The Drive with Will Dalton

With These Hands (9-4-25)

·1 hr 3 min·5 clips
Why does Josh Graham think North Carolina football might still be fine after their worst-case scenario opener?
The episode begins with Josh Graham addressing North Carolina's disappointing football opener, suggesting it might be an aberration and that the team has time to improve. He points to examples like Clemson and SMU from previous seasons to argue against overreacting to week-one results. Graham then shifts to NFL talk, declaring the Philadelphia Eagles a lock to beat the Dallas Cowboys, largely due to the psychological impact of Dallas trading Micah Parsons. He details how the trade signals a lack of faith in the current team and creates a disadvantage against a rival on banner night. The show includes a segment called 'Weekly Positivity,' where callers share good news and can win tickets to local college football games. One caller, Hunter, enthusiastically discusses the kids' music group Slugs and Bugs, leading to an on-air play of their song 'Tractor Tractor.' Later, producer Will Dalton presents a curated clip package from Carolina Panthers coordinator press conferences, extracting two minutes of entertaining content from 30 minutes of coach-speak. Graham then discusses his Survivor Pool strategy, picking the Eagles to avoid a repeat of last year's early elimination. He also shares his college football best bets for the week, including Kansas plus points against Missouri and an over/under for UNLV-UCLA. The episode features recurring segments like 'B Dot's Grammar School,' where host and guest test each other on slang and trivia, including questions about Cal Ripken Jr.'s consecutive games record and terms like 'e-girl.' The show concludes with a humorous attempt to introduce the guest to My Chemical Romance's 'Welcome to the Black Parade.' Throughout, the tone is conversational and focused on sports analysis, betting insights, and lighthearted interactions.

As heard by us

A rough opener, a Zoom-era misunderstanding, and a rookie welcome give this sports-radio episode a sturdy argumentative spine.

The episode treats North Carolina's rough opener as less a verdict than a stress test for sports-radio optimism. The host makes the case that Bill Belichick's group might still be fine if the loss proves to be an aberration, especially with so much of the schedule likely to…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get North Carolina optimism, Zoom-era press-room comedy, and a TMAC debut preview in one fast-moving sports hour.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on