dbr
09-30-2009, 02:14 PM
Folks, we want to talk about an issue that is becoming increasingly problematic. It has been a longstanding policy that rumor-mongering is strictly prohibited, especially when applied to potential recruits. That includes both unfounded speculation and - this is important - invasions of privacy. We take some of the blame for the current situation; we have not been as attentive to these concerns as we should have been. That will change going forward, though.
We recognize that recruiting is a speculative business. But there are lines - some clear, others blurry - that shouldn't be crossed. We're going to be taking down posts that cross those lines, and there are a lot of them. Note that some posts that are perfectly fine will be lost, too, as they no longer make sense because they refer to deleted posts. Due to the number of posts, we can't PM each poster individually. Also remember that we, as the owners of DBR, give our full support to the moderators. Moderator actions are final and not subject to debate on the public boards.
Below are some general examples to help you avoid future problems, but some of this comes down to Justice Stewart's famous definition of pornography: We'll know it when we see it. If you follow these guidelines, we'll all be in much better shape:
Let the staff handle the recruitment, period. This is not a place to come up with clever ideas on how to lure someone to Duke. That's the staff's job. If they need your help, trust us, they will ask. Otherwise, that's just not stuff you want up on a public forum, especially when NCAA regulations are really tricky.
There's a fine line between an "enthusiastic, supportive fan" and "obsessed fanatic." Think about your post and how it might be viewed by a kid/family member reading it. Avoid invasions of privacy (stuff about spotting kids somewhere, what they're wearing and subsequently reading into it), begging/pleading, obsessing about deadlines, and rampant speculation.
Let's all dial it back a bit. Feel free to analyze and discuss recruiting, but do it with a sense of perspective and decorum. And save the obsessing for the privacy of your own home.
We recognize that recruiting is a speculative business. But there are lines - some clear, others blurry - that shouldn't be crossed. We're going to be taking down posts that cross those lines, and there are a lot of them. Note that some posts that are perfectly fine will be lost, too, as they no longer make sense because they refer to deleted posts. Due to the number of posts, we can't PM each poster individually. Also remember that we, as the owners of DBR, give our full support to the moderators. Moderator actions are final and not subject to debate on the public boards.
Below are some general examples to help you avoid future problems, but some of this comes down to Justice Stewart's famous definition of pornography: We'll know it when we see it. If you follow these guidelines, we'll all be in much better shape:
Let the staff handle the recruitment, period. This is not a place to come up with clever ideas on how to lure someone to Duke. That's the staff's job. If they need your help, trust us, they will ask. Otherwise, that's just not stuff you want up on a public forum, especially when NCAA regulations are really tricky.
There's a fine line between an "enthusiastic, supportive fan" and "obsessed fanatic." Think about your post and how it might be viewed by a kid/family member reading it. Avoid invasions of privacy (stuff about spotting kids somewhere, what they're wearing and subsequently reading into it), begging/pleading, obsessing about deadlines, and rampant speculation.
Let's all dial it back a bit. Feel free to analyze and discuss recruiting, but do it with a sense of perspective and decorum. And save the obsessing for the privacy of your own home.