*** CowboysZone Feedback Thread ***

[DallasCowpoke]

I appreciate you saying this. Even when we disagree with comments and suggestions, we keep them in mind as we move forward. I knew when we made this thread that there would be some strong opinions in it, but I felt it was worth it because these discussions might lead to changes or new ideas. At the very least, it might clear up a few misconceptions and misunderstandings.

#reality

I'll second what sp said. Thks for listening and responding. I realize my posts/comments can be rather confrontational at times, but I genuinely appreciate the effort put in to run this site.

 

[CowboyMike]

This thread and the member who started it gave me this idea.

I know fans of other teams are welcomed here as long they are civil, and I think it adds a good dimension to the community.

What bothers me are fans of other teams that come here posing as Cowboys fans in an effort to troll or annoy or incite dumb debates. Even after it has been pointed out that they are likely not Cowboys fans, and they admit it, they may still act like a Cowboys fan in other threads just to rile up others. Members that participate in the thread where the person's true fandom is revealed would know, but others that didn't read that thread would assume that the individual is a Cowboys fan that leans on the annoying side.

In Eiland's case, if you look at his posting history, he originally posed as a Cowboys fan when he first started and even attempted to claim he was a Cowboys fan in that particular thread criticizing Jerry until he finally gave up and let his Giants fandom show.

My proposal is to create a system where fans of other teams are identified through the forum system. This could be done by color coding the username or by creating a custom ranking system with that team's emblem. Instead of "Junior Member" or "Senior Member", it would read "Commanders Fan" or "Iggles Fan". This would allow members to identify these individuals by their true colors... plus it might add a little flare to the site, in the likes of Tex Schramm not wanting the fans to see blue and white every week.

This could be implemented in two ways. Maybe the registration system could have an option to choose your favorite team, therefore assigning the rank or color from the beginning. This would be for the more honest members. The other option would be to have a mod assign the designation once it becomes obvious the poster is not a Cowboys fan, either through action or admission.

Thank you!

 

[Hostile]

This thread and the member who started it gave me this idea.

I know fans of other teams are welcomed here as long they are civil, and I think it adds a good dimension to the community.

What bothers me are fans of other teams that come here posing as Cowboys fans in an effort to troll or annoy or incite dumb debates. Even after it has been pointed out that they are likely not Cowboys fans, and they admit it, they may still act like a Cowboys fan in other threads just to rile up others. Members that participate in the thread where the person's true fandom is revealed would know, but others that didn't read that thread would assume that the individual is a Cowboys fan that leans on the annoying side.

In Eiland's case, if you look at his posting history, he originally posed as a Cowboys fan when he first started and even attempted to claim he was a Cowboys fan in that particular thread criticizing Jerry until he finally gave up and let his Giants fandom show.

My proposal is to create a system where fans of other teams are identified through the forum system. This could be done by color coding the username or by creating a custom ranking system with that team's emblem. Instead of "Junior Member" or "Senior Member", it would read "Commanders Fan" or "Iggles Fan". This would allow members to identify these individuals by their true colors... plus it might add a little flare to the site, in the likes of Tex Schramm not wanting the fans to see blue and white every week.

This could be implemented in two ways. Maybe the registration system could have an option to choose your favorite team, therefore assigning the rank or color from the beginning. This would be for the more honest members. The other option would be to have a mod assign the designation once it becomes obvious the poster is not a Cowboys fan, either through action or admission.

Thank you!

Things like this are why this thread was such a great idea. I'm no longer on the staff, but I can tell you I like the suggestions.

 

[cowboy_ron]

Having only been on here for a year, I would have to say that the staff here is friendly and contribute a great deal to the success of the site. I would have to say that the selection process in selecting new mods when the situation calls for more is pretty good. I visit alot of teams MB's and I would have to say that the mods here are the best out there bar none.

If I had to make one choice in the negative it would be this:

One thing that is so attractive about this site is the scouts and other people that currently work in the biz that take the time and effort to come here and share their views and observations with us, many times minutes before the info is even released to the media is priceless.

Now, having said that, I have personally witnessed on a few occasions when they have came in here to offer their information that some posters have literally bashed and try to belittle them in some ways, which I think is uncalled for...there is a reason they are in the business and we are not. I have seen one poster even said he was going to have to put one on ignore because he disagreed with them. These guys take the time out of an already busy day to come in here and share information with us that we would otherwise not be getting and to attack them like that is uncalled for IMO.....and it's usually the same handful that attack others in other threads.

My point is, if the posters are being allowed to attack these guys and they get tired of it they will simply go somewhere else and we will just be "another" message board and nothing special. We need to be proud that they have selected CZ as the board to come to and share that info with....I just hate the thought of that happening just because of a few boneheads that want to challenge everything they offer us to try to sound like they know more.

