Hour 3: Knicks Concern & Report Cards

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast

Episode: Hour 3: Knicks Concern & Report Cards
Release Date: February 27, 2025

Hosts:

• Don LaGreca – ESPN New York and New Jersey Legend
• Alan Hahn – Sportswriter and New York Knicks Broadcaster
• Peter Rosenberg – Hip Hop Vet and WWE Personality

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Introduction and Tributes

The episode opens with a heartfelt tribute to the late Gene Hackman, transitioning into a discussion about iconic sports movies, notably ranking Hoosiers among the greats. This sets a nostalgic tone as the hosts reflect on memorable sports narratives.

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Main Discussion: New York Knicks Concerns

Timestamp: 00:32 - 07:05

Alan Hahn leads the conversation by addressing recent performances of the New York Knicks. The team’s latest victory against the Philadelphia 76ers (110-105) is scrutinized for its underlying issues despite the win. The hosts express concern over the Knicks' inconsistency, especially against top-tier teams.

• Alan Hahn: (02:15) "There’s something off about the Knicks lately. They win games they feel like they're giving away, similar to their performance against Atlanta and the Bulls before the big weekend."

Highlighting Jalen Brunson's pivotal role, Alan notes his ability to salvage games, yet questions the team’s overall competitive edge.

• Jalen Brunson: (03:24) "We have a 07 against the top teams. It can be taken two ways: either it's humbling or a call to improve."

Don LaGreca emphasizes the lack of "killer instinct" within the team, pointing out their inability to dominate consistently.

• Don LaGreca: (06:46) "Why two problems too. You get your doors blown off the hinges by the great teams and with the bad teams, you let them hang."

Peter Rosenberg concurs, stressing that despite having the talent, the Knicks are struggling to perform against formidable opponents.

• Peter Rosenberg: (03:32) "We're not in the infancy of this, guys. Last year's progress seems forgotten with recent losses."

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Listener Calls: Player Performance and Team Strategy

Timestamp: 08:18 - 21:05

Caller Dan (08:18):
Brings up the Knicks' roster moves, specifically the trade of Hartenstein and DiVincenzo, and inquires about the potential long-term signing of Mikhail Bridges.

• Dan: (08:22) "Do you see the Knicks signing Mikhail Bridges to a long-term contract? We're lacking a third scoring option behind Brunson and Townsend."

Alan Hahn responds with skepticism regarding Bridges' role and performance, noting his disinterest in extending his contract given recent game behaviors.

• Alan Hahn: (10:08) "He doesn't seem thrilled with his role. His body language in interviews indicates something's off."

Peter Rosenberg supports Alan's perspective, highlighting that Bridges' defensive slump poses a significant issue.

• Peter Rosenberg: (10:56) "The best news is it's a psychological problem and fixable, but the bad news is they might just not be good enough."

Another caller, Ryan from Houston (14:04), introduces a perplexing segment about Matt Ryan—a football player—being suggested as a potential savior for the Knicks.

• Ryan: (14:11) "Sports Illustrated suggested Matt Ryan could save the Knicks season with his three-point shooting."

Alan Hahn rebuffs the suggestion sharply, clarifying the impracticality of a football player impacting an NBA team's performance.

• Alan Hahn: (15:10) "Matt Ryan is not what they're missing. Their defense is the problem."

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NFL Team Report Cards: Jets and Giants Under Scrutiny

Timestamp: 25:02 - 32:20

The focus shifts to evaluating NFL teams, particularly the New York Jets and New York Giants. The hosts discuss an NFL Pennsylvania report grading team performance and ownership.

• Alan Hahn: (26:59) "The Jets are ranked 29th out of 32 teams, even worse than last year’s 21st position."

Damian Woody, a representative from the Jets, is mentioned as having criticized owner Woody Johnson, who received an "F" grade from players for not contributing positively to team culture.

• Peter Rosenberg: (28:36) "Woody Johnson getting an F seems predictable given the ongoing issues within the organization."

Don LaGreca and Peter Rosenberg debate the discrepancies between player perceptions and management's actions, with Don arguing that ownership's lack of positive cultural contribution is a fundamental problem.

• Don LaGreca: (32:17) "John Mara got a C plus, which is average, but Woody Johnson's F grade is alarming."

The discussion reveals widespread dissatisfaction among players regarding the Jets' ownership, highlighting ineffective team culture and management strategies.

• Peter Rosenberg: (35:38) "Players feel that Johnson does not contribute to a positive team culture. That's the owner, you're the problem."

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Ownership Evaluations Across the NFL

Timestamp: 32:12 - 37:16

Expanding beyond the Jets and Giants, the hosts critique the ownership of various NFL teams, noting generally poor grades among many franchises.

• Alan Hahn: (38:00) "The Ravens, Saints, and Chargers also received low grades, indicating widespread ownership issues."

Peter Rosenberg underscores that poor ownership ratings are prevalent, causing frustration among players and diminishing the attractiveness of certain franchises.

• Peter Rosenberg: (36:19) "If ownership is the problem, how can teams like the Jets and Giants attract and retain top talent?"

Don LaGreca adds that even traditionally strong franchises like the Pittsburgh Steelers received low grades, emphasizing a broader trend of ownership failing to meet player and organizational expectations.

• Don LaGreca: (38:25) "The Steelers got a D for ownership, which surprises me given their history."

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Fun Segment: Group Interactions and Light-Hearted Banter

Timestamp: 39:00 - 46:25

In a lighter vein, the hosts engage in playful interactions, reminiscing about former radio show practices and attempting to create synchronized chants. This segment showcases the camaraderie and humor among the hosts, providing a relaxed contrast to the intense discussions on team performance and ownership.

• Alan Hahn: (43:55) "When it's game time, it's Tully time."
• Don LaGreca: (44:02) "Come on. You're better. Jacob. We're gonna do it live."

Despite Don expressing reluctance, the hosts attempt to generate a cohesive "Tully time" chant, reflecting their dynamic and entertaining rapport.

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Timestamp: 46:06 - End

As the episode wraps up, the hosts reiterate the ongoing concerns with the Knicks’ performance and the NFL teams' ownership issues. They emphasize the need for positive cultural contributions from team owners to foster successful and competitive environments.

