After Hours with Amy Lawrence PODCAST: Hour 2

It is our middle show of the work week or your middle show of the work week. I will not be here the rest of the work week.

Producer J just said to me, three hours to vacation, which he's technically right because once we get to 3 a.m. Pacific Time or 6 a.m. Eastern Time, I'm officially on vacation. However, I have not quite finished packing and I still have to scrub my kitchen floor and also vacuum downstairs. My mom said to me, why did you wait till the last second? And I reminded her that I have two pets and if I clean the floors too early, the floors get dirty again. But the bathrooms are clean. The spare room is made up. I am trying out a brand new house sitter actually.

So this should be an experience. She's really excited. She's an older lady and so she and Penny can walk slowly around the neighborhood in the heat together. But yeah, I'm glad that there's going to be somebody there at the house full time. I know that's better for the pets and she seems to be very excited about it. She keeps thanking me for allowing her to come and stay with my pets.

Like yeah, just wait until sugar gets a hold of you at 5.45 a.m. and we'll see how much you're thanking me then. That cat. Oh, that cat woke me up today when I needed to wake up. I was dead to the world. It was the cat that provided the alarm. So I guess I should thank her. I'm not a cat. She actually thinks she's a dog. We are live from the Rocket Mortgage Studios.

When you need cash out of your home and a simple way to get it, Rocket can. It's our home show, which means you get to ask Amy anything. So send your questions to our show Twitter After Hours CBS and then also on our Facebook page After Hours with Amy Lawrence and keep in mind two things. If your question is not used on the show, there's still a chance it could be used for a video version of Ask Amy Anything because we will do another one of those in the fall.

Speaking of videos, producer Jane, I've already recorded another one. I don't even think we should let people see it though. I'm a little nervous about people actually seeing what we did on Tuesday morning because we were both so tired that I'm thinking that maybe we thought it was a lot better and more entertaining than it was. I haven't watched it back yet. I'm going to take on that task I think after the show today and yeah, we'll see what we came up with. It was an interesting piece of video. I don't think I want people to see us like that.

I'm not sure I do either to be totally honest. So we're trying something new in year number two. We don't know yet if maybe that was more of a dry run and we'll see whether or not we scrap it and it hits the cutting room floor so to speak or we actually allow you to be part of that conversation. I'm going to get buried until someone leaks it. Anyway, we're working on some new stuff for the YouTube channel, exclusive to the YouTube channel and that does include video versions of Ask Amy Anything.

So send your questions. They may not get used on this edition of the show, but they could end up getting used down the road. So again, on show Twitter after hours of CBS or on our Facebook page. Cynthia Freeland of NFL Network had an interesting day. Actually, it's been an interesting preseason for Cynthia and we're thrilled as always that she's agreed to join us here on the show.

Now she is in Los Angeles, but she spent a bunch of time with the Buffalo Bills over the course of the last several weeks and Cynthia, we're always pleased to have you and your bright mathematical mind. Let's start with something wide open in general. What are a few things that you will take away from the preseason as it was? Basically that, you know, this year it's really interesting to see how many of the like 53 man rosters are like comprised of people who could be on other teams. Like the guys who got cut today, they could be on other people's 53 man rosters and certain teams and it builds especially.

We're so deep. That's a really good team. The guys who didn't make it, like they, they could be starters on other teams very easily or at least maybe not even starters, but someone who contributes on other teams. So, you know, it's, it's, I did learn a lot, you know, from a lot of different, like perhaps maybe some of the like, you know, now that we're having normal, we're back and nowhere COVID like pre preseason protocol, you know, there's a different sort of strategy when it comes to evaluating players and how you keep people and not, you saw different teams play their starters during different preseason games. So I would imagine that means there's a lot of different strategies that people are enacting in order to kind of understand how to build their rosters. And I also was pretty impressed with some of the people this week, just league wide, who got rid of people who weren't getting the bill is despite their high draft pick, because that's very hard to do.

Typically people don't do it. And you know, it's, it's, it's a really interesting, strong way to, to, to build your team though. When you look around the NFL, there are certainly teams like the bills that are deep and that have talent, so many different positions. What other teams maybe stand out everywhere you look, they have really talented people. Hard not to talk about the Rams when you talk about that, because I mean, they spent a lot of time, you know, they obviously build through free agency and building that way is really like, it's very like, it's impressive that they can fit it all in and make sure that they have the right blend of top end players. And then they fill it out with the guys who aren't first round picks because they clearly haven't had first round picks in a while.

