JimS said:
You conspired to bully him off the board and you knew that's what you were doing.
I know some guys that tell great stories and who can and do teach me and others a lot about pool. I love to hang around them when they are storytelling or expounding about the game and how to play it. I hate when they get petty and let their emotions get out of hand but that's a PART of who they are. Whey they get to spoutin off, get negative about stuff and let their "assholiness" start showin, I just move off and go shoot some pool.
I don't embarass them in front of their other friends because I don't like one facet of their personality. I leave them be and try to remember them as being generally good people who have some traits that I don't particularily like.
You say you respect Grady but I've not seen respect from you. You certaily don't have enough respect to just keep you mouth shut about a part of the guys personality that bugged you. You had to lay into him in public and flex your muscles. You appear to be a bully and a braggert and a name dropper... (Buddy and I play pool together.. he's my friend, etc.)
I'd much rather have Grady here than you. I could walk away from his faults when they get to be too much and remember him for the help he has given many of us and for the good he has done for pool in general. You, on the other hand.... are nothing but expendable... I don't see you giving to the game. You're just another young cock-on-the-walk makeing noise.
One of the best posts ever by one of AZB top 10 posters (in my opinion).
Bomber, here's my take on what Jim said. As an older person (I'm 48) I saw you as jumping on Grady also. Not because he's my friend do I say that, because I consider you my friend as well. You and I have PMed each other, given rep points to each other and generally agree on lots of stuff here. But you did the same thing, albeit more innocently, to Freddy Bentivegna. He even told you as much, but, Fred's a great, great guy who really harbors you no ill will. Grady took everything to heart. Was he right in how he went about venting his complaints? Well, it's not how you or I would have done it. But it's over now. He's gone, at least for now.
You have to ask yourself why so many older posters here stuck up for Grady, even when he looked so wrong. What do we know that others don't? How can we overlook his shortcomings (that we ALL have, by the way) and keep to the high road?
Plus, something else to think about. What if everyone piled on you like they did to Grady? How would you feel or how would I feel if it were me?
Aaron, you are much respected here (look at all them greenies!
), but there's a wonderful saying from the bible..."To whom much has been given, much will be required." To disagree is one thing, to hammer over and over and over at every chance is another. An opinion once expressed is there for all to persuse. Said over and over, ever more strongly, can give the impression that it's done for other reasons or motives.
I hope that we're still cool. This is just some constructive critisism. You gave some to Grady and now, here's some back.
And one more thing.
This is probably YOUR first real test as a poster. How YOU respond to the "hot seat" will be very revealling about you and what you're really like.
That we disagree on a topic doesn't mean we can't still agree on others. This is POOL TALK, not life and death.Don't take any of this PERSONALLY. You didn't want Grady to, so don't you either.
Peace is a good thing, by the way.
, who by the way, is still my friend who I respect a lot. But I have seen others vilified here and for what? Their wording upset somebody. Whoopteedo! Like Williebetmore said, can't there be respectful disagreement? He also said "rational discourse" but that's expecting way too much from some others here. They don't have it in them.
