Hour 3: The Don Show

Summary

Podcast Summary: Hour 3: The Don Show

Podcast Information:

• Title: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
• Host/Authors: Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
• Episode: Hour 3: The Don Show
• Release Date: February 21, 2025
• Description: The first voice of ESPN New York and New Jersey legend Don La Greca, long-time sportswriter and handsome New York Knick broadcaster Alan Hahn, and highly opinionated Hip Hop vet and WWE personality Peter Rosenberg discuss New York sports and beyond.

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1. Introduction to the Episode

The episode kicks off with a lighthearted exchange between Alan Hahn and Don LaGreca about the functionalities of the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Shortly after, Don introduces the podcast, setting the stage for an engaging discussion centered around New York sports, particularly focusing on the New York Yankees' recent policy change.

2. Main Discussion: Yankees' Beard Policy

The core of the episode revolves around the New York Yankees' decision to eliminate their long-standing beard policy—a rule that historically required players to be clean-shaven.

**a. Hosts' Perspectives Don LaGreca initiates the conversation by expressing a nuanced stance on the policy change:

“I do think it's unfair that when we get older, people who call in, the first thing we do is mock them and tell them that they're out of touch because somebody feels like this policy suggests the crumbling of the Yankee tradition.” [00:59]

Alan Hahn responds by contextualizing the policy within the evolving dynamics of the sport:

“I just don't think this falls into it. It's what is going to help us be a better baseball team.” [04:29]

**b. Generational Fanbase Dynamics A significant portion of the discussion addresses the tension between long-time (often older) fans and the push to modernize team policies to appeal to younger audiences. Don emphasizes the importance of valuing generational fans:

“We gotta stop treating people who were fans from a previous time who are still with us and care as much as anybody else does.” [04:55]

Alan adds that while appealing to younger fans is essential for the team's future, it shouldn't come at the expense of alienating the loyal, long-standing fanbase:

“You just have to evolve... younger people aren't watching the game on TV. Younger people aren't consuming it the way they did.” [07:00]

**c. Impact on Team Performance and Recruitment The hosts debate whether the beard policy directly affects the team's ability to attract talent. Alan posits that modernizing policies like the beard rule can enhance player acquisition without undermining team standards:

“It's what is going to help us be a better baseball team. And these players find these things important.” [12:29]

Don counters by highlighting the broader cultural shift and the necessity for organizations to respect evolving player identities:

“These sports have alienated them. Probably they're the biggest culprit of it than anybody else.” [12:29]

3. Listener Calls and Community Feedback

The episode features multiple listener interactions, providing diverse viewpoints on the Yankees' policy shift.

**a. Support for Policy Change One listener, Adam from California, expresses personal support for the change, linking it to a broader acceptance of individual expression:

“With my beard the players will feel more comfortable and can probably play better.” [16:45]

**b. Historical Context and Policy Evolution Ed from New Jersey delves into the historical aspects of facial hair in baseball, recounting how past policies influenced player behavior and team dynamics:

“The Reds wouldn't even allow mustaches... Raleigh Fingers wanted to keep his mustache, but the Reds made him shave.” [20:21]

**c. Modern Relevance and Team Identity Andy from Westchester brings a historical perspective, questioning the ongoing relevance of adhering to outdated standards:

“I think it's absurd about this beard stuff. I think it's ridiculous.” [35:34]

4. Broader Implications on Sports and Fan Engagement

Beyond the specific case of the Yankees, the hosts discuss how sports organizations balance tradition with modernity. They explore the challenges of maintaining a loyal fanbase while adapting to changing cultural norms and technological advancements in media consumption.

Alan reflects on the necessity for sports entities to embrace change proactively:

“Good organizations, well-run organizations, get out in front of things. They don't wait for it to hit them.” [14:51]

Don underscores the importance of respecting veteran fans and integrating their historical perspective into current team strategies:

“If you don't pay attention to history, you're doomed to repeat it.” [04:00]

5. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, the hosts reiterate the importance of balancing tradition with innovation. They advocate for policies that honor the past while embracing the future, ensuring that all segments of the fanbase feel valued and engaged.

Alan poses a reflective question to the audience:

“Are you a Yankee fan because they won all the time, or are you a Yankee fan because that's how you grew up and that's your favorite team?” [46:04]

Don concurs, emphasizing the enduring passion of dedicated fans despite organizational changes:

“Yankee fans are passionate, man. There's no question about that.” [47:23]

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Notable Quotes:

• “We gotta stop treating people who were fans from a previous time who are still with us and care as much as anybody else does.” — Don LaGreca [04:55]
• “It's what is going to help us be a better baseball team.” — Alan Hahn [04:29]
• “Good organizations, well-run organizations, get out in front of things. They don't wait for it to hit them.” — Alan Hahn [14:51]
• “If you don't pay attention to history, you're doomed to repeat it.” — Don LaGreca [04:00]
• “Are you a Yankee fan because they won all the time, or are you a Yankee fan because that's how you grew up and that's your favorite team?” — Alan Hahn [46:04]

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Conclusion: In this episode of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg, the hosts engage in a thoughtful debate about the New York Yankees' recent policy change regarding player facial hair. Through spirited discussion and insightful listener interactions, they explore the delicate balance between honoring longstanding traditions and evolving to meet contemporary expectations. The conversation highlights the complexities sports organizations face in maintaining a diverse and dedicated fanbase while adapting to the changing landscapes of culture and media.

Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

I can say to my new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, hey, find a keto friendly restaurant nearby and text it to Beth and Steve. And it does without me lifting a finger so I can get in more squats anywhere I can. 1, 2, 3.

[Don LaGreca]

Will that be cash or credit?

[Alan Hahn]

Credit.

