Hour 3: Incomplete Knicks

Summary

Summary of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast Episode “Hour 3: Incomplete Knicks”

Podcast Information:

• Title: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
• Episode: Hour 3: Incomplete Knicks
• Release Date: April 3, 2025

Hosts:

• Don LaGreca: ESPN New York and New Jersey legend
• Alan Hahn: Long-time sportswriter and New York Knick broadcaster
• Peter Rosenberg: Opinionated Hip Hop vet and WWE personality

---

Overview

In the third episode of "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg," titled “Incomplete Knicks,” the hosts dive deep into the current state of the New York Knicks. They explore topics ranging from player injuries and team performance to playoff prospects and managerial strategies. Engaging listener calls add diverse perspectives, enriching the discussion and providing a comprehensive look at the team's trajectory.

---

Jalen Brunson's Anticipated Return

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the potential return of Jalen Brunson, a key player for the Knicks. His injury has left fans and analysts alike eager to see him back on the court.

• Alan Hahn expresses cautious optimism:

  “I casually on first take today said I don't expect to see Brunson again. And then the always informed Sham Sharani next to me said that there's a lot of optimism that we'll see him before the regular season ends.”
  (00:38)

• Peter Rosenberg echoes this sentiment, highlighting the rarity of the team’s full lineup:

  “It's just amazing that it's just rare that they all are on the court together to be able to get some games together because they've had spot here and there, but they haven't had the whole thing.”
  (02:14)

The hosts discuss the ideal timing for Brunson’s return, weighing factors such as team chemistry and the strategic importance of upcoming games.

---

Recent Game Performance: Breaking the Streak

The Knicks recently lost a game despite holding a 15-point lead, marking their first such loss in 71 games. This event serves as a focal point for analyzing the team's consistency and vulnerabilities.

• Peter Rosenberg highlights the significance of the blown lead:

  “This was the first time in 71 games they have blown a 15-point lead.”
  (05:50)

• Alan Hahn recalls similar past performances, underscoring the rarity and impact of such losses:

  “I remember they almost did it a few weeks ago... the first time they had blown a 15 point lead in 71 games.”
  (06:39)

The discussion delves into factors like opponent strategies, player fatigue, and in-game dynamics that contributed to the unexpected loss.

---

Playoff Prospects and Potential Matchups

The conversation shifts to the Knicks' prospects in the upcoming playoffs, examining potential first-round opponents and the implications of facing teams like the Detroit Pistons.

• Peter Rosenberg analyzes the likelihood of facing Detroit:

  “Detroit Pistons for a young team are a nasty hard playing team now... there's a 56% probability that that will be your first-round matchup.”
  (11:48)

The hosts assess how a challenging first-round series could affect the Knicks' stamina and readiness for subsequent rounds against top-tier teams like the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.

---

Team Dynamics and Coaching Strategies

Understanding the internal mechanics of the Knicks, the hosts evaluate the role of coach Tom Thibodeau and his impact on the team's performance.

• Don LaGreca discusses the team's depth and coaching decisions:

  “How do you say anything when you don't have the full team. But if he's ready to go, I could totally see him wanting to play.”
  (03:31)

• Peter Rosenberg emphasizes the team's ranking and the challenges they face:

  “The Knicks are fifth best team in the NBA, which is saying a lot. Fifth best team in the league, but nowhere near the top of the other three teams.”
  (08:35)

The trio debates whether current strategies are sufficient for elevating the Knicks to championship contenders, considering factors like player health, bench strength, and managerial decisions.

---

Listener Calls and Community Insights

Engaging listener calls provide diverse perspectives and deepen the analysis, reflecting the community's concerns and expectations.

Call from David and Elizabeth

• Caller: Discusses the potential return of Brunson and the overall optimism for the team:

  “Delon Wright was playing pretty decent and Obi's been aggressive... another thing I just want to point out before I go, Brunson's back to being at practice.”
  (00:43-01:38)

Call from Dave

• Caller Dave: Compares the Knicks to other sports teams like the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Vikings, urging the team to make strategic additions:

  “They just keep stacking the deck. They like great in-season teams, but this year it's not going to happen... they need to add more people.”
  (15:43-17:41)

• Hosts' Response:
  Peter Rosenberg: “They make multiple big moves every year.”
  Alan Hahn: “No complacency. All they've been doing.”
  (16:30-17:55)

Call from John

• Caller John: Raises concerns about “buddy ball” and its impact on team performance:

  “We got buddy ball going on in the front office to the sideline with Tibbs... Too much influence.”
  (47:14-50:00)

• Hosts' Response:
  Peter Rosenberg: Argues in favor of recognizing coaching effectiveness despite such criticisms.
  Don LaGreca: Emphasizes the importance of expectations and ongoing team development.
  (47:40-50:00)

Call from Javier in Queens

• Caller Javier: Praises Don LaGreca's professionalism and inquires about the Rangers' season improvement strategies:

  “Your show is so good... Don is an incredible professional.”
  (37:11-38:35)

• Don LaGreca's Response:
  Discusses the Rangers' need to rebuild and improve their roster for a better season.
  (38:35-46:14)

---

Team Health and Future Prospects

The episode concludes with a focus on the Knicks' long-term prospects, emphasizing the importance of maintaining player health and making strategic moves to enhance team performance.

• Don LaGreca:

  “It's still in the process… but it's still in the process. But that’s frustrating when you're in the process because you continue to wait.”
  (24:13-25:32)

• Peter Rosenberg:

  “Can we at least acknowledge the guy does nothing but win?”
  (50:00)

The hosts stress that while the Knicks have shown promising signs, sustained success will depend on how well they manage player returns, handle injuries, and execute their game strategies in high-stakes playoff scenarios.

---

Notable Quotes

• Alan Hahn (00:38):

  “I casually on first take today said I don't expect to see Brunson again… there's a lot of optimism that we'll see him before the regular season ends.”

• Peter Rosenberg (05:50):

  “This was the first time in 71 games they have blown a 15-point lead.”

• Peter Rosenberg (11:48):

  “Detroit Pistons for a young team are a nasty hard playing team now… there's a 56% probability that that will be your first-round matchup.”

• John (47:14):

  “We got buddy ball going on in the front office to the sideline with Tibbs. We got Buddy Ball in the lineup. I really believe that that's affecting our ability to go to the next level.”

• Peter Rosenberg (50:00):

  “Can we at least acknowledge the guy does nothing but win?”

---

Conclusion

“Hour 3: Incomplete Knicks” offers a thorough examination of the New York Knicks' current challenges and future prospects. Through detailed analysis, listener interactions, and expert insights, Don, Hahn, and Rosenberg provide a nuanced perspective on what it will take for the Knicks to overcome their incomplete roster and make a significant impact in the playoffs. The episode underscores the delicate balance between player management, strategic planning, and maintaining team morale as the Knicks navigate the competitive landscape of the NBA.

---

Note: This summary intentionally omits advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content segments, focusing solely on the substantive discussions pertaining to the New York Knicks and related topics.

Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

McDonald's meets the Minecraft universe with one of six collectibles and your choice of a Big Mac or 10 piece McNuggets with spicy nether flame sauce. Now available with a Minecraft movie meal at participating McDonald's for a limited time. A Minecraft movie only in theaters.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don LaGreca]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers into the big five o'clock hour. We go with Don Legreca and Peter Ross Rosenberg. I'm Alan Hahn. 800-919-3776. The number with your calls. And you know what, why don't we start with a call here because David and Elizabeth has a very interesting question.

[Don LaGreca]

Interesting, David.

[Caller]

Let's see what's going on, fellas. What's going on, Hollywood? Hans, John, Peter, Don. Get him. Am I here for your amusement? Huh? Huh? Am I a comedian?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah?

[Caller]

Huh?

[Don LaGreca]

Entertain me, clowns.

[Caller]

Uh huh. Tell me about it. All right, let's get into it, fellas. All right. We played a really good half last night, but second half we came out flat. But I will say this, there were some positives. Delon Wright was playing pretty decent and Obi's been aggressive and you know, when we get all our reinforcements back, I think we'll be all right. And I'm just being optimistic. I don't want to be that guy. Yeah, we're going to get eliminated by Cavs or Celtics. I'm just being really optimistic. Another thing I just want to point out before I go, Brunson's back to being at practice. I'm going to the game Sunday. Please Brunson, come back. I'm trying to do a bunch of three point celebrations. Let's do it, Nick.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I will say this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hi David.

[Alan Hahn]

I will say this. I casually on first take today said I don't expect to see Brunson again. And then the always informed Sham Sharani next to me said that there's a lot of optimism that we'll see him before the regular season ends. So you may get your maybe wish this weekend.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's funny, Shams and I were talking on get up and it was that same conversation. You think, you think he plays this weekend? And I just said, you would know better than anybody, wouldn't you? And he just kind of nodded and I was like, I thought so. And then Chris Haynes, who also was pretty plugged in in the NBA, reported that Brunson is expected to practice tomorrow.

[Alan Hahn]

I really like the idea, even if it's for two games, I really would love to see them all together. I'd like to see a little run before the playoffs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's just amazing that it's just rare that they all are on the court together to be able to get some games together because they've had spot here and there, but they haven't had the whole thing. We haven't seen it. So if Brunson practices tomorrow with the team, clearly, first of all, we know he's been cleared. Right. The afternoon game in Atlanta on Saturday is not really where you want to make your debut.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sunday at home against a Sun's team that doesn't have. I don't believe we'll have a kd. That's probably the best spot. And then you probably want to skip the Boston game. National tv Tuesday. You still have three games left, if I'm not mistaken.

[Alan Hahn]

You mean if you just want to. If he's coming back slowly and you just want to do one on, one off. You know what I mean? Comfortable.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you just kind of go from there.

[Alan Hahn]

Although I feel like if he comes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Back, you got Detroit. I think it's Detroit, Cleveland. And then the last game is the Brooklyn game Sunday. You can get your 4, and that's your 65. That's your all NBA.

[Alan Hahn]

I feel like if he comes back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, he's playing all the way through.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes. I just don't think that's his way. What do you think, Don? I feel like if Brunson's good to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go, you're right about it not playing his way of sitting. I agree, but you're gonna want to, like, play. All right. Like, see how you feel. Like they want to maybe limit. You gotta kid gloves, this thing.

[Don LaGreca]

I know, but everything you're saying just seems so anti Brunson.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

I can totally be like, I'm ready. Let's go.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, let's roll.

[Don LaGreca]

And you're talking about. Well, we don't want him on Boston, nationally televised now.

[Alan Hahn]

He wants that.

[Don LaGreca]

But I all.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't want to show Boston what it looks like.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, I hear that. That's it. But Alan, can't you still do that dress, start the game, come out? But I just see him dressing and.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Got to play 20 for it to count.

[Don LaGreca]

That's a legal rule.

[Alan Hahn]

20 for.

[Don LaGreca]

So he could play 20, but you can play five minutes each quarter and just not have as much.

[Alan Hahn]

Does Tibbs know how to only play someone for 20 minutes?

[Don LaGreca]

But I always looked at the three games. But you say he needs four in order to get the postseason award. So this weekend seems a little much. But if he's ready to go, I could totally see him wanting to play.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, look, that's. First of all, let's just start with the obvious. When he injured that ankle, couldn't get up, barely could, could walk. Had to, you know, take the free throws and get and get the hell off the court. At that moment, you had to be feeling the season's over. That looked serious, him stepping on Austin Reaves foot and his ankle just completely bending the wrong way. And that really felt like that might have been it. So the fact that you're getting him back and you know he's feeling better and good enough to play and all that stuff, that's a positive. But last night was another opportunity where you saw the team come out the second game of back to back and a Cavs team had been sitting around for two days. The Knicks played hard, which is all you would want, right? Just play hard. You knew you were going to be undermanned when it comes to matching their offense. And their offense is insane. It's one of the best in the league. And you were down to your fourth and fifth point guards in this situation. So you're up by, I believe, at one point, because I know it was. Was it 15 at one point? It's the first time, by the way, did you guys notice it's the first time they've lost a game. Leading by 15 or more points in 71 games. That was the longest current streak in the NBA.

[Alan Hahn]

I remember they almost did it a few weeks ago. Yeah, you talked about that. They cut it close, but they held it off.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I forget against two, it was the comeback.

[Alan Hahn]

Almost botched it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The bad team that came back on them and it didn't make sense. They held them off. No, it wasn't Portland. It was somebody prior to that. But yeah, it was. They had a huge. But Wizards. It might have been Washington. But this, this was like. So when they had that lead, somebody from msg, one of the producers texted me and he's just like, There it is, 15 points. They haven't looked like this, this guaranteed win. And it was the first time they had. They had blown a 15 point lead in 71 game. That's amazing. The next high, the next longest streak, which is now the current longest streak is OKC. You know how many games it is? 29. So 71 games is ridiculous.

[Alan Hahn]

And that's a. And that's a brutal.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You never blow a lead and it's.

[Alan Hahn]

A brutal team to do it against because you really want it to feel good. Not only do they finally get the monkey off their back by beating one of the top two teams in the east, they do it without Brunson which makes you feel good and instead it's a. What was it? A 34 point swing to 71.

[Peter Rosenberg]

45 was the second half, 71 to.

[Alan Hahn]

45 but they were up. They 14, lost by 19 or something like that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, well they were up more than 15 but they were up 13 with like three minutes to go in the half. So you're feeling like if you can go into the half up double digits you're feeling good.

