Hour 3: Piggybacking & Brady

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg

Episode: Hour 3: Piggybacking & Brady
Date: September 17, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Focus: New York Sports – Mets & Yankees playoff race, the “piggybacking” pitching strategy, sports broadcasting controversies (Tom Brady/Fox), media and team ownership boundaries, and honest versus celebratory sports coverage.

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a lively blend of baseball strategy, sports fandom etiquette, NFL and gambling analysis, as well as a significant media discussion around Tom Brady’s ownership and broadcasting roles. The panel dissects both the Mets’ and Yankees’ late-season approaches and fates, explores how MLB teams are handling pitching, and pivots into how the hiring of superstar ex-players (like Brady) impacts sports broadcasting. The hosts also tackle issues of fandom, the ethics of media-team relationships, and the future of sports coverage authenticity.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Mets & Yankees Playoff Picture

[00:54–09:53]

• Mets Pitching Strategy: The hosts discuss last night’s Mets game where two starting pitchers (Holmes, then Manaea) were used in tandem—a "piggybacking" approach. Don wonders if this is a playoff preview, stacking starters for length and minimizing bullpen use.
  • Quote: "If you have what happened to King last night where a starting pitcher gives up five runs in the first inning ... you need something, you're gone. And I'm gonna have a starter go in there." – Don Hahn [04:17]
  • Both Don and Rosenberg favor this strategy over “piecemealing” with multiple relievers, especially since many Mets/Yankees starters hit an innings “wall.”
• Yankees Playoff Odds & Schedule: Given opponents, the Yankees are expected to lock up home field, while the Mets seem to have the third wildcard but can't be complacent due to competition (Diamondbacks, Reds).
  • Discussion of “90 wins” as a benchmark for a good season. Both teams face lower bars given a lack of dominant teams (no 100-win clubs likely).
  • "The Mets are making the playoffs. It's just a question of who you're going to play for both of these teams." – Don Hahn [11:10]
• Yankees Game Recap: The guys joke about nearly blowing a 10–1 lead over the Twins and the volatility of this Yankees team.
  • "That's the problem with this team ... they'll have the game they almost gave away last night." – Rosenberg [13:07]

“Fraud” Fan Behavior Debate

[22:11–24:25]

• Caller Javier asks if he’s a “fraud” Yankees fan for going to a Mets game with friends on Seinfeld night—even as Yankees–Red Sox played.
  • Verdict: Hosts agree it's “odd” but not fraudulent—baseball’s schedule makes such overlap common; the real disloyalty would be skipping your favorite football team’s weekly game for another squad.

NFL Survivor Picks & Quarterback Impact

[25:29–29:01]

• Teams’ outlook with backup QBs (Tyrod Taylor for the Jets, Mario for the Commanders) is discussed from a betting perspective. Don, Alan, and Rosenberg mention minimal line movement barring a true star QB being out.
  • “If there is an improvement, I think at this stage it's marginal.” – Don Hahn [26:30]
  • “There are times where the Raiders are going to pop up [in the broadcast schedule]. He's just not going to use them. If the Raiders go to the Super Bowl ... you're not going to use them.” – Don Hahn [34:46]

Tom Brady, Broadcast Optics, and Owner-Analyst Ethics

[29:03–43:00]

• Tom Brady’s Dual Role:
  • The group explores the awkward optics of Brady, now a part-owner of the Raiders, working as Fox’s NFL analyst and having inside access to teams (e.g., attending Commanders practice).
    • “No matter how you cut it ... it is a terrible look. It's very weird.” – Alan Hahn [30:20]
  • They compare this to A-Rod as a Yankees “special advisor” and reflect more broadly on the challenge of neutrality in sports coverage if one’s a stakeholder.
  • Rosenberg: “The fact that it is the shiny star ... people are drawn to not to watch it. Just the idea of. It's the prestige, I guess.” [41:23]
  • Don: “Tom Brady's a hood ornament for the broadcast. That's what he is.” [41:57]
• Does Celebrity in the Booth Matter?
  • Drawing on Bob Costas, Don summarizes: It’s not about viewership numbers, but status—big networks spend big to say “look who we have.”
  • But, “It ends up not being worth the money ... even if it did move the needle ... it's not going to be worth the money.” – Don Hahn [42:43]
  • Alan questions if such “hood ornament” signings attract actual new viewers. Rosenberg argues casuals are drawn in, even if regular fans don’t care.

Honest vs. Positive Coverage: The Amazon/Prime NBA Model

[44:15–47:13]

• Prime Video’s Plan: Rosenberg brings up Amazon’s intent to take a more “positive” approach to NBA coverage, avoiding the common overly-critical or “hot take” model.
  • “Prime’s like, we're going to celebrate the game. And I'm wondering, is that going to work?” – Rosenberg [44:56]
• Debate:
  • Don argues that real fans crave honesty—not over-the-top positivity or “propaganda.”
    • “If all you're going to do is just wave pom poms for it, I'm telling you, that's going to get old quick.” – Don Hahn [45:25]
  • Alan notes the difference between analysis in real sports and wrestling (where the goal is to spice things up even if the product is lacking).

“Celebrity Analysts” & Relevance in Sports

[47:26–48:21]

• Don and Rosenberg reminisce about how sometimes sports analysts can become more famous than current athletes (citing Barkley, A-Rod, Gretzky, etc.), especially in sports with less superstar visibility.
  • “The people analyzing it are bigger than the guys playing the game.” – Don Hahn [47:26]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Met’s pitching plans:
  • “You start with Holmes and then you piggyback on Maniah ... Is that kind of an indication of how things may be handled when we go to the postseason?” – Don Hahn [03:27]
• On Bragging About Franchise Analysts:
  • “Tom Brady's a hood ornament for the broadcast ... it's the prestige of who it is.” – Don Hahn [41:57]
• On Neutrality in Announcing:
  • “You've got a dog in the fight here. So real quick, I thought ... it was a bad optic that you see Michael Strahan jumping up and down when the Giants scored.” – Don Hahn [33:39]
• On “Positive” Coverage Only:
  • “If all you're going to do is just wave pom poms for it ... that's going to get old quick.” – Don Hahn [45:25]
• On Sleep and Media Life:
  • “Sleep is the cousin of life.” [14:17] (Alan joking on the classic “sleep is the cousin of death” hip hop line.)
• On “Fraud” Fandom:
  • “It's odd, but I don't think it's fraudulent behavior.” – Don Hahn [24:15]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Mets/Yankees pitching & playoff outlook: 00:54–15:00
• Debate: What makes a “fraud” fan?: 22:11–24:25
• NFL lines & the QB injury effect: 25:29–29:01
• Tom Brady/Owner-Analyst ethics: 29:03–43:00
• Prime NBA broadcast strategy: 44:15–47:13
• Celebrity analysts vs. player fame: 47:26–48:21

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Episode Tone & Style

The discussion is lively, opinionated, and often humorous—balancing passionate debate with classic New York sports banter. The hosts are unafraid to challenge each other or sports institutions, infusing sarcasm, personal anecdotes, and real analysis (with the occasional Michael K reference or sleep-life joke).

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For New Listeners

This episode is for anyone interested in New York sports, media ethics in sports coverage, or the modern fan experience. You’ll hear debates about pitching strategy, what makes a “real fan,” how big names shape network image, and why authenticity in analysis still matters—plus plenty of fun sidetracks.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

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[Rosenberg]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[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. Tell them our Dew Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, guys, it's Tully time.

[Alan]

It's Tully time.

