July 12, 2026 • 18 mins
Joe Mazzulla shares stories about coaching the Boston Celtics, growing up in Rhode Island, and even his innovative new business idea.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Games of Names. I'm Julian Edelman, and we
got a brand new compilation highlight reels starting now.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Now.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Joe Miszoula pitches his situation room business idea.
Speaker 4 (00:13):
So you know they have like, man, no, they have
what's that thing called? Were you like escape rooms? Yeah,
they should have. We should start a business where you
have like situation rooms and like you can sign up
and go in and like reenact different things. You know,
like hey, what are you doing tonight? We're gonna grab
dinner and then we're gonna go reenact and been lot
and raid.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
Like like I think the escape room is just the beginning.
It's like, hey, what are you doing tonight that we're
gonna simulate.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
They have those you go down to like the West Coast.
You can go deal with those like they teach you
how to like the John Wick guy that teaches you gun.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Like I'm talking like down here on like the main road.
You know, I'm not saying like you gotta go out.
I'm saying like you can find an escape room anywhere,
like at a billiard spot. Yeah, Like tonight we're going
to reenact for no.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Maybe part about morality.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
But today we're going to reenact like negotiation tactics, like hey,
you're gonna get you know, after dinner, you're gonna be kidnapped,
and I gotta I gotta use my negotiation tactics to
like get you back, like.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
More strategy than yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
You know what I mean. I just want some situations.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Like so, I whatever I watch, I try to tie
into like how you can you know. Another great one
is so we should think more about that business, right,
I like that.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Boardroom screen someone comes in movies? Is the game?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Is that Michael Douglas.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Yeah, he hires the people to put himself in that
situation because he wants excitement.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeahs yeah, huh.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
I'm just playing in this night. I like this fun
Friday night.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
I mean escape rooms are just the beginning.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Oh yeah, that's child's blake.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Come on, I mean, I mean that's over.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
I mean that's boring, trying to go PF Chang's maybe
a little water boarding afterwards. Next up, Joe Mazzuli explains
what halftime is like in an NBA locker room.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
So, halftime, what's what's the what's the locker room like?
Under s coach It.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Depends I think you're as soon as that horn goes off,
even during the first half, you're I'm constantly saying, Okay,
what did we do well?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
What didn't we do well? What hurt us?
Speaker 4 (02:16):
And you try to anticipate on what's going to happen
in the second And then when the horn goes off,
it's about a forty five second to a minute walk
to the back. You're you're kind of deciding about like
all right, like what does the team need.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Right now in this moment? And then you know, what
are we going to focus on?
Speaker 4 (02:30):
And so in that game, you're talking about the you know,
you follow a three point shooter three times and you
give them nine potential points out of that that you
have to take that away. And so I think you're
just constantly and but it changes, right, Sometimes you're in
there and you show film, you know. Sometimes you're in
there and like you don't show any film. Uh. Sometimes
it's like, okay, who does an individual player need something?
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Or does the team need something?
Speaker 4 (02:51):
And so you're just constantly diagnosing what needs what at
that moment, figuring out like, Okay, where do we need
to be better that we can control, Where do we
need to be better the things that you know we
sucked at, and then you know, try to get ready
for the second half there. Now, how long is the
halftime It's fifteen minutes. By the time you get back
to the locker room, it's like thirteen thirty. And then
(03:12):
you got three and a half minutes to look at
the halftime minute to see what you want to show.
And you try to show the half time inute at
like ten.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
So do you have because like whenever our halftime it
was it was clockwork. We would come in for halftime,
it was thirteen minutes or twelve minutes. Coaches would have
two minutes together while we were undrained, like let our
emotions get down, and then we break up into O
and D. Offensive coach would have his four keys that
were going into defensive coach would have his four keys.
(03:39):
We'd have two minutes there.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
Then we'd have two minutes as a team, and then
special teams would have one minute or like it was
broken down, like you guys have a moment where like that,
or it's different because you guys are so small. Yeah,
it's different. So I think you're in the back as
far as roster. Yeah, size. No, By the time we
get to the team, it's probably four clips offense, four
clips defense, or if one side of the ball is
just so much more or drastically different impacting the game,
(04:02):
you just focus on that. But it's like that in
the staff of like, you know, the offense team will
give their insight, the defense team will give their insight,
then the coach doing the halftime mit. It kind of
puts in, you know, order of what's most important, and
you're just so in that three and a half minutes,
you're kind of deciding, Okay, what's the most important? Is
it are both important? Or are we focusing on one now?
