Loading summary
Don La Greca
This isn't just another ESPN fantasy football season. It's your shot at greatness. With a refreshed design, the ESPN Fantasy app is sharper than ever. So you can draft like a pro and dominate your league.
Michael Kay
And introducing Gridiron Gauntlet, a new game.
Don La Greca
Mode where the best compete to be crowned the number one fantasy football player of 2025. One app, one shot, one champion. Download the ESPN fantasy app and sign up to play ESPN fantasy football today. Todd, this isn't Vietnam. It's Radio Hanh. I mean, he had a handful of.
Peter Rosenberg
Twig and berries and Rosenberg. Everything about it was pure, unadulterated ass.
Don La Greca
This isn't North Dakota. This is New York.
Peter Rosenberg
This is Don, Han and Rosenberg.
Don La Greca
The best threesome I've ever heard on.
Peter Rosenberg
880 ESPN and the ESPN New York app. Oh, no.
Don La Greca
Don's lost a bunch of savages at this radio station.
Peter Rosenberg
He doesn't know what to do.
Don La Greca
I mean, first of all, I have no headphones because somebody jammed something in the jack.
Peter Rosenberg
Jam it up.
Don La Greca
What's going on? So I go to put my headphones in. I can't put them in. And then Michael basically just decides I'm gonna do a show and end it whenever I want. It's like, it's. It's 302. You're dipping into my show, man. Our show. This is garbage.
Peter Rosenberg
Can you believe that?
Don La Greca
He just can't even put headphones on. And Michael just, oh, we'll just do the show. Well, I'll do the show. 3:30. Why not? Until he can't do the show. And then Kendanki coming early because Michael's got a thing.
Peter Rosenberg
Unbelievable. The disrespect.
Don La Greca
Yeah, I'm shot out of a cannon today.
Peter Rosenberg
You got a lot going on. There's a lot being said.
Don La Greca
Who messed with the headphone jack and then doesn't tell anybody. They don't go to our engineer and say, listen, something happened. If it was a mistake, it happened. You know, something broke.
Peter Rosenberg
Things happen. We understand.
Don La Greca
We're the savages at the station.
Peter Rosenberg
Unbelievable.
Don La Greca
Walking around like they own the place. I think it's time that one of the pinhead suits just, like, let somebody go. Like, let them know you mean business. Like, just fire somebody.
Peter Rosenberg
You show up and you say, hey, thank you for your service.
Don La Greca
You're out. And now we know. Now everybody else, like, oh, like, parcels would yell at Phil Sims. Like, well, yell at Phil Sims. You can yell at anybody. You're messing with the headphone jack. Our afternoon drive show is now one of the hosts is Irritated. We can't have him here. And how would Michael feel if he did a show?
Peter Rosenberg
Are you kidding me?
Don La Greca
At 3:00'. Clock. And I decided I'm gonna go to like 50, 30. Not right. How are you, Peter? My mood. I'm wearing my heart.
Peter Rosenberg
You seem ready to go.
Don La Greca
No, I'm disgusted.
Peter Rosenberg
Go ahead.
Don La Greca
Because I just. I just. I don't get people. Pete Alonzo and can we. I don't. I don't even see the call on my page. We gotta. We gotta fix that. Pete Alonzo. Do you have it there, Jacob? Pete Alonzo breaks the Mets record for home runs in team history.
Peter Rosenberg
I was Darryl Strawberry.
Don La Greca
I saw it. All right. 253. He hits early in the game, ends up hitting.254. His second home run. A little bit later on in the game, the Mets get a win against the Braves and it's a good win. And they actually gain a game on the Phillies, who lost to the Reds. So it was a good night all around for the Mets. So Gary Cohen, I will admit, as a Met fan, might have been a little over the top of the call. All right. If I were to be critical, and not that I had any kind of a problem with it, but if you want to say maybe it was a little over the top, but hey, teach their own right. I think you had that opinion that maybe it was a little bit much for the home run. But this is Gary Cohen on SNY last night as Pete Alonzo breaks the franchise record for home runs.
Peter Rosenberg
All right, this doesn't feel over the top. If my. In my opinion, Don, this is understated. And he drives this one to deep center field. Harris goes back, takes a look, and that one's out of here. Pete Alonso adds another.
Don La Greca
Well, that's the second one. We're off to a swimming start today. I mean, honestly, seriously, seriously, guys, can we get our act together? No, it's all. It's all.
Peter Rosenberg
It's all. You know he's gonna lose it. He's right on the verge. He's right on the verge. He's thinking about it. He's hovering.
Chris Russo
It's wrong. Stop yourself.
Peter Rosenberg
He's flipping the pen around.
Don La Greca
Do we have we agreed we were going to open with this?
Peter Rosenberg
I heard. I heard a bit of that at the end. Yeah.
Don La Greca
So it's not.
Peter Rosenberg
He's all. He's on now. He's still all right.
Don La Greca
Last night. Pete Alonzo's.
Peter Rosenberg
Here we go.
Don La Greca
Record breaking home run.
Peter Rosenberg
Pete drives one to deep right center field, headed back toward the wall. It's outta here. Outta here. Pete Alonso stands alone. The polar bear on his own private iceberg. Pete Alonso, the most prolific home run hitter in New York Mets history. Well, before you, before you tell me what you're hot about, I will tell you my gut reaction. I sent it to the group chat last. To our group chat. Cause of course I'm not invited to the main group chat. I said not my favorite call from Gary, but all I was referring to at the time was I just thought the polar bear stands alone on his own iceberg was corny, that's all. I was trying too hard.
Don La Greca
And that's fair. And that's fair because listen, obviously everything's up for being critiqued. If you want to say that it was maybe a tad over the top, okay, I think that's a fair criticism. If you want to say maybe it came across as corny, that's fine too because it's all going to be very subjective and the fact that it's scripted. Hey, again, it's not a game winning home run in game seven of the World Series, okay. It's the Mets franchise record for home runs. He's been sitting on it for a while. So if Gary wanted to script it out for his audience, by all means. But I think some people were, to be fair, over the top with the criticism. Chris Russo was on the Michael K show earlier and he rips into Gary's call a little.
Chris Russo
Oh my God, a little. And I lied. Listen, Gary's a great announcer, but I mean, Polar bear stands alone on an iceberg. A 252 home runs, a number that I could care less about. And most Met fans are not interested in either. A guy that the Mets were going to basically flow out with the trash in the off season. They didn't sign him and freaking until when? March. I mean, and who knows what he's going to do now this offseason. And 252 home runs. It's not like he's got 400 homers. I mean it's not like he's making a run at 500 for a franchise that does everything with their pitching but doesn't have a lot of offense. And throw in the fact that Strawberry played half his career with the Dodgers. I was shocked that the Mets made such a big deal about this. And then they go out there and they're going to celebrate again in ice. Come to the seats early at 7 o' clock to see this, you know, reenactment where we can salute the Alonso.
