A Modified Challenge

[Senor Grommet]

On May 29, 2005 I wrote the following because, at the time, it seemed true:

I challenge people on modified to stop being dumb. I challenge people on modified to spend more time playing footbag and less time creating pointless threads like this one. I especially challenge people to stop pretending to be people they are not, to quit being so f-cking cheerful all the time, and just post what they feel. Its okay to be real and not to impress all of the people all of the time.

I challenge YOU!

Well today, I'm tweaking that statement to fit the present Modified conditions:

I challenge people on modified to stop posting in threads they know very little about. Even when you have something intelligent to say, think to yourself before posting: Is it really worth it to post this? Do I have the knowledge base to post this, and if I am wrong, how many people will be negatively influenced by my poor decision to post incorrect information? I challenge people on modified to stop posting hateful slander that will simply encourage other users to assume you're not worth talking to. I challenge people on modified to spend more time playing footbag and less time creating and posting in threads like this one.

[Zeb Jackson]

i didnt vote because i believe its all of the above...

but i accept your challenge jeremy mirken!!

[slapdash21]

i dont think modified is much worse than its ever been, maybe only slightly, and i think its because its of choice D, even though the choices werent labeled with letters. but basically because its a forum. duh. which also means im of the camp that believes since its just a forum that affects nothing, anything goes. post whatever nonsensical crap you care to, dont ever play footbag, i dont care at all, but dont be suprised if i call you an idiot, especially for posting foolishness.

edit- change the first sentence to "much worse than its ever been, in recent past (ie, basically since i've been here...strange coincidence...)

[RawSko]

I wish people would stop complaining about modified. I think that's prolly the most annoying thing on the forum. So here I am... bitching about your bitching.


...g'night

[Slowsis]

All of the above.

[Tsiangkun]

Modified is worse than ever.

1) New people are being brought here before they are players, destroying the sense of community. We used to all play footbag right.

2) The right to police ourselves has been taken away by the mod staff. Again, at the expense of the community of players having a say in how their own forum is run. We have always had heated discussion, and this place had a great history of letting it's members finish things for themselves. The implementation of mods has destroyed this aspect of the community.

3) This place was never supposed to be a resource. It was where people who played footbag hung out online. See number 1. People who play don't need it to be a resource for noobs.

4) We have visible authority figures now that close threads leaving unresolved issues to resurface more frequently than ever. People revolt against visible authority figures whose power is not considered legitimate.

5) We have visible authority figures granting themselves the power to edit other peoples words.

6) We have visible authority figures saying what can and can't be done on a forum where they weren't elected to moderate.

7)_ Little kids bitch because this place doesn't cater to them. Again, mods try to destroy the community to makes these little bitches feel more comfortable.

This place worked best when it was players, and there was no moderation.
No people have ever revolted against a power structure they weren't aware of. We are very aware of the mods granting themselves more and more powers while they actively seek to destroy the community this place used to be. I don't see this place getting better anytime soon.

In fact I would say you deliberately left off the option is blame the decline of the forum on a bloodless coup that destroyed the community and established an online police state.

[quadgun]

Modified is worse than ever.

1) New people are being brought here before they are players, destroying the sense of community. We used to all play footbag right.

2) The right to police ourselves has been taken away by the mod staff. Again, at the expense of the community of players having a say in how their own forum is run. We have always had heated discussion, and this place had a great history of letting it's members finish things for themselves. The implementation of mods has destroyed this aspect of the community.

3) This place was never supposed to be a resource. It was where people who played footbag hung out online. See number 1. People who play don't need it to be a resource for noobs.

4) We have visible authority figures now that close threads leaving unresolved issues to resurface more frequently than ever. People revolt against visible authority figures whose power is not considered legitimate.

5) We have visible authority figures granting themselves the power to edit other peoples words.

6) We have visible authority figures saying what can and can't be done on a forum where they weren't elected to moderate.

7)_ Little kids bitch because this place doesn't cater to them. Again, mods try to destroy the community to makes these little bitches feel more comfortable.

This place worked best when it was players, and there was no moderation.
No people have ever revolted against a power structure they weren't aware of. We are very aware of the mods granting themselves more and more powers while they actively seek to destroy the community this place used to be. I don't see this place getting better anytime soon.

In fact I would say you deliberately left off the option is blame the decline of the forum on a bloodless coup that destroyed the community and established an online police state.

wow, i liked some of those reasons

[Spontaneous Spaz]

i dont' see the harm in making a small simple comment that neither changes nor affects the topic at hand

a simple: "idk but that's one sick vid" is a simple compliment to who ever was in or helped in the making of the vid.

if it were to change the topic at hand and cause a big excitement where people freaked out and posted about that post, yes, then it would become a problem. but simple comments like that don't

[slapdash21]

wow, i wish i had gotten to modified even a few months earlier...

i have never agreed with ck so completely (in fact, i often dont agree at all, but in this case, he is exactly dead on)

i wasnt even totally aware of what the problem was, but now its pretty clear. i mean, not to suck his dick or anything (again, i usually dont even agree with him) but i think he summed the whole thing up pretty damned well.

[Oroza]

a better search tool might help

about mods and admins- idk, i havent been a memeber too long, but i've got a feel for it. you need a admin or someone to be able edit the site in some instances. a mod....maybe not, idk what could be done about all the bitching and whining, thats personal. i think BECAUSE this site is where footbaggers hang online is the #1 resource for the sport, all the info is here, we just need to consolidate it.

