This is the Drive with Josh Graham podcast. Tune into The Drive weekday afternoons 3-7 on Sports Hub Triad. I want to open things up with a question the Carolina Panthers fans. If you had the choice of having either Joe Burrow or Joe Brady on the team, but not both. Who would you want?
Mm. Because there's still a faction of Panther fans, even some media types, who believe Carolina should trade up to number one in Draft Borough in order to reunite the two. But I don't really see that happening because First off, Cincinnati would Have to do that deal. I don't see that happening. And secondarily, I don't see Carolina pursuing it.
'Cause Personally, I'd prefer to have Brady Over Burl. We can agree, even if you think Burrow. Is the best thing since sliced bread. This guy is an awesome quarterback, and quarterback will always be the more important position to take a chance on than any coordinator can be. We can agree burrow is a bigger risk.
When you draft a quarterback in the first round, You are linking your franchise. to this guy for four or five years. Whether it goes well. whether it goes poorly, You're going to be linked. To this person.
for four or five years. And we've seen instances where this sets franchises back. Marcus Mariota. Just now hitting the free agent market. They picked up Ryan Tannehill last.
season after Mariota's turned out to be a bust, at least in Tennessee. How about Mitch Trubisky? The Bears, they have to admit they're wrong before they move off. Of Trubisky, and I don't know if they're willing to do that.
So they're stuck there. They are stuck. with Trubisky. And this happens Every year in the draft, A team doesn't hit. They don't want to admit they're wrong.
They don't move off of somebody. And I personally would prefer Tua over Burrow anyway. If you had an option. If the Carolina Panthers were taking number one, I would like to pick. to be Tua.
I think I'm getting A player with a larger sample size. I value larger sample sizes. Versus the smaller samples, he's younger, about two and a half years younger. to uh then borough. He has worked with multiple coordinators.
He's had more happen to him. I see how he reacts to adversity. Also, I like his personality a little bit better. This goes back to how you react to things. When quarterbacks, you got to be a little bit positive.
Politician. You got to be boring. If you say interesting things, you're going to get crushed. Just ask Baker Mayfield, just ask Cam Newton. If you go out publicly.
and say things that can be construed as controversial. It's not going to be a win for you.
So, most guys, they don't say much. Russell Wilson doesn't say interesting syllables. Pretty much. Every single time he steps to the microphone. Drew Brees, pretty vanilla.
Tom Brady, Peyton Manning. The list goes on. And on. Tua, I think, would master that more than the guy Who had the hat, Big Bleep Burrow, or whatever it was, after the national title win. in New Orleans.
So that's why it's a big risk. Joe Burrow. Whoever is going to pick them. In this instance, Carolina. If Joe Brady doesn't work.
You could cut them. Cup Bay after one or two years. This is a risk. That David Tepper owes to himself See, this is something I think about in business all the time. I think about this with WWE.
I think about it with Vince McMahon. Vince McMahon Surely Should have got back into football. A chance for the XFL. How much, Robert, does WWE make per year? For Vince McMahon.
Are we talking about a $500 million business? Multi-billion dollar maybe. I don't think he's a billionaire anymore, but he's close. He's making a lot of money. Right.
So if you're making that much annually, why not try to write a wrong? That you had from a couple decades before. Like Tom Dundon, Carolina Hurricanes owner, he kept the AAF running for a couple more months for just. About $100 million.
So Vince McMahon owed it to himself to take a gamble. On football. David Tepper. Matt Rule. As soon as assurances were given there, long contract six.
Seven years. $60, $70 million. You knew this guy was going to be around. Why not take some swings? If you know it's something that's going to be long-lasting, Why not say, hey, let's see what we got with Joe Brady?
David Tepper, he understands as a multi-billionaire, you got to take some risks. And Joe Brady, while he's a risk, it's not as high risk. as doing something like drafting a quarterback in the top ten. If Brady doesn't work, cut bait after one or two years. It's not going to set the franchise back.
Joe Brady. Unlike Burrow. has exceeded everywhere he's been. In New Orleans. before he became LSU's passing game coordinator.
He spent two years there. You want to know what the Saints. did offensively the two years he was there. In 2017, they ranked fourth in the NFL offensively. In 2018, They finished.
Third offensively scoring over 500 points. Last year, They were down 50 points at about three points per game. Drew Bree spoke publicly about how much more comfortable he was having Brady in the building. Michael Thomas has raved about Brady as well. They had such a good relationship that Thomas went to the national championship game just to support Brady and to see him after the win.
Then of course with LSU This was an average offense. For about a decade, the question we always had in the media: how does LSU have all this talent? Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry. Star players. Ever your Brandon LaFell?
Great players across the board. yet be an anemic, boring, predictable offense. That's what they were. In 2018. And even though Burrow technically wasn't the passing, the offensive coordinator, instead, was given the passing game title right next to Steven Zimger.
It's obvious he was the big difference maker between what this team was in 2018 versus what it was. Last season, one of the best offenses we've ever seen in college football. Burrow. He didn't start. At Ohio State he spit.
Years there on the bench. Got a degree, transferred to LSU. He was okay. His first season in Baton Rouge. His second year, he's awesome.
And it just happens to be alongside Brady.
So I think I'm getting more value. with Brady versus Joe Burrow. I don't think the Carolina Panthers need him. Brady He's been ahead of the curve and His offense is going to benefit everybody. You have to build around a guy like Burrow who's used, he's accustomed to having talent around him.
At Ohio State, you have draft picks left and right. Who you're throwing the ball to. LSU, look at those receivers. Justin Jefferson is going to be in this draft. And two or three other guys he's throwing the ball to that are going to be draft picks.
The Panthers are going to be better off, not just the quarterback, the offense for Brady being there. And when it comes to forward thinkers. Phenoms aren't hard to spot. I knew it. Almost immediately with Lincoln Riley, who was the offensive coordinator at East Carolina, the youngest OC, before he went to Oklahoma for a couple of years and succeeded Bob Stoops.
I knew it with a conversation I had with Lincoln. I was covering the team in Greenville. ECU was getting set to play Bud Foster in Virginia Tech. Bud Foster, one of the best coordinators in the history of college football.
So one question I asked him, and this is away from reporters, this is inside the team facility, me and Lincoln were just talking one-on-one off the record at that time. I said, what what are some things you're trying to do to throw Bud Foster off. Obviously, this guy has this track record. He has all these great defensive players. There's more talent on defense than what you have here.
He looked at me like I was crazy. and said I don't care if they have more talent. The scheme that I'm working here. I know is good. And football, is not about Tricking people.