Peter Rosenberg
Okay, that's a Lot.
Chris Russo
This is what we're going to do now when the Phillies have run away and hid in the NL east and the Mets have lost 11 of their 12. I mean, my God. And Alonso, he's done a hell of a job with the Mets. That homer against Milwaukee, we all know it, but this is way, way, way over the top. And I listen again, we all like Gary, but that was not organic. That play by play call that was written out 30 times. What am I going to say when he hits a home run? And all great home run calls got to be organic. They got to come naturally. That didn't sound like to me that it was natural.
Don La Greca
All right, the ending part is fair, but everything else, although I disagree with.
Peter Rosenberg
What he just said, the end, that's just not true. Oh, I'm sure the great announcers. A lot of the great announcers script the big moments. Sometimes I think it's over scripted.
Don La Greca
Often I think it is. But. But, but whatever. Gary, want to say if you have a problem with it being scripted, as you said, if it seemed a little corny, the polar bear on the ice, I get that. I get all that. But this kind of goes back to my conversation yesterday about, like other people commenting on other teams. Dude, this is a Met moment. If you're a Yankee fan or Chris Russo, a Giant fan, Red Sox fan, don't care about baseball, like, what do you. What do you. What do you care? To have an opinion. All right. It was for the Met fans. It's a Met broadcast by a Met announcer who grew up a Met fan talking about a Met record. He's playing to the room. So obviously nationally, it's going to hit different because there might be a lot of people going, Wow, 252 home runs. Doesn't sound like a lot of home runs. I don't know why this is a big deal. Well, maybe you look yourself in the mirror. Maybe the reason you don't think it's a big deal is you're not a Met fan. Met fan thought it was cool because Pete Alonso is one of their favorite players. Darryl Strawberry was also one of their favorite players. He has the franchise record for home runs. I don't understand. It's like breaking into the he man woman haters club and commenting on the meeting that's going on. Like, you're not involved. You weren't invited. I don't understand why you should even care. It's like, what do I care what a San Francisco Giant fan thinks? And he completely make it. I know a lot of Met Fans that didn't like it. Stop it. Tell me who. Tell me who. Name names. You can't, because you probably made it up. And also, I'm sorry, do your homework. Darryl Strawberry actually played more games and seasons with the Yankees than he did with the Dodgers. He was a Dodger for three years. All the way more than half his career with the Dodgers. Wrong. He played three years with the Dodgers.
Peter Rosenberg
He said that.
Don La Greca
He said it because now he's just making things up. And I've always believed your point takes a major hit when some of the reasons you're bringing up are made up. He was a Dodger for three years. He left via free agency. It happens. The Mets are built on their pitching. He was right about that. But it's just a nice record that the Met fans wanted to celebrate. And yeah, come to the ballpark, they're going to celebrate. Everybody does that. When a Ranger plays their 1000th game, they give him a silver stick before the game starts. The next game that he plays at Madison Square Garden. You always do that because it's for you, it's for them, it's for a Met ban. I wouldn't expect a Yankee fan to care or think it was anything to move the needle. I'm getting tweets from Yankee fans like, oh, Aaron Judge has 100 homeborns, more than Alonzo and he's sixth on the all time list. Yeah, the Yankees started in 1903. The Mets started in 1962. I just don't understand when a fan base decides to celebrate something like other fan bases have to make comments and be critical of it. It's not for you. They didn't bake the cake for you. So I don't care if you like it or not. They baked the carrot cake for us and we like it.
Peter Rosenberg
1-800-9193776 I'm curious to hear from Met fans because. Because Chris threw it out there. Are there Met fans who actually, I think Don's probably dead right now. I personally, you guys know me. I don't have a real New York allegiance, but when it comes to the way I root, I pull for the Mets. They're the team that I enjoy seeing win up here and I enjoyed seeing Pete get it. I've been pulling for Pete. I thought saying stands on his own iceberg was just a silly, corny joke.
Don La Greca
Then that, that's fine if you want to criticize that. But should he, should he have given it like it's any other home run and, and like nobody cares no, listen, it was.
Peter Rosenberg
It was a. It was slightly. Maybe the call was slightly too big, right? Because it. He gave it almost like it was a historic major league record.
Don La Greca
And it's not that, but it's a Met record. During a Met broadcast. Met fans.
Peter Rosenberg
Okay, but hear me out. How long had Met fans been, like, anticipating this and going, oh, I really hope they get the deal done with Pete because I hope he breaks the record this year?
Don La Greca
I hadn't heard that either. No, but both could be true. I mean, was I jumping up and down? I was in the car driving home when I heard it.
Peter Rosenberg
That's cool, right?
Don La Greca
But you're the announcer for the New York Mets and the Mets record's broken. How would you like Gary to handle it again? Now, if you want to critique being scripted or whatever, or maybe you didn't like his choice of words, that's fine. But I'm sorry, you're the longtime broadcaster of a team he called Darryl Strawberry Home run. Why not?
Peter Rosenberg
But by the way, he's playing to the room. Can I tell you something? You know I love me some Mad Dog. It was a bad guy move. I'm gonna be. He got to be the talking mad dog. Got to be the talking head who criticized who Monday morning quarterbacked Gary's call. I'm going to be the bad guy who Monday morning quarterbacks Chris Russo going after him. Chris knows the kind of weight that he holds, particularly talking in this market. Don, he had to know him saying, that's gonna be a big deal. And you totally just poured water all over Gary. It's kinda unnecessary. People do it to K all the time and it bothers me. I texted to my friends in my group chat, cuz we're nerds and we talk about sports. Not my favorite call. I wasn't gonna open the show today with it. Mad Dog doing that kind of a bad guy move.
Don La Greca
And again, I just. I think he kind of lay out when it's not about you. Now, if this had been a game on Fox and a national announcer had called it over the top, you could say that's just weird. But it's Gary. He's been doing games since 1988. He called Strawberry games. He grew up a Met fan. He's known Alonzo his entire career. It's a Met moment on a regional network on a Tuesday or I don't know what. Why not?
Peter Rosenberg
Can I throw one other thing in here? That to me, it pours water on the. It's a nothing record thing. If you're. If you're interested in the Mets if you're interested in baseball guys.
Don La Greca
Him.
Peter Rosenberg
Him being ahead of Strawberry, right Piazza, that is something.
