Soccer Forum - Please dont close it

Draupnir

Ive been reading in the other topic that there is a certain element at boards who are considering closing the Soccer forum and I have to say, Id hate to see that happen.

It was precisely the reason I joined Boards at first and since Im one of the "clowns" who managed to get myself banned then Id hate to feel any blame for it getting shut down.

Football tends to be a bit tribal all the time but I appreciate that in my case I went too far and Im sure everyone else who has gotten banned realises that too. Anyway, gandalf is doing a damn good job imo. The soccer forum is fun, some users of it need to lighten up and some need to cop on at times. I dont think it needs to be closed as its one of the best attractions at boards for many reasons.

kaimera

Originally posted by Draupnir
Ive been reading in the other topic that there is a certain element at boards who are considering closing the Soccer forum and I have to say, Id hate to see that happen.

got a link to that other topic?

you could be blowing this outta proportion tbh.

sure why not close the CS forum aswell while you're at it.

Draupnir

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=152919

DeVore

I *DID* close the CS forum before, and we also put it on pre-moderation. At the time CS was the biggest game online by a country mile and everyone said we'd be cutting off our own noses to spite our face but we closed it anyway and it certainly shook up the community when they realised (finally, as you have) that such a forum brings a lot of enjoyment, and its a privilege not a right!

A few people need a smack round the head and a wake up call. There are no plans just yet to close it but dont for one second think that any popularity it might have would cause me a moments pause before closing it temporarily or permanently if it becomes more work then its worth to the admins.

Some people need to cop themselves on, and the community there needs to tell them that in no uncertain terms. If they dont, I will....

If it werent for the mods it would probably be long gone...
DeV.

mr_angry

I was quite keen on the Soccer forum being closed at one point, but I think the recent 'crackdown' by the mods has been highly successful. Job well done.

DapperGent

The soccer forum is almost unreadable at this stage, it used to be grand and funny and a good read. Unfortunately it appears a group of replica shirt clad gibbons simultaneously discovered how to switch on a computer (a great step in gibbon evolution I'm sure we'll all agree) and descended, frothing at the mouth, upon the soccer forum to do battle. He of the appropriate name to the fore.

I'd vote for closing it for a while, despite the best efforts of the mods it's little fucking good to anyone in it's present state anyway.

Villain

Closing the soccer Forum would be a very sad decision, there may be a lot of "BATTLE'S" going on but there is also a lot of good discussions.

I think gandalf, Thanx 4 The Fish and tHE vAGGABOND are doing a good moding, but I think they could get a little stricter. Also I think all new threads should have to be approved before they created.

gandalf

Well tbh I do not have time to read thru every new post on the board so that one is out. Anyway its not new threads the problem is with, its when certain teams are criticised by the fans of other teams then the childish name calling and bullsh!t really takes off.

I also mod Politics and I expect things to get out of hand there from time to time which they do. However recently every time I log onto my PC I find a reported post or two from soccer because some kid or other has decided that they have to "fight de powa" and start abusing others because they disagree with them. I liked modding soccer as its something that interests me and the forum wasn't too much of a handful, but recently it has turned into a nightmare.

If the current clampdown is not successful then I will ask the Admins to shut the soccer board down on a tempory basis to see if that will concentrate some people minds.

Gandalf.

Draupnir

I think another obvious solution is for a few people to lighten up and not report stuff that isnt all that serious. Also, a VERY good idea would be to get mods who arent football fans.

Villain

Originally posted by gandalf
Well tbh I do not have time to read thru every new post on the board so that one is out. Anyway its not new threads the problem is with, its when certain teams are criticised by the fans of other teams then the childish name calling and bullsh!t really takes off.

I also mod Politics and I expect things to get out of hand there from time to time which they do. However recently every time I log onto my PC I find a reported post or two from soccer because some kid or other has decided that they have to "fight de powa" and start abusing others because they disagree with them. I liked modding soccer as its something that interests me and the forum wasn't too much of a handful, but recently it has turned into a nightmare.

If the current clampdown is not successful then I will ask the Admins to shut the soccer board down on a tempory basis to see if that will concentrate some people minds.

Gandalf.

How about more mods, part-time maybe I think most of the problems occur after big games, so an extra mod or 2 after premiership or champions league games would probably sort things out.

