2010 Mobbies: Vote for the Orioles Hangout!

[Frobby]

Tried to vote, but there's some glitch that is keeping me from doing it from my work computer. I will try later at home. I have to say, I hate voting on things like this because the Sun is clearly using this poll to get email addresses and send junk mail. But, anything for Tony and Scott!

[weams]

I kept getting rejected as well. I will keep trying.

[Stacey]

I'd like to offer an opposing view, and hope that I won't be attacked or condemned for it.

First, I like Orioles Hangout (obviously. I pay to post here). The Orioles online community owes OH for being the pioneer in access to the team and things like that. The coverage provided by the staff here is fantastic; I'm especially grateful for the minor league coverage that is hard to get elsewhere.

Additionally, I have nothing against the people who participate on the Hangout, either as posters or in an administrative capacity. I have personal relationships with multiple people that I met through OH or who are associated with OH, and I have no animosity towards them or jealousy toward OH as a whole.

However, there is an argument to be made that Orioles Hangout doesn't belong in a contest intended to recognize Maryland's outstanding blogs. Orioles Hangout is much more than a blog. I agree with Scott that the writers here provide great coverage, and I agree with Tony that if he did blog what he posted on the message board it would be a lot of content. But those things don't make Orioles Hangout a blog. Because it's not a blog. In a competition of Maryland's outstanding websites, it would be no contest which site is most popular. But that's not what this particular contest is.

So there's my opinion. It doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. I certainly don't view myself in competition with Orioles Hangout or any other O's site. It's always been my belief that we're all in this together and we're all on the same side. In fact, last off-season I did a weekly spotlight on Camden Chat of other Orioles blogs that I don't believe get the attention they deserve. I just want every Orioles fan to be able to find everything they need online, and there are many different outlets that provide those things.

Cheers.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Voted.

[Frobby]

Your points make some sense, Stacey. It's really the Sun's fault for not being clear from the outset. They either should have left the Hangout off to begin with, or they should have left them on the poll once they made the decision to put them on.

[srock]

Voted.

OH is #1 on the Orioles list and #6 overall.

Lets go FTW!!!

[ScottieBaseball]

I'd like to offer an opposing view, and hope that I won't be attacked or condemned for it.

First, I like Orioles Hangout (obviously. I pay to post here). The Orioles online community owes OH for being the pioneer in access to the team and things like that. The coverage provided by the staff here is fantastic; I'm especially grateful for the minor league coverage that is hard to get elsewhere.

Additionally, I have nothing against the people who participate on the Hangout, either as posters or in an administrative capacity. I have personal relationships with multiple people that I met through OH or who are associated with OH, and I have no animosity towards them or jealousy toward OH as a whole.

However, there is an argument to be made that Orioles Hangout doesn't belong in a contest intended to recognize Maryland's outstanding blogs. Orioles Hangout is much more than a blog. I agree with Scott that the writers here provide great coverage, and I agree with Tony that if he did blog what he posted on the message board it would be a lot of content. But those things don't make Orioles Hangout a blog. Because it's not a blog. In a competition of Maryland's outstanding websites, it would be no contest which site is most popular. But that's not what this particular contest is.

So there's my opinion. It doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. I certainly don't view myself in competition with Orioles Hangout or any other O's site. It's always been my belief that we're all in this together and we're all on the same side. In fact, last off-season I did a weekly spotlight on Camden Chat of other Orioles blogs that I don't believe get the attention they deserve. I just want every Orioles fan to be able to find everything they need online, and there are many different outlets that provide those things.

Cheers.

I appreciate you coming in and sharing your opinion with us Stacey. For the record...Stacey's good people. I'm pretty sure she had my back (she was literally in the seat behind my wife) during the O's last homestand vs. the Yankees when some super-classy Yankees fan told me to, "shut your (expletive) mouth or I'll (expletive) come up there and shut it for you!" because I chanted "OVERRATED" every time Derek Jeter came up to bat and executed my patented, "LEFT! RIGHT! LEFT! RIGHT! LEFT! RIGHT! SIT!!!", after he struck out.

I'd be interested to hear you elaborate on exactly why the Orioles Hangout doesn't qualify as a 'blog' outside of us being "much more than a blog". And if we're not a blog, then what would you call it exactly? A "website" is too vague IMO, and I think the overall journalistic quality of the content here sets us far above being labeled simply a 'fan site'. I can't say I disagree with you that we're much more than a blog, but I'm not sure what that next level should be labeled. Certainly some evolution has taken place since this website's inception, but I don't think the fact that we've grown into the largest Orioles message board community (one of the largest in all American professional sports) and that at any given time we have 4-6 active writers contributing content should be held against us. What would you strip away from the Orioles Hangout to make it fit your model of a 'blog'?

And I couldn't agree more...I think we're all in this together as web-based media outlets (which is exactly what I think Orioles Hangout, Camden Chat, and a few other blogs) gradually gain an increasing acceptance along with the more traditional media. The more of us there are, the more pressure there is to produce high quality content. I'm pleased to have such a cordial relationship with you, Anthony Amobi from Oriole Post.com, and the fellas from the Eutaw Street Hooligans among others.

[MPK76]

I voted!

[GotNitro]

Trying to vote, but this is difficult for some reason. :cussing:

[BaltimoreTerp]

I appreciate you coming in and sharing your opinion with us Stacey. For the record...Stacey's good people. I'm pretty sure she had my back (she was literally in the seat behind my wife) during the O's last homestand vs. the Yankees when some super-classy Yankees fan told me to, "shut your (expletive) mouth or I'll (expletive) come up there and shut it for you!" because I chanted "OVERRATED" every time Derek Jeter came up to bat and executed my patented, "LEFT! RIGHT! LEFT! RIGHT! LEFT! RIGHT! SIT!!!", after he struck out.

