What Do You Expect from the Mater? (1 Viewer)

[TSK]

To me, the ‘Mater is a place where big-name racers and no-name fans can hang out together and discuss our favorite sport.
That means there will, at times, be disagreements. And that’s OK. It’s human nature. It wouldn’t be a good place if everybody was required to have the same opinion.
But, what bugs me the most on any web site is when disagreements turn personal. That inevitably leads to each person trying to one-up the other. Before you know it, everybody has been drug into the mud. There’s just no excuse for it.
Unfounded rumors, or responses posted just to stir the pot, should be deleted. The owners and moderators of the ‘Mater are not bound by the First Amendment. It’s their game, therefore you must play by their rules. Don’t like it? Go form your own board.
For Don Schumacher, of all people, to bother to sign up much less post on here speaks to his passion for the sport. The man has been successful in drag racing for longer than a lot of people here have been alive. To trash him or anybody else, without facts, is just plain wrong. He certainly doesn’t need the ‘Mater in order to justify his place in drag racing history.
I have had only one dealing with Don and that was during qualifying at Memphis several years ago. I don’t expect him to remember it. But I certainly do.
I had a picture I shot of his Stardust ‘Cuda doing a burnout at the Tulsa National Challenge in ’72 and wanted him to autograph it. He was seated in his hospitality area, speaking with one other person. Normally, the hospitality area is off limits to fans. But, when I showed the picture to the guy checking passes and explained I just wanted Don’s autograph I was allowed in. I walked up to Don’s table and just laid the picture down. He stopped his conversation and asked where I got the picture. I told him I shot it and would like his autograph. Instead of hurriedly scribbling out his name in an attempt to get rid of me, we talked for a minute or two, and he carefully signed his name along with adding “Shoe”.
Then, unexpectedly, he thanked me for asking for his autograph.
At the risk of sounding sappy or star-struck, Don’s presence here , along with other “names”,also says a lot about the ‘Mater.
If people would just think things through before hitting the submit button, there would probably be a lot fewer skirmishes. And that would benefit everybody.

 

[SundayNiagara]

I am thankful for the don shumachers of our sport, we all should be. But Don, this is a place for opinions and discussion and most of the folks on here dont know facts. They are venting and spouting opinions. And i come here to hear those opinions and offer mine. And sometimes truth is told here .If along the way i learn a few things about drag racing thats great.. And i have learned volumes over the years. I like when Don comes on to give " his version of the facts''. but it kinda feels like when i was a kid and my friends father left the grown up discussion and played with us kids. it was fun to have him with us but i always felt like he was in the wrong group. And don when you come on here I always feel like you are talking with the kids and you should stay with the grown ups. But if you do come here dont tell us how much it hurts to read these baseless opinions and slanted half truths. Cause we all know that most of the talk on here is just that.. and if you dont want to get dirty dont go down into the mud of this forum

Post of the day!

 

[mick]

well known figure's comments are ALWAYS welcome and anticipated.
i also feel that well known figures have every right to defend their actions
via posting here or similar web forums; some of the anonymous comments
directed towards them should not go undefended.

copyright laws protect against libel via defamation; the time
is coming when these laws will alter to encompass public forums such as this.
in the meantime; self-policing, the golden rule and defending oneself
will have to suffice.

 

[mw6789]

I think it is fantastic that someone like Don Shumacher will take the time to post on this site---especially in light of some of the haters that love to take shots not only at DSR, but at Don personally. Racers are just like the rest of us---they all have good days and bad days. Too often, like the rest of us, persons are judged harshly because of an encounter that comes on one of those bad days. Most of the encounters I have had with the "rich and famous" folks at NHRA races have been very positive. A few jerks along the way, but as I said earlier, I may have caught them on a bad day. The insider information that Don Shumacher, Virgil Hartman, and others provide on this site is invaluable to us fans. Someone said earlier that he would post nothing that he would not say to a person's face. Sometimes key board jockeys are like road rage drivers----its real easy to be tough when you are hiding behind a steering wheel or a keyboard. Some of the things I have had said to me via emails and online communication probably would not be said to me in person (at least not but once). Being respectful of others too often is lost in cyberspace, and it is WAY too easy to just float out an untrue rumor and have it take on a life of its own. Too often it is forgotten that these "personalities" are real people with feelings just like the rest of us. I am sure had I had some of the things said about me and my business that Mr. Shumacher has had to endure, I would never darken the doorway of this site. I guess to sum up, what I would expect of the Mater would be for each of us to treat others as we would want to be treated. But to quote my father in law, "Good luck with that deal Son". Just my two cents worth--and probably overpriced at that.

 

[clwill]

In the spirit of the intention of this thread, I need to apologize. In the initial post I characterized the CompPlus forum based on old information. When I left there several years ago, it was a difficult place to be: dominated by one poster with 8 times more posts than the next highest person, largely unmoderated, and rife with political commentary. I haven't been back since.

I've received a PM that none of this is the case today, and that I painted with a broad and unfair brush. I cannot speak from recent personal experience, and should not have done so. I apologize if I offended anyone here, especially Bobby.

