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Online now: 2 members: MAP, TABLE SETTER 11; 91 anonymousDiscussion: Banned from Message Board
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| Aug. 8, 2007 TerryH 17 posts | Banned from Message Board Today, for the first time since the Senior Softball Message Board was established 10 years ago, we are banning a person from further postings. It is with a great deal of personal saddness that I ordered this move because I firmly believe that freedom of speech needs a great deal of latitude -- and very few restrictions -- to accomplish the goal of enabling a robust flow of ideas. However, in this case one person has managed to disrupt the flow of ideas with more than 700 posts that have been peppered on most of the message threads. A number of these posts have been abusive, and many have only been written to incite personal tirades. Therefore, all of the postings of Gary19 are being, or have been, deleted. His access to the Message Board has been abolished. As a result, some of the message threads will have gaps. We apologize for any inconvenience to other people posting messages. Terry Hennessy Chief Executive Officer Senior Softball-USA |
| Aug. 8, 2007 softballer Men's 65 594 posts | THANK YOU SSUSA FROM ALL OF US! |
| Aug. 8, 2007 the wood Men's 65 1123 posts | This is in all of our best interests... thank you. The rest of us need to let it die from our end now that this step has been taken... we also need to learn from it. BW |
| Aug. 8, 2007 4x4 Men's 65 601 posts | For the betterment of the board it had to happen and we in the Senior Softball Community say thank you to Terry H. and the SSSUA. It's sad this had to happen. Many tried to restrain him and all failed. |
| Aug. 8, 2007 docswear Men's 55 99 posts | You have my support in this action!! It is a shame that his ideas and concepts could not have been presented in a way as to not disrupt the function of this board. You should not have any second thoughts about having to resort to this. So many tried so hard to get him to see this. Enough said. Stoneman, Pro, Pete D, The Wood, E. Ness , Eintstein, and so many others had it right when they suggested just ignoring the negative posts. He has no one to blame but himself. Docswear |
| Aug. 8, 2007 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Ripley's Believe It or Not, perhaps they have another catagory, "Most banned person from public bulletin board forums". You may have a new winner. |
| Aug. 8, 2007 DesertGuy Men's 60 224 posts | Thank you SSUSA. Enough truly was enough. My friends, please don't let today's action by the SSUSA lead you into a false sense that today was a "good" day here. It wasn't. Did the Board improve? Yes, by a lot. But many of us (including me) fell into the trap that we provoked him, too. It's not a good day when some gets censored. As the Wood says perfectly, we need to learn from it. |
| Aug. 8, 2007 salio2k Men's 60 547 posts | Gary19 did not need to be provoked! Simply said, he is not a happy camper. Thank you,Terry. |
| Aug. 8, 2007 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Just going on to join the ranks of Dr Phil, Maury, Montel, Oprah, Springer & the like....lol Not that they, are all alike. |
| Aug. 8, 2007 jah#4 Men's 70 576 posts | thanks Terry make the board a softball board again |
| Aug. 8, 2007 Fred Scerra Men's 80 542 posts | Personally I am sorry to see him go but he has brought it on himself. I have had a lot of interesting conversations with him on here and also on the SBF board where he was also banned a month or so ago. It is too bad that some people can't just let it go. |
| Aug. 8, 2007 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Thanks, Terry and Dave and Fran, You did the right thing. We're all God's children and we wish Gary the best for himself and his family. Just because he couldn't handle the message board doesn't mean he's a bad person. I have more respect for SSUSA than ever. You guys are walking the talk of being responsive and responsible regarding our best interests at a critical time in the development of Senior Softball. Way to go. |
| Aug. 8, 2007 jim16 Men's 65 180 posts | Once again SSUSA proves that they will do whats best for senior softball. |
| Aug. 9, 2007 DoubleL10 Men's 70 907 posts | Thank you, SSUSA. Frankly, since I posted one response a few weeks ago that I, personally, would no longer even read Gary19s diatribes, I have enjoyed the board more. Now, with them gone completely, I can read and enjoy my fellow softball friends' comments and discussions without the continual "screeching" from Ohio! Thanks again. |
| Aug. 9, 2007 Tater50 Men's 60 336 posts | Terry & Fran: I have not gotten to play SSUSA a lot, but I like to read this board & find info that is happening at other tourneys. I will say that @ any time I have needed info; when I eeeeeed Terry or Fran, they have more than graciously helped me. Altercations: when I have a difference of opinion with an individual that is between that individual & myself; I like to discuss this matter one on one, via phone or eeeee. If I can get it worked out fine; if not, I will just go about my business & not demean them on a message board by calling them childish names. When I have a difference of opinion w/an association; I like to address the Ass. Dir. via phone to see why such a rule is in force; then I try via eeeeeeeeemails to get guys that are like minded to help change that rule or help get that rule amended. I think that is the business way to approach a matter. Thanks for stepping in & cleansing your site: I will now start posting again. Remember: post as though you were speaking to one of your family; after all, we are a part of a huge softball family & IT is OUR game & we should show each other respect. Without this & other softball sites, we would have to go cut the grass or do the other things on our honeydo list. Tater50 John W. Hayes |
| Aug. 9, 2007 Bob50 Men's 60 242 posts | Thank you Terry and the rest at SSUSA. It is truly regretable that this action needed to be taken but I think it was definitely in the best interest of the message board and a free exchange of thoughts and ideas. |
