Hour 2: Fandom & Fraud Alert Friday

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — "Fandom & Fraud Alert Friday"

Episode Date: September 26, 2025 (Hour 2)
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Theme: An exploration of fan identity, rivalries, and what makes someone a "fraud" in the world of sports fandom, with classic New York banter and listener call-ins.

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EPISODE OVERVIEW

The second hour of "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg" dives into the tribalism of New York sports fandom, the psychology of local rivalries, and the endless debate: What behaviors make someone a fraudulent (or "bandwagon") fan? Through personal stories, heated listener calls, and their signature humor, the hosts dig into what it really means to be a fan—right or wrong.

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KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. The Big Brother/Little Brother Dynamic in New York Sports

(01:00–06:27)

• Don La Greca opens with classic Giants/Jets talk, explaining why he never felt any sympathy for the Jets as little brother:
  • “I want to own the town. I want my team to be better than the other team.” (01:50, Don)
• Alan Hahn compares his childhood as an Islanders fan constantly overshadowed by the Rangers, despite the Isles' historic run:
  • “Nope. There was always this feeling that it was still not as great as whatever… It never felt enough.” (03:45, Alan)
• Major market teams (Mets vs. Yankees, Jets vs. Giants) are discussed, with both agreeing the rivalry often boils down to attention and legacy, not just wins.

2. Fan Base Rivalries: Legacy, Attention, and Identity

(06:27–11:34)

• Listener Anthony (Caller) (06:27) voices the “Yankees are above it all” mentality:
  • “When we beat the Mets during the season, I don't go bragging... We're on a different level.” (07:33, Anthony)
• Don pushes back that legacy should be irrelevant for current disappointments, leading to debate if “27 championships” is ever a valid excuse.
• The hosts explore how Mets/Yankees parity shifts from season to season, but the Yankees’ brand power often trumps all.

3. Why Fan Hatred Mostly Comes from Other Fans

(16:19–19:17)

• Lewis (Caller) shares that his dislike for the Mets didn’t come from the team itself but from “Mets fans talking crap about Yankee fans.” (16:42, Lewis)
• Don reflects:
  • “A lot of the quote-unquote hate… comes from the fan base than the team itself.” (17:27, Don)
• Alan and Don note that changing player rosters and league dynamics make hating a team for its players harder, shifting animosity to fan interactions and legacy.

4. Fraud Alert Friday: What Makes a ‘Fraudulent’ Fan?

(22:20–46:00)

Key Email Scenarios:

• Celtics fan wears Pacers jersey to troll Knicks fans (23:10–24:29)

  • Ruling: Not a fraud, just petty fun.
    • “There’s no fraud there. It was to troll.” (23:48, Don)
    • “I personally couldn't wear a TJ McConnell jersey. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. But listen, God bless.” (24:35, Rosenberg)

• Lifelong Jets fan switches to the Raiders after heartbreak (25:16–27:18)

  • Ruling: Definite fraud.
    • “Well, no offense, but it's kind of the definition of a fraud, isn't it?” (25:56, Don)
    • “Raiders, Jets, it's a hatred.” (26:03, Alan)

• Jets fan keeps rooting for Aaron Rodgers after he leaves (27:34–31:51)

  • Ruling: No fraud.
    • “I normally never understood the passion for following another individual player, but at the same time, I get it. If the Jets have given him no joy… I'm gonna say no, fraud.” (29:17, Don)

• Giants fan gives up entirely, keeps no new allegiance (34:20–35:02)

  • Ruling: Not a fraud—as long as he doesn’t pick a new team later.
    • “If a guy wants to tap out, that's his life, man. If he's done, he's done. Show me something and be done.” (34:56, Don)

• Office worker wears fake Giants jersey to get into a group photo (44:09–45:38)

  • Ruling: Fraud.
    • “You're not gonna do that with my team... You're a fraud. What are you doing?” (44:10, Tessa, caller)
    • “We don't accept fraudulence. If you got us, you got to stick with your team, people.” (44:42, Rosenberg)

Memorable Analogy

• Rosenberg compares abandoning your sports team to a loveless marriage, and rooting for a new one to an affair:
  • “...there’s just some beautiful, hot, incredible, special specimen, just got off the first flight from San Juan… when your lips touch… that was Aaron Rodgers.” (30:08, Rosenberg)

5. Player Contracts: Do They EVER Age Well?

(40:07–42:52)

• The hosts lament the reality that multi-year mega contracts (in any sport) never age well:
  • “How many non first contracts of great players age well? They don't.” (40:40, Rosenberg)
• They agree the only way a big contract is remembered fondly is if it brings a championship early.

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NOTABLE QUOTES & MOMENTS

• Alan Hahn on Islanders fandom:
  • “The dynasty’s never given any credit in the history of the sport... it really does still bother me to this day.” (03:45)
• Don on fraudulent fandom:
  • “If a guy wants to tap out, that’s his life, man… If you come back or pick another team, then you’re a fraud.” (34:56)
• Rosenberg (on rooting for other teams/players after heartbreak):
  • “It's more of an arrangement than a marriage at this point.” (29:31)
• Don (on the player hatred debate):
  • “How can you hate teams based on players anymore? They're constantly changing uniforms…” (18:17)
• Tessa (caller) on jersey switching:
  • “Take that jersey off right now. You look like a freaking bag of trash with fish guts in it.” (44:10)

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TIMESTAMPED SEGMENTS

| Timestamp | Topic | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:00 | Giants/Jets rivalry, ‘big brother’ complex | | 03:05 | Alan’s Islanders nostalgia and lasting sports resentment | | 06:27 | Listener calls begin — Yankees/Mets perspective | | 11:08 | Why Yankees fans are the angriest — “fans hate them, that’s irritating” (11:08, Don) | | 16:19 | How rivalry hate is more about fans than teams (Lewis in the truck) | | 19:17 | Player hatred then vs now, shifting dynamics (NBA/MLB examples) | | 22:20 | “Fraud Alert Friday” segment launch: what makes a fan a fraud? | | 23:10 | Celtics fan’s Pacers-trolling jersey—verdict and banter | | 25:16 | “Bandwagon” Jets-to-Raiders switcher—verdict: fraudulent | | 27:34 | Jets fan rooting for Aaron Rodgers elsewhere—verdict: not a fraud | | 34:20 | Giants fan ‘taps out’ of fandom, staying neutral—allowed, unless they bandwagon later | | 44:09 | Angry office Giants fan outs ‘fraud’ coworker wearing fake jersey for a group photo | | 40:07 | Do big contracts ever age well? (CC Sabathia, Max Fried, Stanton deals…) |

