The 2017 state of the board discussion thread

[bayou gator]

We are a very frustrated fan base. I remember when it first started hitting the fan during the mushchump years, and I used to always try to look for the silver lining in the clouds that kept pouring on us. Well... I just don't have the patience, or the energy to do that anymore. I'm tired of being told to accept mediocrity.

I'd be willing to bet that we are one of the most educated fanbases in the country. Not just in football, but in various avenues of life as well. We know what counts for quality, and what success looks like. But we also know what ineptitude looks like, and many of us refuse to gloss over the product on the field, and accept excuses for what has been put on display before us since 2010. There are many here who want to hang their hat on us finishing first in the SEC East these past 2 years. For me, it felt like we won an award for being the tallest midget, because, once again an elite team proved they were heads and shoulders above every aspect of our program. There is a ton of pent up frustration in this fanbase, and it is manifesting itself here, in a place that is perfect for those who need to vent. And it will continue until there is a return to dominance over weaker programs, and a return to competitiveness with the elites. Winning when we should, and at the very least, competing when we should, will turn the mood of this place around.

With all of that said, I am holding out hope that Mac will make serious gains with the team this coming season. I like the way he closed on the last few days of recruiting, and so far, I really like what I have read, seen, and heard with the new coaches. Next season may be tough with the defense losing so many, and some depth issues in key positions. Regression on that side of the ball is understandable. But if there isn't some serious improvement on offense... he's in serious trouble, and this place will continue to be an outlet for frustrated fans. And no amount of internet chat board pumpers praising close victories over the Little Sisters of the Poor State College is going to save him, or drown out the bile from frustrated fans.

As for people leaving the board... see ya. A better option would be to grow some thicker skin, or block the people you don't like. Perhaps you could just not login for a while, and take a break from this place. To actually go out of your way to ask the administrator to cancel your account is just ridiculous. Taking your ball and going home is a loser's way out.

 

[LeeForThree]

I honestly love the board as is. There is a wide variety of views on multiple different sports and topics. Maybe some disagreements and negativity has gone too far, but there is a reason for the ignore option (there is one right lol).

As for gaining membership, you may want to set up/get people to write some articles on certain topics, could even promote it with twitter, etc.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

It's Law.

Never heard of her.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I'm tired of being told to accept mediocrity.

So true.

 

[gatormandan]

Never heard of her.

She is a little bitch that runs papers for a law firm in some god forsaken town. She is miserable.

 

[ThreatMatrix]

Well Ox it's your board. Ask yourself this. If there's a handful of posters (or maybe only one or two) who if they were gone it would probably drive up the membership what can you do about it?

I don't suggest banning them. I don't even suggest censoring them. But you've go to ask yourself is their repetitiveness a net positive to the community? I hazard to guess that most casual fans are looking for something positive or at least a place for constructive criticism.

Personally I'm here because it's wide open. Your board philosophy is a good one but you've got a few bad apples that are driving people away and keeping even more from joining. I think you have to address those individuals on a case by case basis.

 

[GatorStud]

This is actually pretty funny. We have like what 2% of posters are doomsayers, 90% are just in WTF mode but still applaud a good showing by a Gator sports team and about 8% have orgasms just seeing something orange and blue... it's my guess or feeling and not backed with any statistics. The board quitters herein discussed reflect their own lives or personalities. I mean either defend your position (albeit facts are a bit lean for the pumper in football discussions), move along to another thread that is more suited to you, cowardly ignore or check-in and check-out for the day. For me, it's cheap entertainment reading the 'dragging dick in the dirt' and the 'congenital dwarf arms' mostly negative takes... but then I'm one who misses Alvin Dork or the CaneThing types being around. This thread topic conjures up the age old concept of thick and thin skinned.

Our beloved Pumpers

Our Core Followers

Our Ledge Walkers

It's a helluva melting pot... roll with it!
Go Gators!

 

[GR8 2B]

It's not the negativity in general, it's the incessant shoving of that sh*t down people's throats in every.single.thread. by the same.exact.people. It gets old. Really, really, really old.

This x 1000

 

[CapitalGator02]

Make Gator Football Great Again.

 

[GatorBart]

Man, I step away for a few hours and this thing gets posted and then goes viral.

