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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:

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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.

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.

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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.

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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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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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Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

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  • #16
    Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

    Originally posted by BRushWithDeath View Post
    Anyone notice the Pacers logo on Hildebrand's car?

    Maybe that was the cause of his bad luck.
    Pacers have been one of the sponsors on Panther racing's cars for years.


    Comment


    • #17
      Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

      Originally posted by Bball View Post
      IIRC one of the reasons given for removal of the apron was the angle drivers would hit the wall if losing control on the apron. This would've been based on the era when the driver's legs and feet were much more forward than they are these days in the car. With the SAFER barrier and design of the cars these days it might actually be safer if the apron was returned giving cars a couple of lines thru the corners as well as some margin of error (particularly with double-file restarts).

      I do have the ability to listen to race control but I usually avoid it. I'm not a fan of The Great Brian Barnhart. I have no idea how he's managed to stay on with IMS/Indycar thru all these changes. Even if I thought he was doing great, I'd agree that a change needs made just for PR and perception reasons. But since I think he's got a vision vastly counter to my own for Indycar racing and Indy.... as well as I question his credentials and ability... then color me confused how he has held onto his job thru all this time and even regime change.
      There's a groundswell rising up to get the apron back, for all the reasons you mentioned. (Check RMiller's mailbag on Speed). Hope it comes off. TGBB is and enigma and he must have compromising photos of a lot of higher ups in Indycar to survive as long as he has. If they would just *****can him and replace him with somebody that knows how to run a race, that would be great...As an aside, got an email from RM re: the two wide restarts and he said that Rick Mears basically called the whiners a slang term for a female reproductive organ.
      http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-tr...nce-stephenson
      "But, first, let us now praise famous moments, because something happened Tuesday night in Indianapolis that you can watch a lifetime’s worth of professional basketball and never see again. There was a brief, and very decisive, and altogether unprecedented, outburst of genuine officiating, and it was directed at the best player in the world, and that, my dear young person, simply is not done."

      Comment


      • #18
        Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

        Could Brian Barnhart be 'safe' in his job over what he knows about the 2002 Indy 500 and how that all played out behind the scenes?? Is that the true 'compromising photos' that he holds?
        Nuntius was right for a while. I was wrong for a while. But ultimately I was right and Frank Vogel has been let go.

        ------

        "A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, that’s teamwork."

        -John Wooden

        Comment


        • #19
          Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

          Could well be, God knows somebody screwed the pooch on that one...Still, it'd be nice if somebody looked him right in the eye and told him to FO. It might happen someday, we can always hope!
          http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-tr...nce-stephenson
          "But, first, let us now praise famous moments, because something happened Tuesday night in Indianapolis that you can watch a lifetime’s worth of professional basketball and never see again. There was a brief, and very decisive, and altogether unprecedented, outburst of genuine officiating, and it was directed at the best player in the world, and that, my dear young person, simply is not done."

          Comment


          • #20
            Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

            Originally posted by DaveP63 View Post
            As an aside, got an email from RM re: the two wide restarts and he said that Rick Mears basically called the whiners a slang term for a female reproductive organ.
            Good for Rick. Those crybabies need to stuff it. If the Indy Lights guys can do double file restarts just fine at Indy, so can they!
            "Nobody wants to play against Tyler Hansbrough NO BODY!" ~ Frank Vogel

            "And David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone and slung it. And it struck the Philistine on the head and he fell to the ground. Amen. "

            Comment


            • #21
              Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

              You can tell that there's not very many in the field that have short track open wheel experience...Instead of thinking "Oh My God, Were All Gonna DIE!!!" They should be thinking "Wohoo! Free positions! How many can I jump on the restart!"
              http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-tr...nce-stephenson
              "But, first, let us now praise famous moments, because something happened Tuesday night in Indianapolis that you can watch a lifetime’s worth of professional basketball and never see again. There was a brief, and very decisive, and altogether unprecedented, outburst of genuine officiating, and it was directed at the best player in the world, and that, my dear young person, simply is not done."

