Who Wants to Play?

Once there was this guy that liked to play games with a few buddies. They made this new game up and had fun playing, so much so that he decided to make a nice place for them to play, a good field. . So this guy... hey let’s call him ScottW for the sake of conversation! Worked hard getting the field together. Now this wasn’t easy and ScottW gave up a lot of free time and his high school and college social life to do this, but he really had fun playing and meeting the new people that came to play the game so to him it was worth it! So just like a Field of Dreams, more and more people came to play. As mentioned ScottW liked meeting the new people so he continued to invest more and more time and money into the hobby, which was becoming a pretty big project.

Now people being the way they are will on times disagree and squabble... So ScottW made up some basic game rules. He knew that everyone would have their own interpretation of the rules so he hired some umpires to help him out.

Now these umpires where former players that had shown a real love for the game that ScottW created and ScottW knew they would support the game the way he intended. ScottW picked folx that had been around and played fair, that’s why ScottW asked them to help him out with his project, he liked the way they played his game. The umpires that ScottW asked to help knew they would not get paid and probably not get much in the line of thanks. But they loved the game and the people that came to play, just like ScottW did so they said yes when asked to help.

Sometimes people came to play and would break the rules, or at least nudge them a little. The umpires would have to rule on the play. Sometimes 2 players would get into an argument and the umpires would have to separate them. Everyone knows that not all umpires are exactly the same, but everyone trusts that the umpires are doing the best job they can to see that the game is being played the way that ScottW intended. Unfortunately some players will refuse to play by these rules, so the Umpires would have to ask them to leave because they are spoiling it for others.

Some of the offenses that would get you kicked out of the game were beating up another player or disrespecting an umpire... Because regretfully that’s just what has to be done to keep things going smooth.

Sometimes players didn’t agree with the umpires and they would get mad. But good team players know that everyone is human and everyone looks at things a little different and for the good of the team and the other players they would abide by the rules for the good of the whole.

Then on occasion someone would come along who thought they understood the rules better than the umpires. They would fight with the umpires and make their job harder ... Sometimes even claiming to understand the rules better than the person that wrote them ScottW!! Well, after a period of time what do you think the umpires were forced to do?? Yep, you guessed it... Sadly they would have to tell the person disrupting the game that they couldn’t play anymore. Because they were spoiling it for too many people.

We can all have a lot of fun playing ScottW's game! We can all get along with our team mates and have fun if we try. Let's work together to make this a fun place to play and make ScottW proud of us and the team in which he's invested so much of his life

[Agent_Embryo]

*sniff sniff* ...That was beautiful...*sniff sniff*

[Lemon[H]ead]

/me thinks a few random bans would have sufficed...

[Daft_Ghosty]

aww but someone has been diggin pitfalls in the field surreal.. and it isn't gophers either.. =)

Originally posted by Daft_Ghosty
aww but someone has been diggin pitfalls in the field surreal.. and it isn't gophers either.. =)

Well since "gopher holes" in the field is dangerous for all of us we need to work together as individuals for the good of the whole no pun intended!


Hey Lemon[H]ead! You volunteering??

[kenyg]

#1 rule in baseball, If you're gonna argue balls and strikes with the umpire, you WILL get ejected..

I think everyone is overreacting to a couple of posts. Sometimes people get edgy when its summer.

When you have such a large and diverse community of exceptionally talented and intelligent people, frankly I'd be surprised if there weren't a few skirmishes once in a while.

I know sometimes it is unpleasant and trying for the umpires who, in my opinion, are fair and diligent folks doing their best.

But, in fairness, let's not forget that umpires are humans too and can make mistakes.

Remember the Canadian skating stink!!

[Lemon[H]ead]

Hey Lemon[H]ead! You volunteering??

I've always wondered what arstechnica forums were like...

[pickel]

ALWAYS..read your reply , at least, once before hitting the submit button. On a 'HOT" subject , you may find you need to revise your post after you've "cooled" down a little. Sometimes that's hard to do but it seems to work for me

[Warthog]

I think everyone is overreacting to a couple of posts.

Yup.

But, in fairness, let's not forget that umpires are humans too and can make mistakes.

Yup. Unless they really are androids like I thought