Hour 2: Charles Smith joins the show

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: Charles Smith Joins the Show

Release Date: March 14, 2025

In the second hour of "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg," hosts Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg welcome former Big East basketball star Charles Smith. The episode delves deep into Smith's illustrious career, his experiences in the fiercely competitive Big East Conference, his connections with Madison Square Garden, and his perspectives on the evolution of basketball. Rich with anecdotes, insights, and heartfelt stories, this episode offers a comprehensive look into the life of a basketball legend and the enduring legacy of the Big East.

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1. Welcoming Charles Smith and Reflecting on the Big East’s Glory Days ([00:27]–[02:41])

The episode kicks off with Don LaGreca introducing Charles Smith, reminiscing about the unparalleled competitiveness of the Big East during its peak years. Don emphasizes the high caliber of play, noting that “every team you faced had a guy or two who were going to the NBA” ([01:27]). Charles Smith echoes this sentiment, highlighting the intense nightly matchups and the relentless drive of players who were future lottery picks.

Notable Quote:

Don LaGreca: "Every team, every night was very intense. There wasn't, I don't think there ever be another league better than that." ([02:00])

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2. Charles Smith’s High School Recruitment and College Decisions ([03:17]–[06:00])

Charles Smith shares a pivotal moment from his high school days, detailing his unwavering commitment to the University of Maryland. He recounts how, despite being the MVP of the Five Star camp and heavily recruited, he faced a heartbreaking setback when Coach Sherman Dillard informed him that scholarship spots were exhausted. As a result, Maryland had to offer a place to local hero Derrick Lewis instead of Smith.

Notable Quote:

Charles Smith: "When I was coming out of high school, there was only one school I wanted to go to... the University of Maryland because my family was all in Maryland." ([03:17])

Smith reflects on feeling "crushed" by the news but how this led him to explore other opportunities, ultimately shaping his successful basketball career.

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3. The Competitive Spirit of the Big East and Its Lasting Impact ([02:05]–[06:00])

The hosts and Smith discuss the unique environment of the Big East, where proximity of schools fostered intense rivalries and packed arenas. Smith emphasizes that the conference was unmatched in its competitive spirit, stating, “nothing like it” ([02:19]). He also notes the historical significance of the Big East Final Four games at Madison Square Garden, which remain some of the most attended events in the venue’s history.

Notable Quote:

Charles Smith: "So every team, every night was very intense. There wasn’t, I don’t think there ever be another league better than that." ([02:00])

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4. Experiences at Madison Square Garden and Community Connections ([07:08]–[09:46])

Transitioning to his professional career, Smith shares a heartfelt story about his interactions with the union workers at Madison Square Garden. After a disappointing game, his mother advised him to treat everyone with respect, leading him to consistently engage positively with the arena staff. This genuine effort culminated years later when a retiring union worker credited Smith with turning his grandson’s life around through a simple, yet impactful conversation.

Notable Quote:

Charles Smith: "To this day, all the union workers, when I’m in the garden, they’re the ones that I talk to, I have great relationships with." ([09:46])

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5. Contrasting Coaching Philosophies: Pat Riley vs. Greg Popovich ([11:18]–[23:14])

A significant portion of the discussion centers on coaching styles, particularly contrasting the meticulous, play-focused approach of Pat Riley with the flexible, results-oriented philosophy of Greg Popovich. Smith praises Riley’s expertise in X’s and O’s and his ability to break down plays to perfection. In contrast, he appreciates Popovich’s straightforward directive: “Just get it done” ([23:03]).

Notable Quotes:

Charles Smith: "Pat Riley was one of the best at X's and O's... When we had the smallest issues within the plays, he would break down the practice until we got it down to a science." ([16:05])

Charles Smith: "Popovich would be like, just get it done. That was his philosophy with all the players." ([23:03])

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6. Evolution of Basketball: Past vs. Present ([23:58]–[25:34])

Smith offers insights into how basketball has evolved, particularly the shift towards the three-point shot and the changing roles of players. He muses that his own playing style, which included mid-range shooting and ball handling, might have been even more effective in today’s game. Smith acknowledges that while the game has become more perimeter-oriented, his skill set would still hold significant value.

Notable Quote:

Charles Smith: "If I had my style of game in this game because of the rule changes, I'd probably score a lot more." ([24:00])

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7. Current New York Knicks Team Analysis and Future Prospects ([19:38]–[23:58])

Charles Smith provides a comprehensive analysis of the current New York Knicks, commending the management for their strategic, incremental approach to team building. He highlights the team's strong defensive foundation, asserting, “You cannot win a championship without defense” ([20:43]). Smith believes that with continued development and a bit of luck, the Knicks are poised to become serious contenders in the NBA once again.

