Hour 2: Mets & Fraud Alert Friday

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast Episode: Hour 2: Mets & Fraud Alert Friday
Original Air Date: June 26, 2026

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Episode Overview

This lively Hour 2 episode finds Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg dissecting the tumultuous state of the New York Mets following the firing of manager Carlos Mendoza. The show also features caller reactions, sharp criticisms of team leadership and baseball management trends, debates on player contracts and leadership, and the ever-popular "Fraud Alert Friday" segment, in which the cast judges questionable sports fandom. Sprinkled throughout are laughs about hip-hop, soccer, Norwegian fans, and irreverent asides about the culture of sports and sports radio. The rapport among hosts and their audience shines as they blend passionate sports analysis with humor and tradition.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mets Managerial Turmoil: The Fallout from Mendoza's Firing

• Carlos Mendoza out; Andy Green in as interim manager.
• Hosts and callers debate if Mendoza was scapegoated and lament ongoing organizational malaise.
• Don La Greca critiques the cycle of blaming coaches:
  • “You change coaches in front of the manager, which usually puts the manager on notice...it just feels like they’re grasping at straws, trying to get people to look at everything but what the real problem is.” (03:00)
• Discussion of failed roster moves and the lack of progress from promoted players (Brett Baty, Mark Vientos).
• Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner’s departure called out as a red flag.
• Alan Hahn: “It’s not just player personnel decisions. There's some other things...you’re going, what the hell is that all about?” (02:51)
• Consensus: The issues predate Mendoza, stemming from ownership and the front office.

2. Caller Reactions: Frustrations, Memories, and Old School Baseball

• Callers reflect on changes in the Mets, failings of promoted prospects, and the desire for old-school, disciplinarian managers.
• Don and Alan explain that the "get-in-your-face" manager is a bygone era.
  • “The disciplinary managers, they’re gone. It’s over. That’s not how baseball is anymore.” – Don La Greca (05:45)
• Alan and Don repeatedly point to the shift to analytics-driven leadership, noting the contrast to the past.

3. The Pete Alonso Decision & Met Fan Discontent

• Extended debate about the wisdom of letting Pete Alonso go and whether the front office (specifically David Stearns) mishandled the situation due to contract-length philosophy.
• “He wasn’t willing to give him a five-year contract because he thought it would age poorly.” – Don La Greca (08:01)
• Questions about Bo Bichette’s tenure: Was he a real plan or a pivot? (13:49)
• Alan argues that sometimes a “lifetime achievement” element to contracts should matter due to a player’s history with the fanbase.
• Don questions worries about long-term contracts when “you have a $23 billion owner”: “I don’t have to worry about contracts aging poorly.” (15:12)

4. Leadership and Clubhouse Culture

• Multiple calls and discussions about the absence of true leaders in the Mets clubhouse and the effects on team performance.
• “Managers are not something the modern day ballplayer feels like they have to respect. It’s obvious.” – Don La Greca (17:28)
• Modern clubhouses are described as more player-driven and less susceptible to managerial discipline.
• Ongoing references to the lack of accountability among players and management.

5. Lindor and Soto “Feud” – Impact or Distraction?

• Callers and hosts address rumors of a rift between Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto.
• Don urges caution: “Let’s not make this feud ... the reason they’re in the situation they’re in. ... It is something that needs to be addressed for sure.” (20:21)
• Alan highlights passive-aggressiveness contributing to clubhouse discomfort:
  • “It’s so passive aggressive that nobody knows. And don’t you think that makes the clubhouse kind of uncomfortable?” (21:15)

6. Best Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Lifetime achievement awards when it comes to contracts...” – Alan Hahn on why sentimental value should factor into negotiations (09:14)
• “He’s a merc. ... Another one of these mercenaries coming over.” – Don on Bo Bichette’s lack of leadership (14:50)
• “Spend more time with [your daughters]. The fraudulence would be if you picked up on another team...” – Don rules on Mets fans taking a break (33:47)

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Fraud Alert Friday Highlights (24:02 – 40:00)

Concept:

Listeners confess questionable fandom; the hosts (“Judge” Don, “Jury” Alan, Peter) rule on their cases.

Notable Cases & Judgments:

• Caller’s Mother: Lifelong Mets, switches to Yankees at 90 for Judge

  • Judgment: “Fraud is fraud. ... For her, at 90, she’s entitled to be a fraud. Let your fraud flag fly. But you still are a fraud.” – Don La Greca (28:07)

• Barstool’s Frank the Tank: Former Nets fan, now Knicks fan

  • Judgment: “No, that’s fraudulent behavior. ... Fraud is fraud is fraud.” – Don La Greca (30:06)

• Yankees fan who rooted for Cubs in 2016

  • Judgment: “Just own it. You’re a fraud.” – Don (31:46), Alan: “The evidence is there.”

• Mets diehard, wants to take a break this season

  • Judgment: “No fraud. Time is precious. The fraudulence would be if you picked up on another team...” – Don (33:47, 34:24)

• Recent immigrant becomes Knicks fan after Carmelo trade; suffered through the lows

  • Judgment: “No fraud. ... You never know when the spark is gonna happen.” – Don (38:31)
  • Alan: “He suffered. ... When you stay around for the suck, you earned it.” (38:57)

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Other Highlights & Sidebars

• Quick Soccer Update: France’s Dembele scores first-half hat trick vs. Norway. (11:06)
• Host Banter: Comedic riffing on “keeping it tasty” (10:34), Norwegian fans, and viral videos about badgers and mushrooms.
• Anecdotes about Old-School Fandom: Don relates how older generations rooted for conferences/leagues, not just teams.
• Alan’s Take on Contracts: Lifetime achievement contracts, like CC Sabathia, sometimes make sense for a franchise icon.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:40 – Start of substantive Mets discussion
• 02:34 – Analysis of Jeremy Hefner firing; coaching changes
• 03:40 – “Play the kids” call; baseball’s managerial culture
• 07:07 – Extended debate on Pete Alonso and leadership
• 15:44 – Caller: Lackadaisical play/clubhouse issues
• 20:21 – On Lindor-Soto relationship and leadership
• 24:02 – 40:00 – Fraud Alert Friday!
  • Notable judgments and fan confessions throughout
• 41:08 – End of main segment; promo/ad-break

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Notable Quotes

• “The disciplinary managers, they’re gone. It’s over. That’s not how baseball is anymore.” – Don La Greca (05:45)
• “I don’t have to worry about contracts aging poorly.” – Don La Greca on Steve Cohen’s wealth (15:12)
• “Spend more time with them. The fraudulence would be if you picked up on another team...” – Don on Mets fan fatigue (33:47)
• “Fraud is fraud. ... For her, at 90, she’s entitled to be a fraud. Let your fraud flag fly. But you still are a fraud.” – Don (28:07)

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Tone & Style

The show is fast-paced, candid, and suffused with banter and humor—even when addressing serious franchise problems. Don delivers judgments with a mix of old-school stickler and grandfatherly warmth. Alan provides measured, insightful analysis. Peter injects irreverence and pop culture references, providing a dynamic blend of perspectives.

