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The Rules of Pacers Digest

Hello everyone,

Whether your are a long standing forum member or whether you have just registered today, it's a good idea to read and review the rules below so that you have a very good idea of what to expect when you come to Pacers Digest.

A quick note to new members: Your posts will not immediately show up when you make them. An administrator has to approve at least your first post before the forum software will later upgrade your account to the status of a fully-registered member. This usually happens within a couple of hours or so after your post(s) is/are approved, so you may need to be a little patient at first.

Why do we do this? So that it's more difficult for spammers (be they human or robot) to post, and so users who are banned cannot immediately re-register and start dousing people with verbal flames.

Below are the rules of Pacers Digest. After you have read them, you will have a very good sense of where we are coming from, what we expect, what we don't want to see, and how we react to things.

Rule #1

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:

"Anyone who __________ is a liar / a fool / an idiot / a blind homer / has their head buried in the sand / a blind hater / doesn't know basketball / doesn't watch the games"

"People with intelligence will agree with me when I say that __________"

"Only stupid people think / believe / do ___________"

"I can't wait to hear something from PosterX when he/she sees that **insert a given incident or current event that will have probably upset or disappointed PosterX here**"

"He/she is just delusional"

"This thread is stupid / worthless / embarrassing"

"I'm going to take a moment to point and / laugh at PosterX / GroupOfPeopleY who thought / believed *insert though/belief here*"

"Remember when PosterX said OldCommentY that no longer looks good? "

In general, if a comment goes from purely on topic to something 'ad hominem' (personal jabs, personal shots, attacks, flames, however you want to call it, towards a person, or a group of people, or a given city/state/country of people), those are most likely going to be found intolerable.

We also dissuade passive aggressive behavior. This can be various things, but common examples include statements that are basically meant to imply someone is either stupid or otherwise incapable of holding a rational conversation. This can include (but is not limited to) laughing at someone's conclusions rather than offering an honest rebuttal, asking people what game they were watching, or another common problem is Poster X will say "that player isn't that bad" and then Poster Y will say something akin to "LOL you think that player is good". We're not going to tolerate those kinds of comments out of respect for the community at large and for the sake of trying to just have an honest conversation.

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.

That all having been said, our goal is to do so in a generally kind and respectful way, and that doesn't mean the moment we see something we don't like that somebody is going to be suspended or banned, either. It just means that at the very least we will probably say something about it, quite possibly snipping out the distracting parts of the post in question while leaving alone the parts that are actually just discussing the topics, and in the event of a repeating or excessive problem, then we will start issuing infractions to try to further discourage further repeat problems, and if it just never seems to improve, then finally suspensions or bans will come into play. We would prefer it never went that far, and most of the time for most of our posters, it won't ever have to.

A slip up every once and a while is pretty normal, but, again, when it becomes repetitive or excessive, something will be done. Something occasional is probably going to be let go (within reason), but when it starts to become habitual or otherwise a pattern, odds are very good that we will step in.

There's always a small minority that like to push people's buttons and/or test their own boundaries with regards to the administrators, and in the case of someone acting like that, please be aware that this is not a court of law, but a private website run by people who are simply trying to do the right thing as they see it. If we feel that you are a special case that needs to be dealt with in an exceptional way because your behavior isn't explicitly mirroring one of our above examples of what we generally discourage, we can and we will take atypical action to prevent this from continuing if you are not cooperative with us.

Also please be aware that you will not be given a pass simply by claiming that you were 'only joking,' because quite honestly, when someone really is just joking, for one thing most people tend to pick up on the joke, including the person or group that is the target of the joke, and for another thing, in the event where an honest joke gets taken seriously and it upsets or angers someone, the person who is truly 'only joking' will quite commonly go out of his / her way to apologize and will try to mend fences. People who are dishonest about their statements being 'jokes' do not do so, and in turn that becomes a clear sign of what is really going on. It's nothing new.

In any case, quite frankly, the overall quality and health of the entire forum's community is more important than any one troublesome user will ever be, regardless of exactly how a problem is exhibiting itself, and if it comes down to us having to make a choice between you versus the greater health and happiness of the entire community, the community of this forum will win every time.

