I have been wondering why others have had to start the game day thread in the absence of Russ.
I thought he should have let us know he can't do it an more ....assuming his health etc is OK.
DEAR CFF -
Some of us have been on this Board for 10+ years now… ever since Bill Stirrup of CHML got one going. He had incredible foresight for a man of his age. Russ is one of those originals who has become a true friend in terms of cyber practice.
We’ve laughed together, pm’ed each other multiple times with private insights and comments, and shared little bits of each other’s lives all while keeping just enough anonymity to have an air of mystery.
About 6-7 years ago Zuger 9 disappeared. We knew he was older. The loss of his wisdom was blow. Wilf was another one of the originals who had age claim his ability to participate. Tina - of various names (last Banshee) got tired of the fighting after 8 years and left. She was fun. Other stalwarts have also gone.
Russ, a much younger man, and a key contributor, disappears suddenly. We miss him. We actually care. His contributions helped shape part of the character of the Board.
To some of us this is not just a board upon which to comment… it IS a community. In person Russ and I would probably not want to spend all that much time together. We know how utterly different are our approaches to life. Yet we respect and care for each other. Others of us here share many similar relationships.
A community is a place where we worry about people that we care about. That’s just the way that some of us are like. Hope you can understand.
Mark, what a lovely post! Thank you for taking the time to express all those noble feelings so well, so precisely. I will re-read your post many times, because of its sincerity and truth. Well done!
I may not be one of the “Originals”, but I have been around here for some time. While on deployment to the Middle East about a decade ago, this community helped me to keep my thoughts “closer to home”. Mark, Wilf, Tina, Zuger 9, Crash, Vinnie, Russ, even Mikey03 for cryin’ out loud were all part of that community.
You’re pretty close to an original, Sig. Your times of loneliness and the struggles that you faced came though in your writings those days. We see the same things in the posts of others today. All people who can become truly community if we are open to it.
Gosh… Mikey. I even met with him at the old stadium once and he showed me where he had worked on the jury-rigged electricals. We could name so many names. couldn’t we? Being on this board and paying attention to the names reminds one of the flow of life.
I salute you, my friend, and others who are willing to put their thoughts and opinions and personalities on display here but who do so with understanding of the frailties of who we are as humans. Often pig-headed, opinionated, and foolish. But who around a common love of a game, understand a common love of humanity. Thanks for all your posts over the years… even for all the times that I knew you were blind stinking WRONG!
I get all that, but you’re confusing forum life with real life. People have lives and other priorities, and while it’s good to worry about members that take long vacations here - we can’t then turn around and try to get info they never offered us, you or anyone on their own.
My point is that it’s up to Russ to give you that info, not someone else. If you’re someone who feels private info should be shared by anyone, then I’m glad you don’t have my number.
You’re truly a delusional individual. Where in the hell do you get “liberal supporter” from? I have never claimed to be and am not in any manner the supporter of a cuckold’s son as PM.
I am no liberal, and you’re a delusional fool. You must be since you believe your own delusions as reality it seems.
Actually, I don’t want the info personally. I’m hoping that someone who has it can find out if there is anything we can do to help. Believe it or not, in the past I’ve made a trip or two to help someone who I only knew through the Board. (I know of others who have done this as well.) In one case the individual had aged severely and couldn’t even get onto the computer to let people know what had happened to him… although he wanted to.
I think, my friend, that part of the difference between us lies in your phrase, " I get all that, but you’re confusing forum life with real life." You see the two as distinct. I see ‘forum life’ as a SUBSET of real life. When I read the posts of Bobo, or BigCat, (or Dust or Chief on the main board) or even you, I wonder about who is on the other end. I read the post and seek to evaluate the content from the perspective of the person posting. Getting a mental picture of the one posting - especially if there have been p.m.'s and other contacts outside the Board - increases comprehension.
I think that the idea of pen-pals (a long faded phenomenon) was part of real life. So - to me - are those I meet on this board. Here I have pen-pals with whom I can communicate very rapidly.
Sometimes, when I read your posts, I wonder why you so often seem negative (from my perspective). I feel that you are quick to judge the posts of others and that you sometimes jump to conclusions. On the other hand, if you note my posts at all, you undoubtedly see me as somewhat flighty, potentially emotional, and certainly long-winded. Our interaction right now should help us understand each other more… if we care to try. You may not, as this is does not seem like real life to you. I do. You and every person on this board is quite real to me.
Some of the research on online interaction suggests that the tendency to not see the person at the other end of the post as a real human being is a causative factor in online negativity . Yet many people enjoy the anonymity and somewhat caustic exchanges found online. Others of us are softer and perhaps more wooly-headed. You’ll have to put up with us and we with you if we want Boards like this to continue… unlike the online comments sections of many newspapers that are being shut down.
PS - to reiterate, I’m hoping that someone closer to Russ than I can check to see if he’s okay. That’s all.
Couldn’t have said it better. I just read this whole thread, and if everyone had the same ideals a Mark than this forum would be a way better place to be around. This forum is much more than just posts and comments, without realizing it many have you seen me grow up and have definitely shaped my view on the game of football and taught me a lot, and reading these types of threads are what keep me around despite how frustrating the board can be nowadays.
CanadianFootballFan, I must say.. people like you absolutely ruin these boards for all parties involved. There has been concern about Russ for a while now.. disappeared just after the start of the season. It is natural human instinct to wonder if he's okay.. (though you wouldnt know this being the troll you are).. coming in here and attacking people who are just curious if their friend is okay is just low. Please find something better to do with your time.
Hi DogsFan- Thanks for the support but I do want to welcome CFF to continue posting. He’s said some pretty good things too (and I’ve said some stupid things in MY time). One person’s troll is another person’s astute and critical eye. (And I’m not a pollyanna. There ARE some real trolls here too.)
Like I said in my post, there are some real differences about how people view internet interactions. I do wish CFF had read my first post more carefully and seen that I was hoping somebody who knew Russ better could contact him. However, with all the concerns these days over privacy and anonymity it IS possible to latch onto a topic like this and let it override other considerations.
I think that our personalities come to life on the boards… sometimes we are MORE ourselves than we might be in person. So the silly, or the critical, or the reactive, just emerge and grow to giant proportions.
I am so grateful for the community on these boards. Your own intervention, for example, is part of the community trying to defend a set of standards and showing concern.
I appreciate all this… but in the end… I’m stinkin’ concerned about Russ. But hey, maybe he’s just off in Europe having a great time and will have some stories to tell. (If that’s the case, I’ll send him a pm blasting him when he gets back telling him he’s a jerk and should have let us know. )
I took a break from sports in general, so that included participation on this site. I am back. I apologize for causing anyone to be concerned -- there were some things I needed to attend to in my personal sphere and I did not stop participating with any time frame / plan in mind.