Hour 2: Weekend Headlines

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: Weekend Headlines (June 9, 2026)
ESPN New York
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
SPECIAL GUEST: Ray Santiago (Producer, MSG/ESPN NY)

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EPISODE OVERVIEW

Hour 2 of “Don, Hahn & Rosenberg” immerses listeners in the feverish New York sports scene during Knicks playoff fever, blending real-time NBA/NHL headlines, fan calls, behind-the-scenes media stories, and lively banter. With the Knicks in the NBA Finals, anticipation for Game 3 reaches a peak, and the guys celebrate the team’s “magical” run, dissect playoff narratives, and spotlight the impact of the Knicks’ diversity and culture. Other big stories include the Stanley Cup Finals, vintage Knicks merchandise mania, and celebrity/charity happenings at Madison Square Garden.

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KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

Knicks Playoff Mania: Team of Destiny?

• Game 3 Hype & Must-Win Pressure

  • The hosts analyze why Game 3 is a “must win” for the Spurs, emphasizing the psychological and narrative implication of a 3-0 series lead.
    • “This is tonight for the Spurs what the phrase must win was meant to mean.” (Rosenberg, 04:21)
    • Fans want the Knicks to finish the series at home for the special experience.

• The Uniqueness of This Knicks Team

  • Alan Hahn and caller Flavio highlight the cultural resonance—Knicks have both Puerto Rican (Jose Alvarado) and Dominican (Ray Santiago) representation, which resonates with NYC diversity.
    • “A Puerto Rican and a Dominican in the NBA on the same team...It’s incredible.” (Rosenberg, 05:06)
    • “Is there anything more New York than the diversity of this team?” (Ray Santiago, 22:21)
  • Discussion on the potential for Mike Brown to become New York's first Black coach/manager to win a championship.
    • “For Mike Brown, there's some history there in New York City.” (Alan Hahn, 05:40)

• Team Effort & Cultural Vibes

  • The narrative and emotional pull of this team is a “true team, not one superstar leading the way.”
    • “It’s really a team concept thing... a run you just don’t want to see end.” (Alan Hahn, 06:04)
  • Knicks fans “take over” San Antonio—huge Knicks crowd for a road playoff game, creating a surge in local and national energy.
    • “Charles [Barkley’s] like, I've never seen anything like this in my entire life.” (Rosenberg, 08:47)
    • MVP chants for Jalen Brunson on the road. (10:09–10:40)

Behind the Scenes: Radio & MSG Crew

• Listener Appreciation & ‘The Producers’
  • Callers thank Alan Hahn for his on-air Knicks optimism early in the season.
    • “When the Knicks win… you need to hold that trophy up with the boys.” (Daniel, 14:32)
  • Producer Ray Santiago discusses the unsung, exhausting life of MSG/ESPN radio producers and the joy of being part of this historic run.
    • “I did think that this was a really good team... Not in my wildest dreams...this has been incredible.” (Ray Santiago, 19:54)
  • Endearing tongue-in-cheek banter about radio producers being low on the pecking order—a running gag about their status in sports radio. (20:19–20:46)

Fan Stories, Ticket Mania, & The Knicks Bandwagon

• The Price of Fandom

  • Caller Paul shares his $10,000 ticket splurge for lower-level Knicks seats.
    • “Spending about $10,000...lower level, section 124.” (Peter, 12:09)
  • Discussion of the explosion in Knicks vintage merchandise prices and bandwagon fandom:
    • “Two weeks ago, you could buy an LJ Grandma Ma Knicks t-shirt for 20 bucks. That same thing is 100 bucks now because everyone wants something cool...” (Rosenberg, 14:17)

• Garden of Dreams Charity Auction

  • MSG’s “Celebrity Row” seats fetch $1 million for charity—the foundation’s largest-ever single donation.
    • “They ended up raising a million dollars…to win these tickets. That’s not bad...” (Alan Hahn, 42:01)

Weekend Headlines: Other NY Sports & Personal Highlights

• Stanley Cup Final Magic

  • Recap of a wild Vegas-Carolina series: “four goals in the third,” dramatic overtime, record goal totals.
    • “It’s the most goals ever scored in the first three games of a Stanley Cup Final...” (Don Hahn, 26:58)
  • Alan mentions wanting the series to go 7 games for true classic status.

• Yankees Prospect Cam Schlitler’s Big Day

  • Han highlights the young pitcher’s bounce-back start, velocity, and Cy Young implications.
    • “He cranks it back up to 99.5 mph...just being unhittable. That was a big deal.” (Alan Hahn, 28:05)

• Personal Touches

  • Alan Hahn’s daughter Gracie graduates and flashes Jalen Brunson’s iconic “kiss and three-fingers” celebration—a feel-good sports & family moment.
    • “She turns and gives the Brunson celebration to the camera. I lost it completely.” (Alan Hahn, 30:29)
  • Rosenberg returns from Italy, shares travel stories, and champions Italian culture/food.
    • “Rome has to be one of the coolest places on planet earth…a wall that was the gate to the Roman Empire.” (Rosenberg, 33:39)

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NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• On NBA Playoff Mindset:
  “Tonight is the only thing to focus on—just tonight.”
  (Alan Hahn, 06:50)

• Bandwagon Fandom Authenticity:
  “The bandwagon has plenty of room. Everybody jump on. The more the merrier.”
  (Alan Hahn, 09:41)

• On Producer Life in Sports Radio:
  “It’s like, hosts, executives, sales staff, programmers…then rats, dirt, cockroaches…then radio producers. Dirt. Lava. Then radio.”
  (Don Hahn & Rosenberg riffing, 20:19–20:46)

• On Cultural Meaning of the Knicks’ Diversity:
  “Is there anything more New York than the diversity of this team?”
  (Ray Santiago, 22:21)

• On Family & Knicks Rituals:
  “She gives the Brunson celebration… I was a puddle. Absolute puddle.”
  (Alan Hahn, 30:28)

• On the Magnitude of Game 3 at MSG:
  “Monday night…will be the most significant game played in that building since Game 7, Rangers, Stanley Cup ‘94.”
  (Alan Hahn, 46:43)

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CELEBRITY & CULTURE WATCH

• Celebrity Row – Predicting the Stars for Game 3
  • Discussion about which classic and surprise celebrities will be at courtside—Spike Lee, Timothée Chalamet, Fat Joe, Michael J. Fox, possible speculation about Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce, and even the sitting President (in a suite).
  • “Fat Joe will be. That’s a good call. He’d actually spend 100 grand to be front row.” (Rosenberg, 44:04)

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TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• Knicks-Spurs “must-win” & series breakdown: 01:00 – 07:10
• Team identity, diversity, Mike Brown history: 05:05 – 06:04
• Knicks fan takeover in San Antonio: 08:47 – 10:57
• Caller Paul’s $10k ticket story: 11:09 – 12:28
• Vintage Knicks gear/bandwagon chat: 13:17 – 14:21
• Producer Ray Santiago appreciation: 19:54 – 23:39
• Stanley Cup Final recap: 26:06 – 27:41
• Yankees Cam Schlitler performance: 28:05 – 28:32
• Alan’s daughter’s MSG grad moment: 30:28 – 30:36
• Rosenberg’s Italy highlights: 32:12 – 35:41
• MSG ticket/charity auction & Celebrity Row: 42:01 – 44:02
• Debate on biggest NY home game since ‘94: 46:43 – 47:11

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FINAL THOUGHTS & ATMOSPHERE

This episode channels the pulse of New York sports—the emotional rollercoaster of Knicks playoff magic, passionate, occasionally hilarious fan/producer dynamics, and the intertwining of culture, community, and history. If you love New York hoops, local radio, and the culture around big games, this hour captures all the reasons these sports moments resonate so deeply.

