- 5 months ago
Zolak and Bertrand invite The Athletic's Dianna Russini onto the show, sharing her input about the latest story lines involving the Patriots.
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00:00Diana Rossini, everybody, from The Athletic.
00:02Hi.
00:03I am fresh off a wonderful conversation with Jon Bon Jovi, all right?
00:08What do you say?
00:08Personal friend of Zoe's, by the way.
00:10You guys know by now I'm a New Jersey girl, proud of it.
00:13And I have this dream of, so when you land at Newark Airport,
00:16there's this thing that's like, welcome to New Jersey, home too.
00:19And it's like the more, the important people of New Jersey.
00:22It is a dream.
00:22Yeah, we get in here in Boston.
00:24It's like the rest stop.
00:25Yeah, well, that's a separate thing, and we discuss that.
00:27But my goal is to get that at Newark.
00:30Like, I want to be so good at this at one point in my life
00:32and just have it up there that's like, you know,
00:34I'm like, hey, Rossini's from New Jersey, which is like the stupidest dream.
00:38But it's just my dumb dream.
00:39So I was telling Jon, which he definitely was like this person's a lunatic.
00:43So he said, well, why aren't you dreaming bigger?
00:46Go rest stops.
00:47I'm like, well, you have one.
00:48And I think he's got the turnpike as well.
00:51So, yeah, that was awesome.
00:52That made my day.
00:53Lombardi.
00:54One of my favorites.
00:55I love that, you know, you get big, big names.
00:58Big Jersey.
00:58Does Springsteen have a rest stop?
00:59He must.
01:00Yeah.
01:00Whitney Houston.
01:02There's a Cheesequake one.
01:04Never see that one?
01:05No.
01:05I don't know how often.
01:05Really?
01:06It's called Cheesequake.
01:06I still don't even really know what that is,
01:08but people on Twitter were like, Cheesequake, the best rest stop.
01:11People in New Jersey are very prideful of the rest stops
01:13and, like, what options they have there.
01:16I don't care.
01:17How are you doing?
01:17How's your family?
01:18Oh, my gosh.
01:18Thank you for asking.
01:19I'm awesome.
01:20I used to see her so many years ago.
01:22Oh, my gosh.
01:23Back before.
01:23You settled down.
01:24You got a family now and everything?
01:25I was just talking to Amendola on the sideline.
01:27He's like, do you remember us when we were young running around this town?
01:30I'm like, I do, unfortunately.
01:32We're all young trying to figure this thing out,
01:33and now here I am married, two kids.
01:36My little boy's turning four tomorrow.
01:37I got a three-year-old, so we have a lot.
01:39Oh, God.
01:39You said Amendola's retired.
01:41I know.
01:41I'm like, who are you?
01:44We've always stayed in touch over the years, and he always takes my call.
01:47He's the best.
01:48He'll help me with football stuff.
01:49You know, we just like to catch up on things going on around the league.
01:51And after he won, he wasn't answering those calls that much,
01:55so I finally just started making videos.
01:56I was like, yo, answer your phone.
01:57You're not that big.
01:59You can shake now.
02:00Who cares?
02:00So what's funny is we got all 1 o'clock games now.
02:03So back in the day when the team was really good,
02:05I would always see her at the 1130 hit.
02:07You would be doing a TV hit.
02:09I had CBS here.
02:10You would be at the stadium eight hours before.
02:12So different now, guys.
02:14So different.
02:14It is.
02:15All right.
02:15So what do you think?
02:16I love it.
02:17I like the energy.
02:18I like the organization, like the actual word organization.
02:21Like it looks organized out here.
02:24Look, I think identity was always going to be the thing that needed to be
02:28established immediately, right?
02:29Like that was number one priority for this team,
02:33especially after what we saw off the last few years.
02:35So the fact that I can feel it.
02:37I cover the Titans a lot.
02:39That was one of my other ESPN gigs was go follow the Titans.
02:43They made me work for it there.
02:45Well, what happens is when you become an NFL reporter there,
02:49you know, you got the Sal Palantonia, you got the star.
02:51So when you're starting off, they're like, yeah, you're not good yet.
