Hour 3: McCarthy, Yankees & Damien Woody

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast – Hour 3 Summary

Episode: Hour 3: McCarthy, Yankees & Damien Woody
Date: December 4, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Guests: Damien Woody

Episode Overview

This episode dives into three core topics: Mike McCarthy’s candidacy for the New York Giants head coach job and his thoughts on young quarterback Jackson Dart, a breakdown of the Yankees’ looming payroll and offseason strategy, and a wide-ranging conversation with NFL analyst Damien Woody about league parity, playoff picture, and coaching. The show wraps with a tribute to the late legendary guitarist Steve Cropper and some engaging banter about music, movies, and Lowe’s dress codes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mike McCarthy and the Giants Head Coaching Speculation

(01:23 – 09:40)

• McCarthy’s Comments on Jackson Dart:

  • McCarthy articulated key qualities for young quarterbacks: accountability and, most importantly, availability.
  • Emphasized that missing games (in Dart’s case, due to a concussion) can impact a team's outcomes and player development.
  • McCarthy praised Dart’s playmaking, his pocket and out-of-pocket presence, but stressed improving decision-making and long-term health.

• Hosts’ Reactions:

  • Alan Hahn: Urged not to overblow Dart's two missed games, noting context matters (03:06).

    “He missed two games and it was a concussion, which is serious... but we’re acting like the guy’s always hurt.” – Alan Hahn (03:06)

  • Don La Greca: Agreed with both McCarthy’s and Hahn’s points, reiterating missed time matters, but overall, there’s some overreaction.

    “Maybe by missing those two games he wasn’t at his peak efficacy... Now you’ve affected the outcome of three games.” – Don La Greca (04:13)

• Coaching Fraternity Ethics:

  • Debated if McCarthy’s public praise was a breach of “coaches’ code.” Consensus: It wasn't, as he spoke about Dart generally, not openly campaigning for the job.

• Coaching Resume & Giants Appeal:

  • McCarthy's experience counts; 11 double-win seasons, 13 playoff appearances, but playoff “failure” is relative.

    “If Mike McCarthy fails in New York the way he failed in Dallas, that would be a huge step forward... they’d be on the cusp of the playoffs.” – Don La Greca (09:40)

2. Yankees Offseason, Payroll, and the Implications for 2025

(15:08 – 21:05)

• Payroll Constraints:

  • Michael Kay’s comments: Yankees intend to stay under the $300M payroll, currently at ~$279M (15:39), limiting their ability to make major free agent moves (e.g., Bellinger, Tucker).

    “If they intend to stay under $300M, they are not getting Bellinger, they are not getting Tucker...” – Michael Kay via Peter Rosenberg (15:39)

• Lux Tax & CBA:

  • Possible salary cap in next CBA could lock Yankees' spending around $300M. Hosts discuss if self-imposed cap now is strategic positioning.

    “If the Yankees are going to self-impose one, at least get the Dodgers, the Mets... to also be playing in the same ballpark financially.” – Don La Greca (17:57)

• Cashman’s Strategy:

  • The looming cap may expose or validate Brian Cashman as a GM—can he build within constraints?

    “It’ll expose Cashman... because with a salary cap with restrictions—what is he gonna do now?” – Alan Hahn (18:25)

3. The NBA Trade Landscape: Giannis, Knicks, and Roster Fit

(21:07 – 22:36)

• Call-In on Giannis Trade:
  • The challenge in building around Giannis without a “stretch big” like Brook Lopez; the need for roster architectural precision if trading for Giannis.

    “You can’t have a big in there that’s gonna clog it up, ‘cause that’s where he does his best work.” – Alan Hahn (21:37)

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4. Around the NFL with Damien Woody

(26:36 – 40:26)

• Parity and Playoff Race:

  • Woody celebrates NFL parity; 20 teams at .500 or better, makes for exciting competition.

    “This is absolutely fantastic for the league... so many teams still in it right now.” – Damien Woody (29:43)

• Quality vs. Parity:

  • Don raises concern that while more teams are “alive,” overall quality may dilute. Woody counters that it leads to the “cream” rising post-Thanksgiving.

• Super Bowl Predictions:

  • NFC: Rams lean, but warns not to sleep on the Seahawks, 49ers, even Bucs getting healthy.
  • AFC: Difficult to pick; Bills, Patriots, and Broncos all in play, though Woody questions durability in big moments.

• Coaching Carousel:

  • If Mike Tomlin becomes available, Woody says the Giants should pursue him immediately – lauds Tomlin as a “blue chip coach.”

    “If I'm the Giants, that's the first call I'm making. I want Mike Tomlin.” – Damien Woody (36:27)

• Buffalo’s Sean McDermott:

  • If Bills falter, Woody feels McDermott’s job is on the line—can’t waste Josh Allen’s prime.

• Mood Lightener: Napoleon Dynamite:

  • Woody promises to finally watch “Napoleon Dynamite” for next week’s show. Banter ensues about disappointment and low-stakes accountability.

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5. Tribute: Steve Cropper’s Passing & Music’s Unsung Heroes

(25:14 – 51:21 throughout, esp. 25:14, 44:23–46:09)

• The hosts react to the passing of Steve Cropper, legendary guitarist and songwriter.
  • Peter Rosenberg:

    “He not only played on ‘Sitting at the Dock of the Bay,’ he co-wrote it with Otis Redding. Not nothing.” (44:39)

    • Praises Cropper's role in music history, working with Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and others.
    • Discuss the behind-the-scenes legends, often overlooked but vital.
  • Alan Hahn:

    “There’s so many people like this that have been in the background forever but yet were vital to so many songs that we just don’t know.” (44:55)

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6. Banter, Culture, and Show Outtakes

(46:21 – 51:21)

• Rakim Interview:
  • Rosenberg shares excitement over interviewing Rakim, comparing his impact in hip-hop to foundational figures in other genres.

