Hour 2: Cunningham Injury & That Guy Thursday

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast – Hour 2: Cunningham Injury & That Guy Thursday

Broadcast Date: March 19, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Summary Prepared By: Expert Podcast Summarizer

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Overview:

This hour balances dynamic NBA and NCAA March Madness coverage with signature New York sports banter. The breaking news of Cade Cunningham’s injury and its ripple effect on the NBA playoff landscape takes center stage, while live updates on NCAA Tournament action add excitement. The back half leans into the “That Guy Thursday” segment, where the hosts vent about pet peeves and sports quirks, capping the episode with classic camaraderie and sharp, witty exchanges.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Health and Broadcasting Concerns

• Opening minutes feature Peter Rosenberg reflecting on recuperating from illness and his broadcasting obligations for the Devils. Discussion highlights the logistics of TV/radio fill-ins and Rosenberg’s dilemma about potentially spreading illness during team travel.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “I'm fine now and I'm working from home, but I'm still, I'm sure I'm contagious and I don't want to get everybody sick and I hate missing games.” – Peter Rosenberg (01:27)

2. March Madness Live Reactions

• The hosts provide live, passionate color commentary on High Point’s NCAA tournament composure (“they may mean business”), Siena’s surprising halftime lead over Duke, and other developing storylines.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “High Point is a team that...in the second half ended up down eight or nine multiple times and just kept fighting. They believed it the whole game.” – Co-host (04:04)
  • The group analyzes the ‘intangibles’—team composure, veteran leadership, and the psychology of underdogs.
  • Timestamps:
    • High Point's reaction: 03:08–04:41
    • Siena-Duke halftime: 05:25

3. Cade Cunningham’s Injury and NBA Playoff Impact

• Breaking news: Cade Cunningham, Pistons’ franchise cornerstone, has suffered a collapsed lung, out for at least two weeks. The hosts dissect the medical precedent (CJ McCollum comparisons), playoff timing, and competitive ramifications.
  • Notable Quotes:
    • “He has been diagnosed with a collapsed lung and he's expected to miss an extended period of time. That changes everything, does it not?” – Alan Hahn (05:25–08:21)
    • “The Pistons...they don't have him. He's their only real star. Like, he's everything for this team.” – Alan Hahn (07:29)
  • Analysis covers Boston’s improved title odds with Tatum’s return and the Knicks’ suddenly brighter path.
  • Timestamps:
    • Injury announcement and implications: 05:25–09:25
    • Celtics and Knicks playoff pathways: 08:26–10:25
    • Discussion on expectations and "underdog" pressure shifting: 10:24–12:53

4. Evaluating NBA Standings and Remaining Schedules

• In-depth, game-by-game breakdown of the Pistons, Celtics, and Knicks schedules, with emphasis on potential for late-season surges.
  • Notable Quotes:
    • “I'm thinking nine and three. Like, what do you have to do to make it real if you're the Knicks?” – Alan Hahn (12:53)
    • Comic riffing over “They play hard. They play good.” – Alan Hahn and co-hosts, mocking Alan’s phrasing (13:06–13:21)
  • Conversation pivots between analytic and playful, as they coin the current Knicks stretch as the “commode” or “seven-game bathroom break” — the opposite of a “gauntlet.”
  • Timestamps:
    • Knicks soft-schedule breakdown: 17:00–18:05
    • Joking about streak names: 17:17–17:33

5. Tanking Epidemic in the NBA

• Hosts vent about a recent wave of tanking, referencing back-to-back nights of “pathetic” performances, and promise to revisit solutions for competitive integrity.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “Last night is everything we were talking about with the tanking...they are going to show video of last night.” – Peter Rosenberg (16:14)
  • Timestamps:
    • Tanking debate: 16:14–16:37

6. “That Guy Thursday”: Airing Grievances

6.1 NHL Playoff Format Rant

• Don blasts NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s defense of the current playoff format, which forces top conference teams to face off in early rounds.
  • Quote:
    • “This format sucks...Does it make sense that the second best team and the third best team in the conference are going to play in the first round and one of them is guaranteed to be out?” – Don (27:46–28:41)
    • "Take your bracket, roll it up, and stick it...where the sun doesn't shine." – Peter Rosenberg (32:32–32:58)
  • Alan and Peter chime in, agreeing that variety and rewarding regular season excellence beats repetitive, divisional battles.
  • Timestamps:
    • Don’s complaint and Bettman critique: 27:46–32:24

6.2 Calandra’s Pasta Story

• Alan and Peter recount a scene at a recent remote broadcast at Calandra’s—being served pasta “Lady and the Tramp-style,” only for their audio engineer Paul to help himself uninvited.
  • The segment overflows with inside jokes and playful shaming over sharing food in a tight workspace.
  • Quote:
    • “He just comes over with a fork and goes, I'm taking some...it was a very intimate setting.” – Co-host (38:06–39:11)
  • Includes extended shout-outs to station interns and staff for their help at the remote.
  • Timestamps:
    • Pasta story: 36:18–41:51

6.3 Sports Terminology: “Kickoff” vs “Tipoff”

• Alan nitpicks the use of “kick off” in a St. John’s basketball promo, preferring “tip off” for hoops.
  • The debate exposes generational and cultural differences in sports language, with Peter and others ribbing Alan for being overly pedantic.
  • Quote:
    • “We don't kick off basketball. We tip off basketball.” – Alan Hahn (45:52)
  • Timestamps:
    • Start: 45:23
    • Debate: 45:29–47:37

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Memorable Exchanges and Comic Relief

• On Siena’s March Madness hopes:
  • “But it's. It's starting to get exciting, though. Starting to get a feel to it.” – Co-host, as Siena extends their lead (14:05)
  • “You have to have a sizable lead late to be one of these teams; you can't truly believe until it’s under five minutes, honestly.” – Co-host (14:03)
• On missing dunks and turning points:
  • “How do you miss two dunks?” – Co-host (14:47)
  • “The first one is straight up. Like, it’s just horrifying. Like you can’t have it happen.” – Co-host (15:03)
• House banter and self-awareness:
  • “I don’t want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know it’s good.” – Alan Hahn wrapping up (51:26)
  • Various playful jabs at each other’s talents, quirks, or speech patterns—e.g. “He goes from Southern Han to caveman Han: ‘They play hard. They play good.’” (13:13)

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Live Updates & Rapid Fire

• Frequent, in-the-moment updates on Siena-Duke and other live tournament action
• Quick pivots between NBA, NCAA, and NHL discussions, always with a New York focus
• Regular use of drops and inside jokes (“He can sniff out a drop!”)

