Wow, has it really been 5 years... (little bit of FOF board history)

[cartman]

Since the whole Dave Dial/Operations Sports fiasco? Hard to believe, but it has been.

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.sports/browse_thread/thread/54c734bc27a6702d/6994818b381c9ce7?q=%22dave+dial%22+%22tony+wyss%22&_done=%2Fgroups%3Fq%3D%22dave+dial%22+%22tony+wyss%22%26start%3D0%26scoring%3Dd%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26c2coff%3D1%26&_doneTitle=Back+to+Search&&d#6994818b381c9ce7

[Ben E Lou]

Five years since my banning. :)

[HomerJSimpson]

Five years since my banning. :)


And you came back stronger and more powerfull than ever.

[Ksyrup]

He did not accept his banning.

[Blackadar]

When were you banned, Ben?

I wish that had my response...I remember it being pretty good.

[Ben E Lou]

When were you banned, Ben?

I wish that had my response...I remember it being pretty good.I was banned (by Stix, maybe?) for speaking out on your behalf, I think. Way back in the day I printed out all of the original Bear Bryant Challenge (FOF2, nothing but SEC players, 40ish seasons), and put it in a notebook. If the printed dates on the threads are right, it was some time between February 24th and February 27th that I was banned. Actually, I wasn't just banned, I was a full-fledged Orwellian unperson. My account was completely deleted and I had to re-register when I was reinstated.

And yes, I lost posts. All of them.

[cartman]

Ah, yes, Stix. The mullet wearing, Camaro driving, Joe Dirt looking, Ron Popeil's Site Admin in a Can answer to fix all that was wrong with the board... :D

[Blackadar]

I was banned (by Stix, maybe?) for speaking out on your behalf, I think. Way back in the day I printed out all of the original Bear Bryant Challenge (FOF2, nothing but SEC players, 40ish seasons), and put it in a notebook. If the printed dates on the threads are right, it was some time between February 24th and February 27th that I was banned. Actually, I wasn't just banned, I was a full-fledged Orwellian unperson. My account was completely deleted and I had to re-register when I was reinstated.

And yes, I lost posts. All of them.

Well, so did I. :)

I wonder what good-ole' Stix and ass-boy Dave Dial are doing now. Heck, I wonder what Tony is doing now.

[SackAttack]

Tony's got a gig in the music industry these days, Blackie. Last time I spoke with him, his group was on the verge of signing a deal with some hotshot techno indie label (if I remember the details right).

Dave Dial is fellating the devil, the last time I heard, but that was thirdhand hearsay, and may not be true.

He may be a full-fledged member of Satan's harem by now.

[JeffR]

Dial popped up on usenet as "Walter E. Kurtz" a couple of years ago. Managed to annoy people in the wargames and sports games newsgroups for a few months before somebody finally outed him as Dial and he disappeared.

[cartman]

Dial popped up on usenet as "Walter E. Kurtz" a couple of years ago. Managed to annoy people in the wargames and sports games newsgroups for a few months before somebody finally outed him as Dial and he disappeared.

lol, Col. Kurtz... The horror... the horror...

[Julio Riddols]

Wow.. I was 18.. What the hell happened to the time? Or even Morris Day, for that matter..

And to think that there were still 2 more years of history behind the game before that.. Several members have probably been weaned from their mothers during the duration...

Am I right Shorty? :)

[gottimd]

Just out of Curiosity, can those of us who are wondering what this is about, the newbies who werent around at this time be filled in on this background story. Not a line by line recap, but just a very abridged version?

[SackAttack]

Just out of Curiosity, can those of us who are wondering what this is about, the newbies who werent around at this time be filled in on this background story. Not a line by line recap, but just a very abridged version?

1) sycophantic flunky stages coup, arranges for former boss to be fired.
2) said sycophantic flunky shouts the firing from the rooftops, asks moderator at FOFC (as it existed then) to ban Tony to prevent him from saying anything that will make him look bad. Moderator refuses.
3) S.F. turns to one of Tony's other subordinates to take over the site, on condition that Tony be banned. Subordinate refuses.
4) S.F. brings Mullet Boy (STIX) from another forum to "restore order." Mass bannings ensue. Board riots, heads elsewhere.
5) Cooler heads (CEO of game site) prevail, former moderator is restored to his position with assurances that S.F. will no longer interfere. There is much rejoicing.
6) A few months later, Tony lands on his feet at GameSpy, community picks up and follows suit. There is much rejoicing.

