Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast – Hour 1: Matthew Schaefer Joins the Show

Date: November 3, 2025
Hosts: Alan Hahn & Peter Rosenberg (Don La Greca absent)
Guest: Matthew Schaefer (New York Islanders)
Main Theme:
A classic New York sports hour focused on Giants misery, critical coaching debates, a rejuvenated Knicks win, the ongoing brutality of NFL fandom, and the moving story of 18-year-old Islanders phenom Matthew Schaefer.

Breakdown of Key Segments

1. Show Opening & Current Sports Vibes

[00:37–03:10]

• Don La Greca is absent, returning from a rough Devils West Coast road trip; Alan and Peter drive the hour as a duo.
• Mood check: Peter is disillusioned with sports after a tough run as a fan, Alan is “numb” from so many years following New York teams.
• Knicks recent performance: Fluctuations between an “ugly road trip” and optimism after their latest win, setting up an easy matchup against the Wizards.
• Peter on sports exhaustion:

  "I've never felt better about professional sports. I'm in a super... I'm into it. I love sports." – Peter [01:46] (sarcastically, highlighting frustration).

2. Giants Malaise & State of the Franchise

[03:10–15:09]

Giants Fan Experience

• Discussion on how demoralizing it is for Giants (and Jets) fans to see their home stadium taken over by rival fans.
• Alan:

  "You didn't even finish your Halloween candy and your season is already done." – Alan [04:13]

Coaching Decisions: The Jackson Dart Dilemma

• Extended debate over Coach Brian Daboll’s timing in starting rookie QB Jackson Dart; Peter questions whether Daboll turned to “the kid” too early, fearing the fleeting buzz could harm both Dart’s development and Daboll’s standing by season’s end.
• Peter:

  "I don't mean the hope has faded. I just mean the level of buzz... will fade as this season goes on." [05:04]

• Alan defends the decision, stating the offensive dysfunction demanded a change:

  "He had to make the change when [it was the right] decision for the team." [05:46]

Roster Construction Critique

• Both deeply critical of signing a veteran QB (Jameis Winston) yet never trusting him to play; Alan calls it “professional malfeasance” [06:23].
• Conversation about Daboll “hitching himself to the wagon” with Dart, and the dangers of a rookie trying to do too much with no help.

3. Franchise Dysfunction, Fan Disillusionment, and Ownership

[08:00–15:09]

• Alan walks through more than a decade of Giants futility, noting that since 2016, they've only had one non-disastrous start.
• Dismal stats:

  "...in eight of [the last ten years], you're either 2–7 or 3–7 to start the season. By week 10, you're done." [10:00]

• Alan and Peter emphasize that the problems are structural and ownership-driven.
• Transition from X's and O's to existential:

  "We can't talk football anymore about the Giants. There's nothing to talk about. The secondary is trash. They can't stop the run." – Alan [09:30]

4. The Jackson Dart Evaluation & Protecting the Rookie

[13:42–15:45]

• Alan worries Dart is holding the ball too long, risking injury:

  "You could time him with a sundial... He's just gotta know... get rid of it or run." [14:09]

• Peter compares Dart’s style to Josh Allen’s early years but warns Dart lacks the same size.
• Importance of learning self-protection:

  "You gotta be really careful that he doesn't try to wait and wait... that's how he's going to get hurt." – Alan [14:53]

• Both agree the coaching staff must temper Dart’s aggression while still letting his “moxie” develop.

5. Listener Reactions: Fan Calls on Giants Despair

[17:22–21:26]

Manny in Flushing

• Expresses embarrassment over the Giants’ prolonged playoff absences; draws parallels to Knicks' dark years.
• Asks about Ja Morant’s off-court troubles.

Robbie in Massachusetts

• Longtime Giants fan, venting frustration:

  "I've had it with Brian Daboll as his regime, okay? It's not all his fault because this is a product of bad drafting by Shane... The other point is why can't this team get a kicker?" [19:00]

• Offers a nostalgic take, referencing the infamous “Miracle at the Meadowlands,” and bemoans that rookie QB Dart is surrounded by players lacking effort.
• Robbie, about Schaefer:

  “I used to go to Erie Otters games. I tell you, this kid [Schaefer] is special. I wish he was on the Rangers...” [21:19]

6. The Brutality of NFL Fandom, Quarterback Injuries, and Coping

[21:26–24:32]

• Peter shares his own self-care technique: walked away from the Giants game to avoid emotional misery for his family.
• Discusses the emotional toll of seeing star athletes get injured ("crumpled in front of my eyes yesterday in gruesome fashion" [48:09]), referring to both Giants’ and national QB injuries.
• Alan reflects on how the “battle of attrition” makes NFL fandom uniquely painful:

