Hour 3: Yankees v Umps & Football Picks

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 3: Yankees v Umps & Football Picks

Date: September 4, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Podcast: ESPN New York

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Episode Overview

This lively third hour centers on the Yankees' tough loss to the Astros, controversial umpiring, fan reactions, and the complexities of football fandom in New York. The trio unpacks the Yankees' season optics, the impact of subpar officiating, and why conspiracy theories about umpires’ biases run rampant. The crew also debates their NFL picks segment structure and how live football experiences stack up against watching at home. The tone is passionate, sarcastic, and full of authentic New York sports banter.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Yankees’ Loss to Astros & Optics of the Season ([00:43]–[03:48])

• Yankees drop a crucial game to the Astros, with the bullpen surrendering a lead.
• Rosenberg notes the optics: "You can't start the gauntlet and drop two out of three to Houston." ([01:08])
• Concern extends to the division race with Toronto gaining ground on a Yankees off-night.
• Don Hahn highlights the exasperation unique to Yankee fans:

  "It's the reason why a Yankees fan sounds like a raving lunatic... You can still play great for like five or six games, and then you get a game like this, that little reminder of, oh yeah, we can still do stupid things." ([02:14])

2. Managerial & Bullpen Decisions ([02:14]–[03:48])

• Criticism over Stanton staying in the game and poor bullpen utilization.

• Don calls out the pattern of questionable choices:

  "Stanton staying in the game... he was a magnet for the ball... And he couldn't field the saving, and it turned the momentum." ([02:58])

• Lighthearted banter about unreliable relievers:

  Rosenberg: "You're giving me suicide or Helsley? Either way. What? I got to take a pill." ([03:57])

3. Umpiring Controversy & the Brian Walsh Debate ([03:48]–[10:14])

• Brian Walsh's inconsistent strike zone sparks outrage; his social media history (Red Sox/Dodgers fan) fans the flames.
• Rosenberg firmly rejects conspiracy theories:

  "Do you really think a guy that worked his tail off to become an umpire at the highest level... is going to throw all that away for calling ball strikes in a regular season game against the Yankees to help his Red Sox get to the playoffs?" ([05:10]) "Maybe the answer is just he's bad at his job. He's not a good umpire, and he's probably gonna lose his job because of it." ([06:23])

• Don suggests Yankees’ combative reputation impacts umpire decisions:

  "When you start to become that team that gets that reputation, umpires are already waiting for it... Screw you. I'm not giving you the benefit of the doubt." ([10:06])

• The team calls for maturity among fans and less whining from the dugout.

4. Callers: Bias, Reputation, and Accountability ([11:49]–[15:56])

• Callers spark debate about umpires needing thicker skin vs. teams antagonizing them.
• Don raises the issue of animated umpires:

  "What I don't like is I do this all the time with NBA refs as well. I don't like when I see an official almost waiting for the moment I can throw you out." ([09:04])

• All agree: officials should "run cold," not with visible emotion (as David Cone said).

5. The Yankees’ Hunger Directed at Umpires, Not Opponents ([15:56]–[16:18])

• Peter quips:

  "I wish this Yankees team had as much passion towards beefing with opposing teams and players as they do about umpires." ([15:56])

• They note that antagonizing umpires, who control close calls, is especially self-defeating.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On umpire bias myths:
  Rosenberg:

  “Guys, grow up... Would you throw your career away for your team if you worked your tail off to be a police officer... be willing to throw all that away to help your team win a game?” ([05:17–06:18])

• On Yankees’ constant complaining:
  Don:

  “That dugout is always on the case of the home plate umpire... When you start to become that team that gets that reputation, umpires are already waiting for it... After a while, you know what happens? Screw you. I’m not giving you the benefit of the doubt.” ([10:06])

• Call-in on bias:
  Caller:

  “If he was a Yankee fan and it happened to the Red Sox, they’d be making something of it too.” ([12:01])

• Peter on Yankees’ misplaced aggression:

  "They don't seem to bring the passion consistently towards everyone else, but you really see them throw a feel about [the umpires]." ([16:10])

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Yankees Loss & Season Outlook: 00:43–03:48
• Bullpen Woes & Manager Decisions: 02:14–03:48
• Umpiring Controversy & Fan Bias: 03:48–10:14
• Team Reputation & Human Element of Umpiring: 10:14–15:56
• Fan Passion Misplaced & Umps as ‘Enemies’: 15:56–16:18

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Football Fandom, NFL Picks, and Show Competition

1. NFL Reflections & Fandom Pain ([17:20]–[21:29])

• Listener Chris from Wanta shares suffering as a young Jets fan, missing out on historical highs but carrying scars from lows.
• Good-natured debate on what constitutes a "real" fan—if you come to New York later in life, can you ever truly feel the decades-long pain? ([19:53])
• Rosenberg:

  “If he was a Patriot fan and gave up on the Patriots to be a Jet fan, he’d be a fraud. [But] He was more of a baseball guy, but again claimed the Mets when he got here.” ([20:28])

2. Conspiracy vs. Money Motivation in Officiating ([21:33]–[22:43])

• Caller asks: What about Tim Donaghy?
• Rosenberg and Don clarify that money (not childhood fandom) motivates rare corrupt refereeing.
• Rosenberg:

  “Money changes things, man... but money makes people do weird things.” ([21:50–22:16])

3. NFL Picks Segment Structure—Three-Point System vs. Cover 5 ([24:57]–[33:36])

• Discussion over how to run their football picks: traditional “3-2-1” scoring vs. the Cover 5 app, which involves making five picks against the spread per week.
• Internal debate on fairness, simplicity, and whether the public should have a say.
• Peter:

  "When you start getting up to five games, it's just hard. Three for three is a real thing." ([29:20])

• Consensus to keep the three-point system for show competition, use Cover 5 for audience participation.

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Mets Pitching Update

• Mets’ Senga situation: He’s being asked to go to the minors to work on mechanics; whether he accepts might affect his future with the team.
• Rosenberg:

  "You refusing to go to the minor leagues is you saying you're refusing to get better. And how can I work with that?" ([40:36])

• Don points out Senga's perspective and work ethic.

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Fans, Stadium Culture & Watching Live vs. At Home ([47:02]–[50:58])

• Caller Ira brings up Jets stadium policies, cheaper beer pregame to get fans inside.
• Don explains it's about generating energy and getting butts in seats before kickoff.
• Rosenberg laments:

  "Football is just the worst live experience. When you compare live to home... biggest gap to me is football." ([50:30])

• Don concedes only the best seats make the live game worth it for most.

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Final Thoughts

• The episode showcases the never-ending cycle of New York sports pain, scrutiny toward umpires and officials, and a skeptical but hopeful take on the Yankees’ and Mets’ outlooks.
• Also notable: The show’s running self-awareness of the emotional rollercoaster their own football picks segment entails.

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For listeners who missed the action:
Expect a candid, funny, and unapologetically New York deep-dive into Yankees frustration, umpire drama, the quirks of football picks, and the joys and pains of being a sports fan in the Big Apple.

