Lurker Post: Come Join the BFTB Fun!

by John Gennaro on Oct 13, 2011 11:01 AM PDT in Site News

The more people join, the more cheerleader pictures I'll use with my posts. (Photo by Bart Young/Getty Images)

It's been a while since I've done one of these, so bear with me.

There are lots and lots and lots of you that read Bolts from the Blue on a regular basis and have never, ever commented or even joined our little community of die-hard San Diego Chargers fans. Just to give you an idea, we get about 200,000 visits to our site each month......and we have a little less than 4,000 members of the site.

This isn't rare, most communities are like this. I can't tell you how many times I've bumped into old classmates or meet new people or even talk to members of my extended family and hear them tell me that they check the site every day, only to respond "I don't have one" when I ask what their name on the site it.

There are so many reasons to join BFTB, and I'll run through a handful of them after the break, but the two most important ones are these:

It makes visiting BFTB about 10x more fun. Seriously. Suddenly, instead of just reading and thinking things over, you're conversing and trying to back up your opinions with stats to win a debate in the comments. It turns you into an expert on the team, even if that's not what you were aiming for.
It is totally, completely and 100% free. Your experience is made 10x better, and you don't get charged a nickel. How can you say no to that?

If you need more salesmanship, and I know you do, it'll be after the jump. For those of you ready to make the leap now, you can sign up right here and introduce yourself in the comments of this very post. The welcoming committee will be around shortly after you do so.

Basically, I've already written about most of the benefits of having an account in this post:

How to Use Bolts from the Blue: A Guide on FanPosts, FanShots and Commenting

I don't think I need to completely go over those things again, even though each facet of SBN has been improved since that 2006 post, but I will summarize.

FanPosts: Compared to other websites, it's like starting a "New Thread" at a forum. The key difference is that instead of having to go through 30 pages of comments, all of the comments are right there on one page. A link to your write-up gets displayed on the right-side of BFTB's home page, and if it's particularly good it will get moved onto the main section of our front page so that our large audience can read your handiwork.

FanShots: Sometimes, you spot news (or a great article) relating to the Chargers before we do. FanShots is where you can post a link to that news or article, and you can write a sentence or two with your opinion as well if you want. This is not just you making our community better, it's you getting credit for spotting something before anybody else. Like FanPosts, these show up on the right side of the home page but can be moved to the main section if they good/important enough.

Comments: The Main Event. Ask anybody who has been participating at an SBN blog for more than a week why they prefer it to another blog and they'll usually answer "The commenting system is unmatched." And it is!

We do direct-replies, which is why our comment sections easily allow for conversations among commenters instead of them simply shouting their replies to a particular post.

As a member of the site, you'll be notified of any new comments to a particular post since the last time you viewed them.

We have a Recommendation or "Rec" system, where the community can recommend a particular good FanPost, FanShots or comment. The best ones get extra exposure: highly recommended FanPosts get their own section on the home page and highly recommended comments turn green. This system, which rewards users for writing good or funny posts and/or comments, is why BFTB has created such a strong and active community.

So there you have it. Lurkers, come out from hiding. Even if you just want to join so keep track of which posts have new comments, and even if you're not quite ready to join into the regular BFTB conversations just yet, there's no reason to be afraid. Sign up for your SB Nation account today, poke your head up in the comments below (feel free to ask any questions) and enhance your BFTB experience. For free!

If you have any issues with joining, or any questions in the future, don't hesitate to e-mail me at boltsfromtheblue@gmail.com.

Tweet Comment 32 comments | 2 recs |

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Comments

Been reading for years, but

Never commented. I now consider myself to have been “unlurked.”

by 5fingerGreenehandpunch on Oct 13, 2011 11:14 AM PDT via iPhone app reply actions

Welcome!

The grass is always greener on this side, so you made a good choice.

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Oct 13, 2011 11:19 AM PDT up reply actions

Welcome!

Just don’t ever trust John to guard your beer.

Or virginity.

6/10/2010 - Tra Thomas signs with the Chargers
8/21/2010 - Tra Thomas retires.

That was fast.

by SD FTW on Oct 13, 2011 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions

Nice.

