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Don Hahn
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Dan Rosenberg
This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.
Peter
That sounds like heaven to me.
Dan Rosenberg
Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers, 602.
Peter
In the big city. Don and Dan here on Don Hahn and Rosenberg. Of course, if you're just joining us late, still waiting on the birth of Peter's daughter. So it has not happened as of yet according to our information. So my God, he's been.
Dan Rosenberg
What do you think happens first, 1:30 years or the jets hire somebody?
Peter
Oh, you know what? I would think that it would be Peter's daughter. But you know, you know, it's funny, we asked Bob, was shoes in yesterday? Hey, Peter's wife went into labor at 1:30 when, you know, you've had five kids, when could we expect the baby? And he said it could be any minute or it could be tomorrow at 6:30. Well, you know, well, guess what? He meant 6:30 in the morning. It's approaching 6:30 in the afternoon at night and we still don't have a baby. So the 14th is now become the fifth. I don't know. But God bless him and hopefully he'll be a dad sooner than later. And I think everybody knew what happened to Allen with the loss of his sister. Hoping to get him back tomorrow, but we'll see. Take care of the family first and foremost. But it's been fun to work with Dan over the last couple of days here and we're taking you to the bottom of the hour. And then Dan will take over for the Knicks pregame Knicks and the Sixers. And Knicks will not have CAT tonight. The Sixers will not have embiid, but it's a game that Knicks want to win, especially coming off that Piston loss at the Garden. Now, Ian Bagley from sny, who covers the Knicks and the Nets and everything NBA was on with Barton Carlin earlier today here on 880 and he was asked the question what he makes of Josh Hart's comments about the ego situation.
Ian Bagley
In the room, I don't want to guess, but I do think that when he says something like that twice in like a five day span, it's not nothing. And just kind of having conversations with people, they didn't think it was nothing. It speaks to, you know, the idea that this group right now not operating as a unit. I think there's kind of maybe divergent, I don't want to say interests, but it's, they're just not all together at this point. Maybe that's a product of only being together for half a season. But when Josh Hart says that it's not nothing, he's hinting at exactly what I'm talking about. Just them not being a cohesive unit. And I don't want to guess at who he's referencing, but I can say definitive. He was not talking about Jalen Brunson. He and Jalen Brunson are extremely close. I don't think he would subliminally air out Brunson in that way. So I think you cross Brunson off the list if you're trying to figure out who Josh Hart was referencing now.
Peter
You know what's interesting about the both the Knicks and the Rangers. Now certainly the Rangers collapsed a lot deeper than the Knicks have, but they're, they're similar in the sense that they both came in with huge expectations, have not lived up to those expectations, especially the Rangers. And then you start finding out why and like covering the Rangers. Dan, you hear a lot about is it mental? Is the room upset because of the way Jacob Truba was handled on how Barclay Goudreau was showing the door when he was shipped to San Jose? Like you're always looking for reasons other than maybe you're just not playing well. And like, same with the Knicks. Like, is it ego? Is it? Or is it just that there are certain guys that just aren't playing to the back of their card? And I look at Bridges and I say, I need more from Bridges, I need more from the bench. So is it as simple as that? Are we starting to create things that aren't there when the answer might just be simply play better?
Dan Rosenberg
Well, I mean, obviously you'd say play better, but I think what's happening with a couple of cases is that maybe some guys who really jumped off the page earlier in the season and were playing extremely well, like for example, OG Anunoby offensively has gone backwards a little bit the last couple of months. I mean, this is a guy who is like a 20 point a game guy in Addition to being, you know, essentially your best one on one defender. And now the offensive numbers have kind of gone backwards and you got to remember with this team, even though it's in like Tibbs his DNA to be a defense first coach, they kind of sold out Don when they made the Karl Anthony Towns move.
Peter
Yes.
