Mea Culpa

by BSD on May 1, 2008 10:29 AM EDT in Football

In my post last night I wanted to make a point that you can't equate bloggers with those who leave comments on their blogs. Blogging is "hard God damn work", as Will Leitch would say. Anyone can drop a comment calling a coach or player an asshole. We bloggers tend to have a huge amount of respect for each other because we understand how difficult it is to come up with content on a daily basis. Just like Big Ten coaches can get together and meet every year in a cordial manner, I can have roundtables and exchange emails with bloggers from Michigan and Ohio State and consider them to be my friends. (But not so much the Pitt bloggers who won't even return my emails.)

That is why it pained me to open up my email this morning to learn one of my fellow bloggers was insulted by something I wrote. I accused Kyle from Dawg Sports of attacking Black Shoe Diaries for a comment left by a reader suggesting they would cheer for Hitler before they would cheer for an SEC team. I did so to illustrate the point Costas and Bissinger clearly didn't understand that it's not fair to attack a blogger for something left in the comments. But in singling out Kyle I failed to mention the disclaimer he inserted into his post.

I should hasten to add that the foregoing statement was offered by a lone commenter, and it does not represent Mike's view or the views of his other readers. That extreme exclamation of bilious resentment is not representative of the majority perspective. I realize that, and I want my constructive criticisms of Mike's posting to reflect my realization that, while some of what he has written is wrong, none of it is unreasonable.

In my haste to get the post up late last night so I could go to bed, I wrongly accused Kyle of attacking BSD when in fact he was careful to single out the lone commenter.

The unfortunate thing about the internet is that once something is out there you can't take it back. One thousand people have read the post since I put it up last night. Deleting it now will do no good. But I would like to express my regret for what I said. Kyle is one of the finest gentlemen in this craft, and he deserves better than I did him last night. And for that, I'm sorry.

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Comments

Mike...

what is unfortunate is that someone got singled out for that comment. Eric Watters is a regular contributor to the community here, and almost always offers an educated opinion of the situation.

As a person with relatives who have passed in Hitler's failed attempt to Aryanize the world, I have no problem with Eric's remarks. I do not speak, or intend to speak for the rest of my relatives. I am not a practicing Jew, nor do I wear my hebrew ancestory on my sleave, but if it is okay for the big corporations to promote jewish jokes, see South Park, Family Guy, Simpsons, and numerous comics, and movies, than I see no problem with Eric making a comment.

Just my contribution to your great community.

Mike what you do is important to the average Joe like myself. My wife doesn't "get" my obsession, I only come into contact with one other Big Ten fan, and he is a fellow coach who from Centerville, Ohio, buckeye country. So coming here gives me a place to talk about my favorite passion. Thank you for this site, and keep up the great work.

by carolinaeasy on May 1, 2008 11:01 AM EDT reply actions

You're a class act,

Mike. Keep up the good work. I read your blog regularly for the entertainment, comment occasionally, and always leave a little more knowledgeable. Thanks to you and the rest of this fine group of fans for the time you spend here!

by Jen on May 1, 2008 2:06 PM EDT reply actions

Jen is absolutely right

You're a class act, Mike. Since you replied to me privately and we cleared the air, I didn't think a public response was necessary, but it is appreciated just the same.

For my part, I apologize to you, to your community at large, and to Eric Watters particularly. While I did not mean to take Eric's comment out of context, I clearly did so and I regret having maligned him, this weblog, and the many commenters who make Black Shoe Diaries such a fine community. Mike's work, and all of your contributions, are why I voted for Black Shoe Diaries for Best Big Ten Blog.

Eric, I misunderstood you, for which I am both sorry and glad: I'm sorry, because I failed to give you the credit you deserved, but I'm pleased that you were not serious. I should have known that and I am at fault for failing to give you the benefit of the doubt. You may rest assured that there will be no further references to that comment forthcoming from me.

For all the intra-conference squabbling that exists between many fans in the Midwest and the Southeast, the Big Ten and the S.E.C. share a long history together, annually meeting one another in bowl games and frequently (as in the case of Alabama's and Penn State's longrunning intersectional series, which every college football fan was pleased to learn will be revived) meeting in the regular season. The evenness and closeness of those frequent showdowns attest to the toughness and equality of both leagues.

Like Mike, I want there to be peace between the Big Ten and the S.E.C. For the first time in too long a while, thanks to fans like Mike and postings like this one, I believe that is possible.

Mike, Eric, all of you, I apologize for making a minor misunderstanding worse and for painting you in an unfair light. I thank you for your courtesy and I send my best wishes to all of you. Go 'Dawgs . . . and Go Lions!

Go 'Dawgs!

by T Kyle King on May 1, 2008 9:06 PM EDT reply actions

Well Put.......

I find myself constantly going back and forth between SEC fan and Big 10 fan trying to give each a different perspective. Since I grew up PA and have been a lifelong PSU fan, but I live in Georgia and watch a TON of SEC football I think I have a fairly unique perspective. It gets tiring :) I have a UF buddy who literally makes me wonder sometimes if anything could possibly please me more than seeing the Gators lose and I probably let that taint my opinion of SEC fan and SEC teams. I like UGA though. I love Richt, I love the Unis, and I love the chickies....wow. And if my kids get Hope Scholarahips I will be rooting for them to be Dawgs :)

Eric Watters Atlanta, Ga.

by ech2os on May 1, 2008 9:25 PM EDT reply actions

Even If.......

I had to pay for it I'd be proud to say they go to UGA. Its a great place.

Eric Watters Atlanta, Ga.

by ech2os on May 1, 2008 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks, Eric . . .

. . . and, again, I apologize for taking your comment out of context. It won't happen again, I promise.

If you ever make it over to Athens for a game---or, for that matter, if you're ever on the south side of Atlanta, in my neck of the woods---drop me a line so we can meet face-to-face.

Here is the comment I added to my own posting about the Buzz Bissinger incident. If anyone thinks I should post this "above the fold," let me know, and I'll be happy to do so.

Go 'Dawgs!

by T Kyle King on May 1, 2008 9:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Nah...no worries...

I probably would have thought the same thing had the shoe been on the other foot. I have the type of personality that presumes people are in my head when I make comments and so I sometimes offend those who don't really know me because I say a lot of stuff that is off color.

It's like that Saturday Night Live skit from the 80s where everyone in the office is ripping on each other and the new guy decides to join in and everybody looks at him like he is totally out of line and complete ass. They have no context for his delivery so it puts them off even though he is saying the exact same things everybody else is saying. I looked for a link to it but I couldn't find it. Its pretty funny. Anyhow, that's me sometimes :)

My wife and I plan on going to at least one game in Athens this year so I'll let you know and maybe we can swing by your tailgate.

Eric Watters Atlanta, Ga.

by ech2os on May 1, 2008 9:51 PM EDT up reply actions