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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.

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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

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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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Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

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  • #31
    Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

    Saints are about to get hit with the biggest penalty ever given in the NFL. My guess is that Sean Payton will be suspended for 4 or 5 games, Williams will be suspended indefinitely, huge fines for the coaches and the Saints franchise, and a loss of two first round draft picks.

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    • #32
      Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

      IMO, Payton should get it just as hard as Williams. He knew about it even if he wasn't participating and as the head coach of a team it is your job to stop silly **** like this from ever even happening.


      Comment


      • #33
        Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

        Originally posted by Trader Joe View Post
        IMO, Payton should get it just as hard as Williams. He knew about it even if he wasn't participating and as the head coach of a team it is your job to stop silly **** like this from ever even happening.


        I agree. I think it's a foregone conclusion at this point that Williams is going to get a serious, serious penalty. I'm most curious to see what happens with Payton. For years, he has been hailed as one of the top coaches in the NFL, and he certainly deserved it with their success on the field. But not doing anything to stop this sort of behavior is beyond unacceptable and he should suffer a large penalty.

        Comment


        • #34
          Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

          Originally posted by Slick Pinkham View Post
          Dungy says that the Titans had bounties on Peyton

          http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...eyton-manning/

          This might explain why the Colts had zero interest whatsoever in Jeff Fisher. I'm sure Dungy mentioned this to Irsay somewhere along the line.

          Also, I remember that slaughter the Pats laid on the Titans back in 09. That was well deserved after the Harrison injury.

          Can you imagine how dirty the Rams would have been with Fisher and Williams at the helm next year? Thankfully we probably won't have to worry about Williams for a while. He managed to hurt three of the greatest QBs ever in Warner, Favre, and Manning.
          Last edited by Sollozzo; 03-03-2012, 11:54 AM.

          Comment


          • #35
            Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

            Originally posted by ilive4sports View Post
            sorry but spygate doesnt come close to this. especially with all the **** the NFL is getting for concussions now.
            They destroyed the tapes and we never got to see the full extent of how far Spygate went.

            I don't think they did it to just protect the Pats(they were the fall guy) I think it was widespread around the league and would introduce other scandals hence they ended it suspiciously so yes Goodell lacks credibility to me has for a long while though.

            The NFL is a violent sport you can't really make it less violent no matter how many rule changes and concussion policies you enforce.

            Comment


            • #36
              Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

              Originally posted by Shade View Post
              How would that even work? Would it be too late to have a parade?
              It's never too late for a parade.

              Comment


              • #37
                Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

                Originally posted by Basketball Fan View Post
                They destroyed the tapes and we never got to see the full extent of how far Spygate went.

                I don't think they did it to just protect the Pats(they were the fall guy) I think it was widespread around the league and would introduce other scandals hence they ended it suspiciously so yes Goodell lacks credibility to me has for a long while though.

                The NFL is a violent sport you can't really make it less violent no matter how many rule changes and concussion policies you enforce.
                yeah the NFL is a violent sport, but it doesn't change the fact at how bad bounties are. Injuries resulting from hits are going to happen. Hitting players to purposely injure them should NEVER happen.

                Spygate doesn't even come close to this. we are talking about the welfare of players here.

                Comment


                • #38
                  Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

                  Originally posted by Basketball Fan View Post
                  They destroyed the tapes and we never got to see the full extent of how far Spygate went.

                  I don't think they did it to just protect the Pats(they were the fall guy) I think it was widespread around the league and would introduce other scandals hence they ended it suspiciously so yes Goodell lacks credibility to me has for a long while though.
                  That was a bad move on Goodell's part IMHO. Although, that said... it seems to have worked out for him and had the effect he wanted so maybe a little coverup was good for the sport....


                  The NFL is a violent sport you can't really make it less violent no matter how many rule changes and concussion policies you enforce.
                  This is true but you can't have people blatantly trying to hurt opponents.
                  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


                  • #39
                    Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

                    Originally posted by Bball View Post
                    That was a bad move on Goodell's part IMHO. Although, that said... it seems to have worked out for him and had the effect he wanted so maybe a little coverup was good for the sport....




                    This is true but you can't have people blatantly trying to hurt opponents.
                    But that's the very nature of the sport to try and hurt opponents every player that joins the NFL knows this going in. Lip Service won't change it. Trust me you aren't hearing much outrage over the players etc for this reason its why Favre said he wasn't surprised and didn't care because he knows this is how it is in the NFL.

                    So to be faux outraged over this and not over Spygate makes Goodell look like a hypocrite to me here.

                    He makes the rules up as he goes here.

                    He's up there with Stern in that regard.