It's about doing what you do better than they do it. And I'm damn confident we're going to do that. That's essentially what Lincoln told me. And what do they do in 2013? They go into Blacksburg and they beat a ranked Virginia Tech team a week after they were in Columbus and beat Ohio State.
It's not hard to spot. Phenoms, Sean McVay, we knew it. pretty early on. took a team that was under 500. To the playoffs with double-digit wins in his first year.
Is that going to happen with the Panthers? Maybe not. But I'm gonna bank. on Joe Brady before I bank on Joe Burrow. If I had the option for one or the other, not both.
I'm going Brady. You can tweet the show at SportsHub Triad 336-777-1600 is the phone number. Robert Walsh is producing today's show. Aaron Gabriel is in the control room as well. Robert, why is it pitch black in your control room?
I can't even see you guys in there. I'll turn the lights up. I didn't even notice that it was. It's just incredibly dark. I thought Aaron was going to do like a slam poetry.
deal at the start of this show. I was trying to reminisce about the time, the game you were just talking about, Virginia Tech, how I how I was after the game. I was very blacked out, kind of like my studio is. We'll talk some college football with Ryan McGee of ESPN. When he joins us in about 20 minutes, we're going to be sharing with Darren Vought this hour, workshopping some new segments too.
So, a lot of fun is to come. And speaking of college football, that's actually where I want to head right now. Because I'll tell you why. Former weight quarterback Jamie Newman is becoming the new Russell Wilson. This is the sports hub.
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. A whole pack of demon dogs?
How about deacon dogs? You know. It seems. If Jamie Newman parlays. The success he had at Wake Forest to Georgia, which is expected to be a top-five team next year, he might be a draft pick.
And if he becomes a draft pick, Maybe he's going to be seen as the new Russell Wilson. Wake Foresters. RUSSEL WILLSON. And I do think there are a lot of similarities there. Russ had a lot of success at NC State.
But was it really on the national radar at that time? Quarterbacks weren't being taken in the draft that were his height. But with the success of Russell, that's allowed for opportunity. Say for a guy like Baker Mayfield or a Kyler Murray to be taken despite being shorter than what was seen to be the prototypical quarterback. NC State.
They were not seen to be a national title contender. The Wisconsin team he went to. Certainly fit the bill of that. Preseason top 15 team. Won the Big Ten, went to the Rose Bowl.
I think won that Rose Bowl too.
So a lot of success for Russ. And what does Jamie Newman do? Jamie goes from a pretty good Wake Forest team Right there, competitive in the ACC's Atlantic division. And he's going to one of the five best college football programs right now. Like by any measure you look at, George is in the top five.
Like if you. Could be the head coach of any program in America. Not name Clemson or Alabama. Where would you like to be? Odds are you're going to say Ohio State, Oklahoma, or Georgia.
Georgia brings in all these high-level players. They have all these high-level facilities. They've been succeeding. At the top level, the last few years, they just don't have a national championship to show. And if it wasn't for Tuataha Valoa's second half, In that championship game, they win the national title.
as well.
So It's a perfect opportunity. Four Newman, And I've It's strange. This week with spring practice starting, I started going through transfers for SEC and ACC teams, started scanning the rosters. When you look at next year's draft class. Not the one for the draft were Watching a combine for currently, but the one that has Trevor Lawrence in it, in all likelihood, Justin Fields.
There's a little bit of a gap who's going to be after that. In fact, I look at most places. They're speculating that Jamie Newman might be a first-round draft pick potentially.
next year. And I have a feeling. If he does Go down the rust path where he becomes a draft pick, has a lot of success. You're going to have Wake Forest fans claiming him, but the national story, I think, is going to forget a lot of the details. I was talking to Peter King, I think, about this.
last year. It's funny with Russ. That's one of the players I'm asked most about. Here in the state of North Carolina, when I leave this state. When I was in Colorado, I was asked: hey, what happened with Russell before he.
Went to Wisconsin to play in the NFL. Like, what happened there? Why didn't NC State want him? It was a national story. NC State, if you go through what actually transpired.
They wanted Russ back. Russell Had baseball as an option.
So he decided Two I think he was drafted by the Colorado Rockies. He started playing. Spring baseball. While NC State Was going through spring practice, and they had a future NFL quarterback in place. and Mike Glennon.
So NC State didn't say Ross We don't want you anymore. If you want to play football, you got to play football elsewhere, like some believe. No, they just said. You got to let us know if you're going to come back. And Russ said, No, I'm going to play baseball.
Okay, we're going to move on with Mike Lennon. And NC State couldn't. At that point. Decommit from Glennon. If Russ said, I want to return and play football.
They can't decommit from Glennon, or they're going to lose a guy who, again, was an NFL prospect. and has more years left of eligibility than Russ had. Similar spot to Wake Forest. I hope the details aren't forgotten. Dave Clawson wanted Jamie back.
Why wouldn't he have wanted Jamie back? But If Jamie, I'm not saying this happened, but if Jamie... Went to Clausen and said, I will return to Wake only if you give me assurance that I'm going to be the starting quarterback. Clausing could not give that to him. Because The worst thing that could happen to Wake Forest.
isn't Jamie Newman deciding to transfer to Georgia. The worst thing that could have happened is Sam Hartman. transferring elsewhere because Sam has three years of eligibility left.
Well, Jamie has one. Your job is a head coach, a CEO. A business owner is not to think about the one-year future of your organization, but to look five years, to look 10 years. And Clausen is looking big picture for Wake football.
So I'm not saying an ultimatum took place, but if there was one. Clausen couldn't possibly say Newman, you're going to be the starter. Jamie, you're going to be the starter. Because he needed to at least give Sam an opportunity to compete in order to keep him in today's college football. I think that amount of context Doesn't really fit with Twitter.
It doesn't really fit with national media, so I doubt it's going to be remembered that way. But I hope around here people don't construe it. misconstrue it, I should say. Ryan McGee is going to join us in 10 minutes, one of the best on the SEC and college football. We'll ask him about Jamie Newman transferring to Georgia, what that's going to look like.
But Robert Would you believe me? if the stats were close. Between Russ's last year at NC State and Jamie's last year at Wake Forest. Let's hear these numbers, Josh. Uh you're gonna have to convince me.
All right. Russ's last year at NC State. He played one more game than Jamie. Remember, Jamie was hurt for the Florida State game. at BBNT Field.
Russ, 28 touchdowns, 14 picks, 9 rushing touchdowns. That's in 13 games. Jamie 26 touchdowns, 11 picks in 12 games, 6 rushing touchdowns. The stats are similar, the skill sets are similar, the background is similar. Jamie Newman, he could.
become The new Russell Wilson. Do you know who isn't? The new Russell Wilson? Who's that? Ryan Tannehill.
