Christian Gonzalez deal still not done // Benefits of Gonzalez playing Week 1 // Patriots game plan analysis - 9/7 (Hour 1)

0:00I know that is. I don't hear what you think. It's I'll tell you some of the rugby right. Filter and that is 985 this one's up. Right now talks are nowhere and again, there will be a last second push and there always could be something that changes and we'll see how the two sides address it once the season is underway. But I think as of right now it's hard to imagine that the two sides would be able to make up the difference to get a deal done by opening night. What is the reason they're they're not even close. I I don't know specifically, but I've never got the sense that they've gotten close here all along. I mean, I guess usually when that's the case, it starts with money and I think Gonzales want to be at or above where the witherspoon was the patriots have never been there. I've not gotten close to there. So I guess if you can't agree on the money, the years become secondary because money usually is the sticking point on all these things and it certainly seems like for whatever reason.

1:10I guess the two sides have not gotten close and I remember when witherspoon was getting done, it was a Saturday morning on the phone with various people. At that time, Gonzales wasn't close. Nothing since then has changed that and as of yesterday when I had checked in on it, I was told it wasn't close. So again, could something happen by tomorrow night? Sure, they can have some conversation tomorrow. When's it a change of things? I didn't sound like that was going to be the case. J. Stew is here wiping down the microphone. This thing is filthy Barthie. Well, that's Matt McCarthy. No, there's some Zoolach in here. I'll blame McCarthy. Okay. McCarthy was negative enough today. We can we can be negative McCarthy on this show. Okay, hopefully he's in his car. But look at that thing. That's the. Yeah, there's a couple chunks in there. Any high bar. Can you swing this one? No, I'd rather not that one. We're not sure if it works. Well, we want to make sure. We want to make sure it works because I know you have some big takes. You got some stuff in Gonzales. Assultics take you'll give later. We got Jake Seymour as well behind the glass today. Jake, what's going on?

2:17There he is. Hey, use your words, Jake. There's there's some pleasantries. You heard it off the top Adam Shafter with the latest on Christian Gonzales. New report, same information. Is that fair to say? Absolutely. It's fair to say. It's the money Barthie. The money they're not close on the money on the money. And that's the problem with this is we have to figure out what the contract details are. We have to find out what the terms are. The years. I don't care about the years. It's about the guaranteed money. You should care about the years. And I'll tell you why. I mean, it comes back to the money. But if they're trying to backload it, putting more years on a backload it. Obviously, Gonzales is going to want to frontload it. I wonder if that's part of it too. The way the contract spaced out. Sure. But I'm just like signing bonus. Real. Yeah. Guaranteed money, not incentive based money, anything like that. So with their spoon got with their spoon got to to to to to to to to to to. He got a lot. He got a lot. He got a lot of line. He got multiple pages. So he got so much. He got 59 million guaranteed. And he got 101 in total guarantees after like he hits all these incentives and everything. So the number to be. It seems like Gonzales wants more than that.

3:3160 million. We'll just say 60 million. Yeah. And he's got to and the Patriots have to beat the 101 number. Right. They're not going to do that. And that's why they're not close. My guess. And it's a guess. Yeah. Maybe informed is that Gonzales wants 70 million. That's a significant jump. Right. That's a significant jump. Right. So that's what we're looking at is that number of guaranteed at signing. Being more than 60. And I think it's 70 million. That's what I think. And for content. So what's the biggest contract that the Patriots have ever given out with real money? It's the Milton Williams contract. It is. And what is that number? Do you know off top of your head? I actually don't. It's 63 million dollars guaranteed. Okay. At the time of signing. Patriots did it for millions. Why can't they do it for a player who is younger? And going to have more prime years in Christian Gonzales. And the answer might be that they don't believe in the player. But before you respond to that, Barthie, I did some other research. Do you remember the reported and this is birthraiser. I trust this implicitly. Okay.

4:37Do you remember the highest reported guaranteed money offer in Patriots history? There's a wide receiver. It was a Godwin. It was not Godwin. Right. I was printing. I you. Granted, I you. The number. They talked to a bullet on that one. 80 million in guaranteed money. So the Patriots can do it for a player that they like. And maybe that's the bigger point here. The Patriots ownership, they don't love the player that much to give. Christian Gonzales that type of money. And that's what it that's what it might be. That would worry me because I think he's a tremendously tremendously important buyer for the Patriots. And I think he is a player that. I think he's the best corner in football. I think it's close between him and Sir Tan. If somebody said it comes down to personal preference and what you value at the position. I wouldn't. Disagrid, like if somebody says Sir Tan and they have their reasons, it's just going to be like, okay, well, we have different priorities. But especially when their past rushes, what it is. I think it's. I think he's the best best player at the position in the league. And I just expand on it.

