Hour 2: Rod Strickland joins the show

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg: Hour 2 – Rod Strickland Joins the Show

Date: December 12, 2025
Episode Focus: Basketball legend and LIU head coach Rod Strickland discusses his coaching journey, reflections from his playing days, thoughts on the modern NBA, college hoops challenges, pop culture moments, and much more. The episode blends New York sports banter, heartfelt career transitions, and classic personality clashes from the hosts.

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around Rod Strickland’s in-depth guest appearance, delving into his transition from a standout NBA player to college coach, the unique demands of coaching at LIU, the evolution of the NBA (including thoughts on the new NBA Cup), and his influence on—and reflections about—the game. The conversation is peppered with classic banter among Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg, touching on everything from New York sports fandom to personal radio milestones.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Peter Rosenberg’s Departure from Hot 97

Timestamps: 04:24–09:34

• Peter Rosenberg discusses, sometimes humorously and at other times with candor, learning at 10am on a Friday that his long tenure at Hot 97’s morning show had come to an end.
  • Quote (Peter Rosenberg, 04:28): “I found out today at...10am on Friday when I'm going on vacation next week. Merry Christmas.”
• He reflects on nearly 20 years with the station, his love for the team, and hints that he, Ebro, and Laura will continue working together on new projects:
  • Quote (Peter Rosenberg, 08:27): “Yeah. I would expect Ebro, Laura and I to continue to do things...We'll pick the place. A place that is more excited to have us there.”
• The hosts reminisce about big career moments and radio changes often coinciding with the station’s holiday party, keeping the mood both light and self-aware.

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2. NFL Round-Up & The “Philip Rivers Comeback Hypothetical”

Timestamps: 12:48–23:19

• The crew reviews the latest NFL playoff scenarios, coaching hot seats, and upcoming must-win situations:
  • They dissect Todd Bowles’ frustrations in Tampa Bay and shifting playoff odds in the NFC and AFC.
  • Extended speculation (15:00 onward) about backup quarterbacks and the unprecedented scenario of a five-years-retired Philip Rivers potentially returning for a playoff run.
    • Quote (Peter Rosenberg, 17:23): “If the Philip Rivers thing actually happens...It will become must-see TV. It becomes like a Hallmark football movie in two seconds.”
• They compare this possible Rivers comeback to historic sports return attempts, debating if any sporting precedent compares, and discuss player pride versus public entertainment.
  • Quote (Peter Rosenberg, 18:29): “If Philip Rivers were to go to the playoffs...the vast majority of people would be locking in to see can this 44-year-old grandfather...win a game.”

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3. Rod Strickland’s Coaching Path & LIU Basketball

Timestamps: 27:07–32:50

• Rod details his post-playing “lost” period, how a call to John Calipari led him into college coaching, and his journey through Memphis, Kentucky, USF, the NBA, and eventually to LIU.
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 29:28): “I need a why. And I'm calling my friends. They got to go to work. So everything was kind of off tilt. And then I went to college basketball.”
• He’s open about the mental adjustment from being an NBA player focused solely on competition, to mentoring and developing young athletes:
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 31:14): “As a player, I have that ball in my hands...As a coach, you know, you got a whole totality...university administration, coaching coaches, players, culture. It’s just a little different.”
• Rod discusses the early season success at LIU (5–4 overall), highlighting four road wins and LIU’s preseason #1 in the NEC.
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 28:16): “We're off to a pretty good [start].”

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4. Coaching at the Mid-Major Level in the Modern Era

Timestamps: 31:57–32:50

• Rod talks candidly about recruiting challenges, the transfer portal, and NIL at a mid-major program.
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 32:18): “It's all relative. It trickles down. The money may be different...But wherever you're at...I got to try to figure out how do I...become the best at that part where I'm at.”

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5. On Aging, Comebacks & Athlete Self-Perception

Timestamps: 32:50–35:53

• Rod reflects humorously but honestly about the reality check after his own NBA retirement, relating it to Philip Rivers’s scenario.
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 33:27): “What I realized after I retired, my last three or four years, I wasn't as good as I thought I was.”
• He shares a poignant story of his brother texting him after a rough stint with the Houston Rockets:
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 33:41): “Man, it’s hard watching you out here.”
• Rod says he’d be drawn to watch such a comeback out of “curiosity as an athlete and competitor,” but doubts whether he himself could have pulled it off after being away from the game.

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6. NBA Evolution & The NBA Cup

Timestamps: 38:16–39:12

• Rod is positive about the NBA Cup, appreciating its injection of “excitement to the beginning of the season” and relishing the concept of an early trophy.
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 38:54): “I thought it was a great addition to the NBA, kind of bring a little excitement to the beginning of the season...I would have loved to be a part of that.”

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7. Money as a Motivator in the NBA Cup

Timestamps: 39:12–40:29

• Discussion of the cash bonuses offered for Cup wins, especially for bench players and those on non-star contracts.
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 40:28): “If I was a vet and I was making so much more money and we're in the championship game, I can guarantee you I would want to win it, to get those guys...the guys with the lower [salaries].”

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8. Rod Strickland on His Former Coaches and Career Growth

Timestamps: 40:44–43:51

• Peter Rosenberg lists the array of legendary coaches Rod played for, including Patino, Riley, Adelman, Larry Brown, and Flip Saunders.
• Rod singles out Rick Adelman as most pivotal to his personal game development:
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 41:28): “Rick Adelman was the guy who took my game to another level...He started me posting up and bringing me off screens, so he kind of balanced my game.”
• Rod describes Pat Riley as “hard but fair” and someone he profoundly respected. He notes that Riley’s straightforwardness, and Adelman’s player-first approach, inform aspects of his own coaching style.

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9. Reflections on Playing in Early Three-Point Era Knicks, Facing Michael Jordan, and the State of the PG in NY

Timestamps: 43:51–45:53

• Rod recalls playing under Rick Pitino in the Knicks’ pioneering uptempo, three-shooting scheme, and shares memories of matching up against Michael Jordan:
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 43:58): “You play against Jordan knowing who he is. But once you step on the court, you compete...He was like a rock star back then.”
• Alan draws a connection from the NYC point guard tradition to Jalen Brunson, asking Rod to evaluate Brunson's unique footwork and intelligence as a modern Knicks PG.
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 45:44): “When you watch him...his footwork is ridiculous, like, he's a technician...He's strong, he knows how to get separation...He's patient.”

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10. Coaching Philosophies & Takeaways from Legendary Mentors

Timestamps: 47:41–49:14

• Rod talks about picking traits from various great coaches but not mimicking any one style strictly.
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 48:04): “I just kind of pick from certain things. Like, I love Pat Riley because he was so straightforward. I love Rick Adelman because he was a player coach...But more importantly is my experiences. You know, how I felt like a player.”
• He stresses the importance of instilling confidence in young players—and the tricky balance between being tough and being supportive.

