7-3-23 After Hours with Amy Lawrence PODCAST: Hour 4

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Visit L2R Smarter, Safer, Faster.com and start moving today. Good morning. We're here and we're happy. I do love summer weekends. I can't believe it's July. I spent so much of the spring well on the road for sure and then counting down waiting for third week in June and a special visit on my calendar that I think I missed. Well it went by in a blur but now that it's July it feels like it's gone so fast.

When I was in the middle of it it felt like it was going really slowly. That's just the time perspective and something else I can't believe. At the end of this week it will be one year since Grammy Helen passed away.

I just, I can't even wrap my brain around that. I've been thinking about my next blog post and writing a letter to her. What I wish I could tell her. It's impossible to fit it all into one letter but there's so much I wish I could share with her about the last year.

Mostly that I miss her and that there's a particular element of joy that has gone from my life because I don't hear her voice anymore and I don't get to share things with her. I know a lot of people are in the same place. Not an anniversary really but a date that I don't think I'll ever forget or feel the same way about July 8th. So that's coming up later on this this week. It's July again.

It is. It's July again and we're working all the way through the holiday weekend. Had a chance to get out on the water on Saturday and do some kayaking.

I'll share some photos later on this morning when I'm not in the middle of hosting a show you know. But we are going to stick around because we've got plans later in the month. So easy peasy to work. Well it was supposed to be easy peasy to work on Sunday night into Monday and oh my gosh the traffic coupled with a monsoon did not make it easy to get into the office. I should have known because it really is the perfect long weekend.

You get three days or I guess four days for the price of one. If you left on a Friday night, Saturday morning the traffic was pretty crazy as well. As I was heading west in New Jersey to to get to a lake where I was kayaking.

It was pretty nutso on the roads. But yeah Sunday night people out and about especially in the New York City area which is where our CBS sports radio studios are located. It's a good time for people who are either here in the city for visiting or who live in the area to be free. To be free.

To go out. To enjoy not having to work on Monday and maybe not Tuesday or Wednesday even. But whether it's a week off or whether it's just this perfect four-day weekend, I hope you're enjoying it.

We're glad to have you with us. I know a lot of people are working. Goodness all the Uber drivers that are on the roads.

You alone make up armies. Plus the delivery drivers and those who are working overnight. Some of you weirdly enough I've got friends who are working overnight. Some of you weirdly enough I've got friends, family, significant others. Okay there's just one of them who are working Monday and off Tuesday.

So not everybody takes the Monday off. If you're out of your familiar routine and you're here in the show for the first time in a while we'd love to hear from you on Twitter after our CBS or also on our Facebook page. Now a couple of goodies for you. First of all funfetti. I've never made funfetti before but I am in honor of July 4th making funfetti.

I'm a fun guy. No not that kind of funfetti. The funfetti that you eat. But I cheated a little because I didn't want funfetti with funfetti icing. Right I want it to be different. So I'm doing funfetti cupcakes on this Monday in honor of the holiday with whipped chocolate frosting. I know funfetti is not supposed to have chocolate on top but I love chocolate and I can't wait.

So we are working through the holiday. Right now I'm sporting more blue than red and white but I do have the colors all the colors of the American flag on and actually the hat that I'm wearing I'm not going to tell you which team it's for but it's got an American flag emblazoned on the side. That's actually the reason I bought it. I do like the team that I that is on the front of the hat but I like the American flag more and J knows because he was with me when I bought it. This was the reason I purchased this particular hat is because I love the American flag on the side. There's gonna be American flags in all my tweets and my Facebook posts as well.

That's how we do it. We'll have patriotic music tonight into Tuesday morning. Certainly fireworks on the baseball diamond.

See what I did there? Uh-huh the Atlanta Braves heavens they're all about the fireworks right now. But we've also got other sporting events this time of year it's never dull.

I know people are fond of saying there's nothing going on in July which is is just not true. If you're a tennis fan Wimbledon is about to get underway. The fortnight at Wimbledon strawberries and cream and we just wrapped up an iconic event in Chicago. It was really neat if you did not see the visual images the optics of street racing in Chicago. First of all street racing is just different.

