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…in case you missed it last night, Will Leitch of Deadspin.com took part in a ‘roundtable discussion’ about sports blogs 
alonside Pulitzer Prize-winning author Buzz Bissinger (Friday Night Lights) and Browns WR Braylon Edwards, hosted by Bob Costas, live last night on HBO’s CostasNow, which also featured separate but similar discussions with other guests regarding print, talk radio and television…
To hear from Leitch, check out his post at Deadspin.
…first off, i feel badly for will – not that he needs my sympathy – but this was not a discussion…it was a firing line…he was clearly ambushed…costas and the show’s producers seemingly put him on the panel with the lone goal of interrogating him, defaming him and embarrassing him – none of which happend…
…instead, the Pulitzer Prize author, bissinger, came off looking like a paranoid and angry sports writer, who, despite being a smart man with obvious talent, is afraid that he will soon be marginalized by a business and audience who, for better or worse, no longer crave his skillset…
“I think that blogs are dedicated to cruelty, they’re dedicated to journalistic dishonesty, they’re dedicated to speed…It is the complete dumbing down of our society,” said Bissinger.
…my biggest issue with the discussion – if you can even call it that – was that buzz and costas essentially defined the blogosphere as being just Will Leitch, who, though i admire him and enjoy his work, does not represent every blog or blogger…
…there is ‘the blogger,’ which is a person at a keyboard, and there is ‘the blog,’ which is a communication tool…they are two different things, yet always seen as one…
…in reality, the blog tool is used by Presidential Candidates; it is used by corporations for internal communication, like GE or Google; it is used by athletes, like Curt Schilling, to circumvent reporters; it is used by team owners, like Mark Cuban, to speak directly to the fans; it is used by beat writers working for news outlets to report information more quickly than they can on paper; it is used by me, a fan, to express thought-out, pragmatic opinion and information, which has earned me the ability to gain interviews, press credentials, a large readership, a bit of notoriety and a full-time job doing what i love…
…and so, to frame blogs and bloggers as just one person, one style, one agenda, is flat-out ignorant…it is ignorance in its truest form, in that bissinger seemingly had no interest in learning about what a blog can do, why they’re popular, or how they represent a useful form on communication…he ignored this opportunity while remaining only interested in continuing a one-way conversation with the preconceived notion that blogs are bad and only contribute to the dumbing down of society…which is so simplistic it hurts..
…frankly, their discussion could have used a dash of Peter Abraham, who is a beat writer for the Journal News, and who does a brilliant job - not just with his newspaper report, but also with his blog about the Yankees…in fact, i would bet – knowing what i know about newspaper and blog advertising – i bet pete is more valuable to the Journal News as a blogger than he is as a newspaper man…
…pete and i are the perfect example of how sports blogging can be better than what newspapers provide – and by ‘newspaper,’ i mean the physical object that is flung on your porch roughly 24–hours after actual news occured…
…if a team’s beat writer only filed his information on his blog, and did not do so in a newspaper, would it make him any less credible?…no, it would not…he is still a reporter…it is still his job to gather information so you and i have a better, more well-rounded view of what is happening with the team…sure, i do not need him to tell me what happened in the game, which i watched with my own two eyes, but it’s nice to know why things happen and what may happen, and he collects that insight – his work is important and will never be irrelevant…however, how his information gets communicated to the public is just a vehicle…if that vehicle changes - as it will – from a rolled up collection of paper to a one-page scroll on a computer screen, what is the difference…also, why does the reporter have to be employed by a newspaper, or some old-school media outlet…if a writer writes well, is respectful, professional and does her job well, why does it matter who signs her 
paycheck…
…Buzz Bissinger is clearly nervous, and he should be, as he admitted to being…however, to me, the reason he and people like him are nervous is because of limited thinking…they are only seeing the on-coming train from one, violent angle…and, sadly, if they do not get out of the way, unable to unlock themselves from their frozen point of view, he’s right, they will be totally run over…
For more, check out Final Score, Fire Joe Morgan and Alan Sepinwell from the Star Ledger, and watch the following clip from last night’s show:
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I was actually in the audience last night, and Bissinger was FUMING even after the panel (ironically, he sat next to Leitch in the audience for the remainder of the show - 3 rows directly in front of me). Very strange to see someone of his caliber act in such a fashion. For his part, Leitch managed to maintain (relatively speaking) his poise during the Bissinger/Costas two-pronged attack.
