Hour 2: Strange Pulls and Let's Talk About It

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 2: Strange Pulls and Let's Talk About It (Nov. 25, 2025)

Main Theme and Purpose

This episode blends the hosts’ distinct voices as they riff on current New York sports, dive deep into the Yankees’ perennial questions, reminisce about old-school baseball and mascots, and turn debates about sports management and legacy into entertaining group therapy. The second hour stands out for its fast, irreverent banter, listener participation, and a “Let’s Talk About It” segment that decimates one of the show’s beloved but polarizing audio drops. It wraps with sharp takes on the upcoming Football Hall of Fame class, especially the Eli Manning debate.

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1. Yankees Debate: Cashman, Ownership, and Fan Frustrations

(Begins ~01:53)

• Caller “Big Will” from North Carolina gives a spirited critique, blaming GM Brian Cashman’s legacy and Hal Steinbrenner’s loyalty for the Yankees’ issues, arguing: “If he’s not willing to fire Brian Cashman, then maybe he should consider selling the team.” (02:02)
• Don, Alan, and Peter riff on what kind of club would hire Cashman if he were fired: Would teams with small payrolls want a GM used to top-three payrolls but not recent championships?
  • Peter Rosenberg: “Who’s hiring a guy who’s able to have a top-three payroll every year and never win?” (04:27)
• Fun, tongue-in-cheek hypothetical: a cross-sport, cross-city trade with Tomlin (Steelers coach) for Cashman (Yankees GM).
• Don La Greca summarizes: Yankees fans aren’t really upset about spending, but about how the money’s spent and the lack of honest change at the top.

Notable Quotes:

• Big Will: “The problem is blind fashion ... If he's not willing to fire Brian Cashman, then maybe he should consider selling the team.” (02:02)
• Don La Greca: “If Hal sold the team, the first thing the new owner would do is let Brian go.” (04:04)
• Peter Rosenberg: “Who's hiring a guy who's able to have a top three payroll every year and never win?” (04:27)

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2. Strange Pulls: Pittsburgh Pirates Nostalgia and 90s Baseball

(~06:13 – 12:00)

• The trio launches into a nostalgic challenge, naming 90s Pirates players—Bonds, Bonilla, Van Slyke, Drabek—filling the room with a sense of old-school baseball camaraderie and nostalgia.
• Peter questions: “How do I hire Andy Van Slyke’s agent?” after seeing him in a supplement ad with Frank Thomas and Doug Flutie. Discussion on “strange pulls” from sports memory.
• Alan: "Stranger pulls, Pirates Edition…” (07:46)
• Don tells a personal story: RJ Reynolds once tossed him a ball during batting practice at Shea. (09:38)
• Alan: “What we could have used in this moment to help us: AI.” (10:02)
• Spirited banter about the randomness of sports memories, and the surprising careers of long-forgotten players.

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3. Mascot Mayhem & Ballpark Memories

(~12:07 – 15:00)

• Peter shares two favorite childhood stories: getting booed at Fenway for intercepting a beachball, and witnessing his dad’s friend confront the Oriole Bird mascot, who was caught smoking. (12:18)
  • Don: “If I could put on my fraud Friday judge hat for a second, I side with the mascot.” (13:00)
  • Alan: “If you’re a mascot, you can’t be doing it in sight ... you gotta go to employees only.” (13:14)
• Warm, relatable reflections follow about growing up going to Orioles games, parking in the neighborhoods around Memorial Stadium, Cal Ripken and Eddie Murray chants, and the unique intimacy of 80s baseball.

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4. Broadcaster Stories & 90s MLB Scraps

(~15:00 – 18:20)

• Don recalls early days covering games as a sports reporter, including near-miss encounters with Eddie Murray (warning: don't sit on his locker stool!) and almost being tackled by Phil Garner. (15:13)
  • Discussion about Eddie Murray’s Hall of Fame credentials, reputation, and being “in Cal Ripken’s shadow.”
  • Peter: “Is he that much worse a player than Cal Ripken, or is Cal the streak?” (18:08)
• Banter on true “old-timey baseball” with Alan rattling off Pirates legends: Pie Traynor, Bob Friend, Babe Adams. (18:56–19:28)
• Alan: “Did you know Pie Traynor?” Peter: “I prefer cake to pie.” (19:15–19:20)

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5. Listener Calls: Yankees Philosophy and Fan Base Standards

(~20:28 – 22:30)

• Ernest in Brooklyn calls in, echoing earlier themes: the Yankees’ problem isn't just spending or Cashman, but bargain-hunting for injured players and over-complicating roster moves.
  • Ernest: “Sometimes he’s too smart ... you gotta hit for average, not just slug.” (21:17)
• Discussion shifts to the high standards Yankees fans hold—third-highest payroll, most successful New York franchise, yet the owner faces constant criticism. (22:01–22:31)

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6. Show Format Debates and (Fake) Segment Scheduling

(~22:46 – 26:20)

• Humorous deliberation about the show’s “Fraud Friday” and “the list” segments, how to cram in every running gag before Thanksgiving, and which recurring features are overrated.
• Plenty of meta-joking about their own radio scripts and internal programming dramas.

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7. Let’s Talk About It: The “Tully Time” Debate

(26:49 – 33:20)

• Peter reads a listener’s exasperated plea to retire Don’s long-winded “It’s Tully Time” drop. The hosts riff: should they shorten it, rotate new versions, or just kill it for good?
  • Listener email: “Long ass ‘It’s Tully Time’ … it’s become sound abuse to my ears … now I go out of my way to skip it.” (27:09)
• Alan, Peter, Don, and Jacob deliberate, sample new drops, and poll YouTube and Twitter. The majority want it sunsetted.
  • Peter: “Can we kill the long one? I agree. It’s going to die. It’s radio death.” (32:31)
  • Farewell ceremony as they play it out dramatically one last time. (32:46–32:55)
• Don promises a new “Tully Time” later in the show.

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8. NHL and NBA Schedule Rants: Too Many Games, Cup Confusion

(~33:21 – 40:31)

• The hosts mock the glut of hockey games squeezed into one night pre-Thanksgiving (33:21), noting how hard it is for fans to catch games.
  • Don: “Can we find a little bit of a happy medium? ... There’s only so much I can do.” (34:24)
• Alan takes off on the NBA In-Season Cup, calling it “a failure” due to its confusing schedule and lack of player or fan engagement.
  • Alan: “Does anybody have any idea right now in pool play what’s going on? No. Because it’s hard to follow ...” (35:32)
  • Alan’s solution: NBA should halt regular season for two weeks of exclusive Cup play, culminating in a Final Four-style event that could even replace All-Star Weekend. (36:08–38:05)
• Fun group therapy segment about loving sports but hating how they’re scheduled.