Street racing is cool so my niece tells me she's in love with F1 and she loves loves loves when they're doing the street racing and whatever European cities they go to and I guess sometimes the U.S. but she's a huge fan of that type of racing. So NASCAR tried something new and by all accounts it's a big hit. I asked our NASCAR insider who joined us from Chicago earlier in the show what about the plans to expand street racing on the NASCAR circuit or potentially to other cities.

You'll hear his answer coming up but it was history unfolding on the iconic streets of Chicago Lake Avenue, Michigan Ave, Grant Park and there were monsoons earlier in the day. If you were watching the coverage when it began which was 4 30 in the afternoon Chicago time 2 30 pacific time it was pouring. The cars were covered the drivers were not on pit road and actually they had to petition NASCAR to allow them to push back the start of the race because they didn't feel like it was safe. So NASCAR waited until the rain was just about gone but it was raining when they started. It's so odd for me to see windshield wipers on the front of these wipers on the front of these cars.

Not just that but lights right. When I was first in a NASCAR they didn't have headlights they didn't have windshield wipers they definitely did not have rain tires or tires with tread. The types of tread that they use now they're called these rain packages. It's very odd for me so I was worried about their safety especially when you're trying to corner with these cars and they're standing water. So when they began not only is it still racing but there were a bunch of drivers who couldn't control their cars on some of the tight turns in Chicago and ended up just sailing right into the tire barriers or into the walls.

So initially there was a bunch of frustration there. But as the course dried out the racing was much more aligned with what NASCAR had in mind. And then to see the Chicago skyline in the background it was pretty amazing. But yeah you you combine the buzz and the excitement of a brand new event with the tough conditions and these drivers trying to navigate it as they go along. Most these guys have never raced in this type of an atmosphere before.

Have they done road courses? Sure but in the tight confines of downtown Chicago or a city with as many turns as they had and the rain and the windshield wipers. I mean yeah you're excited about it and the fans are buzzing. They might have been in their rain gear but they were out in the stands as soon as the rain let up. And as Kyle Larson says there's a lot of emotions churning through you. I just was trying to get my confidence built up while I was wet. I knew as long as it didn't rain it was going to eventually dry out so just didn't want to hurt my car in the wet. You know try and maintain the best I could which we did and then as the lane started drying out we were much better than people breaking. Yeah so you had to be careful when you hit the brakes.

How fast you went around the turns. There were guys who didn't navigate them well in the rain but ultimately the event was received with a lot of excitement. NASCAR pulled off an incredible event. In terms of the logistics they were still setting up the course on Friday night overnight. Obviously you can't just close off entire sections of Chicago for a week. And when we talked to Chris in Chicago a couple hours ago they were breaking down the track trying to give Chicagoans Grant Park for the holiday weekend.

So if you missed that conversation we'll replay part of it coming up in a few minutes here on After Hours CBS Sports Radio. But the other reason why this was history is because a driver making his debut in the cup series, first time he's ever driven on this circuit because he specializes in road courses and specializes in street racing. He's from New Zealand.

He wins. He pulls off not one but two crafty passes in the final five laps and then holds off the field. They're still getting to know him in NASCAR. His name is Shane VanGisbergen and he's a kiwi and he had to figure out how to even prep for a NASCAR race.

But apparently down under in New Zealand and Australia more and more there are just so many drivers who are interested in these types of races and in making the jump to NASCAR. First time in 60 years that a driver making his debut on the cup series ends up with the checkered flag. So how did he do it exactly? Well, he did a lot of work. He did a lot of work on the checkered flag. So how did he do it exactly?

How did he get ready? Admittedly, I haven't watched NASCAR too closely the last couple of years. I was a big fan like 10 years ago. So I was a big Tony Stewart fan. So working with Darien was pretty special. But yeah, I became a student of the sport really and tried to study as much as I can about how the races were and how the drivers are, how the cars are.

