After Hours with Amy Lawrence PODCAST: Hour 2

This is Flee for This Little Light, the podcast about falling in love with music. I started a nonprofit music school about 20 years ago called the Silver Lake Conservatory of Music. The reason that I started doing this podcast was music education. I'll be speaking with Rick Rubin, Thundercat, Stewart Copeland, Margo Price, Corey Henry, Cynthia Erivo, Sheila E, and Patti Smith. Please listen and follow This Little Light, a presentation of Cadence 13 on the Odyssey app, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Amy Lawrence. One hour down, is it like riding a bike? Not sure if I fell off the bike in the first hour, but it does become more and more familiar and comfortable. I missed it. After a week and a half away from the radio show, I missed it.

Now, not quite back to the regular routine. I am not in our CBS Sports Radio headquarters. Instead, I'm on the campus of Syracuse University. Would you believe they let me teach students? Maybe if they knew what was happening in the classroom, they would not. But for now, for now, they're allowing me to teach a class for over a four-week span. I get to be an adjunct professor and share some of the wisdom and experience from a long time in this business. Actually, that's becoming more comfortable for me, too.

The first class, I shouldn't say this on the radio because students are probably going to hear it. I was nervous. I was nervous because it was something new for me.

But now, it's becoming more comfortable and talking about radio is one of my favorite things in the world. So it's really cool to have this opportunity and also to do a show from Syracuse where I did shows as a student when I was here going back over 20 years ago. So it's an honor. It's a surreal moment for me, and it's also good to be back. I was starting to get the itch. It does actually feel a little bit like an itch that I need to scratch, and so to get back on the air after being refreshed and rejuvenated, it's cool.

It reminds me. The time away reminds me why I love this job so much, but also reminds me it's good to take a break for a reset and for just a refreshing before a really busy playoff season. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. You can find me on Twitter, ALawRadio.

Also on our Facebook page, the number works, too, 855-212-4227. The Kings take a 2-0 lead on the Warriors, winning both the games in Sacramento. There was a pivotal moment in the fourth quarter that everyone will be talking about on Tuesday. Curry has the rebound. Sabah is on the floor, and he just got stomped on by Green, and a foul was called, and that may warrant an ejection.

There was nothing subtle about that. He went to the floor, and Green in the tangle, it appeared to me like he just, I said stomped in the end. Until I see a replay, I'm going to stick with that for the moment, but Sabah is still down. My leg got grabbed second time in two nights.

Referees just watch it. I got to land my foot somewhere, and I'm not the most flexible person, so that's not stretching that far. So you didn't really see where you were stepping?

I can only step so far in pulling my leg away, so it is what it is. I didn't see what he did afterwards, but for sure, it's a flagrant, too, for sure, and it would be interesting to see what the NBA does after they review it, but I didn't see the aftermath. Is Draymond telling us that had he tried to step any further, he might have pulled a groin?

He's not the most flexible guy, needs to go to some yoga, I don't know. You hear Gary Gerald with that call in the fourth quarter, about midway through, maybe a little earlier than that. Following that, the Warriors were able to tie the game, but then the Kings with a late 17-8 run to pull away and win game number two. We are pleased to welcome Sean Cunningham, who is there right in the center of the action, reporter and producer for Fox 40, also part of the Kings radio network as a reporter. Sean, let's start with the end, the postgame. What's your reaction to what we heard from Draymond Green, his explanation about how this all unfolded?

