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Don
Todd, cross your legs, honey.
Rosenberg
Let's get out of this.
Don
In it.
Rosenberg
Han, I didn't know you were a screamer. And Rosenberg, happy New Jewish New Year.
Peter
Not Newish Jew Year. This isn't North Dakota.
Don
This is New York.
Rosenberg
This is Don, Han, and Rosenber. Best threesome I've ever heard on ESPN New York and streaming live on YouTube.
Peter
Oh, buddy. The wolf pack is back. Allen is off watching Cali play hockey today.
Don
Good for him.
Peter
Good for him. Took a little bit of nudging from me and Don before. He took the day he was going to, like, do it and find a place to do it in Bristol and blah, blah, blah. And we said, what are you doing, buddy? What are you doing? We can handle it. We can hold down the show.
Don
I appreciate the fact that he wants to make it work.
Peter
Oh, me too.
Don
Like to take off.
Peter
No, you're the same way.
Don
Yeah, and you are. I mean, we all want to make it work, but, you know, sometimes you
Peter
need everyone to go, hey, buddy, just go spend the time with your family. It's the middle of the summer. Go ahead and have a good time.
Ad Voice
We got it.
Don
What are we doing?
Peter
In fact, our biggest story today, if we looked into the future, we could have said, alan, don't worry, we can handle talking about the fact that the Red Sox are having plane troubles and haven't taken off from Chicago yet for their game with the Mets tonight.
Don
People have to realize that it's not like the way we travel, okay? They have a charter, and that's a
Peter
private plane to you and me.
Don
And, yeah, see, some teams had their own jets, but it became too expensive. So now you charter. So you get Delta, you get United, and you charter a big plane, and you probably share it with other teams, but you have the schedule, and there was something either mechanical or something with weather that that plane couldn't get there after the game. So they were probably told the Red Sox, don't worry about it. We'll send you out first thing in the morning. And the plane wasn't there. There's nothing really you could pivot to, Peter, if you're being told, hey, the plane's gonna be there at noon. It's not ideal to get to the. Get to the stadium the day of the game or just hours before the game. But it's not like you can go pivot and all of a sudden go send 80 people commercial. Because that could be a problem. Because those flights get delayed, those flights get canceled. Those flights aren't exactly, you know, on time. A charter can make up a little time in the air. They land on the tarmac, you come right off the plane onto the bus, get a police escort to the stadium. If you're flying commercial now, you're going having to go through the airport and go through security. And now that delays it even longer. So the Red Sox are probably like, we gotta wait for this charter. That's gonna be our best avenue. And if the charter's not there, you're stuck. I just feel bad for the fans that have tickets to the game tonight. It's fireworks night. Mets, Red Sox is still a thing for a certain generation because it's the 40th anniversary of the World Series and you don't play the Red Sox all the time, and that's who you beat in the World Series.
Peter
Not to mention, of course. Not to mention, of course, there are lots of Red Sox fans in New York, right?
Don
I mean, listen, I'm sure on a Friday night in the summertime with fireworks, people still dig fireworks. Even so they probably saw them a dozen times during the Fourth of July. They've got probably a full stadium. And if I got tickets to this game, when's the game starting? Is the game going to be played? Because I'm looking at social media, I'm hearing they're still in Chicago, they're still in the air. They're supposed to land at 4. We're not sure what time they're going to land. And if the game's going to be delayed, I'd like to know. If the game's going to be postponed, I'd like to know. So these teams sit on their hands because they don't want to cancel anything. But it would be nice to, if you're a season ticket holder or just a person that wants to see the game tonight, to be put in the loop, you want to. You want to please your customers, right? So we'll. Right now, we just don't know what time it's going to start. But couldn't.
Peter
They couldn't. Couldn't. And listen, we don't know exactly what led to this, but Don, couldn't there also be a world where you go, hey, we got to do. There's a thousand flights from Chicago to New York. I don't know how many, if they only can do LaGuardia a bit less, right? I mean, but you couldn't. If you're really concerned the charter is going to be an issue, you easily could say, hey, we're dividing the team up. You know, we're all going to be, you know, you'll have people handling it. And we're putting 25 people on this flight. We're putting 25 people on that flight. And you do it all in the morning today, so you're not risking anything. Close. If you wanted to do that, you could.
Don
Again, the only reason. Again, I'm just talking about different things that could have occurred. So let's say you're the traveling secretary of the Red Sox and you're thinking about that. All right, guys, what do you want to do? The charter service says they're not going to be able to get us out of here until tomorrow morning. Do you want to just tell them forget it and let's get on a bunch of commercial flights, or do you want to just take the commercial. The, the. The charter at its word that it's going to be there first thing in the morning? I'm probably going to say let's wait for the. And then in that. Now you're kind of a slave to. All right, well, the charter's not there now. What do you do now? Now the latest that we're hearing is.
Peter
This is. Everyone get ready. Everyone prepare yourself.
Don
This is funny. This is not what I was expecting to be talking about today. Well, Chris can tell who covers the Red sox for mass live.com expected to pull up to the gate shortly before 5.
Peter
So they're in the air. They're saying they're in the air.
Don
So there would be. If they're gonna be landing at 5 o', clock, they probably. They might be just. Just took off a little.
Peter
By the way, by the way, if they're saying just before 5 o', clock, I got news for you. Are you sure they're in the air for a charter flight from Chicago? That's a long flight time, Dom.
