← Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
Hour 1: Knicks Predictions & Anders Lee
00:49:21
Don, Hahn & Rosenberg on ESPN NY
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- [00:02]
A
Athletic Brewing Company crafts award winning non alcoholic beers for those who want to be part of every round. With over 185 flavor awards, they're exceptional NA beers that fit your lifestyle and any social occasion. Summer's full of good times and Athletic fits right in. Go to athleticbrewing.com to have brews delivered to your door or find them at a bar, restaurant or store near you near Beer Athletic Brewing Co. Fit for all times. Don where do we stand on Sus Han?
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B
It's lame. It needs Viagra. And Rosenberg.
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A
I'm gonna lift my shirt up, take my pants down and shake it all around. This isn't North Dakota, this is New York.
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B
This is Don Hahn and Rosenberg.
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A
The best threesome I've ever heard on
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B
ESPN New York and streaming live on YouTube.
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A
3 o' clock in the big city. Don Han and Rosenberg on a gorgeous Tuesday in just a day from game one of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. I am here in our studios in Soho. Alan Hahn is at Madison Square Garden getting ready for his preview show which will air at 8 o' clock tonight. And we always airing at 8 o' clock when there are days off, airing at 7:30 when there are games of the NBA Finals. How are you sir? Do I got that all correct?
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B
Yes. Yeah. Yes. We begin. It starts tonight every night till we're done, all the way to the end. So we're I'm like, you know, the quiet time's over. It's time to get back to work.
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A
Spike was emotional about it yesterday. Very much fired up that he's getting all this extra programming and getting one of his favorite Nick analysts.
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B
Oh, you're gonna be sick of me by the time we get to Father's Day. Sick of me.
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A
And we're gonna be out and about tomorrow. So you know, we're going to a lot of basketball today. Rich Eisen is going to join us at 4 o'. Clock. He's going to be promoting this was Sports Center. Stories from the Set is going to be a podcast series that will be done by Rich Eisen. So it's always fun to get a chance to talk to him and get his thoughts on the Knicks and the jets as well a couple of teams that he that is close to his heart. Anders Lee is going to join us at 3:45 today. He's get something to promote. So it'll be nice to talk to, you know, an Islander right now. We'll see if he's going to be an islander in the future. He's an unrestricted free agent. So classic is he'll stick around because he is the captain of the New York Islanders and I think the heart and soul of that team. But listen, business is business, and I'm sure that'll be a topic of conversation as well with him. But the big thing, obviously, the Knicks, and we're getting closer and closer to Tip finally. I mean, it's been, you know, it's been. It's been like you're rooting for a football team. That's the way the Knicks have made it.
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B
Yeah.
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A
You know, you're getting these weeks off, right? Like that. Like a football team. Right. They win the championship game and then you wait for them to finally play in the Super Bowl. Not waiting two weeks like you would if it were a Super bowl, but still, you know, eight days, seven complete days off, and we'll finally get a chance to see them play basketball tomorrow.
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B
Yeah, and that's. I'm wondering this, though.
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A
Don't.
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B
And number one, they have now two experiences in long breaks between series. And it stood out to me that the guys were well aware that they weren't ready to play game one of the Eastern Conference finals. They were able to steal that game because they kind of woke up late in that Game one in the fourth quarter. And obviously the Cavs also made some mistakes in that game as well, but they weren't happy at all with what they did with the time off. So they said, next time around, we're not doing this, like, we're going to change it up. We're going to make sure that we get. We are ready for game one. They don't want to give away a game. I like that because now they've already got that right. Like, fresh in their mind. When they. When they tip off tomorrow night, these players will all know, like, no, no, we can't. We know we got to be ready to play. We cannot have any rust to knock off. None of that. You got to be ready to go. So you'll have their attention right away. That's one. The other thing I wanted to ask you is what do you think of this theory? The Knicks having all this time off also allowed them to have a day or two of basking in an accomplishment of reaching the championship round, of winning the Eastern Conference, having that trophy stuff. And, you know, the celebration in the locker room, it was muted, but still they did celebrate. They were obviously having fun, enjoying the time. But you know how it goes, like, it kind of. It fades pretty quickly.
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C
Right.
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B
You get a couple of Days to feel good. Then you go back in the gym and you're like, all right, back to work. So it's not. You're not still caught up in it. You're not still a little drunk from it. You've, like. They've already had so many days since they last won that game. It's almost like that was like. That was nine days ago. So it's no longer something fresh. It's almost like next challenge. So it almost allowed them to get it out of their system and then get refocused.
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A
What do you think of that? Maybe it could also work the other way.
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B
Okay.
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A
Of my fear going into the Cavalier series. More time to just be in a city where all anybody's talking about how you are.
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B
Yeah.
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A
How great you are. You're going. It's your time, it's your year. It's all happening. And I know they've been amazing at being able to keep it internal, say all the right things, but I'm sorry, it's human nature. Right. You're hanging around, you're picking up your kid from school, and all the kids are saying, how many games you're going to win this in, you're going to sweep. You're going to win in five. You know, the. You go get deli for lunch, and all the Knicks stuff's hanging all over the place, and they're saying, I can't believe you guys are going to win a championship.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Like. And I'm not about faulting the fans for that, but because they've won 11 straight. We've heard things like karma. We heard things like do. We've heard things like, it's their time.
