I'm starting to get a little pissed off, because just the other day, I did a scan for URL's through the PM system, and it brought back a LOT of results. I also got word a month ago that, when I put up the mock sign-ups, and I required everyone to have an AIM (to post it), there was one guy who went in and took those AIM addresses, and got in touch with members who are not exactly dedicated OTR posters, to lure them elsewhere. The one thing I don't like is a site feeding off of another...sites that do everything others do, rip the look, the idea, and most importantly, the members...because no matter what, newer sites will ALWAYS have an advantage, as they can find ways to offer what the older sites do, PLUS it's a bit more exciting because, well, it's a new site. Some hand out things like writer and forum mod positions, just to bring you in (and keep you there), some remind you that you can be their best poster (and more notorious) if you leave the older site...and all of that is spamming. So, I really don't know. Yeah, we were hacked in 2009, and I lost maybe 1/3 of our fanbase from it (that I counted...that was just among the more active posters). I have no idea who said what, but the hack was not due to the board software, or any openings in any roster or player pages I coded...it was in a file provided by our host, which is why that host lost almost every customer I knew. The lockout wasn't that big of a deal. Members returned. Pre-lockout, we were already struggling, due to the factors above. The other thing I know is...members who are banned from here (for legitimate reasons) run elsewhere and completely trash OTR, and it's allowed for a while, just long enough to let it soak in among their entire community...and then, to keep a positive reputation in the eyes of outsiders, it's wiped away. I've been doing this since January 2005, for seven years. I know how it all works. I've PUT UP sites that, eventually, stabbed us in the back. I've skinned sites that have done it as well...free skins. I'm just glad to say that, whatever happens with OTR in the future, I never had to buy anyone out, merge with anyone, do anyone dirty, or take a shortcut to create and maintain what I have had for years. OTR's structure comes from our very own posters, who were never forced to register here. That, and having the smartest basketball community around, means more to me than having 300 active posters who rack up 2,000 posts per day with nothing to show for it, aside from their board statistics.