Divided Blades

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SheepdipBlade

SheepdipBlade

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Where the Wild Things Play
IMO the forum has become an increasingly hostile place over the last couple of months - obviously due to the downturn in form and the rise in hostility to Blackwell.

I used to be a regular poster - but have only been reading posts for the last couple of week as I'm not prepared to get into (what feels to me like) heated debates.

It saddens me that at least 3 people have stated the need to take sabbaticals - and I know of a number of others who have done so quietly (are you still there HH??). It's easy to say say that "Blackwell's done this to us" - but IMO it's nearer to the truth to say we've done it to ourselves.

Whilst I share the view that everyone has the right to their own view - I worry that some posters are walking away due to the aggressive style of the replies they receive. Don't get me wrong - I'm not talking about threats here - nothing that should be reported to Foxy or Linz - -but the shift we have made as a community away from friendly banter where we would disagree with a smile - to heated debate with posters walking away. I clearly remember having a difference of opinion with Matth a few months ago which ended up with us swapping thanks - now I feel the need to "take a sabbatical" as apparently I "can't stand the heat in the kitchen" (to paraphrase one of the replies I've received*).

The forum used to be a place for us to share ideas and thoughts - not the gladiatorial arena it now sometimes feels like.

Is this shift to a more combative style a reflection of new posters joining, a lack of thought and tact by posters putting their own frustrations before the feelings of other Blades - or would people simply say "It's Blackwell's fault"?

* For what it's worth - I believe my views would stand up to challenge - but to be honest I have other challenges to face elsewhere at the moment and can't be arsed to spend what emotional energy I have left arguing the toss about a football manager.
 

Is it because it was kicking out time from BladesUnited?

Lots of registrations from August 09 ;) (I wasn't one btw!)
 
There seem to be a few posters who believe everything they say is right, because they have said it, and anybody who has a different view is a fool. Disagreements aren't always being solved amicably as they might once have been. I am also finding that I am not reading every post in every thread as I once did. This might be due to the sheer number of posts, it might not. It's a lot to do with the samemess of some of them. There is a need to state views on the management, but there is no reason for the same subject to have three hundred threads.
 
SheepdipBlade said:
It saddens me that at least 3 people have stated the need to take sabbaticals - and I know of a number of others who have done so quietly (are you still there HH??). It's easy to say say that "Blackwell's done this to us" - but IMO it's nearer to the truth to say we've done it to ourselves.
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It's an interesting point. I can't abide Blackwell's style and have therefore taken a "sabbatical" from attending away games. But to say "Blackwell has done this to us" regarding posting on a message board would be a bit of a flight of fancy in my view.

If people can't disagree without falling out then that is a sadder reflection on individuals than it is on anything else.

I favour the "taking the piss" approach over the jumping down peoples throats although I have to say the subtle undermining of peoples intelligence if they don't agree is the thing that really gets my goat.
 
SheepdipBlade said:
The forum used to be a place for us to share ideas and thoughts - not the gladiatorial arena it now sometimes feels like.
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The forum also had an abundance of humour and humility which is dwindling with the lack of posts from certain members.

Hope to see you at the Lion tomorrow Sheepdip!

:)
 
Here is an owd un from yonks ago.............

Jump round turnaround kick em in the bollocks..
Jump round turnaround kick em in hte head......

anybody want a feight ?

Remember one thing ........... were all BLADES ! :p

:nana:
 
silverfox said:
The forum also had an abundance of humour and humility which is dwindling with the lack of posts from certain members.

Hope to see you at the Lion tomorrow Sheepdip!

:)
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Were is it all you lot meet up. My father enquired with Linz I think but was a little unsure, fancy calling in.

And I have sort of done the same Sheepdip, haven't posted often and only flick through the pages now, oh and I joined in august, but wasn't a member of bladesunited either just found the website.
 
It is a sad state of affairs. It's like Radio Sheffield (the posting equivalents of Paul Walker, Seth Bennett and Giddings are ostracising those who don't agree with their comments and audience numbers are plummeting).

Seriously, if this is the case, it is really disappointing. I was a viewer of Blades United, but whenever I tried to join they were not taking any new members. I found this by searching the internet when BU was dropped. It struck me as a good place to be, a good mix of opinions, a wide demographic of fans and always something to read. Much more interesting than the trainer waving chavs slating the ugliness of each others wives/girlfriends on Blades Mad.

For those who have gone, or just watching, come back. A forum is not a clique, not a place for personal abuse, it's a place to share opinions. Opinions are personal and they by definition will differ. Let's respect one another and COYRAWW!
 
beechblade said:
Were is it all you lot meet up. My father enquired with Linz I think but was a little unsure, fancy calling in.
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A number of us tend to assemble at the Golden Lion (On Alderson Road if you don't know it - Clicky Here for google maps link).

