Philadelphia to Bissinger: Buzz Off

The Nick Foles-bashing writer demanded an apology. He got something else instead.

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Philadelphians have responded to Buzz Bissinger’s request for an apology with a definitive “Shut the Fuc* up” you “narcissistic moron.” Those quotes came from a couple of the kinder comments and tweets directed at Bissinger following his desperate and needy appearance on WIP radio.

Before I share more responses to Buzz, a little background:

After Nick Foles was leveled by a cheap shot from 325-pound Washington Redskins nose tackle Chris Baker, a vicious hit that would have knocked a lesser man out of the game, the Eagles quarterback got up and led his team to victory in one of the gutsiest NFL performances of the year. The next day I wrote that Buzz Bissinger owed Nick Foles an apology. Bissinger wrote a cover story on Foles for Philadelphia magazine where he called the quarterback “soft” and “chicken shit.”

Bissinger waited until Foles had a less than stellar performance to respond and then called in to the Angelo Cataldi radio show to say it was Philadelphia who owed him an apology for giving him such a hard time about the article. And then Bissinger doubled-down on the Foles hate, again calling him “chicken” and claiming he doesn’t have what it takes to win in the NFL.

First let me point out that the Eagles are 4-1, tied for the best record in the NFL. Next, let me remind you that Foles refused to talk to Bissinger for the Philly Mag story. Buzz now says he doesn’t want to talk to Foles anymore.

“I got pride. Now? You think I want to interview him now? I would rather interview the Eagle mascot. Forget it. You know, the guy had his chance and he blew it. He had his chance to be interviewed by one of the greatest journalists of the country.”

A commenter on phillymag.com named Billy from Philly put it perfectly when he wrote, “Buzz handles rejection like Taylor Swift.”

And then there was this meme on Twitter from Candis McLean

How Buzz Bissinger sounds when he talks about Nick Foles. #obsessed pic.twitter.com/PHJ3EXk3pv — Candis McLean (@Candisrm29) October 8, 2014

Anthony, on nj.com, told Bissinger, “It was an awful article in which you came across as a butt-hurt schoolgirl because Foles wouldn’t give you an interview. Admit it.”

On philly.com, “the butt hurt school girl” became a woman in this comment from Fitznicentite, “What’s this lady’s obsession with Foles? Foles should get a restraining order against her, cause she sounds like one crazy broad. Obsess much?

DelawareRiverRat on cbsphilly.com also commented on the Buzz obsession with the young quarterback, “Poor Nick Foles, a decent guy by all accounts. who doesn’t need this raving lunatic in Bissinger stalking him.”

Most were much more to the point in making certain Bissinger knew exactly what Philadelphia thought of him.

Joe from Easton on phillymag.com: “This guy is a grade A J@ck @ass.”

Mo Gravy wrote: “Bissinger is the Al Sharpton of A$$holes.”

Bomes on philly.com posted, “Ugh. Just what we need, another blowhard, ego-maniacal sports journalist.”

And PhillyKing on phillymag.com had a question, “What horses ass named you Buzz you f#cking tool.”

ExPhillyPatriot kept with that theme on philly.com, “Anyone named Buzz should only rip two people … his parents for giving him such a stupid name and for an equally stupid looking face.”

As for that apology from the entire city, I don’t think it’s coming.

On the Philly Mag site, Danielzinho wrote, “I Think the entire city would like to tell him to Shut the Fuc* Up.”

The closest Bissinger got to an apology was from MiddleMonkey on nj.com: “Buzz, I’m sorry you’re an a hole. Happy?”

A few national sports sites picked up the Bissinger story and every one of them referred to the author as the writer of Friday Night Lights, which means Bissinger needs the credit mentioned for anyone to know who he is.

It’s a point that wasn’t missed by Tom B. on philly.com, “Yes, used to be an excellent journalist a long time ago. Got rich selling scripts to TV. How much journalism is the guy doing now? How long has it been since Bissinger wrote anything of significance?”

And that may explain Buzz these days: It matters not that he is fast becoming the pariah of the city, he just desperately wants to stay relevant.

Which is why the comment that came up over and over again, especially in local articles where Bissinger’s name was headlined without a defining credit, is certain to hurt the self-aggrandized writer the most:

“Who is Buzz Bissinger?” wrote Lumpdog on philly.com.

And Paul answered, “I seriously have no clue. Probably just a nameless reporter trying to make a name for himself.”

Finally, a tweet from IamCarlo609, as Philadelphia Eagles fans get the last laugh:

Buzz Bissinger?? i never heard of him till he tryed interview nick foles and foles said no now hes taking shots HAHA http://t.co/VcdqeZjCq0 — Giancarlo G (@IamCarlo609) October 7, 2014

Follow @LarryMendte on Twitter.