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Alan Hahn
This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.
Peter Rosenberg
That sounds like heaven to me.
Alan Hahn
Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers. All right into the 5 o'clock hour we go with Don Legreca and Peter Rosenberg. I'm Alan Hahn. 880, ESP. And the ESPNY app, 800-919-3776 is the number for the calls. The NFL Draft combine underway. Or actually, I think it's officially starts tomorrow. But everybody gathering today in Indianapolis. And so all the conversations begin. The GMs are talking in the media. Actually, the, the new Jets GM Darren Muji spoke. Now, we only played Aaron Glenn earlier for you today. But before we get to the Giant stuff, this is interesting from Muji, guys. When asked about Aaron Rodgers, and you remember the story was that Rodgers came met with the, with the new hierarchy and they kind of told him, you can't do McAfee and you can't do this and you can't do that. They had all these ultimatums. Mooji pushed back on that. I just want to address the Aaron Rodgers stuff, get ahead of that. I'm not going to discuss any private discussions that I had with Aaron throughout this process and really with any private discussion I had with any player for that matter. I'm not here to confirm or deny any rumors that happened during that process. I will say this, there was never an ultimatum or rules of engagement for Aaron to potentially join the Jets. Again, that never happened. AG and I had a lot of dialogue, a lot of conversations, a lot of good thoughts and just felt at the end of the day it was the best thing for the jets moving forward, just going a different direction at the quarterback positions. So he doesn't want to talk about it. He doesn't want to talk about rumors, but he does want to clarify rumors. But I mean, do you believe that, that there was no ultimatum?
Peter Rosenberg
I think there could. Couldn't it be semantics? Like he never said it? Maybe Woody said it. Maybe Glenn said It. He never said it. I'm trying to remember the timeline of the story and when Muji was hired, because there was a separation between Glenn and Muji. So could it have been said before he was hired as gm? Like, so I don't know. I don't think he's lying. I don't think these guys necessarily lie, but I think they cover themselves in the semantics of. Well, I never said that to him.
Alan Hahn
But why would he. Why would he open with that? Like, he wasn't asked about it. He opened with it knowing he was going to be asked about it. And he said, let me get ahead of this.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, we wanted to get out ahead of something that made no sense to begin with. Because, again, if you wanted to get out of the business of Aaron Rodgers, then why did you even have the conversation with him in the first place? That's what always rubbed me the wrong way. Why would you even. Because what if. What if Rogers said yes? Would he still be here? Because you're telling everybody that this was. You talked about it. You decided he wasn't a fit for you anymore, so why even have the conversation that meant that you were kind of open to bringing him back? Sound like you weren't open to bringing him back. That continues to forward the narrative of he was never coming back under any circumstances.
Alan Hahn
That's what it sounds like to me. I think. I think what he was saying in a nice way, Peter, was, we never intended to bring him back, so we didn't make an ultimatum like, well, if you do this, then we'll bring you back. No, we. We both talked and we both agreed it's time to move on from Aaron Ro. Rogers.
Don Legreca
It still. It still makes me wonder, though, why we heard what we heard. Like, why did. So did they have to make a statement because Rogers was leaking things out to create a conversation.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, Diana Rossini. I don't think Rogers leaked anything to Diana.
Alan Hahn
Somebody else did. Clearly.
Peter Rosenberg
Right.
Alan Hahn
We trust Diana. She doesn't make.
Peter Rosenberg
Right, we trust Diana, but we also trust that. That Aaron's not leaking anything to her. So somebody in the organization leaked that.
Don Legreca
But that. That leak, that might have been a response leak because Aaron was starting to say things, and they're like, wait, wait, wait. We're not gonna let Aaron, on his way out here, tell the story of what's happened. We're gonna tell our story because we always felt like the way that they declared it seemed a little unnecessary and kind of rushed, if we're being honest. I still don't understand why it had to happen so fast. Except for the fact that maybe they thought Eren was gonna start having conversations.
Alan Hahn
Yeah, they wanted to just move on. They wanted to move forward, and they wanted to probably give Rogers the opportunity to talk to some teams. Now, we all know they won't officially release until after June 1st, but it doesn't mean that during March when you can start talking, that they'll allow that to happen. And then you'll know there's a team that wants you if they want. If anybody wants them. And there's no guarantee anybody wants them.
Peter Rosenberg
Now, here's the motivation behind the league. Peter, if you remember, when that story was leaked, there were a lot of Pete, a lot of Jet fans that were pumping their fists going, see, this new regime is not going to take Aaron Rodgers garbage. They saw value in at least that narrative being out there, even though they debunk it and said that that was never the case. They get their cake and eat it too. Right? They get rid of Aaron Rodgers, but they also got a chance to kind of sense, give a little, little taste to the fans that, hey, this is a new regime. We're not taking Aaron Rodgers garbage.
Don Legreca
Hilarious, by the way, but it's stupid.
Peter Rosenberg
It really makes no sense when it mattered.
Don Legreca
When it mattered whether or not you took his garbage, you took all his garbage.
Peter Rosenberg
But, but, but that was the previous regime. All the more reason to show you. You saw what happened with Sala and the previous regime in Douglas Rogers walked all over him. If it was. If he was going to come back, that wasn't gonna be the case. But we never found that out because they were never gonna bring him back. So it's, it's typical PR spin instead of just owning what it is. We don't want to bring Aaron Rodgers back. Done, dude. Think anything you want. We're ready to move on. But there is that. That PR field, they gotta get their fat hands in.
Don Legreca
But let's.
Peter Rosenberg
We're moving on from. But let's all send out that motivation of why we did it, because it's a. I just remember the reaction from callers and Jet people around the sports world all pumping their fists saying, see, there's a new sheriff in town. They see value in that.
