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

54thMA

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That wasn't even my point, all I'm saying is the 2021 defense was a lot better than some other defenses Brady had with the Patriots. It's not like they were necessarily destined to get destroyed by the Bills in the playoffs in that exact same manner in any other scenario, so there's a chance he could have "overcome" them. I'm not even arguing the "they should have kept Brady" point.
Understood.

My comments weren't directed at you, they were just general comments regarding the situation.
 

j-man

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Dec 19, 2012
3,646
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if they kept Brady no devin m hightower likely gone as well also likely no andweds and guy brady weapons wouild be juiles he wouild be back meyres harry and maybe a draft pick or AB i think heary TE signed here anyway and maybe judon as well but that it gilmore wouild had still wanted big $$ with brady u are 10-6 and done in the WC or div brady in 2020 also means no barmore unless u draft him in round 1 and if u drafted millis brady throw atother passive agg fit

mac jones to his credit maxed out the 2021 pats u only fear shouild be is he only a top 12 15 QB and if u keep J C that cuts your cap room to around 15-17 mil i think to make the moves u need to compete for a ring in 22 or 23 u need to restcure deals to create 20-25 more mil in cap room and do this

1 sign a outside wr
2 sign AJ Johnson ilb from denver big LB that stop the run sign CB B Callahan from den will miss 6 games but best slot/nickel cb when he is out there re-sign JC Jackson trade down and get more picks
 

Helmet Head

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They are playing a promo of the Felger and Mazz show that I have heard a few times during the Toucher and Rich show today and it has kind of annoyed me, which I guess is the point.

It is Mazz screaming about how P-O-R-K-E-D the pats are over the next decade because of the QBs in the conference (specifically Mahomes, Allen & Burrow). It’s not the take that bothers me though because it is a reasonable take. It’s how happy Mazz is about it. Does the guy realize how much money the pats have made him over the last decade plus since their show existed? Gave them a ton of content. If they go down the tubes it’s going to make his job much tougher. So good luck I guess. Love the local radio guys being happy about a hometown team potentially struggling moving forward.
 

John Marzano Olympic Hero

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If they go down the tubes it’s going to make his job much tougher. So good luck I guess. Love the local radio guys being happy about a hometown team potentially struggling moving forward.
No it doesn't. It makes his job infinitely easier. Bad teams means they get to wallow in nostalgia ("Remember how good the Pats used to be") while ripping the present. My guess is that it's hard inventing new things to be pissed off about every day. Remember when the Sox were ripping along in 2018, just destroying everyone? Felger and Maz were coming up with new reasons to be angry every day. Same thing with the Pats from 01 through last year. Or the Bruins on their way to multiple Stanley Cup Final appearances. Or the Celtics and their runs of success.

I'm not saying that everything has been perfect for the last 20+ years, but it's been pretty good. However if you listen to Felger and Mazz you would swear that it was the 1990s all over again. These guys are begging for the bad times to come again, mostly because they don't give a shit about the average sports fan. They care about the story. And the story is, the worse the team sucks, the better.
 

Helmet Head

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No it doesn't. It makes his job infinitely easier. Bad teams means they get to wallow in nostalgia ("Remember how good the Pats used to be") while ripping the present. My guess is that it's hard inventing new things to be pissed off about every day. Remember when the Sox were ripping along in 2018, just destroying everyone? Felger and Maz were coming up with new reasons to be angry every day. Same thing with the Pats from 01 through last year. Or the Bruins on their way to multiple Stanley Cup Final appearances. Or the Celtics and their runs of success.

I'm not saying that everything has been perfect for the last 20+ years, but it's been pretty good. However if you listen to Felger and Mazz you would swear that it was the 1990s all over again. These guys are begging for the bad times to come again, mostly because they don't give a shit about the average sports fan. They care about the story. And the story is, the worse the team sucks, the better.
I kind of disagree. I think it makes their jobs easier in the short term but not long term. If they have an extended amount of time in the gutter it becomes more difficult IMO. What the hell do you talk about week in and week out of the pats are 5-12 and haven’t made the playoffs in a few years? Not going to be much in game analysis at that point and my guess is listeners are going to drop off if the local teams suck.

