Take 5 with Chris Gasper

Chris Gasper is joined by the voice of the Patriots, Bob Socci of 98.5 the Sports Hub.  The Patriots are 1-1 on the season. Rookie QB Mac Jones has performed well in both games, but is he a system quarterback playing too conservatively or will he be able to grow into a real difference-maker? Gasper says we're comparing Jones to the wrong former Patriots QB. Socci explains why he's on the Jones Train.  Gasper & Socci also touch on the defense, Socci’s past play-by-play jobs, and his previous connection to the Belichick family. Producer Ellen Fleming is shocked that he once worked for the Albuquerque Isotopes, who have a "The Simpsons" claim to fame.  

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Chris Gasper is joined by Adam Jones of 98.5 The Sports Hub to break down the Patriots' season-opener and discuss the dawn of the Mac Jones Era. The Patriots lost a game but look like they found a quality QB. Gasper and Jones discuss if the rookie will be able to lead the team to the playoffs or if the QB thirst is real and fans are overreacting.  Jones tells you what Mac and Jared Goff have in common. Gasper reveals Bill Belichick's blindspot... Also, who is to blame for the Patriot's long-running red zone woes? Producer Ellen Fleming dishes some harsh truth on the continued obsession with Tom Brady using a Seinfeld reference.

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Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom discusses the state of his team as the Sox head down the stretch of a tight playoff race. He called this season "a roller-coaster." Bloom pushed back against the idea he didn't do enough at the trade deadline with his team going 17-20 since, saying "chasing a ghost" doesn't help you in the long run. But is Bloom prioritizing the future over the now.  He admits there can be a "tug of war" between the two. Bloom also explains why he believes the Sox can't build a winner simply by whipping out their wallet. He addresses the long-term future of shortstop Xander Bogaerts and revisits a possible misstep from the Mookie Betts deal.  The baseball boss also touches on combating a COVID-19 outbreak within the team, calling it one of the most difficult challenges of his career. And producer Ellen Fleming asks Bloom how much the intense Boston Baseball Experience affects player acquisitions.

 

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Chris Gasper is sitting down with MassLive Celtics reporter Brian Robb, also a contributor at 98.5 The Sports Hub and co-host of The Winning Plays Podcast. It has been an active offseason for president of basketball ops Brad Stevens and the Green. With the Celtics giving Marcus Smart a four-year, $77.1 million max contract extension, what does that mean for Boston's pursuit of a third star to pair with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown? B-Robb explains why Smart could now be "movable money" in a big trade. Gasper and Robb throw out some possibilities for a third star. B-Robb also explains why he loves the Josh Richardson signing and why it's so important for the Celtics that Summer League success for Aaron Nesmith translates to the actual NBA. Robb also explains how traded player exceptions work and why the Celtics collect them. Plus, producer Ellen Fleming wonders how Stevens will do in relinquishing his coaching duties to Ime Udoka, and if he will become like Nate from Ted Lasso.    

 

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Chris Gasper is sitting down with Jason Mastrodonato of The Boston Herald and the Locked on Red Sox podcast.  The Red Sox have lost 10 of their last 12 games and have fallen drastically in MLB standings. The two discuss if Chaim Bloom’s focus on sustainability and the future could be part of the problem.  Mastrodonato believes Bloom “misread the market” at the trade deadline and that other teams in the AL East saw the Red Sox as catchable and made beneficial moves.  At this crucial  juncture in the season, the team has a lot riding on the return of ace Chris Sale. Producer Ellen Fleming wonders is even Sale enough to save the team, and if that kind of pressure on a player will affect his mental health.     

 

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Chris Gasper is talking with Shalise Manza Young, Yahoo! Sports columnist, from Tokyo where she’s covering the Summer Olympics. The pandemic sidelined the Olympics last year, and Manza Young gets into how COVID regulations have changed the overall Olympic atmosphere: protests, stadiums without fans, different medal ceremonies, and a lack of access for press members to athletes. Manza Young touches on gymnastics great Simone Biles while deeming these the “Mental Health Olympics”. Producer Ellen Fleming asks if the global audience reacted positively to Biles’ decision. Manza Young then breaks down the performances in track and field, with the women getting top billing and the US men unexpectedly stumbling.

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Chris Gasper is talking with Nicole Auerbach, Senior Writer at The Athletic, about a seismic change in college athletics. For the first time, athletes can profit off their name, image, or likeness (NIL) rights and retain their eligibility, opening the floodgates for endorsement and marketing payments while undercutting the NCAA's amateurism argument. Under pressure from two dozen states that passed NIL laws that went into effect July 1 and the Supreme Court, the NCAA relented on NIL.

Auerbach explained how college sports reached this money-making milestone and what it means moving forward. Gasper and Auerbach discuss how this remuneration revolution could alter the landscape of college, Olympic, and professional sports. They examine if it foretells the end of the NCAA as college sports' governing body.

Auerbach reveals how athletes are already monetizing their social media presence and popularity. Producer Ellen Fleming asks Auerbach if she sees a future for unionization in college sports and what NIL means for increasing gender equality in college sports.

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Chris Gasper is talking with New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner. The Revs are enjoying one of the best starts in franchise history, maintaining the momentum they built with their run to the Eastern Conference Finals last year. Is this the best Revs team Turner has played on, and can they finally bring home an MLS Cup? Turner explains what kind of coach Bruce Arena is and how he has impacted the Revolution, on and off the pitch. Also, Turner addresses the dream of the Revs finally having their own stadium and what it would mean for the franchise and its fans. Lastly, we learn that producer Ellen Fleming has a distinct, and somewhat frightening memory of Revolution midfielder Scott Caldwell, who turns out to be Turner's old roommate. 

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Chris Gasper is talking with the face of NESN, Tom Caron. Caron was a very early adopter of these Red Sox, but even he did not expect the team to be performing this well. The two get into the future of Sox top prospect Jarren Durran and how soon he could hit Boston. Commissioner Caron makes an appearance, sharing his plan to save baseball. He has ideas on how to speed up the game and introduce more action and offense. Producer Ellen Fleming dips into the “sticky substance” controversy. Caron explains exactly what Spider Tack does for pitchers and why it should be outlawed, but believes MLB needs to find some approved substance for pitchers to use for grip.

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Chris Gasper sits down with Doug Kyed of NESN and NESN.com. The Patriots wrapped up their offseason program with mandatory mini-camp and quarterback still remains the biggest question mark and curiosity with Cam Newton's capability and rookie Mac Jones’ readiness for the season up for debate.

Kyed attended mini-camp and thought Jones belonged and could be a "poorer man's" Joe Burrow-- Kyed and Gasper pine for Jimmy Garoppolo, and Doug explains why Jimmy G is underrated-- Speaking of mini-camp, Stephon Gilmore was no-show. Doug tells us what he thinks Gilmore's Patriot future holds-- Chris compares producer Ellen Fleming to brilliant Belichick aide Ernie Adams, who just retired, and Ellen is concerned about Belichick's ego being checked with so many trusted assistants leaving the Foxborough Fold.

Lastly, Kyed provides a rosy prediction of where the Patriots will stand in the standings at the end of the season.

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