The Drive with Josh Graham - ACC Football is Coming

Drive near days Wednesday and Thursday very little sought by coaches and players, you do say anything like Larry Fedora last year will dominate the news cycle why there's nothing else to talk about and dominate the event. Furthermore, that from happening. Coaches, players, league administrators, they often say nothing.

Stay on message and discuss the same topics over and over again. So what I'm interested in to make this event a lot more fun for us. I like the idea of creating an ACC media day bingo board that we can get to for Wednesday and Thursday of this week before we do that I want to prepare Wake Forest fans for what is about to happen. I been studying up on every single ACC team. I just now broadened it to the SEC I pick up the magazines. It's very exciting time when the magazines are on the shelves fantasy football previews for the NFL Phil Steele's magazine and I flipped immediately to the ACC section of Phil Steele's magazine defined Wake Forest yet again has been picked in the bottom third of the Atlantic division Wake Forest is going to be picked no higher than fifth this year and it's a damn crime. Wake Forest fans you should just prepare yourself mentally. Now you're going to be picked either fifth or sixth in the league but shouldn't really deter you. Last year you were picked sixth and you had your third consecutive winning season. You were picked seven years ago one a bowl game. You were picked for finished in the top half of the Atlantic division so you should be that worried about this. Maybe by now you're not. But I just want to prepare you anyway and also add on that. I expect Wake Forest to be pretty good this year, not just pretty good. I think they're gonna win eight games. I really do. Looking at the schedule, I think Wake Forest can and will win eight football games this year, but in terms of the expectations Clawson understands it. When we were talking to him in the spring.

This is from the spring press conference he already saw magazines putting out bowl projections not including Wake Forest and it and he responded with this list will be shocked and probably die of a heart attack in my curly over so my career minutes. Whatever. It's been every year. It's just as other schools that were not the only one they get disrespected like that, but it's really I guess maybe hopefully next year we can make it for the role and then maybe one projector on the last person that has Wake Forest in some Barlett doesn't even exist now and I will be up in an article for something as bad as the article bowel sounds is that much worse than the Birmingham ball.

Let's just be honest here call a spade a spade. That's where Weick was at last year.

Now you're Birmingham's fine. I've been the Birmingham I'm here to tell you I'd rather be in Antarctica even in December, 336-777-1600 on Twitter at sports on triad. I want to pick Wake Forest any lower than third in the Atlantic division this year.

Now Clinton's number one right Syracuse they lose their all-time leading passer and Eric done.

She now it's Tommy DeVito playing quarterback, but they have a strong offense of line good skill position players excellent secondary a very good coach and Dino Baber's they handled Wake Forest last year in inside BB&T Field. I like Syracuse being the second best team in the week. I think most people agree with that.

After that it gets muddied. Nobody is convinced Florida State is going to be bad back to back years. I'm not sold on Willie Taggart. I wasn't sold on him dating back to his Western Kentucky days.

I spoke to my handful at times when he was at South Florida losing seasons.

His first two years at both those stops. Then he happy catches lightning in a bottle finds himself in Oregon for a year and after one year at Oregon Florida State decided this is the perfect guy to succeed a national championship winning coach Jimbo Fisher. I'm not sure if that's gonna work out great. I need to see more from Willie Taggart. I need to see more from the Seminoles to pick them over Wake Forest and a proven commodity and Dave Clawson was going to three consecutive bowl games and won all three of those ballgames something that's never been done in the school.

If your ranking head coaches in the league. Dabo's probably number one probably say David Cutler since he was a national coach of the year is background the quarterbacks even last year getting to a ballgame. Dave Clawson probably is the third best coach in the ACC right now. Now that Mark Richt retired. He's a part of the ACC network now that Paul Johnson's out of the league retiring as well. I go as far to say that only David Sutcliffe and Dabo Sweeney are higher on that list of top coaches. Now I know it's a statement about Dave Doran. I'd still take Dave Clawson. I think he's had to do more at Wake Forest than what NC states had to overcome under coach Dorn but just what makes you think Wake Forest is going to be great again this year.

When I look at the dates I see a team that has strong returning starters in every single one of their units, offense, defense and special teams. A strong returning starter and every single one of those units and I don't know how many teams in the ACC can say that what started the most important opposition group quarterback wake.wake up doesn't only have one quarterback who have one games Sam Hartman starting the season showing a lot of flashes Jamie Newman finishing the year winning on the road at NC State and Duke in winning the ballgame coming from behind against Memphis. Both those guys are battling it out. You have them both returning in the quarterback room running back Kate Carney returns wide receiver St. Surratt eludes storage but you have saved Surratt and even Scotty Washington back the office of line, it hurts, losing to Phil Haynes but just in her Ron got hurt in the first game last year out for the rest of the season. That was it. All ACC left tackle who returns hopefully could stay healthy, but all of this that were talking about his health permitting.

It always is in the preseason just in her Ron. If these on the field is all ACC caliber left tackle on the defense.

