HBO's Live Edition of "Costas Now" Is … (Wait For It) … Buzz-worthy
John Walters (hey, that's me!) was there for the whole night of HBO's live, 90-minute edition of "Costas Now". He was in the studio audience when H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger took the stage and in the pub when a slightly buzzed Bissinger took his leave (hey, so was Walters). The program, divided into five segments, was devoted to an examination of "Sports and the Media". What follows is a thumbnail assessment of each topic.
Part 1: Sports Talk Radio
"The Giants winning the way they won is a nine. The Mets collapsing the way they did, from what we do, is a ten." -- Mike Francesa, WFAN
Champ: Michael Strahan, New York Giants
Punching Bag: Chris Russo, WFAN
Admiral Stockdale "Who am I and what am I doing here?" honoree: Mitch Albom
Best Moment: When Russo attempted to demonstrate that he is fair by noting that when the Giants won the Super Bowl, he praised Strahan. Replied the future Hall of Fame defensive end, "You had no choice."
The Skinny: Apparently, sports talk hosts are misogynistic, two-faced louts who possess all the charm of Louie DePalma. Who knew? Strahan had the best punches landed-per-punches thrown of any panelist the entire evening, noting that Russo may not be the best-suited person to talk football "when the last time you had a uniform on your mom took you trick-or-treating."
HBO Entertainment Rating: "Real Time With Bill Maher"
Part 2: The Internet and the Impact of Bloggers
"You don't have to go to school to say, like, "I think that the Indians should have pulled Carmona in the eighth." -- Michael Schur (a.k.a. Ken Tremendous), FireJoeMorgan.com
Buzzsaw: H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger, author, rageaholic
Sonny Corleone pulling into the tollbooth: Will Leitch, founder of Deadspin
Stockdale Honoree: Braylon Edwards, Pro Bowl wideout, Cleveland Browns
Best Moment: Perhaps it was hearing the most articulate man in sports, Costas, say (even if he was just reading a commenter's words), "Good riddance, (bleep)-face."
The Skinny: The morning after this show aired I was able to find well-written columns on this fracas (as well as hilarious comments, such as "W.C. Fields > W.C. Heinz") all over the interwebs. Meanwhile, not one of New York's four major newspapers had a word on it. Print is dead.
HBO Entertainment Rating: "The Sopranos"
Part 3: Sports On TV
"There are a lot of shows that I watch now (on ESPN) where it's a screaming match. It's who can yell the loudest. It's almost like gas-bags on parade." -- Al Michaels, NBC broadcaster, miracle believer-in'er
Millionaires Club: Joe Buck, Fox; Dan Pugh Patrick, SI; Mike Tirico, ESPN
Best Moment: When Buck turned the question of the potential conflict of interest any network has in broadcasting an event while maintaining journalistic credibility on Costas. Buck cited the upcoming Beijing Olympics and mused, "You're in a situation where if you speak out…", and then Patrick took the alley-oop pass and finished, "…you stay in China."
The Skinny: The least compelling topic -- the subject matter was too broad -- featured the keen wit of Buck ("And how do those people (on Around The Horn) get points?") and Patrick, but ultimately there was not enough conflict to make this segment compelling.
HBO Entertainment Rating: "Big Love"
Part 4: Athletes and the Media
"Like I always tell all my friends, you should never discuss your personal life with a reporter, ever." -- Charles Barkley
Panelists: Selena Roberts, SI; Tiki Barber, NBC; John McEnroe
Say What? Did anyone else find it bizarre when Barber mentioned that you never know when a journalist will screw an athlete over in order to make a name for himself? Isn't this the same TV personality who called former teammate Eli Manning's attempt to become a team leader "comical" during his "Football Night In America" debut? And how did that work out?
The Skinny: This panel exuded all the chemistry of the "John From Cincinnati" cast. Roberts lamented the fact that, even as an SI writer, she was unable to get 10 minutes of face time with LeBron James for a piece. But why should an athlete devote time to a print reporter, who might manipulate quotes and context, when he can appear on ESPN? By appearing in person there is less chance that his words and his intent is misconstrued.
It's Like This: When I was covering the NFL for SI, Denver Broncos offensive line coach Alex Gibbs would fine any of his linemen if he saw them quoted in print. And now one of those linemen, Mark Schlereth, makes his living as a popular on-air analyst for ESPN.