Dan Rosenberg
That they kind of said we're going to be a team that in this modern day NBA we're going to go out there and be able to put, you know, 120 up every night in our sleep. And if it comes at the price of maybe sacrificing a little bit defensively, so be it.
Peter
Right.
Dan Rosenberg
It's an offensive game now. We want it, we want more volume shooting when it comes to three pointers and you know, if the defense gets caught up in the wash a little bit, oh well, that's the price you pay. And maybe some guys have kind of got sucked up into that in a way. Right.
Peter
Because.
Dan Rosenberg
And I think that if you're Josh. Look, Josh Hart is a guy who. Offense is not his forte. He, he's a dude that's going to go out there and grind. He's going to do all the dirty work, supposedly hit the deck for loose balls and that sort of thing. Scoring is not what you're relying on Josh Hart for. But if he looks at other guys, maybe on that team like I'll throw anun out there, you know, like, okay, you're supposed to be our best defender. What's happening?
Peter
Yeah, I, I just think that, you know, again, different situation with the Rangers. But like why did all that stuff get out about all the, the discontent with, you know, there might have been a meeting about Chris Drury and they're upset about the, the, the, the captain getting trade. Like why is Josh Hart. Why, why, why do you go there? You know, why? Why with all the things that are going on, the microscope that's on this team, like why even go there? You know? You know what I mean? Why can't you just keep it in house? Because you created this now like all the conversation was about, well, maybe they just their bench isn't deep enough. These guys are playing too many minutes. Why you got to throw another wrench into it about now, the ego situation? Or is that to deflect away from the conversation about coach? Because they love Tibbs so much that they'd rather develop something else than have people focus on the fact that maybe Tibbs uses his starters too much. I just don't know why you would throw something else in the hopper.
Dan Rosenberg
Well, because Josh Hart is a good quote. I mean, they go to him every single day.
Peter
I get it.
Dan Rosenberg
Available to talk every day. So you give him credit for that. I mean, but that's what he likes to do. He's got the podcast with Brunson, so the media knows that's who to go for. And he's not going to sit there and shy away from what he really feels. I mean, I think you're looking at the wrong guy. If you're looking for somebody to maybe kind of give you a cliche, you know, you're not going to get Derek.
Peter
I get it.
Dan Rosenberg
Vanilla cliche answers.
Peter
But he's a veteran. And why create that there's any discontent in the room when you're struggling a bit? I mean, you want to stay together as a unit, right? You don't want there to be any kind of soap opera around the team. So you want to try to keep that stuff in house. You don't want that stuff to get out and that. It was just. It's interesting, it's conversation. But certainly go out there and win games and it becomes less of an issue. We got phone lines open at 1-800-919-3776. Let's go to Bill in Southold. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, man?
Caller
Hey, what's going on, guys? Thanks for taking my call.
Peter
You got it.
Caller
I guess, like, I guess, like what I have to say is I don't really know what Tibbs is supposed to do at this point. Like, everyone knew when they made that trade for Kat that they were going to be real light on the bench. Like, everyone knew that they were going to lose toughness when they lost Artistein, which was outside of their control. And like, for me, like, I just see the Knicks really being a top contender this year as, as much as I think they're starting five is fantastic. I really think that they need to kind of like realize organizationally that they might have to lose this battle to win the war. And this should really be like a three year plan outside of them, like bolstering the bench with some, like, brilliant move at the trade deadline. There's really no play on the from the bench. There's not a lot of talent there. I would like to see thibodeau play hot 40 more. I think he's one guy that maybe could bring some toughness. Got a little mean streak in him and they're missing that, like, bridges, like, way too nice of a guy. Anunoby is like a mute throughout the game. Although he was sparring a little bit in the last game. Like the toughness is gone. So they have to find some of that in the bench, more so than even a talent. And yeah, like he has to stop running the guys into the ground, but he doesn't really have another option right now. And I just like to get your thoughts on that.