Don
No, two at two hours. Makes sense.
Peter
How long is the flight on a commercial flight to Chicago? I feel like it's like an hour and a half.
Don
It's never an hour and. Well, because they. 145 taxi to taxi. Now listen, a charter, it's quicker.
Ad Voice
Usually.
Don
Well, it's always quicker because they can make up time in the air. But now. And I'm sure the airport will give the Red Sox priority over other flights, but there could be, there could be traffic at the airport. Where, where are. What turn are you. The 12th flight out. Are you the first flight? I would think they'd be the first flight out because of the situation. Right. So two hours in the air, they're going to land in LaGuardia at 5:00'.
Peter
Clock.
Don
The beauty of a charter is, is that you don't have to go through the terminal. You're going to land on the tarmac, you're going to walk down the stairs, there's going to be a bus waiting for you. You hop on the bus, that's it. And they should be, they should be walking into Citi Field at 5:15. If you're right, if you're landing in LaGuardia and you probably get a police escort out of the airport to the parking lot of Citi Field, they're going to be, they're going to be in the stadium at 5, literally going to be at the ballpark two hours before first pitch. If that's the case, what are we doing? Hey, I mean, come on, you're playing baseball, all right? It's not a football game. I mean, I'm sure there's treatment. It's not ideal. There's no reason why, if they're in the ballpark at 5:15, they can't be there. Ready for first pitch at 7:10.
Peter
Done. I refuse to accept anything else except that.
Caller/Listener
Right.
Peter
What's the line. What's the line at which you go, okay, now I see it being. They should change the time. It's too late. What's, what's the time they get there? I would say after 5:30.
Don
Yeah, I would say if you're getting closer to sick, then it didn't. Just gets a little, like, hectic where you might want to delay it a little while longer. I mean, right? I. Batting practice, you. You do want to warm up, but again, I think an hour should be enough time to do that. Remember, it's not like they've been sitting on a plane since last night. They found out that. They found out that the plane wasn't there and they, they probably went back to the hotel. But here's the issue again, not knowing all of the information. Could they go back to the hotel? I don't know, because they checked out before the game, right? There might not be any rooms, so maybe you have to, you know, pivot to something else. But I'm sure they weren't in any discomfort. They weren't sitting on a bus or on the plane for hours on end. If that were the case, then I'd say they might not be ready. But if they slept in A bed last night and they're just going to bust to whatever air, whatever plane they got.
Peter
I think they're going to be just fine. I am not worried.
Don
You know who I worry about?
Peter
Go ahead.
Don
Game doesn't mean anything. You know, you want to see a big.
Peter
Hey, the mess. Just want a series.
Don
I, I want, I just always feel bad for the fans to know what's going on. Is there going to be a game tonight? When's the game going to be played? It always seems to me, Peter, when you're making decisions on things that the fans are the ones that you care least about. It's about getting the ball players there, making sure the game is played, they're comfortable.
Peter
Whenever comfortable, of course.
Don
Is Apple okay with a new start time? All the things that then have to be legislated. Talking to major league and oh, by the way, let's let the fans know what time the game is.
Peter
Oh, yes. You mean the people who, without their existence, there's nothing.
Don
Because worst case scenario, the fans get there early for a game that's going to start at 810 instead of 7 10. Oh, they might be able to spend more money.
Peter
But Don Badan, isn't that what truly makes it America's game? If you want to know what makes it America's game, what makes it America's game is that nobody cares about the people. It's. They are last. Just like in every other thing we do in this country that involves a business, the people who actually spend the money, they're what, what they need to consider is of the least. There's always a stockholder, a shareholder, someone. In this case, you're right. On Apple. The richest, the currently, I think the most profitable company in the world. We need to make sure they're not upset. What if they, what if people had to wait 10 minutes on the app? Would they be okay? Not to mention, I would love to know the actual numbers of people watching on Apple. I would love not. I would, I would kill for it. Give me the numbers. Someone show me how many people are streaming these Apple games. And particularly, Don, the ones that don't involve the New York Yankees or LA Dodgers. I would love to know the numbers.
Don
You know, the Red Sox are, you know, they're on a winning streak here. Listen, there'll be people that'll watch.
Peter
But I, but, I mean, I mean relative, relative.
Don
But the majority of the people are watching are from Boston and New York. Right. So, But I don't, I don't know what the ratings would be.
Peter
No, I'LL tell you what you do. If you're a fan, you're listening right here on 880. You're hearing Howie's rose. That's how you doing it.
Don
Well, that's how you do it. But you would just like to know when the game is going to be played and if the game is going to be played.
Peter
But clearly, you know what, don't worry about it.
Don
And we'll, you know, stay tuned here if there's going to be an adjustment to the start time and we'll take you right up to whenever the pregame is going to be. The game is set for 7:15. I think his first pitch. So I think the coverage is still going to be 630 here on 880, but if it gets pushed to 8 or something, that I would obviously adjust it for how long the show is going to be. But just. It's just an interesting little thing. Interesting deal with on a day where, you know, there's, you know, we're kind of settling into the summer here.
Peter
Oh, yeah.
Don
You know, the World cup is what it is.
Peter
It's happening right now where we are right now. No, the US Is playing right now. Remember this? This is it.
Don
Oh, this would be a completely different show.
Peter
Can you imagine if it.
