Moderating at the University Bookstore

Alright, I’m logging back in with this handle after more than a month, so here’s my response.

Why shouldn't you mention clans? They exist! It's not even about them being against each other—it's about the fact that there are certain groups where the rules just don't seem to apply.

You're totally missing the point. If you actually read closely, you'd see the whole reason for this thread wasn't my ban, but exactly what I just said. I wasn't even complaining about getting banned; it was just two "respected" moderators twisting the conversation toward my penalty to dodge the actual issue at hand.

I'm still lurking around here, and I can see people breaking rules, ignoring requests, and all sorts of stuff constantly. Yet, it feels like they only go after individuals when someone finally snaps and earns a ban.

For instance,
Titanoid posts matchups without any explanation. Joshua Garcia8 gives him a heads-up, but then he just jokes around, saying he saw it in a crystal ball or his uncle told him, asking if that's okay. Joshua Garcia8 just responds with a smiley face. (Or maybe she was just a regular user and not a moderator.)
Tsigi breaks a rule in the SPAT thread—where he's basically on the "board of directors"—and nothing happens until he commits the exact same violation again and has to serve the penalty.

It's honestly hilarious. It's always the same crowd doing the same things. Some people get warnings and punishments, while others just get a smiley face.

George Barnes25 I can't even begin to tell you how much this is driving me crazy! Like, seriously, does anyone else feel like we're just spinning our wheels here? It’s like when you’re stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the I-405 in LA, just staring at brake lights and wondering where it all went wrong, right? And don't even get me started on the sheer absurdity of the whole situation because it feels like every single time we think we've made some kind of progress, someone comes along and throws a massive wrench in the gears! Is it just me, or is everyone else losing their minds too? I mean, come on! You’d think after everything we've been through, things would actually start making sense for once, but instead, we're just left here scratching our heads while the world keeps moving on without us! It’s absolutely ridiculous!
Man, it’s been over a month since I even thought about logging back into this account, but here I am, finally getting around to giving you an answer!

Why on earth wouldn't you bring up the clans when they’re staring us right in the face? I mean, look, I'm not even saying they're all out to get each other or anything like that, but let's be real here—there are certain people out there who just act like the rules don't apply to them, right? It's like they live in their own little world where the standard guidelines just vanish into thin air!

You’re totally missing the point here. Like, seriously, if you actually took a second to read what I wrote instead of just skimming, you’d realize the whole damn reason I started this thread wasn't even about my suspension! I wasn't out here whining about getting benched or whatever, but then these two "precious" moderators swoop in and steer the conversation toward my penalty just to dodge the actual issue I brought up. Isn't it funny how they always do that? They twist the narrative just so we don't talk about the real problem!

I’m still hanging around here reading all your nonsense, and honestly, I see people breaking every single rule and ignoring every request in the book, yet what happens? Nothing! It feels like the mods only step in to hand out penalties to specific individuals, and even then, it's only when someone gets pushed so far they finally snap and deserve the card. What kind of system is that, anyway?

For instance.
So, Titanoid just drops a bunch of picks without even a single shred of explanation, like we're all just supposed to take his word for it? Then Joshua Garcia8 jumps in to give him a heads-up, and what does he do? He claims he saw the results in a crystal ball or that his uncle's buddy told him! Seriously, is he for real asking if that’s okay? Then Joshua Garcia8 just goes ahead and throws in a smiley face like everything is fine. I mean, was that actually a moderator stepping in, or just some random person hanging out on the forum again? Honestly, who knows anymore!
So, Tsigi goes and breaks the rules in that SPAT thread—you know, the one where he’s acting like he’s part of the "board of directors" or whatever—and does he learn? Does he apologize? Hell no! He just keeps doing the exact same thing over and over again, and then, only after he pulls the same stunt for the millionth time, does he finally decide to actually take the penalty. Like, seriously, does anyone else find this infuriating? It's like watching a car crash in slow motion where the driver refuses to hit the brakes until they're already in the ditch!

