A DThomasReigns Memorial

by craig in calgary on Feb 12, 2010 4:12 PM CST

It’s a slow offseason here at AP so I found myself going through some archives and old posts. I have not much to offer talking about KC BBQ, I don’t know enough about draft prospects to do a good Mock draft (Although I did a kick ass one over at Mocking the Draft) and I don’t have much insight into ex-kickers or potential Free Agents.

So I was looking at old posts and found myself reading SNF and MNF threads which are my favourite threads in Arrowhead Pride. I don’t generally go in gameday threads but would frequent Sunday or Monday night football threads because generally they were much less confrontational and had a good mix of humour and football talk. One particular AP member would also frequent them, DThomasReigns. DTR was/is one of my favourite members around AP who had the ability to talk football with a mix of humour, emotion and yet not talk over everyone’s head. The big reason he didn’t talk over anyone’s head, is he wasn’t actually smart enough to :)

This particular Fanshot made me ROTF as well as LMAO. Thanks to my 21 year old girlfriend for explaining to me what those meant. This was following the Sunday where Tom Brady threw for 5 TD's in the 2nd freaking quarter.

So, in one of my fifteen fantasy leagues, I had a lineup decision to make this morning. Below is how I completed the largest FAILITUDE in fantasy football history:

Me: Hmmm. Donovan McNabb is on my bench but he is playing the Raiders. He is going to put up massive points.

Common Sense: Dude, you already have Tom Brady starting.

Me: Oh, I know, but the Patriots offense has not been great this year and McNabb is playing the freaking Raiders.

Common Sense: True, but "The Brady" is playing the Titans whose entire secondary is injured…and they are 0-5.

Me: Hey, I just saw the forecast for the game. It is supposed to be heavy rain and windy.

Common Sense: It is Tom Brady.

Me: WAIT! The forecast is now for a heavy, slushy, snowy mix with wind. I’m going with McNabb against the Raiders.

Common Sense: Dude, are you serious? TOM BRADY.

Me: I’m definitely going McNabb today.

Common Sense: DUDE??!!

….20 seconds later

Me: You know, if it is going to be a slushy & windy mess that means the Pats will probably just throw a bunch of little screens when they do pass. Wes Welker won’t be able to juke and cut in that.

Common Sense: No...just stop now.

Me: I really should bench Welker too, besides I can put NYG Steve Smith in his place. He is going to score a ton against the Saints in a shootout.

Me: I’m so awesome. You're seeing this great decision making right?

Common Sense: /snarf

Common Sense: /giggle Huh? Oh yeah, I am seeing it.

Actually maybe the reason he's not around is he's in offseason mode preparing for his 15 freaking fantasy football teams.

I'll end this post with my favourite post of all time. Classic.

Unfortunately DTR hasn’t come by AP for whatever reason, but if you are reading this, we need you back buddy, this is a better place with you.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.

Tweet Comment 45 comments | 2 recs |

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Sorry for the small pic, you might need to click on it to read it.

"I've only been in love with a beer bottle and a mirror" - Sid Vicious.

by craig in calgary on Feb 12, 2010 4:13 PM CST reply actions

So, you're saying I have a small pic.

I cannot deny that.

-Erykah Badu, I have accepted your proposal. So, Mrs. DTR, let's get to consummating...you are on notice.

-"All praise Chiefus."

by DThomasReigns on Feb 12, 2010 7:10 PM CST up reply actions

Here! Here!

He is HERE!

Braccae illae virides cum subucula rosea et tunica Caledonia-quam elenganter concinnatur!

by Buck'O on Feb 12, 2010 11:02 PM CST up reply actions

Lmao

Urine sprinkler

by The Insider on Feb 12, 2010 4:21 PM CST reply actions

I remember him distinctly

going on some profanity laced tirade about Canucks, Tim Tebow, and Mock Drafts before he dissappeared into the abyss. I think he knows we’re rapidly approaching open Mock Draft season and he’s a smart man for getting the hell out of Dodge.

D.J. #56 - Pay The Man & Play The Man
The only thing more lame than mock draft's is the sarcasm font.

by KansasCityShuffle on Feb 12, 2010 4:24 PM CST reply actions

Hopefully he'll resurface to share his wisdom once again... :)

Winning begins with Attitude - Haley and Pioli will be winners in KC!

