The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

A new MAC board has opened here:
<a href='http://mattsledge.com/macforum/index.php' target='_blank'>Mid-American Conference Forums</a>

We (meaning "I" ) will have a lot more control over the posters and content, something that is impossible here as a mod. I think Flash Fan would agree that there is only so much a mod here can do.
My intent (and we could have another mod, not necessarily just I would have to do it.)
I see it as a place where discussions of KSU athletics can occur without the occasional idiots who just want to see themselves type.
I'm all for witty and good-natured pokes from our MAC breathren, but I don't have the time or patience for the knuckle-dragging ignorance that some adolescents think is "smack."
For the most part, we are able to do that here, but I'd like to see us have a board that we have better control of.
We have a good cross section of opinion about KSU athletics that I'd like to see fostered and encouraged. Doesn't have to be all gung-ho: honest dissent is part of the deal, imo.
You are all welcome to visit the new board and check it out. No posts there yet.

Bigger picture: I'd rather put up with the idiots than have a board be over-moderated. Not saying you would make poor judgements, Axeme, but that's just my preference.

My personal experience: I used to be a heavy poster in the old Indians newgroup, which, if you were around when those were the big forums, you'd remember these were notorious places for flamers, spammers and just about everything else. Yet, it was a place we could post anything anyone felt like. With time, the newsgroup began to die, and it was essentially replaced by forums like this one. I started to participate in one forum, only to get a few of my posts 'locked' by the moderator because there was already a similar topic open. It didn't take long before I gave up posting to that forum, and basically dropped out from that scene.

Now, in my opinion, I don't care if some Zips fan (or likely non-fan) posts about how crummy our football team is in a middle of a post. Anyone, who is a regular reader here has probably picked up who is worth reading and can quickly pick out what is an obvious attempt to flame. And, frankly, flame away. Nothing anyone can say on the internet about Kent State athletics, Kent State in general, or my mother is going to upset me or be anything worse than I read in the old days. Sometimes, it even makes me a little nostalgic.

Flaming - the lost art on the internet.

bopal,

There you go showing your brains again...just in time for hoops, too.

There are some things we should expect in forums. First, that everyone contribute something to maintain a worthy discussion... observations, opinions, analysis, hopes, disappointments. Second, that there are differences to discuss. If everyone agrees, what's the point? Finally, that people who follow the first two points are received with some measure of respect. Posts that start with a flame or turn into a flame go down hill fast, chase people away, and contribute nothing.

I understand the concern about being overly moderated, yet think it's unlikely with axeme. My take is that there are not enough places for Kent State fans to congregate in forums. True, we could have our our own, but unless it offers a significant value over that which is publically available, it feels like a bad investment. Unless there is a point of difference, why bother? So, KSU fans depend on openly moderated forums. When Kent State fans are chased away or get turned off by pointless flames, it's one less place to have the lively discussion we seek.

Whatever your choice, I just hope you hang around someplace for the next five months. Your analysis of a basketball game is worthy of its own column. You can really read the talent. Here or there, stick around. Your time is now.