Hour 2: Parity v Dynasty

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast Summary

Episode Title: Hour 2: Parity v Dynasty
Release Date: June 19, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Description: In this engaging episode, the trio delves deep into the dynamics of parity versus dynasty across major sports leagues, exploring the implications for fans, teams, and the overall landscape of professional sports.

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1. Introduction to the Topic

The episode kicks off with a brief segment featuring an advertisement about Texas, setting a lively tone for the discussion. Shortly after, the hosts transition into the main topic.

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2. Current Sports Landscape: Parity in Playoffs

Timestamp: [01:19] – [03:45]

• Alan Hahn highlights the ongoing trends in the NBA and MLB, noting the apparent shift towards parity:

  "Basketball has not had a repeat champion since the Warriors in '17 and '18. So Raptors, Lakers, Bucs, Warriors, Nuggets, Celtics..." ([02:21])

• Peter Rosenberg contrasts this with the NFL's persistence of dynasties:

  "...there's a dynasty situation in football with how when you look over the last 20 years, it's been a steady diet of New England or Kansas City." ([03:18])

• The NHL is also discussed, with Rosenberg pointing out:

  "Florida have won four of the five [Stanley Cups]. So clearly we're starting to see dynasties build." ([03:40])

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3. Parity vs. Dynasty: Pros and Cons

Timestamp: [03:46] – [20:45]

• Peter Rosenberg argues that dynasties add genuine greatness to sports:

  "What we love about our team winning a championship is that you're part of forever, that you were the best team of that year." ([13:18])

• Alan Hahn counters by emphasizing the universal appeal of parity:

  "Everybody has to feel like they've got a chance to win. That's what made football so popular." ([05:07])

• Chris Canty chimes in, expressing a personal preference for storied teams:

  "I love a story... give me the massive teams, make it an event." ([07:29])

• The hosts debate the impact of dynasties on fan engagement, with Hahn asserting that star power and big markets drive viewership:

  "You have brand name superstars... That's what people really are drawn to." ([05:20])

• Rosenberg raises concerns about the perceived arbitrariness of championships in a parity-driven league:

  "It's hard to wrap my mind around greatness if it just ends up having a little bit of fluke to it." ([17:19])

• Conversely, Hahn points out that dynasties provide compelling narratives and consistent high-level competition:

  "There's something more epic about it. It's history we're watching." ([16:27])

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4. Case Studies: Teams and Players

Timestamp: [21:07] – [37:03]

• Thursday Rewrite Segment: The hosts engage in a speculative "Thursday Rewrite," imagining an alternate 1985 where key moments in New York sports history had different outcomes. They explore how a Knicks championship in 1994 could have altered the trajectory of team legends like Patrick Ewing and affected the broader NBA landscape.

  "If the Knicks win that championship, and the Richard S. 'Reggie' Miller situation... what if Starks made that critical shot?" ([25:38])

• Discussion on Team Dynamics: The conversation delves into the psychological and cultural impacts of pivotal games and player decisions, highlighting how singular moments can define careers and franchise legacies.

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5. Modern Implications: Connor McDavid and Player Mobility

Timestamp: [38:31] – [48:29]

• Analysis of Connor McDavid's Future: The hosts discuss the recent comments by Connor McDavid regarding his free agency, interpreting his statements as indicative of potential movement away from the Edmonton Oilers.

  "He sounds like a guy that knows it's clearly on the table and he's acknowledging that he's not the businessman like Soto or Cole are." ([43:25])

• Market Influence on Player Decisions: Rosenberg and Hahn debate whether market size and team competitiveness influence star players' decisions to stay or leave, referencing historical parallels with LeBron James and other prominent athletes.

  "I don't think he feels like I'm constrained by this small market and I can't win here." ([44:36])

• Fan Reactions and Market Dynamics: The discussion touches on how fan bases in larger markets might respond differently to player movements compared to smaller markets, emphasizing the balance between team success and individual star power.

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6. Technical Challenges and Lighthearted Banter

Timestamp: [37:34] – [48:29]

• Amidst the serious discussions, the hosts share moments of levity, addressing technical issues with their video feeds and joking about lighting setups.

  "We all get... better light. You need better light." ([37:40])

• This segment provides a glimpse into the camaraderie and dynamic rapport between the hosts, adding a personable touch to the episode.

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7. Closing Remarks and Future Insights

Timestamp: [48:17] – End

• The episode concludes with brief mentions of current sports events, such as the Edmonton Oilers' performance and Connor McDavid's media statements, tying back to the earlier discussions on parity and dynasty.

• The hosts encourage listeners to subscribe and catch up on the podcast, maintaining engagement beyond the episode.

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Notable Quotes

1. Peter Rosenberg on NBA parity:

   "Basketball has not had a repeat champion since the Warriors in '17 and '18." ([02:21])

2. Alan Hahn on the appeal of dynasties:

   "You have brand name superstars... That's what people really are drawn to." ([05:20])

3. Peter Rosenberg questioning parity:

   "It's hard to wrap my mind around greatness if it just ends up having a little bit of fluke to it." ([17:19])

4. Alan Hahn on fan engagement:

   "Everybody has to feel like they've got a chance to win. That's what made football so popular." ([05:07])

5. Alexander's impact on team dynamics:

   "They have really good connections, they've got really good players. They have been built the right way." ([10:32])

6. Connor McDavid on his future:

   "Ultimately still need to do what's best for me and my family." ([40:47])

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Conclusion

In "Hour 2: Parity v Dynasty," Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg engage in a multifaceted discussion exploring the benefits and drawbacks of parity and dynasties in sports. Through in-depth analysis of various leagues, teams, and pivotal moments, the hosts provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of how these dynamics shape the sports we love. Notably, the episode balances critical insights with engaging anecdotes and lighthearted interactions, making it a valuable listen for both dedicated sports enthusiasts and casual fans.

Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

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[Don La Greca]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don La Greca]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 880 ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers 400 one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of the big city Don and Rosenberg with you till 6:30. Then it's Mets baseball. Yankees in a rain delay. They're up five three in the bottom of the eighth inning trying to snap their six game losing streak. The Mets have lost five in a row. They'll try to get back on track tonight with Cole with with the Braves as they finish up their series and then they will travel to Philadelphia. So that's the baseball side of it. Udoka back with Houston gets a contract extension. So that's kind of putting your money where your mouth is, right? No, you can't talk to him. And let's give him more money.

[Alan Hahn]

And also that's Leon Rose still making people money.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's it.

[Alan Hahn]

So the agent to the end.

[Peter Rosenberg]

See I, that's the agent in him.

[Alan Hahn]

You gotta admit though, the move, the move, you know the Knicks would the Knicks have loved to have had him as coach. Of course. But that's the kind of stuff that you do it like that and you're, it's like you force a team to make a decision. That's what you do when you do that, you force a team to make a decision. And so now we'll see if Dallas does it with Jason. Kidding. Because it's the same situation for kid. He wants, he wants more money, more years he's got. He signed a two year extension last May and what he's, what he can say to Dallas is they would have given me a five year deal for X amount. So now I only have two years left. You need to give me two more years so I could feel like I didn't leave money on the table because you wouldn't let me talk to them. And if they are uncomfortable doing that then maybe he'll talk to them and that's it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right? That's how it ends up working. So the Knicks are still looking for their coach but they are making money for coaches around the NBA which is kind of crazy. All right, I brought this up earlier in the show about parody versus dynasty. And if you look at baseball and basketball, there's parity, where we're seeing different champions. Baseball has not had a repeat champion since the Yankees won in 99 and 2000. Now you have a lot of the same teams that compete. Yankees are in the playoffs every year and Phillies have been pretty consistent. But we went from a World Series of Arizona versus Texas to Yankees, Dodgers. It's been crazy. Basketball has not had a repeat champion since the warriors in 17 and 18. So Raptors, Lakers, Bucs, Warriors, Nuggets, Celtics and either the Thunder or the Pacers. And tonight, if the Thunder win, they would keep the streak alive of no repeats no matter what happens, even if Indiana were to win. So parity has clearly struck the NBA too. Yes, but you have a dynasty situation in football with how when you look over the last 20 years, it's been a steady diet of New England or Kansas City. Right. You know, Philadelphia sprinkled in. There have been, you know, some other champions, but for the most part, it's been Kansas City playing Buffalo for the championship and over.

[Alan Hahn]

And probably will be again.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, probably will be again. And then, you know, New England kind of fell out of it. But for a long time, every year they were there. And the one non repeat champion was Tampa. And they took the quarterback that New England won all those Super Bowls and won with him. So kind of the same refrain. Throughout the last 20 years in hockey, we have seen, you know, Tampa back to back Stanley cup championships, three straight Stanley cup finals. Florida has just played in three straight Stanley cup finals, won the last two. So over the last five years, we've had, you know, three teams win a championship in the NHL in Tampa, and Florida have won four of the five. So clearly we're starting to see dynasties build. We saw, you know, the Blackhawks win in 10 and in 13 and 15. So we don't. We do see repeat champions. We see kind of the same teams over a period of time. So the question is, what's better, parity or dynasty? And we've been sold a steady diet of, well, you need parity. Right. Everybody's got to feel like they've got a chance to win. That's what made football so popular. Everybody opens up camp feeling like they might be able to make a run and oh, it really hurts sports when it's the same team winning all the time. I don't know. Last I checked, Alan didn't get better. Basketball was never in a better place.

[Alan Hahn]

Thank you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Than when Cleveland was playing Golden State every single year. Right. You know, and yeah, people might have been complaining about the same teams all the time, but baseball felt like it was in a better place when the same teams are winning all the time.

[Alan Hahn]

And to me, that's it. To me, that's exactly it. Who's complaining? Who are the ones complaining? Right? Like, it's. You're not get. What you're seeing are the ratings are through the roof because you have brand name superstars, you have the teams that everybody knows about because they're super teams. Whatever it is. That's what people really are drawn to. Not everyday basketball fans. I've said this a million times. You don't need to sell to them. They're already addicted. Right? They're coming to you. They know where you are on the corner. They'll find you. What you're trying to do is bring in new customers, or at least during your playoffs and especially in your Finals, you want to have that draw. You want people to say, oh, oh, we got LeBron again. Yeah, yeah, we got to see that. Steph Curry. Oh, you got to see that. Like you. The Celtics, right? Like, you want the big name, the Lakers. That's the stuff that draws people in, whether you like it or not. David Stern understood this with the NBA. That's how the NBA. The NBA really was built. Not just Magic and Bird. They were brand names coming out of college, right? They were built.

[Chris Canty]

Both were.

[Alan Hahn]

But they were built because Bird went to the Celtics and Magic went to the Lakers. So not only did you have the two recognizable college basketball names that everybody knew they were. And they were rivals, but they also went to two major markets and two brand franchises that everyone knew about. So that helped. Michael's in Chicago, man. Like, everybody knew Michael was because he came out of North Carolina, but Michael was in Chicago. Patrick. Everybody knew Patrick. He was in New York. That stuff was important. We have reached a point in professional sports where the major market, it has been downplayed so much to a point now where it's almost the reverse now. It's like as if the major markets now don't deserve anything. And that doesn't make any sense to me because that sells. It's a real thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What do you think, Peter?

[Chris Canty]

I'm twixt. I'm twixed in between, if you will, on this whole thing. Because I am the person who loves a story. I mean, Don, that's always your number one thing that you say about me as a sports fan. Like, yes, I Love sports, but I'm a big event guy, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Chris Canty]

So give me the massive teams, make it an event. I'm. I'm inherently more interested. And I've also, as I pointed out on the show several times, I've been frustrated by the NBA Finals kind of feeling like no one was even trying to give it a chance from the beginning because it wasn't teams that they were taught they should care about or that don't come from a big market because it's not as simple, I think, as. It's not necessarily as simple as big market. It can be a team that just develops into being that team. Although generally speaking, seems like they often fall in big markets. Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Chris Canty]

Like I'm trying to think of who was the last dynasty ish team that wasn't a big market.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I mean, if you, you know, if you're going to say Antonio City in football, you're saying basketball.