I'll forever be a Chiefs fan! Only God himself could take that away from me, but when I get to my great reward, I'll rejoin two bigger fans, my Mom and Dad.

by Lanier63 on Feb 12, 2010 4:45 PM CST reply actions

Last I heard

He was going off on the way AP was being ran…being a little too sensitive about everything

"Its going to be a challenge, its going to feel like forever, and there will be difficulties. But we will emerge on the other side of it stronger than we were when we entered." ~ Sudden

by Matt_Grbac on Feb 12, 2010 4:49 PM CST via mobile reply actions

I wouldn't characterize it as being "too sensitive," but honest.

This last season marked a drastic changed in what AP was.

For those who were readers/active members since 2006/2007, we have our criticisms. For those who joined post-Peterson firing, it doesn’t seem that different.

I stand by my criticisms, as I still feel the same way. Does that mean I suddenly hate Chris and Joel? No, of course not. However, AP was a very small group back then. There is an unspoken relationship/friendship that enables some of us to be more forthright than if the years of history weren’t there.

None of that makes my criticisms correct, but explains my reasons for voicing them.

Most current members truly do not realize how much has changed. That doesn’t mean those who now embrace the current AP shouldn’t continue to embrace it. It only means that those who embraced the old AP may not prefer the new AP.

-Erykah Badu, I have accepted your proposal. So, Mrs. DTR, let's get to consummating...you are on notice.

-"All praise Chiefus."

by DThomasReigns on Feb 12, 2010 7:05 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs

I felt that tension

I have posted a number of posts regarding that. I am sorry, DTR that
paradise is somewhat lost in that regard :(

"For what we are about to see next, we must enter quietly into the realm of genius." Scott "Young Frankenstein" Pioli

by Steve_Chiefs on Feb 12, 2010 7:10 PM CST up reply actions

No one should feel bad.

Things change. That shouldn’t preclude those who prefer the change from enjoying it.

-Erykah Badu, I have accepted your proposal. So, Mrs. DTR, let's get to consummating...you are on notice.

-"All praise Chiefus."

by DThomasReigns on Feb 12, 2010 7:13 PM CST up reply actions

Not what I meant exactly

I don’t know what was. But I do know that you and Shuffle, HIV and some others always had a something going on that I couldn’t fathom. I agree that some of us Newbies feel that any Blog is like all the other Blogs in the whole world and they can say and bash on anyone that says the wrong thing to them. That is not what I found when I found AP. This site was quite different than any other and actually I had never blogged before AP. Everybody knew everybody and the disputes were usually about who could give who the most shit. That has definitely changed :(

Bottom line is although only here a year I see the change also, just not as dramatic as some of you have.

"For what we are about to see next, we must enter quietly into the realm of genius." Scott "Young Frankenstein" Pioli

by Steve_Chiefs on Feb 12, 2010 7:21 PM CST up reply actions

For better or worse

AP is an organic entity, which will continue to change over time. We’ve tried to not have a heavy hand in how things are run around here, preferring to let things settle and grow on their own. Also, Joel and I are constantly learning and trying to figure out what the best way to run this place is. We fully admit we’ll probably never really figure it out completely.

DTR, when we finally get around to creating an AP Hall of Fame members, you’ll be the first one inducted.

Founded Arrowhead Pride 7/26/2006

Please read our community rules, netiquette rules and our technical overview before commenting.

by Chris Thorman on Feb 12, 2010 8:01 PM CST up reply actions

Scratch members from that last comment

Founded Arrowhead Pride 7/26/2006

Please read our community rules, netiquette rules and our technical overview before commenting.

by Chris Thorman on Feb 12, 2010 8:02 PM CST up reply actions

Hey?

I resemble that last comment! :)

Winning begins with Attitude - Haley and Pioli will be winners in KC!

I'll forever be a Chiefs fan! Only God himself could take that away from me, but when I get to my great reward, I'll rejoin two bigger fans, my Mom and Dad.

by Lanier63 on Feb 12, 2010 8:29 PM CST up reply actions

I wont let you scratch it,

But if your lucky I’ll let you tickle it.

Cry Havoc! And let slip the Chiefs Defense of War!!!

by nateforchiefs on Feb 13, 2010 10:06 AM CST up reply actions

And Kray will be the Pete Rose of our Hall of Fame

"Its going to be a challenge, its going to feel like forever, and there will be difficulties. But we will emerge on the other side of it stronger than we were when we entered." ~ Sudden

by Matt_Grbac on Feb 12, 2010 8:58 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, It's An Evolving Community

But then evolution brings with it certain advantages. More readers equals more publicity and credibility which equals improved access to the Chiefs which equals improved ability for the site to create its own newsworthy content (which we didn’t have the capacity for earlier…we were often just recycling or playing off what other news sources wrote). Back in the pre-Peterson firing days, did you seriously think that AP would be getting press credentials, getting into the locker room and attending the Super Bowl to do coverage? I think most of us thought we’d stay just a moderately successful discussion site among hardcore Chiefs fans…now it appears that we’re one of the more successful sites on SB Nation and are becoming widely recognized even among casual Chiefs fans. That’s a good thing.

