Extremeskins Losing Steam

[SWFLSkins]

Thanks Burgold, 

 

I think speaking just about the twitter thread in general, posters have to remember the title of the thread and what the threads purpose is in serving the community. It is for getting instant tweets/info out so that busy people can peruse the thread not losing valuable time trying to scan the whole board, especially at work or family time. When the convo spins off into discussion that is great until it becomes a detriment to follow the tweets. Think of the the twitter thread as Bubba Lite. The QB convo has taken over the twitter thread numerous times with the same standoffs by the same stalwarts that could just copy and paste the tweet into the RGIII thread and argue their version or view in that thread. In fact I think I should probably make that statement in a twitter thread. Just take the tweet and discuss it in the appropriate thread, beyond some initial back and forth. I would only adjust or do that in the event that a Mod would want that. 

 

As for the Board,

 

It is my view that the Board offers the best quality moderating seen on the internet in the NFL arena. I have visited other teams threads and other Redskins boards, everyone should do that. You will immediately gain a new perspective on ES, or find another home that is more to your liking. That's my view, I appreciate someone hoping to see more discussion as the OP is suggesting. Just keep in mind the quality of the discussions are as important as the variation of the topics. This is all IMO of course. 

 

 

 

The twitter thread has become the soul of this board. Every Redskins thought pretty much gets posted in there. It's taken me some time to get used to it and enjoy it, but everything is in it for both good and bad. There are actually some great discussions there. Some are so great that they detract from getting the "news" out.

 

 

Believe it or not I agree to a large extent. I don't care for the mega thread strategy either. The Twitter thread is great, but the mega thread strategy doesn't work as well in other topics

We will have to do better

 

 

Unfortunately the RGIII thread to me was started of necessity not necessarily because it was a brilliant idea. The RGIII bashing/supporting seemed to be engulfing every thread it could. I appreciate what you guys do, could you do better, of course, could you do worse, easily. 

BTW,  I am always open to feedback and ask for it from valued MODs and posters at any time. I think it is a policy that works and has worked for me personally. As for the harshness of the ES posters at times on new threads....it's like this...

 

Threads get this.....

or this......

[Shiv]

Totally agree with OP. I miss the old ES. Even the Twitter thread bugs me, it goes on for too long and should probably be locked and reopened each week.

[SWFLSkins]

Totally agree with OP. I miss the old ES. Even the Twitter thread bugs me, it goes on for too long and should probably be locked and reopened each week.

 

What is it in particular about it that bugs you? 

 

Just that it goes on to long? lol, I don't get it. There are plenty of posters that visit that thread and never post anything there, they just gather the groceries and mossy on. I enjoy most the posts in there, just hate when it gets aped into a slugfest. 

[TSO]

Totally agree with OP. I miss the old ES. Even the Twitter thread bugs me, it goes on for too long and should probably be locked and reopened each week.

Duuude, SWFL already decided to use my username on a Twitter thread that would get a month the most, and you already want it closed?

It alone has increased my self-esteem to the point where I can go outside and wave at my neighbors with my head held high. I still get things thrown at me, but it's a vast improvement.

Don't know what I'm going to do once it's closed.

[SWFLSkins]

Duuude, SWFL already decided to use my username on a Twitter thread that would get a month the most, and you already want it closed?

It alone has increased my self-esteem to the point where I can go outside and wave at my neighbors with my head held high. I still get things thrown at me, but it's a vast improvement.

Don't know what I'm going to do once it's closed.

 

If I had to think that much on weekly basis I think I would explode, hahahaa, I do have a good idea for the Season thread though, haha. 

 

I remember an old saying my grandmother had, you can't make everyone happy, so don't try. 

[clskinsfan]

I agree, that does bother me as well and it's why I've made it a point to encourage people to start threads.

But here's the thing. Most times, it's not the mods. Just look at the first page of posts to the majority of new threads, and you'll find a large percentage of them are from long-tenured posters here pretty much bashing the OP, either for making the thread in the first place or its content.

ES, by virtue of its size alone, can be an unforgiving place.

A lot of the thread locks are mercy locks, lol.

 

This is my biggest issue lately. Someone try's to start a thread with something fresh and other members immediately jump in with "why isnt this in this thread" or some other kind of smart comment. I wish members would just let the Mods do their jobs and stay out of trying to police the board.