5:46As we get the reason we're opening with this reason, it's big is we're just over 48 hours away from the Patriots opener. And the question is, is there going to be a resolution? And look, we've found this before. That's the answer. No. But like these things can come together quickly. The most telling thing for me is not what you heard from Shaftar there. It's what Chris. And it's all set on Saturday or what he didn't say. Chris is all spoke for about seven minutes to reporters on Saturday. And he didn't say a lot. To a depressive, impressive degree. When I say he didn't say a lot. And I'll explain what I mean. Let's go through this. So first off, he was asked. The general question. How does he feel with everything going on? The contract looming the opener of that Jake. How are you feeling? But you team about. You get ready for the opener and you concerned at all about what's going on off the field. And as you get ready to open up the season. Yeah, I mean, like I've said over these past couple weeks, days since I've talked to you. I mean, I'm focused on one day out of it at a time. Kind of like every other week. That's kind of how this business goes is one day at a time.

6:51So focused on this practice today. Get out there and get some good work and watch the film and be ready for tomorrow. Hey, caught and be ready for tomorrow. Not tomorrow. So not not a lot there. One way or the other. One day at a time. Right. One day at a time. Just be ready for tomorrow. All right. But you know, the games approaching clearly. Is there at least momentum maybe towards a deal? There's no point. You know, do you like that? Is momentum pretty good on the phone? I guess so. So that's very clearly. Nothing. There's nothing there. All right. Well, why is it taking so long then? You know, the general consensus was this was going to get done before the start of the season. What's the holdup Christian? You're close to this. I wonder why this is taking so long to you to order papers. And then you have another. I mean, I mean, I'm focused on today. All right. That's we heard that. All right. That's fair. I focused on today. All right. So let's maybe there's another way to find this out.

7:55Or does he anticipate playing on Wednesday? Okay. So you're focused on today. But you're focused on today because you're getting ready for a game. And at this point, it was three days away. Is this what the today's folks is about? Are you playing on Wednesday? Do you anticipate playing? Like I answered his question earlier, I'm focused on today. Right now this practice. In what? Couple 30 minutes, 40 minutes worried on that right now. So we'll focus on that. All right. So we're just looking at today's practice. Well, you got to focus because you're facing JSN, one of the best receivers of the league, one of the guys who's gotten paid. Does he have any thoughts on potentially facing JSN assuming that he's going to play on Wednesday? I'm actually looking forward to having another match up with the judges. I can do it. Yeah. JSN is a great, great receiver. Respect him completely. I mean, he can do it all. I mean, everybody saw the year he had last year. I mean, just being from the same areas is real cool to watch each other come up and then be able to play on the biggest stage and then just support each other and see each other do what we do. So it's fun.

9:11So that really wasn't about facing JSN. He just kind of said JSN is a good player. He didn't, nothing about what, what Wednesday might be like. All right. So maybe this goes beyond week one. Would he be interested in negotiating deal after week one? It was reported he wouldn't be what are his thoughts on that. Would you continue to negotiate a deal after week one? Or is that not that bad? You know, I feel like I've put this out there. I don't want to get into that with the media. You know, keep everything internal. Okay, nothing really there. There's not going to talk about the media. Understand it. Well, if he's not going to play or he is a reason we don't know, but there's no progress towards deal. Maybe there is maybe there isn't. Well, then you have to start talking about a trade. Wood Gonzalez as many players in this situation do request a trade. I mean, I'm here right now. I'm here. Like I said, I'm worried about this practice focused on this practice. I'm always be with my feed are and do what I got to do.

10:19And that's where we'll leave it. He had a couple other answers that were unrelated. He was asked about his support system. He did get into that as family. And it was actually really great support. Thoughtful answer. I love coach. Right. He was asked about coach flight. Yeah, God said that's my guy. That is his guy. So not nothing in that answer. But those and so I apologize for making you listen to about three minutes of nothing. You might think I wasted your time. But here's my point. Did he rule anything out? No, did he commit to anything? Nope. This isn't guy that is leaving every option open, signing before the game, playing in the game without a contract negotiating after the game, not negotiating after the game requesting a trade. Now requesting a trade. He doesn't know what's going to happen. Anything you hear where it's close that now. Okay, that was Saturday today's Monday. Maybe they've done a lot in two days. That did not sound like a play. And by the way, I might sound like I'm ragging and Gonzalez. I think he handled that unbelievably. That was a bell check master class in a lot of words, not a lot of content.

