Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 1: Steve Novak Joins the Show

Date: October 31, 2025
Hosts: Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Special Guest: Steve Novak

Episode Overview

This Halloween episode of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg, live on ESPN New York and YouTube, finds the trio spread out across LA, Madison Square Garden, and New York. The show opens with musings on Halloween traditions before shifting to New York sports, specifically touching on the Giants-Niners rivalry and the somber outlook for both the Giants and Jets. Major attention is devoted to the uncertain futures faced by both teams, especially the Jets, as the trade deadline looms. Later, the hosts welcome former Knick sharpshooter and new MSG broadcaster Steve Novak, who reflects on his Knicks days and discusses the current Knicks squad. The episode is full of candid New York sports talk, playful jabs, and nostalgia—blending analysis with fan perspective.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Halloween Vibes & The State of the Hosts (00:54–02:28)

• The hosts banter about their Halloween costumes and locations. Rosenberg is in a Dalmatian getup (an accessory for his family’s Cruella de Vil theme).
  • Quote: "I'm merely an accessory. With Natalie being Cruella de Vil and Maya and Bear both dressed up as Dalmatians. I'm really just sort of a nothing here. But Happy Halloween." – Peter Rosenberg (01:41)

2. Giants-Niners: From Rivalry to "Nothing Burger" (02:28–05:11)

• Don laments the fall of the once-great Giants-49ers rivalry, citing injuries and lack of stakes.
  • Quote: “Now it's a nothing burger. An absolute nothing burger... There was a period of time when this is all we'd be talking about.” – Don LaGreca (03:00)

3. Jets’ Future & the Trade Deadline Dilemma (05:11–13:16)

• Discussion focuses on whether the Jets should trade away talented players like Breece Hall given the team's uncertain quarterback situation and rebuilding timeline.
  • Don questions the benefit of keeping talented players if the Jets aren’t close to contention.
  • Rosenberg guesses it could be another four years before the Jets turn competitive.
    • Quote: "How could it be sooner than that when you don't—I suppose they stumble somehow into a quarterback that... turns out to be one of these immediately impactful? ... But what's the likelihood of that?" – Peter Rosenberg (07:25)
  • Tua Tagovailoa is mentioned as a possible bridge QB, but both recoil at the idea of sending him to the Jets.
    • Quote: "The four scariest words in professional sports: TUA in New York." – Peter Rosenberg (09:13)
  • Kyler Murray's name is pitched as a trade target, with pros and cons debated.
    • Quote: "Kyler Murray is a guy... He may not be Aaron Rodgers, but we also know he's not Justin Fields." – Peter Rosenberg (14:09)

4. The Breece Hall/Saquon Barkley Running Back Conundrum (17:23–24:14)

• Alan Hahn makes the case for at least engaging with Hall’s camp before making any decision.
  • Quote: "If you have a player that you feel like is part of your plan going forward, this is like Captain Obvious stuff, right?... You got to talk to him." – Alan Hahn (17:23)
• Don argues the window for running backs is short, and it's tough to justify paying Hall now if the team won't win for several years, using Saquon Barkley's tenure as a cautionary tale.
  • Quote: "Does it make sense for the jets to be paying him in his prime when you're not ready to win?" – Don LaGreca (19:13)
• Both agree it’s a business—not personal—discussion, and Hall’s wishes should be central.

5. Steve Novak Joins: Knicks Memories & MSG Debut (27:30–41:09)

• Alan introduces Novak in grand fashion, spotlighting his sharpshooting and role during the "Linsanity" era.
  • Quote: "He led the NBA [in] three point shooting percentage at 47.2% in that 2011-12 season." – Alan Hahn (26:44)
• Novak reflects on his Knicks years:
  • Quote: "I was able to prove... to the basketball world, you know, what I was capable of... Those were special teams." – Steve Novak (28:10)
  • On the D’Antoni system: “He’s looking over, going, hey, as long as you score more than the guy you’re guarding, I really don’t care. And I was like, you are my long lost brother." – Steve Novak (28:10)
• Talks transition from playing to broadcasting and the alumni game:
  • "You realize very quickly that you age out and there’s not a lot of sympathy for it. You got to go find something else to do." – Steve Novak (29:52)
• On the current Knicks, coaching changes, and early season expectations:
  • "There's this expectation that maybe there needed to be another voice to make this team go even further. ...Being two and two isn't where anybody wants to be. But we are still only four games in." – Steve Novak (31:07)
  • Novak breaks down the team’s highs (especially the electric second quarter vs. Milwaukee), and adjusts fan expectations with a reminder about the early stage of the season.
    • Quote: "That might have been the most perfect basketball we've seen the Knicks play in a long time. 45 points. They made 8 of 10 from 3 in that quarter." – Alan Hahn (33:32)
• Alan floats a KNICKS-on-air-team shooting contest, Novak is game.

6. On NBA Player-Coach Adjustments (37:16–39:45)

• Rosenberg asks Novak about adjusting to a new coach as a player.
  • Quote: "You hear so many times about guys finding their place... Sometimes if you even let guys pick, they pick wrong. ... That chemistry, those relationships, and just the time on the court... it's a big deal." – Steve Novak (37:47)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Jets’ futility:
  • "This is a franchise where quarterbacks go to die." – Peter Rosenberg (09:13)
• On franchise-building in the NFL:
  • "What you don't want to do is be bad for a long time... It's a perpetual thing with the Jets. I agree. But that's where I am right now." – Alan Hahn (24:15)
• Don on the brief window of RB dominance:
  • "If I'm Hall, I'd be like, I don't want to babysit a young quarterback in the prime of my career." (19:13)
• Novak on New York's embrace:
  • "I'm always humbled by it... I was able to prove, I think to myself to the basketball world, you know, what I was capable of." (28:10)
• Novak playfully on alumni basketball:
  • "If you saw I played in the alumni game… I do still have it. I just maybe... No, but to your point..." (29:52)
• Playful banter about shooting contest:
  • "I like it... That sounds like a hell of a pre game show." – Steve Novak (40:19)
  • "Wally has more money than the rest of us, so we probably got to be careful." (40:53)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:54 – Hosts share their Halloween whereabouts and costumes
• 02:28 – Giants-Niners rivalry: nostalgia and current irrelevance
• 05:11 – Jets’ rebuilding discussion: moving talent, timeline dilemmas
• 09:13 – "TUA in New York" debate
• 13:16 – Kyler Murray as a potential Jets solution discussed
• 17:23 – Alan enters the debate: Assessing Breece Hall extensions/trade
• 27:30 – Steve Novak joins, Knicks reflections and broadcast debut
• 33:32 – Knicks high point: second quarter vs. Milwaukee analyzed
• 37:16 – Novak on coach-player transitions, team chemistry
• 40:19 – Joking about MSG Knicks shooting contest

Tone & Style

• Conversational, witty, and occasionally self-deprecating (in true New York radio style)
• Mix of serious sports discussion and lighthearted banter
• Honest analysis from a fan’s and insider’s lens; candid about teams’ struggles and the larger reality in New York sports

Summary Conclusion

This hour sets the stage with seasonal fun before diving into hard truths about the Giants’ and Jets’ futures—pointing out the endless turnover, challenges of NFL roster-building, and the heartbreak of talent misaligned with opportunity. The highlight is the return of Steve Novak, bringing positivity and Knick pride amid the endless churn of New York sports. The episode is essential for fans seeking raw, real, and occasionally hilarious homegrown New York sports commentary.