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Ben Affleck and Matt Damon weighed in on Alex Bregman’s departure, ‘miracle’ of Drake Maye
The duo shared some Boston sports takes amid a press tour to promote the release of their new movie, "The Rip."
Matt Damon is also upset at the Red Sox losing Alex Bregman: Just like Red Sox fans everywhere, Matt Damon is mad about Alex Bregman leaving. Simultaneously, Ben Affleck (like every Patriots fan) can’t believe the luck of ending up with another MVP-level quarterback so quickly after Tom Brady’s departure.
The peaks and valleys of local fandom was one of the topics covered in a recent interview that Affleck and Damon did with the “Casuals with Katie Nolan” podcast. The appearance is part of a recent media tour to promote their upcoming movie, “The Rip,” which will be released on Netflix on Jan. 16.
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On the topic of Bregman, who left the Red Sox to sign a five-year contract with the Cubs worth a reported $175 million, the duo were predictably disappointed with Boston’s front office.
Affleck was unable to muster a sentence, trailing off despondently with a “I don’t…”
“I don’t know what to say,” Damon completed. “We had two All-Star third basemen last year, and now we have none.
“I’m upset,” Damon added. He recalled a similar situation from 2020 when the Red Sox traded Mookie Betts to the Dodgers and Damon made a podcast appearance on “The Bill Simmons Podcast.”
The circumstances are different — Bregman left as a free agent, whereas the Red Sox traded Betts — but the outcome is the same.
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“What [Simmons] said, which was great, right off the top of his head was he was like, ‘I’m upset because I was personally planning for a decade to a decade-and-a-half of watching him play.’ It’s just brutal when you lose people like that.”
The tone changed dramatically when Nolan broached the subject of the Patriots, and specifically Drake Maye.
“Love him,” Damon replied.
“It’s like a miracle,” said Affleck of Maye. “How do you get another really good quarterback? This is one of those things where you think this was just really good fortune. I thought I’d be dead before New England had another really great football team.”
“The way they’re set up for the future, Drake Maye is 23 years old. We’ve got all this cap space,” Damon noted.
The only problem for the 53-year-old Affleck, as he pointed out, was that Maye’s youth has inadvertently highlighted his own age.
“Every time I see the guy I’m like this kid is in high school,” joked Affleck. “Then people are like, ‘No dad, you’re just old.'”
Trivia: What former Lakers coach once told Matt Damon to “sit down and shut the f*** up” during an NBA Finals game?
(Answer at the bottom).
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Hint: He prominently mispronounced Leon Powe’s name after the latter posted 21 points against Los Angeles during Game 2 of the same NBA Finals.
Scores and schedules:
The Boston Fleet defeated the Toronto Sceptres 2-1 at the Tsongas Center on Wednesday night. Boston remains undefeated in home games so far this season.
Tonight, the Celtics face the Heat in Miami at 7:30 p.m. Also tonight, the Bruins host the Kraken at 8 p.m.
On Sunday, the Patriots play the Texans at Gillette Stadium in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs at 3 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
- Red Sox reportedly agree to five-year deal with starting pitcher Ranger Suarez worth $130 million
- Alina Müller, Shay Maloney score and Aerin Frankel makes the goals stand up as Fleet remain unbeaten on home ice
- Will Campbell has a candid response to critics after playoff debut with Patriots
- 5 things to know about new Red Sox pitcher Ranger Suarez
- How can Drake Maye beat Texans defense? ‘Turn into Michael Vick’, says one Patriots player
- Willson Contreras lands a dig at the Yankees ahead of his first season with the Red Sox
- Drake Maye faces his toughest test yet against ‘relentless’ Texans defense
- Patriots get good news on Christian Gonzalez’s health ahead of Texans playoff game
- Robert Kraft discussed difficulty of firing Jerod Mayo, resurgent Patriots, Drake Maye’s ‘humility’
- Ahead of Patriots playoff game, Texans’ top receiver missing from practice
- ‘Electric’ Gillette Stadium atmosphere brought back memories of the early dynasty days
- Revolution sign Cristiano Oliveira of Somerville as Homegrown Player
A very good Gillette Stadium worker: Some background on Boyd, the dog who keeps the geese away.
On this day: In 1972, the Bruins defeated Blackhawks 4-2 thanks to a pair of Phil Esposito goals in the third period. Elsewhere, the Celtics also won, defeating the Hawks 122-106 thanks to John Havlicek’s 40-point eruption (Dave Cowens posted 27 points with 15 rebounds).
Daily highlight: SMU won it at the buzzer against Virginia Tech on Wednesday night thanks to a half-court winner from Boopie Miller.
Trivia answer: Phil Jackson
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