By David Scott
Boston Sports Media Watch

Things are a bit kerflewy with the simultaneous kick off of college hoops and holiday happenings. IN honor of that, because of that and despite that, we present Scott’s Shots Journey To the Beginning of Our Best Sporting Season*.

* SSJTBOBSS is made up of, in random order: a) college hoops; b) NFL’s homestretch; b1) Thanksgiving; c) college bowl season; d) high school hoops kickoff; e) the prospect of snowy, windy, glorious days by the sea.

We start off with a longer piece and then get into morsels of merit from the local sports media below. It’s college hoops heavy to start, but gets back to our roots later on. . . Do your best to get through it - you’ll be better for it.

Sometimes, you find yourself in the wrong bar. Sometimes, the wrong bar finds you.

And other times, the place is just right.

Parts of which, led to our run in with a Leitch who Colonel Flagged right out of Jameson’s Irish Pub and a leech who slimed his way into the Providence Marriott’s Bluefin hotel bar/grill.

But before any of that can even be relevant, we need to slide down to 660 AM on the digital dial as we begin to get within listening range of WFAN – still the best sports talk radio ever made.

A late Wednesday chat with Jim Boeheim by Mike and The Mad Dog signified New York’s pre-tipoff, tipoff to college basketball’s cavalcade of tourneys, shoot-outs and Alaskan adventures.

It’s not so much that Coach Boeheim was scintillating in his 15 minute tout for the Coaches vs. Cancer games (although he was candid), but more about the difference between informative AND entertaining sports talk radio (WFAN) and borderline moronic and self-indulgent sports talk radio (WEEI 850-AM).
Simply sports media-ly stated, Mike (Francesa) and the Mad Dog (Chris Russo) are “PTI” to everyone else’s “I, Max.” Afternoon radio really can be worth the listen, folks. We’re just hard-pressed to understand that in Boston – especially when the sound stage is filled with the big ex-ballers like Steve DeOssie and Fred Smerlas. Or when Pete Meat is angry about some slight to Rhode Island or giving his “astute” assessment of the lack of inclusion on TV shows like “Sports Xtra.”

Please. Mikey and Dawg take the medium to a level that ‘EEI’s afternoon crews can’t even fathom. (The Fan’s morning drive slot is filled by Imus, whereas Jason Wolfe’s Den goes with Dennis & Callahan. Each of those shows work, in their own kind of way, for their respective cities. It’s only the afternoon where the two are really comparable and the remaining terrific overnights on The Fan, of LOCAL programming, give 660 an elite status ‘EEI doesn’t care to aspire toward.)

During the Friday afternoon escape from NYC, Shots heard the Dynamic Duo (and Mets flagship) deliver a cogent dissection of the Mike Cameron deal; had a college pigskin party with Russo’s pal, “Dannnnny Fouts”; and even offered a good synopsis of the Isaiah Thomas/Larry Brown/Stephon Marbury basketball triangle. That took about an hour and, for 850, would represent an entire week’s worth of Big Oh-No Show highlights. The fan give quantity and quality.

They get A-list guests, yes, but they also keep it moving and avoid the overcrowded booth that so often plagues The Big Glenn Ordway Show at ‘EEI. The formula, while successful for ‘EEI, has many drawbacks, not the least of which is the Baritone Bozos talking over, under and beside each other.
Mike and The Mad Dog don’t get bogged down by such things. They are sports talk radio at its best.

***

Which somehow leads us to Jameson’s, on 52nd and 2nd, a neighborhood spot that is directly abutted by another Irish, neighborhood joint – most likely called Murphy’s.

So, Shots, Yiddisha Boychik from north of Boston, needs to be forgiven for thinking that this Murphy’s was the place highly-caffeinated, NY Post baseball guy, (and Umie of Merit) Michael Morrissey and myself were supposed to meet a small collection of the nation’s 30-something set of sports scribes and similar scoundrels.

To discover our mistaken Irsish Bar identity, it took a good hour of sitting, sipping and sport-talking with the rising Metropolitan writer who hails from Braintree and long ago played the role of lightning rod in Amherst better than almost anybody in that electric campus’s proud history of Collegian prodding.

Eventually, it dawned on us that we were either being stood up by folks we thought were friends, or we were in the wrong bar.

Just next door, in a mirror image of the wooden place we were just in, stood the folks we had come to see – including, none other than the newly dubbed “Deadspin Will” Leitch.

