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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 36th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > August > 30 > Entry
Cease and desist - NOW!!!
This is going to be short and not so sweet.
I’m appalled and disturbed and angry.
You may have noticed I didn’t post Friday. I am seriously considering shutting this thing down. I was going to keep it going in the off-season, now I’m not sure.
I couldn’t believe it when I got back from Houston Friday and checked the blog.
Some of you are out of control. This is not a blog for politics, religion or ANYTHING other than baseball and the Reds (with some minor transgressions on my part about my travels and relationships - not political, not religious.
Yes, I read every comment on the blog. I don’t answer. They are your discussions. But I DO read them and what I saw Friday turned my stomach.
Matt, why did you bring religion to this blog? I haven’t said anything to you while you have hogged the blog and tried to be a policeman and criticized other people’s postings.
I respect your opinion and permit you to express it. But let other people express theirs, too, without telling them they are wrong or criticizing them.
The name-calling MUST stop. Please don’t make me go through the blog every day and delete postings. That’s too much work and I don’t have time.
It would be much easier to just shut it down. I hate to do that because tons of people read it and never comment. It is the same folks arguing back-and-forth.
Let’s be civilized and respect each other. Leave the politics and religion for blogs about politics and religion - so I don’t have to waste a post trying to keep the space a fun place to come. Some of you are chasing away readers.
Thanks and I look forward to returning to the days of intelligent postings and intelligent discussions.
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Comments
By Рустам
November 15, 2008 6:05 AM | Link to this
Автор, посты у вас, конечно, интересные. Но вы не размышляли заменить дизайн?By Феликс
November 1, 2008 11:23 PM | Link to this
Красота — это своего рода гениальность, даже больше, чем гениальность, ибо в объяснении не нуждается.By michael
September 3, 2008 11:04 AM | Link to this
Thanks Hal. That was much needed, and I hope you don’t close the blog. Keep up the good work.By CherryPopper
September 2, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this
Reply to Gary Maloy Jr. … since when did you EVER contribute to this site? You talk about passing over comments. Hard to imagine getting the op to pass over your since you’re just a lurker & a voyeur. Plus, if you passed over all those guys you missed 90% of the posts.By Gary Maloy Jr.
August 31, 2008 6:10 AM | Link to this
Thanks and kudos to you, Hal for calling them out. My solution is simply hopping over all posts by Matt, BrarHopper, Uncle Fester, HuberTucky, BrarTucky, etc. That way I manage to filter out alot of the unnecessary posts. People, I live in Europe and the first place I visit every morning is Hal’s blog to see his informal take on the previous nights game. I also appreciate reading Hal’s frustration of the airlines, and his sharing with us the anecdotes from 35-40 years beat coverage of the Reds. Disagree, by all means. But keep politics, religion and attacks on each other’s persons out of the blog. Please don’t force him to close the blog. Thanks to you, Hal, both for the blog and for ripping the offenders.By HuberTucky
August 31, 2008 2:20 AM | Link to this
Mac, your three SOLID posts did not go unnoticed. Loved all of ‘em and agree in full. Glad you’re here and using the keyborad and that fine brain of yours. keep it up, please…you’re always a bright spot.By MAC
August 31, 2008 1:16 AM | Link to this
Y-City asked a very good question, “will CP be fined for his lack of hustle/poor play?” To my pt, when will the Reds provide an incentive for walks, sacrifices/productiveouts, and or fewer strikeouts and not just HRs and RBIs? Does management want to change the atmosphere or just continue to sit back and hope things change for the better and that fans continue to care and or come to the games?By MAC
August 30, 2008 11:49 PM | Link to this
Another classic example of the Reds & their hitting woes occurred in yesterday’s game. Bases were loaded w/ EE @ the plate w/ a full count. EE took ball 4 very low and stood at the plate as if he didn’t know the count…my guess is he didn’t and his lack of situational awarness/savey proved to me this guy doesn’t change his approach no matter what the count or situation! Perhaps more importantly, I doubt he and others ever will no matter how many times they K & or fail in critical situations…their doesn’t appear to be any accountablity (they stay in the line-up) nor does there appear to be any mandate from the coaches for hitters to change their approach, yet we wonder why the team continues to fail in critical situations and why nothing improves?By MAC
August 30, 2008 11:31 PM | Link to this
Some 30 posts since I posted last and only one of them has anything to do w/ the Reds; I thought everybody wanted to keep this about baseball? To Y-City, the Ks are still a concern because they’re likely to increase on the ML level while the runs scored and OBP are likely to go down against ML pitching; it’s the exact problem this team has had offensively for at least the last 10 years…too many Ks…not enough hits w/ RISP or productive outs. So the Reds & their infinite wisdom go out & spend their #1 pick on a slugging college player w/ no speed & no ability to play any other position but 1st and wonder why the trend continues??By Mike-Cinci
