Wrestling only forum, anyone?

[Greco]

Jag, most people use the "show unread posts since last visit" option instead of manually "checking around" to see if anything's changed. It's a turn off to potential forum members to see tons of non-sense in the list of unread posts while trying to find something related to wrestling.

Tom,

   Here is a solution option for you. It will allow those that wish to ramble on about miscellaneous stuff able to continue uninterrupted. But, at the same time potential forum members can be initially protected from such clutter and often embarrassing language.

• Enable "Ignore Board Options" for forum members.
    This allows members to choose what boards they do not want to see in the "unread since last visit" list.
    Set the non-wrestling boards to default to "ignored" for non-members so that we stop scaring away potential members.
  Ignore Boards Options
  If enabled by an administrator, users can choose to ignore any boards on the forum. When a board is ignored, it is still shown on the Board Index, but the New Posts icon will not show up for this board. In addition, new posts will not be shown for an ignored board when using the link Show unread posts since last visit. Neither will they be shown when using the link Unread posts next to the category names in the Board Index. However, when using the link Show new replies to your posts, new posts in an ignored board will still be shown. Also, when entering an ignored board via the Board Index, topics that have new posts will still be indicated with an icon. See http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Profile
• Install the mod: Choose Ignorable Boards
    This allows you, the owner/administrator to set some boards as not ignorable, for boards that you deem important. See http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=1451

Hey Panther, you want an "Ignore Board"? It's a combination of that thing between your ears and those things at the end of your hand. Figure out how to use them together and like every one of us who doesn't want to read something, we ignore it and don't click on it.
Problems solved once again. That's 3x that I've helped you out with this technology stuff buddy, you owe me.

The only way you could "help me" would be to show up at open mat sometime.

[Handles II]

I guess if you want some coaching I could be for hire. If you are saying you want to rub my face in the mat, don't take any pride in being able to do it. It ain't much of an accomplishment. I'm as weak as a 3 day-old kitten and as coordinated as a new-born giraffe.
Glad I could help you with this computer stuff that has been stuck in your craw. Problem solved. Should be the end of this far-too-long and unnecessary thread. 

[bigG]

So here is my challenge to all of us.


For every non wrestling post we put up we put up a post that has something to do with wrestling!

Any takers?

I like this. Too easy to forget the ties that bind us. That tie sure ain't suit and tie, panzy politicians.

[npope]

I don't know, guys. I am a regular on this site - visit it about four times a day and been at it for about 10 years. I didn't even know a "New Posts" option existed. I go to a limited number of specific sub-forums to see what's new or what has been posted. If I'm interested, I read further and/or respond. I am completely indifferent as to whether a given sub-forum, e.g. Misc., is exploding with banter; if the general topics aren't my cup of tea I simply don't "check in."

The forum is nicely compartmentalized as it is. Don't go to a sub-forum if you aren't interested in the general content. And if you are dismayed at the ratio of posting, then post more in your chosen area of interest. It should matter to you that there are a zillion cat fights going on in the Misc. sub-forum, let them bicker among themselves. If you want more substantive wrestling stuff, then post it, darn it. I think we would all appreciate more wrestling content/comments being posted.

I understand. My dad still hasn't figured out that he could be texting with his phone.

Say what?! You can text with your phone??!!

[bigoil]

About 4 years ago, Tom allowed political debate.

The participation in the wrestling section hasn't changed one iota in the 10 years I've been around this site. There is more participation in the non-wrestling. But if there wasn't a soap opera to follow, most would check back once a week and when someone asked for help, who was there to help. We all were, for the kid doing the project and for a friend of Jags in need.

[bigG]

Unless it's sewing, or them little fish that eat the dead skin off your feet, in the skineatin'fishtankspah (I think that's Dutch ), I like talking about it. Can always learn; even from hard-headed rasslers. I even liked your take, Greco, even in, GULP!, political endeavors.

I will not talk: sewing nor them fish!

Deal?!

Honestly, there's no better forum moment than when we see a throw like one I remember from the Cheese and a young buck from Ells. and share that collective pride of seeing a wrestler go at it the way we could , or we wish we could. A nice debate about this or that call. Unreal we can rewind and watch each call and many will often still differ from the one person that's almost always right  . Course we all know who that is?