11:20Which is what he needs to do right now. He doesn't want to give the Patriots any leverage. He doesn't want to create bad blood or more bad blood if there already is. He's just dodging a minefield when he's in that setting. And I thought he did it. So I don't mean this to knock him. I'm crediting him. He said nothing. That's a player is leaving every option open. Do you know why you leave every option open in this situation? Why? Because you have no idea how it's going to resolve. In generally, you don't feel that way if you're close to a resolution. I'm sorry, Barthie. I don't know the answer to this question. And you work for the Patriots organization. Does Christian Gonzalez need to talk? Like could he have politely declined because he's talked. This is what the third or fourth time he's talked to his locker. That was the he did. So that was the first time he talks since one of his media scrums. I don't know. I believe the answers. Yes. I don't know exactly the way he didn't need to talk on that day in that setting. Sure. But he needed to talk before the opener. Every player needs to be available short like not anybody on the active roster. If your hurt doesn't count anybody in the active roster needs to be made available once a week.

12:25That usually for 90% of the roster that's we go into the locker room for 45 minutes before or after practice. And guys are just at their locker walk around you go up to him. You say, hey, you have a minute to talk. And they mostly say yes. Some guys have certain things. Mac Holland's only talks on Wednesdays. And then he's just like, uh, Joanne Bentley used to be a not sure on Bentley. Sorry. Oh yeah. Joanne Bentley used to you only got one shot a week to talk to him. So if you went to him on Wednesday, asked him something. He didn't get or you went on Thursday. So and they only have to be available once a week. So that's fine. That's their progative. He did have to talk in some capacity. He did not have to go to the podium, but it's he just needed to be in the room for 45 minutes. Questions and Saturday, Sunday, Monday, whatever day it is before for what it's worth. I don't think the players. So the other option besides the podium, we call them scrums. You see it. I'm sure on the news or whatever where the players at their locker in the cameras all crowd around other reporters crowd around. I don't believe most players don't like doing that. Okay. I think if players have to talk if they know there's going to be a crowd, they'd rather just not talk. Well, so in part of this is why I ask is because he did the media scrum on Saturday. Yes. Saturday.

13:32He had previously done something small, what a day or two Friday. He talked to Karen Gregan one on one. He declined to do a scrum and then shadowed with Karen Gregan in Lauren Walls. Yes. Yeah. So it's a Boston 25. So that that doesn't that doesn't count because it's just what on ones. I believe no because he had said he wasn't going to do a scrum. You have to be available to everybody. You can't just be available to one short. So it was just it was just like a little like like why is he still talking. He's talked twice in a couple days. Like and I'm here for it. But if he's not if he's not going to give you anything more. Let's call up coach flight. We'll get it back on the phone and do some stuff. But it just it's it comes down to this bar. The is Shafter says they're not close. It's about the money. So what's the money gap? It just it always in my mind it goes to Florio thinks that there's a four or five year deal extension years wise. So now we got to figure out the money. And if it's more than with our spoon, how much more I think it's 10 million. I think he's looking for 70 million

14:34guaranteed. If it's less than that than the Patriots are giving them, then we've got a massive problem. And maybe there's a trade forthcoming. Maybe they have them play out the year. Maybe he plays cautiously. Maybe they're trying to use this as motivation. I don't under or maybe they just don't believe in the player. And if that's true, leak it to somebody. Hey, we really don't believe in this player. And maybe that's where Shafter said a couple weeks ago, like, Hey, Brabos big on defensive Lyman, thus the Milton Williams country. So but here here would be my thing too about this feature. It's ownership and who they believe in, right? And the money spent. And then we'll go to break because we're late. And I'm sorry I've already bought. You're good. So I you was offered 80, right? Yeah. So then the next contract. So Milton Williams is to Tom Brady had his money. This is all time. Garrison. This is the last hour or many years, according to Google. So if it's wrong, it's not my fault. Yeah. Number four. No wait, Milton Williams, Tom Brady, number three is Will Campbell. And you know why that's the most

15:35guaranteed money because they drafted them and the contract is pre structured exactly Christian Barmore's extension, his four year extension. That was 41.8 guaranteed. And number five, the quarterback Drake May. Why is that pre structured pre structured? So those are all trenches players. Basically, yep, in quarterbacks. So if Christian Gonzalez is one of those players, you know, drafted one, two or three in the draft, he's on that list. He's not so the patriots can have a round and find out. So I think Gonzalez may be as a chance to change the Patriots mind. Oh, and this gets into will he won't he play on Wednesday. I think the consensus thought is, well, you know, if he wants to protect himself, if he wants to do its best for me, won't play, doesn't want to risk getting hurt. All of that. Is there more upside to him playing? Oh, can he actually help himself more take care of himself more if he plays. And if he doesn't play, might be more of a risk, but I think there's an argument to be made in all time to make it on the other side, plus your calls, 617779095 Alex Barth J. Stu on Felburn,