    “It’s more like McCartney if we’re having a real conversation...to me, it’s like you’re talking McCartney, you’re talking about someone foundational.” – Peter Rosenberg (49:01)

• Lowe’s Dress Code:
  • Lighthearted debate on whether one must “dress up” to go to Lowe’s, concluding it’s a “non-shower environment.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Mike McCarthy’s public posture:

  “Mike McCarthy is making it abundantly clear he wants the job...now it’s another name you can take seriously.” – Alan Hahn (08:59)

• On NFL “failure” in different contexts:

  “If Mike McCarthy fails in New York the way he failed in Dallas...that would be a huge step forward.” – Don La Greca (09:40)

• On parity’s double-edged sword:

  “There’s not one dominant team this year...a lot of really solid teams...it’s truly a week-to-week league.” – Damien Woody (30:34)

• On possible coaching changes:

  “If [Tomlin] becomes available...that’s the first call I’m making.” – Damien Woody (36:27)

• On Steve Cropper:

  “He not only played on ‘Dock of the Bay,’ he co-wrote it with Otis Redding. Not nothing.” – Peter Rosenberg (44:39)
  “Rolling Stone ranked him the 38th greatest guitarist of all time.” – Peter Rosenberg (46:04)

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Timestamps by Segment

| Subject | Approx. Time | |-------------------------------------------|--------------------| | McCarthy on Dart / Giants Coaching | 01:23 – 09:40 | | Yankees Payroll & Free Agency | 15:08 – 21:05 | | NBA/Knicks-Giannis Roster Fit | 21:07 – 22:36 | | Tribute: Steve Cropper | 25:14, 44:23+ | | NFL Parity, Super Bowl Picture w/ Woody | 26:36 – 40:26 | | Coaching Carousel: Tomlin, McDermott | 36:19 – 39:39 | | Lighter banter: Movies, Lowe’s, Rakim | 46:21 – 51:21 |

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Tone & Style

Maintains the energetic, sharp banter and layered knowledge the show is known for. Hosts mix curiosity, playful ribbing, and fan perspective—offering analysis, personal anecdotes, and spirited debate.

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Useful for Listeners Who Missed the Episode:

This hour delivers a meaty, entertaining mix of NFL playoff speculation, managerial chess in New York sports, and reverential pop culture asides. The conversations flow naturally between hard sports analysis and cultural touchstones, giving a sense not only of the news of the day, but the attitude and wit that makes Don, Hahn & Rosenberg a staple for New York sports fans.

Transcript

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[Don La Greca]

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[Alan Hahn]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don La Greca]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Alan Hahn]

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

[Don La Greca]

Game time is brought to you by Tullimore Du Irish Whiskey. Whiskey. Whisk, whisk, whisk, whisk, whisk. Whiskey. Game time.

[Alan Hahn]

It's chutney time.

[Don La Greca]

That's right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Whiskey.

[Don La Greca]

Almost like I had some whiskey. Rangers visit the Senators with coverage immediately following us right here on 880 at 6:30. The Islanders host the Avalanche at 7 and the Nets face off against the Jazz in Brooklyn at 7:30. Tullimore due. Yes, Peter, Bet your ace. He was just betting your ace on the Nets.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, it was just.

[Alan Hahn]

Don't worry about it. Yeah, keep it moving.

[Don La Greca]

Tullamore due. The original triple distilled trip, 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. Alright, I said A couple of mics spoke today, one of them Mike McCarthy. Many people, including myself, wouldn't mind Mike McCarthy being the next head coach of the New York Giants. Well, he was on McAfee today and he spoke about Jackson Dart and he says he has a message for dart or what the message would be to dart if he coached him.

[Mike McCarthy]

I think it's part of his responsibility. I think just like everything we always talk about, two most important abilities are accountability and availability. And availability is number one, you got to be available to your team and it's decision making. So if you can improve your decision making, that's going to improve your availability, then it's part of his job description. The most important stat for young quarterbacks. How many consecutive games can he play? Because you only improve playing every Sunday. It's clearly it's all part of his role, his job, responsibility, and it's something that he has to be more aware of. He's missed a number of games this year and we all love the way he plays don't get me wrong. I mean, you love the physicality, but this is a situation. We talk about it in our training of the playstyle. AJ Violent on the boundary. That's where a half a yard could be the difference in winning the game, you know, but not at this point in the game. He's got to get out of bounds, but part of it, too. I was watching the game live. It didn't look like he saw him.

[Don La Greca]

That's interesting. That's the first time I heard that opinion.

[Alan Hahn]

The corner of his eye, he didn't see him. That could be.

[Don La Greca]

But. But if that's the case, then you know what? That's a lack of vision. That's something that's got to improve as well. I mean, you got to be able to. To see that coming. When a truck's coming, you know, you got to be able to see it. And that was a truck that was coming.

[Alan Hahn]

Can I just. Though he missed a number of. He missed two games.

He didn't miss a number of. It's two games and it was a concussion, which is serious. You want to make sure that he's right, but we're acting like the guy's always hurt.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's not fair.

[Alan Hahn]

I get it.

[Don La Greca]

No, it's not fair.

[Alan Hahn]

He's not wrong in the idea that you need to play consecutive games, that you want to be available for your team. That's very important as a young player. All that stuff is true. Right. Improve your decision making when it comes to when to go and when not to go. Is the game on the line now? Yeah. Then you want to be all in, and you just want to go for it late in the game when it matters, but in the third quarter, probably not the time to try to extend the play. I understand he's trying to teach that, and that's fine, but I still feel like there's just so much overreaction, as if, like, this is fifth time he's missed. He's been out again.

[Don La Greca]

Start again.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, it just. It hasn't been consistent yet.

[Don La Greca]

It hasn't been consistent, but a couple of things that I support McCarthy on. He has affected outcomes of games by not being on the field. In games in which he did come back because Russell Wilson came in, they didn't do anything. Right. So. So he affected those games by being in the 10.

Since he's come back, he hasn't been bad, but he hasn't been the same. Stats haven't exactly popped in the two games in the game that he's been back and So I should say the one game that he came back so he wasn't awful, but so already missed two games and maybe by missing those two games he wasn't at his peak efficacy in the game against the Patriots. Now you've affected the outcome of three games, you know, so I, it's semantics to me. I am on board with you that I do think we're kind of blowing it a little bit out of proportion. But it is something. But in general, McCarthy had praise for Dart.