Alan Hahn
Peter, now you want to add to this. Let's add to this with not only the new GM of the jets, but the new head coach of the Jets, Aaron Glenn, talking about Rogers and moving on from him. And have you talked to the players about that?
Peter Rosenberg
Yes, I have talked to him. And listen, I understand the reaction of the Players. But I will say this. Every decision that me and Moose make is to win and to win now. So I understand it. But again, listen, this is not going to be the last decision I make. Right. That's not good. That's going to upset some people. That's okay. Right. But as men, we talk about it, we make sure we keep it in house. That we're going to continue to do.
Alan Hahn
I love his delivery.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, I just.
Alan Hahn
I just find it. He's so direct. Talking to. I do think they love that.
Don Legreca
That's what. That's part of why they wanted him. I think. I think they wanted fans to feel like you.
Alan Hahn
I know talking to the media in that tone for some people is a turn off. And I guarantee you there's people holding a notepad and a tape recorder that, that walk away from that just shaking their head like, why does he talk to us like that? And I think he talks to you like that because he knows how to use the media. You talk to the media like you, like, you know, you're talking to the fans. You are showing the fans what you're about. And while we all loved Robert Sala, he was a really nice guy. And that kind of gave you this sense of, is this what we're getting behind the scenes?
Peter Rosenberg
Wait.
Alan Hahn
And Parcells, man, like, when he talked to the media, what did he do? He talked to you like you were a player. He talked to you directly in direct tones. There's something to be said about sett a tone with your franchise and how.
Peter Rosenberg
You approach the media, but we forget, man. Robert Sal, remember, all gas, no brain.
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
Peter Rosenberg
He was all fired up keeping receipts, you know, but that's a different way, though.
Alan Hahn
See, that was different, though, Don. That was him being Rah Rah, getting everybody excited. This is different. This is him just saying, this is what we do, and we're going to do it this way. And whatever you say, I'm going to. I'm going to piss you off later, too, so you might as well get used to it.
Peter Rosenberg
I know, but you've been around long enough, Allen. All that is BS to win games.
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
Peter Rosenberg
You brought Bill parcels. You know, we. Do you think Bill Parcells, you know, calling out players and all that stuff would have flew if he. If. If that 3121 record in 83 continued on and he got fired? It would have been a joke, of course. You know, so listen, I'm all for it. I think they. I. I think it's a good hire. I still don't know what he's going to be. How could I? He's never done it before. But I've been down this road before where it's all different now. It's a different regime, and then you lose games and it's the same old, same old. Adam Gase left a really bad impression right away. Okay, so that wasn't the case. But Salah, people love Salah. They love that he was so enthusiastic. And like I said, all gas, no breaks.
Alan Hahn
That's the word.
Peter Rosenberg
Nothing after you start losing games. Right?
Alan Hahn
Exactly, exactly.
Peter Rosenberg
So at the end of the day, whether. Whether he said a word, however he's going to act, he's going to be judged on the wins and losses, and that's all that it is. So 16 years I covered this team, and I've been doing this for a long time. You've been a fan of this team for a long time. Let's see how he does. All right. Of course, we've been through this whole thing. Win the press conference, win the moment, get all the fans pumped up, and then all of a sudden we're sitting here in November like, God, what went wrong?
Alan Hahn
And that tone is gone because even he can't talk in that tone when you have that many Ls. Meanwhile, on the giant side of things. Yes, Don, I've been. I've been waiting for this. Okay, so Joe Shane, we played it earlier, talking about again, he wants to keep swinging for quarterbacks, as many as we can get, and we'll just get until we get it right. He gave examples, so we gotta see what they end up doing. But Mel Kuiper doesn't have them taking a quarterback at number three in the draft. He has Cam Ward going number one. I'm sorry, number two to the Browns. So at three for the Giants, is it Shador Sanders? No, it's going to be Travis Hunter instead, because Ward's off the table. So that would suggest that they want to get a veteran, which Shane did acknowledge. You got to do that now. What? We also know if the three pick in the draft, there's a future at stake here that might not even be Joe Shane's future. This is year four, and if he gets this pick wrong and screws this up, it could set the franchise back years.
Peter Rosenberg
Right.
Alan Hahn
And so the question was asked to Joe Shane, is there more pressure now? And he kind of goes into all the things that have happened since then.
Joe Shane
Yeah, there's always pressure in this industry. And I understand it, I get it. You know, pressure to win. And again, we. After that first year, when we won. We went with Daniel, and the way we structured the contract, and unfortunately, it didn't work out. So we all knew that, like the way we structured it, hey, this is what we're going to do. We're going to go with this for two years, and if it doesn't work out, then we're going to need to pivot and find somebody else. And unfortunately, it didn't, and that's why we're here. So that was all discussed before that happened, and again, I wish it would have ended a little bit differently, but this is where we are. So now we got to address the position.
Alan Hahn
So you see there already explaining why he did what he did with Daniel Jones. Okay, so then what about Saquon Barkley?
Joe Shane
Yeah, I'm happy for Saquon. Obviously went on to win the super bowl, and we wish him nothing but the best. Always going to evaluate all the decisions you make. And we were at a different place in our build. And again, love Saquon and wish him nothing but the best.
Don Legreca
Of course he went on to win the Super Bowl. I mean, it just couldn't have been worse.
Alan Hahn
Right?
Peter Rosenberg
But that's kind of sticking to his guns. Hey, we're in this place.
