Hour 2: Robinson's Return & Tush Push

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: Robinson's Return & Tush Push

Release Date: February 25, 2025
Hosts: Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Platform: ESPN New York and New Jersey

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1. Mitchell Robinson's Potential Return to the Knicks (00:31 - 07:56)

The episode kicks off with a deep dive into the New York Knicks' current season challenges, focusing primarily on the long-awaited return of Mitchell Robinson from injury. Hosts Alan Hahn and Don LaGreca discuss Robinson's progress and the implications his return could have on the team's performance.

Tom Thibodeau's Insights:
Coach Tom Thibodeau provides updates on Robinson's readiness:

Thibodeau (02:52): "He's doing everything. Taking contact. And then he has to get clearance from medical."

Robinson's Impact:
Alan Hahn emphasizes Robinson's critical role:

Hahn (04:20): "He's arguably the best offensive rebounder in the game."

Peter Rosenberg adds concern over Robinson's injury history:

Rosenberg (03:05): "If he wakes up and feels like garbage tomorrow, well, that's a setback."

Team Dynamics:
Discussion shifts to the Knicks' strategic adjustments, including potential shifts in player positions to accommodate Robinson's return. Hahn speculates on the movement of key players like Anthony Towns to different roles to enhance team chemistry.

Hahn (06:35): "Mitchell Robinson's part of it is he's better in pick and roll. But it's going to be interesting to see how it all works out."

2. Defending Jalen Brunson's Role (08:16 - 17:12)

A significant portion of the conversation centers around Jalen Brunson, the Knicks' point guard. The hosts vehemently defend Brunson against criticisms regarding his size and overall contribution to the team.

Caller Interaction - Trey from Long Island (08:43 - 11:31):
Trey, a passionate Knicks fan, expresses frustration over criticisms of Brunson:

Trey (08:43): "Brunson is too small. If he's not dropping 26 an average and about eight assists, he's a liability."

Alan Hahn and Peter Rosenberg quickly counter Trey's points, leading to a heated exchange where Hahn vehemently defends Brunson's capabilities:

Hahn (10:14): "You're out of your mind. You're out of your mind."

Hosts' Defense of Brunson:
Both Don LaGreca and Alan Hahn passionately advocate for Brunson's importance to the Knicks:

Don LaGreca (14:08): "He is the star that we have dreamed about in this town."

Hahn (13:34): "They are not all. Whoa, whoa, Trey. He's in all."

3. The Ban of the Tush Push in the NFL (17:12 - 28:54)

Transitioning from basketball to football, the hosts delve into the controversial decision by the NFL to ban the "Tush Push" play. This segment features opinions on the rule change, comparisons to historical rule adjustments in other sports, and the impact on teams that heavily utilized the play.

Nick Sirianni's Stance:
Don LaGreca references Nick Sirianni's remarks on the ban:

Don LaGreca (24:08): "...it's unfair to try to ban it."

Host Opinions:
Alan Hahn criticizes the NFL's rationale for the ban:

Hahn (26:00): "It's like, well, we can't really see it all the time. So let's just say forget it like that. That's a cop out. It's terrible."

Peter Rosenberg draws parallels to NHL rule changes:

Rosenberg (27:10): "They put in a trapezoid behind the net so that a goalie could not go to the corner and clear the puck."

Impact on Teams:
Discussion highlights how the ban affects teams like the Eagles and Bills, who relied heavily on the Tush Push for short-yardage situations.

Rosenberg (29:14): "The Packers GM did confirm that it was them that made the proposal to ban it."

4. Fan and Listener Contributions (07:56 - 23:09)

Throughout the episode, listeners contribute their thoughts, primarily focusing on the Knicks' performance and player strategies.

Jordan's Perspective on Mitchell Robinson (18:04 - 19:23):
A listener named Chauncey shares his thoughts on Robinson's impact against teams like Cleveland and Boston:

Chauncey (18:04): "He's going to help for all the obvious reasons, you know, interior defense, rebounding."

Alan Hahn responds by acknowledging Robinson's strengths but notes strategic adjustments with player positions.

