Hour 1: Malone Fired & Reviewing Reviews

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 1: Malone Fired & Reviewing Reviews

Release Date: April 8, 2025

In the inaugural episode of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg, hosts Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg delve into significant developments in the NBA, particularly focusing on coaching changes and their implications for the New York Knicks. The discussion is rich with insights, debates, and listener interactions, providing a comprehensive analysis for fans and newcomers alike.

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1. Michael Malone Fired from Denver Nuggets

The episode opens with the surprising news of Michael Malone's dismissal as the head coach of the Denver Nuggets, despite a decade of success, including a championship win.

• Alan Hahn [11:42]: "Denver Nuggets fired Michael. Ten years they've done nothing but win. They won a championship with him. And a week to go in the regular season, he's gone."

• Don La Greca [11:53]: "He could have Nikola Jokic win MVP again. You got to be careful because if you, you know, make sure with Nikola Jokic you're okay."

2. Implications and Comparisons to Other Coaching Changes

The hosts compare Malone's firing to other instances of mid-season coaching changes, questioning the rationale behind such decisions.

• Peter Rosenberg [16:32]: "That's crazy. This is why we have to circle back now to the Knick conversation yesterday because did you see that in the offing guy won a championship there, there are four seed as you said, they might have the MVP fire their coach."

• Don La Greca [17:01]: "I don't know why fans don't want to see it. They'd rather see it fail just so they could be right about the coach."

3. The Knicks' Situation and Tom Thibodeau's Position

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the New York Knicks and their head coach, Tom Thibodeau. The hosts debate whether Thibodeau should be on the hot seat and the potential consequences of an early-season coaching change.

• Alan Hahn [13:31]: "And I knew this was coming because there are people that are just lining up almost hoping the Knicks do poorly so they can be right about Tom Thibodeau."

• Don La Greca [16:48]: "I think the best is still yet to come."

4. Fan Reactions and Expectations

Exploring the mindset of Knicks fans, the hosts discuss the pressure of high expectations and the desire for immediate success, which fuels the demand for coaching changes.

• Peter Rosenberg [17:01]: "Nick fans will feel that because they're going to feel hurt if this team doesn't live up to the expectations and get embarrassed in the playoffs. They're going to want somebody to pay."

• Alan Hahn [22:00]: "This season can't hold most players' attentions the entire time... the minute that news came out, already piggybacking off of the Memphis Grizzlies, moving on from Jenkins."

5. Listener Calls and Community Views

Listeners contribute to the conversation by sharing their fears and opinions regarding the Knicks' coaching stability, reflecting a mix of loyalty and anxiety about potential failures.

• Caller [32:35]: "I'm a Tibbs fan and percentages. They're going to win the first round. Everybody knows that. And everybody knows 99% they're losing in the second round."

• Peter Rosenberg [29:30]: "This is a conversation you'd have if they were facing elimination today or if they were in..."

6. Michael K's Social Media Activities

Shifting gears, the hosts highlight Michael K's new venture into food reviewing through his social media account, K_Underscore_Eats, which has quickly garnered significant attention.

• Don La Greca [43:17]: "The name of the account is K. Underscore Eats. Underscore. Tendies, right. Yeah."

• Alan Hahn [44:30]: "Michael K, a great man, a man I love dearly, who has some of the worst taste in food on planet Earth, now has a food review channel and it's on fire. 30,000 followers that fast."

7. Closing Thoughts and Upcoming Content

As the episode wraps up, the hosts tease upcoming discussions, including insights from Adam Schefter on football and local sports happenings, maintaining an engaging outlook for future episodes.

• Don La Greca [42:10]: "Adam Schefter is going to join us at four and we'll get into some football as we get closer and closer to the draft."

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Notable Quotes:

• Alan Hahn [13:31]: "And I knew this was coming because there are people that are just lining up almost hoping the Knicks do poorly so they can be right about Tom Thibodeau."

• Don La Greca [17:01]: "I don't know why fans don't want to see it. They'd rather see it fail just so they could be right about the coach."

• Peter Rosenberg [17:01]: "Nick fans will feel that because they're going to feel hurt if this team doesn't live up to the expectations and get embarrassed in the playoffs. They're going to want somebody to pay."

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This episode of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg effectively sets the stage for an engaging series, blending sports analysis with personal anecdotes and audience interaction. Whether you're a die-hard Knicks fan or a casual sports enthusiast, the trio offers valuable perspectives on the ever-evolving landscape of New York sports.

Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

McDonald's meets the Minecraft universe with one of six collectibles and your choice of a Big Mac or 10 piece McNuggets with spicy nether flame sauce. Now available with a Minecraft movie meal at participating McDonald's for a limited time. A Minecraft movie only in theaters.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A lot of virgins working in one room together. A lot can be accomplished.

[Don La Greca]

Han, I just got excited. And Rosenberg.

[Alan Hahn]

Alan just expressed theoretical arousal about the Dolly Parton puppet. This isn't North Dakota.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is New York.

[Don La Greca]

This is Don Hahn and Rosenberg. The best threesome I've ever heard on 880 ESPN and the ESPN New York app. What were you just pointing at? You just threw me off.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, no, we're off to a bad.

[Don La Greca]

Already with Don L. Greco, Peter Rosenberg, I'm Alan Hahn and Dom points as I'm about to open a show and.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm like, what are you off.

[Don La Greca]

You just pointed. What are you pointing at?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The pen. I'd like.

[Don La Greca]

You want the pen?

[Alan Hahn]

He wants the pen.

[Don La Greca]

I love pen.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He loves.

[Don La Greca]

That was it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That shouldn't be enough.

[Don La Greca]

Literally, as the show's about to start.

[Alan Hahn]

What did you do?

[Don La Greca]

Pointed.

[Alan Hahn]

No, but like, where. Where'd he point?

[Don La Greca]

Right in front of me. Like. Like as if something fell or something, like fixed that. Whatever it is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So. So I guess you wouldn't do well with the foul shots with the thunder sticks. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Fortunately, I never had to worry about thunder sticks.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. Really? When I did play, there were not thunder sticks. That wasn't a situation.

[Don La Greca]

I barely played it against anybody that had an arena or a field house behind the basket. And when they did, they were usually empty.

[Alan Hahn]

Right, right.

[Don La Greca]

So I never really had to deal with any of that distraction. Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Back when we played, they probably were just like waving baseball bats like, this is what we'll do to you if you miss it.

[Alan Hahn]

Well. And you know what, though? You know what it reminded me of? Allen just pulled Michael.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, no.

[Don La Greca]

Again.

