Hour 1: Do We Need The MLB ASG Anymore?

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg

Episode: "Hour 1: Do We Need The MLB ASg Anymore?"

Date: July 14, 2026
Hosts: Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg (Don La Greca out)
Network: ESPN New York

---

Episode Overview

This episode centers on a provocative question: Does the MLB All-Star Game (ASG) still matter, or has the Home Run Derby and other skills competitions eclipsed it in terms of entertainment and relevance? Alan Hahn and Peter Rosenberg reflect on the state of All-Star events across major sports, debate the evolving format of the MLB Home Run Derby, and explore how changes in sports culture and fan engagement are impacting these traditions. The hour mixes observations from the recent Home Run Derby, thoughts on soccer’s major tournaments, and lively listener calls.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Solo Hosting Reflections

• Peter Rosenberg reviews his experience hosting solo (with Don out and Alan absent the previous day), emphasizing the value of the exercise for show hosts.
  “I think it's a good practice… to every now and then just go solo for a day.” [01:10]

---

2. Soccer Tournament Analogies (Euros/Copa America)

• The beginning of the show includes comparisons between major soccer nations (France, Spain, Argentina, England) and NCAA “blue bloods”:
  • France/Spain analogous to Duke/North Carolina.
  • Argentina likened to UCLA.
  • England compared to Michigan.
• Extended discussion about player personalities, especially Harry Kane’s humble, clutch persona.
  “Harry Kane is like… he's Jalen Brunson… humble… family man… unreal clutch.” — Peter Rosenberg [05:47]
• Commentary on how deep runs by brand-name teams energize international tournaments.

---

3. Betting Confusion & Soccer

• The hosts debate soccer betting lines, highlighting the complexity for non-regular bettors.
  • Anthony jumps in to clarify the difference between 90-minute money lines and “to qualify” bets.
  • Alan: “If you're not in this world and you're jumping in like we are every four years, by the way, a lot's changed in betting the last four years.” [10:23]

---

4. Home Run Derby: Format & Experience

• The Home Run Derby’s new format receives mostly positive reviews:

  • Fewer swings; no clock, just a set number.
  • Alan admits he tuned in during the semifinals but found the new rules more compelling:
    “Eliminating the clock... is probably helpful because we have seen people sort of burn out… I just. I thought it was great. I always enjoy the Home Run Derby.” [11:14–12:10]
  • Peter and Alan praise the Philadelphia crowd for elevating the event, giving it a playoff-atmosphere vibe: “The Philadelphia sports fan makes it a better event. Period.” — Alan Hahn [12:10]
  • Peter: “Booing Jordan Walker, like that was great… they just made it fun.” [12:25]

• Discussion of how New York fans would likely do the same if a local player were participating.

---

5. Broader All-Star Game Debate: Is the Game Obsolete?

• Main Theme: The hosts question whether the All-Star “game” is even necessary anymore, in MLB and other sports.
• Peter summarizes sports' shift toward skills competitions over actual games due to lack of intensity, risk of injury, and declining player/fan interest.
  • NFL: Pro Bowl gone flag-football, ratings down to 2 million viewers.
  • NHL/NBA: Shift to skills, All-Star games lack real competitive value.
  • MLB: Still requires some effort, but even here interest is waning.
• Both agree: Skills events (Home Run Derby, Three-Point Contest, etc.) now provide the real fan moments and drama.
• Alan: “At this point, I have zero issue with doing that… I cannot tell you the last time I saw a Pro Bowl. I can't tell you what the flag one really looks like because I haven't care.” [17:03]
• Peter on the ratings for the Pro Bowl:
  “Pro bowl… Two million viewers. So stunning.” [17:58]
• Alan’s proposal:
  “Why can't you have the reindeer games like the Home Run Derby, the three-point Shootout…introduce the players as All Stars... and call it a day?” [15:07–17:03]
• Consensus: The symbolic value of being an All-Star remains, but the exhibition game itself is unnecessary.

---

6. Home Run Derby as the Main Attraction

• Both hosts agree the Home Run Derby is now the marquee event for MLB's All-Star break, thanks in part to Judge’s and Alonso’s memorable performances in recent years:
  “For me… when you watch the Home Run Derby now… the event itself, the Home Run Derby, to me is the fun part.” — Alan Hahn [20:25]
• The actual MLB All-Star Game has much less personal pull for both hosts, with Peter admitting:
  “I don't know if I'm that dialed in.” [21:32]

---

7. Listener Calls: Tweaking the Format

• Corey [27:09]: Lifelong baseball fan, still enjoys player introductions and tradition but acknowledges over-tweaking has sapped some meaning from the game.

• Alan/ Peter’s response: Transform intros into a production—use walk-up songs, pyro, get families involved. Keep the player celebration and move to the Derby.
  “You introduce the player and his walk-up song plays while he walks out… you could make that even more… Make it cooler, reduce it in a way to make it even better.” — Peter Rosenberg [29:03]

• Jude [29:56]: Recalls when the All-Star Game determined World Series home field and laments the loss of stakes. Both hosts agree the novelty didn’t make sense anymore.

  • Alan: "Players are paid a lot more… I don’t want Cam Schlitler throwing on his throw day in the All Star Game… what if he feels a twinge? I can’t afford that.” [32:06]

---

8. International/Tribalism Model for All-Star Events

• Caller Barry [34:43] floats “North America vs The World” as an All-Star format— met with skepticism.
  • The hosts note these ideas have been tried (NBA, NHL), but lack authentic energy compared to real international tournaments like the World Baseball Classic.

---

9. Odds & Ends:

• Short detours into:
  • Audio/production issues with Netflix's Home Run Derby broadcast.
    • Alan: “The audio bothered me…” [23:29]
  • NBA All-Star tweaks (World vs USA teams, Wemby as a narrative driver).
  • Generational differences in All-Star Game attachment:
    “I think me, my generation grew up with All-Star Games because they were great, fun showcases. I don’t think [they] showcase… these leagues anymore.” — Peter Rosenberg [19:07]

---

10. Tangents: Health & Doctors, Rick as Fitness Model

• Lighthearted banter about using pediatricians as adult doctors [41:43+].
• Extended joking admiration of Rick’s fitness and physique, especially for someone nearing his mid-40s [44:41+].