[Don LaGreca]

4 Galaxy S25 Ultra the AI companion that does the heavy lifting.

[Alan Hahn]

So you can do you get [e-mail] compatible with select apps. Requires Google Gemini account Results may vary based on input. Check responses for accuracy.

[Don LaGreca]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don LaGreca]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 880 ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers. It's at a 5:00 hour. We go Don Hahn and Rosenberg, 880 ESPN, the ESPN New York app with Don Legreca. I'm Alan Hahn. Peter Rosenberg is now Canadian, so he's no longer with us. He's actually on assignment, but it's more.

[Alan Hahn]

Fun to say that he's on assignment in Canada.

[Don LaGreca]

He's the only American that cheered for Canada because he just likes to be that guy. But we have calls to get to Don. And you know, you and I both agree that the beard policy story with the Yankees on the surface is stupid, that the policy itself was of course antiquated and was long overdue, that they had to move on from it. Hal Steinburner finally does today. But we both also agree that having a press conference is like, what are we doing? It just gets ridiculous. But because there is some passionate response from some fans about this and the notion that it does suggest a crumbling of the Yankee tradition for some and for others it shows how out of touch they've been all these years. I do want to push back on something and I know you don't like it, so I'm just going to. I'm going to repeat it and then you can go from here. I'm tired and I used to listen to the old show. As you know, I was a P1 and although it was funny all the times that you make fun of and not you mostly Peter would make fun of, you know, the. I've been a Yankee fan since 1942. I also feel like we gotta stop marginalizing the generational fans. Like we gotta stop treating people who were fans from a previous time who are still with us and care as much as anybody else does. We gotta stop just saying shit. Shut up, old man. You're the past. You don't matter. We're not trying to sell to you anymore. I don't like that. Because you should still care about those fans. They put in more time than anybody else has. They're still here. They've been through it all. Like we've been through the, we went through the 80s, we went through that. The early 90s, my God, the early 90s. We've been through the bad times, then the glorious times, the return to Camelot of the late 90s and how wonderful that was. And then we're going through another period now, which is again very frustrating because we've seen it before. So for, for, for older fans to have something to say about where the franchise is headed. And maybe we sound like we're living in the past, but that's because the past was pretty fricking good. And some of us do like the fact that there was a lot of fresh faced players from the 90s teams that reminded us of the days of the Eminem boys and Moose Scowren and those guys. Like there was something about those Yankees that made them romantic. It's why the Yankees are the Yankees, because of players like that. Because of a Joe DiMaggio who is so much like Derek Jeter in the same kind of way. Marilyn Monroe, Mariah Carey, however you want to do it. The point is, I do think it's unfair that when we get older, people who call in, the first thing we do is mock them and tell them that they're out of touch because somebody feels like this policy suggests the crumbling of the Yankee tradition. That's their opinion, that's how they feel. And maybe we should listen a little carefully because if you don't pay attention to history, you're doomed to repeat it. And a lot of these people have witnessed that history.

[Alan Hahn]

You're being very fair. I just don't think it applies to this. Because my joke about Nixon talking to the fans at Woodstock in 69, how old are those guys now? The unruly back in the 70s when people had ugly beards and long hair? They're older now, right? So are they against the policy? But I don't think it's talking down to the older generation. What it's doing is realizing that, hey, Vlad Guerrero is a free agent next year. He's got long dreadlocks and a beard. Do we really want to lose out on him because he doesn't want to shave his hair, shave his face and cut his hair? I agree, man. Where there's going to be a big time free agent. And what are those fans going to say the day after Vlad Guerrero signs with the Mets instead of the Yankees and the reasons because of facial hair. Are those fans all gonna call up and say, good, I didn't want him anyway, or are they gonna rip Hal for not changing the policy?

[Don LaGreca]

I agree, but I'm using this as an opportunity to remind younger generation fans to just watch the way they act towards older fans. It's like it just happens too much now. And it happens a lot on sports talk radio. I get tired of it. It's like we just constantly, you know, oh, silly old man. What do you know? What do you know? He's been around for 40 years, 50 years watching a team. He certainly knows a lot.

[Alan Hahn]

But I don't think they're doing that.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, I hear it all the time. I hear it. You guys used to do it all the time. I say you guys loosely because I know it wasn't all, it wasn't you. But there was a lot of kind of mocking the older fans and their ways and what they liked.

[Alan Hahn]

Here's why. Not because they're older, but I just never understood why they had to tell us how long they've been a fan. Johnny, it's a badge of honor.

[Don LaGreca]

It's a badge of honor.

[Alan Hahn]

All right? It's a badge of honor. But it's also the fact that, hey, listen, times have changed and you refuse to change. All right? So we would get on those older fans because I'm with you, I'm 57 years old. I'm a lot closer to them than the 20 something that calls up the show. But those guys. Why isn't Aaron Judge batting fourth? Because that's not the way the game's played anymore. You grew up on a sport in which your slugger batted fourth. That's not the way this sport is anymore. So what I'm getting on is not because of the age, but it just seems like the older fan wants their games. Yeah. You know why? Wants their team like it was 50 years ago. And that's just not how life works.

[Don LaGreca]

Is baseball more watchable now? Is it really?

[Alan Hahn]

Is it truly don 12 year old.

[Don LaGreca]

Don METS fan Is this game more watchable now than it was then?

[Alan Hahn]

No, it's not.

[Don LaGreca]

Of course, now you understand why you are talking about a game that isn't played that way. Like it's different if you wanted to do, you know, the left wing lock? And why aren't they doing that anymore? Yeah, I would, I would do the same thing. Like, like nobody wants that. That was terrible. You know, the underhand free throw. Why does, why don't they just have Mitchell Robinson shoot an underhand free throw. Like, no, that's stupid. But this is different.

