The Drive with Tim Donnelly

Who are the "unsung heroes" for NC State football, UNC football, and Duke football ahead of the 2024 College football season? Also, what can the Carolina Hurricanes learn from the Florida Panthers & Edmonton Oilers after both teams have advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. 

What is the most improved position group for the Carolina Panthers, but also the position group that still has major questions under GM Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales entering the 2024 NFL Season? Also, the Dallas Mavericks advanced to the NBA Finals after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games in the Western Conference Finals. Tim Donnelly points out that while former Duke bas...

With the Carolina Hurricanes still in search of a general manager, Tim Donnelly & Dennis Cox use a Magic 8-ball to make the offseason decisions for the Carolina Hurricanes, including Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Jake Guentzel, Martin Necas, and others.  Also, the latest on the trade rumors surrounding Martin Necas in the NHL. 

Does Eric Tulsky have negotiating power as the interim general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, and how does that impact contract talks with agents, and trade possibilities with other general managers across the NHL during the 2024 NHL Scouting Combine. Also, Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin wins the NHL Lady Byng award. Tim Donnelly says that 'Canes Culture' is not in jeopardy.&nbs...

In the ACC's lawsuits with Florida State and Clemson, the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12 are all backing the ACC, with Tim Donnelly saying the conferences want to make sure they maintain control of the schools in their leagues to make sure schools can't freely leave. Also, which player between NC State football, UNC football, and Duke football are most likely to become first-round picks in the 2025 NFL...

Are there reasons to be concerned about UNC football and NC State football ahead of the 2024 college football season? Also, where does confidence lie with Duke basketball as well as the Carolina Panthers?'  

Will the Carolina Panthers under first year head coach Dave Canales and second-year QB Bryce Young have a better year in the 2024 NFL Season than what most national media are predicting them to be? After struggling in the 2023 NFL Season, Carolina Panthers left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is poised for a bounce back 2024 NFL Season under first year head coach Dave Canales.

Is the Carolina Hurricanes GM job a difficult one to talk into because of the high standards and expectations, or an easy job knowing who your head coach is going to be with Rod Brind'Amour, star players like Sebastian Aho & Andrei Svechnikov under long-term deals, other young stars like Seth Jarvis, and a deep farm system? Also, the number of teams interested in Carolina Hurricanes forward vi...

Will the NFL Change their offseason workout structure starting in 2025? And are we looking at 18 regular season games? Also during Hit It & Quit It, we hear sound from UNC basketball coach Roy Williams as the former North Carolina basketball coach reacts to the NCAA and Power 5 conferences agreeing to a settlement in multiple lawsuits that will result in college players potentially being paid....

With wide receivers in the NFL getting paid high amounts of money, Tim Donnelly says the Carolina Hurricanes have to keep on eye on the markets, especially when it comes to players like Diontae Johnson, who will be a free agent in 2025, and if signing a high dollar contract for a WR is the best move for GM Dan Morgan & Head Coach Dave Canales. Also, Daron Vaught of USA Baseball joined the show...

Which coach is under the most pressure in the 2024 college football season in the State of North Carolina - Manny Diaz at Duke football, Mack Brown at UNC football, or Dave Doeren at NC State football?

What can Carolina Hurricanes interim general manager Eric Tulsky prove to owner Tom Dundon that he can be the full-time GM after former President/GM Don Waddell resigned to take a job with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Also, Tim Donnelly & Dennis Cox discuss the latest trade rumors surrounding Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas. 

How many schools from the State of North Carolina will make it to the Super Regionals of the NCAA Tournament, and which ones make it Omaha for the College World Series? Should the NBA adjust their schedule to prevent long layoffs before the NBA Finals? Also, what's a reasonable expectations for Carolina Panthers WR Diontae Johnson in the 2024 NFL Season? 

The NCAA baseball tournament field is set with regional locations being selected, including NC State baseball, UNC baseball, and ECU baseball all getting host sites, while Duke basketball has to travel to Oklahoma despite winning the ACC baseball tournament. Plus, Wake Forest baseball will head to Greenville, NC to face ECU baseball.  Also, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is looking for addition...

What can the Carolina Panthers do between now and the start of the 2024 NFL Season as the NFL year is just 100 days away, including what head coach Dave Canales & GM Dan Morgan can do for the roster, and figuring out what their primary options will be. Who are the newcomers to watch for Duke football, UNC football, and NC State football for the 2024 College Football season? 

The Carolina Hurricanes have assistant GM Eric Tulsky serving as interim general manager of former President/GM Don Waddell took a job with the Columbus Blue Jackets. But how much say does Eric Tulsky have as an interim GM, including a potential trade of Martin Necas. There is a trade market for Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas, but will the new GM for the Carolina Hurricanes be willing to...

What is the No. 1 priority for the next Carolina Hurricanes general manager after Canes President/GM announced that he will be resigning from his position? Should the priority be trading Martin Necas, finding a new goalie, or signing forward Jake Guentzel before NHL Free Agency begins on July 1, 2024. Also, how much does the near-future success of the Carolina Hurricanes fall on head coach Rod Bri...

Diontae Johnson will be the No. 1 option for Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young, and how he can be the receiver that can get open consistently in Dave Canales' offense. But Johnson does come with questions about his character after being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Also, Tim makes REAL. BOLD. PREDICTIONS. 

Carolina Hurricanes President/GM announced he is stepping down from his role, though his contract was set to expire. Tim Donnelly & Dennis Cox wonder if this is a good thing for Hurricanes in the long run, if time had just ran it's course for Waddell and owner Tom Dundon, but also how Waddell left the organization in good hands.

Tim Donnelly & Dennis Cox discuss how part of the House v NCAA settlement agreement, colleges & universities can now share revenue with student-athletes and pay them directly, but how this will open up a lot of other questions about employment status, Title IX, potential of contracts, and more.  Also, what's the best non-rivalry college football game in the State of North Carolina for...

Carolina Hurricanes need to discover if Pyotr Kochetkov is the goalie of the future and can be the No. 1 goalie in the playoffs for the franchise moving forward with teams like the New York Rangers & Florida Panthers having elite goaltending. With a change in coaching staff to head coach Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young will have less voices in his year, and will have a more simp...

Where is confidence high, and what concerns are there for the Carolina Hurricanes as they enter the offseason? Tim Donnelly & Dennis Cox discuss, including the future of Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Martin Necas, and the growth of young players like Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov. 

Former USWNT & UNC women's soccer star Heather O'Reilly discusses her playing career, winning multiple Olympic gold medals, the 2015 World Cup, national title, and NSWL Championship, but also the future of women's soccer professionally in the United States, following greats like Mia Hamm, and other star women athletes, like Caitlin Clark. O'Reilly also discusses The Soccer Tournament (TST) com...

During Hit it & Quit it, Tim & Dennis discuss LaMelo Ball being sued for allegedly driving his car over the football of an 11-year-old looking for an autograph, a new Homerun Derby format coming to Durham Bulls Athletic Park, NFL testing first down technology, NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and NBA Playoffs. 

Tim Donnelly & Dennis Cox discuss Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer scheduling tough non-conference games ahead of the start of ACC basketball play, even it means possibly sacrificing what their NET rankings will be come March Madness and the NCAA Tournament selection committee. But, a tough schedule will prepare them for later in the season.