Hot Dog and Chips (10-9-25)

This is The Drive with Josh Graham Podcast. We are killing it online. Tune into The Drive weekday afternoons, 3-7 on Wash J Yachts.

So good to be here on a Thursday drive.

So glad to have you. WSJS, News Don's Sports for the Triad. We're after a couple days at ACC tip-off. In Charlotte. We love being back in our triad studio.

There's a lot to do. Do we have to keep talking about it? Yeah. We do. Less than a week after it became clear, That the Bill Belichick experiment was never going to work at North Carolina.

It also became Evidently That Bill being the coach right now. is untenable. To quote the late, great Billy Packer. Bill Balichak's North Carolina tenor tenure. is over.

This game is over. It's just uh matter of figuring out the final details. When is it going to happen? This year. How much is it going to cost?

Because there's no going back. From what we've learned. And it's from credible sources. Andrew Jones of 24-7. has covered this team as a beat rider.

Longer than anybody currently on the beat. This isn't some random guy. You've never heard of. This guy is incredibly plugged in, and he's saying, that North Carolina began to explore Exit strategies. Getting out of The Bill Balachak.

business. W R A L has reported issues from anonymous players. From administrators, from payments. Parents We've got parents. talking anonymously to reporters.

There was A story from a couple of days ago. Where Apparently a fight broke out in the locker room? And there are other reports. These are just the ones that are very credible. That we know personally, we have relationships with, that we trust, which is why we pass that along to you from Andrew Jones of 24/7 and Pat Welter from W R A L But there are other reports out there, a lot of smoke, reporting far worse.

Pile that on top of A suspension due to requirements. Recruiting violations this week and A lot of self-inflicted drama. The ban on posting about Drake May at New England because he plays for the Patriots. As the Patriots were handing the Bills their first loss of the year, the Hulu Docu Series getting canceled. It's A mess.

And then there was the statement that North Carolina put out on social media. It's a statement. that says so much. Considering what it doesn't say.

Sometimes you can learn. More by what somebody doesn't say, than what they do say. An example that's been brought up to me before was During the NFL draft process for Mitchell Trubisky, to use a North Carolina example. We remember when Mitch Trubisky went number two in the draft? What many people heard?

heard from Larry Fedora. raise some red flags. Not that Larry Fedora said anything bad about Mitch, It's that he didn't go that next step further. He didn't say, oh, this is a Pro Bowl quarterback. This guy's an all-star.

This guy's going to be a future Hall of Famer. The things you would expect a college coach for a player to say for a number two overall pick, he wasn't saying those things. And now we saw what? Mitch Trubisky was as a quarterback, not a Pro Bowl, not a future Hall of Fame type of guy.

So getting to the statements put out from Carolina Athletics last night. It is Two, one sentence. Quotes From Bill Balichak. And Bubba Cunningham. Back to back.

Quote I'm fully committed to UNC football and the program we're building here. Close quote, Bill Ballot check. Then Bubba Cunningham quote Coach Belichak has the full support of the Department of Athletics and University. Close quote. Nothing in those statements.

Deny. What was reported? at any point. Yesterday. It doesn't deny anything.

And So what's to say? There's also nothing there that says These commitments that are described By both Baba. And by Bill. Can't change tomorrow? Or the next day?

Or the day after that? You would have been better off not saying anything at all. than saying that, But it is kind of funny. To imagine that those guys actually wrote those statements. Do you believe that Bubba Cunningham And Bill Belichick.

wrote the statements that we just read to you. I do not. I don't I don't know if Bill wrote that. I don't think Bubba wrote that either. Because I'm trying to imagine who it would be more awkward to ask.

to write a statement. Pellet check. It's more awkward for Bill. Bill's responsible for this. Yeah, which is Bill.

And it is funny But Bubba has to be thinking me I didn't hire Bill. I didn't do anything Look at this. I'm on the way out. Lee Roberts He's your boy. How about Get John Pryor to write the statement.

What am I? What? Why am I writing this statement? Fonz Bubble Cunningham. The only question now is when the news of this firing happens.

win or how much it costs too. Because if you are to gleam anything from the actual content of what was written in those statements. Maybe Bill did write it and said that he is committed to UNC football, which is to say. He isn't interested in negotiating a buyout. Maybe you can take that away from the statement.

In other words, My job is to prepare a football team and to coach. I'm gonna keep doing that. I have a contract with you. It says the first three years are guaranteed. If you want to pay the first three years up front, get rid of me now.

All right, you can do that. You're my boss. But if you're not going to do that I'm going to prepare my football team. Could see Bill taking that type of an approach.

So the next few days. The next few weeks. Maybe the next couple of months. It's going to be about collecting buyout money. If you're Bubba Cunningham and Steve Newmark, you want to make sure some of the high rollers are showing up to watch Collective Soul at the Virginia game.

in a couple of weeks. That's the follow-up back to Luda. a collective soul some you know. alternative rock from the nineties. That's fun.

