Hour 3: Giants Back Home

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 3: Giants Back Home (August 10, 2026)

Podcast Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn
Guest: Michael Kay (sitting in during Peter Rosenberg's vacation)

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Main Theme & Episode Purpose

This hour centers around:

• Updates and candid debates about the New York Giants’ preseason, their defense, and coaching under John Harbaugh.
• A recurring, lively discussion about writing the ultimate “lists” book—focusing on who should write the forward, the nature of sports nicknames, and inside jokes about the show.
• Insightful, opinionated baseball talk, especially around the Yankees' offense, Judge’s importance, salary caps, and broader sports culture.

The episode balances classic New York sports gossip with layered discussions about broadcasting culture, team-building, and listener engagement.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Elusive Foreword to Don's Book of Lists

• Ongoing Banter: The hosts engage in a playful back-and-forth about who should pen the foreword for Don's proposed "Who You Takin' Out?" book—a legendary sports lists compendium.
  • Don suggests Michael Kay, but Michael questions whether he's the most appropriate, citing his own lack of love for lists.
  • Debate over whether the writer needs to be a famed "lists lover" (e.g., David Letterman, Mike Greenberg/Greenie) or someone personally connected to Don.
• Notable Quote:
  • “Michael could do an afterword…because he could write an afterword and just have fun with it. Yeah, it’d be hilarious. Like last word by him.” – Don La Greca (05:32)
• Extended Riff: The conversation spins out to famous list-makers (Obama, Martha Stewart, Bill Gates, Benjamin Franklin in jest) and the quirkiness of endorsements.
• Takeaway: The mix of genuine planning and unfiltered comic riffing underlines the show’s chemistry and relishes sports media behind-the-scenes.

Memorable Segment:

• [04:39] – "He's got to get his fat hands in everything." (Don on Peter)
• [05:55] – "You think we can get Obama? Pete can help us." (Michael Kay)

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2. Giants Back Home: Preseason Updates

• Brian Burns' Role & Attitude:
  • Brian Burns is enthusiastic about the Giants’ new defensive scheme:

    “...a lot of moving parts ... We got a lot of weapons that can do different things.” – Brian Burns (10:37)

  • Burns emphasizes teamwork, detail, and resilience, even practicing through ankle injuries.
• Quarterback Jackson Dart’s Growth:
  • Main concern: Dart should slide more to avoid concussions. Both coaches and hosts note ongoing tension between maintaining his aggression while preserving health.

    “...letting him run ... can’t clip your wings and then say, well, the kid didn’t show us anything.” – Michael Kay (12:14)

• Defensive Line Excitement:
  • The group discusses high expectations for the Giants’ defensive front, especially if Kayvon Thibodeaux progresses—the Giants’ history is built on dominant pass rush.
• John Harbaugh’s Approach:
  • Harbaugh’s emphasis is on fundamentals, technique, and rejuvenation in New York.

    “...the focus this week is technique ... all the little things to make you successful.” – John Harbaugh (15:50 onwards)

Timestamps for Key Giants Segments:

• [10:37] – Brian Burns on defense and attitude
• [11:38] – Discussion of Dart’s sliding, concussions, and QB development
• [13:07] – Burns on playing through injuries
• [15:50] – Coach Harbaugh on West Virginia camp and team mindset

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3. The Nickname Debate

• Don’s Nickname Animosity: Don riffs on his aversion to unearned nicknames, sparking anecdotes about iconic New York sports nicknames and etiquette in sports media.
  • He strongly dislikes rookie players or interns using established nicknames without earning that familiarity.
  • Michael argues that nicknames are a sign of camaraderie in sports culture.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “You can't win four games and have a new nickname.” – Don La Greca (22:12)
  • “Nicknames are a big part of sports...every team I’ve ever been on, everybody had, like, some type of [one].” – Michael Kay (18:51)
• Interplay with Guests: The conversation expands to playful ribbing about Don’s own nicknames: "Donnie Pucks," "Sweet Donnie Legee," and even interactions with Greenie (Mike Greenberg).
• Social Commentary: Discussion also touches on unwritten rules about formality and respect—what’s appropriate for an intern versus a peer.

Key Nickname Banter:

• [18:13] – Michael Kay: "Come on. You're in hockey. The biggest nickname sport there ever existed."
• [21:46] – Don's anecdote: “If you walked in, he said, hey, Donnie Pucks, what's going on? I'd be like, you know what? Get out.”

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4. Yankees & MLB Challenges – Injuries, Offense, and Salary Cap

• Injury Saga & Offensive Struggles:
  • Listeners call in to discuss the Yankees’ offense. Don and Michael note that as long as the team keeps winning series—even without Judge or Bellinger—fans shouldn’t be too negative.
  • Pitching is keeping the Yankees afloat; Judge’s absence exposes how indispensable he is.

    “...the most important player in this generation for this Yankee team and that is number 99.” – Michael Kay (30:26)

• Clutch Hitting and RISP Woes:
  • They bemoan the team’s poor record in extra innings and runners-in-scoring-position (RISP) batting as a reason for not sealing the division.

    “...they suck with runners in scoring position. And that's what the band is, a runner in scoring position.” – Michael Kay (33:03)

• MLB Salary Cap Deep Dive:
  • An extended, nuanced conversation about whether a cap would improve competitive balance:
    • “It’s not about competitive balance ... this is about billionaire owners wanting cost control.” – Producer (42:37)
  • Don and Michael argue a floor is more important (forcing low-pay teams to spend), and warn that a hard cap would hurt MLB’s “middle class” players.

    “Salary caps destroy the middle class, which is the bigger body of people ...” – Michael Kay (49:23)

Timestamps for Baseball Segments:

• [27:45] – Listener call: Winning ugly is still winning
• [29:26–32:52] – Yankees’ injury impact, RISP struggles
• [42:03–49:23] – Lengthy, detailed debate on salary cap, league parity, and player economics

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Notable Listener & Guest Interactions

• Listener “Benjamin Franklin” Calls In: (with historical character impersonation)

  • Shtick about Franklin’s love of lists and offers to write Don’s foreword in old-fashioned script. Provides a humorous break and embodies the show’s playful spirit.

  • “I would just like to say I love lists. I have a list of keys, a list of kites. ... But I’m a big fan of [lists].” – ‘Benjamin Franklin’ (36:12)

• Other Callers Provide Ideas:

  • Jack from Manhattan weighs in on who should write the book’s foreword, advocating for a figure whose identity aligns with the book's central theme.

