It takes a lot to say you were wrong. I wish there were more people on the board would to.
The fact that everybody gets so engraved in their opinions and never admit they were wrong is a big reason why there is a big divide among the fans on this board.
No shame in admitting you are wrong. I thought Shinkaruk was a stud. Jake Bean would be a top 4 defenseman and thought he would be a top defenseman in the draft. I'm pretty sure I said that JT Miller was a middle 6 tweener. I think I even defended the Gudbranson trade for a little bit. Corrado was a surefire NHLer, I even made a highlight real of him back when I was posting all the clips of prospects on here. Probably a million other things I was wrong about and I forgot.
You're right, WTG, no shame in admitting fault. The best posters here admit they were/are wrong even though their overall record dwarfs that of other posters. In turn, they garner even more respect than they already have.
It's actually not that hard to say that you're wrong. If the logic is sound, it has to be said. Or, if the solution is inconclusive and you respect the other poster enough, just relent in that moment. Each poster's track record goes a long way here, but it's not hard. Certain ingredients need to be present for it to happen.
On the flip side, discourse becomes difficult to near impossible when respect and logic are absent. This can happen for many reasons, but I think the primary causes are:
1. A refusal to bend to logic. When this happens, posters entrench based upon emotion.
2. When posters think fans should be one way; when in fact fans are varied in motivations and thresholds.
3. Assuming that an opinion carries equal weight to a reasoned argument.
The last one is especially troublesome because everyone has the right to an opinion, yes, but not all opinions are valid or tested. As a result, they do not carry an equal weighting.
We've seen some great long-time posters leave and some good ones enter. All throughout, those 3 causes have driven and will continue to drive the discourse. It's up to everyone here to decide which route they want to take. Curious to see how it all shakes out.