Some changes occur with that level of success, and it’s true the sense of community we had before has changed a bit…but I think the important portions of it have remained and I also believe that it’s still a community. Just more KC-sized than Lawrence/Columbia-sized. :) Still a good place to frequent, though.

Moderator - Arrowhead Pride

by UCrawford on Feb 15, 2010 2:58 PM CST up reply actions

I privately lobbied for AP press creds,

but, to be frank, the access didn’t provide much original content.

The Super Bowl coverage had nothing to do with AP and had it been another SBNation blogger, none of it would have been posted here.

My biggest complaint since the content shift last offseason is that there seems to be no filter on front page material. If something was on the front page, as you know UC, it used to be worth reading. Now, I already know it will be something lightly paraphrased, no opinion, and may or not be relevant.

Forcing 10-20 front page posts per day diminishes the value of it…especially when the 10-20 posts would have never been front page material before.

This has been the heart of my criticisms. Is AP going to be a content whore/aggregator like PFT, or only front page topics of relevancy with actual Chiefs’ fan opinion?

Remember when there were only 2 front page posts per day? We had conversations, the topic simmered, and we wanted to write a FanPost worthy of the front page.

Now, there is no time for any of that, and what qualifies for front page content is questionable. Even if a FanPost of effort and insight is written then promoted to the front page, it is pushed off within hours by useless, bland, and impersonal regurgitations with only a picture added to lend credibility.

The identity and personality is gone.

Creds haven’t brought anything we didn’t already get, and the AP personality of AP has been lost.

Much like when PFT started this shift a year before AP, I only browsed the titles…rarely did I read. AP has followed the same model, and I have had the same reaction.

This isn’t what AP was all of the past years. It isn’t why we stayed with AP.

Anyone can set up a Chiefs search spider, copy a few quotes from the articles, add no real personal analysis, and slap a picture on it 15 times a day for the sake of providing content for the sake of content. We could even write a script to automate that.

It’s formulaic and was a stale practice that newspapers homogenized before their downfall. That is why blogs like the old AP gained traction.

You can see the same thing still in online versions of the last remaining papers/magazines…regardless of topic

EXAMPLE:
1) Intro paragraph pseudo-hinting at what the headline already revealed
2) The second paragraph paraphrasing a quote
3) The third paragraph consisting of the actual quote that was already detailed in paragraph 2
4) A fourth paragraph consisting of a couple sentences of centrist-speak trying to make it relevant to the disposition of the locality/subject of interest.
5) A fifth paragraph giving meaningless background data/stats.

It is tedious for the reader, it is old journalism, it is obvious formula, it is bland and faceless, it makes readers stop reading.

-Erykah Badu, I have accepted your proposal. So, Mrs. DTR, let's get to consummating...you are on notice.

-"All praise Chiefus."

by DThomasReigns on Feb 15, 2010 7:47 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Please continue :)

I see some great stuff cause I peruse the Headlines and head straight for the Posts. We have some great content in the posts, Then I hit the Shots.
For my anything Chiefs related or not Daily fix of the NFL. I read different than some. Mills reads from the bottom to the top on the comments. I read top to bottom so I can see how the Topic evolves.

But please continue cause I like to read everything :)

"For what we are about to see next, we must enter quietly into the realm of genius." Scott "Young Frankenstein" Pioli

by Steve_Chiefs on Feb 15, 2010 8:28 PM CST up reply actions

We have had 2 AP's:

1) The personal blog with Chiefs fan personality for multiple years and,
2) The Chiefs’ news aggregator since the 2009 offseason.

I am honestly asking, “which AP is the AP going forward?”

-Erykah Badu, I have accepted your proposal. So, Mrs. DTR, let's get to consummating...you are on notice.

-"All praise Chiefus."

by DThomasReigns on Feb 15, 2010 8:36 PM CST up reply actions

I am not the one to answer that

but I see AP in the posts and shots and definitely in the comments.
There is a lot of the surfers in the front page. I work for a newspaper.
I wish we had the ability to have posts and shots to add to the primarily front page news that is what anyone sees now. That is where the guts of AP lives in the interaction. Those that don’t want to drill down don’t. Excellent, leave that to those who know what they are talking about. I don’t know a lot by I can see a Community at AP.
I like that and the more great guys and gals we can bring into that the better. As Joel says, We self police and you saw the guts of that:(
AP is damn vocal and quite a few have been driven away, for better or worse.