Everyone is obviously more than welcome and encouraged to come and say hello, most don't bite and you'll find it's a friendly bunch.

We weren't a group that collectively met before the forum, just assembled there a few years ago and have been growing in number ever since.

We're fairly easy to spot, and normally assemble either on the benches to the left of the door (as you are facing the pub) or the nearest space if someone has stolen our spot :)
 

silverfox said:
The forum also had an abundance of humour and humility
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...... which was the very reason why I started posting on here, rather than other United forums. I have to say, I just don't have the time or effort to argue all the time though.

If I'm being honest, I think all it is really, is a few people who had hassles elsewhere, and naturally as they've migrated, the hassles remain. Same shit, different forum, one could say. It could be worse though. It could be the SF 'Sheffield Football Kindergarten' section.

I very seldomly look through that. I only do it if stuff is reported, in the main. It's not worth the effort.

One thing does slightly confuse me though. This place used to get slated (apparently) for it's apparent 'chaise longue bourgeoisie' appearance; I was labelled a bloody 'delicate wallflower' apparently. Loads turned up here though ;).

Plus ça change .....
 
Is the standard of debate really much worse thna it used to be - or totally different?
 
Micalijo said:
Is the standard of debate really much worse thna it used to be - or totally different?
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I've only been posting on here since the summer and its changed I enjoyed it to start, but now the repetitive nature of almost every thread has peed me off. So I don't post anywhere as much.

It got to the point the other day when I gave my opinion of Cotterill and exagerated a point about his crossing, only to be scolded.

Its all very childish. Too much anger and its getting daft.
 
Micalijo said:
Is the standard of debate really much worse thna it used to be - or totally different?
Click to expand...

I don't think it's got worse - in fact in the main it's improved. The influx of new members this year has had a widespread effect though, and has stretched the parameters of the arguments at both ends, so to speak. The good bits of discussions have got better, but so have the bad parts too. The average has remained the same, but as there is a greater spread of opinions the extremes are further afield than they used to be.

And that's where the problems seem to lie. The extreme views are more extreme, and that's not the sack/back type of extremes, it's more that there are those who cannot and will not accept that other people might not agree with everything they say, and there can be no middle ground, just two extremes. The mentality that you are always correct because you say you are always correct is just one aspect of this - there also seem to be several members with very thin skin, who can't see that some comments might be more than a little tongue-in-cheek or downright ridiculous on purpose.

There are certain members on here, and I'm one of them, who think that the whole purpose of this, one of our leisure activities after all, is to have fun. If you can't have the fun of watching the team win than at least you can try and have fun while wallowing in self-pity or simply enjoying the banter that goes hand-in-hand with watching a game. And drinking beer.

Some of the best away trips I've been on have been when United have either lost or played so badly it felt like a loss. It's the banter, friendship and having fun that makes it all worthwhile, and for a few posters the fun aspect seems to have gone out of the window.

If you find this forum too jolly and fun-loving, obscure, gloomy or anything else for you then you have the freedom to bugger off and do something else instead. If you enjoy the banter and can do so without breaking the rules then stay, but don't expect everyone to agree with you all the time, and don't cry into your keyboard if you get disagreed with, or the piss taken. But for God's sake try and be nice. It's nice to be nice.
 
Aye up Sheepdip if you are going away for a couple of weeks, can i borrow those lovely green wellies. My lady would look great on all fours in those:D
Don't forget to fetch us that are nice to you back a pressie and enjoy your down time.
 
I've not been as bothered about being paticularly active recently.

At the moment i feel that this forum is getting a bit bogged down by the Blackwell arguments, and on the whole it is getting a bit negative. To be quite honest i think that a lot of arguments are just going round in circles and if you have read it once, you have read it a thousand times.

Having said that the BU influx has improved this site, and widened the parameters and that only has to be a good thing, but on the opposite side of the coin, on BU the threads used to disappear after a while, and the general gist used to reappear a short while later, and i think that particular trait has raised its head a little on here as well.
 
cooperblade said:
Soton, Micalijo's a mate of mine and I was only pulling his leg (hence the smiley).
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Apologies in that case cooperblade.

But this identifys one of the current problems. Before, you could differenciate between a serious post and joking post, but now you can't.

As much as I am one of the one's willing to give Blackwell a chance, if it improves things on here, i'd be more than willing to see him go!
 
It's worse on Blades Mad - the split is between the slashers (it's all going wrong and we're all going to die) and the clappers (back Blackwell and the club no matter what). There are not many clappers left now though. We obviously all want the team to go forward but there is a lot to be concerned about right now. My own position is that I can't bear to be in the same room as a radio if Blackwell is talking on it.
 
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