[Don Hahn]

Mets continue their series with the Padres. Coverage right here on 880 will begin immediately following us at 6:30. Yankees. They will close out their series with the Twins at 7:40. And the Liberty face the Mercury in game two of their first round series at 8. Tullamore DU. The original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore do or try the new Tullamore do, honey. During today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. How are we doing?

[Alan]

I'm good. I'm one day closer to this big indie weekend. What a. What a weird world I never imagined where all of the big ESPN bosses and executives are all going out to Indianapolis for Wrestle Palooza. Like I, you have to like, I kind of took it for granted when the announcement came. I just kind of saw it as like, oh well, Peacock is switching to espn. I didn't see it being the priority.

[Rosenberg]

It is like everything that we do is intense. Comes a priority.

[Alan]

I looked up at the screen earlier. AJ Lee is being interviewed in the middle of the day. It's like, it's so I'm excited. It's going to be a thing. Friday, 3 o' clock ESPN2. The the Wrestle Palooza special. And I jumped on my IG Live so I could tell the people on IG Live to watch us on YouTube. Now that we're live on you.

[Rosenberg]

That's a good call, right?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, yeah, why not? That makes perfect sense.

[Alan]

I'm not getting a lot of love in this.

[Rosenberg]

Oh boy. Yeah, got him pretty good. But he didn't get him in the. You wanted to get Mindy in the conversation.

[Don Hahn]

I'm and code problems pro. I just have problems with my computer and I guess it went over to. But, but, but Mendoza wanted to jump in. I wanted to get into baseball here in a 5 o' clock hour. The Mets and the Yankees are going to the postseason. Red Sox lose last night, you know, the Blue Jays win again. So they're not winning this division, but they're, they're gold. They're gold. And with the Yankee schedule, they really should be hammered if they don't get home field against the Red Sox because of how easy their schedule is. The Mets, you know, Giants lose again, blow a lead. Now the Diamondbacks beat them. So the Diamondbacks are still lurking to back with the tiebreaker. So the Mets have to be careful. But the Giants and Reds aren't catching them because those teams aren't any good. But the Mets have won a couple of games in a row and I don't know if you thought the same thing I did, Alan, that when you, when you look at how the Mets handled last night's game now they put up, they, they, they kicked and they knocked around King and that was a great.

[Rosenberg]

Is King ever like healthy?

[Don Hahn]

I know there's always something he had.

[Rosenberg]

What, a knee issue? Like it's always something with him it seems.

[Don Hahn]

No, it's always a problem.

[Rosenberg]

He's healthy, he's really good. But you caught him at the right time.

[Don Hahn]

They really did a great job of, of taking care of him. And they jump out to the lead, I think was like seven nothing at 1.1. The game going away eight to three. But if you notice it was they had two starting pitchers in the game. Right. You start with Holmes and then you piggyback on Maniah and both pitched well in the game. And I'm wondering is that kind of an indication and how things may be handled once we go to the postseason? Now we have. I think it's set, it's going to be in not necessarily this order depending on how meaningful the games are down the stretch. But it's going to be McLean, Peterson and Spro, depending on how Spro pitches the rest of the way. That's probably your three starters for that three game series against either the Dodgers or the Padres. And by the way the Dodgers lost last night is that you have starting pitchers like Holmes, like Mania Senga, who might be on the postseason roster. Tong could be on the postseason roster where they will be piggybacking whoever's starting because you know they're gonna have a quick hook. Right? If you have what happened to King last night where a starting pitcher gives up five runs in the first inning, you need something, you're gone. And I'm gonna have a starter go in there to give me innings. I don't want to use up my bullpen in a game where I fall behind early. If I can use Mania, if I can use Holmes, if I can use Senga, if I can use Tong to back up my starting pitchers and not deplete my bullpen. What you saw last night, and it worked. I'm not saying you're going to start a postseason game that way, but maybe if you do advance to the best of five, if you're lucky enough, the best of seven, that that might be an avenue that you see again in the playoffs.

[Rosenberg]

You might argue it's a better avenue, too. Like you could stack your starters if you. If you like mania. We know four, four and a third, and then he. The wheels fall off. Right? Clay Holmes, kind of the same thing. He can get your four and third, four and two third. But it's just whatever it is, that fifth inning is a wall. We had that stat about it was only two pitchers for the Mets have gone past the sixth inning. So, like, that's. That's something that clearly is there. And I like the idea of, of sticking with one pitcher rather than the piecemealing thing, because we've heard this before. It is something in baseball with a lot of the relievers in postseason, we see mixing and matching. The problem is, if I'm using, like the Yankees, for instance, if I'm using three relievers to get seven, eight, nine out of the way, you are banking on three guys having it every single game, which you can never trust. But if I have two pitchers, the probability is a lot higher that you'll have two of these guys, especially when they're good at going. They're eating innings. That's. That feels like instead of doing an opener and then a long relief, you could stack those two and just basically try to get eight innings out of two guys and then go right to your closer. And then you bypass your bullpen and bypass any of the. Now, if one of them struggles, okay, fine, it shortens the game, but then you can use your relief. But it seemed like from last night the ideal situation is get four out of homes, four out of Mania and dia.

[Alan]

Well, particularly in the playoffs, too, because if you can do that, then you don't have to worry about these fakocte games where you. Six pitchers one night.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Alan]

And then the next day you're stressed about how you're going to get through a game.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah. That to me makes the most sense. And so there's another option for a starter because if you think about it, if you're doing what you're saying in the three games you're going to need your. Because you're trying to get out of that series. Who's your game one like the Yankees, the same story. Who's your game one if you get out of the wild card round? Because obviously game one wild card is going to be free. Rodan's probably two. I might make him three if I win game one and let Schlitler do two because I'm going to. I want to. I don't want to put Schlitler in a must win game three. Right, right. But then what do you do in game one if you get to the divisional round? Luis heel.

[Don Hahn]

Probably. Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

At least I have a guy that I feel pretty good about, so. But the Mets don't have that.

[Don Hahn]

No, the Mets have three guys.

[Rosenberg]

And then the rest of it is you could shake them up like Yahtzee and roll them out and see who comes out and that's your combination. Anything. You can't trust any of it. So this is one option that can hurt. The Dodgers did this.

[Don Hahn]

Last year too, because they had all the injuries.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. So it can. It was a very interesting wrinkle that they showed, but it did show it could work out.

[Don Hahn]

Now, the Reds already won today, so they picked up a half game. They're still two and a half back. But the Diamondbacks and the Giants are playing right now, top of the seventh. That game is scoreless. So as of right now, the Mets have the last wild card spot. The Diamondbacks are only a game and a half back. So the Diamondbacks have the tiebreakers.

[Rosenberg]

Why aren't they left for dead?

[Don Hahn]

Be careful. Well, all of these teams, Diamondbacks, Reds, Giants, Cardinals, who are still mathematically alive, all sold at the deadline.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, I know.

[Don Hahn]

That's what I'm saying. Like the Mets are going to get to the playoffs. Before you get all excited about that, you know, one of the reasons they're doing it is because the teams that could be tracking them down all sold at the deadline, so.

[Alan]

And yet are still playing better than.

[Don Hahn]

The Mets, playing better than the Mets and still do not sell at the deadline.

[Rosenberg]

So the Mets really are the reason why they're still alive.

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Rosenberg]

It's not what they're doing, it's what.

[Don Hahn]

The Mets are doing because the Diamondbacks right now are a game and a half back of the Mets and they're two games above.500. That's why I say we get all excited.

[Alan]

About what?