Don La Greca
Those aren't nobodies at the top. See, we're thinking with the same brain today because before I heard Russo my open was going to be what's cool about this is this is now building towards the Forever Mets. My whole Ed Crane pool rant was based on. They don't have any Forever Mets outside of Tom Seaver and look what happened there. Tom Seaver ends up pitching a no hitter with the reds, getting his 300th win with the White Sox. Even the forever Mets that have their number retired did something someplace else. David Wright's the only guy that's been here his entire career and his, his career ended prematurely because the back problems that Pete Alonso maybe could be on his way when it's all said and done to be the true great Met who spent his whole career here, has all the offensive records. He's still young enough. He's only 30. And that's why I think it's so important for the Mets to find a way to keep him. Even though you don't want to overpay for first baseman, he may not be the perfect player analytically for Stearns to want to re up that sometimes to get those Forever guys, these are the guys you have to hold on to. Like that's the point is that maybe finally the Mets can have a guy that spends 20 years here. He wasn't pilfered from the Dodgers and Marlins like, like Piazza was. We didn't have to see like Tom Seaver. Him go do great things with other organizations and Strawberry go to the Dodgers and win a World Series with the Yankees. Dwight Gooden winning a World Series with the Yankees. Having all of these great Mets come from someplace else like Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter or go someplace else like Doc and Darrell. That maybe we finally have the Forever Met. And that Forever Met had a really cool moment last night and I don't need to hear a San Francisco Giant fan peeing all over it. It's disrespectful to Gary. It's disrespectful to the Met fans. Chris, I love you. I don't care what you think. I don't. Your opinion doesn't count because you're not part of the club. That that call was for. That call was for Met fans watching the game, living and dying with the team. Not a guy that's a San Francisco Giant fan that doesn't get it. Of course you don't get it because you don't know because you're not a Met fan. And yeah, there may be Met fans that don't care, but that's their opinion. They could do that. They're entitled to that opinion because they're Met fans and they've decided they don't care. But this wasn't for the Yankee fan or the Giant fan or the Red Sox fan or the non baseball fan. It was for the Met fan last night.
Peter Rosenberg
And again, you talked about making mistakes. Did Chris say it was 252? You didn't even have the number right. It was 253.
Don La Greca
Well, I guess what he's saying is to give him the benefit is that that was the record and then nobody knew what the record was got.
Peter Rosenberg
So no one knew it was 252.
Don La Greca
If you asked Met fans before the season with the records, they probably wouldn't know. And that that's okay too. It just became a moment. But I think it was important for it to be Alonzo and the fact that he's probably going to opt out of the last year of his contract and we're going to have to go through the same winter we went through last year. Is he going to come back? Is Stern's going to give him a contract? All of this stuff is on the table and all of that is part of the call because is Pete going to become like every other forever Met and go sign someplace else in the off season and finish his career someplace else?
Peter Rosenberg
And by the way, just want to add on top of this, Don, you were already feeling away about this whole thing. The people not being a part of the club, talking about it with that narrative of, oh my gosh, the Mets are lucky that the Yankees stink so much. Otherwise people would be paying attention to the Mets, as if Mets fans aren't paying attention to the Mets. There's this constant criticism, criticism of the Mets by people who just aren't interested in the Mets. It's like, because the Yankees exist in the same market, this Mets team has to constantly eat, you know what? From everyone, even on a night. Don, I said, is tonight the night they turn it around? Of course, I didn't really think it would be, but what a cool night against a team you have to do it against. Then you never home, you never beat them, you set a record, you score a ton of runs. Don, it was. I texted the group last night also. Let's save some of these. I mean, an endless parade of home runs.
Don La Greca
Can you shut out tonight and go we know maybe we could use some.
Peter Rosenberg
Of those 34 from yesterday, but can you at least just enjoy it? Everyone's got to say something.
Don La Greca
And this is. And this is right to Yankee fans. And Chris is not. He's a Giant fan. But, like, all the Yankee fans that, like, were on social media last night about, oh, wow, only 253 home run. That's. Dude, it's not about you. It's about the Mets.
Peter Rosenberg
Why?
Don La Greca
Why are you even thinking about them? If the Mets don't matter, then why do you even think about them or talk about them or comment about them? Unless maybe for some reason they aren't living in your head for whatever. If the Mets don't matter, like a lot of people say, then let them not matter. And don't talk about them. Don't comment on them.
Peter Rosenberg
Right.
Don La Greca
It should be very simple.
Peter Rosenberg
They can't.
Don La Greca
They're there and they've got. All right, 252 home runs now 254 home runs. For Alonzo being the franchise record doesn't seem like a lot. You know why? Cause it's not a lot. The Mets have been primarily based on pitching. They haven't had a forever guy. Offensively, all right, they've only been around since 1962, but it's our thing, and Alonzo broke it. And it's Pete. And Pete's popular, and Pete's very polarizing, too, because another off season of, is he gonna come back or not? It's all part of the conversation of Gary's call. But, God, it's like, the Mets don't ever do anything, and then they do something. It's like, well, what are you even speaking up for? I'm just tired of the whole narrative of, you're the little brother, keep your mouth shut and know your role. Well, sorry. We play baseball. We're in competition for the same championship the Yankees are chasing after. And when there's a cool moment, we're going to celebrate it. And if you don't get it, you're not supposed to get it. Every organization does it. Everyone honors a number of games played or some record. You know, maybe the Yankees went crazy a few years ago. When was it Derek Jeter had the most hits in franchise history or the most hits at Yankee Stadium? Like, so what? It's not for you, it's for them. I wouldn't expect a Yankee fan to be sitting there watching Sny last night and seeing Pete Alonso's home run. You were focused on the Yankees beating the Twins again, as you should.
Peter Rosenberg
And by the way, in. In every single sport, the only people who celebrate team records are the team. That's it. It's not a thing. They don't. The ESPN doesn't cut too late in a Penguins game because Sid Crosby's gonna set the point record for the Penguins.
Don La Greca
No, that's not how it works.
Peter Rosenberg
It's only local. That is, only league records are celebrated league wide.
Don La Greca
Right.
Peter Rosenberg
So the fact that the local announcer got very excited, you can think the call was corny. You can't fault Gary for being excited. That's who his audience is.
Don La Greca
Yeah, and I've been saying this to Michael and listen, I went through it with the Rangers and I'm gon through it now with the Jet with the Devils is you're playing to the room. And the room is people that are fans of that team and they expect them to be treated that way. We don't want to throw any shade at Keith Rad. Howie Rose wasn't his inning. And I thought Howie was very cool on social media. Like, listen, I've gotten big calls, but he's a big Keith Rad fan. He's only been doing it for a couple of years, but he got to call the record right here on 880. Let's hear how Keith Radd handled the situation.
Peter Rosenberg
Bottom three, two outs, runner at first.
Don La Greca
Strider out of the stretch deals, swinging.
Peter Rosenberg
A line drive deep right center field out toward that wall. It is gone. A missile into right Center Field. A two run home run and history number 253 for Pete Alonso all alone as the franchise leader in home runs. And listen to this crowd, everybody.