You got Budge Basham on the D line at linebacker Justin Stern add in the secondary St. Bassi, Toby Davis, who also got injured that first game. A leader in the secondary back special-teams got Maggio and Skiba both your specialist returning every single unit. Wake Forest has. There's a good returning starter. There so I expect Mike to be good. Here's my biggest concern with wake.

Therefore most difficult games on the schedule or on the road.

The good news with the schedule is for the first time since 1921. From a marketing perspective white John Curry's been pushing so much for people to buy tickets you have NC State Duke and North Carolina coming to the BB&T Field it's the first time Wake Forest is hosted those three teams since 1921. That's the good news. The bad news is not of those teams are great. You should when those games but it gets a lot more difficult when you have to go to Syracuse this year. You have to go to Clemson you have to go to Virginia Tech you have to go to Boston College before most difficult games on Weick scheduled those for or on the road but I expect wait to get one of them now, not the Clemson game. We got the Syracuse game. Virginia Tech and Boston College.

I think Wake Forest can get one of David Glenn's could hang out with us and studio a little bit. He just finished up his show, so you'll step in here and just a bit. He wrote a longform story on the ACC network which I'm very interested to discuss with them because it presents interesting questions about what ACC fans will be compelled to do if their carrier does not have the ACC network. Also, what television revenue means today in the arms race of college athletics will get to that the dry broadcast live in the Law offices of Timothy D. Wellborn Studios, but let's start to address this ACC media day bingo card were putting together.

Maybe David Hale can help us as well. From ESPN college football reporter. He was suggesting somebody create such a thing on social media, so why not us things that we expect to be discussed at ACC football media days ACC kickoff Wednesday and Thursday. Let's start with 44 to 16 yesterday to discuss clear that's probably get mentioned. I think that score is mentioned quite a bit. Well that you'll ever be back Clemson schedule. You can argue this is an SEC media day bingo card. The biggest topic Dabo Sweeney might as well go to SEC media days as much as they talk about Clemson over there. I'm sure this is to have Clemson about the point I'm making is as much as they're talking about Clemson at SEC media day by Dabo love to have him, letting out a schedule with your schedule.

Even though Pam is playing Duke and nobody else. Duke and nobody else. Ajay Dylan's legs. Have you seen these things okay.

Seems like one Barclays likes right. This is the new sick one. Barclays likes Ajay Dillon.

He was walking right next to me at the weight Boston College game going into an elevator and I just I did.

He didn't have his jersey on and he's only been in public consciousness for like a year and 1/2 or so.

I recognize who he was because of his legs. They are tree trunks. These things those thighs by God Ajay Dillon for Boston College.

There was a predator. The first one we are where the soreness was negative for Spirit is saying what a first mate adapted to as an advantage of the road just afflicts both of his boss is you know what they look like like a man will find all all I am a die will you could tweet us at support sub dryad things were to be talking about time and time again at ACC media days in Charlotte again this weekend presented this question.

The sports fans just how much will it take to get you to root against your team that's next on the drop is 20. Now back to the drive with Josh Graham college athletics for decades has been all about talk about routing in the late 70s and 80s go back and watch the pony express what old Southwest conference will see that it was done less than legally leading to harassing you, then it became all about facility trying to convince kids come to school based on having the best places for them to hang out to work out in and the stadium experience in such now. I think the next frontier, at least for conferences seems to be television revenue and subscriptions which has been very interested in the story that David Glenn wrote today. DJ just got done with the show now is hanging out with us here in our support sub Studios. The story is about one month before its long-awaited launch, the ACC network is the big focus of huge questions and big money, it's, it's all about. I think this is the new arms race in college athletics because the SEC and Big Ten network. Those league members have made on average an extra $20-$25 million per year then ACC schools because they have television networks that have produced hand over fist types of cash for the athletic department. The SEC network generates our house at 59 million sub subscriptions or subscribers excuse me, and the Big Ten network is 55 million. The ACC right now, a month before launch has 19 million but as things begin to separate in terms of revenue and resources. I pick a place that you look at and you spelled out pretty well. Look at the pipe 12 and how they fallen behind and how that's coincided with the way their network has struggled in a way that the Big Ten and SEC networks out and those conferences seem to be thriving at work but the big question I feel like that needs to be asked to you and to everybody else's. How much is our our ACC fans going to demand that their television carrier have the ACC network also great. Yeah, great question Josh get some feedback right now, so maybe a desk correct up with Dan reticle, which is the Clemson athletic director and he put his finger right on the gist of this issue when he said, look, the ACC network must be successful. If we in the ACC are going to continue to have the resources to compete with other programs and other conferences.

He didn't say specifically, the SEC and the Big Ten. But we know that is the case, and we know the Clemson Tigers are in the same state as the South Carolina gamecocks and just like they have that dynamic. It's no fun seeing South Carolina grabbing a check that's worth $44 million every year and Clemson's check from the ACC used is 29 million or in that neighborhood are on average that's with the ACC schools got paid in 2018 is their share of conference revenue. The Big Ten numbers are even higher than that.