I think your points, Matt, are extremely valid. There will always be room for solid journalism; there is also plenty of room for blogs. Bottom line is that this is the beauty of the internet - it puts all the information out there and lets the public decide what, when and how they consume information.
As I said to my friend after the show, Bissinger and Costas fancy themselves artists, which is fine, but you’d never see a true artist try to belittle someone else’s work in such an aggressive, vitriolic way. An honest effort is an honest effort, and for those of us who embrace it, what a wonderful time it is.
They said the same thing about television when people started getting them for their living rooms. It was the downfall of humanity, etc etc. A blog is just a cheaper, faster and more effective form of print media used to communicate with the audience. The blog scares print journalists that do not understand it.
It’s true that a blog is only as good as it’s author (and you can have poorly written blogs built upon bad intent), but the same was true in the early days of print as well. Over time, things will sort themselves out.
Excellent post, Matt.
Really, the smart sports jounalists (and other savvy journalists - like some political writers) have and will continue to adapt to the new technology and integrate their own blogs into their traditional coverage. Matt has linked to several excellent blogs by a couple of the local Mets beat writers. Other writers don’t do a very good job of supplementing or enhacning their traditional coverage in the blogosphere. And they are frightened. They should be.
There is also a great post on this over at firejoemorgan. It basically brings up the point that the blog post is different from the blog comments.
Look at the post of today’s game. The Blog posted the lineups and info about the game. The comments on the other hand….I don’t even want to know what spewed on in there…
Actually, the comments were fairly good natured and “gallows humor” type messages during the debacle.
How is it a bad thing when fans decide for themselves what to think, instead of being pounded with ceasless muckraking from tabloid hacks desperate to sell more papers than the next guy. Is Wallace Matthews an artist? Mike Vaccaro? Bob Klapisch?
These guys are all bitter, pathetic losers who went into sportswriting so they could buddy up to their heroes, only to spew a lifetime of bitterness when those same heroes refuse to acknowledge them on any equal footing. They are like the losers who don’t get into the fraternity but still try to come by the parties.
I’m almost stopped reading sports columnists…all the game is now is to try to out-do each other with ludicrous, controversial angles. Jose Reyes is Rey Ordonez? Defending Roger Clemens? Delgado snubbed all of New york? If this is art, count me out.
I agree totally. The reason the readership and viewership previously devoted to the traditional sports media is turning to blogs is because the traditional sports media is populated largely by braindead slobs. Flip on ESPN; the shrill morons yelling at one another on that network are, for my money, ten times more coarse and abrasive in manner (if not language) than the average Deadspin comment, which, while profane, is offered in good humor 95% of the time.
Bissinger is, ironically, a great example of somebody with actual talent who made piles of money in traditional media (books) because he is not a clown like the guys you mentioned, dave27.
Even Chipper Jones thinks Mr. Bissinger is a little too old for his nickname.
Matt–
I was at the taping last night and I think you really missed Mr. Bissinger’s point, which was both startling and refreshing. Instead you have taken his criticisms personally resulting in the above post that almost entirely misinterprets what he said and meant. This is pure irony, given that Mr. Bissinger’s main criticism of blogs was that, because their creators are untrained, unsupervised and unaccountable, they often pass along misinformation that is often tainted by the blogger’s personal biases; as your earlier post today in fact was.
To characterize Mr. Bissinger as some angry old man, only worried for his job, totally distorts his comments for your own gain. You also totally neglected to address that both Mr. Costas and Mr. Bissenger qualified their remarks, on numerous occasions, by saying that there are a number of blogs that do an excellent job and do not fall under the criticisms they were doling out.
Mr. Bissinger was correct in making the argument that while blogs, and the internet in general, allow many voices to be heard, they negatively affect the quality of those voices. Truth be told, blogs represent and inspire the awful usage of the English language. Further they inspire laziness and stupidity. Your readers come to you to give them a synopsis of the articles written by better trained and more accomplished writers so that they do not have to read them themselves. This is not a good thing. This is highly representative of the dumbing-down of America, where people are to busy to truly inform themselves, and instead want quick information spoon-fed to them.
