How to be a Guru.......post 20K...somebody stop me! - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Drbio · 09-29-2003, 10:34 PM

What is a Guru?

Is this a Guru?

Websters dictionary includes the following entries for Guru:

gu·ru n. pl. gu·rus

1. Hinduism & Tibetan Buddhism. A personal spiritual teacher.

2. A teacher and guide in spiritual and philosophical matters.

3. A trusted counselor and adviser; a mentor.

4. A recognized leader in a field.

5. An acknowledged and influential advocate, as of a movement or idea.

We can safely eliminate #1 above. The last time I checked, I was neither Hindu nor Tibetan, although I am occassionally a spiritual teacher, it just doesn't fit here at the great d-m.com. #2 above has potential. I like that one. I can be spiritual and philosophical and have a fairly wide grasp of pertinent issues regarding both areas. #3 fits at home and at work. I mentor several employees on my staff. I counsel them and my family. I like that one too. #4 fits. As the head of my department I have mastered a wide variety of issues and concepts affecting the daily operations of a large organization. That one is fine too. #5? With modesty intact, I say it fits as well. The analysis here is mine. It isn't meant to be self serving or whatever. It is just reflective.

SO can we use Websters definition of a Guru to answer the question, "What is a guru at d-m.com?" Maybe. Partially. But clearly it does not capture the essence of a Guru at this site. The simple...and most accurate...response to the question posed above is this......to be a Guru you must participate and enjoy this great site.

D-M.com is a place that I enjoy very much. To be a Guru you must enjoy the site. You must also be willing to put your thoughts out there for others to see and digest. You must be willing to be criticisized and/or supported. You must be willing to have folks add to your thoughts while considering the new information thoughtfully. Sure, we can dismiss the idiots...and there are plenty of them that show up over the course of the year. However, they can keep you sharp. They do inspire somewhat a commitment to thought. They provide an opportunity to blaze them with intelligence at their every ignorant turn. But trolls and dunderpates do not define the site even though at times it seems that we get our fair share. The good posters do. You must engage those good posters not only in debate, but in casual conversation. Although pm's do not count towards post counts (which ultimately defines a guru here) you must be willing to engage others in behind the scenes conversation. It is quite often the most rewarding conversation you will have during your stay at D-M.com.

Being a Guru here means that you are willing to engage in the controversial threads. Don't be afraid to jump in and tell it like it is. Sure someone won't agree with you, but certainly someone else will. Some of our best threads were those in which multiple points of view were presented during intelligent (if not heated) conversation. At the end of the day, we can all agree on one thing....that the Mavericks kick ass.

Being a Guru here means that you must be willing to spend some time in the Gameday threads. If you feel like yelling "Hell yeah!" when Mike Finley jumps out of the gym and posterizes an opponent.......then do it with a post in the thread. The rest of us are probably yelling the same thing. We will appreciate your passion and interest in the thread. By all means provide thoughtful analysis, but be ready to defend it. We have some uber-intelligent posters here who know their basketball. But don't let that intimidate you. Don't allow that to prevent you from sharing your thoughts. Just have a basis. If it turns out that you type something in the heat of the moment and it is silly....then big deal. It was silly. We've all done it.

Being a Guru here means that you answer questions that may be posed to you. Don't ignore other posters if they ask you a question. Give them an answer. If it needs to go to pm, fine, but at least give them the courtesy of a reply. You may find that some great conversations are waiting to be uncovered in a simple reply.

Being a Guru here means engaging each other in conversation. I truly enjoy a large number of our posters. Sure, the idiots can annoy, but talking to many of you make it all worthwhile. I've gotten to know about many of your families, many of your hardships and highlights. We've shared our thoughts, our concerns, our emotions, our moves, our jobs, and so much more. Many of you are good friends. I met MFFL on a trip to Dallas last year. I've narrowly missed meeting others. I look forward to meeting more of you. I would give a lot more examples, but I cannot possibly give credit, praise and thanks for everyone that deserves it and I do not want to accidentally leave anyone out. But know that I appreciate a vast majority of you and wish you well.

Being a Guru at this site means a lot. Ultimately it means that I have a crapload of posts. However, to define my title of Guru by a post count is disingenuous at best. Those posts represent an interaction with some fine people. Some of them represent interactions with morons. Mostly, they represent a very enjoyable past couple of years (I too lurked for a while before posting). When someone dogs on me for my post count, I just laugh for they have no idea how much fun I have had here.

Being a Guru means being active. Nothing more nothing less. It is not a title of power. It is not an entitlement. It is an indication of participation. Does it mean that someone with 100, 1000, 5000 posts isn't active? Of course not. It just means that someone with 10K or 20K was overly active. Mostly it means to me that I have had the opportunity to spend some time with some quality folks.

As I typed this, I tried to think back over some of the threads that were contributors to 20K posts. The Darlie Routier thread, the Word Association Thread, the Gameday threads, the Jay Harp is Gay threads, etc etc etc. Perhaps the most important thread was the first one I finally posted in. It started something fun. Don't let anyone tell you that you are post padding if you play in the big threads as long as you are having fun. Don't post just to post for numbers. That is not being a good steward of your opportunity here. But don't avoid posting if you are truly having a good time and are contributing.

I don't know how murph feels about being a guru, but he was guru #2. MFFL will undoubtedly be guru #3. MFF probably will be #4. The Guru ranks will increase over time. I will welcome each one intothe fraternity. But, if you never make it to Guru, don't fret. Thanks for contributing to the site.

That's all of my thoughts right now. Maybe these few thoughts off the top of my head will inspire a new conversation. I hope so. I'm off to get another brewski. Today was a hard day. But, at the end of the day, I had my friends, my staff, my family, and my d-m.com buds to fall back on. Each one in their own way can change the bad days to good. Thanks to my fellow D-M.com posters. Thanks to my favorite franchise, the Dallas Mavericks. Let the season begin. I look forward to seeing you in the forums.