I would bet a majority of talk radio host would rather have successful teams than not.
 

tims4wins

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I kind of disagree. I think it makes their jobs easier in the short term but not long term. If they have an extended amount of time in the gutter it becomes more difficult IMO. What the hell do you talk about week in and week out of the pats are 5-12 and haven’t made the playoffs in a few years? Not going to be much in game analysis at that point and my guess is listeners are going to drop off if the local teams suck.

I would bet a majority of talk radio host would rather have successful teams than not.
Disagree. When the teams suck, it is very easy for armchair GMs to call in and talk about ways for the team to get better. When the Pats are 14-2 and winning titles every other year then there's nothing to discuss (aside from whatever controversial take the hosts create that day or week). Creating those takes is harder work than having people call in to either bitch and moan or discuss trade ideas, who should be the next coach / GM / QB / whatever, etc.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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I kind of disagree. I think it makes their jobs easier in the short term but not long term. If they have an extended amount of time in the gutter it becomes more difficult IMO. What the hell do you talk about week in and week out of the pats are 5-12 and haven’t made the playoffs in a few years? Not going to be much in game analysis at that point and my guess is listeners are going to drop off if the local teams suck.

I would bet a majority of talk radio host would rather have successful teams than not.
WEEI was born and thrived in an era of suck and disappointment (mid/late 90s through 2004). The height and highlight of the Big Show every day was the Whiner Line, for crying out loud.

By the time all four local teams won championships in a 8-10 period, the station was a shell of itself (and remains so). And out of the ashes rose the Sports Hub led by the likes of Felger and Mazz emphasizing and wallowing in any negativity they could find (real or manufactured). Sports radio, particularly local sports radio, thrives on bitching and moaning. The more the local team(s) sucks, the more bitching and moaning there can be. Fellowship of the Miserable and all that.
 

Helmet Head

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Maybe you guys are right , I guess I am going by personal preference and think it’s going to be harder to keep listeners when the teams suck, especially after an extended amount of success.
 

Salem's Lot

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Talk radio thrives on pissing people off/getting pissed off people to call in. Yes if the local teams are so bad for so long that the entire area becomes apathetic towards sports, then that’s bad for business, but that’s very unlikely to happen.

They seem to be competing for those angry callers/listeners with the political shows.Therefore, I assume that they try to come up with the most outrageously angry takes that they can to hook those listeners so that they don’t change the dial.
 

John Marzano Olympic Hero

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And out of the ashes rose the Sports Hub led by the likes of Felger and Mazz emphasizing and wallowing in any negativity they could find (real or manufactured). Sports radio, particularly local sports radio, thrives on bitching and moaning.
I agree with you on most of what you and tim4wins wrote, but the one thing that I disagree is how F&M started. They were the alternative to WEEI and were a bit more optimistic and willing to talk more about the good stuff rather than bitch, bitch, bitch. TSH talked a lot about the Bruins, at a time when they were ignored. Felger especially was decent and would also acquiesce to fans, I remember the winter before the B's drafted Seguin, Felger was begging the team to trade the pick because he wasn't Taylor Hall. That's all he talked about for weeks, but after awhile fans kept telling him how good Seguin was and Felger changed his mind. I remember driving home and him saying something like, "Okay, you've convinced me. I heard from a lot of you and I've changed my mind. This kid (Seguin) looks like he's going to be something."

It was really refreshing.