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For complete Knicks, Liberty, Islanders, Yankees, and Stanley Cup headlines—and more New York sports energy—catch Don, Hahn & Rosenberg weekdays at 3pm on ESPN NY!

Transcript

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[Podcast Host]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Podcast Host]

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

[Don Hahn]

Game time is brought to you by Tullamore du Irish Whiskey Bees. When it's game time, guys.

[Rosenberg]

Knicks and the Rockets with coverage on 1050 at 7:30. The Isles and the Sabres in Buffalo at 7:30. Don, on second thought, use the button.

[Don Hahn]

Knicks and spurs, game three coverage immediately following us. Eight hundred and eighty.

[Rosenberg]

All right.

[Don Hahn]

Extended pregame show hosted by Pat O' Keefe at seven. Knicks start. Yankees start a series with the Guardians in Cleveland at 640. Liberty, visit the sun at 7. I'm not, I'm not the brightest person in the world, but. No. Is it, is it a great idea to be playing WNBA games against the NBA Finals? Can you, can you juggle the schedule? They know the Liberty.

[Alan Hahn]

They know the schedule. You know, you know the NBA schedule. The NBA final.

[Don Hahn]

I'm just saying.

[Rosenberg]

Well, not only that, it's. It's. Let's be. I want to be transparent here. It's the same league. I mean, they, they know each other.

[Alan Hahn]

They.

[Rosenberg]

It's all the same.

[Don Hahn]

So it should make.

[Alan Hahn]

Are they playing in Brooklyn tonight?

[Flavio]

No.

[Don Hahn]

Let me see. So they visit the Sun.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, so now the sun.

[Don Hahn]

Where are the sun now?

[Alan Hahn]

Right?

[Don Hahn]

They were, they.

[Alan Hahn]

Weren't they moving it. Aren't they moving to Texas?

[Don Hahn]

Maybe they did already. Well, the game's at 7, so who.

[Rosenberg]

You can find out.

[Don Hahn]

I'm sorry I even brought it up. Tullamore, do the original triple and triple cast. But you're an Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Telemore do or try the new Telemore do, honey, during today's action. Glasses up. Enjoying Tullamore do responsibly. Busy phones at 1-800-919-3776. And we are jam packed, so I don't even know why I gave them.

[Rosenberg]

No, let's talk. Let's talk to them.

[Alan Hahn]

Why not?

[Don Hahn]

Flavio in Bushwick, you're on ESPN New York. Get a start here in Don. Allen Roseberg, what's Up.

[Rosenberg]

Big fluff.

[Daniel]

Hey.

[Flavio]

Hey, Alan. I actually ran into you when you were coming in and you were walking by. I was wearing. You were by. What's it called? By, I think, 8th Avenue. And you said you had to run there.

[Don Hahn]

You did.

[Alan Hahn]

Literally.

[Don Hahn]

I was there.

[Alan Hahn]

Don was meeting me. I was late because I had to get my credential for the game before this show because as you guys know, the minute the show's over, I got to run over to the network.

[Don Hahn]

It's kooky, man.

[Alan Hahn]

And jump on tv. So I had no time. And I was getting stopped by just about everybody, which was great because I love the fact everybody's got great energy. But Flavio, I legit couldn't stop.

[Don Hahn]

I felt bad because he talked about it after.

[Alan Hahn]

I do. I do feel bad. I hate doing that. But I had to in that moment. So I apologize.

[Flavio]

No, understood, understood. So I, I did. I called, I believe it was on month on Friday saying that McKelbert just needed to go off. And he did. He went off on. On game two. And that was very key because he was on fire. He went E for E, I think, in the second half. And I did, did talk to the call screener theme that this is a more important game for the Knicks to win as opposed to the Spurs. Reason being is because the Knicks have the momentum. You know, you go. You go up three, nothing. We already know what to anticipate. But I do want to say this, that there is one. There are two people that I do want to go off. I want OG to go off just because I feel like historically he plays really well at home. And Jose Alvarado, now, that kid has a lot of passion from Christ the King.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, he does.

[Flavio]

I can only imagine the anticipation that he has going into game three. And he played very crucial minutes for us when Brunson was hurt in game one. So I feel like he can. He can play well in game three for us and to help us get the one.

[Don Hahn]

Well, I love it. Flavio. The only thing I would disagree with, and thank you for the phone call, is it's still a bigger game for the spurs because they're not coming back from 3, 0 down.

[Rosenberg]

This is. Okay, we all agree the phrase must win. Does it mean when it's literal that you don't have to call that must win? Because it's literal?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

This is tonight for the spurs what the phrase must win was meant to mean. It's about you don't technically have your season end when it's over, but you do it Is must win for the Spurs. That is no other way around it, by the way. And talking about Alvarado and you want to add just pile on to more things that make this season special for the Knicks. I don't know if it's ever happened. And shout out to cool Bob Love, Bobbito Garcia, who pointed this out on a post on Instagram. They have a Puerto Rican and a Dominican on this team. Like, could they do. Could this team between the Rick Brunson, Jalen Brunson. The amount of things they have that make it New York.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Rosenberg]

A Puerto Rican and a Dominican in the NBA on the same team.

[Don Hahn]

You know what they have?

[Rosenberg]

It's incredible.

[Don Hahn]

They have a Santiago.

[Rosenberg]

Ray.

[Don Hahn]

Ray Santiago. That's what they have.

[Rosenberg]

That's right.

[Don Hahn]

He's half Puerto Rican, half Dominican.

[Rosenberg]

That's right. You added up Santiago.

[Alan Hahn]

They have a full Santiago.

[Don Hahn]

The world bas baseball. He was like. He was.

[Alan Hahn]

But by the way, can I point this out too? The potential also for a New York story. The first black coach or manager to win a championship.

[Rosenberg]

Wow. Didn't even think about that.

[Alan Hahn]

Because think of all the championships he's won. It's been a white coach.

