A Final Exam for this Forum? (PLEASE READ...VERY IMPORTANT)

[Sam]

To the Board,

June will mark the ninth month in this forum's relatively brief existence. That gestation period will culminate in the birth of championship euphoria for either the Celtics fans or the Lakers fans who inhabit our little corner of cyber-space.

There can be absolutely no question that the presence of our Lakers cohorts has strengthened this board in a number of ways. Speaking from personal experience, I was the first person I'm aware of who employed the now-regrettable term "Fakers" MANY years ago, and I have evolved to the point of having a much more realistic, respectful and healthy outlook on the still-intense rivalry. As a result of the board mix, we know that quality people can some in shades of either green or purple—two hues that would turn the stomachs of an emergency room doctor. The friendly competition produces just enough of an occasional "edge" to spice things up around here. And I expect many of us have learned a lot about the art of restraint.

But we are now confronted with an additional challenge—sort of what I might call a final exam for this board. Whereas much of our competitive conversation has heretofore been historical or hypothetical, the teams we respectively support are now entering a period of direct and spirited conflict on an extended basis. When immovable allegiance meets irresistible exultation or despair, stuff can happen. At its best, the written word struggles to convey the mitigating nuances of communication that a personal meeting could introduce. At its worst, a single phrase added in haste and the heat of the moment can turn a benign message into a potentially nasty confrontation.

In a sense, it's the same thing that can happen between two teams in a playoff. The stakes are heightened, the intensity dramatized. And, not surprisingly, the outcome of a game or even a series can depend on the officiating. Will it be tight, or will the officials let them play? Are three officials enough to catch both instigator and retaliator? Heck, on this message board, we even have the possibility that an official could be a "homer." So, in a sense, this will be a final exam for the moderating too.

Unlike NBA Playoffs, however, this board is lucky in that it's possible to announce the officiating parameters ahead of time so there will be no surprises. Some of them may seem arbitrary and unfair, and I'm sorry if that appears the case. The complaint box on this board takes the form of private messages to Sam or emails to SlipSamCelt@aol.com.

1. Unfortunately, the playing field is not really level here, because this is, first and foremost, a Boston Celtics board. Lakers fans may read some things they don't want to see about their team, and it will be necessary for them to practice forbearance. At the same time, such comments can be presented in a number of ways. If they appear to be gratuitous, deliberate attempts to taunt or irritate our Lakers fans, they'll be zapped without warning or explanation!

2. Gratuitous attacks will absolutely not be tolerated. At the first hint that messages are becoming overly personal, call me Frank, because I'll become the Master Zappa! I'd wager that at least 90% of the arguments on message boards arise because posters go one step too far and make things personal. Adding that last little editorial sentence for emphasis, such as, "Don't stick your head in the sand." makes the entire message unnecessarily personal. State the facts, Joe Friday, and skip the personalized editorializing.

3. I've been much more lenient with respect to language than most other message boards are. You know the words I mean. My reasoning is that (1) so far, the words have been used in moderation, (2) they occur in every day language, and (3) they're seldom employed in attack mode. However, I may be a little quicker to delete them during the upcoming series, especially if I feel they're contributing to inflammatory situations. This is fair warning.

4. I guess it's inevitable that hissy feuds can develop in any social situation (even online). Just the appearance of a given poster's name seems to enrage another poster, and the nitpicking starts. I can't think of a single instance of feuding that has reflected positively on either participant. And it's almost unfathomable that the participants can't see how their redundancy puts everyone to sleep. Well, during this series, I'm going to be trigger-happy in putting key sentences, whole posts, and entire threads to sleep early and often if they fall into the repetitious, boring feuding category.

I apologize if this message appears to interject a tone of unneeded negativity on a board that has so far been 98% a model of comportment and conviviality. If you wish to brand me as an alarmist, I'll gladly take the shot for the sake of the board because I'm worried about the other 2%. We've come so far in such a short time, and I can envision the upcoming war as a possible bump in the road. All the people involved are far too valuable to risk a misstep at this point. So, enjoy what should be a great series, and enjoy one another, and I'll enjoy watching everyone ace this exam and get a good report card.

And here's to good health on both sides!

Thanks for reading.

