There are about a dozen posters I no longer allow on the Cohn Zohn. It could be fewer than a dozen. Over the years, I have eliminated the really rude posters, the ones who use profanity, the ones who personally attack me. I am happy to post people who disagree with me, disagree strongly, as long as they don’t make it personal. I think you know all that.
But this leads me to another topic. When I trash people and they realize they are off the Zohn, they follow a predictable route. First they write something really trashy, using profanity and calling me an old man and saying I can’t tolerate other points of view.
Question: What is so wrong with old people? I respect people older than I.
After the old man post, they wait a while and then — this really gets me — they write something nice hoping to get back on the Zohn. This is the move that fascinates me. Why do they want to get back? There are a million blogs. My son writes a good one on the Niners and so do Maiocco, Branch, Inman and Barrows, and if you want a good general sports blog, my friend Kawakami is terrific. I don’t understand why people want to come back to me. Is it that they can’t stand rejection? Or is it that they need to see their prose on a website? I don’t get it.
I still trash them
Pooja
always respect old people because they have more experience of life than any others.
September 18th, 2012 9:35 am
Bob In Portland
Always respect old people because I’m one now.
September 18th, 2012 9:53 am
Dennis
It is because you are an opinion writer and they are reporters. Opinions can leave a lot to disagree with and therefore a lot to want to comment on.
Age has nothing to do with it as far as I am concerned. I thought you were wrong for jumping on Jed for hiring Baalke. I thought you were wrong about jumping on Harbaugh for bringing back Alex. I thought you were wrong for jumping on the 49ers in preseason last year and I think you are wrong for constantly complaining about Harbaugh’s treatment of the press (we get it). Oh and I also thought you were wrong about what a great GM Sabean is, but it turns out I was wrong about you being wrong.
You could be 36 and my opinion wouldn’t change. Just because you are older doesn’t make you right or wrong or mean that you should be treated any differently than anyone else. Everyone should be treated with respect as long as they treat others with respect.
You have trashed my comments from time to time. Some I most definitely deserved, some I thought you miss understood (which would be my fault) and some I thought you were being a little “thin skinned”. But whatever has been trashed, it has never been my intent to be disrespectful. If you feel I have I apologize because you most certainly deserve better.
September 18th, 2012 10:05 am
Tim
Its not about old people. Its about Cohn, who makes his articles about himself all too often. The obvious culprit is a big ego, and one that is undeserved in my opinion.
September 18th, 2012 10:16 am
Streetglide
Always respect old people becuase they have better guns…
September 18th, 2012 10:29 am
Peter
I imagin you’ve forgotten more than I ever knew.
September 18th, 2012 10:36 am
CohnZohn
Peter, I have to disagree with you on this.
September 18th, 2012 10:41 am
Robert
Lowell,
I am pleased that you have “trashed” those posters who resort to profanity and/or personal attacks that are not objective. I would do the same if in your shoes.
I like the fact you share your opinions even if not popular and invite readers to share commentary when they agree or disagree.
My grandkids tell me I am old. I guess that is better then the alternative.
September 18th, 2012 10:42 am
mendozaline
Grampa Wowell,
When you post an item about Great Grampa Wowell,
then you will be approaching old.
September 18th, 2012 11:00 am
gary
Anyone older than me is old…….sorry, that is the way it is Lowell. And only a very few
people pick on the elderly.
Why do people want back on the Cohn Zone?
It is a comfortable place, easy to read all the entries in a blog, a relatively small (and sorry, that is not an insult) community, so there is a sense of familiarity…..
But I agree, if you are expelled, that is it.
September 18th, 2012 11:02 am
CohnZohn
gary, it’s OK that you consider me old. I consider you a kid.
September 18th, 2012 11:07 am
Stan
As you well know-there are people who hate you so much they say you sound like me. Me? I chuckle every time I read that. I know the internet..and there are people who if it could be done..would write the magic words that would cause your and I ,and more’s,demise. MEAN people. And why I never trusted FB.
I noticed long ago a Lowell comment causes rage with the status quo media and your typical beer sports league boob.
I’m trying to remember when a local columnist wrote something that made other columnists respond to. Just Lowell.
Lowell is the last of a breed.
Viva Lowell!
September 18th, 2012 11:55 am
CohnZohn
Thanks, Stan. Glenn Dickey made other columnists respond. I loved working with Glenn. We never once had conflict — rare for columnists on the same paper.
September 18th, 2012 11:58 am
glenellen
I”m feeling older since a recent surgery. I am over 55 but under 65. Some Senior Citizen discounts are over 55 while some are over 65. I think the State wants it to be 67 to retire ? But why the different years ? Just go with 55, right ?
On this Island I visited the red dirt shirt factory yesterday. I purchased a hat that says ” older than dirt”. Should I mail it to you Lowell ?
Oh, I also purchased spiffy sandles, Tevas.
September 18th, 2012 12:05 pm
Rebelscum74
I wrote a long rep once and lost it some how. glad to have you and grant blogging and writing for a long time. May not always agree but you are respected and appreciated.
September 18th, 2012 12:10 pm
Michael S.
Lowell, you’re not on Twitter, are you? It’s waaaaay worse over there. Ask Kawakami.
September 18th, 2012 1:10 pm
CohnZohn
Michael S, Jeff Fletcher set it up so my blogs automatically appear on Twitter. Don’t ask me how. So I am on Twitter, but I almost never tweet. Tweet sounds so silly as a form of writing. Birds tweet.