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Conclusion

The episode masterfully blends immediacy (live NCAA updates, breaking NBA news on Cunningham), sharp analysis (NBA/NHL mechanics), and irreverent comedy (food and language squabbles). This hour is an authentic slice of New York sports fandom—insightful, rowdy, and personal.

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Quick Reference Timestamps

• Cade Cunningham injury & playoff impact: 05:25–12:53
• Knicks’ “commode” stretch explained: 17:17–18:05
• NBA tanking frustrations: 16:14–16:37
• That Guy Thursday – NHL Playoff format: 27:46–32:24
• That Guy Thursday – Calandra’s pasta story: 36:18–41:51
• Language debate: “kick off” v. “tip off”: 45:23–47:37

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For New Listeners:

This summary captures both the expertise and entertainment of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg. Expect real-time sports updates, argument-laden analysis, and a tapestry of New York personalities—whether you’re here for the NBA playoff drama or just craving world-class sports talk radio with laughs.

Transcript

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[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

[Alan Hahn]

401 in the big city, as Don Lagreca would say. With Don Lagreca and Peter Rosenberg, I'm Alan Hahn. Don. Yes. Back with us. Yes. How you feeling, by the way? That's a good hour for you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, how am I sounding? I guess that's more the question because that's Peter.

[Alan Hahn]

Would you say less nasally?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Oh, well, then when I heard him a couple of days ago on the phone. Absolutely.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. The phone the other day was, was very troubling.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But Monday, a little like Monday, Monday, I wasn't good.

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And so feeling much better. But unfortunately, from a devil's perspective, we had to make a call last night whether I was going to go to Washington or not.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because the chain of command is that Maddie Laughlin, who does the radio, is going to fill in for me on TV if I couldn't go. And then Maddie's backup, Sam, would then have to go on the trip. And because they were leaving at 12:30, the devils want them to know, okay, are we bringing the extra body or not? Because I wasn't going to go with them. I was going to just take the train tomorrow morning to Washington and come back. So they wanted to make the call and I wasn't comfortable because I'm fine now and I'm working from home, but I'm still, I'm sure I'm contagious and I don't want to get everybody sick and I hate missing games, but especially

[Alan Hahn]

since you haven't had a chance to call many of them since the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, and I didn't listen. They're playing well and, you know, all of a sudden scoring goals. It might be meaningless, but it's still fun to call these games down the stretch. And I saw something just a second ago that I don't know how to feel about it.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

All right, let's talk. Can we talk through it?

[Alan Hahn]

Let's. Let's get to this just for a second.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not a big deal, but. So they're coming at a break to go back to the coverage. I'm on TBS now because I want. They're just recapping, you know, what's happening at the half.

[Alan Hahn]

They're in the studio. Is that. Is that. Is that Adam Zucker or is he on the CBS coverage? That's Zucker with Barkley and Smith and Kellogg. Yeah, I know they're on the CBS side of it, but I don't know if TBS picks that up, too, or TNT Turner have their own studio.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, well, it's.

[Alan Hahn]

Whatever.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Whatever. I don't know. I don't even know where I am. I'm flipping around. Like, there's so much going on here, it's crazy. But, like. So the High Point coach is talking to his team.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm just trying to see. I want to get everything right here because. Yeah. And it's amazing. Like, he's sitting down. He's talking to his team. They're videotaping it, which I don't know how I feel about that. They got the camera in there. I get it. And they're videotaped.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

They always do that.

[Alan Hahn]

That's been a thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but it's amazing to me how calm they seemed. Like they're all sitting there listening to them. And then they got up and they were clapping. It wasn't overly celebratory, Peter. Like, this team may mean business here.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Well, that. That's the thing about some of these teams. That's what I'm saying. And that's what we'll find out about Siena. Maybe 10, 12 minutes into the second half, you start to figure out, like, wait, is this a team that's, like, messing around and at any moment it bursts, or is this a team that's the real deal? High Point in this game. And we are doing exactly what we mock of pretending that we know what we're talking about. But, hey, basketball's basketball. High Point is a team that. That in the second half ended up down eight or nine multiple times and just kept fighting. They believed it the whole game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It just impressed it. It's a 12,5. And again, I'm not going to pretend to know a lot about high pointless in Wisconsin's not exactly World beaters, otherwise they'd be higher than a five seed. But I was just. When I said I Don't know how to feel about it. Like, like, is this something that I should look at and go, let's take a look at this team. Because they, they look like they belong during the game. And the way they were conducting themselves after the game was. They were, they didn't. They did not act as if this was a big deal.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Like, yeah, we meant to do this. We need to do this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you know, at this stage of the season, it's not like they're taking it for granted is that I think that the only people that might have been surprised by this were us, you know, and the general public. I think they, they look like a team that was supposed to do that. That was pretty impressive.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, yeah, that's. That's the part, like I said, the older teams, the teams that have been together for a bunch of years, that kind of know, you know, what they're about. They're the teams that probably go into this thing thinking we can beat these guys. So that, that, that's a good story. All right, so we'll keep an eye on all that stuff happening in March Madness in the NCAA Tournament. We'll keep you up on all the scores. Again, Siena is up at the half. They should be starting second half pretty soon, right?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Any moment now.