Peter
Well, well, I guess the option is that if you're up by 20 in the fourth quarter, play your bench and, and run the risk of maybe blowing the 20. He hates to lose and I love that about him. But you just use the cliche of you gotta lose the battle to win the war. That means, all right, tonight I'm not gonna push Brunson the 42 minutes to be able to hold on to this lead. I'm gonna take the chance or I'm gonna just have my bench go out there, do the best I can to give these guys a bit of a rest. I mean, that's the only answer. And hopefully you develop somebody on the bench that you can trust. And what it also, it sends a message out to Leon Rose, hey, do something about this bench. Go on and get me somebody I can trust. So I love the attitude, Dan, of win every game like it's a game seven, but it's going to come to roost at some point. So that probably means tonight they're taking on a lousy sixer team without Embiid. If you're up 20 going into the fourth quarter, you know what, play the bench and, and if it ends up becoming a two point game and so be it. I you. Wouldn't you rather that Dan than have than us talk tomorrow about they won a game by 15 points and everybody played north of 35, 40 minutes and then you get into the same, same dilemma again. So. And that means as a fan, Dan, that if they do blow the game, that you don't freak out about it because you'll understand what was trying to be accomplished.
Dan Rosenberg
I think what the caller said previously about the making the, you know, this is like a three year plan. I think he referenced, I would have gone along with that before the Carl Anthony Towns trade. When they made the Carl Anthony Towns trade with Minnesota, that was, hey, we think we can make a run at this thing because when they made that trade, they looked at the landscape of the Eastern Conference and thought the only team that we are, quote, unquote inferior to are the Boston Celtics. But we think we can match up with them and maybe even top them. Now that we have OG Bridges, two perimeter defenders to be able to lock down those guys up in Boston who most people in the NBA don't have an answer for. I probably would venture a guess that they didn't think that this Cleveland team would have the season that they're having so far. And we don't know if it's sustainable or not. Right. Like, we don't. The. The true gauge of the Cleveland Cavaliers is going to be when the playoffs start, and we have no idea.
Peter
Right?
Dan Rosenberg
No, but they made the trade with Minnesota and decided to break up this team, sending Randle and DiVincenzo because they thought they could make a run at this thing now, not in three. Now.
Peter
Great. Yep. Strike while the iron's hot. And. And similar again to the Rangers, where you came into the season thinking, well, the only team we have to worry about is Florida because that's the team that knocked us out of the conference final. We're going to win our division. All we got to worry about is Florida. Well, then all of a sudden, Washington emerges, and New Jersey's now back, and. And now you find yourself, you're not even in the playoffs, and half the season's been played. Now, again, it hasn't happened with the Knicks, but is it just the Celtics? Like, are the Cavs for real? What's this magic team going to end up being? Where's Indiana? Had their winning streak snapped last night, but you know, where's Indiana going to end up after winning seven of their last 10? So who else is going to emerge? Because again, they're in third place, and they're comfortably in third right now. But the way they're playing, and with Cat now kind of banged up and this bench being a question in January, we're not even talking about the playoffs or at the end of the season in April. We're talking about January. You got half a season left to play. And there are question marks about their bench, and there's question marks about guys being overused. And it's January 15th, so maybe it's not just figuring out a way to beat the Celtics in the conference final. Maybe it's how to beat the Celtics, how to beat the Cavaliers, how to hold off Orlando or Milwaukee or Indiana when it's all said and done and teams like the Heat that kind of just are ordinary and all of a sudden become a problem just when it means something. So it's going to be a very, very interesting second half of the season for both of the Garden teams. And once football's over, Dan, this is what we got. Until pitchers and Catchers. And even then. All right, Yay. Pitchers and catchers. Okay, now let's get to the start of the season, which isn't going to be until the end of March.
Dan Rosenberg
Right.
