Hour 3: Why is NY Hated?

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 3: Why is NY Hated?

ESPN New York – December 17, 2025
Hosts: Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg

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Overview

In this lively third hour, Alan Hahn and Peter Rosenberg delve into the roots of the "hate" toward New York sports teams and their fans across America. They field calls about the legitimacy of celebrating the Knicks' NBA Cup win and the unwinnable dynamic facing New York sports fandom. Along the way, the hosts break down the latest roster moves for the Mets and Yankees, discuss the ever-fluid landscape of player transactions, and throw in personal anecdotes and notable quirks (plus colorful debate on whether “banners” for new NBA Cup wins are legitimate).

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mets & Yankees Roster Moves (Baseball Free Agency)

Timestamps: 01:23 – 12:17

• Luke Weaver to Mets: Alan and Peter break down the Mets' signing of former Yankee Luke Weaver, noting he's now one of several ex-Yankees flocking to the Mets' bullpen.
  • “I'm sure it's just coincidence, you know, it's not like Stearns came from the Yankees, he came from the Brewers. But you know, listen, whatever he thinks is going to work." – Alan (01:20)
• List of Yankees-to-Mets Moves: The hosts humorously list players and managers who’ve switched boroughs – from Severino, Bader, Cano, to managers like Buck Showalter.
• Yankees’ Offseason Strategy: Peter points out the Yankees are bargain hunting, waiting for the market to cool and hoping to snag players at a discount (06:00–06:50).
• Future Moves: Conversation pivots to what remains for each team, centering on the Yankees’ slim likelihood of big moves apart from potentially re-signing Bellinger.

Notable Quote

"If they bring Bellinger back, isn't it possible that your team is now set in the eyes of Hal and Brian, unfortunately?"
– Alan Hahn (08:04)

2. Frustrations of NY Fan Expectations & National Perceptions

Timestamps: 13:06 – 24:25

• Caller Jose’s Rant: Jose from Connecticut sets off the segment, lamenting how NY fans cannot celebrate without national mockery.
  • “If we celebrate too much, oh my God, look at these clowns... And then Yankees fans, the ones that complain, they're like, oh, you should enjoy the ride... but other teams [get praise].” (13:14)
• NY Hated Because of the Spotlight: The hosts reflect on New York’s constant spotlight—and how national TV gives disproportionate love regardless of team performance.
  • “There's a perception around the country that we get way more attention than we deserve because we just happen to be in New York…” – Alan (15:18)
• Never the Underdog: NY teams are always the “big, bad engine” regardless of actual underdog status.
• "Joy in the Misery": Peter notes, “There’s so much joy in the misery of a New York fan around the country” (17:13).

Memorable Exchanges

“It's the greatest city in the world. If you want to hate us, hate us. We're going to go about doing what we want to do. If we want to raise a banner, we'll do it…”
– Alan Hahn (19:31)

"Most of those people couldn't handle living in New York. They would cry at the traffic that we go through. They cry at the prices that we pay. They cry at the weather..."
– Alan Hahn (20:23)

3. Should the Knicks Celebrate the NBA Cup? (Banner Controversy)

Timestamps: 33:00 – 39:30, 43:04 – 45:42, 49:41–50:39

• Hot Debate: Calls and Twitter discourse rage over whether the Knicks should hang a banner for their NBA Cup win.
  • Some compare it to wild card banners in baseball (like the Rays), or odd "attendance record" banners (Mystics, Colts).
  • The Cup is “real,” the hosts insist, but feels awkward because it’s so new and “doesn’t count” in standings.
    • "The NBA Cup's not made up. You may not like it, but it is a thing. They have a trophy for that." – Alan (33:46)
  • The question: Does celebration delegitimize—or merely acknowledge a real accomplishment?
• Alternative Incentives: Peter floats giving the Cup winner a guaranteed playoff berth (34:02–35:41), making it “mean something more.”
• Cup as Stepping Stone: Hosts suggest the Cup can build team confidence for future playoff runs – but only if it’s used as a mental springboard.

Notable Callers

• Mike (“Guns”) from Nashville (43:18): Calls out Adam Silver for, in his view, "shoving" the Cup down fans’ throats, saying it’s not yet a real tradition. Alan agrees the lack of a banner “delegitimizes it immediately” (45:04).

Notable Quote

"If it does matter, then what's so wrong with putting up, you know, the Knicks 2025 NBA cup champs? ... But when you're not putting the banner up... it delegitimizes it immediately."
– Alan Hahn (44:39–45:04)

4. Caller Moments: Celebrating the Game & The Team, Not Just the Banner

Timestamps: 49:41 – 51:49

• David from Elizabeth praises the Knicks for actually playing excellent basketball, not just for the Cup, highlighting the team’s grit and individual standouts (noting OG Anunoby’s impact).

  • "They gelled as a team. They fought through adversity. It was an entertaining game…" (50:33)

• Hosts’ Reflection: Peter admits much of the narrative has been about perception and legitimacy—instead of the Knicks’ deserving on-court performance (51:40).

  • “We just spent [most] of the show talking whether or not you should be happy… we didn’t talk about the actual game.” – Peter Rosenberg (51:39)

5. Hockey (Rangers, Islanders, Devils): Brief Recap & Franchises’ Perennial Miseries

Timestamps: 29:07 – 32:37

• NY Hockey Teams: Alan provides a check-in on the Rangers’ and Islanders’ recent disappointing losses, Devils’ injuries, and the overall sense that local hockey teams aren’t meeting lofty expectations or national attention—mirroring the city’s broader sports “curse.”
• Sam Darnold & NY Quarterback Woes: Later, a familiar discussion about a NY sports scapegoat—a beloved but underperforming QB who “can’t win the big one”—becomes a metaphor for NY sports’ frustrations (31:34–32:44).

6. Should You Care What Others Think? The New York Mantra

Timestamps: 19:31 – 20:58, 21:54

• Alan articulates the classic, unbothered New Yorker stance, encouraging fans to ignore outsiders’ takes.
  • "Why do you care what other people think? ... If you want to hate us, hate us. We're going to go about doing what we want to do." (19:31)
  • "Your punishment is you're in Oklahoma. Your punishment is that you have to drive 30 minutes to get milk." – Alan (21:18)

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On national perceptions of NY sports:

  • "There's a perception around the country that we get way more attention than we deserve..."
    – Alan Hahn (15:18)
  • "There's so much joy in the misery of a New York fan..."
    – Peter Rosenberg (17:13)

• Celebration double-standard:

  • “Knick fans have fun, it's like clowns. Look at them. They overreact to everything. I don't understand it.”
    – Peter Rosenberg (14:20)

• On raising banners:

  • "The NBA Cup's not made up. You may not like it, but it is a thing. They have a trophy for that."
    – Alan Hahn (33:46)
  • “It delegitimizes it immediately. So, like, for the soccer fans.... It's the third year. We're not even really celebrating it.”
    – Caller “Guns” (45:04)

• Finding joy amid hate:

  • “If you want to hate us, hate us. We're going to go about doing what we want to do.”
    – Alan Hahn (19:31)

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Essential Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:23–12:17 – Baseball (Mets/Yankees signings and riddles)
• 13:06–24:25 – Why NY is hated, media/fan double standards
• 29:07–32:44 – Hockey check-in & QB woes as NY sports metaphor
• 33:00–39:30, 43:04–45:42, 49:41–51:49 – NBA Cup banner debate, calls, and celebrating the game itself
• 19:31, 21:18, 44:39–45:04, 50:33, 51:39 – Notable quotes and summations

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Podcast Tone & Style

The tone was fast-paced, irreverent, candid, and a little combative—mirroring the rhythm of New York sports talk. Hahn often took the role of voice-of-reason and long-time observer, with Peter pushing emotionally-charged “fan” points and adding a touch of self-deprecating humor.

