The silver lining

[Destino]

It would probably help you to know it is very rare I'm the actual object of a mod who does one thing yet punishes another for the same thing, because, I utilize actual punishment less than anyone here. I believe we're an Extreme debating site. I started here when Die Hard asked me using the phrase, "I love conflict."

Believe it or not I had assumed you weren't one to punish all that much. Also your love of conflict is well documented.

It's never Art who brings any criticism on because Art never asks, nor expects, you to do anything different than he does .

Destino thinks that calling someone an idiot on a forum will always bring criticism. Even if that criticism is mostly the result of not understanding the way things run here.

The reason we hammer at the theme we know the rules where others do not is because, clearly, others do not.

I hear you on that. There are a lot of people trying to be mods in threads all over the place. I just let you guys do it because frankly I don't want any more attention from some of you then I already get.

Don't take my post as a slam on you or what you guys do. Like I said 9/10. It's just a general commentary on what I see as possible reasons behind recent whining.

[Art]

Art,

so what constitutes a call-out thread? Is it only when it involves a personal matter?

A call out thread was something Smoot21 did here a while back in putting up information about a personal conflict with a female poster here. This isn't General Hospital. We're not a soap opera for people to post their personal, petty gripes. We are, however, a message board. If someone says, "Man, Moss sucks. We should never have gotten rid of Coles. We're idiots," in, oh, February of 2005 but in February of 2006 someone brings that up and says, "Hey, member, remember when you wrote this?" That's what the board is for.

It's SUPPOSED to be a place to engage each other. Every time one of us quotes the material of another person, are we calling that person out, or engaging the debate?

Now, if someone brings forward someone's past words, and includes, "You are a friggen prick who should be shot for saying this garbage," well, we MIGHT consider that BOTH a call out violation AND a personal attack violation given the only direction that can take being a dark one.

Our rules are written to give the membership the GREATEST amount of freedom possible while doing EVERYTHING possible to remove the outside, personal flavor we saw coming long ago, to keep us on the topic of the debate in such a way as to be interesting.

[rictus58]

so if I did a "Crazyhorse1's most ridiculous posts of all time thread" That would be ok, because it's relavent to his activity on the site? But a "I boned CH1's mom last night" would warrant a ban?

[Art]

so if I did a "Crazyhorse1's most ridiculous posts of all time thread" That would be ok, because it's relavent to his activity on the site? But a "I boned CH1's mom last night" would warrant a ban?

Of course it would be ok to call forward a member's past posts and brand them whatever you wish to brand them, in total agreement or in total disagreement. And, even if you did bone his mom last night, it would warrant a ban to bring it to the board because it's personal in nature, not related to board content or data or conversation.

[LD0506]

I probably don't post in enough threads for my opinion to matter but .........

I am sorry to hear you say this, I don't think there is any minimum amount you need to post before your opinion matters. The spirit you bring to this community is what will determine whether and how you matter. That's what I have been getting from here lately anyway. Some people "get it" right from the start and make ES a better place for us all, some never do (and never will).

Let me state this clearly.....

I am not a mod

I don't want to be a mod

I don't want to be a wannabe mod

I am simply one more fan that comes here to keep up with my team and the people that share that passion. For me, that is enough

I hope that "the powers that be" will inform me if this is not sufficient.

[Jumbo]

Of course there is a silver lining and some of it shows here , but there really hasn't been that dark a cloud.

I want to say I appreciate the thought and support you show the site, LD, and I appreciate the same I get in many PM's from many of you. Ever since I've been a member I've openly appreciated the mods, seen the general wisdom and competency with which they managed this site and have been secure enough to openly thank them and try to add to their effort without worrying about how I may appear to others.

Working on the staff for a short time now, I see even more of the work many of the staff take on to bring such great content to this site, and that is all voluntary. I also see the staff as a group of individuals , with all the human stuff that generally applies in any such group, and I think that sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. No mod is any more some machine of perfection than any other member.

But people like Blade, Henry, Art, Om, Die Hard (former staff & founder) and the other staff, have been here a long time, really care about this place, and each constantly strive to offer what they think is best for this site, and they do know the rules. As has been said, there's personal discretion in how and when to apply those rules, but far and away most of the time doing nothing is the order of the day.

