For Newbies

[HarveyWallbangers]

I think people should understand where madtown, harlan, and others are going with this. The goal is to create a site that is better than any other site. Hopefully, we can some good features from other sites (e.g. good content like PackerChatters has), but with a better interface than most and with a happy medium between little or no moderating, but the ability to delete harmful posts. Eventually, this site will likely be more marketable than C-E. No offense to upnorth because he did us a wonderful service. I didn't mind the Christian theme over there, but I understand that others might. Another goal is to get a lot of good posters, but that will take time. People need to be patient.

I just started posting here, and it takes awhile to warm up to yet another forum, but hopefully this is the final destination eventually.

Feel free gentlemen (used too freely when talking about blue dog and the mad mexican, I know) to explain the purpose of this site to any newbies. Sorry if a thread like this has been posted before

[jack's smirking revenge]

My ultimate vision is a site with an active, livley forum and with interesting Packer content that you can't find anywhere else. Any site can "report" on Packer activity. I think we should take it to another level. Some content ideas that I proposed:

1. Weekly game prognostication by the N&B crew
2. Football/Packer football content for women, by women (cue the EC girls)
3. Packer fan fantasy football leagues
4. Information about Green Bay from the perspective of a Rat (cool places that you wouldn't normally go when visiting GB--places to watch a game, get a good drink, eat some curds, etc.)
5. Packer reports and perspectives from Packer Rat Icons (members of the inner circle, tasked to turn their typical forum posts into articles)
6. Packer Fantasy Cheerleading squad
7. Weekly fantasy player prog from specific users
8. Pictures of Packer homes or pictures of Packers out on the town?
9. Onion-like news articles about the NFL (not just the Pack)

Those are just some ideas. I'm sure we could come up with more. The goal with Packer Rats is differentiation. Differentiation will come from what we're able to do and the content we're able to create from our solid core.

There are lots of Packer forums out there. If we really want to draw people to Packer Rats, we need to provide stuff that people can't find elsewhere and conversation that people WANT to be a part of.

Step 1 is a public forum. Step 2 is a Packer site that rivals others.

tyler

[Deputy Nutz]

You know what I think would be cool, it is a bit of a stretch, but to get one of the Packer beat writers to do a quick blog, or chat a couple of times a year. Especially in the off season if they aren't all that busy.

I will be doing the Weekly Winners and Losers.

I will be running the Draft thread on April 29th and 30th.

I will also volunteer to be a moderator, or the forum masterbater, but I would have to out duel Murphy for that gig.

[FavreChild]

You're totally right, JSR - ORIGINAL content is key. Those are solid ideas for developing that content. Why you so darn creative?

Last year, the "live from training camp" reports were very popular on JSO. Game reports from anyone attending, too.

Another idea for encouraging participation is having posters sign up to "track" ONE Packer throughout training camp and, hopefully, the regular season. You'd be responsible for providing updates/persepctives on that player and their performance. Who you sign up for depends on the level of responsibiiity/involvement you want to have.

Or it could be taken to a more fun/humorous level in a "Be the Packer" sort of context. For example, say you're signed up to "be" Al Harris. Other posters could "interview" you about your game-winning INT...and the post-game celebration at the Cheetah Lounge.

:mrgreen:

[jack's smirking revenge]

You know what I think would be cool, it is a bit of a stretch, but to get one of the Packer beat writers to do a quick blog, or chat a couple of times a year. Especially in the off season if they aren't all that busy.

I will be doing the Weekly Winners and Losers.

I will be running the Draft thread on April 29th and 30th.

I will also volunteer to be a moderator, or the forum masterbater, but I would have to out duel Murphy for that gig.

Nutz, you rock buddy. That's what we need. People jumping in here with ideas and committing themselves to pieces of this. I envisioned a N&B weekly game prog report, with you (or your ghostwriter--probably more realistic since tasking you with each week would be quite a burden) going point/counterpoint on the week's games, with score estimates and etc.

I also was going to mention a Packer blog. I don't know the reality of getting a beat writer to jump on board, but if anyone has any connections, we should try to work 'em. That would be supacool. Maybe we could do some kinda funky blog, like give our Packer Rat mascot a blog and we each take turns posting.

If anyone else is interested, please jump in.

tyler

[jack's smirking revenge]

You're totally right, JSR - ORIGINAL content is key. Those are solid ideas for developing that content. Why you so darn creative?

Belive me, its a curse. I'm working on three different novels (just started a new one this week) and run a few different websites, as well as being the Manager of a band (and I develop all of their visual content, as well as their debut album). I just can't find enough time to do all the things I want to. Now, if I could just make some freakin' money off one of my projects.... Thanks for the compliment FC. I really appreciate it. :D


Last year, the "live from training camp" reports were very popular on JSO. Game reports from anyone attending, too.

Another idea for encouraging participation is having posters sign up to "track" ONE Packer throughout training camp and, hopefully, the regular season. You'd be responsible for providing updates/persepctives on that player and their performance. Who you sign up for depends on the level of responsibiiity/involvement you want to have.

Or it could be taken to a more fun/humorous level in a "Be the Packer" sort of context. For example, say you're signed up to "be" Al Harris. Other posters could "interview" you about your game-winning INT...and the post-game celebration at the Cheetah Lounge.

:mrgreen:

I think your suggestion is HUGE. Any perspective we can give fans into the REAL GB or how life is as a REAL Packer would draw people like crazy. We can talk all we want, but real reporting is what people want to read. And not necessarily from the perspective of a big-name reporter or someone under the thumb of a corporate newspaper. We're fans reporting on our favorite team; that alone makes our interest and our content more genuine.

AND, a big key, is to have FUN with this and show that we love our team through our creativity. JSO and the like are so boring and straight-laced with their blogging and reporting. We have the ability to tap our fan resources and pump out a fresh perspective on what its like to be a Packer; what its like to be a Packer fan; and what its like to live in GB, the smallest football market in America. The place is an instiution, not to be duplicated anyplace else in America. The more we tap into that uniqueness, the more genuine our site and content will be.

I love the "Be The Packer" idea too. Keep up the great ideas FC!

tyler

[FavreChild]

Mad will probably pin this for all new members to read.

The posts here in the Packers forum have skyrocketed today, eh? :wink:

[Partial]

I volunteer myself and wist to be cynical of the packers until they prove us wrong :D

[billy_oliver880]

I volunteer myself and wist to be cynical of the packers until they prove us wrong :D

HAHA someone had to volunteer. :lol:

[Partial]

where is the wist man lately? i haven't seen him at any board for like a week

[gex]

:D

[Kiwon]

Whoa, this isn't a thread revival, it's a thread resurrection.

From the title ("Newbies") I thought the Farve saga had brought in a bunch of new folks that needed a crash orientation and Harvey was playing the Dean of Posters bit to provide one.....until I saw the date.

Anyway, a two-year assessment is in order. Is Packer Rats living up to its lofty mission statement? I'd say its been a roaring success. :tup: