Open Thread on Rules/Restrictions

[Scintan]

Bottom line is that there wasn't enough substance for it to have possibly turned into any sort of great discussion anyhow. This wasn't going to turn into the Council of Trent.

Bingo.

I understand that.  But why lock it - why not let it die its own quiet death?  If a thread truly isn't worth a [dang] then there's no need to respond - it will simply go away on its own, no?

You think threads dealing with potentially inflammatory content which a majority of posters find distasteful are going to die a quiet death?  Especially when numerous posters are calling for the thread to be locked?  The internet just doesn't work that way.  Those threads have a way of turning into something nasty.  Heck, the Reggie Lewis memorial thread turned sour; I can't imagine where this one would have gone, but it certainly wouldn't have simply fizzled out into oblivion.

Actually, a significant portion of the internet does, in fact, work that way.  I know because, other than a couple of sports sites, that's the only part of the internet I find worth paying any attention to.

[Roy Hobbs]

Bottom line is that there wasn't enough substance for it to have possibly turned into any sort of great discussion anyhow. This wasn't going to turn into the Council of Trent.

Bingo.

I understand that.  But why lock it - why not let it die its own quiet death?  If a thread truly isn't worth a [dang] then there's no need to respond - it will simply go away on its own, no?

You think threads dealing with potentially inflammatory content which a majority of posters find distasteful are going to die a quiet death?  Especially when numerous posters are calling for the thread to be locked?  The internet just doesn't work that way.  Those threads have a way of turning into something nasty.  Heck, the Reggie Lewis memorial thread turned sour; I can't imagine where this one would have gone, but it certainly wouldn't have simply fizzled out into oblivion.

Actually, a huge portion of the internet does, in fact, work that way.

Link?

[celticsclay]

Is there still a way to few locked threads? I know there used to be a thing called the junkyard. I would kind of like to see what all the fuss is about.

[Roy Hobbs]

Is there still a way to few locked threads? I know there used to be a thing called the junkyard. I would kind of like to see what all the fuss is about.

Locked threads can, in almost all circumstances, be viewed; deleted threads cannot be.  This thread was locked, and can be viewed here.  People are free to come to their own conclusion as to where that thread was headed.

[celticsclay]

Thanks Roy. I found the article stupid and not very amusing. It angers me when untalented people are given such powerful podiums. Makes me think I deserve my own tv show or comedy tour in comparison.

[Bob Day]

That of course reflects nothing more than the opinion of an expert on dark humor and the majority sentiment of the human race with regard to such matters.

The majority sentiment of the human race is exactly the wrong arbiter of dark humor. That's why it's dark, Bob.

I didn't associate the human race as being connoisseurs of dark humor, George. I've asked you before not to try to put words in my or other people's mouthes.

[Scintan]

Bottom line is that there wasn't enough substance for it to have possibly turned into any sort of great discussion anyhow. This wasn't going to turn into the Council of Trent.

Bingo.

I understand that.  But why lock it - why not let it die its own quiet death?  If a thread truly isn't worth a [dang] then there's no need to respond - it will simply go away on its own, no?

You think threads dealing with potentially inflammatory content which a majority of posters find distasteful are going to die a quiet death?  Especially when numerous posters are calling for the thread to be locked?  The internet just doesn't work that way.  Those threads have a way of turning into something nasty.  Heck, the Reggie Lewis memorial thread turned sour; I can't imagine where this one would have gone, but it certainly wouldn't have simply fizzled out into oblivion.

Actually, a huge portion of the internet does, in fact, work that way.

Link?

Link?  Come on Roy, you've surely surfed the net enough to know.  Shall I give some examples?  Wonkette/Kos/Vox Popoli/Huffington Post/Tim Blair/Protein Wisdom.....

[George Meyer]

I didn't associate the human race as being connoisseurs of dark humor, George. I've asked you before not to try to put words in my or other people's mouthes.

