We know New Orleans Saints’ RT Ryan Ramczyk is staying put since the great news of his contract extension broke last week, but the team’s changes in 2021 aren’t limited to just the field. Broadcasting legend Mike Hoss is joining the fold as play-by-play radio broadcaster. 

On a new episode of Black and Gold Rush, Mike Hoss recounts his journey with host Rachel Jones - from his days at James Madison University wanting to be a professional golfer, then pivoting to broadcasting and eventually landing at WWL in 1989 after three previous jobs. At WWL, Hoss worked under Jim Henderson, the Voice of the Saints for more than 30 years, including during the team's run to Super Bowl XLIV. Hoss shares the many lessons he learned in his career to this point, his dreams of being a play-by-play announcer, and interviewing for the Saints role not once but twice.

So what can Saints fans expect from him and color analyst Deuce McAllister in the booth? And does Mike have a pump-up song picked out for game days? Don’t miss this conversation with the new Voice of the Saints - Mike Hoss!

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Mike Hoss Twitter

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Mike Hoss named play-by-play announcer for New Orleans Saints game day broadcasts on WWL

Rachel Jones Twitter

Rachel Jones Instagram

New Orleans Saints signing RT Ryan Ramczyk to five-year, $96 million extension

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The Who Dat Nation is full of incredible people. On a new episode of Black and Gold Rush, you'll meet Joseph James, whose first client at his dog training business, Professional K9 Solutions, was someone New Orleans Saints know well - Zach Strief.

You'll hear how Joseph became the "unofficial dog trainer of the New Orleans Saints" thanks largely to Zach Strief and Senio Kelemete. A major theme throughout the episode is the power of relationships. The Saints welcomed Joseph and his family, and when Joseph's wife died of cancer in 2019, several players attended her funeral and others sent well-wishes, including Mrs. Gayle Benson.

But Joseph's story doesn't end in tragedy. He and host Rachel Jones discuss how he's coaching others to understand their purpose in life even if they're experiencing crushing pain. This is a wide-ranging episode that touches on grief, loss, love, relationships, and yes, also a lighthearted look at some of your favorite Saints dogs from Sean Payton to Drew Brees and much more.

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Professional K9 Solutions

Joseph James Instagram

Purpose Through Pain Podcast

Episode 19 - Eroding vs. Growing with Michael James (on Apple Podcasts)

Rachel Jones Twitter

Rachel Jones Instagram

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“Black and Gold Rush is awesome and authentic, and I can’t wait for more.” <--- If that sounds like you, please rate and review the show!

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Kawaan Baker, an explosive WR from fledgling football program South Alabama, concludes the New Orleans Saints draft series on Black and Gold Rush. Host Rachel Jones sits down with JT Crabtree, radio voice of the Jaguars, to discuss Baker (or “KB”) the person and the player whom the Saints chose in the seventh round, just three spots behind where they selected legendary WR Marques Colston 15 years ago.

Baker stole the show at South Alabama’s Pro Day with a 4.41 second 40-time and impressive vertical leap and broad jumps, and he became the first Jaguar ever drafted by the Saints in South Alabama’s 13-year football history. Known as Kawaan Baker the Touchdown Maker, Rachel and JT explore the Atlanta native's route to the final roster, his quiet demeanor off the field, and much more.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: New episodes of Black and Gold Rush return June 21, 2021!

TOP 3 TWEETABLE QUOTES

(7:54) “He really opened some eyes late in the game, and I think that’s what got him the 255 spot with the Saints. I know he’s thrilled to have just an opportunity to show what he can do.”

(9:54) “I cannot think of a better spot for Kawaan to land, not just being local, but also I really think he fits into that Saints offense that uses so many different weapons and utilizes them in so many different ways.”

(11:21) “I don’t really remember him posting anything or saying anything pro-Falcons, so I think it’s a pretty easy change for him … you will never see him wearing black, white and red at the same time ever.” 

(23:10) Random Round

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JT Crabtree Twitter

Rachel Jones Twitter

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Saints Draft Pick Series Part 1 - Payton Turner

Saints Draft Pick Series Part 2 - Pete Werner

Saints Draft Pick Series Part 3 - Paulson Adebo

Saints Draft Pick Series Part 4 - Ian Book

Saints Draft Pick Series Part 5 - Landon Young

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No one outworks Landon Young. In football or in life.