August 30, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this
Thanks, Hal.By liz
August 30, 2008 9:41 PM | Link to this
Hal, you said that you read all the comments. I certainly hope you are reading all of these. We all love your blog and would be lost without it. Keep up the good work.By Kevin
August 30, 2008 9:14 PM | Link to this
Hey Hal…. How `bout them Redlegs?!By NY Reds Fan
August 30, 2008 8:49 PM | Link to this
Hal, As a fan of the Reds from Western New York, my only news on the Reds comes from your blog. Please keep it open for the many fans outside the Cincinnati area that can’t gets Reds coverage any other way. I would be in a serious depression without your blog.By Mark in Sun Valley
August 30, 2008 7:45 PM | Link to this
Thank you for restoring sanity. If you have to shut down the comments, I understand and do not blame you. But please keep writing youself. I need my daily dose of Hal.By Steve
August 30, 2008 6:34 PM | Link to this
Mr. McCoy, Would not blame you a bit for shutting it down. Enjoy reading your comments and thoughts. But I have stopped reading the comments quite some time ago.By AP-FLORIDA
August 30, 2008 6:09 PM | Link to this
Hal, I agree, love your articles, and the blog. Please keep it going. Give the offenders another chance. This is america, and even pacman gets a second chance. Thanks for everything. GO REDS>>>By econprof
August 30, 2008 5:25 PM | Link to this
Hal, Let me just add to the chorus — I love your blog. I have it bookmarked and I check it several times a day for updates and news. Please keep it up, and don’t let the morons get you down.By Calvin S.
August 30, 2008 5:23 PM | Link to this
Here, Here, I couldn’t agree with you more! I would hate to see the Blog go, but I understand your point.By Max
August 30, 2008 5:17 PM | Link to this
Hal, I absolutely love your blog! I read it every day. It is essential reading for Reds fans, and I’d be really disappointed if you had to shut this down. I don’t comment frequently, but I read this all the time, because I live a great distance from the Reds and this is one of my only ways of finding out about the team.By Lang Rogers
August 30, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this
Hal, During baseball season, your blog is one of my daily Reds highlights!I hardly ever, read the comments anymore because of the reasons mentioned. Hopefully your lambasting will calm the problems here.I look forward to reading your stories in the future. We support you in Mississippi! Thanks Hal!!!!!By Jay
August 30, 2008 4:44 PM | Link to this
Hal, please don’t kill the blog and don’t kill the comments section, that’s a big part of the fun. There is a box that says “Commenting on this blog is moderated.” Apparently someone at the DDN isn’t doing his job. Get that slacker off his butt and this blog will be one of the best in America.By Tony Thomas
August 30, 2008 4:44 PM | Link to this
Hal: Although I don’t follow the Reds anymore, I follow you! You are a very gifted, creative, humorous, insightful writer. Decapitate the nitwits and let the rest of us bask in your carefully crafted smorgasboard of information! Thanks.By James Bradley
August 30, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this
YEAH! THANKS HAL!! FINALLY TO SHUT UP THE CRAZIES! (Then somebody just HAD to sneak in a “God bless,” though after you said NO MAS, huh? Gee, wonder who?)By jimi
August 30, 2008 4:10 PM | Link to this
i’ve read you most of my life and loved it—and i have no idea what your politics are, nor do i care. and as long as you don’t openly label me as unamerican and stupid like marty brennaman did every night IN 2004 you can say whatever you care to say with 100% of my support. BUT I DON’T SUPPORT RED’S RADIO ANYMORE. “NEVER AGAIN”, SAID THE MAN WHO KEPT SCORE BY THE RADIO EVERY NIGHT WHEN HE GREW UP. NO, SIR.By teb7
August 30, 2008 3:58 PM | Link to this
Hal, please keep the blog going. I don’t know how it is for other people, but I don’t even see the comments unless I choose to, so a couple of bad apples is no reason to shut it down. And as a previous commenter said, I am here for your brilliant writing, not the comments.By dwr
August 30, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this
Hal, why don’t you simply disable the comments function? Trust me when I say that the vast majority of us are here to read your insights and anecdotes and not to jibber-jabber with one another.By Deaner
August 30, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this
Hal, although I would be disappointed, I can understand why you would shut down the blog. Commenters drastically misuse the venue.By Y-City Jim
August 30, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this
If you close the comment section that defeats the purpose of the blog. There are methods of “moderating” the comments. MAC, seeing how Louisville is second in the International League in runs scored and third in OBP, I wouldn’t be too concerned with the K’s.By Matt
August 30, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this
I agree that respect and treating eachother with human dignity seems to be on the outs around here. At the end of the day, no matter where we stand on this opinion or that opinion, or this subject or that subject, we are all human beings and adults and we need to treat eachother as such and act like we’re adults. For any part that I have had in the disintegration of this blog I apologize and promise each and every one of you today, including Hal, that I will keep my posts friendly and respectful, while at the same time making my opinions and thoughts about Reds baseball clear and known. To anyone I have offended or upset I apologize, and I hope the same sentiments are shared by everyone else. God bless and Go Reds!!By Dan H