I don't think closing it for a while would do anything really.

Also how about members having to be a member for a few months or certain number of posts before being allowed to post, simalar to the For Sale forum?

sceptre

Originally posted by Draupnir
I think another obvious solution is for a few people to lighten up and not report stuff that isnt all that serious.

That's equivalent to someone asking us not to report crime so we can live in a safer country. As far as I can see, the problem isn't that people report stupidity, it's that people act stupid.

As for getting mods who aren't soccer fans, are you hinting that the mods aren't impartial? Because if they're impartial (and I think they are, based on the odd reading of the forum I do) why would you need non-soccer fans? If they're not impartial, where?

zAbbo

Closing the soccer forum would be a good idea, the influx of moranic sig whoring idiots ion there is unreal. It used to be a great forum with some very openly and intellectually debated topics. But now its just mindless replies of cock shaking

Pepe LeFrits

Personally I think the soccer board should be pre-modded like the CS board used to be, in that you need to PM a moderator to set your access flags to allow you to post on the board. One of the problems with it right now is that any time the mods ban a tosser like Michelangelo or Ronaldo7, they just register another account and continue posting their drivel. It takes a lot longer for them to be banned than it does to re-register.

Not granting a certain few existing posters on soccer access would probably help a lot too.

ecksor

Originally posted by Draupnir
I think another obvious solution is for a few people to lighten up and not report stuff that isnt all that serious.

It is up to the Mods to decide if somebody is being a nuisance.

Also, a VERY good idea would be to get mods who arent football fans.

Extra or replacement? What is the problem with the current mods? What is the problem with them being soccer fans?

Villain

Originally posted by sceptre
As for getting mods who aren't soccer fans, are you hinting that the mods aren't impartial? Because if they're impartial (and I think they are, based on the odd reading of the forum I do) why would you need non-soccer fans? If they're not impartial, where?

I think Draupnir's issues might stem from his banning in the chelsea thread, which was for personal insults.

Lump

Would it not be an Idea to stick a non-football mod into the mix to ensure that there is no biased? Like Jerry modding the Wrestling board, Are you still doing that? I think that alot of the problems, from what I've read on here tend to involve possible bannings because mods don't agree with what is being said, I'm not abusing anyone and I can't really comment because I'm not a football fan. I think it's a good idea to have some one who possibly isn't interested in an area like football to be a mod. I think they could be there to spot the muppets..... I know what I'm thinking, maybe I'm not coming across too well.


John

ecksor

I know what you're thinking too, but if there's a charge of unfairness based around partisan support then I'd like to see examples. It's easy for people who get banned to claim that it was because the Mod in question supports a different team or whatever, but based on the various reports from people I know and whose judgement I think is sound this simply isn't occuring and the Mods are doing a good job. Even if putting in a non-soccer-fan was seen as a show of good faith, it isn't going to do much good if the base problem is that some people don't know how to behave.

I am still modding the pro-wrestling forum, although I won't be for very long.

Villain

Originally posted by ecksor
Even if putting in a non-soccer-fan was seen as a show of good faith, it isn't going to do much good if the base problem is that some people don't know how to behave.

I don't think a non soccer fan mod would chnage anything most ppl get banned for personal insults, which has nothing to do with soccer.

Some threads about games seem to run and run, maybe it might be a good idea to close such threads 3 days after a game.

mike65

2 week ban after 1 strike, permenant banning after 2 strikes. Any attempt to hijack another account or start a new account and get found out results in IP ban (if thats possible).

Mike.

gandalf

Originally posted by Lump
I think that alot of the problems, from what I've read on here tend to involve possible bannings because mods don't agree with what is being said, I'm not abusing anyone and I can't really comment because I'm not a football fan.

Actually all the bans recently are for personal abuse because people cannot behave like adults.

As for the content I do not personally care what football team people support as long as they get theirs views etc over to each other in a civilised fashion.

I like the idea of people having to apply for access to the board that may sort the problem with the proviso that they have to be a boards.ie member for at least a month lets say. I will mull that idea over for a day or two.

Gandalf.

Lump

Fair enough, as I said, I'm just going on what I read here. I have no interest in soccer, I don't think I've ever opened the board... ignore my comments so.


John

GuanYin

I think the soccer mods to a great job in general.