Bob, first of all, it was a joke. Secondly, I quoted you exactly. Thirdly, I have made pains to distance myself from our previous unfortunate verbal tiff, apologizing to Roy (who I misjudged) and sending you a private email explaining that it was a misunderstanding. If every time I make a post it's going to be interpreted by you in a negative light, I think it's no longer me who's the problem. Seriously.

Oh, and fourthly, I didn't say you associated the human race as being connoisseurs of dark humor. I said it was impossible for them to serve as arbiters. Maybe you just didn't get the joke...

[coachenew]

I am stunned by those that did not find the article completely inappropriate and offensive.  Offensive to the late Len Bias, the Bias family, the Celtics, Kevin Garnett specifically and of course REAL CELTICS FANS.  If you were to young to remember 1986 or not alive then go do some research on the death of Len Bias.  Watch the reaction from his college coach at the podium.  Read quotes from Larry Bird, heck dig up the student paper from the University of Maryland.  He was a good kid who made a poor choice when celebrating.  And yes, it was a tragedy.  When a talented young man loses his life at that age with the world at his finger tips, that is tragic.  Shame on anyone claiming to be a Celtics fan or a sports fan for that matter that wants to give that clown and his article anymore attention.  I could care less if he contributes to the Onion or ESPN.  ESPN employees guys like Skip Bayless, please, don't use that to support his "credentials."

[Scintan]

I am stunned by those that did not find the article completely inappropriate and offensive.  Offensive to the late Len Bias, the Bias family, the Celtics, Kevin Garnett specifically and of course REAL CELTICS FANS.  If you were to young to remember 1986 or not alive then go do some research on the death of Len Bias.  Watch the reaction from his college coach at the podium.  Read quotes from Larry Bird, heck dig up the student paper from the University of Maryland.  He was a good kid who made a poor choice when celebrating.  And yes, it was a tragedy.  When a talented young man loses his life at that age with the world at his finger tips, that is tragic.  Shame on anyone claiming to be a Celtics fan or a sports fan for that matter that wants to give that clown and his article anymore attention.  I could care less if he contributes to the Onion or ESPN.  ESPN employees guys like Skip Bayless, please, don't use that to support his "credentials."

I was plenty old enough.  So what?  When did Len Bias become off limits?  He was an utter moron for doing what he did, and he dashed the hopes of millions in the Celtics Nation, and probably shortened the careers and lessened the ring totals of the big three with his idiotic selfishness.  There's an entire internet thing about such idiots called "The Darwin Awards".  Heck, I've got the books.  I've got the Blanche Knott "Truly Tasteless" books from the 80's, too.  Why don't you swing by and maybe you can burn them all....

[kgiessler]

Ok, so they locked it.

Was it really that big of a loss?  If the majority of replies are "lock this", then it makes sense to me.

I've had threads locked that I wanted to keep talking in a few times, and they were far less offensive and much more meaningful.  It upsets me.  Oh well.

I find another one of the tens of excellent threads that are concurrently running and I forget about it.

[davemonsterband]

I am stunned by those that did not find the article completely inappropriate and offensive.  Offensive to the late Len Bias, the Bias family, the Celtics, Kevin Garnett specifically and of course REAL CELTICS FANS.  If you were to young to remember 1986 or not alive then go do some research on the death of Len Bias.  Watch the reaction from his college coach at the podium.  Read quotes from Larry Bird, heck dig up the student paper from the University of Maryland.  He was a good kid who made a poor choice when celebrating.  And yes, it was a tragedy.  When a talented young man loses his life at that age with the world at his finger tips, that is tragic.  Shame on anyone claiming to be a Celtics fan or a sports fan for that matter that wants to give that clown and his article anymore attention.  I could care less if he contributes to the Onion or ESPN.  ESPN employees guys like Skip Bayless, please, don't use that to support his "credentials."

I was plenty old enough.  So what?  When did Len Bias become off limits?  He was an utter moron for doing what he did, and he dashed the hopes of millions in the Celtics Nation, and probably shortened the careers and lessened the ring totals of the big three with his idiotic selfishness. 

