LIVE Patriots Daily: Boston Sports Mailbag w/ Claudia Bellofatto

  • 2 months ago
Taylor Kyles and Mike Kadlick from CLNS Media team up with DraftKings and NBC Sports Boston's Claudia Bellofatto to answer questions about Boston's sports teams from Taylor and Mike's mailbag!

************************************************
Patriots Content Brought to you by....
Prize Picks - PrizePicks.com/CLNS
Download the app today and use code CLNS for a first deposit match up to $100!
Gametime - https://gametime.co
Take the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Terms apply.

Merch Store - https://shop.clnsmedia.com

Social Media!!!!
Patriots Twitter- https://twitter.com/patriotsclns
Patriots Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/patriotsclns/
Facebook- https://facebook.com/clnsmedia
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/clnsmedia/about/
Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@clnsmedia
*********************************************************
Transcript
00:00What's going on everyone. Taylor
00:20Kyle's Mike Catholic here for
00:21CLNS media coming at you with
00:22another episode of Pat's daily
00:24brought to you by our good
00:25friends at price picks and game
00:27time. Today we've got a special
00:28guest. I am so excited. She is
00:30one of the most knowledgeable
00:31people I know when it comes to
00:33not just Boston sports, but
00:34sports all over this fine
00:36country. We have with us today,
00:38Claudia Belafonte of Draft
00:40King and NBC Sports Boston.
00:42Claudia, welcome to the show.
00:44How the heck are you? I would
00:46have to say out of everything
00:47I've done since graduating,
00:49being on your show, Taylor is
00:51the highlight. So thank you,
00:53Mr. Next Gen Stats, Mr. NBC
00:57Sports Boston, please. Very
00:59happy to be here with you guys.
01:01Excited for the show. Dude, my
01:03AC is not cool enough. You're
01:04going to make me sweat. I'm a
01:05freak out, but I appreciate
01:06that. You know, it's always
01:08great when we get a chance to
01:09chat. So we have a mailbag for
01:11you guys. Obviously you got
01:12some really great questions,
01:13but we're going to start with a
01:14couple. One, a question I have
01:16and then also some breaking
01:17news that we kind of got to
01:18talk about. First off, I'm
01:20stealing this question from NBC
01:22Sports Boston because I thought
01:23it was one that actually I feel
01:24like there's a ton of different
01:25answers you can give. All of
01:27them have very good
01:28justification. So, Claudia,
01:29we're starting with you. When
01:31it comes to this year in Boston
01:32sports, a lot has happened.
01:34What, in your opinion, is the
01:36top storyline? Whether it's
01:37Celtics winning the
01:38championship, Bill Belichick,
01:40you know, no longer be with the
01:41Patriots, new era coming in
01:42Foxborough. What do you think
01:44is the lead story? I feel like
01:46it's so lame if I don't say the
01:48Celtics winning it all. But I
01:51think the biggest for me as a
01:53Patriots fan growing up in the
01:55Brady-Belichick era, that news
01:58to me and really the aftermath
02:00of Belichick still not getting
02:01a head coaching job. I
02:02understand the age is a major
02:04factor and it's sort of just a
02:06new age in general with head
02:07coaches and younger head
02:08coaches. But that whole
02:10storyline of him leaving them
02:12doing this massive overturn,
02:14actually doing what they said
02:15they would when it came to the
02:16draft, all of that has been like
02:19a whiplash for me. And just now
02:21to see Bill Belichick like on
02:22TMZ instead of them talking
02:24about him on NFL Network. It's
02:25very weird. So I would say
02:27that's probably the biggest
02:28storyline for me. Yeah. And how
02:30do you actually feel about the
02:32beginning of this new era?
02:33Obviously, it's a lot to take
02:34in. I know we've had time to
02:36mull it over a little bit
02:37since things are slow, but
02:37still a whole lot of changes
02:39going on. Do you think it's
02:40been a net positive, net
02:41negative where you at? I think
02:44it will be a net positive,
02:46especially too. And you have
02:48these younger coaches who, you
02:49know, I'm not in the locker
02:50room. I don't know from some
02:52players that I've spoken with.
02:53It seems like sometimes it's
02:55easier to get on the same page
02:56with a coach, especially if
02:57they're sort of newer to the
02:58league. You know, that goes for
03:00the rookie players as well. But
03:01even some of the veteran guys,
03:03I feel like maybe when you
03:05don't have a Bill Belichick,
03:06who is so steadfast in his
03:08ways, knows exactly what he
03:10wants to do and he's not going
03:11to change it because he's been
03:12doing it for so such a long
03:14time. For me as an outsider
03:16and just watching the game and
03:18knowing what I know with some
03:19players, it feels like it's
03:20probably a good thing.
03:22Football's a lot different than
03:23it was when Belichick first got
03:25into the league. So I am
03:27excited, you know, not just for
03:28the Patriots. I think Mayo is
03:29going to be great in his role,
03:31but just sort of all across the
03:32league when they did that
03:34coach's picture at the
03:36meetings. I was like, holy,
03:38everyone's very young. This
03:40feels so weird, but it's good.
