After looking at the OS age bracket thread, I just noticed that over 90% of the population of OS is over the age of 17 years of age. Now I know what the TOS states and what direction this site is ran but I cant help but wonder why this place is deemed a "family oriented site" or that there may be lots of underage kids running rampant on this site. Thus forcing the general tone and content that the users provide in the forums to be kid-safe or non-controversial in nature. In other words "PG-13".
If you look futher into the age bracket, you would see that 70% of the posters here are 22 years of age and older. Now I cant provide any statistics or insight on knowing if the majority of posters here are mature enough to converse in an adult manner but common sense tells me that there are, or better yet, should be plenty of older heads here who are very much capable of discussing non-sports related topics in a civilized and mature manner.
What I'm wondering is why the topics of religion, politics, debates and the more adult oriented topics like what used to go on in the EE forum have been banned and given a bad rep. I'm sure there are a million reasons that mods and some of the more veteran posters can give me to support the claim that these topics were no good here but I'm sure that there are just as many posters here that can give very opposite opinions. Personally, I've been here a while and I can see both sides of the debate very clearly but as to which one I support, I'd have to side with allowing political and religous, etc, topics to be posted in the forums. (with the exception of religion, I understand clearly how heated a religious debate can be)From what I remember, those type of topics generated alot of traffic and great discussions. It also brewed a few internet beefs, alliances and personal tirades. But hey, its all in the name of entertainment right?
I understand that OS is first and foremost dedicated to sports and sports gaming but there was a tighter bond when you actually got to know a certain posters beliefs, opinions and learning a persons 'real' personality. In fact, with the way things have been going lately in the sports and sports game forums, the entire tone of OS is regulated to being more PG than letting a person speak his mind. I'm not saying we should curse like sailors and spew out unintellegent ramble, I'm just saying it would be nice if we weren't so limited in how we speak our mind and what we speak about. Speaking for myself, every since this site took this direction, I've been walking on eggshells and thinking twice, sometimes three times before I post something that the powers that be may deem "controversial" or "inappropriate". That resulted in me lurking moreso than posting and I've never been like that. This is just my example though.
My whole intent is'nt for a debate forum, babe forum and EE to be reinstated but for the leaders of this site, Steve or whomever, to see that with the age group we have here, there can defitnitely be more mature content being posted on the forums. Thinking about how kids mature with age, people over 17 aren't exactly adults but they shouldn't be treated like kids ethier. Besides, there are less than 9% of people under 17 on this site based off the poll. Why should everyone who is older cater to them since the number is so low?
As for OS being a "family oriented" website, last time I check, this place was about sports and sports video games. Not to sound like some type of feminist but aint no chicks and certainly no mothers frequenting this site for the latest info on the NFL Draft. Maybe there are but not likely. Aint nothing but hard-legged, testostorome filled, body odor having, chest hair developing, manly men in this place. As for being a man, we swear, we enjoy a nice debate, we throw punches, and we like porn.(Well some of us do). I once said that if OS was a real place, it would smell of feet and musty balls. Well, right now, OS smells like teen spirit if you ask me. And the age bracket poll indicates that it shouldn't.
This is just some food for thought for mods, posters and the people who call the shots.
If you look futher into the age bracket, you would see that 70% of the posters here are 22 years of age and older. Now I cant provide any statistics or insight on knowing if the majority of posters here are mature enough to converse in an adult manner but common sense tells me that there are, or better yet, should be plenty of older heads here who are very much capable of discussing non-sports related topics in a civilized and mature manner.
What I'm wondering is why the topics of religion, politics, debates and the more adult oriented topics like what used to go on in the EE forum have been banned and given a bad rep. I'm sure there are a million reasons that mods and some of the more veteran posters can give me to support the claim that these topics were no good here but I'm sure that there are just as many posters here that can give very opposite opinions. Personally, I've been here a while and I can see both sides of the debate very clearly but as to which one I support, I'd have to side with allowing political and religous, etc, topics to be posted in the forums. (with the exception of religion, I understand clearly how heated a religious debate can be)From what I remember, those type of topics generated alot of traffic and great discussions. It also brewed a few internet beefs, alliances and personal tirades. But hey, its all in the name of entertainment right?
I understand that OS is first and foremost dedicated to sports and sports gaming but there was a tighter bond when you actually got to know a certain posters beliefs, opinions and learning a persons 'real' personality. In fact, with the way things have been going lately in the sports and sports game forums, the entire tone of OS is regulated to being more PG than letting a person speak his mind. I'm not saying we should curse like sailors and spew out unintellegent ramble, I'm just saying it would be nice if we weren't so limited in how we speak our mind and what we speak about. Speaking for myself, every since this site took this direction, I've been walking on eggshells and thinking twice, sometimes three times before I post something that the powers that be may deem "controversial" or "inappropriate". That resulted in me lurking moreso than posting and I've never been like that. This is just my example though.
My whole intent is'nt for a debate forum, babe forum and EE to be reinstated but for the leaders of this site, Steve or whomever, to see that with the age group we have here, there can defitnitely be more mature content being posted on the forums. Thinking about how kids mature with age, people over 17 aren't exactly adults but they shouldn't be treated like kids ethier. Besides, there are less than 9% of people under 17 on this site based off the poll. Why should everyone who is older cater to them since the number is so low?
As for OS being a "family oriented" website, last time I check, this place was about sports and sports video games. Not to sound like some type of feminist but aint no chicks and certainly no mothers frequenting this site for the latest info on the NFL Draft. Maybe there are but not likely. Aint nothing but hard-legged, testostorome filled, body odor having, chest hair developing, manly men in this place. As for being a man, we swear, we enjoy a nice debate, we throw punches, and we like porn.(Well some of us do). I once said that if OS was a real place, it would smell of feet and musty balls. Well, right now, OS smells like teen spirit if you ask me. And the age bracket poll indicates that it shouldn't.
This is just some food for thought for mods, posters and the people who call the shots.
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