13 replies to this topic

[Stanley Steamer]

After making a post last night, I've come back to the site midday today to see that I was the last person to post.
I've just recently become a poster, after lurking for years, reading the main threads. It's hard to maintain a reasonable dialogue, or momentum to a topic, in the Sandbox. People just aren't here in numbers. The quality of the posts is okay; but it will never be up to the level of the main forum. Maybe we in the Sandbox should break off and form a rebel faction and open our own site! Nah. Seems like a lot of work. Hopefully the game thread situation will be more fun.

[Eck'sSneakyCheese]

I've thought the same thing , sort of, but when there's nothing going on, there's nothing going on. There's only so much back and forth you can have on one subject. Pre spring training is what it is. If you're that bored bring something (Red Sox related) up, or surf the other forums here (there are a lot). It's been a slow news week if you're not a huge fan of the Bruins or Celtics. The weekend brings ST games which I'm sure will drive some conversation.

[jnlevetoncnmt]

I agree that things can be slow in the sandbox. I prefer slow over stupid. I'm a University of Florida college fan and occasionally I'll visit gatorcountry (forum for gator fans) where anyone can register and post (although there is a VIP section that you just have to pay to join). I hate to say it, but most of the threads there are absolutely horrendous to read, as well as totally uninformative. There can be 3 or 4 threads dealing with the same topic, many topics degenerate into name calling. This is easily my favorite sports forum and I would hate to see it devolve into that, or heaven forbid, the comments section of espn or SI.

I know alot of people dislike the gamethreads, but I really like those as well. There's alot of strategy talk and PitchFX stuff or you occasionally get the priceless gem such as when somebody said that Bobby Abreu could draw a walk in a tee-ball game.

[Billymike]

Been a lurker for a few years and have seen a few people get ridiculed/ banned for offering opinions. That and the name calling will not encourage participation. If you dont like a post , ignor it. Just an opinion, hope I dont get ridiculed or banned. Got to agree with Eck there aint much going on until the games start.

[betheriver]

No doubt the sandbox is slower than the main forum. But things should pick up soon. Once ST gets going, the numbers will increase, especially with the C's and Bruins not playing all that great. The Sox will be the best game in town.

[Sampo Gida]

If you have read the main forum recently it isn't what it used to be. One problem with the sandbox is the name. I mean, this is a baseball forum, can't they come up with a more appropriate and less derogatory name. SOSH farm league, whatever.

I do agree the frequent banning is a factor in fewer comments, and standards seem different based on status. Lurkers seem to be food for the BABIP gods on the game thread for example (based on the last 2 years they might be worshipping a false god). Also, I read someplace some members may put lurkers/new members on ignore.

Despite those few drawbacks, it's still a decent place to post. It's not supposed to be a chat room, so you might not get a response to a comment if it's something everyone pretty much agrees with or it's a topic nobody is very interested in. That does not mean you should not comment or start a thread.

[Stanley Steamer]

Fair enough. We will see what the season brings.

[MikeM]

If you have read the main forum recently it isn't what it used to be. One problem with the sandbox is the name. I mean, this is a baseball forum, can't they come up with a more appropriate and less derogatory name. SOSH farm league, whatever.

I do agree the frequent banning is a factor in fewer comments, and standards seem different based on status. Lurkers seem to be food for the BABIP gods on the game thread for example (based on the last 2 years they might be worshipping a false god). Also, I read someplace some members may put lurkers/new members on ignore.

Despite those few drawbacks, it's still a decent place to post. It's not supposed to be a chat room, so you might not get a response to a comment if it's something everyone pretty much agrees with or it's a topic nobody is very interested in. That does not mean you should not comment or start a thread.

IDK, i can't recall seeing any bannings over the years where it essentially didn't play out in the same basic manner:

1. Mod steps in and asks somebody to either tone it down or keep the emphasis on the substance
2. Poster gets offended and basically reponds with a "no, you shut up"
3. Grim Reaper dude makes it's appearance.

Which in itself isn't an issue of policing content as much as it simply boils down to a low tolerance level that's going to come out of that kind of confrontation here. Which is hard to argue as being a bad thing, at least if you want to forgo the free-for-all surrounding.

That said, I do however agree that the main forum hasn't been as much of a "must read" as it used to be for me (although there's still more then a few people posting that i indeed do make the extra effort to weed out hearing their particular take on specific evaluations/transactions/ect...). But that's also due as much to competing baseball related websites, and the general amount of time i have available to commit to reading (and in other cases contributing to) a 10+ page thread or 2, then anything else.

