Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 4: Devils Dominance

Date: October 27, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Network: ESPN New York

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the New Jersey Devils' red-hot start to the NHL season, their current eight-game win streak, and the buzz around Don La Greca's play-by-play calls energizing the fanbase. The hosts also explore Knicks and Giants storylines, including coaching challenges, star players, and ongoing frustrations among New York sports fans. Spirited banter, listener calls, and trademark humor keep the episode lively and engaging.

Key Discussion Points

1. Devils' Winning Streak and Don La Greca's Influence

Timestamps: 01:26 – 05:51

• Devils on an Eight-Game Heater:
  • The Devils are on an eight-game winning streak, a rare feat to start the season at 8–1.
  • Key victories highlighted, including back-to-back wins against Colorado and overtime heroics.
• Upcoming Road Trip:
  • Discussed the challenge of facing Colorado again and a matchup against a young, unpredictable San Jose Sharks team.
• La Greca’s Play-by-Play Magic:
  • The hosts tease Don about his impact on the streak, joking that he’s as important as the players.
  • “He brings the vibe. It’s almost like the players—Jack Hughes started out the season slow, then all of a sudden...maybe he wants Don calling his goals.” – (Host, 03:35)
  • Memorable replays of Don’s goal calls, with the team laughing about the scoreboard horn being too loud, and listeners praising his energy.
  • Don modestly pushes back against the idea that he’s responsible, but the other hosts and fans disagree.

Highlights & Quotes:

• [03:03] Don Hahn: “But to start the season eight and one, you know, if they win tomorrow...it's becoming a thing already. The fans have really gotten excited about this start.”
• [03:35] Host: “I think he may be more important than the player.”
• [04:09] Peter Rosenberg: “I got more than chills. I got movement. I got to move back from the console here.”
• [04:27] Don Hahn: “Maybe the mix is different.”
• [04:47] Host: “More dawn, less horn.”

2. Don’s Sudden Popularity and Social Media Shenanigans

Timestamps: 05:52 – 07:38

• Getting Recognition:
  • Don shares that he’s getting a lot of positive feedback online, though sports fans are known to nitpick (notably, confusing player names on air).
  • Peter jokingly asks if Don’s DMs are filling with more than praise (“Any nudes getting slid your way?” – 05:35).
• Behind-the-Scenes Banter:
  • Anecdotes about the realities of a broadcaster’s romantic life, riffing on the famous “never coming home” line and drawing comparisons to Chippendales, Michael Kay, and hotel life.

Highlights & Quotes:

• [05:12] Don Hahn: “People are gonna...they want it done the right way, you know. I do know who Nathan McKinnon is. I do.”
• [05:51] Don Hahn: “The best advice I ever got...You will never get a woman. And I think the same with play by play...It's not exactly working at Chippendales.”
• [06:45] Peter Rosenberg: “She runs into Dave for Getty and it's over. Don, she pulls the Harlem night. She calls and she goes, hey, baby. And he answers, yep, hey, I'm never coming home.”

3. Jack Hughes’ Early-Season Brilliance & Don's Family Life

Timestamps: 09:11 – 10:10

• Hughes’ Stats:
  • Jack Hughes: 8 goals, 12 points in 9 games, 2 game winners—his health is key.
• Don’s Family:
  • Don juggles family responsibilities during road trips and admits to snatching the family iPad for travel, leading to some playful ribbing from the others about modern parenting pains.

Highlights & Quotes:

• [09:41] Peter Rosenberg: “You can't leave Nancy iPad list now when she needs a break tonight.”
• [10:10] Host: “You come home, the look she's going to give you…”

4. Miscellaneous NBA News & Knick Schedule Frustrations

Timestamps: 11:16 – 14:53

• Pacers News:
  • Indiana Pacers sign Slam Dunk champ Mac McClung; James Wiseman waived.
• Knicks Open with Brutal Schedule:
  • First three games: Cleveland, Boston, Miami—no easy games early.
  • Giannis rumors swirl before Knicks–Bucks matchup—hosts debate if the noise is real or just “white noise.”
• Host Frustration:
  • Complaints about the Knicks always being in the headline games and never getting an “easy” matchup.