Yeah, I mean, first of all, good to be with you. Yeah, it's a little head scratcher because I had a great view of it myself from having to shoot for our station here in Sacramento and be this multimedia journalist that we're all doing and had a great look at it and yeah, I can understand a little bit of the frustration certainly with Domas grabbing his leg, obviously they had a little dust up in the first game that looked very much like Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone, if you remember that in the NBA Finals with the Bulls and the Jazz where they get tied up and keep falling down and not letting each other up and Draymond and Domas had that same moment kind of in the same spot as it happened tonight in game two. There was a little bit of him grabbing his leg, but I think also, you know, there was these Warriors took exception to Domas kind of flinging Play Thompson around right before that. So, but certainly nothing excuses that move where Draymond looks like Ndamukong Su and just absolutely stomping on Domas Savonis and Amy, we literally just got out of the locker room about 10 minutes ago, almost 15 now after speaking with Domas who had, you know, x-rays that were obviously negative, he's going to undergo some further testing and everyone in that locker room saying, not only is there no place for that, but they're choosing their words carefully, but you know, they've got a teammate down on the ground and there's concern for the health and Domas is riling up the crowd or excuse me, Draymond Green is riling up the crowd as he did and there was some exception to that. So as we're talking, I'm watching the sequence again. It's on your Twitter, the whole thing for Fox 40.

I don't know. It's I understand why Draymond Green's reputation precedes him, but also he did have his foot grabbed and I kind of felt like it maybe could have been a little more equitable flagrant one for each of them. It certainly wasn't an accident. That's a bonus grabbed his leg. I mean that that was intentional as well. So the officials did go back and issue a foul, but obviously the flagrant two for Draymond changes a lot.

So then what about what about the moments following that? How did you see the momentum shift in the game? Yeah, I think look, Harrison Barnes kind of huddled up the team and as Kevin Herter said after the game, when Harrison speaks, we listen. I mean he chooses his moments to get vocal with his team and it doesn't happen all the time.

He's not a rah-rah guy. He doesn't have to have to do that too often, but it was a moment where he definitely did that and they all listened and there was a moment where it worked to their favor. The crowd certainly got into it. They love to see that Draymond Green was ejected and look, Davion Mitchell had his career game. Malik Monk has been a guy who's been absolutely just feeding off of this crowd here in Sacramento. This is a fan base, as you all know, who just hasn't even had a taste of any type of success for a winning season, let alone being in the first round of a playoff series with their big brothers down in the Bay Area who are a dynasty. It's been some rowdy times and I think they fed off of it and who would have thought? You could make an argument that this Kings team and maybe even the crowd, which I didn't expect because I said before the series that this Golden State Warriors team, there's nothing they haven't seen, nothing that they won't expect and haven't experienced already and here they are looking like a team that not only is feeling some pressure, but might have a Kings team that has remained composed and poised and might be in their head a little bit as they go to game three in San Francisco. How? How do they remain poised and composed when they do not have the experience?

Where does that come from? No, and I asked that question at nauseum this week, Amy, and they all circle right back to not only just Mike Brown, who obviously was Steve Kerr's associate head coach during this time, but you can look to literally three other coaches on this coaching staff that come from the Warriors. Luke Loucks, who had the experience over there, and of course, Leandro Barbosa, the Brazilian blur who was so very well liked in that Warriors team, but they know the identity and the DNA of this Warriors team very, very well and you know, that can only go so well so far. I mean, certainly talent is still going to win out and you still have to go play the games, but they are on these guys not to fall into the gamesmanship. If you go back to game one, there's moments where Draymond Green is chirping at Trey Lyles and he has this kind of like Michaela Maroney-esque kind of smirk at him when he smiles at him, just totally amused at Draymond's antics. And then you look at Malik Monk, who is like almost the perfect guy to go toe to toe with with the verbal barbs and Malik is, in my opinion, just the heart and soul of this team. I mean, look, Domas Savonas and De'Aaron Fox are the best players, but this team looks like they're at their best when they've got that swagger and that attitude of Malik Monk who obviously can score, but when he's not turning the ball over playing some pretty nice defense and obviously being a playmaker, they're at their absolute best. Sean Cunningham is with us from Sacramento where the Kings take a 2-0 lead after what was a record playoff drought. They have got the Warriors, I don't want to say on the ropes, but they've got the Warriors right where they want them. He's a sports reporter and producer for Fox 40 and also part of Kings Radio. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence, CBS Sports Radio. You mentioned that element of Kings playing in the shadow of the Warriors.

