Message Board's Effect on Players. Positive or Negative?

[roarman]

This is a long post. Give it a read.

As a teenager in the 1970s, I played Little League baseball. I played shortstop. I was an average player on a pretty good team. I remember making three errors in one game. As the game went on, I heard players on the other team yelling, “Hit it to the shortstop”. We lost. The coach wasn’t happy with my play, and on the ride home, my dad wasn’t all that encouraging. I got home, put my glove in the closet and started playing my drums. I was a much better drummer than I was a baseball player.

One thing I didn’t do was pull out my cell phone and read posts on message boards about how poorly I played and how I pretty much cost my team the game. How I couldn’t catch a cold and how I should probably be switched to right field because balls aren’t hit there. That’s because, in the 1970s, there weren’t cell phones, personal computers, the internet or social media. I am thankful for that. I’m very happy my adolescence was during a time when social media did not exist. I’m pretty certain, if it was around then, I may have turned out to be a different person.

It’s hard to imagine how difficult it must be for today’s players to read some of the criticism directed at them on college message boards. Don’t think, for one minute, they don’t read them. They do. And, their parents and family members do as well.

If I were a college player today, I wouldn’t read them. I’m not sure I could handle it. Players are under a tremendous amount of pressure to be perfect. And, when they’re not, they read all about it via posts on message boards, written by anonymous posters, most of whom don’t have an understanding of the true circumstances.

I’m not saying making posts critical of a player’s performance shouldn’t be allowed. I’m saying, if someone is going to post something negative about a player, something they know the player is going to read, they should do it constructively. And, the poster should take a deep breath, read the post one more time before hitting submit and think about how damaging it may be to the player the post is directed at.

There are many, many positives to being a UL athlete. All the UL athletes I know and have known, love the university and are proud to be Ragin’ Cajuns. I also know that some are discouraged by what they read on social media. So, I must say, in response to the question posted, the answer is negative. And, that’s too bad.

That’s all. Go ahead and fire away.

[RedTails]

Negative, but pales in comparison to the effects of Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok on the younger generations.

[NOCajun]

If I was coaching a team, ANY team, I would strongly encourage my players to stay away from team fan message boards because nothing they have to say is helpful to us.

[cajun_lannister]

If I was coaching a team, ANY team, I would strongly encourage my players to stay away from team fan message boards because nothing they have to say is helpful to us.

I think the film room is way worse than anything said on a message board. Most of the guys I knew that played would always take it as a joke. The fat ass behind a keyboard really knows how to play our sport.


Now threatening the kids family is completely out of line ( more of a SEC thing).

[fanof71]

When 71 was playing, they were under orders to not read or post on sites like NC preps.com....and it was emphasised that parents not post....

[CajunVic]

This is a long post. Give it a read.

As a teenager in the 1970s, I played Little League baseball. I played shortstop. I was an average player on a pretty good team. I remember making three errors in one game. As the game went on, I heard players on the other team yelling, “Hit it to the shortstop”. We lost. The coach wasn’t happy with my play, and on the ride home, my dad wasn’t all that encouraging. I got home, put my glove in the closet and started playing my drums. I was a much better drummer than I was a baseball player.

One thing I didn’t do was pull out my cell phone and read posts on message boards about how poorly I played and how I pretty much cost my team the game. How I couldn’t catch a cold and how I should probably be switched to right field because balls aren’t hit there. That’s because, in the 1970s, there weren’t cell phones, personal computers, the internet or social media. I am thankful for that. I’m very happy my adolescence was during a time when social media did not exist. I’m pretty certain, if it was around then, I may have turned out to be a different person.

It’s hard to imagine how difficult it must be for today’s players to read some of the criticism directed at them on college message boards. Don’t think, for one minute, they don’t read them. They do. And, their parents and family members do as well.

If I were a college player today, I wouldn’t read them. I’m not sure I could handle it. Players are under a tremendous amount of pressure to be perfect. And, when they’re not, they read all about it via posts on message boards, written by anonymous posters, most of whom don’t have an understanding of the true circumstances.

I’m not saying making posts critical of a player’s performance shouldn’t be allowed. I’m saying, if someone is going to post something negative about a player, something they know the player is going to read, they should do it constructively. And, the poster should take a deep breath, read the post one more time before hitting submit and think about how damaging it may be to the player the post is directed at.

There are many, many positives to being a UL athlete. All the UL athletes I know and have known, love the university and are proud to be Ragin’ Cajuns. I also know that some are discouraged by what they read on social media. So, I must say, in response to the question posted, the answer is negative. And, that’s too bad.

That’s all. Go ahead and fire away.

Thanks for your post. And in looking at the response thus far, it is apparent that nobody gets it. I never understood how some can be so diehard fans and really care for their schools and teams and not give a damn about their own players.

Oh well.

[R1Letterman]

When 71 was playing, they were under orders to not read or post on sites like NC preps.com....and it was emphasised that parents not post....

Too bad he isnt still playing.

[fanof71]

Too bad he isnt still playing.

No, he's actually an MD now...

[R1Letterman]

No, he's actually an MD now...

Awesome, great for him. But too bad for us he isnt still playing as that last part of the coach’s rule no longer applies… “that parents not post”

[RaginCajun309]

I try not to read in game threads, not always successful but rarely post in game. Seems to take care of the “heat of the moment” negative posts.

[ryan.hess1986]

I try to not make posts about an individual player if it’s negative. I’ve fallen short of this goal before, and have really started working hard lately to not call out an individual player. Now, overall team performance and coaches are more or less fair game, IMO. I won’t make character assaults at coaches, but being critical of their performance is fair enough.

[ZoomZoom]

I think the film room is way worse than anything said on a message board. Most of the guys I knew that played would always take it as a joke. The fat ass behind a keyboard really knows how to play our sport.


Now threatening the kids family is completely out of line ( more of a SEC thing).

Man, should see the LSU softball FB page on the post where they lost their second game. Brutal.