[Don Hahn]

We're a playoff team. Well, the Mets are a playoff team. They're five games over.500. It's not, it's not that earth shattering because that third wild card is playoff adjacent. It just is. Now, the Yankees gave you a scare 10 1. You're blowing out the Twins, okay? You mailed in the wheat the day before because of the travel, smacking them around. Grisham gets another home run. Jazz has a great night, and all of a sudden it's 10 3, it's 10 6, it's 10 8. They homer in the ninth inning to make it 10 9. And you're holding on for dear life. But you do win, but very quietly. Alan, we're talking so much about Yankees, Red Sox right now, the Astros have taken over that second wild card spot. So Seattle right now is in first in the West. Houston is the second wild card. So if the season were to end today, it'd be Yankees, Astros sign up now. You. I think you do. I don't think the Astros are very good.

[Rosenberg]

No Alvarez, their bullpen, major issues.

[Don Hahn]

And you look at the good teams, right? Yankees plus 123 run differential. Red Sox 103 run differential. The Tigers plus 93. Blue Jays plus 88. You know, the Houston is plus 24. All right. They also are a team that again, everybody talks about what they were able to accomplish in the past, but I don't think they're the same team.

[Rosenberg]

No.

[Don Hahn]

So it's still very much up in the air who the Yankees are going to play. It's still very much over the air where it is. Yankees only have a two game lead on Houston, but because of their schedule, Houston's playing the Texas Rangers this week. Let me see Houston's schedule just to see who they have down the street.

[Rosenberg]

They have one of the harder schedule.

[Don Hahn]

Well, the Yankees have the easiest schedule.

[Rosenberg]

I think I put that together.

[Don Hahn]

The Yankees have the easiest schedule. So, you know, the Yankees have an easier schedule. So right now they're wrapping up their series with Texas, off day, then three at home against Seattle. But they close out the last six weeks of the season in Sacramento and in Anaheim against the Angels. Now. Now the A's have played well down the stretch. They beat the Reds. They're, they're only. They've won 500, so nothing's a gimme. But the Yankees are making the playoffs. They're getting home field. Mets are making the playoffs as the third wild card. It's Just a question of who you're going to play for both of these teams. And now it's very much in question. If, is it going to be Houston, is it going to be Boston? And I'm a Yankee fan. I want the Astros, the Yankee.

[Rosenberg]

By the way, there's 11 games left, if I'm not mistaken.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Rosenberg]

For the Yankees. Yes, should be 11. They need six wins to get to 90. Like I, I, I, I still look at, Remember we were talking about 90, is 90 still, you know, possible? And we knew that 12 game stretch was going to help whether or not they can get to 90. 90. Why do I care about 90 wins? Because 90 wins is that, that's a demarcation. I guess it is a demarcation.

[Don Hahn]

Does it mean anything in the end?

[Rosenberg]

It doesn't mean anything. And then I get it. But there's certain numbers that you're like, like, it's like 50 wins in the, in the NBA, it's 10 wins in the NFL, there's certain numbers that you get to it. Regardless of what happens. You look back and you.

[Alan]

Well, 100 is considered a great, hundreds of great hundreds. A great season. So 90 means you had a good, a really good season.

[Rosenberg]

We might not get 100 out of anybody. I mean, the brewers, 92, that's not pretty.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, nobody's gonna have 100.

[Rosenberg]

Think about it. You're not going to get 100. Can you imagine that? A baseball season without 100 win team.

[Alan]

Which is exactly why, if you're a fan of one of these two teams who just makes you sick to your stomach, Mets more than the Yankees. You can't throw in the towel.

[Rosenberg]

Of course not.

[Alan]

Because that team doesn't exist this year.

[Don Hahn]

Now tell me how the Yankees aren't getting the 90. I'm not, I'm not trying to jinx them. I'm just going to get six. Six.

[Rosenberg]

All right.

[Don Hahn]

Of the 11 they have left. All right, at Minnesota tonight, then four at Camden Yards, three at home against the White Sox, three at home against the Orioles. I mean, how can you, how can you not get six? I mean, what are you looking at there? 11 games. I think they're going to go nine and two probably right. Unless they got things clinched up going into the last weekend.

[Rosenberg]

And Orioles, what's your phrase on a toot? Yeah, they've been like, they have not been bad over the last month or.

[Don Hahn]

So, but honestly, you're right. But if you fancy yourself as a team that wants to get home field advantage, don't be losing. You're not going to win every game. All right. A 9 and 2. I think that's classic.

[Rosenberg]

But that's classic Yankees, though. That's the problem with this team is they'll have that. Like, they'll have the game. Like we saw the first game in Minnesota. They'll have a game they almost gave away last night. Up 10 1. I turned it off. Full disclosure.

[Don Hahn]

Well, why? It's 101 against the team.

[Rosenberg]

You've always been 10 to 1.

[Don Hahn]

I'm like, I'll lose two games in a row. I'm not watching the rest of this.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, I love Michael K. I'm not like, I'm good. I'm all set. So I turned it off. And then I wake up to a text from. From Anthony, who was like, how is this a game? I'm like, oh, my God.

[Alan]

It wasn't you up?

[Rosenberg]

No, it wasn't you up.

[Don Hahn]

I don't.

[Rosenberg]

It was just, how is this a game? And then I'm like, wait, it was 10 to 1. It became a game. And then I looked at the box score and I couldn't believe it.

[Don Hahn]

When. When are we going to have an intervention?

[Rosenberg]

What do you mean?

[Don Hahn]

To sit Anthony down and say, dude, I know you're young, but dude, get some shut eye, man.

[Alan]

Like, eyes up.

[Don Hahn]

I do this one o' clock in the morning. And then like, I was up today early because I'm having to go to the ride, like 5:30, and he's. He's jumping in on the YouTube conversation at like 6:15 in the morning. Dude, when do you sleep?

[Rosenberg]

He's excited.

[Alan]

He's.

[Rosenberg]

He sleep is the cousin of death.

[Alan]

That's not.

[Don Hahn]

By the way.

[Alan]

He's lie nas ever told.

[Rosenberg]

No, he is ready.

[Alan]

Sleep is the cousin of life.

[Rosenberg]

He's ready to work.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

By the way, he's ready. Didn't like that.

[Alan]

No. It was a great line at the time, everyone.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, wow.

[Alan]

Sleep because of death.

[Don Hahn]

Sure it is.

[Alan]

But it's like it's cousin. That has nothing to do with it. I mean, literally sleep. If you do not sleep, you will die.

[Rosenberg]

Understood?

[Alan]

You will die.

[Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Alan]

And if you sleep, I know you're in great shape.

[Rosenberg]

Okay. I feel better.

[Alan]

Anthony. What does Anthony get tonight, though? Honestly? Five and a half. Anthony, what are you at? What's your number?

[Rosenberg]

Too excited?

[Alan]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Like five and a half, Six.

[Rosenberg]

There you go.

[Alan]

Morning show. Take advantage of the fact you're the afternoon guy. Let RJ and Santiago be miserable.

[Rosenberg]

This guy's brains working. He's got ideas for the show. He's too Excited about the show. He is as invested as anybody on this show. You don't have to consume his life.

[Alan]

You don't have to sell me on what makes Anthony great. I'm trying to save his life, Don.

[Don Hahn]

I just want, you know, when he.

[Rosenberg]

Sleeps, we're at the top, then he can sleep.

[Alan]

That. Is that the plan, Anthony?

[Don Hahn]

We got to get there.

[Rosenberg]

No, then he'll worry. Oh my God, we're at the top. There's only one way to go now.