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Summary for New Listeners

If you haven’t listened, this episode is a quintessential slice of passionate NY sports radio: fiery debates about organizational dysfunction, nostalgia for an era of tougher managers, and collective venting by fans and hosts alike. The “Fraud Alert Friday” is a highlight—judging modern sports fandom’s gray areas with both rigor and humor. The hosts are in their groove: insightful on the state of the Mets but just as quick to laugh about “keeping it tasty,” Norwegian soccer fans, and the oddities of modern sports culture.

Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

So good, so good, so good.

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[Podcast Host]

This is the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don La Greca]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Podcast Host]

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

[Alan Hahn]

All right, 4:00 clock in the big city. The Mets make the move that they might have made a month ago, perhaps, but they make it now. Carlos Mendoza out as manager David Stern spoke earlier. If you missed it 5 o' clock hour, we'll play you some of the the greatest hits or greatest misses from that press conference. Said some interesting things, of course, but right now, it's the time for you at 800-919-3776. A lot of fans want to react. We're giving you that opportunity right now. Joe and Nyack, you're up next.

[Caller 1]

Yeah.

[Caller 2]

Just the one point is that we could also get rid of Brett Beatty and Mark Vientos for maybe a bag of balls and a fungal bet.

[Caller 3]

That's.

[Caller 2]

That's how valuable they are to my

[Don La Greca]

vision of the Mets.

[Caller 4]

That's all I have to say.

[Caller 2]

Thank you very much.

[Don La Greca]

Well, you're not wrong. They've been given opportunity after opportunity. You know, Beatty could have taken third, but they weren't sure about it. So they get Bichette, but he's had opportunities and has failed. Vientos has thrown a first. I feel bad. I guess he's not a first baseman. But you did that because you got rid of Alonzo and the three guys or four guys that have played first base haven't been able to measure up to the abilities of what Pete brought you. No, there's a problem. We had some call up the kids. Well, these are some of the kids.

[Caller 1]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

That's the other thing. There's so many different fails.

[Caller 5]

Guys.

[Don La Greca]

When we talk about the roster, we're not just talking about the failed roster of the guys that are up here. It's the guy they've called up. Now, I think Ewing's been pretty solid. I think there might be a future there. But otherwise it doesn't seem like any of the guys that they've been able to bring up have been anything great. McNeil, I think there's McLean. Excuse me. I think there's something there, but the last four or five starts have not been great. We got to see the tongs of the world a little bit. Not so much so far this year, but really the only thing that can get you maybe remotely excited is the bullpen Weaver's been able to do.

[Alan Hahn]

And don, speaking of McLean. And not to jump off, we got a lot of calls to get to. But the Jeremy Hefner decision, too.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

The fact that you moved on from a guy that had been here a long time, a widely respected pitching coach, who the Braves even hesitate the minute he became available to bring him in,

[Don La Greca]

that should have set up a flag right there.

[Alan Hahn]

Are you kidding me? And so, like these, it's not just player personnel decisions. There's some other things that were done here where you're going, what the hell is that all about?

[Don La Greca]

Well, and that's also part of it too, right? Because you change coaches in front of the manager, which usually puts the manager on notice, and then you get off to a slow start and then you still. All right. No, I think. I don't think it's Mendoza again. I don't think it's Mendoza either. But it could have been. It could have been a real easy thing to let him go 30 games in. He changed the coaching staff. He was part of the failures in the second half of last year. Get off to a slow start again. It just feels like there's just grasping at straws, trying to get people to look at everything but what the real problem is.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, let's. Let's go to Tim and Staten island on this point about playing the kids. Go ahead, Tim, you're up next.

[Caller 2]

Hey, guys, how are you?

[Don La Greca]

What's up,

[Caller 1]

Don?

[Caller 2]

Nice to talk to you. I know we met at Devil's game last year and. No, the reason I'm calling is I've been with the Cyclones for quite a while and in their sales department and I watch guys like Zolvarez, all these guys come up and one of the things that I really wanted to say is, is that I think one of the things that the Mets need to do is they're going to hire a new manager. They need to go outside of the organization. I think too many guys are softies.

[Caller 1]

Not like back in the day.

[Caller 2]

I mean, back in the day, my grandfather was a Yankee fan, I was a Mets fan. And the only way the Mets were in first place is if he took the Daily News and turned it upside down. That's the only way that I used to get that. And so you know, we all know the Yankees had a great farm system. And I really believed, you know, the Mets have started to do that as well. Like I said, I watched Alvarez come up as a catcher with the Cyclones. I have his game used. Rookie, rookie, rookie bat. And I said, man, if this guy makes it in the majors, I put my grandkids through college. So the reason I'm calling is that, first of all, I think if we had old managers, like back in the day, they sit the guys down, he goes aside. I don't care if you're making $50 a year or 50 million a year, you don't play. You don't have the aggressiveness, you don't have the desire. You sit. And to tell you the truth, I think what Mendoza really needed to do, if he had any kind of cue balls, if you know what I mean, he would have said to these guys, you know what? You don't want to play? Guess what? I'm taking. And we have enough of them. We have these De Ewings and Benge and Beatty Vientos. He should have went a year ago or whatever. But you take all these guys, Alvarez, you can put nine rookies on the field and make those guys that have egos so big, they can't sit through the door to sit down and watch what hunger is, what aggressiveness is, because in the mind is.

[Don La Greca]

And I'm looking forward to seeing you at the Devils next year. That's just not the way the game is anymore. It's just not. I mean, the disciplinary managers, they're gone. It's over. That's not how baseball is anymore. And it's not realistic to take, you know, Juan Soto and Lindor and all the veterans on the team and bench them. First of all, Soto doesn't deserve to be benched. He's playing great. Lindor has been hurt. But guys, that doesn't exist anymore.

[Alan Hahn]

You're right.

[Don La Greca]

Managers are not here to get in your face. The guys that got in your face are out the door. He could not wait to get rid of Buck Showalter when he got here.

[Caller 4]

Why?