Discussion on Kevin Durant's Potential Trade to the Knicks (20:07 - 21:57):
Joe from Yonkers suggests acquiring Kevin Durant to bolster the Knicks' chances:

Joe (20:07): "If Durant comes here, just hear me out. And he wins with the Knicks."

Hahn weighs in on the feasibility and strategic implications:

Hahn (21:21): "If he's available, don't you have to at least call? You really want to see him land in Denver, I mean, in Miami?"

5. Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts (28:54 - End)

In the concluding segments, the hosts briefly touch upon upcoming discussions and tease future topics, maintaining their characteristic banter and engagement with listeners.

Don LaGreca (28:54): "I would love that fight."

Hahn (30:28): "Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast."

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Notable Quotes:

• Alan Hahn (03:40): "I'm not expecting Embiid to play tomorrow night..."
• Peter Rosenberg (06:35): "But there's a lot of reasons you can come up with for this year about winning a champion..."
• Don LaGreca (17:12): "This is the best team that they have had in a long, long time."

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Conclusion

In this episode of "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg," the hosts provide an in-depth analysis of the New York Knicks' current season, focusing on Mitchell Robinson's potential return and the vital role of Jalen Brunson. Transitioning to football, they critically examine the NFL's decision to ban the Tush Push, drawing parallels to historical rule changes in other sports. Listener interactions add depth to the discussions, showcasing the passionate fan base surrounding the Knicks and the broader sports community. The episode blends spirited debate with insightful commentary, offering valuable perspectives for fans and newcomers alike.

Transcript

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Alan Hahn]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers right into the 4 o'clock hour. We go with Don Lagreck and Peter Rosenberg. I'm Alan Hahn. 800-919-3776 is the number. That's an interesting hoops tonight, fellas. A game that may not be in New York, but one that would be on everyone's radar on TNT. Dallas Mavericks are in LA to play the Lakers. Luca, revenge game no. 1.

[Don LaGreca]

No, I mean, I mean, come on.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, we're not. Are you serious?

[Don LaGreca]

I'm not. Like, in theory. In theory, it's interesting if, listen, if Luca, like turns it on tonight.

[Alan Hahn]

He's so petty. Come on, man.

[Don LaGreca]

I would hope so. I would hope so. But like the, the, the. The shots I've seen of Luca recently, he doesn't look exactly like Rocky training in Siberia.

[Alan Hahn]

No, but, but it's funny because you know all the stuff that's. All these stories that's set up for the game tonight and one of them now is that all the talk out of Dallas about him not being in condition and all that stuff. It's. It's apparently quote, unleashed a beast within Luca. I love that stuff.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, boy.

[Alan Hahn]

Like it. Come on. Like, is that. That's what it took? Like, we'll see. I want to see how petty he is. I want to see how petty kid is tonight with we're just gonna trap him and not let him have any freedom. And LeBron could go for a 50 point triple double and the Dallas won't care. It's as long as he doesn't get on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh boy.

[Alan Hahn]

But it is like that stuff. Look, it's the drama. It's what sells the NBA. So that's what's going on here. Before we get back to all your calls and whatnot, the Knicks don't play till tomorrow. They play against the Sixers, who were down by 50 to the Bulls yesterday, which is another story altogether. But the Knicks have their own problems to worry about. Enough there to keep them busy. And after coming off a weekend like they did, which is a hell weekend, losing, getting smoked by the Cavs and the Celtics, and the whole country now looks at them as, all right, well, we're not talking about them as a contender anymore, but they are still waiting to be whole. And Mitchell Robinson, stop me if you heard, is getting closer to returning to the lineup. Keeps practicing. Tom Thibodeau was asked how he looked in practice today.

[Tom Thibodeau]

Good. He did everything today. Active, very active. It's more like how he feels the next day. So he's doing everything. Taking contact. And then he has to get clearance from medical.

[Alan Hahn]

Still has to get clearance from medical. Pete.