[Chris Canty]

Yeah, no, no, you're right. No, no, I'm as well for. For basketball. San Antonio for sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Kansas City, I guess Kansas City for football, though.

[Chris Canty]

That' not otherwise without that market, no one's talking. But the Chiefs are. They're an old team. Right. With a long history.

[Alan Hahn]

But yeah. Team.

[Chris Canty]

It's a classic, classic team.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it's a classic team, though. It's no doubt about it. They've been around for again, the Hunt family, the trophies named after them.

[Chris Canty]

Right, Exactly. Yeah. They've. They've done their thing.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, like, yeah, we're not talking about. This isn't like the Carolina Panthers here. Like, you know, this is.

[Chris Canty]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Chris Canty]

So basically, what about baseball?

[Alan Hahn]

Have you know Cincinnati long time ago. A big red machine. Like what, what? Atlanta never really, you know, like they want to.

[Chris Canty]

Well, they were. But they were. But they were the team Good. They weren't team. And they had the tv. But again, they had the tv. They had other Bills.

[Alan Hahn]

Went to fourth straight.

[Chris Canty]

In fact. I throw the Bills. I throw the Bills right now. Of they're at least in the conversation of they bring intrigue ever. You know, when they're in a big game.

[Alan Hahn]

They bring it to that Bills team did too. Yeah. But. But the Patriots obviously having what the run that they had. That's Boston. You know that's Boston. So.

[Chris Canty]

And the warriors are San Francisco.

[Alan Hahn]

That's a San Francisco and Oakland. That's a big, big market. No doubt.

[Chris Canty]

So yeah, I'm sort of. I'm sort of in between. Don. Like, I really do enjoy the fact that we're just getting great basketball right now from the two teams who are playing the best the time of the year. But I can't lie to you, I'm feigning interest. Like, am I thinking about that tonight? Am I saying, Natalie, let's order Wings. We got to watch. I'm not like Peter.

[Alan Hahn]

It goes beyond that, though, because it's like LeBron in Cleveland. It's still. You're watching, right? You're watching that. I also think it's because Indiana doesn't have a true superstar generational player. Halliburton is a good player, but we get hysterical about his impact because we're trying too hard to force it on. You know what you're looking at. And when you watch him, you're like, yeah, he's good, he's good, he's good.

[Chris Canty]

But as I've said many times, and.

[Alan Hahn]

Shay Gilgis Alexander, that Thunder team is a fun team. They, they, they love each other. They've got good connections, they've got really good players. They have been built the right way, everything you want, but I can't tell you that. Shay Gilgis Alexander as an MVP and a leading scorer and a guy who's going to do something that is rarely done, which is lead the league in scoring, win the mvp, win, win finals MVP and win the championship. That doesn't happen a lot. I mean, you talking about Shaq and Jordan and it's rarefied, it's rarefied air. And I'm telling you, he does not light up a room.

[Chris Canty]

No, it's. And not yet. And he's not a household name yet.

[Alan Hahn]

He's just not hating. It's not, it's just a reality. Tim Duncan was the same way. His teams were great. He's the greatest power forward in the history of the game. But Tim Duncan is not lighting up the room. And that's the only way you get the big fat ratings on these. Why did the spurs have usually the lowest rated finals during their run? Not because they weren't a great team. It's just because they weren't electric, they weren't fans. Basketball fans love them. But people that just, you want tuning in, the parachuting in casual rating, they don't.

[Chris Canty]

They respected them. I don't even think the basketball fan loved them. We respected the hell out of them. But no one said, I want to sit down and watch Big Fundy on a Friday night.

[Alan Hahn]

It's just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, but I think all the things that you're saying are part of it. But here's where I think is the biggest difference on why Dynasty is Better than parody. Because what do we hear in baseball? Oh, it's a crapshoot. If you're telling me you just got to be in it to win it. If you're telling me that it's just about, you know, a hot goaltender or a hot pitcher or just the healthiest team winning, that, what you're telling me is that there's a bit of fluke in it, that it's not necessarily the best team that's winning the championship. It's just the luckiest team or the team that was in the right place at the right time or just happened to catch the right matchups or just got hot at the right time. And to me, it's really hard to wrap my mind around, like, greatness if it just ends up having a little bit of fluke to it. Now, I don't want to take anything away if the Thunder win or the Pacers win, and I don't want to take anything away from the Texas Rangers when they won a couple of years ago, but we'd like to think that one of the things we love about our team winning a championship is that you're a part of forever, that you were the best team of that year. But if you see different teams win every year, doesn't it kind of take away from the greatness and make it feel like it seems more arbitrary?

[Alan Hahn]

Like, whose turn is it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that. Whose turn is it? It's more arbitrary than how it was meant to be. Now, you look at a dynasty like you look at the Florida Panthers, all right? Now, it's probably not great for the sport because Florida doesn't have a huge fan base, but what they've done is tell you, no, it's not fluke. We know how to win. We have discovered the formula to win. That's why we've gone to three straight finals, and that's why we've won two straight.

[Alan Hahn]

And that's Tampa.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We know how to do it.

[Alan Hahn]

Tampa. Tampa did it, too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How to do it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And so now it doesn't feel like a fluke. Now it feels like, hey, they built the best team. They are the best team. It gives everybody else in the league something to strive for. All right, how do I get that formula? How do I get those types of players? How do I hire that type of a coach so that I can be that rather than just, hey, let's just make the playoffs and see what happens. To say, this is truly greatness. And that's what I see from Paul Maurice and the Florida Panthers. I see True greatness. When I look at John Cooper and the Lightning, I see true greatness. When I saw Kerr and the warriors, true greatness. When I see Kansas City, I see true greatness. That's what we strive for. Not, hey, I just. Hey, I just got lucky. We just got lucky. We got hot at the right time. Those championships count, too, but I think to a lot of other people, it doesn't. It hits a little bit different. It feels a little bit more arbitrary. And to me, that doesn't reek of greatness.