Sam

[bobc33]

Hi Sam (aka Frank)

I look forward to some good natured ribbing with our Laker friends the next couple of weeks, and certainly am glad they are here on this forum.

I think it funny that yes this board has been very good language wise, until Rondo made that unbelievable hustle play and I think at least 4 of us cussed for the first time.

I for one trust your judgment, and the other moderators too.

[swish]

Sam

Well stated Sam. Keep that "zapper" handy. That 2% aggravate the hell out of me.

swish

[Sam]

Bobc,

I banned myself for two days after that one.

Sam

[MustangGator]

Sam,

I appreciate everything you do to make us few regular Lakers fans welcomed here. I enjoy the give and take. I for one, even back to the days at BDC, understood it was never a level playing field, nor should it be. I have never had a problem with it. I always tried to take things with a grain of salt if something rubbed me the wrong way. Your forum here is about as level as a playing field as you can find anywhere. You are correct that things could get a little testy the next couple weeks. I would not be surprised to see a few stray posters now that the finals have been set up to showcase our two teams. There are probably allot of hateful Lakers fans out there now that are googling anything Celtics just so that they can find a site so that they can stir things up a bit. Some may find their way into the forum here. I think the key is that no one should take anything personal. Finally, at the end, give a cyber hand shake and wish everyone an outstanding summer/off season. That what I will do.

MG

[swedeinestonia]

In Europe hooligans and such are fairly common and so many people focus on hating the other teams.. often it becomes more important that the enemy team "fails" than that the loved team wins.

I just say focus all your energy on loving and supporting your team, why bother hating the other teams? They are opponents, not enemies.

[Sam]

Mustang, they're all welcome here because, if they get out of line, I won't bother with a cyber-handshake. I'll just give them one digit's worth.

I'm not quite sure how you three guys can stand the mix of pro-Celtics and anti-Lakers stuff that goes on here. I hope it has something to do with the forbearance of most of our members in expressing themselves.

I lasted about a week on a Magic forum, and I was definitely on my best self-effacing behavior. Most of them can't string five words together without some kind of epithet. The great majority have absolutely no social sensibilities. And this happened before the Celts-Magic series even started, when I posted to say a friendly hello and to issue my usual hope for no injuries on either side.

I just checked out the same forum, and there's some poor Celtics fan trying to congratulate the Magic on their comeback. And they're just castrating the guy with claims of Celtics dirty play (like the two love pats KG gave Howard, in which they're claiming KG was trying to break Dwight's wrist) and Pierce's "flopping" (I guess they only recognize well-timed leaning into the defensive player when Carter does it).

A lot of those people truly need a few lessons about the realities of pro basketball and and how to be true and informed fans without abdicating their responsibilities as human beings. It's a huge forum (something like 600 posts in the final game-on thread), but a lot of them come off as nothing but jerks who are just spoiling for a fight if the world doesn't fall in line for them.

I was planning to return to that forum next spring, just long enough to invite them to our board Florida party (actually there may now be two such parties). But I'm having second thoughts. The only one I'd really care to have a dialog with is Nyce, who has been nothing but the essence of class when he has posted on our board (which I hope he continues to do). Maybe I'll just email him and see if he might want to hand-pick a few Magic fan buddies who might really enjoy a convivial gettogether.

Sam

[sinus007]

Sam,
Thanks. It's a fair warning. But I believe this forum and its members and guests showed, in most part, that they are mature enough to go through the upcoming Finals without descending to the level of BDC.
Good luck to our LAL fans members and let's have fun!

AK

[NESportsfan12]

check.

[Sam]

Fun it is! You're right about the members and guests on this forum. I actually felt a little silly in making that post, but I figured the best time to preempt any possibility of problems is at the beginning.

I've actually done a lot of thinking about this forum lately. And the conclusion I've come to is that it has attained a very high degree of excellence and autonomy. It pretty much runs itself, with the other administrators filling key roles beautifully, just like a well-rounded basketball team, and members pretty much policing themselves just by dint of their maturity, knowledgeability, and good humor.

In a lot of ways, I'm pretty much obsolete, and I'm not fishing for compliments. I've been in the business world for just about half a century, and I cannot think of any other venture I've ever been associated with that has been so successful so quickly and with such a minimum of inputs on my part.

