Hour 2: Michael Kay & Fraud Alert Friday

Summary

DON, HAHN & ROSENBERG: HOUR 2 – MICHAEL KAY & FRAUD ALERT FRIDAY

Date: May 15, 2026
Participants: Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg, Don La Greca, Peter D'Agostino, Michael Kay
Theme: Classic New York sports talk with wit, nostalgia, and some lighthearted “fan fraud” courtroom drama.

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EPISODE OVERVIEW

This lively hour delivers quintessential New York sports radio: a reunion with the legendary Michael Kay, memories of broadcasting glory, heartfelt stories, and passionate, often comical, debate over fan “fandom fraudulence.” The episode masterfully juggles baseball (Yankees, Mets), basketball (Knicks playoff run), commentary on sports parenting, and the station’s signature “Fraud Alert Friday”—where listeners’ allegiances are joyfully put on trial, probing the authentic fabric of the New York sports soul.

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KEY SEGMENTS & DISCUSSION POINTS

1. Welcome Michael Kay & Revisiting Station Drama

00:55–04:55

• Old Friends, New Radio: Michael Kay joins by YouTube/Comrex, drawing nostalgia for the “old days” when the trio worked together.
• “Station on Station Crime”: Kay reacts to Don calling fellow ESPN colleague Jake Asmon a “hack,” referring to banter about Jake’s passionate Jets takes.
  • “I don’t understand what was so wrong with Jake’s take … that’s a really, really important game.” – Michael Kay (01:31)
  • The group jokes about radio rivalries and backstage respect.
• Don’s Commencement Speech at Ramapo: Kay and the crew heap praise for La Greca’s recent graduation address, relaying compliments from sportswriter Bob Klapisch.
  • “Don just gave one of the greatest speeches I’ve ever heard.” – (03:23)

2. Naming Kids, Nicknames, and Parent Talk

06:01–07:18

• Michael reveals the story behind his daughter Caledonia’s name: Jody (his wife) loves a region in Ireland, but their daughter only uses “Cali.”
• Light banter ensues about nicknames, with Kay expressing a dislike for them:
  • “Hate nicknames, right, Lawrence?” – Michael Kay (07:18)
  • The crew riffs on famous athletes’ real first names (e.g., “Bucky Dent” is really Russell Earl Dent).

3. Yankees vs. Mets Subway Series: Stakes and Struggles

08:24–11:21

• The group debates the Subway Series’ significance, noting it’s bigger for the Mets but still important for the Yankees to regain form.
  • “It’s probably a little more important to the Mets, but I don’t dismiss that it’s important to the Yankees.” – Michael Kay (08:55)
• Yankees’ Hitting Struggles: Kay details the futility of the bottom of the Yankees lineup, highlighting injuries and low batting averages.
  • “It’s hard for the first four guys in an order to carry an order, so it’s tough for them to score runs right now.” – Michael Kay (09:22)
• Pitching Praise: Kay touts Cam Schlitler (Yankees) and Clay Holmes (Mets) as standouts.

4. Mets Hope vs. “Miracle” Fatigue

11:02–16:24

• Michael and Don differ on the Mets’ playoff hopes. Michael is optimistic; Don tends to write teams off early.
• Rosenberg laments the endless narrative of hoping for “miracle runs” instead of building consistency:
  • “I’m tired of it. I want to build something that is stable … like what the Yankees have. That’s what frustrates me.” – Peter Rosenberg (12:08)
• Unpacking Cohen & Stearns: Michael questions spending big but getting poor results:
  • “To be struggling with a $380 million payroll … it’s almost inconceivable. It kind of makes people appreciate Brian Cashman a little bit more.” – Michael Kay (15:26)

5. Raising Sports Fans – Letting Kids Choose

13:01–15:17

• Rosenberg shares his parenting philosophy: he won’t force his son Marco to follow his teams.
  • “If I force him to be a Giant fan against his will… he’s going to end up hating the sport.” – Peter Rosenberg (13:34)
  • Michael Kay offers to get Marco Yankees tickets.

6. Yankees Shortstop Drama: Volpe’s Future

16:32–18:50

• Kay speculates on Anthony Volpe’s fate: must play well over the next week or face a minor league demotion.
  • “If he’s not, he’s getting sent down to the minor leagues again.” – Michael Kay (16:57)
• The group discusses Volpe’s pressure, possible position change, and how fan/media scrutiny could affect him.

7. Parenting & Memorial Tributes

19:11–22:48

• Kay shares memories from John Sterling’s memorial, focusing on Sterling’s unique, hands-off parenting style, letting his kids “do whatever they want” at his house—with the only rule that soda had to be diet.
  • “He said you could do whatever you want. Just don’t tell your mother.” – Michael Kay (19:38)
• The event brings up themes of joy, nonconformity, and living without unnecessary rules.

8. Knicks Playoff Buzz in the Kay Household

23:05–24:42

• Charlie Kay (Michael’s son) is now a big Knicks fan; Michael details juggling his own broadcasting schedule with the NBA playoffs and family time.
• Strategic debate: Is it better for the Knicks if Cavs or Pistons win prior to facing them? Kay prefers the “path of least resistance”—drawing the weaker opponent.

9. Yankees’ Pitching, Injuries, and AL Landscape

24:42–28:07

• News breaks: Max Fried avoids major injury, only a bone bruise (24:42).
  • “Overall happy that it doesn’t look like it’s going to be anything serious, no surgery required…” – Max Fried (45:39)
• Kay and Rosenberg review the parity and mediocrity sweeping baseball—few “truly good” teams, “Yankees could sleepwalk their way to 95 wins.”
• Observations on competitive balance, AL/NL strength, and Rays’ “pressing” style.

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QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• On Fandom “Fraud”:
  • “He is a very strange, as you know, by his phone calls, no question. But I can’t call him a fraud, Peter. I’m sorry.” – Peter Rosenberg on “Richard from Manhattan” (36:10)
  • “Fraud. Nice guy, though. … You were bought. Your store bought.” – Rosenberg rules on Mark “Bronx Boomer Boy” after an epic email (41:56)
• On Taking Sports Too Seriously:
  • “We’re just trying to have fun, Jon … If people want to take it too far, that’s on them.” – Rosenberg, responding to a teacher’s caution about fan violence (49:05)
  • “Nothing about fraud alert is actually about the whole thing being funny and silly.” – Peter D’Agostino (51:09)
• Lighthearted Parenting Advice:
  • “When his oldest daughter went to Syracuse, he called her and said … start with white wine spritzers. That’s the way to go.” – Michael Kay, relaying John Sterling’s advice (20:18)

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TIMESTAMPS FOR SIGNIFICANT SEGMENTS