[Alan Hahn]

But I think we're talking about different things here. I mean, the game has changed because I think there's a. That you just have to evolve. Just that the way that they decide to go about things. The analytics didn't start because they wanted to change the game for younger people to like it. They changed the analytics because it was a way to save money. And then they figured out, hey, this is actually a way that we can win. They're all about trying to win. I don't think it has to shut out the older audience, but this is the way of life, trying to get a younger audience. Because unfortunately the people that you're talking about are going to move to Florida or die. So you've got to evolve an audience. And the way you do that is to get younger people. Younger people aren't watching the game on tv. Younger people aren't consuming it the way they did. But one day they'll turn 30 and 40 and 50. And that's how you build your audience. That's why the older generation gets ignored. Because you have them already. Because all those curmudgeon older fans, they're not going anywhere. They're yell at the tv, yell at the cloud, but they're not going anywhere.

[Don LaGreca]

I understand. They totally understand. Like I said, I feel like something has happened in the last 10 years or so where it has turned too much into mocking even older players and older fans about them talking about where the state of the game, that instead of listening to it, we just like mock it.

[Alan Hahn]

And look at, look where the NBA.

[Don LaGreca]

All Star is right now. Look at that one right now. And it's like, oh, you guys talk about how great it was back then. Yeah. Cause it was because they did it right then. And then it's now. It's jumped the shark now. It's terrible now, you know, and they're gearing it towards you, all the young people, they're trying to make you happy. And it sucks.

[Alan Hahn]

But I do think, like that was.

[Don LaGreca]

Hitting me when I was talking to somebody about, about NBA All Star last night. And we were talking about it and we kept going back to. Do you remember this one? Do you remember that one? All Star Games and All Star Saturdays. And I was like, man, we sound like old people now and nobody wants to hear us talk. They don't care about what we think. And then it was like, well, maybe they should. I was like, yeah, that's a good point. Because everything's geared towards a younger audience. And how's it working out right now.

[Alan Hahn]

Now anyways, you brought up where baseball is right now. Yeah, you know, I guess the reports are coming down. I guess it's, it's pretty much official now that this is it for ESPN and baseball. That that would be a mistake. I saw it with hockey.

[Don LaGreca]

It's like, you know, is this new? What are you seeing?

[Alan Hahn]

No, just the talk about the future of the networks and everything else.

[Don LaGreca]

So there's a mutual opt out right now in the deal.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. So I just think that leaving ESPN for baseball would be a huge mistake because I saw it with hockey after.

[Don LaGreca]

The, after this season. The relationship now will end.

[Alan Hahn]

And, and that's, that's scary stuff. Just because I saw what happened to hockey and I'm not, again, I'm not talking up the company that we work for. But if you want to be relevant as a sport, being on ESPN is exceptionally important. So baseball needs to be careful.

[Don LaGreca]

Just ask Gary Bettman. Gary said, when they let. Gary told me like when they left, you know, there was this whole idea like, like well or you don't want to deal with us. Well, you will be irrelevant. And you became irrelevant. I mean again, oln, you know, Outdoor Life Network, like that really was a thing.

[Alan Hahn]

I seen it happen in astronaut.

[Don LaGreca]

So there's a statement from ESPN pr. This is from yesterday actually. We are grateful for our long standing relationship with Major League Baseball and proud of how ESPN's coverage super serves fans. In making this decision, we applied the same discipline and fiscal responsibility that has put ESPN in the industry leading live events portfolio. As we continue to grow our audience across linear digital social platforms as we have been throughout the process, we remain open to exploring new ways to serve MLB fans across our platforms beyond 2025.

[Alan Hahn]

We'll see how.

[Don LaGreca]

So they have opted out. ESPN has opted out of their deal. So what is next for baseball?

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know because I saw it happen to hockey. I've seen it happen with nascar.

[Don LaGreca]

They have Fox.

[Alan Hahn]

They have and Fox does a great job and NBC does a great job. But there's just something about sports and espn. Right. Because when everybody's on a network and you're not, you're going to feel like you're on the outside looking in. Right.

[Don LaGreca]

So 36 years on a Sunday night baseball.

[Alan Hahn]

But I thought about what you were saying there and just where baseball stands right now and I think there's that conflict with baseball more than any other sport because when we were growing up and I feel like I'm on the younger edge of this. But baseball was like a national institution. Everybody was a baseball fan. And now that's. And baseball. But. But it's not baseball's fault, because when we were growing up, you know, the. The 79 Stanley Cup Final was on pay per view outside of New York because the Rangers were in it. Like the. We. We had NBA Finals on tape delay.

[Don LaGreca]

All right?

[Alan Hahn]

Football was big, but baseball was still bigger. Now football's become a monolith. Right? Hockey and basketball have become bigger competition. MLS has become bigger competition. Like, so baseball just has more people at the party. They used to be, you know, there used to be two people at the party. Now they're like 10. All right? So they're not gaining everybody else's attention.

[Don LaGreca]

So they want to go. They want to go to platforms like Apple and Roku and try to feel like at least we're bigger on those platforms, even though Apple's trying to get into the NFL game as well.

