Hour 2: Jets, Fraud Alert & Alex Monaco

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: Jets, Fraud Alert & Alex Monaco

Date: October 24, 2025
Podcast: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg (ESPN New York)
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Special Guest: Alex Monaco (MSG Networks)

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Overview

Hour 2 delivers a full-scale New York sports therapy session, with the trio lacing into the state of the New York Jets (especially ownership), pondering the nature of sports fandom, handling questions of “fan fraudulence” on their signature “Fraud Friday” segment, and then wrapping up with gambling insights from guest Alex Monaco. The tone is witty, frustrated, and self-aware—a perfect reflection of the average long-suffering NYC sports fan.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jets Dysfunction: Ownership, Media, and the Fan Exodus

• Woody Johnson’s Meddling:
  The show launches into a blistering critique of Jets owner Woody Johnson, tying the Jets’ struggles directly to his comments and interference.
• Coaching Dilemma:
  The drama centers on Aaron Glenn’s refusal to name a starting quarterback due to injuries and public statements from ownership, leading to a media frenzy and locker room uncertainty.
• Media’s Role:
  Alan points out the media thrives on owner drama when the team is bad (“mana from heaven is the owner that can't shut his mouth” [09:20]).
• Fan Disillusionment:
  Listeners call in to express long-term frustration, some even “checking out” after decades—the hosts warn that generational support for the Jets is eroding.

2. Notable Bits & Analogies

• Don’s Brain Surgeon Analogy ([10:36]):
  “Let's say I'm a billionaire... and I hire a bunch of surgeons that operate on brains. Unfortunately, 50% of my patients die on the spot.”
  Used to illustrate how dangerous uninformed ownership meddling is.
• The Worst Offense:
  They agree the only thing riskier than being a losing team is having a fan base lose interest:
  “The scariest place for any owner is not your team losing. It's your fan base losing interest and just letting go.” – Alan [14:36]

3. Fraud Friday – Debating Fan Allegiances

• Fans call in to confess or seek judgments on their own (or their children’s) “fraudulent” sports behavior, from wanting to follow other teams to picking college football allegiances when your school doesn’t have a team.
• Rulings:
  • It’s a “felony” (fraud) to give up on the Jets and start actively supporting Giants players as a Jets fan, less so if you’re merely watching for enjoyment [28:09].
  • “Let your kid root for whoever he wants,” but he has to stick with that team once chosen [36:16].

4. Sports Trivia and Hip-Hop Knowledge

• A listener quizzes Peter Rosenberg on music history (Mickey & Sylvia/Sylvia Robinson) and the hosts debate the boundaries of fraudulent “expertise.”
  • Don: “I don't think you ever claim to be like a hip hop savant that knew everything.” [33:26]
  • Alan points out even supposed experts can’t know every obscure stat.

5. Alex Monaco's Guest Segment – NFL Picks

• Monaco’s Approach:
  Strong opinionated picks, with local relevance, numbers, and “revenge game” factors.
• Jets-Bengals:
  Monaco likes the Jets with 6.5 points against Cincy, arguing the numbers belie the standings (“the worst team that's getting six and a half has actually a better output than Cincy” [41:07]).
• Giants-Eagles:
  He takes the Giants +7.5, noting Philly hasn't blown anyone out, and the Giants’ recent competitiveness.
• Best Bet:
  Pittsburgh Steelers as home underdogs, citing Tomlin’s surprisingly strong historical record in this spot.
• Hosts Commentary:
  Don and Alan joke about Monaco’s energy and pacing during picks, with technical glitches requiring him to move around for a better connection.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Woody Johnson & Jets Ownership

• Don’s Scathing Take on Woody:
  "It's a man that is beyond his depth. It's a man that has zero understanding of what he owns. And that's okay. Just because you're a billionaire doesn't make you an expert in the field in which you want to invest your money. But unfortunately, he thinks he knows, and that makes him even more dangerous."
  — Don, [11:12]

• On Generational Loss of Fans:
  "The scariest place for any owner is not your team losing. It's your fan base losing interest and just letting go. Fifteen years, one winning season. In those 15 years, no playoffs for a decade and a half. If you're 30, half your life you’ve watched the team do absolutely nothing."
  — Alan, [14:36]/[15:04]

“Fraud Friday” Fan Judgments

• Alan the Counselor:
  "Everything that you said up until jumping on the Giant Scatter Boo dart bandwagon... that's not even a misdemeanor. That's a felony. Like, are you sure you want to make this move?"
  — Alan, [27:39]

• Peter on Parenting Honesty:
  "Now when people ask, how are you? I’ve gotten awkwardly honest... some days are great, some days are really hard, and some days are bad... but I'll be honest, guys, sometimes it's just really, really tough."
  — Peter, [25:00]

On Sports Fandom & Allegiance

• Don on College Allegiance:
  "If you're an alum, you root. I don't understand why people root for college teams they didn’t go to... but do what you want because you didn’t have an alternative anyway.”
  — Don, [31:32]
• Setting Fandom Rules for Kids:
  "Let your kid grow up to be a fan of who he wants to be that way, genuine... So you stay a 49er fan... if all of a sudden you get a hankering for some Giants down the road... you then become a fraud.”
  — Don, [36:12]

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Notable Segments & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Highlight | |-------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:48 | Alan reveals he can hear the ESPN NY station all the way in New Hampshire – banter on technical quirks. | | 04:02 | “Full Frontal Friday” + game time update, on-air lineup rundown. | | 05:12 | Jets drama: Coaching subplot, owner’s interference, and insider media strategy. | | 10:36 | Don’s “brain surgeon” billionaire analogy for out-of-depth ownership. | | 13:19 | Longtime Jets fan calls in, admits “I am checked out” after 50+ years. | | 14:36 | Discussion of generational fan loss, and whether owner-caused malaise can destroy a fanbase. | | 27:09 | Fraud Friday: Fans ask if giving up on Jets (and bandwagoning locally) is fraudulent. | | 36:12 | Father asks if his 8-year-old son switching allegiance due to flag football is “fraudulent.” | | 41:07 | Alex Monaco’s segment begins: NFL picks (Jets-Bengals, Giants-Eagles, deep data, and favorite angles). | | 44:56 | Hosts ask Monaco how Vegas bakes in “revenge game” factors, and his analytic approach to handicapping. |

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Tone and Style

The show is fast-paced, irreverent, and directly wry—anchored by Don’s gruff sarcasm, Alan’s analytical candor, and Peter’s self-aware humor. Listeners (and even their children) are welcomed to share fan dilemmas, and everyone gets a verdict, with plenty of banter all around. Monaco brings a high-energy, numbers-driven approach to the NFL gambling segment.

