This is The Drive with Josh Graham Podcast.
Three internet sensations, guys! Tune into The Drive weekday afternoons, 3 to 7 on WSJS. We're on a Tuesday drive! It is WSJS, NewsTalk Sports for the Triad, where the first four of the NCAA tournament tips off tonight in Dayton. And for the first time in quite some time, one of our ACC locals is in action on Tru2V tonight. It is a 9-10 tip for North Carolina-San Diego State. And this is absolutely a game you should expect Carolina to win. The Tar Heels are much better prepared to have success tonight and in this tournament than the Aztecs are.
That is what's going to be the difference. They're in the ACC for one. And San Diego State's in the Mountain West Conference. How many times do we need to have this discussion about the Mountain West schools in the tournament versus ACC teams? The ACC, as a reminder, has had four Final Four teams in the last three tournaments, eight in the last eleven tournaments, or eight in the last nine, beg your pardon, three titles during that stretch. Meanwhile, the Mountain West has exactly one Final Four appearance this century, and that happens to be their only Elite Eight appearance as well. This century, last twenty-five years, Carolina this year has pushed the number one team in the country twice in the last two weeks. They've also faced two other top fifteen teams in conference play. Clemson at Little John Coliseum.
Okay! Louisville at the Yum Center. The Aztecs, do you want to know the last time they played a team currently ranked in the top twenty-five?
November! Okay, but if you're not with me on the ACC preparing teams, how about just from a scheduling format? The ACC has multiple two-day preps built into their scheduling, and they do that with March in mind.
Because guess what? When you play on Tuesday, you gotta play on Thursday. If you play on Thursday, you gotta play on Sunday. So, you see scheduling all throughout the ACC season. Every team has to deal with playing on Saturday and then quickly turning around and play on Monday. Coaches will tell you that is a big part of the reason they believe, and other conferences don't do this, namely the Mountain West, that helps them prepare for the NCAA. So, with that in mind, listen to Hubert Davis talking about the preparation process from Sunday's selection show to tonight's game in Dayton.
The preparation is the same. I mean, we've played three games in a row in Maui. We've played three games in a row in the ACC tournament. There's twice during conference season where we've had Saturday games and then had to play Monday against a different opponent on the road. And so, in regards to preparation and practice, none of that has changed, and we'll be prepared to play our best tomorrow against a really good San Diego State team. San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher was asked a similar question, and he said, our team hasn't seen anything quite like this yet.
And he's not wrong. San Diego State has played exactly one game this year on a one or a two day prep, and it happened the week of Thanksgiving. Back in November. How did that game go, Josh?
Happy to tell you. Ten point loss to Oregon. That's the only time they've had a one or a two day prep this entire year. They lost their first game in their conference tournament, and now here they are tonight on a two day prep. They learned the same time the Tar Heels did that they would be in Dayton and had this quick turnaround. And the Heels, they will win the game because they're playing better basketball, frankly.
They're playing with the chip. How many times do we hear the last team gets into the tournament and then they make a run? 2011 VCU comes to mind. UCLA went from the first four to the final four in 2021. North Carolina barely snuck into the tournament in 22. Of course, they went to the national championship game. North Carolina has won eight of the last 10. The two losses were against Duke.
Those were competitive games. San Diego State, meanwhile, has lost two of its last three games. And you know that the Tar Heels have heard all the guff over the last couple of days, even from the governor of West Virginia, about how they shouldn't be into the tournament. You're going to get a well-oiled machine tonight. Carolina is going to look the part, and they're going to beat San Diego State by 10, we'll go with. Joe Giglio will be our guest in about 10 minutes.
Ovious and Giglio, nobody more plugged in on the NC State coaching search. We'll get an update on that shortly on exit Josh Graham show at WSJS radio on his 29th birthday today, right? 28, 29. 29.
29 years young. The executive producer of this show is Will Dalton. A happy birthday to W.D. Feel free to give him a call at 336-777-1600 and wish him a happy birthday as he is helping run our video streams at Josh Graham Show and at WSJS radio.
Produce the show on YouTube. You can find us The Drive with Josh Graham. We may have a surprise for Will next hour during At The Movies. You want to remind the people what movie you watched for the first time last night? The Ben Affleck classic Gone Girl. Has it been enough time in order for that to be a classic? It's been 11 years. Yeah, it's a good movie. Really like it.
Excited to talk about it a little bit later on. But getting back to the tourney. Do you realize what kind of pressure Duke is under to perform in this tournament? Nobody is facing more scrutiny than they are.
And frankly, it isn't really even close either. It is truthfully final four or bust for John Shire's group. They went to the Elite Eight last year and they did so with a far less talented team. This year, they went 19 and one in the ACC. They won the ACC tournament without Cooper Flag. They are the number one team in the country and they're expected to have Cooper Flag at full strength going into their first tournament game Friday in Raleigh. Which is why, while he was still soaked with water that was doused on him after cutting down nets in Charlotte, I asked John Shire this very question about final four or bust and here's how he answered.
Do you think it's possible to quantify success for this group with anything short than a trip to San Antonio? I mean, look, that's obviously the goal. I mean, there's no question about it, but I don't think I just don't think of it that way. You know, I just think about it. I'm not running from that either.
Don't get me wrong. That's what we want to do. But just for us, we've we've approached this whole year, finished what's right in front of you.
And that's the same thing. So for us, what was right in front of us was tonight's game. We'll find out where we're going tomorrow. Obviously excited to see that and figure that out.
And then we'll finish the next game and then go from there. But I don't want to make any proclamations of what's success or not. Is that him dodging the question? Well, I think a little bit. Yeah.
A little bit. Final four or bust for Duke. Nobody else is close to having that. Nobody else is final four or bust. And you might think, well, Josh, Auburn's been just as good as Duke the entire year. It's not final four or bust for them. Bruce Pearl went to the final four in twenty nineteen. You might remember they fouled Kyle Guy final seconds of that game.