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11. Pop Culture Moment: Wu-Tang Shoutout

Timestamps: 49:18–50:36

• Peter plays Wu-Tang Clan’s “Triumph,” which immortalized Strickland in its famous closing line.
  • Quote (Wu-Tang, song lyric, 49:58): “Made ‘em jump like Rod Strickland!”
• Rod expresses pride at being woven forever into hip-hop history:
  • Quote (Rod Strickland, 50:15): “That’s big time. Like I tell people now, like, they put me in the mix forever.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Peter Rosenberg on radio’s unpredictability:
  “Radio only ends one of two ways...You either decide you're leaving early or you wait till it's done.” (07:52)
• Rod Strickland on returning to purpose after NBA:
  “I need a why...So now I'm in the bed early in the morning in the movie room with the lights out. Don't know what to do. So now I'm getting bored.” (29:28)
• On Jalen Brunson’s rise:
  “His footwork is incredible. And he's patient. So he's not a speedster, which I think helps him.” (45:53)
• On NBA Cup bonuses motivating bench players:
  “If I was a vet...I can guarantee you I would want to win it, to get those guys, the guys with the lower [salary].” (40:28)
• Strickland on being enshrined in hip hop:
  “They put me in the mix forever. Forever. That song will go on and on and on.” (50:15)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Peter Rosenberg’s Radio Farewell: 04:24–09:34
• NFL/Rivers Speculation: 12:48–23:19
• Rod Strickland’s Arrival/LIU Talk: 27:07–32:50
• Mid-Major Challenges & NIL/Portal: 31:57–32:50
• Reflections on Retirement & Comebacks: 32:50–35:53
• NBA Cup Discussion: 38:16–39:12
• Coaching Influence & Career Highlights: 40:44–43:51
• Knicks, Brunson, Old/New PG Traditions: 43:51–45:53
• Wu-Tang Pop Culture Moment: 49:18–50:36

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Tone & Style

• Conversational, candid, sometimes irreverent
• Warm, with banter and gentle roasting between hosts and guest
• Honest and reflective, especially regarding career transitions and the evolution of basketball
• Full of New York flavor—a blend of sports passion, nostalgia, and pop culture

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Conclusion

This hour of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg captures not only the evolution of NBA basketball and life after pro sports but also offers a rare, unguarded look at Rod Strickland’s mindset as a player, coach, and enduring New York hip-hop icon. The hosts keep things lively with their classic banter and a heartfelt review of radio industry rollercoasters, while the episode is peppered with sharp cultural and sports insights—making it a must-listen for any NYC sports fan or basketball junkie.

Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

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[Don La Greca]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don La Greca]

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

[Alan Hahn]

This is the ESPN New York holiday party, live from your mother's house in Garden City Park, Long Island.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Brought to you by Amazon. Pick up Security Dodge and Spike Aid. Made for big city social stamina. I want to get into the football, but I just had one question.

[Don La Greca]

One question. One left. Go for it.

[Alan Hahn]

Everybody that's defending or killing Stearns for letting Alonzo go have said they don't trust him. They don't think he's any good.

[Don La Greca]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Came from a small market, doesn't know what he's doing.

[Rod Strickland]

Mm.

[Alan Hahn]

So if he kept Alonzo, you would then trust him? Or why wouldn't you say, well, if I don't trust him, then maybe keeping Alonzo would have been a mistake?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Or, no, because you're overthinking it.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They wouldn't have questioned it because it would have felt good and warm and fuzzy just to keep him. And that's. And I understand it. I understand why people feel warm and fuzzy to keep him, but then say that.

[Don La Greca]

Don't.

[Alan Hahn]

We're getting calls. You know, Stearns is a small market guy. Look what he did with the pitching staff. So if you don't like him, if you think he's a bad general manager, then any decision he would make would be bad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. Fair.

[Alan Hahn]

So wouldn't you worry, oh, he kept Pete, that they gave him five years. Nobody else was probably gonna give him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Three because they're being disingenuous. What it really is.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what I'm asking.

[Don La Greca]

Thank you. I just promise you, I promise you, if they had matched that deal, we'd also have the equal amount of calls that would say, why are we giving that guy five years? This was stupid. This is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, And God forbid he had A bad first half of the season or whatever. By the way, can we just remember one thing?

[Don La Greca]

Live in the moment.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I know this is a big. If was a spliff kind of thing.

[Don La Greca]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If Pete doesn't hit that home run in the playoffs, we're never even having this conversation.

[Don La Greca]

But he's already gone.

[Alan Hahn]

He's gone.

[Don La Greca]

He gone.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's. He gone, as they say.

[Alan Hahn]

So they were killing him before that home run because he was having a miserable year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, I remember it very well.

[Alan Hahn]

So I'm on to all of you. We're gonna have Rod Strickland here. Hopefully the traffic. Although I don't see it easing up as we get closer to five o'. Clock.

[Don La Greca]

He's keeping me abreast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Well, it's nice.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is he driving himself for the car service?

[Don La Greca]

Oh, we took care.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So he's listening to the show, Right?

[Alan Hahn]

We mean out.

[Don La Greca]

We could. He could be. Can we all. Can I just. Can we pause for one moment here? Sure.

[Alan Hahn]

Why not? Because there's a lot of silence.

[Don La Greca]

Well, no, no, no. There's a lot of people here that have come out to see us, and we greatly appreciate that, because it means a lot to us that you would take the time to come here and spend your afternoon with us.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Damn right.

[Don La Greca]

Which is why we're doing this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's your ace.

[Don La Greca]

And have you all noticed Don stop being Don today?

[Alan Hahn]

What do you mean?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, there's something not Don about Don.

[Don La Greca]

I got a haircut. Am I right or am I wrong? Like, Don doesn't seem like there's something not Don. Like, this is not Santa Don.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. And we. When Don wasn't on the other day, we suggested maybe don't would come dressed as Santa today.

[Don La Greca]

It was a thought.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And it's got the beard. Yeah, but he did not. You're not full Santa Don just.

[Alan Hahn]

It's been.

[Rod Strickland]

It's.

[Alan Hahn]

There's a lot going on. There's a lot I thought about.

[Don La Greca]

This is what happens when the Devils give up eight goals.

[Alan Hahn]

No, it has nothing to do with them losing. It has everything to do with. You know, it takes up a lot of my day.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, I know. So can we give Don a cheer, though?

[Alan Hahn]

There you go.

[Don La Greca]

Can we get a Don Lagra cheer? Can we do it? Something to pump him up, make him feel good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wait, you.

[Don La Greca]

We got to get the best of Don right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You would think Don was the person who found out today that he was never going back to hot nights.

[Alan Hahn]

We got to address that.

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah. It's.

[Alan Hahn]

Where did you find you like to do that now?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, sure. Why not? Sure. I'll.

[Rod Strickland]

I'll.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'll just.

[Don La Greca]

Family conversation, everyone. We do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I'll give you guys the first interview and I'll answer what I feel comfortable.

[Don La Greca]

So when did you find out, Peter?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I found out today at. This is the time when people find out that radio shows end. I found out at like 10am on Friday when I'm going on vacation next week. Merry Christmas.