Don Legreca
Don't you wish, though. But don't you wish you could just get. Hey, guys, listen, I'll be honest with you. Probably would have been. Probably wouldn't have felt as bad if he didn't win the super bowl his first year. It's with a division rival, but, you know, we got to eat that. We got to eat that. Especially because that was. By the way, that was my choice. Just in case you forgot, the owner, he wanted to keep him. I was. This was me.
Peter Rosenberg
I said we weren't.
Alan Hahn
But the part that I thought Don would really detonate was him talking about how we weren't in the. In the place.
Peter Rosenberg
Right, for that.
Alan Hahn
Like, that's the part I don't get. Winner as a franchise. Are you ever in a place that you shouldn't keep a great player when you're bad? No, I disagree. No, when you're bad, that's a more important. Hey, I got one. I can't let that guy go.
Don Legreca
No, no, no, That's. That's my philosophy, too, Alan. I never think a team should. I think you have to be incredibly rel to ever get rid of your best player. And that is exactly what they did.
Peter Rosenberg
But we can. The reason I didn't detonate is because of the fact that he. He's right. Like, if he keeps him. I mean, Again, this is not baseball where you've got to worry about international money or maybe lose a draft pick. It's a hard cap sport. So there was reason behind it of I've got a lot of other holes to fill. Yeah, it'd be great to have Saquon Barkley, but he's not really going to help us. Where we are right now, where you should be mad is why you're in that position to begin with. But he was right. They're in that position and I was on board with letting them go. Where I want to get on him. If I had him on this show, what I would ask him where he whiffed was he believed that the Eagles weren't interested. How did you allow yourself to get suckered into believing that Philadelphia wasn't interested? And if you had known Philadelphia was going to take him, would you have changed? Would you have pivoted and changed your mind?
Alan Hahn
Could I have asked. Could I ask a question before you like that even the point you got to. I want to go back further. He already told us the reason why we structured the contract with Daniel was because of the success they had that year. Correct? Well, you heard him say that, right? He said yes. So we decided to go in that direction. We did. And we thought it would work out, but it didn't. And that's how we're back to this place. And that's when I would say, you didn't have to do that. You didn't. Giving Daniel Jones the contract and franchise tagging Saquon to me, you did like that should have been flipped. Saquon was the given. Daniel Jones was the variable. You gave the variable guarantees. You gave the. The. No. The known commodity. You gave him the one year and then we'll see how we do that. The part that didn't make sense, how could you come to that conclusion? That's the part I don't understand. That's why they are where they are today. Not because, oh, well, it didn't work out with Daniel. No, because Daniel not working out led you to now saying, well, we can't have Saquon because we don't have a quarterback either. Like to me, I thought, Don, that you would have heard that. Because that's what I heard. That explanation just goes back to what you're right. That should have been, no, we screwed up. We gave the wrong guy the contract and now we don't neither.
Peter Rosenberg
But I don't know if they. Yeah, it aged that way. But at the time it was, well, Daniel Jones just Got us to the playoffs. And we believe that we were not sure yet. So we're going to give him an out after two years. The Giants could say to you, Allen, the reason it didn't work out is because he got hurt. He was never healthy. He injured his neck, he injured his knee. So that might be the direction they decide how it didn't work out because he was just too banged up. And then everything kind of fell apart from there because maybe Daniel Jones goes out there and balls out when he finally goes to a place where he's given an offensive line and some weapons and that might not even age well after it was said and done franchising the quarterback, actually, their thinking was that it's a running back. We're not, we got to be able to lock down the quarterback. And they gave him the contract that they gave him. And I don't think it's so easy to look back now and say, look how well Saquon play. Look how bad the Giants were. But at the time, it wasn't that ridiculous a notion.
Alan Hahn
Why did they make the playoffs that year? Was it because of Daniel Jones or Saquon Barkley?
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, it's because of Saquon Barkley. And also Daniel Jones used his legs, didn't have a lot of weapons other than Barkley. But again, where are you going with Saquon? That's what they're looking at. I, I, I have a compromised offensive line. I don't have a ton of weapons. Saquon was here for six years, Allen. They won one playoff game.
Alan Hahn
No, I understand he was also hurt.
Peter Rosenberg
Now, he didn't get hurt against, in, in Philadelphia. But let's also not forget that Saquon couldn't stay healthy either. So now they've got Daniel Jones. They need a quarterback. They didn't see a lot of alternatives. Did they want Carr, did they want Cousins? Or did they want to see if they can contract? $40 million sounded like a lot. But now the way you see quarterbacks getting paid, it wasn't that outlandish amount of money. Again, it didn't work out. He wasn't a good quarterback. But they're thinking, if, if I, I, they, what were they going to do with Saquon? They didn't want to have Saquon, clearly, you know, and.
Alan Hahn
No, but seriously though, because you remember that before the tag, how that conversation was going, he was making a clip. Remember, there was a time where Saquon didn't even want to take, take Joe Shane's call. That was the year Before, Right, Right. But yes, that was during the season.
Don Legreca
I'm with you, by the way. And it's funny how it played out.
Alan Hahn
Handled poorly though from the start to finish. Not trading him in season when you knew that.
Peter Rosenberg
That I could agree with you. That I agree with you.
Alan Hahn
But that's mismanagement though, Don. All of it is mismanagement.
Peter Rosenberg
Or was that John Mara saying don't trade him. But you're right, if he's not in your straight, get something for him.
Don Legreca
But once they went with don't trade him, then they might as well have just signed him.
Alan Hahn
But giving me the that's how we are here today thing in year four, when you have the third pick in the draft and if this is another one of yours, your oopsies, which it just sounds like he just keeps doing it like, well, you know that didn't work out. You know that didn't work out either. It's like, damn, man, you got to get something to work out, otherwise you're going to set this franchise back and you won't be here.