It’s honestly hilarious how it always works out the same way, isn't it? You’ve got the exact same crowd pulling the same stunts over and over again, yet the rules somehow only apply to certain people! Like, why is it that some folks get called out and slapped with a penalty while everyone else just gets a little smiley face and a pat on the head? It’s total nonsense!

I’m signing off on that one right here—it’s just an absolute fact at this point, isn't it? Like, let's be real for a second, some people just walk around with way more rights than everyone else!🤷So people love to complain when someone doesn't drop a full-blown deep dive analysis, right? Like, "Where's the breakdown? Where's the data?" But then you look at other guys who get a free pass to post whatever they want without saying a single intelligent thing, and it makes you wonder what's actually going on here! It’s totally inconsistent! And don't even get me started on how Zalmonik got banned just because he had the nerve to point out some shady irregularities. Seriously, since when is calling out nonsense against the rules? It's absolute madness!☕Honestly, I think it’s just plain stupid how they're forcing everyone to do these analyses, like, seriously? On basically every other sports board out there dealing with the same kind of stuff, nobody's breathing down your neck to provide a breakdown—it’s always totally voluntary, you know? Why even make it a requirement here? It’s such a drag!

stormyseal9 Asks:
So, Zalmonik got banned just because he pointed out some irregularities. Honestly, it’s becoming a bit of a pattern around here, isn't it? You try to call out something that doesn't look right—maybe a little slip-up in the system or a rule being bent—and suddenly you're the one getting the boot. It’s pretty wild if you think about it.☕

I’ve told you three times already—and I mean it—that isn't a valid reason for a ban.

stormyseal9 said:

George Barnes25 I can't even begin to tell you how much this is driving me crazy! Like, seriously, does anyone else feel like we're just spinning our wheels here? It’s like when you’re stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the I-405 in LA, just staring at brake lights and wondering where it all went wrong, right? And don't even get me started on the sheer absurdity of the whole situation because it feels like every single time we think we've made some kind of progress, someone comes along and throws a massive wrench in the gears! Is it just me, or is everyone else losing their minds too? I mean, come on! You’d think after everything we've been through, things would actually start making sense for once, but instead, we're just left here scratching our heads while the world keeps moving on without us! It’s absolutely ridiculous!
Man, it’s been over a month since I even thought about logging back into this account, but here I am, finally getting around to giving you an answer!

Why on earth wouldn't you bring up the clans when they’re staring us right in the face? I mean, look, I'm not even saying they're all out to get each other or anything like that, but let's be real here—there are certain people out there who just act like the rules don't apply to them, right? It's like they live in their own little world where the standard guidelines just vanish into thin air!

You’re totally missing the point here. Like, seriously, if you actually took a second to read what I wrote instead of just skimming, you’d realize the whole damn reason I started this thread wasn't even about my suspension! I wasn't out here whining about getting benched or whatever, but then these two "precious" moderators swoop in and steer the conversation toward my penalty just to dodge the actual issue I brought up. Isn't it funny how they always do that? They twist the narrative just so we don't talk about the real problem!

I’m still hanging around here reading all your nonsense, and honestly, I see people breaking every single rule and ignoring every request in the book, yet what happens? Nothing! It feels like the mods only step in to hand out penalties to specific individuals, and even then, it's only when someone gets pushed so far they finally snap and deserve the card. What kind of system is that, anyway?