So it doesn't matter. Even the athletic directors will tell you that it matters and when it comes to your passion question. I think Tony Barnhart Mr. college football himself said it best that I quoted him in this article because I loved his quote so much. He said when the Big Ten network was launching.

There were people in Big Ten country who really wanted that channel and maybe they wrote an email or they made a call and maybe even the most passionate Big Ten fan made an angry phone call to its carrier and said I have this channel as Tony said the SEC has a lot more fans who, if they were going to get there.

SEC network when it launched five years ago they would threaten to burn somebody's housebound note that reflects passion and sure enough, the SEC does gives the best college football numbers that anybody has ever seen on a regular basis, their number two behind the Big Ten in money and the SEC has the best most successful network so far. Even though the SEC networks only been around for five years but it's got way better numbers than even the Big Ten network so the Big Ten is making more money overall.

Not just with its Big Ten channel, but it has all the really good TV deals beyond the conference, Pacific channel, the SEC has tapped into the most intense passion, especially during college football season and that translates into subscriber numbers for the SEC network. It even translates Josh and to how much these carriers, satellite companies, cable companies, how much are they getting warpaint willing to pay for, rather, the SEC network. That's a higher per month price then want the same carriers would pay for the Big Ten network or even the ACC network or the Pac 12 network is at the bottom of all these lists, in part because there's not nearly as much passion and Pac 12 country for these things, including the TV product as there is in the SEC and its think the question on the front burner now is where does the ACC slot in between. We at what you and I know there are more large numbers of passionate ACC fans compared to those who are passionate about the pig. 12 big 12. There's no doubt about it. Pac 12.

Rather, but are those numbers going to be as large as they were when the SEC launched its network. I don't know but that stuff matters that passion question matters. As these negotiations continue where a lot of people have already agreed to carry the ACC network more than five weeks out, but some of the biggest carriers in America have not yet struck a deal so let's limit the scope to our audience, or at least the people in North Carolina ACC North Carolina North Carolina ACC fans before the big fourth year and kinda leave aside for now Tallahassee. Of course they have a big following for Florida State Virginia Tech in Blacksburg and Clemson and South Carolina. Certainly, do you think there will be that kind of burning passion to get the ACC network during football season or will not wait till basketball because DG this you know it's not this this is not a football state if he states the only program I think, in among the ACC big four that consistently the fan support both full and basketball and it stopped even figure out at times. Which one they care about. Even more, North Carolina and Duke course success plays a part of this like on the field success but obviously basketball comes first. Those schools and I feel like there's going to be an out rule and outcry and people upset if the North Carolina Notre Dame basketball game isn't on and they can't get up even more so than the one off game that your teams playing on the ACC network that you can't catch them football what here's the thing to remember.

If, for example, the biggest TV provider in our state's charter/spectrum charters. The name of the company. Spectrum is the name of the brand that many cable customers are familiar with.

They have 16 million subscribers in the country and that makes them the second largest cable company in America. If this was truly a state of North Carolina question. I think your question would be front and center. I mean there would be some worry about whether there was enough true passion on going to change my carrier if I don't have this new network audits launch date August 22 or even worse, at least soon thereafter. When the football games are being played at that and the end of August. No Wolfpack fan in our state. Remember Josh, the only way they can watch the Wolfpack against ECU is to have the ACC network.

There is no ESPN three a way around it. There is no ESPN plus way around it.

You must be a subscriber to which to an carrier that has agreed to carry the ACC network or at least by that point has agreed to carry it. Otherwise you're not watching NC State against ECU. At least not through your house we might go to a friends house, my go to a bar, restaurant, or maybe you go to Carter Finley Stadium, but there's no end around so I I'd argue that a lot of Wolfpack fans would say I'm not missing that game.

Meanwhile Carolina plays Miami on September 7.

Your you and I both know the Carolinas a basketball first school, but you since the energy around the return of Mack Brown and that's too many.

A must-see TV game on September 7 when Miami takes on the heels and what is Mack Brown's home opener for Mac part two. So yeah, it would build to a crescendo when you get close to early November and you know Notre Dame at Carolina and that Tar Heel Roy Williams season opener.

You're right but remember the charter spectrum have customers in a lot of places. So there negotiating with ESPN and Disney over those 16 million customers to get into those 16 million households, and charter spectrum that they have lots of customers in football crazy Florida and football crazy Georgia and Louisville fans in Kentucky and Boston College fans in Massachusetts and Syracuse fans in New York and Clemson fans and South Carolina you think those Clemson fans that it better charter spectrum customers in South Carolina. They will want to miss the defending champion Clemson Tigers home opener against Georgia Tech.

