By David Scott
Boston Sports Media

• Men in Gray, Greg Dickerson and Gary Tanguay, led off an hourlong Celtics Draft party special with both Doc and Danny, the D&D Boys, live on-set. They followed it with over-intrusive Sean Grande and wily vet, Mike Gorman and some pretty weak Paul Pierce banter. Next up were well-connected and informed Ryen Russillo of 1510 AM No Signal Radio and newcomer Jeff Goodman, FSNE’s NBA Insider. Goodman has long been a connected college hoops guy and he’s getting a well-deserved shot with FSNE. They’d be wise to find a regular season role for their own “insider” and groom Goodman for their own, regional “Stephen A. Smith”-alike. . . Dickerson comically (and good-heartedly) got caught giving Goodman some TV tips for holding the microphone and the rookie needs some TV training on eye contact with the camera, but the banter between Goodman and Russillo had the makings of some legit, worthwhile TV. Let’s hope the bean counters understand the benefit of such a thing. . .Overall, if you’re not happy with getting this kid, Green, you’re not understanding the NBA these days. The Celts did what about 10 other teams didn’t have the guts to do and because of it, they will likely get a one-year honeymoon on yet another Top 20 pick. It’s smart from several perspectives but maybe most of all in marketing: Green on The Green has so many damn permutations, Herald headline writers just had an impromptu celebration on the copy desk. . . Wyc Grousbeck of “Wyc’s (Under the Basket) Chicks” fame followed up on FSNE and we’ll assume Lucky the freakin’ Leprechaun got in there somewhere as well. (In addition to another Goodman/Russillo tete-a-tete.) We got LobelADD at the 10:15 break and bounced to the Sox finish and the lightning round No. 2 of The Draft. . . Dickerson called the pick “an absolute steal.” . . . Russillo - adamant that Pierce is staying in Green - also did a remote with Mike Giardi on NECN’s Sports Late Night and Giardi continued his steady rise as one of the premiere inquisitors in the region. The final Russillo exchange got into how Pierce rolls (an extension of the JackieMack column form Tuesday) and Russillo was able to give good insight into Pierce’s non-domineering ways.

• So much for the WEEIdiots not having anyone to pick on. Let the ‘Foulke’s a Joke’ campaigns begin. Note to John Tomase at the Laughable Eagle Tribune: right about now is a good time to get the knife out for a Foulke slice and dice. That, my friend, would be opportune timing. . . During NESN’s post-game “Locker Room Uncut,” Keith Foulke faced the music and fended off “getting squeezed” questions by saying, quite accurately: “This is bad, man. Just a bad day at work.”

• ESPN’s Andy Katz was tied into the Celtics headquarters, likely through Chris Wallace, and revealed that at least three teams were looking to trade up to get Green for themselves (including hometown Houston and youth-loving Portland).

• Jay Bilas compared No. 50 Celts pick, Ryan Gomes of Providence, to Adrian Dantley and Stephen A. Smith said the couple of times he saw him, Gomes portrayed a bit like Clarence Weatherspoon, someone who gets after it. Shots likes the way he left the game, ala a wrestler, with his sneakers at mid-court. . . A Shots enthusiast thought he saw one of Gomes’s coaches at PC, uber-recruiter Steve Demeo, in the crowd at the Theater. We reminded the enthusiast that a lot of guys at the Draft look like Deemo. . .The No. 53 pick Orien Greene (even more headline dreams for the Herald folks!) from Lousiana-Lafayette is an athletic player according to Bilas, who started out at Florida and wound up being drafted before Matt Walsh, who Bilas said must have been convinced by an “idiot” that he would be a high draft pick. let’s remember one thing about Walsh - he was dating a Playboy playmate DURING college. The guy can do nothing more ever, and he’s still a hall of famer.

• ESPN biz guy, Darren Rovell was over-anxious and a bit aggressive in his business asssessment of the Draft’s impact. The interesting tidbit that emerged is the news that Charlotte’s cable outlet, C-SET is ceasing operations effective June 30 after less than a year in operation. A press release at the Bobcast site explains: “The Bobcats will now pursue basic cable options for game telecasts on Time Warner Cable and other systems and will continue to air a minimum of 15 games on WJZY-TV UPN46 in Charlotte.” Imagine a Boston sports franchise being completely homeless in this market? It’d never happen.

