Hour 3: NBA Cup & Gunther joins the show

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast: Hour 3 (Dec 10, 2025)

Main Theme / Overview

Hour three of the show features lively debate over the Knicks’ participation in the NBA Cup semifinals—specifically, whether Knicks fans should root for their team to win a cup that some view as an empty accomplishment—and a special interview with WWE superstar Gunther ahead of his high-profile match with John Cena. The hosts dissect sports culture, fan insecurities, media-driven narratives, and the intersection of sports and social media ridicule, all with their trademark blend of insight and humor.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Sports, Celebrity Deaths, & Their Cultural Impact

• The guys reflect on moments when the world “stopped” for major celebrity or athlete deaths, sparked by the anniversary of John Lennon’s death (02:22), and discuss the rarity and enormity of such events.
• Comparison of John Lennon’s impact to modern stars: Michael Jackson, Elvis, Kobe Bryant (05:00, Alan: “My dad said at the time, since Kennedy, I’ve never seen the world stop like this. When Kobe passed.”).
• Kobe’s death: Still seen as a seismic, global event, especially due to its shocking, tragic circumstances.

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2. Monday Night Football Memories & Late Starts

• The hosts muse about late kickoff times, linking back to the Lennon news breaking during a late Monday Night Football broadcast (06:40). They debate whether the 9pm starts were better for fans.

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3. Justin Herbert's Postgame PR Mishap

• The crew analyzes Chargers QB Justin Herbert’s awkward refusal to do a postgame interview, blaming both player inexperience and team PR mismanagement (07:26, Don: “That’s totally on Chargers PR, period.”).

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4. Knicks in the NBA Cup Semifinals: Banner Anguish

[Main Segment: 08:20–24:16]

The Central Question

Should Knicks fans root for their team to win the inaugural NBA Cup, or does the risk of future ridicule over a “non-championship” banner outweigh the momentary joy?

Key Details

• Peter introduces the fan debate: Some Knicks fans (like show contributor John Winthrop) actively want the team to lose rather than hang a Cup banner they’ll be mocked for ([09:03], Peter: “He literally said, I’m rooting against them.”).
• The win/loss would not affect the regular season record; it’s a “Game 83” ([09:26], Don: “This would be game 83 at the end of the year.”).

Host Reactions and Debate

• Alan and Don push back against the insecurity, comparing the Cup to other “yo-yo” banners (division titles, sell-out streaks) that are commonly hung with little derision ([11:17], Don: “How is it any different than if the Rangers raise a Metropolitan Division championship or a President’s Trophy banner?”).
• Big E (show caller/producer and Knicks fan) confesses he would cringe at an NBA Cup banner, fearing ridicule from “NBA Twitter” and the national media ([13:31], Big E: “Oh, yeah, absolutely... I already know what NBA Twitter, what people on ESPN are going to be talking about.”).
• Don and Peter counter: Being trolled is inevitable; fans should want their team to win every big game in front of them ([14:47], Don: “...Come on, man, you got nothing. To sit there and root against your team...”).

Social Media's Role

• The group notes that the proliferation of trolling is largely a function of social media—the concern is less about local rivals and more about national ridicule ([18:14], Peter: “...now you’re so worried about criticism from the markets you never would have heard before if not for what, but social media.”).

Fan Call – Jay in the Bronx

• Jay delivers an impassioned rationale for always rooting for wins ([21:47], Jay: “I want to win everything in front of us. I’ve never seen us win anything of significance, and I’m 50 years old. If there’s confetti falling on us, I want it.”).
• Don expresses support, calling out the “culture of losing for draft picks/coaches” and saying rooting for defeat is self-defeating ([22:43], Don: “...to sit there and root for your team to lose...because there’s going to be a few trolls, they’re going to troll anyway, man.”).

Memorable Quote

• Don (to Knicks fans):

  “You know, like, then the trolls win. ...Let’s think about how they’re controlling you, that where you’re going to sit there...even in its rawest form, a game against the best team in the NBA...and to root against them because you’re afraid...some fan 3,000 miles away is going to go...Honestly, I feel sad.”
  — (20:16–20:27)

Consensus Emerges

• Rooting for your team’s defeat to avoid Twitter memes is “insane” and only empowers trolls. Winning—even a minor trophy—is always preferable.

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5. Gunther Interview: WWE Superstar Ahead of Cena’s Last Match

[Interview Segment: 27:38–39:02]

Context

• Alan introduces Gunther, who will face John Cena in Cena’s presumed retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C.

Key Moments & Quotes

• Gunther immediately flips the narrative with a heelish twist:

  “Well, what an honor is it for John Cena to have me as his opponent?”
  — (28:37, Gunther)

• On the pressure of facing Cena:

  “I’m just going to show up and try my best to ruin the party.”
  — (28:41, Gunther)

• Alan and Peter explore Gunther’s wrestling philosophy, including his noted physical style (e.g., leaving McAfee’s chest “glowing like a lobster”):

  “I say usually not, but in Pat’s case, I enjoyed it a lot because...he wanted to have a professional wrestling match. So that’s what I gave him. ...And, yeah, I enjoyed his struggle throughout.”
  — (31:10, Gunther)

• Reflecting on retiring Goldberg and now facing Cena:

  “I can claim I, yeah, I choked off Goldberg in his last match and now I’m going to take it a step further. ...Now the big goal...is to support John Cena on Saturday.”
  — (32:16, Gunther)

• Gunther’s admiration (and initial annoyance) at Cena’s style growing up:

  “My biggest memory of John...I was really annoyed by that guy that wore his short jeans in the ring...even back then I was always a...traditionalist, and even back then it was like, I do not like that guy. ...Who am I to judge? The guy had a great career.”
  — (32:58, Gunther)

• How Gunther sees the symbolism of facing Cena:

  “I think at the end of the day...it’s almost like the biggest possible passing of the torch, because I think John represents a certain end of a generation...and I’m the opposite of that. ...And I think it’s the path and the torch in terms of what WWE is going to look like in the next years.”
  — (34:13, Gunther)

Lightning Round

• On the pronunciation of “Gunther”:

  “I don’t have one. ...Everybody can feel free...to pronounce it how they want to do it.”
  — (30:02, Gunther)

• On balancing parenthood with wrestling:

  “It helps balancing out my mind...Changes the purpose of life a little bit and definitely helped me also becoming better in what I do.”
  — (37:49, Gunther)

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6. Show “Friend Group” Drama & Exclusion

[Segment: 43:10–52:44]

• The guys get personal about clique-ish dinner invites and exclusion from station events.
• Don (lightheartedly but with a sting) laments being left out of a group dinner; Alan explains the dynamic as organic friend groups instead of deliberate exclusion, but Don presses for honesty.
• The exchange is equal parts joking therapy session and genuine reflection on workplace relationships.
• Peter summarizes:

  “Maybe, just maybe, they’re worried about being embarrassed in public.”
  — (47:02, Peter)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Knicks fans fearing ridicule for an NBA Cup banner:
  “We got all these franchises that hang yo-yo banners...the NBA’s making you do this. So anybody that mocks it, like, who cares? We know we got bigger fish to fry.”
  — Don Hahn (16:22)