• Alan Hahn: (37:02) "If you're Woody Johnson and you're going to hold yourself accountable, think about how you contribute to a positive team culture."

Peter Rosenberg concludes by highlighting the critical role of ownership in shaping team success, urging for improvements to align with players' expectations and organizational goals.

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Notable Quotes:

• Alan Hahn (03:24): "There’s something off about the Knicks lately."
• Don LaGreca (06:46): "Why two problems too. You get your doors blown off the hinges by the great teams and with the bad teams, you let them hang."
• Peter Rosenberg (07:05): "We're not in the infancy of this, guys."
• Alan Hahn (10:08): "He doesn't seem thrilled with his role."
• Don LaGreca (32:17): "John Mara got a C plus, which is average, but Woody Johnson's F grade is alarming."
• Peter Rosenberg (35:38): "Players feel that Johnson does not contribute to a positive team culture."

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Key Takeaways:

• Knicks Performance: Despite recent victories, the Knicks exhibit inconsistency, particularly against top teams, raising concerns about their overall competitiveness and team chemistry.

• Player Dynamics: Jalen Brunson remains a pivotal player, but the team's dependency on him underlines the need for a more balanced roster. Mikhail Bridges' performance and role satisfaction are also points of contention.

• NFL Ownership Issues: The New York Jets and Giants receive poor ownership grades, reflecting deep-seated issues within their organizational culture. This trend extends to other NFL franchises, highlighting a broader problem with team ownership impacting player satisfaction and team success.

• Cultural Impact: Positive contributions from ownership are crucial for fostering a successful team environment. The hosts stress that without accountability and cultural investment, teams will continue to struggle despite having talented rosters.

• Engaging Hosts: Amidst serious discussions, the hosts maintain an engaging and humorous dynamic, making the podcast both informative and entertaining for listeners.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the third hour of the Don, Hahn & Rosenberg podcast, providing listeners with an in-depth overview of the episode's content.

Transcript

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[Alan Han]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Alan Han]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8:80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers. All right, the big 5:00 hour with Don Lagreca and Peter Rosenberg. I'm Alan Han. 800-919-3776. We'll get back to your call. It's been a lively conversation today, a fun one. Um, and also, again in the. Not that it's fun, but in the memory of Gene Hackman, who passed away today, we bring up one of the movies that he's well known for, which is Hoosiers. And it got us into talking about great sports movies and where that one would rank and where others rank as well. And that's always a fun conversation. So we'll keep that going with you. We have to get into the player report card from the NFL, NFL, Pennsylvania, and where the jets and Giants rank. And I know Don's got a take on that. I also talked to Damian Woody today about it, and he also pushed back on something. But let's do a little Knicks recap if we could. Driven by Ramsey Mazda, because the Knicks did get the 110, 105 win last night at the Garden over a hapless Sixers team. No embiid. They were up by 19 in this game. Guys felt like they were cruising. And then the same problem started coming back in the second half. Turned the ball over a lot, couldn't guard Maxi or George, and all of a sudden they're down 4. And it's like it felt like this would be an epic fail after the weekend they had to lose. That game at home would really start to set. I already said alarm bells should be. Should be ringing. Well, that would make it worse. Jalen Brunson wouldn't let them lose the game. Scored 10 of the last 13 points. They escape with the win, which is a terrible way to put it, but that's what they did. And so you walk away from that game and they Keep finding ways to win games that you feel like, are they giving this game away? Just like the Atlanta game right before the break, the Bulls game before the big weekend. There's something going on with this team that if you're a fan, you have to be concerned. And a lot of times when you start doing that, players will push about, oh, we're fine, everything's fine. And Jalen Brunson usually saves his best stuff for his podcast, like. Like he's a good interview. But of course, when he's on his podcast, a little more relaxed and he has more to say. So listen to Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart on their Roommates podcast talking about what everybody was talking about coming out of the weekend, which is they're 07 against the three teams in the league that have a better record than them, that they are bad against the top teams and how do they feel about it? A record against the top teams in the NBA, pretty horse. Would be 07, 067 a team. To see that stat and to recognize it, I think it could be taken two ways. It can be extremely beneficial because it could put you in a position of being humbled. You know, we have a lot of room to go or kind of break teams and you think like, oh, we're not as good. I think with the mentality that we have and the character of the team that we have, I think it would.

[Don LaGreca]

Be the first one.

[Alan Han]

The frustrating part about all this is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That, like, we have what it takes. We have the personnel, we have everything we need in that locker room. We just gotta put it together. The amount of times we've been embarrassed on national television, I mean, that should ring a bell. That should be a wake up call in itself. And not just for those games, just for the rest of the season.

[Alan Han]

We gotta wake the hell up. That's literally what I said, right on Monday. It's literally what I said, that if I'm in the front office, alarm bells should be going off about whether or not maybe I need to make some adjustments to this roster in the off season. Maybe I don't have what I think I have. What do we think though, of Brunson saying we have everything we need to win and Josh Hart thinking, oh, this will be good for us? I don't know if I agree with Josh Hart. I think he's being optimistic. I do think that there is something to watch here with this team that is just something off about them of late. Are you buying either one of these takes from these guys?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm Definitely not buying the Josh Hart one. This. It's a trend. It's a problem. The nationally televised games, the fact that they have not been able to beat the really good team. I'm sorry, that's a problem. We're not in the infancy of this, guys. I mean, last year was supposed to be. Even though they made some serious changes, it was like, all right, now we're taking a step in the right direction here. And are you really? You know, last night's a reminder of that. The Bulls games, a reminder of that. I know they weren't 100% banged up, but we've seen this trend a lot.

[Alan Han]

The killer instinct feels like it's not there right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're messing around. You find out and. Yeah, and now you got to go beat those teams. This isn't the dance, right? This isn't the NCAA tournament where you just got to go beat the Celtics once, come up with one good effort, you gotta be in four times out of seven. Does this team look like they can beat any of these big time teams in a series?

[Alan Han]

No, no, no, not at the moment. He's not a talent.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not at the moment. That's a good point.

