The Boneyard is in danger of turning into the Summitt

[intlzncster]

So does this mean you will quit referring to Duke as ?

It's dook. Not .

 

[intlzncster]

sorry, we will have to agree to disagree here..

That's fine and is what's great about message boards. You don't have to follow any threads you are not interested in.

 

[intlzncster]

Hope your not referring to my comment in that thread. I thought it was silly but was not upset. I posted it knowing you were of age to appreciate the Ali reference.



I tend to agree with ya on this one. Don't believe the board ever got a congratulations from stwainfan.

I really don't recall anything in your posts that would suggest other than you being a good fan

They don't need to congratulate. They just need to not be obnoxious, probably more so than a UCONN fan.

 

[RadyLady]

I'ma thinking I will take a little break away from the BY. At this point, I don't really know what I can and cannot say without getting in trouble, offending someone, being childish, insulting another poster, etc. I have been extremely overworked and stressed and I have enjoyed the BY for years as a way to escape the stress. But frankly, I have too much stress in my life right now. My little transgression and the resulting hurt of one poster's attack on my character has caused me way more stress than I can handle.

I may be back at some point. But right now...it just isn't fun any more.

Chap, please don't go. Everyone makes mistakes, and there are times I know when I don't know the right thing to do or say. But taking away something that is a distraction from stress is not good. If you worry about what to say, write it down in another application, give it a few minutes, and go back and reread it - most of my posts are done this way...gives your mind time to refresh and reload.

Think about it - you had one incident out of how many posts?

 

[RadyLady]

That's fine and is what's great about message boards. You don't have to follow any threads you are not interested in.

Instructional. I would imagine someone posting as much and as long as I have would know this.

 

[Buzzyboy]

I haven't been to the Summitt in years. It was years before the board went pay-for that I stopped reading it and I stopped reading it because while the majority of people there are nice, normal folk that just want to talk about the team they love, a small group of sourpusses ruined it as a congenial place. That group, which I call the Tin Foil Hat Brigade, is nasty, paranoid, and immune to rational discourse. And I see signs of this creeping into the Boneyard. The checklist of symptoms:

1. 
   [ ]Calling opposing coaches or players childish names - check
   [ ]Scouring the Internet and news articles for perceived insults or - more importantly - a lack of appropriate reverence for the Huskies. And heaven forbid an opposing player believe their team might have a chance to win - check
   [ ]Harassing and insulting visiting fans, not for what these fans say but for the fact the fan might have Vol or RU or Card or whatever as part of their handle - check
   [ ]Drowning out people that want to discuss possible team weaknesses or who would criticize Geno - not really, although some threads trend that way. This is actually a Boneyard strength but I would be happier if people could argue or disagree without being insulting
   [ ]Trashing recruits for not choosing UConn - oh, check this one a dozen times. That's what put me over the edge and made me want to write this post.

This is a message board to discuss a group of teenagers/twenty-somethings playing a game. It's not the Middle East peace talks and shouldn't be taken as seriously. There are people here that won't let go of their anger at one sentence uttered by Tara VanDerveer 20 years ago (see #2 above) and I'm not even going to broach the topic of Pat Summit.

The Boneyard should be a fun place to visit but I've noticed since my "real" job has required me to work longer hours, I have limited free time and I choose to ignore the Boneyard in favor of something more relaxing. In what should have been one of the most enjoyable seasons in a few years, we've started to get a collection of sourpusses a la the Summit. Now, I can try talking to folks, that's what this post is, weeding out the sourpusses (a few have disappeared already), or I can just say "the heck with it" because people would rather recreate the Summitt with its overbearing sense of entitlement and nastiness. I don't know what's going to happen because it's not my decision, it's the decision of all you folks on the board. Let me know what direction you want to take.

