Hour 2: Isles & NFL Binge

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast

Hour 2: Isles & NFL Binge

Date: March 2, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg" dives deep into New York sports with a sharp, honest, and humorous back-and-forth. The first half is a spirited debate on the current state of the New York Islanders, their unexpectedly strong season, and the impact of rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer. The conversation then pivots into an NFL binge, covering breaking news, cap moves, infamous team signings, and the ongoing instability within the Jets and Commanders franchises. Throughout, the trio maintains their trademark banter—full of blunt critiques, self-deprecating humor, and a touch of nostalgia.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Creative Frustration & Honest Critique (00:57–05:38)

• The hosts candidly discuss their recent on-air chemistry and failed top-of-the-hour bits, especially relating to "Tully Time," sponsored promotional reads.
• Don Hahn expresses disappointment in the lack of effort from co-hosts Peter and Alan, lamenting a decline in creative energy:

  "I just think it’s been awful. It seems like it’s getting worse every time." (03:28)

• Peter openly admits to not trying, while Rosenberg tries to mediate before the crew collectively agrees to stick to their strengths and move past the failed experiment.
• There’s mutual respect despite irritation:

  "I'm never going to give up on you. That's how good of a teammate I am." — Rosenberg (05:36)

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2. New York Islanders: The Schaefer Effect & Playoff Outlook (06:03–15:38 / 44:23–47:54)

• With Devils and Rangers struggling, attention shifts to the Islanders—riding a five-game winning streak and in firm playoff position.
• Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer stands out, becoming the first Islander defenseman since Denny Potvin in 1985 to notch 20 goals:

  "Matthew Schaefer has just continued to impress. 20 goals. First Islander defenseman to get to the 20 goal mark since Denny Potvin. And that’s not nobody." — Don (06:19) "Greg Wyshynski from ESPN brought this up: ‘I don’t think there has been a first overall pick more impactful to his team since Ovechkin.’" — Don (06:44)

• Discussion about whether veteran GM Lou Lamoriello would have given Schaefer such a big role at 18; consensus is that Schaefer’s presence and maturity transformed the locker room.
• Islander playoff prospects are debated—team resiliency, strong goaltending, and late-game comebacks mark a turnaround from previous years:

  "Last year, that was always the problem. ... This year’s team, even if they’re down, they’re not out." — Rosenberg (15:29)

• Felicia, a caller from Mississippi, echoes hosts’ views:

  "I am 100% sold that it’s Schaefer that has changed this team. ... Now I am confident we can come back from any deficit. ... The team has a totally different feel." (45:23)

• Concern about postseason:

  "Usually teams that rely on young defensemen don't do well in the postseason because they're just overwhelmed. ... That might not be the case with him. He seems to really own it." — Don, referencing Sheldon Keefe (46:43)

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3. NHL Playoff Structure: Bracket Rage & Realignment Musings (15:38–23:56)

• Peter rails against the NHL’s “dumb” wild card and bracket system, wishing for a simpler 1–16 or 1–8 seeding.

  "If Gary Bettman was sitting to the right, I’d slap him." — Don (16:11)

• Don and Rosenberg explain the league’s desire for first-round divisional rivalries and the March Madness-style bracket, but all agree it dilutes competitive integrity.

  "The real reason is that they want stupid brackets." — Don (17:46) "Should be 1 through 8. Let’s play. Let’s grow up." — Peter (18:04)

• Discussion expands into broader sports formats: should playoffs be truly conference-agnostic to allow for best-on-best showdowns, even if it means coast-to-coast travel?

  "Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a format where there could be the possibility of a Stanley Cup Final Ovechkin vs. Crosby?" — Don (19:55) "Hockey was the one sport where you felt like anything could happen if you get in." — Peter (21:56)

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4. NFL Binge: Trades, Cuts & Team Woes (28:25–44:14)

• NFL trade and salary cap news: Texans acquire RB David Montgomery, move tackle Titus Howard; Chiefs to release right tackle Jawaan Taylor; Commanders cut Marshon Lattimore; Vikings shed salaries.

  "Commanders will save $18.5 million as a result of the cut. Vikings were $43 million over the cap ..." — Peter (31:13)

• Peter and Rosenberg bemoan their teams’ (Commanders and Jets) history of signing aging stars at the wrong time:

  "Both Washington and the Jets have this in common: catching players at the end of their career." — Don (32:29) "What's my man's name, the worst one of all time? Albert Haynesworth." — Peter (31:57)

• Rare bright spot: London Fletcher gets acknowledged as a late-career success for Washington.
• Debate on players who thrived despite dysfunctional teams:

  "Santana Moss. Great career. Half with the Jets, half with the [Redskins]. Both completely defunct the entire time." — Peter (35:46)

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5. Jets, Browns, and the Quarterback Dilemma (36:13–41:55)

• Chris Canty audio highlights the risks of moving up for a quarterback:

  "If the Jets are insistent on getting a quarterback in this draft, they have all the ammunition they would ever need ... At some point, the [Raiders] have to say yes." — Canty (36:29)

• Don, Rosenberg, and Peter discuss draft strategy: trade up for a QB now, or wait for potentially better prospects next year? There's skepticism about mortgaging the future unless it's for a truly special talent.

  "If you love Mendoza, you do it. That’s what it’s got to be based on." — Don (38:43)

• Emerging worry about Browns leap-frogging the Jets for QB Ty Simpson due to personal connections with Browns’ staff.

  "Now all of a sudden he's off the board. Do the Jets now have to worry about that?" — Rosenberg (41:10)

• Dan Orlovsky’s hot take:

  "When it comes to best player in the draft, that's Jeremiah Love." — Orlovsky (41:36)

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6. Pop Culture, Celebrity Fans, and Banter (48:04–51:08)

• Callers chime in about celebrity Jets fans—Michael Imperioli, Spike Lee (though Don labels him a “fraud” fan), and Lenny Kravitz, who once performed at halftime and wrote a song about the Jets.

  "He wrote a song about the Jets? Yeah, and he performed it during halftime." — Don (49:11)

• Lighthearted discussion about the attractiveness of Beatles members and classic “dad jokes.”
• Consistent playful ribbing, breaking the “fourth wall” with listeners.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On honest on-air feedback:

  "Am I wrong?" — Don (03:31)

• On Islanders' transformation:

  "Now I am confident we can come back from any deficit." — Felicia, caller (45:52)

• On NHL playoff structure:

  "If Gary Bettman was sitting to the right of Allen, I’d slap him." — Don (16:11)
  "The real reason is stupid brackets." — Don (17:46)

• On infamous free agent signings:

  "The worst one of all time. Albert Haynesworth." — Peter (31:57)

• On fantasy draft hype:

  "When it comes to best player in the draft, that's Jeremiah Love." — Orlovsky (41:36)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:57–05:38: In-studio tension around "Tully Time" segment and creative honesty
• 06:03–15:38: Islanders’ season, Schaefer’s impact, NHL history
• 15:38–23:56: NHL playoff structure: critiques and realignment debate
• 28:25–44:14: NFL binge/trade and cap news, infamous team signings
• 36:13–41:55: Jets/Browns QB draft dilemma, Ty Simpson, and Mendoza discussion
• 44:23–47:54: Isles fan call; Schaefer's transformative effect and playoff maturity
• 48:04–51:08: Jet fan celebrities, Lenny Kravitz anecdote, closing banter

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Tone & Language

• Direct, humorous, and often sarcastic.
• Candid in self-assessment, sports critique, and inter-host banter.
• Deeply knowledgeable while maintaining accessibility and fun for fans.

