Not to kick a dead newsgroup while it's down . . .

The stats:

http://tinylink.com/?918JmKspxH
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/....discuss/about

The group experienced steady volume with upward momentum for the first few
years, going above 1000 posts a month in late '96, then had a big surge
upward in June of '98, probably coinciding with the McGwire-Sosa HR race.
Around 2500-3000 posts a month for quite some time thereafter, then a big
dip after Aug '01 from which it never recovered. (Coinciding with 9/11 and
B*nd$ ruinous HR chase destroying hobby interest.) Back below 1000 a month
starting Feb '02. In April of '03 it took another big dip to 375, remaining
in triple digits for only 3 months afterward. After Aug '03 this group has
been kaput, not once climbing above double digits.

Pathetic!

It's the result of Warren, the all-time top poster by Gretzy-like
proportions (over 6000 posts, nearly double the next guy), dropping out and
not contributing to the newsgroup anymore.

--
Chris Cathcart
http://geocities.com/cathcacr
e-addresss: leave out [revolmaps]

On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 04:17:35 GMT, "Chris Cathcart"
wrote:

The stats:

http://tinylink.com/?918JmKspxH
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/....discuss/about

The group experienced steady volume with upward momentum for the first few
years, going above 1000 posts a month in late '96, then had a big surge
upward in June of '98, probably coinciding with the McGwire-Sosa HR race.
Around 2500-3000 posts a month for quite some time thereafter, then a big
dip after Aug '01 from which it never recovered. (Coinciding with 9/11 and
B*nd$ ruinous HR chase destroying hobby interest.) Back below 1000 a month
starting Feb '02. In April of '03 it took another big dip to 375, remaining
in triple digits for only 3 months afterward. After Aug '03 this group has
been kaput, not once climbing above double digits.

Pathetic!

It's the result of Warren, the all-time top poster by Gretzy-like
proportions (over 6000 posts, nearly double the next guy), dropping out and
not contributing to the newsgroup anymore.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is sad. /:-(

Has there been a corresponding drop in posts on
the marketplace groups??

Do you think eBay's rise to prominence has
anything to do with people leaving the
companion commercial groups, thereby leaving
this one??

Just an unresearched theory.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Wade

It has to do with most of the people here not being into the hobby before it
came into a business in the late 1970's. Since most people aren't making the
$ made in the 1990's they have nothing to contribute back inti the hobby. I
bought direct in the 1970's ran ads in the early 1980's in SCD and went with
the flow until the late 1990's when message boards on AOL were huge then
Ebay took over. The mess that it became with jersey cards and new printing
ruined it more than anything else. It has turned into a casino where most
people lose. Kids got into Pokemon gaming cards etc. and Beckett & PSA
boards are the only place to go where as before all of those Usenet groups
were hot. There really is no place anymore for the advanced collector except
selling it off on Ebay or sending into PSA. Beckett was the best thing that
ever happened to this hobby but people can't deal with reality that
everything is an illusion and once they see it in black & white with down
arrows they have to complain & run away. The only way these boards anymore
would be better is if there was OLD & profitable stuff to buy & sell but
that would only be once & a while from a newbie. The non-sports group has a
lot of action compared to this one also if you haven't seen it as well as
the rec. for each sports.
"John Wade" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 04:17:35 GMT, "Chris Cathcart"
wrote:

The stats:

http://tinylink.com/?918JmKspxH
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/....discuss/about

The group experienced steady volume with upward momentum for the first
few
years, going above 1000 posts a month in late '96, then had a big surge
upward in June of '98, probably coinciding with the McGwire-Sosa HR race.
Around 2500-3000 posts a month for quite some time thereafter, then a big
dip after Aug '01 from which it never recovered. (Coinciding with 9/11
and
B*nd$ ruinous HR chase destroying hobby interest.) Back below 1000 a
month
starting Feb '02. In April of '03 it took another big dip to 375,
remaining
in triple digits for only 3 months afterward. After Aug '03 this group
has
been kaput, not once climbing above double digits.

Pathetic!

