Hour 1: Knicks Back on Track

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg

ESPN New York | February 2, 2026

Episode: Hour 1 — "Knicks Back on Track"

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Episode Overview

The first hour of this episode centers on the New York Knicks’ resurgence, their six-game winning streak, and what it means for the team's near future. The hosts—Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg—dissect the Knicks’ improved play, speculate about possible trades (notably around Giannis), and passionately debate whether the current squad deserves a real playoff chance without major changes. The trio also sprinkles in lively banter about aging, Knicks broadcaster Michael Kay’s birthday, music, and Super Bowl halftime history, giving the episode its signature blend of sports insight and New York attitude.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reunion and Personal Catch-Up (00:25–03:15)

• The hosts highlight being back together after a few weeks apart.
• Light conversation about travel woes, jet lag, odd dreams, and winter weather.

Memorable moment:
Peter Rosenberg recounts a bizarre dream involving Jon Gruden at a golf tournament:

“Jon Gruden was in the golf tournament. Something went wrong. He threw his club. He badly maimed a person on television. It was horrifying... Woke me up out of my sleep.” (02:07, Rosenberg)

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2. Michael Kay’s 65th Birthday (03:15–10:00)

• Good-natured teasing and reflection on Michael Kay turning 65.
• Discussion about how perceptions of age have changed.
• Debates what milestone birthdays mean post-60.

Notable quote:

“65 is definitely not what it used to be. In our parents’ age... now, someone drops dead at 65, it’s like, ‘Oh my God. Tragic.’” (05:37, Rosenberg)

• Playful talk: if a single Michael Kay were on the dating scene at 65, what age range would be "acceptable" for his rotation.
• Lively exchange about Bill Belichick’s relationship drama and how media/fans judge personal choices.

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3. Knicks’ Winning Streak & Trade Landscape (12:45–21:00)

• Don leads into the Knicks' six-game streak, describing it as a “quiet six in a row.”
• Knicks have “overcome that little problem” from weeks prior, dominating the Lakers on national TV.
• Alan Hahn analyzes the upcoming schedule (Washington, Denver, Detroit, Boston) and sees Friday’s game in Detroit as a “litmus test.”

Insightful observation:

“Friday night feels to me like a real litmus test... you go back there where you were most embarrassed this year.” (13:32, Hahn)

• Trade deadline speculation:
  • Chase for Giannis feels “a lot more smoke and a lot less fire.”
  • The idea that big, earth-shaking moves may be less likely mid-season.
  • Small "maintenance" trades could still matter.

On standing pat with the current roster:

“Hasn’t this team done enough last year and so far this year to at least show, to give a chance at it without having to blow it up? Because that’s what you’re doing [if you trade for Giannis].” (16:54, Don)

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4. Knicks’ Chemistry, Identity & Playoff Hopes (18:45–24:27)

• Alan and Don argue the merits of letting the team gel and see how far it can go as-constructed.
• The impact of recent defensive improvements: Knicks’ defense held opponents under 100 points in five of the six recent wins.
• Skepticism toward the notion that the team “must” make a big addition now.
• Parallels drawn to last season when the Knicks defied expectations.

“This winning streak might have saved the season when it comes to blowing up the roster or [triggering] anyone in the front office... to say, damn it, we have to do it.” (18:36, Hahn)

• The hosts discuss the unpredictability of the NBA, with references to injuries and playoff surprises, arguing that no one should crown a champion in February.

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5. The Value of Practice & Schedule Effects (27:13–29:10)

• Alan stresses the role of a less hectic schedule and being at home in the recent turnaround:

“After the NBA cup, the next 19 games, 10 were on the road. They were never home for more than one day...” (27:13, Hahn)

• Practice time and home routine have allowed the Knicks to regroup and implement needed adjustments.

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6. Callers Weigh In: OG Anunoby’s Importance & Coaching Choices (30:06–34:44)

• Callers highlight OG Anunoby’s impact: Knicks are 90–46 when he plays.

“When he’s out, it kills them... It hurts. His record in uniform with the Knicks is insane.” (31:18, Hahn)

• Discussion about coaching changes (giving credit to Mike Brown for tough decisions and improving the defense/rotation).
• Importance of players like Jalen Brunson in setting a defensive tone.

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7. Music, Tributes & Super Bowl Halftime Shows (36:23–47:14)

• The hosts dissect the previous night’s Grammy tributes (Post Malone, Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo, Roberta Flack), with candid takes on their performances.
• Playful debate on the difference between “record of the year” and “album of the year.”

“Record of the year is the best music recording of the year. Song of the year is the best written song of the year.” (40:18, Rosenberg)

• Musical tastes and halftime show nostalgia — from “Up With People” to Bad Bunny’s rise and the competitive birth of the modern halftime show (“In Living Color” special vs. football).

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8. Final Knicks Thoughts and Cat’s Role (44:00–46:14)

• Another caller spotlights Karl-Anthony Towns (“Cat”) and how, when he’s engaged in defense and rebounding, the team’s energy lifts.

“They kind of gravitate to that. When that's his game...he could go eight points, 20 bounds and is defending hard and diving on the floor... I just see them [playing differently].” (45:16, Caller Steve)

Alan affirms that behind the scenes, players feel the same—Towns' “elite player” effort in intangible areas inspires the group.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Knicks’ big-picture outlook:

  "The narrative won’t go away with this team until they really prove themselves." (26:47, Don)

• Alan on trade temptation:

  “Blowing it up for Giannis doesn’t seem like something they are motivated to do anymore because they’ve gotten their footing again.” (22:42, Hahn)

• On OG Anunoby’s value:

  “He might be one of the guys that goes in a deal... To me, that’s the non-starter. I don’t think the Knicks have any interest in that.” (31:29, Alan Hahn)

• On music at the Super Bowl:

  “Friday should be a Bad Bunny day, right?” (41:50, Hahn)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Knicks winning streak & schedule analysis — 12:45–15:35
• Giannis trade talk/strategy for trade deadline — 15:36–18:46
• Defensive improvements and playoff context — 18:47–24:27
• Schedule and role of practice in team turnaround — 27:13–29:10
• Callers on OG’s impact & coaching adjustments — 30:06–34:44
• Cat’s intangibles transforming team chemistry — 44:00–46:14
• Music/Grammys & Super Bowl halftime show chat — 36:23–43:40

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Episode Tone & Style

Consistent with the show’s identity: sharp, funny, opinionated, but always rooted in deep New York and basketball knowledge. The banter oscillates between serious hoop talk (capable of impressing die-hard Knicks fans) and lively cultural riffing (music, age jokes, pop culture), making it engaging even for casual listeners.

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For Listeners: Why This Episode Matters

This episode offers a pulse check on the Knicks at a potential turning point. The hosts break down not only what’s working on the court but also how off-court factors—like practice time, team chemistry, and organizational patience—can make or break a season. Their skepticism about a midseason "superstar" trade is rooted in both basketball logic and respect for what the current roster has built. If you want to catch up on the state of Knicks fandom, front office thinking, and a dose of New York-style pop culture, this is essential listening.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

Don, I'll be licking the television screen. Licking it like it's ice cream. Han.

