Hour 2: Rod Strickland & The List

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: Rod Strickland & The List

Date: March 11, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Special Guests: Rod Strickland, Alan Houston

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Episode Overview

Hour 2 of “Don, Hahn & Rosenberg” brings a deep dive into March basketball, New York sports, and the triumphant story of LIU’s basketball program under coach Rod Strickland. The hosts are joined in studio by Strickland for a revealing, celebratory conversation about his journey as a head coach, program-building at a mid-major, and the emotional rewards of leading young athletes to the NCAA Tournament. The episode also features a surprise call-in from Knicks legend Alan Houston, and closes with the show’s signature musical segment—a passionate “Top 5 Father-Son Songs” list, replete with heartfelt lyric readings and host banter.

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Key Episode Segments & Insights

1. New York Sports Update & Tournament Buildup

[00:34 – 03:57]

• Knicks road trip and the anticipation for college basketball’s March Madness.
• Celebrating LIU and Hofstra both clinching NCAA bids; local pride in New York basketball.
• Fun banter about the current energy on Long Island: Islanders comeback win, local college teams making “the dance,” and a packed Newsday sports page.

2. Rod Strickland’s Coaching Journey & LIU’s Turnaround

[07:03 – 25:59]

• [07:29] Don La Greca: “Four years ago...you won three games. Four years later, you win 24. It’s the most in 15 years. You’ve got the tournament bid, NAC championship, your coach of the year...Where do you rank this season?”
• [08:13] Rod Strickland (on taking the LIU job):
  “It was a leap of faith... I don’t think most people when I left the NBA would have thought I’d be a coach... But I believed in myself, and I thought I can improve an environment just putting the right people around me. And I think we did that... It’s been a journey. It’s been fulfilling. ...That’s what we do as New Yorkers...we figure it out.”
• Building a winning program: Emphasizes culture-building, assembling a strong staff, and growing from a 3-win season to 24 wins and a tournament berth.
• Discusses the difference between being an assistant in power conferences and a head coach at a mid-major.
• Strickland’s adaptability and humility as a leader—meeting players where they are, relating to their unique experiences, and balancing “tough love” with personal growth.
• How his own playing and personal history informs his ability to connect with and coach young people.
• [14:31] Allen on mid-major transfers: “They went to a top tier D1 school, didn’t play, got completely dejected, and now they’re at a lower tier school where you got to go find that original kid from high school.”
• [18:50] Rod Strickland (on “Why LIU?”): “Never [thought ‘what am I doing here’]...I try to stay in this middle ground because I don't...carry myself above it. ...Applause can be fate. You up here one day, next minute you down here. So I can't let anything else tell me who I am.”
• Program impact: Now LIU is on the map, better for recruiting, and can “do something special in New York City.”

3. Alan Houston Surprise Call-In

[19:37 – 21:23]

• Alan Houston calls in to congratulate Rod Strickland, sharing personal anecdotes on Strickland’s impact as a coach and mentor.
• [20:01] Alan Houston: “First of all, congrats. ...All of us who knew Rod before he became a coach, when he was playing and then he was coaching...that's just who Rod is. ...It doesn't surprise me that y’all are here.”
• [20:34] Rod Strickland: “It feels great...We’ve been the number one target all year. We were supposed to win. That’s hard to do...it’s been an incredible growth moment for me.”

4. Cinderella Run & NCAA Tournament Fears and Hopes

[22:19 – 26:17]

• Discussing the importance of clinching a tournament spot in a conference with probationary teams, and the different mental pressures of regular season versus conference tournament.
• Anticipating first-round matchups against “blue bloods” and how to prepare players for facing powerhouse programs.
• [23:56] Allen: “Some of these kids ain’t ever seen talent like this on a night in, night out basis. This is truly the big league.”
• Strickland details how to prepare (“defend, rebound, 50-50 balls, be the toughest team”).
• Hosts explore the emotional magnitude if LIU were to pull a first-round upset.
• Insight into a coach’s real nerves and game-day routines: Strickland confesses, “I threw up before every game when I played in the NBA until I was a non-starter in my last five years” ([26:17]).

5. Generational Changes & NBA Anecdotes

[27:07 – 32:37]

• Discussion of Bam Adebayo’s historic scoring night and comparing it with classics like Kobe’s 81-point game versus current NBA “foul fests.”
  • [05:59] Rosenberg: “Even though it’s second most points ever scored, maybe it doesn’t make your top five for that reason.”
• Revisiting Rod’s own highest career scoring game—reflecting on how his style would fit today’s NBA:
  “That court spread...I might have 50 and 20 assists. ...The guard...the usage...ball in your hands.”

6. The List: Top 5 Father-Son Songs

[34:38 – 46:58]

• [34:45] Segment intro: Rosenberg explains his list this week is “father-son songs,” prompting an emotional, funny, and music-geeky discussion.
• Reading and dissecting the lyrics to songs that stand out for their emotional heft, especially in context of parenthood.
• Ranked Songs:
  1. “Cat’s in the Cradle” – Harry Chapin (the ultimate father-son song, universally relatable, brings hosts near tears)
  2. “Father and Son” – Cat Stevens (“His voice is particular...You have to hear the whole song.”)
  3. “Leader of the Band” – Dan Fogelberg (“If you pay attention to the words, by the end of the song, you’re done. Kleenex.”)
  4. “Beautiful Boy” – John Lennon (“It was in Mr. Holland’s Opus.”)
  5. “Watching Scotty Grow” – Bobby Goldsboro (“Complete corn pone, but I get how it works. It hits for you.”)
• Bonus mentions: Elton John’s “Levon”, Paul Simon’s “St. Judy’s Comet”, Everclear’s “Father of Mine”, George Michael’s “Father Figure,” and Luther Vandross’ “Dance with My Father.”
• Direct lyric readings, personal associations, and laughter/near tears from the hosts.
• [39:38] Don: “I hung up the phone and it occurred to me, he’d grown up just like me. My boy’s just like me. ...I can’t say it. You can't do it.”
• [53:09] Don: “No Luther Vandross? ...Try to get through [‘Dance with My Father’]. After I lost my dad, that song...yeah. Holy crap.”

7. Cultural/Pop Culture Tangent: Movie Reflections

[47:58 – 53:06]

• Allen shares emotional takeaways from movies (“Beautiful Boy,” “American Beauty,” “Sixth Sense”) and how films help process family relationships and personal growth.
• Hosts riff on memorable movie twist endings (Sixth Sense), and the role media plays in emotional introspection.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Rod Strickland on coaching at LIU (08:13):
  “This was like another challenge... I believed in myself, and I thought I could improve an environment with just putting the right people around me.”
• Strickland on humility and motivation (18:52):
  “If I walk in a room of men and women, I'm amongst the men and women. I don't see myself above that. Applause, you know, that can be fate.”
• Alan Houston’s heartfelt congrats (20:01):
  “First of all, congrats... that’s just who Rod is. ...We saw it and it doesn’t surprise me that y’all are here.”
• Strickland on tournament dreams (25:39):
  “If you were to somehow ever win a game like that, it might be the greatest accomplishment and feeling of your entire lifetime coming to you at nearly 60 years old. ...When you walk in there, you're thinking about doing that.”
• Host music banter [38:59]:
  Don: “Now he doesn’t have time for him. Now he doesn’t have time for me. The thing that we never got—time.”
  Rosenberg: “If you have a problem with Cats in the Cradle number one, you’re not human, you’re a bot.”
• On the power of music & fatherhood [44:14]: Allen:
  “This conversation makes me think, because Natalie and I go back and forth about if we want...another child...and it makes me think I probably need to feel what it's like to have a son.”

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Segment Timestamps

• [00:34] Knicks, college hoops, Hofstra/LIU story
• [07:29] Rod Strickland interview begins
• [19:37] Alan Houston call-in
• [22:19] Clinching tournament, pressure talk
• [23:56] NCAA matchups, preparing players
• [26:17] Strickland’s playoff nerves anecdote
• [27:39] NBA scoring: Comparing eras, Bam Adebayo
• [34:45] The List: Father-Son Songs
• [39:38] Emotional climax of song lyric reading
• [47:58] Movie emotions & pop-culture tangent

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Tone, Energy, and Style

This episode is evocative and celebratory, blending New York basketball pride, deep sports insight, nostalgia, and real emotional depth. The hosts tease each other and their guests with warmth and irreverence but aren’t afraid to get serious when talking about fatherhood, legacy, and the emotional impact of music and film. The Strickland interview glows with gratitude and humility; the musical segment is a showcase of the show’s offbeat, heartfelt, and culture-savvy sensibility.