Kyle Guy had to hit all three free throws and he did. That's the last time Auburn's been to the final four. Auburn hasn't been to the sweet sixteen since twenty nineteen. And you're going to tell me, winning the regular season in perhaps the best year the SEC's ever had, they're going to turn their nose at an elite eight appearance or even a sweet sixteen appearance? At a football school?
Nah, it's not life or death like that. Like it is in the ACC at a place like Duke, Florida. You want to know the last time they went to the sweet sixteen? Not the final four. The sweet sixteen. Twenty seventeen.
Eight years ago. Not exactly final four or bust either in the SEC. Hashtag it just means more. The closest thing the final four or bust in this tournament is Houston. Just because Calvin Sampson's been there in the last few years and they've been knocking on the door. But nobody's facing more pressure than Duke is. If you get to the elite eight with Kyle Filipowski and you lose to NC State, your cross triangle rival, and now you're going into a building where you're going to see the banners that are up there because you lost those games in the ACC tournament and in the elite eight. Oh, hey, check out that final four banner. Hey, look at that conference championship banner. Remember, Duke didn't go to NC State this year. This weekend is going to be the first time that they play in Raleigh since those banners went up. The expectations are just higher for Duke than there are for anybody else at college basketball. And it would be shocking if they lost before the elite eight. Shocking.
Their path, it's just pristine. You're in Raleigh for the first two games. Who's the best team that you can get in the sweet sixteen?
Caleb Love in Arizona? Tar Heel for life, am I right? Got it on the shoes? How'd that work out for him in November when he was on his home court at Mackey?
Held to fifty five on your floor. Lost by nearly fifteen points. And that was, again, a very young Duke team playing in November.
Fair to say Duke a little bit better than they were back then? They're not losing to Arizona. Really, the only team I see in their region that could beat them is Alabama. But Alabama, we'll see what Grant Nelson, his health looks like and whether or not they could get to the elite eight. But it is it's something I don't say lightly. Final four bust.
It's something that makes my head explode. I didn't really feel it was final four bust for the Zion team in twenty nineteen because of how talented that region was, including the Cassius Winston, Michigan state team that beat them by two. I don't view that as a great failure. I thought that was a great season that Duke had this year. And this year it's different because, again, elite eight last year, ACC championship the year before that. And this team is just a lot different than that one was. Metrically the best team Dukes had this century. And Dukes won three national titles this century, including the 2001 team that many people believe was Duke's best national title team under K. Either that or 1992 with Grant Hill.
Ninety two or ninety three. Don't know which one people say are better between those two. But the pressure is on Duke. Nobody's facing more pressure.
It truthfully is final four bust getting away from the tournament for a bit. How close is NC State to naming its next basketball coach? Again, nobody's been more plugged in on this search than Joe Giglio of OVS and Jillio. And our buddy will join us to give us the latest next on the drive. I'm sorry, I'm a little winded.
A lot of talk. This is the drive with Josh Graham. Joe Giglio is with us here. OVS and Jillio check out their podcast.
Joe OVS, Joe Giglio doing great work and the work you've done. You broke the Kevin Keats firing news. You've been all over the NC State's search, which still isn't completed just yet. Probably because the guy that they want is coaching in the NCAA tournament. And the precedent hasn't been set like we've seen in college football that, hey, when you want to hire the guy, you got to go all Jay Lucas and leave right away. You're not able to finish your season yet. Still kind of dumb that we haven't moved the transfer portal date until after the final four ends.
But that's a separate issue for a separate day. How many names do you think is on Boo Corrigan's list right now? Joe Giglio, how narrow down is this? I think we're down to three, Josh, and appreciate you having me on. I also broke the news about the NC State chancellor, too, just in case, just while we're giving me credit for things. What was his name again? Kevin Howell.
Kevin Howell! There you go. No, I appreciate you having me on.
I appreciate you for your kind words. We're down to three here. And Will Wade is obviously viewed as the significant and favorite choice for the money side of NC State. The collective side, the Wolfpack Club side.
Use them as an avatar for the fan base if you'd like. It's probably accurate. They have fixated on Will Wade, former coach at VCU, former coach at LSU, and now, of course, at McNeese and in the NCAA tournament for the second time. Gets to face his alma mater, Clemson, in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Oddly enough, Clemson might be one of those schools in need of a coach. If Brad Brownell takes the Indiana job or is on Indiana's list.
I look at it this way with Will. I think, and remember, he was on Debbie's list in 2017. And at that time, he wanted to be patient.
He wanted to see all of his options. He was at VCU at the time, ended up at LSU. Because isn't the irony at that time that I think Brad Brownell had missed the tournament six straight years. And that job was in danger of coming open his alma mater for completely different circumstances than we're looking at in 2025 with Clemson's program.
Exactly. And he had indicated to Debbie Yow then that, listen, I'm interested in the job. They interviewed. I would like the job.
But if Clemson comes open, that's my alma mater, I would obviously prefer that job. So Debbie was like, fine. She offered the job to Kevin Keats.
Kevin Keats took it. And here we are eight years later. So I look at it this way. Will's always been a patient man. I think he remains a patient man and wants to see what his options are.
If Will's options are McNeice or NC State, I don't think there's any doubt he's wearing wolf pack red and white by this time next week. If those are his options. If other options come open, you know, he's a smart guy.
He's a practical guy. You look at the direction of the SEC and some of the programs that potentially could come open. You look at some of these other bigger jobs, perhaps that emotional connection to Clemson, and you wouldn't blame him for making a choice that would not be NC State. Also on that list is Justin Ganey. Justin Ganey, an assistant at Tennessee. Justin's done a great job with Rick Barnes. His son is one of Tennessee's best players. Justin, though, has a great track record in the state of North Carolina when he was at App State, understood how to get players in and out of this state.
Also at Arizona and Marquette. He's, Justin's just done a really good job. And I would love to see him come back to Raleigh. I know some fans would be disappointed, but Justin's also a guy who played for Herb Sendek here, has a long track record now as an assistant. And not just as an assistant, Josh, but as a guy who finds players, finds different players. And, you know, Levi Watkins is one of his friends, has been an assistant for Kevin Keats. I can imagine a scenario where Levi's on his staff and I think they'd be off and running.
