Nothing brings out the depravity of man like interaction with each other. This is what I have recently discovered with my efforts here. I began this blog on November 6th because I could not find a place that would give me (a recent convert from FCD to the Wizards) Wizards information that went beyond stats. I also thought there were some interesting stories to be told regarding the players and the efforts by the new owners. It has taken work to get it all together, I’ve taken trips to practice, visited the kiosk at Ward PKWY, brought my two year old to IHOP Toys for Tots events and those have all really been a great deal of fun for myself and my family. Yet, recently the blog has lost some of the fun and felt more like a job than the enjoyable hobby it was at the beginning. I don’t mean criticism either, that doesn’t bother me, but when it turns to people like Wade Jackson threatening to sue me and accusing me of intentionally pursuing his photos to steal, it wears on me. When Wade made a threat using all caps and the word “sue” I simply didn’t want to give into that sort of mentality; had he asked nicely I would have gladly removed the photo.
It is not just him though, he is certainly a jerk, but the way I have reacted to him being a jerk really concerns me. I was a jerk too. See, I am a Christian and I trust in Christ alone for salvation, and his glory is more important to me than the Wizards or even putting a jerk in his place. So when I find I’m being a jerk in response I know there is something wrong and it must be corrected. Romans 12:18 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” I have failed to do that. It was in my power to give in and remove the photo, I have now done just that, but much arguing could have been avoided and should have been avoided. I apologize to all who had to witness that here and on Big Soccer.
Wade, I still think you reacted like a jerk, but I apologize to you for using your photo; it was a result of negligence, not malice. I was wrong in not removing it immediately after you asked. In my responses to you I feel I have sinned against you publicly and so I ask for your forgiveness publicly.
As far as this website goes, I’m going to take a bit of a break and think about whether I should continue Oz City or not. I had begun a post on fan-made logos that I found interesting, but I have no idea who made them and I don’t want to constantly have to fight people over a blog that was meant to be fun and build interest in the Wizards. In the mean time you can find a great deal of soccer info by following links on the blog guide page and you can find Wizards specific info on DowntheByline and perhaps soon on the Wizards’ official blog.
Filed under: News, Uncategorized, Update |
Oz City 
Please don’t stop the blog- What you have put together thus far has been really encouraging and enjoyable.
Please just respect the owner of the images and do whatever needs to be done in that regard and come back stronger than ever with the blog.
Don’t leave… This is a great fan blog that is showing great promise.
Besides, the offseason is the best time for debate and rampant speculation!
There’s no need to try and drag Wade’s name through the muck here.
As the copyright holder on that image he has every right to not only ask you to take it down, but to demand that you do so. And then he has the right to sue if you resist.
He’s simply protecting his work. Copyright law is a pretty black-and-white issue in this case. Either you’re violating his copyright or you aren’t. In this case, you are. It doesn’t matter whether you knew it or not.
Just take it down and let it go. Be careful not to use YCJ photos again without permission. No need to kill the blog. It’s a “I’m going to take my ball (blog) and go home” approach, and it’s very petty and childish.
Wade’s not being a jerk. He’s protecting his work, which he has the right to do. You’re the one in the wrong on this issue, not Wade. Don’t spin it and somehow try and make it about him.
Did you not read the post? He said he is in the wrong and apologized to Wade. That is more than I think Wade deserves.
As far as quiting, I hope he doesn’t quit, but I understand if he want to. I had one on whatever topic I wanted to talk about each day and it was a pain in ass to keep up with and I didn’t even have to deal with people constantly pointing out every error.
Futuregrace, I’m not sure it is possible to live peacefully with others and at the same time express an opinion. I’m sure someone will get on to you for using religion in a soccer blog. Don’t quit though, please put up with Chad and others for the sake of the rest of us.
Hey bro, we work together, so I get to enjoy your Wizards zeal regularly. You’re like my personal MLS information station. You’re excitement about the MLS and the Wizards is infectious, balanced, and a good example of how to be pumped about something without being stupidly obsessed (Like some who are accusing you of being petty and childish–what a joke! ).
Personally, if you discontinue the blog, it won’t make much difference to me because I see you about every day, we go to Wizards games regularly, make fun of the guy who wears the horns in the FC Dallas version of the Cauldron, and speculate about all that’s happening in soccer. You give me all those trivia tidbits that are interesting, every once and a while I tell you something you don’t know…but not often. You even got Jimmy Conrad to tell me to stop bow hunting! That’s cool….I won’t listen…but it was cool.
You’re take on the Wizards is just right and what is needed. You get thousands of hits on this site, only a small handful are jerks like these copyright freaks- it’s not like you’re making money off this site, give me break. I think it would be a shame to not have someone like you doing something like this.
We’ll talk more, but I’m hoping, for the sake of us regular fans- not the jerky ones who rear their head in this forum-you won’t quit.
I suggest editing comments. Post constructive debate and leave the jerks to go argue with themselves. Take some time…this kind of stuff will only make you stronger, if you react in the right way.
yellow card journalism sucks. sue ghappy monsters trying to supress supporters culture in this country.
they all can bite it.