No way, José. So it's not just the state of North Carolina question again. Charter spectrum is under pressure to make a deal because they get a lot of customers in a lot of different places of the senior story already because literally right as you were saying that I see awful announcing just picked it up and talking about the ACC network approaching its launch in working on the story. The last few months and the biggest one you mentioned that charter spectrum is the biggest television carrier here in the state of North Carolina, at least, especially in this this part of the state. What what do you know about how close those two sides are because you made it sound like in the story that both sides kinda feel like the steel's gonna get done before the start of the year. Yeah, it's because both sides have incentives to write them in the ACC network doesn't want August 22 to arrive or pass and they look like they have laid egg of a launch. So the ACC know it's it's actually Disney/ESPN people doing the negotiations on the behalf of the ACC, but there's pressure to expand your numbers right. If you know the SEC network has almost 60 million subscribers in the Big Ten network is not far from 60 million subscribers and you know that according to my research. In the article, the ACC's current subscribers is closer like 20 million, now they believe there close to other deals and that part is that stuff is in the articles as well. The ACC and spectrum for different reasons have massive motivation to come to an agreement and nine times out of 10 in the business world. When both sides have massive incentive deal gets done and maybe neither side loves the number at which it gets done, but it gets done. Comcast extremities a little different and the biggest cable provider in America because it it's it's intense in different parts of the country, but to do with their cable subscribers in Virginia who might love the hoagies of the Cavaliers. Or maybe they love one of our state schools. The just delivered Virginia to wait three years to get the ACC network just because Comcast doesn't have to negotiate with the Disney folks for another three years if they don't want to. So you know all these negotiations are continuing and the ACC wants to be able to say at launch that it had a great launch. It already knows it's good to be better than the Pac 12's numbers today already knows it's good to be better than the big 12's launch 12 Big Ten's launch 12 years ago. Will it be as grand. The launch is the SEC network was five years ago. That remains to be seen.

And that's why you know. Who knows, maybe John Swofford later this week in Charlotte at the ACC kickoff event. Maybe he's able to announce a new agreement and the ACC gets that much closer to a launch that makes it look like the ACC network is gotta be something as successful or at least in the same neighborhood. Gradually, as what the SEC and the Big Ten are doing with their current channels right now. Good work on the story DT.

It really is a mammoth three mind is a monster caddis about one month before its long-awaited launch ACC network. The focus of huge questions. Big money. You can find it@theathletic.com. I got everyone talk little football which ACC coach is on the hottest seat heading into next year will discuss that with DD in your next on the draft. Let's get started now back to the drive with Josh Graham here in studio to ACC network story.com questions about DG or ACC holding service three 367-1600 what you got us both year also on twitter Triad broadcasting Charlotte later on this week Wednesday and Thursday and easy you know how it works the middle of the summer.

These coaches do a million interviews at these events. So generally they're not saying the most substantive things are not very interesting times.

Usually they stay on message. Talk about the same things over and over again so to make things more interesting. DG with the inspiration of David Hale was a guest on today show from ESPN we we been putting together ACC media day bingo board and just let me know that doesn't really quickly. If you like. Each of these ideas steeps that maybe could help us out here. Things that you know are going to come up on your face you see on the bingo board. Let's start with the three letters FBI that's definitely on the right easy got a big yes no I mean the FBI is an even bigger issue for college basketball coaches, but they're aware of repercussions hitting some of their colleagues in the coaching industry is just a matter of how deep football coaches will go into that stuff when you know it was really a basketball driven conflict Dabo Sweeney to Alabama.

Rumors yeah that's come up in previous years as well. Everybody knows see what school there. Everybody knows it has a special place in his heart of it, so it is closer now so yeah it's it's almost a requirement to they like not point your ticket at the door.

As we answered unless we promise to mention that at least I don't but yet it will be talked about. There's no doubt about a coach denying the link between football and CTE well given Larry for Dora's unpleasant experience. I think much of that emanating from my show last year. The poor guy lost the battle of public opinion and gradually lost his job and I know he lost his job because he lost too many football games. But his the perception of him as a person took a turn for the worse when he decided to go down several of those roads last year and you know one of the reasons these coaches tend to be so vanilla Josh is that they want to avoid the grenade that blood. Larry Fedora found himself handling a year ago so we like interesting answers. But one of the reasons will get more of them is that the Larry Larry Fedora decided to freelance just last year, and man he ended up paying a public relations price in the last when I got here for now North Carolina alcohol laws that will be fun right we have to ask about that. To say they don't care. They have a game to coach.

They have other business to attend to. I think that's what pulsates.

Or maybe somebody will surprise us, but the yeah and all my show the other day were picking appropriate backdrop music for the first season in the history of our state where there is going to be, you know University by University will more widespread alcohol sales and consumption in the building.