[Caller]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And. And that's the thing, though. If he wakes up and feels like garbage tomorrow, well, then that's a setback. So I'll have to wait and see how he feels when he comes back. So if he does not play tomorrow, that could be a sign that things aren't progressing as that.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, it's been a week, right, since they've been back from All Star break tomorrow. It's, I think today. Actually, I think Tuesday. Last Tuesday was when they first practiced after the All Star break and he was cleared full contact scrimmage in practice. And so. And I don't know.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm not expecting Embiid to play tomorrow night, but the last time we saw Mitchell Robinson was when Embiid grabbed his leg and pulled him down in the playoffs. So it would be kind of a full circle moment if that's the game he returns in.

[Don LaGreca]

What is the possible comp, though, for this much hype for a player of this level? I just. It's true and it's not. And by the way, that sounds like such a diss. It's not. I totally.

[Alan Hahn]

But you're right. No, no, you're right there. How would you describe this?

[Don LaGreca]

Let me put it this way. In my terms, I said this was.

[Alan Hahn]

Matt Rempe and the Rangers, how everybody thought in the lineup and the Rangers are just going to win.

[Don LaGreca]

That's disrespect, though, that he's. He's definitely more impactful. Don, you agree he's more impactful than Rempe?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, to me, I mean. But there are Ranger fans.

[Don LaGreca]

You know where he is. You know where he sits. He's between Rempe and the comp in my world, Kristaps Porzingis, he's between Rempe and Porzingis for a comeback.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Robinson's a better player, but they're both similar. Like, I thought it was brilliant by Allen to bring Rempe up, because Rempe, to a lot of Ranger fans, it's exactly what they're missing. The edge, exactly what they need. And Mitchell Robinson, exactly what the Knicks need. He's going to make it all better.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, but the problem is, is that, like Rempe, Mitchell Robinson's impact is sort of limited. Not to say, like, he could be a fantastic defensive player, and he's probably arguably the best offensive rebounder in the game. He was that last December, right before his injury. And even when he did come back, he showed you signs of that Again, I think what. What keeps happening with Mitchell Robinson is you get him back, but you don't know for how long because he just has this history of injuries that you just. It's almost like you're afraid he's. I'm telling you, he's Giancarlo Stanton. He really is. When he's in the lineup, you are just a better team. The problem is it's getting him in the lineup and keeping him in the lineup.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And for reasons that some Ranger fans think they figured out, I just think it's kind of a fluke. They just seem to always win when Rempe was in the lineup. So we got to get him in there, I think, which is kind of circumstances more than anything else. But people read a little bit deeper into that. The problem was not injury with Rempe. He might get. Spend it like that was the fear he'll do something to get himself suspended. So there certainly is a parallel there. Believe it. When he's in. See, there's the different stages. First he has to get in, then he's got to show that he's effective, and he's back to where he was before he got hurt.

[Alan Hahn]

Condition, the game condition. Right, right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then he's got to stay healthy.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, this. That's why I think, ask me at the end of March, and I laugh because I think, whoa, wait, wait. Ask me once he's in the lineup, then at the end of March. Now, Tom Thibodeau is a guy who does not dabble in hyperbole. Like, honestly, he is a very direct guy when it comes to talking about his team. And it just kind of. He hints, even he is trying to suggest how important this piece could be for his team. Mitchell Robinson, of course, that is.

[Tom Thibodeau]

I think you have to look at it and say, okay, Mitch was projected to be the starting center on the team. So we will have gone 50 something games without our starting center. And I think guys have done a really good job stepping in. You know, can we do better? I always believe we could do better. So Mitch is an elite pick and roll defender, an elite rib protector, he's an elite offensive rebounder. Those are things that are critical.

[Alan Hahn]

