Just curious here.

How many people would like to see the log-in format of the talk forum changed, to one where all individuals are required to log-in using their REAL name.
My reasoning behind this, would be to get rid of some of the trash talk, name calling, and immature statements that have been made in the past. I believe if we are all held responsible for the comments we make, there would be far less comments on here that are nothing but trash.
I, for one, do believe if something is said, it should be common knowledge who the author of the statement is.

Jeff:

I'm not really for your idea. The reason is that I think you would discourage a lot of people from contributing to the forum upfront. I do not think I would have started posting (which would maybe have made a lot of people happy including my wife). I think you potentially lose good ideas, information and just the pulse of the general wrestling community if you did that. Some people including myself are really novices to the sport with no wrestling experience or knowledge but do have some worthwhile opinions on some subjects. We might be a little intimidated in letting ourselves known to you wrestling veterans. I do let people e-mail me (So far I have always let them know who I am at that point) and I have even let my identity known on this forum a couple of times to people who have directly asked.

I understand your purpose and I agree it would probably have that effect but I also think it would discourage a lot people from even starting to post. I think most of the people who use nicknames for log ins do not engage in trash talk or immature statements and often contribute positively to the forum. A person who uses their real name can also engage in some trash talk and immature statements, not as often though. For that matter would it not be also possible to use a fake real name? It really still is a matter of personal responsibility and courtesty. I have seen trash talk before and pointed it out to Mike Juby via e-mail and shortly after it was deleted. That is another option we have to eliminate it thru the forum moderator. Maybe that is one option we should use more often.

If your opinion or idea is not worthy of putting your name behind it then it isn't worthy of being posted for all to read.

ok by me ill just lie

Mr Cokeley,
if that was the case then alot of the laws that you live by today in this country wouldnt exsist, some of your freedoms like freedom of speech may not even exsist today, Have you heard of the "Federalist Papers" the were written anonymously and were the foundation of of the constitution in this country and by you saying i need to put my name on it you are violating my first amendment rights shame on you, the one who speaks of freedom of speech so much.

Will:

No one is forcing anyone to read anyone else's posts. Everyone makes the decision to read them or not individually. We also make the decision to consider a post that we are reading worthwhile or not. I mean if someone makes an immature statement on this forum that really doesn't hurt me and I consider it to be just that an immature statement and I go on. Personal attacks of course are something else.

Several times a person has disagreed with me on this forum. No one has really engaged in what I would consider serious trash talking in doing that. When they have said something like No, Husker Fan, you are wrong and here is why, I think that is fine and I normally will reply back and try to defend my position to them. Coach Rees and I have had that type of exchange in the topic about too many people at matside. We are not calling each other names and I believe are being respectful to each other. I think the key is that we need to talk to each other here just like we would if we were talking to each other in person and not behind a keyboard.

I have seen some of the attacks that people have made on you. I disagreed with those types of personal attacks whether they have a log-in or real name. I would agree with you that if a person is going to make those types of personal attacks that they should make themselves personally known to you. I also think if you are attacked like that you should have the right to have the forum moderator delete it and maybe get that person banded from the forum if they continue to attack people in that manner.

I still think though that you are going to automatically eliminate a lot of people and potential good ideas from the forum if you eliminate the nicknames. A lot of people are intimidated by the talk forums of the internet. There must be a reason why they were allowed in the first place by our forum moderators and I would guess that is it. I know other forums also allow them. I also think they are kind of fun. I know we have fun with them at our club.

Anyway I like reading your posts. I don't always agree with you but quite often I do. You stick your neck out and let's face it one has to if you believe something needs to change. Sometimes you make a comment that makes me wince but I'm sure some of my comments and ideas have a similar effect on you.

For the benefit of this topic and you, I will sign off this time.

Sincerely

Vince Nowak (a.k.a. Husker Fan)

I do not know if the real name is necessary, I do appreciate a legitimate way to contact the person making the post. I know that negative and untrue things are sometimes said and it is not possible to contact the person to either clarify a point or confront them on the negative or untrue thing that was said. The principle of being able to do this is a requirement of most everyone’s faith as well as what I would consider human decency. I do agree with Coakley here, without a willingness to be identified or contacted in someway, a person making a comment anonymously is not respected as much. There was one particular post that even Coakley and I disagreed on on another forum thread. It just goes to show though that you can disagree with someone on one point and agree on another and still get along. If not given the opportunity and requirement to exhibit some form of adult behavior, then adult behavior should not be expected and we will not be as susceptible to learning anything, much less teaching that appropriate behavior to the kids that wrestle.

Greenbadger,
We are talking about kids wrestling here not life or death matters. Certainly there is some mud being tossed about here occaisionally but no one has ever threatened anyone's life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness. It is frustrating that some who chose to take cheap shots do not have a private way of being contacted. A private email address, at the very least, should be required.

I promise not to try to take away any more of your rights!

I will agree with your comments but that was not the way i was taking it at first and as for taking away my rights, that comment could have been left off, dont give it a second thought im the only one that can take my rights away. but great insight on all of these comments.

Greenbadger,
I really feel that nicknames are fine if there is some accountability. For instance, if I wanted to engage in this private debate with you I could privately email you if you would have provided that information when you registered. Since you didn't I have to waste everyone's time with a message that is meant only for you. What would be wrong with requiring a means of being privately emailed?

Jeff and Will:

I have decided to change my publicly displayed name from husker fan to my real one. I noticed another person in the Topeka topic was using a similar handle and I decided it would be too confusing going forward and since I had been identifying myself anyway on a few posts that I might as well do that all the time going forward. So I guess I'm one of you people who use your real names now.

After reading the comments.I registered with my name as my login.This is the first talk forum I have ever been on.When I registered a couple of days ago I used a nickname,but using my name feals more natural to me.Thats just my feelings on this matter.