And I see this rumor. Being spread all across the Twitterverse. Started in Indianapolis by a reporter I respect. That being Mike Freeman who said this. This is from a story he wrote yesterday afternoon.
The always excellent Ian Rappaport from NFL Network reported that for now the Carolina Panthers are planning to move forward with Cam Newton. That may end up being the case, but teams I speak to don't buy it. They believe the Panthers are going to pursue a quarterback at free agency, and the name I keep hearing is Ryan Tannehill. The Panthers Goes the thinking around the league are playing a nice game of poker and aren't close to settling on Newton. It's funny, as I read that headline last night or read this excerpt.
I was playing poker, making a lot of money. I got pretty lucky last night, Robert. Two or three hands. Got it on the river. All about it.
You're gonna take Sarah Bradford out for a good steak this weekend? Possibly. Possibly. No, I've been trying that blue apron lately. Really?
Yeah, it's been great. Are you a cooking guy? Are you kind of experimenting? Yeah, just trying some things out. They send you like three meals.
It's pretty cool. Blue apron? You could sponsor the show. Give us a little bit of a film. All about it.
Send us some free food. I'm about it. Ryan Tannehill. Not about it. These rumors don't make any sense to me.
Why? Ryan Tannehill is 31 years old. Carolina already has a 30-year-old quarterback under contract. And here's the thing. Cam is better.
Than Tanna Hill? Cam's contract is shorter. than what Tannehill would be commanding. And Cam's contract This year is gonna cost a hell of a lot less than whatever Tannehill wants with the inflated market and where things are. with free agency quarterbacks.
Back to Tannehill's deal. He's going to win a long-term deal. He's 31. Like he just signed. A one-year deal.
with Tennessee. You honestly think he's going to go on another one or two year deal? I don't see it after going to the AFC championship game.
Somebody's going to pay this guy. and give them three or four years. I don't think Carolina's a fit. If Carolina trades Cam. I'll steal the words from Greg Olson yesterday on the Damn Patrick Show.
Carolina If they're trying to win, they'll keep Cam. If they're not, they're going to trade him. If Carolina trades Cam, they're tanking. But here's the misnomer with tanking. Just because you're tanked doesn't mean you're actively trying to put a bad product out there.
That's what people don't understand. Tanking is about Not adding expensive contracts. not adding long contracts. But instead, building on the cheap, collecting assets. and building around youth.
Where does it make sense to sign Ryan Tannehill in that? 31 year o year old guy who's looking for a long-term deal. Who's gonna look to get paid as well? It just doesn't fit.
So I I respect Mike Freeman. And I see what people are saying. Oh, the Panthers, they just need a bridge quarterback. But I don't think Tannehill. agrees with that assessment.
I don't think Tannehill is going to say. Yeah. Draft a young quarterback. I'm good for one or two years, and I know you guys are trying to. Tanking.
Build on the cheap. Yeah, you could just give me a short contract too. I'm all about it. No way that works.
So it just doesn't make sense to me in any way. One of our favorite guests, Ryan McGee of ESBN. We'll share ACC tournament stories in Greensboro over the years. and explain hillbilly sayings.
Next on the drive. Hey, hey, hey! This is the drive. Oh, okay. Thank you.
With Josh Graham on Sports Hub Triad. Happy hours almost here. It's Friday.
So we like kicking back, having a little bit of fun. Brian McGee of ESPN now joining us, one of our favorite guests. And we have some fun cooked up for you, Ryan, a little bit later on in this segment. But Two weeks from today, We're going to be seeing semifinal basketball in the ACC tournament in Greensboro, the first time the tournament's been back in five years.
So, whether it was a TV cart being rolled into a Raleigh high school classroom or. Experiencing the tournament in the Coliseum. What's your favorite memory of the tourney in Greensboro?
Well, I mean I it's funny because I mean time is everything and I grew up in Raleigh as you said, and the first basketball postseason that I really watched was an 83. And uh and again, growing up in Raleigh, I was kind of I was an NC State kid. And my dad worked at Meredith College, which is right across the street from NC State.
So we were based on campus all the time. He used to he was an ACC referee, so we were at NC State scrimmages all the time, and it was just I grew up kind of a state fan. And lo and behold, the first time I ever really watched postseason basketball, was when state made the cardiac pack run, in eighty three. And what I remember is um Wake and State had like this insane game. At the end of the regular season, And then they played again.
But I just remember when State beat Ralph Sampson. Who was still to this day maybe the best college basketball player I've ever seen in person? when they won that tournament in eighty three and you think, well, it was awesome, but now they'll get bounced in NCAAs and obviously they made one of the greatest runs in the History of the tournament. But yeah, that was uh That's an easy answer, man. Eighty three was magic.
Follow Ryan on Twitter at ESBN McGee. You do a lot of stuff with the SEC network and SEC football. Spring football is underway at many places, and because of that, I've been exploring SEC and ACC rosters, going through transfer portal moves that I may have missed this offseason. And you let me know if I'm onto something here or if this is just hacky sports radio host stuff. But Jamie Newman, who was at Wake Forest last year, he's now at Georgia.
I'm looking at future projections for guys who could be NFL draft prospects. A lot of people seem to like Newman. Could he be the next Russell Wilson when you consider leaving an ACC big four team, going to a contender? And on top of that, The history suggesting that.
Some might think that the school they left didn't want them back when the reality of it is, well, they just like their backup quarterback and would love for their starter to return, but details just didn't have it working out that way. Yeah, you know, it's funny because The good news is, I mean, last year was insane for this, and I covered all these kids. When they were at their first school and then they were at their second school. And I'm talking about. Jalen Hurts, and I'm talking about Kelly Bryant, who went from Close into Missouri, and all those guys.
Um And it w last year was crazy. I mean, how it worked out. And all those guys had great years. I mean, I remember going up to Ohio State And talking to those guys about it, and you know, the quote the story from those guys was: how sad would it have been? if Joe Burrow was on the bench right now.
Or, how sad would it have been if we hadn't had another great year out of Jalen Hurts? And, you know, only half of those guys wouldn't have been able to play. Give him a transfer. But now that being said, Yeah. That was a long list of great headliners that were great stories.
But there was an even longer list of guys who transferred and you never heard from them again. And the Russell Wilson story has always been the story that's at the top of the list, but there are a lot of stories, you guys. who transferred to because sometimes What's different now is you get a lot of the guys who were starting that transfer. You know, a lot of times the transfer is like somebody would transfer in and be like, This is going to be great. I'm like, yeah, he wasn't great at Virginia.
Why do you think he's going to be great at Georgia? You know, there's just, there was a lot of that. And a lot of those didn't work out. But no, it's a really interesting time. I know Dabbo Sweeney.
