Hour 2: Feature Ideas & That Guy Thursday

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: Feature Ideas & That Guy Thursday

Date: May 14, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Platform: ESPN New York

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Main Theme

This episode is a lively blend of topical New York sports talk, listener call-ins, banter about NYC's infamous commuting problems, and an extended “That Guy Thursday” segment, where the hosts call out people and trends that have recently irked them. The trio’s chemistry shines as they dissect sports culture, poke fun at themselves, and interact with fans on topics from sports rituals to emblematic player letdowns.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NYC Commuting Catastrophes

• [01:37 – 04:53]
  • Alan explains his remote setup due to an electrical fire in a Penn Station tunnel and a massive sinkhole on the LIE, sparking a comically bleak discussion about NYC/LI transit woes.
  • The hosts riff on alternative ways to get to major sporting events if transit strikes coincide with big games (helicopter, boats, city bikes).
  • Quote:
    “Helicopter.”
    – Alan Hahn [04:35]
    “You gotta land it somewhere.”
    – Peter Rosenberg [04:36]
    “I still say take a boat. I used to always want to… just commute by boat out of Huntington harbor.”
    – Alan Hahn [04:38]

2. Youthful Biking Memories

• [05:03 – 07:44]
  • Nostalgic stories about the longest bike rides as kids (Peter: Hawthorne, NJ to Paramus Park Mall on a BMX; Alan: biking until 3am after a Yankees ALCS loss).
  • Universality of 7-Eleven runs for Slurpees and video games.
  • Quote:
    “Riding to 7:11, that was literally my number one bike destination as a [kid]. Sure, many people were the same…”
    – Don La Greca [07:29]

3. Sports Culture: Mets’ “Construction” Celebration

• [08:24 – 09:33]
  • A caller praises Mets’ new construction-hat/vest post-homer ritual.
  • Peter calls it “stupid” (citing inconsistent standards across sports for celebrations), Don and Alan playfully disagree.
  • Quote:
    “Imagine scoring a goal in the NHL, and all of a sudden you’re putting a hard hat on.”
    – Peter Rosenberg [09:13]

4. “Validate Me” Monday: New Segment Brainstorming

• [13:09 – 16:34]
  • Listener pitches cross-promotion for Peter’s new podcast “Validate Me”.
  • On-air banter crafts the concept for “Validate Me Monday” — reviewing if any of their predictions were proved right over the weekend.
  • Quote:
    “Validate me Monday. Alan nailed it. And we just give him his props. We just give you your flowers in that moment.”
    – Don La Greca [15:01]

5. Sports Player Letdowns – The “That Guy Thursday” Warm-Up

• [16:38 – 21:00]
  • Listeners and hosts recall athletes they thought would be stars, but disappointed:
    • Peter: Greg Jeffries (Mets)
    • Alan: Danilo Gallinari (Knicks), Tim Connolly (Islanders)
    • Don: Mike Greenwell (Red Sox)
  • Spawning a flurry of calls and deep sports nostalgia.

6. That Guy Thursday: Calling Out Noah Syndergaard

• [24:14 – 39:59]
  • Peter nominates ex-Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard as “that guy” for recent political comments, claiming Met stars left NYC due to “craziness” and political climate.
  • The hosts critique Syndergaard’s attempt to co-opt other players’ reputations to serve his own narrative, calling out the use of “validation” and media pivoting as playbook.
  • Discussion veers into the dangers of seeking validation, being honest with opinions, and not dragging others into personal agendas.
  • Notable Quotes:
    “I'm sorry, Noah. Did Pete Alonso ask to be traded? Did Pete Alonso ask to leave, or was he just not resigned by the Mets? … I don't get any sense that he didn't want to be a Met.”
    – Peter Rosenberg [25:54]
    “Using other people as the example to create credibility for a point you’re trying to make … that’s not what you do.”
    – Alan Hahn [29:29]
    “Don't always have to look for validation. Because I got news for you: validation doesn't all of a sudden make you right or wrong.”
    – Peter Rosenberg [34:20]

7. Honorable “That Guy” Mentions and Sports Aesthetics Rant

• [37:44 – 39:59]
  • Alan nominates himself for being “that guy” — griping over playoff teams no longer wearing traditional white home jerseys, opining playoffs should be “classic.”
  • Quote:
    “I’m being the old man who’s like, this doesn’t make sense. But at some point, it doesn’t make sense.”
    – Alan Hahn [38:52]

8. Listener Calls, Graduation Talk & The Cost/Value of College

• [40:18 – 45:02]
  • Callers continue the “athlete letdown” thread (Ron Dayne, Giants RB).
  • Peter and Alan chat about their college graduations, the family sacrifices involved, and reconsidering whether college is necessary for everyone.
  • Alan shares proud news about his daughter's admission to law school.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “That is the 7-11 dream.”
  – Peter Rosenberg [08:16]
• “When you get alliteration and promotion all coming together like that, here’s what we do…”
  – Peter Rosenberg [14:06]
• “You don’t have to go [to college]… If you don’t think you’re ready, get in the real world, work, and then do it... you’ll probably get more out of it.”
  – Alan Hahn [44:17]

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Notable Segment Timestamps

• 01:37 – Alan’s NYC transit horror, sinkhole saga.
• 05:03 – Hosts’ favorite childhood long bike rides.
• 09:02 – Mets construction celebration debate.
• 13:09 & 15:01 – “Validate Me” segment creation.
• 17:35 – Listener asks about biggest athlete letdowns.
• 24:14 – That Guy Thursday segment; Syndergaard called out.
• 34:20 – Peter Rosenberg’s “validation” mini-speech.
• 38:52 – Alan’s jersey color rant.
• 40:39 – Callers nominate Ron Dayne as sports bust.
• 43:33 – College: necessity vs. alternative paths.

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Episode Vibe & Language

• The hosts are loose, sharply opinionated, affectionate and sarcastic, often roasting each other with classic New York banter.
• Plenty of sports knowledge and nostalgia, with effortless transitions between personal anecdotes and pointed social/cultural commentary.
• Language is energetic and direct, with a touch of cynicism and warmth.

