What's up with the forums?
- Thread starter TheOriginalHappyGoat
- Start date
Would love to know about the history of Andy’s OTB. Hopefully I didn’t make everyone mad by being shortsighted.
I wasn't on it enough to tell you the history with/of Andy (Aruss), but it was basically a forum for non-bball, good natured chatter. Every company/school/church has a break room, and that's what I thought of the OTF as: a break from discussing IU bball to discuss life and personal events/observations that weren't related to IU bball. I think that chatter will occur, so if you're looking for a reason to keep it, it's that it gave many a place to go to discuss normal "life-stuff" and keep it from being a distraction on the actual sports boards. Having it, and the Water Cooler (political chatter), improves the quality of the sports boards because it helps keep them focused on their main topic: sports.
OTF (Off Topic Forum) not OTB. It will probably cost you followers/posters. There have been plenty of times over the past 20+ years of mostly mediocre IU bball teams/seasons where the OTF kept me coming here. That might be another good reason to keep it around.
Was Andy young? Not sure I have the right guy in mind.I can give you the address. It used to be a Culver's.
Ragnorak. And it wasn’t pretty.
@SammyJacobs, I hope that avatar pic is really you because I downloaded it, printed it out, framed it, and it now sits on my mantle with candles surrounding it 24/7 to keep your light alive.
And before you ask: yes, that’s me in my avatar pic and yes, I can get you a great deal on nunchucks.
By the way, while you’re here, time to discuss the moderator situation here . . .
Cav does a good job but needs a backup as he is not here much and things out of control
I would be happy to play a backup role as mod and keep the shit down day one.
Hold on, there.
If you wouldn’t even come back for the coaching gig how the hell do you think you could walk into the Mod’s role? You can wear those crimson shawl-collared cardigans on the bench but that’s not going to cut it as the Mod. You have to style the zoot suit and a fedora. Up your game.
I nominate Lucy for moderator (DEI).
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Like kkott said, originally, they were created to keep the sports boards clean. The Water Cooler was created to keep politics (and the associated food fights) away from the sports boards, and the OTF was created to keep other crazy stuff (not gonna lie, originally mostly off-color humor and pictures of women in bikinis) off the sports boards. Over time, they developed their own cultures and have been off-and-on very popular. The OTF for a short period was the most active forum on the website. Back when Peegs was running this joint, he created the Legendary Threads Forum at our request solely for the purpose of giving us a place to save the best content from the OTF.
Andy Russell (ARuss) was the original leader of the OTF. He died far too young from a heart attack. The OTF put together money to buy him a brick outside Memorial Stadium, and I think the leftover funds went to a scholarship fund for his kids that his family created, IIRC. Andy died six years to the day after Mike Kreffel (Kref), a talented writer and cartoonist whom we all loved, so we remember Dec 2 as OTF Memorial Day. Along with the losses, our posters have also shared joys, fun, meetings. Two of them even got married. It might look at the moment like the OTF is just a few guys sharing jokes back and forth, and the WC is just a bunch of nerds arguing about Trump, but the truth is, this really is what remains of a very tight-knit online community.
If you really want to understand the history of this place, in all its dysfunctional glory, set aside a few hours, grab a strong drink, and read the LTF.
I know very little about trying to make money on subscription internet sports websites, but I can assure you that the mere existence of the OTF and Water Cooler increases your traffic and membership. How many of them are paid members, I couldn't possibly begin to guess. Whether or not it's worth it, I couldn't possibly judge for you.
I wish I could get into a Time Machine and go back to some of the threads from the old IUBBF / then Peegs forum. I always liked the concept of the LT’s, and wished we had something similar with the BB forum. Maybe it’s the old “get off my lawn” attitude, but IU basketball hasn’t been the same, and neither has “this” place.
Who else was online the day the StarNews forums melted down? 🙋♂️
I remember when the AOTF was first created I used what everybody did to honor Andy, in a sermon. You give honor to those it is due
He was 40 when he passed.
Obituary information for Andrew P. Russell
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www.barkesweaverglick.com
Just now seeing this but I was ready to day drink all day. I assumed Stoll must’ve bought the joint to turn it into Merry MAGA Land! 😂
Oh wow. I’ve been around these boards since Al Gore invented them, but didn’t know Andy. His father, though, lived just down the street from my family long before Andy was born. Ran our town little league for a few years while teaching and coaching at the high school. Small world.He was 40 when he passed.
Obituary information for Andrew P. Russell
View Andrew P. Russell's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.
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