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OVERALL TONE & STYLE

• Energetic, self-aware, and unapologetically New York
• Blunt honesty mixed with dry and sometimes biting humor
• Clear camaraderie among the hosts, balanced with pointed debate and ribbing from listeners
• Frequent callbacks to New York sports history and pop culture

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TAKEAWAYS FOR NON-LISTENERS

• In New York, fandom is serious business—coming from your family, your hometown, and your bitterest rivals.
• Deciding to jump ship, hate a player, or “bandwagon” is the fastest way to get called out as a fraud—unless, like one listener, you completely wash your hands of fandom and don’t come back.
• Ultimately, the most bitter rivalries aren’t always about teams or cities, but the look-you-in-the-eye arguments with the people you know.
• “Fraud Alert Friday” is a cathartic, entertaining way to hash out the endless (and endlessly petty) ethics of being a sports fan in one of the world’s most opinionated cities.

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CLOSING REMARK

As Alan says:

“You're allowed out, but if you come back, that's what makes you a fraud.” (35:02, Alan)

And Don, on why we do it at all:

“But it makes the whole thing fun, that's for sure.” (12:07, Don)

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Transcript

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[Podcast Host]

This is the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Podcast Host]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

[Don Hahn]

Game time is brought to you by.

[Rosenberg]

Telmore Dew Irish Whiskey.

[Don Hahn]

Because when it's game time, fellas.

[Rosenberg]

It'S tell the night.

[Alan Hahn]

I like when he holds it.

[Don Hahn]

Mets start their series of the regular season in Miami with the Marlins. That coverage immediately follows us on 880 at 6:30. Yankees and the O's start a series at 7. O5 Devils, Islanders, preseason hockey action at UBS at 7. Tullamore due the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish Whiskey. Be sure to grab a Telemore do or try the new Telemore honey. During today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. Now. I was on the other side because I don't know what it's like to dominate on the baseball side. But I do know from being a Giant fan growing up, a lot better than the jets, more championships than the Jets. Also, I still rooted against the jets even though they were the little brother. I never said, well, I don't pay any attention to the Jets. I.

[Alan Hahn]

But they don't play each other. Yeah, yeah. I don't understand that.

[Don Hahn]

Why does it matter? Because I don't. Because I don't want. I want to own the town. I want all the attention to be on me. I want my team to be better than the other team. Well, and when my team team stinks and their team's great, that bothers me because not only is my team not good, there's another team in town that's getting more attention and. And winning. So that. That Bob, maybe that. Maybe that's reveal something in my soul.

[Alan Hahn]

Clearly.

[Don Hahn]

I just. And then Jet fans that I would go to school with would say, oh well, my team's better than your team. Your team. I don't want to. I didn't want to deal with that.

[Alan Hahn]

Don, we did a very good job making sure you didn't have to do that.

[Don Hahn]

A lot.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay. Right. So you're welcome. I will. I will give you the. More, like, the other part of it for me, like, when you think about the big brother, little brother thing and all that one of my teams growing up was the Islanders, and I went through one of the greatest. I mean, I. Peter, you. You can't even fathom what five consecutive years going to the finals feels like. It's like you get to a point where it's expected. It's a. Such a. It's an amazing high. As a fan, like, in the midst of that, the second cup, you're like, oh, third. Third's in the. In the bag. Like, you knew they were winning the third. The fourth even was like, yeah, probably getting it.

[Rosenberg]

It's an insane thing that you went through.

[Alan Hahn]

Unbelievable. And in a wheelhouse. For me, the age to be a fan, I was from 9 years old to 12 years, like, couldn't be better. An incredible run. So throughout that whole time, you would think, right, own the town, own everything, the best team. Nope. There was always this feeling that it was still not as great as whatever there. And the Rangers had good teams then. Not great, but they were good. But it never felt enough. It never felt like they still got all the attention, they still got more coverage. Everything they did was still considered bigger.

[Rosenberg]

And.

[Alan Hahn]

And now when you look back, that dynasty's never given any credit in the history of the sport. They show you everybody else but them. Every time there's a montage of Stanley cup championships or history of the sport, you rarely see the Islander crest. And it really does still bother me to this day, because that was one of my teams growing up, but that's a reality. So you're always comparing yourself to them. And so I felt that. And so when the Rangers had any success, it would bother me. Wins against them felt ten times better than even beating the Oilers, who were the best team in the league at that time. So that's the feeling from the other side. That's what it felt like. But the difference is the Rangers fans had to live through the fact that the little brother was kicking everybody's ass for five years, and there was nothing they could say or do about it. But since then, everything went back into place, and it's never been the same since. But that's what I mean, Don. Like, I think, and I'm not trying to say this as a way to belittle or to patronize or pat you on the head, but I still think there's that sense from the MET side of no matter what we do, it's still never going to live up to whatever the Yankees are because the Yankees are a behemoth when it comes to a brand that you can't overcome. That's how I felt from the Islander side growing up.

[Don Hahn]

But person of a certain age can remember the 80s when the Mets did overtake it for a minute. Did outdraw the Yankees and were the more important team. Right. That's that. That Obviously anybody under 40 can't even conceive that. And I'm not even saying it's going to happen again. But there was a time. That's why I think of the. Of the other teams in the market the one that's closest to the big boy. I think the Mets are closer to the Mets are closer to the Yankees than I think anybody else. Jets to the Giants and then everybody else. It's blatantly obvious.

[Alan Hahn]

You mean fan base split just from.

[Don Hahn]

A fan base split.

[Alan Hahn]

Completely agree.

[Don Hahn]

So and it's still. There's still a fair distance between the two. But there was. There was never a moment where the. It was reversed the way it was in the mid-80s where it did. And those Yankee teams are pretty good.

[Alan Hahn]

Well the town tipped in the early 70s because that's when the Yankees really fell off. Right?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. And they thought were going to the world one in 60.

[Alan Hahn]

And it was a different culture at the time. And the Mets were more that counterculture kind of.

[Don Hahn]

And also the Mets had a head start start because they also had two fan bases become one in the Dodgers and the Giants National League fans. So that gave them a bit of a head start as opposed to all the other expansion teams or merger teams that came after that. All right, busy phones. Let's go to Anthony in the Bronx. You're on espn. What's up Anthony?