Notable Quote:

Charles Smith: "Their defense is good. Then they started doing the offensive pieces. Today they have everything it takes. They haven't been here in a long time, and the fans need to appreciate what they have." ([20:43])

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8. Memorable Moments and Legacy ([17:22]–[19:38])

Smith reminisces about iconic moments from his playing days, including the famous backboard-shattering dunk by his teammate Jerome Lane. While Smith himself never broke a backboard, he fondly recalls the aggressive practices and the camaraderie that defined his team’s success.

Notable Quote:

Charles Smith: "The whole game stopped. Chips of fiberglass everywhere after that game, people were selling chips of fiberglass." ([12:45])

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9. Final Reflections and Wrap-Up ([34:07]–[35:33])

As the episode draws to a close, the hosts briefly touch on other sports topics and upcoming games, maintaining a light-hearted atmosphere. The focus remains on celebrating Charles Smith’s contributions to basketball and his enduring legacy within the sport.

Notable Quote:

Don LaGreca: "Thanks so much for joining us. It's always great to see you. One of the class acts in the history of not just the Knicks, but the NBA and college basketball and the Big East as well." ([25:52])

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Conclusion

This episode of "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg" offers an engaging and insightful exploration of Charles Smith’s basketball journey, the competitive spirit of the Big East Conference, and the evolution of the game over the decades. Through a series of personal anecdotes and thoughtful analysis, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for the intricacies of basketball, the impact of coaching philosophies, and the importance of community connections both on and off the court.

Final Notable Quote:

Charles Smith: "But they're knocking at the door. They haven't been here in a long time, and the fans need to appreciate what they have." ([20:43])

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This detailed summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting key discussions, memorable quotes, and the overarching themes that define Charles Smith’s legacy in basketball.

Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

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[Don LaGreca]

This is the Don here when it comes to the Big East. And one guy that I know that I'll never forget from the glory days of the Big east is. Go ahead, Don. You're gonna. Look at Don just throwing out drinks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's throwing out Sun Cruisers off early.

[Don LaGreca]

You get a cruiser. You get a cruiser. Look at legreca. Oh, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Chug.

[Don LaGreca]

Chug it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, oh. This turn into a chug fest. Yeah, I didn't expect it.

[Don LaGreca]

I love it. I'm here for it. See what you started, Gotta dribble it down. Is people get excited against Charles the whole night. So Char Smith joins us right now. Now, the days of the Big east, but I was just talking to Walter Berry about, we were about, about the glory days of the Big east. And, and so I'm going to start with the last question I asked him, which is what it was like back then. He said it was like playing in the NBA because every team you faced had a guy or two who were going to the NBA. You obviously were a lottery pick back then. So would you say that's what it felt like too, was the Big east is a different thing back then?

[Charles Smith]

Yeah. Every game was competitive. Even the teams that were in the lower part of the league, they can beat you if you didn't come out and play. Because every team, it might be a freshman or sophomore on one of those teams, but they were draft picks in the future. So it was very highly competitive. You had to come out each night and play. The cities were so close together, so the fans were able to go to every game. So they, every team, every night was very intense. There wasn't, I don't think there ever be another league better than that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And it's a Bobby looking at it.

[Charles Smith]

Now and seeing, you know, Pitt, Rutgers.

[Don LaGreca]

Syracuse, gone and you know, Creighton, Marquette, it just, it's, it's transformed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You still have Georgetown, you still have.

[Don LaGreca]

St. John's but it's not what, what you played.

[Charles Smith]

No, it's not. And I'm not one to kind of get on, you know, everything changes.

[Don LaGreca]

Yep.

[Charles Smith]

Life moves on. But the one thing about that Big East Conference, I know they tore it up because of football, but from a basketball perspective, there was nothing like. Nothing like it. Matter of fact, in Madison Square Garden still today, the Final Four for the Big east was the number one ticket in Madison Square Garden history. Still today.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, absolutely. That's a lot of events. This is a college basketball town now. You're from the area. You were a Bridgeport guy, Right. Like, grew up in Connecticut. And. And it's interesting. So what other teams? Because you chose Pitt, which I'll ask why in a minute. Because you put that program on the map. You, Jerome Lane, that was. You going there was a. Was a big deal for that program. Because back then, again, you do Georgetown, St. John's Villanuel, like those names or brand names. Then Pitt became Pitt because of what you guys did there. So let's start there. Clearly, a guy that grows up in this area in the height of the Big East. You must have had almost every school recruiting you.

[Charles Smith]

Yeah. I'll tell you a funny story, but when I was coming out of high school, there was only one school I wanted to go to, and I didn't want to take any visits to any other school, and it was University of Maryland because my family was all in Maryland.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Charles Smith]

And I'll tell you this true story.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Whereabouts in Maryland was the family? Do you remember?

