Hour 1: Cam on RAW

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 1: Cam on RAW

Date: November 18, 2025
Hosts: Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Main Theme: The Cam Scataboo WWE Appearance Controversy & The Culture of Winning and Fun in Pro Sports

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into the recent public uproar over injured New York Giants running back Cam Scataboo’s (nicknamed “Scatterboo” by the hosts) ringside appearance and physical involvement at WWE Raw in Madison Square Garden. The hosts (Don LaGreca reporting from Tampa, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg in NYC) discuss the intersection of sports and entertainment, the perception of athlete behavior on losing vs. winning teams, and the broader societal obsession with “winning mentalities” in pro sports. Caller voices and personal anecdotes enrich the candid, irreverent tone.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cam Scataboo’s WWE Moment Sparks Debate

• Don, Hahn & Rosenberg break down what happened: Scataboo, in a walking boot post-surgery, participated in a planned physical ringside spot, pushing WWE wrestler J.D. McDonough during a segment.
• WWE’s increased crossover with pro athletes is highlighted, with references to previous guests like Jalen Brunson (Knicks) appearing on WWE events.

Key Quotes:

• “He’s 23 years old and he’s jacked up on Mountain Dew, his personality is absolutely that right. So you have to know already that there’s no way he’s not going to go.” – Alan Hahn (08:32)
• “It’s not crazy to think a 23-year-old athlete… is going to get together with these guys. That’s what MSG does and that’s what New York does for WWE.” – Don LaGreca (06:57)

Relevant Segment:

• Detailed incident recap and pushing/physical sequence from [03:08]–[06:56]

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2. Media & Fan Outrage Analyzed

• Hosts dissect fan/media backlash, especially the “pearl clutching outrage” over an injured player risking re-injury and accusations of unprofessionalism.
• The double standard is discussed: Winning teams like the Knicks get a pass for similar antics, while losing teams like the Giants draw criticism.
• The larger issue: People inclined to dislike wrestling, or judge athletes more harshly when their teams are losing.

Key Quotes:

• “When Brunson did it, the Knicks are winners. The Giants are losers.” – Don LaGreca (14:11)
• “If the Giants were 9 and 2, everybody would be loving today.” – Don LaGreca (31:59)

Timestamps:

• Outrage and giant-specific criticism from [09:54]–[14:54], [31:13]–[32:18]

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3. Who's Responsible: Player or Organization?

• Discussion centers on accountability: Should anger target Scataboo or Giants management for allowing participation?
• The reality of pro athletes’ lives: Young stars often need someone to stop them from impulsive decisions; it's on “adults in the room” to set boundaries.

Key Quotes:

• “If you’ve got any anger for this, have the anger…at the Giants, not the kid.” – Don LaGreca (08:32)
• “Everybody attacking Scataboo – number one, you’re hypocrites. Number two, you’re not paying attention.” – Alan Hahn (09:12)

Timestamps:

• Focused debate on individual vs. organizational responsibility [08:32]–[10:52]

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4. Brand Building, Athlete Popularity, and New York Realities

• Scataboo’s actions viewed as part of building his personal brand in New York: attending UFC, sitting front-row at major events, and taking advantage of fleeting NFL stardom as a mid-round pick.
• The city’s appetite for distinct, energetic personalities—refs to crowd ovations even in a “lost season” for the Giants.

Key Quotes:

• “He’s brilliantly building his brand. He was at UFC, front row. He’s here, front row…this isn’t some fourth-round pick just trying to hang on.” – Don Hahn (11:36)
• “He is building the arsenal to be able to get his chicken.” – Don Hahn (19:41)

Timestamps:

• Athlete-brand discussion from [11:36]–[12:19] and repeated through the hour.

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5. How Fun Intersects with Winning (and Losing)

• The team questions whether “fun” is permissible in pro sports, particularly for losing teams. They reference Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla’s remarks about the “fun” excuse in sports, connecting it to cultural attitudes about obsessing over wins and dismissing other priorities.
• There’s a generational and perspective divide between what “fun” means—youth sport as opposed to professional pressure.

Key Quotes:

• “Fun’s a cop-out. Sometimes when things aren’t going well, everybody likes to say, ‘well, let’s just have fun’…but what does that mean?” – Joe Mazzulla via sound clip (45:53)
• “That’s why you have people to oversee those decisions. At the end of the day, these are kids and they’re going to err on the side of let’s just have fun…” – Don LaGreca (18:38)
• “That’s why you’re not winning, because you’re not as dedicated as Tom Brady, as Michael Jordan, as LeBron James…” – Don LaGreca (42:37)

Timestamps:

• In-depth “winning vs. fun” conversation from [40:08]–[50:14], including the full Mazzulla quote ([45:53]–[46:24])

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6. Media, Perception, and Agenda

• The psychology behind fan/media reaction: Fans often want clear scapegoats—players who aren't performing are “lazy,” especially when they’re rookies or on struggling teams.
• Hahn and LaGreca reflect on their personal sports dreams and how the drive to win overtook the concept of fun.

Key Quotes:

• “We get accused all the time of having an agenda. The fans have an agenda.” – Don LaGreca (36:00)
• “I guess I never had fun…if we lost, I was miserable.” – Alan Hahn (48:21)

Timestamps:

• Reflections on agendas and player scrutiny [35:57]–[36:46]
• Personal anecdotes on fun and competition [48:21]–[50:14]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cam’s Brand:
  “He’s living in the moment…he’s building stardom in New York City right now.” – Don Hahn (11:36)

• On Winning vs. Losing:
  “Winners flex…when you’re 9 and 2, you go out, you have fun, everybody will applaud it…when you’re 2 and 9, you could actually feed the homeless and they’ll say ‘look at this guy, he should be practicing.’” – Don LaGreca (22:30)

• On Accountability:
  “So, if you’ve got any anger for this, have the anger...at the Giants, not the kid.” – Don LaGreca (08:32)

• On Fans’ Scrutiny:
  “The fans have an agenda… I am not going to back a guy that’s got a half a sack and he’s the third overall pick in the draft on a team that’s two and nine.” – Don LaGreca (36:05)

• On Fun vs. Winning (Mazzulla Soundbite):
  “Fun’s a cop-out. You have to define what fun looks like as a team…and as you get older, kid, don’t use it – ‘I just want to have fun’…what does that mean?” – Joe Mazzulla (45:53)

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Segment Timestamps

• [00:00]–[03:05] – Cold open, Don in Tampa, anecdotes
• [03:08]–[06:56] – WWE incident recap, rundown of Scataboo’s actions
• [06:57]–[08:32] – Sports-wrestling crossover, generational culture change
• [08:32]–[10:52] – Organizational vs. player responsibility, “adults in the room”
• [11:36]–[12:19] – Cam’s brand building and the realities of NFL fame
• [14:11]–[14:54], [31:13]–[32:18] – Double standards for winners vs. losers
• [15:19]–[16:03] – Outrage misdirected: Safety, Giants’ turf problems
• [18:38] – Kids err on fun, need someone to “oversee those decisions”
• [22:30]–[22:45] – The privileges of winning athletes vs. scrutiny on losing teams
• [31:13]–[32:18] – More on perception of wrestling and losers
• [35:57]–[36:46] – Media, fan agenda
• [40:08]–[50:14] – Fun, competition, Joe Mazzulla soundbite, hosts’ sports dreams

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Tone & Style

The episode brims with the trio’s signature banter—irreverent, energetic, and filled with New York attitude. There’s a blend of empathy for young athletes, skepticism at sports outrage culture, and frank acknowledgment of media double standards. The hosts maintain a passionate, humorous, and sometimes self-deprecating tone throughout.