[Alan Hahn]

Any moment. So they're up 11, 43, 32. Duke not big offense in that first half. Something to keep an eye on. We will certainly keep an eye on that. And Vanderbilt up three at the half on McNeese. That's the 5 12. McNeese State is the 12 seed. They had an early lead, but now Vandy has a three point lead at the half on that. The two live games going on right now. But in the NBA, guys, there was this news and really surprising and almost like you just. You gasp for a minute as you read it, but a report from Shams that Cade Cunningham, who's, you know, really was in for a while, their MVP conversation, but he's clearly become one of the top young players in the NBA, leading the Pistons to the number one spot in the east for pretty much the entire season. He has been diagnosed with a collapsed lung and he's expected to miss an extended period of time. How long will they don't know. He's going to be reevaluated in two weeks. So that's already eight games they have. I think, I think they have like 14 games left now. They're running away right now with the east as far as record goes, but they're three. What are they? Three and A half games ahead of Boston, who just refuses to go away. And in fact, now you add Tatum to the mix, and Boston now suddenly feels like a team that you can really believe in. They've become the favorite to come out of the east by a lot of the odds makers. So the only example we have of a collapsed lung for a player in the NBA recently is CJ McCollum. In one case, his first time around, he missed six weeks, and the second time around, he had it a second time, and that was three weeks. But so if we're looking at a window of three to six weeks, it's anywhere from he doesn't play the rest of the regular season to he doesn't play until after the first round of the playoffs. That changes everything, does it not? The pistons are 49 and 19. But. But they don't have him. He's their only real star. Like, he's everything for this team. When you look at that, it feels like there's two stories that are going to be the prevailing stories. If. Let's just do the large if. And we all hope he comes back because you don't want anything compromised. You certainly don't want him to be affected. He's a great player. But there's two stories. There's the Knicks finally breaking through, which it feels like this season's one of those where it's like the basketball gods are like, no, seriously, Nick, this is your year to do something. Or the Boston story. And I know, Peter, this is close to your heart. That Celtic story now suddenly gets bigger and bigger because if they are the team to beat, a Pistons team that is now compromised could open the door for them to get the one seed and be the team that now could be the team of destiny with the Tatum story, and what a great story that would be.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Both are very appealing storylines.

[Alan Hahn]

Right? I mean, right.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

The door. The Celtics, I thought, would have a chance to be pesky and problematic with. Without Jayson Tatum. Now they get Tatum back. He looks like Jason Tatum, and you have a compromise Detroit team like this, it really does set the table for a potentially very sexy Knicks Celtic series. And then you have the Celtics looking for revenge on the Knicks.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that's the other part. Right. Like those. So these two meet. And rather than meeting in the second round, could they meet in the conference finals if Boston gets the 1 seed? And then you have that ultimate revenge game for the revenge series for Tatum, for Brown, for Missoula, you know, like you took from us last year. And we're going to make you pay it. That would be ultimate if you're, if you're the NBA, first of all, again, for ratings and all the storylines and everything else, that's all huge. Yeah, but this news this late in the season, it's earth shattering.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it definitely is. Especially, correct me if I'm wrong, Alan, that the last time I think the Pistons played without Cunningham was against the Nets and they lost.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Well, he's. He's only played 61 games, which, by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

This also can cost him postseason awards with. He was going to win.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, for sure.

[Alan Hahn]

No, they're not good with like.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, they haven't. Listen, nobody can lose their best plate. That's why what the Celtics did without Tatum was so special.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, they had Brown, though. At least you have another all NBA level guy.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When Knicks lost Brunson, they'd be in trouble. Right. Like, even though they got. They've got other players, so you can't lose your best player.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I'm interested because you're the one that said it, Alan, so I'm going to throw it back at you. One of the things you loved was that the Knicks now were. Nobody was talking about, like, let everybody talk about the Celtics, let everybody talk about the Pistons. I like that. But if Cunningham is going to be out for the rest of the year and things start breaking the Knicks way, you kind of lose that, don't you? Now people are going to begin to start to talk about you again. Well, the expectations now go back again.

[Alan Hahn]

You're supposed to win.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're supposed to or at least supposed to beat the Pistons. And now we'll see what happens with the Celtics the rest of the way. But does this work against them by your theory of, hey, maybe it was better to just be under the radar a little bit.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. I still think Boston though, they are the team to beat. As much as Nick fans got mad at me for saying that on. On get up the other day, national tv. And you're not saying the Knicks are the team debate. And I'm like, no, because I don't say that honestly. Like, like, how do you know exactly? Like, somebody sent me a tweet. A friend of mine was like, you know, Nick fans are mad at you. And it said, it said, we've lost, Alan. That's what it said on the tweet. What do you mean you lost me? I'm giving you an honest opinion. I was asked straight up on the Boston Celtics, the team to be. Yes, yes, they are in the east because without Tatum, they were still an unreal top five defense, top ten offense. You know, the way they defend. They hit the three. They're a scary team. Then they had Tatum, and Tatum looks like Tatum, like in small bunches. Now he's not him yet, but in little pockets, you're like, oh, yeah, he can really help this team. And so they have to be that team. So I'll give it to you guys, Listen, Boston has 13 games left. They are three and a half games out of first. They still have to play the Thunder. They have to play the Knicks. That's a big game. Now that game at the garden, April 8, I think it is Nixon and the Celtics that. That could be a very important game. They also have to play Orlando and Miami. That's their toughest game. So there's not a lot of tough games left. But the Thunder one, that's a big one. In the Nikkei. Detroit has 14 games left now, again, their lead over Boston's three and a half. They still got to play. Also the Thunder, a Laker team that's won seven in a row and suddenly figuring things out. An Atlanta team that's won 10 in a row and Orlando, who's been tough, better late. So without Cade, how do they do in these games? Because a couple of losses for them, Boston could run right by. The Knicks are five back of first, but again, they're tied in the win column with Boston. They have 12 games up. They have less games to play, but they also have to play the Thunder. I mentioned the Celtics, Houston, which has been struggling. Atlanta's been hot, as it said. And two games against the Hornets that suddenly aren't an easy team anymore. They. They play hard, they play good. So is opportunity there? I'm thinking nine and three. Like, what do you have to do to make it real if you're the Knicks?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

That was very subtle. Very subtle, Jacob. But I for some reason think the drop of Allen going they play hard, they play good would sound very funny. Don, I could be completely wet on this.

[Alan Hahn]

Did I say they play hard? They play.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

They play hard. They play good. I thought I said you take that alone.

[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

You take that alone.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

And he goes from Southern Han to caveman. Ha.