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Useful for Listeners Who Missed the Episode

• Jets fans: It’s a cathartic hour—You’ll commiserate with frustration at ownership, laugh at the sad analogies, and maybe see yourself in the callers “checking out.”
• Sports “fraud” segment: Play along with the guys about what constitutes real, rational, or fraudulent fan behavior (especially if your teams are bad).
• NFL gambling heads: Monaco’s data-backed picks and trend explanations provide actionable insight, especially for Giants/Jets fans.
• NY sports life: The show catches the particular agony, biting humor, and resilience of being a New York sports fan—whether you’re tuning in from the city or (like Alan) all the way in Portsmouth, NH.

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Final Thoughts

This episode channels New York’s exhausted-yet-eternal hopefulness, with the sharp edge of realism about franchise futility. It’s a confessional and a group therapy for the long-suffering, leavened with plenty of wit and the occasional stats deep-dive—a recommended listen for any true NY sports diehard.

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Want the next episode or another hour? Just ask!

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

Talk about stepping up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Alan Hahn]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Alan Hahn]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don Hanna, Rosenberg, ESPN New York Absolutely.

[Alan Hahn]

By the way, can I point something out to you guys?

[Don Hahn]

Sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do whatever you want.

[Alan Hahn]

So I'm way up here now in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And we were listening to music on the way up for the most way because Stephanie drove this morning. We left very early and. But we once we got in and, you know, the music was off and then we. The 880 was on and I could hear our station.

[Don Hahn]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

And I'm like, I couldn't believe it. All the way up here. No way. Yes way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You might struggle to get it outside the radio station right in the streets.

[Alan Hahn]

Of Manhattan, a little sketchy. But all the way up in New Hampshire, they can hear us loud and clear.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And man, if you are watching us on YouTube today, we are truly all different sizes. And now we have this amazing, amazing diagonal thing going on.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like where I am the tallest.

[Alan Hahn]

So you're like. No, we're like it like the signal. We're at full three bars here. Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

I'm trying to creep closer.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, all you got to do is tilt your camera down. Is there a way to tilt it down?

[Alan Hahn]

There you go, Don.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If you tilt down.

[Alan Hahn]

He had it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He did it. He did.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, he did. Now it's just.

[Don Hahn]

I can't do it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it's just a downward tilt to get you right where you need to be. There were they. They moved me now down. Anthony moved me down to Alan size now. Now Alan just is like me, but with a giant head.

[Alan Hahn]

It's really. It's. I am feeling big head today. Very big head today.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It is what it is and we're getting there, guys. But we hope you're having fun. If you don't. If you've never participated before, just go on YouTube. Subscribe to ESPN New York.

[Alan Hahn]

We dare you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The YouTube channel. We dare you to. There's fun that happens in the chat room.

[Alan Hahn]

Dare. Yeah. You don't have it in you. You don't have it in here to do gutless.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know you're not gonna do it.

[Alan Hahn]

You can't figure out how to get to YouTube.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's right.

[Alan Hahn]

Prove me wrong.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A real quick game time brought to you by Tullamore Do Irish whiskey because when it's game time, it's tolly time. By the way, we had a caller earlier, he disconnected who wanted to tell us that he hates it's Tully time.

[Don Hahn]

Oh I was that they're supposed to love Tully time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well no, he wasn't saying that he doesn't. He enjoys Tully time itself. The idea I think he meant specifically our Tully time drops.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah you yelling you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What he really saying is that he hates you once he it's time.

[Don Hahn]

So for him hell would be this all three of those in on a loop so. That's right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Anyways, all of eternity Knicks and Celtics coverage right here on 880 coming up at 7. Don is in Jersey at the Rock for Devil Sharks at 7. Nets and calves at 7:30 like you dream about World Series game one on 1050 starting at 7. Joined in progress on 880 after the Knicks Tullamore due. The original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore due or try the new Tullamore Dew honey during today's action glasses up to enjoying Tullamore due responsibly. We have fraud Alert Friday at 4:30 we got our guy Alex Monaco coming up after that at 445 we got the picks at 5:45 we got enn and the full announcer lineup coming at 6:00'.

[Alan Hahn]

Clock. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a full frontal Friday. And speaking of which, no one loves showing you absolutely everything like Aaron Glenn. Oh, first things first. Could Taylor Tyrod that is play today today if there. If there were a game.

[Don Hahn]

He is limited. All right today and he is questionable. And I like the way those guys are trending.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay. A little back.

[Alan Hahn]

They're trending.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Little back and forth now with a reporter and Aaron Glenn about quarterback.

[Don Hahn]

I cannot tell you that.

[Alan Hahn]

But is it because you don't want.

[Don Hahn]

To or because that's exactly it.

[Alan Hahn]

Tyrod situation question wasn't that play incidents potentially.

[Don Hahn]

That's exactly why I'm not telling you. Because I don't want to.

[Alan Hahn]

I understand but I mean is it.

[Don Hahn]

Is it partly because of the injury? That's exactly why I'm saying it. Because I don't want to. I don't know how many times I got to answer you that. It's not going to change.

[Alex Monaco]

Do the players know who the quarterback is?

[Don Hahn]

That's going to be between me and the players.

[Alan Hahn]

That started with. I think that was Neil Best, right?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Sounded like Neil.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, sounds like Aaron Glenn and Michael K have a similar view of Neil Best, so.

[Don Hahn]

But, But I, I.

[Alan Hahn]

He's really digging.

[Don Hahn]

He's mad.

[Alan Hahn]

Runs mad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Big mad. Someone say he.

[Don Hahn]

He's big mad. And I think he's mad at his owner and he can't do anything about it because that's the guy that signs his checks. So I think he's deflecting. It's probably a case of here's what. Here's my conspiracy theory. It's a mild one, but it's. It's a conspiracy.

[Alan Hahn]

I like him. Go.

[Don Hahn]

He doesn't know if Taylor's gonna be able to play, but he just can't announce Justin Fields as the starter after a Woody said so. He's going to give it till the very last second to find out if Taylor can go because he doesn't want to have to announce Field as the quarterback unless he absolutely, positively has to. And it's better to have that announcement be as they're trotting on the field so he doesn't have to answer any questions or hear about it until kickoff. Why is Justin Fields playing when your owner says he's awful? So he's saying he can't just name Taylor the quarterback because he's probably a pretty sure Taylor can go. But, hey, it's only Friday. The game's Sunday. He probably doesn't want to give the job to Cook, So I think he's been put in a very awkward spot by his owner. But what's he supposed to do, rip Woody? That wouldn't be a good idea.