[Don La Greca]

Because Buck would push back. Buck would discipline his players. Analytic general managers, and they're all analytical now, do not believe in that. That's why they're all gone now. And they're all guys that, with no baseball experience, a lot of them never played the game. They play the analytic game. We talk about Aaron Boone. He got into Jazz's face over the lollipop thing, but otherwise does nothing but defend his players constantly. That's what Managers do now. So if Tim wants to bring in a disciplinarian, good luck finding one. None of these general managers will bring guys like that in. Disciplined players, they don't believe in it anymore. And the Mets aren't the only one. They're all that way. It's a bygone era that doesn't exist.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's go to Brian in Milburn. Brian, you're up next. A lot of Met fans want to sound off on this. Go ahead, Brian.

[Caller 2]

Hey, Brian. Peter, this is for you. Peter. You know when OJ Say in his. I mean Jay Z say in his song, say, I'm not black. I'm O.J. i'm. I'm O.J. and J.C. say okay. It's like, it's like when you're saying the roster is good. We like, yeah, okay. Whatever you talking about. You left 40 home runs and 100 RBIS. He plays 152 games. One and 62 games a year. Walk out the door because you didn't like him. Then you go sign Juan Soto. I want to know what family member told W to sign that contract for the amenities. You said W not a leader and being this team. And then Colin comes out in the beginning of the year, oh, he has no captain. What is going on there, y'?

[Caller 4]

All?

[Caller 2]

What is. I don't understand.

[Don La Greca]

He's got a philosophy. He doesn't like to give long term contracts. But the funny thing is right now your two best players are in long term contracts. Do you realize that based on everything that he's done since he's been here, I don't think Stearns would assign Soto. He certainly wouldn't have signed Lindor. I agree, because he did not. It wasn't like he didn't like Pete. I don't think Pete was exactly the type of player he loved at first base, but he wasn't willing to give him a five year contract because he thought it would age poorly.

[Alan Hahn]

He also remember the whole thing about his defense, which I thought, I thought he received the ball well on some throws like I thought he was. Got better and better at that. But his ra, obviously not that you need a ton of range at first, but he wasn't. Yeah, he just wasn't athletic enough at first base to handle defense. And they felt like again, the run prevention aspect of this whole thing was something that was supposed to be fixed. Then you go get a guy who

[Don La Greca]

never played first base before, but he would have, he would have been able to live with the lack of defense at first base. If Alonso was Willing to sign a three year contract.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, I see.

[Don La Greca]

But at a five year contract, no, that would age poorly. How do you think Lindor's contract's gonna age? How do you think Soto's contract is gonna age in here? You know, you know, 13, 14, 15. If he had the audacity to think he'd be here when that happened.

[Alan Hahn]

Aren't there such things that, like, sometimes lifetime achievement awards when it comes to contracts where it's like, okay, for the first three years, we're good. Those last two years are going to be basically a lifetime achievement. We brought up CC Sabathi the other day.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

What Alonzo meant to the fan base, what he has meant as a, As a. You called it the forever met that they never seem to have.

[Caller 4]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

All that stuff is supposed to matter in deals like that.

[Don La Greca]

But no, but you know what? Max Freed's contract is too long and will age poorly.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don La Greca]

But Brian Cashman, thinking about right now, he's one of the best pitchers in baseball and pretty soon the Yankees are going to get him back and they're going to have a rotation of Soto with too long a Freed, too long of a contract, Cole, too long of a contract, but an excellent chance to win the World series in 26, because who has the audacity to worry about what's going to be happening seven, eight years from now? We're lucky we're on the earth, never mind have a job.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, meanwhile, on the earth, we've got some weather to talk about. So let's. Time now for your weekend weather. It's brought to you by neutral. So down the shore this weekend, which will be there next week, everybody, you'll have some rain tomorrow with a high of 75. Partly cloudy with a high of 78 on Sunday. So it sounds like a nice weekend. And that was your weekend weather report. It's brought to you by neutral. Keep it tasty with neutral vodka seltzer. Make it make. Made with real vodka.

[Judge]

There you go.

[Alan Hahn]

Real fruit juice. Enjoy responsibly. And no, I have not had one yet. Even though it probably sounds like that

[Don La Greca]

everything I do is to try to keep it tasty.

[Caller 5]

Okay.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, I've heard you every day when I get.

[Alan Hahn]

You always keep it tasty, especially in the way you dress lately.

[Don La Greca]

And I finished brushing my hair and I'm ready for the day. I was like, don, keep it tasty.

[Judge]

Keep it tasty. By the way, France and Norway just started the second half. You know, Dembele for France, the old hat trick in 32 minutes of the first half.

[Don La Greca]

That's a goal every 10 minutes to you and me.

[Judge]

That's freaking insane, dude. They're up 3:1 on Norway.

[Caller 5]

Crazy.

[Don La Greca]

In a Met game. How are they doing in an actual game with our country's playing?

[Judge]

I know.

[Alan Hahn]

Next up we go to David on the east side. What's up David?

[Caller 2]

Ehr.

[Caller 5]

Great to be here. I'm a Yankees guy so I want to provide a dispassionate fan, generic baseball fan take. I don't hate the Mets, I don't love the Mets. I just, I'm looking at this dispassionate. I had called in during offseason when Pete Alonso had signed with the Orioles and I said to you guys it was a huge mistake by Stearns. Don said well yeah, but maybe, but let's see how the team does. First on the slave, two winners. Fair enough. But here we are. The Nets are a dumpster fire the net fans at City are chanting Pete Alonso's name. I don't think it's a coincidence that he's the outlet that the frustration is going towards. I understand not passing judgment on the team until you see if the team wins. You guys are professionals, I get it. But I'm. I'm a sports radio caller so I can say whatever I want. The red flags were all there in the winter. Stearns didn't like Pete's defense. Okay, but then you signed Bochette to play third base. He's a terrible defender anyway. He never played third. He didn't think Pete would stay healthy. But he's been the most durable right handed hitter in baseball. Always good for 35 to 45 home runs. And at 800-850 OPS, always play the 162 games.

[Caller 2]

You said Stearns didn't want to lock

[Caller 5]

into a long term contract. Okay, but he's only signed through age 35. If you can't sign an elite homegrown forever guy through his age 35 season. If you're afraid of that, you shouldn't be a major league gm. This isn't rocket science. You know Don, you had said months ago that for whatever reason Stearns didn't like Pete. I agree. But why doesn't he realize that Pete was his insurance policy? That the fans would always be there to see Pete Alonzo and that if he made this mistake it would come back to bite him. So here we are.

[Don La Greca]

Hey, I the reason I took that tack.

[Caller 1]

David.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks dude.

