Game Thread Sign-ups: March-April 2024

[PackLandVA]

"Game Day" threads/thread starters rotation used to be a thing at NSBB, and they were often quite fun.

Then wthey went away mostly and became less fun.

Will this be a "thing" for 2024?

If so, will it last the seas, and will it be mostly fun?

Current lineup of game threaders:

1. @Brian707

2. @Southpaw19

3. @PackLandVA

4. @Bertz

[Brock Beauchamp]

Let's start the list and lay claim to topics.

Thu, Mar 28	@Texas	6:35 PM		Steele	Eovaldi	Tickets as low as $104
Sat, Mar 30	@Texas	6:05 PM		Hendricks		Tickets as low as $57
Sun, Mar 31	@Texas	1:35 PM		Wicks		Tickets as low as $30
Mon, Apr 1	vsColorado	1:20 PM		Imanaga	Hudson	Tickets as low as $43
Tue, Apr 2	vsColorado	6:40 PM		Assad	Freeland	Tickets as low as $4
Wed, Apr 3	vsColorado	6:40 PM		Steele	Quantrill	Tickets as low as $4
Fri, Apr 5	vsLos Angeles	1:20 PM		Hendricks	Yamamoto	Tickets as low as $13
Sat, Apr 6	vsLos Angeles	3:05 PM		Wicks	Stone	Tickets as low as $36
Sun, Apr 7	vsLos Angeles	1:20 PM			Paxton	Tickets as low as $10
Mon, Apr 8	@San Diego	8:40 PM				Tickets as low as $10
Tue, Apr 9	@San Diego	9:05 PM				Tickets as low as $6
Wed, Apr 10	@San Diego	5:40 PM				Tickets as low as $16
Fri, Apr 12	@Seattle	8:40 PM				Tickets as low as $17
Sat, Apr 13	@Seattle	8:40 PM				Tickets as low as $20
Sun, Apr 14	@Seattle	3:10 PM				Tickets as low as $16
Mon, Apr 15	@Arizona	8:40 PM				Tickets as low as $25
Tue, Apr 16	@Arizona	8:40 PM				Tickets as low as $24
Wed, Apr 17	@Arizona	2:40 PM				Tickets as low as $24

[Brock Beauchamp]

Opening Day is tomorrow, folks…

[PackLandVA]

[Brock Beauchamp]

11 hours ago, PackLandVA said:

Heh, I'll give it a few hours at least. Do you want today's thread?

[squally1313]

I think the reason for lack of traction is assigning scheduled games was never how we did it around here, there would just be a list of posters and each one would be in charge until they started a losing game thread and then it moved on to the next one. 

Having said that, I got used to the auto threads coming up every morning and I'm sure it's preferrable in terms of metrics and whatever else, so my slightly begrudging vote is to just go with what we did last year (and keep the door open for the classic thread starter mode come October).

[UMFan83]

I vote auto threads if that was what was happening last year, but with the ability to have a poster to jump in and start a game thread (with @Brock Beauchamp's permission) when needed like when the Cubs are on a losing streak and need a gam thread from tree (if he's alive) or if its time for the annual Mad Men gif threads.

[CubinNY]

Let's get one up so we can talk about it. I have a lot of work I don't want to do. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

1 hour ago, squally1313 said:

I think the reason for lack of traction is assigning scheduled games was never how we did it around here, there would just be a list of posters and each one would be in charge until they started a losing game thread and then it moved on to the next one. 

Having said that, I got used to the auto threads coming up every morning and I'm sure it's preferrable in terms of metrics and whatever else, so my slightly begrudging vote is to just go with what we did last year (and keep the door open for the classic thread starter mode come October).

I created threads every morning last season not for metrics but coverage and convenience. Starting a thread early tends to get people talking and participating more, plus it allows me to schedule notifications and banners early in the morning so I don't have to check back five times a day across three sites to make sure everything is ready to go.

It's a consistency thing; it's hard to attract users and get them to stay if expectations aren't set and followed through on.

[Brian707]

I can start one if you are good with that? I like the idea of if the current thread starter wins they continue on until the Cubs lose like we used to do. And of course Mad Men GIFs are always a bonus lol

[PackLandVA]

Wasn't last year the same/similar to how it was done in the past (at least the last couple of years}? There was a rotation of thread starters, and that poster kept going until the thread starter lost the game.  Then on to the next poster in the "rotation".  

We started out like that last year, but with the terrible start to the season for the Cubs, posters got less and less interested in making the game thread to a point where Brock just created one every morning (or the night before) to keep conversation/traffic/consistency up.