• The inevitability of being trolled:
  “Because you know what they’re going to do if you lose? Same thing, man. Can’t win a title. Can’t even get this banner. How are you going to win? You can’t even win this banner.”
  — Peter Rosenberg (20:41)

• Gunther on wrestling icons:
  “I think it is...almost like the biggest possible passing of the torch, because I think John represents a certain end of a generation...and I’m the opposite of that.”
  — Gunther (34:13)

• On group invitations and workplace camaraderie:
  “I’ve known people there longer than Peter’s known. Why am I excluded?”
  — Don Hahn (48:17)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:22 – Remembering where they were when major deaths (John Lennon, Kobe) were announced.
• 09:03 – Knicks fan debate over NBA Cup, rooting against their own team.
• 13:31 – Big E explains why he’d “cringe” at an NBA Cup banner for the Knicks.
• 21:47 – Jay in the Bronx’s call: Rooting to win everything, always.
• 27:38 – Gunther interview begins; WWE, John Cena, wrestling philosophy.
• 34:13 – Gunther on the “passing of the torch” moment.
• 43:10 – Show devolves into playful but real group dinner invite drama.

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Tone and Style

• The show is conversational, irreverent, and often openly silly, but punctuated by moments of authentic sports insight and personal confession.
• Plenty of ribbing, self-deprecation, and old-school New York sports talk flair.
• WWE banter is a highlight for hardcore fans, delivered with both knowledge and the meta-awareness of wrestling’s “anything goes” nature.

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Conclusion

This hour of the Don, Hahn & Rosenberg show is a microcosm of contemporary sports fandom—torn between pride and social-media-induced insecurity—with comic interludes, strong opinions, and a marquee wrestling interview. The podcast’s chemistry shines as the hosts mix nostalgia, culture-war sniping, and genuine sports passion, while Gunther’s unapologetic honesty and old-school streak provide the perfect outsider’s counterpoint to the NBA and New York sports melodrama.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

Kids, they grow up so fast. One day they're taking their first steps and the next they don't fit into the tiny sneakers they took them in. You blink your eyes and their princess dress is two sizes too small. And their dinosaur backpack isn't cool anymore. But don't cry because they're growing up. Smile because you can profit off of it. For real. There are a bunch of parents on depop looking for the stuff your kid just grew out of. Download depop to start selling.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Don Hahn]

Game time is brought to you by Tellamore Dew Irish Whiskey. Because when it is game time, fellas, it's Tully time.

[Alan Hahn]

Are you fellas, it's Tully time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh yeah. You toss to yourself there. Yeah. Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

Because fellas. And then you heard double Donvoice.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Well then we had a little bit of your Michael Keaton. Michael. Alex P. Keaton.

[Alan Hahn]

Michael J. Fox.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Michael J. Fox. Yeah, I got put the two together.

[Alan Hahn]

I get it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I probably should.

[Don Hahn]

When I say fellas, I'm talking about not necessarily what's drops.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We're supposed to lay out.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, we're laying out there. It's dog time, baby.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Enough of me. Let's talk more to me now to.

[Don Hahn]

Don the Hockey Ranger. Go to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks for an original six matchup with coverage beginning at 7 o' clock with Dan grass right here on 880. You can see the game on TNT. First game of their doubleheader. Chicago's in a tough spot. Right. Because they get thrown around by tnt. Like when they played the Devils, they tried to make it the second game of the double header.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

So it was a 9:30 Eastern time face off. 8:30 local. Now they're trying to make it the first game. So they're going to face off at 6:30 in Chicago.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did you see, did you see what prime did last night?

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So the first game of the quarterfinal. East quarterfinal. Right. First game was Miami, Orlando started at 6. That game took a little longer than expected. Tip off Knicks Raptors in Toronto was almost 9 o'. Clock. 8:50, 8:50. What are we doing?

[Don Hahn]

We talked about it yesterday, Peter.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Because Monday was the 45th anniversary of John Lennon being murdered.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And it being announced by Howard Cosell on Monday Night Football as the Patriots with 40 seconds to go are going to get a game winning field goal. And we were doing the whole time Thing like that was close to midnight, I think. I think he was officially pronounced dead at 11:30, when Monday Night Football used to be. At nine.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah. Kickoff at nine.

[Alan Hahn]

Remember it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, yeah. Don got yelled at because he.

[Alan Hahn]

And that's where it was announced.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

And it did.

[Alan Hahn]

Howard Cosell told the world.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And on abc, because AB we told the story on Monday, but ABC got the inside because somebody who worked at ABC was in the emergency room when they brought Lennon in. So of course they let Howard know. And Howard wasn't going to do it. He was having a conversation with. With Gifford about would it be inappropriate. They're about to kick a field goal to win the game. And Frank's like, this is John Lennon. We got. We have to. And Howard Cosell, you know, with the dead on arrival. Crazy stuff.

[Alan Hahn]

I saw a clip moving around yesterday of a video of Stevie Wonder announcing it at his concert.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, really?

[Alan Hahn]

He was performing that night and he had just found out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

Is there someone. Because we're so. Everything is so, like, divided musically. Is there someone that could have that kind of impact, not just globally, but generationally? Like, you don't want to mention, you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Know, who was it?

[Don Hahn]

Like, Taylor Swift is gargantuan, but there's gonna be a generation that's not gonna. Not gonna completely understand her. You know what I'm saying?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who was it that. I thought it was a concert in Vegas that someone announced when Tupac passed.

[Alan Hahn]

No, it was here. It was Long Island. It was Nas announcing it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was here.

[Alan Hahn]

I think it was. I think it was the Coliseum.

[Gunther]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

When Nas went on stage and announced that Tupac.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's right. Because he does make the reference to East Coast, west coast. And it's time to put all that away.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's. That's a pretty crazy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That shook the room.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I'll say that one. That one. You know, Tupac and Biggie were.

Shockingly huge. Yeah. But there's always going to be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And they had crossover appeal.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. It's rare that there's going to be someone who. Who reaches everybody. John Lennon reached a lot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Obviously.

[Alan Hahn]

The number one example ever would have been if, like, Michael Jackson had died in his prime, you know, that would be the number one example.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Yeah. Elvis.

[Don Hahn]

Elvis dying was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Was.

[Don Hahn]

Was huge. But under those circumstances, like murdered like that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's.

[Don Hahn]

That took it to a different level.

[Big E]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, felt personal.

[Alan Hahn]

But I will. I will say, from everything I've heard, we talked about this quite a bit, even from people who did not pay attention to sports The Kobe was. Kobe's up there from it.

[Don Hahn]

In terms of who it reached and the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The way it happened.

[Don Hahn]

The way it happened, the way it happened.