[Don Hahn]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

So for Mike Brown, there's some history there in New York City.

[Rosenberg]

Absolutely.

[Alan Hahn]

To be part of as well for him. So there's just a million cool story designs, a lot of great stories that are part of this run. That's been such a cool story. Which is why you're getting. I do feel it's why you're getting the vibe you're getting from a lot of people. They're drawn to this story for several reasons. It's a team, not one superstar leading the way.

[Ray Santiago]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

It's really a team concept thing. And it has been one of these runs that you just don't want to see end. And I think that's why you get a call that somebody says it's more of us win or more important for the next. Because I guess no one wants to see the. They don't want to see a loss to feel like, okay, that's over now.

[Don Hahn]

Well. Right. You don't want to feel that he's looking. That sounded like. To me that was selfish perspective.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

They're going to win this series. The reason it's a must win is because of the fact that there's. You don't want to see the vibe end. And also now you're setting up the possibility of winning this on the road.

[Ray Santiago]

Well.

[Don Hahn]

And I think all the fans really want to see this done at the Garden and a loss today or Wednesday leaves the possibility only one chance then to be able to win it.

[Alan Hahn]

You know. And so you're expecting the spurs to lose three games at home. To me you lose one of these games, it's probably going six. Can you expect the spurs to win? Like, like that's why all these scenarios. Which is exactly why you'll make yourself crazy doing it tonight is the only thing to focus on just tonight.

[Don Hahn]

But if you're talking about being nervous going into game four to one there'd be a lot of nerves. If there's a game six and you were up three zero and now it's three two then that I still think you're winning the series. But that now it's.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what, that's what now that's what Barkley and the Suns did to the Bulls because the Bulls won the first two games there. Mowed through everything.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And the Bulls didn't end up getting the sweep. And then all of a sudden it's now there's a game six.

[Rosenberg]

Wait, so it was. It was Bulls won the first two in Phoenix.

[Alan Hahn]

Bulls won the first two in Phoenix. They're one of the two teams that went 20 on the road.

[Rosenberg]

Okay, so they went two. They went.

[Don Hahn]

And then.

[Rosenberg]

And then Phoenix won and then ph.

[Alan Hahn]

It was 4 and 5 they want

[Rosenberg]

but oh, they didn't win, did they? Did they get down 3 0?

[Alan Hahn]

I. I gotta believe it was 30

[Rosenberg]

and then forced it back to 3 2.

[Alan Hahn]

And all of a sudden, all of a sudden it went from. And it was a lot the joke Barkley wrote a thing about save the city of Chicago by winning tonight because if we don't they're going to burn the city down. Because again championship celebrations in some cities turn into bonfires.

[Rosenberg]

Right, right.

[Alan Hahn]

And so that was Barclays thing.

[Rosenberg]

They won.

[Alan Hahn]

They won three and five. Okay, so they won three and five. So Barkley's whole thing was that. But they still end up losing.

[Rosenberg]

So also guys, I had a thought. I wasn't able to watch the games live in in Italy. We. The jet lag was. Was crazy. Right. So when I'd eventually fall asleep at 1:30, the idea of waking up at 2:30 to try to watch is impossible. But then one day I woke up by accident and was just couldn't figure it out. I couldn't get a VPN to work, whatever, go to sleep, wake up. I'd watch the long highlight and then you know, ESPN now posts the entire post game inside the NBA as a segment.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Rosenberg]

And did we ever, like, stop to process as basketball fans? Because when the business happened of it, it was kind of weird to think about TNT was ending and they're only doing some games on espn. The schedule was unclear. We now live in a world where Mike Breen calls the finals and the great team with RJN legs they call the finals and then on ESPN they toss to a full. Feels like old school inside the NBA. Like, does anyone appreciate how great it is that it's Mike Breen tossing to Ernie and Chuck and Shaq still in their. And Kenny in their prime? I just. Because watching their breakdown of it, it was so fun because they just kept marveling at the. At the Knicks fans that were there. They, like, kept looking down and Charles like, I've never seen anything like this in my entire life. There's just thousands of Knicks fans staying in the building in San Antonio. So just as a basketball nerd, I wanted to give that moment love.

[Alan Hahn]

This has become. Yeah, like, this has become that thing. Like, this is the place to be. We said this earlier and the amount of fan interest. And again, I'm always that person. That bandwagon has plenty of room. Everybody jump on. Because when it's a fun story, the more the merrier. I don't. I'm not one of these people. It's like, you can't ruin it. Or now you're. I don't believe in that. When you. But you are. But when you.

[Rosenberg]

I often am too.

[Alan Hahn]

But when you get this far, it's, you know, it's just going to people that aren't normally watching or aren't naturally fans. It's become such a fun story. Everybody wants to be part of it. And so that's what was interesting about Friday night, is how many people really got into that building that were Knick fans and made noises to the fact you heard MVP chants for Jalen Brunson at the line. And if you hear the missed shot sound full on. Wemby's missed shot before the buzzer was a scream and a cheer.

[Rosenberg]

Because there's that many.

[Alan Hahn]

There were that many. Yeah. Because the spurs fans probably went quiet and.

[Rosenberg]

And so you heard were the Knicks. That's right. Because everyone else goes silent. No one boos when you miss.

[Alan Hahn]

Of course not. Except here.

[Don Hahn]

And it's only like, they've been very professional. But the Nick. The Nick reaction to that miss, the

[Alan Hahn]

way that they first off the bench, like, they.

[Don Hahn]

They. How they've been so professional. But even the emotion of that's up 2. Oh, that's pretty special. Paul is in Dallas. You're on Don on a Roseberg.

[Rosenberg]

Hey, Paul.

[Peter]

Hey, guys. How are you?

[Don Hahn]

What's up, baby?

[Peter]

Peter, welcome back. So I called up on Thursday. I needed some advice on how to convince the Mrs. To. To go to game two. We went to game two. But, hon, I mean, you weren't kidding when you said it's going to cost a flush.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Don Hahn]

Peter,

[Peter]

I don't know when it's.

[Daniel]

I know.

[Rosenberg]

You know, you can't ask Don. Don wouldn't ask Nancy to change the channel.

[Don Hahn]

He's gonna get married.

[Rosenberg]

If the Devils were playing in the final.

[Don Hahn]

They're getting married.

[Rosenberg]

And she was watching the Giants regular season game. He don't would go all watching the pace.

[Don Hahn]

No, they're getting married. They need all the money they can and how much.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, that's great.

[Don Hahn]

I don't know if you're comfortable to say how much you paid, how much you are, tell us. If not, I understand.

[Daniel]

So we were.

[Peter]

We were pretty close. And I waited. We were on the drive. I committed and I'm on. I'm on the app, and I'm like, you know what? Let me just do it. Because I saw the tickets were kind of just going. Spent about 10,000.

