Epidemic Cowardice

The problem isn't the lack of proper identification, it is the use of the anonymity. For me to say, " I just like the HOGS, I think they always run tough, and they have shown it over the years," is not a problem, there is no offensive threat or statement, just a guy stating a view about his favorite distance squad. The problem comes in when people get offensive and attack on a personal level. I have been trying to figure it out myself why "that guy" keeps attacking Davis, and why others get slammed. I have been trying to find a reason why "that guy's" life is so affected by someone elses actions. In looking through his posts, I haven't found one yet. I guess the true source of anger is destined to be unknown until he reveals it. As far as being surprised by it, well, knowing what any adult knows about these forums, it is a real risk to reveal any personal information on it because, as mentioned above, it can only be used against you. In the case of the brothers Johnson, I think it is just a case of 'good with the bad', and that really is the unfortunate price of being a public business owner/figure....which like it or not, they both are....my best advice, ALWAYS ignore your critics, for generally ignorance is the realm within which they swim, and so to be ignored is what they deserve.

I AM,

Also Humble Observer

Goodnight

The anonymous "Joe Blow is an EPO hound" ones are the worst -- anonymously calling someone a p---y is weak but doesn't have the negative reputational carryover and does have the possibility to refute -- compare "I heard Joe Bow is a p---y" to "I heard Joe Blow is on EPO, HGH, and nandro."

To my experence, whenever I've gotten p.o.'ed with someone's belligerent nonsense offered anonymously here (and in other, similar forums*) and have offered personal contact info to meet in real life to "discuss things more directly," no one's had the stones to respond at all. Not an e-mail, phone call, anything. Infantile chickens--t cowards, like those guys who heckle runners while driving past at 40 miles/hour.

Real tough guys, afraid of little old me. And I do mean "little" and "old."

Not that this msg will gchange anything, just a lament.

* If any of the guys who thought it was fun and harmless to heckle me on rungroteschief.com in July 1999 are seeing this, I've forgotten nothing and have forgiven nothing.

While I don?t venture on to too many message boards, I have found that they are not all like this one. I think that it has more to do with the demographic of the posting members involved. Recently I discovered the IAAF message boards and have found them very different. The discussions tend to stay on topic a bit more and there is a lot less name-calling. I also notice from that board that many of the folks posting are European. Perhaps manners are better over there, I do not know. Whatever the case, I still enjoy this board very much and do not let the occasional knucklehead get to me.