BDAHT'S Journalism School

This is the Drive with Josh Graham podcast. Tune into The Drive weekday afternoons 3-7 on Sports Hub Triad. I call you, I need you, my heart's on fire. I feel like tonight's gonna be all. Tar heel.

Here's Baku. Here's Anthony. Baseline one. Anthony flips it cross court out of the double team, but Robinson's still shot in the tumbler. North Carolina outclasses Virginia Tech.

I think when they last met, it was the low point of the season for UNC. Orange's lead for the Tara heals now at nine. Touchdown. Carolina's got their largest lead of the night. Carolina's going to have the home crowd behind them as well.

So the Tar Heels are through. to Wednesday, 9 o'clock tomorrow night to face Syracuse. Tarhill. Zoom four. their last five.

They'll move on to meet the Orange of Syracuse with a beat by. 13. Yes! Finally, some credit. where we were right.

and invest Three for three so far on the tournament with Wake Forrest's loss to Pittsburgh and Clemson holding on against Miami earlier today. We'll get to Danny Manning's future in 15 minutes. We are broadcasting live from the Greensboro Coliseum. Round two action. Of the ACC tournament, but let's begin with the Tar Heels because they looked terrific last night.

Mike Young said that the environment felt like the Smith Center. Brandon Robinson, he's breaking ankles. He's hitting step back jumpers, reminiscent in this building of Randolph Childress twenty five years ago.

So the big question for North Carolina now is How far of a run can they make here? How deep can they go as their tournament lives are on the line tonight against Syracuse? They, of course, have to win the ACC tournament. It seems like. To have any type of postseason, remember you can be under 500 and still make the NIT.

So, if you want to make the NCAA, of course, you have to win the next four nights. I think the tar heels. Have enough to beat Syracuse at nine o'clock tonight. I don't think they have enough to make a run, and I'll tell you why. Extra exhaustion has to play a role.

In tournaments like this, when you're so accustomed to playing maybe once or twice a week for the last few months.

Now I get the argument, okay, the guys are 18, 19, 20 years old. They play AAU basketball, high school ball, and they're used to playing multiple games during the day, but college basketball, it's a different type. Of athlete that succeeds at this level. It's a different type of game, it takes different things out of you. Also, you're playing a Syracuse team.

Back-to-back nights that run a zone defense that Everybody knows what Syracuse is all about, the 2-3 zone Jim Bayheim's run all these decades, but it makes you work more than anything else for your shots. You're going to get some shots of the perimeter, but if you plan to get it into Garrison Brooks or you plan to drive with Cole Anthony or any of your guards, they're going to make it difficult on you.

So even if you do get past tonight, I'm concerned: playing late night Tuesday, playing in the latest slot Wednesday, later tonight. How are you going to fare when 9:15, 9:30 rolls around tomorrow and it's the Louisville Cardinals you're going up against? Also, let's not discount the injuries either. Every single game for North Carolina. Every single one, it seems like.

Somebody's getting banged up. Last night was no exception. They win big against Virginia Tech, but Christian Keeling rolls his ankle. It seems bad. He is helped off the floor.

He returns to the game. Coach Williams said, even though there's about 10 minutes left to go and we're up 15, he wanted to get Keeling in there because his fear was if he just sits him on the bench and he's available, then that ankle can stiffen up. He came back in and he looked pretty good. But even late in the game, Leakey Black gets hit with an elbow right in the mouth, and you're concerned about his health too. Every single game this happens.

B-Rob against Duke. In Cameron on Saturday. You're concerned about him. Armando Bacot, we didn't know, despite how good he was in Cameron on Saturday, we didn't know if he was going to be ready for that game.

So, I do think they have just enough. To get past Syracuse tonight. I think it's a good matchup for the Tar Heels. They're going to have the home crowd for sure. It was a tremendous crowd at the Coliseum last night.

We expect no different later on. But. Beyond tonight, I just don't see it. Louisville. is an awful matchup.

They are the last team in the league that North Carolina wants to see. the aggressiveness of a Chris Mac team. The way they're able to match North Carolina's bigs. You got Brooks, and you got Armando Bacot. I'm awaiting the You got those two, but on the other side for Louisville, okay, they'll match you with Sutton.

And Malik Williams coming off the bench, and Jordan Wora. Good luck. North Carolina trying to bang with those bigs. That's why Louisville won so convincingly. Two or three weeks ago in the Yum Center, when those two teams met.

So I think North Carolina is going to win tonight against Syracuse. I don't see it going past. Tomorrow, 9:30 against the Louisville Cardinals in the quarterfinals. It is exhaustion, it's injuries, it's a bad matchup for North Carolina. But I did like what I saw last night, and it's kind of a good feeling for the seniors North Carolina has.

The grad transfers, Kristen Keeling trending up. We're glad to see he got back from an injury. Brandon Robinson having his moment. You feel good about that, but I think it ends tomorrow. You can tweet the show at SportsUpTriad: 336-777-1600.

Is the phone number as we're broadcasting live? Robert Walsh is at our home base in Kernersville. Sawyer Dillon is on site. And the rest of our Sports Hub Triad gang is hanging out as well. Andrew Carter is going to join us in over 20 minutes.

Once a week for the last few months, we've been doing our bachelor minute. I love The Bachelor and I make no bones about it. We're excited. They're going to be coming to Greensboro for that Bachelor Live event.

So we did our Bachelor minute yesterday. They had part one of two for the season finale. I left the Coliseum in a full sprint last night, around 9 o'clock, 9:30 last night, to get home just to watch the Bachelor finale.

So here's what we're gonna do. Right at the start of the show, an impromptu Bachelor Minute to close. This season of The Bachelor with Peter Weber.

So, it's another ongoing, never-ending series of The Bachelor. Will Pete push the limits of what's acceptable on national TV? Um, yes. Is Pete here with the intentions of hooking up with as many of the contestants as possible? Or is it simply the free booze?

Pete is on the clock. Welcome to the Bachelor Minute. Sawyer Dylan is joining us on site here, fellow Big Bachelor fan. You were just in our courtside seats here at the Coliseum as actions currently going on between NC State and Pittsburgh. And you're texting me complaining about the fans.

You want to get that rant out very quickly? I mean, just some of the fans, if it's a traveling call or a double dribble or an out-of-bounds call that's fairly obvious, you don't have to trash the refs for it. It's just one of those things. Maybe an iffy foul call you can trash them for, but just yelling at the refs, saying that they suck the whole time if it's just a travel violation isn't the way to get on the good side of the referees. NC State fans are always gonna be NC State fans.

That's what I say about that. All right, let's start with the Bachelor minute. Robert wins on a technicality. Robert had Hannah Ann at the very beginning in our bachelor pool. Sawyer, you had Madison as your second round pick.

Hannah Ann got proposed to because on Monday's episode. Dramatically, Madison decided to leave. That's what happened. And Peter did not tell Hannah Am while they were like. bottle feeding baby kangaroos.

