Apparently I have to say this: treat recruits with respect
Brandon posted an article about 2016 recruit Teryn Savage, and this is his takeaway from his experience at MGoBlog:
https://twitter.com/TerynSavage/status/382644691738451968
So congratulations, leftrare, MGoBrewMom, JuggernautRides, and chitownblue2, and the other people in that thread who insulted the kid for no reason. Guess what: people are interested to see what people say about them on the internet, and now a potential recruit doesn't want to talk to Brandon.
If you think that 2016 is a magic land from which news cannot come, don't read it. We're going to report on kids that are being recruited.
Going forward, anything that could be interpreted as an insult to a blameless high school kid will result in a no-warning ban. Even if that interpretation is crazy. Any "pedo" references will also result in a ban.
In conclusion, guh.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:10 PM ^
"I really am trying to understand why people think using social media to find out recruiting news is creepy"
The entire industry of recruiting kids at 14-15 years of age is creepy.
The coaches, the recruiting services, the interviews... it's ALL creepy.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:04 PM ^
You completely disregard the intention of that contact, though.
People of all ages have been interviewed by people they aren't familiar with in many different fields. It's not a new concept at all, social media just offers a new means to contact a person to see if they're interested in an interview. If yes, proceed, if not, don't. Simple, not creepy.
September 24th, 2013 at 9:58 PM ^
I find this post really depressing. I think you're making straw men of legitimate arguments about how a site like MGoBlog should behave in a really crazy recruiting coverage environment, and while I don't know what Butterfield and chitown have been posting lately, it's sad to me that posters like them are your targets (rather than the "Wolverines Dominate" types). It's your blog - and a really damn good one - so I'll step aside, but if I'm reading this comment and thread correctly then I hope you're right that a good, non-MLivey alternative either exists or comes into existence.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:06 PM ^
As a former mod, I can confirm that this is really not that new of a policy. We've always been somewhat draconian on personal attacks, whether poster-poster, poster-recruit, or poster-player. It wasn't usually an insta-ban, but I went Captain Insano on a bunch of guys for similar actions.
We have also been full-on draconian on "pedo" comments. There was a total "no Penn State pedo jokes" rule that lasted for months. It's just not an acceptable topic.
And yes, we are violating the First Amendment. Come at me, bro.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:22 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 10:36 PM ^
Well before that. But as a general rule, once a story hits the national media for a few days, a post making light of that story is probably a little different than one poster call another poster a dumbf*ck.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:44 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 10:59 PM ^
the downside is getting my ass reamed out by the department for stuff I didn't even post
Pretty sure no one is getting reamed by the department for the datbull post.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:10 PM ^
If people thought my post was too harsh on a high schooler, I understand. And I thought it was close to the line, but figured it was on the green-light side, after all, I made fun of Bieber when he was 17, because he who declares himself a professional musician doesn't have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to not being mocked for his MUSIC.
The issue here is that a Michigan blog is, unintentionally or no, messing with Michigan recruiting, which (a) messes with Michigan football, which is bad, and (b) messes with said blog's ACCESS to Michigan football, which is a financial problem for the proprietor.
I'll tell you a little anecdote; early in my Twitterverse days, I included a quick bit about a Michigan recuit which was (IMHO) mildly amusing, but also prodded at some real potential tension between the recruit and the school. Brian pointed this out, and it was deleted before the article was published. He pointed out that if something like that has even a tiny chance of making Michigan football worse, it isn't worth using to be funny.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:33 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 11:50 PM ^
More like "there are additional considerations when we're talking about MIchigan-related stuff, because we're talking about Brian's (and several other peoples') livelihoods."
I don't lose much sleep because I made fun of the music of a self-proclaimed professional musician.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:37 PM ^
Appreciate the honesty. It was pretty obvious that was the real concern, but it's nice to have someone actually say it.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:01 PM ^
Your horse is high tonight.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:10 PM ^
Doesn't he have a point though? The frontpage post was made explicitly to make fun of MSU and a high school student. The comments in the recruiting piece seemed to have been mostly good-natured, and not intended to put down a kid. But it is the commenters who are getting reamed out by the proprietor.
While I can understand Brian getting pissed if he has to take shit from the AD about his website and what is posted here, shouldn't he be just as worried about the constand Dave Brandon, Al Borges, Funk, et. al bashing? Especially considering most of us would point at Brian as or de facto leader in the crusade against Dave Brandon being Dave Brandon.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:17 PM ^
I think the team and the Athletic Department are more concerned about the players than the coaches, and even more concerned about recruits. Beyond that, complaints about play calling and coaching technique are probably more "fair game" than stuff about kids.
As for Brian's Dave Brandon crusade, the difference is that as the proprietor, he's got the privilege of going out on that limb if he wants. He can make a risk/reward judgement on that, whereas it really isn't our place to put him in that position, especially when it comes to something the staff is sensitive about.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:32 PM ^
Thanks for answering. At least you did, unlike Brian and Brandon.