If you don't want to read my entire post, in summary: IT TAKES A VILLAGE.

From someone who's been in several pumper vs. negator snit fests (w/ Rex, BMF & Donkey, off the top of my head), I can tell you that I've either gotten used to it, or the level of negativity has dropped since the end of the season and end of recruiting (probably a little of both). The reality is that some of the negators have good points on occasion and maybe that's finally rubbing off on me and I'm mellowing as a pumper. I've never put anyone on ignore - if I wanted to ignore a post a just wouldn't read it. But maybe I'm a masochist, since I read them all.
I love the board the way it is, flaws and all (and that's not a shot at the negators, there are plenty of others, including some pumpers, that are flawed as well - heck, I'm flawed in sooooooooo many ways). Bottom line: it takes a village. Too bad the long-time poster can't get beyond the negative.

 

[Gator2222]

It's not that people are unhappy with the state of affairs at UF. It's that they have to bash the program, coaches, players, AD, facilities and everything else in every single sentence. Always. There are times when you couldn't tell the difference between these Gator fans and Mike Winter. If anyone dares to disagree they try to silence them with personal attacks.

I can see how some might choose to avoid that type of conversation.

Having said that, I like the board just fine the way it is. I enjoy discussing things with those who don't agree. If everyone saw things the same way I do then things would get boring fast. I simply ignore the personal attacks. There's nothing you can do about other people's insecurities so there's no reason to let them bring their misery into your life.

T-Rex and I rarely ever agree about anything. He constantly resorts to personal attacks on me. I still enjoy conversing with him.

This board isn't for everyone, but you're never going to make everyone happy. If you can just get the newbies to interact and tough it out for a month or two it will grow on them.

I'd rather be unhappy with someone expressing their view than have censorship.

 

[ExecutiveGator]

The biggest problem is people being jerks directly to one another. There is no sane reason to be unreasonably rude to strangers. And, this is coming from a guy who, for the most part, does not enjoy being social with many people.

It almost feels as if, although we're all gators, we're a bunch of different fraternities constantly warring with each other as if one is better than the other.

 

[CGgater]

Nav, Ive said this before but it doesn't seem to get through to you. I'll try again... the majority opinion on the board is the same as that of the fanbase in general. It is what it is. Go to any board, social media site, etc. and as long as its not censored one way or another, its the same. Even the ones that are censored are still becoming negative. If we were kicking butt the negatives would be the minority and it would be them who were castigated daily. You aren't describing anything that isn't base level human nature. The only thing that changes any of this is censorship or winning, thats really it.

You're absolutely right, durty! However, looking at Nav's entire post, the small section you quoted doesn't capture the context.

 

[MJMGator]

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.

This is close to dead center. I probably wouldn't come here often if I was still hopeful with Mac at the helm because I would get tired of it, as well. I'm pretty friggin negative right now and I have been for quite sometime. I try to stick to voicing my opinion without personal attacks, but maybe I have a misconstrued perception of myself?

 

[ChompTown]

I think everyone needs to just needs to calm the hell down. Its never as good or bad as it seems, if people’s opinions are too much to handle just take a break? Am I the only one that isn’t being held hostage here?

 

[URGatorBait]

Urg and Navet definitely much more "pumper-ish"

 

[GatorJ]

Lies

 

[bradgator2]

Will probably be removed. But this thread reminds me of this scene.

This board is a daily part of my life. I've met and shared beers with many of you. There are many more I want to and have plans to meet. Some of the more interesting threads to me are the ones where personal stories are shared. Some of the ribbing is so brilliant, that I've used the same insults on coworkers and family. Like I said in post #3, there are annoying people here. I dont have them on ignore, but usually just gloss over their posts and essentially ignore it. This board is too much fun to let it (or those posters) ruin my day.

 

[URGatorBait]

Lies

I never lie

 

[I Have No Friends :(]

Most of what I see from the bickering is this:

It's a message board. Grow a pair and get over it. I love reading everyone's posts here, even the ones that are a broken record. Someday we'll be good again and when that day comes just wait till you see all of that negative energy turned from our own program onto our rivals. It'll be worth it. Stick around, snowflakes ;)