Thanks SFP.
But here is the major distinction, and one that is important, regardless what the posters think.
There already is another message board that welcomes and encourages over-the-top negativism and criticism. And guess what, after Wednesday night's game, when there were nearly 200 people on this board, I checked that site because someone suggested I do so (I rarely visit other sites since this one takes up a bit of my time
) and there was 1 person on that site, a visitor, and not a single logged-in user.
Even now, our site has over 80 users online now, while the other site HAS 1 USER ONLINE! And it is one of the negative posters who wore out his welcome here and has been banned!
So maybe this is news to some people, most fans just get tired of the same droning negativity, and do not want to see it.
But even if they did, and people are welcome to wallow in misery all they want, this site has a predetermined agenda. We have never been secret that this is a pro-Bradley fan site, and we do not want the gratuitous negativity. So regardless of what anyone else thinks is fair, or thinks they have a right to say here, we will make that determination.
I get messages all the time from both sides. They run 90%-10%, and I'll let you guess which way the support leans. One side says we need to allow and encourage more negative criticism, and that if we don't, or if we moderate too much, this site will lose all it's posters and become irrelevant and die.
Hmmm... let's see, look at the above traffic numbers and see which site looks moribund. This site has never been more popular. Our page-hits have broken new records every month this season, and this m onth will set another record.
OTOH, multitudes of people from the other side constantly messages me that they hate to see all the negativism, and they ask that we not allow so much of it, and all the attacks that go with it. They say it ruins some of the passion and enjoyment of being a fan.
Fans that follow Bradley, as with fans of any sport, do so out of enjoyment and endearment. I can accept that there may be a minority of fans to follow Bradley with a different purpose or agenda, and if that is what they want, I encourage them to go for it. I hold no animosity toward anyone for the way they wish to express their fanhood. They can post all the negativity they want, just realize we have defined limits for that here.
This site was created and is run by private individuals, and with their own private resources, and we are under no obligation to allow "freedom of speech" here. I simply can't understand why that is such a difficult concept for some to grasp. Actually, I am sure most do understand, but feel compelled to push the limits of rules here. I also believe the misery-loves-company theory is also at play here.
Kool-aid Bradley fans don't care how much others dislike things, and are happy to allow as much dissent as the others want to put themselves through. But for some reason, the negative fans can't stand it as long as there is even 1 fan who doesn't wallow in the same misery they choose to live with. I simply hope both sides can see this issue, and allow us to moderate and maintain this community of Bradley fans the way we see fit.
I would be happy to lend advice to anyone who cannot understand this concept, or cannot agree or abide by it, so you may start your own website. But be advised- that has been tried before by private individuals who were not happy with the moderating restrictions here, and it has failed abjectly. It has also been tried by powerful newspaper backers with virtually unlimited resources, and who advertise their site extensively, and print links to their site in the newspaper, and online in every Bradley article. But nobody seems to want to go there or care.
So it seems I need to reiterate this every few months or so- but this site will remain predominantly a positive pro-Bradley site, and the decisions of the site owners and moderators are final, and not non-debatable.
Constructive, intelligent, and polite criticism will be allowed, as always.
But, anyone who wants to beat the drum of negativity, to carry things too far, or attack and belittle the posters who don't agree will not be allowed to do so here, and will be encouraged to go elsewhere.
Those who don't like this policy can always take their message to the other boards, and attack away at Bradley, the players, the coaches ad nauseum. And I am sure they will keep attacking BradleyFans.com, and the owners of this site as if anyone here cares. Thank you.
