oh dear too many * s...I'm even more ashamed. I'll be waiting to shout abuse at Bayo at the Tesco cash point after the match if anyone wants to join me...
Like you, I assume, @Chris, I have a strong distaste for criticism of people because things aren't going well. I've never remotely thought that the team or the manager have done anything other than their flat-out best in the three or so years I've been watching regularly. Even if they were not, it would never be right to express dissatisfaction in the terms reported from FB and elsewhere let alone doing so after a victory, as I witnessed George Stokes doing at Port Vale. Like @Wendoverman, I never boo my own team and, except for Danny Hylton, never the opposition - it's a game, not a pantomime or episode of Eastenders. Applauding the opposition goalkeeper when he comes to our end is, I think, a very excellent habit that sets the right example of sportsmanship and creates a positive atmosphere.
All that said, what's sauce for the goose etc.. Thus, the civil manner that makes me so wonderful and which everyone should mirror if they wanted to be as great as me only works if it is modeled to those who haven't yet quite got the idea. @clifty04, who is a young man unquestionably devoted to following the team and outward-focused enough to be willing to give up time to produce match reports for our benefit, asked a perfectly reasonable question albeit one that lacked the advantage of having followed every thread on here closely for the previous week. Even if @clifty04 (and I apologise for talking about you as though you are not here) may not yet quite have got the whole picture on the civility thing, I see no reason for rudeness. In my extremely humble opinion, those taking the opportunity to put the boot in are in this context guilty of the same lack of manners of which they mean to complain. Hate the sin, love the sinner, isn't it? (Mostly a rhetorical question but worth the question mark, I think, @DevC.)
An exclamation mark at the end of a rhetorical question is terrible advice. I doubt there’s a newspaper style guide in the world that would include such a thing.
Crikey @mooneyman! Can anyone really be doing with all that? Notice that I have not italicised the question mark! (What on earth is that about?) It's American of course and I have to admit to disliking many things American. Even "period " for full-stop is a minor irritant.
Just as I stubbornly refuse to read car manuals or instructions on use of phones or computers (laziness plus inability to understand) I have no interest in grammar textbooks. Rightly or wrongly I tend to rely on long-learned principles, what seems right and common sense. Bit arrogant you might say ¿
@malone: sounding a lovely person is one of my greatest strengths (along with humility): being a lovely person, not so much.
One can criticise whenever one likes. Whether the criticism has any value depends on the circumstances. We all like a little grumble to those around us when things are going poorly. No value in it, but little harm, so long as we maintain perspective and remember that it's only a football team and we largely don't know what we're talking about.
Comments
Greasy chip
It's appalling I know @Chris I'm ashamed
A misspelling has enabled Chris to use that adjective. I'll chip in with "Gloomy Chap".
oh dear too many * s...I'm even more ashamed. I'll be waiting to shout abuse at Bayo at the Tesco cash point after the match if anyone wants to join me...
Aloysius you summed that up very well. A honest summary.
Like you, I assume, @Chris, I have a strong distaste for criticism of people because things aren't going well. I've never remotely thought that the team or the manager have done anything other than their flat-out best in the three or so years I've been watching regularly. Even if they were not, it would never be right to express dissatisfaction in the terms reported from FB and elsewhere let alone doing so after a victory, as I witnessed George Stokes doing at Port Vale. Like @Wendoverman, I never boo my own team and, except for Danny Hylton, never the opposition - it's a game, not a pantomime or episode of Eastenders. Applauding the opposition goalkeeper when he comes to our end is, I think, a very excellent habit that sets the right example of sportsmanship and creates a positive atmosphere.
All that said, what's sauce for the goose etc.. Thus, the civil manner that makes me so wonderful and which everyone should mirror if they wanted to be as great as me only works if it is modeled to those who haven't yet quite got the idea. @clifty04, who is a young man unquestionably devoted to following the team and outward-focused enough to be willing to give up time to produce match reports for our benefit, asked a perfectly reasonable question albeit one that lacked the advantage of having followed every thread on here closely for the previous week. Even if @clifty04 (and I apologise for talking about you as though you are not here) may not yet quite have got the whole picture on the civility thing, I see no reason for rudeness. In my extremely humble opinion, those taking the opportunity to put the boot in are in this context guilty of the same lack of manners of which they mean to complain. Hate the sin, love the sinner, isn't it? (Mostly a rhetorical question but worth the question mark, I think, @DevC.)
An exclamation mark at the end of a rhetorical question is terrible advice. I doubt there’s a newspaper style guide in the world that would include such a thing.
Could Micra's earlier comment actually be a tag question or even a interrobang?
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/question.htm
Crikey @mooneyman! Can anyone really be doing with all that? Notice that I have not italicised the question mark! (What on earth is that about?) It's American of course and I have to admit to disliking many things American. Even "period " for full-stop is a minor irritant.
Just as I stubbornly refuse to read car manuals or instructions on use of phones or computers (laziness plus inability to understand) I have no interest in grammar textbooks. Rightly or wrongly I tend to rely on long-learned principles, what seems right and common sense. Bit arrogant you might say ¿
@HCblue , that first line is delightful pacifism, and you sound a lovely person.
But at what stage do you think "criticism" of "people" may be valid and acceptable out of interest?
When you're bottom of the league? When the manager has seen you relegated a few times? Never?
Out of interest?
@malone: sounding a lovely person is one of my greatest strengths (along with humility): being a lovely person, not so much.
One can criticise whenever one likes. Whether the criticism has any value depends on the circumstances. We all like a little grumble to those around us when things are going poorly. No value in it, but little harm, so long as we maintain perspective and remember that it's only a football team and we largely don't know what we're talking about.