[Podcast Announcer]

Oh.

[Alan Hahn]

The type of music I listen to would make you cry.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And Rosenberg, I expect to be called ball coach. This isn't North Dakota, this is New York.

[Podcast Announcer]

This is Don Hahn and Rosenberg.

[Michael Rosenberg]

The best threesome I've ever heard on.

[Podcast Announcer]

ESPN New York and streaming live on YouTube.

[Don Hahn]

Don, Han and Rosenberg. It's been like three weeks we've all been together. This is awesome. Awesome.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Is that everybody's. That how long it's been?

[Don Hahn]

Oh, it's. At least.

[Alan Hahn]

Anybody remember, like, actually remember the last time we were between in the same place together?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well, last week I was gone the whole week last. Before that, Don was gone for sure. Right. So then you gotta go back sometime before that.

[Don Hahn]

Probably like three Wednesdays ago. Yeah, like Wednesday I'll probably be three.

[Alan Hahn]

Was it in 2026?

[Don Hahn]

It was in 2020.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah, yeah, sure.

[Don Hahn]

But it was still a long time ago. Hopefully everybody's having a great day. It's a heat wave. I was driving in today and my dashboard said it was 37 degrees.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I'm like, oh, my God, I gotta open the window. I don't even. That's right.

[Don Hahn]

But I'm actually seeing some of the snow melt.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Really?

[Alan Hahn]

No way.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I'm not aware.

[Don Hahn]

A little bit not. You're seeing some puddles because it's above freezing. And the sun hits the snow in just the right way where you get a little bit of a thaw. And so the trucks are out trying to change things around.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So I just want to warn everybody, none of these buttons work.

[Alan Hahn]

All right.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So just be mindful.

[Alan Hahn]

I hear you, though.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yeah. I almost just said something to you about one of our colleagues on television. And it would have been right on the air.

[Don Hahn]

Just so everyone knows.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, come on.

[Caller]

No, no.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That didn't say it was bad or good.

[Don Hahn]

I'm just saying, I'm assuming bad.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I was just. You were afraid.

[Michael Rosenberg]

We were having a conversation about feeling old earlier and I just was saying I feel older. But. But I'm. I'm. I feel happy. I'm not alive right now, currently. Guys, this is a shell of my human body. What.

[Alan Hahn]

What are you complaining about?

[Don Hahn]

How long was the flight?

[Michael Rosenberg]

12 hours.

[Don Hahn]

And you said you slept way back.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I. So we. I stayed up fully from. I did the show with you guys Friday.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes. Yes.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I finished up at 2am whatever. 1 1am 1am Went to bed that night at 2:30.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Had a little trouble falling asleep. 4:30. I had a scary dream what was the dream? You asked. Glad you asked. I was sitting around with Natalie and a couple other people watching a golf tournament. Jon Gruden was in the golf tournament. Something went wrong. He threw his club. He badly maimed a person on television. It was horrifying in my dream. Woke me up out of my sleep. I was horrified by this. Couldn't fall back asleep.

[Alan Hahn]

There's a lot there. That's an onion.

[Michael Rosenberg]

There's a lot. A lot.

[Don Hahn]

What happened during your day?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well, we talked about John Groot. We talked about Gruden because of the Jets.

[Alan Hahn]

We did on Friday.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So that was.

[Don Hahn]

Talk about golf though.

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So anyways, I get scared out of my, you know, my mind.

[Alan Hahn]

You're good.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Can't go back to sleep. Ended up going to the gym at 6:30 in the morning. Just starting the day. Caught a couple naps on Saturday, but had to were up all day. We didn't finish on Air till 3:00am at the airport at 6:00am charter takes off at 7:30am sleep.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So then I slept from that point on. I got here at one o', clock, whatever it was. But my head's just.

[Don Hahn]

No, you're a mess.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I'm swimming right now.

[Don Hahn]

I knew what it was like getting back from the West Coast.

[Michael Rosenberg]

This is like Universal.

[Don Hahn]

It's bizarro what it is for you. But we're all back in the same fun. And also. Let's take a second. Sure. It didn't come up during his show because he's so modest and never wants.

[Alan Hahn]

Never.

[Don Hahn]

But Today is Michael K's birthday.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Damn right.

[Don Hahn]

Happy birthday to Michael Kog Day is always Michael K Day. Yes. 35 years old. I want to find doing Yankee games at six months Cutlers.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That's what it was. Six months old.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Happy birthday. Tap it in. Happy birthday to the caster. It's a big one too.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I don't know what's being said.

[Don Hahn]

It bothers me. I can't imagine how he feels about it, but it bothers me. But it'll bother you because I've known him for so long.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

You know, we met before we started doing the show. But if you want to just go by when we started doing the show.

[Alan Hahn]

Together, when he started letting me talk.

[Don Hahn]

Which was, you know, July 15, 2002. So that's going on 24 years ago. I've known the guy for over 25 years. So it makes sense that he's the age that he's at. But still.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Wait, so when you one of those.

[Don Hahn]

Ages where you know what he looks terrific and does not look like somebody that in most cases would be filing.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Papers to retire the age at which you met him. To which we are in now. It's a huge difference. Number wise, there's no question.

[Alan Hahn]

I agree.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It's a tough one.

[Don Hahn]

And the thing about his birthday, Peter. Cause you were a part of this for a while too. Is that his birthday always coincided with radio row at the Super Bowl. So he'd always get a cake or something and we'll go out to dinner. Yeah. And I distinctly remember, I hate Don were with us or just about to be with us. His 50th birthday was in Dallas.

[Michael Rosenberg]

No, no, I wasn't here for that.

[Don Hahn]

You probably. I think you came the year after. No, no.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I've been here 10 years.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh.

[Don Hahn]

So, yeah, forget about it.

[Alan Hahn]

You're way off.

[Don Hahn]

It just feels like you're lost. That we were all in Dallas for his 50th birthday.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And this is Gunling, too. Was he already there?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, Gunling was there.

[Alan Hahn]

Was that the Dallas super bowl with snow?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Dallas Super Bowl.

[Don Hahn]

With the snow and the ice there, it didn't feel like it was that long. It was 15 years ago.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

So happy 65th birthday to Michael K.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It's hard for you, I can tell who.

[Podcast Announcer]

Spud Murray.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I don't like it either. Even though 65 is still not a terror, things have changed.

[Alan Hahn]

Not what it used to be.

[Michael Rosenberg]

65 is definitely not what it used to be.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Michael Rosenberg]

In our parents age. Your parents age, you know, like you're. How old was your dad when he passed?

[Don Hahn]

59.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Didn't even get near 65.

[Alan Hahn]

My dad was 61. Yeah, he didn't get there either.

[Michael Rosenberg]

You put those numbers around it, it makes it seem significant. Even more significant now. Someone drops dead at 65, it's like, oh, my God. Tragic. You know what I mean? I think at 30, 40, 50 years ago, 65 could be. Hey, you never know, you know. But that's not the time we're living in right now. And we know Michael isn't settling for anything less than 93, 94.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know if he's even.

