what happened to the shark pool? (1 Viewer)

[SSOG]

Count me in as one of the people that doesn't post and doesn't come here as much because I am sick of all the low content posts.

Ironically, I don't care about the useless THREADS, those I can choose not to open, but when it's a topic I want to read about, it's so hard to get through it because of all the people who want to post zingers, marking threads, people just posting to start fights, etc.....

I don't care at all in the FFA - that's what it's for, and I do read and participate in that forum - but in the shark pool I wish it was moderated heavily and just put the ban-hammer on anyone who posts useless replies. I want to come to this forum to get information and talk about football.

It should be run like "The Lounge" at 2+2 - over there they tailor the forums so that people that want to post wisecracks and junk can post in OOT or BBV and the people that want to read them can hang out in those forums. In The Lounge, it's generally all thoughtful replies that add to the discussion or you get banned from posting there.

I also have a 3 digit account besides this one, and agree that the board was much better 3-4 years ago.

Black dot, white corner, Jason Sehorn... Whatever you call it, marking threads is sacred.

 

[12punch]

this thread is the shark pool in a nutshell

bostonfred -- plz remove boston from your nick, you are embarrassing us

 

[ConstruxBoy]

The second factor in my opinion is the general "anonymous internet snarkiness" of the public. People have been conditioned to be more sarcastic, confrontational, and controversial on the internet than they were 7 years ago. It's not just Footballguys. It's not just fantasy football. It's America in general. It seems that it used to be that more people would think about how they would act in person before posting. There was more civility. But as we've become further removed from a society that communicates face to face, with all the niceties associated with that, we've become more and more like inpolite jackasses. There is very little chance someone is going to punch me when I make a jackass remark to some one on here. There is little reason to really be civil in conversations on the internet anymore. And that of course is reflected here as well. It's too bad.

You are referring to the "Greater Internet F-Wad Theory". Feel free to Google it, it's not safe for work though.

LOL, it has a name? That's great.

 

[coolnerd]

Count me in as one of the people that doesn't post and doesn't come here as much because I am sick of all the low content posts.

Ironically, I don't care about the useless THREADS, those I can choose not to open, but when it's a topic I want to read about, it's so hard to get through it because of all the people who want to post zingers, marking threads, people just posting to start fights, etc.....

I don't care at all in the FFA - that's what it's for, and I do read and participate in that forum - but in the shark pool I wish it was moderated heavily and just put the ban-hammer on anyone who posts useless replies. I want to come to this forum to get information and talk about football.

It should be run like "The Lounge" at 2+2 - over there they tailor the forums so that people that want to post wisecracks and junk can post in OOT or BBV and the people that want to read them can hang out in those forums. In The Lounge, it's generally all thoughtful replies that add to the discussion or you get banned from posting there.

I also have a 3 digit account besides this one, and agree that the board was much better 3-4 years ago.

Black dot, white corner, Jason Sehorn... Whatever you call it, marking threads is sacred.

Yep. marking threads with nothing is better than those sites which force people to type like 10 characters. that forces people who just want to comeback to a thread to read it in more detail to say something meaningless instead.

 

[bostonfred]

bostonfred....hmmmm.....while I generally agree with his sentiment in this thread I believe that's the guy who made several flippant posts in an otherwise serious thread a couple years ago trying to belittle me about my choice of screen names

I remember that. It was about three years ago.Fred's comment was "Are you really a 57-year-old guy who calls himself Dragon?"Gotta admit, I laughed.

Ok I actually remember that too. And I know it's probably three years too late, but I'm sorry for not taking you more seriously, Dragon. Or Mr. Dragon. Or whatever it is you go by. thank you for reminding us all that some dreams never die.

 

[Dragon1952]

bostonfred....hmmmm.....while I generally agree with his sentiment in this thread I believe that's the guy who made several flippant posts in an otherwise serious thread a couple years ago trying to belittle me about my choice of screen names

I remember that. It was about three years ago.Fred's comment was "Are you really a 57-year-old guy who calls himself Dragon?"Gotta admit, I laughed.

