Should We Allow Results in Titles?

Discussion in 'Customer Service' started by Huss, Mar 6, 2005.

  1. Huss

    Huss Member

    Aug 1, 1995
    New York, NY
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Well? After ten years, it's time to discuss if it's time for a policy change...
     
  2. astabooty

    astabooty Member

    Nov 16, 2002
    China
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    many argue that you deserve what you get for being on bigsoccer when not wanting to know a score, but i dont agree.

    i like the current system. [r] and no thread titles that give it away. sure newbs will screw it up at times, but everyone should learn quickly.
     
  3. Knave

    Knave Member+

    May 25, 1999
    First, as a moderator I'd much rather quietly edit a spoiling thread title or place an [R] there if need be, than deal with a whole bunch of people screaming bloody murder because someone spoiled a match for them. The [R] policy actually helps to keep the board a more civil, more friendly, more open place. Do away with it and I think you're opening the door to a whole bunch of trouble.

    Second, why are we even talking about this? Is someone complaining? I just don't think it's a problem. Newbies get confused and don't know any better, but that's how newbies are. They learn and everything is fine. I just don't see what's changed to prompt us to re-evaluate this policy.

    Third, BigSoccer should be more accesible than less. The [R] policy as it currently stands does not prevent anyone from using this website. You can talk about whatever you like provided you give warning about spoilers. Without the [R] policy you'll make BigSoccer less open to people who want to avoid spoilers. I say keep BigSoccer as open as possible. The [R] policy makes it more open.

    Fourth, if this has to do with the newsbots then I say do away with the newsbots. It's not obvious to me that those are going over very well as it is. And they're certainly not inspiring much discussion. I just looked through all of the newbot's posts, and hardly any of them have inspired any posts in response. Indeed the overhwhelming majority of them have been completely ignored - we're talking a handful of views, and no posts. Plus, most forums either don't have them, or have elected not to have them. If you're thinking of changing the [R] policy to accomodate the automatic titles rendered by the (largely ignored) newsbot, then I think you're wrong to consider that. Instead I'd re-evaluate the usefulness of the newsbot.

    Ultimately the [R] policy works as well as it ever did, and it's as useful as it ever was. (With the rise of TIVO maybe even more useful.) It's not perfect, it has its problems, but it's better than doing away with it altogether.

    If you want to make some small changes, then I'd suggest this:

    I've always thought the spoiler rule should only apply for 48 hours after a match ends. After that it become pretty ridiculous to enforce. This is just a practical modification that's already basically in practice.
     
  4. BPBlueSox

    BPBlueSox Member

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Aug 21, 2003
    Georgia
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    No, no, no!
     
  5. fedwood

    fedwood Member

    Sep 13, 2004
    yes of course it should be allowed...

    if you are waiting to see a game, only a moron would go on a soccer forum
     
  6. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Absolutely not... if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

    Also, I think Knave summed it up perfectly, so as another moderator, I have nothing to add to his dissertation... agree with it completely.
     
  7. monster

    monster Member

    Oct 19, 1999
    Hanover, PA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes.

    I could maybe see no score or osmething like that, but if you're on BigSoccer while you don't want to see the result of a soccer game, well ....
     
  8. jmeissen0

    jmeissen0 New Member

    Mar 31, 2001
    page 1078
    so people don't want soccer to be popular in this country?

    cause if it were, the scores would be everywhere
     
  9. Huss

    Huss Member

    Aug 1, 1995
    New York, NY
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Good points all, keep em coming. Er. bump.
     
  10. Barbara

    Barbara BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 29, 2000
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I voted that I don't care but the DM, I mean Knave, makes some good points. Especially about the bot thing.
     
  11. gaijin

    gaijin New Member

    Aug 1, 2004
    Malaysia
    Someone once said to me, if you dont know the score, then you're not a fan.

    I think regradless of whether or not it has the result in the thread, about 90% of the people who visit the forums, will be well aware of the result. There is a Arrested Development thread on the TV forum however. Now I know they will be discussing and spoiling episodes that I haven't see yet, so I simply avoid posting in that thread - common sense.

    If someone had started a thread with a title that had something revealing about the show, then yeah I would be slightly annoyed by this. So I think that we need a system that does protect certain areas of the board, for people in cases like this. But with football its live, no real delayed basis. And I think if you intend to tape it and watch it later, then stay clear of the site altogether (cue classic Likely Lads episode.)

    I think because the majority of match threads are done by regulars and mods or are slightly edited, I very rarely see newbs starting match threads. Maybe this is me, I don't know.

    I can't see how the system we have now, is upsetting what goes on in the site.

    In terms of newsbots, there really is no point. I have the likes of "L-equipe, BBC, Guardian" etc on my bookmarks. And with thousands of people accessing the site, you've already got somebody posting the lastest news. And I think people respond much better when you have someone breaking the news and offering their stark opinon on it, hence stirring up the debate and thread.

    I read the local rags as well as this site, and I come here to discuss what I have read or what is going on, not to comprehend what I already know. We are already well informed on these boards anyway.

    So for the [R]? I say keep it. Newbs will learn and we don't have to break from routine.
     
  12. IASocFan

    IASocFan Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 13, 2000
    IOWA
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Keep the R - as a courtesy. I do think we need to be kinder to newbies when they goof. If I really don't want to know, I'll not be on bs. HOWEVER, I usually don't care that much. I'm watching to watch soccer. It will be good or bad (rarely) independent of whether I know the final score.
     