It was a wonderful date, but you knew something was probably going to go wrong. It happened the most absurd way. Robert, get this. You got Peter about to get on one knee. And that is the moment he decides to tell Hannah Ann Madison.

Left two days ago. Yes, sir. I have a conspiracy theory here. When Peter is about to get on one knee, he looks at the rose. And then the only words are Madison.

And then he looks at Hannah Ann. I think he actually thought he was giving it to Madison. Oh my gosh, you're saying that he was thinking about Madison.

So then he decided to say, she left two days ago. You know, like when you're in a conversation with somebody and you say somebody else's name by accident, and then you find a reason to say, Why you said that person's name. Like, if I'm sitting in Roberts here, I'd be like. Robber Is the guy who's producing this show, Sawyer? Exactly.

So that's what it sounds like, too. That's a good conspiracy theory. The last thing he said was. Madison left two days ago. Oh.

10 a.m., will you make me the happiest man of the world or whatever it was? Very absurd. Uh proposal. But Here's the part where you win on a technicality though. Madison decided to come back into the fold for the live episode, and it seems like they're going to try and work on their relationship and get it right because a month after he proposed to Hannah Ann, he goes all the way to Los Angeles to see her just to dump her.

And Hannah Ann told her off, or told him off, excuse me. She played the game the right way. She did everything you're supposed to do. She got the engagement. She's technically the winner, which means Robert.

Congratulations, man. You are our bachelor winner this season. The best. I won. You hear that, Sawyer?

You beat me in a tricycle race. You beat Joel Berry in a game of 2K, but you are not beating me in the Bachelor. I know too much. I'm too informed in picking this stuff. I'm the champ, or rather, ah!

The winner of the bachelor season, whatever the heck this is. It was a Reggie Bush-like season. He had his Heisman taken away in 2005. But when you ask who won the Heisman that year, Reggie Bush won the Heisman, right? Hannah Ann, she doesn't get the actual engagement and get married, but she won the bachelor season.

She was very methodical. She played the game really well. It was an all-time great bachelor season for Hannah Ann. Just an awful one for all of us to watch. But let's get to Peter's family, because his family dynamic is so messed up.

And I'm not just talking about the fact they are very comfortable talking about each other's lovemaking in front of each other. Not great there. Barb. Barb Weber here. Peter's mom.

during the live show was cheering on Hannah Ann. While she was telling off Peter in the video, like standing and applauding. This girl who she met for, I think, what, 10. 15 minutes, maybe a half hour, right? She's on national TV cheering for her, telling off her son.

Seems like she's angling for a TV show. She is shaking her head every single time Madison is talking. And then she dropped this line.

Sometimes you need to fail to succeed. It's not going to last. That is Peter's mom talking about his relationship with Madison. It's not going to last. Who boy?

What a dramatic end. to this bachelor season. Congratulations to Robert. Thanks for playing Sawyer. And Yeah.

But let me tell you this: I would watch a bachelor where the moms got to pick. The dates. Like, it could be called like Mama's Boy or something. And it's all of these guys who have a crazy relationship with their mother. But.

The moms get to pick who they actually marry or date or propose to. I would watch that. Your halftime score, NC State 35, Pittsburgh 32. One of our state's best riders, Andrew Carter, is going to join us in a little over 15 minutes. But coming up, An update on Danny Manning and his future at Wake Forest.

This is the drive. Here comes the life of the party. The drive, corrupting the minds and the hearts of our children. With Josh Graham. Programmed for low expectations.

On Sports Hub Triad. We've got Andrew Carter. from the Raleigh News and Observer with us now. His story from last night. Cole Anthony is washing his hands 22 times a day.

As ACC confronts the coronavirus threat, before we talk about some of the things that could happen this week or next week as this same building's going to be hosting NCAA tournament games, I'm interested what you found most interesting aside from the fact Cole washes his hand 22 times a day. what you heard from players yesterday, how they're feeling, the general tenor of how they're approaching what's become a national crisis.

Well, to me, Josh. You know, I thought what was kind of interesting is that the players seem pretty unconcerned about this whole thing, I think, at this point, which is not necessarily surprising. These are you know, first off, they're pretty young kids. you know, most of them about twenty years old or so. Uh that's not really in the You know, the target age where you really have to be worried about this thing necessarily from an individual point of view, you know, talking about coronavirus.

And obviously, too. You know, these guys are here to play in the tournament. They're focused on basketball. That's obviously the most important thing on their minds. They're told to drown out the noise, drown out the media, maybe some of those same practices you use on.

Right. degrees and stuff probably different teams Maybe more attuned to what goes on beyond the world of basketball. Like, I get the sense that maybe. You know, Roy Williams might be talking with his kids about some of this stuff, judging from his comments last night. Let's actually hear those comments very quickly, because I think we have them lined up.

Robert, this was Roy Williams from last night speaking about the coronavirus and the potential effect it could have on the tournament. It's a terrible situation. I mean, it's it's scary. I mean at the end of the game I was mad at myself because I shook hands with all the other guys and I meant to give them the elbow hit. But no, this is not a good situation in our country right now and we don't have a great handle on what's going to happen next.

I watch CNN most of the day today and about every hour the numbers go up of the kids. cases and numbers continue to go up about the people that lost their lives. Yeah on a humorous note, I get frustrated 'cause they talk about old people and they started that at sixty. I'm sixty-nine. Yeah, the mighty Yeah, so maybe that might be the difference between the players being worried about it and maybe Roy Williams saying, eh, we should probably take this a little more seriously.

It's a very Roy soundbite. right there in a lot of different respects. Uh and yeah, I mean, I think he gets it. Certainly I th I would hope that most coaches in their positions kind of understand the severity of this and the seriousness of it. Um but yet here we are.

I mean, I'm I'm kind of surprised that You know, the ACC, and not to criticize the ACC, because certainly they're not alone in this decision. Of course. But you look at what different conferences across the country have done. The Ivy League just announced 10 or 15 minutes ago that they're canceling everything. The rest of the spring, the entire sports spring season from this point forward is done.

Obviously, yesterday they announced that they're not going to play the men's and women's conference tournaments in that conference. Can I tell you how Jim Beheim responded to that? I didn't post this, but Jim said, or Coach Beheim said, I don't know him that well. Oh, he can go with Jim. He likes it, I think.

He likes Jim?

Well, Jim said that if they feel so strongly about not having the Ivy League tournament and such, Why not? Say send a statement by not sending Yale to the NCAA tournament. Why not say, hey, we're not sending any of our schools? To the tournament because they're going to have a lot of schools around there, a lot of players are going to be there, a lot of people. That was Jim's overarching point.