| Aug. 9, 2007 the wood Men's 65 1123 posts | John & LL: It will be good to hear from you guys again. I particularly wondered what happened with you, John... hadn't seen you, hadn't heard of you. I like the finer points that you made in your post. It isn't my intent to hijack or even slightly sway the tenet of this thread. But I do want to focus on the positive posture of SSWC. This isn't the first time that they have demonstrated their capacity to 'listen and actually hear' what it is that we post on this board. Here are some previous issues that they have definitively addressed... 1) Allow the U2 to be used beyond the previous deadline. I didn't agree but this isn't the point. 2) Reduce their World Championship from 4 to 3 days. I am a proponent of this. 3) eliminate the 5 run/inning rule at the major + level. 4) post the draws/field assignments several days rpior to the event. 5) bunch the games of a given division into a smaller part of the day rather than have us play every 6 hours. (this has not been adopted as yet in SPA) These are not all of their changes and are not listed in any relevant order. This is a big part of why SSWC is getting such an impressive market share... you build it and we will come... We do appreciate it. Bob Woodroof |
| Aug. 9, 2007 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Great suggestions, Weody. I'd like to add one, for now: - longer game times to unlimited time, like SPA, once double elimination begin. I've had/seen some of the best played games at SPA over the years |
| Aug. 9, 2007 DesertGuy Men's 60 224 posts | einstein- I think the wood was talking about things that have already been done (grins)! But not a bad first item for a new wish list! DG |
| Aug. 10, 2007 bashbro1 Men's 70 267 posts | Let bashbro1 chime in and also congratulate Terry H. regarding his recent position and action banning a person (one person) who has made a living out of posting both abusive and counter productive communiqués on our msg. board. Messages that can provoke, incite, inflame, or goad others, who may be well meaning individuals, into responding in ways they never would under civil circumstances has to be stopped. I know it must have been excruciatingly difficult for Terry H. to make such a call given he is a “Newspaper” guy by trade, and fully understands the implications of such an action on his part. He’s knows fully well that our “First Amendment” to the United States Constitution provides that our congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the freedom of our press. However, there are limitations to this edict that are seldom broached. Our courts of law have over our history decided many times that the “First Amendment” provides less than full protection in such areas as commercial speech, or personal defamation, and or libel and slanderous speech; or speech that may be harmful to our children ears; or speech that is broadcasted on public radio and television; as well as for public employees' speech. These are necessary restrictions, in my view, that are for the benefit of the group and not the individual. Group rights versus the individual rights usually wins out in a court of law in the USA every time. Summary: You just can say what you damn please in all situations, there are limitations and restrictions that make good common sense, and our freedom to speak our points of views without government reprisal still holds under our constitution. Art Eversole (bashbro1 playing for Ruth 60’s Kent, WA Major +) |
| Aug. 10, 2007 bashbro1 Men's 70 267 posts | Oops! Left out an important NOT! Summary: You just can "NOT" say what you damn please in all situations, there are limitations and restrictions that make good common sense, and our freedom to speak our points of views without government reprisal still holds under our constitution. Art Eversole (bashbro1 playing for Ruth 60’s Kent, WA Major +) |
| Aug. 10, 2007 hitt2 353 posts | Dear Board member The action of eliminating individuals from the message board is a serious step. I've made 4 post, however I read the threads daily. It hard to accept interfereng with free speech, however in this case you did everything possible to help these individuals focus on the purpose of the message board. This is a strike out for them, and a example that we need to produce solutions for improving the game, not bring it down. Let go forward and make our game the best possible. I, for the most part enjoy reading the threads even when they were heated. It showed passion for the game, but then it took a negative twist. All of us need to twist this back in to positive healthy discussion forum. |
| Aug. 10, 2007 4x4 Men's 65 601 posts | Extremely well said and eloquently thought out Bashbro!!! |
| Aug. 19, 2007 CRUSH18 1 posts | Iam new to the board but have been reading the threads for several years and often wondered if something like this would happen. You see i know this man and played a short time with him. He never said much while we were playing but was always on the board talking about how the game used to be played. As you all know being seniors we already knew this things. The game is different as is the equipment and for one i like using the good bats and good balls if possible. I have played senoirs now for 5 years and i say i have not seen to many pitchers get hit at very often. Myself i think there is a respect that the older players have that with these bats and balls and the homerun rules there is no reason to hit their way. There have been times when a ball gets hit there way , but not as flagrant as the youngs guys i play with in leagues. Just a quick thought after years of reading all the negativity this man put on the board. Not all of us in ohio think like that, we all love the senoir game and hope it continues to grow.(if i messed any spelling up i will try to correct next time) Nick Schones 55 Major |
| Aug. 19, 2007 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Nick, I don't think anyone would lump all Ohioians together. Don't worry about spelling. As long as we have Stoneman here the rest of us look good! 8) |
| Aug. 19, 2007 4x4 Men's 65 601 posts | That's English Stoneman uses??????? ( 8 |