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For New Listeners

If you haven’t caught this episode, here’s what you’ll experience:

• A masterclass in program-building at a mid-major, by one of New York’s basketball legends
• Candid, humble reflections on personal and professional transitions
• Emotional, often funny discussions on sports, music, and movies that shape lives
• The kind of “only-in-New York” sports radio camaraderie and depth you won’t find anywhere else

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End of summary.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

Shot clocks, big shots, upsets, aces. TGL playoffs are here. First Atlanta drives, starts their repeat run against Los Angeles Golf Club. Then Rory's Boston Common golf and Tigers Jupiter Lynx face off in their playoff debuts. Who will advance? Keep up its playoffs. Tune in Tuesday, March 17th at 6:30pm and 9:00pm only on ESPN and the ESPN app. This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Rosenberg]

Game time is brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, fellas, Probably time. The Knicks are in Utah to take on the Jazz with coverage immediately following dan Gross on 880 at 8:30. This is the penultimate game of their road trip. They'll finish it up against Indiana.

[Don Hahn]

Good word.

[Rosenberg]

And we have coverage of the second round of the ACC tournament on 1050 starting at 6:30. Tullamore Dew, the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullamore Dew. Honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. So a lot on the table. Rod Strickland is going to join us in mere moments here in studio as LIU is going to the dance. Which is, which is tremendous. You love the stories this time of year.

[Don Hahn]

Shout out Hofstra too. Speedy Claxton the last time. He's the head coach now. Last time Hofstra got to the tournament, he was a player and Jay Wright was the coach.

[Rosenberg]

And that's, that's, that's not five minutes.

[Don Hahn]

That's pretty cool.

[Rosenberg]

So that would have been.

[Don Hahn]

But it meant, it means the world

[Rosenberg]

to him early to like what, maybe 2000, 2001. Do I have the time frame right?

[Don Hahn]

It's, yeah, it's, it's a bit.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's been like 25 years.

[Don Hahn]

It's amazing. It's really such a cool story though, because like obviously Jay Wright went on to go to Villanova and do, you know, great things, national championships. Speedy played professionally and then came back to his school and now his coaching. It's great.

[Allen]

Pretty cool stuff.

[Rosenberg]

No, it's very cool. So we've got, you know, a lot going on. You got the tournament going on. You've got runs in the NBA with the Knicks trying to get things going and of course the NHL. Great win for the Islanders last night. Down three nothing. I know the blues aren't good, but you're down Three nothing. And you come back, you tie the game, you win in overtime. Braden Chen had the assist on a tremendous goal by Barzell in overtime. So the Islanders are winning. So that should be kind of a fun run. So good time to be out on the island, right? Liu going to the dance. Hobster's going to the dance. It's like the Islanders are securing a playoff berth.

[Don Hahn]

Newsday sports page is very busy. Very.

[Rosenberg]

You would be a very busy man right now. Yeah. Not that you're not busy now, but I'm just saying.

[Don Hahn]

What do you mean? Very, very lazy.

[Allen]

You think. You think Allen, I don't work hard enough? Maybe after his NBA stuff goes, does a little contributing just on the side. Just go help out the newspapers in Long Island.

[Rosenberg]

You want to give back?

[Don Hahn]

I mean, give back?

[Allen]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

You know, you don't think I could get just, you know, get a little something? Little? No, no cheese on the taco. Guest columnist.

[Allen]

That's right. Just a little fudge to support the art. You know what I mean?

[Rosenberg]

He wants you to get paid.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I was looking for that.

[Allen]

He's. This guy's very wealthy. Kidding me?

[Rosenberg]

I don't think it's about wealth. I just think that they would take his work and ask him to abstain from any money. And if he wanted to get paid, they'd say, thanks, we're good, right?

[Allen]

No, that's it. That's how it works these days in newspapers,

[Rosenberg]

radio.

[Allen]

Oh, Alan, we'd love to have you. Thank you for coming back. Cool. What's the pay? I'm sorry. What's that?

[Don Hahn]

I'm sorry.

[Rosenberg]

How's. How about lunch?

[Allen]

Are you buying? How about lunch? You mean. Will you bring lunch?

[Don Hahn]

Charity? Yes. St. Anthony's University.

[Allen]

Not business.

[Rosenberg]

No, I'm just saying. I'm not. I'm just. I'm just throwing a dose of reality at you. That. That's probably how it would go down, but I. I think they would appreciate your work waiting on Rod. So while we do, why don't we go to Leary in Bergenfield? John, espn, New York.

[Allen]

Rod Strickland.

[Rod Strickland]

Oh.

[Allen]

Oh, got it. Cool.

[Rosenberg]

What's up, Larry?

[Alan Houston]

What's up, fellas? Thanks for taking my call. I love that you guys are having Strickland on. The LIU team's a great story this year.

[Allen]

And I'll be.

[Alan Houston]

I hope they get a play in game in the first round so they can be competitive. And when move on everywhere.

[Don Hahn]

I'd rather them right in. Give me a 16 seed. I'm good. Like, I don't. I Don't want to mess with date.

[Allen]

That is a good question.

[Rosenberg]

Like just getting a chance to maybe win a game.

[Don Hahn]

I know that's true. Get to get a tournament win out of it. Right? I guess.

[Alan Houston]

But I'd rather program if you get to play two games, you know, especially that in that play. But anyway, the thing that I wanted to say was I'm, you know, I'm not a huge NBA guy. I used to be just kind of. The product isn't as competitive to me. And I think the reassurance that I got was what I saw last night, because when I saw Adebayo was close to Kobe's number, I was able to tune in, and it just became a foul fest. And they were just giving him the opportunity to get to the line. And it really hurt me just on the sense of, you know, I wasn't there for Wilt's game. I don't know how that went. I don't know how legit that is. So I have to be fair. But I remember Kobe's game, and the Lakers were down in that game. Kobe earned every single one of those 81 points, you know, and I know everything's subjective to whatever. Whatever the case is, but I just think that's terrible. I mean, Jalen Rose was upset for 15 years after that happened. And then today you got these Warriors. These guys are not the warriors, the Wizards, they just could. They were practically helping him.

[Don Hahn]

Stupid. Yeah, but that's awful. But that's the whole idea. The other team was so pathetic. And that's the Wizards. They were so pathetic. They.

[Rod Strickland]

They.

[Don Hahn]

They have two superstars. They won't play. It's almost like they deserved it. They deserved it, but that's what you got to do.

[Rosenberg]

But I will. I will say this, that we should. There should be nuance. Okay, then. If we had a conversation, the greatest performances in NBA history, even though it's second most points ever scored, maybe it doesn't make your top five for that reason.

[Allen]

Right.

[Rosenberg]

And Kobe's, you'd look at better. Maybe you'd say, you know, I think Jordan's 55 is more significant because it happened in the Garden, but we did that, right? So I. But I do think that when you have a chance to go for it, why should you have to apologize because of the ineptitude?

[Don Hahn]

Would you have stopped?

[Rosenberg]

No, I wouldn't.

[Don Hahn]

The team I'm playing sucks. They're not even trying get me off the course.

[Rosenberg]

Why not?

[Allen]

No, your opportunities in life to become a part of history are limited. Bam. Adebayou is a great player. He will go down in Miami Heat lore. But to go down in NBA lore,

[Rosenberg]

I don't know that.

[Allen]

Bam. This is going to be the most significant thing he ever does in his career.

[Don Hahn]

Could be.

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Like, he's not.

[Allen]

He's probably not going to.

[Don Hahn]

What he does now, he's been on a gold medal winning team, stuff like that. Like, but this. Yeah, this.

[Allen]

Is he on a title team with them? No. Went to the finals with them.

[Don Hahn]

He went to the finals, right? Yeah, but.

