Hour 2: Knicks & Fraud Alert Friday

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Knicks & Fraud Alert Friday

Date: February 20, 2026
Podcast Hour: 2
Main Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into New York Knicks talk amid a disappointing post-All-Star break performance, with fans and hosts questioning the team’s direction and resilience. Jalen Brunson’s contract comments stir debate on timing and leadership, while Stephen A. Smith’s dramatic declaration about the Knicks’ playoff chances gets dissected. The latter half is dominated by the lively “Fraud Alert Friday,” where listeners and the hosts debate what makes a “fraudulent” fan. The crew’s banter delivers classic New York sports commentary, laced with humor, storytelling, and sharp opinions.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Knicks Outlook, All-Star Hangover, and Trade Speculation

Towns & Giannis Trade Talk

• [02:41] Caller Darren vents about Karl-Anthony Towns being “soft,” pushing for his trade.
• Panel discusses the possibility and financial implications of moving Towns to get Giannis Antetokounmpo or another superstar ([03:23]–[04:44]).
• Peter Rosenberg: “There's going to be a lot of decisions for them to make when it comes to his future here and whether or not they want to invest in that.” ([03:30])
• Don La Greca explains salary cap ramifications and questions team commitment to Towns.
• Alan Hahn relays that Jalen Brunson, in a Vanity Fair profile, hinted he expects the Knicks to pay him back for his previous contract discount ([03:23]–[04:44]).

Brunson’s Comments – Timing & Impact

• [04:47]–[06:32] All three hosts question the timing and optics of Jalen Brunson quasi-publicly lobbying to recoup the value he sacrificed in his last deal.
• Michael Kay: “He came across as a hero for doing that...but some of that hero gets taken away. It comes across more as a loan than a charitable experience.” ([05:06])
• Hosts agree Brunson’s approach could create tension or affect the team’s public image.
• Don La Greca: “You get so much more credit by not saying it and allowing it to happen.” ([06:04])

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2. Knicks’ Identity & Fan Psyche Post-All-Star Break

All-Star ‘Hangover’? Dissecting the Loss

• [08:51]–[12:13] Caller Isaiah wonders if Knicks’ lackluster energy after the break is an “All-Star hangover.”
• Peter Rosenberg: “They still just cannot get themselves to the level of compete they have to be consistently...I don't want to overthink this.” ([10:10])
• Don La Greca jokes: “I live for prison rules.” ([12:05])
• Group prefers simple explanations — i.e., effort and matchup — over psychological or “celebrity fatigue” narratives.

Stephen A. Smith’s Knicks Eulogy

• [12:13]–[17:56] Stephen A. Smith’s viral Knicks rant (they’re “not going to no damn finals”) is played and dissected.
• Michael Kay contests the absolutism: “I can't talk in those types of absolutes on February 20th when there’s still 26 games left to be played.” ([17:48])
• Don La Greca: “It is completely reasonable to say no, absolutely not, this team ain’t going anywhere.” ([20:12])
• Peter Rosenberg: “Nobody believes in you. Nobody trusts you...the Knicks...need to know that. I actually think it's better to be in that place.” ([15:09]–[16:00])
• The debate centers on whether fans/analysts should be emotional and definitive (“hot take”) or nuanced and patient.

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3. Fan Identity, Hypocrisy, and “Fraud Alert Friday”

Fraud Alert Friday Segment

• Starts at [22:08], hosted by Don La Greca as “Judge LeGreca,” joined by Hahn and Rosenberg, who playfully try callers and listeners for fan “fraudulence.”
• Hilarity and sharp mockery run throughout the segment.

Notable Cases & Verdicts

• Yankees Fandom Fluctuations ([26:24]–[28:53])
  • Listener confesses to liking Yankees only during their successful years.
  • Michael Kay (merciless): “Are you a fraud? Yes. Let's go, let's go...Lieutenant Fraud!...Thank you for your service, but your fraud. Goodbye.”
  • Peter Rosenberg: “I fell in love with my wife when she weighed 140. At 2:40, I tapped out... Am I a fraud?”
• Switching NFL Teams at Age 10 ([29:09]–[30:33])
  • A Giants fan who switched to the 49ers as a kid:
  • Rosenberg: “Misdemeanor.”
  • Kay: “You did it because the Giants stunk and you changed teams. You're a fraud now, but not a deep blue fraud.”
• Rooting for a Rival’s Victory for the Atmosphere ([30:36]–[33:35])
  • Knicks fan rooting for Celtics so he can experience a city championship party.
  • Kay surprisingly rules NOT fraud: “It’s a selfish move... but I kind of understand. Sometimes we are allowed to be a little selfish.”
  • Rosenberg: “Rooting for you is just dabbling in fraud.”
• Knicks Fan Collecting LeBron Jerseys/Wearing a Lakers Jersey
  • Multiple emails ([33:35]–[38:54]).
  • Kay: “I find it very difficult to believe you could be a die hard fan of a team yet your hero is on another team that gets paid to beat your team…Something doesn’t work.”
  • Wearing LeBron's jersey at a Lakers game as a Knicks fan? “Fraud. Fraud. Fraud.”
  • The line is drawn at emotionally investing in a star who’s not just not your team’s player but often their rival.

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Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Towns’ future & Brunson’s Comments:

  • Peter: “There's going to be a tough decision to make with Carl Anthony Towns very soon.” ([03:30])
  • Kay: “Were you being charitable, or was it a kind of loan...?” ([05:06])
  • Don: “What’s the upside of saying it? Don’t we know what he hopes happens as a result?” ([06:04])

• On Knicks' identity and criticism:

  • Rosenberg: “These are the glory days, guys. Like, and he's [Brunson] the center of it, so I just don't, I don't love the timing though.” ([07:57])
  • Kay: “I can't talk in those types of absolutes on February 20th when there’s still 26 games left...” ([17:48])
  • Don: “It is completely reasonable to say no, absolutely not, this team ain’t going anywhere.” ([20:12])

• On Fan “Fraud”:

  • Michael Kay, to “Lieutenant Fraud”: “Again, we salute your service. But your fraud. Goodbye.” ([27:51])
  • Don La Greca (judging the Giants-turned-49ers fan): “It’s not a horrible fraud, but fraud nonetheless.” ([30:31])

• On experiencing a rival's parade:

  • Kay: “...it's not something I would do. Is it fraudulent behavior? I would say, because of his age and not really embracing the Celtics as a true rival for him, I'll say no…” ([32:08])
  • Rosenberg: “Rooting for you is just dabbling in fraud.” ([33:26])

• On rooting for players, not teams:

  • Kay: “I find it very difficult to believe you could be a die hard fan of a team yet your hero is on another team...” ([36:58])

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Highlighted Timestamps

• Knicks fan frustration & Towns trade discussion: [02:41]–[04:44]
• Brunson's comments and contract debate: [04:44]–[07:57]
• All-Star hangover & Knicks effort: [08:51]–[12:13]
• Stephen A. Smith Knicks rant & host reactions: [12:13]–[20:12]
• Fraud Alert Friday segment begins: [22:08]
• First big “fraud” case—Yankees bandwagoner: [26:24]
• NFL team switch at age 10: [29:09]
• Rooting for rival for party experience: [30:36]
• LeBron fandom as a Knicks fan: [33:35]–[38:54]

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Tone & Atmosphere

• Banter-heavy, irreverent, and loyal to classic New York sports radio.
• Frequent ribbing between hosts, with Kay playing judge and executioner, Rosenberg providing comic exaggeration and self-awareness, and La Greca keeping the segments moving.

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For Those Who Missed It

This episode encapsulates NY sports fandom—the hope, exasperation, and brutal, often hilarious honesty. Knicks struggles, fan psychology, media hot takes, and “fraud” behavior are poked and prodded, with strong personalities and quotable moments throughout. Absolutely worth a listen if you love New York sports banter or want to debate what it means to be a “real” fan.

Transcript

[Don La Greca]

From 30 for 30 podcasts.

[Michael Kay]

Did you say someone got shot? Brian Pata, senior defensive lineman from Miami gunned down.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The key to this case. It's Brian.

[Don La Greca]

An hour before he died, he was

[Peter Rosenberg]

on the phone arguing with somebody.

[Don Hahn]

This might be a hit.

[Michael Kay]

You want the truth?

[Don La Greca]

They just want a conviction.

[Michael Kay]

Being placed under arrest. We had a killer amongst us.

[Don La Greca]

Murder at the U. Listen now.

[Don Hahn]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Michael Kay]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Michael Kay]

Game time is brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, guys, It's. There's just one local in action tonight. Nets visit the Thunder at 8. Oh, it's the second of back to backs in OKC. I got to know what that number is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What is that?

[Michael Kay]

What would you say?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Give me, give me. So on the back to back.

[Don La Greca]

No, no, no, not 20.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, it's got to be, it's going to be like it's called 17 and a half. You think that I was going to go about.

[Don La Greca]

I nailed it. 17 and a half on the nose.

[Michael Kay]

That's, that's still pretty significant. But you have a second of back to backs. A team that's not trying. You're taking that against one of the best teams in the NBA on their court. That's rough. It's hefty Telemore due the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Telemore Dew or try the new Tullamore Dew. Honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. We got Eli Manning sound. We're going to get to a little bit later on. He was on with DNR this morning. Dph, Ron Rothenberg, I heard. So I caught the tail end of it. So I basically just got their reaction to the interview. There was some cleanup after that one. What?

[Don La Greca]

I'm sorry.

[Michael Kay]

They were, they were excited to have him. I'll leave it at that. Oh, the toweling off.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, I remember. I know you're talking about the old

[Michael Kay]

Michael K. Toweling off, but so we're gonna have some of the sounds, some interesting, interesting things about Jackson Dart. And so we'll hear from Eli coming up a little bit later on. And we've also got fraud Alert Friday at 4:30. So line up those emails and those calls. Should be fun to do that. Let's go back to the Busy calls at 1-800-9193776. Let's go to Darren in Belleville. You're on ESPN, New York.

[Caller/Listener]

Hey, guys, how you doing?

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's up?

[Caller/Listener]

All right, I'm gonna sound extra. I'm trying to be calm, but I don't care. Carlson Towns needs to go, man. I'm tired of looking at him in the Knicks jersey. He is just absolutely, completely soft mentally, physically. I mean, there's times when the coach can't even have him on the court or he's, you know, complaining about fouls. I don't know if Giannis is going to be the. The trade target, but to me, I already know how this story is going to end in the playoffs. After that, they got to move on from him in the, in the off season. He can't come back to start the next season.

[Michael Kay]

Well, is there a world, guys, in which he's gone and Giannis isn't here?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't see it. I mean, look, there is going to be a decision to be made about his future in New York, just regardless of trade, because he. He is going to be eligible for an extension. He actually already is. They passed on giving him one. I don't know if that's part of what's going on this year, but, you know, that is that. That. That was there. He could have gotten an extension. They didn't do it. He. This off season, they still could do it. He does have a player option coming up that's like a very, very high number. I think it's pushing 60, if not over 60 for a year. So there's going to be a lot of decisions for them to make when it comes to his future here and whether or not they want to invest in that. And you saw Jalen Brunson already made it clear in the Vanity Fair profile that was done on him that, all right, I gave back the first time around in a contract extension. I would hope they would now pay me full value because I gave back the first time. So Brunson's already made that clear. So there's, you know, there's going to be a tough decision to make with Carl Anthony Towns future very soon.

[Michael Kay]

How do we feel about those comments from Brunson?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't love the timing.

[Michael Kay]

Well, yeah, the timing wasn't good. And also, listen, you get a lot of credit for, for taking the discount, so there's more money to bring in for other players and all that. And he came across.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Everybody knows the discount allowed them to make the move for Bridges and to make the move for Towns now, but

[Michael Kay]

he came across as a hero for doing that. Yes, but some of that hero gets taken away a little bit when now you're saying, well, you know, I'm gonna want it back. You know, it's like, so your generosity was kind of delayed. Right. Like, I gave you the general, but I expect it back. So were you being charitable, or was it a kind of a loan that you gave? I didn't love the timing. And also kind of. I don't want to take it completely away because it was still cool for him to do that. And as you said, they were able, even though I think a lot of people are down on cat and also bridges, but still, it put them in a situation where they were able to go to the conference final last year and be a contending team. But he could also put him in a really difficult spot later on. So it's. You know what I'm saying, Pete? It's like it's giving back all the credibility you gain from that. It comes across more as a loan than a charitable experience.

[Don La Greca]

Well, that's why I think the timing and the saying it out loud is sort of unnecessary. I don't know what the. Listen, as someone who sometimes speaks my mind too much, I certainly can't begrudge him. I get it. But what's the upside saying it? Don't we know what he hopes happens as a result of what he did? You get so much more credit by not saying it and allowing it to happen.

[Michael Kay]

Right. And behind closed doors, you can tell them, hey, guys, you know, take care of me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He has no reason not to trust the people, because these are none. You know, this is family. He did leave a ton of money on the table. We've all talked about that. The timing, though, right now isn't great because we know how they are. You know, they're pennies away from. Although they've actually opened up a little more space, but are right up against the second April, which we all hate. And I think, though, you know, he's talking about saying that he. When you're asked the question about, hey, you gave back, and all that stuff, and, you know, are you expecting the next time around that they'll do right by you? And he said, yeah, yeah, we expect that. Right. We'd love for them to do right by me is the exact word. So it's not that he said, I want this or I demand this. He's saying, I'd love for that.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So, you know, like, I. I still think that the timing's not Great, because it gets everybody now turning it into. And again, Jalen's been so good at controlling his own narrative and he's been really good about just like judge, very judgy and with. Careful with his words. And this is one thing that can be used against him. And I hate this because, you know, it. Words will be used against you and then it becomes an undersized 30 year old guard wants to get, you know, $250 million. And it's like, you know, what's he done here?

[Michael Kay]

What.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What has he done? I've tried to say this yesterday. You know, these are the glory days, guys. Like, and he's the center of it, so I just don't, I don't love the timing though. But he didn't say I will or I demand or I want or they better. He just said, yeah, I'd love it. I'd love for them to do right

[Michael Kay]

by me and we'll see if, if that's gonna happen. But it definitely came across like he left money on the table, but he plans on going back to that table and hoping the money.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, I'll be at the table. I'd like to get the money that I'm.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, extension eligible. Yeah, absolutely. And if they trade for Giannis, guess who's gonna also want done right by him.

[Michael Kay]

Oh, yeah, that's not Yanis's way.

[Don La Greca]

No, that's not Giannis.

[Michael Kay]

He wants to be in New York just for the fun. Isaiah's in Brooklyn. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, baby? Hello. Yes.

[Caller/Listener]

Oh, sorry guys, I've. I have a burning question. So actually, Rosenberg, I met you a few years ago at Summer Jam. Congratulations again. I love the show, but I had a Baltimore Orioles jersey on.

[Michael Kay]

Okay.

[Caller/Listener]

And he was like, yeah, I love your jersey. I don't know if you remember that a few years back, but anyways, my question is this. So the Knicks are the Knicks and is this an All Star hangover? Like, and in all actuality, who do we really want to play? Because I don't really want to see James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. Like, so I just want to know, like, maybe this is just a get back game. Like, even after the spurs game when we won it, when we won the tournament, we barely beat the Pacers. Like, the Knicks are victims of their own stage. So I think that they play up to it and when they have that break and they're getting all the Instagram posts and all of that, they just play terrible right after. So them winning the All Star Shootout With Alan Houston, like, is this a victim of their own success or should we really be worried?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Man, Isaiah is really putting a lot of thought into this. Yeah, like I, I think it's just simply a bad matchup for them that they still just cannot get themselves to the level of compete that they have to be consistently. It's as simple as that. I don't want to overthink this is they did not play well and it started with the three point shooting and it ended with the other team star having an epic game. That's if you want to just like if you take the name of the opponent away and just it's a team versus team. That's what the game was. But we all know there's more things that lead into matchups like this when you're like, hey, they just smoked you the first two times. Here's the last time you're going to see them and you're well rested because it came right out of the break. And you know, I had some people telling me last night one team looked like they were in the gym All Star break and the other team looked like they just got off the beach. And so it's, that's, that's all it is.

[Michael Kay]

But it's made up stuff like the NBA cup, like literally it was just you and the spurs playing that many games, right? Like so 90% of the league didn't have to worry about that. And so they were able to take advantage of that. But everybody had off, right? And so the Pistons had off just like the Knicks did. And I don't think anything that happened at the All Star game gave him a big head. I mean, who cares about that? We sit there and have we won

[Peter Rosenberg]

the stars and we won the NBA Cup. We could relax for a while.

[Don La Greca]

Boy, everyone was showing us love that we were so popular.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I just think it was just, you know, again like it's the how hard that team plays it is not something some players on the Knicks enjoy experiencing. They just, you know, they have some guys that don't want to play prison rules basketball don't like it.

[Don La Greca]

I live for prison rules.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I bet you do.

[Don La Greca]

So this is my kind of game.

[Michael Kay]

But that's the playoffs. They'll be ready then. But you know, task to be ready the first game out of the All Star break against the team that's owned you and they get owned again. I'm not telling you to, you know, because we got, we play the COVID from Stephen A. Smith. He already thinks the Eastern Conference is cooked. I started the season off saying that the New York Knicks was going to the NBA Finals. It's over. They ain't going no damn Finals.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To New York fans out there everywhere,

[Michael Kay]

to Spike lee, to Monica McNutt, to Allen Hahn, to Chris Rob.

[Don La Greca]

It's over.

[Michael Kay]

It's over. They ain't going to no damn finals because they ain't good enough. You know what? I take exception to so many things he said, but I'll let you handle the basketball aspect of it, Alan, but please let me have this. To lump you and Monica in with, like the fans. That's not right. Now, you grew up a Knick fan, but, I mean, come on, you guys, you guys, they're close to the team. That's all he does. But don't lump him in with Fat Joe and Spike Lee. And who else did get thrown in there? There was Chris Rock. Come on, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I. I just.

[Michael Kay]

Alan Hahn and Monica McNutt are working slobs. They're doing their job.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Am I wrong to say that actually. That I like the fact that he. He included me?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That Monica's become a big star? Like, she's a big star.

[Don La Greca]

She means something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Putting me in among those people.

[Michael Kay]

A. Yo, yo.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think, hey, thanks for that, man.

[Michael Kay]

Thank you for putting me in that.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. Don, I think you're wet on this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

One is not like the other.

[Don La Greca]

Alan got a shout out in the big spot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You kidding me?

[Michael Kay]

How to think? I'm not telling Allen how to feel, all right? But I think both could be true. He could take pride in the fact he got thrown in with some very, very important people. But it's not about star power. It's just the way monic. Monica McNutt and Alan Hahn, they're working. They're not rooting for the team. They're not Nick fans when they're doing their job.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Broadcasters, we just get around the team every, you know, almost pretty every game.