It's apparent what type of board the vast majority of people want to have. No one knows what thoughts are passing through a young teenagers mind when they (and their parents) make a decision on where they want to matriculate. If their choice has to do with locale, if it has to do with the school's educational opportunities, if has to do with friends they might have made in the AAU careers, if it has to do with conference affiliations, if it has to do with playing opportunities, if it has to do with helping make the program special. It can be any one or more of these things or it could be something else but it is THEIR choice and they really shouldn't be slammed for it. It also sends a bad message to others as to what kind of people support our University. We know we have a wonderful program and a wonderful coaching staff along with great facilities but it doesn't mean it is perfect for everyone. We will surely get enough blue chip kids who have the "Right stuff" who will continue to help make Storrs Connecticut a special place for both men's and women's basketball. Insofar as defending UConn, we really could just laugh at some of the silliness that's thrown our way and the envy that's come from our enormous success, particularly in the women's game. We obviously should note that it's a little more difficult to dominate in men's basketball for a few reasons including NBA opportunities that cause some talented players leave long before their four years are up. In any case, I think sometimes some of us leap on posters from other programs, even if their posts are largely tame and not hypercritical of our Huskies. This should be a place where everyone who is civil, has an opportunity to share an opinion, even one we may not totally agree with. All things being said, I think that the Boneyard continues to be a pretty classy place overall and a lot has to do with people like yourself, Nan! Thanks for the work that you do here!

I haven't been to the Summitt in years. It was years before the board went pay-for that I stopped reading it and I stopped reading it because while the majority of people there are nice, normal folk that just want to talk about the team they love, a small group of sourpusses ruined it as a congenial place. That group, which I call the Tin Foil Hat Brigade, is nasty, paranoid, and immune to rational discourse. And I see signs of this creeping into the Boneyard. The checklist of symptoms:

1. 
   [ ]Calling opposing coaches or players childish names - check
   [ ]Scouring the Internet and news articles for perceived insults or - more importantly - a lack of appropriate reverence for the Huskies. And heaven forbid an opposing player believe their team might have a chance to win - check
   [ ]Harassing and insulting visiting fans, not for what these fans say but for the fact the fan might have Vol or RU or Card or whatever as part of their handle - check
   [ ]Drowning out people that want to discuss possible team weaknesses or who would criticize Geno - not really, although some threads trend that way. This is actually a Boneyard strength but I would be happier if people could argue or disagree without being insulting
   [ ]Trashing recruits for not choosing UConn - oh, check this one a dozen times. That's what put me over the edge and made me want to write this post.

This is a message board to discuss a group of teenagers/twenty-somethings playing a game. It's not the Middle East peace talks and shouldn't be taken as seriously. There are people here that won't let go of their anger at one sentence uttered by Tara VanDerveer 20 years ago (see #2 above) and I'm not even going to broach the topic of Pat Summit.

 

[intlzncster]

Instructional. I would imagine someone posting as much and as long as I have would know this.

That wasn't intended to be 'instructional' nor snarky for that matter. It was merely the reason behind the "that's what's so great about message boards".

 

[triaddukefan]

Nope!!!! That is grandfathered into the rules here!

It's dook. Not .

 

[ChicagoGG]

Agree with the OP in many, many aspects. I have recently been chastised by a moderator (and rightly so!) for a comment that was perceived as an attack against a certain segment of society and which some posters were offended. I readily admitted to the moderator that I was wrong, deeply embarrassed and ashamed for making a comment that was taken in such a way. One response to my post, directly or indirectly, called me a bigot. I have apologized both to the entire board, and directly to the poster through PM. I made a mistake in which someone who knows NOTHING about me as a person and my beliefs implied to the entire board I was something which I abhor. And that was VERY hurtful. So, yes, I know about the hurt that can be caused by both making a harsh and/or poorly phrased comment as well as the ensuing backlash.

Chapette - so sorry you had a bad experience. Please do not go away, you are a valuable voice on the Yard. I think many would agree with me that you would be very much missed.

 

[semper]

To agree with Nan, I would make two points. All the Muffet threads drove me nuts, even though I was shocked and saddened by her behaviour. She was bad; but we made it worse. And then some the junk on the A'ja threads...well, I've made a pact not to read recruitment threads for a long time. I am sorry for the times I ragged a bit on some of our visitors, but I think I did it not out of animus, but rather just because I was bored with some of the same old saws or attempts to somehow bring us down. I don't like it, but as I say, I'm sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings.

