Airing of Grievances

[Ironlung]

First off, I want to say that I enjoy this board and 99% of it's posters immensely. I've posted on this board since the late 90's. I've come to meet several on here that I have really come to count as friends. Knight 67 and I have become pretty good pals, and recently went to a concert together. I never knew Burrhead, even though we were from the same town until a few months ago. I met greencrest through Burrhead and he's a class person. I've known Counts and Rock for years, only because they were about 3-4 years older than me when we were in school. I've gotten to know Counts pretty well this year as well, since we've taken in several games together this season. Rocketter and I may have spoken to 2-3 times in our lives. I think they're both really good guys. I've met Quincy, Observer, Broady, Jason/Hunter, Coeburn Cane, The Beast, Freddie, and probably 2 or 3 others that I can't even remember. Two of the people on here that I am most "close" to Mega and Craes, I've never met and don't even know Craes' real name, but I consider both of them to be friends. I also became pretty good pals with PHD from PV, until he deleted his account and decided not to post anymore because of the same stuff I went through over the weekend.

With all of that being said, I've offended one of our posters by the words I used to defend myself, my former team, and my home town. This wasn't the poster I was arguing with but another and now they're calling for my head. If, I have done anything to offend any of the folks I mentioned above or the dozens of others that I respect that I didn't mention, I am truly sorry. We all know what the whole argument was about, and there's no reason in rehashing it. All I want to say is this, a person can only be dumped on, degraded, and talked down to for so long before they snap. This stuff had been going on since July-August and I had bitten my tongue. You folks don't know how many times I had hit reply, typed a 2-3 paragraph tirade, only to delete and not post. I've seen many of you snap and rip someone a new one for far less than what the people who's only sin was growing up in the town or supporting Clintwood's sports teams have had to read on here for the last few months.

So, that is my reasoning. I just want to state again, if I offended any of the good people of this community, I'm sorry. For those from Coeburn, Norton, GC, CW, and Pound who sent me messages telling me not to let up and that you agreed with me, thank you whole heartedly. For those who voted me "Most favorite poster" in that ridiculous poll a few months ago, thank you as well. If I ever do anything to upset or offend any of you, it's very easy to click that pm button and send me notice of it. I'll edit or delete anything that I've done that I feel you have a right to be offended by. About anything can be straightened out with a little heart to heart and level heads.

[TheBeast]

I didn't send you a PM but I do agree with you and please don't let up.

[Ironlung]

Thanks big guy.

Also, another big thanks to a great fellow who hooked me up with a big helping of dry land fish this past spring, in One In Stripes. He was my favorite person ever for one day at least. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[imported_burrhead]

I'm not too bad a person!!!!!!!!! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/getsmile.tmp008106164.gif[/img] [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/getsmile.tmp008106164.gif[/img]

[Ironlung]

You're great. An original. An instigator, but a good fellow. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beer1.gif[/img]

[imported_burrhead]

elp6n says I'm alright but Indian Dad hates me!!!!!!!!!!!! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/getsmile.tmp008106164.gif[/img] Just joking. I know with the situation on the Kelly gridiron, hurricane ain't in no joking mood!!!!!!!!!!! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[1inStripes]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks big guy.

Also, another big thanks to a great fellow who hooked me up with a big helping of dry land fish this past spring, in One In Stripes. He was my favorite person ever for one day at least. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

We had a good fair trade. I may have to figure out another trade to acquire that stuff again!

[Unchained]

I consider you to be one of the gooduns on this board for what it's worth. Most of the folks on here are good people, and most can have a good debate without losing their cool. We have our millitary stretched thin across the globe and that has me worried. What goes on this board ain't nothin but a chicken wing on a string man.

[Ironlung]

Thanks pal.

[R0cketer]

Ironlung, the variation of people and places you post with, talk with regularly speaks for itself. Like I said, and I think nearly any other board I've ever been on goes in a like manner. If someone has conducted themselves over time in a decent manner, they get a little more rope than someone who comes in with the intention of disruption. Doing nothing but attempting to stir the pot, sling mud, aggrevate, alienate or frustrate users. One solution to this is to change the board, and allow only email addresses that are not hotmail, yahoo, or any other free-mail providers to post. I've been on boards that have done that, it cuts down on the duplicate posters, the fly-bys, the people who have no purpose but to ruffle feathers. I do not want to do that. It would severely limit our users and some people probably do not have an actual email address from a non-free provider (or never use it). What disgusts me is that I know that several of our problem-spots are people who post as several different IDs. They talk about how decent they want things, but then use their alternate IDs to attack. I won't plead innocence. Done that in the past myself. I also won't say that I may not be biased towards Clintwood, but I don't believe I've ever deleted a thread that was 'against Clintwood' even having been asked by more than one coach to do so. If its in the framework of the rules, I wouldn't feel right about doing that. I may try to argue, rationalize, discuss the topic and poke holes in it as much as I can, but I won't ban someone for a counter-belief or thought. This isn't the Clintwood forum afterall. That being said, nobody is going to put the time, effort, energy into anything without having some interest in the topic, unless they are getting paid to do it. Even being a mod or admin, naturally we're going to have an interest and sometimes it is extremely tough to be fair. There are a number of users, people I can consider online friends, that I have wanted to ban multiple times and gotten for lack of a better word 'pissed' at.

I'll say this, CVCgrad has some credibility, they have posted on here sometime, and while I haven't agreed with them over and over, they have the right to their opinion. Believe it or not, if the same person does nothing but post and belittle a team or community or coach, even if I dont notice, there are several who do and the PM button is a popular friend. I have little doubt that several users who complain on here the most are among the most guilty of posting with alternate IDs just to get reactions. Why is that likely, because the people who tend to post regularly get bored now and then, want the board to have more action and sometimes create their own news. I know that there are probably people that I trust, have faith in, who are as guilty as anybody or know who some of the ones who instigate are. You'll notice, I don't make a habit of wanting to know who each poster on here is, I've never made a habit of trying to meet everybody, and the reason is just because it makes it easier to be fair and as impartial as possible.

I forget the name here the other day, was predicting GC to roll Clintwood. It sure could have been easy to have complained and said that was motivation for Clintwood, no respect, etc, but I told them that I hoped that they would show up to eat crow when it didn't happen. They posted another time or two but so far, I think that's it. I have little doubt that was a regular user as well, but the point is, not everything has to be 'disrespect'. I feel like its about street-gang mentality to some on here, that you can't express an opinion counter to someone without it being against them. Its funny that someone from Clintwood can post about it just being Burton, and thats a great sin, but someone can post in response of the predictions 'is there any doubt' about Norton beating Clintwood and its not considered anything wrong. I didn't go rant and rave about how that post was not respecting Clintwood, and if I was so clouded, wouldn't I have?

The simple facts are this. We're never going to make everybody happy. That being said, I'm not going to ban someone for disrespecting Clintwood (shoot if I did that, half the time I'd have to ban some Clintwood posters). I will however start banning more if I have to constantly rationalize/explain things like this. I've always said you would have some people if they won a $1000 would gripe that it wasn't $5000 instead of being happy with what they got. I could sit here and sing the praises of Norton all season, but to some people, if I predicted against them once, it would be the same as trashing. Anyhow...*climbs off soap box*