He's revealing something there because remember, they traded for car Anthony Towns and they put him at center when. And now what Tibbs is sort of saying is, is Mitchell Robinson is our starting center, which means the plan is going to be. It sounds like at some point, once Robinson proves he can stay healthy and stay in the lineup, that Towns is definitely going to move to the four. And we might see a scenario where it's like Josh Hart goes to the bench, which would give you a little bit of depth. But it also does create a new dynamic in a starting five because, you know, having Cat at the four is something he's comfortable with. He did it last year in the last couple of years in Minnesota with Rudy Gobert. But it doesn't. It. There's less spread in the offense now and it's a much different dynamic. It's going to be interesting to see how it all works out and they don't have a lot of time to work it out and find that chemistry that this current starting five found almost immediately.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's why you just got to get him in the lineup.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because every game that goes by he's not in the lineup is one less day to kind of figure it out before the postseason. 25 games is a lot, but, you know, if now it's down to 24, if he misses, then it's be another five games to get conditioning. Then it's another five games to see if he can stay healthy, you know, and then God forbid if he gets hurt back to back.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, I would think he's going to be on some sort of a pitch count. Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Has to at the beginning, they. They can't remember. It's a foot. It's foot surgery. A second one on a seven footer. You know, those, those are always. You have to be careful with the amount. That's why he's lost a lot of weight. So 800-9193776. So let's go to Trey in Long Island. What's up, Trey?

[Trey]

Hello. Not in, fellas.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We got up, baby.

[Trey]

What's up, Han? What's up, man? I've been trying to tell you, man. I've been trying to tell you, boss. Listen, I'm a Knicks fan. I've been a Knick fan since the Steve Francis, the Landry Shammit, Steve Novak.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait, wait. Landry Shamit with Steve France.

[Trey]

I mean, Landry Fields, Landry.

[Alan Hahn]

Shame.

[Caller]

It's a bomb.

[Trey]

But yeah, but yeah, I've been. Come on. So I've been through it, okay? Carmelo Anthony is my favorite player. Okay, 2012.

[Alan Hahn]

I got your resume, Trey, I got your resume. I got it. I got it. You've been a knicks fan since 2012. 2009. I was born 2009. Okay, 2009.

[Trey]

That's 2008. 2009.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Trey]

All right, so I've been through it. This team is just. They're not good enough. Brunson is too small. If he. If he's not dropping 26 an average in. An average in about eight assists, but he's a liability.

[Alan Hahn]

But wait, he. But that's what he's. You just gave me his averages for the season. He's averaging.

[Trey]

I'm saying no every game. He doesn't give you that every game.

[Alan Hahn]

Actually, that's what average. Don, can you take this, please?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't want him. I would just say thanks for the call. I don't have the band.

[Alan Hahn]

The guy was. The guy's in all. Whoa, whoa, Trey. He's in all. NBA player.

[Trey]

But, but yeah, but I'm saying no.

[Alan Hahn]

When.

[Trey]

When. When other good players are having a bad game, at least they can make up for it on the defensive end.

[Alan Hahn]

Really? Tell me about. Tell me. Tell me about how. Trey. Tell me how Shay Gilgis Alexander last night got. Came through on the defensive end for his team that lost a game that.

[Trey]

They were winning by 25 like three steals a game. He's like top five.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, we're gonna do steals. We're gonna do steals. You know, Luka Doncic had four steals against the Denver Nuggets. Does that make him a great defensive player? Don't go by steals. Don't go by steal. James Harden got steals. James Harden used to average two steals a game that didn't. He was never an all defensive player. Come on, man. Don't go with steals.

[Trey]

Yeah, but James Harden was averaging 33.

[Alan Hahn]

Trey, you've been a Knicks fan since 2009 and you're giving me steals as a defensive defensive metric.

[Trey]

He's too small. He's too much of.

[Alan Hahn]

That's why he can't lead us. So wait, hang on a second. So this is the most winning the Knicks have done in a three year span In In. In three decades. And he's not good is what you tell him.

[Trey]

But it's not our best team.

[Alan Hahn]

So your book. This is the best team that they have had in a long, long time.

[Trey]

No, no. This team is not better than that mellow team.

[Alan Hahn]

You're out of your mind. You're out of your mind. Out of your mind. Out of your mind. Trey, Trey, Trey, Trey. You're out of your mind. I was. I was literally on the court with that team.