We know what's happened outside the buildings all these years but yet thanks to that change in state law. These public universities now have a decision to make. That's more expansive than the decisions they had to make in the past. So maybe will ask you know the best drinking song, although I have a feeling they won't answer that there isn't a better game. You can put together in this state to consummate the marriage between legal alcohol drinking and college football East Carolina playing at NC State. There I shows that is it a better game than that, I can hear red solo cup playing in the background as I contemplate this to fan bases getting to be there with the big tailgater also. So now you know it's could be a big party.

We got we got the entire state coverage are to be at that game I'm to be at North Carolina, South Carolina, in Charlotte, so I can't wait for college football to get here. But in terms of coaches on the hot seat there. There really is like only one answer to this question it be Willie Taggart at Florida State. Yes it does.

And it's a weird answer to say out loud because he's only in his second year.

It's additionally feels weird because for those who don't know Willie Taggart signed a six year deal worth it was 6×5 that's $30. So the way buyouts work and I've seen this contract Florida State would owe him what Sadie member that the Seminoles bowl streak ended last year so Willie Taggart's brand-new and what is he doing his first year year ago, he fails to makeable symbols go, five and seven no postseason that hadn't happened in 36 years, but was his first year's okay. Gets the benefit of the one year problem. Even though Florida State is kind of a cash strapped athletic department. The terms of his contract and the terms of his contract suggest that his buyout at the end of this upcoming year. If needed, would be about $17 million.

That is a large buyouts by college sports standards's you know that the number of Florida State fans at a school that so football first school and that's where their pride comes largely from and that's where their money comes largely from it would be obviously expensive to pull the trigger on a $17 million buyout put some fans and maybe even administrators would end up arguing. Wouldn't it be more expensive in your featured sport to keep a coach that had back to back dismal year.

Yeah, I do not wish that upon Florida State has a lot of players, some believe he is the second most talented roster behind only Dabo Sweeney and Clemson.

So if he lives up to that talented roster than this conversation is moot.

But if somehow the Seminoles went from making a bowl every year for 36 years in a row to missing two years in a row we would have one ugly conversation on her hands in December or even in the weeks leading up to that II thought he had.

Maybe the most talented team not name Clemson last year with not reference what quarterback I get he was coming back from a knee injury but this is somebody who 19 or 10 games. His freshman season and didn't have any protection granted on the office-supply but tentmakers at running back and the most recent draft pick. The Carolina Panthers just picked up. I mean there.

I urge I am burnt that there are a ton of talented players.

Florida State had but I was skeptical of this higher when it was made because I saw what he did at South Florida pretty closely. This is a coach with a 52 and 57 record as a head coach in the 10 years he is 52 and 57. It took time for him to rebuild Western Kentucky and he was nearly fired in year three at South Florida after he won six games combined his first two years and he was off to a one in four start. He needed the miracle come back to pull that win out. They ended up winning eight games the next to the 111 he gets the Oregon job after just one year at Oregon, which by the way, was a six and six season origin that was enough for Florida State to say to make you the successor to one of the four at the time active head coaches what won a national title for Florida State. This is not a program that goes back to back years without going to a ballgame so when I see Louisville shelling out what $14 million to buy out Bobby in North Carolina shelling out 12 for Larry Fedora. Of course Florida State would pay the 17 Miller so 16, $17 million to get rid of a coach does a good will ballgame back to back years. Yeah, I think you're right about that. I think it would be a divisive kind of conversation because Florida State has some money issues right now but this is the reality. I think everybody knows it. Whatever school your route for most there is a sport that set the paves the way that pays the bills that sets the bar right and whereas, let's say at UNC. John Bunning beloved along got more time to try to turn around UNC football. They didn't love all the results but he got more time to try to turn the Tar Heels around Matt Doherty played for Dean Smith. Also, beloved, along how long did he get when basketball was struggling. That was a three-year turnaround right you can struggle in football for a longer amount of time at most of the schools in our state because some of them and elsewhere. You know, Syracuse is a basketball first school for example. Even Louisville is a basketball first school. Although football is gotten a lot more important lately at the school. That's just the economics of college athletics and if it's a byproduct of the passion of those fan bases as well. Angry fans in their most passionate support are less patient and athletic directors are looking at serious financial repercussions. Sometimes, if they keep the struggling coach and those numbers can sometimes outweigh whatever pain it's good might be caused when you pull the trigger on one of those megamillion dollar buyouts appreciate you doing this is always congratulations again on the story that you can find on the athletic on the ACC network.

Be sure or she is on the athletic.com on the ACC network. You can find that again.

The athletic.com and you knew hey good to see you here, but were also gonna be hanging out in Charlotte starting tomorrow night after our shouts and then Wednesday and Thursday will be broadcasting live here on the sports I'm looking forward to seeing you there.

