What is a Forum Troll?

[Hockeybuckeye]

This topic came up on Ohio State's thread so I thought to get other members opinions.
From my perspective a troll is someone who is rude or arrogant on a thread that is not their own teams.
Thoughts?

 

[robertearle]

Borrowing and tweaking from Potter Stewart (on a different topic): You know it when you see it.

 

[Still Eeyore]

The standard definition is someone who makes arguments that they don't actually believe, in order to get a reaction from other people. I, for instance, am a pedantic jack***, but I'm not a troll.

 

[Puckluck89]

The standard definition is someone who makes arguments that they don't actually believe, in order to get a reaction from other people. I, for instance, am a pedantic jack***, but I'm not a troll.

I agree with this one. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and there are definitely coaches I don't like. If I state my opinion on a thread for that team, that doesn't make me a troll. It may not be the nicest thing to do, but I'm not a troll.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

I agree with this one. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and there are definitely coaches I don't like. If I state my opinion on a thread for that team, that doesn't make me a troll. It may not be the nicest thing to do, but I'm not a troll.

My issue isn't with opinions that don't align with mine but comments that are accusations that aren't able to be verified or substantiated.

 

[Steamboat]

My issue isn't with opinions that don't align with mine but comments that are accusations that aren't able to be verified or substantiated.

That reminds me of a notorious instigator that used to frequent this site. Rumor has it that USCHO banned him from the forum.

 

[Still Eeyore]

My issue isn't with opinions that don't align with mine but comments that are accusations that aren't able to be verified or substantiated.

These can be a problem, though there are a lot of people who go way overboard in their arguments that nothing unsubstantiated should ever be brought up (especially since some of those same people are prone to passing on third hand rumors themselves). But it's a different problem. Extending the definition of "troll" to encompass all internet discourse that we dislike devalues the language. By making it mean everything, you make it mean nothing.

 

[Puckluck89]

My issue isn't with opinions that don't align with mine but comments that are accusations that aren't able to be verified or substantiated.

But what can be verified or substantiated? Sometimes people don't like someone but it's not because of anything that has happened to them first hand. I don't like Christian Laettner. I've never met him. I don't know anyone who knows him. But I don't like him. That doesn't make me a troll. (by the way, great 30 for 30 if you haven't watched that - most everything we thought we knew about him was wrong)

I may not like a certain coach because he seems to have an attitude. Is that first hand? Maybe I just saw a video of him at a bad moment - which we all have - but my opinion is now that he's a cocky coach who doesn't care about his players. Or maybe I heard from a friend who heard from a friend that a certain coach was rude to her daughter. Is that first hand? No way. Again, could have been a bad moment. That's what comes from being in the public eye. That's not a troll. A troll is someone who says something they don't necessarily believe just to start an argument or to bug someone. In my opinion.

 

[Timothy A]

That reminds me of a notorious instigator that used to frequent this site. Rumor has it that USCHO banned him from the forum.

Pokechecker?