Bolts from the Blue // "I eat cereal out of a giant novelty wine glass because it makes me feel fancy." - Britney Wade
Bloody Elbow // "I think we're poking fun at Leland's 'boner.'" - Michael Fagan

by Richard Wade on Oct 13, 2011 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions

ok I'm finally gonna comment

I’ve been an avid reader for years and enjoy all the stat filled posts written up by the staff and am particularly enthused about the prospects of this team and blog……BFTB ROCKS and now I can participate without shame or embarrassment YAY!!!!!!!

by Gorditoe1 on Oct 13, 2011 12:27 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

The first rule of BFTB is....

Never trust Gorditoe.

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Oct 13, 2011 1:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Second rule:

Don’t mention “sarcasm font”

Two sheep, one profile
"9 out of 10 Americans believe that out of 10 people, 1 American will always disagree with the other 9" -Colin

by Lmbs2slaghtr on Oct 13, 2011 1:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Rule breaker.

Bolts from the Blue // "I eat cereal out of a giant novelty wine glass because it makes me feel fancy." - Britney Wade
Bloody Elbow // "I think we're poking fun at Leland's 'boner.'" - Michael Fagan

by Richard Wade on Oct 13, 2011 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions

This is why Gordie is better than the rest of you.

Bolts from the Blue // "I eat cereal out of a giant novelty wine glass because it makes me feel fancy." - Britney Wade
Bloody Elbow // "I think we're poking fun at Leland's 'boner.'" - Michael Fagan

by Richard Wade on Oct 13, 2011 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Except this Cortex fellow. He's cool, too.

Bolts from the Blue // "I eat cereal out of a giant novelty wine glass because it makes me feel fancy." - Britney Wade
Bloody Elbow // "I think we're poking fun at Leland's 'boner.'" - Michael Fagan

by Richard Wade on Oct 13, 2011 3:22 PM PDT up reply actions

I heard there's this black dude who's pretty cool...

Or was it… a guy who has a black car? Buick Melanoma? I’m bad with names. I didn’t join sooner because I couldn’t come up with a good screen name. Oh, and Facebook connect made it so much easier too, that was a deal breaker.

by Lightning Hobo on Oct 13, 2011 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions

lurker revealed

I’m not sure that you want to see what is inside my raincoat but your offer to show me what is inside the cheerleaders’ got me hooked.
I’ve been watching the Chargers since they played at City College. Lance Alworth, Dan Fouts, Air Coryell.
I resonate most with the comments on our genius play-caller Norv who is so totally predictable on first downs. My take is that he is some little guy surrounded by massive magnificent physical specimens and he needs something to make him feel like a MAN. So he just wants to pound that football up the middle of the line, right down their throats! Even better that they know it is coming and we still cram it down their throats! Too bad that it usually does not work.
Sometimes it seems like he is one of those males who demonstrate the worthiness of their genes by showing how they can overcome a self-imposed handicap (well-establish in evolutionary biology- see male Peacock): We can overcome the handicap of only having 3 downs to make the first (by giving away our first down on a futile predictable up-the-middle run); the handicap of being down a touchdown or two at the half (as is our wont); the handicap of being down by 3 games after the first 5 (slow start?- who cares?- it makes our December run all the more impressive).
Lurking inside Norv is a massive ego, but he suppresses its cruder expressions, surrounded as he is by those 250+ slabs of finely tuned muscle- so it squeezes out in ways that are otherwise inexplicably self-destructive.
Just a hunch. Thanks for bringing me out of hiding and to all of you here who make your posts so intelligent and interesting.

by Cortex on Oct 13, 2011 1:00 PM PDT reply actions 4 recs

welcome

and you seem like an interesting person to comment with…
hope to see your comments in many posts to come

Dielman on Rivers: "I've tried to get him to say s--- or f--- and all he'll ever do is say, 'Golly gee, I can't do that."
www.boltsfromtheblue.com

by Superduperboltman on Oct 13, 2011 1:19 PM PDT up reply actions

That was most entertaining

You’ve earned your first Rec.

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Oct 13, 2011 1:31 PM PDT up reply actions

You, sir, must comment more often

Welcome aboard!

by jkvandal on Oct 13, 2011 2:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Rec'd for

Throat, massive, Norv, slabs, cock, squeezes and pound worked into one paragraph. Homo erotic sublimation at it’s best.

