The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

I've tried several occasions, as have others, to explain how highly moderated sites lose their zing.

If you outted someone by name, Moe banned you. If you were going ape chit on the multi IDs Moe banned you.

But now you're seeing Mission Creep. Slowly, the moderation has become a little more strict, a little more ticky tacky, a tad more heavy handed. Trust me, seen this all before. IT WILL GET WORSE. The DeadBroncoSociety came about for that very reason.

I doubt many people come to message boards to have to follow more rules, and to march to someone else's drum. We get enough of that in the real world and the internet is a nice escape from that.

Trust me, it always starts out harmless, and before you know it this will be Happy Talk Stampede, others need not apply.

Openly flaming people is not considered acceptable conduct. If you have a problem with the moderation here, feel free to send me or the other mods a PM explaining the situation and offering constructive criticism.

(12-03-2014 11:58 PM)ColinApocalypse Wrote:  Openly flaming people is not considered acceptable conduct. If you have a problem with the moderation here, feel free to send me or the other mods a PM explaining the situation and offering constructive criticism.

So, are you saying that being openly critical of moderating styles is verboten? How do you know I don't have issues with WMULaw or Moe? Why do you assume it's you?

I'm simply making a blank statement about how quickly light handed moderation can become heavy handed. You need not take it personal. Many of us have been down this road before. Been there, got the T-shirt. Hate to see history repeat itself......but it usually does.

Being critical is not only allowed, but encouraged in my book. You're welcome to say what you want on this board within reasonable tolerance (no flaming, excessive trolling, racism, pornography.. crap like that...read the AUP).

I like you Dip, you're frank and headstrong. You're also an unwavering Bronco fan and I can respect that.

Let's be real though...if you'll go back and read what I wrote, I didn't say it was me...but we both know it is. Don't play these little games with me, because I really don't have the time or interest in it.

Oh wait.......and now I'm at a 25% warning level?

Remember the great Martin Neimoller quote...............First they came for communists, but I remained silent because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the socialists, and I remained silent because I was not a socialist. Next they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

While that quote is a tad heavy handed, it's a scenario that can be applied to much smaller scales. Power left unchecked usually corrupts, even in a small microcosm of society like a message board.

(12-04-2014 12:25 AM)ColinApocalypse Wrote:  Being critical is not only allowed, but encouraged in my book. You're welcome to say what you want on this board within reasonable tolerance (no flaming, excessive trolling, racism, pornography.. crap like that...read the AUP).

I like you Dip, you're frank and headstrong. You're also an unwavering Bronco fan and I can respect that.

Let's be real though...if you'll go back and read what I wrote, I didn't say it was me...but we both know it is. Don't play these little games with me, because I really don't have the time or interest in it.

And if it is you, so what? Is disagreeing with a moderator now a punishable offense here on Bronco Stampede? Is everyone who calls me Dipstick, Dipchit, Dipwad, etc., now subject to a reprimand, and a warning? What applies to you, has to be applied to all? And if that's not the case, well then, we have something new here that we haven't seen before, right?

If you're the new sheriff in town then perhaps you should spell out the rules here in the Stampede Saloon, because the old sheriff operated differently and I'm afraid there might be some confusion.

I'm not going to argue with you. I already told you to take all issues of moderation to PM.

And by the way, I apologize to you for calling you a "snot nosed 20 something who has no idea what he's talking about," in regard to the "Fire Fleck issues."

That was wrong on my part. While their are people here who I have no problem insulting you're not one of them. I know you're a fine young man. I understand you're doing what you perceive as your job. I'm just trying to save you from yourself.

This isn't the first WMU sports message board to try and rein in the messengers, and it probably won't be the last.

Note to DB- No, I'm not ready to jump ship. I'd like to try and reform Captain Queeg first. I think he has potential.........hopefully.

(12-03-2014 11:47 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  I've tried several occasions, as have others, to explain how highly moderated sites lose their zing.