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Joe Mazula on what it means to coach the Boston Celtics.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
What was it like being called to be the nineteenth
coach for the historics Boston Celtics.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I mean, that's kind of where my faith came into play.
It just felt like it was a true gift from God. Really,
like it was like, I don't belong here. You know,
you go through a little bit of like how the
hell did I get here? Slash I don't belong here,
but I also I was put here, you know, by God,
and so like that that's really the only way to
describe it.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Can you describe to people, our viewers that are from
different cities, how the Celtics are different than any other NBA.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Yeah, franchise.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
I think it's it's it's It starts with the history,
you know, it starts with the tradition, it starts with
some of the greatest players to have ever played the game,
and then it goes to the city. Like, you know,
there's not much difference between how Hugs motivated us the
year we went to the Final four and what it's
like to be in Boston. I think the only way
for a team to maximize itself, not just in one year,
(05:20):
but in a series of years is like we took
on the identity of West Virginian people, the gritty, the
hard nose, the blue collar like he was very adamated on,
like playing for something bigger than yourself, And it's the
same thing here. You know, you're playing for something bigger
than yourself. You're not playing for just yourself. You're playing
for the guy next year, but you're playing for the city.
You're playing for the competency of the fans and the
(05:42):
respect of the fans and the respect of the organization.
And you know that comes with a lot of responsibility
that comes with It's not easy, but it's necessary, and
it's a compliment that you get.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
That responsibility to be able to do it.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
But you know, there's nothing better, and it's just different,
and I think it's and it's a list of all
those things.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Who is the team asshole? Like the guy that not
like an asshole, but a team asshole on our in
our world is a good guy that holds people accountable,
may not do it in the most proper way, but
works his dick off. Yeah, that kind of asshole, not
like an asshole.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Yeah, I mean, let's not use that word because I
don't like. Who's a team enforcer?
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah, there's so there's like a few guys.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Everybody is in their own way, right like vocal Jason
does it in one way, Jalen does it in another way,
al does it in another way. For this season and
for his time here, you know, you have to give
that to smart like his ability to do that, and
an underlying one who was ended up being one of
the best people I ever coached was Blake Griffin. You know,
(06:45):
he became like just an amazing guy and his ability
to lead in different ways, both in action and in words,
and so you know, they all did it in their
own way. But the verbal probably you know, came from Smart,
came from Blake, came from Jalen at times, came from
al at times. JT leads by example, like he's you know,
his consistency, and but he also leads, you know, behind
the trenches, the way he how he treats other people
(07:07):
and and uh, you know his coach ability. So they
all do it in their own way.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Now how did Blake do it differently?
Speaker 4 (07:14):
I mean it was actually interesting because like I didn't again,
I was the interim and then we signed Blake, and
I'm like, shit, like how am I going to coach
this guy? Like he was a former number one pick,
like it's Blake Griffin and you know his humility, like
he came in and our relationship changed, and it you know,
motivated me. When he came to me, it was like, hey,
how can I get better? And for a guy of
(07:35):
his stature and where he's been to have the foresight
to be like, hey, I want to get better?
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Like how can I?
Speaker 4 (07:40):
You know, that was huge, right, and and you know
every time he talked and decisions that he made weren't
about him there about you know winning.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Yeah, now you talk about Jason Tatum and how he
treats people, that's probably huge component of why he is
who he is. What else makes him?
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Yeah, I mean I think you live in that space
of like greatness is viewed at as differently.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
And I think another thing when you play.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
For the Celtics and you have a great team and
you have multiple guys, you have to take on everybody's
greatness and you have to allow space in order for
greatness to kind of be exemplified in different ways, right,
And you know, like al does it in a certain way,
Jalen does it, and Jalen does it in his way
and his approach and his fierceness and his warrior mentality.
(08:28):
Jason does it in his consistency and and you know
his ability to just want to be coached all the
time and want to be held accountable, which they all
do that, right, but like, you know, so I think
that's how he does it.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Next up, Joe Miszula breaks Downward Island food.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Now, what's young coach Missoula's favorite place on Federal Hill?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Panavino?
