Dear DBR

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I assume one of the moderators has ultimate control over the forum.

I don't believe there's an "ultimate" authority, but I could be incorrect.

[JasonEvans]

Who is the owner of the DBR forums?

This website and the forums are owned by SB Nation. It was owned for many, many years by several Duke fans who put in a ton of work to make it what it is. Despite owning it, SB Nation has almost nothing to do with the day-to-day operation of the site, instead allowing that to fall to one of the former owners who provides most of the content to the main DBR pages. That owner, in turn, has very little to do with the DBR forums. Instead, he has designated about a dozen folks (including his brother) to oversee the boards and serve as moderators. Some of the moderators have more "power" than others but we largely spend our time here making sure the community is civil and welcoming.

[hustleplays]

I am growing weary of some of the posters here telling other posters how to feel about the frustrations many of us have over the current men's basketball season. It is a forum. It is not expected, or rather, it should not be expected that we all agree. It is almost chilling to see some people telling others that maybe they should seek different outlets for their frustrations. People don't need to be lectured or called names. Stop projecting. One of the problems is that the college game has been seriously overexposed. Expectations (of players and fans) are unrealistic and we continue to see issues caused by the American evolution of the game which focuses on flash over fundamentals. Many of us don't know each other personally and don't know what's going on in the personal lives of posters. I have cancer, for example. Please stop telling others how to feel. Stay safe and well. Let's Go Duke!

Dear peteandpete, Thank you for your thoughtful post.

Most importantly, please beat your cancer. We are rooting for you.

hustleplays

[jv001]

Dear peteandpete, Thank you for your thoughtful post.

Most importantly, please beat your cancer. We are rooting for you.

hustleplays

Hear hear. Still praying for you peteandpete.

GoDuke!

[Skydog]

I see a couple of different dynamics going on:

There are posters who emotionally overreact, lose all balance, and bash the team and players and/or predict doom and gloom any time the current result isn't to their liking. Their over-the-top negativity in both the chat room and post-loss threads gets tiresome fast.

There are other posters who go in the opposite direction and overreact any time a poster is at all critical of a player, the team or the coach. Even specific and reasoned criticisms are met with hostile sarcasm along the line of “so, you think you are smarter than the coach who does this for a living?” Some posters seem to automatically assume that any criticism of the team comes from an emotional overreaction like described above. But that just isn't true.

I try to read around the first group of posters but sometimes I can't stop myself from calling them out. And as an overly analytical type, I often find myself having to defend myself against the second type who come after me when I say anything critical, even if the criticism is specific and based on observable examples and/or data. The second type of posters seem to equate all criticism with disloyalty, a view I disagree with completely.

I don't know the answer to how one should deal with these dynamics. My approach so far is to sporadically speak up if I think someone is repeatedly bashing the team or the players excessively. I will also stand up for myself if I think someone is bashing me for pointing out specific flaws I think I see in a player, coach or strategy. I don't know if this puts me in the class that peteandpete is talking about. At least I don't tell posters they should go elsewhere.

But I do sympathize with the sentiment from time to time!

[Furniture]

I see a couple of different dynamics going on:

There are posters who emotionally overreact, lose all balance, and bash the team and players and/or predict doom and gloom any time the current result isn't to their liking. Their over-the-top negativity in both the chat room and post-loss threads gets tiresome fast.

There are other posters who go in the opposite direction and overreact any time a poster is at all critical of a player, the team or the coach. Even specific and reasoned criticisms are met with hostile sarcasm along the line of “so, you think you are smarter than the coach who does this for a living?” Some posters seem to automatically assume that any criticism of the team comes from an emotional overreaction like described above. But that just isn't true.

I think this is a great summary of what goes on. I have been reading and posting on this forum for over ten years and I have had one or two infractions for over reacting. LOLs and sorry mods. Anyway, I would not be surprised at all if DBR is exactly the same in another 10 years…..

PS. I had enough of the Chat room years ago. What goes on there in a Duke loss gives me anxiety.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I think this is a great summary of what goes on. I have been reading and posting on this forum for over ten years and I have had one or two infractions for over reacting. LOLs and sorry mods. Anyway, I would not be surprised at all if DBR is exactly the same in another 10 years…..

PS. I had enough of the Chat room years ago. What goes on there in a Duke loss gives me anxiety.

Re: your PS - what happens in the first half of a comfortable Duke WIN can be anxiety inducing. It's like in-game threads on steroids.

[budwom]

I like to avoid the boards after a loss, just too much emotion going on...

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I like to avoid the boards after a loss, just too much emotion going on...

I never visit the forum. Too toxic for me.

[OldPhiKap]

I avoid post-game threads after a loss for the most part. And I gave up on live chats. I don’t need the negativity.

When I do read the threads, I tend to only read the posters I know. No offense to the infrequent posters, but it sure seems a lot of the most negative crap comes from someone with a pretty thin posting history. Hard to separate the honest lurkers from the trolls, so I just skip it all. I hope the honest lurkers post more often and build some rep!

[Dukerulz]

I’m an infrequent poster and a lot of my posts are critical of something. I’m pretty sure I have been sporked in the past and I survived it. I’m thick skinned and negative posts affect me very little. I hope that this forum isn’t censored to death going forward. If so, I probably just won’t read it.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I’m an infrequent poster and a lot of my posts are critical of something. I’m pretty sure I have been sporked in the past and I survived it. I’m thick skinned and negative posts affect me very little. I hope that this forum isn’t censored to death going forward. If so, I probably just won’t read it.

IMHO - this forum is just as moderated now as it has been for 15 years.

[ClemmonsDevil]

IMHO - this forum is just as moderated now as it has been for 15 years.

Agreed. I wouldn't want it to be any more or less curated than it is now.

[DoubleBlue]

Agreed. I wouldn't want it to be any more or less curated than it is now.

I often self-censure by refraining from negative or snide remarks that might pop into my head. Its much less stressful.
I especially don't post anything political since my views are not generally consistent with the consensus here.

[Skydog]

I...
I especially don't post anything political since my views are not generally consistent with the consensus here.

You're Rastafarian?

[DoubleBlue]

You're Rastafarian?

Exactly!

[ClemmonsDevil]

I often self-censure by refraining from negative or snide remarks that might pop into my head. Its much less stressful.
I especially don't post anything political since my views are not generally consistent with the consensus here.

Better on the basketball side at self-censuring than on the political thread.

[DoubleBlue]

Better on the basketball side at self-censuring than on the political thread.

Yeah, too rich for my tastes. LOL

[ClemmonsDevil]

I don't believe there's an "ultimate" authority, but I could be incorrect.

I am the ultimate authority on meats.

[Nepos]

You're Rastafarian?

Or possibly pastafarian?

Flying Spaghetti Monster, Über Alles