Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 3: "Where's The Juice?"

Date: August 22, 2025
Hosts: Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Theme: The urgent question of the Yankees’ missing edge—on the field, in the bullpen, in the dugout, and even among the fans—set against the backdrop of another messy Yankees-Red Sox series. Plus, calls about NY sports culture, frustrations with modern baseball, and a touch of football and hip-hop.

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Hour 3 opens in the aftermath of a lackluster Yankees-Red Sox game, with Alan Hahn and Peter Rosenberg dissecting the team's apparent absence of intensity, both on the field and in their general aura. The central question: Where’s the juice? The hour ebbs through caller frustrations, the "corporate" feel of modern Yankees, bullpen woes, the energy (or lack thereof) in the stands, and broader concerns about both local baseball and football. Fun musical sidetracks and pop culture nods keep things lively.

1. Yankees-Red Sox: Lack of Edge & Missed Opportunity (00:39–08:27)

• Game Recap & Tone:
  Rosenberg and Hahn agree that despite errors on both sides, the game was "winnable" but ultimately emblematic of a bigger issue: the Yankees’ lack of intensity.

  • Rosenberg (00:57): "It did, to me, Alan, start to feel like a Yankee-Red Sox game... some terrible errors... particularly the Yankees... bad pitching as well. But it was close... and then the wheels just completely fell off."

  • Hahn’s Analysis:

    • The Yankees’ “even keel,” buttoned-up, corporate approach breeds a lack of emotional spark—contrasted with older eras.
    • Relief pitching and errors were disastrous; pitching woes are blamed for the loss.
    • Max Fried’s start tonight is framed as a crucial "tone setter": “Emotionally, this feels like that must-win.” (04:24)

  • Notable Quote:

    • Hahn (04:50): "You gotta... This is a series as well as when you play the Astros... you still got to show yourself good enough to go toe to toe. I just did not like the tone..."

Key Timestamps

• [01:14] – Game was "very winnable"
• [04:24] – "This feels like that must win. This is what an ace does."

2. Calls on Intensity and Leadership (08:27–14:03)

• John from Washington (08:35): Echoes the lack-of-intensity theme, likening it to martial arts competition: “You have to have your own intensity... someone to just say, okay, enough's enough.”

  • Calls for more ‘Posada/O’Neill type’ emotion – something Ben Rice and Jazz Chisholm might bring.
  • Hahn (09:34): "It always starts with the leader, doesn't it? And Aaron Judge is that guy that is stoic... [he and Stanton] sort of are like the stormtroopers... they just march in and start shooting like it's nothing crazy."

• Joe from Chappaqua (12:45): Recaps the lethargic in-person game experience – painfully slow, energy missing in the stadium as well as on TV.

  • Joe (13:44): “Last night, it fell flat... I just glad I got my bobblehead and got the hell out of there in the ninth inning.”

Key Timestamps

• [09:34] – Alan’s “stormtroopers” leadership critique
• [13:44] – Stadium vibe: “fell flat”

3. Broader Baseball Culture: Team Identity, Pitching, and Fan Frustration (15:18–19:12)

• Streaming Frustrations (14:03):
  Complaints about Yankees/Mets games being on different streaming platforms, difficulty for fans.

  • Rosenberg (15:18): "You hate the spinny wheel, don’t you?"
  • Hahn: "I just can't hit last channel... Listen, we're in a new era."

• Will in the Bronx (15:47):
  Praises Tim Hill’s relief pitching amid blanket criticism of the staff ("got him out of a huge den last night... kept him in the game").

  • Hahn (16:47): "It's obviously a blanket statement, but it doesn't include everyone."
  • Peter: "What’s your gut for this weekend?"
  • Hahn: Needs the Yankees to "get three" out of four against the Sox.

Key Timestamps

• [15:18] – Streaming woes
• [16:47] – Pitching conversation nuance

4. The State of the Rivalry, Old-School vs Modern Baseball (28:55–32:04)

• Richard’s Dodger-Yankee Confession (26:13):
  Explains how generational loyalty and city pride affected his baseball fandom.

  • Richard: "It is fraudulent behavior, but that's the way it was."

• Brad from Montclair (28:55):
  Critiques baseball’s shift from face-to-face battles to stats and process, softening the competitive edge.

  • "They're doing what they're coached to do... they don’t care about the results. Like, that did not used to be the way."
  • Calls out the perception of ‘softness’ and laments the loss of cutthroat competition.
  • Hahn (30:14): "It's a different approach... Just see the quotes from the former players and how they feel about what they're watching in pinstripes now..."

• Peter (32:04): "If I’m supposed to wait, I’ll judge when it’s over. What am I doing in the regular season?"

