The 2017 state of the board discussion thread

EuroGator

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I strongly agree with what Nav and Gatormadman have said.


Also, @Swamp Queen, just stop using the app. The mobile web interface is great now!
 

Durty South Swamp

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For the record, I didn't call Durty an SJW, I said "or he's "like" an SJW, spouting made up stats".
I dont even know what SJW is... and I haven't spouted any stats... just that in my experience, the majority of the fanbase isn't pleased.
 

NavetG8r

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I dont even know what SJW is... and I haven't spouted any stats... just that in my experience, the majority of the fanbase isn't pleased.

Social Justice Warrior. You know, the special snowflakes protesting Trump at every corner, crying oppression, while collecting welfare, food stamps, sec 8, etc...
 

EuroGator

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I dont even know what SJW is... and I haven't spouted any stats... just that in my experience, the majority of the fanbase isn't pleased.

This whole argument (and Ox's stance that real 'fans' complain) misses the whole point. Being displeased or unhappy about the state of the program does not necessitate using every moment to complain "in EVERY thread about EVERYTHING concerning Gator football/Jeremy Foley/Jim McElwain/recruiting/not being able to handle other sports being successful/Mike White/Sully/facilities" as Sas put it.

I'll add this Nav quote...
I also feel there are a few posters who constantly go out of their way to slap down anyone who dares try to "pump" or appreciate ANYTHING coach Mac and our staff does. I think this is why people are losing interest in our message board. They're simply tired of being slapped down every time they try to say "yay we got a good one, or at least we got one, where maybe last year we got nobody". We can't even be positive about anything without being labeled a dirty rotten pumper. There's a difference between balance, and allowing the negative people to continuously brow beat anyone who disagrees with them.

Notice that pump is in quotes. Gatormadman addresses this concept perfectly.
Anyone who refuses to join in the misery is considered a pumper. Don't dare express anything positive or hope for our future.
I've been called a pumper too. That's because I don't join the misery.

Nav said we need balance. I disagree with this, though I think he's close. It's not about balance, it's about doing the right thing. I don't want an even number of people on both sides mistreating each other. I want people to treat each other the right way. ...be respectful and even ...gasp... show some self restraint!
 

CaribGator

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While we have a thread that actually is about biatching and complaining. I want to throw this out.

Some of you need to learn to hit Enter, paragraphs will get your rant read rather than people passing over a wall of text.

Use the bloody Ignore option people. As aka has pointed out, it works wonderfully. That alone will cut down 50% of the same back and forth that every thread turns in to. I've learned to skip the pissing matches that develop on a thread and just read the ones that focus on the purpose of the thread.

BTW :pumper: Go Gators :pumper:
 

ChiefGator

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I've taken to reading in moderation...basically going days to a week without reading bc it is the same thing over and over and over again and I'm really not missing any new or interesting discussion. And ignore only works if people don't quote everyone. But whatever, I don't expect anything to change so it is what it is in my opinion.

The ignore feature eliminates all posts including those that reply, perhaps not quoting.
 

EuroGator

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Look at the first 13 posts Ox. You said someone was upset and left. You told us again that you don't want to censor things, but want us to be free to post. Then you asked for feedback. Three of the next 12 posts (though Jay says he was just trolling) were insinuated that if people didn't like something they were pussies, snowflakes or fragile flowers.

Honestly, do you think that helps you get feedback or is counter productive to your goal with this thread?

Clearly it's counter productive. It is a great example of the culture on this board. It is personal attack that discourages discussion and feedback.
 

Durty South Swamp

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This whole argument (and Ox's stance that real 'fans' complain) misses the whole point. Being displeased or unhappy about the state of the program does not necessitate using every moment to complain "in EVERY thread about EVERYTHING concerning Gator football/Jeremy Foley/Jim McElwain/recruiting/not being able to handle other sports being successful/Mike White/Sully/facilities" as Sas put it.

