McCarthyism is a term describing the intense anti-communist suspicion in the United States in a period that lasted roughly from the late 1940s to the late 1950s. Joe McCarthy led the charge to smear and destroy the reputations of anyone who was unfortunate enough to fall under his ignorant wrath.

This week, with one television program, Bob Costas, whom I had respected and admired for some time, led his own McCarthy hearings on the future of sports media. His tool of choice came in the form of Buzz Bissinger, who I had respected and admired as well, until he revealed himself to be a unreasonable symbol of the old guard.

Costas interjected for a single moment in the program to admit that there are blogs that are intelligent and well written, but just as he hypocritically wags his finger at Will Leitch’s deadspin for focusing on the sensationalism in sports, he uses that same sensationalism as the main focus of his program. He stacks the deck against Will who was basically ambushed by Bissinger, barely giving Will a chance to respond to his out of context, ad-homium attacks basing them on comments, not even posts, on Will’s site.

Costas was irresponsible, out of touch and poorly prepared for presenting the future of sports media. Make no mistake, this is the future, and the dinosaurs clinging with clenched fists to the established truths they hold so dear can either learn to adapt or become extinct. Bissinger states that he doesn’t understand this ‘nebulous view from a fan’, which is the root of his ignorance. There is a place for folks to read the x’s and o’s and events as they took place, and there is now, in great numbers, places for people to read this ‘nebulous view of the fan’ which, apparently, judging by the numbers generated by the most popular sports websites today, what people actually want to read.

Bissinger is fine writer whose prose knows no expiration date. However his viewpoints when it comes to the format and immediacy that fans today crave are unfortunate and misinformed.

I would hope that Costas and Bissinger could eventually evolve, but I won’t hold my breath. We don’t have time to live in the world of the old boys club of sports media of which they belong. Time soldiers on and unfortunately for the McCarthyists like Costas, who wish to paint all new media with a broad brush, their ignorant opinions will find their respect by the majority of todays fan waning, their voices becoming less and less relevant, and their place in history to become a cautionary tale much like that of Joe McCarthy, a misguided champion of the immoral minority.