Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: LegaCCy & That Guy
Date: February 26, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Theme: New York Sports, Yankee Legacies, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Fan Frustration, and the Art of Being “That Guy”
Episode Overview
This hour of the Don, Hahn & Rosenberg show hits a signature mix of big-picture sports questions and classic New York radio banter. The hosts dig into the legacy of CC Sabathia in Yankees lore (with his number being set for retirement), unpack the lines between musical genres in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, relate to the highs and lows of New York sports fandom (especially for Jets and Devils fans), and cap things off with the always hilarious “That Guy Thursday” segment. Listener calls drive home fan sentiment, creating a fast-moving, character-filled hour.
Major Segments & Key Moments
1. What Belongs in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
Timestamps: 00:44 – 04:53, 12:08 – 13:18
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Genre Blending:
The crew debates the expanding criteria for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:- Don wonders about the inclusion of hip-hop and other genres, questioning if it's losing focus or simply a business/inclusivity move.
- Alan contends, “Rock and roll’s roots are what, blues? Which is R&B, you know what I mean?” (01:22)
- Discussion of Beastie Boys as a crossover act; their evolution and racial dynamics in music radio (“Is that because they're white? Right?” – Don, 03:17).
- Peter points out how hip-hop got less play on rock radio, even when songs like Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” were sonically rock songs:
“Rock radio would actually play Eminem records but did not play… 99 Problems by Jay-Z. And I went, how are you not playing 99 Problems by Jay-Z? … Jay Z made a rock record. Eminem makes rap records, but he's white.” (03:29)
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Beastie Boys' Albums:
- “That's a no skip album.” (Paul’s Boutique) – Don Hahn (04:32)
- Pete advises listeners to “get away from the License to Ill stuff… get into the later stuff and you'd be surprised.” (12:41)
Memorable Quote:
“It's a no skip. Very few of those in the world. That's one no skip.” – Don Hahn on Paul’s Boutique (04:34)
2. Jets Fan Dilemma: Stuck Between Hope and Pain
Timestamps: 05:02 – 08:48, 13:24 – 16:18, 51:10 – 53:04 (recurring theme)
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Caller Gene from Jersey City expresses existential Jets despair, suggesting the team is in “no man’s land” with no clear plan at QB or coach (05:06).
- Don responds that the “best thing to happen to them would be to be the worst team,” but it creates more coaching instability.
- Alan: “The more you fire coaches, the less desirable this job becomes. And the last I checked, no one wanted the job. Right. You can't keep doing this.” (06:28)
- The hosts debate whether Aaron Glenn deserves more time and the impact of “tanking” on future prospects.
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Jets as an Eternal Fan Dilemma:
- Root now, or hope for a top draft pick later? “It is a vicious cycle… a year for a fan who doesn't know how to feel or root.” (08:48)
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Listener Steve calls for optimism:
- “Say you get like a Cousins, the offensive line is very solid… I could see seven, maybe eight games.” (13:24)
- Don quickly tempers hopes, reciting the brutal road schedule (15:14):
“Here are their road games: At Buffalo, at Chicago, at Detroit, at Kansas City, at the LA Chargers, at the Dolphins, at the Patriots. Okay? Your home games… Denver, Green Bay, Minnesota, Tennessee, Cleveland, Arizona and Vegas. So you got four games where you're like, yeah, they got a chance to win those four there.”
- Alan, wryly: “Don, the gentleman turned 60, okay? Give him a break.” (16:18)
3. Jack Hughes & Devils’ Unique Moment
Timestamps: 09:10 – 12:08
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Caller Bobby from Lower East Side describes the rare pride and energy around the Devils, sparked by Jack Hughes' Olympic moment:
- “The way Jack did it, it's gonna forever, forever—that’s Jack Hughes.” (09:49)
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Don La Greca, who called the game, relates:
- “There was an energy in the building… Every time Jack touched the puck, a roar… for a game that usually wouldn’t have a lot of meaning… it was sold out.” (10:35)
- The hosts reflect on the rarity of such an atmosphere in late February for a non-playoff contender.
4. Yankees Retire CC Sabathia’s #52: Saints in Monument Park?
Timestamps: 17:41 – 25:18, 48:33 – 52:36 (with follow-up discussion)
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CC Sabathia's Legacy:
- Big news: Yankees to retire Sabathia's #52, honoring him before a September game. “He'll be the 24th man to have his number retired by the Yankees, the first since Paul O’Neill… in 2022.” (17:41)
- Post-Core Four Yankees: “After the core four, there is only CC Sabathia. There really isn’t anyone else. The next guy is 99 and he’s still playing.” (18:10)
- Alan: “He might be the last Yankee that actually, you know, played with some cubes.” (19:33)
- Peter: “Is there any more heart and soul that represented the Yankee brand, the Yankee standard?” (19:15)
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Was CC’s performance enough? Is ‘beloved’ the key criteria?