[Don Hahn]

I don't think he would settle.

[Michael Rosenberg]

You don't need to settle. If there's a hall of fame for good people.

[Caller]

If there was a hall of fame.

[Michael Rosenberg]

For good people, I'd be in that. He said so many great things over the years.

[Alan Hahn]

Many K drops.

[Don Hahn]

But yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Happy birthday to the K stream. It's a fairly big birthday now. Question for you.

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Michael Rosenberg]

What's the biggest Birthday left post, say 60. Cause 50 is 50 the last. Huge celebratory, still kind of young, but like big, big birthday.

[Alan Hahn]

I would say after 50, the next one that feels like a milestone would be 90.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Good.

[Alan Hahn]

What are you out of your gourd after that? I don't want to say. I don't need to celebrate it.

[Don Hahn]

Wait, hold on.

[Alan Hahn]

We don't need to make a big deal about it.

[Michael Rosenberg]

75. You're skipping 75?

[Alan Hahn]

Why do I care about 75?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Why do you care about 90?

[Alan Hahn]

I don't want. I don't want to celebrate 75. 90's like, all right, that's pretty good. Get to 90. That's pretty impressive. It might be the last big one you have.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Don, do you agree with this? Nothing.

[Don Hahn]

We think.

[Alan Hahn]

You think you want a big deal made out of you when you turn 75? Yeah. Hell no.

[Don Hahn]

Why not? That's one of those numbers. It's a special number, I think.

[Michael Rosenberg]

75.

[Alan Hahn]

Special about it.

[Don Hahn]

It's 75.

[Alan Hahn]

It's old.

[Michael Rosenberg]

The 25s are big.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, the 25 is.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I understand you like, like the round number and all, but I don't, I don't see it that way. You asked a question, I'm answering. I don't give a damn about age. I don't want to think about it. I don't want to celebrate.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Now we're getting to it.

[Alan Hahn]

90. Then I'm like, you know what, though? 90. Something to say.

[Michael Rosenberg]

All right.

[Don Hahn]

I thought 50 would hurt. It didn't. No. I have a feeling 60 is going to. Because 60, it's like, what do you know, 50. Well, I'll be 58 on the 13th.

[Alan Hahn]

His birthday's coming.

[Michael Rosenberg]

You getting near 60 is upsetting to me too. I'm not going to.

[Don Hahn]

But the line keeps moving because you're right. When, you know, 10 year old Don Legreca saw a 65 year old man. That's grandpa. That's an elderly man retired moments from death, you know, wearing shorts with black dress socks and sandals, you know, watching golf and falling asleep. Right, right.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But meanwhile, meanwhile, I've done that part since I.

[Don Hahn]

But meanwhile, like 65 now, because, you know, Michael's still doing a show, doing 135 games, still got very young kids and. And so I got news for you too.

[Michael Rosenberg]

If he was still single, the rotation would still be in full effect.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what?

[Michael Rosenberg]

I have no doubt that is a. That really.

[Don Hahn]

We were going to open with the Knicks. This is such a better open.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

Can you imagine what his rotation would be at 65.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yeah. Belichick, hold my beer.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, again, the older you get. Right. The pool gets deeper.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Is that true?

[Alan Hahn]

How could it not be?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Because it gets higher. You can go up.

[Don Hahn]

Well, let me ask you.

[Alan Hahn]

You can go up, but this is a lot more below as well.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It's everywhere. This is.

[Don Hahn]

Oh.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Cause you're so older now. You have an entire brand.

[Don Hahn]

This is a borderline inappropriate conversation. I would say.

[Alan Hahn]

I like it, though, in a way.

[Don Hahn]

I strive for good radio. Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

You're a professional.

[Don Hahn]

At 6, a single 65 year old Michael K. Yeah. Still going to Peters. Still having his good time.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

When I say Peters, the bar. Not to Peter's house or either. What do you think the. And you're a good person to ask this, Peter, because you're like, sickened by Belichick.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

What would be the youngest you'd accept in Michael's rotation? And how young do you think Michael would go in his rotation?

[Michael Rosenberg]

In the rotation?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Meaning these are just people he goes on dates with, spends time with. But he's not like trying to like bring him to Thanksgiving, right?

[Don Hahn]

No, this is, you know, a single.

[Alan Hahn]

Michael K. Out and about.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So I'm being honest. This has, this has changed as I've gotten older, naturally to where I wouldn't kind of like, I'd be like, oh, ho, ho. But then behind his back, go to you guys and be like. I would say, honestly, that number would be like early 30s.

[Don Hahn]

I'd be like. I'm surprised. I was going to say, I don't think he would date anybody under 40. 40.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

That's.

[Alan Hahn]

No, yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

No, no, no.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. No, no, no.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I was worried based on our Belichick arguments, you guys were gonna go lower than me.

[Alan Hahn]

No. At 65 now.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But Belichick's older than that.

[Alan Hahn]

No, I'm saying Michael. Michael and Belichick, two different. Completely different humans.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Very different humans.

[Alan Hahn]

I cannot. Yeah. I would think he would cut it off at 40.

[Don Hahn]

See, there's two different things here. If he's dating a 25 year old, I'd still applaud him.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I will know. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

All right. God bless.

[Don Hahn]

But what I'm saying is I don't think he'd go under 40.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. That's exactly it. Because he's so self conscious.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I got news for you. I don't want to speak out of school, but I disagree with you.

[Don Hahn]

It's almost worth making a phone call.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, it's.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I think that. I think, I think. Listen, I think if the mid-30s, you know, 32, 33 was an option. I think he'd be willing to, you know, playing that water.

[Alan Hahn]

It depends on the personality, too. Of course, as an old soul at 33, 34, that it would feel as.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Remember I told you guys about the Belichick conversation, that when I found myself single at 40, the reason I thought he was so weird is that when I found myself single at 40, I still would like, go out and when I'd get the vibe from people that they were like early twenties, I'd be like, all right, all right, all right.

[Alan Hahn]

It just.

[Michael Rosenberg]

There is a line of kind of that under 25. And listen, I work with kids at all my jobs. We all do that. They're, you know, I do find 25 starts to be the, like some semblance of adult. 22 is just.

[Don Hahn]

No, that's. That's very. It's also Belichick. This is a relationship. An exclusive relationship.

[Michael Rosenberg]

No. Well, he's afraid.

[Don Hahn]

He's talking about, you know, let's go hang out.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Listen, it kept him out of the hall of Fame. I hope it was worth May have played him back.

[Don Hahn]

You know what? Surprisingly, that's a really good point.

[Alan Hahn]

What if she left him because she's like, I only hate hall of Famers.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Exactly.

[Don Hahn]

Bill Polian might have, like, passed a lie detector test. Did you tell people not to vote for him because of Spygate?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Oh, had nothing to do with it.

[Don Hahn]

Did you. Did you tell people not to vote.

[Michael Rosenberg]

For him because of how young his girlfriend is?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And he has her on the sideline. See, you didn't know.