[MattFancy]

I think alot of good discussion gets lost in the Twitter thread. Instead of people posting an interesting article it just gets talked about in the Twitter thread and then there's too much going on in there.

 

IMO, which doesn't mean much, the Twitter thread should just be for tweets only. Any interesting articles and such, should get their own thread to thin out all the mess in the Twitter thread.

[SWFLSkins]

I think alot of good discussion gets lost in the Twitter thread. Instead of people posting an interesting article it just gets talked about in the Twitter thread and then there's too much going on in there.

 

IMO, which doesn't mean much, the Twitter thread should just be for tweets only. Any interesting articles and such, should get their own thread to thin out all the mess in the Twitter thread.

 

 

Try keeping the Twitter contributors there under lock and key, for me that won't happen Matt. 

[MattFancy]

Try keeping the Twitter contributors there under lock and key, for me that won't happen Matt. 

 

Huh?

 

I'm just saying to have something similar to BRBN, where Hap usually posts everything in there. Just have you, Hap, Paul, and a few others have access to posting in there. You guys do great work, that sometimes gets lost in all the other discussions going on in there at one time.

[ComManDersFan57]

      I have been a member on extremeskins for 8 years I rarely ever post but I used to check the site multiple times a day for my fix of Redskins news and discussion..

   

     So when I visit Extremeskins I want to jump right into a discussion such as: Is there a concussion conspiricy, or does Gruden hate RG3? or How much is RG3 to blame for the sacks? or should RG3 play in the 4th preseason game?  Each of these topics should be there own concise discussion.  When I log in for the first time in a week I have ZERO interest in scrolling through hundreds of pages of posts trying to find the right branch of a RG3 conversation.

 

     Alot of the conversation here has lost life and nuance.  I am fully behind the purpose that Mega Threads serve.  But there must be some middle ground, some way to seperate complex topics into subgroups. 

 

Great OP, and I'm pretty much in the same boat. I come here for news and rarely post since my opinions or thoughts have often been stated already by someone else.

 

I agree that it's a bit of a pain to scroll through a mega thread, but I also understand the need. With multiple threads the same points get discussed over and over. It makes sense to keep them in one place even though I'd rather have separate conversations to look through. As for the middle ground, I'm not sure that a line can be drawn.  

 

In general this board is wayyyyyy over-modded compared to other boards.  Any remotely related thread is immediately moved and essentially lost.

 

I strongly disagree with this. I don't have to scroll through tons of trolling posts or comments made by illiterate idiots. And, remotely related threads are often merged, not lost. The mods, strict rules, quality posts and threads are what makes this board the best.  

[TSO]

I remember an old saying my grandmother had, you can't make everyone happy, so don't try.

I always love telling this story, I bet your grandmother knows it, lol:

There was a man, his son and their donkey, who the son was riding.

A group of passerby's are overheard saying, "what a mean and disrespectful boy, letting his elderly father walk while he rides the donkey".

Embarrassed, the father tells the boy to get off the donkey as he mounts it himself.

Continuing on, a couple walks past, staring, and the woman is heard telling her husband how "mean that man must be, letting that young boy do all the walking while he relaxes on the donkey".

Embarrassed again, the father gestures to his son to get on the donkey with him.

As they continue on, both riding the donkey, another group of passerby's are overheard whispering to each other how awful that man and boy are, over-working the poor donkey like that. Don't they realize how taxing that must be?

Now frustrated, the father gets off the donkey and tells his son to as well. "Neither of us will ride it", he huffs.

On they go. A bunch of young men stroll by, and they all point and laugh at the man and boy who have a donkey they won't even use. "I'll ride it if you're not going to!", one of them exclaims, laughingly.

Exacerbated, and out of options... The father tells his son, with serious intent, "let's just carry the damn thing!"

The end.

The moral of the story is, don't try to please everyone, because you'll definitely end up carrying a donkey.

[TSO]

This is my biggest issue lately. Someone try's to start a thread with something fresh and other members immediately jump in with "why isnt this in this thread" or some other kind of smart comment. I wish members would just let the Mods do their jobs and stay out of trying to police the board.

Well, we encourage self-policing and most of the time they do have a point... But, yeah, it certainly can get a bit overwhelming, I agree.