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For New Listeners

This episode is a classic blend of New York sports analysis, bold opinions, and locker-room banter. The chemistry between Don, Hahn, and Rosenberg is equal parts irreverent and insightful, especially as they dissect the Islanders’ surprising path, debate flawed playoff structures, and commiserate over NFL team dysfunction—all while weaving in pop culture and taking listener calls that ground the show in the city's unique fandom.

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Transcript

[Don Hahn]

5:00am I'm up with a crisp Celsius energy drink running 12 miles today. Grab a green juice, quick change and head to work. Meetings, workshops. One more Celsius. No slowing down. Working late, but obviously still meeting the girls for a little dancing. Celsius live fit. Go grab a cold refreshing Celsius at your local retailer or locate [e-mail].

[Rosenberg]

this is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Rosenberg]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.

[Don Hahn]

Game time is brought to you by Tullamore. Do Irish whiskey because when it's game

[Rosenberg]

time, boys, it's T time.

[Don Hahn]

We got to workshop this, man. We got to do or we got to go back to what we did.

[Rosenberg]

I looked right up.

[Don Hahn]

I thought about this on Friday. I'm not, I'm not joined. This new to him and I don't enjoy it. I don't know how you guys feel about it. Used to be fun. Now it's, I don't look forward to it anymore. It's folly time, you know.

[Peter]

Well, we have, we have good recordings

[Don Hahn]

of it though, so, but, but then we wanted to do something live and now you guys don't seem to be on board.

[Rosenberg]

You guys? Who's you guys?

[Peter]

I'm talking about you and Peter.

[Don Hahn]

I leave because I, I, I think I did. When you did it last week. I thought I was right on top. I was engaging. When it's you two, I'm just being honest. I think in order for compliments to hit, you got a one time every once in a while. Be critical. I'm trying to be honest. You guys suck at it.

[Rosenberg]

Very poor.

[Don Hahn]

So I'm very, very poor.

[Rosenberg]

1.75 second pause. Did that ruin it for you?

[Don Hahn]

The lack of try try. How about that? Especially out of Peter. Alan's not good at it, but he tried.

[Rosenberg]

You don't try.

[Peter]

No.

[Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

Listen, of all the things that I criticized you for, you should just take the L on this. It's not a big deal.

[Peter]

Am I fighting back? What am I doing?

[Don Hahn]

Oh, him. I think I stung him.

[Peter]

Oh.

[Rosenberg]

Oh. That was.

[Peter]

Yeah. I'm sitting here just going, yup, I'm

[Don Hahn]

not very good at it.

[Rosenberg]

I leave you making an effort, just going, you suck at it.

[Peter]

Yeah, I don't make it.

[Rosenberg]

I'll tell you what that does. What would you rather that doesn't motivate me?

[Don Hahn]

No, I'm, no, I'm not trying to motivate you. I'm trying to get you guys. To stop it and let's go back to what we did before.

[Peter]

Let's go back to the pre records.

[Don Hahn]

Jacob Anthony, shut it.

[Peter]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Peter]

Why don't we just pick a good normal one.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter]

And just go with it.

[Rosenberg]

I'm now annoyed.

[Peter]

Why don't you just go with Marty McFly?

[Don Hahn]

Be mad at yourself. I'm not telling you lies here.

[Rosenberg]

What didn't you.

[Don Hahn]

Jacob Anthony. Am I telling any lies here?

[Rosenberg]

What didn't you like telling tales out of school? It's telly.

[Don Hahn]

Or am I just being honest?

[Rosenberg]

He wants. It hasn't been great.

[Peter]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Thank you. It seems like it's getting worse every time.

[Rosenberg]

Worse every time. But Peter owns it because he doesn't want to do it. So by making this even worse, he's like, great. Now I really don't have to do this. Nobody wants me to.

[Peter]

Thank you, Anthony. You're the only person who knows me.

[Rosenberg]

I've seen it.

[Peter]

You've watched it every time. I'm just going.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

From now on, it's Tully time. Okay.

[Peter]

Yeah. Like an attitude.

[Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

I don't know why he can't take constructive criticism. Well, now was it. But it did. But I wanted the. I. I am being honest. I just think it's been awful.

[Peter]

It's been brutal.

[Rosenberg]

Brutal.

[Peter]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Brutal. Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Am I wrong?

[Caller]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

Wow. I just sat there in silence waiting for somebody to say something. I did this used to be. I really would look forward to the top of the hour to see what would happen creatively. And you guys both just said, no, we're good. And then you get mad when I call you on it.

[Peter]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

I would think you'd respect it.

[Peter]

Yeah, I respect it.

[Rosenberg]

I was.

[Peter]

Because I have not been trying.

[Rosenberg]

Was waiting for.

[Peter]

Why would you wait for me though? That's also now bad on you.

[Rosenberg]

Because if we're locked in.

[Peter]

Yeah, but I'm not.

[Rosenberg]

We can now.

[Peter]

Once I hear Don start the read, my brain still goes, don's doing the read. I don't think I got to get ready for my part.

[Rosenberg]

Why not?

[Peter]

Because when I. When I'm a little acapella on the times when Don's.

[Rosenberg]

You know, we could pull off a Jodeci effort for Don.

[Peter]

No, no, no.

[Don Hahn]

Because you haven't.

[Peter]

And because, like, we're going on a while.

[Don Hahn]

I was about to bite my tongue

[Peter]

and where are we going? You know? Like, what kind of Tully time are we doing in sync Tolly time is

[Don Hahn]

Brought to you by Tel Mordu Irish Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey. Wickwick Whisk Whisk whisk, whisk.

[Peter]

Whiskey.

[Don Hahn]

See? Back in the day.

[Rosenberg]

Right, but that. But that's not as bad as anything that I've done.

[Don Hahn]

I know I messed up. I tried to make the best out of a bad.

[Rosenberg]

No one said a word then.

[Don Hahn]

No, I paused.

[Rosenberg]

No, they made a drop out of it.

[Don Hahn]

That's how we criticize each other. But you can't get drop out of 10 seconds of silence. Two guys staring at each other. Unless you're gonna kiss. What are you doing?

[Peter]

Was it that bad? I want to hear the loss.

[Rosenberg]

How big of a pause was this? You're being very. You know what he's being that guy. He's being very lang.

[Peter]

Oh, yeah. 1.5 to 1.75 seconds.

[Don Hahn]

It wasn't the silence. It was the silent. Represent a lack of trying.

[Peter]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

For me there's a lot of people at fault here. One is Don for thinking it's going to get better. Yeah.

[Peter]

He keeps trying.

[Rosenberg]

One is.

[Peter]

Thank you.

[Rosenberg]

One is Peter for not just admitting, guys, we should stop this because I'm good. Just checked out. And Alan for waiting for Peter. Everybody's at fault in their own way. Is that my first mistake? Yes.

[Don Hahn]

I at least was able to. Something needs to change.

[Rosenberg]

I'm too good a teammate.