[Alan Hahn]

Him and his daughter. All of these horrible things about it. Kobe and the fact that basketball transcends so many places and generations. I think Kobe is right up. My dad compared it to Kennedy's death. And my dad's a political type. He was like, I've never. My dad said at the time, since Kennedy, I've never seen the world stop like this. When Kobe passed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but were you with us when that. Were you on the. On the show when Bart and I. Because I believe that when that all was going down, we were. We were on the air.

[Alan Hahn]

No, that wasn't on the show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was a Sunday.

[Don Hahn]

It was a Sunday.

[Alan Hahn]

I remember being Sunday, Sunday morning.

[Big E]

Yeah, it was a Sunday.

[Alan Hahn]

You were on the next day. Yeah, sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There was something. I remember just getting like. We were like, oh, my. Like getting live information, like, and having to process.

[Don Hahn]

I'm sure Monday. I'm sure the next day, Monday, when they were able to probably give the official details of how it happened and all that. But. But it was definitely, I want to say, like, late.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Then there was the Tiger woods car accident that you thought, thank God that he might have been gone in that one. The one on the.

[Alan Hahn]

That was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Car flipped over.

[Alan Hahn]

That was terrifying. And it was. And that was shortly after.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it wasn't too far. It was like.

[Alan Hahn]

And it was like, no way. There's no way. It cannot be like that. No way. And thank God it turned out not to be that. But yeah, Kobe's up there for craziest.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's not bad.

[Don Hahn]

No, they were just, you know, if.

[Alan Hahn]

You want to do a really dark top five, though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, let's not do that.

[Don Hahn]

But.

[Alan Hahn]

But just.

[Don Hahn]

I. But it didn't bother me that Monday Night Football was at nine. Because when you're younger, it doesn't matter.

[Alan Hahn]

I liked it.

[Don Hahn]

8, 15. I'm like, let's kick off already, for God's sake. Because. And it really was different because I don't know how long you were able to stick with the Monday night game, but with it going to overtime, it didn't end to like 10 to 10 to 12. Like, it went late. And if that was a nine, they do it a spill like deep into like 12:30 quarter to one. Had that game been a nine o' clock kickoff.

[Alan Hahn]

How about the. By the way, we. None of us mentioned the. The nozzle behavior of Justin Herbert after the game.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, we Did. It was an enn.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I wasn't. Well, I wasn't here.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's right. We broke. We broke the whole thing about the walk off and some fans who say it's useless anyway, and others who like it because you get some personality. But the way he did not come off well at all in that situation.

[Alan Hahn]

And my guess is it was a lack of awareness. But, like.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, we blame the pr. Somebody's got to be next to him, pulling him over to Laura, saying, no, no, you're. You're being requested. You're off requested.

[Don Hahn]

This is what it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, this is the NFL request. But he's wandering around trying to find people, and in that, I want to.

[Alan Hahn]

Celebrate with my team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Blow her off. Yeah. That's like, bro, it's all right.

[Don Hahn]

Again, I've been around those situations in all sports, and as much as you might think, no one cares. Every regional and national television game that's broadcast does this. So obviously, people. They've done the analytics people want interviews at the end of games. The PR director's gotta be right there. Like, should have been right next to him, because it's already arranged beforehand. You win this game, we're gonna talk to him. You broke your hand. You had surgery earlier in the week. We're talking. And the PR director directs him. Him wandering by himself, looking for somebody that's totally on Chargers pr, period.

[Alan Hahn]

That's a good call. Yeah, that's very good. Inside baseball for me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can I bring up a question? We asked way before the show started, got into the mess stuff, and it's very interesting, and we will certainly get back to it, but because it was something that happened last night and it's still fresh, and there was some reaction to it. And our pinhead suit, John Winthrop had a take. As a Knicks fan, that caught my eye.

[Don Hahn]

This is interesting.

[Big E]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So the Knicks won last night. They now advanced. They'll be in Vegas. They're playing in the semifinal.

[Don Hahn]

Did I hear this morning, 11 and 4 in cup play.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, best record?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, they've been the only team that's gotten to the quarterfinal. So, yeah, they've done really well, but they haven't gotten this far yet. And anyway, so now there's. There's a funny place. Nick. Fans are in. And we got one call.

Late. Don, after you had. You had gone to do the Devil game, we got one call from somebody that said, I don't want them winning this thing. I said, why? And then John Winthrop said the same thing today. I don't want them to win. This. I'd love to see them win Saturday, but if it goes to Tuesday, I'll be rooting against them. He literally said, I'm rooting against them.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, full on against them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The game doesn't count. It doesn't count towards your record.

[Don Hahn]

This would be game 83 at the end of the year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So it doesn't count.

[Don Hahn]

By the way.

[Alan Hahn]

They have to fix that. Let's start there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I agree.

[Alan Hahn]

There has to be a way that it counts for something. It has something tiebreaker, something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's a great point about the tiebreaker. So he's saying, I don't want the win. And his reasoning is this. And I wonder how many Knick fans feel this way. And if you guys think this is ridiculous behavior. 800-919-3776. Because if the Knicks win the NBA cup, the league wants you to hang a banner.

And the thinking is, is that the Knicks would then be mocked because they've waited 53 years, they haven't won a championship. And like, the idea of them hanging a bat, like, when the Lakers hung The first one two years ago, they put it up with the other 17 that they have won the real championship, no problem.

[Alan Hahn]

And they just won one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And it was. It was almost like comical. Like, well, why would you put that right next to those? So the joke we were making was, where would you hang it? You're gonna hang it next to 1973. And Don, didn't you say, like, put it next to Billy Joel, put it on the other side. But.

Is there some credence to this thing going around Nick's Twitter of winning? It would only open the door for criticism and being mocked and teased about a banner for an NBA cup that people would say, I see, that's the only championship you'll ever win. And all that stuff that people want to avoid that narrative because it's been so long.

[Don Hahn]

I can totally see fans thinking, John, John, 100%.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't want them winning because I don't want that. Which is. I think it's insane.

[Don Hahn]

Now let me ask you this.

[Alan Hahn]

Go ahead, I'm listening.

[Don Hahn]

The league's going to make you put it up because they want. Oh, no, need it. Can you wait till next year? You have to. You have to raise it the very next game that you play.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We were in LA when the Lakers hung their banner, and I believe it was their first home game since now the NBA Cup.

[Don Hahn]

If. If you could change, because I understand the awkwardness of this, but if you could just wait till next year and you raise it. How is it any different than if the Rangers raise a Metropolitan Division championship or a president's trophy banner? If you look at Madison Square Garden, there's plenty of banners. Patrick, division champion. You know, Metro, like the Knicks have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Put up Atlantic Division championship banners.

[Don Hahn]

How is that any different?

[Peter Rosenberg]

They might win it this year, but.

[Don Hahn]

How is that any difference? It's a banner. It's not a championship banner. So what's the difference? It's a cup, all right? No one. No one is going to acknowledge that it's anywhere near winning an actual NBA title. But it is an accomplishment that's no different than a division championship or. Or, you know, a consecutive sellout streak. Like, you see banners up or all around the league.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's actually really good.

[Don Hahn]

You know, where it's like consecutive. So how is it any different? How is it any different?

