Sphinn, is a search engine industry social news and networking site. It was started by Danny Sullivan. Sphinn has its fans and its critics.
Speaking of critics! You might recognize the names Matt Cutts, John Chow and Andy Beard. These three men have their fans and their critics.
For those who don’t know Matt Cutts works for Google, specializing in search engine optimization issues. Matt Cutts, has drawn an immediate fan base of active readers of his blog. I often read his blog. Who wouldn’t like Matt? Well not everyone is a fan of Google’s Matt Cutts.
Speaking of Matt, someone recently photoshopped Matt in a photo parody. Now you can download Matt as Wallpaper to your desktop (Just Google Matt Cutts the enforcer).
John Chow is well known for his make money blog. Some people love John and others have issues with him. Someone even suggested that you should kick John Chow to the curb. I’m not a huge fan of John’s, but he has his place on the net.
Why am I mentioning John Chow and Matt Cutts? Well when you are a big name you’re going to have those who like you and those who don’t. That’s acceptable, right?
With that said – I’m not a fan of Andy Beard.
Andy Beard has a nitche marketing blog. Andy had a loyal group of followers. I’m one person who does not like Andy for a few reasons. Recently on Sphinn I stated that I did not like him and called him a Blog Catalog guppy. I felt my comment was relevant to the discussion, but some saw it as a personal attack.
Maybe I was a little out of line, but I was no more out of line then Greg Boser who started a discussion on Sphinn regarding the service needing a Dumbass Button. Greg Boser and others refer to me as a dumb ass.
Let it be noted that discussion was started because I called Andy Beard a blog catalog guppy.
People certainly have the right to their opinion though some may see calling me a dumb ass as disrespectful. Wait- some people did!
KnightCrawler states
“Rose — I don’t know who you are, but this thread and the related one caught my eye. I am surprised to hear that you were edited for being disrespectful and yet a post such as the one submitted by someone called TheSearchBuzz called, “Why Sphinn Needs A Dumbass Button,” where the author’s (someone named Greg Boser) target was you, was strangely deemed respectful.”
I don’t understand it either. Favoritism perhaps?
Halfdeck states
“Rose crossed the line by launching personal attacks against Andy Beard. But calling Rose a dumbass using a dumbass button – even if she is a dumbass – is just as lame as the initial flame.”
I requested that Danny Sullivan step in as he was the one who stated I was being disrespectful and edited my post.
Danny states,
“To be specific, the article Greg wrote was about wanting a dumbass button, not that you in particular are a dumbass. Still, allow? If he came over in and in conversation with you said you were a dumbass, no. If he weren’t to have just called you — and you alone — a dumbass, yes. So yes, I’m leaving this thread alone.”
Not so Danny! He was calling me a dumb ass and it was pointed out to you by myself and other members.
Danny further states
“You miss the point, by the way. It makes no difference to me if he was calling you that on the post or not. At this point, things have been stirred up enough that I’ve asked everyone to start afresh.”
So Danny does not care if a user called me a Dumb ass or not yet he cares that I called Andy a guppy.
Part of Sphinn’s guidlines is to “Be respectful and polite.”
Is calling someone a dumb ass polite or respectful?
What is more damaging? Dumb ass or guppy?
Aaron Chronister the madd hatter states
“Kudos to Boser for calling her a Dumbass and echoing the need for a bury/lame/idiot button on Sphinn.”
So I was referred to as a dumbass on Sphinn and that is ok, but don’t call Andy Beard a guppy because that is disrespectful and his followers and loyal fans will blog about how you are a dumb ass. Wow!
I guess some even feel that it is ok for Andy to go into a discussion on Sphinn about BlogCatalog and tell Shawn that his time would be better spent elsewhere. You are not winning brownie points there Andy.
Andy states,
“Maybe your time would be more productively spent worrying about why people’s profiles on MyBlogLog link all the time to porn and warez – the “what is hot in my community “links.”
The same can certainly be said to Andy who spends his time trying to debunk my posts or anyones posts about BlogCatalog.
Oh well, I guess I have ruffled the feathers of some Sphinn members. Opps, me bad! ( I got that line from my daughter.)
FlyingRose says,
“Anyone who speaks their truth must get used to dodging arrows. Since it is clearly IMPOSSIBLE to make everyone happy, you may as well please yourself.”
Rose makes a good point. There is certainly nothing I can do about my comment, so now I’m still dodging arrows in blog posts and I’m advising myself to stay clear away from guppies and Sphinn, because after all I’m just the dumb ass that called Andy Beard a Guppy.
What do you think?