[Alan Hahn]

No, he can't do that. And he said that he's trending in the right direction when it comes to Taylor, but I think, I don't think this is a crazy conspiracy theory at all. I think you're right on the money. I think it's a grenade that he threw that he's like, I got to deal with this now. You know, it's a story all week. He doesn't want it to be a story. And Glenn is trying to just not get out in front, but almost take control of the story by not telling you anything. So you could be writing it and asking players questions and turning it into something. I think he's trying like hell to keep it quiet around the jets because his owner just, Just blew up all silence like, like it was going in the direction of everybody's just going to stop paying attention and allow us to just sit here and just work on this thing. Put up the scaffolding all around the building and you can't see what's happening on the inside of the scaffolding. Right? Until Woody comes in and just blows the whole thing up. And now it's like, like, what are we doing? So that I can see exactly what you're saying. Don't. Being exactly what Aaron Glenn is thinking. I cannot let this take over the locker room.

[Don Hahn]

Now. If, if, if Taylor was out, like there was no shot, he was play then he could, then he got the fallback. Listen, I got nobody else to play. You know, Cook's not ready to go and so Justin Fields is going to be our starter. And then you'd see Tyrod Taylor inactive. Right? But it could be such a game time decision. He doesn't want to name Justin Fields the quarterback. And then on Sunday, Taylor's able to go and he's sitting on the sidelines in full uniform and it's like, why is this guy like, so he's buying himself some time. And because he's already got a contentious relationship with the media anyway, it's just easier for him to kind of make it seem like he's at battle or at war with Neil Best and Rich Samini and all those guys. When I think it's the complete opposite. I don't think he's got a problem with them. He's got a problem with his owner.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But, and, but it ends up being like, you end up unknowingly, accidentally applying more pressure to yourself with that attitude. In my opinion, I think the more you have moments like that, the more people kind of like raise their expectations. Like, oh man, this guy talks a lot of trash for a guy who's 07. It just, it starts to make things worse for you.

[Don Hahn]

But, but he can't be honest and say, well, listen, I'd like to start Tyrod Taylor, but as of now, he's not ready to go. And I can't start Justin Fields because you heard what Woody said. He can't, he can't say that.

[Alan Hahn]

No, he can't. Again, this is all started from the owner. The biggest problem with the jets continues to be its owner. And he doesn't know when to stay out of the way. He doesn't understand that no one really wants to hear from him. The reporters do because he gives them headlines for a team. When you're 07, trust me, I've Covered bad teams. When it gets to this point, you stop talking about the players on the team. You stop doing the features that nobody's freaking reading. You know they're not reading that stuff, right? All you're looking for now, what are the headlines? How can I get on the back page? How can I still have a relevancy with the beat this year? I can create stories. I can find things that get people to read and draw people in because people are letting go. We've got calls, people telling us, I'm letting go of this team. That's bad for business in the media. So you got to find things. And the guy that is mana from heaven is the owner that can't shut his mouth. And that's what the jets have, which is what makes them interesting, despite the fact that they're 07.

[Don Hahn]

I'll give you an analogy that I used on Monday, Alan, when you were off in a second. But there's a lot of reasons why people buy at Ramsey Mazda. It's their selection, it's their customer service, and it's their savings. Lisa, do 2025 Mazda CX 32.5s, all wheel drive for 159 for 33 months. Start shopping now at Ramsey Mazda dot com. Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Call 833-853-2970 for details. Then SM 841631 MSRP 26980 0. Security deposit ends 1031. 25. So let's say I'm a billionaire. And I decide, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to invest in a hospital that specializes in brain surgery. And so I hire a bunch of surgeons that operate on brains.

[Alan Hahn]

The best.

[Don Hahn]

Unfortunately, 50% of my patients die on the spot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's not it.

[Don Hahn]

And I'm an awful hospital, and nobody wants to go there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not great stats.

[Alan Hahn]

No. That's bad.

[Don Hahn]

So they start asking me, what's wrong now? I don't know. Think about brain surgery, but I think I do. And so I start answering, well, you know, maybe if we had a better anesthesiologist, these guys would have survived. That's the level of stupidity we're talking about here. It's a man that is beyond his depth. It's a man that has zero understanding of what he owns. And that's okay. Just because you're a billionaire doesn't make you an expert in the field in which you want to invest your money.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right?

[Don Hahn]

But unfortunately, he thinks he knows, and that makes him even more dangerous.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, my God.

[Alan Hahn]

That's your.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's your old drop. What's scary is that he thinks he knows, and that makes him dangerous.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. So find that drop.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that existed. We've. We've had this moment before, and I don't know who we.

[Don Hahn]

He doesn't know. And it's sad because he thinks he knows, which makes him dangerous.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was a great job, Anthony. But who is. Who is that about? Was it a caller, or could that have been an owner?

[Don Hahn]

You know who I think it was about? Remember there was a. I don't remember his name, but he started many a rant about how he knew more football than me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes. Oh, yes.

[Don Hahn]

And we would. We would get it. He would call Alan. He would always call because he knew just. He knew exactly how to get under my skin. It was during the Eli Manning era, and he knew more than me, and he tried to give examples, but unfortunately, he just. He didn't have the wit, the stamina, the talent to dance with me. So I'd humiliate him every time he called. But it did get irritating. And that's where that drop came from. Now, I usually don't remember things like that, but that's. That's how irritating this guy was. But he just did not. He didn't. He came to a gunfight with a thimble every single time, and he was humiliated.

[Alex Monaco]

Shape of a football.

[Don Hahn]

See? But he'd irritate me because nothing. Nothing bothers me more.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You think you know football, it's just.

[Don Hahn]

Dots on a television screen to you.

[Alan Hahn]

It's even better when it's echo. Just that.

[Don Hahn]

That little bit of stereo. So, yeah, nothing irritates me more than dumb.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

So shut up.

[Don Hahn]

I can't remember his name because that's how traumatic it was for me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Peter.

[Don Hahn]

I can't remember his name.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, but it was. It was intense.

[Don Hahn]

Was it something from Manhattan? Was he from Manhattan?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Something from Manhattan?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, exactly.

[Don Hahn]

You know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, moron. Hey, throwback, call back. You remember who you are?

[Alan Hahn]

He probably has yes and 98. 7 on right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We don't know.

[Alan Hahn]

Can't find the show. He can't figure it out. Where'd they go?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, he probably just wandered into traffic.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, let's get some calls here, baby.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, let's do it. Let's go to Jimmy in la, who's got some thoughts on the Jets. What's up, Jimmy?