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B
Right. Right.
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A
And so they're hearing that the subway stations are all painted blue and orange. It kind of reminiscent of last year, going to the conference final where they changed the names of the streets. Like, this city is so captivated by it. That's why I thought it. Just get out of Dodge and don't pay any attention to it. But I could just. I can retort what you said, which is fair to the opposite of you're sitting for a full week hearing how great you are, how you're going to win the championship, when's the parade, all that stuff. And as much as you're trying to deflect it, not pay attention to it, not buy into it, you hear it all the time.
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B
Right.
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A
You just hope that they don't start to believe it and it becomes a bit of an issue. Now, the other difference between game one of this series And Game one against the Kick Cavs, Both the positive and the negative is that I think the Cavs were certainly affected by having the short turnaround. They had one day off, right?
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B
And they had to travel.
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A
And they had to travel and clearly affected them in a positive way, I guess, because they were fresher than the Knicks were in the sense that they had just come off a game. The Knicks might have been a little stale, but then eventually, I think the exhaustion of having played in the short turnaround led to the Knicks being able to come back and win the game, because I think the Cavaliers, when you saw in that second half, they just didn't have it. And the Knicks had the legs and took advantage of it. The difference here, I think the spurs had a perfect amount of time off. If you were to ask what's too much and what's too little, three, to me, seems like the perfect medium ground right. Where you can rest yourself, but not too much rest. And they can kind of shake off what feels like to a lot of people outside of the New York metropolitan area, their championship. They knocked off the defending champions, and instead of riding high in. Into the Game one, maybe they were able to take the extra couple of days to shake it off and focus. It's. It's so fascinating. I guess we'll find out. But I like the CAB series. And like every series, I think this Game one sets the tone. I really believe, really, that the team that wins Game one wins the series. But why do you.
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B
Why do you put. Last year, the Pacers won Game one. Okay. Like, why are you putting so much on a Game one? I think this is going to be a marathon. I think they're going to. They're throwing haymakers at each other.
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C
Absolutely.
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A
And here's the difference. I think the Pacers were a huge underdog going into that Thunder Series. I don't know if they were or weren't, but I looked at them as being the inferior team. And by winning Game one, I think it kind of set them up for having a longer series. I think if they lost Game one, it would have been over a lot quicker. By winning Game one, I think it set them up to stay in the series. I've just had this feeling the whole time. And here's why I say Game one is so important.
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B
Okay.
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A
Because I feel like it's going to go back and forth. Like you said, it's going to be haymakers, right? Knicks win Game one, Spurs get their sea legs, they understand the importance of the game, they come back and they Win game two to even the series, the Garden's up for grabs. First finals game at Madison Square Garden in 27 years. That leads to the momentum of the Knicks winning. But then the spurs, they come back and they. I just think it's going to be blow for blow and I think they're going to alternate wins. And that's why I think game one's going to be so important, that first win.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Is going to carry over because I really think it's going to be a blow for blow type of series. And then once you get to game seven, you know, obviously all bets are off. Advantage spurs, because they'll be home.
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B
Right.
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A
But that's how I kind of felt all along, even, even if it were the Thunder, that that's kind of how it's going to be, a classic series. And I think getting that first game is going to be so vitally important for that reason.
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B
Okay, I like that. And I can say to you, because they're the road team, that if the Knicks Take Game 1, this series is going to be over faster than you think. That's what I think. Like that, that. That's the dangerous thing, I think, for the spurs is if you lose game one, this series could be faster than you think. But I do just have this feeling that this is going to be a home court heavy type of series. And it's, it's, it's going to be remarkable. I said this yesterday. If you missed it, I went through a chapter and verse. I'm not going to do it again. But this team, since Wembanyama came to the, was a rookie. So it's three years now. That's six regular season games and one NBA cup game. The record's four and three. The Knicks have four wins when you count the cup neither team has won on the other team's home court. And every game has had something crazy happen in it. Only one of them was when it was a. It was a dominated Brunson vs. Wembanyama game. But everything else was someone else doing something, whether it was bridges going for 41 on Christmas Day or champagne on New Year's eve going for 11 of 11 of 17 from 3. Always something wild happening in these games. And so that's why when you watch this series, it is going to be about which of the others are ready to step up. I think it's a bit, you know, this is, again, we said this every series. It's a big Josh Hart series where Manyam is going to guard him because that's what he did when they played the Thunder, they put him on Caruso, they put him on Dort. Guys who are, you know, force those guys to shoot, make them beat us. Hart's been living this life since he became a Knick. Every series, that's what the opposing team does. He's got to have more than one game where he knocks down a bunch of threes. He did that in each series. He had one game where he hit some threes and the Knicks won. But he's got to do it. I think he's going to have to do it more than once. So that's something to watch. When everybody's talking about the Wembanyama versus Towns thing, they're not going to guard each other that much. It's not going to work that way. It's going to be where you want Wembanyama, if you're the spurs, to be a free safety. You want him getting into the pain, helping out the guards, taking the Brunson factor away. So I've looked at different matchups and then the matchup minutes, and in the previous times they've matched up, there's really no rhyme or reason. The only one to watch is Stefan Castle and Jalen Brunson. That's one. You can book it. It's almost like every time Brunson comes in the game, Castle's coming in the game. When Brunson goes out, Castle's going out. Because Castle has done a great job on Brunson. When they put Fox on Brunson, Brunson destroys him. So that's where you want to watch that mano a mano match up. That's the big head to head, not the Wembanyama versus Towns. Those guys are not going to see much of time against each other. It's going to be Castle, the Yukon Kid against Brunson. Two Big east guys going head to head. That could tell you the whole series right there who wins that matchup.
