Okay, fair enough. And on reviewing the relevant thread, I see that the second reply is someone correctly guessing what happened, and the fourth is Hal corroborating that. IOW, it didn’t turn into a pileon when it happened.
[sub]I kinda like overdone in-jokes…[/sub]
What does Hal have to say about this?
I don’t think it baaathers him overly much.
I don’t think he gets it. Wool’s pulled completely over his eyes.
Of course, merely bringing it up has resulted in more attention to it.
Are you saying he doesn’t watch or look during?? 
Yeah, before this thread, I had no idea what the joke was about. Now that I know, I can start to take part also. (in the jokes about Hal, I mean) (whew!, I caught that before it posted)
Me, either. I’m glad that Q.E.D. filled me in.
I particularly liked Hal’s intended payback.
RR
Hal,
Hal,
Hal of the Meadow,
Friend to Ewe and Me!
My official feelings on the whole matter:
I have no problem whatsoever if someone comes up with a good joke about the whole thing – “good” being the operative word here.
There’ve been plenty of posts on the subject that’ve made me laugh as loud as anyone else here. Posting “Paging Hal!” when someone mentions sheep, not so much.
Mock all you want, just please be original about it. 
And there you have it, straight from the sheep’s mouth.
I think twickster had it right.
I think that’s a good approach to take with all of the Board’s running gags: bring them up if, and only if, you can do it in a way that’s funny or clever and hasn’t already been done to death.
Or, the references could just be deleted. That would be my recommendation, should someone ask me.
I don’t mind the running jokes on the SDMB. Especially because I’ve been a participant in the originating threads of several - (1920’s style death rays, Marianis Trench, etc).
However, unlike the alleged ovine activities of a certain “Doper”, these running jokes do not make fun of anyone in particular. (Yes, there’s the Hi Opal running joke but she’s no longer here and even if she were, the reference is not pejorative).
So, I’m all in favor of running jokes. Heck, I just posted to a “More Cowbell” thread in Cafe Society, a running joke that is more than just an obsession with SDMB - it went national almost the next day after the SNL sketch - and that sketch first aired almost 7 years ago!!! I don’t think the cowbell running joke is derogatory of Blue Oyster Cult, Bruce Dickinson, “Don’t Fear The Reaper”, etc. However, I think we should avoid uncomplimentary references to any “Doper”. (provided of course that the aforementioned “Doper” is not a complete asshat in which case we should do our best to rip the shit out of them!!!)
So, anyway that’s my “take” on this subject.
… and you can take that to the bank!!!
… and dat’s da name of that tune !!!
Considering she posted as recently as 5 days ago, what are you talking about?
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8190668&postcount=45
Is there something you should be telling us?
Has he split your infinitive?
Una Persson
I did not know precisely to which Opal that referred. Because the origin of the “Hi Opal” in joke has been discussed here many times, I may have been misinformed in one of those threads.
Even so, it is nowhere near as nasty as the running joke I referenced in my last posting.