Peter
You had a very interesting observation, Dan, about our own company earlier today because ESPN sent out the Sunday night baseball schedule and you don't see. You don't see Mets and Yankees for a while. Why do you think that is? Punching it up now? Because we get so many texts during the course of the day, it's tough to find. Where is it? Ouch. By the way, Don, our bet's dead.
Dan Rosenberg
How hard it is to give up a goal in 43 seconds.
Peter
Well, yeah, he had no. That's right, the 6:00 game, no goals, Carolina, Buffalo, first 10 minutes, 43 seconds of the game is bets dead.
Dan Rosenberg
Six gone. Game.
Peter
And everybody else's bets are dead, too. Never mind yours.
Dan Rosenberg
And it was Buffalo that scored. Good for rj.
Peter
They're still gonna lose by seven.
Dan Rosenberg
Yeah. So it's the eighth. The eighth Sunday of the baseball season is when the Mets and the Yankees will first appear on Sunday Night Baseball.
Peter
It's crazy, right?
Dan Rosenberg
Yeah, you would think.
Peter
Now, I, again, I didn't dig that deep into it to see, like, what all the matchups are like. Like, the first game is going to be Braves, Padres, Cardinals, Red Sox, Cubs, Dodgers, Padres, Astros. So they got the Padres twice early Philly, Chicago, yawn, Dodgers, Braves, Phillies, Cubs, and then met Yankees May 18. And then the next week it's Mets, Dodgers, and then the week after that it's Yankees, Dodgers. So all of a sudden you go from nothing to having a New York team four straight Sundays. Because then after that, on June 22, it's going to be the Mets and the Phillies.
Ian Bagley
Right.
Dan Rosenberg
And there'll be other ones sprinkled in in those two weeks that they kind of leave open is sort of like flex, if you will pick a mess.
Peter
And for some reason, we know August.
Dan Rosenberg
17Th, Mariners, Mets, because that's that Little League game.
Peter
Oh, is that what it is?
Dan Rosenberg
Oh, there it is.
Peter
Yeah. Little League classic. Okay.
Dan Rosenberg
Yeah.
Peter
Interesting stuff. 1-800-919-3776. Let's go to Dennis and I'm sorry.
Caller
Yeah.
Dan Rosenberg
Before you take the call, we got another JET coaching interview request.
Peter
Kenny Shroy.
Dan Rosenberg
No.
Peter
Okay.
Dan Rosenberg
He's busy. Jeff Halfley, who is the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay packers, that according to Albert Breeder.
Peter
You know what? They did a great job on Sunday. They didn't lose because of their defense. Although that roughing penalty on Saquon was rough at the end of the game, but still I think they, they held them in that game. Love was the one that killed them.
Dan Rosenberg
And Jeff Halfley was one of the guys who, you know, has kind of gone along with this trend. He was a college head coach. He was the head coach at Boston College and left that job to become the defensive coordinator in the NFL. So are you get out of college football now?
Peter
Good, good on them. They're obviously talking to everybody, which again, I still think, I still think looks bad when you interview everybody but established head coaches that are available. Right. But as we opened the show with that earlier. But what do you gain from it? Because you can't tell me these are, that half of these guys are legitimate candidates. So is it all just favors to agents or is it all just a perception of, hey, we turned over every rock to find this coach, or are they, they picking the brain of some of these guys? But who's picking the brain, Woody? Like, you don't have a general manager that's going to take any of this information. Like, so what exactly do you think is being gained by just this inordinate amount of interviews they're doing?
Dan Rosenberg
Well, I think in the case of like the first time interviews, like, like I haven't seen, I could be wrong. But I don't think Halfley has been a guy who has been requested for any other team. In that case, I do believe strictly it's like a favor situation. Hey, get his name out there, get my guy out there. So then whether it' cycle or future cycles, you know, he's somebody that's going to be on the minds of people if the unit continues to play well in Green Bay. But he said, you know, no harm, no foul, talking to as many people as possible.
