Shaughnessy: On Orioles Magic and the autumn of the spring of Maye in New England

The New England Patriots are back in first place in the AFC North and coming to Baltimore, which always brings venerable Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy back to his onetime workplace to tell old stories of The Evening Sun, Orioles Magic and always brilliant insights on the NFL franchise of Robert Kraft and the 2.0 build out of Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye.

Nestor Aparicio and Dan Shaughnessy discussed the upcoming Patriots-Ravens game, highlighting the Patriots’ recent struggles and the Ravens’ potential with Drake Maye. Shaughnessy reminisced about his time at the Baltimore Evening Sun from 1977 to 1981 and the Orioles’ history. They analyzed the NFL season, including the Patriots’ 10-game winning streak and the Bills’ dominance. Shaughnessy praised the Ravens’ coaching staff and Maye’s performance, noting the importance of the Sunday night game. They also touched on the Patriots’ cheating scandals, Brady’s antics, and the potential Hall of Fame induction of Belichick and Brady.

Maryland Crab Cake Tour and Holiday Events

• Nestor Aparicio introduces the Maryland crab cake tour, mentioning three more stops before it ends.
• He highlights upcoming events, including a visit from Santa at Costas, a gathering with Dan Rodricks and John Shields at Gertrude’s, and a final stop at Plan of Fitness and Timonium.
• Nestor reminisces about seeing Dan Shaughnessy at various games and mentions his wife’s family in New England.
• Dan Shaughnessy shares his fond memories of his time at the Baltimore Evening Sun from 1977 to 1981, including buying his first checkbook and American Express card.

Memories of Baltimore and Orioles History

• Dan Shaughnessy recalls his time covering the Orioles and the Colts at Memorial Stadium, mentioning Earl Weaver and Eddie Murray.
• He speaks about the golden era of Orioles history, including the drafting of Cal Ripken and the start of the team’s fan base growth.
• Nestor Aparicio reflects on the Orioles’ history, including the curse, the reign of Peter Angelos, and the recent signing of Pete Alonso.
• They discuss the renaissance of Baltimore and the changes in the Orioles’ ownership and management.

Patriots and Ravens Matchup and NFL Season

• Nestor Aparicio and Dan Shaughnessy discuss the upcoming Patriots-Ravens game, highlighting the importance of the matchup for both teams.
• Dan shares his experience at Gillette Stadium and the Patriots’ recent loss to the Bills, emphasizing the AFC East’s competitive nature.
• They talk about the Ravens’ struggles and the potential for a turnaround with Drake Maye at quarterback.
• Nestor and Dan analyze the NFL season, including the impact of Brady’s departure and the rise of the Bills and other teams.

Patriots’ Recent Struggles and Coaching Changes

• Dan Shaughnessy discusses the Patriots’ recent struggles, including the firing of Mac Jones and the hiring of Bill Belichick.
• He highlights the importance of the upcoming game against the Ravens and the potential consequences for both teams.
• They talk about the Patriots’ defensive issues and the need for a strong performance from Drake Maye in cold weather conditions.
• Dan reflects on the Patriots’ history with Brady and Belichick, including the cheating scandals and the impact on the team’s reputation.

Belichick and Brady’s Legacy and Hall of Fame

• Nestor Aparicio and Dan Shaughnessy discuss the ongoing legacy of Belichick and Brady, including their Hall of Fame prospects.
• Dan explains the complexities of the Hall of Fame voting process and the potential for Belichick and Brady to be inducted together.
• They reflect on the impact of the cheating scandals and the team’s defensive strategies on their success.
• Nestor shares his personal experiences with the Patriots and the impact of their actions on the league.

Orioles and Red Sox Comparisons and Future Prospects

• Nestor Aparicio and Dan Shaughnessy discuss the current state of the Orioles and Red Sox, including the recent spending by the Orioles.
• Dan expresses his hope for the Orioles’ success and reflects on the competitive nature of the division.
• They talk about the impact of the Blue Jays and Yankees on the Orioles’ performance and the potential for a turnaround.
• Nestor shares his thoughts on the Orioles’ spending and the potential for a successful offseason.

Personal Reflections and Future Plans

• Nestor Aparicio and Dan Shaughnessy share personal reflections on their careers and the impact of their work on the sports world.
• Dan discusses his decision to stop writing books and his fond memories of working with Phil Jackman.
• They talk about the importance of maintaining a positive outlook and the impact of their work on the community.
• Nestor expresses his gratitude for Dan’s contributions and looks forward to future collaborations.

