Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg

Episode: Hour 3: Knicks & Harbaugh Presser

Date: January 20, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Producer: ESPN New York

Episode Overview

This episode of "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg" is centered on two main themes:

• The recent on-ice exploits and broadcasting adventures of Don La Greca in Canada, including deep dives into hockey arenas and wild booth stories.
• A thorough, lively conversation about the current state of the New York Knicks, their struggles, possible roster moves, and speculation about the team's direction, especially in relation to prospectively acquiring a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo.
• The hosts then close with an analysis and “official grade” of John Harbaugh’s introductory press conference as the new Giants head coach, with the trademark wit and digressions that listeners have come to expect.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Don’s Adventures in Canada and the Devils’ Win

• Don, reporting from Canada, shares vivid details about calling the New Jersey Devils’ recent overtime victory, emphasizing the unique characteristics of calling games from the Saddle Dome:
  • Nemec scored the OT winner, lifting spirits for a struggling team (00:57, 01:38).
  • Peter recalls “feeling the heat” of the flames when Calgary scores, adding color and personal anecdotes about arena idiosyncrasies (04:41).
  • The dangers and quirks of the booth and catwalks above the ice are discussed with comedic detail.
    • “They built it for people that are, like, five-three. So I literally have to stick my head out of the booth, Peter. I’m, like, hanging out of the gondola to call the game.” — Don (02:25)
  • Special mention of the “incident” (Don got a stomach bug during a prior visit) for levity.

2. Knicks’ Locker Room Dynamics & Trade Deadlines

The show’s heart is an involved, engaging debate about the Knicks’ rough patch, roster construction, and what kind of moves (if any) make sense for their future.

• Players-Only Meeting:

  • Carmelo Anthony reportedly advocated for a closed-door, players-only chat after a disappointing performance, emphasizing self-accountability.
  • Alan clarifies: “It tells you that the players, or at least the leadership of the players acknowledge this is not a coaching issue... This is a ‘me’ problem.” (08:27)

• Team Trajectory and Expectations:

  • The hosts break down how early season promise sometimes fades, and warn against overreacting to a midseason slump.
  • “You just can’t say, well, we did it earlier in the season. You’re not doing it now.” — Peter, on consistency being key (11:22)
  • They reference past mistakes like the Carmelo trade that blew up a promising roster in the early 2010s, and how patience is critical now.
    • “You give this team a chance to show you what it can do and sometimes if it falls short, that’s when you’re like, all right, now we know.” — Don (14:29)

• Front Office Strategy — Giannis Watch:

  • The panel repeatedly circles back to whether the Knicks should risk possible deals now versus staying patient for a shot at Giannis in the summer:
    • “You can’t trade anything that could take away from you getting Giannis in the off-season. They’re just going to have to ride this out, guys...” — Peter (13:43)
  • The comparison to the Carmelo Anthony trade is used as a cautionary lesson.

• Fan Expectations and Management Pressure:

  • The influence of Knicks owner James Dolan is debated, with the worry that an “all-in” mentality could force rash moves.
  • “[Dolan] has been doing that from the start ever since he hired [Leon], so I don’t understand why there’d be a reason to go away from that right now.” — Don (20:47)

3. Debating the Best Seat in Sports

A lighter discussion erupts on the true “best seat in sports,” using courtside Knicks seats as a jumping-off point.

• Celebrity Row and Seat Privileges:

  • They discuss which celebrities pay or are gifted seats, and what constitutes “no such thing as a free lunch.”
  • “TINSTAAFL: There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” — Don explains the economics acronym (24:43).

• Season Ticket Hypotheticals:

  • The hypothetical: If independently wealthy, would you attend every home game?
    • “If I had that kind of disposable income and, more importantly, the time... Would I go to 41 games? Yeah, people do it.” — Peter (26:34)

• Courtside vs. Other Sporting Seats:

  • Alan, Don, and Peter lavish praise on courtside NBA seats:
    • “There is literally no comp... in sports.” — Alan (28:21)
    • “You literally, like in baseball... you’re so... the length of the field away from seeing it. What’s the farthest anything’s happening in the action on the court away from you?” — Peter (28:37)
  • Other experiences (baseball, football pregame field, etc.) are compared, but courtside is universally declared the best.

