A note on spoilers

[Guest Dazed]

A note on spoilers:

 

Spoilers, for the purposes of this forum, are anything that has been filmed but not shown on TV, or any specific rumours that have been reported.

 

To clarify:

 

"HHH reportedly wants to work with Edge over the summer" is not a spoiler

 

"The Chris Benoit vs. HBK will reportedly end with a Triple H attack on Michaels" is a spoiler even if it is not guaranteed to happen. That's the nature of wrestling reports.

 

Basically, we're asking that you use your best judgment. There is a spoiler tag that can be used if you aren't sure:

 

areacode212

OK, punks: spoiler tags are working again. Everyone say thanks to T®ITEC for bugging me about this. As usual, the syntax is {spoiler}spoilers go here{/spoiler}, with square brackets ([ ]) instead of curly braces, and you highlight the text with your mouse to make it appear

 

Unprotected spoilers are fine in context, and in a clearly marked thread. If the thread title says "Winner of the HBK / Benoit match revealed", then it should be obvious what will be inside. If you read something you don't want to see, tough.

 

Spoilers are not just limited to "Benoit wins" style posts. Posts like this are also unacceptable:

 

Benoit loses really

 

OMG fuck WWE they are stupid and they don't know what they are doing and they are retards and silly and wrong and stupid and this shouldn't be happening why oh why dammit damn them to hell.

 

This thread will remain open for a while for you to discuss and ask any questions. If you feel any part of the rule is wrong, unfair or stupid, then let us know and we will consider changes.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

My only gripe about spoilers is avoiding the SD Spoiler thread, only to have Canadian viewers blab about the main event AN HOUR BEFORE IT HAPPENS IN Eastern United States time. [in the OAO SD Thread]

 

[looks coldly at Hitman Jebus...or whoever]

[Guest Dazed]

Then avoid the board for an hour. If you've been burned once by that, it's unfortunate, but twice is your own fault. We can't base the ruling on where the show airs last, sorry.

[Enigma 0]

"The Chris Benoit vs. HBK will reportedly end with a Triple H attack on Michaels" is a spoiler even if it is not guaranteed to happen. That's the nature of wrestling reports.

I don't understand how something that hasn't happened yet is a spoiler. Up until the point it actually happens, it's speculation and predictions.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Then avoid the board for an hour.  If you've been burned once by that, it's unfortunate, but twice is your own fault.  We can't base the ruling on where the show airs last, sorry.

So by that thinking I could start the Smackdown thread in 3 hours because its on TV for me and its everyone elses fault that they don't have a big satelite dish to watch it with me?

 

COOL.

 

Of course, I'm not gonna do that. I'll continue to post my thoughts of the show in the spoiler thread.

[Guest Dazed]

I don't understand how something that hasn't happened yet is a spoiler. Up until the point it actually happens, it's speculation and predictions.

 

In short, it comes down to how specific it is. Very specific leaks are often correct.

 

So by that thinking I could start the Smackdown thread in 3 hours because its on TV for me and its everyone elses fault that they don't have a big satelite dish to watch it with me?

 

I'll have to admit here that I'm not totally sure how SmackDown! airs in America & Canada. Is it something like this:

 

Wednesday - transmission to local areas for rebroadcast, picked up by a couple of people

Thursday - show airs for some people

Thursday, one hour later - show airs for everyone else

 

Which Thursday broadcast is the most popular, at least on these boards? And this is obviously not a new problem, how was it handled before?

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

For what I can recall, anyone who's already seen the show or read spoilers would just spoiler tag whatever they wanted to say that was taped, but didn't air yet for the common audience, which are usually people on the East Coast. (hence why SD thread has about 1/10 as many people that view the thread as people do for RAW)

[Guest Dazed]

For what I can recall, anyone who's already seen the show or read spoilers would just spoiler tag whatever they wanted to say that was taped, but didn't air yet for the common audience, which are usually people on the East Coast. (hence why SD thread has about 1/10 as many people that view the thread as people do for RAW)

It shouldn't bother you, since you said:

 

QUOTE (Man Of 1 @ 004 Modes,May 5 2004, 01:56 PM)

Smackdown, on the other hand, I don't watch because you know, I have a brain.

