Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 1: Mike in the Bronx

Date: January 7, 2026
Podcast: ESPN New York
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg

Episode Overview

This episode blends classic Don, Hahn & Rosenberg banter with an in-depth discussion of the New York Giants’ head coaching search, focusing on John Harbaugh’s candidacy and the pivotal organizational decisions looming over the franchise. The trio also wades into sports management philosophy, coaching legacies, and injects their trademark humor, especially during a surprise call from Michael Kay (“Mike in the Bronx”)—setting up some old-school ESPN New York theatrics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Technical Glitches and Banter (00:00–04:12)

• The show opens with the usual ribbing, including jokes about their YouTube video appearance.
  • Alan: “Don looks like old man Winter… the color of your skin, Don, is… is like eggshell. I never see anything like it.” (03:33)
• They joke about Don’s overexposed camera, leading to a running “God LaGreca” gag.
• Early banter includes references to "Whitish Wednesday," music, and their dynamic on visual and audio platforms.

2. The Giants & the John Harbaugh Sweepstakes (04:13–21:16)

Optimism and Underlying Anxiety (04:13–06:18)

• Don expresses rare Giants fan optimism:
  • “This is probably the happiest that I’ve been since beating Minnesota in 22 in the playoffs. Like, honestly, where you feel like there’s a future here…” (04:13)
  • He lays out why Harbaugh is the favorite and what could derail it (e.g., Bills or Eagles firing their coaches).

The Giants Selling Themselves to Coaches (06:18–07:54)

• Alan pivots the standard “coaches sell themselves” narrative:
  • “I think this for Joe Schoen, he’s trying to sell the Giants… This is rare.” (06:58)
• Don agrees, highlighting that the candidacy hinges more on practical questions about medical issues (John Mara’s health), chain of command, and autonomy.

Chain of Command, GM Power, and Precedents (07:54–11:54)

• The crew debates the Giants’ approach to power-sharing and historic reluctance to fire GMs for coaches. Alan references Ian O’Connor’s opinion:
  • “The New York Giants, they don’t like ultimatums… Parcells wanted George Young gone… the Giants don’t do business that way.” (10:33)
• Don: “If Joe Shane’s gonna stand in the way of John Harbaugh being my head coach, well, then Joe Shane’s gone.” (08:56)

Can Overpayment and Desperation Backfire? (13:32–16:32)

• Peter expresses skepticism about giving a coach “everything they want”:
  • “It just feels like it so rarely… works out… I feel like it’s always like their last retread and it never quite gets… they throw everything at it and nothing happens.” (13:32)
• Don and Alan counter with examples (e.g., Sean Payton, Mike Vrabel, Pat Riley) and contextualize why Giants are in a desperate yet justified position.

The Probable Interview/Evaluation Process (16:33–19:00)

• Don: “Stefanski’s coming in. McCarthy’s coming in. According to reports, Morris has an interview… Kafka doesn’t come under the Rooney Rule… So next week is when you’re going to have at least the four interviews: Harbaugh, Stefanski, McCarthy, and Morris.” (16:55)
• Harbaugh will wait to see what happens with Buffalo/Philadelphia; other candidates are being vetted per league requirements.

Harbaugh vs. Tomlin Debate (17:54–19:02)

• Don’s preference: “I think Dart’s got a better chance to grow under Harbaugh than Tomlin… both are big boys in the room… it’d be close, but for me, it would be Harbaugh.” (17:54)

Perspective: Why the Giants Should Be Excited (19:02–21:16)

• Alan: “This is the Knicks getting Pat Riley in the early 90s… It would be the best hire they’ve ever made in the moment because of the stature of the coach in the game.” (19:02)
• Alan compares fallback option Kevin Stefanski to “getting a date with a great old flame, then getting a text from… Dua Lipa.” (20:15)
• Don: “It just feels like this is going to happen… and it’s been a long time, three years in the making, for a Giant fan to be legitimately excited about his team.” (18:55, 19:02)

3. YouTube & “God LaGreca” Running Jokes (21:16–25:25)

• Fun with their video feed and Don’s luminous appearance—chat nicknames include “God Lagreca.”
• Peter gives Don technical advice: “If there’s a light… you could maybe put behind the computer, maybe that would help.” (21:40)

4. “Mike in the Bronx”—Michael Kay Calls In (25:25–34:43)