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

                      Originally posted by ilive4sports View Post
                      yeah the NFL is a violent sport, but it doesn't change the fact at how bad bounties are. Injuries resulting from hits are going to happen. Hitting players to purposely injure them should NEVER happen.

                      Spygate doesn't even come close to this. we are talking about the welfare of players here.


                      Except it does its dirty and unethical but its also the nature of the sport. If you think its bad now try the days of the 60s and 70s this was nothing and nobody cared back then.

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

                        Redskins are being investigated too.

                        http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/fo...icle-1.1032504

                        I wonder how much that 2006 hit on Manning paid out? Williams must have offered a bonus if you ripped a guy's head off because that's clearly what they were trying to do to Manning. This scum should be banned for life. Like I said above, he is responsible for brutal hits to 3 of the greatest QB's of all time.

                        In the article I linked to in an earlier post, Manning said that "the guy wouldn't let go of my head. I looked at my helmet to see if my head was in it."

                        In 13 years, I don't think Manning ever said anything like that about a hit given to him by another player. That was clearly unlike anything he ever experienced. Those guys were clearly out for blood.

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

                          Originally posted by Basketball Fan View Post
                          But that's the very nature of the sport to try and hurt opponents every player that joins the NFL knows this going in. Lip Service won't change it. Trust me you aren't hearing much outrage over the players etc for this reason its why Favre said he wasn't surprised and didn't care because he knows this is how it is in the NFL.

                          So to be faux outraged over this and not over Spygate makes Goodell look like a hypocrite to me here.

                          He makes the rules up as he goes here.

                          He's up there with Stern in that regard.
                          Wait, its the nature of the sport to try and hurt opponents? Really? Pretty sure thats wrong and if you believe that, its just sad.


                          Originally posted by Basketball Fan View Post
                          Except it does its dirty and unethical but its also the nature of the sport. If you think its bad now try the days of the 60s and 70s this was nothing and nobody cared back then.
                          Once again hurting the opponent is NOT the nature of the sport. Nobody cared about a lot of things back in the 60s and 70s. Lets just go back to that right?

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

                            Originally posted by ilive4sports View Post
                            Wait, its the nature of the sport to try and hurt opponents? Really? Pretty sure thats wrong and if you believe that, its just sad.




                            Once again hurting the opponent is NOT the nature of the sport. Nobody cared about a lot of things back in the 60s and 70s. Lets just go back to that right?
                            If you really think the NFL doesn't have serious dirt behind the scenes when it comes to who gets hit more than others as well as the severity of it then that's far sadder for you to believe.

                            If there are incentives for every sack, TD etc you don't think there's just as much an incentive for injuring a star player? I mean what about when players say "Our goal is to take a player out" what do you think that means exactly?

                            Like I said its dirty but not that surprising.

                            The NFL is a violent sport and its about stopping the opposition by any means necessary(within the field of course)

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

                              FWIW

                              http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/....html&team=101

                              But Williams' system was in place with Redskins

                              By Brad Biggs

                              Former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs says he had no knowledge of a bounty system that was in place with the team during his second stint with the team.

                              Gibbs told Mark Maske of the Washington Post he didn’t know that former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who was exposed Friday following an NFL investigation of a similar system with the New Orleans Saints, ran a bounty system with players in Washington.

                              “Just let me say this: I’m not aware of anything like this when I was coaching there,” Gibbs told Maske. “I would never ask a player to hurt another player. Never.”

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Re: Saints violated NFL's "Bounty Rule"

                                Originally posted by Basketball Fan View Post
                                If you really think the NFL doesn't have serious dirt behind the scenes when it comes to who gets hit more than others as well as the severity of it then that's far sadder for you to believe.

                                If there are incentives for every sack, TD etc you don't think there's just as much an incentive for injuring a star player? I mean what about when players say "Our goal is to take a player out" what do you think that means exactly?

                                Like I said its dirty but not that surprising.

                                The NFL is a violent sport and its about stopping the opposition by any means necessary(within the field of course)
                                I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "Our goal is to take a player out" except in regards to taking away a player's ability to play the game the way he would like (getting physical with a finesse player, daring a team to run because your defense is playing pass to negate a QB's arm or else trying to disguise defenses to minimize the damage a QB could do to your defense, double covering a player because you're not going to let him beat you...etc...

                                I do believe teams like to see their defense lay a good hit on someone... a good, solid, clean hit.... But not a season-ending or careering threatening dirty play where the intention was to hurt besides just making the play.

                                Things happen in the playing of the game and that is understood, but looking to do permanent damage besides just making the play is NOT part of the sport and never should be. And should be dealt with accordingly.
                                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

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