Standing On Bidness

This is the DRIVE Podcast with Josh Graham. I love it. I need it.

Couldn't live without it. You can hear the DRIVE weekday afternoons 3 till 6 on WSJS. For those watching on video, we've got Armando Baycott shirts sent into the studio on this Thursday DRIVE. It is WSJS NewsTalk Sports for the Triad.

Since we're wearing these shirts, we might as well talk about the Tar Heels. One of my favorite movies. In fact, my favorite movie is called 500 Days of Summer. One of the iconic scenes from this movie starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel is a dramatic moment where JGL feels like he's going to get back together with Summer. It's a split screen. On one side of the screen, it says expectations. On the other side of the split screen, it says reality. And expectations is just a little bit in front of reality. And what plays out in his expectations box, he gets back together with Summer and things are awesome. The reality of what happens, less awesome. And I have to think, if Hubert Davis was injected with truth serum and talking about his expectations for this Carolina basketball team this year, the expectations of what he thought it was going to be probably aren't as good as the reality. It's the reverse of the 500 Days of Summer split box expectations and reality. You could not have possibly imagined this type of season for Carolina. This type of turnaround.

They haven't really stumbled at all. Some say that the Villanova loss is a bad loss. The other two losses are to top 15 teams, Kentucky and UConn.

But is it really all that bad? We're talking about the Villanova basketball program. It was day two of a back to back. It was an overtime on Thanksgiving, a couple of weeks into the season.

That doesn't really mesh. That's not losing it home to UNCW like Kentucky did. There was a point last night where Louisville cut into the Carolina lead and it was 55-50. Louisville was shooting something like 90 percent in the second half and Hubert challenged his guys defensively.

Let's go. And just like North Carolina did on the road at Clemson and at Pitt and at other points throughout the season, they put the clamps on the Cardinals and ended up winning by double digits. Past Carolina teams or at least Carolina teams in the last four seasons, they didn't do that. Brenda Marks wrote in The Athletic, a guest on today's show, that Carolina has the best defense in college basketball right now.

That's quite the transformation that we've seen. They're 6-0 in the ACC. They have a combined win margin in those six ACC wins of 96 points. That's the best start to an ACC conference season by point margin and by record in more than 15 years. The last seven wins altogether, all by double digits. And the way Hubert did it, he completely solved Carolina's two biggest issues from last season through one off season. They were horrifically bad at moving the basketball and shooting threes.

Solved both those issues in the portal. Last year, Carolina was 261st in assists. Nationally speaking, 261st last year. They're now at 106, nearly in the top 100. They are top 103, which is really impressive considering they were 317th in that category last year. Harrison Ingram, he's shooting over 40% from three.

Quite an add. And assists, nearly three assists per game. Jaylen Withers brought some scoring last night against his former team. Elliot Cadeau reclassifying, adding some ball movement. Didn't know he had that type of punch dunking the basketball.

Moving on from Caleb Love, that's opened things up for RJ Davis, who looks like a National Player of the Year candidate. Hubert made these moves and a lot of people owe Hubert Davis an apology. I remember the phone calls in the spring. I remember some emails.

I remember social media. Oh, you were preseason number one. When you went to the Final Four, that was a fluke. That was Roy's players. This was a challenge for Hubert after that type of failure and disappointment. And this being the first real time he had the opportunity to build a roster, what was it going to look like? And what he built through finding assists, finding ball movement, finding fluidity, offensively finding three point shooting.

It was remarkable the pieces that he found and what he identified to create a national contender. Here he was last night talking about the growth of his first two years and what he learned from that to now thrive in year three. There's always growth in anything that you do. You become more comfortable at it in terms of ways to get better. I've always said that the best place to be is in a position of listening and learning. And I've been that way for two and a half years. And whether it's a player or an announcer or an assistant coach or a head coach, I've never felt like I've arrived or I've been there.

I feel like I can always grow and learn. And I'm in that position right now just continuing to grow as a head coach. In his first three seasons, a Final Four appearance, extinguishing Coach K his last game at Cameron and in the Final Four, the first time those two programs have ever met in the tournament. And now he's built his first opportunity to build a roster in the portal. He's built a national title contender. That's one of the four best teams in the country. That's a lot of good and a lot of people owe him an apology.

But if you were being honest, if he were being honest, Hubert Davis could not have imagined this kind of Carolina season. Enjoy the ride on X at WSJS radio. You can chime in on the show.

That's where we're streaming video. In addition to YouTube and Twitch on the video stream, you can see our Armando Baker shirts. W.D., I've already received the text from the former producer of this show, Robert Walsh. Oh, yeah. Saying that he wants a T-shirt. It wasn't even Hey, can I have a T-shirt? Just one word. He texted me. It's not even a word. Yeah.

