I hate doing posts like this, but after last night’s shit storm it’s unavoidable.
Listen — there is a time and place for political observations here. Sometimes politics and college sports intersect, usually in a regrettable manner. That’s fair game. And sometimes resorting to a political analogy to make a point is a reasonable thing. (In my opinion, that was the innocent start that set some of you off yesterday.) I’m not going to censor or boot people who want to discuss politics simply because… well, politics.
Unfortunately, for some of you, the introduction of any political topic is an invitation to wallow in the personal and lay in to others for the sin of disagreeing with your politics. I’m guilty of tolerating the bad behavior to some extent because I don’t like intruding on people’s politics, but it’s past the point of getting out of hand. It’s rude and it’s boring.
So here’s the deal. If you can’t read something here that makes a political point without feeling an overwhelming urge to go after another commenter on a personal level, before you begin tickling your keyboard with what you perceive to be a witty response, my suggestion would be for you to step away and take a walk outside, play with the family dog, see what’s for dinner or any number of other things that would lead you to cool off. Because otherwise, if you can’t help yourself, you’ll have to take it somewhere else besides this blog anyway.
There’s going to be enough grumbling over the football program this offseason to keep us occupied. I’m not looking for any more trouble than that. Please respect my wishes and we’ll all be happier for it.
That’s only my first point here. Regrettably, we were visited by someone last night by a first-time commenter who some of you took as a troll and others as a comrade-in-arms. He is neither.
He was banned as soon as I saw what he was posting and had the chance to backtrack to his blog. I want to be clear on one thing here. I’m as big a believer in freedom of speech as you’ll find, but I’m not going to put up with any form of outright bigotry here. Anyone who engages in that in the comments section will suffer the same fate as he did. If you don’t like that, tough. There’s a difference between speech and behavior. I look at the comments section as a place for guests to mingle and converse. I wouldn’t let you show your ass like that if you were at a tailgate or party I was hosting and I don’t see any difference simply because we’re not face to face here.
As for those of you who have a problem comprehending the difference between outright prejudice and a mere political point of view, I don’t know what to say, other than, just damn. Wake up.
Get The Picture 
Thanks Senator. That was definitely called for.
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+1000
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Well said, glad I missed it, I try to lay low when I know that none of us are particularly happy.
Keep up,the good work.
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+1.
I’ve learned to lay low. The Senator puts great effort into his blog. As guests here we should respect that and admire the skills it takes to maintain it. I know I do.
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Amen. I get as snarky as anyone, but I respect this blog and almost all of you fellow posters (I have one glaring exception). Here’s to a bowl victory and a civil offseason.
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I’m kind of intrigued now. Sort of like leaving to do some work with a 27-14 lead yesterday, I’m glad I missed it but also intrigued with how the train wreck happened.
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Reading between the lines here I feel like I’m catching the hidden meaning of this post. Sony Michel was averaging over 10 ypc headed into the 4th qtr and only had three touches after that. I think we’re on the same page here Senator. Michel has clearly been the best back since about week 3. What are the coaches thinking? Good post.
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The 4th quarter was disappointing in so many ways.
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I’d put it on part with the 3rd quarter of the 08 Tech game.
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*on par
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Great analogy. Seemingly in control, got complacent, Tech hits one big play and then all of a sudden it’s their game.
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CB who you got Bobo or Chaney LoL
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Schottenheimer and Hillary Clinton
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Funny you asked me that same question, and now you ask ( and rightly so) why SM does not touch the ball. Tom Herman would have come to UGA but we don’t even pick up the phone. Oh well good talking to you this year . I do find your blog to be well written and you make many good points. I’m a spread guy that believes in the run game first and foremost . I saw Paul Johnson do this in Stateboro where I went to college . Look at all the teams in the final 4 and you will see a variation of his O. Schott and Hillary is pretty dumb funny young man. Rock on bro. I’ll see you next year sir.
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I’m sick of turkey and dressing, and most of all, POLITICS!!!! Let’s concentrate instead on making UGA football great again! As UGA fans, we are stronger together!
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Man, sounds like I missed out. Sounds as if that’s a good thing
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Same here Heyberto, and I guess I am glad I missed it as well (I am usually a day or two behind anyway so most people probably don’t even see my comments !). Whatever happened, it was bad enough for the Senator to crack his whip. I think most of us feel the same – we do not want this turning into another ajc type blog, and I am sure the senator will not let that happen.