That one's pretty, that's a pretty good team. And then, you know, it's funny because, you know, two really good quarterbacks this season have extremely changed wide receiving cores. Obviously both Patrick were home and Aaron Rogers lost their number one wide out. So it will be interesting to see, but I, I think, I think people are underestimating the fact that both of them have the ability to make their receivers better.

Obviously Patrick still has Travis Kelsey, so that's extremely helpful. And you know, when you look to see about Aaron Rogers and what he can do really well, he can actually change the speed of the ball on the same route, like so expertly that it adjusts to what is right for his receiver. So it's, it's actually, it's actually pretty cool to see both of those two. So, you know, I think maybe people are under us and by the way, the Packers defense is gnarly.

Like that's a really, really good defense. Get this, Cynthia, I have been to Lambeau Field for a preseason game and it was amazing, but week number two, I'm headed back to Wisconsin to honor my Grammy Helen. And while I'm there, I'm going to attend the Bears Packers Sunday night game at Lambeau, which should be just a show. Fall in the Midwest is the absolute best. So not only are you getting an awesome game, but you're also getting like the perfect time to be there. All the leaves will be changing. It'll be beautiful.

It will honor your grandmother so beautifully. Yes. In Wisconsin, whether or not you love football, you all have to follow the Packers. Everybody knows that we're spending a few minutes with Cynthia Freeland of NFL network. Always excited to have her. We know we're getting serious about football when she's on the show.

It's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio. Every single time we have you on the show, I check out your Twitter and there's some type of analytic or formula or new concept. And this one fascinates me because we see this a lot in baseball. It's a category called war win above replacement. And so I just saw on your Twitter that you have got this model, these formulas that kind of pinpoint which NFL players will make the greatest contributions to their team success.

I don't know how you did it, but would you care to explain Cynthia? Yeah. So I framed everything in probability of earning a first down or touchdown. So keeping the ball in your possession and then ultimately led that to how historically that's mapped to wins or not wins, right? So losses, right? So when you look to see how each team then side of the ball, then position groups, then individual player, how it sort of breaks down. So they're contributing to the bottom line, the win or the loss. You can actually sort of pinpoint how each player relative to each other is their same position is doing.

So I do it in terms of the wind shares. It ends up being a metric of games, but it's not a perfect science because if you say like air Rogers were six wins or whatever, and then you say like, you know, Patrick Holmes over 6.1 wins, it's, it's not like, you know, obviously games can't be fractional. If you don't have Aaron, you don't get sick.

There's always some different, there's always some difference between it. So it's just look at, you know, the value of Aaron versus the value of Patrick this year and look at the difference between the 6.1 and the six there. Who are a few non quarterbacks that were near the top of, of this list or near the top when you worked out all the science?

This is the first year. So usually you get like a pass catching running back will almost almost always have one of the highest wind chairs, mostly because they're on the field for so much volume. So that's historically how it works, but for the first time ever top five, I have a tight end. So Travis Kelsey, he broke into the top five in terms of wind chair, which is super fun. And you know, look at his red area of production over the past two years, not just his, but the wind chair also takes into account how a player impacts the game when they're not the subject of a target. So when Travis Kelsey's on the field, it makes it a better opportunity for the running backs to have space or for the wide receivers to have more, you know, more separation.

So things like that. And Travis Kelsey, his impact in the red area, the past five seasons is just unmatched. So it's, it was actually pretty cool that he busted into the top five because usually it's, you know, passing running back and then a wide receiver and then, but this year he snuck in.

It's pretty fun. Who are the top wide receivers? Cause we've had so much wide receiver movement this off season.