I am going on a Boneyard vacation for a few weeks now. It's been a GREAT ride, and I'm so grateful. But I gotta get some work done, and off season threads can be really tedious. So just want to say how much I like it, and what a great group I think this is, and how much I appreciate the great analysis and the good humor. And the great mods. Oh and I will keep checking for the link to see Stef on Fallon's show.

Can you believe that Colbert will take over for Letterman? Maybe he'll have Stef on too!

 

[CL82]

I understand your intent but in practical terms this wouldn't work. Each board has its own personality because there are different numbers of posters with different interests and perhaps different demographics. For example, even here on the Boneyard the women's board is different from the men's hoops board which is different from the football board and that's fine. The women's forum is mostly older folks with a higher percentage of women than the other boards while the men's board is generally men under the age of 40 or so. Completely different people with different needs and styles.

I don't come on this board often enough to know whether there has been a decline in decorum but I strongly, strongly doubt it has even vaguely approached the cesspool that the old public Summitt had become, before it became a for pay cesspool. For the most part I find posters to this board to be civil and considerate of other viewpoints almost to a fault, but perhaps that has changed. I get the sense from time to time that posters on this board view the other boards as the wild west. The fact that we have so many visitors from other sites on the men's' bb board, on the football board and on the conference realignment board leads me to believe otherwise. Also, there are quite a few of us over there who might be just a bit over 40, give or take a decade or so.

For what it is worth, diversity of opinion and passionate opinions is what makes the Boneyard a great place (along with the occasional anthropomorphized scrotum, if you read the men's board.) A board without passion and heated debate, would be a bland place. That's not an endorsement of personal attacks, which I agreed are infantile and, well, boring for the most part, but it is an acknowledgement that an passionate exchange of ideas isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Just my opinion.

 

[psconn]

I haven't been to the Summitt in years. It was years before the board went pay-for that I stopped reading it and I stopped reading it because while the majority of people there are nice, normal folk that just want to talk about the team they love, a small group of sourpusses ruined it as a congenial place. That group, which I call the Tin Foil Hat Brigade, is nasty, paranoid, and immune to rational discourse. And I see signs of this creeping into the Boneyard. The checklist of symptoms:

1. 
   [ ]Calling opposing coaches or players childish names - check
   [ ]Scouring the Internet and news articles for perceived insults or - more importantly - a lack of appropriate reverence for the Huskies. And heaven forbid an opposing player believe their team might have a chance to win - check
   [ ]Harassing and insulting visiting fans, not for what these fans say but for the fact the fan might have Vol or RU or Card or whatever as part of their handle - check
   [ ]Drowning out people that want to discuss possible team weaknesses or who would criticize Geno - not really, although some threads trend that way. This is actually a Boneyard strength but I would be happier if people could argue or disagree without being insulting
   [ ]Trashing recruits for not choosing UConn - oh, check this one a dozen times. That's what put me over the edge and made me want to write this post.

This is a message board to discuss a group of teenagers/twenty-somethings playing a game. It's not the Middle East peace talks and shouldn't be taken as seriously. There are people here that won't let go of their anger at one sentence uttered by Tara VanDerveer 20 years ago (see #2 above) and I'm not even going to broach the topic of Pat Summit.

The Boneyard should be a fun place to visit but I've noticed since my "real" job has required me to work longer hours, I have limited free time and I choose to ignore the Boneyard in favor of something more relaxing. In what should have been one of the most enjoyable seasons in a few years, we've started to get a collection of sourpusses a la the Summit. Now, I can try talking to folks, that's what this post is, weeding out the sourpusses (a few have disappeared already), or I can just say "the heck with it" because people would rather recreate the Summitt with its overbearing sense of entitlement and nastiness. I don't know what's going to happen because it's not my decision, it's the decision of all you folks on the board. Let me know what direction you want to take.