[Alan Hahn]

It is also why there's levels to everything in the ring culture. Great players are great players, but some are ranked higher because of the fact that they were able to also lead their team to success, to. To championship success. And. And I'm just saying that that's what I've always tried to tell the people is a championship is great. It happens in one season. And sometimes it feels like, man, that team just got hot. They just got on a roll and they got there. And that, ha, it does happen, you know. The Pistons winning in 04 was not a fluke because they had gotten to the conference final the year before. They were building, and then they ran into what worked out for them. They ran into a Laker team that hated each other and they were sick of their run and they were breaking up and. And that was the perfect time to get them that Raptors team. That was a. They were a good team, but then they make a trade for Kawhi, and it's sort of out of the blue, but everything worked a bounce their way to knock out the, the. The Sixers. And then KD's calf blows up and, and Klay Thompson's knee blows up and. But it worked it.

[Chris Canty]

And Kawhi's hits at the right time, he's the best he's ever been.

[Alan Hahn]

It's just. Sometimes it does just hit and then it goes away. It's a Halley's Comet. And, and sometimes what you then say is, okay. That's what separates, though, a team that was just got lucky or hit the right time. That Laker team hated each other. So for the Pistons, it was right there for them. You got to give them credit for taking it. And they did. You tip your cap, Raptors. Same thing. But if you can win and then come back and win again, like, then you're like, okay, that's now a team that's legit, one of the best in the league, and there's something compelling about watching it again, that they're back again. Can they do it again.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can they do it again?

[Alan Hahn]

Anyone beat this team? You got sick of the Chiefs, Don? You got sick of them. You were tired of seeing them. And I said to you, don't be tired of it because this is greatness we're watching. It's history. We're watching. And if someone beats them, it's even more compelling.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And the Eagles did right then. They did. So that meant that had value. That meant something because of who they beat.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And even if it ends up being a one and done for Philadelphia, they could still hang their hat on, look who we beat. When the Avalanche beat the Lightning, it's like, all right, they. They were the two time defending champions. We accomplished something by beating them. And now we look back at Vegas beating Florida and going, hey, that was pretty good because nobody's been able to beat Florida since. And the answer can't always be because it still has to be hard, guys. So when you put a super team together, the answer how do you win a championship? Well, just get three superstar friends to conspire to use a vessel of a team to win a championship.

[Alan Hahn]

Clearly that doesn't work.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, that's that. But. But even if it does, it's like that seems like that an easy way to get it done.

[Alan Hahn]

But that makes them see, all right, I'll push back on you. That makes them now. And that's what happened with Miami Heat in that first year. Everybody wanted to beat them and when the Mavs did, using kind of their own homegrown talent, their home built kind of thing, Dirk was a homegrown guy that went through a lot of like to see them knock that team off. Everybody loved that you sometimes dynasties can be first it's wonder and then it's evil empire.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. But what I'm saying good for sports. But you want. You don't want it to be easy. Like that's why I hate the tanking because it's almost trying to find a cheat code to the championship. Like it should be hard or an.

[Alan Hahn]

Excuse for being bad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

And we're just taking no, your team sucks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Or the answer shouldn't be, well just spend more money than everybody else and then we'll win our championship. Like I to just see a team now there's always tried to do.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. That's what San Diego tried to do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, exactly. Then let's buy our way to it. Let's put a super team together. So when you get the dynasty and you see a team and listen everybody's going to argue, well, you know Florida and Tampa, they were able to use the long term injured reserve to their. There's always something that you can kind of complain about, but at the same time you still have to look and say they have kind of figured out how to build and have a really good team and a consistent team and that means something. So I, I always felt parity was really good for sports because it keeps everybody engaged, everybody believing. But just looking how, let's face it, since, since parity has struck the NBA's kind of dropped off a little bit. Baseball with their parity kind of dropped off just a little bit. I think that maybe people don't want to hear it, but I do think having those teams a makes it more entertaining and more historic and makes the championships feel more genuine, makes it feel more. And what it does is give all the other teams a formula to say that's what we have to try to strive to be. Let's get there, let's learn from that team, let's beat that team and then let now, let's take over, let's be the next. Maybe that's what Philadelphia did against Kansas City. You know, maybe this is what the Thunder are formulating. Maybe we'll look back and if they, maybe they'll win three of the next four championships and we'll say we saw it from the beginning. But if next year it ends up, you know, being, I don't know, Sacramento versus, you know, Detroit, it'll just feel like, all right, it just seems like whatever.

[Alan Hahn]

So I, I think most people again. 800 now. 193776 Donnie. I think, I think more people like Pete Peter, you sounded like somebody that was more about parody. But you like things to feel big. So you can understand the dynasty part of it. I do. I feel like more people, whether they want to admit it or not, there's something they love about a dynasty. Whether it's because now I have someone to hate or because there's something more epic about it. Because the idea of parody sounds nice. You know, it's the idea though that it's the utopia of everybody has a chance. Right? But that's not really how sports works. But it also has the five of the fittest who is the best and maintain it.

[Chris Canty]

It. Every situation is so different, right? Like, like guys, if we got a Super bowl that came out of nowhere, like you just didn't expect it, right? It was Detroit. But that, that's, that's no longer out of nowhere. But I'm thinking old Detroit right next year, all of a Sudden, New Orleans is there, right? And they play Jacksonville and. And you go, oh, my God, this is putrid.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Chris Canty]

But the style of football that both teams played all year were really fun. The way we love football, we might all be in on it. We might be like, oh, dude, it's going to be 55, 48. I can't wait for this game.

