A (3:06)

It's almost like the basketball gods did, you know, did something last night to put a pause button on something. It incredible. So during the game is when I got the alert and I said to myself, are you kidding me? And then first, of course, like you said, you think the worst and you think Achilles and you, oh my God, like, that's devastating. It's terrible. But now they got the MRI and it's clear. They say, no, it is the cap. He has had these before too. In fact, two years ago, it's what knocked him out of the playoffs. He didn't finish the season. He didn't play in the playoffs that year, or he tried to, whatever it was. But. So that right there puts a pause button now on everything. They wouldn't be able to make any moves until, and I said this yesterday, December 15th is the unofficial start of the NBA trade season because it's when every contract in the league now is tradable. But I just, I never saw a market for anyone else because the word all along has been, this is where he wants to be. He wants to come to New York and play in New York. He wants to play at the Garden. There's something about the legacy of it and all that stuff. So the Knicks are not in a place right now to be able to make a trade that wouldn't, you know, it'd be really hard to do because anything you come up with an ESPN, Kevin Pelton on ESPN.com put together trade ideas like how would it work? And the offer that he has to the Bucks. It doesn't make sense for the Bucks. So you know, you're trading away an MVP candidate, a megastar, you're not getting him for a bunch of swap first round picks that can turn it to seconds and all that other stuff, it's not happening. So you have to get other teams involved, which is very difficult to do. As I said yesterday, with that in mind, the pause button is now hit on this thing because he's injured. Teams are going to now want to see how he comes back from it. Is there, like you said, there's there's been this gateway to the Achilles injury that has to do with calf injuries. We've seen it there. There's a lot of calf strains happening right now in the NBA as well. So I just think this now has made a story that got hot yesterday. It has put a wet blanket on it, and we can now just sit back and, you know, let. Let the season move on without this hovering, at least for the next month. But when he comes back in January, if he's playing fine and he still is starting to grumble about wanting to get out, February 5th is a trade deadline, and that's where the talks begin. I just think, like you said, Don and I said yesterday, his only way of advancing the cause and getting out sooner rather than later is another team emerges as a legit possibility for him. A team that he would say, I'd go there because he's going to control this. And I don't think there's another team. People have thrown out the Spurs. I don't know if that's a real thing. So that's why there's. There's a lot right now. There's a lot of speculation and a lot of fantasy going on. The reality is the Knicks aren't making a trade for him right now, and Giannis, with this injury now, is not going to be traded anytime soon.

C (6:10)

And can I say, I think that from the standpoint of this thing going away for a while, I think it actually affects the Knicks most positively. I mean, the Bucks can't stop thinking about this. This is going to hang over them no matter what. The Knicks have a real chance to do something this year, and you have role players on this team who don't want to think about, am I going to be packaged up and all. You want everybody who's there to be dialed in on what this team is doing right now. So this going away, I think, is a positive thing for the Knicks.

B (6:42)

Oh, without question. And the other thing, too. And it. But it's not going to go away because, let's face it, the NBA's got a regular season problem. There's not a lot of compelling basketball. The Thunder are running away with things in the West. All right, sorry. The Pistons aren't really moving the needle right now. This isn't the old days of the Detroit Pistons, and that's why you have a cup in the NBA, to kind of spice up the regular season, especially around now when we're getting close to the holidays. So NBA people, you know, to try to stay relevant, are going to Continue to bring this up. Plus it's going to be brought up by the camp of Giannis because he needs to create leverage.

A (7:21)

Right?

B (7:22)

And I heard Michael talking about this today in relation to baseball, and Peter heard this a lot when we did the case show together. It's a ridiculous rule in the cba, Major League Baseball, that a general manager can't flat out say, I'm not interested in the free agent because it can drive the price of the free agent down. So they've got to say things like, well, we've got too many outfielders. Like, like Cashman said when Bryce Harper was available. What Cashman was saying is, we don't want Bryce Harper. He's not allowed to say that. So what happens is Bryce Harper's camp will plant seeds that say the Yankees are interested in Harper to drive the price up. Like the same thing can happen from Giannis camp. I'm going to plant seeds that maybe Giannis is thinking of going someplace. Maybe he'd go play for the Heat, you know, get the Knicks nervous that he might go someplace else and drive the price up. The Knicks got to annoy that noise. Just ignore that noise. It's all bs. Just, Just hang back, man. Let everybody play their reindeer games. And then when, when it, when it's going to happen, it's going to happen. Don't all of a sudden buy into rushing a deal because you're afraid of some fugazi team that's going to creep up and steal him away from you.

A (8:31)

