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- [00:01]
Don LaGreca
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- [00:03]
Alan Hahn
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Don LaGreca
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Peter Rosenberg
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- [00:25]
Alan Hahn
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- [00:27]
Peter Rosenberg
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- [00:32]
Alan Hahn
Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.
- [00:35]
Peter Rosenberg
That sounds like heaven to me.
- [00:36]
Alan Hahn
Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers with Don Lagreca. I'm Alan Hahn. Peter Rosenberg will be back with us next week. For all you on the nick calls, 800-919-3776. We will get back to you in that conversation soon. But I've been looking forward to this all week. Once I knew that we were going to get him on the show. Sam Rosen will be honored by MSG tomorrow before the Rangers Canucks game. He's retiring after 40 years of calling Ranger games. Tomorrow, MC Network is going to televise the pregame ceremony and will honor Sam throughout the entirety of the game. Coverage will premiere the Sam Rosen Interview Special, a 30 minute show hosted by John Gianone that includes interviews with Joe Micheletti and former broadcast partner John Davidson. The special will debut immediately following the Rangers post game show and we are happy enough and delighted to have Sam Rosen join us right now. Sam, it's Don and Alan. How are you? Thank you so much for the time.
- [01:38]
Don LaGreca
Thank you for the round of applause. Thanks Alan. Thanks for the introduction and good to be with you as well.
- [01:45]
Peter Rosenberg
Don, congratulations on tomorrow and what has been just an unbelievable hall of Fame career.
- [01:52]
Don LaGreca
Well, it's been a joyride for me. I think if they give me more than a couple of minutes to speak tomorrow, I'll try to express that to everyone. This has been very special to be with one team, one great organization and you know, to be my I grew up as a kid rooting for and this has just been, it's fantastic. When I look by, I get, when I look back I just get emotional about it. I hope I can keep it all together tomorrow.
- [02:28]
Alan Hahn
Well, Sam, I just actually tweeted and I've told a lot of kids that I talk to that want to get in this business and some that are young in this business and I just made sure to tell everybody, make sure you listen. You always Want to listen to the Masters, you always want to listen to those who have been doing it for such a long time. And the question is always, is how. But it's not about how. For me, what I'd love to ask you is, when you got started, what was the goal for you? Like, when you got into the business, what were you hoping to do? And I mean, clearly you achieved something. As a fan of the Rangers calling games, that's an amazing thing. But if I remember right, and I was quite young, but I do remember I watched MSG as a kid that you start, I believe you were doing studio work first. So when I ask how, I mean, how did it all come together? And was this always your dream?
- [03:17]
Don LaGreca
Yes, it was always a dream to be. Well, let's start. Let's back up just a little bit. The initial dream was to play baseball for the New York Yankees. When I graduated City College after a nice college career, and I knew I wasn't going farther, the next best thing was to be around sports and to announce sports. And as a kid, it started when I followed my older brother to when he played basketball in junior high school and. And I sat on the side. He was responsible for me, so I tagged along and I just sat there and called games and called games in the schoolyard, stickball games that I was playing with. You know, we'd play one on one with a box for strike zone, and I'm calling my pitches. Oh, curveball, outside ball. But that's something that I turned to listening on the radio. Growing up playing on the streets of Brooklyn, in the schoolyards, in the parks, everything that I did revolved around thinking sports and being around sports. And when I was delivering clothes for my father in Brooklyn from his cleaning establishment, I'm walking along carrying clothes. I'm going, here's a Pastor Bathgate on the right side. He shoots, he scores. And people looking at me like I'm a weirdo. But those that stuck with me. So the thing that I wanted to do was to do, to be an announcer. I loved Mel Allen. I loved Marty Glickman on the Giants, Mel Allen on the Yankees. Then for. For a long time, we didn't get much basketball or hockey.
- [05:11]
Alan Hahn
We.
- [05:11]
Don LaGreca
When hockey came on, Jim Gordon was, who was my predecessor, was doing Rangers hockey on the radio. Then he was doing Knicks on tv, and then the Rangers on tv, and Marv Albert was on the radio doing the Knicks and the Rangers. Those were the guys I listened to avidly and intently and wanted to be like them. And the Guy I, you know, it was exciting to listen to Mel Allen. That's the first guy that I really thought about trying to emulate the excitement that he had in his voice. No matter what was going on, if it was a five, one game or a one, one game in the ninth, you always felt that energy from him. And that's something that I wanted to emulate. So then it was just a matter of, you know, going from one job to another to lead you to this place. And I got to Madison Square Garden and the network is a fill in for Marv on radio, first on the Knicks, then on the Rangers. And Jim Gordon, as I mentioned, was my mentor, the guy who critiqued my early tapes, the guy who let me go on the air at halftime of Knicks games and do and announce the stats and do them on at the end of the game as well. Those were the people that helped me, that I listened to and got entry to Madison Square Garden. And once I got on the air with them, I'm still there. And it's been a glorious, glorious ride.
- [06:51]
Peter Rosenberg
And the thing that people maybe don't realize about Sam, he's unique in the sense that he loves them all. I mean, Yankees, Knicks, Giants, Rangers, passionate about all of them. How many plane rides were where we're checking the Yankees score, you're catching up on what the Knicks did, or I'm complaining to you about the Giant game that you might be calling the next day. What team, when you were growing up, was there one team that you liked.