- Don: “Not all for what he did with the Yankees… but more games with the Yankees. Although, you know, again, compiled as well, there’s a lot of tough seasons down the stretch…” (21:01)
- Alan and Peter say “beloved” means more than just stats, comparing CC to Mike Mussina, who was less loved despite similar achievements and more postseason play.
- “Monument Park… is to celebrate… someone special, beloved. Like, there’s names in Monument Park that you probably don’t have to say the full name… with Sabathia, you say CC, and everybody knows who you’re talking about.” (23:02)
- “But a beloved Yankee he was not. That’s a real thing.” – Don, on Mussina (25:18)
- Alan: “If the fans want it, they should get it… There is no numerical thing to come up. Statistical thing.” (22:10)
- Frequent listener pushback about “they’ll run out of numbers” is dismissed by the team (“You don’t know how numbers work, man.” – Don, 49:38).
5. That Guy Thursday: Embarrassment & New York Moments
Timestamps: 28:14 – 41:45
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Don’s That Guy:
- Rick Pitino, for vanishing and giving only 76 seconds to media after St. John’s is blown out by UConn.
“You gotta give me more than 76 seconds, man… you can’t just slough it off and say there’s no difference between losing by a bucket and losing by 32. That’s an embarrassment. You gotta own that, man. I’m sorry. That’s A [perfect] that guy.” (30:19)
- Rick Pitino, for vanishing and giving only 76 seconds to media after St. John’s is blown out by UConn.
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Peter’s That Guy:
- The ultra-discreet (or sly) hotel doorman who refused to spill about which celebrity paparazzi were staking out at a nearby “foofy” hotel. The discussion morphs into whether Peter himself became “that guy” for asking, with Don and Alan ribbing him:
- “Why am I that guy? I just asked a question.” – Peter (35:14)
- “Now you’re making him that guy for not answering. That makes you the guy.” – Don (35:16)
- The moment typifies the show’s DNR (Don, Hahn & Rosenberg) dynamic, poking fun at each other and at everyday life in New York.
- The ultra-discreet (or sly) hotel doorman who refused to spill about which celebrity paparazzi were staking out at a nearby “foofy” hotel. The discussion morphs into whether Peter himself became “that guy” for asking, with Don and Alan ribbing him:
6. Listener Calls & Classic New York Banter
Through the hour; see timestamps throughout segment outline
- The hosts riff with listeners on everything from Giants/Jets pain to music taste (e.g., longtime hip-hop fan who “never got the Beastie Boys” – 12:15), to sports schedules and increasingly high uniform numbers, highlighting generational sports divides and the quirks of being a New York fan.
- Don jokes: “Eight wins? Are you nuts?” (15:08)
- Alan, on fans: “If you want Mike Pagliarulo up there so bad, then by all means, throw it up there.” (51:25)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Peter Rosenberg (on racial disparity in radio playlists):
“Rock radio would actually play Eminem records but did not play at least where I was… 99 Problems by Jay Z. And I went, how are you not playing 99 Problems by Jay Z?” (03:29) - Don La Greca (on Monument Park):
“When you make a Monument… it's not just, hey, he did this really well. It’s… this guy was special, beloved.” (23:02) - Alan Hahn (Yankee tradition):
“He might be the last Yankee that actually, you know, played with some cubes.” (19:33) - Don (on NY pessimism):
“Don, the gentleman turned 60, okay? Give him a break.” (16:18) - Caller Bobby (Devils excitement):
“The way Jack did it, it's gonna forever… That's Jack Hughes.” (09:49) - Don (on Rick Pitino):
“You gotta own that, man. I'm sorry. That’s A [perfect] that guy.” (30:48)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame / Beastie Boys debate: 00:44 – 04:53
- Jets QB/coaching dilemma with Gene: 05:02 – 08:48
- Devils / Jack Hughes Olympian pride: 09:10 – 12:08
- CC Sabathia’s Yankee legacy: 17:41 – 25:18, 48:33 – 52:36
- That Guy Thursday (Pitino, Rosenberg vs. Hotel Doorman): 28:14 – 41:45
- Jets schedule / fan hope vs. reality: 15:08 – 16:22
- Listener calls, New York fan culture: Interspersed throughout (notably 13:24, 51:10+)
Tone & Final Impression
With a blend of sharp sports analysis, cultural riffs, and classic New York ball-busting, Don, Hahn & Rosenberg keep listeners hooked and laughing. The hour is full of sharp observations about sporting legacies, what fandom means in the darkest times, and the quirks of city life. The show’s connective tissue is the authentic, familiar rapport between the hosts and their audience—whether they’re debating Yankees saints, sorting through pop culture, or just playfully making each other “that guy.”
For a detailed play-by-play, refer to the timestamps above for each major discussion. This summary skips ads and promotional content, focusing on the heart of the show’s unique sports commentary and banter.