I think if there's any doubt as to whether or not a thread should've been created or not, then leave it to us to decide and don't automatically attack the thread starter.

But if it's clearly egregious, self-policing is definitely a positive.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

It's a message board...and I frequent a few and they all suck in comparison. Guys, it's 2015. Yeah things are different because there is a **** ton more of information readily available at any given time. Threads have stuff buried because we live in a 24 hour news cycle where every guy in the world has a website or a blog and wants to report on the team.

Point is, you gotta adapt. Also, WE are the message board. Make threads with thought in them and they won't get closed. I was a terrible poster when I first started in 2009 but I learned quickly. Just have confidence and do it.

I think we sometimes really over think this place. It's simply a place for us to whine about football.

The reason why the tailgate seems different is because every thread is niche based.

Me, DC9, GHH, and Nemo just insult each other over and over in the soccer thread because we all feel like we "know" each other because it's a small thread.

LKB and DM72 give us history of old southern wrestling in the wrestling thread.

The NBA thread (best one on the board IMO) has some of the most intelligent debate you'll find on the board thanks to Steve McQueen.

Point is that the stadium is always going to feel cluttered because it's about one topic that every member cares about especially in 2015. The RG3 thread has at least one post from every active member I'd guess. There's no way it doesn't get crazy from time to time.

I say you just got to adjust.

[PeterMP]

I think the twitter thread is actually hurting things.  It does seem to me it has become a catch all and people instead of developing posts for new threads are potentially just dumping things into the twitter thread.

 

I'd vote to limit it to actual tweets.

[TSO]

The other thing I've noted in recent years is how apologetic some are in making a thread. It's like they feel the need to ask permission and are afraid to do so. I have read way to many opening 'graphs that started "I hope this is thread worthy, but I've noticed..."

Oh, shoot, Burgold... I just noticed you created a new thread.

I'm going to go close it before anyone says anything interesting in it.

[SoulSkin]

I love the twitter thread for all the tidbits of info, but it does seem to get a little sidetracked sometimes. It always seems to round back into shape pretty damn quick though. I thought that, at least when SWFL started doing them, they were supposed to be like sitting in a bar. You never know who's going to blurt what out. When it goes sideways for a little bit, I just look at it like happy hour. Not sure how you could eliminate any and all comments without having just tweets, and tweets only. Maybe that would be worth experimenting with on the next one, just to see what it looks like and how it works.

 

Maybe it's a sign that when people are discussing something for more than a few posts in there, it might be a potential thread topic. Or maybe certain posts could be tagged or pointed out with a note 'thread worthy?', or something like that. Kinda like SWFL (and a few others) do with links to the Post. 

[Burgold]

I agree, that does bother me as well and it's why I've made it a point to encourage people to start threads.

But here's the thing. Most times, it's not the mods. Just look at the first page of posts to the majority of new threads, and you'll find a large percentage of them are from long-tenured posters here pretty much bashing the OP, either for making the thread in the first place or its content.

ES, by virtue of its size alone, can be an unforgiving place.

A lot of the thread locks are mercy locks, lol.

Yeah, that can be very irritating too, esp. on potentially interesting threads. After all, while sometimes it's fun to stroll through a museum filled with great art works... sometimes, I want to just look at surrealists or even better... choose one masterwork and stare at it for hours.

 

Heh, after reading this thread I just had to start a new thread. The Kerrigan thing (much more than the Jackson absence) has been tickling the back of mind for days now.

[RFKFedEx]

I've noticed traffic around here is way down this year. IMO, the rise of social media has been the biggest detractor, not so much the chronic suckage of our team. I wonder if the waning interest here will effect attendance at the ES tailgate parties.

 

Props to the mods for keeping a tight ship for so many years. It's still appreciated. 

[RandyHolt]

I wish we had logical places to talk about the general offense, defense, and maybe even teams and coaching.

 

Maybe 4 semi mega threads that are more of a catch all, and limit the discussions happening in the twitter thread, which should be more of a news feed IMO.  Give a place for people to try to spur conversation without creating a new thread, and apologizing profusely when doing so, or it gets buried because a tweet happened that takes discussion precedence.

