How I found the Armchair, how I came to love it, and why I’m ready to leave
This post could also be called Ban Manny Stiles from All Things, Period (at least for a while).
I came across Armchair GM about a year ago when someone on TotalFark linked to DNL’s post “The New Economics of the MLB Trade Market.” It was brilliant. It was a treatise on understanding why the hell free agents and trades work like they do nowadays. Of course, it piqued my interest.
I began to read around the site and I was really excited. I finally posted something, got decent feedback, and was stoked to continue with the site. It was finally an opportunity to talk smack with people about sports, argue, get other insight, and generally just find like-minded individuals who knew their stuff.
It continued this way for a while. I, of course, noticed the writing stylings of one Manny Stiles. He was sometimes interesting, usually nonsensical, sometimes funny, and often full of smack. Not too bad. He reminded me a bit of Jim Rome, who incidentally I hate, with more funny and a lot less jerk. Certainly with more substance than Rome.
That was then.
Now, I came after the “Ban Manny Stiles from all things credible” tag. I know he’s written some great stuff. “Everybody knows why ArmchairGM is so good!” is perhaps the most succinct explanation about why I like the site. That said, his recent contributions in both user names, and moreover his comments in all threads as both Manny and Ekom are part of the reason I’m contemplating leaving.
Everyone remembers the incident when Jim Rome kept calling Jim Everett “Chris” until Everett attacked him. This used to be Manny’s shtick. A little funny snark. Push some buttons a little. OK. I get that. The feud between him and Tyrone (and Jamel) has crossed the line.
Manny has graduated into the equivalent of calling Jim Everett “Bitch” instead of Chris. He’s just being a foul-mouthed for the hell of it. Tyrone and Jamel came in nasty and trolling at first. Manny responded. They have responded in kind. Manny was a kind of king in his court, and when TB held his own rather than backing down, Manny got even more pissy and nasty.
Lots of cursing, name calling, jokes about man tits, cum, dildos, bitches, and everything else imaginable. This has what to do with sports?
Big effin deal right? It’s just some smack talk, right?
Wrong.
Their behavior reflects on everyone on the site. Hell, it infects most of the comment articles. We look like we are invested with trolls. It also denigrates everyone here who writes awesome stuff day in and day out.
Every time one of them insults each other, it turns off someone who might find Alex’s articles about snooker interesting. Every nasty word or image drives someone away from Ron Sen’s interesting work. Look what they did in “So You Want to Be a Sports Journalist.” I know I don’t feel like writing anything when the comments are just gonna get loaded with cursing and random crap.
It’s rude, and frankly, it’s selfish. Manny/Ekom, you make yourself look a lot stupider than we all know you are. Learn to reel it in a bit. Tyrone, Jamel, etc., you need to decide if you want to participate or not.
So, here’s what I propose. Put them in time-out, like I give my 2.5 year old. Call it the penalty box. Call it a league mandated suspension. Give them some time to think.
I’d say, give them all a month to cool off. Why not just a week? Because a week is a vacation. 2 weeks is a rest. After about 3, you’re really going to ask, hmm I wonder what’s new. And by a month later, you’ll be so desperate to get back that you’ll think twice before being an ass again.
Now, if you weren't so insensitive to the fact that there are some legal proceedings surrounding this situation, I would be able to tell you more about these "fabrications", Schmuck...
He was always proud of me and always encouraged me to have fun. The first picture is the ONLY picture I have of him NOT smiling/grinning/laughing...
I have your honor code right here: 1) Don't be a dick 2) Don't write a comment in someone else's article you wouldn't want a newspaper's recruiter reading in yours.
3) End of list.