[Don La Greca]

You have any inkling that this was coming?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes. There had been negotiations going on for a long time and I was not thrilled with where they'd gone. I implied this on the air more than once, that I was not happy with where things were going and I decided to just work without a deal. So I was just working without a deal. I was just going to work every day for free. No, no, no. I'm not an animal. I just. I just continued. You know, basically, if you're working without a deal, you make your salary that you're making, but you're working unprotected, get paid per day, and you get paid the way you get paid. But I just. I wasn't happy with where things were. I've had a lot of questions about the station and the direction. I love my team. Love. We're very close, as you know. Just like I'm close with this team, I'm very close with that team. And I've been with them almost 20 years. But I don't know that I thought the end was today.

[Don La Greca]

So you felt it was coming, but you didn't know how soon this caught you off guard.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it was. It was.

[Rod Strickland]

It's.

[Don La Greca]

It's like there's no farewell, no nothing. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that was. That was the risky part. I think we have been an edgy enough show on that.

[Rod Strickland]

On.

[Peter Rosenberg]

On HOT Ebro. Laura and I have been edgy enough that I knew we wouldn't get a final day because I had already been implying too much stuff that I wasn't thrilled with. If I were them, I wouldn't have said, hey, let's give him a last day. In a few hours they won't go rogue.

[Alan Hahn]

Are you kidding?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I would.

[Don La Greca]

You never.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Considering I had already implied, like, displeasure. But, like, my first day there was June, early June 2007.

[Don La Greca]

That's a run.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was a kid who dreamed of being on Hot 97 from DC and Summer Jam was like this mythical event at a stadium where all the big rappers performed. And my first day ever at work, Ebro, who was the boss at the time, told Me? Yeah. Just come up to the Meadowlands and we'll leave you, you know, tickets at will call, and then you'll do interviews and stuff. And I'm like, okay. So I Show up from D.C. at the Meadowlands at the time. I go get a credential. They hand me a mic with the mic flag that has the Hot 97 logo on it, which had been like, for me at the time. It's like the Yankee logo. And it's like, here, this is yours now. And then I had a camera guy with me, and I went backstage at Summer Jam, and I'm just flagging down all of these rappers who had just like, existed in magazines and on tv, and. And I'm now the guy being like, hey. And I reposted that video on my Instagram today of my first day. I had hair. I'm wearing a backward Red Sox hat. I look like Fred Durst. And that was nearly 20 years ago. I'm the longest tenured morning show host in Hot 97 history by, like, miles.

[Alan Hahn]

It was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was a long. A long run.

[Rod Strickland]

It's.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Thank you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'll take the smattering of Long island applause. Thank you.

[Alan Hahn]

I felt bad when I heard it. I know how important it was to you, but I also knew that it was kind of careening towards something like that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Anyway, radio only ends one of two ways, right? You either decide you're leaving early or you wait till it's done. I was in the process, over the last few months of deciding, do I want to show up one day and just have like a screw it moment and kind of, you know, create a buzz for the day and be gone? Or do I want to just ride with the team and see where the thing goes? And Ibro, Laura and I got together. We knew things were likely heading this direction. We feel like we still have a lot that we can do.

[Don La Greca]

Is that a hint?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. I would expect Ebro, Laura and I to continue to do things.

[Don La Greca]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And we'll. And we'll pick the place. A place that is more excited to have us there.

[Don La Greca]

How about your mother's house?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know if your mother's house in the plans. Ebro lives in Jersey. Laura's in Brooklyn. It'll be tough.

[Don La Greca]

No, I meant your mother's house.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, you want to show at my mother's house?

[Alan Hahn]

I know even longer commute.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I haven't. I haven't spoken to my mother yet.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, so she doesn't know my.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I know my dad. I told my dad okay, so I presume my mom knows, but, you know, like, no matter how many jobs I have and no matter how safe I am, I just feel like my mom will hear that something bad happened and it's like, oh, my God.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, my God.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You get your room ready. Sell the house.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what we have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Room for you and Natalie and the baby.

[Don La Greca]

I'll get your room ready.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't worry. Okay.

[Don La Greca]

We're gonna father get you a job at the plant.

[Peter Rosenberg]

At the place?

[Don La Greca]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

For the McGovern campaign too?

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a weird. But I'm just being honest with you guys. It's a weird day. I haven't like, processed it in a way that that's over. It's defined who I am. Like, Ballard's response was wild. Enjoy sleeping in. And I was like, whoa.

[Don La Greca]

What's funny? My first.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't have to wake up.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, I have things to do. And Maya will have me up by 8 o'.

[Rod Strickland]

Clock.

[Don La Greca]

But like, I don't wake up, though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's the different.

[Don La Greca]

Wake up, Donnie. I was thinking my first impression was, all right, he'll be more checked in with us.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I have to be. It's my only spot in live radio.

[Alan Hahn]

Hold on. Like grim death.

[Don La Greca]

Think we can hold. Hold it over a little bit too, I think. Leverage now. Major leverage.

[Alan Hahn]

But listen, it's been, it's been a tough week for radio.

[Don La Greca]

That is true.

[Alan Hahn]

And so all the more reason why we cherish you people and the job that I've had going on. 25 years here. So let's celebrate the holidays. We do feel bad for Peter, but.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, no.

[Alan Hahn]

He's got a nice opportunity here. No one on this Don Hanna Rosenberg, by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think, I think I'm now all.

[Alan Hahn]

He has left this afternoon.

[Don La Greca]

Dr. It. No, he's got.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, what a shame.

[Don La Greca]

Poor kid.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I, I have to go to D.C. tomorrow for WWE and Saturday night's main event.

[Alan Hahn]

From a radio standpoint.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, from a live radio standpoint.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you know, well, well, I, I, I did do cheap heats today on, on Sirius XM Pro Wrestling Nation 24. 7.

[Don La Greca]

It's gonna get money far.

[Alan Hahn]

You're finding a way. Now, before I forget, I promised him Mad Mike's birthday. Want to give him a shout out? Came over here with his Yankee sweatshirt and his SW Santa hat.

[Don La Greca]

So happy birthday.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks so much.

[Don La Greca]

Mad M, by the way, was a year ago at the holiday party that this show was birthed.

[Alan Hahn]

Birthed, yes. You were here. You were right to my right when the announcement was made you were going to be coming on and brought on stage. Michael was moving to 1 o' clock and that was on December 8th. It's December 12th, so pretty much almost to the day. By the way, as, as Anthony Wild year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Anthony Pusey came up to me and I walked in goes, can we have one year with a where a holiday party like doesn't have life changing news in the same day? I, I guess a show must always end the day of the holiday party.

[Don La Greca]

Let's not do this next year then, shall we?

[Alan Hahn]

Let's just not, you know, because I don't have anything.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I really agree with you on that.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, and then, and then when there wasn't any kind of work news, we, we lost Uncle Danny, Danny Aiello on holiday party day too. We did it out Buffalo Wild.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can I, can I, can I, can I throw in a good story though? For I've said it before, but I'll say it again.

