As ADP has pointed out in the Flooble, this site has taken off in a good way, as expected, since the season has begun.Bluefoot and I have been talking and are going to implement a handful of changes to try to consolidate the information, keep more content and less noise, and make things easier to find.
Below is a list of changes we hope to implement over the next several days/weeks. If anyone has strong objections to any of these changes, please let us know through the comment section. Also, if there are other ideas you may have to improve the site, add those too.
Lastly, we'd like to know what features you like, which you don't, and what links you use, and which you don't. For instance, to Create a Topic, do you use the option in the Site Jump drop down, or the Create Top link under the Hot Topics heading? Do you use, or have you used the Site FAQ page, Links Page, How to Blog tips, and/or direct links to Seahawks.com and the newspaper sites?
Obviously, we all thing this site is good, or we wouldn't keep coming back to it, but it doesn't mean that it couldn't be better. This is your chance to weigh in if anything has been bothering you about it.
On behalf of Bluefoot and the other contributors, we thank you for your support!
1. Remove the Seahawks Links drop down box, and make it a single menu item in the main Site Jump drop down. I don't think we need to single out Seahawks.com or the newspaper sites, since they're right at the top of the main Seahawks Links page. (http://12seahawksstreet-page2.blogspot.com/2005/03/seattle-sea-links.html) (DONE!)
2. Get rid of the Friends of the Street section. Becky's site is already linked from teh main links page, and we can add a section for other Seattle sports teams for the Mariner link. (DONE!)
3. Remove the scrolling item section. It takes up a lot of room and I'm not sure if anyone is using it. At the very least, it's probably time to take out the Draft day item! (DONE!)
4. Get rid of the Sticky TWM link. We're really not archiving these any more nor should we. This might be a good place for the Knock Out Pool item. (DONE!)
(I was going to title this post Urban Renewal, but I thought that would be in poor taste given the events of the day!)
I've been thinking about the countdown on the masthead. It seems a bit silly to put that up every week, doesn't it? It seems fitting for major events like the first game of the season, etc..
ReplyDeleteAnyone have any ideas on what to replace it with? We could relocate the slogan line so it's back in the box. Or we could put up some kind of custom ticker...
Also, what would you guys think of a full blown irc channel for 12 Seahawks Street Gameday Chat?
ReplyDeleteIt can still work in a window, it would just have full blown chat capability.
Blue - I think I can speak for the group when I say you can go ahead and do whatever you think is best for the site!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of an IRC (internet relay chat) for Gameday, although I'm not quite sure what's involved, I have full confidence that you'll get it installed to perfection! (how's that for mid-week glossing?)
The chat last week was so much better than the super-flooble, but I didn't like the limited history detail it provided.
I also agree that the countdown each week is unnecessary. Perhaps a countdown to our first Ram game? If it goes away, I don't think it needs to be replaced with anything, unless we can get an RSS feed from NFL.com or Seahawks.com and display it in ticker format.
Keep your evil genius mind cranking on new gadgets and gizmos for this site...they're all great ideas!
Posted by alba
Any way to make the "Hot topics" actually reflect which topic is "hottest", vice just which one is newest? Similar to the Recent Comments thing I guess. That is mostly what I look at, flooble, then recent comments. Or maybe move recent comments up top, and either move or remove "Hot topics". Not sure if anyone uses hot topics, I just scroll down the window.
ReplyDeleteAny way to block realist, he is a dork. Police and thieves too if possible.
Posted by JoSCh
Maybe we could condense the weekly awards into on article that links to the individual articles. This would save space, as well as give all of the awards equal attention. Just a thought.
ReplyDeletePosted by check
The "Hot Topics" is fed by blogger's server, and I can't order the list. The only way I could I could alter it is by adding the number of comments in parentheses.
ReplyDeleteI actually don't mind realist - I'm actually gratified that he hates us so much. Plus he just says his stupid thing, and he's gone, there is no prolonged frustrating argument.
The only way to ban users is to set it up so that only contributors can comment. I don't want to do that here. Free and open commenting seems to be a plus the way things are going.
Posted by Bluefoot
Great idea about the single Awards Thread check.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Bluefoot on not banning folks like P&T and Realist. First of all, without dissenting opinions, we're just all glossing the same stuff. Second, the site would suck if only contributors could comment. And third, as Blue said, as long as we don't engage them in protracted argument, it's just minimal noise.
As my father would say, "it's like a budget of shit, the more you stir it, the more it stinks!"
Back on the Awards thing. The best way to do it would be to creat sub-blogs like we have for the AAS sites. Then we could create a single post on the main blog which points to each award sub-blog. If there's a new award piece on the sub-blog, then great, otherwise the user would see the last published article.
We'd have to see if all our award sponsors would feel comforable managing a sub-blog. It's really no work at all, and Blue, Monkey, ADP or I would be more than willing to help out.
Posted by alba
ummm...that's supposed to be "bucket of shit"...can you guess what I'm SUPPOSED to be working on??
ReplyDeleteim guessing you're working on my birthday present...im glad you have a budget, but dont spend too much!
ReplyDeletei like the 'all awards in a single thread' thing...not that i care, but would we still be able to make pictures?
as for the chat thing...ill try anything, as long as it doesnt turn into a full fledged chatroom...i have an image to protect...bad enough im on here all day (though thats because all my friends are off to college; and back to their respectve countries)
this might be a little much...but how about a Transactions page? or we could always trade Alba for another Alba...
Posted by adp
While I believe I have a no trade clause in my contract, if you could get the REAL alba to contribute here, I just might sanction that deal!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, you would still be able to post pics if we went to a page of links.
the best idea here was the countdown until the next rams game. remember when we were in the afc and in terms of fiercest rivalries you had a three-way toss-up?
ReplyDeletewell, now i would gladly trade a winning season for a sweep of the rams, (if i could do that). man, i hate the rams! i don't really care about the other teams. the cowboys aren't even in our division, and they draw more venom out of me than the cards and niners combined.
i don't have any other productive suggestions for the site. you guys are doing great. but i figure we can all get behind some sheep bashing.