Hour 1: House Money?

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Episode "Hour 1: House Money?"

Introduction In the "House Money?" episode of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg, hosts Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg delve into the high-stakes NBA playoff matchup between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks. The conversation seamlessly blends in-depth sports analysis with lighthearted banter, engaging listeners with both insightful commentary and relatable humor.

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1. NBA Playoffs: Celtics vs. Knicks Showdown

Timestamp: [01:27]

The episode kicks off with a discussion about the heightened anxiety surrounding the Knicks as they prepare to face the Celtics in the second round of the NBA playoffs. Don La Greca introduces the central theme of the episode by questioning whether the Knicks are experiencing a sense of "house money" after securing a lead in the series.

Don La Greca: "Have your one day to bask in it and now get back to being a little worried." [00:30]

Alan Hahn and Peter Rosenberg explore the rarity of home teams not winning in this round, noting that only four home teams have lost so far across the NBA and NHL combined.

Don La Greca: "This will be the first game tonight that a home team hasn't won a game yet in the NBA playoffs in the second round over four of the home teams." [01:39]

The hosts analyze the Celtics' performance trajectory, emphasizing their road prowess and the historical advantage of home teams in playoff series. They discuss the Knicks' resilience, highlighting their ability to overcome adversity, such as the Knicks' comeback from a 20-point deficit.

Alan Hahn: "Getting the split. But it doesn't really necessarily mean what it should, considering how good the Celtics are on the road." [19:54]

Notable Insights:

• Home Advantage Questioned: The Celtics' exceptional road record poses a significant challenge for the Knicks, undermining the traditional home-court advantage.

• Injury Implications: Both teams have faced injuries, with the Knicks concerned about key players like Jalen Brunson and Carl Anthony Towns potentially sidelined, affecting their playoff momentum.

Don La Greca: "If you have the pressure on them that they all acknowledge they have because they're the defending champs, you're supposed to win this series." [17:04]

Peter Rosenberg: "It's not about taking it easy. It's about not feeling immense pressure. And you can come out and just play your game." [21:35]

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2. The "House Money" Mentality and Team Psychology

Timestamp: [16:45]

Alan Hahn introduces the concept of the "house money" mentality, referencing a tweet from Jeff Klein. This mentality suggests that teams may feel liberated or more confident after securing an initial lead in a series, potentially impacting their performance in subsequent games.

Jeff Klein's Tweet: "House money. Hope the boys are loose tonight and play well, but going to feel good regardless." [18:21]

Alan Hahn: "That's a bad attitude because they don't play well coming off wins." [18:31]

The hosts deliberate whether the Knicks might become complacent after winning a game, risking a decline in performance as pressure mounts in upcoming fixtures.

Notable Points:

• Complacency Risk: Winning early in the series might lead to overconfidence, causing the team to underperform in critical moments.

• Fan Expectations: Alan Hahn emphasizes the importance of fans managing their expectations, advising against overreacting to early victories or setbacks.

Alan Hahn: "I want the Knicks to make this a grinder, an absolute grinder. Can they?" [19:21]

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3. Humorous Interlude: The Pope and Vatican Analogies

Timestamp: [08:16]

In a lighthearted detour, the conversation shifts to a playful analogy involving the selection of the Pope, drawing parallels between the confidentiality of the Vatican's conclave and the strategic nature of playoff series.

Don La Greca: "Waiting for the Pope. Your favorite sports on strike. And they're negotiating, and they're still in the room negotiating." [08:53]

Peter Rosenberg: "I believe all religions are equally great and stupid, depending how you want to look at it." [13:25]

The hosts joke about the secrecy of the Pope's selection process, likening it to the behind-the-scenes strategies and negotiations in sports management.

Don La Greca: "But speaking of white smoke tonight, just. We're living in real time." [16:48]

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4. Listener Engagement: Calls from Ernie and William

Timestamp: [26:30] & [34:06]

The episode features interactions with listeners, adding a personal touch to the discussion.

• Ernie from the Bronx: Raises concerns about Jason Tatum's offensive tactics, specifically his push-off moves, and questions the strategy of possibly starting Carl Anthony Towns over Mitch.

  Ernie: "Whenever he's on the offensive side of the ball, is it me or does he seemingly always get away with a push off on the offhand..." [26:32]

  Alan Hahn: Discusses the nuances of Tatum's play and defends the strategic decisions regarding Towns' starting role. [27:29]

• William from Hempstead: Shares his experience as a visually impaired listener, highlighting the importance of descriptive radio commentary.

  William: "I lost my eyesight since June of last year. One of the highlights of my day is listening to you guys." [34:10]

  The hosts express their commitment to enhancing accessibility for listeners like William, acknowledging the critical role of detailed descriptions in radio broadcasts. [37:22]

Don La Greca: "We just want to make sure that people like William have the best experience possible." [38:49]

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5. Host Banter and Personal Reflections

Timestamp: [41:03] - [45:39]

The dynamic between the hosts adds depth to the episode, showcasing their camaraderie and personal insights:

• Emotional Investment: Alan Hahn reflects on the challenges of maintaining objectivity as a long-time sportswriter turned broadcaster, admitting to moments of genuine excitement and emotional reactions during pivotal games.

  Alan Hahn: "I'm telling you, that was when Bridges got the steal and you knew they won the game. And it was a little bit of a primal, like, kind of roar." [41:08]

• Past Experiences: Don La Greca reminisces about his earlier years supporting teams like the Winnipeg Jets, illustrating his lifelong passion for sports and how it influences his current role.

  Don La Greca: "I wasn't part of a championship... When I'm doing it for 20 years, I'm doing what I want to." [43:08]

• Humorous Bets: The hosts engage in playful wagers, with Peter Rosenberg humorously declining to wear "assless chaps," showcasing their lighthearted side.

  Peter Rosenberg: "I can't. I can't. I'm not wearing assless chaps." [30:23]

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Conclusion

The "House Money?" episode expertly balances serious sports analysis with engaging personal interactions and humor. The hosts provide insightful commentary on the Knicks-Celtics playoff series, exploring strategic implications and psychological factors influencing team performance. Simultaneously, their genuine conversations about accessibility, personal passions, and listener interactions create a relatable and entertaining listening experience. This episode not only informs but also fosters a sense of community among its listeners, making complex sports dynamics accessible and enjoyable.

Notable Quotes:

• Don La Greca: "So if they go out and play like themselves and you're in a game in the fourth quarter, I'll take it." [05:21]

• Alan Hahn: "Your brakes are talking that talk. You know, revenge on the Patriots from last year and then get to the finals and, you know, anything could happen." [22:43]

• Peter Rosenberg: "I didn’t listen to anything you just said." [24:17] (Humorous recurring phrase)

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Disclaimer: This summary is based on the transcript provided and aims to encapsulate the key discussions and dynamics of the episode. For a complete experience, listeners are encouraged to tune into the actual podcast episode.

Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Lowe's.

[Alan Hahn]

We help you save ballot through 5 7. Selection varies by location while supplies last. Discount taken at time of purchase. God.

[Don La Greca]

One day you're not gon football anymore. And if there's a God up above, it'll be soon.

[Alan Hahn]

Han.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Huge.

[Alan Hahn]

No, but big. Yeah. And Rosenberg.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don La Greca]

This isn't North Dakota. This is New York.

[Alan Hahn]

This is Don Han and Rosenberg on 880 ESPN and the ESPN New York.

[Don La Greca]

App 3 o' clock at Big City. Don Han and Rosenberg on a gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous NBA playoff Wednesday. I mean really, after all the rain we've had. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, beautiful.

[Alan Hahn]

They Wednesday, Friday, great day. It was beautiful today. I mean it's a little reprieve. We are going to get some more.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. But Mother's Day supposed to be nice. Yeah. Thursday, Friday will be a little uncomfortable. But listen, it was a nice day, Nick. Fans excited. You had your one day to bask in it and now get back to, you know, being a little worried.

[Alan Hahn]

So is this anxiety?

[Don La Greca]

Is this the anxiety pregame show Because. Because here's the thing and I don't know if you're a fan like this Allen and Peter. I am. I'm a big law of averages guy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go ahead.

[Don La Greca]

I've always been.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Talk me through it.

[Don La Greca]

So does it bother you as you enter this game in Boston tonight and you're first up. So this will be the first game tonight that a home team hasn't won a game yet in the NBA playoffs in the second round over four of the home teams.

[Alan Hahn]

Like I didn't see Golden State doing that last.

[Don La Greca]

Right. Exactly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Without Steph Most.

[Don La Greca]

And Cleveland losing is not a. You know, you're not that surprised. Yeah. Half their teams out.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Although the way it happened.

[Don La Greca]

But still. Oh and four and including the throw the NHL in right now considering Cleveland's played two games in their series already in the second round. There have been eight second round games in the NBA and the NHL combined. One home team is one that was the Toronto Maple Leafs. Every other road and in the NBA you're not supposed to win on the road in the NBA playoffs. Not supposed to happen. And one seeds and two seeds especially are not supposed to like Minnesota, because what is that? That's the six. Minnesota was the six.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, they're the six. That's right.

[Don La Greca]

So that's there. Maybe they're not supposed to be here, but you know, you're talking about, you know, one seed in Oklahoma City, one seed in Cleveland, although Cleveland's got the reasons because of the injuries. Boston a two seat. So do you start to think to yourself a unique. At some point the worm's going to turn, right? A home team's going to win a game. But so is it okay to go into this game, guys saying, hey, we mission accomplished, we were looking for the split, or do you get greedy and say, we gotta get to. Now you want to get to. But are you to the level of we gotta get two? Because I don't. If you're going to say gotta. You might. Might be setting yourself up for disappointment. I think you go into this game the same way you went into game one. Let's just play our game and see what happens.

[Alan Hahn]

As a fan. Yes. I mean, as an athlete, of course.

[Don La Greca]

You don't, but, well, an athlete, they don't get into the.

[Alan Hahn]

No, they, they, they want to win every single game. That's the whole plan. That's you're supposed to do. As a fan, it's more like you want to win right there. Like if you're a fan who's just like, I don't care if we win or lose. No, no, you're not. That's not a fan. You want to win. You want it bad. But I do think there are probably more tepid expectations. Right? Because your expectations are probably much different now that you got one. And you know, I'm not going to be crushed. Like if you lost game one down, 02, you're crushed. Now you're wondering, are we going to get swept? But if, if you. Now that you've got one in your pocket, I do think there's probably less anxiety about this game. Now ask me if they're fourth quarter and this is a close game, then it's a different story.

[Don La Greca]

I mean, if you, if you're up 10 going to the fourth quarter.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Don La Greca]

You can't sit there and say, well, we only want to split, right?

[Alan Hahn]

That's all right. We want to split anyway. New.

[Don La Greca]

No, no, no, no.

[Alan Hahn]

It starts selling me on it. Played him close in the second game too. Could have won both. I don't want to hear coulda. You don't do that against defending champs. But defending champs, you step on their throat if you Can. What I worry about tonight is the defending champs embarrassed in game one. They've had to hear for two days about the three point shots and. And all the stuff that they've had to carry for a day and how they can't keep doing that, which I think they're going to like. They might shoot another 63 tonight. Thing is, they're not going to miss 45.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Probably not.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what I mean? So that's the part. What concerns you is. Does tonight. Is tonight the reality check game?

[Don La Greca]

Well, that's what I'm.

[Alan Hahn]

That you got their attention because, you.

[Don La Greca]

Know, Mike Breen was on with K when I was driving in and he made a great point. It's like the Celtics are one of the smartest teams in the league and they're one of the best three point shooting teams in the league. They were neither of those things in game one. They didn't play smart and they couldn't hit their threes.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

All right. So they did not play like themselves. So if they go out and play like themselves and you're in a game in the fourth quarter, I'll take it. You could say, hey, we can hang with this team. We're ready to pounce if they screw up.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

But if the Celtics go up there, win by 25, it'll be like, all right, reality check, game one, they handed you, and now it's back to normal. There'll be that feel even though you're.

[Alan Hahn]

Going to go for two and a half quarters. They were up 20. They're up 16 at the half. They were up 20 in the third. So if it's a runaway, you're like, yeah, all right. For a quarter and a half, you. You outplayed them. But you know how much of that is reality. There's gonna be all that talk. We all know the emotional swings that go in these series. And that's what. What I'm looking. I'm really curious to see at this time tomorrow when we begin the show right. What is now the emotion of a Nick fan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, Porzingis is probable.

[Alan Hahn]

He's gonna play.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I saw him walking around.

[Alan Hahn]

He looks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's gonna play, but Hauser's not gonna play.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And that's nothing, man. Well, he can shoot threes.

[Alan Hahn]

He's a good bench player.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's see.

[Alan Hahn]

He is a little bit of depth issue for them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, that is a piece there. And also it becomes more of a piece, of course, if someone else isn't. Right. And that's what I keep talking about with this team, for a team that's generally always physically right. The Celtics have not been fully right this playoffs. I mean, Tatum, Brown, and Holiday have all had issues at one point or another. Now, maybe it means nothing tonight. But guys, if you have a moment like Steph had last night where all of a sudden you're fine, then your star players grabbing his hamstring, that's not good. And now you're also down another player on the bench, all of a sudden, things can change really quickly. And I think we all would agree, in all likelihood, if the Knicks are to somehow pull off the impossible and beat the Celtics in the series, it will probably come because some wacky thing like that happens at some point and.

