Dickerson, FSN are on the ball
Greg Dickerson is not afraid to admit he has a major basketball jones. Most specifically, he is a diehard Celtics fan and has been covering the team for Fox Sports New England the past four years.
``I'm kind of pathetic," he said, referring to the NBA draft June 28. ``I was looking forward to this and thinking about this two months ago. Other people were looking ahead at the Red Sox-Yankees series, and I'm talking about the NBA draft. I just love it, I'm excited."
ESPN will cover the draft in New York, and the local Boston stations will have representatives at the Celtics' gathering at HealthPoint in Waltham. But, undoubtedly, it will be a chance for FSN to shine.
``Obviously, ESPN will do an unbelievable job," he said. ``But they'll have much more of the national focus. There's not going to be any other place, locally or nationally, who's going to cover the Celtics like we will. And there's so much uncertainty as to what's going to happen that I think people will definitely turn to us."
He acknowledged that being the Celtics' flagship station means FSN should have unfettered access. But that doesn't mean Danny Ainge will be whispering secrets to the FSN staff.
``It's like NECN and WEEI with the Red Sox or WBZ with the Bruins," said Dickerson. ``They don't tell us things because we cover them. Like any reporter, you still have to work. They don't give us handouts, and I wouldn't expect them to."
FSN's ``Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight" show will be live (6:30-7:30 p.m.) from HealthPoint, then Dickerson and Gary Tanguay will host the late edition of the show from its Burlington studios at 10 p.m.
In addition to hosts Dickerson and Tanguay, the show will feature Celtics announcers Mike Gorman and Tommy Heinsohn, coach Doc Rivers, head of basketball operations Ainge, Providence College coach Tim Welsh, plus the show's regular ``Inside the Park" feature.
On the late show, Tanguay and Dickerson will interview the Celtics' pick, and get reaction from Ainge.
``It's one of our favorite nights of the year to cover, and we do a whole live show all around it," said FSN general manager Dave Woodman. ``The Celtics put on a great event for their fans, and we build our show so that our coverage is from the same room, so you have everyone there, you have the excitement of watching the picks as they take place, and, of course, anticipating the Celtics' pick.
``We're going to do a lot of coverage on the draft, but we won't forget that there's an important Red Sox game that night.
``We know our viewers are interested in both."