For instance.
So, Titanoid just drops a bunch of picks without even a single shred of explanation, like we're all just supposed to take his word for it? Then Joshua Garcia8 jumps in to give him a heads-up, and what does he do? He claims he saw the results in a crystal ball or that his uncle's buddy told him! Seriously, is he for real asking if that’s okay? Then Joshua Garcia8 just goes ahead and throws in a smiley face like everything is fine. I mean, was that actually a moderator stepping in, or just some random person hanging out on the forum again? Honestly, who knows anymore!
So, Tsigi goes and breaks the rules in that SPAT thread—you know, the one where he’s acting like he’s part of the "board of directors" or whatever—and does he learn? Does he apologize? Hell no! He just keeps doing the exact same thing over and over again, and then, only after he pulls the same stunt for the millionth time, does he finally decide to actually take the penalty. Like, seriously, does anyone else find this infuriating? It's like watching a car crash in slow motion where the driver refuses to hit the brakes until they're already in the ditch!

It’s honestly hilarious how it always works out the same way, isn't it? You’ve got the exact same crowd pulling the same stunts over and over again, yet the rules somehow only apply to certain people! Like, why is it that some folks get called out and slapped with a penalty while everyone else just gets a little smiley face and a pat on the head? It’s total nonsense!

I’m signing off on that one right here—it’s just an absolute fact at this point, isn't it? Like, let's be real for a second, some people just walk around with way more rights than everyone else!🤷So people love to complain when someone doesn't drop a full-blown deep dive analysis, right? Like, "Where's the breakdown? Where's the data?" But then you look at other guys who get a free pass to post whatever they want without saying a single intelligent thing, and it makes you wonder what's actually going on here! It’s totally inconsistent! And don't even get me started on how Zalmonik got banned just because he had the nerve to point out some shady irregularities. Seriously, since when is calling out nonsense against the rules? It's absolute madness!☕Honestly, I think it’s just plain stupid how they're forcing everyone to do these analyses, like, seriously? On basically every other sports board out there dealing with the same kind of stuff, nobody's breathing down your neck to provide a breakdown—it’s always totally voluntary, you know? Why even make it a requirement here? It’s such a drag!

We’ve gone over this at least five times already—and honestly, I feel like I’ve had to write it out to you at least ten. 🤷

Eric Fox7 said:

stormyseal9 Asks:
So, Zalmonik got banned just because he pointed out some irregularities. Honestly, it’s becoming a bit of a pattern around here, isn't it? You try to call out something that doesn't look right—maybe a little slip-up in the system or a rule being bent—and suddenly you're the one getting the boot. It’s pretty wild if you think about it.☕

I’ve told you three times already—and I mean it—that isn't a valid reason for a ban.

We’ve gone over this at least five times already—and honestly, I feel like I’ve had to write it out to you at least ten. 🤷

It's obvious nobody else gets it either, all this forced analysis that has absolutely nothing to do with reality,🤷do you seriously think just because someone scribbles down an "analysis" they're suddenly gonna be better at calling winners?😍I figured out long ago who's pulling the strings; you can spot a total suck-up from a mile away,😉the kind of person who thinks they're some big shot on this forum just because they spam fifty posts a day that don't even touch the topic at hand.😕

Tsigalko 11 said:Going with a lower stake today since I'm not feeling super confident about this one:



2/10 ☕ ☕ ☕

Where exactly is the analysis for this game? Maybe I'm getting old, but my eyes work just fine,🤷and that guy managed to slip through again without even getting a warning, which definitely isn't his first time. So much for us all being "equal" on this site—some people are clearly more equal than others.

stormyseal9 said:It's obvious nobody else gets it either, all this forced analysis that has absolutely nothing to do with reality,🤷do you seriously think just because someone scribbles down an "analysis" they're suddenly gonna be better at calling winners?😍I figured out long ago who's pulling the strings; you can spot a total suck-up from a mile away,😉the kind of person who thinks they're some big shot on this forum just because they spam fifty posts a day that don't even touch the topic at hand.😕

Where exactly is the analysis for this game? Maybe I'm getting old, but my eyes work just fine,🤷and that guy managed to slip through again without even getting a warning, which definitely isn't his first time. So much for us all being "equal" on this site—some people are clearly more equal than others.

