BobbyB

I just read this whole thread, so I wanted to jump in here. First of all, I appreciate everyone's opinion. And more specifically I agree with some folks here about certain issues. I want everyone to know that we don't think or expect the OTF message board to be for everyone. In fact, we know it won't be. It's simply not what we're attempting to do. There are already places where people are comfortable and where they enjoy being. SurlyHorns is a perfect example of this. Folks enjoy this place. Clearly. Hell, I enjoy it when I come over here, that's one of the reasons I first reached out to Rick, so I totally get it. The second part is really important to me and why we manage the OTF message board the way we do in comparison to other "premium" sites... When I say dozens of recruits, parents of recruits, and parents of existing players on the team watch or listen to OTF daily, it is a very real thing. I think every single recruit who committed to Texas last year - all of them - knows and has watched OTF. I'm not saying that to brag, I'm saying it because that specific viewership brings a certain level of responsibility to OTF as it relates to the university on the whole. In my opinion, it's important to have a place like the OTF message boards and a site like OTF to be relatively clean. Not without opinion mind you, but certainly one that would not shock the system of newcomers either. I feel like OTF does a really good job of holding up that end of the bargain, and we will continue to do so. The third thing is this: While Surly is primarily a message board/community. OTF is primarily a news service with a community attached. OTF is much more like Orangebloods, Inside Texas or Horns247. Each of those sites, I have found through the years, gets extremely provincial. They don't like it when another site is referenced or they get petty about their own reporting, etc. I've been doing this stuff for 30 years and I'm just done with that. I also know that some parents of recruits sometimes subscribe to those sites, visit the message boards, and they see a bunch of in-fighting, followed by nudie pics, name calling, or cliques that live to make fun of others, and the parents immediately think to themselves, what the hell is going on at Texas? Is that's what's best for Texas? So for me, this is NOT about OTF vs OB. Or OTF vs IT. This is really about Texas vs the rest of college football/college sports. And that's what I want the focus of OTF to be about. We appreciate everyone who has joined OTF. We're doing our best to bring you news whether it's via video/podcast or the website and I think we're doing it in a way that is best for all involved. It won't be for everyone and we get that. I just appreciate the folks who have given us a chance and who continue to support what we're trying to do. Thanks, Bobby

I’ll take any help/suggestions I can get. Seriously, I know I need them.