I'm glad someone said what all of us non conservatives were thinking. TP.

[DivingCowens]

You've never heard people make John Belushi jokes?  Kurt Cobain jokes?  What's the difference between the two?  I suspect the difference might just be that those who are bothered by this now are Celtics fans...

Just 2 points:

1. I am the one who pointed out that you didn't live through it and I maintain that fact as determinate of your view on this.  At the same time, I agree that the thread should not have been locked and never requested that it should be.  In fact, I would enjoy hearing how everyone else had felt about it, as we have been able to do in this thread.

The bottom line (to me) is that Len Bias killed himself by being irresponisble.  He wasn't killed by a drunk driver, he didn't have cancer, it wasn't a bizarre accident...had that been the case, this would be different.  He was doing something illegal and he overdosed. 

2. Now, I hate to sound patronizing, but again you have shown your youth.  You didn't live through Belushi, probably not Cobain, and we know not through Bias.  If you had, you would never make the comparisons.

a. John Belushi did cocaine and god knows what other crap for YEARS before he ended up on smack and doing himself in during a bender.

b. Kurt Cobain was an admitted heroin addict for a decade.  His suicide was only a surprise to anyone who never listened to any of the songs he wrote o ead any inteview he eve gave.

c. Len Bias, by all accounts of friends, family, and people who knew him HAD NEVER TRIED COCAINE BEFORE THAT NIGHT.  He was not a "user" by any stretch and it, in fact, was a "bizarre accident" to use your words.  That was what was so sad.  Many times in aticles and the like I have head his death cited as a major factor in the decline of cocaine use towards the end of the 1980's.  Simply because new users weren't as willing to try after hearing that a perfect physical specimen like Len Bias died after 1 use.

Now, again, I did not think the thread should be locked.  I do, however, think that it should be locked for you to stop throwing fuel on the fire.

Just kidding.

[Bob Day]

I agree we should be able to have intelligent discussion on practically anything around here. However, there are some who simply try to hijack this community for their own purposes without regard to others whatsoever. This is not a great problem at CelticsBlog but it does happen and when it does, it destroys whatever integrity the discussion may have had otherwise.

You can never get a fool to understand that though. This is just another one of those instances it seems. Nothing much going on here but a lot of people's time being wasted over poorly premised argument that was further fueled by a couple of others. Enough is enough. It is time for this community to move on and the solutions to issues such as this are simple and straightforward.

[The Steal By Bird]

I am stunned by those that did not find the article completely inappropriate and offensive.  Offensive to the late Len Bias, the Bias family, the Celtics, Kevin Garnett specifically and of course REAL CELTICS FANS.  If you were to young to remember 1986 or not alive then go do some research on the death of Len Bias.  Watch the reaction from his college coach at the podium.  Read quotes from Larry Bird, heck dig up the student paper from the University of Maryland.  He was a good kid who made a poor choice when celebrating.  And yes, it was a tragedy.  When a talented young man loses his life at that age with the world at his finger tips, that is tragic.  Shame on anyone claiming to be a Celtics fan or a sports fan for that matter that wants to give that clown and his article anymore attention.  I could care less if he contributes to the Onion or ESPN.  ESPN employees guys like Skip Bayless, please, don't use that to support his "credentials."

I was plenty old enough.  So what?  When did Len Bias become off limits?  He was an utter moron for doing what he did, and he dashed the hopes of millions in the Celtics Nation, and probably shortened the careers and lessened the ring totals of the big three with his idiotic selfishness. 

I'm glad someone said what all of us non conservatives were thinking. TP.

If being disgusted by that article means someone is a conservative, then it makes me very proud to say how big of a conservative I am.

Think it's funny?  Go tell it face to face to Len's family.

Show some class. 

And as far as 'dashing the hopes of millions in the Celtics Nation'is concerned......I'm sure that is the most important thing about the aftermath of his untimely death.  How it affected you.