[Peter Rosenberg]

They retired the number one. And it's for the fans. Like, I've seen that banner in some buildings, but you know what it is? I think this is insane. But what do I want to know what Nick fans think?

[Don Hahn]

Just. Jake.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nick fan. Are you. Is there. Oh, okay. Get your headset. We know we got plenty of time.

[Don Hahn]

That's all right. We'll wait on you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, don't worry about it. I know the show's not that interesting for you to be listening to with your headphones on.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, he's doing the work.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What is he doing?

[Don Hahn]

It requires no headphones.

[Big E]

Yeah, listen, I'm grabbing stuff for E N. We have a bunch of stories here.

[Alan Hahn]

There's a lot going on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know. There actually is a lot going on. Can I just have some fun with.

[Big E]

Listen, have your fun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're the guy that said he wasn't good looking. I said he was.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. By the way.

[Big E]

I mean.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. Cool. So I'm still good with you.

[Alan Hahn]

I know. All I said was he wasn't so good looking that he. He never had a repugnance.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm sorry. So how would you feel about.

[Big E]

Why can I be the Steelers and just, you know, cruise through without having to lose a season?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

Did you ever believe that?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Winning record? No. Championship.

[Alan Hahn]

Sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So the Knicks win the NBA cup, let's say, and, you know, they'd have to put the banner up. Would you cringe at that? Like John Winthrop would?

[Big E]

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why?

[Big E]

And it's. It is not because them hanging up the banner, it's if this next regime or, you know, in the next couple years, if they don't deliver on the championship. I already know what NBA Twitter what people on ESPN are going to be talking about, they're going to be talking about the one banner that they raised was the NBA Cup. And it doesn't matter. I mean, people will talk. When LeBron won his banner with the Lakers, that's what they were talking about. Oh, this is their championship. This is, this is what they're going to do.

[Don Hahn]

So, so, so let me get this straight then. So now, now you'll root against them?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Don Hahn]

So that you don't have that embarrassment. But yet people will say, gez, you can't, you can't even win that. You can't win an actual championship. And then the cup, you can't even.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do that, get smoked by the Thunder in the NBA.

[Don Hahn]

How about the test of I want to see if this team can win a big game. So you're going up against, in all likelihood, the Thunder. The Thunder, yes. A team that you're going to have to get through to win a champion. You wouldn't see value in, in beating them even if you looked at it as a fugazi championship. It's still a big spot, national television. But you're have to get through.

[Big E]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

As opposed to. Are you root for them to lose in a narrative of, well, look, you can't beat the Thunder in a cup. Why do you think you're going to beat them in a best of seven series? People are going to get on you no matter what until you actually win a title. But meanwhile, it's something, it's a nice test. A box that you can check trying to see if you can win a big game against a really good team. I think that has more value than what, what, what net fans are going to say or Laker fans are going to say about you.

[Big E]

Stop it now. You're, you're not wrong about that. But listen, as a Knick fan and a Jet and a Met fan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, wow.

[Big E]

We, we get criticized for so much. And then, not only that, when, when the Knicks beat Boston last year, there were fan NBA fans from other markets saying that was our banner. When the Pacers beat us, Pacers fans were trolling us. Your banner was beating the Boston Celtics in six. Now, I mean, I don't want the NBA cup to be our banner for the year because I have bigger plans for this team. I actually thought, and I still think, I mean, they could get close to 60 wins this year with the team they have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But who's talking?

[Don Hahn]

Who are these people? 95% of the town's Knick fans. Who are you worried about? Trolling you. And every single one of them was also eligible to win this cup and didn't.

[Alan Hahn]

By the way, it's Twitter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can I also point out it's not.

[Big E]

Just Twitter, but just the media too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If I could point one other thing out.

[Big E]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If you go to the finals and lose, you're hanging a banner. It's called the Eastern Conference championship.

[Big E]

I would rather that banner. I'd rather the Eastern Conference banner than the NBA cup banner. Now not say we lose in Eastern Conference and we got the NBA Cup. I'm going to be happy about it. Us winning 50 plus wins. Us getting NBA cup and falling short of the Eastern Conference.

[Don Hahn]

Like I said, you've got all of these franchises that hang like yo yo banners. That's true.

[Alan Hahn]

We love Yo yo banners.

[Don Hahn]

500 consecutive sellouts. You know, you know, silly, stupid things. You know, division titles, all these things that you. Nobody's forced you to do it. They decide to do it. The NBA's making you do this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Don Hahn]

So anybody that mocks it, like, who cares? We know we got bigger fish to fry. But it was a big game, national television against the best team in the NBA. We won something that everybody was eligible for, but we're the ones that won it. And we don't necessarily care about it anywhere near as much as an actual title. But we're hanging it up. Not because we're showing off, not because we're trying to entertain our fans. The league is making us do this. So like. So, dude, man, people are going to troll. But come on, man. You got nothing. Let's sit there and root against your team against the OKC Thunder.

[Gunther]

Come on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He said it. I. I will root against them. He said it.

[Alan Hahn]

I will say. This is crazy.

[Big E]

He has a point, though. Ruin against them for the cup. It's NBA Cup.

[Alan Hahn]

It's not.

[Big E]

It's a game that doesn't matter.

[Alan Hahn]

I think it's. I think it's still odd for two.

[Big E]

The Lakers. The Lakers get criticized for their bubble championship.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who cares?

[Alan Hahn]

But that's what I'm saying.

[Big E]

They call it a Mickey Mouse ring. So if they call in a legit NBA championship. That was one during circumstances compared to an NBA. So if that was a summer title, what is this? What is.

[Alan Hahn]

But why do you. Why do you guys. I got to tell you guys, this is maybe generational. The overthinking about what other fans are.

[Don Hahn]

Going to say to you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, it's a real thing now. You're right, dude.

[Alan Hahn]

You want your team to kick ass if there's a Chance they could play Oklahoma City and like, you'd have an opportunity to set that tone early. You don't think that'd become a storyline. They beat Oklahoma City Funder at this stage, of course.

[Don Hahn]

But I'm just trying to wrap my mind around. I know I'm only a hockey guy, but try to educate me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do your best. We'll see if you can do it.

[Don Hahn]

Is what fans are trolling you. I can understand if, like, the Nets have won, like, five of the last six titles. They're nowhere. So no net ban is going to say anything.

[Big E]

I'm not talking about.

[Don Hahn]

All right.

[Big E]

I'm talking about the Celtics. I'm talking about the Pacers.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Hawks.

[Big E]

The Hawks. Previously.

[Don Hahn]

No, wait a minute. All right, so the Celtics talk. You can't counter by saying, we just beat you in a series last year.

Mic drop.

[Big E]

You're right.

[Don Hahn]

So who else is going to come out?

[Gunther]

You?

[Don Hahn]

Lakers? You got a Covid title and you want a cup.

[Big E]

Allen, am I lying? Pacers?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hawks. But you know what you're doing, though. This is what Peter said.

[Don Hahn]

What are the Pacers?