[Alan Hahn]

This is going to change the league. And the way the league plays, this is we.

[Chris Canty]

Whereas the one that we got handed here in basketball is you're like, the Pacers don't even have one true star. The star of OKC is incredible, but has no star power or juice. The style of play from neither team is like reinventing basketball. It's just a meh. So I just think it is situational.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It is situational. But at the same time, if every year in the NFL it was two different teams, eventually it would get to the point where it just feels very arbitrary. Is there true greatness anymore or is it just, you know, who stayed healthy, who got hot? Yeah, there's value to both. I can see it. That's why I want to take your calls on it at 1-800-919-3776. But, you know, Allen said it all last year, too, leading into the Super Bowl. You know, we're sick of the Chiefs, but we're still going to watch. It gave us somebody to hate. It gave us something to root for. Just the. The tough thing for Peter and I is that we weren't going to be rooting for the Eagles. So maybe it would have been different.

[Chris Canty]

That's the thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Anybody other than them. Oh, dude. We could have had a little bit more fun.

[Chris Canty]

Don, you know what? We barely ever mentioned that if that had been Detroit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah, that's what.

[Chris Canty]

Yeah, I'm in. I'm fully in. Like, I would have. It's just the fact that it was Eagles. Kansas City made it so brutal. I think Giants fans and Commanders fans.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can all relate on that and defend. And I'll defend my point because I said I wanted something different. I wanted Detroit Buff because it would be something different, but it wouldn't be arbitrary because both of those teams would have corrected there because they've been good for a while.

[Alan Hahn]

They were on the rise.

[Chris Canty]

You know, in that sense, Philadelphia is not arbitrary either. I just hate them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Philadelphia would have been perfect if we just didn't hate the Eagles.

[Chris Canty]

Exactly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If you weren't a Commanders fan and I wasn't a Giant fan, we did this show in Indianapolis, we'd be in our Glory. I'd be wearing green, but not in New York. So for your calls on this at 1-800-919-3776. I'm sorry, pet.

[Chris Canty]

Well, no, I just want to tell you about an ad that I have by BetterHelp.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You have an ad?

[Alan Hahn]

You do not have an ad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, you do not have an ad.

[Chris Canty]

I don't?

[Alan Hahn]

No. No. Don does, though. Yeah, Don has to tell us about cars.

[Chris Canty]

Hey, Don, will you talk to us about cars?

[Peter Rosenberg]

You want to get the most for your money. That's why more Mazda buyers choose Ramsey Mazda. Lease a new 2025 Mazda CX30. All wheel drive only. 239 for 36 months. Start shopping now at Ramsey Mazda dot com. Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Call 833-853-2970 for details. Excludes tax, title and registration. Zero security deposit. Fin SM 823053 MSRP 27,130 and 630 25.

[Chris Canty]

This is an ad by BetterHelp. It's okay to struggle. Real strength comes from opening up about what you're carrying and doing something about it so you can be at your best for yourself and everyone in your life. June is mental health awareness month, and men today face immense pressure to perform, to provide, to keep it all together. So it's no wonder that 6 million men in the US suffer from depression every year, and it's often undiagnosed. With over 35,000 therapists, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 5 million people globally. And it works with an App store rating of 4.9 out of 5 based on over 1.7 million client reviews. As the largest online provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of expertise. Talk it out with BetterHelp. Our listeners get 10% off their first [e-mail] timeout. That's betterhelp.com timeout.

[Don La Greca]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Chris Canty]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don La Greca]

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

[Alan Hahn]

The time continuum has been disrupted, creating an alternate 1985. This is.

[Chris Canty]

Hey, Doc, are you telling me you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Built a time machine?

[Don La Greca]

The Thursday rewrite.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, well, everybody knows the date. June 19th today. This day has been special for me since the day I was born. Why? It was the day I was born.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There you go.

[Alan Hahn]

So I. I needed to use today as the. As the date but before we get into. I just wanted to let everybody know the Yankees did win 7 3. Devin Williams came in to get the save. Rodon got the win. He's 9 and 5 now on the season. Yankees tacked on three runs in the, in the seventh and the eighth innings, two runs in the eighth. So they were able to get those tack on runs. They got a seven run game which. How long has it been since they scored seven in a game? It's been a while, but they finally get a win. A long national nightmare is over. The Yankees losing streak is done. So now Thursday rewrite guys, let's go back if you will to June 19, 1994.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It starts rockets do not want to.

[Alan Hahn]

Foul starts for three came up short.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And J. O' Donnell indicating the game.

[Alan Hahn]

