American Football

davyjose

I'm one of 10-12 regular posters on the forum, and tbqh, no thanks to the mods we have a great forum. But there are trolls everywhere. Now the fact is, it's a big night in the American Football calendar, and I don't see one mod stepping in.

Why? simple Question, why?

Zaph

Why? I'd hazard a guess it's because it's almost 2.20am on Sunday morning. Mods aren't robots and aren't on boards 24/7. They're volunteers and we greatly appreciate the work they do here, but they also have lives to lead outside of this site and we can't blame them for that. If you have a problem with any particular posts, please report them and they will be looked at asap.

kryogen

I think what he might be getting at is that maybe they would have the interest to be online on one of the biggest nights of the season?

it is the catagory they accepted to be a mod of and as such it would be better i guess if some one was around when there is a likelyhood of heavier traffic?

davyjose

Zaph wrote: »

Why? I'd hazard a guess it's because it's almost 2.20am on Sunday morning. Mods aren't robots and aren't on boards 24/7. They're volunteers and we greatly appreciate the work they do here, but they also have lives to lead outside of this site and we can't blame them for that. If you have a problem with any particular posts, please report them and they will be looked at asap.

But we brought this up a few months ago - not one AF regular was made a mod. Gimme a break, it's the 3rd biggest night of the season - no need for robots, just a glancing interest in the game.

Having said that, i appreciate you stepping in and saying something.

Zaph

Well I suppose it is possible they're watching the game elsewhere and don't have access to here right now. Maybe you should discuss it with them next time they're around?

davyjose

Zaph wrote: »

Well I suppose it is possible they're watching the game elsewhere and don't have access to here right now. Maybe you should discuss it with them next time they're around?

Well in fairness, they're not gonna decide to make eagle eye or Tallaghtoutlaws a mod in their place. The fact remains, if we don't have a mod on the 3rd most important important night of the Sport's season, then there's a problem.

Would you agree?

Eire-Dearg

I've been a regular in the AF for over a month or so now, and I have noticed this in the past. It's quite an easy forum to mod, the banter is good and the most, especially the regulars, know their place, and the mods have done a good job keeping the place cool. However, its not hard to ask for a mod to be online during nights like these, such as soccer mods are expected to be on after say Liverpool or Man Utd play a game. The time of the games will always be an issue, of course, but that's what you get with AF. If the regs can keep debating til this time, then surely a mod can keep an eye on it too. Perhaps another mod should be added, one who is on at this time each game week?

Zaph

I'll have a word with the Sports CMods and get them to have a look at the situation for you.

eagle eye

In fairness neither of the two mods that have been there for a while are on the forum much. The only one that seems to be there pretty regularly is Blue_Lagoon but not usually when there are games on. The other two are rarely on, and not at all when live games are on it seems.

Eire-Dearg

eagle eye wrote: »

In fairness neither of the two mods that have been there for a while are on the forum much. The only one that seems to be there pretty regularly is Blue_Lagoon but not usually when there are games on. The other two are rarely on, and not at all when live games are on it seems.

Note that sparks and uberwolf aren't mods of the AF, they're Category Mods of the whole Sport section and their names are included in every Sport forum. Blue Lagoon and Neil3030 are the sole AF mods at the minute.

eagle eye

I was referring to Neil and LuckyLloyd. I didn't realise that LL was no longer a mod.

davyjose

eagle eye wrote: »

I was referring to Neil and LuckyLloyd. I didn't realise that LL was no longer a mod.

I didn't either - that in itself is a joke. there's few people check this forum more than I do, yet somehow I missed the announcement. my team is playing tonight, so I'll step away for a bit, but I will be back tommorrow.

kryogen

think getting one of the regular posters to be a mod is a good idea

if nobody is happy to do it, i wouldnt mind, im online late alot, cause im up watching the football but i wouldnt be a huge contributer to the forum so it would be best to try get a regular first if that is the decision that will be taken

davyjose

I've a 2 month old son, so forget it. But i'd nominate tallaghtoutlaws and/or eagle eye for the job (and that's like a Man u fan picking a liverpool fan ), these guys know the game inside out, have an interest in every thread, and are on here more than enough to make me happy. I'd also absolutely lend my full support to Kryogen too.

