D
[Deleted User]
Guest
A lot of people have brought up ways to improve discussion or increase traffic here on Hardcore Husky. A lot of different viewpoints have been shared. In this post, I'll try to do a somewhat objective analysis on some of the pressing issues. I will also examine strengths and weaknesses of this site and analyze the long term outlook for Hardcore Husky.
Points of Contention
1. Dawgman Bashing
A frequent complaint has been the matter of Dawgman bashing on this site. Several voices worry it detracts from football discussion. Perhaps it clutters the board, but I view Dawgman bashing as a necessity. With it we can exemplify the ridiculous opinions they have and all that is rotten with the current husky fan base.
From a growth standpoint, Dawgman bashing is a great thing. They are the only real competitor with this site. It has led to an influx of refugees in recent months. Derek says numbers are off the charts and I'll take his word for it. Much of that has to do with this site being an alternative to Dawgman. Without clearly conveying how we differ from them, I assume the recent growth would have been less substantial.
2. GIFs, Pictures, Inside Jokes
A sizable amount of posters have complained about GIFs, inside jokes, etc. claiming it detracts from serious football discussion. That is a silly viewpoint. Part of the charm of this site is the running jokes and quirky posters. Humor has been a main attraction of the HHB boards since their inception. It's what initially drew me in. If you can't laugh at Husky Football after the farce that has been the last 10 years, this site is not for you.
GIF's, funny pictures, etc. are also what differentiates us from other sites. Scout boards have very few images and I don't think they even support GIFs. Younger generation fans like myself are drawn to these visuals. Plain and simple they are good for long term growth.
3. The Banning of Harvey Road
This has been a contentious issue since Harvey was banned in early July. Certainly the bored was much different then. If I had to guess I'd say there were a quarter of the posts daily than there are now. The board is now much more able to support itself. If Harvey was unbanned he would be another "big name" poster to add to the discussion. He probably would hijack some football threads, but the humor he adds to the board would be first rate.
I also understand the role he had in the destruction of dawgboard (RIP). That board is different than this one in several ways. It had yet to pull in the numbers we currently have, while also having a much different ratio of doogs to HHB's. This board has very few doogs currently. IrishDawg was the last to jump ship, and now the only doogish comments are no longer about Sark but Mora. Harv likes to pick fights but this board has a definitively smaller pool of posters for that. This board also seems to be skimp on Cougs. LanceUppercut seems to be the most frequent poster. I imagine if Harv were unbanned we would see an influx of other good Coug posters.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Strengths
1. Site Design
The design on this site is marvelous. It has a 2013 feel that is not too elaborate. The interface is extremely simple, and easy to look at. It has lots of tools for posting that other sites don't offer.
The vote up/vote down/awesome system is unparalleled on other sites. The closest thing Scout has is the 1-5 stars post rating and that thing is a joke. It has a Facebook feel to it, but it goes beyond that with the vote down button. Instant gratification is trending in our society and especially in my generation. Posting something that is well received can now be represented by the tally of upvotes/awesomes, making posting incentive based. As younger fans come to discover this site, this feature will lure them into posting, hopefully consistently.
The profiles are also well done. They are very similar to Facebook. Tracking some of your favorite posters, or even your own posts are made easy. Seeing which posters have a lot of upvotes/awesomes versus downvotes is helpful.
2. Articles
No other competitor combines the depth, humor, and detail into their articles like Hardcore Husky. Derek's interviews with former players, thoughts on Don James, and opinions on the current state of Husky Football are thoughtful and relevant. Duckfighter Illustrated is still the class of College Football satire. It draws in not just Huskies but Ducks, Cougs, and Beavers. Well, maybe only TheGlove. Hardcore Husky predictions generally contain better analysis and humor than Dawgman's equivalent. Mad_Son's Ramblings are a refreshing, and again thoughtful take on the the present state of the program.
Weaknesses
1. The Absence of a Defined Recruiting Board
The biggest advantage Dawgman currently has over Hardcore Husky is the recruiting coverage and discussion. Over here people refer to recruiting as "teen boy stalking" and generally don't like it. I'm one of those people. But it is apparent recruiting is a major point of interest to a majority of fans on Dawgman and elsewhere. For instance, the Seattle Times' Signing Day Live Blog is always among the Top 10 most read stories of the year.
My recommendation would be to add a recruiting specific board to Hardcore Husky and/or have a poster here who follows recruiting write a monthly update on Husky recruiting. That way people here who enjoy recruiting could discuss it without fear of being attacked.
Final thought: The aspect of this site that is its true strength shouldn't need mentioning, but minimal moderation is a beautiful thing.
