Topic: Karma count?

[Tyler Foos]

Maybe I missed a memo but what in the world is this Karma count I'm seeing under everyone's user name?

Thanks.............................Tyler

[Anderson]

It would appear that we can now SMITE or APPLAUD other users. Not a big fan because people tend to just SMITE for fun, but don't worry. I'll refrain from SMITING you right now

[Tyler Foos]

Anderson,

Lol.

Tyler

[MacGeek]

just trying it out. I may disable it. serves no great purpose.

[Anderson]

It does serve one purpose. It's useful to spite anyone who comes on a foosball website and asks "Why can't I spin? What's wrong with spinning? Why can't I lift the table during play? I don't get it!"

[bbtuna]

anderson,

Soap Box Alert….step onto my soap box…

I know you are trying to be funny but one thing I am proud about this board is that people interested in foosball can come on here and ask any kind of question about play, tables, rules, etc and always receive a honest answer - an answer without ridicule, condemnation or a condescending attitude.  The idea is to promote foosball and encourage people regardless of where they are at in their foos journey.

If someone comes on here and innocently asks something about spinning, or they are coming back to foos after a 25 year layoff and think the rollover is a spin shot, or they are a Tornado player with a anti-banking bias, I hope we will always welcome them and answer with courtesy.

I remember my first time playing and literally every step of the way from there on.  It helps me stay in touch with what it is to be a beginner and to play through all levels except the very top.  It is most important to me that people have fun and it is not important that they know what I know or ever become tournament players or if spinning is "okay" to them.

Its easy to become jaded and sarcastic about things “those who are in the know” think are “stupid”.  If we express our “informed” opinions with a condescending attitude, the people asking legitimate questions are ridiculed and foosball gets a black eye.

...step off my soap box

cheers
bbt, tuna, backpinrules, charles

[Anderson]

I was kidding but taking a jab as well. I would think that if you're snooping around a foosball board, you are probably looking to learn what foosball is all about and you're interested in getting better and playing like a pro. Some posts have been anything but, and quite frankly, whether I was kidding or not, those comments would MOST DEFINITELY get smited anyhow. This is one reason why I'm not a fan of this Karma thing. It will simply become a problem. While I'm not a big fan of some of those posts, I'm not at all offended and I'm simply not interested enough to reply, because I like the friendly atmosphere of this board. However, if you give a SMITE button, it now becomes easier for me or anyone else to ANONYMOUSLY say to someone that their post is ridiculous and that's why I hope that it will be removed.

And it appears that it has been moved.

[bbtuna]

i hear you and I have no opinion about the Karma thing because I have no experience with it but what you say makes sense, i wouldn't be for anything where people anonymously criticize

i have been on this board for years and I can tell you that many many people come on here who do not want to be pro but they come here to get help on things that beginners, college players, parents, and returning old folk want help with...although there are a few pros on this board, that world and its inpatients with the “stupid” questions is found on the other board

you apparently forget that there was a time you didn’t know the “obvious” questions but if foosball is to grow, it needs casual players like pool, table tennis, and darts have so we should befriend these innocents and help them feel good about their level of interest and what it means to be a fooser…we need to build good will, it will spread but sarcasm and condescension builds bad feelings and tells the story that foos is about jerks

its like when you hear horror stories about first time beginners showing up to their first DYP only to draw someone who tells them how stupid they are and makes foos look stupid

if someone is innocent about spinning but smart enough and brave enough to find a foos board and come here and ask questions…they have no idea if the question is “stupid” but they have reason to believe it needs sorting out…tell me why this is bad?  We have a chance to nicely give them direction and encourage their interest

I have been sort of absent from the board most of this year except to help some of these non pros to find tables but I don’t remember any regular questions about spinning the years I have been on this board…still, if we got the same question every day its important to remember that the question is brand new to the person asking it even if its old to us and whatever the question, it is an open door to a foos relationship, who knows, we may influence someone who becomes the next Billy Pappas, or they are a parent to the next Billy

bbt

[Anderson]

bbtuna, it's all cool. I was reading older posts from years ago, and the thing I was referring to is the random player who doesn't accept rules, completely disagrees with them, and thinks that they are God's gift to the foosball world before they have even seen a decent foosball game.  I had a great time tonight teaching a spinner and the reason I had a great time is because he admitted at the very beginning that he didn't have a clue and wanted to learn. TEACH ME he said. he walked away from the game tonight with a TREMENDOUS understanding of the game and an URGE to learn more and to be a better player. Not to become pro, but to have an APPRECIATION for the sport, for the RULES and why they exist. I ENJOY THAT TYPE OF EDUCATING, and I am a teacher by profession. I apologize if I came off as insulting lesser players, because I can assure you I am only semi pro approaching pro, and I have a long way to go. I do remember those days, but I wasn't a fan of the game until I walked into a fraternity, a freshman looking for things to do, at RPI in Troy NY, and walked into a foosball game where people WERE ACTUALLY DOING AMAZING THINGS WITH THE BALL. I fell in love with this game then, back in 1988.  I can attest that that is the way people fall in love with this game, not by arguing with somebody else why they should or should not be able to spin. I didn't mean to say that such players at the age of 6-10 should be chastised because they don't know any better. I taught them too.

Peace BB. I hope to get to play you someday and maybe learn a few things, maybe teach a few things, and simply love this game the way that we do.

[pebbles]

Speaking of rules, some of us played when there were essentially no rules, probably before you were born, and have been asked from time to time what it was like when jarring was allowed, there were no time limits, the shot hitting the backboard which popped out did not count but always landed exactly in the spot on the 3-bar it was shot from so you just got to start your defense over for what seemed like hours, table talk/yelling at the opponent was not against any rule, etc. The only rule I remember at my first big tournament was no spinning, otherwise everything was a go unless you called an official and he "calmed things down." As older players, from time to time, we've been asked to compare foosball of today to the 70s; everyone including me has their opinion but in mine, overall things have much improved. The thing that bothers me about the foosball board is that in the past it has been used for the wrong purpose, i.e., slamming people's opinions and segregating newer players from more experienced players. Boards are meant to be informational and not meant for people to slam dunk each other. I think people's questions and opinions are equally important. I think the Karma count is a good idea because in the past, you could not not express you own opinion without someone posting a slam dunk. It makes people intimidated to post because they are afraid of what someone might say that might be disrespectful to the point of being vicious. If you look at the old board, you will see what I mean.

[PatRyan]

Ms. Pebbles,

Regarding your reference to foosball message boards, and the fact that they should be informational, and posting without fear of being "slammed".  You have found a good board here.  We are much more friendly here to new players, and older, more seasoned players returning to the game as well.

I am sure we would all like to hear some of your stories from the past, I am sure you have some good ones.

Welcome to the board!