[Caller 1]

What's up fellas?

[Caller 2]

Listen, I agree with Alan as a Yankee fan even when we lost and I said this to you before don't. You can't tell fans how to feel because you feel one way. That doesn't mean a fans and I told you this before being a guy that was used seven championships. And when we lost Soto I wasn't mad because I said life moved on and we did move on and we got a good young team now. We got three or four young pitchers that's pitching well. We got Smith coming back next year. We got Jazz who can be a better player if he plays the game more with his head instead of his emotions. He's got a chance to be a Sandy Alomar type player. I mean, the Yankees are looking good right now, so I don't think about the Mets. And this is real talk, gentlemen. When we beat the Mets during the season, I don't go bragging about we beat the Mets, right? I'm upset when the Mets beat us because the Mets fans start bragging. But when we beat the Mets, I don't go bragging, Don, about, oh, yeah, we beat the Mets because we. On a different level. We won 27 championships with the Mets. Won two championships.

[Don Hahn]

But that doesn't. That. That shouldn't matter in a given moment, right? I mean, going into this season, they were kind of on the same. That's why the Met season is so disappointing. But, you know, the fact that you won 27 championships shouldn't be relevant to the 2025 season, but it's relevant to.

[Alan Hahn]

The context of your emotion, to who. What the Mets are. To you, it's very relevant. I completely agree with Anthony. That's. That's. That's literally how it feels.

[Don Hahn]

All right, well, I can't tell you how to feel. You're absolutely right. But, like, so if The Yankees lost 100 games, that's okay. We've got 27 championships.

[Alan Hahn]

No, again, that's. It's. It's the Yankees losing 100 games is more about how I feel about the Yankees right now. It has nothing to do with the Mets ever. Never ever. Now, by the way, Yankees lost 100 in. The Mets won a hundred. I wouldn't be saying, oh, no, the Mets won 100. I'd be saying, what the hell's wrong.

[Rosenberg]

With the Yankees now, this could change, Don. Overnight, Yankees get. The Yankees get bounced by the Red Sox, the Mets go on a miracle run and win the World Series. I think it's very. There's a lot of potential for this to change a lot.

[Don Hahn]

I think Soto. Because I think even the people that are saying, I never cared, they'll still say, well, but when Soto went to the Mets and the Met fans started chirping, I think that was the beginning of it.

[Rosenberg]

That could be. But now they have to. Now something has to happen.

[Don Hahn]

And I'm not saying, of course you should be more concerned about what's going on with the Yankees than worried about the Mets. But at the same time, I think you could also be like, boy, it probably would help me feel a little bit better if the Mets didn't win the World Series. Let them suffer as much as we did. Misery loves company, right?

[Alan Hahn]

That. That is an interesting point, is if it got to that where would I be in a World Series? Yeah, that, that I don't know because, you know, the last time I had to think about that was what, 2015.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. And it just, and that's funny about the Met season is, is that we kind of. However you felt about. Listen, if you're going to just throw the 27 championships, then you're going to win every argument because there's no way that anybody's going to be able to catch up to that. All right. But you want to live in the now, too, right? Like so. So because you won 27 championships, then you'll never be disappointed in anything because you got the 27 championships full pack on bull. You just said if they, if they don't win this year, you're going to be red hot. You're going to be ticked off. It's been a while since they won. So I just. Going into this season, it felt like they were, they were on an even.

[Alan Hahn]

Plane, that it could have turned into something.

[Don Hahn]

It was even.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Because I believe, you know, you could say, well, the Yankees went to the World Series and the Mets went to the league championship series. You can make a very serious case. The Mets were better than the Yankees last year. They were in a better league. They both lost the same team. And then they get one of the best players on the Yankees on their team. And now we're sitting here, not even click the playoff birth yet. The Yankees might win the division. So I'm red hot about that. That make that so?

[Rosenberg]

They're not.

[Don Hahn]

But they're going in. Forget about 27 championships to 2. Forget about all the hall of Famers going into the season. They were even.

[Alan Hahn]

Are they even now?

[Don Hahn]

Not. Well, no. And I, and I don't think the Mets are going to go on any kind of a run, but I guess it's still fluid. Right.

[Alan Hahn]

So it's got to be, it's got to be chapping you right now that because of the Yankees turning it around a bit to finish the season that you're going to have to endure another October of, you know, Yankee talk.

[Don Hahn]

Well, but I'll do it because it's my job.

[Alan Hahn]

I know you'll do it. No, and you'll do it as well as anybody. But I'm saying the Met fan in you is a little chapped.

[Don Hahn]

Right. But you're right. More. More so chapped at them because again, Yankees are not a very hateable team. I think just ask their fans.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, no.

[Don Hahn]

But the fans hate them. That's irritating, too, because you just Talked about the consistency that the Yankees have had over everybody in the market, but their fans probably complain more than any other fan. Yeah, that's what bothers me.

[Alan Hahn]

In the last nine years and no other New York teams had more than.

[Don Hahn]

Five because I, Because I just. Because it just drives me. Like I said earlier in the show, it just drives me crazy that all these Yankee fans are chapped that I'm even saying that Raleigh's got a chance to win the mvp and they're all. And they think it's, you know, the judge should win it. And those same fans are going to use that against judge. If he bats 200 and they don't go, they don't win the World Series. So are they rooting for him to win the MVP so they've got more ammunition against him if he doesn't win the championship? No, it just, it's crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

But.

[Don Hahn]

But it makes the whole thing fun, that's for sure.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Let's go to Big Jim and boot. And you're on ESPN New York. What's up, Jim?

[Caller 2]

Hey, Don. That's Big Jim Slade.

[Don Hahn]

That was from. From Kentucky Fried movie linebacker, Kansas City Chiefs.

[Caller 2]

Big Jim Slade. I'm actually, I, I want to defend some of the Yankee fans about the MVP thing. I don't care if he wins or not because I want. I want him to win the ALCS mvp. I want him to win the World Series mvp. If he doesn't do those things, I mean, when you look at the end of his career, if he gets two MVPs instead of four, we all know he's the best player. And like our man Fife once said, I never let a statue tell me how nice I am.

[Alan Hahn]

There you go.

[Caller 2]

Like, like we, we. I think while he's going to win it this year and you know what? 60 home runs, switch hitting catcher, taking care of that staff, which everybody has said they're a little scared of, give it to him. That's great. I mean, I didn't complain when Jordan didn't win. I didn't complain when Shaq didn't win. Nobody was raising a heck last year when Lamar had better stats than he's ever had and he lost to Josh Allen. It's just sometimes it's not your turn.