They also talked a bunch about soccer (it was around the World Cup) and it wasn't just, "Look at those Euros falling and begging for calls". It was decent soccer talk. That's what got me into F&M, it was so much different from Glenn Ordway and his cast of buffoons. However, some time in the mid 2010s, F&M decided that going pessimistic was the way to glory (and I guess they're not wrong) and became the itch to every jock. Consequently, I barely listen any more. I don't need three people play acting and gaslighting me into how bad the teams I watch are.
 

tims4wins

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I agree with you on most of what you and tim4wins wrote, but the one thing that I disagree is how F&M started. They were the alternative to WEEI and were a bit more optimistic and willing to talk more about the good stuff rather than bitch, bitch, bitch. TSH talked a lot about the Bruins, at a time when they were ignored. Felger especially was decent and would also acquiesce to fans, I remember the winter before the B's drafted Seguin, Felger was begging the team to trade the pick because he wasn't Taylor Hall. That's all he talked about for weeks, but after awhile fans kept telling him how good Seguin was and Felger changed his mind. I remember driving home and him saying something like, "Okay, you've convinced me. I heard from a lot of you and I've changed my mind. This kid (Seguin) looks like he's going to be something."

It was really refreshing.

They also talked a bunch about soccer (it was around the World Cup) and it wasn't just, "Look at those Euros falling and begging for calls". It was decent soccer talk. That's what got me into F&M, it was so much different from Glenn Ordway and his cast of buffoons. However, some time in the mid 2010s, F&M decided that going pessimistic was the way to glory (and I guess they're not wrong) and became the itch to every jock. Consequently, I barely listen any more. I don't need three people play acting and gaslighting me into how bad the teams I watch are.
I agree with this, in the beginning Felger was fantastic. I only lived in MA (aside from being home from college in the summer) for 1 year during the 2001-2018 period, from summer 2005 to summer 2006 (moved back here spring 2018). Anyway, during that year I listened to Felger during my drive home from work every damn day. And it wasn't because I disagreed with his controversial hot takes, because that wasn't what he did at that point in time.
 

BlackJack

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I kind of disagree. I think it makes their jobs easier in the short term but not long term. If they have an extended amount of time in the gutter it becomes more difficult IMO. What the hell do you talk about week in and week out of the pats are 5-12 and haven’t made the playoffs in a few years? Not going to be much in game analysis at that point and my guess is listeners are going to drop off if the local teams suck.

I would bet a majority of talk radio host would rather have successful teams than not.
I agree with this. I think this is where the success of the last 20 years could have a real impact on sports interest if the teams are all mediocre or worse. I think it's a lot easier to be disinterested now if any given team isn't very good.
 

tims4wins

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I agree with this. I think this is where the success of the last 20 years could have a real impact on sports interest if the teams are all mediocre or worse. I think it's a lot easier to be disinterested now if any given team isn't very good.
Not just the success, but the other entertainment options at our fingertips definitely makes it easier to tune out.
 

54thMA

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They are playing a promo of the Felger and Mazz show that I have heard a few times during the Toucher and Rich show today and it has kind of annoyed me, which I guess is the point.

It is Mazz screaming about how P-O-R-K-E-D the pats are over the next decade because of the QBs in the conference (specifically Mahomes, Allen & Burrow). It’s not the take that bothers me though because it is a reasonable take. It’s how happy Mazz is about it. Does the guy realize how much money the pats have made him over the last decade plus since their show existed? Gave them a ton of content. If they go down the tubes it’s going to make his job much tougher. So good luck I guess. Love the local radio guys being happy about a hometown team potentially struggling moving forward.
I caught that, what a jackass he is, he was gleeful about it, then that assbag Murray chimed in too.

How's his Tampa fandom doing BTW, wonder if he'll still wear all the Tampa gear if Brady retires.

Someone needs to show Mazz Josh Allen's stats his first year as a Bill, then compare those stats to Mac Jones and his first year.

They act like this is the ceiling and Jones has no chance to get any better.