Uh just in the last twenty four hours was he was the first coach that was kind of critical of what might be the next It's probably going to be the next round of transfer rules. And I just honestly, I just love watching the coaches get irritated by the thing because they wrote these rules The coaches wrote these rules. because they thought they had found an advantage And what ended up happening was that this is the only part of their job they don't control. one hundred percent. It's the only part of their job they don't have control over.
and it drives in completely bonkers. Ryan McGee, who you might know from Marty and McGee, with us here on Sports Hub Triad. And you guys have a segment that's taking over the world called Hillbilly Headlines. And In the spirit of that, Robert Even though I grew up in the state of North Carolina, Robert's more of a hick than I am. Like, Robert, he has these.
Things that he says that I don't understand at points, even though, again, I grew up in a small town of Youngsville, North Carolina, outside of the city of Raleigh. I don't understand some of these things.
So I want to run some of them past you, and I'll give you five of them. We'll see if you can get. three or better.
Some southern sayings.
Some hillbilly sayings. See if you could tell me the meaning of them. Are you ready to go? Yes. I mean, you know, what you just said is how I feel when I talk to Marty all the time.
Is that right? I'm from Rockingham. I mean, I'm not it's not I come from a metropolis. And the uh I've lived in Rockingham and Shelby and Monroe. I mean, I've you know.
Raleigh was the biggest place I lived until I moved to Charlotte. And even then, I lived in Pineville when it was in the middle of nowhere outside of Charlotte.
So, yeah, but I talked to Martigan. He'll literally say something, and I'll be like, I have no idea what you just said. Yeah, and I don't know what these things mean either.
So you're not alone if you don't know. But Robert, you'll explain what it is after the fact if he doesn't get one right. Are you ready, Ryan? Sure. Never kick a cow turd on a hot day.
Yeah, I mean, I it's pretty obvious why you wouldn't do that. Because you're gonna get it all over yourself.
Now, I'm not sure what the metaphor is. But yeah, well, you know what? Don't get involved in something you don't need to get involved in. I mean, if you know the situation's too hot. Um tweeting something about politics.
currently in North Carolina with the primary coming. Uh to me that would be kicking a cow turtle on a hot day. You nailed it. See? You didn't think you knew it, but you actually knew it.
Let's try this one. Man, he's more nervous than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Oh no, my n no no my dad says this one all the time.
So that's that this one this one at some point made it down to Richmond County because Yeah, you it was you're just you're nervous, you're worried about the situation and um And yeah, a a a a cat with a long tail in a room full of rocking chairs. And if you ever if you've ever been at the beach and somebody put a rocking chair on your on your bare toe, then you know exactly what it's talking about. He is. Just mowing through these. How about this?
He's madder than a wet hen. Yeah, have you ever been around a wet hen? There's a reason that they have hen houses because Hens don't like to get wet. Pigs don't like to be picked up. And hens don't like to get wet on the same level as a cat doesn't like to get wet.
So, yeah, no, I get that too. You just. You throw a you throw a bucket of water on a hen. that's the worst possible situ situation.
So yeah, I get that. She didn't know whether to scratch her watch or wind her butt. Yeah, that's just an idiot. That's just a moron. These are the people who won't drink Corona.
Because they think you're gonna get the coronavirus. And they're mad at Garth Bush today. Because he wore a Barry Sanders jersey and they thought it was a Bernie Sanders jersey. Oh, it's excellent stuff. It's the greatest thing.
Let's see if you could finish. Those people are trying to wind their butt as we speak right now. Yeah. Uh what does the expression like a fart in a fan factory mean? What was that what uh Well, yes, that's blowback.
You don't want to do something That you're going to end up having to pay the penalty for. And if you pass gas, in a room where it's good. Jim Croce, right? You don't spin into the wind. That's the same thing.
There it is. Man, Ryan McGee's good at this. He's with us here. He is the guy who puts out Hillbilly headlines. He knows Hillbilly sayings as well.
Before we let you go, though. Anything you care to add to the book of minor league baseball stories, your summer with the Asheville Tourists? Um Alright, so there was a guy, there was a McCormick Field still a beautiful place for baseball. Sits right up on the side of a mountain there. just on the edge of downtown Asheville.
at the bottom of the hill. Um, there was l a little used to be a little car dealership. Like a little used car dealership. And there was a guy whose job was to wash the cars. And we called him Jimmy.
because he had his huge afro, like Jimi Hendrix. And I saw Jimmy at every home game for 70-something games, never heard him say a word. But they would pay Jimmy in cash. And Jimmy would walk up the hill if there was a home game. And we wouldn't even make him have a ticket.
He just would we'd let him in because he just would he'd come to every home game. And We let him in for free because However much cash they gave him was how much concessions Jimmy would eat during the game.
So So we would have radios and then we would constantly you would get your Jimi Hendrix concession updates during the games. You know Hear you you hear a radio curt and someone say, All right, we got a Jimi Hendrix sighting at the uh at the grilled chicken hut. And uh he's just eating three grilled chicken sandwiches and a hot dog. And then 10 minutes later, we got a Jimi Hendrix sighting at the snow cone. Stand.
He's just bought two snow cones: one green, one blue. It would go on. For hours. I have no idea how many calories he would consume. But apparently you would burn off the same number of calories when you were power washing used cars at the bottom of the hill.
Man, we just keep learning new characters every single time you're with us, whether it's Mr. Jablomi or is it. Uh perhaps the ballpark cat who's mine. Flips or his name. Yeah, Julio, the ballpark cat.
I'm literally, as we speak, I'm doing the final proofread on a book my father and I are writing about his college officiating days. and it'll be out this fall, and I will shamelessly promote it on your show. Please do. And so will he. But.
Once I hit send on this manuscript, I think the next thing I'm going to pitch is maybe I'll write that book about the summer in Asheville. Yes, and you'll hear all about Julio the ballpark cat, Mr. Jablomi, and also Jimi Hendrix eating all the food in Asheville. Ryan, we'll have to chat sometime soon. Thanks for doing this, buddy.
It's good to hear from you. Anytime, boys, thanks. You got it. That is Ryan McGee on Twitter at ESBN. Baguay.
Did I get all of them in that you wanted me to get in, Robert, or is there another one we can cap things with? Slicker than Snot on a Doorknob was my favorite. And we could save that one for next time, though. I'm sure he'll knock it out of the pot. Yeah.
Or What's the one with the butt being on a log? Oh, sitting there like a bump on a log. Yeah, on a bump on a log. It's been me this whole show. I've been over here like a bump on a lock.
