Take 5 with Chris Gasper take5withchrisgasper

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.
Email the Take 5 podcast at Take5@WCVB.com
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