[Alan Hahn]

No, he did. He did. Michael was like, I'm morphing into Michael K. By the way. There are some similarities, by the way. You know what? There are worse things in the world. You got to take the good with the bad.

[Don La Greca]

But I don't have my bank account.

[Alan Hahn]

I was about to say your. No, no, that takes time. The bank account does it, though. But I think it's.

[Don La Greca]

This is what YouTube does. Maybe you guys made him crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what? It's on the table. But Michael's like such an incredible broadcaster, you know, does such a great job at Yankee games, and then I could if an ice cube bangs, he has to stop the show. What's happening? I'm hearing things. I'd be like, don't you do live television and radio? Why is an ice cube sending you into a connection?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yankees have hit home runs while you're texting, and nobody would know yet if.

[Alan Hahn]

I, like, looked the wrong direction. But what. What. What Are you paying attention to something else? Michael, don't watch me watch tv. You got this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And the other thing, too. That would derail his absolute disgust and how distracted he'd be when I'd have my orange. When I'd cut my oranges up and I would have some oranges.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, it made him sick to his stomach.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sick to his stomach. How do you do that?

[Don La Greca]

Oranges.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I wasn't doing that on the air during the break. I'd have some nice cut oranges and he would be disgusting.

[Don La Greca]

Were you slurping, though?

[Peter Rosenberg]

You were in the room, Peter.

[Alan Hahn]

Did it bother you? No, no, that wasn't. That wasn't what bothered me. What bothers me when it comes to Don's eating during commercials is unquestionably the sunflower seeds.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that was off.

[Alan Hahn]

But the sunflower seeds are a bit much. It's like the. You know, like the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm spitting them into the cup.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, look at you.

[Alan Hahn]

It's like.

[Don La Greca]

Like the old days. You're back at Ramapo, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Exactly. Like Alan at works, right?

[Don La Greca]

He's out in the outfield at Ramapo, you know, between pitches, just spitting, spitting seeds.

[Alan Hahn]

And like, it's one thing in a dugout, it's another thing, like, in a room, inside. It's like, you might as well start dipping at this point. Like spitting into a cup.

[Don La Greca]

Who's to say it's a lot?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I never did. I did. Was that the Big Red? Yep, When I was in high school.

[Don La Greca]

Wait, wait.

[Alan Hahn]

Big Red. Oh, dip.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The. No, chewing tobacco. The actual chewing tobacco.

[Alan Hahn]

Like a ball. Like a ball player.

[Don La Greca]

Real ball player.

[Alan Hahn]

How many ballplayers at this stage do you think still not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not. Not many. I can't think of.

[Alan Hahn]

Although I can tell you what they're doing now. I guarantee you they're zinning.

[Don La Greca]

What?

[Alan Hahn]

I guarantee you they're all. They're all doing Zinn. And you don't even know what it is. Don, I know for a fact you don't. There's not a chance. Zyn is a gigantic tobacco industry at this point, and it's basically like, dip. Get a buzz without the mess or grossness. You just take the thing and put it in your lip. But there's no, like, gross residue in particular.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And synthetic.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it's synthetic. And you just absorb nicotine. It's not tobacco, it's nicotine. Right, but it's like, I read an article about it the other day, guys, we're talking about. It's in the billions of dollars already. Oh, it's like a. It's becoming the biggest thing. There are people who reportedly do it all day in their sleep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I just did. Cause I was a baseball player. I saw Sparky Lyle. I'm like, oh, he's got the big. The big cheekful. And you have to, because it will get you. You'll get a huge buzz you got to overcome. And once you get there, then you get a nice group. But it is disgusting. The first line drive up the middle, I swallow some of it and I'm sick for two days. What about the quick?

[Alan Hahn]

What about how fast the flavor ran out on Big League Chew? Was there a gum that's flavor you lost faster than Big League Chew?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it was. It was done to choose.

[Alan Hahn]

Nothing left. Do they still sell Big leachu?

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's a good question.

[Alan Hahn]

Or is that now, like, we're not going to sell kids imitation chewing tobacco?

[Don La Greca]

That's it. I haven't seen it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You think the. The demise of Big League Chew is because it was too much light?

[Don La Greca]

It's like candy cigarettes.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's why I'm doing that.

[Don La Greca]

Candy cigarettes were the bomb. Everybody wanted those. My grandmother would come visit. She was a big time smoker, but she'd bring. He would bring the candy cigarettes and we'd all be like, grandma, just puffing away. Ripping darts with Grandma.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right?

[Alan Hahn]

Ripping. By the way, the name of Alan's 12th book. Ripping darts with Grandma.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's. It's like Nancy brought this up to me the other day. I guess she saw somebody at Marco's practice that was in their car smoking. And the kids saw it and it was like they saw a Martian. Because when would they ever see anybody smoking? They don't go to places you can't smoke inside anymore. Nobody in the family when I grew up, everybody smoked.

[Don La Greca]

Everybody.

[Peter Rosenberg]

My dad smoked.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, right. It was common in movies, television shows. That's the thing about if you notice how much smoking goes on in the original Die Hard.

[Don La Greca]

Don, they were cool.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's running over, he's got a cigarette constantly light.

[Don La Greca]

Absolutely true. And we grew up watching sports. And what was all the ads in the outfield and the Winston.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Me and Winston.

[Don La Greca]

We are real thing Marlboro Right. Everywhere like that. Which is all of it. Like, we kind of grew up with that and everybody.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I knew you had that. You had your. Usually the girls we hung out with smoke Parliament. And the guy smoked Marlboro Red.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, Jesus, man, no. This is filthy article, by the way. What?

[Don La Greca]

The 80s smell of Aquanet in Parliament.

[Alan Hahn]

By the. Let me tell you something right now.

[Don La Greca]

That's the 80s smell.

[Alan Hahn]

Are we allowed to have. Are we allowed to have honest conversations?

[Don La Greca]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's all I want to have today.

[Don La Greca]

We're here.

[Alan Hahn]

So I, I, I'm known.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Honest Tuesday.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm known. I love Honesty Tuesday alliteration. The Honest Tuesday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Honest.

[Don La Greca]

Honesty Tuesday.

[Alan Hahn]

Honesty Tuesday.

[Don La Greca]

Whatever.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen, I like alliteration, what can I say? But my number one vice of the things that are bad in the world, smoking would probably be number one. If I could choose one thing. If you said they're gonna make one of the vices not bad to your health, you can do it freely. To me, it would be cigarettes in a heartbeat. I wouldn't even for you guys, it's cigars for sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But it's something really cool about the cigar, the whole. But, but has everybody. You tried a cigarette, right?

