Hour 1: St. John's Eliminated

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 1: St. John's Eliminated

Podcast Information:

• Title: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
• Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
• Episode: Hour 1: St. John's Eliminated
• Release Date: March 24, 2025

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1. Introduction: St. John's Exit from March Madness

In the opening segment of the episode, the trio dives directly into the pivotal moment of March Madness—the elimination of St. John's from the tournament. The hosts express their disappointment and analyze the factors leading to the team's early exit.

Don La Greca reflects on the season's expectations versus the outcome:

"It was a frustrating season. They lost in the second round when everyone thought they were poised for a Final Four run."

2. The Controversial Travel Call

A significant portion of the discussion centers around a contentious travel call made during St. John's elimination game. The decision to bench star player R.J. Lewis has sparked debate among fans and analysts alike.

Alan Hahn questions the legitimacy of the call:

"The travel didn't even cross my mind the first time I watched it. It looked completely good."

Peter Rosenberg provides a detailed breakdown, clarifying the official's perspective:

"There's a rule where if the dribble bounces back into the player's hand, an extra step is allowed. It wasn't a travel by the book, even if it appeared like one to many viewers."

Despite the rules, Alan Hahn remains dissatisfied:

"If you think that in that moment the right thing would have been a travel call, you don't know basketball."

3. Rick Pitino's Coaching Decisions in the NIL Era

The conversation shifts to the broader implications of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) on coaching strategies, particularly focusing on Rick Pitino's decisions during the game.

Don La Greca poses a critical question:

"What is your obligation as a head coach in college basketball now that players are being paid? Do you focus on life lessons or prioritize winning games?"

Peter Rosenberg emphasizes the challenges coaches face:

"With NIL, it's harder to balance teaching lessons and treating players as professionals. Coaches like Pitino are now under immense pressure to deliver results while managing financially empowered athletes."

Alan Hahn adds his perspective on Pitino's reputation:

"Pitino is known for building programs from scratch, but even he couldn't navigate this situation flawlessly. His decision to bench Lewis, a top player, reflects the tough choices coaches must make in this new landscape."

4. Listener Reactions and Opinions

The hosts engage with listener calls, further exploring the community's views on the controversial benching and the impact of NIL on college basketball.

Caller Sam shares his thoughts:

"If we're not taking care of the players, we won't keep them. We need to maintain team integrity while preparing these young athletes for the future."

Cam from Ramsey adds to the debate:

"Rick Pitino could have trashed the kid, but he decided not to. The game has changed since players started getting paid, and coaches don't owe the same obligations as before."

The discussions highlight a divide between traditional views of college sports and the evolving dynamics introduced by financial incentives for players.

5. The Changing Landscape of College Basketball

Concluding the episode, the hosts reflect on how NIL is reshaping the priorities and operations within college basketball programs.

Don La Greca underscores the shift from amateurism to professionalism:

"Players are no longer just student-athletes; they're professionals earning significant income. This changes how we view their roles and the expectations placed upon both players and coaches."

Peter Rosenberg stresses the need for clarity and accountability:

"Coaches need to balance winning with fostering player development. Donors and investors expect results, but there's also a responsibility to guide these young men beyond the court."

Alan Hahn sums up the overarching concern:

"The essence of college basketball is evolving. We need to find a balance that honors both the educational and competitive aspects of the sport."

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• [02:14] Peter Rosenberg: "That was our first really March Madness moment."
• [05:39] Peter Rosenberg: "He's a leader."
• [16:23] Don La Greca: "It's a long time. So he was tired."
• [22:44] Peter Rosenberg: "But there's no kids, though."
• [27:49] Peter Rosenberg: "It's to win."
• [32:23] Alan Hahn: "He is accomplished, but far from satisfied. He embodies what it means to have an unstoppable drive and are shaking up the status quo in their community and beyond."

Conclusion: Navigating the Future of College Sports

The episode concludes with the hosts acknowledging the complexities introduced by NIL in college basketball. They emphasize the need for ongoing dialogue to address the balance between athletic performance, player welfare, and the financial interests of stakeholders. As St. John's exits the tournament, the conversation sets the stage for future episodes to explore how these changes will continue to influence the sport.

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Note: This summary captures the essence of the podcast episode, focusing on the main discussions about St. John's elimination, the controversial travel call, and the broader implications of NIL on college basketball coaching and player management.