Don La Greca
Also, terrific job. Now, it didn't sound as scripted, little less hokey, but he had exactly the enthusiasm that Gary had on it. And I thought he did a great job incorporating the crowd that gave him a standing ovation and loved it. You're playing in a room, man.
Peter Rosenberg
God, that's all you can do. I never understand the criticism for local announcers being hyped. I mean, listen, when they say we make fun of. Of course we laugh when we play our local announcers across the country. We have our laugh sometimes at people screaming like, no, you know, the really, really bush league childish calls. Yes, we have some fun with them. Even those though, I totally understand. But for this. And I'm just saying, you know, Mad Dog, you got to know your weight, dude. You call out Gary. If I make fun of Gary's call, guess what? Nobody cares. You're Chris Mad Dog Russo. You've been a staple talking about baseball now for 30 some years particularly in this market you had to know isn't he get back to him within five minutes. That's a bummer. For what? I would have left out the iceberg. Okay, that's it.
Don La Greca
Now I will admit that it was a little hokey and that it was a little over the top but I am.
Peter Rosenberg
He should have made. You know what I think he should have done? He should have added a polar bear sound to it. You know like he stands alone on his iceberg. Some sort of crazed iceberg. That would be.
Don La Greca
That'd be. But if that's all Chris left it at then hey that's. It's in the eye of the beholder man.
Peter Rosenberg
No but it was a completely over the top just dump on the Mets because why not? I'm telling you when I saw I had the exact opposite reaction when I saw who he was ahead of. Don. Just the fact that he's ahead of Darryl Strawberry is a big deal. That's a big deal.
Don La Greca
That's for a Mets man. I know I'm being trolled. Okay? But like Jeff Haas says the Metropolitans are going to celebrate every cool moment from here on out. When Pete Alonso hits another home run act like you've been there before. Little brother clown show. If we're the little brother and we don't matter then why did you take the time to tweet me? Unless for some reason and I'm not exactly sure why cuz the Mets are struggling and the Mets aren't as popular that we live in your head for some reason like so if we're a little brother and we're a clown show then why are you spending time commenting against the Mets? Unless for some reason they bother you and if they bother you then obviously they're not something that should be ignored. That you seem to pay a lot of attention to them for whatever reason. But I know you're trying to troll me and I bought into the troll but you're not by reading it on the air.
Peter Rosenberg
Under control.
Don La Greca
I gave you your five minutes. I hope you really enjoyed it it. But if we're the little brother that doesn't matter boy. For some reason we're on your mind.
Peter Rosenberg
But you look at you staying calm.
Don La Greca
1-800-919-3776 give us a call. 1-800-919/3776 Donna Rosenberg hanging out with you until 6:30. We got a list today. It's more of a table than a list.
Peter Rosenberg
I do have my quarterback tables list.
Don La Greca
Yes.
Peter Rosenberg
There are a lot of changes. There's gonna be a lot of controversy and we'll discuss it soon. But right now I want to talk to you about Tuesday, August 26th. It's FanDuel's Futures Day, a new holiday for football fans. It's 24 hours of deals on all your football season predictions. So take a flyer on the MVP race. Maybe go with Patrick Mahomes or my guy J.D. you know J.D. 5. Jaden Daniels crown your champion in August. Ravens. They gonna finally do it. How about my commies? What if the jets win the AFC East? Mark your calendars. This is your day for your hunches, your hot takes, your calls, your odds. Visit the FanDuel app today and start planning your futures bets now. Because futures day is one day and one day only. FanDuel play your game 21 over in physically present New York. For help with the gambling problem, call 878 open wire text open wide 467369 this is an ad by BetterHelp. These days it feels like there's a vice for everything. Cold plunges, gratitude journals, screen detoxes. But how do you know what actually works for you? With the Internet and information overload about mental health and wellness, it can be a struggle to know what's true and what actions to take these days. Using trusted resources and talking to live therapists can get you personalized recommendations and help to help you break through the noise. With over 30,000 therapists, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 5 million people globally. And it works with an App store rating of 4.9 out of 5 based on over 1.7 million client reviews. As the largest online therapy therapy provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of expertise. Talk it out with BetterHelp, our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com timeout. That's betterhelp.com timeout avoiding your unfinished home.
Michael Kay
Projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes so you don't have to don't know the difference between matte, paint, finish and satin or what that clunking sound from your dryer is. With thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro, you just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the Thumbtack app download Today. You've probably seen a million ads for hair growth products and thought, sure, like that actually works. But Nutrafol isn't like the rest of them. Nutrafol is physician formulated, clinically tested and dermatologists recommended. Nutrafol is the 1 dermatologist recommended hair growth supplement brand trusted by over 1 1/2 million people. You can feel great about what you're putting into your body since Nutrafol hair growth supplements are backed by peer reviewed studies and NSF Content Certified, the gold standard in third party certification for supplements. While many supplements rely solely on ingredient studies, Nutrafol clinically tests final formulations to ensure their efficacy using a variety of hair measurement tools like hair counts and pull tests to assess growth quality, shedding and texture. See thicker, stronger, faster growing hair with less shedding in just three to six months with Nutrafol. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month subscription and free shipping when you go to nutrafol.com and enter the promo code sports find out why Nutrafol is the best selling hair growth supplement brand@nutrafol.com spelled n u t r a f o l.com promo code sports that's nutraful.com promo code sports.
Peter Rosenberg
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I didn't listen to anything you just said. Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
Don La Greca
All right, I made it very clear how I feel about the situation, so let's hear from you at 1-800-919-3776. As Russo and others, you know, commenting and and of course when you let one troll in, a bunch of other trolls come.
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, here they come.
Don La Greca
Oh, the little mad celebrating their little thing. Great, fine. You know, we don't matter. But yet living rent free in your head because when something doesn't matter to me, I ignore it, don't pay attention to it. Maybe once in a while I'll make comment for blanking giggles to an audience.
Peter Rosenberg
Sure, sure, sure, sure.
Don La Greca
But you know, you got 30 followers on Twitter and you want to start a little trouble.
Peter Rosenberg
Listen, I'm up for it today.
Don La Greca
Let's dive into the calls. Let's talk to Roy in Connecticut. You're on ESPN New York. How are you, Roy?
Chris Russo
Hey, I'm doing well, guys. Thanks for taking my call. Longtime Met fan and I just want to say thank you. Thank you, thank you. Both of you said exactly. I mean last night I was elated. First thing this morning I get up is I see and hear criticism about Pete Alonzo and the home runs and not that big of a deal. And I'm like, where is all this coming from? So I don't need to, you know, rehash what you guys said. That's exactly how I've been feeling. If you're not a fan, it's not for you. And for those people who are saying like, oh, it's just 254 home runs, not a big deal. Ask any player to a man, I bet you they'll tell you not 254 home runs is a big deal. Just because I hit 40 home runs this year does not mean that I'm going to hit 40 home runs next year. So it's a great feat. Thank you guys. I was going to talk about Mad Dog, but I didn't. You did. And thanks. Have a great evening.