I thought it was funny too considering it came from a guy who had Tinky Winky as his avatar I noticed Tinky Winky disappeared soon after I made a comment to that effect.

 

[Raider Nation]

bostonfred....hmmmm.....while I generally agree with his sentiment in this thread I believe that's the guy who made several flippant posts in an otherwise serious thread a couple years ago trying to belittle me about my choice of screen names

I remember that. It was about three years ago.Fred's comment was "Are you really a 57-year-old guy who calls himself Dragon?"Gotta admit, I laughed.

I thought it was funny too considering it came from a guy who had Tinky Winky as his avatar

Uh oh. Now you've done it....

 

[bostonfred]

bostonfred....hmmmm.....while I generally agree with his sentiment in this thread I believe that's the guy who made several flippant posts in an otherwise serious thread a couple years ago trying to belittle me about my choice of screen names

I remember that. It was about three years ago.Fred's comment was "Are you really a 57-year-old guy who calls himself Dragon?"Gotta admit, I laughed.

I thought it was funny too considering it came from a guy who had Tinky Winky as his avatar

Tinky winky wasn't my avatar. It was charlie bosworth's, a man who posted here under the name shining path for close to a decade before he took his own life right around that time. He was a brilliant guy, posthumously awarded the doctorate he had all but finished while entertaining and educating all of us in the free for all and other boards. He was a friend to many of us and a lot of us used his avatar to honor him or added tinky winky to their existing avatars.

 

[Dragon1952]

I guess that goes to show you that avatars and screen names can have special meanings and/or stories behind them doesn't it.

BTW, I am now a 59 1/2 year old man that calls himself dragon.

 

[bostonfred]

I guess that goes to show you that avatars and screen names can have special meanings and/or stories behind them doesn't it.BTW, I am now a 59 1/2 year old man that calls himself dragon.

 

[Abraham]

bostonfred....hmmmm.....while I generally agree with his sentiment in this thread I believe that's the guy who made several flippant posts in an otherwise serious thread a couple years ago trying to belittle me about my choice of screen names

I remember that. It was about three years ago.Fred's comment was "Are you really a 57-year-old guy who calls himself Dragon?"Gotta admit, I laughed.

I thought it was funny too considering it came from a guy who had Tinky Winky as his avatar

Tinky winky wasn't my avatar. It was charlie bosworth's, a man who posted here under the name shining path for close to a decade before he took his own life right around that time. He was a brilliant guy, posthumously awarded the doctorate he had all but finished while entertaining and educating all of us in the free for all and other boards. He was a friend to many of us and a lot of us used his avatar to honor him or added tinky winky to their existing avatars.

Nagging on Charlie is off limits. Seriously. thanks for remembering him fondly.

 

[Buffaloes]

I guess that goes to show you that avatars and screen names can have special meanings and/or stories behind them doesn't it.BTW, I am now a 59 1/2 year old man that calls himself dragon.

absolutely, man. absolutely.

 

[BaBastage]

I guess that goes to show you that avatars and screen names can have special meanings and/or stories behind them doesn't it.BTW, I am now a 59 1/2 year old man that calls himself dragon.

Wow... full circle in this thread, it's like you guys just kissed and made up

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

Loving this thread for a number of reasons. I have been posting here semi frequently for 7 or 8 years and this thread has brought back some blasts from the past who rarely post anymore.

The Shark Pool still has many good posters now and will have many more in the future. There have been some older 'good' posters who post less, some new 'good' posters who post more and you get the picture.

There is always relevant information to find in the shark pool that will keep me coming back. Some more relevant than others, but still relevant. There may be a smaller number of 'good' posters as BostonFred alluded too, but I am sure there will be times that may happen on a message board.

Many have made mention of this already but you get to know what posters to spend more time reading and what ones to avoid. If there are a few more to avoid it is pretty easy to scroll to some relevant information somewhere in a thread.