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Takeaways for First-Time Listeners

• The “hate” for New York sports isn’t going away—so the city’s teams and fans might as well embrace it, rather than worry about perceptions.
• Both the banner debate for new NBA Cup-style trophies and the broader celebrating-in-NY conversation echo how uniquely scrutinized NY fandom always is.
• Move past just the narratives—the teams, players (like the Knicks’ OG Anunoby), and fans are doing something special, whether or not the rest of the country cares to admit it.
• If you want to enjoy NY sports, don’t wait for outside validation—just celebrate your wins, however and whenever they come.

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Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

Kids, they grow up so fast. One day they're taking their first steps and the next they don't fit into the tiny sneakers they took them in. You blink your eyes and their princess dress is two sizes too small. And their dinosaur backpack isn't cool anymore. But don't cry because they're growing up. Smile because you can profit off of it for real. There are a bunch of parents on depop looking for the stuff your kid just grew out of. Download depop to start selling.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me. Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3.

[Peter Rosenberg]

On 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers 501.

[Alan Hahn]

To the big city. Don Han and Rosenberg hanging out with you until 7 o'. Clock. It is now time for some Tullamore do. Because when it's game time, it's time. It's totally time. The only local in action, the Devils, they'll be in Vegas to take on the Golden Knights. That'll be on TNT at 10.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's why you're here.

[Alan Hahn]

That's why I'm here. And that's why I've got a flight tomorrow night to Utah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh boy.

[Alan Hahn]

Never been. I was there as a layover.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's beautiful.

[Alan Hahn]

That doesn't count. But it's a real.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's really beautiful.

[Alan Hahn]

I heard it's a kind of cool. I'm not gonna be there long. I got a late flight. Get in, do the show from the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hotel, go to the arena to do the game.

[Alan Hahn]

And we're leaving right after the game because the Devils have a game on Sunday. But anyway, tell them or do the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiske. Be sure to grab a Tullamore do or try the new Tullamore do. Honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore do responsibly, quickly to the baseball. The Mets have signed Luke Weaver to a contract. So the Mets now have another closer. That's a lot on their team. Actually three closers if you consider that's what Holmes did as a Yankee. Weaver did it as a Yankee. Devin Williams did it as a Yankee. And they're all now mets last season 4 and 4 with a 3.62 earner on average 64 1/3 inning, 72 strikeouts. So not too bad, you know, going to be 30, you know, 32 years old and now another former Yankee comes here. Just. I'm sure it's just coincidence, you know, it's not like Stearns came from the Yankees, he came from the Brewers. But you know, listen, whatever he thinks is going to work. So some more options coming out of the bullpen. And apparently the Yankees were not in on bringing Luke back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

So does that send up a red flag if you're a Met fan, that the team that had him had no interest in bringing him back?

[Peter Rosenberg]

He really fell off. He got hurt last year. He was so reliable out of the bullpen. He was Boone really trusted and he.

[Alan Hahn]

Had when there wasn't many. But he was a part of the circle of trust. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was in the circle of trust. It is true, and we did that. But he actually was used at times as a closer because he seemed to have that bulldog mentality, that ability to kind of not. Not wilt under pressure in big moments. But last year he kind of lost it. And it might have had to do with injury, it might have. I don't know. But he really lost it and his confidence shattered. But Don, it is kind of weird, though. Can you name all of the former Yankees who became Mets under Steve Cohen?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, under Steve.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, it's a lot in history. It's a lot.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I just named the three that are coming out of the bullpen. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, so let's start with the manager.

[Alan Hahn]

Mendoza was an assistant under Aaron Boone.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. Luis Severino. Harrison Bader.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Luis Torrance. David Robertson. Gary Sanchez. Now is brief, but very buck was the manager also.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That counts.

[Alan Hahn]

That doesn't not count, right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Otavino. Right?

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Robbie Cano.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah. Robbie Cano, right. Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, it did sound like that, but that's like I said, David Robertson. I missed Eppler. Okay. Is there. Am I missing anyone else?

[Alan Hahn]

Soto. You mentioned Juan Soto.

[Peter Rosenberg]

My God, the most obvious one.

[Alan Hahn]

We are just looking at the list now. This is since 2019.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How many bets became Yankees?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, back in the day, under Steinbrenner, right. You know, you had Doc, you had Daryl, you had Tony, Kevin Elster, Raphael Santana. Like there was a lot. It happened a lot. But.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But not recently. No. Oh, no. Although you have Ahmad Rosario. He's back.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah, yeah, that's right. Now these are just looking at this list. Weaver, Williams and Soto and Holmes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I forgot about Clay Holmes. That's right.

[Alan Hahn]

Were all direct Yankees to Mets.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep. What about Dellen Batanzis?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's a brief one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was brief, wasn't it?

[Alan Hahn]

But was that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Was that undercome?

[Alan Hahn]

Was that under Cone?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Was that further back?

[Alan Hahn]

Because you can go back. You listen you can go back. It blends to Hernandez because he was a Met. But a lot of these guys were, you know, between different. Like Canoe went to Seattle, of course, Otovino bounced around different places and eventually ended up on the mountain.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is not just they didn't direct.

[Alan Hahn]

Two Mets, there's only been a handful of. But. But it is kind of. I don't read much into it. You know, I like Luke Weaver. He's healthy, right handed arm coming out of the bullpen. When he was healthy, you just said he was in the circle of trust.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's good. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

But these are ancillary moves, man. We're all waiting to see where's Bellinger going to go. What's going to happen here. We're still hearing the rumors about, you know, is. Is Miller coming here from San Diego, Mason Miller from San Diego there really. This has been slow. We're heading towards Christmas here. Today's December 17th. We've already been past the win.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They don't make a significant move now.

[Alan Hahn]

It's not up to their team. That's the other thing I get asked all the time too is when, when are the Yankees going to make.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's been quiet with the Yankees and I think it's on. I think it's really like this is what they're going to do. I feel like the Yankees plan was to see what they could get out of the bargain bin before spring training. When some players, right, that thought they were going to get bigger deals, the market dries up and you're like, you know, I'll get you on a discount, come here and have a big year and then you can bet on yourself. Right. So that could be more of what the Yankees are looking at this year. But from the Mets perspective, it's really based on what you were saying the other day. They've got two days and if nothing gets done in two days, and that's not up to the Mets now because a lot of time it's up to the player. But if they don't get anything done, it's going to get lost in the holiday.

