This past season served as my 1st foray into the world of "High School Open Forum". I must say that it provided me with a unique opportunity to gain valuable insight into the sport of wrestling. A periodic glance at the many forum topics introduced me to some of the nuances of the sport, and familiarized me with many of the competitors, coaches, and (for lack of a better description) "devotees" or "fans" of the sport. For a guy not particularly well-versed or knowledgable of the intricacies of the sport, nor familiar with the personalities invested in the sport, the "High School Open Forum" served me well.
Regular review of the various forum topics/posts, always prepared me for tournaments and made them alot more interesting. I usually knew which match-ups might hold some particular intrigue: it could be that a coveted ranking was on the line, a long-standing rivalry was again being played out or maybe a match was a repeat of a disheartening defeat at state the previous year. For me anyway, knowledge of these facts, always piqued my interest and added "flavor" to the event.
A word of caution to those brave and intreped souls contemplating a season on the forum: Be forewarned that many of our wrestling cohorts in this state feel passionate about their wrestlers, their teams, their leagues, their class (i.e. 4A, 5A, 6A). Any perceived slight could result in a verbal assault, the likes of which you may not have experienced before. As well, some of our wrestling brothers and sisters are quite fond of "nick-naming" those bold enough to express opposing opinions or points of view. Some of my favorite "nick-names" during the past season have been: "idiot", "moron", and "douche-bag", but these are but a few that quickly come to mind.
Be wary, when a responsive comment is prefaced with the remark: "with all due respect". Odds are pretty good that you are about to be "disrespected".
Try not to take things too personally. I recall the day I received my first "nick-name" on the forum. It wasn't a particularly imiganitive one, so it really does not bear repeating. I decided to take the high road and to not hold a grudge and to this day, I still wish this fellow all the best on GED high school equivalency exam. I just want him to know that I pulling for him.
Comments on the various posts are invariably educational, interesting, insightful, comical and, at times, quite poignant. Now, that is not to say that some of our friends on the forum will, every now and then, let loose with an occasional bout of verbal diarhea. In time, you will intuitively come to instantly recognize some of the more irrational and/or obnoxious posters. God love 'em, they too have their story.
O yeah, before you press that "send" button ... you might just want to take another good, long and hard look at your intended post. I know that I have sent a few out there that I quickly came to regret. Be mindful that You have posters out there equipped with an almost encyclopedic knowledge of virtually every aspect of wrestling history, trivia, statistics, etc... and they are not shy about letting you know the error or folly of your remarks. As well, as you can imagine, you also have a wide assortment of posters out there with less than an encyclopedic knowledge of wrestling, who are no less willing to weigh in with their opinions and comments on just about anything. Responses to your opinions will often invite responses replete with indignity, comedy, sarcasm, or wrath, and an occasional: Well said, good post.
Be cautious and/or sensitive about volunteering criticism. Particularly so, when your critical remarks tend to cast aspersions, in any manner, upon a young student-athlete. I would strongly advise against leveling any public criticism against anyone or anything unless you have completely satisfied yourself that the predicate facts upon which you base your criticism are entirely accurate and unassailable. For that matter, I'm not sure that public criticism is appropriate, even in that circumstance. It strikes me that the "Golden Rule" should provide some sensible guidance in this area: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
To those of you who are fond of text-messaging on your posts: Dudes, give it a break! There are those of us out there who have more than a little difficulty decyphering your codes. It's like trying to figure out the meaning of some letters and/or numbers on a vehicle vanity plate. lol ... jmo!
It's not a bad idea to be mindful of a verse of scripture: The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness (Proverbs 15:2) Put another way: blessed is he who, having nothing to say, refrains from giving wordy evidence of the fact. (Unfortunately, that sentiment just might apply to this post)
Finally, never lose sight of the fact that most posts out there are purely and simply "opinions". Nothing more. Nothing less. the likelihood is that someone else's contrary opinion will do no more harm than some temporary,emotional aggravation. Try not to get to worked up about opposing viewpoints. Strive to ensure that your expressed "opinions" are not unnecessarily critical, nor too personal. You don't want to be invited to meet an aggrieved responder behind the gymnasium at the next tournament site, to "get things settled" - I've seen such posts!
It's been a great year. I'll miss these posts. They are addictive. To all contributors to the forum: thanks,I have enjoyed the give and take of this forum. With that said, I guess I can get back to work. It's about time.
