quotes I had were re-iterations of the same theme that has driven me away for periods of time - certain posters who choose to dump in any and all threads over and over, and get away with it. Nobody has said they want all rainbows and flowers, as nearly everyone wants a variety of opinions to be shared. But when you hear some people saying the same Foley/Mac/Facilities/White/not-good-enough crap over and over, there isn't much point in reading anymore.
Pumpers self regulate by giving up. It's not worth trying when you get slammed with the same voices with the same crap over and over. If it were facts, nobody could argue much. When it's opinion, that's fine as we want to know what people think. When it's the same opinion you've heard too many times from the same persons...you give up. Nothing you say or do will change the other poster or the anyone's mind.
Pumpers can try to create a safe-zone, a 'Positive' thread, or a non-football thread where we're doing well. And you still see the same drive by shtters depositing their unrelated 'opinion' in the thread. Not contributing anything to the thread, the site, or anything really beyond another 'Hey, look at me, I'm pissed off about the same thing I've told you a hundred times already in other threads, but in case you forgot or missed it I'll leave it here too for you".
What would be really interesting is if the negators tried to create a thread, and put their thoughts in there. For one, it'd be a safe bet the pumpers would stay out of it and not pollute the thread's intent. For another, after about 20 posts, there'd be nothing new. Oh, there'd be more posts, and I'll give negators credit that they don't cut'n'paste, they always take the time to find new ways of saying the same old sht, but that's all it would be.
Maybe then they'd have a mirror to show them how little they contribute to the discussion once they make their statement. I recognize posts are traffic, and some are reading just for the interactions (despite the lack of substance). But I'll also take the fact that if the pumpers actually had their own thread that wasn't polluted by negators and drive by sht posters, they'd run out of 'opinions' and any additional substance after about 20 posts as well.
To the point - There has been a LOT of negativity. Some claim it is reality, or reflective of the fan base overall. I disagree, and see it as a reflection of that person, and whom they surround themselves with, but that's their choice. We all live in the same reality, we just see it differently. Sharing our opinions, pumper or negator, is what helps round out our understanding of that reality. But then it's our choice on how much to accept or adjust our view. It's also our choice to regulate how much we vomit our opinion over and over without reflecting any sort of change or contributing anything you haven't already said. If it's just for entertainment of response....ok. Your choice.
If I had a wish for change, it would be the the negators would learn to regulate themselves. Recognize when you are just shting to be seen with the sht stain you've worn for months and stop. If you want to lay in some zingers and stir up some interaction, fine....be original, not repetitive. Pumpers could do the same - be original, bring something new (either information, opinion, or crack headed commentary). To all, stop being repetitive.
State of the board? Specifically the Sports section?
Some of the quotes I had were re-iterations of the same theme that has driven me away for periods of time - certain posters who choose to dump in any and all threads over and over, and get away with it. Nobody has said they want all rainbows and flowers, as nearly everyone wants a variety of opinions to be shared. But when you hear some people saying the same Foley/Mac/Facilities/White/not-good-enough crap over and over, there isn't much point in reading anymore.
Pumpers self regulate by giving up. It's not worth trying when you get slammed with the same voices with the same crap over and over. If it were facts, nobody could argue much. When it's opinion, that's fine as we want to know what people think. When it's the same opinion you've heard too many times from the same persons...you give up. Nothing you say or do will change the other poster or the anyone's mind.
Pumpers can try to create a safe-zone, a 'Positive' thread, or a non-football thread where we're doing well. And you still see the same drive by shtters depositing their unrelated 'opinion' in the thread. Not contributing anything to the thread, the site, or anything really beyond another 'Hey, look at me, I'm pissed off about the same thing I've told you a hundred times already in other threads, but in case you forgot or missed it I'll leave it here too for you".
What would be really interesting is if the negators tried to create a thread, and put their thoughts in there. For one, it'd be a safe bet the pumpers would stay out of it and not pollute the thread's intent. For another, after about 20 posts, there'd be nothing new. Oh, there'd be more posts, and I'll give negators credit that they don't cut'n'paste, they always take the time to find new ways of saying the same old sht, but that's all it would be.