[Alan Hahn]

No, there's no question. Now let me ask you, as a Yankee fan, you obviously want Bellinger back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I do, yes.

[Alan Hahn]

Isn't that really it? I don't think they're going to do anything with their rotation. Even though they're going to start the year with guys hurt, I don't think they want to bring in guys, pay them and then have them do nothing when these guys come back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was clear. That was made Clear. We'll survive until May when most of the starters come.

[Alan Hahn]

So really, I know there's a lot of fans that want certain things, but realistically, other than bringing Bellinger back, what is there to do if you're the Yankees?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I mean, I thought Volpe's days were numbered, but that's not.

[Alan Hahn]

That doesn't mean they think that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, they clearly don't because they, they were already talking about when Volpe gets back in May, another guy that's going to be back in May and maybe that shoulder thing that they kept pretending wasn't a problem really was a problem and that he'll start finding that's going to be fine. Yeah, you hope so. And third bases? No, like again, Rice is your first basement. It feels like that's your first base.

[Alan Hahn]

Now, there are fans that would like to improve on these positions. You know, get a third baseman that's a little bit more offensive instead of McMahon at third. You know, try to improve first base instead of Rice. But, but honestly, bringing Ben is not a full time. But if, if they bring Bellinger back, isn't it possible that your team is now set in the eyes of, of, of Hal and Brian, unfortunately because of.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Trent Grisham situation? I, I think that's, that's where you're at.

[Alan Hahn]

And with the rumors about them not wanting to go over 300, all these Yankee fans, when are they going to do anything? Really what you're asking is realistically is when are they going to resign Ballinger? Yeah, that's it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what they're now.

[Alan Hahn]

When they lose Bellinger, that opens the door that now they got to get on their horse.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Got to get right now you get well, no, that well, we still have the Martian, we still have Spencer Jones. Like these are, these are now. These are great situations for our young players to step up and take the job. And would you be shocked if Bellinger doesn't re sign that that's what they do and instead of chasing someone else, I think they just say no, these two young guys will battle it out for that position and we'll go with that this year. I don't. People need to say Hal Steinbrenner for his word when he says that I'd like to stay under a number and if we can, let's do it. And they don't have to go get a left fielder. They've got two in the organization and.

[Alan Hahn]

It'S a matter of do they believe in them now we've seen Dominguez and you know, he's been hurt and he was playing out of position.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He also was. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

So you could say that we haven't seen the best of him and we haven't seen Jones yet. Unless you've gone this Somerset or Scranton. But again, I keep saying it, but I believe I'm right. I think he turns 25 in May.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So at some point they had to protect him.

[Alan Hahn]

At some point, you're going to have to blank or get off the pot with him. He's either on your team or you're going to have to trade him away.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And here's what you do, like you have also now, what you do is you go into the season, you go halfway through the season and you give it a shot. If it's a miserable failure and neither guy steps up and takes the job trade deadline, you get a little active. Right. That's how you got to look at it. And it's the same situation with Volpe. For those that might be screaming and yelling about Volpe and why do they hang on to Volpe? I saw my good friend Hembo suggested boy Boba Shet would be an amazing fit offensively for the Yankees.

[Alan Hahn]

Crappy defender, terrible fit, shortstop.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you also remember that Lombard Jr. Is there and they think he's going to be 20. He's 20.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And they still think it's a year too soon.

[Alan Hahn]

He did have a great spring.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right? Let's see what kind of spring he has. And you could always then create the idea that, well, that's the guy at shortstop anyway. Why are we going to sign anybody big? I've been screaming this from the rooftops for a long time about the Yankees. They brag so much about their farm system, but we rarely get to see it developed into players who become great players on your team. In fact, we rarely get to see it turn into players who become great players elsewhere.

[Alan Hahn]

Boba Shed is starting to tell teams.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Allegedly that he's willing to play second.

[Caller/Guest]

Are you of the belief that the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jazz stuff is not smoke of possibly.

[Alan Hahn]

Trading jazz signing Michael King?

[Caller/Guest]

Is that the pivot of.

[Alan Hahn]

I think you'd be happy with that. If Bellinger doesn't happen.

[Caller/Guest]

I don't think Bellinger, King and Bichette all happen.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't think that's the thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do you like jazz, though, for what he does bring to the team?

[Caller/Guest]

I like jazz.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm not against.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't think he's some swag. He's very athletic on the bases.

[Alan Hahn]

Do they like jazz?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I think they Do Bichette gets hurt? I mean, if he's bad, it's short. Okay, maybe it's range. But is he good at, Is he a good pivot? Like, is he good at second? Can he, you know, he certainly can hit, but we know he can hit. And they're all about offense and they're all about those numbers and they do, you know, problem is if you keep adding starting pitching, what are you going to do when everybody's healthy? I know it's a good problem to have.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, but still, that's not. But still problem.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They love Michael King. They never really, you know, they having to put him in that deal for Soto was something that hurt, but the ability to get him back wouldn't be so bad. That's interesting.

[Alan Hahn]

No, it is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I wouldn't be surprised if they really were extremely quiet this offseason. And if Bellinger walks, which I still don't think he will, I think he'll stay. But if he does end up going somewhere else, I do think they'll just say, well, we have two guys that are young and they're going to fight for it and if by June it's terrible and you're getting nothing out of that spot, then you know, all right, well, we're going to have to trade for somebody.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that's the hope is that they can always, you know, they're still good enough to be there and then can they make deals?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Yankees going to be a second half team next year. I think that's captain.

[Alan Hahn]

But if you are committed to not adding any salary, then that means you're going to probably have to send somebody. That Matt then becomes like an NBA thing. Right. Even though you don't have a cap, it's like, I don't want to be over 300. So if I'm going to make a trade for a guy that's making some money, I'm going to make sure that I send somebody over 300 because it's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Half a season when you trade in July.

[Alan Hahn]

No, that is true. But. But overall, because I, because I think part of the 300 number is because I think they're anticipating that's going to be what the cap is. So they want to kind of be there for the off season. So I think that all is certainly a totally agreement. Let's hear from you. 1-800-919-3776. Jose in Connecticut. You're on ESPN. New York. What's up Jose?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, my guys, I have a question.

[Caller/Guest]

About the Knicks, but before that I just Want to say thanks to you guys, man. Because, like, you're right, Alan. Especially you were saying, like, we're damn if we do and damn if we don't. Like, if we celebrate too much. Oh, my God, look at these clowns on 7th Avenue. They ain't one nothing. And then Yankees fans, the ones that complain, they're like, o. You should enjoy the. Enjoy the ride. But like, other teams, I'll see, like, the warriors and the Raptors, their fans are outside having concerts. They're like, oh, this. This fan base loves their team to celebrate. And it's like, you can't do anything. And it's just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm tired of the New York, Jose. I don't know what it is, man. Don, I don't know if you've real. Because, again, it's. I don't think in hockey, it's the same way. I think Toronto, the Maple Leafs fans get made fun of in that sport, like, forever. But I don't think even for, like, in baseball, I don't think people make fun of Yankee fans or met fans for. For being happy in the NBA for whatever reason. What Jose's saying is absolute gospel. He's not. He's not. That's not hyperbole. You will see another team win, and their fan base will have this just massive. It's like such a dedicated fan base. Look at that they're having. They're so happy. They don't care. It's just this game.