Peter Rosenberg
It all got screwed up because Daniel Jones ended up being the wrong guy.
Don Legreca
And then double screwed up because how things played out for sake one.
Alan Hahn
Right.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, he screwed up because he didn't think he'd go to Philadelphia.
Alan Hahn
You don't think one leads to the other, though.
Peter Rosenberg
I don't.
Alan Hahn
Am I wrong to think that, like, because of, because you lost Saquon, Like, I'm sorry because Daniel Jones wasn't who you hoped he'd be. You found yourself in a place that you didn't want or need Saquon Barkley. So now you take two commodities that helped you make a playoff win a playoff game, and now they're both gone. Like you talk about going right back to zero two years later. All bases, all based off those decisions.
Peter Rosenberg
All right, so if you franchise Daniel Jones and give a contract, which I.
Alan Hahn
Don'T think you could, I don't know how that all was working out, but I don't, I don't know how cap wise, all that worked out. So I'm speaking out.
Peter Rosenberg
What's the alternative? Listen, if they franchised him, where was Daniel Jones going?
Alan Hahn
Who was signing him to a big deal? Who was going to sign him? Who was clamoring to get him?
Peter Rosenberg
But they didn't want to use the. They did exactly what they wanted to do.
Alan Hahn
I know, but I don't know how.
Peter Rosenberg
It would have turned out differently had they franchised Daniel Jones and given a contract to Saquon or Jaquan. Would still be here, but you still wouldn't have a quarterback. You'd be paying more money than you want to to a running back and you're not winning any games. And now you can't help your offensive line. Maybe you can't trade for Burns and where are you going that.
Alan Hahn
And that's what it's all about. He wanted Burns. They wanted to shore up the defense. They wanted another edge rusher. That was the focus and they needed the money for that side of it.
Peter Rosenberg
Right. So he's looking at we. Because that 9, 7 and 1 record was fugazi. I think we can all agree that they were not that good of a team.
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
Peter Rosenberg
They played, stumbled into a playoff spot. They had white matchup against Minnesota and they won.
Alan Hahn
Yeah. And should get my coach. Yeah. Dable doesn't get enough credit.
Peter Rosenberg
He did a great job. Yeah, he did an awesome job. Okay. So now they look at and say we're really not that great of a team. Our offensive line's not great. We don't have any weapons outside of Saquon Barkley and he's a running back. You saw what they did last year. They drafted a running back in Tracy and he ended up having over a thousand yards. He had a phenomenal season because if you've got a functioning team, your running back should be able to produce. They didn't have a functioning team. Saquon was getting hurt. So they said we got Daniel Jones who 15 touchdowns, but he also ran for seven. And we think if we can get, if we can get him an edge pass rusher, if we can strengthen his offensive line, we'll go out and draft a wide receiver form. We might be able to make something happen for him here. So let's, let's franchise Saquon so we could buy another year with him and let's give the two year contract to Daniel Jones. If the reverse had happened and they gave the money to Saquon Barkley in front of and franchise the quarterback. How, how would life be different other than now? You'd have a contract with Saquon and maybe you don't have Burns. You didn't strengthen the offensive line and now you're. You're getting the. A repeat of the last six years with Saquon. A team that's just not very good. He was not going to do what he did in Philadelphia here. Can we all agree on that?
Alan Hahn
No. Well, that team was ready made for him. There's no question about.
Don Legreca
Can I, can I ask you a tough question?
Peter Rosenberg
Yes, please.
Don Legreca
What's the point of what we're talking about?
Peter Rosenberg
The point of what we're talking about.
Alan Hahn
Is the guy in charge.
Don Legreca
I know, but what. But where are we going to land?
Peter Rosenberg
We're going to land on the fact that there's a lot of poor decisions that were made. But please, let's not make this all out to be that the Giants are in the situation that they're in because they didn't give Saquon Barkley a contract. But they're in the situation they're in because right now, I'm not sure their general manager is good enough to build a team, but then I'm not sure they've got a head coach to get this team over the hump.
Alan Hahn
That's the problem.
Peter Rosenberg
Everybody wants to focus on the one thing of see what happened. They let Saquon Barkley go and everything's falling apart. Please. It wouldn't have mattered anyway if they kept Saquon and did this or did that. Would we be any different than we are right now?
Don Legreca
Okay, so. So basically what you're saying is people are accusing the symptom of the problem with being the problem.
Peter Rosenberg
The.
Don Legreca
The Saquon thing not working out is not the reason they're bad.
Peter Rosenberg
Right.
Don Legreca
But the way that it did play is a symptom of what makes them bad.
Peter Rosenberg
It's. Again, I'm not going to get crazy here.
Don Legreca
Don't get crazy.
Peter Rosenberg
It's part of what's going on with our health system is we take care of the symptom and not finding out why the symptom exists in the first place. All right, so blaming Saquon, leaving the Philadelphia is basically taking Motrin for your issues. All right, but not wondering, why in God's name do I have a headache? Why do I need the Advil? Because I might have a brain tumor. God forbid that needs to come out. Otherwise I'm going to die. So stop with the whole keep feeding Advil to the problem, because that's what if keeping Saquon would have done it, would have pacified the fans. He would have been a popular player, 26 jerseys all over. He'd be doing this, doing that. And your team's still a 5, 6 win team, not going anywhere. So you're not solving the problem.
Don Legreca
So, by the way, so you would go a step further, in fact, and even say you're glad it happened with Saquon because it gives an easy. It makes it easier for people to recognize how horrifying this team is.
Peter Rosenberg
But unfortunately, John Mara didn't see it that way.
Alan Hahn
Right.