Nice to see some of you guys come back from the dead.

I do appreciate those that take the time to post as much relevant information as possible. The shark pool will never be perfect, but I am thankful for it.

 

[Insein]

Most of the threads I've seen where bickering follows is when one poster decides to label any opinion other than his as worthless or stupid. It's like they dont want anyone disagreeing with them because it might make it less likely that their posts get quoted in a player spotlight.

BingoThis is what happened to the Atlanta Falcons Message Boards about 6 years ago and as a result the original core that had meaningful content simply left....

I refuse to believe the Falcons had fans 6 years ago.

 

[Manster]

I'll add my $.02 to the status of the FBG forums. Joe and company, please accept this as constructive criticism and not a complaint, because everything I get from you is phenominal value for my $26-and whatever annual subscription.

I have noticed that the moderation of the boards has been more and more relaxed in the past few years. I seem to recall Joe stepping in to the bickering reminding us to "be excellent to each other", but not recently.

As with any successful business, FBG appears to have grown and attracted more people. I imagine moderating the forum requires more time than Joe, David, et al have time for.

I would suggest recruiting moderators to help patrol the bickering, personal attacks, and blatant off-topic junk. One word of caution there; being a moderator is a privilege, not a right, and I've seen just as many forums go downhill because of overzealous moderation as I have seen them be under-moderated.

Ideally I would like to see a slashdot-style forum where posts are user - modded up or down (or call it "liked" for the Facebook crowd.) This would allow us to glaze over the bad ("bickering") posts. I'm sure there is another off-the-shelf forum software that allows for this, although that's not my area of expertise.

As an alternative, or in the interim, I would recommend people start using that "ignore" list - when you find a poster continually not adding value, just ignore them. You'll be happier not to read the drivel, and they'll have one less person likely to respond to their post. (ie "don't feed the trolls.") I currently only have one person on my ignore list - I'll refrain from saying who - but I am happier for it.

I like this idea. But you do have to be careful about what direction it heads.I've seen a fishing forum extremely over-moderated. So much so, that any hint of disagreeing with someone, you run the risk of having your post deleted and you are banned. Nazis.

The other extreme I've seen on another FF forum with a lot of traffic, that is a free-for-all. So much so, that most threads end up getting way off track with fighting, and people trying to one up eachother. I rarely visit the site anymore.

 

[Wreckincrew]

Whether it is Rizzler or someone else, there have always been posters who just want to cause a reaction. On the flip side, there has always been posters who discount others opinions because their post count or join date isn't good enough in their eyes.

Even with it's faults, show me a FF forum/website that is better.

And everyone knows you can't let fisherman have too much freedom. Those Rapala vs Yo-Zuris threads will instantly turn into flame-fests.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

They allowed the ###-hats to run rampant.

 

[wazoo11]

I really don't see what the problem is.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

Count me in as one of the people that doesn't post and doesn't come here as much because I am sick of all the low content posts.

Ironically, I don't care about the useless THREADS, those I can choose not to open, but when it's a topic I want to read about, it's so hard to get through it because of all the people who want to post zingers, marking threads, people just posting to start fights, etc.....

I don't care at all in the FFA - that's what it's for, and I do read and participate in that forum - but in the shark pool I wish it was moderated heavily and just put the ban-hammer on anyone who posts useless replies. I want to come to this forum to get information and talk about football.

It should be run like "The Lounge" at 2+2 - over there they tailor the forums so that people that want to post wisecracks and junk can post in OOT or BBV and the people that want to read them can hang out in those forums. In The Lounge, it's generally all thoughtful replies that add to the discussion or you get banned from posting there.

I also have a 3 digit account besides this one, and agree that the board was much better 3-4 years ago.

Black dot, white corner, Jason Sehorn... Whatever you call it, marking threads is sacred.

So I don't get this at all. Couldn't you just as easily bookmark it? Really, in most modern browsers you don't even need a bookmark. Just type part of the thread title in the address bar and it'll appear in the drop down. When you black dot you annoy many people who think there is a new post in a thread they are interested in but instead find your worthless black dot when they open it.

