Hour 3: New Worst Caller

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 3: New Worst Caller (May 5, 2026)

Episode Overview

This hour covers a crucial stretch of the NBA and MLB seasons, with a focus on the surging New York Knicks and reactions to their playoff run, the legacy of Yankees announcers, and the tension between sports fandom and viral social media culture. A standout moment is a contentious call from "Michael in Manhattan," dubbed the show's "worst caller," which prompts a rapid-fire debate about enjoying sports. The show also dives into Yankees trade rumors and reflects on modern sports fan behavior, especially after J.R. Smith is mobbed outside Madison Square Garden.

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Knicks Hot Streak & Playoff Confidence

[00:52] - [05:57] Knicks’ Playoff Run Analysis

• The Knicks, defying expectations, are on a remarkable turnaround after their last loss to Atlanta.
• They're now “five and two” in the playoffs, with the only losses blamed on self-inflicted mistakes.
• Tim Legler was quoted as saying, "they're the best team in the Eastern Conference."
• The panel expresses cautious optimism about beating the Spurs and advancing.
• Knicks are shooting “over 60% from the field, over 50% from three, 70% from two-point range in the last three games.” (Peter Rosenberg [03:10])
• The Sixers are facing challenges, including coach Nick Nurse’s absence due to his brother's sudden death, potentially impacting their performance.

Alan Hahn [04:24]:
"If the Knicks win Game 2, the series is over. That's how big Game 2 is on many levels. You can really take a stranglehold."

Memorable Quote:

Peter Rosenberg [03:10]:
"These are not normal numbers, but these are numbers you get when your offense is flowing to a point where you're just getting good looks, rhythm looks, and that's what it's been."

Sports Betting Side-Note

[06:28] - [07:09] Ebro’s Big Bet

• Ebro shares that he placed a $500 bet on the Knicks, planning to use any winnings for Mother’s Day gifts, sparking a humorous aside about “push presents.”

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Reflecting on NY Sports Voices: John Sterling & Michael Kay

[08:28] - [15:49] Voices That Shaped Yankees Fandom

• John Sterling’s retirement is discussed with anecdotes about his unique style and the fitting tribute the Yankees gave him.
• The group highlights what makes a great play-by-play announcer, noting that Sterling’s flamboyance brought color to the otherwise formal Yankees culture.
• Alan Hahn and Peter Rosenberg praise Michael Kay’s style, noting he wasn’t “classically trained,” which sets him apart.

Ebro Darden [13:04]:
"Wasn't it perfect that their radio guy had a little bit of wackiness and a little bit of color? ...they needed Sterling to lighten them up a little bit."

[16:11] - [16:32] Transition: Taking Calls

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The "Worst Caller" — Michael in Manhattan

[16:32] - [19:58] The Legendary Call

• Michael from Manhattan declares, “Knicks championship or bust. Finals is not good enough. …Still not that watchable.”
• The hosts challenge his negativity, with Peter repeatedly asking, “Why are you so miserable about this?” [17:14]
• Michael claims the Knicks aren’t entertaining or “that watchable,” cites a lack of passing and fast breaks, despite their current offensive explosion.

Peter Rosenberg [17:33]:
"Why can't you just enjoy it?"

• The hosts try to reason with him, with Ebro urging, “Don't you realize...this is a really fun time? Sports...is about fun.” [19:10]
• The call ends with Alan officially labeling him the “worst caller of all time,” spurring playful banter about trolling and the nature of fandom.

Alan Hahn [19:43]:
“Michael in Manhattan, welcome. You’re on the board. The worst caller all time. We'll put him up there.”

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Celebrating Knicks Fandom (and Cautionary Tales)

[22:20] - [24:44] Perspective from an LA Knicks Fan

• Next caller, from LA but originally New York, praises this Knicks season as “the most fun next season of my entire adult life” [22:26].
• Question: “When do I officially jump out the window — when can I believe this is the year?”
• Peter Rosenberg advises waiting for a conference finals appearance before embracing title dreams: “You can't embrace anything right now. Just watch...this is starting to look right.” [23:59]

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Mob Mentality: J.R. Smith Incident & Social Media Fandom

[27:31] - [37:36] Danger at the Garden: When Celebrating Goes Too Far

• Alan recounts postgame chaos outside MSG:
  “7th Avenue between 31st and 33rd after a nick win is mayhem madness.” [27:31]
• J.R. Smith, trying to celebrate with fans, is “trampled,” sparking a discussion about viral content taking precedence over actual fandom.
• Hosts call out the role of clout-chasing “grifters” and warn, “this is going to get to the point where they're going to end up shutting this stuff down.” [30:48]

Peter Rosenberg [30:25]:
"When he falls down, how are we all not stopping and helping him up?"

• The group laments that “the few...ruin it for the majority,” questioning society’s obsession with filming everything and losing authentic human moments.
• Ebro and Peter reflect on the “Black Mirror” culture of social media.
• Alan: “We don’t even look at life anymore. Parade goes by. We’re all looking through our phones.” [36:10]
• Consensus: This increasing detachment and chaos will ruin communal moments for real fans.

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Yankees Trade Rumors & MLB Nostalgia

[41:25] - [50:16] Yankees Trade Scenarios and Past Prospects

• Yankees expect Carlos Rodón back, discuss confusion over his name.
• Discussion of Tarek Skubal trade scenario:
  The Tigers reportedly demanded Ben Rice, Cam Schlitler, and George Lombard Jr. for Skubal—a price the Yankees wisely rejected.
• The debate expands into commentary on prospect evaluation and past fails like Kevin Maas and Shane Spencer as “strange pulls.”

Peter Rosenberg [45:55]:
"How could you do that?" (On Tigers' audacious trade demand)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Sports Fandom & Enjoyment:

• Peter Rosenberg [17:33]: “Why can't you just enjoy it?”
• Ebro Darden [19:10]: “...this is a really fun time. Sports ultimately is not serious. Sports is about fun.”

On John Sterling’s Place with the Yankees:

• Ebro Darden [13:04]: “Wasn't it perfect that their radio guy had a little bit of wackiness and a little bit of color?”

On Mob Mentality:

• Peter Rosenberg [30:25]: “When he falls down, how are we all not stopping and helping him up?”
• Alan Hahn [36:10]: “We don’t even look at life anymore. Parade goes by. We’re all looking through our phones...unless we’re documenting it.”

On Prospect Hype:

• Peter Rosenberg [49:07]: “There was a time Kevin Maas was one of their best hitters.”