Peter Rosenberg
So now we're stuck with these guys. So hopefully they get it right in the future. But stop focusing on Saquon. It's like focusing. I desperately need the quarterback. Well, all right. But you also got to solve all your other problem. We should have kept Saquon Barkley. Okay, how does that solve their problem? So that's why I didn't go nuts, Alan, because it's circling back to the same old, same old. Oh, we let go of Saquon. He want a Super bowl in Philadelphia. Yeah, that's why we're the. That's our biggest problem. That's not our biggest problem. Our biggest problem is we're embarrassment in an organization that can't get of our own way. Saquon was the headache. But what's causing the headache?
Alan Hahn
The guy that's going to make the number three overall pick in the draft with the potential of a quarterback available to replace the mistakes that were made in the past and. And then you're back on that treadmill again. That's the problem. The guy that said we made this decision, we did it this way. It didn't work out. And that's why we are where we are. Not many general managers get to say that he did. And now the fate of the franchise rests on this decision. Get in the Zone autozone Ooh, got.
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Alan Hahn
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
Don Legreca
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
Alan Hahn
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. In 1985, this album was released and this is one of the many hits off of it.
Peter Rosenberg
Favorite song by them.
Alan Hahn
This is your favorite song by them?
Peter Rosenberg
Yes.
Alan Hahn
Yeah. Oh, I'm saying by them. Of course. There were several hits off this. You remember Everybody wants to Rule the World, which I think is probably the most popular song off this.
Peter Rosenberg
That's.
Don Legreca
That's.
Peter Rosenberg
Sorry.
Don Legreca
That's number one. That's the big smash.
Alan Hahn
That's the big one. Right. Head over heels was also really good B side, you know, like it. It has. This had some good goods. I call. I consider this. I rate albums by. How many songs am I going on? I'm all set. Like jump. Jump ahead to the next song. Skip. If it's a no skip album, it's. It's premiere. I consider this no skip. I'll listen to start to finish.
Peter Rosenberg
Really?
Alan Hahn
Am I crazy? Oh, yeah.
Don Legreca
I. I don't. I didn't know there were people who listened.
Alan Hahn
Oh, man, this is back in the day when you had to put the cassette in and like it was a pain in the ass to fast forward. So you just listen to.
Don Legreca
Well, y. You have a couple songs on it now you're listening to the whole thing.
Alan Hahn
You're just going, right. And for me, this. This has. If you know it well, this has really good, like low key good songs. On it. Working hours, A fantastic song. You're broken leading into head over heels. Phenomenal. So, Marco hanging out with you, Don.
Don Legreca
Yeah.
Peter Rosenberg
Unfortunately.
Alan Hahn
What do you mean, unfortunately? What's that all about?
Peter Rosenberg
Well, he's. He's being loud.
Alan Hahn
Well, that's. We love kids that are loud. We're loud.
Peter Rosenberg
I'm being paid to be loud. I know that. That definitely came out. That came out poorly, would you say?
Don Legreca
I'm gonna say something here. That's. This. This could. This could create a hubbub. This could create a problem. But I'm just gonna say we got to be honest.
Alan Hahn
Do it.
Don Legreca
Was there anything worse in the history of the K show than our attempt to do segments with children?
Peter Rosenberg
No, it wasn't very. It was.
Don Legreca
Well, was there, Don? Was there one that didn't fall completely on its face?
Peter Rosenberg
Well, because the. The problem is.
Alan Hahn
Well, you want tv, though, so at least you saw a cute face.
Don Legreca
Right. From the TV part, you @ least got that.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, because the problem of the technology from working from home is that you're not. You don't have multiple headsets, so. But none of us. As great as we are at radio, no one ever figured out, don't talk to the kids. They can't hear you.
Alan Hahn
Yeah, but.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, we'd all go, hey, Marco, how's it going? Nothing. Then we'd have to repeat what you said to the kid.
Don Legreca
Well, no, no, Don. And then half the time, that part worked fine. That would be the moment. And this is not just picking on one child. This is all four of the children previous. Well, we'll see if Maya does better. Every one of them who had been previously interested in talking when they got on the mic had nothing they wanted.
Peter Rosenberg
I. This is just so. So Don idvr'd the end of. Of Winnipeg, San Jose last night.
Alan Hahn
It was a great game.
Peter Rosenberg
It was great.
Alan Hahn
Of course, you.
Peter Rosenberg
But the reason I DVR dream about it, because Randy Han and Drew Amanda were announcing the game for San Jose.
Don Legreca
All right?
Peter Rosenberg
They are the announcers in the NHL 2009 video game that Marco's been playing. So I wanted him to see it this morning to hear that. All right? And right now, if we're off the air, Marco will explain in great detail Mark Scheifele's goal that won the game. If I put him on the air now to do it, nothing.
Alan Hahn
Crickets.
Peter Rosenberg
And that's what Peter's talking about.
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
Don Legreca
I think it happens so much to us. Oh, it happened all the time.
Alan Hahn
Yeah. That probably is true. 800 now a 9, 3, 7, 7. It doesn't mean we don't like to hear from Marco though. So if he does have something to say and he doesn't realize he's having.
Peter Rosenberg
To say Marco about the Sharks went with Peg Jet game last night. No, he just said no. See, that's why I love you. No, you got to know your limitations, right?
Alan Hahn
All right, well, let's. Let's know our audience and take some calls. Isaac, in the car. Start us off. Isaac.
Isaac
Hey, die guys. Peter, congratulations on the baby. I'm a girl dad. And Don, I'm also a twin dad.
Don Legreca
Oh, really? Wow.
Isaac
So, yeah, three girls. Two eight year old twin girls. So.
