BlogTalk: Will Leitch, Bob Costas, and the Blog Revolution that Never Was
April 30, 2008
I have to make this quick, but didn’t Will Leitch’s appearance remind you of an appearance from a Gawker.com blogger? It’s interesting how no one from Nick Denton’s blog empire can seem to defend their work when confronted by it in public. Sure, their attackers are over-the-top and crazy–but surely there is some justification for the Gawker approach to blogging? Right?
I have read Deadspin since the summer of 2006. I was drawn to it because I thought it would offer a true underground perspective on sports. It sometimes went after arrogant blowhards (Carl Monday, Jay Mariotti) that other sites and papers would not accuse of anything. I care a lot about the truth, and thus I was drawn to the site, because I thought it would push for more truth in sports media.
However, it is becoming painfully clear to me that either Deadspin.com has the worst PR abilities of all time, or they do not care very much about the truth themselves. Why didn’t Will stand up and say “Look, we’re pointing out absurdities in the sports world with humor, and we’re providing a valuable service to sports fans everywhere. Sure, sometimes we make fun of an athlete or two, but we’re also doing something that you all, with your cushy media relationships and fear of losing top athlete access, are not brave enough to do.”? Why could he not say that? If I can think of that in 5 seconds, then why can’t he think of it in 15-20 minutes? And why has Deadspin consistently, deliberately stayed away from any longer pieces that would attack the real ills of sports (the materialism and many other -isms) or take a serious issue and discuss it? The book reviews and about 2 BDD columns, written when he couldn’t think of any football topics, are about all I can think of.
I entered sports blogging because I hoped to provide my perspective and be part of a small movement that would improve the overall level of sports discourse. Clearly, the revolution has been canceled at most of the big blogs–if it ever existed, that is. It’s a little difficult for me to grasp this, quite honestly, because I spent a lot of time on those sites. But sometimes revolution turns into business as usual…and we have to settle for something entertaining instead of something truly influential. It looks like Deadspin.com has reached that point. It’s too bad, and I write this not out of glee, (I met Will Leitch, and liked him as a person) but out of a bit of sadness. It’s rather disappointing to realize that if I want change, SOMM may be the only place I know of that seems to share some of those ideals; I though there were more of us. Are there? You tell me.
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13 Responses to “BlogTalk: Will Leitch, Bob Costas, and the Blog Revolution that Never Was”
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I agree with you, MC Bias. And I wonder if Will Leitch is just not a good arguer, just not able to defend his approach, or… if he’s just wants to be the voice, the figurehead, of blogs, without ever really speaking up for the rest of us bloggers. Or a mix of both.
What is obvious is that he’s repeatedly failed to give proper representation of the blogworld, in his site and in his TV appearances. He knew he was getting ambushed last night - he even wrote about it on his site. Yet rather than to be prepared with proper talking points, with a message, with responses to the obvious attacks that would be coming (which are always the same from the MSM - “guys in basement, no experience, no training… just making up stuff… pushing an agenda, making athletes look bad… blah blah blah”)… Will Leitch went in there with nothing.
That Bob Costas - Bob Costas, we all know how he feels about blogs - Bob Costas had to make the points, after Buzz went off on his tirades, that Will Leitch should have made, about how silly Buzz’s generalizations and demeanor were.
That signals to me that Leitch either has a complete lack of interest in preparing for the interview (which makes little sense - Leitch seems to me like he wants to be on TV and enjoys the exposure, so I’m guessing he was prepared. He even busted out that one suit he owns), or doesn’t really care to defend these points too much. If he doesn’t care to defend the blogsphere, and his site, while under vicious attack… what does that say about his feelings about both?
This may sound harsh, but: He’s either the Fetchit of the blog world, happy to be trotted out and act the fool so that blog-bashers can make their point… or maybe he really just is a clutz who can’t speak and think at the same time….
I was reminded of this interview as well, and it’s time for bloggers to get savvy to the TV attacks that people are making on them.
Blogging for a lot of people is jazz … it’s unscripted. Blogging is writing, but it gives you time to think, time to revise. Leitch was put into an environment where words are measured carefully and only once … the world of television.
As a fellow blogger, thinking on your feet is TOUGH … especially when there’s a camera involved it can be totally nerve-wracking. With an audience wanting blood and a guy next to you who begins with “you’re full of shit” it’s hard to go anywhere from there.
I sympathize for Leitch, but it’s true preparation would have probably helped. I agree that there are points that he SHOULD have made … and I think that as a sports blogger, I am pissed that I am just generalized into the d*** joke subset … although I heartily enjoy reading those sites at times.
More than anything, I find Bissinger’s sanctimoniousness totally ridiculous. He is making himself out to be a cranky old man who has no interest in understanding why people don’t want to read shitty recounting of the game that people just watched.
Information is the commodity, it’s the opinion and direction that people are looking for from blogs … they want to be guided to the good stories, and they want to be entertained …
the hilarious thing is that Costas is totally contradictory … if you watch the teaser clip on his website for CostasNow he talks about how he hopes to “inform and entertain” on his show…
what the F*** does he think blogs are doing???
He probably feels guilty because quite a few of the accusations were true.
But, I could have attacked the hypocrisy of the traditional sport media with my eyes closed.
Leitch should have prepared? Prepared for what? Getting cussed out on national television?
I have no doubt that Leitch was prepared for what he thought the “debate” was going to be. He probably had some talking points, facts, anecdotes or whatever. But that all went out the window when he was rudely shouted at by Bissinger and couldn’t get a word in edgewise.