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Key Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------------|------------| | Knicks’ Playoff Domination | 00:52–05:57| | Nick Nurse's Loss & Sixers Challenge | 03:33–04:24| | “If the Knicks win Game 2, series is over.” | 04:24 | | Ebro’s $500 Bet & Push Presents | 06:28–07:09| | Reflections on Sterling, Kay, & Broadcast Tradition | 08:28–15:49| | The “Worst Caller” Segment: Michael in Manhattan | 16:32–19:58| | Call from Positive LA Knicks Fan | 22:20–24:44| | J.R. Smith Mobbed Outside MSG | 27:31–37:36| | Social Media Fandom Criticism & “Black Mirror” | 36:09–37:36| | Yankees Trade Rumor Deep Dive | 41:25–50:16|

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Tone & Takeaways

• Energetic, passionate, occasionally combative, and deeply knowledgeable.
• The hosts challenge negativity head-on, celebrate New York sports culture, and aren’t afraid to call out problematic aspects of modern fan life.
• Playful ribbing and in-jokes about sports broadcasting and infamous prospects add flavor.

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Highly Recommended Segments for Listeners:

• [16:32–19:58] — “Worst Caller” (debate on fandom negativity)
• [27:31–37:36] — J.R. Smith “mob scene” and viral fandom deep-dive
• [41:25–50:16] — Yankees prospect/trade analysis and nostalgia

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For Knicks, Yankees, and New York sports fans, this hour provides insight, tough love, and some much-needed perspective on how to savor winning, even if it’s been 53 years.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal, they include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where Money means more. Connect with [e-mail] this is the Don

[Podcast Announcer]

Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Podcast Announcer]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 880 ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

[Alan Hahn]

Game time is brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey because when it's game time guys,

[Peter Rosenberg]

it's taller time.

[Ebro Darden]

It's tolly time.

[Alan Hahn]

Mets snowed out so they're going to have a game tomorrow night that was supposed to be during the day has been moved tonight and then Thursday they're going to play in the afternoon. But all this is to tell you that Dan Grass will be on after us at seven o'. Clock. He'll take you up to nine Yankees. They'll start a series with the Texas Rangers over the stadium at 7:05. Tell them or do the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Telemore do which rather than the Tullamore do honey, during today's action glasses up to enjoying Telemar due responsibly. You know, the Knicks are just doing stuff that I don't think anybody, even, even the most positive Knick fan could have thought was possible. You go back to last Friday after they lost game three to the Hawks in the fashion that they lost and they have not lost since. And the closest game was the game four 15 point win. It's, it's astonishing the turnaround and I brought it up at the beginning of the show. We want to take your calls on The Knicks at 1-800-919-3776 is that they really haven't been beaten by anybody but themselves in these playoffs. Right now they are five and two in the seven games they played and the two games they lost against Atlanta. They beat themselves

[Peter Rosenberg]

so bad fourth quarter in game two, bad first quarter in game three and both of them cost them

[Alan Hahn]

and they are showing you when they are at full efficacy because they're as healthy as they've ever been and they're playing well. Sorry, knock on wood or whatever this

[Peter Rosenberg]

is Formica that, that this is how good they are.

[Alan Hahn]

Tim Legler was on yesterday, said they're the best team in the Eastern Conference. And not for nothing, and it's only one game, but that was a bad loss by the spurs last night at home to Minnesota.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

So they give up home court immediately in that series against the T Wolves. And the spurs are a team that can beat the Thunder. And the Knicks have proven to you if you buy into the regular season, or at least the cup, that they could beat the Spurs. So you might want to keep the spurs alive here if you really have aspirations of winning the whole thing. But right now, let's hold our horses. Let's get through the second round. But the way things look last night, everything's golden in Nick Land right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right now. Yes. And everybody shot like they shot over 60% from the field, over 50%. These are not normal numbers. They are red hot. 70% from two point range in the last three games. Guys like this, these are not normal numbers, but these are numbers you get when your offense is flowing to a point where you're just getting good looks, rhythm looks, and that's what it's been over the last couple of games. Now you expect adjustments. Now there's one piece of sad news out of Philadelphia, okay, And it's Nick Nurse, the head coach. He lost his brother last week suddenly, and he wasn't with the team today. He flew back to the family home in Iowa for the funeral. So the Sixers had to spend the day without their head coach. Now, of course, the assistant coaches are all capable of putting a game plan together and showing film and all that stuff, but still, for Nick Nurse, this is. He's had a heavy heart for the last week, and you're talking about one of the epic comebacks down three one that his team pulled off a Game 7 win in, in Boston. These are all things for him right now that you don't even know where he, you know, like, is he numb right now? Like, you know, like there's a lot.

[Alan Hahn]

I can't even think about what he's

[Peter Rosenberg]

going through, you know, like he. So also a side story going on within this series is that. So that's a tough, tough situation for him and you certainly feel bad for him and condolences to his family. But they have one day, they had one day to go from game seven to game one against a team that was definitely in a rhythm and now they've got one game to go. All right, what did they do against us and what are things we're going to try against them to stop it and slow it down. But if you're the Knicks. I mean, you, you've got to feel pretty confident that whatever you felt you had rolling in game four and five and six against Atlanta, you were able to continue it in game one against a different team. So there's no reason for you as a, as a group to not feel collective confidence that you can keep this thing going until they can prove they can stop it. How do you not have the confidence that you can keep it going? And as Don said, I think I hate to do this, Peter. Like, you know, the make or miss league thing, that's really it. You could have a cold shooting night, could happen. Bunch of open threes, miss them. And that's what Boston did. And now all of a sudden you're in a dogfight late. So that's what you want to see is does the hot streak, the hot shooting continue and does the momentum continue? And I'm telling you right now, I firmly believe this. If the Knicks win Game 2, the series is over. That's how big Game 2 is on many levels. You can really take a stranglehold.

[Ebro Darden]

You said if they win or if

[Peter Rosenberg]

they win big, if they win game two.

[Ebro Darden]

So even if they win by, they battle back and forth and win by

[Peter Rosenberg]

two, I don't care. Two. Oh, they'll know it. Sixers will know it. They'll know it. And you know, they're comfortable playing in Philly, they've won there in the playoffs.

[Ebro Darden]

And they go in saying, we just got to split, so let's go to

[Peter Rosenberg]

Philly and come back, all that stuff is that it becomes that feeling. And I know, yes, the six or team was down 3:1 to the Celtics, that Celtic team, something happened to them. They weren't right.

[Ebro Darden]

Well. And if you're late to the show, I already put 500 down. So with the Knicks and the points tomorrow, so you don't have to watch

[Peter Rosenberg]

the game and the points and the points.