16:38mass. I guess. Belgrade NAS continued on the sports hub. How do you feel? But you team about you can get ready for the opener and you concerned at all about what's going on off the field. And as you get ready to open up the season. Yeah, I mean, like, like I've said, over these past couple weeks, days since I've talked to you, I mean, I'm focused on one day out of at a time. Kind of like every other week. That's kind of how this business goes is is one day at a time. So focused on this practice today, get out there and get some good work and watch the film and be ready for tomorrow. That was Christian. It's also on how he feels setting into the Patriots season opener against the Hawks on Wednesday. Sounds good. Sounds enthusiastic, Barthie. See playing. Yes. I think so too. Yeah, I did that. That press conference was a little worrying on Saturday, but I think ultimately he plays. And I think there's actually an upshot to him playing. Oh, do tell. I know a lot of people, you know, always got to protect himself. Does want to play. Can't get hurt and get it. I get it. Getting hurt before he signs his deal, devastating. We're talking about generational changing money.

17:50What's the upside if he does play Jimmy? You were to theory in the last segment that the Patriots maybe aren't offering Christians all us the record breaking contract he wants because they don't believe he's worth it. Yeah. What if he goes out what better way to prove he's worth it than go out against the offensive player of the year, the rating offense player of the year in Jackson Smith and Jigbo on national TV and shut him down. We know we can do it. He did it last year in the Super Bowl. Now you may say, well, he did it in the Super Bowl. Isn't that enough? Football. It's also because Seattle didn't have a quarterback who could make good throws. Well, they have the same quarterback and he did suck in that game. But football is also simpler. Not football is what have you done for me lately game? And that was seven months ago. Do it in this setting because if he goes out in plays and has that, uh, JSN had four catches for 27 yards in the Super Bowl. Now some of that is because by the fourth quarter they weren't really throwing it. The game was over. But if he has a comparable game against JSN on Wednesday night, Jimmy. What is 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on this station going to be nonstop.

18:58The crafts have to pay him. You got to pay him. Like look at that performance on national TV big stage, uh, shut him down 10 tackles, two picks, um, a sack, a forced fumble, all of it. You got to pay him. Gotta give him that 70 million. That would be the biggest talking point, not just locally, but I think in the NFL for 24 hours until we get to see Miles Garrett next to Aaron Donald, which I'm already sweating just thinking about. But that's the upside. Now the flip side is JSN's really freaking good too. He got a record contract. If he gets revenge for the Super Bowl. Now it's, oh, that's why they're not paying. Because look at what you want to be the top corner. You got to shut down a guy like this. So there's risk associated with it. I think it's the the upside. There's the one other thing Jimmy. So you think he's going to play, but we discovered this yesterday on sports. Sunday kickoff. The Felgar Mass program is big fans of the NFL PA survey. 100% it's one of our favorite things to do. And you love to note where the Patriots ranked towards the bottom of the league. How those rankings looking?

20:00Uh, well, I can tell you one spot where the Seahawks ranked worse than the Patriots. Oh, playing surface. Oh, so they're cheap on the playing surface too. I believe the Patriots got a team. This is partly FFFFFF now they're not last because a couple teams got an F minus. So they don't have the worst field. Do you think Christian is also looking at that? Oh, he has to be. He has to be in the same way that, I mean, ultimately none of the Patriots stars actually played at Gillette Stadium this year because of the whole turf. So I think he's going to be able to go, but yeah, you got to be looking at that. You got to make sure, or you got to make sure you have the right cleat or whatever detail you have to do to make sure that you're safe. And unless, and this is something we do not know officially. Yeah. Christian Gonzalez has an insurance policy taken out on himself. Which is good. Now you would know that unless it's been reported out there or I players do this.

21:01It's a contract pretty rare for non quarterbacks, but I would say this is a situation that's gone outside of the norm at this point. It's a fair. It's a fair ask. So if he plays, it might be because he has an insurance policy on him. So he knows he's getting taken care of. Yes, and he knows that whether he plays, he doesn't play, he plays and he gets hurt, he still cashes in. Well, if he plays and he has an insurance policy, isn't that a sign that he's not confident that it deals going to get that 100% yes. You think so you think he's playing. I think he's playing. Yes. Do you think what is it? Which one is in his best interest? Oh, play and have the game of his life. So you don't know what kind of game you're going to have. He can be confident, but JSN is good too. Going into it. If you were advising Christian Gonzalez, play or not play, what would you tell him? I say play, play your ass off, play so that it forces the narrative that we just talked about to actually play out, play at your maximum value, which helps two things. It helps you make the money that you want, right. And it helps the team win. And both things can happen at the same time. You play well, you get paid. If not by the Patriots by some other team.