Wish I could go this weekend. Monumental. My son is not a wrestler. Track, CC guy who needs fishing time. Last weekend was great. This will be big or suck. Either way, I'll be glad spending quality time here or trying to catch the team trials.

[maggie]

A person who keep multipical screen names and acts as if those we can't tell...has a real pronlem...that'd all I got to say about that

[wraslfan]

Not a prayer someone does not check the wrestling forum because of miscellaneous chat. Wrestling is an obsession. If someone leaves because they looked in miscellaneous chat, and didn't like what they saw. they wouldn't do to well on many of the wrestling threads ether. Opinions are everywhere. Read this thread. Seems to be a total waste of time worrying about what others post about. You do realize that everyone who posts on the "misc" stuff also reads the wrestling stuff?...right?

[imnofish]

Not a prayer someone does not check the wrestling forum because of miscellaneous chat. Wrestling is an obsession. If someone leaves because they looked in miscellaneous chat, and didn't like what they saw. they wouldn't do to well on many of the wrestling threads ether. Opinions are everywhere. Read this thread. Seems to be a total waste of time worrying about what others post about. You do realize that everyone who posts on the "misc" stuff also reads the wrestling stuff?...right?

+1

[Street Glide]

A person who keep multipical screen names and acts as if those we can't tell...has a real pronlem...that'd all I got to say about that

100% agree!!!!!

[Stripes]

I would suspect less than 5% of Wisconsin's wrestling community visits the forum (and that is a generous estimate).  Much less % of people even post on the forum.  The next wrestling event you visit, ask around if people are even familiar with the forum and if they are why they don't participate?  Few even know it exists, while those that do are turned off by the bickering and silly arguments.  

You see the same small handful of people posting daily and visiting their computers repeatedly throughout the day.  Some just looking for the opportunity to find fault with someone who previously argued with them in a previous post.  For many of these daily posters it is an addiction.  You have people trying to justify this obsessive behavior, but just imagine--they are on here several times a day reading and posting--throughout their work day, before work, after work, during family time--it's silly and does nothing to promote Wisconsin wrestling.  And there is some people who use this forum exclusively for advertising their business or to promote their own self interest (preseason nationals, Askren, etc.)

Yes, the rest of us can move on and not read this stuff.  But what these small percentage of posters don't realize is their posting addiction has driven away most of the Wisconsin wrestling community from the forum.  Don't believe me, ask around and see what responses you get--I have...

There is a reason that when you look at other state's forums they have more people participating online.

No offense, but I doubt that the actual statistics support your perspective on this.  I consistently see many visitors online and their views of topics (including non-wrestling) appear to far outpace what posters/members can generate.  BTW, when you are visiting other states' sites, do you post?  Also, how do their general populations compare to Wisconsin's?  Have you comparatively extrapolated that to determine per-capita participation rates?  

To answer your question, I do read other state's forums more than our own and yes I have on occasion posted there as well.  

Let me provide an example to further illustrate my perspective as to why the Wisconsin wrestling community is not using this forum:

MN vs WI Forum
Both MN and WI had the same number of kids quality for schoolboy duals coming up next week.  Same amount of wrestlers, same amount of parents and same amount of coaches from each state.  Also keep in mind we have a slightly larger population than MN....but....

MN:  On 5/21 @ 1:23 PM someone in their state posted on their forum a question about schoolboy duals.  As of right now they have had 600 page views with 7 replies.
WI:  On 5/22 @ 10:48 AM someone in our state posted a question in our forum about schoolboy duals.  As of right now we have had only 105 page views with 0 replies.  

I'm no rocket scientist but that seems to be a bit of a clue that the MN forum has a lot more wrestling activity than ours does.  Why does MN have more people interested in their wrestling forum than here in WI?

IL vs WI Forum

Yes we have about 5.7 mil and IL has about 12.9 mil.  But take a look at these numbers.

WI:  In the kids forum in the past 30 days we have had 5 topics posted.
IL:  In their kids forum in the past 30 days they have had 38 topics posted.

IA vs WI Forum


The great state of Iowa has 3.1 mil population (just over half the size of WI) yet...