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A
You know, it's going to be a lot of fun. I just look at. The other factor is that we know how good the Knicks can be on the road. Like, I don't. I don't see. I don't see the Knicks winning both games in San Antonio. I don't see them losing both games, but they can.
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B
Yeah.
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A
No, they can't. I. I don't see them losing both. But then at the Garden, let's face it, sometimes in recent vintage, their worst performances have been there.
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B
Like, yeah, not this year. But you're right, they've had that in the P. That's been a bugaboo in the past, in the playoffs.
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C
You're right.
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A
Absolutely. So I don't see. And again, you don't have that format of the old days, right, where it's 2, 3.
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B
Not 2, 3, 2.
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C
Right?
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B
Yeah.
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A
2, 2, 1, 1, 1. So I, I could see the spurs getting the split in those first two games.
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B
And do you, do you think in the. Because now we're at this level, which we've. We don't. You know, I mean, I'm not even going to try to pretend like I know anything about this because I was, I was nowhere near the Garden. In 99 I was covering hockey and in 94 I was a kid who couldn't afford. I could barely afford to sit, get a booth at Charlie O's. Right, right. Like, because there was no watch party. So we would go there and you try to sneak into a booth and just kind of sit there and try to like, you know, order another water, waiting for the game there.
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A
What was the other place that was there? It was Charlie O's. And was it. There was. What's the other restaurant that I'm thinking of that I can't. It was right there on the 7th Avenue side. Maybe it was. Maybe it was after Charlie O's briefly.
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B
Charlie O's was underneath. That's what I remember from, from 94.
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A
Where was Charlie O's again?
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B
What was it.
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A
No, what. Where was it?
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B
Where was it? It was on 32nd, 33rd Street. 33rd street side. Now that's closed now.
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A
Now I'm talking about there's a nick
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B
and steps now, is there.
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A
Okay, I'm talking underneath.
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B
It's right. Built into the garden.
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A
That's where.
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B
Right.
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A
That's where Charlie O's was. But you. If you walked in through 7th Avenue, go up the stairs. So before you'd enter the breezeway, like
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B
on the left or the right.
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A
Right, but on the right hand side.
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B
Now I know what you're talking about. I can't remember.
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A
And it's not open anymore.
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B
Yeah, no, well, there's no, there's nothing there.
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A
Right. But, but, but it's also. It was a chain restaurant that's not open anymore.
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B
It's not Bennigan's. Right.
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A
It's like something like, something like that.
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B
Oh, yeah.
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A
And it's gonna bother me. Hopefully somebody on social.
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B
Somebody call in or tweet at us. Yeah, that. You're right. Now you're right. There was something.
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A
There was a restaurant on the left hand side before they moved it before
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B
they moved it on the left hand side.
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A
On the right hand side. There was a, a chain restaurant. There was, you know, kind of like a Bennigan's kind of like, like, like it had a name. It was a guy. Was it a Friday?
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B
Was it a steakhouse?
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A
Yeah, but it, but they. Yeah, it was so steak.
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B
It was a chain steakhouse.
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A
It was a chain steakhouse and it was a guy's name.
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B
Yes, like steakhouse, not Taz.
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A
No, no. Oh, it's gonna bother me. I got it. Social media is gonna explode with this because people are gonna remember.
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B
Oh, yeah. All right, so while, while we're trying to figure that out, I want to just. Is be. Now that we get to this level.
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A
Yes.
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B
Is there really home court advantage when you consider the like, majority of the building now you're gonna have fans cheering. Yes, but we know it's just going to sound different. Is there really is home court what it is in all the other rounds at this level?
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A
Well, you know what, we're going to get into that, but I need you to talk about Ring's End.
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B
I do now, absolutely. Why don't you answer that question first while I think of something clever to say.
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A
All right. You know what? The beefsteak Charlie. John V.C.
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B
beefsteak Charlie's new.
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A
I knew it was something Charlie's. You know. You remember that, right? Yes, of course I remember the Beefsteak Charlie's.
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C
Yeah.
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A
I, I had a buddy, we had a bachelor party for him. We went to Beef Steak Charlie's at the Garden and we went to Scores. Believe me, the beers were cheaper at Beef Steak Charlie's than at school.
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B
Yeah, we, we know this. Yeah, I mean, Scores was.
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A
And that was when I was working at Sports Phone. So how did you afford to get into salary?
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B
How'd you afford to get into Scores?
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A
Well, he wasn't, he was, he was a friend of mine and I wanted to entertain him.
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B
He knew some people.
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A
Yeah, I knew.
