The Drive

Hour 1 of the Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross talking with Dover and Cecil. The guys react to the breaking news of Nuggets coach, Michael Malone getting fired from the organization. Did the division between Malone and Booth lead to the erosion of the Nuggets culture? Zach details the moments that led to this decision including a weird dynamic at media day and visible frustration and fighting between the players. Why now did Nuggets ownership decide to make a move with their head coach and general manager? Being that Michael Malone is the greatest coach in Nuggets history and overachieved every year did Malone get a raw deal? Did Nuggets star Nikola Jokic have a say in the Nuggets decision to fire their coach? Who should Jokic be most frustrated with in the organization?

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil take a deeper look at the Nuggets decision to cut ties with GM, Calvin Booth. Did the Nuggets lose their culture when their old GM, Tim Connely took a job with the Minnesota Timberwolves? ESPN’s Tim Bontemps joins the show to discuss the surprising news of the Nuggets firing both their coach and GM, how flawed the Nuggets roster is, and if we will see more moves from the Nuggets regarding the roster. Today’s “Three Count” includes different audio cutes from national sporter personailities including Brian Windhorst, Shams Charnia, and Ramona Shelburne. What is the plan for the Nuggets moving forward? Did Michael Malone and Calvin Booth ever have a relationship? Did one specific interaction lead to the Nuggets clearing house? DenverSports.com’s Jake Shapiro joins the show to discuss why the Nuggets decided now was the time to fire Michael Malone, if Malone lost the locker room, and how the Nuggets lost their culture.

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil run down the list of names that could be potential coach or general manger fits for the Nuggets. Could former Warriors GM, Bob Meyers be a candidate for the Nuggets? Should the Nuggets go with a championship level winning, proven coach or an outside hire that is up and coming? Could a former player, similar to JJ Reddick be on the table to be the next Nuggets coach? Phil walks us through what his experience was like when his NFL coach was fired during the season. We hear from Josh Kroenke and his thought process on the major shake up within the Nuggets franchise. Was there one moment that led the Nuggets to firing both Calvin Booth and Michael Malone? ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne joins the show to discuss how surprising it was to see both Malone and Booth be let go by the Nuggets, the timing of the Nuggets decision, and how the Nuggets lost their culture in the locker room.

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil detail all the division between Nuggets coach Michael Malone and GM, Calvin Booth. Was either guy right that the Nuggets should be playing the young players more or veterans more? Zach lists all the moves Calvin Booth has made while with the Nuggets, good and bad. Can the Nuggets still maximize “the Jokic window” and build a championship contender? Will the Nuggets interim head coach be able to prove he deserves a chance to be the head coach next season? Zach gives a warning to Nuggets fans that they shouldn’t assume Jokic will be a life lone Nugget. DenverSports.com’s Will Petersen joins the show to discuss his thoughts on the firings of Michael Malone and Calvin Booth. We wrap up the show with the biggest story lines in Denver sports today. Will Michael Malone have another head coaching job in the NBA? Will Calvin Booth step into another general manager job?

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross talking with Dover. The guys discuss the Nuggets unraveling to finish the season. Are the Nuggets on track to finish outside of the top 6 spots in the west and play in the play-in tournament? Have the Nuggets lost their young and hungry mindset? Have the Nuggets injuries been too much to overcome through the year and the team lost their connectivity? Are we about to see the greatest comeback in Denver sports history? Will we see Gabe Landeskog make a return to the ice for the Avalanche? Is current day Gabe, better than the potential player’s spot he will be taking? Is it worth the mystery of Gabe’s ability to roll him out on this ice in the NHL playoffs? Do we have a new clue as to where a potential new Broncos stadium could be located? Is Lone Tree the new leader in the clubhouse for a new Broncos development? What do the guys expect the timeline to be for an announcement from the Broncos?