Nan - Seems like a good time to suggest another avatar in keeping with the usual theme...
Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha on the History Channel's Vikings series. A really kick-@55 woman if there ever was one.

 

[pap49cba]

I don't disagree with many of Nan's observations but IMHO the BY has many fathoms more to sink before it reaches the level of The Summitt.

 

[RadyLady]

That wasn't intended to be 'instructional' nor snarky for that matter. It was merely the reason behind the "that's what's so great about message boards".

Sorry - my suggestion for what it's worth is that when you are not trying to be snarky by telling a long time poster about message boards and their use, you might try to use a emoticon, otherwise you appear to be as you put it, "snarky". I would say that the message appeared to be condescending to a long time poster such as myself.

Happy to take this to PM if you wish to continue.

 

[intlzncster]

Sorry - my suggestion for what it's worth is that when you are not trying to be snarky by telling a long time poster about message boards and their use, you might try to use a emoticon, otherwise you appear to be as you put it, "snarky". I would say that the message appeared to be condescending to a long time poster such as myself.

Happy to take this to PM if you wish to continue.

Wait a minute, you take umbrage at being instructed.....and then proceed to instruct me in return on how to use the message board!

I kid, I kid. I'm not fussed about the whole thing and am happy to let the matter drop.

 

[Sonny44]

So does this mean you will quit referring to Duke as ?

Yes, though I meant it as comical, sorry.

 

[justML]

HN you forgot one - name calling and insults aimed at fellow BY members simply because you disagree with what they have to say. Not arguing the content of what they post but attacking them personally. I often posted deliberately provocative topics, with the intent of creating a discussion.
It's why I left the BY after so many years.

I left too and to sign in for the first time in over a year and read these posts saddens me. Posting on a fan message board shouldn't be stressful. For anyone.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I find the BoneYard to be a thoroughly diverse and interesting place to exchange and share our passion for WBB.....and I'm not leaving, I tell ya!!! I even enjoy "The Silly Season".

Frankly, the only burr under my saddle is when posters attack the personal character of teenagers they, in fact, know little about. Just saying, not pontificatin...

 

[hoophuskee]

A long long time ago I can remember Chris Dailey taking a call on WTIC post game- an elderly fan called up to complain about the fan in front of her that stood up the whole time etc. Chris Dailey replied that that's what they want from their fans - to be excited- so stand up etc. I can't recall if the the elderly woman had a chance to respond, it's possible but the fan could have been unruly (but what is unruly?). The point is; we're all diffferent and have different types of expectations of being a fan. For me, Muffitt's pettiness, and other past transgressions from some of the other coaches bugs me big time. But I do understand Geno bugs the heck out of others too. But I'm a fan a UCONN fan. And like the fan that was standing up I can be emotional/passionate when it comes to sports as well. To put this in perspective- generally I hate dynasties unless it is my team that is the dynasty. You just can't turn that off- my fandom. I've watched sports a very long time and it's emotion/passion that gets me most excited. So what will happen when I'm emotional/passionate about a subject and someone disagrees and they have the same passion?

Thus there are times my fandom gets interpreted the wrong way which could be the case here on many points Nan makes. Did any team have a chance against us this year? You can argue both, can't you? So if a poster comes in and points out UCONN weaknsses you believe will have little to no impact in the game - wouldn't you say that? And wouldn't that come off as arrogant etc? Won't the opposing poster also counter in some tough manner on occassion because the reply he got sounded so arrogant? But if you believe this team for example was untouchable, weren't you basically "right?"

Also- I know Nan (and sonny and others) "hated" the thread "Players/coaches/teams you hated the most" that was on here months ago. I didn't see the big deal of it. I thought the thread was almost like saying "I hate when that happens."---- Who here doesn't have family or close friends of Yankee/Red Sox in which you are on opposite sides? I've got close friends and family that hate my team. As I get older I'm not like I used to be -- but there has been so much fun over the years with back and forth hatred of the opponent and we can all laugh it off as we rib each other. The problem is; the internet you can't. You don't see the facial expressons or hear the tone or understand someone wants to make 1 statement then no longer talk about it - etc. But you still want to be a fan. If we are allowed to speak our mind- then you have to speak out what you truly believe. In some cases sometimes on here someone can help change your view - instead of admonish you - and that is great.