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For Listeners: Why This Episode Stands Out

• If you love inside-baseball (and inside-New York) sports talk, offbeat feature segment development, and hearing relatable rants about city life, this hour is packed.
• “That Guy Thursday” is a must-listen for its blend of humor and critique — and includes an especially fiery dissection of media narratives in sports.
• The candid discussion about college and family sacrifices towards the end adds a raw, human note to the frenetic pace.

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In short:
This episode serves up classic Don, Hahn & Rosenberg: relentless riffs on sports and city living, interactive segment-crafting with listeners, pointed social observation, and just enough self-mockery to keep things grounded.

Transcript

[ESPN Announcer]

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[Don Hahn]

This is the Don Han at Rosenberg Podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

Game time is brought to you by Tullamore Do Irish Whiskey because when it's game time, fellas,

[Don La Greca]

It's folly time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Mets beat the Tigers 9 4, sweep the three game series. AJ Ewing, couple more hits including a home run as he continues to rake since getting called up from aaa. Yankees have the night off. No NBA playoffs tonight. We do have a couple of hockey playoff games if you want to watch. You got Buffalo and Montreal. That's not nothing. That series tied at two games apiece as they go to Buffalo. And then you've got Anaheim with a chance to wrap up their series with the Ducks. So you got some things to watch tonight. Tullamore Dew, the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullam Do. Honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore do responsibly.

[Alan Hahn]

If I could for a minute do it. Those of us who live on Long island, people might be wondering why the hell is Alan home today? Alan tried to go into the studio today, but there was no way to get into the studio today. Lir I don't know if anybody heard about this, but Penn Station, there was an electrical fire on the track in one of the tubes heading in under the east river. And so they suspended all trains from Jamaica to Penn Station. So from there you have that part of it. Now, we already know that traffic is what it is in the afternoon on the LIE to begin with, there was a sinkhole on the LIE as well at exit 49, which is right near me. A sinkhole? Well, usually it's a pothole. Now it's a sinkhole.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We in Jersey know Sinkholes were like 20 of them in Route 80 about a couple of years ago.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, it's one thing to have potholes. We all know through the winter this happens. A sinkhole Half of a car was in this sinkhole, and so they had to close that whole. Oh, my God. So, yeah, it's been a day. So for those of you that are sitting in traffic or stuck in traffic or had to deal with the train stuff and waiting in Penn Station, a lot of smoke in Penn Station. Some of the cars that were stuck in Penn Station, that was as well. I'm sure that was very jarring. We're with you and we're feeling it. And you were mentioning the potential strike this weekend. And if you're trying to go to the Subway Series games, that just throws a whole curveball, no pun intended, into all that. So, yeah, yeah, buckle up, New York.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, not a great time to have that strike. But I'm sure they strategically knew that if you want to get something done,

[Alan Hahn]

do it during the series.

[Peter Rosenberg]

During the. The only. The only better one, but it's too far down the road is. Is wait for the US Open.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, that's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That would have been the better time to do it, but they wouldn't want. They didn't want to wait until August.

[Alan Hahn]

Think about this madness. If there's a game one Sunday at Madison Square Garden, if the Cavs win Friday night, Mets, Yankees, Subway series Sunday afternoon, Knicks, likely Cavs would be. That would be the Sunday game. Game one, probably Sunday evening. And no one can get on a train from Long island to get to these games. So you have to drive.

[Don La Greca]

So every. This one is not going to be fixed the way others. You know, sometimes they chat, but we don't know. But this one isn't sensing we don't know.

[Alan Hahn]

They keep warning us that this could happen, but I'm just saying the potential of having two major sporting events on a Sunday and the majority of people coming from the east would have to drive to these events. Good luck.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's ways, but it becomes very, very difficult for sure.

[Alan Hahn]

Helicopter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You got to land it somewhere.

[Alan Hahn]

I still say take a boat. I used to always want to do this is just commute by boat out of Huntington harbor. Just go around down the east river, just dock it somewhere along the way. Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that'd be a great way. That's really the only way to get out of Long Island. You know, it'd be like five minutes to Connecticut. Right. As opposed to the three hours if you try to drive off the island and then back up again.

[Alan Hahn]

Don't even get me started.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now they've. They've actually talked about city bikes, and I wonder how many people would do that. City bike, take a bike To Citi Field.

[Alan Hahn]

From where?

[Peter Rosenberg]

From wherever you live, I guess. You know, if you live in Manhattan, would you ride across the 59th Street? I don't know. What's just real quick before we get to the calls.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's the farthest you ever traveled on a bicycle?

[Don La Greca]

Me personally?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Like actually outside. Not on like peloton.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, outside, like as a kid, like, you went from point A to point

[Don La Greca]

B. I've never been a real cyclist. Only a couple miles.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don La Greca]

A few miles.

[Alan Hahn]

No, I've done, I used to, I had a. In the 90s, I used to ride my bike everywhere on Long island. And I've always told that story about how when the Yankees lost to Cleveland in the 97 ALCS, how I got on my bike around midnight, right back to about 3am So I think I rode from Stony Brook past Port Jeff on a bike in the middle of the night on 25A with no lights. Very smart thing to do. Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Reflectors, though, right off.

[Alan Hahn]

I guess I might have. I don't know.

[Don La Greca]

Well, let me ask you a question. What do you think the furthest distance Wayne Randazzo and Steve Gelb's event.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, listen. On like a two seater on a tandem or do you think that he was on his shoulders?

[Caller - Drake]

All right.

[Don La Greca]

EBRO rides like, you know, 40 miles every weekend.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I see. That's interesting. I, I, I ride when the weather gets better and the kids are out of school and I'll have it more time. I will ride my bike to come kickboxing, which is six miles round trip.

[Don La Greca]

All right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Which isn't too, Is it flat? There's a little, some hills. It's, it's a bit of a workout. All right. But not bad, not bad, not bad. But I remember. And you're not going to be able to understand this because you don't know,

[Don La Greca]

you don't know that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But when I was a kid and I had my, you know, BMX bike.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I rode from Hawthorne, New Jersey to the Paramus Park Mall. I don't know how many miles that is, but it's got to be on a bike. It's got to be like maybe 10 miles. And I was a kid and on

[Alan Hahn]

a BMX, there's no, there's no gears to change. That's all that, that's like, that's like rod. That's like driving standard.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And we just did it today. I didn't have any money to go buy anything at the mall. Just. You did it. Do it just, it's great.