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9. Pro Football Hall of Fame: Who’s Getting In? Eli Manning’s Case

(42:31 – 53:43)

• Big segment debating which current and new semifinalists will get into the NFL Hall of Fame, especially focusing on Eli Manning.
  • Don: “Eli was a finalist last year but not a top four finalist … Can Eli get in as one of the four of the people we mentioned?” (44:42)
• Speculating on “first ballot” priorities: Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, versus Eli, Rivers, Gore, Whitten, etc.
  • Alan: “Out of the new names … Who feels first ballot?” (46:20)
  • Peter: “Reggie Wayne, great player. I put Eli in ahead of him.” (47:45)
• Discussion of how seniors, coaches, and contributors fit into the max eight inductees, and which coaches are likely next (Bill Belichick, Tom Coughlin).
• Consensus twist: Eli may have to wait another year, timed for a potential induction with Coughlin and a Giants Hall of Fame game bump.
  • Don: “My bet would be Eli’s going to have to wait another year.” (51:51)
  • Alan: “If you’re scripting this … Giants play in the Hall of Fame game.” (51:59)
  • Peter: “We always get so serious about these things … But I mean, just rigging it … you know Eli’s going in, you know Coughlin’s going in. Set them both up for next year.” (52:21–52:28)
• Frank Gore as “compiler”: debate over what makes a Hall of Fame career.
  • Don: “Here’s the dirty little secret about Frank Gore: he’s a compiler.” (52:38)

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10. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Don on mascot unions: “If I could put on my fraud Friday judge hat for a second, I side with the mascot.” (13:00)
• Peter on the “Tully Time” drop: “Can we kill the long one? … It’s going to die. It’s radio death.” (32:31)
• Alan on NBA Cup: “Let’s just do away with it. Can we just stop?” (35:32)

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Quick Reference — KEY TIMESTAMPS

• [02:02] – "Big Will" delivers Cashman/Steinbrenner critique
• [04:04] – Don: new owner would fire Cashman
• [06:27] – Pirates 90s roster nostalgia begins
• [12:18] – Peter’s Oriole Bird mascot story
• [15:13] – Don’s Eddie Murray/clubhouse stool story
• [21:17] – Ernest: Yankees philosophy caller
• [27:09] – Listener email: “Please stop Don’s ... Tully Time”
• [32:31] – The “radio death” of the long “Tully Time”
• [35:32] – Alan’s NBA Cup rant and solution
• [42:31] – Hall of Fame semi-finalists debate begins
• [44:42] – Eli as a finalist discussion
• [51:51] – Eli’s case for waiting for induction

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Summary

This sharply-paced hour spotlights what makes Don, Hahn & Rosenberg a sports fan’s comfort listening: playful nostalgia, no-holds-barred local sports criticism, listener engagement, and self-aware humor. The energy never sags—from dissecting the Yankees’ cultural flaws, to celebrating the strangeness of 90s Pirates rosters, from beloved ballpark horror stories to the explosive “Tully Time” drop funeral, to a careful but comedic breakdown of the NFL Hall of Fame logjam. It’s a blend of laughs, rants, and genuine sports insight—classic drive-time radio with an extra shot of New York edge.

Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

So good, so good, so good.

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[Don Hahn]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don La Greca]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Don La Greca]

Game time is brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, guys, yeah, it's Charlie time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's Tolly time.

[Don La Greca]

St. John's takes on Baylor in the players era festival with coverage on 1050 on in ESPN New York app at 4:10. That game's going on. Rutgers played earlier. They got killed by like 25 points yesterday. I want to give Rutgers love, but if it's going to take any kind of effort on my part, it may not be worth it. But they did play. I believe they had a noon tip. So I'm going to guess that game is over. And because we have the technology of Google, I'm going to look and I'm going to see here that they lost to Notre Dame 68 to 63. How about that? A lot more competitive but they still lost. Yeah, our professionals, meaning the guys that make the big bucks, all have the night off locally. 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 the Tullamore do responsibly. Couple more calls on this subject if you're interested.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I got a good talk about it now, by the way. Just hit me.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, all right. It's important. Let's go to Will. He's down in North Carolina. You're on espn.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Big Will.

[Caller Host]

Hi Will.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Bill.

[Caller Big Will]

Hey, that's my nickname. Big Will. How you doing guys? Listen, this is a heapy hump of hot garbage right now with this Yankee stuff. Let's go shout out to the chat, by the way and I'm going to speak on behalf of the chat that I don't think is paid attention to too much. This goes all the way back to the 90s. Brian Cashman, the reason why he got such a good start is because of the Players that Jean, Michael and Bob Watson put together, he came into an outstanding situation and then won some World Series in 2009. He bought that World Series, no doubt about it. But the majority of Yankee fans are not necessarily talking about spending more money. You guys hit it right on the head. It's about how you spend your money. You guys could have a 200 million dollar payroll as long as they get to the World Series, you know, And I heard Michael earlier today saying that the Yankees always do well at the trade deadline. Well, how did this past deadline go? You sent one guy down to the minors, the other guy didn't work out, and I forget the guy who's playing at third base, that's how much of an impact he's made. So, yes, the problem is blind fashion. And I gotta say it just straight up. And you guys can get pissed off of me if you want. If he's not willing to fire Brian Cashman, then maybe he should consider selling the team. Because if he had such an allegiance to this guy where he can't see what's going on, then he doesn't deserve to be the owner. I like it.

[Don La Greca]

I.

[Caller Big Will]

But Cashman, this, this, this, this, I don't know, loyalty to him, I don't get it, guys.

[Alan Hahn]

See, Don, that's my theory. This is my, I'm telling you, this is less about the money, less about Hal and his willingness to spend and more about this loyalty to Brian Cashman. After all these years and not getting to a point where it's like, Brian, you got us this far. We need somebody to get us over the top.

[Don La Greca]

I will tell you this. Michael used to always say, if Brian Cashman got fired, he'd have a job in five minutes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, he said it many times.

[Don La Greca]

My counter and over that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I believe this will be the.

[Don La Greca]

First time that I will say this. All right, My counter to that would be if Hal sold the team, the first thing the new owner would do is let Brian Go.

[Alan Hahn]

You're 100% right. But you know what else? The. Like, he'd have a job in five minutes. With who? And what payroll?

[Don La Greca]

Because, no, listen, he would do.

[Alan Hahn]

Because I don't think he's shown.

[Don La Greca]

You know what? I went to Pittsburgh.

[Alan Hahn]

What's he doing? So really it's turning water to wine.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's. It's a genius question, though, because the truth is, as good as the Yankees have been, who's hiring a guy who's able to have a top three payroll every year and never win?

[Alan Hahn]

Thank you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Essentially, that's what they get.

[Alan Hahn]

Their argument is never win but never had a losing season in 30 years.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But they're not bringing you to Pittsburgh to people want to win a championship. They're bringing a big dog and spending $300 million.

[Don La Greca]

But there's a team, kind of like there's a team that would hire Tomlin if Pittsburgh let him go. They would say, you know what? I want Pittsburgh's problems. I want to go to the playoffs every single year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is this the trade we need cashmere for Tom.

[Alan Hahn]

Pittsburgh, New York, that just get this done. See, now there's, there's a sports conversation.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Imagine that two teams come together, four teams in two sports.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To do a cross city trade. That would be something.

[Don La Greca]

So Tomlin goes to the Giants, Tomlin.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Goes to the Giants.

[Don La Greca]

Cashman goes to the Pirates.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How do the Steelers, I guess the.

[Don La Greca]

Steeler fans, Danny would say we, we win from losing because we get rid of Tomlin.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's all they. Right. But yeah, it has to be more than that and that should be cash considerations.

[Don La Greca]

And what would the Yankees get? Well, considering that he's not turning a profit, maybe there's some money. But the Steelers would have to give the money, not the Pirates because the Pirates don't have any. Listen, Paul Skeens ends up with the Yankees.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How about that?

[Don La Greca]

Oh, all right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How about, how about that? I love what you did.