Yeah. Justin Jefferson is way up there. Obviously Cooper cup is with the kind of the same guys you see in fantasy. It's pretty interesting to see once you get down like a little bit, a little bit, not further down, but like the guys who are, you know, have more off ball contributions that, you know, last year, for example, like a Julio Jones, you know, he's hurt this year, potentially. We, I don't know where he falls this year, but last year he was up there even though, um, we didn't exactly, you know, he didn't always get the subject of the touchdowns when he was a Falcon, but you know, those it's, it follows much of fantasy football, but in some ways, you know, you have to look and see, like, I'm trying to think of who was like kind of a surprise on the list. Um, you know, I, I think it was interesting to see, like, you know, actually Alan Robinson bit into some of Cooper cup, um, wind chair, which is, it's good for the Rams, but it's for Cooper cup individual wind chair. It maybe brought it down just a bit, but for Cooper cup it, and for Al Robinson, it drove it up a little bit higher.

So you can use it for fantasy as well. Cynthia Freeland is with us right now from LA, but had spent some time with the Buffalo Bills. You mentioned their deep roster, but what impresses you about what they're doing as they approach another season where the expectations are so sky high? This team is dialed in, um, Von Miller, like DJs in the locker room and the guys like love it, but you know, they were like dial, like every snap of the preseason, it didn't matter who was playing. Now, obviously in the third game of the preseason, the bills put out a lot of their, you know, the guys who they were trying to make the roster and all of the starters were glued and they were locked in and they just like, could not have like, they couldn't stop helping.

They loved it. You know, there's some continuity here. Obviously a few positions are changed, but there's some continuity that means a lot.

And then their, their old line seems to be improved, at least from every observation I've been able to make. They have a lot of special things going in their draft class is exceptionally deep. I mean, James Cook gives them some versatility on that outside zone rushing game. Their corners are wonderful at the sixth round corner, Christian Benford out of Villanova, that looks incredible with Kyar Elam, their first round pick out of Florida. So, you know, they've addressed in positions of need.

We talked to Davis White isn't completely healthy. So, you know, they, they really, they really got that nice defensive back depth. So I have two nieces. Neither one of them thinks that I'm very cool, mostly because they're not into sports. Well, they love me, but they don't think that my job is all that exciting, which is fine with me.

I'm okay with that. I'm not even sure they know what I do for a living, but, but you got to share some football with your niece. I love the pictures.

I can imagine she thinks you are the coolest auntie on the planet. I mean, we had a lot of fun. We went to Niagara falls when we were in Buffalo.

It wasn't that far. And we went on the maid of the mist, which is super fun. We got soaked, which was also fun, a little surprising.

We didn't really know you'd get that wet, but we, we did. So we had a really good time. She was, I'm not going to tell her this cause I got to keep like the, you know, keep, keep her like thinking that she still needs to listen to me, but she was like so well behaved without me even like asking. And so she like, it was really nice to like have her, you know, stay in the moment and enjoy it with me. So it was really special. So I think she had a good time, you know, she, she had a pretty, she was little, we say she's a bit sports spoiled, like all of, you know, our family's a little sports spoiled. So it's all good. That's amazing. Uh, but my nieces don't care much about sports, so they don't really care what I do for a living.

So you're blessed in that regard. Uh, Cynthia, I know that we have talked about a myriad of other things, but of course I have to ask you about what happened with Baker Mayfield and the story that went viral on Tuesday. We're going to take a quick break and then I get to hear your side of the story. Plus there's something else that I have been dying to ask you about for over a month now. So you are a great sport.

Hang on. We'll get right back to Cynthia Freeland, the queen of data science for NFL network. It's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS sports radio. You are listening to the after hours podcast. This is after hours with Amy Lawrence.

Oh, listen to that music. It is most definitely about to be on NFL kickoff is mere days away. And because of that, we're thrilled to have a few minutes with Cynthia Freeland before we get to week number one, the queen of data science for NFL network. She's also one of our favorites and it's a, got a great personality is a lot of fun. And we had an interesting day on Tuesday in case you didn't hear and Cynthia, we'll, we'll get your version of the story here coming up, but in case you didn't hear, Cynthia was a guest on Monday's episode of around the NFL podcast and she created a bit of a firestorm with something she had to say about Baker Mayfield. I walked up to him and like, I'm so excited to see you like kick some butt, especially week one.

I like cannot wait. And he uses some expletives and I was like, I just hope you're like raising. I'm going to bleep them up. I'm going to f**k them up. Is that what his quote was?

Okay. From around the NFL podcast. That was our guest, Cynthia Freeland, who's still on the line with us from Los Angeles.

