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Pacers Digest is intended to be a place to discuss basketball without having to deal with the kinds of behaviors or attitudes that distract people from sticking with the discussion of the topics at hand. These unwanted distractions can come in many forms, and admittedly it can sometimes be tricky to pin down each and every kind that can rear its ugly head, but we feel that the following examples and explanations cover at least a good portion of that ground and should at least give people a pretty good idea of the kinds of things we actively discourage:

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Now, does the above cover absolutely every single kind of distraction that is unwanted? Probably not, but you should by now have a good idea of the general types of things we will be discouraging. The above examples are meant to give you a good feel for / idea of what we're looking for. If something new or different than the above happens to come along and results in the same problem (that being, any other attitude or behavior that ultimately distracts from actually just discussing the topic at hand, or that is otherwise disrespectful to other posters), we can and we will take action to curb this as well, so please don't take this to mean that if you managed to technically avoid saying something exactly like one of the above examples that you are then somehow off the hook.

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If this is done the wrong way, those comments will be deleted, and if it's a repeating problem then it may also receive an infraction as well.

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When you ignore a user, you will unfortunately still see some hints of their existence (nothing we can do about that), however, it does the following key things:

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Regarding infractions, currently they carry a value of one point each, and that point will expire in 31 days. If at any point a poster is carrying three points at the same time, that poster will be suspended until the oldest of the three points expires.

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http://www.linktothearticlegoeshere.com/article
Title of the Article
Author's Name
Indianapolis Star

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The legal means of watching or listening to NBA games are NBA League Pass Broadband (for US, or for International; both cost money) and NBA Audio League Pass (which is free). Look for them on NBA.com.

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Provocative statements in a signature, or as an avatar, or as the 'tagline' beneath a poster's username (where it says 'Member' or 'Administrator' by default, if it is not altered) are an unwanted distraction that will more than likely be removed on sight. There can be shades of gray to this, but in general this could be something political or religious that is likely going to provoke or upset people, or otherwise something that is mean-spirited at the expense of a poster, a group of people, or a population.

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However, once the discussion seems to be more/mostly about the political issues instead of the sports figure or his specific situation, the thread is usually closed.

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We prefer self-restraint and/or modesty when making jokes or off topic comments in a sports discussion thread. They can be fun, but sometimes they derail or distract from a topic, and we don't want to see that happen. If we feel it is a problem, we will either delete or move those posts from the thread.

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Rule #10

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Sean Taylor Dead at 24

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  • Sean Taylor Dead at 24

    http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3129406

    Just wow....

    Living here in DC this a big deal. People are VERY dedicated to the Skins here, I'd venture to say moreso than Indianapolis fans are dedicated to the Colts. That stadium is full of enthusiatic fans even during off years.

    It's hard to fathom someone dying this way at 24. He's had a lot of trouble with people for various reasons (the fact he kept a machete close to him all the time shows that he must have feared for his life) and it's sad that it ended this way, seeing that he had seemingly matured significantly since the birth of his daughter 18 months ago. The mistakes he made in the past look liked they caught up to him while he was trying to rectify his life.

    RIP Sean.

    Hail to the Redskins.
    Last edited by idioteque; 11-27-2007, 11:27 AM.

  • #2
    Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

    This is very, very sad. First Darrent Williams, now Sean Taylor.

    RIP Sean Taylor. You were a heck of a player and leader. You will be missed by fans, players, and friends all over the NFL.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

      RIP.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

        Redskins' Taylor Dies Day After Shooting

        from The Associated Press

        This undated handout provided by the NFL shows Washington Redskins football player Sean Taylor. Taylor died from injuries sustained when he was shot in the leg early Monday, said family friend Richard Sharpstein on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2007. Associated Press © 2007






        MIAMI November 27, 2007, 8:51 a.m. ET · Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor died early Tuesday, a day after he was shot at home. He was 24.

        Family friend Richard Sharpstein said Taylor's father told him the news around 5:30 a.m.

        "His father called and said he was with Christ and he cried and thanked me," said Sharpstein, Taylor's former lawyer. "It's a tremendously sad and unnecessary event. He was a wonderful, humble, talented young man, and had a huge life in front of him. Obviously God had other plans."

        He said Taylor died early Tuesday at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where he had been airlifted after the shooting early Monday.

        Doctors had been encouraged late Monday when Taylor squeezed a nurse's hand, according to Vinny Cerrato, the Redskins' vice president of football operations. But Sharpstein said he was told Taylor never regained consciousness after being transported to the hospital and that he wasn't sure how he had squeezed the nurse's hand.

        "Maybe he was trying to say goodbye or something," Sharpstein said.
        Taylor was shot early Monday in the upper leg, damaging an artery and causing significant blood loss.