Alan Hahn
So we have, we also have something in common, Isaac. We have three girls, you and I. Oh, nice.
Don Legreca
There you go.
Alan Hahn
So you have something to come with all three of us.
Isaac
That's awesome. Now I'm going to try to call even more. So I wanted to bring up, you know, Don, you said, where would, where would Saquon bring you? My argument is that Saquon brings you to the Super Bowl.
Peter Rosenberg
No, we wouldn't bring the Giants to the Super Bowl.
Isaac
No, no, he wasn't bringing the Giants to the super bowl, but he's making the Giants maybe a fringe playoff team. And I think that what makes it even harder is that he left and we got nothing for him. Like, it's one thing if they had signed him and decided, you know what, we need to rebuild, let's trade him, get assets. He let. This guy is the face of the. He was the face of the Giants and he's, he's now the face of the Eagles. He's just an all. Everything you see on him, social media, everything, he's just like, you can't hate the guy.
Peter Rosenberg
Great. Understood. But we had him for six years. Six years. And what happened?
Isaac
I mean, he was a big reason they went to the playoffs. I would say he's more of the reason Daniel Jones was the reason they went.
Peter Rosenberg
Right.
Isaac
And they were not successful with him. I'm not saying he was going to bring the Giants to the playoffs, but if you have him and Malik neighbors, you don't think they win more games than maybe our fringe playoff team?
Peter Rosenberg
No, not this year. No. Not with no offensive line. They're good. Here's the answer. He ended up being. Maybe. But Shane's going to say, well, I wanted to bring in Burns and Ed's pass rusher. I wanted to sign two offensive linemen and I don't know if I'd be able to do that if I committed long term. To Saquon Barkley. I mean, guys, we had him for six years. That what happened in Philadelphia was not going to happen here. Do you think if Saquon stayed with the Giants this year they'd be a fringe playoff team?
Alan Hahn
Not this year. But it doesn't mean that as you rebuild with him, you're gonna still have high draft.
Peter Rosenberg
So, so, so wait a minute now. So again, I hate this, Peter, because then it's like I'm bashing Saquon Barkley, which I'm not. I love the guy. But now you're talking about going long term beyond the age of 28 for running backs, which usually is a death sentence for in the NFL. And on top of that, a guy that had been hurt. Listen, it's not going to age great in Philadelphia for the Eagles. They're probably going to be. There's going to be a point during the contract, maybe even this year coming up where they're going to be like, God, I can't believe we're paying them this much money. But doesn't matter. They want a Super bowl. But that wasn't going to happen with the Giants. So now you're going to have this running back, 29, 30, getting hurt, not really being able to produce, and now you're sitting there as like a six win team for the foreseeable future. So you're talking about this year. They wouldn't have been free. So what's next year going to be for the Giants? Maybe with a rookie quarterback. Now I got Saquon Barkley, all right, so we don't win that year. So now we get into the third year of the extension and now he's 30. Where are we going?
Alan Hahn
It's. Hey, look, your point is definitely understandable when you consider the fact that the Carolina Panthers did the same thing. Christian McCaffrey is a generational talent and he was with Carolina, but he also got hurt a lot and he had a big contract and Carolina realized we're not in a place to have something like this on our roster and they traded him to a team that took that, that he helped them get to the Super Bowl. They didn't win it, but he helped them get there. So it's the same story. I get it. But I don't know. I don't really want to align myself with the success rate of the Carolina Panthers if I'm the New York Giants.
Peter Rosenberg
No, but it's. This all goes back and it's not even their fault it goes back. Shouldn't have drafted a guy in the first place. Well, because you don't draft people that you're not willing to pay and you don't pay running backs and you don't pay safeties. That's why Jamal Adams was a bad pick. That's why Saquon was a bad pick. Not that they were bad players, there were great players. But if you're not going to pay them, then why are you drafting that high?
Alan Hahn
Right?
Peter Rosenberg
So then it just creates a whole thing that I said at the time and I got killed for it doesn't matter how good he's going to be. You don't draft running backs that high. You don't give long term contracts to running backs. You don't pay a lot of money to running backs. That's just the way it works.
Alan Hahn
It work out with Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys not well. Understand. I understand the point you're making. Completely understand it. I am not taking it from that point. I was taking it from. Why I did the whole Joe Shane thing from before is because here's somebody that's talking about mistakes of the past and you are now still entrusting him with a huge decision for the future.
Peter Rosenberg
That's why I feel like I'm defending a guy that I wanted out at the end of the season, but they decided to keep them. So what do I do? Root for them to lose this year and that way they finally make a change. Okay, I'm willing to do that. Not if I'm going to have to now draft a quarterback or Give Matthew Stafford $50 million a year only to have to change the general manager and the head coach next year. I don't want to have to be in that. It's a vicious cycle now. Now I'm forced to try to root for these guys and hope they're going.
Alan Hahn
To figure it out and more than likely it's going to end up this way. Right? Like, it's very unlikely that you're going to have such a great draft. And unless they convince Matthew Stafford to take their money and be their starting quarterback and he gets into the. Like you said, the seven wins that some people think is useless and you think is critical. If you're them, it's critical because if they can't get to at least showing improvement and okay, you're functioning like a good franchise. You just, you're losing games because of a lack of talent, not because you're a bumbling idiot. Like, that's the only way to save your job at this point. Otherwise, Don, what's really gonna happen they're gonna be bad again, and you're gonna have every reason to say, we got a clean house. You don't want to be in that place that's a perpetual treadmill of mediocrity. And that's. That's an awful place to be as a franchise. This episode is brought to you by Nerds Gummy Clusters. The sweet treat that always elevates the vibe with a sweet gummy surrounded with tangy, crunchy nerds. Every bite of Nerds Gummy Clusters brings you a whole new world of flavor. Whether it's game night, on the way to a concert, or kicking back with your crew, unleash your senses with Nerds Gummy Clusters. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
Don Legreca
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
Alan Hahn
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. So, Don, this is broken. This is a B side on Songs from the Big Chair.