[Alex Monaco]

Yeah, thanks, Peter. Happy Friday. Don and Alan. I am. I am checked out. As I mentioned to you guys last week, I've been Following the jets since I was 12 years old back and since 1967. And, you know, I just. I don't have the. I'm just not engaged. And it's just frustrate. It is utter frustration. And I honestly think. Yeah. On what you said, you know, there's an expression. You don't know what you don't know.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alex Monaco]

And Woody Johnson does not know. But I somehow think.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I'm gonna.

[Alex Monaco]

I'm really going out of left field on this. Is that I think he wants the jets as a grift operation. I think he's really. You know, it's like, come on, Woody.

[Don Hahn]

What.

[Alex Monaco]

What's. What is it? The jets will never, will always make money, whether they have whatever their season ticket base is. They get it from the TV contract money. And, you know, it may take, in my wildest fantasies, Steve Cohen, maybe a preemptive $10 billion offer, maybe that'll buy. Because as long as Woody Johnson is the owner, this team is not going anywhere.

[Don Hahn]

I agree.

[Alan Hahn]

And that's the problem, Jimmy. We're all getting there. And that I feel like the scariest place for any owner is not your team losing. It's your fan base losing interest and just letting go. 15 years, man. That's just. That's five years is a long time to be bad. 15, you can't survive it. You're losing a generation of fans.

[Don Hahn]

No, you are.

[Alan Hahn]

And that's a dangerous place to be.

[Don Hahn]

And you didn't have to worry about it back in the 70s. What else are you going to do? You'd root for the Cowboys or the Dolphins because they're on Monday Night Football all the time. But now with the. With the Sunday ticket and the way that you can consume information everywhere, like why. Why sit there and watch a losing proposition? Fifteen years, one winning season. In those 15 years, no playoff, no playoffs for a decade and a half. So if you're 30, half your life you've watched the team do absolutely nothing.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And why would you continue to do it? Why? And yeah, it's. It's. I hate complaining about the owner because there's zero you can do about it. And there'll be people that will invest, flying planes over the stadium or getting to billboards. And I feel bad for those people because you're just setting fire to money.

[Alan Hahn]

It's like buying PSLs and buying tickets for the team. You know, renewing your season tickets. It's. It's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you said a lot there.

[Alan Hahn]

Hard to believe.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You said a lot there. The generational thing like, you lose fans across multiple generations of a family, it's dead.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, but think about it, right? Like what Don just said is the most jarring statistic. If you're 30, because you know you're 30, you think you've seen something in 30 years of your life, especially the first seven years of your life, you really don't. Aren't paying attention to sports like that. So for the most part, it's like 20 years of your life of being a fan, and for 15 of them, the team sucked. And that's like, you get to a point where, okay, I'm already, now I'm 30 and I'm disillusioned. Now you have a kid because you're in your 30s and are you really going to be like, hey, it's our tradition, we're going to be jets fans. That's an old school way of thinking. But that'll almost be like, no, no, you root forever.

[Don Hahn]

You want and you don't want.

[Alan Hahn]

You don't want this. You don't want this pain. You don't want to go through this and listen to.

[Don Hahn]

The Giants have been embarrassing, too. But the difference is because it looks like they might have the quarterback that there's a reason to believe there's a reason to watch.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And so even if they lose guys, there's losing productively because your quarterback's gaining experience. And it might lead to you making some changes with the coaching staff and the general manager and fans will see value in that. What, what are you going to have to look forward to as a Jet fan if this team ends up going 3 and 14? All right. Doesn't look like it's that strong of a quarterback draft. You never do a great job drafting a quarterback anyway.

[Alan Hahn]

You've had high picks for quarterbacks and still don't get it right.

[Don Hahn]

That's what I'm saying. Like, even, like a Giant fan can say, well, at least I remember them getting it right with Eli Manning and Phil Sims. And like, so eventually the Giants can get it right. The jets never get it right.

[Alan Hahn]

Never.

[Don Hahn]

And they doesn't feel like they've got a chance to here. And, and, and I'm telling you, you could root for it all you want. They're not changing a coach. So, you know, Glenn's coming back even if he's not. Even if he's not the guy.

[Alan Hahn]

Once again, who the hell wants to coach this team that has any credibility or any resume? When you look at ownership and, and you see what they do, who would ever want to Take that job knowing the owner, by the way, someone that never give you, will never give you full autonomy. Like the great coaches, the guys with resumes would want when they come in. They'd want the job and say, I'm taking over. You stay the hell out of the way. In fact, you, your kids don't come in the locker room, not until I tell you that it's clear. And we got this, the culture, right. Because I don't want any distractions. And he'll never allow that. But it's the only thing that's going to save it. Because guess what? The last time around, it was the only thing that saved it. When Bill Parcells walked in after two of the most embarrassing seasons in franchise history, he came in and he took over, and he was the only voice, and he turned it around within a year. So you can do it, but you can only do it when there's one strong voice and everybody else stays out of the way. And that includes the owner. Just can't help himself with giving out quotes and saying things that just create more drama and chaos than necessary right now. What he said this earlier this week at the owner's meetings is, it's inexcusable, it's unapologetic, it's embarrassing, and it's the reason why he is by far the worst owner in New York, in fact, probably in the NFL. And that's saying a lot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, Allen's dropped bombs.

[Don Hahn]

And the scary thing is that you can't even accuse him of not being interested because he spent a lot of money on the facility. I wish he was. I wish he was hands off now, if you want to say, well, he went, you know, obviously to become the ambassador of the UK and all that I needed been checked out there.

[Alan Hahn]

But do you think the facility all the way in Florham park was a really good idea, putting the team all the way down there?

[Don Hahn]

Well, he tried.

[Alan Hahn]

Far away from the city as possible. Was that really the best decision? Yes. The building is beautiful. And he has invested in and he's made it a place for players. Like, then that's what you're supposed to do in the NFL. But the decision to put it there, the decision. The decisions they made with MetLife Stadium.

[Don Hahn]

That he was a part of, and he tried. He tried to get something on the west side. Right. And didn't.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it failed, which I never have. Good friends, which are the right friends.

[Don Hahn]

I never understood that. Nobody's been able to explain it to me. Like, Dolan apparently stopped that because he didn't want concert to be taken, but it was going to be a stadium. Like, when was Madison Square Garden going to be competing with an 80,000 seat stadium for a concert? Rolling Stones are going to go play at a stadium. They're not playing to the Garden.