If you liked this post, why not buy me a coffee?
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15 responses so far ↓
Wrote: Sep 14, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Just to clarify, my comment on it not being disrespectful wasn’t referring to the same photo you are talking about now, I was talking about the post I did… however, even the one making fun of Matt (which has to do with Google’s misguided crusade against paid links) was more in line with acceptable that flat out calling someone “a BC Guppy with a brown nose”. I’m not sure why you cannot see the difference between the two.
Wrote: Sep 14, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Anytime you say anything that isn’t lavish praise for a big name, their loyal followers will jump all over you.
Since some people won’t lighten up, you just have to make the most of the publicity
Wrote: Sep 14, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Michael , to quote you again…….. “Obviously not everyone has a fully developed sense of humor. Some people even did call it lame. Doesn’t mean it is something worth getting all upset over though.”
A guppy is a small, brightly colored live-bearing freshwater fish. I called Andy a small, brightly colored live-bearing freshwater fish with a brown nose. Oh yes that was much more distrustful then any edited photo of Matt. Not!
Wrote: Sep 14, 2007 at 4:41 pm
Wow, you sure edited the hell out of what I posted, didn’t you? What I posted was definitely on topic. You are insulting someone for pointing out that you are wrong, on a topic that apparently you are clueless on. That makes the insult wrong regardless of the personality being insulted. Posting the background on what was said in the insult only makes sense.
Please revert my comment.
Wrote: Sep 14, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Sucker, it is said that there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
Wrote: Sep 14, 2007 at 7:49 pm
Now you get to see how the SEO ‘Inner Circle’ works.
Disrespect one, and the rest come out of the woodwork.
There are two tiers in the industry.
The “buddies” and “good ‘ol boys” and all the rest.
Wrote: Sep 14, 2007 at 8:35 pm
I don’t normally approve anon comments, but in this case I have made an exception to allow it.
Not everyone is a search engine optimization exspert. Some like to play with the big boys.
Not everyone can be on top and not everyone is going to be liked.
Inner circle is right. I’m glad that not everyone there was part of that circle.
Wrote: Sep 14, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Probably an accidental omission on your part, but I think you should probably make clear that the whole rigmarole did in fact start after you made the initial insulting remarks, don’t you? Or that the actual phrase you used was that he was “nothing more than a BC Guppy with a brown nose”?
Wrote: Sep 14, 2007 at 10:05 pm
The actual phrase I used was ““Ps: Andy I dislike you greatly. Everyone else might think that you are all that and a bag of cjips, but this lady here thinks you are nothing more than a BC Guppy.”
Notice it is word for word with typo and all.
I realize that this all started after I called Andy a BC Guppy. I never denied that, however that does not excuse the fact that Greg Boser’s comment was deemed respectful.
I’ll make sure to edit my original post to be more clear.
Wrote: Sep 15, 2007 at 12:46 am
Rose, I’m not sure why you think Danny didn’t respond properly to your complaint. I didn’t call you a dumbass on Sphinn. I called you a dumbass on my blog.
Wrote: Sep 15, 2007 at 1:40 am
Rose. What does it mean to call somebody a guppy? I have NEVER heard that expression
Wrote: Sep 15, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Rose, This whole exchange is so unfortunate.
Wrote: Sep 15, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Greg and I just banned your ass.
Carl – a guppy is slang for a gay yuppy – or a fish. In this case I was calling him an ass kissing fish.
Marty, yes it is. For the record I requested my account be deactivated & that he leave my discussions intact, so I don’t know what Danny was pulling with the “we have deactivated you bit.” However, I think my leaving was my best move. I had told Rose last week that I did not think Sphinn was for me. However, I’m fortunate to have met you & Rose there. Drop by anytime.
Wrote: Sep 18, 2007 at 1:11 am
Sigh. I think the problem was that Andy’s reply to the original blog post was a rational, well-argued point (note, i did not say correct, simply rational and well argued)… whereas your reply to his post was an unprovoked attack on his character.
The problem was that you got personal for no reason. Whereas you could have constructed a rational argument of your own, you instead chose to immediately jump in with a personal attack (and it was in a “ps” as well, which really did not add anything to the debate).
My 2c.
Wrote: Sep 18, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Matt, I noticed you did not say correct, and perhaps I was wrong to call him a guppy at Sphinn.
That does not excuse Greg Boser and others referring to me as a dumb ass or Michael VanDeMar calling me a phycho.
Michael VanDeMar has now gotten very person linking to a page where the person has harassed me for two years.
Michael VanDeMar has now made this very personal. Might I add that he also submitted his post to Sphinn.