Don Legreca
Deep cut tier for Tears for Fears.
Alan Hahn
Nice is good bass. Come on. This is good. Can't all just be like heavy metal smashing your head sometimes a little.
Peter Rosenberg
It's good. It's got a nice groove to it.
Alan Hahn
It's good.
Peter Rosenberg
I don't remember it from back in the day.
Alan Hahn
No, no, you wouldn't. This. This was never. This never got airplay. It's only a two minute long song, but it's good. Like I said, I. I don't know. Again, there's very few, Few. No Skip albums ever. This is one of them for me. I'm not saying it's for everybody.
Don Legreca
It is for me. By the way, Don, I don't know if you notice this. Allen's taste in music is about as random as it comes.
Alan Hahn
Very, very random.
Don Legreca
The stuff that he's passionate about is. Is like. I know, Don, that you say I have like a. Sometimes a surprising palette, but like, it's not really random. You can really kind of point to a few places and go, okay, Allen's is random. You never know where you're going next.
Alan Hahn
It's true. Absolutely true. I. I admit that because I will. It's mood, it's everything else, right? But there's certain things. There's certain I like better than others.
Peter Rosenberg
What album was Mad World on?
Alan Hahn
The first one. That was a dark album. Their first one. Well, what was it called?
Don Legreca
The Hurting, because that sounds dark.
Peter Rosenberg
There's a cover by Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules. Yes, that's on Donnie Darko. That is amazing.
Alan Hahn
I think I know the one you're talking about.
Peter Rosenberg
No pun intended from Donnie Darko, but it's like a darker version of a song that is very, very dark to begin with.
Alan Hahn
Yes.
Peter Rosenberg
Never thought I'd be talking about Tears for Fears on the show, and I love it that much. Honestly.
Alan Hahn
I like. It's just the way it is. I. I don't know why. There's just certain things that affect. I've told you this. I think I told you this, Peter, and you kind of laughed at it there. I think music is an emotion, and it doesn't have to always be the same type of music. And it just. Whatever hits me, hits me. Whatever catches my attention, catches my attention. And this is definitely one album that got me. I love this album. So it's like. You don't really like you too, right, Peter? Not a big YouTube.
Don Legreca
No. Not a YouTube guy.
Alan Hahn
No.
Don Legreca
Dis. Just don't get it.
Alan Hahn
Yeah, I get it.
Peter Rosenberg
I respect them. I'm just not. Not my.
Alan Hahn
I understand. Right. But, like, there's, like. Like, Unforgettable Fire. Is it. No Skips album for me. So it's.
Peter Rosenberg
Right.
Alan Hahn
It's all. It's all over the map.
Peter Rosenberg
I. I have mentioned. I. It's gonna. It's gonna Slayer Rain and Blood start.
Don Legreca
There you go.
Peter Rosenberg
All right. Rage against the Machines, first album, start to finish.
Alan Hahn
Mm.
Peter Rosenberg
But you know the boxer from Simon and Garfunkel, like, sure. There are albums like no Control by Eddie Money.
Alan Hahn
That's good.
Peter Rosenberg
That's a no Skip album.
Don Legreca
Money has a no Skip out.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. 1982. Check it out.
Alan Hahn
That's saying a lot.
Peter Rosenberg
Shaking.
Alan Hahn
That was a good song.
Peter Rosenberg
I told you that. Eddie Money once grabbed Nancy and dragged her across the table.
Alan Hahn
Excuse me.
Peter Rosenberg
Yes.
Alan Hahn
What?
Peter Rosenberg
He used to come on NHL Live all the time. Any money. He was a big hockey fan, and he was from Long island, and he'd come in studio and we became friendly. So I took Nancy to see him live at a concert, and he had a meet and greet after. And I came by and, hey, Don, how you doing? I said, this is my wife, Nancy. You have beautiful hair. Grabbed her hand, and next thing I know, her legs are kicking up in the air as she's being dragged across the table. One of the highlights of her life, really? Because she loved Eddie Money.
Alan Hahn
That's tremendous.
Don Legreca
You guys are. You guys are a match made love, that story.
Peter Rosenberg
You don't like Eddie Money? He's not.
Don Legreca
I don't. I've never met a person who had anything to say about Eddie Money except Mony. Mony. Or. Or. Take me home tonight.
Alan Hahn
Take Me Home Tonight.
Don Legreca
Tickets to paradise or Two Tickets to Paradise.
Alan Hahn
That's a good one.
Don Legreca
Like the singles, I. Obviously the singles are. Are big. But I never met someone who's like, oh, yeah, I'm a big Eddie money guy.
Alan Hahn
Never.
Don Legreca
I didn't know when I said that.
Peter Rosenberg
It was also just. He was a great guy to hang out and talk with and stuff, you know.
Alan Hahn
But a no Skips album. That, that's. That. That one did not expect that.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, check it out for you.
Alan Hahn
Like. Like, yeah, it is, though. How. I mean, Purple Rain, the soundtrack. That's a no.
Peter Rosenberg
That is awesome.
Alan Hahn
That's a no skip right now. Thriller, Peter Thriller. That's a Skip album.
Don Legreca
Sorry, no, I've heard this. I've heard this argument.
Alan Hahn
I know you have, but that's a skip. There's no way you're staying on the Paul McCartney song. No chance.