[Don Hahn]

I. That does. The argument that I got into with Jeff passing yesterday is that nobody can argue who the better player is. Judge the better player. But sometimes there's a season that comes along that's just so out of the blue. That's so crazy. That's never been done before a catcher hitting 60 home runs that. I don't think you can get that mad. No, if he wins it.

[Alan Hahn]

But I don't think there's a wrong answer to.

[Don Hahn]

There's a lot of people that do because they'll show the war. And he leads in 10 different categories over Raleigh. I get all that.

[Alan Hahn]

It's not egregious, though. Like, it wouldn't.

[Don Hahn]

I don't think it is.

[Alan Hahn]

It wouldn't. But I also. I also disagree with the idea of I don't care if he doesn't mvp. I'd rather him. No, you know what I'd rather? I'd rather win MVP than win ALCS MVP and World Series mvp. I'd rather him do all of that because he's that good. He could do all that. So I don't want to say I don't care if he wins this because I'd rather him do this. No, I want to do it all because that's how good he is now. So you can't say I don't care. But I also can say that if it is Cal Raleigh, it is not egregious. It's not outrageous. It's not anything. It's just. Okay, that's a dis. That's a decision you could see them coming to with a vote and you could say, that makes sense. That can make sense. Just like Judge winning can make sense. This is a rare year where either way it goes, you can make a fair argument that it's the right decision.

[Rosenberg]

Now, Don, I know you've been waiting for this all day long. I'm here to hit you with your leaderboard update. Anheuser Busch Inc. It's time now for the leaderboard update brought to you by Michelob Ultra. The day got started at Bethpage Black on Long island with all sorts of excitement, hubbub and security as the President walks out. Team USA to the first tee. And then Team USA was soundly squashed over the next several hours. Europe getting a 31 lead in the morning sessions. They are currently in the middle of their afternoon four ball games, but three one early the Team Europe getting the wins. Four, three, five and three five and four. And then cantlay and schauffle. Or as I like to say.

[Don Hahn]

One.

[Rosenberg]

Two up in their match with McIntyre and Hovland. But not a good start for Team USA in the morning in spite of the fact that DiPietro and Rothenberg were there, which is upsetting. But of course, the USA now looking to bounce back in four ball that's your leaderboard update presented by Michelob Ultra. No matter what you're playing for, make it superior with Michelob Ultra. 2.6 carbs, 95 calories, a superior taste worth playing for. Official beer sponsor of the Ryder Cup. You watching now, Don? You got it locked in?

[Don Hahn]

No. All right, Lewis, in the truck here on ESPN. New York.

[Caller 2]

Hey. Oh, don't do New York City. 30.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, actually, that was amazing.

[Rosenberg]

That was very good.

[Don Hahn]

That was really good.

[Caller 2]

Thank you, thank you. But I've lived in the city like all my life. I've never met anyone that sounded like that. So I was just wondering where they got the actual. Maybe we sound like that to other, other people, other states.

[Rosenberg]

No, that's.

[Caller 2]

That.

[Rosenberg]

But that's. But that's nems. That's a real person. That's how.

[Caller 2]

Yeah, it's just, it's just weird to me. But I really called. I wanted to say that for a long time I never got a chance to call him, but I really called because like I was telling the producer, my grandfather was a Yankee fan and my great grandmother was a Mets fan. And when I was coming up, the Mets and Yankees, they've even played against each other. So it was never considered to me to be a rivalry. And then I realized that I never really hated Mets, the Mets team. When I was young. My hatred for the Mets came in when I started listening to the radio shows and hearing Mets fans talking crap about Yankee fans. That's where it came from. It had nothing to do with the team play or whether we beat them or they beat us. It was just hearing Mets fans talking crap about us. And I'm like, damn, where did this even come from? My grandmother, my grand, My great grandmother, my grandfather never argued with each other about being Mets and Yankee fans. But it was weird to me to just see Mets hating Yankee fans, Yankee fans hating Mets fans. They didn't make any sense to me. Like, it still really doesn't.

[Don Hahn]

I, I think a lot of the quote unquote hate or dislike for teams more times than not comes from the fan base than the team itself. If there's the built in rival of being in the same division or rivalries of great epic games or series, most of it just comes from just wanting to shut their fans up and, and listen the Cowboys, I think, I can't speak for Peter, but a lot of my hatred of the Cowboys came from that they won all the time and that they're in our division. But a lot of it just came from how many fans they have and how much they chirp and how much they talk. That's really what kept it going for me at least. I can't speak for Peter, but it was probably more of the fans than anything else.

[Alan Hahn]

Absolutely is my opinion. That's how it was growing up.

[Don Hahn]

How can you hate teams based on players anymore? They're constantly changing uniforms change. There are some buildings change.

[Alan Hahn]

There are some. There are some teams.

[Don Hahn]

Absolutely.

[Alan Hahn]

And you know, there's certain people. Players that you just latch onto as. I hate that dude. You know, like, it's just the way it is. You know, the Knicks have a couple. Obviously Halliburton. Obviously Trey Young. Like those guys. They'll never be player. Like, they'll never be received. Well, that's villains. You love villains, though. It makes it more fun. Their fans play that stuff up. Baseball. There was a time again that Red Sox team, you know that. That bunch of idiots team, you know, as a Yankee fan, you hated them, man. Like, you just couldn't stand them. But you also respected them, but you couldn't stand them. That. That's. That's a real thing. But he in town, it's a lot harder because I guess we know them more. Right. So unless there is a player on the other team that is notorious and you hate them. But I. You don't play them.

[Don Hahn]

Soto can change the narrative because I can understand a Yankee fan hating him.

[Alan Hahn]

If he was a bad guy. But he's not a bad guy.

[Don Hahn]

Really. How many. Let me ask you this. How many. How many people hate a player because he's a bad guy?

[Rosenberg]

It adds to it.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

But the basis of it is what he's done to your team, Right? Well, Halliburton never done it did a thing to your team. You would have no feeling for him whatsoever.

[Alan Hahn]

You hate Chipper Jones.

[Don Hahn]

I never. I never really. You know the thing with the Mets? I had too many rivals. I hated the Cardinals. I hated the Cubs. Then I hated the Braves. Then I hated the Phillies. I never really. Chipper Jones killed the Mets. So I didn't like him because he killed the Met. I never hated the guy. I honestly never did.