[Allen]

But you don't know if you're gonna win a championship. You don't know what's going to happen.

[Don Hahn]

No. Rod is walking in momentarily.

[Allen]

Good. Don's waiting on Rod.

[Don Hahn]

This is why. This is why I'm a hard bro. This is why I'm a huge fan of this man. Because, you know, a lot of times now, he joined us for our holiday party.

[Rosenberg]

He did.

[Don Hahn]

And, and we. We got him a ride from. To Long island from Brooklyn.

[Rosenberg]

Got him a ride. And did you at least. But did you get a meal that day? Did you get something to eat?

[Don Hahn]

Did you eat?

[Allen]

No, they didn't get.

[Rod Strickland]

No.

[Don Hahn]

Is the microphone on? Yeah. Turn it on. Yeah, let's, let's.

[Rosenberg]

So he came to. To your mother's house and we didn't feed him?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, no, we did. Apparently we didn't feed him. But how about this? We have him come in today and I'm expecting he's going to get driven here.

[Allen]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

As he should. And all he did.

[Allen]

He got driven here.

[Don Hahn]

He drove himself here. He drove yourself. This is what he does. This is why you have to respect what he did. Four years ago, when you got to Brooklyn to take over this program, you won three games. You don't have to do this. Four years later, you win 24. It's the most in 15 years. And you've got. You got the tournament bid, NAC championship, your coach of the year. And it really is something. And I heard you compare this experience to your professional career, your playing career, your college career, where you were in the tournament every year when you were at the. Paul, where do you rank this season? Your first experience as a head coach to your career?

[Rod Strickland]

Oh, wow. The experience is up there. Because even me taking this job, it was a leap of faith. Like, I. I don't think most people when I left the NBA would have thought I'd be a coach. And I only think the coaches who coached me thought I would be a coach. You know what I mean? So I don't know. It was like taking a challenge, trying to conquer the next thing you know. I've been in basketball all my life as a player, as an assistant in Memphis, Kentucky national title, working at the NBA office, as a executive. And so this was like another challenge. And I knew it was going to be tough, but I believed in myself, and I thought that I can improve an environment with just putting the right people around me. And I think we did that, you know, going from 3 to 7 to 17 and to this year, 24. But the moment was last year because I had two guys with me last year. Gerald Gillian, who's now at Florida State, who I've known since South Florida, 2014-17. And then I had Derek Phelps, who's at Fordham University. Two super professionals. So I was able to kind of create a culture. And then, you know, the guys I have now, my coaching staff is tremendous, but I was able to keep growing. And so, I don't know, it's been a journey. It's been fulfilling, you know, But I always. I always felt that I would figure it out. I think I've done that all my life. I think that's what we do as New Yorkers. I think that's. I think that's what we do as basketball players. Like, we figure it out.

[Rosenberg]

But was it. Was this the goal, like when you said you were gonna figure it out? What did figure it out look like when you first started?

[Rod Strickland]

Well, the goal. And I said it, and I'm one of those guys, I don't speak out. I speak in my circle and to my people. And I said that when I came to. I was about to say Conference usa, because I thought of Memphis when I took this job. Memphis, with Cal being in Conference usa, how we dominated the conference and then went to the tournament. So the goal was to be number one, and it was to try to do this consistently. And it took some time. But, yes, from the beginning, I felt that. I mean, I wouldn't have taken this job if I didn't think I could make an impact. I just wouldn't. I don't know if that would have made any sense for me to walk in here and think that, you know, I'm just coming to take a job in New York.

[Allen]

Tough. This is a tough question, but realistically, have you yet, in your coaching career, you head coach or even assistant on this journey, have you coached anyone who is in your caliber as a ball player?

[Rod Strickland]

You have Derek Rose.

[Allen]

Okay. So as an assistant, you got John Wall. Okay.

[Rod Strickland]

Tyreek Evans, Brandon Knight.

[Allen]

All right, so you so you're with

[Don Hahn]

Cal for a couple of years.

[Rod Strickland]

I think people forgot. I was with Cal for eight years.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rod Strickland]

I've been the four Final four.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Allen]

Okay, so we remove the assistant. Let's remove the assistant part because. Because it is also a different role. Right. It's very. I have to imagine the assistant in a college at a big university versus it's your team is a vastly.

[Rod Strickland]

Absolutely.

[Allen]

You set the tone now.

[Rod Strickland]

Absolutely.

[Allen]

At liu where your best. The players that are coming along, your best players, like you mentioned, some may transfer, etc. One of the things that was a struggle. I'm a Celtics fan. One of the struggles for Larry Bird when he went, when he was a coach versus being president of the team was, you know, and Jordan struggled in a leadership role like this. Magic did when he briefly coached. Getting the players to understand how you operate when they're not quite at the level that you are as a player. Do you ever have any frustrations or challenges? Because these kids are really good players, but they're not necessarily Rod Strickland level talents.

[Rod Strickland]

No, I've never seen it like that because I'm here to teach. Like that's my job. So, you know, you meet people where they're at. You know, my frustration may be sometimes where, you know, because young people and forget me and what I've done. Just in general, young players, you know, they don't want to hear certain things and they get insecure about their flaws and all that. So sometimes it's frustrating when you're trying to, you know, some information that you have they might not receive right away.

[Allen]

That has to be ironic too, because I'm sure you were similar to that young in your career.

[Rod Strickland]

No, see, that's the thing. Difference like people.

[Allen]

Because you said you were somewhat a challenging guy to coach.

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah, but. But people have this. This the perception. So my issue was more like being. Being late, you know, maybe hanging out too much.

[Allen]

Got it.

[Rod Strickland]

Doing too much. But.

[Allen]

But not criticism on the court.

[Rod Strickland]

And I think any player, coach would tell you that on the basketball court, I played the right way. You know, I. It was never about me. Even if I was the best player or the second best player on the team. I walk in the game and I'm trying to figure out how we win the game. So you know what I mean? So it was a little different in that. But I mean, that's what it's about. I think if you ask any coach, they go through all of that, but it can't be about me. Like I can't worry about like, you know what I mean? Like, it can't be because I played at a certain level. You know, these guys got to play. No, my job is to help them grow and play how the style we want to play, especially where we're at, we're in the nec. So I got to take a different picture, you know, if I'm playing in the NBA or if I'm coaching at Memphis and Kentucky, those are different pictures and totally different players and different mindsets because some of these young, young players, right? So for instance, you get a player from a higher level, right. But he didn't play there. And that may be a mental thing because he may have been beaten down a little bit. So now he comes here and we at this level. Now I got to figure out how do I kind of, I don't know, navigate that because there may be a personality that happened because of that situation.

[Allen]

They were the, they were the best player in their high school by a million miles. Then they went to a top tier D1 school, didn't play, got completely dejected, and now they're at a lower tier school where you got to go find that original kid from high school.

[Rod Strickland]

And, and even they may feel they're better than this right now I gotta figure out that middle ground, like, what am I doing here? Not better than this, because you're here.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, we're in the same room.

[Rod Strickland]

But you may be a better talent.

[Allen]

Right.

[Rod Strickland]

So let's figure out how we navigate that so that we can make you successful here. And we can.

[Allen]

That's fascinating.

[Don Hahn]

It's more than just fundamentals in coaching. It's mental. It's a mental approach to the game, which you probably understand because of your experience.

[Rod Strickland]

And to your point, I've been through some things. I've had some battles and some. So I understand that.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rod Strickland]

And so I can. I think I can deal with that better. Right. Cause I don't take it so personal. I want to try to figure out how you know, because there's times in the season where a young person may not be receiving everything. So how do you do that? Do I give up on them or do I try to figure it out? I can be coach, coach and say, I'm sitting you down because you didn't do this. But does that help the whole, the big picture and does that help him?

[Allen]

Quick time out. Some breakfast intel you want to know about. Kodiak frozen power waffles and flapjacks are built for busy mornings.

[Rod Strickland]

Heat.

