Felger and Mazz - Creating False Naratives one day at a time

[PC Drunken Friar]

Today they are doing revisionist history at its best...saying how everyone thought that the pats got an unbelievable free agent class last year, headlined by Joseph Addai, Anthony Gonzalez, Robert Gallery, Jonathan Fanene, Trevor Scott, Stallworth, Fells, Caldwell, Brandon Lloyd, et al.
 
Um...I really don't think anyone expected Gonzalez or Addai to even have a sniff of making the team.  If those two and Gallery were playing significant playing time, the Pats would be in trouble, everyone knew that.
 
Fanene was a big disappointment for me, but he was hurt and had to be cut.
 
Both Stallworth and Caldwell were no going to both make the team and play.
 
Fells, eh, can't win them all, same with Trevor Scott.
 
Lloyd, while not a game changer, had a fine season, IMO.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Its not like Horton isn't a top line player either. Has he added an elite-level player via trade? No, but how often are they available to ANY team?

 
Who signed Chara and Savard to big FA contracts? Both are/were elite players.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

Today they are doing revisionist history at its best...saying how everyone thought that the pats got an unbelievable free agent class last year, headlined by Joseph Addai, Anthony Gonzalez, Robert Gallery, Jonathan Fanene, Trevor Scott, Stallworth, Fells, Caldwell, Brandon Lloyd, et al.
 
Um...I really don't think anyone expected Gonzalez or Addai to even have a sniff of making the team.  If those two and Gallery were playing significant playing time, the Pats would be in trouble, everyone knew that.
 
Fanene was a big disappointment for me, but he was hurt and had to be cut.
 
Both Stallworth and Caldwell were no going to both make the team and play.
 
Fells, eh, can't win them all, same with Trevor Scott.
 
Lloyd, while not a game changer, had a fine season, IMO.

 
That's what they want to have been the emerging consensus on the FA class.  Now they get to teach us a lesson.

 

[dcmissle]

Today they are doing revisionist history at its best...saying how everyone thought that the pats got an unbelievable free agent class last year, headlined by Joseph Addai, Anthony Gonzalez, Robert Gallery, Jonathan Fanene, Trevor Scott, Stallworth, Fells, Caldwell, Brandon Lloyd, et al.
 
Um...I really don't think anyone expected Gonzalez or Addai to even have a sniff of making the team.  If those two and Gallery were playing significant playing time, the Pats would be in trouble, everyone knew that.
 
Fanene was a big disappointment for me, but he was hurt and had to be cut.
 
Both Stallworth and Caldwell were no going to both make the team and play.
 
Fells, eh, can't win them all, same with Trevor Scott.
 
Lloyd, while not a game changer, had a fine season, IMO.

 Gallery's retirement was a bit of a surprise, but apart from that I don't believe that any of those guys save Lloyd were counted on for much.  Doesn't upset me though.
 
Keep a careful ear open for comments on the 2012 draft.  After the Pats were aggressive early in the draft on defense, Felger was satisfied and and said would never jump ugly on them for the 2012 picks, regardless of they turned out.  He was very pleased about trading up instead of down.

 

[pedro1918]

Hey Tony, it is perfectly possible to have "mild disdain" for something. 
 
Please stop.

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Can someone confirm that Felger called Pacioretty an obnoxious twat today?
 
Because that would warm the cockles of my heart.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Hey Tony, it is perfectly possible to have "mild disdain" for something. 
 
Please stop.

 
What about "somewhat mild disdain"?

 

[erfus]

Felger is a disaster today talking Bruins today too, which I think is unusual for him.
 
His complaint with Chiarelli now is that all of his deadline deals, he's added to the team using picks and prospects as bait instead of trading roster players away. Huh? Isn't that exactly what you want your GM to do?
 