Final Thoughts and Holiday Wishes

• Nestor Aparicio and Dan Shaughnessy wrap up the conversation with final thoughts on the upcoming Patriots-Ravens game and the holiday season.
• They express their holiday wishes and look forward to future events and collaborations.
• Nestor invites listeners to join him for crab cakes and other holiday events, emphasizing the importance of community and family.
• They conclude the conversation with a positive outlook on the future of sports and the importance of staying connected.

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

Patriots, Ravens, Dan Shaughnessy, Baltimore, New England, football history, Lamar Jackson, Mac Jones, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, NFL playoffs, Super Bowl, Orioles, Red Sox.

8

SPEAKERS

Nestor Aparicio, Dan Shaughnessy

Nestor Aparicio  00:01

Welcome home. We are W, N, S T am 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We are Baltimore, positive. We appreciate you joining us here during the holidays. As things get a little frigid around here, this week, we’re gonna warm things up the Maryland crab cake tour three more stops before it’s all over with and Santa comes down the chimney will be at Costas on Thursday with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Gina shock and all my rock and roll goons and Dundalk, including my 85 year old middle school music teacher, who’s going to come by and tell some old stories. We’ll sing some Christmas carols, all brought to you by the Maryland lottery. I’ll have some Raven scratch offs to give away. Friday, we will be at gertrude’s with the great Dan Rodricks, my Portuguese cousin, with my real cousin, John shields, talking about crab cakes and the BMA and 1966 which is Dan roderick’s new play that’s going to begin in March, and then on Monday, will be a plan of fitness and Timonium wrapping things up. This guy, I miss seeing him at various games at Gillette Stadium or Fenway Park or sometimes Camden Yards, during the era he began a whole movement in my wife’s homeland, where she is up freezing in New England for the holidays. Welcome Dan Shaughnessy, author, writer, Boston Globe, legend, Hall of Famer, too. I mean, I got to make sure I get that in here. Hey, you been Dan, everything good? It’s, it’s great to have you back on and look, it’s not Orioles Red Sox, but it’s patriots ravens, and it’s a pretty good one this week, right?

Dan Shaughnessy  01:25

Well, thank you, Nestor. I’m good. And the most important thing on the resume you didn’t mention, which was my stint at the Baltimore Evening Sun, 1977 78 and staying on to cover the Orioles out of Washington right through 1981 so those were five great years, and I’m forever grateful for my time there. I had never lived anywhere except in New England. I really never have, except for that. That period I was very young, I never written a check before I came to Baltimore and and bought my first used my first checkbook at stevans Anderson to buy a bunch of Izod shirts and a desk and hardware. And the place had everything and lived in Towson, and got my American Express card down at a big bank downtown by the sun, papers and and just have really fond memories of the whole time there. So I always I look forward to coming back there this weekend and maybe see a couple familiar faces from the old days. Oh, What

Nestor Aparicio  02:18

8

years were this? 77 to 81 when exactly did you leave?

Dan Shaughnessy  02:22

Well, it’s, so it’s came in April Brooks was still in the team, and Eddie Murray was a rookie. So it was a very golden time. You know, Earl was still managing, and

Nestor Aparicio  02:34

we’re on the football side right,

Dan Shaughnessy  02:36

throwing that fastball, he was still going there. And, you know, the Colts, of course, were sharing space at Memorial Stadium with the O’s. And it was just I spoken to Belichick about it, because in in 75 or six, we were both right out of college, and he was working for $25 a week, driving around, I think, for Ted March abroad, you know, getting film. And in his first job in the NFL was, was, was there. So, you know, weirdly, we were both in and out of Memorial Stadium a lot, 77 you know, in there. He, he quickly, I think he went to the lions and and from there. But anyway, just a great, great time in Oriole history. And that’s when they really started drawing fans. And of course, way, it’s way before Camden Yards and they drafted Cal Ripken my second year there. And of course, we all knew Cal senior. He was a coach, and just being part of that. And it was really, it was really fun to see it from the ground up.