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B
Well, I know some people too. When it comes to, like if you want to update or upgrade your house. I know some people that if you want to get like the best, the most high end products for your home, like for instance, me, I'm getting a beautiful French door put in part of a big project we're doing. And I used Ring's End, my contractor and I went to Ring's End. Why? Because Ring's End has extensive inventory that's built to last high end product lines that contractors rely on. They have showrooms, by the way, so you can go in with products you can touch and feel so you know exactly what you're getting. They have eight full service lumber yards in Connecticut and Westchester county and 12 freestanding paint centers as well. Ring Zed is family owned and operated since 1902. So they have a ton of experience, especially in the Northeast. They have deep Northeast roots. They are not a national chain. They are local. So all the contractors know them and work with them. And by the way, if you can't make it to one of their locations, you can shop online@ringsend.com that's Ringsend, Donnie.
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A
Now, is there home court advantage at this level? So what your suggestion is a lot of pretty people get in. Ticket prices are so expensive, especially at the Garden. Is it your typical Garden crowd? Well, first of all, I can only go by experience. Again, the price, the prices were not as high, but they were high. You know, I was at Madison Square Garden in 2014 when the Rangers played in the Stanley cup final. Now they came back down 20 against the Los Angeles Kings. But that building was rocking. Now, was it rocking like the old Garden? I can't, I can't attest to that, as some people say that because of the reimagining, it doesn't hold the noise that it did back in the day and all that. I'm sure it was probably louder in 99 and 94 than it's going to be next week for game three. But I, I think that there are millionaires that are Nick fans and get loud. Right, of course. You know, and. But are there going to be louder in San Antonio where the prices aren't as high? I could tell you one thing though, just by the proximity, it's not going to be like it was in Cleveland and Philadelphia. Although I don't know you're going to
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B
get that many people. You'll get people. I'm hearing people already telling me that they've bought tickets.
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A
I don't doubt it. But it's not going to be Friday night.
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B
Remember his game too? That's a Friday night. There's people telling me that they're going,
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A
well, I get it. And there'll be people that are going. It's not going to be like, oh no, like Philadelphia.
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B
It won't be a takeover.
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A
No, I don't think it'll be a takeover. But they'll snick over travel. Well, no, I don't know how.
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B
All the West Coast Nick fans will be there. That's for sure.
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A
That is for sure. So I'm not going to go as far as to say, okay, that it's going to be nobody, but there'll be people there, but it won't have the same influence because it's a little farther away. And you're talking about, listen, I'm sure they're much cheaper than they are in New York, but I'm sure they're not inexpensive either in San Antonio.
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B
No, no.
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A
Plus, you got to make sure you got the quick turnaround because you got to be back at the Garden for Game three on Sunday, right? So you got make sure game three is Monday. You play Monday, so you got the extra day. All right. What am I talking about? As you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise
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D
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- [21:27]
B
Everything you want for summer is at
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A
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- [21:48]
C
That's why you rack.
- [21:52]
B
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [21:55]
A
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
- [21:57]
B
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts
- [22:05]
A
Now. We had let Peter know before he left to go to Italy with the WWE that he'd have to make himself available to come on to make his predictions. We decided to do it on Tuesday. We knew yesterday that the spurs were going to be the opponent, but we wanted to wait, talk about it and have him included. So we've decided here early in the show, the day before, we'd prognosticate how it's going to go between the Knicks and the Spurs. So Allen's got his locked in. I'm locked in as well. I don't think I feel as confident as Alan does.
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B
Okay.
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A
But Peter's been good and Peter has been putting the money down. And so he's not just making a prediction, he's actually backing it up with cash. And hopefully you've got it all lined up. How to make these bets from Italy. He's Peter Rosenberg live from Europe, joining him on Donjon and Rosenberg. How is Italy, sir?
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C
Bonjouro.
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A
There you go.
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B
Wow, look at the guys there. Five minutes all of a sudden.
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C
I mean, listen, I don't know very much, but I've got that. I got. Buongiorno. I got Grazzi. I got a couple of things down. How are you guys? You feeling? You feeling good? It sounded. I'm feeling the vibes over there. I was in there before I came on. Yeah, Doing the bulldance. Feeling the flow.
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A
Yeah, it feels. It's getting real now. Now it's a day away and we're going to be out at Stout tomorrow. The weather's been gorgeous since you've been gone. Last couple of days have been terrific here in New York City. So we're ready. We're ready to do it, man. Yeah, I've heard.
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C
I've missed terrific weather as well. And I want everybody to know this is where I'm at with the betting.
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B
The.
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C
The bets were done. The bets were done before the series was officially determined. I actually, I actually placed the bet for the Knicks with it being OKC or San Antonio. Wow. Vandal Fanduel was running the operation where they would cancel whatever bet didn't happen. So for game one, the bet has already been made. We are all set. And I'm not. I'm not wavering. In fact, I feel better because it's San Antonio. I felt good either way. Feel better now with it being San Antonio. Give me the New York Knickerbockers and give it to me in a classic seven game series.
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A
All right.
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B
Putting it right on the table. I like it.
