Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Wizards Employee May Not Support First Amendment Right.

Sam has posted comments for all to enjoy. So if I may I shall reply to his comments.

As all can see, Sam your first amendment right exists on this Blog. I have not and will not alter your comment in any way. If you would like to have a page to state your observations feel free to e-mail Baines Breath. It will get published. After all this is a collective.

As for Anonymous blogging, I as well as others, have posted on BS for years feeling we have to hold back at times. Granted Sam you have no ability in BS to moderate us, yet it has been stated in conversation that some have received calls, email and AIMs from you requesting we delete posts. Why? Did those posts get your goat, jeopardize your future position with the Wizards, or was/is the front office not able to handle criticism. I think it is not the latter of choices.

I know this is not rubbish. You Sam have done that. Tuesday you called Baines Finicky Liver and told him he was wrong and needed to correct his statement. This is a fundamental problem driving those pressured by you to join the collective. Do not think of it as a Blog but as an open forum for all to read. You do not need to be a member. You do not need to worry about personal attack. You cannot be called an idiot here. (I delete name-calling) Just e-mail something to Baines Breath and voila it is published. Yes it’s open to all. The best thing about this Blog, come closer…no… closer, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO READ IT.
Now, I bid you, good day Sir.

FAQs:
Why did I start this Blog?
It’s a not a secret that OnGoal has some unhappy fans. I started it to say out loud what your fans say behind your back. You see some may say they speak their mind but they really don’t because they might get a phone call, AIM or e-mail from the great and powerful Sam asking for them to play nicey nice. When someone says something to the front office directly they receive the pat answer, “be patient, we plan to announce something in two or three weeks. ” Rather than submitting their thoughts to the Wizards only to hear the same mantra, some choose to keep it to themselves or share it with me. This gives me fodder for blogging. Thank you for your mafia style censorship.

Does my, Joe Baines, opinion matter?
Every person’s opinion matters. That is why the collective is here. Please in the future do not pressure someone to make an addendum to their Blog, just write something yourself and state your opinion.

Is there an Emotion Quotient test I can take to measure my commitment to the Cauldron and the Wizards?
Sure. Just e-mail Sam Pierron with the Wizards and he can provide you with the test.

In closing. As for your statement, “Just trying to help, because nobody has more emotionally invested in the success of the section as I do.” I personally know of at least 25 Cauldronites and Big Soccer posters who also step up every time the Wizards and Heart of America Soccer Foundation ask them. They spend their own money and ask relatives for favors to get things done so our section looks good on camera. Have you stepped up this season and offered to pay for the 50 new flags? All the new Banners? These are the same volunteers that are/were at every game under our new ownership and while ownerless, putting the club before themselves. They have just as much emotionally invested in this section as you do.

Again, thank you Sam for all you have done.
I would also like to thank those that have bought celebration materials, beer, and food and donated their precious time to the section.


This has been,
Baines Breath

2 comments:

Sam said...

I have never asked anyone to edit or remove a post because it was critical. I asked only when it betrayed my confidence, or when it was factually inaccurate...or in one instance, when it would have led a friend getting banned from BigSoccer. I have done the same when others have asked it of me for the reasons listed above.

The suggestion that I do not support the First Amendment is ludicrous at best, given my personal track record with regard to the First Amendment, specifically with regard to our libraries.

The gratuitous potshots that some of the authors of this blog have chosen to take at me (vid. the first post ever on here, which ended, for no reason other than to try to piss me off, with "Reynolds") have been hurtful and completely unnecessary. In all the time any of you have known me, have you known me to make anything personal? Have you known me to hold grudges?

Consider my goat gotten. You have succeeded in alienating me. Congratulations.

Go Wizards.

KCRovert said...

I liken this blog to a criminal on a “perp walk”. The criminal is full of bravado and machismo, until they get caught. Then they can’t hide their faces fast enough. I have absolutely no respect for someone unwilling to take responsibility for their actions, good or bad.

It’s too bad, I actually agree with some of the points mentioned on this blog. Not many of them, but a few. Unfortunately, since the person (or persons) behind the statements feels it necessary to hide their identity, in my opinion it relegates the points to a moot issue. It’s kind of hard to be a good little martyr if nobody knows who you are.

As for the FO doing “nothing” to help the Cauldron (or you personally), what did you ask them for help with? Have you tried to work with the FO to get things done for the group, or have you just sat on the sidelines pointing out perceived problems? Again, not knowing who you are makes it rather difficult to determine an answer to this. While dealing with the FO this season has not been a cake walk, there have been some positive steps made this season and I think the Cauldron is in a better place today than they were a year ago…it takes effort. I learned long ago that if you don’t tell someone (who has authority to do something about it) that you are not happy, they will assume everything is fine. Speak up.

Don’t hide behind a wall lobbing rocks at people…get out there and “fight the good fight”.

Just in case,
Robert Houghton