MGoBlogCommunity: We learned this week that we do not practice what we preach

Submitted by jtmc33 on

So, with two major transfer rumors coming.... and then going.... I think we as a community need to assess our part in this new media chaos.  One person (albeit a very hot person) said something baseless and senseless.  We all freaked and ran with it.  Then with White, some person (no word on who or what started near-meltdown 2.0) declared a transfer, with the MODs eventually giving the go-ahead, and soon rumors were essentially declared fact.

Either way, the MGoCommunity took the "rumors" as "facts" and ran with it.  And in White's case not very intelligently.  

Basically we were Herbstreited... but by 2 "people" with a lot less credentials and with MOD approval.

We are nearing a point in year 3 where every rumor is cause for complete chaos, disrespect, and approved posts that fuel the fire.

We (seemingly collectively) hate the new media (i.e. all that is Freed and Op-Ed attention pieces) and declare them all to be jumping at conclusions and rumor mongering.  

Let's get back to fact and leave the chaos to the Newspapers and the ESPN ticker.... and Favre.

Go Blue.  

4godkingandwol…

August 20th, 2010 at 4:53 PM ^

... I've been giving a lot of thought -- more than I should really -- to the impact of MGoBlog's ascendancy to mainstream status.  While I love having a community of loyal Michigan supporters with whom I can share a common interest, I feel like some of the panic that generates from these boards actually hurts the program.  Don't get me wrong, I think the good outweighs the bad, but there is a cost.  OP does a good job calling it out.

stmccoy

August 20th, 2010 at 4:54 PM ^

Well said sir.  I can handle people getting upset but it should never break down into bashing kids.  They are kids after all and they're trying to do what is right for them, just like everyone else.  Slamming them after rumors, of which are not corroborated, is childish and uncalled for.  Let’s be above that. 

Captain

August 20th, 2010 at 5:07 PM ^

Basically we were Herbstreited... but by 2 "people" with a lot less credentials and with MOD approval.

Why is people in quotations?  Do you mean to imply that Melanie Collins and/or the Austin White-rumor poster were less than human?  Has this been confirmed?

*Breaking*  Melanie Collins may be a reptilian Ferengi, will update as I know more.

/limpsatire

GoBlueInNYC

August 20th, 2010 at 5:11 PM ^

I assumed he meant they were more than human.  I mean, how else do you explain a bunch of super smart mgoboarders getting duped twice?  It had to have been the work of some kind of sexy robot from the future, a cross-dimensional cyborg, or some kind of human-animal hybrid like a half-sharkalligator half-man.

Monocle Smile

August 20th, 2010 at 4:57 PM ^

We all freaked and ran with it.

What? This thread makes it sound like we suffered from some sort of INTEGRITY APOCALYPSE when it mostly involved a few people with precious few MGoPoints throwing tantrums and creating a snowball effect. Are most of us pretty high-strung? Absolutely. Some of us let our nerves get the better of us. But I saw barely any consistent contributors going apeshit on either the Austin White or Melanie Collins threads.

I agree that the behavior was unacceptable, but this wasn't first meltdown and won't be the last. This one just happened to target Michigan athletes (unfortunately) instead of MGoUsers, which led to Brian putting his foot down.

BiSB

August 20th, 2010 at 4:56 PM ^

Significant reaction and discussion (and mid-grade meltdown) was warranted in both cases. 

  • The Austin White thing was real, though it remains a developing story which has (from most appearances) begun to swing back away from the cliff.  From most accounts, he did tell the team that he was peacing out.
  • As for the Tate/Professional Hottie thing, when a Big Ten Network sideline reporter sends out a very public message from a 'super-duper trustworthy source,' either (a) the rumor has legs, and we should all flip shit about QB depth, or (b) the reporter is full of shit, and we should all flip shit about the terrible failure of Journalism 101.