Transcript

[Don La Greca]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

This is the Dun Ha at Rosenberg Podcast.

[Don La Greca]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers. Well, better late than never, Donnie. But we are here and we are ready for you with Don legreca and Peter Rosenberg. I'm Alan Hahn. Let's get to the calls, 800-919-3776. Not waste any time since we lost a little bit of time today. A miserable rainy day here in New York City. But how are we doing, boys?

[Don La Greca]

Oh, terrific. How are you feeling, Peter?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, tell me, do I sound physically normal?

[Don La Greca]

I would say you sound like 90% of a Peter Rosenberg.

[Alan Hahn]

So, yeah. Well, I'm keeping it intentionally. I was told I'm good to come back, but, like, no strain whatsoever. Have to keep it kind of like a slow, slow build back. But I physically feel fine and have basically felt fine, Don, since I walked out of the studio that day. I just, my voice did not work and was silent for days. Been taking steroids. Went and got checked out today. It looked pretty clear. But I'm telling you guys, keep your ears open for this. The funny joke, of course, is that I never shut up and I lost my voice. There's something going on. People are just getting laryngitis. Like, I really think it's more a viral thing than it was a Rosenberg talks a lot thing. So everyone be careful out there in these streets, all right? And I did have a small scream last night, though. I hate. I hate myself. But right around. What time was it, guys? Probably around 9:45. I did let out one scream after Derek Queen hit that bank shot for my Terps. I'm not going to lie to you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's our first. Our first really March Madness moment.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, that's it. That was our chalk and nothing too exciting. And I didn't see it live, but everybody saw. He walked. He walked.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He did take three steps. But there's an explanation about it, though. I can give you an explanation.

[Don La Greca]

It didn't look bad when I saw it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was egregious but.

[Don La Greca]

But no, I guess no, what people were saying. I was expecting it to be like 10.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it was definitely three steps. But here's the thing.

[Alan Hahn]

Explain it then.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, well, no, there. There is a rule where it's. I hate to sound like this is the NFL, it's the gather, right?

[Don La Greca]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And so because one of the steps was taken as the dribble bounced back up into his hand, right? And so there's that thought of, is he going to dribble it? Is he fumbling it? You're actually allowed to step there. It's almost like a, like, like an in between, like the tuck roll kind of whatever it is. It's almost like those things, right? Did he make. Did he make a football move? Right? Like, that's really why that extra little. What felt like a third step, which is really was the first step. Then he takes two and it's a Dirk Nowitzki incredible shot off the glass. Freshman who just wanted to ball. You love the whole story. Great story. The whole thing, by the way. Those are just to make it clear. You might have looked like a travel, but I'm telling you by rule, it was not a travel.

[Alan Hahn]

But here's the part that bothers me, okay? And everything. Allen, you said, I looked into it all yesterday and I saw Sarah Torres breakdown of it. And yes, the gather, et cetera, but the people on, like my Instagram page and a lot of people on social media were screaming about the travel. And this is when I get angry because, you know, when people get angry at me, they like to, like, call me a casual, because I don't spout off tons of historical facts and figures. But some of you show yourselves to not really watch ball. Like, you act as if you. Because you know, you're one team, you know everything. But if you think that in that moment the right thing would have been a travel call, you don't know basketball. That would have been. That would have been a controversy, Allen, they'd be struggling to get up for him at the rest of the tournament. If they'd call that a travel, that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Would be a story that would have carried over. Yes, no doubt about it. And you really, in those moments, you gotta know as an official, right. Like they always say, how sure are you? Like, you have to be completely sure to blow that whistle. Otherwise, what do they always say? Let the players decide it. You're swallowing your whistle in that moment. Even, like when it comes to physical contact, like, unless it is egregious, you are not calling it. So on that play, as you're watching, you're essentially trying to watch two different things. And the travel wasn't as egregious as replay might have showed it to be.