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Listener Takeaway

This episode serves as a sharp dissecting knife through sports outrage culture, exposing the biases and contradictions that come with fandom, the blurring line between “fun” and “winning,” and the unique pressures faced by young, recognizable athletes in New York. Whether you agree or not with Cam Scataboo’s WWE antics, the discussion forces a look at what we demand of our sports heroes—on and off the field.

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End of Hour 1 Summary – Don, Hahn & Rosenberg: “Cam on RAW”

Transcript

[Don LaGreca]

Todd, sometimes fraud gives you movement. It sounded like it moved.

[Alan Hahn]

Han, you heard a squish.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Rosenberg shake gently to assure complete activation.

[Alan Hahn]

Hello.

[Don Hahn]

This isn't North Dakota. This is New York.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is Don, Han and Rosenberg.

[Caller Keith]

The best threesome I've ever heard on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

ESPN New York and streaming live on YouTube.

[Don Hahn]

Are you kidding me? It's exactly three o'. Clock. You know why? Because Jake Asmon was in for Michael K. And the man respected the clock. And we get to start Don Hahn and Rosenberg on time, right at 3:00pm Peter Rosenberg and Alan Hahn here in the studio in New York and Don legreca in the great city of Tampa Bay, Florida. How are you, donald?

[Don LaGreca]

Fantastic. Nice 80 degree day.

[Don Hahn]

Oh boy.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen to this guy. Rubbing it in already.

[Don Hahn]

I'm a fan. I've had a good time in Tampa.

[Alan Hahn]

How's the pool? Don't I.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, I didn't go to the pool. I had work to do. Had a morning skate. He got two all banged up teams in the Devils and Lightning. Got to find out who's playing, who's not playing. Then I had a nice little lunch and now I'm here at Benchmark International Arena. They might change the name by the third period. Had so many names over the last few years. That's where I am getting ready. Benchmark International arena, formerly amalie arena, formerly St. Pete Times Forum. And we just go deeper and deeper. No banks.

[Don Hahn]

So you're gone. You're gone tonight. You're out tonight. After the game.

[Don LaGreca]

After the game. We're on our way to sunrise for Devil's Panthers on Thursday.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, you know what that means though? That means you get a beautiful Miami Wednesday. Is that what that means?

[Don LaGreca]

I get a Miami Wednesday.

[Don Hahn]

I really actually Fort Lauderdale. Yeah, whatever.

[Alan Hahn]

But close enough.

[Don Hahn]

You can.

[Don LaGreca]

You can still.

[Don Hahn]

You can you bring a bathing suit?

[Don LaGreca]

I did.

[Don Hahn]

Oh yes.

[Don LaGreca]

I didn't let Nancy see that I packed it.

[Don Hahn]

I love what you. I really hope that sometime before. Because there's no skate tomorrow. All you have is our faka. It's a 2:30 meeting. In fact I want you to be on at the pool for the meeting something. That's what you should be concur.

[Don LaGreca]

But I did pack the flip flops and the bathing suits I do have. I plan on being at the pool. We'll take a look at what the weather's like. But I'm sure it's going to be gorgeous. So yeah. No regrets there.

[Alan Hahn]

Poolside Donnie.

[Don Hahn]

We love poolside Donnie.

[Don LaGreca]

All right.

[Don Hahn]

Well listen guys. A lot to do today and you know when I went off to go play my reindeer games with pro wrestling last night and see John Cena which.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for the text by the way. Across the street. Never got it.

[Don LaGreca]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

A lot happened. There was a lot happening.

[Alan Hahn]

Therebyak were waiting for the text. We're gonna run over just to see Cern. Cern.

[Don Hahn]

Cena.

[Alan Hahn]

Cena.

[Don Hahn]

But Cena started the show so you couldn't have done it. Cena was seg1 so.

[Alan Hahn]

Seg1. What time he.

[Don Hahn]

He was out there and by. And talking by 806, 807. It was in the middle of it.

[Alan Hahn]

It was doable.

[Don Hahn]

No it wasn't. There wasn't half time yet.

[Alan Hahn]

Doable.

[Don LaGreca]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

Could have done it.

[Don Hahn]

He's full of it.

[Alan Hahn]

You saw the first half. It was meaningless.

[Don Hahn]

That's a different story.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Could you now could you have gotten away with it? Probably could have.

[Alan Hahn]

Didn't talk at all about the first half by the time we got the post game.

[Don Hahn]

But that, yeah, that's another, another subject for today. But. But we'll start with controversy that I didn't think a whole lot of when it happened. I certainly noticed it went interesting. I didn't know that it would take on a life of its own. And that is the injured Cam Scatterboo of the New York Giants getting involved in a little bit of what we like to call in the business physicality at ringside with Dominic Mysterio. So did this immediately set Giants Twitter on fire? Like was this an immediate problem for people?

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know. Was it a problem or was it at first everybody kind of just finding it entertaining. Every time you guys are in town, there's always some. A couple of years ago was Jalen Brunson. You always have somebody that likes wrestling. A lot of athletes do that, get involved in it. So he was there. He's wearing by the way wearing a Rempe jersey there don't. Yeah. So yeah, he knows what he's doing. So yeah, he definitely knew what he was doing. But it at first just was very on brand for the kid. But then came the, you know, this, this pearl clutching outrage about how he just had surgery and how could you do this and scolding him. He's a 23 year old kid. Raise your hand if you have one.

[Don Hahn]

I don't.

[Alan Hahn]

I do.

[Don LaGreca]

I hope to like.

[Alan Hahn]

It's a, it's, it's a, it's. This is what you do. This is what happens. And I could not understand all day long hearing how many people that have a microphone in front of them on various platforms in this city were scolding him for something that felt really innocuous.

[Don Hahn]

By the way, I'm watching the clip back right now, and my main takeaway is seeing the great Jackie Redmond not let go of that mic, even though Dominic took it.

[Alan Hahn]

It was OG Anunoby moment.

[Don Hahn]

So. So Schultz gets the big shove from Dominic. Then Dominic comes back. Now Scatterbo steps in front of Andrew Schultz. Thank God, because Schultz being tough ain't gonna work. Light shove to McDonough. That shouldn't even happen. I don't know why he put a hand on J.D. mcDonough. That's crazy. And now they're still joined.

[Alan Hahn]

But what's weird, Peter, is, like, it just. They were staring at each other for a while, and I thought, okay, it's just going to not. Nothing's going to happen. Right. I don't know how this is supposed to work.

[Don Hahn]

And then. And then. Okay, so, Allen. So I did notice it. John was right. Scatterboo does get pushed. So look after Scatterboo with a hard shove to J.D. mcDonough, who goes down. Now watch. Boom. Finn Balor. But, but, but. Just so you guys are aware, the Finn Balor shot to Scatterbo was like a. It wasn't a shove. It was. It was like a working punch.

[Alan Hahn]

It was a lean.

[Don LaGreca]

Lean.

[Don Hahn]

It was a nothing and a barrier between them. Okay, so not a lot was getting to Scatterbo at all. And Scatterboard a seat behind him, right? Like, he could have literally fallen back into his seat.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, what you didn't want is him taking a step back on what was a, you know, an ankle that was dislocated and surgically repaired and have him, you know, injured again. That's what everybody was afraid of, but that. Those are controlled situations, aren't they, Peter? You know this better than anyone.

[Don Hahn]

For the most part, yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

We have seen wrestlers get injured when not everybody's on the same page. And Cam Scatteraboo is a very good running back. He's not a professional wrestler. So it's not crazy to think that it can go south. But there's a couple of things at play here. It's funny that Peter said Jackie Redmond, who does a great job as a sideline reporter in the NHL, the last I checked, over the summer, ESPN and WWE got into a relationship to broadcast events. We've crossed streams here, guys.