[Peter Rosenberg]

One, what Peter said, though, is unfortunately, what has happened in sports is you now so worried about criticism from the markets that you never would have heard before if not for what but social media.

[Don Hahn]

But I'm just saying, what fan base is going to come at you? Nets can't come at you. Celtics can't come at you. All right, all right. Maybe the Pacers can. But the Pacers never want a title. Never mind. Not since 1973. Who else is coming.

[Peter Rosenberg]

At you.

Worse to lose in that game and have everyone say, see, you'll never win a championship. You can't even win that one. I'd rather be criticized for winning or mocked for winning than for losing.

[Big E]

And honestly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. That's my feeling.

[Don Hahn]

And if. And if Winthrop's thing was I don't care.

Then don't care. But to sit there and root against your team because you're afraid of the trolls.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Crazy.

[Don Hahn]

God. You know, like, then. Then you're. Then the trolls win. Well, let's think about how they're controlling you. That where you're going to sit there in what whether you want to think it's a big game or not, it's still even in its rawest form, a game against the best team in the NBA you might have to face in the NBA Finals.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And to get you to root against them because you're afraid on the two minutes you're going to be on Twitter before you go to bed some fan 3,000 miles away is going to go.

Honestly that I feel sad for Winthrop. I feel sad.

[Big E]

I mean, Don, you say that, but then you got shows like NBA Today, you got shows like Sports Today that'll grab that clip, but certain tweets will feature it on their show.

[Alan Hahn]

Who cares? And you know what else will matter haha about it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

You won. Because you know what they're going to do if you lose. Same thing, man. Can't win a title. Can't even get this banner. How are you going to win? You can't even win this banner.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, that. That could be the same thing. And I think that hurts worse because that's a reality. I've got to face the Thunder. I'm deciding whether I trade for Giannis or not based on how good I think I am right now. I get this. I get this very unique test of going up against the Thunder. That's probably who they'll face. And to show that maybe I can dance with them, get blown out by 40 points. To me, that's worse. People have more of a reason to troll. Oh, you think you're. You think you're championship caliber and in the NBA cup, you still wet your pants, right?

[Big E]

See, I mean, you're right about that. But I do think there is a, there is a clear cut difference between the Thunder and the rest of the NBA. Like, even without Shade this last couple games, they've still been playing their best basketball. Before that, without Jalen Williams, they were playing their best basketball.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Haven't played the Knicks yet though, have they?

[Alan Hahn]

So you never know.

[Big E]

I mean, you're right about that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let me. Let's take a couple of calls on this real quick. 800-9193776.

[Don Hahn]

Let's do it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jay in the Bronx.

[Don Hahn]

Hi, Jay.

[Gunther]

Hey, how you guys doing? Look, the Knicks are a lightning rod of attention. Negative, positive, it doesn't even matter if you ever listen to Draymond Green. We live in his head. The Knicks live in his head. Rent free. It doesn't matter whether you win or lose, they're still going to criticize and use it as a reason of ridicule. Might as well win everything in front of you. If you got a healthy locker room. All you want to do is win. You shouldn't be listening to any of the punchlines. I want to win everything in front of us. I've never seen us win anything above of significance. And I'm 50 years old. They're rooting my entire life. This is the best we've been in A long time when everything in front of you until you win that championship and everybody could just shut up. So I don't understand the reasoning behind rooting for. Rooting against your team. I've never done it. Whatever's there and there's confetti falling on us, I want it.

[Don Hahn]

You know? I love you, Jay. I'd give you a hug if I could. Because that's the culture we live in now. All lose for draft picks, lose to get my coach fired, lose the jets general manager.

Lose, lose, lose. Because what does it matter at the end of the day? You know what? You know when they'd get mocked and this wouldn't even happen? You know what I would kind of laugh is if they storm 7th Avenue if they want to come, I'd be like, guys, relax.

[Alan Hahn]

Right?

[Don Hahn]

I don't think there's a Nick fan in the world because they did they. Were they dancing on 7th Avenue last night going to Vegas?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was. College basketball fans were doing that last night when I walked out of the building.

[Alan Hahn]

That's right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you get the idea.

[Don Hahn]

The point is, I don't think any. I think Nick fans are going to look at this.

[Alan Hahn]

But if they beat okc, I could see some people would turn up.

[Don Hahn]

Where's my drop? Oh, this is how. If the Knicks beat the Thunder for the. For the NBA cup, they should feel this way. Cool, man. Yeah. And that's fine. You start dancing in the street.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm above that. I'm above that.

[Don Hahn]

But how about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yay.

[Don Hahn]

But the thing is, is that you'll only get trolled if you. All of a sudden, they had a parade you. And they started. Remember, this is a franchise that changed names of streets for going to the conference final. Okay, that was kind of. That was more laughable. Honestly, the mayor did that. I know, but that was more laughable than NBA Cup.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's my good point.

[Don Hahn]

I'm saying I don't think Nick fans. I think Nick fans are going to like it. They're not going to go crazy because they know they've got bigger fish to fry, but to sit there and root for your team to lose against anybody, but especially against the Thunder, because there's going to be a few trolls they're going to troll anyway, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. So disgusting.

[Don Hahn]

Very sad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Very disgusting.

[Alan Hahn]

Hey, Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. You know, one of the perks about having four kids that you know about is actually getting a direct line to the big man up north. And this year, he wants you to know the best gift that you can give Someone is the gift of Mint Mobile's Unlimited Wireless for $15 a month. Now you don't even need to wrap it. Give it a [e-mail] Switch a front.

[Don Hahn]

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[Kevin Clark]

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[Kevin Clark (continued)]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Alan Hahn]

Ladies and gentlemen, it is going down on Saturday. I can't believe we're actually here. But.

The over 20 year, nearly 25 year career of John Cena comes to an end at Saturday night's main event in my hometown of Washington D.C. and the man who will have the honor of sharing the ring in John Cena's last match is an incredible talent. Former world champion and just one of the best wrestlers in the biz today. His name is Gunther and he joins us right now. Gunther, it's Peter Rosenberg, Alan Hahn and Don Legreca. How are you, bud?

[Gunther]

I'm very good. Good afternoon.

[Alan Hahn]

How cool is this for you? Like, I mean, aside from all of the accolades and things you've done over the last few years and you know, I've gotten to see you cheered and in Berlin and see how the German fans react to you and treat you like such a hero. You've done so many cool things. But the honor of Cena's last match, what does this mean to you?

[Gunther]

Well, what an honor is it for John Cena to have me as his opponent.

[Alan Hahn]

Great point.

[Gunther]

Last match. I think that's a very fair question too, because I gotta be honest with you guys. Everybody's gonna come in, bring all their emotions, everything that build up through John Cena's career, all the attachments, all the connections, and I'm just gonna show up and try my best to ruin the party.

[Don Hahn]

That's what I was gonna say, is that all the attention is gonna be on Cena and how sweet would it be that at the end of the day it's you walking away as the winner?

[Gunther]

Yes, that's the goal for sure. That's the most I can take out of it. To be honest.