Get them there and then start passing the plate around. Hey, how many c um you got anything extra to spare? Few million?

So that way we can make this move and stop embarrassing ourselves further. than we are right now. It's a question of when. Not if. You're not coming back from this.

Doesn't mean he won't coach more games this year, but it's done. Bill Belichick's North Carolina tenure, to quote Billy Packer, is Over. This game is over on X at Josh Graham's show and at WSJS Radio. It's where we're streaming video in addition to YouTube and Twitch. Will Dalton, the executive producer of this show, ticking your calls, 336-777-1600.

It's October. It's scary season. Blood Diamond was your movie this week. That you watched for the first time.

Now we're doing scary movies. We got an old one and Rosemary's baby. We got the omen from the 70s. We've queued up species. And we have Insidious as your four options that folks are voting on on X.

What would you prefer to watch out of the four? I wouldn't watch Insidious.

Okay. That's what I want to take a look at. Fifteen years ago? We'll see what happens. On the poll.

Vote on it at Josh Graham Schell and at WSJS Radio. The Carolina Hurricanes open their season tonight. Yes, sir. Expectations have never been higher heading into a season. than this Hurricanes hockey season.

It's not just that Carolina is coming off an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. It's that last year's team wasn't supposed to get to the conference finals. They overachieved. Rob Brindamore. He even admitted that, said that during the offseason last year, he was concerned whether or not his team was a playoff team.

And they're winning multiple rounds? Especially after the Miko Rantin debacle?

Now they're running it back. And They have everybody back from the team, pretty much, that they wanted back. And young guys are Yeah, yeah. such as a Logan Stankoven or a Alex Nikitian. who can help this team.

and are ascending players. Unlike past seasons, the Canes They didn't make their biggest splashes. During the season. They didn't wait. They During the offseason, went for it.

The last two years, the big swings were right before the deadline where you added Jake Gensel, and you added Mika Randon. having to deviate right before the literal deadline.

Meanwhile, this offseason, it's Adding Nikilers. It's adding Keondre Miller on the back line. Does that mean Carolina won't add? At the deadline, no, they still got some money to throw around. But it does mean that this roster today.

Is better Might be the best opening day roster Rod Brindamore's had, and his now eight seasons as. Carolina's head coach. And because of that, Carolina is the betting favorite to win the Stanley Cup. On DraftKings, they're all up. Wasn't expecting that from JC.

On DraftKings, they are all alone at the top at plus 750. And there's a group of Five, six, maybe seven teams. that are right there with them. Talking about Florida and Edmonton, of course, and Dallas with Miko Randon and Vegas who's been good the last handful of years. Maybe the Tampa Bay Lightning you'd include.

in that group But Carolina is certainly there. And the Hurricanes host the Devils tonight. After the first two games being at home, they have their annual. Five or six game road trip this year, a six-year game road trip. to the west coast while the North Carolina State Fair takes hold across the street.

from Lenovo Center. But expectations, they've never been higher. And there's a lot. to be excited about. No.

The moment you have all of them. Been waiting for. All right, whenever you're ready. This is the drive with Josh Graham. What a game it was.

At the Rock. App state with a goal line stand. And then the defense. With a dazzling play. To finish things off, a clean hit, ball goes up in the air, it's picked off.

and you beat a team. With a lot of name notoriety, Oregon State's. Falling at App State, fans storm the field. Dal Loggins, App State head coach, joining us now. What memory will you take away with you?

from Saturday evening, which image do you think will stand with you the most? Oh, uh, that's a tough one. You got me there, but uh You know, a bunch of the former players were here that I didn't, that I didn't obviously coach, but Joey Aguilar, Caden Robinson, a bunch of other ones. And right after the game was over, like they got sworn by the former players. And it was kind of like, hey, there's a first moment for me with the foreign players of acceptance: like, hey, you're one of us now.

Um, that was awesome. The locker room after the game, our chancellor was in there, and it was, it was a just. to see their faces. It was the first time as a team we played four quarters. And played three phases of complimentary football and won a game.

And our guys needed that, especially after you'd lost two in a row and you went to Boise and played a really, really talented team and got beat. They we needed this home win and our fans probably needed it just as bad as our team did. The fact you're talking about feeling accepted, feeling like you're part of the App State family. Given the context of what the last few weeks have been, that's a fascinating place to go. I remember vividly about it this time a year ago.

We were chatting with Sean Clark in a setting such as this, and the expression. I remember using with him: there's no handbook for this in the context of coaching a football team after Hurricane Helene. I can't imagine there's a handbook after Coach Clark's passing in terms of. Handling that with so many guys on your team that he recruited and that he coached. How have you approached it?

Yeah, well, and don't forget that he was a former player. too.

