Last night was some of the most interesting television I've seen in a while, and it had nothing to do with the Reds or Johnny Cueto.
I didn't see all of it, so I've already hit the DVR to record it tonight, but on Bob Costas NOW on HBO, Costas held a Town Hall-type meeting on Sports Media. I missed the beginning, because of the Reds, Mario Kart Wii and ignorance, but did catch the end of it. It's replaying today at 6:30 p.m. I'll be rewatching the parts I saw plus the other parts.
It was an interesting discussion, and one I'd love to have with you, the consumer, on the changing roles of sports media. It also had segments on the relationship between media memebers and athletes, race and the media and athletes, blogs and traditional media and other topics. Check it out if you have interest, and I'll start a discussion in my forum.
Anyway, it was really interesting discussion and featured folks like Buzz Bissinger (Friday Night Lights author and bitter little guy -- I'm embarassed that he 'represented' me and much of my viewpoint), Will Leitch (Deadspin), Jason Whitlock (KC Star), Mike Wilbon (Washington Post, PTI -- and yes, I used that order on purpose), Dan Patrick (late of ESPN), Mitch Albom (sappy books in airports everywhere), Selena Roberts (Sports Illustrated, late of the NY Times and one of the absolute best in the biz), Braylon Edwards (Cleveland Browns, and poor 'other' guy while Bissinger is oldmanning on Leitch) and others.
Please, if you have any interest in the topic, watch. Unfortuantely, it was only 90 minutes for five very large topics -- Sports Talk Radio, the Internet and Impact of Bloggers, Sports Television, Athletes and the Media: a Complicated Marriage and A Conversation about Race.
In all, it was really well-done, except for Bissinger coming off looking like a cranky old man (and even though I agreed with the basis of some of the things he said, he made Leitch look much better, because Leitch handled it much better and was smart about his arguments and, well, Buzz just doesn't get it).
Seriously, over on the forum, or if I write more about this, I'll share my Bissinger story. And that said, his book is one of my all-time favorites, but he just seems like a self-important little prick.
don't get hbo so couldn't watch last night, but read leitch's recap on deadspin this morning...sounds like bissinger really lost it...leitch remains gracious in his post show discussion.
beavertonbeen interested in your thoughts on the topic for a while...how has your access to the local teams changed, if at all, working for clear channel vs. the paper? how about relationships with the beat writers / rob butcher? do you think legit blogs like deadspin, the big lead, etc. deserve the same access as established newspapers?
09:15 AM EST