He said not to criticize the Ivy League, but he didn't really see the point of, okay, let's cancel a conference tournament. when you still intend to send another one of your teams to an Net Couple A tournament. Yeah, I think that's an interesting argument. I don't think it would be too difficult to poke some holes into it. I think, you know, for one thing, at this point, we don't know how the NCAA tournament is going to play out in terms of spectators.

You know, the governor of Ohio came out earlier today and basically said there's not going to be spectators in Dayton for those first four games. Cleveland hosts a sub-regional site.

Sounds like there's not going to be spectators for that. The mayor of Houston. Earlier today, he came out with a statement that basically said every city-related quote unquote, I'm not quite sure what city-related event means, but that's the way he described that the language he used would be postponed going forward in that city. They host a South Regional. You know, I thought it was interesting earlier this morning.

And another thing too is like Yeah, so it's more so. like hour to hour, it seems like things are changing. And one thing that I thought was interesting This morning is that Kevin White, of course the Duke Athletic Director, he is obviously on the Division I selection committee with the NCAA Tournament, was supposed to be on a teleconference with media members. It's a usual thing, every year they have this teleconference with media members this week, the week leading into the weekend of conference tournaments to talk about NCAA tournament stuff, and they canceled that. Uh I imagine Because Kevin didn't want to answer a million questions just about what is the incidental tournament going to do, how does coronavirus affect this and that.

You know, so I think. Right now, as you and I are sitting here, Josh. No one really has a good idea of what's going to happen, how the NSA is going to handle this thing. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if we're sitting here on Friday. Going into a night session at the ACC tournament here.

Without spectators.

So let's compare and contrast though. Rather than talk about, okay, the unknown, how this is going to progress over the next two days, as you mentioned something that's hour to hour. How are the dynamics different between the NCAA and say the ACC? Of course, the news is going to be different next week, and based on every indication, things are probably going to be worse next week than they are this week, but. It seems to me the NCAA is a little bit more corporate if one Site says that they're not going to be playing games to send a message, they probably might say, We're just going to shut them all down.

The ACC and Greensboro specifically. it it seems to have different dynamics at play, doesn't it? Yeah, it does. And let's be real too. I mean, I think part of the ACC's reluctance to do a huge Overarching, grand sweeping change this term is the fact that you know we're here in Greensboro.

This is such a big deal, this event, to have it here in Greensboro. It hasn't been here since 2015. Do you think we're in Charlotte again? Like, if Charlotte was hosting it last year and then hosted it again this year, do you think the dynamics would be different? Yeah, I do.

I think the league would be more likely. To say, hey, look, you know, we need to really take a serious look at not having spectators to protect people. I think there is a bit of hesitancy, reluctance. You know, just because there's been this perception, I think, here this week about kind of this being maybe a tryout longer term for the city of Greensboro to stay in this rotation. You know, obviously, you know, the ACC has taken this tournament sort of outside the traditional cities recently.

It's been up to Washington, D.C. Of course, it's been there before, but up in D.C. a few years ago, Brooklyn twice, has never been up there. And yeah, I think there was sort of this thought that, you know, a great week here, a great tournament, people being fired up in Greensboro really supporting this thing. Like has historically been the case, would really help the ACC, or really help Greensboro's cause in terms of making its case for future tournaments.

And I do think that has, I think it has to have figured into some of the conversations behind the scenes. It's Andrew Carter with us here. He's on Twitter at underscore Andrew Carter. He's a sports enterprise reporter, one of the best our state has. He's a multi-time NSMA.

Multi-time NSMA, North Carolina Sports Writer of the Year? I know you've worn it once before. Only one time they realized they made a mistake and never did it again.

So kudos to them. Definitely one of my favorites, though. But let me ask you this: you've been in touch with folks at the ACC, even today, I'm sure. What is the latest you've heard from the Atlantic Coast Conference? Are they not wanting to talk about this, or have they spoken at all about the latest on this?

No, I feel like they've been as open as they can be about this. I don't think there really is a latest per se in terms of. maybe not allowing fans in going forward. I think that remains an option. I'm just sitting here thinking logically or rationally.

No one said that to me on the record or off the record. But I do think they continue to have these conversations. I know they were on the phone on teleconferences basically all day yesterday with different people. I know there's been a ton of conversations with Governor Roy Cooper about how to handle this thing and what to do. And I think these conversations are continuing to develop and continuing to evolve.

Yeah, I think a big part of the challenge with this thing is there's really sort of a lack of Real data so far. And that's been one of the criticisms. You know, you go on Twitter and read some of the comments on some of these threads, which you should never read the Twitter comments, maybe. I try, I try to do it. But it's people like, you know, when the Ivy League just announced what they did, I read some of them, and it's people like, oh, there's only X number of cases, and it's a relatively small number.

But there's been so many people who haven't been tested. Like, no one really knows the true number of people out there who might be carrying this thing or how widespread it is. And if you read up on it and look at what happened in Italy, which of course I think the US is really trying to avoid becoming. Italy in this regard. You know, they started with a very small number of cases and it looked like, oh, not a big deal.

And then a few weeks later, basically the entire country has been shut down. Because of the spread of this thing. How surprised for that reason would you be if. There are fans going to games at Greensboro Coliseum for the NCAA tournament. How surprised would I be if there were fans?

Yes. Oh, very surprised at this point. Very surprised. You know, I think if you were to set the odds on that, it would be overwhelmingly in favor of The assembly tournament here playing out next week. In front of an empty arena, whether that's here at the Coliseum, whether that's somewhere else in Greensboro.

You know, I just think it creates a weird dynamic, too, when you have some sites. Like the ones in Ohio, apparently, which basically the governor has ordered. You know, no fans being allowed in. That includes the first four in Dayton. Right, so how do you know, like, if you're running the NCAA tournament, how do you sort of organize that logistically, where you have some sites that have fans and some that don't?

Like, I would think that you would want it to be pretty uniform and consistent. Corporate. Uniform. I did across the board. Right, so I would be at this point with what's come out today.

Basically these mandates that have been given. that have said in some sites we're not going to have spectators. I would be surprised if there are spectators here at the Coliseum or elsewhere in Greensboro next week. Andrew, appreciate you dropping by. We will be watching on as the tournament.

Hopefully Things get better and fans will be allowed to attend moving forward, but we'll continue to follow your work as well. Thank you for doing this. Thank you, Josh. Appreciate you having me, man. That is Andrew Carter from the Rowley News and Observer.

He's on Twitter at underscore Andrew Carter. B DOT. He takes me to school every single week, but coming up next, I actually take him to school. It's amazing. Keep it here on the drive.

It's the drive with Josh Graham. Take it from me, you're driving everyone crazy. Mission accomplished on Sports Hub Triad. Welcome back to the show. Chris Lee!

Hey. Formerly of. He's at WRAL as a sports anchor in the triangle. We're very happy for you. I haven't even moved yet.

I still live in High Point. You still live in High Point. Robert, what do the kids have to think of Chris Lee's opportunity? Are they very happy for Chris here or no? Wow.