[Don Hahn]

That might be it.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Anyways, happy birthday. That's what it comes down to.

[Alan Hahn]

And by the way, big get today, Aaron Boone.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

On the show, two o'.

[Don Hahn]

Clock.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Love that.

[Don Hahn]

We'll play some sound from Aaron Boone a little bit later on.

[Alan Hahn]

Didn't miss a thing.

[Don Hahn]

We've got an NFL binge coming up for 4:30. We've got ENN at 6 with Peter back in the saddle for that. And we've got a full vehicle today. We're taking up until 7 o' clock because there's no. No Rangers or Knicks.

[Alan Hahn]

There's no nothing.

[Don Hahn]

And the Knicks, you don't have to run.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't have to run. Peter doesn't have to go anywhere.

[Don Hahn]

We're all here all the way to seven.

[Alan Hahn]

Just like we love it.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yes. Now I want it when I get home, every time I'm tired. That's what I need.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I hope every day this week, but very.

[Don Hahn]

And I will Say this very quietly because I do think it maybe not in Nick world and Alan can answer this, but a quiet six in a row because every time you bring up the Knicks, it's getting Giannis and all that, but they've, they've really overcome that little problem that they had a couple of weeks ago. The Nets that seem to be the get right game being like 58 points or whatever and have a look back since and they throttled LeBron James and the Lakers last night on national television. And, and when you take a look at their schedule, there's no reason why this can't get to seven, eight in a row.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, it gets tough now. You got Washington tomorrow, right?

[Michael Rosenberg]

That should be a win.

[Alan Hahn]

You know that, that's. And you're playing at Washington, which means you'll get all your fans there.

[Don Hahn]

And then Denver, Denver on a back.

[Alan Hahn]

To back at home. Jokic is back.

[Don Hahn]

Is he back?

[Alan Hahn]

But I don't know what the deal is with him because they're also going to be in a back to back situation. And then, well, it's the Garden. They all want to play, everyone wants to play. And then you go to Detroit. That's the scene of the crime, everybody. The worst loss of the season. I look at Friday and I'm like, what do you got? You know what I mean? Like, because you go back there where you were most embarrassed this year, that, that Dallas first half MLK day, that was pretty bad, right? But the real feeling of this is going in the wrong direction fast was that performance in Detroit and the way they took it to you. So Friday night feels to me like a real litmus test.

[Don Hahn]

It does.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, like what, what are you about? And can you let this team know, you know, whatever happened the last time we met, don't expect this to be.

[Don Hahn]

The norm you'd like to see. I'm looking forward to Friday, but meanwhile, go back to last year. It's all the Knicks aren't going to make any kind of a run. They can't be Boston, they can't be Cleveland.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Hello.

[Alan Hahn]

They're sitting there. Yeah, Cleveland couldn't win and they'd be.

[Don Hahn]

Boston Conference final and end up losing to a team that you thought they were going to be able to be.

[Alan Hahn]

Keep in mind too, trade deadline is Thursday.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. Now, again, as I've been trying to tell everybody, the honest stuff feels a lot, a lot more smoke and a lot less fire. Even though at times it felt like there was an earnest effort by everybody, including the Knicks, to see what can we do. But all along continues to be that feeling of this is extremely complicated and in the summer it'll be less complicated on all parties. And let's just get there because this guy's also hurt. He's going to be out for a month at least. It's a lot harder to acclimate a player into your, into your system and then make a run when you make a trade now. So with that in mind, it doesn't mean the Knicks still can't make, as I've said, unheralded trades that might not be big headline grabbing moves, but could be little things that they do that suddenly in April and May you're like, boy, getting that guy at the deadline, he really helps this team, you know what I mean? So that's something to watch. That could also set you up for Friday's game in Detroit. But you still, obviously the next game is the most important. They have six in a row. Can they make it seven against Washington?

[Don Hahn]

But ultimately I just don't think they need to make. Does this team deserve a legitimate shot as presently constituted?

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

Cat's having to him an awful year. He's an All Star, scored 20 points yesterday, still a beast on the boards. And this is supposed to be on an off season for him. You know what Brunson brings to the table. You know, Shamet it been terrific.

[Alan Hahn]

What a terrific piece he's been.

[Don Hahn]

Don't you look at this. Don't they deserve to get the shot? And listen, if you get bounced in the second round, all right, we got to reassess here.

[Alan Hahn]

But it's only that way.

[Don Hahn]

Never mind the yes that ultimately is going to be the answer. And we could talk about how the last time Dolan went public, he said they're not going to make a big deal. You've been saying, Wendy's been saying, everybody's saying it's easier to do during the off season. So it's real. Mainly just the reports and the fans getting all hyped up. Oh, you know, Riley's going to steal him away or Golden State's going to steal him away. We're not going to be able to have them. But put all that aside. Hasn't this team done enough last year and so far this year to at least show to give a chance at it without having to blow it up? Because that's what you're doing. You're bringing in Giannis, you're going to blow it up for this season. Don't they deserve to make a run before a deal is made that's what.

[Alan Hahn]

If you ask the players in the room, that's what they'll tell you. And if you asked most of the front office, as I've said, that's what they believe going in. They had their chance to get Giannis in August. They had the exclusive opportunity to make that trade, to break up a roster and make that trade in August. They opted not to. Never came to fruition. They didn't think the Bucks were really serious and they weren't willing to put a lot of names on the table and create a lot of disruption in their room. But seems like it did, especially with Towns got in his head. I was on the table. They were going to move me. Like, they don't want me here. Right. And it's really kind of affected the way he's played. And they've been working on him and working on him to get him. Right. But they had the chance to do it, and the feeling was, let's just see what this team is, and if it's not going to be a team that can get us there, then in the summer when we've already seen it, okay, it's not good enough. Let's. Let's go ahead and make a bigger deal. That's what I think makes the most sense. So, yes, Don, this team has. But the only reason why we're having this conversation a lot more with. With a lot less urgency today is because of six straight wins and a defense that has held the team under from 100 points below in five of the six games. That's what's changed our mind. Because during the stretch of nine losses in 11, the alarm bells were ringing and the feeling was maybe this team, maybe the bottom's dropping out. Maybe this is the time you got to do it. So this. This winning streak might have saved the season when it comes to blowing up the roster or feeling anyone in the front office or above suddenly getting the urgency to say, damned it, we, damn it, we have to do it. That's what I think.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

It feels like this winning streak changed everything.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It was. Because we had this discussion just a few days ago.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Michael Rosenberg]

About what made the most sense. And I think all of us were on the same page. But now that you've actually put this together and are winning basketball games, it kind of answers the question for you. Why would you. Why would you do something to potentially blow this up or rush when this team is clearly able to compete right now? It doesn't make sense.