2XL. Yeah. I think we should get him a shirt. No doubt.

We can make that happen. Get into the Carolina Panthers, though. Don't look now, but the Carolina Panthers are catching breaks in this coaching carousel. After wild card losses, the Steelers, the Eagles, the Cowboys. They're all staying pat with their head coaches.

All three. If any of the three were to become available, those jobs may be more appealing than the Panthers. Those would be added competitors to the Panthers for head coaching candidates. The Steelers. Mike Tomlin had a press conference today. They said they're looking outside the organization to replace Matt Canada.

The Cowboys. Dallas announced yesterday Mike McCarthy is going to be back. Falls in line with how patient Jerry Jones was with Jason Garrett. He's going to be patient going into year four under McCarthy. Philadelphia doesn't seem like they're looking for a head coach. Diana Rossini said last night that Howie Roseman, the GM, and Nick Sirianni are identifying potential options for coordinators. Maybe making some changes there in the offseason. Plus, the leader of that locker room is Fletcher Cox. He bristled strongly, let's say, at the idea that they were going to move off of Sirianni. Like any news about what about Nick?

Nick, I mean, there's obviously some speculation about whether he may be fired or not. Huh? Yeah. Come on, man.

Man, you had a football coach in this team, man. Come on, man. There ain't even no discussion about that.

Okay, you don't think it's going to happen. I don't got nothing to say about that, man. You a clown, bruh. You a clown, bruh. You a clown. Paint your face.

It's the only thing that he's missing. Man, you a clown. I've never been hit with that. But man, I don't know how you bounce back from that type of dismissal. Huh? That's already dismissal enough, but then he went back and got hit with the you a clown, bruh.

He could have hit him with an uppercut, go paint your face, but decided not to. They're not going to fire Nick Sirianni. It doesn't seem like it. The Patriots, they introduced to Rob Mayo yesterday. That's another job that would be better than Carolina's.

More appealing. Super Bowl winning organization. Top three draft choice in this year's draft. The Patriots would be more appealing than Carolina would. They are staying in the organization with Rob Mayo. That means here are the six teams competing with Carolina for coaching candidates. Atlanta, the Chargers, Washington, Tennessee, Vegas and Seattle. Remember, this is an unprecedentedly deep coaching candidate pool.

Incredibly deep. There are three, maybe four proven head coaches. Who could be napping up some of those jobs? We don't know about Pete Carroll, but Mike Frable, Jim Harbaugh, Bill Belichick, it seems like that half of those six are going to be taken by those guys. Which means who is Carolina really competing with for a job? Who's Carolina competing with? In terms of candidates, it seems Washington is looking for an offensive coordinator type. They want to hire or interview Ben Johnson. They're going to tomorrow in addition to Carolina. The Chargers and Tennessee are going to interview with him on Saturday. It seems that that's one of the coaches or one of the teams Carolina has to box out.

Tennessee, another one. But I don't know about Seattle. I still feel like Dan Quinn's going to go there or they might hire a proven head coach or go with the defensive minded guy. Carolina's not going to go with the defensive minded guy.

Seems David Tepper has a type in mind that he wants and it's an OC. So how many other teams are really competing? If Atlanta is going to go with a proven head coach, probably Bill Belichick, the Chargers with Harbaugh or somebody in that same class.

If Vegas wants to do the same thing, Seattle, we don't know. It doesn't seem like there are that many competitors and there are a ton of great coaches. So Carolina is going to get a good coach. Ben Johnson's obviously the prize. But Bobby Slowik, I still think that's a huge win if that were to happen.

But Carolina catching breaks on this coaching carousel this week. As we welcome the North Carolina sports writer of the year for 2023, Brendan Marks, our buddy to the show from the athletic. Got to get to a couple of housekeeping notes. First and foremost. Oh, yes. For those watching on video, you can enjoy the Armando T-shirts that W.D.

and I are wearing. You can see the Brendan Marks meme in exchange for him allowing us to use his likeness whenever something shocking is said on the air. We've got a T-shirt for you here, Brendan, if you want one.

Given how many times you yourself have triggered Armando Baker, the drop to be played on the air. I hope that's OK with you if you want one of these. I appreciate that. And I will gladly accept that.

That feels like a fair trade to me. Another thing that you will be accepting this summer in Winston-Salem. You're going to be your name's going to be called on stage as the best sports writer in the state of North Carolina. And you're going to be handed a trophy by ESPN's Jeff Passan in doing so as the national sports writer of the year.