We've gone over this too many times. I really don't have the energy to keep repeating myself for the millionth time. Just go read the subforum rules and the notice about the new direction we're taking here.

stormyseal9 said:It's obvious nobody else gets it either, all this forced analysis that has absolutely nothing to do with reality,🤷do you seriously think just because someone scribbles down an "analysis" they're suddenly gonna be better at calling winners?😍I figured out long ago who's pulling the strings; you can spot a total suck-up from a mile away,😉the kind of person who thinks they're some big shot on this forum just because they spam fifty posts a day that don't even touch the topic at hand.😕

Where exactly is the analysis for this game? Maybe I'm getting old, but my eyes work just fine,🤷and that guy managed to slip through again without even getting a warning, which definitely isn't his first time. So much for us all being "equal" on this site—some people are clearly more equal than others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony

Eric Fox7 said:We've gone over this too many times. I really don't have the energy to keep repeating myself for the millionth time. Just go read the subforum rules and the notice about the new direction we're taking here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony

So now it's all about "irony," huh? Fine then, maybe I'll just start posting my picks with a heavy dose of irony from now on since that's what's allowed!🤷",It's honestly hilarious how everything with him is always some excuse about irony, sarcasm, or whatever other nonsense, yet when anyone else does it, they get slapped with a ban🤷. I mean, I'm just sitting here wondering why he hasn't been promoted to admin yet, considering everything he's done for us

stormyseal9 said:So now it's all about "irony," huh? Fine then, maybe I'll just start posting my picks with a heavy dose of irony from now on since that's what's allowed!🤷",It's honestly hilarious how everything with him is always some excuse about irony, sarcasm, or whatever other nonsense, yet when anyone else does it, they get slapped with a ban🤷. I mean, I'm just sitting here wondering why he hasn't been promoted to admin yet, considering everything he's done for us

Look, if the issue here is failing to catch the irony—especially after a whole debate where people were basically begging for the return of those old posts where guys would drop fake slips with astronomical amounts and zero explanation—then honestly, screw it. Let it all go to hell.

I can't believe I'm even seeing this right now! Seriously, does anyone else feel like we're just spinning our wheels in the sand here? It’s like every time we think we’ve finally grasped something, some absolute genius comes along and throws a wrench in the whole machine, you know what I mean? I mean, honestly, how many times are we going to sit around and watch the same old patterns repeat themselves without anyone actually stepping up to change the game? It’s exhausting, man, truly exhausting! Is it just me, or is everyone else just as fed up with the constant back-and-forth that leads absolutely nowhere? We need to stop acting like this is normal because it definitely isn't! kaže:
Look, if people can't even wrap their heads around the irony in this post—especially after that whole ridiculous debate where everyone was screaming for a return to those old threads where guys would just drop fake betting slips with astronomical amounts and zero explanation—then honestly, screw it all! If we can't get the basic sarcasm right, then let the whole thing go to hell!

Look, those fake betting slips have absolutely nothing to do with what we’re actually talking about here, right? It’s totally obvious that anyone caught using them should be banned on sight—I mean, seriously, why even bother? But if we're supposed to be sitting here writing out actual, serious analyses, then there shouldn't be any damn excuses or handouts for people like that!🤷Man, it’s honestly unbelievable how they go after Zalmonik for some absolute nonsense while everyone else gets a free pass to act like total idiots! Seriously, what kind of logic are we even using here? You see one person get banned over something completely trivial, but then you look at the rest of the crowd and they’re getting away with everything under the sun. It’s such a joke, right? How can they justify being so strict with one person and just turning a blind eye to everyone else's chaos? It’s totally rigged!☕Look, the bottom line is that some threads here just go totally dead, while others used to be absolutely packed. I mean, seriously, how many people are actually posting in the baseball thread? I can't be the only one following the sport, right? And don't even get me started on the NBA thread—that used to be a massive hub, but during the playoffs, there were days where I was literally the only person posting anything at all! It’s driving me crazy. Where did everyone suddenly vanish to? We used to have a solid group of sharp bettors here, but now it feels like a ghost town. What happened to everyone?🤷

Isn't this one of those pointless posts that usually gets deleted? (Just check a few previous replies in this thread). Whether there was irony intended or not, I'm sure some people found it pretty confusing. A random passerby could have stumbled onto this topic, seen someone betting against Lyon, noticed a user with a massive post count, and placed a bet based on that alone.