Good on ya senator, sorry it had to come to that though…..
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Losses to the trade school make strange bedfellows.
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Thank you, Senator, both for monitoring and taking care of those who abuse the privilege of commenting here and for reminding some that they could be a bit more civil in their discourse with someone with whom they disagree.
It is going to a long winter of discontent around these parts.
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unfortunately, some will firm anything into a political discussion. What I want to know is has Chaney been fired and if not, why? Not really sure how Kirby can see a championship coach in him. I hope Kirby isn’t gonna be that guy who refuses to cuter weight. Maybe I’m wrong and Chaney is a magical OL and another year of the process away from greatness.
Lord what a collapse and way to cap off the season. And against tech! This is gonna be a sour off-season for me and to think next season will have such a wonderful home schedule. I’m already cringing thinking about sending another check.
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Some will *turn
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Agree. Chaney is dead weight. Never has been much of a winner and I don’t see that changing considering his age and how much the game has changed and continues to change. Can’t say I’m a fan of his buddy Pittman either. It was easily the year’s best effort by the OL – but we still didn’t score as much as we should have, and we still lost.
Despite the debacle, I was pleased to hear Kirby say it’s on “us” (the coaches) and cut back heavily on blaming players.
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I don’t put this loss on the offensive plan. We had some drops at the most inopportune times. If a few of those catches for first downs are made, this is a completely different game. Also, when Aaron Davis and Mo Smith went out when we had Tech pinned deep in their own territory and the backup DBs were looking confused out there, we should have called a timeout to sort things out. That’s not on Chaney but on Smart. We don’t give up that TD and again, this is a different game.
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I’ll add one thing, it appeared that the 2nd string DBs were not ready for the triple option.
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I think Kirby gives him more than 1 year…. (and wasn’t Cheney part of the deal to get Pittman ? I could be wrong, wont be the first time…). If so he probably gives him a longer leash.
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GATA!
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That guy was weird for sure. Aside from the obvious, anyone using the word “sportsball” I want nothing to do with.
I also clicked on his blog for a couple seconds and felt like that was a couple seconds too long. Bye bye!
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Sportsball? Really glad I missed it.
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Just some racist dreck trying to look like sports comments.
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As I watched the kids staggering by on their way up the hill dejected, my daughter, a first semester Freshman, walked up mad. She was appalled at what Tech did to our hedges. She couldn’t believe it. That’s what bleeding Red & Black is all about. I wish we could bottle up that emotion and pour it out before every 4’th quarter and keep what happened yesterday from ever happening again. There are a lot of very talented Freshmen representing UGA this year and I hope they feel the same way she does. Next year will be different!
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Every year I want to beat those assholes by 50 points. Every single year.
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I thought that we had posted people all along the Hedges to protect them!? I must have missed seeing that and THAT really pisses me off! Our damn fans should have stormed the field to protect the Hedges at all cost…those damn squint ass maggots….
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I asked about that after 2014 and was told the security people are told not to cause an incident. Of course, the best solution is to close them out when we have a chance … neither of which we’ve done the last 2 games in Sanford.
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I thought about this after 2014. First, we need to whip their ass next year, then I would love to see our players go after that stupid car and start ripping pieces off of it to keep as souvenirs. The damages should be about equal to that of the hedges in 2014 and yesterday. Can you imagine, instead of BDS turf in his mouth, Ben Jones holding up the ripped-off gold door of that piece of shit in 2009?
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Good decision Senator, imo, it will certainly help keep the conversations more “on point” to what people visit for.
Now if we could find a way to limit the “for/against” Richt/Smart issue which has been lingering for exact;y a year now (although I admit it was probably fair game for at least a month or so.) It comes up whether related to the discussion or not and highjacks the line of discussion. Realize this would be more difficult since coaching is so intertwined but seriously, every comment isn’t a Richt vs Smart…neither hired or fired the other, best I can tell. Let’s discuss and evaluate Smart on his own choices/performance and not look for some “hidden agenda”. That is not to say some aren’t consumed by the subject but discussions should be judged on what facts and observations they make and not assumed to be an attack based in who should be the HC, we only have one, and their administrations did not overlap. You deal the hand you are dealt and try to improve, that is all you can do. And we need to find some way to improve before we fall into a TN type spiral. (Although that Vandy butt-whipping was very enjoyable last night!)
