Hour 2: Knicks & That Guy

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Feb 19, 2026, Hour 2: “Knicks & That Guy”

Overview

This episode dives deep into New York Knicks legacy debates, the current team’s championship window, and the emotional state of Knicks fandom, punctuated by classic audience calls and the lighthearted “That Guy Thursday” segment. Hosts Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg—a trio equally passionate about New York sports and banter—mix rich basketball insight with trademark New York wit, plenty of listener engagement, and a few offbeat detours.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. USA Women’s Hockey Gold & Media Restrictions

• Celebration of USA’s Overtime Gold Medal (00:44–04:20)
  • The trio recaps a dramatic OT win over Canada, highlighting Megan Keller and Hilary Knight’s roles.
  • Discussion about broadcast rights and inability to play “the Kenny call”; much humor about legal restrictions.
• “What if I reenact it in Kenny voice?“ – Don, considering play-by-play workaround. (03:07)

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2. Knicks Legacy: Where Does Jalen Brunson Rank?

Call-in from Gus in Westchester (04:35–06:39)

• Gus, a lifelong fan: “There’s no way you put Brunson in front of Monroe.”
• Earl Monroe’s legacy debated—importance of only Knicks tenure when retiring numbers.

Retiring Numbers & Historical Greatness (05:58–06:39)

• Assessment: Four years of excellence isn’t enough to elevate Brunson over legends like Monroe or Bernard King.
  • “We’re talking about greatest Knicks of all time. What Brunson did in Dallas is irrelevant.” – Don Hahn (06:09)
• For all-time Knick status: Longevity, impact, and (potentially) titles are crucial factors.

On Legacy and “If Not Now, When?” (07:58–08:41)

• Pushback against Stephen A. Smith’s urgency: Don notes how quickly windows can open/close, and skepticism about narratives demanding immediate rings.
  • “Things are very, very fluid.” – Don Hahn (08:41)

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3. The Knicks’ Championship Window & The Giannis Factor

Stephen A. Smith’s “Win Now” Stance (09:45–10:13)

• The hosts agree it’s a wide-open year but reject catastrophizing if the Knicks don’t win immediately.
• “If not now, when?” – (10:04)
• They analyze Giannis Antetokounmpo's future, subtly fueling a Knicks rumor mill.
  • “How many toes down would you say he is?” – Don (10:24)
  • “Maybe five. Maybe one foot.” – Dave, on Giannis's loyalty (10:26)
• If this core stumbles, Knicks have assets and could pivot (namely to a Giannis pursuit).

Should Fans Panic if Knicks Don’t Win? (11:27–11:46)

• “That is the biggest fault of Stephen is not factoring that in, that if they end up stumbling... they can go out and get one of the best players in the NBA.” – Don (11:27)

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4. The Achilles Heel of the Current Knicks

Honest SWOT (12:58–14:58)

• Don & Dave revisit Knicks playoff shortcomings: injuries, depth, and defensive lapses in past years.
• This year’s potential weakness?
  • “To me it would be not coming up big defensively.” – Don (13:10)
  • “The lack of killer instinct.” – Don (13:13)
• Addition of agitators like Alvarado and Sohan to instill more edge; but does the team lack a true finisher’s mentality?
  • “Does this team still lack that ability... to put the knife through?” – Dave (14:48)

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5. Kendrick Perkins’ Take: Brunson as All-Time Knick?

Perkins on Roommates Podcast (15:07–16:22)

• Perk’s quote: “I feel like you already a top three Nick of all time, bro. You one championship away from being the greatest Nick of all time, hands down.” (15:08)

• Hosts respond it’s a compliment but overstates: Clyde Frazier and Ewing’s legacies remain massive.

  • “He doesn’t respect the Knicks as a franchise.” – Don, reacting to Perk’s ease in elevating Brunson (15:39)
  • “Ewing didn’t win. Yeah, you’re still not surpassing Ewing.” – Don (15:59)
  • “If you tell me now, would he be the most beloved Nick? ...that is a different [story].” – Dave (16:21)

• Historic parallel: Mark Messier and the Rangers—beloved more for timing and the curse-breaking than all-time stats (16:46–17:32).

Ring Count and Greatness (18:05–19:02)

• “One [championship], though, again, Clyde has two... He was a critical piece.” – Dave (18:05)
• “They call it the Willis Reed game, but all Clyde did was almost have a triple double...” – Dave (18:53)

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6. Favorite Call of the Day: Nancy from Colorado

Nancy’s Infectious Energy (19:31–24:47)

• 88-year-old Nancy challenges yesterday’s offhand age talk: “I just walked the dog. I just did the laundry... on the weekends we run all over the place.” (21:35)
• She scolds hosts for their old-age stereotypes.
• Warm praise and banter. “Nancy, let’s be honest. You’re old.” – Don (23:40, with classic dry NY wit)
• Nancy: “I love your place. Never mind.” (23:15)
• Call leaves the crew energized and laughing.

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7. That Guy Thursday

Medal Ceremony Oddities & Toy Critique (26:40–29:22)

• Dave and Don riff on the awkwardness of silver medalists getting stuffed toys at the Olympics.
  • “What are we doing that for?” – Dave (27:07)
  • “No way to win a silver medal [in team sports]. You lose the medal.” – Don (28:04)
• On hockey goalie gear for ceremonies: “Looks like they’re wearing a moo moo.” – Don (29:59)

"That Guy" – Hershey’s Food Fight (31:09–36:29)

• Alan’s pick: Hershey’s, for allegedly altering the classic Reese’s recipe to cut costs.
  • “You don’t mess with Reese’s. It’s the greatest candy ever made.” – Dave (35:07)
  • Hershey: denies changes are significant, blames cocoa price spike.
  • Brad Reese (founder’s grandson): claims new recipe made him “throw out a bag of Reese’s mini Hearts.” (34:04)
  • Don’s skeptical: if prices rose to preserve 1919 recipe, “people would flip over cars.” (36:08)
  • Brief, comic riff on changing recipes and the lengths people will (or won’t) go for authenticity.

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8. More Knicks Talk & Knicks Narrative Critique

Call-in from Chauncey in Westwood (39:54–42:14)

• Challenges overblown fear about Pistons’ ability to guard Brunson.
• “He’s averaging 31 [points]. I think he’ll figure it out.” – Chauncey
• Calls out “if you don’t win, blow it up!” narratives as absurd.
• “Did I miss something? Did they not just win 10 of 12?” – Alan (41:12)
• Hosts criticize tendency of media/fans to doubt Knicks despite top-record.