[Alan Hahn]

Because he wasn't a bad guy.

[Rosenberg]

That's the thing. Everyone liked Chipper Jones. Same thing with Papi. No one in the end hated him.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Including the Yankees, which should have drove you crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Meanwhile, the way. The way you go ask a red Pedro and what they thought about a rod.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. But I could hate Pedro because he tossed on.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. You could have plenty of Pedro. For sure.

[Alan Hahn]

It was. Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Bit of a nas, but, you know.

[Alan Hahn]

Shilling and the, and the ketchup sock. Totally hate him. Right? It's easy.

[Don Hahn]

Well, especially if you think it was a ketchup shot. Sock.

[Alan Hahn]

No, I'm always gonna.

[Don Hahn]

And I love you for that.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, it's an internal injury. How are you bleeding.

[Don Hahn]

And how are you not bunting?

[Alan Hahn]

It's just.

[Rosenberg]

Well, that's interesting.

[Alan Hahn]

This is again why Yankee fans hate their own team.

[Don Hahn]

Well, maybe the Yankees are like, why bunt on them? I don't think anything's wrong.

[Rosenberg]

I think that's catchy.

[Alan Hahn]

It's fine.

[Don Hahn]

So let's just, let's just, let's just hit him.

[Rosenberg]

This is an ad by BetterHelp. We all turn to some funny places for support, but not everyone is a therapist. Not everyone is the one. Find your right match with BetterHelp. BetterHelp does the initial matching work for you so you can focus on your therapy goals. A short questionnaire helps identify your needs and preferences and their 10 plus years of experience and industry leading match fulfillment rate means they typically get it right the first time. If you aren't happy with your match, switch to a different therapist at any time. From their tailored race, you can join a session with a therapist at the click of a button, helping you fit therapy into your busy life. Plus switch therapists at any time. As the largest online therapy provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of Expertise. Find the one with BetterHelp. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com timeout. That's betterhelp.com timeout.

[Podcast Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Host]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Did you or someone you know participate in fraudulent fan behavior?

[Don Hahn]

I'm a fraud with a capital F.

[Podcast Host]

Is your friend a fraud?

[Rosenberg]

I have been a complete and utter fraud.

[Podcast Host]

Are you a fraud?

[Don Hahn]

What is fraud?

[Podcast Host]

Let's ask Don McGregor.

[Alan Hahn]

Screw.

[Rosenberg]

Go scratch yourself. Fraud Alert Friday. Oh, what feels better than Fraud Alert Friday? The only thing that feels better is when you've got three points in the bag already from finally hitting a Thursday night game. Thanks to the old thanks to the old Seahawks. But we are here on Fraud Alert Friday. If you want to participate, you can do so. Do it dhrespnmail.com and you can send us your fraud questions. A lot of questions these days about jersey purchases, guys. And really, I Have another one.

[Don Hahn]

Let's hear.

[Rosenberg]

Dear Don and fellow Court. I'm a lifelong Celtics fan living in Connecticut, so I have many friends who are Knicks fans. After the C's lost to the Knickerbockers in the playoffs this year, I went online and immediately bought a TJ McConnell jersey so I could wear it to poke to poker while they watch the Pacers knock them out. More than one accused me of fraudulent behavior from a Celtics fan. But I had to explain that the rivalry makes it justified. I look forward to your ruling. Donald McAndrew. Maybe a fake name.

[Alan Hahn]

That's okay, I gotta hear this.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. No, there's no fraud there. I enjoyed what he did because it was with perhaps and it was to. It was to troll. So it had really nothing to do with wearing the other team's jersey. He was trolling.

[Rosenberg]

And the Celtics Pacers rivalry is dead.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. No, no, it died a long time ago.

[Rosenberg]

That was Celtics Pacers in the early 90s was there was something there. But the Reggie Larry Bird era. But that is long time ago. Chuck. Chuck the Rifleman person is not walking through that door.

[Alan Hahn]

Chuck the Rifleman.

[Don Hahn]

That's a nice drop, Peter.

[Alan Hahn]

That is a good one. That's a good pull. I find this to be just petty.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, I love it.

[Alan Hahn]

This is, this is. This is. This is Richard Petty. This is the king of all petties.

[Rosenberg]

Maybe.

[Alan Hahn]

Very good, very good.

[Don Hahn]

Tom Petty.

[Alan Hahn]

Tom Petty. You're so bad.

[Rosenberg]

Kyle Petty, Tom Petty, Richard Petty, all the petties.

[Alan Hahn]

I like it.

[Rosenberg]

I personally couldn't wear a TJ McConnell jersey. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. But listen, God bless. Hi Don. I'll start off by saying I'm just a casual football fan. My true sports passions are the Yankees and Knicks. That said, everyone makes mistakes in high school. And mine was falling for the Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez jets. Back in 2009, I was all in the gritty run game. The elite defense. It spoke to me. After back to back AFC championship appearances, I thought I'd found my team. Turns out I was just being bamboozled. Buy a franchise I had no idea would bring me so much pain.

[Alan Hahn]

Bamboozled.

[Rosenberg]

After the 2024 jets season, I finally tapped out. I've decided to follow my parents team, the Raiders. Well done. Growing up, I was always surrounded by Raiders gear. And the logo has this nostalgic feel for me. Watching them now brings me peace. Even when they lose, I feel pride because at least I'm not stuck with the embarrassment the jets bring. Plus it feels good to Root for the same team as my parents. So, Don, here's my question for Fraud Alert Friday. We all make mistakes in high school. Am I a fraud for jumping ship from the jets to the Raiders?

[Don Hahn]

Well, no offense, but it's kind of the definition of a fraud, isn't it? Root for a team, quit on the team, go jump on another bandwagon.

[Alan Hahn]

Now, not just a bandwagon, historically. Raiders, Jets. It's a hatred.

[Don Hahn]

I don't think. I don't think that individual knows the history.

[Alan Hahn]

I get it, but.

[Don Hahn]

Well, I don't know if any of.

[Rosenberg]

The living humans know that history.

[Alan Hahn]

Can I just.

[Don Hahn]

Heidi Bol. Is something he thinks a doll, like, poops in.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, there's nothing there, so I don't.

[Don Hahn]

Think there's anything to the history there, but. No, it's the definition of fraud. I'm sorry. I wish I could be a little bit more creative now. He didn't exactly pivot to a great team.