[Don La Greca]

Cigarettes. Yeah. All right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So do you remember the first brand you tried, as I remember mine, because.

[Alan Hahn]

You stole it from your dad had.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[Don La Greca]

It's my neighbor. My neighbor's parents were like heavy smokers. They had packs all over the place. I'm trying to remember if I can remember the brand. What was the gold. It was a gold package, I think. Can't remember the name.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, well, the goal that I tried.

[Alan Hahn]

We, by the way, Don and Al, are so old, they're named some brands I've never even heard of.

[Don La Greca]

Probably they went out of business when the, when it was cracked down on.

[Alan Hahn]

The tobacco industry, when you can no longer hard drugs and cigarettes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Raleigh's Pizzeria was right on Lincoln Avenue.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And we would go there and we would play. There was. There was a video game we would play there, and there was a cigarette machine and somebody. There was a pack that must have fallen out. Somebody must have hit it. Two came out, grabbed the one left, the one there, and it was Benson and Hedges.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, I know, I do know that.

[Don La Greca]

Might have been it. I, I don't remember exactly, but we, we were. It was, you know, in the backyard, you know, everybody, just the one girl, she. She started smoking. She was 13, started smoking. And so it just became a thing like, who else wants to try one So I was like, I'll try one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The only reason I didn't smoke is I was a jock in high school.

[Don La Greca]

I mean, I was 11.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, you were 11?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I was. I was a jock in high school. When you start high school at what?

[Alan Hahn]

Like, a lot of jocks in high school were smoking cigarettes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but no, I. I did. But everybody I knew, like, you knew their favorite song, what bands they liked, and what cigarette they smoked. That was, like, a thing. And my kids aren't gonna grow up anywhere. Watching somebody smoke is like. It's. It's like watching a comet in the sky. Like, when are you ever gonna smoke?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that part will change. Not as much, I imagine. So tell me this, guys. Do you think now, like, when you go to college, there's kids aren't still smoking outside of bars? Like, is that not a thing, or are they all just vaping?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because they're all.

[Don La Greca]

Whatever's bad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I see people way. I see way more vapes.

[Don La Greca]

Vaping is way more. Like, we were just. Again, just because I'm thinking of it. Taking Gracie out for a birthday Friday, walking through the village in Huntington, and you see kids are out, obviously, and I think it was more vaping than anything. I just don't see the cigarette thing anymore.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't say it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it's much less, which is great news. That's great.

[Don La Greca]

Well, on the gum part here, Moose in New Jersey wants to enlighten us.

[Caller]

Hey, what's up, fellas?

[Alan Hahn]

Hope everybody's having a great day.

[Caller]

I just want to let you guys know they do definitely still sell Big League chew.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, good. 100%.

[Caller]

And the gum that lost flavor faster than Big League Chew.

[Alan Hahn]

Bubblicious Fruit Stripe Stripe.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, Bazooka Stripe.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, Fruit Stripe was awesome.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

For what, two seconds? Bazooka. Bazooka didn't have taste.

[Don La Greca]

Bazooka was like, two. Two bites, and it's gone.

[Alan Hahn]

Gone. Two. Two chews. Spit it out. It's hard and terrible.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There was one, too, that I. I don't.

[Don La Greca]

I don't know if that's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I could live with the flavor going away, but. Yeah. Do you remember the ones that would just, like, kind of disintegrate? Just turn it to, like, sand in your mouth.

[Don La Greca]

Well, it was like Wrigley. Yes, Wrigley Yellow pack. Wrigley. Like that. That didn't turn into. You needed two pieces to get Juicy Fruit, by the way. A Big League Chew, not just a pouch. Now, like, you get, I guess a pack of, like, 10 pouches. 20 bucks.

[Alan Hahn]

20 bucks. For 10 pouches.

[Don La Greca]

I think it's a 10 pack here.

[Alan Hahn]

That's not terrible. I can live with that.

[Don La Greca]

20 bucks. It's very available. And the guy, remember the COVID It's the same guy on the COVID Oh yeah, he's.

[Alan Hahn]

How's he doing?

[Don La Greca]

Although no, it's a little more. He doesn't have the handlebar mustache like he did back in the day.

[Alan Hahn]

It's actually interesting. He's a trans woman. But they still have it. But they've updated. They've updated.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what? That's funny. I think I did see Kid Rock setting fire.

[Don La Greca]

God. In the meantime might need a cigarette in Denver. Did you see Michael Malone was fired.

[Alan Hahn]

He might need more than a cigarette.

[Don La Greca]

Denver Nuggets fired Michael. Ten years they've done nothing but win. They won a championship with him. And a week to go in the regular season, he's gone. So that's two coaches now that are gone in the latter stages of the season. Two teams that are playoff bound teams. It's not like these are trash teams that are trying to start off.

[Alan Hahn]

One is a championship cleaned house. A champion championship winning coach with a.

[Don La Greca]

Guy who could, he probably won't. But could in Nikola Jokic win MVP again. And like you got to be careful because if you, you know, I'm sure you make sure with Nikola Jokic you're okay. That this is your coach, this is your guy and they're getting rid of him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's crazy. This is why we have to circle back now to the Knick conversation yesterday because did you see that in the offing guy won a championship there, there are four seed as you said, they might have the MVP fire their coach. And the reason I bring the Knicks into the conversation is not only does it seem reasonable to let Tibs go if they go bounce in the first round because look what Denver did. Look what Memphis did is that that's unavailable coach that fans can scream they want to replace Tibbs. Remember I threw out Spoelster as just like let's say Spolster resigns from I. Well this is a guy New York ties championship ring available. You don't think that's going to fuel the fire if the Knicks have an early exit?

[Don La Greca]

Oh yeah, that. That I'll give you. I've still am saying it's they the dumbest thing that they could do is fire Tom Thibodeau. Dumbest. Finally getting things on track.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't disagree.

[Don La Greca]

But if you wanted to sell me Michael Malone and his resume, I'll listen. You have to. I'll listen. But I'd also like I said, I am going to stand on this, on this platform and say I don't think that's even in the conversation, no matter what happens.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But more importantly, you don't think it should be.

[Don La Greca]

No, but what I'm saying is that doesn't mean. And what I want to clarify from yesterday.

[Alan Hahn]

Go ahead.