Don
Because that would have been a three o'. Clock.
Peter
Oh, right now I am watching Belgium play against Spin and that would be the US Playing right at this moment. It's all we'd be talking about. It would have completely changed this week. But they decided to lose. Yeah, just release feces into their pants. Actually, I have a. I have a theme song that I think sums up the US performance quite well.
Don
Oh, I think I know.
Peter
Oh, it's time. It's Monday night. And there we were.
Don
But it is pretty incredible.
Peter
The boy watch. You don't want to let anyone watch.
Don
The numbers are still incredible.
Peter
Oh, what do we get? What do they do on Monday?
Don
I just. Again, I'd have to go punch it. But it's. The numbers are still been good for non US games. Not as good, but you're still seeing between 16 and 20 million people watching
Caller/Listener
these games,
Don
not involving the US I
Peter
got to tell you, I'm really. It's going to be tough. It's going to be tough being at a wedding for the entirety of both games tomorrow. The wedding starts at 5:45 and ends at like 11:30. And the schedule tomorrow, I believe is 5 and 9. And tomorrow's a fun one. Tomorrow's a great day because today we just have the One, but tomorrow, it's like you dream about. God, I hate missing a good moment because I'm trying my best to hang on. I really don't want to let the US Ruin this for me. Like, this only happens every few years and I wonder if anyone out there can relate to this. Like, you're so down when they lose, but it's been such a fun thing in general that, like, I still want to enjoy it. And so tomorrow, you know, you have Norway, England at 5, which is just going to be awesome. That one's in Miami. And then they're at arrowhead again for Argentina and Switzerland at 09:00'. Clock. God, these markets are so random for these games.
Don
Done, Brian. I know, but I guess it doesn't surprise me that the ratings haven't fallen off that much because, all right, obviously there could be people that are like me that parachute in that watch because it's involved with the U.S. but the majority of people I think are they're soccer fans like you. And you're still going to find value in games that don't involve the US and these aren't nobodies. Spain, England, Argentina. They caught the break. Mbappe's still alive, Messi. Still alive. You know, you had Ronaldo up until just a few days ago. So.
Peter
So the. Let's see, the ratings for Mexico, England on Sunday were revealed 21.7 million on Fox combined with 23 million U.S. viewers on Telemundo. Don. Almost 50 million, 44.8 million for Mexico, England.
Don
I don't want to get too inside baseball here.
Peter
And just. And just in closing, the US Belgium did a combined 42 million across the networks that showed it.
Don
So down, but not significantly.
Peter
No, still a huge number.
Don
And also for people that don't realize that I haven't checked recently, but there was a long time, especially when we were raided and we were following the radio ratings that Spanish stations were winning.
Caller/Listener
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Peter
Spanish. I mean, La Mega is number one
Don
in the New York market. So there are a ton of Latino people or just people that are not from the United States, that love soccer, that are going to still watch these games like Telemundo. To do that kind of number just in this country just shows you how many people still follow. They may not. They may be following the other sports, but they're following soccer. And then I'll be following mls, but they're following soccer and, and they're definitely paying attention to what Mexico's doing, what Argentina's doing today.
Peter
Spain, I mean, all these countries are Big. Because, by the way, even if the sport is so popular that even if there's no team that you have a connection to, it doesn't matter. It's just. It's that big. And that's. Why doesn't it make you think we kind of need to reframe the conversation, like, about its popularity in America. But, I mean, these numbers are gigantic.
Don
It's popular. I think the better conversation to have about this, because the Olympics do similar numbers, is because the lack of saturation. World Cups every four years, Olympics every four years. You know, obviously it's every two years, technically, because there'll be two years winter, two years summer, but from summer to summer, from winter to winter, it's four years. And what's the most popular sport or what gets the best ratings here in this country? Football. Because it's once a week that when you over saturate, when you put too many games on, like, baseball's got 162. Basketball and hockey have 82, that you can never think to get those numbers because, hey, I missed one game. I'll just watch the game the next day or next couple of days. But it just shows you that when you have something like the World cup every four years, everybody's gonna watch it. Would. Would you have these numbers if the World cup was every year?
Caller/Listener
Not.
Don
Not to this extent. You know, great numbers, but not 40 million people watching.
Peter
Right.
Don
Like, when something comes around every four years, it's gonna do tremendous numbers. And that's what you see from the Olympics, that's what you see from the World Cup.
Peter
And also, can I just throw a couple other notes that have just been on my mind? Because the soccer thing has been slow to, you know, a. It's still going on. And the US Thing, I just think has been painful. I've been hanging onto it. Can we stop? I heard this conversation being had and I thought it was such a great point. I think it was on Eisen show and it was such a great point. Pulistic said, this is just the beginning. And what a great moment this is for us, Soccer. We gotta stop saying it's the beginning. You have to stop. Like I said, I think it's already very popular. I don't know how much it's gonna change. Like, I don't. We can have a conversation, Don, about whether or not it needs to grow more, whether it's fine.
Ad Voice
There's a.
Peter
You know, listen, everyone's making money every four years. Obviously everyone's into it. So maybe it's just fine in terms of the team getting better. This whole idea of it's just the beginning, done. I'm not. I'm not the original. And I've been watching it for 32 years. We got to stop saying it. Just getting started.