- [24:27]
C
I mean, there's just no way around, like, you know, what's been set up here. I'm a person who loves stories when it comes to sports. And this whole thing that we have with the Wemby, him kind of coming of age this season and now shocking the world to win those two at the end of that series and now getting the Knicks, you get this. There's just so much here. The full circle story with 1999 Tim Duncan. Now it's Wemby. But I just feel that this Knicks team is different. I think it's going to be an incredibly hard fought series. I think it will go. I think by the end of this series, two things will happen with Wemby. I think he will be truly the national star that the league has been waiting for. And I think he will become an absolute villain to New York Knicks fans. I think he will be despised because of all the things that make him so great, how hard he goes, his willingness to scrap. I don't know if you guys seen the video moving around of him seeming like he's willing to sic his bench players on other players to commit foul. The guy just, I mean it's, it's. The guy is just, he's that dude. But this Knicks team is doing something special. And obviously, you know, we know the winning streak. They've covered 10 out of 11 times. They've won 11. It's unbelievable historic stuff. But to me, beyond that, it's just the basketball they're playing like it almost didn't matter. OKC wasn't even scaring me. In the same way Alan and Don, like I really have started to believe in what this team does. They're doing it. Obviously, you never know. Maybe all of a sudden shots don't start to, you know, shots don't go down as easy. But the fact is the main reason these shots are going down and the way they are is because they're creating easy shots and they're playing team basketball. So give me the Nixon seven. I think it's going to be an epic moment for the city and I am very as much fun as I'm having with the fam. I will be excited to be back stateside for game three.
- [26:16]
B
What are you doing with game one? My game one is a four and a half right now. The Knicks are a four and a half point dog.
- [26:25]
C
Oh, that's, that's already done. That's already five Hondo smack on the Knicks. You already know what I was doing, what
- [26:32]
B
he said.
- [26:33]
C
This, this streak, this streak can't end for, for the Knicks covering. So yeah, I'm going with the Knicks in game one. I think they. Listen, they're going to have to steal one to win the series, right?
- [26:43]
B
I think, I think you're right.
- [26:45]
C
So they got to steal one. So why not steal game one? That's my call. They went in seven after that and
- [26:50]
A
I Said it yesterday, Peter, that I really think that it's going to be a back and forth series. It's going to see saw back and forth, exchanging blows, exchanging victories. That's why I think game one is so vitally important for the Knicks to get. And I think the one to steal would be game one, right, because they're the fresher team. Spurs coming off, knocking off the defending champions. You saw Wemby get emotional after that game seven victory. So if you're going to steal one in San Antonio, I think the better shot is to take game one. And if the Knicks can take game one, I think it goes back and forth, spurs then tie it, come back to the Garden, exchange wins there. I'm with you. I like the Knicks in seven. You can win game sevens on the road. We've seen that parity has hit the NBA. It used to be a lock home team. Game seven, they're winning. That's not the case anymore.
- [27:36]
B
Right.
- [27:36]
A
And I think the Knicks, that little bit of experience. Why does everybody love New York? They love New York because they've got older players, they've got the scar tissue from what happened over the last couple of years. And that's going to really do them well in a game seven. So the spurs advance with winning a game seven on the road. I think they'll lose the game seven at home. So I'm with Peter. I've got the Knicks in seven. What say you, Alan?
- [27:58]
B
I am going Nixon six. I feel like, I feel like first and foremost, everything that you've said, I just think they'll be. There's a factor here that is not really talent related. It is more of that there's a team that's playing with a greater sense of urgency with an understanding that if not now, when they, they need to, they know this is the time. And I just think that's going to help them throttle down when it matters most. It's not to say this is sixth to me is respectful. I don't think that makes it easy at all. But I think if they get to a place where they have a clinching game in their building, I think it gets done. And so what I'm banking on is that it's 3, 2 going into that game. Madison Square Garden on what is it? Wednesday, right? Next Wednesday or not. Well, it's two weeks from now, however long it's going to be. But game six at the Garden, I see that becoming a coronation and a moment that New York City will never forget.
- [29:06]
A
And I, and I can also kind of envision guys that down feeling of losing the game. Six at home thinking it might be over. And then the Knicks rising up and winning game seven on the road. Remember, when you slay the dragon, it's hard and so far it has been very easy for the Knicks. They never faced elimination. 6 With Atlanta, they won 11 straight since the last time they've lost a game. But there's going to be adversity. There's just going to be. And when you look at how the Rangers when they slayed the dragon 54 years, they had to go seven with Vancouver. When the Cubs finally won for the first time since 1908, they had to win seven against Cleveland. The Red Sox didn't against the Cardinals. But all they had to do with the series before was come back from three nothing down against the Yankees to advance to the World Series. And at that point they were just so much better than the Cardinals. That's not the case here where the Spurs I think are at least the Knicks equal going to be coming in and the Knicks are obviously the dog as far as Vegas is concerned. So I think we all agree it's going to be a long series. Peter and I have it going the distance, you have it going six And I think it's going to be a thrill.
- [30:10]
B
I don't think I could survive a seventh game. I might not make.
- [30:13]
A
I think a lot of people are with you boys.
- [30:16]
B
I might not make that. I might not be able to like, you might have to resuscitate me that day because I don't know if I could get to a game seven. Game seven is on my birthday. You guys know that, right?
- [30:26]
A
No.
- [30:27]
B
Yes. That is a Friday. Yes, that is a Friday, June 19th. And that you gotta understand that back in 94, the Knicks played on my birthday and lost. I can't. That. That. Donnie, that can't happen again, man.
- [30:47]
A
I'm. I'm to. Peter and I are telling you it can't happen again. And use. Peter's been hot as a pistol and Peter's even sacrificing money. Right? Because obviously three times you're going to lose money on the Knicks.