It's the result of Warren, the all-time top poster by Gretzy-like
proportions (over 6000 posts, nearly double the next guy), dropping out
and
not contributing to the newsgroup anymore.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
This is sad. /:-(

Has there been a corresponding drop in posts on
the marketplace groups??

Do you think eBay's rise to prominence has
anything to do with people leaving the
companion commercial groups, thereby leaving
this one??

Just an unresearched theory.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
John Wade

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry, I meant to reply to this earlier, but you
have raised a lot of very good points, and I
wanted to be able to address them when I had
plenty of time.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It has to do with most of the people here not being into the hobby before it
came into a business in the late 1970's. Since most people aren't making the
$ made in the 1990's they have nothing to contribute back inti the hobby.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This, I feel, is the worst thing about the hobby.
People were, and still are, into this as some kind
of gambling investment
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mess that it became with jersey cards and new printing
ruined it more than anything else. It has turned into a casino where most
people lose.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Every time I see one of those "jersey" cards, I can
only think about what a shame it is that someone
took a Hall Of Famer's game worn jersey and cut
it to shreds, when it should be in the Hall Of Fame,
or framed and proudly displayed in someone's house.

And the casino thing is dead on. Lots of people
are into cards for the wrong reason. I collect my
cards for the love of the game, for the interest in
the players, and for the nostalgia of recapturing
my youth in a small way.

If everyone collected cards for these reasons, it
wouldn't matter one bit where the "market" was.

(Excuse me while I climb down off of my soap box.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

.... also if you haven't seen it as well as the rec.
for each sports.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I do keep track of the regular baseball group,
where I think Chris, who started this thread, is
a frequent poster. I mostly lurk there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Wade

One thing to add, message boards have taken over. Usenet has lost some
of it's soul due to the million boards out there now.

Shame really, as this was one of my favorite discussion groups. I still
stop in from time to time. If this place picks up again, I'll be here.



-AMG-

----
"If I'd tried for them dinky singles I could've batted around six
hundred." -Babe Ruth

Hey now, you can't put all the blame on me! I see about 6 or 7 people
talking here - there used to be dozens. At least everyone seems civil at
least. I left because there were so many trolls & psychopaths here that I
just lost interest.

So Chris, do my eyes deceive me or have you jumped off the Bonds bandwagon?
Lol. That guy costs himself so many fans, can't wait to see that
asterisk...

thanks for the Gretzky analogy buddy

Warren :-)

"Chris Cathcart" wrote in message
.net...
The stats:

http://tinylink.com/?918JmKspxH
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/....discuss/about

The group experienced steady volume with upward momentum for the first few
years, going above 1000 posts a month in late '96, then had a big surge
upward in June of '98, probably coinciding with the McGwire-Sosa HR race.
Around 2500-3000 posts a month for quite some time thereafter, then a big
dip after Aug '01 from which it never recovered. (Coinciding with 9/11
and
B*nd$ ruinous HR chase destroying hobby interest.) Back below 1000 a
month
starting Feb '02. In April of '03 it took another big dip to 375,
remaining
in triple digits for only 3 months afterward. After Aug '03 this group
has
been kaput, not once climbing above double digits.

Pathetic!

It's the result of Warren, the all-time top poster by Gretzy-like
proportions (over 6000 posts, nearly double the next guy), dropping out
and
not contributing to the newsgroup anymore.

--
Chris Cathcart
http://geocities.com/cathcacr
e-addresss: leave out [revolmaps]

I must say.. it has been awhile since you have posted Warren... Hows
business these days? Still got the shop in the mall? Man, with hockey
dead for the time being...

Take Care,
~Rattlehead

Hey Rattlehead - you're still here!

All's well, still got the shop. The hockey lockout really sucks for me,
especially in the wallet lol.

Fly Eagles Fly!

Warren

"Rattlehead" wrote in message
...
I must say.. it has been awhile since you have posted Warren... Hows
business these days? Still got the shop in the mall? Man, with hockey
dead for the time being...

Take Care,
~Rattlehead