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I can’t bring myself to read any of yesterday’s comments, but thanks.
2016 has unquestionably brought out the worst in people.
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The worst in people is usually there anyway, but this football season has freed up a lot of our worst angels. Mine included.
And I am most assuredly not even a little bit surprised at the season. Well, maybe slightly surprised at times.
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@Scorpio: Sure have seen the worse in people in 2016. Politics and sports.
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Blutarsky, do yourself a favor and look in the mirror. If this place turned into a political shit storm yesterday it’s because you are guilty of fanning the flames.
Over the years you’ve engaged in a one man CRUSADE to change the face of college sports based on your naive and foolish political leanings. Instead of posting the occasional story or point of view on pay-for-play, you make it a staple of this site, so when people pick-up on the political overtones and sarcasm then turn this place upside down, don’t sit on the couch and look all mystified. Last nights posts are a reflection of your personal style, so when the more unsavory elements of web culture come to troll it’s because you’re a political enabler. Don’t believe me, then spend some time on BI’s blog and contrast it to yours. Night and day!
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All righty, then….
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There you go again…
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You think my personal style is to insult people who disagree with my politics? Or to engage in bigotry?
I know that you have disagreed with my stance on how college athletes are treated. I’ve got no problem with that. Again, you’ve never been censored here, nor have I stopped you from commenting.
The idea that my taking a stance you disagree with is license for people to come here and show their ass to me or GTP commenters is garbage.
By the way, I’m anything but mystified, brother. I get exactly what’s going on.
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It is his blog and we are guests if you don’t like his posts why come here to read? Thank you Senator for your graciousness when posters turn into boors. I appreciate your insight into Georgia football. I also enjoy most of the posters even when I do not agree with them. The name calling is juvenile and we are all grown ups here and we need to act like it. We all need to turn the page and support our team and coach.
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By the way, DB, I’ve got a lot of respect for Bulldog Illustrated. But they do what they want and I do what I want. It doesn’t seem to have much of an effect on your visiting GTP, does it?
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I would like to be the first to nominate DawgByte for a life award.
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Eh, he’s okay most of the time. He just feels very, very strongly about one subject I disagree with him about.
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So the “naive and foolish political leanings” he speaks of…that’s sports politics, right?
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Yeah. When it comes to college sports and players, he’s more of a socialist than I am. (That’s a joke, BD. Sort of, anyway.)
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Ahh, good. I was afraid the House UnAmerican Activities Committee was about to investigate GTP or something.
But, to a more important point: How bout them Dores…did you see what they did there? 😀
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Oh…Pornstache is a Jonah. Please God tell me he is not going to replace Tucker if Tucker takes the Ga State job.
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Yeah, I’m a card carrying Socialist…. the gold Obamacare plan for all Div. 1 football players! ;-P
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Me?
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You pinko, been outed now haven’t you? Go on down to Fidel’s funeral, you can probably catch a direct flight out of Tusky these days.
Hey, what’s up with that offense? The Tide actually looked vulnerable against LSU and he first half of the Iron Bowl. Need to get it worked out before Saturday, we need someone to live vicariously through for a few seasons. If Junior leaves, boy do we have an experienced OC for you guys. Could greatly accelerate Sankey’s desire for parity.
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I’m dyslexic sometimes. Sorry ’bout that.
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You misspell lexdyslic sometimes also.
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As someone who pretty regularly disagrees with the Senator’s political views, I have to say: I don’t see how he bears any responsibility at all for the sort of insane shit that “Angry Anglo” was spouting off last night. (Assuming that’s who we’re all talking about … ?)
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Point number two was directed at him, yes.
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I like this blog. I like it a lot.
With that said, there is a decidedly liberal twist to this blog that isn’t just limited to Pay for Play. I can recall a lot of conversation on the Religious Freedom Act as well. Further, there is more than a commentor or two that have been given carte blanche to hurl a lot of liberal hyperbole for some time.
It’s his blog, so he can set whatever guidelines he likes and they don’t even need to be fair and balanced as far as I’m concerned (not that my concerns are even a concern).
But I would agree, that there had been a certain amount of invitation to political trolling on this blog which shouldn’t make it unexpected.
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Just curious, but I don’t understand how what you term Pay for Play is liberal kant. Are you saying a more conservative view would be that paying people for work done is not a good thing?
Just askin.