[Alan Hahn]

So what'd you get for her?

[Peter]

We made it happen.

[Don Hahn]

Well, no.

[Rosenberg]

And what were the seats?

[Peter]

Well, so we were lower level. We were in section 124.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah. So you.

[Rosenberg]

Lower level.

[Alan Hahn]

You paid a premium for a good seat, though.

[Rosenberg]

Lower level plus hotel travel.

[Alan Hahn]

So he spent. He spent 10. So what'd you get for her?

[Peter]

Well, you know what? You'd be surprised. It didn't. It's not. It's not a financial thing. It's more of a, hey, let's do what I want to do. And. And honestly, I would rather be waterboarded 30 times over. I am stuck watching Love Island.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. All right. All right. Well, you did the job, though. Yeah. No, you. You know what, though, right?

[Ray Santiago]

Paul.

[Don Hahn]

Paul had Peter that I wasn't aware of when I told him to take the L. Apparently he had some equity in the bank.

[Alan Hahn]

Clearly, a lot of shows he was

[Don Hahn]

forced to watch, he wasn't into.

[Alan Hahn]

He just has to watch Love island, though.

[Rosenberg]

That's not that bad.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, it could be pretty bad,

[Rosenberg]

I'm sure pretty bad.

[Alan Hahn]

But it seems pretty painful. I walked by, the girls were watching it the other day. I just walked by the living room, walked behind the couch. I'm like, what the hell is this? They told me I walked right out of the Room. You know the. The Simpsons thing where he walks in, takes the hat off, and then turns around, puts that back on, leaves. That was. That was me.

[Rosenberg]

Now, now, you mentioned just a few minutes ago, the Knicks bandwagon. I send Alan some stuff from time to time. I am, because of my interest in vintage clothes. I follow tons of vintage accounts, and many of them are New York based. Right. The amount of Nick stuff that up until three weeks ago was available for nothing. I can't even tell you how much cool stuff on any given week. 90s jerseys, 90s jackets, 80s jackets, everything. This is a team that has, for the most part, stunk for 30 years. For the most part. So as a result. But they're also very popular, so there was a ton of merch made. I'm watching videos now on Instagram of these girls being like, we're going out looking for Nick's merch, and everything is $300 and up. I mean, it's just to prove the point of the bandwagon. You can't get the stuff anymore. Two weeks ago, you could buy an LJ Grandma Ma. You know, Nick's T shirt for 20 bucks. That same thing is 100 bucks now because everyone wants something cool to wear

[Don Hahn]

to the Watch party tonight, and everybody's looking to make money off of it. And there's plenty of money to be made.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Daniel's in Florida. You're on Don Hanna, Rosenberg, the HR crew.

[Daniel]

Thank you so much for taking my call, man. I love you guys. I listen to this program, ESPN New York, all day while I'm working. With that being said, I gotta give props to my boy Han, because you called this, man. I remember when you called the morning show and you said that this was one of the best Knicks team you saw. You got a lot of pushback. And you know what? You ended up being right. I remember listening to the morning show after they swept the cabs, and they were making a lot of the same points that you made during that phone call after they won the Eastern Conference finals. So when the Knicks win, and they will win and they will sweep, you need to hold that trophy up with the boys. And another thing, I actually, that morning, tried calling the morning show, and I'm like, yo, I got. I gotta look out after my boy Han. But I was pulling in to my job, so I believe it was Ray Santiago. And I told him, listen, you guys are making a lot of points right now that Han did during that phone call. You guys pushed back hard on him. So I can't Stay on the phone, but can you please maybe, I don't know, slip a note? I don't know how the radio world works. And point that out and give him his props. So I believe it was Ray Santiago. He was kind of smug. Yeah, okay, fine. Hung up. And nothing was.

[Rosenberg]

Ray.

[Daniel]

Was.

[Alan Hahn]

Ray Santiago is here?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, he's. He's in the restaurant.

[Alan Hahn]

He's standing there right now.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Apparently not listening.

[Daniel]

Well, yeah, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

On a headset. Real quick.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, call her and say, go get.

[Alan Hahn]

Grab the headset over there. Because the producers at our station remember, they get all kinds of shots.

[Daniel]

I believe he's an honest man. I believe he's the honest man.

[Rosenberg]

You got a headset.

[Charles Barkley]

Here you go.

[Don Hahn]

Throw the headset.

[Alan Hahn]

You know how to use that, Daniel? Daniel claims that he called into the morning show recently, spoke with you. He couldn't stay on hold.

[Daniel]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

And get Daniel, explain everything to Ray. He's with us.

[Daniel]

So, Ray, how you doing, Ray? I love you guys in the morning show. And I love you, too. Except your Dallas, you know, fandom. But that's another thing. I'm starting to wonder if you're. You're. You're.

[Rosenberg]

You're.

[Daniel]

You're. I don't know. You're. You're. Listen, I called and I told you the segment that you guys were talking about was exactly what Hun was saying. Alan Han was saying when he called into the morning show talking about the Knicks. Knicks are one of the best Knicks, if not the best Knicks team he's seen. There was a lot of pushback there. And I told you. Listen, I don't have time to make my point. Can you bring this up? Slip a note to days what not. And you were very smug to me. If it was you. You said. There was a pause, you hung up and it wasn't spoken.

[Ray Santiago]

I.

[Daniel]

Do you remember?

[Alan Hahn]

I don't think that was me.

[Ray Santiago]

How long ago was this?

[Alan Hahn]

He said after the conference final.

[Ray Santiago]

After the conference was.

[Daniel]

Yes, it was a Friday.

[Alan Hahn]

So after the conference final.

[Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

So, Daniel. What Daniel was saying was that when I came on that one morning and Dave and I had it out.

[Ray Santiago]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

It was earlier in the season. And I said to him, statistically, that's a while ago. Yeah, statistically, this is the best offensive team we've ever seen. And Even more than 73, the numbers tell you this is a great offense. And he's just like, I don't see it. They don't play defense.

[Ray Santiago]

Yeah. I don't know if you know this. Dave was very negative on the Knicks Until a certain point. So.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, anyway, it's. Look, it's an easy way to go, but he's saying that then when the conference final is over, all of a sudden, like, Dave is saying all the things that apparently I said in that argument I had with him.

[Rosenberg]

It sounds right.

[Alan Hahn]

And he wanted you to remind Dave of that. And he said you were smug and refused to do it.

[Ray Santiago]

I don't see. I, I feel bad, Daniel, because I don't recall the conversation, and I could go back and look and look at it, but I feel like, if anything, I've been smug in the other direction. I think I've been kind of waving the, the, the banner of this Knicks run in, In Dave's. Dave. Even still, Dave doesn't want to believe that this is happening. Like, he's starting to come on board a little bit, but there's still like, this little part of him that doesn't want to commit. He's afraid to get hurt. He's afraid it could go wrong. He. He still, he still sees the New York on the jersey and he's expecting things to.