[Don Hahn]

Okay?

[Don LaGreca]

Obviously, we've cross pollinated wrestling and athletics to where they kind of share the same stage. And it's not crazy. To think a 23 year old athlete is going to be a fan of wrestling and look at the wrestlers as peers. So this is not that crazy that they're going to get together. And that's what MSG does and that's what the New York does for the wwe. They try to incorporate it. We saw Brunson last year, the Giants this year. They always try to find a way to find that common theme which exists now. 20, 30 years ago, it didn't exist. One was considered entertainment, one was considered sports. The line has been blurred, guys. It has been blurred. And for a 23 year old to be in on wrestling and in on doing something like that is not crazy. So that you got to get over if you don't understand that. And the other thing is, if you do have a problem with it, which I don't think is that big of an issue because something can happen is have a problem with the Giants, not Cam, because Cam's gonna do it. Kids are gonna do it. Kids feel like they're invincible. They're gonna want to be a part of something. That's why there's got to be an adult in the room to say, you know what, I don't think this is that great of an idea. Because what if something does happen? How is that going to look for you in the organization? If, God forbid, something weird happened and you re injure your ankle and you can't play even longer, it's going to look really bad. So is it worth it? But are there adults in a room with the Giants anymore? It doesn't feel that way. So if you've got any anger for this, have the anger. Point of the Giants, not the kid.

[Alan Hahn]

Now I agree with you. That's exactly where you put it. Because anybody is 23 years old and he's jacked up on Mountain Dew, his personality is absolutely that right. So you have to know already that there's no way he's not going to go. So by the way, when they, when they do this stuff, how far back are we going? Is it September? Is it like they couldn't have called like Thursday and say, hey, you want to come Monday?

[Don Hahn]

It could have been.

[Alan Hahn]

You think it was that? It could have been that. That recent?

[Don Hahn]

Oh yeah. It could have been very.

[Alan Hahn]

So there. So. And they've got to go through. Now they'll probably go through his agent, but they also have to go through the team.

[Don Hahn]

I would think there's no way multiple Giants were there.

[Alan Hahn]

Abdul Carter was there.

[Don Hahn]

So like with multiple Giants there, they are Aware.

[Alan Hahn]

So they're aware. So there was no one in the organization that said, hey, Cam, if you're going to go, just stay out of things. Right. Like, there's no one that thought to say that to him. That's the part that I'm with, Don. Everybody attacking Scatterboo. Number one, you're hypocrites. Number two, you're not paying attention. That's what I'm like. I'm tired of people especially. He's 23. He has never lived a normal life. This is a guy that played high level college football, which is fantasy world. These guys live in fantasy world. They don't live a normal life when you play college, especially college football. Then he went to the NFL and he became an instant success fan favorite in New York.

[Don LaGreca]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

That's fantasy world.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

At least this kid doesn't know the word no. Or you can't. Or I shouldn't. Right. That's. He lives a different life. So for you to hold him to this standard of that, you should know better. And that was dumb for you to do it. Guess what? He doesn't know any other way but a hundred percent. And he needs. He's an adrenaline rush kind of guy. And he said in his tweet about how he's trying to have a good time while dealing with a tough time. He cannot, for the first time in a long time, run around and play football and get hit. He loves being hit. He loves running into people. He loves physicality. And he can't be part of any of it right now because he's hurt and it's driving him crazy. I bet you Sundays he can't sit still watching football. So he has this moment and he knows it's controlled, and he's like, I just want a little bit of adrenaline. I just need it. And so that was what it was supposed to be for him. I'm with Don. You want to be mad at somebody, be mad at the Giants because they should have told him, you can't go or don't do it. Don't be involved in anything.

[Don Hahn]

There's a few things here. All right, Number one, let's remember he's wearing a walking boot. Okay. The injured. We saw him on Sunday. The injured leg is in a walking boot. There's a solid amount of protection.

[Alan Hahn]

Certainly protected ankle.

[Don Hahn]

It's a. It's a. It's a. It's a pretty protected foot that boots pretty padded.

[Alan Hahn]

Like it's made of plastic.

[Don Hahn]

Him. Him leaning back. Yeah. But there's padding inside of it. Him leaning back and a little bit of weight going on the leg is not snapping the leg instantaneously. Now, obviously, if this had been a longer, real drawn out thing, I'd have a major problem with it. But this, no, second of all, we've talked about this, guys. Camp Scatterboo's career with the Giants has never been a guaranteed thing, and it certainly isn't a guaranteed thing now.

[Alan Hahn]

He's living in the moment.

[Don Hahn]

He's living in the moment, by the way, he's brilliantly building his brand. He was at ufc, front row. He's here, front row. What was Kim, a fifth round pick? Fourth round pick. This, this isn't some fourth round pick. Camp Scatter Boo's NFL career is not guaranteed. He's building stardom in New York City right now. I know this is hard for football fans to deal with. That may be as important to him personally as the football stuff, but because.

[Alan Hahn]

That'S probably what, you know, again, in this city, what he's already developed by the end of his career, he'll be one. Like, he'll be one of those players that everybody just loves. And when you see him, it's like, oh, there he is. Camo. Like, that's what happens with guys like him. And if he stays here long enough. But these moments add to that afterward.

[Don Hahn]

That's what these moments are for.

[Don LaGreca]

Of course, that's why there needs to be somebody in the room to say, I get why you want to do it, but let's. Yeah, let's think this through here.

[Alan Hahn]

Wouldn't look good for us for you to be out there doing this.

[Don LaGreca]

What is your end game? All right, it helps your brand, gets you out there. But, you know, you're under contract with us. You're a football player, player first and foremost. I don't know if I want you to be in that situation. Plus, listen, you'd know better than me, Peter, because my wrestling knowledge goes back a long, long time ago. Do these wrestlers sometimes go rogue? I mean, are there contracts signed that say only do this? I mean, would it be the first time that a wrestler decided, you know, maybe I'm going to take it a little farther than I should because I want to make a name for myself. I want to cause a little controversy. Who was that reporter that got punched in the side of the head back in the day?

[Don Hahn]

John Stossel?

[Don LaGreca]

I'm saying, like, is it that if I'm the Giants, I'm like, is it that crazy that something off script can happen or maybe something off brand that can make us look bad. You know what? At the end of the day, it's a good bump for you, but it could go sideways. We don't want you to do it. We don't want you to get involved in that way. And then you work it out from there. I wouldn't have any problem with that. If the Giants wanted to step in.

[Alan Hahn]

Guys, if they said, like, what's it like? There's no win for us. There's nothing in it for us. So we'd rather you just don't do it because it's a bad look for us if you're involved in something physical. Like a couple years ago, when Brunson and Halliburton did that thing, Brunson was just coming off wrist surgery, and there was actually something done.

[Don LaGreca]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

If I'm not mistaken, with the chair. In the ring. With the chair. And then he kind of showed his hand. He had a little brace on it.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And he showed the hand, and it was like. Everybody in the building was like, no, no, no, not the hand. Like. Like, don't do anything with the hand. So. But I don't remember that kind of outrage with Brunson. I didn't have people going screaming about Brunson.

[Don Hahn]

Well, maybe.

[Alan Hahn]

Why is it this.

[Don Hahn]

Maybe it's the foot part. You know, you can't. You can't control the foot as much, though.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm going to tell you why. Because. Because when Brunson did it, the Knicks are winners, the Giants are losers. Right. I mean, so the. The winners get the benefit of the doubt, the losers don't. Now the Knicks haven't won anything, but, you know, there's a good foot they had around the nation. They're moving in the right direction.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

So you kind of give them the benefit of the doubt and say, ah, they're probably buttoned up enough because look what. Look how this organization is right now. Knick fans respect the organization. Right. They respect the decisions that are being made because the team's winning. The team's the favorite to go to the NBA Finals. Last year, they were really good. But the Giants, right now, anything that they do is going to go sideways for them because nobody respects them anymore.