    “You’re both right about wanting to do someone with a great Q score to open the book...” – Jack (34:08)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Writing the "Lists" Book
  • “Peter wants to do blurbs or whatever because he's got to get his fat hands in everything.” – Don La Greca (03:00)
  • “If Greenie does the forward, you’re on. ... I’m not doing this to get on First Take or Get Up.” – Michael Kay/Don La Greca (08:01–09:09)
• On the Giants’ QB Dart’s Development
  • “He’s letting him run ... I can’t clip your wings and then say, well, the kid didn’t show us anything.” – Michael Kay (12:14)
• Nicknames: Etiquette and Earned Respect
  • “You can't win four games and have a new nickname.” – Don La Greca (22:12)
  • “Nicknames are a big part of sports...every team I’ve ever been on, everybody had, like, some type of.” – Michael Kay (18:51)
• Listener Banter
  • “I have a list of keys, a list of kites ... I would love to write the forward for your list.” – 'Benjamin Franklin' (36:12)
• On Salary Cap
  • “It's not about competitive balance. ... This is about billionaire owners wanting cost control.” – Producer (42:37)
  • “Salary caps destroy the middle class, which is the bigger body of people, which by the way, in real life, it kills us too.” – Michael Kay (49:23)

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Structure & Flow of Hour 3

1. Light banter and show business – jokes about vacations and writing a book.
2. In-depth Giants segment – Brian Burns’ and John Harbaugh’s comments.
3. Long riff on sports nicknames/personal stories – etiquette, fans, inside media jokes.
4. Yankees and listener calls – championship expectations, clutch hitting, offensive struggles.
5. Baseball economics – intellectual, passionate debate about the salary cap and parity.
6. Creative interludes – Benjamin Franklin joke call, further book talk.
7. Wrap-up and teasers – closing with motivation to “get the book done” and musings about the evergreen nature of “lists.”

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Conclusion

Hour 3 of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg is classic sports talk radio: sharp opinions, affectionate banter, listener interplay, and insightful team breakdowns. The blend of sports news, industry talk, and comic tangents captures New York’s sports radio flavor—a must-listen (or read) for fans of genuine, unfiltered conversation.

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Transcript

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[Podcast Announcer]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don La Greca]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Podcast Announcer]

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

[Don La Greca]

Peter on vacation this week, so we're holding down the fort. When will we be whole again? What's happening?

[Caller or Guest]

When?

[Don La Greca]

When are you off again?

[Michael Kay]

That's it, man. That's all they gave me.

[Don La Greca]

I think it might be Monday. It might be a week from today.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Next week. You guys are home.

[Caller or Guest]

Yep.

[Don La Greca]

Just know Anthony.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Kay]

He's gone. I know. Right, Sorry.

[Alan Hahn]

Consult you.

[Michael Kay]

This guy's all of a sudden.

[Don La Greca]

No, he's not mad.

[Michael Kay]

No, it's.

[Don La Greca]

You know, I did not miss him at all when I was on vacation.

[Alan Hahn]

I understand.

[Don La Greca]

I'm not mad that you didn't consult me. I'm mad that you're not here because I enjoy your company. He does on occasion.

[Alan Hahn]

I interrupted his book today.

[Michael Kay]

His book?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, he has it over there. Can hit a brick with it.

[Don La Greca]

I got it in my bag. I brought it in with me.

[Michael Kay]

The Cat Stevens? Yeah, yeah, yeah. The 600. The Odyssey.

[Alan Hahn]

That's shorter than Streisand, though, isn't it?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. I'll get it.

[Michael Kay]

No, I think it's shorter than Streisand. I thought you were gonna get it.

[Alan Hahn]

Who said no?

[Michael Kay]

I think you should show.

[Don La Greca]

You said. No, I was gonna go get it. It's right there. And he was like, no.

[Michael Kay]

Right where? Oh, I thought you were leaving the room to get.

[Don La Greca]

Was he gonna leave the room?

[Michael Kay]

Look, I don't know. Go get it.

[Alan Hahn]

Here, one shot.

[Producer or Staff Member]

There you go.

[Alan Hahn]

It's just you, Alan. There's no empty chair next to you

[Michael Kay]

the way it needs to be.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow. Interesting.

[Michael Kay]

He didn't hear me.

[John Harbaugh]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Kay]

That's a paperweight, man. That's actually. Know what that is, though? That's a brick. Well, you know, you need to put that.

[Don La Greca]

The cat crown. The thing about this book, that's a paver. This is how big it is.

[Listener or Contributor]

It doesn't look that big.

[Alan Hahn]

That's a clue. Murder mystery.

[Michael Kay]

Are you crazy?

[Listener or Contributor]

You know what?

[Michael Kay]

This thing, you could build a retaining wall with this.

[Don La Greca]

It came with its own bookmark.

[Michael Kay]

I bet it like a Bible.

[Don La Greca]

Like it's the Bible.

[Michael Kay]

All right, that's pretentious. Well, very pretentious.

[Don La Greca]

There's a lot going on with Cat Steve.

[Michael Kay]

I can only imagine a lot. Yeah. So I'll let you tell me. I'll let you tell me all about

[Don La Greca]

it, but no, but I enjoy reading.

[Michael Kay]

You do? And I'd enjoy writing a book.

[Don La Greca]

I know that. You could then read who you taking

[Michael Kay]

out Called who you taking out.

[Don La Greca]

I haven't even approached Michael about the forward.

[Michael Kay]

Why would Michael write the forward?

[Don La Greca]

Because I think that's the biggest name that would do it.

[Michael Kay]

Come on.

[Don La Greca]

What? You're helping me write the book.

[Michael Kay]

I'm not writing the forward.

[Don La Greca]

Peter wants to do blurbs or whatever because he's got to get his fat hands and everything.

[Michael Kay]

Okay. I think Michael could do an afterward.

[Don La Greca]

Well, I just figured Michael was a part of this because I did the list predominantly on the K show, and I figured he's a big name.

[Michael Kay]

It's appropriate to give him the last word.

[Don La Greca]

But who would write the forward? Who was anybody? I know famous people that might write the forward. But they.

[Michael Kay]

Who is one of your biggest. Like. Like, this is who I wanted to be. Like, who was your biggest. Not mentor, but. But it has to be somebody inspiration in the business.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, there's like, Doc Emmerich. But Doc Emmerich doesn't know I do lists. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. You need somebody that's famous, who's a big lister that listens to the show, that also knows is a big. On my list. Like, understands. Because in the forward, they're gonna talk about how I always love Don's lists.

[Michael Kay]

Who's a big list guy? Give me a list. Give me somebody who loves lists. Because Michael doesn't love lists.

[Don La Greca]

No, but he knows he loves me.

[Michael Kay]

That's.

[Don La Greca]

And he knows my list. But like, who?

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know.

[Michael Kay]

We got time. Because the book's not even written yet.

[Don La Greca]

But what you're. So you're saying is we could do better than Michael. That's what I'm taking from what you said.

[Michael Kay]

Why did you say better?

[Don La Greca]

It sounds that way.

[Michael Kay]

Did I say better?

[Don La Greca]

Michael just.

[Michael Kay]

I was looking for something more appropriate, that's all.

[Listener or Contributor]

You didn't say that.

[Michael Kay]

But I inferred this. It definitely inferred. There was an inference that I was suggesting we could do better.

[Don La Greca]

Yes.

[Listener or Contributor]

I just thought when you first inferred that you probably were putting yourself as a candidate to write the forward. That's how I took it.

[Michael Kay]

As I'm writing the damn book.

[Listener or Contributor]

Listen, you could do both.

[Michael Kay]

You think he's writing this thing? I'm getting this thing. Crayon on all types of different type. It's going to be on a napkin. One list. Yeah. It's going to be like, you won't believe.

[Don La Greca]

Right. So Alan's already involved. But like, but. But who is somebody.

[Michael Kay]

It's going to be a labor law

[Don La Greca]

big name that also knows my lists and can comment about.

[Michael Kay]

But who's like, somebody known to do lists. That's what I think. It would be cool. Like somebody that loves lists. I love lamp. No, like, that's. I was thinking more along that way. Forwards don't have to be somebody that you know personally or care.

[Don La Greca]

But that helps.

