Hour 3: NFL Offseason

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast (ESPN New York) — March 4, 2026 Hour 3: NFL Offseason

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Overview

In this lively episode, Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg delve into the evolving NFL offseason, focusing on New York Giants and Jets storylines, major quarterback market shifts, and broader sports talk with their signature blend of banter and insight. Key guests include ESPN Giants reporter Jordan Raanan and NFL great Phil Simms, offering deep dives on front office dynamics, QB availabilities, and team strategies. The hosts also venture into baseball free agency sentiments, family life as broadcasters, and field colorful fan calls.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Giants’ Front Office Drama: The Joe Schoen Question (02:10–06:19)

• Ongoing Uncertainty: With new head coach John Harbaugh at the helm, the trio debate the perceived frenzy over GM Joe Schoen’s future. Don and Peter are mystified by how fixated Giants fans are on whether Schoen stays or goes.
  • Don: “Why do we care about Joe Schoen? If Harbaugh wants him, good. If not, goodbye.” (02:32)
  • Peter: “Let him work behind the scenes...he’s a good guy, but if he goes, he goes.” (03:13)
• Jordan Raanan joins in (03:45): He describes Schoen as being on a “trial period”—he needs to prove himself to Harbaugh.
  • Raanan: “He has X amount of time to prove...it really creates an unknown with the Giants they haven’t had in a long time.” (03:45)
• Transitional Nature: The consensus is that Harbaugh will lean on familiar personnel and eventually re-shape things as he sees fit.

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2. Giants to Go "Run Heavy" Under Harbaugh? (05:45–07:21)

• Harbaugh’s philosophy is described as physical, run-focused football, reminiscent of his Baltimore Ravens teams.
  • Raanan: “They’re going to reshape this roster...it’s going to be, to me, a run-heavy team—whatever that means today, pretty close to 50/50.” (05:45)
  • Rosenberg: “Harbaugh believes you win at the line of scrimmage—a physical brand of football.” (06:22)
• Potential WR targets (Alec Pierce), and roster reimagination for more physicality.

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3. Giants Roster Moves & Dexter Lawrence’s Contract (07:21–08:18)

• Dexter Lawrence: Needs a contract adjustment—no guaranteed money left, potential for conflict if not addressed.
  • Raanan: “He’s too good a player to play with no guaranteed money...that’ll be something that has to be addressed, maybe it goes sideways.” (07:39)
• Expect significant defensive turnover.

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4. Jets QB Carousel & Offseason Options (09:11–17:21)

• Malik Willis as a Fit? (Phil Simms joins) The panel debates if Willis fits the Jets:
  • Simms: “He’s got all the things you want...except is he big enough? He does look big enough on the field.” (09:40)
  • Experience concerns: Only 22 games, 6 career starts—Rosenberg: “What we saw at the end of last season, when Jordan Love got hurt, we saw somebody popping off the screen.” (11:35)
• Jets’ Desperation & Musical Chairs:
  • Rosenberg: “This is going to be a game of musical chairs—the Jets might not have a chair to sit in when the music stops.” (14:45)
  • On Tua Tagovailoa as a Jets option: Simms flat out says no, citing arm strength and success in cold weather (12:32)
  • Air of resignation: “After midnight at the bar, you start to look around...there are some redeeming qualities.” (15:02–15:18) (Peter & Rosenberg)
• Kyler Murray’s Destination: Simms and the crew discuss the likelihood Murray lands in Minnesota, given their system and needs (17:21–18:21).

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5. The Emotional Side of Sports Departures: Edwin Díaz, Free Agents, and Fan Sentiment (27:55–32:56)

• The hosts dissect Edwin Díaz's comments about returning to the Mets after likely winning with the Dodgers.
  • Don: “In three years, you’d be lucky if anybody wants you at all...closers age quick.” (28:43)
  • Rosenberg: “He’s basically admitting, I didn’t want to leave New York...” (29:02)
• Don reflects on rooting for players vs. teams: “As a 58-year-old, if they turn around and win then I’m good...I want these guys to help my team win...right now, it’s all about me.” (31:19)

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6. Life as a Broadcaster & Family Banter (23:14–27:49)

• Don laments missing Devils home games due to broadcast obligations and the subsequent family guilt.
  • “I should just lay out when that happens...But now I’ll also miss the next three. Now I’m a bad husband.” (24:41)
• Parenting struggles—comparing work to home responsibilities; the hosts joke about being “bad husbands” and the intensity of fatherhood, from toddlers to teens.
  • Peter: “My work days are easier than being home...with a one-year-old, the work is more at home than it is at work.” (26:13)
  • Rosenberg: “Wait till you have a 10-year-old who’s very, very active...” (26:49)

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7. Callers: Sports Nostalgia, Listener Shoutouts, and Light-Hearted Arguments (33:38–46:42)

• Adam from PA tells a story about a student attending Ramapo College, leading to Don sharing his upcoming live show there (34:23–35:39).
• Richard from Manhattan: Fun rapid-fire round—Knicks vs. St. John’s prospects, Ovechkin’s pursuit of Gretzky, and hockey trivia (40:23–43:20).
  • Don calls it “the best Richard call ever, because there were three, count them, three separate occasions where we actually interacted.” (43:20)
• Playoff Formats (NBA, MLB, NFL): Mike from Stanford proposes fewer NBA playoff teams to increase regular season relevance. The hosts explain why this would backfire, encouraging tanking (45:04–46:28).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Giants’ GM drama:
  “If John [Harbaugh] wants [Schoen] to stay, great. If he wants him to go, great. God, people are all caught up in this.”
  — Don Hahn (02:59)

• On run-heavy football’s modern meaning:
  “Run heavy in this league now means like 50/50. You’re still throwing the ball.”
  — Jordan Raanan (07:21)

• On the QB market’s desperation:
  “It’s after midnight at the bar, man. After a while, it’s like, take another drink and take a look around.”
  — Rosenberg & Peter (15:02–15:18)

• On fans and departing players:
  “My love for these players right now are all about me...it’s for getting that ring.”
  — Don Hahn (31:19)

• Caller banter—Richard from Manhattan:
  “That right there. That moment in radio history was the greatest Richard call ever...three separate occasions where we actually interacted.”
  — Don Hahn (43:20)

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Segment Timestamps

• 02:10 — Schoen/Harbaugh Giants discussion begins
• 03:45 — Jordan Raanan explains Schoen’s “trial”
• 05:45 — Giants’ roster shift/run-heavy philosophy
• 07:21 — Dexter Lawrence contract talk
• 09:11 — Jets QB debate: Simms, Willis, Tua, Murray
• 12:32 — Phil Simms on Tua not fitting Jets
• 15:02 — “After midnight at the bar” QB metaphor
• 17:21 — Kyler Murray to Minnesota?
• 27:55 — Edwin Díaz/Mets free agent sentiments
• 31:19 — Reflecting on player loyalty vs. winning
• 34:23 — Ramapo College shoutout & Don’s event
• 40:23 — Richard from Manhattan’s 3-question sports round
• 45:04 — NBA playoff format call-in debate

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Tone & Flow

Full of classic New York sports radio energy, the episode mixes sharp analysis with playful jabs, authenticity, and relatable frustration around both football front office intrigue and the aging athlete’s journey in baseball. Call-ins and personal anecdotes round out the hour, making it accessible and engaging for casual and hardcore fans alike.