Dave

Sparks

Didn't realise noone was on tonight. Digging into it now.

Super-Rush

You can't blame the mods in fairness.

The same thing happened in the Pro Wrestling forum two weeks ago. Bret Hart was making his comeback to the WWE and also Hulk Hogan was making his debut with TNA which had the PW forum on fire that night, and of course the trolls were out in force as well.

All we could do was report the offending posts and try and ignore the trolls. None of us could or should expect any of the assigned moderators to stay up until 4am to keep an eye on things because a select few decide to act like children. People do still have jobs to go to in the mornings.

To be fair to the PW mods the threads were cleaned up and the offenders dealt with as soon as they were back online.

Whats the solution? More moderators?

Sounds good but i couldn't guarantee i'll be up until 4am everytime the wrestling is live on tv and i don't think anyone could. It might not seem that way if you look at the time i posted this:p but i'm just in from work

sceptre

Don't forget that it's always a help if troublesome posts are reported.:)

There have been two reported posts all night from the forum (yes davyjones, I realise one of those came from you, cheers for that, though the other, well you know about that one too), if there are actually trolls everywhere then there would be less if forum members reported the posts. It would at least be more likely that a floating cmod or admin would see that there was extra attention needed if that happened. Hello.

And yes, obviously that doesn't solve a possible larger issue except in the short term but it would result in trolls being smitten (and not in that sexy way either). Constant community vigilance and all that - it all helps. That's vigilance without vigilantism by the way. But reported posts are always welcome where they deserve reporting. It makes everything much easier when posts that should be reported are reported.

Overheal

Zaph wrote: »

Why? I'd hazard a guess it's because it's almost 2.20am on Sunday morning.

No, When you wrote that post, it was 9:20 on a Saturday night. The key word in this case is American Football; an American sport played in an American timezone.

Thats the fundamental problem though, isnt it.

Tristram

Don't see a need for any mod changes with AF forum myself. Maybe if users used the report button instead of getting involved and fueling situations the forum would run better.

Cabaal

davyjose wrote: »

But we brought this up a few months ago - not one AF regular was made a mod. Gimme a break, it's the 3rd biggest night of the season - no need for robots, just a glancing interest in the game.

Having said that, i appreciate you stepping in and saying something.

Mods don't get paid, they are entitled to a life, if for whatever reason a mod couldn't be active on the forum then there's nothing that can be done.

Did you report posts? [EDIT] I see you reported one

_Buck Rogers

See thats the difference we do expect mods to be on at 2am. Every single AF game is on late so we need a mod who stays up late to watch the games a reasonable amount of the time.

Also its a highly competitive sport which results in highly competitive fans so we do need active moderation especially during play off times. Imagine no moderation in soccer for the champions league final or FA cup final.

Cabaal its irrelevant that the mods don't get paid, Mods are needed for the section, there is several regs who would be happy to do it and would have full backing from our little corner of the community ( tallaght and eagle to name two).

The mods don't get paid argument really annoys me.

super-rush wrote: »

You can't blame the mods in fairness.

The same thing happened in the Pro Wrestling forum two weeks ago. Bret Hart was making his comeback to the WWE and also Hulk Hogan was making his debut with TNA which had the PW forum on fire that night, and of course the trolls were out in force as well.

All we could do was report the offending posts and try and ignore the trolls. None of us could or should expect any of the assigned moderators to stay up until 4am to keep an eye on things because a select few decide to act like children. People do still have jobs to go to in the mornings.

To be fair to the PW mods the threads were cleaned up and the offenders dealt with as soon as they were back online.

Whats the solution? More moderators?

Sounds good but i couldn't guarantee i'll be up until 4am everytime the wrestling is live on tv and i don't think anyone could. It might not seem that way if you look at the time i posted this:p but i'm just in from work

Rev. BlueJeans

Why is it always the initial reaction from certain quarters on here to go on the defensive and proclaim that everything is fine?