[Michael Kay]

It doesn't. It doesn't. It's somebody that would. Would love an idea like this and be like, this is awesome. And I'm known for lists and I think this is great. It's an endorsement. See what I mean? That's what I meant.

[Don La Greca]

All right, I'll try to think of somebody else because you're right. Michael. Michael criticized my list.

[Michael Kay]

He hates list, which would make the act.

[Don La Greca]

And he hated my list.

[Michael Kay]

But it'd be great because he could write an afterword and just have fun with it. Yeah, it'd be hilarious. Like last word by him.

[Listener or Contributor]

Anyway, I just searched up a bunch of people who love list.

[Michael Kay]

Give me some names.

[Listener or Contributor]

Barack Obama, Martha Stewart, Bill Gates. The last one, Benjamin Franklin. He's.

[Michael Kay]

We can't get.

[Listener or Contributor]

He's not available.

[Don La Greca]

I don't think any of those people know me.

[Michael Kay]

You think we can get Obama? Pete can help us. Who, Rosie?

[Don La Greca]

Obama. He doesn't. Does he know Obama? He might have voted for Obama, but I don't think he knows Obama. Like, I know. I'm trying to think of, like the. I gotta think of somebody. We will, but I'm.

[Michael Kay]

First thing we gotta do is write a book.

[Podcast Announcer]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Right now.

[Michael Kay]

Because you can't write a foreword.

[Don La Greca]

Can't do it.

[Michael Kay]

Because if you go to the guy, well, the book's not written yet. Well, what am I. What am I. What am I gonna write? This book's great. Even though it's not written yet.

[Don La Greca]

At time of writing, you know, would be good. I don't know how he feels about lists, but I know how he feels about me. What about Carl Banks? Is That a big enough name for you?

[Michael Kay]

It's not about the big name, Don.

[Don La Greca]

I think it is.

[Michael Kay]

Connection to lists.

[Don La Greca]

No, but when you. When you. When you see the book, the COVID of the book.

[Michael Kay]

Who was the late night show host that did lists? Big list. Letterman.

[Don La Greca]

Letterman.

[Michael Kay]

Well, there you go.

[Don La Greca]

Relationship with. With.

[Michael Kay]

Doesn't matter.

[Don La Greca]

No, I can always make one.

[Listener or Contributor]

We can.

[Don La Greca]

I think it matters. But also, when you. When you see the book there on the shelf, it helps sell it. Forward by Barack Obama. Oh, my God, I gotta read that.

[Michael Kay]

I mean, that means.

[Don La Greca]

I mean, that's big.

[Michael Kay]

He loved it. He loved the book so much. He wrote the forward, Right?

[Don La Greca]

All right, well, you know, we do. We write the book.

[Michael Kay]

The islander book. I wrote on the dynasty. Like Birth of a Dynasty. That book I wrote, the Forward was written by Bob Nystrom. He's not my best friend.

[Don La Greca]

No, but you know him. He had a relationship.

[Michael Kay]

I knew him enough.

[Don La Greca]

All right. But this is somebody to request it. I write.

[Michael Kay]

He read the book and then said, this is like. He knew I interviewed this. And he felt like, this is a perfect. This was a great story that told the story of our. Of our team and our champions.

[Don La Greca]

Here's what I do. I write the book. You write the book. We rewrite the book, Then I send it to people.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And then what if I said to List. Doc's retired now. If I sent it to Emmerich and he read in. This is wonderful. And he did the Forward, I'd be floored.

[Alan Hahn]

Carol had. Carol just called in. She had a good one. Greenie. Greenie loves Green List.

[Don La Greca]

Wow, that's a good one.

[Michael Kay]

He's a big.

[Alan Hahn]

I would call him a fan of Don.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah, I thought of Chris Berman, too. Wasn't he always doing countdowns? Yeah, right.

[Alan Hahn]

Chris Berman. Just a. Costas. Costas like lists.

[Don La Greca]

I'm not.

[Listener or Contributor]

I'm away.

[Michael Kay]

What about doggy Donnie?

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't know you.

[Don La Greca]

I didn't know you were. You did that big on the cage up.

[Michael Kay]

No Jimmy Fallon.

[Don La Greca]

Here's the problem. I don't know if Jimmy Fallon. Those exist. The problem with Greenie is Michael would be, in a way, if I chose him.

[Podcast Announcer]

Really?

[Michael Kay]

He can't do it. I wouldn't want to create that because

[Don La Greca]

they're equals right now. Costas, he is a fan.

[Michael Kay]

Does he like Lists?

[Don La Greca]

You know, I'm gonna send it to Costas.

[Michael Kay]

Of course you will.

[Don La Greca]

And if he responds, then he. If Costas does the forward, we got a shot.

[Listener or Contributor]

You know, somebody in the chat brings up a good point. All right, give it to Stephen A. Smith. You can negotiate to get on first take. That'd be a promotion.

[Michael Kay]

I, I, first of all, if Greenie does the forward, you're on. Yeah, but I'm a segment.

[Don La Greca]

I'm not doing this to get on first take or get up.

[Advertiser or Narrator]

Okay.

[Don La Greca]

That ship has sailed. I'm not a TV guy. I get my, I get my, you know, three minutes with Danico to start a devil game and that. And that's it. That's. That's my life on TV until further notice.

[Michael Kay]

Listen, it's pretty good life. Yeah. Oh, wait, No. Cusack.

[Don La Greca]

I thought about John. Here's the thing. I don't know.

[Michael Kay]

John doesn't matter, but he did.

[Don La Greca]

I thought I was going to say it because he did high. High fidelity and top five records. The whole thing.

[Michael Kay]

Come on.

[Don La Greca]

He might be a little too polarizing. He's definitely dove in head first with the politics.

[Michael Kay]

I didn't know that. Okay, all right.

[Listener or Contributor]

All right.

[Don La Greca]

And again, I'm not, again, I'm not saying that I agree or disagree with his politics. It's just he's very polarizing.

[Michael Kay]

Gotcha.

[Don La Greca]

It could hurt sales.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah. All right. We don't want to do that.

[Don La Greca]

Certain, a certain demographic.

[Michael Kay]

We got to stay benign. Completely agree. Okay. All right.

[Don La Greca]

I'm a fan, though.

[Michael Kay]

Well, I love the movies, especially that movie is very.

[Don La Greca]

I love that movie and Peter loves it, too. So, like, that's good for the show.

[Michael Kay]

Be really good connection.

[Don La Greca]

That is a really good show.

[Michael Kay]

All right, well, we'll keep spitballing. I like it, though.

[Don La Greca]

Apropos of nothing, the Giants are back here in Jersey. Speaking of lists, after being in West Virginia and Brian Burns spoke today on the Giants defense and his fit in the new system.

[Brian Burns]

I would just say, knowing my job, with all details included, it's a very interesting defense. You know, a lot of moving parts, a lot of. We got a lot of. Got a lot of weapons that can do different things. So with all this being on the same accord and, you know, really honing into the details, this defense is, you know, it's unbelievable.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. Wilson, new defensive coordinator. And hopefully they get some big stops on third down. How the Giants defense reacted to Dart sliding in practice, that's been a big deal. Trying to get him to slide, not dive head first. Yeah, we've been begging him to do

[Brian Burns]

that for a while now. So I was glad that. I'm glad that he's starting to, you know, practice it.