03:42Yeah, it's exciting.
03:43Yeah. When you're Bill
03:44Belichick, there's not a whole
03:45lot you got to explain. Like
03:46it's no, I'm going to let my
03:47rings do the talking and you're
03:48going to listen pretty much.
03:49But I mean, we haven't been in
03:50the locker room yet, but I know
03:52from my perspective, it
03:53definitely does seem like the
03:54people inside the building and
03:56the players, you know, there's a
03:57little bit of a relief because
03:58obviously Bill Belichick
04:00leaving is not going to be easy,
04:01but there is a new culture. And
04:02like you mentioned, it's one
04:03that's kind of more suited to
04:05this younger generation of
04:06player and how things are
04:06moving. Now, Mike one, what do
04:09you think personally about how
04:10the culture is kind of changing
04:11based on what we do know with
04:13that? Again, haven't been in the
04:14locker room yet. And what is
04:15your number one Boston sports
04:17story of 2024? God, I always
04:20forget what you all right.
04:23Well, I have to start off by
04:24saying that my wife, I might be
04:25super shaky right now. So you
04:26might have to kick me off the
04:28show. But if I'm rolling and
04:33we're still good. Um, I think
04:34that the, the top Boston sports
04:37story, uh, is the cop out answer
04:40that Claudia talked about. It
04:40has to be the Celtics, right? I
04:42mean, even though we're so used
04:44to, um, I guess we're so used to
04:47parades and championships here.
04:49It's like, oh, maybe that's
04:50really not the biggest story,
04:51which is crazy that we even have
04:52to say that, but it's the Boston
04:54Celtics. I mean, Jason Tatum is
04:55the best, you know, a top top
04:57five player in the NBA right now.
04:58He's out at, you know, with team
04:59us say him and drew holiday,
05:01like the Celtics are at the
05:03center of the NBA, not just
05:04the center of Boston sports. So
05:06I think that has to be number
05:07one. Now you can also look at,
05:09and this might sound crazy to
05:11people, but the Boston Red Sox
05:13just beat the New York Yankees
05:14on Sunday night baseball. And
05:16they are now like four or five,
05:17six games over 500 and could
05:19actually start to make a run
05:20here, uh, for the post season.
05:22So look, that's not necessarily
05:25the biggest story, but I think
05:26that I could turn into it if
05:27they actually turn things around
05:28here. So there's a lot going on.
05:30The Patriots are obviously at
05:32the bottom of the totem pole
05:33right now, now at number four.
05:35So they have a lot of work to
05:36do. Um, so let's bring that back
05:38to the head coaching thing and
05:39the change of, uh, the change of
05:41culture. It's really hard to
05:44kind of judge what's happened so
05:46far because it is so early. You
05:48haven't, you know, seen what
05:49the, um, I guess what the
05:51return on the investment is
05:52going to be with Gerard Mayo and
05:53Drake may and things like that.
05:54So, so far so good. People seem
05:57happy with Gerard Mayo and what
05:58he's done, you know, to sort of
06:00shift the culture a little bit,
06:01but at the end of the day, a
06:03good and fun and, you know,
06:05less, um, I guess less stressful
06:08culture means nothing if you
06:09don't put wins on the board. So
06:11we're going to have to wait and
06:12see what happens. Um, but you
06:13know, all is well and good so
06:14far. And I think ultimately, uh,
06:16ultimately it's going to be good
06:17in the long run, but you can't
06:18really tell right now.
06:20Claudia, I'm curious on your
06:21take about the Red Sox making a
06:22push. Everyone knows I live in
06:23my little Patriots bubble, but
06:25it's also something that's been
06:26kind of hard to ignore. So what
06:27do you think?
06:28I'm so glad Mike, that you
06:29mentioned that because the Sox
06:32heading into this season, the
06:33odds reflected it. Um, everybody
06:36said the same exact thing.
06:37Nobody thought there was any
06:39type of high ceiling for them,
06:41especially in the AL East. And
06:42now they're keeping themselves
06:43within five games of the Yankees.
06:45Um, you know, Orioles are going
06:47to be tough. I've, I've been
06:48very high in this Orioles squad.
06:49I was last year. Of course, they
06:51had a better year than anybody
06:52thought. Um, they've started to
06:54carry that into this season, but
06:56the Red Sox don't quite have the
06:58firepower that the Orioles did.
07:00Um, they dealt with a ton of
07:01injuries and everybody said
07:04every single month, well, just
07:06wait, they're going to cool off.
07:07There's no way they, the bats
07:09can stay this hot. There's no
07:10way the rotation can hold
07:12together with all these
07:12injuries. Well, guess what?
07:14They can actually, because
07:16they've been top 10, top five,
07:18not just standard, but advanced
07:19stats, everybody's stepping up.