How do you process that? Yeah, you know, it's it's a huge honor. First of all, I mean, I've grown up reading a lot of these former sports writers of the year. And quite frankly, like I'm lucky now to call a lot of them and a lot of the other finalists friends. It's just incredibly cool to be mentioned alongside them. And, you know, like, you know, the other finalists this year, like I go to work every day and I read Steve Wiseman. And, you know, I've grown up reading Luke Luke to cock and Andrew Carter and Scott Fowler and Connor O'Neill and all these great people. So it's just really cool to be included in the mix. I feel lucky. I feel like I'm stealing. Honestly, national sports media dot org is where you go if you want a seat at the awards weekend. It's a great way to if you're interested in the business or have someone in your family that's interested in the business, you can learn from the best people. And in addition to that, if you're just a sports fan, like getting to meet the people that you read nationally, locally, or if you just love sports storytelling, that's that's the place to go in Winston-Salem.

Getting to some of the stuff that you write. It didn't really dawn on me until you wrote it that North Carolina might have the best defense in the country. And you look at some of the games they've had in years past, a team will creep up on them.

Five points, three point game in the second half, and they'll blow that lead. This team hasn't done that, whether it's Pittsburgh getting close and then North Carolina winning by 13 on the road, whether it's Clemson, that became tight and then Clemson didn't score the rest of the way. Last night when it was 55-50 and Louisville couldn't miss, Hubert Davis challenged them defensively and they came through. What is the most impressive thing you've seen about the metamorphosis of this North Carolina team? Yeah, I mean, I think you could even probably honestly throw that Tennessee game in the mix, too. Tennessee cut it to maybe seven, if I remember, in the second half.

And I mean, that was a 20 plus point game in the first half. So I think the most impressive thing to me is going back and sifting through some of the tape from North Carolina's first five or so games. The thing that you saw a lot of was guys not really helping each other. You didn't see a lot of rotations. You didn't see a lot of help defense.

You saw a lot of, well, there goes, you know, mama, there goes that man. And there's nobody back there to sort of grab and fix things that I think to me has been the most impressive thing. How quickly and how on the fly North Carolina not only figured out, hey, we should probably start helping each other, but also that they have now been able to do so, so effectively. That to me, you know, you can talk about the defensive rebound and you can talk about scheme, all these different things. The help and the rotations to me are the part that I'm kind of surprised pleasantly by how quickly it's come together.

Brendan Marks with us, North Carolina sports writer of the year from the athletic follow him on Twitter at Brendan R. Marks. See, why are you laughing, man? That's the truth. It's what you are.

You were recognized that way, my man. Got to get used to it. Yeah. Yeah, I guess so. I'm more laughing at the meme.

It's I'm glad you guys get good mileage out of it. Oh, I didn't even realize that that popped up on the screen. W.D. very quick with that. Let's close where we started with Armando Bacott. He passed Lenny Rosenbluth last night. He passed Ralph Sampson. Obviously, he's had that, you know, fifth year, which helps in doing so. How are we supposed to talk about his legacy?

Because unless something crazy happens, he's probably the third best player on this team, which might prevent him from doing the necessary things to get his name up in the rafters. But when you think of the era of Carolina basketball, the last five years and what they did in twenty twenty two, it's hard not to think of number five. Yeah. You know, actually, this is a conversation that, you know, I wrote I wrote a story about Armando earlier this year and sort of about his legacy and was talking to him about it.

And I've been thinking about this ever since. How are we actually going to remember Armando Bacott's legacy? Obviously, with North Carolina, do whatever UNC goes on to do this season is going to have a huge impact on that, because there are still pathways for him to get his name up in the rafters. You know, if North Carolina goes on another miracle run and ends up winning the national championship, could I see the team voting for him as most outstanding player to get his name up in the rafters? Absolutely. You know, if he really picks it up the second half of the season, could he be a second team All-American?

Maybe. Even though there are a lot of good bigs in the country. To me, I think the case with him might be one that actually calls for an exception for North Carolina.

This is not a, you know, the rules for getting up in the rafters are pretty cut and dry. You've got to satisfy one of a very specific set of criteria, which he's not going to meet, it looks like. But you can't tell the story, like you said, of this era of North Carolina basketball without him. And, you know, I hate to call it like a career achievement award, but that's what it is with him. But the exception was if you lead, if you are the all-time leader in a specific category, a major category like points, rebounds or assists, I know some would say, well, what about the fifth year?

Uh-uh. He was legitimately the greatest rebounder in Carolina history because he did that within four years over Hansboro. Yeah, exactly. And I think that's one way you can get around it. But I have a feeling that Hubert Davis and North Carolina are somehow going to do right by Armando Baycott and they are somehow going to figure out a way to get him up in the rafters where, you know, quite frankly, I think he belongs.