• 00:55–04:55 – Old station drama, Don’s speech, Michael Kay joins
• 06:01–07:18 – Name talk, nicknames, kid stories
• 08:24–11:21 – Subway Series breakdown, Yankees/Mets storylines
• 11:02–16:24 – Mets future, Cohen/Stearns, “miracle” fatigue
• 13:01–15:17 – Parenting and sports allegiances
• 16:32–18:50 – Yankees shortstop conundrum (Volpe)
• 19:11–22:48 – Parenting stories from John Sterling memorial
• 23:05–24:42 – Knicks playoffs, family traditions
• 24:42–28:07 – Max Fried injury news, AL/NL power
• 32:14–43:05 – “Fraud Alert Friday” courtroom session
• 45:39–46:38 – Max Fried’s statement post-injury

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FRAUD ALERT FRIDAY: HIGHLIGHTS

32:14–43:05

• Listener “Richard from Manhattan”: No fraud verdict—he’s just a pure sports lover, never claims a specific team, so no betrayal.
• Mark the “Bronx Boomer Boy”: Detailed childhood account of being both a Yankees/Giants and Mets/Jets fan. After hearing his “store-bought” origin (free tickets/shuttle to games), the panel calls…“FRAUD!”
• Discussion: The necessity of “declaring” allegiance as a New Yorker—at some point, you must pick a side.

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EPISODE TONE AND STYLE

• Signature New York Blend: Smart, sarcastic, fast-moving, and deeply affectionate for the quirks of the city’s sports and fans.
• Nostalgic: Stories about broadcasting, city legends, and personal memories yield warmth amid the banter.
• Lighthearted Adjudication: The “Fraud Alert Friday” bit is playful, poking fun at the complicated allegiances and histories of New York sports fandom.
• Earnest Moments: Parent talk and tributes to Sterling and departed friends pause the comedy for genuine warmth.

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NOTABLE QUOTE BOARD

1. “Don just gave one of the greatest speeches I’ve ever heard … it was unbelievable.”
   — Bob Klapisch (relayed by Michael Kay), 03:23

2. “I want to build something that is stable … like what the Yankees have. That’s what frustrates me.”
   — Peter Rosenberg, 12:08

3. “I've always said nobody should be able to tell you who you should root for.”
   — Peter Rosenberg, 52:39

4. “Nothing about fraud alert is actually about … the whole thing being funny and silly.”
   — Peter D’Agostino, 51:09

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FINAL THOUGHT

This hour is a “love letter” to the city’s sports, broadcasting brotherhood, and the muddled, beautiful mess that is fan loyalty in New York. For new listeners or those returning to the lunchroom table of NY sports arguments, it’s an hour that mixes legacy, laughter, and a bit of civic pride—all powered by the personalities that make ESPN NY must-listen radio.

Transcript

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[Don Hahn]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

Game time is brought to you by Telemore Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, guys,

[Michael Kay]

It's probably time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Mets Yankee Subway series coverage begins right after us on 880 at 6:30. And then it's game six of the doubleheader kicks off with the Cavs and the Pistons at 6:30 on 10:50. So that's a big deal. So I'm sure Nick fans will be paying attention to that Tullamore Dew. The original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullamore Dew, honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. He's a legend and we appreciate him. Not just on the Comrex, so it's a clear voice, but also right there on YouTube is the great Michael K. How are you, buddy?

[Michael Kay]

I mean, look at us. It's just like the old days. But it is. I want to start out with something. I was in the car driving home and I've never in 25 years Peter heard station on station crime. Like what Don did to the great Jake As. And I got to tell you what, he's going to jump me now. I don't understand what was so wrong with Jake's take. If the jets lose to the coach they fired on a team that's rebuilding, they're going to be demoralized. Their fan base is going to absolutely revolt against them. Yeah, that's a really, really important game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know. It's a road game against the team that's just as good or bad as they are. I mean, I don't know if the

[Michael Kay]

jets are going to improve. They've got to win that game. Right?

[Peter D'Agostino]

But they're approved. But Michael, just realistically, an out of division week one loss. Bad?

[John Caller]

Sure.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Come on, words matter. Demoralizing. But you know, words matter. Must Win.

[Michael Kay]

I think it's really important game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's different.

[Michael Kay]

If words matter, Peter, if words matter, they do. How does Don Lagraca call one of his own a hack? How does it happen?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, because it was. It was a tad bit performative. And we text back and forth, but I was just getting caught up.

[Michael Kay]

First of all, Jake is brilliant. Jake is an unbelievable businessman, I think.

[Peter D'Agostino]

I gotta tell you, I think Don's dead to him. I don't know.

[Michael Kay]

He will. He will undercut Don at some point.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen, Michael, Michael knows radio, all right? When I bring people up in that fashion, it means that there's a respect. You want to promote him? You want to talk about it? If I don't like you, I don't bring you up.

[Michael Kay]

I don't know.

[Peter D'Agostino]

You're.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's dead to me now.

[Michael Kay]

I got to tell you another thing. Peter.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Go ahead.

[Michael Kay]

I heard that Don's commencement speech yesterday at Ramaphos.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Go ahead.

[Michael Kay]

Was absolutely brilliant. So, Bob Clappish. Not easy with compliments.

[Peter D'Agostino]

No.

[Michael Kay]

He texted me right after Don spoke and said, don just gave one of the greatest speeches I've ever heard. He said, that's not true. He said it was unbelievable.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't mess with me.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Is that true?

[Michael Kay]

I swear to God. He repeated it today. I saw him at the John Sterling Memorial, which I was at.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Oh, wow.

[Michael Kay]

He came up to me and he said. I. I'm telling you, I wasn't just saying it. He said, don. And he asked me for your number. Don?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes, because he texted me during the procession for the diploma saying that his son Casey was about to receive his diploma. Cause he had graduated from Ramp. I didn't know. And we waved to each other. He told me what?

[Peter D'Agostino]

Second Casey Clappish to you and me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Casey Clappish. And he actually was in the section that's below where I broadcast the game. So he was right there. And that's a major compliment because I've always had a lot of respect for you.

[Michael Kay]

He said you were unbelievable. And also, Peter, wow. Moore mentioned me prominently in the speech. Even didn't even utter the word Peter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's not true. Because I said Don Hahn and Rosenberg. So, no, I didn't say Peter. I said Rosenberg.

[Michael Kay]

Well, I didn't lie well.

[Peter D'Agostino]

But he started off, because, you know, Michael, you may not know this. Don started the speech by saying, hello, my name is Don legreca, formerly of the Michael K. Show. That's how he introduced him.

[Michael Kay]

As it should be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I was just running down some of my accomplishments, and one of Our accomplishments is finishing number one and beating Mike Francesa. So when I was telling the kids about the things that I've done, that's one of the things I'm very proud of being a part of. So that's how Michael came up prominently strong. That was the. One of. One of. Only a couple of times he might have been mentioned in the speech, but that means a lot to me.

[Peter D'Agostino]

A couple of times.

