Don, Hahn & Rosenberg (ESPN New York)

Hour 4: Cashman's Coffee & ASG Ratings

February 17, 2026

Episode Overview

This hour brings together hosts Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg, and Michael Kay (filling in) for a wide-ranging, entertaining discussion of New York sports headlines, the NBA All-Star Game ratings bump, insider stories about media personalities, and plenty of personal anecdotes—with trademark banter and humor. Key topics include the viral Brian Cashman Starbucks coffee order, analysis of All-Star Game ratings and scheduling, Mets leadership dynamics, content creation in sports media, and listener interactions with stories from the hosts’ pasts.

Key Segments & Insights

1. The Viral Brian Cashman Starbucks Coffee Order

[01:55 - 03:20]

• Michael Kay describes his experience trying Yankees GM Brian Cashman’s famously extravagant Starbucks order—venti cup, vanilla cold foam, and four vanilla syrup shots.
• Quote:
  “I’m now diabetic because I don’t know if you’ve seen what’s in this thing… It was delicious. But calling it coffee feels like a bit of a stretch.”
  — Michael Kay [02:02]
• Kay rates it “10 out of 10” but jokes about the health implications.
• The hosts riff on the social media response, noting the creativity of Yankees fans reacting to the tweet.
• Quote:
  “If it’s not a 10 out of 10, I’m putting it on the 60 Day IL.”
  — Michael Kay, linking Cashman’s order to baseball terminology [03:07]
• Discussion turns to how content like this fits into the broader “content creator” environment in sports media.
• Quote:
  “As content creators who get a lot of heat from media gatekeepers… we’re just trying to operate in this space.”
  — Ryan Ruocco [03:21]

2. NBA All-Star Game Ratings: Why This Year Was Different

[05:01 - 07:02]

• Noting the NBA All-Star Game drew its highest ratings since 2011 (8.8M), topping MLB (7.2M) and NFL’s Pro Bowl (2M).
• Factors in the TV bump: competitive play, heavy NBC promotion, Olympic tie-in, and scheduling before prime time.
• Quote:
  “Competitiveness matters. And it was way more competitive than it’s been in years… people knew where to find it.”
  — Michael Kay [05:56]
• Discussion of whether timing (5PM vs. 7PM start) affects viewership, with anecdotal evidence about audience attention and engagement.
• Banter about the challenges of programming and sports television in different time zones.

3. The “Side Piece” Metaphor & Locker Room Chemistry

[07:24 - 09:41]

• Joking about being “the side piece” in relationships as a metaphor for sports roles and responsibility.
• Quote:
  “You would think it’s the great position because you’re not the one relied upon… but when that first option goes down, you gotta carry the slack.”
  — Bart Scott [07:40]
• The segment humorously transitions to discussions about the hosts’ love lives and the Stephen A. Smith approach to privacy.

4. Mets, Lindor, Soto, and the Captaincy Debate

[13:10 - 16:11]

• Discussion of Mets owner Steve Cohen’s public stance: there will never be a Mets captain while he owns the team.
• Quote:
  “As long as I’m owning the team, there will never be a team captain.”
  — Steve Cohen (quoted by Michael Kay) [13:17]
• Debate over the Lindor-Soto relationship and why Lindor didn’t become captain: internal clubhouse tension, especially with Brandon Nimmo, ultimately led to abandoning the captaincy idea.
• Quote:
  “It just feels like clearly there was some tension there… but at the end of the day, doesn’t matter if they win.”
  — Michael Kay [15:45]
• Agreement that if Juan Soto hadn’t joined, Lindor would have been named captain.

5. The Dark Side of Sports Media & Social Feedback

[19:13 - 20:47]

• Exploration of the overwhelmingly negative nature of sports social media and Reddit fandom, countered by the rare positive interactions during this broadcast.
• Quote:
  “Usually social media is overwhelmingly negative. So the fact that there are some nice comments, you’ll take it…”
  — Michael Kay [19:20]

6. High School Antics and Sports Fandom

[20:54 - 25:19]

• Caller “Danny from Long Island” recalls being a security supervisor at Jake Asman’s (co-host) high school, noting the student BMW situation—a metaphor for Long Island privilege.
• Michael Kay shares how he was suspended for running a parody Twitter account about a biology teacher in the early days of Twitter.
• Quote:
  “I got suspended for making a parody Twitter account about my whack job biology teacher.”
  — Michael Kay [23:09]
• The segment loops back with sports connections, noting the last time the Jets made the playoffs was also the year of his suspension.
• Banter about the correlation and how Kay might “take one for the team” by getting suspended again if it helps the Jets reach the playoffs.

7. Show Closer:

[25:57 - End]

• Fun speculation on how to get suspended from your own show (in response to suspensions received in school), with jokes about showing one’s bare backside on YouTube.
• Quote:
  “Show bare ass to the YouTube cameras, you can get you suspended.”
  — Ryan Ruocco [25:57]
• The energy remains light with shoutouts to producers and the expectation that DHR will return tomorrow with more of the same engaging energy.

Notable Quotes

• “I’m now diabetic because I don’t know if you’ve seen what’s in this thing… It was delicious. But calling it coffee feels like a bit of a stretch.”
  — Michael Kay on Cashman’s coffee [02:02]
• “Competitiveness matters. And it was way more competitive than it’s been in years… people knew where to find it.”
  — Michael Kay on ASG ratings [05:56]
• “You would think it’s the great position because… you’re not relied upon. But the problem is, when that first option goes down… you gotta carry the slack.”
  — Bart Scott on “the side piece” [07:40]
• “As long as I’m owning the team, there will never be a team captain.”
  — Steve Cohen (via Michael Kay) [13:17]
• “I got suspended for making a parody Twitter account about my whack job biology teacher.”
  — Michael Kay [23:09]
• “Show bare ass to the YouTube cameras, you can get you suspended.”
  — Ryan Ruocco [25:57]

Episode Tone & Takeaways

• The conversation balances real sports insight with offbeat, self-deprecating humor.
• Inside stories (Cashman’s coffee order, Mets captain debate) provide a uniquely New York perspective.
• The “relatability” of the hosts shines as they openly discuss both media challenges and personal experiences—making the episode accessible and entertaining for listeners even in a slow sports news cycle.

Timestamps Quick Reference

• Cashman coffee order & fan response: [01:55–03:20]
• NBA ASG ratings analysis: [05:01–07:02]
• “Side piece” & responsibility metaphor: [07:24–09:41]
• Mets captaincy & Lindor/Soto dynamics: [13:10–16:11]
• Sports media & Reddit/social feedback: [19:13–20:47]
• Danny the caller & Kay’s school suspension story: [20:54–25:19]
• Closing banter & suspension jokes: [25:57–end]

For listeners and fans, this hour is vintage DHR: a blend of smart sports analysis, inside gossip, and fun banter that makes New York sports radio irresistible—even when the actual sports headlines are thin.