First of all, I've got to give credit to Punk for updating the homepage constantly. While they are usually a bit short, they make for an enjoyable read, even for one who has pretty much already read the content ( as it's from the forum ) as the spin he put on them is funny. Still, my advice would be to put the real names of the users you quote, or at least a credible nom de plume. From someone on the outside if you read that the fightbeat pannel consist of cdogg, Xplosive, mexicanweeding shirt,... at best it doesn't look credible, at worst, it make us looks like full blown retards (and before someone get his panty wet, it's not an attack on the 3 I named, my username ain't better ) Another one would be to start topic as open question, and mention to the users to ellaborate a little bit more than usual. Nothing to big but just put some meat around the witty one liner. You pick the best, put an introduction in the like of : Today we asked 3 boxing experts what do they think about Cortez retirement, too soon or too late ? and voila, it's an article who looks serious if we put our''creditential'' ( for example, Reed is a top notch Dallas based matchmaker, cdogg an accomplished historian of irish boxing ... )
Yeah I'm pretty busy with work and kids so I usually take a max of 10 mins to write an article, hence them being short - I totally use a formula like this; Title Pose the question/issue For and against arguments "Read More" button Give the answer from the panel Cue panel quotes for and against Sum up. Link to forum Plus we get a couple of articles here and there from some Irish lads that TKO tracked down. As for your suggestion of using names - not sure about that, I like the idea of a mythical "FightBeat Expert panel" consisting of a bunch of unknown drunk typists and I'll bet no one wants their real names used. Interesting suggestion though. Maybe if everyone decides on their alias to be used, I could do that instead? And for threads used for articles, I've actually started a couple of threads purely for home page content - but it could be expanded further using polls etc Now I think of it, I might put up a Cortez article ::
The best way for forum members to help this place (apart from being nicer to noobs ::) is to share the homepage content on their Facebook feeds when it comes up, like the articles, comment on the Facebook posts etc etc. The viral nature of Facebook can be huge when everyone has a few hundred friends who see that you've liked an article. I don't think that many members here even 'like' the FightBeat Facebook page - you should, no one can see who you are unless you comment or like a post anyway. https://www.facebook.com/pages/FightBeatcom/115195665184330
On second thought, you're probably right. The way you're doing it now, without naming any alias is probably the best answer. Just that before, it sounded to casual imo when you listed the username of every quote you took from the forum
these new articles are the way to go make them controversial and slip them into other forums to piss off their fanboys
I dig Azazel's suggestions, but I also think what Punk is getting at, a ridiculous, mythical panel of experts, is the way to go. I love the way it's presented I also love that the articles contain the real mocking, sarcastic, hater angle. It's refreshing to read that instead of what other sites put up... boring, cliched "reports" written largely by people who, for very good reasons, don't make a living as journalists.
the site really doesnt need much inproving.. it is the best site in the history of the world already! i think tags should be more used..
When someone attacks my username it makes me a sad panda :Boo: But yeah, I love Punk's absurd articles, they suit Fightbeat. Fightbeat needs to be different, we should make the articles as absurd or controversial as possible.
how about a series of over the top articles throughout the build up to Golota-Bowe III be the only boxing OR pro wrestling website on the internet to give full coverage and be so enthusiastic about the event
I agree with others.. the articles are awesome. i love including the forums thoughts... saying that martinez dropped like a attractive metrosexual or whatever.. LOL also agree with over the top articles on stupid things like Bowe-golata.. i think you should let me write an article or two.. that would probably really really help the site
Nut sacks will roll, cup protectors will die, scrotum's will be split in two, hungry wolves will clean up the remains. ray:
Fightbeat should turn into the ONION of boxing......NOBODY cares about boxing NEWS....boxing NEWS made up of satire and comedy....GOLD!!!...
Most of the articles for Bowe Golota need to talk about the back story involving Polish underworld/chicks and an in depth analysis of the outfits they may be wearing. Hanzy we really need a fight poster with them wearing gay WWE outfits!