07:21They're young guys. Everybody's
07:23fitting into the roles really
07:24well. So as a baseball fan, not
07:28knowing that the Red Sox would
07:29have any sort of chance to get a
07:31wild card spot. If there's one
07:32in each division, there's
07:33definitely a chance for them,
07:35but they have to be buyers. Um,
07:38and so that's the big
07:39conversation with them. Were
07:41they going to be buyers or
07:42sellers? They need an arm. Their
07:44rotation and their bullpen is
07:45really one of the best. We are
07:46talking top 10. The issue is
07:49that they are one injury away
07:50in that rotation, which we have
07:52seen. We saw it last year as
07:53well from just going completely
07:55flat. The bats can only keep
07:57you going for so long. So, and
07:58I don't want to take out of the
08:00mail back already because I know
08:01we have a question here. I don't
08:02want to mess up the structure of
08:04this, but I totally agree with
08:06you. The Red Sox have been so
08:08much more impressive than I
08:09thought they would. And the
08:10biggest part of that was it's
08:12been sustainable, which I don't
08:13think a lot of people thought it
08:14would. So now it's all on
08:16Breslow and, and, you know,
08:17management to actually make the
08:19moves they said they would. And
08:21Hey, maybe you didn't think this
08:22was going to be a year, but if
08:23you're close enough to it, then
08:25you better start buying. You
08:28know what the Red Sox train is
08:29already going. So I'm making an
08:30executive decision. We're
08:31dipping into the mailbag a
08:32little bit early because this
08:33is just absolutely perfect from
08:35Pat Lane. Another one of our
08:37colleagues at CNS media. We're
08:39all hoping the Sox make a move
08:40at the deadline, but what move
08:42do you want to see them make
08:43party? We'll start with you. I
08:45want Jack Flaherty, man. I know
08:47he had a rough past few years,
08:48but this year, baseball,
08:50Savant, this is very geeky
08:51baseball stuff. But even if you
08:53don't know baseball very well,
08:55the way that they pan out their
08:56advanced stats, right? For
08:58pitchers specifically, the red
09:00is good, right? The blue is
09:02really bad. The most important
09:03stats, expected ERA, K rate,
09:06whiff rate, chase rate, all of
09:08those things. K rate,
09:09especially expected ERA top 10%,
09:12top 5% of all pitchers. So if
09:14you're just looking at his ERA
09:16320, that's good, but he's a
09:18sub 290 expected ERA. That is
09:21the top 5%, top 10%, top 10% of
09:24all major league pitchers right
09:25now. That is great. So I
09:27understand if you look at his
09:28past few years, okay, maybe the
09:30floor is pretty low, but the
09:31ceiling is higher than ever
09:33elite control with him. So if
09:34you bring him in coming off of
09:36aisle this week, so a little
09:37bit of a back issue, but if
09:38he's healthy, you can stick him
09:40in that rotation, fortify the
09:41bullpen a little bit. I think
09:43that would be huge for the Red
09:44Sox. So that's one name I'd
09:45love to see them go get.
09:47Does that qualify as a money
09:48ball move? Because it sounds
09:49like a money ball move.
09:51I'm such a stat freak, but like
09:54he is helping his team. Like he
09:56has a reason they would win
09:57games. So sure. Money ball,
09:59whatever you want to call it, I
10:00think it would be a good move.
10:02All right, Mikey, what about
10:03you? Who do you want to see the
10:04Red Sox get?
10:05This one is going to probably
10:07excite some Red Sox fans and I
10:09don't actually see it being all
10:10that realistic, but go get
10:12Nathan Evaldi back. The Rangers
10:14won the World Series last year.
10:15They're five games under 500
10:17right now. They might sell a
10:18little bit here and there, you
10:20know, if they don't see
10:21themselves making a push. And
10:23the Red Sox really just need one
10:25more arm in that rotation.
10:26Claudia, you mentioned the
10:26bullpen's fine. The bats look
10:28okay. I mean, they could use
10:30one, but even talking about
10:32people in the field, like
10:33Rafi Devers made that nasty,
10:35you know, one-handed play at
10:36third base. Like he's probably
10:37been their worst infielder and
10:38he's been fine this year. So
10:40go get a starter, go get
10:41Evaldi. He shoves in the
10:43postseason. We saw it, you
10:44know, four or five years ago.
10:46Go do it again. Go get him.
10:48Hope he stays healthy. And
10:50yeah, I would love to see them
10:51bring Evaldi back into the
10:52rotation.
10:53We saw it last year with him.
10:55Like that's the best in the
10:55world to leave the Red Sox and
10:57then go, oh my God. It was
10:59depressing as a Red Sox fan,
11:00but I'm totally with you. I was
11:02going to say me if you didn't.
11:03I want him back.
11:05Yeah, me too.
11:05Everyone, surround yourselves
11:07with people smarter than you.
11:08I'm learning a hell of a lot
11:09right now. This is a lot of fun.
11:11I'm going to put a pause in the
11:12fun really quick because we do
11:14have to thank our sponsors. So
11:15quick word for our friends over
11:17at Price Picks. Be right back.