[Charles Smith]

They were in Hyattsville.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Charles Smith]

And I had something right near Maryland.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That'S right near the campus.

[Charles Smith]

So listen, every summer I was playing at those courts at the top of the university.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Charles Smith]

All summer long for three summers in a row. So I was a terp. They didn't even have to recruit me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Charles Smith]

So here's what happened, all right? When we. I went to take a visit there, I was at Five Star. I was the MVP of Five Star, but there was a kid, Derrick Lewis, there. So when I was going to take my only trip, Coach Sherman Dillard calls the house before I left and says, hey, Charles, you're going to be a great player one day. But we got to let you know, we don't have any scholarships left. We were forced to take the hometown hero, Derek Derrick Lewis. Oh. And you're gonna be great, but there's no need for you to come down and take a visit. Oh, man, I was crushed. You had to wait. I was rushed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is what year now? 80.

[Charles Smith]

This is 84. 85. So I would have came in with senior year.

[Don LaGreca]

Now Keep this in mind when he, he. And this is again, Charles Smith being humble MVP of Five Star. Okay, when you say that that camp, Honesdale.

[Charles Smith]

Yeah, no, it's great.

[Don LaGreca]

When you go to that camp. That back then was insane.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Insane.

[Don LaGreca]

Best camp anybody. The best players in the country went to that camp. When you were, when you were on the All Star team, that was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, no, that's a big deal.

[Don LaGreca]

Mvp, you're one of the best players in the country. And for them to be like, we're all set.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So you're telling me that's unbelievable. You're telling me that the, the Terps team, that was Bias's senior year.

[Charles Smith]

I would have played with him one year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's a champion.

[Don LaGreca]

That's a championship.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That changes history.

[Charles Smith]

So, okay, the irony.

[Don LaGreca]

So now you're a free agent and on that Rosenberg podcast.

[Charles Smith]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3.

[Don LaGreca]

On 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers. We are at the Irish exit at the Moynihan Train hall, right across the street from Madison Square Garden. You get the Big east semifinals tip off at 6:30. That's when St. John's plays for all you St. John's fans. So we are. Well, we're done at 6:30. So you hang out with us right here and then walk across the street and catch the game. Tonight's special Big east live broadcast from the iris exit on 880 ESPN is brought to you by. I said tonight's, I mean today's Sun Cruiser, by the way, they're here with us and Sam Adams, American Light. We're also enjoying that as well. And we are enjoying just going down the memory lane.

[Charles Smith]

And I just was going to go Big East. I was done with the acc. Big east all the way. North Carolina called the house, all the other schools called. I said, no, I'm going to Big East. So now I'm in the league with the Clippers. We go to play Washington. I hear this voice as I'm going by the bar to go to the elevator. And he says, son, and I look at his lefty Drizel. He says, I made a big mistake. He said, if, if I would have, if I would have got you, I'd still be coaching today.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Don LaGreca]

You know how many stories there are in the world about that? But, but, but you, sorry. So let me go back to the original question. How many and had to have in the whole league came to your house then at that point, once they knew.

[Charles Smith]

That you were, you were available yeah, no, Villanova. Rollie came to the house to summer league games. A lot of coaches were coming in town just to watch me play wherever I was. And, you know, very highly recruited. But the UConn fans still give me crap till today, like that. I didn't go.

[Don LaGreca]

Calhoun was the coach.

[Charles Smith]

Nah. See, that's what they don't realize. Dom Perno was the coach, and that was his last year. So if I would have went there, he probably would have still coached. But I didn't have. I didn't have Calhoun. So.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So Yukon wasn't quite ucon.

[Don LaGreca]

No, no. They were called Connecticut back then.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Were called.

[Charles Smith]

They had. They still had, like, haystacks on the. On the campus. Take a bus to go to 7 11.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it wasn't.

[Charles Smith]

It wasn't. No, it wasn't. No, no, no, no.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you are. You are really tied to the conference. You're from. From Connecticut. Go to pit play as a Nick. You've done everything there is to do related to this area. Yeah, yeah. How meaningful is the building specifically for you, msg?