- [07:14]
Don LaGreca
More than the other, more than the other than the others? DON on with, with the Yankees. I mean, I love the Yankees. Baseball was my first passion and I played it in high school and played it in college. And I followed the Yankees and went to Yankee games and watched them tv. The Yankees were number one. But when it came to the fall and the Giants on Sunday were on the radio, you didn't get Giants home games. You got them on the road. The home games were blacked out. You had to go to Hartford to see the Giants on tv. So I listened to the radio and listened to Marty Glickman and Ald De Regattas. Great, great listen, great enthusiasm, great excitement. Then Knicks basketball was on in the middle of the week and Rangers hockey finally came on in the 60s when they made the playoffs and got to listen to them at night. Listening. I'd be in bed trying to study, but I'd be listening to the radio and listening to the games on the radio. So it wasn't one more than the other, I guess. If you put a gun to my head when I was younger, it was the Yankees in baseball. But then everything balanced out because I rooted for those four core teams.
- [08:36]
Alan Hahn
I need to know, Sam, before I go into any more, I have a million broadcast questions for you. But now, because you've mentioned baseball and the passion you have for it, I need to know. Give me your scouting report. Give me the breakdown of Sam Rosen, the baseball player.
- [08:51]
Don LaGreca
Rosen, the baseball player, was a good team player. I was a captain of the varsity at Stuyvesant high school in 1964. I was the captain of the freshman team in 1965 at City College, and I was captain of the varsity in 1968 at City College. Good player, not a great player. I had a couple of real good years my senior year at City College. I only hit.280. Good catcher, good receiver. I called a good game. Average arm needed to be stronger, but accurate, but not overly strong, but a good receiver and again, a good team player who thought the game. Backed up first base, backed up third base, handled bunts, set the, the infielders, worked well with my pitchers. So that, that was probably the, the scouting report on me.
- [09:48]
Alan Hahn
Well, it sounds a lot like you as a broadcaster. You get versatile, do everything, cover all bases, make sure you know what's happening in the game at all times. That's, that's a perfect broadcaster. I, I so many questions, but this one I have to bring up because I've heard this used before. And as you know, Sam, I've told you, my parents die hard. Rangers fans. 1994 was one of the happiest I've ever seen them. My sister also grew up a huge Rangers fan and I love to needle her at times because we always do the, you know, and this one will last a lifetime. One of your many signature calls. And the joke I always tell her is, I guess it's going to right. I love doing that to her, just to really mess with her. But when you think about or you hear, I know I'm not the only story that you've heard like this. The amount of people that you've met over the years that tell you how much your voice has meant to them as a family, like you are a part of the family because of the many years and the many great moments that you've called and you know, so many Ranger fans, what does that mean to you personally? Just to know that there's a lot of people out there that you don't know at all, but they consider you like an important part of Their family, like families stay together because of sports. We connected more because of sports, and you are the reason for it or one of the reasons for it. What does that mean to you?
- [11:10]
Don LaGreca
ALAN it's so rewarding and especially when I, wherever I am, whether it's out in the supermarket or outside of Madison Square Garden, going in to do a game or coming out from a game, when I see families together and you see dads and moms and their kids and their grandkids, and they're all Ranger fans and they all thank me for what I've done and express similar to what you just expressed, and it's tremendously rewarding. It means that I've touched people, that they've accepted me, that they've allowed me to come into their homes or wherever they watch the games or hear hear the games that we're doing, or they come to the games and see what we're doing. It's, it's immensely rewarding. It means that I've really accomplished something more than just it's not a job, it's a love, it's a passion. I've expressed that and I think people have gotten it and it's, it makes me feel tremendously satisfied, tremendously good about what I've done and what I continue to do till the end of this season, it's, it's a great feeling.
- [12:33]
Peter Rosenberg
Talking to Sam Rosen as he will be hanging up his headphones at the end of this season for the New York Rangers after 40 glorious hall of Fame seasons, calling their games, and he'll be honored tomorrow. Rangers, Canucks, obviously ironic. That was the classic game 7 in 94. I'm hoping that the Canucks wear their black uniforms so the Rangers can wear the white and really reminisce about game 7 and 94. Sam but what also really clicked was your connection with JD why did you and John Davidson click so well?
- [13:04]
Don LaGreca
Well, you know, Don, I guess it started when he was a player and I was working at United Press International Audio Network and I'd go cover the games and interview people in the locker room. And John had this great gregarious personality and he was the Rangers number one goaltender when healthy, and he was the, he was one of the go to guys in the locker room. So we knew each other from that respect. That's when we initially met. And then as he retired early because of injuries, he went right to the broadcast booth, became a third man in the booth with Jim Gordon, Phil Esposito and J.D. and I got to know him then because I was working the games both on radio and early in the 80s as host of Rangers Hockey. So we knew each other well, got to know each other's families well. John went back to Canada, learned his profession, the way he does everything. He learned everything there was to know about what he had to do his, how he had to do his job to be the best he could be. And he came back in 1986 as a polished broadcaster, a polished analyst, and became the standard, the gold standard. And it was a natural course of events. We would see each other during the years when he was doing Hockey Night in Canada. We'd be on the road and we'd cross paths and always had a good relationship. And that relationship was fostered to a greater extent when John came back to New York. And to this day we remain very close. The wives are close. We know John's daughters who live in St. Louis, and John's five grandkids, we know them. It's just great to know the families. And we've stuck together for a long time.
- [15:12]
Alan Hahn
It's what a duo that was. And you're right about standard. And it wasn't just him. He obviously did for professional athletes or former athletes who moved into that role, which really became a very common thing. And he did set the standard for that. But it does take, as Don said, I agree, it does take a special chemistry. And you both had that, an enthusiasm for the game, playing off each other. It was always an entertaining broadcast. And you know, with, with a lot of play by play guys. Sam, there's, there's the catchphrases, there's always that. That's that specific sometimes are related to you. I would say yours. And it's something I heard in my household a lot growing up was it's a power play goal. What is the origin of that?