[Alan Hahn]

Of course not the way you used to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Anunoby gets that third foul and it was a cheap one and they have to take him out of the game. He was guarding Mitchell. That changed. Now all of a sudden the half went from 13 to seven in a blink. Now it's a seven point lead. Now you're not feeling good because you're on the road and you know the home team come out of the half, you know third quarter you're in trouble and that's literally what happened. That disappeared quick. Now they still keep punching back. Anunoby, Hart, all the guys that you were asking. Just play hard and see what happens. The game's tied at 83 with two minutes to go in the third quarter. They can't close the quarter now they're down. I think it was seven or eight going into the fourth quarter and then they don't start the fourth well and now in a blink you're down double digits and you knew the game was over. So you never are looking for moral victories. Of course you aren't looking for anything at this point but an underman team like this putting up the fight that they put up up against a juggernaut of that kind of team. Yes. You're still 06 now against the top two teams in the East. The average margin of defeat is 20 point something points per game.

[Don LaGreca]

It's become a thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's still a real thing and it's probably it's going to be in their heads and they can't shake it.

[Don LaGreca]

I know the thing that stinks is that if they, if they had won the game it'd be like no big deal, Cleveland doesn't need it because they pretty much got the number one seed clinched. What is a 4, 4, 4 game lead with like 7 to go, 4.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Or 5 to go or something like that.

[Don LaGreca]

But so, but all the more reason to Go out there and win the game, not blow a huge lead. That's just the same theme over and.

[Alan Hahn]

Over again, completely unrelated to the. Oh, go ahead.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I was just going to finish the thought by saying but you have Mitchell Robinson who didn't play in the game because he's not playing in back to backs. You had no Jalen Brunson. So you're still going with the skeleton crew and just trying to put up a fight. But as everybody again all this morning, and I'm just trying to fight it off. It's the national narrative, which is the right one. The Knicks are fifth best team in the NBA, which is saying a lot. Fifth best team in the league, but nowhere near the top of the other three teams. Now Houston won't say that, but Oklahoma City, Boston and Cleveland, the Knicks can't come close to those three teams.

[Alan Hahn]

And also it's also a little.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was trying to tell people.

[Alan Hahn]

It's disingenuous though, record wise. Sure, it's true.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But how do you say anything when you don't. You have not seen the full team.

[Alan Hahn]

That's the problem. It's incomplete.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And we might once we get to the playoffs in two weeks that to.

[Alan Hahn]

Me that is the whole thing. And like, you know, again today on first take, Shamshirani has said his expectation beginning of the year was conference finals or finals. And now he says because of everything that's happened, the fan base should really be happy if they can win a series. But to what? To which I replied. To which I replied. We can't even make this call yet. We got to see who they have and who they tried out. But do you guys really feel that this team is going to be better in the playoffs than Denver or Los Angeles? Like there are some other teams whose records aren't as good as the Knicks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Who at this moment, I don't know that I feel, I don't know if I feel better about the Knicks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Lakers are intrigued because they have the two superstars and the Reeves is.

[Alan Hahn]

Playing out of his mind too. So like that's, that's a really good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The right matchup could really be something. But now that's when I say the right matchup. Here's something to really keep your eye on. Detroit Pistons for a young team are a nasty hard playing team now. They've got a tough home and home thing here with Oklahoma City. They lost last night. They didn't have cade. You know, they put up a fight but they lost. Yeah. They have a couple of guys suspended and That's a team right now that ESPN analytics has matched up with the Knicks for the first round, 56% probability that that will be your first round matchup. So last thing the Knicks want, that would be like the Rangers facing Florida or Carolina in the first round. Like, you don't want a team like that because you're going to. If, even if you win the series, which you should because of your experience and everything else, you will come out of that series banged up. Like, I'd rather somebody else play them. And so that's where the 3, 6 matchup is something that everybody should be watching, not just the Knicks locking up third, because the magic numbers, three, the highest probability is they'll finish third. But who they play in the first round could decide whether they even have a shot at trying to pull off an upset in the second round.

[Don LaGreca]

We're trying to formulate a way for them to be Cleveland or Boston, specifically Boston in the second round. How are you doing that if you've got to go seven rounds with Detroit and Boston sweeps whoever.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

And they're sitting there waiting for you, and now you limp into that series or God forbid, get somebody hurt, and now you never get. You never get the chance again.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. And that, that's, that's something to watch. Now, again, the Knicks were supposed to be one of the elite teams. How are you afraid of a young Detroit team that is playing out of their mind?

[Don LaGreca]

I'm not afraid. It's just the matchups, as you said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. It's the physicality. Yeah. That's what you don't want.

[Don LaGreca]

Like you mentioned, like you mentioned in your, you know, the analogy of, like Rangers playing the Panthers. A better one would be like, what's happening in the Atlantic where you've got, you know, Toronto, Florida and Tampa all trying to win the division because they don't want to have to play each other in the first round. Now, can Florida beat Tampa? Sure. But do you want to have to go through that or do I want, you know, I'd rather play Ottawa. I can beat whoever because I believe I'm that good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

But do I want to go six, seven games, three of them go to overtime and get a couple of guys beat up, or do I want a team that, you know, they still could beat me, but I just feel like I match up better with them. We might be able to have a shorter series. Be careful what you wish for. By the way, Peter, you brought up first take. And being on first take. Rick is chimed in.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, boy, oh, boy. First Take. More like first cake.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, Peter might be a better fit on someone else's take. Well, what he's saying is since you.

[Alan Hahn]

Might be a better fit.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, because you had to take that. McAfee was going to announce Rogers and he's saying that you stole it from McAfee. Oh, because it's somebody else's take. It's not first take. It's your. You steal takes.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen, they can't all be winners. They can't all be winners.

[Don LaGreca]

Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

He show name.

[Alan Hahn]

No, it doesn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Someone else's. Someone else's not first.

[Alan Hahn]

I just want to say for anyone out there listening.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Stolen take.

[Alan Hahn]

Anyone out there listening to the program, if you're interested in doing things that are funny or entertaining. If it takes this long to break it down, I might not have done it. No, no. It doesn't usually land. That's.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm saying that I should have did the quotes, but if I needed to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Air quote that one.

[Alan Hahn]

If you're blaming yourself again, it failed. Now real quick, change the subject. This has just been hanging over and Alan's getting caught up looking now I am this Vic. Doc that's on TV is such an incredible flashback to that era.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

When I saw Michael Vick in his prime. Tell me if you guys agreed. I literally thought, I have never seen a human play football like this. Like the speed at which he played the game. We won't even get into his arm, which is maybe the most psychotic arm you'll ever see. But do you guys remember, like, you could not contain him if you thought you had Vic. He was gone every. Honestly, when you really break down from a talent perspective. Don't. Good top five. He played.

[Don LaGreca]

He was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He played high school quarterback in the NFL.

[Alan Hahn]

He was as talented. Oh, my. Do you see the effortless bombing?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Exactly. Yeah. The flick of the wrist.

[Alan Hahn]

He literally was. I'm not saying best guys.

[Don LaGreca]

No. But he's.

[Alan Hahn]

That's as talented a man to ever play the position.

[Don LaGreca]

He was also the first quarterback to. To win in Lambeau in the postseason. Right. Like that Lamb. The packers never lost at home in the playoffs and he did. And he was able to walk in there and beat him.

[Alan Hahn]

He was such a beast, man. He was just so.

