You can keep typing, but it’s pointless—this thread is specifically for how the PDF works, and we aren't turning it into a general chat. If you want to talk about offside rules, take it to the other board.
As for how things actually function, we know just as much as you do—we haven't a clue what's going on (at least I don't)—so there's really nothing to say.🤷
Casey White13 said:Seriously, why can't we just implement a rule where you need a certain number of posts to start a new thread? Or even better—have the mods or admins vet the first few threads to keep things sane?
It’s a total disaster. Between this absolute mess of a server and then having some random guy with a Blogspot site acting like he owns the place—it's just one headache after another.
I don't think you could really restrict someone from posting in just one specific sub-forum until they hit a post count—not automatically, anyway. Doing it manually through an admin would be a nightmare, and frankly, it's a waste of time.
Given that this forum doesn't have any real user restrictions—not even admin approval during registration—I doubt we'd ever get the green light to introduce something like this.
Great players define the past, present, and future. But Ibrahimović isn't just "great"—he’s a massive dude, nearly 2 meters tall and 220 pounds. On top of that, his coordination and agility given those physical specs are almost unreal. You won't see many players like him because he’s a total outlier. Being tall isn't the same thing as being a beast like Ibrahimović.
There have always been taller players, but it’s usually the shorter ones who actually make the difference and become legends—think Ferenc Puskás, Pelé, Thomas Müller, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi... you get the idea. Sure, there were taller geniuses like Eric Cantona, Zidane, or Ronaldinho who will always be remembered. But you can't really argue that the current trend means big players will be the key to the future when the best player on the planet is basically a tiny, razor-sharp specialist. I mean, sure, you can talk about it, but don't act surprised when people think it sounds unbelievable—or just plain ridiculous—like it does to me here. 🤷
Hopefully we're done with this, because this really isn't the place for soccer debates. Or is there something else bothering you?
What exactly is "acrobatics" in my post? Pick one from above and tell me how it's off-topic.
Calling it a "professional thesis" is a stretch—it’s just my opinion within the discussion. Let's not get carried away with these labels.
The "acrobatics" part is claiming Zlatan Ibrahimović is the prototype for the future of soccer—a claim you can't back up, other than using the guy himself. And he can't be the prototype, given his agility comes from years of Taekwondo as a kid, despite his build.
Explain why my comment bothers you so much. Sure, maybe I shouldn't have said it, but it's not that deep—there are millions of players like him out there. Honestly, I'm more interested in why you didn't address the actual point. If Zlatan is the blueprint for the modern player, how do you explain the fact that Lionel Messi—the best player on the planet—is practically his physical opposite, and he's younger too?
How long are you going to keep bringing this up? It's over—I took my lumps. Red card, 250 infractions pending for next year, plus a three-day ban. What else do you want? You going to dig up posts from 2006??
I'm not revisiting it, and I'm not repeating mistakes. As a member and a moderator, just stop dragging me back to the stuff I already got punished for.
You're the one who started talking about me provoking you, not me.🤷
Or are we talking about something else?
Excuse me? You think when you give warnings, you write them in red text? So why did Chiro, when I asked...
...use you to try and debunk my claim that I was banned without warning??
Yeah, like any other moderator, official warnings are sent in colored text.
Half the soccer world would tell you to chill out and stop the nonsense (like that Dražen Petrović thing), but if you refuse to take anyone seriously and think you're smarter than everyone else, that's on you.🤷
Does Chiro know that you haven't sent me a single post in red?
You're asking me?
That means you were playing games, baiting me and putting me on thin ice, Anthony Jackson2!
If I did (which I didn't—I just told you that you look ridiculous), you could have just reported the posts and been done with it. No need to come after me for nothing.
Look, I’m calling it now—just leave me alone. Seriously, go test your patience on the people who feel the need to reply to my every single post from the last forty-eight hours instead of targeting me. You haven't "found" a troll or a provocateur; you just ran into someone with a different opinion. If I don't think Luka Modrić belongs at Real Madrid and you do, then fine—just back off and stop coming for me.
