It’s fund drive time and if you count yourself among the many who find the local media to be our Fifth Major sport around here, Scott’s Shots urges you to give early and give often. There are very few forums where Shots would be embraced. Thanks to BSMW and Bruce Allen, we have one of those very spots. Let’s keep it going and growing. Thanks, Shots

By David Scott
Boston Sports Media Watch

• My Boss Bruce was right on Thursday: Read Mark Jurkowitz’s report card on the Globe, WEEI 850 AM and the Herald, if you read anything. (But at least skim Shots, you’re already here. . . )

Also, in some Theo housekeeping, think about this, which was pointed out to Shots and a few others at the Bruins game on Thursday night – by none other than the city’s elderest sports columnist: Someone needed to ask Theo, at that now-famous presser at the Park, what the truth of the Colorado/Baltimore “thing” was from his perspective? “No one asked that,” pointed out Globie, Bob Ryan.

“Everyone of us should be disappointed in ourselves for not asking that,” said Ryan, who was in fine fiddle pre-puck-drop, holding court in “Will’s Room,” and even in the elevator (with Yellow Boxer, Steve Buckley) up to the press-semicircle (no ‘row’ in a rink, we understand). . . Ryan’s been multi-sport in these post-baseball hours, checking in on the Sox, the Pats, the Celts and the Bruins over the past seven days. In the interest of equal time, Ryan did his Revolution column last time the Revs made it to the Copa cabana – or whatever the finals of MLS are called. He even joked with Buck that it was his turn for the “Revs set-up story,” which Buck indeed penned this week. . . Buckley just got back from a European vacation to Amsterdam and said he kept informed on the Theocracy through the International Herald Tribune and, no joke, two Yankess fans who were discussing Theology (in the Red Sox nation sense, not the European, Worldly sense).

. . . .Lastly, for now, on Theo – Jurkowitz’s lone omission, which seemed egregious to Shots, was this: He never mentioned Joe Sullivan’s uncomfortable silence throughout the week. Shots maintains that the sports editor needed to reassure the readership of certain things during those first few days of Theogate and Sullivan didn’t do that. Jurkowitz gave out the grades but neglected to assess the teacher in the process.

• When, and if, I grow up, I will be Kwame Kilpatrick, Detroit’s recently re-elected (for now) mayor. There may be no finer role model in all the land.

• Howard Bryant’s departure stirred a little bit of a dull hum in certain quadrants, but Bryant was happy to report to Shots on Thursday that the overwhelming response to his departure, from readers, has been kind-hearted and well-intentioned.

“In two days,” Bryant wrote in an email to Shots, “we’re looking at 53 voice mails, 52 positive; and 103 emails, one bad (see below).

“So, 155 comments, 2 bad, which has been awesome,” Bryant said in the email.

The following is the “one bad” that came to Bryant’s inbox, according to the new Redskins beat writer, himself. (Shots has redacted the emailer’s address, but I’d gladly forward it to any spammer that was looking for one more live, deserving, name for their database.)

Again, we emphasize on behalf of Bryant (and Shots), that the overwhelming majority of feedback directly to Bryant was positive. But there are always hateful, ignorant people and sadly, they too can share their voice:

(Subject Head: Your Departure)

Dear Mr. Bryant:

I was shocked and offended when I read you articles yesterday in the Herald. I can’t believe how someone as fortunate as you have been could feel so bitter upon your departure. I don’t know what exactly you did or what qualifications you have to obtain your editorial position with the Herald, but it obviously wasn’t writing quality journalism. Perhaps, I should speculate as you has done during your tenure here in Boston. Maybe it was your race that allowed you to obtain your position?

What exactly does the word race mean? I don’t think the term is appropriate in today’s society with all the children that are a result of interracial relationships. How would your characterize someone who is 1/4th black and 3/4th Caucasian? White? Black?(or should I say “African American?”) The term “African American” is another inaccurate term, but I don’t have the time to delve into that topic.

In sum, I have never read a “sport-writer” as obsessed with race as you are. The title to your first book is indicative of that obsession. Also the conclusion you reach in your “Race and Boston” article, that the lack of wordss such as “racism” means that the tone or purpose of your stories was not focused on race.

Baloney!

If you had any talent, I would recommend that you write in the editorial section of a newspaper, because you are not a sportswriter. I have never learned any meaningful sports information from you. You are the worst sportswriter I have ever read!

I wish you well in your departure, because that means I won’t be tempted to read a racist like yourself again.

Maybe the Herald will replace you with a real talent like Michael Holley or expand Gerry Callahan’s column.

. . . A couple more Bryant leftovers: His going away party was held on Wednesday evening (we’re supposing the Trackies were there!) and guess who attended for purposes of saying goodbye? Yup – Dan Shaughnasty himself, fresh off the whirlwind tour of every media outlet that would have him. (Danny Boy, Hull Community TV called, they’re wondering if you’re available to do a quarter of the Pop Warner game with Stevie, this Sunday afternoon from the Memorial School field?) DB and HB had some hot times on the “Sports Xtra” set “back in the day,” as they say, and we bet HB will even miss the back-and-forth when he’s in DC.

. . . Let Shots tell you something: If the Herald was footing the bill for the going away soiree, and a “Cartel” member (or two or three) were drinking off the tab? Well, then, we might have a whole new angle to explore on this “smear campaign” story. Indeed, everybody is in bed with everybody else! And yes, that tone you hear is bitterness that Shots sleeps alone!

• Legends’ Kids Night on ESPN2 last Saturday night: Sean McDonough (Will’s boy) did play-by-play, and Duke Castiglione (Joe’s kid) were two-thirds of the talent trio working Florida-Vanderbilt. (The last third, interestingly enough, was color-man Mike Gottfried, daddy of Alabama hoops coach Mark Gottfried.) Sing it, brutha: It’s a family affair. . .