Don La Greca
All right, thanks a lot, Roy. Again, it's not a lot of home runs. I get it compared to other franchises, but you know, the Mets have always been kind of known for their pitching. Seaver and Gooden and Kuzman, like that's always been kind of how they did it. And they don't hold on. The players guys come and go and some of their other great players, like Keith Ornett is a great player, didn't hit a lot of home runs. Gary Carter, you know, started out Montreal and ended up his career in San Francisco. Just those circumstances to have it happen with Pete and believe me, if Pete stays healthy and I believe they're going to bring him back because we saw Stearns wasn't in love with resigning him to begin with and he hit the home run against Williams in the playoffs and against the brewers and Cohen felt a way about bringing him back. I still think that's going to exist because I still think beyond the analytics and all that is two things that work in the Mets favor are bringing him back. Number one, I don't know if anybody else is going to pay him big time bucks. He's 30 years old. If he wants a seven, eight year contract, I don't think anybody is going to give it to him. Michael did a great job before his show. Nobody really wanted him in the offseason last year except Toronto. And Toronto re upped with Guerrero. So I don't think they're going to be back interested in Pete Alonso again. And the fact that I think there's something about a forever player, a guy that was drafted by the team, comes up with a team, has done all of these things for him who said he wants to play till 40, how great would it be if he's able to do all of that? With the Mets and have the all time record be like 550 home runs or something like that, which he's certainly capable of doing. He's only 30 and he's already halfway to 500. So I think it's, I think all of that is why Gary was as over the top as he was. Greg, in the car, you're on ESPN New York.
Chris Russo
Hey, Don. Hey, Peter.
Peter Rosenberg
What's up?
Don La Greca
Greg?
Chris Russo
Donnie. I mean, there's no other way to cover every angle of that situation. You pretty much covered everything. I was thinking, and I'm a die hard Yankee fan and I still was flicking through channels back and forth. I was watching my Yankee game and everything. And we were both doing bad. Obviously, you know, these past weeks with the Mets doing bad because I have friends. We, we text back and forth and we're like, hey, you know, did you see that play by Lindor? Or did you see. Because you know what, it's just baseball. You know, you said, you know, we, we commented each other, hey, look at this picture that the Yankees are bringing up. Or look at this play that the. But that was a Met moment. There was nothing with that wrong with that call whatsoever. That is so like franchise given. And there was nothing wrong with that call. I thought the call was great. I actually watched it and I thought it was great. And then for Met fans, I thought that was great. So I'm a Yankee fan, so I don't know what's this hate coming from? And I like, I like Russo, but I mean, there's no reason for him to even go in like that.
Don La Greca
It was like, no, no, Greg, let's be honest. The call is always going to be in the eye of the beholder, right? Like, maybe people thought that it was over the top or maybe people thought that, you know, the polar bear, all that stuff is just a little hokey.
Peter Rosenberg
That that's always.
Don La Greca
There's. Everybody's gonna have an opinion on something. But to criticize the excitement, to criticize the achievement or not acknowledge the. Just stay in your lane. I don't like saying that. But just like Chris, that home run call was not for you. It wasn't for the guy watching the baseball package in Nebraska not knowing the situation and being impressed by it. It was for a Met fan who gets it and understands the history.
Peter Rosenberg
Not the best call. Gary, sounded like you're up there.
Don La Greca
I doubt what's up with you since you've come back from vacation. You're always very good with your impressions.
Peter Rosenberg
I'm working stuff out right now.
Don La Greca
And I'm all for. You know.
Peter Rosenberg
What was the other one? Yeah, someone turn off General Hospital.
Don La Greca
I don't.
Peter Rosenberg
I think he could do better. I've had enough. I don't know. I don't. He's too nasal. I don't know how you know, I got.
Don La Greca
I got so caught up in the imitation of Ty. What was he saying? He had a problem with General Hospital. He.
Peter Rosenberg
No, he watches it so devoted, so devoutly.
Don La Greca
Devoutly, yes.
Peter Rosenberg
That he doesn't want it on the TV here when we're working.
Don La Greca
Also, it's not like Alan, who doesn't like 50 plus year old people making out. Which is disturbing because it's not. It's not like they're unattractive.
Peter Rosenberg
Listen, let me hit you up.
Don La Greca
It's not like he's not 50.
Peter Rosenberg
I'm gonna. I'm hit you guys with a lot.
Don La Greca
Of information right now.
Peter Rosenberg
Everyone buckle up.
Don La Greca
I'm ready for it.
Peter Rosenberg
Number one, you may have seen that they canceled Sex in the City. The re up of it ended. They're out after three seasons.
Don La Greca
Okay?
Peter Rosenberg
And I'm here to tell you why. It ties into the. Then I'm gonna get to what you just said. It's not because it was too woke. It's not because they added diverse characters. That's not why. There were good characters. There were good plot lines. They were having disgusting sex scenes with old people. No one wants to see. No one wants to see Miranda having sex. I'm sorry, you just don't. I'm sorry. By the way, then. Then Miranda there. Miranda dates Rosie o' Donnell for an episode. What are we doing? What are we doing? Then, Then, then Aiden, the guy on the show, they had a phone sex scene. I'm gonna explain to you what happened during the break. Cause I can't say this on the air. That was so repulsive. And it. They. So they just unnecessarily. They took sex risks they didn't need to take. That made even young hip people like my wife cringe and go, why is this on my tv? So, number one, that's why Sex and the City's gone now. That's not what's happening on General Hospital.
Don La Greca
No, it might be. They might be laying in bed together.
Peter Rosenberg
By the way, and by the way, it's not Miranda and Rosie o', donnell, okay? It's not Che from Sex and the City. It's like, you know, an attractive 50 something, early 60 something couple. And Allen, who, last time I checked, fits into that category, he's 54 is revolted yeah, like it was. Honestly, we've learned day by day that Alan is a complete psychopath.
Don La Greca
Which you would not never first glance, ever guess.
Peter Rosenberg
And by the way, it's the ultimate. It's when I started to truly believe the show has a chance. Do you know that?
Don La Greca
Yes.
Peter Rosenberg
At first, at first I was concerned that Allen was too cookie cutter. And I'm like, the thing about Michael is what made the magic between Peter, Don and Michael was that you have three lunatics in different ways. Michael being the most maniacal of the three. I thought if we bring in Alan, he's just perfect and normal. The show's gonna flop. No, no, no. The man is a complete and utter psychopath. It just takes time to understand.