[Alan Hahn]

The wind's not getting. It's not all the teams that they've played have been high level team that we know the Nets are a mess, but that helped them get right. But the win in Philly and this win against the Lakers, that's a, you know, that's a good Laker team who had the same, I think they had almost the same record. And you have LeBron on the court at MSG. You have Luca, who's winking at people and pointing at people and trash talking early in the game. And they make some adjustments at halftime, which has kind of become the thing. And all of a sudden Luke is not winking and smiling anymore. Right. Like that. That's what I mean, if you're watching, you see what looks different and defensively they have been. They went from a team that couldn't get it right to now all of a sudden they're locking down, they're playing with a different kind of attitude and they're making the adjustments that confused the other team in the second half. A lot of these games, what they did to Philly, what they did in Toronto, that Toronto team was on a winning streak. That Toronto team was feeling good. They went on the west coast. They won a bunch of games out there. They thought, they thought they had something special. They walked into Toronto and they smacked him around. So, you know, like, that's what I mean by this looks. Right. And now it's got to continue. As we always say, it's a long season. It still feels like there's a lot. There's still a ton of time left. But I do think it has calmed any of the nerves in the organization to feel like maybe you got to get that itchy trigger finger and make the trade before someone else does.

[Don Hahn]

I just look at this conference, I'm going to stick to it. Tell me why Detroit's any different than Cleveland the year before. Right. Ran away with the conference and then. Listen, they might be better than Cleveland and they might be the best team, but I like to see Boston. Right. Tatum has already said he's not coming back.

[Alan Hahn]

He's hinted to that.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So.

[Alan Hahn]

Which you knew was coming.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yeah, that would be ridiculous.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

So Boston still hanging in, Exceptionally well coached, not saying they're not. Nothing.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

You know, Orlando's probably a couple of years away, but still hanging around. But I think I like the Knicks chances as much as anybody else's. You said make some of these maintenance deals at the deadline. And this was a team that shocked the world last year going to the conference final. They changed the coach, they thought for the better. And I think they deserve a chance, the kick of the can here, without making that big, disruptive deal that to me would be throwing away, I think, a potential at a really fun run this year. Are they winning a title? In all likelihood not, but we could have sat here last year at this time saying, I gotta be Boston. They can't beat Cleveland. They can't beat him in the regular season. Why would they beat him? And then we anoint the title okc. And we've seen in sports, when you.

[Alan Hahn]

Start doing that well, the Pacers took them to seven. And like, like anything.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Such a good point. It's a really kind of overlooked point, like they're unbeatable. Except.

[Alan Hahn]

Except.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Except if Tyrese Halliburton doesn't break his leg in the middle in the start of the game, maybe they win.

[Alan Hahn]

You never know. But that's. That's the whole point of it. You still have to play it out while, you know, you don't want to concede anything. And San Antonio, by the way, they've got their number. So if they faced each other in a series and San Antonio knocked them off, you wouldn't feel better. You wouldn't feel good about playing San Antonio.

[Don Hahn]

Everybody thought the Knicks were going to be playing OKC for the cup and ended up being San Antonio.

[Alan Hahn]

And then leave this other factor in back to back. When you try to win back to our championships, you. The thing you need in the second year more than anything is health. They've been remarkably healthy now this year. They've got some injuries, but who's to say, like the door. I want the chance you got to get out of the East. Do you feel like you can with the roster? Well, with a couple of tweaks by the deadline, with the roster, you have the main core that you have. That's the question that needs to be answered. But blowing it up for Giannis doesn't seem like something that they are motivated to do anymore because they've gotten their footing again.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I pulled up the. So I have the Knicks schedule in front of me for the rest of the year. And, you know, on espn, it'll show you, like, the opponent, the time, the tv. And then it says tickets, right? It has, like, the availability of tickets.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And it will say as low as. And it's the lowest price on whatever ticket thing. ESPN's website's connected to the tomorrow night. As low as in Washington, $37.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah, you'll get a lot of people go down there from New York.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yeah, they're at Cleveland in February as low as $27. Home against San Antonio.

[Alan Hahn]

That's. Forget it.

[Michael Rosenberg]

March 1, as low as $331.

[Don Hahn]

Now, getting into the Garden is going to be tough.

[Alan Hahn]

The rest, what's the as low as in Boston Sunday? Because after Detroit Friday, they go at Boston Sunday afternoon. It's a tough weekend.

[Michael Rosenberg]

At as low as in Boston, 126.

[Alan Hahn]

That's actually not bad.

[Michael Rosenberg]

You can get up top. The worst one I saw, though, was not actually that. It was. Oh, no, the worst one is home, San Antonio. The worst road game is at Golden State. As low as 314. That's just that building is so expensive.

[Alan Hahn]

They already played at Golden State.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Oh, so that's here.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, sorry, sorry.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That is here.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

They still have another west coast trip.

[Alan Hahn]

They have. What's the Laker one? They're at LA. Yeah, they're at LA.

[Michael Rosenberg]

At Lakers, as low as $93.

[Alan Hahn]

Get out of here. Buy them now.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, get them.

[Michael Rosenberg]

People are not interested in the Lakers and The Clippers are $35.

[Don Hahn]

You know what? You know, the Knicks are the story. You know, no offense to the. It's not like there's a ton of hockey to get into. Football's going to be over Sunday and we got a while before we're going to be ratcheting up the baseball. You know, the Knicks have become the story and they've been able to carry that torch very well the last couple of years.

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[Michael Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

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[Don Hahn]

So we're talking Knicks and I'm gonna stick with it. I don't want to make this deal in season. I think they've played well enough. They deserve a chance to see what they can do. And I know we were discussing about the six game winning streak. To me, the six game winning streak just. It's confirming to me it's not the reason oh, look, they've won six in a row. Leave it alone. I think that helps my argument, but I think the fact that they've been between second and third place all year and what they were able to do last year and with the coaching change and all that, that I think they deserve that shot. I think the six straight wins helps the argument.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

What happened before the six straight wins would hurt my argument because they were struggling a little bit. That's going to happen on a long season.

[Alan Hahn]

And then I looked at the. As I've been looking at the schedule and as I said, so Washington is like one of those games where you're like, all right, that should be a win. That's supposed to be a win.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Unless you go to sleep.

[Alan Hahn]

It's supposed to be seven. Right. Like that should be set. Then you played Denver. You know Jokic's situation. We'll see. But Denver's good. And that's a back to back. You are home, though, so, you know, whatever that becomes. But Friday at Detroit after the trade deadline, right? And then Sunday afternoon in Boston, like, if you don't look, if you look bad in those two games right after the trade deadline, guess what conversation comes up Monday.

[Don Hahn]

Should have got Yanis.

[Alan Hahn]

Should have got Yanis. They're not good. Can't beat Detroit. Can't be Boston. So you have to understand, like, that's still. It'll never go away. The narrative won't go away with this team until they really prove themselves.

[Don Hahn]

But that would only happen. Alan is if he gets dealt someplace else. If he doesn't get dealt at the deadline, they've got just as good a chance as anybody during the offseason.

[Alan Hahn]

I guess you're right.

[Don Hahn]

I mean, so.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

So if he gets traded to Golden State, then I think that conversation could be had. If they lose to Detroit, lose to Boston, say, see, we should have went out and got him. I think once he makes it to Friday, still on the Bucks, then I think the conversation is over.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Then. But then it becomes, they better get him in the summer.

