Matt Corral’s interesting past involving Wayne Gretzky…
On Friday’s edition of Zolak & Bertrand, the guys dive into Matt Corral‘s interesting history involving Wayne Gretzky’s family and love.
Don’t pick a fight with Wayne Gretzky’s son…
Beetle: (Matt) Carrol, once upon a time, did get into a fight with the son of Wayne Gretzky. Tristin Gretzky, son of Wayne. Got into a fight with him in high school and changed schools after the fight. Left his high school over this fight. He then did an interview back in 2021 with CBS Sports and he was asked about it and he confirmed that it happened and he said that kid, his dad, meaning Triston and Wayne Gretzky, went through hoops to eff my life up. That’s what Carol said in the interview. He then transferred to Long Beach Polytech. That’s where he went after that. How about that? Did Wayne Gretzky get the kid kicked out of his high school? Because that’s what I think when I read that quote. Gets into a fist fight and Wayne Gretzky comes in and get some thrown out of the school.
Joe Murray: I mean, Matt Carrol or Gretzky?
Beetle: The Great One walks in and says, he’s got to go and they just say, yep, okay, we’ll kick him out. Get him out of here. Gretzky, big donor to that school raised a lot of money for that school, his kid gets in a fistfight with him and one of the top quarterbacks in the country at the time by the way. all of a sudden gets transferred and goes to a different school.
Hardy: But they were playing basketball? It was like during a game and this is something that had been brewing for a while or during a practice or something.
Beetle: I think they were spectators at the basketball game. I think it happened while, you know, bunch of high school kids goes to a game of their school. And these two fight at the game. They got into a fistfight.
Joe Murray: That’s not really what he’s mostly known for though? He is most known for playing in a bowl game and then getting hurt. A lot of these guys now don’t play in bowl games anymore because he is the poster child of that.
Listen to the full segment!
Patriots rookies get new numbers, again
CB Christian Gonzalez: 6
New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (50) sprints during 2023 training camp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
The NFL is letting players wear No. 0 for the first time this year, and given Gonzalez wore that in college it seemed like a logical fit. So, many were surprised when he got No. 19 to start the preseason.
Gonzalez’ number is changing, but it still isn’t No. 0. Instead, he’ll get the No. 6 that was vacated when Nick Folk was traded.
OL Sidy Sow: 62
Foxborough, Massachusetts, Aug. 10, 2023: New England Patriots guard Sidy Sow lines up against the Houston Texans during a preseason game at Gillette Stadium. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
Sow goes up one number from No. 61 to No. 62 – the number he wore in college. That number was previously taken by fellow offensive lineman Bill Murray, who was cut this week and signed with the Bears’ practice squad.
K Chad Ryland: 39
Aug 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots place kicker Chad Ryland (38) kicks the ball to the Houston Texans during the first half at Gillette Stadium. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
Like Sow, Ryland increases his number by one from No. 38 to No. 39. Ryland wore No. 38 in college, but that’s currently taken by Rhamondre Stevenson, so he was always going to have to change.
P Bryce Baringer: 19
Aug. 10, 2023; Foxborough, MA: New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer (9) warms up before a preseason game against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
Baringer was also wearing a number currently taken by an established Patriots player – Matthew Judon’s No. 9. His college No. 99 is also taken by Keion White. Instead he’ll take No. 17, which was worn by tight end Scotty Washington before he got cut last week.
That number has recently been associated with bad luck in New England, specifically for wide receivers. He’ll be just the third Patriots punter to wear the number though, after Luke Prestridge (1984) and Michael Palardy (2022).
Practice squad
New England Patriots punter Corliss Waitman during a break in action at 2023 minicamp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
The Patriots also had three number changes on their practice squad. Punter Corliss Waitman went from No. 15 to No. 39, linebacker Joe Giles-Harris went from No. 53 to No. 44, and wide receiver Thyrick Pitts went from No. 13 to No. 83.
