Email the Take 5 podcast at Take5@WCVB.com
From WCVB’s SportsCenter 5, Host Chris Gasper brings you weekly, insider views into New England sports.
Episodes
Thursday Jun 10, 2021
Thursday Jun 10, 2021
Chris Gasper sits down with Joe Castiglione, the iconic voice of the Boston Red Sox and father of WCVB’s own, Duke Castiglione. The Red Sox are relevant again, currently second in the AL East standings, Castiglione shares why Alex Cora deserves a ton of the credit for the turnaround and what this team has in common with Morgan Magic in 1988. Castiglione is also a master storyteller and shares why he thinks Xander Bogaerts will have his number retired someday, plus why he's one of the best people to ever wear a Sox uniform. He details the challenges of broadcasting games remotely with pandemic protocols. And there's no crying in baseball, but Castiglione tells a story about a fateful Sox game that left both Duke and Gasper in tears. Producer Ellen Fleming asks Castiglione for his thoughts on rule changes to pick up the pace of play and scoring, and he agrees that changes need to be made and he swears it’s not just so he can get home faster. Lastly, Castiglione shares his all-time favorite call.
Email the Take 5 podcast at Take5@WCVB.com
Friday Jun 04, 2021
Friday Jun 04, 2021
Chris Gasper sits down with Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston, who enjoyed the NBA off-season for about 12 hours before the Celtics announced Danny Ainge is retiring, and Brad Stevens has been named as his replacement-- leaving the coaching spot open. Will this make the Celtics weaker in two spots instead of one?
Stevens is also now in charge of finding his replacement, will he follow in the trail-blazing tradition of the Celtics and break down another barrier by choosing the first female NBA head coach? Although an advocate for that, producer Ellen Fleming is skeptical about that happening. The shakeup won’t stop at the front office either, Gasper and Forsberg discuss what could happen to a roster in need of renovations moving forward. Lastly, Forsberg might be known for his basketball acumen, but what he is truly passionate about southern fast-food chains.
Email the Take 5 podcast at Take5@WCVB.com
Friday May 28, 2021
Friday May 28, 2021
Chris Gasper sits down with legendary Boston Globe hockey writer and columnist, Kevin Paul Dupont. He tells us whether the Bruins are bona fide Stanley Cup contenders, why GM Don Sweeney deserves a stick salute for his work, and what polarizing puck-stopper Tuukka Rask can do to finally win over his critics. The noted nickname artist also tells producer Ellen Fleming how he comes up with his catchy sobriquets. KPD also delves into what the NHL plans to do with the Stanley Cup playoffs with the Canadian border still closed due to COVID-19.
Email the Take 5 podcast at Take5@WCVB.com
Friday May 14, 2021
Friday May 14, 2021
Chris Gasper sits down with legendary Boston Globe columnist and NBA guru Bob Ryan. The inimitable Ryan shares his encyclopedic knowledge of the NBA and the Celtics. He reveals who gets his nod as the greatest Celtics scorer ever and the greatest Celtics team of all-time. He also doesn’t mince words about the disappointing performance of the current Celtics, labeling them “artistically annoying” to watch. Gasper and Ryan discuss what the future looks like for Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Marcus Smart in green. Ryan also weighs in on Tom Brady's return to Foxborough and the Brady vs. Belichick debate. Producer Ellen Fleming jumps in to revisit Ryan’s time working at WCVB and wonders if Gasper is just copying Ryan’s career path completely.
Email the Take 5 podcast at Take5@WCVB.com
Thursday May 06, 2021
Thursday May 06, 2021
Chris Gasper sits down with University of Alabama football beat writer Mike Rodak of AL.com to get the scoop on the Patriots' top two draft picks. Rodak previously covered the Patriots and the Buffalo Bills for ESPN and gives us the lowdown on quarterback Mac Jones and defensive lineman Christian Barmore. Jones is a polarizing passer. Rodak reveals whether he thinks Jones will be the caliber of NFL quarterback the Patriots can win with or if he benefitted from 'Bama's embarrassment of riches. He also tells us why Jones trash-talked legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban. Rodak explains why Barmore is a late-bloomer. He also weighs in on whether Bill Belichick's willingness to roll the dice on his friend Saban's players is helping or hurting the Patriots. And he runs down the striking similarities between the Patriots and Crimson Tide programs. Producer Ellen Fleming asks about a transgression from Jones' past, and Gasper grills Rodak for not having tried Alabama-staple Dreamland BBQ.
