Message Board User Guidelines

Below are a few simple guidelines that we ask you adhere to when using the message boards here at GoldandBlack.com.

o Any post which uses obscene, profane or overly harsh language will be deleted. In most cases, this will include posts where certain characters are altered or replaced with other characters (such as #, @, !, etc.) in order to convey an obscenity but not use it per se.

o Any post which features photos of lewd content or violent images (even if in cartoon or exaggerated form) can be deleted.

o Any post meant as a "personal attack" on another poster or on any athlete, coach, administrator or anyone else will be deleted. Name-calling of any kind will not be tolerated. Please, be civil.

o Any posts deemed irrelevant to the topics at hand will be deleted, for the sake of keeping things focused. We have a General Discussion Forum for those who wish to discuss topics unrelated to Purdue athletics.

o Unpopular (i.e. negative) opinions will never be censored just because they are negative. However, if those opinions are deemed "unreasonable" or conveyed in a belligerent, uncivil manner, they will be removed. Furthermore, if posters' negativity reaches levels where it is intended to "mock" (or discourage) other posters for their optimism, those posts will be deleted.

o If you're overly critical, we ask you also be rational and well-enough informed. If you're going to purport to know enough to criticize, please know how to spell the names of the people you're criticizing, for your own credibility's sake.

o The moderators of this forum reserve the right to remove any unsubstantiated rumor or hearsay, particularly if the information conveyed could be considered damaging to those mentioned. Any information obtained via questionable methods (such as sneaking into a closed practice, eves-dropping or infringing on peoples' social lives) will be removed. We do not want our message boards causing problems for anyone.

Please do not post any information - true or not - that was obtained in a way where the persons providing the information did not know it would be made public. We don't want our web site causing people to look over their shoulder or not trust the people they talk to, and we certainly don't want our web site getting people in trouble for spilling information publicly that they should not have. Ultimately, though it's not right, we can be held responsible for your actions, and for our own credibility's sake, we have to manage that. We can't have a fleet of Internet reporters out there associated with our site.

Some sites may welcome, if not rely on, information gathered by spying on people or eaves-dropping. Not this one.

o Any post deemed inflamatory or construed to be meant solely to "stir the pot" or taunt other posters will be deleted. We have a Trash Talk Forum for this very thing. We ask that you use it if you must engage in this sort of behavior.

Oftentimes, the source of trashy posts will be deleted, even if it's a legitimate post.

Furthermore, due to the reactions they tend to stir, fans of opposing schools will be held to a higher standard of conduct. It probably isn't fair, but it's what we feel we need to do to maintain order without going to unreasonable lengths. Anything posted from other schools' fans with even the slightest hint of animosity will be removed.

o Any post which violates copyright standards will be deleted immediately. Please do not copy and paste any content, or use photos, off other web sites. Please provide links instead.

o No blatant advertisements, especially for a certain basketball workout video. Plugs for other web sites will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

o Please keep your posts on the appropriate board. We have a general discussion forum for things such as politics and religion; these being divisive topics, they will not be tolerated on the sports boards.

o Providing links to content of interest is not only permitted but encouraged. However, when there's blatant spamming going on, or efforts are being made simply to drive traffic to other sites, posts will be deleted.

o Make your point. Don't beat everyone over the head with it over and over again. Allow the forum discussions to move forward.

If you have a bunch of things to say, please condense it into just a couple posts.

Any posters violating these guidelines (particularly repeat offenders) will be subject to blacklisting, in some cases without warning. This is especially true for those who have signed up for message board accounts using names that are clearly phony, which suggests that their intention is to cause trouble. In fact, phony names in our system will generally be blacklisted immediately, no questions asked.

Please bear in mind that dealing with these boards is only a small portion of our job. We will not get sucked into any protracted debates over things or fights between posters. We simply don't have time. If you have an issue and it's quickly dismissed, please don't cry about it.

As is stated in your subscription/message board user agreement, the staff of GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc. reserves the right to amend any and all of these guidelines at any time, for any reason.

Finally, a few tips for using these forums:

1. Be civil at all times. If you interact with fellow posters in a civil manner, you likely won't have anything to worry about.

2. Do not post anything about anyone that you wouldn't want posted about yourself.

3. Do not post anything that you wouldn't say to someone face-to-face. Do not post anything you wouldn't want your mother to see.

4. Be judicious in making public any personal information, such as your address, phone number or e-mail address.

5. Make every effort to use the appropriate board for your posts.

6. You do not know who is reading these forums, particularly when it comes to recruits and parents. Consider all possible consequences for all involved before you post. Be conscientious.

7. Use these forums with the mindset that it is your privilege to use them, not your right.

8. It's great to be privy to sensitive information; people like to be the ones "in the know." If you're in such a position, be sensitive to all others involved when handling that information.

9. In emotional times, wait 15 minutes before posting, take a few deep breaths and think critically about what it is you want to post.

10. Don't take yourself too seriously.

The overwhelming majority of users on this site have conducted themselves admirably and posed few problems. We appreciate everyone's cooperation very much.

If you have any questions, comments, complaints or concerns, please click here to e-mail Brian Neubert. All message board complaints, thoughts, etc., should also be directed here.