"Ohnoeverythingisfinewecouldn'tdothatitstwooclockinthemorningmodsdon'tgetpaidyouknowitsyourfaultfornotreportingthepostsanyway"

A few more open minds wouldn't go amiss, in response to this or any other suggestions people might have.

Zaph

Rev. BlueJeans wrote: »

Why is it always the initial reaction from certain quarters on here to go on the defensive and proclaim that everything is fine?

"Ohnoeverythingisfinewecouldn'tdothatitstwooclockinthemorningmodsdon'tgetpaidyouknowitsyourfaultfornotreportingthepostsanyway"

A few more open minds wouldn't go amiss, in response to this or any other suggestions people might have.

I'm assuming that's aimed at me, and at no point did I say that everything was fine. There are any number of reasons why the mods may not have been able to be here last night, I don't know what they are so I would never make a sweeping statement that they should be here just because there's a game on. I agree that it wasn't ideal, but in the absence of a mod the community has to help itself, and that means reporting posts. In fact even if there is a mod around they should be doing that anyway, it's an important contribution to the community that all mods appreciate. However, as I promised last night, it has been referred to the Sports CMods and the matter is now being looked at.

Rev. BlueJeans

Not just you Zaph, not at all.

It just seems to be a mantra on here, is all.

Note the word of the use*initial*, You decided later on to have a chat with the catmods, which is a step forward in respect of the OPs suggestion.

Others have come on here, and tried to blame the OP or the community he's speaking from. With the exception of Sparks (proactive from the off, your later helpful post, and sceptre's advisory post-more light than heat, as usual for him in fairness) the rest of the posts from those with moderator taglines have been naysayers.

Users have chimed in and said that there is indeed a problem. They're getting castigated for not reporting posts.

edit:Anyway, things seem to be in train now, so we got there in the end:)

Eire-Dearg

The point simply made here is that the AF forum currently doesn't have a mod on duty late at night during the games when the AF is at it's highest activity. Timezone is an issue obviously, unlike Soccer or GAA or Rugby when there is a game there, but that's what you get with American Football - and that's what the moderators have bought themselves in to.

The best thing to do is appoint a third mod, one of the regulars who not only are on all week long when the place is quiet and all the trolls are in hiding, but during the late night games too when the AF peaks.

Tristram

One problem I'd see is that some of the regulars that are being spoken of are the very ones who feed trolls when they appear. Not sure I want someone like that modding the forum. A whole lot of ego in the AF forum.

Ponster

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

The best thing to do is appoint a third mod, one of the regulars who not only are on all week long when the place is quiet and all the trolls are in hiding, but during the late night games too when the AF peaks.

Does such a person exist (meaning a member who is generally available at night when these games is on and who would also make a good moderator?)

Tristram

Ponster wrote: »

Does such a person exist (meaning a member who is generally available at night when these games is on and who would also make a good moderator?)

Various opinions on this.

Eire-Dearg

Ponster wrote: »

Does such a person exist (meaning a member who is generally available at night when these games is on and who would also make a good moderator?)

Yes, there is.

Do yourself and Tristram read or post in the AF forum? I've never seen you in there.

Tristram

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

Do yourself and Tristram read or post in the AF forum? I've never seen you in there.

Yes, I do.

Eire-Dearg

Tristram wrote: »

Yes, I do.

Well then you'll know of the person I think should be a mod of the AF. He wasn't posting in the Game thread last night to feed any trolls or WUMs, probably the first time in a long time he wasn't online during the late game.

RuggieBear

amp test.

tallaghtoutlaws

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

Well then you'll know of the person I think should be a mod of the AF. He wasn't posting in the Game thread last night to feed any trolls or WUMs, probably the first time in a long time he wasn't online during the late game.

To add to this I fell asleep during the second game 1st time in a long time I missed any game But there are at least 4 guys who could do this as they are always on. The debate was already put forward to the Mods of boards when I started a thread and they gave us Blue Lagoon.

Now Blue is great person and a good mod but unfortunately never on during the games or rarely that is. I didn't know Lloyd was no longer a mod either.

I personally respect that people have personal lives that is fair enough but when I made my argument to get another mod I did say it should be someone who is actually up when games are on. There are a fair few of us were our social lives or working lives are adapted to such situation.