[Don La Greca]

You know, what's interesting is that we got, I think we all collectively, as a Show got jumped by fan. Why you keep talking about him. Him needing to slide more? Why are you worried about his concussions? He only had one concussion. He was under 10 four times, but only one. It's a thing. It's obviously a thing. The new head coach thinks it's a thing.

[Brian Burns]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

Try to protect the quarterback, not get hurt. I love his aggressiveness, but there's a balance that.

[Michael Kay]

And that was, I think, remember there was a bit of contention from Dart about all that last year when everybody was on his case. And the one thing that I have noticed is that what. What Harbaugh is doing. Harbs, to you and me, what he's doing is not necessarily trying to neuter his quarterback. He's letting him run. He knows he can extend places he wants him to.

[Don La Greca]

No, that's good.

[Michael Kay]

So the problem I think Dart was having with a lot of the media pushback last year was just throw it away. Like, you shouldn't even run. Like. Like, you know what I mean? Like, he. I think he's like, that's how I got here. And Harbaugh was basically saying to him, you got to be you, because we got to see what we have. And I can't clip your wings and then say, well, the kid didn't show us anything. I can let you play your way, but we just want you to play your way a little smarter.

[Don La Greca]

But just be on fire.

[Michael Kay]

So if you're. If you know you're going to get hit, just go down. Like, don't try to extend it another yard. It's not worth it. And I think that's the. That's the medium that they're trying to get to, which is why I think everybody. But I. Let's not applaud it. Like, okay, he's.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, let's. We're not trying to change his style.

[Michael Kay]

Don't just mock it.

[Producer or Staff Member]

Just.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Just be a little smarter about it. I think that's all anybody's saying. Burns have had the. The ankle injuries. How about participating in practice despite having to deal with that, for the most

[Brian Burns]

part, my guys know whether I'm hurt, limping don't really matter. I'm gonna be out there regardless. But it is good to get back out there and show them that we can fight through a little adversity, that an ankle ain't gonna stop me from practicing and getting better.

[Michael Kay]

Don, I'm telling you this. These four guys that they've got here, and if it really. The Carter, you know, right. From last year.

[Don La Greca]

Yes. Should be hopefully better.

[Michael Kay]

Arville Reese. Have you been reading all this stuff out of West Virginia?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, they are.

[Michael Kay]

They camp every day. He's doing things that has either the defense or even the offense going, oh, my God, this guy's a beast. Right. And then of course, you have him, Burns, and the one guy that you're seeing, he just has to be pretty good. And he better be, because if he, you know, his right now mortality as a giant is waning is Kayvon Thibodeau.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Michael Kay]

And another high draft pick. They have an opportunity, Don. If their secondary can just hold up enough just. Just so they're not getting roasted on quick, quick throws. That group can. They're going to scare the hell out of quarterbacks.

[Don La Greca]

They should. And the interesting thing, too, Shane got killed for the Neil and Thibodeau draft.

[Michael Kay]

Yes.

[Don La Greca]

They're both still here now. Neil's playing a different position. I get that.

[Michael Kay]

They're both still here right now and Thibodeau is somebody that he has flashed at times. And there was a thought. Burns thought he flipped it last year. Towards the end of the season, he started taking it more serious. He was more of a pro. And maybe Burns being around him have. Has done something, but, you know, he's really become like the fourth guy you talk about now.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. But there's still a chance. Again, I don't think anybody can live up to where those two were picked, where they were both still here.

[Listener or Contributor]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And so there's a chance to kind of make it a little.

[Caller or Guest]

Right.

[Michael Kay]

But Don, if there's something about the Giants that you're most excited about seeing

[Don La Greca]

outside of the quarterback, I would say this.

[Michael Kay]

You're excited about the quarterback or still curious about the cook?

[Don La Greca]

No, I'm excited. I'm excited to see what this kid can do. I mean, we only saw him. He only appeared in what, 12 games.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Caller or Guest]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

So to see 17 games of Jackson dart and a year under his belt with a real better. A better coach, I'm excited. But. Right. The pressure they could put on the

[Michael Kay]

quarterback, I think that's exciting. The history of the Giants is about getting to the quarterback, but. Right. That's when they've been always at their best. They win Super Bowls when they have guys that get after the quarterback, as evidenced by 07 and 11 and obviously 86 and 90.

[Don La Greca]

So, quarterback. This is Rush running the ball. And these are things that they hopefully can do.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

All right. They were in West Virginia because the Giants facility was going over a little bit of a facelift. Did West Virginia set you up for Success, John Harbaugh.

[John Harbaugh]

I think it definitely did. I mean, I think it definitely put us position. We have a chance to be a good football team. We're doing a lot of good things right now. Okay. This week we told the guys the focus this week is all the execution things for sure. But the focus this week is technique. From now until Saturday, your individual focus is on your technique. All the little things to make you successful. Even at the end of practice when you're dead tired, it's a fourth quarter win the game type drill and you're down by 14. Okay, that's focus on your technique. Because if you're technique is good, you can win the battle of fatigue. And that's what we're working on. So I think that set us up for that. Now go forward this week into that same idea.

[Michael Kay]

I really am impressed with him. He sounds rejuvenated because he's starting fresh, he's starting new again. It's like his thing. He wants to. He wants to institute everything that he learned and developed with Baltimore and he wants to now teach it here and see if he can build it here and you could hear it. He's talking about basic fundamentals and just details.

[Don La Greca]

He seems really excited to have this job.

[Michael Kay]

Yep.

[Don La Greca]

Now, he could have taken a year off, but I just think he's. He understands the significance. The Giants have been a mess for a decade, but they're still the New York Giants. There's something about one of those, as Bill Parcells called the Giants a flagship franchise. There's something about and being in New York, and I think he's looking forward to kind of build on that. He sounds legitimately excited to be a Giants head coach and to work with his team. Now the center position, always important. Let's get an update on John Michael Schmidt.

[John Harbaugh]

Jms, do you even have a protocol right now with games? I really don't know, but he's dealing with a concussion, so he's working through that process. He was good today, so he's in a good place.

[Michael Kay]

Jms.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. That's what we do with the three names.

[Michael Kay]

Well, that's a lot, though. Look what you just did. You had to. You had to make sure you pronounced it right.

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

Yeah.

[Michael Kay]

We don't have time to say, well, you missed that.

[Don La Greca]

You were away.

[Michael Kay]

I heard it.

[Don La Greca]

Are you, are you on board with me or you're not with the whole.

[Michael Kay]

I love Nick A.G. first of all, he's been A.G. since the 90s. That is true.

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

I know.

[Don La Greca]

I just don't like it.

[Michael Kay]

I Know you. Don't you want him to earn it? But I'm. There's something. Come on. You're in hockey. The biggest nickname sport there ever existed. Everybody's got a nickname. Some of them don't make any sense. Some of them are funny, and some of them. I just put a Y at the end of your name.

[Don La Greca]

I know. I don't like it now.

[Michael Kay]

Some of them.

[Don La Greca]

But I got.

[Michael Kay]

No, Don Cherry's great. What's better than that?

[Don La Greca]

But he's Don Cherry forever. But when he was. When he was playing his three games in Boston, nobody was calling him Grapes. Now you're on TV for 50 years. Yeah, we'll call you Grapes.

[Michael Kay]

But it's funny.

[Don La Greca]

He played like. I think he played one game for the Bruins. I think that was all he did his whole NHL career. Like, Dano. I call him Dano. Everybody calls him Dan.