[Don Hahn]

Can I. Can I. Can I throw a. I'd like to.

[Don LaGreca]

Be a part of whatever's happening, too. I mean.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I'm whispering. Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

I want to show me as far.

[Don LaGreca]

I feel bad.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't whisper, though. I was Palin. Brunson responded to Cam Scatterbo's tweet with.

[Don Hahn]

A picture with a gif of edge.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Walking with the. With the belt on. So they're having fun with it and they're all fan now. But listen, can I just say something here? I'm step out here just a bit.

[Alan Hahn]

The.

[Don Hahn]

Is it possible, guys, that the outrage fans on Twitter have right now for Cam Scatterbo, a guy who makes 840,000 doll, which I know is a lot of money to all of us here, but not for an NFL player who risks their life every day. Should maybe a little of the outrage instead of it being focused on what Scatterbo did for one night at wwe, beyond the fact that this organization has one of the most dangerous fields to play on in the entire league. I'm sorry. Like, let's just focus our outrage the right way, guys. Where do you really want to focus the energy? You found your starting quarterback. He likes to run quite a bit. I don't know if you guys saw Josh Jacobs the other day. His leg bounced off that turf and now he's hurt. It happens over and over again. Don, if you really want to protect these guys, maybe we prioritize the field that they play on.

[Don LaGreca]

But the funny thing about all of this, guys, and hold that thought because there's a lot of reasons why people buy at Ramsey Mazda.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh. It's the selection, it's their customer service, and it's the savings during the more to move you event. Lisa New 2025 Mazda CX 32.0 all wheel drive for $159 for 36 months. Start shopping now at Ramsey Mazda.com choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Call 833-853-2970 details. Vin SM 834-925 MSRP 270550 secured deposit end 12 125. You got to realize where it all comes from. People that don't understand wrestling don't respect wrestling, thinks it's a joke. So really, do you value the opinion of somebody who. Who thinks of wrestling in that way? They're obviously got their fangs out because they think wrestling's a joke. Why would Cam Scatter Boo lower himself to do this? That's entertainment. It's all rigged. It's a joke. Why would you respect somebody's opinion, Peter, if they have that low a value of wrestling? So don't you think it kind of comes from that more so than anything else?

[Don Hahn]

I think that's definitely built into it. Why are you risking yourself at silly fake wrestling, as they call it? And when you do something Real, you're a part of something important. Professional football.

[Don LaGreca]

Meanwhile, Cam Scatter boo and a lot of players, probably more than 50% of the players, especially the younger ones, look at wrestlers as peers.

[Don Hahn]

Not only that, if you're, if you have the personality, look and style of Cam Scatterbo and it doesn't work out in the NFL, exactly how many options do you got? You don't make a ton of money.

[Don LaGreca]

ESPN airs wrestling.

[Don Hahn]

That's right. Including Survivor Series. The Sunday after Thanksgiving. Saturday, I should say.

[Don LaGreca]

Jackie Redmond, who is one of the most respected sideline reporters in the NHL, if not sideline reporters in all of sports, does wrestling because they cross. It's together, it's not separated like it was back in the day. So to these players, it's not that way. So I'm not saying you don't have a place to be critical of it. I mean, I, I, I, I didn't love it.

[Don Hahn]

Well, you mean you didn't love last night.

[Don LaGreca]

I, I, I just don't like putting yourself in harm's way when you've just gotten hurt. Your team's. I, it's just not my thing. I probably would advise against it, but at the end of the day, if he really, really wanted to do it.

[Alan Hahn]

Would I have caved?

[Don LaGreca]

Maybe.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, what? Don't even, not 23 year old don Lagreca would have done what without, without anyone telling him not to. What would Don have done?

[Don LaGreca]

Well, yeah, 23 year old Don Lagreca would not be worried about my injury. I'm doing everything that I could. Yeah, you just, that's why you have, that's why you have people to kind of overlook those things and not overlook, but oversee those decisions. Because after the end of the day, these are kids and they're going to err on the side of let's just have fun and it should be indestructible.

[Alan Hahn]

Right, Right again, your, your anger, all you curmudgeons out there and I can't believe I'm the one that's saying this right, but it's, I could not believe the outrage. It was silly. The people that you call out. His agent should have said, you know, let's not do this. The team should have said something. Maybe a family could have said something to him. Right? Maybe. But 23 year old, when you know his personality, you know what he's about, I mean the guy is just a, he's a ball of energy and he's gonna say, you know what? I'm gonna sit out this one. No, he's not. He's living for the moment. What Peter said is 100% right. It's right now. It's not protect your chicken. It's get your chicken.

[Don Hahn]

You know, he's. He's building. He is building the arsenal to be able to get his chicken.

[Alan Hahn]

There you go.

[Don Hahn]

As we speak, every time he shows up. I saw the applause for him at UFC on Saturday.

[Alan Hahn]

Dude, he was a Knicks game and got an ovation. And the Giants stink.

[Don LaGreca]

Listen.

[Alan Hahn]

Ovation, yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

He's.

[Alan Hahn]

They love him.

[Don LaGreca]

There's some kind of connection that fans have with guys that sometimes you can't explain it. Like Matt Rempe with the Ranger. Like, sometimes they just. The fans gravitate to him. They certainly have gravitated in a lost season to him. But let me ask you this, and you can answer it on the other side if you want is if I'm the Giants organization, we understand why you would say no because of the possibility of re injuring the ankle.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

What if the reason and the motivation behind it was we're losing, man, and we're going to lose in the court public opinion with this. It's not a great look when we're 2 and 9 and our injured running back is at a WWE event. We're going to end up losing in the court of public opinion. It's a bad PR move. We're not going to allow you to do it. Is that enough of a reason to say no.

[Don Hahn]

If you're him?

[Don LaGreca]

No, if you're the Giants. Like if the Giants motivation was if we were 9 and 2 and on.

[Don Hahn]

Top of the world.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. Have at it right now. Everything we do is wrong. Everything we do is perceived to be wrong. We just fired our coach.

[Don Hahn]

Let's lay low.

[Don LaGreca]

Let's not do anything that's going to stir a negative controversy. Nobody's going to side with us on this because everybody hates us right now. You know what? Let's not do it. Is that enough of a reason for the Giants to say no? Because I believe it is.

[Alan Hahn]

I think if you're the Giants, you're looking at it as an opportunity to have something publicly positive. But has it been our guy? No. That's the problem. It blew up in your face.

[Don LaGreca]

But why? Because they're losers. So sometimes do the losers have to step out?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Do the losers say no to the.

[Don Hahn]

Party because they're a loser?

[Alan Hahn]

You know what? No one's bringing up Abdul Carter in the championship belt.

[Don LaGreca]

It's a long show, Alan.

[Don Hahn]

We got. We got to pace ourselves.

[Alan Hahn]

But to me, like, if you want to go. When was the last time a number two pick in the draft was like the least most popular player on his team? Rookies.

[Don Hahn]

Well, by the way, and last night when they, when they fonted them in the building, at least it was fonted as Cam Scatterbo. And then it just said, new York Giants, see Abdul Carter.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh my God, you know what?

[Don LaGreca]

You have a half. You have a half Sack. Stay home. You know, to the loser. To the, to the winners go the spoils. Right? The losers stay home. The losers decline the invitation.

[Alan Hahn]

That's one.