11:19You can win up to 100 times your
11:20money on Price Picks with as
11:22little as four correct picks.
11:24You can turn $10 into $1,000.
11:26With the NBA finals over, the
11:28hoops action doesn't stop on
11:29Price Picks. Women's basketball
11:31is just heating up with stars
11:33like Kaitlin Clark and Angel
11:34Reese looking to make names for
11:35themselves alongside greats like
11:37Breonna Stewart and Asia Wilson.
11:39You can earn up to 100 times
11:40your cash watching them ball
11:42out. Price Picks is available
11:44in more than 30 states across
11:45the country, including
11:46California, Texas and Georgia.
11:48I made my first $10 deposit and
11:50received an instant $10 bonus.
11:52If you have the skills, you can
11:54play for a shot at turning your
11:55$10 into $1,000.
11:57I've got Kaitlin Clark for more
11:58than three and a half three
12:00points made and Breonna Stewart
12:01for more than 23 points.
12:03For baseball, I've got Kyle
12:05Schwarber for more than nine
12:06hitter fantasy score and Bryce
12:08Miller for more than four
12:09pitcher strikeouts.
12:10Download the app today and use
12:11the code CLNS for a first
12:13deposit match up to $100.
12:15That's code CLNS for a first
12:17deposit match up to $100.
12:20Price Picks. Pick more, pick
12:21less. It's that easy.
12:28All right, so I mentioned some
12:29breaking news and this is
12:30something that we actually got
12:32from our colleague Henry
12:33McKenna at Fox Sports.
12:35Matthew Judon has asked for a
12:37new contract and the Patriots
12:38have made an offer according to
12:39a source close to the situation,
12:41but they are not currently close
12:42to agreeing to a new deal,
12:44reminding us he's on the final
12:45year of his contract and is set
12:47to make just $6.5 million in
12:492024.
12:50So just a recap of the situation
12:52for anyone who isn't super
12:53plugged in.
12:54Last season, the Patriots
12:55actually did give Judon a one
12:56year extension because he was in
12:58a similar situation.
12:59They wanted to make their
13:00veteran happy, but obviously
13:02tears his biceps, misses the
13:04entire season.
13:05Judon still gives you a ton of
13:07value and considering it was an
13:08upper body injury for a pass
13:09rusher, you're thinking it might
13:10not affect him quite as much as
13:12if it were a lower body injury.
13:13But at the same time, he's still
13:15not happy with his current
13:16contract situation.
13:17And instead of sitting out like
13:18he did last season during some
13:20of the spring and summer
13:21practices, he's holding in.
13:22So he's still participating.
13:24He's full participant drills,
13:26unlike Devon Godshaw, but still
13:28again, like Godshaw, not really
13:30happy with where he's at right
13:31now. So, Claudio, I'll start
13:33with you.
13:33What do you think about this
13:34whole situation?
13:35Nice that Judon's actually
13:36participating and doing his
13:37thing. He said he didn't like
13:38what he did last year, but still
13:40this is a guy who's a vocal
13:41leader on the defense, a
13:42playmaker, just something you
13:43can't really quantify, but also
13:45someone who's 32 again, still
13:47coming off a season-ending
13:48injury. What do you think they
13:50should do? Do you think they
13:51should try to move on from him?
13:53Do they try to satisfy him,
13:54keep him around long term?
13:55How do you see this playing out?
13:56Yeah, I mean, you mentioned the
13:57two things, the age and the
13:58injury, the two AI words that
14:01you don't really want to hear.
14:02It's tough for the Patriots
14:03team, though, that again,
14:04doesn't have high expectations
14:06heading into the season,
14:07specifically around the
14:08offense. So if you can keep any
14:10sort of defensive players,
14:12especially probably one of your
14:13best, you know, his best two
14:14years were the last two outside
14:16of, I guess, the prior two
14:18before he got hurt last season.
14:20I understand that he's older.
14:21I understand that he's hurt.
14:23But if the Patriots do want to
14:25have some sort of contention,
14:26yeah, you try to hold on to him.
14:28It's interesting how much
14:30insight we get now with social
14:32media. And, you know, I was
14:33looking at some of his replies
14:34to people tweeting, say, you
14:36got to pay this man.
14:37He says, I don't think that's
14:38going to happen.
14:39So clearly he doesn't feel very
14:41satisfied, which is a little
14:43worrying. And again, going back
14:45to social media, you see players
14:46outside of the NFL like
14:48Donovan Mitchell, which, of
14:49course, people don't know
14:51defensive players specifically
14:52in the NFL, as well as they know
14:54the quarterbacks, the Christian
14:55McCaffrey's of the world.
14:56Donovan Mitchell tweeted out.
14:57I don't know if you guys saw it.
14:58He was like, whoever that dude
14:59is with the red sleeves, you
15:01know, he came to play today.
15:02So it's like he was that impact
15:06player for the Patriots when he
15:07was healthy. So, you know,
15:09selfishly, I think it would be
15:11great for them as a Patriots fan
15:12to keep him because he was a
15:13huge piece for them.
