Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast
Hour 3: NFL Over/Unders & NBA Tanking
Date: February 19, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Source: ESPN New York
Episode Overview
This lively hour covers two major sports topics: the just-released NFL team win total over/unders for the 2026 season and current debates around NBA anti-tanking proposals. The trio, mixing humor and intense sports knowledge, break down betting lines for local NY NFL teams and others, share opinions on how the NBA should tackle tanking, and take listeners’ calls on both subjects. The hour also includes their trademark banter about food and some thoughts on the “best meal of the day.”
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. NFL Over/Unders: Early Thoughts & Best Bets
Segment Starts: 02:00
- Early Over/Unders: The hosts discuss draftkings releasing NFL win totals, noting it’s before free agency & the draft, so “tons can change.”
- Don: “Is there a draft pick or a free agent that could be acquired that is going to move the needle that much?” (02:19)
- Alan: “Honestly, how much does it change?” (02:17)
- Giants: Line is 7.5 wins
- Alan, surprised it’s that high, expects more “under” money (02:43)
- Don: “That’s a big jump, right?” (02:59)
- Jets: Set at 5.5 wins
- Alan & Peter both incredulous (“Three and a half? ...That’s insane.” 03:28)
- Don clarifies it’s 5.5, not 3.5 (03:32)
- Cleveland Browns: At 6.5 wins; consensus they’ll “fall into a handful” due to defense, but 6.5 feels “aggressive”. (04:15)
- Surprises:
- Ravens pegged at 10.5 despite coaching changes (05:11): “Wow.” (05:25)
- Bills, Lions, Packers, Chiefs all around 10 or 10.5; Bears “plus 100” at 9.5 (06:46-07:14)
- Best Bets
- Don likes Bears over 9.5 as his “best bet.” (07:17)
- Alan (“sledgehammer” under on Jets at 5.5) (07:32)
- Chiefs and Pats, both set at 10.5, seem high: “Are they really?” (07:42)
- Discussion about Mahomes’ health and its impact (08:06-08:17)
Notable Quotes
- “Sledgehammer, Peter.” – Alan on Jets under 5.5 (07:32)
- “Even if they [Chiefs] have a great year, make the playoffs at 10–7 and be a threat... but they’re not going 13 and 4.” – Peter (07:53, 07:58)
2. Breakfast vs. Lunch: The Great Debate
Segment Starts: 11:00
- Don recounts being denied breakfast 5 minutes after the cutoff and settling for a “modest” pastrami sandwich (“Like a White Castle version”) and a tiny bowl of fries (15:05).
- This kicks off a debate:
- Don and Alan: Breakfast over lunch every time (12:15)
- Peter, surprised: “Wow.”
- Avocado toast, omelets, and Don’s aversion to avocado covered (12:27-12:35)
- Lunch portions “just dinner, but smaller” vs. breakfast as a unique meal (13:35–13:49)
- Side discussion on restaurant policies and Don’s frustration with rigid breakfast hours.
Notable Quotes
- “Breakfast is wonderful. Guy. I like a nice lunch. I’m picking breakfast over lunch every day of the week.” – Don (12:00)
- “It was kind of a White Castle [pastrami sandwich] version… the fries in a bowl you wouldn’t even put cereal in that small.” – Don (14:41, 14:52)
3. Weight Loss, Brand Tie-Ins, and On-Air Humour
Segment Starts: 16:20
- Banter about a friend’s dramatic (and possibly unhealthy) weight loss.
- Peter: “If this station had any guts… we should do some sort of contest around who gets the thinnest here… tie it into a brand sponsorship.” (17:13)
- General joking around ideas for sponsored health challenges—keeps the show light.
4. Listener Call: Reese’s, Nicknames, and High Listeners
Segment Starts: 18:01
- Caller “J. Scott” chimes in to praise Alan’s deep Reese’s knowledge.
- Playful banter about the “J.” nickname and whether the show is best consumed while high.
- Don: “I’m proud that we’re the show of high.” (19:36)
- Alan posits that for some, it’s “funnier” to listen when high, likening it to pairing music and wine. (19:47–20:05)
- The suggestion of a “sponsor by a dispenser” for the show gets laughs.