And I was a bit scared after Kota. But yeah, it was really cool coming a week early, going to Nashville, being part of the Trackhouse team and then meeting all the Project 91 guys. The prep was intense, but we were very thorough and I felt ready. And yeah, I knew it was going to be difficult though. The amount of road courses the guys do now, they're very good drivers here. And it was tough. Qualifying yesterday was intense.

And the racing, the battles were really fun, but everyone was respectful and clean and it was really cool. Admittedly, I haven't really watched a lot of NASCAR the last couple of years. I just thought I'd do some intense prep and dive right in. Why not?

Congratulations to the guy they call SVG. As they get to know him these last couple of weeks, he's a stranger to them as well. What about those final few laps? Now, if you're a road racer or you're used to road courses, then you have a different type of a heart rate. I mean, it's tight quarters and you've got to be careful navigating so many terms. You really don't ever have a moment where you can take a breath because the straightaways are so short. You're constantly on the brakes.

You're constantly on the pedals. So it's a lot more intense. So Van Gisbergen tells NBC Sports about those final few laps. When we had that bad strategy back to 18th, I started to worry a bit, but had some full stands on some people and the racing was really good. Everyone was respectful and it was tough, it was tough, but a lot of fun.

Well, isn't that what you want? Fun for the drivers, fun for the fans. And the atmosphere in Chicago, according to the drivers that spoke up after, it was really cool. And their only regret was that they weren't able to put on all the fan festivities that they had planned because of the rain.

I think Super Bowl week, fan fest, all the outdoor vendors and events and areas set up where fans can enjoy the run up to the Super Bowl. Well, that was supposed to be Chicago, outdoor concerts, food, still a party atmosphere around Grant Park in advance of the race, except it didn't quite work out that way. And yet I was impressed with the number of fans that were posted up around the course even late. Now they did have to cut the race short because there were no lights. Well, not significant lighting. They do have street lights in this area of Chicago, but it wasn't enough.

They weren't able to light up the track enough that it was safe for drivers to continue. So coming up, you'll hear part of my conversation with Chris Knight from Chicago about why this event will be graded an A plus and whether or not NASCAR will attempt to take the show on the road, the street course, the street racing on the road to other cities. Also, Damian Lillard, he wants out of Portland. He made it official by asking for a trade.

Draymond Green takes far less money to stay with the Warriors than what he could have made elsewhere. And Marcus Smart speaks out for the first time about his trade from Boston to Memphis. Plus, as they say, fireworks with the Atlanta Braves and Wimbledon on the horizon. You know what that means?

Novak Djokovic. It's got history in his sights still. I hope that you enjoyed the weekend. And while I do hope that you have an extended holiday, I'm glad you're listening to us. Maybe you're out of your routine, heading to the beach today, heading to the shore, or the opposite, going hiking in the mountains. Maybe you're up early to start grilling or to prep for your grill and your party. Whatever it is, we're happy to keep you company here After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio.

You are listening to the After Hours podcast. Thank you so much to the Trackhouse team and Hansell for Project 91. Man, what an experience in the crowd out here.

Like, this was so cool and it's what you dream of, so hopefully I can come and do more. The crowd stuck around the whole race, too. I mean, they, you know, it was downpouring all race long and I wasn't sure what kind of crowd we were going to have once we got going, and it was great. So, you know, without the rain that we had yesterday and today, it would have been even way better, you know, the concerts and all that. So, hopefully we get another go at it next year because I enjoyed it. I thought NASCAR did a great job with the racetrack.

This is After Hours with Amy Lawrence. Shane Van Ginsbergen. No, I think I said it wrong.

Gisbergen. I put an extra N in there. He's new to NASCAR.

It was his debut and he won in Chicago. There were pile-ups. There was a traffic jam. I wonder if Chicago area residents were laughing at what was a pile-up, I think it was around Lab 50, that clogged up the street. So, not only did they have a bunch of cars that ended up wrecking and kind of crashing into each other, which was right around a turn, but then it backed up all the traffic.

Nobody could get through. It looked kind of typical of Chicago and major cities, but this in fact was a road race. Downtown Grant Park.