Now, one cautionary tale is Donovan Mitchell, because Donovan Mitchell in Utah wanted to be a Knick, wanted to come to New York. Home. That's where it's home for him. This was his dream. And the Knicks were in talks with Utah to make a deal, and they weren't willing to go the distance that Utah wanted them to go. I remember this because I went on with you guys and lost my mind because I thought, how do you pass on a player like this? And he ended up going to Cleveland because Cleveland threw a Hail Mary. Just, you know, it's one of those, you know, the heck with it. I'm calling her, I'm going to see if she'll show. She'll go out with me. If she hangs up on me and says no, at least I shot my shot. And Utah made the deal and Donovan said, fine, I'll go to you. I'll go to Cleveland. And, you know, he's. He's. That's where he is now. So that's the thing. You have to keep in mind. In the back of your mind. I go back, as I told everybody, and you remember, I was. I was a beat writer. I covered when Carmelo Anthony was with Denver. I was, you know, again, right on the front line of that whole thing from start to finish, along with the other guys on the beat. It was at a very competitive run to see who was going to get that story. But I remember it all along, that the Brooklyn Nets got in and it was Mikhail Prokrov. Remember, who's the owner? And they kept pushing and pushing, and Prokrov, when it was over with, said he knew Melo was never coming. All he wanted to do was drive the price up to make the Knicks have to pay a ton more because of his presence and their fear that he might just go to Brooklyn because all he wanted to do was come to New York. And so that was a big part of this, is the Knicks didn't know. Was Brooklyn really serious or not? Did Brooklyn really think they could get him? And then Melo said years later, oh, I was never going to Brooklyn. But he wanted to get the deal done earlier rather than later because there was a lockout coming. And it did come at the end of that season, and he knew contracts would be different and an extension would be less for him and all that stuff. So he needed that deal to happen at the trade deadline rather than the summer because he knew he'd have to wait for the next contract because of the new cba. And so that all the business that was going on, the Knicks were in a place. Donnie Walsh was the. Was the president of basketball operations, and he was in a place of, like, I don't want to do this in the middle of a season to blow up my roster, but I also know this guy could go somewhere else, and that's going to cost me my job. So that's the stuff you have to watch right now is, does Giannis really. His agents, do they try to play that same like you call him, Donnie Reindeer Games and force the Knicks into something. But at least for now, I don't think we're going to have any more chatter until he gets healthy.

B (11:17)

Right, so that's what, two to four weeks now?

A (11:20)

Yeah, well, after. After the holidays, like I said, now it's after that.

B (11:22)

We're already into January, so we were just talking yesterday about him, you know, not wanting to get hurt, him having to play meaningless games. Well, guess what? There might be a month of him not playing at all.

A (11:31)

At all.

B (11:31)

And by the time we get to January, who knows? Maybe they're still hanging around. It'll be a reason to play or, you know, all he has to do is kind of hold his nose for, you know, three and a half months, and the season's going to be over and get it done. But there's a lot of different things here at play here, all right? Donovan Mitchell's not Giannis. Leon Rose isn't in jeopardy of losing his job. There is no lockout or strike looming. There's a lot of things working to the Knicks advantage here. Guys, get your head out of the hole. All the Knicks, nobody wants to play for them. Dolan's evil. Nothing goes our way. We're run by a bunch of hacks. No, you're run. Well, the Knicks have become a destination. Giannis wants to play there. Don't buy into it, man. Don't. Don't listen either. The Carmelo Anthony stuff and all the other things, yeah, they're comparable. Yeah, I guess there's cautionary tales there, but this just feels different. I still believe that they are in charge of this whole thing.

A (12:26)

I think you're absolutely right. I really do. I think you're absolutely right, and they know it. And so this is now where you just stare it down and let the process play out. I've said this. I believe it. I think at some point, he's going to be a Knick, not because it's the Knicks and all that stuff. It's because this is what he's wanted. And so let's see, is he willing to wait until the right time? Because I think the Knicks are. I don't think the Knicks are in any hurry in August. They had an opportunity to do it. They had a conversation with the Cavs. It didn't go anywhere. I mean, the Cavs with the. With the Bucks box, they had a conversation. It didn't really go anywhere, but they kicked around some things, and it was like, all right, you're not really serious. We're not really serious, but I think we're just going to stick to things right now. So I just feel like that's how this is going to go. Unless. And I said, this is the caveat. Unless. Giannis just gets impatient and says, forget it. I'll go play here then, because I just want to get out of Milwaukee, and if the Knicks aren't ready now, I don't have the time to wait. I can make it work somewhere else. That. I said this yesterday. That's the leverage play. What is that team going to be? You're already here in Spurs I don't know why he'd go from one small market to another. I think he wants a big market for business stuff. The same reason why Melo wanted to come to New York. It was a lot about basketball, but was also about something bigger. And how's it working out for Melo now in his retirement? By the way, coming to New York was the best thing that ever happened to him. Even if he didn't win a championship, it was the best thing that ever happened to Carmelo Anthony. So this will play out, but we can put a bow on it. I think for now we can put it back in the box and put it away and probably after the holidays or so it'll come up again once he gets back on the court.

B (14:04)

Now, are you worried before we put a close on it that there could be a possible Achilles in his future?

A (14:10)

Of course. Especially because he's going to be 31 in a couple of days. And this is a thing in the NBA as we know. We've seen it with young players now. It happened to Lillard last year, it happened to Halliburton last year. Several players now have been dealing with this. This is nothing new. Kevin Durant, it cost him a whole year. So those are things that you have to also worry about. He's had two calf issues. Is the second one now a calf strength? But the mri, according to the reports in Milwaukee, they got an MRI immediately after the game and it confirmed there's no Achilles damage. It was a. It's just the calf muscle. But boy, when you watch that highlight, man, he takes an awkward step and it's. It felt, you know, when the Achilles is. Usually looks like somebody hit you, like kicked you in the calf, but there's nobody there. That's what he looked like. He turned around and looked and then he went down. And the look on his face made it feel like he was thinking that first. But they're saying it's not so. But I. Yeah, of course you're concerned.

C (15:11)

It's the worst spot to these things because when you start building towards it, you're like, oh, it's happening. You almost wish, could I just get.

B (15:18)

Out of the way?