I understand why everybody's very emotional about it and already very hyped up about the moment. And they all wanted to be a big fanfare. But, yeah, I'm the opposite of that. It's gonna be a good day if all of that doesn't happen.

[Alan Hahn]

Now, I. You know, listen, I've talked about you many times on WWE television, and when I say your name, I personally say Gunther.

I'm not gonna lie to you. Ever since your name became Gunther from Walter some years ago, it seems like even on WWE tv, everybody says your name slightly differently. What is your preferred pronunciation of your name?

[Gunther]

I gotta be honest, I don't have one. I think I say Gunter, too, but then other people say it differently, so everybody can feel free out there to pronounce it how they want to do it.

[Alan Hahn]

Exactly. There's. There's Alicia. Was that Alicia Taylor's gun ta or that's Samantha Irvin? Yeah, Samantha Irvin had the big gun ta, everyone. There's always a different variation. All right, I'm glad to know we're on the same page of GOO as.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Long as it sounds cool.

[Alan Hahn]

Right? Just don't call him late for dinner.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's exactly it.

I want to go back to your match in May with. With Pat McAfee, because the one thing that. There's several things that I remember from it, but the one thing that really stood out to me the most is throughout the match, I couldn't believe how red McAfee's chest was. It looked like you were having. You were enjoying that. Like, do you actually get joy in the middle of matches if you're looking at your opponent, especially him, and you're just seeing, like, his red and his chest was glowing like a lobster? Yeah, seriously.

[Gunther]

I say usually not, but in Pat's case, I enjoyed it a lot because I think for the first time he got in the ring with somebody that. Yeah. Doesn't give him any leeway and lets him goof around because he thinks it's funny and it looks cool in front of his friends. He wanted to step in the ring. He wanted to have a professional wrestling match. So that's what I gave him. And, yeah, I enjoyed his struggle throughout. And still kudos to him for doing it and for. Yeah, getting through it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I give him credit because I didn't think it would last as long as it lasted. He's a punter.

[Gunther]

Oh, I took one. I took my time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, okay.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

He knew he could end it any time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You just kept him up. I wanted to keep him on his feet.

[Big E]

Now, did you get.

[Alan Hahn]

Did you get. There was some controversy after. After the end of Goldberg. When you last retired someone, you retired Goldberg on Saturday night's main event. He seemed. He had different things to say about that after it happened. He wanted more time to speak. Whatever I've spoken on that before, wasn't a fan of what he had to say. How much did you enjoy getting to put down the old guy Goldberg last time on Saturday night's main event?

[Gunther]

I think it was a really good experience. I think it was actually very nice to him because it gave him the best match that he ever had on his way out. And yeah, for me, it was perfect. I think I can claim I, yeah, I choked off Goldberg in his last match and now I'm going to take it a step further. Now the goal is to actually make John Cena tap out, submit and give up. It has to be his choice because Volta didn't have one. It just tapped out. But now the big goal isn't going to up it one notch. The goal is to support John Cena on Saturday.

[Don Hahn]

What did John Cena mean anything to you as you were coming up?

[Gunther]

Well, I just media all day. That question came up a few times. And I gotta be honest, my biggest memory of John Peter is around the time I started actually training for wrestling and I watched wwe, I was really annoyed by that guy that wore his short jeans in the ring all the time and his basketball shoes. And yeah, even back then I was always a poorest and a traditionalist. And even back then it was like, I do not like that guy. Who am I to judge? The guy had. The. The guy had a great career, one of the best careers ever, maybe undoubtedly the best sports entertainer of all time. So.

[Alan Hahn]

But in that era, were you like more of an Orton fan or a Triple H fan?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who.

[Alan Hahn]

Who did you enjoy? Or Batista, who did you enjoy from that time?

[Gunther]

During that time, I was more. I was a Japan guy, to be honest.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that sounds about right.

[Don Hahn]

I wasn't really.

[Gunther]

Yeah, I wasn't really watching too much WB and stuff.

[Alan Hahn]

But doesn't that, doesn't that like. Isn't that part the cool thing here? Like, this is such a huge mainstream moment for WWE and you're like the most indie darling, Japan wrestling studying, hardcore guy. Isn't it pretty cool that it ends up being you of all people in a spot like this?

[Gunther]

Yes, I think it is. And also that's why I talked about it earlier today too. I think at the end of the day, it is a lot of People expected it to be somebody else, Somebody maybe more similar to what Cena is or his career was or something. But I think at the end of the day, I think it is, yeah, almost like the biggest possible passing of the torch, because I think John represents a certain end of generation, a certain kind of WWE Superstar. And, yeah, I'm very. I'm the opposite of that. I'm very different to that. And I think it's the path and the Torch in terms of, like, what WWE is going to look like in the next years. And, yeah, with my background and the way I had to take to make it to that point in my career, I think it's a very cool scenario. That it is. Yeah. Especially that is. That is exactly not the guy that is a typical wwe. WWE Superstar that had the typical WWE career.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I personally am rooting for you, but I'm rooting for you for. For personal reasons. Gunther. Walter, brother. We are of the same last name. We are Austrian.

[Gunther]

Oh, do we?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Gunther]

Han, are you Austrian, too?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, not, but I was born in America, but yeah, that's the lineage. H A H, N. Like you.

[Gunther]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I'm. You're six four, right?

[Gunther]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So we're. We're, again, we're a bloodline. I'm six' six.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't know this was an Austrian thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's right. And I just. I was looking up some. Some photos just to, like, see is there any. He's a handsome guy.

[Alan Hahn]

He is a handsome guy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There you go. Now it makes sense. Somewhere along, my friend.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, two people who I don't.

Know.

[Gunther]

You only need to learn German, though, that we can talk about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I still am working on that. I will tell you, my grandpa, my grandfather can, but not me.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, let me.

[Big E]

Let me.

[Alan Hahn]

I want to sneak in just quickly, a couple of. A couple of quick, like, hardcore wrestling questions for the. The big WWE fans out there. Do you do. From, like, a presentation standpoint, do you miss having Kaiser with you? Because that was like a. You know, to me, that was a really fun part of the Gunther presentation was you having Ludwig Kaiser. Is that something you miss at all?

[Gunther]

Yeah, definitely supported it, but I don't miss it because, yeah, I think my best friend has bigger fish to fry than announcing me when I walked to the ring.

It was good for what it was, but I'm very happy we moved on.

[Don Hahn]

Who.

[Alan Hahn]

Who would be next on the hit list? As you see it, I'm sure you will retire John Cena on Saturday. On Saturday night's main event on Peacock after that. Who's next on the bucket list for you to retire?

[Gunther]

I don't have a bucket list, to be honest. I think we're in a very special situation. There's so many guys still around that are in the company for a very long time and they're all healthy, they're all still going. So I think there's. Yeah, it's a very special situation for out of my generation to get in the ring with those superstars. I don't have a bucket list. Time will tell. I focus on Saturday and then we see what happens next.

[Alan Hahn]

And lastly, for me, how you have a child about, I think about a year older than Maya, my daughter.