My big problem was the incredibly poor manifestation of that reaction.  Instead of a discussion of the validity of the story and the possible implications for the team, posters digressed into the realm of "dumb whore should stick to sleeping her way to the top" and "screw that kid, we didn't want him anyway."

OHbornUMfan

August 20th, 2010 at 5:17 PM ^

And at the same time, I agree in part with the OP.  I love being able to come here to find the latest in valid info pertaining to Michigan sports, along with some well-thought-out and often humorous takes from fellow fans.  Despite the new banner message, I'm pretty well over the banter between the ledge jumpers and the talk 'em downers. 

Maybe this should be a different thread, but in the wake of modifying point totals as a way of creating an economy to create a more productive dialogue (and in the wake of the request to hit up yo' wallets to keep Brian around) maybe this should become at some point a paid site, so that the trolls and the rest of the OMG i'm haveing a fukking heart atack and cant spel, pounctuate or gramttacially compoase a sentence crowd have something more than mgopoints to lose.

I just looked down, and apparently there's a soapbox under me.  Apologies to respectable folks if I offended.

jtmc33

August 20th, 2010 at 5:09 PM ^

umchicago:  the op was addressed to the community as a collective.  Like any community it only takes a few to embarrass the whole.

On a side note, you were very good last night umchicago.  you get a sticker.

Geaux_Blue

August 20th, 2010 at 5:48 PM ^

and i agree fully with Brian's post and this one, if it's echoing those sentiments, what is this about:

 

Basically we were Herbstreited... but by 2 "people" with a lot less credentials and with MOD approval.

It just seems odd you capitalize both, as if to draw attention to the point. i'm just curious why.

jtmc33

August 20th, 2010 at 6:04 PM ^

the 2 people I'm referring to are the hot BTN network reporter and whomever broke the "White is gone" rumor.  Not the Mods.  (Capitalization was not intended as a highlight)

In the past I've noticed that a lot of "rumor" posts are deleted by the Mods or the reaction of the board is to call it into question.  These were met with Brian's front page post on the rumor (albeit based on what should of been a reliable source... a BTN "reporter") and with White there was significant MOD input on the O.P. and intervention, ultimately leading to a "we're leaving this up b/c it appears legit."  The community seemed to then accept it as fact and reacted negatively.

Brian

August 20th, 2010 at 6:18 PM ^

General policy is to let rumors from established non-trolls stand and let the chips fall where they may. There was miscommunication last night when Geaux Blue pulled the White thread and I told him to let it stand; this was not supposed to imply that I knew anything either way -- I haven't heard anything except the stuff on the premium sites -- just that Raback was an established guy and with the smoke elsewhere it was worth letting go as a rumor.

MGoShoe

August 20th, 2010 at 5:07 PM ^

...discussing rumors here -- MGoBoard can serve as an excellent way to vet these things -- and going off the deep end into player bashing and misogynistic attacks.

BTW, according to A2.com:

"[White] is still on the roster," Michigan football spokesman Dave Ablauf confirmed late Friday afternoon.

Geaux_Blue

August 20th, 2010 at 5:24 PM ^

no "mod" ran with the tate story. there was a discussion had about the reports of someone else. the title of the thread, created by a member of the community, was immediately changed by a mod to rumor: Tate Forcier transferring, and then changed again when tomvh did his due diligence. this was not an mgofailure.

that's all i'm gonna add.

jmblue

August 20th, 2010 at 5:29 PM ^

We learned this week that a few of us do not practice what we preach. 

I have a problem with categorically trashing the entire community.  Most people here are responsible posters.  The few that aren't are dealt with.   

dennisblundon

August 20th, 2010 at 6:01 PM ^

I think you are giving jprblue26 (just a random name) too much credit. If TomVH, Brian, or anyone else who has proven to be reputable makes a post I only then assume it to be highly likely to be true. MODs have to sift through a lot of shit so lets give them a pass. Also you are on the internet, rumor mongering  kind of happens from time to time.