So it was former teammates as well. And uh You handle it with Grace and you handle it with his his family and mine first. First and foremost, and we've tried to be walk and lockstep with them as far as the way we. Do things in the, you know, whether it be putting a 61 on our helmet or painting it on our uh. On the hill over there on the right above on the stadium.

But just trying to make sure that we got their approval for everything. We honor his legacy as a former player, as an alum, as our former coach. They recruited a lot of the guys. And the Boise Week was hard just because it was so fresh. And we have 54 new players, but there were also.

A bunch of Players that stayed that were his that he recruited out of high school and was sat in their living room and got him to come here.

So it's definitely been a challenge. There is no manual. In the, you know, there that section they left out in the head coaching manual when I became a head coach, but uh. You do you do things the right way and and try to Honor. the family the right way.

My my phone exploded on Saturday. when I learned how you guys handled recognizing him last Saturday where Uh for those there are a lot of people who weren't there who might not have known that. It's not a moment of silence, it's a moment of celebration. And then, right after the first play after that happens, it's a fumble that you guys have a big play on. Just how moving was that being on the sideline for it?

Yeah, it was awesome. I mean, just you can't write a better script for how it played out. And that was the The one thing, talking to Coach Spear, Mark Spear, who's still here, one of Coach Clark's really, really good friends. Um, you know, Edward Graham at the at our fireside with Coach Moore last night. He said, Hey guys, like you guys, Coach Clark would be really happy with the way you guys have handled this.

But his message to you guys would be, Hey, Celebrate. Go win games. And I think that's who Coach was. And I think that this place meant so much to him. And just the way we won the game, that play was exciting.

Dal Loggins is with us here at State Head Coach. We have a fun announcement to share. On November 6th, thanks to help from our friends at Atlantic Coast Sports, I just learned, we are confirmed to be doing our show from the rock. Thursday Night National Televised Game. How much have you learned about App State's rivals since taking the job?

Quite a bit. And you learn more when you get into that week of it. You understand, like, obviously, I know about hate week. And we'll talk about that down the line. Um, right now we hate Georgia State, and that's who we're playing, and it's the most important game on the schedule by far.

And we'll talk, we're excited to have you here. It's going to be an awesome venue. Uh, national TV, what a but Outside that, we're not going any further past this one because this one for us is a huge one. We got to get this one. Uh, we're playing a team that's really talented, that uh, coach has done a great job there recruiting, and doesn't surprise me just with his pedigree and got good players in there.

And they've had a tough, tough schedule to this point, but uh, their record does not indicate the talent they have on that team. Your schedule has it been All that easy, either, Coach. You don't think going to Boise is easy? Yeah. And then playing Oregon State?

Like, uh, No, it definitely hasn't been fun. But uh it the challenge is awesome and our guys have have Responded the right way after the boys against Oregon State. Rather than pick a new noteworthy NFL player that you coached, as we've done in prior conversations, all your years in the league, let's drill deeper on one you've spoken with or spoken about on the show before. Xavier Legette scored a touchdown Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. Afterwards, I had a chance to catch up with XL.

He had this to say about one Dow Loggins. My co-dow Logan, he means a lot to me, man. There were some things going on when I was at South Carolina that I was finna leave, man, but he was the reason I stayed. People wanted to main reading and I stayed and uh And my dude, man.

So go up state? Oh, no, it's always gang cup, but I root for my dog, though. It must be pretty cool. He's talking about he's calling you your. His dog and You know, he said he, you're the reason he stayed.

And uh Love him.

So proud of him. Overcame so much to be in the spot he's in. Obviously, you got to fight. He's a guy you got to fight. I fight back emotion when I talk about because I feel the same way.

He's my dog. He's family. We're locked in for life. And I love him. I'm so proud of him.

And just all, just. Carolina Panthers, be patient. Because he's going to be special. I promise he's special. Got a big heart.

He wants to do well. Loves that place and prideful, wants to. Show the fans, reassure them they drafted the right guy. I want to kind of dig beneath the surface of the emotion that you have here because. Dave, you're talking about the patience.

I'm sure you've seen some of the things that Panther fans have said. Dave Canalis. He said he was so proud of the way XL handled recent adversity. He almost cried on the sideline. He said he was fighting back tears.

What makes him, as a guy who's coached him yourself, such an easy guy to root for. Why do these emotions get brought out of you? 'Cause you know that he's with you. You know when you've got X on your team, you're getting everything he's got. And he is a pleaser and he wants to do right and he works his tail off.

So he's a guy you cheer for. Everyone forgets now. Like it didn't start off at South Carolina great, man. And he was getting ready to leave. And I had to talk him into staying.

And I think Coach Canalis sees the same things and in the great qualities, and sometimes it takes time, and no one wants to hear that to have patience for a young person. They want it right now, they want it like Burger King, you're your way right now. But if you have a little bit of patience In a world with Instant gratification in a world of selfishness, a world of everyone's about themselves. Like they got the right type guy. And he is a guy that will be a great teammate.