15:14But I also do understand why
15:16maybe they don't want to go too
15:17crazy when they are sort of in a
15:19rebuild and spending too much
15:20cash on him if agent injury is a
15:22concern.
15:23Mike, what do you think?
15:24Yeah, Taylor, we were going to
15:27dive into this more on tomorrow
15:29show in our in our Patriots
15:30depth projection series with the
15:32linebackers.
15:32But yeah, well, a little a
15:34little tidbit because now we get
15:35the report from Henry that they
15:37have actually extended an offer
15:39and he's looking for one, but
15:40they're not that close.
15:41So we can hit on that a little
15:42bit more.
15:42But ultimately, I his I don't
15:46his trade value isn't actually
15:48going up.
15:48The idea of him being traded is
15:50going up, I think, throughout
15:52this entire saga.
15:52I think, you know, you see the
15:54tweets and the take after me
15:56with the SpongeBob meme saying,
15:57all right, I'm going to head out
15:58and stuff like I just look, I'm
16:02looking at the stats right now
16:03because I was just writing about
16:03it for the website and twelve
16:05and a half sacks and twenty one
16:07fifteen and a half sacks and
16:08twenty two and then he gets
16:09hurt.
16:09And now he's, you know, past the
16:11age of 30.
16:12It's like, OK, is he really a
16:13part of your rebuild from twenty
16:16twenty five and beyond?
16:17Because that's the key year and
16:18the number that I keep looking
16:19at with this team, because
16:22they're not going to take this
16:23season, but twenty twenty four
16:24doesn't necessarily matter.
16:25This is the ground floor of this
16:27new regime, new era, new
16:28rebuild, rookie coach, rookie
16:30quarterback, et cetera.
16:31If you see Judon as Elliott Wolf
16:34and company in the in the
16:35personnel department, if you see
16:37Judon as a part of the rebuild
16:38in twenty five and beyond, then
16:40extend them.
16:40If you don't, you might as well
16:42get something for him on the
16:43trade market.
16:43That's kind of my ultimate look
16:45at this whole situation.
16:46Yeah, I do think keeping Judon
16:48is still important.
16:49And again, because the
16:50leadership he brings, the
16:51playmaking, like those are just
16:52things that you're not just
16:53going to get from anybody.
16:54But at the same time, if you
16:55look at it from a business
16:56perspective, Patriots have been
16:57extending a lot of players,
16:59throwing a lot of money around
17:00for guys in their building,
17:01trying to set that foundation.
17:03But when you look at Judon and
17:04gotcha, two older guys, like the
17:06only people that are going to be
17:07in their 30s this season,
17:08Patriots extended or David
17:10Andrews and Hunter Henry, two
17:11guys who have been captains and
17:13are probably going to play
17:14almost every snap for you.
17:15You can't really say the same
17:16about Judon because Anthony
17:18Jennings just signed a
17:19long-term deal.
17:19He was one of the best
17:20run-stopping edge defenders in
17:21the entire NFL.
17:23And he's someone who you think
17:24on first, second down or
17:26short-yarded situations.
17:27It's going to be him on one
17:28side of the line and then
17:29Jelani to buy another guy who
17:31just got an extension on the
17:32other side.
17:33So you're looking at Judon as a
17:34rotational guy on early downs
17:36and in passer situations.
17:37That's where he really shines.
17:38You put him in Uche, you know,
17:40Keon White, a guy who really was
17:41more of a defensive end last
17:43season, but also played outside
17:44linebacker.
17:44So you're still not sure what
17:46you're going to get out of him
17:46necessarily.
17:48As much as I like Judon being
17:50the guy where it's like we know
17:51exactly what we're going to get
17:52and he gives you even more depth
17:53of the position where you need
17:55to have depth.
17:55It's great to have waves of
17:56defenders.
17:57If I'm the Patriots, I'm saying
17:59the buck has to stop somewhere.
18:00And clearly they offer the
18:01contract.
18:01We have no idea what that looks
18:02like, but I'm probably leaning
18:04more on the side of guaranteed
18:06money more so than all right,
18:07let's keep him around for two
18:08more years.
18:09And I'm guessing that maybe the
18:10Patriots did maybe think about a
18:12long term offer, but the money
18:13just wasn't right.
18:14We have no idea.
18:15This is pure speculation.
18:16But as much as I'd like to keep
18:17you on around, I think business
18:19wise, it would also make sense
18:20if this is the season where you
18:22move them.
18:22I don't even know if you're
18:23going to get that much.
18:24That's the other thing I don't
18:24like about this, because I mean,
18:26given the situation, what do
18:27you think you're even going to
18:28get for him?
18:28I'm thinking like a fifth.
18:30You're really happy.
18:31Maybe you package him with
18:32another late round pick and get
18:33something a little higher in the
18:34mid rounds.
18:35You know, that's the best case
18:36scenario.