The other thing is legacy is not just limited to on the court. And I wouldn't be surprised if number five has a couple of other creative ways to make sure that he's remembered in Chapel Hill for a long time. And W.D., I think it's only fair that Brendan has to do right by us to get the Armando T-shirt. Here's what we're requiring the audience to do in order to win one. You got to go on our YouTube stream here and on this video, simply subscribe to our channel and put a movie down that W.D. should watch, like suggest a movie. Now, you don't have to comment because you're actually on the show, Brendan, but hit us with a subscribe on YouTube and just throw a movie at us right now and see if W.D. has seen it.

And then the T-shirts yours. Well, first, I got to ask if my last recommendation was ever satisfied because I suggested cool runnings. And I want to know, has that has that box been checked? No, we're putting it back on the poll. It's got to be voted on. It's got it.

It's a democracy. It's for four submissions and that will be another one. Put that one up there and the other one I'm going to put just because it's the most recent movie I watched. My wife made me endure this. And now, W.D., you should have to endure this is to its salt burn. No.

Yes. Oh, I know about this. I watched it with my wife. I watched it with my wife last week. Listen, I've had somebody tell me about this movie recently and I've heard they told me don't watch Murder on the Dance Floor. I live under a pop culture rock. You know, I'm in full on sports geekery mode right now.

And so I had never heard of it, had never seen the trailer, had no idea what I was going into. My wife was like, hey, we're watching this. And I was like, cool, whatever you want. Bad call.

Bad call. But now that I was subjected, W.D., I'm passing that burden along. I might I might just include that on there for fun.

But I already see in the comments, feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme. Look out, boys. Brendan Marks, congratulations to you, man.

We're so happy for you. And T-shirts on the way. Your way. Make sure to hit us with a subscribe.

Or what's the way that people on YouTube say it in the hacky way? Hit that subscribe button. Click the like. Click the bell. Pound that subscribe button. Hit the bell for notifications.

All that good stuff. Yes, we're now YouTube hacks. All right, Brendan, thanks so much. I appreciate you guys. You sound like me. I've been peddling people to subscribe to The Athletic for five years now. Yeah. And people should do that. I do. And it's one of the best investments I've made.

There goes Brendan Marks from The Athletic. Again, The Drive With Josh Graham on YouTube. You got to be subscribed. I see a lot of people commenting with movies. If you're not subscribed, it don't count. And we can see if you're subscribed or not. So make sure you're subscribed to the channel The Drive With Josh Graham and then comment in the feed.

Or if you've already commented, then just subscribe after that. Let's get to some NFL nuggets real quick. Mike Tomlin, a little bit more chipper today than he was on Monday, not wanting to answer playoff questions from the Triads' own Brook Pryor of ESPN.

Today, he walked up to the podium and said this. Good afternoon. In a little better mood today, man.

Anybody got any contract questions? Good afternoon. Hello. That's how I should open every show.

Just the mic's turned off. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Very pleasantly. Good afternoon, everybody. What's going on? In a little better mood today.

Panthers interviewed Brian Callahan today at seven interviews that the Panthers have completed. Thus far, a reminder that through January 31st, there is a zero dollar joining fee. See, subscribing to our YouTube channel. That's free. We love freemium around here.

Pretty good. Freemium. Also freemium joining Northwest NC's YMCA through January 31st. That's all you got to do.

Go online. YMCA in WNC dot org. Click join. And you can visit any one of the 12 local branches that they have.

That's between now and January 31st. And you get access to their state of the art fitness equipment, pools and exercise facilities, free group exercise classes. This is a big one. Free childcare for members.

YMCA in WNC dot org is where you go. I like the suggestions I see from everybody. And again, we're going to pick the three winners Monday ahead of Wake Forest and North Carolina. A lot of these movies I feel like you haven't seen. Rounders.

No, I haven't seen that one. Why would you? There you go. My mouse wasn't moving.

Couldn't hit my button. Trading places. I was suggested by Sean Clark once upon a time. Saltburn, though, you didn't watch it. You just heard about it.

Oh, I've heard all about that one. It's an interesting movie. No, it's not.

Yeah, it is. How would you know? You haven't seen it. I love it when people say when something's controversial or has created conversation. Those are the movies that draw me in.

They don't repel me. This is one of those movies that you would tell me it's one thing and then I watch it and know it because I know what it is. And you could get me you could have got me on this if I didn't already know. I didn't know what it was either until I watched it over the weekend. My wife, my wife. It was her idea. Josh Graham loves to talk sports.

He also loves to take herbal body baths to keep his skin supple and youthful looking. You're on the drive with Josh Graham. Special surprise in about 10 minutes or so.