[Alan Hahn]

Right? So the first time, naturally, when I watched it, the first time travel didn't even cross my mind, look completely good. When I watched it again, I understood what people were saying. But just for people, for people who have not gotten to watch this kid all year, I was, as I was asking my Maryland friends last night, I was like, when was the last player that we had that was this level of talent? And my friend who's probably the biggest expert of Maryland sports, thinks Steve Francis, I mean, Derek Queen, Allen, that guy has touch. He can go to the hole, he can step back and shoot it. He plays defense. And like you pointed out, Dirk Nowitzki is the perfect way. That was an impossible shot in an impossible.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, off the glass, everybody. Never mind the off one leg, Dirk Nowitzki fade and well defended that kid from Colorado State. That's as contest as he could have. He just wasn't tall enough. Right? But he was right on that shot. But to add to the degree of difficulty that he shot that off the glass, off one leg, on the run with tenths of a second counting down. No, no, that's a high degree of difficulty. That is an all time great shot. And it's the one thing we got out of so far the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament, because for the most part, it's been chalk. For the most part, the stories have sort of been okay, you know, like nothing too crazy. But Don, the biggest story to me, aside from this is the fact that St. John's is done and the fact that a two seed that had a lot of hype and a lot of reasons to believe that they were going to be on a dream run to a Final Four appearance for the first time since 1985, it ended. But not only did it end with a bad offense and some frustration, it ended to me with Rick Pitino, who's had a glorious year coaching, having one of his worst years.

[Don La Greca]

It asks or begs the question, what is your job as a coach in college basketball now that these players are being paid, is it. I want to teach them a lesson. They're a student athlete. I want to get them ready for their journey in life and how to conduct yourself as a basketball player and don't be selfish. And you got to still play defense even though you can't take a shot and don't show up your teammates and apparently his teammates are very upset with him. He kind of checked out the way he was shooting. And there. There has to be a life lesson there. Or do you treat them as professionals like they are because of Nil and say, hey, I got to win a basketball game and he's my best shooter. He's been my best player all year. That's a winnable game. I need him to fight through it. So what is the obligation of a head coach in college basketball? Now, I understood before Nil, it was, I'm trying to get him ready for the pros. I'm trying to get this boy and make him a man, right? But once I start putting cash on the table, Allen, is that over? Now? Can you do both? And if you try to do both, what wins out? Because you can't. You can't do both. So what ultimately ends out?

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're still coaching. Like, there's still kids. You can't say just because they're professionals like, you don't treat them any differently.

[Don La Greca]

There's still kids. You still got to coach them as a college coach. You are coaching them not just to win the game, but the life lesson and how to conduct yourself for the next level. But now the next level is this level. You know, there's money, there's investors. They have general managers now in college basketball, Allen. So what's my objective? To teach the lesson or win the damn game?

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's the question. What is the objective at this point?

[Don La Greca]

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[Alan Hahn]

Like, you know, to check the Jumbotron first before attempting to eat a stack of supreme nachos in one bite. Now you're just a meme that everyone.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Don La Greca]

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don La Greca]

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Don La Greca]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Who said that?

[Don La Greca]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don La Greca]

Welcome to your Walmart. Subject to availability restrictions and fees apply. Now that was a helpful commercial.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Catch this show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your PODC podcast. 800-919-3776 is the number. And guys, again, let's just off March Madness and all the fun of the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. And there's all kinds of stuff. The kid, amir Khan with McNe State. That was fun. You know, seeing him with the boom by he boy, he became a celebrity.

[Don La Greca]

Out of nil too. He's. He get paid.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He, he actually has some deals. It's crazy, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Although. Although I got to tell you, by the end of it, guys, no, no, it gets stopped believing the hype. I was like, they're like, you know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He, he's getting six figure deals.

[Alan Hahn]

They wouldn't stop talking and then an hour later they lost. I'm like, he's going to make 100 bucks to go to an Arby's. It's over. It was a cute story, fun. They were acting. It was super fun. But we just, they get bored, you know, Alan, the truth is a lot of the people having to cover these teams, how much do they really know about McNee State, right? So you got to find a story and you keep going back to the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I think it's a big CBS thing when they do March Madness early on in the tournament. This is what you're getting, right? You're getting sister Jean, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, you're getting sister Jean.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're getting all this. You know, sometimes it's the coach's wife, you know, that's a big story. Or the coach's kid. There's always something that they will, they will lean on and they will turn into the story because there are going to be a lot of blowouts, a lot of, a lot of games that aren't interesting. A lot of teams you've never heard of and until we get to the elite sweet 16, elite eight. Now you're starting to really get some of the bigger names and the bigger deal. So this is all just the fun fluff get you through the first four days.

[Don La Greca]

It does have an Olympics type of feel to it where they've got to tell you all the stories to keep you interested because they realize that the audience isn't all die hard college basketball fans.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And that was certainly one of them because listen, the basketball. The Maryland game was great. Obviously we were engaged in St. John's at the end on Saturday.

