Sorely disappointed....

[Miles Monroe]

Yes, this needed it's own thread because it has nothing to do with our new head coach.

Folks, I've had it with all the infighting. I know kids that conduct themselves with far more restraint then a number of the members of this site. Every single day, it's more school yard pissing matches. It's gotten to the point I don't enjoy the site as I had. The staff here bust their butts to make this place the best Skins site on the net, and people continue to spew shit all over the place. My position on the staff is purely for visual effects, but as a staff member, I see every reported post, and it's mind bending. Every time the staff has to address a post, it keeps them from doing stuff to continue the forward progress of the site. They are the most level headed, reasonable group I've had the pleasure to be associated with. When I was on staff at ES, some members here (you know who you are) would have gotten the boot for at least 6 months, if not a year, yet the staff here doesn't want that style, and their fair nature is being pushed pretty hard.

I have not discussed this with the staff, and this post does not in any way speak for the staff. This is all me, the member who's had more then enough. There isn't a member here I don't like individually, but put a few of you in the same thread, and I have no use for any of you. My opinion carries little weight, but I've always spoken my mind since the days of the sporting news forums before ES was started. I don't intend to stop now, and have held my tongue for some time now because I didn't want to cause the real staff undue stress. You guys have pushed me over the top.

If you can't coexist, and behave as somewhat reasonable adults, bite your dam tongue, and shut the **** up.

My most humble apology to my brother staff members for the rant. Feel free to move, close, or delete this thread. I'm not willing to go quietly into the night while others ruin this place for me, and likely others.

 

[stevenaa]

Yup. It is becoming a bit.... tense. I was thinking about this the other day. My opinion is it stems from having the asylum forum. I stay out. I find when I don't know everyone's leanings on this issue or that, I don't carry any preconceived notions into football threads. It's far easier to be uncivil when you've engaged in a no holds barred conversation in the hell hole.

 

[Goaldeje]

Cumbaya, my Pete, Cumbaya...

 

[GSF]

I'm not a regular, but I'm going to chime in.

I discovered the internet in 2000, and ES in 2001. I had never seen anything like it, couldn't believe how entertaining it was reading all of the clever commentary about my Redskins. I just read on there for at least a year before ever making a post, because I was nervous about sounding dumb. There were so many funny, smart guys in there. A lot of those same guys are in here now, and this board is starting to feel a lot like that board did. Then the thing blew up and it changed.

I was thrilled to find this place. I don't think it's gotten that bad in here, but it seems to me there are a few guys in here that are just really tough on each other. You guys know who you are. My suggestion is to bury the hatchet and agree to disagree in respectful ways, without being snarky or smart-assy, for the good of this board.

I remember some epic debates back in the old days. Those guys would get some great jabs in on each other, but it was always with a certain level mutual respect.

 

[fansince62]

ES is not a good comparison. I know BGO staff doesn't like that message here abouts: but it's true. others of us have knowledge of that place before it even was stood up - and many of the personalities behind it. BGO is orders of magnitude better.

with all due respect, and understanding your intent, pls don't bring up ES again.

I would add one qualification to your thought: yes, this should be (and is) a fun place to visit. but homogeneity has its own costs as well. the trick is finding that threshold where all the trade-offs balance off favorably! controlling human nature is a challenging task.

 

[CounterTrey]

Without pointing fingers or getting into a he said/she said deal I would add that it's turned me off more than a few times too and often I've refrained from posting in a thread because of it breaking down into acrimony between the same 4 or 5 dudes. The basic sentiment is "Eh...give it a rest already".

Who's right and who's wrong is irrelevant. MM is right, it amounts to taking a crap on the thread. And fwiw the constant need to crap on the positive with the same negative "Snyder sucks" mantra (essentially) DOES get REALLY old and does drive folks away. Boone I know this is one of your hot button issues and I see your POV. I tend to be with Mike on this on in the sense that I wouldn't want to sensor or tell anyone what they can or can't say, but it sure would be nice if one of the more positive (if not homerish) threads didn't have a Debby Downer feeling the need to tell everyone that the conversation is essentially irrelevant because no matter what you do Snyder is the owner and as long as he is the team is "DOOOOOOOMED!" It's another case of "Ok we get it already give it a rest and let the rest of us wallow in our bed of clueless, optimistic homerism, it's like a warm blanket and we enjoy it."

Just one man's perspective and anyone can say whatever they want but it is EXACTLY what drove me away from the last large Redskins community I was a part of.

Constant buzzkill sucks donkey balls basically.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Yes, I am VERY tired of the same old Snyder hate lines and threads. Enough already. I don't mind if someone repeats a salient point for emphasis, but there is no need to make a career of it.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

My bad, Pete. I will be better.

 

[Om]

Hey Miles ... been a long strange trip, no?

So here's the thing. Every member here has read (you all have, right?) BGO's What We're About mantra. The extent to which each member has that mantra in the back of their heads when writing posts varies ... as it should. No two humans think alike. But there is a "line" between expressing opinions vigorously, and being a shithead. There just is. And since the task (right? privilege? sentence?) of determining where that line is on a daily basis falls to the staff here, we're going to continue to do our best to walk the fine line between letting the players play, and calling a close game.