02:54So we're going to send you with teams that don't really get a lot of high
02:57profile attention.
02:58And the year I got the Titans was the year they went to the AFC
03:03championship game, which I got really lucky with it.
03:06So I was just with them constantly.
03:07And I'm seeing what Vrabes envisioned in Tennessee.
03:12I see it on the field already.
03:13And even just talking to the guys, it's all the same messaging,
03:15which tells me it's working and they're absorbing it.
03:18We always play clips of your podcast.
03:21And we played one yesterday.
03:23Yeah, we played a good one yesterday about the hype around this team.
03:27From Simmons or my podcast?
03:28It was your podcast.
03:30Oh, that was Simmons?
03:31Oh, we edited him out.
03:33It was just you.
03:34That's why I thought it was your podcast.
03:35That's my first time on it.
03:36I was so nervous.
03:37Why?
03:38I know.
03:38I do this all the time.
03:39You guys know I've been 100 years old.
03:41But, you know, Bill's got such a big following, a lot of respect for him.
03:45And he's the king of it.
03:47So it's like I've got to go on here and be really informed and fun.
03:51And I don't know if I accomplished that.
03:52But isn't he easy to talk to?
03:53He's a nice guy, isn't he?
03:54Everyone says he's a nice guy.
03:56He's respectful.
03:58He's got a good delivery.
03:59Yeah, he does.
04:01Honestly, it's a lot like this show where you just forget.
04:03You're like, oh, wait.
04:04Hold on.
04:05I'm being recorded right now.
04:07People are listening.
04:08You should stick around for this or that.
04:10I was looking for the big Pablo Torre-Simmons fight.
04:13That wasn't a fight.
04:14They were like, how are you?
04:15I'm good.
04:16How are you?
04:16By the way, F you for that thing.
04:18I wish I could air out all the media fights.
04:20There are some juicy ones out there.
04:22I mean, you guys got a little taste of it with Ian Rappaport and Jordan Schultz during the combine.
04:25That was – I was standing right there.
04:27That is nothing.
04:28Schultz would have kicked his ass.
04:29That's great.
04:30I'm team Schultz.
04:30These guys think they're so tough.
04:32They're up to my hip, right?
04:34Like, and they're all talking such a big game.
04:36They're all running away, calling security.
04:38I'm like, oh, my goodness, you bunch of –
04:40The worst ever Super Bowl week was I had to use the restroom, and I go in the restroom.
04:44There's Jim Rowe.
04:44What's up, Scotty Z?
04:45Good seeing you, buddy.
04:47Sorry about the security.
04:48He had three guys with him.
04:49Three guys.
04:50To watch him use the urinal.
04:51To allow him to go just in case Jim Everett was there and he would have kicked his ass in the bathroom.
04:56All right, but anyway, back to the clip.
04:57You said there was a lot of hype around this Patriots team.
04:59Yeah.
04:59Who do you think the hype is coming from?
05:02That was the one question we had about that.
05:04Yeah, I think it's a little superficial from a national perspective because it was so bad last year.
05:11And the idea that someone is now in charge who knows what they're doing and put together a staff that has experience and that seems to gel already.
05:19And there just seems to be a vision that, look, it's easy to get excited when you start talking about improvements.
05:26Oh, my goodness.
05:27Could this be the Patriots of the years that Scott and I were talking about?
05:30Could it be back to that?
05:31And, look, there's always a flavor of Belichick around here through Mike Vrabel, even though we know they're different people and they were never on each other's staffs.
05:38But, obviously, he learned so much from the man.
05:41And it reeks, when you're out here on the practice field, that that's the man he learned from with a touch of his own vibe to it.
05:49Oh, he's different, yeah.
05:50He is different.
05:51And he even handles the media.
05:53Everything is different.
05:54And it's original to him.
05:56And, look, some people may like it.
05:58Some people may not like it.
05:59I think the hype I was talking about was, what's the 1B?
06:03Like, the 1A to me is Mike Vrabel is the head coach.
06:06And he was wanted by every team that had an opening.
06:09I don't care what people are saying about this organization's, you know, home did on this.