Just my .02

 

[tupperware]

Having only been on here for a year, I would have to say that the staff here is friendly and contribute a great deal to the success of the site. I would have to say that the selection process in selecting new mods when the situation calls for more is pretty good. I visit alot of teams MB's and I would have to say that the mods here are the best out there bar none.

If I had to make one choice in the negative it would be this:

One thing that is so attractive about this site is the scouts and other people that currently work in the biz that take the time and effort to come here and share their views and observations with us, many times minutes before the info is even released to the media is priceless.

Now, having said that, I have personally witnessed on a few occasions when they have came in here to offer their information that some posters have literally bashed and try to belittle them in some ways, which I think is uncalled for...there is a reason they are in the business and we are not. I have seen one poster even said he was going to have to put one on ignore because he disagreed with them. These guys take the time out of an already busy day to come in here and share information with us that we would otherwise not be getting and to attack them like that is uncalled for IMO.....and it's usually the same handful that attack others in other threads.

My point is, if the posters are being allowed to attack these guys and they get tired of it they will simply go somewhere else and we will just be "another" message board and nothing special. We need to be proud that they have selected CZ as the board to come to and share that info with....I just hate the thought of that happening just because of a few boneheads that want to challenge everything they offer us to try to sound like they know more.

Just my .02

Being protected from attack for opinions or 'info' should be extended to all members. Not just those 'in the know'.

 

[Reality]

Having only been on here for a year, I would have to say that the staff here is friendly and contribute a great deal to the success of the site. I would have to say that the selection process in selecting new mods when the situation calls for more is pretty good. I visit alot of teams MB's and I would have to say that the mods here are the best out there bar none.

If I had to make one choice in the negative it would be this:

One thing that is so attractive about this site is the scouts and other people that currently work in the biz that take the time and effort to come here and share their views and observations with us, many times minutes before the info is even released to the media is priceless.

Now, having said that, I have personally witnessed on a few occasions when they have came in here to offer their information that some posters have literally bashed and try to belittle them in some ways, which I think is uncalled for...there is a reason they are in the business and we are not. I have seen one poster even said he was going to have to put one on ignore because he disagreed with them. These guys take the time out of an already busy day to come in here and share information with us that we would otherwise not be getting and to attack them like that is uncalled for IMO.....and it's usually the same handful that attack others in other threads.

My point is, if the posters are being allowed to attack these guys and they get tired of it they will simply go somewhere else and we will just be "another" message board and nothing special. We need to be proud that they have selected CZ as the board to come to and share that info with....I just hate the thought of that happening just because of a few boneheads that want to challenge everything they offer us to try to sound like they know more.

Just my .02

We try our best to protect members from attacks when they post rumors or inside information. We take into consideration the history of the member when no validating links or sources are included. If the user is new or has very little reputation among the members, or if they have a history of posting inaccurate information and have no way to prove the validity of their information, we will usually remove it from the site or label it as speculation. While even inaccurate and hypothetical rumors and inside information are enjoyable to discuss and debate, we try to protect the integrity of the site in that area whenever necessary.

Unfortunately, due to personality conflicts and sometimes even personal agendas, some members will be jealous of the attention, respect and complements that other members are receiving over the information they share so they will lash out. Sometimes their frustration is based on their own past experiences or those of their friends where they feel they did not receive the same level of protection or respect.

Our philosophy is that we believe the user puts their reputation on the line when they post rumors or inside information and they should be afforded respect and protection until such time as the information is proven accurate or false. If the information is proven false, then we no longer protect them and the members have a right to voice their displeasure over it. We do believe that displeasure should be reserved until after the information is proven inaccurate though rather than based on assumptions and speculation to its validity.

#reality

 

[CowboyMike]

Things like this are why this thread was such a great idea. I'm no longer on the staff, but I can tell you I like the suggestions.

Thanks, Hos. I appreciate that.

 

[superpunk]

Our philosophy is that we believe the user puts their reputation on the line when they post rumors or inside information and they should be afforded respect and protection until such time as the information is proven accurate or false. If the information is proven false, then we no longer protect them and the members have a right to voice their displeasure over it. We do believe that displeasure should be reserved until after the information is proven inaccurate though rather than based on assumptions and speculation to its validity.

Unfortunately Reality this simply isn't true.

There have been posters here who have been wrong time and time again and if another "non-insider" poster bumps the thread they were wrong in or attempts to hold them accountable they are warned/infracted for "bumping old threads" and "running off good posters".

On the flip side, you have had posters show up with information (and low post counts) and share with everyone only to be ridiculed and scoffed until they've been proven correct.

What you described is maybe what should happen but it's not at all what actually happens. There is zero accountability for "insiders" once they've got the backing of the staff, and anyone who tries to point that out becomes a pariah.

 

[Reality]

Unfortunately Reality this simply isn't true.

