Speechless...
Thursday · Jan 8 · 2009 | 9:09 PM PSTHey guys. Had a chance to read some of the comments for the first time in weeks. A little speechless. I've been running this site in some form nonstop for nearly two years without a break. I think one was in order. Planning to get back into the swing of things soon. In the meantime, bear with me a little.
There's no news right now and concept submissions are few and far between as of late. I don't know what you'd like me to post. Plus, whoever said I have the attention span of a gnat got it right on. I'm usually involved in all sorts of projects at any given moment and I'm surprised I've run this site for as long as I have. Anyway, no need to go on about it.
I have a special Freak Out Friday post for you tomorrow. We'll start logo ratings for the final division of the IceHL this weekend before moving into the next phase of that project. And Featured Artists, Logo & Uniform Histories and so on as time permits.
I've also got some minor league correspondents who I'll be taking on to provide a more well-rounded look at North American hockey. Should see something from them here in the morning.
Reader Comments (19)
Yay! At least its something!
Great. Have always loved 'freak out fridays'; very glad to see it back.
I'm glad to see anything back.
We have become accustomed to how often you used to write, hitting 4 or more posts in a day and such. though we know that's not common, stretches such as this one have been very rare, and we like that.
We know that there's no news as of right now, but I think the diehard readers of this blog love the discussion just as much as the posts. I know that I read every new comment, and often times comment on the comments.
The problem is that new things don't tend to come up in the comments. Many people want a message board, so that a new thread could be created and people focus on it until it dies and other threads are focused on. Personally, i think that would be overkill. Instead, a post every other day would do fine, and keep things on topic.
It's easy to create discussion. something incredibly simple would be the history of a team's jerseys. I don't mean that in a database sense, that already exists. I mean going to nhluniforms.com and any other photo sites that you may know or like, and post a unique jersey that is probably forgotten. Or the progression of a few jerseys. Bruins jerseys prior to the switch to black and gold. Pittsburgh Pirates hockey jerseys. Philadelphia hockey jerseys (there aren't that many), Toronto Hockey Jerseys of the 1930s, etc. Grab a few, give your opinion along with pictures, and then we go nuts talking about them, and then the readers are satisfied. Jerseys, logos, masks, anything you want to talk about, we'll listen to. Do it with logos again, go through all of them, then re-post some of the comments from NHLToL and see if opinions changed.
It wouldn't need a lot of maintenence, in fact it could be very easy to do, and if you feel ambitious you could write enough posts for two weeks in the span of an hour, and then only post one per day.
I also imagine that if you opened things up a bit, asked for contributions, you could have a whole bank of posts waiting because average readers like myself wanted to help, wrote something down and emailed it to you. You post it when you want, add "contributed by ____" and be done with it.
We complain because we care. All of us who posted most likely have this site in their favorites and check it regularly. If we really didn't care, it would just be removed from that rotation and it wouldn't matter. But instead, we try to make ourselves heard because we want to keep reading. If anything, take it as a compliment that this many people care this much.
well said John.
wat he said
amen.....regardless of what you do chris, im still gonna check the site daily, ive been doin it since the beginning why stop now, and i kno what you mean, this is a side activity for you and i often get busy with school and work and have to put my side projects asidem and jersey and logo new is at a standstill. but keep up the good work
Thank you Chris. I hope we didn't sound too annoying. I can't wait to see this site get back on its feet. The IceHL should be great (are there going to be jerseys designed, or will it just be like the IHA?), and I look forward to Featured Artists. I wish I could contribute some concepts, but I'm afraid the best I have are done in that high tech medium, Crayola Washable Markers. I agree with John on basically every point, but really now I'm just happy to see the blog up and running again.
I pull up icethetics everyday, but I also have a job, family & other things. To log on & peek at this site takes a couple of seconds, to write, it's harder. I had a wonderful break where I didn't do anything, including turning on my computer. Everyone deserves a vacation. Keep up the good work on the site!!
Chris, just ignore all the negative posts that you've read. I think people forget that you are a person too, not just a concept art posting machine. You deserve as long a break as you think you deserve, as you have been bringing joy to us for 2 years, as you said. If people want daily updates, they should make their own site. That would make them appreciate all the work you do. Keep up the good work, Chris!
-Robby
Honestly, as a web designer, I can totally understand the need for some downtime.
Some would probably say, "well take it during the summer", but unfortunately (especially this past summer), this place was busier than ever with a ton of jersey concepts and launches. Until all of the jerseys were released, there's was sometimes as many as 4 updates in a single day, and 50 in a single week. That's a lot of time on the site.
