The end of an era - Nick's Collingwood Page

[Spidergirl]

oh nah miss_magpie ppl will just stop e-mailing ya coz this page is closed!

???

[Mike]

magpie_russ
The Club used to provide us with unofficial assistance in the form of access to Club press releases, delivery of fan mail to players etc. John May, Richard Stremski and Karen Gilbert were all very supportive (Richard Stremski even took an active role on the bulletin board for a while until it became obvious that his presence was changing the the nature of the board and he withdrew). That changed with the new administration or the change to Sportsview, I'm not sure which. Since then they haven't wanted to know about us - and probably genuinely don't know about us.

Magpiera
I'll reply to you in a new topic. I need to discuss your proposal in more detail.

Clemo
One of the originals, been around for years. Clemo, it's been an honour to know you, you are truly one of the Collingwood faithful. I'm also going to miss your commentary as well.

Joffa
Thanks Joffa. I see your grief over the Club as a positive sign. We need to let go of the old Collingwood, grieve for it, and start again. I ascribe to the theory that the Club must die in order to survive. Let's face it today's Collingwood is very different to the suburban working class team that we (or at least I) grew up with. Volvos, Versace and the loss of VP have stripped away our connection with our roots and a total lack of performance has cut the connection to the 'glorious' past. Our past is glorious and always will be and Collingwood will always be Collingwood, but, as some have already said, Collingwood's future lies in our ability to draw the line and start again. We all know the feeling of 'Collingwood is Collingwood', but the performance orientated kids growing up today don't know it. Unless it moves forward Collingwood dies with us. Anyway - I digress...

CJ
It has been one of the hardest decisions I've ever made CJ. Even ignoring the loss of community, the site has been a part of our daily lives for so long that it has become a part of who we are. Nick has just turned 16, he had just turned 11 when he started with his first page. The site has existed for a third of his life and has become a part of his identity, it must seem to him as if it has always been there. So the decision to end it was not one that was taken lightly.

Fletch
Thanks Fletch. I'm sure we do love the Club more than the players do. Players these days can't afford the type of loyalty that we expect of them - they are professional footballers and career considerations conflict with club loyalty. The loss that I mourn is the loss of loyalty of the Club to its supporters - and that's what I mean by undeserved. I can totally identify with Alf's cynicism.

*miss_magpie*, ash, CQ, and michy
I'm going to respond to you as a group, because the five of you represent a larger group which arrived last season and totally changed the nature of the bulletin board. You dragged us, kicking and screaming, back into the real world and breathed new (but very different) life into the bb. Thank you.

Spidergirl
Although a part of the previous group, I need to single you out. This person barracks for 3 clubs (I think) other than Collingwood, is one of only two Collingwood people ever to be threatened with being barred from the bb for violence and has an attitude of "This is what I think and if you disagree you can go and get ****ed". You would think that she would be one of the most unwelcome people ever to arrive here. But Spidergirl, your love and knowledge of the Club and of football, your totally honest approach and the "take it as you ****ing get it" attitude have won me over and, I think, won a lot of others over as well.

Unfortunately, the private forums are part of the site and will go when the site does.

Broadie
Your post almost brought me undone.

To be totally honest, I was really pissed off at the lack of support for email@magpies.net. It was a reaction that I'm prone to - "If they don't value it enough to provide support when I need it, then what the **** am I doing?", and considering that I wanted the mail service to stand on its own two feet, one that was illogical. What that reaction provided was the catalyst I needed to push me into making the decision. It would have made a difference if that enterprise had been more popular, but I think any demand that is created now would be artificial and temporary. I have often considered paid membership of the Bulletin Board, but felt that it would destroy the nature of the board and probably cause its very rapid demise. Financial considerations (time and money) have been the biggest factor, but family pressures are also a significant contributor.

It is an ending and it is like losing old friends. Nick won't discuss it on here at the moment, but I'm sure he will respond before too long.

[Spidergirl]

aaawww! gee thanx---> hey and i fu@king did the most posts too !

how can we go without mentioning magpiera's constant copy pasting on here too hehe! ripping off the AFL site daily!

???