[Don Hahn]

But let's see what happens. Because they could lose to Detroit and they could lose to Boston and still go to the NBA Finals.

[Alan Hahn]

The last week of last season, they lost those three games and it was. They got smoked by Detroit, they got smoked by Cleveland, and there was one other game they didn't play well in, and it was. They went into the playoffs feeling like they're going backwards. But that week off, they got everything right, and then they went on their run. So it's it's time. But I will say this too. Let me point one more thing out about the Knicks before we get the calls. And that is what I tried to tell people as well, because I know it looks like an excuse. After the NBA cup, the next 19 games, 10 were on the road. They were never home for more than one day. They didn't have more than they had one day off. They would never have two. It was a brutal. And I was on the road with them. It was a brutal, brutal schedule and they there was attrition. It showed. Then last week they had a little break. Two days off game, two days off. They were able to finally be home. That helps shoot at home, work on stuff, have practice.

[Don Hahn]

See, that's.

[Alan Hahn]

And it's shows that's the key. And no one wants to talk about that. But why are they playing better? Because they've been home. They're getting shots up at night in their own gym, which you can't do on the road. And they've getting practice time in to work on the things that got away from them and make some schematic changes like what they're doing defensively now, what they needed to do defensively to protect some issues that they were having. And now all of a sudden it's worked. This does matter. Practice time matters. Being home, that's the point matters.

[Don Hahn]

It's not even the rest. It's the practice time because I've seen it with this hockey schedule, with the condensed schedule because of the Olympics, you just don't have any time to practice. All the power play, struggling. What are you going to do? We need a practice. Can't have a practice because we played three games in four nights. Had to have a day off on that one day we weren't playing. You get a quick morning skate, maybe you get a workout here or there, but you really don't get than nuts and bolts. But all of a sudden you get a few days off. That's why I think with the Olympic break, the NHL players that aren't going to Milan will report to their respective teams on the 17th and they'll have like a weak training camp to kind of ratchet things back up. Like that's why I think coming out of this Olympic break is going to be a huge deal because teams will finally get a chance to practice, get some rest, lick the wounds from the injuries. Same thing with the Knicks last year and even some of the schedule this year, especially when you've got them having going all the way to the cup like they did. You Just don't get the practice time. You can't work on certain things and if you're hot, doesn't matter. But if you've got some things to adjust, you just don't get the opportunity to do that. Let's go to Andrew in Long Beach. You're on espn. New York. What's up, Andrew?

[Caller]

Thanks for taking my call, guys.

[Don Hahn]

Always.

[Caller]

So, including the NBA cup final, I counted the Knicks at 13 and 3 when OG scores 20 plus points. And he's just been playing incredible two way basketball over this win streak.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Really love the way he's shooting the ball and flying around on defense as always.

[Alan Hahn]

His, his last five games he's averaging over 20 a game, shooting at three really well. He's a guy that, you could see the attrition catching up to him physically. And it took him a minute to kind of get his legs back under him and he's been just a different player since the schedule slowed down and they were home more because that's exactly what he's supposed to be. What you saw yesterday, what you saw in Toronto, he was a beast in Toronto. But even last night you saw him guard luka at times, LeBron at times, sometimes play off those guys and be disruptive as a help defender. He's a very valuable piece, there's no question about it. And that's. Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Are they, are they ever. Are the Knicks. Is this version of the Knicks ever great without OG being at least very good?

[Alan Hahn]

That's a great point.

[Michael Rosenberg]

No, they're, they're only great even going back. Really.

[Don Hahn]

That's a great job.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And when he's gone, forget it.

[Alan Hahn]

When he's out, it kills them. They, they, they. It hurts his record in uniform with the Knicks since.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It's crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

It is an insane. I can't, I don't know what it's up to now, but yeah, you're right, it is an insane.

[Don Hahn]

And he might be one of the guys that goes in a deal.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that to me that's the, that's the non starter that I think would hold up. Like I think they could have Giannis now if they were willing to do something like that. And then, you know, Giannis goes to like a third team and I'm telling you, I don't think the Knicks have any interest in that.

[Don Hahn]

Nick and Woodbridge are on espn.

[Alan Hahn]

New York.

[Caller]

Hey guys, thanks for taking the call. Just a couple things on the Knicks, man. I want to give some credit to Mike Brown. There was a lot of noise in New York over the last couple weeks when they were struggling that maybe they got the coach wrong and maybe that was the players weren't buying into what he was trying to do. And you know what? I give him credit. He tightened up the rotation a bit and basically made you earn your minutes. If you weren't going to play and hustle defensively, didn't matter how good of a scorer you are. And you see that he's sticking with it. With Jordan Clarkson, I would not have predicted that in the beginning of this year. So I give him a lot of credit. But I also give a lot of credit to our captain man. Jalen Brunson held guys accountable. He will not say that he did it. He's going to say it was a team thing. Everyone had to find and do some self reflection. At the end of the day, it starts with the captain man. He bought in. He's playing much better defensively. And you know what? For as bad as January was number two in the east. So I like, I like where we're at right now. Keep it rolling.

[Alan Hahn]

Sounds good, Nick. Yeah, look, and Brown is still, we're still learning the team, but it is amazing if you think about it. He's different than Tibbs, but not completely different because Tibbs was the same way when things weren't going well a couple of years ago. They had a bad loss, they went into a game and there was this feeling of, you know, that he was on shaky ground. And that's when he's like, you know what? If I'm going down, I'm going down my way. And he sat Cam Reddish and he sat Evan Fournier, guys that the front office brought in and people were supposed to be excited about. And he said, I'm sorry, these guys can't help us and I can't keep forcing them in the lineup because it hurts us. And they went on a run after that. Well, the two guys that the front office brought in this offseason, Gershon Yabuzeli and Jordan Clarkson. Guess who's no longer in the rotation? Those two guys.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

He can't keep forcing them in trying to make it work. He had to say, you know what, I'm sorry guys, this ain't working. And the front office, again, I always give Leon Rose credit. A lot of front office guys would say, damn it, you're making me look bad. You're going to make this work. But he said, listen, that's your show. If you don't think they can work, don't play them.

[Don Hahn]

All right? According to statmuse OG has played in 136 games with the Knicks in almost.

[Alan Hahn]

Three two and a half seats.

[Don Hahn]

What is their record in those? 136. How many wins?

[Alan Hahn]

36.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Wait, wait. He's played in 136. 136.

[Don Hahn]

How many wins do the Knicks have in those? 136.

[Alan Hahn]

Give me 90.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I was going to say give me. Give me 80.

[Don Hahn]

Alan Hahn on the.

[Alan Hahn]

No. 90.

[Michael Rosenberg]

On the nose.

[Don Hahn]

90 and 46.

[Alan Hahn]

That's a complete guess.

[Don Hahn]

90 and 46 and 46.

[Alan Hahn]

A pretty good winning percentage.