Kids are on my side. I love the kids too. Because the kids will boo your ass on here, buddy. They will. For real, ask about Josh.

Like, ask the kids what they think about him. Yeah, what do you guys think about Josh and his dress attire? Oh man. Tough crowd. Are those the same kids that were doing a race on the floor last night at the Greensboro Coliseum amid a health crisis?

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Might have been.

So we got B-Dot. We got Chris Lee, who goes way back with Robert Walsh. Once upon a time, Robert Walsh was a referee. That's crazy. Wrestling referee.

Chris did some wrestling way back when. He was nice, too. Yeah.

So everybody likes each other here. Everybody loves everybody. Yeah.

But. I am not somebody who is great. With the urban vernacular. Facts. Like, this is why we have this segment that we call BDOT's Grammar School, where I learn.

A number of words, a myriad of words, if you will. A word of words. A myriad? Like a lot. There we go.

So. I hate when he does that, Chris. He tries to throw all these big words that he knows that I have to worry about. Myriad is not that big. Oh, I don't use that.

That's not in my jargon. Myriad is not a big word, Doc. Come on. Myriad is not a word that I use regularly. Aaron, do you use Myriad?

Aaron, I said, do you use myriad? Use myriad, a myriad of times. I do. Aaron, you're gonna make him curse over here. That's just the sound of B-Dot answering the question from a reporter last night in a scrum.

A reporter asked Brandon Robinson a question. No, he asked Cole Anthony. He asked Cole Anthony a question about B-Rob. And. You answered?

Yes. He answered the question. I don't know why. Let's just play on the audio. Let's just play the full sound.

No! Hold on, let me hear this. He loves that shot. I'd say that's his favorite shot. Do you know what he said?

I do. I just asked him, as a matter of fact, he's gone. You do. No one says. I do.

Well, I was just going to let you know. Oh, I am. Dot's gotta be the host everywhere. Like, he's gonna come to your show and take over. Andrew's gotta be the host everywhere.

Andrew Carter was just trying to get an answer, a sound bite, and B-Dot was like, I do. I know the answer to that question. Why did I do that, Show? Because you've gotta be the host everywhere. Talk into the microphone, my friend.

Oh, I'm sorry, I gotta put it right here. I was trying not to catch coronavirus because I know. No, we disinfect these microphones. Absolutely.

Okay.

Okay.

Let's get to this, though. My vernacular when it comes to the urban dictionary, not great. I've learned what loud means. I've learned what dub means. I've learned what 12 means.

I learned what dead ass means. Let's figure out together what the next word is going to be. Yeah.

Yeah.

Josh Graham has his own way of speaking. In high school, he didn't play sports, but he did wear a helmet. And just when you think it can't get any worse. My English teacher wanted to flunk me in junior high. Damn, thanks a lot.

Next semester, I'll be 35. Josh is going to attempt to learn B-Dot's vernacular. I'm from the old school. I got all street knowledge. You know what I mean?

You know what I'm saying? It's time. For B Dots Grammar School. All right now Josh, today we're taking it up a notch. We've given you words.

Today you get a phrase. Oh no. Three words in this phrase. The three words are. You so fluke.

That is your phrase. You so fluke. Not only do you have to tell me what that means, but you will also have to use it in a sentence. And you know that. You so fluke.

And of course, people can call up, give them the number, Josh. 336-777-1600. What does you so fluke mean? Give me some hints so I can arrive at the right conclusion. Chris Lee just immediately started laughing.

'Cause he knows it. I mean, honestly, I think if you use your context clues, you could probably pick it up right now. All right, whatever you're thinking off top, just go with it. Just let me let me think about it for a second. Yeah, here.

Let me stew Robert. Aaron? Where are you guys at here? I think we both know what it is. You should know this one, Josh.

This is not difficult. It's not an alley right here. He threw three to Alley. Oh, Robert just messaged me to tell you that he says hi. That was when you tried to say hey to me.

Before the show came on, but oh, gotcha. Yeah.

Now, that right there, for that, I say, Rob, you so fluke. I do. Thank you. Then he drops that. I'm going to punch him in the belly.

Come on. Josh, you got this. You so flew. Yes. On Twitter at SportsUpTry at 3367, 571600.

And it's a negative phrase, Josh. Yes, I'm aware. Are you aware of that much? Yeah.

I Well, now you know. Yeah, exactly. But now you know. You ever been stood up on a date? Many times.

You ever called her afterwards and asked her what's up? No, I I had more dignity than that. Like if they stand me if they stand me up, I'm usually like... I get the idea here. I get what you're throwing down.

I remember one time. I hate when he says that. I remember one time, I was racing to get to a Starbucks first date, and I accidentally spilled buffalo wings in my car. Like on the floor, and I went to get it back in my container because you know, five-second rule, not great to talk about during the coronavirus and such. But they were saucy wings, so I accidentally got some of my pants a little bit.

So I didn't realize this until I get to the Starbucks. And I'm mortified. I go straight to the bathroom to clean up a little bit. I'm worried she's going to show up like in five minutes. Yeah, then she stood me up.

So I don't know what I should be more embarrassed about in that circumstance that I got stood up on a date at Starbucks or that I got sauce all over my pants. I just tried to pass it to you, and you just dribbled like 15 times.

So it's not a flip square, shot clock violation. She went James Harden on the cock. We've got Stephen in Burlington who wants to give Josh a hint. All right, Steve. Even in Burlington, go right ahead, give me a hint, the phrase, you so fluke.

Just a hint. I thought I was telling you.

Okay, just a hint. Um, let me see. Use it in a sentence if you don't mind. Yeah, who would you tell David? Yeah, who would you consider fluke?

Well, I'd say Josh is fluke. He's in the now. You so fluke. You you. Your grammar is so fluke.

Look at him using the word play, too. I like Stevens. That was fair. That was fair. That move here your urban grammar is fluke.

You ever invited somebody on your show and they didn't show up? Yes. Robert gets more mad at those people than I do. Robert, what would you say to those people? You are so fluky.

Don't have them back on the show. They're too flukey. All right.

Okay.

Okay.

Hey, did you hear those comments that Patrick Beverly said about LeBron James? I do. Oh, man. Shut up, Rob. Did you hear those comments?

When he says, yo, it wasn't hard guarding a LeBron James. No challenge. Yeah, no challenge. No challenge. To that, I would say, dude, you're so fluke.

Wanted to be he so fluke?

Well, he is so fluke, but I would tell him. I will tell Patrick Barrett. Got it. Dude, you so fluke. I think.

Here we go. I think I have this figured out, you guys. You should.

Okay? You so fluke means He's serious too, Shaw. That you get really super nervous and that you don't want to hang out with somebody anymore. No! I thought I had that one.

Take the reasons. Take the reasons all the way out. Bruh. Bruh. Bruh.