        Miami-Dade Police were investigating the attack, which came just eight days after an intruder was reported at Taylor's home. Officers were dispatched about 1:45 a.m. Monday after Taylor's girlfriend called 911. Taylor was airlifted to the hospital.

        Sharpstein said Taylor's girlfriend told him the couple was awakened by loud noises, and Taylor grabbed a machete he keeps in the bedroom for protection. Someone then broke through the bedroom door and fired two shots, one missing and one hitting Taylor, Sharpstein said. Taylor's 1-year-old daughter, Jackie, was also in the house, but neither she nor Taylor's girlfriend were injured.

        "It could have been a possible burglary; it could have been a possible robbery," Miami-Dade Police Lt. Nancy Perez said. "It has not been confirmed as yet."

        The shooting happened in the pale yellow house he bought two years ago in the Miami suburb of Palmetto Bay. Eight days before the attack someone pried open a front window, rifled through drawers and left a kitchen knife on a bed at Taylor's home, according to police.

        "They're really sifting through that incident and today's incident," Miami-Dade Detective Mario Rachid said, "to see if there's any correlation."

        Born April 1, 1983, Taylor starred as a running back and defensive back at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami. His father, Pedro Taylor, is police chief of Florida City.

        A private man with a small inner circle, Taylor rarely granted interviews. But, behind the scenes, Taylor was described as personable and smart — an emerging locker room leader.

        Especially since the birth of his daughter.

        "From the first day I met him, from then to now, it's just like night and day," Redskins receiver James Thrash said. "He's really got his head on his shoulders and has been doing really well as far as just being a man. It's been awesome to see that growth."

        An All-American at the University of Miami, Taylor was drafted by the Redskins as the fifth overall selection in 2004. Coach Joe Gibbs called it "one of the most researched things" he'd ever done, but the problems soon began. Taylor fired his agent, then skipped part of the NFL's mandatory rookie symposium, drawing a $25,000 fine. Driving home late from a party during the season, he was pulled over and charged with drunken driving. The case was dismissed in court, but by then it had become a months-long distraction for the team.

        Taylor also was fined at least seven times for late hits, uniform violations and other infractions over his first three seasons, including a $17,000 penalty for spitting in the face of Tampa Bay running back Michael Pittman during a playoff game in January 2006.

        Meanwhile, Taylor endured a yearlong legal battle after he was accused in 2005 of brandishing a gun at a man during a fight over allegedly stolen all-terrain vehicles near Taylor's home. He eventually pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors and was sentenced to 18 months' probation.

        Taylor said the end of the assault case was like "a gray cloud" being lifted. It was also around the time that Jackie was born, and teammates noticed a change.

        "It's hard to expect a man to grow up overnight," said Redskins teammate and close friend Clinton Portis, who also played with Taylor at the University of Miami. "But ever since he had his child, it was like a new Sean, and everybody around here knew it. He was always smiling, always happy, always talking about his child."

        On the field, Taylor's play was often erratic. Assistant coach Gregg Williams frequently called Taylor the best athlete he'd ever coached, but nearly every big play was mitigated by a blown assignment. Taylor led the NFL in missed tackles in 2006 yet made the Pro Bowl because of his reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the league.

        This year, however, Taylor was allowed to play a true free safety position, using his speed and power to chase down passes and crush would-be receivers. His five interceptions tie for the league lead in the NFC, even though he missed the last two games because of a sprained knee.

        "I just take this job very seriously," Taylor said in a rare group interview during training camp. "It's almost like, you play a kid's game for a king's ransom. And if you don't take it serious enough, eventually one day you're going to say, 'Oh, I could have done this, I could have done that.'

        "So I just say, 'I'm healthy right now, I'm going into my fourth year, and why not do the best that I can?' And that's whatever it is, whether it's eating right or training myself right, whether it's studying harder, whatever I can do to better myself."

        His hard work was well-noted.

        "He loved football. He felt like that's what he was made to do," Gibbs said. "And I think what I've noticed over the last year and a half ... is he matured. I think his baby had a huge impact on him. There was a real growing up in his life."

        http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=16648835
        This is the darkest timeline.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

          Shocking. Extremely sad. He was one of my favorite non-Colts. I wonder if Pacertom will let me change my avatar to a picture of him. RIP Sean.


          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

            It's going to be interesting to see how this one unfolds. I read the thing about the machete and naturally that throws up significant red flags.
            The best exercise of the human heart is reaching down and picking someone else up.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

              Originally posted by Indy View Post
              Shocking. Extremely sad. He was one of my favorite non-Colts. I wonder if Pacertom will let me change my avatar to a picture of him. RIP Sean.
              no problem-- change it.



              RIP Sean
              The poster "pacertom" since this forum began (and before!). I changed my name here to "Slick Pinkham" in honor of the imaginary player That Bobby "Slick" Leonard picked late in the 1971 ABA draft (true story!).