<--maybe if we add some info like age and yrs playing, level of play, shoe prefrence....youd have a better idea of who the info comes from and therefore the validity of said info.

[Zac Miley]

Sometimes age, level of play, and playing time don't really matter.

I don't mean to like, "toot my own horn", but I've been playing for less than six months, and I know quite a bit about the sport. Not as much as a lot of people, mind you, but I think I can give some pretty relevant information.

I could be totally wrong though and I might be footbag-retarded.

[sampotter]

I think Cameron makes a lot of good points (although maybe a little extreme).

Sometimes age, level of play, and playing time don't really matter.

I don't mean to like, "toot my own horn", but I've been playing for less than six months, and I know quite a bit about the sport. Not as much as a lot of people, mind you, but I think I can give some pretty relevant information.

I could be totally wrong though and I might be footbag-retarded.

I remember when I had only played for six months and I thought I knew some stuff about this sport. Then I had played a year and I realized that a lot of what I thought I knew was irrelevent, or only scratching the surface. Time adds enormously to your knowledge base in almost everything. I don't mean to blast you or anything, but I would venture that you don't know nearly as much as you claim to know. Have you ever been to a tournament? Have you ever had a one on one chat with someone who has been in this sport for a long time (read: in person)? Maybe you don't fit this description, but there are definitely others on this forum that act like they know some stuff but end up just spreading misinformation.

Recently someone posted about the old forum seniority losing interest in posting, leaving behind a bunch of newer posters trying to fill this senior role on the forum. I feel that this is probably the biggest problem with modified right now. I don't know if the previous seniority just peaced out, or if it was overwhelmed with immature newer posters (probably the latter), but the result is a gaggle of bitter and jaded members who only drop in from time to time to snipe at the currect active posters. The resulting feeling this forum gives me is one of dubiousness and animosity.

I can't really speak to the role of the current administration in the modified pissy-fit, but I know that when you have the newbies and the oldies yelling at each other, a third party trying to mediate is an easy target for either side to siphon off some of their ill will.

[james_dean]

wow, i wish i had gotten to modified even a few months earlier...

i have never agreed with ck so completely (in fact, i often dont agree at all, but in this case, he is exactly dead on)

i wasnt even totally aware of what the problem was, but now its pretty clear. i mean, not to suck his dick or anything (again, i usually dont even agree with him) but i think he summed the whole thing up pretty damned well.

And you summed up exactly what I'm feeling

[Zac Miley]

Sometimes age, level of play, and playing time don't really matter.

I don't mean to like, "toot my own horn", but I've been playing for less than six months, and I know quite a bit about the sport. Not as much as a lot of people, mind you, but I think I can give some pretty relevant information.

I could be totally wrong though and I might be footbag-retarded.

I remember when I had only played for six months and I thought I knew some stuff about this sport. Then I had played a year and I realized that a lot of what I thought I knew was irrelevent, or only scratching the surface. Time adds enormously to your knowledge base in almost everything. I don't mean to blast you or anything, but I would venture that you don't know nearly as much as you claim to know. Have you ever been to a tournament? Have you ever had a one on one chat with someone who has been in this sport for a long time (read: in person)? Maybe you don't fit this description, but there are definitely others on this forum that act like they know some stuff but end up just spreading misinformation.

Recently someone posted about the old forum seniority losing interest in posting, leaving behind a bunch of newer posters trying to fill this senior role on the forum. I feel that this is probably the biggest problem with modified right now. I don't know if the previous seniority just peaced out, or if it was overwhelmed with immature newer posters (probably the latter), but the result is a gaggle of bitter and jaded members who only drop in from time to time to snipe at the currect active posters. The resulting feeling this forum gives me is one of dubiousness and animosity.

I can't really speak to the role of the current administration in the modified pissy-fit, but I know that when you have the newbies and the oldies yelling at each other, a third party trying to mediate is an easy target for either side to siphon off some of their ill will.

You're probably right.

I have been to one "jam" and I got to talk to Jose Cocolan, but I don't know if I really learned anything.

If I ever give (or have given someone) someone misinformation, I'll be terribly sorry.

I'll stop trying to make myself sound better than the rest now.

[Senor Grommet]

Jose Colocan is not what I'd call a "senior member" of the footbag community. Not to take anything away from him or you Isilwar.

Sam brought up some good points. So did Cameron.

[Sporatical_Distractions]

to err is human

being shown your mistakes is one of the best ways to learn

[bigdirtyfoot]

it was overwhelmed with immature newer posters

This is the correct answer.

[C-Fan]

This topic seems more serious than most kicking circle fare, and therefore I'm moving it to the Discussion forum. That way, people can't post inflammatory posts and just edit them later. -Kenmod

[Tsiangkun]

Mods frequently move topics they want to kill to the discussion forum.

The lack of editing seems to stifle the free expression that made this place great. Sure it can be abused, but as a community, we have handled it well in the past.

I expect now that this has been moved, the comments will die quickly.

I've seen the mods use this technique frequently on topics in the kicking circle, and then watched the thread subsequently die.

[C-Fan]

Is there any doubt in anybody's mind that this thread belongs in the Discussion forum? Seriously, shelve your lame conspiracy theory for a second and think about it. This thread belongs here.