Well, I Asked For It

A banned member decided to call out my promoting my own broadcast on my own page
Um. OK.

I told you a few months back that I became an admin for a play-by-play group.

Or, perhaps "admin" is the wrong term.

Sometimes it's "babysitting."

It's been an experience of dealing with egos, attitude, and other emotions.

From day one, I wanted to clean the page of mostly rampant self-promotion but I soon realized the rule was poorly worded and led to headaches.

Some of that is personal for me. Despite what I do on my personal page, I generally don't promote myself on the play-by-play page. My thinking is that almost nobody in the group cares about any of my work.

Those who do are my Facebook friends already.

Instead I discuss things that I hope will spur conversation or I add to those discussions.

However, things took a little twisted turn recently. A member violated the rule about self-promotion and decided to argue about it -- publicly and privately.

The debate in my private messages was bad enough. Once it went public I could no longer support that person.

Not happening.

So, hey, it's a work in progress, and I said that from the first day I came aboard.

When it settles down, I enjoy being an active part of something that means so much to me. We're still lacking conversations about technique, history, styles, and so on.

And, to be blunt, I think there should be some better discussions about criticism, especially of styles and attitudes. It's the only way to make some understand.

I haven't agreed with everything that the other admins want but, again, one day at a time. Like I said, I promote nothing. They don't mind it.

Heck, I didn't even put the Renegades announcement in the group. Mike (the soon-to-be father) Hirn did.

We disagreed about discussions about COVID. I still think it's worthwhile IF it relates to play-by-play, but that has mostly calmed down.

I want to get members in there who have an interest in the industry, even if they don't do play-by-play, or never will for that matter.

But I see it as being part of an organization that I can help. I'd like to believe I have a lot to offer fellow broadcasters of all levels, even if they don't respect my knowledge of Vin Scully working for Red Barber in 1951 or whatever.

When it gets like it did today, I still enjoy it, but I look at it with a much different eye.

Yet, to sum it up, when it gets personal? No.

That, friends, is a bad move.

But, I asked to do this. The good outweighs the bad.

(By the way, he also dropped me on Facebook. I haven't been blocked...or blocked him...yet)