[Don La Greca]

I don't want to live in a world where I go on the air Destroying a guy and then he turns out to be right. And then I'm like, a few months later going, oh, I was wrong for that take. I was willing to say, all right, this is his job if he thinks he can do better. But I always prefaced it by saying, he better be right, because if he's not, I'll be the first person to kill him. And that's what I did. I just took the tact of, all right, let's see. He thinks he knows what he's doing. He thinks it's the right thing. Let's see how it plays out. We're halfway through the season, and he's had to fire a manager, and it looks like a dumpster fire, and I'll attack him for it, but I'm not going to apologize for, hey, let's see how it looked. The Bo Bichette thing. Listen, that was a complete pivot Cohen move because they lost out on Tucker. I don't think he really wanted Bichette either, but he went for it because I'm sure Cohen was like, we got to have somebody here.

[Alan Hahn]

He figured he was going to get

[Don La Greca]

Tucker and didn't get Tucker, so he had to make that pivot.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And Bichette, by the way, remember, took a contract that allowed him to get the hell out of here as fast as he could. And the Mets were okay with it, but he took that contract with the thinking of, I'm going to go to big market, I'll put up some numbers and I'll get back into free agency. And maybe with all the coverage I get, it could. It could work out for me. Now the Mets are stuck with him.

[Don La Greca]

Well, he may not contract. Well, maybe we'll see what happens, because he's raking right now, like, so he may end up having a great second half of the season, and maybe he will decide to test free agency so that they may catch a break there because he is batting like.350 over the last few weeks. He's actually played very well. And I did think it was going to take him a little time to get acclimated to a new city, new team and all that. If you're a Met fan, hope he rakes in the second half, because then he will probably test and get out and you'll go into a different direction. Or maybe. Maybe you try to find a way to keep him. But that's why they went with Bichette.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen, Alonzo, another guy's not a leader, by the way. Another Bichette, big name, no leadership at all.

[Don La Greca]

He's a merc. He's another one of these mercenaries coming over. But listen, I'm not telling you I agree, but that's exactly why he didn't want to bring Pete Alonso back. He. He wanted five years and knew it 35. And the guy that didn't have a lot of range at first base was going to be a killer. And they could not lock him into DH because they're going to have. Other guys are going to want to play DH includes Juan Soto, who is not a great defender. And they didn't want to lock up dh. That's the reason. But it still would have been worth it because I got a 23 billionaire guy sitting there that could buy out the last couple of years of his contract. I don't know what the new rules are going to be once the lockout is over, but one of the benefits of having a guy that's worth $23 billion is I don't have to worry about contracts aging poorly. But.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, let's, let's continue the conversation. This is an interesting take from Rob in Staten island on Mendoza.

[Caller 1]

Hey, what's going on, guys?

[Don La Greca]

What's up, bro?

[Caller 1]

Yeah, so I'm preface it with the. When they tore down the core, I understood it because you had, you ran it back for what, six, seven years? It didn't work. Right. But at the same time, like, I don't feel like Mendoza maybe getting off scot free, but this team was playing a very lackadaisical brand of baseball. I mean, we had Vientos running through stop signs and there was no repercussions for that. And then you're what, you're down 10:1 and you're with that Spider man mask down 10:1. That's just embarrassing. Like there's no pride at that point. Right? That thing should have been down the tunnel after that happened.

[Don La Greca]

I don't disagree. I said it earlier in the show. He was part of a collapse last year and off to a slow start. But don't think for a second that now everything is going to come together. I'm not going to completely have Mendoza blameless, but if you think he's the face of this failure, I think you're wrong.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't think he's the face of

[Don La Greca]

it because how much could he.

[Alan Hahn]

We were mad when they pulled out the whole construction thing. Remember the home run and they were down six, nothing, whatever. And we, we said like, that's one where he might want to go in the club. I'd say, hey, tell you what, fellas? How about we put this stuff away till we put a couple wins together? How about we can't do that until we're over 500. Let's make a goal. You guys want to have fun? Great. Do it when we're over 500. Like you would think maybe he could do that. The problem is, as you outlined earlier in the show, it's not like that anymore where the manager has that kind of say in the room, or maybe he's just not built that way. It's one of the other. But this. This clearly a lack of leadership in this organization, and the players know it. And the players don't have a respect for leadership in that organization because that's also evident, too.

[Don La Greca]

Managers are not something the modern day ballplayer feels like they have to respect. It's obvious. I mean, I'm sorry, I thought Jazz was being disrespectful with the lollipop thing after his manager said he was pissed

[Alan Hahn]

off, and that's the word. But Boone said something. He made it clear he didn't like it.

[Don La Greca]

Right. But. But did it. All right. He's not in the field with the lollipop, but he had to get on board the next day, right? What happened the next day?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, and then he pulls out the lollipop, shows everybody on camera.

[Caller 4]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And there's. And there's Boone the next day saying, you know, Mr. Lollipop or whatever. He called him the lollipop kid. Because he has to get on board. Because I'm sure somebody from above probably told him, leave Jazz alone. So what would Mendoza. We'll say, mendoza, talk to the guy, take the Spider man mask and set fire to it. With 13 games on the 500. Yo, yos, what's the matter with you? And then Cohen says, I'll let the boys be the boys. Then what? He's. He's a Kendall, completely neutered.

[Alan Hahn]

If Cohen's doing that, then there's a bigger problem. This organization. If Cohen is the one saying, I'll let him just do it, then there's a bigger problem in the organization, and it starts there.

[Don La Greca]

All right, but who's going to win a face off? Soto's got another 13 years left on his contract or Mendoza, who's got one foot out the door?

[Alan Hahn]

You're right. You're right again. As. As we said at the very beginning, don't look too much too. Don't look too deep into the Mets problems. It starts with the fact that they don't have a foundation of leadership. Steve in Middle Village. What's up, Steve?

[Caller 2]

Thanks for taking the call, guys.

[Caller 4]

I appreciate it. Stearns is the problem. I'm not going to, you know, go through all of that stuff, the Lindor and Soto thing. And Alan, I think you put it very well. All of you did that. There's no big guy with the organization but Lindor and Soto, we don't know. But my gut feeling is. I think your gut feeling is that they were decisions by the owner. The big guy has to be Steve Cohen. If him and his president of baseball operations don't know that there's a problem before the season started between Lindor and Soto, they both should have been brought in either together or separately. And saying you're playing together, you're going to look good in front of the cameras and you're going to be good in the clubhouse. He's paying the bills. That's something. And I was never a Steinbrenner fan. That's something that Steinbrenner would have done and God bless him, but I didn't like his management style.

[Caller 2]

But that's what.

[Caller 4]

Who, you know, the buck stops with with Cohen, with. Between this Lindor and Soto thing. That's my point. And. And I forgot which one of you guys, because I've been in and out of the conversation and everything.

[Don La Greca]

You're not mentioning them.

[Caller 2]

You're Soto.

[Caller 4]

You know, lose. If you lose Soto in five years, that's fine. You got to win now. That's all I have to say.