[Caller/Guest]

They're.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They love it. Knick fans have fun. It's like clowns. Look at them. They overreact to everything. I don't understand it.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, because I think. I don't want to sound like it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is it obnoxious because of that video? Kd, don't you wish you came to the nail? That whole thing is. Do you think it started then?

[Alan Hahn]

It starts with New York gets the attention even when in their eyes, it's not deserved. Like when a team wins championships. Like when New England was getting attention. Golden State's getting attention, you know, right now, Kansas City with a ton of attention that seems deserved in the eyes of many. It's like, yeah, they're winning Super Bowls. Yep, that's what comes with it. But, boy, look how often, you know, the Knicks and Rangers are on national television. No matter. No matter what their record is. Like, listen, the Rangers didn't make the playoffs last year. They may not make the playoffs this year yet. I think they're only like, one shy of the most nationally televised games in the NHL.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, why the market?

[Alan Hahn]

Because it's the market. And they're like, yeah, because it's the market. So look at the attention the Rangers get, even though they haven't. They've won one cup in 85 years. Look at the attention the Knicks get. And they haven't won a cup. They all won A championship since 73. Look at all the attention the jets got. They never do anything, but they were on Hard Knocks. And look at all the nationally televised games they got when they had Aaron Rodgers didn't want to. Giants still get a ton of nationally televised games even though they can't get out of their own way. You know, Yankees, it's a different story because they deserve it. But I'm sure there's people like, oh, the Mets. What the Mets done yet? They're. They seem to get. I think there's a perception around the country that we get way more attention than we deserve because we just happen to be in New York. Right? There's other great arenas, but it's more in the country. Why is Madison Square Garden the world's most famous arena?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because it is.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, but that's the arrogance that somebody in Nebraska listening would go, why? How many championships has the Garden had since. Since they. Literally since 1968, the new Madison Square Garden.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know, but nobody, nobody says, boy, I can't wait to play at Cornhusker Arena. But no, but everybody wants to play.

[Alan Hahn]

Everybody wants to play in New York. Everybody wants to go to New York for the most part, right? New York teams are always the ones that are the first mention whenever there's a big free agent, the landing spot he's going to go. Like, even, even with the Quinn Hughes rumors, like it was. It was interesting to me that of the teams that lost out because Minnesota got. Quinn used where they were talking to the Devils, obviously, because his brothers play there. The Detroit Red Wings and the New York Rangers. Like, why.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who are in on everything.

[Alan Hahn]

It just seems like when. Whenever there's a big. Well, you know, the Yankees and the Mets.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What if you came there?

[Alan Hahn]

You know, it's. And. And I can understanding it rubbing people the wrong way in certain markets that are looking for attention, who feel like their teams are better, right. And should get more attention and they don't get the attention in New York does so now I think that. But you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But there's so much.

[Alan Hahn]

Ignore it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's so much joy in the misery of a New York fan around the country. It's unbelievable. There's joy in their misery. And so when they See, happy, they don't like.

[Alan Hahn]

And also, and I learned this from my father because my father was one of the great haters on the planet. And I say that with all the love and all the confidence that my he, when he didn't like something, it was forever. Like you couldn't win him over. He would, he took pride in not being won over. So the fact that New York really hasn't won anything in now going on decades, it's not gonna make them shut it all. Like, New York can never be the little engine that could. There could be great stories of teams that, like when those giants, one with Eli, nine and seven winning the Super Bowl, 10 and six winning the super bowl, do you think people around the country are like, oh, go, go New York. Oh, I love the little story of the legend. You're always the big engine when you're in New York. Even when you stink, you're still the big engine when you're coming from here. I'm sure they go through it in LA too, you know, I'm sure the Lakers, they got a lot of haters. The late Dodgers certainly have a lot of haters, right? Like there's certain markets where you're always going to be the underdog when you shouldn't, right? Philadelphia and Boston, some of these cities are, they're always the underdog because you know, they're going up against the big bad, you know, New York and it's, it's tough to be the underdog in New York, Chicago, Louisiana.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's just no one has won here for such a long time.

[Alan Hahn]

But, but, but like my dad, if you hated New York because the Yankees always won and the Giants always won, and you hate New York because of all the attention they get all of a sudden not winning A championship since 2011 isn't going to make them all of a sudden fall in love with you. They're still going to hate you. Now maybe the next generation has a little bit of different situation. Nobody's going to cry in their pillow for anything that happens to the Lakers. The Lakers have won a ton of champions. Same thing with even like New England, there are people you still hate. The Patriots. This is a great Patriot story. Belichick's gone, Brady's gone. This is a fun story when New England's doing. And yet you still hate them because you can't turn it off. You can't turn your hate off. AJ Dewey is a 70 year old man now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's the Dolphins.

[Alan Hahn]

And you still hate the Dolphins. The Dolphins, they soil Themselves. Dolphins have a winner. How many playoff games have they won in, like, the last 30 years? You still hate them. So those people that hated New York in the 80s, still hating New York now. And the Knicks are a part of that. And what I would say to the people in New York who I'm talking to right now, who cares what you think? What do I care? We live in New York. It's the greatest city in the world. If you want to hate us, hate us. We're going to go about doing what we want to do. If we want to raise a banner, we'll do it because we want to do it. If we don't want to raise a banner, we won't, because we don't want to do it. What the trolls say, what somebody on SportsCenter says, what? What somebody on NBA TV, who cares? Why do you care so much what other people think? Most of those people couldn't handle living in New York. They would cry at the traffic that we go through. They cry at the prices that we pay. They cry at the weather that we have to suffer through in December. And it's not even technically winter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nope, not yet.

[Alan Hahn]

Not till Sunday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. Not a couple more days.

[Alan Hahn]

So why do we care what other people think? If you believe the only thing that you should care about is what your God thinks, your parents think, and your boss thinks, and technically, only one of those really count because the boss is the one that controls your finances. So if I have a choice between God, parents, and boss, I'm going to choose boss.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Really?

[Alan Hahn]

I want to stay employed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

No, I'm just saying, you know, and God isn't going to be able to let me know his approval. Believe me, I'll hear it from my mom. But the boss, you know, come on. Honestly, maybe I should leave God out of it. Parents and boss. You know what? Choose boss. Because you know what? He's controlling the purse strings.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's true.

[Alan Hahn]

But some guy in Oklahoma that's going to tweet you, oh, you won the cup. Your punishment is you're in Oklahoma. Your punishment is that you have to drive 30 minutes to get milk. That's your punishment.

[Peter Rosenberg]

From a cow. You got to pasteurize it yourself. Right?