[Allen]

Eat it and you're out the door. No long prep, no complicated game plan. They're packed with 12 to 14 grams of protein per serving, a good source of fiber and crafted with 100% whole grains, not refined white flour. So you're getting something that actually fuels you and there's depth on the roster. Buttermilk and vanilla Blueberry chocolate chip. Even gluten free options. Breakfast that delivers, snack that delivers Find Kodiak frozen waffles and flapjacks in the frozen aisle at your local grocery store. They're the ones with the bear on the box.

[Don Hahn]

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[Commercial Announcer]

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[Don Hahn]

But it's funny, you brought up something that I was thinking watching over the last couple of years and it hit me when you won the championship last night. It hit me that moment too. I remembered it. It's the what are you like the what am I doing here? I'm At a higher level I shouldn't be. And I looked at you, and I thought, what is he doing here? Because I imagined in that gym, which was nice and full this weekend, big time and loud. Fins up, that whole thing big time. But I wondered, did you look around when that gym was empty and you're playing an actual game, thinking, what am I doing here?

[Rod Strickland]

Never.

[Don Hahn]

Never thought that.

[Rod Strickland]

Because I wouldn't have walked in the door like I. And this is me. And I don't know if people understand me when I walk. I know Rod, strictly an NBA player, but if I walk in a room of men and women, I'm amongst the many women. I don't see myself.

[Don Hahn]

Don't carry yourself above it.

[Rod Strickland]

Above that. Right. I try to stay in this middle ground because I don't. Applause. You know, that. That can be fate.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rod Strickland]

You up here one day, next minute you down here. So I can't let anything else tell me who I am.

[Don Hahn]

So humble.

[Rosenberg]

Now, Rod, we normally do not take calls from fans during interviews, but there's somebody that desperately really wants to talk to you. It's Allen in New York. You're on ESPN New York. How are you? You're with Rod Strickland.

[Rod Strickland]

Alan, how you doing?

[Alan Houston]

Ron, what's up, man? It's Alan.

[Rod Strickland]

What's going on?

[Don Hahn]

That's Alan Houston.

[Allen]

Oh, my God.

[Don Hahn]

I know that voice. That's Alan Houston.

[Rod Strickland]

I didn't catch the voice.

[Alan Houston]

See, he wasn't supposed to catch the voice. I appreciate how he came on. Here's the thing, man. First of all, congrats.

[Don Hahn]

But the way.

[Alan Houston]

The way Rod answered that last question.

[Rod Strickland]

Question.

[Alan Houston]

Y' all gotta understand, like, all of us who knew Rod before he became a coach, when he was playing and then he was coaching, even at Kentucky as an assistant, sitting there building young men, coaching, coaching his sons at. At basketball camp, like, that's just who, man. That's just who Rod is. And, man, I just. I just appreciate you, man. It's been fun watching this journey. And I had a. You know, we. We saw it. Like, we saw it, and it doesn't surprise me that y' all are here. Mask.

[Don Hahn]

How you feeling, though?

[Alan Houston]

How does it feel, man?

[Rod Strickland]

It feels great. You know. You know how it is to say, you know, we've. We've been the number one target all year. We were supposed to win. That's hard to do. The last 10 years in that conference, only two teams have done it. So to accomplish it to what you set out to do, and I'm doing it in a different Environment, you know, I had to grow and stretch and, you know, so it's. It's been. It's been an incredible, like, growth moment for me.

[Alan Houston]

Yeah, yeah. It's. It's crazy just walking in the gym, like we, you know, we would go to the gym at LIU and you see like, the support of the fans, you see the energy of the players. It's been great, man. It's been great watching it and I just can't wait to see what y' all do, man.

[Rod Strickland]

My God. Appreciate you, man.

[Alan Houston]

No doubt.

[Don Hahn]

Yes. Appreciate you checking.

[Rod Strickland]

Thank you, man.

[Rosenberg]

I appreciate that. Thanks for playing along, too. You deserve better than saying that you're just. Just a fan.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

But I wanted to see if we could fool him and we did, which is pretty cool.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Appreciate you, man.

[Rosenberg]

Thanks a lot. That's Alan Houston. That's so cool, man.

[Don Hahn]

That is great. It just shows the support also that you get from all your Knicks alum. You guys do different things there at the school. But there was something, though, also about the run you've had that was unique, is that you clinched over the weekend, you clinched on Saturday because of the rule. Mercers, who you played in the championship game, they're still going through probation. They're in their second of the three year probation when you. When you make the transition to Division 1. So when they won the semifinal, you knew, I win this game, we're in. And it took the pressure off the championship game. But there was an importance to last night in winning that game, wasn't there?

[Rod Strickland]

Yes, it was. And I don't know if it took the pressure. Pressure off, but it. It was definitely important because our goal at the beginning was to win the regular season, have home court advantage, win the conference tournament, get. And then, you know, get to the NCAA tournament. And the players were. We won that game. I knew before obviously that you know what it was.

[Don Hahn]

Did you tell. Did you tell the guys?

[Rod Strickland]

I didn't. I don't know if assistant or someone else said anything, but I didn't.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Rod Strickland]

I wasn't gonna say.

[Don Hahn]

You thought it was better not to tell because it was played at a different site. So it's not like they would have seen the game before or anything like that.

[Rod Strickland]

And I wasn't supposed to be even paying attention because I told my staff, I'm not watching it, I'm not listening to it. But I, you know, I kept.

[Allen]

Couldn't help it.

[Don Hahn]

You need to know.

[Rod Strickland]

I couldn't help it. So once we won, I could tell the players were still locked in because there was a goal. Like we've grown as like a whole staff players as this season has gone on and I knew that, I knew we would, we would be ready to play.

[Allen]

Now when you look at who you guys could end up matched up with in the tournament, very likely a top 10 team. We're talking about the Blue Bloods. This year is a year where the top 10 is just Duke, Arizona, Michigan, Florida, Houston, Yukon, Michigan State, Illinois. These are literally like respectfully to the kids you coach and not all of them. Like you said, some have come from bigger programs. Some of these kids ain't ever seen talent like this on a night in, night out basis. This is truly the big league.

[Rosenberg]

What do you.

[Allen]

And you've been on the other side of it being with Cal. You were with the Blue Bloods, right? Have you thought about what you say to these kids to get them ready for this level of competition?

[Rod Strickland]

I think we keep moving how we've been moving. We had a pretty good non conference schedule, you know.

[Allen]

Who were your guys toughest matchups this year?

[Rod Strickland]

Oh, we played a little noise.

[Allen]

Okay.

[Rod Strickland]

We got kicked, got kicked in the cubes pretty good. Yeah, we got, yeah, but we, we and we played Notre Dame early but we had, Was it Ole Miss or Mississippi State? I forgot. But we played them tough. You know, we had Georgia and we had Georgia. So we've been in the fire and that's the good thing about it. And we've played some mid majors and won some big mid major games. So we've, we felt it. And you know, obviously, you know, Blue Bloods is going to be a tough game. But I always tell the team if we defend, if we rebound, 50, 50 balls, we're the toughest team. We got a chance to win and I think we got to live in that, you know, no matter who we're going against, we got to live in who we say we are. And then let's go roll it out, let's have fun and let's play.

[Allen]

Does it ever cross your mind this is like fanboy stuff that I doubt when you get to your level, you think about. But I can't help but think about it. When you get a matchup, if you guys are a 15 or 16, whatever you are, do you ever think about that in a situation like that? Here you are, right, I believe, 60th birthday around the corner, right. Coming up somewhat soon, a very spry, young looking 60th. But that like in a moment like that, if you were to somehow ever win a game like that, it Might be the greatest accomplishment and feeling of your entire lifetime coming to you at nearly 60 years old. Does that ever cross your mind?

[Rod Strickland]

Well, when you walk in there, you're thinking about doing that. Like that's the only way you can walk in that. You know, I want my players, my staff, everyone. Like when you walk in the game, you walking in the win. And again, we've touched some of the. Which if you want to call the big fellas, like we play, we felt that. Now I know. I understand the tournament.

[Allen]

It's different, right?

[Rod Strickland]

It's different. You know, it's like the playoffs, NBA. Things just everything is heightened, speed is up. And I'm sure the players could feel some of that, but that's a part of it. So we got to live in that. You know, I threw up before every game when I played in the NBA until I was a non starter in my last five years.

[Allen]

Come on.