Perhaps the www.deadspin.com phenomenon hasn’t quite struck in earnest, but believe me: it’s on a high simmer and ready to boil over. No further proof is needed than the undercurrent of buzz created by Leitch’s appearance at a birthday party for New York Times college sports standout, Pete Thamel.

In a room filled with traditional sports media-types from ESPN, SI, AP, Yahoo! and several of the nation’s top daily papers, even the TO buzz and college hoops anticipation were almost completely out-buzzed by the appearance of Leitch, the Wonkette’s Virtual Housemate (and Gawker-employed) blogger, author and generally deranged, St. Louis Cardinal fanatic.

As the former Boston Sports Guy approaches his shark jump (see this > Baltimore Sun story for further proof of the ants-in-his-pants-Simmons), Leitch is positioning himself (and in turn, the savvy Gawker Heads) for a Deadspin Revolution of sorts. Something that can only help the fledgling empire of Gawker.

On Friday, USA Today was crediting Deadspin for some UMiami reporting, and on Sunday, the NY Times was quoting Will on SG.

He’s on his way to the mainstream and after just one intro to Leitch – this wonderful, mad scientist of a sports blogger – you immediately begin rooting for the guy and appreciating his genial genius.

Dig a little deeper into the Leitch file, like here at his old blog spot or here, at this wonderful Mediabistro Q&A and you start to see all those backstory elements you kind of wish the Sports Guy might have had: the truly lovable loser, quirky, self-effacing, nationally embarrassed on TV. . . things that let you know Leitch has seen the proverbial gutter close up.

Which likely means he appreciates where he is now – and where he’s headed – even more.

And, like any good showman, Leitch even displayed the ability to exit quietly and leave the audience wanting more. One minute, we were dissecting Steve Rushin and Rick Reilly and the next, Leitch was text-messaging us from a cab on his way home to the Deadspin Domicile.

This guy’s good. Real good.

***

Wrong bar? Check.

Right bar? Check.

Leitch? Check.

Leech? Oh yeah. . . you always need to have a good tale of dirt and filth when you find yourself in the gridlock of Downtown Manhattan or the flu factory of Grand Central Station.

Oddly, though, this final tale of a blood-sucker clinging to human skin in hopes of bettering his lot in life comes not from NYC, but from Barrington, Rhode Island.

It was there, this past weekend, that a collection of prep school programs gathered on the campus of St. Andrew’s for the elite, National Prep Tip-off Tournament.

And it was there that Shots was reminded (with the help of Kevin McNamara’s preview on Friday) of just how clueless David Stern and his bean-counters truly are.

Instead of cleaning up the already-shady high school recruiting process, new NBA draft eligibility rules have created a feeding frenzy for the nation’s post-high school athletes, who decide to spend time at places like MCI or St. Andrew’s for a year of “post-graduate work.”

The college coaches, in school apparel, filled the far stands in the St. Andrew’s gym and the Bluetooth-wearing clingers-on and flesh peddlers cavorted in the foyer and the parking lot. Instantly-produced game DVDs were available for 20 bucks a pop so assistants could return to head coaches with proof of their assessments. And at least one, 18-year-old boy-child even let some lucky prospective schools get a load of his abs – as they sat having cocktails at the Marriott’s lobby bar.

It was almost too much to bear at the end of a two-day journey into the overrated, overpriced Big Apple for a re-immersion into the business of college hoops. This vision of all these players hoping to one day play in a tournament like the one we attended on Thursday night and these slickster coaches selling that dream.

From WFAN, to the Next Great Sports Blogger, to the search for young men who can jump and shoot, and various stops along the way, it’s pretty fair to say that, often times, the world is a whole lot more understandable from the comfy confines of the Seaside Shanty.

NYC, and Other Leftovers:

If the above was the skeletal observations from a few days away from the Boston Sports Media watch, the following is some muscle and skin for that sack of bones:

• Shots left NYC five years ago for the shores of Hull and one truism holds: The NYC women still don’t get me. Quite frankly (credit: Stephen Angry Smith), I don’t get them either: A semi-smile, every once in a while, probably wouldn’t do as much Botox fix-up damage as you think.

• Ex-Yellow Boxer, Howard Bryant’s first gameday duties at the Washington Post resulted in this , and The Cartel can officially start spreading Curse of the Bryant rumors to Daniel Snyder, if they please.

