Terms of Service and Rules

Although the Coaching Panel of Yellow and Black will attempt to keep all objectionable messages off this forum, it is impossible for us to review all messages. All messages express the views of the author, and neither the owners of Yellow and Black, nor XenForo Ltd. (developers of XenForo) will be held responsible for the content of any message.

By posting on this site you agree to these rules, and warrant that you will not post any messages that are in contravention of these Terms of Service.

The Coaching Panel and owners of Yellow and Black reserve the right to remove, edit, move or close any thread for any reason.

To ensure that Yellow and Black is not being used for illegal purposes or in contravention of these Terms of Service your Personal Messages (PM's) may be read by the Coach at his discretion.

General
Be neat and efficient when quoting the posts of other members. Don't quote all paragraphs of a long post, particularly if your reply is only brief. Select the parts that are most applicable to your reply. When quoting a long post, snip the quote to just the relevant bits. Likewise when quoting a post that contains a large image - delete the image.

Take it on the chin. If a post is edited, moved or deleted, or, more seriously, you are given a Warning or an Infraction, don't fly off the handle, and don't challenge the authority or actions of the Coaching Panel on the open forums. You'll only get yourself in deeper. Make your case clearly and respectfully by using the "Private Message" system and you will be heard. Chuck a tanty and you might get the flick. Creating new user accounts to get around bans or restrictions WILL increase your suspension or get you booted off the site. Masking or altering your IP is reasonably easily spotted so don't waste your time on it.  You may only register one account with this site.  On application by a member, the Coach or an Assistant Coach may approve that member to have more than one account however, this approval must be sought in advance.  

Members must not intentionally or recklessly cause significant disruption to the harmony and good enjoyment of the site. It is also inappropriate to engage in "cheerleading".

Cheerleading consists of -

• Commentating on disputes (e.g using boxing terminology)
• Scoring disputes
• Encouraging members to begin or continue a dispute
• Encouraging a mob mentality in an argument between members or a member and the Coaching Panel i.e us versus them

It is also inappropriate to engage in "cheerleading" when there is a dispute between site members (eg using boxing terminology to score, or commentate on, the dispute), or when another site member openly challenges the authority, or official actions, of one or more members of the Coaching Panel.

If you are not sure of a rule, please ask a member of the Coaching Panel. Please "lurk" for a few days before posting. This way you'll get an idea of what is acceptable and what isn't. If you see someone breaking the rules, assume we haven't seen it rather than that we allowed it to happen. These rules are very flexible in our favour. Don't invent new and interesting ways to get around them. If we think you are messing with the site, its users, their threads or Coaching Panel members your account will be suspended. If you don't want to follow the Site Rules there are plenty of other sites you can post on. Rules-lawyers get extra Infraction points for their efforts.

SPAM
SPAM stands for Stupid Pointless Annoying Material/Message. Listed below are our definitions of "SPAM":

• Off-Topic Posts - Any post that is either irrelevant to the topic of discussion, or forum is classified as SPAM. While an occasional diversion from the thread topic can sometimes be funny, if that diversion then take over the thread, it becomes SPAM. The software that we use on the site has an anti-SPAM facility that will unapprove posts that it believes to be SPAM. Once unapproved, a post can then be approved by a member of the Coaching Panel. Don't overtake multiple threads with repetitive and off-topic diatribes.
• Intentional Post Count Raising - Posting comments just to raise your post count is considered as SPAM. A common instance of this is replying to questions that have already been answered and repeating the answer (see; Bumping Dead Topics), or just posting nonsense that has absolutely nothing to do with that forum or discussion at hand.
  
• One-Word Replies - One-word replies are classified as SPAM, unless otherwise noted in that specific forum's rules. This is made more difficult due to the the 10 character minimum post rule.
  
• Bumping Dead Topics - Bumping a topic that has not been posted in in over a month is considered SPAM. If a specific forum's rules notes a different time frame for classifying a thread as "dead", that is the time frame that you are to follow. 90 days is the time frame for classifying threads as "dead" and they are automatically closed after that period has elapsed ("sticky" threads are excluded from being automatically closed).
  
• Personal Member-To-Member Threads - If you post a thread directed at a specific member, it may be classified as SPAM. The Private Messaging function is to be used to contact members privately about personal matters, or discussions.
  
• Sending of Mass messages - don't send mass PM's or e-mails to members of this site.
  

The degree of intolerance for off-topic posting may also depend on the type of thread in which it is posted. The bigger and/or arguably more important threads have a lower degree of tolerance. Alternatively, off-topic posts are allowed on the "free for all" forum, under that forum's specific rules.

Flaming
Don’t harass, insult, defame, belittle, threaten, antagonise, or attack other members, guests, or websites. Don't libel footballing and community identities. Defamation laws must be respected. Criticism of players, coaches, and club officials must not be excessive and/or obsessive. This includes spamming and over-taking multiple threads with repetitive and off-topic diatribes. It is up to the Coaching Panel to determine what constitutes "excessive" and "obsessive".

Listed below are our definitions of "flames":

• Insults - Any type of insult directed from one member to another member. Please remember that there is a big difference between "criticism" and "insulting" or "belittling".
• Homosexual Slurs - Any type of homosexual slur directed from one member to another member, whether it's false claims that the member being flamed is a homosexual, or mocking a homosexual member due to their sexual preference.
  
• Sexual Slurs - Any type of sexual slur directed from one member to another member, whether it's describing explicit sexual behaviors involving the member being flamed, or typing sexually explicit slurs using the likeness of the member being flamed.
  