August 30, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this
Let’s keep it to baseball, the Reds,and related stuff. Hal, maybe Barkleys new friends can be asked to “police” the comments and delete the inappropriate posters. Thanks Hal and continue to look forward your posts now over the hot stove in winter and the last year in Sarasota.By LINEDRIVER
August 30, 2008 2:51 PM | Link to this
Here’s hoping you continue on with the blog, especially in the off-season. Your blog is the first baseball related blog I check each day. I’ve turned 10 baseball fans into Hal McCoy readers. Keep up the great insight.By Don L
August 30, 2008 2:48 PM | Link to this
I sometimes skip over the comments entirely because they are so childish. Also some bloggers especially on Fays Blog have mutiple names and they will argue and praise themselves with their comments. I hope that doesn’t happen here because I enjoy reading most of the comments on this blog.By coop
August 30, 2008 2:37 PM | Link to this
Simple solution? Close the comments section. This is not a forum for free speech train wrecks from self possessed, self professed intellectuals looking to axe grind until all that’s left is the handle and then use the handle to beat straw men into the ground and proclaim the all important sports-blog-comments-political/religious-flamewar-victory. I mean I know that is an important badge to get in the Troll Scouts, but that does not mean THIS place has to be open for folks to pander the troll-scout leader for the badge. Close it. Some of the best blog around are closed to comments. Around 1/77 comments are useful or within parsec of enlightening or entertaining. Not worth it. Close the comments section.By Ian
August 30, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this
Just turn off comments or I guess talk to your website people about banning the IP of problem people.By jsc
August 30, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this
Hal, thank you so much for the way overdue trip to the wood shed. I’m probably guilty of being one of those as mentioned by Sun Deck Lover of being sucked into that vortex and losing some control. Now it will no longer be a debatable issue. From this day forward, let’s just all keep it friendly. Can’t we all just get along?By sun deck lover
August 30, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this
Hal, I have read your work for a long time, but don’t comment often because of free time (which some apparently have entirely too much of). It’s just like anything else in life - if it annoys you, ignore it. MOST of the time the problem will go away. As you can see, there are many people who enjoy your baseball related stories. We already lost the old left hander’s interesting experiences, don’t make us rely on Faye! BTW, Y-City, good baseball posts. Glad to see you didn’t get sucked into the Matt vortex as some other people obviously lost all control.By Danny
August 30, 2008 1:57 PM | Link to this
Hal, I love reading your Blog. Please don’t stop because of a few bad apples. This off season is going to be a very busy off season. We need you to keep us informed.By Chris
August 30, 2008 1:56 PM | Link to this
Hal - Perhaps the best solution is for you to continue blogging about the Reds, which you seem to enjoy, but turn off the option to allow comments. If people want to be hateful, there are other Reds forums for their voices. Thanks for the reporting. I can’t get enough of the Reds and you don’t disappoint. ChrisBy BrarHopper
August 30, 2008 1:51 PM | Link to this
Well put and ‘nuff said. Please do not shut it down, Hal. Your blog is important, it’s the best, and it’s the one place Reds’ fans can vent, suggest, praise, dream, posit and even gripe about our years of mutual suffering. Besides, if you shut it down there could be street fights in the Miami Valley!By MAC
August 30, 2008 1:51 PM | Link to this
Thanks Hal! To that end, there doesn’t appear to be much help on the way for the Reds from Louisville? I attended a Bats game on the 26th and noted they broke last year’s K’s recorded which broke their previous record from the year before! Makes U wonder what the Reds teach about hitting??By Mike
August 30, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this
Hal, I hope you continue to keep up your blog for the forseeable future. Like many, I read your posts, but don’t comment on much of what you post. Given the Reds play this year, you should be commended for finding so much to talk about. It’s not easy with this team. Thanks for keeping us hardcore Reds fans up to date. Maybe someday we might even make the playoffs.By bruiser
August 30, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this
Thank you Hal for addressing what had become a daily soap opera. I just hope it has a lasting affect on those certain characters who dominated the blog.By Brian Baute
August 30, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this
I’m another reader who reads Hal’s work but ignores the comments because they’re proven to be so worthless for so long. I agree with the others who’ve suggested continuing the blog but disabling commenting.By Mike
August 30, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