• At a 11:07 p.m., Dick Vitale made his final appearance, claiming long-time sideman, Howie Schwab had to wake him up because he hadn’t been used in so long. Vitale correctly pointed out that so many of the college kids were getting BAD info, singling out the Kentucky kids and a few others. Vitale knows exactly who’s giving the advice: street guys, shady financial planners and disreputable agents. But he knows he’s not the one who’s going to clean up that mess. He also questioned Toronto’s Charlie Vee pick and raved about Charlotte’s in-state picks with the two Tar Heels. . . Fran Fraschilla has settled in nicely to his Foreign Players’ expert role for the Disney peeps. Shots used Franny last year for out SI Kids 2004 draft preview and he was solid on everyone from outside our borders. He remains in tune with the college game as well, so he’s a huge asset and it’s good to see his role expanding and settling at ESPN.

• Tirico got into a friendly exchange with Seattle’s Somewhere Man, Nate McMillan, but Tirico is too smooth (and smiley) to let it get to a confrontational level. . . Stephen Angry, on the other hand, is feisty enough for the entire talent team and got joy form turning Bilas into a bit of a hard-ass for a couple of picks.

• Ric Bucher of ESPN borrowed Ed Berlin’s hairdo for the big night and we gotta say, that wavy pompadour fits on Berliner.

• Doc Rivers told Mike Tirico: “We were shocked (Green) was still available,” and “I can tell you Paul Pierce will not be moved” citing the team discussion point of Pierce having his “most efficient season” as a pro.”

It kind of felt nerve racking – it’s god’s plan. . . USA Today’s Malcom Moran did a nice piece on Green in Monday’s USA Today. Stu Scott also reported, post-interview, that Green once got cut from his high school team, ala MJ.

• Viewing Quandary (VQ) of the night at about 8:10 p.m.: Sharapova replay on ESPN2; Bush speech; Sox; Hull Board of Selectman on HCTV-10; Pimp My Ride (hatchback episode) or the recently-arrived GQ with Jessica Simpson in a bikini, undies and camouflage photo spread. (Hull selectmen conveniently went into another of their famed “executive sessions” so we were spared having to abandon town matters.

• Tirico gave a little love to Shots’ all-time guy, assistant coach, Mike Hopkins at Syracuse after the Hakim Warrick pick. Nice to keep it in the family, ‘rico. . .

• ESPN’s Stuart Scott (no relation) was picking fights all night. Seemed like he really wanted a Bilas to go Mel Kiper on someone so Stu could get a “memorable Draft moment” out of it. . . Scott is now officially the E! reporter/host for ESPN. He does game shows and Drafts (very similar in fact) and sideline snooping for hoops. It was an inevitable transition and one we hope will culminate in the departure of Stu from the Worldwide Bleeder.

• Speaking of picking fights, Dan Patrick was getting all in Jeremy Roenick’s face during the JRo’s live shot during last night’s SportsCenter. Once Roenick finally relented and gave a semi-apology for his “Kiss My Ass” comments, Patrick got chummy again. Too irrelevant, really. Just get a deal done and start some creative marketing. And tell the players to shut up. . . What reason is there for bleeping out “ASS” on TV or radio. Ass is a no-no? WEEI was sure having a doozie of a time figuring out if it should be bleeped or allowed – and, of course, they settled on just overusing it for the Whiner Line on Monday.

• “This will not happen on my watch,” said Bush. What was he referring to? The 19-year-old mandate in the NBA? Already happening, Georgie – pay attention, would ya, pardner?. . . Better that Bush was going opposite the Draft instead of instituting The Draft. . . Political commentary brought to you by No One in Particular.

• Where was Braintree’s Jim Calhoun when Charlie Vee went to Canada?

• Skip Prosser doesn’t get TV time and Roy Williams does? No justice there. Skip is what college hoops should be about and Roy is what college basketball is increasingly about.

• NBA Live 2006 looks better than the NBA live. I wonder if I can get it for my ColecoVision?

• Things got odd on Tuesday night when Portland picked George Bush and ESPN’s Stu Scott gave the prez a fist bump in the post-pick one-on-one.

• My guy, Yahoo! Sports’ Dan Wetzel, had the best Tuesday night, national web coverage, hands down, with his pick-by-pick blog-style analysis. It’s what Boston Sports Guy would have done if he was still the Boston Sports Guy or ever left his couch in LA-LA land. You can still check out the entire running commentary over at Yahoo! sports. Lots of good chuckles and unparallelled perspective.

• And while we’re here on an unscheduled day, let’s wish a happy, happy to our No. 1 Fan: The Shirl. If she’d only get web-savvy, she’d be able to kvell a little more regularly.

• Yiddish word usage: sign that it’s time to get to bed. G’night, John Boy. Oy vey.

• Be sure to enjoy the mid-week 1 p.m. Sox game - if the sun’s shining, we’ll be making like it’s a Sunday, surfside at the Shanty.

David Scott writes from a seaside shanty on the shores of Hull, Mass. and can be reached at shots@bostonsportsmediadotcom