[Don LaGreca]

You know what? Shut the light and hold out for a better day.

[Alan Hahn]

You just overslept for a meeting and it's like there was all this talk about you doing all this stuff that's probably not the time to go out. I would not want to be out in the winter.

[Don LaGreca]

Winners flex. You know, when, when, when, when you're nine and two, you go out, you have fun, everybody and everybody will applaud it. You can murder somebody. It's like, well, you know, maybe the guy had it coming. But when you're 2 and 9, you could actually feed the homeless. And they say, look at this guy.

[Don Hahn]

He should be practicing.

[Don LaGreca]

He said he's feeding the homeless.

[Don Hahn]

But, but the exact reason, but the exact reason, and you're right, Don, that you should say, you know what, Abdul, maybe you stay home. Scaboo is the only guy. Him and Dart are the guys this year that can be outside. Especially Scatter, because now he's hurt. He's actually part of why you go, oh, man, if we had Scatter, Boo.

[Alan Hahn]

Things would be different.

[Don Hahn]

So like he can be outside now. It just happened to be that this physical thing happened and now people are all bent out of shape and clutching their pearls. Now I will say there's also a small chance, guys, you don't know, that there was not planned physicality, but that they were supposed to just talk. Who knows? And then all of a sudden things went off the rails. It is an improvised.

[Alan Hahn]

That happens. Yeah, it goes off. You're telling me. So there's just something that's scripted of what we're gonna do.

[Don Hahn]

Generally scripted.

[Alan Hahn]

And if something doesn't happen, some guy just goes, well, alright, we gotta do something.

[Don Hahn]

Well, exactly. Cause if you did know, if you notice they are standing there for a while before a shove happens. So there's a chance that maybe the breakup was supposed to happen earlier and instead it doesn't happen. So Cam actually did the right thing and I can't hear what was said but it's possible that Finn Balor said shove me because he. I'm not gonna shove you.

[Alan Hahn]

Right, right, right.

[Don Hahn]

So it's possible that Finn goes shove me, shove me. And that's why Cam. Cuz it's odd that Cam would go rogue and hit the big shot.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And then he went. He flopped big time.

[Don Hahn]

And he flew.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

So it's possible. Or maybe it was McDonough.

[Alan Hahn]

Whoever.

[Don Hahn]

Fan or McDonough, whoever it was. I was McDonough. It's possible J.D. mcDonough's going, shut me. Shove me. Shove me. And then cam did it. McDonald goes flying.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And that. And that's how they ended up there. You just don't know. And guys, I got news for you. That's why just for people to understand. That's why nerds like myself love it so much. Because it's very hard to figure out. And you spend all your time dissecting what's real and what's not. That's what makes it fun.

[Don LaGreca]

But. But one's a professional and the other one's not. So there are times that things can happen. Right?

[Don Hahn]

For sure.

[Don LaGreca]

Things happen when two professionals who know what they're doing, you know, when you, when you add an amateur to it. Yep. You know, that's when things can happen.

[Don Hahn]

This is an ad by BetterHelp. Shorter days don't have to be so dismal. It's time to reach out and check in with those you care. And to remind ourselves that we're not alone. As seasons change and days grow darker, sooner can be a tough time for many. This November Better helps encouraging everyone to reach out, check in on friends, reconnect with loved ones and remind the people in your life that you're there. BetterHelp does the initial matching work for you so you can focus on your therapy goals. Short questionnaire helps you identify your needs and preferences. And our 12 plus years of experience and industry leading Match fulfillment rate means we typically get it right the first time. If you aren't happy with your match, switch to a different therapist anytime. From our tailored recommendations this month. Don't wait to reach out. Whether you're checking in on a friend or reaching out to a therapist yourself, BetterHelp makes it easier to take that first step. Our listeners get 10% off their first month. Just call 250 and say the keyword timeout. That's keyword timeout. After calling 250.

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Don Hahn]

Ladies and gentlemen, knock yourself out. So is that where you're. I see what you're doing, Jacob. This Cam, in theory, could have knocked himself out if things had gone wrong yesterday.

[Alan Hahn]

We don't want that.

[Don Hahn]

No, he would not want that. But yeah, a lot of, as my dad would say, a lot of greats and near greats in the building last night to see John Cena's final raw. But the cam scatter boom moment seemed to be the thing that went.

[Alan Hahn]

Did you get any time with Cena yesterday?

[Don Hahn]

I did not. Did not see him for a second. Backstage is a wild. MSG is the weirdest setup.

[Alan Hahn]

Back of the house.

[Don Hahn]

Back of the house at MSG is the weirdest one of any. It ends up being just like this one open space where everyone mills about. Whereas like every other arena, people are kind of everywhere because it's not.

[Alan Hahn]

It's like. Even though it is an oval, a.

[Don Hahn]

Circle, but it's a pain. You have these small hallways.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

So no one stays in the small hallways. So everyone ends up sort of just in the back of house, kind of wandering the same area, the stage area.

[Alan Hahn]

Where the concerts are. You only have that side where the. Where the ramp is. Because the other side's the Delta Club.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

There's no other place to really have that kind of setup. It's. It's.

[Don Hahn]

So, yeah, everybody.

[Alan Hahn]

So you're all kind of in the same place.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

So.

[Don Hahn]

But now I did not. I Did not see Cena, but it was a fun, fun match. And I'll be back at MSG Theater tonight for nxt, for anyone who's going to that.

[Don LaGreca]

You live in there.

[Don Hahn]

That's right. That's like, right, Alan, you guys right now. Yeah, And I am. The matches I'm calling are airing on next week's nxt, but they're at the top of the show. So I'm being told that I have my introduction. I get an intro. Is it like 707? So I got to get out of here early today to make sure I'm in the building.

[Alan Hahn]

And I don't see this guy right now. Don, you see him at all? Return.

[Don Hahn]

He's seen this look. You've seen this version.

[Alan Hahn]

Little black turtleneck.

[Don Hahn]

I didn't think it was a tie situation, but I thought it was a suit situation.

[Alan Hahn]

I think it's a good look.

[Don Hahn]

So I, I, this was my.

[Alan Hahn]

Got a little sharkskin gray.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, that's the shark.

[Alan Hahn]

And then the matching pocket square with the black.

[Don LaGreca]

Matching pocket.

[Alan Hahn]

No, it's got a little sinister look to it. Yeah, I kind of like it.

[Don Hahn]

Little gangster.

[Alan Hahn]

I do.

[Don Hahn]

Well, I gotta, I gotta have my intro and walk, you know, walk the ram and little bit of pressure on me because I think I, they, I feel like people expect that because it's in New York. I should get a pretty good cheer when I get introduced.

[Don LaGreca]

You would think you'd hope so.

[Don Hahn]

Better that the crowd that comes out for NXT considers me one of them.

[Don LaGreca]

You're big on the island.

[Don Hahn]

I need that tonight.

[Alan Hahn]

That'd be great.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, I need that tonight.

[Don LaGreca]

That'd be great.

[Alan Hahn]

But imagine that.

[Don Hahn]

So that'll be an interesting thing in a little bit. But right now we're talking about last night and the reactions to Cam Scatterboo getting in on the action. We'll get started on the phones. 1-800-919-3776. Keith in Jersey. Get us started.

[Caller Keith]

Hey, guys, what's going on?

[Don Hahn]

What's up, buddy?

