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[Rudeboyelvis]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

This is just my opinion, but who cares about people posting about politics if they aren't talking about racing also?

When this board was going great it's because there were great discussions on racing. People actually had opinions on races both before and after the races and shared them.

I'm not sure why that doesn't happen anymore, but I just don't think people stopped talking racing because they couldn't argue the same political stance over and over again anymore.

Hoss the 2 posters I mentioned by name are extremely knowledgeable horseplayers and while I'm not sure if IC actually bets, he knows more about horseracing than anyone I know. Both posters also frequented both rooms.

I have it on good authority that he no longer even lurks here.

To Nicole's point below, I could not even be certain what percentage of folks that frequented the Poly room were avid players, because the Paddock was so full of vitriol toward anyone that dared voice an dissenting opinion that most just avoided the conflict entirely. So I'm not prepared to assume nor draw the conclusion that just because they came here for the Poly room meant they were not horseplayers thus added no value to the horseracing discussions.
Additionally, there were plenty of folks that went to both rooms and offered lucid, knowledgeable opinions on both topics, but without one, they no longer post in the other. How is it that 7 weeks out, the most attended thread in the Paddock is a frigging Tony Black retirement thread? In years past the Derby Trail target thread would have been 10 pages deep at this point. Cause / Effect would dictate that the lack of the Poly room is affecting not only overall attendance here, but quality horesracing discussion.

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

Purely my opinion, but I didn't think the Paddock was any more polite than the Politics Room was. In fact, many times I thought people were much nastier to each other in the Paddock. The Politics Room had actually been pretty civil the last few days of its existence, compared to before. It seemed a weird time to end it.

As someone who doesn't have the time to aggressively follow racing the way many of the more knowledgable posters here do, much as I enjoy reading threads in the Paddock, I was (and am) reluctant to share an opinion in the Paddock because of how nasty some posters could be in tearing apart someone else's opinion. Making other people feel stupid is not a good way to encourage participation, especially for novices like myself. On the bright side, there's not much of that going on now. On the not-bright side, there's not much of anything else going on there now.

I also think Riot did a lot for keeping traffic moving in both rooms. She was extremely prolific, extremely opinionated and extremely polarizing and you could almost always count on a thread she posted in making for some very entertaining reading. Because people who didn't like her just couldn't stop themselves from replying to her posts. And hilarity would ensue.

I really miss the Politics Room because it was one of the few places I know on the web where liberals and conservatives would regularly argue things on a more-or-less even footing. Probably because what brought us here was a common love of something else.

It's a bummer, but, as Danzig said in a thread a few weeks ago, the lack of DT activity means I've been much more productive at work lately, so there's always a pony somewhere.

Could not have said this any better - Thanks!

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

Hoss the 2 posters I mentioned by name are extremely knowledgeable horseplayers and while I'm not sure if IC actually bets, he knows more about horseracing than anyone I know. Both posters also frequented both rooms.

I have it on good authority that he no longer even lurks here.

To Nicole's point below, I could not even be certain what percentage of folks that frequented the Poly room were avid players, because the Paddock was so full of vitriol toward anyone that dared voice an dissenting opinion that most just avoided the conflict entirely. So I'm not prepared to assume nor draw the conclusion that just because they came here for the Poly room meant they were not horseplayers thus added no value to the horseracing discussions.
Additionally, there were plenty of folks that went to both rooms and offered lucid, knowledgeable opinions on both topics, but without one, they no longer post in the other. How is it that 7 weeks out, the most attended thread in the Paddock is a frigging Tony Black retirement thread? In years past the Derby Trail target thread would have been 10 pages deep at this point. Cause / Effect would dictate that the lack of the Poly room is affecting not only overall attendance here, but quality horesracing discussion.





Could not have said this any better - Thanks!