[Alan Hahn]

Stop at Sev, get a Big Gulp.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, see, I'm not going to Big goal.

[Don La Greca]

You don't stop it slow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm going to 7:11. I'm getting a slurp.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, all right.

[Don La Greca]

Well, that was.

[Alan Hahn]

It's all the same.

[Don La Greca]

Well, by the way, riding to 7:11, that was literally my number one bike destination as a crib. Sure, many people were the same, but me and my close friends in the neighborhood, we'd ride the bike 7 11, get a slurpee, play a video game,

[Peter Rosenberg]

get one of those beef and bean burritos, throw in the microwave.

[Don La Greca]

No, but maybe a dog.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, the dogs were good. The dog. And you go over to the fix and you just load it up with as much as you could because it

[Don La Greca]

just felt like, oh, by the way, that is so true. I put on so much cheese and chili to make, and then he's like. I'd almost make, like a little chili and cheese, like, side plate, practically.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Where's the. Take years off my life section of self?

[Caller - Anthony]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

Excuse me.

[Don La Greca]

Do you have diarrhea?

[Peter Rosenberg]

That I can serve myself. Did you dream about. Why'd you get home? Where's the dream section?

[Don La Greca]

Like, you dream. That is the dream.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That is the 711 dream. Let's go to David and Elizabeth here on ESPN New York. What's up, man?

[Don La Greca]

David. Hi.

[Caller - Anthony]

I got two quick things. What up, fellas? I got two quick things for you guys, right? Cause I'm in a great mood, so I'm gonna get the sports out the way, and I got a Freddy Kitchens for the end. So, look, the sports. I'm excited right now, Don. It's exactly what you said. You know, either they would have fired the manager, they would have shook up the lineup. Or they'll call somebody up. They called up AJ Ewing, and he's been a spark, and he's been playing really good. Him and Benj. They homer today. Not for nothing. I love it. They got the construction vest, the construction hats going on. We're punched in. Let's go to work.

[Alan Hahn]

I see that.

[Caller - Anthony]

I know.

[Alan Hahn]

That orange hard hat, right? The orange hard hat. That's pretty.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't like it.

[Alan Hahn]

No, it's cool.

[Caller - Anthony]

I know, I know. I know you don't. Don. But I think it's all right.

[Don La Greca]

So, like, you know, 500 trying.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You got the vest. Come.

[Caller - Fairlon]

I know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is baseball.

[Alan Hahn]

I know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I just sometimes stupid. Imagine scoring a goal in the NHL, and all of a sudden you're putting a hard hat on.

[Don La Greca]

Stop it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right? No, think about it. We kill Odell Beckham Jr. For proposing to a net after a touchdown. But yet, you know, the Mets are putting on a hard hat and the vest. It's stupid. Why do we find things offensive in other sports?

[Don La Greca]

And other sports, like, oh, it's so much fun. You know what? Don wins.

[Caller - Anthony]

You're right. No, you're definitely right about that.

[Don La Greca]

You're right, you're right.

[Caller - Anthony]

I just hope they could just keep winning a little bit. But this I want to say on the Freddy Kitchens. I know it's not going to make sense, but when you guys do the voice, I start screaming to the point where I almost get into accidents. And I got one for you guys. Mr. Kitchens, can you tell me how to get to Frederick Boulevard? Football Tuesday, football Thursday. I don't know the boy. All right, boy, you know what?

[Don La Greca]

That way. But that wasn't a kiking. Where he just quoted.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was not. What was that?

[Don La Greca]

What's that drop that we have? Do you guys remember what drop he just quoted?

[Caller - Anthony]

No.

[Don La Greca]

No. John's in there distracting everyone twice on Monday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Whoever the one.

[Don La Greca]

But it's not. It's.

[Producer or Show Staff]

It's not a ki.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's not Kik.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's Cajun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But how.

[Don La Greca]

But it was me doing a Cajun something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But how would Kiki have a conversation with like, elderly French woman?

[Don La Greca]

Well, by the way, I thought it was like a Brit who was being like. Excuse me. Yeah, Mr. Kitchens, are you gonna be coming to London town for the game more plays? What games in foggy London town again? We said yesterday. Oh, Colts, commanders.

[Alan Hahn]

What if Freddy Kitchens was one of the coaches on a team that had to play in London? And then a local Brit news corporation walked up to him with a microphone and said, you're one of the coaches of the footy. How do you like our little town, London?

[Don La Greca]

I'mma tell you something right now. I only been. I only been in London a little while. I just arrived last night. My flight got into Heathcliff airport. I showed and I always liked that show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's a good cat.

[Don La Greca]

Heathcliff. Heathcliff. No one should terrorize the neighborhood. Anyways, I got into Heathcliff, had myself a little tea, and I sat down. I'm gonna be honest with you, because people told me. They said, don't eat the food in London, Freddie, because they don't know what they're doing. And I gotta tell you something. I went down to a McDonald's, had myself a Big Mac like you dream about. Had about two or three of them. After that, I went and saw myself what I believe the correct British pronunciation is a prostitute last night and have myself a hell of a time kissing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, my God, that poor woman.

[Don La Greca]

I don't know why.

[Alan Hahn]

I can only imagine.

[Don La Greca]

Well, he's got a whole week there. You know what I mean?

[Alan Hahn]

She's got some spare time.

[Don La Greca]

You don't have practice, probably to win.

[Alan Hahn]

Sure didn't waste any time by. According, he said he flew in the night before. And he did all that already?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, he went to Heath. He got into Heathcliff, went straight to McDonald's and then saw lady of the Night.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm more a Garfield guy, but I got nothing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, well, listen, Heathcliff is definitely the point. Poor man.

[Don La Greca]

No, that's the definition of Garfield and Jays.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah,

[Peter Rosenberg]

Drake. All the way up at Poughkeepsie. You're on Don on a Rosenberg.

[Caller - Drake]

Hey, guys, great show as always. For the record, I did once ride my bicycle about a hundred miles from the wow. Over in the Catskill.