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Panavino.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, I think I worked there for like two days.
What happened?
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Not a big manual labor guy. And so I was like,
I'm not I'm not doing that. I can't do this.
I think you had to, like if I remember, you
had to ask for like three days. Now I guess
the people that like, now I'm that guy because I
always want sparkling water instead of distill.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
But you had to ask for like three different waters
did you.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Want and still flat sparkling?
Speaker 4 (09:06):
Yeah, and then like the utensils had to be like
three fingertips from the thing. And I was like, I'm
just gonna go to the gym.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Tight ship, baby, they run a tight shipped over in
the hill. Did you ever go to Olfornos Alfornos?
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Maybe once when I was a kid, but like I
don't remember it as much.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Did you ever go to Sienna's? No, I was over
there on the hill.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
We used to go there.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
We weren't allowed to go to Federal We weren't we
weren't really allowed to go to Providence. Coach didn't want
us there.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
And there's a lot of great restaurants on one island.
Corsertis Pizza is obviously a big one. Yeah, Rosa MEAs
pizza in Johnson is phenomenal. I got what's called rosie.
You gotta find It's like the true Sicilian pizza, like
the nice thick square slices.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
What kind of sauce? It is a sweet sauce, not
too so.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
It has like the it's got like pepperoni and the
pepper's on there and like built underneath the cheese.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
We get that a lot with my grandmother.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Now does your grandma make like a hell of a
like red sauce and ship?
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Have you seen known as on Netflix? Chris ba? Great,
great movie.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
That's fun, right, Yeah, but I was I couldn't remember
if my grandmother called her sauce sauce or gravy gravy,
but she made a hell of a you know, a
saucer or gravy.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
You know.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
I always want to experience that Italian East Coast mom.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
That was us that every what Sunday, I mean every night,
so every night because they she lived in the same
house by dad, there was I think there was nine
brothers and sisters combined, but you never knew who was
coming over. So she would make dinner every night and
it was it was just an open door. So like
whoever came in came. You know, if you got there late,
you didn't eat you and so. But on Sundays we
would have like a you know, a big, a big
(10:39):
ordeal like all my aunts would cook, my grandmother would cook.
It was I mean, it was just like just like
the movie.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
It was cool. It was cool to kind of relive
that I watched that enther night with my wife.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
No, we got bread for every everything, right, bread has
to be bread. I've learned that in the Italian house,
you gotta have a piece of bread in the hand
at all time for the sauce, the fucking noodles that you.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Got to dip the bread in the sauce. You can't
let the sauce go to way. I don't eat as
I don't eat as much bread anymore.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
You can't coach, I know.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
I mean I'm getting old and uh.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Not getting old. But I've heard the interviews. You got
to stay in shape so you you can understand the
the perspective that the players.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Are in, right.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
I think that's important. I think that's a way to
be empathetic for what those guys have to go tell. Yeah,
but I lost touch. I don't do the coffee after
dinner I can't do that. I'll never know to sleep.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
I can't. No, I'm sensitive that stuff too.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
What do was sama? Like?
Speaker 1 (11:28):
They?
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Is that the alcohol?
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Just D?
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Just evo is a dj D? What else is zambuca?
And then there's another one. There's a lemon Cello Lemonello.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
But there's there's tomorrow that's phenomenal, Like the tomorrows are great.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
I used to drink those a little bit. They always
say it makes your stomach feel better. I felt like
it made me drunker.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
I think both can be true now.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Joe Mazzulla on his favorite movies, what's the best Boston
movie of all time? Coach?
Speaker 4 (11:57):
I know you love the town, but is that your favorite?
It's between the town and the depart I'd say.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Yeah, depends on what kind of relief you need. Do
you want to know what.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Kind of mood you're in?