Put some soul into it, bro. Fact, man. You know what we're saying. Come to the cookout, bro. Come to the cookout, bro.

Take the raisins out, potato salad, bro.

Okay.

Oh my god. Josh, you got this, bro. No, no, I just, I just guessed. I got it wrong.

So that's uh. Oh, that's it. That's your guess. You so fluke means you're whack. Oh, thank you.

You are so whack. You are so like fluke, the word fluke.

So, is fluke? Is that a synonym with flake? Like you flake out on somebody? Is flake the. No, there isn't a past tense or a present participle or like please stop making it so deep.

It could be, but it could be going. It could be like you flaked out on me. But yeah, that made you fluke. Flake is more regular vernacular. That's like almost Caucasidity urban dictionary.

Caucassidy dictionary. Oh, he flanked on me. Dang it. Yeah, and then I was like, damn, he did. He's so fluke.

My burger doesn't have mayonnaise.

So, all that talk about cookout got Josh. I was thinking I was going to come on and talk about sports, but we're talking about Luke right now. Absolutely.

This is dope. I love it. I love it, man. Tell us about this new opportunity you have before we let you go. Because that's not fluke.

No, it's not fluke. That's not at all. Because you've spent how many years in the triad? I've been here all my life. I've never lived outside of Guilford County.

Oh, my goodness. And so I'm going to move. Yeah, she can't believe it over here. I'm going to move to Raleigh. I'm going to be the first African-American sports anchor at WRL.

I grew up in the middle. I'm going to be the lead sports anchor there. This is Market 49. REL Raleigh's market 27. We'll move up to market 23 next year.

And so, this is a good opportunity for me to step up, show what I can do at a big market, but still cover the same teams. That's amazing. Pretty easy from that standpoint.

Well, I'm very thrilled for you. I know you've got a lot of work to do here at the ACC tournament. Thanks for playing around with us and indulging us in our nonsense. I missed a triad. All right.

And B-Dot, thanks for being here as well. We're going to send you into the locker room where you have a ton of great work to do tonight. Answer a reporter's question. I feel like you played me today on the show, Josh. And for that, I'll say Uso Fluke.

All right, we're going to talk to B. We're here for BDOT later in the week. That's Chris Lee. He's on Twitter at Chris Lee TV L-E-A. And I got to use the word in the tease.

There we go.

I got to use Uso Fluke in the T's. What's coming up next? All right, here's what's coming up. Up next. If you think UNC is going to make a run to Saturday, you so flew.

This is the drive. What the hell was that? Josh Graham loves to talk sports. He also loves writing sports poetry, but he can't think of a rhyme from pocket. I get it.

You're on the drive with Josh Graham.

Now being joined. at the ACC tournament in Greensboro by West Durham. We've been talking about the drive with Josh Graham. This is the drive with Josh Graham. This is one of my favorite shows that I appear on on a semi-regular to regular basis.

We've been talking how long about the ACC tournament's return to Greensboro. It's been months we've been talking about it. Greensboro's been spending years talking about it.

Now that it's finally here. Where's the nostalgia at? Where's all that? Trust me, all you got to do is go sit in the building like in the morning when we get here to do Packer in Durham. Mark and I sit in that south end zone on that platform, and there's nobody in the building except the people that are helping us get the show on the air.

There are a couple of maintenance and custodial people, but. Packers like, oh, you remember over there on the floor when that happened? Or do you remember when. You know, Bill Walton and UCLA ran to this end of the building, you know, in the first half of the national semifinal in 1974. Do you remember?

And and he was here in the building in '95 when Randolph had his moments. I came back into the league the next year to start doing Georgia Tech when Tim Duncan had 20-some rebounds in the championship game to beat the Yellow Jackets. Coach Smith's last tournament was in this building. Josh? Yeah.

Uh Carolina one. beating Maryland in the semifinals and wake in the championship game.

So yeah, I you know, there's a lot I remember. And the building is it's got that history to it. I mean, I I said this last week when I was up here to do an event. The walls will talk to you if you go in there early enough. You know, you can just kind of remember all the things that have transpired over the course of the 26 previous times this event's been here, and obviously it's been here twice as many times as it's been to any other location in the footprint.

I asked Jeff Capel about that yesterday, and he said that. You look at all the greats that's played in college basketball, odds are they've played at some point in this building. In the history of it, you're not going to find anything else like it. In fact, if you just look at conference tournaments across College basketball. I don't think you can find an equivalent in today's college basketball in 2020 to what Greensboro represents for this league.

Not a singular building. The only thing that would be potentially close is Nashville. When the SEC killed their tournament, brought their tournament back, Nashville, but at the time it was Memorial Gym. They've only done a handful of times at Bridgestone Arena. Um I would say probably the Pac-12, Pac-10 never had a tournament for a long time.

The Big Ten never had a tournament for a long time. The Big 12 in Kansas City, not in the same building. Obviously, they were at the new Kemper Arena. They were downtown at the auditorium for years. Then they moved out to a Sprint Center, I guess, is what it is now.

Now they're going back and forth with Dallas and Oklahoma City, I think, in the future and things like that. But a singular building. There has not been a college basketball event like the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament and the relationship they've had with Greensboro. And remember how it developed now. The conference tournament started under the The The wishes of Everett Case at NC State, who had obviously come in from Indiana.

He knew what the high school basketball championship in the state of Indiana meant, so when they brought the basketball tournament in the ACC was formed in the early 50s, Case thought a tournament was necessary to amplify the popularity of the league. They were all in Raleigh. And the first 13 were in Raleigh. First 13 years. Raleigh.

Then Charlotte. One year. What we now know is Bojangles Arena in Independence, the Chrome Dome, is what Packer calls it because he's lived there forever. And then it came to Greensboro.

Now remember, the first time it was in this building was Two major renovations ago.

Okay.

The late nineteen sixties when the building first hosted the ACC tournament, sat less than 10,000 seats. Do you remember the first time you walked in here? For the tournament? Yes. 1978.

I did not come until I was twelve years old. Never sat in a seat at the ACC tournament until I went to Charlotte after I graduated college. The first times I ever came to the ACC tournament, I came to the tournament either on the practice day with my dad when I was in college at Elon. But in 1978, I was the official's attendant. I was the attendant to the officials locker room.

Carolina won. They beat Duke on a Saturday night. Dudley Bradley was the MVP. Um I came seventy eight, seventy-nine. Uh eighty Yes, 81 they went to Maryland.

That was Sam Perkins. Freshman year, he was the MVP. 82, they came back, I went to 83. was in Atlanta, didn't go to that, 84 was here. And that was the that was Marilyn.

Lynn Bias beat Duke. Championship game. Lynn Bias was the MVP. I was at that tournament, and then I did not come back to a tournament in Greensboro during my college years. I came over here and met my dad.