Chris

 

[Kris]

I have been pondering what to say for a while. I am no insider but I do on occasion have access to information and opinions that others may not be aware of, however, I have come here to build bridges and not burn them. As a result, I generally lurk, I tend to avoid the threads that are burning it up and will only post unless I have a well-formed opinion or fact based statement to offer.
When I first joined the 'Mater I found it more fun, less negative, but in the past two years it has been less fun a place to post or read. I still do visit almost daily to keep up with the goings on of the sport. I'm pretty busy these days between work and being a mom and wife.
Perhaps because I work for a newspaper, my public posts anywhere are always done with discretion out of habit, even on Facebook and Twitter.
I will continue to do that, visit, read and ask for input when getting ready for the Seattle race.
I appreciate the 'Mater for what it is and hope that it will continue to be a bridge to racers and fans. I don't have plans to set any fires around here, that's for sure.

 

[.]

How about a little, nay, a lot, less personal attacks on members.
You know, like namecalling?

Like this one

 

[willy]

How about a little, nay, a lot, less personal attacks on members.
You know, like namecalling?

Like this one

Geez, Greg..this is getting old.

 

[.]

Geez, Greg..this is getting old.

Geez david I don't post here much anymore, and have had zero interaction with the guy who decides to call names. For a good long time.

And just so you know, it gets old having some smart ass mock your last name, as if you cared Mr Mod.

But somewhow I am in the wrong? It comes off as though you condone it, not condem it.

And you wonder why people don't post here.

I'll go back to lurking and let drunken Joe keep pushing the mods and other members around. Evidently you don't seem to care. A new interface won't change that. I thought you guys wanted this place to be better than YB. I guess not.

 

[clwill]

How about a little, nay, a lot, less personal attacks on members.
You know, like namecalling?

Like this one

Point taken.

 

[.]

Point taken.

It ain't gonna change. I was foolish tot think it would.

 

[twostep]

Hi Greg, Carl here...

I've browsed through the first few pages of your post history and I gotta tell you, pal - you are hands down the most confrontational person I've seen in a long time. Is there anything you approve of? ANYTHING?

What purpose does it serve to come on this forum and start a fight....or make comments that you know damm well will result in one - then turn right around and denounce NM and its' members for flaring up at your words? Do you not realize that's what you're doing? Why are you so angry, my friend ?

I'm not going to call you a name, flame you or otherwise insult you as a person. But in all seriousness, you need to find contentment in your life somewhere. You're bitter as a dill pickle, and it shows.

Please, no "who are you, Dr. Phil?" replies. Thanks.

 

[.]

Hi Greg, Carl here...

I've browsed through the first few pages of your post history and I gotta tell you, pal - you are hands down the most confrontational person I've seen in a long time. Is there anything you approve of? ANYTHING?

What purpose does it serve to come on this forum and start a fight....or make comments that you know damm well will result in one - then turn right around and denounce NM and its' members for flaring up at your words? Do you not realize that's what you're doing? Why are you so angry, my friend ?

I'm not going to call you a name, flame you or otherwise insult you as a person. But in all seriousness, you need to find contentment in your life somewhere. You're bitter as a dill pickle, and it shows.

Please, no "who are you, Dr. Phil?" replies. Thanks.

Carl, I payed my dollar to post same as you. If you checked my post history you noticed I quit posting for a long time.

It is a bit obsessive that you went back and read my posts and then decided to offer your opinion of me. Maybe I will do the same of your posts when I tire of watching paint dry.

Don't act like dr. Phil if you don't want to be compared.

I don't know about you, but unlike drunken Joe, I have owned and driven my own race cars. Pretty quick ones for their time and what they were too, if I do say so. If that were a prerequisite to post here this place would have a lot less traffic.

I will return to lurking now rather than posting since you don't care for the tone of my posts.

 

[Kris]

And the thread has officially been derailed. Sigh.

By the way, I'm a mod on another forum, which I suspect is another reason I'm careful about how I post. But, I won't tell anyone how to run the place since I didn't ever volunteer to help.

But, I think we now have classic examples of exactly why I usually lurk.

 

[Buns]

Yeah, I haven't checked this thread since I posted in it and it seems that any thread, given the time, will devolve into an angry discussion and name-calling.

This isn't the first time that those who run this board have tried to counteract this trend but it doesn't look like it's going to change, unfortunately.

I guess I'll have to stop reading threads if they go past 2 pages since that's when the confrontation seems to start.

 

[clwill]

And, here we go. Plenty of fault to go around.

Carl, there was no reason to directly address Greg and personally diagnose him or his posts. Just let it go...

Greg, playing a victim doesn't engender much support.

I agree the name-calling was unnecessary, I'll point that out in the other thread.

Drag racing anyone?

 

[FuelFC]

Found this somewhere...


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[Draw 3D]

Every so often, this site goes thru the "how can we make it better" or "what do you expect" type of threads and almost everytime, including this one, it doesn't mean squat.