- [15:56]
Don LaGreca
It's an interesting one, Alan. It goes back, it precedes hockey. It really goes back to the days when I was doing public address announcing at Giant Stadium for the Cosmos and the North American Soccer League. Cosmos Soccer. The Cosmos were the premier team of the North American Soccer League, which expanded too rapidly and wasn't all that successful. But the Cosmos attracted a good crowd, decent crowd for league games, 30, 35,000, 60,000 or so. For international friendly matches. It was because they brought in international stars who were fading. Giorgio Kinnaga and Franz Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto and on and on. I mean, they brought in guys who soccer fans knew who they were. They still had something left in the tank. And so they attracted a good amount of Attention. Now, when I did the public address, announcing they wanted energy and enthusiasm when the Cosmos scored. So when the Cosmos scored and there weren't very many goals, obviously in soccer, two, maybe three if it was a big, a big day. But I always came in with, that's a Cosmos goal. With. With a fair amount of enthusiasm. That's a Cosmos goal. And now fast forward. Later on in the 80s, the Rangers have a season in which they scored well over 100 power play goals. It was either 109 or 111 around there one season where it seemed as if the only time they would score or whenever they got on the power plate, they would score. And that became. That's where it kind of started because it became exciting. The Rangers, that was the way they were going to score. It's a power play goal. And now it's kind of evolved to a little more energy, a little more enthusiasm, focus on the guy who scored. And it's a power play goal. And the people have liked it. I continued to do it. It got a good response and the organization liked it, the players liked it, and the fans certainly liked it. So it's, as you said, Alan, it's taken on a bit of a life of its own.
- [18:46]
Alan Hahn
I love it. I love the origin story.
- [18:48]
Peter Rosenberg
That's crazy. It's hard not to talk about 94. I mean, it's the connection that the whole city has to that team. And it's so easy to look back at it, Sam, and go, oh, we, we, we won the Stanley Cup. Yeah, it was a fait accompli, right? Well, yeah, three, one series lead and then, you know, losing game five, losing a Vancouver in game six, and then the stress of a one goal game in game seven. How, how was. You look back at it now and it's glorious. But what was the stress level of calling those games? Almost losing to the Devils in overtime in Game 7 of the conference final. How are you able to navigate all that?
- [19:22]
Don LaGreca
That was, that was the greatest stress level to me. The Rangers Devils series was the best series I was ever involved in. And I had the good fortune of doing a lot of Stanley cup finals for NHL Radio on Westwood One. But that series was just high, high pressure, high drama. The Devil's the up and coming team, the young upstarts, the. The outstanding up and coming superstar goaltender. It was an unbelievable series. That series went back and forth with emotional turns. Mike Richter being pulled from a game in New Jersey. Brian Leach being benched by Mike Keenan. The Rangers falling behind in game six, down three games to two, coming back with Mark Messier scoring a hat trick. And then game seven at the Garden. One nothing. Game 7.7 seconds to go and Valerie Zelepukin scores. And it's like, oh, what just hit the Rangers and the Rangers fans and me and jd, we go to our overtime studio and I'm just sitting on a seat with my head down and JD's pacing back and forth, and he looks at me, says, what's wrong? And I said, I looked at him, I said, what else can happen to this team? This team was going to just rip right to the Stanley Cup. They beat the Islanders in four, they beat the Caps in five. And here we're going overtime, then we're going to a second overtime. And then, of course, the Matteo goal to put the Rangers in the final. Rangers were the favorites in the final, lost game one, then won the next three games, the games out in Vancouver. Tremendous. Leach was brilliant. Mike Richter stops Boray on the penalty shot. That's one that everyone will remember for all time. We come back and everybody's planning the victory parties before. Before game five. Everybody's on the phone, where are you going after the game? Where's this party going to be? And of course, as Don mentioned, Vancouver wins Game 5. And that was a wild game because Vancouver went up three nothing. Rangers came back to tie three, three. The building is rocking, and I guess it was Dave Babich, the defenseman, scores, breaks the tide. Vancouver wins 6 3. We go to Vancouver for game 6. They wiped the Rangers out 4 1. Afterwards, you think that Vancouver had won the Cup. The people are celebrating in the streets. They're shaking the buses. It was unbelievable. Fortunately, Rangers get home, have an extra day off. Messier pulls it together, though he gives credit to Mike Keenan, and Mike certainly had a big part of it. But Messier, he was the glue. He pulled it all together. And they go out, grab the lead, and it looks like, okay, it's safe. No, Trevor Lyndon scores. And then Linden again. Now it's three, two. And then Nathan Lafayette hits the post, and it was just wild. And finally that two icings, one that shouldn't have been called, the other one that was delay, delay. And finally the waiting was over on that last face off. McTavish taking the face off. Messier took his man. Larmer took his man to the boards and pinned him while everybody was jumping up and down. And the Rangers won the Stanley Cup.
- [23:16]
Alan Hahn
That was a phenomenal recap, like all off the top of your head, which is just amazing. Just to have Heard that entire thing right there. It just shows you again how it just. It just stays with you. Moments like this, it never leaves.