18:37But what do you guys think about
18:38possible returns?
18:39Because I just don't think it's
18:40going to be great.
18:42Yeah, it's probably not the best
18:43time to be on the trade market,
18:44kind of like Mike said, after a
18:46year of being hurt at the age.
18:48But then the question is, you
18:50know, are you going to next
18:52season?
18:52Like, is there really ever going
18:53to be a good time?
18:54Probably the best time would be
18:55now.
18:56What do you think?
18:56I guess as far as yeah, I mean,
18:59as far as a return, look, it may
19:01not be great, but anything is
19:04better than having him walk away
19:06and not get anything for him.
19:07Like he plays twenty twenty four.
19:10Call it if you don't if you
19:11don't extend them and you don't
19:13trade them any OK, he holds out
19:15and you do whatever.
19:16But nothing actually happens.
19:17He still has to play this
19:18season.
19:18Right.
19:19So he plays those.
19:21OK, you still win five games and
19:23then he leaves.
19:24I would rather he plays the
19:25I would rather a seventh round
19:27pick this next season.
19:29I'm sorry.
19:29I just would.
19:30I don't think and I'm not saying
19:31they should, you know, trade him
19:33for a seventh round pick.
19:34But I think at the at the end of
19:35the day, you take the return you
19:37can get because it's better than
19:39him just walking away for
19:40nothing.
19:40But realistically, I mean, would
19:42a team give up a fourth round
19:43pick for him?
19:44Probably.
19:45And I would probably do that.
19:47I think that's that's fine value
19:48with with where he is and where
19:50he's at in his career right now.
19:51What pains me is that you said
19:53you get five wins.
19:54The fact that that is what's so
19:56likely going to happen for the
19:57future just makes me so
19:59depressed and you lose him
20:00probably maybe four, maybe five.
20:03But so the thing with the the
20:05thing with the five wins and you
20:06know, the way I keep looking at
20:08the season, it's like if you have
20:10five wins, but there's actually
20:12like tangible things to kind of
20:13look at moving forward, call it
20:16Drake May and the receivers like
20:17that almost instead of one more
20:19win than last year, that feels
20:20like four or five more wins
20:21because last year was just the
20:23Belichick saga.
20:24And when's this going to you
20:25know, where's Mac Jones going to
20:26go like there's still things that
20:28you can build on.
20:28So even if they only have one
20:30more win in the in the win
20:31column, there's a lot more things
20:32to hang your hat on for the
20:33season.
20:34It was a chapter of a book that
20:36was left open a little bit too
20:37long.
20:38So I agree.
20:38Exactly.
20:39Feeling is higher in general,
20:41just day one with this new
20:42roster.
20:43And hey, you get a day three
20:45pick that could turn into Pop
20:46Douglas, that could turn into
20:47Jakeem Bell.
20:47So you never know.
20:48And if he hits the mark and
20:49signs, there's no guarantee you're
20:50going to get that story pick.
20:52So I really like that.
20:53All right.
20:53We're actually going to open up
20:54the mail bag on.
20:56But those are some pretty
20:57important topics we hit on.
20:58So quick word for our friends at
20:59Game Time.
21:00We'll be right back.
21:00Nothing says summer quite like a
21:02live baseball game.
21:03And whenever I want to check out
21:04a Red Sox game at Fenway, I'm
21:06using Game Time, the best place
21:08for last minute deals on
21:09tickets.
21:10Game Time is an authorized ticket
21:11marketplace for Major League
21:13Baseball, which makes getting
21:14tickets faster and easier.
21:16Prices on the Game Time app
21:17actually go down the closer it
21:19gets to the first pitch.
21:20With killer last minute deals,
21:22all in prices, views from your
21:23seat and their lowest price
21:25guarantee, Game Time takes the
21:26guesswork out of buying MLB
21:28tickets.
21:29With Game Time, it's as easy as
21:30finding the game you want to
21:31attend, getting a view of the
21:33entire stadium to see what
21:34prices look like in different
21:36areas.
21:36And they actually do you a
21:38favor and show you both the
21:39cheapest tickets available and
21:41the best deals.
21:43You can also get the view from
21:44the seat that you pick.
21:45And between their lowest price
21:46guarantee, event cancellation
21:48protection and job loss
21:50protection, there's really no
21:51better option than Game Time.
21:53And with Game Time's lowest
21:54price guarantee, the app will
21:56actually credit you 110% of the
21:58difference if you find a cheaper
22:00ticket elsewhere.
22:01Take the guesswork out of buying
22:02MLB tickets with Game Time.
22:04Download the Game Time app,
22:06create an account and use the
22:07code CLNS for $20 off your first
22:09purchase.
22:10Terms apply.
22:11Again, create an account and
22:13redeem code CLNS for $20 off.
22:17Download Game Time today.
22:18Last minute tickets, lowest
22:20price guaranteed.
22:23All right, sticking with the
22:24Patriots, which player on their
22:26roster do you think will take
22:27the biggest leap from last
22:28season or potential dark horse
22:30breakout player?
