Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast

Hour 2: Talk About It

Date: December 2, 2025 | Host: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg | Location: NHL Shop at Manhattan West Plaza, powered by Game Seven Brands

Episode Overview

This episode weaves through New York sports talk, quarterback woes, Giants team culture, the perils of Christmas lights, pop culture, and some viewer call-ins. The trio mixes comedic banter with insightful analysis and signature New York flavor, transitioning from NFL debates to personal holiday frustrations, always with candid, rapid-fire exchanges.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Weekend NFL Recap: Drama & QB Dilemmas

Timestamps: 01:38–06:15

• Wild Game Recap:
  Peter marvels at the chaos and drama of Sunday Night Football, particularly Marcus Mariota’s up-and-down performance.

  • “He makes an incredible play... and then reminds you why backups are backups.” — Peter (02:05)
  • Alan agrees that Mariota fits the “less is more” backup QB archetype.
    • “The more you see, the more you realize why they’re not QB1s.” — Alan (05:25)
  • They discuss the trend of backup QBs shining briefly but faltering over longer stints.

• Jets QB Frustrations:
  The group debates whether Mariota-type QBs represent progress for the Jets, given their chronic struggles:

  • “Isn’t that what they need? Someone a level above Tyrod Taylor or Justin Fields.” — Peter (04:48)
  • Alan notes Fields' likely retention for cap reasons, leaving the Jets still searching.

2. Overtime Rules & Philosophy

Timestamps: 03:23–04:48

• OT Criticisms:
  • Discontent at the NFL’s current overtime format:
    • “They didn’t do it for health reasons. It’s about not letting 1 o’clock games bleed into the 4:25 window.” — Don (04:11)
  • Agreement that if you can’t stop a TD in OT, “you don’t deserve to win.”

3. Giants Culture & Abdul Carter Incident

Timestamps: 06:15–11:13

• Media Sound Bite vs. Full Context:
  Alan defends Abdul Carter after social media blows up a combative sound bite, emphasizing Carter’s actual remorse and context:

  • “While we hear this little sound bite... there was more in the conversation.” — Alan (07:55)
  • Peter and Don recall past Giants player issues, noting,
    “If his biggest personal flaw is tardiness, this is something we can work with.” — Peter (09:23)

• Team Culture & Leadership:
  Discussion about whether Carter’s tardiness reflects individual maturity or broader leadership problems within the Giants:

  • “You’re either coaching it or allowing it to happen. He was allowing it to happen.” — Alan (10:01)

4. On-Air Banter: Acting as Yourself, Sports Movie Talk

Timestamps: 12:32–14:52

• Peter argues that playing yourself onscreen (“This is Hot 97”) is challenging, sparking talk about Lawrence Taylor’s performance in “Any Given Sunday” and celebrities in film.
  • “It’s hard to be natural when you’re being told to be natural.” — Alan (13:32)

5. Call-In Corner: Giants & Jets Fans Chime In

Timestamps: 15:03–17:23; 18:01–20:24

• Giants Fan Lament:

  • Paul from NJ: Disappointed by the Giants’ game, frustrated over Abdul Carter, joking about drastic measures to ensure he gets to meetings on time (15:47).

• Jets Fan Perspective:

  • John from Mahwah: Gripes about Giants fan complaints, praises Peter's insight on the Jets’ perpetual QB misery, and suggests Mariota as a bridge QB.
  • Spirited debate ensues: “We’re lowering our standards so much that we’re willing to take a quarterback that isn’t terrible.” — Alan (19:02)

6. Broadcasting Oddities: Name Pronunciations, On-Air Mishaps

Timestamps: 20:24–23:44

• Mariota’s Name:
  Noticing broadcasters’ hyper-correct pronunciation:

  • Peter: “Their commitment to saying ‘Mariota’... was incredible.” (20:54)

• Rodney Harrison Incident:

  • The group dissects Rodney Harrison’s odd on-air moment — was it fatigue or technical issues?
    • “If they leave a key, it’s basically holding the button down... you hear all the chatter in the control room.” — Alan (22:23)
    • Peter: “I would toss them under the bus!”— (23:40), debating honesty vs. being a good teammate.