I think it would be a good thing for NC State. The third name that I was told earlier this week is Richard Pitino. And Justin Ganey, I should add, initially was more along the lines of a candidate that Boo Corrigan would be more comfortable hiring than Will Wade with some of the baggage that he has. I think Boo might have had a conversation with the money people that went along the lines of, hey, you know, we haven't had to have this conversation with you yet, but it's our money that talks and walks.
Not your name. How uncommon or common do you believe that piece to be when we just watched a North Carolina football search that didn't really seem like it ended with the candidate that Bubba Cunningham had in mind, but the money people did? I guess, what do you believe to be Boo Corrigan's view of Will Wade? I would say this, Josh, if you now remember Boo was hired specifically to get in NC State through the NCAA issues back in 2019. Randy Woodson at the time, the chancellor at NC State going through the same thing, they spent millions of dollars on that case. They spent a significant amount of their time on that case.
So if that was your background, you would say that's not something I want to deal with moving forward. Now, the world has changed since 2019. There's no doubt about that. But I also wouldn't blame Boo or Randy for thinking, hey, let's put us in the best position. I think Ryan Odom would have been more along the lines of what Boo Corrigan, his dad, Gene, former AD at Virginia and Notre Dame and commissioner of the ACC, Ryan Odom's dad, Dave, former coach at Wake Forest, former assistant at Virginia as well. So I think that might have made more of a cultural fit, if you will, for Boo Corrigan. My understanding is Ryan had other ideas, speaking of options and patience.
And who knows where Ryan ultimately ends up, but we'll see. So I think Richard Patino is another name that's been entered here this week that I was told. And I was kind of surprised in the sense that Rick Patino was also a mentor for Rick Patino, his dad, mentor at Louisville to Kevin Keats.
Given the way Kevin Keats was just treated in the last two years, I would think he would prefer his son Richard to be in a different situation. But I think it kind of comes back down to that same scenario that I laid out for Will Wade. Would you rather be at New Mexico or NC State? I think that's a fairly obvious answer. It seems, though, that Richard Patino might have options, maybe Virginia. That's a name that keeps getting floated. Are you hearing, other than Clemson hypothetically coming open, are you hearing other schools that might have interest in Will Wade?
Because I have not. Yeah, I think that's the other part of this. You know, Texas in particular, we have this idea that Texas's search would look like NC State's search.
No. It was posited to me today in a way that it makes a lot of sense. If you're a Texas and you have all of their money that they have, why wouldn't you call Bill Self? Maybe Bill Self's disgruntled. The rumor I keep hearing is that they might try to hire the coach that they're going up against tomorrow night at Xavier or against Xavier. Yeah, here's the thing about Sean Miller at Xavier. You know, I think Sean was humbled by that same. He was at Arizona, got fired from the NCAA issues. I think he was humbled by all that.
And I also think going back to Xavier, being back home, if you will, for him, I feel like that put him in a little bit of a safe space, out of the spotlight, in a comfortable place. And not only that, Josh, you think about Xavier, they're in the Big East. Every coach, every AD, every agent I've talked to during this search, and even before this search, has told me, I'm trying to get my guy to the Big East next year.
Because with revenue sharing, the house settlement, revenue sharing means you're going to have more than 20 million dollars of basically a salary cap. Football is going to take up a big chunk of that for most major programs. In the Big East, there's no football. So I have heard from many coaches, ADs, and agents that have said, if I could get my guy to the Big East, I will. And that's what I had heard about Ryan Odom, quite frankly, that he had been targeting that Villanova job. You know, now you're talking about a 10 to 12 million dollar payroll. And I think Sean's in a great situation at Xavier for that reason. There's nothing stopping Xavier from having a 10 million dollar payroll next year. Just to give people an idea, on your program and Winston-Salem and the Triad, Duke's payroll was about 10 million dollars this year. Now, is that the only reason they're in the situation that they're in?
No. I mean, Kansas is in the same tax bracket but couldn't figure it out. Just because you have money doesn't mean you're going to win, but it certainly helps see Ohio State and the football results this year with their 20 million plus payroll that they had. Do you know what NC State's budget is likely to be? What NC State is selling to these guys? Yeah, I had heard not great numbers for NC State going into if Kevin had been retained. And it was a little bit more than two, a little bit less than three last year. If you think about it for NC State, revenue sharing was... For perspective, I was hearing more than four billion dollars, round five for Wake Forest.
Yeah, I think that probably sounds a little high for Wake. But if you think about NC State and their situation that they're in, North Carolina's football program... North Carolina as a school has already come out and said they've allotted 14 million dollars of revenue share money. They've earmarked 14 million dollars for their football program. Have you heard anything like that from NC State?
No. Even if they haven't outlined that, what did NC State do in the portal that suggests they have 14 million dollars laying around for football? I haven't heard that they're even committed to spending to that 20 million dollar cap, which is a question I asked John Curry at the introductory presser for their new coach, Jake Dickert.
And he said, yes, absolutely, we're going to be spending it 20 million dollars. So those are your in-state schools, what others in the state with NC State are doing within your league. I think the money people are telling Boo, they're telling Will Wade, they're telling his camp, you know, five or six, we can make that work, which would be obviously a significant jump for NC State. Now revenue sharing is different from NIL. You know, you and I have talked before about NIL and that's a tax on fans.
Revenue sharing is money from your media rights deals, from your ticket sales. And Josh, as you know, since you've been to every stadium up here... NC State's suite revenue is not reported as part of their federal tax numbers. That's a number that a lot of people like myself have kind of looked at for years and said, hmm, there's a line item missing here. And that number is significant because it's not what Carolina has, at least before the Blue Zone. It's not what Duke had before their recent remodel. That's a significant advantage that NC State has had over their rivals. Now, of course, no law school, no medical school, Duke and Carolina, we're not passing that for any of them.
