Please Read Eddie

[MarkT]

Eddie, as Collingwood President and a poster to this site, you are no doubt aware of the importance to a small but significant group of loyal Collingwood members and supporters. You and others have documented some of the significant events that have transpired on this board. Whilst not all posts have been flattering to various administrative and on-field issues, I'm sure you will agree that all but very few posts have been motivated by our mutual love of The Club.

I have a simple suggestion.

Can the Collingwood Football Club copy the contents of this Bulletin Board electronically, or even in print if that is not possible, and:
firstly, preserve a piece of frontier internet history in AFL and CFC terms, and;
secondly, provide a link on the Official CFC site for interested parties to peruse the pages in years to come?

There is an opportunity to be both proactive and innovative in preserving a small piece of "our" heritage and at the same time recognise the efforts of Mike and Nick (again) as a symbol of what The Club can do for it's own.

Whataya say Ed?

[Sly]

You know, with no disrespect intended to Collingwood, the new Official Site is pretty mundane and cumbersone. Actually, it's not just Collingwood's Official Site, but all the ones done by the same company. I've heard the same complaint(s) from the same people, Collingwood and non-Collingwood (about their respective Club's Official Sites).

I suggest Eddie be totally innovative, as he has been in most things regarding the administration of Collingwood, and suggest he put Mike on the payroll to provide the Official Site.

Sorry, Mike, probably not the sort of post you want to see here in this Site's last few days (and I'll understand if it suddenly disappears), but I'm sure everyone thinks it anyway.

Later,

S.
The Last Remaining Bad Guy.
The Incandescent One.

The Collingwood Rant.
RANT!
The AFL Ranting Board.
Don’t believe the Facts until you’ve read the Rants!

[Black_White]

I do not think it is possible for Collingwood to "officially" run this site or a clone site.
CFC have a commercial arrangement where they recieve money to have announcments and access to personal exclusive to their "home" site.
This arrangment makes it a breach of contract if CFC runs any competing site.

-Craig

Welcome to 2002! The year of the MAGPIES!

[MarkT]

I was not suggesting CFC run the site. I don't think an organisation like a football club can run an effective bulletin board because of the legal issues and moderation etc. stifling controversial issues, negative posts about legitimate club concerns etc.

I was suggesting they archive the contents and allow access to them as a record of historical significance to CFC.

In the alternative, perhaps another Collingwood site could archive the BB. I have no idea if it is possible or practical being the 'puter dill that I am.

[Mike]

Mark

Just to reassure you. All the databases used on this site are secured by backups in numerous locations - as are the posts that have made up both versions of the Bulletin Board (1997 - 99 and 1999 - current) and the Guest Book.

All the info that has been stored over the years will always be available if the Club should ever want it for archiving or research.

Sly. Thanks for the plug, but I think Craig is right. When the Club establish commercial arrangements for IT and web services it most likely hands the responsibility for all relevant activity to the contracted provider. It would be too messy any other way. My understanding of the Telstra agreement is that the Club will gain a significant financial benefit from the arrangement without having to commit resources. There is no way that an independant operation such as mine could compete in that arena.

I think Eddie probably broke the rules by asking Sportsview to link to us and promote Magpies Net on the official site and I think they did that reluctantly. That may have been a one off and not the sort of consideration that we should expect.

[PeterWH]

Hey Mike,if Eddie broke the rules ONCE he can do it again....The second most respected person on BB (you are the first Mike) and he cant break a rule.Arent rules made to be broken?????
Come on Eddie give the BB a hand.

PeterWH
PIES FOR PREMIERS 2002

[MarkT]

Glad to hear that Mike.

My concern is still that the BB be accessable as a record of "early" online interaction of Collingwod people and as a record of the achievements generated by/from this site. It is Collingwood history that should be jellously garded by Collingwood. I don't mean to infer that it is not "yours" either BTW.

Your retention of the files etc is good but how would my (future)grandchild access the records?

Anyway, time is against us and practicalities will decide the matter. Since we may never "talk" again, I would like to say thanks and more importantly, good luch and happyness to you and all those you care about.

Thanks,

Mark T

[Sly]

Just to trot out a few cliches:

"Anything's possible," and,
"Rules were made to be broken."

Ask Silvio Foschini, I'm sure he could tell you.

Mate, at the risk of offending our esteemed President (and this isn't directly at him specifically or personally) every Official Club Site out there, quite simply, sucks. The latest round from Sportsview don't suck as much, but they do tend to suck in a different way.