8

Nestor Aparicio  03:29

Well, I tell you what I mean for everything you went through there with the curse, and all the championships bring me full circle and where you are. I’m 57 now. I’ve written two books on football championships. I’ve seen Angelos Reign of Terror for 30 years. He’s gone. He’s dead. The boys are gone. Rubenstein’s and they signed Pete Alonso. They had a press conference at four o’clock on a Friday afternoon at the warehouse. So, like, I don’t even know what to say, Dan, the owners made a bobble head of himself last year, but now they’re they’re making it rain up in here, right? They’re starting to spend some money. And so for our 10 The reason I even asked you, like you were here when harbor place was built, right? Like you, right? So, I mean, you saw this renaissance of Baltimore, and we’re all kind of waiting for the next thing. And you went off to Boston, and whether it’s Celtics, and I know you got books on the Celtics, the Bruins, gosh, the Patriots, Red Sox, they’ve all won so much. Meanwhile, the Orioles are this thing here, and the Ravens have this Lamar thing. And they were under 505 minutes ago. And here comes Drake May. And it feels to me, having watched the Patriot thing, that this thing’s coming on again in some way, and it’s sort of the ghost of Belichick through Vrabel and they and they got this kid that can play, right?

Dan Shaughnessy  04:44

Yeah, made yesterday really interesting day at Gillette Stadium, because the Patriots, of course, they won the Division 17 times in 19 seasons with with Brady and Belichick. You know, in the last time they won the Division was 2019 Brady’s last year as quarterback of the team. So Tom leaves, and then the torches pass to the Buffalo Bills, who won the Division five straight years in Brady’s absence. Well, yesterday, the Patriots had a chance to reclaim the division, and they lost. They were had 21 nothing in the in the third, in the second quarter, celebrating madly, and the bills came back and scored touchdowns on five straight possessions. Josh Allen basically raising his hand saying not done yet, and so the AFC is up for grabs, including you guys. And that’s what makes this, this game, this weekend, really exciting coming into town, because I know, I know the Ravens have struggled. I know it’s not the same. I know they’re seven and seven, but I didn’t see yesterday’s game because I was in Foxboro. But you know, shutting out borough looks like a pretty good thing and, and that’s very much, you know, I think the ravens are favored, and the Patriots have won 10 straight games before blowing a 21 nothing lead in the second quarter against the bills yesterday. And so they’re kind of smart, and as they come into your place on Sunday night, and it really, it’s great build up for this game, you know? And obviously the NFL knows that they flexed it to the to the Sunday night football game. So I know you guys have to have it. I know you have the Steelers the last game of the season, and you got to win the division. Kind of go to

Nestor Aparicio  06:09

go to Green Bay Christmas week.

Dan Shaughnessy  06:12

8

Well, Denver beating last night. I know it wasn’t in Green Bay, but so yeah, I that it’s a, it’s a great finish to the NFL season for all these cities. You know, ours, yours, Green Bay, Pittsburgh’s, it’s so it’s just what the NFL it’s what they like, and it’s great.

Nestor Aparicio  06:28

It’s zany, right? Dan, I mean, Brady’s calling games. Philip Rivers is throwing touchdown passes, right? You know, I and Aaron Rodgers is still trying to win his way into all of this, the sunburn that the Patriots took on on Sunday in blowing a three touchdown lead to the division rival, all that I don’t know, the gray in my beard and where Mike Vrabel is, that might have been a good sunburn with a two game lead as some sort of an awakening to say, Yeah, you know, we had him right where We wanted until we didn’t. And now look at where we are, and we’re going to Baltimore, and here’s Lamar, and it’s going to be cold here and all that. This is a good learning step, I think, teaching moment for Mike Grable for what happened on Sunday, because it might not cost them anything if they get back up and dust off, right?

Dan Shaughnessy  07:18

I think it’s a spot on observation. And, you know, being down there yesterday and seeing his comportment after the game, he wasn’t really out of sorts about that too much. And I think he he probably, you can see positives in that. Never good to blow a 21 Oh, lead. You know, that whole thing, but they weren’t going to win out. I mean, that would have been like, what 15 game winning streak to finish the season, or 14 game winning streak finished season. That wasn’t going to happen. And the only other game really that you would think they they could lose would be this one coming up with, with your team, with Sunday night. So I think, for him, Okay, we got the loss out of the way. Everybody’s awake now, and let’s carry on. And like you say that they, they should still win the division get a first round home game. The buy is probably gone, and they had, there was no scenario which they could tie Denver and come away with the with the top seed Anyway, now that Denver’s going to lose twice, so I think that the buy is gone for New England, they’re going to have to play the first round wild card weekend, but they’re going to be home. They still have a jet game, they have a dolphin game, which could be meaningless the end of the season. Who knows, but, but this one big consequences for both teams Sunday night.

