the Dumbing Down of Backcountry Talk

[Baaahb]

I continue to be surprised that Craig allows freeheelwilly to spew all over this forum, calling today's Germans Nazis and repeatedly pissing on the rug, calling this community and all its posters stupid and reminding us of the low disdain in which he views us. That first post on the World Cup is a real winner...certainly a thread killer for me. And who the hell is going to read through 16 pages of crap to try and find any useful information about an important new forest service rule?

Willy's posts remind me of those ridiculous facebook posts that radio stations seem to favor..."I bet you can't name a word that starts with "w" and ends with "d"? Bet you can't do it in ten seconds! Why do people still answer those?

Arg, I guess we should accept it; we already live in Idiocracy. Willy's posts sell and that is all anyone cares about...getting the most hits. Too bad.

[James]

I think this is Craig's site and he should do with it what he wants. Bob, perhaps if Willy came after me as much as he does you I might fell similarly. I also think he does cross the line and way to often and he has been banned before when he does. The thing is I think you need to take some responsibility for engaging him. He comes after you and a few others because you engage him and react to him. This thread is the perfect example. Willy puts up a post on the world cup in the OT/snark section and you go there and get offended. Really?

[RobRoyMeans]

Bread and Circus, babies, Bread and Circus.....distract the fools into inactivity.

[Crowbar]

Don't you think the blame can be spread around to any of us who respond to fhw's posts? Sure, fhw says lots of dumb stuff, but I gotta say, many of the responses are equally if not more dumb. Sometimes it's fun and sometimes it's annoying. Nobody here posts anything profound or important, so why take it seriously?

[Baaahb]

I engage him a lot less than others and am not afraid to let him have the last word whenever there is no hope of resuscitating any meaningful exchange of ideas, but yes, your criticism is valid. I do engage him from time to time. He and I go waaaaaay back.

As to the World Cup thread being on the WOT page, so what? It is off-topic, and anyway, I cruise the forum thru the "New Posts" link, am a big fan of the World Cup and really, if one is to have a respectful discussion of the World Cup, should one then have to post a new thread? Wouldn't one first look at the existing thread? And what message does that send?

Yeah, it's Craig's forum and he can certainly do what he wants with it.

[Danno]

I think this is Craig's site and he should do with it what he wants. Bob, perhaps if Willy came after me as much as he does you I might fell similarly. I also think he does cross the line and way to often and he has been banned before when he does. The thing is I think you need to take some responsibility for engaging him. He comes after you and a few others because you engage him and react to him. This thread is the perfect example. Willy puts up a post on the world cup in the OT/snark section and youngo there and get offended. Really?

I agree that it is Craig's site to do with as he wishes, but Bob's entitled to his opinion (one I share), although Craig doesn't seem to care all that much. I don't engage FHW, and in fact have even had some exchanges with him (public and via PM) that were downright cordial, but he still comes at me over and over, even though I ignore his posts. Putting it on Bob ignores that it's mostly irrelevant to FHW whether you engage him or not. He threatens people, he uses sexual orientation slurs against people, where's the line? How many times has he crossed it?

And regardless of what "responsibility" Bob bears, FHW brings people down to his level, newbs and old timers alike, and in fact that is his primary intention, it's exactly what he wants. I've been done with him for a long time, and I'm (somewhat sadly) mostly done with this site. It's just become an unpleasant place to hang out, and I have better ways to spend my time.

[MikeK]

Funny - but I just had the intent of posting something regarding what I'm going to call:

"The Big Man on campus"

First off, lets look at the facts.

1) He is obviously a desk jockey with a lot of free time on his hands. Who else, besides a retiree or royalty, would have the time to endlessly comment useless insults on every thread that arises?

2) He is really bored. His game is to try to play you like a chess pawn but he really doesn't even get the game of chess. He can move a few people around and manipulate them to jump on his hate bandwagon.

3) He absolutely loves this place. He's followed most of you here from Ttips and it's the only place his persona can exist. He's been banned from most other ski forums his s/n has been on. He's been banned from here and promptly started up again as soon he was allowed back. He feeds off the hateful bastards that swarm this place - he turned me into one and I only hate him more for it.

4) He can't be that young. He's been at this for 10+ years. Despite having the general mentality and attitude of grade school bully he must be at least at an age where he should act like an adult.

5) He's never provided anything of any credibility. His insults are empty and hollow because they lack any backing. His claims and insights are worthless because they are backed by incessant lying and wriggling when confronted. A real, credible person would actually concede being incorrect and apologize. I wouldn't expect that on an internet forum but the fact that he tries to construe his knowledge, which was his previous ignorance, in the following posts makes it all the more appalling. He lacks any semblance of being a useful, credible participant in any exchange of knowledge.

6) He is terribly insecure. Everything is either a blatant, outward insult to ones character, intelligence or being showing a regard for highest standard as measure against? What we do not know? Obviously some flawless being that lives life like on a Mountain Dew commercial and was educated at Oxford. I'm pretty sure that marketing only works on teenagers. Real men and women grow and appreciate the deeper things in life... well at least most well adjusted ones do.