• Some fortunate timing (and my refusal to leave Yahoo!’s Dan Wetzel’s side) allowed Shots to dine at the classic, Katz’s with the irreplaceable Jerry Tarkanian on Thursday afternoon. Alongside pictures of celebrities who once-dined in the “When Harry Met Sally”-orgasm-scene place, we had what Tark had: lean corned beef on rye with a bunch of the best pickles this side of Sam Pressman’s old joint in Chelsea.

Tark isn’t the evil-doer the NCAA wanted you to believe – never has been. He just had an uncanny knack for knowing just how to tweak the suits at the, as he always calls them, with a bit of a scowl, “The Enn, Cee, double ay.”

Tarkanian’s book (with Wetzel) is not only worth the pick-up (Amazon sports Top 30) for your own enjoyment, but if you get two, you will have snatched up a worthwhile holiday gift for the hard-to-shop for brother-in-law or, in my case, My Buddy Paulie Brookline.

• We missed the Michael/Mike Underwood/Felger Thursday slot with in-radio-limbo guy, Ryen Russillo, over at ESPN Radio Boston, 890 AM. So we emailed Felgie for some Drive time observations from the host with the most.

Here’s how a humble Felgie felt it went last week: “I’m really fond of Russillo. He has strengths that I don’t have (he’s smarter than I am, to name one). I considered his day with us one of our stronger outings – the door’s always open to him,” wrote Felgie, who shined in Sunday’s UPN 38’s “5th Quarter” post-game, making up for an almost too-awful to believe Bob Lobel. Overall, the designated Driver said of his show’s progression: “There are times when we’re okay and others when we clearly need work.”

• BSMW space-sharer, John Molori has some good bits in his latest Blitz, including some taunting from Shaughnasty to the Big No at WEEI. If Danny Boy doesn’t get air time now, it’s clearly the fault of Ordway – unless The Big O is tripping over the “real” discussion mandate from DB. “Real” and “EEI” are not often uttered together.

. . . JoMo also gets a little friendly lip from BC Eagle Hoops voice, Teddy Sarandis and even a morsel or two from an “upset” Bill Griffith.

• The mix-up between Irish Drinking Establishments described earlier led to Shots whiffing on the chance to see all-time ESPN good guy, Bruce Feldman. Which is too bad, because we were prepared to make the argument that the omission of UMass from the I-AA football tournament can mean only one thing: The playoff system doesn’t work. The Double-Aers need to adopt a BCS-type abomination to ensure the best teams are competing in the post-season.

Feldman would have loved that – I just know he would have.

• On a way-too-late edition of CBS4’s “Sports Final”, Babbling Bob Lobel, teased the Bruins hierarchy with a “bulletin” alerting Jeremy Jacobs, Harry Sinden and Mike O’Connell that “the lockout is over.” Funny once, but not twice and certainly not the third time with the envelope shtick. And where was the blame for Mike Sullivan, anyway?

. . . Steve Burton followed the lead of everyone else in the market by playing the Bill Belichick “heavy heart” theme to the hilt and Felger, DeAwfulOssie and Basketball Bob Ryan shared brown, loveseat time after Rosevelt Colvin dropped in to share his thoughts with Burton and Lobie. The Chief, Robert Parish, was also in the house as Lobel wound down is day of babble a little shy of 1 a.m. And truth be told, Lobel redeemed himself from his Gillette liveshot earlier in the day, by easing Chief out a bit and re-living old highlights. Good to see Chief back in the Celtics mix – nice job, Danny and the Wycsters.

Over at NBC7, Patriots media embed, Christian Fauria told Joe Amateruino in the noisy-as-always “Sports Xtra” studio, he was pretty shocked Saint Will Smith’s extra-curricular activities didn’t earn an ejection:
“I don’t know how the hell he stayed in the game,” said Fauria, who was praised for his composure during the game by FOX color man, Tim Ryan. Fauria also said he had “baited” Smith into the trio of flags the angry lineman drew, which I’m sure will go well with the league office.

Who’s Better than Butchy Stearns provided sideline reporting duties for the broadcast and repped the local affiliate well. You have no idea how hard that is to type.

• Basketball Bob, by the way, will be appearing with Mike Felger on Monday afternoon during The Drive at 890 AM – we’re betting it’ll be better than hour three of the Laughing Hyenas shedding crocodile tears for Mr. B.