He's going on and on that if Chiarelli wants to show him something, he should be willing to include grinders like Kelly and Peverly in a deal. Well, since the Bruins are buyers they'll be dealing with rebuilding teams. Why are those teams looking to deal for your solid, third line veterans? They're not. They want the picks and prospects that may help in the future, as opposed to vets to help now,  that Chiarelli has traded to make deals in the past.
 
Good grief. It feels like the awful basketball talk is now leaking into awful hockey talk. Their hockey takes are usually the strength of the show.

 
I agree that it shouldn't be off the table to trade roster players, but also agree that it is unlikely the supporting cast has much trade value.  That's more of an offseason thing in my book, where you'd consider dealing Peverley or Kelly to create space to nab someone (or keep someone, if they managed to land Iginla) with a higher upside.  Aside from that, let's not forget the Bruins did trade roster players mid-season during the Cup run, including a guy who was a key special team player (Wheeler) and a "glue guy" in Mark Stuart.  I've never been a Chiarelli fan boy, but the Chiarelli/Neely tandem have been very good since they united and the crticism / cynicism is unwarranted.  If they sit on their hands this summer after a disappointing playoff run, maybe then...but completely unfair (though 98.5's style) to criticize them for actions they have yet to take. 

 

[Buffalo Head]

Felger finally addressing the burning issue in sports.
 
"NBA games are too damn long!"
 
click

 

[HomeBrew1901]

I'm glad I don't usually get to listen to this show until the 5-6PM hour because by the time I get into the car crap like BH posted and mild disdain stuff is over and they recap the more popular talking points of the day.

 

[shawnrbu]

Tomorrow should be good.  Felger had the C's +9 and the Moneyline.  Mazz was convinced they would get rolled in Indiana on the second night of a back-to-back.

 

[joe dokes]

And I see that Felger is co-hosting (with Milbury) some sort of hockey show on CSNNE starting tonight.

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

And I see that Felger is co-hosting (with Milbury) some sort of hockey show on CSNNE starting tonight.

 
That's been going on for awhile, hasn't it?

 

[SidelineCameras]

That's been going on for awhile, hasn't it?

"Cross Check." Tonight is the fourth installment.
 
I enjoy it. I wish they would drop "Fan or Fraud?" but whatever.

 

[joe dokes]

"Cross Check." Tonight is the fourth installment.
 
I enjoy it. I wish they would drop "Fan or Fraud?" but whatever.

 
Who knew? Not me.

 

[the1andonly3003]

Felger = Gold Teamer
 
good line from Tanger

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Isn't Cross Check just "Sticks and Stones" rebranded anyways?

 

[SoxScout]

Felger = Gold Teamer
 
good line from Tanger

 
Except Felger will point out the deficiencies with the Bruins.

 

[H78]

Anyone else notice how LOUD commercials are compared to the audio level of the show itself? I mean, I think it's more a 98.5 thing overall, but next time you're driving around and listening try to catch yourself turning down the volume during each commercial break. I bet you do it all the time without realizing it.

I know the show itself and the commercials are different audio qualities, but I would swear they purposefully have the volume cranked during their commercial breaks. I remember some television stations were getting busted for cranking up the volume during commercials, and one day I wonder if 98.5 is going to get cited for the same thing. It's borderline obnoxious.


 

 

[Buffalo Head]

Help me out, Celtics fans: Does Danny Ainge refer to himself as "Trader Danny?" Because I can't understand why Felger constantly mocks him for it, since he hasn't lived up to the nickname. It's so dumb.

 

[mcpickl]

Help me out, Celtics fans: Does Danny Ainge refer to himself as "Trader Danny?" Because I can't understand why Felger constantly mocks him for it, since he hasn't lived up to the nickname. It's so dumb.

 
Of course not, it's asinine.
 
Just like killing the Patriots for talking about "The Patriot Way". As if, Bill Belichick is always dropping that term, and not the media doing it.

 

[steveluck7]

Help me out, Celtics fans: Does Danny Ainge refer to himself as "Trader Danny?" Because I can't understand why Felger constantly mocks him for it, since he hasn't lived up to the nickname. It's so dumb.

