Don, Hahn & Rosenberg - Hour 2: Talk About It Tuesday

Date: October 14, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Podcast: ESPN New York

Episode Overview

This episode of "Talk About It Tuesday" sees Don, Hahn, and Rosenberg dive into the rapidly evolving landscape of college sports eligibility, with a spirited debate about the blurred lines between amateur and professional athletics. They then transition to a deep, nostalgic appreciation of "Back to the Future" on its 40th anniversary, discussing why it's one of the most enduring and emotionally impactful films ever made. The episode closes with an important public health announcement regarding former Jets center Nick Mangold’s search for a kidney donor.

Key Topics & Detailed Breakdown

1. The New Wild West of College Athlete Eligibility

[02:43–10:53]

NCAA Rules, NIL & Professional Pathways

• Peter Rosenberg introduces a little-discussed trend: players moving from pro leagues back to the NCAA, enabled by updated rules recognizing some minor leaguers (who didn't earn much) as amateurs.
  • "Did you know...you can play professional sports and then decide, I want to go to college?" (Peter Rosenberg, 02:50)
• Example: Abdullah Ahmed, former G-Leaguer, now with collegiate offers from teams like Auburn, BYU, and UCLA.
• Explanation of the NCAA's logic: minor-league pros may regain amateur status if they didn't earn significant income.
• This flexibility in eligibility is also happening in hockey, with cases like Justin Gill (played AHL/ECHL, now in college).
• The change creates a system where athletes can test the pro waters and return to college—something previously prohibited.

Debate: Good for the Sport?

• Alan Hahn draws attention to the end of amateurism in college sports:
  • "You can't be half pregnant. This is where we are now." (Alan Hahn, 06:15)
  • Adds that this could especially change non-revenue sports too—not just football/basketball.
• Don La Greca notes it "makes sense," given that all college athletes are essentially professionals now.
• Rosenberg floats the idea of college as an explicit feeder, or minor league, to the pros and ponders "what’s the harm now?"

Implications & Philosophical Shifts

• Possible for a player to go undrafted in the NFL, land on a practice squad, then return to college ball—with NIL money on the table. (07:06–07:36)
• Alan Hahn flips it: what if pro teams facilitate player returns to college for development?
  • "Make college football like the G League in the NBA." (Alan Hahn, 08:18)
• Everybody acknowledges the hypocrisy of maintaining the "amateur" label in college sports when big money, frequent transfers, and paid athletes are the norm.
• On accountability:
  • "You're not a student athlete. You're a professional. And that means also that I should be allowed to criticize you...he's making more money than some professors are." (Alan Hahn, 10:09)

Consensus

• The hosts agree this shift is now irreversible:
  • "Listen, whether I'm for it or against it, it's where we are now." (Don Hahn, 10:43)

2. "Back to the Future" - Nearing its 40th Anniversary

[11:01–15:43]
A classic "Talk About It Tuesday" transition, the conversation swings to nostalgia and pop culture.

The Upcoming 40-Year Milestone

• The trio reminisce about the time-travel dates within the movie and plans to celebrate the anniversary with screenings.
  • Disagreement and research into the exact fictional timeline of the films.
• Alan and Don reflect on the iconic "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance and its November date.

Perfect Movie, Universal Appeal

• Peter Rosenberg boldly asserts:
  • "If I have to choose one movie that gives me all the feels, makes me laugh, makes me think, it has all the things in it...Back to the Future has absolutely everything." (Peter Rosenberg, 13:07)
• They discuss why it's arguably a "perfect" film—plot, generational appeal, feels.
  • "It gives you the full Jimmy V experience. Make you think, make you laugh, make you cry. That's a full day." (Peter Rosenberg, 14:18)
• Comparison to other 80s movies like "Ferris Bueller's Day Off":
  • "As much as Ferris Bueller has heart...it doesn't have that thing that makes you truly feel." (Don Hahn, 15:10)
• They discuss what makes an '80s movie' vs. a 'movie made in the 80s.'
  • "You hire one of the biggest acts at the time, Huey Lewis and the News, to do the soundtrack...it cannot just be labeled as an 80s movie." (Alan Hahn, 17:51)
• The hosts credit Michael J. Fox's performance and reflect on the broader impact of the film and its cast.

3. Fame, Legacy, and Accepting Signature Roles

[19:04–22:31]

Michael J. Fox & Back to the Future’s Place in Film History

• Discussion extends to how Fox—and actors generally—come to terms with being primarily remembered for one iconic role, despite diverse careers.
  • "Marty McFly is forever...if there was a time capsule of what movies were of the last 50 years, I think Marty McFly is standing there." (Don Hahn, 19:37)
• The group then briefly digresses into actors shifting between comedic and dramatic roles, notably Robin Williams and Jim Carrey, debating who made the better leap and why.

4. Community & Health: Nick Mangold's Kidney Transplant Call

[22:47–25:36]

A Serious Segment

• Alan Hahn shares an emotional statement from former Jets center Nick Mangold, who is now in need of a kidney transplant due to chronic kidney disease.
  • "He needs us...I am in need of a kidney donor with type O blood." (Alan Hahn, 23:04)
• Mangold’s plea to Jets and Ohio State communities:
  • Go to columbiasurgery.org/kidney-transplant and use "Nicholas Mangold" and his birth date (January 13, 1984) to see if you could be a potential match.
  • Hahn encourages listeners to spread the word and consider donating.
• The hosts reflect on Mangold’s career and contributions to both sports and community.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On college sports' blurred lines:
  “You can’t be half pregnant. This is where we are now.”
  — Alan Hahn, [06:15]

• On ‘amateur’ athletes:
  “You’re not a student athlete. You’re not an amateur anymore. You’re a professional. And that means also that I should be allowed to criticize you.”
  — Alan Hahn, [10:09]

• On "Back to the Future":
  "If I have to choose one movie that gives me all the feels, makes me laugh, makes me think…it has all the things in it…Back to the Future has absolutely everything."
  — Peter Rosenberg, [13:07]

• On accepting your signature role:
  "It's a great topic...people accepting when they were known for that. This is who you are instead of fighting it."
  — Don Hahn, [20:19]

• Mangold’s plea:
  "I am in need of a kidney donor with type O blood. If you are willing to find out if you could be a match and donate a kidney to me, please go to this site..."
  — Alan Hahn (reading Nick Mangold's statement), [23:04]

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [02:43] – Rosenberg introduces the new college/pro eligibility debate
• [06:15] – Hahn’s “half pregnant” analogy on the end of amateurism
• [10:09] – Big money, big accountability: "You're not an amateur anymore"
• [13:07] – Back to the Future: argument for best all-around movie
• [14:18] – On what makes a movie "perfect"
• [19:37] – Marty McFly as a cultural time capsule
• [23:04] – Emotional reading of Nick Mangold's public health statement

Tone & Style

The conversation is lively, opinionated, and blends sports debate with pop culture and human interest—a signature mix for these hosts. Hahn often takes the big-picture philosophical stance, Rosenberg drives the passionate personal takes, and La Greca provides balancing context and personal anecdotes. The tone moves swiftly from energetic and joking to seriously empathetic during real-life community moments.