- [30:59]
C
That's right. This is the risk I'm willing to have for my. My New York Knicks fans. I am willing to commit to you people.
- [31:06]
A
Now let me ask you this, Peter, since this has been all in fun, although the money has been very real, if you get to a game seven, would you take all the money you've won and put it on the Knicks again?
- [31:18]
B
So come on, what do you got.
- [31:21]
C
I know. No, no, no, I won't. I. Let me tell you why I won't. Because some of it's already been taken out. I mean, listen, I'm keeping it real. I'm keeping it real while keeping it safe. You know what I mean?
- [31:32]
A
You got it.
- [31:33]
B
Blame you.
- [31:35]
C
All right. That's the thing. So starting now, though, I would do it with the money that's in there now. So remember, I've already taken money out. What's left in there now has been thrown down on the table, and I will roll with what's there now and drop it all on game seven. Wow. Can you imagine, though?
- [31:51]
B
That's a lot of pressure.
- [31:52]
C
And by the way, for me, for me, this is fun. It's found money. There are people I want to say out there to Knicks fans. Be mindful. You're going to have a lot emotionally on this series. And I said this before the series started. If you've made a ton of money so far with the Knicks, I do think this series is one where maybe
- [32:10]
B
you don't worry about betting.
- [32:12]
C
Take the money. They've given you 10 out of 11 games. Take that money, plan a nice vacation and enjoy this series. It is just going to be so emotional already.
- [32:22]
B
I'm with you. I like, that's definitely something where you reach a point where you know that this has been an epic run and now you just want to be like, yeah, if you're a fan, if you just want to put money, you don't care. Like, if you're just betting the bet and you don't really care about the Knicks and stuff like that, different story, Right? But if you are, you've been doing this and you're a Knick fan, it's the worst thing you can do because it'll just. It could make you crazy. So, yeah, I'm with you.
- [32:50]
C
I just know this is. I don't. I'm happy for. For New York and Knicks fans. It's already feeling like history, guys, as I'm sitting in the. In the. In a van, heading to dinner down the windy streets of Florence, Italy, talking to Don Lagreca and Alan Hahn about the Knicks in the finals. The moment just. It's feeling right. This is just feeling like something.
- [33:12]
B
It's history.
- [33:14]
A
Enjoy the rest of your trip. Hopefully. The wrestling was great.
- [33:18]
C
The wrestling was fantastic. We had a great time. Natalie managed to bring the baby to the building. They took some in. We managed to survive the train. There is a video. I have a video of me being more Clark Griswold than you. I'm pushing two gigantic suitcases down the cobbly streets of Florence about to fain. I'll send it to the group chat. Anyways, we just got to the restaurant. Love you guys.
- [33:41]
A
All right, that's the great Peter Rosenberg back with us next week. So he's going to spend the rest of the week in Italy. So we wanted to get his predictions set. So we've got Peter saying the Knicks in seven. I say the Knicks in seven. Alan says the Knicks in six. We're going to hear from you in a little bit at 1-800-919-3776. But New York Islanders Anders Lee is really promoting something that he wants you guys to know about. So he's going to be jumping on. At 4 o', clock we're going to talk to the great rich Eisen. At 4:30, we're going to talk to another great and that's Chuck D. Always fun to talk to him as well. Want to remind you the New York Beach Bash is back Thursday, July 2nd at Bar A in Lake Como, New Jersey. Head down to the Jersey Shore and join Michael K. Show us live starting at 1 o' clock and an appearance from Dpher Rothenberg, Bart Carlin and more will have plenty of giveaways for fans in attendance, a soccer watch party and a chance to test your skills by trying to kick a soccer goal past Rick DiPietro. Plus music from Surfin for Daisies. I haven't given them my song yet. There'll be no music unless they kept me in touch with me and find out what song I want to do.
- [34:51]
B
I'm just saying.
- [34:52]
A
It's all brought to you by Spiked Aid Boost Mobile, Miller Lite Fanatics Fest NYC and the New Jersey Lottery. You must be at least 21 years of age to enter, so we've got a big show coming up. Anders Lee will join us next. Don Juan Rosenberg, ESPN New York FanDuel is giving you better payouts on same game parlays all NBA playoffs long with more ways to build and more value every time you play. You can stack your picks your way for every game, every matchup and every moment. From spreads to player points to threes and more. Build it all into one same game parlay and go for bigger payouts. So if you're setting same game parlays as NBA postseason, bet them on FanDuel. More options, better payouts all NBA playoffs long with more ways to build and more value every time you play. You can stack your picks your way for every game, every matchup and every moment from spreads to player points to threes and more. Build it all into one same game parlay and go for bigger payouts. So if you're setting same game parlays as NBA postseason, bet them on FanDuel. More options, better payouts all NBA playoffs long. Head to FanDuel.com local to get started. FanDuel, an official partner of the NBA. Play your game 21 and over. Fizzly Press in New York for help with the gambling problem. Call 877-8-HOPE NY or text OPENY 467-369 this is what everyone is talking about. Everything's on the table. This is what champions come to take. This is what everyone came to see. No do overs, no second chances, no
- [36:29]
B
more Mr. Nice Guy.
- [36:31]
A
This is winner take all. And it's all happening now on the home of the NBA Finals. Don't miss it June 3rd on ABC and the ESPN app.
- [36:43]
B
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.