[Michael Kay]

He and I are very close, Peter. We keep in touch.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Okay, I guess so. I guess it's. I mean, you came up multiple times in his speech.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen, I'm sure you've done his life. You've done it for Fordham, right, Michael?

[Michael Kay]

No, never. I was thinking that as I was driving. I said, wow, they've never asked me once.

[Peter D'Agostino]

No, well, think about it. Fordham never has a wider array of prominent alums to go to, but that is true.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I gotta tell you, I don't know if you saw the pictures, Michael. There might. There might have been like 9,000 people at the Rock. Like, it was packed. It was the biggest crowd I ever, like, addressed. I know I did some things like with the jets at the 50 yard line for, like, ceremonies and stuff, but to be able to have a eight minute speech against that with that many people present, it was pretty cool.

[Michael Kay]

You realize, Don, when we were number one, I mean, you used to address maybe 1.5 million people.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I'm just face to face like that in the room. I mean, let's just. And you get to deal with Old Timers Day and different, you know, retirement ceremonies. You're kind of used to that. But no, tell Bob thank you. And it meant a lot. People enjoyed it and I enjoyed doing it. And it was. It was a lot of fun.

[Michael Kay]

And one more thing, too. Don't. Don't be knocking my daughter's name, Peter. How dare you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When did that happen?

[Michael Kay]

When you guys did the opening. Who would name a kid Caledonia other than Jody and Michael?

[Peter D'Agostino]

Well, for the record. For the record, I did do that. And I thought, Michael, I might hear from him. Except Michael knows I literally took that directly from him. He has said on the air he didn't know how they landed on Caledonia.

[Michael Kay]

No, I knew how they.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He knows exactly how they landed and

[Peter D'Agostino]

he had no say in it whatsoever.

[Michael Kay]

But. But the beauty of Jody is she goes from Caledonia and then we're having a son. I said, well, what do you want to name the kid? Charlie. I said, that's a big leap. Caledonia to Charlie, that is.

[Peter D'Agostino]

How did she land on Caledonia?

[Michael Kay]

She loves that part of the country.

[Peter D'Agostino]

What part of the country is that?

[Michael Kay]

In Ireland.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And because of the spelling of Cali Han's name, that. That's obviously her name and not short for something.

[Michael Kay]

And Cali L, L, I, E. And Cali will. Even at school, she will not say

[Peter D'Agostino]

she's Caledonia K. She only acknowledges Cali.

[Michael Kay]

Yes, I'm very angry about it, and I do know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But she may change her tune as she gets older and appreciates it more.

[Michael Kay]

Well, she gets famous, Don.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, when she gets famous.

[Peter D'Agostino]

But if she gets famous, she's getting famous as Cali K. Yeah, but, you

[Michael Kay]

know, like, I don't look at Lady Gaga. I look at Stephanie Germanata.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay, well, you know, you're. You hate nicknames.

[Michael Kay]

Hate nicknames, right, Lawrence?

[Peter D'Agostino]

Yeah, right to this day.

[Michael Kay]

Bucky Dent, I called him.

[John Caller]

What's Bucky Dent's name?

[Jake Asmon]

Elroy.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Elroy Buck.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, you always used to say it,

[Michael Kay]

too, and I don't remember. I can't believe I'm losing my mind.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We're slipping. We're slipping.

[Michael Kay]

We really are. Russell Earl.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Russell Earl. There you go. I'm sure you got the feels for not having a game until Sunday. Or do you feel fortunate ESPN didn't take it? At least you have one.

[Michael Kay]

It would be NBC that take takes it on Sunday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, listen, I'm sorry, I'm old school.

[Michael Kay]

I forgot you still have a Filco. Listen, I think I've done 40 games in a row, which might be the. Without. The only national games that Yankees out were the first two.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Michael Kay]

Or the first and the third. And since then, I've done 40 games in a row. I don't know if I've ever done that many games in a row since radio, so. Well, guess I can get him to day off.

[Peter D'Agostino]

You get a beautiful Friday and Saturday like you dream about it.

[Michael Kay]

Well, tomorrow I'm gonna go see Springsteen. Oh, at the Garden.

[Peter D'Agostino]

I hope he. I hope, I hope, I hope he doesn't do you like he did Chris Christie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, he'll high five you. Right?

[Michael Kay]

I don't think I'm going to be that close.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay, well, there is that. Now, I think it's pretty obvious that this is much bigger for the Mets than it is for the Yankees. Although it's big for both because the Yankees don't want the Rays to get their lead any bigger. But the Yankees know at the end of the day they're going to be there. The Mets don't. And as much as I'm excited about that, they've won eight of their last 12, you know, you can't take one step forward, two steps back, you know, so taking two out of three, I think could be huge for them, especially with the Nationals on the horizon. Lose two out of three and you kind of run into place.

[Michael Kay]

I would agree it's probably a little more important to the Mets, but I don't dismiss that. It's important to the Yankees because they got to get right. Obviously, even if they get swept, they're still in fine shape. But you have to get right. And you don't. You look at what's happening now. If you look at the bottom five hitters in their order in the game that got one hit, I mean, you can't, you can't live like that. Jazz came in hitting.200. He had the only hit in the game. McMahon was hitting.202. Spencer Jones was.091, Anthony Volpe was his first game.100 for three and JC Escara is.195. So if you plug in Austin Wells, right. Well, that's, that's a guy who was also hitting under.200. It's hard for the first four guys in an order to carry an order, so it's tough for them to score runs right now. You forget how important John Carlos Stanton is to what they do. You know, he provides some protection to judge, splits up. A lot of left handed batters are very, very left handed. So the Yankees want to show something this weekend and Cam Schlitler, I think has been the best pitcher in the American League, so expect him to put on a show. And Clay Holmes, I think is the best move that David Stearns has made since becoming the Met gm. So he's been pitching great as well. So I think it's a really important first game. And I agree with you, Don, because I thought the Mets were doing one step forward, two steps back. And then they lost the two games to Arizona. But for them to pick up and beat Detroit three games in a row, now they got a chance. And I've been saying for a long time, I know you both don't listen to my show.

[Peter D'Agostino]

No, that's not true.

[Michael Kay]

I've been saying the Mets are far from done. Far from done.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Well, then you and Don, unsurprisingly, this is what made you such brilliant radio partners, have not been on the same

[Michael Kay]

page because Don likes to give up early. He really does.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Don pronounced them dead.

[Michael Kay]

He comes from a long line of quitters. He's always said that.

[Peter D'Agostino]

And now, and now Don is stuck with it. I'm curious if you agree with this, Michael, and you just alluded to it. If the Mets at least win this series, if the Mets get two or three from the Yankees, that would be three out of four series, right? And they'd be what, you know, four or five games under.500 and we're still a month in change from the no. 6 weeks from the All Star break. Their season will be more than alive.