[Alan Han]

Not at the moment's probably the fair thing to say, but I'll push back on what Josh Hart said because you already knew going into the weekend they had you at Owen 5. You were already aware that that narrative was there. And they were literally in the first quarter of both games flat. So don't tell me like, oh, this is good. This will get us fired up. This will motivate us. It should have motivated you on Friday night or on Sunday afternoon. And in neither one of those first quarters, they look like a team ready to punch first. And so I do. I do have concern about what's going on in that group because I agree with Brunson. There's a lot of talent on his team. There's a reason why their record is what it is. It's still one of the best in the league. But why is it, when you play the better teams, the only time I saw them punch first was at Oklahoma City. I called that game. I was courtside. It was an unbelievable atmosphere. And that game was. Was an absolute slugfest. During the broadcast, I said to Mike Breen, I will take seven games of this. And he agreed. But the next time they played them, they got smoked. Every time they play the Celtics, it's the Celtics guys. You don't need to be reminded who you're playing. Every single time they play them, they Are their doors are blown off in the first quarter. So I don't know what is that? Where is that fight? Where is that? We've got something to prove. Chip on your shoulder. They that we saw a lot of last year. It's missing.

[Don LaGreca]

Why two problems too. You get your doors blown off the hinges by the great teams and with the bad teams, you let them hang.

[Alan Han]

Around or you let them back in or let them.

[Don LaGreca]

Or let them back in.

[Alan Han]

I mean they really do blow out most of the bad teams. But lately what you're saying is true.

[Don LaGreca]

People seem to.

[Alan Han]

The killer instinct is suddenly not there. I don't like it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But here's the best news is that it is a psychological problem and that can fix that. The bad news is it's not that. It's that they're just not good enough. They have the talent or talent. There's been talented teams that didn't live up to their expectations. It's so easy as a fan or a member of the media to go, yeah, that team didn't take this team seriously. Or they take nights off. As Peter likes to say. They play with their food.

[Alan Han]

Those.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's good news because you can just have a team meeting and correct that. But maybe it isn't that. Maybe it's just that when they play the big time teams, it's just not there. They're not good enough. Not good enough to beat those teams.

[Alan Han]

And maybe they don't even think they are. Like there could be a collective like, oh my God, this team's hard.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like a guy like Brunson, he's going to talk up his guys and everything. But he probably the players know, they may not admit it, but I think he probably looks and says maybe we just don't have.

[Alan Han]

They know the weak links. They just don't want to point them out. Could be. That's the Knicks recap. Driven by Ramsey Mazda. It's the experience of driving a new Mazda and buying a new Mazda from Ramsey Mazda. Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda 800 now. 193776 on the concerns of the Knicks, your favorite movies and more. Dan in New Jersey. Go ahead, Dan.

[Caller Dan]

Hey guys. How's it going?

[Alan Han]

Good.

[Don LaGreca]

Hey, buddy.

[Caller Dan]

Yeah, I love the show. Love the new format. You guys are all killing it. Yeah. Huge, huge Knicks fan. It seems like Don, you had mentioned it. Something is definitely off and I agree that they need to get that grip back. They seem to have lost when they traded Hartenstein and got rid of Divincenzo. Maybe Mitchell Robinson can help that. Maybe it's something need to address in the offseason, you know, by adding some of those grit and character guys like, you know, a Marcus Smart kind of a guy. But my specific question to you, Allen, was do you see the Knicks signing Mikhail Bridges to a long term contract? Because we're seriously lacking that, you know, third scoring option behind Brunson and Townsend. And as you guys all know, it's those teams like in any sport that have the depth that win championships. Like you look at Boston and the Cavs and OKC and like literally everybody can score. Everyone. And not to mention Bridges has been playing, you know, his worst defensive season of his career. Is that an anomaly? Is it, you know, something the Knicks would want to be patient with? So I know you have your pulse on the finger, you know, your pulse on the team. So yeah, just willing to, you know, get any kind of input on where you think they might stand on that going forwards.

[Alan Han]

Well, Dan, a month ago I would tell you that I absolutely think they would give him an extension. Right now I'm not sure because of everything you just said. I'm not sure. Is he comfortable in the role that he's playing? Is this what he wants to be, which is the third option and a guy that's going to be asked to every night play the other team's best perimeter player and chase him on screens and it's a thankless job. It's cornerback in the NFL. Is that what you're willing to do? Because his body language lately. Did you see the walk off interview that I had with him on the court? He couldn't wait to get away.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. Oh, I did see that. Actually he did not look.

[Alan Han]

I was almost stunned, like I was very surprised with how short his answers were. And the very last one, which is just about. He had a great first quarter and all I said to him was like, what was your mindset tonight? He just said, just want to play hard and then walked away. Something's going on there with him and it doesn't feel like he's. He doesn't seem like a guy that's real thrilled with his role or there's something going on with him, body language wise, that if you get to the off season and this doesn't go well and nothing changes and Phoenix is now moving Kevin Durant. You gotta think about it.

[Don LaGreca]

Isn't that weird though, that 28 points in a win and he wasn't In.

[Alan Han]

A good 19 in the first quarter?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, he started out what, six or seven you brought.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was just for Whatever reason, it popped up on my Twitter feed.

[Alan Han]

They're always listening.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nick Muse and his comment from that interview. He's showing the video of the interview. I can't hear it, but I could see it. Damn, bro. Mikhail seems really down on himself in the post game interview. Yeah, that's the sense, right?

[Alan Han]

Those are usually fun. And the crowd can hear, the audience can hear you. Everybody in the building can hear it. And he did not seem like he wanted to be there at all. And I was really surprised. It's not like we have any issues. There's no beef between them.

[Don LaGreca]

Was that his best game as a Knick?

[Alan Han]

No, he had a 40 point game season. But it was just like I said, there's something going on there and if I'm on the coaching staff, I need to try to reach him and figure out what it is. Because if he's going through something mentally and it's clearly affecting the way you play as a team, it's taken away from that continuity. That's going to be a problem.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, basketball is the kind of game too, where one person is being off can just mess up the overall camaraderie of what. Because so much of what makes this team magic is the way they've always interacted with each other.