[Alan Hahn]

The meaning of that drop. You know the drop, Jacob. Fine. You know what drop I'm talking about? I'm not even gonna say it because we're so in sync today with the music. You know, the drop. What this drop means?

[Caller/Guest]

Play it.

[Alan Hahn]

This is in North Dakota. This is New York. Thank you. So why would you care what somebody in North Dakota has to say.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I just couldn't get over like just how much like the, the fun sponge.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, that existed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Championship. It's unreal. And then something that was just so benign. It was so benign. It was.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, this is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was cool. That's all it was.

[Alan Hahn]

It's what Michael used to always call the Yankeeization. That's kind of what's become. What's happened now. It's a championship or nothing. A championship. And now. And now what happens is when you do win the championship. Oh, go in another one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. I've always said this. If the day came and if I see it with my own eyes, I am blessed forever. But if the day came the Knicks finally won an NBA championship before the parade even happens, the back page story would be, yeah, but they're not good.

[Alan Hahn]

Enough to win another one. What?

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is a one off. This is not going to be anything long term.

[Alan Hahn]

When the Rangers won the Cup.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Unreal.

[Alan Hahn]

I think about this all the time. When the Rangers won the cup and they're taking the picture with the cup on the ice, what is Keenan and the team chanting?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't remember. You don't remember 1940?

[Alan Hahn]

No. Heave ho, two in a row. That's what they're saying. Heave ho, two in A row.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, I didn't realize that's what they were saying. I remember the heave ho. I didn't know it was heave ho.

[Alan Hahn]

Two in a row, like, but they're taking a picture with the damn cup that they hadn't won since 1940. And that was 30 something years ago. Like that. That's what happens now. And I will tell you, as a fan of that has seen teams win. You know, growing up a Devil fan, growing up a Met fan, growing up a Giant fan, I felt more tension the year after a title because you feel like you want to live up to the expectations and the targets on your back and you want to prove that the championship you won was no flu. And you'd feel the 10, the 87 Mets, the 87, like they were painful seasons because they didn't even go to the playoffs the next year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I told you that that run for the Yankees in the late 90s, as much fun as I had. 96 was so much fun. Right. Like 98.

[Alan Hahn]

But 97 had the, had the field.

[Peter Rosenberg]

97.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I. When that, when that, that Cleveland series ended, I was, I walked, actually got on a mountain bike.

[Alan Hahn]

I remember. Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Middle of the night from Stony Brook. All. Everybody knows that this Area, Long Island. I went all the way to Port Jeff on a bike like one o' clock in the morning, and I didn't have any. I was, I was, it was Forrest Gump. I didn't have a reason. I just had to go somewhere and I just kept going. And I was mad because it's. That's how you feel. But I'll tell you what, those five years with the islanders.

[Alan Hahn]

No, yeah. You didn't have to worry.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was like, yeah, that's.

[Alan Hahn]

But, but it's not even like getting eliminated stunk, but like not even making the play out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, yeah, desperate.

[Alan Hahn]

I felt. Right, because you wanted to like, prove that it was like, it was justified.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is Kevin Clark from Manscaped.

[Caller/Guest]

The holidays are rolling in and if.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Your wish list is missing a little something, Manscaped has you covered, folks. It's December, it's the holiday season. You've got to be game ready for not just a bunch of holiday parties, but I mean, my wife is asking me to take all sorts of photos in front of the tree with my son. If you're not game ready, it can be some bad angles, guys.

[Alan Hahn]

These are bad angles.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If you're not grooming exactly the way you should, if you stay ready, you don't have to get ready.

[Caller/Guest]

That's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's my philosophy this time of year.

[Caller/Guest]

I've had some bad photos.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I saw one from last year.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm not, I'm.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I got the beard. It's too heavy.

[Caller/Guest]

And I got these great pajamas.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Everything should look awesome.

[Caller/Guest]

And guess what?

[Peter Rosenberg]

My face isn't up for it. My face wasn't game ready. From the beard hedger to lawnmower trimmer, manscaped precision tools keep you looking sharp, feeling confident and ready for every event and celebration. Right now at Target, get 20% off the Handyman Shaver Beard Hedger and the.

[Caller/Guest]

Chairman Plus Essentials Kit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A must have for a smooth face shave. Hurry. Offer ends December 27th. Hey, Ryan Reynolds here wishing you a very happy half off holiday because right now Mint Mobile is offering you the gift of 50 off unlimited. To be clear, that's half price, not half the service.

[Caller/Guest]

Mint is still premium unlimited wireless for a great price.

[Alan Hahn]

So that means a half day. Yeah. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required new customer offer for first three months only. Speed flow after 35 gigabytes of networks, busy taxes and fees extra. See mint mobile.com if you've shopped online Chances are you've bought from a business powered by Shopify. You know that purple shop pay button you see at checkout? The one that makes buying so incredibly easy? That's Shopify. And there's a reason so many businesses sell with it. Because Shopify makes it incredibly easy to start and run your business. Shopify is the commerce platform behind 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started. Shopify gives you a leg up with hundreds of beautiful ready to go templates to express your brand style and forget about the code. Tackle all those important tasks in one place. From inventory to payments to analytics and more. Spread your brand's word with built in marketing and email tools to find and keep new customers. And did I mention that iconic purple shop pay button that's used by millions of businesses around the world? It's why Shopify has the best converting checkout on the planet. Your customers already love it. If you want to see less carts being abandoned, it's time for you to head over to Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shop. Shopify.comnetwork. go to shopify.comnetwork. shopify.comnetwork.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Alan Hahn]

1-800-919-3776. Lot of people want to talk about the NBA cup and the Knicks winning it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a Vegas song, right?

[Alan Hahn]

What do you mean a Vegas.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A song about being in Vegas.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, I know. I never really paid attention.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And how you just had to keep going back to that table and then you find yourself just getting like. It's just you're getting deeper and deeper in the hole and life is just getting worse and worse.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, that's why I don't gamble. Not a big.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a great song.

[Alan Hahn]

Not in Vegas tonight. Devils are in Vegas. Tough loss for the Rangers.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This would have been your only trip to Vegas, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So that sucks. He didn't get a chance to go to Vegas.

[Alan Hahn]

Didn't go and I told you about, you know, Penn Jillette's wife went to see Penn and Teller over the summer and I met his wife and because I had an extra ticket and he. She had family coming in, she's like, next time you're in Vegas, I'll get with tickets. I'm like, I'm in Vegas. In December. And then I get the national schedule and TNT took the game. So John Forsland and Eddie O are going to be on the call.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Eddie O.

[Alan Hahn]

We can.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We can live it, but that's going.

[Alan Hahn]

To be at 10 o'. Clock.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Forsland's good too, by the way.

[Alan Hahn]

Very good. Really good guy too. And the Rangers lose to Vancouver. I understand. It's like the fourth time they lost to at the time the worst team in the league since the deal. You know, Vancouver's two and. Oh, and Demko's a really good goaltender, but still didn't have a ton of shots. And they. Again, six times they've been shut out at home. It's an NHL record. Six times in 17 home games they've been shut out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do we need another letter?

