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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"

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

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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.

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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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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.

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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

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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.

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.

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Rule #10

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Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

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  • Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

    http://www.nola.com/hornets/index.ss...on_is_pro.html

    Seattle — They call it a "jock tax" and if someone around here had thought of it a few years ago, maybe the Sonics_not the Oklahoma City Thunder -- would be playing in the Western Conference finals.

    The tax is one of a few ideas being considered by two Washington state lawmakers who hope to bring the NBA back to Seattle.

    State Representatives Mike Hope, R-Lake Stevens, and David Frockt, D-Seattle, said the first step is forming a bipartisan task force of lawmakers, business leaders and grass-roots activists.

    The coalition plans to discuss the merits of a jock tax that would require visiting professional athletes to pay state income tax for each game in the state of Washington. The funds from the tax would help finance construction of a new facility or renovation of an existing one for an NBA team.

    "We have different, various ideas," Hope said. "I'm not exactly sure which one will go forward, but I want to have something done and tangible, a piece of legislation ready to go by January of next year. So that when the Legislature convenes they can start hammering away at this."

    According to an April 12, 2009, article in The Los Angeles Times, the state of California collected $102 million in taxes from visiting athletes in 2006-07.

    "It's a huge amount of money," Hope said. "Every time the Mariners and Seahawks go there, they get taxed. But when their players come here, we don't tax them.

    "To me it's about equity. It's about developing a plan to do that and to use that money to bond out for something. What I like about it the most is, it doesn't cost the taxpayers in Washington state a single dime."

    For jaded Sonics fans still angry after Seattle political leaders agreed to settle a lawsuit that allowed Clay Bennett to move the team to Oklahoma City, it's the first significant plan from Olympia to bring an NBA team to the area.

    Jason Reid, who directed "Sonicsgate: Requiem for a Team," plans to join the task force, and is cautiously optimistic.

    "We're obviously excited about anyone who wants to bring the issue to the forefront, especially when it comes to someone in government actually representing the effort to bring the Sonics back," Reid said. "So pardon the pun, but we have a lot of hope in Hope because he's saying the right things, at least as of now."

    NBA spokesman Tim Frank declined to comment.

    At the NBA Board of Governors meeting last month, commissioner David Stern said the league has no plans on expanding the 30-team league domestically, which means the only way Seattle can acquire a team is through relocation.

    In perhaps a cruel twist of fate, Bennett is the chairman of the NBA relocation committee. However, Reid believes the Thunder owner might help Seattle.

    "Just the way things were handled in Seattle, everybody involved wants that black eye (removed)," he said. "Between the NBA and Clay Bennett and even the local politicians, nobody came out of it looking good."

    A few teams could potentially relocate within the next few years.

    The NBA purchased the New Orleans Hornets last December. The Kings petitioned to move to Anaheim, Calif., but will remain in Sacramento at least one more season.

    NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver said last month 22 of the 30 teams are projected to lose money this season as the league braces for an expected lockout.

    While the NBA attempts to fix a broken business model, Hope said it's important that lawmakers begin to lay the groundwork for a team to relocate to this area.

    "The business community, they want to see something tangible first," Hope said. "And that's what we have to get give them. That's what the Legislature has to step up and do."

    Reid said he believes Sonics fans will soon watch their favorite team in Seattle once again.

    "I've maintained hope that we can get it done relatively quickly," he said.

    "That's why we've maintained the heat and kept the pressure on.
    "I'm hopeful for a five-year plan. It's realistic in that window we can get a team back, especially if the will is there."

  • #2
    Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

    It would really weird if the Kings ended up in Seattle.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

      Sorry Seattle give it up already.

      If you're city can somehow string together hundreds of millions of dollars to build a new arena, then you might have a shot at landing the Kings if they don't get their arena. Outside of the Kings, it does not appear that anyone is moving.

      I feel bad and I'd be mad, but again unless you can get a new arena plan going and a team like the Kings who can't seem to get in Sacramento like the Sonics couldn't in Seattle, then you will not be getting an NBA team. I'm sorry.

      Enjoy your Seahawks and Mariners and their fancy, new venues.

      Look at the brightside. There's still pro basketball being played at Key Arena. Team Bing.
      Last edited by Scot Pollard; 05-24-2011, 08:03 PM.
      In 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

        It doesn't appear that anyone is moving?

        What about the teams that the article itself mentioned? Hornets and Kings? Although, I do expect Sacramento to get their act together, I don't know what to expect with the Hornets since the NBA owns them, but I'm sure they would salivate at the mouth if Seattle somehow managed to build a state of the art arena. They'd be getting the Mayflower trucks ASAP.
        Super Bowl XLI Champions
        2000 Eastern Conference Champions




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        • #5
          Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

          You never know who is going to move and who may decide that Seattle is a better opportunity than where they presently are. There is a lot of money in Seattle, people are well paid, and public transportation is decent, all things that make for a profitable fan base.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

            I expect a new arena to be built in Sacramento within the year. I really don't think that will be a problem anymore and Kings fans can thank Kevin Johnson for that.

            But the Hornets? Well whoever wants to buy the franchise should be allowed to move the team wherever. The NBA cannot continue to own the franchise. Its just a bad situation. I really think that they have to go with the first person that shows serious interest and good intent.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

              If the Kings get their new arena, I'm sure it'll just be your typical modern arena. Some bars, restaurants, luxury boxes, larger seating capacity, more leg room.