[Alan Hahn]

Two playoff appearances in the last 20 years, so, yeah, you feel a lot better about life than as a Jet fan.

[Don Hahn]

I almost don't trust casual football fans. Either you're in or you're out, right? It's hard to find.

[Rosenberg]

It is weird, right?

[Don Hahn]

But, no, he's the definition of a fraud. And I'm embarrassed to even ask.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, have they been through more coaches than jets have been in the last 10 years?

[Rosenberg]

Well, that would have been the one. The only thing. The only thing that could have saved him not catching the fraud from Don is that he jumped to such a horrible, horrible team.

[Don Hahn]

Right. I was just saying they. They've moved in the last 30 years more than some teams have changed coaches.

[Alan Hahn]

Unreal.

[Rosenberg]

That would be the only. The only thing.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, so that's. That's. Yeah. Definition of fraud. Okay.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, this is interesting.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, no, no, no.

[Rosenberg]

Someone just sent us a cool template for when we have a guest. I'm gonna. Anthony, go ahead and check that out in the DHR ESPN thing.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Rosenberg]

All right, let me go to. Hey, guys. Been a Jets fan since I was old enough to enjoy football at age 10. Unfortunately, I haven't had many great memories as a fan and haven't seen a playoff game. So when the playoffs rolled around, I always turned to one player growing up to get my football joy. It was Aaron Rodgers. Never seen anyone play quarterback like him. Tom and I have said the same, and I love everything about him, strictly on the field. I would root for him every time he wasn't playing the jets or somehow playing a game where I needed him to lose. To help the jets. Example, to help our draft pick. Fast forward through the Rodgers fiasco here in New York and all my strong emotions around it, and I have no ill will toward him. In fact, I still have the same routing arrangement as as much before. Once the jets are officially eliminated, I intend to root for him to win one last super bowl to remind people how good he really is. Am I a fraud for continuing to support my favorite player, even if doing so will make the jets franchise seem like an even more of a laughingstock than they already are?

[Don Hahn]

This is.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, this is nuanced.

[Don Hahn]

This is interesting. This is very nuanced. I appreciate this one, Peter. This is a good one. Because I normally never understood the passion for following another individual player, but at the same time, I get it. Because the jets have given him no joy. You almost have to do something right, to entertain yourself in the postseason. His entire lifetime, he's never seen them do anything, and you start following. And I give him credit because he never became a Packer fan and even now, not a Steeler fan. It's just from a distance, I'm sure he rooted against Aaron Rodgers on opening day. I hope. I'm gonna say no, fraud.

[Rosenberg]

All right.

[Don Hahn]

I'm gonna say, no, fraud, honestly, because what else are you supposed to do? We all went. We've all been through that, Alan. Right. Like our teams aren't good, so we kind of adopt another team in the.

[Alan Hahn]

Post marriage of our interest. It's a loveless marriage, but you don't want to leave it. So you.

[Rosenberg]

You step aside.

[Alan Hahn]

Fall in love with.

[Rosenberg]

But sometimes the thing is you love your wife. You do, but you haven't been together in years. It's more of an arrangement than a marriage at this point. And then there's just some beautiful, hot, incredible, special specimen, just got off the first flight from San Juan, and you see her this weekend in January, and you go, oh, my God. And then she looks you in the eye and goes, I want you. I want you bad. And. And when you. And when your lips touch, you think.

[Alan Hahn]

That was Aaron Rodgers.

[Rosenberg]

It's. It's like something that's. You've never felt before. No, Al, it was Aaron Rodgers, like, 10 years ago. The problem with his whole thing is I think Aaron Rodgers is now a second loveless marriage. Now. Now the woman he's cheating on his wife with is another woman he hasn't slept with in years. They could barely stand each other, too. He's got two families, both are completely miserable.

[Don Hahn]

Miserable times, too.

[Rosenberg]

Can I offer you something. Sir, since you are into I would. I think you should start pulling for the commanders. Come to a new you get nothing from either of these women.

[Don Hahn]

Well. And the only thing that could be looked upon as possibly fraudulent. And I'll go to our resident Jet fan Alan Hahn for this one. Is should he feel away about the way it went down with Rodgers and I can again. I don't have a dog in the fight. But Allen, I can see a Jet fan not hating Aaron Rodgers. I mean, did he do anything? He got hurt, right?

[Rosenberg]

He wasn't that bad.

[Don Hahn]

He got hurt.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't.

[Rosenberg]

I mean, he was a pain in the ace, but it wasn't crazy.

[Don Hahn]

I don't think you should. I can understand you not hating Aaron Rodgers post Jets.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't hate Aaron Rodgers.

[Don Hahn]

Okay, so it's not that crazy a thought then.

[Alan Hahn]

No, I don't. Whatever happened, I'd still say the Achilles changed whatever the story was supposed to.

[Rosenberg]

Besides that, he wasn't that, I got no major issue.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, there's anything after that. You can't hold him accountable. No, you can't hold the franchise accountable.

[Rosenberg]

You just hate. It's. You blame the luck and aura of the franchise, but that's it.

[Alan Hahn]

That aura is the perfect word. That was the Jetsiest moment in jets history.

[Rosenberg]

Number one with a bullet.

[Don Hahn]

I like that one. There's a lot of nuance, but I'm going to say no for it.

[Rosenberg]

All right, let's hit one more.

[Alan Hahn]

I like it.

[Rosenberg]

All right. Big fan of the show and longtime listener. I am asking the honorable Donald Marco Lagreca whether or not I'm a sports fraud. Not whether or not I'm a sports fraud, but if I can get a time served sentence. This is interesting. I'm 29 years old and I've been living in Arizona for nine years. It's hot as hell and the people are truly insane. Prior to that, I grew up in the Hackensack area. I love the Giants. My grandfather was a massive Giants fan, as are all of my cousins and aunts and uncles. Super Bowls 42 and 46 were major parts of my life. When the Giants won Super Bowl 46, I immediately went to Modell's to get championship gear, as did a good portion of my high school. That was my sophomore year of high school and I was on cloud nine. This is very interesting so far. I wonder where this is going. But like most high school loves, it didn't last. The Giants have been an absolute dumpster fire every year for practically a decade. Chocolate, soft Serve your pants. At first I was sticking by them, but eventually I couldn't put the clown makeup on anymore. They're just playing bad football and the culture of the team is gone. So I've given up on them. And I love it. Right. Right now, I'm essentially a ronin with no master. I keep up with the Cardinals since I'm in Phoenix, but I can't say I'm enamored. I know I gave up my old team and that I very well can could fall in love with another team. My sister did that marrying a Green Bay native, and she's happy, too. Of course I'm a fraud. The encyclopedia would have a picture of me next to the word. But I feel better being a fraud than I did the past decade rooting for a miserable team with no clear direction. I'm about to go to Munich for Oktoberfest in a week, and I love that. I don't care how the Giants will be doing on that Sunday. Instead, I'm going to have a good time drinking beer, eating pretzels, and looking like a hobbit in lederhosen. So, your honor, I plead guilty, but I asked for a time served sentence because the past decade was absolute garbage. And I think I faced my punishment. Thank you. And also, Allen, you've been a really bad guy all week. Best Ryan.