No, I’ve identified either a troll or someone who doesn't have a clue what they're talking about—take your pick. Anyone who's read your posts in the Luka Modrić thread can see that. Besides, you got flagged partly because of that, and I wasn't the one who did it; some other moderator was. So much for the idea that I'm the problem. 🙂
And I'm certainly not going to leave you alone—as a moderator, I can't, as long as you're posting in my section. If you're trying to use this back-and-forth within the PŽK to score some special treatment where I'd just ignore your posts, forget it. If you can't handle people responding to you, stay off the forum—it exists for an exchange of ideas.
First off, I don't owe you a reply to your DM within five minutes—or at all, for that matter. Whether I respond is entirely up to me. If you have a grievance, the PŽK is the place for it, which you seem to have figured out on your own. Bravo. Now, did this really warrant its own thread? I'm not sure, but if it makes you feel better, go ahead. That’s for the admins to decide.
Believe it or not, I'm a forum user just like everyone else—it's just that I happen to have a few extra tools in my kit. As such, I can write whatever I want and think whatever I want, provided I don't break any sub-forum rules. I'm subjective, so I won't claim my posts aren't ban-worthy—again, let the people above me make that call. Yes, I can get a warning just like you; having a black username doesn't mean I'm above the law.
As for the post itself, the real acrobatics here is you doubling down on those "expert" theories of yours—even though it's painfully obvious you aren't an expert at all. Honestly, even in my own post, I dismantled your theory about what future players will look like just because Zlatan Ibrahimović is some kind of football genius.
You jumped into this forum acting like some big-shot expert, looking down on other users and famous American coaches alike. Of course, based on how your discussions have gone, it’s becoming increasingly clear that you aren't just lacking expertise—you largely have no clue what you're talking about. Regarding our debate, I recall asking you to explain the traits of a mesomorph build, and you responded with "use Google, I charge for my knowledge." 😕 So, after presenting a thesis about a player with a mesomorphic build in your opening post, you give me that answer when I ask a logical question. Everything that followed from my side was simply a reaction to your arrogance. And I don't recall getting a single warning there, so I assume I wasn't saying anything I shouldn't have—and back then, I wasn't a mod, so anyone could have flagged me.
Then there's that thread about Luka Modrić, where you wrote, "Luka Modrić doesn't know how to take a shot, only a strike..." I pointed out you were talking nonsense because a shot *is* a strike, to which you started rambling about some regional dialect. Naturally, that was immediately debunked by your own logic, since you then claimed you meant to say, "Luka Modrić doesn't know how to take a strike, only a shot..." which is even more ridiculous than your first attempt. I'll admit I matched your arrogance when you brushed me off regarding the mesomorph question, but if you're going to act like that toward others, expect the same in return.
I didn't even warn you in that post—I'm using red text to warn you now—nor did I drag you into anything. I simply stated my opinion, along with a little personal observation.
all in all—if someone thought they were dealing with your clone, they’d have found out via some kind of penalty—but since you didn't get anything, I don't see any reason to keep dragging this through the forum.
Walter Grant5 said:Why aren't we allowed to talk about how the mods are running things if the whole topic is "The Functioning of the Soccer Subreddit"? Mod behavior directly affects how this sub actually works.
You can say whatever you want—even if you didn't weigh in on that previous post—but complaints about moderator conduct belong in the formal review channel. That’s where they actually get seen by the people responsible for evaluating staff performance.
This thread is strictly for crowdsourcing suggestions to improve Football PDF—nothing else. Zero tolerance for spam or off-topic chatter. It’s meant solely for fleshing out the ideas already put on the table. Ashley Bailey6Yeah, those kinds of ideas will be considered—everything else is getting wiped from the thread.
Where exactly did we go wrong? What was the goal—to clean up the absolute worst thread on this entire site in the three and a half years I’ve been hanging around here?
If there was an error, it’s just that we weren't decisive enough about it.
Maybe some posts shouldn't have been nuked—but when you have to delete half a thread just to make it readable, it's inevitable that some things get caught in the crossfire. It brings me back to what I said last night: if one post goes, everything directly tied to it has to go too—whether they were being provocative or actually constructive.