[Michael Kay]

Right?

[Don La Greca]

Dano. He's number three is in the raft.

[Michael Kay]

I know. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

1983, he's calling him Dan.

[Michael Kay]

All right. So I have to be a legend to have a nickname.

[Don La Greca]

I'm just saying, you just. Can we. Can we do something? That's all I'm saying.

[Michael Kay]

I think nicknames are a big part of sports.

[Don La Greca]

Every team.

[Michael Kay]

Every team I've ever been on, everybody had, like, some type of.

[Don La Greca]

I don't care for it. I'm not about. I'm just. But I.

[Michael Kay]

You're too grown up. When you were a kid, you weren't calling guys nicknames. Your favorite. You called Lawrence Taylor lt, didn't you? As a kid? You didn't know him personally calling him lt, though.

[Don La Greca]

No, he was. He was Taylor. I just called him Taylor. That's just my thing, man. I know. I'm the outlier. I'm not going to be, like, as crazy as K and like, calling Yogi Bear or Larry. I'm not crazy.

[Michael Kay]

I don't think Yogi responded.

[Don La Greca]

That is the thing. Like, it's.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Lt. He called himself lt. I'll call you lt. Torts. Towards these Torts. I had to call him Torts. I had no choice, right? But I never called Brandon Tierney bt Never. You know why? Because Brandon Tierney's not that hard. If his name was Bartholomew Tugalugading Dong, then I call him bt. But Brandon Tierney's not hard to say. So I say Brandon. Ta Brandon.

[Uber Eats Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Producer or Staff Member]

But what?

[Don La Greca]

Never called him BT ever.

[Michael Kay]

What's more fun to say?

[Don La Greca]

So we're having fun now. I'm entertaining myself.

[Michael Kay]

Why are we having fun?

[Don La Greca]

I enjoy.

[Michael Kay]

You can't have fun.

[Don La Greca]

Nicknames.

[Producer or Staff Member]

Are fun?

[John Harbaugh]

Yes.

[Don La Greca]

Don't find them fun.

[Michael Kay]

They're not fun.

[Don La Greca]

Don't listen.

[Michael Kay]

That means I like you. I call you by your nickname. I like you. Gave you a nickname because I like you. I don't call you Don. I don't call you Donald. Call you Donnie. I've been calling you Donnie for 20 years.

[Don La Greca]

That's not a nickname. That's just a name. You're not calling me dlg?

[Michael Kay]

No. Definitely would never do that. I've heard. Apparently, that's been used. I'm against it.

[Don La Greca]

Tony Page used to call me Sweet Donnie Legee.

[Michael Kay]

But that was just fun. That's weird.

[Don La Greca]

That was fun. All right. And the same thing with Stephen A. Smith calling me, you know, Don Juan Lagreca.

[Michael Kay]

Tony was on at night, right? Late at night.

[Don La Greca]

Very late.

[Caller or Guest]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Overnight.

[Michael Kay]

Yes, overnight.

[Listener or Contributor]

Sweet Donnie Lajee sounds like Sweet Donnie.

[Michael Kay]

Stripper or boxer? No, no. Sounds like he should have been wearing a mink coat with a fedora. Right.

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

And.

[Caller or Guest]

And.

[Don La Greca]

And.

[Michael Kay]

And a mirror, sunglasses, and no shirt underneath the mink coat.

[Listener or Contributor]

Hello?

[Don La Greca]

But he didn't. But he would just say that. Hey, this Sweet Donnie G with the

[Michael Kay]

update he fixed Joe.

[Don La Greca]

Sweet Donnie. What's going on?

[Michael Kay]

Sweet Donnie?

[Don La Greca]

No, he doesn't. But that's not how he gets my attention. He just like Stephen A. Smith. Don Juan. That's just what he's. But. But if he ever saw me, like, I don't. Like, if you needed a Don Juan. You want coffee? Like, it wouldn't. It just stop. It's just. It's not my thing.

[Michael Kay]

You call Mike Greenberg Greeny, don't you? Do you call him Mike?

[Caller or Guest]

Hi.

[Don La Greca]

Mike never called him Greeny. Always called him Mike.

[Michael Kay]

Is that true?

[Don La Greca]

Maybe I did.

[Michael Kay]

Maybe that bothers me.

[Alan Hahn]

I feel like in an interview, you might have said Green.

[Don La Greca]

I don't know. Ultimately. What was that?

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

Ultimately, I'm telling you what was told to me.

[Don La Greca]

Don McGregor, Mickey Calloway.

[Michael Kay]

Obviously experiencing heightened levels of sensitivity these days because the New York Mets are underachieving, even though I don't think that's correct. They're doing exactly what I expected them to do, exactly what I thought they would do, exactly what I told Jeff Pasa they would do, exactly what Don Lewan Lagreca refuses to believe they went through.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't know you're related to Taylor Lawan.

[Michael Kay]

I love Stephen A. Yeah, no, I'm.

[Don La Greca]

I'm just. I'm just having.

[John Harbaugh]

All right.

[Don La Greca]

I. I just. I got no problem with nicknames. I just. That's not my thing.

[Michael Kay]

The ag, though. AG one really got you though. Because he's. You can't win four games and have a new game.

[Don La Greca]

No. And Aaron and like this young rookies calling. You know John Harbaugh. Harb.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah, that. Yeah, yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Barbs, our ball is not that hard. How about. How about. You know what? Obviously with these rookies should be just

[Michael Kay]

calling them sir now I have that problem. Not to get on a tangent. I had that problem. I know when I interview on the court players and it's a formal interview. Yes. Because it's on. It's televised, it's on the broadcast. They also hear it in the garden. But when it's like Carl Anthony Towns. Like his first name is Carl Anthony. Like what you don't call him Carl.

[Don La Greca]

Could you call him Cat?

[Michael Kay]

That's what he goes.

[Don La Greca]

But that. But that's what he answers to.

[Michael Kay]

Cats.

[Don La Greca]

See that's. Then that's what like torts. I gotta say torts. That's what he answers.

[Michael Kay]

But I also. It feels weird to use a nickname in a formal interview.

[Don La Greca]

It does.

[Michael Kay]

Because you feel like it's too. Now. Now we're being buddies here. You know what I mean? Like it's weird but in certain situations it's like what else am I calling you?

[Don La Greca]

I do a play by play sometimes.

[Michael Kay]

Deuce McBride. His name is Miles.

[Don La Greca]

I know, but he did. But he goes by Juice. I know but sometimes I don't feel like some of Green. He's up on top.

[Michael Kay]

Well Miles, how'd you feel about that three pointer? You know what I mean? It's too formal. Now I'm being. I'm being that guy now.

[Don La Greca]

I will. In Play by Play. I did say. Sometimes I'd say Hank instead of Lundquist because it just was a little easier.

[Michael Kay]

Yes. And fans know who you're talking about.

[Don La Greca]

And when. When Jack and Luke are on the ice at the same time. Like I say Hughes to Hughes.

[Michael Kay]

You have to.

[Don La Greca]

I'll say Jack to Luke. You know I did that with the Sadie's. I'd have to say.

[Michael Kay]

Well, that's a totally different. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Daniel, if I never spoke to Greenie again, it would be fun.

[Michael Kay]

Oh, you actually said that one.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. Sometimes he gets on my nerves with the whole Jet stuff.

