By David Scott
Boston Sports Media Watch

With a relative whisper, WEEI 850 AM announced yesterday that they have extended midday co-host (and Bruins apologist) Dale Arnold to a “new multi-year contact.” [Neither of the city's dailies picked up on the "announcement."] Interestingly, the release (sent out by ‘EEI’s PR firm, Regan Communications) makes no mention of co-host Michael Holley’s status and does not even mention Holley other than in the title of the show and then only by last name.

Holley is believed to have signed a three-year deal when he began in March of 2005, meaning he will be up for renewal in less than a year. It would have made sense to extend Holley at this time and lock the duo up - especially with uncertainity at the Dennis & Callahan morning show, where that duo’s contract expires this summer. The lack of a Holley mention at all would lead some to speculate that the ex-Globe writer is on shaky ground with the station. (Although it says here that Holley is the only part of the D&H tandem truly worth extending. In addition, folks close to the WEEI situation indicate that the powers-that-be are more than satisfied with Holley - the only caveat is that Holley does, at times, get the urge for going, as evidenced by his multiple stints with the Globe. Had we been able to speak with Jason Wolfe (see below) we could have gotten clarification on the Holley matter.)

. . .Despite an email from a Regan flack offering up interviews with Entercom Vice President of AM Programming and Operations Jason Wolfe and/or Arnold, Shots was rebuffed in our attempts today to speak with Wolfe, who was “out of pocket” according to the flack or Arnold who the PR person was still “trying to contact.” Maybe try the caller line between 10 and 2?

[Just a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how Regan is operating on behalf of its client WEEI, most likely at the client's behest: The flack had contacted Shots and informed me that "If you would like to speak with Dale or Jason Wolfe please contact me and I will be happy to put you in touch with them." While that is believed to be a boiler-plate email intro, when we replied that we'd like to talk to both, the reply came back from the flack: "I'll reach out to them now and see if we can make it happen." That was yesterday afternoon. We heard nothing from said flack this morning and when we emailed him for an update he replied, "Jason is out of pocket all day today and will be unable to do any interviews. Still trying to contact Dale. I'll keep you posted."

As of this post, we have heard nothing from Arnold or the flack.

It should be noted that we have a good relationship with Regan and its stable of flacks that ordinarily do a fine job. Rather than this being an indication of how the PR firm operates, it is more indicative to us of how WEEI and Wolfe - the big bullies of Boston media - go about their business. You can be damn sure that a certain media column Press Release Re-writer from the Globe is able to get in touch with the "out-of-pocket" Wolfe or the tough to track down Arnold; and you can be damn sure that writer won't be asking any nuisance questions about Holley, the station or D&C.

If that's how WEEI chooses to operate, we are now aware of it and happy to ignore their future announcements for which they are seeking publicity. It makes our job easier if we simply need to critique the buffoons on the Big Show, believe me.]

[DISCLAIMER: Shots, as part of the Boston Sports Review Radio Show is now appearing every Saturday at 890 AM Boston from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. For that show, I am paid by BSR and NOT 890. So if you're reading into this tangled web, my involvement over there at 890 has nothing to do with this rant against the way WEEI handles its business. It's simply a look into what the Sports Leader thinks of itself and how it treats the folks who try to cover them objectively.]

. . . More from the release, just as you’ll likely read it in the Globe on Friday: “Arnold has been with WEEI since its inception as a sports station in 1991 and was the host of the first ever sports program the station had when it changed formats from news to sports radio. Since then, the show has been one of the most successful in the market, and has been ranked number one in nine of the last ten ratings books in its core demo of Men 25-54.

“Dale and I started together when WEEI went all sports”, Wolfe said. “I produced his show for the first three years of my career at WEEI. He is a true professional, someone I’ve admired for a long time and someone who simply does an outstanding job. I am thrilled that we have secured his services for the long term.”

A native of Brunswick, Maine, Arnold began broadcasting games as a 15-year-old high school sophomore. He continued his broadcasting work while a student at Bowdoin College, working both football and hockey games. Upon graduation from college, Arnold began a seven-year term as a minor league hockey play-by-play announcer for the Maine Mariners of the American Hockey League. He became the youngest play-by-play announcer in the National Hockey League when he was named the voice of the New Jersey Devils in 1986.

Since coming to Boston, Arnold has been the radio voice for the New England Patriots and New England Revolution. He also served as radio play-by-play announcer for the Boston Bruins for one season, and is in his tenth season as TV voice of the Bruins on NESN, where the telecasts have twice been honored with a New England Emmy Award for sports play-by-play coverage. He is also the only person is Boston sports history to call at least one game for all five professional sports teams in town, having filled in for both the Boston Celtics and Boston Red Sox.

“I love what I do, I love the company I work for and I love the people I work with,” Arnold said. “I take great pride in being with WEEI since we opened the doors, and I’m really looking forward to continuing here for the foreseeable future.”

. . . Also announced today, from Regan, is that Rich Gotham - the man who brought us the Celtics Dancers, bless his soul, and many of the Celts more prominent marketing initiatives - has been promoted to team President.

Gotham, a resident of Medfield, Mass., and a Providence College alum is a very sharp knife in the utility drawer of Boston sports executives and his promotion is a positive step forward for the moribund franchise that has its future hinging on the NBA Draft Lottery.

. . . We’re back with a regularly-scheduled Shots for Friday. See you then.