tar -cvf file.tar --exclude=thumbs/ \
                  --exclude=uploads_event/ \
                  --exclude=uploads_forum/ \
                  --exclude=uploads_admin/ \
                  --exclude=uploads_userpoints/ \
                  --exclude=uploads_group/ \
                  --exclude=up_old/ \
                  --exclude=uploads_user/ \
                  --exclude=uploads_wall/ \
                  directory_to_tar/

Do I have it wrong? Trying to tar entire directory but exclude all those directories and any files in those folders completely.