Hour 1: The Rant Nobody Heard

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – "Hour 1: The Rant Nobody Heard"

Date: November 20, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Platform: ESPN New York

---

Episode Overview

This lively, wide-ranging episode finds Don, Hahn & Rosenberg diving into the perennial debate over holiday decorations, the blurred lines between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the commercialization of the season. Alongside their trademark banter, the trio reflects on the rhythms of holiday sports broadcasting, the fate of struggling NFL teams, and even the oddities of fast-food advertising—culminating in the comedic saga of “the rant nobody heard.” As always, the show delivers sports talk interlaced with authentic New York flavor and pop culture nods.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Holiday Decor: When Is it Too Soon? (00:54–07:30)

• Travel & Seasonal Disconnect: Peter details his whirlwind travel between DC, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale, noting the surprising lack of holiday décor in hotels.

  “Nothing. Not even the hotels... That’s hard to believe, but I’m good with that.” – Don (01:26–01:51)

• The Early Decoration Debate: Peter rails against decorating before Thanksgiving, calling it “garbage” to start just after Halloween. Alan admits he’s come around to appreciating an extended festive season.

  “If I gotta celebrate it for two months, then what are we doing?” – Peter (01:54) “I believe that the window between Thanksgiving and Christmas is too short.” – Alan (02:12)

• Thanksgiving’s Identity Crisis: Alan and Don suggest Thanksgiving now merely serves as “the new Christmas Eve.” Peter holds firm: Black Friday is when the holidays officially start.

2. Callers: ‘Merry Thanksgivingween’ and the Fall Decor Wars (07:51–13:15)

• “Merry Thanksgivingween”: Steve in the car introduces the tongue-in-cheek concept blending fall holidays, describing a viral cartoon and his own family’s adaptation.
• Emily’s Hot Take: Emily insists anyone leaving up Halloween décor after November 1 must be “exiled,” and argues fall/Turkey décor gets a much longer run than Christmas décor.

  “Anyone who leaves any Halloween decor up after November 1st needs to be exiled.” – Emily (10:51)

• Urban vs. Suburban Decorations: Alan learns that suburbanites sometimes put real bales of hay outside their homes for fall.

  “People are putting out bales of hay?” – Alan (12:28)

3. Holiday Work & Sports Radio Traditions (13:27–16:36)

• Black Friday Broadcasting: The hosts reminisce about paying their dues by working Black Fridays earlier in their careers—considered a prestigious day because “everybody’s in the car.”

  “Don remembers the days that we used to be kind of guilted into working on Black Friday.” – Alan (14:19)

• Radio Pecking Order: Discussion of which hosts traditionally fill which slots on holidays and what marks “making it.”

4. The Rant Nobody Heard (15:35–19:16)

• Technical Meltdown: Peter recounts delivering a passionate rant (“Old man yelling at a cloud”—Don), only to discover he was disconnected; the “YouTube crowd saw, but radio listeners did not.”

  “I had a rant and I thought it was a damn good one that no one heard.” – Peter (17:40) “Just old man yelling at a cloud.” – Don (16:15)

• Retail & Corporatism: Peter’s missing rant called out corporate America for pushing holidays earlier to extract more consumer money.

  “At this rate, we’re going to be celebrating the holidays after Labor Day because it’s all corporate. That’s why!” – Peter (16:36)

• Meta Moment: The gang breaks the fourth wall, reflecting on hosting while zoning out, and missing golden content due to tech errors.

5. NFL “Must-Win” Games, The State of NY Football, and the AFC/NFC Races (17:58–24:46)

• Thursday Night Football Preview: Briefly discuss Bills vs. Texans and which teams face "must-win" scenarios as playoff races heat up.
• Defining “Must Win”: They search for a term less severe than “must win” (Code Red? Code Yellow?).
• Parity in the League: Conversation about how parity gives more teams hope—except, sadly, New York:

  “Unfortunately, neither New York team...” – Don (18:25)

• Giants Lament: If only the Giants had squeaked out a few more wins!

6. QB Fascination: Shador Sanders & Deshaun Watson (29:15–41:51)

• Scouting Shador Sanders: Alan admits to watching Browns games just to see if backup QB Shador Sanders can surprise everyone—rooted in his previous draft analysis.

  “I want to be right... He’s got the mental capacity, the pedigree, and the accuracy.” – Alan (30:19)

• The Redemption Story: The crew debates whether Sanders could have a “Tom Brady” style rise as the long-lost Browns savior.

  “It potentially could be bigger than Tom Brady.” – Peter (33:20, in full hyperbole mode)

• Deshaun Watson’s Fall: The hosts dissect Watson’s massive guaranteed contract, off-field baggage, and stalled career.

  “He’s made a ton of money... How can you be sad when you, you know, $50 million a year in your pocket—but everything that he’s worked for, he can’t do.” – Don (36:02)

• Respect vs. Wealth: A recurring theme—would any amount of money make up for being a pariah in one’s chosen career?

  “Multiply your earnings by 10. But... Nobody thinks you’re any good. Nobody thinks you’re any kind of quality. You’re a pariah. I wouldn’t want to live that way.” – Peter (38:04)

7. Pop Culture, Nostalgia, and the Subway NIL Moment (42:12–50:31)

• Rap Memories: Rolling references to “This year, Halloween fell on the weekend”—a nod to the Geto Boys’ “Mind Playing Tricks on Me.”
• Top Commercial Characters: Off the NFL and onto a pop culture sidebar—ranking the best-known commercial personalities (Jake from State Farm, Jared, Flo from Progressive, etc.).
• Zach Han’s Subway NIL Deal: Alan’s son scores a Subway commercial (on TikTok—not TV), inspiring both pride and jokes about unfortunate past spokesmen.

  “He’s already made more with his athletic career than you did.” – Peter (45:18)

• Brand Redemption: The silver lining—brands can bounce back from the worst PR.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Holiday Decor Overlap:
  “Thanksgiving is the new Christmas Eve, just a month earlier.” – Don (04:23)

• On Fall Décor
  “People are putting out bales of hay?” – Alan (12:28)

• On Early Holiday Creep:
  “At this rate, we’re going to be celebrating the holidays after Labor Day because it’s all corporate... march with me, Peter!” – Peter (16:36, summarizing the “lost” rant)

• On Hosting Duties:
  “Don’s a big wig. I’m not even a wig.” – Don (15:10)
  “That was a long time ago. You made the team.” – Alan (15:20)

• On Missed Content:
  “The people on YouTube saw me... when I was done, dead silence. And I was like, well, see you.” – Peter (15:47)

• On Redemption & Respect:
  “How do you want to be rich and have no respect?” – Alan (37:48)

• On Commercial Characters:
  “Jared takes the cake because he became so famous from a commercial only. And he who shall not be named at a place we do adore.” – Alan (48:28)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Holiday Decor & When to Start: 00:54–07:30
• Merry Thanksgivingween & Callers: 07:51–13:15
• Holiday Sports Radio Work: 13:27–16:36
• “The Rant Nobody Heard” & Tech Failure: 15:35–19:16
• NFL Must-Win Conversation: 17:58–24:46
• Browns QB Deep Dive: 29:15–41:51
• Pop Culture Sidebar & Subway NIL: 42:12–50:31

---

Tone & Language

True to form, the show is fast-paced, witty, and playful, with hosts cracking jokes, poking fun at each other, and weaving between sports, pop culture, and NYC references. They don’t shy from irreverence or nostalgia, and there’s a clear sense of camaraderie—along with honest, occasionally poignant reflections on sports, careers, and life.

