Times like these...

[El Gordo]

Not everyone here is anonymous. When I say something, or Tony, or a number of others, you know exactly who's saying it.

I never met Drungo Hazewood. But I get it. You're not everyone. But suppose you were, anonymous, do you think you would be immune?

[RShack]

Not everyone here is anonymous. When I say something, or Tony, or a number of others, you know exactly who's saying it.

Oh, come on Drungo... it's not like people can look up Drungo Hazelwood in the phone book and find you ;-)

Look, I'm about the only person here who's handle actually identifies them by their real name. (The only reason that's true is that I didn't know any better when I first joined... it's probably dumb, I think I'll change it.)

The fact that some regular posters know the identity of a few other regular posters doesn't change the fact that the medium is mostly people hiding behind fake screen names. It's a generic message-board thing, not just an OH thing, and the negative effects of that are well known. No point in pretending otherwise.

[Miller192]

Oh, come on Drungo... it's not like people can look up Drungo Hazelwood in the phone book and find you ;-)

Look, I'm about the only person here who's handle actually identifies them by their real name. (The only reason that's true is that I didn't know any better when I first joined... it's probably dumb, I think I'll change it.)

The fact that some regular posters know the identity of a few other regular posters doesn't change the fact that the medium is mostly people hiding behind fake screen names. It's a generic message-board thing, not just an OH thing, and the negative effects of that are well known. No point in pretending otherwise.

No but you can look at his signature where it says Jon Wilt.

[NewMarketSean]

Oh, come on Drungo... it's not like people can look up Drungo Hazelwood in the phone book and find you ;-)

Look, I'm about the only person here who's handle actually identifies them by their real name. (The only reason that's true is that I didn't know any better when I first joined... it's probably dumb, I think I'll change it.)

The fact that some regular posters know the identity of a few other regular posters doesn't change the fact that the medium is mostly people hiding behind fake screen names. It's a generic message-board thing, not just an OH thing, and the negative effects of that are well known. No point in pretending otherwise.

We are all mostly anonymous here and yet for the most part people are respectful here and actually hold real conversations. Go to the Sun board...have fun reading the personal (and in some cases, racist) attacks on mostly every thread started in that entire forum.

You may be annoyed with a lot of people here because the losing has made them miserable people -- but things could be A LOT worse. Thankfully Tony runs a tight ship, or else I think this place would be looking a lot more like the Sun's O's board right about now.

[ShaneDawg85]

We are all mostly anonymous here and yet for the most part people are respectful here and actually hold real conversations. Go to the Sun board...have fun reading the personal (and in some cases, racist) attacks on mostly every thread started in that entire forum.

You may be annoyed with a lot of people here because the losing has made them miserable people -- but things could be A LOT worse. Thankfully Tony runs a tight ship, or else I think this place would be looking a lot more like the Sun's O's board right about now.

Reading a message board or comment section from any website besides this one makes my brain hurt, to the point I want to punch out the monitor, and slam my head into a wall. The level of venom, inability to even put words together, and sheer craptitude is unbelievable. If there were a Pulitzer prize for website message boards, this should be nominated for it. I mean that.

[TonySoprano]

Want some entertaining reading? Go to the Orioles facebook page and read some brutal comments that follow this wall post "Baltimore Orioles Rivalry is in the air as your Orioles host the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox next week at Oriole Park..."

None of the comments are anonymously posted.

[RShack]

No but you can look at his signature where it says Jon Wilt.

Quite right... I hadn't noticed...

[RShack]

We are all mostly anonymous here and yet for the most part people are respectful here and actually hold real conversations. Go to the Sun board...have fun reading the personal (and in some cases, racist) attacks on mostly every thread started in that entire forum.

You may be annoyed with a lot of people here because the losing has made them miserable people -- but things could be A LOT worse. Thankfully Tony runs a tight ship, or else I think this place would be looking a lot more like the Sun's O's board right about now.

Oh, I fully agree that the moderation of this board keeps it well above the crude depths of many other ones. No doubt about that, and the staff deserve lots of credit for that.

I'm not annoyed with a lot of people for being miserable due to the losing. It's made me miserable too. Nor do I have any expectation that folks here will behave any differently. I know what happens on message boards, I know it's normal for people to be critical and complain rather than be supportive of the team. None of that surprises me.

The only thing that surprised me a little bit was the degree to which people can't even admit that the general tenor is not supportive but instead turns against both the team and the players who are struggling. It's an observable fact. Nobody can reasonably say it doesn't happen. Yet lots of folks got all indignant when I said it, and started acting as if it's not true, with some responding with highly emotional posts with no other content except insults. Yet what I said about that is completely true. When the team as a whole and/or any particular player is struggling, as a general rule they get lambasted, they don't get support, instead people turn on them. Maybe a couple favorites get a break, like Nick or Matt. But that's the exception, it's not the rule. The rule is that when a guy struggles, posters turn on him like crazy and blame him for it.

I don't expect that to be otherwise, and I wasn't suggesting that anybody change. Rather, I was saying it would be good to have ties to former-greats as a source of support, since the players sure as hell don't get it from places like message-boards and shout-radio when they need it. I wasn't asking message-board posters to change in any way. One mistake I made was in thinking that folks could just admit the obvious truth of what routinely happens, that's all. Evidently not.

And, yes, I fully expect to get even more negative-rep for this post too. That's just what some posters do...

[Mackus]

This is still nothing but BS, shack.