C (15:18)

Like, am I going to have this year long injury in my future at some point? Am I going to keep having to nurse this?

A (15:25)

It's like Tommy John. It's the Tommy John of basketball. It seems right.

C (15:29)

It's becoming that way. It's a crazy thing and it's almost like you could bet on it and if you were going to bet on It. I'd say you do it at FanDuel, you know, because every NFL Thursday is your chance to hit the jackpot on FanDuel. Because with FanDuel's Thursday Countdown jackpot, nicely done. You can win a share of $2 million in bonus bets each week. So to get in on this Thursday's action and it's a doozy of a game tonight, we're going to spend a lot of time on that today. All you have to do is place an anytime touchdown, score a bet before the game kicks off and if your player scores the first or last TD of the game, you'll win your bet plus a share of bonus bets. Just visit FanDuel.com Peter to take a shot at the jackpot. That's FanDuel.com Peter for your chance to win a share of $2 million in bonus bets. Player game with FanDuel unofficial sports betting partner the NFL 21 on over fiscally present New York opt in required must apply profit boost token on select market prize pool to be split equally among all eligible participants who made the correct first or last pick. Bonus issues non withdrawable bonus bets which expire 21 days after receipt restrictions apply. See terms@sportsboy.fandel.com for up with a gambling problem, call 8778- Open Wire text open wide 467369 now. Guys, I have noticed there's some chatter.

C (16:37)

On the chat about my background.

A (16:42)

Yes.

C (16:42)

So are you at the Louvre?

A (16:43)

Where are you?

C (16:44)

Anthony, give me a favor. Give me a solo again, can you. Is there a solo wide or. It's only the solo narrow. It's only way to do it is like that.

E (16:50)

This would be the only way right now.

C (16:52)

So I'm gonna try to lift up the camera and show you. Let me see.

A (16:54)

Excuse me.

C (16:54)

Oh, I'm not at Art Basel.

B (16:57)

This is.

C (16:58)

This is a beautiful painting of Biggie.

A (17:02)

It was all a dream and it's.

C (17:04)

I just. But the way that our cameras. The way the angle sort is working here. That's why you're only seeing basically me and his crotch.

B (17:14)

Not.

A (17:14)

I'm a very artistic crotch.

C (17:16)

Thank you. And so is the shot of my forehead right now.

B (17:19)

Is this. Oh my God.

A (17:20)

Oh, yeah. No, that's. That's what you dream about. That's nightmares.

B (17:24)

Now remind me, guys, go ahead. Halliburton had the calf before the Achilles went correct.

A (17:31)

Yes.

C (17:32)

And nursing a calf.

A (17:34)

Yeah, he was.

B (17:34)

So what was the talk when they checked the calf out? That Achilles is inevitable or was it the same kind of thing that we're hearing from Giannis. I'm trying to remember because nobody was surprised when Halliburton's Achilles went.

C (17:50)

But same with. Same with kd.

B (17:52)

But I'm just trying to see were the vibes the same around KD and Halliburton that are around Katie for sure.

C (17:59)

Kd, kd. I remember it distinctly leading into that final that everyone was worried the Achilles could go at any time. And when it did, it was like, there it is.

A (18:09)

He had a member. He had. It was a. It was a sore calf for Halliburton in the finals. Then it became a calf strain. Re aggravated it in game six when he came back. And then game seven, he. He wanted to play and that. Boom.

C (18:28)

I. Is it. I don't want to be melodramatic, do you think? And Alan, you could tell me. I'm seeing this completely backwards.

C (18:37)

What makes. I've always said Giannis is like the most dominating player in the league and it's also. And he's also not my favorite kind of player to watch. It's all explosiveness. It's all blowing by you and jamming it, cutting through the paint. Explosiveness, explosiveness, explosiveness. Is there a world in which at this stage and age, his Achilles recovery and how it could change him might be more damaging than for a jump shooting player like Kevin Durant or Tyrese Halliburton?

A (19:08)

Oh, there's. That's the part you really do worry about is the, the guys who have. They rely so much on athleticism. That's what you worry about because, you know, does it take away from the athleticism now?

C (19:21)

Katie didn't lose that much. Katie's a shooter. He didn't lose a whole ton on.

A (19:25)

Unreal. Yes, Unreal shooter.

C (19:27)

And so Giannis can't shoot. Giannis got a jam on you?

A (19:30)

Yeah, it's a different. He's got to have the ability to, you know, to get down the court with two strides and go like. There's a lot there. Yeah, no, no, there's a lot.

B (19:38)

A lot.

A (19:38)

Remember Tatum? Tatum didn't have a cap strain. Tatum. It just popped against the Knicks. Like that was just a bad step. There was. I don't think there was a warning ahead of time for him. That just thing just popped. So I don't know. It's the NBA now. It's the way they play. There's a lot of stop and go. But I do, I do what you said, though. That is something you have to. Oh, and if you're the Knicks, these are all things now you got to think about, oh, am I getting damaged goods now? Because now I would almost want to say I can get him for cheaper. Right. I can get him for less because you're giving me now somebody that's a little bit damaged, a little more damage or a little concerned about the damage. It's like Tanaka. Remember when Masiro Tanaka had the elbow? Yeah. It wasn't. The UCL wasn't completely popping. They said he could keep pitching with it, but you felt like it was a ticking time bomb. He ended up being able to. To pitch, but you know, he wasn't the exact same after that. So those are all things that are on the table, which is why, like I said, I thought this is the perfect time. We did a lot yesterday. We talk about it here at the top of the show to. Just because there was more news off last night. And I really do think we put this thing now in a box and put it away. I don't think this is a topic. I don't think it should be something people talk about in the NBA until he comes back and proves he's healthy again.

