[ItBites]

Chas,

My name is Eric, but no foul there - I don't go by that here anyway.

I certainly recall Meat, Turk, Pat, and Jim - also Evan (good old Evan). First, as you said, some of them were prolific contributors of much good information, which puts them in a different class from the current crop of pundits who don't know as much first-hand information and speak without the benefit of experience. Second, they were sarcastic, yet good natured - a lot of ribbing went on, but without the vitreolic tone (except for maybe when BackinBlack was whining). The current group just seems mean and nasty, for no apparent reason. Anyhow, this site seems to be losing the good natured ribbers and a lot of other folks and I hope it doesn't lose folks like Rick Lake and Barry R...