January 17, 2008

[vet] Would this warrant a sidebar mention, maybe? Or are we assuming an "active participant" reads the locker room regularly?

posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:09 AM CDT on January 17

[vet] I've noticed that often times it takes newer members a while to find the locker room if they ever find it at all (or maybe they just don't want to post here, who knows).

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 10:56 AM CDT on January 17

[vet] I don't think we diss new members as such. We do diss new members who join SportsFilter and then post in violation of guidelines. These guidelines include a lot more than spelling and style. To quote:

"We trust the members of the community to treat others with the respect you would afford yourself. If you’re accustomed to other sports forums, take note: This site is not a place for trash-talking fans to repeatedly proclaim that their team rocks and someone else’s team sucks. New members who post personal attacks and other abusive behavior will be banned."

I feel that lately some newcomers have said some things that were over the edge. Remember that "diss" is short for "disrespect". There are certain behaviors, such as personal attacks and racist and sexist remarks, that I do not feel compelled to treat with respect. This has nothing to do with the SpoFi longevity of the person in question.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 12:19 PM CDT on January 17

[vet] The flamers, blatant homers, and generally disrespectful screamers need to be "counseled", if they will listen. Those who merely misspell, don't use caps, etc., need to take a bit more pride in their writing. I agree with those who say in effect, "chastise in private, but praise in public." A reminder via an e-mail to the writer's address would, perhaps, have a stronger impact than a public embarrassment. Maybe there could be some of the "vets" appointed to do this.

posted by Howard_T at 12:41 PM CDT on January 17

[vet] One comment by a new member so far. Methinks the locker room is still a bridge too far for most of the newer folk. Sidebarring might not be enough. If THE PANTHEON want a larger discussion on this, they might consider making it an actual FPP linking to this thread. It runs the risk of dueling conversations, but it might do well to get the word out.

posted by lilnemo at 1:04 PM CDT on January 17

[vet] I will let Gary or Kirk make that call. Kinda says something that one rookie has found this so far. They aren't getting the word about the Locker Room. Or they don't care all that much about meta stuff.

posted by rcade at 2:12 PM CDT on January 17

[old timer] "We do diss new members who join SportsFilter and then post in violation of guidelines."

I believe we need a more prominent link to the Guidelines.

posted by terrapin at 3:07 PM CDT on January 17

Agreeing with whomever said we should make this thread even more accessible. Maybe a "sticky" post on the front page?

posted by terrapin at 3:13 PM CDT on January 17

I would like to add, this site is great and keeps be filled in on the out of mainstream sports stories. Plus, I have the most boring job in the history of mankind and gets me through my shift.

posted by Nakeman at 4:01 PM CDT on January 17

This is my second attempt as a member at Spofi. I joined a couple years ago, posted a couple of times, then I forgot my password. After attempting to retrive my password (with no reply), I had to create a new account. In my short time as a member I have learned a few things.

1. Post with pride. There are alot of great comments here, all are usually well thought out and well written. Ultimately, you get what you give.
2. No blatant Homerisms. Agreed, I have my favs, but so does everyone, so try to post as a sports fan not a "one-team" fanatic.
3. Nothing has to be personnal. If your post is challenged, it's not meant to degrade the comments of a newbie. In short, back your shit up. The web is full of info, use it to prove facts, stats, or any "he said, she said" crap. Don't get offended if you are called out.
4. Follow the guidelines. Why rebel? SpoFi provides a forum to discuss sports from around the world. There is no other site like it. Look all you want. Spofi has some of the best sports minds as members, show respect to the mods/members by adhering to the rules.