David Anderson72 said:Fair enough. I’m starting to see that they were right. When a few people start acting like dictators and bullying everyone on a forum, if you don't push back, you eventually just have to walk away. They weren't the first to do this, and they won't be the last. I've seen this play out on other message boards before—a group splits off to start a new community, resulting in a smaller, more focused, and significantly higher-quality space.
If you actually bothered to visit any of those other forums—the ones that actually matter—you'd see they’re far more active and high-quality. Just an observation.
Bryan Adams6 said:Why don't we just spin up a dedicated thread for Messi vs. Ronaldo or Barca vs. Real and let them go at it there? Then on the main board, we can just hit 'em hard and fast with penalties if they get out of line.😕
Tried to make it work—not really successful. This topic always ends up circling right back to the Example.
boldhound8 said:Anyway, the newer guys might not remember, but the Betting sub-forum was created specifically to pull all those scattered threads from every corner of the site into one single spot—that’s literally the entire point of having a sub-forum. Starting a new betting thread here wouldn't break the concept of the Betting sub-forum (IMF), but it raises a massive question: what's even the point?🤷 If we're using the logic of keeping things "local" so people don't have to wander around, then fine, let's just open an IT topic or a US topic under the Football section too. I mean, why the hell should I go over to the US board just because I'm single? If I'm a local here, I stay here.😁
Personally, I don't care either way, I just wanted to remind everyone how the Betting sub-forum actually came to be.🙂 As far as I'm concerned, you can open 22 different betting threads if you want...
I agree—though I think the Casino would lose some regulars because of it. Anyone who gets tossed out for a red card would just end up moving over here. analoggull4 showed us exactly how that works. ☕
feralotter2 said:I’m just wondering if win rates actually improve for those who write three lines explaining why Bayern should win versus someone just picking Anderlecht 1? They really ought to run some kind of study—personally, I think the odds stay the same since both sides play based on the stats anyway...
Take Greece as an example 👍—I used to love it before people started over-explaining everything, and now it's just noise. When someone attaches a whole novel to a single pick, even if they are a top-tier tipster... I don't see how it makes them any better than when they were just posting 👍 simple picks.
Injuries, suspensions—that kind of intel is always useful —but writing a manifesto about every little detail is usually just pointless rambling.
It’s not that there's too much going on—it’s just getting tedious. Everyone is just dropping pairs without any context—it looks like spam at this point. Nobody bothers to give a single reason for their picks, so we're all left guessing if there's actually any logic behind it or not.
ruggedjackal46 said:I’m a regular participant in both the constructive and destructive chaos within the La Liga thread, so I figured I’d weigh in on things for a bit.
Look, I think tightening up the moderation isn't a bad idea, but we have to be careful not to turn this thread into some sterile, sanitized imitation of a "serious" debate. Unlike other threads—take the Premier League or Serie A, for example—the La Liga section is a place where people can go at each other tooth and nail one minute and then move on without any lingering resentment the next. Because of that, I don't think there's a need to make a massive drama out of trolling, nor should we try to completely eradicate it. This is supposed to be an escape from real life; people come here specifically to mess around and troll. The forum should allow for that, to a certain extent.
As far as new users and actual quality content goes, I’m all for moderators cracking down on trolls and those mindless arguments that constantly stifle newcomers and meaningful discussion. However, if you're going to punish the nonsense, the mods actually need to find a way to encourage the good stuff. It’s not enough to just delete posts and expect high-level discourse to magically manifest itself out of thin air. It’s not as if there are thirty die-hard fans of various Spanish clubs sitting on the sidelines too intimidated to join the fray. And it’s not like those of us already here don't know how to be constructive—it’s just that, frankly, we often don't feel like it. If you could occasionally nudge us toward being productive while still allowing a little room for trolling, I think this thread would work perfectly for everyone.
This thread has spiraled a few times now, and honestly, it’s irrelevant. Just because there’s no bad blood between you doesn't mean someone looking in from the outside won't see a complete circus. It’s not entertaining, it’s not interesting, and it’s definitely not constructive. Not that I haven't said this before.
Every thread on this forum is moderated loosely—there's always room for a bit of trolling. You all just pushed that freedom way too far.