I'll add this Nav quote...
I also feel there are a few posters who constantly go out of their way to slap down anyone who dares try to "pump" or appreciate ANYTHING coach Mac and our staff does. I think this is why people are losing interest in our message board. They're simply tired of being slapped down every time they try to say "yay we got a good one, or at least we got one, where maybe last year we got nobody". We can't even be positive about anything without being labeled a dirty rotten pumper. There's a difference between balance, and allowing the negative people to continuously brow beat anyone who disagrees with them.

Notice that pump is in quotes. Gatormadman addresses this concept perfectly.
Anyone who refuses to join in the misery is considered a pumper. Don't dare express anything positive or hope for our future.
I've been called a pumper too. That's because I don't join the misery.

Nav said we need balance. I disagree with this, though I think he's close. It's not about balance, it's about doing the right thing. I don't want an even number of people on both sides mistreating each other. I want people to treat each other the right way. ...be respectful and even ...gasp... show some self restraint!
i apologize for all those mean things I said about you :embarrassed:
 

EuroGator

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Use the bloody Ignore option people. As aka has pointed out, it works wonderfully. That alone will cut down 50% of the same back and forth that every thread turns in to. I've learned to skip the pissing matches that develop on a thread and just read the ones that focus on the purpose of the thread.

BTW :pumper: Go Gators :pumper:

I agree and I'm using the ignore feature more liberally these days. Still, it's bad enough that you have to learn to skip the pissing matches, it's worse that they're so prevalent.
 

GatorJ

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This board is and always should be open to discussion and differing opinions. It should never become the message board of negativity either. Balance is key. I'll be the first moderator to come out and say I've been trying really hard to restrain myself from trying to censor negative opinions because frankly, our boss makes it perfectly clear he likes it and encourages it. That said, I also feel there are a few posters who constantly go out of their way to slap down anyone who dares try to "pump" or appreciate ANYTHING coach Mac and our staff does. I think this is why people are losing interest in our message board. They're simply tired of being slapped down every time they try to say "yay we got a good one, or at least we got one, where maybe last year we got nobody". We can't even be positive about anything without being labeled a dirty rotten pumper. There's a difference between balance, and allowing the negative people to continuously brow beat anyone who disagrees with them. Balance is key. We really don't have balance. The negative posters are basically put on a pedestal here, and pumpers are shunned and shouted down.

I don't see leaving because of the negativity, but I can definitely tell you that it is getting old.

It isn't so much the negative comments when there is something bad that happens. It is more that even when something good happens there are people who automatically spin the thread into a Mac sucks discussion. It seems that is all some people want to talk about... how bad Mac is.

I don't mind a good discussion around negative items or debating strategy, but it gets very annoying when every thread on here turns into the same discussion over and over again with the same people hitting you over the head with their opinions that are stated as fact.

That said... I'm not sure what to do about it to be honest... it is a message board and unless you want to get super crazy and ban people then the board culture is created by us the members. I think the best thing is that those of us who are not "bashers" need to continue to create a positive message on the board and back each other up. Be honest... when things are bad... say they are bad, but celebrate the good stuff and don't allow the "bashers" to take over a thread.

I wanted to highlight these two posts because I think they're pretty contradictory of one another. But it's important to highlight the both of them to truly understand the nature of a message board. A vibrant message board. A successful message board.

Ox has been very clear from the beginning that this was never intended to be a board of censorship. But rather a board of discussion. Albeit a heated discussion at times… But a board of discussion nonetheless. I find it to be a pretty damn good representation of the over whelming feeling of gator nation right now. A microcosm of the other boards, and the comments on ESPN, Twitter, 247, Rivals, reddit, Facebook, etc...

So, to ATX's post: it is not Ox or the mods who drive conversation. I would consider Ox and myself to be relatively middle of the road but definitely less "pumper-ish". Urg and Navet definitely much more "pumper-ish". Thus pretty much split in half. But again, it is not us who drive the mood of the board. It is you all as users. You create the environment. You create the culture. And whenever someone goes way over the top it's noticed - and discussions happen.

