Some Ground Rules

I should have known better than to post a piece questioning the hype surrounding an Ohio State player (a sentiment shared by several others). For a site that may have maxed out its potential with a picture of fat Maradona, I never really anticipated getting a bunch of comments for two paragraphs about Greg Oden. But I'm glad because it got me thinking about what it is I'm trying to achieve here. So I'm going to set some commenting "Ground Rules" on the off-chance that people feel like commenting about future items. These rules will be loosely enforced, if at all, and will be forever posted on the right side of this space so you can read and re-read them at your leisure. So here they are. The Commenting Ground Rules for "The Smittblog":

1. Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to comment. Seriously. I write this blog for my own amusement and regardless of what you write, I appreciate the time.

2. Content
Be funny, preferably hilarious. More than anything, just don't take yourself too seriously because no matter what you say, I won't.

3. Don't bitch
Don't bitch about the way I write. I write the way I talk. It's fast, sometimes it doesn't make sense and I use curse words a lot. In my everyday speech I use the word "fuck" as kind of a pause the way some people use "uh". I don't curse to get a rise out of people or to make an irrational argument more forceful, I just use it. Though I will say that if you don't think using curse words is an effective writing tool in instances when you're trying to add a little extra "umph" to your point, compare these two phrases and you tell me which one is more effective in getting my point across:

Do you not see the irony in you posting a comment declaring my analysis unintelligent despite the fact that I used specific examples and qualified my statements while you chose only to cite the brilliant "nuance" of Oden's game without explaining what the heck that nuance was?
Or...
Do you not see the irony in you posting a comment declaring my analysis unintelligent despite the fact that I used specific examples and qualified my statements while you chose only to cite the brilliant "nuance" of Oden's game without explaining what the fuck that nuance was, dickhead?

If my writing style offends your puritanical sensibilities, fuck off.

4. Keep commenting
Don't let any of the rules stop you from posting anything. I'd much prefer comments calling me an asshole than no comments at all.

5. Email me with legitimate gripes
Lastly, if you have a legitimate gripe about something I write or have a suggestion about changing something, email me at luoldang@yahoo.com as opposed to posting your gripe in a comment. It just doesn't make for good conversation.