Lastly, there are also some posters, who are generally great contributors and do not otherwise cause any problems, who sometimes feel it's their place to provoke or to otherwise 'mess with' that small minority of people described in the last paragraph, and while we possibly might understand why you might feel you WANT to do something like that, the truth is we can't actually tolerate that kind of behavior from you any more than we can tolerate the behavior from them. So if we feel that you are trying to provoke those other posters into doing or saying something that will get themselves into trouble, then we will start to view you as a problem as well, because of the same reason as before: The overall health of the forum comes first, and trying to stir the pot with someone like that doesn't help, it just makes it worse. Some will simply disagree with this philosophy, but if so, then so be it because ultimately we have to do what we think is best so long as it's up to us.

If you see a problem that we haven't addressed, the best and most appropriate course for a forum member to take here is to look over to the left of the post in question. See underneath that poster's name, avatar, and other info, down where there's a little triangle with an exclamation point (!) in it? Click that. That allows you to report the post to the admins so we can definitely notice it and give it a look to see what we feel we should do about it. Beyond that, obviously it's human nature sometimes to want to speak up to the poster in question who has bothered you, but we would ask that you try to refrain from doing so because quite often what happens is two or more posters all start going back and forth about the original offending post, and suddenly the entire thread is off topic or otherwise derailed. So while the urge to police it yourself is understandable, it's best to just report it to us and let us handle it. Thank you!

All of the above is going to be subject to a case by case basis, but generally and broadly speaking, this should give everyone a pretty good idea of how things will typically / most often be handled.

Rule #2

If the actions of an administrator inspire you to make a comment, criticism, or express a concern about it, there is a wrong place and a couple of right places to do so.

The wrong place is to do so in the original thread in which the administrator took action. For example, if a post gets an infraction, or a post gets deleted, or a comment within a larger post gets clipped out, in a thread discussing Paul George, the wrong thing to do is to distract from the discussion of Paul George by adding your off topic thoughts on what the administrator did.

The right places to do so are:

A) Start a thread about the specific incident you want to talk about on the Feedback board. This way you are able to express yourself in an area that doesn't throw another thread off topic, and this way others can add their two cents as well if they wish, and additionally if there's something that needs to be said by the administrators, that is where they will respond to it.

B) Send a private message to the administrators, and they can respond to you that way.

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.

Rule #3

If a poster is bothering you, and an administrator has not or will not deal with that poster to the extent that you would prefer, you have a powerful tool at your disposal, one that has recently been upgraded and is now better than ever: The ability to ignore a user.

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:

A) Any post they make will be completely invisible as you scroll through a thread.

B) The new addition to this feature: If someone QUOTES a user you are ignoring, you do not have to read who it was, or what that poster said, unless you go out of your way to click on a link to find out who it is and what they said.

To utilize this feature, from any page on Pacers Digest, scroll to the top of the page, look to the top right where it says 'Settings' and click that. From the settings page, look to the left side of the page where it says 'My Settings', and look down from there until you see 'Edit Ignore List' and click that. From here, it will say 'Add a Member to Your List...' Beneath that, click in the text box to the right of 'User Name', type in or copy & paste the username of the poster you are ignoring, and once their name is in the box, look over to the far right and click the 'Okay' button. All done!

Rule #4

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.

Rule #5

When you share or paste content or articles from another website, you must include the URL/link back to where you found it, who wrote it, and what website it's from. Said content will be removed if this doesn't happen.

An example:

If I copy and paste an article from the Indianapolis Star website, I would post something like this:

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

Rule #6

We cannot tolerate illegal videos on Pacers Digest. This means do not share any links to them, do not mention any websites that host them or link to them, do not describe how to find them in any way, and do not ask about them. Posts doing anything of the sort will be removed, the offenders will be contacted privately, and if the problem becomes habitual, you will be suspended, and if it still persists, you will probably be banned.

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.

Rule #7

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.

It may or may not go without saying, but this goes for threads and posts as well, particularly when it's not made on the off-topic board (Market Square).

We do make exceptions if we feel the content is both innocuous and unlikely to cause social problems on the forum (such as wishing someone a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter), and we also also make exceptions if such topics come up with regards to a sports figure (such as the Lance Stephenson situation bringing up discussions of domestic abuse and the law, or when Jason Collins came out as gay and how that lead to some discussion about gay rights).

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.

Rule #8

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.