[Spidergirl]

Gotta say that u ppl on here have been the best i have come across on all the footy chat sites i am involved with. Very down to earth ppl unlike on many other sites like St.kilda who close their minds off to any1 like me with all my teams and different views etc etc. Other clubs can criticise Collingwood people all they want but at least we are not stuck up fu@ks, we see the real picture and hear what every1 has to say. So yeah we must make another BB to keep this going!

???

[joffa#2001]

Come on collingwood footy club

WE HAVE GIVEN YOU SO MUCH

WHY dont you finance this site

Dont laugh please i have just spent over 200 bucks on merchandise
for next season.

And i cant wait to see why you have again increased you membership cost for the season 2001

well this will prob be the very last post from me,

Beware collingwood do NOT take us for granted
we would run through brickwall after brickwall for YOU.

But that does not give you the right to treat us with contempt.

Why dont you give something back for once its obvious
you cant do it on the field.

And please take note we dont all drive volvos and wear versaci suits (good point mike)

A lot of us just struggle through in life with hope in our heart
that this once great club will return to greatness!!!

Take care everyone
seeyas all at the footy
joffa

[eMmA]

hey NICK & MIKE,
Thanx for a great site!!!

This was sooo cool to come and chat with others about the mighty pies and its sad to see it close.

you have done a fantastic job on this site,its the best ever!!!
i wish it didnt have to close down.......it shows that you are true collingwood supporters to put all the effort and hard work into this and i appreciate it.i still cant believe it!!!

WELL DONE NICK & MIKE-->yous rule!!!!

oh.....and remember I LOVE THE ROCCAS!!! LOL....and dont ever forget that..lol!!!!!!!

Love & Kisses
Emma

SAV IS SEXY-->36 UNTIL FOREVER-->ROCCA BROS ROCK MY WORLD!!!!!

[nikki]

Well done Nick and Mike, This page has been a true institution,, The people on here are one of a kind true magpie belivers, And now it is just gonna be sad not to have all the collingwood news to catch up on...
This has been a terrific site, and will be very muched missed.
Congrats once again.....

And thankyou.....


------------------
GO THE MIGHTY PIES
SAV & ANTHONY LEGENDS FOREVER!!!
GO ROGAN, JOSH YOUR MY HERO..

[London Dave]

Sad but not wholly unexpected news.

Thanks a heap to Mike and Nick who must have spent many many mostly thankless hours working on this. The club should at least give you an honorary Copeland or something.

For me this place is a bit of a lifeline to home, and keeps the Aussie in me going. I've spent the best part of 9 years away from home, and getting footy news was v. hard in the early days.

Mike and Nick, I s'pose its just my way of saying thanks to you two for keeping me (in)sane. Can't really thank you guys enough, and all the other DSL's and LMI's who have contributed here (sans Larry and his alter egos). If you ever make it over here, (or I make it to Tassie!) the first of several of your favourite tipples are definately on me!

Lets hope the spirit continues somewhere. If worst comes to the worst we could perhaps set up a 'Son of Nicks' with egroups or something of that ilk. Perhaps an e- booze up could be arranged to give the BB the send off it deserves. (But not for 2 weeks, I'm off the Germany for a little while).

Enough of my diatribe, thanks again to all of you!!!!!

P.S. Joffa, the tape saga...no luck through work but I have a new e- secretary service that promises to find anything, so it's their first test mate!

[rhain]

EVERYONE SIGN UP WITH MAGPIE MAIL TO KEEP NICKS PAGE ALIVE!!!!!!
WE CAN'T LET IT GO!

[Greg J]

Now its time,
to say good bye,
N-I-C-K, Why?

In case I do not get another chance, thanks Nick and Mike. there is no longer any reason to be lonely at the football again, if my friend Deano does not turn up, simply because I know where the people from this site sit (and drink).

Bringing the faithful together, I think that this is your major achievement lads. Good luck in your future endeavours. I (and Joffa) will continue to host Nick's BB reunions at the Cricketers. Drop in next time you are over for a game. It is easy to pick us, we are the loudest.

[^*Cl|T*^]

Thanks Mike, Nick n all u posters.

[AlfAndrews]

I've taken a long time to post something on this topic because I've been feeling a very real sense of shame at my own apathy and procrastination. I could tell when the Magpie Mail venture was set up that the site was in trouble but I did nothing about it. For a lousy 25 bucks I could've done my bit to keep this site up and running and I did nothing.