The wolf is fed, the sheep are counted, the office grind continues with the usual suspects on their machines, and Anderson is finally cutting checks for Sterling.
Dennis Evans6 is at it again, even though it's only Tuesday!
🤣🤣
Ashley Bailey6 said:The point is to be able to debate with people we already know, all while keeping everything in one single place. This is just for casual conversation. We aren't robots. There are no strict rules here, other than the standard requirement to be respectful.
Don't tell me your love life is just as tied to gambling as football is.
I don't get what the issue is.
You want to jump into a thread like Dinamo’s LP group? There isn't room for two constructive posts there. It makes no sense. You can't mention what you bought or why you bought it, give a little brag later, or even vent about needing a smoke. There just isn't any space for it.
Are you interested in consulting with people here? Just asking, since you're already reading this subforum.
And? We’re getting to a point where even putting a period at the end of a sentence will be called trolling. It's just another vague term people use to manipulate things subjectively.
The truth is, the moderators just don't want to deal with managing another thread. That's the real issue, and people are just afraid to say it plainly.
Maybe you should take those kinds of threads to the Vegas sportsbook forums instead.🤷
You want to be in a thread like the Dallas Cowboys fan group where there are barely two constructive posts because it’s pointless, mention what you did, why you did it, brag a little later, or just vent because you're stressed—but you aren't allowed to. There's nowhere to go.
It's not that you aren't allowed—that was always permitted. But you really crossed the line on this one.
At this rate, even a period at the end of a sentence will be labeled as trolling—just another subjective, vague term used to manipulate things.
won't be
The thing is—it’s really just about them not wanting to moderate another thread—but nobody wants to be the one to actually say it out loud.
Yeah... There are already 20 active threads on the forum—it shouldn't be a huge burden to handle one more, especially one like this.
Nobody is trying to kick you off this forum. Let’s be real—what’s the point of us moderators existing if we don't have anything to moderate? 🤷
We warned you that the Primera thread would be under a microscope and moderated more strictly than the others. Personally, I was surprised by how much the tone shifted overnight right after the warning. But my satisfaction didn't last long—you all went right back to your old ways almost immediately. We decided to make this transition as painless as possible, opting to use deletions as our primary tool rather than handing out bans. If we had taken a harder route, the transition might have been faster, but half the people active there probably wouldn't have been able to post in any subforum for a while. If someone actually wanted to get rid of you, that’s how they’d do it—not by having us dissect every single post in Primera just to salvage something decent from them. I’ve personally edited maybe 50 posts over the last week because they contained one sensible sentence related to the topic buried under a mountain of trolling, so I kept what worked and nuked the rest. Honestly, I’m getting fed up too.
Understand that a discussion flows linearly, starting from the top. If the opening post is flagged as trolling or provocation, it has to be deleted along with every subsequent post that directly references or quotes it—regardless of how good those replies were. Otherwise, the whole thread looks ridiculous when people are responding to a post that doesn't exist. This isn't just about the first post; it applies to any post in the chain. In those cases, try to avoid replying to the nonsense; just start a new thought on the subject if you actually have something to say, and your post won't be deleted.
Our job is to keep quality discussions within some semblance of normal boundaries—we aren't here to stifle them. You can make our lives a lot easier by changing your approach, so it’s up to you whether you cooperate or just keep acting out. 🙂
brightpilot6 said:So, what exactly is meant by "even the slightest hint of bickering"? We are talking about soccer here, for heaven's sake, not war crimes.
Everything that’s happened on this forum so far hasn't actually been about the sport—it’s been driven by that exact kind of back-and-forth. Real, concrete arguments will be fine—of course—but any sign of provocation or trolling in these threads will be dealt with, at least for now.
As I said before, things are going to be a little stricter at first.
We’re going to pay extra attention to posts filled with mindless ego—especially anything involving even a hint of that Barca vs. Real Madrid rivalry. Try to keep the comparisons to the other side to a minimum; we aren't looking for provocations here.
We'll do our part to make sure quality discussions don't die out, but honestly, the direction this thread takes depends mostly on you.