[Don Hahn]

You would have it at 80 and 56.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I was trying to be bad, but.

[Don Hahn]

The point is, is that 90 and 46, man, that's no joke.

[Alan Hahn]

There's different forms. They are.

[Don Hahn]

But the problem is there's only been 136. Yeah, well, in what's like three years.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, but he has this this year and last year, too. He was intent to get to 65 for sure because he want, you know, he wants to be up for all defense. He wanted to be an all star this year. And I. It's too bad he had a little bit of a, of a stretch that he didn't play well. I think it could have cost him. It's hard to get three all stars from one team, but he was making a case for a little while. And then recently again. But all defense, how could he not be the all defense team? How could he not be?

[Don Hahn]

And what was it like right out of the box? They were like 15 and one, something ridiculous.

[Alan Hahn]

Then he got hurt that January. They made the trade and they had an unreal January. But then he got hurt. Right. Missed a lot of time. But he has not missed a lot of time since.

[Don Hahn]

And here's the thing. You know why he deserves a lot of credit for that, Peter, Is because that was text to me by our producer, Anthony Pusick.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That's right.

[Don Hahn]

And I'm looking at Allen's phone and he didn't see it.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, that was a guess. So, yeah, pure job.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Pure.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, every now and then I get something right about the Knicks. It's amazing.

[Don Hahn]

Once in a while you get most things right. That's why I feel this conversation is something we had like two months ago and everybody slept on it and we're kind of reliving it while everybody. In real time, it's. It is pretty cool.

[Alan Hahn]

I love getting that. Did you hear. Did you hear what so and so said?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, no, no, I actually heard it in a different voice. Sounded like Alan Hahn two weeks ago.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

On our program that's right. So this is your next destination.

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Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

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[Don Hahn]

What's the significance of maiden rap, Chuck? No reason. Now the anniversary of Paul Dano's death.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But since he. Since he played something like this.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Got asked.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's do it.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Did you watch the tribute last night?

[Don Hahn]

I saw it. Anthony sent it to me today when I got to work.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And what were your thoughts?

[Alan Hahn]

Nice.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Not bad.

[Don Hahn]

I don't know how to feel about Post Malone. I don't know his music.

[Alan Hahn]

He was tremendous.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I think he's very good.

[Don Hahn]

He seems like a cool dude. The tattoos are a little off putting.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Sure.

[Don Hahn]

But he seems like a cool dude. I thought he did a very good job.

[Michael Rosenberg]

He post a lovely guy and he did that. He. I thought he did really well by.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And then I enjoyed the d' Angelo tribute that Lauryn Hill did afterwards. My favorite part of that was they hit me. What, you didn't love it?

[Alan Hahn]

D' Angelo went too long. Roberta Flack. That was good. D'. Angelo. Like, you didn't. I felt like between. Ozzy got one song and then we're done, then d' Angelo just. That went on.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But they. Well, they. But they did a medley. They decided to do it with Ozzy.

[Alan Hahn]

You couldn't do an Ozzy medley.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well, I don't know. But that was obviously a decision. They made this to play because they did that. They did War Pigs all the way through.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

It's a long story.

[Alan Hahn]

Good.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I know, but they could have. I would have thought maybe they would have done a medley too. I have to imagine, like Crazy Train. I don't know who makes the choice for each one.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Like, who's produced, like.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Because it wasn't the same person who oversaw each one. Like clearly to some extent maybe. But I'm sure they get help. But the best part of the d' Angelo one was at the end they went to Roberta Flack.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And when they did the Roberta Flack tribute, they played Feels Like Making Love, which d' Angelo has an amazing version of.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And when they did that, they put both of their pictures up. I thought that was like a really well done moment. And then it's interesting because they bring up Wyclef with Lauren and just two weeks ago, John Forte, who's basically in the Fugees past.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So then they threw his picture up. That whole Thing the as you get older. We were talking about age to start the show.

[Alan Hahn]

You're killing me softly, though. That was just.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That was really nice.

[Alan Hahn]

But these.

[Michael Rosenberg]

The tributes to the people who have passed as you get older is tougher and tougher to watch. When you just see how many people pass away during the course year. There are people you forget past that year.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, my God, they died too. Did you think there was enough Brian Wilson? I mean, I know Bruce just read like a nice little something, but it was very.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Wait, wait. Was Brian Wilson this year?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

They didn't do a music tribute.

[Alan Hahn]

No, they just had Bruce read something coming out of break or going to break. One or the other. They didn't do an actual Springsteen. Read a little essay. It might have been three minutes. And that's. It showed a lot of pictures, a lot of background music, but there was no celebration of the music.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I mean, I wonder if they feel like having someone as big as Bruce read a thing.

[Don Hahn]

Is that probably.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That's a really big thing to do.

[Alan Hahn]

Who there was.

[Michael Rosenberg]

You see friend of the show Q Tip up there.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes. Yes.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Friend of the show Q tip honoring Pharrell. That was pretty cool.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that was wonderful.

[Don Hahn]

And we get it. Starting next year, ABC will have ABC to the Grammys.

[Alan Hahn]

We can go starting next year. That's right. Sure.

[Don Hahn]

We'll be invited because, you know, we should go.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I might host next year.

[Alan Hahn]

What are you talking about? We talk a lot of music on.

[Don Hahn]

This show that's great than any other show. To the point.

[Alan Hahn]

Could we win a coronation? How about if we won a Grammy for a music podcast?

[Michael Rosenberg]

I don't. That doesn't exist.

[Alan Hahn]

But what if we created that?

[Michael Rosenberg]

I don't think it'll work.

[Alan Hahn]

Feels like there's a lot of created.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That is true these days. You never know.

[Alan Hahn]

By the way, can you explain to me because I don't know this answer and you're a music guy. There's record of the year.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And then there's album of the year.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I have all these.

[Don Hahn]

I know.

[Alan Hahn]

You know because I need to ask you because record and album sound like the same thing. Please tell me what record is the.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Recording of the year. So it's the music recording of the year. It's a song. The song, not the.

[Alan Hahn]

So it's not song of the year.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Song of the year is another category.

[Alan Hahn]

How's that? That's for songwriting, songwriting.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Song of the year is the best written song of the year. Record of the year is the best. Is the best music recording of the year.

[Alan Hahn]

So it's the producers.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It's more than really honored. More than the artist and the songwriters more.

[Alan Hahn]

And the songwriter. But why does the artist go up and get the trophy?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well, often the artist wrote the song.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

More often than not, the artist at least co wrote the song Fair, which.

[Don Hahn]

Is happening more now than I think back in the past. I remember whenever I listened to the Casey case of American top four. Twelve acts of the 40 this week have written their own song. Like.

[Alan Hahn]

And I'm like, well, stunning.

[Don Hahn]

And he's like. He's Saying it like 12.

[Alan Hahn]

That's a lot.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yes, it is.

[Don Hahn]

When you got Sean Cassidy and Leif.

[Alan Hahn]

Garrett, you know, they write anything they can't even spell.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I think. I think Billy Eilish won song of the year and she's. Billie Eilish is incredible.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. I mean, Billy, her brother, is brilliant.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well, they both are.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I mean they do it to every. They do everything together.