[Don La Greca]

God bless.

[Caller - Anthony]

But hey, you know, you had to go back.

[Caller - Drake]

Not looking for any validation on the matter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, but you got it.

[Caller - Drake]

Don't make the brag, but I wanted to touch base with Peter about his new show coming up and a good idea that I had for promotion maybe.

[Don La Greca]

Ok, I'm all about it.

[Caller - Drake]

Next time you're at the next time you're at the water cooler, chat enough Roman Reigns. Maybe put this in his ear to switch up his bit just a hair. Try this one on for size. I read Don Hahn and Rosenberg validate me.

[Don La Greca]

So you're saying instead of acknowledge me as a promotion for my new podcast, validate me. Get Roman Reigns to change his catchphrase to validate me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Caller - Drake]

I gotta say, give him a piece of the pie, but I think it

[Peter Rosenberg]

would go a long way. A major piece.

[Don La Greca]

Well, you know what? I appreciate you calling. It's very strange you bring that up, Drake, because I just decided I've been working through all the details and struggling to come up with a date. And a friend hit me up today and said, when is this actually starting? Two weeks from today. All right, May 28th. It's finally happening. Validate me. You can subscribe now on YouTube wherever you find podcasts, but I finally am picking the date. May 20th.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I like it.

[Don La Greca]

So thanks, Drake. I didn't even plant that phone call.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How about some cross promotion? How about Validate Monday?

[Don La Greca]

Validate me Monday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, Validate me Monday.

[Don La Greca]

Whoa.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't hate that.

[Don La Greca]

I gotta think of what it means. But I like why I.

[Alan Hahn]

Who cares? It doesn't matter what I do when

[Don La Greca]

you get alliteration and promotion all coming

[Peter Rosenberg]

together like that, here's what we do. We go back Validate me Monday is when one of us made a point that aged well, like over the weekend. We said something on Thursday and Friday, and then we look back and go, you know what? Peter was right.

[Don La Greca]

So what it means, though, is we're gonna have to keep track of on Friday. Thursday and Friday. When we talk about the weekend, I gotta listen. Yeah, that means. But then how's he gonna talk to John? Who's gonna talk to John? Maybe this.

[Producer or Show Staff]

I don't know if that was part of the deal for the show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Maybe this has to be a Jacob thing.

[Don La Greca]

Well, Jacob's got a lot going on in there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know, but he's not complaining.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, man, that's a good idea.

[Peter Rosenberg]

John doesn't talk to him.

[Caller - Anthony]

He just did.

[Don La Greca]

That's a good point. That's fine with me. Good call by you. I like that.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, think about it. Last weekend, Friday show going into the weekend, I kept telling you guys about the crowds in Philly and how it's going to benefit the Knicks and we could come back Monday and blah, blah, Monday. That could have been my validate.

[Don La Greca]

Validate me Monday. Alan nailed it. And we just give him his props. We just give you your flowers in that moment. Now, you know what's going to happen, though?

[Alan Hahn]

Subway Series.

[Don La Greca]

The second we mention it, that cross promotion. John's going to come in and say, well, is Peter's podcast spending money on the show? Then I'm going to have to get. I'm going to have to. And Alan, I'm going to have to spend six figures to promote. I do not have $100,000 to get on board with the station right now.

[Alan Hahn]

Are you sure? Because, like, you know, then one of us, Don or myself, is going to have to get a little piece of the pie also to do the read.

[Don La Greca]

I got to pay you guys for the reads, too. Not to mention Alan. Well, I'm gonna have to make you

[Peter Rosenberg]

take a picture with my validate cake if you're.

[Producer or Show Staff]

If we do it, it'd be two features on Monday.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, wait, you already.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I've already heard.

[Producer or Show Staff]

I've already heard. Weekend Update is on the cutting room floor and. And getting money for the stage.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What?

[Don La Greca]

No. Oh, yeah.

[Producer or Show Staff]

Things move quickly here, boys. You got it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You gotta watch and run with it.

[Alan Hahn]

Nobody like it was a.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We didn't do a name for it. I had a list for like three years.

[Producer or Show Staff]

It's been sold off.

[Don La Greca]

How is this?

[Producer or Show Staff]

You're doing it.

[Don La Greca]

All Alan did was come in and read a few news stories.

[Producer or Show Staff]

I.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, let's call it out. All right, let's. Let's. Let's call what it is they love themselves from Alan.

[Don La Greca]

It had to be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, my God. Do this. Read that.

[Don La Greca]

Hey, listen, if it happened, we'll push validate Monday back.

[Producer or Show Staff]

Quickest turnaround I've seen ever.

[Alan Hahn]

Do you. I mean, you can't really blame him, can you?

[Don La Greca]

I know. Can you look at that guy and listen to him? Sounds like butter.

[Alan Hahn]

Butter.

[Don La Greca]

Wow. Well, that was interesting. I can't wait to find out during the break what's going on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, we're going to have to call you, Alan.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's go to Joe. He's up or down. Excuse me. In North Carolina. You're on espn New York. What's up, Joe?

[Caller - Anthony]

Hey, how's it going, guys?

[Alan Hahn]

Good. Hey, Joe.

[Caller - Fairlon]

Nice.

[Caller - Anthony]

So, I just had a quick question. So when growing up, how you guys were doing?

[Caller - Fairlon]

Strange Bulls. The other day, it made me think about when I was younger and watching different, you know, the Mets, the Jets, Rangers, stuff like that. And I would always fall in love with, like, one guy and be like, oh, this guy's gonna be a star. He might have been like a diamond in a rough for, like, the Jets. It was when they picked up Aaron Mabin from the Bills, and I was like, this guy was a stud at Penn State. He's gonna be a stud for the Jets. And obviously he was a bust.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Caller - Fairlon]

So I was curious if you guys had someone that you had growing up that, like, you were, like, so confident that he was going to be a star, and that obviously ended up being a huge bust.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That is a really good question.

