Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 1: HBD Don & End ASGs?

Date: February 13, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca (often referred to as Don/Don Hahn), Peter Rosenberg
Absent: Alan Hahn
Theme: Don’s 58th birthday, the decline of All-Star Games in major sports, and spirited listener calls about the state of basketball and fandom.

Main Episode Overview

This lively episode celebrates Don’s birthday and launches into a passionate discussion about the waning significance of All-Star Games (ASGs) in the NBA, NHL, and NFL. The hosts offer spirited (and at times nostalgic) takes on what these exhibitions used to mean, why they've lost their luster, and whether they should be scrapped altogether. Listener calls spark sharp debates about changes in the NBA, the concept of load management, and what it means to be a critical-yet-loving sports fan.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Don’s Birthday & Show Opener (01:00–04:10)

• Alan Hahn is out, so Don and Peter hold down the fort.
• Don reflects on feeling “in the middle” at 58 (“I’m not 60. I’m not 50. 58’s just… you know, 58.” – Don, 02:43).
• He appreciates the well-wishes and shares birthday plans focused on family, not fanfare.

Memorable Moment:
Peter prompts for classic talk radio sound effects to celebrate and jokes about the understated recognition, underscoring their humor and camaraderie.

2. All-Star Games Are Broken (06:18–14:01)

• Don launches into a tirade about the decline and irrelevance of All-Star Games in football, basketball, and hockey.
  • The Pro Bowl is described as “an absolute embarrassment” after a poorly-received two-hand-touch event with lackluster stars (“People are out. The NFL’s tapped out.” – Don, 07:36).
  • NBA and NHL ASGs are now more about mocking than celebrating the sport.
  • Baseball’s ASG is the only one still resembling real competition (largely due to its mid-summer scheduling and Home Run Derby’s appeal).

Notable Quote:
“Do you really want to have something, Peter, where most people are mocking it? Mocking your sport, talking about load management, talking about other players? ... Pull the plug already. Man up, Silver. Man up, Bettman. It's time.”
— Don, 10:11

Peter’s View:
Peter reminisces about the NBA All-Star Weekend’s former vibrance, bemoaning that “nobody big cares about participating” anymore (12:35), and calls for “a come to Jesus moment.”

3. Why Do ASGs No Longer Matter? (14:01–18:23)

• The hosts cite lost “viral” or “must-see” moments, lack of genuine star participation, and changing fan/media habits.
• Nostalgic references: Magic Johnson’s comeback, the “hardest shot” contests in the NHL, and the once-iconic dunk contest.
• Peter insists: “It is not about that you can't come up with any more dunks. It is about the fact that nobody big cares about participating.” (12:53)
• Don suggests ASG weekends are now primarily for schmoozing sponsors—“Find something else. ... Just say goodnight, Gracie. Let's kill it.” (15:26)

4. Listener Calls: Critiquing the Critique (27:30–34:13)

• A caller questions why ESPN personalities (like Peter) are so openly critical of their own events, comparing it to the WWE’s more controlled narrative.
  • Peter defends honest coverage: “We’re just being critical of this product that, you know, a lot of fans have had a lot of questions about.” (28:41)
  • Don doubles down: “If I didn’t care about the sport, I’d ignore it. … we want it to be better, because we do love it.” (33:05)
• The load management debate heats up:
  • One caller suggests the criticism of players sitting out is unfair, arguing that changes in contracts and careers explain it.
  • Don and Peter counter that the frequency of star “rest nights” compared to other sports undermines the regular season, especially for those who pay for tickets and tune in.

5. Possible Fixes for All-Star Weekend (34:13–45:21)

• A listener pitches a new format: four five-player teams, pickup-style games to 21, with serious prize money. (34:13)
  • Don points toward the NHL’s divisional 3-on-3 tourney as a model that revived some energy.
  • Both hosts agree: If money/pride is what it takes to get effort and star power, so be it.
• Another listener notes the inherent contradiction: fans hate boring ASGs but complain when stars go too hard and risk injury. It might be a no-win situation for leagues.
  • Don: “But there has to be a happy medium… I don’t think anybody expects these guys to go as far as… what Pete Rose did in that All-Star game in 1974. But at the same time, you don’t want it to be a complete mail-in either.” (43:00)
• Incentives, tweaks in formats, and even letting “regular joes” compete in events like the dunk contest are discussed.

6. Knicks & NBA Fandom in New York (21:41–22:28)

• Peter notes that New York fans care little for the ASG when the Knicks are competitive (“This is a town that is fully in on this Knicks team… One of their main characteristics, one of the charms of this team is how hard they play.”)
• Don adds: “That’s what I love about Knick fans… they love their team more [than the league].” (21:41)

Notable Quotes & Fun Exchanges

• On sports fandom and criticism:
  “If I’m critical of it, then that must mean I don’t love it. No, it means I love it… because I want to fix it. I want it to be better.” — Don, 33:05

• On the modern dunk contest:
  “If I put a gun to your head and I said, tell me someone in the dunk contest… you would die in front of our very eyes on your birthday, no less, no shot.” — Peter, 16:14

• On positive moments left:
  “The three-point contest has real players in it. There are real stars who are actually willing to shoot and take some sort of a risk to their reputation by losing.” — Peter, 15:40

• On aging:
  Manny (to Don): “You’re two years away from turning the big 60. How does it feel?”
  Don: “I’m two away from 60. I think 60 is going to really be painful, Peter… 50 didn’t bother me.” (48:53)

Timestamps for Critical Segments

• Start of Main Content (skip ads): 01:00
• Don’s Birthday Reflections: 02:40
• ASG Disillusionment Launches: 06:18
• Host Critique of ASG Formats: 10:00–14:01
• Listener Call: Being Critical on ESPN: 27:50
• Load Management Debate: 30:13, 44:59
• Caller Proposes ASG Tournament Fixes: 34:13
• Knicks and NYC Fandom: 21:41, 41:35
• Segment on Love Songs/Top Lists (lighter segment): 24:20–27:28

Tone & Language

True to form, the episode is fast-paced, sarcastic, and heavy on New York attitude. Both hosts mix sports-pundit gripes with dry humor and self-deprecation, inviting a robust conversation with listeners and never shying from blunt assessments. They’re passionate about the games—but maybe even more passionate about the state of being a fed-up, loyal fan.

Summary

Don’s birthday provides a backdrop for a wide-ranging, often biting look at the pitfalls of today’s All-Star sports culture. Hosts bemoan lackluster effort and missing star power, theorize solutions, and spar with callers over whether criticism equals disloyalty. At heart, the show is a love letter—from tough-love New Yorkers—to what sports could and should still be.

If you missed this hour:
Expect hot takes on why All-Star Games need fixing (or eliminating), plenty of nostalgia for better days, and engaging audience input both defending and critiquing today’s NBA and wider sports world. It’s a sharp, honest, and entertaining hour as Don, Rosenberg, and their audience wrestle with loving sports enough to want them to be better.