Up next! Three draft opinions I have. that the combine won't change. Also. A new segment.
We're going to debut with Darren Vought that he doesn't really know about right now. This is a Friday Drive. Providing you with the latest sports news, commentary, and analysis, plus tips on how to cheat at Bingo. Oh, we're 69. Bingo!
You're on the drive with Josh Graham on Sports Hub Triad. Uh We are sharing. With Darren Vott from the David Glenn Show now. Joint us every single week. It is my belief.
that the NFL combine makes everybody stupider. Kind of like Cam Newton makes people stupid. The combine just makes people say dumb things. You got Michael Irvin arguing that receivers who run quicker than a 4-4, was it a 4-4 or a 4-3? Or three.
Receivers who run quicker than a 4-3, they're not going to be great wide receivers because of something. Regarding like the routes that they run. Oh, you can't get into the route too quickly, or things aren't going to be great. That didn't really work well on the nationally televised draft. Combine broadcast last night.
You got Somebody like Who is it? Chris Sims losing his mind, watching Justin Herbert throw to receivers who aren't being guarded and. Justin Herbert not wearing any pads at all, just just going after it. on Twitter. It is my belief the combine.
Complete waste of time. Darren, where do you stand on it? Yeah. On all accounts. Yeah.
Waste of time. I don't I don't care to watch it. I Right, it has nothing, nothing that they do there has anything to do with what. I might possibly enjoy watching those guys do later on. But the Combine does influence listeners.
The NFL is always ravenously consumed. The media is going to cover it.
So there are going to be takes that are pulled based on things that happen in the combine.
So I think it's the right time for me to give you three NFL draft opinions that I have that the combine isn't going to change. And while we're talking about wide receivers and crazy things that Michael Irvin is saying, Let me tell you this: as someone who votes the Balitnikov Award and pays a lot of attention to wide receivers, big wide receivers guy. CeeDee Lamb is the best wide receiver in this draft. And I'm seeing ridiculous things today. He had that great catch last night.
And I'm still seeing people say, yeah, well. Henry Ruggs. Ran a four. Two eight. Mm.
Jerry Judy, he ran a forty. Quicker then. CeeDee Lamb did. Four or five. Oh my gosh, CeeDee Lamb only had 11 reps on the bench.
Oh, yeah. He's not that strong. He. He had the fewest reps among wide receivers. Let me tell you this.
He is the most dynamic Versatile. receiver I've seen come out of the draft. in at least three years.
So we're probably talking about four years. CeeDee Lamb. He's That Great of a wide receiver. Don't listen to what anybody else says. This guy, he should be taken in the top 10, best wide receiver in the draft.
Don't buy any of the people that say he's not that. I mean, I still see it on. Like Blog sites, heck, even reputable outlets. USA Today, for example, last year said that Drew Locke was a loser at the combine. Yet this guy gets drafted in the second round and he's starting games for the Denver Broncos.
AJ Brown, this is an actual thing. The SB Nation reported. He was a big loser at the Combine last year. Pro Football Focus rated him as the second best rookie in the NFL last year.
So, take all of this with a grain of salt. I don't think it matters. CeeDee Lamb. The best wide receiver in the draft. Secondarily, Darren.
Justin Herbert. He does not belong in the Tua Tahavaloa Joe Burrow group. What o who? Who was that first one? Tuataha Valoa.
T Tonga Valoa? No, it's I think it's Tahoe Valoa. No. No, I'm telling you that's what it is. No, I have spoken with Eli Gold.
Alabama's play-by-play guy, and it's Tonga Valoa. Tonga Valoa. Do you want to do this name? Tonga Valoa. Let's just edit this.
I've heard you botch this name like five separate ways, Josh. Start at the two quarterbacks again, Josh, and we'll go from there. All right, can we just edit this all out and post, Robert? I got you. Just count me down, okay?
Three, two, and. Was that a go? No one ever says go. No one, you never say go. He did the point.
He did the two, one point. All right, here we go. I wasn't looking up. Gee, sorry. Gee, okay, here we go.
All right. Three, two. Go. Two a Tonguevaloa. Yeah.
Sort of. You get a sort of ding. Not in the same group, Justin Herbert. He's not in the same group as Tua. All right, yeah, yeah.
Okay, I see that point. Yeah, I'm looking on Twitter. And I mentioned Chris Sims Twitter. He says. Herbert's out there putting on a throwing show.
It's effortless and powerful. Then Ten minutes later, Justin Herbert's a really impressive thrower. Throws perfect spirals every throw. Powerful and effortless. And then 30 minutes after that, oh, yeah, Justin Herbert is a freaky athlete.
Yeah. Great Twitter. Just throw While wearing tights and indeed, nobody's guarding these receivers. Also, what is Chris Sims doing there?
Well, he does a show, I think, with Florio. No, I get it, but like, is he going to be held accountable at all for... you know, misjudgments. Or anything like that. He's not still riding the wave.
He's still riding the wave saying that Lamar Jackson was the best quarterback in that draft a few years ago.
So now he's he's quarterback guy. That's what I think he is. Sure, but Like his his job responsibility even. Like, look, it's ridiculous that there's there are people whose jobs are Are primarily How's this dude look at this event and how does that project in to something totally separate. I personally action.
The McShays and Kuypers, like. Sure, I understand why they exist, but like Sims is like he's just there, just like he's a woo guy. Any cornerback he sees that. Young quarterback. He's a talking head, though.
That's what he is. No, I know. He's turned into one of these editorialists, more than a reporter, and certainly more than a quarterback. But Herbert, he doesn't belong in that top group. I'm scared to say the quarterback's name.
I'm going to stay away from it completely. Chris Sims. Just do Tua, just like everybody else. Right.
Nobody really even tries the last name. Tunga Valoa. Uh, yeah. Was that ding worthy, Darren? Yeah, yeah, give him a ding.
Did I know the atrocity that whatever his first opinion is? Third draft opinion: the combine isn't changing for me. Isaiah Simmons is going to be a top five pick. There is no cemented position he set to play. This is the criticism.
I'm so defeated in this segment. Of Simmons. Like. It's crazy to me. That I hear a player who's this good Dropping in the draft because Oh well.
the linebacker doesn't matter as much in football anymore and This guy Yeah, we don't know if he's an edge rusher. We don't know if he's a middle linebacker. We don't know quite where to put him. He's one of the most dominant football players I've seen last year. You know, like Chase Young, he's dominant.
But aside from Chase Young, is there a safer pick of the top ten you could take? Than Isaiah Simmons? Because I don't think so. Like, he is. Maybe, aside from Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins, the most talented Clemson player.
Under Dabo Sweeney. I might go as far to say that. I don't think it's crazy to say that.
