Where’s The Line?
Obviously the Southern Miss season isn’t going as well as we hoped. Despite having a much improved offensive go, the defense and special teams have lagged. We’re facing our first losing season in over a decade. That has many posters on Eaglepost up in arms. And boy is it getting ugly.
Once again, the management of Eaglepost is being called upon to censor, delete usernames, and/or ban members based on negative comments about the coaching staff, athletic administration and players. We haven’t acted and sorry to say, we won’t. I will spend the rest of this blog post explaining why not.
Eaglepost was founded as a haven for Southern Miss fans to speak their mind. We’ve been able to do that through our independence and an open framework where members hold themselves accountable for the words and actions. Generally, that works very well, since it allows for deeper discussion of issues without concerns that your posts will be edited or deleted. Your words define your worth on Eaglepost.
Obviously, when things aren’t going well for the program, the message board can get a bit heated. Now is a perfect example of that. Some members are using the frustration and emotion of the board to create even more havoc. In the words of one of my prior bosses in using another guy as an example of what not to do, “He threw a turd on the table just to see what people would say and do.” We have a lot of turds being thrown into Eaglepost.
I don’t know if these folks believe what they’re posting or even care. They are having fun at the expense of those who are letting this bother them. The turds are fairly easy to dodge. There are three or four “throwers” and they have been consistent in their approach. Who’s wrong, the turd throwers or those that let the turds hit them?
I think it is both.
We are losing games we might have been capable of winning. As a result, people have every right to question the hiring of Fedora. They have every right to say anything they want about the school, the program, the coaches and what they’re seeing on the field. It isn’t often that you’ll have fans without critics. And we learn more from having both on the board. That is as long as both sides are actually open for discussion.
To those that are “hurt” by the usernames and comments (i.e., the turds) that are being posted on Eaglepost, why? What value, good or bad do you place on those words? We have tools to make it very easy for you to ignore users. I just choose to use restraint and have come to terms that we’ll never agree and there is no sense even going through a debate with them. One line, negative statements don’t add value and leave little to discuss. So, I don’t go there.
The only good argument that has come across related to the negative posts that I agree with relates to the recruits. Young men that are looking for information on Southern Miss very likely will find Eaglepost. And being the voice of the fan, they’re likely to read it. Will it keep them from becoming a Golden Eagle? I don’t know. Our mission isn’t to be a marketing tool, but to be a balanced discussion. The members of Eaglepost determine just how balanced we are. Hot topics and those on the first page are much more likely to be read. Think about that when you’re considering posting a response to a turd thrower.
I would like to interject one closing thought. Do with it what you will. Would you do the same, say the same, use the same username in front of the person you’re referring to? I do. I have “baldeagle” printed on most of the shirts I wear to the games. Stand by your word and actions because on Eaglepost, they stand for you.
