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So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 6:24 pm
by Mothman
I’ve decided to step away from VMB for the foreseeable future. This was a difficult decision for me but I have some personal and professional goals that will require time and energy to achieve and I know with the season about to begin, posting about football would be a particularly big distraction from those efforts.

I joined VMB 14 years ago shortly after it was created and when you spend 14 years doing anything it becomes a genuine part of your life. Following the Vikings and discussing them here over that time has been a pretty wild ride and I will miss it. I’ve tried very hard to be earnest and to promote intelligent, interesting discussion. I hope that’s been clear over the years and that I’ve shared some insights worth reading. I’ve certainly read some insightful comments from others here and they’ve helped me learn a lot more about football than I knew when I arrived. I’ve made some great friends on VMB and have enjoyed the analysis, the spirited debates and especially the sense of community. Overall, being here has been a very rewarding experience and I’m grateful to everyone who has taken the time to discuss the Vikings and football with me. Thank you.

I’m making this sound like a permanent “goodbye” but I’ll be around for the next day or two and when time permits, I still intend to pop in once in a while to say “hello” and comment on a game or significant Vikings news. I just feel I owe all of you an explanation before I pull a “vanishing act”. After all, as I said, this board is a community.

Please try to be kind and respectful to each other and enjoy the upcoming season. Hopefully, it will be a good one for the Vikings.

Take care, one and all!

Jim

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 6:41 pm
by Texas Vike
Mothman wrote:I’ve decided to step away from VMB for the foreseeable future. This was a difficult decision for me but I have some personal and professional goals that will require time and energy to achieve and I know with the season about to begin, posting about football would be a particularly big distraction from those efforts.

I joined VMB 14 years ago shortly after it was created and when you spend 14 years doing anything it becomes a genuine part of your life. Following the Vikings and discussing them here over that time has been a pretty wild ride and I will miss it. I’ve tried very hard to be earnest and to promote intelligent, interesting discussion. I hope that’s been clear over the years and that I’ve shared some insights worth reading. I’ve certainly read some insightful comments from others here and they’ve helped me learn a lot more about football than I knew when I arrived. I’ve made some great friends on VMB and have enjoyed the analysis, the spirited debates and especially the sense of community. Overall, being here has been a very rewarding experience and I’m grateful to everyone who has taken the time to discuss the Vikings and football with me. Thank you.

I’m making this sound like a permanent “goodbye” but I’ll be around for the next day or two and when time permits, I still intend to pop in once in a while to say “hello” and comment on a game or significant Vikings news. I just feel I owe all of you an explanation before I pull a “vanishing act”. After all, as I said, this board is a community.

Please try to be kind and respectful to each other and enjoy the upcoming season. Hopefully, it will be a good one for the Vikings.

Take care, one and all!

Jim

Even though you had already given me the heads up on this news, it still bums me out. This board will feel your absence big time. I am sincerely bummed that you are stepping away, though I totally understand your decision. I wish you the best on your projects, Jim.

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:22 pm
by Mothman
Texas Vike wrote:Even though you had already given me the heads up on this news, it still bums me out. This board will feel your absence big time. I am sincerely bummed that you are stepping away, though I totally understand your decision. I wish you the best on your projects, Jim.
Thank you very much. That means a lot to me.

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:37 pm
by dead_poet
Unacceptable. We do not accept your resignation.

Wait, is this a negotiating tactic? Holding out for more $? Shrewd move so close to the season opener. Have your agent reach out.

But in all sincerity, this sucks. I've always enjoyed your takes, analysis, commentary and Moderation. You've always promoted a fair board for people to voice their views while enforcing board rules.

Your absence will be felt here. I'll miss our exchanges and discussing the painful/close losses and few sweet victories.

Best of luck devoting your time to less interesting, more sane and mundane things of lesser importance. After you achieve your goals (4.55 40?) please come back. Sure, Demi will reign as the Pessimistic Night King with Jordy as his minion as the board falls into a dystopian Mad Max wasteland but I'm sure there will be enough gasoline and hot takes to go around.

To sum up, you suck. Tell Christian Ponder we say hi and do your best to mimic your favorite player and un-retire a couple of times before you sail off to the undying lands. Skol.