Don La Greca
It's an underrated psychopath.
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, it's. As the years go on, as he.
Don La Greca
Gets older, he's gonna be deranged. You want an idea? Like a, like a Dexter type kind of.
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, you think he's a killer.
Don La Greca
Well, but think of what he could get away with because nobody would suspect it was him.
Peter Rosenberg
It's a great point.
Don La Greca
Like if we found that there's a serial killer at ESPN New York.
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, he's not high on the list.
Don La Greca
He's way low on the list.
Peter Rosenberg
Dinahan won. But then you go, I'm trying to.
Don La Greca
Think of who's Steve Hart?
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, Steve, obviously Steve Hart, who had a tough week.
Don La Greca
Right. I mean, the thing about it wouldn't be a spree. First of all, I think he'd exhaust himself after the one killing and he'd leave too many clues not to get caught.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, and then if you ran into Steve after the first killing, he'd complain to you about how everything, how hard it all was.
Don La Greca
Right, right, right. He would just, he would let himself.
Peter Rosenberg
How was your day? I had the worst killing ever.
Don La Greca
Ever. So I think that's what would end up.
Peter Rosenberg
But what is it about? Think about how weird this is. Allen is 54 years old and when he sees like two 60 year olds kissing, he's like, I don't need to.
Don La Greca
See this to the point with it. One of the reasons why he was situated to my right, he needed his back away from the TV. Cuz we always have channel 7 on because it's our company. So he was so revolted by it that he had to look away.
Peter Rosenberg
And I'm like, why is it so bad?
Don La Greca
I don't know.
Peter Rosenberg
Strange, right?
Don La Greca
It's very strange. Like that he there is like serial killer.
Peter Rosenberg
I'll tell you guys, if you're new to our show. You're popping in here and there.
Don La Greca
Yeah.
Peter Rosenberg
Trust me, this show, as time goes on, we're still brand new. Radio shows take time. As Alan Hahn gets older and you start to realize what a lunatic this man is. The promise that this show has. Oh, I'm excited, Don. I get giddy thinking about the future because we're just learning about it.
Don La Greca
Yeah, we're just. Yeah, this just the tip.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, we're just cracking the circle surface.
Don La Greca
The iceberg that the polar bear was on last night. 1-800-919377. We need to hear that. Isolated. We'll play that again. That was very good by the way.
Peter Rosenberg
So you criticize my tie impression, but my polar bear impression, that was very good.
Don La Greca
1-800-919-3776. We've got the list coming up at 4:30. I can't wait for it.
Peter Rosenberg
I almost want to do it early.
Don La Greca
I barely wait. But I'm gonna have to wait. You're gonna have to cross.
Peter Rosenberg
We'll only have two hours to fight about it though.
Don La Greca
I know we're on till 6:30. That's because we've got Mets and Braves right here on ESPN New York.
Peter Rosenberg
Let me hit you with an ad brought to you by BetterHelp. These days, everyone's got advice for something. Cold plunges, gratitude journals, screen detoxes. But how do you know what actually works for you? With the Internet, you got information overload, everyone's got something right. Everyone's trying to tell you about mental health and wellness. It's a struggle to know what's actually good. And trust me, therapy is very good. Matter of fact, I just got a text from my therapist who I'm talking to tomorrow. It can benefit you in so many ways. Personally, professionally. And how about this. So many therapists at your disposal with the world's largest online therapy platform, that is BetterHelp. They've served 5 million people globally. It's convenient too. Alright. You can join a session with a therapist at the click of a button, helping you for therapy into your busy life. Plus switch therapists at any time. As the largest online therapy provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of expertise. Unwind from work. With BetterHelp, our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com timeout. That's betterhelp.com timeout.
Michael Kay
If you've shopped online, chances are you've bought from a business. Powered by Shopify. You know that purple shop pay button you see at Checkout, the one that makes buying so incredibly easy. That's Shopify. And there's a reason so many businesses sell with it. Because Shopify makes it incredibly easy to start and run your business. Shopify is the commerce platform behind 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started. Shopify gives you a leg up with hundreds of beautiful ready to go templates to express your brand style and forget about the code. Tackle all those important tasks in one place from inventory to payments to analytics and more. Spread your brand's word with built in marketing and email tools to find and keep new customers. And did I mention that iconic purple shop pay button that's used by millions of businesses around the world? It's why Shopify has the best converting checkout on the planet. Your customers already love it. If you want to see less carts being abandoned, it's time for you to head over to Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.comnetwork. go to shopify.comnetwork shopify.comnetwork Are you feeling.
Don La Greca
More fulfilled now that you're back to work this Friday? No, I need a vacation. See the movie that critics are saying is an awesome look at that crowd pleasing, fist pumping all out brawl of a film.
Chris Russo
You're right about that.
Don La Greca
They're coming after our family. Go fix this. Oh my.
Peter Rosenberg
Nobody 2 rated R only in theaters Friday.
Don La Greca
Hablas Espanol Spries to Joy nosq if you used Babbel, you would. Babbel's conversation based technique teaches you useful words and phrases to get you speaking quickly about the things you actually talk about in the real world. With lessons handcrafted by over 200 language experts and voiced by real native speakers, Babbel is like having a private tutor in your pocket. Start speaking with Babbel today. Get up to 55% off your Babbel subscription right now at babbel.com Spotify spelled B A B-B-E L.com Spotify rules and restrictions may apply.
Peter Rosenberg
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I didn't listen to anything you just said. Catch this show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. 350 in the big city. That's my Don impression.
Don La Greca
How is that little Metallica. How about that? Jacob's been on with the music.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, not the. Not so much. Having the call ready when the show started.
Don La Greca
I wasn't gonna revisit it. I had my moment. We're off to a swimming start today. Seriously, guys.
Peter Rosenberg
You know, it's interesting. I have a couple things to throw at you related to music. I have a little. I was talking to you yesterday about a project that I'm working on, right. And it tangentially relates to the genre that now people call yacht rock, which, by the way, I don't know if you saw the news. Supposedly Darrell hall and John Oates privately resolved their issue.
Don La Greca
Well, that financially makes sense too, Right. Cause I'm sure there's gonna be.
Peter Rosenberg
Let's figure things out.
Don La Greca
Second or third wind for that.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, yeah, I mean, they're have. I mean, I just think. Who wants to have lawsuits and stuff when you guys can just be both. Be rich. It's. It's dumb. But so happy about that. They're my faves. But as part of this project, we were having a conversation about whether Blue Eyed Soul, yacht rock, whatever it. You want to call it. And the line to me is so blurry, Don. There are certain records that like, some people would call yacht rock. And I'm like, I don't. I don't call that yacht rock or. And I don't even like the term yet rock. I think it's stupid. It's made up.