[Alan Hahn]

The Florida game yesterday was competitive.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh yeah. Well, you. The whole Danny Hurley couldn't leave the tournament Hurley meltdown without having different ranges of emotion. Right.

[Alan Hahn]

It it. Listen, let me be clear. I do not want to bury the tournament. It's been totally good. In fact, you could argue this sort of weekend tournament sums up why this event to me is the second greatest in all the sports to the World Cup. Because even when it's kind of average and mundane, guys, when I realized I was pretty bummed. I know people won't believe this, but I was pretty bummed to not be working. But then when I realized I'm going to just have tournament to watch, it was the most I've taken in the tournament in years. And even in a weekend when nothing happens, it's still so damn good. Like it's still a great watch even when it's kind of mundane, which I think speaks to the nature of it. And my quick. My MVP Alan of the weekend. Yeah, I had not spent a lot of time with his work. Robbie Hummel's fantastic.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's good. Very good. Yeah, he was a really old. He was a really good player. He had injury issues. He wasn't going to be, you know, he wasn't really going to be a pro, but he was a really good player. And yeah, he. He's become a really good analyst. And I thought it was him. It was him and I believe Jalen Rose together. Jalen Rose and I thought they were really good together. Yeah, that was a crew. I don't know the woman doing play.

[Alan Hahn]

By play, Lisa something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But they were very good. Like that was an excellent crew. But again, just again, locally, of course, for us, the greatest interest in March Madness now it'll be in my bracket and everything else. But it was, you know, it was St. John's and can we get some magic? Can we have some throwback? And boy, the weekend that was the Big east tournament was really going to be the height of the season. Right. That was the apex. That was everything. The two nights where you just had the building lit and a lot of the Johnny's fans were just feeling it and they played great and they won the Big east tournament. They got a 2 seed. Like it was. Everything was magical. But that loss and the way they lost, how ugly the game was for them offensively. I mean, neither team really could shoot, let's be honest. But I told you guys going in that this was personal. Like Pitino versus Calipari. That's. They're not friends. Like, these are not colleagues. These are not guys. They've been in the sport a long time. They've been in the sport together. They have gone against each other. You know, they both coached Kentucky. Like there's a lot between them that doesn't make them like, this was a fun, hey, we're two old friends that have coached for years. No, this was personal. And so the fact that Cal won that game for Rick Pitino, that, you know, that he felt a certain way. So the way things went down the stretch where they were able, it was 13, I believe at one point, right. That was the biggest lead. And then they start clawing away and clawing away and they're getting it to four and he decides to take R.J. lewis out and then leave him out. And you know, again, was he taking good shots? Was he forcing it? Because he was missing a ton of shots. Some people were comparing it to John Stark's game, Game 7 in the NBA Finals in 1994, where it's like, you know, you were begging them just to stop shooting, but you always believe the next one's going in. He's trying to shoot himself into rhythm.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So after the game, the obvious question was, this guy's biggest player of the year, he's up for national player of the year. And you sat him for the last five minutes of the game. And there needs to be an explanation of it. It is an obvious question that you would need the head coach to have that moment where he becomes the coach, the older, you know, the elder statesman who was trying to teach these kids a lesson and whatever it is. And you would want it to get that moment that we've had so many times when coaches do that. Coach K, Tom Izzo, We've seen guys do this where they take a moment and say, hey, you know, he's a 19 year old kid and he's going through this. And I. And I had to take him out of the whatever. You know, as a coach, you're trying to do this right. You're waiting for that kind of a response. But instead, Pitino decided to call out the questioning and not give an answer. Played 30 minutes.

[Don La Greca]

It's a long time. So he was tired.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. Played 30 minutes.

[Don La Greca]

And I went with other people.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You already know the answers, Roger.

[Don La Greca]

You're asking leading questions.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You already know it.

[Don La Greca]

So don't ask leading questions.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You already know why he didn't play. See, I don't like this from him. And it's a bad.

[Alan Hahn]

That's not even fair.

[Peter Rosenberg]

First of all, you're asking question. Of course I'm asking a lead question. I believe that's Roger Rubin, right? I believe that's who that is. You covered College of Sports for a long time.

[Don La Greca]

I believe so, yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And so he's asking a good. It's a legitimate question. Legitimate question.

