By David Scott
Boston Sports Media Watch

FT. MYERS, Fla. - We missed the open clubhouse access this morning as we had call-in duties with successful softball coach Mike Nikitas over at NECN’s morning show, but we’re told we didn’t miss much here at the minor league facility.

Players are now out on the respective fields doing what players do in these early days of spring training. The Japanese media contingent got their shots of the Dice-K stroll to the field - always an exciting moment, and the NESN folks are readying for the 10:30 taping of the “SportsPlus” show, which we will try and provide some background blogging of later today. We are told you can expect some DJ discussion from both Dan Shaughnessy and Gordon Edes, who some of you may recall was actually on the Lakers beat during the 1980s - should make for an interesting take from both parties.

Count us among the folks that think the DJ death has gotten some short shrift from not only the locals, but also the national media. Thursday night’s 11 p.m. SportsCenter didn’t lead with news, instead choosing an NHL story. And the Globe, despite putting an archived 1999, Bob Ryan story on Boston.com, chose to only have Jackie MacMullan provide a day-after column. There’s no way you can tell me that Ryan and Shaughnessy wouldn’t have written columnettes on DJ to offer the definitive picture of Johnson in a package that would have harkened back to the page’s glory days.

We understand it’s a busy sports time and that there is time for follow-ups in the coming days, but when you have a Big Three that covered the Big Three on staff and willing to write on the Death of DJ, you need to find a way - even web-based - to pay tribute to the man who Ryan said of , on ESPN, via phone: “No one has ever played that position the way Dennis Johnson did. You look in the NBA today and you say who plays like Dennis Johnson? No body. No one.”

. . . The Sox hard-working PR man John Blake shared an interesting story with us during his visit to DiamondHead on Thursday to scope out the FSNNE set-up (which he was thoroughly impressed with). Blake’s son, Chris, a senior in high school in Dallas (where Blake lived during his 20-year tenure with the Rangers, before joining the Sox last season) will serve as the Internet voice of the Hyannis Mets of the Cape Cod League this coming summer. The younger Blake is currently looking at colleges and appears to have his sights set on Northwestern and its fine Medill school of journalism. We’re going to suggest that the Medill mavens accept the younger Blake - it’s not often a kid under 20 starts broadcasting in the nation’s finest summer league. We even got the chance to meet Chris this morning and the kid has pipes, enthusiasm and passion.

(Yes, we provide letters of recommendation for all aspiring journalists. No fee, of course, we just ask that when the new journalist becomes a media decision-maker, that he or she then offers employ and/or work for Shots. It’s the Shots “Quid Pro Quo” policy that has just been institued.)

. . . FSNNE is in the process of lining up its “Friendly’s Scoop of the Week” guest, a role previously held by both Coco Crisp and Kevin Millar. No one is tipping their hat just yet, but we’re thinking the rapport Jonathan Papelbon displayed with Gary Tanguay and Greg Dickerson during his Thursday night guest spot from DiamondHead would place him as the frontrunner for the Friendly’s scoopster.

. . . Some news out of NECN, where it appears reporter/anchor Laura Behnke’s role has been trimmed back significantly at the network. Behnke is still doing fill-in work at NECN, but our insiders tell us she has been relieved of her full-time duties. It’s too bad if so, because we always thought Behnke offered a nice change of pace from Chris Collins and Mike Giardi. We’ll have to wait and see if the move is strictly a cost-cutting measure or if Behnke was bumped. Our answer should come soon, as baseball season is the very time when a three-person sports desk is most needed.

. . . We continue to fail in our attempts to accurately portray the phenomenon of the Dice-K Media Brigade. It is just fascinating to see the throng’s constant pursuit of the Japanese hurler. Estimates range from 100 to 150 Japanese media that are in Ft. Myers and Thursday’s bullpen session attracted several separate groups of still photographers, videographers and print/Internet writers.

Shots even ventured into the world famous Funai Tent when Matsuzaka held his Japanese media session on Thursday afternoon and the scene was nothing short of remarkable. Imagine courteous, soft-spoken media members respectfully asking questions of a professional ballplayer and the ballplayer offering what appeared to be sincere, sometimes humorous, sometimes serious replies. Astounding by American sports journalism standards.

The Japanese media corps also employs an interesting approach where one TV reporter is chosen to ask the questions of several of the other TV types. After the TV reporters get their replies, the cameras are turned off and the print/Internet writers swarm closer to the Matsumagician and continue the soft, respectful volley and serve. And Dice-K - who is clearly picking up on the English language rapidly - never flinches.

. . . The FSNNE crew stationed at DiamondHead gives all the appearances of one big happy family. Many of the cast and crew brought along spouses, significant others and children for the trip. “I challenge you to find a closer staff in all of the Boston market. We really are like one big family,” said Dickerson, accompanied by his engaging, effervescent wife, Shannon. Dickerson who had entertained his parents, relatives and niece and nephew at the DiamondHead pool on Thursday afternoon was also playing the role of Uncle G to Tanguay’s adorable children. Proving that Dickerson gets it from all sides, his nephew partook in some serious splashing just before the 4:30 taping, but fortunately the chlorine did not stain Dickerson’s sporty Dick’s Sporting Goods golf shirt.

. . . Remember the name Jim Aberdale, a producer for FSNNE who Dickerson raves about. “You can‘t find a harder working producer in this town - he‘s off the charts.” Aberdale, an Emerson grad, secures the player appearances and arranges the logistics to get players to the beachside set on time - in addition to myriad other duties.

. . . We’ll get back with you in the afternoon hours for some post-workout observations, but for now it’s time to go watch the people who watch Dice-K.