Nestor Aparicio  08:27

Dan Shaughnessy is here the man, the myth, the legend. You can still follow his work at the Boston Globe. He’s still making his way to Gillette Stadium on questionable weather days, up into the corner of the press box for clam chowder, no doubt, give me an assessment of, listen, the Patriots haven’t been very good last couple years. Right? Firing mayo, I went to see your previous tweets from a year ago about like, this has got to change. Vrabel sort of waiting in the wings after getting thrown out of Tennessee, and probably could have worked in other places, but I don’t know what that that craft, Brady Belichick, you know, the blood test they took when they were taking air out of footballs and cheating with camera, all that whole cult that’s around that it feels like it’s coming back again to some degree. But the the last couple of years, including craft with the Chinese massage pub, there’s all the things that have happened there, watching Brady go get drunk and party down in Tampa Bay with the trophy. What’s transpired there from 50,000 feet for a Ravens fan that said, sobs won enough. I got bored after the fifth Super Bowl with them. And then Brady went on and continued and belichick’s like an embarrassment to some degree in North Carolina now, like it’s weird how the the aftermath of the minute that Brady and Belichick broke up, that how much has gone on, but it feels like the Patriots could play in the Super Bowl again in seven weeks with a whole different cast.

8

Dan Shaughnessy  09:59

Everything you. Just said it’s true. And it is so Brady was here 20 seasons, as we said, 17 division titles. You know, it went to 13 AFC Championship games, nine Super Bowls won six of them. I mean, the numbers are staggering. And it was kind of a book ended, you know, they won three in the early part of the 20th century, and then three more in the teams. They had the big gap in the middle and the cheating scandals, all the all that’s true. And as it went on, you know, personality started to get it was like, who’s getting the credit? Who gets the bigger share of the of the credit pie? And then it became the blame pie when things started to fall apart. And, you know, Tom leaves first, and then he wins the Super Bowl that wasn’t good for Bill. And then Kraft had his transgressions, and keeps getting the arm bar at the Hall of Fame, which drives him bananas. You know, he’s got another shot this year, but he’s been waiting 13 years, and Jones is saying that drives him crazy. So, and everybody’s making documentaries and these books coming out and and they’re all steered toward one person or another of the trio. And so there wasn’t a lot of glory when it was over, as to who’s getting credit, who’s getting blamed, and, and as you say, Bill’s gone to Carolina, and that’s, that’s not a good look down there. And and needy Bob still waiting for the Hall of Fame. And Tom maybe not best served being on TV. I don’t know it’s, but he, he’s, he’s been stranger each year. You know, he’s cloning his dog now, and all these weird things. So that’s weird, but, but for craft, it’s, as you say, last year was critical that they haven’t won a playoff game since Brady left. And the Mac Jones experiment kind of didn’t work, and Belichick really went up in flames having defensive guys as the old coordinators and and just drafting poorly. And his last year, they went in four games. He’s fired. Kraft hires Gerard mayo. Nice guy not ready. They win four games, and this is where Kraft steps up and does the right thing. He fires his coach after one season, which he didn’t want to do. That’s, that’s admitting a mistake. It’s losing face. It’s, it’s, it’s, but it was important to do because they didn’t waste any more time. It wasn’t going to take off under dry man, it just wasn’t. And and then may is drafted with the third pick, and I think they would rather have him than the guys you know, Caleb Williams, or I don’t know. I just think he’s, he’s maybe the best of the lot. You can go back to that Marino draft with, you know, Todd black ledge and Elway and Kelly, and there’s been a lot of interesting ones, but this one will be interesting as the years go on. So, so it all comes together here two consecutive four win seasons, and this year, their best record in football going into yesterday’s game and 1010, game winning streak, they’re back in the playoffs, and the quarterback looks like the real deal. He didn’t have a great day yesterday, but he said, you know, he’s been completing 70% of his passes. He’s in the hall. The MVP conversation is a top two or three guy, and they still got three regular season games left, so it’s all come back much faster than anticipated. Raybal, as you say, he was, you know, six years as head coach in Tennessee. I don’t know why I didn’t look at him harder. Last year he was consultant with Cleveland after Tennessee fired him. But he’s no nonsense, and he’s a players coach, and he’s got gravitas. You know, he won three Super Bowls. He caught Super Bowl touchdown passes as a linebacker, and he’s 50 years old. It’s kind of in his in his prime, and he’s been, he’s been coach of the year, he’s coached an AMC championship game. So he knows what he’s doing, and mayo didn’t, and so it’s all kind of come together way faster than anybody thought it would. And they are young, and they’re not deep, and they’ve got some holes in the offensive line. Now, some guys hurt, but they’re they’re fun, and this is a we see this as a gift. We just weren’t expecting this so fast this year. So with the new coach and the quarterback in the second year having this kind of season, you’ll see him Sunday night, that’ll be a good test. And he’s coming up against a good defense. We wonder about him with, with the with the wet ball and the cold weather. He’s a North Carolina fella, and he hasn’t really had it. And some rainy moments in Tampa early in the season, he had trouble. And yesterday he had trouble. And he might be a little too he might be a little too active, you know, throwing blocks for for Henderson, going on, running down the field and and not sliding. Sometimes, when he’s, he’s, you know, carrying the ball. So they’re, they, they worry about those sort of things. But he’s a football player, and he’s very humble kid. You always want the youngest of four brothers. That’s what he is. They’re all athletes. And it’s, it’s playing real well here. So I think that’ll be an exciting treat for everybody to see Sunday night, because it was yesterday, you know, Alan kind of put him in his place, metaphorically, as the second half went. So here’s how it’s done. Here’s playoff football, here’s snow football, here’s what we do. He threw a bazooka. One of those touchdowns where he’s he’s going to his right and through across his body to Knox, 14 yarder, right? I love that shit. It’s almost like. The old Bert Jones throw, you know, like that kind of stuff.

