OT: Old Lightning Message Board
- Thread starter Tampa22
- Start date
Not sure if this was the same one, but I know there was a pretty active Bolts board back then that was yellow I think. Was it an old Sunshine Network board?
Anyone remember that one?
Major4Boarding
Unfamiliar Moderator
Orange = Sunshine Network Board
I guess I could say I “survived” the Tampa Bay Lightning message board. “Survived” meaning I suffered through the biggest collection of idiots posting on one forum than I ever had the displeasure of seeing in my mid-30’s
Tampa22
Eternally grateful TBL enforcers!
I can't remember why the old board disappear but after that, people moved to another one and could be the one of Sunshine Network (I remember something yellow too). Those years the message boards are the only way to communicate and debate.
I remember the old one, the original. I fly to Tampa thanks to those users, was fun and epic, I'm talking about 2006 when meet a bunch of fans. I got an interview cause was crazy to everybody saw a fan from Argentina. Remember good people, maybe some people could be here.
I remember the old one, the original. I fly to Tampa thanks to those users, was fun and epic, I'm talking about 2006 when meet a bunch of fans. I got an interview cause was crazy to everybody saw a fan from Argentina. Remember good people, maybe some people could be here.
The genesis of the Lightning forum troll goes back way further.
The first first first place with any real activity was AOL, when you logged in and clicked on the sports tab, you could find riff raff from all over the internet there along with Lightning fans. After AOL began taking a nose dive ESPN became the most active, but mostly from Rays fans who happened across it and who beleive it or not were more populous at the time, because it was before they actually started playing and being horrible.
Then the teams official site tried to pick up the mantle. That site was notorious for puckbunnies, 90% of it had nothing to do with hockey. Infamous posts such as "If St.Louis was a bicycle what would he be" posts popped up, there was another post I remember completely dedicated to stalking Brad Richards and to find out who his girlfriend was.
None of these sites had any moderation, the posters on these sites were so riddiculously ignorant to the rules of the game and such. Then the Sunshine Network started advertising on television. It was the first place with any semblance of moderation. Still plenty of horrible posters but lots of good posters too.
The first first first place with any real activity was AOL, when you logged in and clicked on the sports tab, you could find riff raff from all over the internet there along with Lightning fans. After AOL began taking a nose dive ESPN became the most active, but mostly from Rays fans who happened across it and who beleive it or not were more populous at the time, because it was before they actually started playing and being horrible.
Then the teams official site tried to pick up the mantle. That site was notorious for puckbunnies, 90% of it had nothing to do with hockey. Infamous posts such as "If St.Louis was a bicycle what would he be" posts popped up, there was another post I remember completely dedicated to stalking Brad Richards and to find out who his girlfriend was.
None of these sites had any moderation, the posters on these sites were so riddiculously ignorant to the rules of the game and such. Then the Sunshine Network started advertising on television. It was the first place with any semblance of moderation. Still plenty of horrible posters but lots of good posters too.
Tampa22
Eternally grateful TBL enforcers!
The official board of TB had a official moderator and some assistants. Don't remember those posts but could happen lol, more than 20 years is a lot for my brain.
I don't remember any interaction with the moderators other than deleting inappropriate posts, but like you said 20+ years ago lol
Tampa22
Eternally grateful TBL enforcers!
Do you remember your nickname?
I remember Tokala, Stevis, Mishey, Hawkeye, Zyell, Aussie Lightning, Grats... The main moderator was GM and remember Assist GM.
We are too old for those memories, but for me that board was the start of a dream, I got an interview in Sunshine Network in my trip.
Damn, crazy how time flies. I was in college through most of this shit lol
I def remember the name Tokala
My name was TB_FANATIC. 13 year old me thought I was so clever because I knew Fan was short for Fanatic. I remember Hawkeye, actually bumped into him in real life at a few non-Lightning events.
Tampa22
Eternally grateful TBL enforcers!
I meet him a couple of times in my few trips. Had him on Facebook. Thanks for sharing those memories!
Tampa22
Eternally grateful TBL enforcers!
Love Tampa area, love the Lightning. I have a tattoo, since 1995 with this crazy love. Still keep watching the games!Glad you enjoyed the states
Stammertime91
TBL: TEAM OF THE CENTURY
bov
Registered User
- Nov 13, 2010
- 7,196
- 3,320
I don't know if you're referring to the actual Lightning website, but iirc there was an HFboards thread years ago that exposed it for...very bad things. Don't think it ever came back to life after that.
Tampa22
Eternally grateful TBL enforcers!
Was the official TBL site, but think about year 2000/01. Long time ago, the teams runs his own web page, not like today that the NHL absorb it. The page was more common, some videos, link to listen WDAE when you can listen free outside USA, game notes and the message board link.
DarrylshutzSydor
Registered User
Martin, I was on the old original Lightning board with all the folks you listed.
Tampa22
Eternally grateful TBL enforcers!
Big hug, great memories from those years!
I'm looking in my PC for an archive that I had in some place to share. Hope can found it!
Tampa22
Eternally grateful TBL enforcers!
b0lthed
Registered User
- Mar 7, 2023
- 104
- 103
I was never on the official board, but my first real community was called Boltsmag. I’ve kept this username for more than 25 years. I got to be online friends with Chad Schnarr, who was known back then as KCCanaBolt. When Boltsmag got bought or sold or disappeared, most of us found our way to the orange SunSports board. We had some good times there. The community definitely grew. I remember Hawkeye (a play on the word hockey that I shamefully teased him about). Hoek was there. Joeminus was a friend. Sotnos was a dedicated fan. WaiverWire was … something. We had fun. We sang Queen’s We Are The Champions the first time we clinched the Southeast Division over the hated Caps in 2003. Sometime before all that, Pete C showed up all bombastic, and eventually he, Chad and Tim (Exterminator X) created boltprospects.com when we saw the SunSports site’s impending demise. BP was great for a while until it died. RIP
LTIR Trickery
Plz stop pucks
and now you're stuck with a younger, much louder group of idiots here. You're welcome.
Tokala is still around here, but very, very rarely these days. I try to shoot him a message here and there on social media to make sure hes alive.
Major4Boarding
Unfamiliar Moderator
Major4Boarding
Unfamiliar Moderator
But this time ... with authority!and now you're stuck with a younger, much louder group of idiots here. You're welcome.
Tampa22
Eternally grateful TBL enforcers!
the_narrow_way here. Kinda sad to see the old Sunshine page die. The political wars were what killed it I think.