[Ebro Darden]

So you go 500 minus seven and a half, honey. 500. So that's a 25 point win tomorrow night for the, for the bikers, as I call them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow, you're just going to start stacking it just.

[Ebro Darden]

I mean, listen, Mother's Day is coming. I wonder if I hit tomorrow, do I just pull it all out and buy a nice, nice gift for the lady? Although I did just get Natalie her push present, her delayed push present, and that was pretty good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What is that?

[Ebro Darden]

That's going to take up a lot of presents for a little while.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, yeah, that was something. The push present is the Gift. That is. It's a modern thing. This is something that. Probably in Alan's, you know, early days, not a conversation, but in the modern era, it is a thing to buy a. An extravagant gift for your wife after the baby. In other words, thank you for pushing this human out of that.

[Alan Hahn]

That's nice.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I gave Stephanie a push present.

[Ebro Darden]

What's that, Gracie? No, that's not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, that's more of a pushback.

[Ebro Darden]

You know, she gave you life.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, no. I. But how else was Gracie supposed to be made?

[Ebro Darden]

No, no, no, that's not how the push press works, though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I'm confused.

[Ebro Darden]

The push. What was it? What? I missed it. What did you say, Don? What?

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know if it's worth repeating, but Jacob got it, and I appreciate it.

[Ebro Darden]

Did I miss something that was more of a.

[Alan Hahn]

More of a pushback, Push back?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah, you know.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, you're talking about sex.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, let's not ruin it with.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, you ruined it.

[Alan Hahn]

Now, listen, it was so pure with Jacob. Jacob heard it, laughed, but that's the way it works.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Made it funny.

[Ebro Darden]

Can I say one bad. It's not that bad guy a thing to say, but it was a legitimately funny laugh that I left off the air, and I don't think it's so offensive that I can't say it on the air.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, let's see.

[Ebro Darden]

I had a little bit of a chuckle at the great Keith Radz expense earlier because he did the beautiful John Sterling call. And then at the end of it goes, that's for you, John Sterling. And it's like. We know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was thinking it, but I didn't want to say it.

[Alan Hahn]

He's a young guy.

[Ebro Darden]

He's a young guy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did you think people are going, what did he do that for?

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, we know. No, no, we know. And then Jacob. I made the joke to Jacob off the air because at first I was trying to be classy. So I made the joke to Jacob off the air, and Jacob's comp was great. Jacob said, that's like going, do you smell what the Rock is cooking?

[Alan Hahn]

That's for you, Rock. Yeah, it's. No, it's similar. I thought the same thing. I let it ride.

[Ebro Darden]

No, no, but by the way, he nailed his great.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Everybody knew what he was doing.

[Ebro Darden]

He didn't need the shout out at the end. Maybe they told him, like, if you do it, make sure you call attention.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Make sure you tell Met fans what this is about.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen, if you don't, I'll be very messy. You don't deserve to know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The hell is this guy doing now? All of a sudden he's yelling this.

[Ebro Darden]

It was nice to see.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Very cool.

[Ebro Darden]

Nice to see a lot of flowers for John last night. And obviously, you know, the Yankee thing, it looked like the energy out there. The Bleacher Creatures did a special tribute, and obviously the team did a tribute hosted by Michael. Then Judge comes out and hits the home. It was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We played it on get up, which was the case.

[Ebro Darden]

We played him on Ebro. Lauren Rosenberg. That's how, you know, he made it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, then, you know, he made it.

[Ebro Darden]

That's a big one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But, you know, putting that national. And then, of course, you know, having K do the tribute the way he did it, and then just having. Just a minute to talk about it. Michael Wilbon talked about the connection that radio voices, the team voices have with the fan base and all that stuff. And. No, we gave him his flowers on the show.

[Alan Hahn]

Typical Yankees, that. It just broke, right. That, you know, Judge, Homer and Michael. I was looking to see.

[Ebro Darden]

I was curious. I didn't know if Judge might do anything physically. He didn't. He just, you know. No, not as bad. I was just curious.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know if he'd give a

[Ebro Darden]

little point, you know, if there was anything like that. But I think the Homer probably.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That probably was the. The acknowledgment.

[Ebro Darden]

It was. It was pretty cool, man. I didn't get to hear. Did you hear any of the radio broadcasts last night? Don't.

[Alan Hahn]

When I first got to the car, Susan was just wrapping up, saying some words.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

And then she's like, john would want us to get right to baseball. So she just got to the baseball. Which I and Michael did the same thing on the television broadcast. From what I understand, too, is that, you know, let's not get crazy. We honor, but let's. John would want us to get to the game. And I think he's totally right. You know, sometimes you want to go over the top and you realize, are you doing it for him or are you doing it for yourself? Because, you know, John would be like, come on, guys, first pitch, let's go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Game to call.

[Ebro Darden]

I wonder if last night, though. And of course, Michael would never compare himself to John Sterling and all those modest things he would do. But, you know, an old argument that Don and I would have with Michael was what, like, his tribute would be for the Yankees. You know, Michael's a very morbid fellow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Ebro Darden]

And he would always default to nothing. If I drop dead in the booth. Ryan Ruko would just step over me basically and call the game and there'd be no mention.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Tongue in cheek.

[Ebro Darden]

But I think it has to be nice if you're Michael, to sort of see the way the Yankees do treat and care about. And for the record, I mean, listen, I grew up hating the Yankees. I get all of it. You gotta give credit where credit is due. They, in situations like this, they know how to do the right thing and class it up and do it just right to honor someone who's that important.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

And they just nailed it.

[Alan Hahn]

There's certain organizations that just get it and the Yankees are one of those organizations. They just know exactly what tone to set. And again, this is not coming from a Yankee fan, just somebody that observed it all those years. You know, another one like the Montreal Canadiens were amazing. Like when John Beliveau passed away, they left his seat open and the light would shine down on his seat. Like you just know just to get to the exact spot you gotta get, you know, you don't go over the line, don't get crazy, don't come up short, just know how to hit. I think the Garden is very good with it too. Like just some organizations, they just, they

[Ebro Darden]

know, you know what, Usually the ones

[Alan Hahn]

have been around long enough to get it right.

[Ebro Darden]

Ebro and I had a conversation today about Sterling when we, when we played Michael's call. And I got to give you, bro, credit, he made a really great point when I was, I was kind of giving him my take on how Sterling does make sense for the Yankees, even though a lot of people didn't get it. And you, and you could sense there was a little bit of judgment and a little holier than thou baseball about when people dealt with Sterling and Ebro nailed I thought a great point. The Yankees, all they wear, it's pinstripes, it's no name on the jersey. It's business, business, business. Wasn't it perfect that their radio guy had a little bit of wackiness and a little bit of color? They have none. I'm sorry, you love this team, but they're very serious. And yet they needed Sterling to lighten them up a little bit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And yet he wore Brooks Brothers suit.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And a tie.