Don
No, listen, I'm older than you. I go back to 1977. The Cosmos were selling out Giant Stadium. I had a friend, Mike Wolfe, I'll never forget his name. I went to school with him. I think they moved to Delaware by the time I got to high school. But he was my, like, childhood friend.
Peter
Okay.
Don
Love soccer, played soccer. And he was telling me, don, you got to get into this, man. It's the fastest growing sports. We bigger than baseball. That was 1977. Still wait.
Peter
Yeah. So.
Don
So if you know, stop, stop.
Peter
Either it is what it is.
Don
It is. It's.
Ad Voice
It.
Peter
Let's just stop.
Don
And it's the same thing I say for hockey fans, too. Because I do think there's a lot of similarities. It is what it is, and what it is ain't bad.
Peter
Exactly.
Don
Okay, so stop it. All right? It's not going to be number one. It's not going to touch football. It's not going to be one of the four majors, but it's got a place. People love it. Every four years, the World cup does monster numbers. You still have people that have access to all what's happening internationally. Now, the way television is set up, you can buy the packages to watch and see what's happening in Europe and Asia and everywhere else. And you've got ways to be able to consume it and enjoy it.
Caller/Listener
You.
Don
It is what it is, and what it is is good. Same thing with hockey fans. All right. You're the fourth sport. Sorry? You're the fourth sport. That's not bad. All right.
Peter
I know. It's exactly right. And now. And listen, as far as the US getting better.
Don
Yeah.
Peter
That you want your team to be better. There are a million countries, guys. There's so many countries out here whose showings are basically the same as the US's every four years or worse. And they don't say, we're just getting started. You are what you are. Hey, we are what we are, Don. It's never changing.
Don
Somebody put up a map of the seven of the eight teams that are still alive in the World cup are all like. It's like a little line on a map of how close they are to each other in Europe. Like, so the rest of the world, you got. You got almost nobody. Like, there's certain countries. Only eight countries have ever won the World Cup. In the 96 years we've been doing this, there's a lot of countries that haven't won. There's a lot of countries that are behind. All right, we're not used to being this far behind. That's the point. We've been involved in it for a long time and we usually, as a country, figure it out. We figured it out with hockey, we figured it out with other sports. This one, we haven't seemed to be able to figure it out yet.
Peter
That's what it is, Don. It's the American exceptionalism. We don't, we don't accept it. We don't accept. Well, if we just keep coming back, it's the beginning, then we'll win. No, guys, this is basically what it is. Now, I did hear one other interesting conversation. Kevin Frazier, who's on like Access. Is he on Access Hollywood? I forget which one he's on is Access.
Ad Voice
I know what you're talking about. I've seen the clip. It's on Dan Patrick, right?
Peter
He was on Dan Patrick and. But I think he's from Access Hollywood. I can't remember which show he's on. But Kevin Frazier does a great job.
Ad Voice
He loves Alexi Lalas.
Peter
He was complaining about things related to soccer and he raises his kids in Southern California and they love soccer. And he was talking about how his kids think they're like, you know, pele. And he decided to take the kids to like East LA and go play with kids in the hood. And basically these kids who were playing in the hood, who have none of the things that his kids have, were running circles around his kids. These kids could not keep up with them. And he was. His feeling is that in soccer it's being gatekept basically by a richer crowd who really doesn't want to let and help bring the kids without means to the game. So you have these kids running around being like, I'm the greatest soccer player there is. Cuz they're not playing against the most athletic kids we have. You're telling me that it's just about popularity, it's not opportunity. You're telling me you couldn't convince kids from impoverished areas to be more excited about soccer than other sports. If people were showing up to their neighborhoods, recruiting them, giving them great gear, driving them out to great facilities, you could do it. It was a really interesting point. He doesn't think. He said, I'm in Los Angeles and my kids play with no Latin players in Los Angeles. Like, how is that humanly possible? So Maybe the game is just doing fundamentally things wrong. I saw Landon Donovan talking about the same thing. He said the current percentage of players, of youth players whose family income is under $50,000 a year, it's like. It's like 1%. They're not getting people who aren't rich to play the sport. And that's another thing that's hurting it.
Caller/Listener
Well.
Don
And also, if you're sports is in Europe, the way to get out of impoverished areas was to pick up a guitar and become a rock star. In the United States, it's always been athletics. So are you going to choose soccer or are you going to choose basketball? Are you going to choose football?
Peter
Well, you're going to choose no, but that's my point I'm making. You're going to choose what opportunities are being presented to you. We all know that there's a million stories that in every neighborhood there's a basketball court and where a good couple of players have come from there. There are recruiters there. And now with the nil money, believe me, there are people hovering around going, what kids are out here that I can bring to a program? Are they doing that with soccer? The point that he was making is he doesn't see the effort for people to do that.
Don
But what I'm saying is, even if
Ad Voice
you did,
Don
if there was a Bo Jackson, there's a reason why Bo Jackson ended up playing football because there was a quicker payday. So if I want to get out, if I want to be able to buy my mom a house and I could play any sport, and even if you've given me the ability to be the best soccer player possible and I can get a scholarship, is there big money at the end of the day? Or basketball, where maybe if I'm that good, when I graduate high school, I might be able to go to the NBA and make millions.
