Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 4: Last Call Crew

ESPN New York | September 3, 2025

Episode Overview

This lively hour of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg centers on the state of New York (and NFC East) football as the NFL season kicks off, with spirited talk about Giants optimism, fan expectations, and division rivals. The trio also delivers their signature banter, calls out sports "fraudulence," reminisces on classic movies and hip hop moments, and takes fan calls that range from sports talk to iconic music and movie debates. The tone, as always, is playful, combative, and rooted in New York sports and culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Giants & NFC East Season Outlook

• Eagles vs. Cowboys Opener, Giants Implications

  • Curiosity with Rivals: The hosts discuss watching the upcoming Eagles-Cowboys matchup, especially from the Giants' perspective. (00:43–04:01)
    • Peter: “As a Giants fan, are you watching with some curiosity? You know, the Eagles are good, but the Cowboys, no. Parsons, the controversy…” (01:02)
  • Dallas’s Vulnerabilities & Giants Opportunity:
    • The Cowboys are seen as vulnerable due to coaching questions and key defensive player loss.
    • Alan: “It’s hard to believe that’s a team that’s going the right direction even though they got their quarterback back.” (04:02)
  • Giants Outlook & Early Wins:
    • “I am not ruling out the possibility of them winning week one... Now the Cowboys feel like they can be winnable games, right? Why not?” – Alan (01:34)
    • Don emphasizes that starting strong is vital, referencing their struggles in season openers: “It’s Pope Hope for a franchise that is one in seven in their last season openers.” (05:48)

• Fan Dynamics in Dallas

  • The group discusses how disgruntled Cowboys fans could turn on their team—possibly benefiting the Giants in their Dallas road game. (02:24–03:34)

• Opening Day Losing Streak Trivia

  • A trivia aside identifies the Indianapolis Colts as having the longest current streak (11) of opening day losses.
    • Notable Quote: “The streak is 11, by the way. 11 consecutive season opening losses.” – Don (06:29)
    • Alan reacts: “Would you go as far as saying that’s not what you want.” (06:36)

Quarterback & Offensive Expectations

• Daniel Jones’ Prospects in Indy
  • Brief discussion on whether Daniel Jones can find success with the Colts:
    • Alan: “I don’t think he’s going to be, you know, Saquon Barkley esque. But I do think he’s going to…” (07:14)
  • Forecasts for both Giants (Jones-focused, run-heavy offense) and the Jets paralleling Justin Fields’ usage.

Toolbox/Fraud Alert Segment

• “Toolbox” Behavior Callout
  • Caller Kadeem highlights “toolbox behavior”—fan/player actions that are over the top or cringeworthy.
    • Eagles’ Coach Sirianni’s ring ceremony conduct is “tool”-ish, even for some Philly fans.
      • Kadeem: “When I said that Eagle fans even acknowledge that Sirianni is a tool.” (11:14)
  • Bill Belichick’s sideline demeanor and media run-ins also get labeled as unnecessary.
• Drake’s “Mush” Reputation
  • Kadeem and Peter riff on Drake’s tendency to jinx athletes and teams, now taking aim at him for declaring Rhea Ripley his “muse.”
    • Peter: “I just want him to stay away. He’s a mush.” (12:37)
    • Alan: “He did break it with the Raptors a bit, but there’s a lot of history…” (13:44)
    • Don: “He gotta go in the bathroom.” (13:57) — referencing A Bronx Tale’s infamous bad luck scene.

Fan Calls & Pop Culture Debates

• Fraud Alert Friday & Sports “Frauds” (16:00+)

  • The guys debate what constitutes being a “fraud” in fandom—like a Nets fan singing Knicks playoff songs at MSG.
    • Don breaks it down: “But then when you explain, dude, you’re singing at halftime of the Knick game and you’re talking about what a die hard net fan you are. And then you go to New York, go, New York, go. Because the Knicks are in the playoff. That’s fraudulent behavior.” (16:34)
    • “Fraud with reason… it’s like manslaughter.” — Don, tongue-in-cheek (17:52)

• Movie & Song Debates

  • Callers bring up classic moments from A Bronx Tale (biker bar and racing scenes) and debate the merits of sports movies like Draft Day vs. Little Giants.
    • “Draft day is an awful—" "No, it’s awesome.” (20:20)
    • Alan and Don defend the appeal of dramatized front office sports movies.

• Music Moments

  • Strip club anthems and their crossovers into pop culture, e.g., Vanity 6’s “Nasty Girl” and White Zombie, discussed with nuance.
    • “The song Nasty Girl by Vanity 6 is so much better than just being labeled like strip club.” – Peter (19:20)

• Billy Joel Top Five

  • Sam from Brooklyn suggests a top-five Billy Joel songs list after the hosts mention the new documentary, with the group agreeing such lists are highly subjective.
    • “It’s very subjective.” – Don (23:03)
    • “No Vienna?” – Alan, chiding Don’s list preferences. (23:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Giants Season Starts:
  • Don (05:48): “It’s Pope Hope for a franchise that is one in seven in their last season openers.”
• On NFC East Luck:
  • Alan (04:40): “They caught some breaks last year... Your season last year was kind of like the Giants in 22.”
• On Being a 'Fraud' Fan:
  • Don (16:34): "You’re singing at halftime of the Knick game and you’re talking about what a die hard net fan you are. And then you go to New York, go, New York, go. ... That’s fraudulent behavior."
• Pop Culture Touchstones:
  • “He gotta go in the bathroom.” – Don (13:57), referencing A Bronx Tale for bad luck removal.
• On Drake’s Sports Mush:
  • Peter (13:44): “He did, but there’s UFC fights where he posts the bet. There’s Serena Williams. How often does Drake wander in and all of a sudden something horrible happens.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Giants & NFC East Outlook: 00:43–07:36
• Toolbox / Fraud Alert Callers: 10:11–14:03
• Debate Over Sports “Fraudulence”: 16:13–17:56
• Fan Calls: Movie & Music Debates: 18:03–23:23
• Billy Joel Top Five & Sign-Off: 22:56–23:33

Closing

This episode is a classic "Last Call Crew" outing: big on blunt truths about New York sports, quick to call out fan and celebrity foolishness (“toolbox” behavior, “fraud” fans), and generously sprinkled with pop culture, music, and movie references. The interplay between Don, Hahn, Rosenberg, and engaging callers brings the city’s unique sports culture to life, blending sharp analysis with plenty of laughter.