Hope it lives up to the billing friended marks after that before we get to at the movies. WDS movie being Tropic Thunder this week. Let's look ahead to Saturday's NFL slate. That's where I'm going with my underdog fantasy pick them line up. A lot of people don't feel this way, but I am very intrigued in Ravens Texans that might be. The best game of the weekend. Maybe this is the football nerd of me that and the Bucks Lions game. I think are the best games, even though the most talked about games are Chiefs Bills. Certainly Packers Niners with those brands.

There's a lot to this. And I think the Ravens have a big hump to climb over with Lamar Jackson. So I have to pick them for that game underdog fantasy app. I know many of you have downloaded it.

You're messaging me the ways that you're using it. If you haven't already underdog fantasy app or online at underdog fantasy dot com. Sign up with the promo code the drive and underdog will double your first deposit for typing in that promo code up to one hundred dollars. That means if you put one hundred dollars in, they'll give you one hundred dollars or whatever you put in in that first deposit. They'll give you a special pick. That's essentially a lot to hit that.

All you would have to do is pair with one other pick them item to win your first pick them. Must be 18 or older and present in a state where underdog fantasy operates. That's the state of North Carolina.

Terms apply. Concern with your play call 1 800 Gambler or visit WWW dot NCP gambling dot org. This is what I got for Saturday's game. Texans Ravens 49ers bring back C.J. Stroud lower thirteen and a half passing first down. It's hard to get 14 first downs on the Ravens defense period. And now you're telling me with the weather supposed to be bad, potentially some rain in Baltimore. That C.J. Stroud is going to have higher than 14 passing first downs.

No way. Brock Purdy lower thirty and a half passing attempts. I think the Niners walk the Green Bay Packers. And if that happens, why on earth is Brock Purdy going to have to throw more than 30 times in a game?

He wouldn't. The Ravens haven't played their starters in the calendar year two thousand and twenty four yet. We hadn't seen him in a couple of weeks. Justin Tucker.

We hadn't seen him in three weeks because they had to buy. Justin Tucker probably going to be lining up for some field goals in this game. Looking sloppy, not punching and touchdown, settling for three. Higher than one and a half field goal make for perhaps the greatest kicker in football and maybe ever. Justin Tucker.

So C.J. Stroud lower than thirteen and a half passing first downs. Brock Purdy lower than thirty and a half passing attempts. Justin Tucker higher than one and a half field goal make. That is my underdog fantasy lineup.

Pick them lineup for Saturday's games. OK. You asked for it. Hopefully we don't get canceled for it. Tropic Thunder at the movies. Unless you're talking about Star Wars.

Obi Wan has taught you well. Movies aren't exactly Will's thing. I don't get it.

You want cups of swine? But that's about to change because Josh can't stand it anymore. This is at the movies with Will Dalton. What you like, what you didn't like.

Best quotes. Rotten Tomatoes score. This movie is more than 15 years old.

That makes me feel old. What did you like about Ben Stiller directed Ben Stiller starring in addition to a lot of other stars? Tropic Thunder. One thing I found very interesting.

We discussed this over a Costco hot dog the other day. Was the fact that so the movie trailers quote unquote movie trailers at the very beginning where it essentially introduces you to all the characters. The use of those commercials and the tabloid TV shows in this movie are perfect for the time.

It's a nice snapshot. Maria Menounos the TV trailer where you got the voice guy too and they're legitly edited long commercials. Well they are and you know even though I'm Mr. I don't watch movies. I did watch movies you know because I mean this movie was so 2008. It came out in 2008 but like that's what it used to be like when you would get a DVD like they would have like the trailers and the previews before the movie actually begins.

So it kind of fit that who let the fridge open so many great cheesy lines they have in there. Yeah. Forgive me father for I have Toby Maguire was was good. That was a good that was the title they gave him the MTV Choice Award People's Choice Award winner for best kiss Toby Maguire.

Yeah, excellent. Great open to a comedy. What didn't you like this movie was so over the top. Yeah that I'm not sure I would want to rewatch it.

I don't know man. I mean, it's there are so many jokes in there that you can't consume them all in one viewing. You have to revisit it when you're not interested in the plot. Yeah, I don't know about I don't know if I like in 24 Robert Downey in ostensibly blackface. Well, and you know what simple Jack maybe that's done a little bit differently 15 years later. I'm going to I'm very scared to potentially quote or mimic simple Jack.

I'm probably going to stay away from that one. Also TiVo is a plot point. I don't know if that works today. So it's interesting tug.

I got I got the TiVo I like I part of me wonders if the only reason that Robert Downey jr. Was able to get away with the blackface was because this movie was so over the top that you couldn't take it. You're probably right, but you still couldn't do that today. Now, of course not. Of course not. What's the best quote?