I do think that there is a tendancy to deal with the symptoms rather the cause of the muppetry in soccer.

Many posters deliberately stir and provoke the argument while rarely gettinginvolved themselves. In most forums this would be grand, but he flamebaiters really are running the show in soccer at the moment.

PiE

I think you're all making too big a deal out of this. Just ignore the retards, don't read any thread about Man Utd and it's aaall gravy.

Moriarty

Originally posted by kaids
Personally I think the soccer board should be pre-modded like the CS board used to be, in that you need to PM a moderator to set your access flags to allow you to post on the board. One of the problems with it right now is that any time the mods ban a tosser like Michelangelo or Ronaldo7, they just register another account and continue posting their drivel. It takes a lot longer for them to be banned than it does to re-register.

Not granting a certain few existing posters on soccer access would probably help a lot too.

That man talks sense ^. Soccer isn't one of my regular haunts, but it does seem to be causing an inordinate amount of problems and hassle. The above would seem to be the most effective solution.. I mean if it worked on the cs board it must work everywhere, right?

The Muppet

Originally posted by syke

Many posters deliberately stir and provoke the argument while rarely getting involved themselves. In most forums this would be grand, but he flamebaiters really are running the show in soccer at the moment.

I think the main problem with soccer is that if a supporter of one team makes a post criticising a different team it is seen by some as flame baiting and so the circus begins. I Believe the soccer forum could be self policing if all the established users played their part in dowsing the Flames.

Draupnir

I wasnt tryin to say that the mods are impartial, however I would say that it seems to me that most ppl banned are Man Utd fans while the one mod doing all the "great" work is an Arsenal fan. Maybe a coincidence, maybe Utd fans are all gob****es, I dunno.

I went over the top in my enjoyment of an Arsenal defeat and got banned but I didnt make a single personal insult. I said "stick that up your ******", hardly a personal insult. Would I have been banned by a Man Utd supporting moderator? No. Would I have been banned by an impartial moderator? I doubt it. But I was banned by an Arsenal supporter. Go figure.

Draupnir

Just to add, I dont wanna start some sort of massive debate but I had a point to make, probably would help if I wasnt banned while making it. However, the example for my banning is a bit ludicrous.

Pepe LeFrits

Originally posted by Draupnir
I went over the top in my enjoyment of an Arsenal defeat and got banned but I didnt make a single personal insult. I said "stick that up your ******", hardly a personal insult. Would I have been banned by a Man Utd supporting moderator? No.

Why, are Man Utd supporters unable to grasp the concept that you shouldn't post drivel?

hmm, actually... this explains a lot.

Pacifico

Originally posted by Draupnir
I wasnt tryin to say that the mods are impartial, however I would say that it seems to me that most ppl banned are Man Utd fans while the one mod doing all the "great" work is an Arsenal fan. Maybe a coincidence, maybe Utd fans are all gob****es, I dunno.

I went over the top in my enjoyment of an Arsenal defeat and got banned but I didnt make a single personal insult. I said "stick that up your ******", hardly a personal insult. Would I have been banned by a Man Utd supporting moderator? No. Would I have been banned by an impartial moderator? I doubt it. But I was banned by an Arsenal supporter. Go figure.

Jesus.

Gandalf hardly banned you because you are a man utd fan. Granted there are no Man utd mods there but they never comment on the demise of another team. And dont go crazy on threads like chelsea v Arsenal. And TBH i didnt know Gandalf was an arsenal fan, or T4TF a liverpool fan.

They do their job, Support their team. You were not banned for being a United Supporter you were banned for Personal abuse

Draupnir

Well, I dunno how true that is but hey forget it, my ban is up tomorrow so Ill be back on posting my highly biased Man U loving ideals.

ecksor

Originally posted by Draupnir
I said "stick that up your ******", hardly a personal insult.

That's lovely. You honestly posted that not intending to get a rise out of someone?

Would I have been banned by a Man Utd supporting moderator? No. Would I have been banned by an impartial moderator? I doubt it. But I was banned by an Arsenal supporter. Go figure.

I'm aghast here. Do you honestly think the above is no hindrance to keeping peace on the Soccer forum?

If you're going to make the case of partial moderating you're going to have to find an example that doesn't make you look like a muppet.