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “The Philadelphia sports fan makes it a better event. Period.”
  — Alan Hahn [12:10]

• “If the number one league in the world, the one that prints money… says this game doesn’t matter to us at all…call it a day.”
  — Alan Hahn on the NFL Pro Bowl [18:14]

• “Why can't you have the reindeer games like the Home Run Derby, the three point Shootout…introduce the players… then we'll say goodnight?”
  — Peter Rosenberg [15:07]

• “Home Run Derby… to me is the fun part… I personally… at least want to make sure I tune in tonight.”
  — Alan Hahn [20:25]

• “I think we're in a place now where I don't think you need it. I don't think it's… important… But I still think the Home Run Derby was fun.”
  — Peter Rosenberg [21:55]

• “You introduce the player and his walk-up song plays while he walks out… make it cooler, reduce it in a way to make it even better.”
  — Peter Rosenberg [29:03]

---

Important Timestamps

• [01:10] – Reflections on solo hosting
• [04:53] – Soccer semifinals “blue bloods” analogy
• [05:47] – Harry Kane compared to Jalen Brunson
• [10:23] – Soccer betting confusion clarified
• [11:14–12:10] – Home Run Derby new format, Philly fans
• [12:25] – Philly crowd enhances derby atmosphere
• [15:07] – Argument: replace the ASG with skills comps
• [17:03] – Consensus: No more ASG needed
• [18:14] – Pro Bowl/NFL as All-Star mic drop moment
• [19:07] – Generational change in All-Star significance
• [20:25] – Home Run Derby as feature event
• [21:32] – Lack of personal interest in the ASG
• [27:09] – Listener Corey on tradition vs. over-tweaking
• [29:03] – Enhanced All-Star intros suggested
• [32:06] – Risk management, players & injuries
• [34:43] – North America vs. World format debate

---

Tone & Style

Friendly, irreverent, and deeply New York–rooted, with plenty of inside fan banter, audience engagement, and memorable off-topic tangents. The analysis is critical but nostalgic, balancing respect for sports heritage with realism about changing audience appetites.

---

Conclusion

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg’s first hour delivers a compelling conversation about the evolving role of the MLB All-Star Game and All-Star events in general. Both hosts agree: Skills competitions like the Home Run Derby have taken center stage, while the game itself feels like an outdated relic. Their solution—ditch the game, keep the celebrations—reflects modern fan culture, and their lively back-and-forth, punctuated by listener calls, offers plenty for sports fans to chew on.

Transcript

[Commercial Narrator]

This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome, that's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50 page restoration block. Or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it, ready to make anything online make sense. There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up, required compatibility and availability. Various 18 plus Don sitting it.

[Anthony]

Sit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You stink. Han, how about your nuts? Can I get some?

[Don Hahn]

And Rosenberg, he wanted me to jump

[Alan Hahn]

up and make the jokey jokey so the people go, laugh time. This isn't North Dakota. This is New York.

[Don Hahn]

This is Don, Han and Rosenberg.

[Caller or Guest]

The best threesome I've ever heard on

[Don Hahn]

ESPN New York and streaming live on YouTube.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I mean, at least one of those things is true, 100%. Welcome to the show, everyone.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don is out all week.

[Alan Hahn]

Han and Rosenberg, AKA the bullpen. Coyotes are back, baby.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Bring in the lefties.

[Alan Hahn]

How was yesterday, by the way? The solo solo Han vehicle liberating. You're finally able to get the words in that you've been.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it was, it was enjoyable. It's, it's. I think it's a good practice for all of us who have, whether it's, you know, a two man show, a three man show to every now and then just go solo for a day.

[Caller or Guest]

Yep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, you should do it. Tell you what, do it tomorrow.

[Alan Hahn]

I won't come in, say, right now, SB Day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But no, seriously, like, no, no, it's a good exercise.

[Alan Hahn]

It's work.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You do some work because of. Yeah, of course. The preparation. You set up the show kind of yourself and your, in your mind, you get your guests, people you want to talk to. Oh, who'd you talk to? And Dan Graziano. Okay. He came on. I was trying to get Ben Rice's dad. I was texting him all day and he, he was, he tried to come on drop and then. Because when they got to the stadium, you're just. It's a million things you got to do. And he just apologized and said, I just, I don't think we're able to make it work. And then I saw his performance and I thought maybe the Yankees could use him in the bullpen.

[Alan Hahn]

That's, that's a fair point by you

[Peter Rosenberg]

because one of the best home run hitters in the sport couldn't hit a home run against him. But all kidding aside, like, you know, there was that. I asked Leon Rose and Leon Rose,

[Alan Hahn]

that's How you do politely.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's how you do. I thought, like, maybe we'll get like, you know, a little headliner type thing.

[Alan Hahn]

I like it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Leon politely declined. As you know, he does not really like to do interviews, and it's not his thing.

[Alan Hahn]

But you shot, though.

[Anthony]

You shot your shot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that's why I said to him when he. When he politely declined and said, if I ever do another one, it'll be with you. And I just said, hey, I had to shoot my shot. But we found the last time he did a public interview, aside from, of course, the roommates podcast, which isn't.

[Alan Hahn]

Doesn't really count.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's just you boys, you know what I mean?

[Alan Hahn]

And you have to do it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Um, so we ran audio from 2022 when they signed Brunson, and he described what they were expecting out of Brunson.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And if you listen to it, Peter, it's like, yeah, all that happened, like, everything he said, Lofty, I'm telling you, it's. It's the. All the stuff that Jalen has become. That's what Leon said that they believe he can be for them. And it blows your mind when you hear it. So we played that at least. So we had that. But, yeah, I think it's a good exercise for all of us to just one time, once in a while, do a solo show. Because I know, like Don always says, this the place. The building will come down if they. If I have to do the show by myself.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because nobody ever wants you. You sure you okay?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can you handle it? Are you all right? It was four hours. Flew by, flew by, flew by.

[Alan Hahn]

What was the number one biggest story of the day that drove the show?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, it was the anniversary yesterday. The Knicks game. Championship game.

[Alan Hahn]

The anniversary. One month. One month.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Believe it or not, a whole month has gone by. So we did a lot of. Not a lot, but we did some reflecting on that. But we spent a lot of time also on the Giants, and then we did some on the Yankees. So we had about a third of the. Nick, you know, one month ago, a third of the Yankees, and where they are right now, an All Star, and then a third of the Giants in their whole situation. Graz was great laying out everything that he's expecting in two weeks when camps open.

[Alan Hahn]

We're going to. Well, we're going to do some foosball here in a little bit. And speaking of foosball, there is some football happening as we speak.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We're in the semifinal round.

[Alan Hahn]

That's right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

France and Spain Are underway. They're in five minutes, in 00. And then, I mean, God, you talk about whenever you run one of these tournaments, whether it's a playoff, an NCAA tournament, a World cup, how, you know, what's the best case scenario? Yes. There's some other teams you could argue that could be there, and it'll be great, but France, Spain, Argentina, England.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's. Those are brand names.

[Alan Hahn]

Those are some brand names. That's some. What is the equivalent? What's the NCAA Final Four equivalent?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's the Blue Bloods.

[Alan Hahn]

That's Michigan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So Kentucky. So Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina.

[Caller or Guest]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's because.

[Alan Hahn]

Because France and Spain, they're. Duke of North Carolina. They're right next to each other, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Then you got. Argentina is more like UCLA is there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Someone from.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Somebody from the PAC 10.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. But someone from far away, but they're huge.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And then England.

[Anthony]

Michigan.

[Alan Hahn]

England's Michigan.

[Commercial Narrator]

They're just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They're a Michigan man.