We had lunch on the practice day. And I was getting career advice. But anyway, long story short, that's the way, and this is my 20. I tell somebody, somebody asked me, I've done 25 professionally.

So it's Georgia Tech and now television. And I am doing This is 31 or 32 in some other form or fashion. It's West Durham with us, Packer and Durham on the ACC network. You can watch every morning. Let's look ahead to the game that a lot of people are going to be paying attention to tonight.

It's North Carolina, it's Syracuse. And these two teams they met 10 days ago. North Carolina, it was their most convincing road win this year. Not many to pick between. One at UNCW, they won as well in Raleigh.

This was their most convincing win. It seems like to me, Wes, that this is the perfect matchup for North Carolina, considering the way they've been shooting, going up against that Syracuse zone. Sure. North Carolina. from a matchup standpoint and obviously the crowd being behind them.

Is that where you're leaning in terms of who has an advantage at 9 o'clock tonight? Sure. Only because I think Carolina hit a ton of threes, Cole Anthony hit seven, and they look pretty solid against the zone. Roll the same game plan out. I'm sure Bayheim makes adjustments with the way he plays it and the pressure points around it, things of that nature.

Joe Girard, Buddy Boeheim, and Elijah Hughes will have to have big games, I think, for Syracuse to advance. Syracuse didn't instill a lot of confidence in many people going down the stretch now. I mean, lost an overtime game on the last day of the regular season at Miami. Yeah.

You know, didn't win the last home game at the dome. They lost two of their last three, five of their last eight, and seven of their last 11. Exactly.

I mean, there was one point where we had Syracuse in the thing, and now they're not in the thing, right?

So, you know, we sort it out, see how it goes. But Carolina's playing with a lot of momentum, a lot of confidence. I thought they fought off a pretty sluggish start last night. Which was important. You know, I mean, offensively, Brandon Robinson knocked down a couple shots, it could be a lot different.

Randolph Childress's light crossover he had on that left wing, I would say.

Well, after Cole Anthony did the inverted spin to clear him for the zone. I mean, I'm telling you, Cole Anthony's move to get him the ball will get lost in the whole deal. But that was the. And Corey Alexander and I were like, holy smokes, how good is that move? And then Brandon Robinson double-downed on it.

So. Yeah, I think Carolina's playing with a lot of confidence. I think they're getting a three-man game going, which is important. Having the confidence to have Brooks and Robinson and Anthony on the floor at the same time is huge. Tonight will be the ninth ACC game they've had, all three guys.

We've missed a lot of what Carolina's potential could be simply because of injury or other things this year. And they have a winning record when those three guys are out on the floor, which is a crazy thing, too. Four and four. Oh, they lost against Duke last Saturday. Four and four.

So four and four on the year. We're being joined by West Durham, spending some time with us here from the ACC network.

So, this tournament, obviously, the big question is going to be. When is a decision going to be made about whether or not the tournament is going to return to Greensboro, Charlotte, because you have DC and Brooklyn next? You talk about these walls and they speak to the history of all these things. When you look across college basketball, or maybe just all the college sports, Texas, they should play Texas AM. Business checks in, and then they don't play each other anymore.

AM leads to the SEC. Right. Duke, they play NC State once every six years in football. That happens when leagues expand and you have divisions. I get that.

How much do you think the tradition and all the things we've been spending talking about the last few minutes matters to the powers that be when you consider nine new ADs have been hired in this conference since the last time a tournament was played? Yeah, I was here last week at an event with Ed Harden who outlined all the new athletic directors and new presidents and things like that that would be here this week. I think there's a place in the rotation going forward for Greensboro. I think it's important to the history of the league. I think the new schools certainly understand it.

I mean, we had Mike Bray on our set on Tuesday, he understands it. You know, and Mike Bray is a guy who's been at Notre Dame 20 years who wanted to be in this league and yet understands the value of coming to Greensboro. I think Jim Bayheim's backed off the statement he made a couple of years ago. I saw his comment from yesterday. Yeah, I mean, I had a chance to talk to him.

I know you talked to him and got some of that where he walked it back, and that's good. I mean, I think that's the right thing to do. Jeff Capel, it means a lot too. Martin Jarman's from Fayetteville, North Carolina, the athletics director at Boston College. John Curry?

John Curry knows he's from Chapel Hill. Went to high school, my brother. I mean, Oregon as well. Yeah, Buk Hargan. Come on now.

Exactly.

I mean, Buk Hargan's not going to vote no. I mean, it's just not going to happen. I think what we're getting to is. There's a little bit of a red alert here. And look, there are other markets where the ACC, and look, now I'm one of these guys.

The the whole deal changed in 2007. I mean, everybody can talk about Brooklyn. This deal changed in 2007 when we went to Tampa, Florida.

Okay? Don't say, well, we can't go here, we can't go there, we can't go X, Y, Z. We can go to Pittsburgh, we can go to Boston, we can go to Miami, we can go wherever anybody wants us, we can go to Chicago if they want us. And you say, well, why? Because we went to Tampa.

And I've been pretty consistent with that for a long time. 07 changed the game for this event. And it was important to investigate. What that tournament would be like in Florida, just as it was important to We shouldn't have let 2005 D.C. be the last time we went to D.C.

So when we went back to DC, look what happened. Downtown's a totally different deal around the arena now, the Chinatown section, all of that. That all counts, okay? Brooklyn, oh, we can't, nobody cares, da-da-da.

Okay, it's not Greensboro, it's not Charlotte, it's not in the heart of the footprint, Josh. But there's nothing wrong with the fact that you can actually do something. I think. a market that you're going to be in from some presence or another. whatever it may be, school, whatever the case may be.

So I understand Greensboro needs to be in the rotation. But are we ever going to have a sequence where Greensboro hosts it five straight years? No, we're not going to have a sequence, I don't think, going forward at the current pace where anybody hosted for five straight years. I'd be really surprised if we saw that. And three might be the max.

I enjoyed you on the call last night. Thanks. Is your go-to MMs? You go chips. Like, what's the strategy here for West Durham at the ACC Tournament?

Bottle water. Water guy. Yeah, 'cause you start getting into the snack deal, you can get in trouble. Sparkling water, or are we talking to Sanny Aquafina?

Well, you gotta stay Aquafina because it's a Pepsi building, I guess, don't we? There you go. This guy. No, but not drinking the sodas, I can promise you that. I don't drink sodas anyway, but I definitely wouldn't drink the taste born in the Carolinas.

Wes, during the time, absolute best. Thank you for the time. Thanks, Josh. You bet. That is Wes Durham joining us a short while ago.

That's before we received the breaking news of the NCAA deciding first and second-round games. Are gonna be held without fans due to the coronavirus outbreak. That includes the Greensboro Coliseum. Hosting games next Friday and Sunday. The start of the tournament is going to be without fans.