• Shots’ Goes Name Droppin’: In addition to time with Wetzel, Morrissey, Thamel and Leitch, we shared space with, at various times throughout our stay in NYC, the following names of note. We tell you these things, because at some level, you actually care:
NYT ponies penner, Joe Drape; ESPN the Magazine’s Eric Adelson; NYT Cartel Sister, the talented, Liz Robbins; AP’s new, New York NBA guy, Brian Mahoney (who took over for Chris Sheridan upon his recent move to ESPN.com); Hard-working Disco Stew Mandel of SI.com; Dave Curtis (Orlando Sentinel) and Andy Staples (Tampa Tribune) from the Florida Gator beat; Marvelous Mike Waters and Kim Baxter from the Post-Standard’s Syracuse hoops beat (and VERY worthwhile blog destination); Andy AK47 Katz of ESPN (and Boston lineage); Stump the Howie Schwab; Dick Vitale (of course!); CSTV’s hard-working, diligent Drexel-rooter, Bryan Armen Graham; AP’s go-to- guy, Jim O’Connell; Dick “Hoops” Weiss; SI’s Seth Davis.

We also got some time with the Big East’s John Paquette, an all-time favorite from conference headquarters. Paquette surveyed the moderate media scene and could only wonder out loud: “Where will we put everyone for the Tournament?”

With the Big East’s expansion to 808 teams, or thereabouts, the post-season tournament’s credential list will be bulging, to say the least.

• Other basketball people Shots got to mingle with included, Syracuse’s head-coach-in-waiting (for some lucky mid-major), Mike Hopkins; NYC hoops legend Howard Garfinkel; UMass Glory Days participants, Calipari, newlywed, Derek Kellogg, Tony Barbee (in Providence recruiting the St. Andrew’s tourney); Drexel coaches and Bruiser Flint field generals, Geoff Arnold and the ever-entertaining Tony Chiles.

• Calipari was limping noticeably, a remnant from his left hip surgery of a year ago. Calipari explained that he had actually gained a little bit of height from the surgery and now has to wear orthopedics in his Gucci (NOT itchy anymore) shoes. “I’m getting taller,” laughed the Memphis head man, who will be in NYC this week for the NIT finals at MSG (along with UCLA, Duke and, yes, our Drexel Dragons). “Once I get my right hip done, I’ll be like 6-2 or so.”

Some guys get all the luck: big contracts, lives of luxury and added height.

Cal, by the way, was scheduled to trip out to Amherst on Saturday to get dinner with Minutewomen hoopster, and daughter, 5-9 Erin. He returns to New England for a December 10 match-up at “The Dunk” with Timmy Welsh’s Providence Friars.

• Speaking of UMass hoops, it was nice to see familiar bylines all weekend long in the UMass sports coverage for the Globe (Marty Dobrow) and the Herald (George Miller). If we could somehow figure out how to get some Milt Cole in the Metro, we’d have ourselves a full-fledged revival.

• The Phoenix went to some length to pub its new Sports Media Blog (with a flag on the front page of a recent issue), but it might want to get the thing up and running and relevant before they start treading on OUR turf. Looks like Mark Jurkowitz has branched off his regular media blog in order to have a separate sports entry. Nice to have you in the mix, MJ – but let’s be honest – you’re no MJ.

• Shots’ longtime TV reporter crush, Anya Huneke did a liveshot for NECN on Sunday night and she wasn’t wearing the Lisa Loeb/Funkyass/Sexy glasses that we’ve come to know and love. But it still worked and she still had us at hello. How she hasn’t been snatched up by some national outfit is just beyond be. Her science reporting, for heaven’s sake, is freaking outstanding. And I can’t tell the difference between biology and chemistry.

• Sports Guy leftovers: A lot of folks didn’t agree with Shots that Bill Simmons’ NYST story had signs of SG positioning for an exit from ESPN. Admittedly, Shots reads between the lines a LOT with SG and we also had just read the Baltimore Sun story (linked above) where he tries to paint his employment situation as TO vs. McNabb. No need to read through those words, is there?

• All right, friends. That will have to do for a little while. Shots is going deep into research mode for the next week to ten days. If we do pop our head out and find something that strikes us, we’ll be back. If not, have a happy Thanksgiving. May all your nog be egged by The Captain and all your chocolate mousse be like The Shirl’s chocolate mousse.

We’ll plan on getting back on track December 2nd.

Peace, ciao and adios. . .

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