C (20:58)

Well, I got something for you that just Anthony just shot over to us that certainly relates to our teams here from Schefter. The NFL and the NFLPA have agreed to a new model for selecting playing surfaces in stadiums. One that will require teams to choose from an approved set of manufacturers and styles for both natural and synthetic fields.

C (21:22)

Now, besides the first thought I have which is wow, what a racket. How do these. What's the process of these companies being the approved one besides that built in racket?

A (21:31)

Yeah, it's like. It's like a. Getting a government contract.

C (21:34)

It's getting government contract.

A (21:35)

Exactly.

C (21:36)

Besides getting the contract for that. You just wonder how quickly this could affect New York or. And MetLife.

A (21:45)

Or what if the. What if one of the buildings. Well, think about it. This is a great thing to get into. What if one of the companies is the one that they've. I know, used. We already have it because they're an approved. They're an approved turf. But what they're saying though is they will allow synthetic.

C (22:02)

Yes. Synthetic or grass.

A (22:04)

Yeah. Which again, I don't know if football supposed to be played on synthetic. Man, have we not learned. Learned enough over the years?

C (22:11)

Well, it really doesn't feel like it is.

B (22:12)

I wish there was an investigation on why the grass at Met Love or Giant Stadium back in the day was so awful. When you have a stadium, I don't even know what they call it. Anymore. The Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. I know, it's a new one.

E (22:27)

Acrisure.

B (22:28)

Acrisure, whatever. I think that's, you know, you shave your butt cream or something like that. I don't know what it is.

C (22:33)

Sorry.

B (22:34)

Sure. I'm sure there's cream for that.

B (22:38)

They're able to do where have grass and the Panthers play on that. College football. Maybe it's not the exact same amount of games. And they've got bad weather, right? They've got freezing cold temperatures. It rains in Pittsburgh. They don't have a dome. They've been able to figure it out. You know, Arizona is able to have grass in that tray. You can't figure out a way to. I just think that my little conspiracy theory is is that the jets and the giants paid for MetLife Stadium and their reward for paying for it and not taking taxpayers money was a Super Bowl. And it was also we'll leave you alone, let you guys do what you want to do. And now you've got players going down. It's a major problem. The jets and Giants should be getting out in front of this because it could end up being not just the fact that they stink, but they play on a surface where guys are getting, you know, Achilles and ACLs and MCLs all the time. That they should be the front runners to try to change this so they can attract free agents. They've got to do something about the turf. Now I'm not a scientist, I don't know if it's just coincidence or whatever, but you have players talking about that turf as being pure evil. And why did it take so long for the NFL to get involved? Oh, I know why. Because they've got the players association completely under their thumb. But do they want players not wanting to go to New York of all places because the turf is so bad in a Giant stadium and they were painting that green. I would walk on it. It was an absolute embarrassment. But there's got to be some way to be able to have grass at MetLife Stadium.

E (24:05)

Not to wet blanket this at all, but teams that are planning on replacing their services for the 2026 season, the policy will apply. But teams that aren't. You have to be compliant by 2028.

B (24:16)

Well, it's not nothing.

E (24:18)

Doesn't mean that the Giants jets are going to change it tomorrow.

A (24:21)

It could be a lot more ACLs though.

B (24:22)

No, it could be, but. But we could be two years away from here. But why aren't the jets and Giants getting out in front of this? Why are they being why are their arms being twisted to do anything? I mean, come on. You print money, don't you? Right?

A (24:37)

Did I. Did you say that? So maybe I forgot Giant Stadium, the old Meadowlands one that had grass in the beginning.

B (24:45)

Oh, yeah. Not the beginning. No, no. It had turf in the beginning.

A (24:48)

Right.

B (24:49)

Then they decided to go to grass for a few years, and it was an embarrassment.

B (24:56)

So I got. I can't remember the year Anthony could probably look it up, I think was 03. So that's how far back we're going. When they honored the sack exchange and I did the ceremony, so I had to walk to center the. To the 50 yard line to do the ceremony. And they were playing the Broncos, and it was like a minefield. It was. It was disgusting. And. And the. And the grass, it was painted green. Remember when the Giants won the championship game against the Vikings? And I went on the field and I actually collected some of the grass and put it in a sandwich bag and had confetti in it and everything. And then I left it in the drawer. And then when I got married, moved into my house, my mom called and said, I threw your pot away. I said, what are you talking about? I found your bag of grass.

C (25:40)

I love this story.

B (25:41)

I said, because I forgot it was there because I thought, I'll grab the turf from the Giants championship win over the Vikings. And I'm like, mom, I know you're not that hip to the drug culture, but who smokes pot with confetti?

C (25:58)

What kind of drug is that?

B (26:00)

So, yeah, so we're talking early 2000s. I don't remember how many years. It was probably about four or five years that they played on a grass surface, and it was an embarrassment.

A (26:08)

Wow, you brought back that. No, it just slipped my mind.

B (26:13)

Well, Peter, you kind of go through it. You went through it, too, for a time, but with the painted green surface.

C (26:18)

Oh, oh, yeah, absolutely.

B (26:19)

Over at the FedEx field, or whatever they call it now.