I'm not going to say the whole thing, but it's basically the exchange between Ben Stiller's character McConaughey's character. I killed one ring. Oh, yeah, the thing I love most hookers a hooker. All right, you killed a hooker.

Yeah need a lot of lime. Just because it's a theme song doesn't mean it's not true. A lot of them from Robert Downey jr. I'm a lead farmer.

I'm a dude playing to do disguises another dude. I know who I am and everything Tom Cruise says it took me like the second viewing to realize that was Tom Cruise. I knew it from the beginning.

We don't negotiate the tariff. No, I knew as soon as I heard his voice over the phone before you actually saw him. I'm like, oh, it's Tom Cruise Rotten Tomatoes score real quick. Oh, I don't know. This one might be like a 69. We're getting queued off 71% that Rotten Tomatoes.

So that's within five and that's been at the movies with the WD. As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I take a look at my life and realize there's nothing left be not the six editorial basketballs here. Excellent my favorite 90s hip-hop song gangstas paradise. Not even close. Cool. What not close for you.

No, Josh. My favorite 90s hip-hop song Coolio is not cool. It's probably not even the top 150. I'm not saying he's my favorite hip-hop act. They said it's my favorite hip-hop song. No, not even close and it's one where I can say all the words without getting fought. No, I totally understand.

I can completely understand why it would be your favorite hip-hop song of the 90s, but I'm sure the audience listening understands why that's nowhere near my favorite WD. Can you please see how caustic it sounds in the moment? When I say things I don't hear how it sounds to the audience unless I play unless you play it back. Can I just hear quickly by the end of this the wrapping or maybe we can bump back with that or take it to the house. Yeah, we'll do that. We'll work on that. WD and myself are wearing Armando t-shirts. And I got one for you here big boy.

I got one for you right here. And I think we just lost B Dot. He couldn't handle it. The excitement. The t-shirt, the wrapping. Yeah, it was too much for him.

It was overload. And again, I know I keep bringing it up if you've been listening throughout the show, but I want to remind people how to win three t-shirts will be given away on Monday. All you have to do is subscribe to our channel and comment on this video a movie and we'll see if WD seen the movie. And yeah, we'll pick out three names on Monday to win the shirts.

But I already got one for Brenda Marks who joined us earlier and I got one for you. Those are amazing. Josh Graham. They look so great. I saw him on your social media and I said, man, they look even better.

Now I'm looking at it right there on your pale body and I'm telling you, man, those shirts look amazing. Look at my boy. Let's brighten up things a little bit with some positivity. Mike McCarthy back with the Cowboys. Isn't it good? No one roots for guys to be unemployed. Right.

Like that's that's a good thing, right? You're a Cowboy fan. 36 wins in three years. That guy has a Super Bowl, right?

If I was closer, man, I would. It was so upsetting, so frustrating for Cowboys Nation. No, like I'm not saying that Mike McCarthy is the end all be all. But what I am saying is that team from week in to week out does not look prepared. Josh, they don't look very disciplined. What were they practicing or what were they studying the entire week leading up to Green Bay?

Because they did not look prepared. Like Mike McCarthy just does not seem like someone that can control and galvanize a locker room. He doesn't look like somebody that has social media on his phone. And in this era, you need a freaking coach that has or at least knows what the hell TikTok is and the difference between X and Twitter. Mike McDaniel knows. Dolphin does. He does know that.

That's right. Do you think Hubert Davis knows what TikTok is? I mean, I think he's heard of it for sure. You know, he ain't got no TikTok, but he knows what a TikTok is. He probably calls it a tickety talk, but he knows what it is.

No, he's like, I don't want to TikTok right now. That's not what we're talking about at all. When was the last time you were this excited for a Tar Heel team if I were excluding March of two thousand and twenty two that one month? I think the Kobe White, Cam Johnson season. Five years. Yeah. Yeah.

I was very excited. That's the I think that's the last time I can remember. Yeah. Again, you said excluding, you know, a couple of years ago, like if I had to exclude that. Yeah. Like when I'm telling you, Josh.

Excluding that. The New Orleans run that game in Charlotte, Duke, Carolina, when Zion Williamson played man. Like I had to walk out and stand in the concourse by myself in the waning seconds of that game, just because I was about to adjust. My my head was about to explode. Like the energy was just so like I wanted to win that game more than any game.

I think since or before. Like I wanted to beat that Zion team so bad. Like and just the optimism I have for that squad. I felt like we were starting to jail.

I thought Kobe and Cam were going to take us on a sensational run and it didn't quite end like we wanted. But I was very excited about that. The most important trait to me that a person must have. If you're going to be my friend, certainly my wife has this trait is self-awareness.