[Don La Greca]

I agree. But we've seen players not like each other. And let's not make this feud between Lindor and Soto the reason they're in the situation they're in. Agree with Alan that there's a lack of leadership, but let's not focus on the wrong things here. Those two guys not getting along is not the reason the Mets are 13 games under.500. It is something that needs to be addressed for sure.

[Judge]

But is there. Isn't everything a piece of why they're what they are?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's what I think.

[Judge]

Like everything's a piece. I mean, it's not always good. It's not always six errors. And you know, in the midfield, it's. It's different things. But. But it is a thing that contributes well.

[Don La Greca]

I think it's the. Under it just what it is is an example that there's a lack of leadership. But we've seen teams not get along with each other.

[Caller 2]

True.

[Don La Greca]

Still go out there in a World Series. Keith Hernandez punching Darryl Strawberry in the face or Vice versa. I forget what it was on picture day, you know, spring training, 1986, and they go on to win a World Series.

[Alan Hahn]

But that's a. Let's see. That's an example, though, of players holding each other accountable. That's what that was. I think a lot of times when you see players have a rift, it's generally because one of them is trying to hold the other accountable. One of them is saying, this isn't acceptable. The problem there between those two is it's so passive aggressive that nobody knows. And don't you think that makes the clubhouse kind of uncomfortable?

[Don La Greca]

What's interesting though is I think last night was like one of the first times since the beginning of the season they were on the field at the same time.

[Alan Hahn]

That's a good point.

[Don La Greca]

Or at least playing the same game because Soto, I think, was the dh. But the point is that I don't think it's really disrupted much chemistry because one guy gets hurt, the other guy comes back, and then when the other guy comes back, the other one gets hurt. It's been crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, well, the calls have been great. They keep coming in. So keep them coming in. 800 now and 93776, because we will get back to them. You know what's coming up, though? Fraud alert Friday. And we always have to have fun with that, especially with the fact that today he's speaking of frauds. There was one at the podium at Citi Field. We will, though, if you missed anything said By David Stearns, 5 o', clock, we will play back some of the most important things that he said after a session with the media where he was grilled, and rightly so. It was well done. It was a master class by the New York media. And every now and then they come through with a big day. This was a big day. Fraud alert Friday coming up. But Anthony's got a message for all of us. Yes, hello.

[Anthony]

Hi, everybody. Don, Alan, Peter, all of New York, quite frankly, you need to hear this. This summer, all lines lead to champs, sports fan Central Station. A soccer pop up shop open right in the heart of the city. 125 West 33rd Street. This is the soccer destination in New York. Jerseys for every national team you ride with. Usa, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil. Maybe you get a Dembele jersey after the hat trick.

[Caller 2]

Maybe I will.

[Anthony]

Maybe you will. You can go over there right now. I wouldn't do. Oh, you have a show. But you could, you could figure it out way more all under one roof. If you want to gear up, rep your country and feel the energy of the city champs Sports fan Central Station, 125 West 33rd Street. That is where you need to be and Knicks fans didn't forget about you. They have championship gear to celebrate your team's first title in 53 years.

[Don La Greca]

Lob it.

[Alan Hahn]

53 years. I'm going to keep saying it over and over and over again. Nixon 5 NBA championship yes. Nixon 5 with you too don.

[Advertisement Voice 2]

MLB TV on ESPN is your home for every out of market game, live or on demand. Catch your favorite teams and players plus MLB Network and ESPN app features like multi view syncing your stats, key plays, bets and fantasy all in one place. Sign up now for MLB TV in the ESPN app. Separate subscriptions required. Blackouts and other terms apply. Visit stream.espn.commlbtv for more information.

[Podcast Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Judge]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Host]

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

[Don La Greca]

I'm a fraud with a capital F.

[Podcast Host]

Is your friend a fraud?

[Judge]

I have been a complete and utter fraud.

[Podcast Host]

Are you a fraud?

[Don La Greca]

What is fraud?

[Podcast Host]

Let's ask Dom McGregor. Screw.

[Don La Greca]

Go scratch yourself.

[Podcast Host]

Brought to you by D' Agostino Law.

[Judge]

Oh that's exactly right. It is Fraud alert Friday. You know it's brought to you by already. Our friends at d' Agostino Law.

[Advertisement Voice 2]

D'.

[Alan Hahn]

Agostino.

[Judge]

Welcome aboard. You know there's no fraud alert Friday like a post Knicks championship fraud alert Friday.

[Don La Greca]

Or a managerial change Friday. Oh, or a US or coming off a the US advancing in the world

[Judge]

after and after losing in a minute that maybe shouldn't have even existed.

[Don La Greca]

If you ask Alan, this gives fuel to Michael's argument.

[Judge]

You can't have it would have been

[Don La Greca]

Michaels open and Mendoza didn't get fired.

[Judge]

It's a great point. Oh he would have two hours on it screaming and listen. But we're going to end the fart alert Friday. I I didn't you didn't love them losing last night the way they did, but when you remember they did not start one of their starting defenders or goaltender you feel or goalkeeper you feel a little better. Oh yeah.

[Caller 4]

So.

[Judge]

And their offense still looked really good. I don't know if you guys saw any highlights or watched it's just amazing to see that this team, every goal they score in in 2026 looks better than every goal I've ever seen them score.

[Anthony]

Ever.

[Judge]

It makes no sense to me I. I don't get it.

[Alan Hahn]

But anyways, as hell, man. Fast as hell.

[Judge]

And Perusik looks pretty good too. But anyways, to me we'll get to

[Alan Hahn]

win, don't you think?

[Judge]

Oh, absolutely.

[Alan Hahn]

World cup later. But I do feel like that was the win out of the night is that he looked himself. And what do you have? He had three shots. One hit the post.

[Judge]

Some great looks, a couple of great opportunities. Let's get to it. It's time for fraud alert Friday. Here's someone seeking a post harden.

[Don La Greca]

Oh boy.

[Judge]

I grew up in a family who supported the Brooklyn Dodgers when Robert Moses chased them out of New York in 57. My family began supporting the New York Metropolitans because they had Dodger blue in their colors and played in the National League. My family had contempt for the American League for allowing the DH in 73. God old baseball talk is so insane. I remember my grandfather telling me that baseball is unique and that everyone plays both offense and defense. If you pick up a bat, you have to be able to pick up a glove. Gooden could hit. He put in parentheses.

[Caller 2]

Yeah.

[Judge]

But more than anything, my family hated the Yankees. After my grandparents were gone and my father passed away, standards began to slip. Some of my nieces and nephews went to the the dark side. Naturally, I shunned them. Then, to my horror, I discovered that my own mother had started to support the Yankees. She explained that she had fallen in love with Judge and argued that at age 90 she was too old to follow another lost Met season. Clearly, my mother is a fraud.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh no, Don.