I just thought some of Nan's points are beliefs - of what is a proper fan - unless I am intrepeting it wrong- and for that I apologize if I am. Everyone is different. You do need respect and I think Nan and the mods do a super job of that. But not everyone can be the fan you want them to be.

 

[AllAmerRedHeads]

I have been a UConn fan since 94. I have enjoyed basketball boards for years. Yet over the past few years I have started to get turned off.

Anyone that knows me at all know that while UConn is my team, I do have great respect for other programs, players and coaches.

I love womens basketball overall first. That is what i liked about these boards. while people like different teams, etc., we all share something in common. We enjoy WBB.

Yet when i see someone writing some strong comments because someone offers a difference of opinion in a civil manner...I just become more of a lurker and not even that as much anymore.

I tip my hat to the moderators. they do this on their own time. I know what thats like.

 

[UcMiami]

A long long time ago I can remember Chris Dailey taking a call on WTIC post game- an elderly fan called up to complain about the fan in front of her that stood up the whole time etc. Chris Dailey replied that that's what they want from their fans - to be excited- so stand up etc. I can't recall if the the elderly woman had a chance to respond, it's possible but the fan could have been unruly (but what is unruly?). The point is; we're all diffferent and have different types of expectations of being a fan. For me, Muffitt's pettiness, and other past transgressions from some of the other coaches bugs me big time. But I do understand Geno bugs the heck out of others too. But I'm a fan a UCONN fan. And like the fan that was standing up I can be emotional/passionate when it comes to sports as well. To put this in perspective- generally I hate dynasties unless it is my team that is the dynasty. You just can't turn that off- my fandom. I've watched sports a very long time and it's emotion/passion that gets me most excited. So what will happen when I'm emotional/passionate about a subject and someone disagrees and they have the same passion?

Thus there are times my fandom gets interpreted the wrong way which could be the case here on many points Nan makes. Did any team have a chance against us this year? You can argue both, can't you? So if a poster comes in and points out UCONN weaknsses you believe will have little to no impact in the game - wouldn't you say that? And wouldn't that come off as arrogant etc? Won't the opposing poster also counter in some tough manner on occassion because the reply he got sounded so arrogant? But if you believe this team for example was untouchable, weren't you basically "right?"

Also- I know Nan (and sonny and others) "hated" the thread "Players/coaches/teams you hated the most" that was on here months ago. I didn't see the big deal of it. I thought the thread was almost like saying "I hate when that happens."---- Who here doesn't have family or close friends of Yankee/Red Sox in which you are on opposite sides? I've got close friends and family that hate my team. As I get older I'm not like I used to be -- but there has been so much fun over the years with back and forth hatred of the opponent and we can all laugh it off as we rib each other. The problem is; the internet you can't. You don't see the facial expressons or hear the tone or understand someone wants to make 1 statement then no longer talk about it - etc. But you still want to be a fan. If we are allowed to speak our mind- then you have to speak out what you truly believe. In some cases sometimes on here someone can help change your view - instead of admonish you - and that is great.

I just thought some of Nan's points are beliefs - of what is a proper fan - unless I am intrepeting it wrong- and for that I apologize if I am. Everyone is different. You do need respect and I think Nan and the mods do a super job of that. But not everyone can be the fan you want them to be.

