Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: Michael Jordan & Let’s Talk About It
Date: February 17, 2026
Hosts: Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg, Don La Greca
Episode Theme:
This hour delves into the enduring legacy and unique greatness of Michael Jordan, the shifting landscape of sports fandom due to modern consumption, the NBA’s tanking debate (sparked by Mark Cuban’s comments), and the workplace scandal involving MLBPA’s Tony Clark. The hosts thoughtfully balance nostalgia, sports analysis, fan psychology, and off-beat, character-driven conversations with their trademark New York authenticity and banter.
Michael Jordan: A Legacy Like No Other
[03:32 – 20:46]
The Irreplicable Brilliance of Jordan
- The crew reminisces as ESPN airs Jordan’s top 10 highlights for his birthday.
- Hahn wonders if their sense of Jordan’s highlights being unmatched is generational or objective.
- Dave: “Are Michael Jordan’s true highlights legitimately much better than anyone else has ever? …Or is it just us?”
- Anthony (paraphrased): “He is the most compelling, breathtaking athlete you could ever watch.” [04:07]
- Kobe’s highlights “always felt like a Jordan impression.” [04:17]
- Jacob summarizes the younger fan’s perspective: “I think it stands above most… I’ve seen enough Jordan highlights where I’m just kind of numb to it at this point... But people always react, ‘wow, this is probably like, the best thing I’ve ever seen.’” [04:45]
Jordan vs. Other Athletic Legends
- Hahn highlights how Jordan combines greatest highlights and greatest player – rare in sports:
- "No better highlight to watch of boxing than Tyson. But he's not... the greatest fighter of all time... Barry Sanders is up there... But the highlights are the greatest. Jordan is both greatest highlights you’ll ever see—greatest play." [07:12]
- “It’s the rare combination.” – Anthony [07:35]
- The crew reflects on "The Last Dance" as an endlessly rewatchable documentary:
- “The Last Dance is like the Goodfellas of docs. When it comes on, you just keep watching.” – Dave [07:58]
- “The obsession with him never goes away. It's completely on a different level.” – Dave [11:37]
- Anthony: “It’s why when you watch Anthony Edwards and all you do is think, man, he looks just like Jordan … But the problem is, he’s a highlight guy. But if you watch him 48 minutes, there’s times where you’re like, he’s not the best player.” [09:19]
Nostalgia, Cultural Impact & The ‘Must-See’ Phenomenon
- Hahn describes witnessing Jordan’s iconic "shot over Ehlo":
- “I remember where I was when he hit the shot over Ehlo... The legitimate true back-against-the-wall buzzer beater. And he hung in the air as the defender flew by and hit a 20-foot jumper.” [09:53]
- The hosts mourn how in today’s media environment, the magic of rarity is lost:
- “I just don’t think it’ll ever get to where Jordan is. The world’s different now…You could watch every at-bat from Ohtani if you wanted to.” – Brian [12:27, 16:19]
- The “must see him live before he retires” experience feels extinct (except maybe with Victor Wembanyama).
Who Could Be "Next"?
- Names like Steph Curry, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Tiger Woods, and Wembanyama are discussed as inheritors of the must-watch mantle, but all fall short of Jordan’s era-defining magnetism.
- “Wemby... I had the opportunity to call the game... And that game was like a 138-135 kind of game... He just, watching him move, he does look like no one you’ve ever seen before. But it doesn’t hit the same.” – Anthony [17:38, 18:01]
- “There is something to be said about those players who don’t need... humility. There is something to be said about those players who never stop. They have something that no matter how much money they have, it means nothing to them, because winning and dominating people is the ultimate currency.” – Anthony [20:10]
Modern Fan Experience & NBA Tanking: Cuban's Controversy
[25:15 – 36:49]
Mark Cuban’s ‘Tanking’ Commentary Examined
- Cuban tweeted that the NBA’s real problem isn’t tanking but ticket affordability, and that fans want hope, not nightly wins.
