On Rich Aurilia, Tony Womack and the RedsZone Whipping Boy du Jour

[Boss-Hog]

All,

I ask for a moment of your time to remind everyone about one of the founding rules of the board:

Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.

Speaking as someone who reads this site for enjoyment, it's gotten terribly out of hand the amount of insults, jabs, and such that the aforementioned players receive. In particular, I think it's silly the amount of times we've had a perfectly acceptable baseball topic - completely unrelated to said players - and a poster has single-handledly managed to remind everyone that Rich Aurilia and Tony Womack suck. Personally, I'm tired of seeing this because a). it's happening with increased regularly with topics that have absolutely nothing to do with either of these players, and b). I think it detracts from what this board was founded on and still prides itself on: intelligent baseball discussion.

By no means am I an apologist for either of these players, particularly Womack. Feel free to read past posts of mine, if you don't believe me. Trading for Tony Womack, let alone potentially making him your every day second baseman boggles my mind. IMO, it was a silly move by a man who is thankfully no longer the Reds' GM. However, whether you, I, or anyone likes it, what's done is done, and unfortunately, there's little that you or I can do to change that fact until he is released.

Am I saying you can't be critical when the inevitable occurs and the above players (or anyone else who takes on this role) stinks it up? No, of course not. You're more than welcome to be "intelligently critical" and I'll probably be one of the first to join you. But what I am tired of seeing is things like Tony Womack making a single out and the chorus immediately starts: "Why did we trade for him again?", "Why don't we get rid of him?" and so forth. As is often the case, most of this repeatedly comes from the same handful of posters. However, as I mentioned above, I'm especially tired of seeing this in threads completely unrelated to either of these players. Just as the rule states, you are more than welcome to be critical without beating a subject or players to death, as has definitely been the case here lately.

[Mario-Rijo]

I 2nd that. I come on here for the intelligent conversation and when I see post after post on Womack/Aurilia in general I ask myself don't we have more interesting things to discuss, let alone a raggin' on someone thread. Frankly it just grows old and boring.

[Johnny Footstool]

That's what happens when the offseason has been extremely dry and real games don't start for another month.

[KronoRed]

Grr..

I shall abide

[dougdirt]

Rich Aurilia isnt so bad.... but I do agree that some threads have been overrun with the "he knows how to play the game" stuff sometimes. Good post.

[Ron Madden]

I saw a thread with both Aurila and Womack in the title and came here loaded for bear...

nevermind.

[remdog]

Thanks for posting that Boss. I'm glad to see someone here recognizes that it makes the board less interesting to read.

However, it's been going on for a long time going back to names like Jimmy Haynes, Bob Boone, et al. The continual use of demeaning, trite nicknames (BaBoone, Jimmahy) by folks who thought it was clever was particularly juvenile and lowered the board to the leval of two 10 year olds trying to insult each other and coming up with nothing better than 'your mama wears combat boots'.

Even the mods here have ignored the guideline as it refers to players and have remained silent. Thanks for bringing the subject to the forefront.

Rem

[Wheelhouse]

Many thanks for the post---couldn't agree more.

[SunDeck]

As usual, Boss has the spirit of the board in mind and an uncanny ability to notice when the reins need to be tugged.

[RollyInRaleigh]

Thanks, Boss. Couldn't agree more.

[traderumor]

Just as the rule states, you are more than welcome to be critical without beating a subject or players to death, as has definitely been the case here lately.

:deadhorse

Emoticon added for effect

[redsmetz]

It's been echoed already, but you pretty much wrote what I was thinking yesterday. As a newcomer, I was a bit dismayed because my son had spoken about this board glowingly and I was surprised after joining to find I knew one of the moderators.

My feeling on Womack is exactly what this poster stated - awful, unexplainable trade, but we're stuck with the guy (I doubt they're going to eat that salary) and until he's gone, he's our player (what's that LBJ said about some dictator? - he's an SOB, but he's our SOB!) and as long as he's on the Reds, I want him to do well. Likewise, I think Aurilia was a smart pickup if he can keep his mouth shut and just play.

Of course, no play ever wants to just sit (unless, of course, you're the famed "Bench me or trade me" Chico Ruiz!). Even Super pinch hitter Jacob Cruz would like to play more. I wouldn't want a player who wants to be out there as much as possible.

I look forward to seeing the board that many of you have spoken of.

joe

[redsfan30]

Thank you so much, Boss! I've been posting less and less because it's just not fun when you have to read post after post about how bad Tony Womack is. And I'd throw Jerry Narron in there too. He makes one comment (tounge in cheek by the way) about Encarnacion striking out and he is automatically put on the chopping block by that same handful of posters you mentioned.

It brings the quality of the board down so much.

Thanks again!

[Kc61]

I really agree with the Boss-Hog post. I have always found curious how these two guys have become the outlet for everyone's anger about the Reds performance. You would have thought the lightening rods would be pitchers.

[westofyou]

You would have thought the lightening rods would be pitchers.

Or a catchers strikeouts.