I hope to enjoy a lengthy future with Spofi and I hope to earn the respect of it's members.

posted by BoKnows at 4:22 PM CDT on January 17

[4 digit post yahoo noobish vet] Some of my favorite things are talking hockey with real (and fucking hysterical) life Canadians and some very knowledgeable Michiganders. Seriously the hockey threads are a testament to sheer awesomeness. This site also opened me up to soccer so now at my job (where I am the only white boy and everyone else is either Dominican or El Salvadorian) I can keep and make somewhat intelligent comments on the game. I have to thank a few American and lots of European and Aussie soccer fans for making those threads and the World Cup Campfire so fun. Without that I would still be clueless when it comes to real football. Going into the baseball threads is like going to school(grum is the dean of hockey school) , some of the cats on this site know mad shite about baseball. It could be stats, history, trivia, whatever we got it all. Lastly I will site the more "off beat" stuff. Where else can you find bowling, amputee track and field, ice dancing, skiing (llb is the resident sky instructor) boxing, MMA, pro wrestling, and some sports I have never even heard of.

Its not all sunshine and kittens though. The NFL threads seem to be a breeding ground for douchebaggery. I am giving the sport an honest second chance before I give it up totally and seeing the kind of fan it attracts here is yet another deterrent for me to fully embrace the game. Don't get me wrong I love the pick 'ems though, especially when I go 4 for 4 and shame all the knowledgeable NFL fans. I also wouldn't mind seeing more Lacrosse threads. Of course I could stop being lazy and post some articles.

I would really like to see a space for just talking shop about sports. Weather it be sports we play/coach or just theory (for example rugby union vs rugby league or is 1-3-1 a better neutral zone scheme than the 1-2-2) There really isn't going to be an article out there about this so maybe it could be a function of the locker room?

All in all this site is fucking awesome. Best sports site on the web as far as I am concerned. The admins are great, even though gary and I have butted heads and I don't hear from kirk enough. There is so much right with this site that it really sucks when a couple of the wrongs bring down the enjoyment level for so many people. Sorry for the long post. NUFF SAYD!

posted by HATER 187 at 6:51 PM CDT on January 17

I like hater's idea for an area to discuss sports outside of articles on the internet.

We do technically have two real-time chat resources available to us. One which is web-based and very easy to use. And an old-skool IRC channnel for those who prefer that. I am usually on the latter, and I try and stop by the former whenever I am sitting in front of the TV watching sport with my laptop nearby.

We also have the Locker Room. No one is being discouraged from starting threads just to shoot the shit.

I don't personally like the idea of forums because I think it can dilute the quality of the main site. *shrug*

posted by terrapin at 7:49 PM CDT on January 17

This site also opened me up to soccer so now at my job (where I am the only white boy and everyone else is either Dominican or El Salvadorian) I can keep and make somewhat intelligent comments on the game.

Makes me all warm and tingly inside. Welcome to the bright side, brother!

elijahin24, I'm glad you're staying. I've read some of your stuff and you definitely have something to offer. Now c'mon down and talk some soccer with us.

We will change America, one SpoFite at a time.

posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 9:10 PM CDT on January 17

Now c'mon down and talk some soccer with us. We will change America, one SpoFite at a time.

Check out the new Jeff Wells FPP.

posted by owlhouse at 10:24 PM CDT on January 17

This site also opened me up to soccer so now at my job (where I am the only white boy and everyone else is either Dominican or El Salvadorian) I can keep and make somewhat intelligent comments on the game.

For those potentially interested in watching the Africa Cup of Nations on the job, it's online here starting Sunday.

goddam -- I want a mug that says "Soccer: Not a Sport."

posted by holden at 12:38 AM CDT on January 18

[vet] Thanks to the Spofi Gods for zapping that Man tapes jersey to child to chair nightmare! I was starting to think the actual Taper was a spofi member.

I beleive it was things of that nature that summers eve was referring to when he said "When did sportsfilter become the "Extra" of sports news? If it's sports news and it bleeds it'll be tops on sportsfilter." I don't think it happens to the extent to cause anyone to quit. However it does need to be slowed down some, with over 16,500 members and counting everyday, I doubt it will ever be stopped completely.

