My suggestion in the brief time I have been back in the lounge would to have some sort of designation that might classify a thread.
In the hockey forum you can classify "Discussion" "Rumor" or whatever.
Could a designation work to help avoid sardonic replies?
Hopefully not at all. Designation was only over league average in attendance twice in it's existance, and aside from the couple posts right when the forum was leaving didn't give any indication that they wanted it.
There are a handful of forums that I would rather see a designation for before The Lounge. Just because I am a Lounge poster is no reason to support having a team in The Lounge any more than say The Entertainment Board.
It was, and is a bad idea.