[Don LaGreca]

The suspension got out of prison and was amazing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Was he one of the million Jet quarterbacks over time too, Right?

[Don LaGreca]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wasn't he a Jet for like five minutes? There was.

[Alan Hahn]

Vic was a Jet.

[Don LaGreca]

I think it was like 13 seconds.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was like a Jet.

[Alan Hahn]

He started games.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

I will give you his Stats, but he was. Believe me, they could do a 30 for. Not that anybody would watch it, but a 30 for 30 on all the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jet quarterbacks of this century. Meanwhile, let's go to Dave in the car. Hey, Dave.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, Big Dave.

[Caller]

Hey, what's up, guys? I want to bounce something off for you. This might rub on the wrong way, but I heard Bart say something earlier today and I think this is where the Knicks are. He talked about your Celtics, Peter. He was like, celtics were already loaded. They had a bench, they had starters, and then they go get Holiday and they give Porzingis. I remember when I saw those deals go down and I thought, damn, man, Boston is just, just. They just keep stacking the deck. They're like the Philadelphia Eagles of basketball. Why is it that big fans can't look at this Knicks team and see that they have to add more people? They can't be complacent. Even though we have a young. This is a very.

[Alan Hahn]

They haven't been complacent.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, yeah, they make.

[Alan Hahn]

They make multiple big moves every year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There is no complacency. All they've been doing. And Dave, I actually said on get up this morning that the Knicks are still another transaction cycle away from being a team that can push themselves into contender because they don't have. They need to find that piece off the bench or two that have a little more something to. They've got some guys and they're playing better now at the end of the season. But if you really want to contend, you've got to find like Peyton Pritchard might win six man of the year. You know, DeAndre Hunter is a guy that the Cavs acquired to come off the bench and they found Ty Jerome and turned him into a guy who could also be a sixth man of the year candidate. Like, you've got to be able to find guys who come in and are difference makers off the bench, not guys that come in and are just trying to like hold, hold the lead or hold the line. That's how you turn into a championship team. And that's another transaction, transaction cycle away. But everybody's dreaming about Kevin Durant rather than dreaming about how do you find those two pieces that can come in, vets that can come in on your team know the role of I come in off the bench and I get buckets. When. When just starters are on the bench, that's the next thing they have to find.

[Caller]

I get it. And let me just leave this one other question that I have, and it's about Tibs and it's about looking at someone like Bridges. Why. Do I. Do you. Do you ever get the feeling that this guy has talent? I've seen him play. Who, like, in person?

[Alan Hahn]

Bridges.

[Caller]

Bridges, of course.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But he took six shots. But. But Davey took six shots last night. Why?

[Caller]

So at what point do you not. Does Tibbs not bring this guy to the bench or even talk to him on the side? And like, you know, what do you have to do to help unlock you? The talent is there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You don't think they do. He just. He just went like. Like. Like 12 games, averaging over 22 points a game. And then in a big game, in a back to back, he gives. He puts up six shots like. Like, I'm like, there, there. There comes a time, Dave, and thanks for the call, guys. There comes a time where it's like, it. It's less about coaching and strategy and more about just. Are you here. Are you with us tonight? Like, are you here? Like, you know, this whole notion of, well, you know, you got to find ways to get on the ball. No, get the ball like that. You find a way because somehow the other night, you're cutting and slashing and you're getting passes and you're getting open, but now all of a sudden, you can't get the ball. How's that? The ball's in your hands.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So there are times where. And a lot of Nets fans were telling me about this when the Knicks made the trade, it's like, you'll see. There'll be nights where he's playing, he's in the lineup, but he's not there. And last night, you got to be honest, last night was one of those things.

[Don LaGreca]

What does that come from?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was. I don't know. It was very. Six shots. I was like, why did he only take six shots? And then defensively, because of Anunobi's foul trouble, he had to guard Mitchell, and, man, Donovan Mitchell just looked at him like, I'm gonna go right through you. And that was a tough matchup for him. So it was not a good night for Mikhail Bridges. It wasn't. He'd probably be the first one to admit it. He can't take only six shots against a team like that. When your team start, when it starts to go the wrong way, players like that have to emerge. And that, you know, again, that. That didn't happen. Clarkson, Queens. Hey, Clark.

[Caller]

Hey, what's up, fellas? The Knicks. I'm a big Knick fan, I hate to say it. They're basically the Cleveland Guardians or The. What is it? Minnesota Vikings. You know, it's like great in season teams, but this year it's not going to happen. And then another point on the Knicks and Tom Thibodeau and how he doesn't know how to, you know, rest guys, I was looking at it. Since 2004, 10 when he first started coaching, he's had a guy in be the top minutes guy five out of every single year he's coached. And the years that he didn't have a top guy, one of his guys was top three. No other coach has more than two years where they've had the top player.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's. It's what he believes and he believes in having his best players on the court as. As much as he can. Now, before. Just let me just say something real quick. It's amazing how all the fans now are saying this is not the year. And, you know, they're a good regular season, but they're not the team. But three months ago when I said that this isn't the year yet, that this is maybe the year before the year, and everybody got mad like, I'm sorry, didn't I tell you this?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, but that's the problem is you set the expectation and now you're the first to be disappointed when it doesn't come to fruition, when the expectation wasn't real to begin with. But the thing I take exception to with the Guardians and the Vikings, it's year one of this roster now. If you go two, three years and it doesn't happen, then you become the Guardians, then you become the Vikings. Yeah, I think, as you said, somebody that really knows the team, it wasn't about this year. You've had injuries and if it doesn't happen, it doesn't mean you can't run it back next year, make a few tweaks and then be there. You know the Vikings, yeah, they won what, you know, 14 games last year. We've kind of seen that happen from them before. Guardians make the playoffs because they're in a crappy division and can't beat anybody in a big spot. That's not the case with this Knicks team. They're just not as good as the Celtics.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'd like them to be the Detroit Lions, where it's something that came together.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, yeah, figured it out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And now, like, they're just trying to. The last step they have to get to, but they're not there yet.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't think it's fair to look at this Nick team and say, you know, typical Knicks I think it's game. It's year one of this process. I understand their coach hasn't won anything yet, but even if everybody had stayed healthy, you're trying to be screwed everything up, Right. Because Cleveland took the major leap and people are like, why didn't the Knicks make that leap? They didn't. But that doesn't mean they can't do it next year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can it be year one if the coach and one of the main players have been there for four years?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, because that was a major trade.

[Peter Rosenberg]

For three years, actually.

[Don LaGreca]

But wait, you made the trade because you were telling everybody, we think we can be better. And then so you make the deal. You are better, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

I think the fifth best team in the NBA. So they are better, but they're just not quite the Celtics or the Cavs yet. At least right now.

[Alan Hahn]

But again, we can't fully say that until we see if they play a full series together and how they gel.