The "Trader Danny" thing comes from the fact that Danny has a reputation as someone who will sacrifice short term for the long term good of the team. This reputation is due largely to the fact that he has stated that, if he were in Red's shoes, he would have broken up the original big 3 before they lost all value. 
Felger mocks it because Danny has done nothing to actually live up to that reputation

 

[weeba]

Ordway to host CSNNE this week with Felger:
 
http://www.boston.com/sports/touching_all_the_bases/2013/03/by_chad_finn_bostoncom_columni_5.html

 

[BannedbyNYYFans.com]

The "Trader Danny" thing comes from the fact that Danny has a reputation as someone who will sacrifice short term for the long term good of the team. This reputation is due largely to the fact that he has stated that, if he were in Red's shoes, he would have broken up the original big 3 before they lost all value. 
Felger mocks it because Danny has done nothing to actually live up to that reputation

 

 

[mcpickl]

The "Trader Danny" thing comes from the fact that Danny has a reputation as someone who will sacrifice short term for the long term good of the team. This reputation is due largely to the fact that he has stated that, if he were in Red's shoes, he would have broken up the original big 3 before they lost all value. 
Felger mocks it because Danny has done nothing to actually live up to that reputation

Except that Ainge has explained over and over and over again that all he said was, he would have taken the deals Red was offered for the original big 3. Not that, he'd have just taken anything for the original big 3 just to say he did something.
 
I'm willing to bet that if he were offered the modern day version of a Detlef Scrempf and Sam Perkins package, instead of Kris Humphries, Marshon Brooks and a late #1 for Paul Pierce, Paul would be playing somewhere else now.
 
It's also amusing to me that Felger is crabbing that they should basically dump Pierce/KG for anything, and still cries about the Celtics making the Kendrick Perkins trade.]
 
Edit: even with that said, the "Trader Danny" moniker is still a media creation. So if Felger wants to make fun of someone for it, that person isn't Danny Ainge.

 

[Blacken]

I know the show itself and the commercials are different audio qualities, but I would swear they purposefully have the volume cranked during their commercial breaks.

It's not, from a literal perspective, louder (as in volume). Many commercials are fed through an audio compressor to increase the perceived loudness, which is harder to regulate.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

I'm usually #1 in line to bitch about commercial loudness, but I really haven't noticed it. 90% of TV channels are way worse.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Callers are all up in arms about the Patriots' handling of Wes Welker and not taking care of him yet.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Mazz is going to lose his mind tomorrow. he was flipping about Amendola not being adequate all day today.
 
Over under on callers mispronouncing Amendola tomorrow is 12.
 
On the other hand, I'm afraid this is going to bring out the worst in Felger, as in "Trader Danny" Felger bad. Just irrational shit stirring and making up scenarios that didn't actually happen.

 

[SoxScout]

Even Bertand had a twitter meltdown about this tonight. Felger sounds like he's about to bust out a 'they hate their coach." Mazz has a new Teixeira. Tomorrow's radio is going to be pathetic.
 
Also, jeez, Ordway has been out of a job for 2 minutes, he shows up on CSN, and everything he says makes me want to punch the tv. He sounds like he is flat out making things up and has no idea what he is talking about.

 

[soxfan121]

Mazz is going to lose his mind tomorrow. he was flipping about Amendola not being adequate all day today.
 
Over under on callers mispronouncing Amendola tomorrow is 12.
 
On the other hand, I'm afraid this is going to bring out the worst in Felger, as in "Trader Danny" Felger bad. Just irrational shit stirring and making up scenarios that didn't actually happen.

 
I think you're right on about Mazz & the callers. It will be terrible. 
 
I think Felger, the contrarian, will tack to the opposite side and argue that "they have a plan and they went younger and we may not like it but they DID SOMETHING. They spent the money!"

 

[Phenom]

Felger: "Welcome in to Felger and Massarotti, a lot of ways we can start with this Tony..."
 
