About "negativism" on these boards

[SnowyRange]

Some of the other threads are circling around the issue of when/how you get to criticize players or teams, and whether we're too negative. Somebody said, about our boards compared to other fan boards:

In most cases, I'd say the positive/negative ratio is at least 60/40 positive on those sites here. However, I seriously doubt the ratio here is 35/65 positive.

I have no idea what the percentages are, here or anywhere else -- though I think it would be interesting to look at that over a period of years on any robust fan board -- but to my eye we're no different from the fans anywhere else.

I think if we're honest, part of the fun of being a real fan, of school teams, pro teams, individuals, is having something you constantly poke and prod at, where you're high on it, then low on it, full of advice for the obviously inept GM/AD, in disbelief how badly a player is doing, thrilled by a player who looks god-like for a while, etc., etc.

The point is that's the nature of fans: we get unreasonably thrilled about a team, and we get unreasonably critical. It makes sense. Otherwise, what would be the fun of it, always just saying, "Hm. Time will tell."

For some time-wasting reason I once went back and skimmed some newspaper-sponsored live blog of a football game. I don't remember the game, but say it was a team with rabid fans, like Florida, playing in a bowl game against a team that was pretty good, but not a big name school. Florida having a poor year. Florida underdog.

The blog starts before the game, moderated by a Florida sports reporter, with Florida fans posting as things progress. Florida loses. And somebody at the end -- can't remember if it's a sportswriter or fan -- posts what he says are the stages of fandom in game like that. I thought it was perfect, and describes in microcosm being a fan. It went something like this:

Before the game:

1. We're actually really good.

2. The other team is not very good, when you look at it closely.

3. We don't get any respect nationally, which drives me nuts.

Game starts:

1. Nice! They said we didn't have any speed, ha!

2. Come on. That wasn't a penalty.

3. Why do we keep running that play?

4. We need a new OC.

5. The refs are against us.

6. Oh, my god.

7. Silence.

8. We suck.

After the game:

1. Is it time to fire the coach?

2. We definitely need a new AD.

Sound familiar? I think fans are the same the world around...and we shouldn't be so hard on each other.

[WestWYOPoke]

Good points. I occasionally go to other message boards, and I agree that the negativity is a universal thing. When teams lose, fans tend to freak out excessively. The biggest thing I see on this board, that I DON'T see nearly as often elsewhere, is the criticizing/ostracizing of people that make negative posts.

While I don't appreciate the posters that have comments such as "we suck", "we won't win another game", "Bohl can't win 5 games his first year, he's not the answer"...I do respect that this is a message board and they have the right to post what they want, good or bad.

However, what I don't think is appropriate - and what I think would be considered hilarious and infantile by some of the posters on other boards I frequent - is the calling out of these negative posters by others. Comments such as "we don't want posters like you here", "if you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything", "you don't know what you're talking about, so stop talking", have no place on a fan message board IMO. There are the obvious exceptions for people that are being obvious trolls or are spouting off racist/ignorant posts, but those are very few and far between.

While not all may be a fan of the negativism as the OP put it, there is a reason these are Forums, they are a forum to speak your mind or get something off your chest. Whether other people like it or not, there is no reason to alienate anyone for stating their opinion.

[MrTitleist]

eGriz after Montana loses is basically the worst place on earth. I can't imagine how awful an Alabama board is. I just picture everyone on an Alabama board as Phyllis from Mulga.. red faced and screaming. That said, I read quite a few boards and this one's pretty tame compared to most.

[nwpoke]

What an interesting set of threads. I don't have enough experience to know what is normal, but it seems that this fan base feeds on itself, sometimes visciously. Somehow that's extended to the team. Hmmm

We're all entitled to our opinion, even Trey. At the end of the day, aren't we all Pokes?
even trey?

This team is really fun. game day is a celebration. Next year's team will be fun too, and eventually better. Probably. But that is next year.

In the meantime, it's gametime! I don't like the Alamo attitude the team has (at least regarding the fan base), but the team needs to prove we're dance-worthy. I think we win.

Go pokes!

[johnywyo]

Good thoughts, after the loss at Fresno I was questioning my own emotional volatility, I was not a rational person. I believe after some time my emotional ebb dropped dramatically, and thought "its just so difficult being a Wyo fan". I desperately want us winning a championship, and that permeates my mind and response every time we fall short. Fans are just not rational people, I've stayed away from voicing too many opinions, it is just not a great use of my energy. I still remain loyal to the Pokes and university in spite of outcomes. Several years ago I made the trek to Vegas, only to watch both our teams get bounced 1st round. I watched SDSU beat BYU in the finals, and wondered if we could ever get back to championship level play flying home. The outcome always seem stacked against us, and all I can do is continue to ponder in a helpless state of semi consciousness for the fat lady to sing her familiar theme.