---

For New Listeners

This hour delivers the quintessential Don, Hahn & Rosenberg blend: passionate (and at times absurd) debates about the culture of sports and holidays, authentic local flavor, and a comedy of broadcast errors that, rather than derailing things, gives the show its unique voice. If you haven’t listened, you’ll come away understanding both why these three are staples of New York radio and that, sometimes, the most memorable content is what no one actually hears.

Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

Una silla de masajes puede pares er extravagante Ocho configuraciones differentes intensidada justable ademases calefacionado Y se siente tambien si una sille pares extravagante Y dos bueno a un mas Peru se vuelben bastante practicas. El Volkswagen taeguan confuciones premium como los hacientos de lanteros con masaje dispon ibles solo parese extravagante.

[Don Hahn]

Don.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was fighting with obesity.

[Alan Hahn]

I wore.

[Don Hahn]

You're losing, Don. Don. Peter. Thank you, Alan. I hope you make the team. And Rosenberg.

[Alan Hahn]

Richard, have you ever heard of Brazzers? No. This isn't North Dakota. This is New York.

[Don Hahn]

This is Don, Han and Rosenberg.

[Emily]

The best threesome I've ever heard on.

[Don Hahn]

ESPN New York and streaming live on YouTube.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, goodness gracious. It's 3:01. It's also in the big city. Thursday, for God's sake. A week from Thanksgiving, guys.

[Don Hahn]

Feeling it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

Feeling it.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Being way down, especially being in warm weather, you probably, like, aren't feeling the season right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. Right, right. Because, you know, when you're on the road, there's so many things that distract you from everyday life. Oh, I bet. And you're preparing for the show, and they got games to prepare for. So when Peter said, I'm a week away from Thanksgiving, I'm getting no sense of that.

[Don Hahn]

Nothing. Not even the hotels have, like, because most of the hotels always decorate extravagantly.

[Alan Hahn]

Really?

[Don Hahn]

Not a tree. I was in a hotel last weekend. The tree was up, and the lighting and everything else, they didn't have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I've been in since last Saturday because I was in D.C. on Saturday and, you know, Tampa and now in Fort Lauderdale. So that's three hotels in the last five days. Nothing.

[Don Hahn]

That's hard to believe, but I'm good with that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because you know what? You shouldn't be decorating until after Thanksgiving. You know, this idea that Halloween, now it's the holiday season. That's garbage. Okay, stop it. I'm festive as the next guy. But you know what? If I got to celebrate it for two months, then what are we doing?

[Don Hahn]

Come on.

[Alan Hahn]

I got to tell you, I've turned on this subject completely.

[Don Hahn]

Two months.

[Alan Hahn]

Hear me out for a second, Don. I used to be where you were. I was very anti. And now, as someone who really enjoys the holiday season, I believe that the window between Thanksgiving and Christmas is too short.

[Don Hahn]

Agree.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't think you're getting enough time there.

[Don Hahn]

Thank you.

[Alan Hahn]

If you enjoy the holiday season because you blinked on. We do the whole Thanksgiving business. We come back, it's December, you got a couple weeks. You go to holiday, it's over.

[Don Hahn]

Okay, Put the tree up now. Get the lights up. Now. Be festive. Be happy. It's the only time of year we're allowed to actually be happy. Be nice to each other for once.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, but, but it's just. I think it's too much now.

[Don Hahn]

You make a good point.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Point that maybe Thanksgiving is too late, but right after Halloween means there's three weeks, almost a month.

[Alan Hahn]

True.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. Separating Halloween.

[Don Hahn]

I'm not saying November 1st.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's that I remember growing up as a kid. I remember like really paying attention to the dates. Rudolph the Red nose reindeer. One time they aired it December 1st. And I'm like, December 1st, it's way too early.

[Alan Hahn]

I love now as a kid that's still.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen when you're talking as a kid, you know, a month is a long, long time. And then as you get older, a month is a blink of an eye. But we got to find some sort of a happy meeting. Can we all agree that Halloween is too early? Halloween at least three on that.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes. I think November 1st is a bit much.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, starting this. No, no, you shouldn't.

[Alan Hahn]

But this year it fell on a weekend. So I guarantee you right now, if we were to ask the people 1-800-919-3776 throughout the day, I guarantee we will have people who will tell you their wives made them start decorating Halloween weekend because it fell on what on Friday?

[Don Hahn]

Did you say this? This year Halloween fell on the weekend.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And so if you and ghetto boys.

[Don Hahn]

Were trick or treating, there you go.

[Alan Hahn]

And you, after you robbed the kids for bags, you went home and you. And you put up the Christmas tree. That, that. I guarantee you, Don, there are people listening. Who there? Because I know Cass1 on the morning Show. His wife Sonia had him in the attic November 1st. Taking it all down.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So what you're acknowledging though, is that Thanksgiving really doesn't exist.

[Alan Hahn]

Not from a decoration standpoint.

[Don Hahn]

I think Thanksgiving is the new Christmas Eve just a month earlier.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But listen, I.

[Alan Hahn]

Because that's when you really.

[Don Hahn]

That's when you're knee deep. See, I think you just get your toes down around this week and then next week. Now you're knee deep for a month.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now I just think the day after Thanksgiving is perfect because what do they call the Friday after Thanksgiving?

[Alan Hahn]

It's Black Friday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why because people start Christmas shopping and that's where all the sales are. Right. What is the big feature at the end of the Thanksgiving Day parade? What is the big thing, end of the parade? Introducing Santa. It is just the tradition of let's enjoy Thanksgiving. And then once Thanksgiving is wrapped up, then we can usher in the Christmas holiday. So I am going to stick to that. I want to respect Thanksgiving as its own separate holiday and. And then have at it the Friday after. We've got football on that Friday now. Basketball and hockey always play. I got a. I got a Devil saber game at 4:00 clock on that Friday. It just feels like, listen, teach their own, right? I'm just saying I've got a game at 4 o', clock, which tells me that's a holiday. The day after Thanksgiving is a holiday.

[Don Hahn]

It is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Kids are off from school, all right? There's games in the afternoon, there's football being played. It just seems like Black Friday is the perfect day to say this is when the holiday starts. And then that weekend you could put up all the decorations and all that. So I'm going to stick to the Friday after Thanksgiving, the official beginning of the holiday season, not any time before that.

[Alan Hahn]

For me, I think you're right as far as it being official start of the season. I like the time we're in right now as like the little, little previews of the remix, if you will. Like the little. Just a little warm it up, get us ready, that's all. And then the music. I don't need the music pre Thanksgiving. I will tell you, though, I do enjoy some Christmas music on Thanksgiving.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, without a doubt.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, to me, Thanksgiving's the beginning of Christmas season. So.

[Don Hahn]

Isn't that what I was saying? Yeah, that's what I was suggesting. What this is right now is wherein you get into the theater and they're showing you all of the, like, the previews, trailers, the trailers of other movies. And that's kind of what this week feels like next week feels like. All right, now some of the trailers are getting a little bit longer because those are the ones that are coming out soon and they have to do with the same genre of the movie you're about to watch. Now you're really getting into it, right? And then after Thanksgiving is over, it's movie time. We're all in movies, ready to go, lights come down and it's movie time. So decorations. What was that again?

[Alan Hahn]

I'll find it.

[Don Hahn]

But it, to me, the decorations thing, though, kind of go hand in hand. No, it goes hand in hand because.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It'S too obnoxious, man.