[Alan Hahn]

Somehow Skeens ends up a Yankee in this whole thing. Ends up the. This is so New York biased, by the way. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

What is New York?

[Alan Hahn]

What do the Steelers get out of this?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Steelers get nothing.

[Don La Greca]

Steelers get Tomlin out of there and.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pittsburgh gets a, they get diecast.

[Don La Greca]

They get a competent general manager that you won't win with, but you'll, you'll do better than you're doing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now listen, in all seriousness, have the Pittsburgh Pirates at any point been as consistent as they were with Bonds and Bonilla and Andy Van.

[Don La Greca]

So they had a.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's, that's guys, that's 35 years.

[Don La Greca]

McCutcheon early in his career, they, they went to the wild card, I think a couple of years.

[Alan Hahn]

They had a little.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And he was awesome.

[Alan Hahn]

They had a bump, but that was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but they never. Like with the Pirates you were talking about, they were in the playoffs year after year for a few, few seasons there. They didn't go deep, but they were there.

[Don La Greca]

No, they were touch of the Braves because that was before the wild card. But when they had, you know, Doug Drabek and Bonds and Bonilla and Van Slyke, good team. They were.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Although Bonds always. We get to the playoffs and come up empty.

[Don La Greca]

But they'd go to the playoffs. That's right. It was a world where the Pirates.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Were good in a world in the Pirate in the Pittsburgh days.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's just look at the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Were you more a Bonilla guy or a Bonds guy?

[Don La Greca]

Well, obviously, if I was a Bonier guy, that went away when he became.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I died. And now you can't ever think.

[Don La Greca]

I always. Honestly, I hated the Pirates because I was a Met fan and they were. They were competing against each other. But I always liked Andy Van Slyke and if I just like the cut of his jib.

[Alan Hahn]

You seen Van Slyke now in the new Genics commercial?

[Don La Greca]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

His arms ripped.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Really?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah. You got to see him. Him and Frank Thomas and they got.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Van Slyke in there. It's good for most.

[Alan Hahn]

By the way, it's Doug Flutie with Frank Thomas and then Andy Van Slyke. Listen, you talk about way stranger pulls. Hold on.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, my.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what I mean? Like, I didn't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Strange poll. How do we. How do I hire Andy Vance likes agent? Because that's an incredible get. Well, your Andy Van Slyke, Flutie and Frank Thomas, neither of them are A list, but they're both big B plus list celebrities. Yeah, Van Slyke is D. I mean.

[Don La Greca]

Frank Thomas is doing Fox Baseball, right? He's on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, that's something.

[Alan Hahn]

He's big.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's not literally big, Rod, but he's big.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, he's very big. He's very. But didn't he and Vance, like play together in Chicago?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I do not remember Vance, like, in any other uniform.

[Alan Hahn]

Not a white Frank Thomas. And she'll like it, too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I. I only can hear Van Slyke in the Pirate shirts. Okay, that's all.

[Alan Hahn]

Maybe I'm wrong.

[Don La Greca]

Maybe I have more.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, by the way, let me. Give me one more strange poll, Don. We said Drabek, we said Bonilla, we said Bonds, we said Van Slyke. Give me another one.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, a Pirate from the night.

[Peter Rosenberg]

From like 90 and 91. I had the whole team set. I don't know how I'm not thinking of another one, but I can't. You're going to say one and it'll feel so satisfying. Come on. How are we not remembering one more either? One more pitcher from the rotation.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, see, I could do. I could do a better job with the 70s pirates. I got nothing with Stargill and I got nothing Colby.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You don't remember. Come on. Who else are in the 90s early 90s pirates.

[Don La Greca]

We got to be missing somebody, because there's got to be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is a really good team.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, if you're doing 90s, I can't. I mean, I'll give you a Dave Parker. That's too long.

[Don La Greca]

71S were terrific. John Candelaria, he was on the 79.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We could have mentioned Jim Leland just.

[Alan Hahn]

For the sake of mentioning smoking a.

[Don La Greca]

Butt in the Right.

[Alan Hahn]

All right.

[Don La Greca]

I cheated.

[Alan Hahn]

I'll throw one out. Brian Giles.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I don't remember Brian. Here's some. Here's some that Don's more likely to remember. I got some Lloyd McClendon. Okay, how about RJ Reynolds?

[Don La Greca]

Oh, I should have remembered RJ because RJ Reynolds in 1987. Hold on. What am I doing? I. I went to a mech game with my friend John Stark, and R.J. reynolds threw me a ball during batting practice.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So how did I.

[Don La Greca]

Because you know what it is? I didn't remember him being on Making it to the 90s because again, that was 1987.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what we could have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What about John Smiley? Another. Another picture.

[Don La Greca]

Smiley's very good.

[Alan Hahn]

What we could have used in this moment to help us. AI.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, you know what I mean, that would have been so helpful.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Don La Greca]

I did not look this up, but I started thinking, like I should know the catcher, Tony Pena.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah, Tony Pena as well.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was an all star Orlando Mercedes, for God's sake.

[Don La Greca]

But I Would have a lot more fun with the set with the we are.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wally Backman was.

[Alan Hahn]

Was on there too at some point. Remember?

[Don La Greca]

I forgot Wally Backman was Omar Moreno.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh my God. Pre Braves. Sid Bream.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What are we doing with again when.

[Don La Greca]

It was cool to have a mustache.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

What that's.

[Don La Greca]

You know what.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jeff King. There's a lot there. This is, by the way, not a very exciting team, but the core of it was fantastic. You guys missed out. It was a time. I'm so glad I just made it to the time. I just made it for old timey. True old timey baseball.

[Alan Hahn]

Still.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I caught like the last.

[Alan Hahn]

The end of it of still.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, you guys know one of the most famous stories in the history of my family. I have a bunch of classic baseball stories relating to me. One of you've heard the one of me getting booed at Fenway when I.

[Don La Greca]

Hit the beach ball away. You know that one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But what about the time when my dad's friend John got into a big fight with the oriole bird because I approached him for an autograph while his head was off and he was smoking.

[Don La Greca]

A cigarette and he gave you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And the guy. And the guy tried to blow me off and not John. David. And this guy, David Levenfeld, he goes up and he pulls the oriole bird aside.

[Alan Hahn]

He goes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's just a little kid, man. What are you doing? And poor Oreo birds. Like, I'm on my break. I'm smoking a butt. It's 1985. What the hell do you think I'm doing?

[Don La Greca]

I took the hat off and spoken.

[Alan Hahn]

About famous photos of mascots just having a cigarette. There are famous photos of that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's how old timey. My child.

[Don La Greca]

If I could put on my, you know, fraud Friday judge hat for a second.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go ahead.

[Don La Greca]

I side with a mascot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh.

[Alan Hahn]

Gotta keep.

[Don La Greca]

Because it's an awkward situation. He doesn't want to really confront you as the mascot. He doesn't have. Doesn't have the mask.

[Alan Hahn]

Where did he. But when you're gonna take a smoke break. If you're a mascot, you can't be doing it in sight.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Where a kid might confuse it.

[Alan Hahn]

You gotta go to employees only area. Just get away from people.

[Don La Greca]

Knowing Peter, he probably wandered somewhere. He was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did you see that's by the way.

[Alan Hahn]

Behind the ropes Peter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I was blew you off. I was at a lot of Orioles games in those days. So you never know. These are the Memorial Stadium days. It was a special time.