[Ebro Darden]

Like it's not like he was a clown.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He had a voice that like sounded like, again, it sounded like he was holding a glass of bourbon in his hand while he was together with the cigar. But he like that, you know what I mean? The whole. It wasn't like he dressed and looked like a Clown.

[Ebro Darden]

He just had a style that was

[Peter Rosenberg]

unorthodox, just had a personality. But yet it still fit the mold. Right. Of like we're in the Yale Club and there's always the one wacky guy.

[Ebro Darden]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like everybody else is like straight laced. There's always just the one guy's a little off, but he keeps it light.

[Ebro Darden]

And you know, for a team where everything about them is so orthodox, I just think it's kind of neat that they had a play by play guy who wasn't that, you know. And by the way, I'll throw this out there too. Not to the same degree, because he doesn't do the wacky nicknames or anything like that. Michael's similar. And I think Michael gets hated on too. Michael's voice and style is not exactly traditional, standard issue play by play man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Ebro Darden]

He has a different affect to his voice. He has a bit of a different style. And I think Michael has caught his share of people not really giving him the flowers he deserves.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, because classically trained, he was a sports writer. He came up his way.

[Ebro Darden]

I think you have a certain respect

[Peter Rosenberg]

for people who go that I do.

[Ebro Darden]

You know that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But, but him. But I'm. But seriously though, it is different yet he's. He's taken it and made it his own.

[Ebro Darden]

But think about that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what I think makes him unique.

[Ebro Darden]

And, and I, I, I love about Michael and I, you know, I often discuss. I think Michael may be even a better talk show host than he is baseball play by play guy, because I think he's one of the great talk show hosts I've ever heard. But it's interesting to Michael, coming as a sports writer was not spending his life developing the perfect sound because he wasn't gonna be that. So when he got the opportunity to try out for the radio job, there wasn't this cultivated and manufactured baseball man. He was just Michael K. The writer who now msg.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And this is giving a shot and I'm gonna share it with you.

[Ebro Darden]

That's it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's the better again, that's all.

[Ebro Darden]

And I just think there's a snobbery around baseball broadcasting that really. And by the way, I. You. John Miller is my favorite of all time. I get it. But there is room for a little bit of.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's too many of the Brock Myers.

[Ebro Darden]

There's a lot. That's why he literally show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know to mock that whole thing because that's. There's so many of those types. And that's what I think makes it.

[Alan Hahn]

And you Bring up John Miller. John Miller's got personality. He does say whenever a Latino player hit a home run, he would say it in Spanish.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, that's true.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

He just had the traditional pipes, though.

[Alan Hahn]

You're right. There's a. There's. I think there's a cookie cutter way we expect our play by play people to sound. And when they don't sound that way, it's like it's jarring. But, you know, again, it was a great job by Michael last night. Let's get back to the phones. 1-800-919-3776. Michael in Manhattan. You're on ESPN New York. Hi, Michael.

[Michael Caller]

Hello, it's me.

[Ebro Darden]

Hey, there sure is. Yes.

[Michael Caller]

Okay. Nick's championship or bust. It's about time. Finals is not Good enough. Well, 53 years. 53 years since the old great Knicks with the Bucher and Frazier. Watchable. This Knicks team, still not that watchable like the NBA in general. But they're playing well. So they beat Atlanta. Nobody. Joel Embiid is iffy. You don't know what he's going to do. So if they beat them, nothing. So now then they have to get by.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Michael, Michael, Michael. Can I stop you on. Because I know the litany of the teams that are coming. I just need to ask you something. Why are you so miserable about this?

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, come on, man.

[Michael Caller]

Why you characterize. No, no, no.

[Peter Rosenberg]

53 years you just did was say,

[Michael Caller]

are you satisfied with the fine.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nobody satisfied you. A simple question. I just. I didn't ask you how many years. I know how many years. I'm asking you why in the midst of this and you're still not impressed, and this is not fun, and this doesn't mean anything. And that doesn't mean anything. So you're telling me you're sitting and you're watching and you're saying to yourself, I hate all of this, and I'll only like it if in the end they're hoisting the trophy. And even then I might say, but, yeah, the Hawks sucked and that the Sixers sucked. And if they play the Pistons, they're not any good. And if they get to the finals, they, you know, who knows if they're any good. So really, this championship doesn't mean anything. Why can't you just enjoy it?

[Ebro Darden]

All right, Michael, go ahead. You're a tour.

[Michael Caller]

Because they're not watchable. They're not that watchable.

[Alan Hahn]

Tell me why we entertaining.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Was entertaining.

[Ebro Darden]

Not watch what's what is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, they just score.

[Michael Caller]

Anthony Town, he lumbers. They Just lumbers out there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what you're going to get per game. And they're scoring 135 points a game in the last three games.

[Ebro Darden]

Michael, can I just say one thing?

[Peter Rosenberg]

They haven't given up 100 points in four straight games. What about them is not watchable because

[Michael Caller]

they don't pass the ball. They don't really get out breakfast break

[Peter Rosenberg]

points than any of their opponents in the last four games.

[Ebro Darden]

Al, let me try one thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They've shooting finally 60%.

[Michael Caller]

Finally something after all these years. After three years, they're finally getting out. We don't know if it's going to last.

[Ebro Darden]

Michael, let me try one thing and then we're going to hang up. I'm sorry. Don't you realize though, as you, as we're responding, do you hear yourself out loud that this is like an incredibly sad and unappreciative way to live life? This is a really fun time. Sports ultimately is not serious. Sports is about fun. You're hoping you win a championship, but ultimately win or loss, we do sports for fun.

[Michael Caller]

Sports is about beauty of playing the sport.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. I'm gonna say goodbye to you. Cause you really. I just can't take entertaining the simple.

[Ebro Darden]

I tried.

[Alan Hahn]

When somebody admits to you that they don't like something and they're trolling us. I refuse to be trolled. I'm not gonna interview a troller. Michael in Manhattan, welcome. You're on the board. The worst caller all time. We'll put him up there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Lang is too much ignorant.