[Alan Hahn]

So when you're talking about alienating an older audience, that's the way baseball's doing it.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Streaming, because I know it's. It's easy, but for a lot of people, going to streaming services is just another money grab or something that they're not into doing. So it's interesting. You can get on us for making fun of older fans and all that, but these sports have alienated them. Probably they're the biggest culprit of it than anybody else. But as far as the facial hair policy goes, I just don't think this falls into it. It's what is going to help us be a better baseball team. And these players find these things important, and the players are younger. Right. They're coming from a different generation. But I just think that when the vice president wears facial hair and you see a lot of corporate types that have nice face, it just seems like, listen, this whole thing came because George Steinbrenner was a military man, went to military school, and he wanted to send that to his players. And that was during an era where the players were just a bit part of. The manager had more say, the general manager had more say, and the owner had all the say. Things are different now. You're partners with the players now, and in the next cba, they're probably going to get a bigger slice of the pie than you're getting. They've become your partner. So start opening your eyes to what your partner wants. You just signed Aaron Judge to a very lucrative contract. You're running ideas and trade proposals and Free agency by him because you've made him a partner. The Mets have made Juan Soto a partner. You don't give a guy a 15 year contract and just say, play clown. You're making him part of your. You're making him part of the decision process. And now you're gonna treat him like a child and say, you can't have facial hair because that's what it is. And they finally woke up to it 20 years too late, as far as I'm concerned.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, again, I kept forgetting that it was a thing. I honestly did. Every now and then you'd be reminded of it by a player who used to have a beard or a player getting a beard after he left. And you're like, why did he do that? Oh, it's like a rebel, but it's not something I ever really thought about. But. So this announcement is sort of like, yeah, I mean, a long time coming, but okay. But it does feel like it was motivated by fear. The fear that they either found out they couldn't get a player because of this policy or that enough people have said to them, you know, guys, guys don't really want to go there because of this. You might want to clean that up. And they decided, fine, let's do it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And you can look at it as a sign of weakness, and you can look at it as like they've joined the rest of the pack. But I just think real good organizations, well run organizations, get out in front of things. They don't wait for it to hit them. They don't wait for a player to say, no. They say, rather than these players say, no, let's change the policy now. And I'm sure Brian Cashman's forward enough thinking to look at free agents he might want to sign. And apparently CC Sabathi has been in the ear of Hal for years now. Hey, why don't you lighten his policy? Yeah, you know, let's change again. They're not putting names on the back. They're not having a third jersey. There's a lot of things that the Yankees are still way out in front of as far as I'm concerned, and that they can money grab with the best of them because of who they are. And they don't, you know, it's, it's, it's not Verizon Stadium. It's still Yankee Stadium, you know, so. But I think this is a pot. This was a necessary evil, man. I just think it was a convoluted, aged policy that just needed to be changed. Did we need a press conference. Probably not, but.

[Don LaGreca]

But we did.

[Alan Hahn]

What else is going on?

[Don LaGreca]

On.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. 800-919-3776. Certainly not this show anymore. Moose in Jamaica. Moose, what's happening?

[C]

What was good, fellas, how are we? Good afternoon. Yeah. So I'm happy that this policy change is in effect on two fronts on a personal note, but more so from an organizational standpoint in terms of what you've been saying about the whole thing from the start of the show, the players and even more so and probably not seen aspect to it is I know with my beard because I personally I shave my be, have a 5 o'clock shower like I mentioned on the previous iteration of the Michael Cage show in solidarity with the players to just keep a mustache. But I know when I don't have my beard, I feel naked. So I guess with a beard the players will feel more comfortable and can probably play better. They'll be more in their element.

[Don LaGreca]

I tell you what I want to know. I like how many wins, like what's a win share for the beard? Right? Like Don, I'd love that because there are some. I've heard this before from a couple other people about this and thank you, Moose. It's like, you know, players will be happier with the beard or they'll play better or they'll feel more like themselves. And it's like, all right, I need a metric now. The win share total for the beard since the beard, since the beard policy, you know, the probability of wins went up in certain situations.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, someone will do that.

[Don LaGreca]

I hope so. Adam in California. Adam.

[C]

Hey, boys.

[Alan Hahn]

Holy crap.

[C]

I can't believe I got on. I've been calling for years. I've been a huge fan of you, Alan, ever since the Bullpen Coyote days.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh yeah.

[C]

I just want to say Don, personally, thank you. Last year you sent me a cameo with the top five of the your five favorite Metallica songs. I just want.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Don LaGreca]

Hell yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

That was fun.

[C]

Oh yeah, it was great. But it was all hell yeah. Thank you so much. But I just want to reiterate what that last guy was saying. I'm a 40 year old Yankees fan. I live in California now. It's sad to hear that the ESPN is coming off the Sunday baseball and all that because it's hard to find games and Yankee fan. But I wanted to touch base on the facial hair. I was in the military for four years, Marine Corps. First thing I did when I got out, I grew a beard. It just felt personal. It was like, you know, I Know it's uniform ever since the 70s with George. @ the time, it was cool, but you gotta. You gotta adapt to die, man. So I am totally on board. I do not agree with that cornball press conference, but I just want to give my flowers to Hal and the organization. And you guys are amazing. I love your show. Listen, every day. Thanks a lot, brother.

[Don LaGreca]

Thanks, Adam.

[Alan Hahn]

It means a lot.

[Don LaGreca]

I do think the press conference was. Was definitely a bit much. Let's get Dave in Queens. Hey, Dave. Gentlemen.

[C]

Thanks, Don. Are you in cameo? Thank you.

[Don LaGreca]

You know, I never did. I never got. I don't think anybody really wants me because I have never been approached about it.

[C]

There's a lot of women out there that want you. Alice on cameo.

[Don LaGreca]

Nobody's approached me. The cameo will have to approach me about it. Yeah, all right.

[C]

I wouldn't do a cameo with you. No offense, but there's a lot of women that probably would.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay?

[C]

And they pay money. They pay gold. They pay green money.

[Don LaGreca]

Donnie. You got an only fans, Don? Did you get an only fans, too?

[Alan Hahn]

That's what you really believe me? I don't. It's not too many women that want for me.