[Alan Hahn]

Don, I'll say this much because I remember all that. In New York, when it comes to commercial real estate, there are no, like, you need to have friends, you need to make friends, you need to make partnerships. You need to understand where you're building and how you're building and what it's going to. How it's going to affect people around you. And you've got to learn how to work with people. And that wasn't happening. There you were a couple of blocks away from Madison Square Garden. What'd you think? Like, what do you think was going to happen? There was going to be some kind of friction.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, I had a buddy handle it. I had a buddy who had a hookup in commercial real estate in New York. In fact, I want to introduce you to him. He's hosting a pretty cool poker game. Chauncey Billups is playing. You know what? Forget it's for a different time.

[Don Hahn]

You know, it's. It's like back to school with, with Mellon, like when he's in that class of all the, the kickbacks and ways to get things done like that, that's kind of what it is, right? You got to have friends in high places if you're going to get that kind of real estate. But he, but the thing is, God love him, he tried, but he just didn't have the wits or the, the relationships to get it done. My point is, is that it's not. He's not in this situation because doesn't care. He just doesn't know how to do it, man.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what you said before. He thinks he knows, but he doesn't know. And that's what makes him dangerous.

[Don Hahn]

And you know what, and we were talking about, there's no scandal where the NFL would get involved. You do wish to, like, Roger Goodell would look and say, God, I don't want to get involved in people's business. I want guys to run businesses the way they want to run them. But boy, does it look bad that we got a franchise in New York that just can't get out of its own way. I'd love to be able to get an owner in here that can fix this, but the NFL prints money and that it's probably something that's not even on his radar.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I'll tell you what, guys, we have a Fraud Friday question.

[Don Hahn]

God, yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

On the phone, specifically related to the Jets. So we'll get to that and emails in a moment. For Fraud Friday.

[Alan Hahn]

That's right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But listen up, YouTube TV customers. You could lose ESPN and all the sports you love, including college football, college game day, Monday night football, the NBA, college basketball, and more. Take action. Go to Keep My Networks.com to keep ESPN. That's Keep My Networks.com. this is an ad by BetterHelp. BetterHelp therapists have helped over 5 million people worldwide on their mental health journey. That's millions of stories, millions of journeys, and behind every one is a therapist who showed up, listened, and helped someone take a step forward. Moments in therapy, like the right question, a safe space to cry, or a small win can change lives. With over 30,000 therapists, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 5 million people globally. And it works with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 for a live session based on over 1.7 million client reviews. This World Mental Health Day, we're celebrating the therapists who've helped millions of people take a step forward. If you're ready to find the right therapist for you, BetterHelp can help you start that journey. Our listeners get 10% off their first month. Just call two five zero and say the keyword timeout. That's keyword timeout after calling pound 250.

[Alan Hahn]

Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not sure where to start.

[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Sound from your dryer is.

[Don Hahn]

With thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You just have to hire one.

[Don Hahn]

You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates, and read reviews all on the Thumbtack app. Download today.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Did you or someone you know participate in fraudulent fan behavior?

[Don Hahn]

I'm a fraud with a capital F.

[Alan Hahn]

Is your friend a fraud?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I have been a complete and utter fraud.

[Alan Hahn]

Are you a fraud?

[Don Hahn]

What is fraud?

[Alan Hahn]

Let's ask Tom McGregor.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Screw go scratch yourself. Well, listen, sometimes the only answer is go screw scratch yourself. You know what I mean?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And listen, if that is the only thing, I want to give you a message Brought to you by Better Help.

[Don Hahn]

Interesting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because think about it. If someone came up to you and said, go screw, scratch yourself, I think I'm upset about this. I'd like to talk to someone for help. And October 10th was World Mental Health Day. So here's the deal.

[Don Hahn]

Sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'll be honest, guys. Every day as an adult, everyone on this show can relate. I mean, we have varying degrees of young kids. Allen's got the mix of the whole thing. He's got the old kids to deal with all the way down to 10. Don's right in the middle of it. I don't know. His kids are now somewhere between 6 and 19. I'm not sure which anymore.

[Don Hahn]

Almost a day, I think.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, right around 8. That sounds right. And then I've got a nearing 10 month old. I got news for you. Every version of this is friggin hard. Adulting is hard. And if you're looking for someone to talk to about all these things, maybe BetterHelp is the place to go. They'll help match you with the right person. If you're not happy, you can switch to a different therapist at any time. But for World Mental Health Day, let's take a moment to celebrate what they're doing over there and the great therapists who've helped millions of people take a step forward. If you're ready to find the right therapist for you, BetterHelp can help you start that journey. Our listeners get 10% off their first month. Just call pound 250 and say the keyword timeout. That's keyword timeout. After calling £2 5 0, guys, I've reached this weird phase in the first year of parenting where now when people ask, how are you? I've gotten awkwardly honest. Like, I don't want to even give generic answers anymore. I'm like very long winded. Like, well, you know, listen, some days are great, some days are really hard, and some days are bad. And you know, listen every moment. I love my daughter and I treasure her. But I'll be honest, guys, sometimes it's just really, really tough. And I finish talking, I look at the person like, I just want you to say, your kid's doing good, man.

[Alan Hahn]

Are they still standing there? I know you go through all that, it's like, all right, I got to go, all right, I gotta be somewhere.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I'm like, you know what? Maybe I wish they just asked. So how are you getting any sleep?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, you get that, right?

[Don Hahn]

I'm just. Dude, I'm just giving your change back. I didn't even hear the story.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, this is a Wendy's. Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, sir, I just asked about a Frosty. I don't know who your daughter is. So let's go to Mateo, who's been on hold for a Fraud Friday question. Mateo, you'll be all only caller on Fraud Friday. Friday. What do you got?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, am I a fraud if I.

[Alex Monaco]

Give up on this rest of this.

[Don Hahn]

Jet season and I just follow this.

[Alex Monaco]

Jackson Dart Scatter Boo experiment?

[Alan Hahn]

All right, see, can I. Don. I know you are the. The judge during Executioner.

[Don Hahn]

Interesting. Interesting move here, Peter.

[Alan Hahn]

I. I. All I'm doing, though, is as a. As a representative of jets fans, can I. Can I approach the bench at least? Can I have, like, Actually, I need counsel, though maybe that's what I. I need counsel with Mateo.

[Don Hahn]

May I? Go ahead. I'll allow it.

[Alan Hahn]

Mateo, everything that you said up until jumping on the giant Scatter Boo dart bandwagon, everything there was legal until that. That's. That's your offense. And that's not even a misdemeanor. That's a felony. Like, are you sure you want to make this move?

[Alex Monaco]

So this is the thing. Watch good football. There's nothing to watch on my team. There's nothing.

[Alan Hahn]

So.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Absolutely nothing.

