At the crossroads...

#1 07-12-2006, 11:03 PM

Let me ask you a hypothetical question. You own a website with a public message board. You spend years building it up. Against all odds, you succeed. Your board becomes the most popular board in the sport. Banners from new sponsors are added regularly. Membership growing daily. What do you do? Sh!tcan it for the good of your sport and start over. This time, make it harder for the public to join in too.

If you ask me, that's a pretty ballsy move. Jerrod's taking a big risk. Suppose it descends into the same chaos as before? Will he take the same risk again? I guess no. The 'mater will become the typical fan board you see in every sport or it will be taken down for good.

What happens now? Check out this thread and this post. That's a pretty impressive opportunity, no? Here's a multi-millionaire that can walk up to anybody on any team and he's willing to talk to anybody we want.

So I ask again, what happens now? Do we want to make the 'mater into the preeminent message board in drag racing? One where all the pros come and discuss the serious issues of the day? We're at the crossroads and we need to make a conscious decision. Let's get this going.

You can ask any racer in any class a question. Who do you want to talk to and what do you want to talk about, 'maters?

#2 07-12-2006, 11:14 PM

One thing is clear... the way it was going, the drivers, sponsors and crew chiefs were leaving. Now they are coming back. I don't claim to be a rocket scientist, but it seems pretty easy to understand to me.

Jim

#3 07-12-2006, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim jannard

I don't claim to be a rocket scientist....

Jim

Nope, just a "Mad Scientist" j/k

Thanks for all your efforts Jim, I know I’m not the only one who greatly appreciates it.

#4 07-12-2006, 11:52 PM

Same website.
Same topics of discussion.
Open enrollment with proper identity.
Major difference is we have no intentional detractors and the Pros have begun a migration back to speaking with the fans here.
I'd say Jerrod and Shannon must be genius'!

#5 07-13-2006, 01:51 AM

I think this is the way to go...I am getting hammered in email from the few who don't like the real name idea.

With over 700 people registering in 5 days I think we are doing ok!

#6 07-13-2006, 01:54 AM

First off..it's not a public message board.

It's a private..moderated message board. In other words..it's Jerrod's/Shannon's sandbox.

I figure if people want to take the effort to join the new one..and make it better..there's no ballsy in that..it's common sense to delete the bad..and try and do it better.

Ok..the ballsy part comes from being moderated..everyone knows a post that is blatant name calling..extreme bashing, etc. My issue..as a Mod here..are the people that are expert at being on the line..the ones that can stick it and somehow make you smile about it..bashing subtlely..hehe. There isn't a manual on moderating human behavior.

We've been called nazi's..well not me personally..I've ALWAYS tried to be decent..send a pm if I delete a suspect post, etc..but it's always a tough call. But the key is being moderated..because this site is going to get way popular again..and sh!t is going to try and creep in..again.

Unfortunately, 1 man's bash is another man's compliment..LOL.

There just has to be a happy medium..and I hope this works.

Charles..I hope this was mostly on topic.

#7 07-13-2006, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Williams

First off..it's not a public message board.
it's Jerrod's/Shannon's sandbox.
There isn't a manual on moderating human behavior.
Unfortunately, 1 man's bash is another man's compliment..LOL.
There just has to be a happy medium..and I hope this works.
I hope this was mostly on topic.

David, I seen your "job" and I wouldn't want it.
Me, and I mean no disrespect to any one, think of Mike as Big Jim's kid, Force as Papa John, Dixon as Larry and Pat's kid, Kim Richards as Dickie's lil girl... love 'em all, watched 'em all grow up in the sport...
so yeah, that's just another man's compliment...
Trying to remember, engage brian... ah brain before operating typing finger

#8 07-13-2006, 07:22 AM

Seems I remember Jarrod posting Quality over Quantity which makes sense.
The fact that real names are used and name verification is practiced will go a long way towards keeping posters thinking a little more about what they put on here .
Then there's always that RED BUTTON !
For those who have already forgot its the [ PANIC BUTTON ].
Larry 00 in a previous life !

#9 07-13-2006, 07:38 AM

i think the change was a must for the site to survive. just remember the past couple weeks and the only topics were about shoe, erica and the slammers team. it was day in and day out bashing of these three . here it is the half way mark of probably one of the most exciting seasons nhra has seen with the pro points races and all that gets talked about was putting down ee,vc, and "the dark overloard" of racing. (mostly by people hiding behind a screen name).
hats off to the mater crew for taking the chance of change !!!

#10 07-13-2006, 08:02 AM

Something definitely needed to be done. The real name idea is great since there will be no bashing from nameless, faceless people. The only downside is that we will likely lose some inside information or rumors that someone "in the know" would post using a fake name but not their real name.

However, after the recent downhill spiral of the old site; I think that the good outweighs the bad in this case.

It's good to be back, and good to see the Doc and Jim J. and others back as well.

Jamie

#11 07-13-2006, 09:02 AM

Yeah that's correct about DSR & EE and remember just before that it was RC & Whitt and Shawn C .
It was becoming a veritable feeding frenzy! LOL
I see Deby has posted a new story about Shawn which shows that negative stuff was just that. Negative stuff !
I much rather prefer to hear how the teams are handling success and all those special names for those magical bullets and how the bullet got that name! LOL
Now that's news you can use !
Larry 00 in a previous life!

#12 07-13-2006, 09:19 AM

It had gotten to the point that I was just kind of lurking and posting very little....then I got to the point that I didn't even want to log in.

I'm glad we made the change.....and yes, WE have made the change.

#13 07-13-2006, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie Dymond

The only downside is that we will likely lose some inside information or rumors that someone "in the know" would post using a fake name but not their real name.

I'm seeing that presented as the biggest reason against using real names, mostly by people who won't join the new site if they have to use their real names. Since most of the inside dirt and rumors posted on the old site were links to dirt and rumors printed on CompPlus, that shouldn't change. The "insiders" will still contact Bobby and the dirt and rumors will still get published online. If someone on a team wants to get info out anonymously, they will, and they don't have to do it while hiding behind a screen name.

Bob

#14 07-13-2006, 08:14 PM

Man, I need to stop posting before I go to bed. What I was trying to say in my sleep-deprived, clearly incoherent state was:

- I think it took some guts to completely overhaul the 'mater for us.
- I like the new 'mater and am grateful.
- It's cool that Jim Jannard wants to be our ambassador and get the pros to post.
- We fans need to hold up our end of the bargain and be respectful.
- Finally, if Mr. Jannard is going to talk to racers for us, let's give him some questions. If you had one question to ask of any racer, who would ask and what would the question be.

Okay. That's enough for now. I'm a tired and confused old codger. NinjaGirl can I take one of your Oreos? I could really use it.

P.S. Why am I always the 13th reply? I hate the number 13. Rats.

#15 07-13-2006, 11:31 PM

i dont know how this board works behind the scene but on a couple of boards that i have been a mod on we used to see a post that looked like trouble and we pulled it down and took it in the mods area and got a feeling from all the mods that were there at the time and decided if it was ok or taboo!
that way you dont have one mod seeing it one way and scraping a post that maybe everyone else thought was ok?
anyway i like the new board also even though it's kinda hard to read

At the crossroads...

At the crossroads...

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