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Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 12:19 pm
by kmax
It really saddens me that I have to do this, but unfortunately the time has come that some serious changes need to be made around BobcatNation.

When Randy, Brad and I created this place over 10 years ago we came to it with a common goal of not only making this an online meeting place to discuss Bobcat Athletics but to also do things differently from other message boards. We set the tone early that this site would not be overly moderated and that we expected the people that contributed on this board to help us police the board and ensure that high quality, adult conversation was possible. For a long time this has worked very well. Very, very few people have ever been banned from BobcatNation because it just wasn't needed. I can't tell you how many compliments I've received from people in the past about how much better BobcatNation was to read than other message boards. This is a large part of the reason we have had such great interaction with MSU Athletics in the past, because we and the members of this board treated this differently.

Sadly, that seems to have come to an end this football season. I'm not sure if it is the larger number of new members that don't share in the history of that mission or if we have begun to lose more of the longer time members that really helped keep things on track but in the last few months this place has really begun to degenerate. We've tried numerous things to try and nudge this board back to a place of reason and civil discussion. Randy has tried the half-joking posts, he's tried the near begging pleas to common sense, we tried the COBN thing last year and it worked for awhile. Yet none of it has worked this year. It seems that pretty much every thread now devolves into people calling each other names or threatening each other like we are back in 4th grade.

Don't get me wrong, I am in no way asking for the board to become a big session of singing kumbaya, so you can save your snide comments. I know as well as anyone that what makes a message board tick is differing opinions and the discussion that those opinions bring about. The problem is that for some reason all of the mature adults on this board seem to have forgotten that discussion part and simply resort to insulting each other with all the wit of an 8 year old and then threatening the others because of said wit.

Time to grow up or if you can't you are welcome to remove yourself from BobcatNation before we have to do it for you. Everyone here is a mature adult. Act like it. Discuss topics, actually listen to what others with different opinions are saying and then if you still don't agree write something that explains your point of view. They are opinions, everyone sees the world differently and you may not agree. Doesn't make you right or the other person wrong, stupid, ignorant or anything else you might say.

If you haven't recently I invite you to re-read our Terms of Service at viewtopic.php?f=7&t=23" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; We have been fairly easy on this in the past, that will be coming to an end. We as the moderators and owners of BobcatNation are taking back this board. There are a couple of ways to go about this:
  1. The membership here decides to re-engage as civil, mature adults and begin to help police our own and bring this board back to what it used to be.
  2. We as the moderators begin using the heavy hand and begin restricting those that can't figure out option #1
Since recent history has shown me that I shouldn't be too optimistic about option #1, the second one will be going into place effective immediately and will remain until such time as it is no longer needed. The following items (and anything of a similar nature) will first receive a warning through the board from a moderator. A second offense will earn the poster one week of loss of posting privileges. A third offense will result in permanent loss of posting privileges.
  • Any post or private message with the sole intent to insult/threaten another user
  • Any post or private message that includes personal insults or threats of any kind against any member of MSU Athletics or any other team/institution
  • Any poster who repeatedly takes threads off topic with posts that do not add to the discussion
Please note that these policies and actions will not discriminate. We do not care if you are a Bobcat fan, Griz fan, Jackrabbit, Bison, or any other fan we will be treating you the same.

I'd like to say that it is too bad that the actions of a few have caused this to happen but lately the number that seem to be incapable of acting in a mature manner have gone way past the "few" point. Brad, Randy and I have put way too much time and effort into this place to see it go up in smoke. Please help us out here. We don't want to spend all of our time on here having to deal with this but in an effort to save the place from becoming nothing more than another internet cess pool we are going to try. Have a mature discussion, debate a topic and present your opinions while listening, weighing and responding civilly to others' opinions. Try it, you might just find you learn something and have a good time in the process.

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEAE READ

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 12:46 pm
by vike_king
Thank you. I hope this works. I found myself stooping to the level of others last night....... I am off to delete a post where I called someone illiterate.

well, poop. Two others quoted me so copies of the post live on. I apologize for the breach of etiquette.

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 3:41 pm
by msu_agfan
I believe that you guys are taking the right steps. As per another post, I am attempting to ad my name to my signature. Why not let everyone know who you are? Probably would keep us from posting stupid stuff. I joined this group to learn more about our team, football and basketball, as well as our school. I have appreciated bobcatnation and it looks like I will even more! Go CATS!!

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 3:41 pm
by lutecat
I would like to threaten Jake Bleskin.....with a handshake and a pat on the back and some words of encouragement. Through this all, I feel the worse for him. Poor guy.

Could I ask what COBN means? It seemed to be some secret between the cool kids, and I wasn't a cool kid.

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 4:02 pm
by allcat
lutecat wrote:I would like to threaten Jake Bleskin.....with a handshake and a pat on the back and some words of encouragement. Through this all, I feel the worse for him. Poor guy.

Could I ask what COBN means? It seemed to be some secret between the cool kids, and I wasn't a cool kid.
It meant Code of Bobcat Nation. It was just meant to tell people to keep it civil. I think it is still good to try and use. The mods are not on here 24 hrs.

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:37 pm
by kcatz
May I suggest a wait period of at least 24 hours for new posters (as in new signups). I have seen other boards with this policy.

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:39 pm
by KittieKop
I'll apologize to everyone right now. While thinking I was trying to do something right, I probably did little other than fan the flames. Sorry. Step slowing away from the keyboard....... :oops:

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:43 pm
by GRIZ1STCATS2ND
Well said. =D^ =D^ =D^ =D^ =D^ =D^

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:50 pm
by wbtfg
Thanks, mods! Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 1:44 am
by catpilot
this is pretty much why I haven't really watched BN as much as in past years…thanks for taking this approach…Go Cats.

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 10:46 am
by aucat
Absolutely!!! Having a mature, intelligent discussion about Bobcat sports is what it's all
about. Congrats to the Moderators for continuing to strive to keep this!

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 2:45 pm
by kdigz
The sad thing is, the posters who really need to read this will never do so. Thank you for the effort.

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 9:39 am
by AlphaGriz1
So how has "occupy bn" been working out?

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 9:42 am
by allcat
AlphaGriz1 wrote:So how has "occupy bn" been working out?
I am much more civilized, how about you?

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 6:15 pm
by GoCats18
Well, I am in. I also apologize as I was guilty of writing things to make people mad. One thing I didn't like was that if you said something that wasn't in favor of a player, coach, or the team, that people would call you out. We all can think and say what we want, but I agree, let's make it respectable and make this a more positive place than the board to the west. Thanks mods for taking charge and getting us back on track.

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Mon May 18, 2015 11:53 am
by AlphaGriz1
Yes, thanks for not letting us have our own opinions and forcing us to have yours or deal with the consequences, well done. =D^

Sincerely

AH




:coffee:

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 11:03 pm
by bobcatmaniac
AlphaGriz1 wrote:Yes, thanks for not letting us have our own opinions and forcing us to have yours or deal with the consequences, well done. =D^

Sincerely

AH




:coffee:
Ya that's exactly what they are saying...


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Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:30 pm
by AlphaGriz1
GIVE ME BACK BOBCAT NATION!!!!!!!!!
Image

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:38 pm
by LongTimeCatFan
AlphaGriz1 wrote:GIVE ME BACK BOBCAT NATION!!!!!!!!!
Image
no

:coffee: