“…I’ll Be as High as That Ivory Tower You’re Been Living In...”

I’m not in the habit of watching HBO’s Costas NOW. But some how, the deities of fate put a repeat of the 4/29/2008 episode on my television after dinner tonight. And what did they put on my T.V. as a treat? Well, let’s just call it “blog content” and you can see it for yourself:



After this taped introduction, there was something they called a roundtable, but I’m not exactly sure that’s what it was. You see “roundtable” infers equality and level headed discussion. Yeah…not so much in this clip. WARNING: This clip contains some harsh language…clear the kiddies from the room or plug in your headphones:



Who died and made these guys king of all writing?

Seriously – Bissinger gets on his high horse during the roundtable and rides around as the crusader for “true sports journalism” defending it from the ignorant hordes of bloggers that line the path of today’s information superhighway. His quibble is that the writing on the internet blogs is loose and reckless and has no journalistic responsibility. Since it has none of these, he and Michael Wilbon (who was interviewed for the piece) are saying that blog writers have no right to be a part of sport culture’s dialogue. In Bissinger’s eyes, what right do bloggers have to criticize professional athletes? They’re nothing but hacks and childish idiots who choose to point out negative and useless details in sports today.

Which is ironic coming from Buzz Bissinger who came under fire after his book, Friday Night Lights came out in 1990. The non-fiction book about a season spent observing a highly competitive Odessa, TX high school football team came under the criticism that he only chose to highlight the worst possible things about the town and its people. (And before I get ripped for not knowing my subject – I read the book in the summer of 1992, Mr. Bissinger)

…but I digress…

As a very (to the infinite power) minor blogger, it just really just pisses me off the way people like Bissinger and Wilbon look down upon the blogosphere. His tirade may have been an indictment on the world of sports bloggers, but it can be easily applied to ALL people who write blogs.

The blogosphere is where we commoners come to vent nowadays – whether you like it or not.

What Bissinger & Co. fails to see is that blogs are the modern soapbox. They are the pulpit from which common society can put their two cents in. They empower the public to express themselves so that they can be heard. Joe Schmuck no longer is nameless and faceless – he’s got a post name and a piece of internet real estate and he’s not afraid to use it.

Tell me this Bissinger: When did writing become sacred ground? I do not have a degree nor do I have the experiences that you have. Does this disqualify me from writing out my opinions? Opinions have been freely given since the dawn of man. The only difference now is that it is more accessible. People like Will Leitch on Deadspin.com are doing what most guys do over a few beers and stale peanuts at the local sport’s bar – telling it how THEY see it.

Are most blogs journalistic? Do they have integrity? Are they unbiased? NO. If I wanted that, I’d read a newspaper, magazine, or book. Are they at times juvenile, uncivilized, and rude? Yeah, but that is often the case with a bunch of guys shooting the breeze.

And P.S.: Most bloggers also hate bad grammar and pointless posts. But rather than mumble in a corner about it, we normally eat our own through public comments.

Bissinger doesn’t seem to consider us real journalists or writers, which is fine…most of us don’t either. A majority of bloggers don’t hold out any aspirations that their internet work will win a Peabody Award or Pulitzer Prize. But that’s the difference between us and them – most bloggers I know write for themselves. They’re just lucky to have developed a following of like minded readers. There’s probably millions of blogs out there and very few people make money off of it. Bloggers write because bloggers love what they do.

Mr. Bissinger, I’m sorry you hate sports bloggers that much. But it’s your own fault. You mistakenly view the guys at Deadspin.com and Fire Joe Morgan as competition. The fact is – they’re out of your league. Literally. Those guys aren’t writing for anyone but themselves. God bless them for it too.

There are bad bloggers just like there are horrible newspaper columnists. There is no accounting for one’s taste. I may not like what you have to say, but you have every right to say it. But, instead of bitching about it, grow a set of balls and do what you do when you read something you don’t like: Turn the page.

Oh…and by the way…if anyone can tell me how you can actually “piss the sh*t out of someone,” drop me a line. I’m fascinated how that might work anatomically.