[C]

Hey, Don. Okay, top five list coming, please, from you, when you can. Top five hall of Fame baseball players with a beard. Oh, I don't know many. I don't know many. Now, you could do a deep dive. Of course, it's a long history, but I mean, of course there's a lot probably in the day, but I see old photos in the 20s. I don't see beards. So you.

[Don LaGreca]

You come back with a good one. I like that. For next week. Anthony, write it down. Next week's top five. Top five bearded baseball players next week. That's a good one, Dave. That's a good one. I love that one. Ed in New Jersey. Ed, I'm curious about this.

[C]

Hey, guys. How you doing?

[Don LaGreca]

Good.

[Alan Hahn]

What's up, Ed?

[C]

Now. Now, I don't want to go all Richard on you, but I was born.

[Alan Hahn]

In 1972, and the world Series that.

[C]

Year was Oakland in Cincinnati. And that World Series was called the Hairs versus the Squares. The Reds wouldn't even allow mustaches. And that policy went for about 30 years, while the A's had Reggie Jackson come to training camp with a beard. He wouldn't shave. Charlie Finley got wind of this, and he said, I'll give anybody a bonus of $350. Did they grow a mustache? And a lot of them did. Raleigh Fingers did. And here's the ironic thing about Raleigh Fingers. Near the end of his career, he was going to go to the Reds, but they told him to shave his mustache. He said, I'm retired.

[Don LaGreca]

Not his mustache. That's in the hall of mustache alone. Is in the hall of Fame.

[C]

Yeah, March. I wanted him to shave the mustache. And this is like 1986.

[Alan Hahn]

And she turned out to be pretty reputable, if you look.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah. As far as owners go. Thank you, Ed. As far as owners go, you certainly would want to follow anything that she had to say. Lavelle and Yonkers.

[Alan Hahn]

Lavelle.

[C]

What's going on, boys?

[Don LaGreca]

How we doing?

[C]

Shout out to all my Charger fans out there. Both up.

[Don LaGreca]

There you go. Charger Nation.

[C]

Charger Nation. Listen, so I want to chime in on this and again, Alan, you know, you made a good point. Listen, as a, as a listener of the Michael k show since 1947 and a Yankee fan, a lot of yo yos call that a Yankee fan and say the craziest thing. So that's where the joke came from. Now, Don, just to speak to you, we're proud to be Yankee fans because a lot of us root for other teams. Like, I was, I was curious the other day, and I was looking to see which city had the most championships. And it's New York, but only because of the Yankees. Like the Yankees boast up this city's list of all sports by so much. So it's just. It's just a pride thing. But people take it too far, right? George made this rule. But George is not the only owner that there's ever been. This was his thing. And my thing is Hal has long left George's way. Like I've said many times, calling these things that have happened that George would have never like just players that we didn't get. George wouldn't allow that. So my thing is, if you if how's going to abandon the number one thing that George cared about, which is never lose face. Never lose the face off. Even if he. It was the wrong decision, he was never going to lose out to another team. Then why, why do that? And then have this charade of keeping the mustache thing and the other thing to the people who, who talk about prestige and all that, the prestige was winning. It was the Bronx Zoo. When George took over, the team was crazy. The whole Billy Martin stuff, it wasn't about that. See, and when you look back at those old pictures of Joe DiMaggio and all these people, it's just that in society, people really didn't wear facial hair. It was just not what people did at that time. And that's why in the 70s it became an act of rebellion to be, oh, all of a sudden we're going to wear beards.

[Don LaGreca]

And again. And Lavelle, just one thing to point out too. After, you know, the Bronx Zoo when they were winning. Well, Bronx Zoo was winning World Series as well. Going to the World Series three years winning two of them in back to back fashion. Look at all the play. I mean Thurman Munson had a big bushy mustache. They all. Yeah, goose handle the bar. Like it wasn't. Like there was no facial hair. Like that's what always made me laugh. It's like, okay, you can't do the beard part, but you can have. Exactly. And so there is sort of like a weird thing about it. Lavelle, thanks for the call as always. So like I said, I always forgot it existed until something reminded you and then you're like, oh yeah, that's dumb. So they finally get rid of it. They have a press conference to do it, which always feels like a lot, but you know, that's what the Yankees do. And now it's done. And so people are reacting to it because we don't have games to react to yet.

[Alan Hahn]

Get in the zone AutoZone welcome to the A to Z savings event at AutoZone.

[C]

Yeah, happy to be here.

[Alan Hahn]

Can I get some rotors? Would you like brake pads with that?

[Don LaGreca]

How much are the brake pads free.

[Alan Hahn]

With the rotors Free?

[Don LaGreca]

Really, really free. Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

I also need some oil. Would you like an oil filter with that?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. How much is that free with five quarts of oil?

[Alan Hahn]

Free. Really, really free?

[C]

It's part of the A to Z Savings event.

[Alan Hahn]

You might as well call it A.

[Don LaGreca]

To free at AutoZone. Get in the zone.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Don LaGreca]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don LaGreca]

Catch this show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Hey everybody, it's the Don Show.

[Alan Hahn]

It never ends. Those are facts. The Don show starring only Don. Good for me, it's the Don show starting now.

[Don LaGreca]

Tweet that.