It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. Kyle Larson loved the atmosphere. Just wish they could have had the whole fan fest going on, but the rain changed that.

I'm just glad it was dry at the end, and it really was. It allowed for some great racing, some tight passes as well, before they crowned a Kiwi the winner. Chris Knight of Catch Fence joined us from Chicago in the wake of this historic event, a first-time thing for the Windy City.

It was unique and I asked him, after he told me how unbelievable it was, what made it that way? What was so amazing about being there on the streets of Chicago? Well, I think people were skeptical about how well NASCAR would put this event together, right?

And how would the people of Chicago react to it, right? And Julie Giese and her entire NASCAR team hats off to them because they put on not only an incredible weekend, but an incredible week of events leading up to the races this weekend in Chicago. It was event after event. The fans came out into the thousands, and fans came out into the thousands, and it was cheering and high-fiving, and just capturing an unbelievable moment for the sport. And I think it really opened up the door for NASCAR to look in another direction and say, hey, we can not only do this in Chicago, but we can have the opportunity to have a NASCAR street course race throughout the country, or even throughout the world. I mean, the opportunities are endless, knowing that they were able to pull this off, and they were troubled by weather. They conquered the weather, and then wound up having an incredible race. Shane Van Diesen did an absolutely great job coming back through the field.

He's trapped by strategy, and for him to come through the field in his first ever race, and to win, and beat the guys like Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Austin Cinderick, the Daytona 500 champion from 2022. Just unbelievable what we were able to witness on Sunday. It was pouring before they dropped the green flag, and actually, I guess they had them out there for a few laps under caution. Initially, we saw a bunch of cars spinning out, hitting tires, losing control. Ultimately, how did the weather impact what we saw on Sunday? Well, I think it made the track treacherous to start the race, right?

We started on the wet weather package, which is obviously a tire that's conducive to resting on a wet pavement. We started the race at the wet, and obviously, it was treacherous. I think people were maybe going a little bit faster, or taking chances that they probably shouldn't have been taking so early into the race. Thankfully, Amy, the track was able to dry out much before the halfway point of the race. Once we got to that point of the race where they were switching from treaded tires to the standard slick tires, we saw unbelievable opportunities.

We saw drivers making passes and putting themselves in position. Ultimately, because of starting the race late, we had to unfortunately shorten the event by about 25 laps or so. Still, that intensity built up, because you knew the end of the race was coming, and it offered so much strategy, and you were just on the edge of your seat wondering what was going to happen next, and to see Shane come back through the field. We all thought Justin Haley and Austin Dillon and Chase Tully, we thought the race was going to blow it down to those three guys. Here comes Shane in the track house car, and he blows them all down. He did it so cleanly for his first ever Cup Series race. It was really a magical day for that organization. What Justin Marks and Pitbull have done for the sport in bringing this project to the forefront with Kimi Raikkonen and Shane, and who knows who's next.

NASCAR's in a really great place right now, and I can't wait to see what's in the future for the sport. I'd love you to expand a little more on driver reaction. What do they have to say about this event? I've heard that from the drivers that were interviewed, it was all positive.

It was very positive. Obviously, there were some drivers that were frustrated because they felt like maybe NASCAR waited a little bit too long to tell them that the race was going to end, and it ultimately hindered their strategy. There was some backlash on that, but I don't think that's either here or there because Shane was put in that same position as someone like Christopher Bell who challenged for the race win early in the race.

Shane was able to conquer that strategy and win, but overall, just the vibe. You could see it, Amy, on social media after the races when the drivers went to their social platforms, and we're just embracing this race and talking about how much they enjoyed it and can we do it next year. I think the fans is what really made this event. Despite the heavy rain, despite the potential for just miserable conditions for most of the day, the fans still packed the house, and when they packed the house and they were able to see such a great race unfold, you could just feel that electricity when the checkered flag flew.

Nobody wanted to leave. They were just there to enjoy it, and they didn't care about the rain, and they didn't care about having clothes drenched. All they cared about was seeing a part of history unfold on the streets of Chicago, and I think that's something that will all take away for weeks and even months to come.