[Rosenberg]

Well, and he's hedging his bets because he was down on the road.

[Ray Santiago]

That's exactly what it is.

[Rosenberg]

That's exactly what he could still be, right. If they fall apart.

[Ray Santiago]

Absolutely.

[Don Hahn]

But while we have you.

[Daniel]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

You've been doing this for not a long time, but a decent amount of time.

[Ray Santiago]

Long enough.

[Don Hahn]

And you're a fan of both, you know, the Knicks and the Rangers.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, let's let everybody know what he does, too, on the game broadcast.

[Don Hahn]

He produces the radio for MSG for Rangers and Knicks, and there's a lot of two games a night. There's a lot of late nights. You got to get up early the next day for the morning show.

[Alan Hahn]

Absolutely.

[Don Hahn]

So are you. Are you enjoying this? I know you're stressful as a fan, and there's a lot of extra work today, especially with the 90 minutes, and there's a lot. But, but appreciate it because I sent you a note before it started. Are you able to appreciate the moment. Moment here?

[Ray Santiago]

Thank God I am. I'm able to step back and, and appreciate this in snippets here and there. Man, it's been fantastic. I've enjoyed every second of this. This has been incredible. I, I did think that this was a really good team that had, in all serious that they had a chance to do what they're doing. Not like in my wildest dreams, I did. I never thought that they'd be doing.

[Don Hahn]

I'm happy for what they've been doing. There's a lot, there's a lack of appreciation for producers in general, but.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. Have you ever heard Andrew Gundling's chart

[Don Hahn]

of where producers are?

[Ray Santiago]

I remember this.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

It's like, it's like, it's like, you know, hosts, executives, you know, sales staff, programmers, houseless people outside the station.

[Ray Santiago]

Rats, the dirt, cockroaches, the worms inside

[Rosenberg]

the worms of the dirt.

[Don Hahn]

Radio producer.

[Rosenberg]

Dirt. Lava.

[Don Hahn]

Then radio.

[Rosenberg]

That's right. Yeah, pretty much.

[Don Hahn]

But for all those, you know, Tuesday nights in Sacramento with a 10:30 tip and getting home at 3:00 clock in the morning. And I remember, you know, sometimes driving him home after those Ranger runs because the trains were already shut down and, or it was going to be an hour wait before his next train.

[Ray Santiago]

Yeah, you got to do some planning in those cases.

[Don Hahn]

This is why you do it.

[Ray Santiago]

Absolutely. This is, this is what I pray for, year one. And listen, Alan Hahn, big, big assist to this man because he helped me get this job.

[Rosenberg]

First of all, moments like this makes you thank him and others make you curse.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, listen, absolutely nobody looks.

[Ray Santiago]

But, but year one, 117 wins.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Right.

[Ray Santiago]

It's like, hey, we've come a long way and, and relish this. I, I that, and that's been the, the message. I've been telling everybody that that is hedging their bets. Dude. Enjoy this ride.

[Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Ray Santiago]

Yeah, we want it to end in a certain way.

[Alan Hahn]

These are the glory days.

[Ray Santiago]

Enjoy this.

[Alan Hahn]

These are the glory days. Exactly. You'll be telling stories about this for years to come. We were just discussing, by the way, that, that little Alvarado, little car. Anthony Towns. We called it the Santiago.

[Ray Santiago]

I love it.

[Don Hahn]

Puerto Ricans and Dominicans.

[Ray Santiago]

So one of the early games where Alvarado was there, Tyler and Monica had a walk off with, with Karl Anthony Towns. And when they were talking about Jose Alvarado, the first thing Cat said is like, oh, you know how it is when Puerto Ricans and Dominicans get together. I swear I almost blew out their eardrums just screaming yes.

[Rosenberg]

Yes. In all seriousness though, it is a really, it's yet another, another interesting, cool cultural layer to this team.

[Ray Santiago]

Is there anything more New York than the diversity of this team?

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Rosenberg]

Anything more. It's, it's, it's amazing.

[Don Hahn]

It was a, it was a running kind of joke. Even going back to the Frank Moretti days when I was doing the Rangers is that whenever they would face elimination, we would have to do the thank yous. So they'd have to be done Beforehand, not knowing if we do it or not.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

You know, we've never had in the history of this radio station, never thank yous after a win.

[Ray Santiago]

Never.

[Don Hahn]

And that's what a championship would be, that maybe the last game finally can be.

[Ray Santiago]

You know, it's crazy. I had a loss. I thought about that, like, two days ago because I was, you know, going through files and stuff is like, oh, wow. You know, I don't have the list of thank yous that I usually have. And it's. Everybody has come on the broadcast, contributed to the broadcast, and there's so many people that. That play a part. Engineers, producers, guests, the people back at MSG that make things happen for us, because, you know, us being part of the MSG family for this is.

[Alan Hahn]

Is huge.

[Ray Santiago]

It makes things so much simpler than. Than other radio broadcasts for other teams across the country. I'm so gracious for. For what I have and what I'm able to do here, But I was saying, it's like, wow, you know, what? If. If this goes the way I want it to go, this will be the very last thing we. We hear in a championship season.

[Rosenberg]

Right?

[Ray Santiago]

Like, wow. How cool would that be?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, it would be awesome. And you do a tremendous job. Enjoy it.

[Ray Santiago]

Thank you, Donnie. Coming from you guys, that means so much.

[Rosenberg]

But again, we're doing it again. We're already. We're not already planning the winner.

[Ray Santiago]

Listen, I got so much flack yesterday, and this guy, like. Because I went to a party.

[Alan Hahn]

You see what he did?

[Ray Santiago]

I went to a party yesterday. Did not touch. Did not touch it.

[Don Hahn]

Okay, what did he mean?

[Ray Santiago]

The Larry O. Was there.

[Alan Hahn]

They had the trophy on the table. Everybody could take pictures.

[Ray Santiago]

And I was just. And I was just looking at it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Ray Santiago]

And there was a photographer. You're not gonna take a picture with it? It's like, oh, I didn't.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, but you didn't touch it.

[Ray Santiago]

Didn't touch it.

[Don Hahn]

Not that it would have mattered, but here's.

[Rosenberg]

But not playing.

[Alan Hahn]

My caption was, get the hell away from that thing right now.

[Ray Santiago]

A, I don't play. B, there's numerous guys on the team. I mean, there's a photo of Carl Anthony Towns cradling the thing.

[Alan Hahn]

So it's from the party?

[Ray Santiago]

No, no, no.

[Alan Hahn]

From.

[Ray Santiago]

From promotional shoots before the series.

[Alan Hahn]

ABC has to do that stuff. All right, all right.

[Podcast Host]

It'll be okay.