[Don La Greca]

Bet your ace.

[Michael Kay]

But he gets lumped in with, you know, Fat Joe and Chris Rock and Spike Lee, who are fans.

[Don La Greca]

I firmly believe Alan can get up from this.

[Michael Kay]

I think he's get up from anything,

[Peter Rosenberg]

but I might want to cuddle with it.

[Don La Greca]

And not only that, I agree with every word. Steven said everything, including his. He has at this point. You may disagree with him. You really don't have a major leg to stand on saying you've seen enough of how they've competed in big spots and going. I'm not buying it.

[Michael Kay]

Sorry.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're right. Sorry. Sometimes you go, stephen A's being performative. Sometimes you go, all right, he's. He's just going to that extra level to generate.

[Don La Greca]

That was reason that was reasonable.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To me, what he's saying is not only, like, very, like, prove me wrong. Right? That's number one, show me where I'm wrong.

[Michael Kay]

But.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But number two, what he's also doing, which I think now needs to be done, which is why, again, Monica and I were on get up this morning. We didn't like. We weren't like, soft on the team because, you know, well, we do. We are on the broadcast. No, no, no. We got to call it as we see it. And to me, the Knicks as a team, as a collective need to hear this. Nobody believes in you. Nobody trusts you. More than half the season has gone by. Almost a quarter is left. I think we've done three, three, two thirds already. Nobody believes that you can do it. They need to know that. And I actually think it's better to be in that place of no one believes you can do it because I don't think they handled well the everybody thinks you're going to do.

[Michael Kay]

No, you're right. But I think the problem I have with it and the reason I played it was because I don't want to. I don't want yesterday to be this black hole, like this, this defining moment that now it's over. Like, that's the problem I'd have with Stephen A. If he had been saying that leading up to that game. Now he was telling about, like, how now is the opportunity, but you can't now, one game, say, all right, that's it. If you were saying for the last week, that's it, this can maybe confirm it for you. Well, you can't base it off of last night.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To be fair. I thought Stephen A. Said yesterday if they don't win this game that I'm out. Right.

[Michael Kay]

And what do we say? That it was ridiculous. How can you put it all on just one game stupid now? Because they lose the game now he's right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, he's being. No, no, not that he's right. He's being consistent, though. And like I said, prove him wrong.

[Michael Kay]

We said yes, and I'm being consistent in ripping into him for having it be over and making this one game, which he did before the. And now confirming after as being the reason.

[Don La Greca]

But we did say we. We literally said, if in this game OG plays and they still get the door blown off the hinges, it's a problem. Yeah, that's what happened.

[Michael Kay]

There's a difference between saying it's A problem. And they ain't going to no damn Finals.

[Don La Greca]

But, but, but it's. But, but listen for. There's a reason Stephen A. Smith could buy all of us and sell us. Okay, well, it's, it's because he's good at making hyperbolic points. But this is a reasonable hyperbolic point to make.

[Michael Kay]

It's not. I don't think it's hyperbole. It's probably closer to accurate, but that's what I'm saying.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So it's hard to really firmly believes it.

[Don La Greca]

But like, you watch that game, you go, we got no shot. What are we doing?

[Michael Kay]

But I just can't. I can't talk in those types of absolutes on February 20th when there's still 26 games left to be played.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you know what your eyes tell you, right?

[Michael Kay]

Oh, it's a concern.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Your eyes tell you this isn't right. Now, again. The Indiana Pacers last year were also at a place that nobody expected anything of them, but they clicked and got it right by the end of the season and went on a run, went on a toot, like Don McGregor would say, and found themselves in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. So there's always that. That thing that can turn.

[Michael Kay]

Sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And where. I think all season we've seen moments where we thought it turned again. Winning the NBA cup, responding to an 11 game stretch where they lost nine by winning 10 of the next 12. Like you keep thinking to yourself, all right, did they get it? Has the defense really gotten back? Have they figured it out? And then they'll have a game like last night and you go, okay, no, it's not. That's why I think Saturday night's a big game. I think all these games, the response stuff from this team, constantly demanding they respond because the trust in them is very, very thin.

[Michael Kay]

But it is interesting where. Is it that crazy to think that maybe they don't have to face the Pistons, maybe the Cavs knock the Pistons off? Like, that's what I'm saying. There's a lot that can happen, you know, we're not going if you're going. If this was the last game of the regular season and the next series is having to play the Pistons, then you could say, ain't going to no damn final game. I got to beat the Pistons. They might even have to face the Pistons. Yeah, I just. I get what you're saying, Peter. That's why he's so good and we get paid to give our opinions. And I'm not saying he doesn't have that opinion, but we were getting on him yesterday for making it so absolute. I'm just being. I'm being consistent to say I don't think you can talk in absolutes based on three games and the last one being on February 19th, and there's still 26 games left to be played, and you're not even guaranteed to have to face the Pistons, you know, so there's a lot that can happen. I think buying into what happened last year and sticking your chest out is foolish. That's working the wrong way, the other way. But going Stephen's way, well, now it's over. Well, I can't go that far either. And I'm sorry. I know the middle of the road is boring, but it's also the reality that there's still a lot of basketball. Let me say it right. There's still a lot of damn basketball to be played. And you're right.

[Don La Greca]

But the truth is, this team could still win. And you're right. And you're right. But at a certain point, as fans, if someone says to you, hey, you're forced to make a call here. Which is essentially what his job is. Stephen, is. This is not a four hour talk show to pontificate on the details of the team. The job is give us the thought right now, yes or no? It is completely reasonable to say no, absolutely not. This team ain't going anywhere.

[Michael Kay]

Then I'm going about at the rolling. I'm going to. I am right now. Because it's time. I just turned 58 years old.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, okay. You know, okay.

[Michael Kay]

It's time. I. I am now from forever. Moving forward on the show, talking in absolutes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You should.

[Michael Kay]

In absolute, you'll get a lot more

[Don La Greca]

headlines, I guarantee it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I mean, Don's done his share of headlines, but.

[Don La Greca]

True. But I'll get even more. Don't, don't. Don't discourage this. Who needs nuance?

[Michael Kay]

This nuance. You know what? Ain't no damn enn. Coming up next.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Michael Kay]

Ain't no damn grasser. Coming up next. Coming up next is Fraud Friday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, right. Yeah.