[Alan Hahn]

Good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Holiday party 2020 holiday party. Coming out of the vape ape era after the holiday party, hung out with a lovely lady and made out with a woman for the first time post divorce. That was day of the holiday party. Like she met me after the holiday party.

[Don La Greca]

Ms. Hatton.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was not. No. Well, hold on, honey. It was a few months before I met Ms. Haddon. I had a very limited window.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, so this was your warm up. This was your pulpit. Here's.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, but I got a little bull.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't get to throw a full bullpen though.

[Alan Hahn]

Here's the story.

[Don La Greca]

Okay, here's the story.

[Alan Hahn]

If he had said that that's the day that he met Ms. Hatton.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

We're like, oh, oh. We find out that it was his first hookup since divorce. We're like, all right, all right. Much more interest man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Talk to us.

[Alan Hahn]

Good for you. That B.

[Don La Greca]

Everybody needs a good bullpen session.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's.

[Don La Greca]

You got to get.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But. But you got to work your way up, you know what I mean? That was.

[Alan Hahn]

And I threw a couple innings to the top of the Empire State Building. Buddy, we're proud of you.

[Don La Greca]

Look at you.

[Alan Hahn]

Rod Strickland's gonna be here in a few minutes. We got a pigs at 545. But I don't know how much you watched to the game last night. I was doing the Devils and I listening to the end of the game. I was. Todd Bowles might get fired.

[Don La Greca]

Did you see his post game?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh my. That's a post game of a guy that's going scorched earth. Because it's like, you know what? If I'm gonna go down, I'm gonna make sure I take a bunch of people with me.

[Don La Greca]

Well, they are saying, it's not like everybody's killing me because he's been under fire in Tampa. They have been on him and I think he's finally had it. And his point was enough blaming the coaches. These guys have got to take accountability to be ready to play and their assignments and know them and all those things. Baker Mayfield tried to take blame for it too. That was a great play on the interception, but it's really. He's looking at his defense.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, he's looking at his defense. All right.

[Don La Greca]

Kyle Pittsman.

[Alan Hahn]

Garlo is a 20, a 28 to 14 lead.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, that.

[Alan Hahn]

On the final possession, the Falcons who have been eliminated from playoff contention, nothing that lost to the jets, complete a fourth and 14 to keep the drive alive. Get in the field goal range and kick a game winning field goal at the buzzer. The Bucks, who still are the favorites to win the South. Yep. They've got a higher percentage to win the south than the Panthers who are in first place.

[Don La Greca]

The doors open.

[Alan Hahn]

The Panthers current chance of making the playoffs is 46%. The Buccaneers chances of making the playoffs are still 54.

[Don La Greca]

Don't they play each other twice? Twice. That's crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

But here's the thing. They've lost back to back home games to the Saints and Falcons. I mean, what are you doing? So they got the two games against the Panthers. The Panthers have beaten good teams. You know, the Panthers have beaten the Cowboys.

[Don La Greca]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Who did the Panthers beat just a couple of weeks ago?

[Don La Greca]

Rams.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Right. So. But and then the Buccaneers who should be running away with this division have lost, you know, back to back games at home against non playoff teams.

[Don La Greca]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

But it's week 15 and Giants and Commanders, both of those teams are eliminated. All right. Philadelphia is in must win mode against the Raiders. And the reason I say that is the Raiders are starting a backup quarterback. Eagles got to get right, man. They're 11 and a half point favorite.

[Rod Strickland]

Bears.

[Alan Hahn]

Bears are a playoff team right now. Everybody's talking to the Bears. They're the seventh seed. They got to win games here. They've got a 62% chance of making the playoffs. That drops to 41 if they lose.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can't lose to the Browns with the Bears are. They went to the seven.

[Alan Hahn]

They're the seven seed right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That is insane.

[Don La Greca]

It shows you how tight it is.

[Alan Hahn]

It's tight. All right. Ravens and Bengals all right. Bengals still have a pulse.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Stop.

[Alan Hahn]

But not much by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Neither of them have a real pulse.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, here are the Ravens. Okay. Ravens still have a chance to make the playoffs, but it's starting to run out. They're on the outside looking in. They've got a 34% chance of making the playoffs if they were to lose. That drops to 17. So the Ravens are in must win mode. All right, The Texans, they're the 7 seed right now. They've got a 91% chance of making the playoffs. 79 if they lose. So the Texans are great. All right. Bills and Patriots are in good shape, but I guess if the Bills fancy to catch the Patriots, they're going to have to win that game.

[Rod Strickland]

Game.

[Alan Hahn]

Jaguars are in not a must win mode, but it's a big game for them. Chiefs and Chargers. I, I if you still believe the Chiefs are alive.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't.

[Don La Greca]

Nope.

[Alan Hahn]

This is the last stand. Okay, the Chiefs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

What do you think the chief's current chances of making the playoffs are?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Percent I know. No, I know. It's single digits. It's, it's, I'd say 18%.

[Rod Strickland]

12.

[Peter Rosenberg]

12 it is.

[Rod Strickland]

12.

[Don La Greca]

That's still double digits. All right.

[Alan Hahn]

What do you think it goes up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To if they win? 18, 24, 17.

[Alan Hahn]

So you guys must have seen this.

[Don La Greca]

No, I didn't see what.

[Alan Hahn]

It drops down to 1% if they lose. So they're still mathematically alive if they lose, but let's face it, they, they would be dead. This cold Seahawks game is, is fascinating to me because of who might end up being the quarterback.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We have an announcement yet?

[Alan Hahn]

Not yet. Not that I've seen right now. Seahawks are obviously in great shape to make the playoffs. The colts currently at 29%. Think about that. This was the hottest team. We were actually having conversations about Daniel Jones going to the super bowl. And right now a 29% chance. They're clearly losing to the Seahawks, which is only going to drop them down to 23% if they were to find a way to win and move up to 53% I that. How big a story would that be if Philip Rivers plays and they beat the Seahawks in Seattle? How big a story is it if.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Philip Rivers thing actually happens? It will be gigantic. If it goes. If they go to the playoffs, it will become must see TV now. It was really interesting. Were you guys surprised yesterday at how revolted Damian Woody was by Philip Rivers?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, because you know why he was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All out offended by the idea.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, because.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But the average of the Average person is going to be rooting for it and loving it.

[Alan Hahn]

Right, but it. Listen, they play different positions but, and I'm not saying it's right to think this, but I guess I understand. Does it devalue you as an athlete to see somebody join your sport overweight, hasn't played in five years and was to do something? Well, like I don't think he should look at it that way. But you almost don't blame if he's like, no, this would be a joke. This is the NFL, man. This is not for long. And as great a story as it would be, it kind of comes across as like a gag reel, a joke. And does it devalue what these guys feel like they represent as NFL professional players?

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that's definitely how Damian Woody felt. But I'm telling you right now, if Philip Rivers were to go to the playoffs, the, the vast majority of people would be locking in to see can this 44 year old grandfather who's been out of the league for five years win a game. It becomes like a, a Hallmark football movie in two seconds.

[Don La Greca]

You know they make those.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh yeah, it's like the Tony Danza garbage man kicker vehicle.