[Alan Hahn]

What? They play good.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

They play hard.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They play good.

[Alan Hahn]

They play good.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

By the way, I just want to

[Alan Hahn]

let everyone know they've been playing good, but okay.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Sienna didn't come out of the half scared. They don't look as scared. They're up 13 points, baby.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They contest every basket. They. They are coming to play, man, we're

[Alan Hahn]

not at that timeout yet, but we're at that timeout where Peter's about to get naked.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I heard.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Well, I'll say this. I'm extending it. I'm extending it, too.

[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

Excuse me.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

So you get to the under. You get to the under 16. And. And you're having a conversation.

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Ambassador Johnson.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You.

[Alan Hahn]

You.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

You're up double digits by the 12, and the conversation's getting, like, intense.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But, like, right now.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Well, yes, because the thing is, when you're playing against a team that's like. That's this level, like Duke, like, we just know it can go away in 90 seconds. Like that. That's. That's always on the table. So it's not just that they can stick around. Like, you have to have a sizable lead late to be one of these teams you can't truly believe until it's under five minutes, honestly, so. But it's. It's starting to get exciting, though. Starting to get a feel to it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, now. Now we're settling into. As they just do comeback story. But they. They missed two dunks in a row. You don't like Sienna, so you don't like that. And then Duke comes back and they finish the dunk. So we'll see if this is a turning point three minutes into the second half.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

How do you miss two dunks?

[Alan Hahn]

But I do think, oh, I can tell you how.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Well, that's different. Alan, you can barely get.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We're settling into this being at least competitive the rest of the way.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Oh, Don. But Don, I just saw the first miss dunk. Hold me to the second one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The second one's not nearly as bad.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

No, the first one is straight up. Like, it just horrifying. Like you can't have it happen.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And now they follow a possession with a. With an air ball. So now, now keep an eye. I said it at 17 minutes. We'll see. See, that sequence is the turning point

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

and it let Duke come back, hit a couple of threes. Now it's like, oh, it's eight or whatever it is or, you know, it burned.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, looking at the Pistons schedule, Allen very easy.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I read you the games that were the tough games, but everybody has.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But what's.

[Alan Hahn]

Mostly easy schedule remake, you know, but

[Peter Rosenberg]

what does it look like without Cunningham? Like I mentioned, they lost to the Nets the other day without him. Now, again, they didn't. They probably didn't feel the pressure they're going to feel right now knowing that he's not coming back until the playoffs. Most Likely. So will they play with a little bit more of a sense of urgency, but therefore makes the rest of the regular season very interesting?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. When he's missed games, they're five and two.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. But like I said, the loss to the Nets, who were trying not to win.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that was disturbing. Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

They would then they blow like a 16 point lead in that game. Yeah, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

They look like they were gonna win that game. And then that's just, just, just unlike last night, which my word that we're

[Peter Rosenberg]

gonna get to this at some point. But like last night is everything we were talking about with the tanking. Last night was like the day when they, when they present something at the end of the season, they are going to show video of last night.

[Alan Hahn]

All those games. All those.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How many of them?

[Alan Hahn]

There were several. The last two nights. The last two nights were pretty pathetic.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And it's gonna continue, right? I mean, I would think we're gonna see more of them.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. We got to talk about how do we fix it? Because it really is. And there are some ideas and it is something that we could certainly get to, you know, coming up throughout the show. But just, just in general though, the Knicks don't play again. They're off tonight. So they don't play till tomorrow against. Oh, by the way, the Nets. They'll be in Brooklyn. And you know, the last time they played the Nets, they held in the six. Didn't they win by 52 point, whatever?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Like it was an embarrassing game. Now if you're the Knicks, you're playing a soft part of your schedule. They're four. No. Through a seven game stretch. I probably have said this before, but they're in a seven game stretch right now where they're playing all teams with a losing record.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So what do we call it? Because you called the Gauntlet with all the tough team. What do you call this?

[Alan Hahn]

What would you call it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know that you got to

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

have come up with a nick. A new name though. It can't be. It can't be the Gauntlet again.

[Alan Hahn]

What's the opposite of.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's the opposite of gauntlet? Toilet.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

A schmolln toilet.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The commode. It's the, it's. It's the commode.

[Alan Hahn]

This is the commode. But this is the bathroom break. Right? The seven game bathroom break. That's what you've got right now. But, but it. They really are. They're playing. So after this, I think Sunday's the Wizards Tuesdays, the Pelicans oh, dear God. Oh, yeah. No, no, it's. It's. So they're 40 through it. You gotta. I almost feel like. I know this sounds greedy. You might need to go seven and up. Like, you probably have no excuse to lose any of these games.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, just go. Go down the line and what your reaction would be if you. If you watch them lose to. To the team. If you lose.

[Alan Hahn]

They're getting smoked by the. By the Utah Jazz in the first half. By 18. They had to come back to win that one. They were getting smoked by the warriors on Sunday night. Down by 21. They had to come back in that one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

They were. We've already had moments watching the game going, oh, my God, are they going to lose? Are they really losing this game? But they did.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But they didn't.

[Alan Hahn]

They didn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I'm saying, if they lose. If they lose to the Wizards, we're like the next. They were like, we're killing them. Right. They lose to the Pelicans, we're killing them.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. So you got. Again. All right, so the Nets 0.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They never lose to the Nets. Right.

[Alan Hahn]

They. What is it now? 14, 13 in a row, whatever it is. And there's no excuse in this game. Wizard Sunday, you're killing them if they lose. Yeah. How do you. How do you not. Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't want to win.

[Alan Hahn]

Pelicans, another team that they don't want to win. They're coming to New York. There's no excuse. I know it's Zion and all that stuff, but there's just zero reason that you're losing this game. Then after that is when it gets real. That's why I think you've got to. You got to make a run through these games and win. The worst you could do is six and one, in my opinion, because it's a Hornets team in Charlotte where normally you have all your fans that things have changed there. They play hard. They do good, but they don't really. They're running teams off the floor with their offense, and they're a better defensive.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Did you hear the. Did you hear Boston on there for a second?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I.