HBO Entertainment Rating: "In Treatment"
Part 5: Race and the Media
"And on deadline (George Michael, white broadcaster) bellowed out, 'Where are the black people in here?'" -- Michael Wilbon, co-host, PTI
Def Honesty Jam: Wilbon; Cris Carter, ESPN; Jason Whitlock, FoxSports.com
The Skinny: Don't tell me -- Don Imus and Kelly Tilghman declined their invitations to appear? No panel was, as a whole, more passionate about their topic and none was more compelling. Whitlock was unafraid to criticize Kellen Winslow, Sr., who appeared in the taped segment, for having his facts wrong. Carter vented decades-long frustration about having been moved to wide receiver because his youth coaches were determined not to have a black kid play quarterback. And both Whitlock and Wilbon cited a deceased white columnist -- and it was not even W.C. Heinz! -- as their biggest influence (Mike Royko).
HBO Entertainment Rating: "The Wire"
Clearly, HBO's little experiment of adding some "Real Time" flavor to "Costas Now" registered with viewers. And, just as important, it was a hit with new media, which hasn't stopped blogging about it literally since the show ended (Leitch had an item posted on Deadspin the next morning even though he had already hopped a flight to L.A., meaning he'd probably written it just an hour or two after appearing).
Here's hoping that HBO Sports makes this live wrinkle a recurring part of the duties of Costas (who had time to make a cameo appearance in Conan O'Brien's studio audience last night). After all, what has he have to keep him busy this summer?
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NBCSports.com's John Walters goes into the world of college sports and well beyond. From Notre Dame to the latest in pop culture, JDub tackles it all.
Costas, standing next to Conan, looked maybe 4-foot-2. It's like Cruise marrying Kidman; he's not short, but still be aware of who you're lined up next o. That said, love hearing Costas talk about sports as much as anybody, and like him more when he's not talking sports.
I kept waiting for something to get compared to the entertainment level of "Inside the NFL," but I guess that seminar got prematurely cancelled.
Had never thought about the Schlereth-making-a-living-by-being-quoted poetry. Very nice.
Did they really get all that into an hour and a half? Seems like each of those could go 90 minutes without needing a commercial break, not that HBO has those ...
Are you still wearing your sackcloth & ashes for what I'm sure is your regrettable part in the "dumbing down of society"? :) I didn't see the show but went to Deadspin & watched video of the entire internet segment. This one segment alone could have been 90 minutes or at least 30 if they truly wanted to discuss the impact (good & bad) of the internet on sports "coverage". It was actually quite funny that by allowing such a short time, the spot was sort of like some of the sports blogs I've seen - write/say whatever will STIR UP the masses.
If I had never read or participated on a blog, I certainly would not have understood what they are from that "discussion" - that apparently the commenters' postings/rantings constitute an entire "blog". Leitch TRIED to explain that wasn't the case but was interupted repeatedly by both Bissinger & Costas as they trotted out some "examples" of commenting. As someone who has now commented on various sports-type blogs for two years, I am quite perturbed to now be lumped in with the group of commenter/ranters whose mainstay contribution to any blog is the two word summation that "X sucks!".
And speaking of "sucking", I apologize if the next paragraph is just going to seem blatant sucking UP, but instead of just flashing YOUR blog across the screen in the opening taped segment, they should have had actual sports journalists on the panel, such as YOU. As you wrote in your article, YOU have a unique perspective in that you worked for the sports MSM for more than 15 years & are now on the "other side". Why the hell weren't you up there?! ANYthing you contributed would have been 100 times more illuminating that "Buzz" the cartoon spewing anger & smoke out his mouth & ears. And I'm not saying I completely disagree with him - it is true that most sports blogs do not have writing the quality of Salter, Stryon, Hemingway, etc, etc, & I have to admit I don't always adhere to the rules of grammar in my comments. But the best thing about sports blogs is the immediacy, the participation by fans & that the blog writers don't have to worry about angering the focus of their discussion so that they lose access. I've read many sport journos write (years LATER) that well of course they would have said more about X's drug/gambling/sex problems (for ex) but then their access to the entire team would have been terminated. And if their assigned beat is that sport or worse, that particular team, they are up sh*t's creek without the proverbial paddle.
Plus, there are quite a few sports blogs where the blog writer/host is smart, insightful, witty & can even tie in, you know, pop culture. :)
Here's my dream panel on the next "Internet & Sports" debate - Rick Riley, Austin Murphy, Steve Rushin, John Feinstein, JOHN WALTERS, Sally Jenkins, Will Leitch, Elden Nelson (the 'Fat Cyclist'), Michael Schur, & Bill Simmons. The Moderator can be Costas. And I'll tell you one (more) thing - I'd rather see/hear THIS debate than anything that we'll be subjected to for the next 6 months. At least I'd be laughing. :)
Ummm, that's REILLY. I guess blogging not only reveals one's level of intelligence and/or ignorance, but also one's laziness in checking for typos. Sorry, Rick. I am abashed & chagrined. Chagrined & abashed. I swear I know how to spell the man's name. Not only did I read his writing in SI for over 20 years but I've bought and read all his books save one. No, I have 'Sir Charles', but not even Rick can get me to read about The Boz.