What I would like to suggest would be a link from the sign up guidelines, to the spofi.info page. That page has a lot more useful guidelines on it for the new user. Although the last time I checked the .info site all of the pages were blacked out. You had to click and drag the entire box you wanted to read to see the words.? Plus, we would get more use out of the .info site this way too. Just an idea.

posted by jojomfd1 at 8:05 AM CDT on January 18

jojo: I haven't seen the blacked out bug in a long time. Can you email me (address in profile) with information on what browser (and version) and OS you are using. I have tried the wiki on 5 different Mac browsers (only ones to which I have access) and it works fine.

We are experience technical difficulty with the Wiki right now, but nothing that should keep a user from viewing the site. Editing is the problem. An anti-spam plug-in we are using had an issue that requires and upgrade. I need info from justgary in order to fix it and when he returns from MacWorld I a expect to start work on that.

For those who may not know this about the Wiki: the Guidelines and the FAQ on the Wiki are locked from editing by anyone except Wiki Admins. Those pages really should only be altered by SportsFilter admins as they are the ultimate "deciders", and I do no make changes to them without the express permission of a Pantheon member. The rest of the wiki is fair game for additions, edits, etc by SpoFi members who register with the Wiki.

If rcade, et alia, decide to make a permanent/prominent link to the Wiki we can have a separate discussion/planning thread.

posted by terrapin at 8:24 AM CDT on January 18

hmmm, I guess email isn't in profile. Well my email is my firstname and lastname together with no spaces and @gmail.com after it. Or follow the link to my website and use the contact information there.

posted by terrapin at 8:33 AM CDT on January 18

Lastly, until justgary gets back to me I can't edit the Wiki.

If I can't find an easy answer I will just remove the colors from the table background.

jojo: can you include a screenshot, or at least tell me if ANY of the tables on the main page display something other than black?

posted by terrapin at 8:58 AM CDT on January 18

Thanks, jojo!

I am gonna stop with the thread hijack. Apologies. just realise I AM aware of these issues and will do my best to fix them ASAP :)

posted by terrapin at 9:07 AM CDT on January 18

I have a question:

I am a middle-aged type person who has been on here for nearly 2 years. I contribute sporadically at best and don't consider myself anywhere near as intelligent as most of the people here. I never post links because that's what I come here for. To read the amazing, fascinating, mundane, outlandish, informative, and sometimes shocking news about sports from around the world. THIS is where I get my edification and use as a resource when forming my sports-related opinion. My main contribution is to be a smart-ass, and I have tried to do so more recently without jumping anyone else's shit. Unless they are being an out-and-out dick, then they deserve a typed whuppin'.

Anyway, what qualifies one for being a vet? I still feel like a noob.

And I want a shirt. One with a lower number. Give me Bullpen Pro's old one.

posted by THX-1138 at 12:07 PM CDT on January 18

[amateur canine proctologist] I think you've long since become an Old Head, THX. As for BP's number, it's been retired. I had one of the game-worn jerseys framed and it hangs proudly in my bunker.

posted by yerfatma at 12:30 PM CDT on January 18

Yeah we like you too, THX. Let's not get all misty about it. Geez.

posted by jerseygirl at 12:47 PM CDT on January 18

[Veteran Noob] I don't feel the need to harp on the fact that I am dyslexic, I mentioned it a couple of times early on in my time here at SpoFi and figure that was enough. That being said, proof reading, using a dictionary, and spell check after I write something is second nature to me.

As for posts that have no punctuation, capitalization at the beginning of sentences and the use of abbreviations like IMHO, FWIW, BRB and the such i just skip over because they are too hard for me to read. And if you don't have to time to type your comment out in plain English don't expect me to take the time to look up your words to try and figure out what you are saying.

Still I do think some people are a bit too hard on new people when it comes to spelling grammar and the such. Its one thing to point them to the guidelines or send an email pointing out our expectations of the members here but the put downs and bashing are very annoying to me. Give people a chance to learn what SpoFi is all about and let them decide if this is the kind of community they want to be a part of. I think most will weed themselves out and the rest will conform to our expectations. I rarely if ever point out spelling errors by others because quite frankly, I don't know if shit is spelled write or not.