Highlights & Quotes:

• [13:15] Don Hahn: “I think it's irritating, though, for a Nick fan...let's focus on us here. Got a good team. Let's get the job done.”
• [13:50] Host: “It just feels like game after game after game to start this season is like, can they get one cupcake?”

5. Giants Woes: Coaching, Culture, and Fan Fatigue

Timestamps: 19:52 – 26:48

• Caller “Tessa” Airs Grievances:
  • Tessa calls in, praises Don, but is deeply frustrated with the Giants’ incompetence and coaching carousel (“I just need a new regime in there…I'm just really tired of just being on the side of this terrible stat.” – 21:46).
• Coaching Carousel and Belichick Speculation:
  • Discussion about the lack of great coaching candidates for the Giants, with Belichick’s candidacy debated and dismissed due to power demands.
  • The coaching discussion broadens: would Tomlin, Andy Reid, or Spagnolo ever land in New York? The answer: little hope for obvious fits.
• Hard Truths:
  • The hosts agree that firing a coach is easy; finding a winner is tough, especially in New York’s high-pressure environment.

Highlights & Quotes:

• [21:56] Don Hahn: “Ten straight losses on the road, tying a franchise record...when do the stats just pile up to the point where it's like, this just isn't working.”
• [23:25] Peter Rosenberg: “There's no obvious ones in, right? No, not at this moment.”
• [24:18] Don Hahn: “He's a great coach...I think he's a very average Italian evaluator as far as general manager and drafting.”
• [25:23] Don Hahn: “What if Kansas City wins again? And Andy Reid's like, okay, I'm done.”

6. Lighter Moments and Closing Thoughts

Timestamps: 10:41, 15:40, 27:26 – End

• Joking About Don's Hotel Life:
  • “Don Alone 2: Electric Boogaloo” as a riff on Home Alone, showing off the hosts’ self-deprecating, pop-culture-infused humor.
• Closing: World Series, Monday Night Football, and Giveaways
  • Rosenberg preps for a full night of sports viewing, cracks a joke: “I have a weird fantasy that we somehow shock the world.” (27:44)
  • Final notes: plug for UFC tickets at MSG, playful sign-offs, and call for more Devils magic tomorrow.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “More Don, less horn.” – [04:47] Host (in reference to La Greca’s play-by-play outperforming arena sound effects)
• “The best advice I ever got...you will never get a woman. And I think the same with play by play.” – [05:51] Don Hahn
• “I just need a new regime in there...I'm just really tired of just being on the side of this terrible stat.” – [21:46] Tessa (caller)
• “It's easy to say fire the coach. The hard part is who's the obvious guy to bring in that's going to get you, right?” – [25:28] Host

Segment Timestamps for Quick Navigation

• Devils Win Streak, Don’s Calls: [01:26 – 05:51]
• Social Media & Personal Banter: [05:52 – 07:38]
• Jack Hughes & Family Life: [09:11 – 10:10]
• NBA News & Knicks Frustration: [11:16 – 14:53]
• Giants Coaching Discussion & Fan Call: [19:52 – 26:48]
• Lighter Moments/Sign Off: [10:41, 15:40, 27:26 – End]

Episode Tone

Conversational, humorous, often self-deprecating, blending genuine New York sports angst with camaraderie, listener involvement, and playful ribbing—true to the spirit of New York sports radio.

Summary for New Listeners:
If you missed this episode, you’ll want to catch the La Greca-led Devils euphoria, the running jokes about Don’s stardom, and the cathartic rants about the Giants’ existential woes. Whether you’re tuning in for expert insights, group therapy, or just the laughs, Don, Hahn & Rosenberg deliver all with a distinctly New York bite.