I think people lack lack self-awareness. And it's why when I was in Greenville, America, and I befriended an assistant coach there when I first started working in Greenville and his name happened to be Lincoln Riley. And he started showing me stuff and showing me film and things. I never said out loud, this guy's the smartest guy in the universe, even though I was thinking it, because I just felt at the time, everybody must have a guy like this. Everybody must be this smart.

Turns out not the case. And when you look at that game in twenty nineteen, I remember being there and I was courtside and I was thinking in my head, this is the greatest basketball game I've ever watched. But I didn't I didn't say it because I'm still the young guy. It's like, all right, where's your perspective, young guy? And then two seats down from me, Ed Harden, who is a columnist for 30 plus years, maybe longer with the news and record. He looks over to the guy next to him between us and says, this is the greatest basketball game I've ever watched.

And I thought if he said that, probably it's probably true. OK, you ready to do grammar school? Always my boy. Let's go. Josh Graham has his own way of speaking a lot of love, a lot of love, a lot of love, a lot of love.

And just when you think it can't get any worse. Josh is going to attempt to learn B Dot's vernacular. I'm going to put one in the air. It's time for B Dot's Grammar School.

Nobody better than B Dot. Free game, during game, post game. Brought to you by Heritage Hardwood Floors. When it comes to flooring, they have no ceiling. Your doggone right man up there at Heritage Hardwood Floors.

When it comes to flooring, they have absolutely no ceilings, baby. Now, listen, you're about to hear the door open. You just heard the door open. Isaiah just got in here. I'm picking him up.

Yeah. Don't curse, Zay. Don't do that. He better not curse. I'll tell you that right now.

So with that being said, Zay can be a lifeline for you if you should happen to need something. Actually, I have something to bribe listeners with. 3-3-6-7-7-7.

I'll actually bribe Zay with this if he thinks he can help me out. I've got a pair of tickets for Wake Forest in Louisville this Saturday. Oh joy. Hey, as a matter of fact, Nolan Smith just sent me a text message. I'm actually getting him tickets so he can go see Winston-Salem State tonight. He's going to see the Heritage Hardwood floor live and in person. Yeah, if you want to see Nolan Smith, Saturday. 3-3-6-7-7-7-1-600.

You get the tickets for the attempt. If you want to go watch Wake and help me out in grammar school. What's the first word you have for me? I don't have a caustic question this week. Hey, you've been dropping the ball on your caustic word this season. I have. I'll come up with one by the end of this.

All right. If someone tells you, Josh, that you got to bring a fifth of yak to the party, what are you responsible for? I've heard this in hip-hop songs, not in Coolio songs. Do you know, before Coolio passed last year or the year before, do you know what he did after getting out of the rap game? He was a preacher.

He was a chef. Coolio. I had no clue. There you go. Now you know. I didn't know that. And I still don't care.

Maybe you didn't either. A fifth of yak. Three, three, six, seven, seven, seven, one, six hundred. Zay, do you know what it is? Don't say it. Do you know what it is? No, Josh, I do not know what this is. Your dad's probably proud that you don't know what that is. I am proud that he doesn't know what this is.

If he would have known what this was, we would have to hold another conversation. The lines are popping, so I feel like somebody in the audience is upset that I don't know what a fifth of yak is. Three, three, six, seven, seven, seven, one, six hundred.

W.D., should I just use a lifeline on this one here? No, it's not. I'm going to guess Hennessy. One hundred percent correct, Josh Graham. Yeah, the hen dog. The fifth of Hennessy, baby. The hen dog, baby.

Let's go. Up next, Josh Graham, what does it mean if someone is standing on business? Standing on, is it business or bidness? It's bidness, B-I-D-N-E-S-S, bidness. Standing on bidness.

Yeah, standing on bidness. Gosh, man, I'm happy I got that right. That's how, you know, you got to diversify the people you hang out with. And I'll tell you what, when I'm hanging out with my black friends, that's when the hen dog comes out.

That's when- Hey, I ain't going to hold you, Josh Graham. Like, when I party with my white friends and y'all don't do liquor like we do liquor. Like, black folk, when we go to the club, we drinking Casa Migos, we drinking Hennessy, we drinking straight liquor. Y'all are going hella, hella bonkers on beer. And like, yo, give me another beer. And we're sitting there like, yo, three shots for me and my two lady friends. Standing on bidness.

Three, three, six, seven, seven, seven, one, six hundred dot. I just remembered I have a story to tell you. I was at Wake on Saturday.

This is a true story. There are two people working with the Wake athletics department, who were talking about getting sexy red tickets. And- Oh boy.

I walk out and I'm like, sexy red is fire. Like, what do you know about that, Josh? And I go- You better have said it. Yeah! They freaked out, man.

