Ted Johnson filling in for Tony Massarotti on Felger and Mazz, gave his takes on a bunch of different topics as part of Friday, July 7th’s Felger and Massarotti show.
Celtics:
1. I can’t get enough of the Marcus Smart audio. His feelings of self importance are tremendous. His comments reveal why he needed to go.
2. What does it say that Patrick Beverley wanted to go to Philly FOR LESS MONEY than to play with the Celtics?! I would have loved him on this team. Beverley is every bit the defensive player that Smart was but without the offensive issues Smart has.
3. I disagree with Chris Mannix, I think the C’s are better now without G. Williams/M. Smart. The Zinger averages more points per game than the both of them combined. And the biggest problem with the C’s has been family dynamics, they needed to get rid of the two biggest locker room lawyers on the team.
4. Nobody loves their core players more (except maybe the Bruins) than the Celtics. Mark it down in 2-3 years Marcus Smart will be back playing in Boston.
5. Should the C’s pursue Lillard even though he reportedly doesn’t want to come here? YES! He’s the perfect guy to bring in, as long as JB doesn’t have to be involved in the trade.
Marcus Smart: I grew up here, you know, nine years here, you know, in the city. You know, I’ve done stuff in the city, you know, to to, to become more viable to the city for myself. And, you know, I just got a special bond with the fans and and the people of Boston. You know, I don’t think there’s no place in Boston that I can go where, you know, I wouldn’t be welcome. And that speaks volumes. It’s definitely tough. I’m hearing it all the time from everybody, the fans. Every time I see them, they’re devastated. The city is devastated. And, you know, I understand why we grew up together, you know, So it’s definitely tough. It’s definitely hard to say goodbye. I know talking to some of these fans, I definitely get emotional. You know, they’re coming up to me and they’re bawling. So I definitely have heard, you know, everybody’s disappointed. But like I said, you know, it’s a business cause Boston will always be in my heart. I love Boston. But, you know, they decided to stay. They made a move what they thought was best for the team. And that’s all you can ask for.
Felger: You hear that, T.J.? The city is devastated.
Ted Johnson: I had a text, my son and a couple of his buddies and a group text, and I quoted that quote because a couple of my my son’s good buddies literally been crying.
Felger: So when he says people are bawling, people are.
Ted Johnson: Yeah. No, no, I didn’t. Yeah. I’m not going to say their names. You know, the boys know I love them. But when they when I, when I was told that they yeah, they started crying, I was like, guys, let me like I said, I’m straight. I’m Marcus Smart. So I don’t he’s not Marcus Smart is not like, dude, people literally are crying.
Felger: So the city is devastated.
Ted Johnson: The city at least a a portion of the city still crying about it. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. It’s a real.
Felger: And does his comments here, the feeling of self-importance is that one of the reasons he had to go?
Ted Johnson: Well, yes, I do. I think if you just listen to kind of if you if you, you know, have I don’t know if you have any kind of common sense in your A, you know, somewhat as you know, I don’t self-awareness. I just think if you listen to Marcus Smart comments, does he sound like a guy that might be a good leader in the locker room? Does he sound like a guy that’s that? I don’t know. Like, he just it’s it’s there’s just it’s a fake toughness. Look, look, I know he’s done a lot for the city, but I just think a lot of his his attitude and the way he kind of carries himself is been a detriment and a negative to this team. I do. And so I don’t think he inspires better. I don’t think his his the way he plays defense makes the Celtics a better defense because they’re busting their ass because he is. I don’t think he’s he has the response to his teammates that people think. And if I’m a teammate of Marcus Smart and I’m listening to him talk, I’m saying that’s exactly why I don’t listen to him. You know.
Felger: Another example of it’s true.
Marcus Smart: You know, I had to come set the tone. You know, we all here we go as I go. I’m the heart and soul of this team. My teammates say that to me all the time. And, you know, I try to be there for. You know, the energy that I bring is contagious. And I know that I just try to bring it everywhere.
