Zolak Report on "Big News" [Ron Howard voice: There was no news]

[crawhammer]

That's the difference between you and I. I have SOME perspective. You have none. You want immediate gratification and everything is black or white

You're an awesome person.

He chose a team with the best top 3 WR combination in the league.

Evans, Godwin and ? Scotty Miller?

AB was brought in by Brady. He wasn't already there.

He chose a team with 3 TE's all of whom could be #1's on another team. (Gronk, Brate, and #1 pick OJ Howard.

You're kidding, right?

Firstly, again, Brady brought Gronk onboard. Out of necessity because certainly Brate is no TE1. OJ Howard blows.

Stop it. The numbers and self interest just made it not work for either side. When are you going to be man enough to admit it.

lol love it! "Be a man" talk. You made an incorrect assertion. Just acknowledge it, man.

No, Brady has been good to great the past 3 seasons. AND he probably could have easily played another, I believe. But do you really want ANYONE to believe that with Tom Brady, plus his $25MM cap hit and the roster losses that would have entailed would have won 11 games in NE in 2020?

You forget the quarterback play in those 2020 losses. Brady absolutely swings their record by 4 games. I'll point out the exact games, and how, if you'd like? (At risk of the dreaded repeating myself).

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

People might have thought I was joking when I said Zo was probably hammered. I was not joking. Zo is a character. I like him as a color guy on the broadcasts, and he does well interviewing BB with the Bellistrator, but beyond that it goes down hill quickly.

Was in a luxury suite one game. This guy came in and asked if any of us would like to attend the post game press conference.
Zo was legless. It was embarrassing

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

And you are?

One-if-by-sea

 

[Tunescribe]

Or listen to the 65,000 at Gillette chanting ZAPPE ZAPPE

Meaning only 3,000 would not be chanting, that's quite a fantasy you have. During the Chicago game everyone got pretty quiet after Zappe threw his second interception.

 

[DarrylS]

Zolak is terrible. Between his not talking into the mic half the time and his ice cold takes, he makes me long for the days of Waltham's Fred Smerlas

What I dislike about Zolak is that when Bertran spouts his outrageous controversies and nontroversies about the Patriots he remains silent. He knows more about how the Pats work, but seldom contests the BS spouted by his co-hosts.
I liked Smerlas because he was a "true homer" who never wavered about his passion for the Patriots..

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

You keep on saying this like its the truth despite OVERWHELMING evidence to the contrary, Donald

Oh there were some poor drafts, no question, but that's the nature of the game. Most draft picks fail. Pick 8-10 players a year and 4 years later you have 3 starters or major contributors, you hit a home run that year.

Drafts are the best examples of fans with perfect 20-20 hindsight. You guys can ALWAYS do it better. Granted I complain with the best of you when they pass up my binky or don't draft a position of need I think is important. And yes, I still wince with the Sony over Chubb pick, even though Michel greatly aided in 2 straight superbowl appearances.

Come 5/27, I will moan and cheer like everyone else. But the difference is I KNOW that its a crap shoot and some 6th round no name COULD end up being the best pick in the bunch, I KNOW that how those picks perform in 2023 might not be the end result of the player in 2026. Many many players get better (or worse) AFTER they are drafted. A rare few are immediate hit, most take a few years to develop. Some get worse (Wynn).

That's the difference between you and I. I have SOME perspective. You have none. You want immediate gratification and everything is black or white

He chose a team with the best top 3 WR combination in the league. He chose a team with 3 TE's all of whom could be #1's on another team. (Gronk, Brate, and #1 pick OJ Howard. It had a decent OL and a great D. they year before they had a top offense and lost because their QB threw too many picks and lost too many fumbles (something Brady stopped doing in 2003.

there is not a single team in the NFL that views OJ Howard or Brate as #1 Tight End.

You are only making yourself look obtuse by your last comment.