[Alan Hahn]

That actually was a Masters related, if I'm not mistaken.

[Don La Greca]

Oh well, there you go. The golf.

[Michael Kay]

The golf.

[Don La Greca]

But he answers to Green. He does.

[Michael Kay]

But he refers to himself in the third person as such. His birthday was last.

[Don La Greca]

I don't know, just. Sometimes I just feel a little too comfortable. Like if an intern said, hey, Greenie. You'd be like, eh, you know what? Mr. Greenberg, Mr. Greenberg, come on.

[Michael Kay]

If you had. If somebody called you Mr. Legreca, wouldn't you immediately feel ancient?

[Don La Greca]

No, I. Well, but if. If. Let's say we had an intern come in here.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And he walked in, he said, hey, Donnie Pucks, what's going on? I'd be like, you know what? Get out.

[Michael Kay]

Settle down.

[Don La Greca]

Mr. Legreck is too formal.

[Michael Kay]

Hey, see that door? Walk right back out that door.

[Don La Greca]

But I don't answer to Donnie Pucks. That was. That was something that Wally Matthews called me.

[Michael Kay]

That was Wally Matthews that started that.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, started Donnie Bucks.

[Michael Kay]

The great Wally Matthews.

[Don La Greca]

I'm a fan.

[Michael Kay]

He. He literally taught a class at post that I took, and it inspired me to want to do. Want to be in this.

[Don La Greca]

Well, I'm not calling him wm.

[Caller or Guest]

No.

[Don La Greca]

Not doing it.

[Michael Kay]

Definitely not.

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[Don La Greca]

Shohei Ohtani's interpreter was fired today. Ippei Mitsuhara ran up gambling debts to a Southern California California bookmaking operation. The inside story of the biggest scandal in modern baseball. He was absolutely bananas. The amount of bets he was making.

[Caller or Guest]

I've never seen you like it.

[Don La Greca]

From 30 for 30 podcasts, this is the Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani, presented by Gusto.

[Advertiser]

New episodes available now. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Announcer]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don La Greca]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Announcer]

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

[Don La Greca]

Let's go to Joe and Chappaqua. You're already ESPN New York. What's up, Joe?

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

Hey, guys, thanks for taking a call.

[Don La Greca]

What's up?

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

Before I get to my point, I have a suggestion. Whenever you guys are doing a show without Peter, I think you should call it Don Han Sans Rosenberg.

[Don La Greca]

Don Hans. Hans Rosa. That's not bad. I'm not sure we'll do it, but I do appreciate the effort because I get what you're saying, but what else you got?

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

Okay, so anyway, when you guys were talking earlier about how Yankee fans aren't, like, content with the winning because of the way they're winning with the lack of offense, it reminded me of something you said, Don, about a year ago when. When Toto was on the Mets. He got off to a slow start, wasn't hitting, but the Mets were winning. And you said you didn't care as long as they're winning.

[Don La Greca]

Right?

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

And I feel the same way. I don't care. Now, granted, you know, I'd like to see more offense, but you know what? The Yankees are winning. They're winning series, and that's all I

[Don La Greca]

care about right now. And you're trying to judge, to see, all right, where can this team go? Okay, well, the Braves, one of the best teams of baseball. He took 2 out of 3. Phillies are a playoff team, 2 out of 3. Cubs, a playoff team, 2 out of three. I mean, it's not sustainable, Joe. Just like the Mets. It wasn't sustainable. The Mets were going to continue to win if Soto wasn't hitting. Like, it's not sustainable. But you. But there's a reason why they're not hitting. You don't have Judge. You don't have Bellinger.

[Caller or Guest]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

So if those guys come back and you're not hitting, that's a problem. But I understand you're Held to a different standard because you're the New York Yankees and you're supposed to win. But sometimes even the New York Yankees are going to suffer through injuries. Example 23.

[Michael Kay]

Yep.

[Don La Greca]

You played without Judge. You finished 82 and 80. Missed the playoffs. Yeah, not this team. This team's going to the playoffs and are going to be dangerous.

[Michael Kay]

82 and 80 most of the season without Judge. Since Judge went down there one game over 500, it's very much the same. Couldn't score either. Couldn't score then.

[Don La Greca]

But they didn't score. You didn't have pitching like this.

[Michael Kay]

No, I know. That's what's most maddening thing is your pitching is allowing you to win games and you can't even scratch three. Don, it's three runs, four runs.

[Don La Greca]

It's the reason they're dangerous, man. That's why they're dangerous. Because in the playoffs this team stacked would get shut down. Now you've got pitching that might be able to win you games that you weren't winning before. Right?

[Michael Kay]

We're going to find out. That's the part that I can't argue with you. But it's still the variable. We're going to find out because the variable is what we're learning is the most important player in this generation for this Yankee team and that is number 99. It's clear. Look at when they play without him. You just gave me that year 82 and 80 this year when they don't have him, they are not even close to being a championship caliber team. That's scary, isn't it? Well, it's scary that you could lose him. But there are everything just.

[Don La Greca]

I know because. Right. But that, that's. He's that special.

[Michael Kay]

That special.

[Don La Greca]

Well, that tells you what happens to the God forbid if Brunson got hurt in February. But you're right where, where the Knicks go.

[Michael Kay]

But that's a different sport. We've always been told it's not a one man game.

[Don La Greca]

It's not a one man game.

[Michael Kay]

Baseball, you got all these different players. He is such a huge piece of what they do.

[Don La Greca]

I know.

[Michael Kay]

And you know what else he is? He's the gravity that allows Ben Rice to see better pitching.

[Don La Greca]

Well, that allows Bellinger similar in the sense, don't you think you've lost. You've lost, you know, MVP Rice because you don't have the protection of Judge. So now it's affected Rice.

[Michael Kay]

Go right at him.

[Don La Greca]

But it's not just Judge. You've also hadn't had Stanton since April And I understand Santin's more about the postseason, but Stanton still would be a major threat. But aren't you also Learning and Bellinger. 11 games without Bellinger missing him has

[Michael Kay]

been huge too because he's. They were looking for him to carry it for a little bit without Judge. But I also think we don't talk about this nearly enough. Jazz Chisholm ain't him. No, he's nice. He's a nice piece. I know. He's got 30 stolen bases. All that stuff. Like, I know like he is a. He can't possibly fancy himself as a. As $100 million player.

[Don La Greca]

No. He thought he was gonna be a 50, 50 guy. He's not that. But I will tell you one thing about Jazz. He is clutch. Same thing with. With clutch. Yeah.

[John Harbaugh]

He's.

[Don La Greca]

He comes up with some big hits.

[Michael Kay]

He also comes up with some maddening at bats. He wasn't clutching the ninth inning when he was jumping every.

[Don La Greca]

He was another guy is his. Grisham is pretty not Chris. He's got 11 home runs in what they consider post seventh inning situations, you know, the most in baseball. So. And again, it didn't work out because you lost the game. But how big would that home run have been if the Yankees had been better?

[Michael Kay]

I completely. I understand.

[Don La Greca]

The one thing I will complain about the moaning and groaning is that I don't understand how they're two and nine in extra. That's got to be maddening. And that's the reason why you're not

[Michael Kay]

going to win the division man for man.

[Listener or Contributor]

Yeah.

[Michael Kay]

Well, you know why? Here's why. Because they suck with runners in scoring position. And that's what the band is, a runner in scoring position.