Don La Greca
Of course it's made up.
Peter Rosenberg
It was made up in the last 20 years, though. It really made up. So I prefer Blue Eyed Soul, whatever. Like, for example. Yes. Owner of a Lonely Heart.
Don La Greca
No.
Peter Rosenberg
I say no. That's progressive rock. Right.
Don La Greca
And also it's. Yes. Like, so it's a classic rock band. Like, there's certain bands, like, I don't care if, you know Led Zeppelin or the who or yes. Or like some of the really big. Like there's big bands that when they come out with something that sounds like yacht, it's not yacht rock. It's almost like the conversation I've had many times with people about 80s movies does not necessarily mean movies in the 80s.
Peter Rosenberg
It's such a great point.
Don La Greca
So just because something sounds like yacht. I'm sorry, yes. Can't have a yacht rock song.
Chris Russo
They're.
Don La Greca
Yes, They're. They're. They're a progressive band. There's a certain sound they have. They. That. That's. I can't compare them to, you know, English Dan or. And John Ford Coley. That's not. That's. That's insulting to.
Chris Russo
Yes.
Peter Rosenberg
I just think it's insulting to everybody if it's right. You know what I mean? Like, they're. Because the lazy It's. I understand why people do it, but I also think it shows a lack of. Quite of understanding.
Don La Greca
I also. Because I listened to the Yacht Rock station on Sirius, I was in a little bit of a way.
Peter Rosenberg
Go ahead.
Don La Greca
With Gordon Lightfoot.
Peter Rosenberg
I mean, I don't. I don't know Gordon Lightfoot well, but I know I don't have him in that category.
Don La Greca
No. Like Sundown, you better take care. You know that.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, I guess. But I never thought of it as.
Don La Greca
Being the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. There's a bunch of. There's a bunch of songs. But I just. Gordon Life. I'm not trying to insult the YOK Rock band, but I think that if you're really big. I don't. I think ambrosia. Love ambrosia. They're not big, so they can be yacht rock.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, now I think you're being insulted.
Don La Greca
I might be insulting.
Peter Rosenberg
Now you're being insulted. You've ended them a little bit. But that's not the only good. Hall Notes is huge.
Don La Greca
But I don't. I. I have a problem with that kind of.
Peter Rosenberg
They are. They are emblematic of the genre. You can do the Doobie Brothers out, I guess. No, there's no guessing.
Don La Greca
I guess it's really not big. It's not. Well, here, let me run. Let me rephrase.
Peter Rosenberg
I'm gonna give you a chance to back it up.
Don La Greca
Yeah.
Peter Rosenberg
Rewind.
Don La Greca
Because that. That's what they are.
Peter Rosenberg
Correct.
Don La Greca
Right. They're defined. If you listen to any player song, Ambrosia or Leans, like. That's yacht rock, period. Christopher Cross, everything.
Peter Rosenberg
Bobby Caldwell, Doobie Brothers, all of it. There you go. Michael McDonald solo stuff. Kenny Loggin solo.
Don La Greca
We're all there. But you just can't pick and choose. I'm sorry. You just can't take a song from yes. And say, that's yacht rock. No, that's what. I guess that's the point I'm trying to make, is that you just can't. You're right. Daryl hall and John, they're huge. But everything they do is yad rock.
Peter Rosenberg
Exactly.
Don La Greca
And so I can't.
Peter Rosenberg
But this is why the name yad rock is dumb.
Don La Greca
Right.
Peter Rosenberg
And this is why Blue Eyed Soul is better. You know why? Because that word soul really gives you the underlying feel of what the artist is. And in a lot of cases, could those songs have been played on stations that were playing mostly black artists and soul music? In the case of Michael McDonald's hall of Notes, yes. Owner of A Lonely Heart was not getting played there. No, it's just the guitars were different. It didn't feel the same. So I think that's where those gets interesting.
Don La Greca
If you take the Alice Cooper song that gets played on like Light FM all the time. You and me, you can't. That could fit in a yacht rock genre. You know the song I'm talking about?
Peter Rosenberg
I don't know.
Don La Greca
You and me ain't no movie star. What we are is what we are.
Peter Rosenberg
I'll listen during the day.
Don La Greca
You'll find Jacob will find it if you listen to it. Didn't know it was Alice Cooper. Just heard it on yacht rock. You wouldn't blink. But I'm not taking an Alice Cooper song and calling it yacht rock because it can't do it.
Peter Rosenberg
It doesn't. Because it doesn't make any sense with this catalog and who he is.
Chris Russo
Sure.
Don La Greca
So that I get. I guess that's the. That that's the point. But Jacob will probably find.
Peter Rosenberg
Of course, he was coming out of.
Don La Greca
The break for sure. 1-800-919-3776 the list at 430. But the list is going to consist of Peter's quarterback tables.
Peter Rosenberg
Major changes, people.
Don La Greca
Invitations were sent out last night and now we're going to have it done. Steve in Middle Village Run ESPN New York. What's up, Steve?
Chris Russo
Hey guys. Thank you for taking the call. I appreciate it. I'm an old lapse Yankee fan. The home run last night was a big deal for Mets fans and I don't have any problem with. I don't care if the call was scripted or whatever. That's the first thing. The second thing is the Mets and please don't take this as an offense. Although whenever anybody says that it is an offense. So I apologize in advance if you take it that way.
Don La Greca
Okay?
Chris Russo
The Mets have always been quirky. They do things that are not the corporate Yankee way and they celebrate things that that other teams wouldn't celebrate. They also have something going against them in that they were a New York team and New York teams get hit and some of them deserve to get hit pretty bad. This owner and that player are fine. He beat Ed Crane pool. He beat Strawberry. Give him his. Give him.
Peter Rosenberg
Agree. That's what I said, Steve. I agree.
Chris Russo
I know, but I have a couple other things to say. One other thing is of course doing it the next night may turn other people off, but it's for the Mets fans. So really, who cares.
Don La Greca
Because we're running out of time. Steve, I'm sorry. I want to address the point about how pejorative Steve Sounded in saying how the Mets are quirky. The Yankees are corporate. The Yankees are very buttoned up. And you know what? Some people may look at that as that's kind of unfun. I know they're the Yankees and they're very popular and they win a bunch of championships. But you know what? A lot of people might look at it and go, hmm, not a lot of fun. Where the Mets, when they came in said, you know, we're trying to be fun. We're going to have a mascot. You know, Casey Stengel, he's a little outdated, but, you know, he's fun. He's gonna bring some fannies to the seats. It's just the way they wanted to play it. Some. Some teams have cheerleaders and mascots, and some teams are very buttoned up in corporate. Like the Giants don't have cheerleaders. They don't have a mascot. The jets, they've. They've got. They've got. The flight crew is one bad and one good. It's just a different way of doing it. So why. Because the Mets decide to maybe sell a little bit more to kids and be a little bit more goofy. Peter, why is that bad? Why is the corporate way looked upon as the better way? Well, where I could turn around and say, well, I think the corporate way is stuffy. I think the Mets way's a lot more fun. So it's all in the eye of the beholder. But why is one good and one bad all the time? It's just a different way of going about it. Some restaurants are very stuffy. You gotta wear a jacket, suit, whatever. And some are like, hey, it's family oriented. It's fun. They got balloons on the ceiling and they've got clowns making balloon animals and like, teach their own man. The Mets decided to do it in a little bit of a different way. And we've sometimes criticized the Yankees for being a little too stuffy.