[Don LaGreca]

But even if those guys come back, whatever it is, it's that still, even when they were healthy, well, Mitchell Robinson was never really healthy, but that this is year one of this. Yeah. So I do think you hit the reset when you make a big deal like that. I understand the coach is back, Brunson's back, a lot of the same pieces. But you were admitting we can get better. Did it have to be instantaneous? I guess a lot of fans thought so.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Everybody wants it to be. But because again, when Leon Rose and Tom Thibodeau came in, that's looked at as the first year. So now it's like, you know, you five years in, where's the progress? It's like, wait a second. The first year was 40 something wins. They're. They're gonna win 50 this year for the second straight year. Nobody saw this progress.

[Don LaGreca]

Nobody saw this from Cleveland. So the idea was that we're gonna be better. Boston could be one, will be two. We wouldn't face Boston till the conference final. Have at it. Cleveland kind of screwed everything up. Because here's Cleveland not just better than the Knicks, they're better than the Celtics. They're the one seed, which then forces you to have to play Boston in the second round. You're not healthy. That's the rub. That's the thing you didn't expect, right? You didn't expect Cleveland to be this quick.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Cleveland is having the season that they thought you were supposed to have.

[Don LaGreca]

Exactly right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's kind of what it is. And now Cleveland's having that.

[Don LaGreca]

Could you have had that season if Robinson was healthy at the start, well.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You wouldn't have traded for Carl Anthony Towns. If Robinson was healthy at the start, if he didn't need off season surgery, I don't think they would have done it. I think the urgency to make that trade, they were always interested in trading for him. There was always a conversation. But because you were going to start the season with Julius Randall at 68 as your center, it's just a realization of can we make this trade now? We can. Let's do it.

[Don LaGreca]

But you still thought you were going to get Mitch back in December and then you would had a lot more Mitchell Robinson than you got this year, correct?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. But they were always worried about how much could you use them again. Surgery on a big man's feet.

[Don LaGreca]

But it went from he'll be back in December to when ended up being what, March?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

And still not really having him every night because he can't play the second of back to backs. You got to be careful with him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah. So again, it's still in the process. But that's frustrating when you're in the process because you continue to wait. TaxAct knows filing your taxes can be complicated and that's why we have live experts to help you with any questions. They can hold your hand through the process, beginning to end, metaphorically of course. I mean they can't actually hold your hand in person. I suppose you could hold your computer mouse while you chat with the expert about capital gains or whatever, which is sort of like holding hands.

[Don LaGreca]

Sorry.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Point is, our tax experts can make filing easier.

[Caller]

Tax Act.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's get them over with. There are people out there all across.

[Alan Hahn]

The country pushing boundaries to grow the game of golf.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like champion speed golfer Lauren Kupp, who.

[Alan Hahn]

Plays faster than anyone else.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Will Lowrey, whose work in the.

[Alan Hahn]

Golf community inspires more kids to get into the game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

As a champion partner of the Masters, bank of America supports everyone determined to.

[Alan Hahn]

Find out what's possible in golf and in life. What would you like the power to do?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Bank of America bank of America NA Member FDIC Copyright 2025 bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. Lowes is the destination for EGO outdoor power equipment this spring see what's new and exclusive like the 17 inch string trimmer with line IQ technology that auto feeds to save you time and the 22 inch select cut self propelled mowers with a multi blade system for precise cutting. Shop EGO days happening now during Spring Fest at Lowe's we help you save Selection varies by location while supplies last. Thanks for Listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. So, Don, do you remember, like, you played street hockey, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Of course you did. Don McGregor, for God's sake.

[Don LaGreca]

A lot.

[Alan Hahn]

Game on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You remember the Mylek ball?

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The brand Mylac. Somehow it ended up on my. You know, my. My algorithm on Instagram. And it was the red ball, but it said cold weather. Do you remember the different colors that the ball would be that you would buy? Because, you know, if it was the summer ball, if you used it in the winter, it would bounce around.

[Don LaGreca]

Crazy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't remember being red. I thought it was blue.

[Don LaGreca]

Really?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. So I had to call him out for it. Whoever posted it turned into a big fight.

[Don LaGreca]

And you ended up being wrong.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I'm right.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't remember it being that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no. Did you only have the red one? Well, the orange.

[Don LaGreca]

Orange.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But if you use the orange one in the winter, like, if it was cold out, bouncing around, that hurt. Stung.

[Don LaGreca]

But I remember my vivid memories. There was a place in Glenrock that had an actual rink.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, we had one, too.

[Don LaGreca]

Boards and everything. And sometimes we would just play with our feet, and sometimes we'd get. Get the roller blades out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Roller skates and.

[Don LaGreca]

But I always remember, like, playing. And then there'd be, like, playoff hockey. Because I always remember playing when it. When it started to warm up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Don LaGreca]

Like, I just have vivid memories of that. I remember playing, like, into my 30s.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Real 30s?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How about you?

[Don LaGreca]

Well, how old was I in 96. I remember the Avalanche run distinctly for some reason. Remember the Avalanche run? You know, that's what, 20? That was 28.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Correct. Myself. Wow. I was at Newsday, and a bunch of us went to. I don't even know what park it was on Long Island. And we did. We. It had one of those, you know, street hockey rink type thing. It was asphalt, but still. And we went and played one day, and, you know, there's a guy, John Valenti, who is a terrific high school columnist, great writer. He was, like, all serious about everything. If we played. If we went somewhere and played softball, he would come, like, dressed like Thurman Munson, like, head to toe. So he shows up and he's got full goalie gear on, just the whole thing.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just. Yeah. Couldn't stop a buck. Like, not a single shot. But, yeah. So Maybe in my 20s I did play, but when we were kids, Ron Konkoma. Everybody shout out Ron Konkoma. Every weekend. We were playing all day on a Saturday. Down in the dead end. Down the block.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, on the cul de sac.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Painted. Everything painted. It was awesome.

[Alan Hahn]

I played. I was on a. As a kid, I was. For two or three years. I was on a gym hockey team. It was a lot of fun. Actual team, like.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like you talking about, like floor hockey?

[Alan Hahn]

Floor hockey is the more appropriate term. Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Street hockey, you know, it's a little bit rougher. It is.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, by the way, it is. And if that had been an option, I would have played that too. But they had a floor hockey league. It was a lot of fun. I haven't played any sort of hockey in that way since in college. I played a couple times. We had an area at Maryland you could play, but I miss it. Although I don't know what I would do. So much fun. The running part feels weird now. Like, what are you doing? You're running?

[Don LaGreca]

It was just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But it was. It was mostly passing. You weren't running that much, except the one fast kid who would just like pop the ball up in the air and then run by you and you're like, wait, yeah, yeah. And then now it's a breakaway. But it's just something. When I saw that brand, you know, certain brands when you were a kid that you don't ever see again. Mylec, my LEC was when I saw that brand. It's just nostalgic. It just brought back amazing memories of the shin guards and all the stuff that you would go to buy at either models or.

[Alan Hahn]

I'll tell you what was hard about floor hockey. The actual puck movement is really hard. Because don't get me wrong, they had these orange pucks, so they slide on the gym, that slide on the gym floor. But still it ends up being a lot of just the pucks just. It's like, it's just bouncing back. It's like table hockey practically. It ends up just bouncing back and forth. And then you hope you can just get near the goal and get your. Your stick on something.