I'll put a little different spin on this Dan. One reson I enjoyed the Politics forum ( most of the time ) is because it humanized and brought down to what I felt was more my level some fairly intimidating paddock types. I remember early in my DT days Andy Serling would post in Eso about movies and books. They were incredibly articulate and intelligent threads that allowed me to get to know someone who, quite frankly, could be an imposing figure to a casual horse player like myself if strictly dealt with on a Paddock only basis. I know a lot of people here because of Steve's site, both personally and internet only. Right or wrong I've tended to wear my heart on my sleeve and that can be a good thing or get me called a p.ussy when it backfires. I don't have the horse acumen to post in the Paddock and certainly don't have the knowlege to back up something I might say when challenged by those who really know this game. So..it's just human nature to shy away. I still troll regularly and lament the loss of so many great voices and threads but since Politics is gone, really don't feel comfortable posting anywhere other than sports. I think it's just human nature.

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

Hoss the 2 posters I mentioned by name are extremely knowledgeable horseplayers and while I'm not sure if IC actually bets, he knows more about horseracing than anyone I know. Both posters also frequented both rooms.

I have it on good authority that he no longer even lurks here.

To Nicole's point below, I could not even be certain what percentage of folks that frequented the Poly room were avid players, because the Paddock was so full of vitriol toward anyone that dared voice an dissenting opinion that most just avoided the conflict entirely. So I'm not prepared to assume nor draw the conclusion that just because they came here for the Poly room meant they were not horseplayers thus added no value to the horseracing discussions.
Additionally, there were plenty of folks that went to both rooms and offered lucid, knowledgeable opinions on both topics, but without one, they no longer post in the other. How is it that 7 weeks out, the most attended thread in the Paddock is a frigging Tony Black retirement thread? In years past the Derby Trail target thread would have been 10 pages deep at this point. Cause / Effect would dictate that the lack of the Poly room is affecting not only overall attendance here, but quality horesracing discussion.

What is stopping Indian Charlie from posting here? Because Byk closed the Political room? I fail to see how or why that would stop him from posting his horse racing thoughts.

Seems like what you guys are saying more than anything is the overall environment of the paddock was not so nice. and that people are hesitant to participate there because of not wanting to be disagreed with? Or disagreed with sarcastically or with vitriol?

Yet you guys are clamoring for the room that was filled with nothing but vitriol where the posters who were hesitant to post in the paddock because of not wanting conflict....posted and engaged in conflicts.

I guess it doesn't make much sense to me. why are people intimidated (for lack of a better word) about posting thoughts on racing because they don't want to be responded to a certain way....yet totally comfortable posting thoughts on politics where they are responded to as bad if not worse?

[Dahoss]

I just went back and read some of the more popular threads on racing from 3-4 years ago.

Most of the same posters that engaged in those threads are still active, posting members here. They just don't post as much anymore, myself included.

For me, I just don't have the time. I suspect that is the case with others as well.

[3kings]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

I just went back and read some of the more popular threads on racing from 3-4 years ago.

Most of the same posters that engaged in those threads are still active, posting members here. They just don't post as much anymore, myself included.

For me, I just don't have the time. I suspect that is the case with others as well.

I agree with this. The lack of a politics room doesn't effect the paddock. IMO the political discourse was always more mean sprited than any of the racing discussion. Like Bob said, people are less confident with their racing opinions and more reluctant to offer them on the Internet.

What people are failing to acknowledge is that the people responsible for this site may not want to be associated with the opinions and nastiness that was taking place. Why can't we respect that?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by 3kings

I agree with this. The lack of a politics room doesn't effect the paddock. IMO the political discourse was always more mean sprited than any of the racing discussion. Like Bob said, people are less confident with their racing opinions and more reluctant to offer them on the Internet.

What people are failing to acknowledge is that the people responsible for this site may not want to be associated with the opinions and nastiness that was taking place. Why can't we respect that?

i doubt anyone on this site is more respected than the host. i told him more than once that i didn't envy his job here.