Wordsmith Entry G

By Wordsmith Entry G
January 23 2007

Once upon a time an insouciant young man had a dream to create a rugby message board of virtu. A message board that contained no apocryphal articles or postings and that would not be a travail but a labour of love. It would provide an outlet for all the robustious youth in the Parish and help efface the tedium of their day to day lives.

 

For several years this nascent community thrived. No-one could be accused of perfidy nor machination and never a pule was heard when the discussion became heated. Although posters came and went the young man’s efforts were not bootless. The board won no trophies but it could be seen that a club spirit would inhere. The board was established as one of the top three in the premiership.

 

So fast forward to the present day. Only one trophy for a board that has been at the top now for several years. Rumours of cliques developing. A star poster who could answer any question by swift referral to his vade mecum has been let go after accusations of supposititious and lascivious postings. And who can forget the incident at Reading when the poster known for his gambling was observed gambolling in the grass and mooing like a piebald cow !

 

Some say there is not enough being done to develop young posters because we hold onto the older ones too long; one poster whose prescient was renowned can no longer foresee what day the next match is being played on. Some say it is the influx of foreign posters; turgid postings concerning manual dexterity and Russian politics for example. Others blame the influx of flibbertigibbets who refuse to take any subject too seriously and will never make the grade, leading to a mass clearout of posters every season.

 

So what is the answer ? How do we stanch the flow of promising young posters to other boards. How can even the most argus –eyed editor manage the egos and cliques that now exist ?

 

Perhaps the answer lies with the governing body. Restrict the internet to ten rugby message boards and sell the franchises thereby retaining total control of all the posters. Only allow young English posters who can then progress to the national message board when they are good enough. That will clean everything up.

 

Unfortunately it will also remove all the diversity, debate, disagreements, genuine humour and individuality from the system and it would all become very boring.