- [23:31]
Don LaGreca
Alan. It is the great. You know, and as a broadcaster, let's face it, to do a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final for your team that you're doing, because we were that. That was the last year that the regional teams were able to stay with their home teams and, you know, to call a game seven at the Garden to end that 54 years and to have the Garden just shaking. People were standing the entire game, the building shaking after the Rangers won. There was joy everywhere. What a feeling to call that moment. And I'm so lucky that I was there to do it.
- [24:15]
Peter Rosenberg
You know, in closing, Sam, how difficult a decision was it to leave?
- [24:21]
Don LaGreca
It's difficult, Don. You know, we travel together, and travel gets a little more difficult each and every year. The packing. I'm packing now to go to California next week. It's a pain in the. You know where. And it's. It gets tough. The games themselves are wonderful. If they dropped me in to do the games and took me out and dropped me back home, I could do another five years. The games are wonderful to do. The game has never been better. It's exciting. The players are terrific. It's the other things that finally get to you. And as I've always said to my family, I want to go out with people remembering me at the top of my game. And I feel I'm still there and this is the right time. I still have my health and time to spend a little more time with the family.
- [25:20]
Peter Rosenberg
That's awesome. And I want to thank you because you've been such a friend to me. I couldn't be doing the games that I'm doing without watching and listening to you in those times we got to spend in Carolina and Edmonton and Anaheim and Ottawa during those Stanley cup finals, where I would just, like, sit and watch you and learn and then getting the opportunity to be able to do it, just to see you work. A master at his craft and still be humble, to joke and have fun and to talk to a young guy just trying to make it in this business. You're the best, man. I'm going to miss you so much.
- [25:57]
Don LaGreca
Thank you, Don. I appreciate those words so very, very much. They mean an awful lot to me coming from you and Alan. You've done a marvelous job, both radio and television. And, you know, it's a pleasure to be around our little fraternity, our group of people in the MSG family. And it's been something special for me.
- [26:22]
Alan Hahn
Well, it's people like you, Sam, that set the standard at that network, that all of us, you know, that we look to that as. This is. This is the standard. This is what you're supposed to be. And it is, you know, it's. It's just great to be around, to be able to be around someone like you. I mean, we just lost Al Trotwig, somebody I know that, that you were close with. I was very close with him. And, you know, another person that set a standard. And it's just. It's what makes working there for that network so special. I know Don definitely understands it, too. Don and I talk about it all the time. It's just different. And it's because of those who came before us to do what they have done. And for you to say voice of a generation, I don't think is enough. It's the voice of several generations. You were a voice in my household as a kid growing up. And all the things you talked about, Sam, you know, walking down the street and calling games and watching people play and calling. Like, I laughed because, like, I thought I was the only crazy kid that did that. Like, I thought, you know, like, I was almost embarrassed to admit things like that. But the fact that you talked about that and that you've been through it, that you've been part of it, and that you have set this standard for us to achieve, it does mean the world. And that's why, again, I will say it like this. Your voice will last a lifetime with this network. So thank you for giving us this time. This was, for me personally, an honor. I know, Don, obviously special for you as well. And then tomorrow certainly will be. I will sneak into the building. The Knicks play at night. As you know, it's a double header. But I'm going to get there early, sneak into the building because I want to. I want to be part of it and see it. So I'll see you tomorrow. Sam, thank you so much.
- [28:00]
Don LaGreca
Thanks. Thanks, Alan. Thanks, Don. Thanks so much. It really means an awful lot to me.
- [28:06]
Peter Rosenberg
All right, we'll see you tomorrow.
- [28:08]
Alan Hahn
The great Sam Rosen again honor. Tomorrow on MSG Network, the Rangers play the Canucks. 40 years calling Ranger games. They're going to televise the pregame ceremony on MSG Networks. They're going to honor Sam throughout the game. The Sam Rosen interview special is going to premiere. It's a 30 minute show hosted by John G. It has interviews with Joe Micheletti, who he's doing games with now. And of course, the great John Davidson, who, as Don mentioned, that was. You talk about a duo. They were phenomenal together. It will debut immediately following the Ranger post game show on MSG Networks. Don, that was. That was a lot of fun.
- [28:44]
Peter Rosenberg
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- [29:30]
Alan Hahn
Seven days after receipt.
- [29:31]
Don LaGreca
Restrictions apply.
- [29:32]
Peter Rosenberg
See terms@sportsbook.fanduel.com for help with a gambling problem. Call 8778 Hope NY or text OPENY at 467369.
- [29:39]
Alan Hahn
Calling all sightseers and selfie takers. Welcome to Texas, where a day at our hiking trails will lead to a lifetime of and family road trips become family legends where thrill seekers make a splash into spring fed pools and picky eaters will clean their plates. This is your invitation to visit Texas and see it for yourself. Visit traveltexas.com and plan your family's trip today. Let's Texas thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [30:14]
Peter Rosenberg
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
- [30:15]
Alan Hahn
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Here it is.
- [30:26]
Don LaGreca
The waiting is over. The New York Rangers are the Stanley.
- [30:31]
Alan Hahn
Cup champions and this one will last a lifetime. What a call, Donnie. What a call. Like just emotion, power, energy, all of it. And then the, you know, the, the spontaneity of that call and what he says there. And this one will last a lot. Just phenomenal. In the biggest moment, thinking about the fact that this is the team you grew up like. This is. This is Mike Breen. If the Knicks win a championship and he's calling it nationally. That's. That's what that is. Sam Rosen grew Up a Rangers fan. This meant the world to him. For them to win this thing, to have that moment, it's. It's. It's phenomenal.