It's NEVER a shrimp on the barbie. It's not even a shrimp.

by The Land Of Real Beer on Oct 13, 2011 11:09 PM PDT up reply actions

Coming from someone who recently did away with his "Lurker" status

I can say that it is definitely worth creating an account, if for no other reason than to give your opinion on something. Plus, the site auto-refreshes the comments when you have an account, which makes commenting and reading replies much more fun. I especially like this during the in game threads. That way you don’t have to hit refresh 500 times only to occasionally have it not show all of the new comments.

Also relating to the comments, it highlights which ones are new and how many there are. So if there are a lot of comments in a thread, you don’t have to pick through all of them to look for something new.

Also, fan posts can be fun! So have fun and sign up, it actually doesn’t take that long. Especially if you have a Facebook account already (and it doesn’t post anything to your wall or on the news feed without you telling it to).

by Ferguson1015 on Oct 13, 2011 1:31 PM PDT reply actions

I was a lurker once...

Those were dark times

Two sheep, one profile
"9 out of 10 Americans believe that out of 10 people, 1 American will always disagree with the other 9" -Colin

by Lmbs2slaghtr on Oct 13, 2011 1:39 PM PDT reply actions

Creeper

I have removed myself from the shadows….no longer a creeper

by Hard Charger 35 on Oct 13, 2011 2:20 PM PDT reply actions

Yay!

I will not be the first to make an erection joke. I won’t, I won’t, I won’t.

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Oct 13, 2011 2:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Rec'd for cheerleaders being the go to picture on site news posts.

Bolts from the Blue // "I eat cereal out of a giant novelty wine glass because it makes me feel fancy." - Britney Wade
Bloody Elbow // "I think we're poking fun at Leland's 'boner.'" - Michael Fagan

by Richard Wade on Oct 13, 2011 2:38 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

I've posted a couple of times...

Both as an account I made for Gaslamp Ball and now this facebook thing. But hi anyway. As I may have said elsewhere, I have been a fan since Unitas was the QB. And today is my birthday, the win over Denver was a good present.

by Rob Rodgers on Oct 13, 2011 2:52 PM PDT reply actions

Welcome!

And happy birthday.

6/10/2010 - Tra Thomas signs with the Chargers
8/21/2010 - Tra Thomas retires.

That was fast.

by SD FTW on Oct 14, 2011 7:46 AM PDT up reply actions

Other than the Spearmint Rhino employee parking lot at 2 am

I haven’t lurked in a while.

"The biggest thing..." - Norv Turner

by Cake or Death on Oct 13, 2011 2:57 PM PDT reply actions 4 recs

Always good times

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Oct 13, 2011 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions

That's a rec.

Bolts from the Blue // "I eat cereal out of a giant novelty wine glass because it makes me feel fancy." - Britney Wade
Bloody Elbow // "I think we're poking fun at Leland's 'boner.'" - Michael Fagan

by Richard Wade on Oct 13, 2011 3:21 PM PDT up reply actions

Long time Lurker/reader

I’ve enjoyed this site for at least the last 3 yrs, if not more….great insight…as a math geek, creanium’s posts are always really appreciated.

Finally got brave enough to post on halosheaven.com (Angels SB site) this season, maybe I will do the same here.

FWIW, could use all positive smoke signals/prayers/thoughts/messages, as I am going through a severe personal crisis (custody of my son) right now.

by 'Nert on Oct 13, 2011 3:33 PM PDT reply actions

Best of luck to you man.

by Its Mikey!! on Oct 13, 2011 6:07 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

Hang in there

And try not to praise creanium, sometimes his head won’t fit through login.

6/10/2010 - Tra Thomas signs with the Chargers
8/21/2010 - Tra Thomas retires.

That was fast.

by SD FTW on Oct 14, 2011 7:47 AM PDT up reply actions

Ok bout time I comment too...

Hey guys, I have read BFTB for a couple of years now and never had an SB account or commented. I lived in San Diego my whole life but this weekend I am moving to San Jose due to work. I am already dreading the 49er/Raider sandwich that is San Jose, and I need to complain about it to someone. It is even worse now because the 49ers and Raiders are doing well. Anyways thanks for always having such interesting posts and comments. Go Chargers!!

by BayAreaChargersFan on Oct 13, 2011 10:25 PM PDT reply actions