- [36:46]
A
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
- [36:48]
B
Catch this show on demand whenever want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
- [36:55]
A
Anders Lee's not only the captain of the New York Islanders, he's also a King Clancy recipient and has been involved in the jam cancer in the can foundation for a decade. Since 2016. The foundation raises funds for families affected by cancer by hosting Frisbee tournaments, aka Cancer Jams in local communities and NHL cities across the country. The GM Cancer and the Can foundation has raised more than $4 million for charities and organizations supporting families affected by cancer and Anders is nice enough to join us here. I can't believe it's been a decade. You've been doing this. You've been around forever. We really appreciate giving us a couple of minutes. How are you?
- [37:35]
D
No, I'm doing well, thank you. Thanks for the intro.
- [37:38]
B
It's good to have you here, Anders. And it's funny. Let me apologize for Don making it sound like you're an old guy. You've been around forever. But you have been though. You really have been though a presence especially in Long island, but in this area for a long time but on some really good to great teams. But also what you're doing here is something that is inspirational because it is something. I remember you coming into the MSG studios and we actually did some can jam in the studio a bunch of years ago. What was the genesis of this? What was the the inspiration of this for you? Because this seems to be something that is truly a passion of yours.
- [38:17]
D
Yeah, it's become one for sure. You know, back, back in the day when I was first kind of on the team, we had a lot of guys doing some good things in the community and was trying to find kind of my path on that. And met a boy named Finoff, this young kid who had. Had been diagnosed with a terrible form of cancer. And we befriended one another and, and it kind of blossomed from there. He had been doing a can jam. He went and spoke at one and I saw his speech and ended up meeting him and hanging out a little bit and started doing our own. So a lot of this stuff, a lot of, you know, the passion that comes from my side of things, my family side of things, comes from that relationship I had with Phenoff.
- [38:57]
A
Now, to defend myself. I'm not calling you an old man. I'm an old man that remembers when you first came up and it felt like five minutes ago, like, I'm sorry. 2012, 2013. Alan doesn't. It doesn't seem like that long ago.
- [39:09]
B
I told you, Don. Tom goes faster now. It's going fast.
- [39:12]
A
But tell us about the Frisbee tournament and are you good at this?
- [39:18]
D
I'm two time reigning champ.
- [39:19]
B
There you go.
- [39:20]
A
Oh.
- [39:20]
B
Oh, that's a flex.
- [39:22]
D
Yeah, me and my boy Carson, we've, we've been killing it out there. But no, it's, it's actually, it's great. Look, it's, it's a lighthearted afternoon and get our teammates out there, bring a bunch of kids and families that are affected by cancer and let him take the afternoon off of thinking about that and get to hang out with a bunch of islanders. And you'd be surprised how you wouldn't be, you'd be surprised how bad some of my teammates are at throwing a Frisbee.
- [39:47]
B
But it gets competitive and that's no matter what you guys are playing. When Matthew Schaefer enters the locker room and you know about his story and what he's gone through. And then just to see the kids growth, number one, forget about the on the ice stuff because it's ridiculous. But all fights, the season ends and what he does, you know, I know when he got the Calder, I believe he spent most of the day in a children's hospital around cancer patients that, you know, how close to home that hits for him. Did that connect you two in any way when you first got to meet him?
- [40:21]
D
Oh, I think so. I think, you know, it's a huge part of his life. I think he's taken, you know, the challenges that he's faced with that, with losing his mom and, you know, inspired him to make a difference in his own way. And I love to see what he's been doing. I love seeing him at the hospitals. I can relate to that. And the impact that he's going to make on, you know, these kids with cancer and these families. He's come in as an 18 year old and kind of had that foresight to understand that there's more than just our game, the presence he's going to have on this island for a long time, that he has an opportunity to make a big, big impact. And it's, it's awesome to see him jump onto that right away.
- [41:05]
A
And you've made an amazing impact. You were a sixth round pick and here you are, 969 games, including the playoffs as a New York Islander, a tremendous career, over 300 goals. Unfortunately, the business calls, right, and you're an unrestricted free agent. So how difficult it is to be a part of the community and understand what you mean to the Alders as an organization. And then both the organization and you have very difficult decisions coming up this summer, for sure.
- [41:33]
D
I mean, this has been my home. It's been my home for a long time. I've raised my family here and it's been a privilege to be an Islander and to be a captain of this team. And I've loved every second of it and haven't taken anything for granted. You know, this is the part that comes up every once in a while. It's my turn to go through it. You know, I feel like I got a lot of good years left of hockey in me and still feel really good out there. So would love, love to make this happen.
- [42:00]
B
Don't want to hear you talking past tense, but I understand why right now you're doing that. But if you could then reflect on. Because again, you guys in your core, that, that core you had where you went to back to back conference finals, which again, to me, you get to a final four in your league, you've had a hell of a season. You guys did it twice, tried to break through, couldn't. A lot of teams had a hard time beating Tampa, of course, but when you see how it's now swung back again from that group now to the team you have right now and the way the season ended there does feel like this thing's heading in the right direction again and there is something to be excited about going forward. Tell me about what I know. Again, you're in the business part of it, but because you Know it well, and you've been around this long enough. Where are the Islanders right now as an organization? And what. What does the team look like going forward?
