For Thicks, Irrelevant to SLU Basketball

[aj_arete]

I read your two responses on the Tigerboard. For one, I appreciate you objecting to me being mobbed over there. I didn't really think my post over there was that controversial. Admittedly, I was testing the waters to see if I would be mobbed after learning about the rule from you and MUTiger.

To answer your question about where my allegiance lies, it's so close that it's difficult for me to answer. However as a fan, I feel it's OK to be critical of a team that you root for. Just because I'm not happy with Quin, that doesn't make me a less of a fan of Mizzou basketball.

As to why I don't post on the Tigerboard as much, I don't like how your posts get buried within minutes there. I appreciate how Steve organizes his posts here at billikens.com where an initial post can reappear at the top of the list if there is a response to it.

[Quality Is Job 1]

>I read your two responses on the Tigerboard. For one, I

>appreciate you objecting to me being mobbed over there. I

>didn't really think my post over there was that

>controversial. Admittedly, I was testing the waters to see

>if I would be mobbed after learning about the rule from you

>and MUTiger.

It's too bad you weren't there when the thread was growing. Some poster named Navy Cat '53 objected to your post and appealed to Nick to move it to the Smack board. I got into a debate with him (in two different subthreads), saying that Nick's rule is poor because the topic is not smack and is related to Mizzou basketball and that the prevailing attitude is like Mizzou fans sticking their heads in the sand like ostriches. However, despite my making many good, rational points, both subthreads got deleted, even though the rest of the thread remained, and eventually the whole thread got moved to the smack board. I beginning to sour on TigerBoard. They're violating my free speech and are sticking their heads in the sand and pooh-poohing cheating. It seems very suspiciously calculating to remove rationally-worded posts explaining why a topic is NOT smack then move it to the smack board. If I weren't a fan of Mizzou, I would almost wish that the NCAA would hit the university with major sanctions to stick it to Nick (who condones cheating as long as the perpetrator isn't caught!) and all the Mizzu fans who want to make the allegations out to be much ado about nothing even if they're true.

>To answer your question about where my allegiance lies, it's

>so close that it's difficult for me to answer. However as a

>fan, I feel it's OK to be critical of a team that you root

>for. Just because I'm not happy with Quin, that doesn't

>make me a less of a fan of Mizzou basketball.

I agree that it's perfectly healthy to maintain an objectively critical eye of the team(s) you pull for. But I was just needling you about your allegiance.

>As to why I don't post on the Tigerboard as much, I don't

>like how your posts get buried within minutes there. I

>appreciate how Steve organizes his posts here at

>billikens.com where an initial post can reappear at the top

>of the list if there is a response to it.

I agree with you about disliking some things about TigerBoard. However, when Nick introduced new software about a month ago, it included an option of listing threads by activity, like on this board. Just go to "settings" at the top of the board and change "By Chronology" to "By Activity." For users who use the "by activity" setting, the message most recently responded to bounces to the top of the board. That doesn't mean your post won't get buried, though, because I think most of the community's users still go by chronology, meaning that what you and I see at the top of the board might be on the second page to most viewers and they'll never see it or respond to it.

Also, users here have the option of changing the appearance of this board for themselves if they don't want the most recently active message to bounce to the top. The options are next to "Sort topics by" just above the messages list.

[billiken_roy]

thicks said, "Nick (who condones cheating as long as the perpetrator isn't caught!)"

has nick actually posted this at tigerboard, or is this your interpretation of his attitude?

[Quality Is Job 1]

Nick has posted words to that effect.

He says that everyone cheats and his beef with Snyder is getting caught. Really, he doesn't mind cheating, he just doesn't want to get caught cheating.

It's like, you should tell you children, "Don't lie," rather than, "Don't let me catch you lying."

[billiken_roy]

while i more than occasionally read the tigerboard, i have to say that i have never caught that. but with his recent gestapo gestures on the "clemons" posts and "missouri on probation" posts and now hearing this, i think i am done reading the tigerboard. my gosh, how are we to know posts arent altered to reflect this jerkoff's own belief's? if in just the very recent past he has shown these actions, this guy is not credible. it makes one appreciate the fine way steve handles things here at billikens.com.

[Quality Is Job 1]

Nick doesn't edit people's posts to reflect his beliefs (edited posts there are marked just like they are here), but he and his moderators are moving to inappropriate places and/or deleting posts that they (Nick) feel are detrimental to the Mizzou program by way of any kind of speculation or is related in any way to the circumstances by which Missouri is now under investigation. Just as Mizzou may be sweeping stuff under the rug, Nick Witthaus is making sure he's a good company man by sweeping stuff under the rug of his board.

This is by FAR a better place to discuss college basketball. I think even Missouri fans aj_arete and MUTGR enjoy discussing hoops here more than at Tigerboard.

[SluSignGuy]

While I thank you for your props with running the board (I think I have a lot easier job considering this board doesn't have nearly the amount of Traffic of Tigerboard, I bet he has about 10 moderators, when we have 2, and one of us COULD handle the job, but 2 makes it easier and better). But while I disagree with him not allowing Clemons/Bunge stuff, I also think that he is between a rock and a hard place. I am betting the University may be pressuring him a little to try to keep the rumors down or something. I personally thought the mob rule was a good idea considering some of the bogus posters they were having, but it also has its bad parts, such as it keeps away posters of maybe an unpopular opinion.

But I must admit, when making a couple past significant board decisions, I asked for Nick's opinion, since he has done it longer than me, he was a 3rd non included party, and then there seemed to be no problems with Tigerboard.

I personally would hate to be in Nick's shoes. I would though love his programming skills.

Steve

PS I have honestly considered asking him if he would want to go on a local Sports show (like Sportsplus or a Radio show) to promote Billikens.com and Tigerboard some. Since I bet a lot of people don't know about either that would. I may ask him in a month or so. (Your guys' thoughts?)

[PinkFloyd]

Steve, I think it's a great idea and while your at it you might consider John Brumbaugh at Illiniboard.com.

[davidnark]

Steve,

Listen to Nick's advise regarding programming and tech issues but AVOID Nick's advise regarding content control.

Nick's idea of message board freedom of expression is "you can post whatever you like as long as I like it to." Message boards are driven by expression of opinions; speculation about events, players, investigations, etc.; and criticism of schools, teams, players, etc. Nick has done his best to remove every good post that addresses these topics. He has removed legitimate posts questioning Snyder's and Alden's respective roles in Mizzou's mess. He has removed legitimate posts comparing the quality of the Mizzou program v. SLU, KU, SMU, K State, etc. As a result, the Tigerboard is now a terrible place to discuss college athletics.

You should delete posts containing profanity, racial or ethnic slurs, or other inarguably inappropriate content, but please don't ever go down the Tigerboard path of deleteing ideas and specualtion.

[SluSignGuy]

Nark-

From the way things are going over there, I don't think I will ask Nick for content control things. I have been pretty much in this mindset since a debate he got into on the Politics board (basically from what I recall, he was very upset with a very valid opinion (and quotes) opposing his religious beliefs (although the post was not directed at him)). I did not think this was fair at all, because the opinion presented was a very valid view.

But anyway, the intent of my previous post is that Nick seems to be getting pressure from the university and he is be criticized strongly on his own board. So it is a lose lose situation, and I feel sorry that he is in that situation.

But don't worry, I doubt I will ever have to do what Nick has done. I think the moderation that has been done on this board is very fair, and have heard no complaints to my knowledge. And it will hopefully stay that way. If Thicks or I do something that is considered unfair, I am sure we will hear about it. And I think both of us are very open to listening to others opinions about the issue, and taking those opinions into consideration.

Steve