> > > As far as I'm concerned, if you post a box without any penalties you
>
> > I disagree totally. While penalty listings are certainly important
> > (perhaps even vital) to getting a complete picture of a game,
>
> Most of (but not all) of the people that do post boxes here have all the
> penalty info at hand anyways.  Why don't they take the time to post it?
 
Hello Doug, I saw your message in the HOCKEY-L archives just now and
thought I would respond.
 
For me, the answer is because it takes far too much time.  Penalties can
often be half of the total amount of information that is involved with a
game.  As well, without an explanation, it often does not tell you much.
You cannot tell if a player took a good or bad penalty by the listing, for
example.
 
So the way I see it, it is a case of little bang for the buck.  It isn't
worth the time it takes to type it all in.  Occasionally there may be
something interesting, but usually there is not and it obscures the more
important info.
 
Plus, for those of us with limited time anyway, it is probably the case
that either the box w/o penalties will be sent or none will be sent at all.
That is why I opt to always leave them out and send the more important
information.  As it is, I am taking the time, often late at night, to do
this for the benefit of other people.  I am not going to force myself to
stay up later than I have to.
 
This is not a shot at you, but I feel one of the negative things about
HOCKEY-L that has transpired over the years is that some people have come
to expect and demand certain things from others.  If they're not doing
enough, they often get criticized.  It's not a good feeling when you're on
the receiving end of that unfair criticism.  Things were better when it was
a truly volunteer effort and people appreciated whatever they got.  As it
has changed, some people have been driven away, and that's too bad.
 
So IMO, if someone can and does take the time to include penalties, that's
great.  If they just do the scoring, that's also great, and even if they
just post the score.  Unless some of us are willing to pony up some money
to pay these folks for what they do, I don't think we have a right to ask
anything more from them than whatever they are doing -- and we darn well
better appreciate it.
 
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                [log in to unmask]               *HMM* 11/13/93
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