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24



                I don't know what to say.
                Super Bowl XLI Champions
                2000 Eastern Conference Champions




                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

                  Originally posted by ABADays View Post
                  It's going to be interesting to see how this one unfolds. I read the thing about the machete and naturally that throws up significant red flags.
                  Yeah, but it made me pretty mad to hear Stephan A. Smith speculating about it on the radio today.

                  He said that in his mind (no evidence for this) it wasn't a burglary, since a burgler would not go into a bedroom, they would steal stuff elsewhere and get out. Then if confronted, a burgler would shoot you in the head or in the chest, not (Smith's words) "in the groin" so it was probably "something to do with a woman".

                  I've heard "leg" not groin for the gunshot, but it will all get sorted out by the cops.

                  It just made me mad that he would already be jumping to the conclusion that somebody that Sean Taylor knew killed him over a woman (presumably an affair).

                  Stephan A., just wait for some facts and let him RIP.
                  The poster "pacertom" since this forum began (and before!). I changed my name here to "Slick Pinkham" in honor of the imaginary player That Bobby "Slick" Leonard picked late in the 1971 ABA draft (true story!).

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

                    i first heard about this during third period today and everyone was shocked. our prayers and thoughts are with the Taylor family and may God help them.

                    RIP Sean Taylor
                    I think KP is a Captain Planet fan. He believes that the collective will of five decent starters can outweigh the power of top-level talent. Too bad Herb won't cut the check for their Planeteer rings.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

                      Originally posted by pacertom View Post
                      Yeah, but it made me pretty mad to hear Stephan A. Smith speculating about it on the radio today.

                      He said that in his mind (no evidence for this) it wasn't a burglary, since a burgler would not go into a bedroom, they would steal stuff elsewhere and get out. Then if confronted, a burgler would shoot you in the head or in the chest, not (Smith's words) "in the groin" so it was probably "something to do with a woman".

                      I've heard "leg" not groin for the gunshot, but it will all get sorted out by the cops.

                      It just made me mad that he would already be jumping to the conclusion that somebody that Sean Taylor knew killed him over a woman (presumably an affair).

                      Stephan A., just wait for some facts and let him RIP.
                      It really is no surprise at all that Screamin A. Smith would do this.

                      I realize sports analysts have jobs to do, but please give it time. Sean Taylor was a stand up guy...I bet you he was going to be one of the best safeties to ever play the game. He could have easily been a pro bowl LB as well. Its a damn shame that he died so young. Nobody should go at such a young age..especially with a young daughter. I specifically remember in college when the Canes came and played the Bulldogs, we were all yelling at the guy trying to make him mad and throw him off his game and he just kept turning around and laughing it off. What made it more sweet, for him, is that he laid a monster hit on David Greene and stared directly at a ton of fans and had a huge smile on his face.
                      Last edited by Moses; 11-27-2007, 09:13 PM.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

                        It's not a robbery. It's a little too much of a coincidence that 8days prior someone broke into his house and left a knife on his bed, then he happens to be shot?

                        Regardless it's a shame and another life wasted.
                        Just because you're offended, doesn't mean you're right.” ― Ricky Gervais.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

                          RIP Sean, and I highly doubt it was a random robbery.
                          STARBURY

                          08 and Beyond

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

                            No doubt this was a murder in my mind. Who knows why it happens, but this was not random.


                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Sean Taylor Dead at 24

                              Originally posted by pacertom View Post
                              Yeah, but it made me pretty mad to hear Stephan A. Smith speculating about it on the radio today.

                              He said that in his mind (no evidence for this) it wasn't a burglary, since a burgler would not go into a bedroom, they would steal stuff elsewhere and get out. Then if confronted, a burgler would shoot you in the head or in the chest, not (Smith's words) "in the groin" so it was probably "something to do with a woman".

                              I've heard "leg" not groin for the gunshot, but it will all get sorted out by the cops.

                              It just made me mad that he would already be jumping to the conclusion that somebody that Sean Taylor knew killed him over a woman (presumably an affair).

                              Stephan A., just wait for some facts and let him RIP.
                              I don't see how it couldn't be a targeted murder. He was continually being threatened someone broken in to his home and put a knife on his bed. Also, Stephen A. Smith is an entertaining analysis but his analogies are sub par to a 3rd grader. It doesn't make sense for it to be over a girl, he had a long term girlfriend (his fiance). I'm not an expert, but I don't see how anyone can be in this instance. If I had a guess, just going by what i know; It sure sounds like jealous friends took it to another level. Maybe they didn't mean to kill him, just wanted to end his career; which explains the shot to the leg. They missed the first time, and hit an artery the second. Looks like the kid was either scarred or a bad shot and ended up killing him instead of supplying a non-lethal career ending injury to him.

                              Maybe justice is on the way the Miami Police detained/holding 3 that could be in connection to the murder.

                              http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071130/...s_taylor_slain

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