Don Legreca
Yeah, I mean, I listen, I do enjoy Girl Is Mine, but I understand why people don't. I do.
Alan Hahn
Horrifying.
Peter Rosenberg
That's an acquired taste. But it was.
Alan Hahn
McCartney took the better. The better duet song that they made. They made two of them. He got the better one.
Don Legreca
Say, say, say, say, say.
Alan Hahn
It's way better.
Don Legreca
But I. I'm telling you, I personally don't consider the Girl Is Mine a skip. Even if I. Even if I consider it the worst song on the album.
Alan Hahn
Even the placement of it, it's just wrong place on the album for that.
Don Legreca
I hear that.
Peter Rosenberg
Gosh darn. That's not right.
Alan Hahn
He does say the gosh darn. Girl is my.
Don Legreca
And the doggone.
Peter Rosenberg
Come on, drop a gd, Michael. Let's go.
Alan Hahn
The Girl Is Mine. Horrible.
Don Legreca
I know. Do you see the unbelievable trolling by Rolling Stone the other day? What was that? Oh, I guess, you know, these, these websites get bored and they need to like farm for engagement.
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
Don Legreca
So they put up a post the other day that was. People were eating up and going insane. They said the worst song on a perfect album and what messed up Thriller was Lady In My Life.
Alan Hahn
That's insane.
Don Legreca
An absolutely insane take. Like just literally, just.
Alan Hahn
No, first of all, that's a beautiful song. Beautiful song.
Don Legreca
And the common reply, Alan, from most people was if you want to take a song off, it's Girl is Mine.
Alan Hahn
Yeah. Okay, good. So. All right, so you're. You're not alone. I'm not crazy.
Don Legreca
But yeah, you have to. And when you watch the. When you watch any of the Michael documentaries, there was the really or the Quincy doc, there are a few documentaries that talk about it. That Girl is Mine was the first single because they after off the Wall didn't win album of the year. They were like, we got to come up with a pop smash. Let's call Paul McCartney.
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
Don Legreca
And so they force fed this first single which is really didn't fit the.
Alan Hahn
Rest of the album, not in the least. And it bothered me that it was, I believe it's. Is it track three?
Don Legreca
It's track three and it comes right out of Baby Be Mine, which is.
Alan Hahn
Fire and leads into Thriller, which makes no sense.
Don Legreca
It's a weird spot. It's a weird spot. You could have put it if, if they had tucked it between Human Nature and PYT or after PYT before Lady in My Life.
Alan Hahn
But I love the way that album ends though, Peter. The way it ends is like the gentle, like it's, it just brings you home. Oh yeah, the album ends perfectly. It be.
Don Legreca
Although the argument of off the Wall versus Thriller is a hell of an argument.
Alan Hahn
Yeah, that's a banger that, that'll be a summer show for you and me. No doubt.
Don Legreca
I'm looking forward to it, Max.
Alan Hahn
And Valley Stream has a question for you though, Peter.
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Alan Hahn
Love the show.
Peter Rosenberg
Big fan of all you.
Alan Hahn
Thanks Peter. To me, rock him is the end.
Peter Rosenberg
All be all of you know rap mcs. But where would you put krs1 and.
Alan Hahn
Guru on that list?
Don Legreca
Well, I, I love them all obviously and I love Guru. I wouldn't put Guru in the same stratosphere as Rakim or KRS1. Well, while I have him in a high echelon and deeply respected, obviously Alan brought up recently his love for the great voices. And Alan, you said Rakim has the greatest voice.
Alan Hahn
Greatest voice, absolutely.
Don Legreca
A totally beyond reasonable argument. You know, Guru voice alone is just unbelievable. But in terms of Guru's pure skill and ability to captivate, I don't think Guru is in the same category as Chris.
Alan Hahn
He's in the five star hotel, but I don't know if he's in the penthouse. Right? Yeah, yeah, but he's in the five star now. KRS1. The only issue I have, I, I, you know, again, talented. He always yells at me. That's his style. Like I know it is but I mean after a while it's like Chris, can you just like just one time just talk to me in the inside voice?
Don Legreca
KRS style is a little yelly. But here's, but here's the, the thing. But KRS makes up so many. Any deficiency you think KRS has, he's the greatest live performer of all time. Like you could put him in a room of 10,000 or 10 and he's going to do the exact same incredible show. He's so captivating on a microphone.
Alan Hahn
Not. Not saying he's number one. Okay, I lied exactly.
Don Legreca
He's 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, if you will.
Alan Hahn
Thank you. Thank you. You.
Don Legreca
God bless.
Alan Hahn
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.
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Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg - Hour 3: What Could Have Been
Release Date: February 25, 2025
In "Hour 3: What Could Have Been," hosts Alan Hahn, Don La Greca, and Peter Rosenberg delve into the tumultuous decisions surrounding the New York Giants' management, focusing on quarterback selections, contract negotiations, and the broader implications for the franchise's future.
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"Hour 3: What Could Have Been" offers a critical examination of the New York Giants' recent management decisions, particularly revolving around key players like Aaron Rodgers and Saquon Barkley. Through insightful discussions and pointed critiques, Don, Hahn, and Rosenberg shed light on the systemic issues plaguing the franchise and ponder the potential pathways to redemption. The episode serves as a compelling analysis for fans and sports enthusiasts keen on understanding the intricacies of team management and its impact on performance.
Notable Quotes Recap:
For those who haven't tuned into this episode, "What Could Have Been" provides a thorough and engaging exploration of the New York Giants' strategic missteps and the broader implications for the team's future. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual observer, the insights shared by Don, Hahn, and Rosenberg offer valuable perspectives on the complexities of professional sports management.