As for the quality of writing found in blogs specifically, Mr. Cerrone, you may think you are a fine writer, but sir, you most certainly are not. While I value the information you pass on, and often your opinions that accompany it, your post are not fine examples of the English language. Currently, on my nightstand I have a large book containing the collected sports writing of one Mr. Red Smith, who was an exceptional writer, so much so that I am intrigued to read his accounts of ballgames that occurred decades before my birth. I highly doubt that the collected works of Matthew Cerrone will soon replace it.
You seem to be perpetuating the false point that there is some sort of ‘training’ required to engage in a discussion - the essential purpose of blogs.
Do I need to be qualified to discuss the Mets over a beer in the bar anymore than I need to be qualified to write my thoughts here? I don’t think so, but even if I did, I’d take my chances on both, kind sir.
You’re correct - blogs don’t perpetuate the ‘King’s English’, as it were. But I’d argue that American Idol doesn’t exactly perpetuate the musical lineage of Mozart, Sinatra and the Beatles. On some level, participation of the masses is what’s important. That said, if I knew where the point of diminishing returns was, I’d be a much richer man.
Making persnickety remarks about people’s writing styles and/or abilities isn’t really relevant to the discussion. If you don’t like how people write on blogs, go read the New Yorker (which I do as well, but for different reasons than I read Metsblog). Blogs will not render ‘real’ sports writing obsolete, anymore than American Idol will render true musical talent obsolete (at least, I hope).
Still, I think your argument demonstrates that this is not an actual “argument” - where you have two sides debating the relative merits of a single issue - rather, a perceived threat that really has no relevance. People will read blogs. People will read ‘true’ journalistic pieces. There will be a lot of overlap. The sun will continue to rise. Why such hostility?
how are you doing buzz?i admit it is awful for someone to have an opinion and wish to express that point somewhere where others might see it and spark some conversation.
bdwyshaps, take that stick out of your ass for a second, and think. You yell at Matt for putting words into Buzz’s mouth one second, then put words into Matt’s the next.
The fact is, blogging was never meant to replace all other forms of literature. I don’t think that’s the objective or focus of any blogger out there. Blogging is meant as a supplement. Do I go to metsblog to read a artistic description of the finer subtle points of the game? Or to hear someone wax poetic on the romantic sides of it? No. If I want that, I’ll pick up a book or read an article by the type of writer you’re defending.
Blogging has grown so popular and so pervasive because it represents the fans point of view. Believe it or not, it’s easier to know what a fan wants to read when you’re a fan yourself.
As someone who’s been in a Major League press box, I completely agree that when you’re there, you’re writing for a different audience with different considerations, a different focus, and a different tone. Yes, there is a time and place to write about the things the average fan doesn’t get to see, but that surely doesn’t mean that there isn’t a time and a place to write about what everyone gets to see, because it’s what people do get to see that they grow curious about. A fan won’t wonder what happened when the cameras are off. They’ll wonder about the things they did see and need to be rationalized or explained.
The fact is, I can get more information on the Mets by going here than I can pretty much anywhere else. Does that mean this is all I read? No. But it does usually mean it’s the first thing I read.
What Bissinger and those of his ilk don’t understand is that blogging has gained in popularity in large part due to its ability to focus on the things that fans want to hear, and writers, from their point of view removed from the fan base, forget about. I want to know how someone who’s a fan reacts to the ups and downs of their team, and I get that here.
Buzz Bissinger was so far off what is relevant and what is important in this issue, it’s scary. Blogs are more popular because they give people more of what they want. I read deadspin for its humor, for its fresher take on things. I have read books by Buzz Bissinger as well, but for a different reason, and both have their place. It’s very clear though that Buzz was threatened by blogging. He has taken a point of view that if he doesn’t like it, it’s filth, and that is EXACTLY what it wrong with people like him. Bloggers don’t pretend to be all that matters. They don’t try to take over conventional media. They don’t feel like if it’s not what they do, it’s inferior. But people like Buzz do, and it’s that elitism that is exactly what deadspin talks about when they describe why people turn to blogs. That is what turns people off and alienates their readers, and I hope Buzz loses a considerable amount of respect from his reader base for his actions there. This was no less than a completely unwarranted attack, and it was disgusting. It’s amazing how much more rational and intelligent deadspin came off in that segment than Bissinger.