5. NBA Tanking: The League’s Problem & The Hosts’ Fixes
Segment Starts: 24:36
- Don recaps recent debate about tanking on the K show, referencing Suns owner Matt Ishbia’s anti-tanking stance:
"Tanking is losing behavior done by losers. Purposely losing is something nobody should want to be associated with..." (25:29)
- Alan and Michael (from the K show) have proposed different solutions:
- Alan: Each team gets an allotment (say, $10mil) to “spend” on draft picks, acting like college recruitment—forces teams to be better-run, have better facilities, etc. (27:47)
- Michael: Last “play-in” team gets the #1 pick, incentivizing late-season effort over intentional losses.
- They critique alternatives and NBA-proposed tweaks, weighing pros/cons for each.
NBA Anti-Tanking Proposals Discussed (31:44)
- Protect top-4 or top-14 picks only.
- Freeze lottery odds at or after trade deadline.
- Ban top-4 pick in consecutive years or after back-to-back bottom-three finishes.
- Alan: "I like that. Don’t keep sucking." (32:54)
- Ban top-4 pick year after a conference finals appearance.
- Allocate lottery odds based on two-year record (discourages one-year tanking).
- Extend lottery to all play-in teams.
- Flatten lottery odds for all lottery teams (Powerball-style).
- Peter: “No point in tank[ing] all the way… it’s just an even lottery.” (35:40)
- Hosts agree that several of these could be combined; some might accidentally incentivize tanking earlier/later in the year.
Notable Quotes
- “What we’re trying to do is remove the regular season as a deciding factor of what draft pick I get.” – Alan (41:54)
- “You’re awful, you’re mismanaged, and I get to hand you the best player in the draft?” – Don (44:11)
- “Pushback on this stuff’s amazing because so many people feel like it’s the only way to get good… You want the handout from the league to save you.” – Alan (45:18)
6. Listeners Offer NBA Tanking Fixes
Segment Starts: 40:39
- Caller “Patrick” suggests a bottom-team tournament for the #1 pick; hosts explain why this wouldn’t motivate players (lack of incentive, risk of injury for impending free agents).
- Next caller proposes that for every post-elimination win, a team earns extra ping-pong balls, plus relaxing trade/salary rules for eliminated teams—a creative idea with logistical hurdles, debated by the hosts.
Notable Quotes
- “We don’t need more fakacta tournaments.” – Alan (41:54)
- “I love the effort, but… teams would tank early just to get eliminated sooner, so they could rack up balls.” – Don (49:14)
Memorable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)
- “Sledgehammer, Peter.” – Alan on Jets under 5.5, (07:32)
- “Breakfast is wonderful... I’m picking breakfast over lunch every day of the week.” – Don (12:00)
- "Tanking is losing behavior done by losers. Purposely losing is something nobody should want to be associated with." – Don, quoting Suns owner Matt Ishbia (25:29)
- “You want the handout from the league to save you…that GM should be fired, not rewarded.” – Alan (45:18)
- “You suck for so long, now eventually you got it right after four tries. How many kicks at the can do you get? I’m taking the can away. Stop it.” – Don, on repeated lottery mismanagement (45:08)
- “We don’t need more fakacta tournaments.” – Alan (41:54)
- “It’s Powerball. Right. It’s just an even lottery.” – Peter (35:40)
- “I’m proud that we’re the show of high.” – Don (19:36)
Timestamps for Major Segments
- NFL Over/Unders Discussion: 02:00–10:00
- Breakfast/Lunch Debate: 11:00–16:20
- Listeners/Weight Loss/Banter: 16:20–20:00
- NBA Tanking Solutions: 24:36–49:15
- Listener Tanking Fixes: 40:39–49:34
Summary & Tone
The third hour is classic sports radio at its best: stats and odds mixed with laughs, New York flavor, and passionate debate. The hosts’ banter about food and high listeners keeps even hardcore sports content breezy and relatable, while real analytical discussion around NFL futures and NBA anti-tanking rules shows off their expertise. Particularly notable is their thorough, creative weighing of league policy proposals—both serious and tongue-in-cheek.
If you missed this episode, you missed a blend of insider sports talk, memorable jokes, and unique solutions to two of the biggest debates in sports right now.