Rule #9

Generally speaking, we try to be a "PG-13" rated board, and we don't want to see sexual content or similarly suggestive content. Vulgarity is a more muddled issue, though again we prefer things to lean more towards "PG-13" than "R". If we feel things have gone too far, we will step in.

Rule #10

We like small signatures, not big signatures. The bigger the signature, the more likely it is an annoying or distracting signature.

Rule #11

Do not advertise anything without talking about it with the administrators first. This includes advertising with your signature, with your avatar, through private messaging, and/or by making a thread or post.
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Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

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  • #1

    Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

    http://www.indycornrows.com/2015/11/...me-with-pacers

    - After signing with the Pacers, Jasikevicius admitted not working out with the expectation he would play himself into shape during training camp. No only did he not pick up a ball the summer prior to starting with the Pacers, but he hurt his knee jumping up and down at a U2 concert. He had great things to say about the Pacers training staff but understood the hole he dug.

    Meanwhile, I soon realized that I had committed a serious mistake by not touching a single ball throughout the whole summer. With a body like mine, I should have trained constantly: Jamaal Tinsley was the starting point guard and he was definitely better than me, because he could provide a much more consistent defensive presence. Things went worse than I ever expected.

    - Jasikevicius loved Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh but didn't like the way he was treated by his coach, Rick Carlisle. Considering the shape he arrived in, it actually makes sense that Carlisle would move on to other options thinking he couldn't rely on Saras. He also thought Carlisle was a little strange because he taped his ankles like the players before games.

    - Saras didn't elaborate much but did confirm that a few players on the roster didn't roll out the welcome wagon. Fred Jones and Eddie Gill are mentioned as two that weren't happy to have Jasikevicius on the team.

    - Stephen Jackson was a great teammate and even took Saras to a special party.

    A little at a time, I discovered a new world, like when Jackson invited me to a party with his gang, the "Bloods". At first, I was scared; there were at least 300 people, of which only 3 or 4 were white, but that invitation was a beautiful sign of friendship, and the statement that Stephen considered me one of them
    - The following excerpts further confirm the nuttiness that came with the talent of that 2005-06 Pacers team. Hard not to imaging Carlisle exhaling with a smile the day he was let go following the next season. First we learn about team that wasn't exactly on the same page nor disciplined.

    The season did not start on the right foot. Carlisle chose to focus on his most important players, letting me stew in my own juice, giving me less space than I thought and certainly not putting me in a position to play my game. Moreover, not everyone welcomed in the team. Several players, like Fred Jones and Eddie Gill, were not happy that I had come from Europe and signed a good contract, and perhaps because of that, their contract would not be renewed or revised. It never happened to me to be uncomfortable with my teammates. Jermaine O'Neal was perhaps not the superstar who would take a franchise to win the title, but he was ok. As for the others, they had personalities that would tear Carlisle apart: Stephen Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, Ron Artest... Rick was too easy going; it would take a much harder and rigorous coach to manage such a group. One day Tinsley showed up wearing flip-flops and he told Carlisle he was ready to train. The coach saw that he had been drinking and he told him to go home. The answer he received was, "You go home; I'm training!"
    - No story of the mid-2000's Pacers would be complete without an appearance by Ron Artest.

    I liked NBA basketball because I loved the idea of playing many games rather than train... and you always traveled first class. In that situation, I still had to take advantage of every opportunity I had to work alone, because playing so rarely, I had to keep in good shape by myself. We had the talent to win against anyone, but what we needed was continuity. Walsh and Bird realized the mess that the team had become, and the fact that there were too many unmanageable personalities.

    To give you an idea of what kind of atmosphere it was, this game played in Seattle can be certainly the best example: by half time, we were below by a little. At the beginning of the third quarter, we were taking a partial loss. Carlisle called time-out and Artest (aka Metta World Peace), came to the bench and said, "Coach, tonight ask Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh to trade me, I cannot play the game you want." It was surreal. Rick did not flinch: "Ok, Ronny, no problem". I tried to calm him and encourage him, but I saw the others around me making strange faces and signaling me, whispering things like, "Shhh, quiet, he'll soon forget." It's a miracle that we got to the playoffs with that attitude.

    The book is a translation of the original already published in Italy, Lithuania and Greece and some times reads like it, but the compelling basketball journey of Jasikevicius playing at all levels in the United States and Europe with varying levels of success makes for a good read.
    As more and more antics of players of this time period in Pacer's history become unveiled I realize:

    It's no wonder the team imploded.