[Charles Smith]

Oh, it's. It's. I can't say much more about it than just the time spent there. The fans, the arena. I mean, I go to the games now. And I'll tell you an interesting story about Madison Square Garden from my perspective. The one thing that my mother taught me, I had a bad game after Knicks game one night, and I left, not speaking to anybody. My mother says, I am so disgusted how you treated those people when you left the arena. The people in the elevator, you know, all the people that work there, security. Because I didn't say anything to anybody. And she said this to me. She says, you will be long gone. Management will come and go, but those union workers will be there for life. Wow. So from that point on, after every game, I signed autographs, sneakers, gave them to everybody. Guy in the elevator gave him water when I left. And then when I was maybe seven years out, I get a call from the Knicks. Charles, a guy's retiring. He did 50 years in the union. He wants you to come to his celebration. We'll fly you in. I was like, no, I'll be in town. I'll come. No problem. So I'm there, and I don't know why I'm there. So the guy is. He's retiring. All the union people are there. And at the end, he says, does anybody know why I asked Charles Smith to come? And everybody's just kind of looking around, and he gets up and he stands up and he says, after One of the games, and I didn't even remember this. After one of the games, Charles spent. All I asked him to do was talk to my grandson because he was going down the wrong path. He said he spent about 45 minutes with him. He turned his life around. And this is my grandson right here.

[Don LaGreca]

Wow.

[Charles Smith]

To this day, all the union workers, when I'm in the garden, they're the ones that I, I talk to, I have great relationships with. So anytime I'm in the garden, it's all about the union workers.

[Don LaGreca]

That is a fantastic story. You know what that's a great example of? Not only, of course, good parenting.

[Charles Smith]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

Which we all learn about when we get older, but it, it's also a great story about the impact that an athlete can have even on his worst day. Like you, you really. And it's funny because you don't realize that just taking that minute, what it could do and the impact could have. So a great example that, that you shared and something that you certainly did experience. If I, if I could go back to the pit days again, because again, that was for me, formidable years. It was when I first started really playing basketball. Slightly not as good as you, just slightly. I went. Went to five star, which is sad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Cuz you're almost mvp.

[Charles Smith]

We all know. You had games.

[Don LaGreca]

Not mvp.

[Charles Smith]

We all know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wait, you went to five star, though.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes, but still pretty good.

[Charles Smith]

You went there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's something.

[Don LaGreca]

I cleared the table, right? I was like after lunch, I was the guy clearing.

[Charles Smith]

All right, you, you made that status.

[Don LaGreca]

Like Alonzo Morning was there and I was like, Mr. Morning, can I get that for you, please?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wait, Alonzo was there when you were there?

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah. No, Malik Sealy, we were just talking about him. All those guys were there and I was the one that made sure that their area was clean. All right, that's. That's what I did. That's important stuff. But, but I remember your, your teams specifically, because what you and Jerome Lane did was break every rim possible. Like the, the dunks that that team had and of course, famously, the send it in Jerome moment. I, I'm. I don't know if you've ever told the story from your perspective, cuz that stopped the game, literally. You couldn't play. The backboard was shattered. It became a. It would have been viral if there was such a thing at the time.

[Charles Smith]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

But it's, it's amazing that you weren't the one to break the. Break a backboard. He was the one to break a backboard. What was that whole story like?

[Charles Smith]

So Jess, everybody probably saw the play, but just in general, the practice before that was very aggressive.

[Don LaGreca]

Really.

[Charles Smith]

Coach was pissed off because we weren't playing well like we should. We just had one of those practices and Paul Evans from the military had some military practices and we have some infamous practices that the people of Pittsburgh know about. But we weren't playing well. So it was very, you know, tough practice even the day before the game. So we were all fired up and Jerome long arms 2666 and Jerome was talking about how we needed to play that game. So if you watch the play, Jerome had the whole right side to himself, the whole right side and Carlton's screen was under. It wasn't like he was going to jump up and block it. But Jerome always said when he got all he can think about is the practice before and he went up and he just tried to like what he.

[Don LaGreca]

Did, break the backboard, take the rim with him.

[Charles Smith]

The whole game stopped. Chips of fiberglass Everywhere after that game, people were selling chips of fiberglass.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Um, I think I just won my taxes.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I just switched to H and R Block in about one minute.

[Charles Smith]

All I had to do was drag and drop last year's return into H.

[Don LaGreca]

And R Block and bam.

[Peter Rosenberg]

My information is automatically there so I.

[Charles Smith]

Don'T have to go digging around for all my old papers to switch.

[Don LaGreca]

Nope.

[Charles Smith]

Sounds like we just leveled up our tax game. Switching to H R Block is easy. Just drag and drop your last return.

[Don LaGreca]

It's better with block.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And for kids who haven't seen it, by the way, it's like, when I was a kid, it was like one of those old school. Like on the. On the highlight tapes.

[Don LaGreca]

That's a. That's one of the first viral moments of college basketball. Like, that is a moment that. When they show the history of college basketball, that moment. Because it's just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But it's way better. Like, so later in the next era of college basketball, Shaq did it a few times, but when Shaq did it, it was. Sometimes it was like he took down the whole basket. This is like you can't even believe from the angle and the kind of sideways. Sideways one arm. It doesn't make any sense.