Mazz: "YEAH! YOU GOT THAT RIGHT! BEETLE! BEETLE! DANNY AMENDOLA, HUH?!?! DANNY AMENDOLA!!!!"
 
Felger: "We'll get into that, but really, we should've seen this coming.  Bill has had it out for that player for the past several years.  It goes back to the comment about Rex Ryan's feet, to phasing him out of the offense early this season.  I was watching the games at Comcast with Troy Brown and Ty Law, and after ONE HALF against the Titans in week one, they knew Welker was a goner."
 
Mazz: "It's just...UNBELIEVABLE, MIKE!  IT REALLY IS!!!"
 
Felger: "The Patriots toadies in the media told me, 'Felger you're a DB!  There's nothing to see here, you contrarian.  You fraud.  They're not phasing out Welker.'  Well, Troy Brown and Ty Law saw it!  I was watching the games with them at Comcast!  Bill has had it out for Welker.  Don't give me the, 'Patriots never extend themselves on players.'  They pay who they want to pay.  Bill didn't want to bring Welker back."
 
Mazz: "Look, Mike, given the cost, with this market, at this point in time...it's just...if I were Brady, I would hold out this year!  Leverage them!"
 
Felger: "They left a Super Bowl on the table in 2006!  They didn't resign Branch or Givens.  They were literally ONE PLAYER AWAY!  But hey, at least Robert Kraft can brag about the deal he got at the owner's meetings!  He can thump his chest about taking Welker for all he's got!  I was watching the games with Troy Brown and Ty Law.  They saw it!"
 
Mazz: "Amendola...HE SUCKS!  HE REALLY DOES, MIKE!!  OH MY GOSH!"
 
Felger: "This is Josh McDaniels' guy, just like Brandon Lloyd was his guy.  It's obvious, McDaniels is taking over the team this year.  Belichick is letting him control the personnel, and will retire.  Before you say, 'Felger you're a DB,' read the tea leaves!  It's happening in front of your eyes!  And that's where we're starting today.  McDaniels is in, Belichick is out.  Your calls, next."

 

[BannedbyNYYFans.com]

Add in a couple "You're right, Mike!" and you nailed it.

 

[shawnrbu]

I think Felger, the contrarian, will tack to the opposite side and argue that "they have a plan and they went younger and we may not like it but they DID SOMETHING. They spent the money!"

 
Felger is running with the Belichick "let it get personal" angle.  Felger has his binkys.  Basically, any pro athlete that talks to him (Vrabel, Rodney, Ty Law, Troy Brown, Shawn Thornton, Welker).  I mean, how many times has he brought up the "Vrabel was traded because he bashed Patriot Place" angle?
 
Felger also called Amendola a crappy slot receiver.

 

[dcmissle]

Felger is running with the Belichick "let it get personal" angle.  Felger has his binkys.  Basically, any pro athlete that talks to him (Vrabel, Rodney, Ty Law, Troy Brown, Shawn Thornton, Welker).  I mean, how many times has he brought up the "Vrabel was traded because he bashed Patriot Place" angle?
 
Felger also called Amendola a crappy slot receiver.

 
You don't say.  He ought to have Borges on tomorrow, and they can go to town. 

 

[ForKeeps]

Tune in to hear Tony Mazz pretend he'd ever heard of Danny Amendola before two days ago.

 

[Youkilis vs Wild]

I happen to think Amendola is solid consolation for Welker.
 
I also happen to think Tony Massarotti is lazy, stupid, misogynistic, that the show would be better off without him, and that — oh yeah — he wasn't that good of a writer either. ("And yet" every few paragraphs — barf.)
 
Having said that: Felger's developing a pretty good track record with these things. Guess what? It does sort of look like the Patriots were ready to move on from Welker. Guess what? Beckett was a prick. Guess what? The Red Sox were too focused on marketing than the on-field product. Guess what? Phil Kessel was a joke.
 