Nestor Aparicio  15:02

Oh, yeah. I mean, listen, that’s the beauty of the league right now, I don’t know who the best player is. Ask me on any given week, the Ravens think they have the best player, and if he gets his wheels back in the next three weeks, and they can win their way in, no one’s going to want to come in here and play him. Dan Shaughnessy is here for the Boston Globe. We got a big patriots ravens game this week. It’s almost old school, like Kyle bowler and Tom Brady, or even when Joe Flacco was around here for a minute or two. So the main thing is interesting to me because of the brothers, because he’s like the smallest of all of them, and what an interesting family. And I think the makeup and that word came up last week with Pete Alonso getting 155 million of Orioles money, which ain’t never been done around here. Dan, we’re not like the Red Sox around or throwing money, but Luke is, you know, an old school or he’s talking baseball makeup, makeup. And I’m like, that’s a word I don’t hear so much anymore. What’s his makeup? But that would be something for me with Vrabel. And I remember when Marvin was going to draft him, and he went to Pittsburgh and second round pick and like all of that, and how his life has turned out, the variable thing feels to me like the real deal, that he’s the kind of guy you want to be your head coach, that Kraft has really exhibited some wisdom here, that, listen, I’m not on the Hall of Fame committee. Maybe one day. One way, I feel differently about owners and billionaires lobbying their way into the Hall of Fame, dude, you got enough money get there legitimately. But if there was a second blossoming here and somehow Bob crafts holding the trophy in seven weeks, this is going to look pretty brilliant after some dark times there, right?

Dan Shaughnessy  16:40

It is. And that kind of goes full circle to how you introduce the last question to me about the whole craft, Belichick Grady thing, the Hall of Fame. It’s in the final round. Now, the only thing left is the meeting, the bare knuckle brawling at the Super Bowl, when they finally have the vote, and all the 50 voters gather, and nominees are all there, and and craft and Belichick are in the final of the contributor category, which could include three guys. And they’re up. There’s three veteran players and craft and Belichick, so they’re actually competing with each other still now for Hall of Fame credibility. I think Belichick will sail in, and I think craft is a very good chance, and that’ll be announced tonight before the Super Bowl, so they could, they could be on that stage in Canton, Ohio, together, as awkward as that would be next summer.