              That's why I'm grateful for the Fieldhouse and its beauty. It's themed, it's beautiful inside and outside and it will definitely be a top notch venue for many many more years to come. When the city built the Fieldhouse and Lucas Oil Stadium, they wanted it to have a retro/modern look. That's what Indiana loves and I'm sure any owner would love to own a team who plays in the Fieldhouse. Simon is a lucky man.

              What makes me believe the Hornets might not leave is because of the age of their arena. It's not old and like I said, it's your typical modern arena like most teams play in so there's nothing wrong with that which seems to be the case for teams who move. However, they have no ownership and the city of New Orleans most likely will not pay for the team from the league.

              So unless the Hornets can find an owner who will keep the team situated, they will have to start looking elsewhere.
              Last edited by Scot Pollard; 05-24-2011, 09:48 PM.
              In 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana!

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

                Originally posted by ilive4sports View Post
                I expect a new arena to be built in Sacramento within the year. I really don't think that will be a problem anymore and Kings fans can thank Kevin Johnson for that.

                But the Hornets? Well whoever wants to buy the franchise should be allowed to move the team wherever. The NBA cannot continue to own the franchise. Its just a bad situation. I really think that they have to go with the first person that shows serious interest and good intent.
                There has to be a good reason for an owner to move a team which is typically due to the arena they play in.

                I think in this case, if the Hornets cannot find a new owner within the next 2 years, they will have to start considering offers outside of New Orleans.
                In 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

                  The heck with Seattle, let's look at the bigger picture.

                  Indiana and most of its counties levy taxes on individuals that work inside their borders. In Ohio, it gets very ridiculous because taxes are oftentimes levied for cities within counties and even townships within the counties. All of that is a nightmare for company payroll departments, but that is another story.

                  It just seems to me that an additional tax on out-of-state athletes "working" inside Marion county would go a long way towards assuring the Pacers stay in Indy by providing more than enough funds for the maintenance fees of Conseco Fieldhouse (and Lucas Oil Stadium for that matter). The maintenance of Conseco was the recent bone of contention between the CIB and the Pacers.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

                    Originally posted by beast23 View Post
                    The heck with Seattle, let's look at the bigger picture.

                    Indiana and most of its counties levy taxes on individuals that work inside their borders. In Ohio, it gets very ridiculous because taxes are oftentimes levied for cities within counties and even townships within the counties. All of that is a nightmare for company payroll departments, but that is another story.

                    It just seems to me that an additional tax on out-of-state athletes "working" inside Marion county would go a long way towards assuring the Pacers stay in Indy by providing more than enough funds for the maintenance fees of Conseco Fieldhouse (and Lucas Oil Stadium for that matter). The maintenance of Conseco was the recent bone of contention between the CIB and the Pacers.
                    This city is no different than any other city or at least most of the average sized.

                    The city will have to aid the arena's operating costs in some kind of way for most teams. Fortunately, the CIB has had the Fieldhouse and the Luc under control which takes a load off of Simon and Irsay in managing their respective teams.

                    I don't have an issue with the taxes. What can you do? The money is being divided among anything and we don't have any control over that. It's the case everywhere.

                    I also didn't like the whole "keeping the team in Indianapolis" because it's not just the Pacers or even the Colts. Everyone who runs a sports franchise wants their team to stay forever and they always work hard to keep a strong franchise.

                    The Pacers have a great deal of support here in Indy. Hopefully the team's new owner someday will bring as much dedication as the Simons have brought for years.

                    This is a franchise you can be proud of. Owning the team that plays in the Fieldhouse is something to be proud of in the state of rich basketball history.

                    I know I sound very cheesey and I sound like I'm being very optimistic, but you know what it's the truth and anyone who knows this franchise well enough knows how great it is and what it has.
                    Last edited by Scot Pollard; 05-24-2011, 10:21 PM.
                    In 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

                      Build it and they will come. Worked out for Indy.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

                        Originally posted by beast23 View Post
                        The heck with Seattle, let's look at the bigger picture.

                        Indiana and most of its counties levy taxes on individuals that work inside their borders. In Ohio, it gets very ridiculous because taxes are oftentimes levied for cities within counties and even townships within the counties. All of that is a nightmare for company payroll departments, but that is another story.

                        It just seems to me that an additional tax on out-of-state athletes "working" inside Marion county would go a long way towards assuring the Pacers stay in Indy by providing more than enough funds for the maintenance fees of Conseco Fieldhouse (and Lucas Oil Stadium for that matter). The maintenance of Conseco was the recent bone of contention between the CIB and the Pacers.
                        For some reason, I thought we already did this in Indiana.
                        BillS

                        A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
                        Or throw in a first-round pick and flip it for a max-level point guard...

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

                          Originally posted by BillS View Post
                          For some reason, I thought we already did this in Indiana.
                          Does Indiana tax outside athletes? That's a good question to ask because if it isn't being done, it should be.

                          I know I've never heard that they do but that would help cover the costs of both LOS and CFH through the CIB.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

                            Originally posted by BillS View Post
                            For some reason, I thought we already did this in Indiana.
                            We do.

                            As do most other states.
                            "I had to take her down like Chris Brown."

                            -Lance Stephenson

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Washington wants to institute "Jock Tax" to return NBA to Seattle

                              Baltimore looks to be building an arena. How long before there's speculation of an NBA team there?

                              http://www.baltimoresun.com/business...,1434961.story

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