Civility

[Mothman]

We try to stick to football here and we don't talk too much about the "outside world" but for reasons that should be obvious, things are a little tense right now. Let's make this place a retreat from that where we can discuss football in a friendly manner, whether we agree or disagree.

In other words, be nice to each other and if you disagree, do so respectfully. Post about substance. Try to avoid using incendiary language that may insult, denigrate or incite other board members. It's fine to be passionate about football but as soon as you find yourself typing a comment about another board member, please pause and ask yourself if you can make your point without commenting/editorializing about that person as well.

I deleted some posts this morning that were just likely to escalate tensions. I don't like to do that but things are becoming too angry and personal around here and I'm trying to turn the heat down a little. Let's relax and make this place an enjoyable escape from the more serious problems around us.

[VikingsVictorious]

We try to stick to football here and we don't talk too much about the "outside world" but for reasons that should be obvious, things are a little tense right now. Let's make this place a retreat from that where we can discuss football in a friendly manner, whether we agree or disagree.

In other words, be nice to each other and if you disagree, do so respectfully. Post about substance. Try to avoid using incendiary language that may insult, denigrate or incite other board members. It's fine to be passionate about football but as soon as you find yourself typing a comment about another board member, please pause and ask yourself if you can make your point without commenting/editorializing about that person as well.

I deleted some posts this morning that were just likely to escalate tensions. I don't like to do that but things are becoming too angry and personal around here and I'm trying to turn the heat down a little. Let's relax and make this place an enjoyable escape from the more serious problems around us.

Great post and I will do my best.

[Bowhunting Viking]

Great post. I was actually writing a reply to a post in a thread commenting on exactly what you just covered. When I hit the submit button it said that the post didn't exist. I thought I was losing my mind, because I knew that I read it. I am glad that you noted that you deleted some posts. Now I know I'm not losing it.
Great advice. This is a time where civility, understanding and compassion are needed the most.
Thanks for bringing this up.
I hope that everyone here, their loved ones and friends remain healthy in these times.

[Mothman]

Great post and I will do my best.

Thank you.

[Mothman]

Great post. I was actually writing a reply to a post in a thread commenting on exactly what you just covered. When I hit the submit button it said that the post didn't exist. I thought I was losing my mind, because I knew that I read it. I am glad that you noted that you deleted some posts. Now I know I'm not losing it

I've had that happen before and it can be a little bewildering in the moment.

Great advice. This is a time where civility, understanding and compassion are needed the most.
Thanks for bringing this up.
I hope that everyone here, their loved ones and friends remain healthy in these times.

Well said. I hope so too. Please be smart and be safe, everybody.

[VikingLord]

The best (and really only) remedy to the problem you are referencing in your topic Jim is implementation of the board's policy. It sucks to ban people I'm sure, but for some there really isn't any other way.

With that said, hopefully everyone can see the value in staying away from personal attacks and debating the points raised. Nobody is right all the time. It takes some maturity to admit when you're not right or you don't know, but if you are objectively right about something it should be easy to prove or will provide itself out over time.

In the end we're all fans of the same team and hope for the same thing. We're also completely powerless to affect anything going on with the team, so to that extent it doesn't make a lot of sense to allow hubris to get in the way of our shared interest in the Vikings.

[Tark]

We try to stick to football here and we don't talk too much about the "outside world" but for reasons that should be obvious, things are a little tense right now. Let's make this place a retreat from that where we can discuss football in a friendly manner, whether we agree or disagree.

In other words, be nice to each other and if you disagree, do so respectfully. Post about substance. Try to avoid using incendiary language that may insult, denigrate or incite other board members. It's fine to be passionate about football but as soon as you find yourself typing a comment about another board member, please pause and ask yourself if you can make your point without commenting/editorializing about that person as well.

I deleted some posts this morning that were just likely to escalate tensions. I don't like to do that but things are becoming too angry and personal around here and I'm trying to turn the heat down a little. Let's relax and make this place an enjoyable escape from the more serious problems around us.

Totally agree and I find it interesting that one of the major offenders hasn't replied yet, dude.

[Bowhunting Viking]

We try to stick to football here and we don't talk too much about the "outside world" but for reasons that should be obvious, things are a little tense right now. Let's make this place a retreat from that where we can discuss football in a friendly manner, whether we agree or disagree.

In other words, be nice to each other and if you disagree, do so respectfully. Post about substance. Try to avoid using incendiary language that may insult, denigrate or incite other board members. It's fine to be passionate about football but as soon as you find yourself typing a comment about another board member, please pause and ask yourself if you can make your point without commenting/editorializing about that person as well.

I deleted some posts this morning that were just likely to escalate tensions. I don't like to do that but things are becoming too angry and personal around here and I'm trying to turn the heat down a little. Let's relax and make this place an enjoyable escape from the more serious problems around us.

Totally agree and I find it interesting that one of the major offenders hasn't replied yet, dude.

Good that you agree, but by appearance I think the very end of your post was a slight or a bit directed at specific individual, that will provide the chance to start a new round of the exact type of threads Jim was trying to prevent.
If that wasn't the intention then I apologize. But, that is the way that it appears to me and probably will be percieved by others.

[Mothman]

Good that you agree, but by appearance I think the very end of your post was a slight or a bit directed at specific individual, that will provide the chance to start a new round of the exact type of threads Jim was trying to prevent.
If that wasn't the intention then I apologize. But, that is the way that it appears to me and probably will be percieved by others.