[Don La Greca]

What's Up. What year are we talking?

[Peter Rosenberg]

We're talking my hardcore Oriole game youth was like, probably, you know, 83, 84, 85, 86. For some reason, my parents, who had no interest in sports, they. But that was the thing, going to Baltimore and taking us to a ball game in old Memorial Stadium. You'd park in the neighborhood, like you.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, wow. Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Everyone parked in the neighborhood, like, in front of people's houses. They'd come out and sell their spaces, and it was just a thing. Cal Ripken, baby, Eddie Murray. And back in that. In that era, they would chant. There'd be an Eddie chant. This is. This is easy trivia for one of you guys. There was an Eddie chant that people probably would remember. Eddie Murray. And he was a stud. This other person's a stud, but not thought of in the same way.

[Alan Hahn]

But his name is Eddie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, but there was another chant that rhymed with Eddie. What would it be?

[Don La Greca]

Steady.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, think. It's a player. So think of a name who could be a name in that era that people would also. Freddie. There it is. Fred Lynn.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, yeah, I remember. He was an Oriole.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, let's be honest.

[Don La Greca]

Did Alan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do you remember it was Fred Lynn, or did you just throw out Freddie?

[Alan Hahn]

I'm at Freddy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I just threw Freddie Freeman Senior.

[Alan Hahn]

I remember process of elimination, you know, when.

[Don La Greca]

I certainly wasn't Betty, because in 92, I started at Sports Phone, so one of the things I wanted to do at Sports Phone is cover games. So. And this came up when I was down in Florida, because the first Devil game I covered in 92, Steve Goldstein trained me, and now he's the television voice of the Florida Panthers. So it was kind of cool. We were both doing the same game. Jim Cerny trained me in my first Met game. It was a Met Pirate game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not as good as a Brewers Pirate game.

[Don La Greca]

It was an ESPN game, I remember, and I thought it was, like, fascinating that there's Chris Berman calling the game. He's got the suit, but he's wearing jeans because he knew he wasn't going to be shot from meltdown. And I didn't know any better. So we're in a Clubhouse. This is 92. So it's a 92 Mets, and worst.

[Alan Hahn]

Team money can buy.

[Don La Greca]

There's a stool in the room that I sit, and Jim's like, what are you doing? I said, just, you know, just stand there. I'm gonna sit. That's Eddie Murray's stool. If he sees you, he's gonna punch you in the Face. I'm like, he's looking at me like, no, seriously, get up. Cause Eddie, he hit his 500th home run as a Met, which is great, but he didn't suffer fools, as they say. He didn't really enjoy, I think his stint with the Mets. It was like you said, not many did back then. I could have gotten again, that would have been a great face by Eddie Murray. I probably would have gotten tackled by Phil Garner because you heard my story that I knew C.J. nikowski because I hung out with his sister and he's playing for the Detroit Tigers. I'm covering a Yankee game for Sweeney for the Fan. He's out in left field. I run out to left field to say hello and I'm talking with in left field. And CJ said, you better get to the foul line, man. If Phil sees you, he will tackle you. So I sprint to the foul line just as Phil's coming out of the Doug as he was managing the Tigers. That's trial. So I could have been tackled by Phil Garner. Punch by Eddie Murray.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Eddie Murray. Any guess on Eddie's age right now? Yep. By the way, he is a star. Yesterday I never.

[Don La Greca]

I would say he's 67 years old.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I was going to say 68.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Actually 69. Alan wins 69 and 274 days.

[Don La Greca]

How many ones he end up with?

[Peter Rosenberg]

He ends 535.

[Don La Greca]

504.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Almost 2000 RBI.

[Don La Greca]

Right. So he got. He got the five.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Over 3000 hits. 3255.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

He's got hall of Fame.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. 500 home runs, 3000 base hits.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Has to be right?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh yeah. It doesn't say.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, there it is.

[Don La Greca]

Sorry.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's right at the top of his page.

[Alan Hahn]

I was gonna say if it's not because.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hall of Fame, by the way. Hall of Fame, Rookie of the year, eight time all star, World Series, three time Gold Glover. That's a hell of a career.

[Alan Hahn]

He wasn't a bad player. He just wasn't. Wasn't the most likable guy.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

God.

[Don La Greca]

The Mets, Orioles, Vaughan. Oh my God.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When you have a 10 year career, one city, you win a title there, then you leave and start bouncing around.

[Alan Hahn]

It's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's probably you become an ornery fellow.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. And then he might have just been bad guy sometimes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Bad guy. Maybe you're sick of being in Cal Ripkin shadow. I don't know. All these Ripkens around. Isn't it crazy, brother, that you hit.

[Don La Greca]

500 home runs after 3,000 hits? And you're still in the shadow of Cal Rip.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And by the way, is he that much worse a player than Cal Ripken?

[Don La Greca]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Or is Cal the streak? Is the streak such a huge part of it?

[Don La Greca]

It's the streak.

[Alan Hahn]

It is the streak.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I love him, but it is the streak.

[Don La Greca]

No, he was a great player.

[Alan Hahn]

The streak made him more of a legend than his game was legendary. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So could you question. Could you say and they both played 20 years. Could you just. Could you full on jump out hot, hot take and say that Eddie Murray was a better player than Cal Rifkin or is because Cal was a great shortstop or at least what do you. What level defender would you grade Cal Ripken in this?

[Don La Greca]

I don't. I honestly I don't remember. I'm sure he was great. I don't remember the metrics of his defense.

[Alan Hahn]

Just to put a bow on the Pirate.

[Don La Greca]

Two Gold Gloves.

[Alan Hahn]

That's it. When you say old timey baseball.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm going to give you some of the all time players in Pirate history when you hear these names. Like I'll start with one that is not so long ago. Bob Friend.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Bob Friend.

[Alan Hahn]

Hell, he's giving you all time. Ready?

[Don La Greca]

Ready.

[Alan Hahn]

We're not done. Pie trainer.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, well, we know pie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't remember pie.

[Alan Hahn]

No, you know pie training.

[Don La Greca]

Well, you weren't alive for pie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Do you know Archie Vaughn?

[Don La Greca]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

You like that Archie?

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, I prefer cake to pie.

[Alan Hahn]

I think Babe Adams, the other Babe. Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, that's a tough one to get up.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, we're. We're playing Babe today. Oh, Babe Ruth. No, Babe. You know that guy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know Babe Adams?

[Alan Hahn]

Of course you do. Yeah. I'm looking like some of the names here. Deacon, come on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How far back are you going? You're going 100 years.

[Alan Hahn]

This franchise has been around six since. Since start of baseball.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, they're starting baseball.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Huh.

[Alan Hahn]

One of those.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who are the. Who are the other OGs?

[Alan Hahn]

The other OGs of baseball.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Baseball, yeah. Like there's no original four.

[Alan Hahn]

The White Sox, the Reds.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. Reds were the first team.

[Alan Hahn]

Red Sox, Yankees, which were Highlanders. What am I missing? I know there's one obvious one that I'm just.

[Don La Greca]

Tigers.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, the. How far back did the Dodgers go?

[Don La Greca]

Well, the Brooklyn Dodgers go back to 1890, so they were original too. Okay, so the Dodgers and New York Giants. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

New York Giants, Diamondbacks, Marlins.

