Thread: Town Hall Discussion: Signatures and Avatars -- What is Acceptable

Ok, time to talk images. Specifically sigs (signatures) and avvies (avatars).

Since these images are seen all over the forums, not just the Lounge or P&R, some of the following quetions need to be addressed:

• How risque should sigs and avvies be allowed to be? How do we define the boundaries?
• Should political sigs and avvies be allowed? If so, should they be limited to only positive statements?
• Should religious sigs and avvies be allowed? If so, should they be limited to only positive ones? (one example of a negative one that was up once was a image of a toilet with the Koran being the toilet paper)

During the election, I put up a poll asking about political sigs and avvies. Only 37 people responded, but here was the breakdown:

7 -- No political sigs or avvies should be allowed
19 -- Only positive sigs/avvies should be allowed ("Obama for President" or "McCain/Palin - 2008")
11 -- All political sigs should be allowed, even those that are negative to one or more candidates

So, while those are a few starter questions about sigs and avvies, I think we just need to open it up to general discussion on the topic.

As always, please respect everyone's opinion, even if it disagrees with your own. Discussing differences is fine, but don't make it personal, because once that happens a lot of people just choose not to participate, which in the end impedes the process of making sure we have rules that are in line with the community at large.

Hey I got rid of my shirtless Tony...is that what this is all about? J/K Tned.

I may have changed my opinion since then, I don't remember, but here goes:

Political sigs/avys need to go. They do nothing but create animosity and bring politics to a board that has been put here to talk about football.

Likewise, religion.

Example:

"Breakfast, shmreakfast. Look at the score, for Christ's sake. It's only the second period and I'm up 12 to 2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, 'the Whale,' they only beat Vancouver once, maybe twice in a lifetime."

That was my sig forever here and at the former place.

I was told that the use of "Christ's sake" was offensive. I took it down. I've spent the last six months looking at sigs and avys about Obama, bad and good, mostly bad. I don't want to see it in the Broncos forum. Maybe this is some sour grapes, but frankly, if I can't have a movie quote because it says "Christ's sake," I sure as hell don't want to be looking at sigs and avys about our President and his political stance.

Politics, yes. Religion, no.

I think political and religious avys and sigs are fine.Positive or negative is fine IMO as long as it isn't vulgar.I don't pay much attention to them to be honest.

As far as risque...Nothing wrong with an avy or sig with a pretty/sexy woman as long as her privates are covered...same with a good looking guy.

Tned...if you'd like I can be your avy/sig person to choose what is acceptable or not...I know you wouldn't do this but I am pretty open minded as far as that sorta thing goes.

I don't generally read peoples sigs all that much, just don't have the time when I am using it to read football, so i don't care THAT much what is in them.

This is just me though.

Risque though, while I, err, can't say i don't enjoy looking at them...I always feel a bit guilty as a married man.

So those have always bothered me a little having them blasted all over the forums.

I have an option on that though and just took it, and turned them off.

When it comes to reading things in posts we don't like, thats kinda hard to ignore sometimes...but we can ALWAYS turn off sigs/avs if we don't like them so i am a little more open to those.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

I may have changed my opinion since then, I don't remember, but here goes:

Political sigs/avys need to go. They do nothing but create animosity and bring politics to a board that has been put here to talk about football.

Likewise, religion.

Example:

"Breakfast, shmreakfast. Look at the score, for Christ's sake. It's only the second period and I'm up 12 to 2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, 'the Whale,' they only beat Vancouver once, maybe twice in a lifetime."

That was my sig forever here and at the former place.

I was told that the use of "Christ's sake" was offensive. I took it down. I've spent the last six months looking at sigs and avys about Obama, bad and good, mostly bad. I don't want to see it in the Broncos forum. Maybe this is some sour grapes, but frankly, if I can't have a movie quote because it says "Christ's sake," I sure as hell don't want to be looking at sigs and avys about our President and his political stance.

I love Mallrats!












Sorry i dont have anything insighful to add to this thread.

Personally I sway towards positive only for political and religious sigs and avys.
For avys and sigs, wimmen to be wearing panties and some sort of bra.
Blokes nothing!

I could care less about any of it. I have my sigs turned off, and have had my avies turned off in the past as well.

If someone is offended by a picture or slogan in a thread, then they need to grow some balls and get thicker skin. There is more important things than getting bent out of shape on some silly message board.

Originally Posted by KCL

Hey I got rid of my shirtless Tony...is that what this is all about? J/K Tned.

Shirtless is the only way I like Tony G.

When I first got to football forums, the half naked ladies kind of freaked me out, and I had to totally hide the site from my kids. Now I just naturally hide the site from my kids and I have a completely naked lady on my Avy. Yikes, I've totally been brain washed!

I am all for freedom of speech. Yet if the avys/sigs get someone in trouble at work so they have to turn them off, I'm in favor of tuning them down just for the sake of letting most everyone see the pretty pictures. I think.

On the other hand, once you start to censor things, when do you stop? I'm a flip flopper!

Originally Posted by Watchthemiddle

I could care less about any of it. I have my sigs turned off, and have had my avies turned off in the past as well.

If someone is offended by a picture or slogan in a thread, then they need to grow some balls and get thicker skin. There is more important things than getting bent out of shape on some silly message board.

I agree! I'm not much on sigs/avys to begin with but I'm not going to get bent out of shape either.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

I may have changed my opinion since then, I don't remember, but here goes:

Political sigs/avys need to go. They do nothing but create animosity and bring politics to a board that has been put here to talk about football.

Likewise, religion.

Example:

"Breakfast, shmreakfast. Look at the score, for Christ's sake. It's only the second period and I'm up 12 to 2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, 'the Whale,' they only beat Vancouver once, maybe twice in a lifetime."

That was my sig forever here and at the former place.

I was told that the use of "Christ's sake" was offensive. I took it down. I've spent the last six months looking at sigs and avys about Obama, bad and good, mostly bad. I don't want to see it in the Broncos forum. Maybe this is some sour grapes, but frankly, if I can't have a movie quote because it says "Christ's sake," I sure as hell don't want to be looking at sigs and avys about our President and his political stance.

Ditto.

It might be best if Avvy's and sigs were kinda work friendly I'm afraid to say, . A lot of us pop in and out during the day. Regular members might know to turn them off, new folks and lurkers No. I'd hate for someone to catch a ration at work because a great big pic of an admittedly lovely lady in a thong

Should be a judgment call, really. I don't really notice them. I know some people took offense to a quote by David Hume I had for awhile so I took it down, but at the same time I could have easily told those people off because Hume had a point regardless of how he stated it. Contrarily, I gotta admit something like a holy book as toilet paper is pretty offensive, but more so it doesn't even add anything worthwhile. It's just there to offend. That kind of stuff is just... eh.

Originally Posted by Dreadnought

It might be best if Avvy's and sigs were kinda work friendly I'm afraid to say, . A lot of us pop in and out during the day. Regular members might know to turn them off, new folks and lurkers No. I'd hate for someone to catch a ration at work because a great big pic of an admittedly lovely lady in a thong

why are these said posters posting while at work...isn't it called work for a
reason...