Is ESPN Coming Around to Embracing Impact of Blogs?

ESPN and its personalities have been widely criticized online by bloggers and commentators for their apparent inability or unwillingness to embrace blogs and online communities for their contributions to "journalism" and reporting.

In the wake of the Bissinger/Leitch slobberknocker and subsequent reactions, ESPN, while late to the game, may be slowly becoming the first major mainstream outlet to see the writing on the wall.

Note: This may only apply to sports journalism. For instance, Drudge has led the way for years now, yet sports commentators look at their field in a vacuum and fail to recognize the impact the 'Net has had in (say) politics. While The Sporting News, Yahoo and others embrace fan interaction and "blogs," neither have the mass impact of the WWL.

The piece below was run on Sports Center yesterday (I believe re-broadcast from OTL). ESPN not only centered the premise for the piece on TheDirty's photos in referencing Matt Leinart's perceived partying ways, but showed the very pictures that were published on the site - the very kind of low-brow "journalism" Bissinger and his colleagues decry. Yet, they have no qualms splashing the pictures on their worldwide flagship program.

Matt Leinart wants to give players mouth-to-mouth

Just in case Matt Leinart's NFL career doesn't pan out, he is preparing for life after the gridiron. Television? Too easy. Bachelor? Why would he want to lower his dating standards. No, young Matthew is going to be an EMT.

Matt Leinart has perfected new skills that may turn out to be a lifesaver on the football field -- or anywhere else. The Arizona Cardinals' quarterback, hoping to raise awareness of how American Red Cross training can save lives, demonstrated CPR and the use of a defibrillator on a training dummy.

That's no way to talk about Kurt Warner.

Matt continues... "God forbid something would happen on the football field or wherever it is. But if it does, I'm prepared."

Well, there you have it. The Cardinals can do away with all their fancy doctors, team physicians and even the trained medical staff on gameday. Matt Leinart is in the building. Whether it's a torn ACL, separated shoulder or concussion, Leinert is ready and willing to pump on some chests, count to 30, and listen to a box tell him what to do.

It worked when he dated Paris Hilton...