I hope you keep blogging, because I really enjoy and appreciate what you are trying to do here. I don’t think most people understand what it takes to run a blog. They just see a few paragraphs and such, but when you have a job and a family, it takes a lot of your personal time to keep it up, especially with the consistency and quality of yours here.
There are a lot of self-important people that have come to visit your site and that pop up on bigsoccer.com, like Wade and a whole host of others. You have to ignore them, even though its hard. You do a great job with this and you shouldn’t feel bad about the hard work you put into it.
I don’t know that there are a lot of naysayers. I think 99% deeply appreciate the effort. There’s always going to be criticism on something where you put yourself out like this.
You should read the RSLFM blog. She gets flack from all sides but her readership is through the roof because the content is compelling.
Other than one cranky photographer, I think the response has been overwhelmingly positive overall -even from the vast majority of the Cauldron members I think your “call-out” was directed towards. It’s easy to overhype the “complaint” aspect too of a group of fans that is obviously passionate, and I might be guilty of that too.
In a short time, you’ve gained a consistent following that can only grow. You’ve had the extra hurdle of having to become an expert on your second MLS team.
If you can avoid getting burnt out on it by the time the season rolls around, I’m really looking forward to the practice updates and speculation.
Jeff
Enjoy your break. Hopefully you’ll come back strong. I check this site more frequently than I do the official Wizards page. There’s got to be more diehards out there that go to the practices and public events. Maybe you get them involved in this thing. Whatever you decide, thanks for keep ing the team on the radar in the off-season.
Futuregrace, based on your level of obsession with the Wizards I expect you to be back fairly quick. And based on my level of obsession with the Wizards I hope I’m right. I also hope you will do the post with the alternate/fan logos, You can simply ask people to claim their work and edit the post appropriately.
YCJ, I was also thinking today that perhaps Wade or Andy could give a few “stock” photos to Oz City and Down the Byline to use with stories on the Cauldron, or the coach or whatever other topics may be covered from time to time. Not new photos, but an old one with your name/website built into the bottom of the photo. In return they could link people to your website and you could sell high quality photos from there. I know I’ve thought about buying some large nice photos of the team or a few star players, Eddie, Lalas, Preki, Meola, Conrad, etc from time to time. I really don’t even know if you sell those, but you should sell some nice framed versions. Perhaps even get autographs on them. If you’ve really been as big a help to the team as you say you have said you are then I’m sure they would hook you up with signatures.
As far as getting help on the site, I may be able to send in pictures from time to time, but I don’t have the time to help with news, surely there is some college student who never goes to class willing to take on that role. I don’t know, but I look forward to your return, enjoy the break.
Also, has Wade accepted your apology?
I have not seen any post from him in awhile, anyone know if we need to alert him to Oz’s new post and image removal and thus stop his plans to burn down futuregrace’s house? 🙂
Brian,
You are truly forgiven from my heart.
I too am a Christian. Both of my children graduated from a Christian college (TIU). My eldest son is two years younger than you. His sister earned a degree in children’s ministry and is actively involved in a young church planting. Believe me when I say, “I understand.”
With that said, I will clarify two points concerning the following quote by you (see above): “When Wade made a threat using all caps and the word “sue” I simply didn’t want to give into that sort of mentality…”
#1 – Prior to this message you are currently reading, I had submitted four (4) messages on the use of my Cauldron photo. The first message was in response to your BigSoccer “Oz City Update Thread”; the second message was submitted to the comments section for your “Die-Hards” Heart of the Team or Pain in the Butts?” blog entry at Oz City; the third and fourth messages were Private messages sent to you personally through BigSoccer.
*****NEVER in any of those messages (either public or private) did I use the word “sue”.
Leviticus 19:11 – “you shall not lie to one another”
Proverbs 14:5 – “A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.”
Colossians 3:8-9 – “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self.”
I can (and do) forgive you publicly and in my heart. You can mess with me all you want. You can drag my butt all over the place. I really am a “cantankerous old fart” (thank you Sam for sharing that). This stuff slides off me like water off a duck. But, I would suggest you reconsider messing with the word of the Lord.
#2 – As for seeking and obtaining permission to use another’s work:
Romans 13:7 – “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”
Nobody is trying to shut down your blog. There is merely a right way to go about it. Seek and ye shall find.
Continue on, my brother.
Wade,
It really sounds less like you’re forgiving him and more like you’re pointing out how much better of a Christian you are. The real Christian thing to do would be to just say, “No worries, it’s all water under the bridge” instead of playing the holier-than-thou card.
And you may have forgiven him, but I believe you also should apologize in some way for the poor manner in which you handled this situation. There is fault on both sides, because you could’ve handled this in a way that would’ve kept this whole situation from being blown out of proportion, but instead you did exactly what you just did above: Aired your laundry out in public. Try taking care of things behind closed doors…it works out better for everyone, unless you enjoy trying to prove what a big man you are (although it shows what a truly little an you are when you do this).
Granted, I am not directly involved in your dispute, but I, along with many other Wizards fans, have witnessed this spat. And from all that has gone on, if anyone is the victim of this situation, it is not you. He complied with your request and you’re still piling on. So, you may know your verses, but it seems like you should get right with the Lord if you feel the need to point out someone else’s faults as you have. Only one can judge and you are not Him.