[Don Hahn]

Like Willie Beeman every.

[Rod Strickland]

Juwan Howard played with me for three teams and he would just tell the coach, keep going. So as a coach on the board, I'm in the. In front of everybody. Come on. All my career.

[Allen]

Did you ever. Did you ever, like, talk through why that might be a thing? You're just straight nerd. You were that excited and passionate every night.

[Rod Strickland]

I don't know what it was.

[Allen]

You know you were on the Bullets, right?

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah, yeah.

[Allen]

You watched last night. You could take the night off.

[Rod Strickland]

You.

[Don Hahn]

They didn't care.

[Allen]

That's crazy.

[Rosenberg]

They did that.

[Rod Strickland]

But. But so what I'm saying and what I always feel is like you got to kind of. You got to go to that, like if that anxiousness, nervousness, you got to feel that and you got to let that, like that's a part of you. So let's do it. Let's throw it up. Let's get it out of us and let's go.

[Rosenberg]

No, he kind of mentioned it about what Bam did last night. Would you have taken it that many points knowing this team doesn't care and like. Or you would just take the point

[Allen]

to not worry about.

[Rod Strickland]

I would. I mean, you have to.

[Allen]

What's your high game in the NBA, by the way?

[Rod Strickland]

36 was 38.

[Allen]

Okay, so you never had a like 50. I'm like closing because I'm going. I think you're going for it, right?

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah. Well, I mean, if you're in that situation, you're going for. I didn't see the game, so I don't know how to really talk about it, but it was.

[Rosenberg]

It ended up being a joke.

[Rod Strickland]

The only thing the 43 free throws is.

[Commercial Announcer]

I know.

[Allen]

No, it's bad.

[Rod Strickland]

Especially coming from the era I'm from.

[Commercial Announcer]

Sure.

[Rod Strickland]

You know, you gonna get banged and.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Rod Strickland]

Things happen and you gotta figure it out. So 43 free throws.

[Allen]

You said your career high was like 36 or 38. He had 36 at the line, bro.

[Rod Strickland]

No.

[Don Hahn]

36 freebies, by the way. 37.

[Rod Strickland]

37.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, it's restaurants with Washington.

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Made two threes.

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah.

[Allen]

Different ball.

[Don Hahn]

That's it.

[Allen]

He was working. So if you took four.

[Don Hahn]

So you were jacking them up.

[Allen]

Who were they playing? Who do they play?

[Don Hahn]

Let's. I don't have an opponent. This is just career. Career averages.

[Rosenberg]

So if you were playing a team

[Don Hahn]

that was tanking, pull the game up.

[Rosenberg]

And it was expected. He's just hoisting threes. You probably would have had 60.

[Don Hahn]

It was an overtime win over the Nets at the old Continental Airlines Arena.

[Allen]

I'm sure it's a packed house when the Bullets and the Nets got together for that cause. Sorry.

[Don Hahn]

Even funny.

[Allen]

I might have been watching on WDC channel 20.

[Don Hahn]

Even the 20,000 were in the building.

[Allen]

Really?

[Don Hahn]

Tony Brothers officiated that game. He still works.

[Rosenberg]

What was the date?

[Don Hahn]

It was. Let's see. This would be March 22nd.

[Rod Strickland]

Close.

[Don Hahn]

98.

[Rod Strickland]

Wow.

[Allen]

But think about it. In this version of the NBA, Strict would be the kind of guy who would randomly throw up a 50 spot. Like you. You kind of player you were in this league. You're having nights of 50.

[Rod Strickland]

That court spread.

[Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah, I might have 50 and 20 assists.

[Allen]

Right? Totally. It's just. It's a totally different game.

[Rod Strickland]

The court is open. The. The guard, the. The usage. Or like ball is in your hands, may have to throw it inside.

[Don Hahn]

Hang on a second.

[Rod Strickland]

I clicked the wrong game all the time and right pick, role, transition.

[Allen]

What happened?

[Don Hahn]

I clicked the wrong game.

[Rod Strickland]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

Fat finger. Still 98 though.

[Allen]

All right.

[Don Hahn]

At home.

[Allen]

It was at home.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Against the Hawks. So they're talking about Motombo, right?

[Allen]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Smith.

[Allen]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Like that's. That.

[Rosenberg]

That's unknown. That wasn't a team.

[Don Hahn]

All right. No threes.

[Allen]

No three zero.

[Rod Strickland]

That sounds about right.

[Don Hahn]

13 of 14 at the line.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, that's.

[Don Hahn]

And also, by the way, career high 37, 10 assists.

[Allen]

Yeah. Yeah. That doesn't surprise me.

[Don Hahn]

It's a little bit of everything in this game.

[Rosenberg]

Well, Rod, we could not be happier for you, honestly. And we really. You're so gracious, not only coming on our show, but being able to come in studio. And I love what you're doing and anything that you ever need, you know, promotion with the school or anything that you think that can help.

[Allen]

No, when you guys win, when you guys have one of the greatest. You're on the next day, calling in the next day. We get that.

[Rosenberg]

I'm sorry, Rod's not available. He's got, he's on get up. I'm sorry, he's not.

[Allen]

By the way. That is what happens immediately, very quickly.

[Don Hahn]

Right. All of a sudden it's like Pat McAfee is going to fly in.

[Rod Strickland]

I'm coming in now.

[Allen]

Now, Rod, do you have a preference? No time slot preference. Like you'd want to play at noon on a Thursday, one of those quiet games. Like, I feel like sometimes you can catch a high seed kind of flat when you play one of those weird two o'.

[Rod Strickland]

Clock.

[Allen]

It doesn't matter to you?

[Rod Strickland]

Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. I mean, I just don't think like that. Like whatever happens.

[Allen]

And what about travel? What about region wise? Does that affect too much?

[Rod Strickland]

I don't care. That's. I mean, how high still got to

[Allen]

play basketball and how hyped are these kids right now?

[Rod Strickland]

Oh, they excited, super excited. One of the guys, Craig Gordon, Mr. Personality, he's in my office.

[Don Hahn]

He was dynamite last night.

[Rod Strickland]

He's in my office. He got the trophy, puts his feet on my desk. You know, he's taking these pictures.

[Don Hahn]

It was the. What does it mean? And I don't mean in the attention point. I mean everything else for the program. Like how, how, like people don't really understand for mid majors how important this is. Like the, the trip to the dance is. Can change a program, right? Like what, what, like already, what do you know from, from Saturday when you guys clinched the, the ticket to now. What is different now for your program?

[Rod Strickland]

Well, I mean, people know about him. Like that's the first thing. And I think that's, I mean, the more eyes you have, you know, the more you can show who you are. So I mean, I think it's great for recruiting.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I want to play for that guy kind of thing.

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah, I think it's great. I think the style we play I think is appealing. You know, New York City, but I just think now we have eyes and people see what we're doing, how we're progressing, progressing. So now, you know those conversations about let's, you know, come on here to New York and let's do something special. Because that's, you know, that's really what I say when I'm recruiting. Like we have the ability. We can do something special right here

[Don Hahn]

in New York City and get attention for it.

[Rod Strickland]

Get attention for it at this level. Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Fins up.

[Rosenberg]

Yep, fins up. Good luck.

[Allen]

We're rooting for you. Good luck, man.

[Rod Strickland]

Thank you.

[Rosenberg]

That is Rod Strickland. Really appreciate you. Give us a couple of minutes. Even more than that.

[Allen]

Oh, you got the fins off, Antha.

[Don Hahn]

You got the song, baby.

[Allen]

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[Rod Strickland]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Rod Strickland]

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[Allen]

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[Rod Strickland]

It's easy to get started with no delivery experience, long term contracts or or startup costs required.

[Don Hahn]

Interested in Learning more? Visit Amazon.com hubdelivery that's Amazon.com hubdelivery as you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy.

[Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Allen]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Alan Houston]

You just made the list, buddy.

[Don Hahn]

This is the list with Don Hahn and Rosenberg.

[Rosenberg]

Well, you know I like to be topical with these lists, right? Well, you try like something that's in the air.

[Don Hahn]

Well, you know what I had Pizza.

[Rosenberg]

Top five. Wait for it. Father, son songs.