[Don La Greca]

Is while. And I've told everybody, cuz once this came out, I knew, oh, here they come, the torches and pitchforks are coming. And I tell everybody. Cuz there's a people. How come you're not as active on Twitter as you used to be? Because whatever I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say here on this platform, I don't need to use social media for. You wanna know what I'm thinking or you wanna come, you wanna talk to me about something? Here. Here's where you go. 800-919-3776. Because we can have it out this way instead of texting or tweeting about it. And I knew this was coming because there are people that are just, they are lining up almost hoping the Knicks do poorly so they can be right about Tom Thibodeau. And I'm telling you that that is not anything that should be even be thought of. It is to me out of the question that you point to Tom Thibodeau if they don't, for whatever reason get out of the first round. But as I said, if they do somehow struggle in the playoffs this year, they don't win in the first round somehow or they are completely undressed by the Celtics in the second round. Is there a world that somewhere early, like, you know, December of 2025, Michael Malone is, you know, back at ESPN doing stuff for, you know, NBA Countdown. And they're making appearances, but he's clearly available. And the Knicks just don't seem like they're getting out of third gear. Yeah, yeah, that's somebody that you could, you could say. And I'd be like, all right, there's a guy with a real resume who's got a ring on his finger. So he's been to the Mountaintop from New York, worked here. Right. So he gets it. I think all those things are important. It's not some, you know, don't give me some yo yo with no resume. But he's the next hot up and coming assistant coach. Don't give me that. Cuz this franchise and this market can't have somebody like that. But if you're gonna talk to me about somebody like this. Okay, I have to admit, as much as I am dead set against it, but if it has to be done and you are telling me this is the guy, then Don Peter, I will then yield the floor and say, okay, I'm listening.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think it's very fair to say he doesn't deserve to go. Look at what this team has accomplished. 30 straight 50 win seasons. They're in the conversation for a championship. He's responsible for the turnaround, but you can't tell me he's not on notice. If they get embarrassed in the playoffs and losing in the first round would be an embarrassment. Getting swept by Boston being non competitive after you pivoted and put a roster together that was supposed to be competitive with the Celtics. If it's not a fireable offense, you gotta tell me at least is on notice. And if you start 3 and 7 next year, then I think it happens. So at least we are moving towards that. It's not that crazy a thought.

[Don La Greca]

No. Cause you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Cause it's an easy thing to do. Right.

[Don La Greca]

But I don't think it's a fait accompli. I think for a lot of people who wanna just keep pushing the narrative as if it's like a front burner conversation right now, I don't think it is. I don't. I think the best is still yet.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To come for this team and I want to see it.

[Don La Greca]

I don't know why fans don't want to see it. They'd rather see it fail just so they could be right about the coach. Rather than see this thing actually turn into something which we haven't seen it hit its peak yet.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I can, I can read into fandom because I'm still a fan of my team. So I sometimes can understand the logic that a fan goes through. They. There's no more positive fan base than a Knick fan base. They love their team and they seem to be way more positive than a lot of other teams in New York. But once this team made the deal and look like they're ready to take the next step now it's all right, let's show me. And then you become the fan of the Yankees or the fan of the Mets this year where. Or the Rangers going into this year where the expectation is so high you want somebody to pay if you get hurt as a fan. Like that's going to hurt a Knick fan if they get bounced in the first round, they're going to want to see heads roll. Oh yeah, I'm seeing it with the Rangers right now. This is a painful season for them to miss the playoffs after being two wins away from going to the Stanley Cup Final. They want someone to pay. Laviolette. They want Drury out. They want Crider and Zabanajad gone. They want to make that team pay. Nick fans will feel that because they're going to feel hurt if this team doesn't live up to the expectations and get embarrassed in the playoffs. They're going to want somebody to pay. Not going to be Brunson. They're going to have Brunson pay. They love Brunson. They're going to want the coach to pay. And that's just. And that's. That's logical, but it's illogical in the sense of it actually happening. But it's logical for a fan to feel that.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen, listen. If there's a. If you have a team with a lot of potential, everyone's available. Like, for example, Brunson continues to look good over the next couple days. They win. Let's say they win these games, right? Or at least look good, everyone's available, seems healthy. And they were to go make a fool of themselves in the playoffs. I'm sorry, no matter what anyone's done over the last few years, you can then have a conversation that's not going to happen. I mean, just being realistic. I mean, I'm. They're not going to make a fool of themselves in the playoffs. They're going to be fine. So there probably is no reasonable conversation to have about Tibbs getting fired. But. And this is what's interesting about if you heard our show late yesterday. If not, subscribe to the podcast wherever you find it. Don Hahn and Rosenberg. And by the way, after 3:30, you're gonna have to listen to us on that ESPN New York app. Don't get it twisted. Make sure you have that app. But Alan was saying late in the show yesterday just basically how absurd it would be to move on from Tom Thibodeau right now. But Allen, you have to admit what happened today opens the door to that insanity in a real way. I do not recall in any sport. Don brought up the devils from 25 years ago. I do not recall a time in a football season where you're heading toward the playoffs and there's a team that's playing wild card weekend, either a division winner or safely in the wild card. I'm trying to think of the sport. It's the baseball season. Down the stretch of teams 20 games over.500, cruising to the playoffs and you fire the coach Guys, this is sort of the dawn of a new day in the NBA. The insane talk you see on Twitter has made it to real life. That happened today.

[Don La Greca]

And that's what's scary because the GM is also out. They're not giving him an extension, which.

[Alan Hahn]

Makes no sense to me.

[Don La Greca]

So you.

[Alan Hahn]

Which one was House?

[Don La Greca]

Everybody's gone. You're literally starting a new next year in Denver with Nikola Okic heading into the playoffs. And you're. Well, the fear is again, they lost four north. They had a bad loss at home to the Pacers. That was kind of what did them in. But what they're worried about is falling into the play in and that's the concern. So who was it above them? That was whether it's listening too much to the like quickly here. Michael Malone had a couple of good years in Sacramento and Sacramento went left and he got out of there. He goes to Denver. They were bad. He gets them on track. They discover Jokic. Like it just, you know, they had some good drafts, but he was building that thing up. Their fans tried to get him fired a year before he won the championship. There was fans. They started a thing. A gofundme a fire. Michael Malone was the website. It's like, why do people. What is wrong with people? But he wins the championships now he's untouchable. Right? You would think until this season happens. And they keep looking like they've peaked and now they're heading the wrong way. And I guess someone had enough concern to think like we need to do that. We need to clean this thing out. But now do it in the off season now. Who do you think you're gonna save right now?

[Alan Hahn]

You know what's so insane about it to he deserved.

[Don La Greca]

Doesn't he want a championship for you? Does he not deserve more respect? This is what I'm talking about. Tom Thibodeau. You want to have this conversation? Not now. Have it in July, in August, have it in December if things start poorly, like Don said.

