Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 1: Live from The Irish Exit
ESPN New York | March 13, 2026
Overview
This lively broadcast kicks off ESPN New York’s special Big East Tournament weekend, live from The Irish Exit at Moynihan Train Hall. Hosts Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg, and Don La Greca dive into the enduring magic, culture, and legacy of the Big East—highlighting the excitement as four original teams remain alive at Madison Square Garden. The hour features in-depth interviews with Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman and St. John’s legend Walter Berry, weaving nostalgia, contemporary challenges, and wildly entertaining stories—including a firsthand account of Mike Tyson's infamous street fight with Mitch “Blood” Green.
Main Topics & Structure
- Celebrating the Big East’s Legacy at Madison Square Garden
- Interview: Val Ackerman, Big East Commissioner
- Interview: Walter Berry, St. John’s Basketball Legend
- Nostalgia & Storytelling: New York Hoops and Iconic Moments
- Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
1. Celebrating the Big East’s Legacy at Madison Square Garden
Timestamps: 00:52–02:46
- Hosts welcome listeners to a packed Moynihan Hall as fans gear up for a massive college basketball weekend. The energy is palpable with classic Big East matchups returning to MSG.
- “This is one of the best conference championships—the history, the Garden, the confluence of fanbases… there’s no better atmosphere.” —Alan Hahn (01:41)
- Nostalgia permeates as they note the presence of four original Big East schools in the semifinals, reinforcing the conference’s unique place in New York sports culture.
2. Interview: Val Ackerman (Big East Commissioner)
Timestamps: 02:21–21:30
The Garden Partnership & Big East Identity
- Ackerman reflects on the “unbroken, now 44-year marriage” between MSG and the Big East, noting the recently signed extension through 2032—potentially 50 consecutive years at the iconic venue.
- Pride in the league’s basketball-first philosophy, rooted in the original 1979 vision, endures despite the college sports landscape’s shift toward football:
- “I think there were questions about whether a basketball-focused league could make it in a football-driven world. ... The fact that we can focus on basketball and be our true selves—that’s our priority.” (04:36)
- Ackerman contrasts the Northeast’s pro hoops culture with the Midwest/South’s collegiate football dominance.
Navigating Financial & Structural Challenges
- Big East relies on its urban-market appeal and passionate fanbases to draw TV and sponsor interest, even without the football revenues of other conferences:
- “Our athletics directors are out raising money to fulfill their competitive goals… but the Big East is really well positioned to try to manage some of these challenges going forward.” (05:49)
WNBA Origins & Evolution
- Ackerman, the WNBA’s first president, shares how a marathon mindset, NBA backing, and strategic summer scheduling breathed life into women’s pro basketball:
- “There’s a graveyard… of failed women’s pro basketball leagues. ... The fact that we had the NBA behind it… was an important strategic pillar.” (08:57)
- She credits increased investment and the meteoric rise in college women’s hoops (e.g., Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese) for fueling the sport’s mainstream breakthrough:
- “Sponsors follow fans. If they think those fans line up with their customer base… that’s the linkage.” (13:41)
- On the delayed age of WNBA entry (minimum age 22): It allows star college athletes to build a following before entering the pros, helping the league’s visibility. (14:16)
St. John’s & UConn Resurgence
- On St. John's revival under Rick Pitino: “They're filling the building… they're all in red… That's what I think they do to this city—they just kind of give it a sense of pride.” (16:25)
- UConn’s return to the Big East is heralded as a win-win, reigniting classic rivalries and elevating the men’s program: “Their women’s basketball program is second to none… it has done a world of good in terms of re-energizing their men’s basketball program.” (19:42)
- Ackerman also discusses college sports traditions, the Big East’s ability to weather realignment storms, and draws parallels to the Pac-12’s current struggles.
3. Interview: Walter Berry (St. John’s Legend)
Timestamps: 24:07–41:47
Nostalgia: Big East Glory Days
- “It feels like yesterday, to be honest with you, because you get that feeling when you walk in the Garden.” (25:53)
- Remembers epic St. John’s vs. Georgetown showdowns, and the sense that playing at MSG in the 1980s felt almost like being in the NBA.
