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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.

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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.

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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.

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:

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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.

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

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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.

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.

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Rule #10

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SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

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  • SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...george.pacers/

    Here's my idea for All-Star weekend: The NBA should invite Pacers swingman Paul George to compete in both the Slam Dunk and three-point contests.

    The league would be recognizing the emergence of a versatile young player who is viewed by his team as a future star. At 21, George is more than a one-dimensional dunker and a long-distance specialist. He is one of the fundamental reasons for Indiana's 15-6 start, even as he generates long-term hope of becoming a superstar later in his career.

    "Paul's got a chance to be a really good ball player -- beyond really good," said Pacers forward David West, a two-time All-Star. "He doesn't know how really dominant he could be. He's got such great size at the 'two-guard' position, it's almost like Kevin Durant and the size he has at the small forward position. To be a 6-foot-8 two-guard who can shoot it, bring it down the floor, handle it, is as athletic as anybody in the league -- and he's really just learning how to play.''

    Set aside George's potential as a dunker and three-point shooter in Year 2 of his NBA career. What makes him so intriguing is the environment in which he is learning the pro game. Instead of being handed leadership of a young team based on his talent, George is having to earn his role with the deeply talented Pacers, who prefer to play through leading scorer Danny Granger (who had 36 points Wednesday in a win at Minnesota), as well as West and center Roy Hibbert, who could be invited to the All-Star Game with his low-post 14.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.

    Eventually George should earn a more important part in the offense -- he's averaging 11.5 points, and his 8.5 shots per game rank last among Indiana's starters -- but in the meantime, the Pacers are channeling him as a defender. Coach Frank Vogel often shifts George onto opposing point guards in the final minutes. It's a sign of George's unusual ambition, and it also speaks to his talent that he's able to stay in front of point guards and still challenge their shots with his length.

    "When [Tracy] McGrady was young, he played no defense, and not only wasn't he interested but he wasn't capable," said Vogel. "Paul has learned how to use his length to space guys like Derrick Rose or Chris Paul. We said, 'Pressure but space, and make them shoot jumpers over your length. Learn that and you can become a good ball-containment guy.'

    "The thing about [Paul] is he's got a knack for anticipating on the level of Allen Iverson and Eddie Jones -- two great steals guys who know how to play the passing lanes. [Paul] gambles a little too much and that hurts you sometimes, but he led our team last year and he leads us this year in deflections per minute, and he has a knack for blocking shots. What he brings to the defensive table is just as impressive as what he brings offensively, which is not the case in most guys like him that are young, second-year guys with offensive skills."

    George wasn't highly recruited before he spent two seasons with Fresno State. After a recent shootaround on the Pacers bench he was talking about his "small-town" background when Granger, who shrieked with laughter at the notion. "He said he's from a small town," shouted Granger for all his teammates to hear. "L.A. ain't a small town!"

    "I grew up on the outskirts of Los Angeles," George acknowledged a moment later. "In Palmdale, which is a smaller town."

    Had he drawn more attention at a younger age, or gone on to play for a bigger college, George probably would not have been available to the Pacers at No. 10 in the 2010 draft. He averaged 7.8 points in 61 games last season while shooting an unimpressive 29.7 percent from the three-point line. " I had an awkward rotation on the ball," he said. "I had the knuckleball. It was nasty. It had to go straight in or it wasn't going in at all."

    He spent the summer developing a consistent backspin that has enabled him to lead the Pacers in three-point shooting at 45.8 percent this season. Among NBA players who have attempted at least 70 threes, George ranks second to the Celtics' Ray Allen (56.4 percent) in accuracy.

    The improvement of his three-point shooting is creating opportunities for George inside the line. He ranks third on the Pacers with 2.0 assists per game, and he is their most explosive player around the rim. He wasn't surprised by the idea of competing in both the shooting and dunking contests later this month in Orlando. "I think I could compete and possibly win both of those," he said.

    He hasn't been practicing for the dunk contest. "But I have some ideas I've had since this summer," he said. "I got a couple things up my sleeve that I think I can pull off. It beats jumping over the hood of a Kia."

    George made it clear he wasn't trying to criticize Blake Griffin for his winning dunk over a car last year. Based on Griffin's extraordinary talents, George thought he should have been more ambitious.

    "[George's] incredible in the open court," Vogel said. "We freeze-frame races in transition offense. We've got the rebound, here's Paul next to Ray [Allen], let's see who's going to win the race? And we'll just watch him -- whoosh -- he'll stretch out the court and win those open-court races and make himself available for lobs and layups.