06:13Mike Vrabel had an opportunity to go anywhere.
06:16That is fact.
06:17And he chose to come back here.
06:19So, great.
06:201A.
06:21Robert Kraft nailed that.
06:22What's 1B here?
06:24And that's what I'm out here trying to find out.
06:26What else are we excited about?
06:28Is it Josh McDaniel with Drake May?
06:30Is it them taking this next step?
06:31I was just with Bo Nix in Denver.
06:34He is far along.
06:35He does not look like a second-year quarterback, right?
06:38You like him, huh?
06:39I like him a lot.
06:40And, look, some of it is.
06:42Reminds me of Tim Tebow.
06:44That's not fair.
06:45That's disrespectful.
06:46No, no, no.
06:47That's so fair.
06:47Oh, Brian or is he going to leave?
06:49Hold on, hold on.
06:50Based on that comment.
06:51Tim Tebow could not throw.
06:52He threw his handcaps.
06:53Anthony.
06:53She's saying you're not serious people.
06:55I know he's a five-year starter.
06:56I know he transferred and all that.
06:57It's just the look.
06:59It's like a fullback look.
07:00I'm the one that's falling off.
07:01I'm on Bill Simmons yesterday.
07:02I'm on this now.
07:03What's going on in my career?
07:04No, look, we're watching Jaden out here right now.
07:08He looks phenomenal.
07:09He has an arm.
07:10He's so, he's just dancing.
07:12It's quick.
07:12But he knows what he's doing.
07:14He understands his offense, right?
07:15But you take a, you see what Jaden did last year with this Washington team taking them to
07:20the NFC Championship.
07:21And you understand why he earned the title he did.
07:25But you take a look at the stats comparably to Bo Nix.
07:29We just didn't talk about Bo Nix because they didn't make it deep into the playoffs.
07:32But passing yards, touchdowns, sacks, all better.
07:36All better.
07:36And that's where I think, you know, even just having a conversation with Sean Payton about
07:39it, the thing he loves about his quarterback is the fact that he doesn't take sacks, right?
07:44He's just smart enough to see the defenses at this point.
07:47And even talking to him about understanding this playbook, going from just seeing it to
07:52understanding the why of it.
07:53And that's what I want to see from Drake.
07:54Like, and look, this is a new offense for him.
07:56It's going to take time.
07:58But what is it?
07:59Is it the defense that we're psyched about?
08:01Is it this wide receiver group?
08:02I've been hearing buzz about this offensive line.
08:04I thought it was going to look terrible.
08:05That's not what people here on the ground are telling me.
08:07What have they been talking about?
08:07Who have you talked to?
08:08The offensive line has a terrible...
08:09You saw John Bon Jovi.
08:12Please get that from the owner.
08:13It hasn't been good.
08:14It has not been good.
08:15I've heard that it's the bright spot of this team.
08:17And that came from someone I'm able to see.
08:20I don't trust that take.
08:21I don't trust that take.
08:24Run it.
08:25Run it.
08:26It's young.
08:27And they've got some learning here.
08:29But, look, all we can do is compare it to what it looked like last year.
08:34The bar is so low.
08:35So I agree with everything you're saying.
08:36The hype is out of control.
08:38The only thing they've got that people cling to is that Rabel is here.
08:41And there's this false sense of security with, it's like having Belichick again.
08:46And they were always in it.
08:47And then beyond that, the receiver group is not all that upgraded from a year ago.
08:54But they've got a chance.
08:55I'm glad they have digs, but it's just not.
08:58But you've got Douglas out here making plays today.
09:00Correct.
09:00They like him.
09:01Against an NFC title type team.
09:03Fuck, are you?
09:03Yep.
09:04No, it's true.
09:05They don't have an outside threat.
09:06What are the chances Terry McLaurin actually gets traded?
09:09Good question.
09:09It's not happening.
09:10He's going to stay in Washington.
09:11I don't think it happens like today.
09:13I still think they have to work some stuff out.
09:15Why'd they let it get to this?
09:16What's the whole question?
09:17It's a great question.
09:17And I'm not trying to avoid the question.