[Michael Kay]

I guarantee it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Lock it. You want it?

[Michael Kay]

Book it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Monster Energy. Everybody knows White Monster, Zero Ultra, that's

[Don La Greca]

the OG it kicked off this whole

[Peter Rosenberg]

zero sugar energy drink thing. But Ultra is a whole lineup now. You've got Strawberry Dreams, Blue Hawaiian Sunrise, and Vice Guava. And they all bring the Monster Energy punch.

[Don La Greca]

So if you've been living in the

[Peter Rosenberg]

white can branch out.

[Don La Greca]

Ultra's got a flavor for every vibe,

[Peter Rosenberg]

and every single one is Zero Sugar. Tap the banner to learn more.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don La Greca]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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?

[Michael Kay]

I'm a fraud with a capital F.

[Don Hahn]

Is your friend a fraud?

[Don La Greca]

I have been a complete and utter fraud.

[Don Hahn]

Are you a fraud?

[Michael Kay]

What is fraud?

[Don Hahn]

Let's ask Dom McGregor.

[Michael Kay]

Screw. Go scratch yourself.

[Don Hahn]

Brought to you by D' Agostino Law.

[Don La Greca]

Ah, you bet your ace. Fraud alert Friday. Brought to you by d' Agostino Law.

[Peter Rosenberg]

D'.

[Michael Kay]

Agostino.

[Don La Greca]

You guys have no idea how impressive I am for finding my way back on time to this studio, because I am in the WWE headquarters.

[Michael Kay]

Okay?

[Don La Greca]

There's this area of offices and, like, recording booths that is literally just a maze of rooms. I mean, there's. I've come here so many times now, never have an idea where I'm going.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Breadcrumbs. I heard that works.

[Don La Greca]

And I might have to. And my buddy, who used to be the voice of Raw, who now is the voice of the MLS on Apple. MLS now shares this building with wwe. So my buddy Kevin Egan hit me up and was like, hey, I'm here, bud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Where are you?

[Don La Greca]

It's my bad Irish accent.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, wow.

[Don La Greca]

And I managed to actually find him and get back here alive. It's. It's amazing. What's happening, folks?

[Michael Kay]

Is that what that was?

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're an inspiration.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

What's the crack?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, boy.

[Michael Kay]

What's the crack? It sounds like you're on crack.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Michael Kay]

Jack Hughes. We got a Huggis goal. Wow.

[Don La Greca]

Is it three?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's three.

[Michael Kay]

Three nothing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They had one called back. A distinct kicking motion from Gensel.

[Michael Kay]

Jake Gensel.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But they were able to.

[Don La Greca]

Well, we're getting it, folks. We are getting it. We are getting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, before we start on Friday, can I point out something that I ran into somebody who was. Told me they were a listener. I forget exactly where I was because I've been in a lot of place. You know what? No, it was in D.C. for Gracie's volleyball tournament. And he said, I'm a big listener. I love the show. And he said, I love on Friday. And I'm like, oh, fraud alert Friday. He goes, no, no, no. I like that, too. He said, but it's the. The announcer lineup. And he's like, I miss it because now the football season's over. And he said, isn't there a way you can still do announcer lineups? And he's like, maybe it's like the. The best games of the weekend. And you tell us who's called the national games, and you can tell us who's calling it. And I thought, that's not a bad. That's not a bad idea. How do we feel about that real quick?

[Michael Kay]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, that's out.

[Don La Greca]

Look how easy that was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that was done. Okay.

[Michael Kay]

I only deal in that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I told him I would ask the boys.

[Michael Kay]

The floodgates. Oh, floodgates.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There we go. Seal has been broken. Wait, is that. Jack Eichel's here?

[Michael Kay]

Jack Eichel.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, it's nice to see him here.

[Michael Kay]

I just think that it's the reason we did it originally, Alan, because we were trying to prove to Michael, who is just not a football guy. God love him. And he knows football. There's a difference between.

[Don La Greca]

He enjoys football.

[Michael Kay]

Well, there's a difference between I enjoy football and I'm a football guy. I enjoy football as a guy that doesn't care who's announcing the game. But growing up as a football guy, you longed for that information. Who's doing the Giant game? Is Summer Olimadden doing the Giant game? Who are we getting? Are we going to get Sam Rosen? I need to know what's happening. And it became such a thing for football fans. We figured we should let people know now that the NFL Sunday ticket's been a thing and all that, that who's calling. And I think it's a footfall. I don't think it really exists anywhere else because what other sports as all their games, be national like the NFL? See, that's why I can't be Stephen A. I. I said absolutely no. Should have left it there. But I was nice and wanted to explain myself. That's why I'll never be good.

[Don La Greca]

That's why I didn't say, you'll never.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't think it's just never that good.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, you're very good. You just won't be rich.

[Michael Kay]

Is that what it is?

[Don La Greca]

Big difference.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Big difference.

[Michael Kay]

No, Alan Hahn. We're not doing that. Alan Hahn. Hey, now, it's Sport Alert Friday. Let's go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Every time he says my name, I just. I. You know, like I hear a cash register. That's right.

[Don La Greca]

Things get better. All right, this message is called what is flawed. Marco voice.

[Michael Kay]

Okay.

[Don La Greca]

Dear Don, longtime listener, first time emailer, ready to face Judge legrecka. I was born and raised in New York City, but left at 23 to serve in the military, stationed overseas and later in Washington State, where I still live to this day.

[Michael Kay]

We appreciate your service.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Don La Greca]

During a tough stretch out here, I found you, Michael and Peter on YouTube and it felt like home. First became a New York Yankees fan in 1996. With my peak fandom from 03 to 09. It faded around 2013 and I came back in 2017 with the emergence of Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Blake Torres.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh boy, here we go.

[Don La Greca]

In recent years, I found the Yankees boring to watch because I feel their style of play takes all the action out of the game on the base pass and the excitement of stringing multiple hits together and inning, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Every season I start excited, but without fail, I get bored and stop watching games and end up following the team mostly through your show or scoreboard updates. I gotta get to the question, guys. I don't even know what it is.

[Michael Kay]

Are you a fraud? Yes. Let's go, let's go. You know what? It's a new one. It's called Lieutenant Fraud. Get to the question.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Had to gong. I had to hit the gong.

[Michael Kay]

The whole start to the email was the answer. Yep, he became a Yankee fan when they were good. Then they got boring. So we stopped fraud. Goodbye. Next.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why were they boring?