              Comment


              • #22
                Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

                Originally posted by Bball View Post
                Could Brian Barnhart be 'safe' in his job over what he knows about the 2002 Indy 500 and how that all played out behind the scenes?? Is that the true 'compromising photos' that he holds?




                Would you mind rehashing that out for me? I was at that race, but it was 9 years ago and I was still fairly young. A lot of people still believe Tracy really won that race, correct?

                Comment


                • #23
                  Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

                  Would have liked a few more pics of the Redline Energy gals ................

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

                    Originally posted by Sollozzo View Post
                    Would you mind rehashing that out for me? I was at that race, but it was 9 years ago and I was still fairly young. A lot of people still believe Tracy really won that race, correct?
                    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8Rd4...eature=related

                    Pay no attention to the broadcast commentary as far as their idea of rules go. They are generally clueless. You can hear Paul Page saying that scoring reverts back to the previous lap. But that clearly wasn't the case. Ultimately, after the protest and appeal the IRL ruled that the decision would stand because the chief steward said that's the way it is and couldn't be challenged.... even after they allowed it to be challenged and let that carry thru to appeal.

                    Clearly, Tracy would in almost all certainty have passed Helio had the race stayed green. Tracy took the checkered flag as the leader too... adding to the confusion.

                    By that point in time the cars had yellow lights on the dash. I have no idea how well synchronized everything is... would the yellow in the car come on before the track yellows if only by the blink of an eye? Also, there was a major delay in going yellow between the crash and the track going yellow. Which just serves to complicate things.

                    Lastly, not mentioned but something to think about... Helio was in fuel saving mode. Perhaps his crew jumped the gun TELLING him yellow (or 'accident') when they saw the crash happen (assuming the track would immediately go yellow) so that he could slow and save every last drop of fuel.

                    Helio's public argument has always been he would never had slowed that much and allowed Tracy to pass him that easily except for that the track had went yellow.

                    And just like this year... the officials couldn't articulate a clear and concise explanation of the rules to explain how the decision played out as it did. In 2002 they were challenged on that and ultimately went with the "we win because that's the way we say it is and there's nothing you can do about it" argument.... In 2011 Barnes didn't challenge the ruling. That helps placate fans, especially since it was obvious Wheldon passed before the yellow came on and they assume that is what matters. But track officials have went down a different path to explain the outcome... and it's one that doesn't make a whole lot of sense based on history and the decision on the final standings of this event.
                    Nuntius was right for a while. I was wrong for a while. But ultimately I was right and Frank Vogel has been let go.

                    ------

                    "A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, that’s teamwork."

                    -John Wooden

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

                      Excellent recap. I would also add the PT dirty Champcar invader versus Helio the IRL golden boy, driving for stalwart Roger Penske angle into consideration also. You can watch the footage and make your own conclusion
                      http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-tr...nce-stephenson
                      "But, first, let us now praise famous moments, because something happened Tuesday night in Indianapolis that you can watch a lifetime’s worth of professional basketball and never see again. There was a brief, and very decisive, and altogether unprecedented, outburst of genuine officiating, and it was directed at the best player in the world, and that, my dear young person, simply is not done."

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

                        Penske being a stalwart my keister! He'll go where the money is. That was his first full-time year in the IRL.
                        "Nobody wants to play against Tyler Hansbrough NO BODY!" ~ Frank Vogel

                        "And David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone and slung it. And it struck the Philistine on the head and he fell to the ground. Amen. "

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

                          Originally posted by Sandman21 View Post
                          Penske being a stalwart my keister! He'll go where the money is. That was his first full-time year in the IRL.
                          Ya...Your right. I thought about putting that in quotation marks, but I didn't.
                          http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-tr...nce-stephenson
                          "But, first, let us now praise famous moments, because something happened Tuesday night in Indianapolis that you can watch a lifetime’s worth of professional basketball and never see again. There was a brief, and very decisive, and altogether unprecedented, outburst of genuine officiating, and it was directed at the best player in the world, and that, my dear young person, simply is not done."