[Alan Hahn]

By the way, I disagree with the idea that it's leading. I actually think it's an earnest question. Tell me why your best player was not on the floor at the end of a basketball game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. And by the way, Peter, I have done this. I've been in these moments. It is a lead question. It is the only question. There's no other question to ask but that one. Everything after that doesn't matter. That's the question. And he asked it. It's the right thing. And as a coach who's coached as long as he has, he knows that question's coming, and he's clearly either not prepared for it or doesn't want to answer it and instead scolding the reporter for asking it. You already know. Nobody cares what I think I'm asking because they care what you think. For a guy that's had such a wonderful year and a career renaissance for Rick Pitino, that was an ugly moment and a bad moment.

[Alan Hahn]

Al, Let me, let me. I totally agree. I think the idea that he said it was a leading question is ridiculous because it's not a leading question. The answer is he was either tired, he was hurt, there's something wrong, or what the truth was you didn't think he was a gamer that day, so you left him on the bench. Which you need to answer. But, but let's just be clear, guys. Rick Pitino is a great story we talked the other day about is he the greatest coach of all time when it comes to going to a different program and all of a sudden revolutioning. Revolutionizing a certain program? Although Cal making another argument of why it may be him. He does it everywhere. But what we can't forget is this is who Rick Pitino is. You get the whole package with Rick Pitino. You get a guy who can build a program out of nothing. And you. He's like the coach in Varsity Blues. When he decides at the end what's happening, that's what's happening. And it's it. To me, even though it's totally messed up. And I agree with everything you said, Allen, he is the one guy who would leave the conference player of the year on the bench simply because he was not having a good day. And to be honest, guys, did. They need him to have a great final five minutes to win. They needed one little.

[Peter Rosenberg]

One little chance. A shot maker on the floor, and they didn't have one shot.

[Alan Hahn]

Allen. It could have been two shots. That would have been enough.

[Don La Greca]

And that's.

[Alan Hahn]

That's who he is. That's who Patino is.

[Don La Greca]

I still don't know the real reason. Is it because he was just cold.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Or was it because he kind of.

[Don La Greca]

Seemed like he checked out? You could see the body language from him and his teammates on the bench that he seemed like he was a detriment. So answer that question. You know, that's the thing about the uniqueness of St. John's and it being in New York. We talked a lot about back in the day where St. John's was almost the professional team. I'm not talking about players getting paid. I'm talking about the attention that they got. You're playing at Madison Square Garden, you're getting talked about as much as you're getting the Mets and the Yankees and the Giants and the jets are getting talked about. And the Knicks. Well, this isn't Iona anymore. I mean, this isn't Kentucky or Louisville where everybody's in awe of you and you just tell them the way it is. And it doesn't matter whether it's the right answer or not. Hey, now people wanna know. And these guys are getting paid again. So it's about the basketball, okay? And if it is some sort of a life lesson, then tell us that it is our business. Because now people are paying attention, Rick. People are paying attention to what your team is doing. So to just dismiss the question I thought was poor, and you'd hate that to be the flavor in your mouth after what was a tremendous season, but just answer the damn question, because I still don't know exactly what the answer is. I think I know, but I don't know for a fact.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, he said to Roger, he said.

[Don La Greca]

To Ro, you know, is it that obvious, Alan?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, no, no, no. And it might be again, if you watch and you could see putting up some, you know, like you could see forcing shots. You could see that it was getting to him, that he seems shot. He was, what was he, was he 2 of 4? Whatever he was, he had an awful.

[Don La Greca]

3 of 17, something like that.

[Alan Hahn]

It was an awful 3 of 17.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And for him, again, this is a guy that was hoping that he could turn this into, I can be an NBA lottery pick if I go on a good run. And maybe in the back of his mind he's thinking, I'm falling out of favor. And now I, you know, he's going to be a late first round right now in any of the mocks, which is not really, you know what you want, but it's might have to come back and play another year of college.

[Don La Greca]

But he did apparently make a big jump because of the way he played this year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No doubt about it.