22:08And it also helps helps the Patriots win showing that you're a team player and maybe should have been a captain and Patriots need them. The Patriots need him. We've talked about this with their their lack of a pass rush. They're going to have to blitz. And I think they can be successful when they blitz. But that's contingent on Christian Gonzalez and also, you know, Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones who are very good players in their own right. Playing up to that level. Remember, C.O.X. wide receiver, same as last year. It's not just JS and they've Cooper Cup and they've received she heed. Those guys aren't scrubs. This is not really the kind of team you want to blitz against. They blitz 57% of the time in the Super Bowl last year and it worked. Gonzalez is the reason you can run that game plan. They were targeted in the Super Bowl. 22, 20, 27 times. Those three combined. Those three combined and they had 12 catches. And some of those were just I think there's a couple like underneath screen things with Marcus Jones where you let the guy catch it. You step up and tackle. So that's the game. That's the book. If you want to beat. Yeah. And there's some other things that go into it. They have to be better against the run.

23:11The defensive line has to get its push up front. But it is it becomes monumentally harder to win this game without Christian. And then the push comes off especially given the Patriots depth in the secondary. But the Patriots are not the only team in this matchup with depth problems. Oh, for all we've talked about Patriots depth. Seattle, there might be one position that the Patriots could take advantage of. We're there. They're more desperate than the Patriots. Oh. We go. We look at the goalie. Oh my God. He sucks in the play. That's great. No, 98.5. Beautiful. Good. The sports hub. The amount of energy that I'm assuming will be in the building on Wednesday. How important is it or how much time do you spend this week focusing on just having a good start? Well, I think that you can focus on it and you can try to have a good start. And we can say we have to get off to a good start. But then on the other hand, I would say, well, what do we do if we don't? Do we just leave? Do we just take our stuff and go home?

24:15Or do we compete? Do we fight? Do we fight through adversity? So again, yes, it's going to be critical to start fast and get off to a good start and all those things. But I hope that we, because at times throughout the season, we're going to need to be able to fight through some things. There's going to be some things that we really don't want to have happen that happen. It's going to be a turnover. There's going to be an X play. There's going to be something. You know, look at Miami. We didn't want to sure we didn't want to give up a punt return. And we answer with a kickoff return. So yes, we want to start fast. We always do. But also there's going to have to be some sort of response to our actions and how do we keep our composure and how do we come back and, you know, compete in and find ways to win. And then we'll start fast and Jimmy Stewart in for Felger and Maz. We've talked a lot about Christian and Zalas. They do need him to win this game, but this game is win and pull. I see a lot of people saying the picture is going to lose. They're going to get blown out.

25:17It's going to be over early. I don't think so. I don't think so. It's a tough match up for sure. But this is a game absolutely that the Patriots can win. I think they will win it. I think these opening night games are very clunky. I think that like it's I bet if you looked at the actual detailed history of it, there has been an upsetter to win there. Do you want to history? I do actually. Yeah. Because it's probably my thought process is probably wrong on this. So you're right about week one as a whole. Yes. Week one is weird. Yep. With the exception of the kickoff game. Oh, the banner. Since they introduced. Now there's a few of these in here where remember a few years ago they did like Packers bears, even though the Patriots won. Sure. So there's a few of those in here. The team raising the banner. Yep. On opening night. Since they added this game in 2002 is 17 and four. Well, let's make the Patriots the fifth one. So some of those let's put the five in 17. Some of those upsets. It's trended more recently. So you had the Cowboys beat the Giants in 2012.

26:20Yeah. You had the Chiefs beat the Patriots in 2017. So they've been on the other side of it. You had the bills beat the Rams in 2022. And then you had the next year. The Lions beat the Chiefs in 23. So two of them are in the last five years. But 17 and four all time. I agree to you about week one. This is actually why I think I have to pick the Patriots in this game. I said like a month in the last season. Jimmy, what happened in the Patriots opener two years ago? Do you remember? They lost two years ago. Two years ago. They won a bad Patriots team went to Cincinnati. Oh, that was the mayor's of two years, two weeks of prep and they won that game. The gate to raid back then. Here we go. And there was no reason that Patriots team should beat that single team. What happened last year? They lost. They lost to the team that got the first overall pick. And they went to the Super Bowl. I said in October of last year, whatever happens week one for the Patriots. I'm picking against what everything tells me. Okay. So I'm kind of take corner into taking the Patriots. That's what it is. There's another reason though. If the Patriots are going to win, I think they have an advantage. So they got to get it blocked.

27:25See how it brings back a great front. Just about all those players are back. They can still scheme it up well. All that. If the Patriots can get a block, Drake may has more tools at his disposal now, more pre snap responsibilities. Will Campbell is healthy. They've added a large bear Tucker. The Seahawks secondary. And this is actually maybe M.O. for the Patriots and the Christian Gonzalez thing or certainly people that don't want to pay Christian Gonzalez. They paid Devon with a spoon. Rest of their secondary kind of sucks. So in other words, this is probably a big game for Romeo dobs. Romeo dobs, AJ Brown, because with a spoon plays inside. And if they want to blitz him, he's not covering anybody. They lost a ball in who is their second corner. He left in for agency. Kobe Bryant, who is their backup safety. He left in for agency. Nick even worries hurt. He might not play. So they're down a couple of safeties. And then a corner there. So they are so desperate corner. They went out in the offseason in Syntarian Arnold who had I think with like a month before. Got arrested for kidnapping. Not great.