[Don La Greca]

They've made two NFL movies what about the Bills and one about the Chiefs.

[Alan Hahn]

However, swear I believe you and this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Will be in the next one.

[Alan Hahn]

And I'm not. I would hate to see it because I've always liked a million kids and I get what he's doing and I wouldn't turn down the chance either. But if he were to go out there and embarrass himself, it would be a joke for the list. It's, there's no way around that. Peter, I agree that you're telling me that this was your pivot, this is your alternative. And if he goes out there and it's a great story, well, hey, it's a great story. But if it comes out and he's, he soils himself on the field to be like what, what you're telling me there was what you, you've made a mockery. There's a joke.

[Don La Greca]

Give me a comeback equivalent to this. Give me something equivalent, close to equivalent.

[Alan Hahn]

To this about me legit. Yeah, like something not like George Foreman. Well, Foreman, Foreman won.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, he, but it's also, but it's also his. He also worked his way back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Correct.

[Alan Hahn]

It was a five year, a off.

[Don La Greca]

The couch kind of moment. Right? Like, is there something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Foreman was, was 39 and then I think he won the title at 44, 45. It was a five year run.

[Alan Hahn]

Which is crazy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Working his way to get his. But.

[Alan Hahn]

But hey, that's an individual. He makes his choice given the opportunity. I'm talking about an organization saying that's still alive for the playoffs, saying this is our alternative.

[Don La Greca]

That was just called off the couch.

[Alan Hahn]

But you know, I, I love a.

[Don La Greca]

Pitcher that did that. Was there ever.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, there were guys that. Steve Carlton tried to make a comeback. Tom Seaver tried to make a comeback.

[Don La Greca]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

They failed. But those are regular season baseball games. 1 of 62. Not a team in Week 15 who needs to win a game to make the playoffs, saying, this might be our best chance to win. I mean, there's plenty of examples. It was.

[Rod Strickland]

This.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm missing one in football because there's definitely one in football. Usually it's like, oh, Jim Brown. Jim Brown went to camp with the Raiders in like 1983, 84 somewhere, and he got caught like. But those are guys trying to make a comeback feel good. I mean, week 15. I mean, it's one thing Joe Flacco, 39 or whatever, coming off the couch, having played last season, five years away from the game at 44, not in any kind of shape. That's because he happens to know the system and know the coach. I. I can't. Is there one in basketball?

[Rod Strickland]

I'm.

[Don La Greca]

I'm trying. I'm racking my brain trying to figure hockey's G floor.

[Alan Hahn]

Gilaflore came back after three years and played, but he played his 18 minutes. Actually wasn't that bad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean. Yeah. I mean, Magic coming back was crazy. But of course, he'd been gone for five minutes.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. And he was in his prime.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. But Gila floor is the only thing I can think that's pretty close it comes to that. But this is almost like player who.

[Don La Greca]

Retired and then I believe retired and.

[Alan Hahn]

Also went to the hall of Fame. Because it was the three years of. It was three year wait. And he goes to the hall of Fame.

[Don La Greca]

But Rivers, like right now if, like Martin. Martin Brodeur, like, like goaltending was needed and they were like, we don't really have anybody that good. You're still like, you're still in the organization. Let's just give you a contract, finish out the year. And he put on the pads and just play.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. In. In like the last week of the season when they, when they had to make the playoffs.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. On their way to making the playoffs. And they. And they just had too many injuries. They're starters. But here's the sign anybody. And they just do that.

[Alan Hahn]

I Get the story. You know, I get, you know, because a lot of things, these things happen because you're looking for attention.

[Don La Greca]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

You're telling me there's nobody else? There's nobody else. Peter, this is it. A guy that hasn't played for five years is my. Is my best chance.

[Don La Greca]

This is the NFL. It's unreal.

[Alan Hahn]

All of these quarters.

[Don La Greca]

What a story.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you, you guys makes a mockery.

[Don La Greca]

Of the quarterback position.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

But it tells you a lot of these younger guys just, they don't have it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you said it the other day, Alan, who would you rather have? The athletic guy who you don't know if he has the mental makeup for.

[Don La Greca]

It, the box of rocks, or the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Guy who you know is physically done, but if you could protect him and.

[Don La Greca]

Give him time until he knows what to do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I don't even think it's for me, it's less even knows what to do. It's built for the moment. Now, is that Philip Rivers now? I mean, respectfully, how many huge playoff wins does Philip Riverside, did he ever go on a run to the championship?

[Alan Hahn]

No, I. The biggest game of the week, to me, we didn't get to. To me, I think it's clear cut. It's the biggest game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Commander's Giants you're talking about.

[Alan Hahn]

After that, we didn't get to it. We're going to get to it next and then Rod Strickland is going to join us, we hope. We've Friday at 5, he's coming in. And we also have our picks at 545, ENN at 6.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah. Now it's your lineup like you dream.

[Don La Greca]

Oh.

[Alan Hahn]

This is the ESPN New York Holiday party and it's live from your mother's house in Garden City, Long Island. And it's brought to you by Amazon. Pickup Security Dodge, Spiked Aid made for big city social stamina and of course, espn.

[Rod Strickland]

You.

[Don La Greca]

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Alan Hahn]

Having four kids that you know about is actually getting a direct line to.

[Don La Greca]

The business big man up north.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Rod Strickland]

Mobile's unlimited wireless for $15 a month.

[Alan Hahn]

Now you don't even need to wrap it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Don La Greca]

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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.

[Alan Hahn]

This that's is the ESPN New York Holiday Party and it's live from your mother's house in Garden City Park, Long Island. And it's brought to you by Amazon Pickup Security Dodge and Spike Aid. Made for big city social stamina. And we're going to hold off the football for just a bit. Get back to a little bit later on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's get some hopes.

[Alan Hahn]

We got fraud alert Friday at 5, we got picks at 5, 45 and then at 6. But you know Legend in. In the building. You want to say hello and talk a little basketball? Rod Strickland, HEAD coach liu, former. Nick, Happy holidays, my friend. How you doing, you guys?

[Rod Strickland]

I'm good. I'm good.

[Don La Greca]

Now you. You were in Brooklyn. How long did it take you to get here?

[Rod Strickland]

One hour, 45 minutes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Come on, man.

[Don La Greca]

The effort the man made for us.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's too long, bro.

[Rod Strickland]

I'm telling you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not right.

[Rod Strickland]

My guy Allen told me to come. I'm coming.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that, you know, that's wrong.

[Rod Strickland]

This is.

[Alan Hahn]

That is pretty strong. Took me for 145, and I was coming from Central Jersey, but a little earlier, so.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, my God. But we appreciate you for doing that and for everybody who doesn't it, because it's always like, what are you doing these days? And you see the gear. Rod Strickland, the head men's basketball coach at LIU and liu, guys, came into this season. Now, this is your fourth year, Fourth season. So you've been building something or trying to.

[Rod Strickland]

Absolutely.