[Alan Hahn]

Boy, these are some great names though.

[Don La Greca]

Let's go to Ernest in Brooklyn. You're on. Es.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Speaking of great names. Hi.

[Caller Big Will]

How you guys doing? I've been waiting a long time, but I stood the. I stood the test. I got one. I'm a Met fan, tell you the truth, but I think they make too much stuff out of cashmere. I think really the problem is Steinbrother needs to speak to cashmere and just change the philosophy. It's not that they don't spend money, but they're always going to the bargain basement, getting these injured players thinking that they're going to catch lightning in the bottle. Just go ahead and spend the money, stop spending the money, and then going on the cheap. It's the same thing.

[Alan Hahn]

He's trying to be smart, Ernest. That's what it is. He's trying to say. Well, I think you always say that. He tries to show how smart he.

[Don La Greca]

Wants to be fiscally responsible.

[Caller Big Will]

Right. Sometimes he's too smart, because then you got times where he gets sluggers. You got to get people that can run the basis. You got to hit for average, not just slug.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, that's a style. Well, they're all going after the analytics. But I will tell you, I think we're really. You had a great about that. Their vitriol towards Hal is more about Cashman. But it's just they don't want to hear a team in New York throw out things like fiscally responsible budget. They don't want to hear that. They don't want to hear that. And that's the one thing. George was smart, because I'm sure George had a budget, he had a limit, but he wasn't talking like that. They're too upfront about it. You know what I mean? Like, don't be defensive about it. Hey, we got the third highest payroll in baseball.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, we're going to spend.

[Don La Greca]

We're going to do whatever we can to win. Case closed, done. But you start, you know, talking about the money you're making, it's unseemly, I think, to a lot of New Yorkers.

[Alan Hahn]

What's funny to me is that we're talking about the most successful franchise of all the New York teams by a mile.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, not even close.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So.

[Alan Hahn]

So, like, do you see? They talk about nitpicking. They are, by a mile, the most successful sports franchise in the market.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And we're criticizing the owner. Think about that.

[Don La Greca]

1-800-919-3776. We'll get back to your phone calls. We got the Eli debate we got to get into. But coming up next, it is fraud Friday. It's Tuesday.

[Alan Hahn]

Trying to get the Friday ready, really excited about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Although, should we. I gotta tell you. Should we do fraud Friday? Tomorrow is a conversation.

[Alan Hahn]

Fraud Wednesday.

[Don La Greca]

But that comes at the expense of the list. And people like the list.

[Alan Hahn]

We can do both.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What do you mean by the way we program the show.

[Alan Hahn]

This is our Thanksgiving show. I don't think it's really like one that we have to put a lot.

[Don La Greca]

I got an idea.

[Alan Hahn]

You're going to clear the decks.

[Don La Greca]

Let's do all five tomorrow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What do you mean everything we do?

[Don La Greca]

We'll do an NFL blitz.

[Alan Hahn]

This is crazy. Sure.

[Don La Greca]

I got to be honest with you. Of the five we do, that's the one I hate the most.

[Commercial Announcer]

Thank you.

[Don La Greca]

Because it's manufactured. Because our pinhead suit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I enjoy it.

[Jacob]

I like the open.

[Alan Hahn]

Peter's actually active in the second.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thank you. I actually told.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know if I appreciate the word man.

[Don La Greca]

We don't have to talk doctor things up. It's Monday. What do you think we're going to talk about?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Aren't you with me? I don't like it.

[Jacob]

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday features Make sense.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That makes more sense. The Wednesday, Thursday. The ones we didn't just do over the last days.

[Jacob]

Would you like to talk about it in 30 minutes and talk about it again in 24 hours?

[Don La Greca]

I forgot that we're just trying to be good. I was thinking maybe just go nuts.

[Jacob]

You have to make your yo yo picks that you're all.

[Alan Hahn]

Here's the idea. Wait, here's the idea. Because we're ending at 6:30. So Enn ends the show.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

So what do we do at. We do each in the 5 o' clock hour.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just not just one thing after the other.

[Jacob]

When will picks be?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Picks at 545.

[Don La Greca]

We really need to do the best.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean.

[Jacob]

Yeah, listen. I want to give you. I want at least things to say.

[Alan Hahn]

Loss, loss, loss.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, true.

[Alan Hahn]

I appreciate. I mean we have we three. There's a lot to do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's talk about it next.

[Alan Hahn]

All right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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 podcast. Sometimes you just can't take it anymore. This is let's Talk About It Tuesday with Don Hahn and Rosenberg.

[Don La Greca]

Let's talk about it. Driven by Ramsey Mazda.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Go ahead, Peter.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's be about it. I'll just talk about it.

[Don La Greca]

Let's be about it. Be about it, baby.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, guys. So I got an email the other day.

[Don La Greca]

Day.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I'm gonna read it right now to the to the group here. And I think it's important that we share this with the audience.

[Don La Greca]

I love it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that we all talk through this as a family. I'm here with my family. Hi guys. Love the show. And all of you, please don't take this the wrong way. I am all caps begging you guys to Stop Don's long ass. It's Tully time.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, we get it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I found it kind of funny at first, but after hearing it a million times, it's become sound abuse to my ears. I'm sure I'm not the only one who hates it. It doesn't make me want Tullamore Do. It makes me hate Tullamore Do. Now I go out of my way to skip it on the podcast and I miss all of your Tullamore do ads. Please stop it. I'm begging you.

[Alan Hahn]

Audio torture is what you're saying. So I. Jake, this is all on you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is. No, this is it.

[Don La Greca]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

See how aggressive he is? Look how aggressive. Oh, yeah, look at him. This is Jake. Jake's like. It's. No, it's not going.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So. So we need to have a conversation. Okay, let's talk about it.

[Don La Greca]

Let's talk.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I'll open the Phone lines to 1-800-91937.

[Alan Hahn]

So the Tully drop. Do we need to get rid of it or come up with a new one?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think people might just say, hey, how about you just say it's game.

[Alan Hahn]

Time, it's telly time, and just move on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And just move on. Or maybe the quick Marty McFly or the Dons. You know, the other ones we have. Yeah, what do you have over there.

[Alan Hahn]

Besides the short ones you got?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just.

[Alan Hahn]

Just punch them in.

[Jacob]

Early returns are sunset it according to YouTube.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, go ahead. What do you got there, Jacob?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It'S still a. I mean, that'll still annoy people. What else you got?

[Alan Hahn]

It's good, though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's Tully time.

[Don La Greca]

I like both of those.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What else? Anything else?

[Don La Greca]

It's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's jolly time. That one's a good compromise.

[Alan Hahn]

Just like that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then whatever.

[Alan Hahn]

That it.

[Don La Greca]

All right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then the Marty McFly. It's totally time.

[Alan Hahn]

Like when he holds it. We don't need the hold it part.

[Don La Greca]

Or do we just go back to. I do something adventurous every day and on your own, you have to listen and find out. Some may be irritating, but you don't have to worry because the next day it'll be something completely different. See, I've read that's all that was Jacob. Right. And then you took a few of them, and then we repurposed them.

[Alan Hahn]

See, I'd rather not do that because you're the devil's, like, TV announcer.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Great point. I can't risk your voice because.

[Alan Hahn]

Telly time.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. So the compromise was I played a long one and that's what it was. So you're saving me from myself.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's right.