[Alan Hahn]

But there's an entire NFL out there that if you want to just for a season, just kind of, like, watch a team, or are you completely. You said giving up on the jets season. Are you giving up the jets entirely?

[Alex Monaco]

No, no, no.

[Alan Hahn]

Just the season. Yeah. Season. Yes. And by the way, I feel it's a felony if you stay in market. It's a felony.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, and, Mateo. But hold on. Are you saying you're gonna, like, now root for the Giants, or you're saying check out on the jets and just follow the story of the Dart thing because it's fun?

[Alex Monaco]

Oh, no, I never root for the Giants.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I just want to watch these guys.

[Alan Hahn]

Play because they're fun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay. All right, I'm gonna hang up now. Let's go to the judge.

[Alan Hahn]

Go ahead, Go ahead.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There you go.

[Don Hahn]

No, I. I think he explained it better than he did at first, but I still think it's fraud. Of course, because as a. As a Jet fan, even you say you're going to continue to be a fan after the fact. Then why would you take any pleasure in watching the team that you share a stadium with? Getting it right. Now, if you're going to tell me, can I just watch the Giants Dysfunction. Well, maybe, you know, misery loves company. That I understand. Or I'm going To watch football. I'm going to do something else. That's fine. Although I don't love the idea either of. I'm tapping on this season, but if they're good next year, I'll be back on board. I mean, no, you got to suffer. That's the way it is. As a fan. That makes the championships that much better.

[Alan Hahn]

You're allowed to tap on. In my opinion, it's a fraud. The only worse offense would be. You know, I kind of like the way Drake May's playing. I might just, like, follow the Patriots. Like, that might be the only worst thing.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Saying I want to watch the.

[Don Hahn]

There's plenty of football ball out there. You got to go root for the Giant. Come on.

[Alan Hahn]

Stop it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. By the way, all you got to.

[Don Hahn]

Say is, we got there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm checking. Yeah, we got there. I'm checking out. I'm just going to enjoy the rest of the NFL. Okay. No problem.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what everyone does. That's called rooting for bad teams.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm sorry for stepping in. I just wanted to have a little counsel with him to make sure he understood.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, that was good work by you.

[Don Hahn]

That's all I was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't get bullied by Don. You did a good job.

[Alan Hahn]

I did not get bullied. That's why I did it.

[Don Hahn]

Well, listen, I. I didn't know. I didn't know they had lawyers.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen, he. You're the judge, and he's like, bull. You're like bull from night court. You know? I mean, I guess.

[Alan Hahn]

So is that a height joke?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no.

[Don Hahn]

I think it just worked. I think it was a pleasant coincidence.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Is there a marquee post around that I could hang out with?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Don Hahn]

Longer with us. That makes me sad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, here we go, guys. Ethan writes us.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, boy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no. This is. This is me just being. This is me just being. This is. I don't want to make you guys feel uncomfortable, but I'd say how I like doing it. This is me as a Jewish guy, just laughing at how Jewish this guy's name is. His name is Ethan Goldstein. Neither of you are allowed to laugh at that, but I find it hilarious. Dear dhr, I mean, I know this guy's whole life just from his name. Just from his name being Ethan Goldstein. Dear dhr, I'm currently a friend, freshman at Drew University, small, private liberal arts college. Again, I already knew that from Ethan Goldstein. Needless to say, we don't have a football team. Again, already knew that from Ethan Goldstein. Therefore, I don't have a favorite college football team, but I do root for the college football teams of my high school friends such as Nebraska, Penn State and Michigan. Is this college football fandom fraudulent? All the best, Ethan.

[Don Hahn]

No, I think the only time that there is fraudulence in college football or basketball is if you went to a school that had a program and you rooted for somebody else or you're rooting for somebody else. Yeah. And if you had a chance to go to that school, didn't go to that school.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Root for.

[Don Hahn]

No, I think if you're an alum, you root. I don't understand why people root for college teams. They didn't go to that school. But hey, you're Drew didn't have a college team. So if you want to get involved, that gets you going. But do what you want because you didn't have an alternative anyway. You shouldn't be deprived of following college football because the school you went to didn't have a. Didn't have a program. So no. Fraud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow. Here's a good one from Ned, Ned, Ned.

[Don Hahn]

Ned's dead man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is Peter Rosenberg a fraud?

[Don Hahn]

Interesting. Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

For not. For not knowing that Sylvia Robinson, the mother of hip hop, who founded and ran Sugar Hill Robinson and put out, I'm sorry, Sugar Hill Records and put out the first hip hop record, Rapper's Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang and much more, by the way, was one half of the duo Mickey and Sylvia, who did Love is Strange. I believe he referred to the artist as Mickey and the Silvers or something. I did get it wrong. Also. It was written by Bo Diddley under the alias Ethel Smith. Check out some Mickey Baker records. He wrote the old guitar booklets you would buy to learn chords and stuff. I'm sure his guitar playing has been sampled extensively. Don, Am I a freaking fraud? For not knowing I know who Sylvia Robinson is? I know she owns Sugar Hill Records. Had no idea that was Sylvia of the group Mickey and Sylvia. You tell me, Don, does that make me a fraud?

[Don Hahn]

I gonna say no, because I don't think you ever claim to be like a hip hop savant and knew everything historian.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I'm a very knowledgeable hip hop fan. I don't claim that I literally. There's not a thing you know everything.

[Don Hahn]

Like, I don't know much about hip hop, but like, I, I the. The equivalent to metal. Is it as bad as not knowing Ozzy Osbourne was in Black Sabbath? It doesn't feel that way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, Don. I don't know one person. I bet I don't Know one person not named Quest Love. Who does? Who knows?

[Don Hahn]

I. I don't think this is even close to common knowledge in the hip hop community. I'm going to say no.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Fraud.

[Don Hahn]

Peter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay. I mean, it just, it. It did happen in the Bronx, not too far away.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So just saying like, what year was Love is Strange? 1963.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then, and then, and then she starts Sugar Hill records, like nearly 15 years later, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. No, no. I think the reason why someone would want to call Fraud on you is because you're in New York City and the assumption is you're supposed to know that.

[Don Hahn]

I don't know if he's supposed to.

[Alan Hahn]

Know it, but it's the same as like, like, do I know who scored the first basket in Nick's history? Actually, I do, but it's just the point is, is like you like not everything. You need to know all the silly details.

[Don Hahn]

But you know who scored the first basket?

[Alan Hahn]

I, I do, but. Because it's also the first basket in NBA. But that's the only reason.

[Don Hahn]

If you didn't know, I wouldn't say. Ah, you know, he claims to be a Nick guy, but you know, he didn't.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, there are things that people have thrown at me about something that happened a million years ago. And I'm like, I have no idea. It just. It happens.