There have been posters here who have been wrong time and time again

Sorry to quote a partial sentence but I wanted to address this. If a user has a history of repeatedly being inaccurate, then we usually remove those threads or edit the titles in order to present it as speculation or unconfirmed. We are also a little lax in protecting them by default. The problem comes into play where some have the perception of "wrong time and time again." To me, someone being wrong once every five times is not a big deal unless the time they are wrong falls into the "breaking news" category. In fact, the more "breaking news" a rumor or inside information is, the more likely we are to slap **unconfirmed** in the title no matter who posts it unless they have a link to a credible source verifying it.

and if another "non-insider" poster bumps the thread they were wrong in or attempts to hold them accountable they are warned/infracted for "bumping old threads" and "running off good posters".

Again, sorry to break up the sentence, but two different points were made and I wanted to address both of them.

Now that I think about it, you probably have a point here that I had not considered. This was never intentional, but I could definitely see the scenario you mentioned happening if someone makes a claim to inside information but it is not proven false until 30 or more days later. In that situation, I could see where you would be warned for bumping that thread and even making a new thread to point it out or discuss it. I will bring this up with the staff and see if we can come up with a better way to handle it.

I can tell you the "I told you I was right about you being wrong" threads are usually dealt with harshly because they are usually made toward users who make innocent guesses or predictions such as "Miles is going to the Pro Bowl this year!" and when he doesn't, the members who disagreed want to bump that thread from months ago or make a new "I told you so" thread. That is definitely something we don't allow simply because it is childish. However, someone claiming to have inside information or to know of a rumor and then later being proven wrong should be open to comments (within the rules of course) by the rest of the members. I will see what we can come up with for this.

On the flip side, you have had posters show up with information (and low post counts) and share with everyone only to be ridiculed and scoffed until they've been proven correct.

To be fair though, that is life. If a stranger tells you something, you are less likely to believe in it than someone you know with a solid reputation.

What you described is maybe what should happen but it's not at all what actually happens. There is zero accountability for "insiders" once they've got the backing of the staff, and anyone who tries to point that out becomes a pariah.

You make a fair point, but you also have to realize that users gain the respect of their peers here just like they do in the offline world. If someone attacks someone you respect, you will likely want to support them and have their back as it were. I think the problem comes less from the desire to right a wrong and more toward the attitude of trying to lower the respect level others put in some users. I can tell you that in my experience, it never works no matter the situation.

Respect is earned over a long period of time and one, two or even three incidents of being proven wrong will not change that. The best you can hope for is to alter the actions of the person making the claims. Even then, you have to ask yourself why is it so important for you to do it?

It's like going to a restaurant and the food turns out disappointing. Is it really worth your time and effort to inform everyone else to avoid it? If it were me, I would maybe tell my friends and family they should probably avoid eating there, but I have no desire to convince the rest of the world to do the same.

#reality

 

[CowboyMike]

Reality, just wondering, any thoughts on my last suggestion involving fans of other teams?

 

[Reality]

Reality, just wondering, any thoughts on my last suggestion involving fans of other teams?

We have a lot of members who live in New York but they are Cowboys fans. We also get a lot of fans from all of the NFC East teams on this site and every game week, we usually have a few fans from the upcoming team join the site. We cannot assume fans will be honest and admit to their favorite team.

If they follow the rules, they are welcome and encouraged to post here. Unlike some other sites, we are not going to ban users simply because they think their team will beat the Cowboys or that certain players on the Cowboys are not as good as players on their team. Those kinds of debates typically lead to good discussions or at least entertaining discussions.

If a user comes here only to troll, they usually end up banned soon after. If a user comes here and does nothing but insult the Cowboys or the users here, they will usually get banned quite quickly. There is a difference between trolling and simply being loyal to their team.

Forcing a user to pick their favorite team when they join the site will do absolutely nothing to prevent trolling. Every single troll would pick the Cowboys here. The honest fans of other teams who pick their favorite team would be targets for harassment and insults even if they were nothing but polite and respectful in everything they posted.

The members here are pretty good in dealing with trolls until the staff catches them and the members also do a good job overall of treating non-trolling fans of other teams with respect.

#reality

 

[CowboyMike]

We have a lot of members who live in New York but they are Cowboys fans. We also get a lot of fans from all of the NFC East teams on this site and every game week, we usually have a few fans from the upcoming team join the site. We cannot assume fans will be honest and admit to their favorite team.

If they follow the rules, they are welcome and encouraged to post here. Unlike some other sites, we are not going to ban users simply because they think their team will beat the Cowboys or that certain players on the Cowboys are not as good as players on their team. Those kinds of debates typically lead to good discussions or at least entertaining discussions.

If a user comes here only to troll, they usually end up banned soon after. If a user comes here and does nothing but insult the Cowboys or the users here, they will usually get banned quite quickly. There is a difference between trolling and simply being loyal to their team.