[Alan Hahn]

They take advantage of it, which is why you play.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Which is why you got to play.

[Alan Hahn]

Go. That's why it's a seven, seven game series. It's the first of four. And we all know, as I think the Cavaliers just learned, that in the blink of an eye, a whole series outlook could change.

[Peter Rosenberg]

An outlook?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A whole year of being dominant and now you're sitting there going, oh, my God, no.

[Don La Greca]

That's how fragile it is. But you also have to have an opponent. And that's why I get to give the Pacers credit and the Knicks credit for game one to be ready to pounce if that happens. Because if the Knicks didn't get up from being down 20, they would have still lost the game. Despite all these things happen. And they still hung. They still had to take their shots, make their shots. So I'm always a little dubious. Oh, you know, with injuries. You took advantage of it. Well, yeah, you took advantage of it. Some teams don't. It happens. Right. Again, you look at the hockey Avalanche, Stars, Dallas Stars played that series. Allen without two of their best players, Robertson and Heskin. Yep. And Colorado didn't take advantage of it. So if Colorado had won that series, he'll be. Oh, yeah, they won the series. Look at Dallas was shorthanded. One of their best forwards in the best defense team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, black smoke is out, guys.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Ready? No, no Pope. No white smoke tells you there's a Pope.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, no, that's not true. Black smoke appears. Signaling. Oh, signaling. No Pope. Sorry, no Pope. No Pope.

[Don La Greca]

I thought I was the one that couldn't read it.

[Alan Hahn]

I love how the Catholic was being told he was wrong.

[Don La Greca]

What did I. Oh, I finally hit a button.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, I'm joking.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, okay.

[Alan Hahn]

How was he? That was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't really care.

[Alan Hahn]

He said, I finally hit a button.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Although I am Blind. So I'm sorry, I'm getting the glasses on as we speak. So wait, why do they have to put the smoke up then?

[Don La Greca]

If.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But no but, but why do I need to be told?

[Alan Hahn]

There are people waiting in. There are people that hold vigil waiting.

[Don La Greca]

To know they're done for the day.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So it just means the day's over and we didn't pay.

[Don La Greca]

All right, let me, let me make this sports related. Waiting for the Pope. Your favorite sports on strike. And they're negotiating, and they're still in the room negotiating. So if they're still in the room, they might make a deal.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And then when you get word, meetings are done for the day. Now you can go to bed. Nothing's gonna happen. They're done. They're done for the day. Black smoke means we're not gonna talk about this anymore. See you tomorrow.

[Alan Hahn]

I covered two lockouts, one that killed the season. And I mean, when I say I covered them, I was the of the reporters that wherever they were meeting, I was camped out in that hotel, in that lobby, wherever it was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you were looking for the black.

[Alan Hahn]

Smoke and you were always waiting for. Right, for. No, the white smoke. White to tell you that there was a deal. And a lot of that stuff would get, would leak out. Some people would text you that were in the meeting. They would give you some hope. Some people would start tweeting things and then by the end of the night, all you wanted to know was yes or no. And usually one of the PR people would just give you like the heads up of, yeah, the meeting's over. You can hang around and get some comments, but nothing has been.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So these people who are just like building the streets of the Vatican right now, if you guys look, it's just packed.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, yeah, it's a big deal. Peter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I'm, I'm not a moron.

[Don La Greca]

That was.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, it's the Pope.

[Don La Greca]

I know, but you talk to him like he was a five year old son.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, there are Catholic people out there. What I wanted to ask was the people hanging out in the, in the Vatican, wandering around as we speak, are these incredibly devout people. Is it simply just an interesting thing? So if you're a nearby tourist, you kind of.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I think it's a mix. You probably get a mix of, of the real devout Christian Catholics and then you have tourists.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. Because this, like Times Square.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you were. You already happened to be taking a trip to that part of the world.

[Don La Greca]

And this is happening by.

[Alan Hahn]

Can you imagine like the like the concessions that are set up. The guy that has like the Pope.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hats and the T shirts like you dream about what? Of all the days that guy's killing right now. Now another question. Do you think in the morning. I said this today on my podcast, Cheap Heat. Wherever podcasts are available. Because we don't really talk about wrestling. We mostly just schmooze for 30 minutes. Dipperstein and I were debating whether there's like a breakfast spread every day for all the prospective candidates for the Cardinals. For all the Cardinals. And he laughed at me because I said, I bet there's a bagel spread. I bet there's some sort of breakfast spread.

[Alan Hahn]

You think the Cardinals are having bagels, waiting to see who got picked?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think they have to provide a reasonable breakfast and a sit down, like, formal breakfast. Seems like a little too much, cuz this is a serious time. The bagels you can just bring out.

[Alan Hahn]

I've always wondered, I've always wondered, is there this awkward rivalry?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh.

[Alan Hahn]

Where it's like you're in the room and it's like, sup? Yeah. Hey, I'm. I'm, I'm hoping for you, even though you don't really mean it. Yeah. And then you turn to the other guy like, this guy thinks he's more divine than me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He ain't poping like I'm poping.

[Alan Hahn]

See, I'm wearing, I'm wearing actual sandals. This guy ain't even wearing sandals. Real shoes on. This guy's wearing Skechers.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They're talking about Dolan as you're talking. They're all looking down on the new.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, they look down.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, yeah, he's a. He's a poverty pope. Look at that guy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's a joke.

[Don La Greca]

He can't carry himself like. That's right. Now, I know a lot of people don't like this movie, but in Godfather 3, I mean, Frank loves Ford Coppola. Say what you want, he's pretty thorough. If you remember the scene where Michael's having like a diabetic episode and he needs sugar and he gets the orange.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Juice and the candy.

[Don La Greca]

Just to be clear, do you see what's on that plate? It's not just orange juice. There's candy bars, like in like 30 seconds. So I'm sure the spread is unreal.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what I. I think the spread's more aside, Anthony. We don't want to give this up. A lot of people don't know the harder decision. It's not the Pope. It's what's Breakfast each day. People are talking for hours.

[Alan Hahn]

This is what we definitely need. We absolutely have to get Cardinal Dolan on the show.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

We talk a little sports and everything else. All right, let's see. Every meal is prepared and eaten under close supervision. Supervision. They can't speak.

[Don La Greca]

But they can't speak to other people. Did you hear?

[Alan Hahn]

Conclave. Local nuns will prepare simple regional cuisine, including minestrone. That's delightful. He could do better. I don't know how. Spaghetti and arrasticini. I don't know how to say that. I don't even know what that is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Boiled vegetables.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay. Lamb skewers. As well as other exciting things like boiled vegetables and other types of soup.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I have to.

[Don La Greca]

This is a play.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm gonna say something. I'm say something right now. I believe all religions are equally great and stupid, depending how you want to look at it.

[Don La Greca]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I will say one thing. If there was a Jewish thing where they picked the grandmaster Rabbi, the spread.

