Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast

Episode: Hour 3: Changing Expectations?
Date: October 10, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Network: ESPN New York

Episode Overview

The third hour centers on the shifting outlook for New York sports fans—particularly relating to the New York Giants’ surprising win over the Eagles, ongoing struggles for the Jets, and broader themes like young team development and head coaching challenges. Don and Alan dominate the hour with Peter chiming in from abroad, while technical issues mean no caller participation, so the crew interact heavily with the YouTube chat. The hour brings the banter, hard sports analysis, and memorable tangents fans of the trio expect.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

A. Kicking Off: Energy, Banter & Butt Jokes

• The show opens with classic banter, leading to a wild Rosenberg line that sends the other hosts into comic exasperation.
  • Quote (Peter): "Open my butt cheeks and give you energy today." (01:01)
• This prompts a series of jokes about the show's need for "an exorcism," "an enema," and their infamous history of memorable sound drops.
  • Hahn: "His show needs an exorcism. Like, we really need to clean up." (01:46)
  • Don: "Needs an enema. I'm an awful happy butt cheek open guy." (01:58)

B. Rutgers, Chris Carlin, and Overlooked Local Sports

• Transitioning from comedy to sports, the crew jokes about how Chris Carlin and local college teams (Rutgers vs. Washington) are often overlooked on NYC sports radio.
  • Hahn notes Carlin is a "national treasure" but is routinely ignored.
    • Don: "The Rutgers job is a really amazing gig he's been doing for 20 years. It should not be ignored by his own people." (04:12)
    • Peter: "I do not ignore Chris." (05:06)
  • Light moments as they read down obscure college matchups, compare network placements, and note Carlin’s value to the local sports scene.

C. Giants’ Big Win: Changing Fan Expectations

• Pivoting to football, Don and Alan share the pulses of Giants and Jets fanbases—backed by YouTube chat polls about being "out" on the Jets.
  • Don notes a chat poll now shows "Fans are out on the Jets" at 75-25 (07:41).
• Discussion centers on Alan’s honesty about his own checked-out feelings as a Jets observer:
  • Alan: "I'm saying literally... I'm watching out of contractual obligation to the show." (08:07)
  • Don: "It's hard to check out of something that you've loved for so long..." (08:40)
• Don shares how the Giants' win was "a perfect storm of things that aren't supposed to happen."
  • Don: "The Giants aren't supposed to beat the Eagles... All the things that aren't supposed to happen happened." (09:23)

D. Evaluating the Giants’ Progress and the Jackson Dart Era

• Both hosts highlight the emergence of QB Jackson Dart and how the team "looks right" for the first time in years despite only a 2–1 record in the last 3 games.
  • Alan emphasizes assessing a young team not by the record, but by "does it look right"—a lens inspired by ex-players like Keyshawn Johnson and Herm Edwards.
    • Alan: "He always says, it's got to look right. You just know... Herm Edwards does this too. He's always like, no, don't tell me the final score, what it looked like, because that's what I need to know." (29:16)
  • Don urges cautious optimism, reminding they've seen New York hype cycles before (e.g. Tommy DeVito, Linsanity), and that a few big wins don’t mean a complete turnaround.
    • Don: "This town blows things up... We get excited about things." (31:22)

E. Rookie Mistakes, Veteran Failings, and Learning Curves

• Don and Alan debate forgiving rookie mistakes (e.g., Dart’s turnovers) but are more critical when veterans let the team down.
  • Don: "I got to live with a rookie quarterback throwing two picks and fumbling the ball... But I didn't like the fact that... the veteran dropped the pass." (13:32)
• Both agree: This is all part of a growing process—rookie errors are tolerable if they produce eventual growth.

F. Dable's Emotional Coaching: A Double-Edged Sword

• Turning to the state of coaching, Don and Alan analyze Brian Dable’s emotional connection to Dart—evidenced by his controversial visit into the concussion tent during the game.
  • Hahn: "That puts pressure on everybody... It's a bad look." (17:13)
  • Don: "If he is going to be a long term coach in this league... he's going to have to learn to balance that… NFL is still about discipline." (18:54)
• The conversation compares Dable’s emotional style to Rex Ryan and Bill Parcells—drawing the line between positive motivation and reckless behavior, especially when health and safety protocols are involved.

