Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — "Hour 1: Beat Your Rivals"

Date: December 5, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Theme: Navigating local football drama as the NY Jets and Giants enter rivalry-matchups, postseason hopes, coaching assessments, and the quest to get “one over” on your rivals. The crew also wrestles with the value of meaningful games in an otherwise lost season and the emotional history of divisional grudges.

Episode Overview

Kicking off a "Football Friday," the first hour is overflowing with classic New York sports radio energy: hot takes about the NFL, personal history with rivalries, discussion of the implications for the Jets’ and Lions’ seasons, and spirited debate about the worth of moral victories. The personalities and histories of the hosts are front and center, offering a unique lens on what it means to be a New York fan when your teams are on the outside looking in.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Recapping the NFL Week and Thursday's Game

• Dallas vs. Detroit Recap
  • Peter Rosenberg laments missing his pick on the Thursday night game, noting how hard it is to predict the NFL this year, highlighting how Dallas failed to cover and the Lions’ resilience.
    • “They got with three. I mean, you do have to finish the game. It is 60 minutes.” (Don, 01:38)
  • The unpredictability of the season and the Lions’ inconsistent performance (“magic carpet ride”) are dissected.
    • “I can't figure out the NFL, man. I can't figure out like Dallas… Detroit that I watch… why are we not considering them as a contender?” (Alan, 02:00)
  • Lions’ inability to secure home field advantage is seen as a critical limitation.
    • “With five losses, they are not going to be able to get home field advantage. And home field advantage, to me, Don, with this Detroit team is a big deal.” (Peter, 02:34)
  • Dan Campbell's reputation debated: Solid at making Detroit relevant, but not yet a proven championship coach—has he hit his ceiling?
    • “At some point he's got to get them there, and he hasn't gotten them there yet.” (Don, 04:28)

2. The Jets' Place in Rivalries and Motivation for the Rest of the Season

• The Emotional Stakes for Fans

  • Alan details his deep-rooted bitterness as a Jets fan toward the Dolphins, referencing the infamous "Mud Bowl" as his first heartbreak.
    • “My first depressing fan experience...the hell with the Dolphins, to hell with Don Shula and all that history.” (Alan, 06:19)
  • Panel agrees emotional or "spoiler" games offer meaning even in a lost season for fans—especially against divisional rivals.
    • “Jet fans, you are playing relevant football. Not relevant for your present, relevant for your future, but also relevant to disrupt other people's presents.” (Don, 07:08)
  • Don and Peter tease Alan for pretending not to hope, but they believe a win over Miami would fire him up.
    • “It's sad to see him talking...he doesn't want to have hope. But if they were to beat the Dolphins...You'd start thinking about it. That's the thing.” (Peter, 08:27)

• Coaching and Future Assessment

  • The importance of seeing if the Jets play hard for their coach—even with no playoffs on the horizon. Is the current coach a motivator and game-prepper?
    • “Do you have a coach that you're playing for?...if your players continue to play hard and win scrappy football games on a team that does not have a quarterback, this is the only good you can hope for.” (Peter, 12:52)

3. Jets Quarterback Future and the Draft

• QB Options for Next Year
  • The hosts and callers debate the wisdom and likelihood of the Jets drafting a QB high next year.
    • “What quarterback are you drafting just because you need a quarterback?...It's not needing paper towels. It's a quarterback.” (Don, 29:40)
  • Rich Cimini’s input: The Jets might punt on drafting a QB until 2027; it’s not a strong class, and trading up is unlikely.
    • “I think they're open to waiting to 27. There's so many variables… it could be a one quarterback draft.” (Rich Cimini, 31:03)
  • Kyler Murray as a bridge: If he's released, he'd be worth signing, but no one would give up assets to trade for him. Peter worries it's just running it back with another “maybe” guy.
    • “It's the same thing…He's slightly better. I think more than slightly better… I'm not trading for him, but if you tell me he gets released...I'll do it.” (Don & Peter, 33:45)

