Eleven Warriors works because smart, funny, occasionally unhinged Buckeye fans make it better. We want disagreement. We want criticism. We want good jokes. We do not want the comment section to become a place people regret opening.
The short version: Be cool. Stay on topic. Argue the point, not the person. Keep politics, religion and hot-button social issues somewhere else. Do not post paid content. Do not make us tap the sign.
Avoid Politics, Religion and Hot-Button Social Issues
This is a sports site, not Thanksgiving dinner after everyone has had two bourbons. Politics, religion, gun control, immigration, abortion and similar debates are off limits here.
That rule applies even when the topic is adjacent to sports. There are plenty of places on the internet for those arguments. Eleven Warriors is not one of them.
Do Not Be a Jerk
This one is not complicated. Do not make the community worse.
- No abusive, hateful or discriminatory comments about race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or identity.
- No personal attacks on other members, writers, players, coaches, recruits or their families.
- No threats, harassment, gross images, excessive profanity or spam.
- No tired gatekeeping like, “If you knew football...” or “You obviously never played.”
- No “FIRST!” comments. This is not 2008. We checked.
Respect Sources and Paid Content
Do not copy and paste entire articles from other sites. If you want to reference something, quote a small relevant excerpt, link to the source and add your own thought.
Do not post premium content from paywalled sites. If someone has to pay or subscribe to read it there, do not reproduce it here.
Stay on Topic
All viewpoints are welcome, but comments should fit the article or discussion. If your thought deserves its own lane, start a forum topic.
Game threads, recruiting threads and breaking news posts move fast. Help everyone out by keeping the conversation pointed in the right direction.
Do Not Troll
Fans of other programs are welcome. Friendly banter is fine. Showing up only to provoke Ohio State fans is not.
If your entire personality is “actually, Michigan,” we admire the commitment but reserve the right to show you the door.
Keep Perspective
Things get heated, especially after losses, bad calls, missed tackles and third-and-long conversions that somehow last four years. Take a breath before posting.
This is only the internet. Have fun. Make the place better. Log off when needed.
Why We Close Comments
Every now and then, we close comments on an article. We do not love doing it, but some topics are important to cover and guaranteed to turn the comments into a hazmat site.
Closing comments is not a challenge. It is us choosing the least bad option.
Helmet Stickers, Jail and Bans
Great comments can earn Helmet Stickers. Bad comments can lose them. Enough bad behavior can also earn a timeout, known around here as jail.
Severe or repeated violations can lead to a permanent ban. We would rather not do that. Help us not do that.