[Alan Han]

So true. And he's a Villanova guy. You would think again, that's why they brought him in. And now it's. There's a lot of people that are like, would you rather have him or Dante DiVincenzo?

[Don LaGreca]

Which is crazy because he's a better player.

[Alan Han]

Obviously he is a more talented offensive player than Dante DiVincenzo, but DiVincenzo brought it every night, understood the role, embraced the role and had a little bit of that dog in him.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, he did.

[Alan Han]

And Bridges, you know, you're seeing, doesn't always have that. And so there's a. There's a delicate balance happening right now. Meanwhile, as they keep waiting for Mitchell Robinson. He's getting closer, Anthony. I know, I know. You can't wait. He's getting closer. That's all we keep hearing.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah, it's almost time.

[Alan Han]

Just tell me when he's playing, which. Maybe it's tomorrow night. Who, Maybe.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, will he be on the flight to Memphis? Right. They're already.

[Alan Han]

They're already. They're already gone. And I'm obviously not on it. I'm flying after the show, so if I see him tomorrow, I'll feel a bit better. But he's been on the trips with them. But they.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The idea that he Might be ready to play or just. He's going on a trip.

[Alan Han]

He keeps practicing. I mean, he's. We're just waiting. We're waiting for the day they finally let him play. Ariel Huckporty, the rookie seven footer who got his first start, was playing. The fans love me. He's all kinds of energy and everything like that. He just. According to Shams, it's a torn meniscus because he's. He hurt his knee during the game, left the game, and now they're going to lose him for four to six weeks. So now you're getting even smaller. So they really need Robinson to come back. So that's. That's not so great news there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Don LaGreca]

If we get back on the air next week after this weekend and we still don't have Mitchell Robinson.

[Alan Han]

So Monday show. If I'm not talking about Mitchell Robinson playing against the Grizzlies and the Heat.

[Don LaGreca]

Or one of them, at least one of them, I would say we got to. It's reasonable to ask.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He may not come because we're down to what, 24.

[Alan Han]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

24 games.

[Alan Han]

Yeah. Yeah. And they said before March, originally it was, I think around the holidays, so.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, my God.

[Alan Han]

Didn't realize it was Easter they were referring to. Oh, maybe Ryan in Houston. Ryan, or are you on Houston?

[Caller Ryan]

Yeah, yeah, Houston. Lots of love from Texas, guys. Love the show. Listen every day.

[Alan Han]

Nice. Thanks, man.

[Caller Ryan]

Real quick. I.

[Alan Han]

You might have.

[Caller Ryan]

If it was mentioned earlier in the week. I apologize. The. The Sports Illustrated article that was talking about Matt Ryan coming off the bench. I just. I watch all the Knicks games.

[Alan Han]

What do you mean? What. What article you talking?

[Caller Ryan]

There's a Sports All. There was a Sports Illustrated article earlier this week that said the savior to the Knicks season could be Matt Ryan. I don't remember. I don't remember. You have to Google that one.

[Alan Han]

It comes right in Connecticut. It's.

[Caller Ryan]

I know it's a reach, but, you know, I watch a lot of the Knicks games. All of them. I watch some of the Celtics games every now and then. I just. I would love to see Matt Ryan and Tyler Kolek come in. And do what? Hauser and Pritchard.

[Don LaGreca]

Ryan.

[Alan Han]

Ryan.

[Caller Ryan]

Yes, sir.

[Don LaGreca]

Who.

[Alan Han]

Who are they? Who are you taking out of the rotation? He played nine last night. He played nine.

[Caller Ryan]

I know.

[Alan Han]

I think Tyler Colic is going to be a really good NBA player at some point, but are you. Campaign's not playing.

[Caller Ryan]

Yeah.

[Alan Han]

Like I tell fans this all the time. You just like. Like Tyler Colic.

[Caller Ryan]

Got to go. This got to go.

[Alan Han]

Cam has got to go. That's. That's a whole other conversation. If you want to play a rookie as you're trying to win a championship, rather than a veteran who's been to an NBA Finals, you know, that's a different conversation. But for someone who writes for Sports Illustrated and I've never seen this story, I don't know who you're talking about. To think that Matt Ryan is going to save the season. Matt Ryan is not what they're missing. Their defense is the problem. No offense to Matt Ryan. I don't remember the last time anybody ever discussed him and defense in the same sentence. He's a shooter, but, you know, like, this is what. Thanks for the call, Ryan. Guys, this is what I can't stand. I'm sure Michael went through this. Sometimes you're around a team and so you know more and you try to explain it, and then when somebody brings up a player that they think should play and you know that player is really not that good, you hate going public with, well, this guy sucks. He shouldn't play.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Han]

You don't want to do that because you don't want to disparage somebody that, you know, he's not saying I should play. Somebody else is. It's like these are the things that get frustrating. Matt Ryan is not going to sit. Matt Ryan, the football player can't save the next season.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know if I'm saying his name correctly. Jeff Magellichetti.

[Alan Han]

I have no idea who that is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wrote the article yesterday or what's today? 27. So two days ago.

[Alan Han]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And just writes the article about. And that's the title of the article. Could Matt Ryan help save Knicks season?

[Alan Han]

Oh, Lord.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The New York Knicks have a three point specialist buried.

[Alan Han]

A specialist. So the Knicks, who are, I believe, second or third in the league in offensive rating, they need to add a three point shooter and that's going to save the season. That's. That's what we did here. Oh.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Was it? The most notable performance in a New York uniform has been a pair of eight point showings. The combined final margin of victory in those games with 67. Needless to say, if anyone's going to save the next season and just might be Matt Ryan, everybody's got it. Like you got Matt Rempe with the Rangers and they might end up being right with that. Right. Everybody's trying to dig up something, trying to be that guy. So I don't. You don't know who he is? I don't know how close he is to the next situation. I'm going to punch up his name here to see what his credentials are.

[Alan Han]

Editor in chief.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know that says editor in chief at all. Nicks.

[Alan Han]

I don't know what that means. Matt Ryan. God help him. I think that's Lang. I'm telling you guys, you're thinking too hard. It's Lang in Connecticut's pseudonym.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Again, thank you.