[Don Hahn]

But I'm gonna say no for fraud. And that's fair.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it's fair.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right. That is gonna do it for fraud. Friday. We gotta hurry up. We got Alex Monaco to get to next.

[Alan Hahn]

We do have Eric.

[Don Hahn]

I don't like the way that ended at all.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I don't like the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, let's go to Eric then. Does that feel better?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, much better.

[Alan Hahn]

Eric, take us home. It's better be good.

[Alex Monaco]

Hey, guys.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alex Monaco]

Happy Friday. All right, so I'm up. I'm a giant sand and all my life was a Giants fan because of my father. I had a 8 year old son, Aaron, who. Hey, there he is. Plays for the 49ers on his flag football team. I think he loves the 49ers. Always wants to watch the 49ers. Does that make me a fraud for having a son who plays for the 49ers and now wants to watch the 49ers?

[Don Hahn]

No, the fraudulism is. Is about you. It's a very selfish type of thing. I am not going to judge you as a fraud or your son as a fraud for straying away from the Giants. No, I think. Let Your kid grow up to be a fan of who he wants to be that way, genuine.

[Alan Hahn]

That's why it's the rules, Don. Lay out the rules. His son's listening.

[Don Hahn]

Lay out the rules now. So you stay a 49er fan.

[Alan Hahn]

That's it.

[Don Hahn]

All right? Because you're eight years old now. You've declared. So if all of a sudden you get a hankering for some Giants down the road and want to switch teams, you then become a fraud. Right now, you are not a fraud, but you got to stay a 49er fan. And I want you to call in every year you turn a different age and to confirm, you're still a Niner fan. I want to keep. I want. And I want to keep abreast of what's going on with you. No. No fraudulence on this call. None. It's great.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm sorry. I have to admit, guys, I want to tell you the truth, because we're all. We're family, right?

[Don Hahn]

Yes, Sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't like the hesitation on the question. That's. It's not usually one you want hesitation on.

[Alan Hahn]

There's a slight delay.

[Don Hahn]

I was taking a sip of my coffee, but when.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When we. When we were. When we wrapped up the. The question about Sugar Hill Records, I got a text from my wife that said she was shoved by a bum on the subway. And I. So I was angered momentarily, and I've now gotten it back together, I've calmed myself, and I'm ready to move forward.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

I'm sorry she went through that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I said, how bad was it? I went, did you do anything? Did you just move on? And apparently she. He shoved her out of the way while she was taking off her bag to sit down, and she just said, thanks a hole, and kept it moving. I mean, she's a New Yorker. I don't need to worry about her in those moments, but I naturally do, and I want to now go in the train and fight people.

[Alan Hahn]

You want to fight people?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but we're not going to do that.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, Don Han, Rosenberg, ESPN New York. We're going to get to Alex Monaco and just. Just getting some education on the picks for Week 8 in the NFL, and he'll help us out because all of us are under 500. But first, I do want to remind everybody that every aspect of your business from the most mundane to the most complex will operate orders of magnitude better and faster. When you add artificial intelligence, AI is literally a race to the top. You all know this. The companies that engage AI first will win. Now will that be you or will it be your competitors? Think about it. Thrive managed AI is your advantage over all your competitors. Founded by tech powerhouses, Thrive partners with you on smart and secure AI strategy for your business. Then they deploy and manage it from for you. Imagine AI solutions working across every part of your business. Automating support, powering chat bots, analyzing competitors, even managing billing collections and orders. Now that's just a taste of what Thrive managed AI can help you achieve. It makes your talented team even better by letting them focus on what they do best. The race to the top will be won by those who engage Thrive Managed AI first. That needs to be you. Go to thrive next gen.com espn and get started with a complimentary strategy consultation. That's thrive nextgen.com ESPN thrive nextgen.com ESPN all right, so after seven weeks of picks, I have a 9 and 12 record. And that leads the way when it comes to points. Point scale at 18 points. Don is also at 9 and 12, but because of our point scale, he has 17 points just behind. Then there's Peter. He's 6 and 15. You almost want to pick like opposite of him. He has 14 points. He is trailing. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Great allocation though.

[Don Hahn]

Very good.

[Alan Hahn]

I guess so. By the way, Don, isn't it funny?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Normally every year I have a winning record and terrible allocation.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This year well below.500. But I'm getting my three pointers either way. We needed help, Allen.

[Alan Hahn]

We do need help and we while BetterHelp is one area we could go to, another area is MSG Network's Alex Monaco.

[Don Hahn]

That's right. Who is here tonight? Devil Sharks.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes. Which is awesome. He's on the broadcast. So he's given us some time today to join us to help us out with some picks and give us some Insight on Week 8. NFL Alex, how are you? Al, thank you for the intro, Don.

[Alex Monaco]

Peter, great to be with you. I'm in Don's house right now. I think he's on the mezzanine. I'm down here on the floor, but I'm fired up to be getting some winners out. By the way, Peter was on the money with the Bud Crawford Boxing plus Money pick a few weeks ago. We got to give him some credit for that sharp play.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thank you. I appreciate that, buddy.

[Alan Hahn]

Hang on a second. You're at the Rock. Don Has a spacious, luxurious suite all to himself to do this broadcast. Couldn't just come up and. Two guys, one mic.

[Don Hahn]

This thing. Whoa, easy.

[Alan Hahn]

Sorry.

[Alex Monaco]

We. We could have. But you know, I like. I like to pace. You know me, Alan. I'm sweating like a standza over here now. I got a whole room over here. I'm very comfortable. I live in a Manhattan studio. I'm in a nice studio room.

[Don Hahn]

This is.

[Alex Monaco]

This is where I. I resonate.

[Alan Hahn]

I guarantee you're standing up, pacing while doing this is which I love about you. The energy is just overflowing. All right, so what do you got for us this week?

[Alex Monaco]

What do we want to go local first? Because this is. Yes, this is. All right, well, let's start Allen, which you tried to help me avoid being a Jets fan as a recovering San Diego Chargers fan when I first got to msg, but we have a little bit of a pitching change. I know Aaron Glenn's sitting there on the podium. Is it going to be Tyrod? Is it going to be Fields? I'm praying it's Tyrod and I'm plugging my schnoz and I'm taking the points. But just hear me out. I'm taking the jets with the six and a half. Let's just do a little bit of reverse backwards thinking here. All right? Cincy 3 and 4, but their point differential is negative. 78. Meanwhile, the jets five of their seven losses are by one score and they have a point differential of 54. Minus 54. So the worst team that's getting six and a half has actually a better output than Cincy. And let's just call Zach Taylor. I call Mediocre McDonald's Derm at round two.