[Allen]

Oh, he went back to the old list. The old we got any drops from it?

[Don Hahn]

Are we really Going to do this?

[Rosenberg]

You bet.

[Allen]

That's a second Monica drop in two weeks. Yeah. Did you.

[Don Hahn]

She does have a wicked laugh.

[Commercial Announcer]

Yeah, she's.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Allen]

So here we go.

[Rosenberg]

Top.

[Allen]

Well, obviously we got to put father and son cast evens on there. Yeah. Father, you're a bona fide.

[Don Hahn]

And the list is over. Everybody.

[Rod Strickland]

Thanks for playing.

[Rosenberg]

I think that I'm out of my depth.

[Allen]

I trust you on this.

[Rosenberg]

I have it at number two. Two. But I don't want to get back into it.

[Don Hahn]

But just don't.

[Allen]

This, this sticky feel you're gonna.

[Rosenberg]

This is gonna make you cry.

[Allen]

Listen, I, I told. I believe you. It's not time to make a change. Just relax.

[Rosenberg]

Well, the person we gotta sell is the guy to my right. He doesn't feel the song at all.

[Don Hahn]

You know why? I hear his voice and there's an actor. His voice is just. It's like the same as this actor.

[Allen]

Settle down.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Allen]

If you want, you can marry. Look at me. I am old but I'm happy.

[Rosenberg]

It's, it's, it's, it's a lot.

[Allen]

There's a lot there by the way. You have to hear the whole song. And then Cat goes up with it too. How am I? And the strum gets bigger and bigger. It's, it's an amazing song. But Cat's voice is particular. You know he's British, but sounds like. Has a weird sounding.

[Rosenberg]

No, he's got a very, very unique voice.

[Allen]

That's yousef to you and me.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

So I've number two though.

[Allen]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

So.

[Allen]

Which means something came down the pike that you didn't think of that day.

[Rosenberg]

I think I might have mentioned it

[Don Hahn]

that I know his number one. He mentioned.

[Allen]

Oh, he did.

[Rod Strickland]

Go ahead.

[Rosenberg]

He doesn't remember.

[Don Hahn]

Well, it's also cat related.

[Allen]

Ah, it's cat related? Yes, a different cat.

[Don Hahn]

It's in the, it's in the title of the singer. It's in the title. Cat Cradle.

[Allen]

Cats in the cradle and the silver spoon.

[Rosenberg]

Now this the reason, the reason. This is number one.

[Don Hahn]

Openly weep.

[Allen]

He never got there. Never got what?

[Don Hahn]

A child.

[Rosenberg]

He never got to live the song.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Allen]

And have a kid. No, he had a kid.

[Rosenberg]

He died.

[Don Hahn]

Never to see him be older.

[Rosenberg]

And, and the car accident.

[Don Hahn]

This, this, this song. This, this, this will kill you, this song. Wait, wait, rushes me.

[Allen]

Who's it by again?

[Rosenberg]

Harry Chapin. Harry Chapin and Harry Chapin.

[Don Hahn]

Great.

[Rosenberg]

Harry really got the, the world hunger thing going. His son has picked it up. So he did have a son. I don't know how Old his son was when he died. But the whole song, in case you've never heard it, and it's. It's. It gets overplayed. I get it.

[Don Hahn]

No, but it is. You listen to the words.

[Rosenberg]

You know, he's talking about, you know, he's gonna be like me.

[Allen]

My child arrived just the other day. I'm reading it. This is my first time. I don't know the lyrics. I know the song, but I don't know the lyrics.

[Rosenberg]

Go ahead.

[Allen]

My child arrived just the other day he came to the world in the unusual way but there were planes to catch and bills to pay he learned to walk while I was away and he was talking for I knew it. As he grew he'd say, I'm gonna be like you, dad. You know I'm gonna be like.

[Don Hahn]

You can stop there, please.

[Allen]

I can't take much home now.

[Rosenberg]

If you go later on, that's me and Zach.

[Allen]

Cat's in the cradle and. Silver spoon Little boy blue and the

[Don Hahn]

man on the moon.

[Allen]

When you come home, Dad, I don't know when we'll get together then, you know, we'll have a. So it's always looking to the future of, like, now.

[Rosenberg]

Go to the chorus at the end.

[Don Hahn]

Wait till the end.

[Rosenberg]

No, no, it flips at the end.

[Allen]

So the chorus goes. And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man on the moon when you coming home, son? I don't know when. But we'll be together soon, dad. You'll. We'll have a good time then. Well, he's saying, I know he fucks

[Don Hahn]

with my boy, just like me.

[Allen]

Oh, I know. Now the boy's not there.

[Rosenberg]

He calls his son. His son's older now. He's like. I'm sorry, dad, you had me skip along too far. Sorry.

[Allen]

Well, he came from college just the other day so much like a man. I just had to say, son, I'm proud of you. You can sit for a while. He shook his head and he said with a smile. What I'd really like to add is to borrow the car keys. See you later. Can I have them, please?

[Don Hahn]

The whole idea of your life, it just.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Now he doesn't have time for him. Now he doesn't have time for me. The thing that we never got time.

[Rosenberg]

The thing that hits me. If you go back.

[Don Hahn]

Rush it.

[Rod Strickland]

Go.

[Rosenberg]

Go to the. Go to the part where he talks about the kids have the flu.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Rosenberg]

It's just. It's towards the end, it's The. It should be the last stand towards the end. Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Before he called.

[Rosenberg]

He calls him.

[Allen]

He said, I've long since retired. My son's moved away. I called him up just the other day. I said, I'd like to see you, if you don't mind. He said, I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time. You see, my new job's a hassle and the kids got the flu, but it sure is nice talking to you, dad. It sure be nice talking to you.

[Rosenberg]

It's your nice thought. Meaning, like, all right, we're done. It was great.

[Don Hahn]

This was great. Thanks for calling.

[Rosenberg]

I hung up the phone and it occurred to be he'd grown up just like me. My boy's just like, come on.

[Don Hahn]

I can't say it. You can't do it. You can't. Right?

[Rosenberg]

It's one. I'm sorry. It's one father and son, but one with a.

[Allen]

They're both really sad, though.

[Rosenberg]

Well, this is why tears you. Now. I don't. I don't know if you'll get the other three.

[Don Hahn]

Let's see. I'm curious.

[Allen]

Can you give us any hints? Is there any.

[Rosenberg]

Well, one hint I think Allen should get because it's right in his wheelhouse. Right. His mom would be proud.

[Allen]

So it's the Beatles.

[Rosenberg]

It's not the Beatles.

[Don Hahn]

No. Okay.

[Rosenberg]

It's a beetle.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Allen]

Oh, it's George Harrison.

[Rosenberg]

It's not George.

[Allen]

John Lenon.

[Rosenberg]

There you go. The John Lennon song. And I got it at 4.

[Don Hahn]

It's a John song.

[Rosenberg]

You want to hear it?

[Don Hahn]

It's. It's. It. I know what you beautiful boy. It was in Mr. Holland's opus.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. A beautiful boy. I got it for.

[Don Hahn]

So. So the actor in Mr. Holland's opus was Richard Dreyfus. Richard Dreyfus. He does this at the end and his son, who is deaf, signs it because that. The heat was the same type of story. He was so busy trying to write his opus, he and his son never connected. And that was the. That was the connector. He realized his son actually could feel music.

[Rosenberg]

So.

[Don Hahn]

Beautiful moment.

[Rosenberg]

I've got that at four.

[Don Hahn]

Beautiful.

[Rosenberg]

I don't think you're getting.

[Allen]

Did you say Mr. Holland's opus, by the way?

[Rod Strickland]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Do you think that's a strange poll? That's an incredible.

[Allen]

Not for us. For us, it's not a strange part.

[Rosenberg]

I think for the audience, they're like,

[Don Hahn]

why are they playing if no one's seen it?

[Rosenberg]

They should.

[Don Hahn]

It's.

[Rosenberg]

It's a great movie. You're not Going to get the other two, but I'm going to. I feel strongly about it. Okay. All right.

[Don Hahn]

This is.

[Rosenberg]

This is number three.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, Leader of the band.

[Rosenberg]

Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg.