 

Anytime anyone complains about RG3/Cousins in an unbalanced way in the offense or coaching threads, it's a warning/infraction.  Discuss them in the wrong thread, warning/infraction.

[RFKFedEx]

On gamedays during Gibbs 2.0, the front page of the Stadium would turn over 3 times in 24 hours.

[Dan T.]

Hang in there, OP... the Look-a-Like Threads will be back soon.

[SkinsGuy]

goskins10 writes:

 

 

You really can't get new opinions until you get real live meaningful games. Once the season starts new independent threads will start popping up more often as people have something truly different and relevant to say.

 

 

This.

 

It is amazing how short a memory so many long time posters have here about what this board is like when the regular season starts.

 

The board seems "steamed out" because we are just coming out of the doldrums of the offseason. However, still, all we have to talk about (outside of gameday preseason threads) is a few tweets from practice and a bunch of speculation about the upcoming season.

 

Which is what we've been doing, and all we've been doing, all Summer. It is now getting repetitive and tiresome to some degree.

 

That's natural as the regular season approaches. Every subject has been said, discussed, debated, shouted, screamed, mangled, chopped, pureed, and had blow torches and explosives taken to it.

 

There is really no where any of these discussions can go. We can only add scant few new details to them in the form of a few meager crumbs we get in preseason games.

 

However, in just about two and a half weeks, the regular season will start and this whole board will change. You won't be able to keep up. You might have a thread that was started at 1:30pm on a football Sunday afternoon that will be on page 5 or 6 by 8:00pm.

 

This is where the mods have to step in and keep order. If you don't like the way they have to moderate a board, don't blame them. Blame too many posters who just don't know how, or more importantly when, to start a new thread.

 

I'm sure the mods would rather spend their Sunday just enjoying the game, but sometimes they have to spend it culling out threads because you get knuckleheads who put up threads with titles like "That was a stupid 4th down Play" or "DeSean Jackson is Having a Great Game", and when you open the thread the OP's post just says "Discuss".

 

It's like WTF? All it accomplishes it pushing more worthy threads down off the front page. Folks should remember that not all thoughts need to be threads. That sounds like an old cliché around here now, but it would make the game day board run more smoothly if it was followed.

 

It is this "saturation threading" that started the "mega-threads". An idea that lingered into the offseason.

 

Personally, I have no problem with the mega-threads, at least this time of year. Only a page or two are added to them a day. The will be different, of course, when the regular season starts. Then it might be more of a hassle.

 

I look forward to all the threads this upcoming regular season, but it is up to us posters, not the mods to show restraint in how we do things. Try keeping the thread starting to topics that actually have enough meat to chew on, instead of the first thought that pops into your head. The board will run smoother that way.

[skins4eva]

This is an interesting thread.  I've been a member of this board long enough to have seen a fair amount of change.  There have been times (in my mid 20s), where I posted consistently throughout the season and offseason, and there have been other times (mid 30s with two kids) where I lurk and read the back and forth but don't really have time to get into it.  Philosophically, I don't see the benefit in looking backward and longing for what this board used to be (whatever it is that one subjectively focuses on or thinks it was).  The fact remains that this board and the long time consistent posters are an eclectic collection of people from different backgrounds who come together around one miserable, unifying force: the Redskins.  Casual fans will never understand it, but this is a place where as a football fan and a Redskins fan, you can suffer the slings and arrows of this franchise collectively.  And it's the collective experience that keeps me coming back, and will always keep me coming back regardless of what's going on in life.  

 

The whole mega thread/single thread debate is just a passing storm.  And while I agree that much gets lost in the shuffle in mega threads and tends to damper discussions in the sense that it becomes such an unwieldy beast, none of the mods have ever said don't start new threads.  They are good hearted and forgiving people (except Jumbo ) and they will give everyone the benefit of the doubt at least once.  So, if people want to start a thread on a particular topic within the guidelines, they shouldn't apologize for it.

[Rodriggo]

One RG3 thread is all I can handle really. ES has improved since I first joined.

[PortisBetts]

How long until this thread turns into the RG3 vs Gruden vs Cousins thread?

 

They all eventually do.

 

Edit- What if we had some threads that were dedicated to specific positions or units? I.E Defense only thread, Running Back conversations, Offense only (even though that would still turn into Griffin), etc.