Michael Wilbon exchanges e-mail with blogger about MMA

ESPN's Michael Wilbon exchanged e-mails with David Scott of Boston Sports Media Watch blog concerning Wilbon's comments on the Kimbo Slice fight. Wilbon said he thought the fight might have been fixed. Here's a short snippet from one of his two e-mails to Scott:

Believe me, I expected the criticism. But while I appear on TV 5 days a week I’m a columnist. Tough stances are what we do. I don’t need to be well versed in MMA to watch and listen and make an observation. And, I don’t care if 20 million people watch. Millions watch professional wrestling but that doesn’t mean we don’t question the outcome. The number of people watching makes it popular and well received, but doesn’t mean the event is above question. I’m not paid by MMA. I don’t care how many people watch. Why is my making the same observation about boxing, which I do know tons about and have covered and criticized, ignored in this discussion? And ANYBODY who watches “PTI” knows I have ripped (as well as praised) every single sport out there, from the NFL to MLS to NBA to the NHL to Arena Football, etc. I’ve ripped apart folks whose events get a whole lot more than 4.3 million people watching.

I also like Awful Announcing's comments on the e-mail exchange. Awful Announcing wrote:

First of all, it's really interesting that Wilbon is taking the time to talk to websites/blogs, like Scott's Shots, now. It shows a better understanding of the new medium on his part and it's better for everyone interested in a story like this. Second, he's overall point is right. I don't think it was fixed myself, but there's no way the Sport shouldn't be without scrutiny.

It was interesting stuff all around.