[Don Hahn]

Well, what are you gonna have? Separate stuff for Thanksgiving? No Host for Thanksgiving. You know, I don't know. I got. We got boxes of stuff because, you know, I can't have this stuff out just for one week.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I'm telling you because since I've had the kids, we decorate, okay? So we decorate for Halloween. And if you take a look at the Halloween decorations, it's full. Very similar. They're very, very fall, like.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Oh, no. Oh, no.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, no.

[Don Hahn]

This is what happens.

[Alan Hahn]

How you like them apples, buddy?

[Don Hahn]

The elf's heard him. That's it.

[Alan Hahn]

But, yeah, we lost him.

[Don Hahn]

Get him out.

[Alan Hahn]

Don's dead. His heart exploded while he was trying to clean shovel the snow.

[Don Hahn]

So the Grinch, his heart grow. Grew three sizes larger.

[Alan Hahn]

Exactly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now.

[Don Hahn]

Couldn't handle it.

[Alan Hahn]

Here's. Here's Steven the car. By the way, Steve in the car.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Says.

[Alan Hahn]

What they wrote here on the call screener. Steve is. It says. It says merry Thanksgiving. Is that really a thing you say?

[Emily]

That is a tremendous description. I'll be quick, guys. And I'm not. I'm not trolling. I was a. I'm a retired business editor, and our trade paper covered retail, electronics, retail, you know, Black Friday, the whole thing. It was our busiest season leading up to January. A guy with the Detroit Free Press, about 15 years ago, a cartoonist wrote a. Did a drawing with a sign on a building saying Merry Thanksgiving. And all the directions, all the decorations were pumpkins, the Thanksgiving people, Jack o' Lantern, you know, Santa Claus, all that stuff. And it was a small sign in the window saying, starting September 1st and ending January 1st. So one of my colleagues picked it up and he gave it to me, and I did a blog about it.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Emily]

And I. It took off. It's not my idea, but it's merry Thanksgiving week. We always used to host Thanksgiving Thanksgiving dinner for 30 people. I put the drawing out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

My.

[Emily]

My wife went crazy. He said, it's too early. You can't do that. Blah, blah, blah. The next year, her and her brother designed something that we still have on the wall. It is a. They took one of those things for happy birthdays, and it was Merry Christmas. It took the merry from the Merry Christmas sign that you'd always have, you know, with the paper goods. And then they took Powell.

[Don Hahn]

It's a lot.

[Alan Hahn]

I feel so bad to people. I started looking at Alan about 20 seconds ago.

[Don Hahn]

He's a nice man.

[Alan Hahn]

And I. I do. I love Steve. He's a good man.

[Don Hahn]

No no, we'll give you the first.

[Alan Hahn]

You got a minute. You got 60 seconds straight.

[Don Hahn]

He was very excited about this. And that's why it feels bad to do that. When I think a lot of the audience was like, okay, okay, we get it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I, I usually when I find that, like, oh, I'm not paying attention anymore, but I need to realize that I'm the one. I'm steering the ship. I'm now staring off into space as we crash into another ship. That's a problem.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

So I'm sorry, Steve.

[Don Hahn]

I just marry Thanksgiving ween to see if I could find his blog. It does not come up.

[Alan Hahn]

Did you type in Steve next to it?

[Don Hahn]

I did not. I should try that.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Maybe pops up now.

[Don Hahn]

Steve.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If.

[Alan Hahn]

Happy Thanksgiving, Steve.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, it's Thanksgiving.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, Thanksgiving. Emily.

[Don Hahn]

Hello.

[Alan Hahn]

Hi, Emily. What do you got for us?

[Emily]

And happy holidays.

[Alan Hahn]

You too.

[Emily]

First of all, first of all, let me say this. Anyone who leaves any Halloween decor up after November 1st needs to be exiled.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Emily]

Especially a hanging ghost, a skeleton, jack o' lantern.

[Don Hahn]

Emily gets it. You gotta go. Emily gets it, you gotta go. Yeah, yeah. Halloween is like, for two days. You get two days and that's it.

[Emily]

We're done for two days. And quite frankly, most of it's tacky.

[Don Hahn]

It's the warm up.

[Alan Hahn]

I will say. Let me just. Emily, I'll let you go. Let me just say this about the Halloween. People go overboard for sure. But I do enjoy just October being like, spooky season. I enjoy the spooky season of October.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm a horror guy. So I enjoy, I enjoy a bit. But I hear what you're saying. It gets very depressing to see, like, witches on, like, November 5th.

[Don Hahn]

I want to hear more from Emily because she came out of the gate. She came out of the gate hot.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, Emily Kim.

[Don Hahn]

So let's go.

[Emily]

I came out of the gate hot. I came out of the gate hot. Secondly, fall decor gets a much longer run than Christmas decor. People are putting things up in August, so it's not fair to say that Christmas things are going up too early in November. And a lot of people like to enjoy the turkey meal with the tree in the background.

[Alan Hahn]

I agree with that.

[Emily]

I mean, listen, because what else do you have? You have pumpkins and, like a weird pilgrims. Also kind of get some leaves. You can't.

[Alan Hahn]

You can't.

[Emily]

You can't do it anymore.

[Don Hahn]

Hold on.

[Alan Hahn]

What is, what is fall decor, though? What do you mean? People put up fall decor. What are they putting up?

[Don Hahn]

Well, you got like garland that's like, got a lot of like colored leaves, right? You have that. You got some hay. All right, Some hay.

[Alan Hahn]

People are putting out. Wait, hold on, hold on, hold on. I don't live in the suburbs. People are putting out bales of hay.

[Don Hahn]

Right on their stoop. This is as if all of a sudden we're transformed to some beautiful farmland, some orchard. It's like.

[Alan Hahn]

No, it's like when Marty, When Marty got ended up back in 1955 and he just. He's on a farm all of a sudden.

[Don Hahn]

Exactly. It's so. It's so much like that, it's hysterical.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

It's like, you know, thank you, Emily. Like, yeah, like, I don't see a.

[Alan Hahn]

Lot of far out of a fall.

[Don Hahn]

Decor, but you do get though the cinnamon apple candles.

[Alan Hahn]

Sure.

[Don Hahn]

And then you light those up. Now you're in the mood.

[Alan Hahn]

And there's, and there's fall Starbucks drinks.

[Don Hahn]

And there's that which come out in August. The cinnamon. They do that in August?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, they're big on the, on the, on the Starbucks fall. Are you. Is your tree up for Thanksgiving?

[Don Hahn]

No, we're very much the next day.

[Alan Hahn]

You decorate the next day.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, yeah. So where the house gets done the next day, but everything else is still like. It's a build up, man.

[Alan Hahn]

Do you have a game the next day?

[Don Hahn]

I do.

[Alan Hahn]

What time?

[Don Hahn]

It's an Amazon prime game though. So I am not technically working yet.

[Alan Hahn]

So do you have to go?

[Don Hahn]

I don't right now.

[Alan Hahn]

So as of now, you're not working on Friday. On Black Friday.

[Don Hahn]

I'm not trying to make.

[Alan Hahn]

Get you roped in for work, so.

[Don Hahn]

Don'T, you know, be a great day to have off.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, you hold on. I'm telling you as you are not working.

[Don Hahn]

I am not sure.

[Alan Hahn]

No, because I am the one person who, when I got here and I heard there were people who would work on Black Friday.

[Don Hahn]

I used to always, always worked on Black Friday.