Peter
I hear you, but that's like further down the path. I mean, you want to get great soccer players. Yeah, you're Talking about at 9, 10 years old, like, you can't get. You couldn't. You couldn't convince a kid who's young who took to it naturally. You can't forget kids just love to play. You could you show the kid the sport and if he's great at it, you know, listen, neither of us are close to it. It was just interesting to hear it from someone who's a well to do guy whose kid plays the sport, saying, I'm not seeing it. Now, if you want to see the sport on the biggest stage in the world don't. FanDuel's changing the game.
Don
There you go.
Peter
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Caller/Listener
Let's go.
Rosenberg
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
Peter
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
Rosenberg
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
Don
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Caller/Listener
Who.
Peter
Who is the lady who's hanging out with you right now?
Don
That was. The lady is Jalen. And she wanted to be on the air and I saw an opportunity, so I took it.
Ad Voice
One of the best reads by a child we've had on this station ever.
Peter
Just the fact, just the fact that we went to a child and she actually talked is. Yes, makes it much better than almost every other child appearance we've ever had.
Ad Voice
Nailed it. No pause. It's one of the best reads we've ever had.
Don
You know what, by the way?
Ad Voice
Better.
Peter
Better reads than you already.
Commercial Announcer
Already.
Ad Voice
Hurtful, but hurtful.
Don
I think he was taking a shot at me because it was a bit of both.
Peter
It was.
Ad Voice
No, no, I know he. I'm saying it's her. I feel hurt for you.
Don
Oh, well, I, I. Listen, I just think he just sprayed bullets and if he hit somebody. Hit somebody.
Ad Voice
Lack of respect.
Don
Maybe he hit us both. Maybe. But I think he was aiming at me either way. But just based off of that, that maybe she's going to follow in my footsteps. It's not going to be Declan or Marco doing sports radio. It'll be Jalen.
Ad Voice
Can she rant
Peter
one step at a time?
Don
Listen, she's only 8. How hard can life be? A good rant is basically coming like 75% of what you're talking about. 25% of just a hard life of things that have gone on. Like how long did it take you to get to work that day? How aggravated you are about your current situation? How can an 8 year old be aggravated with anything?
Peter
Well, listen, it's a hard life, Don, but you learned. Let the boy watch. That's how Don learned.
Don
No, that's an awkward place to be.
Peter
Okay, let's go to the people. Don, Phone lines jammed.
Don
Cool.
Peter
Let's talk to the people. 1-800-919-3776. We're currently just ended up. I don't know if you guys know we are in the true Doldrum. What's the word? Not doldrum. Doldrums.
Don
I think that's what I say, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's correct. Doldrums.
Peter
Yeah, I think we're really. This is as summary as summer gets right here, but we're, you know, we're watching right now. Spain, by the way, just took a 1 nothing lead on Belgium in the 34th minute. Now, pretty easy to see what Spain did to Belgium's defense that had completely shut down the U.S. but Spain has figured out a way. Let's talk to Bruce in Brooklyn getting us started. What's up, Bruce?
Caller/Listener
I'd like to compare soccer scoring strategies to basketball. If you don't count a corner kick
or
a free kick, I noticed a lot of 30 foot kicks with power, but is across to the middle for a header or kick. Yes. And I'm wondering why they don't use basketball plays like for zone defense and just some general terms like a give and go, a pick and roll, cut across the middle, zigzag. And the defense, there's defensive lines in soccer. They get very close, closer to the goal, so it's much harder to make a pass. Just general views on that.
Peter
Well, I mean, I think that there is certainly a lot of give and go. I mean, it's not called a give and go, but you certainly see a lot of that. You certainly see someone gets the ball, goes down, as you said, centers it right in front of the goal. And I mean, the U.S. of course, couldn't do that. And anytime they tried to, it seemed like on Monday. Don, I don't know if you noticed this. Every cross was like in the air. They couldn't keep the ball on the ground. You really can't send a cross blazing past someone at like chest height. It doesn't really do very much. In fact, that's how Spain got their goal, by the way. It was a simple cross that someone knocked in off a rebound.
Don
I'm no soccer expert, as you know, but the reason why you can't really compare it to basketball is because of the offside, right? So every play that you design, you got to be able to keep it in front. So you can't. You can't have somebody that's like, you know, down low where you can pass the basketball down to the baseline, you'll kick it back out to the point and take a shot from the elbow for a three. You can't do that, right? You can't just have a. You can't have a Player just like kind of just hanging around there. You got to be able to stay on side, right? You just, yeah. Hang around in front of the net, you know, like, like that. So that kind of limits the things that you can do compared to basketball. You don't have to worry about that. You just don't. You don't. You know, you just can't go backwards with backcourt violation.
Peter
But otherwise, yeah, you can do whatever you want.
Don
You could do whatever you want all the movie. Even in hockey, with the offside, Peter, once you're on side, you can camp somebody out in front. But, but, but in soccer, correct me if I'm wrong, you can't have somebody ahead even at any point on the field.
Peter
No, the. The defense gets to set the tone of how far you can go.
Don
Right. So that's going to limit your options. And you get it. The Mbappe play, the way they broke it down, like, seeing somebody who really knows like, that shot's just hellacious.
Ad Voice
He's.
Don
There's only. Because he's 30ft out, right. And it doesn't look like much. You see the ball go, it kind of curve.
Caller/Listener
But.
Don
But in real time, man, there's only a few people on the planet can. To kick the ball that hard and that accurately with somebody in his face,
Peter
it's, it's, it's crazy what they do.