- [31:12]
Peter Rosenberg
And the timing couldn't have been better because, as he mentioned, that was the last year that the locals got a chance to call the Stanley Cup Final. Gary Thorne had it on national television, but it was blacked out in New York, so MSG can call the game. And the very next year in 95, Fox took over. So the Stanley Cup Final was all local. No, all national, no local. So he would have never had the chance to call that. And 54 years, man, that was such a thing. 1940, the chants. The Islander fans would chant it and the Devil fans would chant it, and it was such a thing that finally came to an end. And when you think of, like, when the Giants finally got off the Schneider I won for the first time in 30 years, they blew out the Broncos in the Super Bowl. There wasn't a lot of. It was. There wasn't a lot of drama with the way they're, you know, tore it up in the second half and. But the Ranger, the stress of almost blowing that Game 7 against the Devils and then being up three games to one and having to play a Game 7, you look back at it now and it's all, you know, joy if you're a Ranger fan. But the absolute stress that Ranger fans went through from round three and four was just incredible. They, like. It was like giving birth to finally win that Stanley Cup. And now don't look now, we're already on year 31 since that one.
- [32:28]
Alan Hahn
How about that? The fact, though, that he could, at his age, recall with detail and how concise he was with giving us the recap of what he went through, right? Talking about him and JD and the stress and going, you know, waiting in overtime in the studio and his head's down and JD's like, you know, what. What's up? What's happened? Like, him remembering those details, it's almost like because the experience had such an effect that you don't. You remember every detail. You can recall it so quickly like that, that, that moment. Like, Don, I felt like we could have probably talked to him for another hour.
- [33:05]
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, easily. There's easily I could have gotten to. Because, you know, he used to call NFL games for a long time boxing, as he said, you know, doing the, the Cosmos. And I got to really know him by doing the Stanley Cafe. Did The Stanley Cafe in 06, Oilers and the Hurricane. So we got to spend all that Time together, traveling and watching him do the game. And then the next year, it was the Anaheim and Ottawa, and the year after that, I was Detroit and Pittsburgh. So I got a chance to do those three. And he called all those games. And I'd sit with him and, like, do stats for him or just, like, listen just how incredible he was to do that. So he did so many things, and he was actually. When Versus took over, he did the first game on Versus. It was a Ranger flyer game that was. It was OLN at that point. Then it became Versus and then eventually.
- [33:57]
Alan Hahn
Became Outdoor Life Network, NBC Sports.
- [33:59]
Peter Rosenberg
So he had done just so much, but so passionate about the Giants and the Yankees and the Knicks. Like, you know, you don't see that very often where somebody is passionate about all four major sports like that. But that. That, That's.
- [34:13]
Alan Hahn
I love the origin story of. It's a power play goal.
- [34:15]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, right.
- [34:16]
Alan Hahn
Who knew?
- [34:17]
Peter Rosenberg
From. From the New York Cosmos.
- [34:19]
Alan Hahn
A little like a soccer inspiration for a Ranger call that, you know, I mean, my. My mother would yell that out in the living room watching a game. If they scored a power play goal, she would say it along with him, like, I'm not joking. My mother's a psycho Ranger fan. She's nuts. And I would, you know, it'd be somewhere else in the house, whatever, and you'd hear, yell, score when they scored. And then she'd go, it's a power. She would sing it along with him like it was a song. It was hysterical. But that's. That's why I just knew it so much. It's. It's a. It's a. It's a phrase. I think one of the phrases that has stuck with me forever when it comes to sports.
- [34:53]
Peter Rosenberg
And. And I never got the chance to ask him about this. So maybe I'll ask him tomorrow. You know, my. My JD story, right? Where I. One time Michael asked me on the air, who do you think one of the biggest homer announcers are in New York? And he was. He thought I was gonna say Dick Lynch. And I said. I said, John Davidson. And he's like, how?
- [35:15]
Don LaGreca
Why?
- [35:15]
Peter Rosenberg
And I said, well, you know, Dan Blackburn staying at his house. And like, JD's kind of, you know, he was one of the best analysts there was, but he. He wore his heart on his sleeve when it came to Colin Ranger was a Ranger. No question. He was a Ranger in your 79 final.
- [35:29]
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
- [35:30]
Peter Rosenberg
So. And I had just gotten the gig doing Rangers pre and post, so this is coming right out of the lockout.05 so I mentioned that on the air, Bob Raisman wrote an article.
- [35:40]
Alan Hahn
Oh, boy.
- [35:41]
Peter Rosenberg
About how kind of strange that the. One of the new voices of the New York Rangers ripping John Davidson. I'm like, oh, my God, I can't believe it.
- [35:50]
Alan Hahn
Just try to ruin it for you.
- [35:51]
Peter Rosenberg
So when Bob did used to remember, he used to have a Sunday article and a Tuesday article. And so the Tuesday article, he followed up that. Because he interviewed John Davidson about it. And JD Said, why would I care what a former field goal kicker has to say? Confusing me with Al Del Greco, remember the old oiler kicker? So, all right, so I don't run into JD at all like that during that year because he's doing tv, I'm doing radio, and I wasn't traveling with Rangers at the time. So that Stanley cup final, it's Carolina, Edmonton, and we're at some steakhouse in Carolina, in Raleigh, and we're out to dinner with Sam. And I asked Sam, I said, is JD really mad at me? And Sam goes, oh, he can't stand you. He's really mad at you. So I never followed up with Sam whether he was joking or not, but I dodged John Davidson for, like, a decade. Seriously, whatever we.
- [36:52]
Don LaGreca
I.