What type of logistics made this possible? Because we're talking about downtown Chicago, Chris. It's not like they had a stadium with a street race set up inside of it.

Now, this was actually clearing out a major portion of downtown Chicago. Yeah, it started several weeks ago, and Amy, the track didn't get finished until overnight on Friday night, you know, ahead of the first practice sessions for Xfinity on Saturday, right? But I think a lot of it has to do with the team that NASCAR had in place. They brought Julie Giese over from being the Phoenix Raceway president, and her job was to oversee the Chicago event, and she did a great job. Logistically, I thought the course was very entertaining.

It had fast parts, it had slow parts, and it had twists and turns. It was not an easy event to put on, but I think that they were smart and they were methodical about how they could make this race so great, right? And not only, I know a lot of this got hindered because of the weather, but they had so many concerts lined up for the race weekend. So it wasn't just about coming to the streets of Chicago to watch cars on the racetrack. It was coming to see some of the best music artists in the country right now playing during an event weekend.

And it was an opportunity for just everyday people or fans, new fans and old fans and current fans, just to embrace a contagious atmosphere. And I think the logistics, they were difficult, but they worked, and they've already started to disassemble the track tonight, to get back to the business already early this week with it being the 4th of July week. But I think it proved that they can, just like they've done with the Coliseum at the LA Coliseum, that they can build a race course in a relatively short period of time and then put on a phenomenal show and then take it down just as quick. What have you heard about moving forward and doing this again, whether it's in Chicago or somewhere else?

I would be very shocked, Amy, if we do not go back. I know that there was talk about the opportunity was there for NASCAR if it was a successful weekend. And by all accounts, even despite the rain and the cancellation of the concerts, this was a successful weekend and put on a successful race for the NASCAR Cup Series. And I would expect the Cup Series to be back at the streets of Chicago and for other cities to be calling NASCAR around the country and saying, hey, we want you to come take a look at our downtown Detroit, New York. There's so many good, Miami, streets of Miami, Vegas, even if they're going to put Formula 1 at Vegas, why can't we go race in the streets of Las Vegas with NASCAR? So I just think that the successfulness of this event just opens the door wide open, and I'm excited to see what's in store for the sport, not only in 2024, but in the future. Oh, yeah, you make NASCAR cool with his type of appeal and visual stimulation to have that Chicago skyline and then to potentially move it around, almost like it's a privilege for a city to host it and really to change up the schedule to add events like this that will attract different drivers and will attract different fans and fans can be so much more up close and personal on the track and with the course, it can only open up possibilities too. And NASCAR had prepared for this for over a year and was still working on the track. Friday night has already broken it down.

If they're willing to go through, they're willing to go through all that stress and the logistics, well then why not? You want to hear the rest of that conversation with Chris. There's more information there about what's to come to for NASCAR and also the idea of global expansion with the sport. So Project 91, you've heard both Chris and then Shane mentioned earlier, it's an initiative with NASCAR that's designed to expand the global reach of the sport like every other sport is doing. Baseball, basketball, football, overseas events across the pond. NASCAR wants to attract more global interest, not just that but global money and resources, drivers that will expand the fan base.

I mean think about what one really incredible Japanese player does for Major League Baseball. NASCAR wants to tap into that, make it a global market, a global sport. On Twitter, ALawRadio, I am so glad that you're hanging out with us.

There could be just two of you out there but either way we're glad to have both of you. Happy 4th of July weekend. Introducing L2R Smarter, Safer, Faster.com. Your solution to combat the negative effects of sitting at a desk. Sitting at a desk eight hours a day is as harmful as smoking.

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Visit L2R Smarter, Safer, Faster.com and start moving today. You are listening to the After Hours Podcast. This holds on to the ball, finds Dame off the screen. He goes left, cross over, steps back, fades away, three, buries it! Franchise record, 64 for Damian Lewis. He is crushing every scoring record in franchise history. 121-105.