He's going to work his tail off. He practices hard every day. And the coach feels the same way I do. I'm sure it's like. You want him on your team.

You want to build around him. Let's have patience. He will be the player we think he is. And They made the right choice. You need to work on this.

Give that state some love. He said, No, it's all Gamecock. He's loyal. That's why you love him, too. He's loyal.

Like I know, I know Ab, I know he's in my corner. I know he's cheering for me every week. And I know as long as we're not playing the Gamecocks, he's cheering for app. Like He's a gamecock through and through. He stuck with them and That's why you love him because he's loyal.

That's what, in this world, in a transfer portal world, a coach loves loyalty. And I appreciate it even more because I wouldn't expect anything less. Dow Loggins. You're the best. Thanks for doing this.

And we'll see you in a couple of weeks. Good luck against Georgia State.

Sounds good. I appreciate you guys.

Alright, I think all the levels are set. Showgun.

Now? You're on the drive with Josh Graham. Will Dalton's movie. For this week, is a Leo DiCaprio film. The movie is called Blood diamond?

It came out. In two thousand and six. We've gotten to a number. of these. Leo DiCaprio movies.

This one could go either way. Will might love this movie. He might hate this movie. Let's find out together This week At the Movies with the W D. Unless you're talking about Star Wars.

has Well movies aren't exactly Will's thing. You uncultured swine! But that's about to change because Josh can't stand it anymore. This is at the movies with Will Dawson.

Okay, the categories are: what you liked, what you didn't like, best quote. Rotten Tomatoes Score, scoring system 0 to 100, 100 being great. Zero beam. Not so great. Seeing if Will can get within five percentage points.

Did you like this movie? If so, what did you like? I did. And I think what I really ultimately liked about this movie was just the adventure. aspect of this, the scenery was off the charts.

Yeah, they were really shooting in those places. And you can tell it. Before everything kind of was CGI or let's. not travel to the locations and recreate it on a lot. In LA or Atlanta.

And I'm always fascinated by like smuggler type stories.

So I I naturally really Appreciated Archer. Um I liked this character a lot. I thought he was very charming, but ruthless all at the same time. The shootout towards the end of the movie, and then when he's up in the Uh The uh dad and the son get away. To reunite the family with the blood dot.

I just. That whole scene was awesome.

Now I... This it was a sad finish. But it was... It wasn't... About Child soldiers and diamond smuggling and trafficking.

Needed a happy ending? You thought that movie needed a happy ending? I mean, in the sense of Archer dying. It was trying to make a. point about things happening in the world will.

But yes, I did really like this movie for those reasons. Here's what I have written down. Two words. Make it three. Peak Leo DiCaprio.

Three more. Peak Jennifer Conley. Watching these two. At that Resort bar. Or whatever.

And then dancing with each other. I was reminded of watching LeBron with the heat. In his athletic prime. That's what I was reminded of. I'm looking at these people on screen and I'm thinking.

This is the absolute physical peak of Leo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connolly, two of our most beautiful people. in Hollywood over the last few generations. and the fact that they're together. Just Amazing to watch. Nearly 20 years later.

Leo DiCaprio, you could make an argument. This was his acting. peak as well. Because in the same year, He did this movie? and the departed.

Same year he did both those movies. Which one was nominated for Best Actor though? Was it this one? This one? was the movie that he was nominated for.

controversially.

Some thought they might have a better shot if he was nominated for The Martin Scorsace movie. Jennifer Conley, Leo DiCaprio. Getting the job done. What didn't you like about this movie? A lot of things you can list off.

I, again, I loved Archer's character, the charm, all that. He lost me at the accent. I like to get kissed before I get bleeped, yeah. Off the record. He lost me with the accent I love that the first time this is like an internet meme.

I like the first time he sees Jennifer Conley. He just drops the accent completely. Respect. It's like I wouldn't do some crazy Rhodesian accent if I was trying to talk to Jennifer Conley either. No.

Uh There's one scene where it's not even redesign, it's Him talking to one of these childlike warlord type characters to get money from him or diamonds. And it's just him. Doing some Jamaican deal. Yeah. This is often something that appears on the internet as well, where Leo's getting mocked, saying, How did we do this?

Does it age well? No. I didn't think so. And kind of on that note. How about a movie about African diamonds and kid soldiers?

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Conley. It's kind of a love story between these two. We don't do that. that anymore. And I don't know if that's a Bad thing that we don't do that anymore.

I don't know if we. Yeah, let's get these two, uh, these two exciting whites to use the internet meme and just shoehorn it into a movie about. African diamonds. I don't know if that would happen nowadays. Also, two hours, 23 minutes, that's a bit long.

It was a little long time. It's pretty aggressive. And also This was a very specific moment in time, WD. Mid-2000s. Where people were like, you know what?

