I wasn't sure where the appropriate place to post this was, but wanted to address an issue I'm finding with the forum in general. It bothered me a great deal during the Olympics last season and what's going on now in the Skate Canada folder is only building on that.
I am a long-time user of this forum and I used to really enjoy coming here and posting and reading the posts about various skaters. I've argued for my favourite skaters and against results I've found unfair in my time, so I'm not against passionate discourse.
However, I've begun to find the forum a very negative and unfriendly place to come, to the point where I've considered no longer posting here.
The problem is a growing anti-Canadian hatred that to me seems really over-the-top and simply mean-spirited. I've had to read posts recently stating that all of Canada should be ashamed of Patrick Chan, his skating, his results, the scoring of Skate Canada International as a whole, the scoring of the pairs event, the scoring of the Short Dance, the scoring of the ladies short program....the list goes on.
It's merely depressing to come here and read endless vitriol directed against skaters, who don't dictate their own marks, by the way, and my country as a whole. According to many posters here, it seems, Canadian skaters should not even be allowed on the ice. And anytime they actually do well, it must be a conspiracy or some kind of undeserved gift.
Now, I have no problem with folks not liking certain skaters, that's totally your prerogative. But civilized discussion, minus the personal attacks would be much more appreciated. Someone in a thread even went so far as to say flat out they're a "hater." Where's the jumping off point for any kind of conversation about the event?
If this was happening just about one skater that I liked, but others didn't happen to, it wouldn't be such a big deal, but it seems to be a general attitude that's becoming pervasive.
If the general tone of the forum continues on this course, I'm afraid I may quit posting here altogether. I come to post here because I love skating, I love skaters from many different nationalities, and I love having people who also love skating to talk to about it.
Mods, if you feel this is inappropriate, feel free to delete the post.
I am a long-time user of this forum and I used to really enjoy coming here and posting and reading the posts about various skaters. I've argued for my favourite skaters and against results I've found unfair in my time, so I'm not against passionate discourse.
However, I've begun to find the forum a very negative and unfriendly place to come, to the point where I've considered no longer posting here.
The problem is a growing anti-Canadian hatred that to me seems really over-the-top and simply mean-spirited. I've had to read posts recently stating that all of Canada should be ashamed of Patrick Chan, his skating, his results, the scoring of Skate Canada International as a whole, the scoring of the pairs event, the scoring of the Short Dance, the scoring of the ladies short program....the list goes on.
It's merely depressing to come here and read endless vitriol directed against skaters, who don't dictate their own marks, by the way, and my country as a whole. According to many posters here, it seems, Canadian skaters should not even be allowed on the ice. And anytime they actually do well, it must be a conspiracy or some kind of undeserved gift.
Now, I have no problem with folks not liking certain skaters, that's totally your prerogative. But civilized discussion, minus the personal attacks would be much more appreciated. Someone in a thread even went so far as to say flat out they're a "hater." Where's the jumping off point for any kind of conversation about the event?
If this was happening just about one skater that I liked, but others didn't happen to, it wouldn't be such a big deal, but it seems to be a general attitude that's becoming pervasive.
If the general tone of the forum continues on this course, I'm afraid I may quit posting here altogether. I come to post here because I love skating, I love skaters from many different nationalities, and I love having people who also love skating to talk to about it.
Mods, if you feel this is inappropriate, feel free to delete the post.