It's going to be surreal. It's going to be strange. While that interview was playing, I've gone around the Coliseum to get more information, and I'll bring you the latest that we know at this moment what's happening with the ACC tournament here in Greensboro. And oh yeah, if you have thoughts on this. We're gonna open up the phone lines.

We haven't opened up many of the lines today because we're on location and we've had a lot of great guests go through. But if you have thoughts on the subject, 336-777-1600, the two questions I have: is this overblown, properly received, or underblown? this this virus and how it's Become just a pandemic, not just in the United States, but internationally. And also, what do you think should happen with the ACC tournament moving on this week? Heck, even tonight, 7 o'clock games, 7 o'clock and 9 o'clock games here at the tournament in Greensboro moving forward Thursday and Friday.

336-777-1600. If you have thoughts on that, we will bring you all that we know.

Next on the drive. Hey, hey, hey. This is the drive. Oh, okay. Thank you.

With Josh Graham on Sports Hub Triad.

Alright, here's what we know from the ACC. This is a statement put out a short while ago. A tweet more than a statement, but I guess a tweet in and of itself is a statement. To the important information, Josh, go ahead. Tonight's ACC tournament games at 7 and 9 o'clock are going to proceed as planned.

This is more from the conference. We are aware of the announcement by the NCAA and will evaluate the remainder of the tournament. More information will be forthcoming. The Big East tournament has announced that their games are going to go on with fans in attendance. The SEC seems to be following suit as well.

I don't think it's coincidental that the ACC and that statement did not include Fans, whether or not they're going to be in attendance, because, quite frankly, I don't think they know the answer to that question. Right now. I'm looking at Other stories. Just left and right about the coronavirus that are related to the ACC. One comes from Andy Bitter, who says Virginia Tech is canceling any school-sponsored events before April the 30th that draw more than 100 people.

Athletic events are an exception. At this time, and will continue. The Hokie Spring Game, April the 18th, though it's unclear how it impacts the start of, conclusion of spring football, that is something that. is being monitored. Your thoughts are welcome on the subject.

336-777-1600. This is a time where I'm just generally interested in how people are feeling, even though I'm discouraged with that sentiment when I look at Twitter. There there's a lot of Dumb. That's on Twitter right now, but I think that might as well be the mantra of Twitter at this point. On Twitter at SportsUpTriant, if you would like to chime in.

As the West Durham interview that we taped before the show played, I walk Around the Coliseum, trying to get some information, as everybody's trying to do. People are breaking reports. and people are trying to report what's happening and this massive NCAA news. And you might be sitting in your car right now wondering what the hell is the scene like at the Greensboro Coliseum right now.

Well, this this is it. People Taking straw poles left and right. Hey, how do you feel about this? Hey, how do you feel about this? Patrick Keenas, who is going to be broadcasting, who has been broadcasting games for Westwood One for a while, broadcasting ACC tournament games.

He asked me, hey, I got a straw poll going. Do you think this is. overblown, properly blown, underblown, this this coronavirus deal. And I said, well, Since it's not just us. Since it's 16 other countries that are being locked down as a result of it, I would have to say it's properly blown, to use the expression.

He said to me, you're the first person. who has said That it's either properly blown or underblown. Everybody else has said it's overblown. And to that, and you might be one of those people that feel that way. Heck, there are people very close to me who have.

express similar sentiments. And to that I say, Not all of us are specialists. Not all of us are experts on every damn thing. Just because we have a Twitter account or we're on Facebook and we can express however we feel, doesn't mean that we should. feel qualified on every single subject.

I am willing to say when I'm not an expert on something. And I'm not an expert on this.

So, the follow-up question I got from my good friend Patrick was. Um Do you Would you uh agree if they disallowed fans. from attending the games. And Would I disagree? if fans were allowed to attend games.

And I said, well, I can't disagree with it. But I don't know if I agree with it. That's the best answer I could give. Because, again, I don't want to be the one. that says that this entire thing's overblown.

When People are dying across the country, literally. I spent a lot of time in eastern North Carolina. I get, and a lot of people in this state that can relate to this: time in Wilmington, time on the coast. Pandemics. Weather crises such as a hurricane or a tornado, they do not play on our schedules.

They do not give a damn about the ACC tournament that's going on in Greensboro right now. I I've seen how these things can upend things and In times in eastern North Carolina, I I just remember you just had to Say, all right, well, this is more important right now. This is more important than any sporting event. The sports are going to be there eventually. Our culture is going to return to where it was at some point, right?

This is a time That It's something we're less familiar with, right? Hurricanes, we get the deal. Tornadoes, we get the deal. This is something that's unprecedented.

So when something's new, something's unprecedented, something that we don't know that much about. Naturally, we're going to push back on these things and say, oh, it's not that big of a deal because swine flu, because Ebola. as if we're all experts on these things in the first place. Again, not claiming to be much of an expert, but it does seem like that this is far different than that. When It's not just us.

It's other countries and things are getting shut down. I know you listen to this show for sports, you listen to it for fun, you listen to it for giggles, you listen to it. As an escape of things, but now this has infiltrated the sports world, and we simply can't avoid it. We are sitting in it right now. In the Greensboro Coliseum, as they're waiting to make a decision whether or not fans are going to be permitted to enter the building.

for seven and nine o'clock games later on tonight. That's what's happening this moment.

So that's the question that I'm posing right now. Robert, please protect me on this too, and screen away. Thoughts that I don't want to say are ridiculous because I don't want to sound so dismissive, but I don't want to hear anything about conspiracy. I don't want to hear anything about hype. I don't want to hear anything about social media or media creation here.

This is a message when millions of people, or millions of dollars are being sacrificed. And being turned away, the chips are being turned away by the NCAA. In the name of safety, I don't think we can use hype train as an argument in any way.

Sorry to interrupt you, Aaron. What do you got? No, that was me. I was just saying that's why we haven't had any phone calls yet. I didn't think anything was really information-driven and everything was kind of.

as you stated it, hype driven.

So if I have any to pass along, Aaron does have something to add, though. What do you got? I do think it's fair to call certain outlooks or certain opinions on this ridiculous. Because when you have organizations like the World Health Organization, Giving you guidelines and parameters, and you're sitting up in your one-bedroom apartment or in your mama's basement going, This is a conspiracy.

Well, let's stop. Let's stop. Let me stop you real quick. It th it's an easy dismissal to say one bedroom apartment, sitting uh at your parents' house, whatever that is, but there are very There are esteemed people, there are people who are confused of any stature who might feel the way that you're expressing right now. And that's true.

It still might be ridiculous, but I'm just saying that I don't want to be so dismissive of that. Right, I get that, and I get that, and I understand that. But. For you to disagree with quote unquote, like you mentioned earlier, experts, these are people who've committed their lives to studying infectious diseases, and all of a sudden you know better than them, it's ridiculous. It's absurd.