Nestor Aparicio  17:29

8

Dan, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the Super Bowl 35 team. We had the 25th anniversary last week, and I, I had called Marvin to come on the show just to talk about the Steelers I’m thrown out the last five years. They let my employee in, you know, all this stuff, but Marvin told me they’re having the reunion, and I didn’t even realize it. And then I got invited to the party, and I went that night with Trent Dilfer and Matt Stover, Goose is dead. You know, there are factions, as it would be 25 years later, about who still likes who. And obviously, with Dilfer getting thrown out of here by Billick and all of that that happened here. I look at the championships you’ve had, forget the baseball side. I’ll get the big puppy and you know, we’ll get to the Oriole spending money one minute, but just staying on the football thing, Craps legend and what happened to his wife and the tragedy there, and sort of his interesting dress code, and the company he keeps in the Chinese massage parlor. Then there’s Brady, who sort of owns the raiders and eats avocado ice cream, is going to clone his dog had this incredible divorce. He’s doing games on television, sort of good at it some of the time. He really is. And then there’s Belichick, who couldn’t quit, had to go back. Has to go to North Carolina, the N i L, the 21 year old girlfriend, just, I mean, it’s freaky deaky in a way that I’m looking at it from a writer’s perspective, and trying to find some poignancy in all of the money, the glory, the championships, the privilege, the supermodel wife, just all of it money’s kooky. Dan, right? I mean, you know, maybe something you wouldn’t have known with you and Phil Jackman covering Earl Weaver 5060, years ago, that sports would become this, right?

Dan Shaughnessy  19:14

It is. And that thing. I mean, I lived it the whole, the whole Patriot thing. And as I said, you know, I know Bill’s an Annapolis guy and, and it was there when, you know, Brady was drafted in the sixth round, and they kept him as a fourth quarterback in 2000 which is always a curious thing. Why is this guy around? And, you know, he played in one game, but he didn’t pay much attention to him. And, but Belichick identified something to keep him around and find a way to push out Drew Bledsoe, who was pushed out by Mo Lewis, hitting him almost killing him on the sideline, but, um, so that the genesis of that was was crazy and and Kraft, you know, he wants people to think he invented the Patriots, but he did not. And Billy Sullivan invents him in 19. 16, and Parcells was already here and had turned things around when crap bought the team in 94 and he’s a very needy owner. He’s been a good owner. He’s built his own stadium, and as we just talked about, he was smart enough to admit his mistake last year and go get a different coach from his first replacement for Belichick. So yeah, there’s it’s a narrative, and so many things have happened, and we didn’t even get into the flake gate, you know, Spy gate, all the gates. It’s just been a, it was a crazy time, and it’s and it’s on

Nestor Aparicio  20:30

defective people, right? I mean, serial cheaters. I mean, I have no doubt they were taking air out of footballs there to stop fumbling. I mean, I just look at the fumbling record of it and and the bad weather and Brady and the gloves and all of that. And I think they cheated. I mean, there’s no doubt in my mind that at at their core, they’re really weirdly defective humans. And I mean, as I get older and I evaluate all of this and say, I don’t know that I would want that yacht

Dan Shaughnessy  21:00

Well, I mean, I think, like with the deflation, I think they were doing it, but I don’t think it made any difference. It was almost a Red Auerbach kind of thing. It’s in the minds of the opponents when they when they really put the tax to them and sanctions, and Tom got four games and a lot of bad things off that which they deserved because they were doing it, my view. But it didn’t change anything. They kept they kept winning. They kept not fumbling, they kept not dropping passes. It was more of a mental thing. I believe they were doing it, but I also believe it didn’t. It wasn’t the reason that they won. So those those things can both be true. And yeah, it was. I was more amused by that, and they reacted. They’re so defensive. But it created a thing around the country where it just fired up fan bases everywhere. Pittsburgh was hilarious. You still go in there, and there’s signs, you know, Spygate and cameras and,

8

Nestor Aparicio  21:48

oh, I mean, I listen, I keep company with a lot of coaches in the league. And obviously Pagano and peas were very much in the middle of the flake gate and the hardball tribe and everybody that was involved. They really believe that they were Mike in the locker rooms that had, you know, like, literally, they really believe there was espionage way beyond anything we’ll ever know.

Dan Shaughnessy  22:09

And with Red Auerbach here, with the Celtic thing that existed, making the locker rooms too hot, there’s no cold water. There’s no hot water for the showers, all those things. And red really enjoyed that. He felt it’s not even my ability. I got nothing to do with this, but they think it’s the thing. So that’s gives us an edge.