[Caller or Guest]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Their fans are just ingrained to the sport. You know, England, English. England is one of those teams that, you know, I don't have a particular reason to root for them, except for the fact that, like, when I go to England, when I've been to England, I love Brits. I love hanging out with them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I've got. If you want to look at the team, Harry Kane is like.

[Alan Hahn]

And Harry Kane's a beast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's literally everything you want. He's Jalen Brunson. He's humble. He's not one of these flashy, showy guys. He's just family man. And he's unreal, so the unreal clutch, all this stuff. But he's just. He has a humility about him. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And I totally agree. And they. And they. You know, you. Anyone who's ever, you know, whenever you hang out with English people in a sports environment, they're just hilarious. Like, their obsession with sports, they're one of the only places that you go, oh, you guys might be crazier than us. So it's. It's one of those things where if England ends up in the final on Sunday, it's almost like I kind of want to find a place to watch it, even though I don't even have a dog in the fight. But it's like, kind of just want to go outside.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. But I like Kane a lot.

[Caller or Guest]

I've.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Him. Him and Holland are the two guys I really put a lot of time into because I saw, you know, watching them play. I'm the type of person that if I don't know a sport or a player, but something about that player is compelling to me, I need to know about him. Like that you dug in, you did the work. And so, you know, you do a little bit of research on both and it's like, yeah, like Holland doesn't flop. Will never do the whole I'm falling down, pretending to be hurt thing. And he said, because his father wouldn't

[Alan Hahn]

let him, by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Which is great.

[Alan Hahn]

It plays great though, too, considering he's giant.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, yeah, he's like a must.

[Alan Hahn]

He's an absolute physical monster.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So there's him. But then again, reading about Kane and how clutch he was in that. The win they had, what, not a quarter, but the round of 32 might have been the first knockout. I mean, he just.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, that was comeback game. It was unbelievable.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Clutch moments and just watching how he carries himself then I was like, let me, Let me see.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, you could also argue.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You could also argue megastar who doesn't act like one.

[Alan Hahn]

And you could argue that today because they're up against Argentina and Messi.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Who's there?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Are they in the world?

[Alan Hahn]

How big a dog is England? I imagine they're like a plus 200. Right. I think it's an actual dog situation, which is sort of appealing. Also.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Spain plus two. So. Well, no, no, this is not wrong. I'm looking at today.

[Alan Hahn]

There you go. No, it's later today. Nine o' clock kick off to you -122.

[Anthony]

Argentina or dogs?

[Alan Hahn]

Argentina.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Are the dogs correct?

[Don Hahn]

Really?

[Alan Hahn]

I've been wrong every time I've guessed this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why is it only giving me this game?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, so what's. What's the line for England then?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Where's the other game?

[Anthony]

What do you mean? It's minus 122.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, but what's, but isn't it a different thing for what England is? What are they plus?

[Anthony]

I'm not. I don't think I'm understanding what you're asking.

[Alan Hahn]

It's only showing you that Argentina, that, that England is minus 122.

[Anthony]

Argentina is plus 106.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then Argentina's tomorrow, by the way.

[Alan Hahn]

No, it's not a double header.

[Caller Jude]

No, it's not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Four and nine, three o' clock tomorrow.

[Anthony]

Oh, we are on top of this.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Argentina.

[Alan Hahn]

Welcome to the show, everybody. It's Don Hahn and Rosenberg, ESPN New York. I'm going to start over here at 3:09, start getting.

[Anthony]

That's fine. The video just started, so.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. YouTube just kicked in anyway.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, it Actually is working now.

[Alan Hahn]

So welcome to the program.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wonderful. And don't see. Yeah. The only odds we have here. Oh, there it is.

[Alan Hahn]

Does he know, Anthony, that you gave me the odds? Two minutes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I guess not, because I'm reading. I'm not listening to it.

[Alan Hahn]

He refuses to hear it from you. Wants to do the work.

[Anthony]

So England is minus 122. Argentina's plus 106. That's to qualify for the next round. And that game, of course, is tomorrow at 3.

[Alan Hahn]

Tomorrow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You were asking for a spread, though, weren't you? You were just right for favors. You can get half. Well, half goal, point five.

[Caller Jude]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

That's usually, I think, what it is. It's like the hockey in the one and a half.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Moneyline here, though. England plus. Did you argue this? 165.

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Argentina plus 200 for what? It says Moneyline. This is DraftKings on ESPN.com.

[Commercial Narrator]

huh.

[Alan Hahn]

But what does that mean? Is that to get through or is that like through? Like, this is where we starting to

[Peter Rosenberg]

get conflicting game odds.

[Alan Hahn]

Game odds. That's all it says.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But it's telling me. I'm just reading what it tells me on DraftKings.

[Anthony]

England's -135 +110. If you're talking about what Alan's talking about. This is where people get confused with soccer.

[Alan Hahn]

Fix it up.

[Anthony]

That is the money line. 90 minutes. So if you think that either England or Argentina will win within the 90 minutes of time. Because more often than not, as we've seen Peter, these go to extra time.

[Alan Hahn]

We lost them again.

[Anthony]

And of course, the 90 minutes also includes the stoppage time. That's where you get so done. I'm sorry. I'm sorry you found out this way.

[Alan Hahn]

This is, by the way, Alan's been in and out of World cup for the last three weeks. And now it's the semifinals and he's out again.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm for the players right now. And Bob's got my attention.

[Alan Hahn]

Harry Kane.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Kane's got my attention. Messi's got my.

[Anthony]

This is a lesson, everybody. Soccer. Not the easiest thing to bet if you don't know the individual bets.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, well, if you're not in this world and you're jumping in like we are for every four years, by the way, a lot's changed in betting the last four years.

[Anthony]

What's a 90 minutes?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm a yo, yo. I don't care.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, well, let's move on to something you also don't care about. And that's All Star. Last Night, we had the Home Run Derby in. In Philly. And I got to tell you, Alex,

[Peter Rosenberg]

did you like the new format? Less home runs were hit technically. But were you into it? Was it. I mean, look, the ending was compelling. That helped. Having the magenta ball, that was great. But did you like it format wise? Was it a better watch?

[Alan Hahn]

I'm going to be completely honest here. I only jumped in in the semifinals, and all I was taken by. Although I guess I do realize now it was a different format because it was less. It was no clock. 20 of swings.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The first. First round was 20. So did you like that better knowing that when you had one swing left, if you hit a home run, you stayed until you met. Until you got an out and in

[Alan Hahn]

the semifinals, was it. Was it the swings dropped? Was it 10 swings?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Yeah, that's what I thought. Yeah. And then obviously, you know, I mean, so you. You have these runs when you have one swing left and you just boom, boom, boom.

[Alan Hahn]

I love that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, that made it compelling.