[Don La Greca]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because you're not to be trusted. I think he's right about that. Let's see. I'm gonna see what people are saying here in the old YouTube. Let's see the. Should we sunset the Teletron Drop? Yes, 71% so far in this initial 50 votes.

[Alan Hahn]

All right. Twitter. Stuntman Mike says it's an absolute classic. Any listener that doesn't like it, not a true fan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I've gotten a handful of people not just saying this for me. A handful of people saying just make it McFly and call it a day. I think then we'll grow to hate.

[Don La Greca]

That one too, because it'd be twice a day. It's like 10 times a week. We'd hear that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's totally time.

[Don La Greca]

You don't think the Die Hards that listen all the time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, it plays every time now too. It plays after years.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, I like the little three rotation that we have. But if you want to shorten compromise.

[Alan Hahn]

The WILMA version just needs to be shorter. Can we just cut a new one that's a little bit shorter? Because it really is funny. The Fred Flintstone.

[Jacob]

I have a compromise for the long.

[Alan Hahn]

One, the one that sounds like Fred Flintstone.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What do you got?

[Jacob]

Does it. Does it win the Mountain West Conference? Is it an automatic bid to get. To get absolutely demolished in the first round at the 12pm Tulsa, Oklahoma game? You know, on March in Drop Madness.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It catches. I'll tell you what that long. It's Tully time.

[Jacob]

It gets the 14 seed and runs up against.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You could end up getting a high seed because of the fact that it was. It's. It's so useful. Like in terms of usage. It gets a ton of usage.

[Jacob]

But you see, it runs up against.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was looking at the same thing.

[Don La Greca]

You're turn.

[Jacob]

You're turning. You're turning off the game. It's 132.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Imagine that. Imagine the longest. Only time sees this in the first round.

[Caller Big Will]

The last time I called up, I was not high. I was pooping in my pants.

[Alan Hahn]

Goodbye.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, time's dead.

[Alan Hahn]

That's on True tv and they're going to cut away.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So how do you feel? Don, listen, you're ultimately the.

[Don La Greca]

Well, I appreciate that Jacob is trying to save my voice, but maybe there's ways that I can be creative without.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you want to do my voice and you want to do that.

[Don La Greca]

Well, if people are irritated by it and it's the same three over and over again.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hold on there's also another. What are we saying here? There's another major thing that has to be said here. This is no longer just a Don legreca thought here during the. During the season. I'm going to be doing this as much as you are. Alan's going to be doing this as much as you are. We're all going to be doing this. So now if we take this out now, you're asking us all to improvise. It's Tully time. Do we all want to improvise? It's Tully time.

[Alan Hahn]

Do you?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's just agree to this. Can we kill the long one? I agree. It's going to die. It's radio death.

[Don La Greca]

Listen, it would have been fine if Jacob didn't.

[Alan Hahn]

You ready to play it out of.

[Don La Greca]

The technology to stretch it out? Because it's not. I never did it that long.

[Alan Hahn]

You want to send it home?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can you play the long one, please? One more time.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's send it off.

[Don La Greca]

Faded it out. I love it. You know what?

[Peter Rosenberg]

You were. You did an honorable service for this show.

[Don La Greca]

I think it's. But I plan on replacing it. I got another Tully time. How about this? I got another Tully time. Coming up in the 5 o' clock hour, I will do something that hopefully can be repurposed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We will be sitting here with baited breath. What could he do?

[Don La Greca]

You don't have one, you said. Right. Because I did pop one to top my head.

[Alan Hahn]

Talk about.

[Don La Greca]

About it. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, please do.

[Don La Greca]

I mean, I love hockey.

[Alan Hahn]

Do you?

[Don La Greca]

Yes. And.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow. This is.

[Alan Hahn]

Hang on a second.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't.

[Don La Greca]

I don't watch every.

[Alan Hahn]

But when I do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don loves.

[Don La Greca]

I do like a lot of variety.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hold on real quick. Before you go down. I want to jump in. I'd like to say something too. I enjoy professional wrestling.

[Don La Greca]

But I need to disclaimer that because the. I'm taking a look at this since Saturday. All right, Saturday, 12 games. Makes sense.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a Saturday.

[Don La Greca]

Sunday, six. All right, Sunday you don't get a lot of games. And obviously going up against football. Right. Last night, seven games tonight, one tomorrow. 15. Thursday because it's Thanksgiving, none Friday, 15. Can we find a little bit of a happy medium? Like I. I love when they give all week. Everybody's playing tonight. Okay. There's only so much I can do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right. Who does that benefit?

[Don La Greca]

So you have 15 games. Like, wow. But it's not like 15 on a Saturday where you've got a few early in the afternoon, middle of the afternoon, and there's early evening. Then there's late games on Wednesday night. It's 15. From 7 to 10, there's 15 games. How much can people watch?

[Alan Hahn]

You can't.

[Don La Greca]

And then you go, all right, this one, it's a good game tonight. Stars at Oilers. I mean, I'll peek in 9 o', clock, but can we find a little.

[Alan Hahn]

Bit of a happy tonight, an exclusive window kind of night?

[Don La Greca]

Is that what it is? No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is there a benefit in terms of like scheduling? There's some sort of upside here.

[Don La Greca]

Well, the upside is, is that nobody's playing Thursday because it's Thanksgiving.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, this, this week, fine, I get it. But like, but still in general, do they need to have 15 games?

[Alan Hahn]

Guys, I'd like, I'd like to say something.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go ahead, Alan.

[Alan Hahn]

I like basketball.

[Don La Greca]

Hold on, folks.

[Alan Hahn]

In fact, I love basketball. Just wanted to make that. I just want to put that out there since we're all sharing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, I love lamps.

[Alan Hahn]

But I will say this though, off of what Don's saying, it did trigger something in my mind.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go ahead.

[Alan Hahn]

The NBA cup failure. Let's just do away with it. Can we just stop? Wednesday night is a cup night. So all the crazy courts and the uniforms, all that stuff. Is anybody have any idea right now in pool play, what's going on? No. You know why? Because it's hard to follow. Why? Because it's like this. First on a Friday, then it's on a way we don't know when these games are. And some games are and some games aren't. Hey, it's cup night. Is it? I don't know why. So why do this if we're going to do it? Like you always say, right? We don't want to be great, we just want to be good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

1, 2, 3, let's be good.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And so what they should do, which they'll never do, is this should be the season halts. And now these next two weeks are cup pool play games only. And then instead of an all star game that nobody wants to watch, that nobody cares about, you have your final four. Then you have an all star like you have. So you have your final four night, then you have your all star Saturday, and then you have your NBA cup championship game. And then we go back to regular, regular season play, pool play, still count stores, your regular season records and all that stuff. But now we know for this portion of the season, preferably right after the super bowl, this becomes the fugazi. Important games in the middle of the season. And we call it NBA cup series. And you Just run it for three. So now we're not wondering, is tonight a game? Is it? And you can't tell me. Well, you'll know because they're using the different courts. That's nice, but it's random. And if you're telling me no, it's not random. It's every Wednesday or every Friday, that's great, but I have so much else going on in my life, I'll forget and, oh, this is a cup game. Wait, what's their record in the cup play? I don't know. Don't you think it would be better and people would actually be a little more engaged if you decided that the season, regular season, regular games halt here and now for the next two weeks, we have pool play. And at the end of pool play, we're going to do our final four weekend in Vegas or wherever you want to do it with an all star Saturday. And now we don't have to do the fakacta all star anymore because we all know this year they're going to keep trying different things. We tried three on three. We tried. We're trying us versus the world. We're trying all these different formats. None of them are going to work. This would sell the game better because your game, your championship game, your semifinals, those games will have real meaning to them. Agree or disagree?

