Friday, September 4, 2009
Column 374
Shame on you, Erik McVay!
Success flows from leadership.
Failure flows from the lack thereof.
These are facts. Period. Full stop.
So it is no wonder why some darts web forums flourish and others die a slow death.
Superstars of Darts is an example of the former. It has a leader – Andy Fairclough – who has set rules, applies them equally to all members, and follows them himself.
SEWA is an example of the later. Its creator – Erik McVay – has established rules but they are not applied equally and he personally flaunts them.
SEWA was once a popular site. World Champions Bob Anderson and John Part were regular participants. Not any more. Roger Carter, Jerry Umberger, Stacy Bromberg, and other American legends used to show up. Not so much any more.
Leadership.
Or lack thereof.
In recent days there was a flare up at SEWA surrounding a series of posts about Ted Kennedy. Perhaps you’ve heard of him? Or Mary Jo Kopechne?
It’s curious – and perhaps an indication of the stage of dying the site is in – that the discussion was the most active discussion in a long, long time. Of course, the thread had nothing to do with darts. Threads that have nothing to do with darts have become a SEWA trademark.
The thread was deleted from the site. Ostensibly this was because it was political in nature. Political comment, at least by anybody but the founder, is not permitted at SEWA.
But THEN, a couple of forum members who participated in the thread were given what SEWA calls “strikes”. A strike is a warning of sorts. Like in baseball, if you get too many of them you’re “outta of the game, baby” – banned to the dugout.
The strikes came out of the blue. There was no notice. And as of this writing he or she who handed out the strikes has not had the courage to identify themselves or explain the reasoning behind their action.
I no longer participate at SEWA. (You may have heard this!) I think the joint is pointless and irrelevant to darts. But I do follow the threads. They give me ideas. Sometimes they inspire me to put pen to paper. Sometimes they just piss me off, like now.
I followed the thread in question. I didn’t think it belonged at a darts website. I think much of the discussion was over the top. I think the thread was a classic example of why so many people have found greener darts pastures.
But I did not necessarily think the discussion was political.
To write that “George Bush is a monkey-butt” is not political commentary. It may be true. It may not be nice. But it just ain’t political commentary.
To write that “George Bush’s decision, based on lies, to bomb Iraq into oblivion is a disgrace to all America stands for” is political commentary.
I don’t believe a discussion of anything but darts – not about Ted Kennedy, the Boston Celtics, or why Erik McVay guzzles ACT – belong on a darts website. But that’s just a personal opinion.
There are those who disagree. Perhaps they are right. Some people enjoy participating at a darts forum and talking about subjects other than darts. Forums are viral communities and just like at a pub shoot or a tournament venue, at work or at home with family, darts players, just like “normal” people,” do enjoy banter on a wide range of subjects.
What I find perplexing, to put it mildly, is the double standard and the hypocrisy at SEWA. More than this I can’t figure why so many either can’t see it or, if they can, choose not to call McVay out on it.
Recently, in reaction to the deleted thread and the unexplained strikes given in the dark of night to some of those who participated, McVay posted the following words: SEWA continues to attempt to maintain no politics on the site. I myself have failed to abide by this rule and would have been given a strike if it were not for the fact that I own the site but I’ve often deleted my own posts and chastised myself for letting things slip.
Give me a frickin’ break!
SERIOUSLY, why people don’t hold McVay accountable for this continuing nonsense is beyond explanation.
His excuse for breaking his rules is lame and hypocritical.
“I own the site. It’s my toy. I’ll play with it however I want.” That is lame.
To chastise others for (supposedly) doing the same while excusing himself from what he admits, is HYPOCRITICAL.
Shame on you, Erik McVay. And shame on everybody who continues to let you get away with it.
Success flows from leadership.
Failure flows from the lack thereof.
Period. Full stop.
From the Field,
Dartoid