[Don Hahn]

Over here.

[Alex Monaco]

He got his first win. His first win, gentlemen, in before the month of December with anyone other than burrow, he was 0 and 17. Would they die not named Burrow under quarterback. So look, we know we get an uptick with a coaching change. I think Tyrod comes in, this game's gonna come down to just. Can we protect a number? There is one other trend here when you go against the Steelers the following week. Since 2023 teams are just 3 and 13 straight up after beating Pittsburgh, losing by around 8 points per game. We're just taking a number here, but I do actually think they can maybe sneak one out.

[Don Hahn]

What about the Giants Eagles?

[Alex Monaco]

So Don, we lose them in Denver and there they are. Here we are again with the same number. Okay, so Philly hasn't beaten anybody by more than seven. We got a Giants Team. This is going to come down as one team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, no. Alex, we're losing you.

[Alan Hahn]

I think he needs to go up to Don. Sweet.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, Alex, we're losing you. Something happened.

[Alex Monaco]

You got me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, we lost you twice. It got nasty there.

[Don Hahn]

Twice.

[Alan Hahn]

Stop pacing around.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Find a good spot, for God's sake.

[Alex Monaco]

Out the walk out there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, Get. Walk out. Get close to some air Now.

[Alex Monaco]

I'm walking.

[Don Hahn]

All right.

[Alex Monaco]

I'm walking. They got me in a room. Can you hear me better now?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes, we do.

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go for it.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alex Monaco]

So we're on the. So we're on the job. We're on the Giants with the seven and a half.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alex Monaco]

And the game's gonna come down. So what I was saying was Philly hasn't more than seven all year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alex Monaco]

You look at what the Giants have done with Bart. The first half's alone. 13 points. 20 points. 14 points.

[Alan Hahn]

Points.

[Alex Monaco]

13 points. If he could just not turn the rock over and then think about the loss. This is a bulletin board material lead, gentlemen. When teams come off of a road game where they're up by 10 and they lose the following week, they're 16, nine straight up.

[Don Hahn]

Wow.

[Alex Monaco]

The greatest kept secret is Saquon doesn't have a hundred yard rushing season. What. What has changed in three weeks off of that Thursday night? By the way, I took the Giants on the money line. Billy was 1 for 9 on third down. Philly, they give up.127 on the ground.

[Don Hahn]

Scatter.

[Alex Monaco]

Boo. Courtside msg. Alan did a great job on pre and post. Ready to run through a wall. This team left food on the table in Denver. They're going to come back to Philly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They're going to cover.

[Alex Monaco]

It's going to be a lot more competitive than we think. Taking the seven and a half.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes. That's. It's so interesting though. Part of me thinks, like, the line is so odd to your point. The Eagles always come down to one score. It seems like now they have the Giants who play everyone close and it's a seven. It almost makes me think that Vegas knows Philly's going to win big. But I couldn't pick Philly to cover those points. I totally get it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. How much does Vegas put revenge game factor and all that? So they just played two weeks ago. So it's fresh. It's a rival. Like, you're in Philly's house. They were embarrassed after that game. Like, does that. Does emotion ever factor in when it comes to this stuff? Because, I mean, I felt that with Vrabel last week going into Tennessee, like that was a big number. And it felt like it was a big number because everybody agreed that he was going to go in there and run it up because of who he was playing.

[Alex Monaco]

Absolutely. But let's not forget this team gave up 33 points in a fourth quarter. I mean, they're coming in snickers, hangry. They should be absolutely ready to run through a scat ofoo one wall for this game. And I know what it is. Obviously Philly's dominated. You got to go back quite some time. They haven't lost consecutive games of the Giants since 07. But I. Philly hasn't boat raced anybody. They haven't beaten anybody by this number. I just have to do it. I. I think this Giants team's a real team here to stay in the NFC East.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go ahead, Don.

[Don Hahn]

Now we forced you to do the locals, but do you have a big play? Do you have something that you like more than anything else?

[Alex Monaco]

Oh, I always look for an angle. I love team players going against teams that they used to play for the X. Give me the Aaron Rodgers Pittsburgh Steelers with the three hosting the Cheesehead. So as everything that Tom is on Thursday nights, especially laying points as a favorite against an AFC north bow, he is the opposite. The casino stands the opposite. I might I say on extended rest off a loss. So when his teams give up 30 plus the week before they come back, they're a 71% cover. 29, 12 and 1 ridiculous output. Secondarily Jordan Love if he doesn't get 20 points from his boys on the road, he's 0 and 6. He's never won on the road if his team scores under 20 points. But this is again a locker room that was embarrassed by the cold culdestack, father of three Flacco. They have had 10 sleeps to sit on it and they could not be in a better spot. Now Tomlin as a home underdog in his career, gentlemen, is 22, 7 and 3 against the spread. You gotta take it.

[Alan Hahn]

I love that.

[Don Hahn]

All right, I got.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, we're gonna this foreshadowing for our pick segment.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I got, I got one more for you, Alex, if you're all right with. Well, I'm an idiot. I'm a clown. I'm a joke. I admit it. Knowing now that McLaurin and Debo are playing makes me feel like 11 and a half is a big number for the Chiefs. You think they cover all of a sudden? Me and Don always talk about how the Chiefs never cover a big number they're hot the last couple weeks. Now it seems like everybody is back on the Chiefs. How do you see the Monday nighter?

[Alex Monaco]

It's a good buy, low sell, high spot. I'm with you on that. We know it's Mariota. They they haven't been right, obviously at wide receiver. I think we have to find a way to get behind that plus a scoreless outing. Remind you gentlemen, I was five years old the last time the Cowboys beat the Broncos in the middle of the 90s. And Bo Nix is 12:1 straight up as a favorite in his career. And by the way, Dax was Traveling west since 2018 is just 2 and 8.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right.

[Alex Monaco]

Back in this spot as well.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Alex. Thank you so much, my friend. We appreciate the stuff right there, I guess. Yeah. And I guess you'll run into the great Alex Monaco later on. Thank you for the takes there, buddy. We have our picks, for better or for worse. You may want to listen to Alex more than you want to listen to any of the three of us. Although Allen's actually been decent, I will.

[Don Hahn]

Tell you, I love one of his picks and I hate one of his picks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hmm. And yet you can't tell us because it could be tipping the scale.

[Don Hahn]

Word.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow. Didn't expect that as the response.

[Alan Hahn]

I did not expect a word.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He didn't.

[Alan Hahn]

He dropped that. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how the.

[Alan Hahn]

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.