[Alan Hahn]

But now it makes no sense.

[Don La Greca]

Back to back 50 win seasons.

[Alan Hahn]

So hear me, Hear me.

[Don La Greca]

Ungrateful people.

[Alan Hahn]

So here's the part that makes no sense to me. What really gets me is if you. If you watch the NBA and I imagine the people who make these decisions do you're aware of how long this season is. You're aware this season can't hold most players attentions the entire time. You're telling me you didn't want to see what they looked like in the second season, which is the playoffs first.

[Don La Greca]

Before you Decide, yeah, when you'll always have the best player on the court, no matter what round you're in. Because it's Nikola Frikin. Jokic.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, my God, they lost a game to the Pacers at home. By the way, the Pacers aren't Charlotte. Like you can lose to the Pacers.

[Don La Greca]

I want to know the players that did the complaining, because I guarantee it ain't Jokic. Is it Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. Who's the ones that like that were whispering enough for whoever's in our organization to feel like, man, we gotta clean this thing out. That's the NBA, guys. It's maddening. But, Don, you are absolutely right. The minute that news came out, already piggybacking off of the Memphis Grizzlies, moving on from Jenkins, that immediately created more fuel to the fire for those who are trying to turn this Tom Thibodeau thing into a real thing, that someone that they're hoping at the Garden, whether it's Leon Rose or above him, will start listening to. And I'm telling you, this is a dangerous place to be if you're going to start listening to people at that level, when you finally got something stable. That's the only thing I keep trying to tell people. Be careful what you wish.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know, but in sports, don't owners listen?

[Don La Greca]

Some do too much.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, when they start hearing, looking what other teams are doing, start listening to their fans, start listening to different people.

[Don La Greca]

Especially when you're losing, when you lose four in a row, like the way the Nuggets did.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that's why I just can't completely dismiss it. You're right. You're an insider. You believe it makes no sense. You believe they've got no desire to do it. But you need to see what it looks like when it happens. And when I'm talking about the devil thing. Eight games left in the season, the Devils went on a little bit of a bad turn. They fell out of first place in the Atlantic Division and Lou fired Robbie Fatoric and put in Larry Robinson, who went four and four.

[Don La Greca]

I covered that. I covered all that all the way to the cup. So I know what you're talking about. It did work then. It was something he felt and he made that move. But again, I don't know if. If this is the same type of situation here in New York, but what happened in Denver. And then again, I'll say it one more time. If Malone is sitting there in December and things aren't going well, I will be the first to admit that you could then start to convince me right of that, but just real quick.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But Robbie Fatork was a part of failures getting bounced in the first round previously. So he didn't have history.

[Don La Greca]

There was history there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don La Greca]

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Especially when you have stage four cancer.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm Ann. I'm running the Boston Marathon. Presented by bank of America. I run for Dana Farber Cancer Institute to give people like me a chance to thrive in life, even with cancer. Join bank of America in helping Anne's cause. Give if you can atb ofa.comSupportAnn what would you like the power to do? References to charitable organizations is not endorsement by bank of America Corporation. Copyright 2025.

[Don La Greca]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything.

[Don La Greca]

You just catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. All right, let's get to the calls here. 800 now with 93776 talking about another NBA coach fired.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, sorry. Then you wanted to today is Biz's 61st birthday. He would have been 61 years old. One of the greatest, most innovative special performers ever in hip hop. I love that guy.

[Don La Greca]

Walking entertainer. He really was. Lit up a room. Let's take some calls here. Let's go to Ethan And Queens listening on. Ethan, I'm sure you switched over to 1050 now listening to us there, right?

[Caller]

Well, absolutely. Yeah, of course. I wouldn't miss it.

[Don La Greca]

My man. What do you got?

[Caller]

First of all, guys, love the new show. Alan, I've been listening and reading things you've been writing since I was, like, 15, so it's really cool to listen to you every day on the radio. And back when I was 15, we had, like, David Lee on this team. Like, we were bad.

[Don La Greca]

Well, don't. Just don't besmirch David Lee now.

[Caller]

That tip in is, like, the greatest moment of my teenage years.

[Don La Greca]

Okay, that's a good moment.

[Caller]

But, like, this scares me. This now gives me some fear. We've been a good team. I've enjoyed my last few years as a Knicks fan. I can't ever remember saying that. And I think everyone who ever calls for Jib said is crazy. Like, this is a guy who is by all measures an amazing coach and wildly stable and gets the best out of his guys. And we've all seen bad coaching for so long. And now, in a way, this, like, makes me a little afraid. I'm a Knicks fan that remembers when Dolan used to be that. That owner that always listened to the fans a little bit too much. And now it feels like you guys said, the door is open now. I love Michael Malone. Like, he's an Astoria guy. He's from Queens. Like, that's great. He's got a ring. All this stuff is nice. The thing that makes me afraid is that the crowd that we've always said is a small crowd, they're just loud. It feels like today they've been given permission to get louder. And that scares me that our hear that through his dome.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think the thing that bothered. It doesn't bother me that fans would want to see change if they have a disappointing season. Can we see it happen first? Like, for it to be preemptive just seems odd to me. Why are we even having a conversation? Well, what do we do if they get bounced in the first round? Is there really a legitimate fear of that?

[Don La Greca]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, so what are we talking about? Like, this seems like this is a conversation you'd have if they were facing elimination today or if they were in.

[Alan Hahn]

The plays lost, if they were in.

[Don La Greca]

The play, if they had fought, like, like the Brunson injury happens, and some people were predicting they were going to tumble into the play in. Then there's that fear of if you're losing the play and you don't Even get into a postseason like what? You know, that is legit. They have maintained third. Third place. They are probably are the magic numbers. Won, they win one game, they get third. Right. That. That's. That's already set. And now, of course, we're. We're creating the Detroit Pistons. Who's their most likely first round matchup. We're turning the Pistons. And maybe I'm at fault because I did a couple of weeks ago make point, like how the Pistons are playing well and you shouldn't sleep on them as if there's some kind of walkover team. They play hard, and now all of a sudden, everybody has taken that and turned it into the Pistons are the freaking 96 bulls. You know, like, let's pump the brakes a little. I watched them last night just lose to the Kings, who were playing on back to back on the road. Like, what are you doing? You're at home against the Kings. You lose that game. So let's pump the brakes on the fact that, oh, I could see them losing to the Pistons. Guys, come on, man. Like, what's reality? Stay in reality. But, Don, I'm telling you, I think a lot of this is just manufactured. And now everybody's buying into it because whether it's a blogger or whether it's somebody on national media, there's somebody that talks about it. And we are a fan base. I don't even know, Peter, if you can relate. Maybe you can with the commies. But, Don, I don't even know if you can relate to this. But you said, like, Nick fans, for the most part are like, they want to be positive and optimistic. I also think this is a fan base that is easily scared. Easily scared.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, because they're not used to having nice things.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, because things have turned for the worse many times. So they're just so used to it. They are the puppy who sees the newspaper and cringes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But what has happened to lead you to believe that this team won't be able to get out of the first round?