WI:  5 posts in kids topics for past 30 days
IA:  32 posts in kids topics for past 30 days

If a change isn't made soon, that is the future of our high school forums.  People will go elsewhere unless a change is made.

imnofish - I just saw that you posted in another topic that you no longer have kids wrestling nor have you coached for over 15 years.  It would appear you aren't as involved in the sport as much as of the rest of us so I'd suspect you perhaps don't go to as many events as some of us?  Here's what I can tell you--few people know of this forum and those that do complain about it frequently because of the non-wrestling topics and petty childish bickering that a few dozen people engage in on a daily basis.

Your statistics show that fewer people follow wrestling in Wisconsin, but provide no hard statistical evidence that non-wrestling topics are a significant causative agent in that trend.  The stats on this particular thread apparently support my assertion.  If you feel that more wrestling-specific discussion is the key to increasing site participation and contentious bickering is counterproductive, wouldn't it make more sense for you to start (and participate in) more wrestling threads, rather than attacking a segment of the membership here?  Is this thread promoting bickering, or discussion of wrestling?

I had to chuckle a bit.  These stats do not show that fewer people are interested or follow wrestling in Wisconsin.  It would appear you have been out of Wisconsin wrestling for a long time.  If you want me to show you those stats show you those as well--I'd suspect Wisconsin has some of the highest participation numbers in out of state tournaments than most states!  The numbers I provided above show few people participate in this forum.  For you to say few people post on the forum shows Wisconsin has fewer people interested int he sport is silly and proves one thing--stubbornness.  To say that you feel fewer people in Wisconsin follow wrestling is silly, especially when you look at the participation at the BIG10 and Wisconsin has been chosen for the World Team Trials.  It also looks like WI will be hosting other national events next year as well.  Have you seen how many high schoolers we currently have participating in Freestyle/Greco right now?  It's incredible!

You mentioned why don't I try to help the forum instead of attaching a segment of the membership.  That's the problem.  No one is attacking you.  No one is attacking your opinions or views.  We would love to hear  your thoughts on wrestling because this is a wrestling forum.  What we are all tired of is the non-wrestling topics.  Look around (I have) other states don't do that.  You said before that you really enjoy this forum because it's a one stop shopping place for all your interests.  You are concerned about your own interest and that is more important to you than Wisconsin wrestling.  You are NOT concerned about the interest of others.  I'm concerned about getting more people on the forum thus helping the sport of wrestling.

More participation on the forum equals more participation at tournaments, more interest in camps and clinics, more attendance at events such as this weekend's trials in Madison.  Unless anyone is living in their own private hole in the ground you would know people have been complaining about the non-wrestling topics on this forum for a long time to the point some won't come on here.  People even take the time to complain on the forum itself about the bickering and non-wrestling topics.  The responses some of you give is like trying to preach to a group of drug addicts--"if you don't like what we do, go away".  It's silly.  The non-wrestling topics are not helping grow the sport here in the state of Wisconsin!  Don't believe me--go visit any tournament and ask if they even know that the forum is (most coaches don't promote it) and if they do ask them why they don't visit it--the answer is always the same.

Tom...I'm guessing you created this website a long time ago out of love for the sport.  I think it's time to re-evaluate if the non-wrestling topics is helping our sport and increasing participation or not.  I don't think the numbers lie.  

No one else has rung you up on this so I will... Are you seriously, on a wrestling forum viewed by some of the state'sand nation's best wrestlers, suggesting that a better, more sport specific forum will get better overall wrestling results?

Well no wonder op grappler is so mad at Barry. All Barry has to do to compete with Iowa or the gophers is to force tom into making a better forum! Man, I wish I would have thought about that. Here's a suggestion, dedicate your time, start your own forum, moderate it so it doesn't dilute down to the trash levels so common In the national forums, and make the product you are looking for. My capitalist friends, howavi, dale, etc, would back up the idea that if you don't like it, build a better mouse trap.
By the way, the next time you want to be so condescending as to copy and paste options for the forum creator to use and create the forum, remember that he is a hall of famer, has dedicated his free and not so free time to this site, and is our friend. I don't know you but I know tom, and I bet he has done more for wrestling and promotion of wrestling in this state than you.
Sorry for the rant, I just couldn't take it any more.

[bigoil]

+1000.

Ask Ben about what WI had for a forum a few years before this?

[imnofish]

Great post, Stripes!   

[bigG]

That was funny/true.

[maggie]

Well put....