[Don La Greca]

But they. That. But now you're getting into philosophy because they will disagree with you. They still believe that the launch angle and hitting home runs is the way to go. They still believe that. Well, there was a lot of teams do too.

[Michael Kay]

But there was the game when they had Caballero bunt. And Caballero's look on his face was like, I do not want to do.

[Don La Greca]

Now, if you want to get into that philosophy and how that needs to change during the off season, I'm with you. But it's not. It's not changing on August 10th.

[Michael Kay]

No, I know.

[Don La Greca]

So now you got to just live with it.

[Brian Burns]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And. And give them credit. In the comeback down to nothing on Friday, it wasn't about the home run. They worked counts, they got made contact walked and then you got, you know, the Wells hit the wall and Then it was a sacrifice fly that won the game. So, you know, give them credit that they played a little small ball in that comeback on Friday. Let's go to Jack. He's in Manhattan. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Jack?

[Caller or Guest]

Hey, boys. How you doing?

[Don La Greca]

Good. What's going on? You?

[Caller or Guest]

Very good. This goes all the way back to your who you taking out conversation, which I thought is awesome. The book sounds awesome. I'm not directly in the business, but I'm adjacent. And if I could offer $0.02 and take it as you might, you're both right about wanting to do someone with a great Q score to open the book. Someone sort of famous or almost famous. But you might want to think about the linkage between the concept of who you've taken out and that person's role in the world or what they did in their life. You know what I mean? So. And I don't know who that. That might be. I'm just spitballing here. But that author, Ian. What's his name? Who's done. Aaron Rodgers and who will also be

[Don La Greca]

at the Sasso softball, by the way.

[Michael Kay]

Imagine.

[Caller or Guest]

Imagine that bill. Imagine we get the bill. Right. The open. Because who else. But to be a leader on the topic of who you taken out.

[Don La Greca]

It's a thought.

[Caller or Guest]

Big thought.

[Don La Greca]

Anyway, I understand the concept of. If I had a relationship with David Letterman, he'd be perfect because he had the top 10 list.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

If I had a relationship with John Cusack, that would make sense.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

I don't know these people.

[John Harbaugh]

I know.

[Don La Greca]

So who do I know that would be eye popping?

[Michael Kay]

Or are we at least close enough.

[Don La Greca]

Close enough to.

[Michael Kay]

Or somebody that would be into this.

[Don La Greca]

And I loves this stuff. Mike Greenberg would be that guy.

[John Harbaugh]

He's.

[Don La Greca]

He had the book.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

The Numbers by the numbers, which I. I love.

[Michael Kay]

Oh, yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And I read.

[Michael Kay]

Right up your alley.

[Don La Greca]

But disgusted with his 87. And I told him that.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah, he screwed that. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

That was a mess. Because Sidney Crosby is one of the greatest hockey players of all time. Gronk might be one of the great tight ends of all time. He's not one of the greatest football players of all time, but, you know, he's a football guy and he's not a hockey guy. That's why he needed me. Listen, we really appreciate Benjamin Franklin, who is no longer with us, but was able to call with his thoughts on maybe doing the forward. Hi, Mr. Good afternoon.

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

Good afternoon, gentlemen. How are you?

[Don La Greca]

Good. Yourself?

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

I'm doing quite well. For being. Not alive.

[Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

For A while.

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

I would just like to say I love lists. I have a list of keys, a list of kites. I also have a list of my favorite signatures on the Declaration of Independence. I also have a list of women I like to visit in France. My wife Deborah doesn't care for that list. But I'm a big fan of.

[Michael Kay]

He knows his history.

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

And I would love to write the forward for your list.

[Don La Greca]

Well, I think, I think it would be pretty eye popping if people saw that Benjamin Franklin wrote the forward for my book, seeing he's been dead for over 100 years. Would you do it?

[Michael Kay]

That'd be a good.

[Don La Greca]

More importantly, would you do it on the arm?

[Michael Kay]

Would you do it, though? Would you write it? Hand write it with a quilt?

[Don La Greca]

Yes, with a quilt.

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

Pen.

[Michael Kay]

It must be with, with ink and a feather.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. See, that's the way it would be. It would seem forward by Benjamin Frankel, but the Benjamin Frankel would have to be the way it was written on it. No, no, no.

[Michael Kay]

Parchment, paper, the whole thing.

[Don La Greca]

I'm glad people are interested. I gotta get this going.

[Michael Kay]

I told you, I've been trying to tell you. What do I know, though, right?

[Don La Greca]

At the end of the day, it's gonna end up being Michael because somebody on Twitter.

[Advertiser or Narrator]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Mentioned want to find it here about Michael as he took it down. It was here. Where'd it go? Can't find it now.

[Michael Kay]

Okay. Can't be that important, though.

[Don La Greca]

I, I, it was somebody wrote about. It's that it's got to be, it's got to be Michael because he was part. I did the lists on his show and, and you know, he'll, he may never talk to me again. If I, if I had Greenie over him, if I found somebody more significant than him.

[Michael Kay]

He doesn't like lists. It's not his thing. Right. An afterword where he can actually, like, take shots at you and stuff would be hilarious and a perfect way to end it. That's my opinion. It is not. One is more important than another. It's placement. You're asking him to write a forward on a book of lists when you know he hates lists.

[Don La Greca]

He does.

[Michael Kay]

Usually a forward is written by somebody who's either in the book or would love what the book is about and want to encourage you that this is going to be a fun adventure.

[Don La Greca]

All right, so what I'm going to do is I'm going to, we're going to get this done.

[Michael Kay]

I mean, we've been saying this for

[Don La Greca]

two years now, and then we're going to send it to Mike Michael K. We'll send it to Greenie and see who will send it to Doc Emrick.

[Michael Kay]

Go

[Don La Greca]

and we'll see. You know, I don't know. Letterman spent a lot of time in New York. I would think that maybe we'll send it to him.

[Michael Kay]

If you've learned anything in our collective 50 years in this business, wouldn't you say, shoot your shot. Very top of a list.

[Don La Greca]

Who knows, Maybe he was happy to listen and like the list fan. I mean, it's possible. Where is he living now? I know he's from Indiana, obviously lived in New York when he did the show. He hadn't done the show in 15. I was. Been a while. You never know.

[Michael Kay]

Look, like I said, you know, these lists are going to be entertaining. They're going to create debate and all the other great stuff that comes with it. They're not just sports related. So that will also be fun. The quirkiness of. Yeah, it's. This is one of those books that will be Evergreen. You can sell it forever and, and it just, it just needs to get done. It's not every summer is the time for us to do it because we are too busy.

[Don La Greca]

Once we get to October, it's Evergreen because obviously you can update it like I can. I got, you know, fairly. If I'm still here 20 years from now, I might need to update like the greatest quarterbacks of all time or the greatest champions of all time because there's obviously more.

[Michael Kay]

Well, that becomes the. Who you taking out?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, who are you taking out?

[Michael Kay]

Oh, you want to add this guy? Well, who are you taking out? Oh, you want to add this moment?

[Don La Greca]

I'm going to, I'm going to work on it tonight.

[Michael Kay]

We got movement.