[Michael Kay]

No, I couldn't agree more. I mean, people forget. I think people conveniently forget how long a baseball season is. So you're only 25% in now. Is it likely? But the, you know, the year the Mets went to game six, right. Of the nlcs, they started off miserably. Miserably, That's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

See who doesn't?

[Michael Kay]

I think you gave up that year too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But, but, but here's the thing. I'm. Yeah, it could happen. I didn't rule out the possibility of it happening, but. But I'm sick of that always being the narrative with this team. That's always. It's what it basically their entire history. Only twice if they've gone to the playoffs, back to back years, everything's a miracle. The miracle Mets in 69, you gotta believe 73 Mets. Even the 86 Mets, who were the best team in baseball, needed miracles against the Astros and the Red Sox to win. And the run in 2000 and the run in 2015 and the run in 2024, all of these like, getting hot. I'm tired of it. I want to build something that is stable, that's consistent, like what the Yankees have. And I thought with David Stearns, we were on our way to that. That's why I was on board with making the changes, because the current, the team in the past didn't get it done. But to have my only hope be, oh, maybe we'll have a miracle run and sneak in. When is this team going to be consistently good? That's what frustrates me. And I just don't want another season of having to hang on to a stupid miracle. Yes, it could happen, but at the end of the day, is that what we're supposed to be doing?

[Michael Kay]

Well, I was listening to. I listen to you all the time.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Oh, thank you.

[Michael Kay]

But Don, not you. And you love Marco, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Michael Kay]

And you only want a great life for him. And you said that you were thinking about letting him become a Yankee fan. So put your money where your mouth is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was off the air. And boy, is really rude for you, especially early in the segment like this, to sandbag me with something That I set off the air and now has to be taken.

[Michael Kay]

You know what I thought? I actually thought you said it on the air. But what's the big deal?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, you're right.

[Michael Kay]

Uncle Michael. Get him tickets whenever he wants.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But honestly.

[Michael Kay]

Honestly, Uncle Gary's not getting them tapes.

[Peter D'Agostino]

There's no Uncle Gary.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But there is something. This is not performative at all. And I've been consistent with this right, Peter, from the beginning, that I'm not going to force anything down. Marco, he's going to make his own choices because I don't want him to blame me for anything. I don't want him to be bitter. The only thing worse than him not being a Met fan, with him not being a baseball fan, same thing. Like, there's a very good chance he'll become an Eagle fan. His best friend's an Eagle fan. We live in an area where he's a lot of Eagle fans.

[Michael Kay]

That would hurt you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It would bother me. But you know what would bother me more? If he didn't follow football and didn't like football. And if I force him to be a Giant fan against his will, you know what's going to happen? He's going to hating the sport and not being into it. And that would kill me on Sunday watching football and him, you know, not being interested in it.

[Michael Kay]

Right, Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So I'm not going to force him. But if I were to force him, how could I look my son in the eye and say I truly love him and give him this path and force him to have to live with what I've lived with for the last 58 years?

[Michael Kay]

But maybe they'll be fine.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm not a team that always goes to the playoffs.

[Michael Kay]

It's a slow process. They go to the playoffs. It's all exciting, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It is, and I love it. But. But you don't understand what I'm saying, Michael.

[Michael Kay]

I do. That's why I welcome him to the group.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Flashes in the pan. I want to build something I really believe, and maybe he still will, that David Stearns was, and with Cohen's money, that they were going to finally build something that can be what the Yankees have, what the Dodgers have become. And that's just a consistently good team. I know you're not going to win every year, but just be consistently good. Not these, you know, quick runs. And when you look at the entire landscape of the franchise, which is now over 60 years old, when have they had any stability ever? Whoever owned the team, from the Patience to the Wilpons to the Doubledays to Cohen managers general manager when I guess if there was a wild card in the late 80s, they would have been a consistent playoff team.

[Michael Kay]

But overall, so would the Yankees have been.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but does it make sense? They've got their own building, they're in the same city as the Yankees, they have their own network, they have an owner that's actually worth probably 10 times more than Jordan, than the Steinbrenners are. And yet here we are, the little engine that could, the miracle, the Casey Stangle, you know, garbage that was fed to us back when they first came into the league, and it really hasn't changed.

[Michael Kay]

Well, what makes this the most jarring, Don, is, you know, to be struggling with a $380 million payroll and then to not make the playoffs last year with a 360 million, I mean, it's almost inconceivable. And I've said this on my show, too. It kind of. I know Yankee fans don't want to hear it. It kind of makes people appreciate Brian Cashman a little bit more because it's not an automatic if you have a high payroll to get it done, this guy gets it done Every. They've been over.500 every year since 93. So I think there should be a little bit more love put on his name. And David Stearns has a lot to prove because every move he's made so far this year has not worked out. Polanco's hurt. You knew he was going to be hurt. Robert's hurt. He's always been hurt. Bichette was a fallback to losing Tucker and he's been awful. You let Pete Alonso go, who never misses a game ever. Nimmo is having a really nice season right now in Texas. You let him go and bring in Simeon, and Simeon's really struggling.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He might be.

[Michael Kay]

You want to save two years of salary, this is Steve Cohen we're talking about. That's why none of it makes sense.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now from a Yankee standpoint, I'm going

[Michael Kay]

to throw something at you, okay?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Anthony Volpe becomes a big time star, Right? Is it here or somewhere else?

[Michael Kay]

Ooh.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Well, it's almost twofold, though. Wait, Don, isn't it like two questions? Number one, will he be a big time star? And then number two, where would it be?

[Michael Kay]

Well, he's got to be lights out for the next eight days. And if he's not, he's getting sent down to the minor leagues again.

[Peter D'Agostino]

And is that good night and good luck?

[Michael Kay]

I don't know if it's good night and Good luck. Injuries can always happen, so we could get a second chance. It might be good night and good luck for shortstop because George Lombard right now is able to play defense in the major leagues. So if something happened with Caballero and Volpe really struggled this time up, I think you'd look for Volpe maybe to switch to second base at some point, learn how to play it, because I don't know if they're going to sign Jazz. He's a free agent at the end of the year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I wonder if that was a mistake. Michael, he was in Somerset for a while during his rehab. Why not play him someplace else?

[Michael Kay]

I don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why not at least give the option of playing him? Just continue trotting him out of choice with Somerset when you know there's a landlocked situation already? Cashman said that Caballero's got his job once he comes back. That's why I think if he's going to be anything, it's got to be somewhere else because I just don't see it happening here. Even, you know, McMahon starting to hit a little bit and he's a much better defender. I can't.

[Michael Kay]

I worry about it because I think there's so much pressure on him right now. And once they get back to Yankee Stadium, if he goes over and makes outs with people on base, the fans going to be all over him. So, I mean, it's a lot. It's a burden. I thought they made the wise move when his rehab was up and they kept him in the minors because the Yankees were playing great. So if you bring him up and there's obviously always going to be a market correction because teams don't win, you know, 130 games a year that he would be the one blamed for the market correction. This was the perfect time to bring them up because he just got swept by Milwaukee and lost the first game to Baltimore. So that's when you want to bring him up and. But he had a really bad game on Wednesday, so we'll see how he does this weekend.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Michael K. Oh, I know. Yeah. Of the Michael K. Show.

