<B>By David Scott
Boston Sports Media Watch</B>

A special midweek offering with highlights from Scott’s Shots’ Field Trip to:

<B>FSN Celtics Media Day, held on Wednesday afternoon at the new <a href = http://www.ruthschris.com/home.html> <B>Ruth’s Chris Steak House</B> </A> at Old City Hall:</B>

• The lineage goes something like this: <B>PRISM New England</B> begat <b>SportsChannel New England</B> which begat <b>FSN New England</B> and between all that begetting, over 25 years, it hath begotten <B>Mike and Tommy</B>.

Wednesday’s first-class luncheon (the third annual put on by the FSN folk) was as much a tribute to 25 years of <B>Gorman and Heinsohn</B> as it was to touting this year’s 80-game slate for the Green Gang on FSN. And that’s as it should be.

Long-time, TV broadcast tandems like the ones in this market are fewer and farther between in this age of ladder-climbing and job-chasing.

Gorman is the signature voice and longest, continuous service play-by-play man in the market (<B>Gil Santos</B> had some down time for the Pats, we were reminded). He’s a New England guy with the right mix of levity and Yankee values.

Heinsohn is the overgrown Leprechaun who, even Shots can admit, would be missed if he weren’t around on game nights. Especially BIG game nights and throwback-type games. He’s one of Red’s Guys and in these parts, that holds a lot of weight.

As much as Heinsohn bleeds Green, pees Green and eats Green (two of which might be considered “bad signs” over at Mass General), the guy is, indisputably, a Local Legend. And unlike his Red Sox counterpart, <B>Jerry Remy</B>, Heinsohn has stayed away from commercializing/bastardizing his “brand” name and his history with the region.

The ref-bashing, the complaining quotient and the need to “Love Someone” – those things are all part of the Tommy Package. Gorman’s understated, soothing manner more than offsets <b>“Shrek’s”</B> pitfalls. (That’s Gorman’s nickname for Heinsohn, one Shots is seriously considering adopting –r incorporating into <B>HeinShrek</B>.)

(See what happens when Shots gets invited to grown-up events? I get all lovey-dovey. Our thanks, by the way, to FSN’s <B>Skip Perham</B> for allowing Shots to not only join in, but to also to reveal our softer, gentler side through these words.)

. . . Heinsohn said he feels “the kids have grown-up” and reiterated (from Tuesday night’s broadcast) that “I’m getting a fond feeling for Justin Reed and Brian Scalabrine.” The early edge for Tommy’s Next I Love Walta is Scalabrine, mostly for his red hair, Heinsohn said. From a rhythm standpoint, “I Love Scala” probably works better, but Justin could fit too.

. . . Former <I>Herald</I> TV guy (and now in Nashua), Jim Baker, lobbed a softie to Heinsohn that Tommy hit out of the park and got big chuckles with:
Baker: “Who’s the best ref in the league?”
Tommy: “The one who retired (over the off-season).”

. . . Griffith wondered aloud (to Gorman) whether the Celtics lack of national TV appearances is a sign of disrespect to Team Green. Gorman said it wasn’t. And it isn’t in all likelihood. More likely it’s because the Celts are middle of the road right now with little to no superstar appeal. Paul Pierce doesn’t bring ratings. Ricky Davis doesn’t bring ratings. And anyone that brings ratings isn’t walking through that door. . .

. . .Also in-house for the meet and greet were FSN’s Celtics, returning on-air talent trio of <B>Gary Tanguay</B> (Studio host), <b>Greg Dickerson</B> (home, and key road games, courtside reporter) and <b>Dana Barros</B> (on-site, at the Garden, analyst and studio fill-in). . . Dickerson, one of the more live-wires on the local scene, was doing grassroots politicking outside the Old City Hall on School Street, post-affair. Dickerson was shaking hands and kissing babies (almost literally) and urging passers-by to get to the polls next week. “Or the week after.” We’re still not sure if Dickerson was running for Mayor or FSN Employee of the Year. To borrow a phrase – the guy might make caffeine nervous. It’s a good energy to have in his business.

. . . EVERYONE is having trouble with the <B>Mark Blount</B> change-in-pronunciation to “BLUNT.” Shots suggests calling him “Mark.”

. . . We shared some extended time with new (and promising) in-studio FSN analyst, <B>Donny Marshall</B>, and we’re preparing a PodShots podcast with the material. So tell your friends. Or at least the UConn ones.

