Well, I'm out.

I always respected this place moreso than the others for the free range of ideas. Unfortunately there have been several incidents of the site owner deciding that he personally didn't like the direction the conversation was going, where it was placed, etc.

Taking down the site, taking threads off, all his perogotive.

Leaving this site is mine.

Peace.

So, members are allowed free range, but the site owner is not allowed to have a free range of ideas? Interesting.


I don't like the direction of the site and I said, I'm formulating something to better illustrate what I'd like to see, instead of continuing to whine about it and expect others to guess my directional idea.

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but...but...but we're going to the SUPER BOWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOBODY'S LEAVIN, DAMNIT!!

I won't fight to keep anyone here. But I won't deny the site is shit lately and hopefully I can explain myself and actions and turn it around.

I don't want people to leave but I don't fault or blame anyone for leaving.

a lot of the issues stem from what I see in the mirror. I'm failing.

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a small bit of advice.

you've always said this site is made by the people here.

let the people be the people.

if you're frustrated by somebody using shout too much or being negative, trust me - i can understand that. but weighing their good contributions against a few irritations has to come into play somewhere.

You could change the direction of this site to hardcore gay porn and I'd still come here.

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You and VLS would only come here more often.

Anyway, I get Foster's point. The shutting down of threats you don't want to talk about, emptying the shout if it's something you don't want to talk about, throwing the site down after some comments.

Of course you have the right to steer this site, but like you said, the members make this site what it is. And it's the freedom of speech that gets those members here.

Don't get me wrong, it's your site, feel free to do whatever you want. Thing is, when you ban someone who's a troll or just a complete ass, most members will see that as ok. When you start locking threads, throwing the site down and what not because you do not like what's being talked about, quite a few will see it as abusing your power.

I want to start by saying that every time this site is in "maintenance" stage, I freak out because I am on here ALL THE TIME. This is by far my favorite place to go on the internet. I have made friends on here, and it is an incredible community where we can be around many others that share in our obsession: the Packers.

I know that I am relatively new here so my opinion probably doesn't mean a whole lot, but I agree that sometimes it seems like when you shut down threads or suspend members, it is a bit much. You, just like myself, NSD, bozz_2006, zombieslayer, etc. etc. etc. tend to be extremely opinionated and every once in awhile get upset with the way things are going and lash out. We all do it. Thats the power of free speech. It is one thing when we get in little spats about things, but it is something entirely different when thread locks and suspesions happen. Just because a thread is locked or somebody is suspended, that doesn't make people forget what the arguments or discussions were about, what it does is anger people that we are unable to talk about things.

Again, I want to say that when we all get pissy with each other, than happens, and I honestly don't get real upset about that. It is free speech.

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One of the main issues I'm coping with right now is my own personal expectations.


I don't lock threads that are simply what I don't want to talk about. I moved two threads that were taken over by talk about Brett Favre. Sorry, but it's the playoffs and now it's Super Bowl time. Forgive me for being a dictator in wanting Packers talk, not former Packers talk dominating the top of the forum. I spend quite a bit of time bringing comments, articles etc here to talk about, as do MANY others that I'm very glad for.

If we could talk about Favre and negative things in moderation with other actual important things, I wouldn't have a sandy vagina about it at all. I think those topics have A place on the site, but I don't think they should be THE place of the site. Know what I mean?


Freedom of speech need to returned, period. I've been too anal on certain things and the more anal I get the more frustrated I get with myself for being anal. Pretty pathetic, I know, but it's just not like me to get like this and it bothers me I've come to this point.


I closed the site down because I wanted to get peoples attention for what I'm about to post, which is something I've been wanting to post for more than a year. Shawn, Dave, Rourke and Matt can attest to me wanting to give the 'theme' of PackersHome.com, which I've failed at doing. Instead of I've been stomping my feet when it doesn't happen. I couldn't have it ready in time and with it being Super Bowl week, I felt I was being selfish and put the site back up.


Regarding the shout box, it means more to any of you than it does to me. When the shout box is cleaned it, it does not mean something pissed me off, put nails in my ass, or anything like that. Sometimes, it's just time to clean it out, its not a big deal so let's stop making a big deal about it, please.


Edit, the lack of a theme for the site is why I felt it was unfair to have moderators because they never knew what the hell I wanted out of them. Hopefully with this post and explanation things will improve.

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This makes me think of when I was younger, I had friends over to watch the movie Liar Liar, as well as hang out and have fun. There were many different things planned, but I was the most excited about Liar Liar. When I started the movie, my friends kept on with their conversation, just watching the movie every once in awhile. I got REALLY pissed about this. I knew that I shouldn't, but dammit it was my party and I wanted it to be ran the way I had planned. I went upstairs and my dad chewed my ass for being upset, and sent me back to the basement with my friends.

The moral should be pretty clear. Me getting all upset really didn't change anything. If it had changed anything, the first thing that would have happened would be my friends getting upset with me. All in all, everybody loved the party, just as well all love this site. There are some of us that are going to partake exclusively in what is going on right now, the playoffs and the SB talk. There are some that are going to want to pay some attention to that, but keep on with the conversation they've been having. Everybody wants different things, so everybody is going to be happy with different things.

Basically, the way for all of this to go as smooth as possible (and please believe me, I'm not trying to tell you how to run this site. I love this site so much, and am so incredibly thankful that you put so much work into it.) is for us all to not get upset when we can't bend other members' wills. People will do what they essentially want to do.

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