I actually mentioned it last hour on the show, so I'm glad you brought it up. How much does that play into the dynamic of the series, that it is the Warriors who are close to them not just geographically, but also same Bay Area and a lot of the fans are splitting? Yeah, I mean it's been clockwork. I've covered this team since 02 and I grew up in the city and when Kings season ends, we hang up the Kings credential and we jump on the Warriors to cover them as far as they go in the postseason because we are an extension of the Bay Area. You go in there, you're covering A's, Giants, Niners, Raiders when they were here, I mean that's just how far back this thing goes and we're very familiar with the Warriors as well, but the Kings during that time, for as bad as they've been, you're talking 17 years, 16 seasons, you could argue at a time you still have passionate fans and they still set off this building, but you can argue that they've sort of lost their market at times during these championship runs.

You look at the Sacramento Stock in Modesto, Yuba City, Fairfield, this whole area and they're all in the footprint of the Bay Area, so they get these games, they see everything and I think the Kings take exception to it. If you look at just the way they've finished the season, look, obviously the Warriors had their struggles, they finished 6th and the Kings who are at 3rd, everyone's saying, oh, they want to take the Kings, everyone wants the Kings and rightfully so, they don't have the playoff experience, but the Kings in a weird way really talking to these players even the week leading up to the playoffs, talking about wanting to play the Warriors, not just because of Mike Brown, but to really kind of vindicate what they've done in this season alone and them thinking that, look, it doesn't matter how far they go in this NBA playoffs, but taking down the Warriors really means something as opposed to taking down a team like the Clippers or the Pelicans. What happened in the first quarter with the 9 turnovers and also the Kings missing what was their first 10 plus triples? Yeah, just ugly basketball and I didn't have that on my bingo card to see such a low storing affair after the first quarter and just, you know, absolute garbage on the court, but Malik Monk, I'm telling you, he just has this weird way of turning around a basketball game. Later he comes on, hits a couple threes, Kevin Hurter kind of warms up and off they go.

They're off to the races and you have another, you know, high scoring affair. So yeah, I mean, that's the one thing in the Warriors DNA where they're able to turn the ball over and when they turn the ball over a lot, it's more times than not, they don't really give up a lot of points off those turnovers. Tonight they did and I think that really played into the Kings hands and I mean, I know I mentioned him earlier, Davion Mitchell had a career game and this team was absolutely rallying around what he was able to do, especially against a guy like Steph Curry. Here he is in his second season, a little bit undersized and just that, that bulldog picking up Steph Curry full, full court for the entire game and it was a lot of fun to see. And he has been, he hits that big shot, not known for his offense. He gets it done first time in this season. He's got a ton since such a little guy off, it comes off of a steal and then hits that triple right in front of the King's bench and it's unbelievable.

In 18 to go, that really was the dagger and Davion Mitchell, what a moment for him. What is the strategy defensively against Steph because he did not have a great shooting night though some of those he missed wide open. Yeah, I mean, I think it's just him picking up full court and trying to just stay locked on as much as he can.

I mean, he's going to get lost in the screen a little bit, but I think a lot of it is just a hope and a prayer and you just hope he misses or hopefully, you know, force them into an off-balance shot or just making a bad pass. I mean, this, like I said, they want to force them into turnovers and look, this isn't the King's team. That's a good defensive team. So to see moments like that, they really bring the bell on that.

They have a, you've probably seen it by now. They've got a chain, this, this, this corny little medallion and this laser and smoke show in the locker room. After every win, they award a defensive player of the game award.

It might as well be named after Davion Mitchell because he could win it literally every single night, but he won it again tonight. And it's these types of little moments that they have to celebrate so that this team can believe in, that they're not this awful, awful defensive team, that there is moments that they can really celebrate where they can buckle down and, and show some defense. And it really shows on the road. Like when they're on the road, this team is a much better defensive team than they are at home. Home is where they really get killed defensively. And that's kind of, obviously their bread is buttered on the offensive, on the offensive end, putting up historic numbers.