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Transcript

[Don Hahn]

When did making plans get this complicated? It's time to streamline with WhatsApp, the secure messaging app that brings the whole group together. Use polls to settle dinner plans. Send event invites and pin messages so no one forgets mom 60th and never miss a meme or milestone. All protected with end to end encryption. It's time for WhatsApp message privately with everyone. Learn [e-mail] this is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Rosenberg]

5:00 clock at the big city. Don Han in Rosenberg. Take you up until 7 o'.

[Caller/Listener]

Clock.

[Rosenberg]

Then it's Dan Grasse having some fun as the NFL season starts tonight in Philly between the Eagles and the Cowboys. We did a lot of football. I wanted to get to the baseball stuff. Oh, I'm not going to sit there and recap a game that was played almost 24 hours ago. But the Yankees lost in Houston to the Astros and the bullpen wasn't great and a 44 game became an 84 game.

[Don Hahn]

Tonight's must win.

[Rosenberg]

Well now if you. Because from your narrative of, of optics, you know you can't start the gauntlet, as they call it, and drop two out of three to Houston.

[Don Hahn]

Although, no, no, by your math, these are the games you're supposed to lose.

[Rosenberg]

But I said from the optics standpoint. Yeah, but then you get to, hey, you dropped two out of three to Toronto. Forget optics, now you're starting. The chance to win this division begins to slip away. You only got 21 games left in the season. You only got three games left with Toronto. Yeah, by the way, Toronto was down 5 nothing to Cincinnati, eventually won like a football score. So you lost the game to Toronto already. So we'll see what happens tonight. I believe I gotta just double check. I believe the Blue Jays, Red Sox lost, so you gained. Yeah. So both teams are off. Red Sox are off too. So the Yankees are playing so they can get a half game with. They can win. But from an optic standpoint, you don't want to drop two out of three and then. Well, you don't want to do it this way. Well, if you want to go 8 and 4, well then you would only allow your two more losses the rest of the way when you still have to play three against Toronto. That's why you got to win today against Detroit.

[Don Hahn]

That's why you got to win today. But this was more about it goes back to what I Said is what does it look like? And it's just these are. These are the losses. It's the reason why a Yankees fan sounds like a raving lunatic. Because from the outside you go, what's the matter with you? Guys are still on pace to win 90. What are you talking about? And you don't understand. You're getting games like this almost routinely within a. Like, you could still play great for like five or six games. And then you get a game like this, that little reminder of, oh, yeah, we can still do stupid things. And that's what this game was. Stanton staying in the game when they were up 41 didn't make sense, leaving him in the game to play in the outfield. He was a magnet for the ball.

[Rosenberg]

I know, but, but magnet.

[Don Hahn]

And he couldn't feel the saving, and it turned the momentum.

[Rosenberg]

They don't want to lose his bat.

[Don Hahn]

You're up four to one.

[Rosenberg]

Well, you could have used some extra.

[Don Hahn]

Runs right on the road. There's a lot of questions about what happened in this game, but four to one in the top of the sixth, I told you last two nights ago, I felt really good about that game like this. This is good because the Astros look like they were the bumbling team. Four to one in the top of the six, I'm feeling even better. But I don't love the fact that Will Warren, the first sign of trouble, they rip him out of the game. They go to a bullpen that we know we can't trust, and then on top of it, while you want to blame the home plate umpire, and I know you're going to get into that, and I'm with you on it, but Devin Williams. I'm going to give you Ryan Helsley and Devin Williams for one inning to save your life. Don. The third choice is a cyanide pill.

[Rosenberg]

What are you doing? I'm still taking Williams because.

[Don Hahn]

Are you crazy?

[Rosenberg]

You're giving me suicide or Helsey? Either way. What? I got to take a pill.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I would take the pill.

[Rosenberg]

I mean, you're not going to make a lot of choices.

[Don Hahn]

Just go quick. I don't want to watch it.

[Peter]

What about. What about Devin Williams?

[Don Hahn]

High, high, high, high leverage situations, his numbers. Awful, awful.

[Peter]

What would you. What would you rather do, Devin Williams or some. Someone else, but start with the bases loaded because he's basically. You can guarantee two walks at a base hit. It's, it's, It's a lot.

[Don Hahn]

100%.

[Peter]

You know, he's walking two people.

[Rosenberg]

It doesn't get to the point with the Mets and the Yankees, and Michael brought this up, and I thought it was a valid one. These are two teams trying to compete for a championship and their bullpens. And you know you're going to be itching to get the starter out come post season time, and you're going to ask in this. These Bullpens to get 12, 15 outs, possibly. It's going to be really tough. But I wanted to get to the Brian Walsh. His strike zone was awful. All right. And they can't get to the electronic strike zone quick enough. All right. But the whole narrative, because somebody found pictures of him on Facebook at Fenway park wearing a red sock T shirt, professing his love for the Dodgers and the Red Sox on Facebook from God knows how long ago, is the reason why he called strikes against the Yankees.

[Don Hahn]

That's dumb.

[Rosenberg]

Guys, grow up.

[Don Hahn]

Now. You cannot game.

[Rosenberg]

Does he stink as an umpire? Yes. That's on the table. I'm not defending his ability to do it right. But fans got to realize something, all right, Is that you as a fan can have that opinion because you made your choices in life to do something other than sports in your career. So you became a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a plumber, a police officer, fireman, whatever. God bless and God bless your decisions. And those are things that are really important, admirable jobs. More important than what I do? For sure. So you can think about the bias of you growing up a fan of a team and that you're going to apply that bias to what you do for a living. Do you really think a guy that worked his tail off to become an umpire at the highest level that baseball offers is going to throw all that away for calling ball strikes in a regular season game against the Yankees to help his Red Sox get to the playoffs?

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Rosenberg]

You think that's remotely possible?

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Rosenberg]

That he is going to let his fandom. Because listen, we all. You don't become an umpire in baseball unless you're a baseball fan. You're not a baseball fan unless you have a team. So he had a team, but he decided to become an umpire. Is he gonna throw it all away to help the Red Sox get into the postseason after all the work he did to get at that level? Maybe the answer is just he's bad at his job. He's not a good umpire, and he's probably gonna lose his job because of it. So that's the reason. So I'm not telling you not to complain about the strike zone, but to actually think that he had an ulterior motive last night because he grew up a Red Sox. Come on, guys, really. Would you throw your career away for your team if you worked your tail off to be a police officer and you went through the academy and you went through everything you had to be to become a detective and become at the highest level that you've come as a police officer or a fireman or. Or a cop or a doctor or a lawyer, would you be willing to throw all that away to help your team win a game or because you just.

[Peter]

Not even that you just have some sort of.

[Rosenberg]

Cause.

[Peter]

In this case, it's Houston. Right? He's a Red Sox fan. So you just hate the Yankees that much that you.

[Rosenberg]

Even the Red Sox aren't involved, but the Yankees and Red Sox are battling for position, so it kind of makes sense.

[Peter]

He's getting specifically into the Pettit race.

[Rosenberg]

So what you're saying is, do you think it's on the table that. That if you worked your tail off to be a doctor, that it'd be okay to write illegal scripts for Wade Boggs because you're a big Red Sox? Come on, guys. The answer is he's not good at his job.

[Don Hahn]

There's another answer. There's another perspective.

