A discussion between 98.7 ESPN New York hosts Dave Rothenberg and Rick DiPietro devolved into the pair asking listeners which host was more important to the show. Rothenberg didn’t like the answers he got.
During DiPietro & Rothenberg Wednesday, a caller claimed DiPietro was “easily” more important to the show, because Rothenberg is simply an easily replaceable radio host.
“You’re more replaceable because you’re the professional radio guy, and you stir the drink,” the caller claimed. “Rick is Costello of Abbott and Costello. He’s the wild card to this thing, but you can’t have Abbott and Costello if you only have Costello. It’s the perfect mix, but if I had to pull one out, you’re the professional guy, so you could probably be replaced, easily. But I wouldn’t want it to happen.”
Rothenberg took a slight issue with that encapsulation, hanging up on the caller in the process.
“Here’s the reality, because that’s what management probably thinks, too,” Rothenberg joked. “‘As long as we have Rick, and Dave, who’s softly stroking his ego every day then we’re going to be fine.’ I’m like a babysitter.”
“I’m going to tell you this again, ok? For the millionth time, there is no show without you. Because no you means no me,” DiPietro rebutted.
“Obviously, you’re more of a staple on the show than I happen to be,” Dave Rothenbreg argued. Obviously!”
“No, not obviously. There is no show without you,” reiterated DiPietro.
The former New York Islanders goalie then argued that if you went to a restaurant known for a certain dish, and they told you they no longer had that dish, you would get up and leave. Rothenberg once you’re sat at a restaurant, you’re going to still eat there.
