Wednesday Racket (OT): The Mod Squad

Mornin' Tribe! I'll all fired up today because I get to introduce the Mod Squad at this post.  In rethinking our moderation policy, it seemed to me that the best way to keep the modicum of control that we need to keep this site classy and friendly to all was to recruit a team of moderators to ensure that things run smoothly regardless of where I happen to be at any given time.

So, over the past week or so, I have assembled a moderating team, many of whose names you might recognize from the blog. However, I have sworn under penalty of death (or having to watch Canas vs Chela on clay) not to divulge their identities. Hence, they will collectively be known to you only as The Mod Squad - how can they be called anything else?

Of course, we have a regular poster who goes by the name Mod Squad; I would ask him/her to change his screen name, but it isn't obligatory. The Mod Squad (mine) will never post under that name, so please remember that. Anyway, if an inappropriate post disappears before your very eyes, or you notice any improvement in the flow of traffic in Comments, you'll know that one of The Mod Squad has been at work - toiling in anonymity, for no pay except some goofy hat that that is going to be the first item in our TW uniform sometime soon. So heartfelt thanks to the Tribe members who have stepped up here to form The Mod Squad.

Other good news: Dunlop Maxply has floated the idea of organizing a Left Coast Tribe gathering, probably to get together at an appropriate venue to meet, greet and watch a designated French Open match. At the same time, Steve Tignor, my comrade-in-arms, is interested in bringing the New York crew together for a similar purpose. And over in France, Marie J. - TW's reigning "Poster of the Year" - has suggested that all those members of the Tribe who are attending Roland Garros have some way to communicate and possible hook up at the tournament, or off-site for some vin ordinaire (or un-ordinaire).

By this afternoon, I hope to have an email account set up so you can indicate whether you would be interested in any of these three gatherings. As soon as I have that account set up, I will post the address here, and in the Comments below. You will be able to reply via email and then the organizers of each event will contact you with further details. This is all pretty last minute, obviously, but I think a similar gathering to celebrate each of the Grand Slams is an idea worth pursuing, and we'll do that.

Another new features coming soon will be a "Complaint" department. Taking our cues from the legendary "Festivus" episode of Seinfeld, we will have a day for the Airing of Grievances. More on that later, so hold your complaints for the moment, please.

This will by your OT and match-calling post until Friday. Other , non-tennis related chit-chat - movies, books, Memorial Day plans - ought to be posted in the most recent The Locker Room entry (see list of posts on the right).I'll be back a little later with some follow-up thoughts on the Terra Tennista entry below, and an update/reminder about the TW Suicide Pool that our friends at Talk About Tennis have graciously invited us to have over at their site. I'll probably post on that tomorrow. I'd also like to get that bonus Ivan Lendl piece done before the spit hits the fans (you guys) with the making of the French Open draw.

Lastly, I' m struggling with this whole blog/blogger thing. . . My main problem has nothing to do with the fact that I'm a classically trained journalist, it's just that I think "blog" and "blogger" are two of the plug-ugliest words in the English language ("weblog" by contrast, isn't so bad), and I feel awkward simply saying them.I think Internet Columnist is a much better description for what I do anyway. Just wondering,  do any of you  also have trouble with the "blog" thing?

Later!