I think that sums it up.

[cartman]

Just out of Curiosity, can those of us who are wondering what this is about, the newbies who werent around at this time be filled in on this background story. Not a line by line recap, but just a very abridged version?

In the beginning, Al Gore created the Internet, and it was good.

Then, several years later, Jim Gindin created FOF, and it also was good.

To celebrate this game, a forum was created in the Operation Sports family. And the posters were good.

Then, for some godforsaken reason, Dave Dial went on a supreme power trip, and gutted the loyal members of the board. First by canning the paid supervisor of the board (Tony Wyss) and then banninating the volunteer moderator (Blackadar). Then, if anyone questioned why, or made posting in support of either of them, they too were banninated.

That led us to our present day home, here in the Gamespy family. Operation Sports is no longer around, as far as I can tell.

[SackAttack]

In the beginning, Al Gore created the Internet, and it was good.

Then, several years later, Jim Gindin created FOF, and it also was good.

To celebrate this game, a forum was created in the Operation Sports family. And the posters were good.

Then, for some godforsaken reason, Dave Dial went on a supreme power trip, and gutted the loyal members of the board. First by canning the paid supervisor of the board (Tony Wyss) and then banninating the volunteer moderator (Blackadar). Then, if anyone questioned why, or made posting in support of either of them, they too were banninated.

That led us to our present day home, here in the Gamespy family. Operation Sports is no longer around, as far as I can tell.

Operation Sports is alive and well. You're thinking of GA-Sports, which is now defunct.

[Ksyrup]

I vividly remember the thread where everyone was taking shots at Dial, and he was occasionally posting insults and explanations back, and people were posting all sort of pictures of him. I still remember bursting into tears laughing so hard at the Bert does Pamela Anderson pic and the stoned Yoda pic.

[cartman]

Operation Sports is alive and well. You're thinking of GA-Sports, which is now defunct.

D'oh, that right! My bad.

[gstelmack]

1) sycophantic flunky stages coup, arranges for former boss to be fired.
2) said sycophantic flunky shouts the firing from the rooftops, asks moderator at FOFC (as it existed then) to ban Tony to prevent him from saying anything that will make him look bad. Moderator refuses.
3) S.F. turns to one of Tony's other subordinates to take over the site, on condition that Tony be banned. Subordinate refuses.
4) S.F. brings Mullet Boy (STIX) from another forum to "restore order." Mass bannings ensue. Board riots, heads elsewhere.
5) Cooler heads (CEO of game site) prevail, former moderator is restored to his position with assurances that S.F. will no longer interfere. There is much rejoicing.
6) A few months later, Tony lands on his feet at GameSpy, community picks up and follows suit. There is much rejoicing.

I think that sums it up.
This is just BEGGING for a flere diagram.

[bosshogg23]

I was gone for 2 weeks, came back and checked The Sideline and there were about 20 messages from that time. I couldnt figure out what the hell happened. Took a couple people posting the "other" message board link on The Sideline before I figured it out. :D

[rkmsuf]

I was a big fan of Stix's work. He really connected with the people.

[cartman]

I was a big fan of Stix's work. He really connected with the people.

I wonder where he is these days. I still have the can of White Swan Creamed Corn to give him! :D

[JeeberD]

Just out of Curiosity, can those of us who are wondering what this is about, the newbies who werent around at this time be filled in on this background story. Not a line by line recap, but just a very abridged version?

http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?t=10703

http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?t=5194

[Marc Vaughan]

I was a big fan of Stix's work. He really connected with the people.
Hey i never saw a board united so quickly by the actions of one man ... :D

[duckman]

I showed up after Dialgate had happened, but I feel like I've lived through the whole thing because of the stories told on the boards.

[cartman]

There's even a group of us here at FOFC who were in a FPS BBPro league with Dial for a bit in '96/'97. Myself, Z²+, and a couple of others.

He was an assistant commish, and left in a huff when a horribly lopsided trade was nullified by the head commish. It was like a 10 people for one guy trade. We had a rule on the books that no more than 4 to 1 ratio was allowed. He went on and on about how unfair it was that he was being singled out, blah blah blah. He even sent an email out, supposedly written by his kids, that he was getting really upset by his treatment by the other owners.

A real class act, all the way.