[nwpoke]

BTW, I think Trey has the potential to be a heck of a player. I can't wait to see him bring a more mature version of his chippiness to the court.

[Cuttslam]

eGriz after Montana loses is basically the worst place on earth. I can't imagine how awful an Alabama board is. I just picture everyone on an Alabama board as Phyllis from Mulga.. red faced and screaming. That said, I read quite a few boards and this one's pretty tame compared to most.

Not only is this the tamest board I've ever seen so is the Wyoming media.

[Wyo2dal]

eGriz after Montana loses is basically the worst place on earth. I can't imagine how awful an Alabama board is. I just picture everyone on an Alabama board as Phyllis from Mulga.. red faced and screaming. That said, I read quite a few boards and this one's pretty tame compared to most.

Not only is this the tamest board I've ever seen so is the Wyoming media.

I tend to agree this board and Wyoming media is nothing like Arizona. poop they are harder on Arizona high school athletes down here.

[BeaverPoke]

BTW, I think Trey has the potential to be a heck of a player. I can't wait to see him bring a more mature version of his chippiness to the court.

Can't wait for him to threaten opposing fans when they taunt our players? Is that what you mean by bringing his chippiness to the court?

[Cuttslam]

Dp

[BeaverPoke]

eGriz after Montana loses is basically the worst place on earth. I can't imagine how awful an Alabama board is. I just picture everyone on an Alabama board as Phyllis from Mulga.. red faced and screaming. That said, I read quite a few boards and this one's pretty tame compared to most.

Not only is this the tamest board I've ever seen so is the Wyoming media.

Go check out ASU sparkys hoop forum. It makes us look like divine angels.

I tend to agree this board and Wyoming media is nothing like Arizona. poop they are harder on Arizona high school athletes down here.

Haha you gotta be kidding me!

Not that I don't believe you. Because I do.

Just thinking of our whiny ass players with fans even more aggressive and dick-headish than Wyo fans.

Could you imagine how bad they would have pouted if our fans were like that?

[Cuttslam]

eGriz after Montana loses is basically the worst place on earth. I can't imagine how awful an Alabama board is. I just picture everyone on an Alabama board as Phyllis from Mulga.. red faced and screaming. That said, I read quite a few boards and this one's pretty tame compared to most.

Not only is this the tamest board I've ever seen so is the Wyoming media.

Gaid, I read quite a few boards and this one's pretty tame compared to most.

Not only is this the tamest board I've ever seen so is the Wyoming media.

I tend to agree this board and Wyoming media is no thing like Arizona. poop they are harder on Arizona high school athletes down here.

I tend to agree this board and Wyoming media is nothing like Arizona. poop they are harder on Arizona high school athletes down here.

Go check out ASU sparkys hoop forum. It makes us look like divine angels.

[DocHolliday]

What I love about our fan base and those who contribute to this board is the extreme passion and the actual caring that we have for the teams.

There is no apathy to be found here, plenty of opinions and speculation, but this is not a lukewarm fan base - far from it.

[J-Rod]

eGriz after Montana loses is basically the worst place on earth. I can't imagine how awful an Alabama board is. I just picture everyone on an Alabama board as Phyllis from Mulga.. red faced and screaming. That said, I read quite a few boards and this one's pretty tame compared to most.

Ugh...that lady is bad. Those fans are scary...they actually would say the things they spew on message boards to peoples faces.

Good thread. I enjoy everyone's posts....positive, negative...you guys are no fun as neutrals. This place would be super boring if we all agreed on everything.

[stymeman]

think this is negative go to the New Mexico Lobos boards for uncharted territory in negativism...lol

[SnowyRange]

think this is negative go to the New Mexico Lobos boards for uncharted territory in negativism...lol

Ha, I bet.

Just to be clear: I didn't start this thread because I thought this board, or UW fans in general, are too negative. I just think it's part of the fun of sports, analyzing everything, getting unreasonably excited about things, getting unreasonably in despair about things, sometimes thinking that coaches and players can do no wrong, sometimes thinking they can do nothing but wrong....and voicing all that.

[jessejames02]

I blame it all on the beaver guy, monkey guy and packerpoke... wait wrong board.

[stymeman]

What I love about our fan base and those who contribute to this board is the extreme passion and the actual caring that we have for the teams.

There is no apathy to be found here, plenty of opinions and speculation, but this is not a lukewarm fan base - far from it.

been mediocre for far too long, no reason to stop now, my passion will run deep until i'm 6 feet under and maybe someday we'll matter in the NCAA, maybe

[BeaverPoke]

I blame it all on the beaver guy, monkey guy and packerpoke... wait wrong board.

[McPeachy]

I blame it all on the beaver guy, monkey guy and packerpoke... wait wrong board.

LOL!

Not really the wrong board, sans the drooling idiot.