On Buzz commenting

Buzz readers,

I have noticed a growing trend in the comments and subsequent responses that I would like to address.

From my perspective, blog comments are meant to add something informative to a discussion and are characterized by being knowledgeable and engaged. In other words, I see a good blog commenter as a courteous contributor that responds to the information published in a post.

It is one thing to ask questions or criticize an opinion stated in a piece--you have the right to agree or disagree with our opinions, and we don't expect every Buzz comment to be positive feedback. But it is another thing entirely to engage in demeaning attacks that seem to serve little purpose except to hurl excessive insults at our student writers. More importantly than being how this effects our staff, these malicious responses actually drive other readers away from joining the discussion.

While I have no intention of playing the "comment police," I just ask that you use discretion in your comments and keep these things in mind, whether addressing one of our staff members or a fellow commenter. Not only will this promote a better atmosphere in which our writers feel they can truly respond to some of your concerns, but it will foster a community of Penn sports fans that can engage in solid discussion of Penn athletics.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to send me an e-mail.

--Michael Gold, Senior Sports Editor