[Alan Hahn]

And from a health standpoint, I have to imagine eliminating the clock where a player can take a few pitches in a row and say, let me. Let me get a second here is probably helpful because we have seen people sort of burn out. I just. I thought it was great. I always enjoy the Home Run Derby. This is a thing where I've gone back and forth over the years with different co hosts, namely Michael and Don about it. I'm a big fan, but, Alan, I got to give it up. You got to give credit where credit's due. Yesterday was an example of where the Philadelphia sports fan makes it a better event.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

Period.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

We can say whatever we want about Philly, the way that they were dialed into every single pitch and making this about Kyle Schwaber is going to win, and we're going to take this seriously like it really matters. I thought it made. Took the event up a whole other level.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Booing Jordan Walker, like, that was great.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, they're booing every home run for anyone else up against Schwaber. It made it. If someone's taking a pitch, they're booing. Like, they just made it fun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who was it that got. It was accidental, but it looked like. God, buzz.

[Caller or Guest]

Little chill.

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Was that.

[Alan Hahn]

That was in the semi.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Contreras or Kevin?

[Alan Hahn]

It was also Contreras in the semis.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then they all cheer.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, they cheered. Getting buzzed a little bit, by the way. Of course, the pitches are coming from his selected pitcher.

[Don Hahn]

Right, right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what makes it funnier.

[Alan Hahn]

It was Awesome. I just. I thought that that would have been

[Peter Rosenberg]

a New York thing, too, if, If. If this was in either City Field, Yankee Stadium, and it was either Ben Rice or, let's say, Juan Soto or even Alonzo, let's say, was really. Alonzo was in the home run derby. I think you would have had that same type of visceral response to anyone because our guy's going to win this thing. But you know what helps is our guys got to hit some because it gets the crowd fired up that you have a chance to win. So that first round was so important.

[Caller or Guest]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

But if he doesn't come out good,

[Peter Rosenberg]

it was a good.

[Alan Hahn]

You got problems.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was a definitely good vibe. And you know what? Last night should have been it. Like, I'm convinced now. And tonight's game could have interest. It could have. Because it's a game and baseball's the one sport you can't sort of half it. You know what I mean? Like, you got to like. Again, football, we saw they've completely given up. They went with the flag football, nobody wanted to watch it. And all the goofy reindeer games. Hockey's going to three on three now because the five on five got. It was a joke. No one was playing any type of defense whatsoever. There was no contact, no physicality. That's not the game. So all you're watching is guys kind of playing shinny. And it wasn't real hockey, so that wasn't entertainment. NBA. We already know that story.

[Alan Hahn]

We sure do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, it took Wemby to kind of challenge some people, but in the end, you're still. That's not the real basketball game. Baseball, you can't do that. You got to throw pitches.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You got to swing. You got to run bases. Like, you got to run and catch a ball. If you let a ball drop, you're going to get booed. You don't want to look embarrassed. So that's the one sport. You got to at least play it a little bit. But I think you can have fun with it. But if the players aren't that into it, Zach Wheeler says, no, thanks, because I don't want to be the fifth guy. That your fifth choice? No, I'm good. If I'm not a first choice all star, then I'm not really an all star. I don't want to be a. I don't want to be a seat filler. You see Cam Schlitler, who. You know, it's my throw day. Don't really want to dial it up. No, I want to make Sure, I

[Alan Hahn]

take care of well.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But seriously though, no, he's not wrong.

[Alan Hahn]

No, it's just lame. The whole thing is just lame.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But that's baseball, Susan.

[Caller or Guest]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then you know, you got Mizorowski whose kids throwing 100 miles an hour. And that's compelling. Like think about the potential you could have had. If again judge is hurt so he's not there. But you get like Mizorowski versus judge. Like everybody's standing up to watch that. Right? But you're not getting that. And so when you say that this is a showcase for the game. I don't think it is anymore in any sport. It's not showcasing anything. So why can't you have the reindeer games like the home run Derby, the three point Shootout, you know, even the goofy stuff they do at the Pro Bowl. Why haven't bother with the game? Introduce the players who were All Stars. So even the injured guys are acknowledged as all Stars and then call it a day. Do you still really need the game in the old days? Yes. Because in the old days the All Star game was important. Because a lot of times you would see players face each other that you would never see face each other. Now you have interleague. You're going to see it. In the old days you would have players on the same team that you may never see. We have free agency and we have super teams in every sport. Like this is no longer a dream. So really what are you showcasing anymore? You're just playing a game, a scrimmage. For what? So why not just have the showcase like you had last night? Our best home run hitters are all going up against each other for the big prize. And this will be the celebration of the sport. We'll introduce our All Stars. We'll have our Home run Derby. We'll crown our home run champion. Then we'll say goodnight and we'll get. We'll give you guys a couple of days off, get back to our season. Could you live with that if they never. No more Pro bowl, no more NBA All Star game. You have your Saturday, but no game. I have NHL, same thing. Skills.

[Alan Hahn]

I have zero at this point. I have zero issue with doing that. I mean the mic drop kind of is the biggest sport in the country without a shadow of a doubt is football.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

I love everything football does. I cannot tell you the last time I saw a Pro Bowl. I can't tell you what the flag one really looks like because I haven't care.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You want to know what the rating was? How many viewers it averaged last one.

[Alan Hahn]

What it do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So remember, this is football where 30 million viewers for something is like.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, that's random. It's a regular Sunday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's. That's. That. That's for like the combine.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They're going to pull numbers for the underwear Olympics.

[Alan Hahn]

A regular. Honestly, a regular. It'll be a busy deadline for that. A regular 425. You know, it's November 16th and Green Bay's playing Dallas at 425.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

That's getting 40 million, 37 million.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're just going to get big. That's so with that in mind, the Pro bowl is football. People are drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

[Alan Hahn]

And it's right before the super bowl is when you're hyper.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's all right there. And it's players, you know, for the most part. Two million viewers. So stunning.

[Alan Hahn]

Isn't that the mic drop though? About what? All Star Game. Because if the number one league in the world, the one that prints money.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Says this game doesn't matter to us at all. We do. And we just do a silly little skills thing, call it a day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And why do you think they're doing flag? Part of it is because they don't want the players getting hurt. The other part of it is they're trying to promote flag football to become a thing.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't even think about that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The NFL wants flag football to be a thing, especially girls sports. They want it to become something we're used to watching and used to seeing.

[Alan Hahn]

Didn't even think about normalizing. That's a very good point.

[Peter Rosenberg]

As a major sport. That's what they're trying to do, but yet no one has caught on to it yet. So that's. That tells you all you need to know. Now, the NBA did pretty well last year. They were All Star Game because of the world. The two US Teams. Wemby talking trash. It actually did. And it was on NBC, which helps. That got an 8.

[Caller Jude]

8.

[Peter Rosenberg]

8 million. So I just don't know how people feel. But I know how I feel. I think me, my generation grew up with All Star Games because they were great, fun showcases. I don't think the All Star Game showcases that these leagues anymore. I think you can still have it All Star because I think it's important. It's Comic Con for all these sports. That's what it is. It's their convention. They bring all their sponsors in, all their investors in and the fans come in and let's just have a weekend. We Celebrate our league. But you don't need to play a game. Especially if players don't want to play for various reasons. I mean, it's the Midsummer Classic. There's nothing literally going on right now every four years. Maybe the World Cup's in the way, but in all honesty, there's nothing in its way. There's nothing competing with it.

