Green With Envy: Ohtani's Masterpiece, Mazzulla's Media Mind Games, and Drake Maye's Moment w/ Khari Thompson (Boston.com)

Podcast Date: October 19, 2025
Hosts: Will & Greg Manakis
Guest: Khari Thompson (Boston.com)

Episode Overview

In this lively season preview before the Celtics' opener, Will and Greg are joined by Khari Thompson of Boston.com to break down the upcoming Celtics season (minus Tatum and Porzingis), dig deep into Joe Mazzulla's much-discussed coaches vs. media game, compare baseball and basketball greatness, swap stories from inside the Boston sports media world, and finish with a spirited New England Patriots/Drake Maye update.

Key Topics & Discussion Highlights

1. Shohei Ohtani's Historic Baseball Feat & The Cross-Sport Greatness Debate

• [04:00] Will insists that Shohei Ohtani's 3-HR, 6-IP, 10-K, no-ER performance deserves much more attention, calling it possibly the greatest single-game showing of his lifetime.
  • Quote: "There's just simply not enough coverage...not enough people that are just losing their mind over a guy going 3 for 3 with 3 home runs, 6 innings pitched, no earned runs, 10 Ks, throwing over a hundred miles an hour to send his team to the World Series." — Will [04:00]
• The hosts and Khari try to come up with an NBA equivalent:
  • Khari: "It would be like Kobe dropping 81, but, like, there has to be some kind of defensive... like he has to get like 25 rebounds or something crazy." [05:09]
  • Greg: Cites Giannis’ 50-14-5 Finals performance as a strong parallel. [05:38]
• Discussion turns to baseball's marketing failures and diminished cultural presence:
  • Khari: "If Mike Trout walked into a bar, I would not know who he is, period... that's the state of baseball and stardom. Everybody knows Tatum, Everybody knows Drake May." [09:34]

2. Celtics Media vs. Coaches Game: Mazzulla’s Mind Games & the Power Dynamics

The Setup and The Mazzulla “Twist”

• [11:13] The backstory: The Celtics media gathered expecting an internal scrimmage—at the last second, Joe Mazzulla reveals they'll play the Celtics coaching staff instead.
  • Khari: "Joe wasn’t even going to tell us. It’s the last question someone asks him about it... he's like, actually, you guys are playing the coaches. You’re not playing against yourselves. And just walks away. Straight face, not even a hint of a smirk. Just complete Missoula game face. Like, game on. And that was awesome." [11:13]

Bullying or Bonding? Viral Debate

• Khari’s article pushes back on claims that it was “bullying” by the Celtics staff.
  • Khari: "I'm a grown man. I'm 6 foot 6, 260 pounds. Joe Missoula did not force me to do anything." [12:33]
  • Will: Compares the energy to the famous Oklahoma State coach rant: "I'm a man. I'm six six. I'm 260. You can't tell me what to do." [12:33]
  • Khari: Pushes back on outsider takes: "He asked me and my friends if we wanted to play basketball. And his friends are better at my friends than it. You know what I mean? ... Let's not make this bullying, come on now." [12:44]

Aftermath & Cultural Impact

• National NBA media sees it as fun; other teams, like the Nuggets, organize coach-media games.
  • Will: "There's a chance that you might be a part of... history in some small way here where if this does take off, this becomes the origin story of what maybe 10 years from now is the annual media coaches game." [13:39]

Just How Lopsided Was It?

• [15:51] Khari: "By the time you looked up, it was like 22 to nothing...and that's like when I went in."
• Celtics coaches’ youth and athleticism highlighted (Missoula, Phil Pressey, Emile Jefferson, etc.).
  • Khari: "Emile Jefferson on the floor alone is unfair because he's 6 foot 9, early 30s, still with bounce, and a former McDonald's All American who played with Tatum at Duke." [17:07]
  • Will: “The Celtics coaching staff is, especially compared to other coaching staffs, insanely young. ... Could theoretically still be in the NBA level athletes…” [17:24]

Fun Moments & Memes

• The iconic block:
  • Will: “Damn. What’d you do to her, dog?” [23:59], teeing up Khari’s on-court block of Noa (another reporter), seen even on ESPN.
  • Khari: "She said she pulled up for a two point jump shot... I'm supposed to just let it go? That would be disrespectful." [24:03]

3. Celtics Season Preview: What’s Next Minus Tatum & Porzingis?

Key Storylines

• [26:57] Khari: "I think Joe's the figure we'll learn the most about this year because this is the first time he hasn’t had an absolutely stacked team… We’re going to find out if Joe can actually coach this year. ... Jalen's playmaking, because Jalen is not going to be able to just make up all Tatum's buckets on his own. He’s gonna have to evolve."

Practice Intensity & Roster Issues

• Practices described as "wars"—especially with the underwhelming front court.
• Starting center: Neemias Queta "by default." All eyes on the guard rotation. [28:43]

Intriguing Players Beyond the Core

• Khari singles out Anfernee Simons as a potential breakout:
  • "He can spray it from three... just the question is, can he play any defense?... If he can give you anything on defense and be, you know, help contribute some of those missing points... he’ll be an intriguing piece for the Celtics." [29:38]

Sizing Up the Roster (Literally)

• Extended, humorous rundown of actual heights vs. listed heights.
• Khari: "Me and Jalen are almost the exact same height. ... Tatum is tall though. ... I’ll give Tatum, like, 6'9” ... Tatum is taller than Al." [33:03]

Derrick White “All-Star Year?”