[Judge]

But considering her age and the state of the Mets, I appeal to Judge Legreca for a full pardon. If it helps, I will serve her sentence by staying loyal to this garbage fire of a team. Some guy from Oslo, Norway, I love.

[Advertisement Voice 2]

What?

[Don La Greca]

Wow.

[Advertisement Voice 2]

Yeah.

[Judge]

Yeah. He's obviously dialed in. Dialed in right now.

[Alan Hahn]

I love this on many levels.

[Don La Greca]

I say no party.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, fraud is fraud.

[Don La Greca]

Now she's a nice woman. I've always said, just because you're a fraud doesn't mean you're not a good person. Sometimes the right decision is to be a fraud. And for her, at 90, she's entitled to be a fraud. Let your fraud flag fly. But you still are a fraud. I cannot. I cannot forgive just because of age.

[Alan Hahn]

I thought you were saying no pride. Then you said there is no pardon.

[Judge]

No, I really thought. I thought she was. I thought she was getting off the hook. No, I really did.

[Don La Greca]

I thought you guys would admire that. I would stand by the rules again. Very good. Person. She made the right decision.

[Alan Hahn]

I, I, it is, I admire it. I just made it funnier.

[Judge]

You didn't know where it was going.

[Advertisement Voice 2]

You really didn't.

[Judge]

All right, well, how about, how about this? My buddy Ethan Goldstein writes in and says, frank the Tank. Not to call out another sports media company, but in the past few weeks, I've seen barstool's Frank the Tank celebrating the Knicks championship. Frank became a knick fan in 2023 after decades of rooting for the Nets. This is textbook fraud. And hopefully Judge legreco agrees.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, I did not know that. But you know, come on. Textbook fraud. Give me a right. That's exactly what it is. I don't know the circumstances. I like Frank. I'm friendly with Frank. I, I've taken the walk with Frank. So is Alan.

[Judge]

Nice guy? Yeah, sure.

[Don La Greca]

And I know he's a die hard Dolphin fan and Devil fan and Met fan. I did find it curious because I always thought he was a net fan. But he came to one of our broadcasts. We didn't get a chance to go over and say hello to him.

[Judge]

Yeah, he was, he was outside the Garden for sure.

[Don La Greca]

I saw him wearing a Knick jersey. I'm like, I don't remember him being a Knick F. And that's why I guess he became a nick fan in 2023. So. No, that's fraudulent behavior. I'm sorry, there's no way around it. I like Frank, but fraud? Well, I mean, at least the case of the NBA.

[Judge]

I just like you didn't protect the old lady. You can't protect Frank. Fraud is fraud is fraud.

[Don La Greca]

You know what that would make me, Peter?

[Judge]

A fraud.

[Don La Greca]

A fraud.

[Anthony]

Yeah.

[Judge]

Yeah, you'd be a fraud yourself. Hey, guys. Big fan of the show. I grew up a Yankee fan. My dad took me me my first game at the stadium in July 09 where I got to see Cece pitch against verlander. I was 7 at the time and I've been a fan ever since. However, in 2016, I started to really like that Cubs team. I rooted hard for them in the playoffs and the World Series and even skipped some Yankees games during the regular season to watch the Cubs. Obviously, I was a fraud. I'm not at all questioning that.

[Don La Greca]

Okay.

[Judge]

However, since then, I've never done anything. I barely even watch baseball. If it's not the Yankees or a rival, I'm hoping we'll lose. I am the first to admit I was a fraud. But do I still need to consider myself a fraud after these fraudulent activities? When I was 14 years old.

[Caller 4]

Wow.

[Don La Greca]

That's a good question. It's still very fraudulent behavior for sure. But can you redeem yourself when you. You go back? Did you just have like a moment? Should you be defined by just having that weak moment? But you know what? I'm still gonna say fraud because he became a Yankee fan in 09. Guess what they did? Won the World Series.

[Judge]

Won a championship.

[Don La Greca]

Then, you know, he got. He got all hot and bothered by the Cubs. You know what they did in 2016? They won the World Series.

[Alan Hahn]

Isn't that amazing?

[Don La Greca]

Now he's kind of back on the Yankee bandwagon. Never misses the Yankee games. And, you know, they're. They just came off a World Series two years ago and probably gonna go back this year, so. You know what? Just own it. You're a fraud.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Where I tried to make it work in my own mind. But you know what? You know what? You gotta own it.

[Alan Hahn]

Come on. The evidence is there, Donald. The evidence is there.

[Don La Greca]

Check back. Be doing 20 years, maybe. Maybe the guardians will make a run and you'll. You'll be persuaded to go follow that, you know?

[Alan Hahn]

Heard he really likes the Dodgers too.

[Judge]

Perfect here, guys. We have a great Mets question on this day. And this was written four days ago, so he didn't even know where we were going on Monday. Monday was a lifetime ago. Hello, judge and jury. I come forward as a 28 year old Mets fan.

[Anthony]

Okay?

[Judge]

I've been watching every season since I was 8. One of my earliest fondest memories was Beltran, caught looking in 06. But after all the years of watching this dumpster fire, I've reached the point, point where I need a break from this organization for the rest of the year. Okay, Case A, we have an owner who asked the fans to step up and attend more games, in which the fans responded and in return got a

[Don La Greca]

cubeless team that collapsed and you got kicked in the cubes.

[Judge]

Case B, in response to the collapse, our great GM decides to get rid of the heart of the team and have them replaced with soulless big money names. So now instead of watching a collapse halfway through the year, we could just watch them be terrible the entire time. This team does not deserve my time. But I'll stick on. I'll check on the apps and keep

[Don La Greca]

up with all the news.

[Judge]

I even drove four hours with my family to watch them this year since we live out of state. But I will not be watching a second of this team for the rest of the year. New York deserves better. The fans deserve better. My beautiful wife and two daughters deserve better than to have this garbage on the table tv. After experiencing my first title, I just want to rub this Knicks championship all over myself for the summer before I shower off and lay down in the reliable stink that is New York jets football. So, judge, I am. Am I. Am I a fraud? Mets fan for not wanting to watch them the rest of the year?

[Alan Hahn]

Interesting. Interesting.

[Don La Greca]

Guys aren't going to say no fraud. And the reason I say no fraud is it's not like he's going to go, well, you know, I'm going to watch the Yankees or the Dodgers on a winning D, just going to tap out, and I've got no problem with that. He sounds like I was just doing the math. He's been a Met fan for 20 years. First game, eight years old, so I guess he's like 28. Got two daughters. Spend more time with them. No, the fraudulence would be if you picked up on another team, but, hey, they just fired their manager. They. They traded one of their pitchers. They're 13 games under.500. You know what? Time is precious. No fraud.

