Some of the people from this forum hang out together, drink together, party together, stay up all night together at various pool happenings, sweat matches together, et cetera.
The week-long U.S. Open and DCC is one example. The Super Billiards Expo is another. Usually, the social activities at these pool happenings are fun for all involved.
When one person is singled out, it may be hurtful for several other forum members to write untoward words about them on a public forum for all to read. Sometimes a gang mentality forms, and it's a free-for-all of bashing this one person. I'm not saying that happened on this thread, but I have seen it happen on other threads. Again, it's not contained to AzBilliards; it happens on all forums. This is forum culture.
I'm starting to come to realize why pro players, industry members, and well-known pool pros don't hang out on forums as a general rule. It's kind of like becoming too friendly with your neighbor. It can turn around and bite you in the butt, and you're stuck with them as a neighbor. If your neighbor doesn't know that much about you, well, you both can live in harmony, wave to each other and be friendly.
Well, I share this neighbor analogy in an effort to explain how this forum can affect a person's emotional being. If a person is known to other forum members and one or more of them gang up and bash them on a public forum, in front of their friends -- members they have met and parties with, members they will see again on the tournament trail -- it can be devastating and hurtful. Yeah, you're supposed to have a thick skin, but it still hurts. Some people can withstand pain better than others, and some people choose to not participate anymore, removing themselves from the forum.