Psychology of Knicks Fandom (42:14–45:44)

• Doubt stems from “the safer thing to do is come up with all the reasons why they can’t and hope they surprise you. It’s the famous under promise and over deliver.” – Dave (44:13)
• Emphasis that Knicks are legitimately great—but not guaranteed anything. Fans should “embrace the madness” (45:44)

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9. NFL Over/Unders & Lunch Tease (46:23–47:16)

• Quick lookahead to NFL talk, teasing “over/under” lines.
• Alan teases critique of a lunch spot, maintaining his signature blend of sincerity and humor.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (With Timestamps)

• On shifting Knicks optimism:
  “You just forget what it was like before [Brunson]. … And now it’s gotta win the championship or it’s a failure.” – Dave Rothenberg (07:08)
• On media Knicks naysaying:
  “Did I miss something? Did they not just win 10 of 12?... What is with this, like, everyone feels like—it’s so much fear or it’s disbelief.” – Alan Hahn (41:12)
• On Kendrick Perkins’ hot take:
  “He doesn’t respect the Knicks as a franchise.” – Don Hahn (15:39)
• On Giannis trade rumors:
  “How many toes down would you say he is?” – Don Hahn (10:24) “Maybe five. Maybe one foot.” – Dave Rothenberg (10:26)
• On hockey gear at medal ceremonies:
  “Don’t you want a picture where you don’t look like you’re wearing a big moo moo?” – Don Hahn (29:59)
• Nancy’s life at 88:
  “Please. I just walked the dog. I just did the laundry. I'm here with my daughter. She teaches all day...” – Nancy (21:35)
• On changing the Reese’s recipe:
  “You don’t mess with Reese’s. It’s the greatest candy ever made.” – Dave Rothenberg (35:07)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:44 – 04:20 | Women’s Hockey, Olympics broadcast banter
• 04:35 – 06:39 | Knicks legends, Brunson vs. Monroe debate
• 07:58 – 08:41 | Stephen A. Smith’s urgency, Knicks window discussion
• 10:13 – 11:27 | Giannis to Knicks hypotheticals
• 12:58 – 14:58 | Knicks team weaknesses, killer instinct talk
• 15:07 – 16:22 | Kendrick Perkins’ “top 3 Knick” debate
• 19:31 – 24:47 | Nancy from Colorado’s inspiring call
• 26:40 – 29:22 | “That Guy Thursday” medals & toys riff
• 31:09 – 36:29 | Hershey’s Reese’s controversy
• 39:54 – 42:14 | Chauncey’s call, pushing back on Pistons narrative
• 42:14 – 45:44 | NY media skepticism and Knicks fandom psychology

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Tone & Language

The episode is lively, irreverent, and conversational—true to New York sports talk form. Don, Hahn & Rosenberg blend insightful basketball analysis with signature humor, affectionate ribbing, and genuine audience engagement. Notably, they use direct, colloquial speech and blend nostalgia, statistical context, and on-air chemistry—making the conversation accessible to die-hard and casual fans alike.

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In summary:
This hour of “Don, Hahn & Rosenberg” offers a valuable blend of Knicks history, sharp perspective on current team dynamics, challenging of overwrought media narratives, and classic, feel-good listener banter. Whether you want smart hoops discourse or a belly laugh about Olympic mascots or candy recipes, you get both—delivered in a style only New York radio can pull off.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

From 30 for 30 podcasts.

[Caller]

Did you say someone got shot?

[Don Hahn]

Brian Pata, senior defensive lineman from Miami gunned down the key to this case.

[Dave Rothenberg]

It's Brian. An hour before he died, he was on the phone arguing with somebody. This might be a hit. You want the truth? They just want a conviction.

[Don Hahn]

Being placed under arrest. We had a killer amongst us. Murder at the U. Listen now.

[Dave Rothenberg]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Dave Rothenberg]

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 Tully More new Irish whiskey. Because when it's game time, guys, it's Tully time. Basketball is back. It says it right here. Knicks host the Pistons with coverage immediately following us on 880 at 7 o' clock. And the Nets will visit the Cavs at 7. Tullamore Dew, the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Iris whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullamore Duke. Honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore due responsibly. So USA wins over Canada. Megan Keller's great individual effort on the 3 on 3 in overtime wins it as Hillary tied the game up. Hillary Knight tied the game over just a little over two minutes to go in regulation with the goaltender pulled. And they bring home the gold. And it's so tough because I don't know where you could find the highlight. They'll show it, I guess.

[Dave Rothenberg]

NBC Olympics.

[Don Hahn]

NBC Olympics will be able to show it to you. You're not gonna probably see it on social media.

[Dave Rothenberg]

You are. It's right there. Kenny brought it. BC Olympics. Kenny brought it. Hey.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, we got it. We got the call.

[Dave Rothenberg]

No, no, no. We can't do anything. Yeah, if you want to go look on your own, you can. Well, give me. Boys, let's give me the headline. What's your back page of this? I'm going, I got like Kel's bells, something like that. See, if Hillary did it, it would be gave proof through the night. But she only tied it. That's pretty good.

[Don Hahn]

That would have been good.

[Dave Rothenberg]

That's pretty good. What? What else we got? Throw them out. First thing I came up was, was Kells Bells. I don't know if it would work. You know Keller, I don't really call her Kells.

[Don Hahn]

I don't know. Does this one work?

[Dave Rothenberg]

What do you got?

[Don Hahn]

Canada Keller instead of killer.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Although a little negative. Ryan want to be there excuse.

[Don Hahn]

Negative.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Not sure we want to Go there.

[Don Hahn]

Post wouldn't care.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah, Post would do.

[Don Hahn]

It's pretty incredible. So check out the goal. And I'm glad.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Leaf sweep.

[Don Hahn]

So we'll never be able to play this Kenny goal ever. Ever.

[Dave Rothenberg]

We are going to play any of the TV calls of the Olympics.

[Don Hahn]

What if we said courtesy of NBC.

[Dave Rothenberg]

We know they would actually.

[Don Hahn]

That doesn't cover it. You sure?

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah, I'm. I would say that the hole that you think is being created by the construction will envelop you like Stranger Things.

[Don Hahn]

What if I just. What if I brought like a peacock in and just put it right there on the table? Nope.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Nope. I've had pretty strict orders on that one. What if I play it on my phone? Nope. Then I'm. Then I lose my job.

[Don Hahn]

What if I reenact it in Kenny voice.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Oh, I like that. What would happen there is you guys would do it and then John would walk up and go, Anthony, why'd you

[Don Hahn]

let them do that?

[Dave Rothenberg]

Why'd you let them play it on their phone?

[Don Hahn]

When. When. When will we be able to.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Never.

[Don Hahn]

Never. What if instead of mentioning the highlights of the. Of the hockey game, we just put the highlights of the meeting that they're having out in the other room right now on the show?

[Dave Rothenberg]

I think I could probably pull that up. Meeting?

[Don Hahn]

Oh, you kidding me? It's the Carmi Awards. It's the Carmi Awards, for God's sake. What if we got Cuthbert's call? You won't believe who just won yo yo of the year.

[Dave Rothenberg]

What were we nominated for?

[Don Hahn]

Nothing.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Nothing.

[Don Hahn]

Damn thing.

[Dave Rothenberg]

How about this, Don? I'll tell you, if there's a call that we can play, I will get it for you.

