OT: An OT thread unlike any other.

[Baccus]

I uninstalled Adblock (not the Plus version whatever the differences) and just left uBlock on and the tweets show up fully. Just uBlock seems to be blocking ads on random sites I tested so I'll try running that for a bit, don't remember why I had both going.

 

[Matt Ress]

Happy genocidal enslaving Columbus Day!! when we pay tribute to a man that never stepped foot on American soil.

 

[JRiz13]

Anyone else find these new forums super slow and unresponsive? They get hung up and even scrolling down is a pain. Not to mention its just riddled with ads now. I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a better version of this today.... Seriously, someone fix this.

 

[Dreakon13]

It's the damn video ads that kick off at the bottom (and probably elsewhere) on almost every page. On slower PC's it crushes performance.

At times it almost seems like it gets stuck in a loop, loading and reloading crap. As if once wasn't bad enough. It's really bad.

 

[Myllz]

Anyone else find these new forums super slow and unresponsive? They get hung up and even scrolling down is a pain. Not to mention its just riddled with ads now. I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a better version of this today.... Seriously, someone fix this.

The forums are nothing but a giant advertisement now.

 

[JRiz13]

It's the damn video ads that kick off at the bottom (and probably elsewhere) on almost every page. On slower PC's it crushes performance.

At times it almost seems like it gets stuck in a loop, loading and reloading crap. As if once wasn't bad enough. It's really bad.

I have very fast internet and a very good computer. It still sucks. I cannot imagine how the forums would be on a slow connection or with an old/slow PC.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

So...umm...the US is not going to the world cup because they couldn't manage a draw against ****ing Trinidad and Tobago.

Yeah...

 

[Tachycineta]

Silly question, but is there a way to set my preferences to view threads from "most recent first?" I couldn't find that option. I know I used to have it set that way.

Thanks.

 

[Mike McDermott]

Biting your figuratively speaking tongue on Facebook to keep from diving into a political argument that you know will go no where because the other person can't have a constructive conversation is so hard sometimes.

 

[Buttons85]

Anyone else find these new forums super slow and unresponsive? They get hung up and even scrolling down is a pain. Not to mention its just riddled with ads now. I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a better version of this today.... Seriously, someone fix this.

I have very fast internet and a very good computer. It still sucks. I cannot imagine how the forums would be on a slow connection or with an old/slow PC.

I had a lot of slow scrolling and general lack of response from the site, so I disabled Flash and Javascript on the domain through my browser. Worked like a charm.

I use Chrome, and you can do this by going to Settings > Privacy and Security > Content Settings. There are options for JavaScript and Flash, and in both of those you want to add hfboards.mandatory.com to the Block list.

 

[paulmm3]

The Sabres may be 0-2-1 with two last place finishes since the last time we made the playoffs. The Bills may not have made the playoffs this century. But at least we're not nearly as much of losers as the USA men's national soccer team.

 

[Chainshot]

So...umm...the US is not going to the world cup because they couldn't manage a draw against ****ing Trinidad and Tobago.

Yeah...

The US seems like the only nation to turn the people's game - featuring he creativity and artistry of people who come from the most destitute impoverishment - and turn it into what amounts to summer hockey. If you don't have $$, you are shit out of luck in the US soccer development cycle. It isn't about teams, or finding the best players, it's about dollars. And that's why they aren't going because they haven't figured that shit out and likely never will.

 

[Der Jaeger]

The US seems like the only nation to turn the people's game - featuring he creativity and artistry of people who come from the most destitute impoverishment - and turn it into what amounts to summer hockey. If you don't have $$, you are **** out of luck in the US soccer development cycle. It isn't about teams, or finding the best players, it's about dollars. And that's why they aren't going because they haven't figured that **** out and likely never will.

I've always had my doubts about soccer taking hold in the US, though I love the sport. Hofstedt (x2) and Minkov's "Culture and Organization" is somewhat instructive about the mindsets and manner in which countries live. The US, Canada, and Australia tend to share similar scores. I think it has to do with those three nations being established by the English (mostly, in the case of Canada), being recently established nations (from a historical view), and having to build the country from the wilderness.

All three nations suck at soccer compared to the world. I've wondered about a possible connection but never had time to really dig in.

 

[Jim Bob]

I've always had my doubts about soccer taking hold in the US, though I love the sport. Hofstedt (x2) and Minkov's "Culture and Organization" is somewhat instructive about the mindsets and manner in which countries live. The US, Canada, and Australia tend to share similar scores. I think it has to do with those three nations being established by the English (mostly, in the case of Canada), being recently established nations (from a historical view), and having to build the country from the wilderness.

All three nations suck at soccer compared to the world. I've wondered about a possible connection but never had time to really dig in.

Soccer consumption and participation is at an all time high. There is a reason that NBCSN and NBC show a ton of BPL games every weekend and Champions League matches are all over the place, along with European WCQs.

The biggest barrier to the US improving at soccer are just a handful of things.

#1 - The pay to play model. Around the world, club teams fund youth development academies with the ROI being when they develop a handful of elite talents and eventually sell them on and get big transfer fees. MLS clubs are moving at a snail's pace to get to that place and right now it's $2500 and up for "elite" youth soccer players to just get on a team. Then parents have to fund all sort of stupid trips here, there and everywhere for tournaments when the teams could get a similar level of competition withing a two to three hour drive in many areas.

#2 - Parents that view a college scholarship as the ultimate payoff. The NC$$ soccer model sucks for player development. On top of creating real youth academies, MLS and the USL should work with various online universities to allow players to forego the NC$$ route, get into a professional club environment, and still get a college education that parents value.