[Caller Keith]

Hey, Don. Congratulations to the devil's announcement doing announcer job. You're doing great with that in first place, I believe last night. Listen, it's no harm, no foul since you if winners get get the goods Brunson and what you call it in WWE 2K video game. So you know it's about them. It's about the Flash Eagles Eagles players was in the in the building last night. But the bottom line is if you did like everybody said, if you didn't want him there, you shouldn't have you should have made, you shouldn't have made the deal this any other and then turn around. They're video game junkies. If they John Cena fans and you got a shot to go see just Cena's last raw at. At the Mecca. I got. I gotta do it. I gotta do it. I'm sorry. You know, and Abdul Carter, he would be running, he'd be running laps up and down the Giant stadium with it, with his. Excuse my French with his uniform on because he will fall asleep. You don't, you don't ask for the icons jersey number and you sleeping like that.

[Don LaGreca]

There are, there are two motivating factors for killing cams to get a boot. The first one I mentioned that people don't have any respect for wrestling. So like why are you doing that? Why, why are you selling in your reputation to do that? The other thing is people in general do not want their losing team to do other things because it comes across like see, this is why. This is why Carter's falling asleep in meetings because he's not focused on football. This is why Cam got hurt because he's playing video games and watching wrestling. And this is why stop doing podcasts.

[Alan Hahn]

And getting the gym right.

[Don LaGreca]

Because again, the losers don't get the benefit of the doubt. And they've been losers for a long time and they like Cam, but they're gonna jump on anything that that loser organization does right now. That's just, that's just the fact.

[Alan Hahn]

I think you're right.

[Don LaGreca]

And if you're winning like the Knicks are winning so Brunson, it becomes something that's fun. If the giants were 9 and 2. Everybody we loving today. So let's get to the bot. That's the motivation behind people killing this. Okay. They hide behind oh, he could have gotten hurt or it looks really bad for the. But they're, they're hiding behind the fact that they have no respect for wrestling and they have no respect for losing.

[Alan Hahn]

Right?

[Don Hahn]

Well listen, the ones who have no respect for wrestling, I want, that's who I want to call. Cause I just want the smoke now real quick because it's gotten mentioned a few times now. We do have to be responsible. I won't say journalists, cuz I'm certainly not that but broadcasters and say Abdul Carter has vehemently denied the sleeping through a meeting. He said, quote, my mistake was an honest mistake. I own the fact that it was an honest mistake. I was getting treatment and I told Coach Kafka that too. But to say I was sleeping at that Time just wasn't true. And it also wasn't a trend. This is the only time it happened.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, so this is a report though, right? No, no, no. Not. Not his statement.

[Caller or Guest (possibly Keith or another caller)]

The report today.

[Don Hahn]

And then he told Schefter. Abdul reached out to Schefter and told the Kafka.

[Alan Hahn]

Wasn't. Wasn't. Like, he wasn't quoted saying he overslept. No, it wasn't quoted saying. This has been a repeat issue. Right. This was a report. Correct. So wherever that information, that's an important.

[Don Hahn]

But like, for the record, especially in this market, it's really important that if it's not true, he refute it the way he is.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, it is.

[Don Hahn]

Because if one person in the building said, I don't know where he was, probably slept through it. And that started. He goes, no, no, no, I messed up. I planned treatment. I shouldn't have. That's not the same as me going, I don't feel like going to the meeting. I'm dead asleep. That is a different thing. And it's important that you tell the world that.

[Alan Hahn]

But no one wants to believe that. No, not now.

[Don Hahn]

Again, back to Don's point. Because they're losing.

[Don LaGreca]

And listen, I find it difficult to believe that he would not be in the starting lineup because he was a treatment and not a walkthrough. That does seem like a pretty harsh punishment either way.

[Don Hahn]

But if you missed, if you messed up, miscommunicated, and skipped the meeting, I could see them saying, hey, whatever the.

[Alan Hahn]

Reason was, you skipped the meeting, that's your bad.

[Don Hahn]

Keep a better calendar. Get a better.

[Alan Hahn]

You would think if he overslept and purposely missed the meeting, he wouldn't have played at all, right? You don't play.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, like, literally was dead asleep. They called his photos like, oh, my bad.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, yeah, listen, we don't know what the truth is.

[Don Hahn]

I just want to put out that he's saying it's important.

[Caller or Guest (possibly Keith or another caller)]

And the other thing that happened that's important is. And everybody noticed that Kafka was the only one that spoke yesterday because he changed the practice schedule. Typically, the Giants did practice on Mondays.

[Alan Hahn]

They didn't now on Mondays. But he wasn't asked. He was not asked about this specifically.

[Caller or Guest (possibly Keith or another caller)]

He changed the normal practice times. And Carter told Schefter he didn't realize the change was made until he was in treatment. At the time, he was used to. So he'd get treatment because there was never practice at that time. Walk through anything. And now he had to tell Kafka, listen, this is where my treatment is, didn't realize won't happen again. Still got him disciplined for a drive. Didn't affect CD Lem and.

[Don LaGreca]

But I don't, I don't believe that you would be. You would sit out the opening drive for something like a miscommunication. Kind of like the Barzell thing the other day. Right. Allen, we both speculated that can't just be being late for one meet. There must have been a trend because that was a pretty harsh. To not dress. That's pretty hard.

[Alan Hahn]

That's the difference between you don't play your first shift. To not dress at all to be scratched means that's an issue that we're trying to squelch. And by the way, how's he played since that moment?

[Don LaGreca]

Exactly.

[Alan Hahn]

No, he's been on fire.

[Don LaGreca]

But you know, you got 82 games opposed to 17, so.

[Alan Hahn]

But I also think though, Don, that if this, if this was something that they really were concerned about and wanted to address and it was like a defiance, they would have done more than one series. But I also know that people would prefer, especially because like you just said, it's the team that's losing and a player, a rookie that is not performing. So people want to believe. Oh, that's why he sucks.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Because he's lazy or he doesn't care. He's undisciplined.

[Don LaGreca]

We, we get accused all the time of having an agenda. The fans have an agenda.

[Alan Hahn]

Absolutely.

[Don LaGreca]

And their agenda is I am not going to back a guy that's got a half a sack and he's the third overall pick in the draft on a team that's two and nine. And that's your. And that's where it comes. Now also, to get this straight too, he's also denied being late in the past. Right. Because that also was part. I think it was Pat Leonard's report that not only did he miss that walkthrough, but he's also had issues all season with time, so. But he's denying all of that, correct? Or is he just denying falling asleep?

[Alan Hahn]

No, he's. He is saying that it's not a repeat thing. He did say that to Shefty. Now Kafka after the game said it was my decision and we'll keep the rest of that in house.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

So he wasn't going to corroborate anything that was source based that was reporting on that day.

[Don Hahn]

Now I'll tell you one thing that might help him. Some better help.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

I think everybody needs this now because.

[Don Hahn]

This is an ad by BetterHelp in November. BetterHelp's doing something very cool this November. They're encouraging everyone to reach out, check in on friends, reconnect with loved ones, and remind the people in your life that you're there for them.

[Don LaGreca]

All right?

[Don Hahn]

I know for me, when I've gone through the worst times, listen, I couldn't just have people like Michael K. Who embarrassed me, call me a vape ape, and don't want to talk about my problems.

[Don LaGreca]

He was not a help to you at all?

[Don Hahn]

No, I needed people like Don Lagreca.

[Don LaGreca]

If. No, if K had a company like this, it'd be called Worse Help, right?

[Don Hahn]

It'd be called or not help.

[Alan Hahn]

No help.