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I mean, I grew up on the Departed, but the
town as I got older. And the reason why I
kind of resonate a little bit more with the town
than the part of it is is the identity and
the love factor. You know that like you're in this space,
like I feel like kind of you know this area
and kind of how I grew up of like and
even people in general, not necessarily to an area, but.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
It's like.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
You're always you don't like the person you are, but
you do when you're trying to be something that you
want to be something more, but like you're who you
are is bringing you down, so to speak, you know
what I mean. And I feel like the town portrays
so much more than violence where it shows an identity
crisis of like this area made me, but I'm looking
for more, you know, and you know, the great things
(12:50):
about me are from this area, but also the tough
things about me are from this area. And how do
you evolve as a person, And you know, living in
a space of being falling in love with someone but
also robbing banks at the same time is like there's
nothing more of a duality or approach to that, and
so it just has a little bit more of a
than the part of the where like it's an action
and it's a great movie like this is like you know,
(13:10):
it shows more of like life of like you know,
you're trying to figure out your identity but you have
these things uh tugging with you at all times, but
you want to be a better person and by the way,
I love you, but I'm also using you because you're
getting interrogated by the FBI. What's more, you know, Yeah,
it's darker. Yeah, it's really I'm attracted to you know,
like the party is coming.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
There's some comedy relief with you know, Jack and how
he does things. There's a little funniness to it. Yeah,
the other one town and there ain't nothing that shit
feels real.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
It's just dark.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Yeah, I agree with you, And I'm not saying it
as like a saying like I'm attracted to the dark
side of greatness or the dark side of like the
tugs of identity and love and U shadows. You're part
of the Batman people. I mean trilogy is by far
the best trilogy that is by far, by far. Yeah,
I mean the Dark Knight is.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Dark, you know what. You know what I loved. I
loved Batman Begins because I was a huge Batman kid
when I was a kid. And to see the origin
of where it all came from, like I was like,
oh my god, that's how they got the Batcave.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Holy shit.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Yeah, oh Maggan, that's where he got his fucking moves.
He went to or Japan, wherever he went like that
was like and then the Dark Knight was crazy, and
then Bane came.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
And I think that Batman begins his third I think
it's Dark Knight, Dark Knight Rises, then Batman begins.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
I think I'll go Dark Knight, Batman begins, Dark Knight Rises.
It got a little long at the last one.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
Yeah, But the space I love is like villains, you know,
like the movies, and like these are like the themes
that I always think about of like there really isn't
much difference between the hero and the villain, right And
I think that's the space of why the villain gets
so frustrated is like the self righteousness of the hero
thinking he's better than someone else because he's quote unquote
(14:56):
trying to do the right thing, you know, And so
they're more similar than they than than you think.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Are you a Star Wars fan? I'm not, because I
have that same argument with you know, the dark side
and having the force. You know, I think when you're
what are they called a Sith, When you're a Sith,
all they are people that have the force, that make
decision through emotion. When you're a Jedi, you're making decision
(15:24):
emotional lists so it's more peaceful. But why are we
getting mad at a person that's making emotional decision because
we all do that.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Yeah, I know the space is but the gap between
a hero and a villain is much It's very similar
to like the gap between winning and losing and greatness
to you know, be good to great. Like that gap
is so much closer than people think, and it's very
small fundamental details that separate you.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Uh. And that's the space that I like to like
dive into a lot.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
What is it the saying you live long enough of
the hero, you die the villain or something dark knight,
the dire hero, live long enough to be the villain? Man?
Speaker 2 (16:00):
That's not as true as you can.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Get it is. Now, who's your villain? Who's who's the villain?
Speaker 2 (16:05):
The joker?
Speaker 1 (16:06):
You're the joker?
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Yeah, that's the guy that's that's like, that's my guy.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Like the Heath Ledger version. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I
heard the first time. I mean, so I have this,
I mean I got this. So you're so serious for him, wow,
because of like that perfect balance of like you know,
you know, it's a great question.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
Now what he goes into like telling the story as
to like how he got.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
To that point, you know, but it's.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Like, you know, it's amazing how he Like if you
look at the Batman and the Joker, it's like the
Joker had no rules, but he really just wanted honesty,
you know, but he just went to the wrong depths
to try and get that honesty. Meanwhile, Batman was like,
you know, I'm doing I'm doing this for all the
right reasons, when in reality, like was he and you know,
(16:56):
they're not much different.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
They're not you need to do movie podcast, That's what
you should do on your spare time. I was gonna
ask you what do you do on your spare time?