What happened last night wasn’t a debate. It would barely qualify as a conversation. Leitch had two options: get louder and more vulgar than Bissinger, or sit there and try to be civil and make a few points. He choose the latter, which, in the long run, was the right decision.
In the end, its clear that Bissinger and those who subscribe to his viewpoints might as well be speaking a different language. No 10 minute HBO “panel”, no matter how civil or well argued, is going to change their minds.
I’ve seen the Jimmy Kimmel vs. Gawker vid before, but I just watched the costas debate vid with Leitch on it and I can’t believe how much of an asshole Bissinger was. He would fit right in on Fox News.
Steve is perfectly correct when he says it wasn’t a debate. And how could Leitch not be prepared? He created the blog, he must’ve at one point thought about its effect on sports media.
I think in both cases Gawker and Deadspin could have been truly been challenged had the other debaters not been so brash. I mean really, Jimmy Kimmel angry at the editor for having a Kevin Costner fat joke? Take a look in the mirror, ace.
It’s pretty obvious that Will has been thrust into the role of point man for the “blogging revolution without any desire to be that person. It’s also obvious that he is pretty atrocious on live tv - which is not anything he can be blamed for. I’ve done one taped tv interview in my life and it ended up looking like a hostage video. And I speak in public constantly and usually do a fairly good job of it.
Steve, Babar, and Myron–maybe you are right. I do feel a little guilty that it sounds like I want Will Leitch to be a communication superman. He’s a published writer, and I was impressed by his speaking ability in person. To expect him to be a good debater as well might have been unfair. However, I will note that he’s been on TV before (Red Eye, a panel discussion group), so it’s not exactly like it was you or me on there. The other thing that bothers me is that as far back as Friday, he seemed to have an idea that Buzz would be attacking him (see his weekend post). If that were me–I would have prepared to death, ready to quote page numbers from Friday Night Lights at him, ha. But perhaps Will is just a more peaceable sort than me, who knows?
It’s not wrong to want him to be the point man. If doesn’t want that responsibility, then he should stop appearing in public in that role.
He knows what his role is when he does these appearances, he’s ok with that until things get difficult. That’s bullshit in my opinion.
On the public speaking front I am a little more sympathetic to Will here. Given the ambush, it is pretty difficult to come back from that. Some people excel in different forums. As an prime example, Obama is an incredible public speaker but not so great a debater. He tends to clear his throat a lot, isn’t succinct with his words, and too thoughtful/cerebral in his responses. Another guy like William C. Rhoden wrote the best sports book that I have read in the last few years (40 Million Dollar Slaves) but he is horrible on the Sports Reporters as he continously cuts off his own sentences.
Having stated that, the larger issue here is what Big man said and what SML alluded to here:
“What is obvious is that he’s repeatedly failed to give proper representation of the blogworld, in his site and in his TV appearances.”
Deadspin has many forums to represent the breadth of the blogworlds and does not. 95% of the blog links come from the usual suspects. Deadspin commenters have to pass a snark test before approval, which limits the diversity of commenting. His personal appearances do not lend to the diversity of the blogosphere. …I’ve even seen interviews with 50 Cent where he has said if you don’t like my content, the you are free to listen to someone like Kanye… Has Will even gone this far?
Whether I like it or not, Will is blogland’s representative. Whether HE likes it or not, he is as well. His job description now goes beyond his own site…
I re-watched the appearance last night.
Will stumbled out of the gate and never seemed all that comfortable.
Then Bissinger basically swore at him for the next 10 minutes and he never really had a chance to respond.
Honestly, his best move may have just been walking off the set.
Well Whitlock has written his take on it…..no surprises there.
Anyway, I may be the only one but I just don’t give weight to a write/reporter/journalist simply because their employer is incorporated and has a company softball team. I just don’t anymore. I don’t care if you belong to some association that you pay dues to every year to proclaim you abide by a set of ethics….Sorry but paying $100 or $200 a year and getting a little card does not mean squat in terms of ethics these days.
I turn to sites like this one….is this a blog? technically so…but, the research is second to none, all of you provide more background and facts to support your commentaries than I’ve ever seen anywhere else. I don’t need to be shocked, repulsed, outraged or even entertained…I want to be informed…..so if that happens here, TSF, S2N or whereever, so be it.
Frankly, the whole jumping on the bloggers thing sounds like a punk move…I don’t read Deadspin, so I only assume its supposed to be one of those tabloidish, juvenile blogs that is immensely popular with the frat boy crowd…again, I don’t know, but really that’s not the point…..it doesn’t appear that this is really about bloggers…its about what the bloggers are blogging. Basically, the mainstream media doesn’t want the camera turned back around, and its too bad. Now that the “journalists” are the subject of scrutiny, its not such a fun game anymore. Tough.
“Anyway, I may be the only one but I just don’t give weight to a write/reporter/journalist simply because their employer is incorporated and has a company softball team.”
I love this line Miranda. It says it all. And your post was appreciated
“I just don’t anymore. I don’t care if you belong to some association that you pay dues to every year to proclaim you abide by a set of ethics…”
Are you suggesting that Jay Mariotti belongs to an ethics association?
Modi,
I’m sure Mariotti would beat you down if it was even suggested that he doesn’t operate under the strictest of ethical guidelines…..LOL..but I bet a bunch of these “elitist” (lol) msm folks have a little card in their office RIGHT NOW up on the side of their monitor with these words:
http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp
And I bet that little card is just for show, nothing more.