[Don Hahn]

I don't know if he even drinks coffee. No, he eats one of those gunling, like, you know, the sandwiches with the. The hamburger roll or chopped cheese. No, no. Well, he just takes some turkey, throws it like on a hamburger roll, puts aluminum foil on. That's his lunch in the morning. Me and you. Me, we're coming.

[Rosenberg]

I drink coffee every morning. Every morning.

[Don Hahn]

But. But I don't see it like throughout the day. There's just one.

[Alan]

It's all he needs.

[Don Hahn]

I'm shot already today.

[Alan]

Anthony. One coffee a day. That's it?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, just one.

[Alan]

One in the morning. That's.

[Don Hahn]

He said machine.

[Rosenberg]

Jake, what time you wake up?

[Alan]

Sleep right till noon?

[Don Hahn]

8 o'. Clock. 8:30. Yeah, see, that's good.

[Alan]

That's a good joke.

[Rosenberg]

That's a good day. That's a joke. But that's me going to bed at like 4:00'.

[Don Hahn]

Clock.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah, see?

[Alan]

Yeah, you're sleeping 4 to 8:30.

[Rosenberg]

He's creeping. He's always creeping.

[Alan]

Let me talk to Don for a second. You think the eight thirty is a lie though?

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Alan]

So 8:30 means he might get up.

[Don Hahn]

To pee and then goes back to bed for another five hours.

[Alan]

You say 10. Wait, 10:15. 10:30.

[Rosenberg]

What time do you have to be in here? I usually get hit by like one o'.

[Don Hahn]

Clock. So what are we doing? So what are we doing?

[Alan]

You guys live your life.

[Rosenberg]

I go hit the gym, go get some food.

[Don Hahn]

I'll come back.

[Rosenberg]

I probably.

[Don Hahn]

Sometimes I get a nap in if I could. And for the most part, I'm relaxing. You know what? Bypass the nap and sleep till 11 o'. Clock. You can hit the gym.

[Alan]

You can still got time for the gym.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. I don't have this.

[Rosenberg]

I won't have the same motivation at this point.

[Don Hahn]

I'm like, I'm just telling you guys the whole Don Leg record. I sleep right till noon. Was how you live life pre kids.

[Alan]

It's a great way to live.

[Don Hahn]

There's a lot of things that are gonna get in the way where sleep is gonna be gone. You're gonna say, man, I went decades. I could have slept as long as I wanted to, and I didn't. And now the wife and the kids and the job is making me get up. Take advantage of where you are in life, Jacob. Sleep. Maul that mattress, man. Come on, man.

[Rosenberg]

That's a phrase. Molded mattress.

[Don Hahn]

I love it. I've never heard Malta. You know what I'm saying?

[Alan]

Smash the like button.

[Rosenberg]

Destroy that.

[Alan]

Smash the like button.

[Don Hahn]

Destroy.

[Alan]

Destroy the mattress.

[Don Hahn]

No, you. You talk about destroying the like button. You're destroying the subscribe button. You're destroying the mattress. I got.

[Rosenberg]

You talk about sleep like it's easy. There's some of us that it's a struggle. I look at my wife, and she just says, good night, and then she's out.

[Don Hahn]

I don't know.

[Rosenberg]

I. I wish I could do that.

[Don Hahn]

What do you.

[Alan]

How you. How long do you lay up there by yourself?

[Rosenberg]

Oh, I. It could be. It would be a while. I struggled to sleep. I always did. When I. When I was a beat rider and I was always on the road, I hated being in a hotel room by myself.

[Don Hahn]

I don't sleep.

[Rosenberg]

I was just. I was out.

[Don Hahn]

I don't.

[Rosenberg]

Was exhausted.

[Don Hahn]

Now there's. Sometimes it takes a while to fall. See, I'm just saying, Jacob, take advantage. Stay up, watch Goodfellas till 3 o' clock in the morning, but then sleep. Sleep till like, 12:30, hit the gym, come in here, have a brunch.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, I'm gonna stay up by myself till 3 o' clock in the morning. He's not about that life.

[Don Hahn]

I mean, listen, I do it all the time. I have no problem with that. Jacob, how old are you?

[Rosenberg]

33. 33. Wheelhouse.

[Alan]

Damn. I might have been already out of it. I realize now.

[Rosenberg]

Just dominate as long as you can. Listen, working overnights, going out at night and partying, it. It all blends in.

[Don Hahn]

And it messed up my sleeping habits.

[Alan]

But I know some people who are having sleeping problems and they can't get out of it. And I'm not talking about these guys. These guys just don't sleep that much. I'm talking about people who are completely turned inside out, and they're sleeping during the day, and they can't reverse it, and they're like, oh, I just got to work on it. But they. They don't have the urgency you got. I don't preach about a lot, but sleep, man. You gotta sleep, bro. Trust me. I got news for you. There aren't a lot of things I can say about my. About Myself, I'm physically not. I'm nothing special. My body certainly could leave something to desire. If you look at my face and then look at the face of most people who do mornings for 20 years, I may be the greatest looking person who's ever lived. You never seen a face like this ever. People who do mornings for 20 years look dead. They walk around like. Like they. They just die. They gave up on life.

[Rosenberg]

I did it for five months and.

[Alan]

It was the only way I ever did it. It was tough when I was. Especially when I was doing like for the 5am was. Was napping every day getting like you got. If you don't commit to the sleep.

[Don Hahn]

You will look bad.

[Alan]

You. It will be on you.

[Rosenberg]

The hardest thing to do is nap during the day when it's beautiful out.

[Alan]

I had no problem with it.

[Rosenberg]

I know you did. But I'm saying like for me, I'd.

[Alan]

Hear the birds chirping in Manhattan.

[Rosenberg]

We'd be done at 10 Seaport Drive home. And it's just gorgeous. And you get home now you're awake.

[Alan]

You remember when it was the blackout blinds? You remember when. You remember when Sully. Remember when Sully crashed in the Hudson?

[Rosenberg]

Well, he landed.

[Alan]

Well, you crash landed. Yeah, but he saved the day.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan]

You remember when Sully saved the day, Don?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, of course.

[Alan]

You. And you remember it was the middle of the day.

[Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Alan]

Right in the middle of the afternoon. It happened in sight of my apartment that I was living in at the time.

[Rosenberg]

Didn't see it.

[Alan]

Missed the whole thing. Dead asleep.

[Rosenberg]

Look at you.

[Alan]

Could have seen the whole thing now. I'm an idiot, by the way. I was napping a lot when I was only doing one morning show. And I could have been doing more with my life. And I was so. But to me, I was so. I hated morning so much that it required the nap to even survive.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan]

Anyways, guys, just take care of yourselves, okay? Jacob, don't worry. You're gonna get us. Anthony. Anthony, you get us right to the top.

[Don Hahn]

Get some sleep for God's sakes. 1-800-9193776 of your baseball calls football as well. Enn at 6 take you up until 6:30. Then it's Mets baseball and Don Han and Rosenberg on ESPN New York. There's a lot of reasons why people buy at Ramsey Mazda. It's their selection, it's their customer service, and it's their savings. Lisa, do 25 Mazda CX30 for 199 for 33 months. Start shopping now at Ramsey Mazda dot com. Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Call 833-853-2970 for details. Vin SM 843629 MSRP 268650 Secure Deposit Ends 93025 this episode is brought to you by Lifelock. When you visit the doctor, you probably hand over your insurance, your ID and contact details. It's just one of the many places that has your personal info and if any of them accidentally expose it, you could be at risk for for identity theft. LifeLock monitors millions of data points a second. If you become a victim, they'll fix it, guaranteed. Or your money back. Save up to 40% your first [e-mail] podcast terms apply.

[Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan]

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]

New York soccer fans, get ready for a huge night at Citi field. On Wednesday, September 24th, New York City FC hosts Inter Miami Kickoff. Set for 7:30. For your chance to be there, enter now at espnnewyork.com or through the ESPN New York app. Just click the Contest tab and submit your entry. Don't miss your shot to catch the marquee matchup in person. Tickets are available [e-mail] NYCFC we give away the coolest things here at this station. Let's get back to the Busy phones at 1-800-919-3776 and let's go to Javier and Queens. You're on ESPN New York. What's hobby? What's up, Javi?

[Javier]

Oh, fellas, good evening. Thanks for taking the call. The. The you. The YouTube is tremendous. Like this chat is. It's. It's hysterical. And the list, the list today was great. Honorable mention Robert Redford did not star in this movie, but he was recently in Captain America. The Winter Soldier, in my opinion, came back in Endgame. The best Marvel movie.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Javier]

Say again.

[Rosenberg]

He also came back. I think that character came back in Endgame, didn't it?

[Javier]

Yeah, I think he. I think for like a second.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, but he was there. Yeah.

[Javier]

Yes.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Javier]

So that's great. Don, if it's okay, I have a fraud question for you because I'm not gonna be able to get on on Friday.

[Don Hahn]

Here we go.

[Javier]

Have a Jetson. All right, so listen, Dan Grassa brought up the F word when it came to me. I'm a Yankees fan. I explained that I was at the Mets game on Friday. And because the Yankees were playing the Red Sox that night, and it was such a big series that, you know, I might be the F word because I went to the state. I was paying attention to the game I was watching on my phone. Don, am I a fraud?

[Don Hahn]

Wait a minute. This was.

[Rosenberg]

I went Friday.

[Don Hahn]

Friday.

[Javier]

On Friday, I went to the game. I'm a fraud because I went to Seinfeld night and I got my Costanza bobblehead and I left Yankee Stadium right away and I didn't watch the first pitch that I admit to being a fraud. But am I a fraud because I went to another team stadium on the same night that my team was?

[Don Hahn]

Odd.

[Alan]

But no, not.

[Don Hahn]

It's not. What's your reason to go? Yeah. Well. Yeah.

[Alan]

Who'd you go with?

[Javier]

I went with my buddies. It was like. It was.

[Alan]

Are they all. Are your buddies Mets fans?

[Javier]

Yeah, all the guys that I went with were Mets.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Alan]

And you're. And it's your crew, but they're mostly Mets fans. And you went to have a good time.

[Javier]

Yes. And I was paying attention to the Yankee game. I was watching my.

[Alan]

I have no issue. It's baseball. It's 162 games.

[Don Hahn]

Let me say that. I'll let you get to your. Your Jetpoint. It's odd, but I don't know. I don't.

[Alan]

What's odd, though?

[Don Hahn]

Well, because it's Yankees, Red Sox, they're battling for home field and you're going to a game that doesn't matter to you. It's a night out. So I'm not going to call him a fraud because what's the difference between that maybe going out to a club or going on a date, you're not expected to sit there. As big as the Yankee Red Sox game is, you can consume it on the phone.

[Alan]

Correct.

[Don Hahn]

It's just odd that you're so involved in the Yankee Red so game while going to another baseball game. It's odd, but I don't think it's fraudulent behavior.

[Rosenberg]

Thank you, Don.

[Alan]

I'm not even saying taking it easy.

[Javier]

On Dan because he's your best friend.

[Alan]

Yeah, I think. Listen, Javier, I have no. I know everyone already thinks I'm a fraud anyway, but, like. Well, for example, I choose not to go. Like, if you invited me to a Jets game and the Commanders were playing at the same time, I'm saying, no.

[Rosenberg]

That'S once a week.

[Alan]

Football, it's once a week.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, but Yankees Red Sox is kind of the equivalent of a regular season NFL game when it's September and they're Battling. No, wait a minute. It was the goal.

[Rosenberg]

It's a free Friday night with the boys. They've got tickets to a Mets game, and you're like, yeah, I'll go. You know, like, I'll keep an eye on the. That's why I'm not calling home by myself.

[Don Hahn]

I'm not.

[Rosenberg]

Stop.

[Don Hahn]

It's a bit odd.

[Alan]

How old are you, Javier?

[Rosenberg]

It's not odd.

[Javier]

I'm 44.

[Rosenberg]

Let's do what he wants.

[Alan]

Are you married?

[Javier]

Yeah. All right. No, but I. I've been with somebody for the last 13 years.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Alan]

You're in a relationship, you're desperate for a night out with your friends when the opportunity comes up.

[Don Hahn]

He can't be picky.

[Alan]

Your friends are going out. Babe, I gotta go. Come on, man.

[Don Hahn]

All right. What's your job?

[Javier]

Listen, with my jets point, I thought Tampa was a pretty good bet for Survivor pool when I wasn't sure if Fields was playing or not. Now that I know that Taylor's playing, I don't think it's that sure of a thing. I was curious what you guys think of that. Like, I almost think Taylor gives the Jets a little bit more juice for some reason. I don't know why. Like. And, you know, Taylor may not last like three quarters. Like, that guy is super fragile, but I almost feel better about him playing in the game than. Than Fields. I don't know what you guys think.

[Don Hahn]

Well, you know, I. I get that on the surface because Fields played terrible against Buffalo, but you're also talking about a quarterback in Tyrod Taylor who hasn't started a game since 2023.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Now. So I think it's debatable. I. Honestly, if I had to guess, I'd say, you know what? I think he's a professional quarterback. He almost beat the Bills a couple of years ago in his last start, so maybe a little bit. It's negligible, but it's. It's not enough for me to move the needle. If I. If I like the Bucks. I'm not all of a sudden now going to like the jets because Taylor's playing.

[Alan]

No, no, you're.

[Don Hahn]

If there is an improvement, I think at this stage it's marginal.

[Alan]

What's the line?

[Rosenberg]

Well, it was seven. Now it's six and a half. Did it go to six and a half when the news came out about Fields?

[Don Hahn]

They had to know.

[Alan]

Can't be much more than that. So.

[Don Hahn]

So what? So they're saying that. That Fields would be better. You went from seven and a half.

[Rosenberg]

To six And a half. I had, I had seven this morning before Fields helped us.

[Alan]

Sorry, sorry. So Tyrod and I do my picks.

[Don Hahn]

For the Daily News and they finally up their game on the Daily News. We do now do the spread.

[Rosenberg]

There you go.

[Don Hahn]

They. We had it. When I, when I made the pick this morning was six and a half.

[Rosenberg]

Well, it is six and a half.

[Alan]

No six and a half.

[Don Hahn]

Right. I'm saying started seven and a half but that six and a half I think was before the announcement. Yeah, the announcement was later on in the day I think. I think the line was moving towards the jets anyway.

[Rosenberg]

Maybe because you know why the injuries to the offensive line of the Bucks.

[Alan]

My guess is there's not a major impact there. I mean I saw Fortenbaugh was on Sports center yesterday talking about backup quarterbacks. Obviously There's a lot. McCarthy's out, Daniels could be out, Fields could be out. About how much lines will be affected. You know how much. I don't think I got this wrong. Do you know what it said that the commander's difference could be for Daniels to Mario to what?

[Don Hahn]

Any guess now he's won a game. No, he won as a backup in Washington.

[Alan]

He came into two games last year.

