Questions on the existence/wiseness of the TBT?

BlackCats101 · Post by **BlackCats101** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:46 pm

I am sorry to moan but I am not desperately keen on the dominance of the babe competition in this forum.

I feel that it portrays too much of the lads-mag image that is not particularly helpful towards recruiting new members to the forums.
I can stand it being in one specific forum area and limited to a few small threads, but having it placed so prominently in the main relaxation area of TBL seems a mistake.

Am I alone in thinking this?

Post by **inSTAALed** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:47 pm

I can see where you're coming from..

Why not have a seperate forum somewhere for it?

Octavian · Post by **Octavian** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:53 pm

I think we're going to remove some of the threads when the competition is over.

Post by **Minstrel** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:11 pm

I apologize if it offends you; it's just for fun as things are slow. The pictures with one clearly noted exception have been no more than swimsuit pictures so I'm not sure how that's dragging the site's reputation down.

I'm not sure where else it would have been more appropriately located.

There has been about a dozen posts in the "main relaxation section" as you termed the General Forum for the month prior to the TBT so I'm not sure exactly what having more activity and threads to check out is "disrupting"?

As for your contention; we have had people sign up just to vote so it is in fact not damaging our ability to draw new users. I think it's an overreaction on your part to a bit of fun on a forum in a slow time. This is in fact an all-male forum; and there is a reason GQ/FHM/Details/Maxim/SI's Swimsuit Issue publish in the numbers they do... women are a hot topic amongst guys; nothing wrong with having some fun with it....

It's not like we're posting porn or anything and there isn't a single pic someone could "stumble onto" as all pics are links and all the threads are clearly marked. So the old rounds eventually fall off the page as they aren't going to be active threads; I don't see the problem. If you want to say it offends you personally that's fine, you have a right to your opinion. I'd rather you say that then claim that because you don't like it; it is bringing the site as a whole down. There's not much else going on which is why it was done so you're kind of proving the point of why we felt it was a good time to do something like this; not much else going on.

Moved to Announcements/Feedback which is where this should have been posted as it is about the site itself...

BlackCats101 · Post by **BlackCats101** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:40 pm

Don't get me wrong, it doesn't offend me, it is just that I thought the promotion of the competition was rather heavy in the General Discussions thread-It could have been filed under the competitions thread for instance. One of the first things that newcomers to the site could be greeted with is an advertisement for the 'babe competition', which I just thought didn't really send out the right impression for an enthiusiastic Ice Hockey Computer Gane website.

BlackCats101 · Post by **BlackCats101** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:42 pm

and hey-renaming the thread isn't particularly helpful or clever. It tries to make it look as if I am after trouble which is not the intention

Post by **Calv** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:01 pm

I think it shows people that they don't have to just talk about Ice Hockey/EHM, which is a good thing and that we can have a bit of fun. If they joined now and the TBT hadn't been running they would see the general forum and think 'wow, only 4 topics have had posts in them in the last week, this place must be dead'

And with respect to renaming the thread, I think your original title was a little unclear(however I personally didn't change the title)

Post by **Minstrel** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:03 pm

Thanks for your opinion; our reasons for having the competition have been fully and clearly explained including in the text of every first round voting thread. Are we supposed to spend this much time on something and not tell anyone about it or keep people up to date on the progress of the competition?

As for it being better for Competitions... the competition is not between TBL users it's between the women involved in the polls so no this is not a TBL Competition. It, as you mention, has nothing to do with Ice Hockey or EHM. Those topics are the ones that go in our General Forum. This is as 'general' and 'just about day to day life' as a topic gets, right? So that's why it is where it is, people looking for EHM news and/or discussion or even general Hockey discussion wouldn't even know of it's existence. So I ask again... what exactly is it disrupting?

*puts on his Admin's hat*

As for renaming your thread? Well, I renamed the thread as I would do with any moved thread that was not originally posted within our stated thread naming guidelines. As your message ends you refer to your opinion of the whole thing "being a mistake" and you then ask others if they agree with you. So I'd say that it is appropriate to rename the thread as I have since that is what you are questioning is it not? I'm not trying to be "clever" but I don't think 'beauty contest' as a thread name would have been helpful and you should know me better than to think I'd intentionally try to make one of our users look bad.

While I have the bad cop hat on; don't double post... when you are the last to reply to a thread edit your last post instead of making a new one, the only forum that is allowed in would be the Competitions forum as that is a no-edit forum.