[Mike McCarthy]

I love the way he plays because I think when I evaluate quarterbacks, you look at the in the pocket ability and versus the out of pocket and what he does naturally you can't teach. I mean his ability to make plays with his feet, whether it's stepping up in the A or B gap and coming out off the movement stuff, you know, just the fact that they run him on so many design quarterback runs tells you what the coaching staff thinks of him. So those are all benefits, you know, but it's the end of pocket stuff is always the last thing that is. I always felt the drop back phase is always the real challenge for the guys in the National Football League. So the fact that he is so productive out of the pocket, naturally, you know, he just has to be smarter because the real challenge is, you know, beating teams from in the pocket. This is a two minute league. You look at the games, especially at the playoffs, 98% of these games come down to the last series of the game. So that quarterback has to, you know, he has to win from the pocket to start off with. So this young man has an extremely bright future. I mean, I think every, every quarterback coach in, in the United States will love to coach this guy just the way he plays, but he's got to be conscious of his availability.

[Alan Hahn]

There it is. He's gushing right there. He is, full bloom love here.

[Don La Greca]

If you're a McCarthy fan, and I won't go as far as say I'm a fan, but I wouldn't mind him getting this job then I think those comments, you feel pretty good that he wants the job and we'll see if the Giants offer it to him. It's clear he sounded interested and also backing up Peter, the fact that Dart will make this job attractive, especially for an offensive guy to know that, hey, they got the quarterback but it's on their mind too. Hey, is he, is this guy going to be able to stay healthy and are we going to take some of his aggressiveness away and if we do, it will affect him overall. It's just a general concern for him because he did miss a couple of games. Right, right.

[Alan Hahn]

How do we feel about Mike McCarthy openly talking about this the way and I. And also, you know, Gruden's done it on social. But how do we feel about it with the idea that Mike Kafka, whether you want him or not, as a fan, but right now he's an interim coach and it's been said, including Joe Shane saying it, that he very much is a candidate for the job. How do you feel about that, though? Just in as far as the coaching fraternity goes?

[Don La Greca]

No, I don't think he violated anything. He's just talking about Jackson Dart. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Don La Greca]

You know, if he was asked, are you interested in the job? And said, hell yeah, I am, and then started praising Jackson Dart, I think that would violate the ethics of the coaching code. But, you know, if he's going on McAfee and he's talking about a bright young star in the NFL now, he might have had some motivation behind the praise by, you know, planting a seed or whatever. Now, let's face it, we're talking about a coach that might have the inside track. He's 0 and 3. So, you know, I like some of the things Kafka's done, but, you know, I'm just, it's starting to feel like the job is beginning to open back up again.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah. No, what, what I, what I was going to say is it's starting to feel like there are people out there that are now starting to make their move.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Like I got to get in on. I want to get in on this thing.

[Don La Greca]

Although Peter will appreciate this and you two, you know, listening to K all those years is that Van Gundy took it so far that I bet you Van Gundy wouldn't even answer the question about Dart. No, but I thought Van Gundy sometimes took it too far when breaking that code. I mean, you could talk about the Giants. Just don't talk about wanting the job the biggest.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think Rex always had the most low key approach.

[Don La Greca]

Well, Rex, Gary Carter, remember Gary Carter just like, like, dude, just I want the job. That's. You just don't do that. It doesn't get done that much anymore.

There's no fine for doing it. It just, it just doesn't.

[Alan Hahn]

Look, I guess the point I was trying to make though is not, not about breaking the code, more about. Doesn't it show you, though? Because most of the time you would, you would the back of your mind say, I don't want to be Disrespectful. So I got to be careful what I'm saying. But Mike McCarthy's making it abundantly clear, him saying, like, you know, Eddie, quarterback's coach would love to work with him. What was he.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, okay.

[Alan Hahn]

So, like, you, like, he's letting you know I'm interested without talking about the job. And I think he wants that out there because especially if you're his age, like, you want it out there, you want it talked about. You want the Giants to know. Yeah. Oh, yeah. And this is all I'm thinking about, and I'm putting it out in the world, how I feel about your quarterback. That bodes well. I think we already knew this. We already knew this was a job that was going to attract people with experience, that people would want this job. Mike McCarthy is making it abundantly clear that he wants the job. And so now it's another name that you can take seriously and say, is this the right guy for right now?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, I just. I just want somebody with some experience. It's such a big job. And I know anybody with experience is going to have flaws. They've all been fired before. They've all failed before. So I understand the caller that's going to say, well, I'd rather have this coordinator, that hot, young coordinator, because they're all fresh, right? They're all new. The slate's clean. But there's also a lot of unknowns, right? We could be all hyped up about Joe Judge. How did that turn out? Right? All hyped up about Brian Dable. How did that turn out? So just Listen, if Mike McCarthy fails in New York the way he failed in Dallas, right now, that would be a huge step forward because he'd have them on the cusp of the playoffs and in the playoffs, and then we can complain about their failures in the playoffs. Same goes for Tomlin.

[Alan Hahn]

Isn't it. Isn't it pretty amaz? It's really amazing, right, when you what the levels of fail or what fail looks like from one place to another.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Well, it makes sense. It's happened in baseball, right? I mean, the Yankees are considered in New York to have a lack of success because they haven't won the World Series. The Pirates would crave, you know, how long has it been? 15 years without a championship for the Yankees in those. The Pirates would take those 15 years forever because they haven't won since 1979. They haven't been good for a decade. Was it 10 years missing the playoffs? So, yeah, everybody's on a different Track. But I will admit that there will be a day, hopefully if they get Tomlin or they get McCarthy, that the Giants are perennial playoff team. And. And I'm on Don Han and Rosenberg saying the guy should be out of a job because he has not won a playoff game in five years.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's right.

[Don La Greca]

He's been in the playoffs every year.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, you want to get there?

[Don La Greca]

I'd like to get to a point where I'm complaining about my team not winning playoff games, not soiling themselves on national television and smelling it.