[Don Hahn]

No help. Yeah, exactly. Code K. But I had. I had people like Don, and I had Gunling and rj and they would check in on me. And it's important that you have someone who's checking in on you and that you do the same for others. Also, therapy that you can get. At BetterHelp, they have over 30,000 therapists to choose from. They have an incredible rating of their reviews, 4.9 out of 5 for live sessions. That's based on over 1.7 million client reviews. So you fill out a questionnaire, you get lined up with a therapist. If you don't like it, you can change it anytime. It's an amazing way to do therapy. So this month, don't wait to reach out. Whether you're checking in on a friend or reaching out to a therapist yourself. BetterHelp makes it easy to take that first step. Our listeners get 10% off their first month. Just call two five zero and say the keyword timeout. That's keyword timeout. After calling pound two five zero.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, I'm not in love with the way that came off for Michael. So I just want to get a little bit more into the fact that Michael is very helpful and Michael does care. He just didn't respect the problem you were going through. No, he had gone through it. It would have been maybe a tiny little half second hiccup in his life and he'd move on. So he didn't understand.

[Don Hahn]

No, it would have been a bad half hour. And then as soon as. And then as soon as the room at the Plaza was booked.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. So he couldn't relate is what you're saying.

[Don Hahn]

Could not relate.

[Don LaGreca]

No, he does care.

[Don Hahn]

He cared, but he cared for me to. He cared for me to stop crying in the corner and start being funny on the show again, like little yo, yo, monkey boy. He wanted Me to jump up and make the jokey, jokey. So the people go, laugh time. You know, he wasn't. He wasn't worried about, you know, can I jump up and make the symbol clap?

[Don LaGreca]

That's right.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, shut up and play.

[Don LaGreca]

That's Michael's.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's an AI. Someone needs to create now of Michael.

[Don Hahn]

Standing there with me as the monkey.

[Alan Hahn]

The monkey with the symbols.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't even know if Peter can repeat what he just said. I got to hear that back. The direction that you went with that, the description. It was very Patrick Mahomes esque, the way you just rattled off the name of that.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. The play you called the play. That was an incredible play. And I don't know if you'll ever be able to call that play.

[Don LaGreca]

Do you even remember the order in.

[Don Hahn]

Which you said everything was just now? I don't even know what I said. Yeah, so play it back.

[Alan Hahn]

I think.

[Don Hahn]

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Let's put it on the page.

[Don Hahn]

It could be on the page. All right. Let's talk back to the people. George is in Bermuda. Hey, George.

[Don LaGreca]

Hey. Bermuda.

[Alan Hahn]

Nice. Hey, how you doing? Is your weather better? Don's right now. Don's 80 and sunny in Florida.

[Caller Keith]

It's.

[Don LaGreca]

It's not. It's. It's a little cooler here. It's probably like in the 70s.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, boy. Try to get through it. We're here for you.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, we're here. We got your back, though, buddy.

[Don LaGreca]

Better help. Right on.

[Don Hahn]

So, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

First thing I thought about when I.

[Don LaGreca]

Heard that or I watched the video.

[Alan Hahn]

Of Scatter Boo was that scene from Moneyball when Brad Pitt walked into the.

[Don LaGreca]

Locker room and Jeremy John, he's dancing on the table after they lost and.

[Caller Keith]

He says, is losing fun?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And no. Well, why the hell you having fun? That's. That's what was going through my mind.

[Don LaGreca]

When I saw that video. Right. You should be. He should be sitting home, you know, with a towel over his head, openly weeping at the fact that his season's over. And the Giants are awful. But that's how fans think, because that's what they're going through. You know, they think that these guys should be suffering as much as the fans are. But a 23 year old having fun.

[Alan Hahn]

If they were losing, I don't think.

[Caller Keith]

He had one minute of fun when.

[Don Hahn]

They were losing when he was on the Giants.

[Alan Hahn]

But he still did things in the city. He was still.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, he was. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, he was definitely.

[Don LaGreca]

Listen, everybody deals with things differently. Did you See, Swan wasn't that way.

[Alan Hahn]

Did you happen to see Joe Missoula, the Celtics coach? No more was asked. So they had, like, a kid's day at the Garden in Boston, and they had a kid reporter ask a question about how do you balance, you know, pushing your team to be its best, yet also having fun. Missoula's answer, like, I don't know how. The kid didn't leave crying.

[Don Hahn]

Why have fun? If you want to have fun, do something else.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, he was just saying that sounds.

[Don Hahn]

Like my question in the meeting last week, that fun.

[Alan Hahn]

But he was talking about how fun is like, why is that important? And you should get that out of your head as fast as you can.

[Don Hahn]

Fun.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, because he talks about how for different people, fun means different things. The process is fun. The work is fun. You know, obviously, winning is fun. Like, he. It was actually profound what he was.

[Don Hahn]

Saying, but he was right, right, right.

[Alan Hahn]

And so if we find it, he's. He's a psychotic man.

[Don Hahn]

No, he's a psychotic man.

[Alan Hahn]

But it's.

[Don Hahn]

He's unquestionably a psychotic.

[Alan Hahn]

But it also, if you listen to it as an adult, you're like, you know what?

[Don Hahn]

No, as an adult, you know what. But you have to remember, when kids want to get involved in sports, it's. It's for the literal fun. That's how you fall in love with the game.

[Alan Hahn]

You got to get that out of your. You got to get that out of your head as early, as fast as you can.

[Don LaGreca]

But what gets celebrated in this culture.

[Alan Hahn]

Winning.

[Don LaGreca]

Winning and being obsessed with winning. Michael Jordan obsessed with winning. It didn't matter whether it was Ping Pong Brady or Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Tom Brady obsessed with winning. That's what gets celebrated in this culture. History.

[Alan Hahn]

Winners.

[Don LaGreca]

That's why you're not winning, because you're not as dedicated as Tom Brady, as Michael Jordan, as LeBron James. All the other guys that have won.

[Don Hahn]

And that can never stop because they're addicted to it. It's the only thing that makes them tick.

[Alan Hahn]

And the rest of us who can't do that are in awe of those who can. And so we want to see that. We. We admire it. Versus James Harden, who will go to the hall of Fame. He's never going to win a championship. And we'll always say, guy's not a winner, but he's one of the great players to ever play the game.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, it seems like he's having a ball. Like he's having a ball with it.

[Alan Hahn]

He's loving it. But it's just now he's not a winner. Like, that's what's going to happen. Kevin Durant. Oh, he had to chase the ring, right? Like that. Like that's what we'll do to these guys because they're just not psychotic. And we, for some reason, are in awe of those who are psychotic about winning. And so when you see what we saw last night and it's a losing team, that's what you're going to get from fans.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want to. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Alan Hahn]

We were just talking about this man. Right, we sure were.

[Don Hahn]

We were just talking public. Public enemy during the break. The great Chuck D. Have you heard from Chuck yet this season? Is he concerned?

[Alan Hahn]

Actually, I'm not. It's early.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Chuck's a fraud, right?

[Don Hahn]

Wait, whoa.

[Alan Hahn]

Excuse me.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, remember we had him on. He was talking about the Celtics and he likes the Celtics.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, but he, he, when he says likes.

[Don Hahn]

No, no, he said he, Wait, wait. He said, Remember we got in an argument. He said that Celtics played dirty ball and it was immoral, remember?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, he, he, like, he went off.

[Don Hahn]

He like yelled at me and went off. It was like, they're immoral the way they play.

[Alan Hahn]

He got aggressive in that. I remember that.

[Don Hahn]

Remember?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, but we also had him on and he respected him for some reason.

[Alan Hahn]

But he, there's not players, I guess. I think he's a big Jaylen Brown guy, you know, like, you know, with celebrities. I know Tainers. But his, his roots, his roots are in the Knicks.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, but I, I am sorry. I, I, I don't, I don't see celebrity when I'm doling out fraud. I just, I see it whether, whether it's the guy that sells me the newspaper or a Grammy Award winning artist. I mean, everybody the same.

[Don Hahn]

Fraud is fraud.

