Misc Play off preview: are game threads slowly becoming a cesspool that need fixing ?

[LeBowen]

Except that sports fans bitch about calls, even when they're not bad calls. They bitch about free throw disparity, even though there's a reason for fucking free throw disparity. They whine about 50-50 calls, they whine about bad luck, they whine about everything because we are fans and that's what we do. If they do it in the game thread where you're supposed to be emotional and then they don't carry it out to the other threads where we're actually talking about things, there's not a problem.

Do I really need to quote dozens of posts in here for you to understand the point I'm trying to make?
There's a big difference between usual sports fan bitching and having a meltdown.

We have an ignore list for a reason. If somebody really gets on your nerves, put them on the fucking ignore list. It's super easy.

The ignore list should be used for cases where someone doesn't get along, but is fine otherwise.
If someone is ignored by a lot of other members, and that's already a thing in here, then we can't play dumb and pretend it's fine.

 

[O_V]

What do you mean it's not their fault?
It's absolutely their fault. As someone said, don't behave the way you wouldn't behave in public.
I think that the average age of this community is well over 30 and if people can't keep their emotions in check...idk.

I hear what you're saying, butI don't know. I behave one way in public, but if I'm in a basketball game, I'm going to scream at the officials and the bad calls and the other team and the coaches and everything because that's what I do. When I'm at home watching a game, I scream at the TV, I scream at the officials, my wife is used to it. So behaving the way you behave in public is one thing. Behaving the way you behave at a competitive basketball game is a fan is something different.

You mentioned somebody commenting that a player should kill themselves for doing something wrong. I think that should very clearly be against the rules. So as long as people follow the rules and we have the correct rules to be able to punish people for doing dumb shit, we should be fine.

 

[O_V]

Do I really need to quote dozens of posts in here for you to understand the point I'm trying to make?
There's a big difference between usual sports fan bitching and having a meltdown.

II mean, yeah, you need to quote dozens of posts for me to understand if that's important to you, but if they're not breaking the rules, then maybe we need rules that we can punish people for breaking if it's important to you, but you have to enumerate exactly what rule you think needs to be in place that these people are breaking. I'm okay with coming up with new rules and making sure everybody follows them.

 

[scott]

I hear what you're saying, butI don't know. I behave one way in public, but if I'm in a basketball game, I'm going to scream at the officials and the bad calls and the other team and the coaches and everything because that's what I do. When I'm at home watching a game, I scream at the TV, I scream at the officials, my wife is used to it. So behaving the way you behave in public is one thing. Behaving the way you behave at a competitive basketball game is a fan is something different.

IMO, this is all generally fine... but some of the things people say here, if you said while sitting close enough for the players or refs to hear... would run a high risk of getting you kicked out of the game (or worse). That is the kind of stuff I'd like to vanquish from this site.

 

[blueguy]

As an occasional poster, I don't always go in the game threads, but they are kinda funny.

Often, I will read the last few pages of a game thread after a win, and I did after the Denver loss. I don't think of them as toxic as much as just overreactions. I am okay with that. I don't recall a lot of name-calling or people being too rude, but then again, I don't always read every game thread though. This site is 135% better than ST. I sent an email a couple of times over the last few years to become a member and never got a response.

The less moderation, the better. I think the site has the right mix right now.

 

[heyheymymy]

I'm cool with starting game threads as early as dawn after the previous game was played. There is always pre discussion about matchups, the game an upcoming opponent is playing before our matchup and its relevant impact, season series aspects, standings implications, even other games around the league. You can skip ahead to most recent posts if you just want to jump to game coverage day of.

 

[Dex]

I'm cool with starting game threads as early as dawn after the previous game was played. There is always pre discussion about matchups, the game an upcoming opponent is playing before our matchup and its relevant impact, season series aspects, standings implications, even other games around the league. You can skip ahead to most recent posts if you just want to jump to game coverage day of.

Plus @BatManu20 posts all the cool stuff which is awesome.

 

[heyheymymy]

BatManu and ace are the unsung heroes of the forum with all the content they post

 

[xellos88330]

If I am being honest, people will be talking all kinds of trash on the internet and shit posting left and right. I don't take ANYTHING I read on the internet seriously. If people are shit posting, then I remember who they are and just scroll past because the conversation would have no value. It doesn't make sense to reply to someone that obviously doesn't know what they are talking about or is just trying to ruffle feathers. Eventually, they will learn because they aren't being engaged with anyone. The problem would wind up solving itself.