All right, Cynthia, here's your chance. What happened with Baker? I mean, it's really not that big of a deal, but I was at the, it's at the end of the game.

Um, the, you know, the bills played the Panthers. I walked up to Baker. I offered him good luck. I, I truly want to see Baker go out and light it up. I mean, the first overall pick, he's got a lot of firepower. He's a good quarterback. We've seen very good production from him.

It's not like, you know, something crazy. And I enjoy, I have covered him since before he came out into the league. So, you know, I remember like doing a lot of analytics on him. Cause remember back then he was quote unquote very short. Meanwhile, we have much shorter quarterbacks now, right. When, Oh, he can't be an overall first overall, these ridiculous stuff.

Right. So now, you know, I want him to prove everyone wrong. Like I, I spoke to him after the game and just the same as I would tell any of my girlfriends who are, you know, going to a wedding and having to see their ex, I basically was like, give them the revenge body, you know, come with a cuter date, show them what they're missing out on. So at the end of the day, like I just was, we were having a conversation about that and I was supporting Baker and, you know, he agreed with me because let's be honest, what's, what's he supposed to say in that situation? He's supposed to be like, you know what?

I don't really want to beat anyone this year, let alone the bro. You know, like it just, and then it, you know, but it took on a bit of a life of its own and it's okay because look, I, I don't, I know my intention and you know, there was, we were on a field, it was not a, you know, it was not a text message exchange. There was no whatever in that regard. We were on a, we were on a field after a game and I was offering support and then I was, I think there's a lot of people who take the time to say mean things about Baker. I was taking the time to say supportive things about Baker and you know, I, I, I shared it and kind of got a little, got a little, a little out of context, but you know, whatever. It's kind of like if people stop and stand back for a second and they're like, Oh, a former player wants to beat the team that didn't give them a longterm contract.

Is there any surprise? Like it does, it's just, it's a little silly. It is silly.

And I think most people would say that they agree with you. They want to see Baker do well in week number one against his former team because of the way it played out and because of who they replaced him with. I think if people are being honest, so yes, a little bit silly, just out of curiosity, did you hear anything from him after all this uproar?

I heard, I heard a lot of stuff, not from Baker directly. You know, I, I, I think that at the end of the day, this, the people with the best egos, meaning the ones who are going to actually win, I didn't hear anything from them and they didn't even know what was going on because the good people are focused on, on football. That's true. Good point.

Cynthia Freeland with us here after hours on CBS Sports Radio. Okay. The other thing that I have to ask about, and this goes back to the end of July, the start of training camp where you somehow put together a video that really does simulate the way that Aaron Rogers showed up to training camp. I have got to ask how this came about because not only was the timing of your video so perfectly choreographed with him, you guys were wearing the same outfit. Well, seriously, how did that happen?

Okay. The funny part is I hadn't seen the video and I went to work, not the belt, but I was wearing pretty much that same outfit. We just like switched it, same outfit as him. And I was like, all right, whatever. So two takes. And the only reason we didn't use the first take was because there was like a construction thing behind me and we wanted that out of the shot. So it was a second take. And honestly, sometimes I watched him like, I do kind of like look like Aaron Rogers.

No, no, no. He looks like you, not you look like him. He looks like you.

That's right. Cause I'm older. I was here first. Who wore it better? Oh, Cynthia, you definitely wore it better. It was just wild though. Like the timing, I didn't, I didn't count it or anything.

I just walked around my car and like tried to remember what he did, but I got a little lucky with that. It was pretty funny because I mean, I don't know, like we did, my producer was really smart. He's like exaggerate the bag drop. So I was like, great idea.

So I just was a little more dramatic with the bag drop. Oh, it was so fantastic. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, it is pinned to the top of Cynthia's Twitter. And I mean, it's been seen so many hundreds of thousands of times. It's amazing. But yeah, it doesn't get old to me.

No, it does not. I've watched that video. I can't even tell you probably 24 times, 25 times.

The choreography is so perfect. It was so funny because it was just very funny because I looked at it and I'm like, I mean, I'm going to be honest with you. I kind of come to work looking a little like, like a little rough, right? Like makeup on. I hadn't brushed my hair that day.