Maybe then they'd have a mirror to show them how little they contribute to the discussion once they make their statement. I recognize posts are traffic, and some are reading just for the interactions (despite the lack of substance). But I'll also take the fact that if the pumpers actually had their own thread that wasn't polluted by negators and drive by sht posters, they'd run out of 'opinions' and any additional substance after about 20 posts as well.
To the point - There has been a LOT of negativity. Some claim it is reality, or reflective of the fan base overall. I disagree, and see it as a reflection of that person, and whom they surround themselves with, but that's their choice. We all live in the same reality, we just see it differently. Sharing our opinions, pumper or negator, is what helps round out our understanding of that reality. But then it's our choice on how much to accept or adjust our view. It's also our choice to regulate how much we vomit our opinion over and over without reflecting any sort of change or contributing anything you haven't already said. If it's just for entertainment of response....ok. Your choice.
If I had a wish for change, it would be the the negators would learn to regulate themselves. Recognize when you are just shting to be seen with the sht stain you've worn for months and stop. If you want to lay in some zingers and stir up some interaction, fine....be original, not repetitive. Pumpers could do the same - be original, bring something new (either information, opinion, or crack headed commentary). To all, stop being repetitive.
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- Jan 6, 2015
- 14,035
- 26,186
Ox, you made the site in your vision - fairly unbound, open for sharing of facts and opinions, to the point where jabs and interaction sustain traffic when facts become sparse like the off season. We don't see who gets temp bans or what content gets removed, so we can't appreciate how fat, dumb, and lazy your staff of mods truly are. All we can judge from is what content remains visible.
For the regulars, we get to know personalities, and can choke on a boulder of salt with what some of our peers put out there. We can choose to respond or not. I have the privilege of using the ignore function to make my time here tolerable. Ideally, it wouldn't come to that - we have to limit our exposure to remain a member - but at least we have that option.
For the public, the lurkers, the potential new members....they can't use the ignore function. They can't shunt the crap they don't want to see. For them it becomes a matter of taking in ALL the crap, or saying F it and moving on. We could say 'if you want more members, make it more friendly and welcoming'. But that's not how this site rolls....and buyer beware, lurk and learn before posting. So be it, at least you know up front what kind of zoo you're entering.
I'll echo earlier comments that this site provides the information that could be gathered elsewhere. But elsewhere it's scattered, and with GCMB we know we'll remain up to date with happenings in short order (along with a fistful of opinions on how this is the wrong move, and how much Foley remains to be blamed). It's a good site in that it provides the information, and opinions, unfiltered - everyone is allowed to be themselves, to express their thoughts as they wish, and to berate one another for having a stupid opinion.
Bottom line - the site runs well, offers the right material in the right kind of environment. Anyone who doesn't like it can go elsewhere as is their right. But here, you know what you're getting. The regulars seem to think it's worth sticking around for. Have I pumped your ego enough with this reach around that we can stop now? I need to go wash my hands.
For the regulars, we get to know personalities, and can choke on a boulder of salt with what some of our peers put out there. We can choose to respond or not. I have the privilege of using the ignore function to make my time here tolerable. Ideally, it wouldn't come to that - we have to limit our exposure to remain a member - but at least we have that option.
For the public, the lurkers, the potential new members....they can't use the ignore function. They can't shunt the crap they don't want to see. For them it becomes a matter of taking in ALL the crap, or saying F it and moving on. We could say 'if you want more members, make it more friendly and welcoming'. But that's not how this site rolls....and buyer beware, lurk and learn before posting. So be it, at least you know up front what kind of zoo you're entering.
I'll echo earlier comments that this site provides the information that could be gathered elsewhere. But elsewhere it's scattered, and with GCMB we know we'll remain up to date with happenings in short order (along with a fistful of opinions on how this is the wrong move, and how much Foley remains to be blamed). It's a good site in that it provides the information, and opinions, unfiltered - everyone is allowed to be themselves, to express their thoughts as they wish, and to berate one another for having a stupid opinion.
