Your theory is that folks who disagree with Yanks Abroad delusions get nothing, but folks who don't stick to the party line get banned. Your theory fails on that particular poster. Why was he an utter clown? It got to that point where you were toxic in the forum because you come across as having a lot of hatred for Yanks in just about every post. (See post above about "utter clown".) The forum is a forum for fans of Yanks Abroad - not a forum for folks who dislike Yanks and want to see them fail. I was actually one of your defenders - for years when folks asked why you weren't banned, I argued that we need alternate viewpoints. If you had just a little humor and balance about your posts, people might not view you as a troll.
First of all I never said he sucks and this post blatantly displays your bias that clouds your judgment and makes it immpossible for you to be a fair moderator in YA. I must request that you stand down immediately until you can show the level of maturity that must be displayed with the position of super moderator. Also I want my full posting privileges back unless you can show me one post that violated the TOS and the community guidelines.
I actually didn't see those attacks on you - there have been other threads where insults were being traded on both sides. I'm not sure what relevance where you grew up has to this conversation, but if you want your opinion to matter and be able to speak the truth - you need to not treat the forum like a Rivalry forum. Did I say you said he sucks? Not sure I did. I'm not a supermoderator, and I'm just speaking as moderator of Yanks Abroad. We can't moderate that forum based on whether someone makes a federal case over the mildest things or not. You know what usually happens when we forum ban someone? - They say, "I get it - sorry, I'll stop" and the forum ban comes off immediately. It's a good way to get people's attention sometimes - but you guys are so convinced that you can post however you want, and so ready to hit the outrage button when it doesn't turn out that way. If you aren't willing to work with us in the slightest, why should we give you free reign?
I've tried to stay out of this argument because there are a number of Toon fans who've been posting in YA lately and whom over the years I've come to like based on my readings of their posts in other forums. I'd be sorry if anything I say offends them. However, the relative degree of derogation accorded to "fanboy" or "eurosnob" is not the point. The point is that the repeated involvement by Toon fans in threads about Onyewu has been extraordinary and, by and large, disruptive to a degree that can't help but be at least partly deliberate. Do, for example, Fulham or Man City supporters flock to threads about Brian McBride or Marcus Hahneman like so many hyperventilating seagulls chasing a trawler? In fact, just out of curiosity, shortly after the loan was made I checked in at the Newcastle forum and saw that one of regular posters in there was recruiting other posters to come help him set the YAs straight. What's played out since then has been nothing more or less than a completely logical consequence of that initial bad and somewhat neurotic idea. There's not a damned thing wrong with a Newcastle supporter posting his or her viewpoint in YA threads, but the perseverative and largely confrontational aspect of Newcastle posters' recent involvement makes DK's frustration completely understandable, in my opinion.
Did you read the whole quote? I'm not seeing a lot of humorous banter. I've said just about all I can on this guys. It's the nature of the job that sometimes not everyone is happy with the decisions we make. If you want your access back, all you have to do is show a willingness to work with us. Thanks.
That's the key point, M. You were a really sucky poster in that forum. You did NOT provide an "alternative view." You provided an alternative kneejerk. It's like this. You know that Fox News is not going to allow dissent from the GOP line. That's you. But take, say, Tucker Carlson or Joe Scarborough on MSNBC. They both are conservatives, but they're allowed to criticize Bush. You were like Fox News. You ALWAYS criticized American players, and NEVER said anything positive. Worse, you were such a girly-man that you'd run and hide from threads if a player played well. I mean, you were pretty much the perfect definition of a troll...you didn't post to elicit discussion, you dropped stink bombs and ran away, and you demonstrated all the nuance of Sean Hannity.
Why should I apologize for trolling when I wasn't trolling according to the community guidelines? Show me poof that anybody other than Toon supporters were given infractions (with no warning BTW) and maybe I'll consider setting my differences with you aside. You were wrong and you owe me and the rest of the Toon supporters and apology for your biased response.
Jaypro, I've already got someone who tells me what to do. If you want to join the club, you've got to perform wifely duties too. Wow. That initial bad act explains alot, don't it.
Troll! Troll! Ban him! Ban him! Burn him at the stake! The nanny state must protect us at all times from contrary opinion. BTW thanks for the invite Superdave but one ball in chain is more than enough.
I think what's extraordinary is how far some YAs have their heads up Onyewu's ass. Heck, this latest thread includes a posting a few minutes after the final whistle from a guy defending his performance based on Sky Sports rating. Clearly this guy hadn't seen a single second of the game at that point. And then along come a bunch of Newcastle fans to point out that Onyewu was, in fact, not exactly stellar... and end up being asked not to post in YA. You have to laugh at the stupidity of this. As for McBride and Hahneman, I presume the difference is that both those players are well respected by their team's supporters. Problems only arise when a critical mass of non-Americans have the temerity to be critical of a YA:- c.f. Howard when he was at Man Utd.
The thing that is most annoying to Newcastle fans isn't anything to do with Onyewu at all. The most annoying thing and the thing that is causing the most confrontation is certain people who have very limited knowledge of the club, it's players and history and who have seen only a handful of complete games this season spouting rubbish about Newcastle like they are an expert on the club.
Providing accurate information together with a rationale is not trolling. If I had said, for example, "Howard sucks", you'd have a point, but as I always explained the specific flaws I saw in his game you don't.
That's the main thing that is so frustrating. I tried to post some links so people could dig a bit deeper and learn more about the club and Gooch's situation and admittedly I used the term "fanboy" to poke fun at a few in general but also I expressed disappointment and concern about Gooch's current form in regard to NUFC and the USMNT. All very relevant to the discussion and not trolling in the least bit. In any event I won't be posting again in any Gooch thread on YA because it's just not worth the aggravation. Any non Newcastle supports are welcome to post on our board and we've set up special thread for that very reason. Also come by and check out the club history thread and the introduction thread.
There's a misconception that moderators manage to read every post on every thread in their forum. On some of the smaller forums, sure. But in a high traffic forum like YA, this isn't the case. So if you feel aggrieved at being called names, hit the magic "report post" button and the post will come to the attention of all of the moderators of that forum. If you don't, then don't be surprised if the name calling is overlooked in a particular thread (especially on game days when lots of threads are expanding rapidly). This has been very helpful (and honestly occasionally abused) in the forums I moderate.
I can respect that - but that's the nature of the beast isn't it? Most forum regulars care more about the player than the club so there is always going to be a bit of tension there. Kudos though for recognizing that the forum gets to you - a supermod for BigSoccer basically told me the same thing. Something about the forum does seem to drive some people crazy.
I understand that the player in question is going to be the main area of focus yet I have yet to see any Newcastle fan post anything other than things relating to Onyewu except where they are correcting an erroneous post by someone else. On the other hand we have non Newcastle supporters going off on tangents about strikers, management and an number of other things all in a vain attempt to divert the attention away from Onyewu's obviously shoddy performances.
This is where the problems really arise. Newcastle fans can take a dissenting view on Onyewu but when YA posters decide it's time to start taking cheap shots at a club they know very little about, it can get hairy. I'm just curious, but wouldn't posting negative and most of the time wrong things about a club where their fans are in attendance be considered instigating?