 

But leave the SD! thread as it is for now. People are going to be stiffed out of discussing it live one way or another, and the current method is as good as any.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Wednesday - transmission to local areas for rebroadcast, picked up by a couple of people

Thursday - show airs for some people

Thursday, one hour later - show airs for everyone else

 

Which Thursday broadcast is the most popular, at least on these boards? And this is obviously not a new problem, how was it handled before?

That's EXACTLY works.

 

Except:

 

Thursday - Canadian Viewers it shows at 8pm EST.

Thursday - American Viewers see it at 9pm EST.

 

We get it a full hour.

 

And anytime myself has gone out of my way to talk about the show, I've BEEN ASKED to do so by the American viewers. That's twice, by the way.

[treble 0]

It's actually 7 Eastern in Canada, 8 Eastern in the States.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

I'll have to admit here that I'm not totally sure how SmackDown! airs in America & Canada. Is it something like this:

 

Wednesday - transmission to local areas for rebroadcast, picked up by a couple of people

Thursday - show airs for some people

Thursday, one hour later - show airs for everyone else

 

Which Thursday broadcast is the most popular, at least on these boards? And this is obviously not a new problem, how was it handled before?

I technically get it Thursday morning (after midnight). Im special, although not in a Eugene way of course..

 

Anyway, the how has it been handled in the past question is interesting since very few people actually participate in the Smackdown thread so Im assuming that no one has really cared about it that much.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Then avoid the board for an hour.  If you've been burned once by that, it's unfortunate, but twice is your own fault.  We can't base the ruling on where the show airs last, sorry.

So those spoilers aren't allowed, but these ones are?

 

That makes PERFECT sense.

 

Really.

[Guest Dazed]

What do you want? A situation where SD! discussion in the SD! thread is verboten until the show has aired everywhere? Come up with a better solution and I'm willing to listen, but don't come in being snarky like that with nothing to offer.

[Guest Dazed]

I don't understand how something that hasn't happened yet is a spoiler. Up until the point it actually happens, it's speculation and predictions.

After thinking about this some more... what do you (collective you, not S D in particular) want? Do you want people to be free to post rumours wherever - what about this situation:

 

- Person starts a thread asking if it's worth buying tickets for a future PPV

- Some matches have been unofficially announced online, and are under discusssion in a different thread

 

Which of these are acceptable:

 

1) The main event has supposedly been announced, you can find the thread here

2) The main event has supposedly been announced, and it looks rubbish

3) The main event will be Benoit vs. Matt Hardy, so I wouldn't bother

[Scroby 0]

You know I don't really know how to put what I wanna post in here due to me it makes no sense. I really don't like being censored for nothing at all and what you erased my posts for was really stupid since I didn't give ANYTHING away. But since you wanna lay these rules down I guess were gonna be seing a lot of those little red coverings in the forums now, or a lot of erased posts. You know what gets me is I didn't give anything away in the thread I posted my comments in but yet you did but it was ok because it was hidden behind a red covering. That doesn't make sense, at least I didn't give away anything directly.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

I should have the right to say, "Hey, this show fucking sucked."

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

It shouldn't bother you, since you said:

 

QUOTE (Man Of 1 @ 004 Modes,May 5 2004, 01:56 PM)

Smackdown, on the other hand, I don't watch because you know, I have a brain.

 

But leave the SD! thread as it is for now. People are going to be stiffed out of discussing it live one way or another, and the current method is as good as any.

Yeah, but thats been recently. Two months ago or so Smackdown was still watchable, and some people who avoid spoilers and post comments in the thread as the show is going on aren't happy. I'm not the only one. If I could remember which week it was, I'd dig it out and C&P some of the not so happy comments.

[Guest Dazed]

I should have the right to say, "Hey, this show fucking sucked."

You... do. Just in the appropriate place.

[Guest Dazed]

You know I don't really know how to put what I wanna post in here due to me it makes no sense. I really don't like being censored for nothing at all and what you erased my posts for was really stupid since I didn't give ANYTHING away. But since you wanna lay these rules down I guess were gonna be seing a lot of those little red coverings in the forums now, or a lot of erased posts. You know what gets me is I didn't give anything away in the thread I posted my comments in but yet you did but it was ok because it was hidden behind a red covering. That doesn't make sense, at least I didn't give away anything directly.

This is being continued privately - if you could contact me via AIM, my screenname is who is nikjohns.

[Styles 0]

I actually like the rulings. I try to avoid spoilers if possible, and he makes a great point that in posts that don't just give away a result, but reactions many time spoil it anyway.