[Rosenberg]

Were they playing Raiders?

[Alan]

He came into two games. They won both games. I think he would like through for a combined 400 yards and four touchdowns.

[Rosenberg]

Home or away?

[Alan]

Home.

[Don Hahn]

And what was the line?

[Alan]

I don't know. I didn't see what the line was.

[Don Hahn]

I could see him moving a point.

[Alan]

It was more than a point really.

[Don Hahn]

That's hard to do, man. I, I know it's a drop off because he's one of the best quarterbacks in the league right now but Mariota's gotten. He knows what he's doing.

[Rosenberg]

And your home.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, he's against the Raiders.

[Alan]

He's not a slouch.

[Don Hahn]

Well listen, you know Vegas hardly ever gets it wrong. Right.

[Alan]

They're very good at the Espen has it right now looking at it, it is minus three and a half. I think it was minus five probably they're at one and a half.

[Rosenberg]

Move to one and a half.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, that's not bad. That's.

[Alan]

By the way. Let's throw something else out here. By the way. Hold on, hold on, hold on. While we're talking about this game for a second.

[Don Hahn]

It opened at Washington -7 and a half at some point whenever the line was available.

[Rosenberg]

That's heavy.

[Alan]

That's by the way. That's what I thought it. I thought I saw it was that big a Drop off. But the way you guys were talking, I thought maybe I saw it wrong.

[Don Hahn]

If I was Mario, I'd be offended.

[Rosenberg]

Four points.

[Alan]

So. So let me. Let me throw this at you.

[Don Hahn]

I'll be motivated.

[Alan]

Commies host the Raiders. Both are one and one. Blah, blah, blah, blah.

[Don Hahn]

Super bowl rematch.

[Alan]

That's right. It's a bit dated, but it is.

[Don Hahn]

Marshall Salon. Joel Eisen.

[Alan]

Let's. Let's go back two weeks. Week one of the season.

[Don Hahn]

Sure.

[Alan]

You remember who the broadcast team was for Commander's Giants.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, who's that?

[Rosenberg]

That was the main. The number one.

[Don Hahn]

That's Burkhard and Brady.

[Alan]

That's Burkhard and Brady. And then you remember where we saw.

[Rosenberg]

Brady last week in the Raiders booth. Booth.

[Alan]

And then this week it's the Raiders and the Commander. So he spent time with the commanders leading up to week one.

[Rosenberg]

A new conspiracy.

[Alan]

Now he's done. Conspiracy.

[Rosenberg]

Don, camera on.

[Alan]

Now he's in the camera on.

[Rosenberg]

Peter, go talk to him.

[Alan]

Yeah, hold on. Of India. Daily Mail. So Tom Brady was able to hang out around commander's practice, glean whatever information he could Quinn via zoom. Cliff Kingsbury. Sure, Zoom. Whatever. Now he's up in the booth with his binoculars doing God knows what for his quote unquote team, the Raiders. And now week three, here come the Raiders playing the commanders. There's no intel he could have got. No matter how you cut it. I'm being silly, but no matter how you cut it, it is a terrible look. It is very weird looking. You're able to be media and not only like a remote part of ownership, but enough that you're in the booth with a headset on. It's not right. You have to make up your mind.

[Rosenberg]

Now. The only thing now is because without Daniels in the lineup, it's a different look. But doesn't mean it can't help you offensively against what they. Defensively, Absolutely.

[Alan]

Why not?

[Don Hahn]

Also just think it's a worse look for Fox.

[Alan]

The look for Fox is that what? That their meetings are obviously worthless. That's what.

[Don Hahn]

Because that's what the NFL is telling you. There's no information that a broadcast is getting that anybody else.

[Alan]

But that's not what the NFL is telling me. The NFL is telling me. It's Tom Brady. We don't care.

[Don Hahn]

Well, you could look at it that way.

[Alan]

He does whatever he wants.

[Don Hahn]

At the minimum, he's our league. At the minimum. They're saying these Zoom meetings. These meetings privately, in the office, shooting the you know what. But it's all it doesn't matter. A lot of it is common information. You're not getting any insight in.

[Rosenberg]

Listen, a lot of it is not strategy anyway. A lot of it is more personal stories. A lot of it is more background and anecdotes. It's not strategy. What would you do here in this situation? Why would you do that? Like, there's not as much of that as you think. Because they're not going to reveal anything. They're not going to tell you. It's. Look, your scouting tape is. Everything that's on the scouting tape is the same thing as what Tom Brady's looking at.

[Alan]

Here's what Ben Johnson.

[Rosenberg]

I know it doesn't look good.

[Alan]

Here's what Ben Johnson said, by the way, head coach of the Bears. Of course there's not going to be any trade secrets that are going to be exchanged. I just really don't think it's that big of a deal. Tom Brady reposted that and said, thank you finally, for some common sense. Finally a smart coach speaks up. Yeah, sure, I agree. No problem. But let's. This is a league where when the media asks them a question, that's for too much information, they act as if it's a military operation. In fact, recent history would suggest maybe more private than military operations in this country. But we want to find out who's playing. Injury report. Can't get information. No, you can't. Because if they know that the backup running back's playing, that's going to affect absolutely everything.

[Don Hahn]

You can't.

[Alan]

Then you can't have it both ways. So then let's stop this facade that every little detail ruins a team's plans. This is an unreasonable steps, but I.

[Rosenberg]

Just don't know what they're asking and I don't think you're getting that. Like I said, scout film reveals all.

[Alan]

I agree with you. So where do we draw the line then? If you're a broadcaster or a journalist and you have an involvement with a team, where's the line of where it's inappropriate?

[Don Hahn]

I just. I just honestly, I think it's inappropriate from, again, the Fox of it all, where it's like, why do I have a guy that's a part owner of a team analyzing games? I think. Not that it's impropriety. You're talking about a bad optic. It's like, if he's calling, he's got a dog in the fight, man. I thought it was a bad optic for Fox to hire a Rod when he was a special advisor for the Yankees. Like, what are we doing here? You've got a dog in the fight here. So real quick, I thought, you know what? Honestly, everybody thought it was fantastic. I thought it was a bad optic that you see Michael Strahan jumping up and down with a Giant scored a touchdown. They had the video of it like, dude, I get you played for the Giants. You won a Super bowl for the Giants. But if you're analyzing this stuff, I mean, you gotta, you gotta have some neutrality, right?

[Alan]

For the record, it's all becoming performative because if you look around at ESPN and what everyone's doing, I know that because I've been here for 10 years. When I first got here my way, that I handle myself of like, I'm a fan. Yo, yo, I'm a Redskins fan. At the time, I know I stood out. Other people weren't saying like, I'm a fan. It wasn't a thing. But I'm like, well, I'm not really of this. I'm here. So I'm open saying I'm a fan. You look at every show now. Every show has people analyzing, well, my team is. So it's the new thing. By the way, Don, you are correct because think about this Tom Brady. The most competitive people say, I watched this guy at Fanatics Fest. He is an insane person with competitiveness. You're telling me he doesn't have any dog in the fight. If he's calling a game in which any of the results, fine. They won't put them on a Raiders game. What if it's a Chargers game?

[Don Hahn]

What if it's a Chiefs game and they're only.

[Alan]

None of that relates to his team.

[Don Hahn]

And when is that going to be a problem? When the Raiders get really good. It's not like the Fox is exclusive the NFC anymore. Right. So there are times where the Raiders are going to pop up. He's just not going to use them. If the Raiders go to the super bowl and it's a Fox, you're not going to use them.

[Alan]

And he's not going to get a Chiefs game this year.