[Alan Hahn]

Would be way better.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm going to be. The bagel spread would be to die. People wouldn't even be. They would never get anything done.

[Don La Greca]

This is a work.

[Alan Hahn]

That's the point.

[Don La Greca]

This is a work. They're not going to let you know that the spread is just unbelievable.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know.

[Don La Greca]

It's the poverty in Rome. They don't want to make it seem like, look at all this food that we could be giving to the poor people. Once again, they're going nuts.

[Alan Hahn]

But once again, if you are you, you are supposed to really walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

[Don La Greca]

Right?

[Alan Hahn]

Like so you're really not supposed to live lavishly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's true.

[Alan Hahn]

The whole idea.

[Don La Greca]

Jesus turned water into wine. He didn't turn water into 7 up.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, although they didn't have 7 up then. But if.

[Don La Greca]

No, but if they did, if there was a guy to have to invent it, it would have been then.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, right. But in all honesty, like, like you're not supposed to have a lavish lifestyle.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I just said a bagel spray.

[Don La Greca]

I, I am sure this salmon, you kept it simple.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Salmon, some cream cheese, some tomato.

[Alan Hahn]

Remember that? Remember that three year one that you mentioned?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Towards the end, they just gave them bread and water. They said, let's go, chop chop.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wait, there was a three year one.

[Alan Hahn]

We had this conversation. You have to discuss this back in the 1200s.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's right. It's a long time ago.

[Alan Hahn]

But only bread and water. Hey, chop chop. Get out. Enough.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And by the way, how'd that work out? It took three years. I'd Rather feed them. Well, have their minds full, you know what I mean? Get the nutrients.

[Don La Greca]

But the thing is that they're sworn to secrecy. Can't say anything right. And the punishment is excommunication. They'll throw you right out of church.

[Alan Hahn]

Which is a serious.

[Don La Greca]

It's not just the cardinals, but, like, all, like, whatever, maintenance people. Anybody that's there, you know, preparing the food. The nuns. Like, anybody that's working there.

[Alan Hahn]

I wonder, are they over here also ordained in some way, like, to work in the Sistine Chapel, to be in the Vatican? Don't you have to have some type of cloth? Like, you can't just be some layman.

[Don La Greca]

That walks in with clothes and that pie.

[Alan Hahn]

Who's that? Oh, that's Murray. He just. He just cleans up. Don't worry about him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a great.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what I mean?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who knows? Maybe they're not even Catholic.

[Don La Greca]

It's just a guy that just caught a break.

[Alan Hahn]

You think so? Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

He can work in the Coliseum.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I got news for you, Anthony. Jacob. I'm truly glad that the deciding on the Pope has nothing to do with pro wrestling, because the pictures would leak out to the dark side early in the day. Everyone would know. Everyone will be talking about who's coming back already. It's going to be the Rock. It's going to be Cena.

[Don La Greca]

We would know. Let's take this a step further. What if you were excommunicated? Like, you were not allowed to be in wrestling anymore? If you leaked it out. Nothing would leaked out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, by the way, I always felt that way. I didn't understand how leaks happened. I thought it was the craziest thing of all time, that people would get these jobs they dreamed of their whole.

[Alan Hahn]

Life and then risk it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then risk it for either a few bucks or just the clout of telling people they know stuff. But people did.

[Don La Greca]

Do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

People are insane. People do weird things, and they do risk for clout.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Cause it happens.

[Don La Greca]

But what clout? I mean, it's human ego. I can understand that for the people on the outside that. That have to make that promise. But if you're a cardinal, you're not throwing that away. No, I would sacrifice your entire life for this.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, not sacrifice your life. You. You gave your life for this.

[Don La Greca]

Well, this is a devotion.

[Alan Hahn]

You sacrifice.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You sacrifice something.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. So what you're doing here is a devotion. So it means more to you than clout or anything else that comes with it. Right? Like that's supposed to be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You would hope so, wow.

[Don La Greca]

But how about those next?

[Alan Hahn]

How about them?

[Don La Greca]

But speaking of white smoke tonight, just. We're living in real time.

[Alan Hahn]

Here's what I'd ask you guys, because we always love to play this game, right? Of how are we supposed to feel and all that stuff. But this does have, like, a feeling of house money, this game. From a fan perspective, again, we know players don't think this way. Josh Hardy even said it himself after Game one is like when somebody said, you know, feeling like you just got the split. Is the pressure up? No, you know, the pressure's on Boston, you know, they're going to come out gangbusters. You know, they're going to want to prove a point you. And they're going to want the crowd back on their side. And all the stuff that, you know, the obvious cliche of the home team that lost Game one is coming. The Cavs did it. The cavs were up 20 in that game last night with nobody. It was Donovan Mitchell and a bunch of subs, and they were up by 20. They couldn't hold on to it, though. And the tighter it got, you saw, the more they struggled to not turn the ball over and not miss shots. So if you're the Knicks, to me, the attitude of this game has to be that. That resiliency that they always talk about, that no matter what happens in the first quarter, no matter what, like, you have to keep fighting because you never know with this Celtic team. And if you can get the pressure on them that they all acknowledge they have because they're the defending champs, you're supposed to win this series. That's the part I want to see from the Knicks. We always talk about their toughness and how tough. Then the Pistons challenge their toughness. That's physical. What I want to see is a team that kind of plays the mental warfare tonight, and I think that's they.

[Don La Greca]

Handle that well in game one. I need to see what it looks like now. We got a tweet from Jeff Klein who says, house money. Hope the boys are loose tonight and play well, but going to feel good regardless.

[Alan Hahn]

That's a bad attitude because they don't play well coming off wins. Brunson's talked about it like I've talked to him about it. That's their biggest concern is when they win and everybody feels good for a day. Their next game usually is a dud. And so that's something else to keep in mind. Will they have a little edge to them? And is anybody in that locker room going to provide that edge? So they aren't what he just said, which is relaxed and laid back. Hell, no. You relax and laid back, you're going to lose by four.

[Don La Greca]

Like I said, Jeff, what if you're up by ten with five minutes to go?

[Alan Hahn]

No, you're not relaxed and you blew the lead.

[Don La Greca]

Are you going to sit there and go, oh, we only wanted to split anyway. You could be punching the wall, going to be up 2. Oh. With the possibility of facing the Pacers in the conference. I want this to. Not the Cavs.

[Alan Hahn]

I want the Knicks to make this a grinder, an absolute grinder. Can they?

[Don La Greca]

And what you want is you want every game to be like the last five games of the Pistons here. That means you're in every single game. It'll drive everybody crazy and to drink, but that's what you want because that means you got a chance. But here's. Here's the other problem with the whole A series doesn't change till a team loses a home game or all you want to do is get the split on the road. The Boston Celtics were 33 and 8 on the road. The Knicks were 27 and 14 at home. All right, 27 to 14 is nothing to sneeze at. But you know what? It's not unbelievable.