[Alan Hahn]

I got to tell you, man, that's a good. I like that call a lot.

[Don La Greca]

Thank you.

[Judge]

I. I got to tell you, these Norwegians are really into the.

[Caller 3]

The.

[Judge]

The boat thing.

[Alan Hahn]

Their fans are great. Their fans were the only energy at City Field the other day.

[Judge]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I just saw one fan of theirs copping a feel on another fan who seemed to his wife.

[Don La Greca]

I. I can't. I need more evidence to. To condone that. Maybe they're married.

[Judge]

Well, no, they are married.

[Don La Greca]

Oh. But.

[Judge]

But a feel was still copped.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, wait, wait. You don't. You don't cop feels.

[Judge]

That's not what I mean. What I'm saying is they were looking to the camera like they knew they were on camera, and there was an attentional feel copped for the camera. That's what I'm trying to suggest.

[Alan Hahn]

So it was intentional copying? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Judge]

It wasn't like they were caught copping. It was. It was a. Hey, take a look at this. America.

[Don La Greca]

I don't know a lot about Norway. Well, here's what I know about Norway. I know that Matt Zuccarello is from Norway.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Don La Greca]

I know that. That was the game that. Leading up to the Olympics, the Team USA in 1980. They finished with a tie. And that's where they had the bag skate. Remember, Allen, for like, two hours, they had to close. They shut the lights. That was in Norway.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that. Right. That's right. You're gonna. That was the. Again. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And then what is that? What is that? That some kids song that the kids had on YouTube about the. Kenya's. Kenya's got lions. Kenya, we got lions. Forget Norway. It was some. There was some.

[Alan Hahn]

I thought you were gonna go Beatles on me.

[Don La Greca]

Right there is like Norwegian wood. There you go. There's a fourth. That's all I know about. That's all I know about Norway. So all I know is, is that maybe, maybe there. Maybe that's a fun place to go. Peter.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, if.

[Don La Greca]

If you're copping a fee, looking. Looking for the camera and copping a field with your wife. I mean, maybe they're.

[Alan Hahn]

And then. And there's Norwegian Woods. Put that all together.

[Judge]

Is Elin Woods. Norwegian

[Alan Hahn]

who?

[Judge]

Elin Woods.

[Don La Greca]

I'm not familiar with his work.

[Judge]

His work is Tiger woods wife.

[Don La Greca]

I don't. Again, she's really good with. I was just trying to prove to you I didn't know who that was.

[Judge]

That was very, very strong that you did not. I mean, is the name familiar now? Like, do you remember it now?

[Don La Greca]

No.

[Judge]

That with that story as big as it was, the name Eland's not ringing a bell.

[Caller 3]

Nothing.

[Alan Hahn]

She took a golf club to the car and a hip.

[Anthony]

You don't remember.

[Judge]

You don't remember what happened. It was a thing. Moment of something.

[Alan Hahn]

It was a moment of time.

[Don La Greca]

All right, here we go. Anyways, it's all coming back.

[Judge]

This is convicted fraud fan Ramesh. Okay, I was convicted by Don because I was busy with, quote, gender studies during the 2009 Yankee Championship run and rejoined after Judge became Mr. Popular. Alan and Peter said that I should appeal, but I will accept the honor. Judge Luke Greca's Honorable Judge Lagra's ruling.

[Alan Hahn]

Very good.

[Judge]

Now, about my Knicks fandom. I feel a little like a fraud because I came to this country in 2002, never cared about basketball and would always say the Knicks sucked because that was the cool thing to say. I didn't care when Amari Stoudemire joined and they were doing better. However, my best friend is a huge mellow fan since he was drafted and he would not shut up about his favorite player coming to his favorite team. So the first. The first basketball game I watched was Melo coming home. I was hooked after that. Have lived and died with this team through the highs and many lows. So do I get to celebrate as a true Knicks fan or am I a fraud? P.S. i think a great addition to the segment would be giving out A quick sentence to convicted frauds. Something like, say, a million Hail Marys or running laps or go apologize to your friends for being a fraud. Just an idea.

[Caller 4]

Thank you.

[Judge]

And let's go, Knicks.

[Don La Greca]

I'm not a priest. I'm a judge. This isn't confession.

[Alan Hahn]

You're not absolved of your sin. You've sinned.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, I'm. I'm gonna say no. Fraud d', Agostino, he did not commit to the NBA. You never know when the spark is gonna happen.

[Caller 4]

All right?

[Don La Greca]

He came to this country, no interest in basketball, until all of a sudden, he had interest, and that interest was with the Knicks, and he stuck with them. And. And he should be able to celebrate that championship. You never know when it's going to hit, especially if you're somebody that was not from this country.

[Alan Hahn]

And may I point out, Don, that not only, you know, did he join, you know, all the reasons you say, but he did something that I think is always part of authentic fandom. He suffered.

[Don La Greca]

He did.

[Alan Hahn]

Andrea Bargnani, Kevin Knox, Frank Nilakina. But he went through all that, man. Porzingis, ACL blowing up on him, and then him being traded. No, he may not live through all this.

[Don La Greca]

He may not have lived through the pain that. That most people his age do as a Knick fan, but he was a little.

[Alan Hahn]

He earned it. He went to seven years of it.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, he didn't go. He didn't go hang with a bunch of different teams, then settle on the Knicks when they were good.

[Caller 3]

No, no, no.

[Don La Greca]

He stayed around for the suck.

[Alan Hahn]

When you stay around for the suck, you earned it. No matter how short the suck was.

[Don La Greca]

Really life in. Life in general.

[Judge]

That's a great point.

[Don La Greca]

Always use for the sock.

[Judge]

Oh, yeah, I. I always do. Listen, as. As I close out the segment, could someone please just find the Michael K. Kevin Knox dump drop? Because that's all I can think of when I hear the name Kevin Knox.

[Alan Hahn]

That will do it.

[Judge]

For Fraud Alert Friday.

[Don La Greca]

How many people out there saw the

[Judge]

Kevin Knox dump for Fraud Alert Friday? Brought to you by Dagostino Law. 35 years of getting accident victims and Social Security disability clients every dollar they deserve. Offices In New York, N.J. 1-800-BITE BACK. 1-800-248-3222, Dagostino Law. Bite back.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Podcast Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Judge]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Host]

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

[Alan Hahn]

Brought to you by Telehardo Irish Whiskey because when it's game time, Tigers forgetting All right. The Mets with with Andy Green now as their interim manager because Carlos Mendoza, if you haven't joined us yet, if you have not heard, has been fired. They will open a series with a team that already fired their manager and it worked out pretty well when they brought in Dom Mattingly. That is the Phillies Mets. Phillies coverage immediately follows us on 880 at 6:30. The Yankees. They continue their series with the Red Sox. Boy, lucky Yankees because that was sloppy last night. Yeah but Yankees Red Sox tonight 7:10 Tullamore. Do the original triple distilled triple blended triple cash matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab A Tully Mardu. Or try the new Tullamore Dew Honey. During today's action, glasses up to enjoying Telemardu responsibly.