  13. FoxBoro 143

    FoxBoro 143 Member+

    Jan 18, 2004
    MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Exactly. Keep the R's
     
  14. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    1 - Newsbot thing.
    Since the Newsbot's operate on a time basis, how about this solution: Instead of starting a thread for every article, create one thread for multiple articles. Sort of like the Daily MLS N&A threads. That would remove results from NewsBot thread titles
    "3/3/05 4:52pm ET Yahoo! World Soccer articles"
    "3/4/05 10:08am ET Talon News articles"
    etc...

    2. [R]esults in thread titles. I long ago made my piece. I comment on results when I see them, but I long ago accepted the fact that if I absolutely did not want to know a result, I couldn't go on BigSoccer or even read my email until after seeing a game.

    I like [R]s, but I think some posters take it as a god-given right. How dare espn2 or FSC spoil other results with a ticker! The horror.

    I think [R]s should be fine for delayed broadcasts (like KC vs CD Saprissa - on 90 minute delay) or the June 8th US World Cup Qualifier (on a few hours delay on espn2).

    I think [R]s are fine for games that are shown during the workweek (like, say UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup games) that might be taped.

    I'm more dubious about [R]s for each and every game regardless of when/where they were shown. I mean, someone is complaining about the result of the 1950 USA/ENG World Cup game in one of the Game of Their Lives threads. :eek:

    My advice, however, is to put to come up with a set policy and create a link:
    https://www.bigsoccer.com/policy.php
    with the policy. So many "habits" here on BigSoccer are word of mouth. [R]s don't need to be in the TOS. Just put a few key "policies" in an easily remembered URL, so that transgressors can be pointed to something codifying the policy.

    Personally, I wouldn't miss the [R]s. If they went away, there'd be some teeth gnashing and keyboard thrashing, but folks would adjust. I mean Yahoo! Sports is probably one of the busiest websites in the entire web, and it's just littered with results.

    But I understand tradition, and if folks want [R]s, then make it easier for mods and users to reference the actual rules of the road around here.

    [result]The US beat England 1-0[/result]
     
  15. Knave

    Knave Member+

    May 25, 1999
    You're kidding, right? I hope you're kidding.

    Again, I think a 48 hour amendment would be a good idea.
    This is a good suggestion.
     
  16. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    I have no idea if this is a joke:
    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4315282&postcount=102
    12 or 24. 48 is way too long. 48 is in the realm of TIVO/VCR watching. If you don't have time to watch a taped game within a day, you don't have time to be surfing BigSoccer.
     
  17. Kryptonite

    Kryptonite Fancy Title Here

    Apr 10, 1999
    Columbus
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I can understand this. If i'm watching a delayed game, and taken the necessary precautions to avoid the result, and then see it on the bottom of the screen...

    And not everyone's TV is small enough or crappy enough to bring out the black construction paper and tape.
     
  18. dark knight

    dark knight Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 15, 1999
    Club:
    Leicester City FC
    As someone who has to come on BigSoccer fairly regulary, I'm totally against changing the policy. If there is a result I positively don't want spoiled, I'll avoid it, but as many of us Yanks Abroad fans know, it isn't always feasible to stay away before seeing a game. Some games don't show live and it's really nice to be able to wait for a replay unspoiled.

    PBP threads are a big part of what makes BigSoccer special - so often games such as U-17 qualifiers aren't televised and even if you missed the game, you can come and read the play by play days later.

    I'm also against setting a time limit because IMO people won't understand the rule if there are results sometimes and not others. 48 hours isn't enough time in these days of multiple replays and it also could potentially ruin PBP threads. Why do you need a result in title anyway?

    I realize that no results in titles requires a bit of a learning curve for newbies, but it's also something that sets BigSoccer apart, IMO. Requiring people to take some care in their posting via the Spoiler rule is just one more way that BigSoccer tries to have a slightly higher standard than other boards. And it's nice not to have to avoid the board just because a ManCity game featuring Claudio Reyna is being shown on tape delay a few hours behind.

    I don't come to BigSoccer when I want to immediately know a score - I hit other sites like soccernet, or kicker.de., or whatever.

    Did I mention I'm totally against a change?
     
  19. dark knight

    dark knight Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 15, 1999
    Club:
    Leicester City FC
  20. hiddink_magic

    hiddink_magic New Member

    Feb 27, 2003
    Wendouree
    I think it would be a great idea if you allowed this to happen, Huss.

    It is a bit harsh when you have a newspaper article with a result in it's title and the person gets banned for posting it there.
     
  21. dark knight

    dark knight Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 15, 1999
    Club:
    Leicester City FC
    No one has ever been banned for posting a newpaper article with a result in its title. In fact, no one has ever been banned for posting any kind of result.
     
  22. Knave

    Knave Member+

    May 25, 1999
    Oh, come on. This sounds more like BigSoccer legend than fact.

    People get banned for lots of reasons, but a single, solitary spoiling post isn't one of them.
     
  23. hiddink_magic

    hiddink_magic New Member

    Feb 27, 2003
    Wendouree
    Hey that's fair enough mate because you have made that choice. And it shows that it makes you a fantastic mod.(noticing your status there mate)

    If a paper or a website has the result in it's title and somebody posts the article and they get banned or warned by you and whoever else is moderating, it can be deemed a little unfair by some ppl. So relaxing that policy is a must if you get my drift. But you don't want to. Hey your a mod and I'm not so you have more of a say because of your status.
     
  24. hiddink_magic

    hiddink_magic New Member

    Feb 27, 2003
    Wendouree
    It has happened before. How many ppl have you put on Yellow Card for posting something with a result in it's title?
     
  25. hiddink_magic

    hiddink_magic New Member

    Feb 27, 2003
    Wendouree
    Trust your opinion mate.
     

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