• Sexist Slurs - Any type of slur which is based on a member's gender.
  
• Racial Slurs - Any type of slur directed from one member to another member or ethnic background insulting a specific ethnic background.
  

It is important to remember that it is the Coaching Panel's discretion as to what is classified as a "flame". If you would like a Coaching Panel Member to review something that you may feel is a flame, please feel free to contact them.

Trolling
Trolling is another potential problem here at Yellow and Black. The big difference between "trolling" and "flaming" is that a direct insult is not always made when trolling. It simply has to be a comment intended to antagonize another person.

Trolling can also occur when a member provokes another member into an argument or flame war by means of flaming the member, or making a post when the member knows full-well that it will cause an argument or flame war.

A common example of "trolling" is when a member posts something that insults/provokes another group of members/Coaching Panel Members, i.e., posting a thread/post on the site saying that Carlton will beat the Tiges.

Advertising
Advertising is when a member displays a link to a Web site not associated with Richmond Football Club with the intent to draw visitors of Yellow and Black or any of its related sites to their Web site. Advertising is usually done in threads or posts, but it's not uncommon to see advertising done in a member's viewable profile fields, such as their "Signature" or "Location".

If members would like to pay to advertise their product or service, they may purchase an Advertising package. This package may be purchased by contacting the Coach.

Offensive Posts, Links, and Images
Offensive Posts, Links, and Images Don’t be obscene, vulgar, sexually-orientated, hateful, threatening, racist, sexist, homophobic, discriminatory, or otherwise violate any local or international laws. This includes links in your signature, profile, bookmarks as well as posted images, photos and avatars. The Coaching Panel will ultimately decide if something is inappropriate.

External Links
External linking is when a member links to a site outside of Yellow and Black [or Affiliates] without the intent of advertising the Web site he/she is linking to. Outside linking is usually done in threads or posts, or "Signatures". A member is permitted to have a link to their personal site in their signature. If a member is warned for having a non-permitted outside link in their signature, they are required to remove it within 48 hours, or the signature will be completely removed by a Coaching Panel/Leadership Group Member and a Warning or Infraction given.

External links are permitted in the Links section, under that section's specific rules.

Illegal Programs/Scripts
ROMs and Emulators for some games and consoles are legal, however, some of them are not. Cracks, serials, or key generators, however, are illegal. None of them are allowed to be discussed here at Yellow and Black.

Censor Bypassing
Censor bypassing is when a member deliberately trys to fool the site's Word Censor. The Word Censor is in place to censor obscene words that may not be acceptable to certain visitors. Remember, Yellow and Black is a family site, so, the Word Censor is in place to protect children and others that may be offended by obscene words.

Members bypass the Word Censor by using their own "masks" to blank out some of the word i.e. f**k or c##t; BB (Bulletin Board) codes to act as a wedge in between censored words, i.e. "****". It is also possible to bypass the censor by using ALT-#### codes.

There are only two words covered by the swear filter, please avoid any variations on their use. Just type the words and let the swear filter do it's job.

Signatures
A signature is a unique option that allows you to include various bits of information in a small section after a member/moderators' post. Signatures are subject to the same rules as posts, so, if something is not acceptable to post, then it is not acceptable for a signature. Each Usergroup has its own rules regarding signatures. The more posts you've made, the more you are allowed in your signature.

If you are asked by a Coaching Panel Member to change your signature, please do so immediately. Failure to do so will result in your signature being deleted and either a Warning or Infraction being awarded.

Plagiarising
When providing information or opinions that are not your own, please identify your source and, where possible, provide a link. Not doing so could be viewed as plagiarism, with repeated occurances resulting in warnings.

Reposting of articles from other sites
In the case of articles labelled, "Exclusive to the AFL Bigpond Network" or any articles which are published by the Sportal Network, you may only publish the headline and first paragraph of the story. If you do so, there must then be a link through to the full story as published on the originating site. Please read the following thread for a full explanation of the procedure to be followed when reposting Sportal content.

Reposting Eye of the Tiger content
You may not repost any portion from the Eye of the Tiger section from the Richmond Football Club website. These articles are for RFC Members only and may not be reposted elsewhere.

Self-Promotion
Do not promote or advertise any websites, forums, email addresses, businesses, MLM, activities, or other entities that you have an affiliation with. You may promote only ONE personal website in your signature (see Breaking Signature Restrictions).

Using Real People's names as a Usernames
You may not select a Username that is the same as a real person unless you are that person. If you wish to use your own name as your Username you must send an e-mail to coach@yellowandblack.com.au with evidence to support your claim to that Username (i.e. an e-mail account in that name that is a work or ISP account - not Hotmail, Yahoo!, Gmail, etc.). Any new Registrant who registers a Username of a real person without providing evidence within 48 hours will have their registration deleted.

Warnings and Infractions
If you happen to break our Site Rules, you can expect to receive a Warning or an Infraction. An explanation of what these are follows:

• Warning - 0 points. This is an official warning or "heads up" that you've broken a Site Rule.
  
• Minor Infraction - 1 point which expires after 7 days
  
• Mid-Range Infraction - 3 points which expire after 7 days
  
• Serious (1st through 3rd counts) - 5 points which expire after 7, 14, or 21 days
  
• Serious (4th count) & Adult Related content - 5 points which expire after 30 days.
  
• Any serious count can be turned into a permanent ban at the discretion of the Coaching Panel
  

Members can then lose privileges as follows:

• 3 points - Yellow Card - Member is not allowed to post new threads
  
• 5+ points - Temporary Ban until points expire

Breaking any of the above rules may result in a Warning or an Infraction!