Forcing a user to pick their favorite team when they join the site will do absolutely nothing to prevent trolling. Every single troll would pick the Cowboys here. The honest fans of other teams who pick their favorite team would be targets for harassment and insults even if they were nothing but polite and respectful in everything they posted.

The members here are pretty good in dealing with trolls until the staff catches them and the members also do a good job overall of treating non-trolling fans of other teams with respect.

#reality

I never said fans of other teams should be banned, nor did I say all Cowboys fans are from Texas or that the region their posting from should dictate the team they're identified with on the forum.

I'm simply suggesting that a fan of another team should have a signifier in their profile that they are, in fact, a fan of that team. They're coming here expecting harassment anyway simply because they're not Cowboys fans. That will happen regardless.

 

[Reality]

I never said fans of other teams should be banned, nor did I say all Cowboys fans are from Texas or that the region their posting from should dictate the team they're identified with on the forum.

I'm simply suggesting that a fan of another team should have a signifier in their profile that they are, in fact, a fan of that team. They're coming here expecting harassment anyway simply because they're not Cowboys fans. That will happen regardless.

I did not mean to imply you were wanting them banned. I was simply saying that they are welcomed here as long as they follow the rules.

As for them coming here expecting harassment, I completely disagree with that statement. There are a lot of fans from other teams who post here including some with a lot of posts over the years. New fans from other teams coming here might prepare themselves for backlash, but most Cowboys fans will only react in an aggressive manner toward fans of other teams if they talk smack or simply troll.

As I said, forcing or encouraging them to show the team they support will do nothing to stop the trolls as they will lie and for the other fans it showing their favorite team name or logo would come across as taunting which would make them a target for some Cowboys fans even before they say anything to deserve it.

It would be like a Cowboys fan wearing a Cowboys jersey walking into a sports bar in Philly you would likely be the target of harassment without ever saying a word. If you walked into that same sports bar in Philly without wearing a Cowboys jersey and during a conversation it came out you are a Cowboys fan, you are more likely to be kidded or ragged a little, but less likely to be aggressively harassed.

That said, I think most of the good intention fans from other teams usually choose a username and/or avatar that represents those teams on their own.

#reality

 

[Frozen700]

Some of what Superpunk has stated makes sense.

Personally though, the reason i choose this site vs many others, is the fact it promotes a friendly environment. It's to hard to keep up with things, or enjoy reading insight on other message boards because others are to caught up in attacking each other, to the point the thread goes way way off the deep end.

I appreciate everything here....

1 thing though, i do feel some of the infractions are out of line.

There are times where i have cursed(just 1 curse word), maybe edited myself. Instead of getting a warning i got slapped with an infraction.

There are also other times where i get into a disagreement with somebody to the point they make a personal remark. I attack back, he gets offended, reports me, and I get an infraction. While he gets a pat on the back.

I think if somebody reports a person, he should be looked at first. Whoever started the rock throwing, no matter how personal it got, he should be the 1 with the infraction. The 2nd assault should be dealt with a warning, as he was just defending himself.

There shouldn't be any favoritism, if that the case, just make them a Mod, and get it over with.

Other than that, I enjoy everything on here.

 

[Juke99]

How do I turn off all the ads? There are something like 75 or so advertisers here and the ads pop up in the middle of threads..top of threads...etc..which really detracts and distracts.

Also, I'm a little worried because some of the ads are keyed to the specific city where I live which makes me worry that my computer security might be compromised.

Thank you.

 

[casmith07]

How do I turn off all the ads? There are something like 75 or so advertisers here and the ads pop up in the middle of threads..top of threads...etc..which really detracts and distracts.

Also, I'm a little worried because some of the ads are keyed to the specific city where I live which makes me worry that my computer security might be compromised.

Thank you.

You have to donate.

 

[casmith07]

Some of what Superpunk has stated makes sense.

Personally though, the reason i choose this site vs many others, is the fact it promotes a friendly environment. It's to hard to keep up with things, or enjoy reading insight on other message boards because others are to caught up in attacking each other, to the point the thread goes way way off the deep end.

I appreciate everything here....

1 thing though, i do feel some of the infractions are out of line.

There are times where i have cursed(just 1 curse word), maybe edited myself. Instead of getting a warning i got slapped with an infraction.

There are also other times where i get into a disagreement with somebody to the point they make a personal remark. I attack back, he gets offended, reports me, and I get an infraction. While he gets a pat on the back.

I think if somebody reports a person, he should be looked at first. Whoever started the rock throwing, no matter how personal it got, he should be the 1 with the infraction. The 2nd assault should be dealt with a warning, as he was just defending himself.

There shouldn't be any favoritism, if that the case, just make them a Mod, and get it over with.

Other than that, I enjoy everything on here.