You’re On Notice, Bob Costas
Man, the folks in the mainstream media need to stop chugging the Haterade. It seems like every week, a new sports media figure is speaking out against the rise of sports blogs and “new media” — and the latest person to do this happens to be Bob Costas.
It’s disappointing that Costas took a strong anti-blog stance in a recent Miami Herald article, because I’ve always liked the guy. In a sports media scene crowded with loudmouths and hackery (Stephen A. Smith, Jim Rome, Skip Bayless, all the panelists from Around the Horn, ect., ect.), Costas has seemed to be one of the most level-headed and thoughtful guys. Someone who isn’t prone to the typical knee-jerk reactions we see far too often in today’s mainstream media.
So this report caught me off-guard…if anything, I would have expected Costas to take a favorable stance towards sports blogging. The more voices, the more debate, the better, right? Alas, though, he was surprisingly harsh in his critique of blogs:
Costas, speaking before he emceed (and donated $50,000) at Tuesday’s Make-a-Wish sports auction at the Broward County Convention Center, doesn’t understand what compels so many nonjournalist sports fans to seek a forum for their opinions.
“It’s one thing if somebody just sets up a blog from their mother’s basement in Albuquerque and they are who they are, and they’re a pathetic get-a-life loser, but now that pathetic get-a-life loser can piggyback onto someone who actually has some level of professional accountability and they can be comment No. 17 on Dan Le Batard’s column or Bernie Miklasz’ column in St. Louis. That, in most cases, grants a forum to somebody who has no particular insight or responsibility. Most of it is a combination of ignorance or invective.”
What bothers Costas — and he’s not alone — is Internet and talk radio commentary that “confuses simple mean-spiritedness and stupidity with edginess. Just because I can call someone a name doesn’t mean I’m insightful or tough and edgy. It means I’m an idiot.
“It’s just a high-tech place for idiots to do what they used to do on bar stools or in school yards, if they were school yard bullies, or on men’s room walls in gas stations. That doesn’t mean that anyone with half a brain should respect it.”
A tad ironic that Costas said, “Just because I can call someone a name doesn’t mean I’m insightful or tough and edgy. It means I’m an idiot”…while in the previous breath claiming that anyone who sets up a blog is a “pathetic get-a-life loser.” By his own math, the following equation seems accurate: Bob Costas = Idiot. No, I NEVER would have envisioned myself writing that last statement about Costas, but based on his comments, it’s rather appropriate.
Look, Costas is welcome to rip blogs all day — but at least be informed about new media before calling bloggers and readers of blogs “idiots” and “pathetic get-a-life losers.” Clearly, his simple-minded approach to the subject reveals his complete ignorance towards blogging, and that makes it even more disappointing that he decided to open his trap about blogs in the first place. If you’re gonna rip us, at least be adequately informed.
Delving deeper into his comments, the utter ridiculousness of his assertions becomes even more apparent. You mean to tell me, Bob, that only a select few have the right to share an opinion about sports? That any thoughts a fan expresses are automatically invalid, because they’re not a part of this select few, and therefore aren’t worthy enough to have an opinion? Talk about an outdated, old-fashioned, and downright irrelevant perspective.
Hat tip: The Big Lead
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7 Responses to “You’re On Notice, Bob Costas”
March 14th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Great post AH! I agree with your perspective and I also agree with Costa’ view when people post erroneous material, are mean spirited, or just manufacture untruths. I wish Costas would turn his great mind and critique the way the state of media, both print and TV, has become more opinion based than investigative based. Keep up the great job Anthony - you rock!!
March 14th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I missed that one, Anthony. Thanks for pointing it out. I’m not sure which blogs Costas reads, but it’s sure a limited slice of the pie to lead him to stereotype a whole class of commentary. I’ve heard as many mean-minded mouthings from Colin Cowherd as I’ve red in some blogs.
In fact, Costas seems to refer to comments to blog posts rather than to the blog posts themselves. If that’s the case, then shame on Costas for not knowing enough to know the difference.
March 14th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Anthony,
First time I have read your blog, when on mvn I usually stick to my beloved arizona cardinals. This piece was downright brilliant. Your math was flawless. Sure there are pleanty of terrible bloggers but that is no different from their being pleanty of terrible journalists or just plain terrible people for that matter. In fact for those who seak out the quality blogs it can be the only bit of true sanity in the sports journalist world. Most of the time reading or listening to these idiots on tv/radio just make me want to pull my hair out. They recyle information that has been stale for months if not years. What an idiot Costas must be. Kudos to him for donating to as well as bringing his star power to a worthy cause but honestly Bob just shut up. Oh well what do i know, im no journalist and im not even a blogger so I must really know nothing about sports or common sense for that matter. Go back to HBO Bob, oh wait your show got canned…
March 14th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Great job Anthony. I submitted this to ballhype. Everybody vote! http://ballhype.com/story/you_re_on_notice_bob_costas/
I see a disturbing trend lately of laziness when it comes to educated opinion and accepting various viewpoints. Whether it’s Mark Cuban kicking bloggers out of locker rooms (even though he’s supposed to be “one of us”) or Stephen A. Smith saying that bloggers shouldn’t be given a forum (while starting a blog of his own), the rhetoric from those in the mainstream is disheartening. Why would you tell your own fanbase that their opinions don’t matter?
March 14th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Excellent piece. I work in computer/interent industry and work part in the media for online outlet in Washington, D.C. and also write on Oriole Magic– it’s just fascinating what types like Costas really think of bloggers or people who decide to stray away from the conventional media.
Honestly, if people didn’t read blogs, would these media types have an issue? They need to realize the internet has changed things forever, and the common man has a place to voice their opinion.
http://oriolepost.blogspot.com/2008/03/another-guy-who-hates-blogs-bob-costas.html
That’s my say about things…
March 14th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Costas, while a terrific announcer and interviewer and an intelligent guy, is remarkably non insightful in his views, not only about blogs, but about everything. He has an extremely pedestrian point of view on things. In the case of blogs, he simply can’t understand why anyone would need a forum to express their point of view. Being in his position, he has a forum to express whatever views he has and simply can’t see the other side of it. There’s a lot of irony in this whole situation, but Costas isn’t the type of person who is able to see that.
March 17th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
It’s weird — I’m both mainstream media AND a blogger, and I just don’t feel the way Costas does. Yes, there are some sportsbloggers out there who are idiots, but some of us are, I think, contributing to the discourse — like every MVN blogger I’ve visited. I gather Costas probably hasn’t looked at many sportsblogs recently. His mentality sounds like the mentality people had toward blogging a few years ago. There’s something to be said for analysis of developments, even if from afar (although some MVN bloggers have gone to the games, or, in my case, the fights), of news developments. Sportswriters and sportsbloggers can complement each other, instead of one being a loser who piggybacks on the other. It’s a different thing, like the difference between boxing and MMA.
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