[Alan Hahn]

Such a good question. Anyone come to mind, like, just immediately.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, one for me is Greg Jeffries with the Mets. We waited for him forever. He got called up. He was great. That first season in 88, they went to the playoffs, Remember, he was. He would swing the bat underwater and all that, and he ended up having a career in Major League Baseball. Wasn't nothing, but it wasn't anything that we thought it was going to be. We thought he was going to be a superstar and be here forever, and it just never materialized. That's the first one that jumps to mind for me. How about you?

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, just, You know, nothing that's, like, I'd give you obscure names like. Like, I could. And this is during the years that I was covering as a. As a kid, as a fan, I never really had that experience, but, like, I could throw out like Danilo Gallinari is one because like his first year I thought, oh my God, this guy makes the crowd react different. Like he's different young, attractive guy, tons of talent, plays the game a new style. Thought he was going to be legendary. And then you know, he just. Yet he got traded away but you know, he was. He's had a good career. He's a great guy.

[Don La Greca]

He turned out to be a nice mid.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, he didn't turn into. I thought this guy would. Would be special. And the other one Don would know. This name is Tim Connolly. I think we mentioned his name the other day. Islander's Rookie, he was 18 years old, came in and like his first game, I'm like, this is going to be a star. He was doing things like Brian Trache level when it comes to points and assists and everything. And it just, it just wasn't there, you know, so it didn't really happen like for that level. Still a good player, but not like that.

[Don La Greca]

So there are guys who you thought, oh man, this is going to be something. And it turned out not to be.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, like my eyes were like, whoa, like this could be special. And it just, it just. I was way off.

[Don La Greca]

I'll follow up Greg Jeffries the exact same time. Respectfully, Mike Greenwell in Boston.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh yeah, that's not very good call.

[Don La Greca]

And it was like at the time he was him and Ellis Burke, they got Greenwell and Ellis Burks. Here we go. And then they like the rookie cards went from being like worth a few bucks, like down, down, down. And then I don't even know how long Greenwell lasted.

[Alan Hahn]

It's a good one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Those are very good. That was like the.

[Don La Greca]

Guess what, for a certain age it's a. Oh, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh yeah. Can't think of like a giant. It'd be a giant.

[Don La Greca]

A giant who he thought, oh, I mean there's some that could be happening in front of us right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, Jackson Dart doesn't turn.

[Don La Greca]

You have Kayvon. Kayvon has kind of been like flirting with like at first it was like, oh my God, he's going to be incredible.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like that, that prime game against Washington. He's just, oh my God, it's going to be great.

[Alan Hahn]

What about. Does Jeremy Shockey count?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes. You know what? Jeremy shocked out of the gate.

[Alan Hahn]

He was like just brash and you couldn't. Yeah, he was like George Kittle.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, he was, he was, he was tremendous. He.

[Don La Greca]

Now he did give you a couple of years ago.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You thought when he was drafted thought

[Alan Hahn]

he'd be a stud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you just thought, this guy is going to be here for years.

[Alan Hahn]

He's Sean Johnson.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I mean, you did go to

[Don La Greca]

a championship game with him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He had really good.

[Don La Greca]

He had too good a career.

[Alan Hahn]

Too good a career?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, too good a career.

[Alan Hahn]

All right.

[Don La Greca]

That's your boy.

[Alan Hahn]

No, it is my guy. But again, you thought he was going to be legendary.

[Don La Greca]

I mean, he was.

[Alan Hahn]

But he number one pick.

[Don La Greca]

He was right for no damn ball. But he was good. I mean, he was at least and he was.

[Alan Hahn]

But I'm not saying he wasn't good. But it didn't. He ended up leaving.

[Don La Greca]

Well, isn't this supposed to be like it really didn't work. Like, you mean just like shocking might even be one.

[Alan Hahn]

The talent didn't match the expectation is what you're looking.

[Don La Greca]

This could. This, by the way, be careful. This could take over the whole show. We're going to get calls on this because you know what?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Things are going to pop into our heads and we're going to why not? I can have that kind of a show.

[Don La Greca]

Why not?

[Peter Rosenberg]

If it does, you know what do this does. Boom. Bring it up.

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[Caller - Anthony]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

The whole season.

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[Don Hahn]

NFL thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Don La Greca]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm talking about the yo yos who set themselves on fire and bathe in pork and beans.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Alan Hahn]

He's not cool.

[Don La Greca]

His voice is weird. He's kind of a dork. His brother's a tool. His girlfriend's annoying.

[Don Hahn]

That guy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Don Hahn]

It's time for that Guy Thursday.

[Alan Hahn]

Hey, guys. Anyone want to play some ball with

[Don Hahn]

Don Han and Rosenberg?

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's just being that guy. The music for this is spot on.

[Don La Greca]

The intros. Perfect.

[Alan Hahn]

Love it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's our best intro for sure.

[Alan Hahn]

Until. Until the. Whatever the Monday thing's going to be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah. Now I want. I want to nominate that guy, Noah Syndergaard. Now, I am. I am not making any category. Obviously, he's a Republican in Trump. That's not why I'm going after. But he was on Outkick and the Post ran the story that this is a quote from him or Syndergaard said Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo, as Well as Jacob deGrom were some of the biggest conservatives he played with and claimed they wanted out of the craziness that's going on in New York. Now, here's why I'm gonna say he's that guy. Jacob deGrom left way before Mamdani was the.

[Don La Greca]

He tried.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Mom, Donnie.

[Don La Greca]

There you go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You got it. Mom, Donnie was the mayor.

[Don La Greca]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The crazy was. Was there craziness in New York? No matter how you feel? Like when.

[Alan Hahn]

When DeGrom left, when did DeGrom leave exactly? Was Bloomberg still. Or was it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, it was. It was.

[Don La Greca]

No, it might have been. No, it might have been Adams. It might have even been Adams.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, listen, I got news for you, all right? New York has been and will always be crazy. Crazy, but also probably lean blue. I mean, that's just kind of what all the Inner cities do. All right, we've had Republican mayors, we had Giuliani. But like, I don't. DeGrom might have wanted out of New York. I don't doubt that for a second. But it wasn't because of the quote unquote craziness. The other thing, too. Did Pete Alonso leave or did the Mets just not want to resign him?

[Alan Hahn]

He didn't want to go anywhere.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I don't think he wanted to go anywhere.