How some members got a high horse and I didn't is beyond me. Some how I think one of the MODs fucked me over. Damn them.

briangoblue

August 20th, 2010 at 6:12 PM ^

I definitely wouldn't want prospective recruits to jump on here and see a thread throwing around irresponsible rumors about Michigan athletes. That kind of thing reminds me of Craig Roh's dad telling the blog that yes, players and their families check this site out. With that in mind, let's stay classy.

bronxblue

August 20th, 2010 at 11:24 PM ^

I wouldn't really say that a couple of new posters with msu.edu e-mail addresses ranting about White equates to a blog-wide drop in morals and character.  This stuff happens all the time with major blogs, but here at least the mods quickly fish them out and they disappear.  To paraphrase, you can try to make MGoBlog idiot-proof, but the Internet will just keep creating more and more idiots.

Geaux_Blue

August 20th, 2010 at 11:39 PM ^

there are an absurd amount of @msu.edu addresses that register accounts and either intentionally misspell things to sound like "a dumb UM fan" and are immediately (imagine that, i wonder if it's the same person!) linked to on RCMB or general trolling. it's stunning how worthwhile some MSU fans find it to be to register account names, get to 20 points and then create an asinine post that they immediately cite on their home message board as "proof of UM (insert adjective)"

bronxblue

August 21st, 2010 at 1:49 PM ^

What gets me is why you would use an e-mail address you obstensibly rely on for important e-mails for classes, work opportunities, etc.  If you are going to post to a blog for the opposing side, why not, I don't know, create a dummy e-mail address or something first?  Not only will the msu.edu tip people off, but now you are easily identifiable using the school's directory.  Not saying the mods would go after them, but the opportunity now exists to really mess with someone.  Just dumb. 

MgoViper

August 21st, 2010 at 12:35 AM ^

not everyone here ripped on White and Forcier.

My reaction with Tate, was more of really? and someone has a twisted sense of humor. Then it went to gratitude when TomVH saved the day with his tweets.

The White thing i had just accepted, knowing that kids make choices. Sometimes they do not like their original choice. Also, that anything i felt was selfish if it stood in the way of letting him live his life.

I could not imagine the pressure some of these kids are under to perform.

InterWebZ-Troll

August 21st, 2010 at 3:44 AM ^

The reason why most of the rumors explode. First they are kids and we all know we make stupid choices as late teens and early adults. One of the players has a bad day and Suzy Slut is dating Larry Stud. Larry stud is tired, sweaty, got his ass kicked in practice, and might not make the starting line up. Larry says "F**K it. I hate the *@*&$(@$*(@ piece of *&*(^&. I get no respect. I am done. Suzy slut goes back to her dorm room/hotel/apartment. She tells her friends who she is banging and what he said.

Then Suzy sluts friends tell others. Well then Suzy sluts friend calls Jerry College X and says "Suzy slut was *&^*^&^&*( Larry stud and he is telling RR to *&(^*^% off and he is quitting." He is all excited that Larry stud is leaving and wants to give his boys the heads up. They are members of "blogs" That then leads to "From a reliable source"

Ernis

August 21st, 2010 at 8:27 AM ^

Observed individuals are at heightened sensitivity due to the occurrence of traumatic events. The trauama of said events is increased because said individuals internalize the occurrences. The net result is highly sensitive individuals taking new occurences personally.

doughboy

August 21st, 2010 at 9:25 AM ^

I like the OP's take on what happened.  Yes, it generalizes the community and the Mods and the responses - but I feel that's kind of the point.  I love getting my Michigan sports info from here and reading some excellent posts from our venerables and newbies.  My challenge is when it deteriorates into bashing and assaulting someone verbally.

So in the end, I stay away from the thread or the board for a few days and then come back refreshed and ready to learn and contribute (marginally).  Because, I know there is no better source for Michigan information and there are no better contributers then on MGoBlog.