    "You go through the offensive skills you get from him, where you can post, you can use pick-and-rolls, you can handle, you're good in the open court, you can shoot the three. He's probably our most willing passer -- he doesn't force stuff a lot, and he's got the size to see over the defense. On the passes that a lot of guards having trouble seeing over big men, he's able to make these passes maybe better than anyone on our team.''

    The point of inviting George to both contests in Orlando would be to recognize a rare young player who is trying to achieve stardom in all areas while playing a meaningful role on a winning team. In other words, if he were to win the Slam Dunk or three-point title, it wouldn't be the most important thing in his career. Isn't that how NBA careers ought to be built?

  • #2
    Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

    Originally posted by Paul George
    "I got a couple things up my sleeve that I think I can pull off. It beats jumping over the hood of a Kia."


    Seriously, sky's the limit and this article does a great job of pointing out why. I love Vogel's quote on the difference of George and McGrady.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

      I can't wait until he adds some moves off the dribble other than his step-back jumper from mid-range to three, and his between the legs baseline step back. He'll learn his moves off-the-dribble, refine his post game, and continue to shoot off of screens and you will see a humble superstar with elite defense...

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

        Good article, I can't wait until he finally get's to the next level.
        @WhatTheFFacts: Studies show that sarcasm enhances the ability of the human mind to solve complex problems!

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

          All it takes is a good dribble. He's one skill (and more experience) away from putting it all together.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

            I love the idea of PG in the dunk contest and the three point contest. Has that ever been done?

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

              Gained respect for George, Vogel, and this writer while reading this. Love the language they used to describe how they want him to guard point guards Rose and Paul. It's a sign to me that they get what defense is about in the NBA.

              I just wish they hadn't said anything about other specific players that are still playing like McGrady, Griffin, and Allen. Didn't really slight them too much but guys like that will take anything and use it as extra motivation.
              Can we get a new color commentator please?

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

                I still think the real secret to being great comes from a dark place within the player's gut that refuses to lose and insists on becoming the best no matter what. Players can be very good by just skill and durability and effort. Lots of players are good. Being great is a quality of will that cannot be taught - the player either has the will, or doesn't. Very few players become great, or have the capacity to be great in big moments.

                I don't know whether PG has that quality or not. I will say, based on his college performances and up and down play, I worry that he doesn't have that gut quality. I hope he proves me wrong, but even if he doesn't, he will be a very good player if he puts it all together. And that's something we need.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

                  Nice to see Paul George get some national recognition so early.

                  He has a long way to go, but there is no question that he has a chance to be the best NBA-era Pacer we've ever seen.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

                    Originally posted by Reggie4Three View Post
                    I just wish they hadn't said anything about other specific players that are still playing like McGrady, Griffin, and Allen. Didn't really slight them too much but guys like that will take anything and use it as extra motivation.
                    Eh. At this point, I'm OK with that. We're clearly well positioned to be the bad guy, the annoying upstarts, this season. I'm talking about the Rose and Love whining, and some other media coverage, from ESPN to NBA TV. I spent some time on a few different sports sites the other day and was surprised by how many people seem to really dislike our coach.

                    I say bring it, these guys seem up to the challenge and a little "us against them" mentality never hurt a talented and focused team. Matter of fact, if I was Coach V I'd put Reggie's quote up in the locker room or the hallway leading to the court: "I love being the enemy."

                    As for PG, it's so exciting to watch him develop. I am trying not to get my hopes up too high, because so many really talented players never seem to put it all together. There are really very few truly elite players. But I'm cautiously optimistic for sure.
                    "Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better." - Albert Camus

                    "Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well." - Voltaire

                    "Everyone's values are defined by what they will tolerate when it is done to others." - William Greider

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

                      And I would think for sure he should be selected to participate in the rook/soph game also!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

                        Hearing David West, a guy who played with a great player in CP3 for so long, speak so highly of PG, that just reaffirms my belief that this kid is going to be special. He has an incredible skill set and is in the process of putting it all together.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

                          Does anyone else share in my fear of Paul George's L.A. roots?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

                            Originally posted by 1984 View Post
                            Does anyone else share in my fear of Paul George's L.A. roots?
                            lol no.. Kid grew up in palmdale ca, its next to victorville a highly desert area.
                            It's 80+ miles from the Staples Center. Paul has no loyalties to LA.
                            Kobe is his childhood idle. But you could tell he loves Indiana and the players/coaches. He loves the Pacers and most important money. He's gonna get paid if he reaches his huge potential. He's gonna be able to support his shoe fetish.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: SI - Paul George/All Star article - Ian Thomsen

                              He's the only Pacers I've ever thought to myself...what can't he project to do? I don't see anything, honestly.

                              Comment

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