[Don Hahn]

Well, Chris Cuthbert's calling it for Canada. We call Canada's feet of it.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Ooh, I don't know if we can do that either.

[Don Hahn]

Well, can we try and apologize later?

[Dave Rothenberg]

No, because I have an email that tells me all the things I can and can't do.

[Don Hahn]

None of it includes Canada.

[Dave Rothenberg]

How about this, Don? Watch it back. You call it.

[Don Hahn]

Well, that's what I was wondering. Can I reenact it? And Anthony said that John would call Anthony on the carpet saying, why did you let him do that? Even something that happened a while ago.

[Dave Rothenberg]

He's a professional play by play man. Why can't we hear what he would have sounded like if Don Leggra was there? Well, that I can't speak to. All right, That's a different thing entirely. Don, watch the replay back and give it a.

[Don Hahn]

Give it a shot. I gotta find the Replay on the group chat. Quite the goal. Pretty. All pretty awesome stuff. Tremendous 1-800-919-3776. Let's go to Gus. He's in Westchester. Yarnie. Yes. What's up, Gus?

[Caller]

Hey, gentlemen. How you doing?

[Don Hahn]

Good.

[Caller]

Listen, I'm 70 years old and I've been a Knick fan since 1966.

[Don Hahn]

Wow.

[Caller]

And I'll tell you, I'll tell you something. I've seen the Walt Bellamy's and I've seen the Butch com ives in my lifetime, okay. And I remember that famous trade for Dave the Butcher. But I'll tell you one thing about Earl Monroe. He was a nightmare to Walt Frazier for many years until he came to the Knicks. And Wal Frazier has always said that Earl Monroe was his toughest opponent. Now, Earl Monroe has two titles under his belt. One with the Knicks and, and one with the Bullets. There's no way you put Brunson in front of Monroe.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Well, we were saying. That's my point. Knicks history

[Caller]

in mix history.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah. Because I would say Monroe's still up there. When you put the number up, you're considering only Knicks. Right. You don't retire a number. And because. Well, he played great at this other franchise too.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Dave Rothenberg]

So that's the only reason.

[Caller]

Well, he also played great with the Knicks too.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

Right. Now, is Brunson a top three? Nick?

[Caller]

Right now I would say. Well, listen, you got Bernard King too. That's got an argument. You know, I mean, this guy was a nightmare too, to.

[Don Hahn]

Listen, you have seven retired numbers. Now, King, obviously injury really derailed his career.

[Dave Rothenberg]

I hate to do this, but he didn't win a title with Baltimore. And I love Earl, so I'm not trying to disparate, but he has one ring and with the Knicks, but.

[Don Hahn]

Right. And whatever he did in Baltimore is irrelevant because we're talking about greatest Knicks of all time. What Brunson did in Dallas is irrelevant. We're talking about what happened here at the Garden. And I think four years of amazing basketball is not enough to say that only two players in the history of a franchise that's been around for, you know, over 80 years, it could happen now, win a title this year, bang, you know, do what you're doing for another couple of years and it ends up being like six years of a body of work, which is tremendous. Then we're having a conversation.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah. So again, it's, it's. He's in, I think this is year four with the Knicks. Right?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Dave Rothenberg]

So, you know, like, it's hard to believe it feels like, like, it really is hard to believe, isn't it?

[Don Hahn]

The four years already.

[Dave Rothenberg]

No, that, that's all it is.

[Don Hahn]

That it's only four years. Yeah, I, I, I think it's gone, I think it's gone fast. Yeah, I think it's gone fast, too.

[Dave Rothenberg]

It, it's just, I know you're around

[Don Hahn]

it a lot closer than we are because the, the day, the day.

[Dave Rothenberg]

But like, you just forget, like, you, like it sounds strange to say, you just forget what it was like before him. Like, if I told you, you know, it was Alfred Peyton was your point guard, right. Like, you, you, this is what you were doing. You were. And they made the playoffs because of Julius Randle. But people don't realize, like, how fast this thing turned since this guy showed up and you went from, like, get into the playoffs and hope that you can win a series. And they couldn't because they couldn't beat Trae Young and the Hawks. And now it's gotta win the championship or it's a failure. Think about it. That was overnight, guys. Overnight that happened. So it really is amazing. And again, it's only four compared to even Earl. Earl was here for nine years. So you really gotta get. He's got to get to six, seven, eight years.

[Don Hahn]

But that's why I take exception to what Stephen said about you got to win this year. Like, how things can turn around, how quickly they can turn around. Like, you brought the loss to the Hawks, right?

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

They win game one, fans take to the streets.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Well, they won game two. They lost game one.

[Don Hahn]

Right. But they win game two, right. Excuse me. They take to the streets. You know, Durant, you're afraid to come to the Knicks, like, all the, all the meat, all this stuff like that was, that was pre Brunson.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah, that was yo yo, right?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, that was, that was pre Buns Brunson. That was Randall. It's a completely different Nick team.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

You know, and then you fast forward to them now exceeding that, you know, with a completely different in, in less than five years.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah, it's amazing.

[Don Hahn]

Like, so, yeah, windows close, but then windows get kicked back open again. So things are very, very fluid. So, yeah, I will give Stephen the nod to. It does feel a little bit more wide open than it would have been if Halliburton was healthy and Tatum was healthy. No question.

[Dave Rothenberg]

I agree.

[Don Hahn]

But, but that's also making it seem like, well, that's what the Knicks need to do it. Well, maybe they don't need to do it, because last I checked, they Beat the Celtics with a healthy Tatum. Tatum got hurt the game. The series was already decided when he got hurt. All right? And nobody on February 19th of last year was talking of Halliburton and the Pacers of being a team that was going to be any kind of a threat. Things are fluid. Things change. Now maybe Detroit, they'll be the next dynasty team. You know, I doubt it, but who knows? That might be the team to beat. We might fast forward. They might be like Cleveland last year, and there might be a team that we're not even talking about that all of a sudden ends up being a thorn in their side at some point. So let's let it play out.

[Dave Rothenberg]

But it's. It's, of course, like that. But, you know, again, this is our business, and we're trying to get your attention. And I think what Stephen A. Did is set that tone, get the attention, like, because everything he said is. Is true. The easiest path should be this year,

[Don Hahn]

but if not now, when.

[Dave Rothenberg]

That it's over. Because if they don't. I'm telling you, this Giannis thing. I told you guys this. I've been saying. Well, that's the biggest crime thing, is not going away.

[Caller]

You.

[Dave Rothenberg]

He didn't get traded. There's something to be said for it. And he isn't keeping his 10 toes down. Even though he says, I'm here. He always says now. And he keeps giving the caveat. I don't know, if you saw that interview.

[Don Hahn]

How many toes down would you say he is?

[Dave Rothenberg]

You know, maybe. Maybe five. Maybe one foot.

[Don Hahn]

You think he's one foot down?

[Dave Rothenberg]

The other foot a little. Like, he's just. He's holding it up like, you know. You know when a dog hurts its paw and it just won't.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, yeah. When the dog. When the dog stepped on salt, the.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And then the other paws up in the air, all sad.