[Alan Hahn]

So listen, soiling and smelling.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, they're digging in and showing it to everybody and then sticking their face in it. That's what national television's been for the Giants.

[Alan Hahn]

18 seasons he coached in the NFL as a head coach. Right. Let's take one out because he was fired in week 13. So it's not a full season. Right. So 17 seasons. And 11 of the 17 seasons he had double digit wins. All right, that alone right there. Right. Is enough. But then you have out of the 17 seasons, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13 playoff appearances.

Yep, that's a resume. Now again, one Super bowl, only one. But in the 13 years that he was a head coach and made the playoffs.

Three, four, five, five, only five of them, he only played one game. Like didn't get out of whatever the first round was, whether it was wild card, whether it was division round. So five of the 13. So for majority of the time he's at least winning a playoff game as well.

So that's what I mean by the knock against him and his inability, quote, unquote, to win and win in the playoffs, I feel like is a narrative that was built bigger in Dallas because he only won one year. He only won a play one playoff game. And they had, they did not look good in playoff games. I mean, we remember when, remember when Green Bay went down there and smacked them like there's, you know, there are those were the issues. But in the same thing, you could say he went 12 and 5, 12 and 5 and 12 and 5 in three consecutive seasons. Taking a team that was 6 and 10 and then turning it into a perennial 12 win team. Would you like that?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, take that. Now I will look at.

Is it a Dallas problem?

Because you look at Dallas since Barry Switzer left because he was the last one to win a Super Bowl. Right.

Changailey, no playoff wins. Dave Campo didn't go to the playoffs. Bill Parcells, no playoff Wins. Wade Phillips, one playoff win. Jason Garrett, two playoff wins in 10 seasons. All right, Mike McCarthy, one playoff and we'll see if Schottenheimer even gets him to the playoffs this year. So he's been part of a real dysfunctional team that has been great the regular season, no matter who the coach has been, no matter who the quarterback has been and have had regular season success and not one of the playoffs. So is it because of Mike McCarthy or is it because there's a lot going on there that, you know, maybe, you know, whether it's the Jones situation or whatever it is, you know, the pressure of the expectations. So there might be. He is one of many coaches in Dallas that didn't have a ton of success. So I kind of see the saying. And it looks like Schottenheimer might be on the way to the same thing, right. A team that might make the playoffs, might not and be one and done. I mean, shot him or might be a guy. Fast forward three years from now, he'll have, you know, three year, one playoff appearance, no playoff wins.

[Alan Hahn]

Right? Same thing. Right. What he's trying to do is the opposite, is it was a mediocre, mediocre start to kind of like then they kind of get on a roll at the right time. And that's what he's trying to do. Which that's not. That typically is in the Cowboys mo, right?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, exactly.

[Alan Hahn]

So that's what he's trying to do right now.

[Don La Greca]

Now the other Michael that spoke today is Michael K. Oh, yeah, he got.

[Alan Hahn]

Every day.

[Don La Greca]

He got most days, sure. Yeah, he did. But he had something that we wanted to repurpose on this show and just talk about the Yankees payroll and they're going to bring Bellinger back. And how active are they going to be in free agency? Because Sunday the winter meetings start and it was around this time that Soto made the decision to go to the Mets. You're going to start to see some movement coming up this weekend in baseball free agency. And Michael Case said, you know, the Yankees are really going to make a concerted effort to stay under $300 million of their payroll.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There is a good chance, everybody, that the Yankees intent at this point on December 4th is to in fact be under the 300 million dollar threshold. And I'm going to be as honest as I could possibly be here. According to Kot's contracts, after all they've done and the expected arbitration numbers of people that they have on their RO, they're at 279. If they intend to stay under 300, they are not getting Bellinger they are not getting Tucker, they are not going to be able to make any significant move because if you look at the big salaries on the Yankees, who exactly can they move to create that salary space to bring in a 25 or $30 million contract? Let's just say on Bellinger and if It's Tucker, a $40 million contract.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm telling you, the Grisham thing, they got caught. They didn't think he was going to take, they were, he wasn't going to take the qo. I think that, I think they were surprised by that and that now created a situation where they have Spencer Jones, they have Dominguez, they had to protect Jones and that's probably the cheaper way to go. So Fangraph has them projected payroll of 260 right now with a luxury tax projection of 283. That's, that's where they've got them. So Michael said what Michael say to 79. So it's right, it's right in the same category. I mean it still puts them in the top four. But you're light years away from the Dodgers and potentially light years away from the Mets as well. But those are national league teams.

[Don La Greca]

Well, and the thing is then you could be losing Bellinger. So back to back years, you lose Soto, you lose Bellinger. They still have a great pitching staff and they still have good quality players. But the whole idea of where we've already hit the, we're now less than a year from the CBA expiring the Yankees and Michael said this on the show and we've talked about it, are going to be on the side of trying to get a salary cap. Many people believe that salary cap will be around 300 million. So are they anticipating that? Hey, let's, let's do it now because at some point we're going to have to start shedding salary to be able to get under the cap. So let's get out in front of this thing.

It's really going to be interesting that after going to the World Series and losing Soto and then not winning your division, not going to the World Series the next year for a second consecutive year, losing a big time player on your team, you know, fans are going to go nuts. But if I'm a fan right now, I'm rooting for a salary cap because if the Yankees are going to self impose one, at least get the Dodgers, the Mets, your competition to also be playing in the same ballpark financially as you.

[Alan Hahn]

If you're a Yankees fan, you are rooting for this for many reasons. You know what you're rooting for as well. It'll expose Cashman because with a salary cap with restrictions, right. What is he going to do now? He's got to spend the money the right way, wisely, and there are still some contracts that are against their payroll that were not wise decisions. And so he's going to have to now prove that he can work within a budget. 300 million is a hot man. It's still a lot. And so the Dodgers and Mets and maybe even the, the, the Blue Jays, which I don't know if they'll go over 300, but. So if the, if the Mets and, and Dodgers want to operate over that, that's fine, but the majority of league does not. And that's where you have to not only be able to be smart with the contracts you do give out, but you also have to take players that you have in your system that you brag about, all this talent that you have down on the farm and turn them into stars. Because the only one I've seen so far he's turned into a megastar is Aaron Judge. Who else? Now, now, is Schlitler going to be somebody special?