 

[ambchang]

If the call is for everyone to behave like you are in a company function, and I don’t think that’s the intent, then it’s definitely suck the fun out of this place, but if the call is to take out some of the drunk frat boy behaviour here (like Fox is the worst POS player in the league and should be hung at the gallows, or the ref should be put in an iron maiden while standing on lego pieces type) then maybe chill down a bit.

 

[O_V]

IMO, this is all generally fine... but some of the things people say here, if you said while sitting close enough for the players or refs to hear... would run a high risk of getting you kicked out of the game (or worse). That is the kind of stuff I'd like to vanquish from this site.

Yeah, there's way fewer f-bombs when I'm at a game than when I'm watching on TV.

 

[Neuromancer]

I know many haven't voted yet but so far the overwhelming majority seems to agree that things are fine the way they are

 

[Neuromancer]

The solution is for people to behave with a modicum of emotional maturity. That doesn't mean posting need follow Roberts Rules of Order or anything like that... but just act like a normal person would in public. The anonymity of the internet brings out the worst in certain people, and it is a major turnoff for a lot of people, we only need look at our former home to see what eventually happens when a basic standard of decency is not upheld.

I don't think anyone is interested in turning this it Sniffer Central, but there is a clear bright line between that and what I would consider to be shitposting. There are, in fact, a lot of what I consider to be high quality posters who have directly communicated to me that they aren't visiting/posting as often as they thought they would because the toxicity of our former home is starting to creep in. And I'll tell you this much right now, if it came down to it, I'd much rather have their well thought out posts here (and that doesn't mean they are ones I agree with) than a bunch of shit posts.

You are 100% right though, that there is a fine line between normal moderation and over moderation - and that is not lost on the people who have spent a great deal of time and effort deliberating and devising our ground rules. Things would be a lot easier if everyone could just be cool and act like normal, mature adults... but that's proven challenging. In the last week I've had to warn several people about the use of bigoted language and I've even had one poster (who I otherwise like) acknowledge that he KNEW he was saying something he shouldn't by saying "[bigoted language] scott please don't ban me I just had to get one out". It's frankly, absurd.

I've already said more than I planned to - but I'll get one last thing out. The users of this forum need to realize that this site's infrastructure does not run itself. One person, @Guru of Nothing, had enough initiative to actually stand this site up after years of a lot of talk but no action at ST. A handful of people funded a year's worth of service for this site in our crowdfunding campaign (to which I'm still in awe of and extremely grateful for). A handful of us do the work to make sure the site stays functional. As we saw with ST, there is a point where none of that becomes worth it anymore. I, for one, would rather not test what that point is.

Appreciate the thoughtful response. I guess it would be helpful if we had a general idea of what we feel is crossing the line. Is when we get down 10 and someone says "fuck this team"? Is it when someone calls Keldon a retard for dribbling a ball off his foot at a bad time? I just want to know specifically what, from those who don't feel things are fine the way they are, think constitutes crossing the line in a game thread. Obviously slurs and hate speech don't need to be pointed out as bad. But where is the line

Like I always thought of a game thread a stream of consciousness type deal where we're all watching as if we were at a bar or something. I don't think anyone is reading game threads mid game for deep insightful analysis tbh

 

[LeBowen]

Appreciate the thoughtful response. I guess it would be helpful if we had a general idea of what we feel is crossing the line. Is when we get down 10 and someone says "fuck this team"? Is it when someone calls Keldon a retard for dribbling a ball off his foot at a bad time? I just want to know specifically what, from those who don't feel things are fine the way they are, think constitutes crossing the line in a game thread. Obviously slurs and hate speech don't need to be pointed out as bad. But where is the line

Like I always thought of a game thread a stream of consciousness type deal where we're all watching as if we were at a bar or something. I don't think anyone is reading game threads mid game for deep insightful analysis tbh

Since I got into it with him over his posts, for me this is crossing the line:

Search results

baselinebums.com

Page 10 and 9 of his post history.
This was the Wemby-less Denver game.
If that's the level of meltdown we get from him and some others for a regular season game without Wemby, what's going to happen when we lose a playoff game?

 

[rogcl1]

That's the thing.
If a lot of members are dropping out because a few annoying ones, then it has to be sorted out.