4. Don’s Annual Dunk

• In a humorous segment (33:54+), Don brags about still dunking a basketball every year, to the good-natured skepticism of Alan and Peter.
  • “Every year, like, usually around my birthday, if I could get near it, if I was near a gym, I would go in and just [dunk].” — Don (35:44)
  • The friendly ribbing continues with admissions of being “nozzles” (privileged gloaters).

5. John Harbaugh’s Giants Press Conference — Graded!

• The trio gives a thorough, tongue-in-cheek breakdown of new Giants coach John Harbaugh’s presser, including his tone and the uncanny resemblance of his delivery to President Biden’s.
  • Notable sound byte:
    • “Our focus is simple. It starts with building a team that is physical and tough, that’s capable of overwhelming their opponent from beginning to end and especially at the end...” — John Harbaugh (44:42)
  • Alan's Official Grade:
    • “I am going to give John Harbaugh a B plus. I’m gonna give him a nice B plus. No, it’s a B plus. That’s really good.” (46:21)
    • “It was a little generic. It was a little generic. He could have basically given this anywhere... I didn’t get anything that I found to be incredibly personal about this specific team. But I also thought he sounded really good.” (47:11)
  • Don and Peter debate whether a “B+” is fair; Don describes grading like an essay versus multiple choice (51:46).
  • The Biden impression/gag recurs throughout, with the hosts riffing on Harbaugh’s cadence and intonation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It tells you that the players, or at least the leadership of the players acknowledge this is not a coaching issue... This is a me problem.”
  — Alan Hahn on Knicks’ players-only meeting (08:27)

• “You just can’t say, well, we did it earlier in the season. You’re not doing it now.”
  — Peter Rosenberg on the Knicks’ struggles (11:22)

• “You can’t trade anything that could take away from you getting Giannis in the off-season. They’re just going to have to ride this out, guys...”
  — Peter Rosenberg on front office strategy (13:43)

• “TINSTAAFL: There's no such thing as a free lunch.”
  — Don explaining old economics wisdom (24:43)

• “There is literally no comp... in sports.”
  — Alan Hahn declaring courtside NBA seats are the ultimate sports experience (28:21)

• “I am going to give John Harbaugh a B plus. I’m gonna give him a nice B plus. No, it’s a B plus. That’s really good.”
  — Alan Hahn on Harbaugh’s introductory press conference (46:21)

• “Our focus is simple. It starts with building a team that is physical and tough, that’s capable of overwhelming their opponent from beginning to end and especially at the end...”
  — John Harbaugh (44:42)

• “It’s the most sound-alikey we’ve ever had of anyone.”
  — Alan, on how much Harbaugh sounds like Biden (50:19)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment / Topic | |-------------|------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:57–03:16 | Devils’ OT win, Don’s Canada tour, Saddle Dome stories | | 08:27–11:54 | Knicks’ player dynamics, players-only meeting vs. coaches | | 13:02–16:17 | Knicks’ expectations, Giannis watch, Carmelo trade analogy | | 20:47–21:09 | Listener call: James Dolan's influence | | 24:43–25:06 | TINSTAAFL, no free lunch at Celebrity Row | | 26:07–29:21 | “Best seat in sports” debate: courtside NBA wins | | 33:54–36:08 | Don’s annual dunk tradition and group “nozzleness” | | 44:42–46:21 | John Harbaugh’s press conference: the Biden comparison | | 46:21–51:53 | Breakdown and official grade of Harbaugh presser |

Tone & Style

• The conversation effortlessly balances serious basketball analysis, insightful context, and their signature blend of New York sarcasm, inside jokes, and culture references.
• Playful ribbing and lighthearted boasting (“nozzles”) contrast with genuine, passionate sports talk.
• Listener calls and celebrity anecdotes make the show feel personal and local.

For New Listeners

• This episode is a superb sample of the team’s chemistry: you get smart, experienced NBA and NHL talk off the top, transition smoothly into Knicks obsession and newsroom banter, and close with a goofy but sharp segment dissecting a press conference while doing spot-on impressions.
• If you want a window into New York sports fandom — equal parts hopeful, critical, and self-aware — and a primer on what drives hot stove speculation at Madison Square Garden, this episode is highly recommended.

End of Summary