But one of the revenue advantages that NC State has is from that football revenue stream. Joe Giglio with us here, Ovious and Giglio, let's get to the tournament really quickly. I don't want to call it rapid fire, but just we'll see how many we could get to quickly here. How is your bracket looking? I have not filled out a bracket. OK. I'm so mad. All of the teams I like are in Duke's region.
Yeah. And I have resigned myself to the fact that Duke is going to win. Arizona with Caleb Love. That's one of the teams you like.
No. Bama I know is one of them. Alabama, Wisconsin, BYU. Wisconsin might have got the worst draw of the entire bracket. I like offense this year.
For whatever reason, I've convinced myself that offense wins these games now. And Wisconsin and Alabama are the two poster children for that. Iowa State would be another.
Iowa State obviously has got their own problems that they've been working through here. My issue is they play the very last game on Sunday after playing several days in a row and just looking tired. So now they have to play Thursday in Altitude in Denver. And oh, who are the teams that you drew? Montana and potentially BYU. What do we know about those teams? They play in Altitude.
Acclimated. Yeah. That's a tough road to hoe for them, but I actually think Duke has a really difficult draw. Now obviously a lot of those teams are on the bottom of the bracket. But I still think Duke's the best team in the country. They're obviously clear of Auburn and Florida on the other side. Even St. John's I think might have been a little bit more of a heartache for Duke in a rock fight. But I like Duke. But I have not filled on a bracket yet because I just kind of look at it and I'm going.
All of the teams. And keep in mind, Josh, I am the inventor of the perfect bracket. I can't even conjure one in my brain right now. Since they're playing tonight, though, what is North Carolina's ceiling, you think, in their bracket? Yeah, I just six to one odds to get to the Sweet 16.
I don't know if you have a preferred gambling partner, but I punched that this afternoon. Even then, by the way, you might get Michigan State, who Carolina took to overtime in Maui. And routinely beats the tournament. You got Louisville and Auburn on the other side, who North Carolina has already seen as well. So there's some familiarity there. Yeah, I like the Tar Heels.
I'm bullish on them. Especially tonight against San Diego State. I was listening to your program before you had me on here.
And I agree with you. A lot of times that last team in, you know, VCU back in 11, George Mason back in six. It's like, oh, you weren't even supposed to be here, to quote Kevin Smith. We're not even supposed to be here. Play the sounder, W.D.
I have it somewhere in a file. Not even supposed to be here today. I'm not even supposed to be here today. A lot of times that team ends up making a run. So I do have a lot of faith in the Tar Heels and their path. Because as you know, Josh, if something good can happen to Carolina, it will. And it has.
Joe Giglio, Ovious Giglio. It's good to see you. Thanks for making the time. And I look forward to seeing when you're going to break the NC State men's basketball higher.
My guess is after Clemson wins and covers against Big D State later this week. I have that same ticket served. So I appreciate you having me on. And yeah, my clock's ticking.
I made it this long without swearing. So I'm going to jump off now. There he goes. Get out of here.
George Costanza it. Get him out of here. No cursing. Perfect. Love it.
He's with me on Clemson. Klimp-son. Little old Klimp.
The Zack Attack and the Lock-In Monster. Before we get to at the movies, we wish our very own producer, Will Dalton, a happy birthday today. Thank you. How old are you? Twenty nine.
Twenty nine years old. And to celebrate, we have East Coast Wang's in our studio. What flavor did you get?
Got me some dry rub lemon pepper. They look delicious. Oh, wow. How many wings are in there?
That'll be like at least 15. Shout out to those folks and a good appetite. Here's what I love. I got Mango Habanero wings in the studio here.
Here's what I love about having East Coast wings as a sponsor. They allow for me to perhaps break our offices. Number one rule, which is no food in the studio. Yeah, that's like the number one rule.
It's posted on our wall. Hey, no food in the studio, except when East Coast Wang's is in here. Look at that. Mm hmm. That's the move.
Mm hmm. Thanks to Chris. Shout out to Chris. Kernersville, East Coast Wang's, Greensboro, Curtisville, New Garden Road location. So I'll offer this pro tip to those in the audience before we start talking movies. Nothing goes better with postseason college basketball games than wings.
So if you're looking for a place to watch, I don't know, North Carolina, San Diego State, maybe tonight, make it East Coast Wang's in Kernersville or in Greensboro, Curtisville. OK, let's get to the main event. We'll watch Gone Girl for the first time last night. He'll tell us what he thought right now at the movies with the W.D. Unless you're talking about Star Wars will be one. Movies aren't exactly Will's thing. I don't get it.
You want culture swine? But that's about to change because Josh can't stand it anymore. This is at the movies with Will Dalton. What do you like? I can't resist. I mean, these are good. Was I just going to leave the wounded soldier there? No, not finish it off. Yeah. Something that this is a game and this is for show and most certainly is not.
It is not. We appreciate the wings. What you liked, what you didn't like. Best quote, rotten tomato score. Well, Dalton, what was your headspace like going into this movie that you said yesterday you had no idea anything about? David Fincher's Gone Girl, starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike.
And then how quickly did you realize what this movie was? Well, you you told me that it was about Ben Affleck's character who wife goes missing and they think he might have killed her, had something to do with it. That's all I knew. It's called Gone Girl. Yeah, that's all I knew. And I mean, the first lines in the movie, you know, I forget the exact wording of it, but something about y'all.
I'm wanting to bash your head and I'm like, OK, let's get this thing started. This is a movie about marriage. Yeah, it is.
And narcissism, extreme narcissism. So what did you like about this movie? Did you like this movie? I really like this movie. So I would classify this movie as a horror movie because a thriller.
Well, I mean, technically it is thrill of it. I'm going to call it a horror movie because that woman terrified me. I was very frightened. Amy Dunn. Amy Dunn frightened me. She might be the best movie villain of the last 15 years. Like I like that character's fabulous.