It would probably be a case of too little too late to cough up now. But if there is any chance of a change of heart on this I'd gladly commit to such a paltry sum of money to help maintain something as priceless as Nick's Collingwood Page.

I'm relatively new to this site. I only got internet access early this year and this was one of the first sites that I discovered. So, as well as being the last bastion of community in football, it has also been an important part of my education as an internet user.

One of the things I've noticed is that this site has been pretty much free of advertising. It's rare these days to find anything free of advertising. I despise advertising and commercialisation, but I guess that lack of advertising is the reason why the site has become ultimately unsustainable. You can't expect people to put time and energy (not to mention money) into something without some sort of financial compensation for their efforts. I know there's more to the site closing down than money. But I can't help thinking that if Nick and Mike were just a little bit greedy they might have had a nice little business venture here.

I've got no doubt that, with several thousand hits a day, this site is a valuable piece of cyber real estate. And I reckon there would have to have been a way of making it pay its way. I suppose that might have compromised the purpose of the site and turned it into just another shopping mall. I don't know. I've got no idea about business really. But surely anything getting as much traffic as this site must have some commercial potential.

This really is a very sad way to end a very sad year in Collingwood's history. We've seen the Club sink to new depths on the field. We've seen the demise of Hot Pies. And now Nick's Page is closing.

For me, this page was one of the very few highlights in a year that caused me more distress than any other footy season I've ever experienced.

This was an important outlet for me. I'm sorry if my negative ravings upset a few of you. But I really had to write about what I was feeling. I really had to get it out in the open or I just would not have been able to live with the pain. In a sense I could just about say that Nick's Collingwood Page saved my life. (the exaggeration is only very minor, believe me)



------------------
**floreat pica**

[TBirdsRGo]

>To date Magpie Mail has 4 subscribers

What happened to all you people?
When the idea was first put up there was numerous posts saying what a great idea it was and how they couldn't wait to get a magpies.net email address.

Oh well...it's all our loss.

Great job Nick and Mike...sorry to see it all end.

Thanx for keeping the Magpies Mail going. It is a great idea despite the lack of support it has got so far.

[London Dave]

Alf, bit like you mate in that I took a while to respond to this news. Advertising will not pay for the site, as its set to record if you buy anything after clicking etc, and one of the great things about this site was the lack of advertising. I think we respect the decision made about closure, and give the site the send off it deserves. I'm not trying to speak for Mike or Nick, but lets acknowledge that without their hard work, none of us would know of anyone else (or the existence of the mighty Millwall), and we have some kind of duty (?) to carry the torch on. With apologies to Pierre Salinger (I think)...

"The torch has passed to a new generation of cyber Magpies..."


I know egroups, whilst not as user friendly as this BB, is pretty low maintenence for the users, and free! Worth a thought.

As for a NBB send off...Can't say I'd be there in person, but I'll neck a few e-pints with yas as the site heads off on it's journey down the cyber Styx.

Off to the Oval on Saturday. I'll be cheering for the D's (is that OK Spidergirl???) and give y'all a wave! (If its on TV there)

Have a nice summer!!!!!

[joffa#2001]

Hey mike
Just like Alf i had my money for magpie e mail and was ready to send it but then i read the sad news that floored me, the closure of this site. Is there any way it can keep going we are like a family here.

I know sometimes we fight and carry on and act kinda weird
but it has been a way to let of steam.

Due to our piss insipid performances week after week this board has saved me from that dreaded padded cell.

pity the cells at the MCG are not padded...lol

Im hoping you are going to do a dame nelly melba!!!

And i wonder how many others who use this board and lamenting
the sudden news of its closure wre actually going to pay the
paltry sum of 25 bucks!!!!!!!

Ive still got my 50 bucks in front of me mike and im keepin it
aside in hope that this site will keep going.

What else can go wrong its all like one of those dirty stinken
horrible dreams and you wanna wake up but you cant.

Alf no need to apologise to any one mate
you are a nice guy and one of the great pleasures
was getting on here and reading what your latest gripe
would be.And i will never forget that game at colonial
when we all embraced at the final siren. So if anyone questions alf's love for collingwood take a hard long look at your selves!!

Greg- you pisspot!!