#3 - The lack of an unstructured play culture. The elite soccer minds aren't developed by coaches running drill after drill for $50/hr. They are developed by hours of free play in the streets and empty lots after school. Just like pickup basketball and pond hockey. That culture is lacking in the US and that is why we see US teams that rely more on physicality and athleticism more than skill and soccer smarts. Clint Dempsey is unique because he grew up playing pickup soccer with guys from Mexico growing up in Texas. And Christian Pulisic spent hours working on stuff in his backyard. His parents both played college soccer, but they knew better than to push him and overcoach him. They just supported his natural drive and perfectionism.

 

[JRiz13]

I had a lot of slow scrolling and general lack of response from the site, so I disabled Flash and Javascript on the domain through my browser. Worked like a charm.

I use Chrome, and you can do this by going to Settings > Privacy and Security > Content Settings. There are options for JavaScript and Flash, and in both of those you want to add hfboards.mandatory.com to the Block list.

You sir are my favorite person today. This worked like a charm.

 

[Chainshot]

Soccer consumption and participation is at an all time high. There is a reason that NBCSN and NBC show a ton of BPL games every weekend and Champions League matches are all over the place, along with European WCQs.

The biggest barrier to the US improving at soccer are just a handful of things.

#1 - The pay to play model. Around the world, club teams fund youth development academies with the ROI being when they develop a handful of elite talents and eventually sell them on and get big transfer fees. MLS clubs are moving at a snail's pace to get to that place and right now it's $2500 and up for "elite" youth soccer players to just get on a team. Then parents have to fund all sort of stupid trips here, there and everywhere for tournaments when the teams could get a similar level of competition withing a two to three hour drive in many areas.

#2 - Parents that view a college scholarship as the ultimate payoff. The NC$$ soccer model sucks for player development. On top of creating real youth academies, MLS and the USL should work with various online universities to allow players to forego the NC$$ route, get into a professional club environment, and still get a college education that parents value.

#3 - The lack of an unstructured play culture. The elite soccer minds aren't developed by coaches running drill after drill for $50/hr. They are developed by hours of free play in the streets and empty lots after school. Just like pickup basketball and pond hockey. That culture is lacking in the US and that is why we see US teams that rely more on physicality and athleticism more than skill and soccer smarts. Clint Dempsey is unique because he grew up playing pickup soccer with guys from Mexico growing up in Texas. And Christian Pulisic spent hours working on stuff in his backyard. His parents both played college soccer, but they knew better than to push him and overcoach him. They just supported his natural drive and perfectionism.

There needs to be a "all the f*** of this" button. Well said.

 

[brian_griffin]

If you're interested and/or inclined, there is still time to online vote for J. Geils Band for the 2018 rock and roll hall of fame.
https://www.rockhall.com/fan-vote/2018-fan-vote

Other than a revolution almost 250 years ago, and J. Geils Band 50 years ago, everything else out of Boston has been crap, especially their sports teams and fans.

Novices should check out "Bloodshot", and their live albums, "Full House", "Blow Your Face Out", and "Ladies Invited", especially if all you've heard is the early 1980's LP "Freeze Frame".

 

[Chainshot]

Tonight's excitement? A domestic in one of the apartments upstairs from us. GPD is here interviewing our neighbor about her apparently abusive husband.

 

[Jim Bob]

So, my son's bantam team got hosed on a player in the crease call on the GTG on Saturday.

So, I threw this into the PS on my email to parents last night.

Got hosed by a bad call? Good.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Proposed new addition to the list...

Littletonhockeycoach: LBI (pulled groin), suffered in 3 period of Sunday's contest. Day to day.

SSA team coach's statement: "Well, if the dumb *ss would take the time to properly warm up and stretch before the game, this injury would not have occurred. Geez, it's not like he's 25 years old and can just throw on his stuff and hit the ice anymore....."

Just looking to find some sympathy here since my wife is giving me absolutely none.

(Mr. Moderators: feel free to delete this post. I know this is supposed to be a serious thread.....)

 

[Jim Bob]

Proposed new addition to the list...

Littletonhockeycoach: LBI (pulled groin), suffered in 3 period of Sunday's contest. Day to day.

SSA team coach's statement: "Well, if the dumb *ss would take the time to properly warm up and stretch before the game, this injury would not have occurred. Geez, it's not like he's 25 years old and can just throw on his stuff and hit the ice anymore....."

Just looking to find some sympathy here since my wife is giving me absolutely none.

(Mr. Moderators: feel free to delete this post. I know this is supposed to be a serious thread.....)

Your wife isn't helping you by giving you a deep tissue massage?

 

[Reddawg]

Half this forum pulled their groin this morning too.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

SF1980 is day-to-day with a MCL sprain, suffered while playing keeper in his soccer league. Expects to remain in line-up at roughly 75%. Trainer stated injury was unavoidable, and likely due to serious sprain/slight tear suffered at age 22. Tests to confirm level of injury are unnecessary at this point in SF1980's declining career. Memories of his past accomplishments will fade rather quickly.

 

[brian_griffin]

B_G is a game time decision with stomach issue. Rookie mistake. Absentmindedly took first of 2x daily dose of Doxycycline on empty stomach during meeting at work and promptly vomited several times half hour later. Went home and feeling a little better now. Will try to keep lunch down and probably work from home this PM.

Edit: I've been working 35 years and never got sick to my stomach at work, and that includes the only time I was hungover for work decades ago. It also includes some absolutely putrid times cleaning a weeks worth of leftovers from break rooms, cleaning dumpsters and trash cans, and filling in (wheelbarrow dirt loads) an old completely full latrine on an 85 degree WNY August day.

 

[cybresabre]

Edit: I've been working 35 years and never got sick to my stomach at work, and that includes the only time I was hungover for work decades ago.

Sounds like tomorrow you should go to work hungover