Is over and it will go to a seventh and decisive game on in the NBA Finals. That voice though, it sounds a lot like Kenny. That is Marv Albert on the, on NBC on that broadcast. The final score at Game 6 of the NBA Finals that day was 86 to 84. John Starks had a three point attempt for the win for the championship. The Knicks were up three games to two in that series because we all remember that the Knicks won. No we don't. Of course we don't remember because game five of that NBA finals was June 17th. And we know on that day most people in the country are watching O.J. simpson and Al Cowlings in a white Bronco going down the 405. So the Knicks did have a three games to two lead in the series. And John Starks in a two point game opted to take the three going for the win on the road. Now the story goes, it was Hakeem Olajuwon who got a piece of that ball just enough for it to miss. Now let's just set up this way guys, for those who don't remember, maybe not at all old enough to know Starks was unreal in that game. He had made five threes already in that game. The Knicks were down seven, mounted a comeback to cut it to two, had the ball and they were running pick and roll with Starks and Ewing. And it was working to perfection. A couple of times it was Ewing, but Starks was really taking advantage of the big Ewing screens and the fact that Olajuwon was so caught up in guarding Ewing that Starks was getting good looks. He had actually knocked down a three two possessions prior to cut it to two at one point. So he had, he had been great in that game. As I mentioned, he was 5 of 8 from 3. He had 27 points. So in your mind, he takes a step to the left, goes to the break in the three point line and you know, you're thinking, oh, he's. This is buckets. Because he was on that game. But Elijah1 opted to switch and I. You want to do a name drop? Go ahead. At the hall of Fame introductions, it was Ewing, Olajuwon and Pat Riley all in the same class. And I asked Elijah1 about that play and he said, I asked him, show me the finger that you, you got the ball with. It was literally his index finger. And he said, if I had cut my fingernails that day, I might not have touched the ball. Like that's how close it came. So if we do a rewrite here, there's a couple of things we could do. But let's just say that pick and roll, things go different. Olajuwon either doesn't switch, hesitates because it is Patrick Ewing. Like, am I really going to switch off Ewing? There was seven seconds to go or six, I should say, because they had fouled to stop the clock. They had a foul to give, so. But still it's Ewing. Elijah one. If he stayed with Ewing and made. I'm trying to think of who the defender was at the time, might have been Vernon Maxwell, if he had tried to get him to fight through the screen. And I'm staying with Ewing because that's Patrick Ewing. I'm not letting him tie the game. And Starks gets off a clean shot. We. We can assume that Starks is knocking that down because he was literally on fire. But what if Starks instead knowing that here comes Olajuwon little pocket pass and there's Patrick Ewing for the moment of his life, the shot that forces overtime. And then anything can happen in overtime, especially by the way the Knicks were. The Knicks were playing downhill in the last five minutes of that game. It looked like the momentum was swinging towards them. So if we're going to play the game, either Starks makes the shot to win or Ewing does to force overtime. And the Knicks carry the momentum to the win. There is no game seven. So two days after the Rangers parade for their Stanley cup, the Knicks come home after game six on June 19, 1994 with the Larry O' Brien Trophy with their first championship in 21 years. Does Pat Riley stay? Is Patrick Ewing now someone viewed a lot differently in New York sports history? And is the rest of what happens with the Knicks going forward a totally different story than what it had become over the next 20 years. 30. I'm sorry, 30 years. Think about it, Patrick. Pat Riley came back the next year, but the Knicks looked like a different team because of that Game seven. We all know. I hate bringing it up, but John Starks talked about it. It's in his blood. In the Garden is a great book. Chris Herring wrote it about the 90s. And in the story, in the book, he talks about how Starks, after that shot, was blocked by Elijah 1, and I mean, barely touched it. Starks couldn't sleep for the day, was two days off between games, Starks couldn't sleep. He said he had. He had insomnia. He had. He couldn't. He couldn't sleep. He was mentally and physically fatigued emotionally. It just really. It stuck with him that, that shot. He thought he had a clean look and it affected him. And in game seven, he was two for 1804. Eleven from three. So you go from red hot to the worst nightmare game of his life. John never has that game. If that shot goes in or they win in overtime, the Knicks win that championship. And the next year as the Knicks came back and they just didn't feel the same. And in 95, we know Ewing missed the finger roll against the Pacers, they don't go on to the conference final. And Pat Riley sends a fax to resign as Knicks coach because the Miami Heat, a new franchise, and their owner, Mickey Arison, offered him not only carte blanche, you are the president, you are the coach, you are everything, but also a piece of ownership. And the Knicks at the time were owned by two entities, two corporate entities, not one like they are today. And neither one would give in on who would give Riley corporate ownership, a piece of the ownership. They would. No, you do it. No, you do it. So Riley, seeing that I'm never going to get what I can get here in Miami, went to Miami. So if the Knicks win that championship, not only Starks is, you know, forever remembered as Ewing forever remember, as it ends a drought. And now instead of it being over 50 years, it's, you know, whatever it is, like the Ranger situation. But does Pat Riley even go to Miami? And how much does that change the NBA now?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a great one. People need to remember. That was 2, 3, 2. So that game was in Houston, not New York.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So they had the extra day off without travel. That probably killed Starks, too, waiting for that Game seven. Listen, there's so many different avenues. First of all, I think Riley leaves anyway. It might be easier for him to leave if he left, not winning the championship. I think he definitely leaves with the ring.

[Alan Hahn]

He did tell me the greatest regret of his coaching career with all the success he had. He told me, the one I'll never get over is that I couldn't get a championship in New York.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So if he had the ring, then if anything was going to stop him from leaving, it was not winning the ring. He still left anyway. So considering what Miami offered him, he was probably gone anyway. All right, Ewing. It's a complete 180. I mean, I think Knick fans love Ewing.

[Chris Canty]

They do.

[Alan Hahn]

They do now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They eventually got there, Peter, but like, there was always that feeling of emptiness because he never won the championship. All the hollowed guarantees. If he was able to win the ring, he's messier on steroids. It would be. It would be unreal. He might go down if he had won that. If he had hit that shot the way you described it. Ties the game. They win in overtime, go to overtime, right? He's, he's. I don't know if there'd be anybody bigger in New York, I mean, because he would have won a ring, he would have won it in spectacular fashion. He would have ended a curse. And especially it would just add fuel to the fire if they did what the Rangers did and then not win again.

[Alan Hahn]

But think about that year too. If you, if you add the cup and then you add the Knick championship, put those two together. By the way, the Yankees, it was 94. The Yankees had started their renaissance that year. They never got to the World Series, but they started their renaissance. There was something igniting in New York when it comes to sports. And one more thing, just quickly, I'll forgot to add that following year, if you remember, because in that run is the first Reggie Miller villain, you know, situation when he did the Chokesun right, in game five. And then the Knicks came back to win the series and then went on to the, to the finals that following year in 95. Reggie Miller does the eight points in 8.9 seconds in game one and became the villain again. And it's as if, like that, that's really the beginning of the end. And that was the. The beginning of the Pacers becoming what they are. Who knows, if you win a championship, like, who gives a rip about Richie Miller and all that stuff, right? All that stuff goes out the window. But it made it worse because they lost the year before. And now this guy's gonna rip our hearts out after Michael Jordan had ripped our hearts out. And it's like, so there's so much on that shot, in not only John Stark's life, in Patrick Ewing's life, in Pat Riley's life, in Nick's history. Like, there's so much that there's many tentacles to this story off one shot. And what Akeem Olajuwon showed me, a fingertip that hit that ball.