Freaked out. With that. Do you see how this segment has been giving and giving and giving over the years, man?

Such great content has come from these conversations. All right. I'm going to go to Zay. Zay, do you know what standing on bidness means? Like, holding your ground. Standing on- I was going to say standing on bidness. Holding your ground.

Okay. Like, if somebody were to like, step to you, say like, the guy from NC State into Hunter Sowis's face, Hunter Sowis stood on bidness? Is that what he did? Yeah, 100%. 100%. Get you that. Yeah.

And I love the analogy you made. He definitely stood on bidness. He was thrown out. That was so horrible.

Man, boo to NC State. He ain't sticking up the middle fingers. Where does that horn?

Your horn dog? You ain't going to put- You didn't put- I wasn't doing none of that when them blue boys was over there. Man. And when them boys in blue was over there with no middle fingers, when nobody getting kicked out, there was a bunch of people getting their asses kicked. That's what was going on. I mean, you had so much ammunition against State. You have the horn dog diarrhea, as you called them on social media, and others.

I've already had a winning week, man, so I'm good, man. What's the last one? What happens if you got stole? Stole or stole? Stole. S-T-O-L-E. Stole. If somebody says, yo, Josh Graham got stole, what happened to Josh? Three three six seven seven seven one six hundred.

I still have those wake tickets. Help! Help! Help! Oh, boy. You should really know what this one is.

I need you to dedicate this one to memory if you get the correct answer. Josh Graham just got stole? I can hear somebody saying that.

There's no D at the end, though? It's just Josh Graham got stole? Yeah, Josh Graham got stole.

I can hear somebody saying that, and I'd be like, dang, it finally happened, huh? Wow, what happened? What made him get stole?

That's what I would say. Oh, boy. I'm really shocked that you've never been stole before, Josh Graham, as I sit here and think about it. Aren't you saying? I'm shocked that nobody's ever stole you, Josh Graham. As I'm thinking about this, can you tell me which in-state team?

This is your caustic question. Can you tell me what in-state team is ranked number one in practically every preseason college baseball poll? Wake Forest. There you go! Let's go, Wake Forest!

There you go! Demon Deacon! Let's go, Demon Deacon!

I like the Demon Deacon. Now, Coach Forbes has made me a fan. My son likes Coach Forbes. Coach Forbes talks to him and stuff when he sees him.

It really upsets me, man. Yeah. Zay, you're a big fan of Coach Forbes, too, right? Yes, sir. Oh, my gosh.

You don't have to admit that. I'm live on the radio, son. Artie, Artie, what's it mean to be stole? I believe it means to be punched, like get punched in the face. That would make a lot of sense. Thank you, Artie.

Artie is 100 percent correct. That's exactly what it means. And I'm shocked nobody's ever punched you in the face. Being stole is when you get punched in the face and, like, you didn't even know it was coming. Like, you're just sitting there talking and somebody just... That's right.

That has never happened to me. Someone did throw Rance dressing on me during a Panthers watch party because I didn't agree with him on a pass interference call. And I did get choked out by a roommate because I turned his music down at, like, 12 a.m., one in the morning. And then I faked, I faked as if I were passed out so he would stop choking me. That is the opposite of standing on business. That is not, that is not, neither the guy throwing Rance on you or fake passing out while you're getting choked out. Both of those are the opposite of standing on business.

And each probably had a fifth of yak. Okay, on the way out, here are the options for W.D. 's movie next week.

I just need to know where you stand. Pineapple Express, Shutter Island, Rounders or Saltburn? I've only seen one of those. Pineapple, probably, right?

You doggone right. So that would be my guess. That would be... I wanted to see Shutter Island. Isn't that a scary or a suspense movie?

Yeah, it's Martin Scorsese, Leo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo. Saltburn is the movie that everybody is talking about right now. And let's just say it's a movie that nobody just kind of likes or is okay with.

They either love it or they freakin' hate it. And it's on Amazon Prime. It's on Amazon Prime, Saltburn. We might check that out. We always like a good movie in the dot house.

Yeah, yeah, it might be one that the parents watch. Just a thought. Appreciate that. Thanks for the heads up, my good brother.

We saw Trolls the other night. If Zay and Ryan feel like I'm leaving them out, I'm not. Trust me on this. That's not one you probably want to watch. Just saying.

Sarah Bradford and I watched it last week. Just throwing that out there, my guy. I just appreciate you, good brother.

Love you, Dot. Later, Zay. I got a shirt for you on the way. Hey, we got Armando shirts. Look at our Armando shirts. They sing. You can just sing.

When you read them, they say, Armando, Armando. Later, man. Later, guys. Thanks, dude.