On the other hand I do love the subtle humor, music and movie references, and general sarcasm that a part of life here at SpoFi. If someone doesn't get the joke then it sucks to be them.

posted by Folkways at 1:48 PM CDT on January 18

I sense a collective T. O. moment here in the Locker Room as we all type with lower lips aquiver. When does Dr. Phil become a member?

posted by Howard_T at 4:12 PM CDT on January 18

He's not just the president, he's a member.

posted by hawkguy at 5:04 PM CDT on January 18

is, or has?

posted by chicobangs at 10:20 AM CDT on January 19

[vet... ish] I'll second, (third/fourth?), the desire to see the guidelines given a prominent front page link.

(I used to feel like calling him Mr Chicobangs too, until I saw him on cashcab. Now I just want to borrow money.)

posted by Mr Bismarck at 5:52 PM CDT on January 21

Well, to be fair, Dementieva may or may not be a strumpet on a given day, but she did get beat but good this week.

posted by chicobangs at 8:37 AM CDT on January 22

Sure: I don't think a comment suggesting the only possible value Jessica Simpson could have is a magic vagina has much place in a discussion about sports. I realize this is only the four or five hundredth time you've brought this single incident up to demand justice because you were brutally assaulted, but let's have this be the last one. If you're genuinely interested in how this kind of thing can hurt a community, Metafilter recently went through a looong discussion about it.

Also, my name's right on my member page, so you're either surprisingly incurious for someone obsessing over that remark, or the "explain herself" is another hilarious jibe.

posted by yerfatma at 6:47 AM CDT on January 23

Giselle's cooter, also magic.

posted by yerfatma at 10:08 AM CDT on January 23

This isn't 'Nam dude. There are rules.

posted by lilnemo at 5:44 PM CDT on January 23

You can just search for my name. That'll give you 95% of the good parts.

posted by yerfatma at 7:06 PM CDT on January 23

So, your accusing me of "...suggesting the only possible value Jessica Simpson could have is a magic vagina...".
Absurd. I was suggesting(tongue in cheek)that a rendezvous with Jessica Simpson in Mexico a week before the big game seemed unwise to many Cowboy fans. I even posted a link in support of that. The word gold in my quote suggests the color of, not the composition of the "kitty", suggesting that many men prefer a "true blonde". I tried to clear that up with you in other posts but all I ever got from you was silence, or an ever increasing hostile and mean spirited response. that's why I didn't think e-mailing you would do any good. You would either not respond at all, like you have in the some of these threads, or you would continue to bash me over the head, like you did here.

I'm sorry that you misconstrued my original post. I was trying to be funny. I admit(and have admitted in other posts) that most of the time I'm not. I'm also sorry for not making my meaning clear. I should have said, "She must have a blonde pussy..." instead of trying to be subtle. But what I'm mostly sorry for is that you felt like you had to lash out at me instead of directly confronting me, like

That's not cool, canstusdis.

posted by jerseygirl at 9:47 AM CST on January 23

Then I would have asked, "what's not cool?" And you could have asked, "What did you mean by that?" And then waited for my answer before you decided to launch your assault. After all,

This isn't 'Nam dude. There are rules.

posted by lilnemo at 5:44 PM CST on January 23

And I've tried to follow the rules. But if you're a vet you don't have to follow them? If you're a vet you can beat down and yell over the noob if you don't like what they said or the way they said it, even if you didn't understand what they were trying to say?

I realize this is only the four or five hundredth time you've brought this single incident up to demand justice because you were brutally assaulted, but let's have this be the last one.