[Ray Santiago]

I promise. It'll be okay.

[Don Hahn]

That's Ray Santiago.

[Ray Santiago]

Let's go, Knicks.

[Don Hahn]

Who's been to Santiago, Chile, twice in one year?

[Alan Hahn]

I haven't said that.

[Don Hahn]

In over a year. But I love saying it. Ray's the best. Produces the Knicks and the Rangers will be at the Garden tonight. Weekend headlines coming up next. Plus your calls on 1-800-919-3776 don on the Rosenberg till 7 o'. Clock. And then it's coverage of Nick spurs on ESPN New York.

[Rosenberg]

From first call to final invoice, service titan is the only integrated intelligence that automates your entire workflow. Built for visionaries ready to stop operating and start automating their success.

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[Rosenberg]

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[Podcast Host]

thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Host]

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

[Don Hahn]

With an epic game three of the Stanley Cup Final. Unbelievable game in Vegas where the Golden Knights had a four to nothing lead going into the third period. Four nothing and they come back and they score four goals in the third. Eventually Vegas would win the game in overtime. Mitch Marner had the fastest hat trick in Stanley Cup Final history and they end up winning the game in overtime. So that series is now Vegas up two to one as we have game four coming up on Tuesday. But I always dvr the games when Marco's got to go to bed. And I made sure that I DVR'd overtime. So when he went to bed, it was four nothing. So I said, marco, take a look at this. Take a look at the bug in the top screen. I just did the second overtime because I don't want to waste too much space. And he looks, he's like four, four in double overtime. For some reason he likes the Vegas Golden Knights.

[Alan Hahn]

So does Cali.

[Don Hahn]

And he just Loved the fact that they won, took a 21 series lead. It's the most goals ever scored in the first three games of a Stanley cup final. And this has an absolute classic written all over it. I'm not a fan of Carolina. I don't want them to win. I'm rooting for them in game four. I want to see the series tied to course. This has to go 7.

[Alan Hahn]

I agree.

[Don Hahn]

You can't have a classic series to me unless it goes seven. And I want to see this go the distance. So I'm going to root for Carolina. All the games have been decided by a goal.

[Alan Hahn]

It's just.

[Don Hahn]

It's been phenomenal, riveting hockey. The ratings have been good. I don't want to see it go away. So as much as I don't want to see Carolina win, I'm not a Hurricanes guy, certainly, but I'm rooting for them in game four because I want to see seven. I don't want to see Vegas go up.

[Alan Hahn]

This series has been so much fun to watch. That was an incredible second period, then an incredible third period and then what kind of sucks is the game winning goal. Yeah, it wasn't great, but it was a great play off the back wall. I mean, that was impressive. You want to see it clean, but you want. Yeah, you want to see it clean. But what this has really been been a great series. If I can go next. I just got one. One personal thing, but also one thing that I know we don't have a lot of time to spend on today, but is worth mentioning, and that to me is Cam Schlitler's performance yesterday was a big deal on many levels because first of all, the Yankees needed a win. They got it. Second of all, remember his previous outing? His velocity was down, he did not play well, he did not pitch well. Was he getting tired? Was fatigue setting in? You can't have that. This guy has had a great year and he's a. He's obviously with judge out pitching is so important. So to see him bounce back and see his velocity back up again, I thought like that start against Cleveland, the average fastball dropped to 96.8. He was averaging 97.7. So the fact that he lost velocity was a major concern for everybody. But in his very next start, he cranks it back up to 99.5 a couple of times topping out and averaging 97.5. And then him also just being unhittable. That was a big deal. Great thing to see. So I'm happy for him because you Know, the Cy Young conversation to me, should continue with what he's looked like. That was important. Now, the other thing that's personal was that my. My middle daughter Gracie just graduated from St. Anthony's High School on Saturday.

[Rosenberg]

Hey, now, I. I thought he was replacing his daughter with Cam Schlitler's performance.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, I was like, that is

[Rosenberg]

really a dedication to the ink.

[Alan Hahn]

No, I. I needed to mention the Schlitler thing because I didn't know we'd get to it today.

[Rosenberg]

No, it's good.

[Alan Hahn]

It really is.

[Rosenberg]

But get to the big story now.

[Alan Hahn]

But. But. So. So Gracie, we get to sit with. It's the one thing they let you do. The parents get to sit with the kids during the graduation ceremony, which is kind of fun. And, I mean, I'm the worst student in the building, so her and I are just joking around the whole time. It's her time to go up and get her diploma. They have a camera because, you know, everything now is live streamed for anybody who can't make it. There's a camera set up right next to where the principal's handing out the diplomas, and some kids are just smiling at it, making faces, whatever. She turns to the camera, and I'm watching it on the big board that they have so everybody can see it because we're not anywhere near the podium. And she turns and she gives the Brunson celebration to the camera. Blows the kiss with the three fingers up. That was it. I lost it completely. I was fine. Like my daughter's graduate. I've been through three of these already. This is no big deal. The minute she did that, forget it. I was a puddle. Absolute puddle. So it was so cool to see.

[Don Hahn]

The video was awesome.

[Alan Hahn]

It was. Yeah, it was. It was. Was wonderful. And maybe it's a good omen, which I'll see. Brunson has his first. His first great game of the fight.

[Rosenberg]

And you only got one. One more high school graduation.

[Alan Hahn]

Cali is. We still have plenty of time.

[Rosenberg]

You got time, though.

[Alan Hahn]

She's only 11. Not going to rush that one at all.

[Daniel]

No.

[Rosenberg]

And before I give you my big weekend highlight, let me tell you guys, FanDuel customers can hit the court with 350 in bonus bets guaranteed after betting $5 for seven straight days. FanDral is the best place to bet on all of your favorite players during the finals. Play your game any way you want to. And best of all, with Fanduel, you get paid instantly when you win. Head to FanDuel.com local to get 350 in bonus bets guaranteed after betting five dollars for seven days. FanDuel official partner of the NBA. 21 plus physically present in New York. First online real money wager only. Minimum five dollar wager required for seven consecutive days. Five dollar first deposit required. Bonus issued is not withdrawable. Bonus bets which expires seven days after a seat for up with a gambling problem. Call 877-8-HOPE NY or text Hopeny 467-369. My weekend headline. This is a big one. I'm gonna step away on a limb, guys. Italy's a tremendous place. It was not my first time there, but it was a different life when I was there, you know, 13, 14 years ago. And this time, my first time getting to be there with Natalie and of course, with Maya. And I'll say this, Italy is so great that in spite of moving around with a stroller, our situation was, what we did was we brought the stroller with a car seat. The car seat, you buy an attachment that's. That is on the car seat. So you can just take the car seat and snap it into the stroller.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Rosenberg]

The purpose being to be able to move, move around. Never use the original stroller. Just use the car seat.