[Dave Rothenberg]

So he's. He had this interview with Malika, and he. He made it clear, you know, I could change my mind, though, if I don't feel like we're heading the right direction. Like, he's leaving that door open, and that's all you need to know. And that the Knicks would have every right if they don't get to the finals this year to then say, all right, let's. Let's go back to this. And then if you brought that dude in, you're going to tell me that now. Oh, no, no, there's no window anymore. Sorry. Like, no, come on. Of course there's a wind, so that's Why I feel to say something like it could be another 25 years. Well, of course it could be another 25 years. It could be, but it also could not be. But they'd still be in, in the realm of contention. And I would argue that they might even be taken a little more seriously because they have another all time great.

[Don Hahn]

And that is the biggest fault of Stephen is not factoring that in. That if they end up stumbling, I'm surprised they can go out and get one of the best players in the NBA.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Now again, we need to see what that looks like, what they have to give up and all that. But like to know that Giannis could be on this team next year in some way, shape or form.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

If they have a stumble or don't win or don't get out of the east, that, that, that certainly changes things.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Here's the, here's the question is if you're looking at this team as a fan, you guys paid attention to them this year, you know what they look like. If there's something that you feel would be the Achilles heel, the thing, not the team, the thing that in the end, because remember two years ago, it was they all broke down, they all got hurt. Last year, it was the fact that they didn't have enough depth to handle what the Pacers were doing. And piece by piece they were being dismantled. They lost that Game one which was, we all know, the killer. What is it about this year's team that if it was, if it's not going to happen, what's the weakness that they have to fix? What is it? What's the thing that scares you the most? If you want to play the Fear Monger game, do it the right way. Here's why they can't win or won't win. What is it?

[Don Hahn]

If they can or won't win? What, what is the thing?

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah, because there's always a thing.

[Don Hahn]

What is it they can't defend?

[Dave Rothenberg]

Well, I mean, it's your opinion. So it's not something to add.

[Don Hahn]

To me, to me it would be not coming up big defensively. That would be it. And to me it's, to me it would be the, the lack of killer instinct if that doesn't come on.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah. And that, that to me was what happened. Game one against Indiana. They were up 13 and they were untying the laces. They can be too cool for school sometimes.

[Don Hahn]

Even now, even, even with Brown. I don't, I don't know why Thibodeau, they would have been that way.

[Dave Rothenberg]

No, but but it's. It's more on the court. Like, it's the players they don't have. And I think that's what they tried to address with Alvarado and with Sohan is they brought in two guys that are known agitators, that are known, you know, they don't mind getting in your face. They don't mind playing on the margins like, this is who they are. And they were missing that element. But it doesn't mean that the core of the team, like Cat, is just like, you know, he said, I'm here for a good time. Brunson is not the type to ever get in your face. Trae Young is rolling dice on the court, and Brunson's response was, well, when you win, you can do things like that. We have to beat him, and then we will stop him when everybody else is like, no, you walk up to him, punch him in the face, and say, this is my court. You don't disrespect me. Right like that. That's what some people think. But Brunson says, no, I just. The next time I play him. And by the way, look at his numbers. The next three times he played, Atlanta smoked them, and that's how he is. But in a playoff series, you can't do that. And so if you're asking me, that's what I want to see. Does this team still lack that ability to, like, okay, I took. I, I. I got him on the ground. I got some good punches in, but I just don't have it in me to put the knife through. I can't do it.

[Don Hahn]

We got.

[Dave Rothenberg]

They have that.

[Don Hahn]

We got more from Kendrick Perkins. He was on the Roommates podcast. Oh, with big body Brunson.

[Dave Rothenberg]

With big body Bronson.

[Don Hahn]

Right. So maybe he's playing up because Brunson's there, but here's the quote. Because we can't play the sound because apparently it's. It's an Olympic here. I feel like you already a top three Nick of all time, bro. You won championship away from being the greatest Nick of all time, hands down. Do you know special that blank is. All right, well, you know what I've learned here? Not only did he double down, I think he tripled down. You know what I'm learning about KP gold, Kent?

[Dave Rothenberg]

Big perk.

[Don Hahn]

He doesn't respect the Knicks as a franchise. That's. That's what I'm. That's where I'm going. Because it's a great compliment. And Brunson is on his way. He's on his way to being. But, but we. Come on now. He might end up.

[Dave Rothenberg]

I would hope Brunson's would look at him going bud. No, like, like there's a guy named Walt Frazier. I see him every night, but there's no chance.

[Don Hahn]

And I know Ewing didn't win. Yeah, you're still not surpassing you. It's, it's that. That's still tough to surpass Ewing, who spent, you know, now listen, I don't know how long Brunson's going to play and he might end up being. Playing more games as a Nick than, than Ewing did. But Ewing, even though he left to go different places, he spent. But this is over. This is overemphasizing the championship is what it's doing. Well. But if you tell me now, would he be the most beloved Nick?

[Dave Rothenberg]

That.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Is a different.

[Don Hahn]

I think for sure because unfortunately, you know, it's been a long time since Clyde played. Ewing was never as loved as he should have been because he didn't win a title.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

You know, so that's a, that's a conversation.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Who is. Who was it, Cook? Who was the Ranger that won more than one cup back in the, you know, the, the, the.

[Don Hahn]

You're probably talking about one, you know, one of the books or Cook.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Dave Rothenberg]

All right. But 50 something years later, nobody remembers that. So Mark Messier is the most beloved Ranger because, you know, ending the curse. So I think what if Perk was putting it in that contest, not to say you're the greatest, but you would be the most, like the most loved Nick of all time, that that could happen.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, it could. Because like nobody's ever going to say because he didn't spend enough time here. Though he did spend a long time here. Messier with the Rangers.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah, he did.

[Don Hahn]

But not the greatest Ranger of all time. Certainly, you know, that's going to go to Gilbert or it's going to go to Leech.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Leech, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

But most beloved, like most recognizable face. The guy that still resonates because of that cup and being the captain of the team that won.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Oh yeah, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

That, that, that puts him on a, on a pedestal. And I think Brunson would be there. Matter of fact, I think when you talk about being beloved, how beloved the Knicks are and to slay the Dragon, I think he'd be one of the most beloved players, period in New York for sure. But to say he's the greatest Nick if he wins a title, I think it's fair to say on his way to. Because maybe he wins a couple of titles, Maybe he plays three, four more years here and continues to average 30 points a game in the postseason and wins three titles. They clearly, he would be the guy.

[Dave Rothenberg]

But right. One, though, again, Clyde has two. And he was a. Not just a good. He was a critical piece in both of them. And again, I try to remind people, I know you're not going to want to watch because it's old, grainy video and nobody wants to watch that. Right. Just. Just call up the box score from game seven in 1970. And then first. First look at Clyde's line, then look at the hall of Famers he went up against in that game. And then you tell me, Tell me that you can make an easy argument that. Oh, no, no, no. Brunson will pass him. He's got two rings and he's got that game.