[Don Hahn]

This is our player.

[Rosenberg]

I'm never going to give up on you. That's how good of a teammate I am.

[Don Hahn]

One, two, three. Let's be good.

[Rosenberg]

Who's playing? By the way, rain shows the Blue

[Don Hahn]

Jackets with coverage immediately following us on 880 at 630.

[Rosenberg]

Locked in.

[Don Hahn]

It's kind of what it deserves. Today, Tullamore do the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast mature at Iris Whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore do or try the new Tullamore Dew. Honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. With the Devils and the Rangers struggling.

[Peter]

Go ahead.

[Don Hahn]

Hockey still alive because of the Islanders who continue to maintain second place in the division. They've won five in a row. Big win last night. Lee scores late in regulation to get two from Florida.

[Rosenberg]

What a goal, by the way by Anders Lee. But anybody criticizing him lately? You're not watching hockey.

[Don Hahn]

Matthew Schaefer has just continued to just impress. 20 goals. First Islander defenseman to get to the 20 goal mark since Denny Poppin. And that's not nobody.

[Rosenberg]

85, I think was the year the last time he did it.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, that's 41 years ago. If it was, that's a long, long time ago.

[Rosenberg]

I Wasn't sure which one you were going to use if it was a day. If it was a day, yeah.

[Peter]

As opposed to what?

[Rosenberg]

To you and me.

[Peter]

Oh, to you and me.

[Don Hahn]

Or both.

[Rosenberg]

That's 41 years.

[Don Hahn]

Listen, it's massive. And Greg Rushinski from ESPN brought this up. He's like, I don't think there has been a first overall pick more impactful to his team since Ovechkin. Wow. Like, he's been. Listen, you know, there's been great first overall picks, but. But to jump onto a team that is going to make the playoffs, transform its fortunes and not just be a passenger, just maybe one of the reasons why they're in the position that they're in is great stuff. And I'll ask you this.

[Rosenberg]

So Sid and Ovechkin would be the two that you would say had impacted.

[Peter]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And. But he said. Oh, he said all that.

[Rosenberg]

Didn't. Didn't. Well, they actually came in.

[Don Hahn]

They were drafted different years, but lockout. They came in same year at the same time.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

But here's a question for you.

[Rosenberg]

Wow, that's a.

[Don Hahn]

As somebody that knows the Islanders and knows Lou Lamarello, does this happen if Lou's still here?

[Rosenberg]

That's a great question.

[Don Hahn]

Does lou let an 18 year old jump in, get those minutes now? I think he'd play. Lou always had a thing, draft picks, they start out in the minor leagues, eventually come up. I think he would have been on the team, but would he have allowed Patrick Wa to have let him have the impact that he has at 18 years old? Would he put that much on his shoulders or would he treat him differently and say, listen, I think this kid could do it, so let's have him do it.

[Rosenberg]

Nedemyer, how old was he?

[Don Hahn]

I'll say 18, 19. I looked it up. He played a few games his rookie

[Rosenberg]

year, but he didn't play. But didn't play the Miners mostly.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, yeah, I think I want. I looked it up.

[Rosenberg]

I'm trying to remember. I'm trying to think, you know, Brodeur was very young, wasn't he? 20.

[Don Hahn]

But again, came up a little bit late in the year.

[Rosenberg]

But for a goalie, I guess it's

[Don Hahn]

different because his first real full year was that, you know, not the lockout 95 season. He did come up and he plays, but they really got that chance to like, play all the time. Remember in, in, in the run in 94, he lost his job temporarily in the postseason to Chris Terrari because Terrari played the games in Boston because he played well. There like so it took a few years before he was going to have that kind of an impact.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's a tough question to answer. I really, you know, there's so much different about the team this year because look, the first thing I want to do is say that Lou lamarillo did an amazing job to get the Islanders out of, you know, a funk that they were in where they sort of as good as they were in some years, you know, they, they couldn't get to the next step, whatever it was. Right. And that's not to disparage Garth Snow because I thought Garth Snow did a tremendous job in the draft and rebuilding a franchise that had lost its way previously when they went from Mike Milbury to Neil Smith and there was a lot of mess going on and Snow kind of got the turbulence out. Right. And they became steady. Look, people forget this was a God awful franchise. Like they were the jets of the NHL and I mean the New York jets, that's how bad they were. Bad ownership, they had bad. They just didn't do anything right. And it was always controversy. Then they figured it out when they got Charles Wang, but they had to, they went through more of that turbulence time and then Snow got them back to I guess being at least functional, competitive and all that stuff. Then Lou with his expertise and then bringing in Barry Trots took them to where they became a high level competitive team with a lot of Snow's draft picks now to give credit again to Snow. But what. So what Lou did is still not something you want to look back and say, if Lou were here, it wouldn't be this good. I don't want to ever say that. But yes, with Lou gone, a lot of the restrictions and rules came away and it I think does allow for an 18 year old to blossom. The older vets who might have been a little more frustrated with some of the strict rules, like you see Ryan Pullak, a beard, long hair, you wouldn't have seen this a couple of years ago. So I think the short answer is probably not, but I still think he would have played at some point this year. But you, I don't know if you would have gotten a 20 goal season out of an 18 year old and doing what he's done. And from everything I've heard that as much as you don't you want to say there's no way one kid changes a whole franchise. And I've heard there's something about his personality along with the talent where guys just looked and go, we've got something special and it does do something for a room. It does. Well, when you start realizing.

[Don Hahn]

And then just the mathematics of getting 20 goals from a defenseman. Oh, I mean, for a team that doesn't score a lot, but I mean,

[Rosenberg]

I mean, well, before he got to 20 goals, there was something early in the season that a lot of the vets recognized that seemed to rejuvenate the room and that that's just something that is special. And, and again, Patrick wa. Recognized it. They had, you know, like there were some defensemen that were getting power play one minutes. They were getting most of the top minutes. And then you realized that no, this is the better guy and he's going to get the minutes. And vets who might have taken that personal and said, well, this kid taking my minutes instead because of the type of person he is. Schaefer. It made that transition almost seamless because they were so enthused by what he can be.

[Don Hahn]

Now, to answer your question, NEDA Meyer was 18, okay. Taken third overall. And he played four games his rookie

[Peter]

year with the Devils.

[Don Hahn]

Four now he played 35 games with the Kamloop Blazers and the WHA. So he just stayed in the, in the Western.

[Rosenberg]

So they played him early and then when they had to send him back, they sent him back to the junior. Junior because remember there's that rule, right. You have to make that decision within the first, I think 10 games. Right. Whatever it is. So they probably just decided early on just let him play.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. So. And it's good. That's a good comp. Right. Because you're talking about a Hall of Fame defenseman. And then he played his first full year, the next year, 92, 93, 80 games, 11 goals, 29 assists, 40 points. But he never had a 20 goal season. Now it's a different league now, but still, you know, pretty, pretty amazing stuff from the Islanders. And it looks like they're going to be the only representation, it looks like, of the local teams.

[Rosenberg]

How good can they be, Don?

[Don Hahn]

I think with that goaltending, they can they. Why not the conference finals?

[Rosenberg]

Like really.

[Don Hahn]

Well, think about it right now. If they play, they play Pittsburgh. All right. I think Crosby will be back for the postseason.