[Alan Han]

Matt Ryan's a great kid, and it's a nice story. He's played for his hometown team. All that stuff's awesome to suggest that the team that has, like, the. It's one of the top offenses in the league. Their issue is they're 23rd in defense. They're having trouble guarding their wings. Aren't really doing a great job guarding. They don't have room, protection. Those are the things you need. Okay. Alex and Stanford. Alex.

[Don LaGreca]

Alex.

[Caller Ryan]

Oh, wow.

[Caller Dan]

Why don't.

[Caller Ryan]

Why don't we just sign Matt Rempe? We would help with defense.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Big enough, right?

[Alan Han]

Yeah, Right. Put him in power forward, you know, throw some elbows. I don't mind.

[Caller Ryan]

On a serious note, I got a story, but I'll be very quick. Last year, I was lucky enough to be in a suite for OGN and OB's first game.

[Alan Han]

Nice.

[Caller Ryan]

And lo and behold, midway through the first quarter, Wally Zerbiak sits next to me. And I was blown away. But I turned to him and I go, you know, I really loved Quickly. I really loved Barrett. I know nothing about OG Anunoby. And he turns to me and he says, most of New York doesn't, but they're about to find out. And what we saw last year was this building on a culture, this building on a chemistry. And the hardest thing for any team to establish is a chemistry. And then Karl Anthony Towns. It just seems like all of that has gone away.

[Alan Han]

It's not him, Alex. It's not him. You got to believe me. They love him in the locker room. He is deferred to Brunson. He doesn't like. They don't fight over the ball. There's no issue there. I'm telling you. I'm telling you that that is not it. They don't miss Randall. Like, I know that's the easy thing to do. You've got, like, I beg people, you got to trust me on this stuff. It is not Towns. There's something else happening there. Bridges is part of it, and we've got to figure it out, but it is not Town.

[Don LaGreca]

And you're not saying it's all bridges either. You're just saying that could be one little piece.

[Alan Han]

But it's. It's like that's the first body language thing that really caught my attention. You know, Anunoby hurt the. Hurt his foot and he has him in the same. And it usually takes him a minute to kind of find himself and get himself into rhythm and all that stuff. So he hasn't quite been insane. But you know, he doesn't look bad. But bridges and the body language is something that really gets you and you're like, wait, what's going on with him? What's happening with him? He went a bunch of games where he barely got to 14 points a game, wasn't shooting the ball well at all, and then has this great first quarter and then the end of the game, he's still like wet blanket. And so again, I. But let's not start. I've had people say to me that they should just, they should have undo the trade. No, that is still the right trade. It's still the right trade. It's. Towns is not the issue. There's something going on within the group. But while I say this, they still have one of the best records in the NBA, so we really are.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But is the thing wrong with them just not good enough? Because you're saying it's correctable and this team can do it.

[Alan Han]

Brett believes it too. He thinks they have enough.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But even though podcast, he's not going to kill his own team.

[Alan Han]

No, no, no, no. But, but.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Or admit defeat or.

[Alan Han]

But I think it's a fair thing now. Again, it. There's a lot of time to put in and adjustments to put in and I still think there's still things you need to tinker with this roster. And that's an off season thing. Right. Again, I'm on record of saying from the early part of the season, while they were winning a lot, that I just don't think this is the year yet because of all the things that we're seeing now. But it doesn't mean, you know, there's a window. They've got it, they've got time, there's gonna be adjustments, there's gonna be moves to make and all that stuff. And you know, we'll see. But I'm not gonna start saying, well, they should never made that trade. No, no, it is not Towns. There's something. No body language happening in the room. That's what concerns me is that of all the things to point out, it's all of a sudden there's an enthusiasm that used to be there, it's no longer there. And that's an intangible thing that is not a tangible talent thing.

[Allstate Voiceover]

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[Alan Han]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Give your gut health some support with.

[Alan Han]

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[Don LaGreca]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Han]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

It is the one week anniversary of.

[Alan Han]

The game Free Bird, but I don't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Think that's where Jacob's going.

[Alan Han]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So where is Jacob?

[Don LaGreca]

My guess is it's a Skynyrd. The anniversary of the song release. Album release.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What is the.

[Alan Han]

Oh, no, it's a birthday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

One of the bandmates. Wow, that's. That's nice.

[Alan Han]

Any reason to play?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, just one of the bandmates.

[Alan Han]

That's all right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Surviving. Was he on the plane? Oh, they were all on the plane. Well, just trying to see where we're going here.

[Alan Han]

It's Johnny Van Zo, aunt.

[Allstate Voiceover]

The.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I guess the vocalist, but man, I'm depressed now.

[Alan Han]

Why such a great song? It's uplift.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a great song, but we're all right.

[Alan Han]

This song played. Was this. Was it Forrest Gump when she was on the ledge?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Alan Han]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Good call.

[Alan Han]

She's on the ledge. And this song, one of the great sports movies, right? Did play. He did play college football and ping pong.

[Don LaGreca]

I can't believe.

[Alan Han]

And he was actually a runner, if you think about it.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, he's a great runner. Great football player. I can't believe someone tried to say Forrest Gump should be in the.

[Alan Han]

Yeah, we did get a tweet.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We did get. I mean, he did play for Alabama.

[Alan Han]

Alabama Bama.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And he.

[Alan Han]

Run, Forrest.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Johnny is the surviving member. Forrest Gump. Run, Forrest, Run.

[Alan Han]

We talked about this earlier in the week, but we didn't go too deep into it. But the jets and Giants did not fare well in this NFLP. They do it every year, almost 1700 players. And they, you know, they give you all different grades for the teams they play for. The Jets, 29th out of 32 teams. Makes you wonder who is the worst. Arizona Cardinals, in case you were wondering. But 29th is pretty bad. They were 21st last year. So it shows you that things aren't getting better in Florham Park. They're clearly getting worse. And Woody Johnson is the only owner that got an F grade from players.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If you want to see their best grade, they got a B for head coach. All right. People are excited about that. Still ranked 25th.

[Alan Han]

Oh, wait, is the B. No, this. This was done in November, so this. This grade.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So that's even worse.