[Rosenberg]

And what is that?

[Don Hahn]

I think the Yankees caused this.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, I think I'm with you.

[Don Hahn]

I think there's something I have noticed all season, and Anthony is my witness. He and I were texting this morning, and I mentioned it to him this morning. A theory or a feeling that I had watching that game last night and seeing, again, Boone getting tossed, Williams getting tossed, which, by the way, tossing a pitcher who's already been taken out of the game. What are we doing? He's showing.

[Rosenberg]

He's showing up.

[Don Hahn]

So. But, you know, seeing Jazz at the end of the game, that. That called strike three, where he throws his helmet and he's flipping out because he's saying, that's outside. That's a ball, dude.

[Rosenberg]

That. That's too close. With two strikes in the game on the line.

[Peter]

Sorry, that's too close. That's on you.

[Rosenberg]

You to expand the strike zone with two strikes. Come on. Stop it. Did he think it was a ball or was he fooled? He was fooled on the pitch.

[Don Hahn]

But. But they were already. All of them.

[Rosenberg]

Exactly.

[Don Hahn]

Just completely frustrated. First and foremost, he wasn't having a bad game. He had a bad inning. That's what he had. The home plate umpire. Bad inning. It was terrible.

[Rosenberg]

But he missed apparently 21 calls and 15 of them.

[Don Hahn]

15 Yankees. I understand, but I do think when people. What I don't like is I do this all the time with NBA refs as well. I don't like when I see an official almost waiting for the moment I can throw you out.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

You could see it in them. They want. And what. What he did, what Walsh did was he was watching Devin Williams. Why just turn away? Like if he wants to bark and complain. If he Just turn your back and let him just get. He's leaving the game. There's nothing he can do now. But he was watching. He had rabbit ears, as they say. So that's on. On the umpire. I don't like that behavior. I think it's a problem. I've seen NBA refs who do this where they're almost. They have the itchy trigger figure there. Just say it. Just say it so I can throw you out. I want to throw you out. Right? It's like that scene from New Jack City. I want to shoot you to bad. And you can't say the rest because it's a terrible line, but it's. But it's one of those scenes that.

[Rosenberg]

How did they do you know what? And he should have shot.

[Don Hahn]

So I think the Yankees have become a team that complains way too much. Oh, yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Baboon's been thrown out more than any.

[Don Hahn]

Other manager in baseball, and he does. And now I said this to Anthony this morning, and I said, you know, I want to think this out. And then Michael brought it up on his show. And the minute I heard Michael say it, I'm like, all right, so I'm not crazy. Because all season long, like, damn, Boone, like, enough. You can't complain about every single call. Like they're gonna get some wrong. Let it go. But that dugout, if you. When you hear the field mics, it's not just Boone. That dugout is always on the case of the home plate umpire. And balls and strikes, they complain about it more than anybody. And then on top of it, when there's a lot of stuff happening in the base paths, Jazz will say something. Caballero, they get. He's always got something to say. He's gonna. He's been tossed twice already. A Yankee, and he barely got here a minute ago. No, this is happening too much. And to me, when you start to become that team that gets that reputation, umpires are already waiting for it. They anticipate it. They are human. And so when you're doing it, after a while, you know what happens? Screw you. I'm not giving you the benefit of the doubt. I'm not giving you that call. And I think that's part of the equation of what happened last night. Yankee fans don't want to hear it. But your team is complicit that last night this is not just a rogue umpire who wanted you to lose. This is. Your team does way too much complaining and it's coming back to haunt you because human nature. Now, should the umpire hold it against him? Should it hold the grudge? No, but it is human nature. And to me that's part of the equation is stop whining about it all the time. This happens in the NBA. A team that complains a lot about Randall.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, Randall for sure. He always complained to do have the calls. 1-800-919-3776 Dave and Queen John ESPN New York what's up, Dave?

[Caller/Listener]

You're done. How you doing?

[Rosenberg]

What's up?

[Caller/Listener]

I don't want you on. You have your opinion but on the social media stuff to me matters because like if it was a Red Sox fan, if it was a. If he was a Yankee fan and happened to the Red Sox, they'd be making something of it too. Right.

[Rosenberg]

And I would tell them to grow up.

[Caller/Listener]

Brian Walsh is targeted now like he wanted to. Major League Baseball did a terrible thing in terms.

[Rosenberg]

Of course they did. Oh, because it's a bad optic that they. I don't know why he didn't scrub his social media. I'm just saying, Dave, you know how hard it is to become a manager, become an umpire in Major League Baseball. Like I, that's why I say grow up. I would tell the Red Sox fans the same if he was a Yankee fan. Everybody grows up a fan of a team. But you don't think he's going to shut that off when he gets to the highest level. He's going to throw everything away and embarrass himself. Or is it possible he's just not good at what he does?

[Caller/Listener]

No, it could be a mixture of all that. It could be a mixture of him hating the Yankees with his snarl last night and everything. It could be a mixture of him ineptitude, which is another bad job by MLB hiring their nep. Another.

[Don Hahn]

If I may interrupt.

[Caller/Listener]

Yeah, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Could you? Because I was seeing the same thing you were seeing. The snarl.

[Rosenberg]

Him.

[Don Hahn]

Him looking back like he was looking for a fight and I.

[Caller/Listener]

With a Yankee fan with a Yankee team?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. No, no, I saw the same thing. But then I, but, but could it also be because that dugout won't shut the hell up? That they're riding him all game, and he's got.

[Rosenberg]

They do have a reputation.

[Caller/Listener]

Well, well, riding an umpire is not a new thing. I mean, honestly. I mean, that's kind of like part of. Don't they train them to be. Don't they have to be thicker skin? I mean, don't they have to be.

[Rosenberg]

Here's. Here's what's different, though, and I don't like this. But I think what also comes into play here, Dave, is that you are automatically ejected if you argue balls and strikes. Like so. So that's why it becomes such a thing, is because they don't allow. They have zero tolerance for it. The second you complain about balls and strikes, you probably get graded by Major League Baseball if you don't throw guys out if they complain about balls and strikes. But there was a game, Anthony was telling me there was a game where was worse than this one between the Orioles and the Rays. Right? Was it an Orioles. Rays. Who was it? Orioles? Jays. Right. So two other team in the division and they hated him. And he was throwing guys. He just. Dave, he just might not be good at what he does. Listen, can I. Is it possible that he was motivated by the fact that he grew up a Red Sox fan? How bad a job is that, that you would get to that level? You worked your tail off to get to that level, and you're going to throw it away for that? I just think that he's just not good at what he does. Maybe he has a chip on his shoulder for the Yankees. I agree with that. As Allen said, maybe because they're barking all the time that Boone's been thrown out more than any other manager in Major League Baseball. They're human. They're going to have. They're going to play favorites. But, you know, finding a Facebook post at Hitman Fenway park and say, that's the reason, man. Come on.

[Don Hahn]

And cone said one phrase that I do agree with again. I think this in all sports. He said, officials, umpires, referees, you're supposed to run cold. And he clearly is somebody that runs hot. And we've seen it. There are other. The emotion gets involved, and they're almost looking for the fight. And that's.