[Alan Hahn]

I smell it. Because I'm dumb myself and I don't want people interviewing me because I'm stupid. Well, the one thing that helps being stupid is I can sniff out a person that's a moron. And when somebody is trying to troll us. So you call up a show on a day where the Knicks win by a billion points. I'm not entertained. It's not good. You don't like basketball. They go call some other show. Don't call our show because we're enjoying what's going on. You don't. You don't enjoy life. And the reason I know that you are trolling us is because if all of a sudden this disgusting ugly, I hate, I want to throw up watching basketball results in a championship, then you would all of a sudden be happy and all of a sudden it looks beautiful. No, you don't enjoy basketball. Don't watch it. And don't call and troll us, okay? We got other things to do. But you did accomplish something in A life that probably accomplished little or nothing is that you're the worst caller and it's up on the board.

[Ebro Darden]

I love what Don just did.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I agree with you.

[Alan Hahn]

But you entertain these yo yos. You know what? You see a bug, you step on it.

[Ebro Darden]

I thought I could get through at the end. Don't you hear it? And he wouldn't even hear what he was saying.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Couldn't take.

[Ebro Darden]

I don't know, I thought. Don't you hear how like ridiculous.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no. He got you. Because that's what he was hoping to do is that person that maybe didn't talk to somebody in like three weeks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's just. It's not.

[Alan Hahn]

You made his day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not Frazier. It's not as good as that. They don't pass the ball. Look at the numbers. It's literally the same as those 70s teams offensive.

[Alan Hahn]

And I love the championship.

[Ebro Darden]

Cat lumbers. He.

[Peter Rosenberg]

God bless Willis Reed.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, geez.

[Ebro Darden]

I know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

God bless again.

[Ebro Darden]

There was some lumber.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now that's the captain.

[Ebro Darden]

But there's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't. I don't besmirch the name of the captain.

[Ebro Darden]

You're not besmirching.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, if anybody invented lumber,

[Ebro Darden]

it's. It's. Come on, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Those Pete Maravich dribbling drills must have been doing numbers back then.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, yeah. No, that was what he loved.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen.

[Ebro Darden]

No. And by the way, get his football takes. All he wanted was 3 yards and a cloud of smoke. Cloud of dust. That's all he needed. And smoke, perhaps.

[Alan Hahn]

See that Michael was an example of what happens when you don't smoke weed and listen to the show.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, that's why you got to smoke before the show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Lighten up, Francis.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's go. Complete opposite. Let's go defunk in la. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, fellas?

[LA Caller]

How you doing? That last call bummed me out so bad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Me too.

[Michael Caller]

You dogs.

[LA Caller]

We're gonna come back. I live in la. I'm originally from New York. I moved out here in 2017. This season by far is the most fun next season of my entire adult life. It's just amazing to see this. The only few things that was better was amiggy ladder.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm sorry, how old are you?

[LA Caller]

I'm 47.

[Ian Fitzsimmons]

Okay.

[LA Caller]

So that's my last. Yes. So my last, you know, my last, like memorable team was the 90s. Right. This year I got. I drove to Vegas for the NBA cup and I went to summer league before that. It's been an amazing year. I need people to Please, please put respect on the fact that we did not have a true point guard for years and years. We finally have one, and he's doing what he's supposed to do. And it's amazing. These last four games, I'm, like, almost scared. I don't even know when the last time we had a run such as the one we had where we're scoring 100 plus points by the third quarter. It's insanity to me. It's kind of, like, scary. So what I asked you guys is that when do I officially jump out the window, where I can go, okay, this is the year. This is the one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't jump out the window. This is not the time.

[LA Caller]

Don't do it yet. Hold my horses, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't want you to jump out any window. This wouldn't be the time to jump.

[LA Caller]

No, no, I won't have kids and wife.

[Alan Hahn]

I want to, but. But.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, no, but when.

[LA Caller]

When.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When do you. When do you. When do you embrace the idea that this is the year? Is that what you're saying?

[LA Caller]

Yeah, that's not my question.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Conference finals.

[LA Caller]

Yeah, we're close. I'm getting close.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You got to. You got to get back there because that's where you left off last season. And it's always about advancing the cause. So to me, you can't embrace anything right now. This is. Just. Watch this thing and go, this looks right. Like, this is starting to look right. And you. That's what you just keep watching right now. But then when you get. Take that, you know, then you get to that next step and you got your matchup in the conference final, and you see what you've got, then you start to say, all right, like, this could be it. Like, this could be it. They're back where they started, by the way. Coming up. I do have to talk about something, though, Don, where something happened last night after the game that made me think of you and say, you know what? Dom was right.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Evan Cohen]

Evan Cohen here. PayPal is now the official peer to peer payment sponsor of the NFL, which means all the money moments that fandom creates, whether splitting tailgate costs or chipping in on tickets and game day food between friends are covered. Wherever the game is played or watched, the PayPal moves with fans. You could send money through text, email, or directly to your friends with eligible accounts on Venmo. Just download the PayPal app and share all the moments that matter. Account with PayPal is required. Not available in all regions where PayPal

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[Podcast Announcer]

thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Ebro Darden]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Announcer]

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

[Alan Hahn]

We'll be live tomorrow at Stout NYC at their new location just two blocks north of the Garden on 35th street starting at 3pm Pregame Energy, Real fan takes, and the biggest Knicks conversation in the city. All leading straight into tip off. If you're going to the game and just want to feel like you're there. If you're not going to the game, then just stop by Stout Don on a Rosenberg stout NYC starting tomorrow at 3 o'. Clock.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We had a great crowd last time.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, and now it's another round and

[Peter Rosenberg]

let's like, let's just keep it going. So come hang out with us. There's a lot of great stuff going on and a lot of good deals and Stout's an awesome place. By the way, if you haven't seen the new one on 35th. Oh, like you dream west side of seventh. You got to check it out. Okay, so something happened after the game last night. Now, as you know, for home games, I'm, I'm in the arena and when the game's over, the minute the game's over, I get a walk off interview that I do for MSG Network. We go right to the air for our post game coverage that you always get on MSG right after the game, no matter what network it's on. You come to us when the game is over and we have all your coverage for an hour after the game. I get a walk off interview for home games. So when I'm done, then I've got to make my way across 7th Avenue to where our studios are at 11 pence. We had to go across the street and as you know, 7th Avenue between 31st and 33rd after a nick win is Mayhem Madness. And I saw commotion happening and, uh, oh, it was, you know, again, it just felt like once again it's fans. And then it's, you know, it's, it's social media people that hold up their signs and want people to come around. Everybody's holding cameras up and everybody wants to go viral. So everybody wants to be seen celebrating. It's, it's more of the same and it's, it gets out of hand. And I remember, Don, you hated it. You know, it bothers you that this happens. And a lot of times I say, let these fans just have their fun. Something happened last night. It went too far.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay, J.R. smith situation.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So J.R. smith, who was at the game, wanted to go out and see the people. And because he's a guy, like, he's a man of the people. J.R. smith, like, he's very comfortable in his own skin. He feels like he can go in any environment and he'll handle it. He's not worried about crowds and people and anybody being aggressive. He got trampled. He was all of a sudden surrounded by a swarm of people of kids, mostly guys, and they're all, of course, holding their phones and their cameras and they're singing and chanting and jumping up and down. But it just starts to become a crush. More and more people are now pushing against JR Smith to a point now where the crowd now starts to fall over. Josh Smith is now lost in the sea of human.