Post by **Shadd666** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:05 pm

Not sure,but i think the TBT is presented as a fun "competition" to occupied the TBL users during those boring months of summer,when there's no hockey...

The season is over,the new one will start only in November,the most important off-season moves are done for a long time,and EHM07 won't be in stores before at least September... So we don't have a lot of things to say about hockey actually...

So the admins took care of us and made this funny competition...

I've talked about this competition to some friends of mine and they weren't offended at all! They just found it was a really funny way to pass summer... And my best friend suddenly shown a greatest interest to hockey

And now he plays EHM with me,discovered and loved it,and saves some money to buy the next version

And he will maybe become a new TBL user when he'll have internet...

So i don't think that the site lost potential new users...

And else?! What the f***??? The aim of this site is not having as many users as possible! Just discuss between users about hockey and about EHM. And also about other things without any concern with hockey and have a bit of fun sometimes...

This competition also shows that we don't live ONLY for hockey...we should have fun with other things,like normal people... Nothing wrong with that IMO...

thecoolstuff · Post by **thecoolstuff** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:19 pm

I have no problem with TBT at all. I think its fun a and it helps us EHM user kill time when there's nothing much to talk about during off season. As for it being disruptive or degrading to the site I think its just a matter of personal opinion. Like we all know, this is an all male forum and besides talking about our common favourite sport, I think the babe competition is actually very creative/clever on the admins part as it not only let the site members feel involved by participating in polls, it helps us get to know each other better by disscussing other aspects of ourself besides hockey, and like Minstrel said, I think it will attract new members instead of repel them because seriously, which guy on earth DONT like babes? And did I memtion ESPN also has similar competition on their website(which I also participated)?

BlackCats101 · Post by **BlackCats101** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:34 pm

Shadd666 wrote: And else?! What the f***??? The aim of this site is not having as many users as possible! Just discuss between users about hockey and about EHM. And also about other things without any concern with hockey and have a bit of fun sometimes...

This competition also shows that we don't live ONLY for hockey...we should have fun with other things,like normal people... Nothing wrong with that IMO...

er..I never said anything about anyone here not being 'normal'.
And all this stuff that people have said about it being a good way to pass the summer break from covering hockey...well go out and enjoy the sun...meet new people...have a party

Lets move on. Sorry I said anything.

Post by **inSTAALed** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 7:20 pm

Shadd666 wrote: The season is over,the new one will start only in November

It actually starts 2 months earlier in September.

Post by **Shadd666** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:11 pm

BlackCats101 wrote: And all this stuff that people have said about it being a good way to pass the summer break from covering hockey...well go out and enjoy the sun...meet new people...have a party

For sure

And don't worry,we do that

But the site doesn't seem to be dead. Many posts are for the TBT,less for hockey actually...

However,your starting remark on this topic was an interesting point of view. But it actually seems that you're the only one to think this...

Post by **Shadd666** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:14 pm

inSTAALed wrote:It actually starts 2 months earlier in September.

My mistake

I wanted to say October instead of November...

Good to see that i'm wrong anyway

Post by **Minstrel** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 2:47 am

Seems this one is pretty well talked out; but I won't lock 'er up in case anyone else want to weigh in

I did however shorten the closed title threads so they don't visually 'dominate' the Gen Forum listing page.

A personal note about me though just for the record: A lot of what I do as a performer is communicating, either on stage with my team mates for that game or getting my point accross to the audience, oh and I'm from a big Italian family too so I "speak" on here when discussing something to be as clear as possible. I hope people don't see that as me "jumping on" anyone; it's more like we're hangin out late night at a bar kickin around theories on life kinda thang...

So don't feel put off by it; but if you open something for discussion I'll discuss your points with ya and give others a chance to weigh in.

If I say I'm "speaking as admin" means I am speaking on behalf of the site and the Admin Team collectively as usually I'm the one that deals with rules/discipline

... unless it's something "left open" I feel I have to respond to 'officially'. I'll only do that though so other users can take example by that response. I prefer to do it via private messages.

I'll do it if I have to because I'm as commited to the Rules/Netiquette we encourage at TBL as I am to the "Concept of TBL" that we're all a big ole family gabbin about something we enjoy.

Just feel I should put that out there every now and then

but anyone at any time can drop me a PM about anything on their mind... cool? So... take it easy amigos.

Post by **E5150_ca** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 2:20 pm

I sure did miss a party.

Just to throw in my (controversial as always) two cents, I kinda agree with Blackcats first post. As I posted over on the offcial SI forums, the babe competition just seems like a cheap gimmick to try and get more people to join up.