[Alan Hahn]

But his arrangement, he's. He's really like. I mean, he's a savant.

[Michael Rosenberg]

No, they're.

[Alan Hahn]

He's really good.

[Michael Rosenberg]

If you never don't. I think you'd probably enjoy Billie Eilish's stuff.

[Alan Hahn]

At least some of it. It's not terrible.

[Michael Rosenberg]

No, not terrible. It's more than not terrible.

[Alan Hahn]

There's some. That's a little.

[Don Hahn]

I don't know any new music.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I would have been long.

[Don Hahn]

I. I'm sorry. I've heard of her.

[Michael Rosenberg]

We should at least. We should at least before Sunday at some point. At least maybe Friday rejoin with Bad Bunny songs so we get a little familiarity.

[Don Hahn]

You know what?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Heading into the big game.

[Alan Hahn]

Friday should be a Bad Bunny day, right?

[Don Hahn]

I'm good.

[Michael Rosenberg]

You don't even want to hear it.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, no.

[Don Hahn]

Because I'm not even going to watch it. Why do I get caught up on the audience?

[Michael Rosenberg]

But you okay. For the audience.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. He. And he seems like a really.

[Don Hahn]

No, no. It's not about him.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It's not. Doesn't care about halftime.

[Don Hahn]

I don't care about half.

[Alan Hahn]

Not interested.

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Is that.

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

What if Bad Bunny did an Ozzy tribute in the medley?

[Michael Rosenberg]

What if they brought up crazy trips? What if Ozzy comes back from the dead for halftime?

[Don Hahn]

Good. I think I got excited to see the who when, you know, I. I did up with People. I was a big up with People person.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Up with People. Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Up with People. I think that was the. The halftime show with the Giants for Super. Super Bowl.

[Michael Rosenberg]

This is before they had real.

[Don Hahn]

After. This is when they.

[Michael Rosenberg]

This one was a Marching band. No, it was literally.

[Don Hahn]

It's the Super Bowl.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It's a big game. Nothing, absolutely nothing.

[Don Hahn]

Fireworks and day.

[Michael Rosenberg]

What was it? What, what, what was the event again that led. I talked about this last year and it's been one year and I've forgotten what was. What did I say was the reason they started actually caring Someone ran something opposite in like 91 or something. Well. And then they were like oh, we got to do something.

[Don Hahn]

I remember this.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh yeah. It was a show that premiered or something and it.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I don't know what's happening.

[Don Hahn]

Beavis and Butthead did something than at halftime years ago on TV it wouldn't have been that, but that's what it was.

[Alan Hahn]

Wasn't other networks putting on things that they knew at time right with halftime to steal away viewers.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But there was one thing in particular that led to it happening. And I talked about this just last year.

[Don Hahn]

You did?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Oh, you know why? Cuz I listened to the Michael Jackson podcast and in the Michael Jackson podcast when talking about how he did it in 93 they explained why the networks got to the point of like hey we need to literally book Michael Jackson for this thing. But I'll tell. Give me a few minutes and I'll tell you what it was.

[Alan Hahn]

You have time.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But something random.

[Don Hahn]

Let's go to.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But it was bad before that, man. I mean nothing.

[Don Hahn]

Dave in New Fairfield, you're on ESPN New York. What's up Steve?

[Alan Hahn]

Steve.

[Caller]

Hey boys.

How you doing?

[Don Hahn]

All right. Good man.

[Caller]

A few points on the Knicks. Not that I. You need me to reinforce. Give you approval Al on your analysis. But good points in terms I think the schedule calming down a bit. Oh yeah, let them practice a bit. They got their legs under them a bit. And not that I see the intricacies of defensively but I have read that they've kind of tweaked on the perimeter how to defending kind of forcing guys more to the sideline instead of following down the middle. That's made a difference. And also Brown, I give him credit. He didn't navigate the storm. His first kind of big piece of adversity there. I think he got through it well. And Clarkson sitting him. That was a big deal. I know the caller brought it up. Just sham. It's just more of a two way player. Clarkson hunts is shot way too much. And then the biggest thing I wanted to ask you specifically you Al. I don't mean to disregard you Pete and Don, but do Cat. Obviously his biggest skill set attribute is the offense. However do you not see the team. When Cat just. He doesn't do it often, but when he just shuts up, doesn't overly whine and just bounds like a monster and pass. He's one of the best passing big men.

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Caller]

And when he just bounce like crazy and hustles passes and just keep. They just are inspired. I just see a different team. They kind of gravitate to that. When he takes. When, when that's his game. There's things he could go eight points for 20 bounds and is defending hard and diving on the floor in a. In a good way. I just see them. Did you agree with that?

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, yes. You're absolutely right, Steve. And you. What you see is also after games, I'm in the locker room, I talk to the players. They all say the same thing. They're like, that's what we need from them. Like, the points are great. We know it'll be there, but that's what we need. And inspires the group. They see him take it because he's an elite player, takes his game to another level. That's what they want. And that's what he's been. He's been better at it. I think personally he wants the ball to play. He wants to the offense play through him. He wants to show that he could do what Jokic does. I could pass. He is a good passer, but I think there are times he gets frustrated. He's got to get out of his head. And maybe after the trade deadline he will.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It was the In Living Color half.

[Alan Hahn]

That's that. Yes, that's right.

[Michael Rosenberg]

They chose a special episode at halftime.

[Alan Hahn]

And they were telling work, advertise the hell out of it. Right.

[Michael Rosenberg]

They want Will actually turn the channel to let's watch the special joke about.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, don't watch this. Like, why would you watch this? Watch this instead. Like that kind of a thing.

[Don Hahn]

And because it's a half hour, you could squeeze in a full.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And we're talking about the Wayans brothers and Jim Carrey.

[Don Hahn]

And this is like. That was in the early 90s. That was a big.

[Alan Hahn]

That was a all star cast.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So then afterwards they said, I think literally the next year they booked Michael Jackson. Now prior to that, they'd had some other ones, like New Kids on the Block and like little things that were cute.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But they didn't go for it in the same way that they now.

[Alan Hahn]

Now they got to get the big stars.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Bad Bunny Bad Bunny wins Album of the Year at the Grammys. First ever non English speaking album to an album of the year. At the Grammys and then performs at the super bowl the next week.

[Alan Hahn]

It's pretty good back to back.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It's a pretty good week.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, for him for sure.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well, that's what I meant.

[Don Hahn]

I was referring for him.

[Michael Rosenberg]

The world doesn't have to celebrate him, but he's having a hell of a week.

[Alan Hahn]

That's pretty good.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. 1-800-919-3776 just getting started. NFL binge coming up at 4:30, Ian at 6. Donna Rosenberg hanging out with you until.

[Alan Hahn]

7 here on I bet you don't know what to talk about, right?

[Michael Rosenberg]

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[Podcast Announcer]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how the.

[Alan Hahn]

Sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good.

[Podcast Announcer]

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.