- [36:53]
Peter Rosenberg
Because I thought he was gonna, like, be really mad at me or whatever, right? So finally he comes into the. When he got the gig back with the. When he was the president a few years ago, he came in studio, and I was nervous. And so I find. So Michael brought up to him off the air, he's like, are you still mad at Don for what he said about you? And he gave this big smile, and he goes, oh, I was only kidding. It was just a joke. So I think Sam might have been on the joke. I dodged JD for 10 years thinking he was mad at me, and he was just goofing around.
- [37:26]
Alan Hahn
He's one of the. He's also. I know you know this, but I had the opportunity a couple of times to be out, like, you know, on the road with. With JD I actually ended up covering the Rangers a little bit at times during my years covering hockey. So we were. We'd be in the same circles sometimes even shared a cab. And I loved being around him. He was such a jokester. He was funny. He had unbelievable stories. And I swear, I think he knew everybody. Like, we weren't there. You couldn't go anywhere without him going, oh, I know. And he just walk up, and right away he'd know somebody. Like, so I can't believe you, of all people, with your personality, that you Avoided somebody like him for all those years.
- [38:05]
Peter Rosenberg
I. I just remember coming back from one of those Stanley Cups, and we were at the new. We were at Newark Airport, both waiting for our luggage, and I was, like, hiding on the other side. Part of it was. Part of it was just.
- [38:18]
Alan Hahn
Because eventually you just should have just walked up there.
- [38:22]
Peter Rosenberg
I know, but I was also afraid, like, you know, this guy could basically get me fired if he wanted to. Like, so I was just like, that's wild. What a story to find out. It was just. It was just a joke. And I never got to ask Sam, like, whether he was in on it or not, because he was the one. No, he's hot, man.
- [38:39]
Alan Hahn
Let's take Scott in New City. Scott, Hello. What's happening, Scott? Hi. Hey. I just want you guys to know, Sam is not just the gold standard as an announcer. Sam is the gold standard as a person.
- [38:57]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah.
- [38:58]
Alan Hahn
I have run into him up several times. Right. And in Costco mainly of all places, because he's always buying something for one.
- [39:06]
Don LaGreca
Of his road trips.
- [39:07]
Alan Hahn
And he will sit there, stand there, and talk to you. He will answer questions. He is one of the great gentlemen in all sports, I'm telling you. And everyone should know that. You know, he. He honors all sports in this area. That's what kind of a great person he is. I was talking with him once. I don't know if you guys remember, Tom Herrera, used to do radio in New York and also used to be the in house, I think, Ranger broadcaster at the arena. And so. And he died very young, and he was my good friend. We started working together a long time ago, and I would talk to Sam about Tom, and he always had kind things to say. This is one of the great people you'll ever want to meet. So all the people in New York, they are truly honored to have at least been. Have something to do with the great Sam Rose.
- [40:05]
Peter Rosenberg
No, he is. He is an absolute gentleman. I can't tell you how many times, like, during games, like, between periods, I'll. I'll go out and there's. There. There's people in. In the radio booth with Ranger jerseys. Clearly, fans like taking pictures with Sam and Joe and all that. And also not to give any short shrift to Joe Micheletti.
- [40:26]
Alan Hahn
That was top.
- [40:28]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, he never played for the Rangers and all that. And he's done for going on 20 years now with Sam, but taking pictures with fans, like, I've never seen him turn anybody down. Always talking to fans now. He is. He's. He's a great broadcaster. But a better person for sure.
- [40:44]
Alan Hahn
No question. 800 now 193776. We'll get back to you. Call 6 o'clock hour by the way. NN at 6 like it ought to be. That's coming up. We'll get back into the Knicks of course with you. I do want to tell you though, the Steve Miller Band is coming to Northwell at Jones Beach Theater on August 24 and PNC Bank Art center on August 26, 2025. And ESPNY York has your chance to tickets to the venue of your choice on the ESPNY app. Just find the contest tile and submit your entry. It's brought to you by Live Nation. Tickets are on sale now@ticketmaster.com with the Venmo Debit card, you can turn the mini golf outing your co workers paid.
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Peter Rosenberg
You back for into a trip to Miami with your best friend earning you up to 5% cash back.
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Alan Hahn
Use Venmo to pay for the thing.
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Peter Rosenberg
Things you love to do. Visit Venmo Me Debit to learn more. The Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp Bank N A pursuant to license.
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Alan Hahn
By Mastercard International, Inc.
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Peter Rosenberg
Terms apply Dosh cashback terms apply.
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Alan Hahn
Some people just know they could save.
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Peter Rosenberg
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- [41:53]
Don LaGreca
First before attempting to eat a stack of Supreme Nachos in one bite.
- [41:57]
Alan Hahn
Now you're just a meme that everyone shares on game day. Checking first is smart, so check Allstate.
- [42:02]
Peter Rosenberg
First for a quote that could save you hundreds.
- [42:04]
Alan Hahn
You're in good hands with Allstate.
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Peter Rosenberg
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- [42:14]
Alan Hahn
Spring Fest and Ego Days are here at Lowes right now. Get a free select EGO 56 volt battery with purchase of a select trimmer, blower or mower kit. Plus shop today for new and exclusive items, items you need for your lawn. So get ready for spring with the latest in innovation from Ego, the number one rated brand in cordless outdoor power only at Lowe's we help you Save. Offer valid through 4:2. Selection varies by location while supplies last. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [42:47]
Peter Rosenberg
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
- [42:48]
Alan Hahn
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Foreign let's give you a game time brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey because when it's game time, it's telly time. No pros in action Tonight. But we got plenty of March Madness for you. In fact, let me, let me give you a little update on. Yeah, a Cooper Flag is just fine. Duke beats Mount St. Mary's today 93 to 49. So no, no concerns, no worries, no issues. He. I think his first points were at dunk. At a pretty monster one too. So he ends up playing Cooper Flag plays. Oh, come on. Why would you scroll? And here comes the ad now. Don't you love this? I know I sound like an old man. All I did was open a box score. I just want to see how many points Cooper Flag has. I don't need this ad right now. Something for three seconds and I get a 30 second commercial. I'm done. I'm out clicking out.