22:31Mike, we'll start with you
22:32because we've actually been able
22:33to be at the practice.
22:34It's a little bit easier.
22:42Oh, you didn't hear me?
22:43I can't hear you, buddy.
22:46I think you muted yourself.
22:49All right, Claudia, we'll start
22:49with you.
22:51Yeah, you mentioned the name,
22:53Pop Douglas.
22:54That was a name, I think, that
22:56got people a little bit excited
22:58towards the end of the season
22:59when we didn't have a ton to be
23:00excited about.
23:02And what he was able to do as a
23:04six-round pick in his first
23:05year, the second half of that
23:07season, you could see him get a
23:08little bit more comfortable, you
23:10know, when he had to step up,
23:11when Borden was out with the ACL,
23:13when the volume increased, the
23:16production increased, too.
23:17He was consistent.
23:18I saw some stat, like, with the
23:20YAC, yards after catch, seven,
23:22which was top ten of all
23:25eligible receivers towards those
23:26last few weeks.
23:27So, that's a small sample size.
23:29I don't think you want to
23:29overreact, but if that's the
23:30question, like, who has the
23:32biggest leap, who can sort of
23:33have maybe a breakout second
23:35year, I would say Pop Douglas,
23:37for sure.
23:38You get to be at the practice
23:39and know that because he actually
23:40has been killing it.
23:41Like, all the hype that we were
23:42hoping was going to continue
23:43from the end of that season,
23:44we've been seeing it because
23:45he's catching touchdowns, he's
23:47reliable, no drops or anything.
23:49He's been really consistent and
23:50looks like he's ready to become
23:51more of that focal point for the
23:52offense.
23:53So, excellent pick.
23:54I'm going to have to rethink my
23:55choice, but, Mike, where are you
23:57going?
23:57Can you hear me now?
23:59Yes, we can.
24:00All right.
24:00All right, sounds good.
24:01Sorry about that.
24:03So, I can't put my finger on
24:06anyone who's going to take
24:07necessarily a big leap from what
24:08we saw last year, but I think
24:09two breakout candidates, both on
24:12the defensive side, is one,
24:14Christian Gonzalez, obviously,
24:16and number two is another
24:17quarterback in Isaiah Bolden.
24:19Gonzalez, he broke out last year
24:22as a rookie, but I think when we
24:23see him, hopefully, fingers
24:25crossed, in a full 17-game
24:26season, he's truly going to
24:28cement himself as, like, one of
24:29the better cornerbacks in all of
24:30football.
24:31He showed that he can be that
24:32good in what we saw last year.
24:34So, I think he's going to break
24:35out and be an absolute stud.
24:36And then Isaiah Bolden, we
24:37talked about him yesterday,
24:38Taylor, on our show about the,
24:40you know, about the specialists.
24:42And, look, I don't know how much
24:45true cornerback he's going to
24:46play.
24:47He's going to be a rotational
24:48piece inside, outside.
24:49He can do it all.
24:50But on special teams, man, I
24:51think Isaiah Bolden's going to
24:52be a stud.
24:53He's long.
24:53He's fast.
24:55He was one of the best return
24:56men in all of college football a
24:57few seasons ago.
24:58So, I think if they can get him
24:59mixed in on that third phase of
25:01the game on special teams and
25:02then also, you know, mix in at
25:05some cornerback, I think he's
25:07going to be a really solid
25:07player that, you know, we
25:08talked about seventh-round
25:10picks.
25:11He was their seventh-round pick
25:11last year, and he could turn
25:12into potentially a stud for the
25:14Patriots.
25:15So, I'm going with the two
25:16corners and Gonzalez and Isaiah
25:18Bolden.
25:19Excellent picks so far.
25:21I am going to go with
25:22Ramondre Stevenson, another guy
25:24who just got extended by the
25:25Patriots because he's getting
25:26paid like a top eight, top ten
25:28running back.
25:29So, now, he's really got to
25:30prove that and stay on the
25:31field.
25:32And, personally, like, when you
25:33look at the numbers for his
25:34entire career, statistically,
25:35he's been that guy when it comes
25:36to yards after contact,
25:38missed tackles, really metrics
25:40where it shows how much a
25:41running back is doing on their
25:42own.
25:42He's been one of the top backs
25:44in the league since he entered.
25:45And then, last season, obviously,
25:46didn't start very well.
25:48But if you look at the split
25:49from week eight on when he
25:50played, which is when City
25:51Sorenson lined up, another guy
25:53who could potentially break out,
25:54he went back to playing like a
25:55top ten running back when you
25:57look at it statistically.
25:58And I think he started passing
25:59the eye test as well.
26:00And what I really think is, in
26:02terms of him being one of those
26:03top backs, it's not just the
26:04rushing.
26:05It's also the fact that he can
26:06be a reliable pass catcher.
26:07Most of that's going to be
26:08Antonio Gibson, of course.
26:09But he can still do what he's
26:11really good after the catch.