Peter
It's not, it's not a problem. They're not doing anything. They don't have a game to prepare for. Let's go to Dennis in North Carolina. You're on ESPN New York.
Dennis
Hey guys, last call crew, or better yet known as the llc. I know that the morning show guys have the company, but I think we should have the corporation, which last time I checked is bigger than a company. Yeah, let's start that going. So I was, I was calling it about that Philly fan and I've been to a ton of Giant and Philly games and I would feel bad for any other fan base besides Eagle fans because they just are rotten at the core. And I do feel kind of bad that he lost his job, but at the same time, like they sometimes, you know, when your kid needs a little, you know, a spanking, feel like maybe they can curb their attitude. I think maybe the Philly fans need this, like maybe a little bit of an eye opener.
Dan Rosenberg
It's not going to be an eye opener, Dennis, if that's what you're getting at. That this is going to be like the example, and now all of a sudden Philly fans are going to behave themselves. It's not going to happen.
Peter
But. No, probably not, Dennis. But I hear what you're saying in the sense that I just love the fact. Hate to see a guy lose his job. But you know, what he did what he did, and the company that fired him has every right to do that because they don't want him on their staff or whatever, is that there's some level of accountability. Like, I do think a lot of these things happen because at the end of the day, what's the worst thing that can happen? Oh, they'll kick me out or they'll put some fugazi ban on me that they'll never be able to institute or implement at all. So what do I got to lose? What's the big deal? You know, all the fans are gonna support me. You know, the security will be booed as they, as they take me out of the building. But at least there's some accountability. You know what? You did something that was embarrassing and you paid the price. So maybe next time, maybe there will be somebody who'll say, you know what, I better be careful here. I wanna act like an. But you know what? Somebody might have a camera rolling. I can't afford to lose my job. I can't afford to lose my season tickets and realize that there is accountability now.
Dan Rosenberg
But unfortunately, a lot of that behavior is triggered by, I mean, we've talked about it for so long. Alcohol, right? In most cases. So, like, some of these people wouldn't even be cognizant of the fact if somebody has a camera phone or anything, they don't even know where they are half the time.
Peter
That's the other thing too, Dan. We're both Die Hard fans, right? I mean, we grew up living and dying with our teams. Did it ever even occur to you to get inebriated? A game, nevermind a playoff game. Like I'd be so focused. Like, would I enjoy a beer? Sure. But I paid all this money for tickets. My team is playing for a chance to go to the divisional round. Why would I drink to the point where I would act, like completely uncontrollable, like that if you want to blame alcohol, like, I never understood that. Even like concerts. You see people go to concerts, get like. Like completely drunk, where they're falling down. It's like, dude, you paid all this money. You can't even enjoy the band throwing up all over yourself. You're passed out. Like, really, honestly, that's stupid too, Dan. If you want to say, well, it's alcohol, well, then you it your dumb decision to go out and have 13 beers to act like that. Nobody forced it down your throat.
Dan Rosenberg
Unless some people are given, you know, they look at it if they get free tickets and it's like, hey, it didn't cost me anything anyways, I'm gonna go have a good time. I don't like the teams, I don't like the band, but I'd have a good time and act like a jerk.
Peter
You just made a good point. Like some of these people that get free tickets because of, you know, whatever. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if you think about it again. I didn't do the investig. But maybe the reason he lost the job is because maybe he got the tickets through the place he worked. Maybe, you know, and they figure, what am I losing? These are my tickets. I didn't pay for them. So what if I get kicked out? What's the big deal? All I did was pay the, you know, the 50 bucks for parking or whatever. Let's go to TC in Connecticut or CT in Connecticut, which is also CT interest.
Dan Rosenberg
Interesting.
Dennis
How you doing, Don?
Peter
What's up? So Danny's here.
Dennis
Sorry, Dan. Hi.
Peter
So remorseful.