- [43:49]
Peter Rosenberg
That's it. Now we don't know.
- [43:50]
Alan Hahn
Done. They won 14 points. But they did win. That's what matters, right? So. But what else would I want to tell you about Yukon and Oklahoma. By the way, That's a good 8, 9 matchup. 9:25 in the west region. Telemar do the original triple, triple distilled, triple blended, triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a telemore do. I try to do Telemore do. Honey. During tonight's action, glasses up to enjoying. Tell them more. Do responsibly. You got to think about how fortunate. We know we're in the media capital of the world, right? But in sports media, if you think about it. And Sam rattled off some names. But Don, like this might be a good future list. You talk about some of the greats in the business. Marty Glickman, Mel Allen, Marv Albert. Sam's in that, in that category currently. What do we have? Mike Breen, Michael K. Howie Rose. I put him in that play. I think Howie Rose is phenomenal. And I mean Ian Eagle. Let's not, let's not overlook the fact that somebody of his level, I mean he does Nets games. He's in New York. He's one of us, right? Am I missing anybody? It might be Doc Emmerich. In his day with the Devils, he was phenomenal.
- [45:03]
Peter Rosenberg
The all time greats, the land, the landscape. Okay, like, like we don't have, we don't have television and football, but the two guys we have doing Giants and Jets, Bob Papa, Bob Wishuzen, top of their game, great voices. Both do a lot of national work because that's how good they are.
- [45:18]
Alan Hahn
I will still say Washoesen's better sport is hockey.
- [45:20]
Peter Rosenberg
I do. I agree.
- [45:22]
Alan Hahn
I just think he's phenomenal in hockey.
- [45:23]
Peter Rosenberg
Then you go to baseball, you've got Michael K on television and you know, they bring in Dave Sims, who's not nobody. I mean he's a legend himself. But before that was John Sterling who's incredible. And you're right. Howie Rose, Gary Cohen. Terrific. Cohen's eventually going to be in the hall of Fame and both are in the Mets hall of Fame. How he's, how he's an absolute legend. Basketball. Like you said, Breen's already in the hall of Fame and you know, Tyler Murray's new, but he's.
- [45:53]
Alan Hahn
I'll give a vote for him though. I think Nick fans get used to hearing Tyler Murray's voice. He's going to be here a long, long time. This kid's in his early 30s and he's, he's already got the goods.
- [46:02]
Peter Rosenberg
He's terrific. I think as you said, Ian Eagle with the Nets, Chris Corino is terrific on radio with the Nets and he gets a lot of national gigs. I heard him doing some, some college basketball for Westwood One last night. Heard some of those highlights and, and then you look at the, the hockey teams, right. You know, Spalding's new, you know, with, with the Devils. But I think he does a terrific job.
- [46:26]
Alan Hahn
And, and Brendan Burke is, is one of the best nationally national level.
- [46:32]
Peter Rosenberg
You know, Matt Lachlan does radio for the Devils. He's. He's been around forever. Oh yeah, working. You, you know, probably work with him at MSG and doing a ton of stuff. Did he did baseball for a long time too. Covering the teams we love. Have a tremendous amount of affection for Chris King and how passionate he is doing.
- [46:50]
Alan Hahn
Did you hear his goal call last night, by the way?
- [46:52]
Don LaGreca
I did.
- [46:52]
Peter Rosenberg
I did. I saw it was video footage of it.
- [46:56]
Alan Hahn
He said Bo knows big goals like. But the, and only, only Kinger. The only Kinger can say it the way he said it. But as I thought about, I'm like, that's a bar. Like, you know what I mean? Yeah, like that's actually pretty good.
- [47:11]
Peter Rosenberg
And then with the Rangers, Sam Rosen in the hall of Fame and Kenny Albert doing radio, I mean come on, Kenny's on his way to the hall of Fame too. Doing the only person that I know that does all four sports.
- [47:21]
Alan Hahn
Yeah. And Kenny does. What else is he. He doesn't just do the four major sport, but he does them all on the national level, which is what really blows your mind. It's really amazing what Kenny does.
- [47:33]
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, but there have been times I filled in for Kenny and field.
- [47:38]
Alan Hahn
Yes. Yeah.
- [47:39]
Peter Rosenberg
You know, I remember I remember one time, because he does the Olympics. He'll do water polo, all the different things he does for the Olympics. And I remember one time they needed me to do a game because it was like, a few weeks before the Olympics, and they wanted him to do some track and field just to kind of get ready for the Olympics, you know, so the guys. I mean, I. And that. So listen, that's the way. That's the standard in New York.
- [47:59]
Don LaGreca
Right.
- [48:00]
Peter Rosenberg
Because you look at the guys, you know, Mel Allen, you know Marv Albert, Bob Murphy. These are.
- [48:06]
Alan Hahn
Yeah, Bob Murphy's got to be on this list.
- [48:08]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, absolutely.
- [48:09]
Alan Hahn
And, like, if we did a Mount Rushmore, oh, it'd be really hard.