[Don LaGreca]

It's like ripping it off, which is just the most incredible thing.

[Charles Smith]

And you know who threw him the ball? Sean Miller from Xavier.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah, yeah, that's right.

[Charles Smith]

Sean was our point guard.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. That was such a tough team. Did you never shatter the back one? I mean, all the dunks that you put down.

[Charles Smith]

No, no, no. Never shattered backboard.

[Don LaGreca]

Ever wanted to.

[Charles Smith]

I think everybody wants to. Everybody would love to have that feeling. So what was it like to be.

[Don LaGreca]

Coached by Pat Riley?

[Charles Smith]

Well, you know what? I always say this. There are coaches that are good with X's and O's. There are coaches that are great recruiters. There are coaches that can manage the team well. And Pat Riley was one of the best at X's and O's. If you had a conversation with Pat Riley now, after you got past the niceties, you'll hear crickets. That's not the type of person he was. But when it came to the X's and O's, there's none better. When we had the smallest issues within the plays, he would break down the practice and you'd have players of three at every court, breaking down that one situation in the play that was not working out until we got it down to a science. If you remember our defense, we were on a. We were on a sort of a wheel. Soon as somebody made a trap, the next person rotated. It was down to a science. I mean, I learned a lot from that team. Loved the guys that we played with, but we just had something special. And I can tell you one thing that Pat Riley did that they started doing after him. John Stockton and Karl Malone had the best pick and roll in the league. Some people heard the story about when we went, we're on a west coast game. We were headed to Utah. The plane got diverted to Reno.

[Don LaGreca]

I was going to ask you about Reno.

[Charles Smith]

So when we got to practice the day and then we were playing Utah, Pat Riley instituted something that we then did in the second half, and it won us a game. So what we did was when John Stockton would bring the ball out high and Carl would walk over to set the screen. Whoever was guarding Carl would run past Carl and we trap Jon to get the ball out of his hands, and then everybody would rotate. The only man open was the only guy in the way in the other end of the court in the corner. And if your hands are up, John Stockton can't see him. That turned the whole game for us around. He started in the second half and we won the game.

[Don LaGreca]

What was the Reno trip like? That's been a famous story that a lot of people have told. What's your perspective of that?

[Charles Smith]

Well, we were. We were on the plane, and we had lost two in a row. We never lost three in a row. So while we're on the plane, we land, and then we're thinking we're in Utah. And Pat says, guys, look, we lost two in a row. I don't want to go into Utah tents. I want you guys to relax, blow it out. By the way, we're in Reno. Gave everybody some cash as we were going off. He says, blow it out. Do whatever you got. Get ready for practice tomorrow, come back with a new mindset, and we're going to go in there and kick Utah's ass. And excuse me. And it's possible.

[Don LaGreca]

It's New York. It's New York.

[Charles Smith]

So. So we. We did that. And some guys were gambling. You know, I had. I have the biggest appetite. And everybody could tell you on the team, I'm eating three and four meals. So I. I ate through all my money, didn't gamble, and. But we had a great time. And then it worked. Because we got away from the game for a while, didn't look at any tape or any film, and we came with a fresh look and won the game. Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

What is the. What is the current Knicks team? Because you're at the Garden a lot. I know I've seen you around the building, and so you're. You're up with what's going on here. I've said that this is one of the best teams I've seen the Knicks have when it calls, when it comes to their offense, how they run, team standard, all of it, since those days, since the 90s. And when you watch them, what do you see?

[Charles Smith]

Well, first, I got to give management their credit because they slowly didn't listen to the fans and built the team piece by piece. That's hard to do in New York. And I think they were able to do it because they stayed out of the limelight, you know, so they did it piece by piece. Now, when you see the team today, the first thing that they did is they started the theme of defense. You cannot win a championship without defense. Right. In the history of the league, there's always the top three teams in defense make it to the finals. So they started with defense. Their defense is good. Then they started doing the offensive pieces. Today they have everything it takes. Could they win and go all the way? With a little luck, they have the pieces to do it. And I say with a little luck, another piece maybe, and then they do it. But they're knocking at the door. They haven't been here in a long time, and the fans need to appreciate what they have. Because anytime you can put a team in New York that's competitive and you go into the arena knowing that you got a possibility to win, that's huge.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now I want to go. Can we go? If we can go backwards in the time machine one more time? Because you are connected to so many. You know, you don't think about every. Every player has such an incredible career and so many different connections that you have. You went straight from New York to San Antonio, and you get to be around Patrick. You are one of the great big men in the game, of course, of all time. You get to go be around David Robinson. Don't worry. I'm not going to say spend time here. You get to spend time around David Robinson. And you meet a young guy coming along named Greg Popovich.