It's really quite a phenomenon, and everyone associated with it has a right to be very proud.

Sam

[112288]

Good job Sam! A great post. Just to add to what Sam was trying to point out.

This is a game played by millionaire's, let's not forget that. A few years playing and they never have to work for the rest of their lives. Win or lose, they still will party with each other in the off season. It's a club which we do not belong and have no influence on their lives. In the end it's a kids game, let's not forget about that! It's not life or death.

We should all have a reality check when things start to get a little heated. What should matter are the important things in life that affect us directly.
Many of our troops in the Mid East are dying each day to keep us safe. Now that's life and death!

Let's keep the spirit of a civil discussion board that Sam has developed for us to engage and enjoy!!!!!!

Go Celtics!!! 112288

[Matty]

Sam,
my experiance as a Celtics fan living in ohio was untill the days of the boston globe & herald message boards pretty much an experiance of islolation, the local nba fans were pistons/cavs and laker fans.

back in the 80's my best freind in our neiborhood was a laker fan and we already had a somewhat bumpy freindship, usualy we got along great but at least once a month we ended up exchanging blows, on several occasions those exchanges were born of arguments about the lakers and celtics and one thing i can proudly say is i've spilled blood for my favorite team.

I still enjoy a good heated discusion with a lakers fan, but not like i did when iw as a kid (though my ohio state- michighan conversations almost reach the levels of some of them 80's conversations) though i did long ago realize that as u pointed out, there good people wearing not just green, but purple too.

we've got some of them good people who happen to wear purple on this board and i'm glad we have them. I'm definetly going to keep in mind that this board is one where civility comes first, i mean sure, when we win, i'll prolly rub it in their faces, but i'll be very gentle when rubbing...

[MustangGator]

Matty,

So what your really saying is that you will use 220 grit sand paper to rub it in my face instead of 60 grit so it won't hurt quite as much, LOL. At least the wounds will heal allot quicker. Bring it on buddy. I have some sand paper in the ready too.

MG

[Sam]

Mustang,

I have painted over the right side of my right glasses lens so I can concentrate on your posts.

Sam

[Matty]

Bobc,

I banned myself for two days after that one.

Sam

sam i thought since i cursed first u were gonna let me take one for the team and ban me?

i loved that rondo play i almost.... almost changed my avatar from Miss Tiegs to a photograph of the "Rondo Play"

[Matty]

Matty,

I have some sand paper in the ready too.

MG

lol, that paper will get used about as much as those baloons in '69....

[jeb]

I think the board is up for the challenge. It is something that we should all ENJOY on both sides. I think it may be a series that is talked about for a long time. I cant wait.

[LACELTFAN]

I think the board is up for the challenge. It is something that we should all ENJOY on both sides. I think it may be a series that is talked about for a long time. I cant wait.

That's all well and good jeb but how many eggs can you eat?

[worcester]

Sam, Comportment and conviviality are the norm with this group of posters, because, by and large, everyone here has a life. They appreciate the Celts with great passion but understand after all that this is just a game. So I don't expect will be reading about any Celt fan on Laker fan crime (or vice versa) after this series ends.

The good news is that these Celts are matched against their most worthy opponent once again, making this series another instant classic. Yes, the Lakers are and have been a great team. Too bad for them that their greatness hasn't been an exalted enough term to match (for the most part) what the Celtics have been through the years - Proud. Celtic pride has motivated our players to exceed their own expectations of themselves and to go more than the extra mile. Witness Rondo diving to the floor to scoop that runaway ball from J Will, a play that pretty much captures the essence of how the Celts have played to win over the years. Pierce, Bird, Cowens, Havlicek, and Russell - to name but a few - have all sacrificed their bodies in similar ways over the years to put their team on top. Sorry Laker fans, but can you recall even two or three incidents when the men in purple and gold volunteered themselves for a similar hardwood massage to win a game?
Peace out. Worcester

[worcester]

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." - Joseph Campbell

[RosalieTCeltics]

Are we back to the eggs again?????

[jeb]

i can eat 50 eggs

[RosalieTCeltics]

I'm glad I'm not your wife!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jeb]

SOMETIMES nothins a real cool hand

[bobheckler]

Beware the Zapper-wock, my son!

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