[Alan Hahn]

They played.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

He said something about, like, they play there. They play that.

[Alan Hahn]

They play hard.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I. I get the one thing. I'll say what you want about Peter. The one thing he does well is he can sniff out a drop.

[Alan Hahn]

Thank you.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

I don't know if you'd say the one thing. I don't know what.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm the only.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We. I know your talent. Just saying. You can't that can't be debated like that.

[Alan Hahn]

Like you're, and you're saying what you want. This is in your skill set.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Say what you want.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like the person that hates you, want you to die, wants you to spontaneously combust in front of them.

[Alan Hahn]

But if they needed a pale water

[Peter Rosenberg]

and pour it over themselves, that's how much they ate you.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They would have to say, you know what? A guy could pick out a drop. I'll tell.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, yeah. If they needed a drop, they'd still go to you.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

That's great. What the hell's a drop?

[Alan Hahn]

But, but after this seven game toilet run, it's at Charlotte, at Oklahoma City, at Houston. And then it softens up a little bit again before it finishes up. Not so easy, you see, get two little reprieves, Memphis and Chicago, then Atlanta, Boston, Toronto. So that's why this is it right now. Like you got to make hay, win these games and see if you can put yourself in a position. But I'm just talking about playoff wise. Get into the playoffs. Everybody was saying the Knicks can't beat the Pistons if Cade Cunningham misses time. Or who knows what's going to happen with this and how much it affects the Pistons going forward. But the Pistons, who you were worried about having to play, might not even be in play for you in the playoffs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's true. Duke just cut it to six.

[Alan Hahn]

That was that turning point, huh?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think that was the turning point and a half.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

And, and when you got to the, and when you got to the under 16, it was nine. But it didn't feel the same. It didn't. And then right after the under, and then right when they get to under 16, they hit a three to cut it to six. I believe six feels like zero.

[Alan Hahn]

Is it seven straight points for.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Yeah, it was 13. It was 13, I think, right?

[Alan Hahn]

It was. Isn't it seven straight points for Duke.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

And this is when you start to find out, are you like a team that truly believes you can do it or is the jig up?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. So we'll certainly keep an eye on that.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Breaking a wide open 3 doesn't help.

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[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. We all have that one friend.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

I'm talking about the yo yos who

[Peter Rosenberg]

set themselves on fire and bathe in pork and beans.

[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

Or know that one person I'm here with my family who can't help but

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

be he's not cool. His voice. Voice is weird. He's kind of a dork. His Brother's a tool. His girlfriend's annoying.

[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

That guy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't know it was banner night. We won't be out for that.

[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

It's time for that guy Thursday.

[Alan Hahn]

Hey, guys, Anyone want to play some

[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

ball with Don Hahnen? Rosenberg.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's just being that guy.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, before we get to that guy, let's just update things as we're watching, hoping, maybe praying for a potential 116 upset. Sienna was just on the ropes as Duke rallied all the way back. Cut it to two. And then there was an 11 oh run by Duke to cut it to two. 49. Oh, no, not sorry. 47. 45. And then Sienna hit a big three to stop the run. And now it's a three point game as Duke is then answered there. So we're.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

But it doesn't. It doesn't tell the full story because Sienna also can't buy a layup.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, they're just. They missed.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

They're in.

[Alan Hahn]

Don called it. They missed two dunks. That really, you know, really started the turnaround for Duke. Change momentum. But now that's two threes now for Sienna, a six point lead as they are now trying. Well, punch back.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

That's huge. That's huge, Don. Seriously, just getting it back to six from two is a. Is a big victory when you're a 16 seed because it felt like it was about to be a complete blowout and that still may happen. But this is. This is some good fight here from Sienna that they were not showing for a while.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but it just feels like it's all about the three, Right? Just like it is in the NBA. If they fall, they're in good shape. If they don't fall, it's gonna be harder and harder for them to get stops because Duke obviously is the better team, by the way.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Two.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Really? How will.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Did you see the boozer play like two possessions ago, Alan, where he literally backed up under the basket without dribbling like four feet? I. Stuff like that drives me absolutely.

[Alan Hahn]

You know how it's going bad. You know how that's. That's also the part that does frustrate the officiating. College basketball is not one. We always know there's going to be these moments where you're like, how did you not see that? But Siena, the three ball has been their friend. They're seven of 16 from downtown. That's a big part of it because Duke has only hit three. They're three of 17, but obviously they're getting a ton done in the paint and they also haven't missed a free throw yet. 10 for 10 for Duke. So that's always a big part of the story. All right, so it's that guy Thursday who wants to start us off.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'd like to start. Because sometimes it gets away, right? Because I have to.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Yeah, go ahead.

[Alan Hahn]

You're right, Don. Yeah, go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right. That guy is my guy. And that's Gary Bettman, commissioner of the National Hockey League.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, we've discussed this format that Alan and I are not fans of, where you play in your division, the first two rounds of the NHL playoffs. And it seems like every year in the Western Conference Central Division, we get the 2, 3 matchup, two of the best teams in the NHL. And again, it's going to happen this year if Colorado wins the division, although that's very much up for grabs because Dallas beat them last night. But if the season ended today, Dallas would be the second place team in the Central. Minnesota would be the third. Literally, in the Western Conference, the second best team is Dallas.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

The.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The third best team is Minnesota. Does it make sense that the second best team and the third best team in the conference are going to play in the first round and one of them is guaranteed to be out? Is that fair? Does that make sense?

[Alan Hahn]

It doesn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This format sucks. It does. Bill Garon, general manager of the Minnesota Wild, says, in my opinion, the second best team in the league shouldn't be playing the third best team in the league in the first round. Makes sense. Now the general managers meetings are happening right now. So Gary Bettman spoke. Gary Bettman's retort, because everybody's killing him for this, because nobody likes this format. Nobody. It gives us a sensational first round, probably the best playoff first round in any sport. Why does he just assume Allen and Peter that it's the best first round in any sport? Because divisional teams are playing each other. Maybe if you have faith in your sport that, hey, people like hockey, they like playoff hockey, and they'll watch the first round because they're interested in the competition. And even if it were true that the interest is there because of divisional play, does it make sense from a competitive standpoint to have two of the best teams in the sport play that early and one of them be gone because jobs are one and lost. Guys, on how you do in the playoffs now, I think people would see the forest through the trees and not be firing Hines as the head coach or firing Garon as the general manager because Minnesota got bounced in the first round.