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Scorp,
I tend to agree with you in the regards of the subject matter, it’s the manner in which it’s presented that probably inclines me to liberalism into these posts.
Most of the time the tone of the posts present from a social justice warrior perspective, with the scholarship athelete presented as the poor plantation worker and the coach or NCAA playing the roll of cruel, slave driving master.
Having had two nephews graduate from an Ivy League and southern Ivy League school (respectively) ostensibly on sponsored placement achieved from a combination of academics and football prowess, it’s disingenuous IMO to paint the relationship that way.
It’s the same tired old line that you hear parroted from the Stephen A. Smith’s of the world and from the Adrian Petersons that declare athletes to be “modern day slaves”.
Frankly, if the discussion were had with a less accusatory tone without an appeal to classism through creating “victims”, it probably would be an interesting topic if it were actually broken down with an economic analysis. I have long contended that pay for play can’t exist because of the economic realities the universities face and what the subsequent co sequences would be for college athletics.
Because of equal protection and Title IX law, the simple concept of “football’s big money in the Power 5, pay the players” isn’t truly a discussion of the issue. Though many other commenters have touched on this, the only response and blogging in this direction tends to be from the “pay them because they are mistreated” slant, which invariably sticks in the proverbial craw of many people.
It’s the same classist rhetoric of Occupy Wall Street, only with Kirby Smart and Nick Saban in the roll of greedy millionaire capitalist and the ball players as the minimum wage fry cook.
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Letting the players have control over their names, likenesses and images wouldn’t affect the schools in the slightest.
And you misrepresent my position, which doesn’t surprise me. My stance has nothing to do with social justice and everything to do with letting the free market handle student-athlete compensation, just as it does every other American.
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Senator-
I respect your position and your opinions.
If I misrepresent your intent, I apologize. I can’t really tell you what you meant, I can only tell you how it reads at times.
Perhaps I am alone in reading your blog this way, I do not know.
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Seriously, man, I think people jump to conclusions about player compensation because of an innate sense that they don’t want college players paid. It’s an aesthetic opinion that I understand. Hell, I was there myself a few years ago. But it’s not realistic for me anymore because the schools and the NCAA aren’t what they once were.
And if you honestly don’t know what I meant when I posted, then you haven’t been reading me carefully enough. I know that I’ve bleated about the free market on a regular basis. That’s also at the heart of the various antitrust cases the NCAA has been fighting.
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I solicit your opinion from the unwashed section. Exactly how can players be paid without killing CFB? How can the universities technically issue money to their college team undergraduate players and continue to have an NCAA that they support as a member school? How can anyone stop the increase in money given to players by individual schools who see it as another competitive category in CFB and rachet up higher sums to sway the thinking of HS students?
If I had answers to those questions, I’d be shouting from the top of the heap (well, at least parked to the side and calmly eating a cookie) supporting their getting paid. We know that many players (and nonathletic students) don’t have money to appreciate a social life while in college. I’m all for anything to enhance their experience socially in college and later socially in life.
There are no sarcastic words used in this posting.
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For what it’s worth, I happen to agree with you on names, likenesses and images. That’s from a pure capitalist perspective
Inside he bubble, however, even that creates problems in that obviously a player is more likely to garner marketing dollars at USCw then they are at USCe.
Frankly, though the post from the troll was Incindiary, I tend to agree with one nugget from it and that is that players should be given an alternate path into a minor league football league. The idea that players need to be out of school for three years in order to earn a living in their chosen profession is draconian in nature, as is the “one and done” rule in basketball. Baseball is one of the few sports that has it correct.
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Baseball is different because of purely historical reasons. And if we’re talking economics here, it makes no economic sense for the NBA or the NFL to pay for player development when they get that for free, something that the schools have been able to exploit for their own benefit.
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I guess that’s where we disagree fundamentally.
I don’t see where the schools have been able to “exploit” player development into any sort of benefit, in most cases. Only a handful of athletic departments are able to operate at a break even or profitable level. Most require subsidy from the general fund and forced participation through student activity fees.
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LSU promoted Ben Simmons’ arrival to its potential ticket base before Simmons enrolled. What would you call that?
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“In most cases”.
Only 24 ADs turned a profit in 2014.
Only 20 in 2013.
The median FBS school spent $14.7 million to help subsidize its athletics department in 2014, up from a little more than $11 million in 2013.
