This site is unlike any other Cowboys fan forum. This thread isn't an edict from above that is going to get closed. If you have comments, you can speak your mind. It isn't going to be an affront to me as the site owner. I am pretty good at handling disagreement.
How did you end up here? Simply put somewhere along the lines you've shown yourself to be a mature Cowboys fan. That doesn't have anything to do with age. It has everything to do with how you treat others. This place really only has one rule. Simply stated, "We are all Cowboys fans, find a way to get along." That's it. That's all we really ask. I prefer things do not get political because quite frankly the sides hate each other, and I don't want that hate here. 3 guys helped me launch this site. One left for health reasons. One left because I wouldn't push Right leaning politics here. One left because I wouldn't push Left leaning politics here. I presume that means I am doing something right by asking us to discuss politics elsewhere.
I feel exactly the same about religion. If someone posts something personal and someone else says, "You're in my prayers" that is not a religious discussion. That is someone saying words of comfort. Nothing more. I intend to wish you all a Merry Christmas. All holidays are happy. If you want to say back to me Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanza, or Happy Holidays I am not going to be insulted. Please grant me the same courtesy in my wishes to you.
I think we're intelligent and mature enough to do that.
I don't want porn here, and I prefer no horribly foul language, but I believe we're lenient enough to let you know not to blur the lines, and you folks don't. So overall I think this place is really special. You can create your own polls here. You don't need Mods to do it. You can create your own custom avatar title here. Everyone here is equal, and every voice is too. I own the domain, but what I say is not gold here. If you disagree, dammit say so. I happen to be a huge Jason Garrett supporter. Perhaps the biggest out there. I do not expect everyone to toe that line. Please don't think that not liking him puts you in my crosshairs or makes you vulnerable to being asked to leave. That isn't how we operate.
5 guys have been banned here. You have a right to know who they are and why. I have nothing to hide. The first guy to get the gate was Metalhead. He's actually a friend of mine on Facebook to this day, but he's not here. Why? Because he threatened another member. Okay, that's crossing a line. I think we can all agree. He went way too far. We're not going to allow that, ever. I also do not want someone's family attacked. As someone who has felt the burden of that by fellow Cowboys fans it simply isn't going to fly here. Disagreement with each other is fine, but do not go scorched earth on the guy you disagree with.
The second was Rynie. He asked us to ban him. I have no idea why. He unfriended me on Facebook too. He adopted the DCU feelings against me. They aren't mutual.
The third was dbair1967. He and I go back a long way. Long before I joined the site that led to the creation of CZ, he and I were discussing Cowboys football on DMN. I genuinely liked the guy. He was a Mod on DCU, and I know how they feel about me. I asked him to join us here anyway. I told him up front that sharing content from here over there was not going to fly. He did it anyway. Note, if someone from DCU asks you to spy or to use your account, don't do it. Trust me, they do ask. I know all of their IPs and I will find out who does this and I will ban the account. I would do that to my own brother, who is a Cowboys fan, but I've never invited here. He's funny, has a good heart, and is a good guy, but I don't want him here. He isn't mature enough to see any of you disagree with me. dbair1967 crossed a line that I will not tolerate. Not from anyone. I don't want the DCU guys around. It is that simple. Several posters here have DCU accounts. I do not dislike any of them for that. Just be straight with me and I'll be straight with you.
The fourth was CCBoy. I like CC. In fact, I like him a lot. He's a veteran who has some issues due to an injury suffered in the defense of our country. I've actually discussed it with his wife. But he got banned because he went after another member here similar to Metalhead. He was told repeatedly to back off. He couldn't, or wouldn't. Ultimately he decided to go out with a bang. That was his call. I harbor not ill will towards him for it.
The fifth was Lillywhite, also known on CZ as kveavs, and DCU as Cockstrong. He was a DCU spy. It is as simple as that. He is still trying to get access to accounts here. He denied he was a spy. He was lying. He was quite shocked at how he got caught. He said so on DCU. To my knowledge I had never had a cross word with the guy anywhere. Had, past tense. He is now someone who stalks me any time I post on CZ, which is never right now.