[Don La Greca]

Nothing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, there's been ton that's happened, and we'll see what happens tonight that they're not beating the Celtics. I get that there's evidence of that, plenty of evidence. But there's no evidence that this team is not going to be able to get out the first round other than, oh, my God, what if it happened? Now, Dave Rothenberg brought it up. Dave Rothenberg's a Nick fan. It probably came from a place of.

[Don La Greca]

And he lives in fear.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But right now, if some talk show host or some columnist or some fan says what happens to Tip if they could bounce in the first round as a Nick Fain should be like, I'm not even concerned about that. Can we cross that bridge when we get to it? I don't think we're gonna get to it because there's been no indication of that. If they just lost their fifth or sixth in a row or if they lost to Detroit by 30, well, then you have the conversation. That hasn't been the case. They're not as good as the Celtics or Cavs right now. All right. I understand that they're not facing them in the first round.

[Don La Greca]

It's amazing to me that more fans aren't saying first what happens with Mikael Bridges because he's due a contract. He sent over $150 million.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, although get to the players in due time. But don't you think a lot of this also stems from the fact, and you brought this up yesterday, that there's just a ton of fans that didn't like Tibbs to begin with?

[Don La Greca]

Yep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So now that now the vultures are out, like, hey, maybe this could be the opportunity to see him finally gone, but can we wait till he actually deserves to be gone?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And again, these fans want to be right.

[Don La Greca]

They want to be right and they want to anticipate it. Dave is in the car listening. Dave, you're. You moved over from 880 to 1050 now. Right. Because the Met game is the Mets. Pregame's going on.

[Caller]

I'm on 1050. So your response? I have a question for you after I make my point. I'm a Tibbs fan and percentages. They're going to win the first round. Everybody knows that. And everybody knows 99% they're losing in the second round. It's not Tibbs fault. He doesn't have the talent to beat this up. Maybe I would. Maybe if they were playing Cleveland, maybe they could beat them. They have to make a deal. They have to get another player. Leon rolls not stupid and he is Wall Rod West. They're going to do something.

[Alan Hahn]

But can I push back a little bit? Can I push back a little bit on one thing? Let me just push back on one thing, though. Hold on. Just hear me out. I hear what you're saying, and I'm not saying if they lose to the Celtics, they should be. Tim should be fired. The Celtics are a better team. But can we stop acting as if this roster is the little sisters of the poor? I mean, I'm sorry. I watched this Team play the other day, guys that when OG Anunoby is playing ball the way he's been playing, this is a team that up top has four dudes who can really ball, like in one breath. You can say you don't expect them to win a championship, but I refuse to say. I refuse. Oh, hold on, hold on. Let's talk about that for a second. The huge gap between them, the biggest gap that exists is with Jason Tatum and the next best player in the series, who would still probably be Jalen Brown or Jalen Brunson. After that. You're telling me the gap is that gigantic? Like Carl Anthony Towns is a great.

[Caller]

Player, whether it's small or big. Okay, Peter, they're not going to win. I don't care if it's big, small, tiny, gigantic, they're losing to Boston. It's 100%. You can put it in your calendar right now.

[Alan Hahn]

My guess is Vegas does not agree with you that it is 100%. But anything can happen in a playoff series. Jaylen Brown can get dinged and before you know it, things are different. I'm sorry.

[Don La Greca]

No, no, no. Jaylen Brown. You mean the other way?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it's Al. You hear what I'm saying? I'm not saying they should beat Boston, but can we not go into this saying they have no chance against anyone if they're healthy? This team can play with people, Alan. They haven't been healthy all year.

[Don La Greca]

We'll, we'll talk about this matchup tonight. Nixon Celtics, because we know Boston's got a couple of guys that are going to be. I think, I think Horford's already out for sure. Questionable is Tatum, Brown and Porzingis. I'm sure a couple of them will play. Brown's been on a minutes restraint. Like you can't gauge anything tonight. Tonight is more about, for me, the Knicks psyche, like win this freaking game. So that's just put that away, right? Like who cares who's on the court? Just get the dub so you can at least say we got one.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, and don't lose one when they're playing half of their play that's particularly bad and just.

[Don La Greca]

But, but there's been a lot in this matchup that has happened and a lot of it is like when you look at the numbers which I put together this morning, just preparing for a game that I'm not even covering, but I'm a psycho. And it's really been just an absolute imbalance in the three point shooting. They're minus 94 from three point line in the three games. So let's start there like the Celtics have. They have to do a better job closing out those threes. But it has not been a good matchup. The first game of the season, Carl Anthony Towns was new to the team and took seven shots. The second game that they played against them, OG Anunoby didn't play. The third game of the season, they also had, like, a small. The lineup wasn't the same. Towns had a big game, and by the way, it was the closest game of the three so far. They actually had cut it to five in the fourth quarter. Now, we had at least a competitive game, and it was in Boston, so at least you had a competitive game in that sense the last time you saw them. But something's gotta. Something's gotta change. There's no doubt, but something can change. But no, no, what you just said, though, is exactly how I feel. There's nothing that tells me that, oh, no, they'll have no chance in the series. Would I probably give the. Would I say Boston's probably going to win the series? Of course I'll say that because they're favored. They're the defending champs, and the history of matchups tell you that they should have the upper hand. But if you're asking me, can the Knicks win this series? My answer is yes, of course they can, because they tried to. This roster is built to do that. They got to get there first. And they will, and we'll have tons of time to talk about it. But instead, in the meantime, while everybody's waiting, they just want to see the coach fired and chaos on a team that finally, finally has stability. JJ in North Carolina. Jj, Listen on the ESPN New York app. What's up, jj?

[Caller]

What's up, guys?

[Alan Hahn]

Two things.

[Caller]

Before the, before the Knicks, we need to know, the crowd needs to know.

[Alan Hahn]

What happened with the excursion to the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sushi place, how that went.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, boy.

[Don La Greca]

And have you guys, have you guys seen the.