To everyone ()for lack of a better word) bitching about "OMG there was no post on New Year's Day!", I'm sorry, but if you were really uber concerned about seeing the jerseys or the game itself, either WATCH THE GAME, check out the highlights either on TV or streamign online, or hell, type "NHL Winter Classic 2009" into Google and look at all of pretty pictures you get. There';s no reason that one person needs to spoon feed you every once of info every day
Steve, I think it's less information-related than it is discussion-related. people were very reluctant to talk about the winter classic because the post wasn't about the winter classic. simple posts of less than 100 words could easily appease those complaining, simply because they could comment and discuss.
we realize that Chris has a life, but I'm sure a bunch of people would be willing to help him out and do some work for the site, in whatever manner Chris wants. the volunteers are out there, but they have to be called upon
Hey Chris, it's your website and frankly, you've done a heck of a job with it. So, I'd say that it's fair for you to take time off. Good luck with the future!
All I have to say is it's great to see a new post and it was disgusting to read a few of those comments on the last post.
And, as soon as each task is fulfilled (Designers Section, Logo & Uniform History) I think that'll make things flow a lot better. Chris, just remember how many times you've been mentioned on a national scale. This site is everything us hockey jersey lovers dream of and that won't change because of a two week break. I still checked the site everyday, which tells you something. On my Firefox Bookmarks, Icethetics is the second site on the list, and it'll always be that way.
It is hard to understand the complaints. This is Chris's site. It is a FREE site- you are not paying for membership. I can see the comment about people "complain because they care" but there are ways to go about it. Express your enthusiasm for something new, but to bitch that there has not been anything in a while is exceedingly unfair.
Do those that complaine have the time to do all of this? Any of this? If so, make your own site and do with it as you please. There are plenty of free webpage builders out there for you to put something together. I am incredibly anxious for new content too, because this site is unique and entertaining. Yes, it can be disappointing when there breaks in the action- but that is only because what we have seen already has been so great.
The next time you want to bust his chops for not having more time to add things, take a minute to really think about what you are saying, and more importantly, your approach.
Remember that this site is your PRIVILEGE, not your right. Any content he puts together is more than what was there on the Web before. Be grateful.
John M. got it right. This is free site, and a privilege. If this were a paysite, then yeah, I can resonably see why people would be mad because you spent your money and aren't getting anything in return. But, that's not the case.
As a free site that doesn't help Chris financially, he can post whatever he wants when he wants, and take as long a break as he sees fit. Like many have said, you want daily updates, look for them yourself. Chris doesn't have to spoon feed us all every hour of every day.
This is something he does because he wants to, not because he has to. Remember that. We're not paying for his services, so don't be ungrateful of the beutiful work Chris has done in the past, and is sure to do again in the future.
Wow I sure am glad that after I made my donation this website went inactive. This never was a news site. So much for the freak out friday.
YOU ARE RIDICULOUS at least say "hey guys I'm taking a break for a week and will be back soon!" breaks are fine but they can't just be unannounced, the fact that u are mad at us leaves me SPEECHLESS......
Hey Chris,
I completely understand the need/right for a break. As many here have said, this is a free site and it is yours to do with as you wish. Really, the fact of whether news is slow or not should be secondary to your personal need for a break from something that has been a labour-intensive labour of love for you. My personal policy has been to wait patiently without griping or complaining, because I realize you have a life and that I would never have the time to do all that you have done/are doing with this site.
However, it hurts a bit that you say you haven't received any concept material, because I know that I personally have sent in some concepts for a Flames 3rd jersey as well as concepts for Team Canada Olympic jerseys, the latter of which you responded to and said you liked and were going to save for a concept collage.
If you need a break, there is nothing wrong with saying, "I have some concepts I will be posting in the future, but right now I'm very busy/burned out/sleepy/gnat-like/don't bloody well feel like it/fill-in-the-blank. Keep checking, it will come at some time later." At that point, it would behoove us to just accept your reasons and move on. You really don't even owe us an explanation at all if you don't want to give one. Just please don't say that you haven't received anything when I, for one, know that I have been sending stuff in. It kind of makes me feel like "What am I? Chopped liver?"
As an alternative idea, would it be possible to make a feature where members can upload their own concept artworkfor others to view/comment on without needing your intervention? It could give people something to comment on or debate on a regular basis without adding to your workload.
Well said by John M. although can see why alarm bells were raised, especially by those who donated money for the site. I really appreciate what you do on thise site Chris, and I feel that we do not appreciate this privilege. We should be grateful for the work he does and stick by with him.
The reason some people were angry was because there was no notification prior to Chris' break. You can sympathize with both sides, but in the end we just have to make peace and remain faithful.