[Alan Hahn]

The one point, the point of getting, the point of getting established in radio, like once you're like no longer a fill. I mean, I say this with the, I mean, respect like you wouldn't believe. Jake Asmond and Ty Butler got to work on Black Friday. No, it's how it. I did. I did my years. I was in my 20s. I did it. I'm early 30s. I did it. Then you get older, you don't do it.

[Don Hahn]

But Don remembers the days that we used to be kind of guilted into working on Black Friday. Oh, Don always that. Well, you know, Everybody's in the car that day.

[Alan Hahn]

I. Oh, I forgot.

[Don Hahn]

Everybody's in the car. And you're like.

[Alan Hahn]

And they get.

[Don Hahn]

Don't want to be in the car.

[Alan Hahn]

They get Don, because Don was always doing a Rangers game or whatever, so he'd always get hooked in.

[Don Hahn]

That's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah. But you know what? There's a little something different now than there was back then, guys. So.

[Alan Hahn]

What's that?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't. I don't want to say it, but you know what I'm talking.

[Alan Hahn]

Do I? Huh?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Begins with an R, ends in G. Rosenberg ratings.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, you know, so that's what you get.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So then, you know, listen, I worked and Alan worked, and you worked Peter back in the day on those holidays because the bigwigs didn't. I'd like to think of myself 24 years at the station as being a big wig.

[Alan Hahn]

You deserve to think of yourself as that.

[Don Hahn]

Don's a big wig. I'm not even a wig.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, stop it.

[Don Hahn]

No, seriously.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Neither do you need to stop it.

[Don Hahn]

No. Like, you hear Namath team. No, he doesn't know if I'm going to make the team yet. I'm trying to.

[Alan Hahn]

That was a long time ago. You made the team. You made the team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But no afternoon drive. And then, you know, Middays moves up to afternoon drive to fill in. I mean, that's. There's a pecking order. That's the way it worked. Overnight guy then does mornings.

[Alan Hahn]

That's just the way we've seen it all. But the afternoon guy is supposed to take off.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, speaking of seeing it all. Yeah. I actually had a rant that nobody heard.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait, wait, you're joking. No, I was going off.

[Don Hahn]

You dropped out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I went off.

[Don Hahn]

We were so worried about you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The people on YouTube saw me wait with my animated Italian.

[Don Hahn]

I was trying to tell you that he was talking, but you guys were on your.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When I was done, dead silence. And I was like, well, see you.

[Alan Hahn]

I. I shut you guys up.

[Don Hahn]

Drop the mic.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hello? Hello? And I found out that I was disconnected. And so, Anthony, the whole time, you.

[Alan Hahn]

Were watching him talking? Yep. Knowing he was connected to the air link?

[Don Hahn]

Correct.

[Emily]

But the.

[Alan Hahn]

But the Ethernet connection was dead.

[Emily]

Yep.

[Don Hahn]

And you left him up anyway?

[Alan Hahn]

Just.

[Don Hahn]

Just old man yelling at a cloud. And you. Dave in the car is telling me the same take he's had for three days, and he hasn't gotten on yet, so please take him so he could change his story. And then I realized Dom was moving his lips and nothing was coming out of his mouth. Can we Run that back, though, because I'd love to see.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I started. Listen, the moments passed, but just to give you a little synopsis.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, please.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was like, you know, I don't know what you heard up to. I said, at this rate, we're going to be celebrating the holidays after Labor Day because it's all corporate. That's why they want to try money from us. So if we give them Halloween, then they take Halloween, and the next thing you know, the day after Labor Day, that. That Tuesday after Labor Day, we're going to be hanging up Christmas wreaths and we're.

[Alan Hahn]

It's Black Tuesday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. And I was like.

[Alan Hahn]

And we get.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We got to fight the man, guys, the corporate. And I started going off about how the car. And I said, you know, march with me, Peter. Why won't you march, of all people? You're not going to march with me.

[Don Hahn]

You know the movie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm not marching any.

[Alan Hahn]

And it was all by yourself, all alone.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I'm thinking, because I'm looking at you guys staring at the microphone, I'm like, this is so money.

[Alan Hahn]

They're captivated.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Totally.

[Alan Hahn]

Hold on. The timing was perfect. So while Steve was going on about God knows what, respectfully, we were staring straight ahead. You think we're listening to you?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I thought you were completely engaged in a rant that was not heard.

[Alan Hahn]

The first time ever in my entire.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Career that I had a rant and I thought it was a damn good one that no one heard.

[Don Hahn]

No one will ever know.

[Alan Hahn]

There's visual. I know I'm going to need to see it.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm going to need to at least see how passionate what level rant we're talking.

[Don Hahn]

Maybe we can read his lips.

[Alan Hahn]

I know. Perhaps we can. Perhaps we can. Guys, we do have some sports to get to today.

[Don Hahn]

We do.

[Alan Hahn]

There's a Thursday night foosball game. I don't know if anyone.

[Don Hahn]

We are interested. There's no way I'm in. No way. But this is. We're in must win weekend.

[Alan Hahn]

You mean for our picks or for the league?

[Don Hahn]

Well, yeah, for our picks, but I'm talking about for the league. There's a lot of these. These we all know. I know must win is a fallacy. It's not really a must win, but you know that. That feeling in a locker room of, man, if we don't win this one, Right?

[Alan Hahn]

All right.

[Don Hahn]

I think there's some teams this weekend that are facing that. That like, must win feeling. Unfortunately, neither New York team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, Peter is feeling that.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah, that's why.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, Peter, if you want to fight back, you've got to take a three point here. You got it. Because it looks like Alan and I are going to lay out leap in. You've got to dig back in because you desperately need to get back. You know what else is back, guys?

[Don Hahn]

What's back? The has toy truck.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The 2025 Stock Car Racers are loaded with action packed features. Oh, it's loaded.67 animated lights, five realistic sounds and a pullback motor. Available exclusively at hesstoytruck.com for 49.99 with free standard shipping and batteries included.

[Don Hahn]

It's good to have batteries.

[Peter Rosenberg]

My voice is actually sore from screaming during the rant.

[Don Hahn]

Like Don is doing a stick it to the man rant. You're not even gonna appreciate it. It's unreal really, because I only have it up for about a minute and I think I could, I could tell back here because I have preview. I think it went for another two and a half, three. No. Before he finally I text him. He didn't look. He didn't look at his texts.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was going.

[Don Hahn]

He.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The only thing I glanced at was offline and it was like somebody, you know, pulled the plug.

[Don Hahn]

Also sad that Steve's call took just as long.

[Alan Hahn]

Steve, you don't even.

[Don Hahn]

He was trying.

[Alan Hahn]

He got us started. You know what? I tell you, I like Steve's voice. I always find it to be a soothing, calming, nice sounding gentleman. Starts out, he's telling us a little bit. And then Don, you ever have that moment when you're sitting there and you realize I'm hosting a radio show and I am no longer paying attention to what's being said on the air? That's a problem.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, that's a big problem.

[Alan Hahn]

That means you need to move forward. And fortunately we have music for that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

In the meantime, one of your hosts is in a rant that nobody can hear.

[Alan Hahn]

I know. And meanwhile we have gold happening to nowhere. All right, so let's, let's run over this real quick. Since you brought it up, Alan. Tonight's Bills Texans game. Yeah, I think the if there's a must win there and it's not sexy, it's the Texans. If they want to stay in the mix.

[Don Hahn]

Well, it's, it's. The Bills did have their bounce back after an embarrassing Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But.