[Rosenberg]

I never understood. Listen, I don't want to be called names. I don't want to be yelled at. But an umpire is almost the equivalent of God, he made the call. He can't even change it. I struck you out. Sit down. So when a manager argue, what do you even. Why are you even defending yourself? It's Done. It's over. And I see sometimes these umpires barking as loud as the manager. What are you arguing about? My call's done. It's set in stone. He's out. He's safe. He struck out. What do we argue? Why do you even have to defend yourself? Look away. Walk away. They escalated. There's not a soul on the planet that goes to any game to watch an official or referee or an umpire. So you should shut your damn mouth.

[Peter]

I just wish. I wish this Yankees team had it as much passion towards beefing with opposing teams and players as they do about umpires. They don't seem to bring the passion consistently towards everyone else, but you really see them throw a feel about.

[Don Hahn]

You're right. The only enemies that they make, which is the dumbest thing, are, are the guys calling, are the ones that can actually.

[Peter]

Their hatred of you can impact.

[Don Hahn]

Well, look, when. When you know your bullpen is as delicate as it is and you can't get borderline calls, so you start getting frustrated by it because there's a lot of times that they. Even the batters will walk away and they're mad about a call, and then they show it with the box and the graphic and it's like, yep, you were wrong. I mean, I would say half the time, if not more than half the time. The batter's always wrong. The batter's wrong now.

[Rosenberg]

I don't know, maybe Michael can answer this question if, like, Boone has the yes feed, like, oh, they look.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, he has heard this.

[Rosenberg]

Obviously you don't have the angle where you are. Whether the bull's inside, outside, and you're barking at the umpire.

[Don Hahn]

No, but they go. So the players will go to the iPad, I believe you can go in the back. You can't do it in the dugout, but you can go in the back.

[Rosenberg]

Fine. But I'm saying in real time, when. When you see Boone bark at an umpire because he doesn't get a call, he's got one of the worst angles in the ballpark.

[Don Hahn]

Whether it's a ball or strike. He must be just, again, trying to keep his team up.

[Rosenberg]

I think, yeah, I think there's a lot to that. Let's go to Chris and Wonta. You're on espn.

[Caller/Listener]

Hey, guys, I don't really mean to, like, change the topic real quick, but I'll just change it real quick if. Well be a part of the same topic. If I made it as an NFL ref and I was calling the Jets Super Bowl, I'd say I would. I might. I'M just saying I might.

[Rosenberg]

Wow, then you wouldn't.

[Don Hahn]

So if you had to make like a. Like a go ahead touchdown right on the pass interference.

[Caller/Listener]

I'm saying pass interference. They shove. They shoved. They shoved Garrett very lightly. I'm throwing it.

[Rosenberg]

You wouldn't because. Because if you made the commitment, six figure job.

[Caller/Listener]

I'm going to transition this Don. I'm a transition. This. I'm a transition is why you are not allowed blame Rick for his experience as a Jets fan. Because I'm only 29, so I have even less than Rick and I've suffered more than Rick because when I got into football, I had introduced that Tom Brady was public enemy number one. I've even heard Mike Greeny say Dan Marino is more public enemy number one than Tom Brady. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

[Rosenberg]

What I'm saying is, Chris, for a 43 year old, he should have experienced 96. He should have experienced 98. He didn't. I'm not saying he's not a fan.

[Caller/Listener]

He's from Boston. Like, again, like. And again, I'm a one of you right there, like 96. That. Like Bill Parcells, all that. I didn't get to experience that. I didn't get experience a legendary coach. I didn't get experience like a successful period of jets football. My experience of successful jets football is two years with Rex Ryan. And even then we were being made fun of.

[Rosenberg]

Let me ask you this, let me relate to. Because I think we're on the same page, Chris. But you're 29 years old, right?

[Caller/Listener]

Yeah, I have the longest drought in sports history, you know, when I was younger.

[Rosenberg]

So we're not gonna have a.

[Caller/Listener]

No, no, we are. We are. Don, I just want to. I'll let you go out there. I used to say, you know, as bad as the jets are, we're not the Browns. And for the last seven years, I can't say that. But let's let you go.

[Rosenberg]

I'll let you go. The point I'm saying about Rick. So Chris in Wanta is 29 years old and you suffered tremendously.

[Caller/Listener]

Miserably.

[Rosenberg]

So if there's a men enjoy Super Bowls, let's say you meet somebody who's also a Jet fan and he's 29 years old as well. But he's only been a fan for 10 years. You would. You would go, okay, he didn't.

[Caller/Listener]

He didn't get to experience.

[Rosenberg]

Exactly. That's what I'm saying about Rick. Rick's 43. He didn't experience what a typical 43 year old jet fan would experience. That's why I'm saying he doesn't have the scar tissue of a typical 43 year old jet fan because he hasn't rooted for them as long as the typical. Because he didn't start rooting for him until he was 18. You get what I'm saying, right, Peter?

[Peter]

It's not even a conversation.

[Rosenberg]

But you called him a fraud, which is wrong.

[Peter]

Well, I'm saying if we wanted to get into it, that if he were to claim to be a great fan of any of his New York teams, we could argue frauds on the table because you just didn't grow up here. Like what? He wasn't a sports fan for the.

[Rosenberg]

First two years of his life. But. But he was a hockey player, an athlete. Maybe he just didn't have time to watch football.

[Peter]

That is true. So he was so focused on his.

[Rosenberg]

Own career, was not a Patriot fan, right?

[Don Hahn]

Not that I know.

[Peter]

So.

[Rosenberg]

So if he was a Patriot fan and gave up on the Patriots to be a Jet fan, he'd be a fraud. We never followed football, which is I think on the table. If you're a hockey player, go to that level.

[Don Hahn]

He was, he was more a baseball guy, but again claimed the Mets when he got here.

[Rosenberg]

Was he a Red Sox fan?

[Peter]

Well, that's what I'm saying. We, we really need to talk to.

[Don Hahn]

The level though of sport that he played.

[Peter]

That's what I'm saying.

[Don Hahn]

He wasn't home a lot.

[Peter]

Right. If you're that level athlete, you're probably not that big a fan. Honestly, from what he went, when did Rick start to become like a virtuoso? And he was probably eight.

[Don Hahn]

Like, yeah, he went to prep school. He went. And then he's off to Michigan playing for the national team. He was never really, I respect for.

[Rosenberg]

A guy, honestly, the thing I respect about Rick, he comes to New York and he decides, I'm a Long island guy now. I'm going to root for the Mets and the Jets.

[Peter]

I respect it.

[Rosenberg]

So at the time, the jets were still training in Hofstra even though they were playing their games over at the Meadowlands. And he's had every reason with both of these teams.

[Peter]

Oh, to get bait. Oh, yeah.

[Rosenberg]

And he hasn't. So that's why I give him all the credit in the world for. Because he could have just tapped out at any point and say, you know what? I'm just going to not even bother with football. But he's kept it, he's been passionate about it. You got to respect It. So, Chief, in Maryland, you're on espn New York. What's up, chief?

[Caller/Listener]

Hey, how's it going, fellas? Listen, I just got to say, you mentioned how a referee wouldn't put their, their career in jeopardy by, you know, swinging a game or making calls against a team. Well, what about Tim Donachi in the NBA?