My friend always good to be with you and a reminder to ACC sports Journal subscribers. If you get our quarterly glossy magazine. My deepest dive on this ACC network topic is or will be in the pages of our next edition which is coming out soon saw. Thanks again for I have me on to talk about no question followed David Glenn on Twitter for more at David Glenn show this to an excellent read. The drives brought you in part by our friends at Twin Peaks Restaurant Hanes Mall Blvd. in Winston-Salem. It's your local sports lodge. You can find them. Hanes Mall Boulevard for the best wings best food you can find and of course all games are on and that's what you're looking for right all the games and when football season gets here. I'm sure will have the ACC network sure, but I like the fact the local sports lodge will will get on that and figure out those details, but for now, appreciate you being with us however and wherever you are tuning in your listening to W STS Winston-Salem WC 02 Greensboro WPC in Burlington and WMF are Highpoint is going on with Josh Graham, 620 a lot of things going on a story three months in the making, but we normally get sidetracked on the show for golf on Wednesday and Thursday coming up with go-cart's are often repetitive players staying on message and saying the same thing talking about subject. What are going to be the talking points that we most commonly hear ACC kickoff were still coming up with different squares for our bingo board. How do you feel about this one.

Hashtag we do this motto for the ACC network about SEC bias will be talked about quite a bit. Why is weight picked so low, so continue to sin those and that's another game that were playing but we started talking about Madden football games.

A short while ago and how they used to have rap songs to accent the move accent the game. It used to be ludicrous or Pharaoh months doing the music and getting you hyped the play the video game they don't do that as much anymore. Now it's just super dramatic music so we wanted to do a throwback and I agreed. For some reason to do a football wrap.

If Aaron would be the ghost writer for it. Even though you're not much of a ghostwriter. Now that I'm giving you all the credit here giving you the credit because I don't know how good the lyrics are. I haven't looked at this were about to deliver the wrap where I'm just now looking at the lyrics. I don't know what the bleeding is not that Dez is putting that together to he was just telling me time and time again during the commercial how concerned he was for me right now is the freestyle rap about 10 years ago when I was selling books door-to-door in Texas. You could say that like you are like a league or something so I can keep a beat. You should be that worried about facing each hall so Aaron wrote the lyrics here and this is a football wrap for the drive. Let's see how this goes.

Ready pool water you from you more Sarah my headphone no no no no Wayne Madden every day to sundown.

No messing around my lifestream where the bodies were found in town where one player on the ground mount actually pretty good. But what he what is going through Pat's holy blue buddy good, so this ACC network. I don't know how you segue from the best way to segue from a wrap.

Let me know how I did 336-777-1600 just how bad was that on Twitter at sports on dry. The biggest question ACC fans will have to answer is will you call your cable provider and threatened to leave your cable provider if it means they don't have the ACC network just how passionate or ACC fans, especially when it comes to football because that's what it's going to take how much demand is there going to be to have the ACC network when it launches in about a month. David Glenn wrote the long story.

Right now there is 19 million subscribers, but they don't have three of the four biggest cable providers including spectrum. So without spectrum on board.

Most of the people in the state of North Carolina with television providers will be unable to watch these games at home or on the ACC network is no roundabout way, you can't do it on ESPN3. You can't find by some package online. The only way you can watch some of these games including Wake Forest and North Carolina and football Clemson and Georgia Tech backgrounds home opener at the head coach of the Tar Heels. The only way you can watch some of these games is if you have the ACC network now if you don't have it for your cable provider let's say a deal doesn't get done with spectrum. Do you feel passionate enough as ACC, North Carolina football fans not just talking about the Tar Heels but NC State Wake Forest Duke, North Carolina love you root for. Call your cable provider and say listen, I am going to make a business decision and cancel my subscription to the spectrum and go elsewhere.

Maybe DirecTV just because I need the ACC network and I need to watch these games. I don't know what the demand is there for football.

DG was referencing a line that Tony Barnhart Mr. college football game where he was quoted in Zach if people in Big Ten country can't get their network, they write an email or make a call. Maybe even an angry call. The SEC is a lot more fans who, if they can't get their network they will threatened to burn somebody's house down." Are ACC fans that passionate when it comes to football and Clemson fans probably are. Maybe Florida State Fanta Tallahassee Virginia Tech for I don't know who that is in the state of the quick force means or that passionate were those that listen I can't I got it changed TV providers to get the ACC network not to be wrong. I hope you like me to accept in basketball season, but when November rolls around and you start flipping okay where the Tar Heels wears Roy Williams with Mike Sharansky was NC State weight basketball. I think then you make those phone calls and set I need to watch my heels. I did watch my Tar Heels bite my Demon deacons. My blue Devils. No exceptions here. I feel like that's when North Carolina ACC fans would threatened to burn the house down, not in August. This is in a football state. I realize that a few years ago. It's do or die am Boone it's do or die in Greenville America but aside from East Carolina and Appalachian State basketball first, it just is just if I can't watch North Carolina versus whoever late November or second week of the season.

I am going to be very angry, highly know the openers against Notre Dame will baffle game schedule directly played conference opponents November now so yeah my praise going into Chapel Hill in facing North Carolina I don't have the game on TV.