Fucking morons.
 

amRadio

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Feb 7, 2019
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Their thesis for the day is "Ortiz needed steroids to be great more than Bonds, Clemens, Manny, A-Rod"

They really leave nothing for fans who want to enjoy the moment. No discussion of Ortiz's accomplishments. No memories. Didn't Mazz cover Ortiz for years? And he has nothing to add except to take him down a peg and say he isn't as good as Bonds, Manny etc.
 

John Marzano Olympic Hero

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They really leave nothing for fans who want to enjoy the moment.
Of course not, if you enjoy sports you're a wussy fan boy. Don't you know this? Sports needs to be as bleak, humorless and dour as the real world. That's how you know that you're watching it right.
 

NortheasternPJ

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I agree with you on most of what you and tim4wins wrote, but the one thing that I disagree is how F&M started. They were the alternative to WEEI and were a bit more optimistic and willing to talk more about the good stuff rather than bitch, bitch, bitch. TSH talked a lot about the Bruins, at a time when they were ignored. Felger especially was decent and would also acquiesce to fans, I remember the winter before the B's drafted Seguin, Felger was begging the team to trade the pick because he wasn't Taylor Hall. That's all he talked about for weeks, but after awhile fans kept telling him how good Seguin was and Felger changed his mind. I remember driving home and him saying something like, "Okay, you've convinced me. I heard from a lot of you and I've changed my mind. This kid (Seguin) looks like he's going to be something."

It was really refreshing.

They also talked a bunch about soccer (it was around the World Cup) and it wasn't just, "Look at those Euros falling and begging for calls". It was decent soccer talk. That's what got me into F&M, it was so much different from Glenn Ordway and his cast of buffoons. However, some time in the mid 2010s, F&M decided that going pessimistic was the way to glory (and I guess they're not wrong) and became the itch to every jock. Consequently, I barely listen any more. I don't need three people play acting and gaslighting me into how bad the teams I watch are.
From like 2010-2015 I listened to F&M all the time, it was great radio. Deflategate got a bit wearing but by 2016 or so it's unlistenable. They went super negative, Beetle moved onto Mid-Days and they brought in Emo-Jim Murray. Beetle even by the end was worn down by their negativity and started to play along with them. The show today is horrible. I listened Monday at 2 because I thought it'd be a lot about the fantastic games over the weekend and it turned into just BS about BB and the Pats.

We're clearly in the minority because they're doing better than ever but it sucks to see what it's become vs. where they were. They're apparently one of the top sports shows in the country at this point from what people have speculated.
 

j-man

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a underrated sports show is follow the money they are out of vegas they talk about every sport it's on nesn plus from 6-9 am but also on masn from 3-6 pm
 

Granite Sox

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I didn’t have much of an opinion one way or the on Jay Glazer as an NFL insider, but he’s on F&M right now and he’s not playing their game. Giving honest answers to questions as opposed to “takes”. Some of his answers don’t align with Felger’s opinions, and Glazer is looking him right in the eye and shrugging him off. Big props to Glazer.

Mad Dog was on in Hour 1 and he was a hoot as usual.
 

John Marzano Olympic Hero

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I didn’t have much of an opinion one way or the on Jay Glazer as an NFL insider, but he’s on F&M right now and he’s not playing their game. Giving honest answers to questions as opposed to “takes”. Some of his answers don’t align with Felger’s opinions, and Glazer is looking him right in the eye and shrugging him off. Big props to Glazer.

Mad Dog was on in Hour 1 and he was a hoot as usual.
What's he saying?
 

Granite Sox

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(Guessing you’re referring to Glazer)

[Paraphrasing as best I can] Felger probing him on Brady retirement - snub and return? Don't know if he’s returning but don’t think so. Kind of a “who cares?” shrug on snub. Would not engage, which is what F&M desperately wanted.

The part I loved is that Felger asked him if he thinks Belichick is “losing it” a little bit. Glazer looked at him incredulously and said Belichick was “phenomenal” last year.

