By David Scott
Boston Sports Media Watch

Saying it was an exclusive for his 11 p.m. sports segment, CBS4 Boston’s Steve Burton got a one-on-one sit down with Patriots holdout, wide receiver Deion Branch on Tuesday night.

So excited was Burton about his chat with Branch, that he called into the Planet Mikey (Adams) show on WEEI 850 AM just after 9 p.m. last night to pub both himself and the interview.

What would have been a “good get” (as anchor/fading legend Jack Williams boasted) for Burton was overshadowed by no fewer than two important points:

First, Steve admitted on-radio to Adams (and on-air during the newscast) that it was actually his CN8-employed brother, Phil Burton, who had gotten the interview with Branch. (With CN8 in the midst of a two-week hiatus for its locally-originated sports programming, the younger Burton was left without a spot to showcase his own big get. So, it appears, he passed it along to his brother. Too bad CN8 has zero web presence, or they could have used Phil’s access for an on-line bump.)

Secondly, Steve Burton failed to deliver with the TV portion of his fawning Q&A with Branch, who was decked out in vintage Bill Russell, No. 6 “Boston” jersey, a Celtics hat (backwards) and was tracked down in the locker room at the latest AND1 Mixtape tour stop at the New Garden. (Not an AND 1 “Tournament” as Burton described it.)

Claiming that he “. . . caught up with Deion. . . and peppered him with all types of questions,” Burton neglected to mention that he wound up with little spice from his purported pepper performance.

Further, unfortunately for Burton, what would have been his highlight quote from the interview came when he asked Branch about how he responds to the people who say, “He signed a contract, he should play that final year and then re-negotiate?”

As shown on the station’s website video, when Branch started to answer the question, a loud, blaring cell phone rang three times just as Branch started to use the “I got to support my family” Ty Law- argument. That portion of the interview was not aired during the 11 o’clock newscast, as it was not ready-for-prime time audio.

What was leftover for the (much-wider) TV audience was Burton starting the interview in his best Glenn Ordway, You’re-making-my-point voice with an animated, ‘hood-speak attempt of: “You (sic) holdin’ out. How long can Deion Branch hold out?”

Clearly, there were some ground rules in place for the interview and Branch repeatedly referred to questions that he didn’t “want to go there” with. Not exactly a no-holds barred type of “get,” but nonetheless, one that the Burton Brothers - especially Phil - deserve a bit of credit for. Remember, Branch hasn’t talked to anyone during his sit-out.

Still, Burton flattered Branch by telling him how great he looked and reiterated that by telling the viewing audience (and Adams’ as well) about what great shape Branch was in. (Did he time him in the 40 to confirm this?)

This was clearly a case of The Player, Branch, trying to rally some support behind his “cause,” but one that would have been better attempted through either the Herald, the Globe or on WEEI. The message Branch tried to get out was hampered, in this case, by the messenger he chose to share it with. Any of the other three outlets would have given him more bang for his buck.

Said Branch at one point, echoing his estranged coach, “It is what it is. I understand what they are doing and they also understand what I’m doing.”

Burton wrapped the TV segment by saying “They need him and they need him now.”

We’re thinking the Patriots, Coach Bill and Scott Pioli might see that a bit differently, but when you’re peppering away like Burton, perhaps you tend to overstate things just a bit.

. . . The Herald’s John Tomase posted on the CBS4 interview just after midnight and also mentioned that Wednesday’s Herald would have more on the Burton exclusive.

David Scott writes from a seaside shanty on the shores of Hull, Mass. And can be reached at shotsATbostonsportsmedDOTcom