4. Notable Trades and Their Impact

• Discussing the Stafford-Goff trade: a rare win-win, making both teams better suited to their ambitions, reminiscent of rare happy endings in sports trades.
  • “A great top five would be top five best trades that worked for both teams…feels like that Lion Rams deal would be in the top five.” (Don, 35:13)

5. Jets Fans' Historical Trauma

• Multiple callers and hosts reminisce about the pain of being a Jets fan, especially tied to the Dolphins rivalry and the long shadow cast by bad luck and the “Mud Bowl.”
  • "Since that day, it's probably been nothing but heartache for the most part, but that has made me the Dolphin hater for the last almost 40 years…" (Danny, 39:54)
  • Alan details the literal mud-sabotage that cost the Jets an AFC Championship as a core reason for his enduring loathing of Miami.

6. Media Chatter: Ex-QBs in Television Booths

• Mildly amused, mostly indifferent reactions to the announcement that Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston will be TV analysts during their bye week.
  • “I really have zero interest to hear what either of the two of them have to say about football…it's cement.” (Don, 44:09)
  • “I'll take Alan, please. I always take him. I'm more interested in Russell Wilson.” (Peter, 44:29)
  • Commentary on how unpredictable TV fit is and examples of unexpectedly strong or weak analysts.

7. How Will Stafford Be Remembered? (Call-in Debate)

• Lively speculation on Matthew Stafford's legacy: will he ultimately be a Ram or a Lion in sports history?
  • “If he wins another one, it's over, Billy, it's over.” (Peter, 49:29)
  • The hosts compare him to Wade Boggs and Roger Clemens: what does it take for a player to be remembered with a different franchise than where he made his name?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is New York.” (Don, 00:39)
• “I can't figure out the NFL, man. I can't figure out Dallas…why aren't we considering [Detroit] as a contender?” (Alan, 02:00)
• “Jet fans, you are playing relevant football…relevant to disrupt other people's presents.” (Don, 07:08)
• “My first depressing fan experience…the hell with the Dolphins, to hell with Don Shula and all that history.” (Alan, 06:19)
• On Dan Campbell: “He can get talent, he can motivate them, but at some point he's got to get them there, and he hasn't gotten them there yet.” (Don, 04:32)
• On Kyler Murray as a Jet: “I wouldn't trade for him, but if you tell me he gets released by Arizona and I can pick him up for practically nothing, I'm going to do it.” (Don, 33:56)
• On Russell Wilson/Winston as TV analysts: “I really have zero interest to hear what either of the two of them have to say about football…it's cement.” (Don, 44:09)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:51 – Show begins, Football Friday banter & NFL postmortem
• 02:00 – Alan’s struggle to analyze the NFL & Detroit's prospects
• 04:28 – Dan Campbell & coach debate: relevant vs. champion
• 06:19 – Alan’s Jets-Dolphins emotional history and rivalry stakes
• 12:52 – Peter on what matters for Jets fans for the remainder of the season
• 29:40 – Jets' QB path: Draft or veteran bridge?
• 31:03 – Rich Cimini on Jets draft plans (2027 QB discussion)
• 35:13 – Stafford/Goff trade: Best win-win trades
• 39:54 – Callers recount Jets fan suffering & the origins of Miami hatred
• 44:09 – Wilson/Winston as TV analysts, hosts’ reactions
• 49:29 – Is Stafford a Lion or Ram? Legacy debate

Tone & Style

The show retains its signature blend of dry wit, nostalgia, and agony-soaked New York fan skepticism, interleaved with actionable insights on the Jets and Lions’ futures. The hosts rib and riff, mixing authenticity and humor—capturing the "only in New York sports talk" blend perfectly.

This summary captures the heart of the conversation, the critical debates on football Friday, and the cultural undertones of New York sports fandom that drive Don, Hahn, and Rosenberg’s appeal. Great for those who want context, insight, and flavor without the full runtime.