By David Scott
Boston Sports Media

Despite the Boston Globe’s best efforts to bury the announcement of Ron Borges’ “retirement,” we’re expecting the story to get a fair share of attention on Monday at WEEI 850 AM, 890 AM ESPN Boston and throughout the blogosphere (especially if someone like Dan Kennedy were to comment on the significance of the botched Borges bye-bye.)

[Scroll down on Shots for a re-cap on recent Borges developments - most of whichhave been publicly ignored by the Globe.]

And while we had initial comments on the Borges/Globe fallout Friday night, we also think it’s worth trying to translate the cryptic “Globe Staff” reporty that dropped at the very end of the work week in a release slot the PR folks like to hope is a black hole. “There’s never been a good announcement that comes out after 5 p.m. on a Friday,” said one local, long-time PR man. “Never.”

WHAT THE GLOBE STORY SAID:

Ron Borges, an award-winning journalist. . .

WHAT IT REALLY MEANT:

Belichick’s thorn, a First Class Rabble Rouser. . .

WHAT THE GLOBE STORY SAID:

. . .with the Boston Globe for 24 years,

WHAT IT REALLY MEANT:

. . . and for this loyalty, we’ll announce the retirement after most every computer user in Boston has begun his weekend. . . .

WHAT THE GLOBE STORY SAID:

. . . is leaving the paper to pursue new projects in sports journalism, he announced today.

WHAT IT REALLY MEANT:

. . . Oscar De La Hoya can pay better than Daddy Globe - and no silly ethics to interfere.

WHAT THE GLOBE STORY SAID:

”I’ve enjoyed using the forum the Globe has provided me over two decades. . .” [Borges said.]

WHAT IT REALLY MEANT:

“I can’t believe I kept my gig this long!. . .” [Borges said.]

WHAT THE GLOBE STORY SAID:

“. . . but I am excited to step back from the demands of daily sportswriting to try my hand at longer-range projects and other forums,” said Borges. . .

WHAT IT REALLY MEANT:

“. . . Do you think it’s easy to constantly come up with ways to be contrarian and attention-getting? I’m very tired of that grind.”

WHAT THE GLOBE STORY SAID:

. . . who is writing a book about the NFL and will continue his work as a radio and television commentator.

WHAT IT REALLY MEANT:

. . . Anyone know of a good fact checker for Ron’s book? Oh, and Mike Felger - Borges has extra time for you now.

WHAT THE GLOBE STORY SAID:

. . . Said Globe sports editor Joe Sullivan. . .

WHAT IT REALLY MEANT:

. . . Globe overall editor Martin Baron is no longer commenting on the toy department’s cut-and-paster afte rhis initial declaration of plagiarism. It’s Sully’s sinking ship now. . .

WHAT THE GLOBE STORY SAID:

”Ron has made a major contribution to the sports pages of the Globe. . . ” [Sullivan said.]

WHAT IT REALLY MEANT:

“Most recently, Ron has contributed to the increasing lack of trust our readers have for a select number of our writers. . .” [Sullivan said.]

WHAT THE GLOBE STORY SAID:

[said Sullivan] “. . . His independent voice will be missed.”
Borges covered the NFL and boxing most recently for the Globe

WHAT IT REALLY MEANT:

“. . . Even if it was a voice that sounded a lot like Mike Sando’s.”
Borges really did have some great sources - especially, it turns out, in boxing - that were of benefit to the Globe. But not big enough benefit to keep him on staff in his current Bully Borges mode.

*******

• Borges is scheduled for a Wednesday night appearance on CN8’s 7 p.m. “Out of Bounds.” It’s not known when or if he will be on 890 ESPN Boston.

• We still have emails out to Martin Baron, Ron Borges and union Prez, Dan Totten. Should any of them choose to respond, we’ll be sure to have their comments during the day on Monday.

• The always venomous and irresistible ww.sportsjournalists.com churns out some good banter on the Borges debacle.

My two favorites are from “miamiherladchick” and “blondeomber” respectively:

“. . .Here is what I found disappointing: The Boston Globe story should at least have noted that he had recently been suspended. Especially since the plagiarism followed high-profile cases at the Globe in the past (Barnicle, Smith, etc.). . . ”

And. . .

“This is total speculation, but my gut tells me an internal investigation turned up more incidents. If Borges was in such denial that he appealed the Globe’s ruling of plagiarism in this one case, then I have to think he’s done it before simply because he so ardently tried to justify the one time he got caught.”

• NESN’s Sunday night attempt at competing with the long-established “Sports Final” (CBS4) and “Sports Xtra” (NBC7) launched on Sunday night with the Kathryn Tappen-led “Lights Out.”

While showing a great deal of potential to go against the market’s other Sunday night offerings (including NECN’s “Sports Latenight”), the debut of the smartly placed 11:25 p.m. NESN show had a major snafu to contend with upon birth.

An intro piece on interleague play (including a text message poll) was run twice (with a sudden commerical break) during Tappen’s intro to her pre-taped chat with NESN fave, Steve Buckley. Shots is seeking clarification on what the error was from NESN spokesman, Gary Roy. We will update when Roy gets back to us.

TechDiffs aside, the show should be able to draw heavily on its Globe and Sox connections moving forward and Tappen is beginning to emerge as another of NESN’s talented female anchors. The decision to go with a female host against the region’s glut of male hosts is a wise one and there are elements that also could have sponsorhip appeal.

. . . “L.O.” is another of the Joel Feld experiments in virtual studio creation and, like with the NESN Bruins Show, “The Buzz,” the background during Tappen’s stand-ups proves to be more distracting than engaging. We fear it will be this technology that is holding up the roll out of the “Globe 10.0″ show with Bob Ryan and would like to strongly encourage the NESN folks to K.I.S.S. Keep it simple, Sirs.

NESN’s lone Herald contributor, Buckley was in studio, as were the Globe’s Mike Reiss (on the Pats) and Nick Cafardo (on basbeall). Cafardo, oddly (and for a different look, we assume) did his interview with KTap via split screen, while both Buckley and Reiss were on the desk to Tappen’s left.

Alex Cora also did a clunky promo from the Sox clubhouse for “L.O.” Cora happens to be a much better baseball player than pitchman. Which we’re fine with.

And the week’s Top 10 included Jerry Remy’s air guitar riff (minus his tumble) at a misplaced No. 10. With the fall included, “Remy Rocks” is No. 1 of almost ANY week.

See for yourself in this two minute piece of pure pleasure posted by WSM1970:



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

You can listen to Scott every Saturday morning from 9 to 11 a.m. as he co-hosts the Boston Sports Review Show on ESPN Radio 890 AM with Mike Salk.