This is After Hours with Amy Lawrence. Travis Demers on Portland Trailblazers radio was not meant to be past 11 years. What was not meant to be a championship in Portland with Dame on the roster and maybe never. With Dame leading, I can't imagine that they're going to get better but they've been stockpiling young talent. Get to know the name Scoot Henderson because he's the one they drafted. I think he's 19 years old and they want him to be the centerpiece now and the star and I can't help but wonder and I talked about this last week with Aaron Fentress who is a Blazers insider who joined us from the Oregonian and he made the point that Scoot is a lot like what they had in Dame. Maybe this is what the Blazers knew would happen all along in Damian Lillard asking for a trade out of Portland. It's Portland.

It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. Well now what? Damian has made it clear he would like to go to Miami and while there are other teams interested, the Heat would also like Dame.

Duh. If you're the Blazers though, you're not just gonna give him up out of the goodness of your heart because oh yeah he gave us 11 years so now let's help him win a title. No the idea is that you're gonna get everything you can in return because this is the only time in your franchise history you're gonna trade Damian Lillard and for Joe Cronin this may be the biggest move of his entire tenure with the Blazers.

So you make it work for you. You still have Dame under contract. He can't just walk. He's asking to be traded and he wants to go to the Heat according to multiple sources. There are other teams that are interested. The reports include the Clippers, the Sixers, oh hey James Harden, part of that equation in some way shape or form. But if you are Cronin and you're the Blazers, as much as you would like to do right by Dame, you can't do it to the detriment of your own franchise because you're not a free agent destination. You're not a place where Kyrie and KD are gonna team up and want to build a super team.

I know it's a bad example but LeBron, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, I mean we see these guys in the NBA everyone plays with his BFF. We see teams form these cores with star players because they all want to be together and they choose a particular franchise but that's not gonna happen in Portland. So you got to get everything you possibly can in exchange for Damian Lillard.

It's only gonna happen once. The Heat recognized that I'm sure. What are they willing to give up for Damian Lillard? Ira Winderman is following the situation, the drama for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and he was on NBA TV spelling it out. Put it this way, they basically have loaded up one of those pods dumpsters in front of the Trailblazers and said take anyone out of here you want besides Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler.

Maybe they'll go back and forth on Caleb Martin a little but it's basically sort of come in pick and choose, tell us what you want, anything else is yours. The Heat are all in on this. This is their moment. There's a reason they don't go hard after Bradley Beal. There's a reason they held off on some other moves.

This is their play. They've been through this in recent summers. You guys remember with Kevin Durant last summer to a lesser degree with Donovan Mitchell. Pat Riley tries to seize on this moment. He got his moment with Jimmy Butler. He got it for better or worse with Kyle Lowry.

Of course the big three back a decade ago. So the Heat are basically saying anyone but Bam or Jimmy go ahead let us know what you want. Take them. We'll load them up for you.

Take them. Eric Spoelstra is going to see his entire roster change again. It almost happens every off season that Pat Riley switches it up and and he trusts Spoelstra and his coaching staff to use a retooled roster to start not quite from scratch but pretty darn close and mold the group into a contender that maintains the identity and the culture of the Heat. This is what they do.

They don't stand pat. Oh! PUD not intended but it came across really well on this July 3rd holiday. Monday. It's after hours here with the CBS Sports Radio. I would love to see Dame win.

I really would. I feel bad for the Blazers though. He gave them 10 years. The best 10 years of his life. Best 10 years of his career.

Best 10 years of his career. He wants to go somewhere else and they can make it happen. He should.

But Draymond Green's not gonna. He's staying put and for a hell of a lot less money just for you know kicks and giggles. Chris Middleton three years 102 million to stay Milwaukee. Is he important?

Absolutely. Kyrie Irving. Is that three years 126 million? Three years 126 million from the Dallas Mavericks.

Okay that's a lot. Jeremy Grant making far more money than Draymond Green. Dray clearly wanted to stay with the Warriors and he's doing it in a way that helps them knock off some of the luxury tax responsibility and at the same time allows them to put guys around the core.