Nestor Aparicio  22:26

Dan Shaughnessy is here. He’s always had an edge because he’s been doing it longer. You know, I this week with the New England thing. I miss Phil Jackman so badly, just for his accent, that I’m going to call his daughter this week and talk to her, and you worked with him, and I think about the Orioles and the Red Sox, and how long the longing has been for the Orioles and and look, the Red Sox had their own issues at this point, sort of a little bit of a rebound this year. But every time I bring you on, Bob Ryan, your colleague, will be here this week, and we talk about sort of the demise of the Red Sox, the ascension of the Blue Jays this year that nobody saw coming, the eternal evil empire of the Yankees. And I don’t know where the Orioles fit in that. And I don’t know where these guys that bought the team for 1,000,000,008 John Angelos is off counting the money, and they’re trying to figure out how they’re going to get the money back, and they just dump this money in the Pete Alonso, the one thing the Orioles have right now is some interest level in that they could be good for being the last place team last year, given where the pitchers came on, and given they’ve spent some money, and the Orioles are a prime mover of this offseason, and Dan, I don’t know that I could have said that since, maybe like Roberto Alomar and David Wells 30 years ago.

Dan Shaughnessy  23:33

8

Well, I always, I always want them to be good. It’s a better world, and the Orioles are good. And I had high hopes. I’m sorry things didn’t work out with playoffs. You guys had those, those tough years and this and that, but man, and they haven’t won a World Series since 83 and those are my guys. I mean, I knew that whole team. I got out of there in 81 so that’s a long time, and it’s still it’s a great baseball city. You got a great ballpark that’s held up so so well, and the division is just, it’s really competitive again, and it’s nice to see Toronto doing what they’re doing. I mean that that kind of caught up with me. There was so many years where they nothing worked up there, even when they spent money, it just didn’t work. Now it’s working. They got a good manager, and I like what they’re doing. I like what they’re about in New York, we like to make fun of them, but they’re, they’re never bad, you know, they’re always in, they’re always in it. And they, they it’s, it’s almost fun to see them close all the time and not not come through. But they’re always respectable or better than that. They’re in the playoffs, etc. So the Boston thing, they’re, they’re teetering. They can go either way, and that’s that’s kind of on them. They’ve become content to to make money annually, and that’s not good, in my view, but that’s what they are now. Well, the

Nestor Aparicio  24:48

guys here are just trying to figure out how to make money, and obviously work stoppage next year, figuring out the media all that stuff. How are you doing? You still have your Celtics book, right? You’re done writing books, you and you and a. I aren’t going to get together and write some sort of posthumous Bill Walton book or anything, right?

Dan Shaughnessy  25:05

Yes, God, that’s nice, a nice thought. I love him so much. I know you do too. Yeah, I probably 13 and out. I think, I think I’m done, and I never did a Baltimore book. I should have, you have good, you know, you had Tom Callahan writing the books there and and he had a lot of good, good writers in Baltimore over the years. It’s great. It’s great here at Phil Jackman’s name, you know he was, he was so good to me, a Worcester guy, and a great, great talent. And he’s my

Nestor Aparicio  25:29

crazy uncle. I would be nothing without Phil Jackman. You know, all of my acerbic wit, all of my sort of charming, profane, you know, off the air it, I owe it all to to Jackman, whose favorite piece of profanity that I never you hear anybody use anymore when he some anybody can call something bullshit, right? He would call it hot shit. And you know, so if it’s hot shit, you really knew it was a bad call. You know what I mean? Dan, I It’s good to see you. Smile. Happy holidays to you. Hey, crab cakes at fadeleys. When the Red Sox and the Orioles, are you coming in for the game this week? Are you? I’ll be at the game Sunday night. All right, look, if crabs on Me Saturday night for you. Any of you want to come out? You want to do it, put the clams down and all that, you know, come on out. Get you a pro. I got a crab mallet right here. I’m always, I’m always one reach away from my crab mallet. And my friends are Raskin global. This is special crab mouth because you can open the beer with the other end of it. I bet you never seen that before. Right. Nice touch. Yeah, ingenuity. That’s how we’re doing it. Down here, you’ll find that on one of those clam bakes up there, my wife is freezing up with you right now in New England, we’re getting ready for football here this week. My thanks to Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe for dropping by. It’s like old home week around here. I don’t even have the Red Sox in the Orioles, but patriots, ravens, big week, holidays, Lukes and Owings Mills. We’re gonna be doing the Maryland crab cake tour all over the place. Find it at Baltimore positive stay with us.