I'm a proponent of having a list/rotation of thread starters like in the past, but not because I like creating them or think I'm clever or witty. To the contrary, I like the diversity of the posters' way of starting game threads.  Some are stat-driven. Some are funny. Some are long-winded,,,,in a good way. And some just get straight to the point. For me, opening each game thread started by a different poster is a little like waking up on Christmas.  I get quite the enjoyment from it.

But, if it's not really "a thing" anymore, so be it.  

[Brock Beauchamp]

17 minutes ago, PackLandVA said:

Wasn't last year the same/similar to how it was done in the past (at least the last couple of years}? There was a rotation of thread starters, and that poster kept going until the thread starter lost the game.  Then on to the next poster in the "rotation".  

We started out like that last year, but with the terrible start to the season for the Cubs, posters got less and less interested in making the game thread to a point where Brock just created one every morning (or the night before) to keep conversation/traffic/consistency up.

I'm a proponent of having a list/rotation of thread starters like in the past, but not because I like creating them or think I'm clever or witty. To the contrary, I like the diversity of the posters' way of starting game threads.  Some are stat-driven. Some are funny. Some are long-winded,,,,in a good way. And some just get straight to the point. For me, opening each game thread started by a different poster is a little like waking up on Christmas.  I get quite the enjoyment from it.

But, if it's not really "a thing" anymore, so be it.  

I'm totally okay with going for the "keep the threads coming until the Cubs lose" thing. I think it's a fun way to approach this.

One small ask I have this year, though... can we start threads in the morning? The earlier the better.

[Brock Beauchamp]

35 minutes ago, Brian707 said:

I can start one if you are good with that? I like the idea of if the current thread starter wins they continue on until the Cubs lose like we used to do. And of course Mad Men GIFs are always a bonus lol

Have at it!

[squally1313]

51 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

One small ask I have this year, though... can we start threads in the morning? The earlier the better.

Yeah I think if we're being honest with ourselves, this is the issue. Someone gets busy for a couple days, goes on vacation, etc, and you end up in that weird middle ground where it's two hours before the game, there's no thread, no sign of the dude who's supposed to be doing it, no one wanting to step on any toes, etc. Doesn't seem like we're losing out on much by having the thread pre-made first thing in the AM and letting people do what they want in there after that.

Having said that, happy to be proven wrong and have the old way work. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

3 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Yeah I think if we're being honest with ourselves, this is the issue. Someone gets busy for a couple days, goes on vacation, etc, and you end up in that weird middle ground where it's two hours before the game, there's no thread, no sign of the dude who's supposed to be doing it, no one wanting to step on any toes, etc. Doesn't seem like we're losing out on much by having the thread pre-made first thing in the AM and letting people do what they want in there after that.

Having said that, happy to be proven wrong and have the old way work. 

How about if we try using the old method but if the game thread isn't up by 10am, it transfers to either the next person in line or I'll post it myself.

[squally1313]

4 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

How about if we try using the old method but if the game thread isn't up by 10am, it transfers to either the next person in line or I'll post it myself.

I'd skip the transfer part. Just extends the delay. I'd honestly push for people to start the next one as soon as possible after the end of the previous game (ideally the night before) just because the end of the game is when the most people tend to congregate, but not sure how that works with SEO, pinning topics, etc. 

[Southpaw19]

Okay - enough of the banter - I'd like to join the "rotation" whenever that is officially decided upon. 🙂

[Brock Beauchamp]

8 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

I'd skip the transfer part. Just extends the delay. I'd honestly push for people to start the next one as soon as possible after the end of the previous game (ideally the night before) just because the end of the game is when the most people tend to congregate, but not sure how that works with SEO, pinning topics, etc. 

That works for me. I will check every day at 10am and if there is no thread, I will create one and then notify the next in line that tomorrow's thread is theirs.

[Brock Beauchamp]

6 minutes ago, Southpaw19 said:

Okay - enough of the banter - I'd like to join the "rotation" whenever that is officially decided upon. 🙂

I added the start of a rotation to the top of this thread, you are second behind Brian.

[Southpaw19]

9 hours ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I added the start of a rotation to the top of this thread, you are second behind Brian.

What's the rule for an off day?

[Brock Beauchamp]

9 hours ago, Southpaw19 said:

What's the rule for an off day?

We ignore offdays, you're up for tomorrow's thread.

[Brock Beauchamp]

We need more signups. Anyone interested?

[PackLandVA]

I'll give it a go, but it doesn't really seem like the board is interested.  Two sucky performances to start the season doesn't help.

[squally1313]

13 minutes ago, PackLandVA said:

I'll give it a go, but it doesn't really seem like the board is interested.  Two sucky performances to start the season doesn't help.

Start it up. Need the mojo. 1-2 against the defending champs on the road is just fine. 

[Bertz]

I can join the rotation