[Alan Hahn]

Incredible. And. And that was a tough loss for the Islanders.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, they had the Mayfield penalty. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And WA complained about it after the game. And it was a tough goal for Sorokin to give up because I forget who it was that fronted the puck, blocked the puck on the power play, on the kill. And the puck went right back to Debrink. It could have gone anywhere on a tee. And it just right there and then I. And it was. It would have been a really tough save for Sorokin. So they lose the. They lose the game 3 to 2 against Detroit, but not a total up. Pittsburgh lost in the division last night as I had. The Rangers lost to Devils. Get Brett Pesci back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

It sounds like Luke. Jack. Jack Hughes is skating with a stick, but still not really close. I think it's going to be after the new year that he'll come back. Wow. And I didn't hear, I didn't look at the lines yet to see if Timo's returning yet or not. From his personal. That's what's happening with the hockey. The Knicks are back in regular season form against Indiana tomorrow. So we'll talk about that. Certainly. We've got a Thursday Night Football game to die for tomorrow with the Rams and the Seahawks. And is it an interesting. The vibe that we got from Booger is the kind of the vibe that everybody has about Sam Darnold. They're rooting for him. He's had a really good year. But Seattle, if they beat the Rams, they'll take over the one seed. And in the nfc, they're going to the playoffs. But nobody thinks this kid could win a big game. I'd love to see it. It's going to be tough. I'd love to see him put that away. And of course, last year they played the Rams late in the season, lost. Then they played the Lions in the playoffs, lost. And I look at those as Viking losses, not Sam Darnold losses. But that's not the way the world looks at it. And if he goes out there and spits the bit tomorrow, then it's going to be he can't win the big game. He'll win you 10, 12 games, whatever, but he can't win the big game. And it looks like the Rams are the team to beat. But, boy, we could be talking on Friday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen, give me.

[Alan Hahn]

If he wins that game, that the Seahawks could be a team that can.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go to the super bowl, and they're the home team. Keep that in mind. So you should win the game.

[Alan Hahn]

Now, they barely beat Philip Rivers at home.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know that. I don't know what that. That offense really struggle.

[Alan Hahn]

Six field goals. They really struggled.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But, like, when you say a quarterback that can win you 10 or 11 games but can't win you the big one, as long as that quarterback's under 30, like, I'll. I'll keep winning 10, 11 games a year, hoping that at some point he breaks through. Now, that sounds a lot like Dak Prescott, doesn't it?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, sure does.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Dak Prescott won, you know, 12 games or 10 games and couldn't win the big one when it mattered most. And now eventually, now they're going through a whole rebuild. But, you know, give me that quarterback, though, that can win in the regular season because he's capable, he can run an off, put me in that position, and at some point, I've just got to get over the. With this player. Right? And that's. That's why, again, as Booger said, like, how people in New York feel about watching Sam Donald do what he's doing. And it's like, I don't feel good at all.

[Alan Hahn]

You don't feel good, but there's got to be a part of you that's rooting for the kid. He's such a good kid. I'd love to see him do well.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Absolutely true.

[Alan Hahn]

I'd love to see it, but it's going to be tough. But that's a great game. So we with you tomorrow again at 3 o'. Clock. We'll have that guy Thursday, all that stuff happening, and I'm looking forward to that. All right, let's get back to the phones. Tony in Tampa. You're on espn, New York. What's up, Tone?

[Caller/Guest]

Boys, how are we feeling?

[Alan Hahn]

Good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Tampa. Tone, there we go.

[Caller/Guest]

So.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Caller/Guest]

All right, listen. Personally, I think this NBA. If you raise a banner for an NBA cup, I personally think it's ridiculous. Now I wanted to ask you guys because the first day I stepped in Tropicana, the first thing I noticed, other than it being a dump. I know you, was they raised, they raised their wild card. Now, Don, you don't think that's a little ridiculous?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wild card band crushed for this.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, because it's not a thing. Like there's division champions, there's conference champions. There's no such thing as a wild card champion. That's made up. Like the NBA Cup's not made up. You may not like it, but it is a thing. They have a trophy for that. They don't give you anything for going winning the Wild.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You just get to keep playing.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it's. That is.

[Caller/Guest]

Now if they, if they change. All right, let's say they give the champion an extra draft pick. Right. That's going to benefit the team. I feel like this championship right now is only benefiting the players with obviously the money that they're making.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Caller/Guest]

So if, if that does change, then I feel like everybody would be like, oh, yeah, raise the banner. It's going to help. It's going to help this franchise moving forward. Right now it's just like a made up kind of thing. And people.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Tony, what if, like I said, I thought it's, it's aggressive, but it does give it some like, authenticity. The winner is you. You win a playoff berth. So in December, you're already guaranteed to be a playoff team. That's a pretty freaking big deal.

[Caller/Guest]

So wait, so Alan, you're saying if the Sacramento Kings happen to win an NBA cup title.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Caller/Guest]

Regardless of their record, they're, they're the there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Now, whether you want to give them the 10th seat. At worst. So if you don't finish, if you finish higher, fine, you finish higher. But if you don't have a, like something drastic happens to your team, or like you said, you have a team that's struggling, but they just happen to get hot at the right time early in the year. If at worst you'll be the 10th seed at worst, which means you're in the play in. I mean, it's still something, right?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah. No, if that happens, which they should do that. They should do something like that. And I guess I do believe everybody would be on board with that because.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The worst thing that happens is this. A bad team gets the 10th seeds. Now, only nine spots are available, but a Good team that would win the Cup. You're going to be a playoff team anyway, so it's not like it's going to take away from someone else. You're probably going to end up top six as it is.

[Alan Hahn]

True.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But all it does is sort of give you like that exhale of I, oh, playoff birth already locked. We don't have to worry about that.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is that crazy?

[Alan Hahn]

It's not crazy. I don't think they would do it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why not? Again, like I said, most teams that.

[Alan Hahn]

Won the cup so far have what.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Have made the playoffs.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't think they have an appetite to make any changes. Now we'll see what the numbers were for Amazon, but I keep checking, I am sure, because you could do it better than I can. But as you start to travel and you start running into NBA executives, I bet you they're thrilled with what's happening with the Cup. I think they're thrilled with the numbers. I think they're thrilled with the money. They're thrilled with the reaction. I bet you they're. And if they're thrilled, they're not going to make any change. The only time they're going to make a change is if there's two ways. Number one, it really falls off and.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No one want to do it.

[Alan Hahn]

Or as we said yesterday, somebody of significance gets hurt. And now all of a sudden people are like, I don't want to play in this meaningless game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thank God that didn't happen.

[Alan Hahn]

We've got to come in close. It was a little close, but. But otherwise, I don't think they have an appetite to change it. But to, to the caller's point about it meaning something, what if the Knicks win the championship? All right. And guys like Towns, who hinted about it yesterday, and Brunson refer to, I don't know if we would have done this if we didn't win the Cup. I think that gave us confidence that we can win big games. And it's constantly being referred to. You're not going to have any problem with that being up there because you're going to look at that as a tool to got you that got you the championship now becomes part of the year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, the players all said that. A lot of them, to a man after the game, talked about moments where we were under pressure and how we responded and that there was a lot of that.