[Trey]

We would have went to the conference finals if not for the Heat and LeBron.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, that's interesting. So were they not going to the Pacers? Yeah, they lost to the Pacers. They lost the first game of that series. Guys got hurt. That happens. Guess what you would have done last year, Trey, if the same thing. If they didn't get hurt, they would have gone to the conference finals against the Celtics. And you know who was afraid to play them? The Celtics. They didn't want to play them last year. They'd love to play them this year, but they didn't want to play them last year. So. Trey. Trey. I get it. Trey's emotional and I understand that. And he's trying to tell me as if I'm doing the sunshine and roses thing, which, by the way, don't forget what I said yesterday. Alarm bells should be going off. And I also keep saying this is not the year. They're not there yet. They're really close. They're as close as they've been in a long time, but they're not there yet. And they know that. They know they're not there yet.

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

So of all the reasons that they are not.

[Alan Hahn]

Don't give me that about Brunson, man. I'll tell you right now, I'll fight you to the end if you start telling me that Brunson is not good enough.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If you were to listen. The reasons the Knicks will not win a championships this year. How far down the list do you have to go?

[Alan Hahn]

Give me. Give me how many reasons you'll give me first, like, I'll tell you how Far down.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I would say there have to be 20 things before you got to Brunson's too small.

[Alan Hahn]

I might say 50 things.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, come on. That's just an old tired. This is something we usually don't get from Nick fans. Right, Peter? We usually get positivity. But this weekend, again, you're not going to go defense, you're not going to go lack of depth, you're not even going to go that. Maybe Thibodeau couldn't get him there because he's never gotten anybody there. All the things that we talk about now, you're going to go, well, Brunson's too small. Well, if that's the case, then why did you even bother watching this year? It wasn't like he shrunk during the season.

[Don LaGreca]

By the way, what does it ever mean when a player shows that they're capable of being completely.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You have to go back to Isaiah. The last time a team's won a championship with a guy that small.

[Alan Hahn]

No, Steph Curry.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah. Steph Curry's not small. I mean, he's. That they forgot about the player who's dominated the league. The closest thing to a dynasty the last decade, right?

[Alan Hahn]

They all love John Morant. How big is he? They all love him.

[Don LaGreca]

6:1. I mean, 6:1, 1:80, dripping wet.

[Alan Hahn]

Everybody loves Damian Lillard. How big is he? Like, come on, man, like, like, again, I understand.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, those guys aren't winning, so those are bad.

[Alan Hahn]

This is this I hate the I told you so crap because it's as if I am waving a banner every day about predicting championships for this team this year. And I've been the one warning you from the very beginning, don't rush this thing. It's there. They still got to get depth. They're not quite there yet. They're really good and they're really close. And by the way, there's three teams in the league they can't beat and 26 others that they beat easily 37 and 13. So, I mean, that's still pretty freaking good, right? Like, correct me if I'm wrong, that's still really good. They got to figure out the other thing. But to start to give me reasons, I told you, there's a lot of reasons. Like Don just said, there's a lot of reasons you can come up with for this year about winning a champion, I can understand it. But if you ever come at me about Jalen Brunson not being something good enough to do anything, I'm telling you, I will fight you all the way. Right. Right to the bricks. Because that is the one guy that has taken this franchise to a level it hasn't been to in a long time. And he will be there for the next couple of years because of it. That's not a guy that you start disparaging or wondering about. I don't know if he's good enough. What, are you crazy? Like, he is. Exactly why you have a standard now with this franchise. He's the one that after the game on Sunday, said, I'm sick. I'm sick of talking about this stuff. Although he didn't say stuff. He was fed up about the way they played over the weekend. There is nothing negative about Jalen Brunson. I'll hear none of it.

[Don LaGreca]

No, I'm in lockstep with Alan on this. This is the. He is the star that we have dreamed about in this town. And the idea. You know. You know what? It's like? It's like. It's like begging. One day, you're begging your whole life for Halle Berry. All you want is Halle Berry and then this. Sorry, guys. It's a 90s reference, but Don and Alan will appreciate it. And instead you fall in love with Tony Braxton. Okay, it's not Halle Berry. All right, I get it.

[Alan Hahn]

Close.

[Don LaGreca]

But. But.

[Alan Hahn]

But, my God, you can sing, right?

[Don LaGreca]

Exactly. So, I mean. Well, by the way, Jacob, you said. You say, tony, you're wild, and I'll tell you that right now. You're wild.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But.

