Bruce Kluger of USA Today has an article out today about the seductive mythology of the blogosphere. In this article, Kluger states that we should still be weary of blogs because of recent "failures" of blogger hype to live up to their potential. Kluger cites Ned Lamont's Connecticut primary win and Snakes On a Plane as examples of internet hype that just didn't live up to what Kluger believes they promised.
Kluger believes that despite the internet hype surrounding the CT race and Snakes On a Plane, each event failed to live up to expectations. Lieberman is still the man to beat and Snakes On a Plane barely beat out Talladega Nights during its opening weekend.
(Sigh). Kluger, a member of the mainstream media, seems bitter in his article. Yes, SoaP didn't do that hot. But would it have made any money had blogs and others not hyped it up for more than a year? I seriously doubt it.
The point is this- Because of Web 2.0, major news and sports networks are finding themselves scrambling to keep up. No longer do you have to read the paper for your sports news or only watch ESPN. There are a million voices out there with a million different opinions.
The major news media is pissed because normal people, like you and I, can and are changing the rules of the game. I don't have to listen to Chris Berman and Tom Jackson for opinions on sports. I can listen to you. And you. And you. And you....
These online sports communities we are building are fostering opinions, excitement and sometimes even breaking news that would never have existed before. I want to thank the readers of this blog. You have chosen to not stick to only major sports outlets. You have chosen an outlet that is much run by me as it is you. I am no all-knowing writer here. Which is why Sports Blog Nation is such a great idea. Groups of people working together to get excited about their team. Brilliant.
This is just rambling I know but I felt I had to say something.
[editor's note, by Chris] This is not a political post by any means. Anyone getting into political discussions here, on a sports blog, will not be appreciated.