Don
And that's why he's one of the best players in the world.
Peter
The best goal. The best goals in this tournament have just been absolutely insane. By the way, the ref just had such a brutal play in this game. Completely stopping play by accidentally getting in the way of a player. Like a true. Come on, man. Kind of moment. Let's go to. Let's go to Jen, who's down in Tampa.
Don
Hi, Jen.
Peter
Jen, what's happening?
Caller/Listener
Hey, guys. How are you?
Good.
Peter
How are you?
Caller/Listener
Good, good.
First of all, big fan of you guys. I've listened for years and years and years and just never gotten a chance to call in. But thank you, guys. You make living in Florida bearable for such a big sports fan and not getting to be up there. So I listen to you guys all day long or the station, I should say.
Thanks, but so real quick. Yeah, of course.
On the. The kids soccer.
Right?
So just to the point that you were making, I forgot what you with the commentator in la, Peter, that you mentioned. But so my girl is eight. She's actually just a month older than Jalen Don. And I always remember being heavily pregnant with her when your kids were born. So that's kind of a fun memory for you.
But anyway, so she's eight.
She's played soccer a couple, like, maybe three seasons. I got roped into coaching. But let me tell you something. They're eight years old. She when she was seven. It's eight weeks, Saturdays only, for like two hours. They practice, then they play. It's not competitive, it's not travel. And it is like $250 for essentially 10 hours. And this is like the lowest level soccer that you can get into. So, of course.
And we're in Florida, in Florida.
And I'm outside, like in between Tampa, Sarasota, St. Pete, like, kind of right in the middle. But, like, you know, there's a pretty strong Latin community. Yeah, soccer is very, you know, popular. And we, you know, keep saying that soccer is the sport that every kid gets introduced to that, you know, probably the most kids in the US Play. But to your point, Peter, you're not getting everybody because who can afford that? Like, I work a really good job, and I'm very fortunate that I'm able to do it. But even I'm like, man, that's a lot of money.
Are you sure you want to do this?
Because you're not that good. Like, maybe we should find something else. This is costing me a fortune. And bless her, like, it's just not. We're not going to go there. We're not. She's not going to go.
Don
No, you're. So I sent Marco to the Real Madrid, and that was nine to three, Monday through Friday for a solid week. Very, very expensive. He's got the best training, him.
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Don.
Peter
We over $1,000.
Don
Oh, easily it's the best coaches. They all know what they're doing. But then that's it, right? And then he goes back to baseball, and then it's nothing really, you know, until the following summer where he does it again. And I can't imagine there's a lot of people that can afford it. Same problem with hockey, right? Kids in the hockey. I got to buy all this equipment, 7, $800. And then you find out six months in, he doesn't really like it, or she doesn't really like it, or not very good. It's a lot. And the other thing I noticed, Jen, and thank you for the phone call, Peter. All these people are calling Arshom listen to other shows. Do you know how many people I heard who don't like soccer, don't know soccer, but yet still would go on the air and say, you know, I coach soccer a few years ago for My son. Like, there are probably so many unqualified people that are. That are. That are coaching soccer. So how can your son or daughter learn if the volunteers and the people that are doing it aren't very knowledgeable about it?
Peter
Speaking of knowledgeable. And that's a great point, Don, because.
Rosenberg
Yeah.
Peter
You're just like, oh, anyone could do it. It's just soccer.
Don
Yeah, I'll help out. It looks like they're having fun. Yeah.
Peter
Just let them run out and throw a couple cones out there. Let them run. It's.
Don
But at some point, you want to teach them the right way, otherwise, they're not going to be any good and they're not going to like it.
Rosenberg
Right.
Peter
And they won't be as excited about it if they're not able to get good because they don't have people teaching it, Teaching them to love the game the right way. There was just a moment. Speaking of not, like, understanding what to show. This drives me nuts. So I'm watching this game. 41st minute, by the way. One nothing. Spain. And there was just a sick. A dude. A dude on Spain. Oh, the equalizer. Anthony, Bad news for your under. No one's offside, I believe. I think we're totally clean. We are one apiece.
Don
What's the under he.
Peter
Two and a half. He's finished.
Don
Oh, you got two goals already. We're not even 40 minutes in.
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I love my chances.
Peter
I'm not going to lie. It's okay. Listen, he was in here at 29 minutes, no goals. He was feeling great. This is the thing about soccer. You look up, we're 40 minutes. It's one apiece. That was. That was a beautiful goal. Now we got some real interest here. Belgium and Spain. Now they show Don this. This play happens for Spain. I don't know who the guy was. He hits a double move. Just the most ridiculous juke. Like, you just. You're. You just make a nasty face watching it. Like, ow. Wow. And then they go to replays. I'm like. I say to Jacob and Anthony, I have a button I can push and talk to him. I'm like, you guys got to see this replay. They show two replays, Don. And the replay is just of the player kicking the shot that misses the goal. Like, it was an incredible move. They show two replays. Neither is of the move. So it's like, even as much as big as this sport is, I feel like even the people in the truck sometimes don't know what to show. Good Lord. Let's go to. Oh, the Griftsters here in Connecticut. What up, Griffin?