[Alan Hahn]

But for the bills must at 7 and 3 though not.

[Don Hahn]

All right. This isn't one of the must wins but I'm feeling also like Buffalo is being overlooked now by everybody. Agree they have not like Remember earlier in the year when I told you said, who do you trust? And I said, buffalo. You go, how could you possibly trust them? As I'm telling you, this team. And then they started to show us why you can't trust them. So when you look at the landscape of the contenders, the real contenders in the NFL, the Bills do not come up because we don't trust them because it's Josh Allen and a bunch of guys that he's trying to drag with him. So these Taye Diggs. Yes, especially Taye Diggs and his new baby. So he has to. They have to, as a team, start not only convincing us, but convincing themselves that they are a legit contender. Otherwise, if they're not the true contender and they have another one of these years where it fizzles out, at some point in the playoffs, they might have to make massive changes there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And never mind contender, they're not winning this division. They lose tonight, I mean, that's going to be on the tail. You're wild team now playing on the road.

[Alan Hahn]

So. So that's fair. I mean, what's the other. What's the next word? That's what we need to develop today.

[Don Hahn]

What's the word?

[Alan Hahn]

What's the. Must win should be reserved for. If you lose the game, you're essentially cooked. All right, that's must win.

[Don Hahn]

Urgency.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, like what's the. But what's the. It's called an urgent game. A code something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's code red.

[Alan Hahn]

But code red is must win. No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I guess.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Code red will coat.

[Alan Hahn]

What's the code before red? Black, Code yellow.

[Don Hahn]

I don't think it's yellow or.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're going. You're going by traffic signs now.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So it would be Codella Sienna. But no, you're right because.

[Alan Hahn]

Because there's a notch. The Bills are not. Listen, the bills dropped to seven and four and then they finished. They finished the season 12 and five. Well, it wasn't a must win. So it's hard. You don't want to say must win, but given the momentum of the Patriots, given how tight the AFC is, it's close to must win. But it's not Steelers, Bears. Now the Steelers, you could argue are must win every week. With the way the Ravens are on the race.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

Am I wrong about that?

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

Like the way things have been heading and by the way, is it Mason.

[Don Hahn]

Rudolph, that's who it would be if Rogers can't go.

[Alan Hahn]

Got easy.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

That's Mason Rudolph really hung on to that job. Well.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, listen to both The Baltimore, who I think is. Is on fire, but still not perfect. If you don't win the north, you may not go to the playoffs. Yeah, right, because. All right, so Patriots, Bills, one wins the division, one goes to the postseason.

[Alan Hahn]

Probably right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Dolphins, they've got. They got New Orleans and the jets coming up. So the Dolphins could be a wild.

[Alan Hahn]

They're not dead, but the Dolphins still have a long way away. What are they, 4 and 7 or something? They're. They're a ways back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Fine.

[Don Hahn]

But.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I'm just saying, I'm just going by division, all right? Nobody else in the North. And then you go out West. Well, Kansas city gets the 10 wins, so, like, if you start messing around, you may not make the playoffs.

[Alan Hahn]

No, Pittsburgh's got to win that division. Pittsburgh's got to win every week. And by the way, Burrow could be back next week. I mean, it's hard to picture a world where Cincinnati wins out or anything like that, but he's going to try to make it spicy. Speaking of the Bengals. Oh, and the Steelers play the bears. Bears 7 and 3. Again, not a must win. But the NFC north is going to be a log jam at the top with the Packers, Lions and Bears.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

So that's going to be a tough. I don't know if all three of those teams are getting in. So every win matters for the NFC North.

[Don Hahn]

See what I mean? We're getting to that point.

[Alan Hahn]

And you know what? As the day goes on, we should keep going through them because there really is.

[Don Hahn]

There's up and down the board games at play this weekend. And again, unfortunately in New York, none of these games matter anymore.

[Alan Hahn]

So don't think about it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If the Giants had won just three.

[Don Hahn]

Right? Well, we already know the games that they should have won. They would have been in it. And that's what sucks, is that we.

[Alan Hahn]

Don'T get that they'd be sitting at 5 and 6. We're having a conversation.

[Don Hahn]

And this is a league right now that has a team ton of parody. So there's a lot of opportunity, but they're not involved, so. But there's still reason to watch football. And that's the whole idea is it's like to find those games that are a. You really want to watch that game. Like, I am caught up in a game that nobody cares about, but I'm caught up in it for one reason. I'm looking at a quarterback, and I want to see if he could play.

[Alan Hahn]

Because if he can play, you're talking about the four. The four or Five. Oh, yeah, baby.

[Don Hahn]

But I'm not talking about the freeway.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But that's okay.

[Don Hahn]

What do you mean?

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, no.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hold it.

[Alan Hahn]

Don. Can you hold it?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I'm. I'm.

[Alan Hahn]

Hold. Across your legs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hold tight.

[Don Hahn]

Push Donnie's button.

[Alan Hahn]

This message is sponsored by BetterHelp. Shorter days don't have to be so dismal. It's time to reach out and check in with those you care about. And to remind ourselves that we're not alone this month. Don't wait to reach out. Whether you're checking in on a friend or reaching out to a therapist yourself, BetterHelp makes it easier to take that first step. Our listeners get 10% off their first month. Just call pound 250 and say the keyword timeout. That's keyword timeout. After calling pound 250 at Designer Shoe Warehouse. We believe that shoes are an important part of, well, everything.

[Don Hahn]

From first steps to first dates, from all nighters to all time personal bests.

[Alan Hahn]

From building pillow forts to building a.

[Emily]

Life for all the big and small moments that make up your whole world. DSW is there and we've got just the shoes.

[Don Hahn]

Find a shoe for every you from.

[Emily]

Brands you love at brag worthy prices.

[Don Hahn]

At your DSW store or dsw.com as.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Granger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Alan Hahn]

Good job. Good job, Jake.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, man, you said that line twice. And the second time you said it is when I had to.

[Alan Hahn]

This year, Halloween fell on the weekend. Me and ghetto boys are trick or.

[Don Hahn]

Treat and robbing little kids for bags.

[Alan Hahn]

Then this old man came behind our.

[Don Hahn]

Rags.

[Alan Hahn]

But he wasn't no ordinary man. That song as a kid scared me.

[Don Hahn]

The video.

[Alan Hahn]

The video freaked me out.

[Don Hahn]

Because he, like, starts running like no Bushwick. Starts running at the camera.

[Alan Hahn]

He runs at the camera. He has the part and he goes. My hands are all bloody from pounding on the concrete.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, he really.

[Alan Hahn]

Don. He thinks that he's in the middle of a fight and he's.

[Don Hahn]

He's.

[Alan Hahn]

All these things are happening. Then he realized it was all a dream. There were no kids there.

[Don Hahn]

Don's riveting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, no, listen, I think you gotta see it. If I heard that. The actual rapper.

[Alan Hahn]

Have you. Have you never heard. You've never heard.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So that's not the first time you want to hear it?

[Alan Hahn]

No, no. We got to spend. You got to spend time with. My mind's playing tricks on me. I'm going to send you the video link, and perhaps during the break, you could enjoy it. Partake.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, it's such a classy moment. And then I Also, while we're at it, I'd like you to get the COVID of that album also, Don, which was when Bushwick Bill was actually shot in the eye and they decided to take the album cover photo while he's in the hospital on the gurney and he'd really been shot. And it's the album cover. It's. It was a time we were living.

