Picking up after yesterday's initial offering, here's the next installment of the mod mailbag. Enjoy!

How were you approached about moderator duties? What form of compensation, other than abuse, do you get?

FatPants:
Sometimes we realize we need more help and talk amongst ourselves who we think would be good. There have also been requests for volunteers in the past. We aren’t compensated,but Jason felt bad for us after having to mod through all the things that have happened this year and we have a code for a discount in the Dry Goods store.

Calpoppy:
I was asked after I had helped do some beta testing for the site. As a beta, I am a natural fit.

GrandTheftHarley:
The moderators generally look at a particular commentator's entries on threads, how they interact with other 11W members, and other vetting. Mods then discuss recruiting the prospect for the Squad. There's no monetary compensation, but a recent Christmas gift from Jason was welcomed.

Buckeye3M:
I believe I was the original "keep your enemy closer" mod. Jason Priestas emailed me and I said yes.

BeatTTUN:
FatPants emailed me and I said yes.

NavyBuckeye91:
I have no earthly idea. One day I got an email asking if I wanted to be a member of a secret society. After sending $100,000, my SNN and all my bank pins, I had mod powers.

BuckeyeChief:
A long time ago, Jason asked for volunteers, so I jumped at a chance to be more involved. I spent a LOT of time on the site and it gave me a way to stay connected to fellow fans.

KBonay:
I told Jason anyone but BeatTTUN. I guess he misread my email...

FatPants:
It’s worth mentioning Earle woke up with surprise mod powers. Where the hell is Earle anyway?

Earle:
I was beknighted unawares. I would not have asked, but I’m happy to serve.

Hovenaut:
True story - I had gotten into a back and forth with some rando way back in the day (pre-Tatum, he’s long gone) over my posting of a jiggly gif (of a woman disco dancing sans bra, wild times back then – not recommended now). He took issue with anything of that sort being posted on the site. The back and forth inspired me to walk the walk, so I reached out and volunteered. Haven't looked back - I feel it's my best opportunity to give back to both 11W and the OSU community.

Buckeye3M:
Let's leave jiggly gifs out of this...

Seattle Linga:
I was asked via email by our Commander-in-Chief Jason to be a part of the group to pledge. Calpoppy and I are in the same pledge class. Shockingly I was a little surprised to read all these responses to getting compensated – I guess I am the only one that’s still getting the monthly stipend.
 

Is there a hierarchy with the mods? Do they all work independently? I noticed that on one recent thread that had hundreds of responses before they all started disappearing that several mods were participating in the discussion for hours, then almost the entire comment thread was nuked.

FatPants:
There isn’t a hierarchy among us. We have a Slack channel that we use to communicate off the site. It’s possible that a mod can be active in a part of a thread without noticing the transgressions elsewhere in the comments, or a good thread can go bad, or the entire thing can die of downvotes. No matter the reason for the scenario described in the question, none of us have the authority (or desire) to override each other.

BeatTTUN:
I’m still FNG in the hierarchy. If a bunch of mods are active in a thread it means we are watching you. Once it goes too far off the rails then we nuke it from space since it’s the only way to be certain. If you were active in a thread and read some hot takes that you know stepped way over the line then you should understand why it got nuked. Don’t worry though because the hot takers will hop into another thread with similar comments.

Earle:
Honestly, I defer to some of the more seasoned mods, and those who have more modly characteristics than myself, but there’s not a pecking order, per se.

Buckeye3M:
I think the universal trait we share is deference to those who came before us. Somewhere in that group, is the mod who threw our name out for consideration to join this group, and we respect that. Except for Calpoppy, we still talk shit about him when he's not around.

BeatTTUN:
Having Slack does help. I check Slack before going onto 11 Warriors. If nothing new is in I know I don't have to go reading through threads to find rascals.

GrandTheftHarley:
What you guys have all said. And a shout out to Seattle Linga. He initially invited me to help mod, and then found we share a connection with the El Paso/ Las Cruces corridor. Might add that a mod response to a thread may be swift or slow, individually or en masse. We work independently and cooperatively to arrive at a course of action. If there's a hitch, the final vote goes to The Boss.

Seattle Linga, come visit when you come back off vacation!

Seattle Linga:
I’m off vacation but without power. Lineman are working round the clock to replace old poles with new ones. No WiFi yikes !! – Tagging in here to confirm what every other MOD has said, howevermost of us run some back channel discussion with the entire group before we flat out nuke a post/comment.

Hovenaut:
There's uniformity, enough back channel dialogue here to where I think we collaborate effectively and represent the proper intent on-site. We all can be better, and I'm looking in the mirror.

Calpoppy:
1st part of question: Well, CalPoppy is the coolest moderator from the area north of Central Valley California and south of the Oregon border. We don’t really have hierarchy. The OG mods are BuckeyeChief and RBuck. We have had mods come and go.

2nd part of question: Some moderating is easy. You have prohibited language (such racist or extremely sexist language) that you can delete right away. Other times specific commenters are spamming the site, and those are removed. There are other comments or topics that we might talk about a little more and attempt a consistent response. However, we all have different ideas, and let each moderator do what they see as just.

NavyBuckeye91:
Is there a hierarchy? Only in the minds of the commentariat. We try our best to speak with one voice.
 

What is your advice with trolls? I’m sure a lot of us suspect that certain posters are imposters, fans of other teams only here to start trouble.

BeatTTUN:
Don't feed them.

Buckeye3M:
Ignore them.

GrandTheftHarley:
Toll 'em.

It seems that there is always at least one mod on duty all the time. How much time in your week does serving as a moderator require?

FatPants:
There’s no set requirement, we just do our thing as we’re on the site.

BeatTTUN:
No set requirements. Time moderating articles and threads varies based on the topic and Dubbers ability to adhere to Eleven Warriors commenting policy.

BuckeyeChief:
I don't count time, but I also don't comment as much as I used to. I am on the site everyday though.

NavyBuckeye91:
How much time? A whole lotta time. Too much time if you ask our brides. It’s probably how we became mods. The only time we tend to specify “duties” or workload is really on football game days. That’s when things are the busiest. Usually, all or most of us active those days to keep live threads safe, and help to prevent site overload with multiple, duplicate, needless threads from being started.

GrandTheftHarley:
There's at least two mods who live in each time zone, so that helps account for our seeming omnipresence. There's also a few of us who are retired and can spend a bit more time on site. But the busiest part of the job naturally happens during the football and basketball seasons.

Buckeye3M:
What they said.

Hovenaut:

"How much time in your week does serving as a moderator require?"

*2020 offseason bar chart enters the chat*

Calpoppy:
When we want to and when we can.

Seattle Linga:
I really enjoy game day when we sift through the regular open threads. You’d not believe some of the comments we delete. Lastly- being here on the West Coast gives me an opportunity to approach moderating from a different perspective.

Ginger or Mary Ann? Veronica or Betty? Will Braxton ever throw again?

BuckeyeChief:
Mary Ann, #TeamVeronica, and no.

BeatTTUN:
Mary Ann. Which one had the dark hair? Yes, just not for the Buckeyes.

NavyBuckeye91:
Mary Ann.
Betty - she was the OG. Veronica came to the party late.
No.

GrandTheftHarley:
Ginger and Betty. Have always had a weakness for redheads and blondes. XBrax doesn't need to throw again. His legs oughta be insured, tho.

Buckeye3M:
Mary Ann, Veronica, no - but that should be a poll question.

This ends Part 2 of the Mod Mailbag. Tune in tomorrow for the exciting conclusion of the Mod Mailbag.

Same Mod channel. Same Mod time...