ESPN’s Don La Greca slams Chris Russo for ripping Mets, Gary Cohen
We’ve got a loudmouth standoff.
ESPN NY radio host Don La Greca wants Chris “Mad Dog” Russo to pipe down when it comes to his criticism of the hoopla surrounding Pete Alonso breaking the Mets’ all-time home run record and Gary Cohen’s TV call of the record-breaking moment Tuesday.
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As Alonso hit a two-run home run off of Braves’ Spencer Strider at Citi Field for his 253rd career home run, breaking a tie with Darryl Strawberry for the most in franchise history, Cohen rang out, “It’s outta here! Outta here! Pete Alonso stands alone. The Polar Bear on his own private iceberg.”
Russo, during his Wednesday appearance on ESPN’s “First Take,” slammed the Mets and Cohen for the overzealous celebration, given the state the team finds itself in — they had lost 10 of 12 games after Tuesday’s 13-5 win, which was preceded by them blowing a six-run lead in an 11-6 loss Wednesday.
“And I love Gary Cohen, did you hear his call. This was over the top,” yelled Russo, the former WFAN star and current SiriusXM host. “You can’t even determine what the home run record was before this nonsense. This is ridiculous.
“And I love Gary, I hate to do that. ‘Polar Bear on an iceberg?’ I mean, really now? This is not Henry Aaron against Al Downing!”
Not all agreed with the sports personality’s take.
La Greca, the new TV voice of the Devils, told Russo — a San Francisco Giants fan — to keep out of the Mets’ business.
“Dude, this is a Met moment. If you’re a Yankee fan or Chris Russo, a Giant fan, Red Sox fan, don’t care about baseball, what do you care to have an opinion?” La Greca said on “Don, Hahn & Rosenberg” on Wednesday. “It was for the Met fans. It’s a Met broadcast by a Met announcer who grew up a Met fan talking about a Met record. He’s playing into the room.
“So obviously, nationally, it’s going to hit different because there might be a lot of people going, ‘Wow, 252 home runs doesn’t sound like a lot of home runs. I don’t know why this is a big deal.’ Well, maybe you look at yourself in the mirror, maybe the reason you don’t think it’s a big deal is you’re not a Met fan. Met fan[s] thought it was cool because Pete Alonso is one of their favorite players. Darryl Strawberry is also one of their favorite players. He has the franchise record for home runs.
“It’s like breaking into the He-Man Woman Haters Club and commenting on the meeting that’s going on. You’re not involved! You weren’t invited! I don’t understand why you should even care!”
Alonso later hit a second home run in the sixth inning against the Braves — a solo blast of 413 feet to give the Mets a 11-5 lead and tally his 254th career blast.
The Mets have the opportunity to win the three-game series against Atlanta on Thursday night and if they pull it off, it will be their first series win since they swept the Giants from July 25-27.
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