[Alan Hahn]

Fraud.

[Don LaGreca]

Don't make fun of my son. He's, he's getting through it.

[Alan Hahn]

It's adorable.

[Don LaGreca]

How'd you speak at 8?

[Alan Hahn]

What is fawn. That's adorable.

[Don LaGreca]

It's getting better. I want to, I want to, I want to shout out.

[Alan Hahn]

By the way, I was, I spoke better at 8 than I do now.

[Don Hahn]

Is that true?

[Alan Hahn]

Absolutely. How much worse could this get?

[Don Hahn]

Good point. Go ahead, Don. Sorry.

[Don LaGreca]

That's not right. Shout out to Barbara from Long Island. She just reached out to me. She's, she's back in the hospital, but she's Listening to the show. She brought her tablet. So I want nothing but the best and hopefully she gets out soon.

[Alan Hahn]

Absolutely.

[Don LaGreca]

So we are thinking of you, Barbara.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I'm glad you said that. We love Barbara. Get better, Barbara.

[Don LaGreca]

Missoula.

[Don Hahn]

Real quick, here's the Missoula cut. We were just talking.

[Alan Hahn]

Don, I want you to see if you can decipher this and just translate it for me. It's kids day here at the Garden. How do you balance pushing players to improve while also keeping the game fun for them?

[Joe Mazzulla]

I struggle with that, to be honest with you. I think everyone has a different definition of fun and it just, you have to find one as a team. And, you know, I think funds a cop out. Sometimes when things aren't going well, everybody likes to say, well, let's just have fun. And it's like, well, you know, what does that mean? You know, and so, you know, I think you have to define what fun looks like as a team, you know, and then you kind of have to go after that. But you know, that phrase can be a cop out sometimes. So as you get older, kid, don't use it. You know, I just want to have fun. It's like, what does that mean? You know, so, you know, you just got to define that. It's a good question. I struggle with that.

[Alan Hahn]

Thank you. Do you hear the thing, by the way, the kid ran out the door?

[Don Hahn]

The starting. I just so respect Missoula, though, for the starting with the kid answer, by going, I struggle with that. Yeah, that's a real answer.

[Don LaGreca]

I appreciate his answer.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Don LaGreca]

Because that, because listen, you're at different stages of your life. You know, when I coached Marco's fall baseball team, the objective was not to win. It was to teach them the game and respect the game and respect each other. And the outcome really didn't mean matter in the grand scheme of things. But when you start getting into the contracts and the money, winning does matter. It does. So it's not the same as going out in the playground and playing. His job's on the line. If he doesn't win, he's going to lose his job.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

So it's a result oriented business. So weighing the fun. Like you can't go after, after a tough loss. You can't say, I had fun where kids that, that when that kid goes out and plays ball, hey you, you can find a way, a silver lining and loss and say, oh, at least we had fun. At least we learned something. That's all over once you get to the professional ranks. Right?

[Alan Hahn]

So it's all over when you get to high school. For some in high school, you're not walking off the court after a loss going, well, that was fun, though.

[Don LaGreca]

It depends on where you are. There are. There are some high school kids that are just doing it fun. They know they don't have a future. Once their senior year comes and they graduate, they're done. Other guys are trying to get a scholarship. Other guys think they might be able to do this beyond high school. Not everybody is on the same level. When you get to the professional ranks, everybody's in the same game to win, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Everybody.

[Don LaGreca]

Everybody. Even though they might be on different levels, as far as talent is concerned, at the end of the day, the objective is to win the game, to get into the playoffs, to try to win a championship on the high school level. There are some guys who knows that, you know, after their last game, that's it, they'll never put on a uniform again. And some. It's just the beginning of their career. So they are in completely different stratospheres.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know. I guess I never had fun.

[Don LaGreca]

I didn't.

[Alan Hahn]

I just. Because if we lost, I was miserable.

[Don LaGreca]

I believed in my heart. As ridiculous as this sounds, you might want to check me in for better health. Until the day I got cut at Ramapo College's baseball team, I still thought I had a chance to go.

[Don Hahn]

I get it.

[Don LaGreca]

I still believe that there was some way, shape or form I'd be discovered. As much of a pipe dream as that was, doesn't matter. When I got cut from the baseball team, my dream died. But it was alive until the second I got.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm with you. I'm absolutely. For me, I had it in my head that I was going to play professionally somewhere. I was obviously not going to play in the NBA, but I wanted to go overseas. I knew guys that played over there. I'm like, I could do this, and I wanted to do it. The day they told me about my knee, that when the second time I tore up my knee and they just basically said, like, it's probably not going to work out. It's going to take you about a year and a half. And I was just. I was a senior and I was like, well, I guess that's it. And I felt like it was the first time. I was like, now I'm a regular person now.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, right.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, I don't know if Don. If you can relate to, you're not going pro anymore. But I was like, I'm a regular person. I really don't. Like, I need something else now. Yeah. Like, I. But it just. That's the first time it registered with me. So for me, like, I, I don't understand the whole fun thing. I don't get it. Right. And what Missoula said resonated with me. Even though he was talking to a kid, you know, and you felt like, well, why are you saying this to that kid? But it resonated with me, what he said.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, but don't you think that there were kids in high school, not everybody thought that way.

[Alan Hahn]

I had teammates. Are you kidding me?

[Don LaGreca]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

I'd stare at them like, what the hell's wrong with you?

[Don Hahn]

Why are you having fun?

[Alan Hahn]

Like, what are you doing? What are you doing?

[Don LaGreca]

Because they were.

[Alan Hahn]

That was hilarious. I'm like, it was not hilarious.

[Don LaGreca]

They were in a different headspace. But once you all get to the pros, though, then it's a problem if you're not thinking that way.

[Don Hahn]

If, you know, it's your job now.

[Don LaGreca]

That's what you do.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, but it's. Is that where everything we do, though? Everything you do? There's a certain point you get to where it's like, whatever. Like, if you're having fun with what you do, you don't call it work. You know that cliche.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

But we're still working, right? Because it's fun. Because you have success, because you're good at it.

[Don Hahn]

It would be fun if I could figure out where I need to sit so half of my face isn't covered. Covered in that screen.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. I don't know what you're.

[Alan Hahn]

You're doing.

[Don LaGreca]

You're squirrely.

[Don Hahn]

I'm staring dead at the camera.

[Don LaGreca]

It is almost as if the camera is a rifle and you're trying to dodge getting shot the whole show.

[Alan Hahn]

Just walk right up.

[Don Hahn]

I'm trying my hardest.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, walk right up to it, then back up.

[Don Hahn]

Did I make it better or worse? I'm going to look right now way worse. I just made it way worse.

[Alan Hahn]

Way worse.

[Don Hahn]

So I went the wrong way is what you're saying.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait, no, wait, wait. Yeah, no, slide the other way.

[Don Hahn]

I, I, I can't tell. I just going.

[Don LaGreca]

Keep going. I got you. I got you.

[Don Hahn]

Got me. Keep going.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, there you go.

[Don LaGreca]

Wait, you're good.

[Don Hahn]

It's perfect now, but I will say this. Am I good? Don't get the delay.

[Alan Hahn]

That's the delay.

[Don Hahn]

That's the delay.

[Don LaGreca]

No, I'm telling you, you're perfect now.

[Alan Hahn]

I swear, you've been a little bouncy today.

[Caller or Guest (possibly Keith or another caller)]

I've been trying.

[Don Hahn]

Okay. I believe in you.

[Don LaGreca]

He's squirrely.

[Don Hahn]

All right.

[Alan Hahn]

So he is today.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

I don't want to know how the.

[Alan Hahn]

Sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good.

[Peter 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.