Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg

Episode: Hour 3: NY Football Woes & Pro Picks
Date: December 19, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, (Peter Rosenberg absent)

Overview

This episode tackles the deep malaise in New York football as the Jets and Giants face another late season with little on the line, dissecting the unique fan psychology of wanting draft picks but also player progress. Don and Alan weave through stats, historical context, personal anecdotes, and humor while previewing NFL Week 16 and making their competitive pro picks. The show also features some memorable conversations on sports fandom (including with callers) and the surprising prominence of sports mascots.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. New York Football’s Rock Bottom

• Absence of Relevance: Don and Allen lament that, deep into December, New York football (Jets & Giants) barely merits discussion—a stark contrast with traditional Fridays in past seasons ([00:39]-[01:56]).
  • Don: “Isn’t it crazy week after week…we didn’t even mention the Giants two hours into a Friday show…how sad is it that it’s December 19th and…there is really no local football to talk about.” ([00:39])
• Disinterest in Matchups: Neither hosts nor fans are compelled by the upcoming Jets-Saints or Giants-Vikings games.
  • Allen: “Who the hell wants to talk about Jets, Saints and Giants, Vikings…It’s the same week after week.” ([01:56])

2. Jets and Giants: Analysis & Hopelessness

• Jets Defensive Coaching: Allen wonders if the recent firing of their defensive coordinator will change anything, especially as they face not a potent offense but a beatable Saints team. He is looking for “baby steps”—basic improvements like forcing turnovers, showing effort ([02:51]).
  • Allen: “Can the jets hold a team under twenty? Show me something. How about get an interception…Can that happen against a rookie quarterback?” ([03:07])
• Giants & Jackson Dart’s Dilemma: The internal conflict of rooting for rookie QB Jackson Dart’s development vs. higher draft picks. Don argues winning (and the confidence of a young QB) is more valuable than draft position ([03:40]-[06:10]).
  • Don: "Having Jackson Dart be the next franchise quarterback to me is more important than the first pick…I just don’t want Jackson Dart to be a loser.” ([05:34])
  • Allen: “When I see the quarterback, it’s killing him to lose. That tells me that he’s got that kind of stuff about him…” ([06:26])
• Losing Erodes the Team: Don compares persistent losing to rot, referencing "Bruce Almighty" and a metaphorical erosion of spirit ([07:18]-[08:27]).
  • Don: “That’s what I feel like losing does to an organization, just erodes everything…it becomes very, very disease, the organization with it all.” ([07:47])

3. Historical Context of NY Sports Futility

• Jets & Giants Historic Lowlights: Allen cites both teams’ frequency of 12-loss seasons (five apiece over a decade—“most in the NFL”) as emblematic of their failures ([08:44]).
  • Allen: “That to me is the most telling stat about the condition of New York football…” ([09:13])
• Relating to Other Sports: The hosts compare this to rare seasons of mutual Yankees/Mets futility, noting even when both were “bad,” it wasn’t as dire as now ([09:39]-[12:37]).
  • Don: “That to me is the equivalent of two baseball teams losing 100 games.” ([12:39])

4. Statistical Futility - Giants’ Run Defense

• Worst Ever: Anthony Pusick drops a shocking stat: Giants are surrendering 5.6 yards per rush—on pace for worst run defense in 75 years ([12:42]).
  • Anthony Pusick: “They could have the worst run defense that we’ve ever seen in football.” ([12:49])

5. Nostalgia, History & Sports Culture

• Old School Sports Oddities: Don and Allen riff about forgotten sports franchises, odd naming traditions, lack of playoffs “back in the day,” and other quirks from sports history, often with tongue-in-cheek humor ([13:12]-[14:35]).

6. Fandom and Family Traditions

• The “Fandom Age Rule”: A caller asks Don about the household rule that kids must “declare” their sports allegiances by age 8 ([14:49]). Don clarifies that his son Marco will formally choose his baseball team by opening day ([15:34]-[19:29]).
  • Don: “He is going to have to declare by opening day what team he’s rooting for.” ([16:09])
• Personal Stories: Both hosts share how they bond with their kids over breaking sports news and highlights, showing the generational ties that sports create ([17:46]-[19:29]).