09:19It's just these are sometimes decisions front offices make rather than getting ahead of it,
09:24like we see with teams in Houston and the Rams.
09:27The Eagles, obviously, are the kings of how he will write a check 17 years before the guy is even up.
09:34Just to lock him in like you're our guy.
09:36I think the rub on Terry is just part of Terry wants, you know, to be paid for a lot of what he's done.
09:44And we know how that works, though.
09:45That just, you know, Dan Quinn's such a culture guy.
09:47Terry fits it.
09:48He is the commander in terms of like the way to do it.
09:51You know, he held that organization up when they were garbage.
09:55So I think there's a lot of feelings in this one, just like it is in Dallas with Micah.
10:00That one's ugly, though.
10:01Like this isn't ugly.
10:03Terry McLaurin calls his head coach.
10:04I'm going to ask for a trade.
10:05That doesn't happen.
10:06Most players just put out that they're trading.
10:08They have the agent call.
10:10He's informing his coaching staff.
10:12This is what I'm going to be doing.
10:13He wants to be there.
10:14They want him there.
10:15That thing gets worked out.
10:16The Micah thing is weird.
10:17But the biggest thing right there, too.
10:18So the biggest comparison is with Khalil Mack back in the day.
10:22Yeah.
10:22And Mack was, I think, two years older when he got traded.
10:25He got traded for two ones of four and seven and still got paid.
10:28Yep.
10:29Nobody's doing that for this guy at this stage.
10:31The way the NFL is.
10:32Yeah, correct.
10:32But you are making the comparison to Micah.
10:35But Micah, yes, they would do that.
10:37They're not trading Micah.
10:39Teams are going to do.
10:40They would do that.
10:40You think teams would give up two ones for them?
10:42Yep.
10:42Yeah.
10:43Absolutely.
10:43I would argue three.
10:45Do it.
10:47He's that good.
10:48What team do you think he can do that?
10:49Jerry knows that.
10:50You want to play this game?
10:51Jerry's team.
10:51I don't want to play.
10:52I know Jerry's team.
10:54I know Jerry's team.
10:56But we get it from Burt Brewer.
10:57Because, like, Burt covered him down there.
10:58And it's like, you got Brian Schottenheimer as your head coach.
11:01Yeah.
11:01Jason Garrett as your head coach.
11:02I know.
11:03Brian Schottenheimer.
11:04He could have had Bill Belichick.
11:06Brian Schottenheimer told.
11:08He could have had Mike Vrabel.
11:09Yes.
11:09Right?
11:10Like.
11:11Bill Parcells and him to get along.
11:12That's not the guy.
11:13I don't think they wanted that alpha.
11:16I don't.
11:16It's not about money.
11:17They never do.
11:18He doesn't.
11:19You think that.
11:20Let's just play the game of Belichick with Jerry.
11:22How is that going to work?
11:24Even Mike Vrabel.
11:24How?
11:25No way.
11:26No way.
11:27So, it actually was smart from the Jerry perspective of.
11:31He's not going to be able to work with those types of personalities anyway.
11:33Brian Schottenheimer told my colleague Mike Silver.
11:36In an interview we did with him recently.
11:38That he was shocked he got the job.
11:41Like, I'm like, what is happening?
11:42I love that.
11:43He's like, I can't believe I got it.
11:45I love the honesty.
11:48But that's the way we all felt.
11:49You mentioned signing players early.
11:51Is Christian Gonzalez a $30 million player?
11:54Yes.
11:54And should the Patriots get the deal done?
11:55Yep.
11:56Yep.
11:56And I know they like him.
11:57So, I could see that being something that they get done and try to get ahead of without
12:01making that thing drag so it doesn't become a problem.
12:03Because that was something I was talking to some of the Patriots beat reporters on the ground
12:06that this is one of the camps I'm coming to and there's no distractions here.
12:10You guys don't have contract issues.
12:12I don't want to jinx.
12:13I'm not going to say all those other things that teams are dealing with because I don't
12:15want to jinx this.
12:17But it could be so much worse.
12:20This is like the honeymoon phase and you're feeling it.