[Don La Greca]

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[Podcast Announcer]

FDIC thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don La Greca]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Announcer]

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

[Don La Greca]

The Salary cap he was asked by Dan Grass. I heard it live. Yep, because Grass's point was what do we need salary cap for? The brewers have the best record in baseball. Rays are in first place. But you have the Dodgers have won back to back World Series favorites to win a third straight that have a payroll that's, you know, by far the highest in baseball. And is it sustainable? Brewers haven't won a World Series. Rays haven't won a World Series. Right.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And but Buster had some interesting things to say about the possibility of a salary cap in baseball and doesn't think the cap helps.

[Producer or Staff Member]

If it's about competitive balance, the answer is no.

[Caller or Guest]

Right?

[Producer or Staff Member]

This is not a new thing in baseball and I keep telling people that all the time. Like in 1998 I covered the Yankees at 125 games and the next spring I was standing there when they traded David Wells for Roger Clemens, a back to back Cy Young Award winner.

[Advertiser or Narrator]

Right?

[Producer or Staff Member]

And everyone blew up the, you know, blew up the phone line said, oh, baseball's, you know, broken. What are we doing? And guess what? We popped along for a quarter century. No one won back to back titles. It's the exact same system. But I'll say it over and over and over again. It's not about competitive balance. In my mind this is about billionaire owners wanting cost control. That's what it's really about.

[Michael Kay]

Of course it is.

[Don La Greca]

It's always been about that and what usually happens, it's a big market team or it's a San Diego whose, you know, owners on a terminal and wants to win a championship before it's over. All I'll say, if it's not about the money, then why do teams spend so much money? Hey, if it's about, hey, I'm the smartest man in the room and Michael's brought this up many times before and I'm in an analytic world, then why do the Yankees have the third highest payroll in baseball? Why do the Dodgers have the most? If the brewers could, they would spend more. And good for them. They figured out a way to be competitive without having a $400 million payroll. Same with Rays. Now they'll put it together, but are they winning a championship? Can they get that one player? Can they spend that little extra money to get over the top? But never mind that. How does it work in the other three sports? What makes baseball different? And if you're going to tell me, well, they got more games, they got more sources of revenue. Do you know how many regional sports networks Major League Baseball has taken? Over?

[Caller or Guest]

14.

[Don La Greca]

That's almost half the league.

[Michael Kay]

Explain why that's important.

[Don La Greca]

Well, the reason that's important is, is that they're not generating the revenue that they want. And the hope is, is that maybe eventually they're gonna do like what MLS did and did and put it all in one, one thing.

[Michael Kay]

And all that which never happened will never happen. It never happened because Boston will say, no way, New York, New York will say, no way, L.A. like there's markets where the regional, the RSNs thrive, where their audience watches the team on the regional and the team is saying, there's no way we're giving up that revenue. No way.

[Don La Greca]

Right. So that's a revenue stream that doesn't exist. So now you get back to, are people going to the games? Well, are people going to Pittsburgh when they're under 500? Are they going to some of the smaller marketplaces if the team isn't any good? Again, nobody again we hear this, oh, why are you rooting for the billionaires against the millionaires? But are the players. Do you realize that the average salary in baseball is the same as it is in hockey? How can that be possible? The average total salary, the minimum or the league minimum?

[Michael Kay]

Well, there's also a lot more players. You got to look at it that way.

[Don La Greca]

I understand there's a lot more players, ton of players. But my overall point is that you should have. Whether it's competitive balance, it doesn't make sense that there's a team that's got $150 million payroll and there's a team that's got a $400 million payroll. And if you get a floor, which is the only thing that happens with a salary cap, the Marlins would have to spend more money, the Rays would have to spend more money, and that means more money in the players pockets. But do the players care about all the players or do they just care about the guys that have the potential to make the big time money? It's easy for Bryce Harper to say I don't want a salary cap because he feels like you're now capping my salary, but you could be increasing the salary of some other guys if you put in a salary cap because now there'll be a floor and more teams will be spending more money.

[Michael Kay]

Yes, the floor to me is the bigger.

[Don La Greca]

Of course it is.

[Michael Kay]

That's if that should be the bigger demand, is that there should be a higher floor so that the Marlins and you know, Cleveland, like Tampa, even St. Louis doesn't spend any more.

[Don La Greca]

How much money does LeBron make?

[Michael Kay]

He took, remember, he didn't take much,

[Don La Greca]

but in his highest season.

[Michael Kay]

God. Well, how much is 50 million? He was at 50 million.

[Don La Greca]

I see $50 million. How much is Patrick Mahomes making a year? 60.

[Michael Kay]

Yeah, he's got to be up to 60 now.

[Benjamin Franklin (Impersonator)]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

So in basketball and in football with a salary cap, the big name players still make outrageous.

[Michael Kay]

Football can't count because you can restructure deals and they have fully. Not every deal is fully guaranteed.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, but the big, the big time players seem, they're starting to get guaranteed money.

[Michael Kay]

I think the better, the better comp to me to explain all this is what you're gonna hear over the next. Look, I've covered two lockouts, one that killed a whole season, one that killed a half a season, two different sports. So I've seen this and I, I know the rhetoric, the whole thing, it's always the same. The owners want cost certainty and we want to know what we can spend and we, it's better for our teams and we have better competitive balance and blah, blah, blah. They, they want to be able to control so that they can use the excuse like we're seeing in the NBA with that second apron, like, look, I, I can't do that. I can't spend that. I can't, I can't hurt my team that way. They'll use the excuse. But what you're going to hear from the players, the high End players are going to talk about how I'm doing this for the next generation and all that stuff. They will not be affected. That's the problem with the salary cap and the argument of having one or not. It kills the middle class and veterans, valuable veterans who are hanging on, gone. Because now you're gonna build teams with young, cheap, and you're gonna use that as an excuse, oh, I can't afford this. The cap restricts it. So you're gonna have a team that's gonna have a superstar and blame the star for making all this money, which now affects our ability to spend. So now we have young players that we're going to speed into the league and you'll have this terrible balance and it'll take time. It's not smart for baseball to do a hard cap. No, they should not do it.

[Don La Greca]

They're in their soft cap and their proposal to the players. What was that?

[Michael Kay]

I know, but you always start with the worst and then you can negotiate.

[Don La Greca]

But, but they did have the floor and they did have the soft cap. More of it, like an NBA cap was what they proposed to players.

[Michael Kay]

That's a hard cap. The second apron's a hard cap. They just, it's disguised. It really is. The second apron is a soft cap. Disguise is a hard cap because it restricts not just your spending and it doesn't. And it also penalizes you three times, but it also restricts your roster movement.

[Don La Greca]

But they already have that with the revenue sharing where you lose international money and you lose draft pay, like so they do have. They've got to figure out a way to curtail it, whether it's a cap or whatever.

[Michael Kay]

I'm just saying don't buy the, that, that the, the players on the, with the big contracts, they're going to be the loudest ones because they're the stars. This is not hurting them. This will not change a thing for those guys. This is killing the middle class. Salary caps destroy the middle middle class, which is the bigger body of people, which, by the way, in real life, it kills us too. Right? But that's what's going to happen. It squeezes out players who are in the middle and they either are going to retire or just take less to stay on. Valuable veteran guys are going to go and they're going to rush younger players in and the excuse will be, well, I got to pay. I got to pay this guy 60 million. You know, this is what he's worth, but I got to pay. It's his fault. And then they'll tell you, you got to take less now and that's the whole thing that's going on in the NBA.

[Podcast Announcer]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Michael Kay]

I don't want to know how the sausage is made, but I just want to know it's good.

[Podcast Announcer]

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.

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