Really is. And have we heard of that actress since Roseman Pike? I guess. Hostiles. What was that movie that came out last year that you didn't want to see because you heard that it was very weird. And there was a seat, Barry Keogan. What was the name of that movie? Saltburn. Yes, she was in Saltburn and really funny in that. Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I know she was in the hostiles with Christian Bale. What? Hey, this movie is more than. A decade old. So there might be some spoilers in this.
That's right. The twist. There aren't a lot of great twists in the social media age. Now, it's hard to keep things under wraps in the 90s. They drop movies with great twists left and right. Unusual suspects in seven came out in the same year, for example.
But think about like last 12, 15 years, try to keep this under wraps. It's this movie and it's maybe get out. And that's pretty much it. Movies that have twists where she's alive and she's a sociopath, all that great movie villain. But I think that's probably what I like the most about this movie. Yeah. I mean, I, I did not see the twist coming. So that's that's definitely the thing I like the most about it, because they they spend it, I mean, because it is a two and a half hour long movie, but I didn't mind it because they took an hour painting the picture that Ben Affleck probably murdered his wife.
He was a cheater. Yeah. And then as she's describing, some of it does make you look inward where there's the scene where he's in the police station. Oh, she's a voracious reader. And oh, you don't know what she does all day. You don't know who her best friends are. You don't know her blood type. I don't know her blood type. And I'm just thinking, I don't even know what my own blood type is.
And let alone with my wife's blood type is my bad husband. Maybe I'll tell you what else I liked about this movie. Tyler Perry. Tyler Perry. I really liked his character.
You didn't. I liked his cameo. It's hardly a cameo.
He's a role in it. But what you didn't like, I the first time I watched this movie, I didn't like Tyler Perry in this movie because really I all I could think is that's Tyler Perry. And then it wore off. It grew on me. And I think I actually like his performance now.
I do. I've never gotten there with Neil Patrick Harris. He didn't like his character. I mean, well, I just didn't. I'm a huge fan of How I Met Your Mother. He wasn't a good guy in the movie.
I'm a huge fan of How I Met Your Mother. So I couldn't I can't still to this day. I've watched this movie about 10 times. I still have not been able to watch this movie and remove Barney Stinson from my head when I watch this movie. See if Barney Stinson on top of Roseman Pike at the end of the movie and meet his demise to a box cutter.
Oh, that's again, brutal like association. I just have baggage and the baggage is that I love Barney Stinson's character or I love Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother. And I don't like seeing Barney Stinson get got. Boy, he got he got it, didn't he? He did. I just didn't need it. And it wasn't even the greatest performance either. It was kind of strange, just very strange. So the thing that I didn't. So let me start with one weird casting, just weird. One small gripe before I get to what I really didn't like about this.
OK. It bothered me when he pulled out a Mets hat that kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I didn't like that.
Maybe a little upset. Well, there's a back story about that, apparently. Well, he's a Boston guy. The back story is that the director wanted him to wear a Yankee cap and he refused. It was the one thing that he pushed back on saying it's kind of like when Jack Nicholson played in The Departed. He was essentially Whitey Bulger in that movie and he would not wear a Red Sox hat. He would refuse to do it.
Matt Damon, like would, but like he would he refused to do it. So that's why it was a Met cap. And it doesn't make any sense because they're in Missouri and he's wearing St. Louis stuff all the time. Yeah. Like it doesn't make sense that he's wearing a Met cap in that spot. But that's apparently the back story because you're right. Affleck's a Boston guy. Right. And David Fincher, you can shoot me closing a door 80 times. You're not going to make me wear a Yankee cap.
It's not going to happen. Now, the thing that I really didn't like about the movie that I thought we were getting to it. It was building, building, building. She she got away with it. She got away with it.
Where's the SMU Aaron Paul drop from Breaking Bad? He scared me. Get away with it. I couldn't. I thought.
Will Dalton in his house. It's how I was. Because listen, I thought I knew what a psychotic woman was. I had no idea until this movie took it to a whole nother level.
Yeah. And she got away with it. The movie's better that she does.
What did you want the payoff to be? Her getting either off or put in jail. It does make you think it'd be great as a sequel every year. What's the next story? Yeah.
With them as parents. I mean, yeah. Best quote.
Ben Affleck's character. You're delusional. I mean, you're insane.
Why would you even want this? Yes, I loved you. And then all we did was resent each other, try to control each other. We caused each other pain. Her character. That's marriage. That's probably the best line in the movie.
Everyone knows that complicates code word for B word. I think that movie. I think that line. That's a good one. It's something that you just associate now in culture. I think when people hear complicated, they think that that line might have resonated in a way culture. I don't know why this one just stood out. It's one of my favorites early on in the movie. What's the laptop for?
Laptoping. I've used that line many times. I've killed for you. Who else can say that? So psychotic. Rotten Tomatoes score for Gone Girl.
I'm going to guess in eighty seven. Right on the nose. Go ahead and tell me it was right on the nose. Right on the nose. Let's go. Happy birthday, Will Dalton.
Yeah, that's been at the movies with the W.D. This is it. Ready? All right. Do it. Do it.
All right. This is the drive with Josh Graham. Did you see the trailer for Happy Gilmore to today?
I saw it drop and watched it yet. I like Adam Sandler movies. Are they movies that often carry critical acclaim? Generally not.
There are exceptions. Punch drunk love. Uncut gems. But you like Sandler movies for what they are. It's like. The McDonald's of movies. Sometimes you don't need something so thoughtful. You just need a Big Mac.
That's what you need. And that's a Sandler movie. We like to hold our show up to a high standard. We like to create smart content. We think we do from time to time. But sometimes will people driving home. They don't want to think they just want they want a Big Mac.
That's what they want. And that's what this segment is, because there are two dumb tournament debates that we've got to have right now. NBA player Alex Caruso. Was on Barstool Sports is part of my take. Eddie opened up the can. The can being how many NBA players could lead a 16 seed to a title if you were to parachute them on the squad. That conversation. That's the can he opened up.
