Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 3: Schlittler's Back

Date: February 12, 2026
Podcast Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg | ESPN New York

Overview

This lively hour finds Don, Hahn, and Rosenberg discussing the start of MLB spring training (with particular focus on Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler’s minor back injury), the intensity and quirks of baseball media coverage, and the evolving culture in pro sports — especially around player motivation, work ethic, and generational differences. The hosts riff with their trademark sarcasm and warmth, segueing from sports analysis to light-hearted hygiene debacles in Canadian hockey arenas, and field spirited calls from listeners on topics ranging from LeBron’s legacy to NBA culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Olympic Hockey and NHL Updates

• The show opens with light banter about the U.S. vs. Latvia Olympic hockey game, noting Brock Nelson scoring twice and Jack Hughes' key assists.
• Provides small insights into sports broadcasting and player/family connections, with in-jokes about mispronunciations (“Huggis” instead of “Hughes”) and the generational divide on names and fandom.

Notable quote:

“You got a fourth line consisting of Brock Nelson and Jack Hughes. Pretty, pretty, pretty good.”
— Rosenberg ([01:58])

2. Yankees Pitcher Cam Schlittler’s Back Issue

• First substantial Yankee injury news emerges: Cam Schlittler sidelined briefly with back inflammation.
• Manager Aaron Boone’s update: it's minor, just “inflammation in his mid-back,” and they're “staying ahead of it” ([03:46]).
• The hosts reminisce about how baseball players arrive at camp in great shape but can quickly add weight during the season due to constant feeding and little aerobic output compared to other sports.

Notable quotes:

“I have never... remembered a time where a player in training camp had a back issue and then by August no one remembers. Things like that tend to linger.”
— Don Hahn ([04:06])

“Baseball’s the only sport where you come in shape and can get fat during the season.”
— Rosenberg ([04:30])

3. The Scrutiny of Baseball Media Coverage

• The trio lampoons how even minor injuries are covered with relentless intensity, compared to NFL secrecy.
• Points out massive access and hyper-vigilance by beat reporters during spring training, including the “dumpster diving” for news, and the relentless demand for fresh content.

Notable quotes:

“Baseball is not the most popular sport in this country. It’s football. But nothing gets covered like baseball. Nothing.”
— Rosenberg ([07:18])

“Each newspaper has their own dumpster dweller.”
— Alan Hahn ([09:37])

• The overkill in coverage is attributed to tradition, mass media inertia, and an “older generation” of consumers who still crave daily stories.

4. Player & Management Interviews: Rituals and Clichés

• The hosts poke fun at the rote, almost “hostage-video” quality of player interviews, especially Yankees, where the message is always “it’s about winning.”
• Alan, Don, and Peter create comedic translations of athlete-speak, suggesting that the real meaning is “you guys are all tools” or “the check still clears” ([14:41]).

5. Generational Change and Player Motivation in the NBA (Listener Calls)

• Callers weigh in on LeBron, KD, and the changing attitude of NBA stars toward things like the All-Star Game, loyalty, and competitive “grit.”
• The hosts and callers reminisce on 1980s/90s intensity, contrasting it with today’s brand-building and media-savvy athletes.
• Points raised on how franchise strategy and analytics now drive load management and less player “buy-in” for regular seasons.

Notable quotes:

“Sorry to sound like the old guy on the porch, but that's what it feels like. The grit. That's why we respect MJ and that whole era — because they took no days off.”
— Caller Ray, Connecticut ([24:21])

“Maybe Michael Jordan could have been a little better... if he didn't play all 82 games and 43 minutes a night.”
— Rosenberg ([27:43])

• Discussion extends to payer compensation and the resulting difference in hunger and effort across leagues (NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL).

6. Springtime Weather and Baseball Seasonality

• A classic sports radio digression: predicting when spring will “really arrive” in NYC/NJ area.
• Banter about the cruel New York springs, cold baseball, and the elusive day when “you smell spring” ([37:08]).

7. Oshawa Generals’ Fan Hygiene Email: Hockey Hilarity

• Alan shares a viral email from Canadian junior hockey’s Oshawa Generals asking fans to shower before games!
• The guys riff on fan BO being so severe it warrants “pandemic-level” organizational messaging, and joke about the infamous stench of hockey bags.

Notable quotes:

“Normally it's your team stinks. No, we're telling you: you stink!”
— Don Hahn ([48:12])

“You ever like honestly — hockey bag, in the summer, left in a car? Fans, you smell worse than that.”
— Don Hahn ([48:34])

• Comedic discussion of athletic gear odor and DIY attempts at cleaning (dryer sheets in boxing gloves, Lysol, etc.), with plenty of self-deprecating asides.

Listener Calls & Interactive Moments

• Ray from Connecticut and Derek from Harlem on generational changes in sports, work ethic, and player branding ([24:13], [29:55]).
• Moose from Jamaica presents a baseball prediction game ([32:36]).
• All calls are met with riffs, warm banter, and good-natured gripes, maintaining the show’s distinct blend of nostalgia, sarcasm, and local flavor.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “You got a fourth line consisting of Brock Nelson and Jack Hughes. Pretty, pretty, pretty good.” — Rosenberg ([01:58])
• “Baseball’s the only sport where you come in shape and can get fat during the season.” — Rosenberg ([04:30])
• “Baseball is not the most popular sport in this country. It’s football. But nothing gets covered like baseball.” — Rosenberg ([07:18])
• “Each newspaper has their own dumpster dweller.” — Alan Hahn ([09:37])
• “Normally it's your team stinks. No, we're telling you: you stink!” — Don Hahn ([48:12])
• “Fans, you smell worse than a hockey bag.” — Don Hahn ([48:34])

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Hockey & Olympic update: [00:52]–[02:35]
• Yankees’ Cam Schlittler back issue: [03:39]–[07:06]
• Media coverage & baseball journalism parody: [07:07]–[12:29]
• Player interviews & clichés: [13:01]–[14:41]
• Generational debates & NBA culture (callers): [23:18]–[32:36]
• NYC spring weather banter: [34:26]–[38:53]
• Oshawa Generals’ hygiene email & hockey odor tales: [44:38]–[51:26]

Tone & Style

The show is unapologetically New York: rapid-fire, sarcastic, literate, teeming with both sports insight and effortless comedy. The hosts needle each other and their audience, riff on the news, and use sports stories to detour into cultural observations.

Conclusion

This episode is a microcosm of what makes Don, Hahn & Rosenberg essential for NY sports fans: sharp insight, humor, communal nostalgia, and pointed cultural commentary — all while never taking themselves too seriously. Whether skewering obsessive baseball writers, debating what really signals the end of winter, or lampooning Canadian hockey fans' hygiene, the trio keeps sports talk human and hilariously relatable.