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Around SBN: Georgia 26, Tennessee 14: A Vol Fan Reacts Bar-right-arrows



Morning Coffee

Our boy Vince Young was honored in the state capitol yesterday for his outstanding rookie season with the Tennessee Titans. (Steezy's got a photo.) This should actually be an interesting offseason for Young's professional team, as Tennessee has gobs of salary cap space and a solid draft position. This is a big opportunity for them to improve the team around their star QB.

The Longhorn baseball team won their third straight Tuesday Softie, this time hammering Texas State 7-1 at the Dell Diamond. The 'Horns got three runs in the first and four in the second, while six Longhorn pitchers combined to keep the Bobcats in check. Next up for Texas is a three game set with Washington State over the weekend in Austin. In other news, junior Adrian Alaniz was named Big 12 pitcher of the week for his seven shutout innings against Stanford over the weekend.

Billyzane got the Great Debate under way here at BON, and now SMQ and Kyle have taken the torch. So far, four dispatches - all interesting.

Last, I turn your attention to this diary, in which I asked readers to start looking at Corn Nation, SBN's first site to get the network-wide upgrades we plan to implement.

Not surprisingly, most of the reaction so far has been comments resistant to change - a sentiment I understand. However, I'm not asking, "Should BON make these upgrades or not?"  I'm asking, "What works, and doesn't work? What features are causing problems when you try to use them?"

The fact is that we -are- going to make some changes, but before you start worrying, allow me to explain a little bit.  As you know, BON is about the community. In fact, that's the operating philosophy behind all the SBN blogs. This is supposed to be a running conversation, and the features that SBN blogs enjoy (like a good commenting system, diaries, and so on) are what make them unique and, in our view, superior.

The upgrades we are implementing have everything to do with enhancing community features. I don't even know what all the new stuff is, but I do know that all of it is built around enhancing reader participation and interaction. As you're aware, BON's community is already one of the best in the CFB blogosphere. The new changes will all be geared toward giving you, the readers, more ways to interact with the site and each other. As with all change, we expect there will be some hand wringing, but we're very, very confident that, once you get used to them, you will strongly prefer them.

As an example, think about our Open GameDay threads. In the current system, you have to refresh the page 100 times as you try to keep up with the conversation. The new system will simply refresh the conversation as it unfolds, making our dialouge as we watch Texas together more fluid and strong. That's just one example of the many improvements the new system will offer. Yes, it will take some getting used to. Yes, the current BON is fine as is. But I promise you, the changes will be for the better. If BON is your home base for your work day - which it is for many of us - your go-to spot's only going to get better.

One last thing before I open the floor back up for discussion. The community is not just one of the best - it's one of the biggest. BON is growing at a rapid pace, which is terrific. Each month a new billyzane or 54b or EyesOfBevo arrives to join the conversation. As large as the conversation is becoming, these changes aren't just "change for change's sake," as some have worried. These are changes for improvement's sake. Long conversation threads will become much easier to navigate and participate in, and as the number of voices in the conversation grows, the vehicle for communicating must grow and improve with it.

So please, try to give this a fair shot and approach it with an open mind. After all, these changes are, ultimately, about making things better for the readers.  We're very optimistic that's what will happen.

--PB--

0 recs | Comment 14 comments

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I wouldn't
call Texas State a softie.  I think a little more respect is due them since they have wins over Rice, OU and, I think, ND.

by UTeed on Feb 21, 2007 10:12 AM CST   0 recs

In fact,
they swept Notre Dame

by loganck on Feb 21, 2007 8:04 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

changes
All those changes sound great.  But why is the overall site design changing with them.  I honestly don't think how anyone can look at the comments sections over at Corn Nation and think that it is easier to navigate through and/or read.

So unless there are more changes to come, I'm not impressed.  It seems like the new site has sacrificed design for "better" substance.  Big mistake.