[Don La Greca]

Well, it looks like it.

[Alan Hahn]

It sure does. And they really need them because you're starting pitching that you paid a lot for. You've got injuries to two of them. So. But this to me puts the pressure now on the front office to operate accordingly. Because if you still got to hit to. If it's 300 million, and I don't think it's going to be a hard cap, I still think it's going to be a soft cap, but the luxury tax implications will be incredibly crippling. I think they will use more of a model like that and less of a model of a hard cap. Let it operate as one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I wonder whether Cashman, though, feels this way or actually looks forward to it because he thinks he'd thrive in the situation.

[Don La Greca]

Say, that's. I think he'd love it.

[Alan Hahn]

I think he thinks it working out.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, that's another conversation. But I think Cashman, he thinks he would, I think he would love to play because he's kind of doing it now, right? He's thinking about fiscal responsibility, you know, not throwing good money after. But the point is.

[Alan Hahn]

But then he can also blame it. He can use it as an excuse. Oh, what are we going to do? You know, what are we going to do? He'll use it as the excuse. That's why to me, this will be a very interesting exercise. I wouldn't be mad. As a Yankees fan, I would not get mad. Don't get mad at how he'll still spend the 300. Get mad at the guy who's spending the money.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, because he's not going to, you know, now the Blue Jays are going to be maybe higher than the Yankees and certainly the Rogers and the Mets already are higher.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Don La Greca]

So no, it's going to get crazy, but it could begin as early as Sunday where you start to see some of these names move around. And I'm telling Yankee fans to be red hot if they end up losing. Ballinger 1-800-9193776 let's talk to Chauncey in Westwood. You're on ESPN, New York. What's up, Chauncey?

[Damien Woody]

Hey, what's up, guys?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yo, yo.

[Damien Woody]

So, all right, so about the whole Giannis trade. I have a concern that really no one I've heard as mentioned yet Giannis, the last five, six years, plays next to Brook Lopez a stretch big, then he leaves, they go out and sign.

[Don La Greca]

Miles Turner another stretch big.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Damien Woody]

So when, if this trade goes down or whatever, Cat is more than likely gone. Who, unless Giannis is playing the five who fits next to him there, unless they go out and get someone else.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it's a great point because he is not a guy that's going to stretch the floor and you can't have a big in there that's going to clog it up because that's where he does his best work. Right. It's a really good point. That's all part of the things you have to think about as you're building this roster does. And if you're Milwaukee, think about it, what the contract they just gave Miles Turner do you say, all right, we gotta. If you want him, you got to take the Turner contract too. You know what I mean? Like, that's so. So then you're like, all right, well, we need that because we need a guy that can stretch. It's a, it's a great question. That's what makes this so difficult. That's why I'm trying to tell people it's not as easy as you think. This is not a trade machine kind of trade. This is a multi team and a lot of thought and it can reform a roster. And as everybody said, the one guy that has to stay the untouchable piece is Jalen Brunson. But you also want to see how does it affect Jalen Brunson because he's still your most important piece.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don La Greca]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Alan Hahn]

Now you don't even need to wrap it.

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[Kevin Clark]

This is Kevin Clark for Manscaped. The holidays are rolling in and if your wishlist needs an upgrade, add Manscaped to make gift giving easy, fun and stress free this year. All right, I am a holiday guy. I'm a Christmas guy, all right. And one of the things I've noticed, I've got a kid now, so we're looking at lots of family photos and I gotta tell you, I do not look very good. I got my PJs on in front of the tree the last two Christmases. Each time I didn't shave beforehand. I probably because I wasn't, you know, you don't work on Christmas. You don't work Christmas Eve. I probably didn't shave for like three or four days before that. I looked bad, folks. I don't know. There's no way to sugarcoat I looked gross. I did not look family photo ready. And I got my nice PJs. We did. We spent so much time on the Christmas tree and my face is undoing all of the goodwill, all the cheer. It's not holiday holiday approved. From the beard hedger to lawnmower trimmer, manscaped precision tools keep you looking sharp, feeling confident and ready for every event and celebration all season long. These aren't just stocking stuffers. They're upgrades for your daily routine. And right now at Target, you can save 20 on the lawnmower for and three kits handyman and beard hedger hurry supplies won't last.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Hahn]

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

[Don La Greca]

Green onions. Wow, that's really going back in the way back.

What is that, Jacob?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I. I told Jacob Ballard had texted me during one of our segments and said Steve Cropper passed away.

[Don La Greca]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I did not realize the. The impact that Steve Cropper had on.

[Don La Greca]

On music. I just know that song and it's old song, so.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, no, no, no, no.

[Don La Greca]

How about this?

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker t. And the MGs, who of course did a ton of stuff, backed Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave, Rufus Thomas, Johnny Taylor. And then it goes on from there. I mean, his career is like. It's one of the most unbelievable who's. Who's you'll ever. You'll ever read. How old is crazy? He was born in 1941.

[Don La Greca]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And was just a backbone, foundational musician I'm talking about. You know, it just goes.

84 years old when he passed away. I mean, Joe Walsh and Bob Dylan and Sinead o' Connor and Eric Clapton and George. It just. It goes on and on, so. Pretty amazing, guy.

[Don La Greca]

It's now time for the Damien Woody Report. It's brought to you by bet. 365. Damien, how are you? How was your Thanksgiving?

[Damien Woody]

Well, I'm well. Gentlemen, how are you guys doing? Thanksgiving went great. All is well. How about you guys?

[Alan Hahn]

Good question, Donnie. Ask him.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. Did you get around to seeing Napoleon Dynamo?

[Damien Woody]

I did not.

I totally forgot. I totally forgot. Got caught up. Got caught up with. Yeah, got caught up with a lot of shenanigans with the. With the family. But I will put a reminder in my phone to do that this weekend.