Here's his take on it. Guys in the NBA are so good. Yeah. Yeah. You got to automatically think bigs have an advantage because it's college. Like the big is back. Right. Yeah.
You know, so like that brings in a whole nother couple group of people. I think probably 30 to 40 like Giannis playing on like a 16 seed. I think they would probably win. You wouldn't even have to dribble. He just you just go.
He's so strong. Right. You would. It doesn't matter.
He would. Boy, you thought the whole team 30 players around 30 players. He says you put them on a 16 seed. You put them on Norfolk State, let's say, and Norfolk State is going to cut down that to win the title.
W.D., your reaction. I think if you put LeBron James on a 16 seed. Are you OK with 30 being the number between 30 and 40? Yeah, I'm cool with it. I'm not. I think it's disrespectful of college coaches who can figure out a way.
To isolate one guy who can figure out a way in some cases. Now, am I going to say the number zero? No, I won't go that far.
But I think the number is around five and maybe less than five. Like there are two I'm putting on the list and I'm saying if you put them on Norfolk State, they win the national title or they're going to get to the final four. And that's Giannis and Jokic. But I think you have to have that physical dominance piece, Will.
I think you have to have that because. Let's say Steph Curry, for example, one of the greatest players ever, not super physical imposing, if you are a team defending Steph Curry, you just put two guys on him the entire game. And Steph still might get off, but he's going to need help. He's going to need help from other players. And are you telling me he might get by the first game? You telling me Steph's going to be able to win with that team six times in a row against the top college coaches trying to game plan against that one guy?
I don't think so. So I think Giannis and Jokic, what he's saying there about Jokic or about Giannis is true. He might just foul out the entire team.
You're just not going to stop that guy. He's too physically strong and imposing. Jokic the same way. So after that, I think it's maybe Durant, maybe Tatum, maybe LeBron, maybe Luka.
I think that's the list because of the physical element of it, just how different they are physically. But even in LeBron and Durant's cases, I mean, LeBron has found a sweet spot, Will, where he can protect his body from having to play so often given his age. You're telling me LeBron's going to win six games in a row in college? I ain't ruling it out.
I'm not. I probably add him to the list. LeBron, Durant, Tatum, and then Giannis and Jokic, maybe Luka.
So I'm at five or six players that you could potentially do that for. I don't think I welcome anybody else in that conversation. I don't think I do. So that's my opinion on that debate. The next debate. Troy coach Scott Cross revealed his secret recruiting tactic. This is a 14 seed in the tournament.
Troy going up against Kentucky in round one. Here's Scott Cross. Started off, the first two recruits I brought on campus were driving down the main street. I point out Waffle House, ask them if they want to eat there for breakfast. And they were like, Waffle House? Hell nah, I don't want to go to Waffle House. I'm like, OK, my bad.
I'm trying to eat somewhere else. Long story short, we signed neither one of those guys. Then we brought a guy named Nick Stampley, who's an OKGR kind of guy. He was our third recruit to visit.
We're driving by. We don't even say anything about Waffle House. He sees, he's like, oh, coach, I've got a Waffle House here. Can we go there tomorrow? He was our first signee.
He was one of the toughest guys we've ever coached. And from that point forward, we just kind of offhand ask them, do you like Waffle House? The answer is yes. It's like we sign them.
If it's no, we never get them. I love that. Waffle House, you say? I love that.
That sounds very Steve Forbes-esque. OKGWD, our kind of guy. Yeah.
OKG. And I'm a big Waffle House guy, so I respect the heck out of that. This is the opposite of what Jim Boeheim did when he recruited. He's like, do you like Denny's? Yes.
Well, then you're not going to play for my team. He didn't like Denny's? I'll let you get on the Google machine on that one. Yeah, I don't know about this. Yeah. He's like, do you like Denny's? Yes.
Well, you're not playing for Syracuse. I'm fine with Waffle House, but it does lead to the question, Will. Is there a restaurant? Let's relate, because recruiting often is related to dating. Always happens.
There's comparisons between the two. Is there a restaurant that if she doesn't like, it's a deal breaker for you? 336-777-1600. Is there a restaurant that if you're dating and she says, nope, not a fan, don't like it, not going to go there, that it's a deal breaker for you? Because my wife, not a fan of Golden Corral, says we're not going to Golden Corral.
That's not her vibe, not her place. That was not a deal breaker for me. But if my wife said, yeah, I don't like Chick-fil-A, sorry, just not into it, not about what their values are or whatever, then I think that's probably a deal breaker for me. If you don't like the Lord's Chicken, that's a deal breaker for you? I think I'm out. Is there a restaurant that someone says, oh, I don't like that place, and it's you're out, you're out on that? No, not a restaurant, more so like if they don't drink coffee. That's a deal breaker. Or, yeah, that's kind of a deal breaker for me.
Good to know. Let's go to Tim in Winston-Salem. Tim, I've got about a minute here.
What's your question? First of all, it's the Gorging Corral. The main reason for my call, I've been reading a lot of things online about Steve Forbes maybe being a candidate for the Iowa job to replace McCaffrey. Have you guys heard anything about that?
I appreciate the call. I haven't heard Forbes connected there, but if Iowa offered Steve Forbes that job, he'd take it. I don't know if that's breaking news to anybody, but Steve Forbes has had a rough go at Wake where he was told when he took the job, if you win double-digit games in conference, you're making the tournament. And Steve's done that four straight years and hasn't made the tournament, and he has fans yelling at him that he's not doing a good job. And Iowa's home for him.
The Big Ten does produce a ton of NCAA tournament teams. So yeah, if he's offered that gig, he would take it. If he's in consideration, he would certainly listen. But I haven't heard that. I've heard of some names that are not in the mix for Iowa, as you're right, Fran McCaffrey dismissed last week.
That is a school to keep an eye on. I think it would be terrible for Wake if they were to lose Steve Forbes. Some think that that would be a good thing. I think that's insane.
And it's something to keep an eye on. You don't want Steve Forbes' name to be in the mix at Iowa. I need to purr.