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For listeners: This episode offers a rich snapshot of current New York sports storylines, the NFL offseason’s quarterback chaos, and the enduring tension between rooting for your favorite stars and rooting for your team’s success. As always, Don, Hahn & Rosenberg keep things both insightful and fun.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

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[Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[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 Telemore Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, guys, I like that it's tally time. Good job.

[Peter]

All right, all right.

[Don Hahn]

Now we're onto something. Here we go. The next host of Thunder with coverage immediately following us on 880 at 6:30. Devils are home for the Maple Leafs at 7. That game is going to be on ESPN plus and the Islanders are way out west to take on the ducks for a 10 o' clock face off. So Alan's got something to watch when he gets back from the Nick game. Tell them more. Do the call.

[Rosenberg]

Devils again. Not allowed to play.

[Don Hahn]

I know.

[Rosenberg]

Sad.

[Don Hahn]

And we got a nice text thread with Danico, Bryce and Rachel.

[Rosenberg]

I must get hot.

[Don Hahn]

I don't want to read it. But Danico not happy with the officiate and there's never been a penalty he's been happy with unless. Unless it's on the other team. Tullamore. Do the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Telemore Dew. Honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. Islanders looking for their sixth straight win tonight when they take on the Ducks, so they might be their only representation. All the doubles won a couple of games in a row. They're going to have to go on a bit of a toot, as I like to say. So I guess it's still possible. So you're saying there's a chance. Lots of football to get into. Based on guests earlier today.

[Peter]

All right.

[Don Hahn]

Jordan Ronan was on with dnr. That's dph Ron Rotherick to you and me. And Phil Sims was on. Pardon Carlin. So would you like to start? Blue or green, Peter? Blue. Big blue. There's all this talk about Shane. I don't know why. Can I just ask you? Anthony and I were talking about this earlier today.

[Phil Sims]

Mm.

[Don Hahn]

Why do we care about Joe Shane? Like, John Harbaugh is here. All right, so how much power Shane has? What do I care about? Why are we so caught up in. Is he been neutered? Is he gonna have a contract extension?

[Rosenberg]

I agree.

[Don Hahn]

Like, I. I don't care if Harbaugh wants him around. Good. I want him to stay. You know why? Cuz John wants him around. John wants him gone. Goodbye.

[Rosenberg]

Like, if he wants to be a pencil pusher. Okay. Like, I don't care. Honestly, it's weird.

[Don Hahn]

I know. I don't know why it's a big deal. I think there's a lot of Giant fans that like, want him punished for the last couple of seasons.

[Rosenberg]

Just let him work behind the scenes. He doesn't have to be the first

[Don Hahn]

person or not work behind the scenes. Like, I listen, no offense to him. He's a good guy. We've told you before. Me and Peter talked to him at camp when he was really nice and gave us a lot of good information and stuff. I don't want bad things to happen to him.

[Rosenberg]

No.

[Don Hahn]

But if he goes, he goes. If he stays, he stays. It's John Harbaugh's team. All right? John wants him to stay, great. If he wants him to go, great. God, people are all caught up in this. So obviously DNR were as well. Shane still may not be totally safe.

[Jordan Ronan]

Everybody believes that Joe Shane is basically on a trial period here. Like, you know, with John Harbaugh, he'll decide, you know, he could be here through the draft, he could be here through the season, he could be here for five more years. He has X amount of time to prove to John Harbaugh that he's good at his job. It really creates an unknown with the Giants, I think, that they haven't had in a very long time here.

[Don Hahn]

I really think it's just transitional. I need somebody from the previous regime to kind of help me get through here, get acclimated here, and then I'll make a decision on whether he gets a contract or not because this will be his last year. So the Giants have to pay him through the year anyway and we'll see how the draft is. But John Harvard is going to get the players he wants, right? Like, so I don't. I don't know why it's as much of an issue, but it continues. More front office moves could impact Shane.

[Jordan Ronan]

The feeling is John Harbaugh is going to bring in one of his personnel guys or someone that he trusts and has confidence in. No matter what. Just think about it. If you're a guy like him who comes in, you're the new head coach. He has a personnel staff that is not. None of them are his. He's going to bring in at least one guy, major guy, doesn't necessarily have to be a general manager, but for personnel that he trusts and that he believes in, whether it's the general manager, whether it's player personnel position, whatever it is, the feeling around the league is he's gonna bring in a guy that's his now. So now Joe Shane has to prove, hey, you should want to keep me too. And I think that's where it's at.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, it's an audition. There's always people that stay right guys, you know, whenever you have a regime change, there's always a couple that still hang around.

[Peter]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

Whether it's a PR director, whether it's somebody in the scouting department, I mean a myriad. There's never scorched earth.

[Rosenberg]

No.

[Don Hahn]

But I do think that's what Giant fans wanted. But once John Harbaugh comes in and you trust him and you believe he's the right guy, if he wants Shane to stay, then he stays. And if he wants certain players to stay, they stay. And certain players gone, they're gone. And that's also what Jordan talked about. The Giants, they're going to reimagine the roster.

[Jordan Ronan]

They're going to reshape this roster to the likings of John Harbaugh and it's going to be to me, a run heavy team. And whatever run heavy means today, like pretty close to 50.

[Don Hahn]

50.

[Jordan Ronan]

Right. And so as a Giant fan, I think most people like that and agree with that.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Jordan Ronan]

This is kind of the shape of a roster that you want, you want them to be heavy on the defense. Right. Be a better defensive team. That's over. The Giants have been run the ball

[Don Hahn]

and then work off that. And the Giants do have backs, but I don't, I don't know necessarily why he would want it to be a run heavy team.

[Rosenberg]

Well, that's what he is though.

[Don Hahn]

I get it.

[Rosenberg]

But that's what he's. I mean, look, look at, look at Baltimore. You know, they, they really have been a team that he believes in. That line of scrimmage is where you're going to win. He believes in a physical brand of football. That's what he's always been about. In his introductory press conference, it's literally what he said is that we believe in physical football and that's the type of team we're going to be a big, strong, physical team. His Ravens teams were that. Oh yeah, for sure. You can expect more of the same. And you have a quarterback that has legs, that can run. He's really good at it. And then you have of course, Scatterboo, who is a battering ram. Like, I think you're going to see a lot more of that, which, you know, which sounds to me like you're going to probably need more physical wide receivers and not smaller, you know, the, the speedy small guys.