Because of my cable provider yeah I'm good to be upset if a little real thing that changed my provider and know where I can watch the game. I don't feel that passion for football. I don't not hear the slimming is not really a team in North Carolina to have a passion for you know what team North Carolina can ACC would you say deserves that type of passionate Wake Forest three consecutive wins pretty good and NC State. You know you when nine games last year. You did your before that you were pretty darn relevant. I mean you're everyone was talking about that Clemson game being the sides of the Atlantic, even though they got ran in that game with not act like NC State hasn't deserved anything you think NC State and/or actually it's probably better question than you think.

NC State fans would prefer to see if they could only choose to see their football team or the basketball team for the whole season. I see network only choose one which one you think they were two more games in basketball, so you probably which is that the better would ask that question might be, if you can only have one to go to the final for your football team your basketball team who might also throw in the world in terms with this contract, like being able to see them. One of the question you're asking is what fans care about more football or basketball and it's obvious it's basketball. It just is workout basketball state were fine with that.

We don't care about football but do we care so much that were going to threaten to leave the TV provider for not being able to pay extra for an ACC network packet. We live in a world people brightly providers for being on hold for 20 minutes so the answers probably don't do that.

I haven't had a fever. I've had a problem took seven years because of that very thing I hate people who angle who ever your color TV provider to sit and think about leaving to see what kind of free stuff they'll get all their stars for six months. Please go to HBO the same people go to a movie theater, and if they play some of the wrong trailers were it's a black screen for about two minutes before they play the trailers.

This happened earlier like it. Marge really like that like free movie about some guy with Stuart Stuart Harris say I want to watch the motion picture earlier die. And quite frankly you didn't let me do that because it was a black screen saver to manage now if you don't let me get a free ticket to get a lasso around your neck regularly open all.

How about a knuckle sandwich.

Were looking ahead, ACC football season with yes.

College football writer David Hale next 620 now with Josh Graham embodied Hale on the show from ESPN now with us on Twitter at one of the best Twitter handles. You'll find David Hale going his twitter account. He said earlier today. In addition to lying out position by position where the ACC stands. He said he was looking for somebody to put together an ACC media day bingo board so we been doing that a little bit during today's show, David. I just want to run a couple of these by you and you let me know whether or not this qualifies for the ACC media day bingo board were to be in Charlotte Wednesday and Thursday so I think this could be productive about okay let's start with noon kickoffs going to be on the board. Trevor Lawrence's hair. Oh yeah, no one knows what that question will come up with John Nick Sabin will you know this will be the ultimate test of whether or not the AC fee belongs on the stage with the FEC is whether or not they spend half the day talking about the note known Exhibit 10 stocking Ajay Dylan's legs yeah course topic, though he's a big applesauce theater in his twitter handle it. Ajay Dylan so I played only after him applesauce related question is that's very smart. And lastly, 44 to 16. You start with with with Wake Forest here because I'm looking at a team. Dave Clawson was joking with thoughts in the spring that he will will die of a heart attack the day that he's listed on a bowl projection list in the preseason, and I expect I see Phil steel has them ranks the Deke's ranks sixth in the Atlantic division. How do you feel about Wake Forest in terms of where they stand in the Atlantic. I do not get the Wake Forest here several predictions with them last Atlantic big 5 1/2. I don't get it. I really like Wake Forest here.

I don't know.

Are there flaws in the roster may be a few things here and there that you would you would like to see improvement. Look at so Wake Forest cannot recruiting Clemson recruiting classes right everything and build building.

There you look across the board of the depth chart like quarterback write a minute or two young guys who both played pretty well last year you think both are good to make progress with your gut running back. I think probably as good a running back depth chart.

There is outside Clemson in the pretty good on the O line again if they stay healthy. They're pretty good at receiver get lost in guys, but sign prior to the top guys in the recruiting class this year were early enrollee wide receivers to deepen was a problem last year but they also made a change coordinator. I thought it improved as the year went along. They've got some legitimate NFL type Carling specimen and saying that you are not just get run over tightly guided about building that system. I think a little bit together some questions on defense but I don't think it I think it's a work in progress that is pending in the right direction so Wake Forest. To me, Lisa Strickland team I could easily see this being an eight win team and then clicks into place where they get lucky in some games and everybody developed they don't get hurt. I don't have a reason they can't be like this year. Syracuse a lot.

Maybe I'm just absurdly optimistic on them because I certainly thing to be the outlier, but I like to live. I think this is a team that can win eight games because you look at.

They have a strong returning starter in literally every position group is you were kind of noting with with the two quarterbacks and just in her back from injury on the O line and boogie bass on Stern add in and the secondary Toby Davis back in the Singh Bassi click a Carney running backstage running down the list you have somebody coming back who was productive for you last year. I don't know how many teams can say that it in the ACC but when you look at the middle of the pack really everybody not name Clemson in the lead in the ACC.

How much better people believe the middle of the league is gotten. When you have Virginia returning a couple of Bryce's price. Perkins, a quarterback price hall is probably getting a first-round draft pick.

