Thanks Leonidas

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Why SHOULD Tim have had to defend the entire ESPN platform? He's not the one in charge of it.

 

He said a while back that visiting the site was becoming less and less enjoyable, and when it stopped being fun, he was done. He's not the only one: have you guys ever stopped to ask yourselves why the crew from WGR faded away? Because (as one of them told me), every time one of them posted, it devolved into a let's-bash-Schopp thread, and they eventually got sick of it.

 

So, I'll repeat myself: nice job.

 

And don't be surprised if I start spending a lot less time here, too.

Add: Hell, maybe some of you will applaud that as well.

Honestly, Lori.

 

I've always felt the moderators here were a bit too lenient.

 

I believe in free speech etc. but this is a forum where we have agreed to comply with certain rules of behavior. Besides that, we're a community of Bills fans.

 

By turning a blind eye to the increasingly "provocative" nature of the posts here, that sort of bad behavior is being implicitly condoned. If I was a moderator, I'd be much more strict about deleting posts, putting posters on notice, and merging threads. I'm all about a laissez-faire approach, until it results in lots of people deciding not to participate. Those people who are sick of the attacks and bad behavior and just fade away from here need advocacy too.

 

I would be very happy to have a much stronger level of moderator oversight...even though there is a downside to that. I would rather the site be cleaned up of the bad behavior and lose a little of the freedom of speech and... "artistic expression."

 

As for Tim Graham, I'm very sorry to see him go, and I hope he reconsiders (again). Tim is a conscientious guy (as is John Wawrow), replying to private messages and responding to posts.

 

At the same time, any national writer who posts on a site like this has to anticipate and accept that their very presence here will be a lightning rod for the stupid behavior which seems to be on the increase in this country, and manifests itself here on a daily basis. There was a reason that in the old west, the old gunfighters had to leave town...because there were always punks looking to make their names by egging one of them into one last fight. The cost/benefit of posting on these boards is so small for a national writer.

 

As for Leonidas, he is typical of the problematic posters we get here, and he is far from the only one. Leonidas (like many of our problem posters) seems like a very intelligent (but) mercurial person. He seems a bit short-tempered with a bit of a hair-trigger finger. At the same time I've seen lots of his posts that were also intelligent, witty, and dead-on.

 

We have lots of idiot posters here...Leonidas is not an idiot. I would rather have Leonidas here than many of the slobbering morons that we get here. But Leonidas and many others need to throttle down on their propensity to provoke disturbances...for whatever reasons they may be doing it.

[RayFinkle]

Don't know how many clowns here actually read Tim's blog on a daily basis, but he was good enough to link a story which Lori wrote for TBD in this ESPN blog today. Way to crap on what should be a proud day for TBD and Lori in particular.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/...need-dez-bryant

 

Oh well, regardless of whether or not Tim comes back here, I will continue to read his column daily in between my porn surfing sessions. Keep up the good work Tim.

[300yrds]

I read the last couple pages of that thread. Boy did TG get his panties in a bunch. That seemed to be honest criticism about ESPN playing to a handful of markets and neglecting the rest of the sport cities. so what he said stfu, maybe not the most polite thing in the entire world, but this is also not the most formal setting, note the naked woman avatars, cartoon heads, and explitives. Leonidas was fine Tim needs to grow a pair.

[Lurker]

An accurate fact is an accurate fact regardless of its source. The ease of Twitter has enabled people who are in a position to obtain accurate facts to share them with shlubs like us who would otherwise go without knowing.

And the corollary--inaccurate 'facts' spread at 192,000 bytes per second--is what's devalued solid reporting/analysis, regardless of the topic.

 

Instant gratification cuts both ways...

[MarkAF43]

I read the last couple pages of that thread. Boy did TG get his panties in a bunch. That seemed to be honest criticism about ESPN playing to a handful of markets and neglecting the rest of the sport cities. so what he said stfu, maybe not the most polite thing in the entire world, but this is also not the most formal setting, note the naked woman avatars, cartoon heads, and explitives. Leonidas was fine Tim needs to grow a pair.