[Don LaGreca]

And I still have it. I play with Marco when we play like hockey in the backyard. Like he was just like, it's nothing organized. He's got. We got nets and we play. It's a stick. I still have it. A buddy of mine who was a big time hockey player taped it for. For me and all that. It's the stick that they gave me when I did Scoro at a Devil game back in like the mid-80s and I still have it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's the brand? Or does it just say Devils?

[Don LaGreca]

No, no, no. It was actual stick.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is it woods? Wood stick.

[Don LaGreca]

Wood stick, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, can I ask a stupid question?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sure.

[Alan Hahn]

Would you say when you did Scoro.

[Don LaGreca]

Scoro.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay. Scoro is when you. You go out on the ice and you got to shoot the puck at the net, but there's like a. A hole that's maybe a little hole that Scoro. That's what they called it with the devil.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, I didn't know that. And you got to. You did that?

[Don LaGreca]

I did it. Yeah. It was a Devil Blues game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nice.

[Don LaGreca]

Brett hall was a blue.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Don LaGreca]

So maybe like 88. And how'd you do the thing that I didn't anticipate. They didn't warn me of it.

[Alan Hahn]

They actually shooting from the rug.

[Don LaGreca]

It would be at the end of the second period. So, like, with maybe five minutes to go, you'd go. They let you practice in the hall. Is that. I didn't anticipate just how chewed up the ice is at the end of the period because this is before they zamboni the I.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, no, no.

[Don LaGreca]

So it just. It just messed me up. You get two shots and. And wait, so.

[Alan Hahn]

So the first one, do you put. You didn't put enough on it?

[Don LaGreca]

Didn't put enough. Compensated. I ended up pulling it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, brutal. And then that's it. It's over. Get off. Get off the ice, kid.

[Don LaGreca]

You're not standing on a rug if you didn't hit the net. You always got booed.

[Alan Hahn]

You standing on a rug?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Don LaGreca]

That also was kind of an issue too. Then, like, my LT Jersey on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So I got a nice reaction.

[Alan Hahn]

Where's the photo of this?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, we need a whole. You gotta. Your mom's got a photo for sure.

[Alan Hahn]

Someone had to take a photo somewhere.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's a Polaroid something snapshot.

[Don LaGreca]

This is like. Like I said, I was at the LT jersey. It's like 86, 87.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's gotta be a little Kodak somewhere.

[Don LaGreca]

No, there's nothing. Nothing. I've joked with Peter, like, I've got 16 pictures of Marco and Jalen this week. There's probably 16 photos of me between the ages of 0 and 20.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what's funny, right?

[Don LaGreca]

I mean, how many times did people take your pictures?

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is how we're relatable. They. They've asked me to MSG about pictures, like from my playing career. Nothing.

[Don LaGreca]

Nothing, Nothing. No, nobody thought to take a picture. Now you're a Phone.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But they just watch.

[Don LaGreca]

Bringing a camera around on the yes.

[Alan Hahn]

Turn it to a movie on the yes network. When we would talk about my ill fated baseball career.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

They would pull up like two pictures. Those are probably the only two I have. And I gave them to yes. Like I. When I was in high school, we did take some pictures at parties and stuff. People bring a camera and you'd get. But like who has them now? Where did. And where did they go?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, there's. Because a lot of times you had to go photo mat. Get them printed, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I saw at my.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wasn't like you could airdrop them.

[Alan Hahn]

At our baby shower in Maryland. We had a small baby shower in Maryland. My. My good friend and my high school sweetheart. My ex girlfriend from when I was 14 to 20 was there Diana. And I was like, diana, where are your photos? Because she was a big picture person and we were together from 14 to 20.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, you would say you were talking about this.

[Alan Hahn]

So I was like, yeah. And I said where? And she said, they're in my mom's storage in Brazil. And I was like, what do we do to get. This is my life.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You go to Brazil.

[Alan Hahn]

I might have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now you have a good reason to go to Brazil.

[Don LaGreca]

It might be worth it.

[Alan Hahn]

I would to just clear the studio to go. I have to go see her mom. Of course.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm very far on a quest.

[Don LaGreca]

It's not like it's not a great place to go.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I want to go back to Brazil. The problem is her mom lives in Brasilia, the capital. She's not in Rio? Oh, no, no. She's moved to Fataleza, which is a beach town in the northeast. So if they're in Fortaleza, that's a good reason to go to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's it. What do you say?

[Alan Hahn]

You want a group trip? We're going to recover, Peter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pictures for pictures. Wouldn't this be. This would be a movie.

[Alan Hahn]

God, she probably has so much though. My DJ days.

[Don LaGreca]

Long hair.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, wow. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

I was living my life back.

[Don LaGreca]

Isn't this like the theme from the movie Road Trip? They're trying to get the video before the underrated movie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go.

[Alan Hahn]

Go get underrated movie.

[Don LaGreca]

Go get the.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's go get the pictures. I am a big fan of the film career of Tom Green.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, Tom, having done a lot of Ranger capital games, one of the things I still think they do it is at some point in the third period, they will play the scene where he's playing the guitar trying to get the snake to eat the mouse. And they. They play it. And then on the video, it's like Unleash the Fury and the crowd goes nuts. And it is very underrated. Talked about nearly enough.

[Alan Hahn]

And I consider, in my humble opinion, and I know this is their thoughts on this, I consider Freddy Got Finger to be a classic. I'm a huge fan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Never saw it.

[Alan Hahn]

Never seen it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's fun. I haven't seen it.

[Alan Hahn]

When I will admit I don't know if it will play it. If you haven't seen it until now, I don't know if it will play.

[Don LaGreca]

Scene where he's got, like, all the sausage.

[Alan Hahn]

Daddy, would you like some sausage? Daddy, you like some sausage?

[Don LaGreca]

I think I just fell on the floor. That is right up there with Dumb and Dumber. I actually warped the vhs. My two favorite comics, winding it back when they were trying it with don't turn on the radio and then do it.

[Alan Hahn]

Radio. Who needs Radio Bird. No, that's. It's a Good Cop, actually. And if you look. So if you haven't seen this movie, Tom Green's dad, who's Rip Torn, who's hilarious in this movie and hates Tom Green, his son, he comes in hoping his son has looked for a job, and he's attached his keyboard to. To strings, which are all attached to food and, like, meat that's hanging from the strings. And Tom Green has two steaks hanging from his ears, and he's just playing. Daddy, would you like some sausage? Daddy, would you like some sausages? And when his dad yells at him, he looks up with two steaks hanging from his ears and just goes, I'm being creative. And it's diabolical funny.

[Don LaGreca]

Jacob.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Can we come back with Daddy, would you like some sausage?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's.

[Don LaGreca]

I just remember seeing that, like the movies. It's got ups and downs, but I think I fell on the floor.