[Michael Kay]

Did we lose your picture? I'm the only one on the air right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I can't even tell you.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it's a Don problem, Michael.

[Michael Kay]

No, it's a Don problem.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Yeah, but it said me. It knocked me off, too.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, Peter, do you want me to switch it? I'll switch it just for you. You ready?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

There you go.

[Michael Kay]

There he is.

[Don Hahn]

I tried.

[Michael Kay]

I've got a very heart warming story. We Just talked about parenting, which we now, you know, all of us are in the throes of. So all of John's four children spoke at the memorial today.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Okay.

[Michael Kay]

And I mean, the poise and composure. It blew me away how great they were.

[Peter D'Agostino]

How old.

[Michael Kay]

Blew me away.

[Peter D'Agostino]

How old are the triplets?

[Michael Kay]

Triplets I think are 24 and Abigail is 27. So they all spoke. But John had a very unique style of parenting. He told them because he and his wife were divorced after a while and every weekend they could, they would spend at John's. And you know, Jennifer, his ex wife, who he's very close with, is a disciplinarian. And so she had rules when they had to go to bed, what they can eat, stuff like that. When they came over John's house, oh boy. He said you could do whatever you want. Just don't tell your mother. Which is a really smart thing to do. I mean, if I adopt that with Jody, it would work. It really would. And they spoke about how he let them stay up to, like even when they were kids, midnight, one o', clock, as long as there was a good movie on or if they're reading a book, they could. And the only rule he had was you could drink as much soda as you want. It has to be diet soda. That's it. That's where he drew the line. It had to be diet soda.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, my God.

[Michael Kay]

And he told these stories and it was just so John, like. So the two boys, two of the triplets, two boys. Jennifer got angry because she, she thought that they were drinking one night. So she sent him to meet John at a diner, which they always did anyway. They would love lunch in a diner or whatever. And the boys quickly found out that it was because of the, you know, the mother turning them in. And John said, just don't do anything stupid. Don't get in the car with anybody who's drinking. Don't drive yourself, take a cab, ask me for the money, but don't tell Jennifer. He never told them don't drink or anything like that. And when his oldest daughter went to Syracuse, he called her and, you know, she's 18 at that point. He called her up and said, people are going to tell you not to drink. I start with white wine spritzers. That's the way to go. And make sure that nobody puts anything in your drink. Not, don't, don't drink, nothing like that. John lived in a fairy tale world, and it's beautiful. He created his own bubble.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Did you?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Said he wanted a world with no rules.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Michael. Michael, by the way, did you. Did you speak at the memorial?

[Michael Kay]

I did. Susan and I, they asked us to, quote, unquote, host it. So we both did eulogies. I got through it until the end, and then I lost it. Susan was great, and then all the kids spoke and Jennifer even spoke. So it was very well done. There were so many people there. Give. I give the Yankees credit. Boone was there, Cashman House, diamond flew up from Florida to go, you know, Lee Mazilli, Randy Levine, the Yankee president, Willie Rand. I mean, all the people from. Yes, it was. It was beautiful and friends and all that. And it was a celebration of his life. It was sad, of course, but, you know, people just told great stories about the type of guy John was.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Well, you know, we often joke with you about what age you would take. And I know that anywhere in the 80s you're shooting down, we know you need to.

[Michael Kay]

John. Don already asked me that last week.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But.

[Peter D'Agostino]

But I will say this, while I know you would never take 87 because you need like 107.

[Michael Kay]

Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The.

[Peter D'Agostino]

It seems like John really packed a lot into those 87.

[Michael Kay]

Soaked every bit of life out of 87 years. You're absolutely right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He.

[Michael Kay]

He enjoyed himself. He was a guy that all he wanted was to be happy. He didn't want to be bothered. He didn't want to be bothered by rules. He said there should be no rules, there should be no laws. As long as people don't hurt each other, you should be able to do whatever you want to be happy. And that's the way he lived his life.

[Peter D'Agostino]

How much fun is the K household having with this Knicks run?

[Michael Kay]

It's been great. Charlie's become a very big Knick fan, so he's been enjoying it. I've been working through a lot of it, so I end up watching it on dvr, but it's been terrific. I was hoping, when I was listening to you guys, I didn't know what the time of the Sunday game would be because Charlie's going to the Met game with me. We're doing the game on Sunday, and I was.

[Peter D'Agostino]

What time's first pitch Sunday?

[Michael Kay]

Well, 1:35. I figured we can go from that to the Garden, but then don said it's 3:30, so that's not doable.

[Peter D'Agostino]

No, it'll be tough.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's what we were told, that it would be 3:30. How do you feel about that, Michael? We had a caller saying that you'd rather have the Cavs win game seven, so that there would be a shorter turnaround for them, and there'd be an extra days off if they win in Game 6. I just want the Cavs. Not that they can't beat the Pistons, but why wouldn't you want home court? And why mess with a possible Game seven where the Pistons could advance? Just have the Cavs win tonight and. And get to work on Sunday.

[Michael Kay]

Well, in a perfect world, if you told me the Cavs could win in seven, then I would take that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you're right.

[Michael Kay]

If there was a chance that they'd lose in Game 7, which would be in Detroit, then I would take them winning now. And, you know, I kind of jumped, you know, Nick fans, because I listened to Barton Carlin before I go on. And maybe they're doing it because Bart's a big Piston fan. You know, we don't want the Cavs who bring on the Pistons. And I go, what's wrong with people? You want the path of least resistance. Everything's broken perfectly for the Knicks. You want the path of least resistance. So which is the team that's easier for you to win? And I think it's the Cavs. I agree with you, Don. I think they could beat either of them, and they will beat either of them. I think they're going to the NBA Finals, but I want the easier team. I think the easier team is Cleveland.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Quickly. Jeff Passon tweeted, Max Freed is headed to the il, but the news is relatively positive, all things considered. An MRI revealed a bone bruise in his left elbow. Per the team. They're going to look over the imaging. There is no ligament damage. The Yankees avoided the worst case.

[Michael Kay]

That is good news because if it was going to be lengthy, then all the promises that we all kept making about running it back, that, you know, they did so much better when they got back Rodin and Cole. Well, if you lost Freed, you wouldn't be getting so much better. You'd be treading water. So Freed's really important to what they do. You know, he's, you know, Cole should be the number one, Freed's number two. Schlitler would be the best number three in baseball. And then you've got Rodon in either, you know, Weathers or Warren. So I think their starting pitching is going to be the thing that carries them, even if they continue to have some trouble scoring runs. But the one thing that I've noticed a lot, especially in the American League, guys, there's so many bad teams, I mean, so many bad teams that I think the Yankees could sleepwalk their way to 95 wins.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you know what? I don't know whether it's just a coincidence or it has anything to do with the possible lockout, but all of baseball has been subpar. Dodgers are supposed to be the best team in baseball. They've had a couple of losing streaks. They only split with the Giants, who were terrible over the last few days. I mean, all those teams in the central above.500, but I don't think any of them are really all that good.

