penguinpower,
Very good post. Some people seem to have trouble understanding this is not a cheer-leading site. Nor is it a site for everyone to agree with each other. Sites like this work best when people can give their opinions, voice their displeasure, approval, and whatever else they wish to express, provided it is not an attack on a coach, administrator, student-athlete or another poster of a PERSONAL nature.
This is a board to discuss sports at a Division 1 University. If any players, coach's, administrators read this site and cannot handle criticism and frustration from fans, then they had best stay off the site. Criticism is part of the territory. We praise these same people when they do a good to outstanding job, so I have never understood the problem with being critical when the performance is below expectations? Again, as long as the criticism is confined to job performance, then it comes with being a part of a sports team at the Division 1 level. If it becomes attacks of a personal nature having nothing to do with the job at hand, that is when the line is crossed.
I also read and post on the UNLV message board. The conversations on there have very little in the way of childishness and name calling. There is disagreeing, but it is a site where people can voice their opinion, and where there is a wide range of opinions voiced. Sometimes the discussions get into somewhat heated debates, but it does not turn into personal attacks akin to those made by children in grade school.
This site has lost multiple posters who provided insight, opinions and helped in having some interesting discussions. And, with the way things are going, it would not surprise me if other people stop posting. Despite what some people might think, that would NOT be good for this board. Who wants to participate on a message/discussion board where everyone agrees with each other, and people who voice dissenting views/opinions have to deal with being called names, get deemed to be not a "true" fan, and other things that people get accused of and/or have directed at them buy a handful of people who post on this board.
Thank you again penguinpower for the well written, well thought out post.