7. Holiday Life: Christmas Lights Headaches

Timestamps: 27:50–33:52

• The Painful Ritual:
  • Alan details the agony of setting up Christmas lights each year, battling with “polarized plugs” and non-uniform extension cords:
    • “It’s the dumbest thing, but it makes me crazy.” — Alan (30:27)
  • Don and Peter relate, sharing their annual frustration:
    • “I wish I’d just pay somebody to do it. It would look nicer, save the aggravation.” — Don (31:25)
  • The trio riffs on keeping lights up year-round (“the smart move?”), mirroring modern trends.

8. NFL Flex Scheduling Confusion

Timestamps: 34:40–38:07

• December Game Times:
  • Adam Schefter’s tweet about “our first flex” in week 16 leads to confusion over why a game is at 5 p.m. Saturday.
  • Light, rapid-fire banter about “dead sexy” Packers-Bears, Eagles-Commanders late slots, and forgettable Sunday night matchups:
    • “Can I just flex out of the whole season?” — Alan (35:51)

9. Rodgers Drama & Accountability

Timestamps: 38:29–39:16

• Rodgers’ comments after a tough outing get analyzed for leadership and judgment:
  • “Quarterbacks don’t generally mention receivers by name... that’s dumb.” — Peter (39:01)
  • “After I heard it, I almost wanted to take a bath.” — Don (39:13), transitioning into a tongue-in-cheek plug for Bath Fitter.

10. More Banter: Soft-Rock Ozzy, Picks & Thanksgiving Losses

Timestamps: 43:00–46:21

• Music Chat:
  Peter admits preference for “softer” Ozzy Osbourne songs; the group discusses ‘80s rock, mixing sports, and musical nostalgia.

• NFL Picks Woes:
  Alan and Peter bemoan their poor Thanksgiving picks, especially losing faith in Detroit and the Lions’ perennial mediocrity.

  • “I don’t trust Detroit now at all.” — Alan (45:22)
  • Bears’ recent lucky streak is dissected, comparing them to last year’s Commanders.

11. Jason Garrett Conversion

Timestamps: 47:03–48:24

• Don admits Jason Garrett won him over as a color commentator during a Thanksgiving game broadcast after being previously unimpressed:
  • “I honestly had no use for the man as a coach or analyst on NBC... but I’m a fan.” — Don (47:43)

12. Kofi Appreciation

Timestamps: 49:27–51:48

• Recognizing Superfan & Contributor Kofi:
  • Live on air, the guys highlight Kofi’s role as an unofficial stat-checker and historian for the show:
    • “Within seconds, there’s a tweet correcting us.” — Alan (50:12)
    • Kofi shares his journey to becoming a regular listener and fact-checker, emphasizing his curiosity for sports history.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On backup quarterbacks:

• “The more you see, the more you realize why they’re not QB1s.” — Alan (05:25)

On angry sports reaction:

• “If his biggest personal flaw is tardiness, this is something we can work with.” — Peter (09:23)

On Christmas lights:

• “It's the dumbest thing, but it makes me crazy.” — Alan (30:27)

On changing NFL schedules:

• “Can I just flex out of the whole season?” — Alan (35:51)

On alternative broadcasting careers:

• “It's hard to be natural when you're being told to be natural.” — Alan (13:32)

On show contributors:

• “Within seconds, there’s a tweet correcting us.” — Alan (50:12)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:38–06:15 – NFL recap, Mariota, backup QBs & Jets
• 06:15–11:13 – Abdul Carter, Giants culture, soundbites
• 12:32–14:52 – Playing yourself onscreen, sports movies
• 15:03–17:23 – Giants fan call-in
• 18:01–20:24 – Jets fan call-in, QB debate
• 20:24–23:44 – Mariota pronunciation, Rodney Harrison mishap
• 27:50–33:52 – Christmas lights struggles
• 34:40–38:07 – NFL flex scheduling confusion
• 38:29–39:16 – Rodgers postgame leadership
• 43:00–46:21 – Music, NFL picks, Thanksgiving losses
• 47:03–48:24 – Don's “Jason Garrett moment”
• 49:27–51:48 – Kofi's appreciation segment

Tone & Style

Conversational, energetic, comedic, and slightly irreverent, with deep New York accents and a blend of sports insight and pop culture asides. The banter flows naturally but is always underpinned by expertise and experience from all three hosts.