Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 3: Reasons to Watch

Date: September 10, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg (with Chris Carlin sitting in)
Podcast Theme:
A candid, unsparing look at the state of New York football—especially the Giants and Jets—and the broader emotional experience of sports fandom in the city. The hosts dissect recent coaching failures, player development, the apathy creeping into the fanbase, and why (if at all) New Yorkers should keep watching. Includes lively banter about upcoming ESPN events, the unique challenges of attending local games, and the continued weight of ownership decisions.

Main Themes and Episode Overview

• State of the Giants and Coaching Crisis: Are the Giants already lost after one week?
• Quarterback Dilemmas: The struggles and future of Russell Wilson, the waiting game for rookie Dart, and when to make the switch.
• Fan Apathy and Ownership Failures: Why New York football fans are disengaging, and parallels to past eras of futility.
• Finding “Reasons to Watch”: What makes being a fan in this city so masochistic and hopeful at once.
• Lighter Side: Behind-the-scenes camaraderie, previews for the upcoming "Couchcast" and Knicks season.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Giants: Catastrophic Coaching and Week 1 Fallout

[01:41]

• Don Hahn raises alarm after "terrible football" in the Giants’ opener.
  • Quote: “Brian Baldinger… called it just terrible football. That’s a damning statement for a head coach.” (Don Hahn, 02:24)
• Chris Carlin places blame squarely on years of poor coaching, despite different regimes.
  • Quote: “I think this is all coaching… They’re just poorly coached and have been poorly coached now for a decade.” (Chris Carlin, 03:13)
• The schedule is brutal for a rebuilding team; low expectations are justified.

2. Quarterback Quandary and Wilson’s Future

[04:31]

• Discussion pivots to Russell Wilson’s obvious struggles.
• Peter Rosenberg and Carlin note Wilson seems “cooked" and afraid to take hits.
  • Quote: "When a quarterback doesn’t want to get hit, that quarterback’s no longer a quarterback.” (Don Hahn, 15:35)
• Speculation about how soon to turn to promising rookie Dart, and whether playing packages with him makes sense early.
  • Quote: "They had plays for him and then they didn’t go to him…” (Don Hahn on Dart, 11:18)

3. Timing the Dart Switch: When and Why?

[13:02]

• Hosts explore the delicate issue of introducing Dart without “ruining” him or disrespecting Wilson.
• Consensus: The team must let it play out and wait for “the whispers” from the locker room—players will tell you when a change is due.
  • Quote: "The players will tell you when it’s time to make the change.” (Don Hahn, 15:07)
• Comparison to the Jalen Hurts/Carson Wentz transition in Philadelphia.

4. Fan Apathy and Why New Yorkers Are Checking Out

[31:47]

• Candid lament about how watching New York football has become joyless and repetitive.
  • Quote: “This is what it's about. When can you put in a new player that at least gives us reason to watch and care? Because you already don't care.” (Don Hahn, 31:39)
• Comparison to the reason there are so many Cowboys/Eagles fans—or why kids now have less reason to stay loyal to local teams.
  • Quote: "They are killing football in New York." (Chris Carlin, 33:20)
• A recognition that modern fans can easily root for (or watch) teams elsewhere.
• Ownership failures (especially John Mara) are viewed as root problems.
  • Quote: "This might be an ownership problem. And the problem with complaining about ownership, guys, there’s not a damn thing you can do.” (Chris Carlin, 43:20)

5. The Giant Problem: From Coughlin to Saquon to Now

[43:20]

• The show explores the legacy of mismanagement, firing Tom Coughlin, and lack of team identity.
  • Quote: “The first mistake made was the way they sent Tom Coughlin into retirement... You lose a standard, and that’s an owner that recognizes. No, no, we need a standard.” (Don Hahn, 43:20)
• Saquon Barkley’s exit is referenced as an example where “letting go early” is sometimes best—it’s about winning over sentimentality.
• A call for fans to demand actual improvement before investing more time or emotion.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the futility of it all:
  • “I just feel like sometimes you get this weird deja vu and you realize, like, my God, I have said the same thing. I’m just changing the names.” (Don Hahn, 33:00)
• On fan drift:
  • “If the Jets and Giants are going to continue to be this bad… you’re going to see people like my son…root for the Philadelphia Eagles.” (Chris Carlin, 34:06)
• On ownership blindness:
  • “Just because you’re around football your entire life… does not make you a football savant.” (Chris Carlin, 45:49)
• On the need for victory above all:
  • “Fans love winning more than they love their favorite player. That's a real thing.” (Don Hahn, 47:06)

Important Callers and Listener Perspectives

• Dave in the Car ([18:09]):
  Calls out the Giants for having “lost this team” under Dable, and points to the spirit and drive evident in better-coached squads, even when they lose.
• Spencer in Connecticut ([28:31]):
  Suggests the Giants mirror the Patriots’ approach—get Dart active early enough, but stresses growth over wins for 2025.
  Carlin pushes back, invoking Mahomes’ slow-burn entry as a counter-model.

Lighter Fare: Couchcast, Knicks, and Show Banter

"Couchcast" (ESPN NY YouTube) – Upcoming Group Event

[23:30–26:19]

• Next “Couchcast” brings all the ESPN New York personalities together for the first time since the “beach bash.”
• Anticipation and trash talk about who’s most fun to see (“Rick has gone rogue... The alcoholism, not just the athleticism,” jokes Rosenberg, 26:19) and how many mics are needed.
• Hahn’s self-deprecation: “If this was not a couch cast and it was a nightclub, the guy going home with somebody first would be Alan.”

Knicks & Rangers Outlook

[37:03–38:03]

• The looming Knicks season is cast as the city’s next big hope:
  • “This city is not going to have any patience by the time we get to late October… Because you already going to deal with whatever the hell happens at the end of the baseball season and the football season by then for either team, off the rails.” (Don Hahn, 37:32)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• (01:41) — Don’s “giant topic”: Giants’ coaching, Brian Baldinger’s damning quote.
• (04:31) — Discussion: If Giants get blown out by Dallas, is the season over?
• (06:44) — Andrew Thomas injury update, offensive line state.
• (11:02) — Dart’s readiness, whether he should get in-game packages.
• (13:02–17:47) — The Wilson–Dart–Locker room dynamic; losing the team, QB psychology.
• (31:39–36:15) — Spiraling into apathy: When do fans just stop watching?
• (43:20–47:06) — “It’s the owner”: Dissecting 15 years of mismanagement, letting go of favorites, and what defines a quality franchise.
• (23:30, 25:26) — Lighter side: Couchcast preview, behind-the-scenes stories.
• (37:03) — Next up: Knicks as city's last hope for sports joy in ‘25.

Takeaway for Listeners

If you sit down for New York football every week wondering "Why am I still doing this?"—this episode is for you. The hosts seamlessly weave sharp analysis, inside jokes, and raw fan frustration, making this hour a cathartic ride for listeners desperate for change, or at least some honest commiseration. The message: Don’t rush the rookie, don’t expect overnight miracles, and if management doesn’t fix its deeper issues, fans will (and should) look elsewhere for excitement.

[End of summary – Don, Hahn & Rosenberg, Hour 3: Reasons to Watch, 09/10/2025]