[Don Hahn]

Well, yeah, because I listen as a Giant fan, when they first hired Troy Aikman, I was like, oh, this guy's pro cowboy. I ended up being wrong because Aikman's. I think the Aikman's the best of them all.

[Alan]

No, he's very.

[Don Hahn]

They're wasting their money. To me on Romo and Brady, the best guy is aikman. All right. ESPN's getting a bargain. I don't know what they're paying him. They're not paying.

[Alan]

Can I throw one other name in that.

[Don Hahn]

Go ahead.

[Alan]

Who's fantastic? Herb Street. Yeah, Herb street on Thursday.

[Don Hahn]

He's also very good. But, but so I of course as a fan of the Giants thought that there was bias. I got over it because he proved there wasn't. But how are Raider fans going to feel when he is part owner of the team? That. That's automatic bias, right? Automatic. I mean he's not calling Raider games. But you're right. Calling a chief game, there's nothing like the Raiders get really good and they're battling for the division. You're going to have all the other teams, Denver, Louisiana, Kansas City, go.

[Alan]

All thing I know about Tom Brady is A, he's not competitive and B, he never did anything potentially shady to get a very slight competitive advantage and never happened. Don't think it's ever happened.

[Don Hahn]

I just found, I just found it interesting when a very, very good play by play guy, Mike Tirico was going to take over the Thursday call when it was on NBC and the NFL said no, it's going to be Al Michaels. Like they had to say who's going to be in the booth with their partner. So the NFL could put a stop to this if they want. Right. There'll be nothing wrong with it. Tirico eventually took over for Al Michaels anyway. But they said no. And that, remember that was a few years ago. No, no, Al Michaels is going to be the play by play guy.

[Alan]

But that goes back to my original point of no. 1.

[Rosenberg]

Wasn't Brady hired before he became an owner?

[Alan]

Yes.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

So that that contract was agreed upon before he even retired.

[Alan]

But they could have stepped in and not allowed him to get the Raider deed.

[Don Hahn]

Right. Hey, you got, you got to choice.

[Rosenberg]

Is that what you really want to do?

[Don Hahn]

Well, but no, listen, I know Tom Brady's but come on guess conversation.

[Rosenberg]

You're in Vegas, it's the Raiders brand. Like the league would have done anything just to give get that thing back on.

[Alan]

But you're right. But that's exactly the point. That doesn't make it right.

[Rosenberg]

But he was already signed a contract with Fox. And you think now you're going to tell Fox you got to take this guy away.

[Alan]

That's exactly.

[Don Hahn]

Well, you told NBC you can't have Mike Tirico.

[Rosenberg]

Mike Tirico and Tom Brady are on different levels.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, different levels. But explain. So you're telling me, all right, that I'm not going to watch Chiefs Eagles on Fox because Tom Brady's not doing it I mean, come on. Like, I don't understand all this money they're throwing at these guys. Do you think Tom Brady, God love him, and I think he's outstanding at what he does. Is anybody watching or not watching? Because Tom Brady's on the call.

[Rosenberg]

Brady's gotten better, by the way.

[Don Hahn]

But it's not a reflection.

[Alan]

It doesn't matter.

[Rosenberg]

But you understand, like you are saying this, that you don't care who's calling the game, Right? They aren't worried about you. It's the brand name guy. It's Tom Brady. Everybody knows that name. So it's people who aren't as connected to the sport who feel like, wow, that's Tom Brady calling the game. This is a big deal. I'm tuning in because I want to listen to Tom Brady.

[Alan]

People exist.

[Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Alan]

I don't think you.

[Rosenberg]

Peter, more of those people exist than people that know Tom Brady and Philly. I don't care who's calling the game. I just want to watch a good game. You got to believe this. This is a truth. There's a reason why there's influencers in the world. People want to be. They want to follow the star. It's just how it is.

[Alan]

The NFL is the one. That thing that does not. I need it.

[Rosenberg]

I don't disagree with you.

[Alan]

It's. I just don't buy it.

[Don Hahn]

I'm going to tell you when we come back, the best quote. I heard about this from a very significant person in the business.

[Rosenberg]

I like it.

[Don Hahn]

It's Don Hanna Rosenberg hanging with that till 6:30. Then it's Mets baseball on ESPN New York.

[Alan]

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[Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan]

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 now live like never before. For the first time ever. You can catch us streaming on YouTube. Your favorite shows, Dpatron, Rothenberg, Barton Carlin, Michael K Show, and us, Don Hannam Rosenberg now with live video. Interact, react and be part of the conversation live on YouTube. ESPN New York's first day streaming kicked off today. Subscribe now at ESPN New York on YouTube and never miss a moment. Destroy that subscribe button. Do it. This is the way it's gonna be, man. Moving forward. Mash it, smash it, destroy it.

[Rosenberg]

All right, what questions do we have coming up?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, we gotta get some loaded up. Get a few. We should all. Oh, yeah, sure.

[Rosenberg]

All right. Well, you had you teased.

[Don Hahn]

So the number one that wasn't the brilliant thing that was said is that the one thing we do forget about, like the Tony Romo, former cowboy Tom Brady, one of the biggest names in sports over in this generation is that, you know, if you're trying to convince Sam Adams to spend $30 million to advertise, probably helps to say, hey, Tom Brady's going to come golfing with us this weekend. I agree with. We've always said that, but Bob Costa said this to us a couple of years ago, and this is before Brady. I'm like, why would you spend $18 million on Tony? Romy's good, but I can get somebody for 5 million. So when you're paying billions of dollars for the rights, what's $18 million to get a marquee name to call the product you spent so much money on? All right, so Fox spends billions of dollars for the rights. All right, what's $35 million to get the biggest name in a sport to call your marquee games like, so that. I guess that's the line.

[Rosenberg]

The point I was making.

[Don Hahn]

But I don't think. I honestly don't think it. So you tell me, you take Tom Brady off that the ratings are going to drop. No, there's no way you could tell me it's worth the money. It's not worth the money. Even if it did affect the ratings, it's not going to be worth the money.

[Rosenberg]

It's not. I'm not saying that. What I'm saying is, essentially he just said it more eloquently than I did. And that's not a surprise. It's Bob Costa. It is Bob but it's the fact that it is the shiny star. Right. That people are drawn to not to watch it. Just the idea of. It's the prestige, I guess.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Rosenberg]

It's the hood on it.

[Don Hahn]

Right? Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

You know what I mean? Like it's that. So Greg Olson's a really good analyst. But like when you say Greg Olson, people like, okay, but when you say Tom Brady. Oh, Tom Brady.

[Alan]

Right.

[Rosenberg]

But you're getting your attention.

[Don Hahn]

It does.

[Rosenberg]

And that's what he is. Tom Brady's a hood ornament for the broadcast. That's what he is. It's the, it's the prestige of who it is.

[Alan]

That's fair.

[Rosenberg]

Look who we got.

[Alan]

Agree on our.

[Don Hahn]

But I don't.

[Alan]

That's different than what you said though. That's different than he's getting casuals to watch.

[Rosenberg]

Well, it's.

[Alan]

But I think it's more the prestige.

[Rosenberg]

It draws attention though. And there are casuals who think that's a big deal. It's Tom Brady, I've heard of him. There are a lot, there's a lot more casuals than there are die hards of the sport. And it might not be a week to week consumption, but it's one of those four o' clock game and you just happen to put it on. But it's Tom Brady and you're drawn to it. You hear that Tom Brady's doing football, you're drawn to it.

[Don Hahn]

I think both could be true.