[Alan Hahn]

If there was any reason for it to be big, it would be big.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It should be huge.

[Alan Hahn]

The biggest. And it started in the Judge era, in my opinion, 2017 or 18. Whichever year it was, he did it

[Peter Rosenberg]

for the first time when it became less. Less important.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, no. When the Home Run Derby started to me to go up a level.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

It was Judge winning the Home Run Derbies that made it go, oh, I got to watch this. Then Pete. Then Pete was like, hey, I take this seriously.

[Commercial Narrator]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

So for me, when you watch the Home Run Derby now, and we can get into. And we will, because it's a show to nerd out on the good and the bad of the Netflix broadcast, but the event itself, the Home Run Derby, to me is the fun part. And I got confused. Yesterday I was off because of my travel. So when I was seeing the logo at first on the Netflix screen, I was like, oh, yes, sweet. Home Run Derby's tomorrow. I gotta watch that. And then at one point I went, wait, is the Home Run Derby today? And I'm like, oh, today's Monday. That, to me, has become the one that I personally, at least want to make sure I tune in tonight. How much time are you spending with it tonight?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The game?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Throwing it on. If you have a minute, see what it looks like.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But who am I drawn to again? I'm a Yankees fan. Judges in it. Schlitler's not going to pitch Bellinger and Rice.

[Alan Hahn]

I like them enough to sit down and watch rather than hang out with your kids.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I don't know if I'm dialed in on it, so, you know, that's one of those. And this is also where I guess, you know, technology works against it. I'm fine watching the highlights. If something happened, great.

[Caller Jude]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I don't know if I'm that dialed in.

[Alan Hahn]

I. Anthony, what about you? You in tonight at all?

[Anthony]

There's nothing else on, so I'll watch it. But am I saying it's a background? It's appointment television.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, like, you're not sitting there with popcorn.

[Anthony]

No, no.

[Caller or Guest]

Like, you're.

[Anthony]

It's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's on.

[Anthony]

You know, once Rice and Bellinger out of the game after they get there at bat of their three innings. Am I. Am I sticking around?

[Caller or Guest]

I don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what I mean. But. And also 800-919-3776 I'd like. It's not. And this is about all leagues. I just don't think. I think we're in a place now where I don't think you need it. I don't think it's something that you feel like it's an important thing to do. But I still think the Home Run Derby was fun. And even though the change of the format there was some concern, I know Jeff Passon was really panning it beforehand. He ended up being wrong. It actually worked out really well, especially with that ending. I thought Walker was phenomenal. It's a great story and it was phenomenal. And having Schwaber, the hometown guy, having the crowd go crazy, that made for great theater. That was really cool. But it was on Netflix, which means had to go find it on a streaming service.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what Netflix is usually easy for people to find.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It usually is. But you know what that does, though? It just creates like, I'm not used to this because the history of all this stuff is you want to go with that comfort food, especially all star stuff. Give me something that I'm just used to. I can sit in. I just like the players might change, but the atmosphere is still the same. Chris Berman doing the backpack back. You know, all that stuff. Like, that's fun. Some of the interviews, all that stuff can be fun. Netflix gave us like a new people to get to know. That felt kind of sudden. I got it. I mean, again, I love Elle Duncan, but that was just kind of like, oh, that's right. Elle's at Netflix now. Her mic's low.

[Alan Hahn]

The audio was tough. I will say the audio bothered me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So to me, it wasn't who was on the air, it was the production that Netflix gave you that I felt like missed the mark.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I got news for you, Alan. ESPN New York's MLB All Star game coverage is presented by Pelawindow and Doors in New Jersey. Visit pella.com Eisen yeah. Trust yourself to find your local showroom today.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Tonight you get Fox. So it's a little more traditional people, you know.

[Alan Hahn]

That's right. So we know, we know what that broadcast gonna sound like. Whether that's a good thing for you or a bad thing. You know what it is. By the way, 24th minute Spain off a penalty kick on the board and France will have to come from behind as you get a replay there, I believe on what led to the penalty kick there. It was one of those situations as you see here. Goalie guesses the right way, absolutely no chance.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just couldn't get to it.

[Alan Hahn]

It's one of those shots that you guess right all you want. One nothing. Spain 25th minute. We'll we'll keep talking about all star for a bit. We also want to get into some quarterback conversation that we have some strong feelings on as well. It is a wolf pack. No, no, not a wolf pack. A bullpen.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Bullpen, coyote vehicle.

[Alan Hahn]

That's right. It's Alan Hahn and Peter Rosenberg on ESPN New York.

[Commercial Narrator]

As you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER clickgranger.com or just stop by.

MLB TV on ESPN is your home for every out of market game, live or on demand. Catch your favorite teams and players plus MLB Network and ESPN app features like multi view, syncing your stats, key plays, bets and fantasy all in one place. Sign up now for MLB TV in the ESPN app. Separate subscriptions required. Blackouts and other terms apply. Visit Stream ESPN for more information.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Alan Hahn]

Oh and also don't you forget ladies and gentlemen that at 4:30 we'll have talk about a Tuesday and talk about it, huh? I'm gonna have something to talk about with regard to the security for trying to get into Yankee Stadium this past week.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, the Jay Z situation.

[Alan Hahn]

We got to chat about it a little bit because I mean this is a good place to talk about it because who knows Yankee Stadium better than our listeners. And I had a great time on Friday night. Incredible show and super grateful to get tickets. Not easy to get in there and I loved it. But we got to figure something else out so we'll get to that talk.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, no, I have a lot to ask about that situation.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, not to mention just any conversation about the show was tremendous.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But we have a lot of people that want to Ask us stuff.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, you bet.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Your ace is beautiful.

[Alan Hahn]

1, 800 now in 93776, we're talking MLB all star game. Alan and I both really enjoyed the Home Run Derby yesterday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was fun, a great story, a great ending, was compelling.

[Alan Hahn]

It's an easy watch.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah, just a fun wash. Enjoyable, in fact.

[Alan Hahn]

We enjoyed so much, we think you could just do that and do away with the All Star Game because it doesn't mean anything.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And everybody goes home and gets a couple extra days to refresh and then away we go.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, and the fans don't. And the fans in the city don't have to pay for two faculty events. It's one night. You go on Monday and that's it. And then you call it a day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I like it.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's go to Corey. What's up, Corey? How are you, man?

[Caller or Guest]

Not much.

[Caller Jude]

Fellas, thank you for taking my call.