[Michael Kay]

Next.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thank you for your service.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah, thank you for your service. Not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But your fraud.

[Michael Kay]

Goodbye.

[Don La Greca]

By the way. But you didn't let me get to the question, which is it hurts the segment. I will say. Well, you don't actually know what the person was asking. The question was, am I a fraud for claiming to be a Yankees fan while rarely watching games even though I keep up to date with the team through shows and scores.

[Michael Kay]

You're a fraud for all the other reasons in the email. But I started becoming a Yankee fan in 96. Oh, by the way, they won the World Series.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, wow.

[Michael Kay]

Kind of fell out of it around 2013, you know, when Wonderland didn't make the playoffs. Oh, and then, oh, Judge is here. He's hitting 600 foot homer. I think I'll be a fan again. So the frequency in which you watch the games is irrelevant because you're already a fraud. Again, we salute your service.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right, Right.

[Michael Kay]

Lieutenant Fraud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I fell back in love with her once. She lost the weight and like it's. Come on, man, you do. You don't.

[Michael Kay]

Am I a fraud? I. I fell in love with my wife when she weighed 140. At 2:40, I tapped out. She got back to 150. I was back in.

[Don La Greca]

Am I a fraud?

[Michael Kay]

Do I really, truly love my wife? No. The answer is no, no, but really, the question was, what should I get her? What should I get her for her birthday? No. Don't care. Fraud. Get out. Goodbye. But again, thank you for your, sir.

[Don La Greca]

40.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I.

[Don La Greca]

As a young kid, I was always a die hard Knicks, Rangers and Yankees and Giants fan. My brother had season tickets to the Giants and we used to go all the time in the 70s. They were absolutely dreadful. Yes, the teams all my good friends rooted for, the Cowboys, Dolphins, Steelers, etc. Were always good. I couldn't take it more anymore. When I played peewee football, I bought a San Francisco 49ers helmet because there were no Giants helmets. Always loved their uniforms, then decided to switch my fandom to the 49ers at the age of 10.

[Peter Rosenberg]

10.

[Don La Greca]

Then along came Joe Montana and the rest is history. Am I a fraud?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Ooh, this is 10. This is right on the edge.

[Michael Kay]

Well, it's on the. It's two years past the edge. It's fraudulent because at 10, you wouldn't. You wouldn't have. If you had season tickets during the 80s and the Giants were winning a Super bowl and were a consistent playoff team, you would have never done that. But you did it because the Giants stunk and you changed teams. You're a fraud now, are you? Is it like deep blue fraud because you were 10? No, but come on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Misdemeanor.

[Michael Kay]

And he stuck with the 49ers because Montana hasn't played for them in 35 years. So still a fraud, but again, not a deep balloon.

[Don La Greca]

It's not a horrible fraud, but fraud nonetheless.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right,

[Don La Greca]

let's see. Hello, Judge Legreca. I'm a diehard Yankees, jets and Knicks fan. In June 2024, I went on a weekend trip to Boston to visit Fenway and watch the Yankees there. During the trip, I went out Friday night to watch game four of the NBA Finals where the Celtics were up three nothing and looking to close it out. For the first time in my life, I found myself rooting for Boston to win this game so I could experience a wild championship bacchanal and just see how crazy a city gets when they win. Am I a fraud for rooting for Boston to win this one game just so I can enjoy the party atmosphere? I was too young for the Yankees in 09 and not a Giants fan for 2011, so just wanted to experience the wild atmosphere once. As a guy in his 20s, Don,

[Michael Kay]

I might surprise you. I'm gonna say no. Fraud. Well, because he's a young kid, so I don't think 20s. Really.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not young. Kid 20 Peters.

[Michael Kay]

Peter's already talked about how he kind of questions the Knicks Celtic rivalry just because it's been a long time since it's really been a thing. I know they played the playoffs last year, but it's not like it was, you know, back in the day. It's not. So if you're a young kid and it is a certain, like, special circumstance, like not so much celebrating the Celtics, but just seeing what a city's like when they win. So it's not something I would do. Is it fraudulent behavior? I would say, because of his age and not really embracing the Celtics as a true rival for him, I'll say no for d'.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Agostino.

[Don La Greca]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't love it, Don, but it's your call. I don't love it.

[Michael Kay]

I'm not expecting you to love it. But you're also of a certain age. You remember, you know, the heated rivalry with, with the Celtics and all that?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, it's, it's, it's not necessarily as much that as it is that you really are. I mean, he, I guess he's kind of just rooting for himself in that case, like.

[Michael Kay]

Exactly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I want to experience.

[Michael Kay]

And here's the thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A city winning, but they're up 3 0. Don't love it.

[Michael Kay]

So, you know, they inevitably. Because no team has ever come back from three nothing down in the NBA, so, you know, they're winning the title.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Michael Kay]

So why not do it on the day that I'm there?

[Don La Greca]

And that's, that's the thing.

[Michael Kay]

It's not like they're playing the Knicks. You know, the circumstances. It's a selfish move. It's putting yourself ahead of your fandom.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Good.

[Michael Kay]

But I kind of understand it's similar. Listen, I gave myself a pass with the, the Giant no hitter. When I was there. The mets were down 6 nothing. I'd never seen a no hitter live. I'm like, you know, I, I want to see the no hitter. I hate the fact the Mets are getting no hit. They're going to lose the game anyway. So I selfishly made a decision that I got to see a no hitter, and I was called a fraud by Dave Rothenberg. But I think sometimes we were allowed to be a little selfish.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Dabble in fraudulent behavior, dabbling in fraud. As Michael K. Said, I root for me.

[Don La Greca]

Right? I mean, rooting for you is just dabbling in fraud.

[Michael Kay]

Let me just say this. Everybody does that. Just not everybody says it aloud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Dan.

[Michael Kay]

Everybody's rude.

[Don La Greca]

Dan writes us and says, dhr. You guys are the best. The honorable Judge Lega. Lifelong Knicks fan. I own two Knicks jerseys. Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart.

[Michael Kay]

I'm.

[Don La Greca]

But I'm also a big time LeBron fan. I've collected his jerseys in all different colorways throughout his career. Never rooted for the teams, never rooted for the teams. But certainly respected the accolades. LeBron down in Miami. The white red just hits different purple gold lakers, etc.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All self explanatory. No, no.