The after mentioned Ajay Dylan at Boston College back along with Anthony Brown and Virginia Tech in Miami. Probably good to be back in the fray after down years. Last year I better than last year. Last year was a banner year. I think you could have the sort of click about Wake Forest that you mentioning that is really not an area that you look at Wake Forest boys are bad here early in elite level anywhere either but you look at the rest of the middle of the pack in the ACC whether it quarterback at Miami or the ground game for Virginia. Their offense of line at Florida State line at Boston College.

The secondary and Virginia Tech. Everybody's got this sort of gaping chasm somewhere on their depth chart and I think all of those teams have a lot of talent elsewhere. So the and perhaps two or three somebody is going to find answers where that blackhole is right now and those teams are going to be in a position but if they do answer those big big looming question teams are going to be top 25. I think you look Road off Syracuse is like hundred 50 last year and I don't I don't know who that team is this year or if there might be two or three of them this year.

I probably lean toward the more somebody is going to fill that role here, you will never David Hales with this year college football reporter David Hale joint on Twitter. Why do you believe that gap between Clemson and whoever you view the second best team in the ACC to be and do you remember the gap being this wide know why it out in the time that I've been around the league. So certainly, since like Jimbo Fisher, Dabo Sweeney, area era started in the 2010 range is wide gap at the top is like an remember and yards really just not close, not close and probably the bigger concern is that it's not close. That might be growing. The way that things are kind of going because you're going way back or a team like Louisville or like you might challenge them on a year in and year out. They are occasionally are probably doing it year in Europe recruited that level estate is just a train wreck on the offense inside of the football and what happened to you to work out either and they've gotta start all over. Maybe with a different coaching staff only BCM a look. They're not recruiting a Clemson level. They get guys from time to time and and they've been consistently in that session, when Rand don't see anybody in the next couple of years realistically closing that gap with Clemson and the way the Clintons recruiting a minute feel like autopilot. All four of their defensive line starter so the NFL all three of the universe from the third-round take a huge step back on the defensive line. They've got started ready to step in where Clintons at and you can only make the case on a one year basis or any number of other teams in the middle of the pack with somebody step up and challenge them. Somebody is going to be top 1015 team. I think that will be true but I don't know there's anybody that got a a foundation built the way to Clemson does with year in and year out, and again it feels like the gap is widening, not narrowing. You mentioned how things go south this year for Florida State. Maybe they go in a different direction with the new codes. A lot of people would say it's only year to buy at FSU.

That's not a program that you should never really lose back-to-back seasons losing gears back to back seasons, especially with the talent even Willie Taggart had in the last two seasons. If if were talking about, 14, 15, $16 million buyout. Do you view Willie Taggart still being in trouble if he doesn't go to a ballgame or when seven games. A lot of factors at play there first and foremost being money they did not have the money to throw around. The people might think they're certainly not in like the LSU UFC type of arena where you just say this guy is not working out for me.

The fans are angry. I don't care work and get rid of them are the Carolina rates were Louisville. I think some 14 million in North Carolina 12 million last year.

Yeah, I think your true I don't know what it will do it or not, but the other side of that is things were left by Jimbo Fisher and I think really have that going for him and that the administration is pinning a lot of this on Jimbo right now. Coaching staff just look confused and out of sorts in over their head way too often.

Last year, and he already blew up a good portion of that coaching staff and brought in what is I think is called commercial a assistant coaching hires you can make in Kendall Broadwell and people are getting behind it now because one state is desperate for offense of answers come this year.

If the offense struggles just like it did last year brought in a guy with man off field issues to fix it offense that he didn't fix. And so to me really is blocking himself out further and further on a limb that some point if they don't get what the answer is 617 wins eight wins that limbs get a break so I think if he wins a reasonable number of games this year in and take that number where you will be inclination will be for them to keep them big 05 and seven again this year is on for them to figure something out because again, there's nothing about what they did last year to give you a lot of hope that he has answers on Twitter at a David Hale joint kind enough to spend some time with this is David Hale I got a couple more here for our bingo board ACC kickoff later on this week.

How do you feel about hashtag. We do this guy, but it could be out there people you have to say that I think are the contractually obligate you to actually how about old there's a lot of good ones that were getting here about this fine bomb going to come up for several Lawrence not being there. You will come up all about denying links between football and CTA. Larry Fedora will be on an island somewhere in Italy relaxing with the money later this week where where you where you get to be during this entire week of football media days to be at any of them. I will be in Charlotte you and how much work I'm doing. I will see about that, but all cozy coaches and push the button so that we fill out our bingo card.

Heck yeah and also applesauce with Ajay don't look forward to David, thanks for doing this is good to hear from you later. That's David Hale again on Twitter it.

It is one of the best Twitter handles. You will find David Hale done some great work for ESPN.

Over the years. He's on Twitter does at a David Hale joint