[Don La Greca]

I think it'll help. But ultimately, there are two things working against the cup. The NBA cup is number one. I don't know if the players care to win it. I think some do. Maybe the Nets Friday, once you get.

[Alan Hahn]

To the center, then the money's gone.

[Don La Greca]

You got to get there. You got to get there. Yes, Right. And I was watching net Celtics. Yes, I was. On Friday night.

[Alan Hahn]

God bless you.

[Don La Greca]

And the Nets won that game. And was it because, hey, the Nets have nothing to play for. It's a cup game. I'm going to want to win it. And the Celtics are probably, you know, we're injured. I don't care about it. And is that the why the Nets won? So if you don't have all the teams caring about it, then. Then what is it going to matter? And also, does anybody really care about it? Like, as a fan, maybe if you're a net fan, you're like, I got no chance of making the playoffs, but maybe I'll root for my team to win the cup. But is it anything that these teams are proud of? Do they care about. Do they hang a. I know they hang a banner. NBA makes them hang a banner. But does it matter? You know, everybody Looked at the four nations last year in the NHL. Nobody knew they cared about it until all of a sudden they started watching and they saw the players cared and then all of a sudden they were invested. And the next thing you know, the championship game, 9 million people are watching.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, Don, that's my point though.

[Don La Greca]

But are you going to get. Why did that get to that point?

[Alan Hahn]

Why did it work? Because it was a block of time, right, where all it was was four nations. That's all this was. It was four nations. We knew it mattered. It was different. And I think because look, the NBA cup is not going anywhere. It's Adam Silver's baby.

[Don La Greca]

He loves it.

[Alan Hahn]

They have his big time sponsor on it. They have a lot of money invested in it. So it's not going anywhere. But can't we do it better? And I'm just saying the better way to do it because there are players who walk in the gym and it's like, let's see the court. Oh, it's a cup game. Like nobody's really following it. But if you tell me these two weeks are NBA pool play, this is your pool play for the cup, it now you know when you're dialed in a little more, it matters a little more because you're following a different set of standings for the next two weeks. And that's all I'm saying. It's just an idea that I have, a hoop idea.

[Don La Greca]

It's weird because I think even people that care about basketball just don't know or care.

[Alan Hahn]

You don't care now, but you might care more if it's just isolated two weeks. That's all I'm saying. It's not going anywhere.

[Don La Greca]

So no, we all agree it's kind.

[Alan Hahn]

Of useless, but maybe it's less useless if it felt a little more important, which made it separate block in the middle of the season, preferably after the super bowl, when everybody's craving for something live sports worth watching.

[Don La Greca]

Sometimes you got to find lightning in a bottle and they have not found it yet. But as you said, it's not going anywhere. Let's talk about it. It is driven by Ramsey Mazda. It's the experience of driving a new Mazda or buying a new Mazda from Ramsey Mazda. Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda.

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[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Don La Greca]

Oh, hockey fans and holiday shoppers join us live from the NHL Shop at Hudson Yards Tuesday, December 2nd from 3 to 6:30pm we'll be talking all things hockey and joined on site by hockey legend Mark Messier. It's all powered by Game seven brands, bringing you closer to the action than ever before. Don't miss us live on Tuesday, December 2nd from the NHL Shop in Manhattan. Well, we get to that time of year where we start throwing out the semifinalists for the hall of Fame and Eli Manning did not make it last year. He was a finalist but did not make it into it in his first ballot, which I think people were okay with because I think people ultimately assume that he is going to make it. They take a minimum of four like they did last year. Just four. They take a maximum of eight. So we do have limits here. And you take a look at the top four finalists from last year. Now, Eli was a finalist last year, but he was not a top four finalist. Willie Anderson, Tory Halt, Luke Keakley and Adam Vinatieri. Or Vinatieri I always remember. I remember Terry, right? I always threw the A in for.

[Alan Hahn]

Just because I like Kyle Palmeri, right?

[Don La Greca]

So the assumption is if they were in the top four of finalists last year, they're going to be. It may not be, but it's a pretty good guess. So if we've got a maximum of 8 and 4 are going to be those guys. Well, then that leaves only four. Four others among this. Eli Breese, Rivers Fitzgerald, Whitten Gore, Fred Taylor, Steve Smith Jr. Reggie Wayne, Terrell Suggs, Darren Woodson. You know, we got Heinz Ward on this list. Steve Wisniewski, who was an unbelievable offensive lineman for the la, Oakland, Brooklyn Raiders for like a decade and a half, went to eight Pro Bowls. Vince Wolfork. I mean, come on.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Rodney Harrison. Then you got Robert Mathis in there. Marshall Yanda. It's. It's an eclectic list, to say the least. My issue seems to be if you're going to give Anderson, Holt, keakley, and venitarian4, can Eli get in as one of the four of the people that we mentioned? And it's tough.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Here. Okay, let's just talk. Let's just have some real brass tacks.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. To be clear, these are the semifinalists. Fifteen of them out of the 26 names move on to the finals, move.

[Don La Greca]

On to the final. And I think he has a chance to move on to the final.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And the names that Don just mentioned, the four of them, we're assuming are all going to be going back because of the top four.

[Alan Hahn]

Remember, you just added some to the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To the pool here and then we added. So we're down to 11 of these spots.

[Don La Greca]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So let's just throw it out. Here is. Will Eli get passed by Drew Brees? I say yes.

[Don La Greca]

Yes. The Brees, Rivers, Fitzgerald, Whitman and Gore, I believe are all in their first ballot.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes. But I think Breeze will jump over him. I think Breeze is seen as that good. That's at Rivers. I say no.

[Don La Greca]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Don La Greca]

I'm so. I can live with Breeze going in before Eli. I cannot. I cannot. Rivers. I'm sorry.

[Alan Hahn]

Larry Fitzgerald.

[Peter Rosenberg]

See, this is a tough one. Fitzgerald is not only an incredible stud whose numbers are psychotic, he's like a super beloved player by everybody.

[Don La Greca]

But does he have to go first Battle?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know.

[Don La Greca]

I say probably.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, so how about this? Out of the new names, right? What. Who is. Who is first Battle. Who feels first?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's what we're doing here. Right. So we've got Breeze.

[Alan Hahn]

You feel is a first bout?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think so.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think in all likelihood, Drew Brees.

[Alan Hahn]

There's a lot. There's a lot, a lot there. There's a lot there.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He threw for 9 million yards.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And, well, it's just also the whole story about New Orleans.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's a lot.

[Alan Hahn]

Unreal. Yeah. Is there any other name that you see that isn't a returning finalist that you would say, got to get him in. Like Vince Wolfork. You talk about one of the most dominating players and one of the most dominating teams.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Defenses.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But at the same time, Will Fork's been there how many times? We don't know.

[Alan Hahn]

A few times.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

I don't know how many times it's been. I mean, he's been retired a while, so I have to believe it's at least a couple of times.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay, let's. Let's.