It matters where we get our diamonds from, and this is an issue that. We need to talk about. Kanye was even singing about it. Diamonds in Sierra Leone, maybe my favorite Kanye West song. Easily my favorite Kanye lyric.

Are we allowed to talk about Kanye? I don't know. Yeah. 2000s kind of we're allowed to talk about. Where you had the lyric.

I'm a b Business man. Oh no, I'm not a business man. I'm a business man. Great lyric of Sierra Leone. And uh Yeah, n I don't think it ages well that No one talks about this anymore, no one seems to care or the impact that we seem to make.

in the mid-2000s has dissipated because they realize it's hard to control these things. I did hear a lot of people saying that they felt this movie was not as popular or appreciated today as they think it should be. Yeah, it's good moving. Great Leo performance. Like at the end, it's legitimately good when he's on the phone with.

Jennifer Conley, really good stuff.

Okay, best quote. Hehehe, right? Oh yeah. This is Africa. That's the one.

The best quote is: sometimes I wonder: will God ever forgive us what we've done to each other? Yep. Then I look around and I realize. God left this place a long time ago. You just found yourself the world's biggest catch.

Bling bling. Out here it's bling bang. How about a soldier of fortune? Was that too much of a cliché? Gotta do it in the Awful accent.

Yeah, it's an awful, it is awful. What do you got rotten tomatoes score-wise? I'll tell you what I got. I think this one's about an 80. Yeah.

The answer is 90. Really? Ten off? Yeah, bro A freaking missile, bro! That's been at the movies.

But the dummy a ding. I'm sorry, I'm a little winded. A lot of us talk. Run. This is the drive with Josh Graham.

Is this collective soul? Yeah. What a pull by Will Dahlman. For all the grief we give Will, sometimes He can hit one of those crazy step back threes that Lamello does as a producer. Collective Soul will be performing.

As part of the Chapel Thrill concert series. North Carolina welcoming in rank to Virginia. A few weeks from now. Collective soul with hits such as that. You can catch.

We had a chance to visit with Seth Trimble at ACC Tip Off. And he's one of our favorites to catch up with. And yes. We had to talk about ice cream with him, and here's how that sounded. How many Ben and Jerry's ice cream related questions have you already been asked today?

Today, not too many, honestly, less than five. Less than five. Yeah, it's been good. It's been good. What's the best idea you've been pitched since it became public that you're a franchisee owner?

Gosh, that have been pitched. I don't even know, but does it happen often? Do people say it does? Hey, it does. A lot of times it may go in one year, out the other, unless it's that good of an idea.

But one idea I really do have. Is I need to talk to Corbett because I need to try and get Coach Roy a flavor eventually. I've heard about this, yeah.

So, Will Dalton has an idea for you to name. Talk to me, Will. All right, what should we call the Roy Williams flavored ice cream? Can I guess what you're gonna say? Yeah, what's he gonna say?

The tough little nut. See, tough little nut. I've heard he's got something better. The dad gum Dolce De Lece. I like that.

Alliteration. Dagum, Dolce, Deleche. Yeah. That's up there. File that away, buddy.

That might be above Tough Little Nut. I love that. I love Tough Little Nut because then all the guys who played against North Carolina that were Tough Little Nuts also will enjoy that flavor. It's like Jose Alvarado will come to town and enjoy it. Trying to think of somebody.

Dennis Smith Jr. could come to town and enjoy it. But then Marcus Page and Joel Berry. You know, do you consider yourself a tough little nut? Yeah, I guess.

How tall do you have to be? I guess how tall is too tall for the ride? That's the question for Coach Royal, honestly. I have no idea. I think I would exceed the height limitation, though.

I think I'd be too tall. That's what I'm saying. 6'3, 6'3? 6'3. Might be a little bit too tall.

I think I'm with you.

So, Dagum Dolce De Leche, you can have that for free. I'm gonna keep that in my notes. Seth Trimble is with us here. You got to learn from five-year players such as Armando Baycott. And yeah, every time he's mentioned that comes up.

That was the first day of NIL. He did that for us back in 21. R.J. Davis, another five-year guy. See, you're the only homegrown upperclassman that's on this roster, Sue.

How much responsibility do you take? In telling particularly newcomers about what the traditions of this program are? I mean, it's a thousand percent my job. If it was just Coach Davis, Yeah. Telling the foundation, telling the traditions, telling what we do here.

then I wouldn't be doing my job at all. I mean, I've I've really honed in on that. I've told guys what it means to wear these jerseys, what it means to you know, represent this university, wear these colors and just Or that name on the front of your chest. I mean, it's. It's one of the biggest blessings in the world, you know.

People. would kill to be able to put this jersey on run out that tunnel and You know, I make sure that we realize it. Coach Davis always has been doing just an amazing job of. Reiterating that every other day, but you know, somebody else but him has got to do it.