"For what we are about to see next, we must enter quietly into the realm of genius." Scott "Young Frankenstein" Pioli

by Steve_Chiefs on Feb 15, 2010 9:13 PM CST up reply actions

I Think You're Romanticizing The Past A Bit

Honestly we were an aggregator before. I know because I posted a lot of comments on it that were derived from other sites. Do I agree that we see more poorly written comments on the blog? Sure…but that’s because we have more readers and contributors (some of whom aren’t as talented at writing per se, but still have interesting opinions to offer or at the very least offer fodder for discussion). But we also have a lot more good writers to add to the mix, especially analytical pieces (I particularly loved the weekly offensive line breakdown…o-line is a position that often defies statistical analysis). And I consider Matt Conner’s stuff to be must-read, even if I don’t always agree with him (I believe he’s fairly new to AP). There’s good and bad with every change. I don’t really think in this case that the bad has come close to outweighing the good.

Although I did wholeheartedly agree with your position about the incessant mock drafting. That was getting ridiculous and I saw a few other AP readers on other sites comment on it.

One last note…perhaps the reason that we tend to get less info coming out is that a) the new Chiefs regime is a lot more secretive than the last one, and b) the Chiefs have stunk now for awhile…it’s tougher for fans to be obsessive about a really bad football team (which the Chiefs clearly have been). I’m actually rather impressed that we get the readership we do considering how we’re basically as bad as Detroit, but we get better readership than the Lions blog (no offense to Pride of Detroit, who I also enjoy reading and who do a great job).

Moderator - Arrowhead Pride

by UCrawford on Feb 16, 2010 7:32 AM CST up reply actions

Im still one of the new guys

Only been around for just over a year posting, but been reading for 18 months. That first post, and those first coments took me awhile to get to. I read the site daily for 6 months first.
     I don’t blog. I don’t “do message boards”. Hell, I don’t even join websites that you have to join in order to be able to post. I just read them and look at the pretty pictures. AP is THE vehicle that got me to start an account somewhere and actually blog.
     After 6 months of reading, I found that the people around here just plain did it right. The posts were informative and discussion worthy. Very very seldom did you ever come across a 1 paragraph and “what do you guys think?” post. And once the discussion started people did a nice job of stating, supporting and explaining their opnions. All around AP was a bastion of intelligent discussion and comical verbal jabbing.
     Things have changed a whole lot; I won’t try to deny it. The influx of so many people has brought good things for sure. Some of my favorite posters come from that ‘new crew." However, you just can’t deny that the influx has also delivered us a whole bunch of people that ARE bloggers and commenters, and just don’t seem to ‘get it’ until they have been around for awhile. It takes time to understand and assimilate yourself into the AP community, and a lot of people don’t take any time. They walk int he door on day 1 and start posting/commenting.
     When a lot of people start posting/commenting without getting to know the community the kinds of posts and comments they make appear all over the site, and then everyone just assumes that ‘everyone’ on AP is like that; and that they are doing no ‘wrong.’
     Rest assured, after people have been around awhile and they see what a blog post CAN be (look at Kalo, Bewolf, Stagdsp, Matt, Beef, Patrick A, Upman, Steve, Buck’O, Ucrawford. craig, etc…sorry if I forgot you….) they will begin to understand the AP community. People are motivated by the REC button, even if you don’t believe it.
     The REC button is the only ‘reward’ that any poster gets for putting hard work into a post and taking the time to do it right. I don’t mean ‘cheap bikini pic’ REC’s. I mean real honest to goodness REC’s.
     My advice to everyone that wanted to make sure a piece of the old AP survives would be to REC things that deserve RECing. Do not be shy with your REC button. Typing “Rec’d or +1” in the comments section is all well and good, but make sure yo tap that Rec button ondeserving too, even if you don’t leave a comment. The more often we can highlight the ‘good’ and let the ‘crap’ fall away, the more likely that future posters will take the time to do it right, so they have a chance to get the Rec’s too.

Just my 2 cents. Don’t be a stranger DT

The Powers Of Astute Observation Are Often Mistaken As Cynacism By Those That Do Not Posses Them -- G.B. Shaw

by Texas Chief on Feb 13, 2010 10:38 AM CST up reply actions 3 recs

His profile says his last login was 1/25/10

I sent him an email seeing how hes been and I think he would appreciate if we all did..
dthomasreigns@gmail.com

by tomahawk44 on Feb 12, 2010 4:57 PM CST reply actions

The Pee sprinkler was hilarious

Not only what happened, but that he felt like he needed to share that with us.