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Don La Greca]

You lost 14 home games, including, you know, twice in your own building against the Pistons.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don La Greca]

All right, so.

[Alan Hahn]

And by the way, I think. I think Boston's won at least the last four at the Garden in the regular season.

[Don La Greca]

So you think they're going to blink going to the Garden in a one one series like so. Yeah, traditionally, going home is an advantage. I don't know how much of an advantage it is. It wasn't an advantage to the Knicks in the playoffs. It certainly wasn't a disadvantage to the Celtics at all all year on the road, including in your building the two times that you played them. So, yeah, getting this, you know, getting the split. Yeah, you take it. But it doesn't really necessarily mean what it should, considering how good the Celtics are on the road. So it is the pressure goes back.

[Alan Hahn]

On you in game three?

[Don La Greca]

Oh, absolutely.

[Alan Hahn]

Losing game two, the pressure goes back on you in game three, because that's when it becomes that, you know, there's a doubt creep back in or any of that stuff. And we've already learned about this Knicks team. Something that I didn't like and I recognized in them is that in the playoffs, and it's that they actually play nervous in front of their home crowd.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, we've talked about that. This is where legends are made, man.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't like that.

[Don La Greca]

This is where legends are made. Even the Boston Celtics, the defending champions, they're going to get up for a game at Madison Square Garden. They're going to get all pumped up because they know the world's paying attention when things happen at Madison Square Garden, especially in basketball. So listen, think what you want. As a fan, I'm not going to tell you how to think. I'm just telling you be careful, all right? Because the narrative tomorrow is not going to be, well, we just got the split. If you blew a lead in the fourth quarter or you look like absolute garbage and get wasted by 30 points.

[Alan Hahn]

But I also don't want everybody to overreact either. Just like, don't overreact to Game 1, but don't overreact whatever happens tonight either.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, you're in a great situation.

[Alan Hahn]

This is a good. You're right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's. It's. It's not about, like, taking it easy. It's about not feeling immense pressure. And you can come out and just play your game. Now, when the pressure will come is if they are in the game late, both teams will start to feel an immense amount of pressure. Because if you get down to two minutes left, two minutes left in the game, and it's a one or two.

[Alan Hahn]

Possession, how confident are you if you're a Knicks, though?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, at this point, because you got.

[Alan Hahn]

The best closer in the game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, and you just did it right two games in a row. You feel really good about your.

[Alan Hahn]

I'll tell you what, I would sign up right now for down to five minutes to go. Of course, if you put that on a piece of paper, I'm signing it 100%.

[Don La Greca]

But.

[Alan Hahn]

But signing it because I. Then I feel good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But they will. The Celtics will tighten up at that point. Right. But the Knicks will play well in that situation. However, the Knicks fan base is going to get nervous as hell at that point because you start dreaming now. You start dreaming. Wait, you go, wait a second, wait a second. Are you saying if we pull this out in the next two minutes, we're up 2 0. We won both games in Boston and the Cavs. Now you're starting to smell the conference.

[Alan Hahn]

And then you know what people start doing, which I've already seen. I've had friends of mine text me after the Cavs last night.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, two.

[Alan Hahn]

They're like, boy, if we can get past Boston, we can go to the finals.

[Don La Greca]

Well, that's good. That is gonna be what you're thinking about.

[Alan Hahn]

And it's like everybody, I just said, pump your brakes.

[Don La Greca]

Just get that's gonna happen.

[Alan Hahn]

Your brakes are talking that talk. You know, revenge on the Patriots from last year and then get to the finals and, you know, anything could happen. We played Oklahoma City really well the first time. Like, stop, pump your breaks is way too soon, but I love that people are getting that into it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

As they should be.

[Alan Hahn]

As you should be.

[Don La Greca]

Why wouldn't you? I mean, your team's in the second round and they're up one nothing in the Best of seven series. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. You might say all kinds of stuff when things go wrong, but these are the words you really need to need to remember. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. They've got options to fit your unique insurance needs, meaning you can talk to your agent to choose the coverage you need, have coverage options to protect the things you value most, file a claim right on the State Farm mobile app, and even reach a real person when you need to talk to someone. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Summer's here, and Nordstrom has everything you need for your best dress season ever. From beach days and weddings to weekend getaways in your everyday wardrobe, discover stylish options under $100 from tons of your.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Don La Greca]

It's easy, too, with free shipping and.

[Alan Hahn]

Free returns in store order, pickup and more.

[Don La Greca]

Shop today in stores [e-mail] or download the Nordstrom app.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Don La Greca]

John Hunter, Rosenberg Nicks tonight. Now here's the lay of the land.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You don't know.

[Don La Greca]

Mets are going on at 3:45, their pregames right now on 880. So we're on 10:50 and then at 6:00 clock, Pat O' Keefe's going to hop on 10:50 to give you an extended pregame leading into the 7:00 clock tip. Game two, Celtics, Knicks, second round. But that doesn't mean we go away, ladies and gentlemen, because from six to seven we will be on the ESPN New York app, which everybody has already will be on until 7:00. So must we throw to Pat O' Keefe on 10:50? And there's the distinct possibility, depending on how quickly the Met game ends and their postgame ends, that we could be back on 880. Yay. Leading into Dan Grass at 7 o' clock on the 880 vehicle. So there's a lot of moving pictures going on.

[Alan Hahn]

But that's all right. We love to keep you guessing. This is all part of the game.

[Don La Greca]

But again, these. There's no game if you got the app because we're always on the app. Don't have to worry about 880, 10, 15. I don't worry about these things. I got the app.

[Alan Hahn]

Everybody I see when I run into them, especially like at the Garden or Penn Station, you know, Subway, and they talk about the show. And I always say, you look at the app and they show me the app. Not one person. Now one person has said, oh, I don't have it right.

[Don La Greca]

Well, yeah, well, the problem is I lose the signal. Not if you got the app. Well, how do I listen to you guys in the tunnel? I lose the signal if you got the app.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, easy squeezy.

[Don La Greca]

I'm going on vacation. I'd love to hear you, but I'm going to be in Florida.

[Alan Hahn]

We had a guy call from Hawaii on vacation.

[Don La Greca]

Why? They called from everywhere. We've gotten calls from Israel, yes. Japan, Australia. We're big in Australia.

[Alan Hahn]

Huge.

[Don La Greca]

Come on, mate, tell you so. Stop yourself. Don't be like Spike Lee. Get technology and download it on the app. Now, if you're like me, maybe you got too many pictures of the kids. I'm sure Peter's going through that too. But you figure it out. You work it out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You have to.

[Don La Greca]

1-800-919-3776 is also the number to call. So let's hear from you. Let's start it off with Ernie in the Bronx. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Ernie?

