NCAAbbs

During the summer of 2003, I -- as the poster formerly known as 'BigDaddyPirate' -- made numerous comments on the TarPit (North Carolina's) message board that, at the time, I felt were fair and honest feelings about the direction of ECU Athletics.

Needless to say, many of the Pirate 'faithful' took me to task for my comments, and I refused to back down. I failed/refused to see in my selfishness that I was throwing the school represented by my degree 'under the bus' for all (the internet) to see.

Even worse, I used my 'webmaster' status of the old 'wakecountypirateclub.com' website to further my agenda and proceeded to do even more damage to the morale of 'Pirate Nation'.

For that, I apologize. I was not only wrong, but terribly immature... and wrong.

To begin the process of making things right*, I re-joined the Pirate Club as of Friday, June 1.

I understand that many Pirates harbor ill feelings towards my current employer, The University of North Carolina @ Chapel Hill (or the Evil Empire @ Crapel Hole, depending on who's reading this). However, I do not share such ill feelings.

That said, I was wrong to elevate UNC@CH above ECU -- even to the point of rooting against her in 2003. I will never again elevate UNC@CH above the school represented on my proud degree. That included this past Saturday's baseball game where I was sad to see us lose in the 9th inning.

In addition, I regret all of that "Southern Conference" hogwash I started. ECU belongs in the Big East. "F" Louisville and their fanbase wanting to hold ECU back.

What brought this on...?
These four questions from The "Loyalty" thread on the InsideECUSports.com forum:

Note: Since I could care less for NC State, substitute them with "Carolina"

1. ECU
2. ECU
3. ECU (see this thread)
4. Wouldn't be a webmaster had I not completed the Computer Science curriculum at... ECU

As one popular Scout webmaster once told me:

True 'dat...
GO PIRATES!

* - as right as possible.

Repent...for the end draweth nigh!

Whatever, Mongo's back. Come get me Jesus for I've seen it all now.

What kind of response is that?

I have no idea. Today has been rough. Alot going on and I'm dumber than a bucket of hair for some reason.

dern...A bucket of hair.

Stop lurking and fix the board.

I've had some time to ponder this quandary, and the only thing that I can come up with is that OTM must have stolen Mongo's passwords.

GTS, can you get me an IP check?

Truely am glad to have you back Mongo.

So when does this ECU site get a cool skin again?

I asked GrayBeard, yesterday, if it was worth it to restore the skin and the prevailing thought is to wait and see about traffic. I do have a skin already created when the day comes, however...

Since he used "Carolina" in a sentence and didn't follow it up with crazy talk about people at his door, I'm pretty sure it's Mongo.

You're a SuperMod, btw, look up the IP your durn self, ya lazy bum.

For as much as we talk about making this place popular, we suck at getting traffic.

PS - I *heart* multi-quote.

I was going for effect (affect?) with my post about IP address. By the way, take a look at Mongo's IP. Being techtarded as I am, I swear it looks like we can view right to his computer.

Better check mine out.

That's kinda freaky.

The response to this thread has been surprisingly disappointing.

No yelling? No turncoat?

WTF is wrong with you people? Y'all resting up for football?

Well, your yeller, and I'm yeller, and Mongo is purple....errr....baby blue....errr.....purple. Have we reached Bizarro world yet?

I think so. We crossed the threshold when you opened a board and it worked.

True Dat.

I don't think that GTS was terribly impressed with it.

You were expecting?

If you have a skin....drop it in!

The limited response to Mongo's errr, uhhh, (What should it be called, really? an epiphany? a revalation? an apology? a renouncement? a retraction? a repudiation? nullification? salvation?All of the above? Heck, I can't decide, yall pick the one you think is best.) is because very few Pirate fans read or even know about this board. Couple that with the slow time of year for sports boards (although God chooses the time of salvation and enlightenment, not us) and the recent change of format and that pretty much sums up the lack of response.

My first thought was to link Mongo's statement to the three main Pirate boards but I thought better of it. I mean, I ain't trying to open a can of worms for Mongo given the history of the last four years. Linking this thread would be TOO easy. Mongo, I accept your "Come to Jesus" post at face value. And I'll consider it heartfelt and sincere until given a reason not to think so. But quite frankly, that threshold is going to be pretty thin. But you and I know there are many who won't be as forgiving. And some will never forgive. So be it. It's part of the price you pay for past choices.

With that said, might I offer a really tough suggestion to "make right as possible" the decisions of the past which you seem to be seeking atonement for? Send your above post or another with the same sentiments to the webmasters of those three sites and ask for your statement to be posted. Tell them you are not asking to respond but to simply make the statement. I'm sure there would be the mother of all threads on each board, but it would certainly prove one thing. It takes a big man to admit his mistakes, and an even bigger one to do so publically. It may rile some people up, but it may mend some fences as well. Your call man.

I wish the past four years would not have been what they have been for you and ECU. To this day I still believe the old SNB board was the greatest ECU board ever. It was a really special place with a great group of posters. I mean, it had it all. And it was at its peak when all this happened. It's a shame. No telling how much bigger it could have gotten. But that's ancient history now.

Things are looking up for ECU now. Glad you re-joined the PC, no matter what level. Buy those season tickets too! If ECU grads don't support ECU, who will? I still say the best is yet to happen at ECU. She has not fulfilled her destiny yet.

Crown*

But OTM is, if anything, a lurker here

I would guess he has read it. I doubt he is ready to open mouth kiss Mongo but it is a step in the right direction. Mongo will know if his attonment is genuine when on September 8th we beat Unc-Ch in Greenville. If he feels total euporia and satisfaction after that win, then he will know that he is cured from the baby blue curse.

Rooting for UNC is like being an alcoholic in that you are always an alcoholic. You have to take it one day at a time and if need be call a Pirate buddy in moments of weakness paticularly around March Madness.

Mongo - apology accepted.

Hey look, it's PPE!

Where?

It's getting close to football season, so it's about to climb out of the hole I've been in since our little trip to Birmingham.

So Mongo you never told us how it felt to watch ECU beat UNC. Did you swell up with pride or did you feel like you just cheated on your wife??

The prodigal son has come home. You can go home again despite what that Tarhole Thomas Wolf wrote. I can't believe I missed this post for so many months. Must be because this board is shockingly not deceased.