[Alan Hahn]

By the way, Brandon Nimmo didn't want to go anywhere either.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, Nimmo did make comments about how much more laid back Texas is, and I do think that maybe New York was a little much for him. But it feels like Syndergaard, who. He's entitled to his opinion to be conservative. He wants to be conservative. A lot of people are conservative. But it feels like he's using these rumors about the whole Lindor thing, that Lindor's wife is a big mom Donnie guy, and all the conservatives got booted out of the Mets because Lindor wanted them gone. That is the rumor. Whether it's true or not, I can't confirm or deny it. But doesn't it feel like Syndergaard wants to get out a certain message and is using that rumor as all those guys wanted to get out of the craziness of New York? I'm sorry, Noah. Did Pete Alonso asked to be traded? Did Pete Alonso asked to leave, or was he just not re signed by the Mets? I think he want. I think he wanted his contract, he wanted to get paid, but I don't get any sense that he didn't want to be a Met, that he wanted to leave New York. DeGrom left a few years ago.

[Don La Greca]

Well, and also, let's be clear, it

[Peter Rosenberg]

just feels like he's being that guy using that narrative to forward his political beliefs.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, affirmative, Don. That's unfortunately, that's what he's doing here. And unfortunately, that's what a lot of people do to try to push their. Their point and make it seem more legitimate.

[Don La Greca]

Well, I think. I think what it is, Alan, is that he's looking for. Clearly in the last week, Syndergaard has made, you know, he went to the White House and then he's done a bunch of political interviews. He's making a pivot to whatever he's gonna be next. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And.

[Don La Greca]

And he's a pretty successful athlete that if you want to be a, you know, a spokesperson, if you will, for the stuff that you believe in, which is obviously, in his case, like, he's very into MAGA politics. He'll have the opportunity to do that. The unfortunate thing about that is, to Don's point, he's now making up an entire narrative and dragging other players into it, just as part of his pivot to becoming a political pundit. Like, it's just. It's not true.

[Alan Hahn]

You shouldn't do that.

[Don La Greca]

DeGrom was here. You guys were here till the wheels fell off. And when the wheels fell off, they moved. Everyone moved on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't doubt deGrom wasn't a fan of New York. No.

[Don La Greca]

That we always.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't doubt that we always heard it, but I don't. When you talk about the craziness. And listen, he's been on record. And the reason I say the craziness part, he has been on record.

[Caller - Anthony]

I think.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think he actually did call Mom Donnie crazy. Like, I called him a lunatic. Right. So he's just trying to forward that information. But how do you include DeGrom? He wasn't the mayor when DeGrom was here, so why are you throwing DeGrom in there?

[Don La Greca]

And what year was Pete's rookie year?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, seven. No, 18.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Eighteen.

[Don La Greca]

How much. How much crossover was there? Was Cindergarten, Pete like a year. Synderga was really the team before Pete's Mets?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, but he was. His last year was 22.

[Alan Hahn]

First of all, Syndergard, I think.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, no, no. DeGrom. DeGrom, 22.

[Alan Hahn]

You gotta first and foremost understand that any type of trying to figure out what he's trying to say or any of that stuff, it's. It's a wasted exercise. Right. Because we've already, I think, established something that is the most important point, which is here is somebody that is using other people to make his point seem valid. And we all know that that's. That's not what you do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

No matter what side you're on, no matter what stance you take, no matter what you believe in, using other people as the example to create credibility for a point you're trying to make is obviously, it just shows you once again that you don't have enough to say. So you're trying to create a narrative that doesn't exist.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, if you.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's just leave it there to try to, like, validate. It doesn't make sense.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, that's why I think he's that guy. And again, not being that guy for his political beliefs, he's entitled to do whatever he wants to. It's not even that. It's just that.

[Alan Hahn]

No, just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Even though it was the other side, don't put words in these guys mouths like. And I'm sure they would all deny it if they were asked anyway.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, don't spit on me and tell me it's raining either. Yeah, that's the other way.

[Don La Greca]

Did you talk to Pete, like, did you talk to Pete that you were going to do this? Because Pete just went down to Baltimore. Pete's now trying to be the star player in Baltimore. And you just jumped out when I've never heard a thing about Pete Alonso. And you were just like, I'll tell you what, Pete Alonso is one of the biggest conservatives I've ever met in my life.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Has Pete ever expressed that?

[Peter Rosenberg]

And he might be.

[Don La Greca]

And he might be. But if he has said it to me. But if he hasn't said it, that's not cool.

[Alan Hahn]

It's just his politics are private. If that's what he wants.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

And we've never heard it from him. So that means. Yeah, Pete never was interested in sharing that.

[Alan Hahn]

But now guess who has to answer it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, Pete will be asked about it. I'm sure they'll be asked about it. But this is what's so unfair about it, is that I'm sure they all are all conservatives. And maybe there, there is a part of them that thought, you know, New York is kind of a kooky place to be.

[Alan Hahn]

But you know what?

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I don't think that's the reason I never heard Pete Alonzo demand a trade. Hey, Pete, the One guy was DeGrom. I always got the sense DeGrom didn't really want to be here. He wasn't a New York guy. But that was way before the new mayor. And the reason that I think that he's that guy is because he's called the mayor a lunatic. And he's trying to throw these three guys in, saying they left because of him. One of them was gone before he took office. The other one wasn't resigned by the Mets. The Mets didn't want Alonso back. Now, maybe, Nimmo, maybe. But he never said that.

[Don La Greca]

The other day, didn't we all believe

[Alan Hahn]

Nimo didn't want to leave?

[Don La Greca]

Don't we all believe Pete would have been a lifer here?

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, that's what Pete wanted.

[Don La Greca]

Pete loved being on Met. Yes, that's the polar bear to you and me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And also the other thing, too. These guys don't have to live in the city.

[Don La Greca]

That's. It's all nonsense.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They don't live on Long island. And I got news for you. There's plenty of areas in Long island where Syndergaard would feel very at home.

[Don La Greca]

I would say almost all.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So, you know, I don't. Maybe Pete lived in Manhattan, but if he didn't want to live in Manhattan. Now you're living.

[Don La Greca]

I got news for you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Live in Smithtown and be fine.