• Chuck Klosterman is writing a monthly column for Page 2 over at ESPN.com. It comes at the very time Shots has just begun reading “Killing Yourself to Live” and the book is well worth the Library trip. We’re reserving judgment on whether or not his Page 2 offering will be likewise worthy. His first outing missed on most levels, especially the ones that suggest non-sports writers need to get to their point immediately and concisely or risk losing the sports readers, who aren’t quite as astute (or patient) as the political, artsy or pop culture readers Klosterman is more accustomed to writing for.

• Chad Finn of the Touching All the Bases Finns did the latest John Feinstein book review in last Sunday’s Globe. If Stan Grossfeld is two-tool guy with the camera and the written word, then we’re thinking Finn is at least a five tool guy (write, edit, design, bring back baseball card memories, entertain). Throw that dude on the 30-somethings who will be on the charter staff of Scott’s Shots reincarnation of The National. (Listing services for said list, provided by Percival P. Dawg.)

• Speaking of which, more good things happening to good people: Dave Doyle of his World is leaving his sleepless job in Seattle for a gig with FOXsports.com. Doyle, for those of you following along at home, jumped off the Good Ship Globe (South, Sports) this past spring and headed out westward to a heavy editing gig at Sports Xchange. Doyle wrestled a bit with leaving the comfort of the “known” for the discomfort of the “unknown,” but reached a point where he had to make the break (after four years as a full-timer at Globe South).

Seven months (and a terrifically successful blog later), Doyle’s heading for a super gig with an aggressive, sports media outlet that isn’t going anywhere for a good, long time. Daddy Rupert is starting to get serious about tweaking ESPN’s earlobes, we think.

If that little tidbit about Doyle doesn’t give you hope that good things happen to good people and that good people can still do good things, well, I don’t know what will. The sad news is we’ll be losing Dave’s World in the coming weeks. The flip side of that, however, is that Shots can no longer screw up football picks to the point of choosing teams to win that are in their bye weeks. So we’ve got that going for us. . . .We love what Doyle had to say about his “baby”:

“The blog started out as a way to keep in touch with friends since I found myself pounding out 30 lengthy emails per day and it just sort of morphed into what it became. It was a lot of fun. I’ve never been afraid to do things a little different than everyone else, so when I heard all the usual people making fun of blogs, I basically knew it was time to try it.”

Priceless. And don’t think the FOXies didn’t like it either. A broad base is a good base, remember that kiddies. . .

• Shots was treated to a few minutes of Jimmy Young’s time during our most recent visit to the Wells Ave. Warriors over at NECN. (Young does sales for Daddy Comcast and the Neckin folks, but also still fills in on-air every now and again.)

Young, still south of 50, always struck us as too intelligent and too daring for the sports folk. It’s kind of odd too, because he’s a close friend of Jimmy Myers, and sort of has that feel of a Caucasian Myers – he’s borderline great at what he does, but is he too good at it for the Sport Set?

Regardless, Young does share regular mike time with ex-Sox employee, The Teacher/Coach, Bob Rodgers, on their “Calling All Sports” slot from 4-7p.m., Sundays at 96.9 FM Talk. With Eddie Andelman’s mouth silenced, CAS is one of – if not THE – longest running sports talk show in the region. (We trust a local historian could help us out here – let’s call it “community journalism” just to be hip, okay?

“We had (Dan Shaughnessy) on the day of his (Theo Epstein) column and all the things he said during the week, he was telling us on the day the column ran,” said Young, in the NECN grand foyer, after sharing some friendly banter with his boss and Chief Numbers Overseer. “It’s a great show to do and we tackle everything.”

Give me Young, Myers and Mike Adams and I’ll give you a damn good 30 Minute TV show every day of the week. Go ahead – try me. . . (Job Beg, No. 457 for those Haters keeping a tally.)

• This one would be perfect for my longheld belief that the scoreboard page in any paper should be sponsored by some adult beverage maker. Newspapers, by the way, don’t need less of this kind of creativity (as the Public Editor believes) – it needs more of it. And quick!

• This past Monday, Glenn Ordway was ALL OVER NBC7’s Joe Amateurino for the “on his knees” interview with Shaughnasty on Sunday night’s “Sports Xtra.”

Pete The Angry Meat managed to pile on and condemn the shows of Xtra’s ilk for not having ‘EEI representatives on-set to defend the station when, for instance, JoeAm (not to be confused with ToeJam) threw around his blind accusations and soft-toss queries to Danny Boy.

As always, it became a battle of the loudest and a poor representation of what could have been interesting banter. (Although, taking even 10 minutes on it during the lead-up to Pats-Colts was questionable, at best.)

. . . And who peed in PeteMeat’s Wheaties this week? Easy on the Internet guys, Pete – they (we) somehow help to keep you afloat. And aloft.

• In-limbo radio guy, Ryen Russillo, continued his Mike Giardi gig on Sunday night at NECN and shared set space with newbie Lawrence Eagle Tribber, Rob Bradford, who debuted in the last Sunday’s Trib with a strong effort on Theo.

• Maybe the best line of the week on the Carolina cheerleaders thing came form the Whiner Line (of course): “Why can’t WE get cheerleaders like that?”

Lobel couldn’t have said it better himself.

• Unless there’s relevant, breaking news over the next week, Shots will likely be skipping the regularly scheduled Shots for next Friday (11.18.05) as we tend to some higher-paying (but no less rewarding) work and travel. (Including, but not limited to, the enjoyment of some pre-Thanksgiving college hoops!)

But it wouldn’t kill ya to check back here every now and again – just to see if we popped in for a quickie. . .

Until next , time. . .

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