28:32They don't play. He's on the commissioner's exemplest. They also signed Trayvon Diggs who hasn't been good in about three years. He's on the practice squad. He might play. They went out in traded for one of the chargers UDFA's Avery Smith. I don't remember a team trading for a player that wasn't drafted during final roster cuts. Usually those guys just get cut. So they still dead with a spoon. Their corners after that Josh Job who's fine. I think he's an ideal third corner. He's their second. Narrow my appriciate is a special teams player. And Avery Smith who they trade for it. Safety. They have Thai Okada who's hurt who didn't practice yesterday. Julian loves not bad. And then Julian Neil who's a rookie. If they can get this thing blocked. One the sea hawks might not be able to blitz down with a spoon which was a huge problem for the Patriots last year. So you have to worry about that. Even if they do. And if they don't like. Okay, so he has somebody he plays on the inside. You're not going to get him. He's going to be on dogs. He's going to be on podge. Henry Hunter Henry. Yeah, he's not going to be covering AJ Brown.

29:36Because they're not going to have Hunter Henry go against linebackers. They got to cover him. Especially if they don't have even worry. AJ Brown on Josh Job. Massive advantage Patriots Romeo dobs on Josh Job. And then they're going to have a big advantage Patriots pop Douglas on Avery Smith who's probably their backup nickel advantage Patriots. If they can get this thing blocked. Drake May is going to have some opportunities to sling the ball around the yard. That is I the more I've dug into this match appear in the last few days. I keep coming back to the vaunted Seattle defense kind of like we talked about the Patriots. The top like the top of the depth chart. Start going a little further, especially in that secondary and they're a little thinner linebacker to this year and they were last year. But you start digging into that secondary gets real scary real quick. Well, so I would say may has to make those those kill throws. And then yes, on May to make the throws. AJ Brown has to win the 50 50 battles. Right. That's a key there. So there's a lot of jobs anywhere red zone over the you know, wherever they can match them up and find the whole and then hunter Henry try to get him matched up against a linebacker. Right.

30:45Like that's offensively how they do it and how do they do it while protecting Drake May and that's the offensive line, which you were camp today, you've been a camp all year. How's the offensive line? Look. Better. Yes. I sell my depth concerns, but depth shouldn't be an issue in weak. Swimming health, assuming health. We'll call this Seattle defense. Will Campbell looks healthy. Yep. He looks bigger. He looks stronger. Eliza Vera Tucker is an upgrade. We have Jared Wilson playing his natural position. Morgan Moses, Mike on when who veterans you trust him. You believe in him. So now some of it was not the ability. It was the mental side and how they handled picking up the stunts and the line games and things like that. That's going to be the challenge, but that's where May has more authority at the line of scrimmage now. So he's healthy. And he's healthy. And he's healthy. That's the key point is Drake May is healthy, but the mental side of it too picking up some of these blixes and you know, so he can communicate better with that. They have another year of experiencing those things. And again, the issues in the secondary maybe doesn't allow Seattle to be as complex as they want to be.

31:47The Patriots playing with faster tempo makes it harder for Seattle to be complex. And then yeah, the health is a big part of it. That's if you're looking for where do the Patriots have the advantage? How do they win this game? We said this going into the Super Bowl. If it becomes a shootout between Drake May and Sam Arnold, you're taking Drake May every time. It just never became a shootout. If it becomes a shootout, which I think this game has a lot higher chance of becoming that kind of game than the Super Bowl did for a number of reasons, health setting on on on coaching changes. I really like the Patriots if it becomes a shootout, especially if Gonzalez plays because the Patriots have their whole secondary. Well, they have their whole secondary, but that's the problem. Their whole secondary isn't very good. And so what you've seen from camp with this pace offense, Drake May, AJ Brown, Romeo, dogs, Hunter Henry, they're all in sync. They have their timings down. They have their reads down from everything that you've seen. This is going to be a top offense in the league. Yes, no, it should be. Yeah, they have the tools to be a top 10 offense in the league.

