Being Fired for Posting on SJ

Now I know never to send YOU my resume ...

 

I think Double Down's post earlier in this thread nailed it perfectly.

Look, I used to be a complete idiot on here, mostly because I posted too much waiting for late baseball and NBA boxes to come in while working desk. It was something to do. I probably even called somebody I didn't know a douche or something for no real reason other than I was way too wrapped up in this board. (If I did, I apologize profusely.) I even thought about deleting my account a couple of times and starting completely fresh and anonymous, but eh, there was no need to do that. I've met a ton of really good people in this business through this site, including one who proved greatly helpful in me landing my current job.

There's nothing wrong with posting here. There are plenty of good people to be found. But don't launch into personal attacks on people you don't know. That will bite you in the ass at some point when you least expect it. And don't bash your employer. Not smart at all.

 

Unless it's Gannett = )

 

Brian

Bruce might be the most incompetent co-worker of them all ... Oh, wait! Shit! How do you modify? Ummmm, I meant Sean. That's it. He's the guy I hate most of all. ... And Steve!

 

It's not as tough as you think.

A lot of the time people give it away by talking about something on here that they also talk about in real life.

If you start a thread on something - about a book you read or a story you checked out on the road - then tell people about it on the beat or at the office, bells start going off. And since a lot of people make it their life's work to find out who is who on here, the next time you see somebody, they'll greet you with, "Hey, Pringle."

 

It's really fucked up IF you are fired for posting while NOT on company time.

 

Your case is definitely a downside to anonymity. People suspect the wrong person. I wouldn't be surprised if Blondebomber's story has also resulted in some people being wrongly suspected. And that's not fair.

As for recognizing people if you let them, that's certainly true. To me, there are people on here who make it blatantly obvious who they are. If you make enough posts, you often give yourself away.

 

I accept your apology Cosmo - my good friend and fellow NIAFL team owner.

I do remember those days of your youth when you were more a shoot first poster. One of my favs was a thread you started on your company xmas party at one of your previous stops.

The approach you suggest to posting now if you are in biz seems to be a prudent one. Me - I keep shooting and misspelling since I don't have to worry about my career.

 

Some of the topics on this thread led me to start a poll<a href="http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/36774/">
on this thread asking how often people post from work.</a>

As I said on that one, I almost never post from work. I'll lurk at work, but I can't remember the last time I've even signed in on SportsJournalists.com at work.

 

Lurkatwork would be a great screen name.

 

I know it would be pretty easy for anybody who knows me to figure out who I am from my posts here.

Then again, the one time somebody (in PM) insisted she knew who I was, she was wrong.