I just wanted to comment on a few things that have come up here lately, primarily involving the ideals we've always been after on a board and what is and isn't acceptable.
Caveat: we have entrusted the mods to run things and defer to them. Just because I express my opinion doesn't mean I'm going to force them to agree with it. We asked them to do a job and we're going to let them do it unless there is a serious problem.
Here's the key to the board as I see it: it's okay to disagree and it's okay to criticize, but there's no need to get ugly about it. There are consistent questions/criticisms about Duke basketball and strategy and they come up on a regular basis. Okay, fine. But they can be discussed with good intent, and they can be discussed without ripping someone a new one. What's the point in that? If you have a serious disagreement with someone, please take it somewhere else.
I also think there's no need to beat a dead horse. When you make a point over and over again, it's just frankly a bore to read it time after time, and that's true no matter how brilliant the point is. If Isaac Newton sat next to you and told you the story of the apple all day long, we're guessing you'd get sick of his genius in a big hurry. If you just want to log on and say the same thing for weeks on end, you might be asked to take a break.
Our original idea was to have a kind of neighborhood tavern, and that everyone could hang out and have a good time. But that requires a level of civility and good will and a willingness to tolerate differences. And as long as people disagree politely, why should there be any problem?
Finally, there's been a bit of controversy over what you can and can't say about people's private lives, and at least one poster made an error in judgment (for which he has apologized and that apology was accepted).
Those sorts of things should be off limits or at least the limits that anyone imposes about their own lives should be respected by the rest of us.
In case that's not clear: if someone hasn't discussed aspects of their personal life, or if it's not being discussed as a news story, it's probably not right to bring it here.
But let's put all that aside and let's all get together on what we agree on: college basketball is the coolest sport there is, and Duke is the most fun team to be around! It's going to be a fun year. Those of you who haven't seen the team yet will get your chance next week, and we hope you'll see what the fuss is about.