[Don Hahn]

Well, Alec Pierce is somebody apparently they're kicking the tires on from Indianapolis from a wide receiver standpoint. You have neighbors coming back, you know, hopefully healthy.

[Peter]

Cannot be understated or overstated. I should say, huge deal.

[Don Hahn]

And also we hear run heavy. Jordan even admitted run heavy in this league now means like 50, 50. You're still, you're still throwing the ball. Of course, half if not more of the time anyway. What's the situation with Dexter Lawrence Jordan?

[Jordan Ronan]

There's going to be something that has to happen with Dexter Lawrence's contract. He has no guaranteed money left. He's too good a player to be like, sure I'm going to play and come here with no guaranteed money. I know he had a down year, but he still has enough leverage to say, you got to address my contract here. Shows up and tears his Achilles. You just, see ya, you're done. We don't need you. So he won't, he can't put himself in that position. So his contract's going to have to be addressed. And it's a little bit tricky because right now he, I think he. 15 guys are slated to, you know, make more than him this year. That's a lot of, a lot of interior defensive tackles. But he is coming off a down year. So how much are you willing to put into him having a bounce back year? How much are you willing to guarantee so that that'll be something that has to be addressed? Maybe it goes sideways, who knows.

[Don Hahn]

And that's where the defense is really going to be reimagined. Right? You, you've already let go of Okara K. Now you a possibility of Lawrence being gone. Like there's a lot of changeover that's going to happen. That's why it's kind of folly to talk about the, you know, over under for wins when you know, you're judging it based on the talent they have now. Who knows what this team is going

[Rosenberg]

to look like, style of play to how they used to play.

[Don Hahn]

But I just think it's a Respect of, hey, John Harbaugh has got to be worth a few wins, right?

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

You go from firing a coach because you don't think he did that great of a job to. To now bringing in a future hall of Fame head coach. And I think that's the trajectory that John Harbaugh is on. Yeah, he should be worth at least two, three wins. So you go from four wins to seven, maybe eight. Who knows? Now let me just ask Alan, because he's a Jet guy. What do you think the topic of conversation was on Barton Carlin with Phil Sims, like position wise about the Jets?

[Rosenberg]

Well, it should have been quarterback, I would assume.

[Peter]

Phil Sims, you say it's quarterback.

[Rosenberg]

I think if you're talking to Phil Sims, it would be about the quarterback.

[Don Hahn]

Right. But even if I was talking to yo yo, Bumchuck, it's probably about the jets quarterback situation, right?

[Rosenberg]

Oh yeah.

[Don Hahn]

But no, they talked to Phil. And of course we're talking about Malik Willis. I think he's on the top of everybody's list of potential quarterbacks for the New York Jets. But the question is, would the jets be on his list? Phil, would he be a fit if

[Phil Sims]

that happened, I would be all for it. You know, again, could he fit the style what we talked about? I think he can adapt to basically almost any offense he plays in because he's overall got all the things you want to see in the quarterback, you know, except. Which has been a really big deal this offseason guy. Is he big enough? Well, not.

[Rosenberg]

Damn.

[Phil Sims]

You know, let's watch it. And does he look big enough on the field? He does to me. And you know, so.

[Rosenberg]

And yeah.

[Phil Sims]

Why did he play better in Tennessee? One he started to learn how to be an NFL quarterback. And how did it work in Green Bay? A really good designed offense that fitting perfectly for who he is throwing the football down the field and buying time. I don't see how a quarterback like that doesn't fit into almost any system in the NFL.

[Don Hahn]

But wouldn't you kind of make your system around the quarterback? I wouldn't. I wouldn't force feed him anything.

[Rosenberg]

You would think.

[Don Hahn]

Especially if you're trying to win him over. Yeah, because he will have suitors, guys.

[Peter]

So to me it's amazing.

[Rosenberg]

It's amazing though. Don and Peter, all right, he's played in the league. He played four seasons in the league. How many games would you think he had played four years?

[Peter]

Oh, no, I know. It's like It's. He played 6 and 1. He Last year he won. It was Much less than. It's like four total, I think.

[Rosenberg]

Well, he played four last year.

[Peter]

He played in four games last year.

[Rosenberg]

Right. So give me, give me, give me seasons.

[Peter]

Give me seven for the career.

[Rosenberg]

No, he's more than that.

[Peter]

Oh, wow.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter]

Good for him.

[Rosenberg]

But he's only played 22 games. He's only made six career starts. Starts.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. So you're talking about getting in garbage time.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. And early on in his career when he was on a bad Tennessee team and he was, I think it was like a fourth round pick, whatever he was. Yeah, he got in, but he didn't play a ton. You know, he. Three starts, like, there's not a lot of experience. But what we saw at the end of last season when Jordan Love got hurt, we saw somebody started popping off the screen. Right.

[Don Hahn]

Mm.

[Rosenberg]

But I, you know, I don't know what he is. I don't think anybody knows what he is. And it's amazing how everybody's ready to throw $40 million at him.

[Don Hahn]

But that's kind of the going rate for a quarterback his age that has potential.

[Rosenberg]

You're right.

[Don Hahn]

And who else are going at play?

[Peter]

And you've seen him play in NFL games that matter.

[Rosenberg]

Played for, I think, I think being in the Shanahan system, playing for the floor, like, I think that also is helpful. You feel like he's probably been properly developed.

[Phil Sims]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And also everybody else is damaged goods, right?

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

You know, cousins is 38. Murray just got released like it's Pickens now. Alan, do you have a bucket near you? Do you have a soft place for your head to land when you pass out?

[Rosenberg]

No.

[Don Hahn]

All right, so we'll roll the dice.

[Rosenberg]

We're going to have to just take

[Don Hahn]

a chance here, Phil, with two fit the Jets.

[Phil Sims]

Well, they're not going to bring to a tongue viola up here. He doesn't fit it. I mean, hell, he played in Miami. We saw what he does when he has to go on the road to Buffalo or anywhere to play where it's cold and he's, you know, let's be honest, athletically, who he is physically, there's no way I would want him up here in New York one because of what he has shown us and who he is, but maybe also more importantly, that the weather is just not going to be on his side all the time. He had to really all of his energy and power to get the damn ball down that field. And there was a play late in one game. I can't remember the game. And look, I don't mean to pile on him, but that's what I'm doing. They had a Hail Mary to the end zone, and he dropped back and he moved around and took a sack because he knew he could not throw the ball far enough to get it to the end zone. And, you know, that was just the start of the end. I think for TUA down there, they have to go in a different direction, and so I would not look at him.

[Don Hahn]

All right, so, yeah, I agree with

[Rosenberg]

everything that he said there.