And seriously, isn't this just another one of those useless posts that gets wiped out? Or does it actually matter who wrote it and whose side they're taking? 😉

Edit: Just so I don't cause any more confusion—that last part was just a rhetorical question.

George Barnes25 said:Isn't this one of those pointless posts that usually gets deleted? (Just check a few previous replies in this thread). Whether there was irony intended or not, I'm sure some people found it pretty confusing. A random passerby could have stumbled onto this topic, seen someone betting against Lyon, noticed a user with a massive post count, and placed a bet based on that alone.

And seriously, isn't this just another one of those useless posts that gets wiped out? Or does it actually matter who wrote it and whose side they're taking? 😉

Edit: Just so I don't cause any more confusion—that last part was just a rhetorical question.

If I had been the one to drop that, I probably would've been slapped with a warning, just like a few months back when I got called out for daring to post twice without a full analysis, while other people spend days churning out posts and nobody says a word!🤷. I'm doing these analyses because I feel like I have to, even though I honestly think anyone planning to just copy my stuff or someone else's is going to do it regardless of whether an "analysis" is attached, since we all assume they're just reading the PDF anyway☕,. That's all I've got for now, gotta get back to work😉.

I still don't get what the big deal is about writing an analysis.🤷

Here's a super basic example I just pulled out of thin air..

AC Milan vs. Fiorentina

Out of their last 7 head-to-head matchups, 6 went over. Both teams have minimal injuries and are in great scoring form right now..

That’s a totally simple example of a bet with an explanation. It takes maybe 20 seconds to write, but you can clearly see the logic behind it..

The reason you guys keep harassing the moderators isn't because writing two lines is too hard for you. It's because you want everything done your way...

As for the cliques, all I'll say is that these "clique members" have complained about the rules and warnings many times before...

Look, I have nothing against you complaining, but this is just a forum. You aren't forced to participate here, unlike how you're forced to live in this country. So either accept things as they are or go somewhere else—it won't cost you much more than moving to a new state would..

Don't get me wrong, I don't always agree with how the moderators handle things either, and I've even made suggestions myself since some of the issues weren't even that big of a deal..

If something really bothered me the way it bothers you, I'd just stop visiting the forum whenever my opinion wasn't being taken into account..

George Barnes25, thanks for reminding me, but I don't see any point in this "fight" of yours.🤷

Man, some guy here is just totally losing his mind!

Ethan Jones5 said:I still don't get what the big deal is about writing an analysis.🤷

Here's a super basic example I just pulled out of thin air..

AC Milan vs. Fiorentina

Out of their last 7 head-to-head matchups, 6 went over. Both teams have minimal injuries and are in great scoring form right now..

That’s a totally simple example of a bet with an explanation. It takes maybe 20 seconds to write, but you can clearly see the logic behind it..

The reason you guys keep harassing the moderators isn't because writing two lines is too hard for you. It's because you want everything done your way...

As for the cliques, all I'll say is that these "clique members" have complained about the rules and warnings many times before...

Look, I have nothing against you complaining, but this is just a forum. You aren't forced to participate here, unlike how you're forced to live in this country. So either accept things as they are or go somewhere else—it won't cost you much more than moving to a new state would..

Don't get me wrong, I don't always agree with how the moderators handle things either, and I've even made suggestions myself since some of the issues weren't even that big of a deal..

If something really bothered me the way it bothers you, I'd just stop visiting the forum whenever my opinion wasn't being taken into account..

