The Skybox Moto Classy People Top 10 Things Classy People Do I'm not sure how many of us do all these things well, I sure don't, but I do think they sound pretty good as something to strive to be and something that sure should be considered as we post on Skybox. I hope all of you are having a great weekend. Gator Bill
" They don't follow the crowd, adopt fads, or change to please someone else." That's an interesting one......
We can't all be perfect, but I do think Gator Bill has given us some food for thought. Personally I have always enjoyed the Skybox Forum. Once in awhile someone will ruffle my feathers, but I do not allow anyone to pluck them out! :lol: Don
I've always liked what Lincoln said "It's better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt". I enjoy it here and we all go overboard at times (agreed, some more than others), so a little indulgence is requested. We put up with a lot more from Gonzo. :wink:
Thanks, Bill. You are a class act. Over the past several weeks, I've chosen to exercise restraint, which for me is not typical and which I hope is a sign that I'm growing up as a bulletin board poster. :wink: The reason I did so was that I had confidence that the situation would play itself out the right way.....that the moderators themselves would exercise restraint but when pushed would make certain that the integrity of this forum would be preserved. You've done that. I've learned much here that is positive about other people and about myself. I appreciate being associated with this very classy group of people. We are an eclectic bunch, but there is a common thread among us of maturity, decency and respect. It's a cool place.
"The reason I did so was that I had confidence that the situation would play itself out the right way.....that the moderators themselves would exercise restraint but when pushed would make certain that the integrity of this forum would be preserved. You've done that." What do you think is the "right way" Sid? My feeling is that anytime I debate or offer up a dissenting opinion then I am wrong for doing so. Agreeing with everything everyone says all the time becomes exceedingly boring and I fall asleep reading such inane banter as the only diet....(especially if I do disagree with what is being said) I never result to personal flaming or insults but it is interesting that it is open season for anyone else to come at me with that sort of response when they feel their statements are being questioned or debated. This forum is becoming oppressive and boring.......maybe that is the "right way" as you say.
Looks like I missed the "excitement" that prompted this topic yesterday. My department was involved in multiple structure and grass fires across the entire county. High winds (30 mph with gusts to 46) fueled the fires and spread them with sparks spawning new ones. Let me add that I am very glad to be a part of the skybox group. Everyone has their stressful times that make it difficult to keep up the Skybox philosophy. After all, we are for the most part reliving our youth through the success and failure of 18 – 22 year old athletes. That in itself can be very stressful. Believe me… I’m a Vol fan that lived through the 2005 season. It was touch and go but I did pull through. Occasionally, losses get to us. Occasionally, those losses, and the attitude of others, drive us beyond our limits. To a point, that is understandable. How we handle our success, on the other hand, defines who we are. As Bill stated, place yourselves in the shoes of the fans your team just defeated. Consider how your comments may affect others that already are stressed by the loss. It took me quite a while to learn this back in the days of Prodigy. I may not always be successful in following my own advice. I would like to believe that I am successful more than not. Heck, in 2005, we didn’t win enough for this to even be tested! :x :x :x I don’t want to see anyone leave as long as they are trying to fit in with the Skybox philosophy. However, we must understand that this forum is not for everyone. Most everyone can adapt and eventually learn that they prefer this over the flames that are the norm you find everywhere else.
I would echo Tom's comments and Thank you, Bill for your statement. MCG, nobody wants to see you leave. However, if you can find a better forum out there that satisfies your wants then you should go for it. You state you point and then you repeat it, for days, weeks months. SkyBox isn't a flamers paradise. I hope you stay but I'm sure you'll do what's best for you.
MCG wrote: Let me ask you a question Dave. You are the manager of a group of employees. Your company allows for up to 4% absenteeism. That equates to about two weeks per year of sickness. You have one employee that keeps his absenteeism just barely below that 4% mark. You can count on him to call in sick every Friday when his rolling 12 month average will not go over 4%. Everyone else has a 0.3% average or lower. As the manager of this group, with everything else equal, who are you going to chastise and who are you going to support? With the Skybox, some members are hardly ever confrontational. Others ride that 4% line all the time. I can guarantee you one thing MCG. Bill is an avid Gator fan. It disappoints him to no end to have to lock a topic on a fellow Gator fan. It is not something he does lightly. We never said that everyone has to be of the same opinion. Everyone must, however, show respect and restraint when dealing with others. When you bank a few respect/restraint comments, an occasional slip will be ignored.
"SkyBox isn't a flamers paradise" That's absolutely true George and I don't consider myself to be a flamer. Am I vocal and clear about my opinions...yes. Do personally attack and flame......no...at least when unprovoked. At times though I will get a little testy when someone else takes that first step.