[Don La Greca]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And so you kind of put that together and you think, is he having that moment where he's kind of melting down, where he's making it about him and less about the team? I don't know. But I'll say this for anybody that thinks, well, you know, he's just protecting the kid. He doesn't want to call him out publicly and make him look bad. So he's going to just turn it into us versus the media kind of situation. But we've seen this done before for many coaches who just simply use that moment at the podium to just give you that teaching moment. And that's what I want to know is give me that moment of you as a coach and why you made that decision of what happened there and explain it that you know what's going on to the reporter. Why is he asking the question he's asking because he doesn't know or he needs you to say it because we all know you're the guy that made the decision. What was behind it? It has to be asked. I don't get why he did that. And that's going to forever chase them this whole off season. Why did you do that now? I guess it was yesterday. RJ Lewis announced a new nil deal. No Bull. It's like an athletic brand, right?

[Don La Greca]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So he announced that. So the only words we've heard from him so far is this quote that he posted saying God gives his toughest battles to the strongest soldiers. I don't know what that means.

[Don La Greca]

No, it's all cryptic.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So. But that's, that's where we are right now. And it's just so unfortunate if they had just lost the game and walked off the court because they couldn't make shots and that's it. I don't think we're. I think we're looking at the season as. Yeah, it's frustrating. They lost in the second round. You expected more, but wow, what a season this was. Instead, now it's like, what happened. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And the thing is, guys. And obviously it didn't affect Peter because he was loving everything watching it. But it's changed. The money has changed the complexion of how I view it in the sense of.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But there's no kids, though.

[Don La Greca]

But they're getting paid. And why are they getting paid? Because there are fans that want to see the team win. It's no longer, hey, I went to St. John's I'm an alum. I want to see the team do well. I'm going to invest some money in the gym because I want to see my team win a national championship. To where they are paid to play and people are invested in them winning the game. Yes, they're student athletes. Yes, there is a learning curve, but it's hard for me to treat them anything other than the professionals I root for in the NBA. How is it any different? Allen, how would Thibodeau have addressed that situation and what would be expected of him if he had benched one of his players?

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, he'd have him on the floor.

[Don La Greca]

Right. And the thing is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, because they're, you know.

[Don La Greca]

But the point is that we can hold them to a scrutiny because they're paid to play and we want to see them excel. It changes the way you look at it. They went from college athletes. Good for them. What a great story. Student athletes trying to prepare for the NBA to now. You are getting paid significant amount of money and there's an expectation from you and there's an expectation for the coach to be able to put that on you and the media to ask the question. You can't have both. Oh, these guys deserve to get paid. They're being taken advantage of now. They're being paid. They're being paid well. So I still have to treat them like students again. Well, where do I land on this?

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, well, let's get some calls on this.

[Alan Hahn]

Compelling.

[Don La Greca]

You don't wake up dreaming of McDonald's fries.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You wake up dreaming of McDonald's hash browns.

[Don La Greca]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. All right, let's get to calls. 800-919-3776. Got a lot of people to get to here. I, I knew this would be like, this is St. John's is obviously, you know, a team that has gotten everybody's attention this year. But I always wondered, like, how much do they resonate in the city? Especially I thought once if they had reached a sweet 16, if they had reached an elite eight, I think then the buzz really would start taking over. I think people would really get into it. But I'm pleasantly surprised, Donnie, by the amount of response we have been getting every time we have talked to St. John. So I do want to hear from people. Like I said, the benching that has happened, that happened at the end of that game with RJ Lewis was one that you can understand it on face value by watching the player, but he still is player of the year. You were still losing a game in an elimination moment and there was a time where you had to say, well, we need him. And Don, you brought up a great point. The nil and all the money that's out there right now, it's like, what are we doing here? Like, you're right. Like, if whoever is putting up money for this guy, you're investing in the program, you're probably sitting there going, what the hell did I give all this money for, Right? We got this kid, play him and that is what professional sports has become. So what do the people think of this? 800 now at 93776, we start with Sam in Little Falls. Sam.

[Don La Greca]

Hi, Sam.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, fellas. I just want to make a quick point that I think now that NIL.

[Don La Greca]

Has allowed players to get paid, if.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We'Re not taking care of the players, you're not going to keep them. So moving forward, kind of just air out the dirty laundry behind the scenes, but keep the players in. They have to learn their lessons. These guys are 18, 19, 20 year old kids.

[Don La Greca]

Most of the time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So let's try to maintain the integrity of the team, but also build that future so we can see more success. Enjoy, guys.

[Don La Greca]

Well, but I guess what the. What is the ultimate responsibility? What's the end game? Is the end game to grow the athlete into making him a mature, better NBA player or accountant if they decide not to go to the NBA or lawyer or announcer or whatever?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's to win.