How's dad life for you? How much are you enjoying it? And what, and what phase is your boy in right now?

[Gunther]

He's roughly two years old now, so it's the phase he's in. But, yeah, I'm enjoying it a lot. And it's actually, I don't know, I feel like it helps balancing out my mind because I feel like sometimes the own head is the biggest enemy of a professional wrestler in the industry we're in. And I feel like since then it changes, Changes the purpose of life a little bit and definitely helped me also becoming better in what I do.

[Don Hahn]

Do you want him to follow in your footsteps?

[Gunther]

I know he can do whatever he wants.

Whatever he chooses. He will have my support.

[Alan Hahn]

So does, does he know, does he understand yet that, like, Daddy's a wrestler? Like, does he pay attention or have an idea yet?

[Gunther]

No, I don't think so. We don't think. My wife shows him anything. I don't show him anything. So.

I don't think he has a concept yet which he doesn't need to have. So it's all right.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, listen, my daughter might actually already know who you are, so she may, she may be a year ahead. I'm not sure. Hey, listen, I'm sure you don't think you need it, but good luck on Saturday night. I look forward to it, man.

[Gunther]

Well, thank you very much. Thanks for having me. And his very excited bird as well.

[Alan Hahn]

Cheers. There he is. Gunther. Thank you so much, buddy.

[Don Hahn]

I, I, I, I, I don't understand people that don't care how their last name is pronounced.

[Alan Hahn]

First. Well, this is his.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's his or first ring name.

[Don Hahn]

Well, either way, I mean.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, do you want me. How much?

[Don Hahn]

How?

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, if you want me to, like, you know, the truth is it's not his name, right? So he probably doesn't care.

[Don Hahn]

Maybe, you know, What?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, yeah, you know, you know what he's thinking?

[Alan Hahn]

What?

[Peter Rosenberg]

As long as they're saying it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't care how you say it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Because I mean, if it was his real name.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but here.

[Alan Hahn]

But here's the thing. But as time goes on, this is one of the weirdest and most interesting things about wrestling and why it's different than any sport or any acting movie part. Your name becomes your name. Like most wrestlers backstage, most get called by their working name every once in a while. There is, like, you could name if you guys cared, there'd be certain wrestlers you mentioned. And if we were to go through a list, like if Jacob or Anthony threw names at me, I could tell you which ones go by their real name.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

But most of them, everyone just says.

[Don Hahn]

Dylan Walter to him or Dwayne to the Rock, right?

[Alan Hahn]

No, well, Dwayne's. Dwayne's called dj. It seems like by every one of those.

[Don Hahn]

I'm just like.

[Alan Hahn]

I call him Rocky. Like, I would never call him Dwayne to me. That's crazy. I would never. I can't call Triple H Paul, even though that's become his, like, official title. But there are some people that they do. But so over time it is odd because, like, yeah, you don't care now, but he's only had the name Gunther for a few years. He was Walter forever. He was just Walter. They switched it to Gunther. Some fans hated it, were really annoyed by it. Now they've gotten used to it. And I wonder if in a few more years he does care because it's kind of become his name. It's an odd thing as an adult.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To get a new name. This is how you say it. Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

My son Marco's got an opinion on John Cena. I'll tell you about that.

[Alan Hahn]

Is that true?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes, he does.

[Alan Hahn]

And that's of course, Saturday night, Peacock. We have a countdown show that I'm doing beforehand and we have a post show afterwards. Myself, Joe Tessitore and Big E. It's gonna be a great night in dc. I'm told we're gonna be outside, which I'm looking to, I believe a high of 35 degrees in our nation's gonna see the family. I'm gonna see my brother who is coming to the show. I don't think I'm actually gonna see my family, cuz I'm a bad son.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Here with your family.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm here with my family.

[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Don Hahn]

The ESPN New York Holiday Party is almost here. Both we and the Michael K Show are bringing the holiday cheer at your mother's house in Garden City Park, Long island, this 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 this Friday, December 12, at your mother's house. For more info and to purchase VIP access, check out the ESPN New York app brought to you by Amazon, Pickup Security Dodge and Spiked Aid. Made for big city social stamina. I guess you're going to have a big event after.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, we heard about this.

[Don Hahn]

The holiday party on Friday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I thought the tradition was that we three go out and have our. No, that's never really material together.

[Don Hahn]

But because after the super bowl show, it was just me and you that went out. Yeah, and it's going to be me and you again on Friday because you've got the whole Andrew Gunling, RJ Santillo, Mike Brownshaw dinner. That sounds like Michael And I made a big deal about. A big deal about not being invited to last year. And the whole excuse was, well, you weren't going to go anyway.

[Alan Hahn]

Which is true.

[Don Hahn]

Which is true. So all the more reason to, after we complained, to invite us and you did not again, knowing full well I probably say no. Although you don't know that for a fact. And I'm left only Alan, to think that the reason I was not invited again is because of the slim chance that I would say yes. They don't want me there because otherwise, if, you know, I'm not gonna go, and you know, I complained the last time I wasn't invited. Throw out the token invite. So I have to think by not throwing out the token invite, they were scared that I would have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Completed the Hail Mary and showed up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I bet this was probably discussed.

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Should we. Should we invite Don? Well, where are you going to be on the island? Oh, no. Well, he might. He might say, oh, I'll just cut through the city and come hang out with you guys and then go home to Jersey. And so don't ask him because this is the off chance he might say yes.

[Don Hahn]

No. And this is why you're all wet.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, because of the fact I love this guy.

[Don Hahn]

We are at the stage now where there's a chance I could go to things like this for the reason Alan said, cut through the city. I'm not getting home in time to have dinner with my children anyway, so I gotta fend for myself to have dinner.

[Alan Hahn]

Good point.

[Don Hahn]

So, you know, if I had known ahead, I'm go out with Alan like a gentleman. But if you had invited me, say, a couple of weeks ago, also as a gentleman, that I might have said, you know what? I'm not gonna get home in time to have dinner with my family. I'll swing through the city. And I haven't seen Andrew in forever. I physically have not been in the presence of Andrew since the 20th anniversary party.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I said already, Don.

[Don Hahn]

It was embarrassing. I don't get to see RJ all that often. No, I do see Brown, sure, on occasion, But I can't think of the last time I broke bread with him.

[Alan Hahn]

You haven't broken bread with him.

[Don Hahn]

And I heard that JJ's gonna be there too, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

He had to.

[Don Hahn]

I haven't seen him pre Covid.

[Alan Hahn]

And you guys are fond of each other.

[Don Hahn]

And I honestly, I'm not saying that the percentage would be high, but enough to throw the invite out. And the reason it wasn't thrown out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Don Hahn]

Is because of the outside chance that I chose. Hey, listen. I still love rj. I still love Mike. I still love Andrew, and I'll always love you. Thank you. I don't need you to reciprocate. I don't care how you feel about it. I'm still gonna love these people.

[Alan Hahn]

You've already said Andrew doesn't have any use for you and you love.

