Tobacco Road Sports Podcast

* Panther’s season preview * NFL favorite story lines to watch * UNC self-reported violations (players sold Air Jordans), and then asked for leniency citing “player safety” * Lebron to LA, Kawhi to Toronto - NBA free-agency * Atlanta Braves are good again, how did that happen? * Buy, Sell, Hold

Mike and Drew discuss the firing of David Gettlemen from the Carolina Panther's front office and what the upcoming Panther's season will be like.  We also discuss the prospect of Major League Soccer coming to the Triangle and compare the Carolina Hurricane's struggles with the likelihood of MLS success.

What are the Top 3 Lessons from Round 1? What did we learn from Cavaliers 4-0 sweep that included a 26 point come from behind victory? Were the Celtics ever really on the ropes? Listen as newcomer Willie Green joins Mike and Drew to talk about playing at Rucker Park, life as a Knicks fan, and, mostly, the NBA playoffs. Mike explains why the LaMarcus Aldridge Spurs are so different from the Tim Duncan Spurs, while Willie explains the Clippers curse and compares the Utah Jazz to a “buzzsaw.” (That’s not a typo.) Join us for that and post-Round 1 investments tips.

NBA Playoffs? NBA Playoffs! Can LeBron flip the switch? Early round upset? Could James Harden survive the force of nature that is Westbrook and shoot down the Spurs? The NBA renaissance is fully upon us and Drew and Mike will break down the 2017 match-ups (assuming Drew can figure out exactly whose playing). Listen as Drew tries to explain how Steph Curry is worse this year (he isn't) and Mike throws Tyler Zeller a shout out. Oh, and find out who the most interesting player in the NBA is right now.

UNC basketball program just won its sixth national championship and its third one under Roy Williams. But before Roy was head coach, for 8 years he was an assistant coach under Dean Smith and during that time he was head coach of the UNC JV Mens basketball team. Dean Smith believed that every student should have a chance to play on the JV team. And if you played two years for the JV team you are given the chance to try out for the Varsity program. Which means hypothetically at least any UNC student can make the Varsity team and in doing so possible play along side the next Sam Perkins, Vince Carter, Antwaun Jamison or Michael Jordan. What follows here is the story of one such person who took a chance as a freshman went to a huge gym filled with hundreds of players, tried out for the JV team and made it. And as such he got to see and hear Dean Smith run his practices and he got to be part of the Carolina Way from the inside. That person is Dave Adams and you can hear the story of his experience now. One note: this podcast was recorded Tuesday April 4th a day after UNC beat Gonzaga for the championship.