- “Every NBA team, every college team back in those days had 3 to 5 guys that made it to the NBA.” (27:02)
On Villanova's Shocking ‘85 Title
- “Of course, the old era… Three Big East teams in the Final Four… If you told me not gonna win it, you’d have picked Villanova, but they had a great team—and there’s a little bit of God involved in this also.” (28:45)
Fame in New York & Player of the Year Story
- Recounts being stunned hearing he won Big East Player of the Year on TV at home: “I froze for like 10 minutes. ... My mother was like, are you alright? I said, ‘No.’” (31:12)
NBA & European Adventures
- Discusses the culture shock of moving from NYC to Portland as a rookie, limited playing time, and subsequent trade to San Antonio.
- Describes earning “Michael Jordan of Europe” status after contract issues led him to a dominant career overseas: “I was putting up 40s and 50s over there… They used to call me the Michael Jordan of Europe.” (35:21)
4. Wildest Story: Mike Tyson vs. Mitch “Blood” Green at Dapper Dan’s
Timestamps: 35:38–41:08
- Berry tells, in vivid detail, how he was present for the infamous 1988 street fight between Tyson and Green at Dapper Dan’s in Harlem.
- “So I thought [Mitch Green] was coming for me—he had threatened to kill the guy dating his girlfriend… I unplugged the phone, had it wrapped up to use as a weapon…” (39:11)
- Describes Tyson knocking out Mitch Green after an altercation inside, ending with Berry, Tyson, and others speeding off in a Rolls Royce convertible:
- “Mike pushed his hands off and was like, ‘We could take this outside.’ They squared up—Mike hit him two or three times, he was out cold… We jumped in the Rolls and got out of there.” (39:17, 40:26)
- Hosts are blown away:
- “That’s a firsthand account, a mic drop story of all time.” —Rosenberg (50:56)
5. Memorable Quotes & Moments
- “Sponsors follow fans… that’s the linkage.” —Val Ackerman (13:41)
- “We’re kind of the classic tweener… We think about different things than the football guys think about.” —Val Ackerman (06:19)
- “This is where I did my most work: Madison Square Garden.” —Walter Berry (26:06)
- “He wasn’t even Michael Bivins from New Edition at the time… just a kid from Boston who wanted to come into the game.” —Walter Berry on meeting Bivins before the fame (32:54)
- “They used to call me the Michael Jordan of Europe.” —Walter Berry (35:21)
- “I thought he was coming for me, so I unplugged the phone, wrapped it up… but then he went at Tyson’s pockets.” —Walter Berry (39:11)
- “That is a great way to close it. Truth portrayed every single time. That is an amazing, amazing story.” —Alan Hahn, on Berry’s Tyson story (41:08)
Notable Segment Timestamps
- Big East & MSG history: 02:46–05:49
- WNBA origins & women’s basketball expansion: 08:57–14:43
- St. John’s and UConn culture/impact: 16:25–20:43
- Walter Berry, Big East memories: 24:51–29:50
- Berry’s Player of the Year award story: 31:12–32:20
- NBA/Europe career transitions: 33:36–35:21
- LEGENDARY Tyson/Mitch Green story: 35:38–41:08
Tone & Atmosphere
- The hour is a vibrant blend of nostalgia, high energy, and locker-room banter—anchored by hosts with deep roots in the New York sports scene.
- The guest segments are sincere, colorful, and often hilarious—especially Walter Berry’s stories. There’s genuine reverence for tradition and college basketball’s connective power in New York.
For First-time Listeners
Even if you missed the episode, you’ll walk away understanding:
- The irreplaceable tradition of the Big East and its relationship to MSG.
- How the conference and women’s basketball have evolved—and the centrality of New York hoops history.
- Why the Big East’s legends and stories still matter, as seen through jaw-dropping first-person recollections from the court (and the nightclub).