Sure, the Official Sites have to promote clinical impartiality and all that, but it's come with the expense of sterility. There's nothing "homey" about any Official Club Site. I know when I visit the Official CFC Website, it feels totally alien to me. It feels more like "home" coming here, or going to Hotty's, or Buckley's Surfers, or the Northern Army - and places like that.

There you feel the essense and spirit of the guy who's invested himself into the Webpage for Collingwood. The maroons (read: morons) running the Official Websites have no such affiliations or vested interests; they're paid to do a job, and that's what they do, and it shows.

Just as yourself and Nick have put so much of yourselves into this Site, you feel it, and it's welcoming, like going to the Pub pre-game to meet all the regulars. You anticipate that feeling, that aura, and revel and excel in it.

At any rate, I'm getting too preachy, so all the best Mike, (and Nick), with all your future endeavors.

Best Regards,


S.
The Last Remaining Bad Guy.
The Incandescent One.

The Collingwood Rant.
RANT!
The AFL Ranting Board.
Don’t believe the Facts until you’ve read the Rants!

[pants42]

Sly,Aways loved your work and your contribution to nicks cheers mate,once again you have not missed the bus well done ,GO THE PIES

[MarkT]

Sly, I agree with you about the official sites. I rarely visit for that reason. The reality is that you will never get an independant organisation to run a site that "we" would like to see.

They have to be efficient to make money which means homogonous products, they must be non controversial and most of they are not "believers". The last point is exactly what makes the sites you mentioned seem like home as opossed to the corporatised official sites.

CFC must have a web site these days but in realilty they can never have the type of site that ardent fans will flock to unless it is subcontracted to Collingwood people and they are given some real licence to be both creative and passioante. That is very unlikely for al sorts of reasons. Therefore we need the sites like this and thoses you mentioned to give the web a Collingwood Corner.

[Rowdy26]

I agree exactly with sly's comments. Pages like Nicks are definately much more welcoming than the official home page. It always made me curious attending games when they'd advertise the CFC official page and make comments such as its the most popular sportspage in the country, recieves more hits than....blah blah blah. I suppose its there to perform its job, it just seems as though that job is simply to sell products (which I know it has to) rather than encourage supporters to rally together.

Unfortunately everything has to be "proper" with official sites, even if it doesnt satisfy the fans. One example of this was the poor quality of photos available at one stage, particularly when they had that revolving cube thing that gave u small (need a magnifying glass to see them) pics of a few players. Fancy - maybe, practical and what the real supporters want - definately not.

A real Collingwood page that fans keep flocking back to would consist of basic ingredients such as Continuous updates (as it happens - not once a week or once a month) by dedicated people, be simple and easily navigatable, a place to interact with other maggies, and a good mix of information, pictures and all other things black and white.

Fans want to be able to get on the net and grab off a huge photo of Molloy they can use as a background for their computer. They want to see whos injured and cant play this week. They want to find out where they can meet up informally with others before or after the game. They want to spread there favourite Collingwood memory with everyone else. They'd love to hear Bucks talk to them every week telling them what he's upto and what he thinks regarding the upcoming round. These types of things create a sense of personalisation about a site. Like Eddie posting here its like "wow" someone is listening to me! My seemingly unimportant voice is being heard on this little site that belongs to me. Thats what sites like Nicks do, they make you feel as though they belong to you, rather than some large company or corporation. You dont need to pay extra money to enjoy special priviledges here - theres no such thing, everyone is an equal, we're all fans here due to our love of Collingwood and want to enjoy all things Collingwood without interference from the commercial world. I dont care if anyone copies what i say above, theres no copyright here as far as I'm concerned. Thats the advantage sites like Nicks have, and thats why people will continue to flock back to them.

Keep going Nicks and all those other fan sites. We know you put in a lot of time and effort to run them but they are truely appreciated by the collingwood people.

[Rowdy26]

oh and we definately dont want our site resembling sites like richmond or essendon or any other filth!!! but thats what u get when the site is contracted out to some large company that also produces other club sites.

[foxy]

spot on sly. at least the official page is better than it was a couple of years ago. it used to be so bad it was funny. they'd never even update the weekly team, and instead of photos of the players you'd get a shot of someone's bicep.

[Sly]

Foxy, I think the Site a couple of years ago was just trying to match the Team - a couple of years ago we were so bad it was funny...but, unfortunately, not in a humorous way!


S.
The Last Remaining Bad Guy.
The Incandescent One.

The Collingwood Rant.
RANT!
The AFL Ranting Board.
Don’t believe the Facts until you’ve read the Rants!

[ck_nd]

Rowdy 26 shared with us his words of wisdom: