**Squawk Announcement**

[AHF]

Hey everyone.  @lethalweapon3@Dolfan23@PSSSHHHRRR87 and I wanted to communicate out (as a team of the site's moderators and admin) that we are all committed to maintaining this as the best place to share idea, find information and enjoy Hawks talk with fellow fans.  This site has long been different from many others on the web by virtue of the ability of the members to argue vigorously but avoid devolving into personal attacks and then moving right onto congenial conversation on some other topic.  We all crack jokes and have fun but treat each other with some common courtesy and respect that makes the site approachable and enjoyable for all.

In light of the recent blow up on the board, we don't expect this to change and wanted to reiterate some of the core values that have made this site so great for so many Hawks fans:

• The Golden Rules - We've long posted a series of guidelines that largely boil down to the golden rule of "do unto others..."  It is worthwhile to take a look at these every so often and we recommend that people take another read through when you get the chance.

https://hawksquawk.net/community/guidelines/

• Dealing With Issues -  We do not want people taking other posters to task given how often that leads to confrontations and so you should let one of us know if you have an issue with another poster.  We also encourage people here to personal message (PM) the moderators and admin if you see any issues or have suggestions on how to best run the site.  None of us are professionals - we aren't paid and donate our time along with the money that Dolfan donates to keep the site going strong.  So while we will surely make mistakes, we aren't going to have debates on the moderators or admin action or inaction in public view but have been very responsive to issues raised via PM in the past and incorporated many suggestions from posters in order to improve the site.  There are four of us so please feel free to try one or more of us on any issue whether it is a picture you think isn't appropriate, content that you think is offensive, behavior you think is out of line, etc.  That is what we are volunteering our time to do.
• Address the Post, Not the Poster - This is a really good rule of thumb for any debate you are having on the Squawk.  If someone says that Chris Crawford was better than Nique, do not question their intelligence, their fandom, or go after them personally no matter how tempting.  Instead, attack the substance of the post as much as you want.  Just tell people why the post is wrong:  you can talk about the skill sets of the two players, their athleticism, their production and stats, the team's record, etc. etc.  You can and should make your point without resorting to attacking the poster themselves.  

Please just keep these and the rest of the guidelines in mind, and we'll all continue to enjoy our time spent with the Hawks community!

[sturt]

1 hour ago, AHF said:

This site has long been different from many others on the web by virtue of the ability of the members to argue vigorously but avoid devolving into personal attacks and then moving right onto congenial conversation on some other topic.  We all crack jokes and have fun but treat each other with some common courtesy and respect that makes the site approachable and enjoyable for all.

Well said. But I wouldn't expect any less from someone who has made a career based largely on saying things well.

Respect all of you guys for carving out the time and energy and, in Dolf's case especially, funding necessary to allow this place to exist and thrive. Many if not most of us have at times offended. (Some newer people here hopefully will be surprised to learn that there was a time when I was arguably the most consistently irritating, hostile, critical, and disrespectful poster on the board.)

I think the takeaway to me is, if I find I've offended someone, even if just b/c the other person misunderstood and there was no actual ill-intent, my reaction needs to be one that communicates humility on my part, some basic respect toward that other person, and an active interest in remedying any bad feelings. People generally deserve some benefit of a doubt, and if I want you to be willing to grant that to me at times, it is only fair that I have to be ready and willing to grant that to you.

Just crossing my fingers that C-Viv isn't and never becomes a registered poster here. All of what I just said would necessarily be a challenge to live up to. (But yes, even for him, I like to think I'd try.)

[jy23]

 I've been gone for a minute so I have no idea what happened but happy to see y'all still got it poppin around here lol.