Uh, if they can make just any small little incremental improvement defensively, it goes a long way for Sacramento. Sean Cunningham with us from Sacramento, literally just finishing up with postgame press conferences in the Sacramento Kings locker room, following their game two win, the two O lead against the warriors. It's after hours, CBS sports radio light, the beam has become nationally recognized.

It's now a phrase that even if you're not part of the Kings fan base, you're hearing spewed on national TV. How much does light, the beam grip, the Sacramento fan base. It's insane. I mean, I don't, I don't know how much time you have. I could talk for probably 20 minutes about how it captivated the city. You've got people tattooing the beam on them.

So not even stop it, stop it. There's literally a fan who I've seen who we, and it Mike Brown was asked about it today. He's tattooed Mike Brown's face on his calf.

He also has a beam tattoo on his arm. You've got every business in town turning everything purple, which isn't all that uncommon. But, uh, the fan base loves it so much. I was working. I work at Fox 40 here in Sacramento, uh, and like a typical newsroom, you get news tips, you know, people say, Hey, there's a car crash here or what's going on over here.

Please exit me on the street. The night that that happened back in October, they see a light in the air and you're literally getting people emailing and calling into the station going, what is this light? Like what's happening? Aliens.

What's going on. It's gotta be some things related over the arena and it just happens organically. And like the whole, I don't know if anyone has heard, but you know, the idea came from somebody within the organization, John Reinhardt, the president of the, of the team, seeing how they used to light a halo around the, uh, the, the a in Anaheim when the angels would win and they'll say, well, there's something similar we can do here, but it happened kind of organically. And once people saw it, man, this place goes crazy. They flood doco Plaza right outside of the main entrance of golden one center. And, uh, if you were here on game one, uh, and they win right after the warriors game and you've got L street, it turned into a viewing party. You have another square that's, uh, turned into an ice skating rink.

Normally during the, during the, during the winter season, you've got people packing that for a viewing party. And then they're right outside of golden one center, looking up in the sky, celebrating, uh, making out under making pictures, always taking pictures. I mean, there's so many things going on under the beam and these fans have lost their mind over it.

And it, you know, it wasn't even just the beam. You can go back to Malik monk getting a little cut on his face and wearing the bandaid. You got all these people in the arena wearing bandaids on their face and even a bunch of garbage saying like, Hey, the cut has healed. You don't have to wear the bandaid anymore. And he's like, how can I take it off? So, uh, yeah, it's things like that.

These little organic moments that this small town that, uh, you know, like I said, the little brother to the Bay area, uh, that they just didn't brace. And it's kind of like a college atmosphere in here, Sean, I'm going to assume the beam is not paid for with taxpayer money. God, I would hope not, I mean, it's a pretty impressive beam. You must be able to see it from all over the city.

Yeah, you can. I mean, there's, there's moments where, um, it looks, it looks a little brighter than others, especially if you know, you get a little bit of an overcast and how it reflects off the clouds. Um, they've, they, they had one laser or one beam originally, and now they've added like four, just kind of strengthen it and you know, FAA regulations, you kind of have to pull the plug right when midnight happens, but, uh, yeah, people are celebrating, they take pictures from everywhere and, um, Instagram accounts and, and people buying all kinds of t-shirts and hats.

And like I said, literally people tattooing beams on their body. They're just loving it. Well, that, that is a little extreme, but I do love the rally cry and the fact that fans are coming together to support their team and they have this beam that really is the central focus. It's cool.

And it's pretty purple too. Before I let you go, Sean, internally, how high are the expectations for this playoff run? First one in 16 years, what are their expectations inside their own locker room?