Felger: “Phenomenal“ is a little strong. They barely made the playoffs and got killed by Buffalo. You won’t find anyone in New England that thought he was phenomenal.

Glazer (with an “are you kidding me?” expression on his face): Belichick was open to re-building the roster in a completely different way for him, bringing in players from outside the organization, AND made it to the playoffs with a rookie QB.

Felger: yeah but [insert Patriots hot takes A, B, and C]

Glazer (arms folded): They went to the playoffs with a rookie QB. C’mon.

Felger then switches to the no-OC-or-DC as evidence that Belichick’s lost it.

Glazer looks Felger dead in the eye and says, ”Let me tell what I’m NOT going to do… I’m not going to question what Belichick is doing” at this point in his career.

Felger then said the reason they don’t have coordinators is because they’re cheap. Glazer: Cheap? F&M: yeah, cheap. Glazer (waves hand): they just had an OC for years and years and they paid him millions. What do you mean cheap?

As stated above, I’m paraphrasing as best I can and probably not doing it full justice, but F&M we’re teeing up topics like Glazer was Danny in Quincy trying to get a rise or a hot take, and he swatted them away in a very no nonsense way.

Loved it.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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I had the misfortune of listenign to them this afternoon. Their take on Derrick White was woefully uninformed, which I guess is par for the course. "Pop gave us the PG he didn't want. How can this be good for the Cs"?
 

Mystic Merlin

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I had the misfortune of listenign to them this afternoon. Their take on Derrick White was woefully uninformed, which I guess is par for the course. "Pop gave us the PG he didn't want. How can this be good for the Cs"?
I listened to five minutes of the recording, and I kinda admire Felger not even trying to dress up his takes anymore, he’s just breaking the fourth wall. Had a ‘well I don’t know anything about this guy but,well, I don’t think I like it looking at this here sheet!’ take. Murray egged him on (‘go ahead give a take whatever’).
 

John Marzano Olympic Hero

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(Guessing you’re referring to Glazer)

[Paraphrasing as best I can] Felger probing him on Brady retirement - snub and return? Don't know if he’s returning but don’t think so. Kind of a “who cares?” shrug on snub. Would not engage, which is what F&M desperately wanted.

The part I loved is that Felger asked him if he thinks Belichick is “losing it” a little bit. Glazer looked at him incredulously and said Belichick was “phenomenal” last year.

Felger: “Phenomenal“ is a little strong. They barely made the playoffs and got killed by Buffalo. You won’t find anyone in New England that thought he was phenomenal.

Glazer (with an “are you kidding me?” expression on his face): Belichick was open to re-building the roster in a completely different way for him, bringing in players from outside the organization, AND made it to the playoffs with a rookie QB.

Felger: yeah but [insert Patriots hot takes A, B, and C]

Glazer (arms folded): They went to the playoffs with a rookie QB. C’mon.

Felger then switches to the no-OC-or-DC as evidence that Belichick’s lost it.

Glazer looks Felger dead in the eye and says, ”Let me tell what I’m NOT going to do… I’m not going to question what Belichick is doing” at this point in his career.

Felger then said the reason they don’t have coordinators is because they’re cheap. Glazer: Cheap? F&M: yeah, cheap. Glazer (waves hand): they just had an OC for years and years and they paid him millions. What do you mean cheap?

As stated above, I’m paraphrasing as best I can and probably not doing it full justice, but F&M we’re teeing up topics like Glazer was Danny in Quincy trying to get a rise or a hot take, and he swatted them away in a very no nonsense way.

Loved it.
Thank you so much for this.
 

Granite Sox

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LGBT on now... very cool dude. Answering questions re career in TB, NE, Philly.

Also discussing his CBD company; even though he's pumping product, he's speaking very genuinely about his experience with pain and anxiety in relatable terms and how he'd like to help others.

Shaved the long dreads!