[Don Hahn]

I wasn't sure what he was going to say, so I wanted to make

[Rosenberg]

sure you were okay because, no, he was right on the money. I thought you were setting me up for him saying that that's who they should go for because that. That was.

[Don Hahn]

No, no, no. I just. I was warning you because I didn't know what Phil was going to say. It just says, would TUA fit the Jets? And if he said yes, we would lose. We'd lose both north and south of Al.

[Rosenberg]

Well, it stems from Mike Garofolo saying this morning on Good Morning, folks, that teams have been doing work on tua, including the Jets. Well, I think the jets have to do due diligence on everyone, no matter how pathetic of an option it is.

[Don Hahn]

I'm not calling anybody out when I say this because we all do it. But doing work on someone does not mean you're interested, does not mean you're on your way to acquiring that player. You do the work on everybody.

[Rosenberg]

Correct.

[Don Hahn]

So I would not read into that at all. I understand why people do, and I'm not saying it's not information, but that does not necessarily equate to. The jets are interested. They just, hey, you kick the tires on everybody. You don't have a quarterback.

[Rosenberg]

Right? You don't. So you also don't have, like. You don't have the right to look at a quarterback that's available and say, no, we don't want that guy. No, because you might have only that guy available at the end.

[Don Hahn]

You never know.

[Rosenberg]

As Fowler told me, the Jet, this is going to be a game of musical chairs. And the jets might have the less. Might not have a chair to sit down when this. When the music stops.

[Don Hahn]

And as all those quarterbacks find a seat, TUA becomes more and more part of the equation because you're starting to run out of options.

[Rosenberg]

It's after midnight at the bar, man. After a while, it's like, yeah, take.

[Peter]

Have another drink and take a look around.

[Rosenberg]

9:30 was. No, 11:30 is like, man, you know what? You know, there are Some. There are some redeeming qualities.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter]

Let me have one more drink and take a look again. I feel a little different now and

[Don Hahn]

then when they announce that you don't have to go home but you can't

[Peter]

stay here, well, you gotta go somewhere. I gotta go somewhere.

[Rosenberg]

You go. Is this your coat? And who's saying the jets won't be in that situation?

[Don Hahn]

Well, it's very true. If I'm the Jets, I'm preparing for that situation.

[Rosenberg]

Well, you have.

[Peter]

You.

[Rosenberg]

That's. And that's why you look into everything, because you need to know everything. So. So you can't just say no. Oh, we didn't put any work and we don't bother. No, we know everything about him and we really can still say no, even though all we're left with is now Cook and Fields. I'd rather have that and draft one than this guy because we did work on him and he's done. He's Cook.

[Don Hahn]

That's what you do.

[Rosenberg]

But Don, like. So you mentioned Willis, right?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

And like Willis is somebody that, if you want to connect dots, the Miami things, what everybody thought. But Miami's got their own problems with TUA and that contract and all. They might not want to go for it. They might want to play the draft game. Arizona, though, has some connections there with everybody that they've hired because they re. They turned it over in Arizona. Arizona is a perfect landing spot for them. Literally, like kind of like again, six. One quarterback who's. Who can move around a lot, who's, you know, got some accuracy, not a ton of experience, that's an obvious place for him to go in Arizona. And you would find that to be more attractive than coming to New York for all the reasons that you can think of. Living in Arizona, playing in a dome, blah, blah, blah. And the other part that worries me is that then if you go after Malik Willis, the Kyler Murray stuff that I was at first wanted to throw up about, and we brought up Minnesota right as. Why wouldn't Minnesota be a better option for him? Well, guess. Guess who's at the very top of his list of places he'd like to go?

[Don Hahn]

Minnesota.

[Rosenberg]

Minnesota? Why? Two receivers that are high quality and a head coach that just knows how to develop a quarterback and going to a place where he knows he could take the. He wouldn't be a bridge quarterback. JJ'd be out. So that's the problem. The jets might like some of these options that are available to them, but those options are looking at the jets. Like, why the Hell would I go there?

[Don Hahn]

Now you bring up Kyler Murray, Phil. Where do you think he's going to go?

[Phil Sims]

Well, the word is, and that's all you keep hearing, Kyler Murray. It would not shock me if he goes to Minnesota. Does that fit the profile of what Kevin o' Connell has done with his

[Jordan Ronan]

quarterback over the years?

[Phil Sims]

Probably not. But he is a guy that will drop back and be in the pocket and throw the ball down the field, going to be coached better than he's ever been coached before, since he's been in the pros, if he does go to Minnesota. So now you get the ability to throw it down the field to buy time and then when you need to run. But I think you can do all those things. And right now I just feel like that's where it's going to go, that he's going to end up going to Minnesota, knowing they got that receiving core, knowing the head coach can always help the quarterback. And Minnesota, they need a big time player. Let's be honest, that staff is probably fighting for the jobs up there this year. And if they don't have a playoff year or a year where it's exciting, they maybe missed the playoffs by a game, then maybe they can save their jobs that way. But I think this is a situation where you need to make sure you get the guy that can run your offense and give us some extra stuff.

[Don Hahn]

And to me now, if you remember, back in 2020, it appeared that Kirk Cousins had no interest in coming to the Jets, I recall, and might have used the jets to get more money elsewhere. So Phil was asked by the boys, does Cousins spurning the jets years ago matter now?

[Phil Sims]

I want to keep my job. I want to win some games and all that. So being petty, that would be one instance, I say, okay, I'm not going to be that way. I'm going to do what's best for me, for holding on to my job, what's best for the team, and to get everybody behind me. And when I say that, I mean everybody, even get the fans behind them, hoping when they go to the games they have a chance to win.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, 34 years old, still having a lot left is a lot different than 38 and your options being limited. And I still want to play in the NFL, so no, I don't think that really matters either. ESPN New York is teaming up with Calandra's Bakery to give away a pair of tickets to see the New York Knicks take on the Charlotte hornets on Sunday, April 12. It's easy to enter just Stop by Calandra's Bakery at 234 Bloomfield Ave. In Caldwell, New Jersey between March 4 and April 7 and enter in person. Brought to you by Calandra's Bakery in Caldwell, home of fresh bread, classic Italian pastries, and traditioned baked traditions. Baked daily. How about that? Sure.

[Rosenberg]

And Caldwell, right by where Don lives.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter]

Down the street from Don's house.

[Don Hahn]

Why'd you say, oh, boy? What happened?

[Peter]

I was just saying oh, boy.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, interesting.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

So you got. So you got a whole nother thing going on?

[Phil Sims]

No.

[Don Hahn]

What do you mean?

[Peter]

Because you were bringing up the Calandras and I was saying, oh, boy.

[Rosenberg]

We thought this was a big Calandras night. We're.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, no, we've got that coming up. That's a. That's a read later on. We still got lots to do here.

[Peter]

That's where I thought we were going.