Yeah. I feel like they don't have much pressure on their shoulders coming into the series because let's face it, everyone else, I mean, the warriors coming in and succeed and they were still favored just because of their championship pedigree and defending champs and, um, star power on that team. And you've got hall of famers. So a team that really, you got two all-stars in Sacramento and, um, not a lot of star power outside of that. So, uh, they, I feel like they came in here and just with playing with house money, you know, they, I don't think that they thought they'd be this good this soon, and this might be like another year. And maybe they thought that they'd be battling for a playoff spot or maybe in a playoff position. So coming into the series now, it's a little bit like, okay, now that you've protected home court and that old adage that a series doesn't start until a road team loses.

I just used that last hour. It's true. I mean, but it is true. We, we use it so often.

I hate cliches, but it's like, it's a cliche because it's for a reason. You go into, you go into San Francisco and you're up to, Oh, you're halfway there, but you haven't done anything yet. And Mike Brown is going to be on his team to know that, to constantly remind them about, about that. And I'm curious to see, do they get overconfident?

Is there a comfort level? Do they kind of let go of the rope, so to speak, as they head into San Francisco? Cause let's face it for, for as rowdy as Sacramento has been, obviously they're used to, they're used to a really great atmosphere is probably more so when, when the team was in Oakland and in San Francisco, frankly, but it's still a fantastic atmosphere. And I think now you've poked the bear and the warriors fans, they're going to be ready for the Kings.

So now it's time to put up or shut up. You got, you're going to go in there on, on, you know, on a Thursday night game and then it's an early game. It's a 1230 Pacific time tip on Sunday. So even a little bit of a time change could, could maybe affect things, but you still have the home court.

So you haven't lost on your home floor. You know, you'll be coming back for at least a game five if necessary. And I love the way the fans are representing Sacramento, representing the Kings loud and proud. And then of course the beam, which my goodness, you might be able to see in the next state on some nights. It's so bright. So fine. We got to get you out to see it. You got it.

I would love that. Absolutely. It's become, it really has become a national moniker. It's not just about the Kings anymore. When you start to hear the announcers on TNT yell light the beam, well then, you know, it's become a mainstream and gone viral.

So it's really cool. Uh, we've actually, we've been in here looking at, as you're talking, looking at some of the photos and it's incredible. As you point out, it's all over social media too, that you can find Sean on Twitter at Sean Cunningham, reporter producer for Fox 40, also part of the Kings radio network as a reporter with the great Gary Gerald, who is an icon, obviously you're welcome back anytime.

I hope we have an occasion to talk Kings basketball for before this playoff run is done. Sean, thank you so much. Oh, absolutely. I mean, pleasure to talk to you anytime you want.

You hit me up. That is fun. I love the idea that you've got a team that is starting from the bottom, uh, has nothing to lose and everything to gain. And its very first challenge is against the big brothers who have the rings and have the attention and have all the splash.

They've got the nicknames, the splash brothers, yada, yada, yada. And here are the Kings who don't care. And that's really the attitude. But I love what Sean had to say about Mike Brown and the other coaches that came from the warrior staff. This is not a group, an entire group that has zero experience. Very often a coach can bring that by stepping into a locker room, that credibility.

This is just one example. When Doug Peterson took the job with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he's a super bowl winning coach, instant credibility when Mike McCarthy took the job with the Dallas Cowboys, super bowl winning coach. Now you have to keep that credibility. Mike Brown's going to have to keep it, but he brings that experience, that wisdom. So these young Kings, they're hungry for it. They're going to eat it up.

They're going to take what he says and they're going to try to apply it out there on the court. So it's fantastic the way it's come together, but we'll see how it goes when they shift to the chase center. Good stuff with Sean. Next time on the show on Twitter, after hours, CBS on our Facebook page, it's been a while. Have you reconnected with us? It might be time it's after hours from Syracuse university. I need to keep saying that cause it's almost, it's almost too good to be true that I get to do a show from here after teaching my class for these next few weeks, we're glad to have you with us. I'm glad to be back here on CBS sports radio.