So Isaiah Simmons, he should be a top five pick. The Giants, I could see them taking him. I wouldn't be surprised if someone at number three. Whether it's the Lions picking there or somebody trading up, selects him. or the Dolphins or the Chargers.
I don't think he's gonna get to number seven. I don't think he's going to get past five. He's going to be a top five pick.
So there you have it: the three draft opinions that the combine isn't going to change for me. CeeDee Lamb. Best wide receiver in this draft, Justin Herbert. Yeah, doesn't really belong in the group with the top two quarterbacks and Isaiah Simmons. He's a top five pick in the draft in my mind.
Darren. Are you ready? Are you ready for that to be over? Are you ready? Hold on.
I need to know if Robert was involved at all in the planning of that. Three non combine takeaways half segment that you just did there? Uh, you could s uh, I mean, a piece of it. Robert loves the combine. I love it.
But also like is this some kind of sick joke for the very first segment that I'm in here? I sit down, Josh botches a pronunciation which he knows is gonna like eat away at me. And then just gives me inane NFL draft combine talk. Can I make it up to you? Can I make it up to you?
See. This is Darren. He has to be so self-involved. Like, here he is. He has to come in and get it.
You and me here. Can we make sure we're talking about something I like? Make sure you have my name on a segment. And, oh, man, you can't talk about the most timely thing. You got to be talking about something I like.
Talk about the draft combine, but just be aware that I don't care. Talk about it when I'm not in here. You've got two other hours of a show. Yeah. We talk about the most important stuff every segment.
Oh, clearly. That's what we do. You started that segment saying the combine is not important. That's why I'm saying you can't let the combine affect. The big picture, which is the draft.
I love the draft, I hate the combine. These these these things, they jive together. I got something to make it up to you, though. We have a new segment here. See, we've called this Sharon with Darren.
So, Robert. Wants to change things up a little bit. He wants to. It's just going a little stale. Yeah, he wants to make the sex more exciting.
Yeah, I know. Yeah. It's for me, not for you, Darren. That's right. Yeah, no, you have to.
You have to. I get it. He's trying to mix it up.
So last week. We did. Staring at Darren. And this is how that. That was organic.
This was organic. It just became. Let's try a quick bit of staring with Darren. I like your hair today. It's kind of like jostled a little bit, but messy but kept at the same time.
Yeah, he's got long hair. Always, always. And you're like, I feel like you dance with those buttons on your shirt. Like, he's like, is this provocative? If the answer is no, take another button down.
Did you clean your lenses? They are so clear. Yeah. My sister. That frame is nice, too.
They're also non-reflective. I had to be very mindful of. You know, T V and lights. Whatever you're stunting with the shit. What kind of chapstick do you use?
His lips are very short. It looks so moisturized. Looks like burnt bees, honestly.
So that is. Staring with Darren. Robert wants to do something else though. Blarin. With Darren.
Okay. Um I will obviously need an explanation. But I thought that maybe it had been mistyped. I think it was your tweet, Josh. Yeah, I said.
You have been known to. Robert's not happy with me about that. You have been known in recent days. To mean one thing but say another.
So I just wanted to make sure it's blaring. What was that all about? B. L. Aaron.
I heard the Darren Gant interview yesterday. Let's stop things for a second. Robert. How would you Darren, are you curious about what this is about? I am.
Of course. Robert, how would you explain it? Uh, I guess I would say I don't know, Darren, just just what is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Blarin? Like me. I do love Paramore.
So hold up. Are you accusing me, Darren? Of Just Having missed sayings and missed opportunities and typos on social media in the air, because that's quite insulting to do on my own show. No, not the same. Yeah.
All right, all right, stop. That's not nice. Let him answer the question. Seriously. That's a good pit.
That's a good question. Let him answer the question. I actually want to know the answer. I didn't know that was going to happen. No, I was, you know, it was just a punchline more than anything, because, like I said, I heard the Darren Gant.
Interview. Voter? Vo voter? Wait. What did you think I said?
I won't tell you. Oh, it's so perfect. And my my ears, oh my god, they hurt. Like, I don't think we have time to do it again, but how do your ears feel? I know what's going to happen here.
No, I don't think we have to. No, oh, oh. I thought you might have been lying there. No, I I think we're out of time. We're out of time?
I'm looking at the clock. No, you've got two. You are listening to WSGS Winston-Salem, WCOG Greensboro, WPC and Burlington, WMFR High Point, the Signals Make It Up, Sports Hub Triad. Yeah, we have to get to the big four, I think. If that's cool with you, Darren.
Like, I mean, this show is really something that We have to pass by you now. No, I'm just gonna go. Yeah. That's Blarin. You clearly don't care about anything I have to say today.
So that's just the big four. That's been Blarin with Darren. Excuse me, Captain. This is your wake-up call from the new Trackphone Wireless. Uh, what's that now?
What if you had to fly this plane while sitting back in the cabin? I wouldn't have any control.
Well, that's what it's like going with some wireless companies, but Trackphone Wireless gives you control. Hmm. Get unlimited talk and text on America's best 4G LTE networks starting at $20 a month, no contract. Plus, unlimited carryover data with active service. That's cool.
But how'd you get my cockpit? This is your wake-up call, people. The new TrackPhone Wireless.
Now you're in control. Available at major retailers. See terms and conditions at trackphone.com. Here's your mic check. Check, mic, check.
Checks, check, check, check, check. You're on the drive with Josh Graham. One of my favorite people.
Now with us, Vic Mixon, the voice of the Carolina Panthers. And I need somebody to get me away from talking about NFL draft combine stuff because I don't really know how much value there really is to what somebody runs. with the cone drill or a 40 yard dash. We're seeing offensive linemen run them in five or six seconds. Throughout the day.
I don't really know what you get out of that, but There's a lot of things to talk about other than the combine, fortunately. Mick. If we're just focusing in on the fact that the Panthers pick number seven. You're pretty good over the years, and you've said you've had no inside information with some of the guys that you've liked. But in our past conversations, you've said Luke Keekly's a guy that you like out of Boston College, and he turned out to be the ninth overall pick.
And you've done this, I think, with Christian McCaffrey another time, and you've been pretty good about this in recent years. What prospect has been? Has captured your eye as you look ahead to the draft in a few months. Great hearing your voice, Josh. Thanks for your kind words.
I also did it with Camp Newton. A year before the Panthers drafted him, when Andrew Luck announced he was going back to uh school to work on his architectural degree.
Some of my coworkers were despondent and I said, worry not. There's a guy at Auburn. And we'll be fine. But I I'll know Josh. I don't know whether I'm I'm I'm uh sort of kind of got combined itis or what.