[Chris Canty]

That's the second opportunity to hit the name drop button on Allen, who's very specific about the fact that he was able to look at the finger drop.

[Alan Hahn]

What?

[Chris Canty]

Oh, you deserve it. God bless you.

[Alan Hahn]

I interviewed the man, chatted with him.

[Chris Canty]

Consider him a friend.

[Alan Hahn]

No, I interviewed him. It was. It was a working interview. It was not a jolly conversation.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He didn't go to the hall of Fame to interview the fans.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. I was. I was working.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You should be proud of it. Don't look at it.

[Alan Hahn]

Is it a name drop if you were working.

[Chris Canty]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes. Is it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

But, but how ridiculous, Peter, would it be? You know, I went to the hall of Fame and I talked to someone.

[Chris Canty]

No, he had to say it. In this case, he had to say.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but anytime you're.

[Chris Canty]

Anytime you go. You know, I was. I was talking to so and so. It's a name drop.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what? But don't look at it as a negative, Alan.

[Chris Canty]

He's still fighting it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It will be a positive.

[Chris Canty]

Hey, Alan, it's your birthday. Do you want us to say it's not a name drop? I'll do it.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no. I want you to be honest with me. Especially on my birthday. I want you to be real with me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a.

[Alan Hahn]

By the way, did everybody else lose the.

[Chris Canty]

Yeah, our video all died.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, we're done.

[Chris Canty]

Now, listen, don't get me wrong. Don't get me wrong, Alan. The current videos, we see it, which is a black screen. It's only one notch better than it's been for Don the whole show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But this is.

[Chris Canty]

This is bad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, mine's not good. I worked on it for, like, 20 minutes. Somebody could have said something.

[Chris Canty]

Well, no, no, the quality is fine. You're just. Better light. You need better light.

[Alan Hahn]

A light. Well, light is always going to be a. We all get.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I didn't think when I. When I bought the house and created the man cave that I was thinking about light for television.

[Chris Canty]

Well, you should have known.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, we got to get you a halo light. Like. Is that what you're using there, Peter?

[Chris Canty]

I have these other. They're elgato lights. They're like these. These two. They sit on a desk, on little stands and they're on either side of the camera and they point at me and they give me the sort of beautiful, handsome look that I have.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, you got a super.

[Chris Canty]

Of course, all of us currently look like nothing, you know.

[Alan Hahn]

Anyways, that was the. That was the Thursday rewrite. So.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Loved it.

[Chris Canty]

I loved it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And also, you wonder how things would have aged for the Rangers. I mean, the Rangers got to own the town after they won. And remember, at the ESPYs, I think it might have been the first ESPYS or the second, you know, they won, you know, team of the year and everything. They kind of had to own the town. If the Knicks had won a couple of days later, you know, Ranger fans certainly would have appreciated. But it would be hard for the Rangers to own the town if the Knicks win the championship, like a couple.

[Alan Hahn]

Of days later, overshadowing it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then Ewing becomes kind of what Messier's become. Right. Where it's spoken in whispers. Right. It's totally different. How it ages for Mess. How it ages for Ewing. Also Olajuwon, like, were they able to beat the Magic because of being able to beat the Knicks? So.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. The year later. Right. They did one back to back. Don't forget that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, exactly. So how much did that embolden them in that second chance? Would they have been as good a team in 95 as they were in 94 having coming off the championship? It's a great one. It really is a lot of fun. I love these Thursday rewrites because, boy, just it changes so many different angles. But the one thing I will say with all confidence, I think Riley would have left anyway.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. So I don't think a lot of people have told me that, that he was. He was definitely gone as it is, mainly because LA was la, the beach, the sun and all that stuff. And Miami just seemed to appeal to him in that way, of course.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And the power that you're in. And he would have never had that kind of power with the Knicks.

[Don La Greca]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Chris Canty]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don La Greca]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Edmonton Oilers lost game six of the Stanley Cup Final back on Tuesday, so they had baggy day today. So Connor McDavid addressed the media for the first time since right after the game. And he is a free agent, guys, at the end of next year. So of course the media was anxious to know what his plans are and will he stay with the Evanston Oilers. Here's what Connor McDavid had to say about that.

[Connor McDavid]

This corps has been together for a long time, and we've been building to this moment all along. The work that's gone on behind the scenes, the conversations, the endless disappointments, and, you know, some good times along the way, obviously as well, we're all in this together, trying to get it over that finish line. With that being said, ultimately still need to do what's best for me and my family and, you know, that's who we have to take care of first. But of course, those unfinished business here yet?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Na na na na na na na na. Hey, hey, hey. Goodbye.

[Alan Hahn]

Really? You think so? Dude, that's his former agent. That's the GM now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Dude, that you don't answer that way unless it's on the table. Like, honestly, you got a year left on your contract, and I know that you need to get a deal. I need. I know in this day and age, you've got to play it close to the vest, right? And you gotta still leave things open because you don't want to be held accountable if you do leave. I'm not asking him to say, I'm not going anywhere, but for him to go as in depth in that answer about this core and we've been together for a while, I've got to do what's best for my family. He is completely open to the idea of leaving. If he wasn't, he would say, listen, I got another year left on my contract. We just lost another Stanley Cup Final. I'm not even thinking about that. You know, time will ultimately tell, but for him to be that forthright. And Peter, you don't, you know, you don't necessarily have a dog in the fight. I mean, you're the perfect person to ask, right? You're not as close to it as I am, like, invested in the sport and wanting to stay in Edmonton. Didn't that sound like a guy that is least open to the possibility?

[Chris Canty]

It did.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That he is leaving.

[Chris Canty]

It did. It's. It sounded like it is not a sure thing. It's.

[Alan Hahn]

It's.