[Don Hahn]

Because you're talking about. You're talking about the.

[Dave Rothenberg]

That's tough.

[Don Hahn]

The Willis Reed game.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah, yeah. They call it the Willis Reed game, but all Clyde did was almost have a triple double and. Exactly. Jerry west and Elgin, like he killed them all.

[Don Hahn]

That's what kind of stinks for. For Frazier is that you have that kind of a game in a Game 7, and it's not your game. It's the. It's the guy that. You know what, he ended up playing like two minutes. Have a couple of buckets.

[Dave Rothenberg]

And then I played 20, believe it or not, he had played 20, but he made two shots.

[Don Hahn]

Two shots. That's what he's like. Two shots. But. But, you know, he comes that. It's known as the Willis Reed game. And meanwhile, you don't come, you don't sniff the win unless, you know, Frazier goes off the way that he did.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Clyde went crazy.

[Don Hahn]

Now, now, Don, let's be honest. Alan, I have to tell you something. Please, go ahead. I think Don's been ducking a phone call.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Oh, no.

[Don Hahn]

I've been ducking a phone call. I'm having a conversation with my friends. I know you've been talking here. I still think you've been ducking a call.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Oh, no.

[Don Hahn]

From Nancy. Nancy in Colorado. I don't duck calls. But you know what, Nancy, you're on ESPN New York. What's up?

[Caller]

Hello.

[Don Hahn]

Hello. Hello. How are you, dear?

[Caller]

I'm fine. Listen, I've loved you guys for years. I listen to you every day. But yesterday, I almost fell out of love for a while. Did you hear me hollering at the radio?

[Don Hahn]

Go ahead.

[Caller]

Faintly, you guys all want to die at 85, because God help You, you don't want to get to 88?

[Don Hahn]

No, no, we want to get to 88. We're just saying, I'll take 88.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Oh, yeah, we, we were, we were signing up for over 80.

[Don Hahn]

Nancy, I envy you. Yeah.

[Dave Rothenberg]

We were saying, how old is Nancy? How old is Nancy?

[Don Hahn]

She's 88.

[Dave Rothenberg]

88.

[Caller]

I'm 88.

[Dave Rothenberg]

God bless.

[Caller]

Listen, what I was hearing was, well, 88, between 88 and 90, you're kind of in a wheelchair.

[Don Hahn]

You know, Don did say that that was done. I did say. You wouldn't, you know. Well, you wouldn't be surprised. Like, you see some. I'm just saying, Nancy, I love you. You're old. Like, God love you. You're 88. You know, God bless you. We're happy. And I want to get there, but I'm saying that if you see an 88 year old in a wheelchair, you're not like, wow, that's awful young to be in a wheelchair. Right? This kind of makes sense.

[Dave Rothenberg]

I love that. Like, like, Nancy, Nancy, you heard me say my grandmother got to 90.

[Caller]

Yes.

[Dave Rothenberg]

And we. And she was so vibrant and she was. She walked every. I'd be like, grammy, you want to try? Nah, I'm gonna walk. She drove, she walked everywhere. And I'm telling her 90th birthday was in September of that year of 2000. And I just said, I can't believe it. And she goes, I'm good. I'm also like, that's like the first all set I ever got.

[Don Hahn]

But that's not you. You're not all set. No, you're doing, you're rocking.

[Caller]

Please. I just walked the dog. I just did the laundry. I'm here with my daughter. She teaches all day, she leaves me here, but on the weekends we run all over the place. I love the mountains here and so forth. And I missed all that damn Eastern weather.

[Don Hahn]

No, you don't. You're not missing much.

[Caller]

I would have. No. Where I live, I would have been up to my. Up to my waist trying to dig the car out. Really, Nancy.

[Don Hahn]

Anyway, I got to say, your energy and your. But you're lying. You're not eating it.

[Dave Rothenberg]

You're saying, I love it. I love it. I need you to call in more.

[Don Hahn]

You're fantastic. Why. Why aren't you calling more often? Because. You know why? Because you're too busy. You're running all over the place.

[Caller]

I can't. No, I can't get through. I've just waited for over an hour now. And usually when I call, it just. I Just get a busy signal, because everybody wants to talk to you today. I feel very lucky. And you know what? Listen, I am watching the medal ceremony of the wonderful hockey women. It's on the USA Network.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yep.

[Caller]

Yeah. I don't know why, but there it is. And they replayed the famous goal. It was wonderful. So just remember that usa, wherever it is, it's way up high.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. At least we got to see the game on NBC. But they did the ceremony on usa. But.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Oh, the ceremony's on usa. The game was on NBC. Okay.

[Don Hahn]

Nancy, it was wonderful talking to you. Please try to make it a regular happening. And thank you for putting me in my place. And I think that you are. You're terrific. You are. Now, honestly, you're an inspiration.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Love it.

[Caller]

I love your place. Never mind.

[Don Hahn]

But thank you. Nancy in Colorado, 88 years young, and I say that. So accurate. She was great. She brought it. She did. You knew it. You knew what she was gonna do. But now, I wasn't ducking it, just that we were getting into our conversation. But, Peter, there are times that you bring up things that irritate me. Today, you brought up something that we really needed to.

[Dave Rothenberg]

And I love the fact that Don, being true to himself, still had to take the moment to say, nancy, let's be honest. You're old.

[Don Hahn]

Well, I'm. I'm taking 88. But she shouldn't. She should be taking 98, the way she sounded. No, she was great.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Oh, no.

[Don Hahn]

I hope I'm. I'm half as energetic as she is.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

At 88. That's awesome. That's cool. I almost don't believe it. Like, she's not advantageous.

[Dave Rothenberg]

No, she's. Yep.

[Don Hahn]

Shout out to her daughter, brought her out to Colorado, the two of them hanging every weekend.

[Dave Rothenberg]

You got a clean living.

[Don Hahn]

You know, depending on when she was born, her daughter's old daughter could be, like, deep into her 60s, right? Oh, that's a. That's a great question. I'm not picturing her daughter is, like, 30, but you're absolutely right. Although the way Nancy sounded, she was probably swinging, like, into her 50s, so who knows when she had her swinging.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Oh, yeah, swinging.

[Don Hahn]

Wow. Jumping right to swinging, huh?

[Dave Rothenberg]

She's going right to that. Don't.

[Don Hahn]

Well, tea parties and the like. No, I was not saying that. I was not. Maybe swinging is not the word I should have used, but I'm just saying she was like. I'm just saying she was taking some cuts. She was.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Well, when she calls back, we can start asking.

[Don Hahn]

Hopefully, she's a regular.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah, I do too. The following is a paid advertisement for the wellness company.

[Don Hahn]

Today we're talking cancer awareness. And I want to bring in someone with a really unique perspective. Dr. Kelly Victory. She's a board certified emergency medicine physician with over 30 years of experience who serves on the chief medical board for the wellness company. And most importantly, she's a cancer surviv doctor. Victory, thanks so much for being with us.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Thanks very much for having me, Michelle.

