History of the CowboysZone

[Montanalo]

@Reality or any of the other Mods, care to post a brief history of the CowboysZone? I have been a member for the past few years, but am aware that the Zone has been around far longer.

What are the origins of the Zone? Original members? Any else that would enlighten the group?

 

[Reality]

Here's a post I made a couple of years ago in the username meaning thread ..

My "Reality" username started before I ever launched a Cowboys forum. I was posting on Cowboys forums on a couple of news sites, such as TSN (SportingNews.com now), and there were fans from other NFC East teams that would troll the Cowboys forum from time to time. What little moderation there was happened once per day in the form of deleted threads rather than banned users. The few of us Cowboys fans who actually posted there tried to discuss the Cowboys, but the trolls continued to harass everyone.

As a response, I started using "Reality" because back then I loved to harass the trolls with facts and stats and while signing my posts with tag lines like:
"Reality sucks .. I know ..."
"Don't you hate Reality?"
"Reality can't be denied!"

Needless to say it was quite fun back then. I met @Dale and Chief, who I brought in as the first moderators of "TheCowboys" forum site I launched. There were several other widely known CZ members from back then on that site such as @TwoDeep3, Wulfman, etc. TC was a private invitation only site back then with two basic rules .. don't tell anyone about the site and don't harass anyone on the site. The three of us told other Cowboys fans we knew about the site and TC became a nice little Cowboys community free from harassment. Of course that was back when Cowboys fans were a lot more friendly toward each other in general even when they disagreed.

TC had been online for a year or so and had around 50 active members each day when (if I remember correctly) DMN shut down their forums. Apparently, someone told the users there about TC and I woke up to 100+ new registrations the next morning. After discussing it with the staff and then the TC members, we decided to open TC to the public. We added hundreds of users during the first month as word spread. TC later moved from the .ORG domain to the .NET domain. I tried, but was unable to acquire the .COM version of the domain. Back then, TC ran on a forum service I had created a couple of years earlier that was solid, but dated. I eventually purchased vBulletin (which was the best forum software back then) and moved the site to the COWBOYSZONE.COM domain.

The rest is history ..​

That's how CZ got started ..

 

[YosemiteSam]

@Reality does suck btw.

 

[Iago33]

Here's a post I made a couple of years ago in the username meaning thread ..

My "Reality" username started before I ever launched a Cowboys forum. I was posting on Cowboys forums on a couple of news sites, such as TSN (SportingNews.com now), and there were fans from other NFC East teams that would troll the Cowboys forum from time to time. What little moderation there was happened once per day in the form of deleted threads rather than banned users. The few of us Cowboys fans who actually posted there tried to discuss the Cowboys, but the trolls continued to harass everyone.

As a response, I started using "Reality" because back then I loved to harass the trolls with facts and stats and while signing my posts with tag lines like:
"Reality sucks .. I know ..."
"Don't you hate Reality?"
"Reality can't be denied!"

Needless to say it was quite fun back then. I met @Dale and Chief, who I brought in as the first moderators of "TheCowboys" forum site I launched. There were several other widely known CZ members from back then on that site such as @TwoDeep3, Wulfman, etc. TC was a private invitation only site back then with two basic rules .. don't tell anyone about the site and don't harass anyone on the site. The three of us told other Cowboys fans we knew about the site and TC became a nice little Cowboys community free from harassment. Of course that was back when Cowboys fans were a lot more friendly toward each other in general even when they disagreed.

TC had been online for a year or so and had around 50 active members each day when (if I remember correctly) DMN shut down their forums. Apparently, someone told the users there about TC and I woke up to 100+ new registrations the next morning. After discussing it with the staff and then the TC members, we decided to open TC to the public. We added hundreds of users during the first month as word spread. TC later moved from the .ORG domain to the .NET domain. I tried, but was unable to acquire the .COM version of the domain. Back then, TC ran on a forum service I had created a couple of years earlier that was solid, but dated. I eventually purchased vBulletin (which was the best forum software back then) and moved the site to the COWBOYSZONE.COM domain.

The rest is history ..​

That's how CZ got started ..

What years did this happen? I’ve been a member since 2005 or so, but I’m not sure how much older this site is.

 

[YosemiteSam]

What years did this happen? I’ve been a member since 2005 or so, but I’m not sure how much older this site is.

I believe CBZ was created in 2004. I was poking around for a while, I think I finally signed up to post in 2006.

EDIT: Actually, you signed up exactly 9 days after I did. lol

 

[Montanalo]

Thanks, @Reality, I appreciate your taking the time to answer my question. I knew there had to be an interesting story behind the start of the forum.