[Don La Greca]

St. Vincent St. Mary. Am I a Knicks? A fraud? Knicks fan. Thank you. Love you guys.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is.

[Michael Kay]

There's nuance to this and the easy answer is yes, you're a fraud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes, of course.

[Michael Kay]

Because they. I wouldn't say they've gotten in your way the way Jordan got in your way because the Knicks have not really been a championship caliber team since LeBron came into the league. But I don't know, it just seems so. It just seems weird, right? Like yes, you love the Knicks, but you love LeBron James enough to buy jersey. I still believe in my heart guys. And I've been told absolutely not with just circumstances. I believe in my. I'll go to my grave believe. He was trolling the Knicks when he announced it. Like a stone's throw away from their practice facility.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I can tell you boys club I. I like, I like it. But I. I was there. He was not. Peter, how many championships does Booker T. Have?

[Don La Greca]

Well, it depends what you mean. Do you mean the five time? Five?

[Michael Kay]

That's right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Five nothing. Usa. Yeah, yeah. Jack Hughes. Two goals.

[Don La Greca]

Two goals.

[Michael Kay]

There's parents. Wow, good for Jack.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Gracie's losing it right now.

[Don La Greca]

While we're talking. While we're talking. LeBron, we have one more to close out ON that's also LeBron.

[Michael Kay]

Okay.

[Don La Greca]

Hello DHR. My name is Issam and I don't think I'm a fraud but would like a professional opinion.

[Michael Kay]

Okay.

[Don La Greca]

I'm 24 years old. Consider myself a die hard knicks fancy since 2009. Back in the day I would even. I would even convince myself mellow. Courtney Lee and Aaron Aflalo could make some noise in the Eastern Conference.

[Peter Rosenberg]

However, those are strange polls.

[Michael Kay]

Those are very good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, those are good.

[Don La Greca]

However, I am also a huge LeBron fan. Consider him my childhood hero.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh boy.

[Don La Greca]

Because the Knicks futility and not having meaningful games. Had it not been for LeBron and all the great games and moments he had through his career, my love of the sport would not be what it is today. I have two questions to ask. Last week my best friend got married in LA and I went to see LeBron play for the first time and wore a LeBron Lakers jersey. Does that make me a fraud Knicks fan?

[Michael Kay]

It makes you a fraud, Nick.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Also, we wanted to root for you also.

[Don La Greca]

Fraud, fraud, fraud, fraud. Although it's unlikely, if the Knicks and Lakers had faced each other the finals, I'd always root for the Knicks like I always do when they play LeBron. But if the Lakers somehow came out on top, would it be fraudulent for me to have some tears of joy for the man who carried my basketball childhood?

[Peter Rosenberg]

He pulls you in and you, he, you want to embrace him and then he says things like that and you want to shake him.

[Don La Greca]

I just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It got worse.

[Don La Greca]

It got worse as it went on.

[Michael Kay]

I can't. Here's the thing. And this is again, these are my rules. But you know what? It's on the judge. I find it very difficult to believe you could be a die hard fan of a team yet your hero is on another team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Michael Kay]

That gets paid to beat your team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And he spurned your team.

[Michael Kay]

Now I love Nolan Ryan, but at least he was a Met.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Michael Kay]

And he was. And a lot of times was not even in the Mets league. They weren't playing each other. And I was but like childhood you hero. And he never, if he never played for your team and he had beaten your team, I, I just don't know how that could be. I just don't know how that could be. Now if LeBron had been a Nick for a while, it'd be a different story. But isn't that odd that you love the Knicks but your childhood hero is not a Knick?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's.

[Michael Kay]

It's like being a die hard Yankee fan. But you know what? I just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Big Poppy.

[Michael Kay]

I mean, that's right. That. But I'm just trying to think, think of somebody that's like even Ohtani doesn't work because Ohtani beat the Yankees in the World Series. Like, I just love Mike Trout. I mean he got me in the. I just love. I worship Mike Trout. But I'm a die hard Yankee fan. I.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It just.

[Michael Kay]

Something doesn't work.

[Don La Greca]

Listen, I think, I think that it is something that whether fraudulent or not, is kind of typical of today. More than the past. I do think it's more of the era we live in. I will also say though, like I've loved players on other teams before.

[Michael Kay]

I have.

[Don La Greca]

But I never would have said they're like my hero. I went to, I went to Jeter's last game at.

[Michael Kay]

But you didn't wear a Jeter jersey. And cheer.

[Don La Greca]

No, I went, I went to see Kobe's last game in Boston, but I didn't, I didn't go and root for them against my own team. I just went, that's one of them.

[Michael Kay]

He lost me because like I said, I, I have, I, I have favorite players on other team. I respect other players. But would I go and wear their jersey and root for them for a championship? And just think about that. He's in a Laker jersey celebrating a Lakers championship. And if somebody tapped him on the shoulder, oh, you must been a Laker fan for a long time. Actually a Knick fan. You'd be like, what a tool. I was going to buy you a drink. Now I feel like dumping it over your head. Yeah, I'm not wrong here.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I'm with you.

[Don La Greca]

Ladies and gentlemen, that will do it for Fraud Alert Friday, brought to you by D' Agostino Dagostino. 35 years of getting accident victims and Social Security disability clients every dollar. They deserve offices in New York and New Jersey. 1-800-Bite Back. 1-800-248-3222, D' Agostino Law. Bite Back.

[Michael Kay]

Everybody was a fraud today. So we didn't get in no chance to play?

[Don La Greca]

No, not everybody.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You denied one.

[Don La Greca]

You had one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You pardoned one person.

[Michael Kay]

Did we, did we play it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah, we did. The Dagostino.

[Michael Kay]

I was too in character.

[Don La Greca]

You should listen to the show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's great.

[Michael Kay]

You know what? Listen, I was too in character.

[Don La Greca]

You were, you were living the moment.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Lost.

[Michael Kay]

I was living the dream, is what I was doing.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don La Greca]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Michael Kay]

Get ready for Rickle ball madness. Friday, March 20th. ESPN New York is taking over Pickleball Heaven in Medford, New York. Catch a live broadcast of DP and Rothenberg starting at 6am Then stick around for our social ladder pickleball tournament. We'll crown our champion, then roll right into a college hoops watch party to cap off the day. Sign up now on the ESPN New York app. Spots are limited. Rickleball Madness, brought to you by the Pickleball Heaven, the standard of indoor pickleball. One other quick story from my excursion with Dave yesterday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right. Okay.