They could have the combine in my backyard, I think, and my pulse rate would be about fifty-six. I just It's just such a cattle call and so much analysis So much energy is is devoted to trying to define the undefinable, to quantify the unquantifiable. That I'm not sure if you'd ask me this question. A couple of weeks ago, I would have said Justin Herbert, the quarterback, Six, seven, can sling it. But now I've I've heard that maybe he might be more of a I mean, he'll probably go in the first round.
Maybe, you know, maybe to the Panthers. Who knows? But I've heard some. People say he's more of a mid-second round talent. How are you reading it?
Who do you think the Panthers are going to be taking? It's strange. I don't know if quarterback is the play just because. You have so many needs. Obviously, trading up and getting rid of draft capital when it makes a lot of sense when you have an all-time talent at linebacker, surprisingly, retire and you part ways with a weapon for whatever quarterback's going to be under center and Greg Olson.
And you obviously might want to bolster things up at wide receiver two. The offensive line and defensive lines seem to be things that need to be addressed. I know the sexy pick is always to focus on the quarterbacks, but if it's not Tua and it's not Burrow, I see Carolina maybe going with an Isaiah Simmons from Clemson, who I've had a chance to watch a handful of times, or maybe Derek Brown from Auburn, like both Todd McShea and Mel Kuyper mock. Right now. I like it.
I think in quarterbacks, that one position where. you um you don't want to reach but yet it's so vital that it's tempting to reach So I think that well, first of all, let me ask you this question. I listen I've listened to your show a good bit the last couple of weeks. You're doing an amazing job as always, and I'm proud of your many successes. What are you telling your audience here lately about your read on the Cam Newton T lease.
I think This, regardless of how Carolina feels. It is something where nobody wants to hear you say, I don't know. In the content-driven world we live in, you can't say I don't know, which is essentially what David Pepper said. Because when you say I don't know, people can misinterpret that. They can misconstrue that and turn that into you're not committed to Cam.
I don't know if that's connected to Cam Newton going on Instagram and saying, hey, all I want is a little bit of commitment and you can't even give me that. Maybe it is, but. The right answer to the question from a PR perspective to is Cam Newton going to return, whether the question's being posed to Cam like it was in Miami or to David Tepper in that locker room a few weeks ago, is he's on the roster. We expect Cam to be here. We absolutely expect him to be there.
Cam Newton, he answered that. The way so forcefully that you can't really disagree with it. And if Tepper would have just said that publicly, then I don't think anybody has any issue today. And that's why I think Matt Ruhl said it earlier this week, that Cam Newton's gonna be the guy moving forward because He's on the roster, and you gotta show commitment to a guy who took you to the Super Bowl a few years ago. Because even if your intent is to trade the guy ultimately, Teams have to believe he's going to be your guy if you want any value out of him.
Yeah, I like the second part of that and how you said it. You're too young to have.
sold a house or to have bought one. But I'm guessing maybe you've maybe bought or sold a vehicle And When does it look the best? When is it... When have you pressure washed your house, cleaned the gutters, done some landscaping, done some mulch? It looks the best.
when you're preparing to offload it. And so I think that And and I I do not know. I mean, I work there and I have no idea. it's sometimes I've sort of gone day by day on on on how I think it's going to shake out. I saw Cam the other day.
I walked into the cafeteria area behind him soon after he'd had this recent surgery. And I just looked at this immense talent and this physical specimen. He looks great, of course. veganed up and And um And you know, just muscular and lean and thought, man, man, I don't know, maybe maybe you don't wanna Maybe you don't want to see this. leave Charlotte.
On the business side, There's no replacing him unless it is a a a burrow or something like that. On the business side, he's the reason why you got fifty thousand people at FanFest with five dollars ahead. He's responsible for jerseys flying out of the team store like mad.
Now we could have Certainly there'll be life. After Cam Newton. Just like I think that's To your point, if the Panthers are going to try to get some value for him, that only works if the league thinks that the Panthers don't really want to see him go anyway. It's the voice of the Panthers, Mick Mixon with us here on Sports Up Triad. Have you watched much of the Tar Heels in basketball this year?
No, um times when I've uh wanted to uh Self- flagellate or haven't been able to sleep and And um And thought about that. I thought, man, maybe I should just put some UNC basketball highlights up. Yeah. I I I think that From what I've heard, and I don't follow it like you do, Josh, but from what I've heard, Roy Coach Williams has recruited well that he's he's packing coming in.
So It's not like we're seeing the great wall come down. I think Carolina's going to be okay. Yeah, Roy Williams he has for Five-star kids set to come in next year, four McDonald's All-Americans that'll be in, but a lot of people are comparing this team to. To one of the worst we've seen in the last half century, the 8-20 team, the two years under Doherty. What image or story stands out?
covering those teams as closely as you did working with Woody Durham at that time. The Matt Doherty teams? Yeah. I heard that I wasn't there, but I heard they went in after things were going sour. They went in to tell a group of people, athletic administrators, went in to tell Coach Darty that they thought he might have an anger management issue.
And uh he told them that he didn't have any dang anger management issue and he was gonna beat the the heck out of whoever suggested that he did and threw them all out of his office. That probably didn't happen exactly that way, but There were some good and some bad in those years. This is the one thing, Josh, that UNC fans didn't want to hear then and don't want to hear now. is Well, this should see, this should make you appreciate all the successes. This should make you Uh Humble and feel great about good times that have been and good times that will come.
In the pain of the moment, seeing that branch, seeing that light blue, the Argyle unis. Seeing them struggle against teams they would normally dispatch without hardly breaking a sweat. It is a pill for many UNC fans, but it's being consistently good. It's the hardest thing in sports. The Carolina Panthers the team that I care the most about right now.
We've been We've been around for over a quarter of a century and have not yet had back-to-back winning seasons. What's the uh you're you're a big fan of music and having you on this show, hearing your broadcast over the years, you always make like subtle references to pop culture at entertainment at points and one of the ones you've made a number of times is talking about like the idea of stardom and the first name you usually go to is Mick. Bic Jagger and the Rolling Stones, since the last time we've chatted, they're going to be playing at Bank of America Stadium. And I know you're a huge music fan, so I wonder. What's the next show Mick Mixon would like to see at Bank of America Stadium if he had it his way?
Well, my um my my bride's riding with me, my little shorty here that I'm married to, five feet ahead, Dawn Elizabeth Thomas Vixen. She's riding shotgun with me. And were it not for her son, my son by marriage. getting married. On May the 2nd, we'd be at the Garth Brooks concert somehow, some way.
We'd be in the upper deck, chief seats. Uh she'd get us backstage. with Patricia. I don't know how we do it, but that show That show would be amazing.