[Alan Han]

Was it for Robert Salt? No, it was for Jeff Ulbricht. 82% of players felt that Ulbricht was efficient with their time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan Han]

Players felt he was moderately receptive to locker room feedback on the team needs that's why he got.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not faced it too. Rogers loved him.

[Alan Han]

Now ownership gets an F. So his rating for perceived willingness to invest in the facilities was 5.58 out of 10. They felt he does not contribute to a positive team culture. That's alarming. And the players feel Johnson is somewhat committed to building competitive team. 31 out of 32. Wait a minute. That's the one thing that Damian Woody. I talked to him today on. We were in the studio and get up. It's not a drop. We worked together. It was the.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't know. It's not close though.

[Alan Han]

We weren't.

[Don LaGreca]

We weren't close.

[Alan Han]

He played for the Jets. We were in the studio. I asked him what'd you think? He said that's the one thing that he would say is that this is an owner that is always willing to spend money. Brought in Rogers, he brought in devonte Adams. When has he ever said, no, I'm not spending that. Right. That was the one pushback he did have about the players and the great. And he said his experience at Florin park has been great. He loved it there. He thought it was a very high end place. But of course that was when they opened it. But that's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's the guy.

[Alan Han]

What he does to get this grade is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's. Forget there's always going to be something behind like the locker rooms. I have not been in all the locker rooms but all I keep hearing is the jets facilities is top notch. So I was kind of. I thought that was kind of odd that they. That they would complain about that. I wonder how much of that is the bias of. Maybe you don't. You don't like the area. You would rather live someplace that's.

[Alan Han]

Well, they're far away from New York City and they live nowhere.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know if that has anything to do with it, but I've always at their facilities and what I've seen, again, I've got nothing to compare it to that the Giants and Jets should be fine. But the ownership man, we know that's the problem. The only F, like where are you going? That's the reason you could bring in all the different head coaches and the right players. But this is a guy that's just not a good owner and he gets his fat hands involved. And I gotta be honest too. John Maurer got a C plus which. It's okay.

[Alan Han]

And I'll tell you what was said about him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go ahead, please.

[Alan Han]

Average rating for perceived willingness to invest in the facilities 7.73 out of 10 from the players. That's 22 out of 32. The players feel Mara moderately contributes to a positive team culture. A rank of 22 out of 32.

[Don LaGreca]

Moderately.

[Alan Han]

And the players feel that ownership is committed to building a competitive team. 21 out of 32. So he gets a C plus. And, you know, it's not a great grade, but it's way better than an.

[Peter Rosenberg]

F. It is way better, but it's not great.

[Alan Han]

What do you think? How do you think Dable did? What would you guess Brian Dable did?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I would think well. For some reason, I think that he would have done well. It seems like the players do respond and give me a grade B. I see it.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm looking hard.

[Alan Han]

Oh, you're looking okay. B plus. No. 90% of the Giants players feel that Dable is efficient with their time. And the players feel Dable is moderately receptive to locker room feedback. Those are the two things that are most important to them not. Is he a good coach?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's. See, isn't that interesting that, like. Yeah, because, like, the time he doesn't bother us. He lets us do what we want to do.

[Alan Han]

Yeah. They got a minus in strength coaches, so apparently they're good at that.

[Don LaGreca]

No, that's something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen, the reason I would take it with a grain of salt, obviously, is because you're interviewing players in November. Some of them have one foot out the door. All right? Some of them might be disgruntled to begin with, but that's good.

[Don LaGreca]

That helps you get an average of.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Where are they disgruntled because of the assessment of the team? Or they're like, I think I should be starting and I'm not getting the minutes I want. Or I didn't want to come here in the first place when my agent talked me into it. I'm here. I hate New York. I hate being here. And your bias against the organization, but because some of this just does not seem to jive with how people feel about these organizations. The one thing that does seem to fit is Woody Johnson getting an F. Like you could predict that. And John Mara being average. Because, let's face it, John Mara has been average. I'm sorry. I love the guy. He's a great guy, a nice person. And the Marin name resonates around the NFL. The sacrifices Wellington made so the rest of the NFL can share the wealth has made the league what it is. That's why his name, Duke, is on the ball. But honestly, as far as assessing talent and hiring and Firing the right people and building a winning culture. It has been average at best under John Mara. Just has. And so I, I. You can. Both things can be true. Great guy. Love the guy. But is he a great owner? I mean, I think a C plus nails it and I think Woody F nails it.

[Don LaGreca]

Do you want to. Do you want to see? I'm looking at right now as a shockingly high score.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm the commander.

[Don LaGreca]

No, that's not shocking.

[Alan Han]

For owner.

[Don LaGreca]

For everything.

[Alan Han]

For everything. Who's that?

[Don LaGreca]

The Raiders. Including owner.

[Alan Han]

They must. They must treat him well. Remember, this is.

[Don LaGreca]

I can barely find a B.

[Alan Han]

This is not competency.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The KAI can't find somebody to cut his hair, but they love him.

[Don LaGreca]

It A's across the board. One B. I see now commanders, by the way, one L I feel great about. We have an F on locker room. You can. I can deal with the F on locker room because they're stuck with an old building that everybody hates.

[Alan Han]

Well, do they practice there too?

[Don LaGreca]

No, but their. Their practice facilities need upgrades too because Snyder's cheat. They practice in Ashburn, but. But that needs an upgrade.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Were you surprised Kraft got such a bad Grade A craft? I think I got D minus or something.

[Alan Han]

I'm looking for. He got a D there. By the way, there are 13 owners who got A and three that got A pluses. Can you name the three? Give me. Can you guess what three owners got?

[Peter Rosenberg]

A plus from their everything that I hear. It pains me because he's a Jersey guy, but he doesn't own a jersey. Team is Wolf in Minnesota. People seem to just fall all over that guy.

[Alan Han]

That's one of them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's two of us and they got that building, right?

[Alan Han]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

A plus for owners.

[Alan Han]

Players love the owner. There's two more.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I can't imagine the Cowboys love Jones.

[Don LaGreca]

I looked already at that. That was a B.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just because it's not Snyder, I would think that they love. They love.

[Don LaGreca]

We're not A plus.

[Alan Han]

Not A plus. Really?

[Don LaGreca]

Okay, I'll take an A. How about San Francisco?

