I appreciate the effort you are putting into ME-HOCKEY.  I would
volunteer to help, but I live in Grand Rapids, MI.  I used to live in
Maine.  I love to keep up with Maine.  I use this service to try to keep
informed as much as possible.
 
Tim  : )
 
>-----Original Message-----
>From:  Deron Treadwell [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent:  Monday, September 22, 1997 2:33 AM
>To:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject:       The State of ME-HOCKEY
>
>Dear Friends,
>
>This is not an administrative post, but it isn't really on-topic for
>ME-HOCKEY either.  These are my heart-felt feelings about ME-HOCKEY's
>current status, its future and what we (you as subscribers and me as
>owner) need to do to make ME-HOCKEY a better informational source and
>more friendly toward discussion.  I ask that everyone take a few
>moments and read this message, thank you.
>
>As many of you know, ME-HOCKEY was a goal of mine since I first started
>with e-mail.  I've been distributing Maine hockey information to either
>HOCKEY-L, a distribution list or ME-HOCKEY for four years now.
>Creating this list was important to me because Maine hockey is
>important to me.  I saw value in a discussion list, and I wanted Maine
>hockey fans to be able to participate in such a forum.
>
>That said, I am concerned with the recent lack of activity on the list.
> In less than a week Midnight Madness will be here, and hockey season
>will be underway.  For the first time in two years, Maine will be
>eligible for the NCAA Tournament and are a preseason top-ten ranked
>team.  Yet there has been no discussion of any of this on the list.  I
>do not know why, but I am surprised that no one has even really made
>mention or inquired about the team's potential this year.
>
>Even more troubling to me is that since I took a new job this summer
>I've had less time to devote to making postings to the list, and
>activity has gone down with that.  Unfortunately my time will continue
>to be short during the season and I know I will struggle to make the
>number of postings I might like to.
>
>It would be easy, yet extremely inaccurate, for me to sit here and say
>"You people need to post more messages."  For a discussion list like
>this is only as good as it's subscriber base.  But there is a certain
>responsibility that a list administrator (me) must take in running an
>effective list.  I have made mistakes in the past and as such I
>shoulder the blame.  In addition, I must ask myself if I have done
>everything possible to make ME-HOCKEY a success?  I believe that there
>is much more that I can do to make ME-HOCKEY successful and I plan to
>do just that.
>
>The first approach is to establish a Management Team that will run
>ME-HOCKEY.  I will be a part of this team, but it will include 2-4
>other people who are interested in helping ME-HOCKEY succeed.  In the
>past I've made requests for help seem too complex.  Not this time!  If
>you are interested in helping ME-HOCKEY drop me a note and we will
>figure it out!  No applications or phone calls or jazz like that.  The
>idea behind the M-Team is really simple.. that the more people who want
>to see ME-HOCKEY succeed, the better the chances!
>
>This Management Team will then set the agenda for how to help ME-HOCKEY
>out.  I have given some thought and have some ideas that will help get
>the new group involved.
>
>That leads me into the reinforcement part of this message.  I've heard
>from some people, and through the grape vine regarding several others,
>that some people have ceased posting to the ME-HOCKEY list because they
>have been messaged privately by individuals responding in a very
>inappropriate manner to ME-HOCKEY posts.
>
>This is extremely disappointing to me.  One of the reasons I
>established ME-HOCKEY was to create an atmosphere friendly to Maine
>hockey fans.  When I started this, Maine was still dealing with NCAA
>troubles and it was difficult -- if not impossible -- to engage in a
>Maine discussion on national lists because of the strong feelings
>people harbor towards Maine and those associated with them.  I felt we,
>as Maine fans, deserved better.  To hear that Maine fans have now taken
>to bashing each other is very discouraging.
>
>Let me stress that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE will I tolerate anyone using
>ME-HOCKEY as a vehicle in which to flame, bash, harass, offend etc.
>Those who do will not be welcome here, period.  If anyone on this list
>at any point in time receives a message in response to a ME-HOCKEY post
>that is considered a flame, please contact me and send me a copy of
>that message.  Together we will take care of the issue.  NO ONE should
>feel intimidated to post a message to this list at any time.  I cannot
>help anyone unless they contact me, but there are several different
>things that can be done to take care of this.  So please let's treat
>each other with respect and if a problem arises please make me aware of
>it otherwise I cannot help you and the list membership suffers if you
>no longer post messages.  If you have any questions about this, please
>contact me!
>
>Thank you for taking the time to read this message.  ME-HOCKEY is very
>important to me and I want to see it succeed, but I do need help.  If
>you want to become involved, at any level, do not hesitate to get in
>touch with me.  Furthermore, if you have any ideas or comments you can
>always e-mail me at [log in to unmask]  You can always help
>ME-HOCKEY just by encouraging good, high quality posting and giving
>recognition to those who make those posts!
>
>Thanks for your continued support of ME-HOCKEY and Maine Hockey!
>
>DROP THE PUCK!!!
>
>--
>Deron Treadwell - [log in to unmask]
>University of Maine