[Peter]

That's what it sounds. Four weeks they said, right?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter]

From four weeks from the injury, which was. Now we're already a week and change out.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Peter]

Week. Nine days out from the injury. Something like that. Ten days.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. So he could be. So he'd be ready for the playoffs. So that would be the matchup. Right now they could be Pittsburgh they can lose to Pittsburgh, but they could certainly be Pittsburgh. And then you would most likely hook up with Carolina. And you know, Carolina has struggled in the second round of playoffs. Now, they have handled the Islanders recently in years in the postseason, but not this Islander team. So are you telling me you'd be completely shocked if they beat Carolina? They'd be an underdog. They'd have home ice disadvantage. But again, with Sorokin playing the way he's playing, the way this team is coming together, and with Carolina having trouble sometimes trying to get deeper into playoffs, then now all of a sudden you're going up against, you know. You know, Tampa or whoever comes out of the Atlantic Division. Why not? Honestly, I would. I picked them to go to the Stanley Cup Final. I would not. But I can't tell you I'd be sitting here completely shocked if they're playing Tampa in the conference final.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. So if in the bucket of teams that can get there, you'd put them in that bucket with.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. How did you. Not with that goaltender.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Right now you got a dynamic defense, and look at what Colorado's doing with an amazing defenseman. You know, Columbus, they're limited offensively, but Warinski is one of the best defensemen in the league. He's got 20 goals.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

You know, that's how you win in this league. Getting that kind of production, that's going to help. Now, they do struggle to score goals overall, you know, and we'll see if Sorokin can, you know, carry them. But why? Why can't he? He's one of the best goaltenders in the league. Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

There's no. There's no reason why he can't. And they. What? They had their biggest struggle last year. Remember, for two periods, it'd always be a really competitive team. Third periods, they would melt down. It's the reverse this year. They've won five in a row. The last three, they've been down two goals, and they've stormed back late in games. They've been terrific to win. When last year, that was always the problem. They would be up two goals, and you would always go into the third period thinking, how are they going to blow this one? It's amazing. The turnaround like that, to me, is the biggest analytic to talk about when they say, what's the difference between this year's team and last year's team? Last year's team would build leads and blow them. This year's team, even if they're down, they're not out.

[Peter]

Can I just start something at you guys as a sort of lapsed hockey fan. They did they mess up the structure of the league?

[Don Hahn]

Oh, please.

[Rosenberg]

This is a podcast.

[Peter]

Hold on. Okay, seriously, because I'm looking. I want to jump in. I want to participate with you guys, right?

[Rosenberg]

How much time you got?

[Peter]

So I jump in. I go, I go.

[Don Hahn]

Let me go.

[Peter]

Let me just see where they're at in the standings. And I forgot because I haven't looked in a little while, how dumb looking at the wild card standings is. It's so annoying. Two gigantic divisions, and it's the top three from each division plus a two in the wild.

[Rosenberg]

What are we doing? Good.

[Don Hahn]

They. They will tell. If Gary Bettman was sitting to the right of Allen, I'd slap him.

[Peter]

He would say, sorry, I'm just kidding.

[Don Hahn]

He would tell you that the playoffs increase as you get deeper. So obviously the first round, there might not be as much interest. And then second round, third round, you gain interest, which makes sense. Deeper, you get into the playoffs. So in the first round, they wanted to guarantee that you see more divisional matchups, rivals, you'll see rivalry. So first round, instead of a first round of Islanders and Senators, which isn't going to get any kind of a buzz, you'll get Islanders, Penguins, which will get a tremendous buzz, Sidney Crosby coming and all that.

[Rosenberg]

Sure.

[Peter]

So wait, so real quick, so. Because the way it's set up right now, the Penguins are two in the metropolitan and the in the wild card standings, the way it's set up for playoff standings.

[Rosenberg]

Right.

[Peter]

And the Islanders are three. They would end up matching each other.

[Don Hahn]

No, no, because I didn't check the standings today. The last I saw, Pittsburgh was 2. The Islanders were 3.

[Rosenberg]

They would play each other in the divisional round in their bracket.

[Peter]

Pittsburgh's two Islanders.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, because you had said about the wild card. No, Carolinas in first. Penguins are two, Islanders are three. Two plays three.

[Rosenberg]

The Carolina plays Boston. The Red Wings would play the Lightning, and then the Sabres and the Canadians would match up.

[Don Hahn]

Right. Because the division, the division plays who. Carolina would play Boston because division winners,

[Rosenberg]

best division winner versus worst wild card,

[Don Hahn]

get the wild card team. So they would leave the division.

[Peter]

And then Tampa plays Detroit.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Rosenberg]

Because they're the best one and they don't recede. And it's a bracket format because everybody loves brackets, right?

[Don Hahn]

And Anthony just hit. The real reason is that they want stupid brackets. So you go to NHL.com, look at a bracket, fill out your bracket, Everybody's got March Madness. It's not. Stop it.

[Peter]

There's only one Bracket should be one through eight. It's one.

[Don Hahn]

Should be one through eight. Division winners are guaranteed the top two seeds.

[Peter]

Let's play.

[Don Hahn]

Let's go. Let's.

[Peter]

Let's grow up.

[Rosenberg]

So give me.

[Don Hahn]

All right, take your bracket. Roll it up.

[Peter]

Yeah, go ahead. And so. So then Buffalo would play Montreal. So that's the big divisional matchup there. The old Atlantic Classic. And then Pittsburgh and the Islanders. I mean, okay, so what?

[Don Hahn]

I'm just telling you. Gary would tell you that and then not lead with the real reason. In my mind, it's because we want

[Rosenberg]

to bracket people love.

[Don Hahn]

Go to NHL.com, fill out your bracket bracket. It's a bracket challenge.

[Rosenberg]

Can sell it.

[Don Hahn]

You can win money, go by.

[Rosenberg]

We did do it on game.

[Don Hahn]

We did it on game. You gave away jerseys. You know, we were processed.

[Peter]

Yeah, you're nothing. You stand for nothing.

[Rosenberg]

So.

[Don Hahn]

So we would do the bracket challenge, and right out of my own wallet, I'd buy some yo yo a jersey. Well, I shouldn't call him a yo yo. A listener, a valued family member.

[Rosenberg]

Yo yo.

[Don Hahn]

And I'd buy him a jersey.

[Peter]

Yo yo to you and me.

[Don Hahn]

Because. Because we get caught up in it. Might as well. It's there. I don't like it. Should be 1 3. Hey, listen, if I had my. I would go back to the old one. Couple of years when they had 1 through 16, make LA fly all the way to New York. Who cares? But this is how they wanted 1

[Peter]

through 16 for a couple of years.

[Rosenberg]

The last year they did it was 1980.

[Don Hahn]

Hold on.

[Peter]

They said Wales and Campbell be damned. Yeah, it's 1 through 16.

[Don Hahn]

1 through 16. I think the two conference champions in the regular season got the 1 and 2 and 2 seed, so. Right. So, hey, you win. Isn't that the incentive to have the best record, to play the 16th team in the playoffs?

[Peter]

Well, I guess because they had a

[Don Hahn]

full bracket then, now they didn't love it.