Speaker 4 (17:04):
But I canna get better at my job first. Can
to start there? No, no, no,
Welcome to Games of Names. I'm Julian Edelman, and we
got a brand new compilation highlight reels starting now.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Now.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Joe Miszoula pitches his situation room business idea.
Speaker 4 (00:13):
So you know they have like, man, no, they have
what's that thing called? Were you like escape rooms? Yeah,
they should have. We should start a business where you
have like situation rooms and like you can sign up
and go in and like reenact different things. You know,
like hey, what are you doing tonight? We're gonna grab
dinner and then we're gonna go reenact and been lot
and raid.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
Like like I think the escape room is just the beginning.
It's like, hey, what are you doing tonight that we're
gonna simulate.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
They have those you go down to like the West Coast.
You can go deal with those like they teach you
how to like the John Wick guy that teaches you gun.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Like I'm talking like down here on like the main road.
You know, I'm not saying like you gotta go out.
I'm saying like you can find an escape room anywhere,
like at a billiard spot. Yeah, Like tonight we're going
to reenact for no.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Maybe part about morality.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
But today we're going to reenact like negotiation tactics, like hey,
you're gonna get you know, after dinner, you're gonna be kidnapped,
and I gotta I gotta use my negotiation tactics to
like get you back, like.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
More strategy than yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
You know what I mean. I just want some situations.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Like so, I whatever I watch, I try to tie
into like how you can you know. Another great one
is so we should think more about that business, right,
I like that.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Boardroom screen someone comes in movies? Is the game?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Is that Michael Douglas.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Yeah, he hires the people to put himself in that
situation because he wants excitement.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeahs yeah, huh.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
I'm just playing in this night. I like this fun
Friday night.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
I mean escape rooms are just the beginning.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Oh yeah, that's child's blake.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Come on, I mean, I mean that's over.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
I mean that's boring, trying to go PF Chang's maybe
a little water boarding afterwards. Next up, Joe Mazzuli explains
what halftime is like in an NBA locker room.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
So, halftime, what's what's the what's the locker room like?
Under s coach It.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Depends I think you're as soon as that horn goes off,
even during the first half, you're I'm constantly saying, Okay,
what did we do well?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
What didn't we do well? What hurt us?
Speaker 4 (02:16):
And you try to anticipate on what's going to happen
in the second And then when the horn goes off,
it's about a forty five second to a minute walk
to the back. You're you're kind of deciding about like
all right, like what does the team need.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Right now in this moment? And then you know, what
are we going to focus on?
Speaker 4 (02:30):
And so in that game, you're talking about the you know,
you follow a three point shooter three times and you
give them nine potential points out of that that you
have to take that away. And so I think you're
just constantly and but it changes, right, Sometimes you're in
there and you show film, you know. Sometimes you're in
there and like you don't show any film. Uh. Sometimes
it's like, okay, who does an individual player need something?
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Or does the team need something?
Speaker 4 (02:51):
And so you're just constantly diagnosing what needs what at
that moment, figuring out like, Okay, where do we need
to be better that we can control, Where do we
need to be better the things that you know we
sucked at, and then you know, try to get ready
for the second half there. Now, how long is the
halftime It's fifteen minutes. By the time you get back
to the locker room, it's like thirteen thirty. And then
(03:12):
you got three and a half minutes to look at
the halftime minute to see what you want to show.
And you try to show the half time inute at
like ten.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
So do you have because like whenever our halftime it
was it was clockwork. We would come in for halftime,
it was thirteen minutes or twelve minutes. Coaches would have
two minutes together while we were undrained, like let our
emotions get down, and then we break up into O
and D. Offensive coach would have his four keys that
were going into defensive coach would have his four keys.
(03:39):
We'd have two minutes there.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
Then we'd have two minutes as a team, and then
special teams would have one minute or like it was
broken down, like you guys have a moment where like that,
or it's different because you guys are so small. Yeah,
it's different. So I think you're in the back as
far as roster. Yeah, size. No, By the time we
get to the team, it's probably four clips offense, four
clips defense, or if one side of the ball is
just so much more or drastically different impacting the game,
(04:02):
you just focus on that. But it's like that in
the staff of like, you know, the offense team will
give their insight, the defense team will give their insight,
then the coach doing the halftime mit. It kind of
puts in, you know, order of what's most important, and
you're just so in that three and a half minutes,
you're kind of deciding, Okay, what's the most important? Is
it are both important? Or are we focusing on one now?
