Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 3: Devils & Pro Picks

ESPN New York – October 17, 2025

Episode Overview

Hour 3 of the Don, Hahn & Rosenberg show dives deep into New York and New Jersey sports, headlined by the home opener for the New Jersey Devils, analysis of Giants and Jets outlooks, NFL trade gossip, and the hosts’ famously entertaining “Pro Picks” segment. The hour also features playful banter about sports media quirks, a rollicking NFL broadcasters’ roll call, and a detour into favorite horror movies with Halloween approaching.

1. New Jersey Devils Home Opener: Atmosphere & Recap

[01:30 - 07:22]

• Don La Greca’s Big Night

  • Don called the Devils' home opener and felt celebrated by fans, with people gathering to take pics of him in the broadcast booth. Alan and Peter tease him about his newfound “paparazzi” moment.
  • “There was paparazzi going over to the TV booth, taking pictures of Don. ...I’m sure I’ve never seen that before.” – Alan [01:49]

• Game Highlights Played & Discussed

  • The Devils defeated the Panthers 3–1.
  • Jack Hughes scored his first goal of the season; Don’s call played on air.
  • Timo Meier’s key deflection and unselfish team play were lauded.
  • “So Jack Hughes gets his first goal. Gracie was very happy about that.” – Alan [02:49]
  • Don’s signature closing line, “Put a pitchfork in this one. Devils win 3–1,” is now so popular that fans are making temporary tattoos quoting it:
    • “She said, the ‘put a pitchfork in it’ … she made a tattoo for it!” – Don [04:19]

• On the Energy of the Crowd & New Traditions

  • Don describes the extra adrenaline from calling goals in front of a packed, energized Devils crowd, especially as “homecoming” for himself.
  • “Did you get that little extra jolt of adrenaline? ...Because it’s a home game and the packed house?” – Alan [06:29]
  • “[On GoPro at the booth] For the first time…there will be video of that goal, just isolating me with the call.” – Don [06:52]

2. The Hosts’ “At-home” Tech Disasters

[07:22 - 09:27]

• Extended comedic riff on the less-than-TV-ready home studio setups:
  • Peter compares Don’s ceiling to a “creep who’s been living in the high school.”
  • “Alan looks like he’s on dial up. ...It does look like a bit of a kidnapping video.” – Peter [07:56]
  • Gentle jabs at Alan’s “old timey boxing announcer” mic.
  • “With the suit and that mic, it’s more old timey boxing announcer where he says the last name twice.” – Peter [08:43]

3. Callers: Giants Hopes, Jets Despair, and NY Football Trade Talk

[09:34 - 16:16]

Giants Talk: Denver Matchup & Defensive Keys

• Callers (Dave, Chris) express cautious optimism for the Giants, noting extra rest after a Thursday game and Denver’s tough travel schedule.
• Don, Alan, and Peter stress the need for New York’s defense to create turnovers for a chance to win.

“They’re gonna have to get turnovers because I don’t think this offense is going to move the ball against Denver unless they get really good field position.” – Don [10:31]

On Wide Receiver Trades

• Speculation: Would the Giants swing a trade for stars like Chris Olave or Jaylen Waddle? Unlikely for Olave; Waddle’s contract dissected.
• “I’m not trading a third round pick for a guy that’s going to walk at the end of the year.” – Don [13:51]
• “With the Hill injury, though, why would you move [Waddle]?” – Alan [14:47]

Jets Cursed? Fan Call and Aaron Rodgers Grief

• Isaac, a caller, says he has always rooted against the Jets but now pities them for seeming “cursed,” especially after the Rodgers Achilles injury.
• The hosts muse on the lasting trauma for Jets fans:
  • “I get it…Something snapped inside me, too. ...That’s it. It’s never going to happen.” – Alan [18:22]
  • Peter offers a gallows-humor “silver lining”: Jets fans are so deadened by pain, no future loss can hurt the same way.
  • “Maybe it freed you. Maybe it was such a painful death that now you move on from it.” – Peter [19:27]

4. Horror Movie Tangent

[21:08 - 22:56]