[Peter]

You could still run a full bracket. You had a full 16.

[Rosenberg]

You could.

[Don Hahn]

Now they didn't want anymore because it is unfair. Because you might have LA play the Rangers in the first round while the Islanders are playing the Devils. And remember, you know, that year in

[Rosenberg]

1980, the Islanders played the Kings in the first round.

[Don Hahn]

Right, played the Kings, but. But your Stanley Cup Final was Islanders, Flyers.

[Peter]

Right.

[Rosenberg]

Which was.

[Don Hahn]

Wouldn't that be good? Wouldn't it be amazing to have a format where there could be the possibility of a Stanley Cup Final? Ovechkin versus Cross. You telling me that wouldn't be A good thing.

[Rosenberg]

Dream about it now.

[Don Hahn]

You might get Ducks, Winnipeg, jets and you'd want to offense.

[Peter]

It's such a great. It's a really interesting point though, dude. This is like a. You're right. This is a podcast across. Across all sports. Like, is having the conferences separated in the tournament really the best thing for what you could do? Obviously not in football. How many times should it have been the Chiefs and the Bills in the super bowl like we've seen these years right now. I'm sorry, does an Eastern Conference team in the NBA really deserve to play in the final? Probably not.

[Rosenberg]

National League. Same thing if you think about it.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, but now they're all playing each other. There's no, there's nothing full time interleague playing.

[Rosenberg]

There's, there's, there's no, there's no mystery anymore.

[Peter]

Especially because that part I'm getting Yankees,

[Don Hahn]

Red Sox in the World Series. My God, Dodgers, Giants in the World Series.

[Peter]

The argument against it is it's travel, travel. And it sort of makes the regular season seem in some ways sillier, but

[Rosenberg]

I don't know why to me it makes it.

[Don Hahn]

Well, that.

[Peter]

Because it's all about. It's all about ranking a 1 through 6. You're still ranking 1 through 16 though.

[Don Hahn]

But at least you're right, I want to finish as high as I could because then I'm going to get the lowest teams. I'm going to get the worst. If I finish first, I'm going to get the worst playoff.

[Rosenberg]

You want the great example, but then you then.

[Peter]

But at that point get rid of conferences, just have divisions. Here's your conference, here's your great example, right?

[Rosenberg]

If you are the Oklahoma City Thunder and you finish with the best record in the league.

[Peter]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Do you want to play?

[Peter]

Essentially this is already going to be the Hawks. You want the crappy eastern team or

[Rosenberg]

do you want the Clippers or the Warriors?

[Peter]

No, you want a crappy eastern team. That's what you should get, right? You earned it.

[Rosenberg]

You know what I mean? Like that's the difference is that you go eight deep with teams over.500 in the west like that.

[Peter]

Like you want in the east, you're playing a college team or a team

[Rosenberg]

that but got the 10th seed and was like, I didn't really want it. Wanted to be in the lottery, but somebody had to be here.

[Peter]

And the best thing about the 1 through 8 in the NHL for the record and when I was a big NHL fan as a kid growing up, not only was it 1 through 8, but it was the one sport where, like you had to watch the one in the eight. It was, it was. It wasn't necessarily that the one was going to mop the eight. Yes, they usually would. But hockey was the one sport where you felt like anything could happen if you get in. I get now that they want to set up to have these, quote, divisional battles, but like one kind of 16

[Rosenberg]

can still give you bracket challenge. But it also to me gives you the greater disparity of the best versus the worst in the first round. And it creates more of a wide open league.

[Peter]

Oh, what a fun, interesting thing.

[Rosenberg]

The whole thing versus got to win the east, got to get out of these. Got to get out of the West. If I'm in the West, I'm like, this is ridiculous. Every year we got to go through a gauntlet of great teams to play

[Peter]

and play a worse situation.

[Don Hahn]

You get a situation like this year in the NHL, the east is a lot stronger than the west and the same thing is in the NBA. But now if you go 1 through 16, you just got to be the 16th best team. You can't complain about. Well, this. If I was in the West, I would have gotten playoffs. But this year because I'm stuck in the East.

[Rosenberg]

So you get 10 teams out of one conference because it's better than the other teams.

[Don Hahn]

The negative is you might get a first round matchup where I got to fly across the country and then the team I would play in the next round didn't have to travel at all. But that's the only negative I really see.

[Peter]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

And then you could really see some amazing.

[Rosenberg]

What would you rather do? Have a shorter flight to play a better team or a longer flight to play a worse team?

[Don Hahn]

Longer flight, player worse.

[Rosenberg]

I would think, without question.

[Don Hahn]

And again, just think about. You just wait. Think about Islanders, flyers. You didn't think anything of it at the time, but like now if you got in a Stanley Cup Final, Battle of Alberta, Stanley Cup Final between, you know, the Rangers and the Devils for some reason, or Rangers, Islanders in the Stanley cup night conference finals is great, but that's. That's the best it's going to be. And then you get one of those,

[Rosenberg]

like the NBA Avalanche, Stanley Cup Final.

[Don Hahn]

The NBA lucked out because they got Magic and Bird in different conferences and so they were able to play each other for the championship. Just imagine Ovechkin, Crosby against each other. Yeah, it would be something. Yeah. Also, we didn't know we were going to get into that, but I love. That's the beauty. I love this show.

[Rosenberg]

It was a great topic.

[Don Hahn]

All right, we got a lot of people that want to chime in on this. And the Knicks and the Islanders, 1-800-919-3776. But coming up next, you're gonna have to hang in because we got an NFL binge.

[Rosenberg]

We do. But before we do NFL binge and talk football, I want to talk to you about rings End because so we have decided on the project that we are going to do with rings end at the house. And I told you there was one beautiful project that I wanted to do and then one that Stephanie wanted to do. And Andrew came and he wrote us up, you know, again, estimates on both and Stephanie won. So she's going to get the project she wants. I know we're all shocked that my wife won, but she wins this one. But really, we all win. Why? Because we chose ring's end in the first place. They work with pro contractors who build and remodel for a living. The pros trust them. So that's why I'm like, I can trust them and so can you. They have premium brands and everything that you need for your house. Windows, doors, decking, paint, lumber, kitchens, all built to last high end product lines that contractors rely on. They do it right, they don't do it over. And by the way, they're not a national chain. They have regional expertise. Eight full service lumber yards in Connecticut and Westchester county and 12 freestanding paid centers. And if you can't make it to the store, you can shop [e-mail] and Ringsend is family owned and operated since 1902. That's 124 years in business to you and me. They have deep northeast roots supporting local builders and communities. So go to ringsend.com and see what projects you can do around your house. That's ringsend.com want to earn extra income for your business?

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[Rosenberg]

thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Rosenberg]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Peter]

This is we're gonna rub football all over ourselves today.

[Don Hahn]

I did consume a lot of football back in the day. Pre kids in my underwear.

[Rosenberg]

The NFL binge.

[Don Hahn]

You watch every game, everybody. Are you watching?

