Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2011 1:23:15 GMT
I think people are being unrealistic AND unreasonable if they think every signing is going to be greeted by everyone saying "Interesting. I'm sure Ling knows what he's doing". Who the f*** wants to log on to read that? .....What's wrong with asking whether a player who has been turning out for a part-time outfit and who didn't make the grade for us couple of years ago in the Conference is an adequate number 2 for us now? In response, those who say the manager has more pressing needs given his modest budget make a persuasive counter-argument. You’re right of course. Not everything can be wonderful for we know from history that we’ve had plenty of awful players and awful managers with many dreadful decisions made along the way. Nor can it all be bad because, if it was, we’d no longer be in the business of being a professional football club. If you look at the history of any club, some of it is due to vision, talent and application; much is down to circumstance; the rest to incompetence or misjudgement. That’s how it’s been and that’s how it is now and for the future. As for this site, I tend to agree with the majority of the views expressed and have a certain degree of respect for much of the remainder. In this way, because there is plenty of reasoned debate – one way or the other – I’d say this site is in rude good health. Sometimes, admittedly, I’m a little regretful it’s lost much of its quirkiness and eclecticism but these things come in cycles. It’s a Torquay United site so it’s only reasonable that the main topic of conversation is Torquay United (yet, at the same time, it’s perfectly permissible that we veer in other directions). At the moment I guess it reminds me of how the old Mervo site was for most of its history rather than the TFF of, say, 2008-2010. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but – once the TUFC-focus goes above a certain level – we have to accept that things can become more intense and contentious (although we’ve had our fair share of that throughout). From my perspective football is a hobby to enjoy and to be absorbed by without getting too strung up, bitter or angry. When I signed up for this site I deliberately took the decision to try to inform and entertain without getting into too many arguments or falling out with people. That, I admit, often involves inwardly digesting opinions - albeit at a stage in life when I becoming increasingly sanguine anyway. For sure I get hacked off by the negativity and, perhaps more so, by the impatience in just the same way as I do on the Popular Side. That, I guess, is something we have to manage as part of being a fan. And, although I don’t get too involved in the daily debates, there are normally plenty of people to speak for me in an eloquent fashion. Of those who don’t, I digest, occasionally wince and sometimes wonder if I’ve grown soft with too much fuzzy-thinking. As for my take on events, while not a fully-fledged “fluffy”, I’ve tended to be understanding of - let’s say – 75% of the things that have happened at the club in recent years. We have progressed. So, yes, it makes for far better reading if people do query signings, performances and decisions rather than being meekly accepting. Poster A may welcome signings V, W, X and Y but not Z; poster B may like V, W, X and Z but hate Y. That’s okay but if poster C thinks every signing – and decision and performance – is wonderful, and clearly believes in a footballing form of Papal Infallibility, I become a little uneasy. And if poster D disregards everything – invariably by kneejerk reaction – you wonder what makes them tick. Football, they say, is a matter of opinion. They also say you can’t win them all. We get pissed off when things don’t go to plan and, some more than others, get frustrated and wound up. But all of us - the meek, mild or belligerent - must be reasonably tolerant of this or else we’d be doing something else with our lives. Each to their own, as ever, but there’s got to be perspective and there has to be some limit to impatience and negativity. I know that too much of either would bugger up my blood pressure and mental well-being. |
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Dave
TFF member
Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Jul 17, 2011 8:35:33 GMT
As for this site, I tend to agree with the majority of the views expressed and have a certain degree of respect for much of the remainder. In this way, because there is plenty of reasoned debate – one way or the other – I’d say this site is in rude good health. Sometimes, admittedly, I’m a little regretful it’s lost much of its quirkiness and eclecticism but these things come in cycles. It’s a Torquay United site so it’s only reasonable that the main topic of conversation is Torquay United (yet, at the same time, it’s perfectly permissible that we veer in other directions). At the moment I guess it reminds me of how the old Mervo site was for most of its history rather than the TFF of, say, 2008-2010. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but – once the TUFC-focus goes above a certain level – we have to accept that things can become more intense and contentious (although we’ve had our fair share of that throughout). It was the quirkiness and eclecticism that was found on the TFF that made it the different forum it was during the period you mentioned Nick. I’m sure you will agree that so many of the sorts of threads you enjoyed posting on were started by me. I was from day one a big player on the TFF as far as being a very regular poster and thread starter were concerned and loved the fact that we did once talk about so many other things on here other then what the main topics will always be and that is Torquay United. Sadly for me around September time last year, a time when I became so afraid of what was going to happen to Carol, I became subjected to some very unnecessary and very unwelcome personal attacks. I just needed at that time to be able to come on to the forum I so loved where I had so many good friends, just to escape for a while from all that was going on around me as far as Carol was concerned. I did not consider it an unreasonable request that the members concerned just got on and used the forum for it’s intend propose and that was to debate in the way good healthy debate is conducted by most decent and sensible adults. The ethos of the TFF has always been one that encouraged such debate, but has never allowed the keyboard warrior types to have their fun by being abusive, rude, insulting etc, to other members. The TFF has been responsible for creating a good number of new friendships and that is something that has pleased me and it will continue to promote the idea that when we join it, we are joining a good and healthy community where we all can feel we are a part of one large family. A forum where we can have an opinion of our own and always able to express it freely, safe in the knowledge that someone sitting behind a keyboard, won’t subject us to personal abuse, or just rubbish our views because that is how he or she gets their sad little kicks out of life. Back then last September Carol and I both knew that the very latest dark tunnel we found ourselves in really did not have any light at the end of it. That was the main reason I had to stop coming on here so much as she really needed all the time, love and devotion I could find for her, as she slowly and very painfully for her, started losing the very brave fight she had put up for so long. I never expected to have to witness all I did at the end for her, nor did I ever expect to have to tell the person I loved so much that she was going to die and I sure never expected for that to happen as I held her in my arms. So much to have to come to terms with and I did not find that something very easy to do in the beginning, but I’m now slowly getting to the place I need to be, if I’m going to find some sort of life I will be content to live. Gone for now are the days I could drive around in my van working out in my head the next big post I was going to make on the TFF. Now its thinking about doing the ironing when I get home and what I might do myself for tea. What bills I need to be paying and these are all the things that were always done for me by Carol. The TFF exists still today as Carol was the one who stopped me from deleting it when it was just a month or so old due to all the stress and problems it was causing me. She knew I had put so much hard work and love into setting it up and also knew I believed there really could be a forum that was so different from all the others. I did achieve that and it has only been the circumstances around me over this last nine months that has prevented me from playing the part I always did on here. Carol also knew the TFF was something that would always be there for me when she herself was no longer able to be. For that reason alone I now see the TFF as a legacy to Carol and I hope in time I will find more time to once again become a very active member on here. Please help play your part by keeping the TFF very much alive and you can do that by taking the time to post on here. Barton is so right to say things go around in cycles; I intend to get the TFF fully back to where it once was and will do so in time. I care about the TFF today as much as I did the day I set it up, I’m sorry I have not been able to play the role I always did on here and as I said, that is something I’m working on changing. Rob has done such a good job running the TFF for me and I thank you all for making the job easy for him and I can’t thank him enough, as without his help I’m not sure the TFF would have been able to have kept going. All the best Dave |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2011 21:28:52 GMT
Stand by North Devon, one of our top posters is planning a summer roadshow:  |
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Dave
TFF member
Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Jul 18, 2011 21:42:53 GMT
Stand by, North Devon, one of our top posters is planning a summer roadshow: Sorry, Terry, it was a gift to this site once I picked up the Journal in Barnstaple today. I don't dislike the one we have got, moans a bit at times, but I do know he is a half decent sort of bloke. But and this is a big BUT, I don't think I could handle or stand a whole bus full of Meerkats.  |
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