 

[jdoggydogg]

Fact is, the internet age has emboldened cowardly behavior. Many message boards have individuals that use the cloak of anonymity as a excuse for acrimony. Don't type something in a forum you wouldn't say to a man's face.

 

[12punch]

I really don't see what the problem is.

you ever work at some place and there's that one guy who's always complaining about everything in his life?

 

[Run It Up]

I really don't see what the problem is.

you ever work at some place and there's that one guy who's always complaining about everything in his life?

You mean the guy that secretly hates himself and reflects that on everything? Thats only like half of the USA, no big deal.

 

[The Great Snook]

I agree, when did the Shark Pool become infested with such whiney #####es. I have been here a long time and the pool has always been crowded with complainers whining about "Dude that belongs in the AC forum" or "Nobody cares about your team", etc., but now it is getting much worse.

 

[squistion]

Count me in as one of the people that doesn't post and doesn't come here as much because I am sick of all the low content posts.

Ironically, I don't care about the useless THREADS, those I can choose not to open, but when it's a topic I want to read about, it's so hard to get through it because of all the people who want to post zingers, marking threads, people just posting to start fights, etc.....

I don't care at all in the FFA - that's what it's for, and I do read and participate in that forum - but in the shark pool I wish it was moderated heavily and just put the ban-hammer on anyone who posts useless replies. I want to come to this forum to get information and talk about football.

It should be run like "The Lounge" at 2+2 - over there they tailor the forums so that people that want to post wisecracks and junk can post in OOT or BBV and the people that want to read them can hang out in those forums. In The Lounge, it's generally all thoughtful replies that add to the discussion or you get banned from posting there.

I also have a 3 digit account besides this one, and agree that the board was much better 3-4 years ago.

Black dot, white corner, Jason Sehorn... Whatever you call it, marking threads is sacred.

So I don't get this at all. Couldn't you just as easily bookmark it? Really, in most modern browsers you don't even need a bookmark. Just type part of the thread title in the address bar and it'll appear in the drop down. When you black dot you annoy many people who think there is a new post in a thread they are interested in but instead find your worthless black dot when they open it.

 

[Otis]

This three-digiter concurs. Place needs more meat.

 

[LarryAllen'sJockstrap]

Most people are primarily interested in themselves, so you're always gonna have the ACF type posts mixed in with the SP info threads. Once I learned to treat those as noise, I got a lot more satisfaction here. A lot of folks think it's there job to play board cop.

There are still a lot of really well informed posters that provide great insight and discussion around here. Always has been.

On the flip-side, you also going to have a few "look at me folks" (I.e., Rizzler). The folks that like to have "fun" junking up threads with one-liners and starting pissing contests. In a way I feel bad for them. If you gotta bully people and get your kicks being a jack-### online, you might need to find another hobby.

For the majority of folks, all I can recommend is enjoy the place, contribute when you can and if it gets to the point where a FF board is getting under your skin or you're thinking about it after you go back to the real world, take a break for a while. We'll be here when u get back.

 

[meanjoegreen]

This three-digiter concurs. Place needs more meat.

You bought your 3 digit number, which included a join date. That's about as lame as it gets.

 

[fatness]

I really don't see what the problem is.

There's a topic like this every preseason.

 

[Mr. Know-It-All]

If you want the Shark Pool great again, I will see if I can work SP postings into my already overextended schedule. Being as I know it all, I should be able to raise the level of discourse and enlighten the rest of you fantasy football apprenctices.

I think Blaine Gabbert will be a top 12 qb this year in a passing based offense. This will really be the year he should have been the starter anyway. Coupled with a stout defense I believe the Jaguars should contend for the AFC title and face my St Louis Rams for the Lombardozzi Trophy.

Happy to help.

 

[BallparkFrank]

Everything was always better in the old days...