George Barnes25, thanks for reminding me, but I don't see any point in this "fight" of yours.🤷

I don't know if I've ended up in that camp myself, but honestly? I’ve never been one to complain about deep dives and analysis. In fact, I’m all over the tennis threads!

Ethan Jones5 said:I still don't get what the big deal is about writing an analysis.🤷

Here's a super basic example I just pulled out of thin air..

AC Milan vs. Fiorentina

Out of their last 7 head-to-head matchups, 6 went over. Both teams have minimal injuries and are in great scoring form right now..

That’s a totally simple example of a bet with an explanation. It takes maybe 20 seconds to write, but you can clearly see the logic behind it..

The reason you guys keep harassing the moderators isn't because writing two lines is too hard for you. It's because you want everything done your way...

As for the cliques, all I'll say is that these "clique members" have complained about the rules and warnings many times before...

Look, I have nothing against you complaining, but this is just a forum. You aren't forced to participate here, unlike how you're forced to live in this country. So either accept things as they are or go somewhere else—it won't cost you much more than moving to a new state would..

Don't get me wrong, I don't always agree with how the moderators handle things either, and I've even made suggestions myself since some of the issues weren't even that big of a deal..

If something really bothered me the way it bothers you, I'd just stop visiting the forum whenever my opinion wasn't being taken into account..

George Barnes25, thanks for reminding me, but I don't see any point in this "fight" of yours.🤷

So, I left the forum. You asked why I bailed...

Eric Fox7 said:Look, if the issue here is failing to catch the irony—especially after a whole debate where people were basically begging for the return of those old posts where guys would drop fake slips with astronomical amounts and zero explanation—then honestly, screw it. Let it all go to hell.

Either you decide to follow rules blindly or actually use some common sense. You’ll tolerate this because it’s irony, even though it’s a blatant rule violation, yet you’ll delete my post in the "one parlay ruined the ticket" thread just because I didn't include the first three numbers required by the rules to prove legitimacy. I proved the ticket was paid for in another way (it was in the "paid tickets" section at the local branch and clearly visible on the screen), but you stuck to the rules blindly. Your ego probably couldn't handle admitting you were wrong and restoring my post. Instead of doing that, you clung to a senseless rule and insisted rules exist just to be followed. In my view, Tsigi shouldn't be punished for that post, but if you aren't going to punish him, then have some decency and stop enforcing every single rule so strictly and punishing others over nonsense.

Why are you defending this, when in my case you chose to follow the rules blindly despite clear proof the ticket was paid? And then, after arguing with you, I got hit with 60 points from Joshua Garcia because I told you that you'd make a great cop. What an absolute insult. 🙄 All because of the drama you stirred up just because you couldn't admit the ticket was valid and could be proven another way.

And here is another example of how moderator Joshua Garcia operates.

The guy starts a thread, a debate breaks out, she attacks him with a condescending attitude, and by the end of the argument, he gets banned while the moderator locks the thread. If he broke the rules, she should have just given him a warning and closed the thread immediately. But no. She engages in the argument, acts arrogant, and practically baits him into getting a penalty with her condescending tone. This is probably what George Barnes25 was talking about regarding female forum members acting like moderators. First, she argues with him like a regular user, and then once she gets bored, she punishes him as a moderator.

Basically, Joshua Garcia and tominator don't have the capacity to be moderators; they just can't see it because they're too in love with themselves and their positions. It's like watching a politician who has no idea how incompetent they are, just smiling smugly during interviews.

I have nothing against them personally, but they lack any sense for moderation. I don't participate much in the University of California betting parlor discussions, but I hate it when someone behaves like this and refuses to admit they're wrong, which is why I'm joining the criticism.

George Barnes25 said:Man, some guy here is just totally losing his mind!

I don't know if I've ended up in that camp myself, but honestly? I’ve never been one to complain about deep dives and analysis. In fact, I’m all over the tennis threads!