[Don LaGreca]

But listen, the point is, we're nitpicking, Peter.

[Alan Hahn]

When you. When you say. I'm not saying prizes.

[Commercial Announcer]

Toni Braxton.

[Alan Hahn]

I'll take that. Terrible. And you also think a little less. A little less crazy, which I think might make her more attractive.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, it depends. Some people prefer crazy. And I don't like people saying this about Halle, though. It's been said before. Come on. She has gone through her share of guys. I understand that. And sometimes that the problem has to be you, right? When you get to, like, the fourth or fifth partner. I hear that, but my point is, like, this is. Yeah, okay. You can look around the league and say, this star might be better. What about this one? I got. I don't. Guys, I don't know if there's a player I choose over Jalen Brunson because not only how good he is on the court, but the X factors that he brings as a leader in the locker room, the kind of dude that he is. How do you guys not recall. Do you guys not recall them losing a playoff series? And him and Josh hart walking down 7th Avenue to meet fans. I mean, this guy's a.

[Alan Hahn]

He's cut from a different cloth. Game seven. They thanked everybody. Yeah, no, no, I won't stand for it with one guy, because if you let one do it, others will. Aaron Judge. Oh, the Yankees aren't a winning World Series with Aaron Judge.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, because there's multiple people that believe that there's a thing. This is not. This is a thing outside of the Knick fandom where people will say, you don't win a championship with this small of a point guard. But in the Knick community, this is an outlier. I wouldn't freak out a second call, a third call. Now we're talking about a trend. That was a guy that was trolling, you know, he. No, don't worry about it, buddy.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I got your back.

[Alan Hahn]

But I needed you.

[Don LaGreca]

By the way, I would love breath. Nothing would make me happier than if somehow, for the next two and a half hours, we got to fight with people about Jalen Brunson isn't the man. I would love that fight.

[Alan Hahn]

Like I said, I'll fight you right down to the bricks. Chauncey and Westwood. Chauncey.

[Chauncey]

Hey, what's up, guys? First things first, I just want to say, rest in peace, Al Trotwig. I grew up, you know, watching him on MSG always got me excited to watch the Knicks. And, you know, it was shocking when I heard the news, but I'm excited to see Mitchell Robinson back. The one thing I want to say, though, about that is he's going to help for all the obvious reasons, you know, interior defense, rebounding. When you look at what he did against Cleveland a couple years ago, I think it'll definitely help against Cleveland because they run the big lineup. But when you look against, specifically Boston, I mean, it's. I don't think he helps because, sure, paint defense, yes, but it's the same thing we've been saying the last couple years. He's not good on the perimeter, and they abused the hell out of us doing that. So I think that specific matchup, not going to make much of a difference. Everyone else. Yeah, he'll help.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks. Well, that's why they got. And that's why they got towns, though. They got towns for that Celtic matchup. But, you know, the Robinson part of it is he's better in pick and roll. He actually closes out threes pretty good for a seven footer. But I won't get too deep in the weeds on this whole conversation. Joe and Yonkers, Joe.

[Caller]

Hey, what's up, guys? Thanks for having me. Big listener. Always listen to you guys. And big, big time naked Yankee fan. Yeah, it was. Yeah, of course. And what I did want to say, though, about the Knicks, like, it's pretty much, I've been watching the Knicks like the guys, the other kid said, but before 09, for sure. And Brunson, he was wrong. Brought Brunson, took a big bay cut. So we, we left that out too. But we got to go for Durant, man. If Durant comes here, just hear me out. And he wins with the Knicks. He made a mistake with Brooklyn. We messed that up. Maybe gave up a little bit too many draft picks for Mikhail. But if we get Durant, we change the scenery. It'll be a big deal. Just want to hear your guys take on that. Thank you for everything. Have a great day, guys.