[Don Hahn]

This is great.

[Allen]

My parents had a lot of Dan Fogelberg tapes, and yet I don't know his music. Like that.

[Rosenberg]

This is my. This might be my favorite. Olang Zion is also very good.

[Don Hahn]

Very good, too. Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

You can get just the beginning and then you'll pick up on it.

[Allen]

A Cabinet Maker song.

[Rosenberg]

He's singing about his dad.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Allen]

His hands were meant for different work and his heart was known to know.

[Rosenberg]

He just talks about how he let him go and become a musician.

[Don Hahn]

You should try to the end of

[Rosenberg]

the gracious catalog, right? Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

No, no. The end of the song. Right. And Papa. Right, like that. That gets you. If you pay attention to the words, by the end of the song, you're done. Kleenex.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. That's very emotional.

[Don Hahn]

This is great.

[Rosenberg]

Now this one, I took a little bit of a flyer, but if you. If you. If you punch up the lyrics.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Rosenberg]

But it's the. The song is kind of corn pone.

[Allen]

Okay.

[Rosenberg]

Because it's from the seventies. But if you. If you listen to the lyrics, you're gonna feel a little bit.

[Don Hahn]

Wow.

[Allen]

It is corn pop.

[Rosenberg]

It is.

[Don Hahn]

This is Shag Rug Baby.

[Rod Strickland]

There he sits with a pin and a yellow pad.

[Allen]

Interesting.

[Alan Houston]

Handsome lad.

[Allen]

I'm very interested.

[Don Hahn]

Who is this?

[Allen]

That's my boy.

[Rosenberg]

Bobby Goldsboro.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, wow. That's my boy.

[Rosenberg]

Who's it?

[Allen]

B, R, L, F, Q Spells mom and dad. Well, that ain't too bad cuz that's my boy.

[Don Hahn]

That's my boy.

[Allen]

What does that mean?

[Rod Strickland]

Well, you can have your TV and

[Don Hahn]

your nightclubs and you can have your

[Allen]

drive and picture show this is one of those songs.

[Don Hahn]

This is.

[Rosenberg]

I'll stay here with my little man

[Rod Strickland]

near we'll listen to the radio, bid

[Allen]

my time and watching Scotty, Scotty. It's in the city and it's complete corn pone. But I also get how it works. I get how it hits for you.

[Don Hahn]

It's fun.

[Allen]

Yeah, but it also hits you in a little emo style.

[Rosenberg]

B, R, L, F, Q spells mama because he doesn't know how to spell.

[Don Hahn]

He can't spell.

[Rosenberg]

Making a castle of building blocks and a cardboard box that's my boy. Mickey mouse says it's 13 o' clock well, that's quite a shock. That's my boy. It's cool.

[Allen]

I was crying again. Don's about to Cry again. Oh, my God, he's about to cry again. No, but this is what music does, man. That's it right there, buddy. When I played the other day, when I played Ebro and Laura the Heartland, I almost started crying talking to Ebro about it. You know, Hebro's a father of two daughters, so we.

[Rosenberg]

We were.

[Allen]

And just. This conversation makes me think, because Natalie and I go back and forth about if we want our next. Assuming we have another child, which we think we're hoping to have, if we would want a boy or a girl, and this topic, and it makes me think I. I probably need to feel what it's like to have a son.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. So read the lyrics. Just punch it up. Watching Bobby grow.

[Don Hahn]

All right, Don.

[Rosenberg]

Scotty.

[Rod Strickland]

Excuse me.

[Rosenberg]

Can I give Bobby Goldsboro. Bobby Goldsboro also did Honey. Talking about his wife dying.

[Allen]

What's wrong with this guy?

[Rosenberg]

Bobby's just.

[Allen]

It's deep and dark.

[Don Hahn]

All right, I got two.

[Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

That you might have maybe overlooked.

[Rosenberg]

Sure.

[Don Hahn]

One Loggins and Messina Danny song.

[Rosenberg]

That's good. No, he doesn't seem. No, it's good.

[Don Hahn]

It didn't move you.

[Rosenberg]

No, not like these. These. All these. You get moving.

[Don Hahn]

All right, well, the other one. I don't know if you could think of it as such, but if you listen to the words and listen to the song, because it's pretty, like it's Elton John. Levon.

[Rosenberg]

Right?

[Allen]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

That's a good one.

[Don Hahn]

That's.

[Allen]

Well, I know that one. I don't know if I know it.

[Don Hahn]

If you read the lyrics, you'll see that it's actually him talking about his son and his son leaving him behind.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. I would.

[Don Hahn]

I would throw in not wanting to be part of the family. And this is. This is.

[Allen]

You know, it's. It's. It is a father, son song, but very subtle and very sweet. St. Judy's Comet by Paul Simon.

[Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

That's a very good song.

[Allen]

Yes, it is. And it's. And it's. It's all about, you know, it's. It's all about his singing to his son. Yeah, that's what it was.

[Rosenberg]

And the. The other one that I was gonna put in that I thought about, that's actually a negative father, son song.

[Allen]

Oh.

[Rosenberg]

Is Father of Mine by Everclear.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, that's a terrible song.

[Rosenberg]

But it's talking about his dad leaving.

[Don Hahn]

Yes, yes.

[Rosenberg]

So I didn't want to go there.

[Allen]

And of course, Father Figure by George Michael.

[Commercial Announcer]

What do you mean?

[Rosenberg]

But. I know.

[Allen]

But that's.

[Rosenberg]

No, I know.

[Don Hahn]

I Don't think.

[Allen]

No, it's a zaddy song that's more

[Don Hahn]

about saddies than the father. It's a little. George was telling us before he told us. That's what I'm saying.

[Rosenberg]

Like, you got daddy issues. I'm here for you.

[Allen]

That's correct. I'm daddy.

[Don Hahn]

As people forget, like in the late 80s, George was telling us more like we didn't want to hear.

[Allen]

Well, but. Yeah, but remember in the video. But in the video, he ended up putting a woman in the video.

[Don Hahn]

Well, no, he didn't do that.

[Allen]

Or the label or the label or

[Rosenberg]

whoever the record company said. You know, later on he said song

[Don Hahn]

about what he did for the boys on mtv. It was like, this is what they wanted. So it's not what I was.

[Rosenberg]

Hopefully you enjoyed. Number five, watching Scotty Grove, Bobby Goldsboro. Feel bad for the YouTube crowd because they couldn't hear it. But you read some of the lyrics.

[Don Hahn]

They heard everything.

[Rosenberg]

Good.

[Don Hahn]

You're not going to make money off YouTube, but that's fine. Good. Yes.

[Rosenberg]

Good.

[Don Hahn]

I don't know if we'll ever say yes to not making money.

[Rosenberg]

All right.

[Rod Strickland]

But you do.

[Rosenberg]

You Beautiful Boy by John Lennon. And I have it for.

[Don Hahn]

Excellent.

[Rosenberg]

A number three, Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg. Number two, Father and Son, Cat Stevens, which got it all going on Friday. And then Cats in the Cradle by Harry Chapin. I have his number one.

[Don Hahn]

You know, I'm going to do Don. YouTube chat loves this list, but I am making a play.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, they love.

[Don Hahn]

Are they suggesting other. I haven't seen a bad review yet.

[Rosenberg]

Are you joking or serious?

[Don Hahn]

No, I'm very much joking. Nobody liked it.

[Allen]

Oh, God. Well, you know,

[Rosenberg]

all right, if they don't like the list because they don't have kids and they're. They're 18 and you know, the tissue box is empty. I don't know what to tell you. All right. But if you have a problem with these songs, then I've got a problem with you. You've got a problem with the list. I'm cool. Because I'm sure there was a certain age of me, like, really.

[Don Hahn]

Look what you did or did you not see Friday?

[Allen]

Hold on. I have a couple of things I need to get to real quick.

[Don Hahn]

You've got time.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Allen]

Can we just take it to the bottom of the hour? Top. Whatever you say. So number one, Beautiful Boy also was made into. Is the name of a 2018 Steve Carell movie. Ever seen it?

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Allen]

Beautiful movie. And very sad.

[Don Hahn]

And very sad.