[Don Hahn]

And this is proof, because I would think he'd stand on a table saying, invite Don. I try every day. It's worth the shot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

I mean, these are people that were asking out hot women just at the remote possibility they would say yes. But do I get the same gesture? No, I don't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Maybe, just maybe they're worried about being embarrassed in public.

[Don Hahn]

Embarrassed in public by what?

[Alan Hahn]

By John.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You showing up and, you know, sometimes you get into an argument and you.

[Don Hahn]

Got a point to make.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What is he saying? They are feeling a certain way.

[Alan Hahn]

Way, by the way. So that's what you should be offended by.

[Don Hahn]

I am.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm trying to make sense of it.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, because it doesn't make sense.

[Don Hahn]

If you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If that's all I'm doing.

[Alan Hahn]

If you listen. If you listen to me, you would understand. It is really much more simple. Everyone has different groups. We have, like, a little group.

[Don Hahn]

We have a.

[Alan Hahn]

There's a group chat, a click. It's a little click that we have. The five of us. Yeah, we group chat. We get together once, you know, once, twice a year, when we can.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

And that's it.

[Don Hahn]

There's really zero reason that I can't be a part of that. I work with these people. We have similar interests. You're not in it, but I am excluded. I'm cool. I just want you to admit to me right now in front of our audience that I am not your cup of tea.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I will fight you after this. Our audience and.

[Don Hahn]

God, Mike. Now, Mike and Mike didn't really get along. Mike and Chris didn't really get along.

[Alan Hahn]

They didn't like each other. Let it all out.

[Don Hahn]

I'm. I'm feeling like, you know what?

[Alan Hahn]

Go look and Winko are strange.

[Don Hahn]

We are not that close.

[Alan Hahn]

No, we work together.

[Don Hahn]

That's not it. We're. We're. But why am I excluded?

[Alan Hahn]

I.

[Don Hahn]

It's why I know every single person at that dinner. I know them all. Matter of fact, I've known people there longer than Peter's known. Why am I excluded?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I tried to tell you. You think I'm taking shots at you? I'm trying to reason this because it makes no sense.

[Don Hahn]

I just don't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't want you there. Let it go.

[Don Hahn]

God hates. I know that. But I will not stand for that. I'll embarrass them or something. I just think.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what?

[Don Hahn]

We don't fit. We just don't belong.

[Alan Hahn]

No. None of it. It's all getting over complicated. I made a mistake. I should have. This time in particular, given what happened last time. I should have just said, hey, Don, we're running it back. Do you want to join this time?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

You know, even though I know I didn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Though, I'll tell you what. But it's not personal if he does that. And now the holiday party ends.

[Gunther]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There goes Don, off with Peter into the city.

[Alan Hahn]

And then now.

[Don Hahn]

It's really not real up to you whether it's personal. I feel it's personal.

[Alan Hahn]

That's a good point. No, no, no. It's in the eyes of Holder. And Don thinks I'm sitting alone at.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Borelli's by myself, eating alone, dining for one. Because you're in the city. Well, I know you're not going, but you sound like you'd really rather do that.

[Don Hahn]

No, I just want an. I just want him to say. I want him to say it. That I'm not his cup of tea.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know.

[Don Hahn]

But he won't because he's gutless. I'm gonna go out to dinner with you. I don't want to go out with these people, even though I love and adore them.

[Alan Hahn]

You just want to be.

[Don Hahn]

But if I'm not. I don't want to be someplace I'm not wanting. It's not that. It's not want. And what is it again? I've exposed every weakness of this argument. You're down to one last thing. Would you just start our cup of tea?

[Alan Hahn]

You don't have any other friends at the radio station that are kind of like your own thing? And I'm not a part of it?

[Don Hahn]

Not a soul.

[Alan Hahn]

There's not anyone here.

[Don Hahn]

No. There's never been one time where I would break bread with anybody at this radio station and not invite you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

To feel like you didn't belong. Mm.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Show unit. You know, one for all, for one. Three Musketeers.

[Alan Hahn]

But that's not. It's not a show. It's just. This isn't a show thing.

[Don Hahn]

It's just a thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hang on a second. Is it involving people that work at the station?

[Alan Hahn]

Somewhat. Only half.

[Don Hahn]

How many people?

[Alan Hahn]

Half of the people work at the.

[Don Hahn]

Station with the other half, J.J. and Andrew. Well, Andrew, I. That's how I got to know him through the station and I got to know JJ through the station for the silly Hoga soccer show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't like that at all.

[Don Hahn]

No, Peter, it's fine.

[Alan Hahn]

No, it's not cool, man.

[Don Hahn]

I just want to know where I stand with people.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't think it's everyone. Everyone loves you. And, and, and by the way, I wish you'd come right now, but you won't show something.

[Don Hahn]

Well, no, no, don't spin this on me. I've got plans. I'm not available. I was available two weeks ago when I should have been asked as a gentleman and you think you would have gone. But I, I'm not going to sit here and beg people to like me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Please don't.

[Don Hahn]

You don't like me. That's fine. CNN's coming up next.

[Alan Hahn]

Hold on.

[Don Hahn]

Don't go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So you might like that.

[Alan Hahn]

A lot of people, A lot of people saying bad guy Peter, this is so wrong. Bad guy Peter rant.

[Don Hahn]

Don.

[Alan Hahn]

You've known them for 40 years. 40. I would love to go to dinner with Don.

Let's go with Don. Don gets the shaft twice. It's because Don has a great head of hair. Makes them jealous.

No, no one aside him. No. No one here just can say, and I get it, Peter, sometimes you just have a little group. It's not about anyone being left out because, okay, we invite you. That means also now Michael's gonna be upset.

[Don Hahn]

Well, I don't know why you wouldn't invite him either. So you know for a fact he's not going.

[Alan Hahn]

You're the exact same level of not. No, you're, you're.

[Don Hahn]

No, I just told you I'm not. Because I told you that two weeks ago there would be a scenario in which I'd say I'm gonna from Long Island, I'm gonna get home at like 8:30, 9:00 clock anyway. So that's why I'll tell Nancy. Listen, I'm going to get dinner there. I'm going to go out without. I don't like. And I think she'd be really excited if I told her I'm going to go see. Oh really? Going to see Andrew.

[Alan Hahn]

Now I feel. Rj Now I feel bad. I should have said something.

[Don Hahn]

Well, you didn't. Twice now I. I don't look at.

[Alan Hahn]

It the third time.

[Don Hahn]

No, listen, I don't want to be with people that don't care for me.

[Alan Hahn]

We love you, everyone.

[Don Hahn]

We love you, Don. But any example of showing that love, you completely come up empty. They're just words and they're meaningless, hollow words. Full, definite, defined words.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't want to know how the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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.

[Kevin Clark]

Before we go, if you want fast, restaurant quality pizza at home this season, check out Frigidaire's Stone Baked Pizza Oven Fresh pizza goes from dough to done in just two minutes. Perfect for hosting or making a serious statement on pizza night. Don't wait around for delivery. Take control right from your kitchen. Only from Frigidaire. Game Ready Pizza. Get it today at the Home Depot. How doers get more done.