[Don La Greca]

Preseason number one in the nec. Yes, Preseason number one. So he is building something. Now. Non conference schedules are always. You want to get some tough opponents. You want. You're going to be on the road a lot. And you got five wins, right? Five and five and four.

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah, we're five and four right now. Five, five wins, four on the road. And I think we got the second most wins in the country on the road right now. So.

[Don La Greca]

Wow. Okay.

[Rod Strickland]

We're off to a pretty good.

[Don La Greca]

So you're building something. And then tomorrow, lasalle.

[Rod Strickland]

Yes.

[Don La Greca]

At home. At home in Brooklyn.

[Rod Strickland]

Yes.

[Don La Greca]

Come out and support Rod Strickland and liu because this program is heading in the right direction. I'm very proud of it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Were you. When did. When was coaching on your mind as a possibility for after your career?

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah. So it's weird because, like I tell people now, I may go back and apologize to a couple of my coaches.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You weren't a coach friendly player.

[Rod Strickland]

I mean, you know, always, but. So I would just tell you that during my playing days, you know, I was just thinking about playing basketball. I don't think I understood or thought about the next step. Once I finally retired, I remember I was home for a while. I didn't know what to do. And I called a friend, I said, I need a job. And that's how I got to college basketball with John Calipari, because I went to Memphis, then Kentucky, then usf.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now when you. Wait, real quick now, when you said, I need a job.

[Rod Strickland]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You were poured because you had some pretty good contracts. It was just. You wanted to do something.

[Rod Strickland]

It was once I finished playing basketball. Right. So my whole day, my whole week, whatever. If I hung out all night, whatever I did that next day, I'm going in the gym and I'm going to compete or I'm going to get better. And so once my career was over, now the next day don't mean the same. Right. So now I'm in the bed early in the morning in the movie room with the lights out. Don't know what to do. So now I'm getting bored.

[Peter Rosenberg]

At least you had a movie room. It's a good starting point.

[Don La Greca]

No, but it's still.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you didn't want to live in.

[Don La Greca]

The movie because you needed a why.

[Rod Strickland]

I need a why. And I'm calling my friends. They got to go to work. So everything was kind of off tilt. And then I went to college basketball.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Coach Cal brought you in. He brought you.

[Rod Strickland]

Coach Cal was the best because he gave me an opportunity and he let me grow. So the first two years or a few years, I was still in NBA mode.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right? Right.

[Rod Strickland]

But you know what I mean? But he didn't really need me. He kind of used me for Rod Strickland point guards. So I was able to adapt and adjust. Then I went to Kentucky, so I was able to grow into it. But then from there, I went from Memphis to Kentucky. Four Final Four, one national title. I go to usf. It was a little struggle. Then from there I went to the NBA and I was an executive and ran team Ignite. And then from all of that, I got a call and it was like, would you. Would you want to coach at liu? I said, let's talk about it. And so I had a conversation and spoke with the president, and they offered me the job. And, you know, that's kind of how all this transpired.

[Alan Hahn]

Is it. Is it different winning as a coach as opposed to a player?

[Rod Strickland]

It's just a whole different process because as a player, I have that ball in my hands like I'm the point guard. So I know some of the things I can personally do to affect the game As a coach, you know, you got a whole totality. You know, as a leader, you have the university administration, coaching coaches, players, culture. So it's just a little different. But it's all the same as basketball. You gotta get.

[Alan Hahn]

Still satisfying, all right?

[Rod Strickland]

Still satisfied. I feel like I'm a basketball person. Everything I've done to this point has been a part of basketball. And I think I've excelled at it. So to me, I'm just a basketball person and I think I can fit in many different areas.

[Don La Greca]

How does it. That level, the mid major level, how does the things that we're seeing in college sports now portal nil? How much does that affect that level? Is it. I mean, because it's astronomical at the highest level.

[Rod Strickland]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

Are you. Do you have to deal with that on a daily basis? Keeping my players and Absolutely. Taking care of guys.

[Rod Strickland]

Absolutely. It's all relative. You know, it trickles down. You know, the money may be different, the conversation, I don't know. Conversation are kind of the same. Just not the same amounts of money. You know what I mean? But you still. So wherever you're at, you know, you got the power fours, fives, whatever they call them, and they have to deal in that space. Well, at my, in my space, I want to be on top of that.

[Don La Greca]

Yep.

[Rod Strickland]

So I got to try to figure out how do I can. How I can become the best at that part where I'm at.

[Don La Greca]

So you were talking about being home bored your pro career had ended. Did it ever dawn on you, like we're seeing in the NFL this weekend with Philip Rivers stepping in after four and a half years out? Did you ever think to yourself that you could do something like that if someone called you? You know what, we got injuries at our point guard position. We're trying to make the playoffs. Strict. You got anything left in those legs, we need you. Could you have done it?

[Rod Strickland]

I don't know. But I'll tell you this. What I realized after I retired my last three or four years, I wasn't as good as I thought I was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When you went back and looked, you.

[Rod Strickland]

Wanted to say, I thought I was, you know, I might have thought as.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nice as I've ever been. And that's the buzz and I'm smarter now, so. So don't even worry about it.

[Don La Greca]

Right. You had all the stories, you had nice people's in.

[Rod Strickland]

But listen, I'll never forget this. And I to my brother recently about this. I never forget I was with the Houston Rockets my last year and I got cut eventually. But I never forget getting a text from my brother and he was like, man, it's hard watching you out here.

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Rod Strickland]

Oh, man, I wanted to fight my brother.

[Don La Greca]

No, he was being real, though.

[Rod Strickland]

He was being honest. I don't know what. But the timing was bad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

So you couldn't have done it. Is there any curiosity, you have a game Saturday. Is there any curiosity for you at all? As A professional athlete to watch Philip Rivers, if he does get in and say, I need to see with this, what happens.

[Rod Strickland]

Well, now that you told me, because I, I kind of heard it, I didn't pay a whole lot of attention.

[Don La Greca]

You're a little busy.

[Rod Strickland]

And so now you said that I'm definitely interested because.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, we don't know yet.

[Rod Strickland]

Five years.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Five years.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Rod Strickland]

Like I'm. As a football player.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. And, and, and, and how do I say this? Delicately? And he got fat. I'm, I mean, I'm just saying, don't sugarcoat it, but. Okay, he looks a little fat, so it's going to be very interesting.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If he steps on the feet, bigger target, big, slower. And he was never a speedy quarterback.

[Don La Greca]

No. That was not his game.

[Alan Hahn]

Now, Damen Woody, we had him on. And you remember Damien Woody, offensive lineman for the jets, the Patriots? He almost seemed offended by seeing this opportunity because I guess as a former player, it's like, listen, it's a fraternity and it's kind of. I don't want it to be a joke. How would you feel if there was an NBA player, similar circumstances that went in and played? Would you be happy for him, rooting for him? Would you be like, I don't want this to be a joke. I played in that league.