[Ebro Darden]

It was a scary video down, Don. If you look on, if you type his name in on Twitter, people are

[Peter Rosenberg]

telling, people are saying, get back up, back up. He's down on the ground. Like, let him up. It's out of that, that point right there is when you realize, I don't know how many of these people that are in this are really fans or are they just people that want to riot and they're using this as the excuse because if you know, that's J.R. smith, first and foremost, why are you crushing him?

[Alan Hahn]

Exactly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Second of all, when he falls down, how are we all not stopping and helping him up?

[Alan Hahn]

That is just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's ridiculous.

[Alan Hahn]

This is not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And by the way, any of the viral videos out there, face recognition, please call this out, because he could have seriously been hurt.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, very much like seriously been hurt.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm just looking at it. It's pretty scary.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And all he's trying to do is be out with fans and enjoy the moment.

[Alan Hahn]

And now I don't even know if you're fans and what's going to end up happening here, because this was a really cool thing that now is going to get to the point where they're going to end up shutting this stuff down.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, they do remember last year in the conference finals?

[Alan Hahn]

They did. Yeah. And they're going to do that. And you know what I could see? I'm sure the majority of the people out there are legit Nick fans, and they want to celebrate because that's the one thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They come out of the bars and they come down from 35th, where the bars are from. From down 7th Avenue, and they all converge in the front in the plaza, and then fans come out of the building and it just becomes sort of this moment where everybody's just chanting and cheering. It's fun. But there's also. You see signs being held up of their. Their ats right on. On these different social media platforms. And you're seeing bigger, brighter lights and like moths to a flame. Some of these people are drawn to it because they want. They want to be seen on some of these videos. And it just starts to become a crush of enthusiasm that gets a little over the top. This was a scary moment in Junior

[Alan Hahn]

and you see it. And I saw another thing on social media, I guess there was a Sixer fan. He was wearing a jersey. And I remember the Halliburton fan last year. Fans were, like, pushing, like, guys, the Knick fan base is amazing.

[Ebro Darden]

All right?

[Alan Hahn]

So it's going to be a lot for me to turn against them because I believe the majority of fans are great, but it's the few that end up ruining. And see, this is what the nation sees. And then they wonder why, like, the Knicks are not liked and why New York is not liked, because they look at this at a glance and go see New York. They're A bunch of animals. Look, they win one game in the second round and they're rioting in the street. No, it's a handful of people that unfortunately ends up being a lot more people. And they all got their phones out. And it becomes an unfortunate moment.

[Ebro Darden]

But that makes us look bad because

[Alan Hahn]

most of the people are just out there to have a good time celebrating a victory. And then a bunch of other people, because they got their phones out, probably don't care about the Knicks. They're just trying to see if they can get their 15 minutes, because that's all social media is, is getting your 15 minutes in a cheap way. And now the people that are really. Because I could see there's some fans there that they're decked out in Nick gear. One guy's got, like, the Nick leather jacket. You know, he's a fan. But then you got a bunch of other people that are out there, and you could see they have no Nick. No one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No one backs up. No one backs up once he falls. No one decides, like, whoa, whoa, Junior went down. Get out of the way. There's one woman, I think, screaming back up because he had fallen down.

[Alan Hahn]

If you. And I'm telling you, if you. Because I've been to the Garden a billion times, and you have to. And so is Peter that in a mob scene in the concourse. And I've been there after Big Ranger wins, where I've had to run up. Because when the Rangers were in the playoffs, I'd be the third announcer, ice level. So when the game was over, I'd have to get up to do the post game, and I'd have to run against the foot traffic in the concourse and going up the escalators, and they shut the escalators off when the game is over. So I'm running through these people and everybody's so nice, and they, excuse me, get out of the way. If somebody were to fall down, everybody would help them up. Is they're all in the building and they're all fans. You know, then you get a mob of people that are outside and the people that are not fans or the people that are really just, you know, not good people, just trying to get their 15 minutes. They're causing the problem because I know a mob of Nick fans are going to recognize J.R. smith and let him

[Peter Rosenberg]

on and be excited to see him. But then once he goes down, you cannot just keep crushing the guy.

[Alan Hahn]

And it's the few people that take away from the majority, and that's why they're going to End up shutting this down and. Which could be a really cool thing because there's nothing better.

[Ebro Darden]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, you see it in hockey a lot, too. Like, for the game seven Lightning, Canadiens,

[Ebro Darden]

the Bell center was sold out.

[Alan Hahn]

And in Tampa, they had fans outside and they. And so when a goal is scored, they go to the Road arena or they go to the other party and you can have that moment where. And. But it's all going to get taken away when stuff like this happens because the next level is going to be. Somebody is going to get hurt or, God forbid, die. And then what's gonna happen? It'll be a ghost town outside Madison Square Garden instead of it being a celebration like it should.

[Ebro Darden]

Have we heard from JR yet?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes, he was. He was shaking. Yeah, he was shaking.

[Ebro Darden]

At first you're probably thinking it's silly, and then it starts getting out of control. Now you're like, oh, my God.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was legit for a moment. Legit. Scared for his life. And he had every right to. And this is Darren Smith.

[Ebro Darden]

Like this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm telling you, the one. He is probably one of the most comfortable human beings I've ever met in my life. Yeah, he's never in a place where he just looks, like, uncomfortable and awkward. He. It doesn't matter where. And he, like, goes around. He goes out to the people, like, let me check this out. Let me. Let me. Like this. This looks like fun.

[Alan Hahn]

He won't be doing that anymore.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of course not.

[Alan Hahn]

And guess what? Any other players are doing that now, that's over.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do you remember last year when the Knicks beat the Celtics to move on to the conference final? And Chalamet was coming out in one of the SUV's and he rolled down the window and he was high fiving fans, and then somebody went to try to pull him out.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Up the car.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, that was a crazy. Like. Like that's insane.

[Alan Hahn]

So a cool moment ends up getting ruined. Now he'll never do that again.