[Don La Greca]

No, don't bother. We'll talk to you next week.

Oh, no, listen, I know you got a lot going on, but we'd like to talk to you about it because I think it's a great movie and I think you'll really enjoy it. But you've got a lot of football. You got a lot on your plate.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Really, There's a lot going. We got a. We got practically a playoff game tonight, Damien.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, practically. You look at these numbers and the loser is in a ton of trouble.

[Damien Woody]

So.

[Don La Greca]

The Cowboys have really struggled on the road. You give them a chance tonight in Detroit.

Absolutely.

[Damien Woody]

Absolutely. I think for a couple reasons. Number one, they have an offense that can score with anyone. There's no question about that. Dak Prescott is playing as well as he has at any point in his career. And obviously we've talked about what George Pickens has meant to this offense and CD Lamb having the game that he had on Thanksgiving. And you know, that offense is humming boys more. So what the defense has been doing over the last few games since the trade deadline. I know it's been a small sample size, but you know, when we've been talking about the Cowboys, we've basically been saying like the Cowboys defense can become average. The Cowboys team will be dangerous. And I think that's what's happened. We've seen the impact that Quinn and Williams has had on the interior to go along with Kenny Clark and you know, demorian overshone coming back off that horrific injury and the speed that he's brought. So, you know, going up against this Detroit team that might not have Amon Ross St. Brown tonight, I don't know what his status going to be. I don't know how effective he's going to be if he does play. But the Detroit Lions team is in a. Is in a world of hurt right now.

[Alan Hahn]

It's rare that he'll miss a game too. Right. So if he misses it, he's definitely feeling it because I'm on. Ross St. Brown tries to get on the field no matter what. But the league this year would as we've gone from week to week and I know, you know, you're each week on get up and you guys are talking about from week to week, it seems like there are always games that you thought, like I'll give you, for instance, this week, Rams go to Carolina. What the hell happened there? Like that, like, it's like, how does that happen? But that's been this year the numbers are great. 12 teams now, four games over. 500. That's the most since 2000. 20 teams are. 500 or better. Is this good? Is parody good? Or is parody more like everybody's just sort of meh.

[Damien Woody]

This is absolutely fantastic for the league. I guarantee you Roger Goodell and company are just. They're geeking on Park Place, Park Avenue right now because of what the league is showing. Because, I don't know, I can't remember at, you know, any point in the past recently where we've seen so many teams that are still in it right now. There's absolute parity. And this is why, in my opinion, this is the best League in all the sports.

[Don La Greca]

But there's also the quality of the game. Like is it all these teams are great or as Alan said, all these teams are meh. I get the excitement, everybody's in it. And these games are going to be phenomenal and the numbers are through the roof. But has it come at the expense of the quality of these teams and the quality of the games that we're seeing play?

[Damien Woody]

There's not one dominant team. There's not one dominant team this year. There's a lot of I think really good teams. But I think the league is, you know, even at the top. There's just a lot of really solid teams at the top. One, you know, and it's really truly a week to week league. One week you're saying the Los Angeles Rams, they go on the road, Carolina and get beat by Carolina. You know, another week we might be talking about the Seattle Seahawks and you know, they go out and lose. It's just every week is something different. And I always say right around Thanksgiving.

Teams, the cream rise to the top. So I think these teams over the next five weeks, they'll start to kind of the best teams will start separating themselves as we head into the postseason.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now let's sit here for a moment, guys, as friends, just three, four gentlemen here or one gentleman and me, Don and Alan. And look here, we were looking at it earlier. Damian. It's really hard at this point maybe than I can ever remember in recent memory to have a Super Bowl. I know we asked you about this a few weeks ago, but that was before the Rams laid an egg against Carolina. That was before Kansas City went into Dallas and lost. As we sit here right now, gun to your head, who do you put in the Super Bowl?

[Damien Woody]

That is such a tough question.

Such a tough question. I would say in the NFC right now, even with the.

[Don La Greca]

Man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Eagles ain't right.

[Damien Woody]

The Eagles aren't right. I'm. Listen, I was still, I'm still leaning ever so slightly to the Rams. Even with the loss to Carolina. Carolina is an improved team. The great thing about that game last week, the Rams couldn't, couldn't get the Panthers out of what they want to do. They wanted to run the ball and then obviously the turnovers by Stafford. But even with all that being said, I can't dismiss what Matthew Stafford has done this entire season. Rams still have a very good defense, one of the best defense in the league. So I will lean there. But I tell people all the time, don't sleep on the Seattle Seahawks. The Seattle Seahawks are legit. Their defense, they might have the best defense in the league. Their defense is top tier. Sam. I think the biggest question with them is Sam Donald in big games because he has yet to exercise that demon that is the Los Angeles Rams right now. So there's a bevy team, guys, we can't even dismiss. The 49ers. The 49ers, with all of their injuries are sitting here at 9 and 4, I believe. I think their record is 9 and 4. With all of their injuries, they're sitting there 9 and 4. And then when you jump into AFC, it's like the paradise even worse. Like, I don't know who's going to come out of the afc. Like New England, obviously, New England and Denver are vying for the top seeds, but, you know, you could make a case that. Do you really believe in either one of those ball clubs when you get to the post season? I don't know. I don't know. The Kansas, like Buffalo, if Buffalo gets in, which I think they will, Josh Allen will probably be the best quarterback in the field because we don't know what we're getting. We don't even know if the Chiefs are even gonna make the playoffs. And the Baltimore Ravens are a mess right now. So there's just a lot of intrigue going on.

[Alan Hahn]

See what I mean? Like, that's what we're talking about is it does feel like parody at times. Sounds good because everybody's in it and maybe it leads to a great ending. Right? But the ride so far week to week has been we can't really figure out who's good, who's not. You're right on the Niners, nine and four. And there's another team, by the way, that I got my eyes on in the nfc, Wood. And that's a team that got out of the gate hot, then got hurt and is now getting healthy again. That's the Bucs. So do you. Do you feel. Do you feel like when we're looking at different teams, are the Bucks a type of team with. With Mike Evans now all of a sudden, the windows open for him to try to come back from that? The clavicle injury, they got Godwin back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You feel good about Baker in a big spot?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, the last couple years, I like, that's a team, to me, that could be sneaky, getting healthy at the right time. Could they?