[Alan Hahn]

Also a true innovator. Jackass, of course, came after Freddy got Finger. Never forget it. He would. He was the truth. All right, I'm being told we should move on from Tom Grant.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Javier in Queens. Javier. Javier Courvoisier. What's up, Javi?

[Caller]

What's going on, guys? Thanks for taking my call, as always. This is actually a Don call, but your show is so good. You got me thinking about just one little thing. The Pete Alonso thing that you were saying before. I think a good comparison for him would be Brandon Jacobs from the Giants. Because Brandon Jacobs holds, like, the touchdown record for the Giants. You wouldn't assume it.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Caller]

Alonzo is going to be the home run leader for the Mets, like, kind of like, you know, God behind the scenes.

[Don LaGreca]

That's a good one. I think that's a very. I was thinking the same thing. Bradshaw, Jacobs, that really important, but probably not as appreciated. You're right.

[Caller]

All right, so. So here it is. Don't. What I gotta say about Don. All right. Oh, Don's voice is like the torpedo bat of New York radio.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right?

[Caller]

The way you guys have been talking about him and the way you guys were talking about voices before I was talking with Anthony, I was just like, you know, Don doesn't get enough credit, you know, And I think it's funny that I'm gushing about Don because I feel like out of the three of you, he kind of like, doesn't like my calls the most, you know, Like, I feel like I vibe with Alan and with Peter in such a different way. But Don is an incredible professional. Like, I got out with him. I think it was last week or two weeks ago when Peter got sick and, like, you could tell, like, he turned it on. He turned the charm on. Like nobody was going to get done on that day. He's just like, he's that good. So I just want to give Donnis, even though, you know, he doesn't love me.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't know why he's saying I love him. Not that it's inaccurate, but I don't know why he said love it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Javier. There you go.

[Don LaGreca]

I do like his calls. I don't see it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The face you made would suggest you don't.

[Alan Hahn]

And you know what? He. That means that Javier.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I love it.

[Alan Hahn]

Javier A feels the way about Don that Don feels about Andrew. Gundling doesn't care that Andrew doesn't care for him. Just loves him anyway.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, I see.

[Alan Hahn]

Makes no difference. Of course, Don made that up about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Andrew, but nonetheless, so high feel Griffin in Connecticut. Hey, Griff.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, there he is.

[Caller]

Hey, guys. You know when I was watching the Mets yesterday, played the Marlins.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's nobody on the Marlins. You have any clue who is literally on the Marlins? If we literally look at the Marlins roster and we literally ask Peter, who.

[Don LaGreca]

Do you know Peter's going to go Sandy Okontro.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's it.

[Alan Hahn]

You just gave me credit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did you even know El Contra? No.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, fine, Vaguely. I'm looking right now. Hold on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's a good. That's a great point, Griff, but your.

[Alan Hahn]

Phone'S clicking and it's annoying.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We love you. Thank you.

[Don LaGreca]

I wouldn't but Peter up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

They're gonna lose. They're predicted to lose like 100 games.

[Alan Hahn]

But oh, my gosh, I don't think I know anyone.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's none of them. Right? You just go through them and you're like, yep, Alcantara.

[Alan Hahn]

I do know, but only by name. I wouldn't think of.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's a guy.

[Alan Hahn]

He's a guy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's a guy.

[Alan Hahn]

Andrew Nardi, Anthony Bender. Tough name.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Nick Fortes. Matt Mervis. Matt Mervis. Familiar? I'm sensing Mervis.

[Don LaGreca]

They call him Nervous Mervis.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Never nervous.

[Alan Hahn]

By the way. Please don't disrespect my guy.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm Purvis. I know, by the way.

[Alan Hahn]

And when he played badly, you realize when he played badly in D.C. purvis. Ellison. He went from never nervous to Purvis out of service, which was. That was a big nickname. That is the second baseman for the Marlins, anybody?

[Don LaGreca]

And I just watched every game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What was it? Shlobotnik.

[Alan Hahn]

What's the name you guys chose?

[Peter Rosenberg]

CP1.

[Alan Hahn]

P1. There you go. That's P1 stuff right there. The second baseman for the Marlins, anyone? It is Otto Lopez.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sure.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow, these names are something.

[Don LaGreca]

Hey, this is. This is like major league. And when they win the World Series, you're going to feel bad.

[Alan Hahn]

Who's Corbin Burnson on this? That's my question.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, he pitches for the Diamondbacks.

[Alan Hahn]

That's right. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A message for everyone Paying big wireless way too much.

[Alan Hahn]

Please, for the love of everything good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

In this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying.

[Alan Hahn]

No judgments.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But that's weird.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, one judgment. Anyway, give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Required intro rate, first three and full.

[Alan Hahn]

Price plan options available. Taxes and fees extra. See full terms@mint mobile.com thanks for listening.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, how about I give you a tournament update?

[Alan Hahn]

All right, cool. Sure, I'm up for it. I mean, I wonder what's happened in the tournament between the last time we talked and.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, this tournament update's brought to you by Schweppes.

[Alan Hahn]

Love Schweppes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We love Schweppes. Final four, everyone. Reminder note to start time. It's Saturday. We got a great. This is an all chalk, all number ones Fantastic. Final Four Florida. Auburn will start things off. Six zero nine is your tip off and that game will be followed by Houston vs. Duke. You know the Cooper flag and them boys you don't want to miss. This is a great one. That was your tournament update, presented by Schweppes. Schweppes offers above the rim refreshment and is proud to sponsor the Big east conference. Enjoy the madness and take a break from the hoops action with a Schweppes Seltzer or Schweppes ginger ale. Love the ginger ale, by the way.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, I'm a.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is ginger ale making a comeback?

[Alan Hahn]

I'm always so. For me, one of my primary beverage options if I go with a mixer is the diet ginger ale with tequila. I'm a big fan of that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's a good one.

[Alan Hahn]

I like tequila and ginger ales, but the beauty of ginger ale is you can go whiskey ginger ale, you can go tequila ginger ale, you can go vodka. Every kind of alcohol kind of works. Ginger ale. I love Jack and ginger.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Absolutely.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, when I was a soda guy, I would have a Jameson and ginger.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

See, there you go.

[Don LaGreca]

Haven't had soda since 2012.

[Alan Hahn]

But if you did.

[Don LaGreca]

But if you did, then it would be ginger ale.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And it'd be Schwep's ginger ale.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, the way they treated us over at the station.

[Alan Hahn]

Like you dream about at the Irish exit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We love them. Love them. More ginger ale. Nestor in Arizona wants to talk a little puck with Donnie. Nestor.

[Don LaGreca]

Hey, Nestor.

[Caller]

Hi, guys. Hi, guys. Thank you for taking my call. Don, I want to say. And Peter as well. I've been listening to you guys since I was 14 years old. I started listening full time and now I'm 30 years old. So it's been a while.

[Don LaGreca]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

You grew up with us.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I thought you were going to add. And you guys have never sounded better now that I've. Since the last few months.

[Don LaGreca]

He was thinking it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did you not want to add that.

[Alan Hahn]

You didn't want to say this?