[Ebro Darden]

Why are people the worst?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because.

[Alan Hahn]

No, because there was. There was a time that you had to, like, legitimately do something to get your 15 minutes, but now it's so cameras are everywhere. All you got to do is be in the right place at the right time with the phone rolling and you can get your moment.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

And that's all that is. We don't even look at life anymore. Parade goes by. We're all looking through our phones like, we don't even know how to look at life or enjoy anything unless we've got the phone. Unless we're documenting it.

[Ebro Darden]

Don't, don't. I really do wonder sometimes because it's so, like, black mirror, how we all behave.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Black mirrors. Very good.

[Ebro Darden]

Do you think that they. I just wonder if the powers that be, when these ideas came to be new, like, oh, one day they're just going to be literally a bunch of drone like droids staring at their phone.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

Because we all. It's. It's like, it's everyone, all. It's all of us.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's the elevator thing.

[Alan Hahn]

Elevator.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And nobody will know.

[Ebro Darden]

Everybody.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's like the, it's the, it's the, the. The comfortable thing to do. Now I want to make eye contact. I look really busy. I got, I got all these emails to look at.

[Alan Hahn]

I know to me that's a separate conversation. I think it is an issue that we're growing up with a whole generation of people that don't know how to interact with each other, that only know how to have a conversation through text message and all that. But what we're talking about here is the person that literally cannot enjoy a moment unless they feel like they're involved in it and have their phone going so they could tell all their friends, look what I did. Look where I was, you know? And you know what? Sometimes being a bystander isn't enough. I got to go do something. So instead of, hey, it was cool, JR Smith came out the former Nick after a big win. It's, you know, look what, look what I was able to do. I was a part of the mob that almost killed the guy.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah. I was able to almost kill him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it, it's painful. But, Don, that's why it's. It was in that moment. And I, I try to, like, kind of snake and sneak my way out of the building and across the street and not be seen and not, you know, like, you get a couple of people that yell, but for the most part, head down and let me get across the street. But like, that, that moment, I thought of you right away and I was like, you know, you know, Don, Don. Condemning like, the, the celebrations to a

[Alan Hahn]

level, because I know there are people that aren't Nick fans that are there, because what would be cooler for you, Alan, as not only a Nick guy, but a guy that grew up the Knicks to be a part of that, like, to go high five those people. But no, you put your head down and run because you realize I could end up being J.R. smith. I can get gobbled up in the midst of people. And plus, I'm a little claustrophobic. So like if all of a sudden I got that, if I, if I, if I'm down and can't get up and I get millions of people around me, I, I don't know what I would do. Yeah, I'd be freaked out. Nevermind, physically, mentally, I think I would break down.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was definitely a tough scene to watch and I'm glad that JR's okay today. But he was definitely shook by it. It, it's, it was a bad scene and something that anybody that you're, if you're out there and it's another win and this starts to go on, you got to understand, like you look stupid. Like you don't look like a celebrating, happy people anymore. You just look like lunatics. Like that's not what you want to be.

[Alan Hahn]

The last thing you're there for is the Knicks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that's the shame.

[Alan Hahn]

That part bothers me for those people.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Damn grifters.

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[Podcast Announcer]

listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Ebro Darden]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Announcer]

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

[Alan Hahn]

So you had something to ask me?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Well, Yankee fans, some. Some more good news as you wait for Garrett Cole to make his return. At some point, Carlos Rodan making. Making one last rehab appearance. His next appearance could be with the Yankees with the big club. So that's a good sign as he works his way back. If he gets through it, gets everything fine today he will be also in the Yankee rotation.

[Ebro Darden]

But has anyone told him Carlos Rodon, that Don insists his name is Anthony Rendone.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When did I do Rendone? You do it. You like to call this Rendon?

[Nico]

You do a little Rendone with Rodon?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sometimes, yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

You're Rendon and Rodon. Rendon and Rodon are.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a lot of names to remember.

[Ebro Darden]

No, listen, by the way, I've been there. The only thing hasn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, we've all been there.

[Ebro Darden]

Rendon and Rodone, I think.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What was mine? What was the name that I completely. Oh, there's so many I destroyed.

[Nico]

Well, Gritchick and Gritsuk was yours, but that's not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But thankfully that's no longer an issue.

[Nico]

That's not an issue.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. There was another one that she was in the bowl. That was the yok.

[Ebro Darden]

You didn't call.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was a bad day.

[Ebro Darden]

That was a bad day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'll never live that.

[Ebro Darden]

No. And by the way, Don's never going to eat Rendon. You want to announced on First Take Monday that the deal was all set.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

What was that? One more time. I said Nico Gugmique announced on First Take Monday that the deal.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Look at you. Neca Ogumike. There we go. I Love Jake's. There we go. The confirmation was great. All right. So anyways, the Tarek school news was tough. Loose bodies in the elbow, loose bodies in other places. Not so bad in the elbow. Terrible.

[Alan Hahn]

Why?

[Ebro Darden]

In baseball, there's so many loose bodies.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's a lot of time. A lot of free time.

[Ebro Darden]

I guess a lot of arm movement leads to loose bodies.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It does. Well, anyway, so he'll miss some time. Now, there was, of course, a moment where he was thought to be available, and the Yankees were. And other teams were reaching out to the Tigers to see what would it take to make a trade. And John Hammond, apparently now has what the Tigers asked for in this trade. Now, some trade the best trades, sometimes the ones you don't make.

[Alan Hahn]

Exactly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And as we know right now, that would not have worked out well if the loose bodies came up. And now the Yankees don't have Tarek Skubal, but they wouldn't have other players as well. So there were three players that Heyman named that the Tigers said they wanted, and the Yankees said, hell, no.

[Nico]

Clint Frazier, Miguel Anduhar.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that was for Cole.

[Vivgard Ad Speaker]

Right.

[Nico]

And Manny Benuello. No. No, that wasn't them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Nico]

They're still not in the system still.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I think they're gone now, finally. But I think Florial, though, is still somewhere, isn't he?

[Nico]

I don't think.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I don't think.

[Ebro Darden]

You gotta be able to get Florio.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So give me this was in the off season.

[Alan Hahn]

This offseason.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This offseason. So give me the three players that the Tigers said, all three guys, and you can get schoolable. And the Yankees hung up the phone

[Ebro Darden]

and said, we're good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We're all set.

[Ebro Darden]

Volpe?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

Ben rice.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Ebro Darden]

Ryan McMahon.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

Jason Dominguez?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. What do you guys know? You're one for four.

[Ebro Darden]

Is there a pitcher?