7) He is terribly racist and bigoted yet rarely gets called out for it. He will be the first one to call you a racist or a bigot and then go on and call the entirety of German peoples Nazis. Being of very recent German descent, the Nazi thing doesn't even bother me. I am all for a good bigoted joke - it's what most comedy is based on actually... but the hypocrisy is not funny. And it is all too common that these few minions of his deceit are so quick to allow it in one form, and not another. He is all too quick to jump to a side and start a fight about what has gone too far and then stretch the limits himself. Where does one draw the line?

That is all. He is a worthless, mean spirited, unfounded, lack of knowledge who continuously uses pawns desperately seeking his approval to gang up on other members. I suggest if he wants to continue his fun and games he come clean and use his real identity - it is much easier to play his role from an anonymous office somewhere. If he refuses, then is lacking any real contribution, except attracting the same $hit monkeys that wouldn't give up the ghost at the old Ttips.

I apologize for my inane thread drift on the other posts. But at some points I simply can't sit idly by and see him feed his bull to those who actually have some sort civilized, well constructed thoughts, that although may have flaws, are limited in personal attacks to other members besides himself, and those who look to feed on his carrion.

[James]

and I'm (somewhat sadly) mostly done with this site. It's just become an unpleasant place to hang out, and I have better ways to spend my time.

I am sorry to hear that. I hope you change your mind next season but can easily see how there are more important places to spend your time.

[bobs]

I've been done with him for a long time, and I'm (somewhat sadly) mostly done with this site. It's just become an unpleasant place to hang out, and I have better ways to spend my time.

Me too. I've barely posted in the past month or two, and it gets less and less tempting to check in when mostly it ends up being "what? this?? still?!?" In under a year, it's turned into the same kind of cesspool that TeleTips spent years getting to. I guess I'll check back in the winter when I want to get in touch with people to ski with. In the meantime, if anyone wants to reach me, I'm around, but just not here.

[Laura]

Hmmm. Maybe you don't like it here so much because you don't want to have defend Obama. The worse he gets, the less you're here.

[Sugarloafer]

Willy's posts sell and that is all anyone cares about...getting the most hits.

I think Dostie's paying him or SHOULD be paying him. This place would be a graveyard without Willy. Sadly, since I retired, I don't have much time to spend in here.

[Baaahb]

Sadly, since I retired, I don't have much time to spend in here.

That's good enough to be your signature.

[James]

It is a stupid cliche but this place is what we make it. So if you spend most of your time in the OT or most of your time arguing with other people I think it is kind of odd if you complain about the direction. I am not calling you out Bob but the subject of where this is going has come up before. I am pretty sure Craig has said if you don't like it then do your best to change it. In a way that is what you are aking for Bob but I also think a few more here could put up more signal on the main forum.

[MikeK]

First off, it may not be obvious to you guys because you've been doing this dance so long, but it is obvious to me...

What's one thing skiing is not? A TEAM sport.

Y'all make that abundantly clear. There is no unified front against your enemy. I suspect you all hate each other just enough to not back one another up when getting in it with the daemon called FreeheelWilly. Every time someone goes toe to toe with him it's never a strong offensive. Seems everyone waits around until they can jump on his wagon and get in a cheap shot. Reminds me of a bunch of kids standing in a circle watching a fight.

If you stand strong, and together - you can get rid of him. He won't want to come back. I suspect if this was a Soccer or Football forum that he'd have been uniformly shunned long ago.

Most of the time I make an attack against that dickwad it's been in response to him attacking another. It isn't much of anything to wait for. But he'll easily stick around for one or two. Stand together, and I'm sure he'll fall. And be unrelentless. Every little thing must be attacked, or he will perceive that he has gained a foothold.

Have fun. Either that or enjoy his company.

[Laura]

First off, it may not be obvious to you guys because you've been doing this dance so long, but it is obvious to me...

What's one thing skiing is not? A TEAM sport.

Y'all make that abundantly clear. There is no unified front against your enemy. I suspect you all hate each other just enough to not back one another up when getting in it with the daemon called FreeheelWilly. Every time someone goes toe to toe with him it's never a strong offensive. Seems everyone waits around until they can jump on his wagon and get in a cheap shot. Reminds me of a bunch of kids standing in a circle watching a fight.

If you stand strong, and together - you can get rid of him. He won't want to come back. I suspect if this was a Soccer or Football forum that he'd have been uniformly shunned long ago.

Most of the time I make an attack against that dickwad it's been in response to him attacking another. It isn't much of anything to wait for. But he'll easily stick around for one or two. Stand together, and I'm sure he'll fall. And be unrelentless. Every little thing must be attacked, or he will perceive that he has gained a foothold.

Have fun. Either that or enjoy his company.

MikeK, that post was great. If we had a TTips/Backcountrytalk Hall of Fame for OT posts, this post would be there.