- “The NBA is misguided thinking that fans want to see their teams compete every night with a chance to win. It’s never been that way.” – Mark Cuban (read by Brian) [26:05]
- “It’s never been that way. So fans don’t care about seeing a team win?” – Anthony [26:32]
- The hosts (especially Anthony and Brian) take strong exception:
- “What makes the experience special? Fans know their teams can’t win every game….What fans that care about their team's record want is hope.” [Read by Brian, 27:11]
- Anthony: “He is normalizing losing on purpose as a business strategy. That’s what he's trying to do. And I don’t like it.” [30:54]
The Business vs. Fan Passion Debate
- “Nets fans don’t care about the rest of the league. They care about their team and winning. They remember the moments because that’s why you’re there.” – Brian [28:10, paraphrased]
- The crew explores the difference between “come and go” casuals and true, invested season-long fans.
Making Tanking Worse: Cuban’s ‘Part 2’ and Solutions
- Cuban correctly points out the new “second apron” luxury tax restricts teams’ ability to maintain talent, as well as the dilution of the draft.
- Anthony pitches an innovative solution (auction system for rookies/future stars) to curb tanking and put pressure on franchises to develop strong organizations:
- “Everybody gets the equal amount of money to spend... Now I can decide just like in college, where have a better chance to win, where’s a better chance to develop—puts the onus on the franchise: don’t suck.” [35:22]
- The hosts express deep skepticism and distaste for the idea that fans would be content simply watching a team lose cheaply year after year.
Sports Scandal: Tony Clark’s Resignation
[36:49 – 39:32]
The Story
- MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark resigned after an internal investigation revealed an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law, who was hired by the union.
- “Jeff Passan says the MLB PA Executive Director Tony Clark resigned after an internal investigation revealed he had an inappropriate relationship with his sister in law who had been hired by the Union in 2023.” – Brian [37:05]
- The hosts are initially confused about the nature of the relationship (“which kind of sister-in-law?”) and joke about the “mess level.”
Ethics, Family, and Repercussions
- Brian and Dave discuss the broader family fallout and “which is worse”—cheating with your wife’s sister vs. your brother’s wife—with their trademark irreverence:
- “If I cheated on Nancy with Susan, she’d be done with me and Susan. Nancy’s scorched earth.” – Brian [43:11]
- “I just can’t help but get past the level of damage you’re doing to the wife…her sister’s a different level. That’s such an icon level.” – Dave [43:59]
- They note, ironically, that such scandals and family splits have in fact resulted in reconciliations down the line.
Notable Quotes & Moments
- “The Last Dance is like the Goodfellas of docs…When it comes on, you just keep watching.” – Dave [07:58]
- “Kobe’s highlights always felt like a Jordan impression… And I think he would tell you, yeah, that’s what I was doing.” – Dave [04:17]
- “He is normalizing losing on purpose as a business strategy.” – Anthony [30:54]
- “If you want to know what’s different about one player to another, it’s less skill and more that little whatever that thing is in the DNA.” – Anthony [20:10]
- “I mean, this level of dumb. This much embarrassment. I mean, listen, we’ve all done dumb things…This level of dumb, no, no…” – Dave, on Tony Clark scandal [48:38]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 03:32 – 13:31: Michael Jordan’s highlight brilliance and what makes him unique
- 13:31 – 20:46: Athlete magnetism, Wembanyama, and the changing ways we consume sports
- 25:15 – 36:49: Mark Cuban’s tanking comments, contention over fan priorities, and possible reforms
- 36:49 – 39:32: Tony Clark resignation discussion and the ethics of workplace/family scandals
- 41:00 – end: Extended debate on the family/friend betrayal hypothetical
Tone & Style
The episode combines nostalgia, sharp sports analysis, and comedic personal riffs with salty language and classic New York storytelling. The hosts play off one another’s generational perspectives and sports allegiances, creating a lively yet insightful environment fit for die-hards and casual listeners.
Summary Takeaway
This hour captures the timelessness of Michael Jordan’s greatness, the evolving fan experience in an on-demand world, and the complicated intersections of sports, business strategy, and personal morality. It’s a discussion about what makes someone “must-see,” the amorphous line between sports as competition and entertainment, and the human flaws that can topple even those at the top.