[Caller or Guest]

I just want to start off by

[Caller Jude]

saying I'm a huge baseball fan. As far as the sports I watch, it's the only one where I don't have loyalty to any specific team. I love the sport as a whole and I've been watching, you know, the All Star Game ever since I was a kid and I used to get excited for it. I grew up in the time where interleague play already existed. So I don't think that's necessarily ruined the All Star Game, to be honest. I don't know what the problem is as far as the All Star Game, but I think baseball in the next couple years, because I know they have a million problems right now with what looks like an impending lockout, but I think baseball, this might be an exciting time the next five to seven years because the game is going to look completely different. So this is their opportunity to maybe do something with not just the All Star Game, but the whole weekend. I heard Dave and Rick this morning say that they weren't necessarily a huge fan of the new format for the Home Run Derby. I didn't mind it too much, but I think if you keep tweaking things, that's where you lose interest. And I think over the years, everything has just been tweaked with too much. I'm still going to tune in tonight. I still like when they introduce the players and, you know, they put, you know, each representative on the camera for a couple seconds.

[Alan Hahn]

But again, what an.

[Caller Jude]

Enjoy that part.

[Alan Hahn]

What an easy thing to do right before the Home Run Derby on Monday night.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's how I feel.

[Alan Hahn]

Exactly right. No, you get to do the Lineup. You get a little. They come out, they have their moment. In fact, you could make that even more. You would sauce that up even a little more. Make it cooler, reduce it in a way to make it even better.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Big time production.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What you do is you have the. You introduce the player and his walk up song.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Plays while he walks out to take his spot on the baseline.

[Alan Hahn]

And they get like a full walk up with music, maybe even some pyro. You make it really cool.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, you want to have his kids come out with him. Anything like that? Like anything. Just something about it that makes it very unique.

[Commercial Narrator]

Oh.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what makes such perfect sense about it too is that during the derby, all the All Stars are hanging out on the field anyway.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

So in this way they do their thing and it makes sense because it's, it's called All Star intros. And after their All Star intros, they're all on the field now. Let's get into the home run.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's do a home. Let's. Let's have a little home run.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm telling you, we are right on this. This is the only way to go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. And it's all sports. I just don't think we. All Star games used to have a different cachet about them. I don't think it exists anymore.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's go to Jude in Tom's River. What's up, Jude?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, Jude.

[Caller Jude]

What's going on, guys? Thanks for taking my call. I appreciate that. Of course, the reason, the reason why I'm calling. I wanted to talk about the All Star break. Obviously the game. I. I'm not sure what it was or what year it was, but the baseball All Star game was the only All Star game that ever actually mattered at one point because it actually defined home field advantage for.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Caller Jude]

Either National League or American League. Now I don't. I think that what they did by changing and going by record, I do think that is the right way to go overall because I think that team is deserved. But I think once they got rid of that, it took a big core value out of, out of what baseball's All Star game actually meant. Because it mattered. It meant something. You were actually really playing for something at the end of the day. You know what I mean?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I do. But if you think about it, when the Cubs played the Indians, who was a host. Remember game seven was played where.

[Caller Jude]

I can't tell you, Cleveland.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because the American League won the All Star Game that year didn't matter. You know what I mean? Like it's It's. Yeah, you're right. Yeah, it's. It had something and that gave it this sense of, okay, this game matters like this. But those players, how many of those players would be in the World Series? So how does it really matter to them personally? It just. I get what you're saying. I get what you're saying, but they got away from it because it ended up being a novelty that was unnecessary. And I don't know, again, with these All Star Games, there used to be a pride, There used to be a chance to show myself against the other best players in the league. I think great players don't think that way anymore. When they enter the forum, when they're around other All Stars, it ends up just kind of being like, hey, this is fun for all of us to get together and let's just tool around a little bit out on the field. No one's playing hard. No one's playing for real. Pete Rose is running over Pete. Like, that's not happening.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's just a different world now.

[Alan Hahn]

That's why Sean Taylor crushing a punter in the ball. You know what I mean?

[Caller or Guest]

Like.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like what we're saying is, is that, okay, let's acknowledge. See, that's the problem is we always want people to change to our times, old times. We need to learn how to change with the times. Players are paid a lot more. They. They're way more valued. Their contracts are bigger when it comes to length and term and all that stuff. And so as a franchise, I don't want Cam Schlitler throwing on his throw day in the All Star Game because I know the adrenaline is going to be high and he might dial it up a few times and what if he feels a twinge? And I can't afford that. So the All Star Game's nice, but I don't want him pitching and he doesn't want to pitch.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what I mean? So what are we doing?

[Peter Rosenberg]

So it's just, let's still acknowledge midseason. These are the guys who are the All Stars this year. You always want to acknowledge it, but we don't have to play a game. We can do something else to celebrate the game. And I think the Home Run Derby and the three point contest in the NBA and skills competition in the NHL football has some stuff you could do. Don't bother with the game. Just announce the team. Like Pro bowl we make fun of because it ends up being like the 15 guys later because no one wants to go.

[Alan Hahn]

Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

And if we're not Playing a game. We're just naming a team.

[Alan Hahn]

Then they'd go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You just go. They'd all media, you do some fan stuff and you're out. My opinion.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, Spain had an opportunity to make it 2 0. Got very, very close.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We're going to lose you quickly, aren't we?

[Alan Hahn]

This is, this is, by the way, man, so many. Look at. Check this out, Alan. This opportunity here, just a turnover. You don't. You don't see a turnover like that when you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, when you watch. Oh, what a touch.

[Alan Hahn]

That was pretty good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you know what? When you watch this level.

[Caller or Guest]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And the precision of the passing, toe to another toe, like, like just bang. It does show you. When we watch the US Team and we get so caught up in, hey, they're this fun team and you realize they don't pass like that.

[Alan Hahn]

No, like this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's unreal. Foot skills.

[Alan Hahn]

In fact, when you watch soccer at this level, that's when you fall in love with it. To me, it, more than any other sport represents the video game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Because in the video game, when you pass, if you pass it right, the ball magically just sticks on the other guy's foot. That's what they do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Literally sticks.

[Alan Hahn]

The ball just sticks on. You're like, you're sprinting and the ball stuck on your foot when it hits the foot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The foot controls. Unreal.

[Alan Hahn]

So still one nothing here. 39th minute, Spain and France in the semifinal. Let's go to Barry in la. What's up, Barry?

[Caller or Guest]

I'm still not smart enough to figure out why this wouldn't work, but if you want to do. Basically, it wouldn't work for football because football has its own level of violence. So I wouldn't want to put guys like that that could hurt themselves. Right. But why don't you. Why can't you just do North America versus the world and the All Stars? You know, there's that tribalism that's. That's around whether we like it or not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But we've done. Haven't we done that? Haven't we done that in the other sports? And it doesn't.

[Caller or Guest]

It's still in an All Star Game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So the other sports did. Well, the other sports did, though. The NBA has done that.

[Caller or Guest]

The NHL as the All Star Game. Yes, as the All Star Game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, no. The All Star Game. The NBA certainly has done it.

[Caller or Guest]

Oh, I didn't know that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This year the NBA had two USA teams and one international team, and they played a little round robin tournament.

[Alan Hahn]

And the point that we're making. And to the point that we're making. Alan, guess how much of the All Star Game I saw this year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm gonna go with none.