[Alan Hahn]

You would hope so, but it's still

[Peter Rosenberg]

Losing in the first round, you made a trade. You mortgaged your future to get Quinn Hughes as most likely a rental because he's probably gone after next year. And you're still getting bounced in the first round. Not because you're bad, not because you're mismanaged, but you just happen to have to a matchup with the Dallas Stars, who are just slightly better than you, and you're both in the top five in the entire league. It makes no sense. And I believe if you got different matchups because, oh, divisional matchups make it fun, but you could also. You don't think a. A Ranger Bruin series in the first round wouldn't be fun? You don't think that a Maple Leaf Capital series wouldn't be fun in the first round. Why do we have to believe that only people would be interested guys? Because they're divisional matchups? No, I think they're interested because people like the sport, they like the competition, and they'd like to know that having great regular seasons means you get to take on lesser teams in the first round. That's what motivates us to have the best record. Not, oh, I'm stuck in a really good division and I'm gonna get bounced in the first round and might have to mortgage my future or might have to fire my general manager and head coach because again, I get bounced in the first round because I get this matchup. It's so unfair. And the arrogance of Gary to talk about. Well, that's the reason it's popular now. Maybe it's popular because your sport's growing and they're star players and playoff hockey is amazing. Not just because I get to see Carolina and the Rangers every year. Sometimes that gets boring too, doesn't it? To see the same matchups every single year. Every year it's the same teams playing each other in the first round and in the second round instead of seeing some variety. Come on, Gary, wake up.

[Alan Hahn]

I also think, Don, it's sometimes backwards. I think what you're getting a lot of times with this format is what should be a second round or conference final matchup in the first round, which is not really what you want because you still want. You want your best teams there at the end. You want the teams that have to. That you think have a chance to win a cup. You don't want to eliminate a team in the first round that you think has a good chance to win the cup. I think it actually makes your tournament worse, not better.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Minnesota, like, literally is a top five. I Think they're the fifth best team in the entire NHL.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And they're gonna have home ice disadvantage in the first round. Come on, man. And I tell you, he won't say it. He won't say it, but I'm gonna say it for. Go ahead. Stupid, ridiculous, borderline ignorant. Oh, we're gonna have a bracket, bracket challenge. Bracket challenge is so much fun because everybody wants the NCAA tournament. Take your bracket, roll it up, and stick it.

[Alan Hahn]

Where?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Where is the question.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Where the sun doesn't shine in the darkest, deepest hole you can think of in. Stick it in filth.

[Alan Hahn]

Why can't you have a bracket?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Stick it in filth.

[Alan Hahn]

Why can't you have a bracket when it's. Isn't everything a bracket?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not really.

[Alan Hahn]

Every. No, Don. Every bracket.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But no, you got it. You want to fill it out because it's fun. I get to go to the website and I get to have the bracket challenge. We did it on game misconduct.

[Alan Hahn]

But explain to me what.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's different about whether you can't extrapolate it out to the end. If you. If you. If you don't have a bracket.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, you have one through eight.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You have one through eight.

[Alan Hahn]

NBA has a bracket. Look on their website. But you me.com standing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know there's a whole playoff bracket, but you can't just fill out a bracket.

[Alan Hahn]

March Madness.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you can't fill it out because then it'll all get messed up because you don't know what the matchups are going to be.

[Alan Hahn]

Once you get something wrong, the rest of your. The rest of your bracket may not look the same. You pick a team that loses, then they're not playing the right team in the second round, then you're picking another team because of the receipt. And there we go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The receipt thing is where. And I'm telling you that because they love that because then you go to the. It's a great way to promote and you get a sponsor. It's all about money. I get it. Greed's good. I understand.

[Alan Hahn]

Don. Majority of the brackets, where do you think they're filled out? Good. Where are they? Where do you think the majority of people who are involved in the bracket thing, where are they from?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know. Where are they from?

[Alan Hahn]

I would say Canada. You think anybody in the US Gives a rip about a damn NHL bracket? I don't think we ever had a Canada winner. I'm not saying a winner, no, but I don't think.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Alan, I disagree. I think Canadians don't need it, though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I. I think. I think they're trying to draw people into, hey, we got a bracket. Fill it out. Who do you think is going to win the Stanley Cup? And if all of a sudden you're receding and. And things get blown up that people aren't going to have an interest. I understand. I get it. They are fun. We used it on game misconduct. We give away a jersey every year. I get it. It drew attention. It got a crowd. But you know what also gets a crowd? Honoring the best teams and giving those teams a chance. Having regular season games be meaningful, which they already are. Gary, have faith in your sport for the first time. Realize that it's hot. The Devils and the Rangers played on ABC a couple of weeks ago. Both teams are out of it, but because Jack Hughes was in the game and the Rangers are popular. Yeah. Over a million people watch. People are interested in your sport. Have faith in it. Don't try to Jimmy switch it into. Well, we got to have divisional matchups. Nobody's going to watch the first round if it doesn't mean divisional matchup. I'm sorry. If you get the Columbus Blue Jackets playing the Carolina Hurricanes, people aren't going to care. All right. No matter what, there's going to be certain matchups that stink in the NBA, too. Just happens. All right, But. All right, at least let me know. Sorry, I'm talking too much.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, you're good. Gary Bedman. You know what?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

You had it on your chest.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

And it's off the chest.

[Alan Hahn]

And that's it. Gary, I'll say it one more time to be clear. Gary. Batman, we love you. You've done an amazing job as commissioner. You being that guy. That's all we're saying.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Peter, mine. Mine is low hanging fruit. You know I love it, but yesterday, it's the best. Oh, and Sienna is finding a way to respond with some of these threes hanging.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm keeping an eye on it. You stick with your plan. I got this.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

All right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, Here we go.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Here we go. Everyone calm down. Now, the low hanging fruit is. Yesterday we had a great time at Calandras. Just, you know, first of all, someone's that guy. Because we're the idiots who are saying Calandras. And somehow no one in months of promotion. Don comes up and says, it's not Calandra's like Sandra Bernhardt. It's Calandra's like Sandra from the Cosby Show. Why didn't someone explain it to us?