[Alan Hahn]

Hey Don. Well, it's been a long time, but it's the don show till 6:30. Then we'll hand it off to Pat O'Keefe for Knicks Cabs right here on 880 ESPN. Couple of phone lines open at 1-800-919-3776. Before I get back to the phones though, I just want to say to pilot you maybe put a bow on this whole Yankee beard thing. Will we ever, ever get to the point where we're not asking the question what would George do as as we start to see them evolve away from the George quote unquote standard? When do we finally get to the point where this is no longer a thing? I know how's his son, so there's obviously a connection there, but when can we stop? How's not George? You know the standard that George set towards the tail end of his life because there was also times that he was completely out of his mind and making wrong decisions and the Yankee fan base was done with him, that they were cheering when he got suspended because they thought he was doing too much damage to the sport and to the team. But now that we've got Away from his beard policy. And they don't have the highest payroll anymore. They seem to be fiscally responsible. They just lost the biggest free agent available. That never happened. When do we stop? When will we finally stop and ask, what would George do? It's not relevant anymore. God rest his soul. He's been gone for 15 years. Hal is not his father. So, you know, make the adjustment. Yankee fans, it's on you now. The only thing that seems to be left is no names on the back of the jersey, which I think. Which I dig. I think that's a good idea. It means that the crest in the front's more important than the name on the back. I get that. And you've got numbers to identify the players, so it shouldn't be a problem. But when does it end? I'm. I'm. I'm asking fans, I'm asking talk show hosts, I'm asking reporters, when are we going to stop? It just. It just seems. It's been 15 years now. Clearly they've moved on to a different path on the way that they do things. So can we stop? I have a feeling it's not going to stop anytime soon. But as far as the names on the back, that's what Presley wants to talk about in Brooklyn. You're on ESPN New York. What is up, sir?

[C]

What's up, Don? So basically, hello.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I got you, buddy.

[C]

Oh, my bad, man. So basically, I am for the not having the facial stuff. I did like the professional clean cut stuff, but I didn't like that it's preventing us from getting good guys. I mean, being a Dominican Yankee fan, it did put a bad taste in my mouth that Juan Soto didn't jump on with us. I'm like, come on, we're. We're the Yankees. But like, this is a new era, man. Like, you know, players want to have their beard, they want to look good. Jazz Chisholm wants to wear his chains, you know, so we got to let the players be. Who knows, Maybe Gleyba Torres would have been better. We would have never. If he never had to shave every day. I mean, he looks good now with the Detroit, but, you know, you never know, man.

[Alan Hahn]

And Presley, I don't look at it as it just completely caving to the players or selling your soul, as some people on social media have described it. It's just getting with the times. Is it really rebellious and disrespectful and sloppy to have a beard? Listen, I am not, you know, a gq, but when I look in the mirror, I don't think I look like a slob because I've chosen to wear a beard. I think there is a way to get to have a beard and still be the Vice President of the United States or even the president if he wanted to. If J.D. vance became the president or whoever else decides to run. Do you think that there are people in campaign saying, you better shave the beard, otherwise nobody will vote for you? Give me a break. I think with that's over, I just think that's really what we need to focus on. It was convoluted. It was aged. It was stupid. That you can be a respectful human being that falls in line and cares about the team more than yourself and is not selfish and not an individual and just happened to wear a beard. God, it's. We're so far removed from. I wore long hair and had a beard because I was sticking it to the man. Come on. Really? What is it? 1969, we take into the streets, you know, peace signs. That's why I just think it. In 1976, it was a thing. It was a rebellious thing to have a beard. You looked at a beard and you said, that guy's onto something. Something's happening. Or he might be on something. Is that really the case? Do you look at somebody with a beard and go, ha, man, that guy's all disheveled, in a mess. If his beards all over the place, pointing in 1500 different directions, and it looks like he hasn't shaved in. In 10 years, then of course, that's disrespectful. And the Yankees have said they're not gonna allow that to happen. But a guy that wants to have a beard and it's neatly kept. Are you. What? Really? What are we doing? Let's go to Jay in Newark. You're on ESPN here.

[C]

Hey, Don, I didn't even know you had an intro. That was pretty cool. We should hear that more, man.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, more Don Shows that what we need.

[C]

Yeah, we got to get you some more Don Shows. But you posed a question about when we would stop asking, what would Joy. What would George do? And I think the simple answer is, George has been tied to the last dynasty and the last bit of what we consider to be a great Yankee teams. And it's winning championships and bunches. It might not happen again. But because that's what people remember about him when he was the owner, they forget about the suspension and all the things that he didn't do. Well, I think people have them tied to all that last dynasty and until people start feeling that we're winning like that again, there's always going to be that question, what would the old man do? May not be fair, but I think that's the main, the simple answer.

[Alan Hahn]

But. But also we just assume, Jay, that everything the old man did was the right move. You want him to spend like a drunken sailor and get every. Oh, there's no way Soto would have walked out the door. Okay, but would that have necessarily been the right thing if they gave him $50 million more than they thought he was worth? I understand Hal hasn't won yet, but you haven't noticed how much more difficult it is to win. Heck, you win more Super Bowls. There's more dynasties in the NFL than Major League Baseball. The Texas Rangers two years ago played in the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Neither of those teams made the playoffs the next year. The last time a team has won back to back World Series, it was the Yankees 20 something years ago. It's hard to win now. They have revenue sharing. You have teams in San Diego spending tons of money. You've got billionaire owners. Doesn't matter what market they're in there that are, that are overpaying for people. Do you think the Mets are outspending the Yankees because they're in New York? No, because they've got a guy that's sitting on $16 billion of his own money. It's, it's a lot harder to win than it was. You're not going out there and winning four championships in five years. Yeah, George had a lot to do with that, but he was also in a situation where there were only two or three other teams spending money and he made sure that he spent the most of it because that was the way to win. You didn't care about the draft. There was no money being taken away from you internationally. There was no extended revenue sharing that there is right now. So is it possible that if George Steinbrenner were still alive that maybe he would be doing what Hal's doing? I'm not going to waste money. I'm not going to prop up all these other teams because that's what you'd be doing. Do I want to lose out on free agents in Japan because I spent too much money on free agents? Do you think George, how about this? Yes, George spent money. But do you think George would make Aaron Judge a partner and run things by him? Or would he be saying, it's my way of the highway and maybe Judge would be like, I don't know if I want to be here unless I have some sort of a say. Like everybody wants to look at the good in George, but there was also a lot of stuff that stood in the way. So I'm not completely on board with everything Hal has done, but could we just stop with if George was still alive, that this team would be winning. George passed away in 2010. So they went from 2000, didn't win another World Series until 2009. George was pretty much out at that point. So there was a lot of losing or a lot of non Championships from 2000 until 2009 where George was the owner. So was it George passing away or was it the game kind of changing and evolving and being a lot different than it was back in the day. Let's go to Andy in Westchester. You're on ESPN New York.