What support should we give them? Not talking about how badly they are playing isn't supporting them, that's being blind. Not many people are calling for players to be released or demoted. Most every post is about how we really can't do anything other than wait for these guys to turn around.

What is support? If what you want us to do is **edit** of every player and tell them they are playing amazingly well when they obviously aren't, that's ridiculous. Calling them out for poor play isn't not supporting them. That's just insane to think that. How are we not showing support? We're still following the team. We're still all hoping things get better. Are we only supporting the players if we say things like "its ok Nick you'll get 'em next time!"? Isn't making comments about how Jones needs to stop swinging at sliders in the dirt supporting him? Discussing what problems he is having and how he can solve them?

Burying your head in the sand and just saying everything will be ok isn't support.

[TinCup]

Mods....mercy rule?

[RShack]

This is still nothing but BS, shack.

What support should we give them? Not talking about how badly they are playing isn't supporting them, that's being blind. Not many people are calling for players to be released or demoted. Most every post is about how we really can't do anything other than wait for these guys to turn around.

What is support? If what you want us to do is lick the balls of every player and tell them they are playing amazingly well when they obviously aren't, that's ridiculous. Calling them out for poor play isn't not supporting them. That's just insane to think that. How are we not showing support? We're still following the team. We're still all hoping things get better. Are we only supporting the players if we say things like "its ok Nick you'll get 'em next time!"? Isn't making comments about how Jones needs to stop swinging at sliders in the dirt supporting him? Discussing what problems he is having and how he can solve them?

Burying your head in the sand and just saying everything will be ok isn't support.

I'm not saying you're supposed to do anything. I don't expect the tenor of any message-board (or talk-radio show) to be supportive. Not just this one, but any of them. I've never seen a sports message-board of any kind where people don't turn against players who are struggling. It's just the nature of message-boards. I'm not saying message-boards should change, I'm saying saying the O's should do whatever is necessary to have former-greats be part of the family, and one reason for that is because neither a struggling team nor players who are struggling get support from fans on message-boards or the radio. What they mainly get is criticism from fans who turn against them when they don't do well. While there are occasional exceptions for favorite players, as a general rule that's what happens. It's just a fact, that's all... you know it is... I don't see why people can't just admit it, instead of playing kill-the-messenger about it...

[MemorialStadKid]

The only thing that surprised me a little bit was the degree to which people can't even admit that the general tenor is not supportive but instead turns against both the team and the players who are struggling. It's an observable fact. Nobody can reasonably say it doesn't happen.

I don't expect that to be otherwise, and I wasn't suggesting that anybody change. Rather, I was saying it would be good to have ties to former-greats as a source of support, since the players sure as hell don't get it from places like message-boards and shout-radio when they need it. I wasn't asking message-board posters to change in any way. One mistake I made was in thinking that folks could just admit the obvious truth of what routinely happens, that's all. Evidently not.

And, yes, I fully expect to get even more negative-rep for this post too. That's just what some posters do...

For one thing, I've never given you a neg-rep for as long as I can remember even though you've been snarky and called me goofy and bizarre (which makes me laugh out loud).

There are several things wrong with how this thread went down, but mainly, I believe you give this site much more power than it deserves. While I am sure someone, somewhere in the warehouse checks this site for a feel of fan sentiment, the idea that our combined negative attitude about their lousy play somehow "gets back to the players" and affects them is kind of goofy.

For some reason, whenever I make a reference to people's jobs and their own performance at work, no one ever says anything about it (at least the "optimistic" posters don't). If you were being paid literally millions of dollars to play a game that many of us did for free at some point in our lives and you didn't live up to your contract, do you expect people to continually baby you?

If you're at work and you constantly screw up, does your boss give you a pat on the back or on your head and tell you that you're going to be okay? Does your boss go get retired workers and bring them in to sit next to you all day to fix your mistakes?

Not likely.

These guys are supposedly MLB-level players playing professional sports in the media-obsessed United States. Compared to other markets like NY, Boston, Chicago and LA, the Orioles players get OFF EASY when it comes to sustained media scrutiny.

Now, finally, AFTER 13 LONG YEARS, the fan base is riled up, the gloves are (slowly) starting to come off in the local Baltimore media and suddenly we're somehow at fault because these guys don't play at the level expected?

I'm sure when Jones swings at a ball two feet off the plate or Markakis is struck out looking, they'll be thinking "boy, I wonder what Tony is gonna say about me on the Orioles Hangout?"

:rofl:

MSK

[RShack]

Mods....mercy rule?

Or, if you can't kill the messenger, you can try to get the mods to kill the message...

Look, when things are going bad, do you really think the predominant tone is to be supportive? Or do you think what's normal is for people to get angry, lambast the team and the players, and turn against the players and coaches and blame them for it? You know it's the latter... it just is. I don't see why people pretend otherwise...

[TonySoprano]

What is support? If what you want us to do is lick the balls of every player and tell them they are playing amazingly well when they obviously aren't, that's ridiculous.

Burying your head in the sand and just saying everything will be ok isn't support.

And I get called out for putting only words in his mouth? What you're putting in his mouth......well um;)

[Miller192]

Want some entertaining reading? Go to the Orioles facebook page and read some brutal comments that follow this wall post "Baltimore Orioles Rivalry is in the air as your Orioles host the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox next week at Oriole Park..."

None of the comments are anonymously posted.

Wow, those comments are hilarious.