[Alan Han]

Nope. Nope. San Francisco. Green Bay got an A minus.

[Don LaGreca]

How about Green Bay?

[Alan Han]

Green Bay. Funny, because there's no owner, but they got an A minus.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Ross of Miami.

[Alan Han]

Miami is one. Yeah. A plus. So there's two of them there. Miami and Minnesota is one more. This one you won't be surprised by. It's. It's a known. But not like it might not come to you, like right away, but once I say it, you'll.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah, the Hunts in Kansas City.

[Don LaGreca]

No, that's A good guess, though, Lori in Philadelphia.

[Alan Han]

No. Which is surprising to me, by the.

[Don LaGreca]

Way, I love that the Eagles have an F for travel. What are they doing? Making them drive everywhere. They got a Winnebago.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To the Eagles. The Eagle Winnebago. Oh, God.

[Don LaGreca]

Who is the Don. Who are we not thinking of that we're going to go? Oh, yeah, of course.

[Alan Han]

Well, I don't know if it's. Of course, but it's. It's a, you know, it's a guy who you, you know, he's taking care of his players.

[Don LaGreca]

Which conference?

[Alan Han]

Nfc. NFC South.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, NFC South. Atlanta.

[Alan Han]

Yes.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. That doesn't surprise me because Blank takes care of his fans. They take care of the players.

[Alan Han]

That building's great.

[Don LaGreca]

Building's phenomenal. Good place to live.

[Alan Han]

So other a own after the A plus is Denver, the Chargers, the Raiders, the Texans, the commanders.

[Don LaGreca]

Texans is kind of interesting, right?

[Alan Han]

Ravens, yeah, they've had some issues.

[Don LaGreca]

Ravens doesn't surprise me.

[Alan Han]

Ravens, is that as the A plus franchise? Really?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, they're.

[Alan Han]

They're the. The Saints. Green Bay's A minus, A minus. San Francisco's A minus. And the Bears, believe it or not, a minus. So that's why when you. When we're talking about this, the reason why this is significant is because these are two New York franchises. These are staples in the biggest market, and they have two of the worst owners in the sport compared from what the players are saying, which does make you say, who the hell wants to come play here, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

And mostly for the jets, because when you, when you take a look at the landscape, the Giants are on the low end.

[Alan Han]

But F, the only F is embarrassing for when he.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And we've seen the reports that have come out about, you know, him being too involved is that, hey, you pay players, they'll come, right? We've seen that a million times. You pay the right money, you'll come. But how are you supposed to change a culture when you've got that kind of bad ownership? And as much as we all rooting for Aaron, Glenn and Muji to get this job done, is it going to matter if Woody is going to get involved and not allow them to spread their wings and do what they need to do?

[Alan Han]

Think about this line, Don. This is the one to me, that if you're Woody Johnson and you are, you're going to hold yourself accountable. Like he apparently did at the end of the season. He said I have to be better. He did put it on him. I'll say it again. I said it before in the breakdown of his F grade and what the players were saying in their responses. The players feel that Johnson does not contribute to a positive team culture. Like, you're the owner, you're the problem. Think about that. You don't contribute to a positive team culture. Your players feel that about you. Where an owner, what are you contributing other than providing everything you need to be successful.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And on the surface it feels like Woody gives them. At least it looked like great facilities in Florham Park. Man treats his players well. That's what you hear.

[Alan Han]

But so take care of the families and all that stuff. How are you then?

[Peter Rosenberg]

What is it? Is it just the word that he's too involved? Or is it just the fact that we lose all the time? He must be the reason.

[Alan Han]

Come on. We lose. All right, let's see.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, this was done back in November, right? So that was already the season. So this was already after they had let Salah go. So that probably contributed because it looked like the players all loved.

[Alan Han]

They think he stepped in.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's too involved. And if that Diana Rossini stuff is true, that he. His son's like helping out, making picks.

[Alan Han]

And trades in the locker room, talking trash about players. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was in the story that that's going to work.

[Alan Han]

I would definitely contribute to a losing culture. So think about this Tempe Buccaneers. Would you think that's a really good franchise? They've had success?

[Don LaGreca]

I would think so.

[Alan Han]

Be happy with owner there, I would assume. Yes. They're a D. All right. The New England Patriots. You mentioned Kraft. You thought, I mean, you would think this is a. A guy who said nothing but success, Wouldn't he be a great owner? D. Arizona Cardinals, not a surprise D minus. Carolina Panthers. Again, not a surprise D minus. No. So those are your worst franchises, but the Pittsburgh Steelers with a D, that surprises me.

[Don LaGreca]

No, no, that's for. That's for ownership.

[Alan Han]

Yeah, Ownership got a D for the Pittsburgh Steelers and that.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't know.

[Alan Han]

I would not expect that.

[Don LaGreca]

Sometimes those super like our franchise is what matters. Organizations are not loved by that. You know, the little bit of the old school, holier than thou. It's all about our jersey. Everyone wants to be here. I could see how there are times when the players like, yeah, bro, I just want to go to a place that treats me well. Give me a good locker room and lots of money. It doesn't shock me.

[Alan Han]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don LaGreca]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Han]

Catch this show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. All right, let's do game time. Brought to you by Tully Mardu Irish Whiskey. Because, fellas, when it's game time, it's Tully time.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't want to do this.

[Alan Han]

You just really don't.

[Don LaGreca]

No, I'm out. I'm out.

[Alan Han]

You just don't like it.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm not into it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's all right. I don't want to be. I don't want to force anybody.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, no, I have like a. When I go ahead, finish the read and I'll tell you why. My logic, I don't want to mess up your flow.

[Alan Han]

You don't like having fun. Only one local in action tonight, everybody. Islanders in Boston facing the Bruins at 7. Did you see Patrick was stop practice to yell at his team?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't see that.

[Alan Han]

After the five, after getting embarrassed to the Rangers, you have practice and now your coach still, like, this is screaming it's time, Isn't it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hockey about to just change the coach again.

[Alan Han]

Well, no, no, no, no. Not the coach. They finally got that right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I believe they have.