[Don Hahn]

As you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Granger has your back. From professional grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery. They're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by.

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[Don Hahn]

from 30 for 30 podcasts.

[Phil Sims]

Brian Pata, senior defensive lineman for Miami.

[Don Hahn]

Gunned down the key to this case.

[Rosenberg]

It's Brian.

[Don Hahn]

An hour before he died, he was

[Phil Sims]

on the phone arguing with somebody.

[Don Hahn]

This might be a hit.

[Richard]

You want the truth?

[Rosenberg]

They Just want a conviction, being placed under arrest.

[Don Hahn]

We had a killer amongst us. Murder at the U. Listen now.

[Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Peter]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Rosenberg]

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

[Don Hahn]

ESPN New York is taking over Calandra's Italian Village in Caldwell, New Jersey, on Wednesday, March 18.

[Peter]

Oh, you bet your ace.

[Don Hahn]

Join us live starting at 3pm with a special happy hour.

[Rosenberg]

Happy hour. It's right in your app.

[Don Hahn]

You don't want to miss this. Come hang out, talk sports, get ready for a huge night on the ice, then stick around for the Rangers and the Devil's watch party at 7pm that's when the puck drops. Big screens, great food, unbeatable atmosphere, and the best fans in hockey, all under one roof. Reservations are recommended. To book your table, call 973-226-88889. That's 973-226-8889. See Don Hahn and Rosenberg live at Calandra's Italian village in Caldwell, New Jersey. You don't know that's Wednesday, March 18, starting at 3pm It's a TNT game, so that means I get to be there.

[Rosenberg]

You get to be there, which is exciting with us because you're not allowed to work anymore. You're not allowed to play.

[Don Hahn]

Don, I really miss working.

[Rosenberg]

I. It's killing you, and I hate it. I won't watch a Devil game without you calling. How about that?

[Don Hahn]

That's.

[Peter]

That's where you're at with it, huh?

[Rosenberg]

That's it. I'm done.

[Don Hahn]

I. I don't know if your wife ever guilt you or your wives ever guilt you.

[Peter]

I only have one, but I'm like,

[Don Hahn]

you know, I just. I. Well, right now, I said, I. I'm doing the garbage, which is one of the things I absolutely despise. Tuesdays and Fridays, taking it out. Take the garbage out.

[Rosenberg]

Taking the garbage out.

[Don Hahn]

When did we get this? When did you make this? How old is it?

[Rosenberg]

Cleaning out the fridge dump.

[Don Hahn]

Well, that's insane. So I said, wow. I just thought of. I just thought of this tonight. It's the first Devil home game that I haven't been at because all the nationally televised games prior to last night were on the road. And Nancy's like, oh, so you got to be home with your family. That's tough. I'm like, I wasn't saying. I just was making a comment.

[Peter]

Just buried you in one split second.

[Rosenberg]

Buried you.

[Don Hahn]

So I guess that what I should have said was what Missing games are great.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. You like your silly sports more than you like your family. I see.

[Peter]

It's.

[Rosenberg]

It's.

[Peter]

It's. It's. Honestly, you're damn. You're damned if you do.

[Don Hahn]

You damned. I should just. You know, I should just lay out when that happens.

[Peter]

Should you say maybe it's time for me to go?

[Rosenberg]

No, that's. That's usually the time when you go. You know, I can always just stay home.

[Don Hahn]

But I just. Observation if you'd like to work. And now I'll also miss the next three now being a bad husband. This would be a bad husband.

[Rosenberg]

What was going to the game if

[Don Hahn]

I just went to the game anyway.

[Rosenberg]

You know, it's my job. I should be there. It's really at home, around the team.

[Don Hahn]

Not in the middle of a road trip. Yeah, just take taking notes live hits different than watching it on tv.

[Rosenberg]

You know, I do. I should be around the team. So I'll be there.

[Don Hahn]

There are people who should I do it in sterling voice the way you.

[Rosenberg]

It wasn't too low.

[Don Hahn]

Taking notes would be different. No, like taking the family would be different. Like, you know, I'm thinking about maybe because I'm not doing a game Saturday either. That game's on abc. But you know. But that would be bad. That would be bad husbandry. I agree.

[Peter]

Yeah, it wouldn't be the right husbandry.

[Rosenberg]

Wait a minute. What if Marco wants to go?

[Don Hahn]

Oh no, that. That's different.

[Peter]

That's it.

[Don Hahn]

Marco is writing prompt. He shouldn't be doing anything but finishing his homework.

[Rosenberg]

Oh boy.

[Don Hahn]

But imagine going to all the games anyway when I'm not supposed to be there.

[Peter]

Listen, year one, you might even get a pass in year one. She might understand. But yeah, it's still bad husbandry.

[Don Hahn]

The thing is, we've known each other so long. She knows. She see through that.

[Peter]

That she would know what you're doing.

[Don Hahn]

You're dead. I gotta watch.

[Peter]

But the thing is, the interesting thing is at least right now, at a one year old, like my work days are easier than being home. There's no question. Now being home comes with a lot of deep, you know, heartfelt emotion from spending time with my daughter. But in time, in terms of work. The work is more at home than it is at work. Would you guys agree?

[Phil Sims]

Well, your.

[Peter]

Your kids are too old, Alan. I guess it's necessary.

[Rosenberg]

What is that supposed to mean?

[Peter]

Like right now in your house. I'm guessing you don't have to do the same kind of work with your kids. Who can do for themselves.

[Don Hahn]

Wait.

[Rosenberg]

Wait till you have a 10 year old who's very, very active.

[Peter]

So it's still more work for you at home than at work.

[Rosenberg]

The minute you get home, it's like, okay, you're home now. Now you're mine, and I have tons of energy.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, that happens a lot.

[Rosenberg]

So you now need to play with me until I pass out.

[Peter]

Right? Because you haven't been doing anything because you're.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. And it's like, honey, I got to get up early. I get up in the morning. So you're home now. I'm like, but I'm going to bed now. No, you can't go to bed now. Like, oh, no. Cali is rambunctious. And so like Zach was when he was younger. It's the same thing. I. I'm now in the hallway playing mini sticks hockey on my knees for about an hour while she's just firing one after the shots at, like. It's just what we do is what we do. Until I finally get her to calm down or I do goalie fights, and then I wear her out, and then she's tired.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, he wants to play hockey. And then it's like, I got. I. You know, he's got a score before he goes to bed. Then I get competitive, won't let him score. Then I let him score, and he won't count it because he knows I let him score.

[Rosenberg]

That's right. That's right.

[Don Hahn]

And it's just, It's. But it's. It's so much fun. Edwin Diaz Ed to you and me.

[Peter]

Yeah, that's.

[Don Hahn]

It. Spoke and he says, I understand the fans are mad with me because I left the team, but I got to make the best choice for me and my family. I'll be there for three years. You never know. If I could end up again with the Mets, I'll have my three years with the Dodgers, and then we'll see what happens. I mean, you know what's interesting? Like this. This is why you need to run things past your age.