Stop it. The numbers and self interest just made it not work for either side. When are you going to be man enough to admit it.

No, Brady has been good to great the past 3 seasons. AND he probably could have easily played another, I believe. But do you really want ANYONE to believe that with Tom Brady, plus his $25MM cap hit and the roster losses that would have entailed would have won 11 games in NE in 2020?

Yeah if you give him Gronk, Brate, Evans, AB, Godwin, and a great running game. WHY do you continue to think football is a one man game.

It was simply the RIGHT time for both to move on. The Pats had put everything into a 4 year run that produced 3 superbowl appearances. They were old, in cap hell, and had a string of unproductive drafts. Normally your 41 year old QB would have called it a day after the 2019 that saw an 8-0 start fall apart after injuries exposed a top heavy team. PLUS Brady wanted to still play (FOR A CONTENDER) and his wife wanted warmer climes

No conspiracy, just 2 parties going in different direction.

 

[JMC00]

What I dislike about Zolak is that when Bertran spouts his outrageous controversies and nontroversies about the Patriots he remains silent. He knows more about how the Pats work, but seldom contests the BS spouted by his co-hosts.
I liked Smerlas because he was a "true homer" who never wavered about his passion for the Patriots..

Yep. It's because he'd be out of a cushy 4 hour sports-talk job if he did that because then he'd just be a Pats homer if he always hit back on dumb takes just like guys like Smerlas did. All the Pats guys got ran out of Boston radio or at least said "**** this" and i'm not even talking about homers guys that were even-keeled Pats media guys are gone. All that needs to be said about the state of Boston sports radio really is the (2) 2-6 shows are hosted by Michael Felger and Adam Jones. Adam Jones is basically a ripoff Felger but at least Felger once in a while does have positive takes on the Pats.

 

[Tunescribe]

Yep. It's because he'd be out of a cushy 4 hour sports-talk job if he did that because then he'd just be a Pats homer if he always hit back on dumb takes just like guys like Smerlas did. All the Pats guys got ran out of Boston radio or at least said "**** this" and i'm not even talking about homers guys that were even-keeled Pats media guys are gone. All that needs to be said about the state of Boston sports radio really is the (2) 2-6 shows are hosted by Michael Felger and Adam Jones. Adam Jones is basically a ripoff Felger but at least Felger once in a while does have positive takes on the Pats.

I liked Jerry Thornton. He was a confirmed Patriots fan but could be objective in criticizing them when warranted. All these other guys bend over backwards not to root for them to do well.

 

[Plunkett2Vataha]

there is not a single team in the NFL that views OJ Howard or Brate as #1 Tight End.

If you are referring to how teams viewed Howard/Brate for 2022 then I agree with you. However, I believe patfanken may be referring to how some teams may have viewed Howard/Brate (as a #1 TE) at the conclusion of the 2019 season before Brady joined Tampa for the 2020 season. Their stats weren't that bad for 2019 and were fairly decent for 2018.

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

If you are referring to how teams viewed Howard/Brate for 2022 then I agree with you. However, I believe patfanken may be referring to how some teams may have viewed Howard/Brate (as a #1 TE) at the conclusion of the 2019 season before Brady joined Tampa for the 2020 season. Their stats weren't that bad for 2019 and were fairly decent for 2018.

brate had 289 yards in 18 and 311 yards in 19
howard 565 in 18 and 459 in 19 which is good but they had like 5000 passing yards or what in 2019 with winston; not more than 150 yards in each of the last 3 seasons
i don't think overall that brate or howard are #1 TE

 

[crawhammer]

brate had 289 yards in 18 and 311 yards in 19
howard 565 in 18 and 459 in 19 which is good but they had like 5000 passing yards or what in 2019 with winston; not more than 150 yards in each of the last 3 seasons
i don't think overall that brate or howard are #1 TE

How is this even debatable? Howard is a total stiff, especially for a 1st round pick. He suffered a season ending injury in week 4 of 2020. He was a total nonfactor in their Super Bowl run. Brate averages 23 receiving yards per game for his career. He literally started 5 games for the Bucs 2020-2022 and he got completely overshadowed by a rookie TE last season. Brate is barely a TE2.

