Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: McLean, Nabers, Frauds

Date: August 15, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Podcast: ESPN New York

Episode Overview

This episode of "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg" is a quintessential blend of New York sports analysis, inside baseball, playful banter, and the uniquely irreverent energy listeners expect. The trio pivots from the Mets’ prospect call-up of Nolan McLean and Carlos Mendoza’s candid locker room talk, to the cryptic injury updates on Giants rookie Malik Nabers, landing in the show's signature segment, “Fraud Alert Friday” — a hilarious inquisition into the authenticity of sports fandoms (with plenty of friendly listener roasting).

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Nolan McLean Gets the Call: Mets Prospect Spotlight

(Starts ~01:31)

• Surprise Call-Up:

  • Nolan McLean makes his MLB debut vs. the Mariners. McLean admits being “caught off guard” by the call (01:52).
  • Reaction highlight: “I called my mom and my fiancée. … I tried not to get emotional and then I called my mom. She was crying. I got pretty emotional then.” (Nolan McLean, 02:04)

• Pitching Confidence:

  • McLean explains his approach translating to MLB: “My stuff’s not going to change from Syracuse to here. So I got what I have, and I’m going out there tomorrow and try to do my best.” (02:47)
  • Draws praise for strike-throwing ability and fearless use of the slider. (03:00)

• Outlook on Mets’ Young Rotation:

  • Cites other prospects (Brandon Sproat, Jonah Tong): “You can name a whole bunch. …I’ve never seen a fastball like those two, honestly... It’s exciting for the organization.” (03:43)
  • Don contextualizes Mets’ past and present “live arms.” Compares to Generation K/DeGrom era.

2. Survivor Pool “Fraud” Call - Football Fandom Logic Blown Up

(04:28)

• Caller Griffin’s Complaint:
  Calls “fraud” on the survival pool format because the team (Eagles) he picked lost in week 2, but then went on to win the Super Bowl. Says it feels unjust.
• Host Response:
  • Don: “He picked the Eagles. They lost. You’re out. What do you want – style points for picking a team?” (05:32)
  • Peter: “There’s a perfectly good explanation here, Don: weed.” (05:48)
• Tone:
  Good-natured ribbing about misunderstanding the game, with Don and Peter blaming “weed” for Friday confusion.

3. Giants' Malik Nabers Injury Mystery & NFL Coach Secrecy

(07:00)

• Frustration with Dable’s Updates:

  • Don rails against NY Giants coach Brian Dable's “no-injury-update” policy. “These coaches just don’t want to talk about injuries. …Fans are part of the process here.” (06:45)
  • Jordan Ranaan reports injuries not as serious as feared, but minor issues keep “piling up.” (08:15)

• Speculation Breeds More Speculation:

  • Don: “If [Dable] thinks he's putting it to bed, he's waking it up and throwing it out of bed. By not giving any information.” (10:16)
  • Peter: “Hearing what I just heard, that says to me there’s something else going on… it’s more concerning than you thought.” (10:28)

• Philosophical Points:

  • The hosts echo fan frustration: All they want is honest, even basic information.
  • Don: “We’re entitled as fans to get a little bit more information about the teams that we pay PSLs to … that basically prop this sport up to be the number one sport.” (11:40)
  • Peter: “I just don’t get the upside [of being so secretive].” (12:15)

• Winning = Leeway:

  • Don and Peter debate the “mean coach vs. nice coach” trope: fans tolerate secrecy/abrasiveness only when teams are winning (Popovich, Belichick), but not if the product stinks.
  • Don: “I’ve seen coaches be mean and win… I’ve seen Tony Dungy was the nicest person—win.” (15:05)

4. Micah Parsons Speculation – What’s He Worth?

(19:21)

• NFL Trade Rumors:

  • Peter brings up speculation: What should a contending team give up for Cowboys’ superstar Micah Parsons?
  • Rumored Packers offer: “Two firsts, a second, and a talented defensive player.” (21:15)
  • Don: “That’s too much… Now I’m not drafting in the first round until 2028. No, that’s too much.” (21:24)

• Broader Context:

  • Peter and Don agree Parsons is “generational.”
  • They doubt the Cowboys will trade him without a historic haul.