The American Football section needs a charter like all the busy forums and it needs mods following that charter and policing it. Then there would be no problems. And as I said before during the busy period things can and will get out of hand that wouldn't last 10 seconds in other sports sections but last for days or go ignored in the AF section.

We have 3 weeks left in the current NFL season tonight, next weekend the pro bowl the following weekend and then the Superbowl. Now personally I coach an American Football team and am 50/50 on Superbowl nights but oddly that night runs more smoothly as most are out watching the game who like the sport but the weeks leading up to it need to be modded especially when games are on. That is all.

My 2c on the matter. Sorry for the rambling things struck me as a typed

Tristram

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

Well then you'll know of the person I think should be a mod of the AF. He wasn't posting in the Game thread last night to feed any trolls or WUMs, probably the first time in a long time he wasn't online during the late game.

Unlike the previous weekend when there was a display of childish petulance that would undermine any confidence I might have in that user as an effective mod. I'd be setting my sights a bit higher if changes in modding were high on my list of priorities.

tallaghtoutlaws

Tristram wrote: »

Unlike the previous weekend when there was a display of childish petulance that would undermine any confidence I might have in that user as an effective mod. I'd be setting my sights a bit higher if changes in modding were high on my list of priorities.

I take it you are talking about me and that is fair enough. What went on was nothing short of trolling by one of the regulars and he went unpunished and it angered me. I know I will never be given the Mod of that forum I have been told that on many occasions so you don't to worry about it.

Edit: Just to add in my defense all the suitable candidates at one point have had their weak moments in the American football section as trolling has been allowed far too often and people react. We are only human after all. We post regularly and see this happen and no one do anything about it.

Tristram

tallaghtoutlaws wrote: »

I take it you are talking about me and that is fair enough.

Yes, nothing personal. You contribute a lot to the forum as a regular user and hopefully will continue to do so for a long time to come. I simply don't think you would be a good or effective moderator although your name regularly crops up in connection to topic. Anyway, debate about these kinds off things is always good.

Ponster

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

Do yourself and Tristram read or post in the AF forum? I've never seen you in there.

Never post in there and only really take any interest in the sport at this time of the year because staying up until 5am means that the following day is ruined for me (e.g. today)

I'm sure that the ChMod will find someone available to keep an eye on the place as we get closer to the Superbowl.

tallaghtoutlaws

Tristram wrote: »

Yes, nothing personal. You contribute a lot to the forum as a regular user and hopefully will continue to do so for a long time to come. I simply don't think you would be a good or effective moderator although your name regularly crops up in connection to topic. Anyway, debate about these kinds off things is always good.

Ah no worries man. I was pushed to far and I accept I crossed the line and if it means I dont get mod thats fair enough but my original case is that someone should be and there is more than me in there who are regulars.

Eire-Dearg

Ponster wrote: »

Never post in there and only really take any interest in the sport at this time of the year because staying up until 5am means that the following day is ruined for me (e.g. today)

I'm sure that the ChMod will find someone available to keep an eye on the place as we get closer to the Superbowl.

Fair enough mate, I know how you feel about the late nights!

Hopefully the CMods can get something put in place for the AF forum, be it another active moderator or maybe make sure one of the current ones are online during the games.

On another point, say what you will about previous history that would effect his status as a moderator, but tallaght would be up there as a fantastic mod of the AF for me, becaue he has the two greatest neccesities of an AF mod - active all week long and a great knowledge of the game.

I'm sure he's learned his lesson after that incident last week, but to be quite honest initially it's very disappointing and infuriating to see a regular of the AF going on the way he did.

It's a nice little community in there, I don't think the addition of another mod would upset the balance at all, especially if it's one of the regs.

Overheal

RuggieBear wrote: »

amp test.

Screw your amp test :pac: Theres lots of posters [hundreds] who are on at that hour, commonly residing in other timezones that would suit the time of those games. You could pick any one of them with a right head on their shoulders, they dont have to be AF posters to know whats going on or pop their heads in.

Where is GuanYin actually?