  “Football feels like at times a crapshoot. Aaron Rodgers, four players into a season... that’s what makes football compelling but also... one of the hardest sports to root for when you have your own team.” [24:18]

7. Interview: Islanders Phenom Matthew Schaefer

[29:21–43:05]

Schaefer’s Rapid Rise & Emotional Leadership

• Alan introduces Schaefer as “Baby Yoda on Long Island” [17:03, 29:44], a prodigious 18-year-old defenseman.
• Schaefer on fan support:

  “It’s like I’m 18 years old… sometimes I don’t shed a tear mid-game, but I think… it’s pretty cool... they’re chanting your name in the arena.” [30:32]

• Alan asks how he’s made such a quick transition. Schaefer credits “teammates, staff, and coaches”; stresses importance of being a good person and helping others.

Overcoming Family Tragedy

• Peter sensitively unpacks Schaefer's loss of his mother to cancer:

  “I know people in their 40s and 50s who, when they lost their mothers... it’s a flooring situation. How did you manage to get through it?” [34:05]

• Schaefer reflects:

  “My dad and brother… friends and family… really came in. The hockey community is so special… At the end of the day, hockey is a good thing to get your mind off it... At the end of the day, she’s always with us in spirit, and she is, you know, happy, healthy, and safe in heaven.” [35:32]

Living with Matt Martin & Islanders Life

• On living with vet Matt Martin’s family:

  “I consider him, you know, a dad, in a way, a brother...We became super, super close just over... the start of... development camp.” [37:07]

• Schaefer jokes that he pays “rent in babysitting” [38:00], acting as a part-time fifth child and helper.

On Playing Against NHL Legends

• “My first game playing against Sidney Crosby, Ovechkin, and then McDavid… Grown up watching them, it’s pretty cool.” [39:19]

Islanders History & Responsibility

• Schaefer admits he didn’t know much Isles history at first, but now admires legendary defenseman Dennis Potvin.
• He wants to help “keep the legacy going” for the franchise.

Schaefer’s Attitude & Openness

• Alan admires his maturity:

  “He’s so open to share it... if it helps [others] to talk about it, I want to be there. Talk about like it really is something.” [43:22]

• Peter: “You get the sense that talking about it is what helps him.” [43:39]

Notable Quotes

• Alan Hahn on Giants’ futility:

  “You didn’t even finish your Halloween candy and your season is already done.” [04:13]

• Peter Rosenberg on Giants fan misery:

  “If you’re telling me there’s no football to talk about anymore... that means there’s not going to be a lot of football being talked about even with Jackson Dart. And that’s bad news for Daboll, man.” [10:43]

• Caller Robbie’s classic fan rant:

  “This is a fire offense. This goes back to 1978, the same damn thing as the Miracle in the Meadowlands... you made Mac Jones look like Joe Montana. It was ridiculous.” [19:28]

• Schaefer on his mother’s guidance:

  "At the end of the day, she’s always with us in spirit, and she is, you know, happy, healthy, and safe in heaven... she’s not suffering anymore, which is a good thing." [36:02]

• Peter on NFL fandom:

  "Football feels like at times a crapshoot... it’s probably one of the hardest sports to root for when you have your own team." [24:18]

Other Highlights & Timestamps

• Knicks/NBA Chatter: [02:13, 16:30, 28:13–29:09]
• Brief mention of Ja Morant news: [18:34, 28:47–29:09]
• Discussion of upcoming Giants schedule & tanking possibilities: [12:29–13:19]
• Pop culture tangent: Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ dance nostalgia: [44:42–46:59]

Tone & Language Notes

• Frank, frustrated, and quintessentially New York—hosts maintain banter with sarcastic edge, give each other (and callers) plenty of rope to vent.
• Schaefer interview is earnest, emotionally real, showing sports’ human side.
• Balance between sarcastic self-defense (“numb,” “nothing left to feel,” “stop caring”) and real pain/rage at years of team failure, but also sincere awe for young athletes like Schaefer.

Conclusion

For fans, this episode delivers classic New York sports radio: equal parts gallows humor, righteous fury, and genuine emotional connection. The hour builds from the current-of-the-week chaos (Giants and Jets disaster zones, Knicks optimism) to a moving, hope-filled segment with Matthew Schaefer—a standout reminder of why sport matters amid all the sustained heartbreak.

Key Segments:

• [00:37] Introduction & Don’s absence
• [03:10] Giants fan misery, ownership failings, and coaching debate
• [15:27] NFL injuries and how they break fans’ spirits
• [17:22] Listener calls: Giants futility, Ja Morant discussion
• [29:21] Matthew Schaefer interview: his journey, loss, and NHL rise

For those who missed it:

• Come for the New York sports commiseration, stay for a powerful story about resilience, perspective, and the next big thing on Long Island ice.