12:23And I'm just excited to see what it's going to actually look like.
12:26He's good.
12:26He reminds me of Gilmore.
12:28Stephon Gilmore.
12:29Yeah.
12:30He's not on a team right now.
12:31He still wants to play, but he's not on a team yet.
12:34I don't know if the beat reporters have told you, but this has been a very easy, light
12:38workload camp for these Patriots.
12:40Well, that's because the rules of the league.
12:42The rules of the league prevent you from, because when I remember, I'm like, remember, because
12:47this interview is so long.
12:48Remember when I told you I covered the Titans?
12:50It is a very different type of look because the rules have changed, right?
12:54So they're not.
12:54They didn't change this year.
12:55They're not able to do those type of drills that you see Bill Belichick do.
12:59They changed from the Belichick time to now of how they're able to practice.
13:03But last year they were the same.
13:04They're all over you.
13:05Long practices last year.
13:07Last year they were physical and they had long practices this year.
13:10Maybe these guys don't want to deal with the penalties.
13:13I don't know.
13:13I mean, if there's any coaching staff that knows the rules inside out, up and down, it's
13:18this staff.
13:18Have you met John Schreiker?
13:20Guy just memorizes everything that you need to know in the NFL.
13:23We refer to him as stretch.
13:24Stretch.
13:25Yes.
13:26Yes, stretch.
13:26He's got nice hair.
13:27You watch Hard Knocks last night by chance?
13:28You know what?
13:29I did not because I was driving up here to see you guys.
13:31I didn't come for practice.
13:33It was the show.
13:34I heard you guys.
13:34Love it.
13:35Great.
13:35Real quick before you go, your best report ever.
13:39We were in Denver and one of your calm games and you're 12-4, 14-2, and it's a snow game
13:43and Gronkowski goes down, gets his knee taken out, he gets carted off, and Bob Soce and
13:48myself are up in a booth devastated because there goes your Super Bowl.
13:52And literally 10 minutes after that you had it.
13:54Gronk's fine.
13:54It's just a boost.
13:55I remember that.
13:56I remember who I got in for today.
13:56That's a good one you got.
13:57I remember I got it.
13:58I was sitting in the basement of an ESPN building in Bristol, and I wasn't even a real NFL reporter
14:05yet.
14:05I was just learning because I was anchoring SportsCenter back then, and I remember that
14:10feel when you press send.
14:12Like, whoop, that was a big one.
14:13That was a big one.
14:14I had that on Friday with Micah Parsons.
14:15I hadn't had one in a while.
14:17You get in your head when you're doing this all the time.
14:19You're like, oh, it's been a couple weeks.
14:20I've got to do something.
14:21And so I got that tip on Micah Parsons wanting a trade.
14:24And now that I've done it for a long time, I used to press send and then, like, look.
14:29Now I hit send, and I just go have a cup of coffee.
14:31I just don't want to deal with it because you just know.
14:33And then every show's calling you, and every city wants you on.
14:36Dallas versus, you know, 104, whatever.
14:38And I try to come on because I love this stuff.
14:39I've been on Twitter since October.
14:41It's been great.
14:42Locked in, locked in, locked in.
14:43But I've been pulled by AI.
14:44I've been pulled by AI.
14:45You got locked out?
14:46Yeah.
14:47You get back in.
14:47He's done.
14:48He's done.
14:49You know what?
14:49He's absolutely done.
14:50You two go at people sometimes.
14:52You know what?
14:52You know what happened?
14:53It's the best thing that could have ever happened for him.
14:55You went at me years ago.
14:56I remember, and I was like, should I say something to him in person?
14:59Because I'm not afraid of confrontation.
15:00Yes, you should.
15:01But I remember thinking, I don't want to think it bothered me that much because I got to,
15:06you know, being a woman in this industry is not as easy as people think.
15:09They think we're all out here.
15:10I go to everybody, though.
15:11You do?
15:13But it wasn't personal.
15:14Let's do a fight this year.
15:15Let's just orchestrate it.
15:16Make something up.
15:16Yeah, we can do that.
15:16Let's just be like, whatever.
15:17Like, shoot it.