You are listening to the after hours podcast. Grabbing it is night. We'll toss it left side steal to the back post cut off in front by Harley who couldn't get it out. Here's a turnover open in front. They score! They score! Ryan Hartman helps the wild steal game one of a bouncing puck in front and he wins his double overtime marathon in Dallas as the wild prevail three to two. In overtime on a power play to Kopitar to Dowdy in the middle to Kopitar left circle of the goal line. Arbertson centers score Alex Iafalo wins it in overtime. It's a power play goal. Great quick puck movement by the Kings. They worked it down low. A touch pass by Arbertson to Iafalo in front who buries it. The Kings take game one here in Edmonton.

This is after hours with Amy Lawrence. We love sudden death. Those are two of the greatest words put together in all of sports and on the first night of the NHL playoffs what do we get a pair of games that go into sudden death overtime in fact with the wild and the stars they end up needing a second overtime period so you hear the call in the wild radio network and then also on Kings radio this takes place the Kings in Edmonton where the Oilers who are 50 game winners have already lost their home ice advantage and actually I guess it applies to the Dallas Stars as well but there's a lot of expectations around the Oilers after the seasons that we saw from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. It's after hours with Amy Lawrence here on CBS Sports Radio. Of course all the pressure in the world is on the shoulders and the backs of the Boston Bruins. You do not set records for wins in a season and shatter the old mark for points in a season without there being a lot of attention because and this applies to the Bruins specifically but I do believe it would apply to most other franchises they've come off a season like this one but in the case of the Bruins because of their recent history because of their franchise history because of their fan base because it's Boston the expectations are always that they will compete for a Stanley Cup right so recently the St. Louis Blues Stanley Cup final against Boston that did not go Boston's way massive disappointment but a lot of times is because of the success of the city of Boston with its sports teams and you could use other cities but right now we're talking about Boston anything less than a championship is then labeled a failure that's extreme but it's a it's an extreme that the city of Boston has earned because of its success with its four sports teams but in the case of the Bruins it's not just the fact that they have high expectations as a franchise generally it's that you're wrapping in 65 wins 135 points what does that mean if they don't end up with the Stanley Cup was it all for naught does it mean nothing well no big picture it doesn't mean nothing but how many times do we remember the and then the Washington Capitals are not a great example because they didn't have the Stanley Cup in their history the Bruins do but remember those years where the Washington Capitals were the president's trophy winners and they had the best regular seasons but couldn't capitalize in the playoffs it's that times times 1520 for the Bruins because of what they have in their history and because of where they start as a franchise and now you add this historic run and nothing less than a Stanley Cup will satisfy the fan base nothing less than a Stanley Cup will be the fitting end to this regular season that they've had it's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio Bruins often running against the Panthers producer J if you got the audio let's hear it now McAvoy left wing Martian left circle shoots here's McAvoy in his own guide I think that might have been who got it got the second chance maybe the third it could have been Nebraska was chopping at it either way three Panthers one on the Bruins Radio Network listen to the crowd there at the Garden for the Bruins also producer J did you hear how their own announcer pronounced Brad's last name Jane I just had this debate off well debate we just were comparing notes off air because people of course will call him a variety of things I was saying March and and Jay was saying Marshawn which he's not the only one people do that too that's my story and I'm sticking to it I'm going with Martian anyway here's the crazy thing fifty playoff goals fifty playoff goals there is a lot to be said about the longevity the productivity but also the opportunity for the Boston Bruins that one of their best players one of their longest tenured players in March and has fifty playoff goals that's amazing David posture knock take the brush also scoring and the Bruins though they mention nerves I thought that was pretty interesting in fact March and himself said that there were nerves because they don't want to have a letdown as they start the postseason so kind of cool I don't know what else you have from the Bruins but if you want to throw something else in you certainly can otherwise I'm going to talk to Marco alright so let's hear from Brett what did you say in my ear I got more Sean it's not March on its March and wait so so you're not going to take the you're gonna take Judd's word for it I don't know it's not yet it's a girl male oh my gosh why are you the