[Don Hahn]

We've been hearing a lot lately about cancer rates rising, especially in younger adults, which is obviously pretty alarming. What are you seeing? Without question, cancer rates are rising across the board.

[Dave Rothenberg]

And concerningly, we are seeing more aggressive cancers in people even in their 20s and 30s.

[Don Hahn]

That's scary for a lot of people. Is there anything that can be done to help alleviate that fear? That is what led me to develop

[Dave Rothenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Dave Rothenberg]

supercharge your immune system. The first line of defense against cancer.

[Don Hahn]

To learn more, Visit Victory against cancer.com and use promo code SMALLS to save $25 on SHIELD always consult your doctor to determine if this product is right for you.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. We all have that one friend.

[Don Hahn]

I'm talking about the yo yos who set themselves on fire and bathe in

[Dave Rothenberg]

pork and beans or know that one

[Don Hahn]

person I'm here with, my family who

[Dave Rothenberg]

can't help but be.

[Don Hahn]

He's not cool. His voice is weird. He's kind of a dork. His brother's a tool. His girlfriend's annoying.

[Dave Rothenberg]

That guy.

[Don Hahn]

I didn't know it was banner night. We won't be out for that.

[Dave Rothenberg]

It's time for that guy Thursday. Hey, guys. Anyone want to play some ball with Don Hahn and Rosenberg?

[Don Hahn]

He's just being that guy.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Ah,

[Don Hahn]

that guy Thursday. Who would like to go first? Gentlemen?

[Dave Rothenberg]

Well, can I point one thing out before I go?

[Don Hahn]

Please? I know what you're gonna say.

[Dave Rothenberg]

They're doing the medal ceremony and it's the silver medals go first. They're already crushed, crying. They're taking the medals. All right. Then somebody comes by after they go through. Each one gets a medal. Someone comes by and hands out these dopey, stuffed. You know, the mascot thing.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Like, what are we doing that for?

[Don Hahn]

Yo Yo.

[Dave Rothenberg]

They are the one girl took it. It's like. And then looked at it like, what the hell is this? Well, why are we giving out a stuffed toy?

[Don Hahn]

Well, who was it? I'm trying to remember. Who was it in the last Olympics?

[Dave Rothenberg]

Or like, are they doing this for the men's game? Can you imagine what they'll do?

[Don Hahn]

I know, I know I was a little bit.

[Dave Rothenberg]

But what would you do, Don, if I handed you a stuffed toy? Every metal, every medalist I know is getting the ferret. I know it's a ferret. It's not a ferret. It's something. I think it's stole or something like that. Whatever. Look at this. Now, they give them to the, to the US Team as well. But imagine being the guy that's got to go by and, hey, here's your

[Don Hahn]

toy, since we're on the topic, because I've always thought about this, that in team sports, so basketball, hockey, all the team sports in the Olympics.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

The silver medal is literally the only one that you don't win. You lose the medal.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

There's no way to win a silver medal. Individual stuff. You can win a silver. You were the second best. We give you a silver medal because you get the silver medal by losing the gold medal game. So when you're handed it, you're disgusted. We've seen players, like, just throw them into the stands, put them in the garbage. They don't want it.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Now the bronze medal, you win because you know the team didn't qualify. You won the bronze medal because one

[Dave Rothenberg]

loser can't get the bronze medal.

[Don Hahn]

And of course, the gold medal, you obviously win. So silver. Is that weird in the team sports where you lose that medal?

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And you just. And you had a 1 nothing lead for pretty much 58 minutes of the game. And you lose the lead, you lose in overtime. I mean, you're that close. You're that close to being presented a gold medal. And I'm sure the silver medal will age well for them, especially if they never get another chance, some of those Olympians on the Canadian side to, to win a gold medal. But I saw the line. They're receiving it, they're saying thank you. They're being polite. There's tears in their eyes. They're disgusted to be handed this thing.

[Dave Rothenberg]

I know. And this, this woman's holding a tray full of toys and this guy's just handing them out like, like, hey, here you go.

[Don Hahn]

And then the best part of the Olympics, then they all get to sit there, arms around each other, hear the anthem, see the flag go up. It is it is pretty special stuff. So congratulations to us.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

United States wins a gold medal. You're taking women's hockey. You're congratulating yourself. Yeah, we did it. It's our country. The one time where you can say we and not be a tool. Or you could still be a tool, but. Well, if you're a tool, you're a tool right now. Now I would like to say the. It's not right when they do the medal ceremony that the goalies still have to be wearing their uniform.

[Dave Rothenberg]

The gear.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, the goalies look like such. Yo, Yoshi, they're wearing goalies.

[Dave Rothenberg]

They're goalies. What do you want them to do?

[Don Hahn]

But don't you. Don't you want a picture where you don't, like, look like you're wearing a big moo moo? No, no.

[Dave Rothenberg]

A moo moo.

[Don Hahn]

I'm telling you, I just saw an angle and it looks like they're wearing a muumu. It doesn't look right.

[Dave Rothenberg]

You know what I think right now? Do you think she gives a rip?

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Caller]

When she gets home.

[Don Hahn]

When she gets home, and she goes, hey, send me the photos. And they send all the photos and she's flicking through them, she goes, it looks like I'm wearing a moomoo. Everyone listen. She could think that if I'm the goalie and I win a gold medal, all right, it's 10:30 in Italy right now, so they're going to go out and they're going to party. I don't. I don't. I don't take. I don't take the pads off. I don't take the skates off. I'm walking around the hotel, full gear.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Skates, full gear.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Dave Rothenberg]

I want everybody to know.

[Don Hahn]

Tearing up the rugs in the hotel. I'm not taking anything off. I don't want it to be over. Living in your own hockey state, Right?

[Dave Rothenberg]

All of it.

[Don Hahn]

No stink like a hockey stick.

[Dave Rothenberg]

No, there's nothing like that. And male or female, doesn't matter because Cali. My God, that bag opens.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, don't do this to her.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah, that's not a knockout.

[Don Hahn]

She knows. I know she knows it, but she doesn't need our audience to know it.

[Dave Rothenberg]

First of all, she's quite proud of it, all right?

[Don Hahn]

She's proud of her hockey stink.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Loves it. Loves it. Right in the face every time. I get it.

[Don Hahn]

But I don't think she needs. Athletes are disgusting. That's a good point. All right, so who's going first here? I don't have I don't know that I have. You don't need one.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

So what do you ask me for?

[Dave Rothenberg]

I got one.

[Don Hahn]

There's another guy on the show. His name is Alan Hahn. Oh, God. Does he have one?

[Dave Rothenberg]

How are you? Yeah, my. That guy is Hershey's. So I don't know if you've heard this. So Brad Reese, okay. He wrote a letter on Valentine's Day and he's very upset with Hershey and he posted the letter on his LinkedIn. Now, if you're wondering who Brad Reese is, well, he's the grandson of HB Reese who worked at Hershey before he formed his own candy company. You might have heard of it, called Reese's.