[Alan Han]

I'm talking about just the core of this team, clearly, like, it's run its course. They got to freshen it up. When you have to yell at your team in practice this time of year after getting smoked, you would think everybody be locked in after a game like that. That game should have also.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's an issue.

[Alan Han]

Let you know that there's a problem on the island. That is game time. They are playing the Bruins tonight, so we'll see if they can turn it around. Brought to you by Tullimore Dew, the original triple distilled, triple blended, triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullemore Dew. Honey, during tonight's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Du responsibly. So what do you hate about this read and the fun we were supposed to have with you and Don and.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't like the let's do a group sort of like chant together thing.

[Alan Han]

Chant. It's like you're singing and like, Don.

[Don LaGreca]

That means that, like, I don't like it.

[Alan Han]

All right. How do you feel, Don? Do you think?

[Don LaGreca]

Be honest.

[Alan Han]

If it's corny, I'll stop doing it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why can't we generate something?

[Alan Han]

It brings attention to the sponsor.

[Don LaGreca]

We love that.

[Alan Han]

And everybody. People in their cars might say it along with you, Peter.

[Don LaGreca]

Do you, Don? But that's what you want to do. You want at three times A day at random points, when you start hearing him do the read, you go, oh, I got to get ready to jump in and go, it's Tully time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't want to leave my guy hanging.

[Alan Han]

I see. There you go.

[Don LaGreca]

It's Tully time. See, now that. How about that? Then why don't we try this? You just do. Because when it's totally. When you do that and let them hit the drop, it's telly time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can't we just. We're dissecting this.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't want. I just don't want to do it. Clown show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's like the.

[Alan Han]

That was organic.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You see?

[Don LaGreca]

That was organic.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Patrick wa just yelled at his team. The Islanders are in free fall. Lost four in a row.

[Alan Han]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And the suggestion is maybe we need to change the skate laces.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, back in the day, when there was a period before we got mornings, me and Cypher Sounds, they brought in the west coast morning show, Big Boy. And Big Boy was given mornings in New York, which was a horrifying disaster. And Ebro, in his infinite wisdom, back in the day, his program director was like, well, hey, if the company wants to put Big Boy in mornings, I'm going to have you guys do pre mornings. Because he knew this wasn't going to work. And I want to get you guys ready for what'll be next.

[Alan Han]

That's smart.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, Don. It's the kind of thing people should think about when a show isn't going to work out. Let's get some other people ready.

[Alan Han]

Didn't they. Didn't. Didn't they do that with DPA and Rothenberg? Weren't they doing, like, a little, like, earlier version? They did, and then they decided to just take over because they were so good.

[Don LaGreca]

So they put us at five to. We were doing five to seven, and Big Boy was doing seven to 10. Now, listen, Big Boy is very talented. A legendary guy. His style is not New York. It wasn't going to work here. But the thing that I always thought was absolute, was absolutely insane, was that every break, when he'd go Big Boy in the morning, the second he would say big Boy in the morning, his team in unison has to go Big Boy. And I can't.

[Alan Han]

Do you feel like it's that? See, I'm thinking. Do you remember Imus used to say the trigger, and every time Imus said the time, what would happen?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, my God, I should remember this every time. I don't remember. Oh, who would do that?

[Alan Han]

They made us. They had a drop.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Quack, quack.

[Alan Han]

Let's just tell you every single time.

[Don LaGreca]

But I don't look if it's a drop. That's why I like to don drop.

[Peter Rosenberg]

For a time he wanted. It was big boy.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wanted to be propped up by his minions. I'm not getting that sense. No trying to thing.

[Alan Han]

Quack quack.

[Don LaGreca]

Well get the drop. You have the drop ready over there. Well listen how nice this sounds though. Because when it's game time, it's teletime. That's.

[Alan Han]

That's.

[Don LaGreca]

We found it already. Like what are we doing?

[Alan Han]

Cuz it would sound better if it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Was like multiple voices workshopped off the air.

[Alan Han]

But I like all we gotta do Bohemian Rhapsody. Just have everybody just together here.

[Don LaGreca]

Let's just try one together. And you just in once and maybe it'll be the one. But I want you to hit that same one you just hit. And I'll let you be the really guiding light here. Ready?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don LaGreca]

Because when it's game time, it's not with the drop.

[Alan Han]

Jacob. That's how you do it.

[Don LaGreca]

Let's get her in the game.

[Alan Han]

Come on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'll be Patrick wa. Let's go.

[Don LaGreca]

Come on. You're better. Jacob. We're gonna do it live.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You don't think we want her to score goal.

[Don LaGreca]

It's been a great day. I. I've loved today.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, hard five. Shoot the puck.

[Don LaGreca]

Put the basket in the basket.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pop up.

[Don LaGreca]

Stop in a pucky. Yeah, boy, like you dream about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This power plays.

[Don LaGreca]

40 birds. Yeah, it's 40 birds.

[Alan Han]

You have to score the goal.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So soft.

[Alan Han]

So soft.

[Peter Rosenberg]

32Nd rank.

[Don LaGreca]

Kill you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Kill me. You don't think we want to score goal.

[Don LaGreca]

That's got something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm so glad I asked.

[Don LaGreca]

It's just how you say you've never heard French. Don, we've heard Cajun dog. No, I've only heard Cajun dog. I didn't know there was.

[Alan Han]

Because I've heard that voice before. Like we've all. If you've covered hockey, you've heard the one French guy when he gets mad, it's hard not to laugh.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You didn't pay for the I. I don't know why, but they don't pluralize anything. The French guy, nothing.

[Alan Han]

Nothing. And they don't say they don't want to score goal.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, there has to be a reason for it, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know.

[Don LaGreca]

Maybe. Maybe plural doesn't have an S in French.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know. But you know, it's not like Patrick Roy hasn't been in in the states for like 30 years.

[Don LaGreca]

Is this French?

[Alan Han]

Cheap burger. Cheap burger. Cheap burger. No coconut. I don't know what that is. Not quite sure.

[Don LaGreca]

It's Richard. Fluent Richard.

[Alan Han]

It's. It's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what? Big six o'clock hour.

[Alan Han]

It's been a day. It has been a day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It really has.

[Alan Han]

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. 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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