There were few but very clearly defined rules, which were applied fairly evenhandedly. That made it a more freewheeling place. It could be brutal but the membership tended to police itself moreso. I had a lot of respect for the admin because, despite his flaws, he was fairly consistent. I saw posters take runs at him that would have precipitated bans elsewhere. Typically, mods - being human - will ban posters for taking runs at them that they will allow towards others. That generally didn't happen. And at times, I laughed as hard at events here as I ever did watching a TV show or a movie.
Now, the place is becoming bland and milquetoast, just another run-of-the-mill place. Bannings seem more arbitrary and inconsistent. Most of the posters who made the place amusing have been banned or have moved on as the leash got tighter and tighter. Now, it is being over-modded as more rules are implemented (and unevenly applied).
USMB will carry on, I'm sure. But think of this place as a TV show, say The Office. Seasons 1-3 of The Office were fresh, amusing, witty. Seasons 4 onward were bland, boring, stale, hardly many laughs. That's USMB.