[Damien Woody]

They absolutely could. I mean, because they have the firepower to do it. And their defense is pretty good as well. You know, listen, getting Mike Evans back is going to be huge. And I think it's really affected Baker. You know, over the past few weeks, Baker hasn't played as well as what he was playing earlier in the season when a lot of people thinking he was going to be an MVP candidate, getting those guys all back healthy. And listen, the Carolina Panthers is on their behind right now. So I think they're only a game up on the Carolina Panthers.

[Alan Hahn]

Correct.

[Damien Woody]

So that division, that division is still wide open, by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And by the way, we just spent all this time talking and pardon my disrespect if I missed it. Did we mention the packers at all?

[Kevin Clark]

Really?

[Damien Woody]

Might be. Honestly, who might be. You could make the case. The packers might be the best team in the nfc. By the way, Jordan Love is playing outstanding. The receivers now, they're starting to catch the ball and they got one of the best defenses in the league. So listen, the packers, you know, the great, we have a great slate of games, by the way, this weekend. It's like every, everybody's playing everybody. All the divisional opponents, they're all playing everybody. So I think we're going to get a bigger sense of how this thing is going to shake out after this weekend.

[Don La Greca]

If Mike Tomlin becomes available, and that's obviously a big if. Would you go after him if you're the Giants?

[Damien Woody]

Absolutely. Absolutely. Listen, I've said, I've said for some time now, I feel like Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers have run their course. Mike Tomlin is still one of the best coaches in this game. Mike Tomlin is what we call a blue chip coach. If he becomes available, he's automatically at the top. Because I look at Mike Tomlin as a CEO type of coach that knows how to run, will bring legitimacy and knows how to run, run a team. And so if for some reason he shakes free, like if I'm the Giants, that's the first, that's the first call I'm making. I want Mike Tomlin. And can you imagine the one thing about Mike Tomlin, the Pittsburgh Steelers, what has been plaguing Mike Tomlin over these past few years? The lack of a quarterback. Yep, that's it. Now you, you know, you have, you have a guy in Jackson Dart with, with this team. That's exactly what you want if you're Mike Tomlin, quarterback.

[Alan Hahn]

Let me throw this out at you though, because it's, we know that there are jobs that open every year. There's only two right now, Tennessee and here. But we know at least six are open a year, sometimes seven. I'm going to give you a. So. So Tomlin, if he does become the free agent, if they do part ways, you know, he could have some better options. And if you're a team that has a coach and you're like, I'm not quite sure with this guy, but I'd love to bring a guy like Tomlin, maybe you fire your guy. So I'm gonna give you a scenario because your New England Patriots have dominated in a way that we didn't expect in the AFC east, and no one expected it in Western New York. And up in Buffalo right now, while they still are good, this is the year when there's parity and wide open for Josh Allen to finally break through and win a Super bowl or get to the Super Bowl. If they don't and fall short, does Sean McDermott's job now have to be on the line? And if a guy like Tomlin's available, do you have to say, I'd rather take my chances, make a change to bring in a guy like that, because you have. Josh Allen is prime. You've got to figure out a way to get through.

[Damien Woody]

Yeah, I mean, listen, I picked the Buffalo Bills to get to a Super bowl this year before the season started, all because it just seemed like everything lined up. Seem like Buffalo push all their chips in with. With some of the moves that they made in the offseason leading into this year. And for the Buffalo Bill, if they don't find themselves anywhere close to Zubo, we got. We got to have a serious discussion about Sean McDermott, because Josh. It seemed like every week Josh Allen has to put on his capes in order for this team to win. How was that possible? Like, how is that possible? I said it. I said it weeks ago, that the Buffalo Bills, they've dominated the AFC east for, like, six years and have nothing to show for it. And now the New England pages are back. That's an indictment on the organization. That's an indictment on everybody that's associated with Josh Allen and that organization. So if they don't make anything closer to the Super Bowl. Yes, there needs to be a serious discussion about Sean McDermott and the head coach position. Position in Buffalo.

[Don La Greca]

So tonight it won't happen because you're going to watch the game. So when are you going to watch Napoleon Dynamite and what. And we need hard answers.

[Alan Hahn]

And.

[Don La Greca]

And what? How should we react to you not watching it again next week?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Damien Woody]

No, we're not. We're not even. We're not even having this discussion. I'm telling you what don I'm going to watch it Saturday.

Saturday evening. I'm watching it with the wife and I will. We will have a thorough discussion next Thursday about this whole thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I cannot wait.

[Don La Greca]

This is great because we were all really collectively very disappointed.

[Damien Woody]

I can tell.

[Alan Hahn]

We talked about it.

[Damien Woody]

The whole mood, just drunk.

[Don La Greca]

I gotta be honest, I fought through today. But we'll be okay. Listen, enjoy the weekend and we will talk to you next week.

[Damien Woody]

All right. Sounds good. Look forward to the Napoleon Dynamite conversation.

[Don La Greca]

We may be the only ones, but I want to see this through. That's the Damien Woody Report and it's brought to you by bet365. Whatever the moment, it's never ordinary at bet365.

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Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Hahn]

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

[Don La Greca]

The ESPN New York Holiday Party is back. Both the Michael K Show and we are bringing the holiday cheer at your mother's house in Garden City Park, Long island on Friday, December 12th. We're once again collecting unwrapped toy donations this year to benefit the Garden of Dreams Foundation. It all kicks off at 1pm on Friday, December 12th at your mother's house. Brought to you by Amazon, Pickup, Security Dodge and Spiked Aid made for big city social stamina.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now it should be noted.

Steve Cropper, who I'm not going to lie, I only knew his name because there's a Stacks documentary and I haven't seen it. That's my fault. Steve Cropper, who passed away today 83 Don. He not only played on Sitting at the Dock of the Bay, he co wrote it with Otis Red.

