The new PtR and you: a look at the recent changes

Before talking about the things that changed, let's start with something that hasn't: we are all still here. The writers, the mods, the contributors--we didn't change. We'll still have the same quality content we had before. Also, this is nothing like SBNation United. This time the tweaks are minimal. So if you were getting used to the new look of the site, don't worry; all these changes are small and for the better.

Now let's get to the tweaks. SBNation put up a post a couple of days ago exploring them but I'm sure some of you haven't read it, so I'll give you a rundown.

• Fanposts can now be moved to the cover. I think almost all of the writers here came from the fanposts. We as a community have very smart, driven people with unique visions. When you've been here a while and have a specific theory or point of view, JRW will probably e-mail you and harass you politely convince you to write something for the front page, but you can always skip that step and go to the fanpost section and write about whatever you want. In the old days, that fanpost you wrote could be featured in the front page. The new SBNation took away that possibility for a while, but now fanposts can be moved to the cover again. So if you write something that is interesting, you might see your name at the top of PtR, with thousands of people reading your stuff.
  

• Fanposts and fanshots are aligned, just like they were before. The fanshots sections is great for sharing a piece of news, a link, photo or video or to make a quick post that doesn't merit a fanpost. I personally love it and always read it because I always find stuff I missed. It's basically a place for people with a shared interest to post links to things others might enjoy. In the old PtR, fanshots where just below fanposts on the right side of the screen. Now the fanpost section has been moved back to where it was. So just find the fanpost section, then scroll down and you'll find the fanshots.
  

• You can edit your comments! Just kidding; that's not available yet, so your clumsy fingers might earn you a spot in the Lexicon.
  

• You can find the community navigation bar at the top of the page. You can access the archive, the fun pages, all sections and both the fanposts and fanshots by clicking on the buttons at the top of the page. If you liked the old navigation bar leading to other SBNation sites, you'll find it by hovering over the SBNation button. But if you are here only for PtR, our content should be easier to locate. So no more excuses for not knowing what PATFO stands for!
  

So those are the new tweaks the network introduced. But how about how PtR has changed? We didn't explain these new features in depth before so I'll give you some info on the two we use the most.

• We use Game Streams to provide you with all the game info in one neat package. Josh puts up a stream, which is a series of posts related to each other arranged in chronological order. There you'll find the preview, Game Thread and Quick Cap. You'll also find news on any developments that happen during the game, like injury reports. We do this to organize all of a specific game's info in one place while allowing you to comment on separate posts. We can also use streams to provide updates to other posts that are developing in real time. Like, say, if the Spurs are on the verge of trading Bonner for Kevin Love, we can keep adding updates into the development of the negotiations, from the moment they start until I wake up and realize I had that dream again.

• We also have hubs, which are just all the posts from one section grouped together. Right now we are featuring Pop being Pop, which groups together all the notable instances of Pop being a lovable grump. There are some PtR videos, interviews, etc. there but you can also find other content like great SBNation GIFs or interviews or quotes we might have missed. So if you love Pop, you can get your fix there in an organized way. In the future that might change to a different topic. I'm just letting you know what those four post groups you find in most SBNation sites are.
  

I finally would like to mention that participation is always encouraged. The new format seems to be more content-oriented, but we still value our amazing community above all else. Fortunately, SBNation has heard the user feedback and made tweaks accordingly.

Asides from the possibility of participating via fanposts or fanshots, the comments section is there for you. If you agree or disagree with anything on an article, let us know. Even though I'm actually never wrong, I'd love to talk about how wrong you are, any time. I'm sure that goes for all the other contributors here. This is still the same ol' PtR; debates in the comments can sometimes get heated but they can also be illuminating or funny. So talk to us and amongst yourselves; just be nice while you do it.

Finally, a word to the lurkers out there. First, welcome! You probably just found this place and are not sure if we are "funny insane" or just plain ol' bat crap crazy. We are not sure either, but we'd love for you to join the discussion. I like to think that, as a community, we are nice and open to new members. You'll find that once you get a feel for the tone of the site and start commenting, it can become addictive, in a good way.

We have people from all sorts of backgrounds: San Antonians, other Texans, people from all over the U.S. and a lot of international fans, from Argentines like myself to a horde of Pinoys and even a Belgian guy! (Shout out to Bakkie.) We have males and females of all ages. You'll find someone you can relate to, I'm sure. Plus, we all love the Spurs; so we have that in common already! It's okay to come out and play. Just try not to use the subject line and don't invoke the rage of Cap by calling the game before it's over. If you do that and follow suit with the tone the regulars set, you'll be fine.

Editor Note: It's not rage, more an unassailable belief that one does not mess with The Mojo. - CapHill