I’m a long time reader of this blog; however I seldom post comments. This is right on in my opinion.

I’ve often wondered at the people on this site who complain about negativity with a negativity every bit as annoying as the original negativity.

is heightening tension and it’s coming out in the way people post, but also in the way people interpret posts. I know I’ve had some posts that when I read someone’s response to the post, I thought, “Did I really come off the way this guy is saying?” So I look back at what I wrote and I saw I could have put things better, but part of it also was the interpretive choices.

I think the tension/frustration of this season will dissipate eventually and the tone will change so long as people don’t hold grudges. And I don’t see why people would hold grudges – after all, for me, it’s often the posters I disagree with most, but who can make their case well, who I am most interested in continuing to read.

It just seems to me that people tend to drift to the most extreme sides. I’ve always found it interesting that the posts that are the least controversial or provocative tend to get the fewest comments. Too many people seem to get off on fighting and provoking. But, then, I guess that’s human nature.

 I’ve gotten to the point where I try to avoid any post that has “Milton Bradley”, “Jim Hendry” or “Lou Pinella” in the title because I can pretty much predict exactly what’s going to be said and I know i’ll pretty quickly degenerate into anger, name calling, etc.

Ideally I’m here to engage my fellow Cub fans in discussions, debates, nostalgia, etc. When personalities start to come into play, I’ve begun to rapidly lose interest.

I consider myself realistic.

Is it likely the Cubs will be in the postseason this year? No. Is it possible? Yes. Other teams have come back from deeper deficits with less time remaining.

Those who are wagging their fingers and saying “I told you so” because they were screaming doom and gloom in May should not be congratulated or commended on their perceptiveness. In a game like baseball, it’s ridiculous to postulate a six-month season based on one or two months.

I’d say let’s all try to lie back and enjoy what’s left of this season. Because you know you’ll be missing it in January.

especially those who demand we make unrealistic trades with our best players while they’re not playing up to par. But I don’t believe we have a chance of making the playoffs and I certainly don’t think everything is sunshine and puppies. Does that make me cool in your book?

explains it all.

Argue your position passionately if you must, but always remember there is a real person on the other end. If you wouldn’t say it to that person’s face, don’t post it here.

I consider myself one. Obviously for any regular reader I think Lou is a VERY bad manager and Soriano is very bad THIS season and might well be hiding a physical injury. I tend to be an optimist on the future and while I realize the Cubs have ALMOST no chance of making it , I will still hope because I can’t help it and I will still watch games.

I think a lot of vitrol is over Lou and a few specific players. Apparently I have to think Soriano is just one hot streak away from saving the team or should be dumped even if the Cubs eat 50 million dollars. With some variation the same on Bradley, Soto & Theirot. I happen to take a middle ground with all the above. I admit to disliking Lou and wanting him gone but that is a position I have held since last April so I don’t think you can pin that on this season or tenor or BCB.

Thing is we tend to see the posts that the entire Cubs orginization is rotten from Blou or to lesser extent Krummy and others or the if only everyone played to their career norms which we expect to happen any day now than the Cubs are gonna win the WS view of NBF and Drew. Most of us ARE in the middle even if we might hold a particularly strong view on a particular player ( or Lou). Add in fanshots etc and you will see that the majority of people here really are in the middle but they may not shout as loud.

That if the Rox lose, the Cubs are only 5.5 games out of the wild card.

IMO that would be better than a “+something.” But virtual beverages are so unfulfilling.

those who are extreme fall into two catagories

1. those who are extreme
2. those who dont like the extreme of one side and without meaning to take their opinion to the extreme in reply.

I am not extreme IMHO but I get sick of the extreme negative posters and I tend to go extreme in defense against them,

in the process coming off as extreme happy go lucky. Perception is not always as it seems with a poster, and this is a perfect example of it.

I’m mostly here to learn.

 As a Card’s fan posting and commenting on a Cub’s site I have to be pretty careful in what I say and how I say it and it wouldn’t be wise for me to open this can of worms. But now that it’s open I can comment.
 What I see here are 3 basic groups:
1) those that want to argue (the closed minded)
2) those that want to discuss (the open minded)
3) those that are just off the wall, unpredictable, who knows what they are.
 That pretty much reflects society in general.
When I came here I came waving a peace flag and said I was here to talk some baseball with the rival fans, just to get and offer the view from both teams’ fans. I expected a fair share of boo’s from the group 1 folks….and I got it in abundance.
 But I’ve been here awhile and it’s getting a little better.
Since this is the only sports blog I visit I don’t have anything to compare to. (I’ve read the Cardinals site but don’t post or comment).
 What I see here probably isn’t a lot different than anywhere else. People are basically the same everywhere.
 The policing and the tolerance may be different, I don’t know.
I think a lot of the trouble stems from those who don’t READ carefully enough before they comment, or they read what they want to read instead of what was written, generally in order to pick a fight or start an argument. I think those are some of the negative folks you mention.
 Another thing I see is that an opinion, too often, is not treated as simply an opinion. Too often it’s treated as someone stating it as FACT, usually by someone who claims to HAVE THE FACTS, period. (again, this reflects society in general).
 I don’t mind the optimistic fans, God less ‘em! even though realism stares at them they choose to remain positive. It sure beats negativity.
 What I am learning here (and I falter sometimes) is to not feed the beast!!!!! You just can’t be rational with irrational people and you can’t converse with someone who just wants to argue. So I try to not to give them a venue.
 If these people are ignored they’ll have no platform or soapbox and they might just dry up and go away. naaaah!

and the civility.