WestCoastJoe wrote:
Some of us fans are very friendly with Mike Beamish. And many of us fans like his writing style. He does his research. He writes about more than the football game.
As to his style as a writer, an English teacher of over 50 years (not me), and possibly the most loyal Lions' fan, will vouch for his writing ability. As he has to me a great number of times.
Another thing. We don't want insults towards other bloggers on this site. Mike Beamish does read these forums. And he does blog here occasionally. He is sixbeamers.
Mike Beamish and Lowell Ullrich get lots of respect from me. And from a great many of our long time members here. They are the lifeline to the team, especially for those that have limited access to the team.
I don't think anyone will stop you from saying critical things about our football writers (unless you go too far), but realize it offends some of us. I noticed your previous shot at Beamish. I discussed it with another Mod. He suggested that as a public figure, Beamish is fair game. Maybe so ... But he has friends and fans here. I personally consider him part of this website community.
Iain MacIntyre, Ed Willes, Cam Cole. Same for these guys. I read them all the time. It is always a pleasure for me to read about our team. On this website too, of course.
That thread you said you have thought of starting ... I don't know if that would fly. It would probably be a decision of the site owner whether to allow it. Personally I wouldn't much like it.
My view of interactions here are ... Treat it as if you are around a table with the other bloggers. That is just me. But I do like the generally civil tone here amongst and between bloggers.
The players and coaches, of course, elicit opinions both favourable and critical. When the team is winning, as we have seen the last year and a half, there is much celebration here. In bad times ... different story.
To our local sports writers
Wow! First, let me say that I think it's important to distinguish between
critical, as opposed to
insulting commentary. My comments about Beamish were based on my reading of his columns over a long period and represent my opinion. And I don't believe that they should be described as insults, but rather as considered criticisms, even if others disagree with the specifics. However, perhaps I went a little too far and, in the future, will try to be more specific and objective, and avoid subjective comments. More importantly, though, perhaps I need to learn a little more about the forum rules/values. Do you consider forum members "bloggers"? I had seen things a little differently. I thought that we were private forum members (not public writers) who were free to express our views about public figures like players, coaches, GMs, team executives, and, yes, professional writers and media commentators. If, by being classified as "bloggers," we are now equal to the latter, then I guess I see your point about not criticizing our own. (You have said that they--the writers and possibly other bloggers--are "part of our website community," something I hadn't realized.) However, by my understanding of "blogger," Beamish and Ullrich (a writer I like much better) are, in fact, bloggers, as is Glen Suitor (a guy we seem to be free to criticize)--but more importantly, they are professional writers and commentators--who, by making their views public by choice and occupation, open themselves to debate and criticism about those views. I had somehow thought that we were operating in a much more restricted, non-public, forum, where our views were about people outside our group.
I think whenever a public figure, most often a player, is criticized, there will be many who disagree with the criticism--who won't like it. The criticism will offend some members. I had thought that Tim Brown was getting too much criticism a while back (although I certainly wasn't offended by it) and started a thread to that effect, but my point wasn't that the criticism was insulting or inappropriate, or in any way, shape, or form, over the line; it was simply that I wanted to present another view of his performance. I guess you're saying that professional writers (or bloggers), and I guess we'll have to include TV media personalities too, fall into a different segment of public figures, and, because of their connection with the team, should be cut considerably more slack. You may be right. But I'd be interested in others' opinions on this too.