 

[12punch]

Most people are primarily interested in themselves, so you're always gonna have the ACF type posts mixed in with the SP info threads. Once I learned to treat those as noise, I got a lot more satisfaction here. A lot of folks think it's there job to play board cop.There are still a lot of really well informed posters that provide great insight and discussion around here. Always has been.On the flip-side, you also going to have a few "look at me folks" (I.e., Rizzler). The folks that like to have "fun" junking up threads with one-liners and starting pissing contests. In a way I feel bad for them. If you gotta bully people and get your kicks being a jack-### online, you might need to find another hobby.

do you feel rizzler is bullying you?

 

[Ministry of Pain]

While all this #####in' is going on there are actually some worthwhile threads about if you all aren't too busy to check in

 

[Ministry of Pain]

And another thing. I am running a $100 best ball league and we need 1 owner so would one of you turkeys pony up and join so we can start drafting please, thank you!

 

[12punch]

And another thing. I am running a $100 best ball league and we need 1 owner so would one of you turkeys pony up and join so we can start drafting please, thank you!

isn't there a looking for leagues forum?back in the old days people would use the correct forums.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

And another thing. I am running a $100 best ball league and we need 1 owner so would one of you turkeys pony up and join so we can start drafting please, thank you!

isn't there a looking for leagues forum?back in the old days people would use the correct forums.

 

[Silver & Black]

I too was around for the yellow board days. Good times to be sure.

People are certainly passionate about things around here. There can be no doubt. But what I never understood and can't figure out is why people have to get so nasty or personal when they disagree or don't see eye to eye. It's the nature of the beast for people to disagree. Debate and the free flow of information and ideas is what made this country so great. It's the name calling and personal vitriol around here that makes threads borderline unreadable.

I am a strong proponent of the theory that you don't ned to use the blood and bones of your adversaries as mortar in order to build yourself up. You should be able to succeed on your own merits.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Epic Problem]

This three-digiter concurs. Place needs more meat.

 

[BigTex]

One more thing to keep in mind...a good majority of the FBG subscribers do not post in the forums. I think people forget that and I would also bet that half of the folks who do post in the SP, FFA, don't have subscriptions. I have no way to prove this of course.

I keep subscribing for the news letters and Draft Dominator. Those are golden IMO. Another thing I really like here are the Depth Charts on the front page.

 

[Big Sug]

Been lurking around here since cheatsheets.net. Used to read this board every day, but now I only look maybe once a week during the NFL season and not at all during the offseason.

The message board's viability as a place to communicate has been long compromised, social media is killing off all the boards. This place is just a standard example.

My favorite time period for this board was like 7-8 years ago. Some of the guys on here historically have had nothing better to do than to treat certain professional football players like adopted sons, lol---who was the guy who swore up and down that Joseph Addai (a replacement-level talent if there has ever been one) was the second coming of Jim Brown?

BTW I believe (but am not entirely sure) that I played live brick & mortar poker with Boston Fred once, and that we somehow discovered our common membership to this forum through some random conversation about fantasy football. I told him I liked his posts. It was probably at Foxwoods, circa 2006 or something.

 

[SSOG]

Count me in as one of the people that doesn't post and doesn't come here as much because I am sick of all the low content posts.

Ironically, I don't care about the useless THREADS, those I can choose not to open, but when it's a topic I want to read about, it's so hard to get through it because of all the people who want to post zingers, marking threads, people just posting to start fights, etc.....

I don't care at all in the FFA - that's what it's for, and I do read and participate in that forum - but in the shark pool I wish it was moderated heavily and just put the ban-hammer on anyone who posts useless replies. I want to come to this forum to get information and talk about football.

It should be run like "The Lounge" at 2+2 - over there they tailor the forums so that people that want to post wisecracks and junk can post in OOT or BBV and the people that want to read them can hang out in those forums. In The Lounge, it's generally all thoughtful replies that add to the discussion or you get banned from posting there.

I also have a 3 digit account besides this one, and agree that the board was much better 3-4 years ago.