[Alan Hahn]

Just someone please tell.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Just say no. No. So anyways, we're at Calandras.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

And haven't done. When I tell you they treated us like gold, I just mean they were wonderful in every way.

[Alan Hahn]

Agree.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

The second Alan and I sit down to have to chat before the show, they offer us beverages, and they set down this beautiful plate. It was actually more like a little tray. Like a. What was it? What would you call that thing, Al? Like a serving tray, almost.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it was. It looked like charcuterie. Charcuterie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like a charcuterie board.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

But it was pasta instead of cheese.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

But, Don, instead of, you know, a cheese board or salami, it's like three little piles of pasta and some utensils. Right. And they. And they did give us plates, but it was set up at our little. Little area, and they dropped it right between me and Alan. Right. And it was food for us.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And it's your play. You're sharing a plate.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Yeah, we're basically. And we joked. We said, we're gonna go lady in the tramp. I mean, because we're, you know, pictures

[Peter Rosenberg]

that were set out kind of looked like that.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, there was. There was a little lady in the tramp. Ish. Photo that did make the round that

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

made its way around. So, you know, we just. We honestly, we don't have a lot of time here. You know, we maybe didn't have time to make a great plate, so we just kind of grabbed our forks and said, let's try this pasta.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

And. And listen, God bless our audio engineer who does a lot of our remotes. Paul.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right, Don.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

You're familiar.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Very. Paul Schrader.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Yeah, that's Paul Schrager to you and me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

I would say, you know, Paul does a great job. I would say, in the. In the 50 or so remotes, maybe we've had done with him, Don, since I got here. Maybe 40, 35 remotes. I would say our conversations limited to about 75 words over. Over those days.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, 30 seconds. Right. Like, those are the conversations he has with us. One minute, Paul.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

I guess Paul was very excited about being at Calandras, and I understand.

[Alan Hahn]

Who wouldn't be?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

But with five minutes before our show with Alan and I sharing this plate of food, like lady and the Tramp in front of us, he just comes over with a fork and goes, I'm taking some. And just. Don, listen, I'm not trying to be that guy. I'm not that. Hey, I'm talent. Don't touch my food guy. But it was a very intimate setting, and he just jumped right in and started helping Himself.

[Alan Hahn]

He just dove right in.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Get him away from the cake. Somebody get him away from the cake.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

It wasn't that bad because we know Paul. We love Paul.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, my goodness.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

But it was a bit much. And then I had John Winthrop talking about, hey, I think I got to go at X time, blah, blah, blah. This is a real story. I think I got to go at blank time. We'll see. But I got to get back to the family. And then he goes, you know, I just found out they're giving us dinner all of a sudden. Don, his time to leave changes by

[Peter Rosenberg]

an hour and a half. Oh, the fam.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Schmammily. I said. I. I said, as of this moment, John, you are entering the Brownshire category of schnurring. Right when the he. And listen, this is Calandra's. And by the way, Brownshire, bad job by him as King Schnur. He should have found a reason to be at this event.

[Alan Hahn]

He didn't find it here at all. No. Right.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

But it was a great time. And also, I hope Don's not offended by this. The funniest comment I saw on social media from the picture we posted was Ken Danico. Looks like Don on Ozempic was maybe my funniest, maybe my favorite. My favorite cop. I mean, you guys do look borderline

[Peter Rosenberg]

related, and he's in great shape for a former.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

He's in great shape. I mean, listen, this man. I'm like, champion Don.

[Alan Hahn]

Can I also point out to the room he was the last guy to leave? Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, he's not. Because he's.

[Alan Hahn]

He would. He was in conversations, engaged, loved every minute of it. Like the game was over. And we're like, Daniel, like, the night's over.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, no, you guys can go all about that, telling tales out of school, but, like, we come back to start the period, and they give us a couple of minutes to kind of set the scene, or maybe there's some stat we want to throw out there, and it's intended for me, Sal, and Kenny to get into it. And I could see Kenny coming up the stairs. The fans won't let him all the way up. And sometimes we got to start the segment without him because he just shaking hands, taking pictures like he is Mr. Devil. Hon, he is terrific.

[Alan Hahn]

Very cool. Well, as far as Colandrus last night, too, we'd be remiss if we didn't shout out our teammates who were there doing all the work. Lindsey, for sure, helping set everything up for us, Having the connection, of course, with Colandrus, Jefferson, Joe, Tyler, Jake, Gina was there as well. Oh, yeah, all the interns. It just. Again, you guys, the new.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

The new spring intern came over, said hello.

[Alan Hahn]

He's a Rutgers guy, Donnie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

It does play by play. Can't wait to talk to you. So everyone that was there that kind of helped supported us all. We. All Peter and I did was just

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Tessa from West Caldwell.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, you heard that. Tessa, in the shoot, in person, taking pictures, did not punch Peter in the face.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Heather Babbles was in the house.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, she was there too, with her husband, Anthony. He was there inviting us to barbecue in the summer.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

It was. I feel bad, Don. You missed it. You missed a good. And I'm working on it right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I suck.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

It's not official. It's not official, but I am in conversations with Calandras about going back this summer to host a Peter Rosenberg USA World cup watch. We are weird. So you know what, Donnie? Maybe. Maybe I'll drag you out for. For my World cup event.

[Alan Hahn]

To make up for, he's gonna watch soccer because he missed a hockey outing. How about that?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Yeah, how about that? And you know they have an outdoor. They have like an outdoor bar situation there too. A whole, like, courtyard outdoor thing too. So super excited about that.