[Don Hahn]

Did good. Did well for himself.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Pretty good. Made the peanut butter cups, made the pieces work of art, all of it. And over time, number one candy in

[Don Hahn]

the world, in my opinion.

[Dave Rothenberg]

So this all they. You know, by the way, the peanut butter cup was made in 1928. The company was formed in 1919. So it took him a minute, but he got it right.

[Don Hahn]

Right, but.

[Dave Rothenberg]

But him and then six sons sold the company in 1963 to Hershey's. Brad Reese, the grandson, not happy. Why? Well, he likes to consume the product of his family. And he said, how does the Hershey company continue to position Reese's as its flagship brand, a symbol of trust, quality and leadership, while quietly replacing the very ingredients, milk chocolate and peanut butter, that built Reese's trust in the first place? He said that we've grown and look, he believes they have changed the ingredients. Hershey did fire back, saying that it still involves all the things that you think is in there. And yet they did acknowledge there's been some recipe changes. But this is only done because they're trying to meet consumer demand for innovation. And that high cocoa prices have also led them and other manufacturers to experiment with lose using less chocolate in recent years. Have you guys noticed Reese's ain't the

[Don Hahn]

same as the 1919? No, I haven't noticed.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Well, I don't know 1919, but I'm

[Don Hahn]

just saying, honestly, I've seen this. I honestly have not noticed it. Yeah, I haven't noticed a difference yet either.

[Dave Rothenberg]

I have. I thought it was me. It's definitely different.

[Don Hahn]

Okay. Really? I did not know that. This is upsetting.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Honestly, it is definitely different. It is noticeably different.

[Don Hahn]

I don't like to hear this one bit.

[Dave Rothenberg]

I don't either why they do this. And the young Brad Reese, who's by the way, 70, he said that he threw out a bag of Reese's mini Hearts. He said it was not edible. And so he said, you have to understand, I used to eat Reese's every day. It's devastating to me.

[Don Hahn]

So to be 70, that should be an ad.

[Dave Rothenberg]

I know, right?

[Don Hahn]

That's a great point.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Having chocolate every day. So I'll close with this. The U.S. food and Drug Administration, they have of course, like, requirements that you have to have certain ingredients to be able to label something like, let's say made with milk chocolate. So it must contain at least 10% chocolate liqueur, which is a paste made from ground cocoa beans. And it contains no alcohol. So they use like powder and some other stuff that sort of help make the taste, but not the same amount of milk chocolate that we were used to in the past.

[Don Hahn]

Wow.

[Dave Rothenberg]

So it's compound coatings of chocolate and peanut butter with peanut butter cream. All right, so are we happy with Hershey's for doing this?

[Don Hahn]

I did notice. So I don't care. I care. We continue to consume it. I honor them.

[Dave Rothenberg]

We can, we can debate about different things that happen in our country that we are for or against. This is where I draw the line. You don't mess with Reese's. It's the greatest candy ever made. But you're number one power, power ranked number one candy ever made.

[Don Hahn]

But I got to taste it and see if there's. When was. According to the grandson, when was the last time it was the original recipe?

[Dave Rothenberg]

I think what he's. He's noticing it now. It's starting to happen. As I said, Hershey's admitted it, that they have changed things.

[Don Hahn]

I hate to be serious and rude, but, like, there's so much actual poison that we're being fed and told it's

[Dave Rothenberg]

okay, that's by when. When do we say enough's enough?

[Don Hahn]

Well, I have one thing. Is this health wise, much worse or is it just a different flavor? You see what I'm saying?

[Dave Rothenberg]

Well, it's both. Don't you think if you like fake things to make the flavor.

[Don Hahn]

Well, that's everything. Everything we have is fake.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Well, not everything. I mean, I'll tell you what. Buy a Reese's and then go over to.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I need to buy the peanut butter cups that we love again. I'm going to be that guy on that guy.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Well, is that guy.

[Don Hahn]

Thursday is that everybody's all upset about the ingredients changing, but if they kept the ingredients the way they did in 1919 to honor the legacy of Reese's and you're paying five, five and a quarter for it because now it's more expensive. People would flip. Flip over cars.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

Because that's end of what happens, right? Is that it ends up just being, hey, we want to be able to keep it affordable. We don't want to. And now the price. That's what they say. I know, but I'm just saying made up. Well, whatever, whatever they do, it would end up being more expensive. And if it's a quarter more expensive, they'll charge $2 more to make up for it. I'm not defending them. I'm just saying that how far are you willing to go to get. How much are you willing to pay to get the original recipe? Because it'll probably be through the nose. I still only drink Coca Cola with cocaine in it. Well, there you go.

[Dave Rothenberg]

I mean that. Can you get it?

[Don Hahn]

That's that. Why don't you? How I know again, he's got it right. There was a guy about a hundred years ago saying, I think this could be a thing. I'm gonna store them in a refrigerated garage. It's coming around. I've got a good one, but we've ran out of time. All the time. I teased it earlier, never got to it. Sorry. Next week, no 1-800-919-3776 segment. It's Don Hanna Rosenberg on ESPN.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Why not? Next segment. Why not? You know why? We can continue things. We can keep building on it. In fact, let's talk more about building. Why? Because you know me in my house, I got construction going on all the time and I've got somebody from Rings End coming to join me. Tomorrow we're going to go over a new project we're going to do in the house. Because Rings End is not just a brand that I am all about right now. They're a great partner of ours and we're going to get work done at our house and Ringsend is going to do it. They work with pro contractors who build and remodel for a living. Pros. Trust them. You can too. I know I am. So they use only premium brands. They use windows, doors, decking, paint, lumber, kitchens, all that. It's built to last. High end product lines that contractors rely on. They do it right, they don't do it over. Ring's End has full service lumberyards and showrooms with products you can touch, feel and try so you know exactly what you're getting. It's not just out of a catalog. They have kitchen design services, window and door installation, architectural hardware services and much more. And if you can't make it to the store. Guess what? You can shop online. Ringsend.com now they're not a national chain. They have regional expertise. Eight full service lumber yards in Connecticut and Westchester county and 12 freestanding paint centers. They know the area. They know your house. Get to know them. Ring's End, family owned and operated since 1902. That's 124 years in business with deep northeast roots supporting local builders and communities. So check them out. You got a project to do at your house, go to ringsend.com thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Dave Rothenberg]

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

[Don Hahn]

Get ready for rickleball madness. Friday, March 20th. ESPN New York is taking over Pickleball Heaven in Medford, New York. Catch a live broadcast with Dpietro and rothenberg starting at 6am Then stick around for our social ladder Pickle Pickleball tournament. We'll crown our champion, then roll right into a college hoops watch party. To cap off the day, sign up now at the ESPN New York app. Spots are limited, so get going. Brickleball Madness brought to you by Pickleball Haven or Heaven, the new standard of indoor pickleball. So they went right to heaven. Some people say, haven't said. 1-800-919-3776. Chauncey is in Westwood. You're on ESPN New York.