[Charles Smith]

Ah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

See, don't worry. I'm getting you where you need to go. What was young Pop like, man? Did you have any clue that as your career is winding down and this guy comes in and coaches that you could be looking at. Someone that special.

[Charles Smith]

Yeah. So two things I thought you were going to ask me who's better, Patrick or David?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you brought it up, so you get to that later.

[Charles Smith]

So Greg Popovich, at the time, he had a little process to his style of team that he wants it and everybody saw it begin to mature and develop and then other teams started doing it. He'd have a nucleus of the draft picks and the players, but he would always bring three veterans in that were winners that have won somewhere that they can bring to the team. So if you look at every team, there were three veterans that came in, you know, and then you had Kevin Willis, they had all these veterans that would come in and complement the young guys in the team. So it was a great recipe for winning. Now, him as a person, his philosophy was he wasn't going to monitor what you're doing off the court. All he wanted from you was when it was time to play, do what you're supposed to do. That's it. You think it's that simple? I give you a difference between Pat Riley and Greg Popovich. Please. Pat Riley would say to, like Derek Harper, listen, when we run this play and you're going across the court, I want you to take a pocket pass and kick it to the wing, right? If Derek Harper went around the back and through the legs and got it through the other side, even if he did it in practice, he's loosened up. Well, whistle. No, I don't need that. I just want a pocket pass to the side, chest pass. Popovich would be like, just get it to the other side. And that's how he was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Whatever. Just the result. I need the result.

[Charles Smith]

If you get there that way and I want it this way, it doesn't matter, just get it done. That was his philosophy with all the players. Just get it done. This is what I need from you. I don't care how you get it done, just get it done.

[Don LaGreca]

They got it done for sure over those years. I've always wanted to ask you this because when I. When I recall your career, your athleticism, the size, length, everything you had, I look at today's game. Do you watch today's game? Because I love asking the old time players, this is. Do you say like, I could have never, or do you say, I would have killed like Pat? I was telling Patrick Ewing the other day, name drop. We were in, we were in la, I was talking and I asked him about, okay, and he, he, right away he's like, you remember how I could shoot? Oh, I'd kill it today. Like that was his whole thing. He believes that the three point shot, everything else, he'd kill it. Do you watch today's game? Do you say, I would have killed it or do you say, I'm glad I played when I played because I couldn't have done this?

[Charles Smith]

Well, I'll put it this way, then you can make the decision.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay.

[Charles Smith]

The year I got drafted, there was one person that was a 610 small forward. Prior to that was Deathlift Shrimp.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes.

[Charles Smith]

Right?

[Don LaGreca]

Yes.

[Charles Smith]

Detliff was handling the ball, shooting jump shots, doing all that. They're looking for people like that because the game was slowly changing. Team, teams were changing, but not everybody was there yet. It's still Knock Em, Rock em Robots, right? So that draft was Danny Manning, myself and Derek McKee, all 6, 10 that can handle the ball.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, that's a great point.

[Charles Smith]

So when we came in, Derek McKee goes to a team that they let him handle the ball a little bit, but Danny Manning and I can handle the ball all the time. We get the rebound and just push it and go. So out west they were doing it, but back east they weren't really ready for it. They get the ball out of your hands and go. So if I had my style of game in this game because of the rule changes, I'd probably score a lot more. I mean, I averaged 20 and 21 with the Clippers with that style. But here I became the third and fourth wheel as far as getting the ball. But yeah, the game has changed. I love watching the game, but my talent, my size for all those guys, that's what they do today.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I remember because I remember at least college wise, if you got a rebound, you were taking it yourself.

[Charles Smith]

Oh.

[Don LaGreca]

You weren't always just giving it to Sean. And if I remember right, you can correct me if my memory is bad, but you had good range.

[Charles Smith]

Oh, yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

You were a range shooter. You weren't a post up only guy.

[Charles Smith]

Oh, the scouting report was me from 15 to 17.

[Don LaGreca]

There you go. Okay, well, today that's no good. Now that's mid range. We don't want that.

[Charles Smith]

Yeah, no, we want the three now.

[Don LaGreca]

We want threes now. The great Charles Smith, huh? What?

[Charles Smith]

Treat you good? Well, that's the only reason why I'm here. Why are we throwing out these sun. Why are we throwing these sun cruises? Where's the sweats? Here, man. Get his sweats, man.

[Don LaGreca]

Thanks so much for joining us. It's always great to see you. One of the class acts in the history of not just the Knicks, but the NBA and college basketball and the Big east as well.

[Charles Smith]

Charles, thank you. Thanks Charles.

[Alan Hahn]

I can say to my new Samsung.