Being objective and measured when making such decisions is just a standard attitude that these guys bring to the table. And the manner in which staff members participate in discussions on the board, when they find time, also demonstrates their commitment to this being a fun, quality experience for members.

All of them, I can say as a newcomer still learning the ropes, are really dedicated to continuing ES’s position as a reference quality site. We all have individual ideas and areas of emphasis as to what best creates such an environment, but are unified in adhering to that bottom line.

I’m fortunate to have worked with some very impressive groups of people in my journey, and there’s not one of these guys I haven’t formed a great deal of personal respect and a personal liking for, and if you know anything about me, I wouldn’t say that is it wasn’t so. I think I’m a nice guy, but I do not suffer fools or creeps gladly. I can’t claim intimate knowledge (though Art keeps trying) but these guys are really some excellent people and I think we also have an excellent membership.

[LD0506]

Sometimes I don't think that a lot of people quite understand exactly what we have here. Dan Snyder and the Redskins could have very easily hired a bunch of software-savvy IT guys to put together a technically impressive site and gone from there, but they chose to integrate this one which was formed and nurtured by guys who shared a common passion for the Skins, guys that really know their stuff footballwise. Personally, all the bells and whistles in the world can't make a generically soulless site worth inhabiting. We are given, free of charge, access to and the benefit of the knowledge and insight of a group of fans that have given over a little piece of their souls to this team. This is incredibly rare and should be appreciated for what it is. I know I have been banging this drum pretty loud lately, but I care, that's why.

[SonnyRules]

Sometimes I don't think that a lot of people quite understand exactly what we have here. Dan Snyder and the Redskins could have very easily hired a bunch of software-savvy IT guys to put together a technically impressive site and gone from there, but they chose to integrate this one which was formed and nurtured by guys who shared a common passion for the Skins, guys that really know their stuff footballwise. Personally, all the bells and whistles in the world can't make a generically soulless site worth inhabiting. We are given, free of charge, access to and the benefit of the knowledge and insight of a group of fans that have given over a little piece of their souls to this team. This is incredibly rare and should be appreciated for what it is. I know I have been banging this drum pretty loud lately, but I care, that's why.

As we all should.

[LD0506]

As we all should.

And I sincerely believe that most do, but it's human nature to just kinda ride along and let someone else do the pushing. I've been trying to push a little, but I keep thinking that some of the better-known members could lend a hand now and then too, it would help (no names mentioned but I'm tempted!)

[DeanCollins]

Sometimes I don't think that a lot of people quite understand exactly what we have here. Dan Snyder and the Redskins could have very easily hired a bunch of software-savvy IT guys to put together a technically impressive site and gone from there, but they chose to integrate this one which was formed and nurtured by guys who shared a common passion for the Skins, guys that really know their stuff footballwise. Personally, all the bells and whistles in the world can't make a generically soulless site worth inhabiting. We are given, free of charge, access to and the benefit of the knowledge and insight of a group of fans that have given over a little piece of their souls to this team. This is incredibly rare and should be appreciated for what it is. I know I have been banging this drum pretty loud lately, but I care, that's why.

well put, thanks

[Pete]

I probably don't post in enough threads for my opinion to matter but (to agree with some of the posts that I have seen so far) these mods are incredibly fair -- I think I've expressed this sentiment in the past as a reason that I really like this site. And, yes, they are also lenient...I'm downright frightened by some of the stuff that I see on here. I always wonder whether this board scares away some 'lurkers' who don't have the advantage of knowing the context or the history of certain threads.

See, that's the great part about ES, we know who the quality people are no matter how little they post. I've often used myself as an example . There are members here with twice the post count as I do, and 1/10 of the time being a member. I've never been one to be redundant, and by the time I get home from work, most topics have been covered every which way.

Everybody has an opinion, and they all matter.

[SonnyRules]

And I sincerely believe that most do, but it's human nature to just kinda ride along and let someone else do the pushing. I've been trying to push a little, but I keep thinking that some of the better-known members could lend a hand now and then too, it would help (no names mentioned but I'm tempted!)

Hopefully they'll come around the closer we get to training camp.