[Alan Hahn]

But that only works if you win.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, the injury report is already out for tomorrow. Oh, boy, Man, I told you if it were me because of the travel schedule and the Intensity. And all the other stuff is Indiana at Indiana with a back to back on Friday. You're home against a really hard playing sixer team. I would, I might consider some load management in this game. The injury report tells us this. The Knicks have four players who are listed as questionable.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And three of them are starters.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, Towns, I'm assuming Towns.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's his left knee soreness. So it's not the calf. Mitchell Robinson. And that's expected because it's the injury management with the ankle. It's a back to back. He won't play in both.

[Alan Hahn]

Great last night.

[Peter Rosenberg]

10 offensive rebounds.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, he was, he was amazing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Josh Hart.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He had. He has an abdominal straight. You see what he did, by the way to Brunson.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Goose Brunson with his thumb in all the moment. Think about this. In the moment you're being handed the trophy. I told DPA tr. I go, he is you as an NBA player.

[Alan Hahn]

I could see him doing that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's why he's like, I love him like that. Like, because who else in that moment is thinking, the minute Jalen grabs this cup, I'm gonna just. I'm poke my thumb right in his butt. And that's what he did. So it was ridiculous.

[Alan Hahn]

So.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Mitch, please don't save that.

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's out of context.

[Alan Hahn]

We will see last but not least.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Along with Josh Hart, OG Anunoby.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay. Who is the star of the game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. So four players who played and played significant minutes in the game last night are listed as questionable. Doesn't mean they're not going to play. But already kind of like giving you the idea that. And three of them are starters. So that is the residual.

[Alan Hahn]

Here's the issue is for the, for the haters of the cup are going to say, all right, so we won the cup in a game that doesn't count towards the standings. And it comes at the expense of us losing a game that does count towards the stand.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I agree.

[Alan Hahn]

That's just going to add fuel to the fire.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Of hey, and then it becomes like the home run derby then too. Like, what if the Knicks end up then losing to the Sixers and they'll say they'll start blaming the Cup. See, maybe if they got eliminated and weren't playing, we would have beaten the Pacers and the Sixers. Now we've, now we're oh and two since we won the cup and it becomes a curse. It's still very fluid how people are going to feel about this in the positive and in the negative. 1-800-919-3776. ENN's coming up at 6. We're taking up until 7 today. We've got a full show, full frontal up until Ty Butler filling in for Dan Grasse here on ESPN New York. Hey guys, the holidays are here and I want to tell you about Amazon Pickup, the ultimate convenience play. We all know Amazon is part of everyday life, but Amazon Pickup takes it to the next level, especially during the holiday rush. If you're on the go like me, you could send your orders to a secure Amazon pickup location that works best for you. It's a great way to keep gifts a secret until it's time to wrap them. Life doesn't slow down this time of year. Amazon lockers and counters are located near you, so no matter where your day takes you, your package is ready when you are. For me, Amazon Pickup gives me the flexibility to grab gifts and packages on my schedule, whether it's on a quick lunchtime break, during my commute or while the baby naps. It's simple. Order online and at checkout.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just choose the pickup location that's most convenient.

[Alan Hahn]

You'll get an email confirmation when it's.

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[Alan Hahn]

Quick, secure and always at no cost. Check it out for yourself. Go to Amazon.com pickup MVP to learn more. That's Amazon.com pickup MVP.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So good, so good, so good.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Because there's always something new. I'm giving all the gifts this year.

[Caller/Guest]

With that extra 5% off when I.

[Alan Hahn]

Use my Nordstrom credit card. Santa who join the Nordy Club at Nordstrom Rack to unlock our best deals. It's easy. Big gifts, big perks. That's why you rack. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Listening to this podcast Smart move Being financially savvy Smart move. Another smart move having State Farm help you create a competitive price when you choose to bundle home and auto bundling. Just another way to save with a personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state.

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Very eclectic music.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was random. Now, you just went right to that. Like, you just pulled. Like you were on a road. You were just. Just cruising down this road. You saw a turn. You just took the turn, and then you don't know why.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I told Anthony coming in the segment.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I said I punted on the segment.

[Alan Hahn]

I hope they can't tell.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's like his. His. His GPS go recalculating. Like, that's what's happening, right? Yeah, he's.

[Alan Hahn]

He's gone off road. I don't hate it. No, it was good. 1-800-919-3776. An old friend, Guns, wants to go off on the cup. How? First of all, before you go nuts, how are you, Don?

[Caller/Guest]

Congratulations, my man. I'm doing great, man. Doing great in Nashville and in New York. A lot of things happening.

[Alan Hahn]

Where are you now?

[Caller/Guest]

Things are going very well. I'm calling you from Nashville. I'm listening on that good old app that we've got to listen to as well. How you doing, baby?

[Alan Hahn]

Good, man. Miss you.

[Caller/Guest]

Congratulations, by the way, man. Thank you, both of you, and all.

[Alan Hahn]

Three of you, actually.

[Caller/Guest]

But I got to call it. All right, so here's the deal, all right? I don't mind the Knicks celebrating because, listen, they, you know, they played great ball, but the issue is Adam Silver shoving this down our throats, pretending that this really matters. It's not so much the Knicks aspect of it, but it's that he's telling us that we're supposed to care. And the issue is that we don't. It truly doesn't matter. And we know it doesn't matter because they're not even raising the banner. So for everybody on social media, I saw this all day today, fellas, that people were like, oh, well, the European soccer cups, they all matter. Well, guess what? It's the third year, and we're not even raising a banner. So you can be sure that the NBA is not stoked about that. But that's the issue. I mean, they went on a win streak. You can't tell me as a fan that I'm supposed to be head over heels or that there should be a banner up about an insignificant victory. That's all I'm saying.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, and that's why I open the show, Mike, with. I'm upset that they're not going to raise the banner because then it puts into that narrative that it really doesn't matter. If it does matter, then what's so wrong with putting up, you know, the Knicks 20, 25 NBA cup champs. And nobody's saying that it has to be anything other than that. But when you're not putting the banner up, I mean, what did I watch? None of the stats count. It doesn't count the standings.

[Caller/Guest]

It delegitimizes it immediately. So, like, for the soccer fans, they're like, well, Arsenal won like, nine different cups, and it shows how important it is. It's the third year. We're not even really celebrating it.

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Caller/Guest]

And as far as I saw somebody else say something about the, you know, the Rays celebrate their wild card. You know, they have a banner for that. You've also got the Mystic. They have a banner up for 2002 attendance record. And then you've got the Colts for one of them. They. They were AFC finalists. So, I mean, there are random banners.