I like this post a lot and do not think you are at odds with the issues being discussed here and points to the difference that Nan has tried to make between 'trash talk' and the more personal 'denigration/pettiness' that is easy to identify in the extremes but has a gray demarkation line.
Heated debate and a little trash talking is great - coming down hard as happened today on a visitor that posted 'Uconn needs TN much more than TN needs Uconn' is fair game.
Denigrating a player or coach in order to build up a Uconn player/coach is unnecessary and unpleasant. Contrasting the games of two players and concluding the Uconn player is better is cool. Making up names that are personally belittling for opponents or picking on physical idiosyncrasies is akin to bullying - heck we had a long thread because a lot of people were offended when people called Stewart 'goofy'.
The arrogance complained about (I think) is related to statements like 'any recruit that has an offer from Uconn has to be a complete fool to choose another school.'
That gray area gets stretched when Uconn fans feel the program or a player is being disrespected by another program - the situation with ND and Muffet is an example and there was a lot of heated response, most of which I think everyone was fine with. An if go back and read through the thread I think you will see the posts that upset Nan and others - the ones that were not discussing the issue but really just calling ND and Muffet names.
And the other area that really upsets me, and others is the denigration of a player's character and not skills/basketball game - '_____ player is a selfish self centered ____' or '_____ recruit is obviously too ______ to fit at Uconn'. It would be inappropriate to post those comments about someone you knew well, it is worse to post about someone you have never met. To say Shonni's game is too uncontrolled to fit well at Uconn is one thing - to say something about her personality is another.
With recruits and players - we know them on the court - and that is fair game. And we know them from their media presence as it relates to the game of basketball, and that is fair game. Anything else about motives and personal life is really inappropriate and generally pure conjecture.
Final point - we have great visitors from around the basketball world and they add a layer of richness to everyones experience as long as they too play by the rules. If they spend too much time just touting their program, it becomes old very quickly - they should be posting on their own board. A lot of visitors tread a fine or not so fine line from time to time and the responses get quite pointed. Some leave and good riddance, some adjust and stay and that is great, and some bounce around on that line occasionally bringing the wrath of the locals, but generally adding depth to the board.

 

[HuskyNan]

I like this post a lot and do not think you are at odds with the issues being discussed here and points to the difference that Nan has tried to make between 'trash talk' and the more personal 'denigration/pettiness' that is easy to identify in the extremes but has a gray demarkation line.
Heated debate and a little trash talking is great - coming down hard as happened today on a visitor that posted 'Uconn needs TN much more than TN needs Uconn' is fair game.

Thank you for getting what I wanted to say. Debate, arguments, rumors about recruiting and other topics that don't harm reputations, trash talk, bragging, and outright celebration are all fine. I have no problem with any of it. I do have a problem when it gets personal, when folks get so full of themselves they think they call call people names or insult them or attempt to bully someone into silence that I get angry. I also hate trashing of kids, any kids, any school and this should be a surprise to no one as I've been beating this particular drum for years.

As for the above paragraph, I did have to delete some posts in that thread I'm tired of editing out things that violate the rules, which have also been well-known for years, so I'm just deleting posts. Don't be surprised if people start disappearing too since I'm tired of trying to reason with unreasonable people.

 

[EricLA]

Thank you for getting what I wanted to say. Debate, arguments, rumors about recruiting and other topics that don't harm reputations, trash talk, bragging, and outright celebration are all fine. I have no problem with any of it. I do have a problem when it gets personal, when folks get so full of themselves they think they call call people names or insult them or attempt to bully someone into silence that I get angry. I also hate trashing of kids, any kids, any school and this should be a surprise to no one as I've been beating this particular drum for years.

As for the above paragraph, I did have to delete some posts in that thread I'm tired of editing out things that violate the rules, which have also been well-known for years, so I'm just deleting posts. Don't be surprised if people start disappearing too since I'm tired of trying to reason with unreasonable people.

Great job Nan. For those of us who have been on here a long time, I know you guys will reach out to any poster who starts stepping over the bounds on a frequent basis and give them a chance to edit their ways. If they just can't or won't do it, buh-bye...

 

[vtcwbuff]

I approve this message... but some call it pot stirring smh

DaddyC - Pots need to be stirred otherwise the contents are usually bland.

 

[pinotbear]

DaddyC - Pots need to be stirred otherwise the contents are usually bland.

It ain't the stirring, vt: it's the unappetizing ingredients. Stir something unpleasant all ya want, it's still unpalatable.