 

[Patsgofor4]

It’s always fun to check in on this site for any new Pats news, only to find this thread once again being hijacked by the same posters, this time with a riveting argument about ex-Buccaneers tight ends. Did the mods all take the day off?

 

[DarrylS]

Yep. It's because he'd be out of a cushy 4 hour sports-talk job if he did that because then he'd just be a Pats homer if he always hit back on dumb takes just like guys like Smerlas did. All the Pats guys got ran out of Boston radio or at least said "**** this" and i'm not even talking about homers guys that were even-keeled Pats media guys are gone. All that needs to be said about the state of Boston sports radio really is the (2) 2-6 shows are hosted by Michael Felger and Adam Jones. Adam Jones is basically a ripoff Felger but at least Felger once in a while does have positive takes on the Pats.

I would prefer to be an honest homer rather than a cheap media whore who sells his soul to ratings.. today Bertram was ranting and raving about Joe Judge, which at best is a lateral move for him. Overseeing ST's is a definite need as they crapped the bed big time last year.
I would imagine that Zolak is pretty well all set and is not groveling for $$$$$.

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

It’s always fun to check in on this site for any new Pats news, only to find this thread once again being hijacked by the same posters, this time with a riveting argument about ex-Buccaneers tight ends. Did the mods all take the day off?

This is not what happened if you would have actually followed the conversation but it’s typically for som posters to just complain all the time if their hero bb isn’t worshiped in every post
Yeah there are other statements here which you can discuss

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

How is this even debatable? Howard is a total stiff, especially for a 1st round pick. He suffered a season ending injury in week 4 of 2020. He was a total nonfactor in their Super Bowl run. Brate averages 23 receiving yards per game for his career. He literally started 5 games for the Bucs 2020-2022 and he got completely overshadowed by a rookie TE last season. Brate is barely a TE2.

Well the statement was made
I think he did not intend to but I feel like sometimes here posters try to diminish the success Brady had without Belichick by saying he has won it due to his great supporting cast ,they dint seem happy for him

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Well the statement was made
I think he did not intend to but I feel like sometimes here posters try to diminish the success Brady had without Belichick by saying he has won it due to his great supporting cast ,they dint seem happy for him

Her had a better team in Tampa than he would have had here if they paid him a similar salary.

 

[Drunken Cicerone]

Any minute now guys

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

Her had a better team in Tampa than he would have had here if they paid him a similar salary.

That’s not the point, I mean sth like he couldn’t have done it without this cast although he threw pretty great balls and without Brady they would not have won a ring no matter who played there

 

[PatsfanTN]

I liked Jerry Thornton. He was a confirmed Patriots fan but could be objective in criticizing them when warranted. All these other guys bend over backwards not to root for them to do well.

I agree with this. I listen to mostly Boston area sports talk and it always blows my mind the absolute HATE coming from local guys up there. It’s insane. Nowhere else that I’ve been has local media been so down on their Teams.

with that in mind….the Pats and the Sox are literally running the show the same way. Moneyball approach, not gonna cut it and it’s infuriating.

 

[crawhammer]

That’s not the point, I mean sth like he couldn’t have done it without this cast although he threw pretty great balls and without Brady they would not have won a ring no matter who played there

Brady was spectacular in 2020, with a new team, with new teammates, and with a new head coach and coaching staff. He should have won NFL MVP in 2021 but the media worships Rodgers. Brady had the 3rd most passing yards in a single (5316). At age 44! This season he carried a team with a toilet seat for a head coach and no running game. Set an NFL record with 490 pass completions. He's still good enough where if he had the desire and motivation he probably would be heading to SF for another SB run in 2023.