Key Timestamps

• [28:55] – Modern approach vs old-school fire
• [30:14] – Alan’s perspective on shifts in baseball culture

5. Football & Culture: Daniel Jones, Giants Dilemma, and Hip-Hop (32:16–45:55)

Football:

• Jay Calls (32:16):
  Positive outlook on Daniel Jones’ potential in Indianapolis, might “shock people.”

  • Hahn (33:34): "It's not crazy because of everything that you said. There are weapons there, there's an offensive line there..."
  • Peter (35:09): “If he took a full step forward... like, yeah, you know what I mean? If he was better than he was three years ago in the playoff year.”

• Damien on the Giants (41:26):
  Torn between rooting for Russell Wilson or investing in Jackson Dart for the future.

  • Hahn (43:02): "If Russ doesn't give him a reason and we're into December... Don't you just have to ride it out?"
  • Peter (44:01): “If you know you have the quarterback, how important is your draft pick next year? ... But not more important than winning at this point.”

Hip-Hop/Culture:

• Supreme Court (Ghostface) Shout-out (32:16, 39:12):
  Peter gets name-checked on Ghostface’s new album.
  • Peter (32:35): "There's a song where they use my voice at the beginning of the song. It's pretty cool."
  • Caller (32:38): "Great album, man... That's my favorite rapper."
  • Alan (39:12): “They had to give you chills.”

Fun Musical/Sound Collab Segment (39:19–41:13)

• Hahn proposes making Yacht Rock beats from old songs ("JoJo" by Boz Scaggs), Peter agrees it’s easy and catchy.
  • Caller (41:26): “Whatever that was you were just playing, that was a dope beat.”

6. Tone & Takeaway: Searching for Heart in NY Sports

• The hosts, callers, and listeners share a clear sentiment: Local teams are lacking in passion and outward fight—on the field, in the dugout, often among fans, and even in the team’s public persona.
• Both Yankees and Mets are seen as “corporate,” missing the feisty characters of yesteryear.
• The show mixes frustration with humor, nostalgia, and musical energy—a well-blended hour emblematic of New York sports talk at its best.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS & QUOTES

• Hahn (04:50): "I just did not like, I did not like the tone of that game last night. I blame the pitching more than I blame anything else."
• Hahn (09:34): "Aaron Judge is that guy that is stoic... they sort of are like. It really does feel like they're sort of like the stormtroopers."
• Joe from Chappaqua (13:44): "Last night, it fell flat... Just glad I got my bobblehead and got the hell out of there in the ninth inning."
• Brad from Montclair (28:55): "They're just out there... hoping things work out. These guys are just soft."
• Peter Rosenberg (32:04): "What am I doing in the regular season?"
• Jay (Caller, 32:16): "Danny Jones could shock a lot of people."
• Peter (32:35): "There's a song where they use my voice at the beginning... it's pretty cool."
• Alan Hahn (43:02): "Don't give me a reason. What if Russell Wilson doesn't give him a reason and we're into December... Don't you just have to ride it out?"

SUMMARY TABLE OF KEY SEGMENTS & TIMESTAMPS

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | Notable Quote/Detail | |-------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:39–05:41 | Yankees-Red Sox Reaction | "I just did not like the tone of that game last night..." | | 08:27–11:51 | Calls re: Missing Intensity | "You have to have your own intensity..." | | 12:45–14:03 | Fan/Caller: Stadium’s Flat Energy | "Glad I got my bobblehead and got the hell out..." | | 15:18–16:47 | Streaming Sports Frustrations | "You hate the spinny wheel, don’t you?" | | 15:47–18:25 | Pitching Deep Dive, Weekend Outlook | "I need three before you go to play..." | | 26:13–28:41 | Right/’Fraudulent’ Fandom, Dodgers-Yankees | "It is fraudulent behavior, but that’s the way it was." | | 28:55–32:04 | Modern Approach Critique, 'Softness' in Baseball | "They're soft." | | 32:16–36:18 | Daniel Jones Hopes, NFL QB Talk | "Danny Jones could shock a lot of people." | | 39:19–41:13 | Music Segment: Boz Scaggs to Beats | "Whatever that was... that was a dope beat." | | 41:26–45:49 | Giants’ QB Dilemma: Russell Wilson vs. Jackson Dart | "Don't you just have to ride it out..." |

FINAL TAKE

This hour is a showcase of New York sports angst: smart, funny, and brutally honest. Hahn and Rosenberg (and their callers) mourn the absence of old-school fire—on the mound, at the mic, and in the stands—while poking fun at modern annoyances (streaming woes, "spinny wheel," and emotionless superstars). Interwoven are nods to pop culture, hip-hop, and playful music production ideas, keeping the tone quintessentially New York—restless, plugged-in, and always expecting more.

[Note: Ads and unrelated sponsor reads have been omitted for clarity and focus on sports content.]