The real problem with the Sandbox system as a whole, imo, is that it simple fails to stand up to the supporting theory behind it. At least if you are joining as a stand alone type, without that already membered friend to give you an "in", or have that desire (or time) to sit around in gamethreads hoping what's usually a blatently brownosing attempt at being overly-social (while racking up that post count and one liners) gets noticed. But again, that really just boils down to the reality that there simply isn't a reliably good system one can implant there to begin with. Especially on a high traffic/content board like this one, where basically asking existing members to take the extra time/effort to spend 15 min or so a day reading through rehashed Sandox content just realistically isn't going to work in a manner that you'd otherwise find ideal.

At the end of the day, that's all just an integrity trade-off that needs to be made though. And like you said, it's not like the Sandbox isn't a fairly decent place to post (although it'll probably be a bit slower then usual, for now , given the recent promotion of a couple of it's core debaters). Plus you also have the general MLB forum open, which really isn't that much less active then the main forum nowadays if one likes debating outside topics as well. Plus general sports, fantasy stuff, ecttt.

Edited by MikeM, 04 March 2012 - 02:22 AM.

[Beanpot]

I think the problem is that when you get right down to it nobody wants to be here.

People are trying to get noticed and get out of here in a hurry.

Edited by Beanpot, 05 March 2012 - 03:20 PM.

[adam42381]

I think the problem is that when you get right down to it nobody wants to be here.

People are trying to get noticed and get out of here in a hurry.

Exactly. I've been lurking for 6 years or so. Just waiting my turn.

[Stanley Steamer]

Exactly. I've been lurking for 6 years or so. Just waiting my turn.

I'm surprised that picture of your sister hasn't done it for you yet.

[adam42381]

I'm surprised that picture of your sister hasn't done it for you yet.

I see what you did there.

[Boon]

I'm surprised that picture of your sister hasn't done it for you yet.

And you wonder why there's not a lot of great dialogue in the Sandbox?

Edited by Boon, 08 March 2012 - 03:26 PM.

[rglenmt]

The posts in this topic are for the most part on point. As a former member "pudgefick" shortly after Curt Schilling was acquired after Mr. Epstein et al visitied Curt and Shonda's home in Arizona for Thanksgiving, SOSH became extremely popular, of course further upstaged when the Old Towne Team won its first World Series in 2004, so many moons and tears, that some choose to forget the exciting "Impossible Dream Team" of 67' when an idol and future, IMHO HOF likely, Tony Conigliaro had his career, for the most part derailed by an errant fastball by Jack Hamilton of the Angels. Even then, but for the Great Fabulous Bob Gibson, the Red Sox might have beaten Cardinals cause of stellar seasons by Triple Crown Winner MVP Carl Yaz and Dentist, great pitcher for 67' and skier Jim Lonborg, the 75' Red Sox with Rookie of the Year/MVP Fred Lynn, Dwight Evans, HOF er Jim Rice and HOF er Carlton "Pudge" First, the heartbreaking 86 Red Sox with a pitcher Roger Clemens who started out his career looking like the Greatest pitcher of all time, lest he pushed Commissioner Selig and Congress a bit too far, Bruce Hurst, a great hitter 1B Bill Buckner etc etc. So it is not like we did not have more than our fair share of exciting baseball, peppered by more than any city could hope for in 60 years of Rookies of the Year, Most Valuable Players, Hall of Famers, Cy Young Award Winngers, and those following the greatest lefthanded hitter and U.S. Marine Fighter Pilot in Ted Williams, who but for the 5 + seasons he fought war for the U.S. and the World, rather than hit more home runs at the same time winning AL Batting Titles, Ted "Teddy Ballgame" Williams would have had a 13-15 year of Youth League named after Mr. Williams rather than after Mr. Ruth.

Anyway, SOSH has evolved, like most entities with the hard work of its founders LanterJaw et al, various ISPs and a numer of moderators, men and women, such as the special BOSOX LADY, and SOSH will undoubtedly contine to evolve, however, one last observation, SOSH continues, by and large, the airing of sports, particularly baseball opinions, giving most of us, even some pretty doggone good players, the opportunity to express express express our opinions as if we we managers, general managers or even owners, and IMHO, having been part of a number of other forums, blogs, and chat groups, SOSH continues to be one of very best.

Short of attending journalism school at whatever point any of are in our journey through life, what else can any of us ask for???

Respectully submitted,

rglenmt f/k/a pudgefick

Edited by rglenmt, 13 March 2012 - 11:50 PM.