Black dot, white corner, Jason Sehorn... Whatever you call it, marking threads is sacred.

So I don't get this at all. Couldn't you just as easily bookmark it? Really, in most modern browsers you don't even need a bookmark. Just type part of the thread title in the address bar and it'll appear in the drop down. When you black dot you annoy many people who think there is a new post in a thread they are interested in but instead find your worthless black dot when they open it.

I'll browse on my laptop, my wife's laptop, my smartphone, and my tablet. Bookmarks don't sync across all four devices. Black dots do. Black dots also have other advantages. Sometimes a thread has a crappy or misleading title, and I'll completely forget that I'd read it, but the black dot serves as a visual reminder. With a black dot, you can see automatically which threads have new replies without going through every one of your (potentially considerable number of) bookmarks. Black dots are more useful when someone practices thread necromancy. Lots of advantages.

Really, though, black dots have been around since the dawn of FBGs. An emoticon was created whose sole reason for existence was black dotting threads. Love it or hate it, it's part of the fabric of the forums at this point.

 

[bagger]

hey guys, someone just traded mike vick for matt ryan in my league. i think it may be collusion. what do you think?

 

[simey]

---who was the guy who swore up and down that Joseph Addai (a replacement-level talent if there has ever been one) was the second coming of Jim Brown?

I believe that was Switz. He was also a big cheerleader of Felix Jones.

 

[Ghost Rider]

I blame Spygate. It brought out too many posters who either wanted to defend or vilify the Patriots and Belichick, and many of those posters stuck around and were nothing but nuisances. And the SP has never recovered.

 

[SSOG]

---who was the guy who swore up and down that Joseph Addai (a replacement-level talent if there has ever been one) was the second coming of Jim Brown?

I believe that was Switz. He was also a big cheerleader of Felix Jones.

Maybe he let his Anquan Boldin call go to his head.

I blame Spygate. It brought out too many posters who either wanted to defend or vilify the Patriots and Belichick, and many of those posters stuck around and were nothing but nuisances. And the SP has never recovered.

I don't think any one event is to blame. Forums become victims of their own success. It's a universal truth. It's part of the life cycle of an internet message board.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

I'll browse on my laptop, my wife's laptop, my smartphone, and my tablet. Bookmarks don't sync across all four devices. Black dots do.

Really? Mine do.

Black dots also have other advantages. Sometimes a thread has a crappy or misleading title, and I'll completely forget that I'd read it, but the black dot serves as a visual reminder. With a black dot, you can see automatically which threads have new replies without going through every one of your (potentially considerable number of) bookmarks. Black dots are more useful when someone practices thread necromancy. Lots of advantages.

All of which could be accomplished by bookmarks or other means without annoying other readers. Black dotting is really the most selfish thing you can do on a forum like this

Really, though, black dots have been around since the dawn of FBGs. An emoticon was created whose sole reason for existence was black dotting threads. Love it or hate it, it's part of the fabric of the forums at this point.

The "that's the way it's always been" argument is a particularly bad one in any debate on any topic.

 

[Nugget]

seems to me the mock draft survivor drafts have alot of good debate and back in forth and most guys over there take it seriously.the pool is what the pool is now adays.

This is where I get my info pre season now.

 

[Binky The Doormat]

---who was the guy who swore up and down that Joseph Addai (a replacement-level talent if there has ever been one) was the second coming of Jim Brown?

I believe that was Switz. He was also a big cheerleader of Felix Jones.

Where did that guy go? He used to be all over the place here.

 

[Binky The Doormat]

I guess that goes to show you that avatars and screen names can have special meanings and/or stories behind them doesn't it.

BTW, I am now a 59 1/2 year old man that calls himself dragon.

PRESTIGE ...WORLDWIDE!!!

 

[fatness]

I guess that goes to show you that avatars and screen names can have special meanings and/or stories behind them doesn't it.BTW, I am now a 59 1/2 year old man that calls himself dragon.

You're telling tales again, Margaret.