 

If Bradshaw vs. Eddy was taped and people started posting

 

"That result really sucks, I can't believe they did that"

 

It's pretty much been inferred Bradshaw has won.

 

So, I think the best solution is to create the one and only Smackdown spoilers thread every week and all spoiler discussion goes in there without branching out.

 

If it's something that's a spoiler before RAW or a PPV a post titled "Spoiler for Raw" or something should be sufficient.

 

I don't know, just a common coutesy to those that don't want things spoiled...

[Youth N Asia 0]

...you're drunk with power

[Guest Dazed]

...you're drunk with power

That's super. It'd be the reason that I said "thie is what I want, this is the way it's going to be, and there's no discussion allowed." Except, well, I didn't. This thread was made with Loss, and we're giving you the chance to discuss the rules before they are finally codified. And take your flaming to the correct place, kthx.

[Downhome 0]

...you're drunk with power

I concur.

 

 

 

 

 

Seriously though, I personally find it totally moronic that you are TELLING people to avoid the SD thread. People should have the sense to understand that those in the US are an hour behind watching the show, and should just hold their thoughts on what they see, untill we've seen it also.

 

The SD thread is already slow as hell. The last thing you need to do is to tell people to avoid that thread now.

 

A spoiler is a spoiler, and the above shouldn't be allowed just as it shouldn't be allowed for someone to start a topic on Wednesday containing a SD spoiler in the topic title.

[Downhome 0]

Oh yeah, everyone should be able to talk about rumors as much as they like without having to dance around the issue like morons. You are on the internet, this is where you read about rumors concerning what might and might not happen. It's been that way since the start, and it should continue to be that way.

 

Unless it's confirmed and it's SAID to happen, then it should be game to talk about it without dancing around it.

[Dr. Tom 0]

People:

 

Use your judgment. Nik's guidelines were clear and very well thought-out. "HHH wants to work with Edge this summer" is not a spoiler. Things that are more specific, and come out closer to the event at hand, might very well be spoilers. "HHH beats Benoit with the Pedigree tonight" is a spoiler, and it should be treated as such.

 

Downhome:

 

I remember I had to make a post called "Posting Spoilers" because you were calling for people to get BANNED for posting a spoiler without warning. What Nik is doing is trying to make this forum "safe" for those who don't want to see things spoiled, a position I would think you'd appreciate a little more. He laid out for you what a rumor was vs. a spoiler. You seem a sharp tack, so I'm sure you'll figure it out.

 

I think Nik's guidelines are perfectly fine. Anyone with further quibbles should take them up with me.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

...you're drunk with power

That's super. It'd be the reason that I said "thie is what I want, this is the way it's going to be, and there's no discussion allowed." Except, well, I didn't. This thread was made with Loss, and we're giving you the chance to discuss the rules before they are finally codified. And take your flaming to the correct place, kthx.

He's joking. Chill out.

[Downhome 0]

Downhome:

 

I remember I had to make a post called "Posting Spoilers" because you were calling for people to get BANNED for posting a spoiler without warning.  What Nik is doing is trying to make this forum "safe" for those who don't want to see things spoiled, a position I would think you'd appreciate a little more.  He laid out for you what a rumor was vs. a spoiler.  You seem a sharp tack, so I'm sure you'll figure it out.

 

I think Nik's guidelines are perfectly fine.  Anyone with further quibbles should take them up with me.

Tom, I understand perfectly, but he's making this much harder than it should be. Something that a few mods seem to want to do over these past few months. It isn't rocket science to run a message board.

 

Talking about rumors isn't a spoiler. It's what the majority of people are here to talk about. Go into just about any thread, and you'll see people quoting various websites mentioning a "rumor" from one of the main news sources.

 

I'll bite my tongue untill I see a problem with the rules actually take place. Thanks for leaving this up to discussion however. It's much better than just doing it and demanding it of people.

[Guest Dazed]

Downhome, we are trying to create a set of rules, rather than having things left open to interpretation.

 

I agree with you that having people avoid the live SD! thread is not the best option, but there's few solutions:

 

1) People who watch the earlier showing don't post anything in the thread until that segment has shown on the later showing

2) People who watch the earlier showing post things as they happen, and people watching the later showing wait until the end.

3) your choice here

 

Secondly, with regard to Hot Newz & Rumorz.