[Alan Hahn]

The Michael K Chicken Tender reviews that.

[Don La Greca]

Are making the rounds and are getting.

[Alan Hahn]

Now then. Now we're getting somewhere. Now we're getting to a conversation.

[Peter Rosenberg]

She was postponed.

[Don La Greca]

So, you know, sushi was canceled. Not why. Why canceled? Let's be honest.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We haven't set a new date, but it's postponed.

[Alan Hahn]

Did anything happen? Was there a conversation?

[Don La Greca]

It was, you know, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

What happened?

[Don La Greca]

Pretty quickly dismissed. This is what it was.

[Alan Hahn]

Don, did I miss something?

[Don La Greca]

Group chat like you talk about wet blanket.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait, did I miss something?

[Don La Greca]

I had a bad day today.

[Alan Hahn]

All I heard was, Allen go great. No, this no sushi.

[Don La Greca]

Yep. And I want to go, everybody wanted salads today. Everybody.

[Alan Hahn]

When did that happen?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yesterday. Sorry to blow this whole bit up.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But Alan and I spoke yesterday, and he's like, you still want to do the sushi? And I. And I. And I said, you know, I don't feel like coming in that early. I got a Ranger game. I got two Ranger games coming up on Wednesday and Thursday. You know, let's do it another. And he's like, yeah, you're right. I got a game tomorrow, too. Gonna watch the Knicks and everything. And now all of a sudden, your butt hurts on this?

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, no. By the way, it's worse than that. He threw such a tantrum in the chat that he goes, I'm upset about this, and now no sushi. And by the way, Don, I'm on a diet. WrestleMania is next week. I felt bad, though, so I go, allen, if you want to order sushi, I'll eat with you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't see that.

[Alan Hahn]

I already ate. I had a taco at home. Natalie ordered tacos. I had a taco on my way. I'll eat sushi with Alan. He goes, no, I'm set on that. Thanks.

[Don La Greca]

I'm all set.

[Alan Hahn]

He threw up. I was trying to be nice.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what I did?

[Don La Greca]

I did drop it. I'm all set.

[Alan Hahn]

He drew. I'm all set.

[Don La Greca]

Thanks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's bad on text.

[Alan Hahn]

He's so bad on text.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I have a feeling that even if he was a person, he might have. He might have dropped the same tone, though.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, no, he would have. He was definitely. He was feeling it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I'm sorry. Blame me.

[Alan Hahn]

No, I. Listen, I get it.

[Don La Greca]

This was a group thing.

[Alan Hahn]

It was a group thing.

[Don La Greca]

Other people could have been involved, but everybody's like, no, I'm getting a salad today. All of a sudden, everybody's healthy. All of a sudden.

[Alan Hahn]

Well.

[Don La Greca]

Somebody I brought. I brought from home. Oh, I guess we're not have. I thought we were gonna have a.

[Alan Hahn]

Little team lunch, like, not like family.

[Don La Greca]

Well, to my defense, once I heard.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The sushi dream was dying, you moved on.

[Don La Greca]

You bailed. I was just. I was just over it, so I get it. So you were only in if Don was it. Once Don's out, you're out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I get it. No, no, I think it was one for all and all for one kind of thing. We wanted to deal with everybody.

[Don La Greca]

Or maybe we all go and let you know how great it was so you're motivated to do it the next day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, so this is this is on me.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what it's feeling.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're directing this towards me.

[Don La Greca]

It's no point is that this is like this was Jenga. You were the piece and the whole tower fell down and that makes no sense to me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I just listen to me get close. I think this was a group effort. If one person was out, we're all out because we want to save it.

[Alan Hahn]

Where we can all participate like gentlemen right now on the other side, I.

[Don La Greca]

Guess I'm the only one that woke up excited for sushi today.

[Alan Hahn]

Can I tell you the truth? I had to go. I was in it hot this morning. I have an interview after the show tomorrow. There's like a lot happening so like it didn't come up and I thought just. I'm just being honest. I thought I'm not gonna mention it because I don't need more plans right now. I'm just a little overloaded.

[Don La Greca]

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[Alan Hahn]

Ryan Reynolds here from IT Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities.

[Don La Greca]

So do like I did and have.

[Alan Hahn]

One of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail].

[Don La Greca]

Switch upfront payment of $45 for three.

[Alan Hahn]

Month plan equivalent to $15 per month.

[Don La Greca]

Required intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full [e-mail] hey there travelers.

[Alan Hahn]

Kaley Cuoco here. Sorry to interrupt your music great artist btdubs, but wouldn't you rather be there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To hear it live?

[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

So don't just dream about that trip. Book it with Priceline.

[Alan Hahn]

Go to your happy price, Priceline.

[Don La Greca]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don La Greca]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. All right, Adam Schefter is going to join us at four and we'll get into some football as we get closer and closer to the draft. And there's always a lot of good little conversations to have there, but a whole lot about the Giants and why Brian Dabel decided to go to a pro day that he normally never goes to, and why all of a sudden they're bringing in another player late in the go. Are we seeing things in the way they're setting up in the draft? So there's a lot of interesting stuff happening locally. So we'll talk to Adam Schefter about that.

[Alan Hahn]

But speaking of things going on locally, do it. I saw over the weekend Michael posted some videos. I guess he started a new account where he's trying Meredith.

[Don La Greca]

Meredith created the account for him.

[Alan Hahn]

And by the way, did she create it on Instagram or Twitter?

[Don La Greca]

I believe it's Instagram. Or is it Twitter? I thought it was Instagram.

[Alan Hahn]

What is the account again?

[Don La Greca]

The name of the account is K. Underscore Eats. Underscore. Tendies. Tendies, right. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

K. There it is. And it already has 30,000 followers. How did she. How did she get an account going? Yo, the Yankee. Do they announce it on the Yankee broadcast?

[Don La Greca]

Oh, for sure. Yeah, they did. Of course they did. It probably showed a little bit of it.

[Alan Hahn]

By the way, that is Austin Wells.

[Don La Greca]

Has his wings thing that he's doing now. Right? Or the. Or the burrito. Burrito is what he's doing. Austin Wells is doing the burrito thing.

[Alan Hahn]

So they started this account which now has over 30,000 followers already. And Michael is there trying tendies. I guess he did Detroit today, but here he is over the weekend trying PNC Parks Chicken tendies. No flop. I like the undercarriage. Has a good coloring to it as well. Excuse me. So let's take a bite. This is really, really big. Crispy. Tasty, too. I would have given the Friday tenders on a scale of 1 to 10, probably a 3 just because I like the city. It probably didn't even deserve a 3. These are a solid 8.1. So Michael K, a great man, a man I love dearly, who has some of the worst taste in food on planet Earth, now has a food review channel and it's on fire. 30,000 followers that fast.