7. Mascots: From Party Trick to Celebrity

• Amused discussion about the rise in status of team mascots—especially how the Devils’ mascot “NJ” (and others, like Gritty) are integrated into team events, treated (bizarrely) as near-celebrities, even joining in game celebrations ([20:19]-[23:29]).
  • Don: “The way they get treated, their availability, the access that they have is almost a player level…Them going on the field…is not considered that crazy.” ([21:04])
  • Allen on the Seahawks Mascot: “If you were on that team, like, get the hell out of here. What are you doing? Like, why are you making this about you?” ([20:58])

8. Pro Picks & Internal Competition

• Standings Recap: Don proudly details current standings for their picks contest: He's in first place, Allen trying to catch up, and Peter absent/falling behind ([27:47]-[28:47]).
• Strategy & Picks: The hosts banter over pick strategies for NFL week 16, sharing their logic and a bit of game theory to outmaneuver each other ([29:16]-[33:51]).
  • Don: “I’m actually above .500 including my win last night. Allen, I am 24 and 22…” ([27:47])
  • Allen, strategizing: “We know we’re probably gonna have to start, you know, going forward on fourth down a couple of times. We’re gonna take some shots.” ([29:00])
• Peter’s Absence & Rules Enforcement: The crew debates how to handle Peter’s tardiness for picks: Do they let him submit late? Give him default picks? Key moment of internal show management ([34:04]-[37:58]).
  • Don: “If we do not have Don La Greca announcer or Anthony Pusick announcing his picks by then, then he goes 0-3…” ([35:24])
  • Allen: “No, I’m not helping him. No chance.” ([36:49])

9. Calls from Listeners

• Quarterbacks Jets Could've Had: A caller laments that the Jets could have had Trevor Lawrence, and asks about power rankings/lamenting missed QB opportunities ([40:42]-[43:02]). Don argues the Jets’ dysfunction would have stunted any prospect’s growth: “You screw up a quarterback, you screw up a quarterback…” ([41:21])
• Rooting in the College Playoff: Another caller asks if it’s okay to root for non-rival teams once your team is eliminated—Don gives a warm, inclusive answer ([43:13]-[45:38]).
  • Don: “Of course you’re allowed to root for other teams that are not rivals when your team's been eliminated, right? ...If you start buying a jersey...now that’s fraudulent.” ([44:04])

10. Rules, Refereeing, and Fan Frustration

• Controversial Call Discussion: Caller brings up confusion about a Rams game ruling after a possible blown whistle on a two-point conversion. Don and Anthony debate league protocol—Don is firm that blown whistles should end plays, regardless. ([45:38]-[48:27])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Don, on NY Football’s Sad State:
  “How sad is it that it’s December 19th and…there is really no local football to talk about. Nobody cares about Giants, Vikings. Nobody cares about jets and Saints.” ([00:51])
• Allen, on Losing’s Psychological Toll:
  "When I see the quarterback, it’s killing him to lose. That tells me that he’s got that kind of stuff about him…” ([06:26])
• Don, on Franchise QBs vs. Tanking:
  “Having Jackson Dart be the next franchise quarterback to me is more important than the first pick. I want to see the Giants win…I just don’t want Jackson Dart to be a loser.” ([05:34])
• Anthony Pusick, on Giants' Defensive Futility:
  “They could have the worst run defense that we’ve ever seen in football.” ([12:49])
• Allen, on Mascots Joining Players:
  “If you were on that team, like, get the hell out of here. What are you doing? Like, why are you making this about you?” ([20:58])
• Don, on Fandom Traditions:
  “He is going to have to declare by opening day what team he’s rooting for.” ([16:09])
• Don, on Jets’ Prospects:
  “You screw up a quarterback, you screw up a quarterback, and certainly Trevor Lawrence looks like a quarterback you can screw up because Jacksonville has done that…” ([41:21])
• Don, on When It’s Okay to Pick a Temporary Team:
  “If you start buying a jersey and start rooting for that team beyond the season, now that’s fraudulent.” ([44:04])
• Allen, on Internal Competition:
  “We know we’re probably gonna have to start…going forward on fourth down a couple of times. We’re gonna take some shots.” ([29:00])

Timestamps of Important Segments

• NY Football Relevance Lament: [00:39]-[01:56]
• Jets Defensive Hopelessness: [02:51]-[03:25]
• Giants’ QB Dilemma & Tanking Issue: [03:40]-[06:10]
• Losing vs. Franchise Erosion (Bruce Almighty reference): [07:18]-[08:27]
• Historic Taste of Futility (Jets/Giants/MLB): [08:44]-[12:37]
• Giants’ Historically Bad Run Defense: [12:42]-[13:12]
• Sports Nostalgia / Weird History: [13:12]-[14:35]
• Declaring Team Fandom by Age 8: [14:49]-[19:29]
• Mascot as Star Segment: [20:19]-[23:29]
• Pro Picks & Standings: [27:47]-[33:51]
• Peter’s Picks Absence/How To Handle: [34:04]-[37:58]
• Listener Call: Jets’ QB History & Power Rankings: [40:42]-[43:02]
• Listener Call: College Playoff Fandom Rules: [43:13]-[45:38]
• Listener Call: Rams Lateral/Ref Rules Debate: [45:38]-[48:27]

Tone & Style

The hosts strike a balance between commiserating with listeners, providing sharp analysis, playful banter, and warm storytelling. Humor and nostalgia serve as comfort for the dismal state of their teams, while the latter half’s call-in segments and pro picks reveal their enduring love for the games, quirks and all.