[Don La Greca]

Not nothing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not nothing. You can retire if you hit one symbol on sitting on the dock of the bay.

[Alan Hahn]

Retire.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean you can't. It's as classic as there gets. This guy's career was insane.

[Alan Hahn]

It's amazing though. Doesn't it show you too like they're like, we know in the history of music, the big names that have done big things obviously. And then there's like some others that have been like, you know, one or two hit wonders that you remember for whatever reason. There's so many people like this that have been in the background forever but yet were vital to so many songs that we just don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How about this at this time in the 60s Cropper's fame was not limited to the United States. The Beatles favored Cropper's playing in his production on Otis Redding's records. Lennon and McCartney made tentative plans to record in Memphis to work alongside him. However, Brian Epstein canceled the session, citing security problems.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What? What? I mean, if he.

[Alan Hahn]

So he was in Memphis.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. He moved to Los Angeles in 1975. Reformed Booker T. And the MGs.

[Alan Hahn]

Did he ever work with Elvis?

[Don La Greca]

Did he ever.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He worked with Weird Al Yankovic, if that was okay.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that's the same. It's pretty much.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. No. Elvis, actually.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Rolling Stone ranked him the 38th greatest guitar guitarist of all time.

[Alan Hahn]

Top 40. It's pretty good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not bad. I mean, a lot of people play guitar. You know what I mean?

[Don La Greca]

Well, that's not a lie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, a few have played it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, speaking of here, go ahead and get the drop ready. I'll just get you ready here, Jacob. But today, Sif and I recorded an episode of one app. Because next Wednesday, Cyph and I are hosting @Sobs, right near the venue. By the way, if you guys want to go on a field trip to see Mount Rushmore. Rapper artist Human Rakim is performing at sobs. So we had him on the podcast today for. I spent about two hours talking to Rakim today. It's like.

Don, I don't even know, because I know, you know, hip hop, you know, the things that you know. But I don't know how Alan try to even give a computer for. For. In the music that Don loves and appreciates. Getting to chat long form with Rakim. I mean, I don't want to, like, overstate it, but I don't know that.

[Alan Hahn]

You can, like, would it be.

Would Don Henley be the wrong name?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Way bigger than Don Henley?

[Alan Hahn]

Because it's like, for what you said, for what Don likes.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But is Don Henley by anyone regarded as the best?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that's a fair point. Okay. But I'm thinking, like, I'm thinking of in Don's genre.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, is this a. Like, Rakim is a person who is the best?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, he's one of the best lyricists. He's one of the best rappers.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He changed rap. It literally changed the way that wrapped. It's like. It's like, you know, rap was a certain thing until 1986, and then essentially Rakim, LL Cool J, Run DMC, they sort of change it, but he specifically changed it to the. I'll put it this way. If Eminem or Jay Z or anyone who's a Part of it at the highest level. Were walking down the street and saw him. They're crossing the street to bow to him as Alan holds up his Don't Sweat the Technique cd. I asked him that. I said, has that song gotten bigger constantly, over 30 years. And he said, yes. That was not one of his biggest records. But the commercial usage of Don't Sweat the Technique, it playing at every basketball game, it's just made it bigger and bigger as the years have gone on.

[Don La Greca]

So, I mean, I don't know if it's. If it's relevant to, like, reference, but we talking, like, Eddie Van Halen, because he was always considered one of the great guitar players. So it would be that level.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but.

[Don La Greca]

Or a little less than that. I don't know. Not less. Faded.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

I'm saying Eddie being.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, Eddie being less. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, honestly, I. This is gonna sound crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm just trying to think of somebody like. Like going vocal because that's. You know, again, it's. It's very similar. Because to me, it's more.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Honestly, it's more apropos to me. And I know this sounds incredibly lofty. It's more like McCartney if we're having a real conversation. And rock and roll. If you're having a rock and roll conversation. To me, it's like you're talking McCarthy, you're talking about someone foundational who's, like, forever now, granted, you know, the Beatles body of work is it. You know, it's.

[Don La Greca]

It's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's even more everlasting.

[Alan Hahn]

Rakim in. In. The genre is well known, but I don't know if in. In music. Whereas. But I'm talking about music right.

[Don La Greca]

In genre.

[Alan Hahn]

That.

[Don La Greca]

That's what. That's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think that's the key. It's in John.

[Don La Greca]

The key to the conversation.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because when Hip hop, when he was. When he was at his biggest rap was a tenth as popular as.

[Alan Hahn]

That's true now. No radio play. No, it's all. It's all New Jack City and all that stuff. Like, that's really. Where you, like, if anybody outside of the genre, like, that's the mainstream of it is New Jack City. And you heard.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, you mean Juice.

[Alan Hahn]

I meant Juice. I'm sorry. Yeah, I'll forgive you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Anyways, it was very cool. And he was talking about how he lives in a random part of. He lives nearby, but not in the city anymore. And he was talking about how much he loves it because his favorite place to go is Lowe's, and he can just roll up to Lowe's and no one knows who he is. And he was like. When I lived in New York, I felt obligated to dress up to go to Lowe's because I have like a. There's an image to uphold with people who know him, and he doesn't want to be bummy in front of those people. But where he is now.

That'S a.

[Don La Greca]

Lot to ask anybody. Lowe's is the perfect place to just roll out of bed with whatever T shirt you fell asleep in.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You have to.

[Don La Greca]

It's the only way to live.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If you have to dress up to go to Lowe's, you have to move.

[Don La Greca]

Well, if you got a shower to go to Lowe's, I think some place. I'm not showering until after I go to Lowe's. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, that's, by the way, tough. That's a tough gig for the people who work there because it's a non showered environment. People are just rolling up there in.

[Alan Hahn]

The middle of a. In the middle of something, though, most of the time. Right. I got to get something.

[Don La Greca]

I'm not getting ready. There's certain places you're not getting ready to go to. Right. You're not getting ready to go to Lowe's or Home Depot.

[Damien Woody]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

A lot of times, like I said, you're showing up probably with dirt on or with like, you know, with. With dust on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, just. And dirt.

[Alan Hahn]

Both. Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the stuff sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.