[Rosenberg]

Money changes things, man. I mean, if you got a chance to make tons of money, you can't relate. A guy that's gambling trying to. Has got a. Gambling.

[Don Hahn]

Trying to help his team win. He's gambling.

[Rosenberg]

He's not. He's not throwing his career away to help his childhood team win a game. Listen, I'm not saying it's impossible, but, dude, how stupid would you have to be? Now, Donahue was really. Or Donahue was really stupid.

[Don Hahn]

He got caught up in a lot.

[Rosenberg]

Of things, but money makes people do weird things, man.

[Caller/Listener]

Agreed. Agreed.

[Rosenberg]

And plus, how passionate a Red Sox fan can he be? He's like, well, I also love the Dodgers, so I, I, I, I, I deserve to be an umpire. How about that? Let's all. Let's all hold hands and sing Kumbaya, right?

[Peter]

But that doesn't mean it's. It's the other thing.

[Rosenberg]

Fair, but it is a point, because people have done strange things. But money makes you do strange things, right, Alan? Being in debt to gamblers and they're threatening to cut your knees off, It's a lot different.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. This is not about. I wanted my team to win. My childhood team. Like when you. Again, we're all in this business. We have our favorite teams. But you, when you get to this far, you root for yourself. My success. Not the team. My success. What's best for me. That's. You have to do that in media. Unless it's like you're an umpire.

[Rosenberg]

Maybe it's a whole sports version of the Departed where he was playing by the Red Sox to be an umpire and went through all the training just.

[Don Hahn]

To get the Red Sox back to the World Series.

[Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

Brought to you by State Farm.

[Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

There thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Rosenberg]

Join our Cover 5 contest today and compete against us all season long. Here's how it works. You make five picks against the spread every week. You get points. Depending on how your picks do, you will get the difference. So think about that. Alan, we're going to be doing this when we make our picks on Fridays. We're going to make five picks. So let's say you take the Giants, who are a six and a half point dog. Well the Giants cover Grant, you're great and you'll get the points by how much they cover by. But if the if the Commanders win, cover the six and a half and like win by 13, well then you'll lose those points. Like so you got to pay attention.

[Don Hahn]

If you're bad early, you could be in a hole.

[Rosenberg]

So if you pick a team favored by three points and they win by 10, you'll get the difference of seven points for that pick. So that's where and whoever finished with the most points are going to win our contest. And obviously it works here as well. So Download the free Cover 5 app, go to Join Leagues and enter code DHR25DHR25 and see how you stack up against us all year long. That's the way we're going to be doing our picks and we got to think of a really good Punishment because Peter, we got a guy that's got a tattoo on his arm because he lost a bet to Rick back in the day.

[Don Hahn]

Yep.

[Rosenberg]

During Han and Humpty. And we just. We just came off of a decade of doing football picks where the. Where the loser played patty cake with somebody.

[Peter]

Well, no, it gets a nice haircut.

[Rosenberg]

You know, I want.

[Peter]

What can we.

[Don Hahn]

You guys often had the lamest loser has to do this.

[Rosenberg]

And I was nothing to do with that. I wanted a dunk tank with mayonnaise. I wanted to have my face in front of a pitching machine. I wanted to do something good.

[Don Hahn]

That would have been something.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Peter]

Now, real quick, before we get to the punishment, I'd like to get ahead.

[Anthony]

Of that, by the way, and say we don't do it. That's just me.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Peter]

Probably won't do that.

[Rosenberg]

But I'm just saying the level in which I want the punishment to be. I know we can't do that for legal.

[Anthony]

No, I mean, don't do it at all. Because we try. It's cute.

[Rosenberg]

But I don't think.

[Peter]

Why even bother with that?

[Anthony]

I don't think we're very good at this.

[Don Hahn]

Don't do what at all?

[Anthony]

No, don't do a punishment. Make your picks.

[Don Hahn]

It's fun.

[Anthony]

It's great.

[Caller/Listener]

No.

[Don Hahn]

There has to be a consequence. This is life.

[Peter]

What about just money?

[Don Hahn]

No, that's too easy.

[Rosenberg]

Charity.

[Anthony]

Anybody picking tonight's game, by the way?

[Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Anthony]

Oh, well, we have till seven, so.

[Peter]

Well, hold on. We're getting ahead of ourselves.

[Rosenberg]

That takes the fun out of the. We haven't really discussed 3.3point.

[Peter]

We haven't really discussed what we're doing here and we need to get to that right now. So we're going to be doing our picks through cover five because we're corporate shills. Move it. I'm fine with that. Right. So it's a cool app and you pick five games, but does that mean we're picking five games every week for our picks?

[Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Peter]

Yeah, we want to do that.

[Don Hahn]

We are doing. I don't want to. I don't want to pick.

[Anthony]

What Peter's saying is, do we keep the three point? Two point? One point?

[Peter]

Yeah.

[Anthony]

Like we could still picks on.

[Peter]

We're going to use Cover 5, but we don't have to make that. Our personal ranking system is strictly based on.

[Rosenberg]

Is that true? Yeah. I thought this was almost like.

[Peter]

No, they just all they.

[Rosenberg]

Let's.

[Peter]

Could we just be honest with everyone?

[Rosenberg]

I would like.

[Peter]

What they care about is people going to check out the app and use it. So that's the way we'll promote it and we'll. We'll do our best.

[Rosenberg]

But I think that does it better if we're, if we're. That's the way we're playing it. Right.

[Peter]

Is picking five.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Peter]

Now.

[Rosenberg]

Because then people can really join up.

[Peter]

Now they also do their own system at Cover 5 where the spread that I was, I was doing handling things in facilities. Now you want to go that way though, over points allocation.

[Rosenberg]

Well, because I. We're going to make the COVID 5 work. I think we should be all on board.

[Peter]

So just do it fully the way they do it.

[Rosenberg]

Yes. Anthony, you be the arbiter.

[Peter]

Alan, you like it before you. Dante, you like.

[Rosenberg]

Are you into it?

[Don Hahn]

Because the 3, 2, 1 system just adds more complications to it. It feels like now I'm doing twice the work.

[Anthony]

No, well, what it is the way that Peter, I think explained it to me, which is interesting. Look, if the COVID 5 apps can handle anything and I do less work, I'm all for that.

[Peter]

Sure.

[Anthony]

But if. I'll do what everybody else wants. If you pick your five games but you're not feeling two of them, what Peter's saying is you have your five games. You're not deviating from those five games. But the games that you allocate Your points to 3, 2, 1 are three of those games.

[Peter]

Only because here's the Let me just make one argument. I don't have a strong take case. I'm fine with whatever. I'm really not like passionate about that. But let me just say this, Don. The one thing we always said, and you're big on this, is that the point of the picks are that we're giving our audience picks we actually believe in.

[Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Peter]

When you start getting up to five games.

[Rosenberg]

No, you're right.

[Peter]

No one goes five for five. Like that's three for three is a real thing. Like there are weeks, Don, where you go on a toot for six weeks, where you're going two of three, three of three every single week. When we get up to five, it's just hard.