[Allen]

Very painful. Hard to watch. But about his son being a drug addict.

[Don Hahn]

That's right. And they couldn't do anything about it. Yes, it does.

[Allen]

And then speaking of Casey Affleck in that, I believe that. So I think he is the beautiful boy.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Allen]

Yeah. Now back to something I teased earlier. Never paid off, but it sort of relates full circle because I'm making fun of Don for nearly crying twice during his list from talking about. So yesterday, I did an interview with my friend Jeff Rosenthal, who does a podcast called Two Jews and Three Black Dudes Watch the Movies.

[Rosenberg]

It's a long name.

[Allen]

They go 2J3BD and it's them, Jeff and Eric and the Locks, Jadakiss, she, Kitchen Styles.

[Rosenberg]

And they all watch. I know him as Judicus.

[Allen]

Judicus. As you know them. You could be hearing from that actually

[Don Hahn]

is what you could call the podcast.

[Allen]

That's a great point.

[Don Hahn]

You cut it all down.

[Allen]

You could be hearing from that on Monday. They break down movies and they do it. They have a newsletter. And so yesterday, Jeff, my friend, interviewed me about my favorite movies.

[Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Allen]

And there's two things I want to say. One is he asked me what's. What's, like my most quotable movie. And I was saying it's very funny because I find that when I try to think of what movies I quote, I can't remember because they're built. It's built into my DNA.

[Rosenberg]

It's like. It's like the quote becomes, like a part of the movie.

[Allen]

So it came up earlier. We try Wayne's World. I remembered one of the quotes that's built into my life, but that I don't ever think about. If you were to ask me when they go see Rob Lowe's apartment and he's talking about how great the place is, and he goes, I'm gonna move into a place just like this as soon as I move out of my mom's house. I always think about that whenever I see, like, a nice house. I don't know why. Same thing with the mono line. I once thought I had mono. Turns out I was just really bored. Yes, I feel the same way about that. But I also almost cried during the interview because I was talking about. They were asking about my favorite movies, and I said that on the serious side of things, I named comedies and stuff. American Beauty is one of my favorite movies now. Yeah, now it's made a little tough these days by the star of the film being becoming a Kevin Spacey, completely despicable character. The stories that I've read about him personally. He became Nightmare.

[Don Hahn]

And he was making one of the great streaming. The American. What was it? The president thing.

[Allen]

You know, the big president.

[Don Hahn]

What the hell was House of Cards? That was unreal. So good. And then I was like, nope, no more.

[Commercial Announcer]

And then.

[Allen]

And then only that he was so crazy that he then tried to fight back against the accusations by playing that character in Weird Videos.

[Don Hahn]

It was totally mad.

[Allen]

Remove that part.

[Rosenberg]

Okay, Okay.

[Allen]

I love that film. It was like one of the first movies that when I was of an age to start finding movies deep. Because I was like 19 when it came out, 20.

[Don Hahn]

Floating.

[Allen]

I was like, oh, the. All of it. But it still to me resonates. And the. The part of me. Are you guys in on the movie or no? Yeah, you're in on the end of the movie. You remember, he's discovered, like, how much he kind of. How much he now hates his wife, basically. Right. And how they're never going to be the same because he's seen what life can be and he wants to have a life where he really feels something. Not this life with his wife. But then when he ends up dying after he finally comes to all these realizations. I find it so beautiful at the end of the movie that as he's dying, the only things he's thinking about are his wife and his daughter.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Allen]

In spite of everything that's happened with him and his wife, they've completely distant. But the flashbacks as he's dying, it's just his wife and his wife and daughter.

[Don Hahn]

The happy moments that he forgot about that got buried in his misery because

[Allen]

of all the other things.

[Rosenberg]

I watched that movie and Sixth Sense.

[Allen]

Oh, boy.

[Rosenberg]

In the same night?

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Allen]

For the first time ever.

[Rosenberg]

How did you.

[Allen]

Wait, you went.

[Rod Strickland]

Hold on.

[Allen]

You went bang bang on American Beauty and Sixth Sense?

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Allen]

Wow. Which one hit you harder?

[Rosenberg]

Sixth Sense. Just because I was just so shocked by the end.

[Don Hahn]

Just blew your brain.

[Rosenberg]

Which seems ridiculous now, but at the

[Allen]

time, you know, the great. I've told you before, but I'm gonna tell you again because it's that good. You guys know that I saw Sixth Sense with my brother. I'd already seen it in the theater. It had been out forever. My brother is generally a really smart person. Smarter than me, I believe. What more well read really smart guy. We watch the movie. They get to the final stretch of the movie. And, you know, I'm excited because he doesn't know what's gonna happen, but I do. And I'm like, watching him as he's like. And at the End of the movie. They explain it all. The last minute of the movie.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Allen]

Is them showing every piece to you. They go, hey, morons.

[Don Hahn]

Right? They take. And they put it fly right in the screen here. Look.

[Allen]

And I'm watching them do the thing, and I'm like, so excited because I think this movie so brilliant. And I look at my brother as the movie goes black and ends. And he just goes like this.

[Commercial Announcer]

Nothing.

[Allen]

Puts his hand over his head. Go. I missed it. What happened?

[Rod Strickland]

I went.

[Allen]

They just explained it.

[Rosenberg]

He must have had something on his

[Allen]

mind or he had to. Or as high as the kite.

[Don Hahn]

That could be. That could be part of it. They laid it out.

[Allen]

They showed you all the scenes.

[Don Hahn]

This list, by the way, is inspiring me. Don. I have the car here to get up this morning. I'm gonna drive home. I'm gonna make a playlist of these songs and see if I can get home without crying, without breaking.

[Allen]

And I want you to give.

[Don Hahn]

But I'm adding one song that we also.

[Allen]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

No Luther Vandross.

[Allen]

Oh, dancing. My father.

[Don Hahn]

Try to get through that.

[Allen]

I don't understand, though. Why. Why is it Dance with my father?

[Don Hahn]

Because it's his mother. He wanted to see them dance together. So it was a song about his mother missing his father. His father's gone now, and he sees his mother lonely. And they used to dance together, and it made him happy.

[Allen]

I never dance. Put that. So that's the problem.

[Don Hahn]

After I lost my dad, that song, I. Yeah. Holy crap.

[Rosenberg]

So they're having a problem with that I did this list, or they have a problem with the songs on the list?

[Don Hahn]

I think there were some select. Not even. Just not your selection specifically. They're saying, how come you didn't include X?

[Commercial Announcer]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

Which is what we want.

[Rosenberg]

You made it sound like this was an unpopular list.

[Don Hahn]

I create drama on this show.

[Rosenberg]

I understand. I told you I was swinging for the fences with Bobby Goldsmith. I'm telling you, read the lyrics. And you have a young son. It's adorable. And it'll. I am.

[Don Hahn]

It's going to be on my list.

[Rosenberg]

The top three. I'm not moving now. Cats in a Cradle. If you have a problem with cats. Cradle. Number one, you're not human, you're a bot.

[Don Hahn]

Now, listen, I've got nine songs on this list. Your five and then four. That.

[Allen]

How about this? I think I'm going to respond to Don's list with a list. Perhaps next week if Don gives me the floor. Or maybe on a different.

[Don Hahn]

You're going to list his list.

[Allen]

No. I'm going to come back and respond because Don wanted to play that out. Now I'm gonna come back to Don with top five emotional hip hop songs.

[Rosenberg]

Okay, I like that. And also nobody the irony that I went there. I went there after what happened on Friday.

[Allen]

I loved it.

[Rosenberg]

So there's.

[Allen]

So there's that.

[Rosenberg]

All right, we got two big hours to go. We haven't even gotten to 5:00 clock yet.

[Allen]

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[Don Hahn]

thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Allen]

I don't want to know how the

[Don Hahn]

sausage is made, but I just want to know it's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter

[Allen]

weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8

[Don Hahn]

80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

[Allen]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Rosenberg]

That's the og.

[Don Hahn]

It kicked off this whole zero sugar energy drink thing, but Ultra is a whole lineup now. You've got Strawberry Dreams, Blue Hawaiian Sunrise and Vice Guava. And they all bring the Monster Energy punch.

[Allen]

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