[Don La Greca]

Five o' clock hour.

[Alan Hahn]

We will reset some of the Stern's audio. If you missed anything that he said, we'll play it for you. We do have some player reaction as well, so just stay tuned for that. If you have not yet heard all the things that were said earlier today by David Stern. Sorry, Don, what were you saying?

[Don La Greca]

No, no, the other, I think the other cartoon they did was the Badger song. You remember that one? Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger.

[Alan Hahn]

No, maybe make a mushroom mushroom.

[Anthony]

Badger, badger, badger, badger.

[Don La Greca]

But you don't know these things.

[Anthony]

I know that one.

[Alan Hahn]

I, I, I stopped, I stopped edibles a couple years.

[Advertisement Voice]

Snakes.

[Advertisement Voice 2]

Snakes.

[Don La Greca]

You got. We got next break.

[Anthony]

It's a snake.

[Podcast Host]

Ey.

[Anthony]

The video is actually what makes it really funny. I think we lost Peter. Peter hadn't spoken or moved in like fives. I thought we lost him completely.

[Don La Greca]

He doesn't know this either.

[Alan Hahn]

This definitely. This is.

[Anthony]

You're on a part of YouTube that only, only a select few make the algorithm.

[Alan Hahn]

This is an arena in Oslo or this is Berlin.

[Don La Greca]

You heard of the dark Web? There's the dark YouTube.

[Judge]

Play these.

[Don La Greca]

No. Play these for Maya. Peter.

[Anthony]

No.

[Don La Greca]

These are fun. I will.

[Judge]

Wow.

[Don La Greca]

I think I, I think I actually discovered it. I don't know who introduced it to me, but I think I discovered it at espn. Like we were like, we were playing it during like breaks and stuff. I forget who it was.

[Alan Hahn]

It is something. It is special.

[Don La Greca]

I'm surprised. I mean, good, good, Good job, Anthony, for knowing.

[Anthony]

At least I knew that one. The Kenya one. I did not know.

[Caller 1]

I do.

[Anthony]

I know mushroom badgers.

[Alan Hahn]

I do know knows mushroom badger.

[Anthony]

Mushroom badger batch.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, they're selling that on the street now. Lawrence in New Jersey has a question for Don, the judge of fraud.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, really?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Lawrence.

[Caller 2]

Good afternoon, gentlemen.

[Caller 3]

What's up to do Don, I got a question. Yes, I am a 49ers fan. Just as one of my teams as an example. So I am only an NFC fan if the 49ers losing the NFC championship game. Am I a fraud that I still want an NFC team to win the super bowl even if it is a rival team, just because I hate the afc.

[Alan Hahn]

Hate the afc. It's very strong.

[Judge]

That's so crazy.

[Caller 3]

I hate the AFC and I hate the Western Conference.

[Don La Greca]

You know what? How old are you gotta be?

[Caller 3]

I am 42.

[Don La Greca]

Oh really?

[Judge]

That is shockingly young to hate A conference.

[Don La Greca]

So you're telling me me it's just that you'll root for the Dallas Cowboys to win?

[Caller 2]

Ew, no.

[Don La Greca]

In the harmless.

[Caller 3]

I will not say let's go Cowboys. I'm not going to root for the Cowboys.

[Caller 2]

I'm just in.

[Caller 3]

Deep down as I'm watching the Super Bowl, I'm going to be like, I'm glad the NFC was better than the AFC this year if my team's not in it.

[Don La Greca]

Wow, Cowboys. You know the way that you articulated it, Lawrence, I'm going to say no.

[Advertisement Voice 2]

Fraud.

[Alan Hahn]

What?

[Don La Greca]

For two reasons. Number one, like he said he's not going to outwardly say let's go Cowboys.

[Alan Hahn]

Did we get a reaction?

[Don La Greca]

I think it's a great drop too. I think that I can live with it because I do think there's a sense of pride. You don't like the afc, you, you'll. You're not rooting for the Cowboys, but a consolation prize is, hey, at least my conference won the Super Bowl. The reason I asked about your age is that's exactly what my dad would do. My dad would always root for the NFC no matter who. And the only time he would root for the AFC if it was Pittsburgh, because Pittsburgh came from the NFL. My dad was a pre merger fan, so he looked at the NFC like the NFL tradition. So he would root for the Cowboys against the Bills because the Cowboys were an original NFL team and he would root against the AFC teams that were like AFL teams. Like the Buffalo Bills were an AFL team. He hated the afl, hated change. So for those two reasons, I'm going to say no fraud. Because I can kind of understand it. You can't get it, Peter.

[Caller 3]

Just like.

[Judge]

No, I do. It's just feel so old timey now.

[Alan Hahn]

We get it, Lawrence. And thank you for the call. We do have to run. But Don, so your dad wasn't like. Didn't care about the, about the basketball, right? Like the Nets weren't a thing?

[Caller 3]

No.

[Don La Greca]

For him.

[Caller 3]

No.

[Don La Greca]

He liked college basketball.

[Alan Hahn]

All right. But he could care a lot because I was going to say that that's the thing that would. I would curious. Be curious if there was a. If he was. You know, because they're from New Jersey. So we root for the Nets and it's like they're an ABA team.

[Don La Greca]

No, he hated the afl. I don't know. He didn't hate alternate leagues. I don't think he had a problem with the.

[Alan Hahn]

What do you hate about the afl? Oh, this is, this goes way too deep than we need to go today. But.

[Advertisement Voice 2]

All right.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, this is a conversation.

[Don La Greca]

There was a thing. The NFL, that was real football. That was true football. This rogue league comes in with their pantyhose wearing quarterbacks.

[Alan Hahn]

There it is. That's. That was again. That was my mother. Now you're getting that with the National League stuff. Is that like, if it's like watching an All Star Game and she's rooting for. I'm like, wait, wait, but those are rival play. I don't care. We root for the National League. Like, this doesn't make sense. You root for rivals and it's an All Star game.

[Advertisement Voice 2]

Peter's right.

[Don La Greca]

It is an old timey take. Because if you're older, then there was a thing between.

[Judge]

Well, you remember the league changing.

[Don La Greca]

American League.

[Judge]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, right. Well, it is interesting.

[Podcast Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Judge]

I don't want to know how the

[Alan Hahn]

sausage is made, man. I just want to know.

[Podcast Host]

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