So But we're going to miss it because we got a wedding to go to. Man. That's tough. That is really tough. But before we let you go, you're you never seem...
Nervous at all during a broadcast. You're always so confident. You're always so calm and collected, always finding the right words. But musically speaking, Give me the time Mick Mixon was most nervous about a show. Yeah.
Oh my gosh. We played the the Franklin Street band. We got hired to play the Fourth of July Fireworks. at Keenan Stadium. What year was that, babe?
What summer was that, twelve or thirteen?
So let's just say twenty twelve or twenty thirteen.
So we get hired to play before I don't know, thirty, twenty five, thirty thousand people at Keenan Stadium. And My uh my bride, Josh, the lead singer in the band, she had a stomach thing going on which I won't give too many details about here on the radio, but she wasn't feeling good that day. And so driving to that gig, knowing that there was going to be 30,000 people waiting to hear her sing, I will survive it. and and and and Passy and Janice and and Aretha and all the the hits. And knowing she wasn't feeling her best, that's the most nervous I've ever been before at gig.
Man, that's great. I'm sure you guys are. Unfortunately, the Iron Maiden that she is. Answered the call and crushed it. I'm sure you guys did.
Well, I hope it's good to hear your voice, Mick. I hope Don's doing well as well. And we'll watch at sometime soon. Thanks for doing this. Appreciate it, Josh.
Thank you. Got it. That is Mick Mixon, the voice of the Carolina Panthers, who's. Always a delight to speak with. There aren't many guests that you have on who ask you the questions.
Mick is one of those people, and I appreciate him for it. Yeah, you can never take a minute off. During Uh a Mick Mixon interview. He'll come right back at you. We got take it to the house in a second.
Which means we're going to sing some Rhinestone Cowboy because it's Friday. That's what we do ever since Robert's been in here. He's a Rhinestone Cowboy that has like this massive mane. He looks like a lion. Is that how you would describe me?
But you and I have a mutual friend. And I'm going to be self-indulgent a bit here. Chris Lee is a mutual friend of ours. who for a long time, I think seven or eight years, he's been A sports reporter at WXII. And upon me coming to Winston Salem about a year and a half ago, Chris was one of the first people to welcome me, and he's been awesome.
Great, great dude. Any time I've called on him, hey, I'd love to have a guest in this spot. Love for you to be here. Hey, can you come in the studio? He's always tried to work us in, and he's been very good to us.
And if you haven't heard by now, Chris Lee is going to be not moving. far away, but going from the triad to the triangle. Going from WXII. to W R A L in Raleigh. We're very happy for Chris.
We're not gonna. This isn't goodbye because we're going to be seeing him. Uh At many of the same games, ACC-wise, and probably the Carolina Panthers, too. But I just wanted to wish him luck. I don't know if he's listening right now, but He's getting set for a six o'clock newscast tonight.
I suggest you watch it because He, if you're a sports fan, and I assume you are listening to this right now, that's a guy who's done a lot. when it comes to sports in this market.
So Watch him at six. Watch him at 11. We've done a number of wake zones together. Last year, and he's going to be great in Raleigh, but a really good friend of mine that I am. Rooting for.
Alright, before we get to take it to the house, I want to get your thoughts on this story. that I think is just Crazy. One of the best stories I've read on the interwebs this week. The headline, my ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend. Is Lady Gaga?
Oh, wow. This is written by Lindsey Krause of the New York Times. And there's a photo of Lady Gaga with pink hair and all walking into this year's Super Bowl in Miami Gardens. And It's about This New York Times writer Who found out that her ex is dating Lady Gaga. by seeing at her newspaper Somebody report Lady Gaga has a new boyfriend.
Oh, that guy looks familiar. I think I used to kiss him passionately. And here's the question I have.
Now, let me preface a couple of things. There's people that immediately have the reaction to this story. I know I did. Oh, that this guy cheated on her with Lady Gaga. That's not what this is.
They dated for years, I think six or seven years, and then they broke up. And this, the writer actually is engaged to somebody else.
So she just sees that somebody that she was with. Started dating Lady Gaga is the first thing you do. Immediate self-reflection and inflection. Oh my gosh, I bleeped up. If Lady Gaga is dating this person, maybe I should have treated that person better.
Maybe I should have worked things out there. Is it two? Wow, things really turned out well for this person I care about? Or three. Man Celebrity, maybe, isn't quite what I make it out to be.
These are people. And many of the same things I loved about this person Lady Gaga, or whoever it might be, might like this person as well.
So there's a humanizing aspect to it. Which of those three things, maybe even something else, do you think you feel in that moment? The first thing I'm doing is comparing myself instantly to whoever. I'm like, oh, wow, I'm not as in good a shape they are, probably not as smart. Probably not as witty.
My nose might be bigger. Everything that I could go through. You are a pretty self-conscious guy. I am. You mass comedy.
With it. Like we were talking today, you said you wouldn't do well in New York City because you feel like you get picked fun of your voice. I would. I pick myself apart. Like, people would like your voice.
Maybe. And maybe they wouldn't. But that's not where we're going. You even said you'd be a one out of ten in New York. I would.
I would be with the rats, man. I'd be in the streets looking for a girl. Yes, Aaron. No, I was just thinking: one, outside of the South, people usually love our accents. Yeah.
That's what I'm saying. And then, two, I always think about. Beyonce has an ex-boyfriend out there somewhere. Oh, man. Like, somewhere out there, there's some dude used to date Beyonce.
He's just like. Me? Yeah. I got a question, but I'm not sure. But isn't this different though?
Like, it's it would be like. Guys would look at Lady Gaga and say, Man, I screwed this up. But the girl wouldn't be thinking she screwed this up. If she sees the guy that she was once dating is dating Lady Gaga, I think that's a totally different dynamic than you seeing somebody you once dated become famous. This is seeing someone you once dated date someone who is of celebrity, which I think is totally different.
It is different, but it also poses a question: what, to me at least, what celebrity would you hate? to see your ex with. Oh, Pete Davidson. Dude. It's ridiculous that we both think Pete Davidson.
Pete Davidson's the guy. Because my ex that I'm thinking of. You're going to make out with Kate Beckinsale after dating Ariana Grande. Get out of here. Being engaged to Ariana Grande.
Very good stand-up special you just put out, by the way. Really good. I won't say that until I watch it. I enjoyed it. See, I could put aside the stuff that's annoying.
and say that the guy's good at what he does. He's good at it. Robert, what do we got in Ticket to the House? If you were gonna die on a ride? Why the hell would you pick this one?
I'm intrigued. We close out the week. We take it to the house next.