[Peter]

Ah, can you guys believe it? Football season's back. Oh, sorry. No, it's not. But it's time for the NFL binge, folks, here on this beautiful Monday. And the NFL binge is brought to you by me. All right, the Texans are acquiring running back David Montgomery and a trade with the Lions that's nothing in exchange for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs. Hell of a name, Juice Scruggs. And two draft picks. It's According to Shefty, the Lions will receive a 2026 fourth round pick and a 2027 seven round pick. Also in some NFL trade news, the Texans have agreed to move starting right tackle Titus Howard to the Cleveland Browns for a lawn chair for the fifth for a fifth round pick I should say not a lawn chair. Howard will receive a three year 63 million dollar extension in exchange for now having a failed NFL career. That will go nowhere. But 63 million is not bad to have your career be meaningless.

[Don Hahn]

Still he was strong.

[Peter]

He will get to go. He will get to go to Cleveland and protect a quarterback some guy with presumably a low number who throws the football presumably DeSean Watson should do individuals Bernie Kosar Brian Sipe Brian Sipe. I knew you'd go Sipe next immediately.

[Don Hahn]

That's where else are you going to go? I mean you don't have a lot to choose from now. Now we now we start to run out Joe Flacco.

[Peter]

Flaccouch Tim C. There you go. There you go.

[Don Hahn]

Wait a minute.

[Peter]

Or Mayfield.

[Don Hahn]

Come on man. I don't get a strange pull for Tim Couch.

[Peter]

I should he should sip and Couch. I mean honestly. God. All right NFL now some cuts. The Chiefs have informed right tackle Joanne Taylor that he'll be released before the start of the official season. Commanders did the same with Marshawn Lattimore. That did not work out. So I want everyone to be clear. No traded traded a bunch of draft picks for him.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Peter]

He never really got right team and it's not that I feel he's like necessarily it couldn't be somewhere. It just did not work out here at all. Commanders will save 18 and a half million dollars as a result of the cut. The Vikings have been working on their salary cap. They let veteran running back Aaron Jones and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave know that they're going to be out according to Shefty and that will also save them $18.5 million.

[Don Hahn]

Not nothing. What's it what's the cap over 300

[Peter]

million now $301.2 million and the Vikings were $43 million over the cap over it. You know Commanders by the way saving another 18. We're one of the best cap teams in the league right now. There's a chance we'll get anyone excited. God, it's been a long time since I've gotten an exciting like a truly exciting off season pickup. I would love to.

[Don Hahn]

You haven't had one in a while.

[Peter]

I mean Debo was fun, you know.

[Don Hahn]

Debo was a pitch on nothing.

[Peter]

Debo wasn't. And by the way, Debo was pretty good on a season that was busted. Debo's a nice player. I, I wasn't mad at Debo, but it's been a while since I've gotten like a, you know, a complete waste of money. Like respectfully, a Deion Sanders complete waste of money. Yeah. What's his face? What's my man's name? The worst one of all time. Albert Haynesworth.

[Rosenberg]

Oh my God, that was his day.

[Peter]

That was. I would say if you were, if you were to say what acquisition and moment represented us being the bottom of the barrel worst team in the league, I would say Haynes worth. What do you think the jets one is, Alan like that to the Redskins? Bad, bad years. It's Haynes worth definition.

[Rosenberg]

See the Jets, I can't think of like a God awful free agent as much as I think of just God awful draft picks.

[Peter]

Right. We did those two.

[Rosenberg]

Like I'm sure we can find one that you're like, yeah, that was a terrible signing. But.

[Don Hahn]

No, but both Washington and the jets have this in common of catching players at the end of their career that

[Rosenberg]

I always circle the drain. So.

[Don Hahn]

And this is what I accused the jets of back in the day. Like they signed Ronnie Lott. So Ronnie Lott talks about his career they recorded at jets training camp. So he's talking about his career wearing a Jet hat. And I said it feels like that's the reason they signed him. Leonard Marshall. Yep. Art Monk.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, but Marshall was part of the parcel bringing his guys in.

[Don Hahn]

But there was, but these are great players. Art Monks.

[Rosenberg]

Remember Brian Cox for a minute?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, right. That was played a lot.

[Rosenberg]

That was to bring in character guys.

[Don Hahn]

And then, and then Washington brought in Deion Sanders. They brought in, oh, Bruce Smith.

[Peter]

Oh, but Bruce. And Bruce wasn't bad.

[Don Hahn]

No, it was way at the end.

[Peter]

But on the flip side, we caught a great one in that run of terrible London Fletcher. But the second half of London Fletcher's career he was 115 tackles a year.

[Don Hahn]

And I told you I think he does a great job on color. Seriously, he.

[Peter]

No, he's grown on me. The screaming like once you accept the fact that he is like a screaming homer and that's just who he is. He is pretty entertaining.

[Rosenberg]

Isn't that football though?

[Peter]

It is, it is basically a football thing.

[Rosenberg]

That's every football, you know, yo, yo, broadcast.

[Don Hahn]

No, but, but the reason I, but, but I'm not, I'm not judging him by the highlights. Peter will Tell you, kids are just born. I can't sit home. I gotta do stuff with the kids on Sunday. And I'm like completely involved in a Commander's game on the road because it's my three point play. We were during the K show, so I'm listening to Siriusxis somewhere, listening to the, you know, the Commander's Vikings game and the entirety. Driving to grandma's house.

[Peter]

You know, how about this, though? When you talk about horrible teams making bad decisions with players, how much does it speak to the greatness of a player? I'm going to name a man.

[Rosenberg]

A man who spent.

[Peter]

You guys will get. You guys will figure it out. Name this man. Always was good. He's not going to be a Hall of Famer, although had he been on a better team, I guarantee he could have been.

[Rosenberg]

Always good, but always good.

[Peter]

Half career on the jets, half on the Redskins and yet managed to have a great career.

[Don Hahn]

Great career. Half with the Redskins, half with the Jets.

[Peter]

In the, in the, in the throes of them both being a joke.

[Rosenberg]

Both being a joke.

[Peter]

Basically. Basically. I think when he was with the jets, they were a joke. All right. I mean, yeah, because he wasn't there for the championship years. He was there before the championship years.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, John Reagan's.

[Rosenberg]

No, no, but John.

[Don Hahn]

Sure, John Reagan's, who I one time saw at ESPN waiting for an elevator. He had 10 toes, wearing sandals. Every one of his toes were pointing in a different direction.

[Peter]

But the reason. I'm not including the reason. I don't mean rigging.

[Rosenberg]

Is a great guest.

[Peter]

But he was with the. The great Redskins.

[Rosenberg]

But brig.

[Peter]

So he didn't.

[Don Hahn]

And he was on the good Jet. Pretty good jet.

[Rosenberg]

He was not on the. The Super Bowl.

[Don Hahn]

He was on the jet. Super Bowl 3 team.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, he was on that team.

[Peter]

And so he got both. So he's the opposite.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, he was great.

[Peter]

I was referring to Santana Moss.

[Rosenberg]

I was wondering.

[Peter]

Great career. Half with the jets, half with the Red. Both completely defunct the entire time.

[Rosenberg]

I was wondering if that's where you were going. But I was thinking, like, was he. I don't remember. He was really good.

[Peter]

Like our best offensive player every year. Thousand yard kind of guy.

[Rosenberg]

He was good with the jets, but it never. Like it didn't.

[Peter]

Well, they traded it for laverneus Coles, who was basically a worse version of the same guy.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Peter]

All right, let's. Let's hear from where. Hold on.