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil have a state of the union for the Nuggets. Is it fair to blame Michael Malone for the Nuggets defensive issues or is on the players for their effort on the court? We hear from Nuggets coach, Michael Malone and his thoughts on the drop off of his team’s defense. Where is the connectivity we have seen from the Nuggets up until this season? Who is to blame for the Nuggets shortcomings this season? Today’s “Three Count” features 10,000 season ticket deposits for the new NWSL team coming to Denver, Alexander Ovechkin making history and becoming the all-time leading goal scorer in NHL history, and recapping the weekend in men’s and women’s college basketball. The Rockies are off to a tough start of the season but Zach shares why it’s not all bad. Will Chase Dollander be able to follow up his first start with more good outings? Will the Rockies get a spark from their young outfielder, Zac Veen?

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil react to today’s “Mile High Milestone” which features the 2023 Denver Nuggets winning their first NBA championship. What did the 2023 team have that made them different than most other teams in the NBA? We recount the Jokic and the whole team having a great time at the championship parade, as well as Michael Malone getting a Maxie the Miner tattoo. Colorado hosted their pro-day on Friday and Zach is intrigued by two Buffs wide receivers and their potential fit for the Broncos. Could we see Jimmy Horn or LaJohntay Wester be a late round pick up for the Broncos and become contributors? Are we about to see the greatest comeback in Denver sports history? Will we see Gabe Landeskog make a return to the ice for the Avalanche? Is current day Gabe, better than the potential player’s spot he will be taking? Are the Avalanche rolling too much to throw Landy in the mix? Do we have a new clue as to where a potential new Broncos stadium could be located? Is Lone Tree the new leader in the clubhouse for a new Broncos development?

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil discuss the Nuggets unraveling to finish the season. Have the Nuggets lost their young and hungry mindset? Where is the connectivity we have seen from the Nuggets up until this season? Who is to blame for the Nuggets shortcomings this season? Is it time to be concerned about Jamal Murray’s health as we haven’t seen him play in weeks and the playoffs right around the corner? We hear from Nuggets coach, Michael Malone and his thoughts on the drop off of his team’s defense. Zach and Phil read your text reactions to our Nuggets conversation and the current state of the team. Will the Nuggets end up being in the play in tournament and how much of a disappointment would that be? We wrap up the show recapping the five biggest stories in Denver sports. Will we see Gabe Landeskog in the AHL sometime soon?

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Phil and Kyle Reese previewing the Rockies home opener today. Are we still hopeful for this season or has a 1-5 start killed all hope? Will the Rockies offense be able to help their stellar starting pitching they have been getting to start the season? The Nuggets are back in action tonight, is tonight a must win? What are the questions we still have about this team as they get ready to make a playoff run? The University of Colorado is hosting their pro-day today and Phil is here to breakdown what his pro-day looked like a decade ago. Is there anything left for Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter to prove? What can we learn from “the others” like Horn, Wester and Shilo? How many Buffs will be drafted later this month? The Avalanche officially punched their ticket to the playoffs last night, how should we feel about the Avs being on a collision course with the Stars in the playoffs? Is Cale Makar having an underrated season and should be considered for the Hart Trophy?

In hour 2 of The Drive, Phil and Kyle Reese take a deep dive into the Broncos off season, their free agent acquisitions, and the upcoming draft. Are the Broncos building one of the best cultures in the NFL? Which free agent addition was the best move for the Broncos between Engram, Hufanga, and Greenlaw? 9News Broncos insider, Mike Klis joins the show to discuss if the Broncos can draft best player available in the upcoming draft, if it’s up to Sean Payton to decide which running back the Broncos will draft, and much more. Are the Broncos more likely to draft at pick 20 or trade back? Today’s “Three Count” includes a Final Four preview with all number one seeds competing this weekend, Coach Prime almost getting runover at Buffs practice, and Kyle Reese’s new coaching gig. Are the Avalanche the best they have been since their championship run? Do the Avs need to strike this year, while the iron is hot?