[C]

Yeah, hi, Don. I'm a first time caller and a short term listener. I accidentally happened upon your station after listening to WFM for 30 years.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[C]

And I love you. You are amazing.

[Alan Hahn]

Thank you.

[C]

You are an amazing talk show host. Amazing. And I'm an old, I'm an old man, 76, but I'm a young 76.

[Alan Hahn]

And I sound like a young 76, huh? You do sound like a young 76.

[C]

I am, I'm a young 76 and I'm a, you know, I lived across the street from Yankee Stadium, grew up in the Bronx. Mantle remains my favorite player. I saw Joe DiMaggio in his, almost his retirement year, I think 1951, but anyway. And yeah, I think it's absurd about this beard stuff. I think it's ridiculous. I mean, if a player wants to, you know, grow a beard, fine. If he's hitting, you know, 320, who cares, who cares what he's, you know, as long as he looks like a human being, you know what I mean?

[Alan Hahn]

And that's why the policy is what it is. As long as you, you, you, you're respectful. You know, just because you have a beard doesn't mean that you're some sort of rebel that can't be trusted. So you gotta just evolve with the times, man. And I do believe, and I said it for years with Michael, Michael said, I love the policy where the New York Yankees is the way it's gonna be. I said one day you're gonna lose out on a free agent and you're gonna change the policy and you're gonna look weak because you're gonna look like you changed the policy because a player didn't want to come here, get out in front of it. Change it and maybe it'll be, you know, maybe we'll never find out. But now they got out in front of it. They did it before they were forced to have to do it. So it's the smart thing to do. Why is it today And I do think it's kind of tied to. Can I really say you can't have a beard when the Vice President of the United States has a beard. Right? I mean it's, I think it's more than just a coincidence. This is the year that he decided to change because a couple of months ago he was in office. I'm not trying to be political. I'm not saying that, that they're the right or left. It's just that how could you say it's disrespectful to have a beard when a guy that's just under the President of the United States has a beard? Seems a little silly. 1-800-919-3776 take up a little 6:30. I need to apologize to the family of Dan Grassa and Pat O'Keefe because I said Pat was on the pregame. It's actually Dan, so hopefully their families will forgive me. But if they do decide to protest the station, I wouldn't, I would completely understand but is doing the pregame show and he deserves your respect but more importantly deserves your ear at 6:30 because he is going to be doing the pregame leading in to the Knicks and Cavaliers right here on 880 ESPN. We want you to get the most for your money people. That's why more Mazda buyers choose Ramsey Mazda Lisa New 2025 Mazda CX5 All Wheel Drive just 229amonth or buy and get 0.9% APR financing for 36 months. Start shopping now at Ramsey Mazda.com or at Ramsey Mazda Route 17 north in Ramsey. Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Call 888-853-2970 for details. Excludes tax, title and registration. Zero security deposit. VIN S0558897 MSRP30585 ends 228.25 it's winter and you can now get almost anything you need for the coldest months of the year delivered with Uber Eats. What do we mean by almost? Well, you can't get a ski slope delivered, but you can get dish soap delivered. Sunshine, that's a no. But a bottle of wine, that's a yes. A snow angel? Sorry, no, but angel hair pasta? Uber Eats can definitely get you that get almost almost Anything delivered with Uber Eats order now. Alcohol and select markets. Product availability may vary by region. See out for details. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this.

[Don LaGreca]

But anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying.

[C]

It's not just for celebrities.

[Don LaGreca]

So do like I did and have.

[Alan Hahn]

One of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail] Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available.

[Don LaGreca]

Taxes and fees, extra fee full [e-mail].

[Alan Hahn]

Get the Angel Reese special at McDonald's.

[C]

Now let's break it down.

[Don LaGreca]

My favorite barbecue sauce, American cheese, crispy.

[Alan Hahn]

Bacon, pickles, onions and a sesame seed bun of course. And don't forget the fries and the drinks. Sound good? I participate in restaurants for a limited.

[Don LaGreca]

Time thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don LaGreca]

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

[Alan Hahn]

What about Don Han and Rosenberg? But this version is Don, Don Solo or Don show, whatever we're calling it till 6:30 and then it's going to be Dan Grasso leading into Knicks and Cavaliers tomorrow, 5:30 5:00 pre right here on our air. Rangers back to work against the Sabers and then They've got a 3:30 start on Sunday against the Penguins. So right back at it. Let's not forget we've had fun for the last couple of weeks. But you know, it's back to business for a Ranger team that's three points out of a playoff spot with 27 games left. Islanders also trying to make the playoffs. Devils trying to hold on to third place in the Metropolitan Division. So it's on. Knicks have a huge weekend as well. They've got the Cavaliers tonight. They've got the Celtics coming up on Sunday afternoon. That's a nationally televised game. It's hard to make a statement when nobody's able to play. But they are playing some important games here and we've got spring training baseball, which will also be on our air by the way, coming up at 1:00 on Monday. So we've got a lot happening here. Man, all these people say February's dead. No, February's hopping, man. St. John's has a chance to win the Big East. That tournament's gonna be happening. We've got. We got too much and we're all over it. And this is the place to be for all of it. 880 ESPN. Lock it in. Download the app, for God's sakes. Do yourself your favor and your ears a favor because it's all happening here. You don't want to miss a second of it. 1-800-919-3776. Mr. Ray in Connecticut, you get us started here in this segment on the Don Show. What's going on?