If you outted someone by name, Moe banned you. If you were going ape chit on the multi IDs Moe banned you.

But now you're seeing Mission Creep. Slowly, the moderation has become a little more strict, a little more ticky tacky, a tad more heavy handed. Trust me, seen this all before. IT WILL GET WORSE. The DeadBroncoSociety came about for that very reason.

I doubt many people come to message boards to have to follow more rules, and to march to someone else's drum. We get enough of that in the real world and the internet is a nice escape from that.

Trust me, it always starts out harmless, and before you know it this will be Happy Talk Stampede, others need not apply.

I'll give you credit, CD, you always call it like you see it. This time around I agree with you. Don't care for the direction this board is going in. Feels like we're stepping back to 2004 with Bronco Illustrated, and we know how that turned out.

Dip somewhat off topic but you mentioned "Dead Bronco Society" does it still exist?

IMO, there's a huge difference between what WMU83 has been doing these last few weeks vs. any other poster. He's been flat out trolling and flaming nonstop... so much so that it's almost made me begin to somewhat appreciate DB. BC put it the best in another thread: "It's old and stupid."

Was the thread being locked necessary? Not sure. Was the 25% warning to Dip a bit excessive? Perhaps.

But in this case, 83 did it to himself and had it coming.

A lot of us just want to have a place to enjoy talking about WMU athletics without playing all of the online BS games.

This moderating is taxing. I honestly believe I have been fair with my actions.

The Terms of Service is there for a reason on all message boards. If posters would honor those rules, there would be little need for moderators. Just sayin'.

IMO, the "direction of this board" changed when a few certain posters (only about 3 or so) perpetuated very damaging rumors about our head football coach. Hence, why GTS stepped in and instituted a mod election -- which by the way, we all elected.

(12-04-2014 10:24 AM)Whinny1 Wrote:  The Terms of Service is there for a reason on all message boards. If posters would honor those rules, there would be little need for moderators. Just sayin'.

I have tried hard not to let my "pro-Fleck agenda" interfere with my judgment. For instance, if I was just out to govern people with an iron fist, I would have gone after Major. However, I respect Major, despite our differences.

Fleck is such a polarizing figure. He is WMU's George W. Bush (or Barrack Obama) that divides people.

For the life of me, I do not understand the disdain for the guy. However, I also realize people do not understand my "fandom" for Fleck.

I guess the same could be applied to Hawkins as well. ChipDip and I have had our differences of opinions on Hawkins through the years. I guess I am just a current administration loyalist.

However, for the record, I was not a fan of the firing of Cubit. But that had nothing to do with Fleck in my opinion.

Sorry, I will leave my soapbox now.

And for whatever reason, I keep getting arbitrary negative reps from DB... there's a rule against rep. abuse too, you know...

(12-03-2014 11:47 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  I've tried several occasions, as have others, to explain how highly moderated sites lose their zing.

If you outted someone by name, Moe banned you. If you were going ape chit on the multi IDs Moe banned you.

But now you're seeing Mission Creep. Slowly, the moderation has become a little more strict, a little more ticky tacky, a tad more heavy handed. Trust me, seen this all before. IT WILL GET WORSE. The DeadBroncoSociety came about for that very reason.

I doubt many people come to message boards to have to follow more rules, and to march to someone else's drum. We get enough of that in the real world and the internet is a nice escape from that.

Trust me, it always starts out harmless, and before you know it this will be Happy Talk Stampede, others need not apply.

CD's on the money, this place is getting lame. DB was talking some trash and I asked him if he was still getting sued and how that was working? Faster than light itself, I immediately got a PM warning from a mod who won't be named who said I'm not allowed to talk about the lawsuit.

Complete and total garbage. So the ones who didn't say the wrong things to force a lawsuit are now the ones getting punished?

Lame. Super lame.

It's pretty simple, don't be a douche and you won't get banned.

Kind of like, don't fight with the police and you won't get shot.