The negativity has got to stop!!! (MAJOR RANT)

[orioleslist]

As a long-time member of and contributor to Dave Scocca's Orioles listserv, I started making the transition towards OH a few years back, still not convinced that this was better than what we had with the listserv.

Then came 2012--a lot of people flocked to OH (including me, even though I signed up in 2009), and I was pretty confident the OH community was going to replace what we had on the listserv.

You thought it would have made for better discourse / analysis, and yet, over the past few months, it has been disastrous--especially in the game threads.

I am absolutely appalled by the reactionary posts of a handful of members, who seem to take pleasure in bashing the players, the manager, and the front office anytime the opposing team hits an RBI single against us.

I realize most of them are young, immature members who came on board in 2012 and never experienced the dark years of 1998-2011, and yet, I can't stand their hijacking of recent game threads anymore.

I don't care if naming names is going to get me banned from OH, but I've had it with Jonesy10, Birdland, Norfolk Orioles, oriolesstanfan, and many others. The negativity HAS GOT to stop.

Do I think we're going to make the playoffs? Probably not. Do we still have a chance? Heck, yeah; and a pretty good chance too. Is it as exciting to watch the O's as it was last year? No. There's higher expectations, and as a result more frustration when we don't meet the expectations; but is this a better place to be on September 1st than any September 1st between 1998 and 2011? YOU'D BETTER BELIEVE IT.

The O's are not perfect, they have many flaws, but if you can't get behind them as they are trying to make it to the playoffs for the second year in a row after 14 seasons of irrelevance, then I think we'd all be better served if you refrained from posting, and came back a month from today to rub it in after we fall short.

I'll be waiting to hear from the moderators in the morning, but if this is my last post on OH, it is definitely a post that I won't regret.

And yes, Dave (Scocca), I'm still a member of the listserv, 20 years after I first signed up...

GO O's!!!

[Barnaby Graves]

Great post, fantastic post, should be stickied.

[JimDH]

Obviously more is tolerated in the game thread then on the main board. It is what it is I guess. still I object to the personal insults on there. Like saying certain players are lazy or the manager is clueless. so I usually stay away or only stay a little while. Not my cup of tea.

[scOtt]

I agree 100% orioleslist, but it won't stop. I blame the death of The Sun board. Overflow from Roch commenters.

[Rene88]

It's a message board. A forum to express doubts, fears, passions and fandom. None of us are perfect but we all want the Orioles to win. Making the playoffs is important to track progress of the franchise. At the end of the day, it is just a game.

I don't want to read only homers post. I like different opinions if I agree or not. That is America.

[gold21030]

I agree 100%. I mean this board is becoming on the verge of unreadable. People are giving up on a team that is three games out and chasing a team that is on a four game losing streak and lost 7 of 10. Jeez have some optimism it makes the season a lot more enjoyable. Posters saying .500 is the goal, give me a break.

[Rene88]

The team has a 10% statistical chance of making the playoffs how is being negative irrational?

[Barnaby Graves]

That is America.

Where even the insane are allowed to vote.

[waroriole]

Winning brings out the band wagon fans who have less patience and expect everything NOW.

It also makes memories short.

[mark_beckens]

It's a message board.

That doesn't mean common sense and reality have to stop when you log in. I tend to stay away after losses. The stupidity grows with each L. Some just don't realize that just about every team is going to lose atleast 60 times each year. Learning to deal with them is called maturity.

[Rene88]

That doesn't mean common sense and reality have to stop when you log in. I tend to stay away after losses. The stupidity grows with each L. Some just don't realize that just about every team is going to lose atleast 60 times each year. Learning to deal with them is called maturity.

I understand and good post. If I were a coach, this is how I would see it. But I am a fan so I can act irrational

[Rene88]

Winning brings out the band wagon fans who have less patience and expect everything NOW.

It also makes memories short.

This is a good point but how many band wagon fans post on a message board?

[mark_beckens]

I understand and good post. If I were a coach, this is how I would see it. But I am a fan so I can act irrational

Calling for Buck to be fired after bringing us our first winning season in 14 years. Having us 10 games above .500 and 3 games out of the playoffs. Is way beyond irrational. That was not directed at you, unless you think he should be fired.

[Rene88]

Calling for Buck to be fired after bringing us our first winning season in 14 years. Having us 10 games above .500 and 3 games out of the playoffs. Is way beyond irrational. That was not directed at you, unless you think he should be fired.

I definitely don't think Buck should be fired. Both him and DD are excellent and saviors quite frankly. I do think years of Angelos' meddling can raise a question or two though. It makes you doubt decisions.

I appreciate this board and different opinions, it balances out things.

Go Orioles.

[orioleslist]

The team has a 10% statistical chance of making the playoffs how is being negative irrational?

Yes, we have a 10% statistical chance of making the playoffs (well actually 17.9% tonight if you believe ESPN). Now do you want to totally give up on the team and point out the obvious over and over again (Nick's been a major let down, so has the bullpen; Hammel and Chen were supposed to perform better, etc.) or do you try to think about what could make us better, and hope we can somehow pull through?

Or even if we don't, look at the bright side for 2014: Tillman, Norris and possibly Gausman in the starting rotation--with a serviceable Feldman as a 5th starter; Machado and Davis as the anchors of the offense with other players ready to contribute...

Listen, it's fine to say that this team has been a disappointment, but "a joke" (Jonesy10), or "an epic collapse is on the way" (Norkolk Orioles) is beyond ridiculous.