It does appear to run contrary to the intent of my post.

[Mothman]

The best (and really only) remedy to the problem you are referencing in your topic Jim is implementation of the board's policy. It sucks to ban people I'm sure, but for some there really isn't any other way.

With that said, hopefully everyone can see the value in staying away from personal attacks and debating the points raised. Nobody is right all the time. It takes some maturity to admit when you're not right or you don't know, but if you are objectively right about something it should be easy to prove or will provide itself out over time.

In the end we're all fans of the same team and hope for the same thing. We're also completely powerless to affect anything going on with the team, so to that extent it doesn't make a lot of sense to allow hubris to get in the way of our shared interest in the Vikings.

Well said.

Enforcement of board policy may prove to be the only remedy to the problem. However, cooperative effort is preferable to warnings and bans so my hope is everyone will make a genuine effort to be friendly and respectful, put existing differences and resentments aside and remember, as you said, that we are all here because of our shared interest in the Vikings.

[Cliff]

The best (and really only) remedy to the problem you are referencing in your topic Jim is implementation of the board's policy. It sucks to ban people I'm sure, but for some there really isn't any other way.

With that said, hopefully everyone can see the value in staying away from personal attacks and debating the points raised. Nobody is right all the time. It takes some maturity to admit when you're not right or you don't know, but if you are objectively right about something it should be easy to prove or will provide itself out over time.

In the end we're all fans of the same team and hope for the same thing. We're also completely powerless to affect anything going on with the team, so to that extent it doesn't make a lot of sense to allow hubris to get in the way of our shared interest in the Vikings.

Well said.

Enforcement of board policy may prove to be the only remedy to the problem. However, cooperative effort is preferable to warnings and bans so my hope is everyone will make a genuine effort to be friendly and respectful, put existing differences and resentments aside and remember, as you said, that we are all here because of our shared interest in the Vikings.

To add on to Jim's post a bit. If you do see something that is obviously against board policy please use the "report" function and report the post to us. Generally speaking at least one of us will be on the "beat". However, we won't necessarily catch everything and I can't speak for all of the mods but with how busy my life is I often can't actually read through all of the posts everyday. I do check the board everyday though to do admin-type stuff and those reports send me a red flag to check it out.

[Tark]

Good that you agree, but by appearance I think the very end of your post was a slight or a bit directed at specific individual, that will provide the chance to start a new round of the exact type of threads Jim was trying to prevent.
If that wasn't the intention then I apologize. But, that is the way that it appears to me and probably will be percieved by others.

It does appear to run contrary to the intent of my post.

Feel free to delete it if you see fit, thanks.

[Pondering Her Percy]

Well said.

Enforcement of board policy may prove to be the only remedy to the problem. However, cooperative effort is preferable to warnings and bans so my hope is everyone will make a genuine effort to be friendly and respectful, put existing differences and resentments aside and remember, as you said, that we are all here because of our shared interest in the Vikings.

To add on to Jim's post a bit. If you do see something that is obviously against board policy please use the "report" function and report the post to us. Generally speaking at least one of us will be on the "beat". However, we won't necessarily catch everything and I can't speak for all of the mods but with how busy my life is I often can't actually read through all of the posts everyday. I do check the board everyday though to do admin-type stuff and those reports send me a red flag to check it out.

It’s good to know about the report button. Never thought about using it but definitely will in the future because I know there have been a few where I’ve pointed out an issue and it wasn’t addressed. Not a knock on the mods whatsoever because unless this is someone’s full time job, you aren’t going to be able to read every single post and I wouldn’t ever want you guys to even attempt to do that. Thanks cliff!

[Pondering Her Percy]

Totally agree and I find it interesting that one of the major offenders hasn't replied yet, dude.

Good that you agree, but by appearance I think the very end of your post was a slight or a bit directed at specific individual, that will provide the chance to start a new round of the exact type of threads Jim was trying to prevent.
If that wasn't the intention then I apologize. But, that is the way that it appears to me and probably will be percieved by others.

Agreed that it definitely seemed that way and that the point of the post is being overlooked. I will keep my opinion to myself and hopefully things change moving forward.

[Cliff]

To add on to Jim's post a bit. If you do see something that is obviously against board policy please use the "report" function and report the post to us. Generally speaking at least one of us will be on the "beat". However, we won't necessarily catch everything and I can't speak for all of the mods but with how busy my life is I often can't actually read through all of the posts everyday. I do check the board everyday though to do admin-type stuff and those reports send me a red flag to check it out.

It’s good to know about the report button. Never thought about using it but definitely will in the future because I know there have been a few where I’ve pointed out an issue and it wasn’t addressed. Not a knock on the mods whatsoever because unless this is someone’s full time job, you aren’t going to be able to read every single post and I wouldn’t ever want you guys to even attempt to do that. Thanks cliff!

No problem. Yup, it works and is responded to. We somewhat rely on the community to help us out as far as pointing out bad actors. Though I do actually *try* to make it through each post it's often not until a day or two after it's posted. Sometimes longer, especially in the off season.

I don't take it as a knock because you're absolutely right, this is not a full time job for anybody. Hell, it's not even a part-time job for anybody because the word "job" implies pay of some kind. I have a job, a side job, a 13 month old, and now with the virus my best friend's kids (8 and 11) stay at my house during the day for 10 hours and I help them with school work. So I'm sure the other mods aren't in my exact boat but I know they have their own lives as well and a lot going on.

Anyway, definitely use that function when needed!