Yeah I nailed it with Kyrie. Fred Van Vliet three years 130 million. Dray got four years 100 million. It's a bargain basement price in today's NBA for an all-star and a four-time champion and watching him interact with Stephen Clay being all up in their business during the match that we saw last Thursday in Vegas on TNT. I felt pretty confident that he wasn't going anywhere.

Those are his brothers. That's where he wants to play. He's got a lot of money.

He doesn't need more money. Not that there isn't respect associated with where you rank and what kind of free agent contract you get but as he talks about with Paul George on the Podcast P Show really it's about winning with the guys that he's got there in Green Bay in Golden State. As of late I said over the last couple years you really realize like yo we really have a special thing like we're not fighting over attention.

We're not fighting over you make more money than me or I make more money. We're not fighting over none of that like we really enjoy being together and like Bob really helped me realize that Bob every time he would come walking by me, Steph and Clay we sit at the same table and he would just walk by and laugh like it's so funny to me 10 years later you guys still sit together like on the plane. And when he first said it I was just like hmm duh right but then I started to think about and really process what he was saying and I'm like ah I get what he's saying now like not only are we still together 10 years later but we actually enjoy spending time with each other 10 years later like we enjoy each other so much that on every flight we sit together and talk. That's just a preview of what's to come with Draymond Green on the Podcast Peace Show and you hear Paul George in the background. I can't wait to hear what else he has to say about staying put but I could see the bond that you could see it these guys they're brothers except for when and there's joy there except for when Dray is loudly ripping Clay Thompson while he's standing over a putt. Yo bro Dray I can hear you. Oh that was funny I love seeing them interact and then to hear Steph Curry kind of quietly speak to his golf cart cam and say you wanted to look inside our locker room this is full-fledged this is the full-fledged experience. I teach this man some etiquette. Because Draymond never stops talking I know from experience that's my personality as well you just gotta get used to it. It's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio I love it I absolutely love it. Do we have time for Marcus Smart?

You tell me. All right so I'll just I'll tell you Marcus Smart was saying goodbye with his foundation on Sunday and spoke for the first time and he said he was blindsided by the Celtics trading him to Memphis not just that but he said that they told him the week before he was good and he wasn't getting traded so he was shocked. He also said he found out when his agent called his fiance and that the news broke on social before they got a call which is kind of a bummer. He says fans have been coming up to him bawling their eyes out because he's being traded away from Boston but he's taking it with that business sense very mature.

I think he'll be great for Memphis. All right before we let you go we've got a brand new video on our YouTube channel it's the latest edition of Ask Amy Anything and Jay wanted to give you a preview. All right I really like this next one this one comes from Mike. Mike wants to know if Amy Lawrence was an animal which animal would she be? That's funny I could think of a bunch of animals that fit my personality but I'm gonna go with a bald eagle. First of all it's perfect for July 4th weekend because it is our national bird. Second of all ever since I was old enough to flap my arms whatever age that was mom told me that I have started flapping my arms from the time that I could move them I always wanted to fly. I even jumped off a second story balcony when I was four or five because I thought that if I did I could fly.

Miraculously nothing happened to me or maybe something did happen to me and that's what's wrong. That's just a taste of the questions that Jay stockpiled for the latest video version of Ask Amy Anything. Yes there is some holiday and summer flair to it it's now posted on our YouTube channel named after the show After Hours with Amy Lawrence.

By the way in honor of the red white and blue the USA men's soccer team beat Trinidad and Tobago 6-0 to win the group stage in Charlotte. We're back tonight it's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. Boom! Introducing L2R Smarter Safer Faster.com your solution to combat the negative effects of sitting at a desk. Sitting at a desk eight hours a day is as harmful as smoking. If you're stuck at a desk all day you don't need to quit your job you need to join our desk to 5k program no running experience is required. As a doctor of physical therapy I'll be honored to guide you every step of the way to reach your running and fitness goals. Let's conquer running together and make it enjoyable. Visit L2R Smarter Safer Faster.com and start moving today.