[Rosenberg]

There is something about the whole three, two, one. Like where if I pick a game on Thursday, I felt it was a moral imperative for me to make it a three point play.

[Peter]

Exactly.

[Rosenberg]

Whereas there was fun to that.

[Peter]

That would be gone. Now it would just be a matter of how right you get your picks.

[Don Hahn]

If you guys want to do it, then we do it.

[Peter]

He's not in. So it's me and you. Don't he's going. He's never done this with us before.

[Don Hahn]

So he's the end of the season.

[Anthony]

We did pick them all during this.

[Peter]

Yeah, we were going to pick them all in the playoffs.

[Don Hahn]

Well because it was. We were running out of games.

[Peter]

Why we.

[Rosenberg]

Well I just. Do you want to. We do our picks. We just can do the COVID five or do you want to have the traditional three, two, one.

[Don Hahn]

So the COVID five has no impact on internal.

[Rosenberg]

We'll do the COVID five but then our Friday picks.

[Don Hahn]

Cover five is for the public.

[Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

The three, the three point stuff is for the internal show competition but it's.

[Rosenberg]

For the public too because listen if somebody's hot you can play those. You can make some money maybe.

[Peter]

Right.

[Anthony]

You'll see them on the COVID And.

[Peter]

By the way we can even when we make our picks go by three point, my two point, my one point. Oh and by the way for the COVID five here are my two other games I like but we're really bricks.

[Rosenberg]

Are going to be three of the five and in cover five.

[Peter]

You see what I'm saying?

[Don Hahn]

I do see what you're saying.

[Peter]

Picking five is just.

[Don Hahn]

I just want to make sure it's not extra work because when I get. When Don and I get to October there's going to be no time for this. Like no time for extra.

[Rosenberg]

Well, I mean I've always a lot of. Not to the extent I have it.

[Don Hahn]

Now be a little different a little different now.

[Rosenberg]

But the picks were. I always looked at the picks as being very special. Now I. There are times I hate them and there are times they absolutely ruin Sunday for me. But there's something to that. That we're doing something that has that kind of emotional seesaw that I kind of like.

[Peter]

Yes.

[Rosenberg]

Like a drug, you know it's bad. I grab it now it's important.

[Anthony]

Peter Allen, this is very important.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Anthony]

Don said he's feeling tonight's game.

[Rosenberg]

I'm feeling it.

[Anthony]

So we now if that's, if that's.

[Peter]

The case we gotta decide.

[Anthony]

We know he's locked in on cover five but is that his three point.

[Don Hahn]

Play 5:30 you have to make your pick. If you are picking tonight's game by by 6:45 do we put up a poll and ask the people if they want the three point thing to continue and if it's majority in the next hour says yes.

[Peter]

Now just so you know the way Cover 5 works and Anthony, stop me when I'm wrong if the commanders are.

[Rosenberg]

Favored by it's the spread thing.

[Don Hahn]

We get the math.

[Peter]

Everyone gets it.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter]

Do we like that as a scoring system for us?

[Rosenberg]

No.

[Don Hahn]

Here's why. It could be devastating.

[Rosenberg]

It could really be devastating. You have a bad week, like you could be 50 points back and now it's not any fun.

[Peter]

That's a great point.

[Anthony]

You're gonna see minus 100.

[Peter]

So by the way, you could then do great the next three weeks. But you're narrowly winning it.

[Don Hahn]

It does not matter.

[Peter]

No, you're right.

[Rosenberg]

We can't.

[Don Hahn]

The fun out of it is a real thing.

[Rosenberg]

So I think we should do our three, two, one. All right. I'm a masochist who just feels like if I like the Thursday game, it has to be a 3.

[Anthony]

Cover 5 will be bragging rights and.

[Rosenberg]

The pixis and hopefully a community a satisfying punishment at next year's beach bash. Something interesting.

[Peter]

But, but, but the COVID 5 will be a thing that everyone go to and follow along with. And we'll give you the five pins. But it's the three, two one is our competition.

[Rosenberg]

Three of them. The five picks are going to be on what we do.

[Anthony]

And so everybody knows those spreads lock in on Thursday.

[Rosenberg]

Cover 5.

[Anthony]

The COVID 5 ones lock in on Thursday. Those are the spreads that we would use, which may be different from what.

[Rosenberg]

People just have to remind because the line could shift between Thursday and Friday. Not much, but you never know. Something like when Parsons gets traded, you know, something like that happens pretty big.

[Peter]

People all of a sudden go, I.

[Rosenberg]

Like the Vikings to win the.

[Peter]

I mean, the Lions win the division. I mean, I like the packers to.

[Rosenberg]

Win the Super Bowl. I have seven to make my decision on whether I'm going to make my pick tonight and whether you're gutless because I'm a masochist. It's a three point play. Now, Alan, you can do what you want if you like tonight. But just be, be sure that if you may, if anybody picks a one or a two point play, you'll be called on a Thursday. I'm going to ridicule you and make fun of you.

[Don Hahn]

I'm aware.

[Rosenberg]

As being gutless.

[Don Hahn]

I'm aware. All right. Yeah. Tonight is not a game to touch.

[Rosenberg]

I'm. I'm massaging. You are all oiling it up.

[Don Hahn]

You are. You're spooning.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, I'm loving it, Steve. In one of my favorite places in the world. Lbi, you're on ESPN New York. What's up, Steve?

[Caller/Listener]

Hey, guys, how you doing? I don't want to be talking about yesterday's news, but I want to make A comment on what you guys were talking about a few hours ago regarding Redskins and.

[Rosenberg]

Oh yeah, we wanted was Colts, Reds.

[Peter]

I got some info too, by the way. Go ahead.

[Caller/Listener]

Yeah, well, just to put it in perspective, I'm a 68 year old giant fan and. But I lived through the mid to late 60s into the 70s and 80s. Obviously the Redskins were a terrible team from the mid-50s until Lombardi became the coach in 69 losing seasons every year. On the other hand, the Colts were an excellent team. They were champions in 58 and 59. And then they were very, very competitive throughout the 60s leading up to the merger in 1970. And then of course, Baltimore moved to the AFC east when they split in became in conferences, but they were never division rivals even when they were both in the NFL. Washington was in the east and Baltimore was in the West. So they never played twice in a season or anything like that. And it really wasn't very competitive. The few times they met Baltimore kind of beat them on a regular basis. So I don't know how the fans were outside, you know, in general, but I could tell you on the field they were really not very competitive with each other.

[Peter]

Well, so that's, that's some good insight. I appreciate that. I did hear back from my friend Jody's dad, the great Dave Rosen, who has been a, who was a fan and lived in that area forever. And he said original, the original cults rivalry was big with Washington. He went to some games at Memorial Stadium. I said, were there Washingtonians who were bandwagon Colts fans when the Colts had united? And he said, I would say yes because we were awful in the 50s through the 70s. Things changed when George Allen became the head coach after Lombardi died of cancer.

[Rosenberg]

Right. Because he, Lombardi got them to a 7 and 7 record, which is like a big accomplishment because I'm looking at some of the records that they had. 1960 or 112 and 1 1. They were awful. Allen got them to the super bowl, that they lost to the dolphins 14 7. And that kind of woke it up. But yeah, they were in the same because they were in the NFL. But he's right. Washington and Baltimore were never in the same division.