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

                            Originally posted by Sandman21 View Post
                            Penske being a stalwart my keister! He'll go where the money is. That was his first full-time year in the IRL.
                            Yes but if you were the IRL who would you rather see winning that year? A CART/Champcar regular coming over to cherry pick the Indy 500 and one that had had plenty of negative comments to say about the IRL or Team Penske, an Indy 500 regular for as long as many can remember (until the split) and a one that had just returned to the IRL full time.

                            If you were trying to create the media (and fan) perception that things were back to normal at Indy wouldn't a Penske win be your idea of the better headline?

                            And could you, as the IRL afford to pizz off Penske right then?

                            Then compare drivers- The affable Helio vs the cantankerous Tracy...

                            There were plenty of reasons to weight the scales in Penske's direction in 2002...
                            Nuntius was right for a while. I was wrong for a while. But ultimately I was right and Frank Vogel has been let go.

                            ------

                            "A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, that’s teamwork."

                            -John Wooden

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

                              If it seemed JR Hildebrand came upon fellow rookie Charlie Kimball quickly on the final lap of last weekend's Indianapolis 500, he did.

                              Track segment times released by the Izod IndyCar Series show that Hildebrand, who crashed trying to pass the lapped car, was traveling about 94 mph faster than Kimball in the north short chute of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and still 83 mph faster in turn four.

                              In giving Kimball room, Hildebrand's right-side tires got into the slippery higher groove, which pushed him into the wall. Dan Wheldon passed him 900 feet from the finish to win.

                              Documents show that Kimball, who was low on fuel and perhaps out altogether, was going only 103.634 mph in the timing sector from the short chute to turn four. Hildebrand's speed was 186.865 mph, and that included the area at which the accident started.

                              In the previous sector measured from turn three to the short chute, Hildebrand was clocked at 210.564 mph to Kimball's 116.440 mph.

                              Kimball had been slowing for some time. His speed on lap 198 (of 200) was 192.934 mph, and he was at 166.930 mph on lap 199.


                              Kimball's remarkably slow speed on the final lap raises questions about why he was on the track and not in the deceleration lane. Nearly the same thing happened in last year's race when Mike Conway crashed in turn three after running over the left rear tire of Ryan Hunter-Reay, who was running out of fuel.

                              Chief steward Brian Barnhart was not available for comment Friday.

                              There also have been questions regarding Hildebrand holding onto the lead after his crash.

                              Based on television replays, it took about eight seconds for officials to turn on the caution light.

                              Hildebrand, who kept pushing the gas pedal after the wall impact, needed 11.1 seconds to travel from the measuring point in turn four to the finish line. Wheldon got there in 7.3 seconds, a difference of 3.8 seconds.

                              The speed numbers show Wheldon reacted to the crash by slowing. He was 11.4 mph slower from the middle of the fourth turn to the finish line than he had been on the previous lap.
                              Indy Star

                              http://www.indystar.com/article/2011...oved-bad-combo
                              Nuntius was right for a while. I was wrong for a while. But ultimately I was right and Frank Vogel has been let go.

                              ------

                              "A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, that’s teamwork."

                              -John Wooden

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Re: Bball's 2011 Indy500 pics and comments

                                You should get one warning to pick up the pace at best and then the black flag should fly.

                                Honestly, had that been the rule Wheldon would likely be a 3 time winner because it's pretty questionable if Dario could've made it to the finish last year. He was slowing considerably when Conway's wreck allowed him to finish under yellow. And IIRC there was some question about his pace speed even being slow.
                                Nuntius was right for a while. I was wrong for a while. But ultimately I was right and Frank Vogel has been let go.

                                ------

                                "A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, that’s teamwork."

                                -John Wooden

                                Comment

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