Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – "Giants Future & Another Mets Trade"

Date: December 22, 2025
Podcast Hour 1: Key Summary & Highlights

Episode Overview

This lively episode centers on the dire situation facing both the New York Giants and the New York Mets, with emphasis on the Giants’ dysfunctional leadership, uncertainty about the team's future, and the ongoing teardown of the Mets’ roster. Don La Greca and Alan Hahn drive the discussion (Peter Rosenberg is absent in this hour), using wit, frustration, and deep sports knowledge to dissect what’s gone wrong in New York sports—and what needs to change.

Giants in Crisis: Dysfunction and Uncertainty

Main Theme:
The Giants are mired in dysfunction at every level, with leadership questions compounding on-field regression. The hosts debate who's actually in charge and what direction the team must take, especially as John Mara battles cancer and familiar faces have failed.

Key Discussion Points, Quotes, and Timestamps

A Pointless Season

• Don and Alan agree the Giants’ problems transcend “just losing.” The focus is no longer on wins and losses, but on lack of growth, questionable coaching decisions, and uncertainty about the franchise’s direction.
• Don (03:44):

  "But your shiny new toy, Alan, is regressing. And not because of himself, but because of the dysfunction around him."

• Don criticizes the conservative coaching of rookie QB Jackson Dart, questioning what can be gained when a young quarterback is simply handing off the ball instead of developing.

Who's Actually Calling the Shots?

• Alan (05:25):

  "This has now become the toilet bowl. Who gets that pick? Who's going to get the worst record in the league?...the guy who's at the podium, he ain't going to be the guy at the podium when the season starts next year. ... It's the train is off the tracks. There's no getting it back."

• Both agree the key issue isn’t even who the Giants might select in the draft, but rather: "Who is making that decision?"
• Don (06:04):

  "Who's leading this team, football wise, whether it's the first pick or the 32nd pick, who is leading this team moving forward? And this is why I wanted to get Jordan on, because it's really time to have this discussion."

The Mara Situation

• The delicate question: John Mara, long the Giants’ football decision-maker, is battling cancer and seemingly absent from operational control. Don expresses care but insists a football organization needs leadership contingency plans.
• Don (06:34):

  "Even in these circumstances, there has to be some kind of contingency plan. If John can't run this...what is the next stage?"

Missteps, Kafka Audit, and the Search For Answers

• Hahn and La Greca revisit the firing of Brian Daboll, the ascension and failure of Mike Kafka, and the prospects for GM Joe Schoen ("Shane") possibly leading the search for the next head coach by default, not by merit.
• Alan (08:11):

  "We wanted to see Kafka...and now you know. ...So you guess what we don't have to do. We don't have to waste our time interviewing Mike Kafka. Don't have to. We've seen you in action. You had a chance, and you're not it."

• Both agree it's not wasted time if the Giants "learned something" and fix things—otherwise, it's catastrophe.

Historical Parallels & The Need for 'Blood in the Ground'

• Don draws parallels to the 1970s organizational chaos, when NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle had to intervene and appoint George Young.
• Don (15:55):

  "You bring in guys that...have blood in the ground. ...you saw that 30 for 30 with the two Bills and how Parcells talked glowingly about growing up a Giant fan..."

Searching for a Savior

• Who can step in? Names like Bill Parcells, Tom Coughlin, and Ernie Accorsi are floated as veteran 'consultants' with deep Giants ties.
• Don (16:39):

  "Is it that just to come in—don't even give him a title. Just come in here. What do you think, Bill? What do you think we should do here?"

• There is agreement that "blood in the ground," or emotional investment and historical connection, is vital for any turnaround.

Mets Tear Down Continues: The Jeff McNeil Trade

Main Theme:
The Mets, under David Stearns, are aggressively remaking the roster—demonstrated by offloading Jeff McNeil and even paying the A’s to take him.

Key Points and Notable Quotes

• Alan (19:42):

  "They are continuing to dismantle that team and yet really what are the additions they're making? They're not big time additions."

• The hosts agree Stearns' aim is to erase anyone who wasn't acquired or extended by him; only Lindor remains due to contract size.
• Don (22:00):

  "All I say is this. I know there's a plan. All right. I know you do. There's a plan."

• Alan notes that big-money owners not only sign stars, but also write checks to erase past mistakes, highlighting Steve Cohen's willingness to pay to move players.

Brief Check-ins: Knicks, Rangers, and Parity in Sports

Knicks:

• Injury management for Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby.
• Alan (41:00):

  "For Brunson, it's listed as right ankle injury management. ...If there's ever a time to get him to catch your breath because you got a noon Christmas Day game...this would be a game to kind of mark as let's get him right."

• Team is handling the condensed schedule post-NBA Cup wisely, accepting some potential short-term losses for long-term health and playoff readiness.
• Discussion of smarter load management becoming contemporary league dogma.

Rangers / NHL:

• La Greca bemoans the difficulties posed by tight schedules, especially with injuries and flu bugs hampering hockey teams.
• General observation: "Parity is at an all-time high in the NHL and NBA," creating unpredictable swings.

Listener Calls & Additional Insights

• Caller (29:49): Advocates leaning into Jersey/NY football roots by hiring rising local coaches with ties to successful Giants eras. The hosts respond positively to the idea of reconnecting with traditions and pride.
• Alan (32:05):

  "When the Giants are great in their history, what is the best thing about them?"
  "Defense," Don quickly replies, underlining the franchise's lost identity.

Received Wisdom & Host Frustration

• The hosts repeatedly highlight that the Giants' fundamental flaw isn't just poor results, it's utter lack of clear, invested leadership or philosophical direction.
• They voice despair at “legacy” franchises operating like small-market teams, searching for quick fixes instead of rooting decisions in the organization's proven historical strengths.
• Alan (34:23):

  "So Roger Goodell has to do it. ...We can't have two teams in New York that are an abomination."

Memorable Moments / Quotes

• "It's the toilet bowl. Who gets that pick? Who's going to get the worst record in the league? That's what you're playing for." — Alan (05:25)
• "Your shiny new toy, Alan, is regressing. And not because of himself, but because of the dysfunction around him." — Don (03:44)
• "You bring in guys that...have blood in the ground." — Don (15:55)
• "We can't have two teams in New York that are an abomination. We're used to the Jets being a joke, but we can't let the Giants keep being a joke." — Alan (34:23)
• "It's all about trying to make the team better. ...I know there's a plan. I just don't know exactly when the plan is going to be executed." — Don (22:03)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:47 – 06:35: Giants season: irrelevance, QB regression, coaching failure, leadership crisis
• 06:34 – 11:38: Mara's illness, succession confusion, Kafka experiment
• 15:44 – 17:44: Calls for intervention: Who has "blood in the ground"?
• 18:49 – 22:58: Mets trade Jeff McNeil, ownership strategy, rebuilding philosophy
• 40:46 – 47:35: Latest Knicks injury/roster news, NBA schedule grind
• 29:49, 35:27: Notable caller ideas & response

Tone and Style

Conversational, slightly exasperated, ever-honest New York sports banter; part intensive therapy, part late-night bar debate, and fully invested in the fate of New York's teams.

Summary Takeaway

The Giants’ struggles run deeper than wins or losses—they’ve lost their functional core, clear leadership, and historical identity. The Mets are in teardown-mode, but at least have a coherent (if painful) direction under new management. Both teams leave their passionate hosts and fans with big questions, but little current hope. As Alan puts it:

"It's only a lost season if you didn't learn from it." (09:58)
The question is, who will do the learning—and what will they do next?