[Don Hahn]

But wasn't. Isn't that relatable to what Don said? There's the. What is the metal band that had the corpse on it on the COVID.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The story is, although some people think it's fake, but there's a lot of people that believe it to be true. One of the members of Mayhem, you know, shot himself, committed suicide, shot himself in the head, and his manmate found him and decided to take a picture, and they made that the COVID of their album. You could figure. I mean, I'd be very careful. But it is available on the Internet, if you want to see what I.

[Don Hahn]

Believe we did Google it when we talked about this the first time around. Yes. And I saw it, and it's jarring.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So what you said is jarring, but not like that.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, like that.

[Alan Hahn]

Levels. There's levels of jar.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, there's. But, you know, there's a lot levels of jar.

[Alan Hahn]

You were about to say something before the breakdown. You remember what it was? You said you were going to hold it in.

[Don Hahn]

I was referencing a Browns Raiders game. That has my attention.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

CBS has that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think I. I just feel like I'm not going after you, Alan. That it's a little bit much. It's a little stretch. The Shador stuff.

[Don Hahn]

Which part? What's the stretch?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just that. That he could be your savior and that you're watching that like the same way you'd be watching Mendoza played Indiana as a potential first Overall pick. I mean, come on. I'm not saying it can't work, but for you to invest time watching Shador Sanders, like, scouting him, if you will, I think you're the next guy. I think that's a little.

[Alan Hahn]

I think you're. I think you're misreading your friend. I think Alan Hahn has a little bit more Peter Rosenberg in him than you realize.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What if you think he's being performative. I don't know.

[Alan Hahn]

Excuse me.

[Don Hahn]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

How dare you? No, but I mean, in terms of just getting excited about a certain guy and their story, I think he's fascinated by the Shador story more than he even thinks he's realistically going to be the savior of the Jets. Am I wrong? Alan, I think you bought in. Well, the first thought he was a great player. Look, the first got disrespected, and now here's the comeback tour.

[Don Hahn]

The first level of my interest is I want to be right. You remember going into the draft, and I did feel like that this is a guy that's got. He's got the mental capacity, he's got the pedigree, and he's got the accuracy to be a really good NFL quarterback.

[Alan Hahn]

He was big on the accuracy, Big.

[Don Hahn]

On the accuracy because I didn't like.

[Alan Hahn]

His motion in college, his throwing motion. And you were always.

[Don Hahn]

No one thought he was athletic enough. Like, he wasn't fast and all that stuff. And I said, but this guy, he's really good on target. And then, of course, the end of that game, what'd he do? He threw a couple of bad balls, and now people are down on him. But this is, like, his first real opportunity. And I'm, like, curious to see, does it flash enough. That tells me, okay, I was right. And if he went to the right situation, this guy could have been. He could be, if he gets to the right situation, a capable NFL quarterback, which is all I wanted to see. Now, is there also a part of me that's like. And if he shows me a little something, I don't care. Like, he. You don't have to bring him in to make him your starting quarterback. But if the Browns don't really want him, I'll bring him in so I can work with him and see if I could turn him into something like, that's. That's what I'm kind of curious about. I got nothing else, Don. I can't watch the job. I don't care about Tyrod Taylor. I don't care about the Jets. But I need something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I. The Whole idea of you rooting to be right, I completely get. So that, to me, would be 100%.

[Don Hahn]

It starts.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why I'd be watching that.

[Don Hahn]

It always starts.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But. But to attach him to the jets, you almost have to root to be wrong temporarily, to eventually have him land with the jets and be right.

[Don Hahn]

I know what you're saying.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because if he ends up balling out.

[Don Hahn]

They'Re not going to get rid of him. Of course not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, you want him to bottom out in Cleveland, and either you can pick him up if he's really. But I don't know if they'll release him, or you can give that sixth or seventh round pick, get him, and then turn him around.

[Don Hahn]

I just want evidence, like visual evidence, something tangible in this performance. And whatever else that he does for the rest of the season, it doesn't have to be that he goes on a tear and he just starts. Because obviously then the Browns might say, oh, wow, we didn't even realize what we had, and now we've got our quarterback of the future. Right? I get totally agreement. But, you know, you do need to see it. It's got to look right. And if you see it, the right person might say, okay, it wasn't great success, but they don't have a lot of talent there, and all this other stuff. But, you know, I saw something in this dude, like, I think we should invest some time in him. And that's. That's kind of what I'm. I just want to see that. I'm not wrong.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not that hard. I get. We all root to be right. That part I get right.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I'm more. I'm more fascinated in it than ever, I think. I think it's a very interesting story. It's a tremendous story. Like, to go from being like, hey, did you hear? Dion's kid is pretty good. Oh, my God. Dion's kids really good. Oh, my God. Colorado. They moved to Colorado. They're on TV every single week. Everyone's talking about them. This kid's good. They're retiring his jersey. He's all time great. No one's interested. Plummets like we've never seen. He can't be a starter. The Browns don't want to play him now. Everyone. Now you want to see the redemption story.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It potentially could be bigger than Tom Brady.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, my God. If it worked out. See, now you want to be hyperbolic. I'm all here for it. If this were to work out and he were to be a stud, like in a world where he was a stud. It would be gigantic.

[Don Hahn]

He's the 42nd quarterback they have tried since 1999. Think about that.

[Alan Hahn]

40 seconds.

[Peter Rosenberg]

42.

[Don Hahn]

So it's, it's like the, like the one that no one expects anything of, does the things that no one can expect. Like he, he could be the one. They didn't even know that he was the one. They begrudgingly drafted him. They didn't really play. They barely played him. He gets no opportunity. Everybody gets hurt. He's got to play. And then he lights it up. And now the Browns have the quarterback for the next 20 years and they didn't even know they had him. Like, that's an incredible story. It's probably not going to happen, but that's like similar to the story.

[Alan Hahn]

Where's the Sean Watson?

[Don Hahn]

He's still hurt.

[Alan Hahn]

He's just, he's just still getting better. And then in theory, next off season he'd compete for a job again.

[Don Hahn]

I got to see when they have an out because I know the minute they have an out in that contract, they're going to be out. They're going to be out because that's, that's the other name that people suggest with the jets. It's like, well, you know, Deshaun Watson could be had. He once was good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know, but that would be the quicker way to success because we know Watson can play.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We don't know if Shador can play or not. I know you seem to be convinced, but the world's not. But as far as the redemption story, I mean, I mean, it sticks it to the entire National Football League system. If he succeeds.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It really just sticks it to everybody.

[Don Hahn]

Everybody. Even the Browns, who drafted him so quickly. Next year is the last guaranteed year of his deal. They can void the rest of the contract. Deshaun Watson. Yeah, they can do. They can void the recipe. He's 31. He's 30 this year. He'll be 31 next year. He is. So much of his prime has just disintegrated.

[Alan Hahn]

It's, it's, it's an all time 30.

[Don Hahn]

For 30 all over a massage.

[Alan Hahn]

He's. He's a lot of them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Several.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. There's more than 1. Week 7 last year was when he went down with the Achilles.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

His practice window opened this past week and they did not exercise it. So he's not practicing. I don't know if that means he wasn't ready for it. They're not bothering. But now we're past a year on the injury, so. And the craziest thing is, guys, he. The only other person I can sort of compare him to. Completely different situation. But hear me out is Carson Wentz. That there's this moment when you go, oh, my God, we're seeing something at quarterback. This is special. I. I thought Watson was, like, on the way to generational. Yeah, he had everything, including attitude, approach. All of it.