• Peter, Don, and Alan detour into horror movie favorites ahead of Halloween.
  • Peter: The Exorcist (“all-time top five”); Alan: Trouble watching haunted house movies; Don: Burnt Offerings scared him most as a kid.
  • Peter: “My love of it is not only how scary it is... to be of that much faith, that where the scariest thing on earth is something beyond this earth is facing you.” [21:10]

5. NFL Pro Picks – Week 7

[24:52 – 31:08]

• Standings: Alan leads in points despite a losing record; Don has a better record but fewer points; Peter picking long-shots but still in contention.
  • “He’s big from three, but he can’t make a layup.” – Don on Peter’s risky picks [25:29]

Each host gives three picks against the spread:

Alan’s Picks

• 1pt: Colts (+1.5) at Chargers
• 2pt: Patriots (+6.5) at Titans – “Vrabel, Petty, run it up, baby.” [26:21]
• 3pt: Vikings (Petty revenge game with Wentz starting vs former team) vs Eagles

Don’s Picks

• 1pt: Packers (-6.5) at Cardinals
• 2pt: Chargers (-1.5) vs Colts (clashes with Alan’s pick)
• 3pt: Patriots (-6.5) at Titans

Peter’s Picks

• 1pt: Chargers (agrees with Don)
• 2pt: Commanders (-1.5) vs Cowboys (backs QB Jayden Daniels to outperform Dallas)
• 3pt: Lions (-5.5) vs Bucs (high-scoring game, likes Lions by a touchdown)

6. Spirited Roll Call: NFL Announcer Lineups

[33:16–50:49]

• Peter delivers the legendary weekly “announcer lineup” rundown, riffing on crew matchups, jokes about bad games (“this game is so bad, it shouldn’t even be on Red Zone” [42:14]), and mixing in impressions and drops.
• The segment is a comic highlight: the hosts roast boring matchups, such as Jets vs Panthers (“They should just have Mark Sanchez call this solo.” – Alan [42:19]), and gently mock broadcasting conventions.
• “The holidays have arrived at the Home Depot…” [31:39] – ignore sponsor segue.

7. More Weekly Sports and NFL Odds & Ends

[50:49–51:26]

• Reminders: Enter the ESPN New York Survivor pool. Football, baseball, hockey and basketball all in action in NYC this coming weekend.

8. Best Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Jets despair:
  “It would feel like someone who you knew, who died, came back to life. That’s what it... Because it died that day. You had one thing, one nice thing, and it was completely ripped away from you.” – Peter [19:00]
• On signature lines and traditions:
  “Put a pitchfork in this one.” – Don, growing into a genuine Devils catchphrase [05:41, 04:19]
• On game broadcast assignments:
  “This game is so bad, they should experiment with not having video during the broadcast.” – Don [42:33]
• On sports radio production:
  “Alan looks like he’s in a job interview. ...It’s like a Zoom meeting I’m having with a prospective employee.” – Peter & Alan [35:48, 35:55]

9. Notable Segments & Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------|--------------| | Devils home opener discussion | 01:30–07:22 | | Hosts roast each other’s camera setups | 07:22–09:27 | | Live caller: Giants, Giants-Denver preview | 09:34–11:16 | | NFL WR trade speculation | 13:09–14:56 | | Jets fan pain, Rodgers injury | 15:17–19:19 | | Horror movies and Halloween | 21:08–22:56 | | Pro Picks segment | 24:52–31:08 | | Announcer lineup (comedy highlight)| 33:16–50:49 |

10. Tone & Style

• Warm, irreverent, “insider New York sports” banter.
• Lively, heartfelt fan discussion (especially regarding the Jets and Devils).
• Humor and camaraderie constantly present – especially during less serious moments like the technology ribbing and the legendary “announcer lineups.”
• Frequent direct engagement with listeners and each other’s personal lives and quirks.

For diehard NY sports fans, this hour provides a satisfying mix of game analysis, real emotion, locker-room humor, and the kind of inside jokes that reward loyal listeners. If you want to know New York sports as it's lived by real fans and broadcasters, this show sits at the center of the action.