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah. I don't know. I can't. I don't want to talk. I don't want to talk to him who had his opinion. But I don't know if I look at it like that, like, if someone had an opportunity and they thought. Because I know what athlete thinks, when you're at your lowest or when you're going downhill, you still think you better than you probably are. And so I can't go to his mindset, but if he gets that opportunity, I would really. Me, as an athlete, as a competitor, I'm like, wow, I want to see this.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Rod Strickland]

I want to see. I might, I might not believe I can do it, but I want to see.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

You didn't, you didn't come that long away, but it took you a long time. And we got to ask you about the Knicks. Would you mind hanging another second?

[Rod Strickland]

Absolutely.

[Alan Hahn]

Because.

[Don La Greca]

Because he could say the whole show.

[Alan Hahn]

The Knicks are playing in something that you never had to deal with, the NBA Cup. I'm really curious how you think about that state of the NBA So much to get into Rod Strickland with us. We're hanging out with you till 7 o'.

[Don La Greca]

Clock.

[Alan Hahn]

We're here at the ESPN New York holiday party. Here at Mother your mother's house in Garden City Park, Long Island. And it's brought to you by Amazon Pickup Security Dodge and Spike Aid. Made for big city social stamina on ESPN New York.

[Rod Strickland]

This episode is brought to you by State Farm.

[Alan Hahn]

Listening to this podcast Smart move Being financially savvy Smart move. Another smart move having State Farm help you create a competitive price when you choose to bundle home and auto bundling. Just another way to save with a personal price plan.

[Rod Strickland]

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Don La Greca]

This episode is brought to you by McAfee.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, playoff tickets. Just need to click here and wait.

[Rod Strickland]

What fake site? Good thing McAfee threw the red flag.

[Alan Hahn]

That would have been 400 bucks gone.

[Don La Greca]

McAfee blocks risky sites so you don't.

[Alan Hahn]

Pay for seats and other things that don't exist. Plans start at just $39.99 for your first year. That's cheaper than parking on game day. Learn [e-mail] onlineprotection.

[Don La Greca]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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.

[Alan Hahn]

This is the ESPN New York Holiday Party and it's live from your mother's house in Garden City Park, Long Island. Brought to you by Amazon Pickup Security Dodge and Spike Aid made for big city social stamina. You're on your way home. You're in the area. Swing by. We're going to be here till 7 o'. Clock. Hang out with us. Rod Strickland's with us for another segment because I wanted to ask you just about the NBA Cup. You played in the NBA a long time. Knicks have a chance to win it. They could beat the Magic tomorrow. And then the winner of the spurs and the Thunder. They can win a championship in the middle of a season. Which is odd. How do you think you'd handle that if you had a chance to win it when you play?

[Rod Strickland]

Oh, I think it would be great.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Rod Strickland]

I thought it was a great addition to the NBA, kind of bring a little excitement to the beginning of the season, and I believe that's what they did it for. So I think it's a great thing. You get to win a chip in the beginning, and, you know, you got your. Obviously you got your winners at the end of the year, but I would have loved to be a part of that.

[Alan Hahn]

Now you want to tell them about our, you know, pinhead suits philosophy or you don't even want to?

[Don La Greca]

I first want to just because I. I want. I'd love to get your reaction to this, because. Never mind. You know, it. Winning a championship, putting up a banner, all those things in the middle of a season, but winning this game, just getting to this game, every player got a hundred and six thousand dollars. Winning this game, the worst you'll get is $212,000 more winning the whole thing. $530,000 each player. Now, for some players, you know, that.

[Rod Strickland]

Are making the big money night out.

[Don La Greca]

But if you're a guy at the end of the bench, absolutely not bad. Yeah, I might be on your case, Rod. Like, I might. I'd be literally the end of the bench guy, but I. Every time out, I might be like, let's go.

[Rod Strickland]

Be sure. For sure.

[Don La Greca]

That's. That's a half mil for me, and I'm a G league guy. Like, that's big money.

[Rod Strickland]

That's big.

[Don La Greca]

How much does that change the whole dynamic when the money's involved?

[Rod Strickland]

I think. Well, like you said, a lot of these players are making way more money. But I do. I do think it's like a rallying cry, like, to get those other guys money.

[Don La Greca]

They all say it.

[Rod Strickland]

I do believe that for sure, because if I was a vet and I was making so much more money and we're in the championship game, I can guarantee you I would want to win it, to get those guys, the guys with the lower. Absolutely.

[Don La Greca]

Lower salary. See how he pointed at Peter when he said those guys.

[Alan Hahn]

Those guys.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now. Now I want to throw a few names at you. Can you remind my micro a little bit, by the way, at least in my head, I feel super low. Thank you. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Alan Hahn]

There we go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right. Tell me if I get any of these wrong. You played for Patino.

[Rod Strickland]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

At the Knicks, you played for Larry Brown.

[Rod Strickland]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You played for Rick Adelman.

[Rod Strickland]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You played for PJ Carisso.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, that must be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You played for Bernie Bickerstaff?

[Rod Strickland]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Mo Cheeks?

[Rod Strickland]

No, not Mo.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay, that's wrong. Thank you. Chat GPT Pat Riley?

[Rod Strickland]

Yes. Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Stan Van Gundy?

[Rod Strickland]

Yes. He was assistant. Oh my God.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jeff Van Gundy, head coach.

[Rod Strickland]

He was assistant. Oh yeah. In Houston.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jeff was his head coach. And you played for Flip Saunders briefly or no?

[Rod Strickland]

Absolutely, yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who was the best coach?

[Rod Strickland]

All right, so I can. Right away I'm gonna tell you. Rick Adelman was the guy who took my game to another level when I went to Portland. He put me in different situations as a player I was known as, as a point guard, ball in my hands. He started me posting up and he also started bringing me off screen. So he kind of balanced my game. I love Pat Riley. I played for one year and everybody thought we would be all in water, but I love Pat Riley and I love Pat. And he was hard and he was rough and he said some things to me that I probably wouldn't let other coaches get away with. But I always knew where he was coming from and I always knew that if you're, if you, if you're winning, you're the best. If you're losing, you're a piece of excuse my friend. But it's like he just had that, like you knew he's about winning and you knew he's going to tell you to your face whether it's you the first player, fifth player. So I respected him so much. I wish I played for Pat Riley more. But I also have Bernie Bickerstaff who's great. Obviously Rick Patino's great, Larry Brown was great. But I know Rick Alderman kind of started me on.

[Don La Greca]

He found like he, he. Because everybody in New York hated that trade. But he found you that there was more to your game.

[Rod Strickland]

Yes.

[Don La Greca]

And you saw it and that's when your career took off. You mentioned Rick Patino. That was a young Rick Patino.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm about to say was that, was that like the 30s?

[Don La Greca]

That was 80s, late 30s.

[Peter Rosenberg]

40 year old Rick Pino.

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah. Cuz that was his second year with the Knicks.

[Don La Greca]

That's right. And, and that was the bomb squad. That was the. You guys were, were fast break shooting threes before. That was a thing.

[Rod Strickland]

That's a fact. That's a fact. At the time when you, when you.

[Don La Greca]

Came in and here's this coach going, this is what we're going to do at three point line. No, no, stop there and shoot throws. Did you think this is crazy?