People complain about the same two or three posters but keep having a discussion with them and driving the conversation. Why?

It's like what John Stewart said about the media and Trump. "Stop your whining".

If you continue to obsess about a couple posters and post about them over and over and over and constantly respond to them of course a lot of threads are going to feel like this. By you constantly interacting with them in a combative state you are as much at fault for the conflict.

I will not censor the "ne-gators" just like I will not censor the "pumpers" (most of which who I do not agree with).

The reason that so many people feel the negativity of the board is because it IS MIRED in negativity. This program has been in the doldrums for almost a DECADE. there are not many positive things to talk about with football. Which is the focal point of this board.

HOWEVER, it is not my board. It is YOUR board. YOU all decide how to engage. How to interact. It's not somebody else's fault. Running into a corner and hiding does not make it better. Speak your mind and debate with your fellow Gators regardless of whether you agree. Do YOU want a more positive environment? It's YOUR board. Make it happen.
 

GatorJ

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I'm mostly a lurker and don't even sign in most of the time. I do like to read and keep up to date. It's not the negativity that bothers me - it's the constant bickering/nastiness when someone has a different point of view that turns me off. Call me a snowflake if you like.

I don't post often because I'm more of a casual fan rather than technical - I can't talk coverages etc, but I know when we suck.

LMAO. Awesome start to your posting career! Welcome! :chomp:
 

GatorJ

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I am on record saying that we still suck and Mac better get it together or he is gone. I havent been happy with things for years. That being said, I dont see the point in projectile vomiting in every single thread posted about how bad things are and how much our facilities, coaches and players all suck. I am labeled a pumper even though I am on record saying I am not happy with things. Anyone who refuses to join in the misery is considered a pumper. Dont dare express anything positive or hope for our future. That being said, there will always be a difference of opinions and views because its a message board made up of all walks of life. You will never have peace and tranquility here. If you did, you would either have ousted all the "pumpers" or the negatives and found a group of people with the same thought process. That forum would be boring and wouldnt last. I have been a forum administrator for several years and I can assure you that your not going to ever make everyone happy. People come and they go. Dont sweat it.

You know it's funny. I hated your posts when you first came on board. I used to say to myself "I hate that Gatormandan".

But you grew on me. One of my favorite posters now. Even though I agree with you about 10% of the time.
 

gatormandan

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You know it's funny. I hated your posts when you first came on board. I used to say to myself "I hate that Gatormandan".

But you grew on me. One of my favorite posters now. Even though I agree with you about 10% of the time.

Awww. Thats so warm and fuzzy!
 

DeltaGlamma

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I come here for news...and amusement! I love my Gators and when I was living in Texas had no info line other than the internet and that's how i found the former message board. Next fall I went looking for it and could not find it, so I googled and found this one. Love it! Everyone gets a voice and you always have control over your consumption, that is the beauty of message boards.
 

oxrageous

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The person that left wasn't a big-time poster, but he's been around since the beginning and was absolutely part of the GSMB with us. What I told him was that there's a big chunk of the Gator nation that just got up and left over the past five years. Checked out. Don't even bother to watch the games anymore. And that kind of apathy is far, far worse than any Law or T-REX out there. At least with those guys, you don't question their passion for Gator football. At the end of the day we all want the same thing.

As far as the personal attacks and the banter, I will freely admit that I find most of it extremely amusing and always have. It's great theater. I think fan message boards are more for entertainment than anything. I've had more belly laughs at the creativity of the sarcasm and digs that people come up with than I can count. Is it juvenile? Hell yes. That's what makes it so damn funny. Some people don't find any humor in it, and people like that just don't make it. Guys like sonoma and PatDooleySucks find that their skin is just too thin. I really have no problem with that.

If you really can't stand someone, put them on ignore. Otherwise, laugh at them or give them a little shot. You might be surprised at the likes you get, perhaps even from them. :lol:
 

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