A little while back somebody complained that match threads aren’t getting posted in a timely manner on this board. It’s a legitimate complaint. Just about the most basic thing a team board should do is host match threads, and if we’re not getting them up appropriately, then something is wrong. There’s a quaint idea that if posters want match threads, they should and they will post them. But things don’t work that way. Posters in the abstract almost never take responsibility for starting routine threads. (Why is this? You can start with Mancur Olsen’s classic The Logic of Collective Action.) If you want to get something done, then somebody’s got to take responsibility for it, and on most boards that final responsibility will lie with a moderator. The fact that simple, routine things aren’t getting done shows that this board doesn’t run itself, and that it would benefit from moderator oversight. But that’s only one side of the matter, and it’s the boring side. The quotidian stuff is important because it has such powerful effects. By doing the simple things, mods infuse their boards with contagious energy. That energy is the difference between backwater boards and pulsating discussion communities. I was the DC United mod for years back when that was the biggest, most active board on BigSoccer. What made that board great? The mods made sure all the simple stuff got done, and by doing so we gave our energy to that board. We constantly started match threads, news threads, and topical threads. Threads were stuck and unstuck on time. Everything was kept timely and tidy. (And we squashed trolls with glee!) Those simple things sustain and build active, vibrant boards. I look at this SRFC board and the developing SRFC community, and I see the opportunity to build something special both on and offline. This board should be a big part of that. If you want reliable, high-quality SRFC discussion, this should be the place to find it. But we need some mods to step up and make it into that kind of place. A lot of folks think great posters make great boards. That’s not true. Especially these days, there are countless places for great posters to express themselves. You need great mods to build great boards that attract great posters. Modding isn’t for everyone, and it isn’t forever. When I finally stepped down from modding the DC United board, I was, frankly, relieved. I didn’t want the responsibility any longer. My energy was tapped out. I didn’t think I’d ever want to mod again. But I’ve been so tempted to step up to mod this board. So very tempted. I know this team and this place could be extraordinary. But I’m not the right guy. My allegiance is still with DC United, and if SRFC makes it to MLS, I expect it’ll precipitate some sort of existential crisis for me. Even if that weren’t an issue, I think this place needs younger, newer, less jaded blood. Still, I can fully see what this board could be, and the idea of being part of that is compelling. If I can’t do it, then I should at least try to persuade some of you to step up. (Note the plural: all boards should have at least two mods.) So I’m opening up this thread. Maybe some of you are interested but have questions. Maybe others want to chime in with their thoughts on modding this place (and modding in general). For now I hope I’ve at least piqued your interest. So let’s talk.
Though I post here a lot I'm not going to throw my hat into the ring. I just can't devote myself to that responsibility, and not to mention, I also share conflicting interests, with the Quakes. There are a few posters here I think would do a great job, or perhaps someone new. Kudos to those that do.
I could probably try to put up and keep threads ex officio, but I too have some conflicts of time and passion. Has anyone thought of reaching out to the folks in the Battalion (sactotbb@gmail.com) to see if anyone in that group would be interested?
I could do it, but I'm about to leave for vacation and won't be back for a week or two. Is moderating stressful for a sub-board this size?
I have to say that I have reservations about folks from the Battalion modding the main board. Why is that? Well, basically it goes back to my experience on the United board, and particularly to what some of us old timers used to call the Etcheverry Wars. Bottom line is there was a huge rift on that board, and the allignments were roughly in line with supporters group affiliations. It was better that the mods were unaffiliated, even if some of us ... ok, me in particular ... were active and vociferous combatants. More generally, you have to make 100% certain this place is for everyone who wants to talk about the team, not just Battalion members. That's more than a matter of unrestricted access. It's really a matter of style, and particularly a matter of openness to negative opinion and team criticism. Supporters groups don't always take well to those things. They want to support the team, period. Sometimes that means they react very badly to strong negativity and criticism. I'm all for the Battalion having a sub-forum. But the main board should be bigger than them, and open to a larger variety of views and opinions than you sometimes find within supporters groups. This board is tiny. It doesn't even have trolls. Basically, for a good long while modding this board will be about building this place up to the point that it becomes attractive to troll and stressful to mod. Until then, it should be pretty fun and satisfying to mod. If there's any "stress" it's that you'll have to read everything posted every single day. That's easy on a board this size. Reality is on a large board you can't read everything. That's why you need several mods. And even on a board this size, mods have lives and responsibilities and they go on vacations. So you need at least two in case the other isn't there that day. What else? Match threads are easy. Sticking and unsticking threads is nothing. Posting topics for discussion? Usually we do that to distract ourselves from the daily stresses in our lives! Meanwhile, where are @sugit and @mangerson ... Both expressed modding interest in the other thread.
@mangerson has been busting his tail at work day and night preparing a new software implementation. I felt guilty taking the time to post the Arizona Matchday thread yesterday. Hence, my reference to "after July" when expressing interest in being a mod. Just so you know.
I would really really like to do this..I just worry about putting the required time. I'm taking a new work role here very soon and I won't have much time on this site during my ramp up period.
Well, sign me up then. I've got experience in modding one of the "lesser" SJSU boards, and I have noticed that the Republic does deserve day-to-day coverage on BigSoccer. I doubt we'll have the issues that DCU had with their board - so far we're pretty much one big happy Republic. Toss me an e-mail at sierraspartan*at*gmail*dot*com and let's get to work.
You two obviously have to make those calls yourself. But you should keep modding in mind for the future when things (one hopes) quiet down. I made some inquiries, and if you two are genuinely interested, I'm told that you should send @Ismitje a PM. He'll guide you along the process.
I'm bumping this thread. My last effort to recruit a mod for this board kind of fizzled. But I want to give this another try. As I see it, some of the posters who stepped forward last time as possibles are already de facto mods on this board. They've got a good presence, they're driving discussion, and they're just generally making this place a better board. So for those that were thinking they'd really like to mod this place, please give it a second thought.
I applied and the super mod said he'd get to me after the world cup. Well, you can see how that's gone so far.
@Polemarch @Knave, It might help if in your negotiations you let the actual current mods know what you are trying to do. While I agree that Sac needs their own individual mods, it might help the process. Just a thought. @ButlerBob