As I read some of these posts, it brings me back to my high school days when the local town whores would go to church on Sunday to make themselves feel better about themselves, just like some here with their posts. Prime example:

I'll go on record with this statement, and then I'm going to talk about what I think needs to take place on these boards. I'll no longer criticize Don Schumacher or any other racer, member or guest, unless I have reasonable and prudent information to back up what I'm saying. If I feel the need to further discuss a pressing issue or problem, I have no reservations whatsoever bringing the matter to God himself. However we've all spoken out of line and out of turn, myself included, and for those times I am truly humbled. Respect is due the seasoned champion or the 1-post newbie. We can do better; we should do better.

One of the longer-standing members posts an example of what they think is wrong:

How about a little, nay, a lot, less personal attacks on members.
You know, like namecalling?

Like this one

Then we get this IN THE SAME THREAD:

Hi Greg, Carl here...

I've browsed through the first few pages of your post history and I gotta tell you, pal - you are hands down the most confrontational person I've seen in a long time. Is there anything you approve of? ANYTHING?

What purpose does it serve to come on this forum and start a fight....or make comments that you know damm well will result in one - then turn right around and denounce NM and its' members for flaring up at your words? Do you not realize that's what you're doing? Why are you so angry, my friend ?

I'm not going to call you a name, flame you or otherwise insult you as a person. But in all seriousness, you need to find contentment in your life somewhere. You're bitter as a dill pickle, and it shows.

Please, no "who are you, Dr. Phil?" replies. Thanks.

I guess his statement of record is questionable at the very least?

Then a "mod?" posts this:

Geez, Greg..this is getting old.

The "mod?" attacks the person not who did the name-calling, no, he attacks the person who received it.

Question, why is this person still a mod? He has shown many times that he is not a neutral party when moderating.

Then we get this from a different "mod?":

And, here we go. Plenty of fault to go around.

Carl, there was no reason to directly address Greg and personally diagnose him or his posts. Just let it go...

Greg, playing a victim doesn't engender much support.

I agree the name-calling was unnecessary, I'll point that out in the other thread.

Drag racing anyone?

So now it is Greg's fault that he got called a name?

Then the same last "mod?" puts his foot down:

Joe, really, was the name-calling necessary, or even funny?

Nope

Yea, that's really putting the fear of God, huh?

This place has become a clique, if you are part of it, you can say or do whaterever, if you are not, you will get berated and called names.

I have seen what I thought were outright lies posted by people "in the clique" and when I call them on it, I get attacked because I'm not "in the clique" even though I am provern correct.

This place will not change until many of the "mods?" are replaced and everyone is treated evenly.

 

[.]

Hi Greg, Carl here...

I've browsed through the first few pages of your post history and I gotta tell you, pal - you are hands down the most confrontational person I've seen in a long time. Is there anything you approve of? ANYTHING?

What purpose does it serve to come on this forum and start a fight....or make comments that you know damm well will result in one - then turn right around and denounce NM and its' members for flaring up at your words? Do you not realize that's what you're doing? Why are you so angry, my friend ?

I'm not going to call you a name, flame you or otherwise insult you as a person. But in all seriousness, you need to find contentment in your life somewhere. You're bitter as a dill pickle, and it shows.

Please, no "who are you, Dr. Phil?" replies. Thanks.

Greg, playing a victim doesn't engender much support

I am not trying to engender support.

But, I will be go to hell to sit and and watch my last name be mocked, and then be scolded for the tone I take.

The mods have let it go on for a long time and still refuse to address the subject. Except when I am guilty of it, of course. Drunken Joe is free to do as he pleases, I guess.

I only mentioned that that is one thing I wanted out of this place here, because that is the topic of the thread.

if you are telling ,e it is acceptable for him, it is ok for me, right?

 

[twostep]

This place has become a clique, if you are part of it, you can say or do whaterever, if you are not, you will get berated and called names.

Count me out, hoss. There aren't 3 people on this forum that even like me. C'est la vie.

Now hear this. Almost without exception, people on this board, when asked what could be done to make things better, pointed out the need for members to engage in their own version of moderation, that is, respectfully standing up to troublemakers, rumor mongers and the like. I respectfully stood up to someone, who in my opinion, embraces every opportunity to ridicule or criticize a fellow member. I don't appreciate being labeled a 'town whore', either, so the member who compared me to one can respectfully pound sand. So, which is it? Do members address the situation or lay low and let the mods handle it? One just did and got body-slammed for his efforts.

Greg Moon, I can assure you I didn't flare up as a result of your request to cease and desist with the namecalling. What I said was not designed to offend or intimidate. It was designed to make you think, the same way your reply made me think. I'll say no more. I was respectfully asked to stand down and I shall.

Lord have mercy. If some of you would simply LISTEN to what others are saying instead of insisting on keyboard one-upmanship, it would go a long way towards smoothing the rough spots here at NitroMater.

That's it from here. I tried my hand at diplomacy. I'm not offended that it was summarily rejected. Perhaps it should have been. But I said what I meant and there you go. Now, as Williams posted, let's revert to talk of racing.