[Peter Rosenberg]

There is one pitcher.

[Alan Hahn]

No. They. They wouldn't have had the audacity to ask for Cam.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Correct.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's two. There's still one more.

[Ebro Darden]

The audacity. You know what kind of gall that was?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

The unmitigated goal.

[Alan Hahn]

They wouldn't be interested in Spencer Jones?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Nico]

Probably Lombard.

[LA Caller]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

Lombard Jr. That's it. That's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, that's three names that they asked.

[Alan Hahn]

There's hair on those cubes. Did that see the light of day?

[Nico]

Yeah.

[Bucked Up Ad Speaker]

On YouTube.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It didn't.

[Nico]

Absolutely.

[Ebro Darden]

I can't wait. So we can't play that as a draw. We can't.

[Nico]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't think.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, you can.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, you can.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You can do anything.

[Alan Hahn]

Describe the cubes.

[Ebro Darden]

It's a bad idea.

[Nico]

You can do anything.

[Peter Rosenberg]

One, they're cubes.

[Bucked Up Ad Speaker]

You can.

[Ebro Darden]

No, you're so.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think you're fine.

[Ebro Darden]

You're so fine with that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think you're good.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, my.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Yeah. According to Heyman, the three names that, that the Titans. You want the two time Sky Young award winner. I want Ben Rice, Cam Schlitler and George Lombard Jr. Are you serious?

[Alan Hahn]

How could you do that?

[Nico]

Well, that means that they weren't serious.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of course.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's basically.

[Nico]

That's what it means.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Maybe we just catch Cashman like on an acid trip.

[Nico]

When the Tigers. When the Tigers have. I'm sure there's like an untouchables list for every team. When any team called and said, hey, interested in tire school? They named the top three untouchables on their team, said, yeah, give us all three of them. They said, okay, we're good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now if Pittsburgh and Skeens and Pittsburgh put these three on the table. What are you doing?

[Alan Hahn]

No, because he still saying no. The reason I'm saying no is

[Peter Rosenberg]

that

[Alan Hahn]

Schlitler is right now, potentially, by the way, some numbers that could become a Cy Young award.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. You know, his numbers are right there.

[Alan Hahn]

So are you making yourself better?

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you didn't know this in the member. You didn't know.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, remember Schlitler was. He was pitching postseason games.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes, but I'm just saying. All right, what we know now is like, okay, confirmed what we saw. Right. But I don't know. Always fair. Okay. All right.

[Alan Hahn]

So you think you're improving your pitching

[Peter Rosenberg]

and you didn't know Ben Rice was going to pick up where he left off either.

[Alan Hahn]

You didn't. But Lombard Jr. Is a guy that they've, They've. Coveted. They've. They've. They've worked things around him eventually becoming their future on that side of the infield. Whether it's the shortstop or the third baseman, they had to know a Volpe's a question mark, not just to the start of the season, which, you know, he just finished his rehab stint and they're sending him back down. Yeah, but you had to be a little worried by the off season. And maybe Volpe isn't everything that we turn that we thought right now, if I trade Lombard Jr like now, Volpe has got to be that guy. Like right now, there's a world where, you know, Caballero and Lombard Jr. Are your future at shortstop and third base.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It feels like it.

[Alan Hahn]

And you know, McMahon could be whatever he's, you know, off the bench or eventually be a guy that when his contract runs out, he's Mr.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right now.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Right. So. But that's, I understand that right now it's ridiculous, but maybe back in the off season it was, it still was a bold, very bold, bold strategy, Cotton.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But again, if you're desperate and you make that move and then you have this issue, you just think about how devastating of a decision that is. Now it's very easy to say no to something like this, but what if they said, all right, fine, we'll take two of the three. Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Like you still even two of the three. That's a lot because one of them is going to have to be cam or Lombard Jr talking about a two

[Peter Rosenberg]

time Cy Young winner.

[Ebro Darden]

This is a guy Cam can't be in the conversation. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If I'm the Tigers, I want to pitch.

[Alan Hahn]

Junior can't be.

[Ebro Darden]

But you get rid of, you can't get rid of Schlitler knowing that the hope is he could be a younger version like you have a young stud pitcher. Why would you give that up again?

[Peter Rosenberg]

What we know in the May is a lot different than what we knew.

[Ebro Darden]

You didn't know that he'd follow it up again.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what I'm saying.

[Nico]

Ben Rice is also your second best hitter right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right now.

[Alan Hahn]

But you didn't know that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You can't use what you know now.

[Nico]

But he, but he was, he was one of their better hitters last year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I understand. But you know how it is with some.

[Alan Hahn]

Even if, even if he's healthy, there

[Peter Rosenberg]

was a time Kevin Moss was one of their best hitters.

[Alan Hahn]

Even if Scrubal does not get hurt, you still can't make that deal. Now you know, he gets hurt.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Was a strange pull.

[Ebro Darden]

He's become that Kevin Mosses has officially. Congratulations, you have made it to strange pull.

[Michael Caller]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, those were the days though.

[Alan Hahn]

It's just, it's just, it's. It's folklore for Anthony.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. He wasn't using a gleam in his father's eye.

[Ebro Darden]

Do you guys remember Kevin Moss at all?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of course.

[Nico]

Us.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, that's, that's, that's pre.

[Alan Hahn]

That's 80s baby.

[Ebro Darden]

No, 90.

[Peter Rosenberg]

90 something.

[Nico]

That's the name that Yankee that my dad text me goes, oh yeah, that was. Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

Early night.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was just before it got good.

[Ebro Darden]

Listen, I got, I had, I had the Kevin Moss, I think 89 upper deck rookie card and I was like, oh, Kevin Moss.

[Nico]

Ballard hoarding Kevin Moss.

[Ebro Darden]

That's right.

[Alan Hahn]

1990. They were both like. Yeah, his rookie year was 1990.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Nico]

I wasn't alive literally when he was a Yankee.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I understand. We said that. Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

But no, but you know a lot of people from before.

[Nico]

No, that's true. But Kevin Moss is not on the ring.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, that's why I was curious, though. Like, I didn't know if he was that strange a pole, but he is

[Alan Hahn]

21 home runs in 79 games in 1990. 23 home runs, 148 games.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Shane Spencer. How about that one?

[Nico]

I know Shane Spencer.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, well, yeah, absolutely.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's another one of those. Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Later.

[Peter Rosenberg]

One of those insanity type things.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Pretty crazy stuff.

[Podcast Announcer]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Ebro Darden]

I don't want to know how the

[Peter Rosenberg]

sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good.

[Podcast Announcer]

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

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