I’d say at least three-quarters of the threads outside the junk drawer revolve around what’s going on w/ the PTB, but like most other blog sites, there is always a bit of OT. I can see how finding new OT threads on a daily basis can be frustrating when coming to read about Blazers’ basketball, but I think it’s worth acknowledging that you don’t have to click on the OT threads and read/engage in the discourse that may involve the personal agendas of others if you don’t want to (thank you, Dave, for making it basically mandatory to label these threads OT) and thus saving yourself from having to read anything that’s non-PTB if that’s what you want. Personally, I kinda find it refreshing to hear the viewpoints and ideas of other ppl (most of whom I doubt I would come into contact w/ elsewhere) regarding real-life topics that are important to most all of us. But I do agree that this is a blog about the PTB, and most of the content here should stay on that subject. I guess I should also apologize to anyone who has ever seen me as someone w/ a personal agenda… although I don’t post here often, I tend to comment on the OT threads more than the PTB-related threads, which is kinda ironic in itself.

to expect any given group to only discuss one subject and one subject only seems a bit absurd.

As a demographic of Blazer fans, we probably share more interests than just basketball. I agree that a lot of off topic conversation could be distracting, thus the creation of the junk drawer. However, off topic discussion is a natural part of a healthy and vibrant online community.

Though I don’t comment much (I lean a bit libertarian for this board {but not black helicopters libertarian}. ) I am a law student with a degree in Political Science, so I enjoy some of the political debate and perspectives that are thrown out here. Especially since I am in Texas, recently moved from Tennessee. Oregon is a bluer state and thus there is a different political zeitgeist and I find that fascinating.

I think a typical example of what he’s referring to would be the frequent snarky asides about George Bush that pop-up unnecessarily in threads that have nothing to do with politics.

I’ve commented about this before. There are folks on both sides of the political aisle, but those on one side seem particularly eager to take every opportunity to rub their crap in the faces of those on the other side. I think it’s rude and inconsiderate.

If you want to start an OT thread to present your opinions, fine, do so, but in other threads, please remember that your right to hock your political loogies ends where my face begins.

then don’t read it.

It’s that simple.

If you stick with that easy guideline, you won’t find yourself peeved.

You might miss out, buy you might not as well.

Sure, I can skip the stuff I don’t like, but it also doesn’t bother me to just check my politics at the door. Time and place for everything and all that.

And frankly some of the just plain wrong political opinions I see posted make me sad for my fellow Blazer fans who hold them. There are somethings I just don’t need to know about you.

If I had a dollar for every message forum post I didn’t like…

I totally agree with holder’s comment from above. Some OT is a function of community. The Bedge is a sort of community, therefore OT discussions and comments WILL be generated (whether that’s the olympics, politics, or who you’d like to take on the skin boat…)
But this is where the second thought comes in. Dave has (as part of the site posting rules) said that being “that guy” who won’t let something go and has to keep harping on it won’t be tolerated.
So, a bit of OT is fine as long as no one’s being “that guy”

The OT stuff in general and some of it bust a gut funny but nobody wants to read the pippen aint easy in your face nonsense and most of todays junk drawer was about TV shows,I dont watch TV,and other things I couldnt care less about but I just blow it off and look for another thread where somebody is talking about BB