[Alan Hahn]

Joe, I'll tell you what, if, if I was resistant to this earlier in the season, but you gotta think again. I'm putting myself in a front office. If I'm running a team and I'm looking around the league and I'm seeing all right, Doncic is now in la, and you've got some other teams out there in west, and Boston's going nowhere. They're going to be there. You're dealt, you got to deal with them. And I keep thinking to myself, do I do. Do I need one more star level piece? And you know, I mean, it's gonna, it's gonna hurt. It's gonna cost you. But is. Is Durant somebody, like, if he is available, don't you have to at least call? You really want to see him land in Denver, I mean, in Miami? Do you want him to land somewhere else? Like, I don't. I want Philadelphia to stay in the misery that they're in. I want Milwaukee to be on the treadmill that they're on. I want the Pacers to just be the high scoring team that can't guard anybody. I don't want any of my, my rivals in the east getting better. And so I got to worry about Cleveland. It's not going anywhere, and Boston's not going anywhere. And so if he becomes available, I think you have to call just to see what the cost would be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And if it's doable, you do.

[Don LaGreca]

But you gotta get there first.

[Alan Hahn]

The season has to end with disappointment. If things kick the right way and now they're competitive and all this stuff, then maybe you want to let it, let it cook, let. Let these guys spend more time together, get the continuity. But if it doesn't end well and you're kind of questioning the way your team's built. Right.

[Brian]

It's.

[Alan Hahn]

I think you got to make the call and just see what the cost would be. I know he's 37, but man, that guy is a lethal scorer.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We talked about it yesterday. It's not the Matthew Tkachuk or Mark Messier, Juan Soto. Those guys were younger. It is 37. It does come with some pitfalls for sure.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you just outlined, you know, what. What's coming and, and what. And what you're going to have to do to get there. Celtics aren't going anywhere. Cleveland looks like they're really good. You see what the Lakers have done with Dodge. This is kind of where we're going here, Right?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And stars win in this league. The more stars you have, the more chance you have to win. A guy like that. Yeah. Again, if, if it's there. And you know already that KD New York meant something to him. There was. This is no secret. Originally his plan was the Knicks and the play at the Garden. That was his plan. Originally, Kyrie wanted other plans and he decided to go that route. But it doesn't mean that, that he never was interested in this stage. It's there now. I'm not saying you like again, right now we don't know what's going to happen. But if things don't end well this season and you don't like the way it looks and you get to June and all of a sudden there's, you know, Shams telling everybody that the Suns are open to trading Kevin Durant or Kevin Durant wants to trade. Yeah, I think you gotta call and see what it would cost. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don LaGreca]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts at Game time brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey because when it's game time, boys, it's tele time. And you know what time it is. It's time for Rangers Islanders. Tonight they battle at UBS coverage immediately following us right here at 7, right here on 880 ESPN. Game time brought to you by Telemore Due the original triple distilled, triple blended, triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Telemore Dew or try the new Telemore Dew, honey. During tonight's action glasses up to enjoying Telemar do responsibly. We will get into this game and the matchup and what it means and all that stuff in the 6 o'clock hour. So certainly stay tuned for that. But you know what, Peter, because we need a little extra, a little Ian extra. The Sirianni stuff is kind of interesting. You got that for me?

[Don LaGreca]

I do, I do. Here is Nick Sirianni on calls for people banning the Tush Push.

[Brian]

I've seen some of the stuff, you know, that it's an automatic play or we work really. I almost feel a little insulted because we work so hard at that play. The amount of things that we've looked into, how to coach that play, the fundamentals. There's a thousand plays out there. But it comes down to how you teach the fundamentals and how the players go through and do with the fundamentals. I can't tell you how many times we practice the snap, we practice the play because it's not a play that it's easy to practice. There's different ways we figured out how to practice it.

[Don LaGreca]

Now he went on and sounds like it said it's unfair to try to ban it.

[Brian]

Every week I watch every first and goal red zone fail every single time. And sometimes that first and goal starts at the one and you see the team not be able to get in because they're not able to do that. And so I think that it's a skill that our team has because of the players that we have, the way the coaches coach it, that there's just so much time put into it. The fact that it's a successful play for the Eagles.

[Alan Hahn]

Brian. Brian, good accounts, by the way. The Packers GM did confirm that it was them that made the proposal to ban it. And the team president, Mark Murphy said that it is a play was bad for the game. But they're not the only ones that there's also a pushback from, from Raheem Morris, the Falcons coach. He said he'd vote against it too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I. I keep repeating myself over and over again about just change, change the rule back from a couple of years ago. You can't aid the board.