That's it. Big bad Hostile, who for years people have accused of being a head hunter at CZ, who banned people for daring to disagree with me, isn't the big bad head hunter after all. I never was. If you believed those things about me, then I apologize. You've been sucked. I banned very few of the guys who are at DCU. Those whom I did, deserved it.
So, how then do we keep growing here? I listen to your recommendations. Someone posed inviting erod, and immediately people spoke up. Understand something, back when I was the Admin at CZ other forum's did share info on problem children. I had already heard about his reputation. Same with Floaty, Nors, tupperware, and other notable "trolls." I trust the membership here. I am not going to put membership to a public vote of yes or no. It sort of happened with erod, but I wasn't going to invite him. Does this mean I have total control of who comes here? No, it doesn't. It means I am going to be extra careful. Quite frankly I don't want to add anyone to the ban list.
I am not looking for this forum to be the biggest. I believe if I opened the door to anyone we could get very big very fast. We discussed going public one time as a staff. Before I ever did that I would give all of you input. If I did it, I would want to make money on clicks. We don't do that. I don't advertise, and I don't sell advertising space here. I haven't made a penny on this venture, and I do not intend to at this time. Maybe if we ever created merchandise, but that isn't my goal. I just want a sane place to discuss our team.
So, what this means is your disappointment in the team isn't causing you issues here. In my opinion, if you love the team in spite of a lousy season you're all right in my book.
Do I think things have gotten bad here? Yes, I do. So bad that I am going to walk away? Nope. I want a sane place to discuss our team. Let me be very direct, I have purposely gone after posters who have access to the team and are good sources. I have some sources with the team as well. I lost my best one last year. I acknowledge that. I want you to get the truth about this team. You're not going to get that listening to fans, ESPN, DMN, FWST, and the normal media outlets. They are all looking for click bait. We know that. The truth is this, despite the record, there is a lot you can be proud of with this team.
I plan to pull back, but it isn't because I am disappointed in anyone here or the tone here. I simply am deciding to try and be healthier than I have been for several years. Sitting behind a desk all day has taken a toll on my body. I want to change that. I won't abandon posting. I won't leave stuff I think is interesting unposted. It just means I am going to give up some hours I spend doing this hobby to try and change me.
I still need your donations to keep this place going. I put in my share as well. If you can't donate, or won't donate, it isn't going to change how I feel about anyone.
There's a guy here who doesn't like me at all. He and I disagreed on adding AD, and I even PMed him to make sure he was cool with how the discussion was going. He assured me he was. Then one day he suddenly got utlra pissed off at me. Since then if someone posts something taking a jab at me or my opinions he likes those posts. He has taken to asking me questions occasionally that echo the DCU guys who think I am a liar. I feel no differently about that poster than I do anyone else here. I want him to enjoy the forum. I don't want to ban him, and I won't unless he crosses one of the lines mentioned above. He's always going to be welcome here unless that happens, and so is anyone else.
How we grow is pretty much up to you as the folks who this place is about. I hope you like it here. Some do not and have left. I harbor no ill will towards those who have. I don't care how you vote, whether you worship or not, and if you do that it is the same deity as me. I don't care if you are male, female, straight, gay, old, young, thin, fat, tall, or short. I only ask one thing of anyone here. Love the Dallas Cowboys and try to get along.
To anyone who doesn't like another poster here, find a reason to bury the hatchet. Dislike Washington, Eagles, and Giants fans instead of your fellow Cowboys fans. If you want to add the Patriots, Steelers, 49ers or any other team's fans to dislike, be my guest. Just respect each other.
That's what this place is about. That is what makes it the best place to talk about our Dallas Cowboys. You can be negative here. You can disagree with me and anyone else. Just be cool about how you do it.
