Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 2: Monica McNutt & The List

Date: April 1, 2026
Podcast: ESPN New York
Hosts: Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Guest: Monica McNutt

Episode Overview

This engaging hour centers on turmoil and uncertainty with the New York Knicks as the postseason looms, featuring an extended segment with ESPN analyst Monica McNutt. The crew examines coaching controversies, team chemistry and accountability, playoff outlooks, and whether this Knicks’ core truly missed their best title window. Later, the hosts debate the best Yankees and Mets players of the 21st century, with lively banter, fan calls, and some heartfelt personal tangents.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Knicks Crisis: Is It Coaching or Chemistry?

(Start–10:38)

• Current Mood: The Knicks’ recent struggles, including a disappointing outing in Houston, have fans and hosts questioning the team’s identity and direction.

• Is Mike Brown the Problem? Theoretical discussions arise about whether a coaching change is justified, even this late in the season.

  • Quote:
    “I’m not advocating a coaching change, but…if I believe Mike Brown’s a problem, what would stop you from making the move now?” — Rosenberg (01:17)
  • Monica McNutt's View: Lack of trust and chemistry on the coaching staff make a sudden change risky. She reflects on historic examples (Jeff Van Gundy’s ascension post-Don Nelson) showing muscle memory can help, but doesn't see a strong internal candidate now (01:44–02:27).

• Team Accountability:

  • Players like Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart have publicly questioned the team’s focus and direction. Monica sees this as evidence of “a lack of cohesiveness.”
  • Quote:
    “The real ability to be a good team is to figure out how we pull in the same direction…The games are not actually played on paper.” — Monica McNutt (03:50, 10:06)

• Was Last Year the Real Window?

  • Hahn wonders if the team missed their best shot already.
  • Quote:
    “If I said to you my overall concern is that maybe the window was last year, not this year…what would you say to that?” — Don Hahn (07:20)
  • Monica sympathizes: “But we can’t go back in time — you have to figure out how to make it work with what's in front of you now.” (08:00)

2. Evaluating Expectations and the Eastern Conference Landscape

(10:38–14:53)

• The team and fan base may have overestimated the Knicks’ chances, basing faith more on others’ injuries (Boston’s Tatum, Indiana’s Halliburton) than on New York’s inherent strength.

  • Quote:
    “Should we be basing our disappointment on a prediction at the beginning of the season that has grossly changed over time?” — Rosenberg (10:53)

• Monica points out that the Knicks are “battling the ghost of their teams of the past,” and that nothing in the East is given — with improved teams like Detroit and Boston’s resurgence (11:22–12:17).

3. Tonight’s Knicks Game, Playoff Outlook, and Seeding Scenarios

(13:19–17:33)

• Monica just wants to see the Knicks fight: “I expect a win, but I want to see a team compete…get off to a better start.” (13:19)

• Seeding Discussion:

  • Monica prefers a first-round matchup with Toronto, “Toronto is my ask” (15:50), and is wary of both Atlanta and Philly due to their athleticism and up-tempo offenses.
  • She doubts the value of manipulating playoff seeding: “It’s not in me to play with the statistics and lose on purpose to try to get four…Let’s not play around intentionally.” (15:50–16:57)

• Memorable Moment: Banter about accidentally calling hosts by the wrong name — Monica mistakes Han for Rosenberg — sparking jokes about familial name confusion (06:12, 17:46).

4. Knicks’ Identity Crisis and Radical Moves

(20:42–24:59)

• Don and Rosenberg revisit whether firing Mike Brown would be “too radical,” especially after last year’s firing of Tom Thibodeau right after a conference finals run.

  • “Radical is in the eye of the beholder…but you have to do what you think is the right thing to do at that time…” — Rosenberg (21:30)
  • Don’s Real Take: “Lately, they’ve lost five straight games to teams with losing records. That is concerning.” (21:30)

• The hosts lament the lack of progress despite a new system, emphasizing the shocking lack of late-season improvements.

  • “If you’re trying to put in a new system, that would explain a slow start and then eventually beginning to build…It just seems like they’re losing it as the season goes on. That doesn’t make any sense.” — Rosenberg (23:46)

5. The List: Best Yankees & Mets of the 21st Century

(28:00–39:23)

• Inspired by a fan request, Rosenberg lists top Yankees and Mets since 2001.
• Yankees List: Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, CC Sabathia, Alex Rodriguez, Aaron Judge
  • Honorable mentions: Mike Mussina, Mark Teixeira, Hideki Matsui
• Mets List: David Wright, Jose Reyes, Jacob deGrom, Pete Alonso, Carlos Beltran
  • Notably, Mike Piazza does not make the 21st-century cut, based on his post-2000 stats.
• Spirited debate about who should be dropped for Piazza, eventually concluding the current five’s body of work is just too large to bump anyone:
  • “I think you’d have a better chance arguing deGrom off the list than Beltran.” — Rosenberg (38:45)
  • “If you have a player who, in his time, was in multiple seasons considered the best at what he does…he’s on the list.” — Don Hahn (38:59)

6. Listener Call and Deeper Knicks Analysis

(44:47–49:09)

• Listener Peter calls in, referencing an NY Post article blaming Karl-Anthony Towns for the team’s struggles due to post-play inefficiency and turnovers (45:00–46:37).
• Don breaks down the debate: Is it the player, the coach, or the system? Concludes: “There’s no answer…it’s all three.” (48:34)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On team identity & urgency:
  “The real ability to be a good team is to figure out how we pull in the same direction…This team, to me, has not answered those questions this year. Well, consistently at all.” — Monica McNutt (03:50)
• On missed opportunity:
  “If you were ever going to get OKC, you had to get them when there was some doubt in their mind…Now that they know, if you meet them now, they already know.” — Don Hahn (09:01)
• On radical change:
  “Radical, to me, is just…you have to do what you think is the right thing at that particular time and not be intimidated by, ‘Well, that’s unconventional’.” — Rosenberg (21:30)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:33–01:04: Knicks recent struggles; Monica McNutt joins
• 01:17–02:27: Discussion of potential coaching changes and internal candidates
• 03:20–04:59: Player accountability, team identity, locker room issues
• 05:28–06:36: Radical change debate (Brown vs. past decisions)
• 07:20–10:06: Was last year the team’s best championship window?
• 10:38–12:17: Should expectations shift based on changing NBA landscape?
• 13:19–15:50: What Monica wants to see in tonight’s game; playoff seeding
• 20:42–24:59: Frustrations with the team’s recent performance; new system not working
• 28:00–39:23: “The List” – Yankees and Mets of the 21st century
• 44:47–49:09: Caller Peter breaks down Knicks’ Towns dilemma and coaching debate

Tone and Language

• The episode is lively, candid, and deeply knowledgeable, with a mix of critical sports analysis, insider anecdotes, and playful banter.

For New Listeners

You’ll leave with a nuanced understanding of the Knicks’ current tension points: leadership, chemistry, and whether last year’s success masked deeper problems; plus, you get a fun, nostalgia-packed debate on NY baseball icons of the modern era.