[Peter]

Okay. Because I thought that, that we said earlier.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. So it was, it just wasn't a thing. And I don't even know how much of a thing it is now as far as like them being competitive against each other. But that could change if they end up meeting a Super Bowl.

[Peter]

What you mean Baltimore, Washington?

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, Ravens.

[Peter]

There's a thing there. It's just not.

[Rosenberg]

It's.

[Peter]

It's like it just hasn't had its moment. They've had little moments, but like it just hasn't had the thing yet. Whether they play a random preseason game they play in the regular season, every few.

[Rosenberg]

Honestly, Jets Giants are the same way, right, Alan? There's a few. When the jets knocked the giants out in 88, yeah, there were moments, obviously, the cruise cruise. But there hasn't been many. No, no, I don't think they should.

[Don Hahn]

There's not a true animosity. I mean, Rex tried at the Snoopy bowl. That got kind of nasty. But that was more of just a personality thing than it was a true franchise versus franchise thing. I mean, they share a building.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, it is kind of strange. This episode is brought to you by Amazon Sometimes the most painful part of getting sick is the getting better part. Waiting on hold for an appointment, sitting in crowded waiting rooms, standing in line at the pharmacy. That's painful. Amazon One Medical and Amazon Pharmacy remove those painful parts of getting better with things like 24. 7 virtual visits and prescriptions delivered to your door. Thanks to Amazon Pharmacy and Amazon One Medical Healthcare just got less painful The Jack Welch Management Institute at Strayer University helps you go from I know the way to I've arrived with our top 10 ranked online MBA. Gain skills you can learn today and apply tomorrow. Get ready to go from make it happen to Made it happen and keep striving. Visit strayer.edu Jack WelchMBA to learn more. Strayer University is certified to operate in Virginia by Chevin as many campuses, including at 2121 15th Street north in Arlington, Virginia. Gatorade is the number one proven electrolyte blend designed to hydrate better than water so you can lose more sweat and raise your game. Gatorade is it in you?

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Rosenberg]

Don Hahn and Rosenberg hanging out with you until 7 o'.

[Don Hahn]

Clock.

[Rosenberg]

And we mentioned the baseball. With the Yankees Mets off, they lost yesterday. They start a series with Cincinnati but Spro got called up and we knew that was going to happen. But it's going to happen at the expense of Senga who is scheduled to go Sunday. We knew he wasn't going to pitch Sunday. We thought maybe it would be McClain who pitched on Tuesday. But another kid, a third kid is going to be pitching, so it's going to Be Peterson tomorrow, tong Saturday. And now you're going to get sprung on Sunday or sprout on Sunday. And, boy, you're hoping you're sprung. There you go.

[Peter]

No, you want to be sprung for spro.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. And listen, Peter, enter tongue into spro.

[Rosenberg]

There you go.

[Don Hahn]

You might be sprung.

[Rosenberg]

Some people don't like to do that.

[Don Hahn]

So that's what he said.

[Peter]

Right?

[Rosenberg]

Tongue. Keep saying tongue.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

What is it? Tongue.

[Peter]

It's right there, though.

[Rosenberg]

It's. No, it's.

[Don Hahn]

It's not right there.

[Peter]

It's right there.

[Don Hahn]

It's. It's not.

[Peter]

How do you spell it?

[Rosenberg]

T O, N, G. How do you spell tongue? Dude, there's a U in it.

[Peter]

That's right. I get it. Right.

[Don Hahn]

Bottom line is, is that you. You have that, which you hope will be fun, but the scary part is, is you have Senga who has to agree to go to the Miners. They want to send him to the Miners to get him. Right. He has to okay that. He has to agree to it before they can send him. Will he. Now? He. You know, he's going to skip his start. There was some talk of putting him. Having him work out of the bullpen. Like, it's. It's. There's a lot going on right now with him that they're trying to figure out. Because if he doesn't want to go down and work on some things and start, you know, get a couple of minor league starts to just get himself right, his mechanics, whatever it is, they're going to take him out of the rotation and tell him, well, now you become a bullpen guy.

[Peter]

Here's.

[Don Hahn]

That's. That's what's all on the table. That's what Mendoza said. Everything's on the table.

[Rosenberg]

If. If he refuses to go.

[Don Hahn]

Which is.

[Rosenberg]

Which is his, right. Yeah, that I'm trading him during the offseason. Why do I want you? You don't have any. You don't have any desire to get better.

[Don Hahn]

How much is left on his deal? How you trading that?

[Rosenberg]

I don't know, but I don't want him anymore.

[Don Hahn]

How are you trading.

[Peter]

Thank you. Don't say being honest.

[Rosenberg]

I'm just being honest because I'm looking here. You need to get right. You're not. It's not working. We're pulling you out of the rotation. You're not going to be good out of the bullpen. You refusing to go to the minor leagues is you saying you're refusing to get better. And how can I work with that? You're supposed to be the ace of my staff. I'm pulling you from the rotation. Go try to get better. There's not much left of the minor league season either. I understand it's embarrassing, but, you know, it's also embarrassing sending you out there every fifth, sixth day and getting shelled. Is that somebody that you want to work with moving forward? Now, I'm not saying it's easy. I'm not trading for a bag of balls. I'm not going to cut off my nose despite my face. But now I'm gonna have a conversation like, do you want to be here? Do you want to be a part of this future? Because I've got pictures that right now are better than you. We're trying to get you better because we know what you can be. Help us out. Go down. And he may, but if he doesn't, man, he's got. That's a tough optic, buddy.

[Don Hahn]

He's got still two more years after this before you have a way out.

[Rosenberg]

All right, well, you know what? You say that it's impossible to move. There's always some pitching coach out there that's gonna say, I could fix him. Now, I'm not saying anything back, but, you know, do you really want somebody that doesn't want to get better? That is allowing his ego to get well?

[Don Hahn]

From his perspective, he is trying to get better. You heard the translated quotes of him saying, I'm working my tail off. I'm doing whatever I can. I'm trying to get it right. Like he's telling you, I'm doing everything I can.

[Rosenberg]

Then if he's true to his word, then you go down to the minors.

[Don Hahn]

He has to make a decision.

[Rosenberg]

If you're doing everything you can, then that means go down to the minors. Because you can start games. You can work on your mechanics. Going to the bullpen, working at it on the side, not really helping the team because you won't be great out of the bullpen to begin with. It's not helping the team. That means you're not doing everything. You're allowing your ego to get in the way. 1-800-919-3776, Jose in the Bronx. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Jose?

[Caller/Listener]

Hey, what's up, man? In terms of referees and umpires, if Jalen Brunson has a 1 for 18 game, or if Aaron Judge has a bad game, or if they do something outside of their character that affects the image of the team, stand in front of the press. I don't understand why umpires and reps are made to do the same. They're arrogant or they're doing things outside of their scope of their job, which is like David Cohen said, just do your job and don't make it personal. I don't see. And there is a precedent when Derek Jeter hit the home run that really wasn't in 96. That umpire got in front of the. I called that very last out call on a guy was pitching a perfect game for Detroit about. You remember, we're going to.

