THE LAST WORD:An extremely good story, but dig carefully, Dylan

OK, so getting on the “Today” show ? even post-Katie Couric ? is pretty cool.

But being buried alive to do it? That’s going a little far.

Happily, though, a nationwide television appearance was the end of the story for 13-year-old Dylan Scott of Riverside, who last week was buried in a deep hole he was digging in the sand on the Balboa Peninsula.

After minutes of frantic digging by his mother and others, Dylan was pulled from the sand unconscious. But ? miraculously? ? he was revived, taken to the hospital and released just hours later in fine shape.

On Thursday morning, Dylan, his mom and Newport Beach Lifeguard Mike Nichols (who was among those on the scene) were in New York for their television debut.

And they had quite a story to tell.