Okay. Well, I just, again, want to reiterate that he looks well scruffy like Nicholas cage, but you look great. No, I think he looks great. Like I think he nailed it.

He was trying and he went for it and it was perfect. He looked like Nicholas. Maybe me and him both look like Nicholas cage. It's amazing.

It's so good. Oh, well, I'm going to say it was an upgrade because the year before I showed up at a conference and I actually was wearing the same outfit as Bill Polian. So I think I'm moving up in the world.

Am I going from Bill Polian to Aaron Rogers? Two time MVP quarterback and you're wearing the same outfit. That's amazing.

I didn't realize that. I actually thought you got dressed to look like him, but you're telling me, I added the belt tied around me a lot more because it's a man's belt. So I borrowed it. It was great. That's awesome.

You've got to look at Cynthia's Twitter. It's at C Freeland, F R E L U N D. Okay. Before you let you go, are we playing fantasy football or what? What's happening?

We are. I've just been, I was a little, I was meant to do it today was on my list, but I've been a little, I've been a little, I've just, I've been a little in my head today. So I got it.

Oh yeah. I can understand that piece girl piece. You know, it's really funny. Lindsay Rhodes was on the show about three weeks ago and we didn't realize we were actually both in your league.

We had no idea. I think Lindsay told me that. Yeah, that's funny. She's giving me all these tips on how to draft and what not to do early on essentially don't draft quarterbacks early on. And then we realized we're in the same league and she's like, okay, everything I just said to you, do the opposite. Yeah.

So much fun. All right. So find Cynthia on Twitter.

She is the queen of data science for NFL network and she's got some other places you can find her too, but best sense of humor ever, girl. Thank you so much for a couple of minutes. You got it. Thanks for having me. I've been a little in my head today.

She says good for her. Let's let's take a straw poll wherever you are. Raise your hand. If you want Baker to, and this obviously would be outside of Cleveland. If you want Baker to rough up the Cleveland Browns in week number one, come on the majority of football fans listening, the majority of football fans not listening.

We want to see Baker do well against Cleveland. It's not an indictment of the Browns, at least not the team. It's more an indictment of the front office and the decisions they made. The fact that he was slighted and treated the way that he was.

Now I get it. It's a business that happens to a lot of guys and he's been an emotional girl for a good portion of the first four years in the NFL, not to mention his college days. So yeah, there, there are plenty of reasons to criticize the way that Baker's handled his business. But in week number one, after the Browns gave him does boot and went after Deshaun Watson and literally threw themselves at Deshaun Watson, outside of Cleveland, I would be willing to bet the majority of people want to see Baker throw over 300 yards and four touchdowns. Do you all remember we did a poll going back to, shoot, I think it was when Baker Mayfield got traded to the Panthers. And we asked you, who will have a better record this year? Who will finish with more wins, Cleveland or Carolina?

Two thirds of you said Carolina. And I truly believe that was not a commentary on the talent of either team or the division of either team or the prospects of either team. No, it was an emotional reaction.

And so yes, people want to see Baker do well in week one. And the fact that Baker used colorful language is no big thing. This was not a one-on-one interview. It was just an exchange. Now you could debate whether or not Cynthia should have shared that information specific, like specifically repeated what Baker said to her.

I don't know that I would have. I might have paraphrased it and just said, yes, he told me he wants to do well, something along those lines. I don't think I would have repeated the exact phrase because that's what made headlines. That was the clickbait.

That was what went viral. But at the same time, that is Baker. And even if it's not something you say in polite circles, we all know that's exactly how he feels. I mean, come on. It's not a big secret.

It's just the fact that he said it to someone who then repeated it. But Cynthia is a great journalist and she is really good at what she does. And as she says, honestly, she wants to see Baker exact some revenge. Like most of the rest of the United States of America and its football fans.

Right, Jay? Can't say that I wouldn't like to see it. Oh yeah, I'm all about it.

And if that game is not nationally televised, I will find some way to watch it. But I think it will be. I'm thinking it will be. I'm thinking it will be. I'm thinking it will be hyped up just a little bit.

Oh man, week one has got some scintillating battles and reunions, if you will. You can find me on Twitter, a law radio coming up at the top of the hour. Your chance to ask Amy anything, right? Are we doing top of the hour?

