Talk:West Michigan Whitecaps

Whitecaps Blog Link in External Links Section

I disagree with the decision to remove the link to "The Surge" from the External Links section.

Although I am co-writer for the blog, I have not been re-adding it to the list for shameless self-promotion. In fact, somebody else, who does not have a connection to the blog, added the link initially, many months ago. The link was allowed to stay up at least 9 months to my knowledge, as I first noticed it in November, and never noticed it was taken down until just recently. Rather, I honestly feel that this blog is a useful tool for anybody with an interest in the baseball team.

The blog linked to, The Surge, is a fan blog designed to allow fans of the Whitecaps recieve quick and easy updates about anything and everything related to past and current West Michigan Whitecaps players. No money is made from the site at all. The blog attempts to give proper credit whenever possible when borrowing ideas from official team press releases, or when borrowing ideas from stories that are the work of other writers.

This blog is one of the only blogs that is fully committed to giving information about the Whitecaps, and I personally do not see how adding a link to it is any different than adding a link for the Tigs Town website.

Please reconsider the decision to not allow a link to this informational blog.

Potthole 18:03, 7 August 2007 (UTC)

I mean no disrespect or hard feelings by any of this. My main concerns are thus:

1. WP's policy on links makes it clear that there should be no links to blogs unless they are written by an authority. (See #11 at External_links#Links_normally_to_be_avoided)

2. Most of the info on the site (ie recaps, scores, etc) are found on the team's official site, making the blog mostly redundant.

This being said, if you really think that your link meets Wikipedia's Official Guidelines, then return the link to the article and I won't remove it. Again, no hard feelings; it's nothing personal.

-NatureBoyMD 18:26, 7 August 2007 (UTC)

Although the blog does include some information found on the team's official site, namely game recaps, the information is more than a "cut/paste" from the official release, and is also quite a bit easier to find. The blog also includes things not found on the official site, with weekly player focus articles, original photography, and updates that are not part of the information found on the official site.

True, the writers of the blog are not an 'authority' in the sense they are not on payroll of the Whitecaps, but the blog is written in a very professional manner and it is not your stereotypical "OMG, that player on the other team was so cute" type of publication. The writers also attend dozens of games, which does make them an authority in one sense- an authority on the subject matter of the blog articles. As one of the writers for this blog, I can say that I am trained in the Associated Press Style of writing, which I follow with all enteries.

I understand where you are coming from, but I do feel that in our case, we do not violate guidelines. I appreciate your consideration in the matter, and I also appreciate your agreement to allow the link to return. Thank you.

Potthole 18:43, 7 August 2007 (UTC)