Peter Rosenberg
Totally. I think there's a. You should. Why not celebrate something that feels all the. Why are we always such sticklers with celebrating the good things? This is what you want. Why do you hold on to them so tight to not give your fans the moment? It was the same thing that I said about taking so long to retire Strawberry and couldn't. What was the point of that?
Don La Greca
Yeah, there was.
Peter Rosenberg
Why be so holier than thou? There was no.
Don La Greca
There was no point now coming back.
Peter Rosenberg
To the stadium the next day to do a little something more and listen, it's a bit much, but whatever.
Don La Greca
But because you're gonna who's it hurt? But you're gonna don't make the ceremony tonight out to be some kind of big deal. It's just that they're going to acknowledge that Alonzo broke the record. There was the real time moment. They always do that the next night. What if you had done it on the road? They'd come back and can I say.
Peter Rosenberg
Something that though if you're going to do that can can you not stretch out his whether or not you're signing him forever? Like if you're going to add but if you're going to add the hype to it, shouldn't you want to be.
Don La Greca
I guess those are two things, don't.
Peter Rosenberg
You why add extra sauce if you don't want him to be around?
Don La Greca
Maybe I can read it and say maybe. Maybe that's not the case anymore. Maybe they do want that's maybe something's going to happen and I lean that way.
Peter Rosenberg
Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man.
Don La Greca
I just want to know it's good.
Peter Rosenberg
Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.
Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg - Hour 1: A Forever Met Moment
Introduction: Celebrating a Milestone
In the inaugural hour titled "A Forever Met Moment," hosts Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg delve into a significant event for New York Mets fans: Pete Alonso breaking the franchise's all-time home run record. The discussion centers around the implications of this achievement, the nature of the broadcast call by famed announcer Gary Cohen, and the surrounding reactions from both supporters and critics.
Pete Alonso Breaks the Franchise Record
The episode kicks off with Don recounting the exhilarating moment when Pete Alonso hit his 254th home run, surpassing Darryl Strawberry to become the Mets' all-time leader. Don emphasizes the importance of this milestone for the franchise, highlighting Alonso's role in shifting the Mets' historical focus from pitching to offensive prowess.
Gary Cohen's Enthusiastic Call
A focal point of the discussion is Gary Cohen’s animated commentary during Alonso's record-breaking home run. Don asserts, “It's a Met moment… It's the Mets franchise record for home runs” ([05:08]), underscoring the tailored enthusiasm intended for the local Mets audience. Peter adds that Cohen’s excitement was necessary, noting, “He's playing to the room, man” ([22:29]).
Criticism from Outside Voices
However, not everyone shares the hosts' enthusiasm. The conversation shifts to the backlash from sports personalities like Chris Russo, who criticized Cohen’s call as overly scripted and insincere. Russo remarked, “Polar bear stands alone on his own iceberg was corny, that's all” ([06:03]), expressing dissatisfaction with what he perceives as an exaggerated reaction to a single achievement.
Don & Peter Defend the Announcers
Don and Peter robustly defend the local announcers, arguing that broadcast styles should align with their specific audiences. Don contends, “If you're a Yankee fan or Chris Russo, a Giant fan, Red Sox fan… they didn't bake the cake for you” ([08:19]), emphasizing that Cohen’s call was crafted for Mets fans who value such milestones. Peter echoes this sentiment, stating, “It's only local. That is, only league records are celebrated league-wide” ([21:11]).
The Concept of "Forever Met" and Pete Alonso’s Future
Furthering the discussion, Don introduces the idea of a "Forever Met," a loyal player who remains with the team long-term, something the Mets have historically lacked. He reflects, “Pete Alonso maybe could be on his way when it's all said and done to be the true great Met who spent his whole career here” ([12:06]). This sparks a debate on the franchise’s ability to retain star talent and the potential longevity of Alonso’s career with the Mets.
Listener Calls and Community Perspectives
The podcast features listener interactions that bolster the hosts' viewpoints. For instance, Roy, a longtime Met fan, expresses gratitude: “If you hit 40 home runs this year does not mean that I'm going to hit 40 home runs next year. So it's a great feat” ([30:02]). Similarly, Chris Russo himself calls in to share his support, acknowledging the significance of Alonso's achievement despite his earlier criticisms: “There was nothing wrong with that call whatsoever” ([49:13]).
Comparisons to Other Teams and Announcers
Don and Peter draw parallels between the Mets and other New York teams, discussing how different franchises celebrate milestones. Don mentions, “Why is one good and one bad all the time? It's just a different way of going about it” ([52:03]), advocating for diverse approaches to fan engagement and broadcast styles.
Conclusion: Embracing Team Identity
Wrapping up the discussion, Don and Peter reaffirm the importance of celebrating team-specific achievements in a manner that resonates with the dedicated fanbase. They highlight the unique identity of the Mets and the role of passionate announcers in fostering a strong community spirit. Don concludes, “It's for the Mets… It was for Met fans last night” ([19:25]), encapsulating the episode’s central theme of honoring team milestones in a way that honors the fans' dedication.
Notable Quotes:
Don La Greca: “If you're a Yankee fan or Chris Russo, a Giant fan, Red Sox fan… they didn't bake the cake for you.” ([08:19])
Peter Rosenberg: “It's only local. That is, only league records are celebrated league-wide.” ([21:11])
Chris Russo: “Polar bear stands alone on his own iceberg was corny, that's all.” ([06:03])
Don La Greca: “Pete Alonso maybe could be on his way when it's all said and done to be the true great Met who spent his whole career here.” ([12:06])
Final Thoughts
"A Forever Met Moment" effectively captures the fervor and passion surrounding Pete Alonso's record-breaking achievement. Don and Peter's insightful analysis, combined with listener interactions, offers a comprehensive look at the dynamics between team identity, fan expectations, and broadcast authenticity. For Mets enthusiasts and sports aficionados alike, this episode provides a nuanced exploration of what it means to celebrate a milestone in a way that honors both the team's legacy and its loyal supporters.