[Don La Greca]

Alan, I'm frustrated that Don's even still legitimizing like it's a real conversation. It's nonsense.

[Alan Hahn]

That's the kind of the point I'm trying.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, he's.

[Don La Greca]

It was just a pivot. It's not a real thing. It's a pivot to get to his politics thing.

[Alan Hahn]

He's doing the. Hey, you know these guys, too. Like, as if to say, if you don't, you know, I guess it's not enough for me to say it. So let me bring in some other people that, you know, they're. They're saying it, too. It's that typical thing, right? Someone says something, no one wants to believe him or wants to buy into it. Then you go, well, that's what he said he's saying, too. That's how he feels.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right?

[Alan Hahn]

Because as if to say, like, see, it's not just me, and that. That's the part. Especially if these guys are not complicit or at least not interested in having their personal beliefs put out there in the world. Look, I'm here to hit home runs, man. But, like, I'm not here to tell you how to live your life. I'm just here to hit home runs. You were here to strike people out, but you're not doing that anymore, so now you're going to tell people how to live their life. Please don't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, and I don't know why. Why, there's. Obviously, there's strength in numbers, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Of course.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And so you always want to say, validation, dog. He wants. He wants that validation. But you know what? If he wants to think that the mayors are lunatic, go ahead. Like, he's entitled to do that. If he wants to say that, he can say it. So why does he need validation? It's what he thinks.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, because, again, he needs validation because he's not confident in what he's saying.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, then that's the problem.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, it is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I have a feeling he is confident.

[Alan Hahn]

No, you know what I mean.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not liking the guy.

[Alan Hahn]

I think it's not confident that what he's saying is being received enough.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I just want to send them since I'm in the mood, because I gave the Commencement speech today. I want to be able to give the youth of the world. I try to. I try to pass this along. My kids, too. All right, Because I'm an opinionated sob. That's why I'm a talk show host. Don't feel like you need to recruit. It's nice to have a whole line of people behind you that agree with you, but don't have your strength and your convictions come solely from the number of people that agree with you. And then if all of a sudden nobody agrees with you, you lose confidence. It's your opinion, not everybody else's. If you have that opinion, then you stick with that opinion. That's your opinion. Don't always have to look for validation. Because I got news for you. Validation doesn't all of a sudden make you right or wrong.

[Don La Greca]

And in this version of the world, you can always find someone to go validate you and say that everything you're saying is just right.

[Alan Hahn]

But if. If it's. If what you're saying has enough influence and has enough inspiration, people will follow. If it doesn't, they won't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But even if they don't follow, it shouldn't mean that your opinion is any less valid to you. Well, of course, you know. So that's what I'm saying is, why

[Alan Hahn]

do you give up? I don't want to go too far into this. Why give opinion out loud like that if you're not seeking validation? Half of what people do when they're screaming into a microphone or a camera is strictly for validation, not to make the world better.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, all I'm saying is, if I get asked a question, Alan, if I get asked a question, I'm doing an interview without Kik or the New York Post or whatever, and somebody asked me my opinion on something, political or otherwise, I'm going to give you my opinion, all right? If I given the popular opinion, if I'm trying to win over people, get people to like me, then that's not my opinion. Now, I'm just fishing for compliments. I'm fishing for likability. If you ask me my opinion, I give it. Whether a million people agree or a million people disagree, it's my opinion. So that's all I'm trying to tell you. Opinion is yours. If you're fishing for compliments. If you're fishing for validation, that's not an opinion, then correct. What you're doing is just trying to go with the common belief so people like you then. And I'm just trying to let the world know that is not opinion. That is just you just trying to be with the rest of the herd and get everybody to like you. But if you want an honest opinion, it shouldn't matter what the rest of the room thinks. Noah Syndergaard is well within his right as an American, as a former New Yorker, to think Mamdani is a lunatic. But is he saying that because he believes it, or is he saying it because he believes that there's enough people that will validate his opinion and he'll be liked by the right people?

[Don La Greca]

Well, that's what the move is, and

[Peter Rosenberg]

that's not an opinion.

[Don La Greca]

Well, there's a reason why people, when they make the move, they all go to the same few outlets who they

[Peter Rosenberg]

know will be a cozy spot for

[Don La Greca]

you to go to. Cause now you're trying to take. He goes to Tomi Loren going, I'm going to get her audience. I'm going to go here and I'm going to build up this resume. To Alan's point, it's not about bridge building, changing hearts and minds, doing good things. It's about brand building and figuring out what his next move is. Because let's be honest. Let's take a moment here, guys. Can I just add, I mean, Cindergaard's career ended up being a big, huge disappointment. It started off great, and the further you get away from 2015, guys, it got flushed down the toilet. And it didn't end up great in New York.

[Alan Hahn]

He got hurt a lot.

[Don La Greca]

He got hurt a lot. And he ended up going from being, you know, the number, the number two and four. Right. Like right after deGrom to slipping down and down on that. That list of Mets. And now let's be honest, the truth is, Zenergaard won't be remembered that highly as a Met. He's a little moment in time, and now he's just looking for his next play. So I don't even look that much into it, but. But it does.

[Alan Hahn]

But he's also looking to be accepted in a on A side. And it happens again. This is a very typical media political thing that has happened. When you are looking for that validation, you want to be amplified. And then, of course, you're standing with people that, you know, the louder I say it, the more they'll notice it and the more I'll be accepted into this side. Can I sneak one?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes, please. In.