I'd be interested to hear you elaborate on exactly why the Orioles Hangout doesn't qualify as a 'blog' outside of us being "much more than a blog". And if we're not a blog, then what would you call it exactly? A "website" is too vague IMO, and I think the overall journalistic quality of the content here sets us far above being labeled simply a 'fan site'. I can't say I disagree with you that we're much more than a blog, but I'm not sure what that next level should be labeled. Certainly some evolution has taken place since this website's inception, but I don't think the fact that we've grown into the largest Orioles message board community (one of the largest in all American professional sports) and that at any given time we have 4-6 active writers contributing content should be held against us. What would you strip away from the Orioles Hangout to make it fit your model of a 'blog'?

And I couldn't agree more...I think we're all in this together as web-based media outlets (which is exactly what I think Orioles Hangout, Camden Chat, and a few other blogs) gradually gain an increasing acceptance along with the more traditional media. The more of us there are, the more pressure there is to produce high quality content. I'm pleased to have such a cordial relationship with you, Anthony Amobi from Oriole Post.com, and the fellas from the Eutaw Street Hooligans among others.

Not to speak for anybody, but I think of the Hangout as essentially a full-fledged media outlet in the same sense (if not quite the same level in size and prestige) as the Sun or WBAL or MASN. Now, those sites on their own would not be considered blogs by anyone, but they use blogs as an additional tool for reporting and opinion, which is also what I feel Tony's Take does.

That's why, as I said earlier, I think there was an issue from some (though there were also likely some personal feelings that were a driving force from what you and Tony have insinuated), and why I think a nice compromise was reached.

[GotNitro]

Alright, I now voted in the overall and Orioles sections. I didn't have a log-in to their site before.

[Stacey]

I appreciate you coming in and sharing your opinion with us Stacey. For the record...Stacey's good people. I'm pretty sure she had my back (she was literally in the seat behind my wife) during the O's last homestand vs. the Yankees when some super-classy Yankees fan told me to, "shut your (expletive) mouth or I'll (expletive) come up there and shut it for you!" because I chanted "OVERRATED" every time Derek Jeter came up to bat and executed my patented, "LEFT! RIGHT! LEFT! RIGHT! LEFT! RIGHT! SIT!!!", after he struck out.

I'd be interested to hear you elaborate on exactly why the Orioles Hangout doesn't qualify as a 'blog' outside of us being "much more than a blog". And if we're not a blog, then what would you call it exactly? A "website" is too vague IMO, and I think the overall journalistic quality of the content here sets us far above being labeled simply a 'fan site'. I can't say I disagree with you that we're much more than a blog, but I'm not sure what that next level should be labeled. Certainly some evolution has taken place since this website's inception, but I don't think the fact that we've grown into the largest Orioles message board community (one of the largest in all American professional sports) and that at any given time we have 4-6 active writers contributing content should be held against us. What would you strip away from the Orioles Hangout to make it fit your model of a 'blog'?

And I couldn't agree more...I think we're all in this together as web-based media outlets (which is exactly what I think Orioles Hangout, Camden Chat, and a few other blogs) gradually gain an increasing acceptance along with the more traditional media. The more of us there are, the more pressure there is to produce high quality content. I'm pleased to have such a cordial relationship with you, Anthony Amobi from Oriole Post.com, and the fellas from the Eutaw Street Hooligans among others.

Well first, I was totally ready to throw down with you if it had come to that with that Sopranos reject in his track suit that was trying to get to you. But my favorite part of all of that was when, his next time up, Jeter hit a weak ground ball that died in the infield for a single and the douche in the "Gehrig" jersey was all, "What! Who's overrated now!"

But to the topic at hand, Orioles Hangout doesn't fit the design or definition of a blog. A blog is a chronological, um, log, by one or a few people expressing their opinions. To me, Orioles Hangout is more about reporting the facts and the news, at least the stuff on the front page. The opinions and analysis are relegated to the messages board, which doesn't fit a blog format at all. To post on a blog you have to stick to the comments where it's required to keep things short and sweet, and where you're basically commenting on the topic presented by the writer. Anyone can post on a message board, not so much on a blog.

I suppose ultimately it's all semantics. But I still hope you finish second in the Mobbies voting

[Pedro Cerrano]

Well first, I was totally ready to throw down with you if it had come to that with that Sopranos reject in his track suit that was trying to get to you. But my favorite part of all of that was when, his next time up, Jeter hit a weak ground ball that died in the infield for a single and the douche in the "Gehrig" jersey was all, "What! Who's overrated now!"

But to the topic at hand, Orioles Hangout doesn't fit the design or definition of a blog. A blog is a chronological, um, log, by one or a few people expressing their opinions. To me, Orioles Hangout is more about reporting the facts and the news, at least the stuff on the front page. The opinions and analysis are relegated to the messages board, which doesn't fit a blog format at all. To post on a blog you have to stick to the comments where it's required to keep things short and sweet, and where you're basically commenting on the topic presented by the writer. Anyone can post on a message board, not so much on a blog.

I suppose ultimately it's all semantics. But I still hope you finish second in the Mobbies voting

I agree with a lot of what you say. Frankly, if I wasn't a loyal poster here I probably wouldn't have voted for the OH as I don't consider it a blog (it's more of a community).

But, they're the best, so they get my vote anyway.

[mweb]

I agree that this site really isn't a blog, nor should it be eligible for best blog. But it got my vote anyway because I love the Hangout as a whole and it deserves some recognition. Even Tony's Take is more like a series of articles than it is a blog.

[Sports Guy]

I think you used to be #1...However, you banned Rshack for a year and because of that, the content has really fallen off.