- [48:14]
Peter Rosenberg
It would be very, very difficult.
- [48:15]
Alan Hahn
Because you think about it, the greats of, like, that. That. That set the standard from the very beginning. Glickman, obviously, is probably the first name. Right. Think of. Right. The. The one that really created the. The whole idea of the sports announcer and Mel Allen, obviously. And then Marv really learned from Marty Glickman, and he turned it into what? He turned Bob Murphy, though. How could I possibly forget his name in that voice as well? Because, you know, again, growing up with my parents as Mets fans.
- [48:43]
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, Bob. Bob was incredible. He's one of the reasons why I wanted to get into this business. I love listening to the Mets on the radio because, you know, for kids out there listening, not every game was on television. Sometimes I'd have to listen on the radio. And the radio guys, they would also do TV a lot of times. So they would do. They'd do a couple innings on tv, and then Lindsay Nelson and Ralph Kiner would do some television, and they'd do radio kind of go back and forth. So. Yeah, just incredible. And Jim Gordon, who. Bob. Who Sam Rosen brought up, I mean, doing Giant games on the radio, doing Ranger games. Jim Gordon was probably a very, very underrated announcement.
- [49:21]
Alan Hahn
Jim Gordon was with. When Esposito went into the booth. Right. They were together first, and then Esposito went with. With Sam for a while.
- [49:28]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, definitely. Sam did work, because then Espo went to the.
- [49:32]
Alan Hahn
Didn't he coach?
- [49:33]
Peter Rosenberg
Well, he was the coach. General manager of the Rangers for a while.
- [49:36]
Alan Hahn
Yeah. And that's when. That's when. Then J.D. sort of slipped into that spot.
- [49:39]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah.
- [49:40]
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
- [49:40]
Peter Rosenberg
But it was.
- [49:43]
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
- [49:43]
Peter Rosenberg
And then I used to always. I. I kind of lost it now, again, because you didn't listen to a lot of football games on the radio when you were younger because you watched it on television. But I remember in 86 when the Giants would finish a regular season game, I would go to the radio and record on cassette the highlights of the games. And I probably still have them somewhere with Jim Gordon doing the play by play. And he did it up in. I know he did both Super Bowls 86 and 90. And he would always have this catchphrase at the end. He's like, more Giants action after this message. But if you grew up in New York, these were your soundtrack. These were the people. It wasn't nothing. It was so important. Knowing the announcer of your favorite team was like knowing the players. And he was even better because those guys never went away. They held on to those jobs forever. So players would come and go. But, you know, Bob Murphy started in 62 with the Mets, and when. When he retired in 04, you know, voices.
- [50:38]
Alan Hahn
To me, that's what it becomes, right? They become people that you get to know personally. And, you know, I mean, quickly here, because we got to run. But, like, the first time, I'm. I'm an Islanders beat writer. No, actually, no. I was an intern with the Islanders out of college, and they were playing the Rangers in a preseason game. And I get into the media elevator, the old Coliseum. I have to run some. Whatever I have to do. It's pregame and it's early, and Sam and jd, the doors, they. They go in the elevator with me, and I look and I'm like, oh, my God. Like, you know, I'm like, starstruck. And again, I didn't grow up a Ranger fan, but the Rangers were in my house every night. Like, they were just, you know, that was my parents. Parents. And so I just was, like, dumbfounded. And I introduced myself and I said, you know, and I. I said, my parents love you. They. They listen to you guys all the time and stuff. And I remember JD's like, you don't. I'm like, no, I'm an island. And they both started laughing. Like it was. But, like, just how amazing it was to meet them, because I'm like. Like, it's. These are real human beings. These are voices that I've.
- [51:40]
Peter Rosenberg
Right.
- [51:41]
Alan Hahn
Heard. And then, like, for you and I now to be in this business and grow up around them and talk to them and call them friends is. It's different real quick.
- [51:48]
Peter Rosenberg
I don't want to forget anybody. But you mentioned the Islanders. Jigs McDonald's an absolute legend, too, and a legend person.
- [51:55]
Alan Hahn
One of the nicest human beings. Terrific.
- [51:57]
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, he'd always come on my shows. Then when he. Then he went to Florida, did Panther games. And he was. Him and Ed Westfall were legendary.
- [52:06]
Alan Hahn
That's what I grew up on. Jigs and Eddie. Right? And talk about Eddie Westfall. Oh my God, we can go on for hours. Anyways, enn's coming up, plenty more stories to get into. I love doing these stories though, so feel free to call in 800-919 and I promise we will circle back and discuss the Knicks. If you missed it earlier, I had a lot to say about what we saw last night and pinpointed the problem. We'll get back into that, of course, before we call it a day. Ann's next day with us. But first, Don, a message from Samwell.
- [52:33]
Peter Rosenberg
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- [53:34]
Alan Hahn
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast. I don't want to know how the song sauce I just 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. In case you didn't know, these young men are driven.
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Peter Rosenberg
They are prodigies.
- [53:54]
Alan Hahn
The savants. The ones we've been waiting for. Like Damien Lillard, for instance. He doesn't see guidance or mentorship. He's a leader. He isn't waiting for the baton to be passed to him. He's taking it for himself. He's relentless in a pursuit of greatness, always pushing to one up himself. He is accomplished but far from satisfied. He embodies what it means to have an unstoppable drive and are shaking up the status quo in their community and beyond. And Damian Lillard drives a Toyota. A new generation of Toyota drivers are here, and they want you to know one thing. You can't stop my drive.