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

Date: August 18, 2025
Host: Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg, Don La Greca
Summary prepared for: Anyone looking for a lively (and tangential) New York sports talk with a side of music and culture

Episode Overview

The “Last Call Crew” edition of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg is the quintessential late-hour hang, blending New York sports, offbeat humor, and cultural riffs. This episode swings from ticket giveaways and playful radio banter to deeper hand-wringing over the Yankees’ offensive philosophy and the perennial “song of the summer” debate. The trio, with regulars like Michael Kay and Richard chiming in, is in peak form—honest, irreverent, and unfiltered.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Promo & Banter, “Why So Much Country?”

00:43–02:03

• Ticket Giveaway Rant:
  The episode opens with promo banter for Rascal Flatts concert tickets. Richard playfully questions why the station mostly gives away country music tickets:

  • Richard: “God bless country music. But why is it the only genre? …It doesn’t match the feel of the station at all.” (01:22)
  • Peter: “We have to discuss that with Live Nation and the account people.” (01:36)

• Light Mockery:
  The crew jokes about country music’s mismatch with the station’s vibe, with Don adopting a “country” drawl and an Ed Ogeron impression.

“Kiki Time” & Squirrel Hunting Ramble

02:19–04:04

• Summer Traditions—(Faux) Southern Style:
  Richard goes off on a surreal tangent about “Kiki Time” (mid-August), hot weather, “squirrel hunting season,” and rustic family recipes:
  • Richard: “My pa used to say once it was 70 degrees, that means it’s squirrel hunting season. And we go out, we hunt a squirrel. I caught me a fat one named Larry. Shot him right in the thorax.” (02:51)
  • The segment blurs parody and real Americana, reveling in its own absurdity (including eating “squirrel sandwiches”).

Yankees’ Offensive Identity & MVP Races

06:06–09:58

• Putting the Ball in Play (Not Just Homers):
  The group discusses Aaron Boone’s amusement at “putting the ball in play” actually winning the Yankees a game. They bemoan the team’s reliance on the long ball and wish they'd bunt more—though Alan and Peter agree the team is “so bad at it.”

  • Alan: “What I’d like them to add to the arsenal is the occasional bunt. That’s the surest way.” (06:53)
  • Peter: “They had an opportunity…[and] it was painfully bad.” (07:22)

• Reliever Roles & Reinvention:
  Alan lobbies for reinventing Devin Williams as a versatile two-inning reliever, while Peter argues it’s too late with impending free agency.

• MVP Debates:
  The hosts debate potential NL & AL MVPs if Milwaukee dominates:

  • Alan: “Who would be the MVP in the National League? Ohtani, Schwarber, or Alonzo?” (08:54)
  • Peter: “You can’t give the MVP to the best player on the best team. It’s who’s having the best season…Cal Raleigh’s going to win the MVP in the American League.” (09:29)

Legendary “Richard” Drops—Inside Radio Banter

10:22–12:46

• Meta-Radio Humor:
  In a self-referential stretch, the guys riff about Richard’s inability to keep up with prior segments unless prompted (“I think he waits for his name and then he just jumps on.” –Peter, 10:55).

• Classic Drops/Memorable Moments:
  The group replays and jokes about favorite radio soundbites:

  • “Take it all off!”—a famous Richard line, humorously discussed in the context of lap dances and its accidental juxtaposition with tragic news. (11:14–12:18)
  • “Two beautiful women died. I’ll give you them quickly.” (11:58)

The Yankees Dilemma: All Power, No Versatility

15:00–19:15

• What’s Wrong with the Yankees’ Roster Build? Michael Kay calls in to rail against the Yankees’ “Big Gene Outfield” (all-muscle, no athleticism) philosophy:

  • Michael: “...It’s a philosophical problem. There’s a quote about athletes: you want to be faster than the lifters and you want to be stronger than the runners. …We can’t have a team full of beefcakes.” (16:32–16:59)
  • Points out 2019’s disappointment despite historic home run numbers.

• Balance and Change:
  The hosts note the team has gotten more athletic, with better balance via additions like Caballero. But issues persist:

  • Peter: “I still think the approach sucks.” (17:19)
  • Kay: “We have gotten more athletic. …Bellinger can put the ball where he wants it. That’s because he was not raised in this organization.” (17:45–17:54)

• Base-Stealing Game:
  The panel lauds aggressive base-running as a new weapon, noting rule changes have made it even easier.

The Deeper Problem: Yankees’ “Success” Redefined

19:08–20:40

• Systemic Issues:
  Peter contends the Yankees’ true problem is ownership settling for “just black” (winning record & profit), not rings:
  • Peter: “…They have a winning record every year. All that stuff is supposed to be the new success at the Yankee standard. …No, I’m not accepting that as the new standard. …When you have a $300 million payroll…you should every year be playing for a championship.” (19:16–20:31)

Pop Culture Coda: “Song of the Summer” is Missing

20:40–21:51

• Seasonal Soundtrack Oddity:
  Alan poses a “homework question”: What is the song of summer 2025? Neither kids nor hosts have an answer—leading to an existential music talk:

  • Richard: “Most people believe there’s no song of the summer this summer.” (21:19)
  • Peter: “Pop always gives you one.” (21:40)

• Disjointed Music Landscape:
  They theorize music’s fragmentation has ended the monoculture of “the song of summer.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Richard, on Country Only Ticket Giveaways:
  “It doesn’t match the feel of the station at all.” (01:31)

• Richard, on Family Traditions:
  “I caught me a fat one named Larry. Shot him right in the thorax.” (02:51)

• Alan, on Reinventing Devin Williams:
  “Why not let him reinvent himself instead of just saying, no, he can’t do it.” (07:34)

• Peter, on Yankees’ October Reality:
  “Then you get to October and you realize every game’s a grind…and you’re not going to mash because pitchers know where to pitch you…” (19:15)

• Michael Kay, on Roster Philosophy:
  “We can’t have a team full of beefcakes.” (16:59)

• Peter Rosenberg, on New Standards:
  “I do. I think when you have a $300 million payroll and you’re the New York Yankees you should every year be playing for a championship…” (20:22)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Country music ticket rant: 01:10–02:03
• Kiki time & squirrel hunting bit: 02:19–04:04
• Yankees “small ball”/bunting failings & MVP talk: 06:06–09:58
• “Take it all off!” banter & classic drops: 10:22–12:46
• Boone/Yankees sweep, momentum skepticism: 14:38–16:07
• Michael Kay on Yankees’ muscle-bound roster: 16:28–17:54
• Peter’s “success redefined” rant: 19:08–20:31
• Song of the summer debate: 20:40–21:51

Tone & Style

• Loose, bantering, and sometimes absurd: Back-and-forth jabs, oddball storytelling, and irreverent takes.
• Blunt about sports realities—no sugarcoating the Yankees’ limitations or ownership’s motives.
• Cultural: Music and pop feel at home alongside serious baseball debates.

For Listeners Who Missed It

Expect a uniquely New York blend of sports frustration, irrepressible humor, and sidewinding cultural commentary—from why the Yankees’ approach drives die-hards nuts, to why nobody knows this summer’s signature jam. If you want opinionated, engaged, self-aware sports content with a radio crew that feels more bar room than news desk, this episode is a classic.