Q: The internet is agog over the HBO special. When you walked off the stage, did you have any idea of how big of a deal this would become? Did your cell phone blow up, and your inbox get clogged? And what was the overall reaction from friends and colleagues you spoke with? And what's your reaction to the masses who think that you and Costas - longtime friends - were in cahoots against Will Leitch?
Buzz: The initial reaction was quite positive, more than quite positive from those I immediately spoke to–fellow panelists and members of HBO with the exception of Costas (Bob was friendly but muted in his response to my performance. He is one of the most thoughtful people I know and I think he was mulling that I had gone way too far.) What I began to realize by the next afternoon is this: What the fellow panelists thought (at least the ones I spoke with) were not remotely a representative group. When I came home from New York, my wife simply told me that I had been over the top and undignified. Then I started reading emails sent to me. The majority were predictably vindictive — dickhead, horsefucker, douchebag, windbag, ugly, stupid, etc. But what struck me far more is that many of the emails were smart, not laced with personal invective, and made cogent points about sports blogs and the Internet. It was also abundantly clear that I had disappointed people who had been fans of my work. That hurt terribly. They were also right.
The more I thought about my performance, the initial glow of "telling it like it is" turned more and more into the reality of someone who had truly embarrassed himself and subsumed the very points he was trying to make. I believe in what I said (although the emails I received have also directed me to some excellent information-based sports blogs I was not aware of). But I made a terrible mistake in the manner in which I said it. I am a man of passion and my passion truly got the better of me. I should have considerably toned it down, in particular in terms of my treatment of Will Leitch. Without going into details, I have taken steps to remedy that. I have also publicly apologized on several radio shows that have been widely disseminated. Those apologies are sincere, just as my passion was sincere if terribly misplaced. I treated Mister Leitch like the worst kind of blogger.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE (hence use of caps) there was no conspiracy between Costas and myself. We did not speak before the show. And his take on blogs is far more benevolent than mine. I got carried away as I often do because of who I am, not because of some clandestine plan to "get" Will Leitch. I am genuinely embarrassed by what I did and I need to reiterate that. It is not representative at all of who I am. I should also point out, just for the record, that I have gotten many emails applauding what I said because they feel that Deadspin in particular does routinely go too far. But still does not excuse profanity on my part. Although I am pretty sure that everybody watching the show, given that it is HBO, had heard the words "shit" and "fuck" before. After all, this is the network that has produced Deadwood and The Wire.
Q: We found the "blogs are dumbing down sports fans" argument to be highly debatable - the exact opposite could be said: With more research tools than ever before, fans are now armed with all the information they need to form coherent arguments about any topic they are passionate about. Sports fans have a choice - don't like one blog, float to another. Don't like a ribald radio host - turn the dial. But when it comes to sports on TV, there's only one option - ESPN. Al Michaels called about the network's incessant arguing "gasbags on parade." How much blame should ESPN shoulder for the dumbing down of sports fans?
Buzz: In the light of day, I think we are all guilty of the dumbing down not just of sports fans but of society. I was guilty of it on the Costas show. Too many sports blogs are vile beyond belief. Too many ESPN commentators and radio talk show hosts are equally vicious for the same reason–they think it will amass them attention, which will lead to increased viewership and listenership. On the other hand, one thing I have learned from this whole mess is the danger of making sweeping generalizations. As I have just answered, there are some very good information-based sports blogs out there written by bloggers who clearly have excellent sources, just as there are some ESPN commentators who think before they talk and some marvelous radio talk show hosts who know their information inside and out and also have real sources. Now of course I will contradict myself by making the generalization that as a society, we have become more petty and mean-spirited and nastier than ever. We revel in watching celebrities fall apart. We revel in mockery and that is true of every media outlet whether you define it as new or old or mainstream or the future or whatever. Sports blogs certainly do not hold the monopoly on being vindictive.
It takes a man to admit he was wrong, especially in the way he came right at Leitch like he was on a mission.Buzz: The initial reaction was quite positive, more than quite positive from those I immediately spoke to–fellow panelists and members of HBO with the exception of Costas (Bob was friendly but muted in his response to my performance. He is one of the most thoughtful people I know and I think he was mulling that I had gone way too far.) What I began to realize by the next afternoon is this: What the fellow panelists thought (at least the ones I spoke with) were not remotely a representative group. When I came home from New York, my wife simply told me that I had been over the top and undignified. Then I started reading emails sent to me. The majority were predictably vindictive — dickhead, horsefucker, douchebag, windbag, ugly, stupid, etc. But what struck me far more is that many of the emails were smart, not laced with personal invective, and made cogent points about sports blogs and the Internet. It was also abundantly clear that I had disappointed people who had been fans of my work. That hurt terribly. They were also right.
The more I thought about my performance, the initial glow of "telling it like it is" turned more and more into the reality of someone who had truly embarrassed himself and subsumed the very points he was trying to make. I believe in what I said (although the emails I received have also directed me to some excellent information-based sports blogs I was not aware of). But I made a terrible mistake in the manner in which I said it. I am a man of passion and my passion truly got the better of me. I should have considerably toned it down, in particular in terms of my treatment of Will Leitch. Without going into details, I have taken steps to remedy that. I have also publicly apologized on several radio shows that have been widely disseminated. Those apologies are sincere, just as my passion was sincere if terribly misplaced. I treated Mister Leitch like the worst kind of blogger.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE (hence use of caps) there was no conspiracy between Costas and myself. We did not speak before the show. And his take on blogs is far more benevolent than mine. I got carried away as I often do because of who I am, not because of some clandestine plan to "get" Will Leitch. I am genuinely embarrassed by what I did and I need to reiterate that. It is not representative at all of who I am. I should also point out, just for the record, that I have gotten many emails applauding what I said because they feel that Deadspin in particular does routinely go too far. But still does not excuse profanity on my part. Although I am pretty sure that everybody watching the show, given that it is HBO, had heard the words "shit" and "fuck" before. After all, this is the network that has produced Deadwood and The Wire.
Q: We found the "blogs are dumbing down sports fans" argument to be highly debatable - the exact opposite could be said: With more research tools than ever before, fans are now armed with all the information they need to form coherent arguments about any topic they are passionate about. Sports fans have a choice - don't like one blog, float to another. Don't like a ribald radio host - turn the dial. But when it comes to sports on TV, there's only one option - ESPN. Al Michaels called about the network's incessant arguing "gasbags on parade." How much blame should ESPN shoulder for the dumbing down of sports fans?
Buzz: In the light of day, I think we are all guilty of the dumbing down not just of sports fans but of society. I was guilty of it on the Costas show. Too many sports blogs are vile beyond belief. Too many ESPN commentators and radio talk show hosts are equally vicious for the same reason–they think it will amass them attention, which will lead to increased viewership and listenership. On the other hand, one thing I have learned from this whole mess is the danger of making sweeping generalizations. As I have just answered, there are some very good information-based sports blogs out there written by bloggers who clearly have excellent sources, just as there are some ESPN commentators who think before they talk and some marvelous radio talk show hosts who know their information inside and out and also have real sources. Now of course I will contradict myself by making the generalization that as a society, we have become more petty and mean-spirited and nastier than ever. We revel in watching celebrities fall apart. We revel in mockery and that is true of every media outlet whether you define it as new or old or mainstream or the future or whatever. Sports blogs certainly do not hold the monopoly on being vindictive.
I don't care whether you are "for" or "against" blogs (a debate that's as stupid as they come, if you want my take on it), but try to keep the discussion dignified and I salute Bissinger for the way he handled himself after this interview and saw that he did not help his cause at all by being on the attack like he was on the Costas' show.