authority on how to pronounce his last name it's just been I've been saying that I guess for so long but you've been saying it wrong tomato tomato no it's like okay I say pecan pecan most right people get mad at me because I don't say pecan I've been saying pecan as long as I can remember okay but this is his name you don't get to determine how to pronounce his last name you goofball we just call him Brad no we could call him by his name why are you so how would you like it if someone said your last name wrong and insisted on doing it just because they've been doing it for a long time yeah I suppose alright Brad Marchand thank you we have Brad Marchand it's see it sounds like it's not your name you don't get to decide you want to hear from Brad I would like to hear from Brad Marchand yes it's always good to start the first game with a win but we haven't accomplished anything yet and you know each game that goes on is harder and harder to win and they're going to push back all good teams do and they have a lot of really good players in that group that they're competitive you know in that second game is always a tough one so yeah it's always again it's good to start the way that we did but you know we can be better and we need to be better you know because they're going to come out really hard next game and all right match that hockey players are so boring sometimes they really are at least Draymond Green gives us some color but yes Brad Marchand Marchand as as not only Jay is now going to pronounce but Judd Surratt on Bruins Radio did as well and it's a good start for them the Panthers I don't want to I don't I don't think I should label them the sacrificial lamb because it's hockey and just the nature of the game means that anything can and will happen we see monumental upsets in hockey because we're not talking about teams that scored 17 goals right you're talking about the slimmest margin for error it's hockey it's hockey exactly but also the fact that you've got goalies who can what's the what what's the phrase this time of the year they stand on their heads you've got goalies that can make a huge difference when it comes to a series like this again the margin for error is so slim which means the Bruins are right to be on edge but the veteran leadership they have there's no way they have a letdown even though they've come through what was the best regular season we've ever seen in the NHL's history how do you say it again Jay you're you can't admit when you're wrong huh we'll do it more shan for today oh for today Jay can't apologize it's not his strength but I did miss him and I did miss you and I did miss Marco and it's good to be back it's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio you are listening to the after hours podcast right now you keep saying you did everything possible you're studying you have to do more get to know are you willing to do more yes of course I'm going to do more I never said that we were going to stop I actually said the opposite time has expired the gentleman may answer her question I think I'm good well you remove him I don't have the authority to remove this is after hours with Amy Lawrence you all may remember that it was last summer June of 22 and Roger Goodell the commissioner of the NFL was called well he wasn't there in person he was over zoom I'm not a cat but he was there in part as part of this hearing to testify about the commander's situation so Congress this committee actually launched an investigation about what was happening with the commanders based on some of the allegations around Daniel Snyder and how he was running his franchise well we know at this point there's a ton of smoke and where there is smoke there is fire the NFL has done its own investigation now there's another independent investigation that's taking place around the commanders we also had the congressional committee that was involved it behooves the Sniders to sell the team before the NFL forces Daniel Snyder to sell the team and once a once a franchise in the NFL becomes available a lot of rich people move very quickly so here we are are you ready for the number the agreement in principle will make the commanders the richest sale in sports history six six point zero five billion billion dollars it's the b-word you guys it wasn't that long ago that we were talking about the Broncos and their record sale price remember that was the Walt that is the Walton Penner family the Walmart heirs who bought the team right before oh gosh after Russell Wilson was traded to the Broncos right before the season started four point six five billion dollars I was expecting that we would see a jump in price for the commanders I wasn't expecting it to be this this much of a gap between the most recent record sale and the commanders at six point zero five billion now I suspect part of it is because it's near the nation's capital part of it is because it's an historic franchise right part of it is because it's on the East Coast let's be fair it this is not a knock on the Broncos if you guys know me you know I've been a Broncos fan since age 13 but there is something about buying a franchise on the East Coast where there's a concentration of people in the Washington Baltimore well Baltimore Virginia DC area and the fact that you can get in to this market