[Alan Hahn]

But you're right, It's. It's elicit. It's all in the eye of the beholder. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The jets could put that up. AFC finalist 09.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

10.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, Mike, thanks, man. I mean, maybe we'll hook up when the Devils are in Nashville. I love him. He. He's such a great guy. Really does a tremendous job with all the work that he does. And he filled in for Imus back and then. He is amazing. Do you know in 1993, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who lost in the Western Conference final, lost to Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings, had a parade.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't remember that.

[Alan Hahn]

They did. They had a parade.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Stop it. No, no, no. Yes, they did.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Look it up.

[Alan Hahn]

They had a parade.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wendell Clark on that team.

[Alan Hahn]

Wendell Clark.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who's the goal?

[Alan Hahn]

Dave Andrew. Felix Poppin. You had Doug Gilmore.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Gilmore, Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow. Pat Burns was the coach.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pat Burns was the.

[Alan Hahn]

One of my favorite people on the planet. He passed away, like 10 years ago. They had a parade losing in the country and hadn't won a cup since 67 because I guess they were booing Gretzky.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, they were booing Gretzky at the Maple Leaf Gardens.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, they were, because. And there was also a high stick that wasn't called.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah, there's a. By the way, 93. The year that if the Islanders did get past the Canadians, they would have won the Cup.

[Alan Hahn]

And you know who the Toronto Maple Leaf should blame for losing game seven games.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. Who?

[Alan Hahn]

Mike Myers. The story goes from Saturday Night Live and of course, all of the movies. Movies and everything like that. Wayne's World. Big Leaf fan, right? Grew up in Toronto. Knows Wayne Gretzky, obviously, because he's in Hollywood.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And he asks Gretzky for tickets to game seven. And Gretzky's like, all right, sure. Okay. And he gets some tickets, right? Center ice, on the glass during warmups. He sees Mike, and Mike's decked out all in leafguard. It's like, I got your tickets front Row, Game 7, and you're wearing Leaf stuff. And he said it motivated him, ticked him off. I think he had a hat trick.

[Peter Rosenberg]

In that game first.

[Alan Hahn]

Not that Wayne needed any motivation. I'm just saying, you know what? Maybe if you can give a little extra.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I woke up game seven of the conference final, and I wasn't motivated, wasn't feeling. I wasn't feeling it. And then I saw you, and I'm like, oh, now I'm fired up.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I'm just saying that he told that story. He didn't have to tell it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Come on. All right, listen, I'm calling that.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm just. But you don't think they're elite fans. They're probably, like, you know, rioting around. It's amazing. Myers. But it's all, like, certain organizations are going to treat things different way. Do you. What did I say? Do you? Right. Do what? So for your business, you want to hang a banner for, you know, the best attendance, you want to hang a banner for deal, Nobody died. Whatever you want to do, that's. You have fun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's best for your business, that's what matters.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you know what's best for your business?

[Alan Hahn]

What's that?

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Alan Hahn]

Get back to the busy phones and talk to David and Elizabeth. You're on ESPN New York.

[Caller/Guest]

Donny Bucks, Hollywood. What's going on, brother? Hey, what up, Felix? Hey, can I begin a baby small Runway? I just want to say something real quick. Quick. And I'll make it as quick as possible. I know people want to talk. So a lot of people think that, you know, that we shouldn't hang the banner. And honestly, I think they should just like I think they should also retire Mellow's number. But, you know, they're not doing that. But I do want to say this. I want to give praise to our organization. They played their tails off last night. The backcourt played really well. They gelled as a team. They fought through adversity. It was an entertaining game. Lasalle Castle, Wemby, Dylan Harper, man, they were going at it and it was beautiful to see.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They got some good players, man, they're going to be good for a while.

[Caller/Guest]

Exactly. And our captain, he came up big. Everybody came up big, man. And it was just beautiful to see, man, I was just really happy for.

[Alan Hahn]

All of these guys.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what, I'm so glad you're doing this. I'm glad you're doing this because, Don, we just spent majority of the show only talking about whether or not you should be happy about them winning. You know, we didn't talk about the actual game. I know. And the performances and things that were done. Like Tyler Kolik came out of nowhere. Game of his life, he did. OG Anunoby playing like a guy that he had better be an all Star. All Star voting starts today. Fans can start voting NBA All Star. He should be. He should be an all Star. What a fucking think about like the trade they made back in January 24th. And at the moment you're like, wait a minute, RJ Barrett, Emmanuel, quickly, you're giving up two young pieces for this guy. He has done nothing but help the Knicks win. When he's in a lineup, they have a.

[Alan Hahn]

He was great last night. I mean, him and OG were the MVPs of the game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Fantastic. What Mitchell Robinson did on the boards, all this stuff that. And then of course the closer, Right. What, what, What Brunson does in big moments, despite the fact that defenses are there to stop him. There's so much about the game, just performance wise, that we should have talked about, but we did. So I'm glad you did it. Thank you.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes. Thank you, David, for the phone call. Appreciate it. Let's go to Danny in Centerport. You're on espn, New York. Danny.

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, boys. I'm not sure if I'm going to get a chance, so just real quick with the happy holidays. Merry Christmas.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Merry Christmas, Danny.

[Caller/Guest]

Enjoy your loved ones. I'm sorry to get off the Nick talk, but I just wanted to piggyback on something that, you know, you guys talked about with Booger. You know, listen, I love the guy and there's no doubt his. His football smarts are off the charts and I get it all. But to try to tell a Jet fan and just hear me out here, right? So here we are. We stink, right, Allen? We absolutely stink.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Caller/Guest]

We're barely going to be competitive next year. Then you're going to tell me we're going to hold on for 27 to draft the quarterback that we hope we get right. He has to develop now so he, you know, a rookie quarterback season.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Caller/Guest]

Like all the rest of them. I mean, maybe whoever this person might be is halfway decent. So you're trying to tell me as a Jets fan for 50 years at this point that I'm going to have to wait until 2029 or 2030 to possibly be competitive or be a playoff football team? I mean, at that point, we're going to have lost our minds. The coach will probably be out the door again, and we'll be in this hamster.

[Alan Hahn]

But what's the alternative, Danny? You don't. A quarterback. You need to find the quarterback. You know what?

[Caller/Guest]

I'm glad you're saying that. I'm sorry to cut you off, but my thing is put your chips in and go get an established quarterback that you can get right now, somehow, some way, call the four or five teams that have the upper left quarterbacks. That's why they can't receive.

[Alan Hahn]

That's why, Dan, we got to go because we're up against it. That's why we talked about the Reindeer Games with Joe Burrow. Yeah, and I'm not talking about your Kirk Cousins. Forget that. Try to go after Burrow, you know, or somebody like we've been talking about that. But hey, you need two to tango with that. Then what if there isn't anybody get a stopgap like a Cousins and Try to finish 9 and 8 and sneak into the playoffs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I hear.

[Alan Hahn]

I feel you, but this regime doesn't think about the previous 15 years. They weren't part of that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Remember Book said to get that quarterback though it's James. Well, James, one year.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know if Jameis Winston's getting you to the playoffs or how competitive you're going to be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don 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.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Alan Hahn]

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