 

As you say, "Unless it's confirmed and it's SAID to happen, then it should be game to talk about it without dancing around it."

 

This is a sentiment I agree with. A hypothetical for you. Take Chavo's Opponent. It's unfair for someone to come into the thread before the show is aired, and say "Meltzer is reporting that Jacqueline will be winning the title from Chavo". It IS only a rumour, but it's the kind of rumour that has a history of being true.

 

However, a discussion of a potential future feud between HHH and Edge, which may also have been reported by Meltzer is different. It's non-specific, and the kind of plan that has a tendency to change.

 

This leads to the obvious question - "where is the line drawn?" In short, you need to look at how specific the story is, how important it is, and how likely it is to actually spoil things.

 

We understand that a great deal of discussion here surrounds rumours, and that's not something that should be stopped, but it's important that people know the appropriate place to put their comments.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

I'd like to point out that all of this could be avoided by seperate folders for rumors/spoilers and normal discussion like some other boards do.

 

I'm not saying it's the best soloution but it's better than nothing.

[Downhome 0]

Downhome, we are trying to create a set of rules, rather than having things left open to interpretation.

 

We've have rules, and they've worked perfectly fine. Posting spoilers are not allowed, period. There as a short period where a couple of people would do so in topic titles, that was pointed out and dealt with, and it hasn't been a problem since then. A new problem came up where people were posting spoilers IN the OAOSD thread, and as before, that should be pointed out and dealt with.

 

I agree with you that having people avoid the live SD! thread is not the best option, but there's few solutions:

 

The only fair solution is to just tell people not to post spoilers in the SD thread. That's been an unwritten rule among all of the posters who post in that thread, and almost everyone has respected one another and didn't post spoilers for those in the USA. It's not even a huge problem. Those who did spoil stuff for other people in that thread didn't seem to do it on purpose, and after people called them out on it they didn't do it again. Just tell people not to, and that'll be the end of it.

 

Secondly, with regard to Hot Newz & Rumorz.

 

As you say, "Unless it's confirmed and it's SAID to happen, then it should be game to talk about it without dancing around it."

 

This is a sentiment I agree with.  A hypothetical for you.  Take Chavo's Opponent.  It's unfair for someone to come into the thread before the show is aired, and say "Meltzer is reporting that Jacqueline will be winning the title from Chavo".  It IS only a rumour, but it's the kind of rumour that has a history of being true. 

 

However, a discussion of a potential future feud between HHH and Edge, which may also have been reported by Meltzer is different. It's non-specific, and the kind of plan that has a tendency to change. 

 

I don't understand what you are trying to say using the above. Saying that Jackie was Chavo's opponent WAS a spoiler, it happened on the tapings. Of course something like that shouldn't be allowed, it's a blatant spoiler and shouldn't be allowed.

 

If it was on Tuesday morning however, and a "report" came out going "We are hearing that Chavo's opponent might be Jackie", then that should be perfectly fine. It hasn't actually taken place yet at a taping or a show. How many times have stupid rumors like that actually not come true?

 

Ladder match anybody?

 

That is not a spoiler, nothing is, unless it's taken place already. Everything else is just rumors.

 

If you want to "make things safe", there there is ONE simple answer. Whenever people want to talk about rumors and the such for things that are going to happen in the future, just have the threads be called "HHH's opponent for the next PPV is rumored to be..." or "The main event for Bad Blood".

 

As I said, this isn't complicated. The mod team here, over the past few months (since Dames left), has been trying WAY to hard to do little things here and there. Making it much harder than this is.

 

I love that you guys are trying to make this place "better" I really do. Like I said though, you are making a much bigger deal out of everything. We've got along for years with no worry about rumors of all things.

 

The only other option, one that I've ALWAYS been for, is to have the WWE folder with sub-folders. One for general discussion and another for news and rumors. The SAME spoiler rules would still apply however, meaning flat out spoilers (as I said, I'm talking about things that have already taken place and has not aired yet) are NOT allowed in topic titles. That way we have a place for people to talk about the going ons on TV, things that we've seen take place, etc... and then we have another place to toss the rumors and news of the day/week/whatever around.

 

The spoiler rule would still apply to both folders because some people want to talk about rumors, like myself and many others, yet not actually read spoilers of things that have actually taken place.

 

What exactly would be so wrong with that idea? It sounds to me like the perfect compromise for everyone involved.