So, what are some of the big traditions that you make a point to say? I get like point to the passer, maybe thought of the day, something of that sort. Points of the passer, absolutely. Thought of the day, everybody has to know it. Before practice, you know, HD has been picking on our freshman a lot.

Does thought of the day apply for Media Day? Did you get a thought of the day for Media Day? Just making sure that I did not. Otherwise, I would have had it for you, but. I mean, everything like that, every little careline tradition you could think of.

Uh we preach, we praise and emphasize over here.

So do you have a favorite thought of the day? Are there some that you file away? Yeah. It's amazing. What can be accomplished when uh no one cares who gets the credit?

That's our thought of the day. Every first practice, so our first summer practice, our first official practice. Always a thought of the day, and it's real. And it's real. The best game I've been on is my sophomore year and We didn't care.

Nobody cared that RJ was averaging 22. We wanted RJ to average more because. That's what we was for our team. You know, we wanted to get Armando as many touches as we could because That's how dominant we was like we really embraced each other and I mean, that was the best team I've been on so far. Seth Trimble's with us here.

Positionally, what do you see your role as on this team? Uh a guard. A guard, no point guard, no shooting guard, no small forward. A guard. HZ is gonna rely on me to Know all three of those positions.

So he's going to put the trust in me to play all three of those positions. Uh with our offense. Nobody's really you know Point drawer, nobody's a Two, nobody's a three, everybody's out here. playing free-flowingly in the in our offense. I mean, a guard at the end.

What's an area you see versus last year? you being asked to do more of ball handling or shooting. Uh I mean both. Out there.

So you know you're dribbling to get to your spots. You're dribbling great for your teammates. You know, HD is praising me all summer to take the good ones, take the open ones, and take the ones that you create.

So, I mean, definitely both. Let's close with Seth Trimble here, talking about how many goats you've encountered. Bill Belichick. Yes, sir. What was that like?

uh that was surreal meeting him in the first for the first time remember we met him uh in the practice gym This summer, I think, when he first got on campus, he was at the BC game, and I can just picture him walking into the Seth. You're a very good player. No, but he was super cool, though. He just introduced himself. He didn't have to at all, just asked me how I was doing it.

That was that, but Yeah, that was cool meeting him. Michael. Have not met MJ yet. I'm waiting on that one. Are you a Michael or a LeBron guy?

I'm an MJ guy. I go to the University of North Carolina. Yeah, you do have the jump man on your team. You'd be wrong to find, say, this guy right here. Right here.

That does seem right. Yeah. WD, were you disappointed by LeBron's announcement today? No, I'm glad he's not retiring. I was kind of concerned.

We were all worried? We were all a little worried. I was definitely nervous. I was definitely nervous. That's it.

Last thing. How much love do you have for our friend BDOT? He's not here right now. He's supposed to be here. He's in New York instead, but.

How much love do you still have for the six-man of Tarheel Dash? That's my guy, man. I mean, he did an incredible job holding down his six-man position when he was here with us. And he's still so supportive. You know, he hits me often.

Uh see him in the comments of some post. I mean, B-Dot's so supportive. He's such a great guy. Every every interaction I've had with him. has this been has this been an amazing moment so Always got love for my guy, B D.

No doubt. Ben and Jerry's, good luck with it. Good luck with the basketball as well. Thank you as well for always being, even after tough losses, great with us. Yes, sir.

Feels good to mention that on Media Day as you're spending time here. I appreciate it. And we'll talk to you down the line. Yes, sir. My guy.

It's the drive With Josh Graham, W USJS Darren Thought. Joining us To talk some baseball. V1 baseball, ACC baseball, et cetera, is the podcast. We'll get to unusual questions in a bit. What's your rooting interest?

in the American League. W D is still picking up the pieces. After the Blue Jays. beat his Yankees. But there's a chance Seattle Could be in the ALCS.

However. You maybe needed to finish that one off in Detroit with Tariq Skubel throwing tomorrow. For Detroit, do you have a Rooting interest. No, and that's like it's a good thing. I would be perfectly fine with.

Any of these teams winning the AL, I think it's going to be refreshing in any case. Um I think I most would like to see Blue Jay's Mariners. In the ALCS. Like it's the battle of. We've never been here versus we have not been here in a very, very long time.

You're guaranteed. An underdog or a good Rooting interest story. in the World Series against likely a big brand team unless it's Milwaukee coming out. Of the four remaining teams in the next. And in that case, it's the team that had the best record in.

the major leagues.

So yeah, like it would be Milwaukee's not as buzzy as like a Philly or LA. versus one of those teams. But at the same time, it is kind of still You know, David and Goliath might be extreme, but it's kind of a version of that. Darren Vought. National League.

Where are you at on Philly's Dodgers? Considering Philly not rolling over and dying, while it seemed Clayton Kershaw did. Maybe. It's getting hard to. We've talked about this in other preseason and other postseasons.