[Don LaGreca]

Galaxy S25 Ultra, hey, find a keto friendly restaurant nearby and text it to Beth and Steve. And it does without me lifting a.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Finger so I can get in more.

[Charles Smith]

Squats anywhere I can.

[Don LaGreca]

1, 2, 3. Will that be cash or credit?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Credit.

[Don LaGreca]

4 Galaxy S25 Ultra. The AI companion that does the heavy.

[Alan Hahn]

Lifting so you can do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You get [e-mail] compatible with select apps.

[Don LaGreca]

Requires Google Gemini account.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Results may vary based on information.

[Don LaGreca]

Check responses for accuracy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was never really a runner. The way I see running is a gift, especially when you have stage four cancer. I'm Ann. I'm running the Boston Marathon presented by bank of America. I run for Dana Farber Cancer Institute to give people like me a chance.

[Don LaGreca]

To thrive in life even with cancer.

[Charles Smith]

Join bank of America in helping Ann's cause.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Give if you can@b of a.com supportanna.

[Don LaGreca]

What would you like the power to do?

[Peter Rosenberg]

References to charitable organizations is not an.

[Don LaGreca]

Endorsement by bank of America Corporation. Copyright 2025.

[Alan Hahn]

It's time for basketball and Uber Eats.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is dropping deals on game day favorites.

[Don LaGreca]

To keep you locked in on the action.

[Alan Hahn]

Like when you're craving a buzzer beater but also buffalo wings or when an.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Upset makes you want to ugly cry into a pizza.

[Alan Hahn]

And right now Uber Eats has game day deals from McDonald's, Popeyes, Pizza Hut, Wendy's and Hunter.

[Don LaGreca]

Hundreds more local favorites so you can.

[Alan Hahn]

Keep your eyes on the ball and your hands on a hamburger. Order now only on UberEats.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Product availability varies by region.

[Alan Hahn]

See app for details.

[Don LaGreca]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don LaGreca]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. All right, back here at the Irish exit in Moynihan Train hall with Don Legreck and Peter Rosenberg. I'm Alan Hahn. Now we got a lot of P1s here, right? A lot of P1s, a lot of listeners, lactose in the house. So when we do the Telemore do read, what do we say?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's see how this goes.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, so because Don wanted to retire from it because Peter shamed him of it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Don LaGreca]

Instead of being strong and telling Peter to stand down, you're welcome. I'm going to ask the people here to do it. Instead. So let's get ready. Game time. Brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time. I thought that went well.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, you did enough setup for it. So, I mean, it played out.

[Don LaGreca]

The reason why we're here. The Big east semifinals kick off at MSG at 6:30. Right. When we're done, right across the street from where we are, St. John's Marquette. The second game, Yukon, Creighton, and of course, later on tonight, the Islanders host the Oilers at 7:30. I'll be checking that out a little. Connor McDavid. They lost to the Devils last night, right?

[Charles Smith]

Lost to the Devils. They blew a 2:1 lead.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Charles Smith]

And I, I, I got the call Sunday with Connor McDavid and the Oilers at the Garden.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yes. Don the Greco ball with the Legendaries. Telemar, do the original triple distilled, triple blended, triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Telemore or try the new Telemore. Honey, during tonight's action, glasses up to enjoying Telemore responsibly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't you think this is a bit of an overstatement?

[Don LaGreca]

If I, if I. Go ahead. I was gonna give you a little something you love so much.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, you did.

[Don LaGreca]

I got, I got a Yankee lineup.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh. Anyways, you can keep holding. So I put up the clip of me saying that Mikhail Bridges, respectfully. I don't know if I said respectfully, but I meant it, you know, does not have the clout.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To really affect Tom Thibodeau. Sorry. And, and I, I don't know if you know this. A lot of Knicks fans seem very unhappy with me. You are a bleeping loser. You and the rest of the media can go bleep yourselves.

[Don LaGreca]

These are. Remember, there's a whole gaggle of Nick's Twitter that wants to get Tom Thibodeau fired. So when you tamp down their, their energy, they get upset. They get very upset. Don't take away all the evidence they need, which is one player who has had misguided criticism.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well. And real quick. And one player who, again, respectfully, has underperformed relative to what people expected this year.

[Don LaGreca]

You were right on point with what you said on first take. About like, hey, you know, you were expected to do more.

[Charles Smith]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, listen. Yeah, he's playing. I looked. Mikhail Bridges playing three more minutes a game than he was playing in Brooklyn.

