Don, Hahn & Rosenberg (ESPN New York)

Hour 3: Giants Hype

Date: August 20, 2025

Overview

The third hour of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg zeros in on the surge of interest, hope, and skepticism surrounding the New York Giants as the NFL season approaches. With Don La Greca out, Alan Hahn and Peter Rosenberg steer a lively, opinionated conversation encompassing NFL media narratives, Giants roster moves, fan expectations, and the ongoing “are the Giants for real?” debate among insiders and local fans. The show also touches on Yankees and Mets developments, but the Giants’ prospects dominate the hour, drawing in NFL reporters’ takes and passionate listener calls.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Giants Momentum: New Vibes, Lingering Doubts

• Alan Hahn observes a notable shift in the Giants’ perception, moving from apathy and “dumpster fire” territory last year, through cautious intrigue, toward something resembling hope.
  • "There is this increased, not optimism—what’s the word? It’s more like intrigue in the Giants this year… it’s a different vibe around the Giants." (00:58)
• Key offseason moves (the addition of QB Russell Wilson, rookie Jackson Dart, Abdul Carter, Cam Skattebo, and Javon Holland) are cited as reasons for fans to watch—even if expectations are being actively managed.

The National Media Buzz

• Audio from Adam Schefter (on his podcast), and Jason McCourty (on McAfee’s show) provide the external, more optimistic view: that New York football in general, and the Giants in particular, are on the upswing.
  • Schefter: "New York has been a wasteland for football for quite some time, and I believe that New York is in for a little bit of a treat this fall." (07:30)
  • McCourty: "You went from dumpster fire to I don’t know if they’re gonna make the playoffs, but they’re gonna be a good team… there’s just so much positivity right now that surrounds the New York Giants." (09:02)
• Yet Peter Rosenberg pushes back: He warns of “hot narratives” with little empirical basis, and suggests the Giants’ defensive hype may be slightly outpacing actual evidence.
  • "I think that the defense will be very good. Do I think it’s potentially getting a little overrated? Potentially." (11:55)

The QB Situation & Path Forward

• There’s consensus the team should not rush rookie Jackson Dart, with Wilson expected to steer the early season. The discussion mirrors that of Eli Manning’s rookie year, where a transition from the vet (Kurt Warner) happened after realistic playoff hopes waned—but well before full tank mode.
  • Caller Dave: "If you can’t answer this question at the end of the year [about Dart], I’m upset. I don’t really want The Giants going 6 and 5 and playing Russell Wilson the whole season because then, you know, what the heck you got with Dart." (48:52)
• The panel outlines the “first step” for a Giants turnaround, and attempts to tamp down expectations of a leap from “dumpster fire” directly to playoff threat.
  • Alan: "You can’t take the giant leap from dumpster fire to elite. The only leap you can make is dumpster fire to respectable. That’s your first step." (18:16)
• There’s a strong feeling the real success metric should be: competitive in games, not embarrassing losses, tangible improvements on defense and OL, and giving fans a reason to hope by season’s end—even if that’s still a .500 team.

Fan Calls: Hopeful, Realistic, Tense

• Several well-informed callers offer measured perspectives—excited by Abdul Carter, Skattebo, and a rebuilt defense, but largely agreeing that making the playoffs is far-fetched.
  • Anthony (producer): "If they’re in every game, if they’re not getting embarrassed, to me, that’s a win." (16:42)
• Other callers remain scarred by Saquon Barkley’s exit to the Eagles (and subsequent Super Bowl win), reminding everyone that organizational trust remains shaky.
  • Alan: "Saquon Barkley being let walk to the Eagles as a Giants fan… that’s a bad place to be last year. And then watching him win." (19:27)
• There’s debate over how to handle the Wilson/Dart transition—should Dart only play if the season collapses? Or will the pressure build to see if he’s “the guy” for 2026?
• Multiple analogies drawn to prior NY sports heartbreaks and QB successions (Warner-Eli, Revis with the Patriots, etc.)

Media Critique: Narrative vs. Fact

• Rosenberg is openly skeptical of the echo chamber effect: "I just don’t know if Schefter said anything based on facts. I didn’t hear any facts." (12:36)
• Hahn reminds listeners that national analysts like Schefter often speak via “informed speculation”: "His facts are based on when he talks to people, the feedback he gets… it’s informed speculation." (12:36)

Playful Banter and Sidebars

• The show detours humorously into banter on National Radio Day, intern work ethic, and tortured Billboard “song of the summer” rankings attributed (inaccurately) to Alan Hahn, leading to social media confusion and a roast in the DMs. (32:12–34:00)
• Much love and laughter traded over 80s pop star crushes and missed celebratory birthday pudding (30:00–36:00)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

On Giants’ improved vibes

• Alan Hahn: "As a fan, sometimes it’s like you just want to get out of dumpster fire… You rarely go from dumpster fire to contender." (09:48)
• Jason McCourty (clip): "It’s a completely new hope right now with this New York Giants football team." (09:20)

On Daniel Jones → Russell Wilson → Jackson Dart

• Anthony: "If you can win football games in this league with a good defense, a good running game and a competent quarterback…if they’re in every game…it’s a win." (16:42)

On National Media

• Adam Schefter (clip): "I just think the Giants are going to be one of those surprise teams this year. Now, what does a surprise team mean? Does it mean they’re going to the playoffs? I don’t know if I’m going to go that far, but I think the Giants are going to win more games than people think." (08:24)

On Narrative Overload

• Peter Rosenberg: "I think it’s become a hot narrative. I think they'll be better than they were. I think Giants fans are a pretty realistic fan base." (12:08)

On Saquon’s Exit Pain

• Alan Hahn: "Saquon Barkley being let walk to the Eagles as a Giants fan like that, I can’t even…you can’t believe he’s in another jersey and it’s in that jersey." (19:27)

On the “Dumpsters” Metaphor

• Alan: "The only leap you can make is dumpster fire to respectable. That’s your first step." (18:16)
• Peter: "And then put out the fire in the dumpster." (18:41)

On Not Rushing Jackson Dart

• Alan: "Don’t rush the kid. Everybody wants to rush him. I don’t want to do that." (52:50)

Key Segment/Timestamp Guide

• Giants Hype Emerging (00:58–06:11)
• National voices praise the Giants (07:30–09:48; Adam Schefter, Jason McCourty audio)
• Fan expectations and what’s realistic (09:48–12:36)
• Media narrative skepticism (12:36–14:27; Rosenberg pushback)
• Detailed roster upgrades / Defense optimism (15:39–16:47; Anthony on Abdul Carter, Skattebo, Holland)
• Discussion on QB succession plans (20:18–21:31; 48:23–52:50)
• Comparisons to sports heartbreaks past (19:27–21:03; 50:30–51:33)
• Interns & Banter (32:12–36:48)
• Caller perspectives on realistic season outcomes (48:23–52:50)

Summary for the Uninitiated

This hour is a microcosm of what it means to be a New York football fan in 2025: battered by last year’s failures, tentatively hopeful thanks to a new coach, a much-needed roster refresh, and a couple of hot preseason showings. While national pundits and some in the NY media are buzzing about the Giants as a potential sleeper, the hosts (especially Peter Rosenberg) and callers keep expectations in check—reminding everyone that progress may simply mean "competitive and building," not "Super Bowl run." The quarterback plan is to let veteran Russell Wilson buy time for project rookie Jackson Dart, and most agree patience is key. Even as new optimism bubbles up, the wounds from Saquon Barkley joining the Eagles and winning it all are still raw.

In short, Giants fans are being told: enjoy the intrigue, but approach the runway—don’t expect takeoff just yet.