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You realize how those numbers are juggled by the schools, right?
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In a “free-market economy”, what happens to employees at businesses that lose $10 million a year?
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If your point is that certain schools shouldn’t have athletic departments, you’ll get no argument from me. But that doesn’t refute the point that compensation should be set by the free market, not by collusion.
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Ahhhh…that pesky little phrase…”student-athlete”
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Walter Byers’ gift to humanity.
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Pardon the typos. I’m on a smartphone and mixing drinks at the same time. 😉
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Why is posting a well reasoned and articulated opinion about sport/political topics an invitation to troll? Seems like you’re normalizing trolls and assholes just because someone talked something with a hint of politics.
Put differently, no, it’s not an invitation to troll. Most folks on this blog can handle a little back and forth and make reasonable points. When people can’t, they should be banned. And the Senator should be the one to figure that out.
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HUH ??? Never mind….
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Senator, sir, we could all learn a positive lesson from your patience, thanks for policing.
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During the week there’s a bunch of regulars on here that usually post thoughtful stuff (with plenty of healthy disagreement thrown in). Then we win or lose on Saturdays in the fall and two camps come on here and take it over. I barely ever recognize anyone posting on here on Saturday nights. Which is why I don’t really read the comments here on Saturdays.
Ban every last asshole that comes in here pissing on your rug. This isn’t a government run blog and you have the right to kick anyone out that isn’t playing by the simple and fair rules you set up.
Thanks for your hard work. Sorry you have to herd cats.
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Thanks, Senator. Though I’d be very happy if this were a politics-free zone, but that’s not my call. I just use the scrolling function. 🙂
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Thank you.
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I’m a relative newbie here, so I don’t yet have a fully developed feel for what is allowable and what’s not. I do think, though, if you allow any political comments at all, you can expect the occasional episode like last night. Human nature being what it is, some people just can’t restrain themselves.
I know that I have had to bite my tongue a few times at comments I have seen here during the run up to the election, including some of yours, Senator.
I am an active member of another affinity forum (a certain brand of guitars) which allows no discussion at all of a number of topics, politics being one. A long-term well-regarded member was banned this week because he just couldn’t stop himself from posting comments about one of the presidential candidates. He meant it all in fun, but as someone said, “One man’s political humor is a slap at another man’s closely held political beliefs.”
That forum may not be quite as lively as it might be otherwise, but it sure does stay wonderfully focused on the subject matter for which the members actually go there. And frankly, if I want political debate, I will look for it elsewhere than a forum about guitars, or a blog about UGA sports, for that matter.
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No argument there. But as I said in the post, there are times when politics and sports intersect.
And I don’t accept the blame for someone posting racist dreck in the comments because of the occasional political post here.
As for your personal preferences regarding political commentary, nobody’s making you read it. Scroll past to subjects that are of interest to you. Lord knows I post plenty of football related matter here.
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I know how we can all agree on politics. I say someone talk McGarity into running for Govener or President and he should start campaigning now full time.
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Just not GA or the United States. Right? I hear there’s an opening in Cuba and they seem to share some procedural idiosyncrasies with BM. Hope I’m not treading the political curb Senator.
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“hurl a lot of liberal hyperbole” right
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right on
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Since I missed this yesterday, must have been pretty bad. As this is the Senators blog, it is his right to ban anyone he wants. Hell, I would do the same. Most of the back and forth, I have seen on here has been just fine. No need to put up with bigots or crap.
If one does not like it, change the channel.
That said, keep up the good work. Read Jim Wright’s disclaimer on his blog site-he lays it right out.
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Be glad you missed it. It was bad. Some new name popped up and posted very fringe group political comments. That led to some frequent commentators turning on each other to the point one talked about having sex with the others mother.
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@Gas: Well now I am really glad I missed it. YIKES!
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Man, it sho do seem what used to be only the loony fringe has become the new mainstream. Or is it just me?
For the first time, maybe ever, this political season has empowered the angry white guy who has been grinding his teeth in fury for years to stand up and make a fool of himself before all the world. (that assessment is not pointed at anyone in particular)
I do not know which is worse, losing to fucking Tech or suffering through the comments afterwards.
Wait, yes I do, I can bypass the comments.
Change is never easy.
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@Scorpio: The Tech loss goes away, some of the fringe stays around. That is not good. And I do not point at anyone in particular, I take that back, most of my relatives.
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