:smilevike:

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 8:01 pm
by PurpleKoolaid
You will be missed. As will your insight to the game. Take care.

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 8:20 pm
by PacificNorseWest
Take care, Jim. You're one of the good guys.

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 8:58 pm
by Texas Vike
dead_poet wrote:Unacceptable. We do not accept your resignation.

Wait, is this a negotiating tactic? Holding out for more $? Shrewd move so close to the season opener. Have your agent reach out.

But in all sincerity, this sucks. I've always enjoyed your takes, analysis, commentary and Moderation. You've always promoted a fair board for people to voice their views while enforcing board rules.

Your absence will be felt here. I'll miss our exchanges and discussing the painful/close losses and few sweet victories.

Best of luck devoting your time to less interesting, more sane and mundane things of lesser importance. After you achieve your goals (4.55 40?) please come back. Sure, Demi will reign as the Pessimistic Night King with Jordy as his minion as the board falls into a dystopian Mad Max wasteland but I'm sure there will be enough gasoline and hot takes to go around.

To sum up, you suck. Tell Christian Ponder we say hi and do your best to mimic your favorite player and un-retire a couple of times before you sail off to the undying lands. Skol.

:smilevike:
:lol: :rofl:

Best post I've read in ages. That was so well crafted and worthy of the occasion. Thanks for making me laugh about something that genuinely has me bummed out.

PS Anyone think that by "devoting energy to personal and professional endeavors" Jim actually means sailing on Lake Minnetonka? Or inventing a better Whizinator?

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 10:14 pm
by S197
Best of luck in those personal and professional endeavors. VMB will be here waiting so hopefully you can pop in from time to time. We may not have always seen eye to eye on everything but I appreciate your contributions to the board and taking the time to moderate. When we had moderator positions to fill, your name was the first I gave to Cliff (along with DP but he bribed me) because despite our different viewpoints, I knew you would be fair and objective. Plus you're really old and I was taught to respect my elders.

Take care my friend, if you're ever in the 50th state, please reach out so we can at least grab a beer (or ensure). :v):

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:45 am
by Thaumaturgist
Bummer news Jim. I know I'm an infrequent poster, but I've been a voracious reader in all my years here. Your thoughtful posts will be sincerely missed.

Hope to catch you around from time to time. Good luck on your future endeavors!

Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 7:06 am
by PurpleMustReign
This is really bumming me out. I read it yesterday and I haven't forgotten it. Good luck, Jim. Even if you posted something short every once jn a while, it would be nice to hear from you. SKOL Jim!

Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 7:07 am
by PurpleMustReign
S197 wrote:Best of luck in those personal and professional endeavors. VMB will be here waiting so hopefully you can pop in from time to time. We may not have always seen eye to eye on everything but I appreciate your contributions to the board and taking the time to moderate. When we had moderator positions to fill, your name was the first I gave to Cliff (along with DP but he bribed me) because despite our different viewpoints, I knew you would be fair and objective. Plus you're really old and I was taught to respect my elders.

Take care my friend, if you're ever in the 50th state, please reach out so we can at least grab a beer (or ensure). :v):
Jim is old, that's for sure [emoji38]

Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 7:27 am
by Cliff
I know we've talked about this privately but I wanted to post a bit here too. After discussing things with you here so regularly for so long it's difficult for me to imagine this place without you. Like you said, after 14 years it becomes a genuine part of your life and you have along with it. Your perspective, attitude, knowledge about game, and just you in general, will be missed here.

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 8:09 am
by Grashopa
This is a big loss for this community :(

Like most here, i look forward to your visits, and hopefully there is an eventual return.

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:06 am
by Raptorman
Jim who?








As always, a good poster that will be missed. I hope your endeavors turn out the way you wish. So when the Vikings are getting ready to play in the Super Bowl next February, can we expect to see you and get your 2 cents' worth?*

* If this happens we will have to seriously consider banning him during the next full season just to see if he is a jinx. :)

Re: So Long and Thanks for All the Football

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 11:00 am
by autobon7
Good luck with your endeavors......your thought provoking posts and humor will most definitely be missed. Hope to see you pop in from time to time.....kinda like wack-a-mole.