Return To The Glory Hole (Need Your Input!)

[D82]

5 minutes ago, acowboys62 said:

Also...step 1 to pick up convo...change title to "Return to Glory Hole" 

Guarantee you hear from Matts, Slam, TO7, HT and Plan9 in under an hour. 

Suggestion noted. 

[Webmaster]

3 hours ago, The_Slamman said:

a few years ago the powers that be got out of control with bans

 

16 minutes ago, HDsportsfan said:

There are a few I'd ban the hell out of here if I could.

This is why being a forum admin is such fun.    Everyone see things with a biased lens based on their favorite team.   The Giants fan who is trolling the Cowboys fan should be banned.  The Cowboys fan who is trolling the Giants is just having fun.

The mods and I try our best to allow for a fun and entertaining environment for all our members.    We do a pretty good job of providing members a place to discuss football with rivals without all the bickering, insults, and garbage that are common on every other social media platform.    

I rarely ban members. It's something I hate doing, but I will if a member just won't listen to reason and follow the forum rules.  The vast majority have no problems and enjoying being able to discuss football without being attacked.   I know some members want the forum more strict and some wish it was less.  However, the rules aren't going to change.   

I think it would be best to move past forum administration, bans , and trolls and come up with ideas on how members can enjoy the Cowboys forum more.  

What are some things you'd like to see more of in the Cowboys forum?  I'd like to see more new topics started.  Members have gotten in the habit of only posting in a handful of topics.  For example having one 'Training camp' topic.  That's fine for minor news, but don't bury a good discussion about a new rookie on page 20 of this general topic.  Start a new topic instead.  

[D82]

What Webby said guys. 

Don't focus on the negatives. Come up with some positives to get this place going again. I know we have a lot of great posters still around who were the reason this website became as popular as it once was. It would be great if they contributed their insights once again. 

[Webmaster]

Also, start using the new features.   Some forums have seen a big jump in activity already by using the new features.  Have fun  and embed content, update your profile, like posts, follow members and forums, use the activity feed.  

Here is something fun.  If you update your profile with your favorite team.  You can get a list of all members who root for that team and sort it by name, post count, or reputation.  Here are Cowboys fans listed by reputation.   Now follow some of your favorites and get notifications when they create new content.   You can get a push notification, a daily email, or a weekly digest of everything you follow.  

[D82]

3 minutes ago, Webmaster said:

Also, start using the new features.   Some forums have seen a big jump in activity already by using the new features.  Have fun  and embed content, update your profile, like posts, follow members and forums, use the activity feed.  

Here is something fun.  If you update your profile with your favorite team.  You can get a list of all members who root for that team and sort it by name, post count, or reputation.  Here are Cowboys fans listed by reputation.   Now follow some of your favorites and get notifications when they create new content.   You can get a push notification, a daily email, or a weekly digest of everything you follow.  

@Webmaster that is pretty awesome! 

[acowboys62]

Q&A sessions with the old tymers or new kidz on the block?  I feel like we used to do these back in the day, like 1 a week / two weeks. Obviously we will run out of posters but it would give some of the new guys a chance to learn a bit about the majority of the ancient old dudes like Slam and Plan and some of us old timers the chance to catch up with some of the older posters, see what they have been doing.

[acowboys62]

21 minutes ago, Desperado82 said:

Suggestion noted. 

Smart man...I hope those guys don't let me down.  I put my $ where my mouth is. 

[Webmaster]

2 minutes ago, Desperado82 said:

@Webmaster that is pretty awesome! 

The @mention feature is another great one to use.  Mention members to let them know you want their feedback.  

[Webmaster]

We have more planned for the future too.   We're going to be adding some forum games. Awarding more trophies and badges.  Expanding member profiles.  Updating and improving the content on the main site and much more.  The forum transition is hopefully just the beginning of the improvements at Football's Future.  

[Texas_OutLaw7]

Oh, there is a follow feature? Very neat. There are def posters I really enjoy reading their insight from. 

Going to be honest. A lot of the issues were a combination for me. I was in college, now real life has taken a lot of my time. And since I have lest time, I suffer less fools (sorry). I no longer care to engage with someone who doesn't want to have a real conversation. 

But the follow feature is awesome concept. Started it for Slam & HT. I know every time they post it is something I actually really look forward to reading - even if often we don't see eye-to-eye on an issue. I think that has great potential.

I think this place can return to form if we lax things up a bit. I am probably the biggest reason why things are funneled into specific threads. I made it a mission to clean up the clutter back when we would have 4 threads about 1 player & repeat post. It seems that effort had significant consequences. 

I still check in often. And will do so again once the league is in full swing. It probably helps to  be able to see the forum through phone now. Makes checking in easier. 

[Webmaster]

6 minutes ago, Texas_OutLaw7 said:

It probably helps to  be able to see the forum through phone now. Makes checking in easier. 

The mobile experience is the main reason we finally bit the bullet and paid the price (time and money) to upgrade the forum.   Now members can post from anywhere with ease.   From at the game waiting in line for a beer to in the john after you've had one too many.  

[HDsportsfan]

28 minutes ago, Texas_OutLaw7 said:

Oh, there is a follow feature? Very neat. There are def posters I really enjoy reading their insight from. 

Going to be honest. A lot of the issues were a combination for me. I was in college, now real life has taken a lot of my time. And since I have lest time, I suffer less fools (sorry). I no longer care to engage with someone who doesn't want to have a real conversation. 

But the follow feature is awesome concept. Started it for Slam & HT. I know every time they post it is something I actually really look forward to reading - even if often we don't see eye-to-eye on an issue. I think that has great potential.

I think this place can return to form if we lax things up a bit. I am probably the biggest reason why things are funneled into specific threads. I made it a mission to clean up the clutter back when we would have 4 threads about 1 player & repeat post. It seems that effort had significant consequences. 

I still check in often. And will do so again once the league is in full swing. It probably helps to  be able to see the forum through phone now. Makes checking in easier. 

So this is all your fault. Good job TO.

[The_Slamman]

7 hours ago, Webmaster said:

We have more planned for the future too.   We're going to be adding some forum games. Awarding more trophies and badges.  Expanding member profiles.  Updating and improving the content on the main site and much more.  The forum transition is hopefully just the beginning of the improvements at Football's Future.  

The very best thing you could do to increase activity would be to create a "general" forum for each division.  For example, each team in the NFC East has its own forum.  To talk about a division team we either go in their forum or post in general.  I'll be honest with you... 99% of us HATE posting in NFL general.  If you were to run a poll in here on the following:

What is the worst?

1.  Blue Balls

2.  Kidney stones

3.  Hemorrhoids

4.  Posting in NFL General

im telling you... posting in NFL general would probably win that poll (and to borrow a line from NFL General... it wouldn't even be close).

 

if you create a general forum for each division, IMO, you would quadruple the activity in the offseason.

 

the options should look like this...

 

NFC East Discussion Forum

Dallas Cowboys 

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Redskins

 

so if the redskins are playing another team and I'm watching the game, I would post about it in an NFCE general forum.  Just being honest... I would probably never post about in the NFL General Forum.  

[Texas_OutLaw7]

That isn't a bad suggestion, actually. 

Rivals enjoy talking to each other, but I dont enjoy going into the NFL General. 

You can have 4 mods - one from each division manage things.

[HDsportsfan]

53 minutes ago, Texas_OutLaw7 said:

That isn't a bad suggestion, actually. 

Rivals enjoy talking to each other, but I dont enjoy going into the NFL General. 

You can have 4 mods - one from each division manage things.

Yea, I generally stay away from General as well. Just to much drama for me.