The Drive

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and James cross-talking with Dover and Cecil. The guys discuss what they were doing 18 years ago as the Avalanche look to close out a series with a win at home for the first time in 18 years. Zach and James preview tonight's Game 5 between the Avalanche and Wild. Will MacKenzie Blackwood start in goal again for the second straight game? Is Scott Wedgewood getting the short end of the stick by getting replaced after one bad game? Will the Avs make it out of the second round for the third time in the last 25 years? Zach shares the disappointing recent history for the Avalanche in Game 5's at home. We react to Colorado's first game of the season being on national television against Georgia Tech. Will CU return to their 2024 form or will the program continue to spiral? 

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and James finish their conversation on the Nuggets and if they will fully buy into spending money during the second half of Jokic's prime. We pivot to the Avalanche after they took a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Wild last night. Would a second Stanley Cup secure Jared Bednar as a top-two coach in Denver sports history? Is it fair to call Bednar's tenure a disappointment so far? We discuss who the Avalanche could potentially play in the Stanley Cup final and break down the Hurricanes and Canadiens playstyle. The guys debate if George Paton will outlast Sean Payton in the Broncos organization after Paton signed a 5-year contract extension last week. Will Sean Payton sign a second contract with the Broncos? We wrap up the show with DenverSports.com's Aniello Piro joining the show to discuss what we learned in Denver sports today. 

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and James break down the Avalanche's 5-2 win in Minnesota last night to take a 3-1 series lead over the Wild. Can anyone beat the Avalanche if they are playing their best hockey? Does it matter who is in net for the Avalanche moving forward? We react to the news of the day in the Broncos opening up the season with Monday Night Football on the road in Kansas City. Are the Broncos getting a raw deal by having to travel in week 1 after winning the AFC West? Dante shares the early betting odds for the game, and we debate if it is an appropriate spread. Which quarterback is most likely not to be ready for training camp between Bo Nix and Patrick Mahomes? Zach voices his concerns with the Nuggets' two best players on the team being their two worst defenders. How can the Nuggets surround Jokic and Murray with plus defenders? The guys entertain a potential trade between the Nuggets and Cavs, which would bring Evan Mobley to Denver. 

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and James take a deep dive into the Avalanche after their huge win in Game 4 last night. Can anyone beat the Avalanche if they are playing their best hockey? What went into Jared Bednar's decision to start MacKenzie Blackwood, and who will he start in Game 5? What did the guys make of Josh Manson's double minor when punching with the end of the stick in his hand? Is Manson a dirty player? Did the Avs need an "enforcer"? Will the Avs close out their first playoff series at home for the first time in 18 years? Today's "Three Count" includes new Broncos TE Justin Joly being listed by ESPN as a non-first round pick that will make an impact in their rookie season and Avs' general manager Chris MacFarland being named a finalist for the NHL's General Manager of the Year Award. The guys debate if George Paton will outlast Sean Payton in the Broncos organization after Paton signed a 5-year contract extension last week. 

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and James cross-talking with Dover and Jake. The guys discuss Nikola Jokic's standing in NBA history and if he will be considered on the same level as Dirk Nowitzki with only one championship or Giannis Antetokounmpo with multiple MVPs. Zach and James dive into the Avalanche's 5-2 win in Minnesota last night to take a 3-1 series lead over the Wild. We react to the breaking news of the Broncos opening up the season with Monday Night Football on the road in Kansas City. Are the Broncos getting a raw deal by having to travel in week 1 after winning the AFC West? Is this the best-case scenario for the Broncos getting Patrick Mahomes in week 1 after a torn ACL ended his season last year? Zach voices his concerns with the Nuggets' two best players on the team being their two worst defenders. How can the Nuggets surround Jokic and Murray with plus defenders?

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and James react to the breaking news of Broncos legend Craig Morton passing away over the weekend before taking a deep dive into tonight's pivotal Avalanche and Wild Game 4. How does the series change depending on which team wins tonight? Who will start at goaltender tonight for the Avs? Has Jared Bednar and the Avalanche created a goaltender controversy by pulling Scott Wedgewood during Saturday's game? Where did the Avalanche's offseason disappear in Game 3, and will Brock Nelson finally get going with a goal? We react to the breaking news of MacKenzie Blackwood starting in net tonight, as well as two key Avalanche players missing the game with injuries. We wrap up the show with the guys sharing how nervous they are for the Avs heading into Game 4 and sharing their predictions for the game. 

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and James debate if Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar made a mistake by muddying the waters by pulling Scott Wedgewood at goaltender during Game 3. We hear from Bednar on not announcing a starting goaltender in tonight's Game 4. How much is Wedgewood to blame for allowing 3 goals during his time in net? How many times can Bednar pull the lever of changing goalies, and can he go back to Wedgewood if Blackwood starts tonight and doesn't play well? The guys break down Josh Kroenke's season-ending press conference from last week and voice their dislikes from his comments. We hear from Josh Kroenke, calling himself the "Chief Culture Officer", and Zach points out the irony of Josh not being in the building on a day-to-day basis. We recap the Broncos' rookie minicamp and what Sean Payton had to say about the group they had at practice. We hear Sean Payton's update on Bo Nix's ankle and debate if Nix will be ready to roll for the Broncos' offseason program. What are the guy's level of concern with Nix's ankles moving forward?

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and James continue their conversation on the Nuggets and Josh Kroenke labeling himself as the "Chief Culture Officer". Did Kroenke not set the expectation of the Nuggets as a championship or bust team? We pivot to the Broncos and discuss Sean Payton's update on Bo Nix's ankle. Will Nix be ready to roll for the Broncos' offseason program? Is there reason to be concerned with Nix's ankles moving forward? Today's "Three Count" features a look around the NHL and NBA playoffs, both the Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers getting swept in the second round of their playoff runs, and our reaction to the NBA Draft Lottery results. We dive back into the Avalanche and their disappointing Game 3 loss on Saturday. Did the Avs let the Wild back in the series with their win? Do the Avalanche have the right leadership to refocus and have a better approach in Game 4? 

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and James cross-talking with Dover and Jake. The guys discuss the letdown from the Avalanche in Game 3. Have Jared Bednar and the Avalanche created a goaltender controversy by pulling Scott Wedgewood during the game? Zach and James continue their conversation on the Avalanche and their loss in Game 3. How much is Wedgewood to blame for allowing 3 goals during his time in net? Did the Avs get too high on themselves after starting 6-0 in the playoffs? We hear from Jared Bednar on pulling Wedgewood and not announcing who will be in goal tonight for the Avs. The guys break down Josh Kroenke's season-ending press conference from last week and voice their dislikes from his comments. We hear from Josh Kroenke, calling himself the "Chief Culture Officer", and Zach points out the irony of Josh not being in the building on a day-to-day basis. 

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Will take a deep dive into the Nuggets as their ownership, front office, and head coach spoke today. Will the Nuggets "run it back" with a very similar roster next season? What were the guy's biggest takeaways from Kroenke's press conference? Were there any comments from Josh Kroenke that frustrated Zach and Will? Has Kroenke shown that he is willing to spend money on the organization off the court? We hear from Josh Kroenke on "running it back, what success looks like for him with the team, and much more. We wrap up the show previewing tomorrow's Game 3 between the Avalanche and Wild. Who will the Wild turn to in net after playing two different goaltenders in Games 1 and 2? What are the keys to victory for the Avs to take a 3-0 series lead?