G. Eagles' Downfall & the Giants' Opportunity

• Both hosts note the Giants’ win, while significant for morale, must be contextualized: the Eagles are a franchise in turmoil, evidenced by sideline drama and odd postgame comments (e.g., A.J. Brown’s denial of a team meeting).
  • Alan: “Man, they got issues. They got issues.” (34:42)
  • Don: “I cannot ignore the fact that... a lot of teams in the NFL would have beat the Philadelphia Eagles last night.” (36:42)

H. Adjusting Giants’ Expectations Going Forward

• In light of recent success, the hosts debate whether to revise season predictions. Alan notes his preseason expectation that the Giants might outpace the Jets, and—based on the "eye test"—now believes they could surprise.
  • Alan: "I'm telling you, man, it looks different... It's gotta look right." (29:16)

I. NFL Picks Segment ("Pro Picks")

• All three give their NFL picks for the week, with varying strategies and plenty of wisecracking about bad games.
  • Standings banter:
    • "You've made big money off of us this year if you bet against us because we have not been good." (38:51 - Don)
• Pick examples:
  • Alan, on largest spread: “I'm laying the 14 and a half. I think the Packers smoke the Bengals... It's gutsy.” (41:00)
  • Don, strategy: “The Cardinals I think will bounce back... Kyler Murray, 22-7-1 against the spread on the road.” (43:22)
  • Peter’s picks are delivered by Anthony, with payoffs and side commentary from the others.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Rosenberg’s Wild Opener:
  "Open my butt cheeks and give you energy today." (01:01 – Peter Rosenberg)

• Don on Changing Giants' Narrative:
  "The Giants aren't supposed to beat the Eagles... All the things that aren't supposed to happen happened." (09:23 – Don)

• Alan on the “Eye Test”:
  "Don't tell me the final score, what it looked like, because that's what I need to know." (29:16 – Alan, telling Keyshawn Johnson's wisdom)

• Don on Dable’s Coaching:
  "If he is going to be a long term coach... going to have to learn to balance that because... it's not something that's going to last a long time if you're that crazy emotional." (18:55)

• Alan on Checking Out:
  "I'm saying literally... I'm watching out of contractual obligation to the show." (08:07)

• On Fan Overreactions:
  “This town blows things up. It did. They just do....But this is the hope was, when they traded back into the first round, that this was what they were going to get, that eventually he could become their franchise quarterback.” (31:22 – Don)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Banter & Jokes Around Rosenberg (00:56–02:35)
• Rutgers Football & Carlin Appreciation (03:01–05:18)
• Technical Difficulties—No Phone Calls (06:10)
• YouTube Jet Fan Poll & Fan Sentiment (06:38–08:16)
• Aftermath of the Giants Win — Fan Perspective (09:23–10:32)
• Evaluating Giants, Dart, and ‘Does It Look Right’? (10:55–14:19, returns 29:16–33:18)
• Debate: Rookie vs. Veteran Mistakes (13:32–14:19)
• Dable’s Coaching Emotions & Tent Incident (15:47–19:35)
• Contextualizing Giants’ Win: Eagles Drama (34:11–36:51)
• Adjusting Expectations & the 'Eye Test' (29:16–33:18)
• NFL Picks Segment / Pro Picks (38:43–47:02)

Tone & Style

True to form, the episode blends New York edge, self-deprecation, and insightful debate—punctuated by moments of irreverence and camaraderie. Don and Alan riff off each other’s gruff optimism and measured pragmatism, while Peter’s comic energy (here mostly via callback) keeps proceedings lively.

Summary Takeaway

Hour 3 crackles with the real-time ups and downs of New York sports. Whether lamenting the Jets’ misery, getting carried away with the potential of the Giants’ new blood, or poking fun at their own picking records, Don and Alan (with flashes of Peter) capture the evolving expectations and perpetual hope that define New York fandom. The hour is a must-listen for anyone seeking authentic, unvarnished perspectives on what’s real—and what’s fleeting—amid a volatile sports scene.