Thanks!!

 

[Reality]

@Reality does suck btw.

Indeed!

 

[Iago33]

I believe CBZ was created in 2004. I was poking around for a while, I think I finally signed up to post in 2006.

EDIT: Actually, you signed up exactly 9 days after I did. lol

Thanks YS.

 

[Reality]

What years did this happen? I’ve been a member since 2005 or so, but I’m not sure how much older this site is.

CZ launched in April 2004, but the previous site was online at least a couple of years before that from what I remember.

The problem with join dates though is that CZ used to require users to login to read the site in the early years which means a lot of users joined during those years but never posted.

One of the things on my to-do list for CZ is to go back and reset everyone's join date to the date of their first post so the join dates actually show when everyone started participating on the site since without that login requirement, many users would have never created an account just to read the forum.

 

[CouchCoach]

So, CZ has a history of taking refugees? First DMN and then DC.com.

The first time I was here, I didn't stay long, my act didn't play well here so I went back to DC.com and then they announced they were shutting down soon.. Soon meant that day and we really didn't have time to organize to all get on the same boat but I told as many as I could about CZ and a couple had already signed up here when I first came over.

The really nice thing was that Reality relaxed the rules and gave us privileges because there were so many of us and he got tired of the whining about the lack of the Like buttons. Idgit was a great welcoming host to us and really made us feel welcome with his own brand of nonsense.

The other thing that I noticed, and am very thankful for, was that Reality and his band of Merry Men let us vent and get the bile out of our system how the old forum shut down on us. I think we went a little long and overboard on that but they didn't reel us in. It's like having a new girlfriend that allows you to tell her all the crap about your old girlfriend and how she did you wrong...….for the first month of the relationship.

If anyone comes here fresh, give it time. I didn't my first time and since discovered it takes a little time for some to figure you out and what you're about. Once the ones that are going to put you on Ignore do that, it's time to party with the other tasteless spit bubble blowing rednecks.

 

[Xelda]

Reality had to be quick to answer the question. A few more minutes and we'd have gotten Yosemite's take on CZ, the early years. It would have been completely inaccurate and maybe R rated, but entertaining. As for 'Reality can't be denied', I don't think people say that nearly as much as 'Reality won't be denied'. Especially during time outs.

 

[Longboysfan]

Then KFFL refugees...

 

[Hardline]

I jumped aboard when Cowboys-Forum closed down.
I think many of us over there ended up here .

I wonder what JoshSkeety the old CF owner is up too?
I wonder if he is here.

 

[SlammedZero]

I jumped aboard when Cowboys-Forum closed down.
I think many of us over there ended up here .

I wonder what JoshSkeety the old CF owner is up too?
I wonder if he is here.

Yup, same. That forum went downhill fast. The one member I miss from over there that I enjoyed their insight on (and they made videos) was Tek2000.

 

[Hardline]

Yup, same. That forum went downhill fast. The one member I miss from over there that I enjoyed their insight on (and they made videos) was Tek2000.

I remember the website getting hacked after the Cowboys upset the undefeated Saints on Monday Night Football.
I woke up Tuesday morning to read the gameday thread and I seen images that no one should ever have to see.

 

[Xelda]

I remember the website getting hacked after the Cowboys upset the undefeated Saints on Monday Night Football.
I woke up Tuesday morning to read the gameday thread and I seen images that no one should ever have to see.

That's one of my favorite games of all time. It was a happy coincidence that family was in the stadium wearing Saints jerseys, texting me about how miserable they were.

 

[Runwildboys]

CZ launched in April 2004, but the previous site was online at least a couple of years before that from what I remember.

The problem with join dates though is that CZ used to require users to login to read the site in the early years which means a lot of users joined during those years but never posted.

One of the things on my to-do list for CZ is to go back and reset everyone's join date to the date of their first post so the join dates actually show when everyone started participating on the site since without that login requirement, many users would have never created an account just to read the forum.

That's a good idea. It seems a bit misleading to say you "joined" if you didn't participate.

 

[Runwildboys]

Then KFFL refugees...

What's that?

 

[Runwildboys]

I remember the website getting hacked after the Cowboys upset the undefeated Saints on Monday Night Football.
I woke up Tuesday morning to read the gameday thread and I seen images that no one should ever have to see.

Sorry

 

[viman96]

HAHA I remember the original site. IIRC I originally signed up in 2002 and remember the transition to the new site Hard to believe I have been on this site that long and there are several active members that registered before me!