C (26:22)

I don't know how much better it is. I mean, you guys know the history of people who have. I mean, Jesus. Alex Smith nearly died on the field at FedEx Field. I mean, there have been a lot of bad injuries.

A (26:33)

So it was one of one. It was three years. I'm sorry, Pete. It was three years. And it was the. Don, you're talking about the grass trays that they used? Yeah, yeah.

B (26:42)

Okay, so it was 2000 to 2003, correct?

A (26:46)

Yeah, that's exactly when it was. And they went back to the field turf, and it just never. It's they've never been able to figure it out.

F (26:53)

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C (27:25)

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B (27:44)

Yeah.

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G (27:57)

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D (28:26)

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

C (28:30)

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

D (28:31)

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

B (28:39)

Game Time is brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, fellas, it's Tully Time.

C (28:49)

It's Tully Time.

B (28:51)

The Rangers are in Ottawa to take on the Senators coverage right here on ESPN. New York will get underway at 6:30. Right after us. The Islanders will take on the best team in the NHL, the Colorado Avalanche. And when these two teams hooked up in Denver about a month ago, the Islanders almost beat them. That game's going to be at seven and the Nets don't look now. They won two in a row. They blew out the Bulls last night in Chicago. Well, they're going to be taking on the Jazz in Brooklyn at 7:30. Tullamore Dew the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullamore Dew honey. During today's action. Glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. So the Nets have not been embarrassing. I remember the conversation on the morning show. What had a better chance of happening? The. So what was. What's the.73 is the record for wins in the NBA. The warriors beat the Bulls out a couple of years ago. So the question was, what's the better chance? The Thunder winning 74 games.

B (29:52)

Or the Nets winning 11 or under? And I think they've blown that out of the water now with this little winning streak.

A (29:59)

They're well coached. It's not a good roster. No, they are very well coached.

B (30:04)

You're not going to sit there and say that they're, you know, going to be a playing team. I'm just saying that.

A (30:08)

Yeah, but you know, Chicago had been playing well this season. They got a ton of injuries now, but, you know, like it's. It's Jordy Fernandez and company. They needed to get a couple of wins like that. That's. But that front office, there's a lot of. They got to reconsider a lot of things in Brooklyn right now. Not a good roster.

B (30:29)

But, you know, if you're a net fan, you got excited. I blew them out. I mean, they were. Yeah, they win by 10. I think they were up by like 16 at one point in the second half. Yeah, nothing wrong with that. So anybody. Anybody dabbling tonight? Lions, The Dallas Cowboys.

A (30:43)

Thinking about it, but I got burned. I got burned by the Lions on Thanksgiving. You know, I'm a little hesitant. I got hesitate. How do they lose another game at home though, right, Peter, what are you thinking?

C (30:56)

So here's what I'm thinking. I'll just be honest and transparent. We'll keep it a buck with everyone.

B (31:00)

That's what we like to do here.

A (31:01)

Yeah.

C (31:02)

The second you hear the game and you see the line, you go, ooh, Dallas is hot. Dallas is hot. I tend to think. And that's how I felt. I tend to think the Suckers pick is Dallas and in this case the smarter play is Detroit writes the ship and beats them at home.

B (31:23)

That.

C (31:23)

That to me is the smarter football.

A (31:25)

That's. That's what it feels like. But, but the hook.

C (31:29)

But damn it. But I mean, can you. Can you see a world in which Dallas just keeps rolling and scoring? Yeah, I can.

B (31:35)

Sure I can.

C (31:36)

But you certainly like Dallas more at home. Than on the road.

C (31:40)

So I'm thinking about it, but either.

B (31:42)

Way, I had to pick it. Go ahead. I would pick Detroit, but because of my stupid self imposed post, it's got to be a three point play because it's a Thursday. Little Three Little games I play Little Tonka truck that I have on my reindeer games. Sure. Well, I purposely didn't say that because I used it in the last segment. Peter, you've kept me on track.

A (32:01)

You are my.

B (32:03)

My moral compass when it comes to being repetitive.

A (32:07)

But that's a bingo card phrase for us on the show, right? Reindeer games.

C (32:11)

Oh, yeah. It's big, right? I don't think. Well, and remember Allen already referenced today him being a beat reporter. So you've already had a couple of drinks early on in the show. He had a beat writer line earlier.

A (32:23)

I didn't know that was a thing.

B (32:24)

Yeah, I didn't know that was one either.

C (32:25)

What? In the. In the. In the DHR drinking game, Referencing my.

A (32:30)

Resume, letting people know who I am?

C (32:32)

Not resume. No, no, no, no. Not resume only.

C (32:37)

Either I was a beat writer or I was an NHL beat writer. If either of those. Anthony Jacob, you guys both agree, right?

B (32:44)

That's it.

A (32:46)

That's absolutely it. All right.

C (32:47)

But yeah, it comes up quite a bit. I'd say four to five times a week.

B (32:50)

But here's the thing, is that that's not because of ego. That's because of lack of ego. Like he thinks of his life. Don't know his history. Yeah.

C (33:02)

Respectfully, Dodd, it can't be about ego. I know that. I know that everyone puts the NHL beat writers on quite a pedestal, but I don't think it's as big a flex.

B (33:11)

You know, he doesn't mean it's a flex.

C (33:13)

It's his life.

B (33:14)

No, but I know he's not showing off.

C (33:18)

I was covered the Islanders in print.