[Don LaGreca]

They're going to. But I keep repeating to you and you don't hear me, they're going to see that as the same thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you know, change that rule.

[Don LaGreca]

That is the end of the Tush push.

[Alan Hahn]

It is now. Now, I didn't know this and I'm sorry, Don, but I just want to make this clear. Do you know the reason why they changed the rule?

[Don LaGreca]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

They changed the rule apparently because Nick Sirianni asked. No, no, no. Because officials couldn't really see it to call it.

[Don LaGreca]

Got it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But even that's it.

[Alan Hahn]

It's like, well, we can't really see it all the time. So let's just say forget it like that. That's a cop out. It's terrible. I didn't know that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But here you. But it just. It's just the way I am hearing you, Peter. And. But if they just went ahead and instead of. Instead of the headlines all being, or we're trying to ban the tush point, then it comes across like you're a sore loser. You're upset the Eagles won, that they've got so much success with it. Why can't you just describe it as aiding a runner? Yes, people will say, oh, they're trying to ban a touch push. But at least it would sound from a PR standpoint, a little bit better. Well, and also happens.

[Don LaGreca]

But do we know, Don? Do we know that's not what's happening now? That may be how it's being described.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, you're right. You're right.

[Don LaGreca]

But. And they're not going to say that. They're going to keep saying it's banning the touch push.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Alan will remember this. There was a rule that changed that came out of the NHL lockout, that a goaltender couldn't play the puck outside the trapezoid.

[Alan Hahn]

Trapezoid. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And they put in a trapezoid behind the net so that a goalie could not go to the corner and clear the puck.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's basically where they should have called it, the Martin Brodeur rule.

[Alan Hahn]

Correct.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because he was like literally the only goaltender that had the skill set to do it. There was like a handful of guys. There's there at the time, 30 goal starting goaltenders in the National Hockey League. And there were like two or three that could do it. And Brodeur was the absolute best at it. And they put the whole rule in because there was like one or two guys that could do it. So the idea, we're the Eagles and we execute and we work really hard. We get it. You've got the heaviest offensive line in the league. You have the skills in which to do it. But that doesn't mean that there isn't precedent for making changes. Yeah, there's other guys can't do it as well. There were 28 of the goaltenders in the NHL that couldn't even fathom going to the corner and clearing the puck up and being a third defenseman. It didn't stop them from changing the rule.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And we now Saw it. We're seeing players get hurt even on both sides of the ball. It doesn't make a lot of sense to do it anymore.

[Don LaGreca]

And like I said, I always say this. I think the. As silly as it was, I think that moment against the commanders when they threatened to award points to the Eagle.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Frankie Louvre made a mockery of it. And that's that. That brought his attention, by the way.

[Don LaGreca]

It was kind of a smart thing to do. It's like, hey, if you try to time this, they'll say that you can't do it. So what are we doing?

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I just wish. And I'm surprised, Sirianni, because he does have that kind of DNA to just say, okay, we'll come up with something else. Like. Like, don't even be upset about it. Just like, oh, listen, all right, fine. We'll just come up with. We'll develop something else to make it work for us. Like, I. I just think being as defensive about it, it's. It's really irritating. It really.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, don't forget, it's not just him now. It is also the Bills and Sean McDermott. He's also, what. They use it a ton as well. And he was kind of pushing back on it, saying, I can't remember one injury we had on the play and we ran it more than anybody else, so.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. But you gave the stat yesterday, right? Like the bills and the 87%. 87%. The rest of the league, 71%.

[Alan Hahn]

That's correct. Yeah. 800. Now, we're not 3, 7, 7, 6. So we'll get back to calls. We'll get back. Also, while we're on the football story, Joe Shane and I can't wait to play something that Joe Shane said that Don McGregor is probably going to lose his mind when he hears it. So that's coming up next. But first, Peter, a little fanduel, please.

[Don LaGreca]

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[Alan Hahn]

467-369 thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, but I just want to know. It's good here. More More of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

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