[C]

Hey, Don. How's it going, bro?

[Alan Hahn]

It's all happening as I said.

[C]

Yes, sir. Well, I wanted to just touch on the, you know, the things that have been that we've been talking about. Four nations really set a new standard in sports that an all star break could actually be entertaining. Big win for the NHL. The only thing that I said and I told Anthony, the only thing that's missing is the great Don McGregor to be the voice for these events for all national. The bid is the message to the big wigs. You guys have an untapped well there. You to me are the voice of hockey. I think you could do football as well. I know they got Joe Buck and he does a great job and so does the announcers for hockey. But you, my man, you should definitely be the national voice for all these events. You just with your knowledge and the passion that you put, you are, man, absolutely awesome, you know, but like I said, the when it comes to the NHL big win gets me really excited for the rest of the season. I hope it continues. I hope this shows people that there is nothing better than high pressure hockey. That's why playoff hockey to me is the best. And from there, I just wanted to say one thing because I called a couple of weeks back. I wanted to touch on because you said to come back to you while I'm here. I'm back to you. And I wanted to just clarify that I wasn't. I should have made myself more clear about the Luca trade. No way are they Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio wasn't talking about the caliber. I was talking about the shock value.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm glad you cleared that up. Right. And I appreciate the kind words to. It's exposing people to a sport that they might not know. And I was in that boat. My dad was not a hockey fan. I remember watching the 79 Stanley Cup Final with him because he kind of climbed on board because it was a local team with the Rangers taking on the Canadiens. And so I watched that with him, but he just was not a Hockey fan. He was a football fan. He was a baseball fan. He liked watching college basketball, and I'd watch it with him. So I didn't get exposed to hockey until the Devils came in in 82. And by that time, what was I, 14 years old. Then I got my driver's license, started going to the Meadowlands and going to games. I was exposed to it late because my dad wasn't into it. And then once I got exposed to it, I thought it was phenomenal and I fell in love with it. There's a lot of people. There's so much else going on that maybe just hockey has never been anything you've been able to get into. And maybe last night you've been exposed and say, you know what? I'm going to fall in love with it. It's going to be a very low percentage because people got baseball season starting. You've got football fans and basketball fans that don't need anything else on their plate. But I thought they put their best foot forward, and I think there's an excellent opportunity for the NHL to take advantage of it. And I think the best way to do that is start looking at the guys that excelled in this tournament and make sure that they get a little bit more exposure as well. I want to see more Dylan Larkin on national television. I want to see more Brady Tkachuk on national television. Television that is really going to help this sport, I think, tremendously. And come playoff time, a lot of these guys are going to be in the playoffs and making a run for the Stanley cup, and I think that's when it's going to be a lot of fun. Let's go to Caesar. He's in Huntington. You're on ESPN New York.

[C]

Oh, hey. Hello, Dom. How's it going, my friend?

[Alan Hahn]

How are you? Where you been?

[C]

I'm better now because we are speaking. Yes, I've been on Yankee Fans since yesterday. It's always a joke. It's always a joke whenever Anthony picks up the phone. But I want to talk about the. The fact that. Why is everyone, like, really, like, losing their. Their mindsets on the. The Yankees, like, oh, okay, now we're okay with, like, we can shave the beard. Okay. Does that make us any more of a human? I mean, at the end of the day, Dom, and you. You have. You touch on so many great points, and you hit the nail in the head, like, so many times, and, like, there's so many different things that I want to talk about, but I come back and I regress and I'll digress to the. The fact that, hey, why are we arguing about, you know, the face your head policy? Like, that's really not an issue, is it? Really? Yankee fans are divas. But go ahead, Don, take over.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen, I don't know why it's such a big deal either, but they had a press conference for it, so I guess the Yankees thought it was a big deal today. Now, I told you how I felt about that. Listen, Yankee fans are, in a way, because it's been a long time since they won. But here's what I would say to some of those Yankee fans. Are you a Yankee fan because they won all the time, or are you a Yankee fan because that's how you grew up and that's your favorite team? And you had, you know, you love Dave Winfield or Dom Mattingly or Ron Guidry or whatever because it seems like you're really in a way with this team not winning. I get it, but it's just. It's hard to win. They're not going to win at the clip they used to. Man, if you're expecting this team to rattle off four championships in five years, it's not going to happen. It's just not the way the sport's built anymore. So does that mean you're less of a fan now or more of a fan? I don't know, but it's just. It is crazy. Yankee fans are passionate, man. There's no question about that.

[Don LaGreca]

Thanks for listening to Badan, Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know it's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter.

[Alan Hahn]

Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8.

[Don LaGreca]

80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.

[C]

I don't just stand on business, I.

[Alan Hahn]

Live it 24 7.

[C]

Because you don't become a young entrepreneur by staying stagnant.

[Alan Hahn]

Whether I'm chasing deals, networking, or taking calls from behind the wheel of my Toyota Crown, I'm always in motion. You may think launching a successful startup.

[C]

Is enough to be satisfied, but me, I'm just getting started.

[Alan Hahn]

It's a new day at Toyota led by a new generation of drivers, and we want you to know one thing.

[C]

You can't stop my drive.

[Alan Hahn]

Toyota, let's go places.