[Michael Kay]

So we have our lunch and we're walking back to the station where our respective cars are parked. I'm going to work. He's going home. And we're, we're walking down 6th Avenue and Pierce, if you can figure out that neighborhood. Very nice. So we're walking and there is a woman with, I would say her 5 year old daughter walking towards us. There's nobody else on the sidewalk. Just these two people and us walking towards us. Just as they're within 10ft, Dave drops an S bomb.

[Don La Greca]

When they're, they're within how many feet?

[Michael Kay]

10, 8.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Audible.

[Michael Kay]

Audible.

[Don La Greca]

What kind of, what kind of. It's a five year old. You're saying five year old.

[Michael Kay]

Five year old girl.

[Don La Greca]

Okay.

[Michael Kay]

And to Dave's credit, Dave did apologize, say, I'm sorry, but dude, be aware, man. Be aware of your surroundings when you're using such language.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I mean that's, this sounded very passionate in that moment, whatever he was talking about.

[Don La Greca]

This is tough because I feel like this, you know, he was on the street having his own conversation and a child happened to walk close. I think him saying sorry is pretty,

[Michael Kay]

that's pretty good awareness. I would agree with you if it was a packed street, you know, but I think when it's just, it was awkward just close to each other. It's a whole block and we're the only four people on the block. I think you got to be a little bit more aware.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's like all of a sudden it's just.

[Michael Kay]

But he's, he's such a good guy that he did, he did say he saw.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's a dad, so he.

[Don La Greca]

And listen. But I'll defend him again. At least it was S. Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Don La Greca]

S is the most misdemeanor of those words.

[Michael Kay]

Well, S is. S is starting to get to a point. I could see there a world where S is acceptable language. Like on network television.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Television. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Michael Kay]

I don't think F will ever get there, but I think S could. No, maybe not in our lifetime, but.

[Don La Greca]

No, but SS is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

S is like everyone is lifetime.

[Don La Greca]

Everyone has heard their, their mother say the S word. You know, I'm never.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I've never heard my mother say the S any of those words.

[Don La Greca]

Wow, really?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no.

[Don La Greca]

My mom asked. I've heard S from basically everyone.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, my parent, my parents like never ever cursed.

[Don La Greca]

They're like K parents.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was like furious one time, lost it, like stormed out of the kitchen, turned around, like just yelled something back at my dad, dropped an F bomb on him.

[Michael Kay]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yo, I, I don't think they spoke to me for a month.

[Don La Greca]

You drop. You dropped an ass.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, I was furious. Yeah. Real pissed off.

[Michael Kay]

I.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The minute I said it was one of those like as it's coming out of your mouth. You're like, no, no, no, it's too late. Couldn't pull it back. Too late. I. I knew I was dead.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah, we obviously the F word was not allowed. Maybe a slip here or there. But I think Peter's heard this story before that my father, I was like maybe 18, 19 years old. My father charged it me because I called my mom. She, I said, she said, it's okay. And he started like, charged at me like, that's your mother. You never say she or her. It's your mom or mother.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Were you ready? Did you get in your ready stance?

[Michael Kay]

My stance was to run in the other direction. I swear to God, my, my, my father, he never laid a hand on me. Me. But no one scared me like my dad did. I believed on the day he passed, I wouldn't have been surprised if he, if he got up and cold cocked me, I would. Or attempted to. I would have ran in the other direction. He just, he could bench press 500 pounds. He was a brown belt in karate.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. He didn't mess with it.

[Michael Kay]

He didn't, but he didn't have. Because of that. He didn't have to do it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that's the.

[Michael Kay]

See, the people who punch are insecure. They want to prove it. The people know that they can lay you out. They don't have to prove it, so they don't bother ever trying. But I knew he could. So my first. And that's the other thing too. He's the only person in the world, so not that time, because I'm 18, 19 years old.

[Don La Greca]

So.

[Michael Kay]

But like as a young kid, if he was going to discipline me and I ran, he wouldn't chase me. He would just demand I come back. And that's. That takes a powerful person that when somebody's running from you, just your words make you come back.

[Don La Greca]

That's what, that's that dad energy.

[Michael Kay]

Because if he did decide to chase me and he caught me, then that would be the first time and last time it would be, you know, it's that. I know, I know he's been canceled, but it's still a great line from Bill Cosby. He's like, you know, I brought you into this world. I could tell you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's right. That's right. I'd put the odds on your dad though, right, Peter? I'd put. Always put the odds on his father to the end. Yeah.

[Michael Kay]

You know, because there's that dad strength too, that you get.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. But now if you were to rematch now you'd have your own dad strength.

[Michael Kay]

I wonder how that works. We don't know. Or is it just the age of. By the time you do that, you're talking about grandpa strength and there's no such thing. I wonder you if you have the dad strength until you become a granddad and then it goes away.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. Then it's no strength.

[Michael Kay]

Or.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Or once you have a grandkid, kryptonites gone.

[Michael Kay]

Right. Like. Or. Yeah. Does. Does the dad strength from your dad transfer to you once you have kids? And then I'll eventually hand it down to Marco.

[Don La Greca]

That's right. That's how the dad strength moves.

[Michael Kay]

That's a great question. So happy for Jack Hughes. Couple of goals. If you're a Devil fan, you hope that maybe this will spark him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I have a huge question for you, Donnie on the other side.

[Michael Kay]

All right, we'll do that. Well, hold on.

[Don La Greca]

But before you even get there, I know I need to talk to you guys about something else because we're talking Winter Games. Show me something and. Well, I missed it. So if you want to play the Winter Games, you do it over at fanduel. It makes sense. You got game lines. You got medal counts. You can now bet USA Canada on Sunday. And the final right there for you, the gold medal. It's all there on FanDuel. So many ways to stay connected to the action. The Winter Games are on and there's no better way to follow them with a bet on FanDuel. All right, Curly, matches. Like I said, the men's gold medal matchup Sunday morning. It's all happening. Okay. Plus so many more events now. I think if you're feeling the patriotic vibes, you're going Team USA. But maybe you're rocking with Connor McDavid. Maybe said the kid comes back into your Team Canada. It's all there for you. Visit fanduel.com local to get started. Fanduel. Play your game. 21 and over. Physically present New York. For help with the gambling problem, call 877-8-HOPENY or text openy 467-369.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don La Greca]

I don't want to know how the

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Don Hahn]

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