No single person here, including me, is exempt from being tossed from the game. If/when the staff is faced with deciding if the good of the one outweighs the good of the many, we are, without exception, going to quietly send the one into the radiation-filled chamber. We won't be happy about it--we might even play Amazing Grace on the bagpipe--but please know that as long as there is BGO, those of us behind it are going to continue to approach life as if the internet really is capable of hosting an online community that holds itself to a higher standard.

 

[CounterTrey]

...but please know that as long as there is BGO, those of us behind it are going to continue to approach life as if the internet really is capable of hosting an online community that holds itself to a higher standard.

LOVE IT!

 

[Boone]

Only thing I will add is that the 'topic' involved that causes friction is mostly irrelevant - in fact, it's when we are at our most annoyed and irritable that all of us need to redouble our effort to be civil. I struggle at times too. But ultimately, if a conversation you are engaged in is going badly, we would all be wise to look at our own role in that instead of immediately pointing fingers at the other guy. I also think the admittedly unsatisfying option of not returning fire ought to be more frequently considered. I wish more of us would meet (such as at the BGO tailgate) - it changes the dynamic once you really know someone.

 

[Dik Shuttle]

I backed outta BGO after a particularly short/blind sighted game chat a couple years ago. I'm coming back because I want fan views of how this new regime fills out (as opposed to media views or biased corporate generated content). So I empathize.

... but hey, I was kicked off Deadspin... so what do I know..?

 

[Boone]

I have trouble at times in chat - not because I don't live my fellow members but because I get wrapped up in the emotion of the game experience and the pace of posts is so quick things I may say things that normally would never come flying out if my mouth. So if I'm not feeling positive I sometimes won't wander into chat.

Glad you are back DS. This isn't a perfect community but it's the best one I've ever seen or been a part of. Then again, I can't be objective about that

 

[CounterTrey]

Mike my friend it's real simple. RELAX brother, like water off a duck's back. I have a hard time turning it off once it's turned on so I've found even though it's hard sometimes initially, the best thing is just not to engage with the folks who rub you the wrong way. Ultimately it comes down to the very simple fact that you are set in your stance and they are set in theirs and neither is probably going to change their minds in terms of the basis of chronic conflict. Since you're not changing their minds and they're not changing yours, all you guys are doing is wasting effort and angst. Just not even responding works best for me, it might be for you too.

 

[stevenaa]

Yes, I am VERY tired of the same old Snyder hate lines and threads. Enough already. I don't mind if someone repeats a salient point for emphasis, but there is no need to make a career of it.

Well, I agree. However.. we shouldn't get in the habit of censoring opinions we don't agree with or calling out those for their opinions. And I'd be sorely tempted to do just that if I had the power, but it would make for a pretty dull place. Address the substance. Let the staff determine if such is being taken too far to the point of trolling. If a particular poster is constantly doing this, ignore them. This is not a call out to you either, BB. Some here are taking there dislike of posters opinions into personal attacks. In the end, it's going to be hard to have an over arching positive vibe when the team is constantly in such disarray. We just need to thicken our skin, tough it out and continue to hope for a return to relevancy.

 

[Neophyte]

Be water, my friends.

 

[Henry]

There is a "line" between expressing opinions vigorously, and being a shithead.

I think I just found my new sig.

 

[Cycleans]

I don't know if it means a whole helluva lot...but this is the only Redskin site I follow. I go through periods where I don't post. I still read however. This place is the most even keeled forum of any kind that I've come across.

 

[Snydershrugged]

I just want to say that I love it here and am grateful each and every member and each individual opinion. I know some of the passionate debates in the pa that I personally engaged in ended up badly and that my poor posting skills allowed me to come across in a manner that was negative and overall, bad.

Lately, I'm taking my lessons in life that I've learned and applying them online more. One is speak less, think more and wait a bit if feeling riled up.

 

[LoyalSkinsFan]

To start with, meeting people in person doesn't necessarily change anything. I met Om once and he was a complete a-hole.

I am SOOO kidding.....

Gang, I love, love, LOVE this site. I'm quiet in here sometimes mostly because I've been too busy in the "real" world lately to spend as much time here as I'd like to. I won't lie, though...there have been a few times when I was ready to post in a thread but at the last decided not to - simply because the conversations had become more about throwing stones than the subject matter at hand. And that, my friends, is not worth my time.

I have thick skin.....and those occurrences are few and far between (for me, at least), but they do leave a sour taste in my mouth when they happen. I agree that it's okay to disagree.....and even to out and out argue a salient point, but when the conversations become personal attacks I think the line's been crossed.

"Yay" freedom of speech and all that....but people have to keep it on point. Argue to your hearts' content....disagree all you'd like....even a little name calling to me is okay.....provided it's not done in a nasty way or intended as a character assassination. Have at each other all you want, but don't make it into something it's shouldn't be. We're all Redskin fans in here.....some of us are more half empty, some are more half full. Nothing wrong with either approach......just have to respect each other's point of view and do our best to keep it to the subject matter.

Personally, in every thread and chat I've ever taken part in, I feel like across the board this site has the best group of thoughtful, insightful, smart, passionate posters I've ever come across in one place. Even with the differences among us, I still feel that way.

Let's really try to keep that in mind as we hang out here. Even though it's pretty rare that anybody's ever been kicked out, it could happen (right?). BGO is a privilege....not a right. But most of all, it's the best place I've ever found to share with like people all the pain and exhilaration that come with being a Redskin fan.