5. Fraud Alert Friday – Listener Fandom Gets Put on Trial

(27:13)

• Concept:
  Listeners email or call in, “confess” potentially fraudulent fandom behaviors, hosts render judgment.

Notable Cases:

• Patriots Fan to Jets Conversion:
  • Listener Dan from MA asks if his Patriots-fan wife, now rooting for the Jets for his happiness, is a fraud.
  • Don: “No fraud… If she wasn’t a die hard, she chose her husband over her casual liking of the Patriots.” (28:46)
  • Peter: “That’s being a good partner.” (29:10)
• Griffin’s College Football Allegiances Called Out:
  • Andre from Brazil calls out frequent caller Griffin for being a UConn women’s basketball fan, yet rooting for powerhouse LSU in college football.
  • Don: “How are you a die hard fan of a school you didn’t go to?” but ultimately calls no fraud, as Griffin’s loyalty appears consistent. (31:01+)
  • Peter questions why Griffin never mentioned loving LSU QB Jayden Daniels if the fandom was real (32:24).
  • Griffin calls in to defend himself: “You can call me a fraud all you want, but I’m telling you, I’ve been an LSU fan… I only root for LSU.” (41:17)
  • Don: “You’re a K Show fan fraud that it took us this long to find out about your LSU love.” (42:07)
• Team Announcer as Fan – Don’s Own Fandom Examined:
  • Listener presents Don with a “fraud” scenario—Did he really abandon Devils fandom for professionalism as a Rangers announcer?
  • Don sets record straight: “Once you become an announcer, your fandom is done in a different way.” (35:41)
  • Peter: “People have a real hard time, Don, with the idea that working for teams doesn’t mean that you’re a fan of the team.” (35:42)
• Players on Rival Teams:
  • Fan asks: is it fraud to like players on other teams as a kid?
  • Don: “It’s okay to like other players as long as they’re not on a rival.” (39:03)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On MLB call-ups:
  • McLean: “I called my mom and my fiancée… tried not to get emotional. Then I called my mom. She was crying. I got pretty emotional then.” (02:04)
• On coaching secrecy:
  • Don: “If [Dable] thinks he's putting it to bed, he's waking it up and throwing it out of bed. By not giving me any information.” (10:16)
• On Fraud Alert Friday:
  • Don (on fan debates): “How are you a die hard fan of a school you didn’t go to? What are we doing?” (31:01)
  • Griffin: “You can call me a fraud all you want, but I’m telling you, I’ve been an LSU fan. … I only root for LSU.” (41:17)
• On coaches and attitude:
  • Don: “I’ve seen coaches be mean and win… I’ve seen Tony Dungy was the nicest person—win.” (15:05)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|------------------------------------------------------| | 01:31 | Mets/Nolan McLean Call-Up Discussion with Audio | | 04:28 | Fraud Alert: Survivor Pool Caller Griffin | | 06:45 | Brian Dable/NY Giants & Malik Nabers Injury Speculation| | 19:21 | NFL: Micah Parsons Trade Package Speculation | | 27:13 | Fraud Alert Friday: Listener Fandom Interrogations | | 38:34 | Fans’ Favorite Players Not on Their Team | | 41:43 | Griffin Calls to Defend His LSU Fandom | | 46:07 | Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza: Clubhouse Atmosphere |

Tone & Style Recap

The hosts keep things fast-paced, blending hard sports insight with sarcastic, self-deprecating wit. Longtime listeners will catch the easy ribbing and ongoing jokes, particularly around “fraudulence” in sports fandom and arcane rules of emotional sports investment. There’s genuine affection for both caller contributions and New York sports struggle; it’s blunt, loyal, and frequently hilarious.

Final Thoughts

This episode rides the late-summer sports rollercoaster—peppering real frustration about New York baseball and Giants’ secrecy with the catharsis and comedy of Fraud Alert Friday. Whether debating the value of an MLB call-up, a Super Bowl survivor pool snafu, or what really counts as “true fandom,” Don, Hahn & Rosenberg deliver the bar-room energy and insight that keep their listeners both entertained and informed.