Big smile, engaging personality. Loved his time in NE the most.

fake edit: it should go without saying, but Super Bowl Week/Radio Row is the only time F&M have (current or former) players, coaches, or front office execs on as guests, primarily for two reasons: 1. Their ratings suggest they don't need guests, and 2. They're assholes and talk so much (fabricated) shit about everybody no one WANTS to be their guest (aka The Neely Experience). Guests are there to plug their own companies/causes/products.

real edit: updated to reflext Vinho Tinto's comment below. Good clarification.
 
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Mueller's Twin Grannies

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I was worried that I was going to hate this show but it has replaced "The Big Show" as my go to show in the afternoon/evening.

I haven't listened to The Big Show for that 5 minutes in the last week and a half and I believe I am smarter for it.

Today's interview with Francona a few minutes ago was great, Felger had no problem asking Francona about Tek and the lineup, and while Francona took him to the woodshed, it was a great question and answer that many of us here have asked.
I had the misfortune of listenign to them this afternoon. Their take on Derrick White was woefully uninformed, which I guess is par for the course. "Pop gave us the PG he didn't want. How can this be good for the Cs"?
They have to be smarter, get Chris Simms or Marshall Faulk on there if you want takes.
We've come a long way, baby.
 

Quiddity

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Oct 14, 2008
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I made the mistake of listening to the first hour of the program today. They're all in on how horrible a job Belichick has done with the coaching staff, as we stand at this important junction, 4 days after the Super Bowl when we all know that the entire off season hiring has been settled across the league and certainly won't change in any fashion the rest of the winter and spring. Taking speculation from Scott Zolak who has 4 hours a day to kill as fact and proclaiming that the Pats refuse to hire any experienced outside staff and will only take guys who have been fired from other organizations but are still being paid, because the Patriots are so cheap. That they refuse to name anyone an offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator because that means any fired contract offsets would be null and void (how in the world does it make sense that a guy paid to be a head coach isn't owed the money any more because he gets named a coordinator elsewhere?). And perhaps its all a scheme on Belichick's part, that he does this so he personally can extract as much money as possible out of the Krafts while paying everyone else peanuts. Of course the fact that the team paid Josh McDaniels the equivalent of a head coaching salary to stay as offensive coordinator the last few years gets conveniently memory holed.

My own damn fault for listening
 

54thMA

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Their show tomorrow is going to be....................something.

Wonder what the lead story will be; that Baseball or Brady are back?
 

Granite Sox

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It also amuses me that whenever anyone talks about the linchpins of Dynasty 1.0, they mention Brady... Bruschi... Vrabel... Seymour... Harrison... Law. No one EVER mentions Ted Johnson. Although he was a good player, that should tell you something about how he is viewed relative to the inner circle of Pats legends.

F&M CRUSHED the Pats last year for spending like drunken sailors during free agency... no different from teams like the Jets... not a way to build a team... blah blah blah. Fast forward one year and it's "There is no plan!"... "They're doing NOTHING!"... "Emphasizing culture over talent!"... "Re-signing old vets who aren't worth the $$!" and Johnson has fallen right into the trap. It's embarrassing.
 

Vinho Tinto

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Johnson had a short peak, and never was named to a pro bowl or all-pro, but he was a monster on the early Pete Carroll defenses. He was a big part of the Super Bowl run.
 

j-man

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He hates Belichick and blames him for all his concussion issues, so not that surprising
back then everyone played through concussions if he hates bill that explains why fegler likes him btw i am team bill over brady and willie M is great on tolal access
 

54thMA

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they might be planning for tony mazz relpcement in a few years with this johnson guy yes mike he got that down pat
Oh joy, imagine Johnson and Felger every day, railing about the Patriots for four hours.

That'll be must listen to radio for sure; talk about a non starter, I don't listen to Felger and his ballwashing buddy Mazz as it is, then throw in that imbecilic Brady honk Murray, the three stooges........................