[Caller]

Hey, what's up, fellas?

[Don La Greca]

I just wanted to see if you.

[Alan Hahn]

Guys could bear with me. I got two questions for you guys.

[Caller]

My first question is in regards to Jason Tatum. Whenever he's on the offensive side of the ball, is it me or does he seemingly always get away with a push off on the offhand, like, they never seem to call it, but he seems to struggle.

[Don La Greca]

He doesn't really have great handle, but.

[Caller]

He'S always pushing off.

[Don La Greca]

Why isn't that creates.

[Alan Hahn]

He creates space with it. He doesn't extend. You know, Cade Cunningham did a lot of that too. And I was asking one with the game I called, I was talking to some of the officials and I just pulled pointed out and they said, well, if he's not extending the elbow, that you can, you can sort of. They let you get away with a little bit of that to create space. So it's only when the arm gets fully extended that they would call it if the defender, especially if you're pushing the defender back. But it's all little things that you got to watch. But that's, you know, that's definitely one that I'll keep my eye on tonight.

[Don La Greca]

All right.

[Caller]

And my second question was, and before everybody jumps down, you know, jumps down my throat and tries to get on me about this, would you consider starting Mitch over Cat? Only for matchup reasons. Cat can't defend the chicken roll.

[Alan Hahn]

Did you call yesterday? Did you call?

[Don La Greca]

No, he did not call.

[Alan Hahn]

Somebody else called yesterday about with that. Yeah, the only thing I'm going to say, Ernie, is that you saw what teams are doing with Mitchell Robinson. They're just fouling him on purpose.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. But if you have them at the.

[Caller]

Beginning of the game, you're not in the penalty. So if you bring Mitchell Robinson towards the end of the quarter, you're bringing.

[Don La Greca]

Them in when you're in the penalty. If you start them at the beginning.

[Caller]

Of the game and at the beginning of quarters, you're not allowing the other team to take Mitchell Robinson out of the game.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay. The other thing I'll argue with you is this is now I'm taking one offensive player off the floor and I'm putting a non offensive. You know, he had zero field goal attempts and ten free throw attempts. He had zero field goal attempts. Now I get that he was, I think a plus. He was a big like a plus 16 or something like that in his 20 minutes. So he was impactful. I understand. Earn, here's what I'll tell you. I think your reasoning with the strategy that you are suggesting has a lot of merit, but I don't think it's something that you do this late into the season and with a guy like Carl Anthony Towns, who is a three time All Star, who is a guy that averaged 25 and 14 throughout the season, who shoots over 40% from three, who's supposed to be an offensive weapon, who you're going to need against an offensive team like the Celtics. So again I this, that's two calls now we've gotten on this. So I understand. I'm never going to tell you, you guys are crazy for thinking, yeah the logic makes sense, guys. But I just, you don't do that here and you especially don't do that with a guy like Carl Anthony Towns.

[Don La Greca]

He's too big a player now and he also won the game.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

So you don't want to start messing with. Is it something to maybe consider? Down, three, one. I don't know.

[Alan Hahn]

You don't want to take yourself, start the game. Doesn't mean anything. It's how you finish the game. Right? Like, those are the lineups you go to when you need to, but you don't need to do it in the first five minutes of the game.

[Don La Greca]

No, you wouldn't think.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Particularly in this version of the NBA. Particularly with this team. Both of these teams.

[Alan Hahn]

Right?

[Don La Greca]

Let's go all the way out to Dallas, and let's hear from Izzy. You're on espn, New York.

[Alan Hahn]

Hey, guys, how we doing?

[Don La Greca]

How are you, Izzy? Good, good. Hey, Pete, did you get to the concert?

[Alan Hahn]

Did you wear your hat, your boots, or is that still upcoming?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The concert is in two weeks.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay. We've got some.

[Caller]

So.

[Alan Hahn]

So I have a little bet for you.

[Don La Greca]

If the Knicks happen to win, you.

[Alan Hahn]

Have to wear the assless chaps and the hat. Gotta happen. So if they win the series, they're.

[Don La Greca]

Not gonna let him in the bill.

[Alan Hahn]

If they win the series. No, if they win this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I can't. I can't. I'm not wearing assless chaps.

[Don La Greca]

But. But they're not gonna let it with Into MetLife for the concert.

[Alan Hahn]

No, they wouldn't let them on underneath. It's just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's the spirit of it. It's the spirit.

[Alan Hahn]

I think. I think the better way to do this is if the Knicks win the series. You have to wear the cowboy hat to the show. Yeah, I know you don't want to. I know you don't want to wear a cowboy hat.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, that. That would be a more reasonable bet payoff that I would do.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's go. Shake on it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. I don't know if this is enough, you know, Don, you can't just. They're not even, like, throwing any passion behind it. Just like, hey, I want to do it. Like, I mean, come on. I hate to have a conversation.

[Don La Greca]

And what does Izzy do?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, what do you. What do you do? Is he with the Celtics win?

[Don La Greca]

Well, Pete, you name it. I don't know.

[Alan Hahn]

You tell me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Assless chaps.

[Alan Hahn]

Photo of you at, like, in a public place.

[Don La Greca]

What do you do for a living? Oh, God, no.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What do you do for a living?

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, we can't. I have a company that works in education, so, yeah.

[Don La Greca]

I could do a faceless shot, you know, anonymously. But, you know, now starting to feel.

[Alan Hahn]

Weird now it's getting real weird. Good effort, though, is good.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, I like where his head's at. It's just. It's not realistic. I mean, listen, I'd love, you know, Peter to have to wear it, but it's not. They won't let him in the building.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I'm good to me.

[Alan Hahn]

The hat just because a, you know.

[Don La Greca]

He doesn't want to do it.

[Alan Hahn]

Second of all, because it would probably look.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'd lose Don though him and a.

[Don La Greca]

10 gallon hat and cowboy boots would be just so nozzle. I think that would be punishment enough. Tucked in flannel with a big, huge obnoxious belt.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don La Greca]

Big belt buckle.

[Alan Hahn]

Tucked in flannel into the jeans, cowboy boots and a 10 gallon.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's like. Because you don't know.

[Alan Hahn]

He doesn't love the Celtics enough for that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, because now you're going so far it won't even look like you're dressed up for the Beyonce concert. You're doing something else.

[Alan Hahn]

It's cartoon. Yeah, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what makes you.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what makes it fun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know. I don't know, guys.

[Alan Hahn]

He's not going to do it, so don't worry about it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know. Let's see what happens tonight.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, wow.

[Don La Greca]

Wow. So you're considering. I want to get a belt buckle like with his face on and. But it's big. It goes like from the belly button to the groin.

[Alan Hahn]

So you can't sit. Belt buckle, Knicks logo.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, big. A big Knicks belt.