    I can only imagine what all of Tinsley's "sinus infections" really were.

    Or that infamous game in Chicago where like 5 guys mysteriously came down with food poisoning.

    Someone should write a book (besides Sarunas).
    "We've got to be very clear about this. We don't want our players hanging around with murderers," said Larry Bird, Pacers president.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

    Originally posted by rock747 View Post
    http://www.indycornrows.com/2015/11/...me-with-pacers

    Someone should write a book (besides Sarunas).
    David Harrison was posting a number of stories on his blog for awhile, but I still feel like we've only seen the tip of the iceberg.
    Check out my autographed 1972-73 Topps basketball project

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    • #3
      Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

      At least he admits he came to camp out of shape and was not deserving of the starting job. Of course that was pretty obvious.

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      • #4
        Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

        What a buzzkill he was. I thought he was going to be great only to find out he couldn't dribble the ball against pressure.

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        • #5
          Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

          Originally posted by joew8302 View Post
          What a buzzkill he was. I thought he was going to be great only to find out he couldn't dribble the ball against pressure.
          I think his story just shows how much of a gap in talent there was, and probably still is, between Europe and the US once you get past the top tier talent like Dirk and the Gasols.

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          • #6
            Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

            Wow (in a bad way) @ the Stephen Jackson part. I actually laughed out loud, thinking this had to be a parody. There should be an HBO series based on that roster.

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            • #7
              Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

              Tinsley sounds like he was an @ss. I would have JOb'ed that guy in a heartbeat.

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              • #8
                Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

                The NBA is a much better place without Jackson. If the team even knew about that party Jackson should have been sent home like Tinsley was.
                Why do teams tank? Ask a Spurs fan.

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                • #9
                  Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

                  The Jamaal Tinsley "I'm training" part made me bust out laughing. I can just picture him drunk and wearing flip flops. All you can do is laugh. Reading Saras' and David Harrison's stories are very interesting. I had high hopes for Saras, with the 3 euroloeague championships and all, but it just didn't work out.
                  Last edited by Mr_Smith; 11-05-2015, 06:25 AM.
                  Larry Bird and Ryan Grigson- wasting the talents of Paul George and Andrew Luck

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                  • #10
                    Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

                    "Shhh, quiet, he'll soon forget."


                    That Ron story was just so Ron. I have no problem believing it.

                    I'm just thankful I guess that enough time has passed that I can laugh off these stories now. But wow really, what were they thinking. And we've learned our lesson since then, right? Lance and Roy had their problems but nothing so screwy as this, right? Right?!? Someone please hold me.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

                      Stephen Jackson's parts sounds awesome. In my head, I'm thinking it was just like every stereotypical rap video. Strippers, drugs, and guns. Sarunas being there must have been very awkward for him. Sounds hilarious
                      Being unable to close out a game in which you have a comfortable lead in the 4th Q = Pulling a Frank Vogel

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                      • #12
                        Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

                        One consistent thing about stories from that era is that Tinsley always comes across as a massive bag.
                        Last edited by Sollozzo; 11-05-2015, 08:15 AM.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

                          Originally posted by Pacergeek View Post
                          Stephen Jackson's parts sounds awesome. In my head, I'm thinking it was just like every stereotypical rap video. Strippers, drugs, and guns. Sarunas being there must have been very awkward for him. Sounds hilarious
                          For all of Stephen Jackson's highs, lows and moral grey areas, it can't be argued that he didn't always have his teammates' backs. I'm not sure how society will remember SJax, but I doubt you'll find many teammates who say a bad word about him. He was as loyal as it gets.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

                            I never really understood the Jackson hate, was he kind of an idiot? Yeah, but the Pacers have had a lot worse people playing for them. Jack just always seemed like one of those guys who was deep down a good person, but just never really left his rough roots behind. I think I would much prefer to have him as my teammate over a lot of the other guys on those Pacers teams. Even Sarunas.


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                            • #15
                              Re: Sarunas Reflects on His Frustrating Time with Pacers

                              Originally posted by Pacerized View Post
                              The NBA is a much better place without Jackson. If the team even knew about that party Jackson should have been sent home like Tinsley was.
                              We should have sent him home for hanging out with his friends?


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