Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Give us your thoughts on bobcatnation.com and look here for announcements from the staff.

Moderators: rtb, kmax, SonomaCat

Post Reply
User avatar
kmax
Site Admin
Posts: 9533
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:23 pm
Location: Belgrade, MT
Contact:

Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by kmax » Mon Nov 24, 2014 12:19 pm

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.


“Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be—or to be indistinguishable from—self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time.” -- Neal Stephenson, Cryptonomicon

User avatar
vike_king
BobcatNation Hall of Famer
Posts: 3166
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2005 12:51 pm
Location: Helena, MT/Chester, MT/Fort Benton, MT

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEAE READ

Post by vike_king » Mon Nov 24, 2014 12:46 pm

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.


Chester, MT/ Helena, MT

msu_agfan
Honorable Mention All-BobcatNation
Posts: 985
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 3:49 pm
Location: Central Montana

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by msu_agfan » Mon Nov 24, 2014 3:41 pm

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!!


Animal Science/ Ag Business '96

lutecat
Member # Retired
Posts: 2983
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by lutecat » Mon Nov 24, 2014 3:41 pm

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.



User avatar
allcat
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 8688
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:13 pm
Location: 90 miles from Nirvana (Bobcat Stadium)

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by allcat » Mon Nov 24, 2014 4:02 pm

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.


Geezer. Part Bionic,. Part Iconic

kcatz
1st Team All-BobcatNation
Posts: 1988
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2005 9:44 pm

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by kcatz » Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:37 pm

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.



KittieKop
BobcatNation Hall of Famer
Posts: 3746
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:03 pm
Location: Helena

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by KittieKop » Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:39 pm

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:


"It was like a coordinated effort by the Missoulian and the police to bring UM Football program down..." eGriz 11/30/12

Now where did I leave my tinfoil hat?

Image

GRIZ1STCATS2ND
BobcatNation Team Captain
Posts: 573
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2014 2:27 am

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by GRIZ1STCATS2ND » Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:43 pm

Well said. =D^ =D^ =D^ =D^ =D^ =D^



User avatar
wbtfg
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 13621
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 12:52 pm

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by wbtfg » Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:50 pm

Thanks, mods! Happy Thanksgiving to all.



catpilot
BobcatNation Redshirt
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2009 9:57 am

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by catpilot » Fri Nov 28, 2014 1:44 am

this is pretty much why I haven't really watched BN as much as in past years…thanks for taking this approach…Go Cats.



aucat
2nd Team All-BobcatNation
Posts: 1455
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 1:13 am

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by aucat » Mon Dec 01, 2014 10:46 am

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!



User avatar
kdigz
BobcatNation Letterman
Posts: 328
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2010 9:01 am

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by kdigz » Thu Jan 08, 2015 2:45 pm

The sad thing is, the posters who really need to read this will never do so. Thank you for the effort.


60% of the time, it works every time

User avatar
AlphaGriz1
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 10209
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:13 pm
Location: Dominating BN since 1997............

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by AlphaGriz1 » Tue Mar 24, 2015 9:39 am

So how has "occupy bn" been working out?


A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
www.maroonblood.com
www.championshipsubdivision.com

User avatar
allcat
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 8688
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:13 pm
Location: 90 miles from Nirvana (Bobcat Stadium)

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by allcat » Tue Mar 24, 2015 9:42 am

AlphaGriz1 wrote:So how has "occupy bn" been working out?
I am much more civilized, how about you?


Geezer. Part Bionic,. Part Iconic

User avatar
GoCats18
BobcatNation Hall of Famer
Posts: 3477
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:06 pm
Location: MT

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by GoCats18 » Mon Apr 06, 2015 6:15 pm

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.


Punters are people too!!

User avatar
AlphaGriz1
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 10209
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:13 pm
Location: Dominating BN since 1997............

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by AlphaGriz1 » Mon May 18, 2015 11:53 am

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:


A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
www.maroonblood.com
www.championshipsubdivision.com

User avatar
bobcatmaniac
1st Team All-BobcatNation
Posts: 1841
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 4:25 pm
Location: big sky country

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by bobcatmaniac » Fri Sep 04, 2015 11:03 pm

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...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



User avatar
AlphaGriz1
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 10209
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:13 pm
Location: Dominating BN since 1997............

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by AlphaGriz1 » Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:30 pm

GIVE ME BACK BOBCAT NATION!!!!!!!!!
Image


A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
www.maroonblood.com
www.championshipsubdivision.com

User avatar
LongTimeCatFan
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 8625
Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2004 5:50 pm
Location: Kalispell

Re: Taking back BobcatNation -- PLEASE READ

Post by LongTimeCatFan » Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:38 pm

AlphaGriz1 wrote:GIVE ME BACK BOBCAT NATION!!!!!!!!!
Image
no

:coffee:



Post Reply