Bottom line - the site runs well, offers the right material in the right kind of environment. Anyone who doesn't like it can go elsewhere as is their right. But here, you know what you're getting. The regulars seem to think it's worth sticking around for. Have I pumped your ego enough with this reach around that we can stop now? I need to go wash my hands.
- Jan 6, 2015
- 14,035
- 26,186
You perfectly make his point. And while you're doing so to get a response, to liven up the discussion with some joking around. His points have merit about how threads can't stay on topic, and people are allowed to get personal way too frequently IMO.
- Jan 6, 2015
- 14,035
- 26,186
Banning....
(because I can't be brief, okay? Sue me)
Temp bans have their place to send a stronger message that certain behaviour isn't constructive (or at least entertaining). Members don't need to know when someone earns a temp ban, more drama we simply don't need - even in the off season. But kudos for staff for not ignoring that tool.
Asking to be temp banned because you want a break? F'n weak. All you have to do is create an alias. So, in reality YOU are STILL in control of your participation even after burdening the staff with issuing you a temp ban at your request.
'Ban my Acct, I'm outta here' is all about 'look at me, I'm not happy'. I'll give credit to the PMs Ox posted in that they were an attempt to educate Ox on the 'why' of people giving up on this site. It's an attempt to help Ox keep from losing others, or at least a means for him to fabricate traffic in the off season like it has done. But ultimately, if you're leaving....go. Any message, or post, on this subject is primarily about getting attention. And sure as hell don't burden staff with banning your acct. Own it. Abandon it yourself and move on. You can always register a new account later when you realize what your other options are out there.
(because I can't be brief, okay? Sue me)
Temp bans have their place to send a stronger message that certain behaviour isn't constructive (or at least entertaining). Members don't need to know when someone earns a temp ban, more drama we simply don't need - even in the off season. But kudos for staff for not ignoring that tool.
Asking to be temp banned because you want a break? F'n weak. All you have to do is create an alias. So, in reality YOU are STILL in control of your participation even after burdening the staff with issuing you a temp ban at your request.
'Ban my Acct, I'm outta here' is all about 'look at me, I'm not happy'. I'll give credit to the PMs Ox posted in that they were an attempt to educate Ox on the 'why' of people giving up on this site. It's an attempt to help Ox keep from losing others, or at least a means for him to fabricate traffic in the off season like it has done. But ultimately, if you're leaving....go. Any message, or post, on this subject is primarily about getting attention. And sure as hell don't burden staff with banning your acct. Own it. Abandon it yourself and move on. You can always register a new account later when you realize what your other options are out there.
Bama&GatorFan
Friends in high places
- Dec 5, 2015
- 715
- 554
You still draw the line, but in a different place. Since I am not a mod, I do not get to make that choice. I am only trying to help. But I think it is a mistake to allow every thread to be ruined by childish behavior. And it is almost every thread. The problem is not negativity; it is childish name-calling, off-topic posts, and personal attacks. I do not understand why you think that behavior is permissible.
Being a sports fan is not childish. And you don't have to act like a child to be a sports fan.
- Jun 9, 2014
- 78,386
- 110,663
Founding Member
- Jun 5, 2014
- 37,012
- 97,996
Founding Member
- Apr 26, 2016
- 5,594
- 5,978
I enjoy the board, it's always good to talk to Gators no matter what their opinion is. Do I think Mac catches too much hell, YES, however after UrbLite 2 and Chump it's to be expected even if it's a little unfair .As far as the criticism of Foley, I feel it is justified, I haven't liked the @#$ since the Darnell Dockett situation and he think he sacrifices football too much for other sports. That's the reason the folks in Tallahassee are ahead currently. Politics is just fine as well as the lounge. KEEP ON TRUCKIN'
- Jun 5, 2014
- 37,012
- 97,996
Founding Member
I appreciate your input. You're in the minority on this one, however.
- Aug 31, 2014
- 2,625
- 4,535
He, and I, may be in the minority. But we are not alone. There have been others who have expressed a dislike for the name calling and high jacking of threads. Again, I reiterate that this is the best place to surf for Gator news. Unfortunately sometimes you got to swim thru some junk to get to it.