Hal, I read your blog daily, but I never read the comments because of reasons mentioned in this post. I would if the discussion could remain civilized. Please don’t shut down your blog! The best Reds insight ANYWHERE is right here.By Dominic
August 30, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this
Hal - please don’t stop! The Reds stink right now, but your insights are a treasure! Shut down the comments if you must (I don’t tend to read them). Or maybe there’s some way to black-ball offenders? Please keep up the good work! Any off-season reports will be much appreciated!By Rich
August 30, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this
I agree, Hal love your insights and blogs, don’t shut it down.By Y-City Jim
August 30, 2008 1:24 PM | Link to this
Anarchy rules because of two or three who pretend to be many more in order to conduct this charade. Accounts should require user authentication. Also the deletion of inappropriate comments should be done.By Arizona Pat
August 30, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this
hal, do like many of us do. Don’t read the comments. Keep the blog and let anarchy rule in the comments. if you ignore the comments, they really don’t matter. If your editor has a problem with the comments, give him control of them.By liz
August 30, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this
Hal, count me as one who reads your blog but doesn’t comment. I really enjoy your insight and the unusual information you pass along to us. For me I just ignore the hateful and LONG comments. I just skip to the next one. Take care.By Brad
August 30, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this
Hal,consider me one of the people who reads your blog, but never post…heck, I don’t even really read the comments. With that said, I really want to thank you for the work you have put forth with the blog this year. It is a very enjoyable read, especially with the stories you share with the many years you’ve covered the Reds. it is easily the best of all the beat writers. So, once again, thanks, and I hope a small group of immature posters don’t take away the enjoyment of reading this for the many.By tom
August 30, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this
Blogging is a privilege, like driving a car. Just give your opinion on the great game of baseball and let it go at that.By gmr
August 30, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this
Hal, Count me as one who only reads your posts and I look forward to it everyday. So many great things have been ruined by a few, I hope your blog is not one of them. Thanks for all you do.By Y-City Jim
August 30, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this
Can’t some type of blocking be put in place?By Steve Griffith
August 30, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this
Don’t close down the blog because there are a few people who are out of control. There are many good people who don’t cause any problems and love the information you give about the Reds. A simple solution would be to continue the blog and not allow any comments from the readers. That would be a good compromise. Thanks, SteveBy HuberTucky
August 30, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this
Amen. Whoops. Seriously, thanks Hal for this critically important message. I for one own my part in the nonsense and commit to stop any postings on my behalf that do not center on the blogs topics. I have always enjoyed your columns in the paper and was naturally delighted when I discovered you had a blog. I’ve been here ever since. So yes, I’m sure the rest of your followers will agree with you as I join in to help clean up the pollution and make this a fun and safe place to express our often differing views. Baseball ONLY. No politics. No religion. No personal attacks. My word for the day is respect…respect to Hal McCoy and his awesome body of work (ongoing). And I for one sorry it had to come to this. Mea culpa.By RES
August 30, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this
Thank-you, Hal. Count me among your regular readers with no interest in reading the type of arguments one can find in almost any bar. I long ago tired of the Dunn & Griffey bashing that contributed heat but no light - and never thought I’d long for the days when D&G were around to provide targets for the bile.By bigdoc
August 30, 2008 12:06 PM | Link to this
Good words, Hal! Thanks for all you do! Btw, Adam Dunn was 2 for 4 with a walk and RBI in D-backs win last nite! Go, dunner!By Bowshier
August 30, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this
The comments on this blog are ridiculous and childish. Just like most every blog’s comments I have bothered to read. Don’t let ‘em get you down, Hal. It’s the nature of the beast. The majority of your fans don’t even bother to read them and certainly lend them no credence and neither should you. “Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”By 1360
August 30, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this
Why not just shut the comments down?By Randy
August 30, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this
Hal, Thank you. I love reading your blog every day. I used to enjoy reading what other fans had to say as well, but I stopped reading the coments over a month ago. It is getting ridiculous and I appreciate you saying something. I am sure I am not the only person who reads your blog every day and chooses not to comment. Please don’t shut it down because there are a few hopeless people out there.