On this episode of Black and Gold Rush, you’ll hear from University of Kentucky grad assistant coach Ryan Finck, who took over much of the offensive line coaching duties when longtime Wildcats O-line coach John Schlarman passed away in November 2020. Finck describes how Young led the “Big Blue Wall” as a team captain and left a legacy at Kentucky.

Tune in FRIDAY for the finale of the Saints draft series - all about Saints seventh-round pick Kawaan Baker with South Alabama’s own JT Crabtree!

TOP 3 TWEETABLE QUOTES

(1:27) “He is everything that is the state of Kentucky, Landon is the perfect example.”

(2:54) “You could walk down this hallway right here, and every coach is going to have something different, something new, and something wonderful to say about Landon Young.”

(12:07) “Landon, I think, has a chance to come in and be a guy who plays the right tackle position. When he came back after training for his pro day, he looked like a million bucks, and he said he’d been doing a lot on the right side because he knows all his reps were on the left.”

(17:57) Random Round

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Ryan Finck Twitter

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Saints Draft Pick Series Part 1 - Payton Turner

Saints Draft Pick Series Part 2 - Pete Werner

Saints Draft Pick Series Part 3 - Paulson Adebo

Saints Draft Pick Series Part 4 - Ian Book

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“Black and Gold Rush is awesome and authentic, and I can’t wait for more.” <--- If that sounds like you, please rate and review the show!

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Be honest. We're not 100% sure whether the New Orleans Saints will start Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill at quarterback in 2021. Sean Payton also could install a package for the Saints fourth-round draft pick, Notre Dame QB Ian Book.

On a new episode of Black and Gold Rush, Notre Dame football reporter Tyler James is here to break down how Ian Book won the starting job at Notre Dame and why some people insist on calling him "deceptively athletic." Many in Notre Dame circles believe landing with the Saints will give Ian Book time to learn the offense, but what is his NFL future? Can he be a starter one day, or is he a long-term backup?

Tune in MONDAY for Part 5 of the Saints draft series - all about Saints sixth-round pick Landon Young with Kentucky grad assistant coach Ryan Finck!

TOP 3 TWEETABLE QUOTES

(7:15) "Certainly Ian Book has been a guy since his high school playing days who has been doubted a little bit."

(11:25) "He will be willing and certainly prepared to handle a quarterback competition in whatever sort of opportunities and pecking order the Saints put him in."

(15:30) "I think it is a good situation whether or not he plays at all in his rookie year or just sort of waits in the wing and learns what he needs to learn at the NFL level and prepares himself to have a sustainable career, whether that's as a starter or as a long-term backup."

(21:42) Random Round

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Tyler James Twitter

NDInsider.com

Rachel Jones Twitter

Rachel Jones Instagram

Saints Draft Pick Series Part 1 - Payton Turner

Saints Draft Pick Series Part 2 - Pete Werner

Saints Draft Pick Series Part 3 - Paulson Adebo

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Former Stanford cornerback and Saints third-round draft pick Paulson Adebo lets his play speak for itself. He's no quote machine, just shy and straightforward, but very well-respected by teammates and coaches.

On a new episode of Black and Gold Rush, longtime Stanford radio broadcaster and Pac-12 Network reporter Troy Clardy is here to discuss how Adebo can impact the New Orleans Saints' secondary. Get ready for a crash course in the Cardinal football brand too!

Tune in FRIDAY for Part 4 of the Saints draft series - all about Saints fourth-round pick Ian Book with South Bend Tribune reporter Tyler James!

TOP 3 TWEETABLE QUOTES

(5:36) "The physical, the tangibles, the measurables are the one thing that certainly give you the first impression about Paulson Adebo ... but don't forget the ball skills and don't forget the recovery speed as well."

(7:18) "Some numbers that you might not necessarily be aware of and numbers that might not necessarily show up are his ability to show up in big games."

(13:25) "Stanford guys have a bit of a brand as being a bit more readily made to handle some of the rigors you might face in the NFL on and off the field. I'm looking forward to seeing how Paulson can apply some of those with the Saints in the future."