into this metro area with all of its possibilities corporate partners the number of people that you can tap into in terms of ticket sales it's a rich market it's a rich area and cost of living is higher in the Northeast than it is in other places around the country so four point six five billion dollars for the Broncos last year and this is what it's come to latest franchise to sell will go at over six billion dollars and by the way fully financed I can't even fathom that forget monopoly money that's obscene I know there are people out there who have this kind of money but it blows me away Josh Harris is leading this bid if you don't know his name he's got partners it's not like he's doing it all by himself but Josh Harris is the leader of this group it includes Magic Johnson Daniel Snyder had the the right of refusal I guess remember he insisted that he was not going to sell to Bezos to the Amazon owner is his name Jeff Jeff Bezos the Amazon owner so instead you add other groups they were able to step up and submit their bids I don't know if this was the richest I suspect there were other bids that were in the same neighborhood but it's Josh Harris the name that you will hear it's really a group but he's he's headlining it and six point zero five billion dollars fully financed wow it's after hours with Amy Lawrence here on CBS Sports Radio I tell you a lot that the NFL is a cash cow in fact with my class of students here on the campus of Syracuse University which is where I'm doing my show from now it's it's pretty sweet to be here and it's kind of funny because our Syracuse affiliate doesn't have people in the building overnight many of our local affiliates they no longer have staff that work overnight it's a cost-cutting thing but if you're carrying my show and your systems automated you don't necessarily need to have a body a human in the building overnight so we did request to have the show at our Syracuse affiliate they said sorry we don't have anyone there now that was the same case with Green Bay if you remember last September I did two shows from Green Bay and our affiliate there and they just gave me a code and let me go in the building but not everyone loves me the way the Green Bay does not everyone trusts me the way the Green Bay does anyway so Syracuse said we can't staff overnight we don't have anyone who can be there with her and so instead I'm using you guys know that we've got this piece of equipment called a Comrex people did their shows from home people still do their shows and their stuff from home on this piece of equipment that is studio quality but I got to thinking well first of all I didn't really want to do my show from a hotel room because I felt like that was anticlimactic if I would be here at Syracuse but then I realized oh my goodness this is a university that pours millions and millions of dollars into its facilities they've got donors and they have world-class facilities which is why it's the best broadcasting school in the country and has been for decades so I thought huh maybe I'll reach out and see if I can find some studio space and if they'll just allow me to park the Comrex and park my rear end in a studio that has the soundproof walls so that the quality is good and they did it was great now we nearly had a major disaster earlier when we couldn't get through the university firewall but disaster averted they fixed it and so it's pretty cool you wouldn't know this is even better than when I do the show from my home even though funny tip I stack pillows in front of me because it they the pillows absorb the sound so it doesn't bounce back and appear as though I'm in my bathroom doing the show admit it you've heard people over the course of the last three years who sound like they're doing the show from their bathrooms anyway it doesn't sound like that and so it's really cool to be here in a building where I took classes 20 plus years ago and so all that to say I was just telling my students earlier that in fact the NFL is a cash cow it's the league that every other league wants to be when it grows up and this is why because supply and demand it's it's one of those situations where a team only comes up available for sale maybe one a year but even that is is not the norm and you if you get it you hook into the investment you hook into the the NFL you will make money hand over fist so yes Josh Harris and his group are putting up six billion dollars fully financed they are going to make that money back not only because of the franchise they're purchasing but because of the league this franchise is a part of so maybe you have to spend a little money you have to put yourself out there it sounds like a like an astronomical price but they will make the money back because the NFL rewards its owners richly its members are rewarded richly all right that's halfway through Wowsers I'm not sure if I feel like the show is going fast if I feel like it's going slow what I do know is I still have a lot to tell you about my trip I haven't even scratched the surface I actually just got a text from a family member who's up listening I haven't even shared the photos of my Grand Canyon experience with the family yet but you're gonna get the story coming up it's good to have you with us After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio