OT: Fanpost etiquette

The idea is that if your FanPost is essentially part of another discussion that is already going on elsewhere on the site, the way that comments about Sanchez’s performance could have easily been part of the postgame thread, then you should put them there and not start a new discussion.

A fanpost should bring something new to the table. If it’s already been discussed in a GDT or PGT it really shouldn’t be in a fanpost.

To be quite honest over the past few months I don’t read very many fanposts: there are too many of them, most of them rehash old ground, and some (judging from the subject line) don’t appear to be very well thought out. Who has the time?

A couple of years ago a lot of the tedious fanposts would be taken on an off topic roller coaster ride. That doesn’t happen much anymore, the hijacking did get out of hand at times, but I think it also cut down on the redundant postings… jcb9 we miss you!

If you just want a discussion on a single thought that isn’t already being discussed elsewhere, make a fan shot. If you actually want to write your own post about a more broad subject, make a fan post.

Things not to write about:

1 – a game. Why? Because every game has a pre and a post game thread. This also includes a certain performance for said game.

2 – roster moves. Why? Because it is overdone and gets discussed all over, anyway. Mind you, this is in season.

3 – fantasy baseball. Why? Because no one cares about your fantasy baseball team. Write about your real life dreams and fantasies and you will get much better results.

And to reiterate: if you just want to have a small little side thread about a random subject, make a fan shot.

and I’m glad you asked. Is there some kind of quota for fanposts or is it that we don’t want the good ones to slide off the bottom of the sidebar? If that’s the case they ought to have been recommended so they’d be up there at the very tippy top. It’s one thing if the fanpost is offensive or spammy (Read my blog!) or just inarticulate/illiterate/you can tell the person is a mouthbreathing idiot. But this one was just … a diary type entry. I didn’t know why there was so much pushback.

Post what you want to post. Board regulars — and this goes for most internet message boards — have a core of people who have a comprehensive knowledge of everything going on the board. When people make casual contributions, regulars tend to get bent out of shape. My take on this decorum is … whatever. I’m not trying to bag on the McCoven in-crowd. This is the way most message boards roll. My advice is know what you want to say, say it, and choose your battles.

I don’t really get bent out of shape about fanposts anymore, especially now that there’s the “recommended” section at the top. Or maybe the mods are deleting repetitive ones without my noticing.

After a horrid loss or a big win, we all want to let off a little steam. That’s totally what pre/post game threads are there for. Your mini-rant would have fit in perfectly there… so why wasn’t it there? I think it is as simple as that. You don’t need to take the etiquette police so seriously in this case. It’s just a matter of organization and sorting.

The “I get lost in 1000 comments” comment, is certainly a true feeling, and I have definitely been there. But saying “Your 1000 posts are tedious, I don’t have the time or inclination to read them, but my single idea is important so here it is.” can come off kind of arrogant and self-centered. I know that it is more that you want to to talk about a single thing and those big thread talk a lot about of things (and a lot of nothing). But a interesting comment, point of view, or questions won’t totally be ignored. Just Shift-A to clear the unread comments then Cntrl-F to search for the topic you want to address. Then reply or comment away as appropriate. Computers will do the Boolean searching for you and you can follow by clicking your log-in name in the top left hand corner.

I see fanposts and fanshots as a spot to share some new idea or shepherd in some alternative topic. Less for rants more for discussion. There really isn’t a comeback to a good rant, just “You’re right.” or “You’re crazy”. Or “this doesn’t belong here, we are ranting over n this corner”.

Some of the negative reaction may have also come from your rants content. Sanchez didn’t have a great start last night, but IMO he didn’t cost the Giants any more than the impotent offense. If he had imploded and allowed 10 runs, sure I could blame him. 2-3 or even 5 ER and to me its not (just) the pitchers fault – its a team game. That probably comes from watching all those great offense teams from around 1998-2004, that could get Woody 14 wins.

Especially if it’s being discussed somewhere in a 1000 comment thread. Some people never comment in those threads at all, so if someone wants to discuss something that’s buried in a huge thread like that one that probably covers 100 different topics I don’t see the issue. Also, if it’s something that is not specifically the point of another fanpost than why not devote a fanpost to a particular discussion? Especially given that some fanposts are nothing more than a montage someone came up with.

I’m not saying that people should post fanpost about the same topic again and again, but if someone put up a fanpost that was cut and pasted from their crappy blog, or if the topic was being discussed in some thousand comment thread on the main page. I don’t get what the big deal is.

If you are being critical of someone for breaking the unwritten MCC rules, have some tact. Don’t lose your internet temper and flame someone who isn’t treating anyone with disrespect. Lexluth7 didn’t write anything in his fanpost to deserve being berated by Goofus. Treat other people with the same common decency you would expect to be treated on or off the interwebs.

Guy writes a poorly thought out, uninformative fanpost with a dickish title. Guy gets called on it. Guy whines in a separate fanpost.

SO DON’T WASTE THEM!

I rarely read fanposts, so I can’t really comment on the situation.

I found Mccoven and Fangraphs advanced statistics about 2 months ago, and i fell in love with the info and that other people where this serious about Giants Baseball.

Also this is the first message board i have ever cared about so i didnt know the rules, still dont know them. but a couple times i came out of my shell and posted a comment i had people really pissed off at me cuz i didnt reply right. downright rude id say. I almost wanted to stop reading Mccoven all together, was a little but-hurt, but i decided to not be thin skinned. i dont post often becouse someone usually has commented about what i am thinking. but sometimes i want to include myself.

I see alot of people being rude to the newbies not just me. maybe there should be a thread for the new person kinda like this thread to inform us what is annoying and what is proper when making a fanpost or just replying to any thread. so the IN-Crowd doesnt get all pissy. Maybe its harder for me becouse i have never been on message boards before.