The Internet is killing newspapers; some say it is killing journalism. I think that we might need a longer lens before we go that far, but I think we can all agree that the internet has surely changed journalism, and ESPN writer Bill Simmons typifies that change more than anyone. All you need to do is watch CNN, FOX, or any other cable news channel to see the influence the blogosphere has had on journalism. Wolf Blitzer actually gets most of his news now from blogs and twitter. Bill Simmons is the face of the new journalist. He has the writing style of a blog but the access and information of a “serious” journalist. His columns are opinionated and funny. He made a name for himself as the Boston Sports Guy, because of his opinionated wringing extolling the virtues of the Celtics, Red Sox, and Patriots, but now as the world has become digital the Boston Sports Guy has become just the Sports Guy.
He recently released his epic 700 page, The Book of Basketball, explaining why some teams and players mattered more than others. I have decided to dedicate this blog to why Bill Simmons matters. He matters because he is the most successful of the new breed, the Bloger-turned-journalist, although Simmons was never actually a “bloger” he has the voice of a bloger, and the voice of the next wave of journalists, funny, internet savvy, twitter having, geeks. But geeks who get to interview Mark Cuban.