[Don Hahn]

All of it. And he's made a ton of money. Really? Like, he. Like, it's. It's the weirdest, sad story of a guy who. How can you be sad when you, you know, $50 million a year in your pocket for doing nothing, and yet.

[Alan Hahn]

Your whole life, if nothing changes, no one will think of you in a particularly positive way. He'd have to really dig deep to turn things around in his Life.

[Don Hahn]

So at 31, Don, when the. When the Browns do cut him free, that no NFL team's gonna touch him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, they will.

[Alan Hahn]

Someone's got to give him a shot for sure.

[Don Hahn]

Like, even Michael Vick had a redemption.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, he'll get an opportunity. I don't think there's any question about it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. I always said this, Alan, when we were on the Case show, and I maintain it to this day, it was so obvious that something nefarious happened.

[Don Hahn]

It was obvious, of course.

[Alan Hahn]

And the thing I found so foolhardy about the entire thing was while he was accused of doing things that were definitively uncool, inappropriate, not right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Mm.

[Alan Hahn]

None of the things he was accused of went to the extent that he wouldn't be able to redeem himself if he owned it and took responsibility.

[Don Hahn]

And he just refused it.

[Alan Hahn]

And he refused it. And then it's like karma came back and just crashed on him like a frigging grand piano on his head.

[Don Hahn]

But again, how's it working out for him?

[Alan Hahn]

But that's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Cleveland.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know the answer. How is it working?

[Don Hahn]

Dollars fully guaranteed. So it's like that. You're right about the karma for his career, but it's. It's such a weird place.

[Alan Hahn]

I know. Because you're rich.

[Don Hahn]

Like, but how do you want to.

[Alan Hahn]

Be rich and have no respect?

[Don Hahn]

That's what I mean. How hollow.

[Alan Hahn]

He worked his whole life to be a successful quarterback, Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don, we've worked all our lives to be where we're at now. Right? And. And we're still striving to be even better, but still, we've been able to make something of our careers.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let me double. No, no, let me go. Multiply your earnings by 10. But you're completely disrespected in your career. Nobody thinks you're any good. Nobody thinks you're any kind of quality. You're a pariah. I wouldn't want to live that way. I mean, listen, money is a part of why we do things because, let's face it, we've all got rent, we've all got mortgages, we've all got families to support. But we got into this to try to enjoy our careers, to be something that's. We strive to be something. And for him to never see his dream fully come to reality as an NFL quarterback and be looked upon as a joke. I don't care how much money you make, that's not going to fill the emptiness in his soul for that. Right.

[Don Hahn]

That's why I say it's got to be incredibly empty. He's in the prime of his life, of the prime of his career, making just boatloads of money. And yet everything that he's worked for, he can't do. And it's his, the Achilles. He's the two surgeries on it. Like, it's. It's all right now. This feels like lost time for a player like that. And that's why I'm really curious after next season that we still got a whole other year before you can even consider it. But I wonder, is he just.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, hold on.

[Don Hahn]

Before we knuckle down like I'm going to make a comeback and that comeback begins today and all that stuff, or is he. Does he. Has he lost it so much?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, but you're skipping a part of the story.

[Don Hahn]

What part of the story? Oh, still owning it?

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, no. Well, that part. That's.

[Don Hahn]

He's never going to own it.

[Alan Hahn]

No, not. But not that part. The Browns don't have a quarterback as of right now. They have Joe Flacco, Dylan Gabriel, Shador Sanders.

[Don Hahn]

No, it sounds like you don't think.

[Alan Hahn]

They'Ll give him a shot next year.

[Don Hahn]

I think they're cutting him as fast as they can.

[Alan Hahn]

But next season they have to pay him. You have to let him try out for the job.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You almost want to see it work just to justify the contract that you gave them. Right.

[Alan Hahn]

And who are they going to run out there? So they might have to just bring them in and camp in earnest and let him see if he earns. And guys over that group, the original.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Team where the controversy took place always feels the need to let him go.

[Alan Hahn]

That was Houston.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, so that's already been done.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So now Cleveland can look at it and say, all right, he did some bad things. We gave him a guaranteed contract. We want to try to make some back from that. I want to see if this guy can earn his job.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, they may not do that, Alan, but wouldn't you do it? Wouldn't you say, oh, let's see if you can. Let's see if you can win this job.

[Don Hahn]

But isn't he in the practice window right now? And they need a quarterback. Like, are they worried about a re. Injury situation? They don't want to. Like, they're not going to put him in any type of situation that, you know, he'd push too hard. I mean, he's been gone for a. He's been out long enough that he should be available to play at some point this season.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Or is it just.

[Don Hahn]

Are they just saying, we don't want.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You to play or, you know, we got.

[Alan Hahn]

That's interesting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Traveling for this job. We're just not in a place right now we can afford to have this kind of, you know, dog and pony show. Let's wait till the off season. Let's sort out what we have here, and let's hit the ground. Right. Like, but.

[Alan Hahn]

But to Alan's point, if they really did think about next year with him, this goes against what I was just arguing. But if they really did think about it for next year, Don, wouldn't they have opened the practice window? At least they don't have anything going right now. Like, wouldn't you at least want to see him let him throw it a little bit and start building towards next year?

[Don Hahn]

Like, they could have opened up his practice window and they left him on the sidelines again, and they're going, you.

[Alan Hahn]

Know, now we're over a full year.

[Don Hahn]

Like, they had an opportunity if they wanted to, to try to bring him in, and instead it's like, no, we'd rather go with Dylan Gabriel. We'd rather go with Bailey Zappi. Like, how many other guys did they use on this team?

[Peter Rosenberg]

And also bringing in as many quarterbacks as they did kind of tells you that, yeah, maybe they have already at least mentally cut ties with them and will officially do it, but there'll be somebody that'll try to gobble them up.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, well, I, like you said gobble because it's a week from Thanksgiving.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Learned how to count with this song. You.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait. Oh, really? You were. You were 25 1.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is.

[Don Hahn]

I played this with Zach when he was little and I had him repeat it.

[Alan Hahn]

So you did actually do it with a year. Zach.

[Don Hahn]

One, two, three, into the foe.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

To this day, he says foe.

[Alan Hahn]

Do you know the next line, Don? 1, 2, 3, into the 4. No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

5, 6, pick up sticks.

[Alan Hahn]

No. How about this? How about 1, 2, 3, into THE 4? Snoop Doggy Dog and Snoop Doggy Dog and.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know, Dr. Dre is.

[Don Hahn]

Where is he? Where is Dr. Dre?

[Alan Hahn]

At the Snoop Doggy Dog and Dr. Dre are at the Doe.

[Don Hahn]

Doe. All right, we got it.

[Alan Hahn]

1-800-937-76. And by the way, before we get to you, how about a little game time? Brought to you by tomorrow, Dew. Irish Whiskey game time.

[Don Hahn]

I like when he holds it.

[Alan Hahn]

It's totally time. Rangers Avalanche in Colorado with coverage immediately following. Dan grass on 880 at 8:30. Dons in Florida for Devil's Panthers at 7.

[Don Hahn]

Rider, is that the last of the road trip?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, technically, Philadelphia is Saturday, but I'm gonna go home.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm not gonna stay in the hotel an hour.

[Don Hahn]

Team's going to Philly, though, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes, they're all going to Philly. We're landing in Philly.

[Don Hahn]

It's not a getaway, though. No. No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

All right. So, Devils, Panthers at seven and the Isles visit the Red Wings at seven. Coverage of St. John's Bucknell, which you throw out just the record.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, goodness. What's the spread?