So, I left the forum. You asked why I bailed...

That was actually directed at stormyseal9 because he was complaining that it was an issue for him. My response used "they" because a lot of people were whining about that rule, and I wasn't specifically quoting you..

I left the forum; you asked me why I left...

Again, I'm using the plural, but this time it includes you too, since you're still posting here and you can't deny that fact..

I'm off to play a game of football. 👋

I'm with you completely, shadowgardener10.
The officiating is just totally inconsistent.
Some players get away with murder while others get booked for way less.
It’s a simple thing, but maybe a good example is how they handle winning tickets—they'll penalize images that are slightly larger than 640x480, yet they don't say a word about images that are even bigger than those ones.

Ethan Jones5 said:That was actually directed at stormyseal9 because he was complaining that it was an issue for him. My response used "they" because a lot of people were whining about that rule, and I wasn't specifically quoting you..

I left the forum; you asked me why I left...

Again, I'm using the plural, but this time it includes you too, since you're still posting here and you can't deny that fact..

I'm off to play a game of football. 👋

I’m not exactly looking to hang out on a subforum where those two are running the show as moderators... 🤷 So what, should the whole forum just stop working because of him? And why on earth should he stay quiet and just suck it up when things aren't being handled right? Honestly, More and more people are complaining about how they're moderating lately...

Enjoy the football this month! 👋

Cantona 👍

stormyseal9, look, everything regarding the rules has already been laid out. I don't see any point in dragging this "rules" thread out further.

The part about the chat was discussed here too. We haven't actually implemented a rule about analysis in the chat yet—this is just a request:

Joshua Garcia8 said:Guys, please stop trying to bypass the subforum rules via the chat. The chat isn't meant for dumping parlays/tickets, and it looks like some people are doing exactly that. Specifically looking at socis85, GeC666, and stormyseal9, who post nothing but picks. Don't force us to make rules for the chat too.

Thanks

Joshua Garcia8 said:To avoid any confusion, misunderstandings, or whatever other nonsense theories pop up, this request applies to everyone—those mentioned earlier, plus zoom, the agents, Zalmonik, and everyone else.

I really don't get why it's so hard to write one single sentence explaining why you're playing something. Just ONE sentence?

Again, this is a request. Please don't make us implement formal chat rules.

And there was yesterday's request

Joshua Garcia8 said:Hey everyone 🙂
I've got some real-life stuff going on, so I'm not around much and I'm barely posting, but I read everything—and I'm not a fan of seeing you guys tossing picks around in the chat again. 😢
I don't get this habit of just dropping picks; it wouldn't be hard to include which letter 🤷 Please stop doing this.

As for those posts where people were just listing picks, they weren't banned or deleted, so I honestly have no idea what the issue is.

So, we didn't set a rule for the chat topic; it's purely a request.

stormyseal9 said:It’s funny how everything with him is just irony, sarcasm, and other nonsense—yet for everyone else, that’s enough to get banned.

Don't you see there's such a thing as acceptable irony? It's like celebrating the heroic way Eric Fox7 exposed that fraud... whereas the irony in my post

Yes, we all have to be obedient followers. 😉 I only got a warning, so I guess I shouldn't say anything nasty about the moderators anymore. Honestly, since the recent changes, this has become a top-tier betting shop forum filled with high-quality analysis in all the right places—and if I had to pick a new betting guru, I'd point to tipa74, who surely wouldn't even be here if not for the superhuman efforts made to improve this forum. The results speak for themselves.

How sassy and mean—ugh, gross, yuck—irony that offends the moderators' feelings. 🙄

Just to turn some attention toward tipa74, who is allowed to post his usual nonsense about player absences. Is this really the level of quality this forum is aiming for? 🤷

Let's take a quick look at the football this month thread, where posts like these are regularly published

zoom-zoom said:The streak continues; Cricium is still 100% dominant on their home turf.