[Alan Hahn]

Perfect.

[Rosenberg]

And then when you get an Uber, you disconnect it, break down the stroller, you drop in the car seat. I learned in one day before leaving, because I'd never really done this method. I learned how to just quickly throw it into the car, and we were off and running. It's just, frankly, I remember Michael was not a huge fan of Rome. I was texting with about it. Now. He said he may have overstayed his welcome. He was there for eight days. Maybe it was too long. You know, Michael's a homebody. I. I am not even remotely Italian. Okay. My wife is not either, though her name would. Would give us a pass all over Am Rossi. I assumed she was Italian when I met her. Her look, too. The whole package kind of feels Italian. So I have no sort of, you know, cultural connection to it, except for the fact that Rome has to be one of the coolest places on planet earth. Like the fact that you're walking around this city, going to these awesome restaurants, doing all these things, and around you is history that is beyond measure. With all respect to our great nation, we, like, loosely throw ourselves in the conversation, like, greatest country in the world. We have to be in a separate conversation from Italy. They've been there for literally thousands of years. The things that you're seeing there, when you run into something Old in America, you're like, you see this? It's 120 years old. They. They spit hot at 120 years old.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, you think about it. That that is the origin of civilization.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. That and a few other. They want to have conversations. You're talking Egypt, talking Greece and Rome. You're talking Rome.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Right. And like, to see there. And we're in our Uber drive because you can only see so much. We only had a couple days in Rome, and to be in our Uber, and the driver's like, oh, yeah, this. This wall here, this was the gate to the Roman Empire. This is the walls you had to come through when you were trying to enter the Roman Empire. It's like. And then you go past the Coliseum, like, Don. And. And Don has never been before. Don, of course, is an Italian American. To which I told him he absolutely has to go. So, Don, this is just my Uber ride.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. I think the next Winter Classic should be in that.

[Rosenberg]

It's seven in the morning.

[Alan Hahn]

Wouldn't that be great?

[Rosenberg]

And you're just driving like, that's all.

[Alan Hahn]

How is this just on the street, Lions and Christians.

[Rosenberg]

It's insane.

[Don Hahn]

We go. We get crazy. When we did. That's. George Washington slept there.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, Exactly.

[Don Hahn]

That was 250.

[Alan Hahn]

Can you believe it?

[Don Hahn]

They slept back then.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, exactly. It was. But it was a great time. I also was in Torino for the WWE clash in Italy. Much different than going to Florence and Rome, where you can sometimes think you're in America for how much English you're hearing everywhere, it's not intimidating to be there at all. Everyone speaks English. Torrin was not the same. We did not. The only Americans I saw were professional wrestlers for wwe. No other tourists were there. It was just all Italian, which was a nice experience.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

That's the thing.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what you love to me. That's the essence of it. When you feel like you're away, like being in Milan. Being in Milan, it's like you're, you know, you can't go, like, I don't speed up. No, no Italiano. They just start you going, okay, we'll figure it out.

[Rosenberg]

Whereas in Florida.

[Don Hahn]

Speak English.

[Rosenberg]

You. Your peripheral. The things you hear in the peripheral in Florence, you would think that you're in Bloomington, Indiana. It's only college girls. There are American college girls everywhere. Like, I guess it's a big study abroad kind of deal.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

So, like, I just kept looking at Natalie. I'm like, why is. It just feels like a college campus sometimes. But I Still love Florence as well. So that was my big. My big takeaway. Italy. Amazing. Strongly recommend.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that's a. That's a hot take.

[Rosenberg]

A big hot take.

[Alan Hahn]

Hot take.

[Don Hahn]

There's certain cities like. Like, even not locally, but close by. Like in Montreal. You go to Montreal, they'll address you in French. As soon as you start speaking English, they'll speak English. Go 30 minutes into the suburbs, dead, they can. They don't speak a word of Quebec City.

[Alan Hahn]

Forget it.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, that.

[Rosenberg]

They'll. They don't. They don't want to speak it.

[Alan Hahn]

They don't know. They just look down at you like, we'll figure it out.

[Don Hahn]

Leave the touristy areas. They're not going to try right now.

[Rosenberg]

Touristy areas.

[Don Hahn]

They're going to try because they don't want.

[Rosenberg]

Now, let me ask you a question. Nancy's not a big flyer.

[Daniel]

No.

[Rosenberg]

You're not a big traveler as a result, except for with the team, obviously. As an Italian, just as someone with interest, do you think you could ever make it to Rome?

[Don Hahn]

I would love to. I would love to be able to see. My dad was in the navy, so he was stationed his. His destroyer, the ship that he was on was in the Mediterranean. So he got to go everywhere. He got to go to where his parents were born, and he got to see it all. And he talked so, you know, proudly of it. But it was never on the table for us to go growing up because we had to save for, like a decade just to go to Disney World, you know? So I'd love to go, but Nancy's just not a flyer, you know, But I'd love to be able to go,

[Rosenberg]

you gotta just get her some Ativan, whatever the thing is, Xanax, and knock her out and go. Last thing to tell you guys. So we're in Torino, and Joe Tessatore may come as a big surprise. Very Italian gentleman.

[Don Hahn]

Okay?

[Rosenberg]

Not. Not just in name. He has been there a million times. Speaks really good Italian, loves his. His culture, right? So we're talking before, and he goes, when I bring you out, not on the broadcast, but like, just on the stage, because we have a stage like college game day. There's maybe 5, 000 screaming Italians out there. He goes, when I bring you out the there, I'm gonna say, this is my friend Peter. He's a beautiful man. He's a beautiful man, but a bald head. He goes, trust me, they're going to love it. I go, hey, this is not my culture. I love being able to get a cheap pop out of a crowd on stage. I pride myself at being able to do it in America. I don't, I don't know if this will work. I trust you. We go out there and he ran runs the exact play he's tell, he tells me. And they start chanting in Italian something like bald head, bald head. Because they love hair so much that they're very amused by the bald, right? So he does the whole bit. They start chanting bald. Now at randomly when I start talking, they'll start chanting bald. And then during a commercial break, it's a thousand degrees outside. I'm obviously sweating. One of our makeup girls, Brittany, runs out with a towel and rubs my head.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, they must have looked.

[Rosenberg]

Dude, it was the pop of the night just to see her rubbing my bald head. So it was just incredibly funny. Shouts to the great Italian people and the food that I ate, Dom was just out of this friggin world.

[Alan Hahn]

Another hot take.

[Rosenberg]

Another hot take. Italian food. Delicious.

[Don Hahn]

Did not expect that for everybody. Busy night tonight. Game three NBA finals Nick spurs how you feeling? 1-800-919-3776 if you can get here, we're at stout 35th between 7th and 8th Avenue. Hang out with us. We're with you till seven and then our coverage begins right here on ESPN.