• Will: "That last game against the Raptors, I saw a completely different mindset to Derrick White that I wasn’t really sure was there, where he was like, 'Oh, Jalen’s out. I’m the guy.'" [34:16]
  • Khari: "At times he was underutilized last year... Derrick has shown consistently over his time as a Celtic that he’s good for at least one game per playoffs when he’s getting four. So the consistency...But I think I like what I’ve seen out of Derek’s game. I think it’s going to be a big year for him." [36:15]

Missoula’s Make-Or-Break Year

• Discussion of Joe Missoula’s opportunity and test with a depleted roster.
  • Khari: "We’re going to find out if Joe has some Vrabel in him, man, if he can take a scrappy squad and get more out of them than is expected. ... He's always driven the Maserati. Now he's... in an Audi Q5.” [39:01]

Win Predictions & Vibes

• Greg: Predicts Derrick White as an indisputable All-Star. [39:58]
• Khari: Celtics still a playoff team—projects 45-48 wins; "guards' league," optimistic about the East. [43:11]
• Will: Sees Boston as a likely 6/7 seed; questions about playoff matchups and Brad Stevens’ possible midseason moves. [44:08]

4. Patriots Segment: Drake Maye Hype & AFC Playoff Hopes

The New England Football Mood Shift

• [46:06] Will raises the question: "Drake May is that dude, right? ... Certified that dude, correct?"
  • Khari: "Yeah. And it’s crazy how quickly the perception changed... now it’s pretty solidly like, yo, you got one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL." [46:13]
  • Rapid rise: from "should we even play this guy" to likely Top-5 young QB.

Young Roster and Schedule Outlook

• AFC is "wide open"; Pats boast an easy schedule and a shot at a playoff push—possibly even a home playoff game.
• Greg: "It's like now becoming 'I need to find a way to watch this game' type football, where in the past... you missed a game, you missed a game. Now I got to go out of my way to watch the Patriots because they're back, baby." [50:13]

Maye’s Early MVP Case

• "Drake May is making throws that are like, holy—like, that's a real throw. That's a dude throw right there." — Will [51:33]
• Khari: "And he's doing it with his legs ... and he's doing it with a roster that's not a bunch of world beaters... That's why I think he deserves to be in the MVP, like, conversation." [51:53]
• Maye’s deep ball completion % is in the 70s (league avg in 40s), extremely efficient and careful with the ball.

Trade Deadline & Team Needs

• Khari: Wants another receiver or a linebacker. "If you can get one of these disgruntled diva wide receivers ... and you can give up like any fourth-round picks ... now all of a sudden you've got a lot of speed, you got a lot of explosiveness and you got a quarterback and who can hit all those guys." [54:30]

Notable Quotes

• Khari (on viral coaching game): "Joe did not bully me. Like, he asked me and my friends if we wanted to play basketball. And his friends are better at my friends than it... That's the reality." [12:44]
• Will (re: baseball’s fade): "Baseball has fallen off, dude. It has fallen off..." [09:07]
• Greg: "He didn't force me to do anything. I'm 6-6, 260." [12:33]
• Greg (re: Patriots): "Boston sports is young and it's fun right now. And Drake Maye is the man, man." [51:33]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:36] – Ohtani’s feat and cross-sport comparison
• [11:13] – The coaches vs. media surprise reveal
• [12:44] – Bullying vs. bonding debate
• [15:51] – Recap of the lopsided game; just how good were the coaches?
• [26:57] – Celtics season preview: Missoula’s real test and Jalen’s playmaking
• [34:16] – Derrick White “All-Star Year?” discussion
• [39:01] – Missoula’s Maserati-to-Audi Q5 analogy
• [43:11] – Celtics win total & eastern conference outlook
• [46:06] – Drake Maye and Patriots optimism
• [51:33] – Maye’s throws and MVP discussion
• [54:30] – Trade deadline wish list for the Pats

Ongoing Themes & Takeaways

• Boston sports are in a rare phase of exciting youth (Patriots, Celtics).
• Joe Mazzulla’s coaching and personality are endearing him to the media and fans, in authentic, sometimes viral ways.
• The Celtics’ upcoming season is a crucible for both Mazzulla and key players (e.g., Jalen’s playmaking, Derrick White’s ascendance).
• The NBA is a 'guard’s league' now—and the Celtics are leaning into that with optimism despite frontcourt woes.
• Patriots fans are showing real hope for the future, with Drake Maye’s breakout raising the bar and the excitement level.

Where to Follow & What’s Next

• Follow Khari Thompson’s Celtics and Patriots work at Boston.com.
• Will & Greg will be live with a postgame pod after each Celtics game.
• Season predictions: Celtics solidly over .500, Derrick White “undeniable” All-Star, Pats a real playoff threat with easier schedule and a star QB.

[End of Summary]