[Rosenberg]

We're going to let you go because the phone's coming in now, but I think we got the gist of what you're saying.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Totally understandable. It just. Again, one thing that's. That sports leagues won't do is make officials accountable publicly. What we don't know is what they do privately. Finding them, taking games away, that costs them. Again, if you don't see Wall stew his next game, that's a paycheck out of his pocket. Nobody will notice it because we're not paying attention. Right. Oh, I didn't realize he missed a rotation. But that does happen now. You know, you don't have a chance of doing any playoff games because, you know, you got a bad rep. Like, you showed. You know, you got a short fuse. You did this. Then that social media thing we're keeping out of playoffs this year, and he's like, whoa. Like, that's a.

[Rosenberg]

But that's all you can do. Angel Hernandez had a job forever. Everybody was terrible, but the union just wouldn't allow Major League Baseball to do anything about it.

[Don Hahn]

But understand, like, they won't announce this stuff. We just have to be paying attention when they're announcing the umpires for games and say, all right, this guy hasn't gotten a game yet.

[Rosenberg]

Here's. Here's something that tells you what these leagues think about the officiating and the anonymity that they want. If you're old enough to remember the NHL officials had their names on the jersey.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

And the reason they did away with it is because they didn't want. Even though they announced who the officials are, they didn't want to call attention to the official that blew the call. And then you're calling him out. They want to try, even though it's impossible to be anonymous because that you could find out who it is in real time. It just. Let's take. They're not real people. Okay. Let's not humanize them in that sense. If you start allowing them. Where. If you had a pool of reporters to talk to the umpires or officials, after every game, you're making more of a part of it than I think they want them to be.

[Don Hahn]

Now they're part of the show where they have a voice and a personality.

[Rosenberg]

Now, I do think that the accountability in certain moments, like the blown perfect game or, you know, the Jeter play, where I think an umpire might give me the opportunity to explain myself, I like that level of accountability. But if you start making them even more a part of the process, the ego grows. They become more a part that they really don't want you to be. So I kind of understand the logic behind that. Always good to talk to Ira in Staten Island. How are you? I.

[Caller/Listener]

Hey, what's happening, Don? What's happening, boys?

[Rosenberg]

What's up, man?

[Caller/Listener]

So there's nothing much. There's adt injury, you know, major blow. We'll see how they're going to figure this out and hope for the best, especially against a guy like Tomlin and the Steeler defense.

[Don Hahn]

Well, think about it. You're now moving your starting center to right guard. Your backup center that you sign now becomes your starting center. And your depth is heavily compromised because you don't really have a backup guard who's capable. Right. Think about it like. Like you. You said. What is it? Xavier, what's his name is the. The. The third.

[Caller/Listener]

Newman.

[Don Hahn]

Newman. He's the third guard now. And so your depth is really compromised and your run blocking is compromised as well because, you know, every. They were going to run as much as they could behind AVT on the right side. You're not doing that now, or at least you're not getting the best.

[Caller/Listener]

No, not only that, it really slows the process down on Membu, you know, catching up to speed. Because, you know, he'd learn a lot faster with Tucker next to him than Tippman. Next.

[Don Hahn]

Yes. Yeah, the right tackle.

[Caller/Listener]

Yeah, that's a big deal. But you know, another thing. And once again, you know, it's not my age, it's just I got an email from the jets and I get it. I don't drink. And you know, there are a lot of people could drink responsibly, but why in the world would they send out an email advertising come to the party gate? That. That's that Bud Light thing that they have in front of. Well, okay. And they're offering five dollar bill years before the game. Why would you want people tanked up before they get into the stadium and then they got to start drinking?

[Don Hahn]

I know.

[Caller/Listener]

When they're inside.

[Don Hahn]

I know. Why. Because you have. Because right now there really isn't a lot of energy in the team. And what you want, especially with Aaron Rodgers in the building, is to have some just rowdiness energy, something. Because otherwise, I mean, you know, you and I both know that Rogers is going to do what he can to light it up. We know this, right? Of course he's going to. In the first touchdown he throws, you know, he's going to look to the Jet sideline. There's going to be a lot going on there. And I'm telling you, I think if you're the jets, what you don't want is your fans to. You want your fans to be like rowdy and angry. Like, just show me something. Motion something.

[Rosenberg]

Where is the tent?

[Don Hahn]

I, you know, it's a Bud Light thing in the 50 yard line.

[Caller/Listener]

It's like where you. Oh, it's like where you and Greg.

[Rosenberg]

Here's the answer. Here's the answer, Ira. All the jets have always tried to do, they would get Rex to try to do it. Get to the ballpark early. We want the building when they come out.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

And the problem is, is that people like to tailgate. And listen, I did for 16 years. We were in the parking lot, but for most of them, we were inside when MetLife opened up, we were inside those gates. You know what they don't serve inside those gates? Alcohol. They serve it in the building. So you're asking people to enter the building to fold up their tables and their chairs and their beers and go in and now pay the 13 bucks for beers once you go in, they'd rather stay outside till it's time to kick off. And that's why when they kick off, the buildings have empty, of course. So now they're thinking, listen, not only will be able to get people closer to the building at kickoff, we'll be able to make a few bucks off of them. Instead of them drinking out there, they'll pay five bucks. They're gonna get liquored up anyway and you want to matter of just get them in the building quicker, rowdy early.

[Don Hahn]

So there's an atmosphere. Because remember, they need it.

[Rosenberg]

You know what they were doing? We were. I think they did it when we had a couple of years ago when they played the Patriots. We did the whole tailgate thing where they would send fireworks up to let you know, hey.

[Don Hahn]

Yep.

[Rosenberg]

But people don't want to give up the party. But if the party is. You're already through security. Right. They've already seen your tickets. Now I can drink and then Go right to my seat. They're trying to get people in the building early.

[Peter]

It's always such a struggle, too. And you have to admit, like, I'm not really a big fan of lubing people up this way with the booze so early. I'm not. But it looks terrible when on opening day, you see the kickoff on TV and it's empty. It just does not.

[Rosenberg]

And a lot of it isn't. It really isn't, Peter. People not caring or they have to drink. I noticed it that day when we went, all right, I got to get the ticket. People are lined up. They got to go through security. It is a hole. And if it takes 20 minutes, a half hour to get into the building, you know, I don't want to have to do that. I'll wait till everybody's in, and then I'll go in and I'll listen to the start of the game. It's not ideal. A lot of it's just. It's not easy to get into the football.

[Peter]

Let's just. Let's just say it one more time. Football is just the worst live experience. When you compare live to home, right? Like you compare baseball to go to the ballpark versus watching at home. Hockey, basketball, football. The biggest gap to me is football is a big.

[Don Hahn]

Only if you have choice seats.

[Peter]

If you have.

[Don Hahn]

If you're from the 40 to the 40.

[Peter]

No, no.

[Don Hahn]

And you're low, like, give me a suite. Yeah. Give me parking or a suite. Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

It's a lot.

[Peter]

There's a lot of gifts.

[Don Hahn]

God bless the people in the upper deck. 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.

[Anthony]

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