Email the Take 5 podcast at Take5@WCVB.com
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
The 2021 Draft is almost here and who better to join Chris Gasper to talk about what really goes on as teams prep for the draft than Bob Quinn, who worked in the Patriots front office from 2000 to 2015 and was the general manager of the Detroit Lions from 2016 to 2020. The Norwood native reveals how teams stack their draft boards and the conversations that go on with Bill Belichick in the lead-up to the draft. He explains why the draft is the Super Bowl for scouts...He evaluates the best QB fits for the passer-needy Patriots and tells us the prospect who reminds him of Dak Prescott. He also details why projecting college QBs into pro football is harder than ever and gives his scouting report on ex-Pat Jimmy Garoppolo. Plus, producer Ellen Fleming makes her pitch to be a social media scout for NFL teams as they scour the socials of NFL prospects.
Wednesday Apr 21, 2021
Wednesday Apr 21, 2021
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge checks in for a State of the Celtics discussion. In February, Ainge famously declared that his team was not championship caliber. Has he changed his mind after the team's recent winning streak? Ainge goes to bat for Brad Stevens, who has come under fire this season, and explains why his coach isn't going anywhere with six seasons left on Brad's contract. He also reveals that Kemba Walker's knee shouldn't be a long-term concern and defends the departure of Gordon Hayward and the trading of first-round pick Desmond Bane. Plus, producer Ellen Fleming digs into Ainge's infamous Chipotle VIP status and angles for a black card of her own from the restaurant.
Email the Take 5 podcast at Take5@WCVB.com
Thursday Apr 08, 2021
Thursday Apr 08, 2021
We talk with Matt Porter, covering the Bruins and all things NHL for The Boston Globe. The trade deadline is quickly approaching and Porter gives his thoughts on how the Bruins could proceed, asking, “What would the Bill Belichick of hockey do?” Could the Bruins be facing a future where this is the last ride for the Bruins core? Producer Ellen Fleming thinks this could be a bridge year for the Black and Gold, and Porter shares his encounter with Drake.
Email the Take 5 podcast at Take5@WCVB.com
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
We talk with Jen McCaffrey, Red Sox beat writer for The Athletic. Alex Cora is back as Sox manager and McCaffrey says the team is banking on him being a difference-maker in the dugout. There are still big questions about this edition of the Sox, starting with the starting pitcher and the health of Eduardo Rodriguez and Chris Sale. And both Gasper and McCaffrey believe the Red Sox are downplaying and disguising a rebuild. She coins the Sox's 2021 marketing slogan, "They've got two Brock Holts." McCaffrey also answers how long the Sox will give Chaim Bloom to execute his small-market blueprint for sustainability. Lastly, producer, Ellen Fleming asks McCaffrey about potential rule changes to make baseball more appealing and less time-consuming. Gasper wants robot umps. Ellen, not so much.
Email the Take 5 podcast at Take5@WCVB.com
Thursday Mar 25, 2021
Thursday Mar 25, 2021
We talk with ESPN NFL Insider and former NFL scout Field Yates. Field tells Gasper and Ellen Fleming why Cam Newton and the Patriots remain a football match and why both are now set up for success in 2021 after disappointing seasons...Yates also touches on the role Tom Brady’s success with Tampa Bay played in the Pats' big offseason binge... He reveals which young QB the Pats are targeting in the NFL Draft....and also discusses how much much longer he thinks Bill Belichick wants to coach. Plus, he thrills Ellen by sharing his love for the show “Laguna Beach” and another lesser quality reality offering.
Email the Take 5 podcast at Take5@WCVB.com