Welcome. As we embark on a new NFL season here at X4 (and the first under new management in some time!) we felt it necessary to provide a quick clarification and some thoughts about moderation as traffic, interest, and posts pick up.
No one here wants to create a set of rules that is 1) unrealistic 2) overbearing and 3) makes moderating a nightmare. Really if we were to sum up the rules as concisely as possible it would be Wil Wheaton’s rule of the internet (Don't be a dick) with a minor update:
“Don’t constantly be a dick”
Easy peasy. We all have bad days (Blair Kiel's hair excepted) and we'll allow for that. Just don't constantly and consistently be a dick.
How does one “be a dick?” Glad you asked.
- Don't drive every conversation or thread with your shitty political viewpoint. Yes your political viewpoint is shitty. Yours too. And especially yours. If you’re gonna constantly throw red meat out there (subtle or subtle as a hammer to the face) trying to goad people into a political debate, we’re gonna delete it. If you’re going to willfully misinterpret the most vanilla and generic post and turn it into a political issue you must respond to, we’ll delete that. Two things here:
- If political debates are your thing... First, please stop with the bowties, and second, enjoy yourself! Have at it! But, have at it at one of the 3-4 (maybe more idk?) political websites on the intertubes. Because here's the thing... at x4 we are focused on the Packers, Wisconsin/national sports, some pop culture, and as of 8/30 we convert completely to a site dedicated to the new Tool album (surprise!).
Just like sites dedicated to tips about safe lacto-fermentation of fruits and vegetables don't want to sift through thread after thread of off topic debates about the pros/cons of a 4-2-5 defensive scheme - when it comes to your political opinions here at X4 we are like Deputy Gerard after Dr Kimble told him he didn't kill his wife - "I DON'T CARE" - And we know this is asking a lot here, but humor us. If someone says something political (or borderline political) whether it does or doesn’t align with your delicate sensibilities, just let it go. The world will keep spinning on its axis if you don’t respond. The news channel you are aligned with isn't monitoring this site and you won't get a job as a pundit if you respond with a bitchin zinger. You won't get kicked out of your political party for not allowing a statement go unchallenged. If it’s obviously political bait, report it and we’ll delete it. If it’s not obvious, might be a you problem? Either way? Let, and I can't stress this enough, it go.
- If political debates are your thing... First, please stop with the bowties, and second, enjoy yourself! Have at it! But, have at it at one of the 3-4 (maybe more idk?) political websites on the intertubes. Because here's the thing... at x4 we are focused on the Packers, Wisconsin/national sports, some pop culture, and as of 8/30 we convert completely to a site dedicated to the new Tool album (surprise!).
- Don't be an obvious and constant troll. We all know what trolling is and we just banned the 2 main culprits of this. And even then we're gonna give you plenty of leeway. I mean FFS, we let Herp and Derp run roughshod over the Vikings thread for far more than a year. And I mean, come on, be smart about this and it doesn't even look like trolling - be funny and clever and unique instead of just sounding like a 14 year old boy hopped up on Mountain Dew and Adderall and we'll probably never do anything.
- Don't be mean spirited/personal. Sports by its nature lends to trash talking. Good-natured back and forth is expected (NOTE FUKK THE BEARS AND EVERY ONE OF THEIR FANS. ALWAYS). Not clear I've ever see anything crossing the line here, (chickenboy's constant self immolating doesn't count), but just stating this for the record.
- Don't engage in the obvious stuff– no porn, no discussion about the TV series True Blood, no nudity, no reviews of White Claw, no links to sites that we really don’t need to mention, no Greta Van Fleet videos. Just, you know, be cool
Are the mods/owners perfect? Hell to the no. Are we going to delete/pull/clean up everything in whatever you deem in a “reasonable” amount of time? Almost certainly not. Are we going to delete everything that you personally think is some veiled political statement trying to make you angry? Nope. But, we'll try our damnedest to keep this place fun and interesting.
If you see a post we should be addressing and we haven't yet, PM one of us or just report it. Not saying we'll agree with you every time, but we all have lives and partners and children and at least one of us has a massive drinking problem, so we can't be monitoring 24/7/365.
We are here to talk about the Packers and almost exclusively sports, have some fun, ignore Fedya's Movies to Tivo, shoot the shit, and ultimately be the virtual bar to argue about meaningless crap. This place runs very well, and there aren't major problems to fix, especially now that Herp and Derp are gone. But, we know that traffic and posts will increase as the football season kicks off and we just want to get ahead of it. If you are constantly throwing out bait, we’ll address. If you’re constantly taking the most routine comment and twisting it into a political issue, we’ll address. If you’re not being a dick all the time we’ll all get along swimmingly.
Go Packers!
And fukk the bears.
Grave Digger, Packerboi, Timpranillo
P L U S the whole state of minn, smells of silage juice !!!