Dave, you need to read what is written here pretty carefully. Let's start with no one wants you to leave. Having said that let me give you my perspective. Flaming is a matter of opinion and my opinion is that you flame. Now let me clarify that a bit, I consider what you do a form of flaming because as someone above said once on a topic you never let go. There is a time to let something go and my impression of you is that you have a reluctance to let things go. I also don't think you very often put yourself in the other guys shoes. I classify the Ohio State fans here and a fine bunch of people. But here's what I think I might feel if I were in their place. Several years ago they beat Miami on a contraversal call, a right call in my opinion but contraversial none the less. Gonzo thought it was a wrong call and couldn't let it go. To the point that the referee was crooked, his son was going to Ohio State, Ohio State was a bunch of thugs yada, yada yada. The Ohio State fans were gracious winners non the less but I think they were not allowed to enjoy their win as much as they could have because of a constant beating to death the call etc by Gonzo. Fast forward to 2006, Ohio State was now in the position Miami was in the last time, a pretty solid favorite. It didn't work out for them and the Gators got a solid win. Ohio State fans were now gracious but on the losing side. And for the last 7 weeks there has been one post after another by you stating again and again and again how the Gators were dominant. Hell everybody knows the Gators dominated that game how many times do we have to say it again. Personally I appreciate the class that the Ohio State fans showed after this game and when the shoe may be on the other foot I hope I can do the same. And let's get to the Ohio State didn't show up comment. First it's human nature for fans of their school to think their team didn't play as well as they could have played. I don't know why you have to take offense at that it in fact does not diminish our win that they think that way. In mu opinion one of two things or a combination of the two happened that night. The two things are that in fact Ohio State didn't play up to their potential or the Gators had that one fantastic night when they can do no wrong, or as I said some combination of the two. Regardless, to expect they have to agree with your opinion is out of line, and I learned a long time ago that it's ok to disagree, in fact if you are the winner it's best to let the other guy have something to hang their hat on even if you dont agree. Unless you think that if we played 10 times the Gators would be that dominant 10 times I don't see what the point is at all. And in my opinion we could play Ohio State 20 more times and not have the magic we had that night and hold them to less than 100 yards. Let me say what I started with in this post and that is I do not want you to leave, but I do want you to quit beating a dead horse every time you don't agree with someone. Sorry for the length of this post.
As with touchdown celebrations, so should it be with internet posts... "Hand the ball to the ref, and act like you've been there before."
"Regardless, to expect they have to agree with your opinion is out of line, and I learned a long time ago that it's ok to disagree, in fact if you are the winner it's best to let the other guy have something to hang their hat on even if you dont agree. Unless you think that if we played 10 times the Gators would be that dominant 10 times I don't see what the point is at all. And in my opinion we could play Ohio State 20 more times and not have the magic we had that night and hold them to less than 100 yards." Bill.....OSU fans here in no way have to agree with my opinion but I did not say they were dumb if they didn't. They have a right to disagree as do I. The "playing 10 times" scenario means nothing to me. The two teams played for all the marbles on the biggest national stage and I find it difficult to believe both teams didn't at least make an effort to bring their A game to such a spectacle. That one team couldn't make it a competitive game doesn't mean they didn't try to bring all they had with 'em and I think the credit for that goes 110% to the opponent.....no ifs or excuses. Certainly if they played ten times different events and game changing plays could unfold (the ball is oblong and bounces funny ways) but it is not MLB best of 7.....it's CFB one and done.....and so am I on this topic.
Well, maybe a fella could have an opinion that his team could have played better, God knows why they didn't, without that opinion being interpreted as some kind of slandering of the winner...especially when said person has had nothing but praise and admiration for the winner. I certainly agree that they tried to bring everything they had but for whatever reason it wasn't there..."not bringing your A game" doesn't imply to me that you mailed it in or didn't try...maybe that is where we have our difference of semantics. And I don't believe that our A game would have beaten you. But be that as it may, I think we all need to take a deep breath and step back from the...well, wherever it is we're going. I don't think anybody should be told how to post unless they are breaking the rules of the BB...and nobody has. I have been too much a part of this by maybe being too thin skinned about my posts being taken where they were'nt intended to go, and I apologize for that.
I would like to take this opportunity to make a public appeal for the moderators to please allow Gonzo to return. (I have expressed this opinion to one of them privately.) I don't recall his ever running up the score on a downed opponent or taunting after a victory. Any posting mistakes he made were certainly motivated by enthusiasm and not maliciousness. Gonzo should return...
JO'Co, the only thing keeping Gonzo from returning is Gonzo. He left in a huff and insulting Terry, yes a block was put on his posting but that does not need to hold, all he has to do is write the moderators and we have a small discussion. Not even that much but the ball is in his park as far as I am concerned. I'll let the other moderators speak for themselves.