Kyle Van Noy subtly calls out Felger & Mazz after accepting Patriots’ Ron Burton community service award
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Kyle Van Noy has gotten better every year on the field since coming to the Patriots. And as evidenced by his extensive work in the community, he’s also a hell of a guy. So it surprised no one who was paying attention that Van Noy became the 2019 recipient of the Patriots’ Ron Burton Community Service Award on Tuesday.
Update: Van Noy called in to Zolak & Bertrand on Wednesday. Listen below:
Unfortunately, Van Noy’s efforts in the community weren’t enough to stop the Sports Hub’s own Felger & Massarotti program to launch into a weird rant against Van Noy out of nowhere last September. It was particularly bizarre because the conversation began with the premise that Van Noy had improved since coming over in a trade with the Lions in 2016.
Felger & Mazz unapologetically attack negative angles when it comes to discussing the local sports teams. But for whatever reason, Felger decided to take it to a needless level with Van Noy when he said the following on Van Noy’s outwardly confident demeanor:
“I don’t like him. … To me, it’s personal. I’ve never met him, but every time he opens his mouth I’m like, ‘You are a tool. You are an ass.’ … Every time I hear him talk I’m like, ‘Where did that attitude come from? You suck. And if it wasn’t for this team you’d be covering punts in Detroit. You suck. Where do you get that attitude from?'”
Mazz preceded that with: “Oh last year [Van Noy] sucked, please. And he sucked worse the year before, it was degrees of suck.”
Van Noy notably responded to Felger & Mazz’s scorchers when he told NESN’s Doug Kyed: “Me, honestly, I don’t really care if anybody ever says I’m a bad player, because everyone’s entitled to their opinion. But once you come at my character, that’s what I got an issue with. Especially when I’ve never met you. Because it’s like, I know those two guys wouldn’t say that to my face because then they wouldn’t like what would be coming for them-type-of-deal.”
Van Noy spent the rest of the season proving Felger & Mazz wrong about him and the Patriots, and they’ve since conceded how well he played for the Patriots defense. Van Noy recorded a sack, three QB hits and four tackles in the patriots’ 13-3 win over the Rams in Super Bowl LIII.
But the original Felger & Mazz rantings cannot be undone, and it appears Van Noy is still calling them out. The guys never directly questioned Van Noy’s community service, but Felger certainly went way off-base describing him as a “tool” and an “ass” and he may never hear the end of that one.
Hopefully Felger & Mazz got the message on Tuesday:
https://twitter.com/KVN_03/status/1166535999222140928
Van Noy has been active in communities since before even coming to New England. He and his wife Marissa founded the Van Noy Valor Foundation in 2014. Its mission, per the official website, is “Encouraging personal valor in the lives of adopted children, those in foster care and disadvantaged youth by armoring them with success through resources, mentors and opportunities.” He’s also participated in numerous charitable events organized by the Patriots.
Well that’s some quite altruistic behavior for a tool and an ass, wouldn’t you say?
I may be a co-worker of Felger & Mazz. We get along just fine. But that most certainly doesn’t mean I always agree with their radio takes, especially not when they get oddly personal. As a banner member of the Battle Against Felger & Mazz Negativity Crew (we’re working on the name), you can consider me firmly on Team Van Noy.
Ohmygodplease Mike, charity!?
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at [email protected].