[Rosenberg]

Where's my audio?

[Don Hahn]

Here we go.

[Peter]

Got a little piece of audio here.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, there's Chris.

[Peter]

Very Seriously wounded the third child in

[Rosenberg]

our family very seriously.

[Peter]

Is that Freddie Key?

[Rosenberg]

That's how.

[Peter]

Here's Chris Canty on unsportsmanlike talking about the jets and the possibility if them trying to make a move to get the number one pick.

[Rosenberg]

If we're being honest, more quarterbacks are ruined than made.

[Peter]

Are the Raiders in a position where they can support a young franchise quarterback and not let him get the career knocked out of him? Do you feel that confident about that offensive line? Do you feel that confident about the infrastructure within the organization? I'm just putting it out there.

[Rosenberg]

At some point it gets to be

[Peter]

too good of an offer to pass up on. And I'm just pointing out the fact that if the jets are insistent on getting a quarterback in this draft, they have all the ammunition they would ever need. They could offer a lot of first round draft picks and at some point, whether it's three first rounders, four first rounders, five first rounders over the next three or four years, at some point the Raiders have to say yes, that

[Rosenberg]

it's such an interesting point that he's making because the Raiders don't have an offensive line. The Raiders could use this year to build up an offensive line and Fernando Mendoza is the number one pick and the number one quarterback available. Not because he's one of the best quarterback prospects we've seen. Just because in this class that's where he is.

[Don Hahn]

If I'm, if, if I'm the Raiders,

[Rosenberg]

the Raiders want to hesitate and the jets feel like what's it going to take? Look, if I'm Darren Muji, I'm calling them.

[Don Hahn]

I ain't doing it.

[Rosenberg]

You could say no to me, but I'm going to call just to see can I get it for a good price.

[Don Hahn]

If I, if I believe. But you might want to wait to be good. But if I think the better quarterbacks are coming out next year.

[Rosenberg]

But how do you know you're going to be there? Don that's the problem with this idea of punting till next season is when you do that you have to not just have a bad year, you have to have a really bad year and you've already had one, right? But you, that's the problem.

[Don Hahn]

Even, even without trying to do it, I know you know how difficult their schedule is, right?

[Rosenberg]

But done.

[Don Hahn]

Whoever your quarterback is isn't going to be very good bridge or not.

[Rosenberg]

But if that happens, happens, done, then you still will. Like you don't give up that pick. You have a, you have five first, you have five picks. You don't trade that one.

[Don Hahn]

No, keep yours for next year.

[Rosenberg]

You trade all the other ones. And if it does so happen that Mendoza is not the guy and you suck, guess what you do. You take the quarterback then too.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, but I don't like doing that. Cardinals did, Cardinals did. It didn't work out either way.

[Rosenberg]

No, but. But it happened though.

[Don Hahn]

But I, but I know it happened. But you also had a coaching change in the middle of that too. Is that going to happen with the Jets? And also, you know, if you love them, if you love Mendoza, you do it like you don't even think about next year. It's like, hey, I love Mendoza, so I'll do it. That's what it's got to be based on. Not like, I think Mendoza might be pretty. I'll do it. I need a quarterback. No, that's the exact reason why you don't do it. And Mendoza feels like, I know, but

[Rosenberg]

I've got a bigger dilemma.

[Peter]

What's that?

[Rosenberg]

If you're the Jets. So this story is circulating now and it was interesting in the NFL. Guys are talking about it this morning. Ty Simpson is somebody that originally people thought was going to be a first round pick. Now he's sneaking into the first round in some of the mocks and the jets are like, well, we have a second first rounder. I think it's 16. And if it's Pittsburgh at 21, if we like Simpson and we already have the stuff for him raving about the jets in his meeting. Right. Well, maybe you get him with that pick.

[Peter]

That's what I said the other day, just to be safe, if you really want him, could it be worth it?

[Rosenberg]

If you like him and think he could be a project and no, like I don't have to play him right away, but he's there. But here's something you have to worry about.

[Peter]

Go ahead.

[Rosenberg]

You pick at number two. The Cleveland Browns pick at six. Now why the Cleveland Browns?

[Peter]

Go ahead, tell me.

[Rosenberg]

Well, the story about Ty Simpson's connection to new Brown's coach Todd Monkin is starting to circular. Monkin was at Georgia when he was recruiting Ty Simpson, but it goes deeper than that. Todd Montkin and Ty Simpson's dad, Jason Simpson are close friends. They've known each other for years. They talk all the time. In fact, when Monkin got the job in Cleveland, Jason Simpson sent him a text to congratulate him and they've discussed. Jason Simpson is a head coach at Tennessee. Martin ut. Martin, as it's known.

[Peter]

Utm.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

As opposed to A uti.

[Rosenberg]

So now keep in mind, I mean you're new head coach has Shador, has Dylan Gabriel, has Deshaun Watson. Those are on my guys. I want my guy. I know this kid Ty Simpson. I know what he can be. We should get him. What's stopping them from getting him at 6 and now all of a sudden he's off the board. Do the jets now have to worry about that? And second question is, should they?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter]

And lastly, guys, on the way out here, Dan Olofsky on first take talking about how young Jeremiah Love is actually maybe the best player in the draft.

[Rosenberg]

This young man put on an absolute show when it comes to physical talent,

[Don Hahn]

athletic ability at the combine, to be

[Rosenberg]

his size and to run 4, 3, 6. Coming off of his performance in his career at Notre Dame, I know he's not going to go number one overall. That is more than likely going to be Fernando Mendoza.

[Don Hahn]

But when it comes to best player in the draft, that's Jeremiah Love. Hmm.

[Peter]

Best in the draft.

[Rosenberg]

Mood Caleb Downs too.

[Don Hahn]

It's a lot there. That'll do it. Carter last year too.

[Peter]

Who knew?

[Don Hahn]

Who knew?

[Peter]

We have so much in the NFL.

[Don Hahn]

Bench Allen dropped a nice little bomb.

[Rosenberg]

Why don't we want to kick that around a little bit?

[Peter]

Kick around?

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[Rosenberg]

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[Peter]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Rosenberg]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Don Hahn]

Get ready for Rickleball madness. That's Friday, March 20th. ESPN New York is taking over Pickleball Heaven in Medford, New York. Catch a live broadcast of Dpietro and rothenberg's starting at 6am and stick around for our social ladder pickleball tournament. I gotta check this out. I'm not sure what they mean by that. We'll crown a champion.

[Rosenberg]

Just a tournament.

[Don Hahn]

Then we'll roll right into a college hoops watch party, the cap off the day. And then you can sign up on ESPN New York's app spots are limited. Rickleball Madness, brought to you by Pickleball Heaven, the new standard of indoor pickleball. 1-800-919-3776. Allen had a really cool tease. Tons of calls to get to as well. So you, you want it, you want to save that? Jump into it at 5.

[Rosenberg]

Sure.

[Don Hahn]

So we sort.

[Rosenberg]

It's definitely worth it.

[Don Hahn]

It is pretty interesting just, you know, talking about the future of the quarterback. Will they finally be able to get it right? And the challenges over the next couple of years with that. But let's, let's get to the busy phones. A lot of people have been on hold for a while, including Felicia in Mississippi. You're on ESPN New York. How are you, Felicia?