[Don La Greca]

And, you know, he's not using sauce. He's not dipping, like, tendies. You get. You know, it's all about. What are you dipping it in? Little honey mustard? Little spicy barbecue? Little, like, what do you put? You know what I mean? And this schnuring SOB Nah, he went schnurr today. He did the whole. You don't. How can you say, like, lobster if you dip butter in it? Somebody. He referenced the fact that he doesn't use.

[Alan Hahn]

But it's. I hear what he's saying. I guess there's some merit in the fact that if the tender is good without any ointment.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I can see that.

[Alan Hahn]

But at the same time, if you're someone who literally has no use for honey mustard or barbecue sauce or ketchup.

[Don La Greca]

Just a dry chicken tender, you know.

[Alan Hahn]

How good a dry tender has to be?

[Don La Greca]

Has to be for you.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, it has to be like, you know, who has a tender that you can eat with no sauce? Maybe the only. And I still prefer sauce. The Houstons, which is now called. What's it called again in Houston's. Houston's. It's a hillstone now. Hillstone.

[Don La Greca]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

Those tendies are delightful on their own.

[Don La Greca]

But generally naked tendies.

[Alan Hahn]

This whole thing, though, it's. It's a ripoff of Dave Portnoy's gimmick. It's sad. He's going to go from city to city, guys snoring for free tenders. You know, look, I'm looking at him right now. Look, here he is in Detroit. They handed it to him. Was in Pittsburgh. And it was a great comeback for them because the. The Friday tenders were rocks. They were awful. And I only gave him a three because I like the city. But on Sunday, a huge comeback. 8.1. So these are Detroit tenders now. And the executive chef here at Comerica park has made these tenders. Oh, he brought them.

[Don La Greca]

Wait, wait, wait. See, you can't taste test something that the chef made just for you to try to talk about, because now, you know, they put a little extra care. What you got to do is go to the.

[Alan Hahn]

To the walk up to on the.

[Don La Greca]

Concession line, right up to a concession order right there, the one sitting under the heat lamp. And that's what you'll know. What are the people eating? That's what I want to eat. Don't make this special for me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just get the dump bun ready, because I'm gonna go there.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Let's go.

[Alan Hahn]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. What do you mean? What?

[Don La Greca]

You're on the app.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're good. Flopping undercarriage is too phallic for me. Is that wrong?

[Don La Greca]

No, it was phallic. Using them together in a sentence was definitely.

[Alan Hahn]

By the way, what was he talking about?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did it make it Jacob, by the way, you're good.

[Don La Greca]

That's a Webster word. You're fine.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm good.

[Alan Hahn]

But real quick, what did he mean as the undercarriage of chicken 10?

[Don La Greca]

Portnoy talks about what the pizza looks like under. It doesn't matter for a chicken tender.

[Alan Hahn]

So this is a clear rate on ripping off pork.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So this is a clear raid.

[Don La Greca]

I don't undercarriage every chicken 10.

[Alan Hahn]

This is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a lot.

[Don La Greca]

Listen, this is, I feel like the real thing to do if you really want to serve the people. Because in essence, what. What he does is go to a pizza place, just walk in, get a slice, walk out, which is what every. Everybody does. So what you gotta do is walk up to a concession stand, right? The one under the heat lamp that you made 25 minutes ago. That's the one. Give me that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's it.

[Don La Greca]

And let me see how these hold up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The food critic, correct me if I'm wrong, doesn't announce he's coming. No, he just surprises because he got. He wants to catch you by surprise. Of course you're gonna make the greatest meal you ever made in your life. If you know the critic ordered it, you want to go wait online, get the food, eat it just like everybody else. Because I'm telling you, those chicken tenders that the chef made at Comerica, they're the greatest chicken tenders that were ever made in that building. Right, because they were made for him.

[Don La Greca]

Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

And the 30,000 people that were going.

[Alan Hahn]

To watch video, even more because they're probably throwing it up on the yes. Broadcast.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, yeah. Selling it big.

[Alan Hahn]

Michael, you're better than this is what we're saying. You're better.

[Don La Greca]

Apparently, The Yankees aren't 5 nothing loss at Comerica.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait, already?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. Took the L. It's only 355. Six hits. Yeah, well, it's. It's. Well, when you swing and miss a lot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's three in a row, man.

[Alan Hahn]

How about those bats?

[Don La Greca]

So the. All right, so six hits, all from the top of the order. Top of the order. I think Goldschmidt was 2 for 3.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So he's been good.

[Don La Greca]

And so 1 through 3 went 6 for 12. 4 through 9, 0 for 20.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I did see a judge base hit. I know he got a base hit when we were Watching, right?

[Alan Hahn]

He did.

[Don La Greca]

Also struck out with two on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, boy.

[Don La Greca]

Jazz Chisholmbiter. Remember the whole torpedo bat stuff? That. How great. Oh, what a wonderful thing this is and how it's going to change baseball. He hit four home runs in his first six games. How many home runs has Jazz hit in his last five with the torpedo bat that everybody's excited about?

[Peter Rosenberg]

None.

[Don La Greca]

None. Zero. Zilch.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A part of the torpedo bats appeal is when you make contact. Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Are you saying.

[Don La Greca]

I thought the bat just automatically hit it for you. Right. It's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not like you put the ball in the bat and just shoot it over the fence.

[Alan Hahn]

You're saying effectiveness goes down if you don't touch the ball.

[Don La Greca]

It's a torpedo. I thought that's what it does. Fire in the hole. I. Oh, last five games, nothing. So this continues to be an offense of all. Or not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And, you know, you can't say, well, it's cold out. It was cold for the Tigers, the Pirates, the last few days, too, right? Hey, listen, the Pittsburgh game, I'll give them, you know, that they came back in the game, but really, so what did they get? Four runs on Sunday and three of them came in one inning. You know, didn't really do anything the last two days in Comerica, but you know, what Detroit did, it's. It's a little disconcerting that this offense is kind of becoming what we thought it was going to be, but we were afraid of that. And torpedo bat was actually just a diversion.

[Don La Greca]

It was one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was one day. One day it probably would have happened no matter what. Maybe they would have been seven instead of nine home runs, and it would have been a 15, nine game instead of a 20 to nine game. Whatever.

[Don La Greca]

All I know is that, like, it just shows you how hysterical we get about things in baseball. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the 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.