Message from Brock

Hi all,

I just got an e-mail from someone who says my disposition
in the way I answer questions here on this board leaves
a lot to be desired, that I come off nasty and denigratory.
He’s 100% correct - sometimes I can be a real jerk.

But I want to clarify a few things here:

I do this for free. I do not get paid anything to answer
question-after-question. And I have a real problem
with answering the same questions twenty-thirty times
in a month when the answers to the questions being asked
are readily available - either in the archives of
T-MAG or merely by searching this board. But OK, I can
deal with this issue because that’s not the biggest issue I have with some people.

The thing that really grates on my nerves more than
anything, is when someone asks a question and does not
provide sufficient information to answer it correctly.

Example: “Hi, I have two bottles of Decanadrolene and
20 amps of Sustanon, please make me a cycle”.

How am I (or Bill) supposed to answer this question?

I don’t know your height, weight, physical, condition,
how long you have been training or what your goals
are from the cycle. Are you bulking? Cutting?
I need a heck of a lot more info than that.

I am sorry if I am coming off as an ass here, I don’t mean
to. I am merely trying to get as many people as I can
to think critically. Teaching you to think logically
and creatively is the best gift I can offer you - putting
together a cycle or whatever, that’s peanuts compared to
getting someone to use inductive and/or deductive logic.

The next time you post a question, please ask yourself the
following question before you hit that “post message”
button:

If I were the ‘expert’ trying to answer this question, would
there be enough information to formulate a cogent and
intelligent answer?

If the answer to that is “no”, then go back and rewrite
the question. If the answer is “yes” than hit the
‘post message’ button.

Folks, I am not a mind reader - I really don’t want to infer
“what you really mean”, just spell it out for me and I am
quite happy to answer questions I feel qualified to
answer. Even the redundant questions I answered last
week :slight_smile:

I’m not going to address this issue again - if you don’t
post even cursory information as to what you want,
I am going to ignore the question (thereby reducing the
chance that people will e-mail me and tell me I am an
asshole).

Regards,

–Brock Strasser

I’m sure majority or readers appreciate every piece of info they can gather from experienced guys like you. This site was great because of all the great articles we could read every week, now this site rocks because in between Fridays we can still learn something new from the forum. There’s always gonna be one asshole who’s never satisfied but most of us are grateful for your input.

Brock, Personally I like your “tell it like it is” style. Don’t compromise it because someone doesn’t like the way they perceive you as coming off in a post. Also, maybe the people who are moderating this board can cut down on those vague posts. They are supposed to be checking the posts for content, right?

I agree with you Brock. When I read some of the questions on this board I have to shake my head. I mean most of the stuff that is asked is contained in the site. But it is like that on alot of message boards, people get lazy and want everyone to answer questions for them. I would put the subject you have a question for in a search before asking a question.

I think you have to attribute this to a lack of experience on posting. On any other board, this type of question would either be ignored or horribly flamed. A suggestion to the moderators of this board: design a FAQ or Newbie section that will help people get up to speed.

Brock demonstrated a great deal of self control by not posting that email and burning that person. I know of others that would have done just that. Furthermore, you do not want to get into a pissing contest with Brock- you will not win. If you don’t want FREE expert advice, either leave or be quiet.

P.S. I never want to see the word denigatory used here again.

You know what, you are correct in saying that many people don’t send in enough info when asking a question. As a matter of fact, yesterday I sent in a question regarding training and I now realize I didn’t provide enough info. Maybe you can put up a little “Suggested Format for Questions” article on the forum’s main page.
I’m going to update my question now so that I can get a better answer to my question.

You are a great guy, thanks for all your help. You need not apologize but the fact that you would shows how open minded and considerate you are. God bless anyone with knowledge who is willing to share it.

Brock,

Don’t apologize anymore. You and this site/mag have given me more free AND useful information in a couple of months than I have been able to buy in books or research in the library over the past fifteen years.

Some people are grateful for nothing. We live in a society where everyone feels they are owed something - and that is just not true. Well I do appreciate every little crumb of knowledge that I get from you! No matter how you say it.

By the way, I got a free copy of T-Mag #2 in the mail yesterday. It is good reading. I will do the survey and I don’t know who was responsible for sending it to me, but thanks to all of you.

Now everyone lighten-up and go lift weights . . . correctly.

ALG