Because they are what they are, they were forced to step down.
Shame on the ENNIES!

http://www.feartheboot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4982

I've yet to listen to FTB... so I have to ask: were they forced to withdraw because they told people on their podcast how to cast multiple votes for them?

If so, then well, c'mon...

They made jokes about how you could cheat.
And they admitted having voted for themselves at home AND at work.

It was also a running gag, because they had their own ballots, and when the ENNIES came around, it went something in the spirit of:

"Now, remember all the pleas for fair-play with our ballotts? Forget everything!:haw:"

There are things a superiour just "does not see" = minor, but technically illegal pranks.
If he insists on having seen it, the whole process of court-martial must apply, damaging the superiour, the offender and the service.

There´s some serious lack of sense for proportion going on. And bigotry.

Evolution in action. Roughly the same happened to Rasyr, asshattish promoter of HARP last year, although I don't think he was technically disqualified.

Some key quotes:
http://hofrat.rollenspiel-berlin.de/Forum/index.php?topic=679

That's too bad. They have a good show.

Uh... who the fuck are these people again? And why should I care? Other than just one more example of how utterly fucked up and easily-warpable any of the "judgements" of the ENnies really are?

RPGPundit

It´s maybe the last, most popular and healthy regular-joe podcasts in existance.
Listening to them is listening to the majority, who never has even heard of certain developments.

I actually did vote from home and work.  I only vote in categories I've got a firm opinion on and I missed one of them the first time around.

I think it's pretty absurd that these guys are getting booted like this, but I obviously have no control over this or any other aspect of the Ennies, which I agree with Pundit on thing: Man who the fuck are a lot of these people, and games?

The whole thing disgusted me. I enjoy listening to FtB and think they got hosed. There were accusations of cheating on the part of FtB by the ENnie people who said (to paraphase) "If you are innocent, please submit proof to us" - which was ludicrous. Later, the accusations of cheating were rescinded, and FtB was DQ'ed for "questioning the integrity of the awards", because they pointed out how someone else (anonymous) was cheating.

FtB guys pointed out several things including: There was no proof of cheating, there are no ENnie rules posted that state anything they are accused of is against ENnie policy, and finally, the comments in question were made in a joking fashion which is the MO of the show.

The ENnie voting process is flawed. It's not the fault of FtB, responsibility lies with the awards organizers. When I saw a favorite game publisher of mine posting announcements on their homepage, distributor page and blog asking people to get all their friends to vote, I realized just how flawed these awards are. The unprofessional manner in which the FtB DQ was handled completely soured me on them altogether.

Quote from: SettembriniIt´s maybe the last, most popular and healthy regular-joe podcasts in existance.
Listening to them is listening to the majority, who never has even heard of certain developments.

AHEM!  I'd like to point out the grassroots effort for us to be regular-Joes.

As a regular-Joe, I must be angry at this...

However, we should use our own podcast to fight this.

Quote from: GoOrangeThe unprofessional manner in which the FtB DQ was handled completely soured me on them altogether.

I absolutely agree, the Ennies people-especially Micheal Morris-were total twats.

Quote from: Serious PaulI absolutely agree, the Ennies people-especially Micheal Morris-were total twats.

Twat is too mild of a word.

Twat-monkey?
Festering twat-monkey?

It's that TheRPGSite gift for vitriolic hyperbole that keeps me coming back here. You guys are the experts.

I hope that's preserved in the podcast.