[Michael Kay]

I think Milwaukee is good, Don.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I know. I know it feels that way, but until you actually see it in the postseason. But let's just say the brewers are good and the Padres and the Dodgers are good, and the Rays are good and the Yankees are good. Can you really go beyond five teams in baseball that are really good?

[Michael Kay]

I think the Braves, surprisingly, are good. I didn't think they'd be this good. I think they're legitimate.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay, that's six.

[Michael Kay]

I think the Cubs aren't bad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They've just lost four in a row.

[Michael Kay]

Their pitching is in shambles, but I would agree. But Philly still is going to be heard from. And, you know, after they got rid of Robbie Thompson, they've been winning a lot under Mattingly. So if they could get to.500, then you got, you know, they still have a veteran lineup that has been there, done that. They have a real threat. And Schwaber getting back. Zach Wheeler was really important, and he's pitching really, really well. I think the better teams are in the National League this year, Don. In the American League, there's a lot of bad teams.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This does feel like a couple of years ago where the Yankees kind of cruised to the World Series and then it was on with the Dodgers. It could be the same thing. But the Rays, they as good as the Yankees are, I guess it's not a given they're going to win that division. I still think the Yankees will because I think they're better equipped to improve at the deadline than the Rays are. But this Tampa team looks legit.

[Michael Kay]

Well, the one thing about the Rays that you have to watch out for, they have new ownership, and they're trying to get the voters to approve that. That beautiful stadium that they proposed, which would be right across from Raymond James and on the same plot of land as George M. Steinburn afield. So if they could provide a winning team and maybe that makes the voters feel better about them, then all of that stuff would be approved. So it is a different owner, and maybe they. They dump some money into them. I just think one of the fool's errands. And when you were picking baseball is always to dismiss the raise. They're one of the smartest organizations in the game, and they are really. They're a really pesky team. I look at the Rays and I look at the brewers guys as like a college basketball team that presses 94ft where they make you make mistakes, they put heat on you. They run the bases, take extra bases, steal bases. They do all the little things and sometimes that can knock off big teams.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Michael, enjoy your weekend.

[John Caller]

Thank you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And we'll be watching, of course, on Sunday. I still will follow my guy on Sunday.

[Michael Kay]

Really?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter D'Agostino]

What else would you do?

[Michael Kay]

Gary's exceptional, what he does, so I don't think he could lose either way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but I don't have a relationship with them as that I have with Michael.

[Michael Kay]

Oh, thank you. Peter will not watch either channel.

[Peter D'Agostino]

No, I'm in on Sunday.

[Michael Kay]

Really?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Until 3:30.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Well, yeah, 3:30. I got to turn on the basketball.

[Michael Kay]

All right, so let me ask you. It's the knicks in the caps.330 on Sunday. 7th inning of the Yankees and the Mets. All right, somebody's pitching a no hitter. You still going to the Nick game?

[Peter D'Agostino]

I'd be flipping back and forth.

[Michael Kay]

Interesting. How about you?

[Peter D'Agostino]

Even in a close game, if it was a very compelling Mets Yankee game, I'd flip. I'd flip back and forth.

[Michael Kay]

What if I inadvertently said something offensive on the air and I was apologizing right when the Nick game was about to start?

[Peter D'Agostino]

Well, then I'm keeping it on because

[Michael Kay]

you want to see the career just implode.

[Peter D'Agostino]

I want to see you squirm, suffer, and then the career flow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I think we can all. I can all get. Unless it's going to be a game like last Sunday against the Sixers. I think we can all get through missing the first quarter if there's a no hitter going on in the Yankees Mets.

[Michael Kay]

You know, the worst thing I think that ever happened to a broadcaster? What happened to Tom Brennaman? You know, he got caught Mike saying terrible thing and he's apologizing. And Nick Castellano sits a home run in the middle of the apology and he has to call the play by play. That's just brutal.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was brutal.

[Peter D'Agostino]

That whole situation, I have to say, from beginning to end, was the prime example of not what you want.

[Michael Kay]

No, it's not what you want. Yeah. But you know what I do want? Fraud alert Friday.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Oh, I love what you did.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thank you. Thank you for listening. We appreciate the great Michael K. Michael See you guys.

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[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter D'Agostino]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm a fraud with a capital Is

[Don Hahn]

your friend a fraud?

[Peter D'Agostino]

I have been a complete and utter fraud.

[Don Hahn]

Are you a fraud?

[Peter Rosenberg]

What is fraud?

[Don Hahn]

Let's ask Tom McGregor.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Screw. Go scratch yourself.

[Don Hahn]

Brought to you by D' Agostino Law.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Ah, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Fraud Alert Friday. Brought to you by d' Agostino Law. D' Agostino Don, how you feeling?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Very good. Sensing fraud. I can smell fraud.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Did you enjoy the segment there with the Caister.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I do, you know, listen. Some of the best radio, quite frankly, this station ever had was the three of us together on the air at the same time. So how could it not be a good segue?

[Peter D'Agostino]

Do you think that. You think Alan was listening? You think he's gonna feel away?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, I would think he'd be in a fetal position if he listened to that second.

[Peter D'Agostino]

He'd be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He'd be sucking on a beer through a baby.

[Peter D'Agostino]

No, don't say it.

[John Caller]

I'm out.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Oh, no, don't. Please don't be out. All right, you ready for some frauding Alerting?

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's not easy to say.

[Peter D'Agostino]

No. First of all, a lot of people are just sending me strange polls from the Knicks.

[John Caller]

Yeah, that's.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Come on. Marvin Webster. I mean, it's a great one, but

[Peter Rosenberg]

no, it's terrific, but not the right segment.

[Peter D'Agostino]

And how about this one, dear Don Allen Hahn. He's born and bred, Long Islander, but he's a Yankee and Knick fan. My dad grew up on the island in the 70s, which is similar to Han, and he and all of his friends are Mets and Nets fans. Is Han a for audible on Islander?

[Michael Kay]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I'm sure there's tons of Yankee fans out on the island. No, I don't. That's usually Met country, and North Jersey is Yankee country. Am I a fraud for growing up a Met fan in North Jersey? I had Yankee fans all over me. I can't. I can't.

[Peter D'Agostino]

You don't want to base it on that, is what you're saying.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, it's all. No fraud.

[Peter D'Agostino]

D', Agostino, I'd like to bring in Anthony here.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay, I'm here.