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[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

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[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

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

[Alan Hahn]

In takeover mode. This was fun while it lasted, but we are now seeing this slip away. Sienna now losing. Sienna had as lead as big as 13, I believe in this game. But being outscored in the second half, 32, 18 as now they're trailing by now it's four. Two free throws just went down, 341 to go. And Duke who was facing. That's what I've been an epic, epic upset. Now at a four point lead, 341 to go. Sienna was knocking down threes early. It is the rims gotten smaller for them as it usually does in this tournament later in games when you're feeling a chance to upset a game. We will certainly keep an eye on with you. Can I point one thing out, please? So St. John's Place tomorrow, right? We have a great promo about it, but there's something about it, Don, that bothers me that I wonder if it would bother you as well. Or am I just being that guy?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay, just.

[Alan Hahn]

It's at the very begin, guys. If you could play it. We just played it during the break.

[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

Fifth seeded St. John's kicks off their March Madness tournament in San Diego.

[Alan Hahn]

Keep stopping right there. What kicks off?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Arch Madness kicks off.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, Jake's got it. It's not football, man. Is it that hard to just say tips off?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

No, it's. It's. You're being that guy.

[Alan Hahn]

Am I being that guy?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Well, I'm glad it's. I'm glad it's Thursday.

[Alan Hahn]

It's basketball, guy.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

No, it kicks off anything.

[Alan Hahn]

We don't kick off basketball. We tip off basketball.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

No, it's. Your kickoff is applied to everything.

[Alan Hahn]

Come on.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Everything.

[Alan Hahn]

If you're kicking basketball, it's a. It's a. It's a violation. You can't even kick. You know, your feet shouldn't be kicked.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

I never. We need to. I think of kickoff, Don, as being like beyond sports, like Events kick off.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, yeah, kickoffs are just. It's just a word.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

It doesn't. It's not football. I mean, it's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's right, Peter. But he's also still that guy.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm sorry, I'm following. No, no, no, he is.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Would you say St. John's tips off? Would not say that, though. No, you wouldn't say that, though. They tip off their tournament.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, you don't see anything going on here. You.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But. But let me ask you this, all right? I love. I love the energy, but what they're. You're tipping off a game. Like, if he's saying you'll tip off

[Alan Hahn]

at 9, 10, the game tips off.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You would never say kick off because you're tipping off. But if you're talking about starting a run and it's the beginning of March Madness.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think kickoff is acceptable because, like Peter said, kickoff has taken on a different form beyond sports. You know, the. We're kicking off the new year. You know, we're kicking off the party kind of thing, where it has nothing

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

to do with that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We're just talking about St. John's trying to make a run here. It's not just going to be one and done. They're going to be in this a while. And it all kicks off from San Diego tomorrow. Yeah.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

So, in fact. In fact, we're wasting too much time on it. It's embarrassing to all of them.

[Alan Hahn]

Really. It really. Sorry. It bothers me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not a real thing.

[Alan Hahn]

Something bothers me. It's a waste of time. Something bothers you. Well, we'll take 20 minutes on it. It bothers me. I feel like there's enough football being shoved down our throats that when we

[Peter Rosenberg]

have some basketball now, we.

[Alan Hahn]

Can we just talk about basketball?

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is why we needed to talk it out, because you revealed a little something there. That's why it bothers you?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because if you're believing that football is being shoved down our throat, why can't basketball have its moment? No, we talked it out. Now we know.

[Alan Hahn]

I feel better now. I just.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Man, Sienna just can't buy a bucket late in this game.

[Alan Hahn]

I hate it.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

I hate another block dunk when this happens.

[Alan Hahn]

Right? It just. That's.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

I said, this is what sucks, Don. This is why I have these rules of hanging on and they have to hold a big lead late. I said, literally, basically till under four minutes. Otherwise it's, you know, they're gonna lose it.

[Alan Hahn]

But your first rule was we can't. We. You can't get excited till what, the under 16?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Yes. And it started to fade right around.

[Alan Hahn]

Right about the time. Right. Wasn't that about the time the two dunks were missed? Yeah, it just started to fade. It's amazing. Were we ever able to get Duke plus money, or were they favorites basically the whole time? Oh, there's no way you would have had Duke plus money. Thirteen was too close.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm forwarding this to you because I'm offended, and I want you to know why I'm offended. Oh, no.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, boy.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

You're offended.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, while you're doing that, let me tell everybody to get ready for Rickleball Madness. You know why? Because it kicks off tomorrow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Forward.

[Alan Hahn]

ESPN New York is taking over Pickleball Heaven in Medford, New York. Catch a live broadcast of DP and Rothenberg starting at 6am and then you can stick around for our social ladder pickleball tournament. Will, it's.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

It's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's wrong. It's actually wrong. I think he crossed the line.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I just. They're funny how the text came up as I'm trying to read the script. We'll crown our champions, then roll right into college hoops watch party to cap off the day. Rick and these watch parties. This week, the tournament is officially sold out, but the event is open to the public. So come down, enjoy the action, be part of Rickleball Madness. It's brought to you by Pickleball Heaven, the new standard of indoor pickleball. Like I said, that kicks off because that's what we say about everything now. Any event, we got to say it kicks off because all it is about football. Even pickleball has to have football in it somehow, some way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did Rick's text cross a line? I say yay.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

I mean, it always does, doesn't it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, this one, this major steppage.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Well, but you can't even get close to saying this on the air. So here's a hint. It's about a tip and an Amazon guy and. Yeah, it's not what you want.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, thank you. You said it.

[Alan Hahn]

So right now, he would go more how you get kicked. Never mind. All right, you know what?

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

Listen, I. I leave the wives out of it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Shall we?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that's the part that I do feel. It always goes over the line. It's.

[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

I have something to say about fandom because they're dropping bonus bets into everyone's accounts. Once you kick it tournament, all you have to do is opt in to claim your bonus. Use them on your bracket picks, moneyline spreads, totals game props or even same game parlays. But don't wait. These bonus bets are only available for a limited time. Just visit FanDuel.com local to learn more. 21 and over physically present in New York. Bonus issued is non withdrawable bonus bets which expire seven days after receipt. Max bonus 500 bucks unless otherwise specified. Restrictions apply. See [e-mail] for help with a gambling problem. Call 8778-Open Wire Text Open Y467369 thanks

[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good.

[Podcast Host (Don Hahn)]

Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Co-host (possibly a producer or another commentator)]

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Alan Hahn]

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