11/21/24
July 19, 2010
Discouraging Front-Page Posts: We're getting too many comments like this: "This topic is no worse than some of the other topics discussed on Spofi here lately. But that seems to be the trend here on Spofi, too many 'not front page worthy' post recently."
posted by rcade to editorial policy at 10:18 AM - 33 comments
I, for one, enjoy posts about weird things I wouldn't otherwise have heard of—like a quirky minor league playoff format. I think it's one of the strengths of this site and should be encouraged.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:20 AM on July 19, 2010
I'd also rather be informed (sometimes chiming in, sometimes not) of some off-the-radar, nuanced, quirky sports stories than the latest ESPN-megahyped garbage. I can read headlines on Yahoo, I come to Spofi to see more. For the record, I thought that was a quality post, I just didn't have anyting to say about it.
posted by tahoemoj at 12:12 PM on July 19, 2010
Exactly what DrJE, and tahoemoj said.
I wouldn't have found the article about Zenyatta, had it not been posted here, and I enjoy reading stories about horse racing. I'm a hockey fan, and wouldn't have known about the CHL playoff format without Spofi.
As has been said by many different people many different times:
"If you don't like a FPP, move on to the next one."
posted by tommybiden at 12:14 PM on July 19, 2010
I agree with all above. From a protocol standpoint, one of the things that this FPP did well and IMO therefore didn't deserve the "not worthy" comments, was that the subtext adequately notified us readers/potential commenters about the context of the link. If there hadn't been any explanation and I had felt that I had wasted X minutes of my life reading the link, then *maybe* I'd have grounds to belly-ache. But, if a post gives me fair warning about what it's about, then I choose to read the link and/or comments or I choose to move along to something that does interest me.
posted by littleLebowski at 12:34 PM on July 19, 2010
/sits in the corner for an hour contemplating his misdeed
posted by billsaysthis at 12:50 PM on July 19, 2010
I think something people forget is, even though this site spawned from MeFi, it is not MeFi. It's much easier to criticize the quality of FPPs when they're coming from all areas of life and society, as opposed to just one, like sports...
posted by MeatSaber at 01:04 PM on July 19, 2010
I think something people forget is, even though this site spawned from MeFi, it is not MeFi.
Agreed. Sportsfilter really isn't a perfect sister to metafilter, so comparison generally fall flat.
I think most sports fans are use to discussing the game last night, and sportsfilter doesn't really do that. And i think that's one reason the number of people posting is small.
And as much as I love the huddle, it has it's negatives. When I'm about to post something smaller I wonder if one, this would be better in the huddle, and two, has it already been posted in the huddle. Checking the huddle for links is more difficult than scanning the front page.
posted by justgary at 03:22 PM on July 19, 2010
Since the addition of the huddle, I think rcade has done a good job of moving posts out to the front page when they warrant it, and cleaning up any repetition. Would be nice to not require that much administration, but I don't want to lose the huddle. There's already been many stories and discussions that we wouldn't have seen otherwise because those stories weren't really FP-worthy...
posted by MeatSaber at 03:34 PM on July 19, 2010
When I'm about to post something smaller I wonder if one, this would be better in the huddle, and two, has it already been posted in the huddle
I just scan the front page. If it has already been posted in the huddle I'll take the flak. Besides, others like me may have missed the first link too.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 03:41 PM on July 19, 2010
but I don't want to lose the huddle.
No, I don't want to lose the huddle either. I think it's a good addition.
If I'm away for the weekend and come back to sportsfilter with a small link instead of what I use to do, just scan the front page, I have 2 or more huddles to go through also. Just laziness on my part.
posted by justgary at 03:57 PM on July 19, 2010
Have a variety of topics to discuss is great. But there is a fine line between variety and watered down forum. Carry on, this is a great website that I enjoy sharing views and opinions.
posted by sgtcookzane at 05:48 PM on July 19, 2010
I think if you're a regular and something interests you than you should absolutely post it.* I should do it more. I find interesting things more often than I post them.
*does not apply to tommytrump and his constant updates on the state and welfare of minor league hockey in Canada. Sweet god, too much is too much.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:44 PM on July 19, 2010
I'm guilty of posting FPPs that walk the line of worthiness. (In this case is was my FPP that stoked this fire.) Now (since The Huddle), I'm never sure how to determine what is and what is not a legitimate FPP, similar to justgary's position I guess. The end result for me is to usually not post anything at all.
No offense to those of you who have the time to research and post "worthy" FPPs, but I just don't have that kind of time. Nor do I have the time to read an FPP and then deem myself "worthy" enough to know where others interests lie.
posted by BoKnows at 09:03 PM on July 19, 2010
*does not apply to tommytrump and his constant updates on the state and welfare of minor league hockey in Canada. Sweet god, too much is too much.