[Peter D'Agostino]

There's a conversation about Dick from Manhattan,

[Alan Hahn]

if you want to put it that way. Sure. Well, as we know, we just had Michael on. He did a fantastic job. You'll see that video shortly on our YouTube. But Jake Asmon was in on the Michael K Show, and one of the last calls he took today was Richard from Manhattan. And Jake told me, you're gonna have to pull this because you might have to call fraud on Richard.

[Michael Kay]

Jake, before I get to the Knicks.

[John Caller]

Great interview with Marbury. I went to high school in Brooklyn. I rooted for him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But his greatest accomplishment, sadly, in my

[John Caller]

opinion, in the NBA, was being traded for Jason Kidd. Jason Kidd gave me memories with the

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nets I've never seen in basketball.

[Michael Kay]

Are you a Nets fan, though? Richard?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nick. Nick fan.

[John Caller]

I'm a New York fan, Jake.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So any Connecticut fan, Albany fan, Syracuse?

[John Caller]

I'M an metropolitan New York fan.

[Michael Kay]

You see, you're a fraud, Richard. Don.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's what I am. What can I tell you? All right, you know what, what do

[Peter D'Agostino]

you what what is to even be

[Peter Rosenberg]

said, I gotta tell you, with the information that I, and I've known Richard forever, I, the reason I call no fraud, I don't think he's gotten allegiance to anybody.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He has never said he's a die hard anything. If anything, he has honored the fact that he loves New York sports, he loves basketball. And for somebody who loves basketball that doesn't have a specific allegiance, I could see him getting captivated by Kidd with the New Jersey Nets at the time. Back to back NBA final appearances, I have never heard and correct me if I'm wrong, Anthony Peter Jacob him ever declare being a fan of any specific team.

[Alan Hahn]

He's actually told me multiple times he is a, he is a New York fan. He roots for all of them. Now we could think that that is fraudulent behavior in general, but he's never claimed to not not just be a fan of New York teams, he roots for every New York team. Now you'd ask him what is he going to do tonight? I have no idea.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's strange, it's odd, it's odd behavior, but he just seems to be a sports fan and he's of an age where, listen, he, he's older than some of the teams that are in the market. So, so it's odd, it's strange. I don't necessarily want to live that way. But if you've never declared, Peter, then are you really a fraud?

[Peter D'Agostino]

Well, that's kind of what we were talking about earlier on the program. Is that, is it fraud if the person is not really claiming to be anything? Listen, you can accept him just being a New York fan. It just means we all know this Richard after, after all these years talking to him. Richard is clearly much more sports fan than team fan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not only is he would know what team you're rooting for, we've met him multiple times. He's never wore any merch from a team. From what I could tell, he doesn't attend any games. He's just a dentist who just loves sports and his observations are all over the place. Right. I. If you've never. He's declared that I'm just a sports fan. So who would he be fraudulent against? Well, we just have to assume because the Knicks are more popular that he's a Knick fan or if he's never declared, then who, who is he? Who is being fraudulent against. Right. You know, who did he disrespect? Who is he not honoring? He is a very strange, as you know, by his phone calls, no question. But I can't call him a fraud, Peter. I'm sorry.

[Peter D'Agostino]

You heard it. You heard it there, right there from d'.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Agostino.

[Peter D'Agostino]

No fraud for Big Dick.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is not. Yeah, because it would have been the rare dick fraud. And we've never had that.

[Peter D'Agostino]

We've never had and nor have we ever seen dick fraud. Mark writes us and says, for the previous 63 years.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Peter D'Agostino]

I, along with several hundred of my fellow Bronx baby boomers, have been stuck in conflicted circumstances beyond our control. It has us rooting for the New York Yankees and New York Mets as well as the New York Giants and New York Jets. Being junior high schoolers growing up within three subway stops of the stadium, of course we worshiped the Yanks and Giants. Then some marketing guys thought it would be a good idea to fill some of their new teams, many empty seats, while attracting a new generation of fans by bussing in and comping some nearby Bronx all boys, junior high schoolers and local little leagues to the sad rusting polo grounds. The Mets were a new team across the east river in a different league. They never played the Yanks, but for an exhibition game. The jets were called the New York Titans and played in a different league as well. It was all free. We got out of school for a day.

[Michael Kay]

Woohoo.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Fun experience. As a rookie, Cincy Red named Pete Rose dropped a fungoed ball in warm ups. We sort of jeered and teased. He flashed a bird at our entire seventh grade class. What fun. The pigeons in the rafters crapped on a kid's hot dog. Hilarious. The newbie NYJ sent starting tackle Sid Youngelman to the LL Awards dinner. He was a big fellow, spoke about sportsmanship and hard work and polished off two and a half roast chickens. To our amazement. Since then we rooted for the Mets and Jets, except when they play the Yankees and Giants head to head in a real game. So not so often, please. Judge D Lage. We're now in our middle 70s. Finally absolve us the group of this guilt that you have on record previously condemned. Without exception, I remain Mark Goldstein, the Bronx Boomer Boy. FYI now available on Amazon. Seriously, big longtime listener.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Love you guys.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Take your time. Don, this is big. I'm gonna look up this book.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a wonderful story and I get it. I was talking to you guys off the air about how a Lot of Jet fans were Giant fans who couldn't get in to Yankee Stadium to see the team. So they figured, oh, it's a different league. I'll just kind of root for the jets, too. Not knowing there'd be a merger and then just kind of got caught up. But at some point, Peter, with the Mets as well, you got to declare. You gotta let it go. Listen, I bought season tickets to the New York, New Jersey Knights or the World League of American Football, and I rooted for him. But if they ever merged with the NFL, I wouldn't, like, root for the Knights and the Giants. You gotta declare at some point. He had many, many years to declare. Didn't. Nice guy, intelligent guy, great storyteller.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Fraud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wait, hold on. Couldn't you apply the same logic to Richard? No, because he declared. These guys, they declared they were Yankee and Giant fans. Declared.

[Alan Hahn]

But don't you like.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not declaring is just. You didn't even ask to approach the bench. I mean, the disrespect, Peter. He has no respect for showing me,

[Peter D'Agostino]

as a judge, zero respect.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, I can hold you in contempt. Please do. To question me without even asking to

[Peter D'Agostino]

approach the judge, Peter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Disrespect him. I'm not even gonna. I'm not even gonna dignify respect and dignify with an answer. You can't.

[Peter D'Agostino]

You can't. What he just did. He spit right in your courtroom.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm sorry, Judge, just for the sake of argument, we will address what he said that they declared. So at some point, you gotta let all this folly go. Just not just welcome all these teams in, man. You were bought. Your store bought.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Fraud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, because of the free tickets, Peter. They were given free tickets and rides to the games. They were tempted. They were tempted with the apple and they bit Fraud. Nice guy, though. And I usually complain about the long emails, but there were some laughs in there. That was.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Guess what? If you want more laughs. Like that Bronx Boomer Boy by Mark Goldstein is available on Amazon for purchase. Paperback book. I gotta tell you, I'm curious.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what? You in? I'm in. Not only am I in, I could see a 6:30 guest spot in this future.