[Don La Greca]

Or is it to win? I'm sorry. I'd be curious to sit down and ask a donor, what's your end game? Donating all these millions of dollars because you want to grow these kids into great human beings? Or do you want to see the place you went to college win a national championship? And I'm sure the answer is going to be, I want to win.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's got to be that. You think Mike Rapoli sitting there, like, with all the money that he has invested in this thing that he's watching for last five minutes going, we can't get a bucket. And our bucket getter is nailed to the bench. But it's okay because we're going to teach him a lesson. He'll be better for it. Where will he be better for it? In Cleveland. Right. Is he going to be better in San Antonio before this, or is he going to be better next year for St. John's we don't know. We have no idea. Let's go to more. Cam is in Ramsey. Cam, you're up next with us.

[Don La Greca]

Cam? Yeah. I just want to say, you know, I'm a little bit surprised at you, Allen, because you're a basketball player. The only person that sounds like they make sense there is Don, because the reality is, is that Rick Pitino could have trashed the kid, but he decided not to. Now, if he had no other explanation, he should just walk with that. The whole college game has changed since they started paying these kids. And they're going from one school to the other to the other to the other. He doesn't owe the kid anything. So, you know, for you to be upset that he didn't answer the question, that doesn't make any sense.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What doesn't make sense, Cam, is that we don't know why. And that's why you asked the question, and it was the right question to ask. And the fact that he turns it on Roger and tells him that, like, you know the answer, you're just asking the question. It's like, how dare you ask me? That's ridiculous. Why would you put it on the reporter?

[Alan Hahn]

Why can't. Why shouldn't he answer?

[Don La Greca]

Because the reporter is just doing that, doing his job, which is fine, right? Rick Patino doesn't owe him to answer that question because nobody knows what really went on in the huddle.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't have a press conference.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Cam, I don't understand you're thinking here. As a fan, wouldn't you want to know. As an investor in that program, don't you want to know why the coach made that decision instead of. Instead of guessing? You don't want to know. You're not. You don't get. Then you're not a fan of the program.

[Don La Greca]

He.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He checked out.

[Don La Greca]

He checked out and he choked. End of story. End the story. He does.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He checked out. So, Cam, you played and I played, and we both know what we were looking at, right? We both know what we were looking at. Does everybody know? Everybody doesn't know. There's a. There's common people who've never played a sport before, but they watch sports. They don't know. It's a fair question to ask, and he can answer it. He doesn't have to be belligerent. He could have easily answered it with a. In a teaching manner. And we've seen coaches do this before. It is. There are many clips that have gone viral.

[Don La Greca]

He was Rick Patino. He wasn't belligerent. He was Rick Patino.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Okay. Well, Cam, I'll tell you what. I need answers after something like that.

[Don La Greca]

Well, both could be true that. All right, he wasn't belligerent, but he didn't answer the question. And like Peter said, why have a press conference then, if all of this is none of our business, that what happens in the huddle stays in the huddle. Then why have press conferences? We have press conferences because people want to know as much as they can. Now, Rick Pitino technically doesn't have to answer the question, but it kind of leaves it hanging there. You're making a bigger deal out of it than it is. Hey, you could just say, hey, I wasn't feeling it. So I felt that we could put somebody else in there to do a better job or, hey, it's teaching was for me. I want this kid to learn and grow. To not answer it now leaves us to speculate why Peter. And now our mind begins to wander in places that maybe it even shouldn't.

[Alan Hahn]

And it's also a total non sequitur from what the caller brought up. Don pointing out very astutely that the game has changed and these kids are paid. Now, that has nothing to do with whether or not Rick should answer the question.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

Those are two separate conversations. He should have answered the question because it was a completely reasonable question to be asked. That has nothing to do with whether these kids are amateurs or professionals. Tell us why your best player was not on the floor late in the game. It is completely, completely reasonable.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

He's a leader.

[Alan Hahn]

He isn't waiting for the baton to be passed to him. He's taken it for himself. He's relentless in a pursuit of greatness, always pushing to one up himself. He is accomplished, but far from satisfied. He embodies what it means to have an unstoppable drive and are shaking up the status quo in their community and beyond. And Damian Lillard drives a Toyota. A new generation of Toyota drivers are here and they want you to know one thing. You can't stop my drive.