# Why was the Hey Wolfpup Pit thread closed? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 5, 2025, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217 "2025-06-05T04:49:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/1 "2025-06-05T04:49:37Z")
No I wasn’t there to add on but I saw it in the forum and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Pit thread about another member closed. Usually they are keep open for the next incident. And no explanation was given which is unusual too. Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/2 "2025-06-05T05:19:25Z")
Started by a now-gone troll. Contained arguments about moderation. Rest of it was not about wolfpup at all. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/3 "2025-06-05T11:31:23Z")
Original poster was banned as a troll. Kinda hard to have a back-and-forth when the forther has been forthed out. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/4 "2025-06-05T18:00:56Z")
And it’s very doubtful that there is a need for the thread to still be open, because @wolfpup is such a well behaved poster that he’ll probably not get pitted again very soon. But if someone has the need, just open another thread. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/5 "2025-06-05T18:02:12Z")
The troll pitted Wolfpup in error (wrong poster), so it was an ersatz pitting. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/6 "2025-06-05T18:10:53Z")
Honestly I think the more pertinent question is not why the other thread was closed, but why you’re invested in starting **this** thread. The other thread was obviously closed because it was started by a troll who is now banned, never had a useful purpose in the first place, and quickly turned into an incoherent mess. It was also starting to turn into a reverse pitting of said troll, which is pointless now that they’re banned. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/7 "2025-06-05T18:26:38Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Honestly I think the more pertinent question is not why the other thread was closed, but why you’re invested in starting **this** thread. For that, I recommend you read the first post. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/8 "2025-06-05T18:29:43Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > For that, I recommend you read the first post. You wrote in that post: > [@](#): > > > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > > > And no explanation was given which is unusual too. So now you’ve got plenty of explanations, the thread starter was a troll and pitted the wrong poster anyway. What more do you want? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/9 "2025-06-05T18:32:30Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > What more do you want? What?! I haven’t asked more information. All I did was refer Wolfpup to the post that answered his question. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/10 "2025-06-05T18:33:16Z")
Ok sorry, you’re right, I misinterpreted your post. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/11 "2025-06-05T18:45:20Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > > [@wolfpup](#): > > > > Honestly I think the more pertinent question is not why the other thread was closed, but why you’re invested in starting **this** thread. > > For that, I recommend you read the first post. “First post” of which thread, the one you’re complaining about, or this one? Either way, I have no idea what it is that seems to upset you so. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/12 "2025-06-05T18:49:35Z")
OK, I’ll walk you through it. The thread was closed without explanation. Also, I don’t recall seeing Pitting of other members getting closed. Those are both unusual. Curious why that one that I have no other interest in was closed. > [@wolfpup](#): > > Either way, I have no idea what it is that seems to upset you so. What did I say that indicated I was upset. Was it the > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Just curious. ? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/13 "2025-06-05T18:52:27Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > The thread was closed without explanation. Also, I don’t recall seeing Pitting of other members getting closed. As noted: - Started by a about-to-be-banned troll - Started so that he could (a) bitch at a member who wasn’t even responsible for what he was angry about (i.e., flagging his posts), and (b) whine about moderation As such, it was no longer a relevant thread once he was banished. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/14 "2025-06-05T18:54:15Z")
This whole kerfuffle is a good example of why we don’t have bright line rules. Ordinarily, we don’t close Pit threads. But in this case, it was started by a troll for the sole purpose of complaining about a moderation choice made by a poster to flag the troll’s other thread about word pronunciations. The troll got it wrong in his Pit thread by assuming it was @Wolfpup who had flagged the post. It wasn’t. The poster who flagged the post came forward and stated the same in the Pit thread. As was pointed out upthread by @MrDibble and @susan, after the troll was banned, there was no point in keeping the Pit thread open, so I asked @Miller if he would close it – which he did. We also tend to cornfield threads started by trolls, but in this case – because we don’t have bright line rules – we left the Pronunciations thread open. Posters seemed to be enjoying it independent of who started it, and why should they not, just because a troll started it? Moderation doesn’t follow strict guidelines here. We try for consistency, but some cases call for a little more nuance. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/15 "2025-06-05T18:58:26Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > As noted: > > - Started by a about-to-be-banned troll > - Started so that he could (a) bitch at a member who wasn’t even responsible for what he was angry about (i.e., flagging his posts), and (b) whine about moderation > > As such, it was no longer a relevant thread once he was banished. Yes I know. My question has been answered. I get it. I was recreating my first post for Wolfpup who does not understand why I started for this thread. So I had to explain it to him a second time. I was not re-asking the question that was already answered. > [@Aspenglow](#): > > This whole kerfuffle is a good example of why we don’t have bright line rules. Is it really a kerfuffle? I noted something unusual and the repliers explained what happened. The only thing I would point out is maybe the mod could have posted the reason for the closure like they almost always do avoiding a thread asking why but I assume that was just an oversight. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/16 "2025-06-05T19:06:23Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I noted something unusual and the repliers explained what happened. Something you should have been able to pick up yourself, merely by reading the thread in question (that’s the way I figured it out). So yeah, a whole ATMB thread about it counts as a (very minor) kerfuffle > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > The only thing I would point out is maybe the mod could have posted the reason for the closure None of the rest of us appear confused by why it was closed. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/17 "2025-06-05T19:06:32Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > No I wasn’t there to add on but I saw it in the forum and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Pit thread about another member closed. I do it quite a bit. It’s been SOP since before I was a mod that if a poster is banned, we close any ongoing Pit threads about that poster. This was slightly different in that it was a Pit thread _started_ by a banned poster instead of _about_ a banned poster, but as noted, we tend to close those, too, unless the thread has spawned an interesting conversation despite the troll. Which, IMO, didn’t apply here: the most likely direction for the conversation to take would to turn into a (likely uncomplimentary) discussion about the banned OP, which brings us back to the first point about closing Pittings of banned members. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/18 "2025-06-05T19:08:53Z")
> [@susan](#): > > The troll pitted Wolfpup in error (wrong poster), so it was an ersatz pitting. Funny enough, the troll even realized that fact and apologized to @wolfpup before they were banned. Even if the troll wasn’t banned, there wasn’t much need for the thread anymore. [![](https://media.tenor.com/zFSMbKc8LHIAAAAM/nevermind-gildaradner.gif) ](https://media.tenor.com/zFSMbKc8LHIAAAAM/nevermind-gildaradner.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/19 "2025-06-06T14:24:44Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > And it’s very doubtful that there is a need for the thread to still be open, because @wolfpup is such a well behaved poster that he’ll probably not get pitted again very soon. Spoken like someone who hasn’t needed to clean the carpets after he came for a visit. He’s a _bad dog!_ (I kid, of course). ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217/20 "2025-06-06T16:49:27Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > the most likely direction for the conversation to take would to turn into a (likely uncomplimentary) discussion about the banned OP, which brings us back to the first point about closing Pittings of banned members. And it had already started moving in that direction. I was on vacation at the time, so I wasn’t involved in any of the decisions, but closing that thread seemed like a no-brainer to me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-hey-wolfpup-pit-thread-closed/1019217.md?page=2)