B (33:20)

You know, ladies, the whole beat reporter thing. Not the NHL one.

C (33:24)

No.

B (33:24)

Because honestly, I think it's necessary for him to say that he covered the NHL because It was great 20 years ago. And the audience doesn't know.

A (33:33)

Right?

B (33:33)

Totally. But I think.

A (33:34)

Who's this moron talking hockey? What does he know about hockey?

B (33:39)

I think that's necessary. But with the beat reporter stuff, I think that he really believes that people don't know that he covered the Knicks. And I think people are well aware that he covers the Knicks. He doesn't have to do that anymore. So I'm not talking about the NHL side, but I think that's actually necessary because people don't know, it was literally 20 years ago, but the Knicks stuff. The Knicks stuff, he's.

B (34:02)

People are aware.

A (34:03)

Thanks, Don.

C (34:05)

I think so now all I'm waiting for now is blood in the sand.

B (34:08)

Later on in the show.

C (34:11)

Same.

A (34:11)

See, look, Jake's feeling it today, right? Jumping off.

B (34:14)

Because if he was feeling it, he would have the quote accurate. Blood in the ground. Sand.

A (34:20)

What's sand?

B (34:21)

Blood in the sand. What is this?

A (34:22)

What are we playing? Beach volleyball?

B (34:24)

No one.

C (34:25)

So no one so far, by the way, has. Has made the board yet. Like, you know, we know. We know that there's blood in the ground. We know it's. Well, so with the commanders, we know that there's, you know, Don has a few. You know, you got circum. Of course. I don't know how often that's happening.

B (34:47)

I'm getting better, thanks to you.

C (34:51)

What about. Maybe we should include Don? Just repeating a story that we all know and love because the one earlier, he dropped a gem. The. The Don. The. The Giant Stadium field being confused as weed.

A (35:02)

I love that.

C (35:03)

That's a classic.

B (35:04)

But Alan didn't know it.

A (35:06)

I don't remember it.

C (35:07)

Well, there are new listeners every day. That's why I do it.

A (35:09)

A new listener. You know what, though? I need. I need Graphics Joker, though, to make a character named sir come.

B (35:16)

Cool, man.

B (35:19)

I kind of. Do you really want to find is the Michelin Man? I don't.

C (35:24)

Who pops into my mind is Peter North.

A (35:27)

Well, I just think it's someone that has to have a hat that, like, rolls up.

C (35:32)

You mean a jimmy hat, right?

B (35:33)

Yeah, of course. There has to be some sort of.

A (35:35)

Protection Graphics Joker, get on that. We need to see.

B (35:38)

Yeah. And get on this board, man. But listen, you don't think after like, what was it, 22 years with Michael, I didn't hear the same story like 12, 13 times now?

C (35:49)

You know what you're doing?

B (35:49)

You're calling attention to and.

C (35:51)

No, you're being. You're right now being Alan Hahn. You're defending something that doesn't need defending. This is just what the game is. It's not about right or wrong or bad. It's about the charm of the show. There's no negative connotation to anyone checking the box. If anything, I'm probably the most looked down on by people for mine. Like the Commander's one. People think it makes me a terrible human being and broadcaster. As if Chris Mad Dog Russo didn't mention the Giants for 25 years on the radio.

C (36:20)

But I don't think any of these Things are insulting things. I think they're the things that make us who we are. And it's the. It is. You want the blood in the ground. It's these things. These are the things that make it the show. And by the time we get to next Friday, we should be playing this game as a drinking game live in front of the people. So I hope someone makes the board.

B (36:41)

So we weren't making up tonight being a playoff game because Alan, you had them in front of you. What is it? 44%.

A (36:49)

Yes.

B (36:50)

Chance to make the playoffs for Detroit, the Lions.

A (36:53)

The lions are at 44% for a.

B (36:56)

Perennial playoff team that fancies itself as a championship caliber team. Being under 50% to make the playoffs on. On December 4th is not good.

A (37:05)

No, no. They've taken that proverbial step back. Right.

B (37:10)

Without question. And the Cowboys right now are at 18%.

A (37:14)

Right.

B (37:15)

And what are the odds for the loser tonight of tonight's game?

A (37:20)

So again, this is ESPN analytics. With a loss, the Lions chance to reach the playoffs goes from 44% down to 23%.

B (37:32)

Under 25% if they lose so effectively.

A (37:36)

Again the division.

B (37:39)

You'Re miracle territory. Like it could happen, but it's like a giant lead in the fourth quarter. Like it's, you know, where they have a 98% chance of winning the game and don't. Like if you, if you're sitting at 23% to make the playoffs, you're going to need, you're going to need some breaks.

A (37:54)

Well if you're Dallas, it gets desperate because Dallas with a loss goes from 18% down to 8%. So that's on. That's life support.

B (38:05)

So that's what we're saying. Not literally, but certainly close to it that the loser of this game is pretty much done.

C (38:14)

No, it's going to feel the vibe of. It is going to feel fully playoff game. The Cowboys would go to 7, 5 and 1 which by the way with the Eagles sitting at 8 and 4 puts the Cowboys in position to fight for wild card and division.

B (38:30)

Right. Because they. So they still play them again. Correct.