- [42:54]
D
Well, it absolutely felt like we were going in the right direction. You know, I think we put together a great season until, you know, we didn't play our best hockey down the stretch. And I think that's the part that's most unsettling. I think that's the part you can overlook and make you feel like it was way worse than it was. But it felt pretty bad. I mean, the position that we were in and to fall, to find ourselves out of the playoffs at the end of all that, but, you know, to take a wider lens at it, I think there's a lot to look forward to in this group. Obviously, we got some great young talent coming up. Not just shave, we got Rich and some other guys that have been drafted recently that, you know, in due time are going to make a big difference for this club. And I think we got a lot to build off of. We learned a lot this year, and like I said, I think there's a lot to be excited for.
- [43:40]
B
Does it bother you that the playoff system. Don and I have talked about this for a while. You guys had more wins than some teams that made the playoffs, including Vegas. Well, including teams playing for the Cup. When you see that, does the system bother you at all? Do you feel like, you know, we're kind of cheated because we did the right thing, we won in regulation, but you didn't because you're in a much more difficult division and the system is what it is.
- [44:05]
D
Yeah. I mean, it was one of those years where the east and our side, it took, you know, 97, 98 points to get in when it's typically down in the low 90s. So it's one of those years. I think you get years where, you know, like this year we went 10 and O and OT. That's not going to happen every year. And, you know, you got years where some teams win a bunch of shootouts and you kind of get frustrated with that, too. So it's. It is what it is, unfortunately, and it didn't work for us this year.
- [44:32]
A
Talking to Anders Lee here on Don Hahn and Rosenberg, how jarring was the coaching change, especially when it happened?
- [44:40]
D
Yeah, I mean, it was, you know, obviously late in the year and. And, you know, Matthew had an opportunity to. To go get out. Go out and get Pete. But Patty was. Was great for us. We were with him on everything. And, you know, we're Talking business today, I guess, as part of the business and you know, those last. Last week there with Pete can see a lot what he's going to bring and to the structure of our team and what he wants to do with it in all three zones. And that's another part that we talk about. You know, we talked about the players a little bit earlier, but on the coaching side of things, we have something to look forward to as well, moving forward with Pete.
- [45:16]
B
So I've, I covered this team many years ago, Anders. Like we're Talking about late 90s, early 2000s, those teams in the old building. I know you have some experience in it. I believe you played in three different buildings, right, throughout your career. You had that time in, in Brooklyn. There was a time, and I remember this Owen Nolan once told me, just walking with him out of the Coliseum when like the roof was leaking and there was 4,000 people there. And I just asked him about this, like playing for the Islanders. What do you think? As a guy from the outside looking in, he said it seems like a depressing place to play. And that's the lowest point of the franchise. Then of course, ownership change and things really turned. What is it like now in that the brand new building, the ownership, you have the front office, everything that you had going on that you've seen the transition from an old, out of date building to an in between place that never felt like home in Brooklyn to where you are now. What is it like to play for the Islanders now?
- [46:13]
D
Well, I'll tell you what, the version of the Coliseum I got, we had a goal lead before the game even started. It was rowdy for a lot of our teams and a lot of years there before we kind of went through our transition. But you know, to go from, from the Coliseum, which was, you know, our, our version of our home, and whether people liked it or not, and the away teams only saw the parking lot. They didn't understand what it was to live on Long island, to be near the city, to raise your family there. It's a pretty special place. And, and now here at ubs, you know, our ownership group has put everything they could to make a building for our fans, for us as players. And it's been a great home for us the last few years. And I just think it's going to keep getting better.
- [47:01]
A
All right, Anders, for people who want to get involved in the jam, Cancer in the can foundation, what can they do?
- [47:07]
D
They can go to jamcancerinthecan.com right tomorrow we're going over to Syosset High School here on the island. These kids reached out to us and asked to raise some money and host an event. Those affected by cancer. And you can see it in their fundraising. You know, all these kids have a lot of stories of within their community or within their family of people affected by cancer. So for these kids to raise, you know, in a short period of time, over $50,000, I'm pretty pumped to go meet them tomorrow and hang out with them in the morning.
- [47:40]
B
Whatever we can do. By the way, let us know to help you. We're going to promote this like crazy. And if there's anything we can do to help you on this, feel free to reach out.
- [47:49]
D
No, I appreciate it. Thank you. We're also doing some scholarships that we named after my boy phenof. 2000 bucks to these two kids that have a story to tell how they've helped someone in their community or in their family that have been affected by cancer. And we've sent these scholarships all over the country, even up in Canada, obviously here in the tri state area. But that closes out June 8, so want to get the word out on that and. And allow some people to send in their applicants.
- [48:19]
A
All right. When you go to the website, jam cancer in the can, cans and can spelled with a K instead of a C. So make sure you get that right. Anders, selfishly, we hope you stay with the New York Islanders whatever happens in the future. Best of luck. And as Alan said, anything you need, let us know.
- [48:34]
B
Right?
- [48:34]
D
Bryce, really appreciate the time. Thanks for helping me out.
- [48:37]
B
All the best.
- [48:38]
A
Great. Anders Lee. He's a free agent, but hopefully he gets back to the New York Islanders.
- [48:42]
B
Still a very, very productive player and valuable as. Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.
- [48:50]
A
I don't want to know how the
- [48:51]
B
sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. 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.