September 18th, 2012 1:21 pm
htwaits
Old! Old!! Lowell, from the prospective of my 79th birthday today, you are the kid. And, I know for a fact that I have personally forgotten more about the forty niners than you have ever known. The problem for me is how little about the 49ers that I remember.
I feel like a kid today. I’ve got Lowell and Glen to read every week. Who’s got it better than me? Nooooobody!!!
Join me and have a great day.
September 18th, 2012 1:30 pm
Stan
One more Lowell truism. ONLY ONE guest on Comcast at five draws extra viewers..Mike Urban..no,no,no, a brain cramp -sorry. LOWELL!!!
September 18th, 2012 2:27 pm
Frank in Minnesota
Hi Lowell….I think they do respect and like you…somehow they get their jollies out of being jerks, maybe their ego needs the attention….and Lowell, i too like Glenn Dickey a lot. He is a very nice, cultured man who is always kind enough respond to my notes….as you are,Lowell!
September 18th, 2012 3:37 pm
lameduck
Being old is secondary – that’s just an easy cheap shot. What interests me is the unknown of why people would want to come back. I’d gamble that the rejection has part to do with it, similar to how people stay in abusive relationships. Obviously you wouldn’t. you give ‘em a dose of their own medicine and bam, it’s instant puppy dog. Maybe it’s similar to an internet bully who get’s discovered. I wonder if the people you trash have trashed many others on Facebook, Tweeting or other social collaborative environments. Good for you for not allowing it on your blog.
September 18th, 2012 4:25 pm
ga's
Lowell, my Grandma used to say, “Everyone Young is going to be Old one Day.”
I believe that young folks tend to live in the here, and now…and don’t realize that they will be old one day.
Look at our society today..most, but not all young ppl don’t respect their peers, yet alone older people…
I was taught to respect older people, and I always remember this old saying too…”Youth is wasted on the Young.” And speaking as an older person, I say Amen, to that!
September 18th, 2012 5:19 pm
Jeff McMullin
Lowell— I am surprised to hear that you and Glenn never had a conflict. He can be so contentious—Probably the trait that i found most endearing. When you say he made other reporters respond—how so? Any anecdotes?
September 18th, 2012 6:07 pm
Loneraider78
Why do you think sports is a billion dollar business?
Because the people care. They care way too much, myself included.
Sometimes it feels personal because of that care. We’re eternal children in this way, feeling the same way now as we did when we were ten. Maybe that’s exactly why sports appeal to us all?
You may feel some connection to the 49ers, but you certainly have no emotional investment in the Raiders. So for me, as a person who’s invested in them since forever, I can’t let you get away with badmouthing Al Davis and every other aspect of the franchise without doing a little flamethrowing of my own–even if what you’ve said is true. I’ve got to stomach this terrible football. You don’t. You can walk away and go write a jolly happy piece about the 49ers as you drink your pinot.
It’s a bit longwinded, but that’s where my angst comes from when I read some of your opinions.
Why do I come back here? Because I live here. I don’t live in the 510 or 415 or 608. I’m 707 and always have been. So this is my publication of choice.
September 18th, 2012 6:35 pm
Loneraider78
correction
*408 not 608.
moving too fast.
September 18th, 2012 6:37 pm
David
Now I understand why you tolerate Stan, just read his love notes to you.
September 18th, 2012 7:23 pm
Neal
Lowell, you have thick skin, Kawakami is a whimp, I am not sure I am banned on there because I have trouble in posting anything from the merc. But Kawakami takes things way to personal and he bans people frequently but he does not have much to say especially when he pretends he knows Shark hockey. he does not
September 18th, 2012 7:55 pm
CohnZohn
Jeff McMullin, Other reporters took notice of Glenn’s strong opinions. Glenn was fearless.
September 18th, 2012 9:48 pm
CohnZohn
Loneraider, I hope you notice I’ve been very understanding of the Raiders’ plight and have not piled on.
September 18th, 2012 9:50 pm
Stan
David,as a son ,you couldn’t carry Grants jock strap. No wonder your so bitter.
HAVE A NICE DAY!
September 19th, 2012 9:18 am
Stan
Tim? sensitive is right. I heard him say that not only does he ban if he just feels slighted..he went on to say “If I ban you I don’t want you to even read my column”..and that sort of reminds me of my “People.who if they could kill with words would,” theory.
I myself am lucky to be alive after my Jerry West is not god posts..
September 19th, 2012 9:22 am
Piggyback Doug
There is one person that comments here…let’s call him Spam…that makes your comment section pretty very tough to stomach. I’ll gladly hold open the can if you should ever decide to trash that person.
September 19th, 2012 6:54 pm
Dave T
My 10 year old annouced to me on my 40th B-day this year that I was old. Of course when my dear departed mother, with whom I shared a birthday with turned 40, I thought that was old too! 40 is the new 20 in my book, I do not feel old, simply more experienced. I am gaining more experience every day. Then again, since I now listed to talk radio in the car, I suppose I am gaining age, but I validate it with the fact that it is sports talk radio on KNBR, just trying to trink my own mind I suppose.
I do not feel like you have ever personally trashed me, though we have disagreed on some things, even strongly disagreed on a few topics, I always felt like we appreciated one anothers point of view. I really like to think of this as water cooler fodder, or pulling up car stool in the pub (I always envision Third Street Aleworks) and having pint or beverage of choice and debating and discussing things. It isn’t personal, it is simply talking.
Speaking of which, when are you going to be around to have that glass of Vino? Flipside Burger has a nice patio.
September 20th, 2012 12:05 pm
KauaiRobert
People fear getting old.
.
.
.
*ALOHA*
September 20th, 2012 4:53 pm