It is getting hard to ignore the postseason resume of one Clayton Kershaw. Like He cleaned it up. In 2020, that's fine. But It going awry again does not really help his. He's going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer.

Like, it does not matter for that. Sake. But he is not to be trusted in October. Like, that's just part of it with him now. And They, the Dodgers, that is, are going to need to be able to trust him.

If they're going to win this series. In advance and get where they ultimately want to go because. Look, the bullpin has basically been relegated to they've got Alex Vesia, who's a reliable arm. Otherwise, they're piggybacking starting pitchers, which includes Clayton Kershaw. Roki Sasaki is their closer now.

Like They're going they're they are r they are going to need Clayton Kershaw. In spots where it feels like they can't necessarily trust him. Which I guess makes them like the same team that they were because you can't really trust. any of their regularly in the bullpen arms, but Um I don't I still feel relatively good about it. Just because For a postseason.

In a short term, you can let it ride. with if most nights You're trying to extend a starter. Maybe bridge with another starter because you have an excess, like with the way they used glass now. And then you get a De Vesia. And Susaki.

Vessia and Sasaki can pitch most nights through a stretch of a postseason if you need them to.

So I still don't feel bad about it. And they do seem to be getting. good offensive contributions when they need them. Which, like, again, it's a good thing because they've got a roster that's loaded full of guys who are supposed to give you those contributions.

Now let's answer unusual questions with Darren Vaughn. But last week, guys, everybody made it out that I got mad at Josh and I left the press conference. That's not right. I thought it was an unusual question, and it's okay. It's time for unusual questions.

With Josh Gray. I'll get the bidding starting. Started. in my travels to Charlotte at ACC Media Days. Which of these two things should I be more embarrassed by?

Getting Pepsi. At the bar at ACC Hospitality. And being called out by Wes Durham for doing so. Good job, Wes. Amongst a large group of people.

Yeah. Being excited. To hit the Mooresville conversation. Costco right off of 77 on the way home. Because For the last two months, the Winston-Salem Costcos food court has been out.

And I haven't been able to have a Costco dog for the last couple months.

So Saw the Costco there across the street from an Academy Sports. I knew Academy Sports. Yeah. like potato chips at their Checkout aisle.

So I walked into an Academy Sports, got in line to have. A lazed potato chip. To take into the Costco and enjoy a hot dog and buy nothing else. I got gas. For the record, but I uh Which which of the two is more embarrassing?

I've got a quick observation first: Academy Sports and Outdoors, the title sponsor of ACC Baseball, et cetera, part of the D1 Baseball podcast network.

So we love the shout out there. That's pretty good. The fact that you needed gas Makes the stop at Costco more okay. Because to me, to be fair, it wasn't about Costco. To add context, to add context.

I got $5 worth of gas on the way. into Charlotte. Knowing that that's as much as I would need just to get back to that Costco on the drive home.

So I planned it. It was planned. It was all you. Hot dog, Dan. You really engineered this.

Yeah, on the way up, I planned on the drive home. I'm gonna hit that Costco. Do I need gas to get back to this, Costco? Yeah, I'm going to put $5 in the tank because the Costco gas is cheaper. Better gas too.

I respect it. No, see, but it's like at the end of the day. You still needed gas. That's no different to me than. Like you stop it as sheets to fuel up.

And you run in and get a protein bar or whatever just because your body needs something, right? Like, that's no different to me. I think you did it. Not necessarily out of convenience, but it plays a lot like you did it out of convenience. Sure.

Yeah. W D, we wouldn't try to be more embarrassed by. Not that you need a reason, but I am curious: why just Pepsi at media hospitality? Um I had work. I had a podcast I was going to tape.

later that night and did. And I Just needed some caffeine. Honestly. Yeah. I get it.

Everybody else was enjoying. their various beverages at public house. And Charlotte and There I am with a Pepsi. Yeah, so like you just weren't in media hospitality mode yet. But You wanted to see the people and do the thing.

Yeah, I get it. You know I think just the picture of you in Academy Sports. Yeah. So you can have your chips. I was third in line.

He waited in line with chips at Academy. That is how much you need to have the chips. Get to that point. No, it's a good point because I did wonder. Sure, you can't.

I did wonder when I saw the picture that you posted from the Costco. Find the picture. Find the picture, Will. Find the picture. Knowing that you typically would take your own little Ziploc bag of potato chips, I wondered.

Hmm. What did he bring those chips? Like, this part of the story gets more embarrassing now. What you don't know. Is that There is a Can't believe I'm saying this.

There near check-in at the hotel, they have one of those shops there. And I went down there. And all they had were Doritos. Not good enough. And then I went upstairs to the second floor or third floor at the hotel where I knew there was another.

shop type place. adjacent to the hotel. And they had lays. Uh sour cream and onion. Not good enough.