I can't speak for everyone else, but I miss the times when the contributors would actually answer our concerns. I understand that the blog has gotten huge, and it is impossible to reply to everything. I'll let my bias show, but I'm a bit concerned that neither of those two are replying to those of us that are presenting real concerns about how the staff goes about contacting these kids. While I am not an expert, I do have some measure of training in working with school children. What Brandon is doing is considered wrong by a lot of schools, and I think he should be more careful. I like his work, and would hate to see him lose access to kids from particular schools because he is contacting minors without permission from parents. And I'm willing to bet that it happens sooner rather than later; if his normal routine is to just tweet at the kids without contacting an adult first.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:53 PM ^
Engaging people is a recipe for an unintentional flamewar. I'm a minor figure around here, and I already got myself embroiled in a big hoopla with M-Wolverine (who I generally like, FWIW). If Brian starts going back and forth, it tends to attract concern trolls, and all hell breaks loose.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:59 PM ^
Fair enough. But Brian has my email address, and I'm guessing that Brandon can get it through my username. I'm not making these comments to pile on, but out of genuine concern for my single favorite interwebs destination. I know what it is like to deal with the insanity that comes with high school athletics, and also the genuine mine field that exists when adults and minors interact. It just seems that Brandon is being too flippant in his approach, and I'm worried that it blows up in his face. I'll tell you flat-out that if he contacted a kid at the school I coach without first getting permission, there would be a huge problem. I don't think that the policy here is all that uncommon either. Just in case he doesn't read my responses to him, you might want to pass that along to him.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:54 PM ^
...but for what it's worth, between the two I take far, far more offense at a lengthy, well-considered front-page article trashing making light of a former prospect than I do at a one-off "dumbf*ck" thrown off in the heat of an argument. That other media might have seen fit to do the same isn't much of an excuse if you ask me.
But you guys run the blog, not me, and I don't have to read the front page if I don't want to.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:25 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 11:33 PM ^
1. I am not here to babysit you.
2. Once this hit the fan it's worse to take them down; better to let it stand so people can judge for themselves.
3. You are done here for doxing a guy who doesn't want his full name out.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:40 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 11:59 PM ^
And I know it isn't exceptionally hard to find, but I'd prefer it to be a little harder for my current employer, ya know?
September 25th, 2013 at 12:55 AM ^
September 25th, 2013 at 1:26 AM ^
Bingo.
September 25th, 2013 at 2:46 PM ^
BISB changed his screen name to Bryan Mac several months ago so to say he has not used his name here before is completely insane.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:43 AM ^
Our names are incredibly similar. Maybe my employer thinks you are me...
September 25th, 2013 at 3:10 PM ^
a few weeks ago you stated, "I Bryan Mac. . . "
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/chickens-pecking-back#comment-2163233
But go ahead and edit it before everyone else sees this. Also, It appears you changed your user name from Bryan Mac to BISB in the last 24 hours so I'm still confused what the heck you are talking about.
September 25th, 2013 at 4:14 PM ^
Maybe "Bryan Mac" isn't really his for serious actual name.
September 25th, 2013 at 2:13 AM ^
Both of those guys chose to change their usernames.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:52 PM ^
Didn't you post McFarlin's full name and personal information (and he was a minor)?
September 25th, 2013 at 12:48 AM ^
With the tag line "Have at it."
EDIT: Faulty memory, it was "Do your worst."
September 25th, 2013 at 1:23 AM ^
September 26th, 2013 at 12:21 PM ^
He really does.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:31 AM ^
Who's McFarlin? Also, this whole mess makes me even more glad I don't follow recruiting. Weird at best.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:07 PM ^
HAHA - You're like the King of England trying to take away Mel's FREEDOM and shit.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:11 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 10:12 PM ^
It was never my intent to remove user moderation. I have no idea how it happened with our server move, but it did, and I spent a week trying to put it back, and then it was the season and I had no time. I apologize for the jankiness and I am going to fix that as soon as I possibly can.
If I was UFR'ing your site, I'd probably give you a -4 for execution on this one. -1 for the missed assignment, -3 for the fumble.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:08 PM ^
"There is nothing wrong with asking a prospective recruit if he wants to give us an interview."
Yes, societally there is something wrong with it.
"Ridiculous to assert that talking to a kid for a recruiting article is immoral but the preps page of your local newspaper isn't, or that it's bad when Brandon does it but not when ESPN does"
It's generally immoral and bad whether it's the local paper, ESPN, or Brandon.
September 24th, 2013 at 9:43 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 9:48 PM ^
I think the whole thing is grimey. And I am just as guilty as anyone for following this stuff. I love Michigan football and understand that recruiting is the lifeblood of a program. But when I step away from it, and view it from the outside, it is strange...this whole business around recruiting, with the sites and the interviews and rankings, etc. There is a demand so it will continue, but any rational, objective person must at least acknowledge the fact that these are kids and in doing so recognize the fact that you should not say malicious or stupid shit about them... The fact that there is a creepy industry built around where they choose to play college football and we are all consumers of the grime does not give you the right to disparage a high school kid.
September 24th, 2013 at 9:52 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 10:46 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 9:54 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 9:56 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 9:57 PM ^
We're an eclectic bunch here at MGoBlog.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:05 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 10:12 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 9:56 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 10:13 PM ^