[Alan Hahn]

I don't.

[Don Hahn]

It's. I don't know who. You take it.

[Alan Hahn]

I bet it's St. John's minus 22 and a half. But still, take St. John's it's on 1050 at 640. Telemore due the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish Whiskey. Be sure to grab a Telemore do or try the new Telemore Dew. Honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoy Telemore Dew responsibly.

[Don Hahn]

P. Daugherty Bucknell guy, really?

[Alan Hahn]

Was he on the team?

[Don Hahn]

Manager?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that sounds about right, by the way. Bad. Remember Maryland lost that kid for El Pain this week and that was bad news. But yesterday, like, the arguably the best recruit in the country declared for Maryland. It's, like, supposed to be the best player Maryland's gonna get in, like, years and years and years. How much they give the kid's name? I don't know. I don't know.

[Don Hahn]

Really big.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, I know. Yeah, I know, I know. My niece and nephew may not get offered money to go to Maryland anymore, but at least they will be able to have a player to watch should they make it there.

[Don Hahn]

You know, Zach did a Subway commercial.

[Alan Hahn]

What?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Zack Zaba?

[Don Hahn]

No, no, my son.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, no, he didn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What do you mean?

[Don Hahn]

It's an IL thing. He got a Subway commercial. He shot it on campus. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Are you being serious?

[Don Hahn]

No, I'm dead serious. It's hilarious. It's social media. It's not going to be on tv.

[Alan Hahn]

Really? With him and other players?

[Don Hahn]

No, him by himself.

[Alan Hahn]

A solo Zach Han.

[Don Hahn]

That's right.

[Alan Hahn]

Subway social spot.

[Don Hahn]

His first, like, nil like, moment.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

Pretty cool.

[Alan Hahn]

He's already made more with his athletic career than you did.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do better. Have him do better than the last spokesperson. Thank you.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, Don, let's not go all the way back to.

[Don Hahn]

We have to. Really?

[Alan Hahn]

Do you have to. We try to move past.

[Don Hahn]

I was. I was celebrating a moment. Yeah, he actually has real money in his pocket now instead of my money. For a change.

[Alan Hahn]

Subway should. Should be defined by the delightful sandwiches, the cookies, the tasty beverage that you wash it down with.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's that guy's name again?

[Alan Hahn]

Jared.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jared.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, my God. You don't bring up Jared. It's the things nightmares are made of.

[Don Hahn]

No, if you said, hey, moment ruined.

[Alan Hahn]

If you say, hey, I want to get a better understanding of what's in the tuna salad, we could have a conversation.

[Don Hahn]

Why'd you have to go tuna?

[Alan Hahn]

Or the. Or the chicken teriyaki, which. I love the onion. I love the sweet onion teriyaki. Big fan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just kidding about Jared. It's too soon. Really. I mean, it's over a decade.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, it's just us trying to be positive to the brand, which is put. Which is putting dollars in the pocket of young Zachary.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen, that's all I love. Subway. Tremendous product. They more than got up from it.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, no, they continued on. Although, I mean, it is one of the worst. It was. If there was a worse endorser in the history of the world, I don't know who it was. I mean, you know, Jello's raising their hand quietly in the corner with Bill Cosby. But.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But.

[Alan Hahn]

But that was. That wasn't their fault. Cosby wasn't famous from the Jello. Right. Jared's only famous from the sub top five. Because right now, Hertz is going. The OJ commercials.

[Don Hahn]

Hertz, Jello.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I'm just picturing, like you said, sitting in the corner, just kind of putting yeah, they're.

[Don Hahn]

They're all, like, doing the. The Homer Simpson fading.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, but. No, but. But Jared takes the cake because he's only. He became so famous from a commercial only. In fact, how about this here. Oh, my God. Here's a top five.

[Don Hahn]

A top five, top five. Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

The commercial character was enormous only because of the commercial character. Meaning Jake from State Farm. Meaning where's the beef, lady?

[Don Hahn]

Where the beef?

[Alan Hahn]

Meaning Joe Isuzu. You know what I'm saying? Meaning Max Headroom. They're only big from the commercial.

[Don Hahn]

Say Flo. Ready?

[Alan Hahn]

Flo.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is she.

[Alan Hahn]

No. Oh, no.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Progressive.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

People love. She's made.

[Don Hahn]

She made a multi million dollar career out of that character.

[Peter Rosenberg]

She was in a few episodes of the Goldbergs as a parent.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, really?

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then the guy, Max Headroom was in the. Was it the 04 version of dawn of the Dead?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, wow. So that's a big gap.

[Don Hahn]

That's a very big gap.

[Alan Hahn]

No, it's a big gap.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm just saying. I. But yeah, he's known for that.

[Alan Hahn]

But it's a good top five, right. Don, there are some interesting people who only exist because the commercial existed. But only one of them turned out to be the worst human being who's ever lived. And he who shall not be named at a place that we do do adore.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But again, Subway. Showing that they have more. More than got up from it by hiring Zach to be a spokesman.

[Alan Hahn]

Have you seen it? Have you got a look at this yet?

[Don Hahn]

I was trying to find it because it's a TikTok thing. I don't have TikTok.

[Alan Hahn]

I have TikTok. I deleted my other social media acceptance.

[Don Hahn]

You have to go to. I think you go to his and you'll see it.

[Alan Hahn]

Do you know if. Does he have words?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, he talks. He narrates the whole thing.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, boy. I'm pulling this up as we speak.

[Don Hahn]

So they do, like. It's not a television commercial. They do these, like. These are like digital social media commercials that just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

Randomly come up and he was selected out of.

[Alan Hahn]

He's a CK or a ch.

[Don Hahn]

Ch.

[Alan Hahn]

What's the decision there?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, good.

[Don Hahn]

Zachary.

[Alan Hahn]

And so you just shorten it to the age. Yeah, rz. But ours.

[Don Hahn]

K is a very aggressive. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Why do people go with the K?

[Don Hahn]

Some. Some Zachary's are with a K. Zach Han.

[Alan Hahn]

Biblical Zachary. Han.

[Don Hahn]

Why are you doing that?

[Peter Rosenberg]

And if you take a look at the Halloween decorations, very similar. They're very, very fall, like.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Oh. Oh, no. That's all we got done that was it. That's the moment we lost.

[Alan Hahn]

That's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So that was pre rant.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. We watched back this preamble. Those who missed it, we do have it shared on social media on. On our social media handles. And you'll see Don just. Just continuing to go while Peter and I take a call and have a nice discussion.

[Alan Hahn]

Hold on. I'm a lung, kids.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, boy. Hockey is a battle.

[Alan Hahn]

That means your training is on another level and your fuel has to match that intensity.

[Don Hahn]

Better voice his dad.

[Alan Hahn]

The new Fresh Fit menu from Subway.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Has some great options, but for me.

[Alan Hahn]

There'S a clear winner. I'm always going with the seasoned steak and avocado. It's packed with 35 grams of protein, and the quality ingredients are elite. Free meal that gives me the energy I need for classes, but it never weighs me down. It's just smart, powerful fuel classes. But you got to find yours.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go check out the whole fresh fit.

[Alan Hahn]

Menu at your local Subway restaurant and. And get that fuel you need.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm. I'm commenting. I'm liking and commenting. I'm pounding pound. Subscribe.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Smash it. Yeah, smash it like an avocado.

[Alan Hahn]

That is amazing.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don, Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't want to know how the.

[Don Hahn]

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 ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.