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Peter D'Agostino]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

And I will have him on our show and we'll speak to him. And I will call him a fraud to his face. But interesting cat that will do it

[Peter D'Agostino]

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[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter D'Agostino]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

Catch the show on Demand Whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Brian Hocus just tweeted about Max Freed and this is what Max had to say. Going on the il, I'm definitely bummed that I'm going to have to miss some time, but overall happy that it doesn't look like it's going to be anything serious, no surgery required or anything like that. So never want to go on the IL and miss games, but also understand that the long term outlook still looks good. And when you consider when we first heard about him leaving the game in the third inning back on Wednesday, elbow, you start, you know, thinking the worst and you know, multiple games, maybe months, maybe the season, the fact that he's going to go on the il, maybe miss a couple of starts, Peter, is really, really good news. The best news is he misses no time. But I don't think that was ever really on the table for what we were expected to hear. I think this is good news.

[Peter D'Agostino]

Yeah, you got to pick your battles because the second you hear it's something, anything is on the table. So if you can, if you can get away with, you know, this, I think you feel pretty good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's go to John in Comac. You're on ESPN New York.

[John Caller]

Yeah. Hi guys. John, I just like to take issue with your fraudulent fan take. If you hear me out for a second, go ahead. I'm a lifetime Yankee. I'm sorry? I'm a lifetime Yankee fan. My friends would consider me a huge Yankee fan, but I'm a 42 year school teacher and when the Yankees aren't playing, like I'll go to a Met game with my friends.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sure.

[John Caller]

And I would, I'll root for the Mets. And you know why? Because it makes other people in my life happy when their team wins. Sure. I don't really understand the point of view that their misery should make me a better fan or make me happier. I love when the kids at school are happy and jumping up and down because the Mets won and I don't see how that hurts my Yankees at all. Of course, like tonight I'm all Yankees, I'm ready to go. And I don't consider myself a Met fan, but I don't see how me going to a Met game and rooting for the Mets makes me a fraud. Secondly, I honestly feel that when people push that you have to love your team so much and that other teams are horrible, it's kind of what leads to the violence at games. Like when that fan took a beating in San Francisco and was almost killed by a Dodger fan and the other way around, and these incidents that are going on all the state. I really think it's something we need to think about more. Because it's okay to me to root for whoever you want as long as you're not being a jerk at the game. And there have been many times when I go to a game and I'm a fairly large guy who was in great shape as a youngster, where I would stick up for fans rooting for the other team, saying they have a right to root for who they want to without people being violent to them. I just don't get that whole point of view. I think people should be able to root and be happy with your team

[Peter Rosenberg]

because, listen, it's a fun thing that I do. I've prefaced everything by saying it doesn't mean you're a bad guy. But like you said, you want to see everybody happy. Well, those students that are Met fans, you said you could be rooting for the. You want the Yankees to win, right? I mean, are you going to be happy if the Mets beat the Yankees today? Because they're going to be just as disappointed. Right. So their feelings don't matter this weekend.

[John Caller]

Okay, say it again.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Their feelings don't matter this weekend.

[John Caller]

I'm a Yankee fan, so.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[John Caller]

Yankees come first for me. But I don't have to hate on them all the other games of the year. I just don't. And I think we push that too much, and it honestly leads to bad things happening at games.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, people can't. People can't. We're just trying to have fun, Jon. And if people want to take it too far, that's on them. All right? I've never condoned during this, when we said fraud alert Friday, that these are bad people. It's just that you declare being a fan of a team and you're a Yankee fan. All right? So you go to a Met game, you root for the Mets. To women, you're not a Met fan. Right. He's not there. But, like, why do you got to take the fun out of it? Just, it's a fun segment that we do. And if some idiot out there wants to go beat on somebody because they love their team so much, I'm not gonna take responsibility for that. Because we have fun every Friday saying, fraud alert Friday. Come on, man. We can't. We're not intelligent enough as people to be able to just sift through, like, a fun little segment. It's gotta. It's gotta eventually Lead to violence. Come on, man. Cause if that's the case, then we just won't do it anymore. Okay? But come on, man. Can't we just have some fun?

[Peter D'Agostino]

I think our friend was a little on the captain Literal side.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Peter and I have painstakingly talk. I call my brother a fraud. It's just a fun thing that we do, but everybody's got to take. You know what bothers me about that call? Everything is that, you know, he starts talking about. This is why we have no. We have violence because people drink and people are stupid, okay? If you listen to this segment and think that it's going to lead to me approving of you going out there and declaring yourself a fan and go beating up on the other team's fan, that you know what, you're just a moron and don't understand stuff. All right? Just a fun little thing. Declare being a fan. We've always had this be about fun. And it's calls like that that just make me not even want to do it anymore. Because if people are going to misunderstand to that level. Come on, man. I have to tell you, I have

[Peter D'Agostino]

to tell you, it was a really, really big reach. I'm sure he's a sweet guy. I'm glad he defends other fans. That's a nice thing. That's the right way to be. But, yeah, he was taking it a little too seriously. I don't think anything, nothing about fraud. Fraud alert is actually about the whole thing being funny and silly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So, yeah, and he says he roots for the Mets because he wants his students and his Met fan friends to be happy that the Mets won. But I guess that's not on the table today. When the Yankees are playing the Mets, then it's okay for them to be miserable. It's okay for them to lose a game. It's sports people that see, that's what it really comes down to is the reason that you should never take it that seriously to where you beat on somebody else or disrespect somebody else on the basis that you're a fan. The reason it's wrong is because it's supposed to be entertainment and fun and that I could call you a fraud and we can laugh about it and it'd be fun. Not giving you permission to go out there and beat somebody up and act like an ass. Come on. It's supposed to be fun. But he ruined it.

[Peter D'Agostino]

What you're saying is he ruined it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Honestly, it sounds like you're ready to quit for the. No. Because it wouldn't bother me as much, Peter, if I didn't think there were other people out there that felt the same way. Because we all take things too damn serious, and I don't want to ever be the reason why somebody goes out there and disrespects another fan. Yeah, I've always said nobody should be able to tell you who you should root for.

[Michael Kay]

Do you?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do you do what you want to do? Just because I call you a fraud in a segment doesn't mean that you should feel like what you're doing isn't something that you should do because you want to do it.

[Peter D'Agostino]

All right, how do we cleanse our palate from this?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Alan Hahn, thank you. Really. I think the only thing that could make me feel better and what was really basically a punch to the dingus is Alan Han.

[Peter D'Agostino]

What's up, boo?

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter D'Agostino]

I don't want to know how the

[Don Hahn]

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

[Jake Asmon]

Hey sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows and originals across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your home TV package for no additional cost. Visit activate.espn.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now.