[Don La Greca]

Lomas Brown. He's been around a while.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'll tell you the names that I thought that.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't think Wolf retired that long ago.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'll tell you the names that I. That I know, to me, Eli's ahead of. Eli should get in there ahead of Fred Taylor. He should get ahead. He should get in there ahead of Steve Smith senior. Even though I love. I mean, the ultimate dog at wide receiver. He was dog before the word was dog, I guess.

[Don La Greca]

This is Wolf Fork's second time. He retired in 16, so. Right. It's every three years. So 19. Yeah. So this. I think it might be his third time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Reggie Wayne. Reggie Wayne. Great player. I put Eli in ahead of him.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What about T Sizzle?

[Alan Hahn]

It's a good one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I still put Eli in ahead of Suggs. If he's Ray Lewis. Different conversation. He's not. Love Terrell Sugg.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He. Ed Reed. To me, it's Ed Reed and Ray Lewis are like absolute undeniables from that.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Terrell Suggs is the next level down.

[Alan Hahn]

I think that's fair.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I think Eli's in ahead of him. And then I'll be honest, guys, the whole next group we have here of Kevin Williams, Heinz Ward, Richmond Webb, really good players. I don't think any of them I'm considering ahead of Eli. So it's a matter of the four that we already mentioned from the top, the Willie Anderson, Tory Holt, Luke Keakley and Vinteri. And then the ones we just mentioned, Drew Brees and Fitzgerald. So that's where it gets. That's where it gets tricky.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, that's six, then.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But shouldn't he.

[Alan Hahn]

The classes could be as many as eight.

[Jacob]

But you're not even including the three seniors. One coach or one builder?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, that's.

[Jacob]

And they could get in.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But hold on. Do they have to have three seniors or up to three seniors? But they could up to three seniors.

[Don La Greca]

Yes. Why are they included in the eight?

[Jacob]

But that could be five of those. If you really Felt strong about only three players.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, you knows in the.

[Alan Hahn]

Seniors, they limit the club.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He knows in the seniors. Awesome names. Mr. Carl Banks, Clay Matthews, Steve Taster, Steve Tasker, Joe Jacoby.

[Don La Greca]

No, these are all huge names. I get it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I'm just naming the ones that.

[Don La Greca]

I'm saying is that you are putting in Roger Craig. See, here's what I'll say. Your three seniors should be separate from the eight maximum. The coach I would include because coaches are important in the NFL. Okay, you're telling me that if the year that you're putting Bill Parcells in like a few years ago, he's not going to be included. He might be bigger than some of the names that are going in like. So I'd have no problem with the one coach being part of the eight. I'm not putting the contributor in. I mean, I'll put the contributor in, but I've got a maximum of eight and then I'll throw on top of it the three seniors possibly. And the contributor. The only one that I would include in the 8 would be the coach.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I agree.

[Don La Greca]

That's fair.

[Alan Hahn]

Who's a coach on the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But, by the way, that's. That's not how it works.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, I know it's not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So we're. We're playing Tonka Trucks here because that's the situation we're dealt with. By the way, I just found out my guy got left out again this year. Brian Mitchell, leading, leading return man in the history of the NFL. Not going to be up. Not going to be a finalist again.

[Don La Greca]

Because again, you know, specialty. They don't care about this now. Like Gore, Whitten, Rivers, I've got no problem with them waiting. This is their first year. If you want to put Breeze and Fitzgerald in as first ballad guys, again, no issue there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I'm also not putting Torrey, Holt or Luke Kechley ahead of the But.

[Don La Greca]

All right, so.

[Alan Hahn]

So can I give you some coaches?

[Don La Greca]

And we're assuming, by the way, that because the four that we mentioned, Anderson, Holt, Keakley and Venateri were finalists last year, that they're automatically. And they may not be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They may not be.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Can I give you some coaches?

[Don La Greca]

Go ahead.

[Alan Hahn]

You mentioned Belichick. That's one.

[Don La Greca]

I'm sorry, Belichick who? Bill? Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, he's big Tom Coughlin.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's also big Mike Holmgren or taking a step back.

[Alan Hahn]

And now. And now we're going like to a list of names. Like, you know, again, this is. These are names that have probably been up for a while and still aren't getting in. Like Chuck Knox and Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How many coaches are they up to? Take just one.

[Don La Greca]

One coach.

[Alan Hahn]

But these are the nine coaches that were named the semifinalists. Okay, so Belichick and Coughlin lead the way. Homegren, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert and Mike Shanahan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So it'll be. It'll be Bill this year, it'll be Coughlin next year. That's what I would say.

[Don La Greca]

Coughlin deserves it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If Eli deserves it, Coughlin deserves it.

[Alan Hahn]

Wouldn't it be great if they went in now?

[Peter Rosenberg]

That, by the way, that could be.

[Don La Greca]

On the table for. And you know what, and you bring up something very interesting. Is that how it's going to end up working out? Eli Mrs. Belichick is one that goes in. You know, Coughlin's going to go in next year. Coughlin and Eli go together. My bet would be Eli's going to have to wait another year.

[Alan Hahn]

You get the big New York bump. Giants play in the hall of Fame game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, just.

[Don La Greca]

You just slayed it.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. That's. If you're scripting this. If you're the NFL, that's what you do.

[Don La Greca]

It's done.

[Alan Hahn]

Giants coached by Mike McCarthy coming in, playing, right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Or Coughlin coming back as head coach and goes into. If it was wrestling. But that's what it would be.

[Alan Hahn]

But. But that's exactly what you do, though, is if you're now again, this is a football hall of Fame and they have their own rules, but. Be a pretty smart thing to do, wouldn't it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, I know. That's. I know. We always get so serious about these.

[Don La Greca]

Things and it's like, oh, you wouldn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Want to rig it.

[Alan Hahn]

It's a celebration.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I mean, just rigging it.

[Alan Hahn]

You are rigging it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, Eli's going in, you know Coughlin's going in. Set them both up for next year.

[Alan Hahn]

The committee probably says, you know, we can, we can make Eli wait.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, you really can't have that conversation.

[Alan Hahn]

What would it be? His third. Right. Third time through.

[Don La Greca]

And that's the way it goes. And here's the dirty little secret about Frank Gore. He's a compiler. Frank Gore's got away.

[Alan Hahn]

Played a million years.

[Don La Greca]

Gore played forever. Was it 16 seasons? 16,000 yards for a running back?

[Alan Hahn]

That's ridiculous.

[Don La Greca]

But he never led the league in rushing. Never. Only one year had double digit touchdowns.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, he was the man.

[Don La Greca]

But he was compiler.

[Alan Hahn]

He was in the league when his son was playing college.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And only.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And when his dad was vice president.

[Don La Greca]

And five. Really?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

When he invented the Internet.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, his dad invented the Internet.

[Don La Greca]

Everything can happen then. Five. Five Pro Bowls in 16 years. So. So Gore is going to have to wait. Rivers is going to have to wait. And you know what? Rivers might have to wait a while. Because if Eli is going to have to wait three years, then Rivers is going to have to. I just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I just hope that.

[Don La Greca]

Wait three.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can I just say, I just hope in the voting, Gore doesn't get screwed. You don't want a hanging chat.

[Don La Greca]

That would be. They don't want that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't just give up. I'm going to tell you right now, though, Frank, if it happens, don't just give up. You got to keep fighting.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how the.

[Alan Hahn]

Sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good.

[Don Hahn]

Hear more of Don, Alan and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.