Boy I hope that post was satirical.
Somehow I doubt Matt considers himself Shakespeare. This is such a strawman argument. Matt is not trying to write like Red Smith, he is trying to collect Mets information in a single place while giving us his perspective as a fellow fan. If you don’t like it and would rather read newspaper columnists than just don’t type metsblog.com into your browser.
Some of the best sports writing is considered editorializing and therefore subjective and not as reliant on “getting the facts straight” as some might suggest. The reason people come to places like Metsblog is because baseball is a sport that is enhanced by discussion, debate and comparison. The pace of a baseball game itself is also well-suited for it as Bob Costas suggests in Ken Burns’ Baseball documentary.
Reading the newspaper does not allow for that sort of exchange to occur, you’re left to digest the egos of these writers right along with their insight (Mike Lupica, I’m looking in your direction.) I prefer a less didactic way of keeping up with my favorite team and Metsblog reminds me that this is a game of the people. Thank you Matt.
bdwyshaps, you have to be kidding….
Bissinger’s opening salvo: “I’m just gonna interject because I feel very strongly about this. I really think you’re full of sh*t. Because I think that blogs are dedicated to cruelty [and] they’re dedicated to journalistic dishonesty….”
Talk about “misinformation . . . tainted by . . . personal bias.”
He then proceeded to attribute a series of comments by anonymous internet posters — stated completely out of context, by the way — to Leitch. Journalistic integrity at its finest!
Bissinger made himself look like a fool. The more he rambled, the worse it got. I lost a lot of respect for him and, to a lesser degree, Costas for allowing the entire charade to play out.
It was disgraceful.
Hi Buzz!
Unfortunately, sir, you are part of the old guard. The mainstream media is a DISGRACE to discourse.
The mainstream media does not inform, as you recklessly imply. Instead, it is the source of the very “dumbing” you speak of. With that said, it is a common misconception of idealistic fools to believe that there was some historical glory period of thought and theory among the common people of America.There was not. If anything, people are more aware of topics of interest BECAUSE of the internet, not in spite of it.
You may sincerely believe that you are correct. It is easy to be confused. There are a lot of stupid people. But they have always been. And to use standard English as a stepping stone to claim intellectual superiority is not only foolish, but intellectually troubling. Human communication is not limited to those with training in petty rules, and the internet is leading the way on that front.
As someone who grew up with the internet, I understand things that perhaps a person from an older generation, like yourself, may not fully comprehend. That doesn’t make you a cranky old man, just a confused old man who channels his confusion into incoherent and inaccurate rants.
maybe you need to read faith and fear in flushing.
Micah Owings pinch hit for Arizona and hit a 2 run homer!
Maine beware.
Okay, he hit 4 HR in 60 AB last year. I guess it isn’t that suprising.
I’m sorry, but if a manager sends a pitcher up to pinch hit, you’ve got to put the ball up in his kitchen.
so is this guy costas or bissinger? I can’t tell…you don’t like blogs, there’s no reason you and buzz, and the rest of the technophobes can’t avoid them and pick up the paper. There’s still some fine work out there.
when i want prose i’ll read walt whitman, he’s on my night stand. what a snob.
By the way, does anyone know where I send my Bissinger hate mail to? I’d like to let him know that his ignorance has cost him a reader.
Bdwyshaps,
Wow. While I’ll admit that I often think Matt could use a proofreader or an editor, that was excessively harsh.
Also, there are plenty of poorly-written and highly biased traditional sports columns (see, e.g.: Matthews, Wallace).
Again, the savvy sportswriter will adapt by integrating the Internet side of things into his repetoire. Such a savvy sportswriter can easily enhace his traditional reportage by utilizing his own blog. Other sportswriters will fail to adapt. They will be left on the side of the road of progress.
Frankly, too many of the complaints of Mssrs. Bissenger and Costas (and now you) smack of the lamentations of the horsewhip manufactuere and blacksmith upon the widspread production of the automobile.