[Caller]

Hey, guys. So as far as tonight with the Knicks, you know, like, yeah, they can't get blown out, that's for sure. But Alan, you know, this first game after the All Star break, sometimes you get some ugly games.

[Dave Rothenberg]

You do.

[Caller]

So, I mean, I.

[Dave Rothenberg]

You guys come in with sunburns.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, exactly.

[Caller]

They're still in vacation mode. They haven't played in a week. So I expect this to be kind of a grinded out slugfest. But I also kind of have a. That guy. I'm going to call out Rick and Dave of the morning show.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Caller]

Every time they talk about Pistons and Knicks, there, they always bring up, you know, the Pistons, they got Brunson's number. They match up amazing against Brunson, which I'll give them one thing. Last game might have been Brunson's against the Pistons. That might have been his worst game as a Knick. But the seven prior games, the six in the playoffs and the one earlier this year, he's averaging 31. So I don't know this, this notion that they have his number, I Think he'll figure it out. And you know, as far as Stephen A, like, you have to win this year or you won't ever get back. Well, I mean, in that case, you don't win the finals, then fine, blow it up. Trade Brunson. Cut. Carl, answer.

[Don Hahn]

You're not going to do that? No.

[Dave Rothenberg]

That's a great call.

[Don Hahn]

What do you do?

[Dave Rothenberg]

It's such a great call. It really is. It's. And that's again, what you're explaining is what I'm, I'm trying to figure out. It's not just our station, it's again, the ESPN stuff, other places, social media. I just keep like, I'm sitting here going during All Star break and I'm just like, did I miss something? Did they not just win 10 of 12? Like, are they not one of the top five teams in the NBA right now, record wise? Like, do they have not one of the best offenses in the NBA? Like, what is with this? Like, everyone feels like, like it's so much. I don't know if it's fear or if it's disbelief. Like, I just don't believe they're good. And I don't think it's going to. 11 games done. 11 games. They're. What are they, 35 and 20. Right, right. So 11 games out of 55 decided whether or not you believe in them or not. So the, the, the other 44, nothing?

[Don Hahn]

No, because the knee jerk reaction is not to believe. Because nobody wants to acknowledge how good this basketball team is. It's the same old Knicks. That's what they got to take advantage. It's so wide open for them because if they don't take advantage of it, then they'll be the same old Knicks and never be good enough and never be great. So they might not win. They might not win. But why can't people acknowledge the fact that I root for a team or I cover a team that is one of the top five basketball teams in the NBA and probably at least in the top three, if not the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. And I'm gonna give them a nod because they're the team that went to the conference final last year. Not Detroit, not Cleveland, not Boston. The only one that's got a kick coming is Indiana. And they're out of it. They're in the lottery. Yeah, but instead of looking at it that way, they're looking at it. Well, it's the Knicks. So the only way they can win is if, like, you know, they, they blast open a huge hole and just run through it. It's because they, they can't win otherwise. But that's what, that's what they're saying. That's what Stephen A saying, you know, because we don't win this year, we're never gonna win because we're the Knicks. We have. We take advantage of a. We can only win with a glitch in the system, Peter. They got to take advantage of it. You can only do it when the real teams aren't there right now that the real teams are gone. Because they only know the little Knicks can win because they don't want. Because I'm going to play like Freud for a second. They don't want to acknowledge the greatness because they don't want to get hurt. Because if they acknowledge how great the Knicks are and they don't win, it'll hurt more. So I don't want to get in Stephen A. Smith's head, but what Stephen is saying is I'm going to put the gauntlet out there. And then when they don't do it, I told you so. I told you they wouldn't win again because they missed their opportunity and he could be the aggressor and he could be the I told you so instead of going, damn, I really thought they had a chance this year and they missed. That's what it is. That's what it's all about.

[Dave Rothenberg]

I actually, yeah, that's phenomenal because I think we've discussed this with other teams, right? You're afraid to believe because the safer thing to do is come up with all the reasons why they can't and hope they surprise you. It's the famous under promise and over deliver. And I gotta be honest with you, Don, the other part of me doesn't mind all this, like the doubt and the disbelief because it's almost like you'd rather that. Weren't you the one that says it? We always tell you you're supposed to be this and then when you don't achieve it, we tell you you failed.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, exactly.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Like, and that's kind of like. So part of me, like doesn't mind it. I'm. I'm more. It's not like I'm mad, I'm more just confused. Like there's no one that is like enjoying this, that sits back and like, man, this team's good. Like they got a shot because you can make the case. And I've said that they have the widest gap. Their ceiling is. And I talked to coaches in this league. Their ceiling is Insane. They can be really good. The problem is their lows are really bad. And so which is it that you're going to get? That's. And I think that's all matchups. Who do they play?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. There's no guarantees. It's just like the Yankee conversation yesterday. You can spend all the money. You can have All Stars at every position. Doesn't guarantee any. I can't guarantee anything. Nick fans. I'm sorry. I think your team's really good. I think it's one of the best teams in the NBA. I can't guarantee you're going to make it out of the Eastern Conference. I can't even guarantee you make it out of the second round.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

It's the way that it is. Sorry. But you're going to have to watch. You're going to have to believe. You're going to have to root and see what happens. But don't set yourself up for a fall that may not happen. Embrace it. Embrace the madness, man. Right. Got a good basketball team first. You got a team coming off a conference final for the first time in forever. You got a team that's the favorite to go to the finals for the first time in forever. Brace it. Already you're setting yourself up when they don't do it. You know. But more of this also. We've got over Saunders for the NFL. I know it's time to truck because we're pre draft and we're all free. Free agency. Come on. But it's nice to see what people think of the respective teams. Why not throw it out there?

[Dave Rothenberg]

Can we guess? Can we play a guessing game?

[Don Hahn]

Did you look at it?

[Dave Rothenberg]

Did you cheat? No.

[Don Hahn]

Peter, I know you don't do any prep. So you didn't see it. I did actually. Look, I'm ignoring your insult even though it's basically true. But I did. But I did. Look. Actually, I'm sorry.

[Dave Rothenberg]

You only looked at one team though. Let's be honest.

[Caller]

No.

[Don Hahn]

Well, I looked. I looked at us first and then I looked at everything around it to see what. What everyone else looked like. And I had an interesting moment with Dave Rothenberg earlier today.

[Dave Rothenberg]

All right.

[Don Hahn]

Because we broke bread.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Did you actually get to go to lunch? So did he cancel again?

[Don Hahn]

I came in early at 11 o' clock and we had. We broke bread. I'll tell you about it coming up. Where do you go? I. I don't want to mention the place.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Oh, wow.

[Don Hahn]

But it was very good. But I'm gonna kind of insult them at the same time. So I'm gonna leave it out there. It's a tease if I get a chance to get it in.

[Dave Rothenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

I don't want to know how the

[Dave Rothenberg]

sausage is made, man. I just want to know it. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.