If you didn't read the Internets today, or missed HBO last night, then you don't know the general kerfuffle, hulabaloo, rhubarb, and I don't know what else that transpired on Bob Costas' new show. It was a sit-down discussion of all things new, exciting and scary for sports fans over the age of 40: bloggers, sports talk radio, and the end of the world as we know it. It was a panel discussion, including my close, personal friend Will Leitch from Deadspin.com and "Friday Night Lights" author Buzz Bissinger.
You can watch the video of it here. It didn't go well. Buzz Bissinger is apparently not a fan of the blogosphere, and poor Will was the whipping boy chosen to be drawn and quartered for the blood-thirsty masses to atone for the sins of bloggers everywhere. The level of anger and hatred that Bissinger has for the Blogosphere is quite astounding. The whole thing is ugly to watch.
And all I can say is: Will, I'm sorry. This was all my fault.
Why? You might remember back when your humble author was quoted in that august of publications, The New York Times, for a story about Eli Manning. Yours truly received two quotes, including the final word. And who was among the other "experts" quoted for this piece?
Buzz Bissinger. And he was only quoted once.
I must imagine that it burned pretty badly to be an apparently quote pompous and self-righteous Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, and find that the New York Times - the New York Times of all places - values the opinions of some snot-nosed brat blogger exactly twice as much as you. So you seethe. And you wait for the first opportunity to take some blogger - any blogger - down a peg, really rip them a new one and humiliate them in public, so you can prove a point and "get your revenge" over that New York Times slight.
(Of course, I may be wrong. But I'm not.)
So Will, I'm very, very sorry that all of this came crashing down on your head. The next time the New York Times calls, I'll tell them to get bent rather than run the risk of a ranting and raving Pulitzer Prize winner getting ready to snap a blogger in half. If David McCullough goes nutso upside the head of one of the Fire Joe Morgan guys, I don't want that blood on my hands.