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[Podcast Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Host]

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[Alan Hahn]

Hey Don, did you see that? The summer we talked about the Garden of Dreams, they were doing a an auction for Celebrity Row seats.

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

For tonight's game.

[Rosenberg]

I saw this.

[Daniel]

Yes.

[Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

So they ended up raising a million dollars million dollar donation, the singles largest donation in the history of the Guard of Dreams foundation to win these tickets. That's, that's not bad for a foundation that does a lot of great work in the city and a lot of great work in our area. Over two tickets to this game which is easily the hottest ticket in town and probably one of the hottest tickets we've seen in a lot whole long time in the New York area. So good for the Garden of Dreams foundation and incredible for those who could afford making that type of a donation.

[Don Hahn]

That is pretty awesome. With the work that they do for the garden of Dreams to be able to get that kind of money for something like this. So everybody's, everybody's finding a way to be able to make money. And certainly the Garden and the Knicks are making hand over fist, but also to see it benefit charities. That's pretty awesome too. Game three coming up at seven o' clock coverage. 30 tip.

[Rosenberg]

Sorry. I was going to say in speaking with that line of logic on Celebrity Row. Let's make some predictions here. Celeb wise. Now you have a few guarantees.

[Alan Hahn]

You have the ones you know are going to be there.

[Rosenberg]

Obviously Spike doesn't even count.

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Ben. Neither does Timmy. Like these guys all.

[Rosenberg]

Tim Chalamet's in there.

[Alan Hahn]

They're all in. Right. Tracy Morgan for sure.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

God, Susie Essman should be there.

[Rosenberg]

But, but, but Susie's not front row today.

[Alan Hahn]

You don't think she's front row?

[Rosenberg]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

She's always on the other side now. She's rarely in.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, so maybe Celebrity Road.

[Alan Hahn]

She's always on the other side.

[Rosenberg]

I think, I think Susie Essman and triple.

[Alan Hahn]

I think sheriff is front row.

[Rosenberg]

No, no, they can't Joe.

[Alan Hahn]

That Joe's also on the other side side.

[Rosenberg]

Fat Joe has to be front row because he, he famously made fun of Joe Budden and started calling them the,

[Alan Hahn]

the Joe Budden seats because he was

[Rosenberg]

in the second row. So Joe cannot. Joe would spend. I, I actually think Joe, if he had to, would like be the guy to spend 100 grand.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

To sit for a.

[Alan Hahn]

Just so he is.

[Rosenberg]

He's not missing.

[Alan Hahn]

It's good for the business.

[Rosenberg]

So Fat Joe will be. That's a good call. But there has to be like, I would imagine tonight. I wonder if there's a like an insane one or two after their wedding announcement.

[Alan Hahn]

Michael J. Fox, you think he goes to a lot of games and he sits right there.

[Rosenberg]

Michael J. Fox could be a lot of love for him in that building.

[Alan Hahn]

Lot of love for him.

[Rosenberg]

After announcing their wedding plans, could Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce be.

[Alan Hahn]

I can't see them being here tonight

[Don Hahn]

unless they were here to finalize everything.

[Alan Hahn]

Because to me, by the way, I think these, it just, it just goes through the roof at that point. Right. Like now you can't. That would already be out if they were coming.

[Rosenberg]

You think so?

[Alan Hahn]

I would think that would already be out, but they were coming. Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

We've already found out the president is not courtside because there was rumors about that he will be in a suite sweet 57. We don't know.

[Don Hahn]

Well, that's our Sweet.

[Rosenberg]

Well, think about.

[Alan Hahn]

Be amazing.

[Rosenberg]

I think the suite level tonight is going to be insane.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Like just going to our suite, which of course none of us have the option to, but if we did, I imagine the entire suite level is going to be bananas with the, with the President up there, you won't be able to freely roam.

[Alan Hahn]

Those probably will not be able to move around easily. No, no, there's going to be, there's going to be a lot of security. And again, for those who do have the, the privilege of a ticket for tonight's game, if you're not already waiting in line to get in, you're already.

[Don Hahn]

And I got to tell you, I mean, it's, it's just luck, right? Because when we first heard that the President was going to attend a game of the finals, if you remember, they're like, it might be game three, it might be game four. And as high as Nick fans were on this team, it wasn't like, oh, we're going to sweep. I don't know if that was the reason why he chose three over four, because it wasn't announced that he would be at three until what, last week before game two, I think was after game one. Before game two.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

But let's just say for sake of argument, it was only available Wednesday. Can you imagine?

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Don Hahn]

3 0.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, God, no.

[Don Hahn]

He would have to bow out.

[Alan Hahn]

No. Yeah, right. To me, Wednesday is one that you got to give. You got to give the fans, the city and all that stuff. You gotta, you gotta let people have that one. You gotta let them have it. Well, just because this is, this is obviously, this is extra, there's no question about it, but it just again reminds you just the, the magnitude of this game. I said on MSG on Friday night, and I didn't think this was crazy. And I wonder how you feel about this. I said that Monday night meeting tonight will be the most significant game played in that building since game seven. Rangers, Stanley Cup 94. Yeah, most significant because again, when the Knicks played the spurs in 99, they did win game three, but they were already down 2 0.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

And there was always already this sense of, like that, that spurs, he's really good. You're not gonna like. There wasn't a fear feeling like they can win that series, but that Ranger Game seven was for everything. And there was so much on that game because it was 54 years. It was so much that was there. So I can't think of another game that either team has played in that building that felt like the magnitude of this, other than the couple.

[Don Hahn]

But again, in 94 there was no social media, so.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, it was missing a lot.

[Don Hahn]

It was like it big.

[Alan Hahn]

There were celebrities all over that building.

[Rosenberg]

So what was the last home game in any sport locally that would reach this level?

[Alan Hahn]

Only the Yankees.

[Don Hahn]

Let's discuss that.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, only the Yankees.

[Don Hahn]

Tons of calls together.

[Rosenberg]

A lot of calls.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Another two hours to go. E and N. Peter's back. Anthony did a terrific job.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, it was pretty good.

[Don Hahn]

Next time you go away, just be.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, it was pretty good.

[Don Hahn]

Don't take it for granted that.

[Rosenberg]

That it's going to be. No, listen, you know, either there's I. You don't want a Wally Pip. You don't want to get yourself Wally Pips. Look at him like a killer in

[Alan Hahn]

the background, just staring at you.

[Don Hahn]

We're live at Stout. Swing by if you can, 35th street between 7th and 8th Avenue. Take it over. 7:00 and it's Pat O'. Keefe. 90 minutes into game one. 8:30 Tip spurs and the Knicks. Don on Rosenberg, ESPN New York.

[Podcast Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how the

[Podcast Host]

sausage is made, man.

[Alan Hahn]

I just want to know. It's good.

[Podcast Host]

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

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