Ted Johnson: I do it. I can’t. I can’t I’m not going to rally around a guy. I don’t know a lot of guys that would wear like that. Seriously, it’s it’s that kind of attitude that gets him in trouble that’s there. That’s why he’s he’s he’s he’s value add now that he’s gone because I just think he’s not the leader that a lot of these people think. And I and a lot of people are devastated. They are my.
Marcus Smart: Teammates look for me for that. You know my coaching staff looks to me for that is one of the greatest things about me is to be able to come in and change the game, which is the way I play both offensively and defensively. And we got a guy like me that can do that, you know, it helps other guys. It helps d wade get into a rhythm. It helps Malcolm get into rhythm. You know, his heart is hard to play. This game is hard to play in the playoffs. And you know, for a guy like me, my job is to make sure that everybody confidence is up and everybody’s upbeat.
Felger: That’s one of the great things about me.
Ted Johnson: It’s unbelievable.
Felger: Dude. The city is devastated. Yeah.
Ted Johnson: That does not aspire me to want to go play better.
Felger: That was Teddy. Teddy’s take number one. He said I can’t get enough of Marcus Smart audio. His feelings of self-importance are tremendous. His comments reveal why he needed to go.
(Oct 16, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft shakes hands with head coach Bill Belichick following the win against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports)
Felger: You like the article by Florio the other day saying increasing tensions between Belichick and Kraft and there is a shelf life for Belichick and this thing came out on July 4th. But anyway, you like that article which.
Ted Johnson: It’s like, you know people just like waking up to this and maybe so but whatever Florio writes it, it just maybe makes it more real to me. And so because he’s just got such a powerful voice in this, you know, in this, you know, in this field. But, look, I just I just think he kind of crystallizes again for all of us how important this year is for Bill. I mean, just reading what’s on the line, what is what is at stake here, and that it feels like that there is a genuine tug and pull behind the scenes. And can this team that’s going to be a compelling season. I mean, it might they might win eight games, but oh, my God, this is going to be an unbelievable Patriots season. And I can’t wait because of the stakes. Mike, and what’s at stake?
Felger: Do you feel they missed the postseason or get blown out in the first round that Bill’s job is in jeopardy or is it going to take much worse here?
Ted Johnson: Than it’s going to take? So much worse than that? But I think it should. I just think, you know, if you like, what’s the criteria for it? Just, you know, would you hold Bill to the same criteria he used to hold his players to? I mean, Kraft, when he talks about Bill make getting the record or cite, hey, we don’t we don’t look at player’s stats. We don’t worry about that stuff. So if you look at the coach the same way, then, you know, you can see clearly after four years that they’re in worse shape than they maybe were when they started, that you got to you got to look at making a change. And so just to keep them around because it’s because of the name, I don’t think you’re doing your brand any favors about.
Felger: The back and forth on spending.
Ted Johnson: It’s unbelievable. And this is what they want this to be convoluted. They want us to not understand. They’re both kind of in line. And like you’ve said this, they’re both in line on the on the on the salary. Just crack doesn’t want you to know it. Bill, unbelievably, he doesn’t really care if you.
Felger: Know or he’s proud that he doesn’t care, you guys.
Ted Johnson: It is so. He just he was like, oh, wait a minute. You know what he said That comment about? We’re 27th in spending. I mean, there’s a part of him that was like, you know, like, like, like, you know, what’s his name and, you know, Code Red. I mean, he finally admitted he’s like, I’m 27th of spending because he gets off to it. He loves it. Whenever Bill Belichick comes to me and asked me to take $1,000,000 off because I missed some time the year before and my future contract because of a knee injury. And, you know, I’m like, that’s not crap. Saying, hey, ask take $1,000,000. That’s just Bill saying, you know what, I’m going to I’m going to ask when take a million it goes. I get off to it because I love it because it makes me feel good to to kind of nickel and dime guys. That’s how Bill thinks, Right?
Felger: So Bill wears as a badge of honor where the Kraft’s are really sensitive to perception, but we’re one of the lowest spending teams in the league. Thank you.
Ted Johnson: Thank you, Bill, for admitting that. I mean, it’s amazing what Bill has kind of let us all in on. I thought there’s a lot of things I would I would think he would not keep to himself, but he maybe, you know, incidentally, is letting us all aware.