[Rosenberg]

It's a hood ornament, it's an attraction. It tells you this is.

[Don Hahn]

But it doesn't. But what I'm saying is it doesn't. It ends up not being worth the money because even if it did move the needle a couple of more ratings points, you're not seeing that in the getting your $35 million back. But it is a gaudy little thing to show off that hey, I spent billions of dollars, so what's 35?

[Rosenberg]

Are you getting better gas mileage with a BMW or a Kia?

[Don Hahn]

Well, you're getting better gas mileage with a Kia.

[Rosenberg]

Maybe not. Maybe you're getting the same. But are you getting a different prestige.

[Don Hahn]

When you pull out? But, but it's as simple as that. But usually it's, hey, I want to do this to get a better rating. We'll get more, more ad advertising money. I don't think Tom Brady does any of that.

[Alan]

And you think Romo is a key is what you're saying.

[Don Hahn]

But I, but I do think that Audi, it's, it's, it's there Is. There isn't. There is. Hey, look. And this is how much we care about. We have the biggest name in the sport. Listen, I'll be honest with you.

[Rosenberg]

And now he's an owner.

[Don Hahn]

I don't. God love him, you know. And you're going to see it with Jordan on NBC. Like Gretzky. It's nice to have Gretzky on tnt. He's okay. He's not, but he's. Gretzky's Wayne Gretzky.

[Rosenberg]

It's exactly what NBC did.

[Don Hahn]

And NBC's bringing in Jordan. Jordan.

[Rosenberg]

What's he going to say?

[Don Hahn]

You know my favorite line? Like, Jordan's not going to tell you the price of a hot dog. We standing next to the sign. He's not going to get. He's not going to say anything. But he's Michael Jordan, right? So, hey, we've got basketball. We're back in the basketball business. Look at what we have. And that looks really good for the advertisers that you're going to get to hang around Michael Jordan and golf a little. Michael. There's a lot of things that just make it very prestigious, but at the same time, I don't think it's worth it.

[Rosenberg]

Did you hear what Prime. Prime is saying about their NBA coverage? So what they're going to do with their coverage, they're saying this is. They're going to take this. They're going to take. The tact of NBA coverage inherently has been negative. It's been like, again, you know, like criticize the players to talk about how, like inside the NBA, they crack on the league all the time.

[Don Hahn]

Right?

[Rosenberg]

Those guys. And everybody loves that broadcast, right? Ours sometimes we have that too. With certain players. Certain guys we have especially Perk. You know, Stephen A. Like, they like to hammer the league or be critical players or get controversial. Prime's like, we're going to celebrate the game.

[Don Hahn]

See?

[Rosenberg]

And I'm. And I'm wondering, is that going to work?

[Don Hahn]

I don't think fans want that, but they.

[Rosenberg]

They believe that. And I know Adam Silver wants it this way, that it's like the alternate to what. What else you're getting. Because players biggest complaint. LeBron says it all the time. The biggest complaint about the coverage of the league is that it's very harsh in comparison to how we cover the NFL. We glorify the NFL, the NBA. What do we do? We hammer it all the time. So prime is taking a different tact, and I'm curious to see how that works.

[Don Hahn]

I think the fans just want you to Be honest.

[Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Don Hahn]

And if all you're going to do is just wave pom poms for it, I'm telling you, that's going to get old quick.

[Rosenberg]

Well, you don't have to wave pom poms. There is. Has to be a middle ground, though, because it does get a little tiresome that it's constant. Just, you know, back in my day.

[Don Hahn]

I know, but yeah, no, I.

[Rosenberg]

There's gotta be doing that.

[Don Hahn]

But I just wonder because sometimes I just feel like when you're over the top, like, this is the greatest game in the world, like it's. It's a bit much right now. Now it's like, are you a promotional tool or are you trying to tell me how much you love. There is a genuineness to somebody really loving the game, and then there's. Boy, this is just propaganda for the game.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan]

I mean, you guys, I've had my moments where I've been critical at times of certain broadcasters who I think get way too big for the moment, way too early. I think. I think it's all about pacing yourself. You know what I mean? Because sometimes it does. That's the difference in sports and wrestling. Like, in wrestling, a match may be bad and you have to seem big because you're trying to convince people it's stay with it. Bad. Whereas in sports, sometimes it's just bad. And you can't convince anyone otherwise.

[Don Hahn]

And I tell you, from a strategy standpoint, what they should have done is said, we're going to be honest, and then you could have celebrated the game. But if you at least laid the foundation. And we're just going to be honest. But when you tell everybody we're going to celebrate the game, then I'm telling you, every time you compliment the game, it's going to feel like. And are you going to be negative when you need to be negative? There are some times there's issues here. You know, you listen to a broadcast. Baseball was broken. The games were too long.

[Alan]

If you.

[Don Hahn]

And when Bud Selick would come on the air and go, you think the game's too slow, you're slow. Well, you sound really defensive, buddy. And maybe you're not admitting there's a real problem here. Like, so I just think you want to be honest with your viewers.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. Again, analysis. That's all you're asking for. Yeah, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

When it's good, it's good. When it's bad, it's bad. Just tell me the truth.

[Rosenberg]

But there is a feeling of. But sometimes we go too far and just start hammering away because we're trying to get people to react because we feel like, let's admit, some of these games do get boring.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Rosenberg]

Well, there are bets. There are bad, really bad.

[Don Hahn]

Mba, what was happening, Alan, and hockey went through this too. That the people analyzing it are bigger than the guys playing the game.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

That was baseball's problem. Remember baseball had that DirecTV commercial where they had Ortiz, Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr. Randy Johnson. And I remember saying on the air, all four of those guys are pretty much bigger than anybody that's playing baseball right now. Those four who haven't played in 20 years are more recognizable than any anybody playing right now. Crazy. And that was the problem, that Barkley was more relevant than Everybody outside of LeBron James and Steph Curry.

[Rosenberg]

Well, it's. Why do you think LeBron James and Steph Curry are opening night again this year? Right.

[Alan]

Because.

[Don Hahn]

But every game, what you got when you, when you, when your second game of your double header, you know, is Kings Pelicans. Right. I'm sorry. Shaq and Charles Barkley going to be bigger than anybody playing in that game.

[Rosenberg]

And their honesty is. We know you're bored watching this game. We are too. Yeah. So let's talk.

[Don Hahn]

And you're watching because of us and we're going to see it.

[Alan]

And then of course, I have a this whole conversation is a bad reminder that even though it's very exciting that we have the inside the NBA crew on espn. It's a way lower amount of a games than in years past. Yeah, it's going to be second half of the year.

[Rosenberg]

They're going to do their own thing on the side though, apparently. But really, again?

[Alan]

Oh, oh.

[Don Hahn]

Hold on. All right, interesting stuff. Get ready for Monday Night Football. The experience is going to be the ESPN New York couch cast with the jets taking on the Dolphins Week 4 divisional matchups. Settle in on the couch and join the old cast with your favorite ESPN New York personalities for instant reaction, unfiltered commentary and behind the mic banter, stream live on our YouTube page. Subscribe to Smash it for kickoff and from kickoff to the final whistle, grab your snacks and watch the game with the pros. It's the ESPN New York Couchcast presented by Calandra's Bakery, Jacobs Pickles and driven by the All American Ford Auto Group Great Partners, the number one Ford auto group in the Tri State area. Shop all americanford.groupgroup.com that's Monday, September 29th starting at 7pm on the ESPN New York YouTube channel.

[Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan]

I don't want to know how the.

[Rosenberg]

Sausage is 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.