 

 

Why is it Tim's job to take abuse regarding complaints against his employer? Be a grown up and contact ESPN yourself.... Tim is not the complaints department

[thebug]

Why is it Tim's job to take abuse regarding complaints against his employer? Be a grown up and contact ESPN yourself.... Tim is not the complaints department

 

 

He could have just said that and moved on himself.

[bartshan-83]

I think he went overboard in directing his complaints about ESPN content at Tim.

 

And I disagree with Tim's response to it: Leonidas' post didn't deserve to be taken NEARLY as seriously as Tim took it. It should have been ignored, as it's not Tim's responsibility to field complaints about ESPN content.

 

But Leonidas was out of line with his post. It was relatively inoccuous, I thought, but completely (and offensively) out of place. It had all the politeness and maturity of a fart in an elevator.

This.

 

TG could have done without the indignant farewell speech to what was basically a stupid post followed by babble. If that was really the final straw, then he wasn't long for this place anyway.

 

But TG had already "warned" people of his boundaries before. Leonidas chose to ignore that. So whether this was an overreaction or not, that's the risk you run when you act like an idiot.

[MattyT]

And the corollary--inaccurate 'facts' spread at 192,000 bytes per second--is what's devalued solid reporting/analysis, regardless of the topic.

 

Instant gratification cuts both ways...

Mostly true. Unfiltered information is both risky and rewarding. The risk can be minimized by following people who have something at stake by spreading mis-information.

[BUFFALOTONE]

I think he went overboard in directing his complaints about ESPN content at Tim.

 

And I disagree with Tim's response to it: Leonidas' post didn't deserve to be taken NEARLY as seriously as Tim took it. It should have been ignored, as it's not Tim's responsibility to field complaints about ESPN content.

 

But Leonidas was out of line with his post. It was relatively inoccuous, I thought, but completely (and offensively) out of place. It had all the politeness and maturity of a fart in an elevator.

 

Sorry about that, taco day....

[moovemtooelay]

I'm not really gonna miss him. I can't ever remember reading anything that he wrote that I hadn't heard or read anywere else. Besides he just bashes the Bills in his articles. The only difference from him and the collection of people that post on these boards is that he gets paid to do it. I think we give him entirely too much credit.

[NY Nole]

Sad to see Tim go, but I think he must have had a bad day or something because Leonidas did not attack TG, he merely pointed out what a majority of posters think on a daily basis -- Tim's company employs some terrible NFL reporters. ESPN's love affair with the Patriots renders much of their information un-readable/watchable.

 

Personally, while I respect TG for joining the TBD nation and sharing his opinions, I don't view his self-imposed boycott as a loss. Contrary, I think he loses more -- because the only time ever I read ESPN articles/links is when he posts them here. I don't waste my time with their crap (or if SDS posts them on TBD).

 

This site is for Bills fans to vent their frustrations, conjure up crazy (only in their world-type scenarios), commiserate with others and generally talk about our team. If anyone (national sportswriters included) doesn't feel this site provides a great deal of entertainment -- then let them click on by to ESPNhappytown.com (it's their prerogative).

[akm0404]

Jeez, looks like he had a little thin skin there. How is saying something like, "Hey man, it isn't my call on all that stuff" or "That guy is a buddy of mine, so I'm not even going to address that" not the way to go? Looks like he had a hissy and took his ball and went home.

[Art in PNS]

I thought Leonidas' spew was near genius and if bringing to light the interminable reporting and monopolistic tendencies of Tim's employer is what drove him away, then good riddance. Don't be so sensitive, and have the ability to separate yourself from your network on boards like this.

 

 

That being said, maybe it wasn't a good idea to preach this on a Tim Graham answer forum.

If this was an ESPN board you would be right . Since it is supposed to be a discussion / fan board for the Bills you are absolutely wrong. The board looks more and more like romper room here every day with infants throwing temper tantrums simply because they can type. Debate is a lost art .