OK, are you sure? Do you have enough material? I think I think we're good.

OK, so send your questions next half hour. Keep sending them to our show Twitter after hours, CBS or to our Facebook page. And then we'll get to those or Jay will get to those. We still have some QB news. We want Kyle Shanahan speaks about Jimmy Garoppolo and his decision or their decision collectively to stay married as opposed to get a divorce. Mike Tomlin, he's being cagey. I like it though when Mike Tomlin is cagey. It's more fun that way. So we still have a lot we're going to jam in in these next two and a half hours.

You are listening to the After Hours podcast. Obviously when you're you're practicing against your own defense and you're trying to game plan for a different team, it's a little bit different. So each each game I'm looking for improvements and adjustments within the system. So yeah, he's right. Obviously, I'm just getting started within it, but I feel completely comfortable within the knowledge of it. Now it's just a matter of going out and and seeing it and putting it into action.

This is After Hours with Amy Lawrence. Week one. We all know whoever was making up this portion of the NFL schedule guessed correctly. As you could imagine, there was likely a discussion going on with the schedule makers. Well, Baker Mayfield could end up traded to Seattle or he could be traded to Carolina. At this point, pretty much every other team had a starting quarterback and those were the two options.

Well, eeny meeny miny moe, flip a coin, something along those lines. And they ultimately settled on Browns in Charlotte. So Browns and Panthers in week one and lo and behold, that is exactly where Baker Mayfield will make his next start in Charlotte for the Panthers. Hello. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. Top of the hour. Actually, can we flip it?

Two. I want to do something else at the top of the hour. So an hour from now we'll do Ask Amy. Okay.

Just because I'm thinking flow of the show and I want to do something. I want to do some other things at the top of the hour. Sounds good.

Okay. So we're going to push it back and do Ask Amy at the time slot that we've been doing it for eight plus years. An hour from now, your chance to ask Amy anything. And so that way you've got a few extra minutes to send your questions to Twitter, After Hours, CBS or to our Facebook page. What makes AutoZone America's number one battery destination because they offer free battery testing and charging and reliable replacement batteries.

They've always got your battery solution. Get in the zone. AutoZone. Top of the hour I want you to hear from John Wall and an opportunity to react to what John said. A candid, open, certainly transparent and vulnerable admission from one of the NBA's greats over the last 10 years or so.

I want you to hear what he had to say. Certainly making headlines. But beyond that, I hope that it's reminding people that they are not alone.

So we'll do that at the top. And also the victim. The alleged victim in the Matt Ariza civil lawsuit, former Bills punter. Not only will you hear from her, she did an interview with CBS News.

But the attorney for Ariza and his theory about why this is happening. It's After Hours here on CBS Sports Radio. It's kind of fun to see the U.S. Open under the lights with Serena Williams on Monday. Actually, I had some friends who are not huge sports fans but are following Serena, whether this is her exit, whether she continues to play or we see her again, however long she lasts at the U.S. Open. I happened to cross paths with them on Tuesday afternoon and they asked me about Serena and mentioned that they were watching her on Monday night. So we know that the atmosphere is supercharged for her. Her sister Venus lost in the first round of singles, but the two of them will play together in doubles.

So there's much more of the Williams sisters to come. But in addition to that, also neat to see Rafael Nadal back on the U.S. Open stage. He has not been in New York in quite a while. And maybe it took him a little bit to get re-acclimated to prime time at Arthur Ashe Stadium, how loud the crowd is. But you may remember he had to pull out of Wimbledon, so he did not get to finish what he started at Wimbledon. He was supposed to play in the semis but had a torn abdominal muscle and now is coming back and playing in the U.S. Open for the first time since 2019.

So it's been a three year hiatus for Rafael Nadal. And this is an opportunity now for the fans of New York to see him again. Of course, New York is all about the big stars.

New York is all about the brightest lights and the biggest celebrities. So he is now 16-0 in the first round of the U.S. Open in his career. I started not that bad the first couple of games, but then I had some opportunities that I was not able to make it. So then I think I didn't play a good game with myself.

Then he had the break. Then I was a little bit nervous. First match here in New York after three years, a nice session.