[Peter]

No, this. Or maybe don't talk.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, because he.

[Rosenberg]

Or maybe because it was just layout.

[Don Hahn]

He. He. He ricocheted a shot off both teams.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, right.

[Don Hahn]

Like, it's unreal. The Dodgers got astray. What did they do?

[Rosenberg]

I'm only here for a minute.

[Don Hahn]

Don't worry about it, man.

[Rosenberg]

I'll come back, get a ring. I'll go back to the Mets.

[Don Hahn]

But here's the audacity to me, in three years, you'd be lucky if anybody Wants you at all. I know. What do you think? You'd be a great closer forever. Like in three years they may be like, the Mets are like, we're good. The Dodge should be like, we had no intention of signing you beyond three years.

[Rosenberg]

So it's.

[Don Hahn]

Wow, what a crazy thing to say.

[Rosenberg]

So he's basically admitting I didn't want to leave New York, but I did this because it's. It's a better situation. And then, you know, I'll go. I'll go back when I'm done. It's a weird thing to say.

[Don Hahn]

I think I.

[Rosenberg]

He didn't want to leave, did he? He didn't want to leave.

[Don Hahn]

No, I. I think he want.

[Rosenberg]

He just didn't think they could win.

[Don Hahn]

Well, I think that's the. That's the truth serum of just, hey, I think I want to win a chip.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And they got a better chance doing it with the Dodgers because didn't the

[Rosenberg]

Mets say like that they were. They were competing with him? Bidwi. And then they realized, no, he's not stay. He. He definitely wants to go. We're not going to bother anymore.

[Don Hahn]

That's the thing is that you get to a point in the negotiations where like this guy doesn't want to be.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, he's leaving. He gone.

[Don Hahn]

And I knew he going, but you know.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Three years from now, you know, a lot can change over one year. Nevermind three years. Especially for a closer. But I thought. Does that bother you, Don.

[Rosenberg]

Like this would you say, then don't come back? No, I don't want him back.

[Don Hahn]

Well, because again, if he. Listen, if he has three great years and still looks like he's a legitimate closer, I'd bring him back.

[Rosenberg]

But there was a lot of Met fans who were upset about the people that they love that left right. I did not do that.

[Peter]

Did I just catch a paper?

[Rosenberg]

No, I said people.

[Don Hahn]

I did not hear it. All right, but that doesn't mean we're not gonna go over with a fine tooth now.

[Peter]

But I'm nervous.

[Rosenberg]

You're trying. You're really now trying. You're looking for every.

[Don Hahn]

We might have that bad coach that

[Rosenberg]

tells me to play free and don't worry about making mistakes.

[Peter]

But now here.

[Rosenberg]

But you. Every mistake I make, you're all over.

[Don Hahn]

How about this?

[Peter]

He's not right.

[Don Hahn]

How about this? Jacob's gonna go back and check.

[Jordan Ronan]

Oh, yes.

[Don Hahn]

It's his job. If you didn't do it, then we shut it down.

[Rosenberg]

Shut down?

[Peter]

What?

[Don Hahn]

Because I know. I don't think we can Afford to be wrong.

[Peter]

We can't shut this down now.

[Rosenberg]

Shut it down.

[Peter]

No, we can't.

[Don Hahn]

If it keeps going then if he

[Rosenberg]

did it then I didn't. I don't think I did. The point I was trying to make, I think.

[Don Hahn]

Sorry. Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Is that wasn't Diaz one of the players that the, that fans were upset about losing and didn't think that the Mets wanted him or whatever it was?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, he was one of the more popular Mats for sure you let him

[Rosenberg]

go, you know, you didn't do whatever it took to keep him. I think now you can get over that as a Mets fan. Now it's time to let go. Realizing Diaz didn't want to be here.

[Don Hahn]

Right. But let it go. Here's now that I've grown up young, Don, you know, loved Keith and Daryl and Doc.

[Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

And I hated to see those guys go because you know, I love the player. But now as a 58 year old it's like if they turn around and win then I'm good. You know, I want these guys to help my team win. I like Diaz. I thought what happened in 22 with the whole Timmy Trumpet stuff was great and if the Mets win I won't mind if they end up blowing a bunch of games because they don't have a closer and Williams, you know, did we did with the Yankees and wets the bed and can't get the job done then I'm going to miss Diaz. I just want to see win and I still believe that Stearns did the right thing and I'm going to believe that he's going to field a team that's got a better shot at a championship. We'll all find out if I'm right or wrong but ultimately that's what I want. So my love for these players right now are all about me. It's for you and getting, getting that ring. They're celebrating the 40th anniversary. 40 years this team has won a championship and I respect the fact that Stearns did with the Rangers and the, the Knicks I guess to a certain extent and other teams didn't want to do and that is take a long look at the roster and say this is a roster problem, not a coaching problem and they fit and we'll see if they, if they got it right. We'll see if the Knicks got it right by just changing the coach. Ultimately it's about trying to turn that corner and we'll see if the Mets can do it because 1980, that's a long time ago, man. So you're going to miss seven.

[Peter]

Oh, I remember it, though. But it's literally like this. It's one of the first couple of sports events that I remember. 85 Super Bowl, 86 World Series.

[Rosenberg]

Probably the 86 World Series is hard to forget.

[Don Hahn]

Well, it was a big deal.

[Peter]

Even as a seven year old, it

[Don Hahn]

was a big deal. There's some championships that just hit a little different, and that one certainly did. But it was 40 years ago, if it was a day long time ago. We're starting to lose guys on that team. You know, it just, you know, Davy Johnson's no longer with us. Gary Carter, Carter is no longer with. But Harrelson like it because it's 40 years, man. 40. The footage is getting grainy.

[Peter]

Yeah, it's not HD

[Don Hahn]

sad. All right, let's go back to the busy phones and let's talk to Adam. He's out in Pennsylvania. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Adam?

[Phil Sims]

Hey, guys.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for taking my call. Always.

[Phil Sims]

I am a. I am a teacher at a high school, a small high

[Don Hahn]

school in Pennsylvania, like an hour and

[Phil Sims]

a half west of Philly.

[Richard]

And today I asked one of my

[Phil Sims]

students where he's going to college, and he said Ramapo College in New Jersey. And I was pretty shocked because not a lot of people go there.

[Richard]

And I think he was also shocked that I.

[Phil Sims]

That I know.

[Richard]

I told him that, you know, I

[Phil Sims]

know it because of. Because of Don on the radio show. So it was just. It was a funny little story that I.

[Richard]

That I had to share with you.

[Don Hahn]

No. Well, that's cool, man. I hope he does well. And I'm actually doing an event there on Monday. The president of the school is going to interview me, and I'm actually going to do the show. I was going to announce it, but now's the perfect time since you called. I'm going to do Don Han and Rosenberg from the college radio station where I got my star.