[Alan Hahn]

Or is it too late?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, you do it. I'll make it work.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm nominating me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

Because last night I was that guy. You know why? Because I'M watching Cavs, Pistons. And I kept having to remind myself where the freaking game actually was. Not because of the crowd, but because of the jerseys. Do you know what color that the Cavs were wearing? That's the road team. They were wearing white.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

This is for the home team. They were wearing blue. They were wearing their road jerseys at home. Is it stupid for me to say, you get what you. That's what you get. I know that's a thing. Don, you were only talking about the other day, the jerseys and everything else, and we were just talking about the Tigers. But I was just curious, like, when did this become such a thing? I want to give credit to Kevin o' Connor from Yahoo. He actually looked it up. The home team has worn white in only 22 of 66 NBA playoff games so far this year. 22 out of 66. 10 years ago, the home teams wore white in 83 of 86 games.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

Every round, two, conference, finals and finals game. So 97% to 33% in 10 years. I know it's a small thing. I don't. I know that's why I'm being that guy. I'm being the old man who's like, this doesn't make sense. But at some point it doesn't make sense. Because if you don't know enough and you're just turning it on, you generally used to know who the home team was just simply by the color of the jersey. Now, obviously, the court says it. Gigantic Detroit Pistons. And the PA guy yelling, detroit Basketball. Like, so. You know, I like that impression. They are. But there's something visual about the game. When you get to the playoffs, it's classic. If you want to do this in January because you're selling jerseys or just random games, just make it interesting. They have their extra courts that they're doing now, that's fine. I'm sorry, though. I still believe when you get to the playoffs, it's time to just be classic. And that's when the court should all stay the same. And a home team wears white and the road team wears their color, and that's it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. No third jersey.

[Alan Hahn]

But I'm being that guy, so I nominate myself.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I like it.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don La Greca]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

1-800-919-3776. Let's go to Anthony and Fairlon. You're on ESPN New York. You've got the guy that was expected to do things that did nothing.

[Caller - Anthony]

I think I got the Giants player. He got drafted when I was a teenager and I thought he was going to be an absolute stud and I think he's a bust.

[Caller - Fairlon]

Ron Dane.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, he's a bust. You don't even have to think about it. He was a bus.

[Caller - Anthony]

He was the all time college when the guy.

[Alan Hahn]

Great college running back. Yes.

[Don La Greca]

It was good for a minute in the NFL too.

[Alan Hahn]

Was he?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, for a minute.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean for a minute.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He had a couple of nice games in his rookie year but we were

[Caller - Anthony]

supposed to have the thunder and lightning member the Giants and there was no thunder.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was a Dane and Dixon.

[Caller - Anthony]

Yep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Didn't.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

There's a big crowd you spoke in front of today.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh yeah. There's a lot of people there.

[Alan Hahn]

Like it's a lot.

[Don La Greca]

I can't, I can't believe Ramapo has that many people.

[Alan Hahn]

Look at the Maryland graduates family like that's, you know, you could fill up a.

[Don La Greca]

Not to mention she loves.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They had over a thousand graduates. That's. That's not nothing. But still way bigger than when I went there.

[Don La Greca]

It's a thousand graduates but it looks like 10,000 people.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, there was a lot of people but. But that one's right.

[Alan Hahn]

You bring in, you bring in grandma, grandpa, parents, kids.

[Don La Greca]

You know, I didn't even go to Maryland's big graduation.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's the matter with you?

[Don La Greca]

I went to the journalism school and that's it. I went to my sp. That's how big Maryland is. No, my class In Maryland was 10,000 people. I, I went to mine.

[Alan Hahn]

You'd be there all day.

[Don La Greca]

I went to my school, the journalism. The J school went to our grad which is probably.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you went to a graduation.

[Don La Greca]

I went to the J school graduation which is probably a thousand of us or 500 of us, whatever it was. And that was it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And your parents were there and all that.

[Don La Greca]

My parents.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mentioned in a speech like, you know, take about parents too, man. You had a lot to do with your kids being able to graduate college, all the sacrifices they had to make, financial and otherwise.

[Alan Hahn]

That's right. Oh yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Alan will tell you.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Been there and still there. Still there got more to come.

[Don La Greca]

I don't even know how you're doing it actually.

[Alan Hahn]

But Zach's got a couple of years

[Don La Greca]

left and some of your kids are getting some money though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, right.

[Alan Hahn]

But some. Thank God.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not, you know, that, that subway nil money.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's subway. And I'LL worked out.

[Don La Greca]

I will tell you. I will.

[Alan Hahn]

But, but Emma, by the way, I don't know if she was ready to announce this, but I'm just going to mention it. She, she, you know, graduated. She got her masters down at Miami last year, as you know, and started working and guess what? She just dropped on U.S. law School.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, last night. Check. That's not free.

[Don La Greca]

Well, you time to get a new time, new gig. You better start covering more than the NBA, you know what I mean?

[Alan Hahn]

Listen, I'm. I'm so proud of her because she's super smart. Doesn't get that from me. And she's very ambitious, which she gets from me. She's a worker, so I love it. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

I will tell you.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. So it's just kids in school. Just forever.

[Don La Greca]

I will tell you this though. I. As I get, as time goes on, I'm not saying I'll definitely feel this

[Peter Rosenberg]

way, but

[Don La Greca]

part of me, I'm entering a world where if Maya got to the point where at 18, like assuming she's on point, like she's interested in things and she becomes the great kid I know she will. Where if she were to be like, I don't think I want to do college. I want to. I'm going to pursue blank instead. I think I'm at a point where I'd be like, cool, sounds good. You have to as long as there's something you're interested in. Like, well, I'm just at a point now where I'm starting to believe the whole college thing in some ways could be such a racket.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It.

[Don La Greca]

That's not necessarily the right thing for

[Peter Rosenberg]

you, but it also is not for everybody.

[Alan Hahn]

It's. But it's also not necessarily. I like and we discussed this even with Gracie is you don't have to go like Zach did two years of junior hockey. He didn't go to school right after, right after he was done it in prep school.

[Don La Greca]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

He had a break from school and he just played hockey for two years before college became a thing. Now that's a hockey thing which everybody does that now which is so bizarre in hockey. A 21 year old freshman, but that's the way it goes. But like it's. Sometimes you need that little gap, little break. You're a little more mature when you start college. You might take it more serious than a 18 year old that goes right into it. Really doesn't know what they want to study, doesn't know what they want to do. Shows up at a college campus, everybody's partying, you get lost in that world and you're not really focused. So. So it doesn't mean you don't necessarily have to do it immediate just because everybody else is. If you don't think you're ready, if you don't know what you want to do, get in the real world, work a little bit, figure it out, mature, and then do it. You'll probably get more out of it.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don La Greca]

I don't want to know how the

[Alan Hahn]

sausage is made, but I just want to know it's good.

[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.