“Only one can judge and you are not Him.” (True that.)
“The real Christian thing to do would be to…” (Just following Brian’s lead)
“Try taking care of things behind closed doors…it works out better for everyone..” (I did that.
“It really sounds less like you’re forgiving him and more like you’re pointing out how much better of a Christian you are.” (Naw. Again, just following Brian’s lead. It works for him, but not for me? Hummm.)
“…you could’ve handled this in a way that would’ve kept this whole situation from being blown out of proportion…” (As you can tell, I have absolutely no control over how or what others [such as yourself, Nick] choose to add to a situation. I have control over what I say. YOU have control over what you say. You could choose to ignore this nonsense… couldn’t you?)
“Granted, I am not directly involved in your dispute…” (But, you just couldn’t help yourself from getting involved, huh?)
“He complied with your request and you’re still piling on.” (When was the last time somebody complied with a request of yours, then gave you a back handed slap in the face to say “I was wrong.”?? Think about it. Go back through and re-read this entire thread two or three times. Then make the choice to let it go.)
BTW… “victim” is your word.
What do you mean back handed slap to say, “I was wrong?” How has he giving you the back handed slap? He admitted he was wrong, apologized and that should be that. Seems he is struggling with how he reacted to you and you keep listing off more stuff you think he did wrong trying to “put him in his place” for having used the picture. It’s done, clearly he won’t use your stuff again and I think it is a shame for here is a place for Wizards info and your photos will have no part in it. I know you will first say it is none of my business and myself an Nick surely make you made, but hear this, if you are going to forgive him, do that. Don’t continue to condemn him. Second, when you get pissed at me and Nick don’t go take it out on Oz.
jimmy wants a god to quote too. can he help the wizards win the cup next year?
So, I’m behind. Where is the picture in question? How did it take revenue away from Wade?
bfos, i think the whole debate here is centered on a false pretense. the writer of this blog, and his loyal followers here, are asking the same question you are (not saying you’re one of the aformentioned followers)… and that is because they already know the answer and it favors them. the reality, however, is about principle – what is right and what is wrong.
please allow jimmy to sum up:
false pretense: how did this hurt you or your revenue?
correct pretense: what is the underlying appropriate principle and how/why was it violated?
really, the question that should be asked now is how did the victim (those who had his/her rights violated) become the villain?
I understand you feel you did nothing wrong. I disagree. That is that. Neither one of us is going to change the other’s mind. But he used those passages from the Bible in reference to himself, not to you. And you used references from the Bible in reference to him, not to you and your treatment of him. If you forgave him, great. Leave it at that.
And for people, like myself, piping up and saying something to you…well like I said, you aired your dirty laundry in public. You made it everyone else’s business. I feel no remorse for saying something because of that. There is no privacy in public.
I see no backhanded slap. He said he was wrong. He took the picture down. He said you treated him like a jerk. All are true. There’s been a lot of jerk-like behavior on this board and big soccer lately (myself included). Ultimately, Brian is not ESPN, he’s someone who didn’t know any better. Now he does. I’m done, it’s over, and it appears nobody is sorry but Brian.
Jimmy, I like your RIcky Henderson style. szazzy wants to be like Jimmy.
Wade it was a genuine apology, even though he thought you could’ve initially brought it up in a better way. I agree.
future also responded poorly and he apologized for that in addition to the use of professional photography.
My longer time around bigsoccer and the team has allowed me to see much YCJ has contributed to Wizards coverage for us fans over the years with no gain for yourself. I wish everyone could see the Diego Gutierrez piece we put together a couple years ago in honor of his help with HASF.
Hopefully you and future can collaborate somehow to help each other.
YCJ framed and autographed photography might have some potential. I know my office needs some decorating.
YCJ 3:16 – Thou shalt not use thy images without proper compenstion yet we will spam every site with thy images and links for you to buy them regardless of TOS.
YCJ 3:17 – If thy should defy me (YCJ) then thoust shall have thy heavy hand come down upon the with great vengence and CAPS LOCK to plug thy dyke of that 10k leak that’s going to be lost because of thy borrowed image that no one has purchased in it’s 3 years of existence on the web.
YCJ: 3:18 – After thy heavy hand I will (kind of) forgive the and prove to you the degree of my devoutness to other scripture which shall exceed thou.
– I think that sums up the sentiment here no?
thanks szazzy, jimmy ‘preciates it.
I’m not trying to come to any judgment. I was just wondering what was going on.
So, in review, this site violated a principle, but in the violation of the principle no one was negatively impacted in any way?
Again, I’m not saying the violation should stand or that it’s silly to get upset about a picture getting posted on a blog. We can all come to those conclusions on our own.
I was just curious if I was missing something that would help me understand this hullabaloo.
Don’t you dare quit this blog. Or else I might actually start using mine, and write crap about the Wizards.
Any photos I get up there are yours for the keeping. Don’t expect anything spectacular, because I’m not a pro like Andymead and Wade are, but I can borrow my dad’s D70 and get some good pictures. I’ll do my best.