[Don La Greca]

I want it almost look like a championship belt. Like that's how much the belt.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I used to have a belt. I used to have a WWE championship belt buckle that was quite big. Oh yeah, it was cool. Actually.

[Don La Greca]

I might. Peter was not alive for this. Alan, you maybe don't remember, but I remember the, you know the urban cowboy late 70s cowboy surge where like people in New York.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Remember the old 1050 was.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. WHN.

[Alan Hahn]

WHN was a country station.

[Don La Greca]

Walking around Del Dimontro walking around with cowboy hats. And my dad had cowboy. Because he loved country music and he had the big belt buckle on. And I'm like, it was an era.

[Alan Hahn]

I was a kid too. It was an era. I hated.

[Don La Greca]

I was awful.

[Alan Hahn]

Hated that so bad. My dad, we were going. I forget what. Whatever. We were going to church for something and he's like telling me like that's what he was telling me. The whole like, yeah, go western, give the brown belt. I'm like, what the hell? I'm not wearing that.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, it just.

[Alan Hahn]

It was such a.

[Don La Greca]

But I didn't get I didn't know any better as a kid, but like, look, looking back and seeing some of the pictures brutal of my father, just like, totally. Indy loved Alabama and the Oak Ridge boys.

[Alan Hahn]

Oak Ridge boys. Elvira, crazy stuff.

[Don La Greca]

1-800-919-3776. Got a ton of calls to get, so let's do it. Let's go to William in Hempstead. You're on ESPN New York.

[Caller]

Gentlemen, good afternoon. How everyone doing?

[Alan Hahn]

What's up, William?

[Caller]

Yeah, first of all, let me say I lost my eyesight since June of last year. And one of the highlights of my day is listening to you guys. You guys are the Neapolitan ice cream of talk radio. You know, Han, you are the vanilla.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That is fact.

[Caller]

Don, you are the strawberry. And Rosenberg, you are the chocolate. Every scoop comes up is a different flavor. But one of you always seem to arrive to the occasion. And I very appreciate and one of the things I listen to most is the Knicks basketball. With that being said, you know, I enjoyed the advantage that the Knicks had on this series, being one up on the Boston. But I also noticed that these other series, they took advantage of the injury that the other team had, you know, with Seth Kirby on Golden State and, you know, Donald and Cleveland with their injuries. But you also notice that throughout the season, you know, Brunson also had his share of injuries. So I'm fearful, not being pessimistic, but I'm fearful that, you know, the Knicks, despite their being fully scalped during this series, that one tweak or one hit would cause the Knicks being injured as well. I want to take your guy take. And also one last point. I want to get, you know, your past shows or whatnot. But for some reason, I don't know what to say, Alexa, what episode you saw. So if you could tell me what to say to Alexa to get your past episode.

[Alan Hahn]

So I really appreciate it. Yeah. William for the podcast, he's trying to get past shows to listen and he obviously uses Alexa to help him get things because obviously with eyesight. So it is something we should try to figure out.

[Don La Greca]

We'll try to find that out.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, we're, we're definitely going to try to figure that out. What I want to ask William, though, quickly, because clearly you're, you listen to the games then on the radio for Tyler Murray and Monica McNutt, what do they mean to you?

[Caller]

Well, their review of the game is important, is good, you know, but even when I do the best thing about the Alexa because it also tunes into the Games on the other east coast and all the west coast and Midwest. I don't normally get on radio or whatnot. So listening to the game is very enjoyable because despite my vision, you get that sense of being there, especially listening to the radio. So I still enjoy that. But for some reason for the local, I guess through the contract negotiation, you know, you can't play that Knicks games on radio, you know, on the stream, constraint, whatnot. So on occasion I do try to go to on a TV and try and listen to on tv, but it sounds seem better on radio. So I just want to go ahead.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, no, yeah, I can understand why they're way more descriptive on the radio. So there's a lot. There's a lot. We need to help you out with this. I can feel it.

[Don La Greca]

So we'll try to get that information.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, well, I'm. Let's put him on hold so we can get his email address so we can get that. There's some way to contact him. Probably a phone number.

[Don La Greca]

I haven't heard from her a long time. You probably remember Miriam from Forest Hill. She's a big Islander. Yes. And she. And she also was blind. And I got to know her from this station, the other station, and she just talked about like how important the radio description is. And sometimes you do take it for granted when you're calling on the radio, like forgetting that, you know, people really rely on your description to the point of what uniforms are being played, what direction the puck or the ball's going so that they can get the mental picture going to describe it. Because you don't want to give. That's why I just. I'm so upset with the Islanders with the simulcasting television, because now you're not giving a radio call. And those guys are calling for television, rightly so, because that's going to be their job. So when Brendan Burke and Butchie do the game, they can't worry about the radio. That's not going to be their job. But so much gets lost when you don't describe everything. You can't take it for granted. And when people don't have the sight and when you're listening on the radio, you're completely lost to know what exactly is going on. And that was one of the best criticisms I got early on was. Or critiques, I should say, is just always location, location, location. Where is the ball? Where's the ball being shot from, where's the puck? You know, all. All that is just so vitally important for people like William who are trying.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To put it together in their head.

[Don La Greca]

Exactly.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Especially when you lose sight. Like it's, it's that so you can.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He knows picture because you know what it looks like.

[Don La Greca]

So.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Yeah, man. Just quickly with William, I just want to tell him that, that even Jalen Brunson has kind of said, I mean, I've tweaked this thing a couple of times already that it's, it frustrates him every time he tweaks it. But it is obviously for anybody that is, you know, for the playoffs, it doesn't matter who you are. There's always something that could go wrong at that one turn and change the series like we saw last week with Steph Curry.

[Don La Greca]

But the one thing and not, not every injury is because of physicality, but they just came off a very, very physical series. It's not going to be, this series is not going to be nearly as physical.

[Alan Hahn]

You can tell. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

So maybe there's less of a chance of injuries. But listen, turning an ankle can happen, you know, at any time. Doesn't matter about the physicality aspect of it. 1-800-919-377-6430 we've got the list and then at 6:00 clock we've got ENN to right now, Mr. Peter Rosenberg.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Don La Greca]

So close the tip off.

[Alan Hahn]

Knicks, Celtics.

[Don La Greca]

All right, so they're pumped, you guys. You're gonna be all over the free again. Are they gonna be. Are they gonna be showing you getting excited at the end of the game like they did in game one?

[Alan Hahn]

You know, I'm catching some flack.

[Don La Greca]

What? From who?

[Alan Hahn]

Like, the whole. Like, I've tried to tell people this. Like, yes, I was a sports writer for 20 years, right. I was a journalist, right? Unbiased, focused on the job, all that stuff, which you're supposed to do. And I. And I did. But after. When you. When you're a T. Broadcaster For, God, 13, 14 years now, like, you know, like, it does become something that, you know, you're a little more invested.