[Rod Strickland]

No.

[Don La Greca]

Or did you think this is where.

[Rod Strickland]

The Game's going, yeah, because I'm coming from college, I'm coming to the NBA. So I'm thinking this is what it is. You know what I mean? So. And that was his style. And I loved it because, I mean, he kind of helped me to kind of expand my game. But also we were pressing.

[Don La Greca]

Yep.

[Rod Strickland]

And then we were getting up and down. Like, I went to DePaul University because I wanted to get up and down. So I kind of walked into a situation that kind of fit me. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did you enjoy playing against Michael Jordan? Despise him. Where did you land in the Jordan of it all?

[Rod Strickland]

Like, and I, I don't want to say it like this, but you play against Jordan knowing who he is. But once you step on the court, you compete. So it was just a matter of, I know who he is. He's beating everyone. Let's try to beat him or let's see where we're at. But obviously it was great to compete against him just because of such a competitor. Six, six, jump out the gym. IQ off the charts. And he was like a rock star back then. So, you know, when you played against him, you knew odds were on you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you could feel that, like when you walked on the court.

[Rod Strickland]

Absolutely.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The cameras hit different.

[Rod Strickland]

Absolutely. The court hit without a doubt.

[Don La Greca]

Speaking of rock star, that's what Jalen Brunson is now in New York. And it, it's. I always would say this. You and Mark Jackson were together on the same team for a very short time. And that was like having two point gods on one. Like, that was for me as a kid, like I was. And I don't mean to make you feel old now, but for me, I'm like, this is. All you want is to have New York point guards running a New York team. And then it went 20 something years where that level of play at the point guard position just wasn't there. Consistently. Jalen Brunson comes along and. And you, I'm sure you know Rick and you knew Rick and all that, but did, did that catch you by surprise? And what about his game as a point guard that you look at that you appreciate the most?

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah. So I watched Jalen in high school, so I saw him and I thought he was really good. Right. I didn't know he would be this. Yeah, I had no clue how good he was. Even watching him at Villanova, you knew he was a technician. You knew he knew how to play the game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

People watch him on the Mavericks and still didn't know he would do this.

[Rod Strickland]

But when you watch him, and I got a chance to watch him with the Knicks, his footwork is ridiculous. Like, he's a technician.

[Don La Greca]

Is that typical for a point guard?

[Rod Strickland]

I don't think so. I mean, his footwork is incredible. And he has, you know, he has a body, he's strong, so he knows how to bump off you. You know, he knows how to get separation and then he has footwork, pump fake, step throughs, you know, spin around, and that's tough. And he's patient. So he's not a speedster.

[Don La Greca]

Right.

[Rod Strickland]

Which I think helps him because now he can be patient. He doesn't have to go too fast.

[Don La Greca]

Right, right.

[Alan Hahn]

Being a coach yourself, how did you find the change that they made at coach after going to the conference finals, feeling like they needed to get somebody different than Tibbs?

[Rod Strickland]

Well, and I love Tibbs, but I, I looked at it like if they made that decision, it was for a reason. Like they saw something. Right, Right. But I think Tibbs should get so much credit because the Knicks were so down, and that's Wes and Leon. Because the Knicks were so down and they had the foresight to see that they needed Tom Thibodeau to come in here and make this thing right. And he did exactly his job, and he brought us back to relevance. He made us more than we were. And so I think at some point in time, they looked at it and they said, now to get to the next level, we got to make a change. And so whether I agree, don't agree, but I believe they saw it. And I believe, I mean, you can. Mike Brown is a great coach and a great person and a great motivator, and I think he brings a different energy, and sometimes you need that. Sometimes you got guys who've been with a coach for so long and you can't get over the hump. You done heard the voice long enough. There's some irritants, like, you know, and now you. You know what I mean?

[Don La Greca]

And so with all, with all the coaches to get back to, because it's interesting, because you are coaching now, so you're seeing it from the coaching eye. Everything you just explained, you sounded like a coach, less like a player with the coaches that Peter just named that you played for and you talked about Riley, who do you emulate the most?

[Alan Hahn]

Who. Who.

[Don La Greca]

Who do you draw from the most? And can you coach that way? What you said about Riley with today's players.

[Rod Strickland]

Right. And I don't, I don't know if I kind of emulate anyone. I just kind of Picked from certain things. Like I love Pat Riley because he was so straightforward. So I want to be straightforward. I love Rick Adelman because he was a player coach and he kind of helped you and had conversations with you and kind of rallied behind you and. And. But more importantly is my experiences. You know, how I felt like a player. So like I was a player that, you know, I wasn't gonna let the coach talk to me all kinds of ways. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So I'm from the Bronx, right?

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah. So I'm not really that unless I have to be or I try not to be that. Right. But I also, from a player's perspective, I know the mindset, I know the mentality. I know this ain't easy. I know young people have to have confidence. I know sometimes you could take it away if you do too much, but then I know if you don't do enough, they can take advantage of it. So there's these fine lines that, you know, I play in or play with, you know, during the course of a. A season. And I don't think it's just automatically you're like this. You know what I mean?

[Don La Greca]

I do. And that's how I try to situation with players Now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, before we let you go, I'd be remiss. We just mentioned you're from the Bronx, the birthplace of hip hop. Don, you have to understand, I know you enjoyed the the first Wu Tang album, Don. That's one of your big forays into hip hop. 1997, their follow up album comes out. They dropped the lead single off the album and like I can't describe how big the moment was and this and. And Jake has it ready. This is how the song. One of the greatest rap songs of all time, by the way. Triumph by Wu Tang ends Traffic Sit.

[Alan Hahn]

Down the Re God the Delegate Guard the Seagull the Swift Chancellor Flex the white gold tarantula track Truck Diesel play the we go substantial Up Max mostly.

[Rod Strickland]

Undivided then sliding sickening guaranteed Made him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jump like Ross Strickland the first time. You're the whole talking about the song and it ends going to dead air. Made him jump like Rod Strickland. Did your head explode?

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah, that's big time. Big time. Like I tell people now, like they put me in the mix forever. Forever. That song will go on and on and on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was the middle of your career.

[Rod Strickland]

It's always conversations about it. And I'm. I'm doing our pearl line now. Make them jump instead of made him jump really. But yeah, yeah, wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Still based on that.

[Alan Hahn]

Liu hosting la Salle tomorrow, 4 o'.

[Don La Greca]

Clock.

[Alan Hahn]

Good luck. Thanks.

[Rod Strickland]

Appreciate you.

[Don La Greca]

That was awesome.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Give it up for Rod Strickland.

[Don La Greca]

Great. Rod Strickland.

[Alan Hahn]

Fraud alert. Friday next.

[Don La Greca]

Pleasure.

[Alan Hahn]

ESPN New York's holiday party. Live from your mother's house, Garden City Park, Long Island. Brought to you by Amazon Pickup, Security Dodge and Spiked Aid. Made for big city social stamina on ESPN New York.

[Don La Greca]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. 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.