[H2o]

Don't know how many clowns here actually read Tim's blog on a daily basis, but he was good enough to link a story which Lori wrote for TBD in this ESPN blog today. Way to crap on what should be a proud day for TBD and Lori in particular.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/...need-dez-bryant

 

Oh well, regardless of whether or not Tim comes back here, I will continue to read his column daily in between my porn surfing sessions. Keep up the good work Tim.

Well, I'll still say congrats Lori on the publishing of your story to such a large audience!!! About Leonidas, what did you guys expect really?

[Green Lightning]

I'm not really gonna miss him. I can't ever remember reading anything that he wrote that I hadn't heard or read anywere else. Besides he just bashes the Bills in his articles. The only difference from him and the collection of people that post on these boards is that he gets paid to do it. I think we give him entirely too much credit.

 

What TG writes is worlds more enlightening than anything Leonidas adds to this board.

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

I thought Leonidas' spew was near genius and if bringing to light the interminable reporting and monopolistic tendencies of Tim's employer is what drove him away, then good riddance. Don't be so sensitive, and have the ability to separate yourself from your network on boards like this.

 

 

That being said, maybe it wasn't a good idea to preach this on a Tim Graham answer forum.

 

sure. everyone has the right to be an a++hole from time to time, then again there's no need to abuse the privelege.

 

how about this, just don't visit the site? don't click on the links. get your information from a site you find less offensive? or how about this---provide the feedback to someone who gives a crap?

 

newsflash--espn sells stuff. plenty of people are buying. maybe your suggestion to be less sensitive should have applied to leonidas?

[DanInUticaTampa]

Honestly, Lori.

 

I've always felt the moderators here were a bit too lenient.

 

I believe in free speech etc. but this is a forum where we have agreed to comply with certain rules of behavior. Besides that, we're a community of Bills fans.

 

By turning a blind eye to the increasingly "provocative" nature of the posts here, that sort of bad behavior is being implicitly condoned. If I was a moderator, I'd be much more strict about deleting posts, putting posters on notice, and merging threads. I'm all about a laissez-faire approach, until it results in lots of people deciding not to participate. Those people who are sick of the attacks and bad behavior and just fade away from here need advocacy too.

 

I would be very happy to have a much stronger level of moderator oversight...even though there is a downside to that. I would rather the site be cleaned up of the bad behavior and lose a little of the freedom of speech and... "artistic expression."

 

As for Tim Graham, I'm very sorry to see him go, and I hope he reconsiders (again). Tim is a conscientious guy (as is John Wawrow), replying to private messages and responding to posts.

 

At the same time, any national writer who posts on a site like this has to anticipate and accept that their very presence here will be a lightning rod for the stupid behavior which seems to be on the increase in this country, and manifests itself here on a daily basis. There was a reason that in the old west, the old gunfighters had to leave town...because there were always punks looking to make their names by egging one of them into one last fight. The cost/benefit of posting on these boards is so small for a national writer.

 

As for Leonidas, he is typical of the problematic posters we get here, and he is far from the only one. Leonidas (like many of our problem posters) seems like a very intelligent (but) mercurial person. He seems a bit short-tempered with a bit of a hair-trigger finger. At the same time I've seen lots of his posts that were also intelligent, witty, and dead-on.

 

We have lots of idiot posters here...Leonidas is not an idiot. I would rather have Leonidas here than many of the slobbering morons that we get here. But Leonidas and many others need to throttle down on their propensity to provoke disturbances...for whatever reasons they may be doing it.

 

I agree with a lot of this. Especially when someone like Chuck Knox makes like 3 threads in 10 minutes on the same subject that no one takes his side on, and he doesn't even bother replying to his own threads. Yet he is allowed to do it over and over.

[Boom Jam]

This is the funniest thread I have read in a while. Thanks for the laughs Leonidas.

[CountDorkula]

This is the funniest thread I have read in a while. Thanks for the laughs Leonidas.

 

Care to explain....

[Boom Jam]

Care to explain....

 

Sure - a National sportswriter gets his feelings hurt by some internet message board jackass. What's not funny about that?