[Don La Greca]

Of course you are.

[Alan Hahn]

And in that moment at that game, considering everything that was going on, like, that was when Bridges got the steal and you knew they won the game. And it was a little bit of a primal, like, kind of roar. I was just into it.

[Don La Greca]

You're gonna be into it.

[Alan Hahn]

But it's like, oh, like, stop it.

[Don La Greca]

Come on. It wasn't. It wasn't the moment, like, with the.

[Alan Hahn]

But K wouldn't do that.

[Don La Greca]

Well, he's also been doing it for, like, 30 plus years. He is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's dead inside.

[Don La Greca]

Well, no, he is called.

[Alan Hahn]

I guess I've never been part of a championship.

[Don La Greca]

Championships in five years.

[Alan Hahn]

I've never been part of the championship, I guess. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

You know, and then never mind the championships, you know, the. The. The 3,000th hit home run for Derek Jeter. The last hit for Jeter.

[Alan Hahn]

But I would argue, like, what I would. What I would argue with someone who does that is. I would say that. But K gets it out because he gets to call the moment in the moment. So you get it out of your system with the call. Like, the energy that you get to. But, like, what am I doing? I'm just standing there watching a monitor. Then I got to sit down and get ready. Like, then they're telling me, 30 seconds and we're on the air. So I'm watching a moment, like, are they winning or are they losing this game? What's going to happen? They won the game. And it's just like, oh, let's go. Like, all right, let's go. We got to show.

[Don La Greca]

But don't be ashamed. The fact that you did grow up a Knick fan, now, you shelve that by Covering the team because you're a journalist and all that. But I covered some of the worst years in there. When you're covering a team, nobody wants to do a post game show after a really difficult loss. Everybody wants to do it for a win. So you're pumped for yourself. You're pumped for the fact that there's excitement, cover.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, Don, that's exactly what it is. It was all inclusive.

[Don La Greca]

Listen, would I call myself a Winnipeg Jet fan? No. But was I rooting for Winnipeg? Yes. In that game again? In the game seven against the Blues.

[Alan Hahn]

Gotcha.

[Don La Greca]

But I wouldn't have cried if they lost the game. But when they won the game, I started clapping out loud in the living room because I just was exhilarated by something that I don't normally get to see as a sports fan. But everybody pumped up.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't think everybody gets that though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, what do you mean?

[Don La Greca]

I said he's getting heat for you.

[Alan Hahn]

You mentioned it too yesterday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was just trying to give your. Give you a hard time sensitive and I want to make you cry. I know you would actually care. It's just you're more you.

[Alan Hahn]

You.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Here's a fact.

[Alan Hahn]

Get that from people.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Here's a fact. Allen is still more of a fan at this stage than Michael is. That could change over time. But one's not right more than the other. Michael's not. Michael is really a professional broadcaster. He wants the Yankees to win. It's good for him and it's good for his business. And he of course has a fondness for them still. It's his job.

[Alan Hahn]

That's literally my emotion now. I am not like I was in 92. No, no, no.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're not on the street and you go, don't you want to be on the.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't feel like if.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think you have a level more of exhilaration though than my. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

But I don't know if I'm just passionate. Three year old Alan Hahn after seeing the Knicks win five titles is going to get overly pumped or a Game 1 win in the second?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't think so. My guess would be no.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I probably would. Would at that point. I would.

[Don La Greca]

I'm not.

[Alan Hahn]

I would know. I wouldn't know if they ever won a championship. I would know what to do with myself. What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to react to this?

[Don La Greca]

Michael's called.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Would be insane.

[Don La Greca]

Michael has called, you know, multiple World Series. No hitters, perfect games. You know, at some point Donnie called.

[Alan Hahn]

Three in A row.

[Don La Greca]

Right. So at some point do I think deep down inside he wants the team to win? Of course. Why wouldn't you? You're that close to the team.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, it's also your. This is your life, too, and it's. It benefits in many ways. First of all, if you're going to go as deep as that, all the way to the World Series, it's like, I'm putting all this time in. What am I doing?

[Don La Greca]

The best thing Michael Lover said was you're rooting for you. And in those kind of situations, you are. I want to do a post game for the Knicks that people are going to be paying attention to after a huge win. I'm calling a Ranger game. Right. And I didn't grow up a Ranger fan, but. But obviously, when I'm doing it for 20 years, I'm doing a play I want to. I want to call a good game. And I'd like to see the team that I'm calling win the game.

[Alan Hahn]

That's it. Give me a moment. That's. You know, But I've always believed in that. And so if that's. And I'm a passionate person, as you guys know, I react to things I told you about music. So it's like that. That's just. Generally, that was an organic moment of like the. Howard. This. This just makes things better.

[Don La Greca]

This Yankee starting lineup is brought to you by Certa Pro Painters. Well, they. They killed it in the seventh inning last night, scoring 10 runs. There you go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, never a mention again, Alan. Not a drop. Not a mention for my Yankee lineup on Friday. It just died right in that moment.

[Don La Greca]

What happened? I wasn't here.

[Alan Hahn]

He did an old timey.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it was. I took it to it, like. Let me put it this way, Don.

[Alan Hahn]

If you had done it, nicknames and.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All, if you had done it, it would have been turned into an audio special that we played back every day.

[Don La Greca]

Poor Peter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Mine, mine.

[Alan Hahn]

I think they actually went back and deleted.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it wasn't on the podcast. People said I went looking for it and it was dead air. They just ran dead air for two minutes.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm telling you, though, when did this happen? It was excellent.

[Peter Rosenberg]

See, when he didn't even know what happened.

[Alan Hahn]

He wasn't even paying attention. It was so good. It was very old.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Chinese brought it. He went.

[Alan Hahn]

Nicknames. You know what, you want to do it today?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I don't. Really, I don't.

[Alan Hahn]

You're not feeling it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I need.

[Don La Greca]

I check when there's a day where the lineup's the same. Replay.

[Alan Hahn]

He needs to be close.

[Don La Greca]

They do change the lineup. Sorry.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go ahead Don, go ahead.

[Don La Greca]

Well, Rice is going to lead off and he's going to dh. Judge batting second in right field. Austin Wells, he had a big night last night, will be your catcher batting third. Goldschmidt batting cleanup in will be at first. Bellinger, also a big night, will be batting fifth and playing center field. Volpe batting sixth playing shortstop. The Martian Dominguez will be in left field batting seventh. Cabrera batting eighth at third base. Vivos is batting ninth and at second base. And maybe one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball right now, Max Freed six and oh with a one point earn run average will be on the bump tonight. That's the Yankee starting lineup brought to you by certapro Painters. When choosing a painting professional for your home or business, the choice is simple. Choose happy. Choose certapro Painters.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, but I just want to know it's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 o' clock ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.