C (38:32)

And they still play again. So that's a. It's massive. This is a massive. And if you're Detroit don't. You're dealing with the packers at 8 and 3 plus the Bears being 9 and 3. It's no, this is going to feel. This is the best Thursday nighter in some time. Like this is as excited as I've been every time I've remembered. Like I'm not Dave Rothenberg. I don't I don't. As much as I love football, I'm not 12 anymore. I don't strip down just when I know football's on the tv. A lot is happening in life, okay? This is a game that when. Every time I remember, I'm like, oh, my God, it's Thanksgiving for the second Thursday in a row, except we get Detroit and Dallas in the same game. Has this ever happened, by the way? Has there ever been a one week after Thanksgiving, they play each other on a Thursday? On a Thursday. It's pretty cool.

A (39:21)

Yeah. Well, the.

C (39:23)

Cal Michaels might be awake for this one.

A (39:25)

What do you. What are you feeling, though, Peter? The more we're talking about it and I'm. The more I'm thinking I might. I might partake.

B (39:36)

Three, right?

A (39:37)

It's got to be a three. No, no, no.

C (39:39)

I don't. I don't.

A (39:40)

I thought that was the rule.

B (39:41)

No. I'll make fun of you, but I'm the only one that absolutely has to make it a three. You made it his own. I will just make fun of you for being gutless, but if you can fight through that, by all means, make it a one or a two.

A (39:56)

Okay, then.

B (39:58)

So you want.

A (39:58)

You know, I'm not ready yet. I'm not ready yet. I have more.

B (40:01)

I'm so. I'm itching now. We don't have to make this interesting because this game is interesting.

A (40:07)

Yeah.

B (40:07)

But sometimes when it's really interesting, you don't mind, you know, putting a cherry on top of it, having even more fun with it.

A (40:14)

And there's so much. It's like, it's calling to you. I'm like, the siren song right now is drawing me into shore. So I'm.

C (40:24)

The thing is, Detroit. Detroit, I really do think is a smart play, but the momentum, as a fan, when you've been watching tv feels so. Dallas. You know, this is.

B (40:33)

This is a terrific. This is a terrific game. And we really haven't had a compelling game probably since Black Friday. Because that was compelling. Bears, Eagles. Because.

C (40:45)

Oh, you mean compelling in terms of repercussions.

B (40:47)

Yeah, because let's. The Bronco Commander game was compelling, but the commanders are out of it. You know, the Ravens, Bengals was compelling, but Cincinnati's pretty much out of it.

A (40:56)

Two teams that have something at stake. Yeah.

B (40:59)

Have one of the best teams in football against one of the worst teams in football. So, you know, it's been since last Friday. So to get a Thursday, which usually we make. That's why we make fun of Thursday. Thursday is usually you know, we're hyping.

C (41:11)

Up, you know, this. You know, I will tell you one thing.

B (41:13)

Hold on.

C (41:13)

Watch. Oh, smells like Sunday at 4.

B (41:16)

25. That's what this smells like. That's right. Or. Or this has been flexed to the Sunday night game.

E (41:22)

Did the Lions not having St. Brown possibly do anything for you guys?

C (41:26)

It doesn't make Joe great.

A (41:28)

Is he officially out?

E (41:29)

Schefter says that the report is that it's more realistic that he'd be back next week, but if anybody could come back before that, it's him. So you don't have the guarantee if you make this pick that you're going to have St. Brown, unless before the show is over, we find out.

B (41:43)

You know what? That's. That's a good producer and that's a good friend.

C (41:46)

It's a good reminder.

E (41:47)

I could let you all wallow in it and just take.

B (41:49)

All.

A (41:49)

Take the land. Yeah, well, like you could have waited to the end when we were making.

C (41:52)

You know, it's interesting.

A (41:53)

Let this thing fester.

B (41:55)

Hold on.

C (41:55)

But Detroit is a three point favorite.

B (41:57)

Without an app.

E (41:58)

It's basically a pick them.

C (42:01)

That's, that's. But at home, right?

E (42:05)

It's three and a half.

B (42:06)

Yeah.

B (42:08)

Don't forget the hook, Peter.

E (42:09)

So on a neutral field, they're a half point favorite.

C (42:11)

I mean.

A (42:13)

Yeah, yeah.

B (42:14)

So.

A (42:14)

So Saint Brown is still listed as questionable.

D (42:18)

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

C (42:21)

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

D (42:23)

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

A (42:31)

All right, we'll get back to your calls at 800 now, 193776. Or actually get to your calls. I don't think we've taken any yet, but we've got also the Yankee topic to get to as well. But we got some business to get to right now. And that, of course, is your business. Because every aspect of your business, from the most mundane to the most complex, will operate orders of magnitude better and faster. When you add artificial intelligence, AI is literally a race to the top. The companies that engage AI first will win. Will that be you or will it be your competitors? Thrive managed AI is your advantage over all your competitors. It's founded by tech powerhouse. So Thrive partners with you on a smart and secure AI strategy for your business. Then they deploy it and manage it for you. Imagine AI solutions working across every part of your business. Automating support, powering chatbots, analyzing competitors, even managing billing collections and orders. And that's just a taste of what Thrive Managed AI can help you achieve. It makes your talented team even better by letting them focus on what they do best. The race to the top will be won by those who engage through engage managed AI first. That needs to be you. Go to thrive next gen.com ESPN and get started with a complimentary strategy consultation. That's thrivenextgen.com ESPN thrive next gen.com ESPN.

B (43:43)

Boys, just wanted to correct one thing. Eagles Cowboys are done. So.