[Chris Canty]

Which is interesting, right? He had two cracks at it. Here's the hard part.

[Alan Hahn]

I heard something different.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Really?

[Alan Hahn]

What'd you hear? I heard something different. I heard him acknowledge it's almost like his way of saying, I want to stay. But he made sure to do what every agent would tell you is to don't forget, though, they got to pay you. So he's saying, you know, I still got to take care of my Family. I do what's right for my meaning. They gotta get, you know, they gotta. They gotta pony up, they gotta commit. They gotta give me the big. The big cheese. Like that's got to happen. I gotta get it. So he's making sure, like. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Unfinished business, no doubt. You know, and we've been building here and all. All that stuff is real. But you also got to pay. Don't forget. You got to pay me. I don't want to hear about Edmonton and Smallman. No, no, no. You got to pay me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

But that's what he's saying.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you could put the onus on them and not yourself. Like when you talk about. I got to do what's right. My family, we've been together for a long time. It could just be to the fact of. Hey, it's. It's still very raw right now. It'll get to that point. My intention is to stay here. We'll see what they want to do, you know, we'll see where the cap and what. When we get to the end of next year. What it looks like. It just sounded to me like a guy that knows it's clearly on the table and he's acknowledging that he's not the businessman like Soto or Cole are. Where it's going to be that cold? Because remember.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Cole. Cole had already. He was a Pirate left in Houston. He had been on a couple of teams. You know, Soto had been on three teams. He's an oiler.

[Alan Hahn]

Was he wearing. Or was he wearing like a Scott Boris hat?

[Peter Rosenberg]

He had.

[Alan Hahn]

What was McDavid wearing?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was not. It was not an oil. It was a brand name hat. It was what it. I hate to tell you, it kind of. It's got Anthony May. Now I'll describe the logo to you. I don't know if it's a golf thing. It's got like a circle, an L and another circle. Hate to tell you what it looked like.

[Chris Canty]

It was an aloe hat, I'm told.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It kind of looked like it's.

[Alan Hahn]

It's aloe.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what it is. It wasn't. So it wasn't anything Oilers, wasn't anything NHL, but aloe.

[Alan Hahn]

Aloe vera, Florida.

[Chris Canty]

It all makes perfect sense.

[Alan Hahn]

Sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It looked like an organ. That's what I'll tell you. Okay. And not the kind you play.

[Alan Hahn]

No. It's definitely a brand.

[Chris Canty]

Well, so you do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But take a look at it, Peter, and tell me what you think.

[Chris Canty]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's got.

[Alan Hahn]

Women do love that brand, though, Don. So you might be on to something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's got an O, a line and an O.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, it's an A. It's. It's a lowercase A. I can't tell.

[Peter Rosenberg]

From that distance, but it did look phallic.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it's. It's a. Anyway, big brand with the ladies.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It just. It just. I don't know. Listen, it's good. Alan took it one way, I took it another way. It just. It felt like a guy that. Just say, it's on the table and I got to take care of my family. Whenever you hear, got to take care of my family, that means it's going to be about the bottom line. And I get that that's what it's about. But he doesn't sound like he's going to take any kind of hometown discount, and I think Edmonton's going to try to make it work. But I keep circling back to what you had said a few weeks ago about. I'm sure the NHL would love him in Boston, in New York, even in Toronto, you know, somewhere other than Edmonton.

[Alan Hahn]

PK Suban said this the other morning. We were talking about it. He said, put him on the Rangers and everything. And I was like, are you kidding me? He's like, and just watch it explode.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, he said that it's that level of player for sure. But I don't know. You took it one way, I took it the other. But Peter was the deciding factor. And you side with me, right, Peter?

[Chris Canty]

I do side with you. Sorry, I turned my volume down for a second. I do side with you. And also, it is a weird spot, though, because how does it look like he's been there a long time. He got them to two Cups. Right. There's every reason to think that if they were to win a championship, he might have been interested in leaving. Right. Many people have thought that if you were to win a Stanley cup, perfect time, you get the cup to Edmonton, now you go to a bigger market. Great.

[Alan Hahn]

Sure.

[Chris Canty]

But now, Don, you have to worry.

[Alan Hahn]

About, like, the look of LeBron leaving Cleveland.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Chris Canty]

He didn't get it there. And that's why it totally depends where he goes.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it's the exact thing. You know, when Wayne left, he had already won four.

[Chris Canty]

Oh, yeah. No problem.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. When. When Messier left, it was again he did. Gave him.

[Chris Canty]

Well, LeBron left Cleveland the second time, but no biggie.

[Alan Hahn]

Here's the thing. That's when nobody. Nobody got upset the second.

[Chris Canty]

No, we had.

[Alan Hahn]

First time around, they were burning jerseys.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I don't know if it's anything other than they've got to pay, you know, they got Dry Seidel's contract, they got to go find another goaltender. I don't know if it's like, I can't win in Edmonton. He came within a whisker of doing it last year and was two wins away this year. I don't think it's a case of I can't win in Edmonton. I need to go to a more high profile place. I don't think it's that. I just think it's, hey, he's to the point of his career where he's not going to be given any discounts. If Edmonton can't pay him, then he's going to go someplace else. So. Because he does not strike me as someone that needs the limelight of LA or something, you know, he's not from Edmonton, but he's a Canadian boy. I don't think he feels like I'm constrained by this small market and I can't win here. I don't think it feels like if I, if there's somebody else that's going to be able to pay me what I'm looking for, then I'm going to, then I'll leave. And he probably doesn't know what that's going to look like. And yeah, and to your point, Alan, I don't think it's a point of oh, so sign me to what? To. To the max. And it come at the expense of this team being competitive?

[Alan Hahn]

No, it's not that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, I'm not doing that either.

[Alan Hahn]

So I don't think it's interesting. All right, that was, that's good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We had a little time. I figured we'd throw it out there. I saw it this morning. I wanted to make sure we got it on the air.

[Don La Greca]

Thanks 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.

[Don La Greca]

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.