. . . The media swag bag held two treasures that Shots will be sharing with <B>Nephew Jake</B> in the coming days: A Gormanism t-shirt that reads, on the front: “For three. . . GOT IT!” and has the 25th anniversary logo on the back. It’s green, ribbed collar makes it even more of a keeper. There are both Tommyism and Gormanism t-shirts in circulation and we’re declaring the Great Republic, 100 percent cotton, tees a bona fide collector’s item. . . The other inclusion in the media gift was a <a href = http://video.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?ean=12569736221&cds2Pid=322&linkid=544499> <I>City of Champions DVD: The Best of Boston Sports </I></A>. ironically, Shots had just been given a copy of <A href = http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006SCQ9Y/104-3577576-3170361?v=glance&n=130&v=glance> <I>Boston’s Greatest Sports Stories: Beyond the Headlines</I></A>, meaning we know need to dedicate a full 273 running time minutes to viewing both. Or Nephew Jake can report back to us with his findings. . . The swag bag also contained the business card of Ruth’s Chris sales manager, Amy Fischer. Not to be confused with <a href = http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/young/amy_fisher/> her namesake.</A>

. . . Gorman’s best line of the day came courtesy of his Dorchester upbringing. In discussing some of the match-up problems the Celtics may present: “We called them guys that are “‘Hahd to gahd.’ The Celts have a lot of guys that are hard to guard.”

. . . Some of the more prominent, area media folk who Shots espied at the event included: <B>ESPN Radio Boston’s Kevin Winter</B>; <B>My Boss Bruce, Bruce Allen</B>; Lenny Legend, <B>Lenny Megliola</B> of the <I>MetroWest Daily News</I>; <B>Mark Murphy</B> of the <I>Boston Herald</I>; <B>Jim Baker</B> of the <I>Nashua Telegraph</I>; <B>Bill Griffith</B> of the <I>Globe</I>; WEEI gatekeepers, <B>Jason Wolfe</B> and <B>Julie Kahn</B>; “Dennis and Callahan” morning show producer <B>Stephen “Chach” Ciaccio</B>; 1510 AM’s <B>Ryen Russillo</B>; Gorman’s delightful wife, New England Region Emmy-winning producer, <B>Teri Schindler</B> (who Shots had met in another lifetime when she was producing TV games for the Big East and the NCAA Tournament. She now does consulting after a stint as VP of Broadcasting for the WNBA.); <B> Jeff Twiss</B> legendary Boston Celtics PR guy; Soon-to-be-starting at the <I>Eagle Tribune</I> Sox scribe, <B>Rob Bradford</B>; What is this the “Inside Track,” Shots, you poser?; Blitz Bitzer, <B>John Molori</B>; FSN’s <B>Nancy Larkin</B> and </B>David Woodman</B>; Lastly, we’d be remiss if we didn’t thank the <I>Salem News’s</I> outstanding sports editor and hockey writer, <B>Phil Stacey</B>, for filling in the blanks on names and memories from Shot’s <I>Beverly Times</I> internship. Stacey also has the distinction of having the last name of Shots’ sister, <B>Stacey</B>, meaning that if the two ever were wed, my sister would be <B>Stacey Stacey</B>. Long way to go for a lame joke, but heck, it’s MY sister!

. . . The new Ruth’s Chris is worth the visit. Any Ruth’s usually is. Or <a href = http://www.mortons.com/website/index.html> Morton’s </A>. Or <A href = http://www.peterluger.com/> Peter Luger </A>. Surprisingly, Shots went with the seared tuna over the steak entree. But it was the right call for an afternoon meal. The prime rib would have made nap time a good two hours. The tuna allowed for 30 minutes of beach time with <B>Percy the Dog</B> and enough daylight hours remaining to finish this re-cap AND prep for the Shots’ <B>Ed Berliner CN8</B> appearance as the Guest Curmudgeon (Wed. nite live, or available On Demand if your All Demented and care to catch it later this week.). . . We did, however, fumble with the chocolate cake dessert – the cheesecake looked scrumptious and the portion was the size of Escalade rims. Next time.

. . . This is what happens when I leave the Shanty: I get wordy.
Happens when I stay here too. . . The Shanty may be my demise, ultimately. See you on Friday with something a little bit different. . .

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