Caller/Listener
Hey, guys. First, I think we have what the US did perfectly of a chocolate sauce serve in their pants, because that's, that's exactly what the US did on whatever day Monday, because that's exactly what they did. The first goal even shows you it when they stand around there and they're like, oh, are we supposed to clear the ball? Yes. Yeah, that's what they did. When they're standing there, they're like, should we clear the ball? Yeah, you should clear the ball. It's called soccer, people.
Peter
Now, now, now, Griffin, do you remember when you called in and you said there's no reason they shouldn't win? Do you remember I said to you, I'm a bit older than you. I know they've looked good, but like, you can't get. You can't assume they're going to look how they've looked. I'm sorry that I was so right.
Caller/Listener
Peter. Peter. Yeah? I thought we were going to take three steps forward. Yeah, I did not know we're going to take three step forward and three steps backwards. Right where we were before. I thought we were heading in the direction where we were going to take little baby steps forward. So I thought we were going to be able to win a round. And then I was like, okay, then we're going in the right direction. I didn't think we were just going to take three steps forward and go back to square one where we were before. Right back to the same situation we were in before.
Peter
Now you're Griffin, thank you for the call, buddy. We love you. Totally. And I think it's, it's. It was really frustrating to feel like, wow, we legitimately are doing something different. Oh, the loss was so brutal that it makes you even forget how good they looked in the other games because they looked completely outmatched. That's. That's the thing I find odd. And by the way, you know, I'm watching now Belgium play a top flight team in Spain, and you can see this is a very good team. There's no question about it. But that does not change the fact that from the second that game started, the US Just never even looked like they were there to play.
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Rosenberg
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
Peter
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
Rosenberg
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
Peter
Speaking of the NWO, this week was 30 years since Hulk Hogan dropped the leg and was the third man. One of the greatest moments. I'll call it bump wrestling. It's one of the greatest moments in television. That's just an incredible, incredible moment, Don. If you go back and watch it. If you just go, I did.
Don
I saw it on social media. And you clicked it yesterday. And I clicked it and I watched it. Yeah.
Peter
Do you see the garbage flying into the ring? It's just such an electric. I don't know if we're capable. It almost feels like in some ways, the end of innocence. Because, like now, you could never picture anyone buying into anything enough. Like, the fans would all cheer, you know, and they'd enjoy it. But would they be angry enough because they've, like, bought in enough? I don't. That's. We live in a different time in that way, but we are here. Don, Han and Rosenberg. Han is off for the day, but Don and myself, you know, we started off talking about the Red Sox plane troubles. They are now in the air and all should be good and ready to go with the Mets tonight. And we're talking soccer because It's Spain and Belgium 11 in this quarterfinal matchup. And phone lines have lit up with people wanting to keep talking about the soccer. Let's go to Lou In Palm Bay. What's up, Lou?
Caller/Listener
Hey, what's up, Peter? What's up, legreco?
Don
Not, not much.
Caller/Listener
Just trying to talk about the listed comments about soccer being so hard and his ankle being rolled and how much like, we do that every day. Everyone plays through stuff like that. That's nothing
Don
I didn't have. See, I think people misunderstood why people were upset with Pulisic comments. It was his tone. Oh, you know, I'll just take some time. I'll be right ready for what? The world was watching you in the World Cup. We understood that you were banged up, but it just, it kind of felt like, all right, well, listen, we didn't win, but you know what? I'm gonna be fine and I'm gonna go back to whatever I'm doing and my, like, yeah, thanks for hanging out
Peter
with me for the last few weeks, but I'll be around.
Don
Like the way I heard the report, reporting, and I'm not saying the reporting is wrong, but like, after it was over, it's like, yeah, he's going to be out like a month. A month from what? Like, people are watching the World Cup. People don't care what you're moving on to.
Peter
No, listen, obviously, obviously some do. Obviously there'll be a time to start talking about friendlies and building up to Copa America. Will they qualify for that and Gold cup, this and concacaf. But right now, to Don's point, the whole world isn't thinking about like the next four year cycle, bro. We. You just broke our hearts. We wanted to be playing on Friday, right?
Don
And it didn't feel like his heart was broken.
Peter
And you have to factor in, yes, the injury was legitimate on Monday, but the guy has just been injured constantly. It's not just then. He just doesn't play enough to be the guy who's supposed to be your
Don
best player and what we do. And maybe this is the misunderstanding and this is why we had so much fun talking about, like, why don't they stop the clock? Like, we're used to how sports are handled here and we love the players that fight through their pain. We love the players that afterward. Don't make excuses. Well, you love Derek Jeter. What did Derek Jeter always say? I was out there playing. I don't give an excuse. I'm out there. If I'm out there, I can't talk about the injury. If the injury was that bad, then I shouldn't have been out there. But once I suit up and go out there, I can't use it as an Excuse. And then after we played that nine second cut a bunch of times back on Tuesday, it was. It just felt like, aw, shucks. And we're used to athletes, you know, crying because they missed their opportunity. Right. Like we just came off watch in the Olympics where Team Canada, guys that have won Stanley Cups are in tears receiving their silver medal because they didn't win. They're disgusted with themselves. And this guy was like, yeah, you know.
Caller/Listener
Yeah, it's.
Don
It's frustrating.
Peter
No, you, you. I'd rather have someone who can't talk right. No, honestly, I'd rather it be. Pulisic wouldn't speak. He couldn't even make himself available.