32:53I know they were second last year. So I know there's the, well, if they were second and they're six this year, it's regression. They do play top for schedule, all of that, but the mental aspect. So what you break, May gets the line of scrimmage and he's looking out and he's calling the audible. Everybody's in sync. Everyone knows what they're doing. The, it's been smooth. It's the operation has looked very smooth. Yeah. And I think that's an understated part going in this game. Now this is going to be the biggest test they have in that regard. Seattle, the noise, all that. Don't be committing stupid penalties. The worst thing you have happened in this game is second and 10, third and seven. Don't help Seattle get there. So that's the opening though. Big game bar. Big game bar. Six one seven game Wednesday night Alex Barth. Maybe. Oh, we're getting to that in a little bit. I do want to get to these calls that we've had. Six one seven seven seven nine zero 98 five right to your calls after this. Sean and Lawrence go Sean. He keeps saying like, I didn't actually watch the game. Whether it's pay treats, health, X, bruins, whatever. Like, isn't your job to talk to folks to actually watch sports? So I would say my job is to get you to listen. That is the job mission accomplished.

33:59Take this job and jump. Failure in the last. The sports hub. I mean, I mean, I'm focused on today. Done a lot of Christmas. All of stock, but Dean and Shrewsbury wants to talk about a topic. He knows who only get through because I'm in the host chair. Dean, how you doing? Yeah, I did it because you're in the host. So punters are punters are an underrated position. Yes. It's so important to have good field position. They account for a handful of the difference between a good punner and a bad punner accounts for a handful of points every game. So if I was scoring them on a scale of one to ten and how important they are, I would say they'd land somewhere around seven. Yeah, Dean, they're up there and I'll add two and thanks for the call when we get to the Patriots specifically.

35:03And I just, first of all, it's here for Dean. Punter call on Felgur and Mass. Love it. Wow. That just happened. Felgur is about to storm in here and throw me out of here. No, he's not. He's going to zoom in. Let's hear it for Dean. There we go. Punter call on Felgur and Mass. I, Barthie just made that the final word. The Patriots punter position is kind of a story going into this. They don't have a punter right now. Technically on the roster. They have one on the practice squad. Okay. Mitch Wyshnowski. I assume he's going to be elevated. This is going to be a big field position game. The other part of it that's sneaky important. The punter is the holder. And we saw when they had a different long snapper earlier this summer, what happened? Andy Borgallis. Choked on himself. Struggled is changing the holder. Now they've had more time to practice together. But is that a variable? If something goes wrong on the special team's operation, it's going to be Mitch Wyshnowski. They can't get a punter on the roster and what's going on and what happened in Barthie. It's going to be a talking point after this game. Well, and if the holds are an issue, Borgallis becomes an issue because I know including myself,

36:08I wanted him cut after the Miami game. So, and so could his misses early on have been because of the holder, long snapper, kicker, correlation. And they are going to have to make a move eventually because you can elevate a player from the practice squad up to three times. Bryce Barrier has to miss at least four weeks on IR. So, whether you go to another practice squad punter and another holder for Borgallis to use, or you add Wyshnowski to the roster eventually, they're going to have to do something. But it is important to know going into this game because this is going to be a big field position game before you take the next call. Yeah. Were you upset that McCarthy and McCone caught off Mike Frables press conference today right before the punter question? Well, McCarthy hates football. So, of course he did. He can't appreciate the beauty in it. I'm not upset. Not angry. Just disappointed. Because because they were talking on the air. And I thought the same thing when it happened in real time that Oh no, Barthie's going to come in all mad and like, you know, just come in swinging a seal chair at them.

37:12Well, I couldn't hear it because I'm obviously sitting in the press conference. But he did McCarthy just doesn't appreciate the beautiful things about the game. He'll he'll wax poetic about sacrifice. Bunts. And oh, don't get him started on double a baseball. Oh, keep codley baseball too. I also drill over the cape. So I can't talk to the best summer of my life. Go Harwich Mariners. I defending champs. I think Harwich Mariners. Well, I looked out up. It is technically a reentry Monday. Oh boy. We are going to do some red socks in a little bit. They are in action right now. They lead five nothing. But Bill and Holbrook just can't wait for red socks. Talk Bill. What's up? I know. I just got done looking at the red sock schedule the rest of the way. I'll make the playoffs. This is going to be an epic meltdown. And I finally agree with Felga for one. Yeah. The red socks were public relations disaster. I drove by Fenway today in a Webinar. You didn't even have the flag that have staff at Joe Morgan. Why do they continue to miss early way, easy way upstate this organization? Did they do it yesterday? No, I drove by an 11 a.m.

38:17Today. My friend went to the game. They didn't even know the flag that set of field or the flag that set of field. It's a complete disgrace. I'm hoping they don't forget to raise the flat path. Mass of a fed 9, 11, 25th anniversary on Friday. I know you are in a thought on Joe Morgan. I was assuming they did a moment of silence for him before the game. I would assume so too. I don't know that. But just on Joe Morgan. Yeah, he's the first manager. I ever saw do it. Right. Morgan Magic in 88. I watched him get fired for a long time. I was a little bit of a job in a team that failed down the stretch in 1991. And that was my first real year watching the red socks. And Joe Morgan was the manager. And he was with the petucket red socks for a long time. He got the call, brought the red socks, the playoffs back to 88 90. I got whooped by the A's who were a wagon at the time. Joe Morgan was always was often times when I did the eye producing red socks games was often in the booth because he was so close to Joe Castiglion.