They had a little blackout from the 66th to the 78th minute, blowing a 2-0 lead to end up at 2-2.

North Stand said:Barnsley - Bristol 1:0 FT

Given the massive list of absences and an overall weak roster, even a red card for Barnsley in the 52nd minute wasn't enough to help Bristol secure a point, or even a single goal.

I have nothing to say.

zoom-zoom said:2-1
it was tied 0-0 until the 71st minute... 🙂

Joshua Garcia8 said:Everything went through, and I ended up with 🙂 points—honestly, there’s no need to overthink things; just place the bet and see what happens...

zoom-zoom said:Wait, how did you get nothing if EVERYTHING went through? 🤷

Joshua Garcia8 said:Since you're calling me out... because I didn't bet quite that way, I added one of your pairs 😛🙂

which, naturally, aren't being deleted. I suppose the fact that they wrote something in the previous post gives them the right to keep cluttering this thread. The moderator joined in on the spamming, which was really the main reason we stopped having daily threads... 🤦

Posts like these really should all be cleared out, but that would actually require doing some work. It's much easier to just push everything off the forum by introducing rules for "improvement" (rules they don't even follow themselves) and then just casually dropping in once a week to see what's new. Usually, there isn't much to see—just a bit of chat, some Forum League action or the IMF betting shop, and maybe a post like 74 or a few other enthusiasts. Ah, la dolce vita! ☕

Anthony Barrett37 said:I'm with you completely, shadowgardener10.
The officiating is just totally inconsistent.
Some players get away with murder while others get booked for way less.
It’s a simple thing, but maybe a good example is how they handle winning tickets—they'll penalize images that are slightly larger than 640x480, yet they don't say a word about images that are even bigger than those ones.

I have to chime in here too. I used to check that thread regularly and contribute, but I ended up getting banned for something that everyone else was allowed to do—just a bit of lightheartedness. It's funny how irony is tolerated now, yet a simple joke isn't. So, I just walked away from the Betting Shop topic entirely. On top of that, I actually dealt with some insults from the moderator Eric Fox7 when I asked a perfectly normal question in the chat thread.

The moderators might be doing their jobs okay most of the time, but there's definitely a double standard happening somewhere, and they're the only ones who know why. Like shadowgardener10 mentioned, they really need to decide if they’re going to lead with common sense or just blindly enforce the rulebook.

Regarding those subjective opinions—claims that Eric Fox7 and Joshua Garcia8 aren't cut out for moderation, or accusations of laziness because they lack some "instinct" for it—I honestly don't even want to dignify that with a response. I'm not interested in sinking to that level of debate. 😉

Like I’ve said many times before, we’re all human, and mistakes happen—it's just part of life. No one is making moves out of malice here. If you see posts that you believe violate the sub-forum rules, just report them, and they'll be dealt with if they actually break the rules. I can't possibly read every single post across every single thread—I'm not a robot, after all, and I have a real life to attend to—so occasionally, things slip through the cracks. Also, dragging discussions about moderation into the University of California betting parlor sub-forum won't be tolerated. That's not how I want to communicate. If there's any confusion or if you have questions, use the PM feature.

As for those controversial entries over in the football this month sub-forum, here is a quick excerpt from the rules:

When posting a parlay or specific pairs, you need to include a brief explanation—the key reasons why you're betting on that specific combo. When we pick a parlay, the assumption is that it wasn't just a random guess; we should have actual reasoning behind it. Since we have those reasons, it shouldn't be an issue to list them out...

Engaging in a discussion (provided it's reasoned) about the parlays is allowed—in fact, it's encouraged.
Commenting on the events you bet on is perfectly fine, provided you stick to the sub-forum rules.

The only thing that doesn't surprise me is how the exact same names keep popping up constantly in threads like these. 🙂

I'm still waiting for aron49 to show up, and then it'll be official. 🙂