The Most Important Post to Date for PonyFans.com

[Webmaster]

PonyFans:

Awhile back, when I announced our affiliation with SportsWar, I mentioned some upcoming "pilot" campaigns that would help us sign long-term sponsorship deals, which in turn will help us both grow and improve the content and coverage we provide -- all while maintaining the FREE nature of PonyFans. But we need your help to make these pilot campaigns succeed.

Now's the time to get your game face on!!

Lowe’s Home Improvement
Lowe's is running a very cool NCAA Final Four "Cut Down The Nets" promotion that provides every Lowe's customer the opportunity to win a trip for you and three guests for five days and four nights to the 2008 NCAA Men's Final Four tournament.

Our job is to promote awareness of this exciting opportunity by driving people to the web page Lowe's has set up to provide all the details on how you can participate. When it comes to showing support for Lowe's introductory sponsorship of PonyFans, this one's a lay-up. All you have to do is click any of the Lowe's banners, skyscrapers, message board promos (the posts at the top of our boards) and/or links on the sponsor’s page for details.

Or, to make it really easy, you can just click http://www.sportswar.com/sponsors/lowes/

There's another way we can get feedback to Lowe's and convince them of the power of our community. You can tell them in your own words how much you value the investment they are making in PonyFans.com. If you've got a Lowe's story, feedback or commentary about Lowe's Home Improvement, or just a simple "thanks," email it to us at by clicking [email protected] and we'll put the emails together and pass them on to Lowe's.

Allstate Insurance
Allstate insurance wants you to know that they forgive you. Actually, not yet, but they will as soon as you sign up for their new Your Choice Auto-Accident forgiveness program. Allstate is excited to be the newest PonyFans sponsor. All they are asking from you is to click any of the banners, skyscrapers, sponsor text message and/or links on the sponsor’s page, check out their new Your Choice Auto program and get a quick, free quote.

Or, to make it really easy, you can just click http://www.allstate.com/landingpages/pc_auto.aspx

It is time to let Allstate Insurance know that they are in good hands with PonyFans.com.

There's another way we can get feedback to Allstate and convince them of the power of our community. You can tell them in your own words how much you value the investment they are making in PonyFans. If you've got an Allstate story, feedback or commentary about Allstate Insurance, or just a simple "thanks," email it to us at by clicking [email protected] and we'll put the emails together and pass them on to Allstate.

[Longtime]

It really disappoints me that you would associate with something called SportsWar.

What an inconsiderate name.

I don't care if "War" is short for something else or how the name was derived, there's nothing sporting about war. Until they change the name, I will not support any of their efforts.

[Silk]

Then by all means:

Don't wear Underarmor
Don't fight pests by "bombing" your home
Don't ride a bullet train on your next trip to Japan
Don't wear any camouflage on your next hunting trip

I don't mean to make light of your stance -- you're exactly right that there IS nothing sporting about war. But it's simply a network of websites. To say this is a mountains-to-molehills thing is an understatement.

[smu diamond m]

Then by all means:

Don't wear Underarmor
Don't fight pests by "bombing" your home
Don't ride a bullet train on your next trip to Japan
Don't wear any camouflage on your next hunting trip

I don't mean to make light of your stance -- you're exactly right that there IS nothing sporting about war. But it's simply a network of websites. To say this is a mountains-to-molehills thing is an understatement.

Mountains out of molehills?

[SMUguy]

Yup - right around the time the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.

[smu diamond m]

Yup - right around the time the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.

Stalin and his sneaky tactics...

[Longtime]

[quote="Silk"]Then by all means:

Don't wear Underarmor
Don't fight pests by "bombing" your home
Don't ride a bullet train on your next trip to Japan
Don't wear any camouflage on your next hunting trip

quote]

Those are all military/weaponry terms that have seeped into common language. You're right, it's impossible to avoid all allusions to war, or at least militaristic terms.

However, "SportsWar" is an invented name. The company could have chosen any name it wanted and it chose this one. It's offensive and careless.

You say it's molehills to mountains, I say it's apples to oranges to compare commonplace terms to a self-designed name that doesn't beat around the bush: It's not "SportsForce" or "SportsCorps" it's "SportsWar." Yeah! Kill Blood Kill!

If the creators of "SportsWar" wanted an agressive-sounding name, they could have come up with hundreds of them without resorting to such a base term. Personally, I would hesitate to align with a company that can't come up with a more creative name. Choosing to make "War" part of your name doesn't show much forethought.

[Higher Authority]

Your point has some logic, except that the name of a website network is not about glorifying military aggression, or celebrating death, or whatever your complaint is. Besides, if this company presented a good deal to the guys who run this site, why would the owners of the site tell the network to change its name? ("Yes, Mr. Selig, I'd like to have my baseball team, but I don't like the name of your organization.")

All I know is that (A) it seems like you need a lot more to worry about, and (B) based on the coverage this site gives us, as fans, and the forum through which to discuss our Mustangs, I don't give a damn what network is called. I really don't even care what the name of the site is, as long as it remains in existence and is run as well as it is.

Keep up the great work, webguys.

[Longtime]

[quote="Higher Authority"]"I don't give a damn what network is called. I really don't even care what the name of the site is, as long as it remains in existence and is run as well as it is."

/quote]

So if it were called "Sports [N-word]" you wouldn't have a problem?

Or if this site were called "PonyFansAbortion.com" it wouldn't bother you?

I may be making too big an issue of this, but geez, at least I draw the line somewhere.

To paraphrase John Mellencamp: If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.

Come on, sharp minds wouldn't name their company "War" anything. OK, there's "Star Wars" and a bunch of video games with "War" in their titles, but both are marketed to adolescents (or people who want to act like one for a couple of hours).

Regardless of the seriousness of war, for a 21st-century company to include "war" in its name makes it sound like it's run by a bunch of overgrown adolescents.

[Thumper]

While it's hard to argue with the wisdom espoused by the sage philosopher, John Mellencamp, I would have to agree with the idea that you need a hobby, or maybe a stiff drink or 12.

[FroggieFever]

[smu diamond m]

You went a little over with this one, kid. While I wish ponyfans.com was still independent for whatever reason, I do not see how the weak allusion to death and/or killing offends you. Does that band War annoy you? And while you're on it, better get right on Henry Rollins before he writes a song that kills your kids. Those speakers have got to be good to be able to kill.