Kay & Rosenberg’s (Faux?) Friendship Drama (25:25–33:54)

• Peter reads a text from Michael Kay, who feigns being jilted that Peter didn’t show up in person: “You suck. I was so looking forward to seeing you in studio and then you blow it off. Bleep. Bleep, exclamation point.” (23:50)
• The hosts rib over who keeps in better contact with Kay, with Don and Michael joking that Peter has “axed” him from his life.
• Michael: “I have had more interaction with Ebro than Peter Rosenberg in the last month.” (28:22)
• Peter fires back: “This is… I don’t believe you. We have texted on… five different days since December.” (28:29)
• The exchange crescendos with Michael refusing Peter’s offer to buy dinner:
  • Peter: “What if I were to pay for dinner?”
  • Michael: “I’m good.” (29:22-29:29)

Discussion Returns to the Giants: Stakes & Fallout (34:43–35:13)

• Kay: “If they can’t make this happen, Giants fans are going to think they failed.” (31:12)
• Alan: “Think about it: If they land on Stefanski as the fallback… it’ll be unfair to him… he suddenly becomes like, ‘oh, he’s an afterthought now’…” (31:29)
• Michael points out the “identical” resumes of Mike McCarthy and Harbaugh:
  • “Mike McCarthy’s 11 and 11 in the playoffs, Harbaugh’s 13 and 11…” (32:09)

5. NFL Playoff Seeding Rant (41:19–43:26)

• Griffin in Connecticut calls in to complain about division winners (with losing records) hosting playoff games.
• Alan: “The NFL likes the tradition of the divisions and the rivalries and how important they are.” (42:16)
• Don: “They just don’t want to do it. It is rare… I think the Rams will be okay. That’s why they’re a 10½ point favorite despite the fact that the game is in Carolina.” (43:03)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Don on Giants/Harbaugh:
  “This is probably the happiest that I’ve been since beating Minnesota in 22 in the playoffs. Like, honestly, where you feel like there’s a future here...” (04:13)

• Peter on giving away the store:
  “I just hate the conversation of, like, you give them anything they want… That version of it so rarely works out. That… they throw everything at it and nothing happens.” (13:32)

• Alan on coaching hires:
  “This is the Knicks getting Pat Riley in the early 90s, right? …What he’s saying is this would be the best hire they’ve ever made in the moment because of the stature of the coach in the game.” (19:02)

• Michael Kay on Peter, playfully:
  “I have had more interaction with Ebro than Peter Rosenberg in the last month.” (28:22)
  “I’m good.” (refusing Peter’s dinner shun) (29:29)

• Peter’s pop-culture coaching analogy:
  “Stefanski is the equivalent of, you’re recently single and you found out that a girl who you really found attractive in high school is divorced… And then you get a random text… My name is Dua Lipa. Do you want to go to dinner?” (20:15)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–04:12 – Show opens, on-air video/tech jokes
• 04:13–13:32 – Harlem’s candidacy, Giants optimism, coach/GM power
• 13:32–16:32 – Cautionary takes on “buying” a big coach
• 16:33–19:02 – The shortlist, process, Harbaugh/Tomlin debate
• 19:02–21:16 – Parallels to Pat Riley, why fans should be excited
• 21:16–25:25 – Visual “God LaGreca” joke extended
• 25:25–34:43 – Michael Kay (Mike in the Bronx) joins, playful fight over friendship/texting
• 34:43–35:13 – Giants fallback stakes; McCarthy/Harbaugh resume comparison
• 41:19–43:26 – Call-in: playoff seeding, division winner controversy

Tone & Style

The hosts maintain their signature mix of sharp sports analysis, deep New York sports roots, running in-jokes, playful roast sessions, and a bit of personal therapy—never straying from their relatable, candid, “friends at a bar arguing sports” energy.

Summary Takeaway

This episode captures the excitement and anxiety of Giants fans as the team circles John Harbaugh for head coach, with Don La Greca’s infectious optimism tempered by Peter Rosenberg’s and Alan Hahn’s caution and long memory of hype-gone-wrong. The Giant’s coaching search sets off a spirited debate about organizational power, sports culture, and the very nature of fan hope. The mix of inside jokes (Don’s video whiteout, Peter’s offbeat analogies, Michael Kay’s surprise call) keeps the ride funny, and uniquely, New York.

If you care about the Giants, New York sports, or just expert-level sports radio banter, this episode is for you.