This is my analysis of Hardcore Husky in its current state. It was a long read, but if you made it through it I'd love to see your analysis too. Thanks for reading.
Points of Contention
1. Dawgman Bashing
A frequent complaint has been the matter of Dawgman bashing on this site. Several voices worry it detracts from football discussion. Perhaps it clutters the board, but I view Dawgman bashing as a necessity. With it we can exemplify the ridiculous opinions they have and all that is rotten with the current husky fan base.
From a growth standpoint, Dawgman bashing is a great thing. They are the only real competitor with this site. It has led to an influx of refugees in recent months. Derek says numbers are off the charts and I'll take his word for it. Much of that has to do with this site being an alternative to Dawgman. Without clearly conveying how we differ from them, I assume the recent growth would have been less substantial.
2. GIFs, Pictures, Inside Jokes
A sizable amount of posters have complained about GIFs, inside jokes, etc. claiming it detracts from serious football discussion. That is a silly viewpoint. Part of the charm of this site is the running jokes and quirky posters. Humor has been a main attraction of the HHB boards since their inception. It's what initially drew me in. If you can't laugh at Husky Football after the farce that has been the last 10 years, this site is not for you.
GIF's, funny pictures, etc. are also what differentiates us from other sites. Scout boards have very few images and I don't think they even support GIFs. Younger generation fans like myself are drawn to these visuals. Plain and simple they are good for long term growth.
3. The Banning of Harvey Road
This has been a contentious issue since Harvey was banned in early July. Certainly the bored was much different then. If I had to guess I'd say there were a quarter of the posts daily than there are now. The board is now much more able to support itself. If Harvey was unbanned he would be another "big name" poster to add to the discussion. He probably would hijack some football threads, but the humor he adds to the board would be first rate.
I also understand the role he had in the destruction of dawgboard (RIP). That board is different than this one in several ways. It had yet to pull in the numbers we currently have, while also having a much different ratio of doogs to HHB's. This board has very few doogs currently. IrishDawg was the last to jump ship, and now the only doogish comments are no longer about Sark but Mora. Harv likes to pick fights but this board has a definitively smaller pool of posters for that. This board also seems to be skimp on Cougs. LanceUppercut seems to be the most frequent poster. I imagine if Harv were unbanned we would see an influx of other good Coug posters.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Strengths
1. Site Design
The design on this site is marvelous. It has a 2013 feel that is not too elaborate. The interface is extremely simple, and easy to look at. It has lots of tools for posting that other sites don't offer.
The vote up/vote down/awesome system is unparalleled on other sites. The closest thing Scout has is the 1-5 stars post rating and that thing is a joke. It has a Facebook feel to it, but it goes beyond that with the vote down button. Instant gratification is trending in our society and especially in my generation. Posting something that is well received can now be represented by the tally of upvotes/awesomes, making posting incentive based. As younger fans come to discover this site, this feature will lure them into posting, hopefully consistently.
The profiles are also well done. They are very similar to Facebook. Tracking some of your favorite posters, or even your own posts are made easy. Seeing which posters have a lot of upvotes/awesomes versus downvotes is helpful.
2. Articles
No other competitor combines the depth, humor, and detail into their articles like Hardcore Husky. Derek's interviews with former players, thoughts on Don James, and opinions on the current state of Husky Football are thoughtful and relevant. Duckfighter Illustrated is still the class of College Football satire. It draws in not just Huskies but Ducks, Cougs, and Beavers. Well, maybe only TheGlove. Hardcore Husky predictions generally contain better analysis and humor than Dawgman's equivalent. Mad_Son's Ramblings are a refreshing, and again thoughtful take on the the present state of the program.
Weaknesses
1. The Absence of a Defined Recruiting Board
The biggest advantage Dawgman currently has over Hardcore Husky is the recruiting coverage and discussion. Over here people refer to recruiting as "teen boy stalking" and generally don't like it. I'm one of those people. But it is apparent recruiting is a major point of interest to a majority of fans on Dawgman and elsewhere. For instance, the Seattle Times' Signing Day Live Blog is always among the Top 10 most read stories of the year.
My recommendation would be to add a recruiting specific board to Hardcore Husky and/or have a poster here who follows recruiting write a monthly update on Husky recruiting. That way people here who enjoy recruiting could discuss it without fear of being attacked.
Final thought: The aspect of this site that is its true strength shouldn't need mentioning, but minimal moderation is a beautiful thing.
This is my analysis of Hardcore Husky in its current state. It was a long read, but if you made it through it I'd love to see your analysis too. Thanks for reading.
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