[Don Hahn]

All right, you ready?

[Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Don Hahn]

I'm going to say no. Fraud.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

Now, with a caveat, if all of a sudden he comes back, Jackson Dart starts lighting it up. Fraud. If he starts rooting for the Cardinals, Fraud. If he picks up another team. Fraud. But you got to allow it out. Allen. If a guy wants to tap out, that's his life, man. If he's done, he's done. Show me something and be done. If we fast forward 30 years from now and he still says, I'm out on football, I'm still done with the Giants, never picked up another team, then congratulations, man, you did it.

[Alan Hahn]

You got out.

[Don Hahn]

But.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

So as of right now, if he sticks to it, he's no fraud. But if he comes back, picks another team, he's a fraud.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay. So, yeah, that, that's the stipulation, is you're allowed out, but if you come back, that's what makes you a fraud. So he right now, technically isn't a fraud. Okay. Yeah. That I could buy. By the way, he's fantastic writer. That was an email you were reading.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. Beautiful, beautifully written email.

[Alan Hahn]

Fantastic, right?

[Rosenberg]

Beautifully written email. Now that's going to do it for fraud Friday on this Friday.

[Alan Hahn]

Well done. Really enjoyed that. And every week really good.

[Rosenberg]

Thank you. And I also want to tell you something from our friends at Better Help because. Better Help, you know, it's interesting because a lot of people, they're turning all over the place. All right? They're looking for someone to be a therapist. But not everyone's the one. You got to find your right match when it comes to therapy. Alright, how about this? Betterhelp, you get a short questionnaire that helps you identify your needs and preferences. And then their 10 plus years of experience and industry leading match fulfillment rate means they typically get it right the first time. If you're not happy with your match, you can switch to a different therapist at any time from their Teller recommendations. Alright? It's online. You can pause at any time. You can switch therapists at any time with no additional cost. And they have over 30,000 therapists. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform. They've served over 5 million people globally. Convenient too. You can join a session with a therapist at the click of a button helping fit therapy into your busy life. Alright. Plus they have an unbelievable rating online. Okay. Diverse variety of expertise in the therapist. So much there for you. All right, go find the one with BetterHelp. Our listeners get 10% off their first [e-mail] timeout. That's betterhelp.com timeout.

[Podcast Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Host]

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

[Don Hahn]

Saturday, October 4th at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The New York Red Bulls take on FC Cincinnati with kickoff set for 70:30pm Start your match day early on the Boulevard at 4:30pm Enjoy pre game activities and of course giveaways and live performances. Then at 5:45 catch the Red Bulls on the red carpet. Gates open at 6pm where the first 10,000 fans get a reversible Red Bulls bucket hat for your chance to win a family four pack. Enter through the ESPN New York app. Just click on the contest tile, submit your entry, bring the crew and secure your [e-mail] Plan ahead and travel smart. The Harrison Path station is closed on Saturday, October 4th. Free shuttles will be running from Journal Square to the stadium. Alright, let's get back to some calls. We got a big 5 o' clock hour. Our picks at 5:45 ENN at 6 and then we'll hand it off to Metz and Marlins at the Bottom of the hour. Let's go to Sean in Maryland. You're on espn, New York. What's up, Sean?

[Caller 1]

Hey, guys. How you doing?

[Don Hahn]

Good.

[Caller 1]

Hey, Sean, can you hear me?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, sure.

[Alan Hahn]

We got you.

[Don Hahn]

I apologize.

[Caller 1]

Okay, so I. I want to thank Jacob for such an entertaining call, even though he's part of the Irrelevant fan base, which is the Mets. And I'm glad Soto went to the Mets because now he can be Mr. Irrelevant, too. He didn't want to be on a good team. He's all about himself. So, yeah, don't get me wrong, when he was a Yankee, I thought he, you know, he played pretty well. The attitude and not being able to share the spotlight.

[Don Hahn]

So you hate that.

[Caller 1]

And it's going to be judges team. I give a Rod a lot of credit because when he came to the Yankees, he realized it was Derek's team and he moved over to third base. Soto didn't realize that this is Judge's team and he doesn't want to be a winner. So as a result, he can go across the bridge and be Mr.

[Caller 2]

Irrelevant.

[Don Hahn]

So you hate the Mets. Thank you, Sean, for the phone call and confirming everything that I've said for the last hour and a half.

[Rosenberg]

Except. Except having the ability to have a conversation back.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, well, because, you know, when you know you're wrong, you hang up. And he, he went for the money. People, please stop it. It's. It was confirmed. So he wasn't scared to Judge. He just. He just wanted to get paid more. That's it. And maybe the Yankees ended up being smart about it. We'll see. Year one, it looks like the Yankees pivoted very well. We'll ultimately see.

[Alan Hahn]

I actually think year two will make it look even better. I think year one, you didn't get a full. A full feeling of it. I think year two, you will. I think next year is a bigger year for the Yankees.

[Don Hahn]

But, but, but you know what? Year two, year three, year four, year five, I mean, it's very fluid. Because right now, listen, Freed, that contract is not going to age well.

[Alan Hahn]

So I don't care. I hope it's well. But that's, But I think they will.

[Don Hahn]

All right, well, if they win, just like CC Sabathia, CECE contract didn't age well either.

[Alan Hahn]

Didn't matter.

[Don Hahn]

You got the 09 championship, so it didn't matter.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

If you win this year, next year, whatever. But you know, if you're in year five or six of that deal, haven't won yet, and you're paying that contract and he's. And now he's, you know, 37, 38 years old. I also say it look bad, like. But my point is it's very fluid, Alan. It's going to look good, it's going to look bad and we'll see.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, no, I know, but I can't imagine the Soto contract is going to age well either. But.