Give me to purr. B-Dot is the sixth man of Tar Heel basketball. Saw a lot of them last week in Charlotte. And since the Tar Heels got into the tournament, and they play tonight, we have to welcome him back. And Dot, you put it out on your social media that the Tar Heels are villains. We've got a governor talking about them, how West Virginia should be in over the Tar Heels. Jon Rothstein, who's going to be calling tonight's game. You know, the guy who interviews the coach after the first and second media timeout. We're at the end of the game.
Yeah, going to be talking to Hubert Davis. Said it was a miscarriage of justice that North Carolina was in. You said that North Carolina has taken the role of a villain. When do you remember that ever happening? I don't know, man. Folks are trying to remind me that back in 2017, we took a bit of a villain role.
But I don't recall it, especially to this level, where everybody in the country has something to say about them Tar Heels. To the point where somebody hit me up. One of my folks hit me on the phone. They said, Dot, we need you to do it. I said, do what? They said, Dot, we need you to go into the vault and bring it back. We don't know what happened.
We don't care, but we need you to do it. So for the people, for the fans. The crown. The crown. The crown is back. The crown is back.
Wow. It's been a while. It's been a while.
How's it fit? Oh, man. So I take that. Take it.
That means you're optimistic about the Tar Heels and the draw that they received. Oh, yeah. It's like track and field, baby. It's time to make a run. You understand what I'm saying to you?
It's time to do this thing. As an 11C, 11 is my favorite number. You know that I was born on 9-11.
So 11 is my favorite number automatically. So by them being an 11C, RJ Davis is his last ride right here. Jay Wick gets a chance to right his wrongs.
Everybody gets to end on a high note. Why not now? Why not us? I feel the need to clarify that Dot was not born on 9-11 2001. No, no. B Dot.
Well before that. Somebody on this show was born on March the 18th, 1996. Today is March the 18th.
His name is Will Dalton. Let's get this dub tonight. Happy birthday, my boy. We know we get a dub. Now I'm about to go put some money on this.
There's got to be a birthday dub for my brother. North Carolina minus four and a half. Seth Trimble over nine and a half points. Send me that cash out, fam. There you go. Some money for you. He's ready.
He's got the hat on and all. You were right last week. I was skeptical. Now they were the last team in. I think I said on Friday to you that you still could get in by losing to Duke, but you would need some breaks. The breaks that they got, according to the committee chair, Bubba Cunningham and Keith Gill, was that Memphis didn't lose to UAB and that VCU did not lose to George Mason. You didn't really have to bid thieves like NC State a year ago.
So I think it's possible. It's rare that this is the case that you and I both were right at the same time. No, I think you were definitely more wrong because I told you I didn't know I didn't care about the metrics or any of that foolishness. I just told you straight up that we did not need to beat Duke to get into the tournament.
I did not feel like we needed to be. I felt like if we got to do everybody else that is talking about West Virginia lost in the first round, they lost in the first round. We won two games in our conference tournament and then got there to Duke.
That is what it is. I'm telling you, man, I knew that from the beginning. I felt like we had a very strong schedule. No, I mean, yes, we were horrible in our Q1 games. However, those were some tough-ass Q1 games, man. Duke three times, you got Kansas. We had a gauntlet of Q1 games and we didn't get destroyed in any of them. A lot of them were within one possession.
I was comfortable in that. I don't like even though I put that on my video being very funny about the nepotism of Bubba Cunningham. I don't like the negative energy that Bubba Cunningham is getting as if he was the end-all be-all and told everybody in the room. Hey, make sure y'all vote to bring the Tar Heels in. It is not that type of situation. If that was the case, when we didn't make it a couple years ago, he would have had something to say about that.
So I don't think that Bubba Cunningham had anything to do with it. I do think it is a lot on how well we did in our conference tournament, which wasn't great, but I felt like it was good enough to get the job done. And we deserve to be dancing, dancing, dancing. We'll play some machine.
All Tar Heels. Do it, baby. Do the bop, do the bop. Do the bop, do the bop.
Do the bop, do the bop. How's your bracket looking? I don't do brackets. Ever since that season where the Tar Heels didn't make the tournament mini Tar Heels, we no longer do brackets. Mini Tar Heels or just you? I'm telling you, I've talked to other Tar Heels and they'd be like, nah, I haven't done a bracket since we didn't make the tournament a couple years ago. I promise you. Why?
I don't know. We were just checked out that year and we just never bounced back. It's not anything against the brackets. It's just that year when we weren't in it, I didn't fill out a bracket.
And there are other Tar Heels fans that did the same and I just never went back. I'm not caught up in the mystique anymore. OK, fair enough. Do you know what mystique I am caught up in, though?
What's that? Grammar school. Oh, let's do it. Josh Graham has his own way of speaking. 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. I have a caucastic question this week. I didn't have one ready last week.
I have one now. I think you got nervous because you had Joel Berry in the car and you didn't want to show off your caucastic knowledge. That's true. I think I think that did happen. I don't know if you know this, Dot, but this morning the Major League Baseball season started. Oh, next week is opening day.
They have a special series that's being played just this week. Can you name either of the teams that played in the game or where the game was? All of them.
Acceptable answers. Oh, that was the question. Can you name either of the teams that played this morning or where the game was?
The morning might be a tip. There were teams that played this morning and where the games were. Any knowledgeable baseball fan would easily know the answer to such a pedestrian question.
I'm really not even sure if this fits under caucastic questions. One game, one game, not multiple games, just two teams playing one game this morning. That's what I said. Don't correct me when I'm rambling. Sorry.
That's what I said. One game, two teams. I'm going to say it was the Yankees and the Astros and they played in Florida. Wow, that is 100% correct.
Whoa, why did you hit that sound? It was in Tokyo and it was the Dodgers and Cubs. That's why it was this morning.
All right. Why don't you think baseball should be included as caucastic? It's like a 6%. In the 90s, it was 15 to 20% black baseball.