Now I am off for 30K. Catch me if you can. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Doc

XERXES · 09-29-2003, 10:35 PM

Enlighten me, Doc.

Drbio · 09-29-2003, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: XERXES
Enlighten me, Doc.

Climb the mountain and I shall pass on my wisdom.

ames7 · 09-29-2003, 10:40 PM

Nice post, Doc. Show us the way. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Psychedelic Fuzz · 09-29-2003, 10:42 PM

I feel priviledged just to bask in the glow of your wisdom, [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

MFFL · 09-29-2003, 10:50 PM

Great post doc.

And you'll make 30K before there are 10 gurus.

MavsFanFinley · 09-29-2003, 11:07 PM

Congrats Doc !!

You'll reach 30,000 before I reach Guru.

LRB · 09-29-2003, 11:52 PM

Time to get a new keyboard Doc. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Just211 · 09-30-2003, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out Qmoronfan. You obviously don't understand football or the concept being espoused. Feel free to leave at any time. idiot.

being a guru means making worthless posts like this, attacking certain posters time and time again for no real reason.
being a guru means not getting critized for these kind of posts, and sadly, usually being encouraged.
being a guru means thinking you're above other people because you have more time at your computer to pad your post count

yep, you're a GURU [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Drbio · 09-30-2003, 12:25 AM

Just211- of course you are wrong. Thanks for ruining the thread though. It's ok. We all know you only come here to whine. Thanks for adding one more post to the total. If you truly would take the time to read and comprehend all of Qtardfans posts you wouldn't be so quick to throw stones, which is ironic since the majority of your posts usually bash murphy3 or someone else. Oh well.

Novice#41 · 09-30-2003, 01:50 AM

you really cannot give us the formula for success.
but you can give us the formular for failure.
It's this: try to please everyone all the time [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img].

glad to have you around, Doc !

[img]i/expressions/sun.gif[/img]

Murphy3 · 09-30-2003, 08:20 AM

it appears that someone in this thread isn't a big fan of gurus

ItalianMobbstah187 · 09-30-2003, 08:59 AM

Congrats Doc on 20K....you helped to answer all of my questions when I first joined the site, and I appreciate that coming from you....The #1 Guru!!

Cheers,
The Mobbstah

irontoad · 09-30-2003, 09:22 AM

Awesome, Doc!

kg_veteran · 09-30-2003, 10:03 AM

Congrats Doc.

Drbio · 09-30-2003, 11:13 AM

Thanks.

Novice- that cartoon brightened my day. Thanks. I needed it. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Chiwas · 09-30-2003, 11:17 AM

20,000!

It has to be an All Forums record.

Keep the good (only [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] ) threads and posts coming, doc.

[img]i/expressions/beer.gif[/img]

Nicky31 · 09-30-2003, 11:33 AM

Congrats!

Cheers Doc!!

[img]i/expressions/wine.gif[/img]

Wisdom and understanding both age like fine wine...

OutletPass · 09-30-2003, 03:22 PM

34 posts a day...and I don't even know 34 words !!!! You are a weiner, Doc !!!!

Congrats, my friend...and keep slapping that bitch !

Rod1975 · 09-30-2003, 04:02 PM

How to be a guru 101:
1)post twice or thrice when only once will do
2)chime in on every thread whether you care about the subject or not
3)participate incessantly in post-padding threads
4)create rivalries and animosity for more post counts
5)make an *occasional* quality post to keep credibility
*6)participate heavily in game-day threads

recipe for anyone to be a guru on this site [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

edit: murph's suggestion sounds good

Murphy3 · 09-30-2003, 04:08 PM

actually, the recipe for becoming a guru is quite simple

1) participate heavily in game-day threads

mavsfanforever · 09-30-2003, 05:43 PM

Doc, this is a great post.

LRB · 09-30-2003, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Murphy3
actually, the recipe for becoming a guru is quite simple

1) participate heavily in game-day threads

Bingo!!! Give the man a cigar.
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

veruca salt · 09-30-2003, 06:33 PM

but but....if your title doesn't change, what's the point.
Doc puts in the hard yards, gets another 10 000..and he's still a lame old "guru"
Guru is old news...he's been there, done that..give that man a....double guru (that was SERIOUSLY
the best i could come up with, can i get "lamer" writen under my name?? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]).

Anyhooooo

Just211 · 09-30-2003, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Drbio
Just211- of course you are wrong. Thanks for ruining the thread though. It's ok. We all know you only come here to whine. Thanks for adding one more post to the total. If you truly would take the time to read and comprehend all of Qtardfans posts you wouldn't be so quick to throw stones, which is ironic since the majority of your posts usually bash murphy3 or someone else. Oh well.

doc, please don't accuse me of bashing posters. Take your own advice and read some more posts before you make a comment like that. I can honestly remember bashing Murph once, and i don't think that qualifies as a majority.
and i really didn't want to make the first reply, but i got a little tired of seeing some decent threads ruined by your obsession with attacking your two favorite prey.

Drbio · 09-30-2003, 11:17 PM

Then don't read them. Feel free to pass over my posts anytime Just211.

I love veruca salt. She has 2000 posts. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Just211 · 09-30-2003, 11:20 PM

doc, it just not your post. it's the next 50 posts that are just ya'll three bickering. It'd just seem like one of you could rise above that kind of stuff.

LRB · 09-30-2003, 11:22 PM

Doc are you sick? You hit 20,000 posts back on Monday, and yet you're only up to 20,029? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

OzMavs · 10-01-2003, 07:03 AM

Well done Doc. The sole reason why i don't post too much is because you have said it first!