[Don Hahn]

Right. And the same thing. If they win, it won't matter.

[Alan Hahn]

In defense of CC Sabathia, like it wasn't as if he was an albatross. He also still provided desperately needed leadership.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, absolutely.

[Alan Hahn]

Like he still was a valuable. Even though. Yes. Was he the same guy he was in 09? No. But was he still a valuable piece of the franchise in that clubhouse? Absolutely.

[Don Hahn]

But he was, but he was overpaid and the Yankees were at that time.

[Rosenberg]

Let me ask you a question across sports. How many non first contracts of great players age well? They don't.

[Don Hahn]

Well, they only age well depending on what they do early on. Right. So.

[Rosenberg]

Or if. No, if you win, then it covers.

[Alan Hahn]

Up, I think what Peter's asking and it's the right question because it's a reason why like in the NBA they don't allow this is any contract over five years. Give me the one that was a good contract.

[Rosenberg]

Unless it was their first. Unless it was their first deal.

[Alan Hahn]

After the rookie deal, the entire run of the contract beyond five years was what a great contract.

[Rosenberg]

That was it. It never happens. Don, you just said it with cc still wasn't a good deal, but they won a title. Stanton deal we know is going to age horribly, but he's been great for them. The Yankees deals, you sign with these guys when you, when you want.

[Don Hahn]

Right. Because. Because that's how it works. Like the Yankees would tell you that giving eight years to a 31 year old is not a good idea. But the idea was if we get a couple of championships early on, it's not going to matter. All right, so it'll age. So it doesn't matter if it age poorly. Same thing with Soto. Right. The Mets have two championships. So at the end of it we may look back and go, boy, it probably wasn't worth a 15 year contract, but if Mets get a couple of championships out of it, nobody's going to complain. So that's the answer to your question. None of them really technically age well because it's always some older player that's getting way overpaid and not contributing the way he should based on the contract. That's just the way it is. I Could tell you that max freed at 38 years old is not going to be the Max Freed that he is right now. Just that's how age works, right? You know that going in. But the hope is at the beginning of the deal you'll get something out of it. That's why I'm saying, Alan, like, you know, I don't think the Mets aren't winning this year, but they might win for the next five. I don't know, but it's going to be very up and down. Right now it looks like the Yankees pivot was perfect and the Mets are wondering, should we have done this? But they may feel completely opposite next year and then go back to feeling the way they did in the first year. In the third year, it just, it's going to be the ebbs and flows of what's. What should be a fun decade of baseball. Plus, let's go to. How about Tessa and Wes Caldwell? You're on ESPN New York. Hi, Tessa.

[Caller 3]

Hey guys. Thanks so much for taking my call. Of course I'm excited about the Yankees, nervous about Sunday's game. But you know, I'm gonna go there and just try to give my best. But I really had a fro question because you guys know I'm a maniac. I'm a thousand percent locked in as a fan. You know, just don't mess with my teams. Giants, Lakers, Yankees, Devils, just don't do that. So Fridays, if I go into the office, you know, it's casual Fridays and out of the football season is here. You, you know, you wear your jerseys or you wear whatever you want to represent your team. And whoever has the most representation, they get to take a picture. And on that Monday, win, lose or draw, you have to have that picture on your desktop like throughout the office. So. Okay, cool. So we have more Giants fans by one. We have more Giants fans than jets fans. And you got a couple of other things sprinkled in. So today I went, so now I go and I see this guy who, he's been wearing Raven stuff. So, you know, we talk a little bit. He says that like, you know, I was a casual fan, but then when I went to college in Maryland, I really became a die hard Ravens fan. Like I'm a Ravens fan. Ravens fan, Ravens fan. Okay, cool. He talks about it a lot. You know, he's excited, you know, devastated last year when they lost. Okay, cool. So when I walk in today, I see that he has a freaking Brian Burns jersey on and it's just like the Giants will be looking like, what is this guy doing? I'm like, what are you doing? Why do you have that jersey on? He was like, oh. Cause I'm tired of not, you know, having a picture on the desktop.

[Caller 2]

I want my pictures.

[Caller 3]

I'm like, listen, knock it off. You're not gonna do that with our team. You're not gonna do that with my team. Like, you're a fraud. What are you doing? I'm like, take that jersey off right now. I'm like, you look like a freaking bag of trash with fish guts in it. Stop it. So, you know, like, we all getting on him, and he, like, we keep getting out of control. You guys are crazy. It's just a game. Exactly why you need to take that jersey off. For you to fish and the game. Like, we live and die for this, and you're being disrespectful because you want to be in a picture. Take that jersey off. The long story shortly blacked out, but whatever. But I really feel like he's a fraud and he's fake for that. Like, what do you guys think? Like, that's disgusting to me. Like, you're terrible.

[Rosenberg]

Well, listen, you know how we feel over here that we don't accept fraudulence?

[Don Hahn]

I. I love that. It's like, I got my little police out there trying to keep anti fraud alive, you know?

[Rosenberg]

You guys remember that? From my childhood. The thing that irritated me so, so much is that in 1991, the Washington Post put out this bumper sticker. Remember when. All right, kids, gather round. Story time. There was a thing called newspapers, right? And then there was a thing called bumper stickers. Anyways, they sent out this bumper sticker that said Redskins bandwagon, and everyone put it on their car. And as a kid, I got so annoyed, I was like, who would want to say they're on a bandwagon? Why. Why would anyone say they're on a. Since that day, I have, even though I admit openly I'm a baseball fraud, I have no real acceptance for fraudulence. If you got us, you got to stick with your team, people.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it's a negative connotation.

[Rosenberg]

Maybe it was an inside joke that I didn't get because I was too young. I think it was a Kornheiser thing. So it may have been, like, there was some play on it, and I was 12.

[Alan Hahn]

Bandwagon now, that's what they always say, like, when a team is on the. On the rise, like, get on the bandwagon.

[Rosenberg]

By the way, the bandwagon thing does always happen. No matter what.

[Don Hahn]

But that's for the fringe and the non fan, the fridge. You know, it's, it's a, if it's a different vibe for those types of people. But you know what? They, if they had their quarter and they wanted to buy a newspaper, I'm sure they're all, all for them to jump in on that bandwagon.

[Podcast Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how the.

[Alan Hahn]

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

[Podcast Host]

Hear me more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.