What the world needs is more geniuses with humility, there are so few of us left.

by Aperture on Feb 12, 2010 5:00 PM CST reply actions

My girlfriend is a huge fan of his

She got a DTR Tattoo

"I've only been in love with a beer bottle and a mirror" - Sid Vicious.

by craig in calgary on Feb 12, 2010 5:13 PM CST reply actions

looks like she has a wedgie...

awesome tat though!

by tomahawk44 on Feb 12, 2010 5:23 PM CST up reply actions

No snow in the background

I think your fibbing unless she is an “Internet girlfriend” that you chat with like Napoleon’s brother and ShaFonda…

"Its going to be a challenge, its going to feel like forever, and there will be difficulties. But we will emerge on the other side of it stronger than we were when we entered." ~ Sudden

by Matt_Grbac on Feb 12, 2010 5:30 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

All joking aside, we have no snow.

Its funny listening to people in Texas and Atlanta talking about all their snow and people are walking around here in t-shirts.

"I've only been in love with a beer bottle and a mirror" - Sid Vicious.

by craig in calgary on Feb 12, 2010 5:37 PM CST up reply actions

I have always adored this pic.

It represents everything that is worth representing.

-Erykah Badu, I have accepted your proposal. So, Mrs. DTR, let's get to consummating...you are on notice.

-"All praise Chiefus."

by DThomasReigns on Feb 12, 2010 6:51 PM CST up reply actions

All the K.Y. tubes on the home page, seem to be adding alittle bada booom to the site....LOL

by Sea of RED on Feb 12, 2010 5:28 PM CST reply actions

nice gf craig

maybe i shouild move to canada lol DTR was 1 of my first freinds on here i miss him a lot

okay i have cerebral palsy arthris and chronic fatigue as well i have a great life and loveing folks some days are better than other days i got a make-a-wish in 2001 and saw my favorite team the broncos it was the trip of a lifetime i wish everyone couild have gotten to enjoy that with me i know some of u hate the broncos and that okay but i bleed organ and bule for my mnr fans but i bleed orange and blue denver will rise again resident broncos fan for every blog resident broncos for stampede bule thanks shvd98z24

by j-man on Feb 12, 2010 5:29 PM CST reply actions

WTF? You killed me off, craig?

I always knew you were a backstabbing asshole. :)

Honestly, I have a totally reasonable explanation:

1) The Chiefs season ended.
2) Mass Effect 2 was released on Jan 26th.
3) Had to finish God of War 2 before playing Mass Effect 2…God of War 3 releases in March.
4) Mass Effect 2 was released on Jan 26th.
5) Trying to finish the first play through off ME2 before Bioshock 2 releases.
6) Not interested in random player evaluations before the combine (which I have recorded and watched every minute of for the past 2 years…take that “DTR hates the draft” foolios! :)
7) Oh, and, WE HAD 80 TRILLION INCHES OF SNOW FROM 2 BLIZZARDS IN 4 DAYS. I never thought Baltimore could get worse, but then I realized blizzards are weather’s STDs. I should have anticipated B-more would be the nature’s choice to outbreak upon.
8) Mass Effect 2 was released on Jan 26th.
9) Fun fact: I learned that every muscle used in shoveling snow are not muscles I have ever used before. This came to my attention after the first dig out of 3 feet and my ass and back were on fire.
10) Snow-day porn is better than regular-day porn. It’s science.

Sincerely, whats up, craig. I am appreciate, and am flattered by, the sentiment.

-Erykah Badu, I have accepted your proposal. So, Mrs. DTR, let's get to consummating...you are on notice.

-"All praise Chiefus."

by DThomasReigns on Feb 12, 2010 6:48 PM CST reply actions

As you can see, my typo skillz are still in full effect.

-Erykah Badu, I have accepted your proposal. So, Mrs. DTR, let's get to consummating...you are on notice.

-"All praise Chiefus."

by DThomasReigns on Feb 12, 2010 6:49 PM CST up reply actions

Haha

Glad to have you back from the dead.

"I've only been in love with a beer bottle and a mirror" - Sid Vicious.

by craig in calgary on Feb 12, 2010 6:50 PM CST up reply actions

+1

DTR and AP is what I always look forward too!

Winning begins with Attitude - Haley and Pioli will be winners in KC!

I'll forever be a Chiefs fan! Only God himself could take that away from me, but when I get to my great reward, I'll rejoin two bigger fans, my Mom and Dad.

by Lanier63 on Feb 12, 2010 7:42 PM CST up reply actions