Now I think it's down to six. I think we have 6% black players in baseball. Yeah, that might be a stretch. There's not a question you can ask that's more caucastic than a baseball question. Maybe a NASCAR question. Golf? Golf?
That's pretty caucastic. Yeah, golf, golf, golf. But I know a couple things from golf and I know a couple of the players, the big players in golf.
Baseball? Name a non-black golfer. Name a non-black golfer?
Do they have to be alive or can I go Jack Nicklaus here? No, you say you know many of the top golfers. I don't know them, but I know that more than I know NASCAR drivers, Josh Graham.
So the answer is zero. No, I know Danny Hamlin. I know him. He's a NASCAR driver. That's right, Danny Hamlin. Yeah, and I know Raja Karooft even though he's in the Truck Series.
Hey, I have something to bribe people with too. Carolina Corps FC is at home on Thursday night. They're facing something called Soda City FC. I like that name. It is the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. It's in High Point at Truist Point. If you call in and help me out, you'll have tickets to that.
What do you have? If somebody says, Damn, Gina, that's a reference to what show? Ah, I like this question. Is that Martin?
That is Martin. Good job. Good job. Good job. Good job. Damn, Gina. Damn, Gina. Yeah.
All right. What is a KI? KI? Yeah, a key.
Oh, so it's not KI. It's key. Yes, key. What is a key or what is key? What's a key?
A key. KI. Yeah. So this is like an abbreviation.
No, not an abbreviation at all. Key. KI. Yeah.
336-777-1600. I feel like this is a lot different than the Troy coach saying that he only recruits players that want to go to Waffle House and doesn't recruit players who don't want to go to Waffle House or don't like Waffle House, describing those type of players who do want to go to Waffle House as being OKG our kind of guy. Who said that? What coach said that?
Troy's basketball coach saying that there seems to be a trend that if guys aren't willing to go to Waffle House, they're not willing to go to Troy. If they are, then that's OKG our kind of guy. Is the coach black or white? He's white. So it's probably going to be frowned upon, but I like his attitude. It's probably going to be frowned upon what he said just because he's white.
But I'm telling you, I know what he means. And that man said he wants some dogs. You know why? Cause dogs eat at Waffle House. Anybody eat at Waffle House, you already know you want an all-star special.
Let me get that. Pecan waffle. Put pecans in my waffle. Let me get eggs. Scramble hall with cheese and some scrambled eggs. No, no. And some scrambled hash browns.
Yeah, bacon. KI, who am I going to? Let's go to Big Jim in advance. Big Jim, what's a key or a KI? What's a key? It's a get together with good friends, I guess.
OK, I'll go with that because I have no better guess. I'll trust you on this. It's a get together. It's like, what's a key? Hey, it's a get together.
We're hanging out. It's a key. Now, a KI key is a get together. A key is if you and I have a hearty laugh with one another. I think camaraderie.
No, that is incorrect. If you and I have a key, if I said me and Josh, oh, we had a good key about that. That means we had a good laugh about that.
That's a failure on still. I lose that, but I like the answer enough that that guy deserves tickets. Give that guy tickets to go see High Point. What's a KI key?
He was 100 percent correct. A KI key is a gathering where folks get together and have a bunch of keys. You get what I'm saying? Understand.
OK, what's the last one here that I have to get right now? What does it mean to swerve? I might swerve in that corner. Woah. I do that all the time now.
It makes me it just makes me laugh. Like when someone does a little spin, hits a shot in the corner. Swerve in that corner.
Woah. Bend that corner. Swerve. Bend that corner.
Swerve in that corner. Woah. Oh, my God. Shout out to Jello. Greensboro Swarm.
Great Jello. So you're asking me what again? Swerve.
Yeah. What does it mean to swerve? I might swerve in that corner. What's it mean to swerve? I've heard this so much and I never sat to wonder what it mean or to think about what it means.
Yeah, I understand that. W.D., do you know that means to swerve in that corner? Woah. Bend that corner. Stop swerving in the corner and swerve. Bend that corner, man. Swerve in that corner. Woah.
It just means like. Stop throwing it down when you say bend the corner. Stop doing that. Yeah, stop it. You're making the birthday boy upset. Yes, you are. Yeah, his brother plays with a shard of horns.
I'm really upset about it. I just think it means like to cut direction really quick. You know, swerve. You're swerve. That's not it. That's not it.
OK. I think swerve means to. I think it's like. I'm going to go back to like having a having a key, like having a good time, like you're swerving. But we're having fun. We're we're drinking. We're eating. We're doing our thing.
We're swerving. Why were you so against W.D.? Like, why were you instantly? It sounded so stupid.
The moment W.D. told you his answer, why did you immediately cut him off and said no way? Because it sounded wrong. Tell him I was right. Tell him I was right.
Tell him. You're both wrong. I knew you were wrong.
I knew it in a heartbeat. Swerve means that you like, you know, turn the wheel real quickly and change your actions. I did not say it like that. I thought that's what I mean. Just swerve. Swerve in that corner. Whoa. Well, yeah, like you see, but swerve means to avoid something. Yeah, like traffic.
No, no, no, no. Like if if if there's a party going on, I'm like, now I might swerve. I'm not going to party like such and such. I'm going to talk to him. I'm going to swerve. I'm not going to have that conversation.
I'm avoiding that. Yeah, I could be in my car, though, swerving away from the in your car. Yes. The very literal term when you turn your vehicle. That is swerving. That is a very literal term. That's not car cash.
So to answer your question, given how literal W.D. was, that's that's why I turned it away. That's why I knew it was wrong immediately. It was just hilarious how fast you said no way.
No, no, not a chance. Well, Josh, that was not a passing grade today. And that is unfortunate for you today. It's been a long time. You've done a bit of a roll, but today you sort of failed by the wayside.
I did. Dot, we love you. It was good to hang out last week.
Got the crown back on. That is exciting. It is exciting. And Tar Heel fans should be excited about tonight. You enjoy it, buddy. Absolutely, man. We're going to kick some Aztec ass butt. There goes the sixth man of Tar Heel basketball.