[Don LaGreca]

Yep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But his production's down across every category. Listen, I just don't know that you're the guy to be saying it. And we already know who the guys are on this team. If there's something to be said and respectfully, it's not you yet. I know you guys all went to school together, but you're not all the same.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's a pecking order. That's how this thing works. So the idea that Tibbs now could, if we find out later, if we hear other rumblings, could, could maybe Stephen a be onto something. This was the beginning of something. And it, it, it turns into more, I suppose. But the idea that right now, when, when Tomorrow night on ABC, if you beat Golden State, you're 20 games above.500. I don't consider that to be a coach, you could be in trouble.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. And again, like if, if, if this is something you ever heard from Brunson or Hart, maybe that that's where it has more clout. Those two never talk about it. And in fact, even on their own podcast, they, they continually just talk about how that's not a problem.

[Charles Smith]

But podcast that had James Dolan on it.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, it was actually really entertaining. All right, but more Nick's conversation in the 5 o'clock hour because as Peter mentioned, that is a very interesting game and it could really turn this road trip that they were on into a positive. But right now, like you dream about, Peter, Don, we have a Yankee starting lineup brought to you by certipro painters.

[Alan Hahn]

Yay.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes. 630 is your first pitch on yes. Yankees and the Phillies spring training continues. So leading off at second base, you have jazz chisel. Aaron Judge is batting second in right field. Cody Bellinger batting third in left. Ben Rice will be your DH and he'll back cleanup. Anthony Volpe the shortstop. JC Escara the catcher. What a great story. He has turned out to be batting 6. Trent Grisham in center field. After him, Bart Scott's favorite baseball player. In fact, probably the only baseball player he can name. Dom Smith, he's at first base. Oswald Peraza is at third. And on the hill, somebody that could end up factoring in here. Guerrecole right hand pitcher, Carlos Carrasco. Oh, yes, Cookie. You never know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We love Cookie.

[Don LaGreca]

We love Cookie. That was. The Yankees starting lineup is brought to you by Certapro Painters. When choosing a painting professional for your home or business, the choice is simple. Choose Happy. Choose Certapro Painters. In the meantime, as we were just talking about on enn, the Yankees going with opening day.

[Charles Smith]

Carlos.

[Don LaGreca]

Carlos Rodon, Sure. Aaron Boone did speak about this earlier. Brian Hoke has a quote. Boone said that it might not Line up for Max Freed to be the opening day starter. Quote, just because of when Garrett went down and how everyone is slotted. Said we'll continue to work through this with an announcement expected in a few days. So the anticipation, of course, that was a couple of days ago, but. So that's probably why Max Freed is not going to be opening day, because it just has not lined up with his pitching days, throwing days and all that other stuff that somehow becomes a big deal in baseball. It really isn't, guys, Honestly, we just have, you know, we like to make jokes, but it's a long season. Rodan's the guy.

[Charles Smith]

And especially for the Mets, because it's a road game.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I think it is special at home, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I would think that that's the way it would line up.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, well, we are at again, the Irish exit, Moynihan Train Hall. Come and hang out with us. We're here for another hour and a half before St. John's basketball. Across the street, the Big east tournament at Madison Square Garden. We will get into that again. We will also get into the Knicks and their matchup this weekend with the warriors and Draymond Green and all the stories that surround that. We will talk to the people here as well. So if you want to be part of the conversation, you can step on up and hang out with us here. So stay with it for the big 5:00 hour. Don Han, Rosenberg880 ESPN. And we got Peter, I gotta grab.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You want me to talk to you about my friends over at Amazon?

[Don LaGreca]

At Amazon? Could you feel for a second?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, of course I don't. You don't have to fill because guess what?

[Don LaGreca]

What do you got?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Amazon Pickup. First and foremost, you might be thinking Amazon. Well, I order from Amazon all the time.

[Charles Smith]

All right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I watch prime video. It's a daily part of my life. So what is Amazon Pickup? Well, Amazon Pickup allows you to send your orders to a secure pickup location that you can choose. So when delivery to your home or apartment is an ideal package can go directly to a convenient pickup location like an Amazon locker or counter. All right? Between work and a newborn at home, my schedule is even busier than ever. And Amazon pickup gives me peace of mind and lets me pick up packages on my own time. So order online and at checkout, simply select the pickup location that works best for you. When your package arrives, you get a delivery confirmation email that notifies you that your package is ready with pickup instructions. Great for when you're out and about Amazon Pickup is a secure and convenient delivery solution to pick up Amazon packages at no additional cost. Head over to Amazon.com pickup MVP to learn more.

[Don LaGreca]

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.

[Alan Hahn]

Hear more of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and you your smart speakers. All right, let me ask you something. Ever feel like you're juggling at all work, family responsibilities and still trying to keep your eye on the ball? Yeah, you're in Ander and National University gets the hustle. That's why they have flexible online classes and support services for folks who are balancing jobs and kids and everything in between. If you're ready to take the next step, National University can help you level up your education and score your goals. Check them out at nu Edu to learn more.