[Rosenberg]

Wow. Do we have to go, too?

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, good. I mean, that's too bad. That was really nice.

[Don Hahn]

It's nice campus and everything. So they got a whole day planned, and it's going to be a lot of fun. And I'll get.

[Rosenberg]

Are they putting you in the hall of Fame?

[Don Hahn]

I'm already.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, you're in.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter]

You're a Hall of Famer already.

[Rosenberg]

You're a Hall of Famer.

[Don Hahn]

Well, they don't have a Hall of Fame, per se.

[Rosenberg]

What are you then?

[Don Hahn]

But I am inducted into. No, you put me on the spot for the exact Wording of what they gave me. But I'm in Beer in. I'm in Ring of Honor. It will be really cool to go back to the radio station where it all started.

[Rosenberg]

That is cool.

[Don Hahn]

And me sitting in that room dreaming of doing what I'm doing now. So now.

[Rosenberg]

But now. I'm not joking. Why aren't all of us there with you?

[Don Hahn]

I just think it just. You're more than welcome. But I just didn't think anybody felt like they were going to want to go all the way to North Jersey just for little old me.

[Rosenberg]

Well, it's not going to Hawthorne. At least it's North Jersey.

[Don Hahn]

Well, it is Hawthorne. It's 20 minutes from Hawthorne. 20 minutes north of Hawthorne.

[Rosenberg]

But you just told me that everything's far away in Jersey.

[Peter]

Well, not everything.

[Don Hahn]

No, I. Not everything's far away, but not everything's close was my point.

[Rosenberg]

So. All right.

[Don Hahn]

There are things that are close, but not everything's close.

[Rosenberg]

That would have been cool because there was something that I was going to try to do with you guys at WCWP at Long Island University Campus that would have been kind of the same thing. Well, but now they're. Never mind.

[Don Hahn]

Well, Peter, he's making like this was all done in secret. A lot of these conversations were had right in front of you. I heard him.

[Peter]

I heard the conversation. At no point that I volunteer.

[Don Hahn]

I just think it would.

[Rosenberg]

That would have been a fun thing.

[Don Hahn]

I can't.

[Rosenberg]

That's kind of cool.

[Don Hahn]

Somebody from Suffolk County. Long Island.

[Rosenberg]

Well, I'm. It's Nassau border. Let's. Let's not get.

[Don Hahn]

What county are you in?

[Rosenberg]

I'm not in Riverhead.

[Don Hahn]

What county are you in?

[Rosenberg]

I'm literally. I'm one block from the border.

[Don Hahn]

Right, but you are in Suffolk county. So I was right.

[Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

And make you go all the way to Mawa, New Jersey. But it. Punch it in your phone.

[Peter]

Say from.

[Rosenberg]

I'm punching it right now.

[Don Hahn]

All right.

[Peter]

He's punching it.

[Don Hahn]

Just put Rampo College. They acknowledge it.

[Rosenberg]

Are you sure?

[Don Hahn]

Yes. Even though Michael thinks I went recognized by Google. By Google. Think I went to the University of Phoenix.

[Rosenberg]

I said so. Well, I'm at the Garden, so it doesn't really help. But it's an hour from the Garden.

[Peter]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

So it's an hour from the Garden if it's a day. So. Hey, listen, I will. I will put your name on my list.

[Rosenberg]

Well, it's too late.

[Don Hahn]

Why? It's not too late. It's Monday. Today's only. Today's only Wednesday.

[Rosenberg]

I know. But I got plans that day, Peter.

[Don Hahn]

You. He. All these conversations were had right in front of your face.

[Rosenberg]

I know, but I didn't know this was the extent of it. I apologize. It just. It felt. It sounds like a really cool thing for you, and, you know me as a teammate.

[Don Hahn]

I'm here to celebrate my teammates.

[Rosenberg]

I like to do that stuff.

[Jordan Ronan]

And I'd like.

[Don Hahn]

Apparently, you're a teammate with enough notice. Wednesday is not enough notice.

[Rosenberg]

No, no. Wednesday, it's. But, no, it's not, because of what I've already scheduled now for Monday. So.

[Don Hahn]

I'm sorry, a colonoscopy?

[Rosenberg]

No, no. It's a Gracie College visit. Oh, listen, that's a big deal.

[Don Hahn]

That's a bigger deal than what I'm doing.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. And I have to do that before the show.

[Don Hahn]

Well, listen, you know what?

[Rosenberg]

And it's not a visit to Ramapho, Unfortunately, Ramapho never contacted her about volleyball, so that's on them.

[Don Hahn]

Our program director is overseas or on seas, I guess I should say. He's on assignment. He's on assignment. So, Alan, I'm taking the reins. Take the day.

[Peter]

You're taking control.

[Rosenberg]

Take the day.

[Don Hahn]

Take the day.

[Rosenberg]

Take the day.

[Don Hahn]

Good for you.

[Rosenberg]

You know what?

[Don Hahn]

I would take the day and not even count it as a vacation day.

[Rosenberg]

Now, are you saying that you're, like, after I just. What I just did here. You don't even want me on that show. The special Don McGregor issues, brother.

[Peter]

I don't think that's how he meant it.

[Don Hahn]

I was trying to do a nice gesture, as hollow as it was.

[Rosenberg]

I'll take the gesture, you know, because

[Don Hahn]

I have no power to do this.

[Rosenberg]

But I'm just telling you, I'm gonna use you as the reference. Don said.

[Don Hahn]

Don said. I. Yeah, well.

[Peter]

And Don said.

[Rosenberg]

I've been here for 20 years. He told me I could.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter]

Don said, when you' the boss.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Jordan Ronan]

So you're.

[Don Hahn]

You're essentially saying that when you're not in that you're. You. You're the boss. Yeah, you could say. Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

But I do love this, though, for you. I think that's so cool.

[Don Hahn]

No, I'm looking be in the same

[Rosenberg]

studio you were when you were dreaming of this. And now look at you doing this with your name on the show, no

[Don Hahn]

less, which is awesome.

[Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don, Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Rosenberg]

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

[Don Hahn]

See us live at the Irish exit. At Moynihan train station, Friday, March 13, before the semifinal round of the Big east tournament. Stop by before heading into the Garden or before your commute home. Don Hanna, Rosenberg, live from the Irish exit of Moynihan train station starting at 3pm Friday, March 13, just steps from Madison Square Garden Penn Station. Brought to you by Schweppes above the Rim Refreshment. Feel the madness and refresh your game with a Schweppe Seltzer or Schweppes ginger ale, Sam Adams and Sun Cruiser vodka iced tea available at the Rutherford and also Aventia. I think I'm saying that right.

[Rosenberg]

Sure.

