Monday, September 22, 2008

To readers

OK, let's get a few things straight:

1. This is a forum where complaints can be voiced, criticism can be heard and questions can be asked - within reason.

2. Readers started to complain about comments posted on blog discussions. Finally. I've been complaining about some of the contest posted by readers for months.

3. Those of you thinking it is funny to be offensive and crude, you are wrong.

4. Those of you who are too cowardly to use your name but brave enough to criticize well-respected people who devote countless hours to better the community, the time has come to start making complaints a little less personal or leave.

5. The time has come to bring the blog back to reasonable, honest, thoughtful and intelligent discussion.


The following is part of a post I wrote about 10 minutes ago:


This used to be an area for intelligent conversation.

I hope this continues to be an area for people to voice an opinion but there are a select few (and coaches know who they are) continually steering off topic, making things far too personal or just being outright offensive.

Recently, I was asked why I have taken to deleting so many comments. Well, just read what people are posting. It's ridiculous.

This blog is not my full-time job. Thus, I do not have the time to continually delete the posts of the growing number of idiots.

The only alternative is having all posts moderated by me before they hit this site. I hope we don't get there, but we are getting very, very close.

What should we do readers?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

thank you, thank you for taking this seriously. each day the comments on this blog get worse and more ugly. i went so far as to call your editor to ask where the line was drawn. you are well respected, and this is really out of hand. the real shame is that i only see cm people writing these things. is it jealousy, envy or stupidity? don't know...a bit of advice, since you've asked, as neighborhood mom stated, if you have nothing nice to say, or something constructive to help the team, keep it to yourself. looks like you may need a guard dog at the door. so sad for you...you know what they say, one bad apple, or an orchard in this case, spoils it for everyone. good luck and keep up the great reporting/writing ! GO BIG MACS

Anonymous said...

Mike,
Unfortunately there are idiots with in the community who use the blog as a way to demoralize individuals and HS sports teams verses being an advocate of a specific program . It's fun to hear about individuals such as Turtle, or to hear various opinions on your HS will do during the football year, or even "Where Are They Now". An easy solution would be to take a page out of the Dallas Mavericks owner, Don Cuban and publish the email address of everyone who signs responds to a ridiculous post. Most of these idiots who think they are under clothe and dagger of internet secrecy fail to realize that the O-R has the email address of every one whom responds to a blog. "Big brother is truly watching". As one who recently has been subject to someone using my name, I was upset by the publishing of someone who has tried to impersonate me.

It's has been a very entertaining way to start my day. However when people begin to criticize student athletes who are trying to perform at the highest level of their ability , it is time to seriously begin to shut the blog down all together. It is time for the people in Washington County to grow up and specifically to the CM family to understand the blog is here to have fun and not to be critical of student athletes. CM vs Peters, CM vs USC,
CM vs BP. Lets hear the banter back and stay away from damaging remarks about specific players. Offering different perspectives and opinions has always been a way to generate comments and any time you can be clever and demoralize your opposing opponent has been "scoreboard on the blog".

And Mike , if all else fails. I vote to publish the idiots email addresses. Who knows, maybe your email address will appear next to your negative comment and you can spend all day responding back to the negative criticism.

Anonymous said...

Very simple solution, eliminate anonymous posting. Everyone has to establish an identity with a valid email address and if they break the rules they lose posting privledges.

These internet tough guys will disappear in a hurry if they can no longer hide in anonymity, like the cowards that they are.

Anonymous said...

I mentioned during basketball season about the possibility of requiring identities to post, and now i think it's gotten to that point.

J.D. Billy said...

"...as neighborhood mom stated, if you have nothing nice to say, or something constructive to help the team, keep it to yourself."-Why would you keep something constructive to yourself if its helping someone? That doesn't make sense to me. I believe if you have something that is helpful or beneficial to an athlete's career, you should go ahead and give them your opinion AS LONG AS it is not harshly criticizing them, putting them down, etc... It's called constructive criticism for just that reason. It helps the individual being critiqued in a way that is not demoralizing or embarrassing to them.

mike_kovak said...

I agree JD and I'd like to thank everyone for the feedback. Keep it coming.

Nothing wrong with constructive criticism. This can be a forum for people to constructively criticize.

The problem is people posing as others or leaving ridiculous posts.

Judging from you comments over time, you are exactly the type of person this blog needs. You don't hide your name, and you don't cross the line.

J.D. Billy said...

I would have to agree that the comments have to stop. I do have to admit the first couple were funny, but people took it to a completely different level that was just ridiculous. I think people need to realize this blog is about sport and athlete discussion. Not everyone finds it hilarious that Turtle is getting offers from the majors (your still my boy Turtle don't worry). I think the best solution is give people a chance and see if they prove they are responsible enough to handle it. If not just make people sign up for a google/blogger account. It is free so i don't think that is asking for very much.

Unknown said...

dear mike, i agree with you, most of those trick brains don't even know if the ball has air in it or if it's stuffed. all of the coaches and players that i've been involved with have always been first class. keep up the good work.
coach stoner

THSfan said...

Mike,
Don't worry about the idiots who come on here to start trouble. It's easy for them to hide anonymously behind a keyboard, because they don't have the fortitude to face those they criticize.
I appreciate your articles and this blog. Just keep up the good work!
And yes, you should monitor postings first.