(22:22) Random Round

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Troy Clardy Twitter

The TreeCast with Troy Clardy

Rachel Jones Twitter

Rachel Jones Instagram

Saints Draft Pick Series Part 1 - Payton Turner

Saints Draft Pick Series Part 2 - Pete Werner

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“Black and Gold Rush is awesome and authentic, and I can’t wait for more.” <--- If that sounds like you, please rate and review the show!

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We've all heard the line how the New Orleans Saints must have a satellite office at Ohio State. Linebacker Pete Werner is the fourth Buckeye New Orleans has drafted since 2016.

What skills and personality does the Saints' second-round pick bring to the table? Host Rachel Jones asked Pete Werner's high school coach, Rick Streiff. He said Werner's ability to run and move, along with his intelligence & football savvy, will make him an excellent addition. In other words, he's got the "it" factor.

Tune in MONDAY for Part 3 of the Saints draft series - all about Saints third-round pick Paulson Adebo with Stanford/Pac-12 reporter Troy Clardy!

LISTEN FOR THESE QUOTES

(6:05) "He's a young man who always kept his nose to the grindstone."

(7:15) "Really quiet, fly-under-the-radar kind of guy - you have to kind of pull teeth sometimes to get words of out him. But once on the field, he just plays so hard."

(9:23) "He's seen it all, between his high school experience and then obviously at Ohio State, they play the best of the best."

(10:38) "He even played a little bit of cornerback for us in high school when we played some heavy run teams, we would put him on the tight end side into the boundary, and it was a thing of beauty."

(11:33) "If you go back and watch the Ohio State films, they played him all over the place and it was because of those two things - his ability to run and his ability to grasp the scheme and understand what his responsibilities are."

(15:37) "I watched Sean Payton sling it around as a high schooler ... talk about a guy that had football savvy."

(17:35) Random Round

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Saints Draft Pick Series Part 1 - Payton Turner

Rachel Jones Twitter

Rachel Jones Instagram

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“Black and Gold Rush is awesome and authentic, and I can’t wait for more.” <--- If that sounds like you, please rate and review the show!

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We kick off our series on the New Orleans Saints' 2021 draft picks spotlighting former Houston DE Payton Turner. Cougars radio broadcaster Jeremy Branham (UH Learfield IMG) explains how he's shined under different coaching staffs and schemes at Houston, why being a multi-sport athlete is so valuable for the first-round pick, why Turner's best football remains in front of him, and much more.

Branham has a unique viewpoint covering the Cougars from the sidelines - you'll hear in the Random Round his most memorable moment covering Turner, the one skill he needs to improve most, and Branham's message for the rookie as he arrives in New Orleans.

A new episode is coming FRIDAY featuring Saints second-round pick Pete Werner's high school coach Rick Streiff from Cathedral in Indianapolis!

LISTEN FOR THESE QUOTES

(4:45) "His stock was roaring up before the start of the draft. When the season ended, was probably considered a 3rd or 4th rounder, and then when people started to watch more film on him and look at all his pro day stuff was when his stock really started climbing."

(7:36) "It wasn't a matter of can he play in the league or would he go in the first, to me it was just find him a good landing spot where the coaches will put him in a spot to excel and succeed. And now that he is a first-rounder, really the Saints have no choice right, because you have to protect your investment. He's a kid that deserves everything he gets. I'm really excited for Payton Turner."

(8:46) "That's the biggest intangible - how much he really enjoys playing."

(12:20) "Not only is he big, but he covers a lot of ground left arm to right arm. But he also has a burst of quickness that allows him to get into the backfield."

(14:33) "The first two years of Payton Turner's career he was in a 3-4, and then when Dana Holgorsen came in he kinda changed it to a 4-2-5. It was a 4-3 base, but they ran a lot of 4-2-5 out of it, and he excelled with that defense."

(15:40) "I think he's going to be more of an edge guy with the ability to move in on pass rushing situations."

(17:10) "That's one thing I would add about Payton Turner - his best football is far from him."

(19:10) Random Round

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Jeremy Branham Twitter

Coogs' Corner Podcast

Houston Athletics on iHeartMedia

Rachel Jones Twitter

Rachel Jones Instagram

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“Black and Gold Rush is awesome and authentic, and I can’t wait for more.” <--- If that sounds like you, please rate and review the show!

---> It’s easy - scroll to the bottom on Apple Podcasts, tap to rate out of 5 stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!