Don
Now, maybe I prefer that. Maybe that's the way it should be, Peter. Maybe. Maybe we take it way too seriously. Maybe he's got it right. But all I know is how we react to sports here in the United States. It's like. It's like death. Losing is like death.
Peter
Yeah, it's.
Don
It's athletes not looking at it that way. Now, again, I'm being completely unfair. I'm basing it off a nine second cut. I'm sure he was gutted by what happened, but we can only go by what we hear. I don't know if we still have the cut, Peter. You could probably find it in the system. It kind of just felt like.
Peter
Yeah, frustrated.
Don
But it's all right, you know, I'll be out for a little while. I'll be back.
Peter
Yeah, well, we'll play in a second. It's not great. Let's see. Let's go to Josh. What's up? Josh,
Caller/Listener
hey, can you hear me?
Peter
Kind of. You're breaking up a bit. You're there, but it's. You're breaking up a bit. What do you got? Let's try. Okay, let's get. We'll give us. We'll give you a second here.
Don
Sure.
Caller/Listener
Yeah.
Peter
Take your time. I'll pick up someone else. In the meantime, let's go to George in Tacoma. You're in Washington, George. You were at the US Belgium game.
Caller/Listener
Yeah, I worked the game. I worked because gymnastics is so incredibly expensive. So, you know, a bunch of parents work at different venues there, but the crowd before the game was way into it. You know, everybody was in a great mood and super happy and dressed up and all those things. But I have to say that walking out with 67,000 people, they didn't seem too upset about the loss. It seemed like, you know, I guess they lost earlier in the game and people were resigned to the fact of it. But you see other teams playing, you see these, you know, fans, and they're like crying in the stands when their team is down and losing. But on the train home, there were two kids that were talking in their 20s, and one kid said, man, I thought he summed it up perfectly. Belgium was in demon mode that entire game. Well, and it seemed like they were right. Like Belgium had something to prove. Well, and something to say. And then the Americans, you know, all these people walking out, everybody was talking about something else. Nobody was talking about the game.
Peter
You know what, George, thank you for the call. That was exactly my point the other day about all the mishigas around everything that happened, whether. Whether it was Trump's involvement or whether they just made the decision, however they got to it, as good as Baligan is, Don, that decision did not work to the U.S. s advantage.
Caller/Listener
It.
Peter
That whole idea that they were in demon mode, like Belgium was just had a battery in their back. Don. I'm sorry. I believe that stuff. They really went into that game with
Don
the chip them off. And that's why I think there is such thing as bulletin board fodder. It fired them up and it put the US kind of on a silver platform and they weren't ready for that.
Peter
And then.
Don
And then they weren't ready for that stage.
Peter
And then when you factor when you add in, not only Belgium was already a better team than the us, they're a more talented, more experienced, better team, and now they think they've been cheated.
Don
Yeah. And now. And now the US goes from a feel good story to the target on their back and the world was like vultures ready to jump on them. And in that. What was the tweet from Team USA or USA Soccer after the loss? We believed. You believed. Well, it sounds like if they. If the people left Seattle, like not upset. I don't know if anybody really believed or.
Peter
You know what though? It might have just been, don, they had two hours to get over it because it in about five minutes, in you went. When they scored 61 seconds after the US's goal to match, you just felt terrible. But guys, the tournament continues on and on the biggest stage in the world. FanDuel is changing the game because sometimes your player gets subbed off and your bet goes with them. Well, not anymore. With FanDuel's super sub. Super sub. Dig this, Don. Your player gets subbed out. Guess what? You stay in.
Don
Love it.
Peter
That's right. The bet continues on even if your player is subbed out of the game. This is a major opportunity because sometimes you lose your player mid game and you think I'm done so. Well, not with FanDuel. Not now.
Don
All right.
Peter
Trust and believe. You do not want to see your your hopes disappear because someone needed a water break. Well, it's not going to happen. The bet continues on with that substitute and you're in it till the final whistle. Visit FanDuel.com local to get started now. Let there be goals this summer on FanDuel21 fizzly present New York for help with the gambling problem, call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny 467-369 thanks for listening to
Rosenberg
the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.
Peter
I don't want to know how the
Rosenberg
sausage is made, but I just want to know it's good. Here go we More of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 880 ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.
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Date: July 10, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Peter Rosenberg (Alan Hahn is out)
Platform: ESPN New York & streaming live on YouTube
This lively episode kicks off with Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg holding down the fort while Alan Hahn is out supporting his family. The duo quickly dives into major news about the Red Sox's flight problems ahead of their game against the Mets and segues into an in-depth, passionate discussion about the World Cup, with a special focus on America’s relationship with soccer, game accessibility, youth development, and the broader cultural context. Throughout the show, they field calls from listeners, debate impactful quotes, and provide real-time reactions to World Cup action.
[00:16 – 01:19]
[01:20 – 07:23]
[08:31 – 10:22]
[11:20 – 18:21]
[21:01 – 36:11]
[29:57 – 39:51]
[39:51 – 49:47]
This episode expertly blends news, real-time sports drama, cultural analysis, and relatable listener calls to explore pressing questions about the state of US soccer, the real impact of logistical snafus on fans, and the wider social context shaping American sports. The conversations are heartfelt, humorous, and at times pointed, making for a fast-moving, engaging hour relevant to sports obsessives and casual fans alike.
For ongoing sports analysis and New York banter, keep tuning in to Don, Hahn, and Rosenberg weekday afternoons.