15:18I'm on Facebook.
15:19You're on Facebook.
15:21Say hi to my dad, Byron.
15:22My space.
15:22Yeah.
15:22I get all the time.
15:23I actually was just talking to my dad about comments this morning because after the Simmons
15:29thing dropped, I couldn't believe how mean people were.
15:32Like, you're so ugly or whatever.
15:34You didn't say that to me, but I'm sure you thought it.
15:37But whatever they're saying, you know, like people just.
15:39You're rude.
15:40Here's my question for you guys.
15:41You're three normal sports fans, people.
15:44You're passionate.
15:45Have you ever commented?
15:46Like, have you ever gone under a YouTube video and been like, this was stupid.
15:52You're dumb.
15:52Oh, no.
15:53You've got to wait for our app for show.
15:54No, we go on YouTube right after the show.
15:56We swear like crazy.
15:59No, but you know what's.
15:59Oh, the broadcast goes on YouTube.
16:01You know what's odd, though?
16:01I want to go on that version of the show.
16:03I don't want to listen.
16:03It's the best show.
16:04What is this on?
16:04Where am I?
16:05I've learned.
16:06I gave five sports fans.
16:07I just know Stacey watches it because he texts me.
16:10NBC Sports blog.
16:11Because you guys always get me saying something I shouldn't.
16:13Hi, Stacey.
16:14Every time.
16:15Hi, Stacey.
16:15I'm saying he's on the field right now watching football.
16:18No, it's on TVR.
16:18He's watching.
16:19Oh, I get to test.
16:19Is that what it is?
16:20When I screw up, I get to test.
16:21And I don't like upsetting him because he's the best.
16:24But, man, when he's one of those, when he is mad at you, he's good at it.
16:29He can get to you.
16:31He hurts my feelings when he's mad.
16:32So, I try to keep him happy.
16:33Oh, yeah.
16:34I remember the last thing he was mad about.
16:36We won't get into that.
16:37I do, too.
16:37With you.
16:38That was me.
16:39The last thing.
16:39No.
16:40Judon?
16:40Yeah.
16:41Yeah, yeah.
16:41Was that it?
16:42Yeah, I guess he was right.
16:45That's the stuff people don't remember, though.
16:48Like, oh, you were wrong about that.
16:49And I'm like, did you watch?
16:51Like, who was it?
16:52George Kittle.
16:53Oh, he responded.
16:54I was like, George Kittle wants to be the highest paid tight end.
16:56That's why the deal's not done.
16:57He responds, your sources are wrong.
16:58George is like the nicest guy.
16:59So, for him to tweet that, I'm like, what?
17:01So, I text him.
17:02Like, George, what are you doing?
17:03Yeah.
17:04I know for a fact you want to be the highest paid tight end.
17:05He's like, oh, yeah, yeah.
17:06Whatever.
17:07Next day, George Kittle, highest paid tight end in football.
17:09Like, what are we doing?
17:10Yep.
17:10So, I thought there was something else involving ownership.
17:13Maybe I'm misremembering that.
17:15Was there?
17:16I'm trying to think.
17:16What was the topic of rule changes, maybe?
17:19The last two years for us.
17:20Something within the last couple of years.
17:21I know what you're talking about.
17:22I'm trying to text me later.
17:23I don't know what it was.
17:24My brain is dead.
17:24I'll remember it.
17:25I know.
17:25It'll come to me.
17:27It happens.
17:28It happens.
17:29It does.
17:30But, guys, thank you for having me.
17:31We appreciate you coming all the way up.
17:33I know.
17:33It was a far walk.
17:34But this mama needs it.
17:35Let me tell you.
17:36All right, buddy.
17:37Enjoy the rest.
17:37See you on the road.
17:38Thank you so much.
17:38The season hit me up.
17:40You know I love coming on.
17:41Love talking to you.
17:42We absolutely love.
17:42Keep me alive.
17:43We love that.
17:44All right.
17:44We'll talk to you soon.
17:45Thanks, Diana.
17:46Diana Rossini.
17:46It's all Aki Bertrand.
17:47More from training camp right after this.