I said it before, there's a big difference between a reactionary post when someone fucks up and members that just keep piling on one awful post after another while having a mental breakdown because our lead dropped from 20 to 10 points against a tankin

That's the thing.
If a lot of members are dropping out because a few annoying ones, then it has to be sorted out.

I said it before, there's a big difference between a reactionary post when someone fucks up and members that just keep piling on one awful post after another while having a mental breakdown

People are going to do what they do . I don't read the game threads while watching the games . Some of the overboard negatively is too much for me. There is a difference between venting ect. and ,,,,,,,, And no, being competitive does not mean you can act like fool in the presence of others or in competing with others. I just choose to generally stay away during that time. That is my prerogative.

 

[Robz4000]

if this thread is about me I promise I'll (try) to tone down the cliff jumping in game threads. Otherwise I think game threads are fine the way they are tbh.

 

[Arcadian]

I think we'll all survive whatever happens.

 

[Correct Crusader]

The point of game threads is extremely reactionary commentary. We're all pretty invested in this spurs team so the emotions flare. As long as you're not a dick to other people in the thread I think it's fine.

 

[Correct Crusader]

the only way to make the forum appeal to 'everyone' - that is, the mainstream normies - is to make it as bland and reddit as possible

For every post you make you must do one of the following

1. Scream about how Sochan would fix whatever problem is currently occurring.
2. Yell about how Mitch is the worst/best coach of all time depending on the vibes of the given moment
3. Mandatory pants shitting about everyone else's posts even though you yourself are part of the problem

 

[LeBowen]

The point of game threads is extremely reactionary commentary. We're all pretty invested in this spurs team so the emotions flare. As long as you're not a dick to other people in the thread I think it's fine.

Well, it wouldn't hurt if you stopped using derogatory language towards female referees every time a bad call is made.
They're just as bad as their male counterparts.

 

[Correct Crusader]

Well, it wouldn't hurt if you stopped using derogatory language towards female referees every time a bad call is made.
They're just as bad as their male counterparts.

I am an equal opportunity ref hater. I am the adolf hitler of ref haters

 

[O_V]

Since I got into it with him over his posts, for me this is crossing the line:

Search results

baselinebums.com

Page 10 and 9 of his post history.
This was the Wemby-less Denver game.
If that's the level of meltdown we get from him and some others for a regular season game without Wemby, what's going to happen when we lose a playoff game?

I don't think any of that's remotely over the line for a game thread. If somebody decided to Karen out on them and it devolved into a fight, maybe people should use the ignore list and mind their own business.

 

[LeBowen]

I don't think any of that's remotely over the line for a game thread. If somebody decided to Karen out on them and it devolved into a fight, maybe people should use the ignore list and mind their own business.

That's not over the line for a Spurstalk game thread.
Out of tens of other forums I've read/participated in over the past few decades, I'd say behaving that way on all but a couple of them would eventually get you banned.

The question is do we want to be Spurstalk 2.0 or something else?
Because I've also thrown my fair share of way worse insults than anything that's written in here, but what's the benefit of that?

 

[PhantomDashCam]

I think you guys (the mods) have done a terrific job of laying out the general rules of acceptable posting.

The legacy of ST related content will always be a part of this site, (however some may construe it), with usernames, avatars or declarations of “user formerly known as…” etc being taken directly from it.

I have read some things I feel fall outside the realms of good taste or humour, yet some of that feels like it is legacy ST banter. And tbh, I wouldn’t want to risk changing that. It’s never dissuaded me from interacting or posting.

It may not be acceptable in an actual game environment or perhaps even a bar setting, however the internet Forum is obviously a different beast and it should probably reflect those unique qualities.

Hopefully people do take time to be a little more considerate with the position the mods are in too (in wanting to refrain from enforcing rules, absolutes, censorship) with banning being a last resort and taking the time to get a thread like this going.

All the best y’all. Looking forward to Game 1.

 

[Robz4000]

That's not over the line for a Spurstalk game thread.
Out of tens of other forums I've read/participated in over the past few decades, I'd say behaving that way on all but a couple of them would eventually get you banned.

The question is do we want to be Spurstalk 2.0 or something else?
Because I've also thrown my fair share of way worse insults than anything that's written in here, but what's the benefit of that?

I want this place to be Spurstalk 2.0 tbh, just without the blatant racism/sexism and over the top politicizing.