But what do I know?  

by Jason Mayer on Feb 21, 2007 10:14 AM CST   0 recs

I must agree...
and ask the following questions:

-Can BON get the functionality upgrades without sacraficing the overall appearance of the site?
or
-Is this comprehensive change inevitable for BON & other SBN sites, and we are just being slowly introduced?

by Shake on Feb 21, 2007 12:06 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

I agree as well
I think there are some upgrades that can and should happen, but the look and feel of the site should not change.  The font size, and no spearation between stories is just too difficult to look at.  Also, the heading for the comments is just ridiculous.  

I'll shut my mouth now.

by GoHorns on Feb 21, 2007 12:55 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Thank goodness
That most of you read the site for my stunning good looks and ability to juggle fruit, or we might have a problem. . .
--PB--

by PB @ BON on Feb 21, 2007 1:08 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Blogging is like working in Radio...
You must have the looks for it.

by Shake on Feb 21, 2007 1:26 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Which of course means
that I must place myself in the same category.

PB-  We are all patiently waiting for the Diary titled "Juggling Watermelons".

by Shake on Feb 21, 2007 1:29 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Hey
I've always been of the mindset that there should be a sub-blog to this one titled "Juggling friends".  

Interpretation of the title could be the same as Mark May be Wrong.  Is it friends juggling, are you juggling your friends, and if so, just what are the friends - people, melons (that's another subject entirely), animals?

by GoHorns on Feb 21, 2007 1:33 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

specifics ...
It just seems like many of the site changes you have in mind aren't obvious when you look at Corn Nation.  It helps to know what we are supposed to be looking for.

by NYCHorn on Feb 21, 2007 5:57 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Shroooooooooooms
Can you play competitive basketball when you're trippin'?

"Suspended Gonzaga center Josh Heytvelt was charged Tuesday with felony possession of a controlled substance following his recent arrest in nearby Cheney, where police alleged they found hallucinogenic mushrooms in a gym bag in his car.

Heytvelt, 20, of Clarkston, and teammate Theo Davis, 21, of Brampton, Ontario, were arrested on Feb. 9 and booked into the Spokane County Jail for investigation of possession of a controlled substance.

The case of Davis, a redshirt freshman who has not played because of injuries, will be referred to Cheney Municipal Court and it will be up to the prosecutor there to determine whether he will be charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession, said Assistant Spokane County Prosecutor John Grasso. Police allege they found a partial marijuana cigarette in Davis's pocket.

Court documents released Tuesday said police found 33.2 grams -- just over an ounce -- of mushroom parts inside a plastic bag in the back of the Chevrolet Blazer that Heytvelt was driving. Possession of any amount of illegal mushrooms is a Class C felony.

A summary of facts filed with the Heytvelt charge in Spokane County Superior Court includes an officer's report that Heytvelt denied the mushrooms -- and three chocolate muffins containing mushroom pieces -- were his and both Heytvelt and Davis denied knowing the hallucinogens were in the car."

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2772547

Officially a Limey Longhorn

by patienthornsfan on Feb 21, 2007 10:14 AM CST   0 recs

Thirty-Two 3's
Live by the sword, die by the sword...

'The Mountaineers (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today, No. 22 AP) missed 32 of their season-high 41 3-point attempts Tuesday night and Providence took advantage, beating West Virginia 64-61 thanks to 24 points and seven rebounds from Weyinmi Efejuku.

"We had some pretty good shots but didn't hit them," West Virginia guard Darris Nichols said. "It was just one of those days." '

Ya think, Darris?

Officially a Limey Longhorn

by patienthornsfan on Feb 21, 2007 10:17 AM CST   0 recs

Football's a comin'....
With spring practice starting at the end of the week, Rivals has your FREE (that's for you, PB!) preview of 2007 Big XII Football.

Highlights for me:

  1. They select Colt as the best QB in the conference  (duh)
  2. They select JC as the 2nd best RB in the conference, behind Michael Goodson
  3. Limas is the #4 receiver - he'll prove them wrong
  4. Jermicheal is the #4 TE, behind 'Tellus
  5. Okam is the ONLY Longhorn on the list of top defenders - I think Kindle, Kelson, Beasley and a Brown will be on that list by mid-season
http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=644371
Officially a Limey Longhorn

by patienthornsfan on Feb 21, 2007 11:44 AM CST   0 recs

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