ESPN’s “Humpty & Canty with Rothenberg” broadcasts live from Long Beach

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FedEx driver Ryan McLean delivers packages throughout Long Beach each day, and when he heard that his favorite sports radio show would broadcast live from Minnesota’s in the West End, he said couldn't miss the opportunity to see the guys that get him through his workday.

The popular bar and restaurant hosted retired NHL star Rick DiPietro, retired NFL star Chris Canty and veteran radio host Dave Rothenberg, of the popular ESPN radio show “Humpty & Canty with Rothenberg,” on Aug. 30 for the show’s “End of the Summer Stunner” event.

“Dealing with customers — you never know what type of customers you’ll run into, so listening to Dave, Rick and Chris — it helps,” McLean said. “Listening to these guys talk about sports gets me through my day.”

The event featured a live broadcast, raffles, food and live music. The Kona brothers, of the Kona Brewing Company, also made a special appearance during the broadcast.

New York native Canty — a former defensive tackle for the New York Giants who helped the team win the Super Bowl XLVI over the New England Patriots in 2011 — said that physical interaction with fans brought a different energy to the show.

“Being here on Long Island, in Long Beach at Minnesota’s — it's been a great day,” Canty said. “We’re all brought together by the passion of sports, so it's cool to be able to share it with people. We had a great time.”

Canty and his co-hosts signed autographs and took pictures with hundreds of fans throughout the day after the broadcast.

Long Beach resident John Madden and his friend, James Grassano, both loyal listeners of the show, were among the fans who turned out for the live broadcast. They said they had planned their outing weeks in advance in order to see their favorite radio show live.

“I think they’re the best show on the radio right now,” Grassano said.

DiPietro, a former goalie for the New York Islanders, said that having the ability to do a live show brought a different vibe and different energy to the set. He added that being able to put a face to a caller’s voice meant a lot of him. DiPietro played at Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum for more than 10 years before retiring in 2013, he said he frequently visits the Island when he does a show.

“Every time we come to Long Island we get such a good turnout,” DiPietro said.

The hosts of the show have been together for more than a year and when asked about their chemistry as a team, DiPietro described it as “smooth.” Canty chalked up their chemistry to the love they have for their job and sports.

Rothenberg, a heavyweight in the radio industry and Long Island native, has been entertaining people for nearly 20 years. He estimated that they do about 250 shows a year and most are done in studios in New York City and Connecticut. He added that being able to interact with fans is special.

“I got here at 9 a.m. and there were already people here waiting,” Rothenberg said. “If you can listen to us and all of a sudden 20 minutes have gone by — that's the goal.”

With the football season underway, Rothenberg predicted that the New York Jets would have a better season than the Giants. He credited Jets' new quarterback, Sam Darnold, for their rising potential.

However, Rothenberg is known to be an avid Giants fan. He said that even though the Giants took a lot of heat for drafting former Duke quarterback Daniel Jones, he expects Jones to be the future of the team.

“In week 13 if the Giants win three games — if I can turn to you and say Daniel Jones is going to be a good quarterback, in my mind it’s been a successful season,” he said.