B (43:50)

There'S no way for them to be able to gain any direct ground from they played them week one and lost at Philly and then won the game when they came back from 21, nothing down. They're in great shape if they win tonight because they're home against Minnesota, home against the Chargers. They've been terrific at home and their last two games on the road, even though we're only two and four on the road, are at Washington and at the Giants. So Dallas will be in great shape if they win. The question is losing four of their six on the road, can they win this game in Detroit? Because they seem to be a different team away from Dallas and that's why.

A (44:27)

Don.

A (44:29)

For my two point play.

B (44:31)

Ah, gutless.

A (44:32)

Here we go. I am taking the detois, Leon, and laying the points.

B (44:38)

One, two, three point play. I like it now.

C (44:42)

You know, crazy.

A (44:43)

I'm half in though. I'm half in. Like I said, I could have gone three, but I, I'm half in because I can't trust the Lions that much without I'm on Ross St. Brown.

C (44:51)

Don, can you imagine a world in which after all that conversation, I then just showed up and dropped a two pointer on Dallas the other way?

A (44:58)

Do it, do it.

B (45:00)

Well, listen, you got ground to make up.

C (45:02)

That would be it. No, that would be it. But if I, if I go Dallas tonight and Dallas covers, then Allen and I are deadlocked going on the weekend.

A (45:14)

Come on, come on, come on.

B (45:19)

Hmm.

C (45:19)

And that's why I'm going with the Dallas Cowboys. Oh my two point play getting three and a half now. I admit it. I admit it. I'm playing with the hook a bit, Don. I'm playing with the hook. If the hooks not there, I may not feel good. I do like Detroit to squeak this game out. But Don, you're telling me I can't picture Detroit winning with a field goal. 31, 28, 30. It's 30, 27, 24, 21. I like Dallas to cover the three and a half. Let's go. Let's just battle. Why not? My Heart said Dallas. I'm going Dallas.

A (45:56)

We both suck. We might as well have fun while we suck.

C (45:59)

Let's make it interesting. Could imagine my third, our third back to back on Thursdays in the last week. I mean our third heads up for the whole thing. The kitten caboodle.

C (46:11)

Well and then, and then the rest of the season. We got five weeks plus the playoffs of you know, Don basically cruising while me and Alan battle.

A (46:19)

Oh yeah. I love it.

B (46:20)

Well, I could play four corners and say Lions. My three point play.

C (46:24)

Sure you could take.

C (46:28)

Don. I'll be honest. Nobody cares what you do. You're, you're, you're too far ahead of both of them.

A (46:31)

You know what we just did? Here, here's what we did.

B (46:33)

Hey, lacreca, open your mouth.

A (46:35)

What we just did. I forced Peter for the Cowboys.

B (46:41)

Oh yeah. Again?

C (46:43)

Second week in a row. Did it last week against Kansas City. Remember?

C (46:49)

I can enjoy rooting for anyone except that putrid Philadelphia Green.

B (46:54)

It is something.

C (46:55)

Philly. It's gotten bad, man. I mean listen, the Eagles win the super bowl this year and they have all. They're all of a sudden tied with Washington for all time Super Bowls. It's that fast.

B (47:09)

So I hate everything about the team that forever didn't have any.

A (47:12)

Couldn't do anything right.

B (47:13)

Would then tie you. Yeah. And just be one behind you Giants.

C (47:18)

Yeah.

B (47:20)

Yeah. It is weird because, you know, I think we were both called frauds because we were kind of not disappointed that the Cowboys beat the Chiefs on Thanksgiving.

B (47:30)

But this Eagle hatred is almost if not equal to how much I ever hated the Dallas Cowboys.

C (47:37)

Oh yeah.

B (47:38)

Because. And this is going to sound like I'm being negative and if it is, who cares? But the Cowboys have not been an issue. I won a Super bowl in 30 years, but the Eagles, now that's an issue. There's an issue developing here that has to be. That has to be dealt with. You know, so that's really. Because all hatred is stemmed in jealousy. Right. It's rooted in the jealousy of they're winning all the time. They get all the attention. They're America's team. Right. Well, that's kind of not been an issue. They're still America's team because they're really popular and their fans are irritating. But really they haven't been a problem.

B (48:19)

Right. Because they just haven't really been anything. Many any real runs. But Kansas City's been a problem. New England's been a problem. But now the Eagles, that's a problem. That's in our division, Peter. We can't have this. This can't stand. It's.

C (48:31)

It can't.

B (48:34)

And then the other problem is the proximity, because Philadelphia is right there. I live in Central Jersey, so there are Eagle fans. There's probably as many Eagle fans I deal with as Cowboy fans when I was growing up. Don.

C (48:45)

Don, when, you know, growing up in the D.C. area and then going to the D.C. beaches, you know, the D.C. beaches are the Philly beaches, right? It's Bethany, it's Rehoboth, it's Ocean City Split. You're driving. You're driving around there. You see in three teams. Redskins, Ravens, Eagles. They share the area. Then you come up here, Eagles, huge. I have more friends who are Eagles fans than probably any other team in sports.

B (49:12)

If you go anywhere in the Jersey shore, so basically I would say seaside down, you'll look and it's, it's, it's Eagles, it's Giants. It's not as much jets because you still have the Long island thing, but still, it's the Eagles all over the Phillies, Flyers. It's, it's, it's crazy.

D (49:31)

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

C (49:34)

I don't want to know how the.

A (49:35)

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

D (49:37)

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.