Sparks

There were indeed lots of posters... and only two who reported anything, and one of those was busily throwing fuel on the fire along with three or four others.
A mod is meant to do the opposite. I didn't see anyone last night behaving like a mod.

Overheal

Im not saying that you did Sparks but I Am saying that doesnt make the situation alright.

So you have no moderation from the Posters and no moderation from the Moderators. What now?

Sparks

'not right' and 'fixable' are sadly unrelated states overheal.

BuffyBot

Let's keep this constructive folks. I don't want personal disputes dragged into this

tallaghtoutlaws

My last say on this:

I mod 3 other AF forums and to be honest with you as a mod of course your responses are different as you have been given a responsibility. When you don't have that responsibility and someone pisses you off consistently of course you will lash out. It is human nature. If the mods had been doing a job then the lashing out would never happen it is that simple. In the past in that AF forum posts have been reported and gone unnoticed until the next day and in that time regulars have gotton upset and responded to the trolls. When you let something fester that long, Human nature will kick in and people will go outside their civil boundries and lash back. To say otherwise one has to be a stronger person to ignore a problem that should have been killed there and then.

Personally I know I wont get it that has been made very clear but not lets forget with responsibility people change their attitudes. To say none of the regulars are good enough to mod is ridiculous. I'm sure some of you other mods have responded to trolls or got into silly debates before becoming mods.

Frisbee

The American Football Forum has been in steady decline over the past year and a half or so imo.

I stopped posting about 18 months ago and in the past few months have even stopped lurking.

There is some great posters in that forum who try their best to give it a community feel, but unfortunately they seem to be outnumbered by those who seem set on tearing that good work down.

_blank_

Frisbee wrote: »

The American Football Forum has been in steady decline over the past year and a half or so imo.

I stopped posting about 18 months ago and in the past few months have even stopped lurking.

There is some great posters in that forum who try their best to give it a community feel, but unfortunately they seem to be outnumbered by those who seem set on tearing that good work down.

Would you mod it Laura? I think you'd make a great mod.

Eire-Dearg

Des wrote: »

Would you mod it Laura? I think you'd make a great mod.

+1 Frisbee would make a great mod in the AF

kmart6

Sparks wrote: »

There were indeed lots of posters... and only two who reported anything, and one of those was busily throwing fuel on the fire along with three or four others.
A mod is meant to do the opposite. I didn't see anyone last night behaving like a mod.

Well I take it I was one of those 'fuelling' it, but I didn't feel I was at all, my post was a tongue in cheek comment that wasn't trying to provoke a reation at all!

Frisbee

Des wrote: »

Would you mod it Laura? I think you'd make a great mod.

If asked I would absolutely do it. I think the American Football forum has a good solid base of regular posters who it's obvious, to me anyway, are looking to improve it and make it a very good forum on Boards. This core group of decent posters is outnumbered by those who may only log on on big game nights or when the post-season starts, but are intent on winding people up and causing trouble.

However with the lack of proper modding this isn't going to happen as posts can be reported and it is far too long before anything is actually done as there is only one active Mod and the rest are absentees. As tallaghtoutlaws said earlier in the thread a post that is reported and has nothing done about it will often lead to the posters themselves taking matters into their own hands and this is where you end up having trouble start, flame wars, trolling etc.


Also, stop calling me Laura

helimachoptor

Frisbee wrote: »

Also, stop calling me Laura

So you're not a girl.. best rip up those Ryanair tickets to London so

I'm quite a lurker and occasional poster on AF, I know tallaghtoutlaws made a post not so long ago about the modding on that forum, and the reading of this thread indicates why he is not longer the mod, but if "Laura" isn't interested could perhaps we have tallaghtoutlaws back?

I enjoy reading his posts, always knowledgeable, has answered mine (and a lot of other peoples questions) yes he seems to have descended to troll level in the past but I believe thats due to his passion for the game and for the forum. I dont think thats a negative thing, and from browsing the forum the odd time of games he does seem to be online quite a bit.

I forward a motion for tallaghtoutlaws to be brought back on a trial basis.

@ tallaghtoutlaws from reading between the lines of your post it seems you would be interested in this, but i'm wrong please say so and will edit my post and change all the nice things i've said