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Joe Mazula on what it means to coach the Boston Celtics.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
What was it like being called to be the nineteenth
coach for the historics Boston Celtics.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I mean, that's kind of where my faith came into play.
It just felt like it was a true gift from God. Really,
like it was like, I don't belong here. You know,
you go through a little bit of like how the
hell did I get here? Slash I don't belong here,
but I also I was put here, you know, by God,
and so like that that's really the only way to
describe it.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Can you describe to people, our viewers that are from
different cities, how the Celtics are different than any other NBA.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Yeah, franchise.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
I think it's it's it's It starts with the history,
you know, it starts with the tradition, it starts with
some of the greatest players to have ever played the game,
and then it goes to the city. Like, you know,
there's not much difference between how Hugs motivated us the
year we went to the Final four and what it's
like to be in Boston. I think the only way
for a team to maximize itself, not just in one year,
(05:20):
but in a series of years is like we took
on the identity of West Virginian people, the gritty, the
hard nose, the blue collar like he was very adamated on,
like playing for something bigger than yourself, And it's the
same thing here. You know, you're playing for something bigger
than yourself. You're not playing for just yourself. You're playing
for the guy next year, but you're playing for the city.
You're playing for the competency of the fans and the
(05:42):
respect of the fans and the respect of the organization.
And you know that comes with a lot of responsibility
that comes with It's not easy, but it's necessary, and
it's a compliment that you get.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
That responsibility to be able to do it.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
But you know, there's nothing better, and it's just different,
and I think it's and it's a list of all
those things.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Who is the team asshole? Like the guy that not
like an asshole, but a team asshole on our in
our world is a good guy that holds people accountable,
may not do it in the most proper way, but
works his dick off. Yeah, that kind of asshole, not
like an asshole.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Yeah, I mean, let's not use that word because I
don't like. Who's a team enforcer?
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah, there's so there's like a few guys.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Everybody is in their own way, right like vocal Jason
does it in one way, Jalen does it in another way,
al does it in another way. For this season and
for his time here, you know, you have to give
that to smart like his ability to do that, and
an underlying one who was ended up being one of
the best people I ever coached was Blake Griffin. You know,
(06:45):
he became like just an amazing guy and his ability
to lead in different ways, both in action and in words,
and so you know, they all did it in their
own way. But the verbal probably you know, came from Smart,
came from Blake, came from Jalen at times, came from
al at times. JT leads by example, like he's you know,
his consistency, and but he also leads, you know, behind
the trenches, the way he how he treats other people
(07:07):
and and uh, you know his coach ability. So they
all do it in their own way.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Now how did Blake do it differently?
Speaker 4 (07:14):
I mean it was actually interesting because like I didn't again,
I was the interim and then we signed Blake, and
I'm like, shit, like how am I going to coach
this guy? Like he was a former number one pick,
like it's Blake Griffin and you know his humility, like
he came in and our relationship changed, and it you know,
motivated me. When he came to me, it was like, hey,
how can I get better? And for a guy of
(07:35):
his stature and where he's been to have the foresight
to be like, hey, I want to get better?
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Like how can I?
Speaker 4 (07:40):
You know, that was huge, right, and and you know
every time he talked and decisions that he made weren't
about him there about you know winning.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Yeah, now you talk about Jason Tatum and how he
treats people, that's probably huge component of why he is
who he is. What else makes him?
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Yeah, I mean I think you live in that space
of like greatness is viewed at as differently.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
And I think another thing when you play.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
For the Celtics and you have a great team and
you have multiple guys, you have to take on everybody's
greatness and you have to allow space in order for
greatness to kind of be exemplified in different ways, right,
And you know, like al does it in a certain way,
Jalen does it, and Jalen does it in his way
and his approach and his fierceness and his warrior mentality.
(08:28):
Jason does it in his consistency and and you know
his ability to just want to be coached all the
time and want to be held accountable, which they all
do that, right, but like, you know, so I think
that's how he does it.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Next up, Joe Miszula breaks Downward Island food.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Now, what's young coach Missoula's favorite place on Federal Hill?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Panavino?