[Caller]

I love the show, to be honest. I love the show. I listen to you guys every single day.

[Don LaGreca]

Thank you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Love it.

[Caller]

But what I wanted to say was this question's for Don. Don, what do you think the Rangers need to do to have a better season next year? I know they won the President's Trophy last season, but I feel like a lot of those wins from last year were kind of lucky wins. Just wanted your guys to take.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, lucky in the sense that they were carried by what was a Very special power play. I think it was consistently in the top three all year. And as somebody that covered every game last year that power play bailed them out because what was the big problem with them? Oh, they're not that very good. 5 on 5. But boy their power play is special. Their power play I think was it ranked now 27th. It's three for its last 49 and it's killed them. That has been the single biggest difference. So they want to build a North south team. They're going to have to bring in players to play that way. I think a full season with J.T. miller is going to be a tremendous help. But they're going to have to reconstruct this roster. Man, I'm a big Chris Kreider fan. I think he's one of the all time Rangers. I think it's time to go. Mika Zabanajad. It's time to move on. You got Gabe Perot. I don't want to judge him on one game but he seems like he's got a clue and he's going to grow into be a real good player.

[Peter Rosenberg]

19.

[Don LaGreca]

He's 19 who had 108 points in what like 79 games in BC. Now college is much different than the NHL but get these young players going and you've got the goaltender. I like this blue line. They locked up Vacanine and Borgen but from the top six. That's just not enough out of your forwards.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is the Brady Tkachuk thing completely gone now? That was once a thing. Is it ever? Do you think it get revisited? Because that's a personality that I think this team could use too. Right.

[Don LaGreca]

Listen, they traded Norris which is like his best friend on the team. A lot of people speculated that that might be the last straw for Brady. He's a superstar American born player playing in Ottawa. So the whole kind of NBA way, he's not going to be happy there. He's going to demand a trade. Let's see what happens with the Senators. They're a playoff team for the first time in a while. Maybe they make a bit of a run. That's the guy you want but so does everybody else in the world.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's the Rangers. They usually get who they want.

[Don LaGreca]

That's the one thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you know he wants to play.

[Don LaGreca]

And he wants to play. I think he wants, I want. He's. I think he's of what his brother has in Florida in the sense that hey, he's on a really good team. He's in the States, you know Listen, they appreciate hockey up there in Ottawa for sure, but, you know, Ottawa's not Toronto, it's not Montreal, it's not. Yeah, Ottawa is kind of, I love.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The city, but it feels like a small, it feels like Sacramento, you know what I mean? Like, it's the capital of California, but it's like the least the less city you think of.

[Don LaGreca]

But, you know, and you know, because they always talk about. Because they're in the same province as the Maple leaks, but they're only like an hour and 20 minutes away from Montreal. Yeah, there's a lot of French speaking in Ottawa, so there are a lot of them Canadian fans and Toronto's a monster team up there and they're kind of like the Devils of the Islanders of that area. Just because everybody's a Canadian fan or a Maple Leaf fan, you know, he wants to play in a bigger market, I'm sure, so that's a possibility. But, you know, there's other places he can play too. Boston's going to blow things up, right? I mean, what if they show interest and stuff like that?

[Peter Rosenberg]

They would love him in Boston, but that if you're a Ranger, if you're the Rangers, the last thing you want is for him up there. John's in Harlem. What's up, John? What's up, John?

[Caller]

Hey, guys. How y'all doing?

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's going on, man?

[Caller]

I'm a Knick fan. Ranger. I'm an everything fan in New York.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Love it.

[Caller]

Rangers, man. Hey, hey, Alan, man, I don't know if it's a, a curse on the God, man. We had the two top three number one picks, Rangers I'm talking about, and they just blew that back to the Knicks. My main concern is, man, man, man, they got buddy ball going on in the front office to the sideline with Tibbs. We got Buddy Ball in the lineup. I really believe that that's affecting our ability to go to the next level.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What do you mean? What's buddy ball, though, John? Explain to me when you said that there's buddy ball, what is that?

[Caller]

All right, we all know, especially you, Alan, the relationship with kids and Leon Rose. Yeah, okay. I, I, when I heard that they were going to interview him, I cringed. When he was on that couch, I cringed. And after four or five years, I don't seeing enough in Chicago and Minnesota. And he's repeating the same process. He has not learned nothing. With all the stuff he has been given in New York. Thousand percent support, favorite players. He ain't getting it. He got, I think he has Too much influence. Same thing with jb. Love him. Great captain, all that. Too much influence. I believe that it affects what other players might want to say, what other players might want to do. And we. I've never seen anyone win a championship playing buddy ball. That's buddy ball with LeBron James.

[Peter Rosenberg]

LeBron James won so many titles doing it that way. In fact, his Cleveland team was all hand picked players by LeBron and that's how they won a championship. But, but John, I, I have to, I'm going to respectfully disagree with you in one sense and one sense only is that since Tom Thibodeau has taken over this franchise, they've done nothing but win. And their, their winning percentage under him is the best of any coach since Jeff Van Gundy. He's already fourth all time in wins. It was.

[Alan Hahn]

They do have a lot of hurt players though, by the time we get to the playoffs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, the hurt players last year in the playoffs and these hurt players were not. The hurt player you're talking about is Jalen Brunson. And that was an injury of stepping on someone's foot, I know. Not a fatigue injury. So.

[Alan Hahn]

Everyone always says that though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But thank you, John. I just like, I get that everybody wants that next step, but can we at least acknowledge the guy does nothing but win? This is going to be back to back 50 win seasons for the first time in 30 years.

[Don LaGreca]

But expectations. It's all about expectations, man. That's all it is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But he's been here a minute.

[Alan Hahn]

I know, but listen, until like, I get it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If it's like, you know, they win a little bit and then he loses a bunch of years in a row and now you get into, you know, all right, he ran his course. It's just getting better, not worse. Where they are right now is the best of the five years he's been head coach.

[Alan Hahn]

No, you're not, you're not wrong. But until, until he wins a championship. There will always be a thing with Thibodeau that A, he works his players too hard and B, he's yet to win a championship. And like I, you know, there are some people who believe in, and I totally respect you disagreeing with it, but there are people who believe he can be part of a championship team, as he was in Boston, for example, but that he will not be the guy to win it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That is a belief. It is the Buck Showalter comp.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, Buck Showalter, Marty Schottenheim, up until recently, Dusty Baker, those guys that'll get you there. But won't get you over the top and to defend the rangers on the picks yeah Lafreniere and Kako doesn't look like they worked out to 1 and 2 Lafrenier was the consensus number one pick is by feel better? Yes Is Stutzlo better? Yes but at the time he was the consensus number one and Kako wasn't Hughes. They didn't have the first pick it wasn't like they chose Kako over Hughes. Devils had the first picko was the consensus number two and they wanted it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So bad for the Devils to take cocko Right. Remember they were trying. It was this whole thing trying to make him the pick you got to take and they were smart enough to take Jack Hughes thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made but I just want to know. It's good. 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.