It's always exciting. I went through this tough moment. But then I think I played better. Of course, it was not perfect. But yeah, happy. Second match in 50 days, more or less. In some way, it was not the day to play perfect. It was the day to just make the job done. And that's what I did.

So happy for that. Hmm. Malaysia.

Australia. Really? Yeah. Rinky? I don't know.

I wonder if that's a nickname or his given name. So it was a slow start. Maybe a little bit of rust.

Maybe a little bit of woe. But he hadn't played very much since pulling out of Wimbledon. Ultimately ends up winning, moving on, and is very emotional at the end, which is typical Rafa. But first time at the US Open since 2019.

Welcome back to the United States of America, Rafael Adal. Naomi Osaka out in straight sets in the first round. And this is how women's tennis has gone for the past couple of years.

It's so topsy-turvy. There are stars that you expect to put a run together to be around for a while at a tournament like this, a major, and they'll be out early. And then there's people that, women that the majority of sports fans don't know. In fact, it was what Emma Radicanu just last year who had this surge to stardom at the US Open and she's out in the first round. So Naomi Osaka, she ends up losing actually to Danielle Collins, who is trying to think if I can remember any of her, I mean she's American and we know that she's had a couple of deep runs too. Not at majors necessarily. I'd have to go back and remember, but she's, she's another one of those younger American women who will try to fill this void post Serena Williams. So it's just, it's wide open now with Osaka and Radicanu out as well.

That's on the women's side. On the men's side also it's Novak Djokovic, yes Rafa maybe not playing his best tennis right out of the gate. We'll see what happens, but honestly this is great for Serena, even though she has to play the number two seed coming up on Wednesday. Some of these other seeds are knocked out, well then kind of would, I don't want to say it's easier because that's not really true. There's a lot of very young women who will run her all over the court.

But the fact that there could be some of these top seeds dropped out or eliminated early at least would give her a fighting chance. It's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio. From tennis, US Open just getting started, oh by the way two top ten seeds on the men's side also out, to golf where they've just wrapped up their playoffs. The FedEx Cup goes to Rory McIlroy and even as he is accepting the FedEx Cup and the money that comes with it, he's taking the opportunity to point out how amazing the PGA Tour is and how much more superior it is to the Live Tour. And right after that the number two player in the world, Cameron Smith, who won the Open Championship is among a handful of guys who are headed to Boston to participate in the next Live Tournament, effectively ending, at least for now, their tenure with the PGA. And Cam Smith is Australian but it's a big loss and he understands all the criticism that comes with making this defection. It's just their job mate, that's what they're there to do.

They're there to tell stories and I'm sure they've had a few looks at it the last few days and you know I'm ready to cough some heat and I understand that's what I've said. So Cam Smith tried to dodge the questions about whether or not he was defecting going back to that Open Championship and he even again was facing the questions because the reports were out there that he was going to jump to Live Tour. He was again trying to avoid the questions at the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs. Obviously having this plan in place to put it off until the FedEx Cup was done and then he could go right to Boston from Atlanta to Boston as some of these others are. So Cameron Smith says, and maybe we'll get the audio at some point, but he says that there were two reasons why he decided to join Live. Number one, money. Number two, the schedule. And so he tells Golf Digest that his decision was financial and schedule related.

And I'll read you the quote. Money was definitely a factor in making that decision. I won't ignore that or say that wasn't a reason. It was obviously a business decision for one and an offer I couldn't ignore. The biggest thing for me joining is Live's schedule is really appealing. I'll be able to spend more time at home in Australia and maybe have an event down there as well.

I haven't been able to do that and to get that part of my life back was really appealing. So a lot of these guys will admit that yes, we're talking about life changing money. We're talking about the kind of money that not only provides for you for the rest of your life, and he's already made millions, but this is the kind of money that you can put away, that you can invest, that you can save and it affects generations, family generations. And so there's no way to ignore that the money is life changing. But at the same time, many of these guys are also looking at the schedule three days instead of four days. Yes, you have commitments beforehand, pro-ams and media events and various obligations on site, but they don't play every week. And he says I want to have the chance to go home now and then maybe to play an international event in Australia, which I haven't been able to do. And you'll see, you'll notice more and more, there is definitely an international flair to the live group of golfers. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence, CBS Sports Radio.