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Panavino.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, I think I worked there for like two days.
What happened?
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Not a big manual labor guy. And so I was like,
I'm not I'm not doing that. I can't do this.
I think you had to, like if I remember, you
had to ask for like three days. Now I guess
the people that like, now I'm that guy because I
always want sparkling water instead of distill.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
But you had to ask for like three different waters
did you.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Want and still flat sparkling?
Speaker 4 (09:06):
Yeah, and then like the utensils had to be like
three fingertips from the thing. And I was like, I'm
just gonna go to the gym.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Tight ship, baby, they run a tight shipped over in
the hill. Did you ever go to Olfornos Alfornos?
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Maybe once when I was a kid, but like I
don't remember it as much.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Did you ever go to Sienna's? No, I was over
there on the hill.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
We used to go there.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
We weren't allowed to go to Federal We weren't we
weren't really allowed to go to Providence. Coach didn't want
us there.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
And there's a lot of great restaurants on one island.
Corsertis Pizza is obviously a big one. Yeah, Rosa MEAs
pizza in Johnson is phenomenal. I got what's called rosie.
You gotta find It's like the true Sicilian pizza, like
the nice thick square slices.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
What kind of sauce? It is a sweet sauce, not
too so.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
It has like the it's got like pepperoni and the
pepper's on there and like built underneath the cheese.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
We get that a lot with my grandmother.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Now does your grandma make like a hell of a
like red sauce and ship?
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Have you seen known as on Netflix? Chris ba? Great,
great movie.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
That's fun, right, Yeah, but I was I couldn't remember
if my grandmother called her sauce sauce or gravy gravy,
but she made a hell of a you know, a
saucer or gravy.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
You know.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
I always want to experience that Italian East Coast mom.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
That was us that every what Sunday, I mean every night,
so every night because they she lived in the same
house by dad, there was I think there was nine
brothers and sisters combined, but you never knew who was
coming over. So she would make dinner every night and
it was it was just an open door. So like
whoever came in came. You know, if you got there late,
you didn't eat you and so. But on Sundays we
would have like a you know, a big, a big
(10:39):
ordeal like all my aunts would cook, my grandmother would cook.
It was I mean, it was just like just like
the movie.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
It was cool. It was cool to kind of relive
that I watched that enther night with my wife.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
No, we got bread for every everything, right, bread has
to be bread. I've learned that in the Italian house,
you gotta have a piece of bread in the hand
at all time for the sauce, the fucking noodles that you.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Got to dip the bread in the sauce. You can't
let the sauce go to way. I don't eat as
I don't eat as much bread anymore.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
You can't coach, I know.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
I mean I'm getting old and uh.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Not getting old. But I've heard the interviews. You got
to stay in shape so you you can understand the
the perspective that the players.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Are in, right.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
I think that's important. I think that's a way to
be empathetic for what those guys have to go tell. Yeah,
but I lost touch. I don't do the coffee after
dinner I can't do that. I'll never know to sleep.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
I can't. No, I'm sensitive that stuff too.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
What do was sama? Like?
Speaker 1 (11:28):
They?
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Is that the alcohol?
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Just D?
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Just evo is a dj D? What else is zambuca?
And then there's another one. There's a lemon Cello Lemonello.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
But there's there's tomorrow that's phenomenal, Like the tomorrows are great.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
I used to drink those a little bit. They always
say it makes your stomach feel better. I felt like
it made me drunker.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
I think both can be true now.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Joe Mazzulla on his favorite movies, what's the best Boston
movie of all time? Coach?
Speaker 4 (11:57):
I know you love the town, but is that your favorite?
It's between the town and the depart I'd say.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Yeah, depends on what kind of relief you need. Do
you want to know what.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Kind of mood you're in?