Care to expand on that a little, Weedy ?
The only series of updates on hockey in Canada I've posted was a six part series from Canada's national newspaper in connection with the leading sports network in Canada, on whether the NHL should look to relocate teams to cities north of the border.
It would have been foolish to post parts of the series without posting all of it.
Last time I checked, the NHL was one of the four major sports leagues in North America.
As I stated earlier in this thread, "If you don't like a FPP, move on to the next one."
Weedy, feel free to ignore all my posts, I promise I won't cry if you don't read them.
posted by tommybiden at 09:51 PM on July 19, 2010
Times I've wished there were more FPPs > 1 > Times that I've been overwhelmed by the number of FPPs
Though, I may be forgetting the Great Yahoo Member Influx of 2005. Was it '05?
posted by tron7 at 01:19 AM on July 20, 2010
It was definitely the year the Steelers won the Super Bowl. My scarred memory can tell you that much.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:36 AM on July 20, 2010
tommy: I think weedy was just making light of the fact that someone was perceived as thinking your FPP about the CHL's playoff system was not worthy of the front page.
posted by NoMich at 10:06 AM on July 20, 2010
Though, I may be forgetting the Great Yahoo Member Influx of 2005. Was it '05?
'05 sounds about right. That's when we instituted the new member test.
posted by rcade at 10:06 AM on July 20, 2010
tommy: I think weedy was just making light of the fact that someone was perceived as thinking your FPP about the CHL's playoff system was not worthy of the front page.
BoKnows did that FPP .
The last time I posted something about junior (not minor) hockey in Canada, was when the Windsor Spitfires won the Memorial Cup, May 24, 2010 .
That would be equal to someone posting on who wins the mythical college football championship in the U.S.A. (except the teams actually play a tourament, it's not a vote)
posted by tommybiden at 10:57 AM on July 20, 2010
BoKnows did that FPP .
I did post that FPP. But I know I'm not guilty of 'constant updates on the state and welfare of minor league hockey in Canada'.
Plus, the CHL is based in the US.
I don't think Weedy was referring to me.
posted by BoKnows at 11:04 AM on July 20, 2010
Knowing Weedy, I'm 99% sure it was a joke.
posted by apoch at 11:16 AM on July 20, 2010
I did post that FPP. But I know I'm not guilty of 'constant updates on the state and welfare of minor league hockey in Canada'.
I know I'm not guilty of 'constant updates on the state and welfare of minor league hockey in Canada' either. (except in Weedy's mind)
Bo, as an aside, I thought your original CHL post was FP worthy.
posted by tommybiden at 12:24 PM on July 20, 2010
Knowing Weedy, I'm 99% sure it was a joke.
Knowing weedy, I'm 99% sure it was an invitation for an all Canadian cage match. On the undercard is chicobangs and qbert72 fighting it out over demeaning Quebecois stereotypes.
posted by holden at 02:20 PM on July 20, 2010
Knowing weedy, I'm 99% sure it was an invitation for an all Canadian cage match. On the undercard is chicobangs and qbert72 fighting it out over demeaning Quebecois stereotypes.
That's right. Pistols at dawn, Trumphole!
Just needling. I'm the worst member here. I only comment. My last FPP was March 2.... 2007. And it was an excuse for more Greg Maddux jokes.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:19 PM on July 20, 2010
Bring it on, tough guy ! ;-)
I was wonderin' .
And you're not the worst member, Weedy, definitely not the worst.
posted by tommybiden at 06:52 PM on July 20, 2010
Yes he is. Definitely the worst.
posted by NoMich at 07:59 PM on July 20, 2010
Yeah it's bad. It's times like this I thank God that at least I have this huge dick .
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:34 PM on July 20, 2010
Ditto the first few comments about enjoying the not-so-often-heard stories. I don't usually delve too hard looking for those, so it's nice to not have to delve for them.
And woot woot, Great Yahoo Member Influx of 2005! I was among that group. Five year reunion party, anyone?
posted by boredom_08 at 02:42 AM on July 21, 2010
posted by billsaysthis at 03:55 PM on July 21, 2010
Now I'm gonna show it to your sister.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:13 PM on July 21, 2010
Would that be considered a biological weapon under the Geneva Convention?
posted by apoch at 06:34 AM on July 22, 2010
The blogging model we use here, borrowed from MetaFilter, relies on users taking the time to find and share great stuff. There's a relatively small number of users doing that -- 56 users have posted 288 stories the past 90 days, not including me.
If you don't think the subject of a post is "front page worthy," the proper response is to share the next thing you find that's front page worthy. It isn't to criticize a link that someone else thought was worthy.
The model doesn't work if users stop thinking it is worth their time to post something. The site will shift to an editor-driven model where you get links from me and a few other diehards with thick skin.