Now, where I'm going to disagree with Felger is that I still operate with an I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it mindset about the demise of Belichick and the Patriots, and he'll be very histrionic. I doubt the team is going to lose much by plugging in Amendola in for Welker, and where they do lose something, they'll adjust the game plan. They will be fine.
 
AND YET (har har har), I think it's worth noting that Felger is pretty good at this tea-leaf reading. I don't buy that he has the power to set the agenda. And the news has consistently shown him to be right about these sorts of things down the road.

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

I had to take a break from all sports radio today. God, you would think that a superstar athlete has never left a team before or that the Patriots didn't exist before Wes Welker put on number 83.
 
Yes, I get that it's the big story right now and that they have to talk about it. But all of the hysterics are ridiculous.
 
"Tony it just goes to prove that the Patriots only care about winning the negotiation. Welker won last year, the Pats wanted to win this year."
"You're right Mike. I mean this offense is going to be a mess next year. I ... I ... I just don't know how they're going to win five games. I just don't see it!"
"It falls on Brady again and he has to be angry Tony. You think that they'd give him some help and not screw him over."
"Mike it ... it ... it seems that the Patriots are using Brady's team-first attitude against him! I mean, why would they do that? Why would Belichick do that to Tom Brady?"
 
Good gravy, in the last ten years the amount of good to great athletes that have left Boston is staggering. We have all carried on. Get a grip.

 

[Marbleheader]

Like I said: It's about the deal, Mike, not about the player. Click.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

"You're right Mike. I mean this offense is going to be a mess next year. I ... I ... I just don't know how they're going to win five games. I just don't see it!"

 
This has been my favorite panicky gripe so far.  That somehow the offense that ran away from the league in terms of scoring the last few years is suddenly going to drop off the map because they decided to replace Wes Welker with a guy who might give them 50% of the production.  The 2012 team could have scored a full TD less per game and still been in the top 5 in scoring.  The offense will be just fine.

 

[Senator Donut]

Like I said: It's about the deal, Mike, not about the player. Click.

Good thing you did, because about a minute later a caller compared letting Welker sign with Denver to letting Tiexiera sign with New York. If only the Red Sox had the privilege paying Tiexera $90 million over the next four years and surrendering the draft pick that yielded Mike Trout.

 

[steveluck7]

I personally loved how they both flat out said that the "Amendola actually signed on Tuesday" thing was a lie... a potentially huge factor in why and how this went down is summarily dismissed

 

[Corsi]

Of course it's all about the deal, you numbskull.  You can't whine that they didn't pay Welker enough one day, then piss and moan that they overpaid for Lackey the next.  It doesn't work that way.
 
The cognitive dissonance Massarotti must go through is off the charts.  

 

[HomeBrew1901]

Yet again, another day I'm glad that I only listen between 5-5:45 or so, it was still pretty ridiculous but not as bad as what you folks are quoting from Mike.
 
JMOH, it's been like that on both stations, you'd think the Patriots just let Brady go to the Jets over 2 Million dollars and didn't have a back up plan.
 
They immediately turned around and signed a younger Welker, at this point I'm OK with that.

 

[RedOctober3829]

"It's a pony convention.  Sounds like somebody is shopping at Wal-Mart."
 
WTF is wrong with these two?  They'd bitch if they'd have overpaid for players like Wallace.

 

[Gambler7]

HILARIOUS start to the show. Good stuff.

 

[Corsi]

that was incredible!

 

[HomeBrew1901]

that was incredible!

Just turned it on, what'd we miss? 

 

[Corsi]

They're continuing to do it, but they played all of the old Wal-Mart "rollback" jingles, while splicing in cash register sound effects.  

 

[HomeBrew1901]

Huh.... so some guy named Jerry Thorton is actually comparing Belichick to God and saying that his is building the Patriots like God built the earth.  Get a fucking grip guy, this is sports, not the Old Testament.