39:21And just a wonderful delight and a treat of a gentleman to talk to knew a lot about baseball. Love the game. Just one of those old old time like managers, right? Yeah. And went with a hunch every once in a while. And just I thought he was a really good manager in my youth years. Yeah. So, you know, rest in peace. Joe Morgan 95. I'd love to make it to 95. I don't know that I don't know though. Make it 65. That's right. But I'll take that's a great life. 95 years. That's a great life. A little before my time. But somebody obviously growing up a red socks fan. I mean, my dad grew up a red socks fan, right? You heard Morgan Magic. And I just odd timing with this year has kind of been the Morgan Magic Revival. Right? And that we're getting this kind of socks right. My generation is learning about Morgan Magic because of what this team is doing. According to Gabrielle star, by the way, of the Harold. Yeah. Harold. Yeah. They did do a moment of silence for Joe Morgan before the game. So I can't speak to the flag. I don't know. I wasn't down there. But they did do a moment of silence. I'm sure there'll be some more.

40:23And again, too, I just Joe Joe Morgan has been in the news. Right. Just because of what this team has been doing. So glad he got to see and people were appreciating that team. So we always say, you know, people don't get their flowers till it's too late or whatever. Towards the end. Got to see. But I got here, but he kind of reminisce on that team, which I think is kind of cool. I do think though that Joe Morgan goes down as one of the more memorable red socks managers because of what he did when he got what he got the call. And throughout the red socks organization, just because he was around the team a lot in Worcester and you know, all his background and everything, you know, he was the good Joe Morgan for a lot of years because we didn't enjoy the ESPN broadcaster Joe Morgan. Right. Or the Cincinnati red Joe Morgan. So I remember the ESPN broadcast. He used to be the second second basement for the Astros. No, he was second basement for the reds. He was the reds. Yeah. Okay, he used to bug the crap out of me. I don't know why, but he did. So and local guy too, this Joe Morgan. Yes. So always cool when there's that. But the Joe Morgan for ESPN and the reds was he always loved to state the obvious.

41:33That's I mean, especially a bit about that, especially at the time where Jerry Remi was so good at telling you what was about to happen. Right. We'd get a Sunday game red socks Yankees and it's Joe Morgan. And he's telling you the obvious. Well, you see John, there's two strikes. So if he swings and misses here, that's the end of the inning. As opposed to Jerry Remi would be like, okay, there's two strikes. He still might be getting there. Bonds gets on first base, steel, you know, the way they go. I do miss John, John Miller though is John Miller is great. No disrespect to David Bryan or Don Orcello or Joke is tickly on or anybody. That's the voice of baseball. John Miller was great. And he did the games here for you know before before I became a baseball fan, but John Miller and the Sunday games when the Giants were playing the red socks. I have the MLB TV package. I went and I listened to his radio calls, because I think John Miller is great. I used to remember there was a stretch. They were like every other year. So a Giants pitcher would throw no hitter or get very close. Any SPN. I don't think they do it anymore. They used to do the cut ins wherever the game was on.

42:37That was baseball tonight, which was at nine or 10. Right. So they would cut in. So anytime I saw the Giants were close to no hitter. I make a point turn on not just to see the no hitter, but it was like, oh, I get to hear John Miller. Call some of this game, which is going to be a treat. So I believe the MLB network still does that, but I'm not. And the Giants pitching staff kind of sucks now. So I just have many. But yeah, moment of silence for Joe Morgan Morgan magic being sort of brought back this little bit. We will get to that again. We're going to wait till the game ends because we know most of you that care about the game are probably falling the game. But we've been Patriots for a hour. We'll still take your calls on that. I think I see a line's phone down. No. All right. So we'll take your calls on that 617779. Your neighborhood. Barthie. We're laboring. We are laboring. And Jimmy had I mean, like three or four days ago, I'm in here. And I go up to Jim just like, oh, we're together on Labor Day. Like we'll have some fun with it. You know, anything you want to talk about. I have a Celtics take. Yeah, this is this is days in the making Jimmy has been hyping this up to me. I haven't even heard the full thing. I've kind of seen the notes. But I don't even know necessarily what he's going to get into here. We are less than a month from training camp.

43:43So Jimmy's going to get you caught up with the headlines and then a J. Stu brand new previously unheard Celtics take coming your way 90 seconds. No commercials.