Dennis
So real quick. I mean, yeah, you mentioned getting absolutely obliterated at, you know, games and all that. Playoff games is a little different. I mean, you gotta pay for the ticket, right? But regular season games, as a Giants fan, I mean, I've been to those lots. When they pull up that thing where you pay like 60 bucks and you get all you can drink and all you can eat. I've seen grown men piss their pants standing right there. And came again to the game.
Peter
And they got a name for people sides, morons. Honestly, I really need this explained to me. Like, I'm five again. I enjoy a beer. Like, why would I want to get so drunk that I urinate all over myself, throw up, wake up the next day with a hangover? Like, I just been like, beaten with a baseball. Yeah, that's fun. Yeah, that's a ball. Really. Get help, check in. Man, you're an alcoholic. You got a problem. Really? I have not wet myself since I was like in kindergarten. And you've got grown men drinking to the point where they're urinating all over themselves. Yeah, it's fun. Dan, Dan, let's. Hey, Dan, what are you doing tonight, man? Oh, you got the Knicks. Too bad. Because we can go out. Why don't we just drink and it just pee all over ourselves? Like, wouldn't that be fun? Yay.
Dan Rosenberg
Like Miles Davis.
Peter
Dopes, dopes. Stupid, idiot, Moronic. Yo, yo, dope. That's what you are. I don't feel remotely bad for you. Pee all over yourself. Like it. Like an animal. Like a dog. Like a two year old. Yeah. Great person. And you know what the problem is? These people have jobs and homes and wives and children.
Dan Rosenberg
Well, you lose one, you might lose the others.
Peter
Yeah, great. You know, let's go to the Giants and let's go to the Giant game and just urinate all over ourselves. That's what I'll do. You know, I'll go in with like a scuba suit. It'll be great.
Dan Rosenberg
It's so warm when it's cold out.
Peter
You know, maybe they can go pee on each other. That'd be great. Morons.
Dan Rosenberg
Oh, my God. Thanks for listening to the Don, Han and Rosenberg podcast.
Caller
I don't want to know how the.
Peter
Sausage is made, man.
Caller
I just want to know.
Peter
It's good.
Dan Rosenberg
Hear more of Don, Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.
Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – “Knicks Disconnect”
Episode Information:
In the fourth episode of the "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg" podcast, titled "Knicks Disconnect," hosts Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg delve deep into the current state of the New York Knicks. Released on January 15, 2025, the episode explores the team's recent struggles, internal dynamics, and the broader implications for their playoff aspirations. Alongside the Knicks analysis, the hosts touch upon related sports topics, including comparisons to the New York Rangers and commentary on fan behavior.
Assessment of Team Cohesion
The conversation kicks off with a focus on the Knicks' internal dynamics, particularly addressing Josh Hart's comments regarding egotistical issues within the team. Peter Rosenberg references insights from Ian Bagley:
"I think there's kind of maybe divergent, I don't want to say interests, but it's, they're just not all together at this point." (02:18)
Comparison with the New York Rangers
Peter draws a parallel between the Knicks and the New York Rangers, both teams entering the season with high expectations but failing to meet them. He discusses whether the issues stem from player egos or genuine performance deficiencies:
"Now certainly the Rangers collapsed a lot deeper than the Knicks have, but they're similar in the sense that they both came in with huge expectations, have not lived up to those expectations." (03:12)
Coaching Decisions and Player Utilization
Alan Hahn, referred to as Dan in the transcript, critiques the coaching strategies under Coach Tibbs. He points out the shift towards an offensive playstyle following the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, potentially at the expense of defense:
"They kind of sold out Don when they made the Karl Anthony Towns move. That they kind of said we're going to be a team that in this modern day NBA we're going to go out there and be able to put, you know, 120 up every night in our sleep." (04:39)
He further elaborates on the impact of player roles and fatigue:
"Some guys who really jumped off the page earlier in the season and were playing extremely well, like for example, OG Anunoby offensively has gone backwards a little bit the last couple of months." (04:18)
Bench Depth and Player Development
Peter emphasizes the need for a stronger bench to support the starters, highlighting Bridge and the lack of contributions from the bench:
"I need more from Bridges, I need more from the bench. So is it as simple as that? Are we starting to create things that aren't there when the answer might just be simply play better?" (04:06)
A listener, Bill from Southold, echoes these sentiments, suggesting a three-year plan to bolster the bench and address toughness deficiencies:
"I really think that they need to kind of like realize organizationally that they might have to lose this battle to win the war. And this should really be like a three year plan outside of them, like bolstering the bench with some, like, brilliant move at the trade deadline." (07:29)
Strategic Decisions and Future Outlook
Dan discusses the Knicks' strategic decisions, particularly the trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, and its implications on their competitiveness in the Eastern Conference:
"They thought the only team that we are, quote, unquote inferior to are the Boston Celtics. But we think we can match up with them and maybe even top them." (11:02)
He raises concerns about the sustainability of their current strategy, especially with emerging teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and fluctuating performances from key players.
ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball Schedule
The hosts briefly shift focus to baseball, critiquing ESPN's scheduling choices that delay featuring New York's major teams, the Mets and Yankees, on Sunday Night Baseball:
"The eighth Sunday of the baseball season is when the Mets and the Yankees will first appear on Sunday Night Baseball. It's crazy, right?" (10:14)
They analyze the potential impact on viewership and fan engagement, noting the concentration of New York team appearances in the latter part of the season.
Listener Call-In: Philly Fans’ Behavior
A significant portion of the episode addresses listener feedback regarding fan behavior, specifically targeting Philadelphia sports fans. Dennis from North Carolina criticizes the unruly conduct of some Eagles fans, using it as a cautionary tale for accountability:
"I've been to a ton of Giant and Philly games and I would feel bad for any other fan base besides Eagle fans because they just are rotten at the core." (17:09)
The hosts engage in a heated discussion about alcohol consumption, personal responsibility, and the broader implications of such behavior on community standards.
Internal Team Struggles: The Knicks are grappling with internal cohesion issues, potentially stemming from player egos and coaching strategies that prioritize offensive output over defensive solidity.
Bench Strength is Crucial: There is a unanimous call for strengthening the Knicks' bench to provide better support for starters, manage player fatigue, and inject necessary toughness into the lineup.
Strategic Missteps: The trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, while ambitious, may have overextended the team's capabilities, leaving them vulnerable against emerging Eastern Conference contenders.
Comparative Analysis: Drawing parallels with the New York Rangers, the discussion underscores a recurring theme of high expectations unmet by performance, prompting a reevaluation of team structures and management decisions.
Fan Behavior Concerns: Beyond the court, the podcast highlights issues of fan behavior, emphasizing the need for accountability and responsible conduct to maintain the integrity of sports culture.
Peter Rosenberg on Team Cohesion:
"They're just not all together at this point." (02:18)
Dan on Offensive Strategy:
"We want to be able to put, you know, 120 up every night in our sleep." (04:39)
Listener Bill on Bench Strength:
"I really think that they need to... bolster the bench with some, like, brilliant move at the trade deadline." (07:29)
Dennis on Fan Accountability:
"I feel like maybe they can curb their attitude. I think maybe the Philly fans need this, like maybe a little bit of an eye opener." (18:03)
"Knicks Disconnect" offers a comprehensive analysis of the New York Knicks' current challenges, blending expert insights with passionate listener feedback. The episode underscores the necessity for strategic adjustments, enhanced team cohesion, and a fortified bench to navigate the remainder of the NBA season successfully. Additionally, it reflects on broader sports culture issues, advocating for responsible fan behavior and organizational accountability.
For fans and followers of the Knicks and other New York sports teams, this episode provides a nuanced perspective on the interplay between team dynamics, management decisions, and fan engagement that shapes the sporting landscape.