[Don Hahn]

Must be 21 or older. To purchase. Please drink responsibly. Allen's at the Garden because of the Knicks tonight taking on the Thunder couple of hockey games as well locally. So a little bit of a busy night in sports. Want to hear from you as we've got the last call crew here before ENN coming up at the top of the hour. I was told this is a fabulous question from Richard in Manhattan. Let's hear.

[Peter]

All right, you're on.

[Don Hahn]

Don't you got buddy.

[Richard]

Hi, Don. Peter Allen, which do you got? Each of you guys answer this. Which has a better chance of happening? St. John's going to the final four or the Knicks going to the championship round?

[Don Hahn]

I think the better odds are the Knicks going to the championship round. Let's say you, Allen, St. John's Ooh. How about you, Peter?

[Rosenberg]

They're a very good team. You know, they've been a very good team all year. They play defense, right? Like. Like it's just the tournament is a one and done. A playoff series is a lot, a lot harder.

[Don Hahn]

What do you say right now, Don?

[Richard]

Well, I don't know. I like to hear what you guys.

[Peter]

He just wants to know what we think.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Richard]

Three quick questions, Don, for you. Hockey. Ovechkin. Does he come back next year to try to break the all time record? Gretzky's all time goals record?

[Don Hahn]

I don't think he'll be motivated by that. I think he'll be motivated. Does he have anything left? What does he got like 20, 21, 22? I think he does come back. Yes.

[Phil Sims]

All right.

[Richard]

Last Saturday there was a game, Calgary and the LA Kings. No penalties. How often does that happen?

[Don Hahn]

It's actually happened more often than you think. It doesn't happen a lot, but it does happen. They don't seem to call as many penalties as they used to.

[Richard]

Okay, last one, last hockey question then. I got a great Thing about what Michael K. Was talking about are the penalties called in overtime.

[Rosenberg]

Sure they are.

[Richard]

Okay. I don't.

[Don Hahn]

Then you play four on three and then if the play continues after the penalty, you go to 4 on 4 when the guy comes out of the box and at the next whistle, they go back to three on three.

[Richard]

Okay, now, Michael brought up a point that I always thought. I never said it to you guys, but you know, Isaiah Thomas looks like. He looked like while he was playing for the pistons. He's on TV. He's got that cherubic face. He's 65 and he still looks like a Richard. What's that?

[Peter]

He didn't look that young last night. I'm sorry, He.

[Rosenberg]

I think last night.

[Peter]

No, I don't think so.

[Rosenberg]

I didn't see.

[Richard]

All right, but okay. It reminded me of a football player, 10 years older, same kind of cherubic face. He hasn't been on TV for a while. I used to think the same thing about him. Now he's 75. Now, do you guys know who I'm thinking of?

[Don Hahn]

Great player.

[Richard]

Just like Isaiah was in football. Wide receiver.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, Ahmad Rashad.

[Phil Sims]

No.

[Richard]

Oh, good guess. Somewhere along that line, though. Lin Swann.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, Lin Swann looks fabulous. You're right. Yeah.

[Richard]

He always looked young. And he's 75, so that's something. One last thing, fellas, I gotta bring up. Nobody is talking about this because they hate the Dodgers and the fact that he's Japanese. Maybe he doesn't get the American press. What Yamamoto did in the World Series last year pitch. He did what Randy Johnson did 25 years ago, but it'll never be done. He threw 235 pitches in seven days. I don't think even a regular season

[Don Hahn]

you'll ever see that Richard. I think he's appreciated. He was the World Series mvp.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

I'm going to disc. You know, you guys can argue with me if you want. That right there. That moment in radio history was the greatest Richard call ever.

[Rosenberg]

What?

[Don Hahn]

The best Richard call ever. Because there were three, count them, three separate occasions where we actually interacted with him during the call usually just steamrolls us. And it doesn't matter. We actually engaged in back and forth. And I've been taking his calls for 30 years. That's the first time that's ever happened.

[Peter]

That's a great call.

[Rosenberg]

He didn't argue. Like usually if he asks you a question and you don't give him the answer that satisfies him, then he gets upset and he argues or he just Moves on or just. He just ignores you completely.

[Don Hahn]

But Alan, we had a back and forth.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, there was an actual conversation which we only had when we met him in person.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Rosenberg]

The last time I think we had an actual conversation was when we met him in person.

[Peter]

I mean, listen, he said things that were false and made sense, but honestly, it was still a really good back and forth.

[Don Hahn]

And the Yamamoto call would have hit different in October than the following March. But I just can't get over the interaction that was. I thought it was special.

[Peter]

And. And Alan, you missed you and Richard had a great conversation yesterday.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter]

No, he called and he specifically wanted

[Don Hahn]

to talk to you. Yeah. So he got lots of drops.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, oh, boy.

[Don Hahn]

A lot of that. And Alan, it worked like a charm.

[Rosenberg]

Hell yeah. Oh, it was one of those moments. I love those.

[Don Hahn]

All right, just real quick, Mike and Stanford for a while. What do you got, man?

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Jordan Ronan]

Hi.

[Phil Sims]

I thought of a way that the NBA could make their regular season a little more interesting, and that's by dropping the number of teams that make the playoffs in Major League Baseball. 12.

[Don Hahn]

Only 12 out of the 30 make them, and that's 40% the NFL.

[Phil Sims]

14 out of the 32.

[Don Hahn]

And.

[Rosenberg]

What are you trying to accomplish? I know. I know the math. I know the math. We're running out of time. What are you trying to accomplish by doing this?

[Phil Sims]

In other words, make the playoffs.

[Rosenberg]

Harder to make.

[Phil Sims]

Yeah, harder to make right now.

[Rosenberg]

I just want you to understand what the hell. The reason why the NBA expanded to where it's 10 team. 10 teams can make a play in. Because teams were tanking like in January because they knew they had no chance. Oh, so they like, you're actually. You're going back in time and creating a new problem that basically more than half the league and telling them, well, if I'm not in it in January, I'm done. And I'm just cutting all my losses and I'm losing on purpose. But they have more teams doing it.

[Don Hahn]

But it would make the regular season more meaningful for the teams that are trying to make the playoffs. But you're right. The other half would all be right.

[Rosenberg]

But half the time I'm playing teams, teams that don't care anymore.

[Don Hahn]

It's worse that now. Did you. What did you think of what we did?

[Rosenberg]

Hilarious.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, it worked. You could see where it would work.

[Rosenberg]

Yes. No. I've heard you guys do this in the past, and I find it hilarious. It's very funny, but we've never done it.

[Don Hahn]

We never did it to the person that's actually in the drops.

[Peter]

Like we just did it together.

[Don Hahn]

So I'd say, listen, we're always looking to broaden our horizons and we're going to try that next with enn.

[Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

I don't want to know how the

[Rosenberg]

sauce messages made, but 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.