Announcement

Collapse

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.
See more
See less

Mike Kahn: Teams Most Likely to Make A Trade

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Mike Kahn: Teams Most Likely to Make A Trade

    Pacers, Artest front and center in trade talks
    Mike Kahn / FOXSports.com

    http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/5173108

    It would be redundant to call the latest off-the-court issue revolving around Ron Artest a news flash.

    And maybe it's just a coincidence that it happened Thursday, the first day that the players acquired over the summer via trade and free agency can be traded.

    Nonetheless, it fits quite well. Just four days after Artest shot off his mouth about his inability to fit into the Indiana Pacers' offense and wanting to be traded, he was fined $10,000 by the NBA per an element in the new collective bargaining agreement forbidding such public commentary.

    "Public trade demands by players was a subject discussed at length during collective bargaining negotiations this summer," said Rick Buchanan, NBA senior vice president and general counsel in a statement. "The damage caused by these kinds of statements was commonly understood, as was the NBA's intention to hold players accountable for such statements going forward."

    Having said that, the trading post is officially open, and deals are expected to be made on several fronts. It is highly unusual to have players like Artest, Chicago's Tim Thomas and New Jersey's Marc Jackson inactive at this point of the season. All three are expected to be dealt.

    In Portland, forward Ruben Patterson suffered the same fate after an insubordination incident on the bench, and the Blazers have actively been trying to trade him for months. They are obviously showcasing him now with hopes of creating some action.

    And then there were other acquisitions that haven't worked out very well. Jerome James in New York, Houston's Stromile Swift and Earl Watson in Denver could all be traded — although Watson's odd status as a third point guard has changed this week with Earl Boykins injuring his hamstring.

    There are plenty more possible trades. So let's take a look at the teams most likely to make a deal between now and the Feb. 23 trade deadline.

    Indiana Pacers: The Pacers have to trade Artest. They stood by him through all of his fits before last season, then when he instigated the brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills that decimated the team and the season. The preference is to move him out West, with the most likely candidates for trade being the Sacramento Kings (Bonzi Wells or Peja Stojakovic), Los Angeles Lakers (Kwame Brown or Devean George and Andrew Bynum), Golden State Warriors (Mike Dunleavy-plus) and the Seattle SuperSonics (Vladimir Radmanovic-plus). The best possibility on the East Coast is Atlanta, where the Hawks could trade back Al Harrington to Indiana.

    New York Knicks: It's been six weeks, and, as expected, coach Larry Brown has discovered he doesn't have a point guard. Stephon Marbury never has and never will fit his mold; Jerome James, as expected, has been a total bust — getting out of shape; and they've been trying to move the contracts of Penny Hardaway and Malik Rose. The only happiness can be found with rookies Channing Frye, David Lee and Nate Robinson, plus second-year forward Trevor Ariza. They may acquire Ruben Patterson from Portland.

    New Jersey Nets: The Nets are the most disappointing team in the East. Marc Jackson has been a bust, but there's something else wrong, and something has got to give. Neither Jason Kidd, nor Vince Carter appear as healthy or effective as last season, but Richard Jefferson looks fine. Nenad Krstic still looks promising, but they have been reportedly already making overtures to Houston for Stromile Swift, whom they had targeted last summer only to be outbid by the Rockets. President Rod Thorn will not stand pat through the trade deadline.

    Sacramento Kings: The Kings are the West Coast version of the Nets. They have all the parts in place — they just aren't working. They're trying to run the same Princeton offense that worked so well off of Vlade Divac and Chris Webber off the post, but those guys aren't there anymore. Bonzi Wells has been so-so, but the problem has been trying to build around Peja Stojakovic, who just hasn't been up to All-Star form the past couple of years. He's the guy they need to move, and even if it isn't for Artest. Al Harrington in Atlanta, soon to be a free agent, would actually be a better fit.

    Denver Nuggets: Once Earl Boykins' hamstring heals (he's a remarkable physical specimen), they'll move Watson. How can a third-string point guard be worth a four-year, $29 million contract? And there are plenty of teams that need a tough on-the-ball defending point guard, namely the Knicks, who have been offering Malik Rose. The Nuggets will trade Voshon Lenard — even for a second round draft choice.

    Seattle Supersonics: The Sonics need to move forward Vladimir Radmanovic. He isn't playing as many minutes for Bob Weiss as he did for Nate McMillan, and he'll be a free agent next summer. He'll fit on any number of teams, particularly Indiana and Chicago. Flip Murray is also available and could be moved to a team that needs a scorer.

    Portland Trail Blazers: They're so young and lost; you have to wonder what kind of players coach Nate McMillan thought he had before training camp and how he feels about them now. Zach Randolph is problematic for any number of reasons, including recovery from micro-fracture surgery. Darius Miles is still awaiting opinions on whether or not to have knee surgery — but he hasn't played in a couple of weeks in the process.

    Washington Wizards: The Wizards are a sleeper team to make a deal. They're playing far below the level they were last season and need to get more quality depth up front. Etan Thomas is a nice player, but he is erratic and can't be counted on to get the job done — same with Brendan Haywood. At some point they will decide whether it's Jared Jeffries or Jarvis Hayes they like the most and move the other. This could be the time, because the Wizards could move prominently into the playoff picture in a hurry if they had an Artest or any kind of impact power player.

    Miami Heat: With Pat Riley now coaching the team, the moves he wants to make now are even more unfettered than when he was just president. Now he doesn't have to worry about how the coach will coordinate the players. With Michael Doleac and young Dorell Wright as bait, Riley wants another point guard (Watson?) and a solid player up front.

    Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers still seem like the best prospect for Artest. The concept of Artest and Lamar Odom at forward, with Kobe Bryant on the wing makes Phil Jackson excited. Whether or not the Pacers can get excited about Kwame Brown or Devean George is a bigger question — because anyone can get excited about 7-foot-1 teenager Andrew Bynum, who is loaded with talent and a great attitude that Brown still has not reached.

    Chicago Bulls: The Bulls badly need some power players and maybe a better small forward than Luol Deng. The key could be if and when they move Tim Thomas — maybe they can find a team that will take him just for the salary cap relief in the summer. But what players will they get? This is a huge test for general manager John Paxson, who's trying to figure out what went wrong beyond the dealing of Eddy Curry.

    Regardless of who is thinking what — and Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh claims he's already heard from more than 20 other general managers regarding Artest, he's the kind of player who could help a very good team take the next step.

    But teams are just asking for trouble with Artest as he could stunt the growth of an average squad or worse.

    Veteran NBA writer Mike Kahn is a frequent FOXSports.com contributor.
    "I'll always be a part of Donnie Walsh."
    -Ron Artest, Denver Post, 12.28.05

  • #2
    Re: Mike Kahn: Teams Most Likely to Make A Trade

    anyone can get excited about 7-foot-1 teenager Andrew Bynum, who is loaded with talent and a great attitude that Brown still has not reached.
    Come to the Dark Side -- There's cookies!

    Comment

    Working...
    X