[Alan Hahn]

Zero.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. So it. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And I used to love. I went to All Star Weekend.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They thought the same thing that Barry was thinking. The tribalism. Oh, yeah. The whole pride. No, but what they did in the NHL was they created a tournament out of thin air. Four nations. And there's just something that happens when the US Plays Canada. In anything, something happens. I can't explain it, but it won't happen. It's visceral and we love it, but it can't. You can't fake it and.

[Alan Hahn]

But you can't even force it. Another sport.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And in like, look, first of all,

[Alan Hahn]

in basketball, you can't do it. No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And the World Baseball Classic is a great example of how that tribalism works. The problem is you can't have that many All Stars to build a, you know, a Caribbean team versus American team. Well, it's still missing.

[Alan Hahn]

But we did say about that was

[Peter Rosenberg]

it's really hard to do that the

[Alan Hahn]

WBC could come to represent something that's not quite. That was All Star Game. Right. But it's something else. It's this. It replaces it in a different place

[Peter Rosenberg]

till you get two finalists. And the finalists will then meet on in the All Star Weekend.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

As the championship. The All Stars aren't playing in that game, but the teams that like. That's what you'd have to decide.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, and then. And then, you know, in March, if All Stars were on the team, could they choose if they want to play?

[Caller or Guest]

So.

[Alan Hahn]

Meaning the US Is in it and us playing Japan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And Ohtani is an All Star.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And it's. Can Ohtani play in the game?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of course he can.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, cool.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's the whole idea is that they are. You're probably going to have some All Stars.

[Alan Hahn]

You have a few All Stars.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. But you're not playing an All Star Game. You're playing the championship of the wbc. You're just doing it All Star Weekend and in March. I already know I got to be in Philadelphia in July. So I'm not making any plan. You know, I'm not worried about having my time off. I already know in my brain. It's baked in. I'm playing in this game. That's one thing that could work. But it's very complicated.

[Alan Hahn]

Hey, not complicated is what Anthony has to tell us right now.

[Anthony]

Well, I try. I try not to make it complicated. We'll see if I can get through this for 30 seconds. New York, you need to hear this this summer. All lines lead to Champs Sports Fan Central Station. A soccer pop up shop open right in the heart of the city at 125 West 33rd, right near Madison Square Garden. This is the soccer destination in New York. Jerseys for every national team you ride with. Usa, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and way more. It's just wall to wall jerseys of every team you can imagine. It's a really, really cool place. Definitely check it out if you want to gear up, rep your country and feel the energy of the city. Champs Sports fan Central Station, 125 West 33rd Street. That is where you need to be. And Knick fans, they did not forget about you. They have championship gear to celebrate your team's first title in 53 years.

[Alan Hahn]

That wasn't complicated at all. You did a great job.

[Anthony]

Oh thank you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Excellent.

[Caller or Guest]

Are all batteries the same? That's like asking if all soccer players are the same. Take Messi, the most decorated player ever. Is there any other player who has achieved that? No, just him. Now take Duracell. Is there any other battery with power boost ingredients inside inside? No, just Duracell. Remember, goats only trust goats because they're built different and messy. Only trust Duracell.

[Commercial Narrator]

This episode is brought to you by Google Health. Stop chasing someone else's definition of health. What matters is what's healthy for you. Google Health offers a new kind of coach built with Gemini for effortless tracking, sleep insights and holistic coaching tailored to you. Visit googlestore.com to learn more and start a new relationship with your health. Requires Google Account, Google Health App, Internet and Google Health Premium subscription. Features subject to change. Availability and results vary. Not intended for medical purposes. Works independently of Gemini apps. Check responses for accuracy.

This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Listening to this podcast instead of doom scrolling Smart move. Another smart move getting help from one of State Farm's 19,000 local agents when you choose to bundle home, home and auto bundling. Just another way to save with the personal price plan. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Alan Hahn]

Problem if you if you bet France so far in the first half it's one nothing. Espana one no 49th minute now six minutes extra time. So almost one half done here in the semifinal.

[Anthony]

Can we address something that happened on the morning show, by the way, has now become a promo that we just heard. I think it was two breaks ago.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't hear it.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't hear it. So I want to hear it.

[Anthony]

Alan, you and Rick have the same doctor and it's not a primary care doctor as a pediatrician.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I mean, our kids have the same pediatrician.

[Anthony]

So. So the way that it was portrayed this morning was that you and Rick go to the pediatrician as your doctor.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I may have. Yeah. May have asked him for advice here and there.

[Anthony]

Peter, this is not.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait, you have. Is there audio worth playing or.

[Anthony]

No, it's the pro. I mean, it's their promo.

[Alan Hahn]

So you and you and.

[Anthony]

Let's just, let's, let's, let's look back, shall we? You're going to hear cutler

[Don Hahn]

mornings with DP and Rothenberg.

[Alan Hahn]

If the Giants start at the season 03, forget it. What's going to happen to 65 or sooner?

[Caller or Guest]

Well, kill.

[Alan Hahn]

It gets a little.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, that's not it.

[Anthony]

Where'd it go?

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's not it.

[Anthony]

This is disappointing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We need to discuss because Dave's all ready to bail on his long term plan.

[Alan Hahn]

I enjoyed that promo also.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We'll get back to that long term plan for the Giants.

[Alan Hahn]

But if they go Owen three.

[Caller or Guest]

Three

[Alan Hahn]

already.

[Anthony]

The way you guys want me to be positive, the way this station talks about the Giants, I'll be saying Owen 17 by August. I, I promise you. Anyway.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, here we go.

[Don Hahn]

This is DP and Rothenberg.

[Alan Hahn]

Rick doesn't have a primary care doctor. I don't think Alan does either. That doesn't make it any better for you. I actually think we use the same pediatrician. Allen's in his mid-50s. If you met this pediatrician, you would get rid of your primary care physician and use my pediatrician.

[Don Hahn]

He's that good.

[Alan Hahn]

Do you know what the definition of pediatrician is? Definitely. Man. He's not equipped at the spleen.

[Don Hahn]

This is DP and Rothenberg.

[Alan Hahn]

You walk out with a lollipop.

[Caller Jude]

Morning.

[Don Hahn]

Start with Dpatro and Rothenberg from 6 to 10 on ESPN.

[Alan Hahn]

You, you go to a pediatrician for.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, no, it's not, it's not like

[Alan Hahn]

what it sounds like.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it's not like I go there and I sit on the table and you know, kick your knees.

[Alan Hahn]

You kick your legs off back and forth.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I mean, you know, if I was feeling something and I don't, I don't like going to doctors.

[Alan Hahn]

This pediatrician was with how many of your kids still. Three of them still with Callie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, Callie, Gracie just went for her college physical, and she just went all

[Alan Hahn]

the way up from baby.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, she's 18, so.

[Alan Hahn]

But baby to college. Physical, exciting. He's been there the whole time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think Zach, who's 23, is still going.