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I mean, I grew up on the Departed, but the
town as I got older. And the reason why I
kind of resonate a little bit more with the town
than the part of it is is the identity and
the love factor. You know that like you're in this space,
like I feel like kind of you know this area
and kind of how I grew up of like and
even people in general, not necessarily to an area, but.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
It's like.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
You're always you don't like the person you are, but
you do when you're trying to be something that you
want to be something more, but like you're who you
are is bringing you down, so to speak, you know
what I mean. And I feel like the town portrays
so much more than violence where it shows an identity
crisis of like this area made me, but I'm looking
for more, you know, and you know, the great things
(12:50):
about me are from this area, but also the tough
things about me are from this area. And how do
you evolve as a person, And you know, living in
a space of being falling in love with someone but
also robbing banks at the same time is like there's
nothing more of a duality or approach to that, and
so it just has a little bit more of a
than the part of the where like it's an action
and it's a great movie like this is like you know,
(13:10):
it shows more of like life of like you know,
you're trying to figure out your identity but you have
these things uh tugging with you at all times, but
you want to be a better person and by the way,
I love you, but I'm also using you because you're
getting interrogated by the FBI. What's more, you know, Yeah,
it's darker. Yeah, it's really I'm attracted to you know,
like the party is coming.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
There's some comedy relief with you know, Jack and how
he does things. There's a little funniness to it. Yeah,
the other one town and there ain't nothing that shit
feels real.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
It's just dark.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Yeah, I agree with you, And I'm not saying it
as like a saying like I'm attracted to the dark
side of greatness or the dark side of like the
tugs of identity and love and U shadows. You're part
of the Batman people. I mean trilogy is by far
the best trilogy that is by far, by far. Yeah,
I mean the Dark Knight is.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Dark, you know what. You know what I loved. I
loved Batman Begins because I was a huge Batman kid
when I was a kid. And to see the origin
of where it all came from, like I was like,
oh my god, that's how they got the Batcave.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Holy shit.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Yeah, oh Maggan, that's where he got his fucking moves.
He went to or Japan, wherever he went like that
was like and then the Dark Knight was crazy, and
then Bane came.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
And I think that Batman begins his third I think
it's Dark Knight, Dark Knight Rises, then Batman begins.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
I think I'll go Dark Knight, Batman begins, Dark Knight Rises.
It got a little long at the last one.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
Yeah, But the space I love is like villains, you know,
like the movies, and like these are like the themes
that I always think about of like there really isn't
much difference between the hero and the villain, right And
I think that's the space of why the villain gets
so frustrated is like the self righteousness of the hero
thinking he's better than someone else because he's quote unquote
(14:56):
trying to do the right thing, you know, And so
they're more similar than they than than you think.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Are you a Star Wars fan? I'm not, because I
have that same argument with you know, the dark side
and having the force. You know, I think when you're
what are they called a Sith, When you're a Sith,
all they are people that have the force, that make
decision through emotion. When you're a Jedi, you're making decision
(15:24):
emotional lists so it's more peaceful. But why are we
getting mad at a person that's making emotional decision because
we all do that.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Yeah, I know the space is but the gap between
a hero and a villain is much It's very similar
to like the gap between winning and losing and greatness
to you know, be good to great. Like that gap
is so much closer than people think, and it's very
small fundamental details that separate you.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Uh. And that's the space that I like to like
dive into a lot.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
What is it the saying you live long enough of
the hero, you die the villain or something dark knight,
the dire hero, live long enough to be the villain? Man?
Speaker 2 (16:00):
That's not as true as you can.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Get it is. Now, who's your villain? Who's who's the villain?
Speaker 2 (16:05):
The joker?
Speaker 1 (16:06):
You're the joker?
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Yeah, that's the guy that's that's like, that's my guy.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Like the Heath Ledger version. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I
heard the first time. I mean, so I have this,
I mean I got this. So you're so serious for him, wow,
because of like that perfect balance of like you know,
you know, it's a great question.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
Now what he goes into like telling the story as
to like how he got.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
To that point, you know, but it's.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Like, you know, it's amazing how he Like if you
look at the Batman and the Joker, it's like the
Joker had no rules, but he really just wanted honesty,
you know, but he just went to the wrong depths
to try and get that honesty. Meanwhile, Batman was like,
you know, I'm doing I'm doing this for all the
right reasons, when in reality, like was he and you know,
(16:56):
they're not much different.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
They're not you need to do movie podcast, That's what
you should do on your spare time. I was gonna
ask you what do you do on your spare time?
Speaker 4 (17:04):
But I canna get better at my job first. Can
to start there? No, no, no,
Host
Julian Edelman
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