So I went into the Academy Sports hoping to find that beautiful yellow bag and I saw it. I would never think to go to Academy for chips. I've been to Academy Sports and I knew they had some stuff in checkout. Also, that was the only thing. And that at that point, it was just desperation.

I probably would have settled for some Doritos. I don't know. but it worked out. They've got it all. Listen.

At Academy of Sports and Outdoors. Get them out of here. What is WD? What's your unusual question? I think I found a food question that's really unusual.

Are you going to top mine? Maybe we'll see. What is your favorite? Texture of food. No.

Is it crunchy? Is it biting? Is it really bad and lazy? This is really unusual.

Well, it has become very usual. When I thought about it, it's like, because crunchy is an option, biting into a nice soft piece of bread is an option. I'm going to stop you. I'm going to stop you. We all know.

That our bodies respond differently to different mixtures of textures. And I want to know the answer. There's not an ideal one. It's like saying, you guys know my feelings on a favorite color. Mm-hmm.

Who wants the world to be one color? There's a reason they all exist. Who cares? I don't have time for a favorite color. Favorite texture?

No, give them all to me. I'm going to eat everything. Lavender's the answer, by the way. I like the texture. Lavender is a great color.

See, maybe I'm just weird because I have an answer. What is your answer? I love. The super crunchy kettle chips. That is my favorite texture on this planet.

It is.

Okay, so you were looking for a specific food. But that's just my answer. It would be easier if you just said yes to that question. Yes, it could just be food. Where you.

Have a sensation. that is pleasurable because of the texture. What you're getting. Potato chips. They're so crunchy, and that's part of why I just keep eating them.

That is partly why I like the Lay's classic potato chip because of how it's light. And I do like that texture so much that when I get like a sub, a sandwich. it's great to put those chips, just insert them into the sandwich to add some extra crunch.

So it is a texture-based thing. And Will Dalton clearly just thought of this question because he likes the chips and I spent five minutes talking about chips. That's clearly what happened there. It's okay that that happened, but what's the problem? Take note.

Josh went to a place where he was talking about adding chips to a sandwich, something that already has a certain texture. And he added another texture. It's a tapestry, okay? We don't have to. You don't have to think in buzzfeed quiz terms with everything, and everybody's going to favor it.

You recently saw this as the end, right? Speaking of movies we've been watching. Yeah. Yeah, there's the scene where I mean, uh, sandwich is a piece of art too. Anyway.

Darren, what's your unusual question? I concur for the record. I do. Um What do you guys think?

So. In a couple of weeks, when does that start? Two weeks, maybe? The North Carolina State Fair. Oh, we're.

I think it's next week.

Next week. Because the Carolina hurricanes start their season tonight. Yeah. And that means next week they go on the road trip, and that means that's when the fair starts.

So it's it's weekend Full week weekend is how it goes, right?

So. Uh during that time My Girlfriend, who is born and raised in Southern California. Yeah. Duke for her residency. Um Has never been to the North Carolina State Fair.

I don't know that she has experienced a state fair. Of this kind. Right. Mm-hmm. What?

What elements of it do you think is going to take her by surprise most? I have a slam dunk answer. Just ready. Like, you just did the LeBron off the backboard. Or Dwayne Wade off the backboard, the LeBron.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. The answer is Going into the barn. It's me doing the pose. Yeah, thank you. Going into the barn that they always have at the state fair.

milking the cow's udders in order to get Free milk. That is the answer. No, not funnel cake. I'm sure she's had funnel cake before. Right.

Milking a cow's udders and being rewarded with chocolate milk or regular milk. That, I think, will be a... A cultural experience. I think that's the slam dunk here. And look, I know I don't necessarily always present at a guy who grew up in a dairy farming town, but I have milked a cow.

Mm-hmm. So, I think that's a good sort of transferring of my world to hers that, um, She's got to do it now. Yeah. No, I think that's got to be done. And the milk's good.

I always look forward to that. You know, we've covered my. Chocolate milk. admiration and Passion. I don't know if you're not.

Before. WD, do you have a better answer than that? Or were you going to say, funnel cake? I mean, I thought the funnel cake might because of the texture! Because of the textures, also, I mean, not just the funnel cake, the the um Just the food, the different fried foods that destroy your stomach.

I never liked it. I never liked those, the fried Oreos or anything like that. Not my not my bag. At the risk of too much information. IBS might prevent that.

from being a part of our evening there.

Okay. Yeah. Let's go to the sidelines, we keep it safe with food selections in this relationship. That's been unusual questions, and for good measure, just a second time. A courtesy flushing.

Let's go to the sidelines, Tony Haynes. Gary Hahn. Love it. Darren Vaugh. Appreciative of your work.

ACC baseball, etc. You got some sponsor mentions in the segment. That's good. All great stuff. Enjoy the playoff baseball, and we'll talk to you next week.

Sounds good. Talk to you guys again soon. Mm-hmm.