Here's the way I feel about it. I'm looking at Tournament sites. That are also conference tournament sites, NCAA tournament sites that are also conference tournament sites. The only one I see right now, with the exception of the Horizon League. playing in Indianapolis, but not at the same venue NCAA tournament games are going to be held.

Um Greensboro's the only ACC or only conference tournament site that is also hosting NCAA tournament games. How bad of a look? Would it be? If one of the sites that the NCAA has just deemed Unsafe to hold fans. for NCAA tournament games Thursday, or make it Friday and Sunday of next week.

How bad of a look would it be if they decide, yeah, we're gonna have fans, not just tonight, but also tomorrow and Friday? My gut feeling, this is an opinion, this is not based in fact. God knows we're all still just trying to get information right now. My gut is this. They're going to let the fans in tonight.

People have come ac across the state to To attend tonight's game, they have to make that call in the next 10 to 15 minutes. They said they were going to go on. They're gonna let the fans in tonight if I had to guess. And I don't think I I think there is a ten to twenty percent chance that they let fans in tomorrow. That that is the way I feel.

I mean It's now Before this statement from the NCAA, It was Will the ACC feel tempted to act on their own. And decide, hey, we're not going to have fans in the stance. That's what we were talking to Andrew Carter about when he joined us earlier.

Now it's not just that, now you have to answer for the fact.

Okay.

The NCAA has decided that your location can't hold fans next week, and you have to answer for bringing fans in Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Answer for why. How those two things can can be true. How you can have NCAA tournament sites. An NCAA tournament without fans here in Greensboro next week.

and still hold fans. at the ACC tournament this week. Darren Bott's getting ready to call a game. Later on tonight. He's going to call North Carolina.

So I'm interested in what you think on this. The questions I'm asking. I'm trying to keep it as basic as possible. 336-777-1600 on Twitter at SportsUp Dry. Properly rated or properly blown, overblown, underblown.

And Do you think The ACC lets fans in Tonight. I I I don't know, man, right? Because like like you said, we're all in more than anything, just an information gathering state right now. And look, you and I know plenty of ACC officials. We have seen them like frankly.

But I'm asking you about your gut right now. Yeah, people were just running around left and right trying to learn things. My gut is all kinds of places. What about for tomorrow? I do not think it happens for tomorrow.

letting fans in. I think if I think if the if fans are watching tonight, they will not be tomorrow. Uh either way. I think it's entirely possible. I was expecting an announcement.

By now, as to whether they said they're going on as planned. Right. So we have to assume that means that fans are coming in tonight. Correct. And.

I I don't, it's just, it's, there are so many layers and so many variables. I'm just, I'm glad I'm not the person making that call and making that decision. To me, It would be pretty easy. But I understand the. It's an incredibly difficult decision.

No, for sure. But I understand. I understand. the nuances of it and the idea that as you presented This is the same venue. One of those venues that the NCAA has said.

will not hold fans. later this month for for NCAA tournament games.

So it it It begs the question. Wh why would you now? If if you're not going to then.

Alright, let's go around the room. Robert, how do you feel? I feel good. I don't think I have the sickness, but let me put it this way. I've been pondering a little bit.

I feel like if we're going to overreact, a global pandemic is a good thing to overreact to. You know what I'm saying? I'd rather be on the safe side than. But yeah. To the people who say, oh, It's just the sick people, like, stay away from the kids.

Stay away from there it is. Stay away from the arena. Or if you're older than 60 or whatever. Like, we're not necessarily. Just worried about you because you might be younger than 60 years old.

Here's the other thing that's being forgotten about this. Even though you might not be conversing with older than 60-year-old types, those in their 70s or 75 years old, at the ACC tournament in Greensboro, you can contract this. And while you might not have the symptoms, You can, then the next time you see them, pass it along. It's about people who are going to assume. that they are okay.

And thus are going to continue to travel. And they can contract it and carry it elsewhere. And that's why he's primarily just the carrier.

So, yeah. Yeah.

Aaron, how do you feel? I'm concerned because one Our job is in sports. Our job is to be around these large gatherings of people. I have a one-year-old at home. I have an elderly immune compromised person at home.

I may be young and fit. And able to handle an illness.

However, there are people in my family who are not, and I have a responsibility to them. Uh and I think other people Should take responsibility, you know, and we're talking about basketball here. We're talking about basketball. Let me ask you this, Aaron. I just want to ask you from a human aspect here.

You dipped out of the tournament very early yesterday. Was this on your mind? It was. I had a conversation with my lady and the mother of my child. Um we talked about it the night before.

Uh yesterday. Briefly, and then sitting in the stadium where it was empty, looking at those empty seats, I had second thoughts. Um And second thoughts, we had a number of conversations and made a decision to come home. That it wasn't worth it, it's just not worth the risk. And I hope I'm wrong.

I hope I'm terribly wrong, and I look like a scared chicken crap. Later.

Well, I think it it goes without saying. I hope. people who who are taking that precaution. There are people driving in their cars to the Green Throne Coliseum right now. It's not necessarily that you would be wrong, Aaron.

It would be that we would never find out because we're taking necessary precautions, right? I mean, it's not like if you're. If you're wrong. Yeah, and what I don't want to hear today, there are a ton of things I don't want to hear, but one of the things I don't want to hear is how afflicted you are, how much of a victim we are because we don't get to experience the Greensboro Coliseum and the ICU tournament. You should hear the callers that we've gotten about that.

Right, where am I going to get? How do I get my money back? I'm like, look, dude, I'm not the NCAA. I don't know anything about your tickets or your money. You're probably going to get your money back, I'm sure, for all of those things.

But if Ivy Legacy student athletes are going to get a year of eligibility back, you're going to get money. There's a reason I haven't really brought this up, but I mean, I got a trip to Italy next month. I do. But the reason I haven't talked about it is, again, woe is me. Bleep off with that.

Woe is meek. There are a lot worse situations than somebody you can't attend a wedding. In Italy next month, because this disease has affected so many and has shut down countries. And the same thing for this ACC tournament. and you're probably hard pressed to find someone who loves college basketball as much as I do, where I watch it every single night.

I've been looking forward to this tournament for so long. It's one of the reasons I took this job. To be honest, like, I want to cover events such as this. Right. So I get it.

I 100% get it. But I don't want to hear woe is me because, again, we're not the ones that are truly afflicted in this, at least not yet. Yes, Aaron. To what you were saying, yesterday was my first opportunity to cover an ACC tournament. That was my first opportunity.

You don't think I wanted to be there? You don't think I wanted to take all that in? I absolutely did. But it's not worth a risk. I don't know enough.

I don't have enough information to make that risk on behalf of someone, my daughter specifically, who can't defend herself. I hear you. Robert. Let's try to lighten things up a bit. There's no lighten it up, Josh.

Oh, come on. There has to be, Robert. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired, but I'd do it for $450,000. Yeah.

Alright. That's the tease. We take it to the house next.