[Caller]

Hey, guys.

[Don Hahn]

I was in St. Louis. I could have got on a raft at the Mississippi River. I guess I eventually would end up here.

[Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

It would have taken a while.

[Caller]

Yeah, yeah. We're not super close to there, but

[Don Hahn]

it's kind of funny.

[Caller]

My husband drives a truck and he drives up to Missouri every day. Like he's home every day. But his run is from Memphis to up, like, through Missouri. So you were near him.

[Don Hahn]

Okay. Keep an eye on them for you.

[Caller]

So if you guys just indulge me for a moment with the, with the elders. Alan, you kind of hit on it or you know, already a lot of the points I was going to make, but I am 100 sold that it's Schaefer that has changed his team. He just brought the level up from, you know, from everybody. Just accountability. You know, last year, like you said, if we were down, honestly, even a goal going into the third, I was like, we're, you know, we're not coming back, or if we went to overtime, I was like, okay, at least we got a point. Thank God we got a point. Now I am confident that we can come back from, you know, any deficit. And when we tie it, it's not just, oh, let's play for the point.

[Don Hahn]

Let.

[Caller]

Let's win this. And it's just. The team just has a totally different feel to it.

[Rosenberg]

It's true. No, but you can. Yeah, you can absolutely see it. I don't think it's hyperbole whatsoever. And just. By the way, some of the veteran players, especially leaders on the team, have talked about this kid. There is something about what he's brought into that locker room and a sense of belief. And I've. I've said this about every sport. When you realize you got a guy like we got a guy, like, there's a. This dude's a. Like, he. A guy that changes everyone's perspective of. There's somebody's. This guy's special, and we can do special things with a player like this.

[Don Hahn]

And I heard this at the beginning of the season. I give credit to whoever said it, but it's smart. Usually. You know what it was? It was during training camp. Sheldon Keefe said that coach of the Devils, usually teams that rely on young defensemen don't do well in the postseason because they're just overwhelmed and they're kids.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

That might not be the case with him. He seems to really own it.

[Rosenberg]

Doesn't get rattled.

[Don Hahn]

Doesn't get rattled. Now, the postseason is a different animal. Oh, yeah, I get it.

[Rosenberg]

Very physical.

[Don Hahn]

But it doesn't feel like this kid's going to be overwhelmed. He's just getting better and stronger and brighter as the season goes on and more confident. Yeah. So. And. And listen, I understand why he didn't go to the Olympics. He's 18 years old, and they were. They were stacked. But you look at how that tournament went, I think he would have. He would have fit in there very nicely for Team Canada.

[Rosenberg]

And we saw a pocket of the season before the Olympics where opposing teams were kind of gooning it up with him to see if they could rattle. They were, you know, Some cheap shots, some extra physicality. Like there was some stuff happening. And he was right. He handled it.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Didn't. Didn't start ducking out of hits. Didn't start avoiding things. He just kept playing. So that was a good test that he passed.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. The ice gets smaller in the playoffs. I get it, you know, but it'll be interesting to see. I think he'll handle it fine. Let's go to Ed in New Jersey. You're on ESPN New York. Hi, Ed.

[Caller]

Hey, guys.

[Peter]

How you doing?

[Don Hahn]

Good. Good.

[Caller]

Before you were talking about celebrity Jet fans.

[Don Hahn]

I got three for you that you missed, okay?

[Caller]

Michael Imperioli, Spike Lee, and a guy who I didn't even think like sports. Lenny Kravitz.

[Peter]

Really?

[Don Hahn]

That's a good one. I don't count Spike, because he's a fraud. He's a. He's a fraud. God love him, but I. I've seen him do Giant stuff, too. I've seen him match. Okay, the only thing with the Knicks, it's all Nicks, except, you know, the Brooklyn thing made it interesting with the net. Listen, he's a mess, Spike. God love him, but it's.

[Peter]

But you mean besides the.

[Don Hahn]

Besides the Knicks? It's.

[Peter]

It.

[Don Hahn]

But it's. And who is the other one that you said?

[Rosenberg]

Michael Imperioli.

[Caller]

Lenny.

[Don Hahn]

I didn't. I didn't know that. That's. That's not like. That's a really good.

[Peter]

That's not. Nothing.

[Don Hahn]

I remember. I remember at the Butt Fumble game,

[Caller]

which I was supposed to go to.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Caller]

He was performing at halftime.

[Don Hahn]

Yes, he was. And the interesting. He wrote a song about the Jets. He wrote a song about the Jets? Yeah. And he performed it during halftime.

[Peter]

That was. You know what? Not you know what. It was a dad joke. But it wasn't. I want to get away.

[Rosenberg]

Just get away, get away.

[Peter]

They said, no, just do get. He said, are you sure?

[Don Hahn]

Far Away wasn't American Woman, I'll tell you that.

[Peter]

No, no, no.

[Don Hahn]

Heather Graham's really nice in that video. That wasn't his song anyway. But you know what I mean.

[Peter]

What do you mean it wasn't his song? It's his cover.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I know, but he didn't write. So he's talking about writing songs. Oh, so it would have made sense.

[Peter]

It wouldn't. That's.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. It's funny because I took Nancy to that game. That was a Thanksgiving game, and she always remembers that as the Lenny Kravitz game because she doesn't care about football. But fumble. You know? But Lenny Kravitz.

[Rosenberg]

With Lenny Kravitz. You remember?

[Peter]

And we're back again.

[Don Hahn]

We're back.

[Rosenberg]

We're back.

[Peter]

And here we are. And here we are. Not about the music, but. No, but this happens to be the perfect looking. One of the most handsome rockers of all.

[Don Hahn]

When I gave you the list of the bands that she loves, you know, the Beatles, Fleetwood Maggots. Not motivated by looks. And it's not like she's like some super Lenny Kravitz fan. I think she'd admit to you.

[Rosenberg]

Who's her favorite Beatle?

[Don Hahn]

George.

[Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

And I think we can all agree

[Peter]

that George is probably. That's right. Homely.

[Rosenberg]

Of all the words.

[Don Hahn]

This is our honestly show.

[Rosenberg]

What's homely? The word.

[Peter]

That's the only word it's on. Am I wrong? Was this the perfect word?

[Rosenberg]

Homely.

[Don Hahn]

I was gonna say it's between him and Ringo as far as like the least homely. Well, you went homely and I listen. This is the same vibe that I was given with the Tullamore do. Like there's nothing wrong with honesty. Billy Joel sung about it.

[Peter]

He's only too. God bless him. God bless him.

[Don Hahn]

He's turned into Mark Levin.

[Peter]

But he's a homeless. He was not homeless, although he did recently sell his home. But he's was it at the expense

[Don Hahn]

of living on the street.

[Peter]

You think Billy had another spot what you're saying?

[Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter]

I don't want to know how the

[Rosenberg]

sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers. It's a season two playoff race with TGL. Presented by SoFi. Sunday at 9pm Eastern. Jupiter Links versus Boston Common. Golf Monday at 7pm Eastern. Los Angeles Golf Club versus New York Golf Club. Tuesday at 9pm Eastern. The Bay Golf Club versus Jupiter Links. Keep up. It's golf watch on ESPN ESPN2. And the ESPN applied.