26:12And then, as a pass blocker,
26:13he's been one of the best at
26:13that since he walked in the
26:15league.
26:15That was one of the things
26:16reading his scouting reports
26:17coming in that he was really
26:18well known for.
26:19So, being a guy who you never
26:20really have to take on off the
26:22field, you'd like to to preserve
26:23him because you're paying him a
26:24hell of a lot of money.
26:25But at the same time, I feel
26:26like people don't really think
26:27of him as that kind of guy, even
26:29on the ESPN Plus rankings.
26:31I think he got like one vote
26:32from executives, but he wasn't
26:33even in the honorable mentions.
26:35I think he was a snub, and this
26:37is going to be his year to prove
26:38it, especially in this more
26:39maybe wide zone kind of scheme,
26:41because his entire career,
26:42I actually looked it up.
26:43Among the top 10 running backs
26:45in yards per carry since 2021,
26:47he's the only one who didn't
26:48have wide zone or outside zone
26:50as one of his top two concepts.
26:51And that's, I think, because
26:53when they have him running duo
26:54and inside zone, you're just
26:55kind of banging inside all the
26:56time.
26:57It's hard for you to make guys
26:58miss because you're running into
26:59the teeth of the defense.
27:00But now he's going to be able to
27:02displace guys vertically, take
27:03advantage of lanes, and it makes
27:05it harder to tackle big guys
27:06like that because people are
27:07going sideways.
27:07It's a lot of arm tackles.
27:09So, there's going to be a year
27:10where he really puts it together
27:11and shows everybody, I deserve
27:12this contract.
27:13I think this is going to be it.
27:16All right, let's wrap it up with
27:17one quick question.
27:18This is a fun one.
27:19Which stadium or arena has the
27:21best grub for its fans?
27:24Who wants to start?
27:25This is a wild card.
27:26In Boston?
27:27No, anywhere.
27:29It's definitely, see, that's
27:30where I was just going to say is
27:31it's not Boston.
27:33Like, anywhere else.
27:34They have rainbow egg rolls and
27:36like Wagyu nachos.
27:39And I don't know, maybe I'm not
27:40searching enough, but every time
27:43I've been to Fenway, I just have
27:45a Fenway Frank, which is
27:46delicious, but I think we're not
27:48really as innovative as anywhere
27:50else.
27:50They could go in a pod or
27:52something and say that Boston was
27:53one of the stadiums where it was
27:55just like, yeah, any time I go,
27:56it's just not as good as other
27:57places.
27:58Yeah, yeah, probably.
28:00Probably.
28:00I don't know if you guys know
28:01what the polls, but it's
28:02necessary.
28:02Mike, that's all you, buddy.
28:04No, there are so many, like you
28:07mentioned it, Claudia, you see
28:08all these social media accounts
28:09from all the stadiums.
28:10They have these extravagant,
28:12like, ice cream sundaes.
28:13And, you know, it's just insane
28:15the things they do.
28:16And we just, the thing we're
28:18known for is a boiled hot dog in
28:20a big, like, steel container
28:23that the guys in the yellow walk
28:24around with.
28:25And you're right, they're
28:25delicious.
28:26I love them.
28:27It's my favorite food at a game
28:29here.
28:30But is it really that great?
28:32I don't know.
28:33The other thing, though, I will
28:34say, the big bucket of chicken,
28:36my fiance's dad at the Celtics
28:38games loves it.
28:39It's, like, his favorite thing
28:40ever, the big chicken nugget or
28:42the chicken fingers container at
28:43the Garden.
28:44Don't sleep on those either.
28:45Those are actually pretty good.
28:47We are literally on the same
28:49page.
28:49I was just going to say don't
28:50sleep on the chicken fingers
28:51because your girl will put two
28:53buckets of those down in one
28:55game.
28:55So, the main takeaway here is
28:57the chicken rocks, the hot dogs
28:58are good, but overall, Boston,
29:00maybe step it up a little
29:01something fancy for the
29:02out-of-towners, really show off
29:03a little bit.
29:04All right, Claude, thank you so
29:05much for being with us.
29:06This was a blast.
29:07Won't be the last time.
29:08But before I let you go, please
29:09let the people know where they
29:10can find you if they want to get
29:12more of your outstanding work.
29:13Yeah, right now, Twitter,
29:15Seagull Photo TV, Instagram.
29:17I put some real stuff up for
29:19that.
29:20I'm working with Lacrosse, so
29:21you get weekly videos for them.
29:23I like to do some weekly betting
29:24content, and then once NFL
29:26starts, I will be with
29:27draftings and one other
29:29platform, which I can't announce
29:30yet, but it's going to be a fun
29:31one.
29:32Okay, well, sneak peek.
29:33Get excited for that, everybody.
29:35Once again, Claude, thank you so
29:36much for joining us.
29:37And thank you all, as always,
29:39for watching.
29:39Now, take care of yourselves.
29:41Take care of each other.
29:42We will see you next time.
29:43Peace, y'all.

Recommended