[Alan Hahn]

No, I swear to God, I think Zach's still going.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think Zach likes him.

[Alan Hahn]

But he's a pediatrician.

[Caller or Guest]

I know.

[Alan Hahn]

Don't people graduate from that?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think so. Typically, yes, But, I mean, they're kids.

[Alan Hahn]

You think I should go back to Dr. D'? Alessia?

[Anthony]

That's not as bad as him. Zach could stay if Alan's doing it in his 50s,

[Peter Rosenberg]

not making an appointment.

[Anthony]

Okay, hold on.

[Alan Hahn]

So is it when you take Gracie?

[Peter Rosenberg]

If I take Cal.

[Alan Hahn]

You're taking Cali. If you're taking Cali, he'll always just

[Peter Rosenberg]

say, like, how are you doing? You know, he's like an old school. You know, like Dr. House. Remember that show?

[Alan Hahn]

I remember House.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's like that. He's very direct. Matter of fact, he has no. Like, you wouldn't think he works with kids every day because the way he talks. Like, he's so direct, but he doesn't.

[Alan Hahn]

He doesn't, like, have you cough and grab hold, does he?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, nothing like that.

[Alan Hahn]

No throat culture or anything?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it's more just advice.

[Alan Hahn]

How's the back of your belly for a sleigh ride?

[Caller or Guest]

No.

[Anthony]

So you don't get a physical. You do get a physical.

[Alan Hahn]

Do you ever go get a real physical, or are you just going to your pediatrician?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, I. I don't like going to doctors.

[Anthony]

You get blood work done ever at all?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, okay. Yeah, I'll do that.

[Alan Hahn]

K would go every week if he could. Well, I'm over. I got to go back now. It's time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Kay has connected me, though, with. With somebody on the island that I

[Alan Hahn]

want to put this out.

[Anthony]

Oh, one of the Steves.

[Alan Hahn]

One of the Steves.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sorta.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm gonna admit it right now, but.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But this. This doctor is. Rick's, right? This doctor's phenomenal.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, he's the best. But it's still weird that you, as adults, go there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, again.

[Alan Hahn]

And you know. You know why Rick goes to Anthony? He's just excited to have, like, the biggest muscles in the waiting room. So he's, like, stunting on all the children. He's like, look at these.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I said this yesterday.

[Anthony]

Rick is listening, by the way, the

[Alan Hahn]

pictures what else is new?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The pictures from the beach.

[Alan Hahn]

Freak show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's.

[Alan Hahn]

No, he looks at the Hulk.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, don't say freak show, though.

[Alan Hahn]

But. But that's it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, he's rippling. Like, it's. It's impressive. It's almost inspiring. Like, I got this. I got a home gym I'm building right now.

[Alan Hahn]

You're more comfortable with you saying rippling than me saying freak show? Rick is a freak. An absolute gorilla.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Gorilla. He's jacked to the gills for his age and his size. That dude has been through. For him to look the way he looks right now.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait, hold on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like I said, none of us have excuses.

[Alan Hahn]

Hold on real quick. For his age. He's young. He's younger than all of us.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's in his mid-40s.

[Alan Hahn]

What is he. He's like 45.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's gonna be.

[Alan Hahn]

So. He's still slightly younger. But you said for his age. And what he's been through this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What he's done to his body. I mean, like, guys, you don't. When you're. When your career ends. Trust me.

[Commercial Narrator]

This.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I lived this minute. My knee blew up, and I couldn't be who I used to be. Couldn't play pickup the way I wanted to.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's when you became Ragug Allen.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I went rag. I said, I'm done. I was an athlete my whole life. Not doing anymore. No more sports, no more working out. No more nothing.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I saw those pictures.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And when you see what you become disgusting. And the fight your way back from that. I dragged that kid out of his basement, and he looked like Buddy. Christ.

[Alan Hahn]

Who?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Rick from Dogma. He had long hair. He had a beard. He was a thin picture that one foot.

[Alan Hahn]

Was he like Ron Burgundy when she. When Veronica broke up with him? Was he.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Rick was rail thin. He lost a ton of weight. So for him to get back to what he is right now.

[Alan Hahn]

Let me ask you a question, though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Honestly, I want to be that good.

[Alan Hahn]

But you. But you. But you can't. Because you occasionally tell me, I can't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm gonna.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay. All right. Okay. But

[Peter Rosenberg]

me and Dr. Peptides.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, that'll help. And I'd love to see Dr. Pepper. I call you Dr. Pepper. But, like, when does this guy sleep? He's coaching 90 teams.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

He's doing the morning show. He's the most prepared host on the station.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not a question. Watches everything as a notebook. And then he's a notebook.

[Alan Hahn]

And that is, by the way, do we think that he's using the right he's got.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's got to be.

[Alan Hahn]

He's got to be on the juice in some way. There's some sort of juice.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I have no evidence because he's always been like that. He's been high strung since the day I met him.

[Alan Hahn]

Can you believe his shoulders, though? Like, they were. The biceps and shoulders were gargantuan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Tremendous.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, I think I should walk him into wwe. I'd say I found someone not crazy,

[Peter Rosenberg]

you know, it's not crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

No. Dude, if you haven't seen the pictures yet from the beach bash. Yeah, I still. I still don't understand why he refuses to tan his upper arms, though. You at least. At least admit that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Fair point.

[Alan Hahn]

He could take off. He could use a little.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Might be afraid of the sun.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, buddy. You're allowed to wear a tank top every once. You got guns like that. Tan them, for God's sake.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, if anything. Get that. What? You ever see the. The tanning thing? You have like, it's like a rag and you just wipe it on your

[Alan Hahn]

skin, whatever you got.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Bronzer.

[Anthony]

Rick has chimed in about himself. Oh, like Buddy Christ and Tom Hanks from Cast Away.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, exactly. That's where he was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He really was.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, you mean skinny beard, long hair, Hanks?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I gotta find it.

[Commercial Narrator]

I'll.

[Caller or Guest]

I'll.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'll send you the picture and, and look. And look what he's become.

[Alan Hahn]

Look what he's become now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So some of those pictures, though, almost looks. AI.

[Alan Hahn]

Also, Rick has been on the biggest stage in the world. And if you're looking to get down with FanDuel, they're changing the game because sometimes your player gets subbed off. Could happen today here in this matchup between France and Spain. And when your player gets subbed off, your bet goes with them. Well, not anymore with FanDuel super sub. If your player subbed out, your bet stays in. That's right. Your player leaves the match. Your bet continues on with the substitute. So you're still in it until the final whistle. Visit FanDuel.com local to get started now. Let there be goals this summer on FanDuel. 21/physically present.

[Caller Jude]

New York.

[Alan Hahn]

For help with a gambling problem, call 8778-HOPE-WYR. Text Hopeny 467369 thanks for listening to

[Don Hahn]

the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't want to know how the

[Peter Rosenberg]

sausage is made, but I just want to know.

[Don Hahn]

It's good. 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.