Yes, this will be the last one. You can choose hate, or you can choose dialogue. It's up to you.

posted by canstusdis at 8:15 PM CDT on January 23

dude, uh, I think you made my point...

posted by canstusdis at 9:04 PM CDT on January 23

See the part about undersexed males in my post. That means you (THX) can be interested. ZING!

dude, uh, I think you made my point...

And what point is that? If it is "nobody cares about Jessica Simpson's vagina" then I don't see that as your point. Remember you are the one who just posted yet another comment about her nether region. Nobody here is buying that as an excuse for Romo's poor play in a football game that happened over a week ago. If you want talk like that check out some of the yahoo or ESPN boards.

posted by HATER 187 at 9:31 PM CDT on January 23

My original point, "posted by canstusdis at 7:22 PM CST on January 7", was made to point out the absurdity of the media(and many of the fans) about this Romo/Jessica thing. It was a joke, sarcasm. So was the Rocky post.
(wasn't that one kinda funny? No? ok...)

posted by canstusdis at 10:08 PM CDT on January 23

THX-1138,

What is it? I'm not being serious enough, so people take me seriously or is it my jokes are so bad people think I can't be joking so I must be serious?

posted by canstusdis at 10:32 PM CDT on January 23

"her kitty must be made of gold"

I have heard this used many times before, and it has never been used to refer to a specific color. It is used to mean that the woman in question must have an actual "Golden kitty", as in one that is better then all of the others in the entire world. Otherwise the guy in question would not be so whipped by said "kitty."

That being said, it is a sexist thing to say and does not belong on this site. Some other sports site, go right ahead. Here though we have a very good sized group of intelligent female posters that will take offense to comments like that. They should not have to be subjected to them on their site by a new poster that didn't read the guidlines well enough to be posting yet. So, if you got smacked down for it, just learn from it and quit making such a big deal out of your own lack of respect for everyone else on this site.

posted by jojomfd1 at 8:34 AM CDT on January 24

canstusdis,

Umm, you're asking my advice on decorum? I generally have no idea what will pass as a comment, but I do know that if I were to do something and get smacked, I would try to move on.

For example:
When I first discovered this site, I made a LOT OF DUMB COMMENTS. A lot. And in one instance I made an argument about something or other without having my facts straight. I was swiftly informed that I was talking out of my.....lack of knowledge. It stung a bit. I took some time off from the site (a month or so, I guess) and lurked. I only read what was going on and did not contribute. I got kind of a feel for the place and how my personality might fit in. I came back with a more intelligent game and made every effort to be more informed. I also learned as much as I think one can under these circumstances, about the vets around here.

Which is not to say that I haven't had my share of dust-ups with some around here (I love you, r8rh8r). I'm Irish. I like to argue some. But it's like a family. We argue and we nod knowingly.

Nobody gets my stuff when I'm dead, though.

posted by THX-1138 at 8:19 PM CDT on January 24

I don't know about the comments part, that's a question for the admins (rcade, justgary, kirkaracha). I do know that you need fifteen comments before you can post links.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 4:11 PM CDT on January 25

jojomfd1:
You're right. I'm a fool, and your post more than any other pointed this out to me. No more excuses or trying to explain it away. The remark was sexist. It has no place here, and I sincerely apologize for making it. Thank you for bringing me back to reality.

THX-1138:
I will take your advice and take some time off the site. Read but not respond. hopefully some self imposed exile will help those I offended find peace and forgive (and forget) my ignorance.

yerfatma:
I'm kinda slow so if you don't spell it out for me, I don't get it.

Nobody likes to be taken out of their comfort zone. At first I resisted but after some reflection I realized I was wrong. So once again, to all who took offense, please accept my apology.

posted by canstusdis at 11:36 AM CDT on January 26

I would bring in the site so it doesn't stretch completely accross the screen and make the posts so they're tighter and not so wide.. they're tough to read and to doesn't look like there is much content in each post..

I would also make the navigation easier to read.. but that's just a new comers perspective with not much knowledge on where everything's at.

posted by RonRipple.com at 8:08 PM CDT on February 5