Play by Play Day by Day with Amy Lawrence

It’s hard to believe, but “After Hours” just turned 12! As we marked another anniversary, I realized I’ve hosted more than 2900 shows since the network launch in 2013. Some of you claim to be listeners since the beginning. Amazing! And THANK YOU! In large part, you are the reason the radio show has been successful for so long.🎉

One of my new favorite adventures is teaching future broadcasters at the university level. I’m looking forward to my third term as adjunct professor in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at my alma mater Syracuse. What a cool opportunity to pass along some of the wisdom I’ve collected over 25+ years in the radio and TV industry!🧡 In addition to my course, “The Art of Sports Talk,” I enjoy serving as a guest speaker in other college classrooms, conferences and mentoring programs.

When teaching or speaking to groups, I often field questions about the process of constructing a quality program. How do I do it? What kind of “tips” can I offer? While there are countless ways to entertain over the airwaves, I’ve come up with a handful of concepts that work for me. “Good” sports radio is subjective and can be defined a zillion ways. What appeals to one listener in Alabama may not appeal to another in Oregon. What a guy in Phoenix finds interesting might not hold any interest for a woman in Cleveland. A topic that resonates with a college student could be boring or annoying for a retiree.

The consistent challenge of hosting a nationally syndicated show is figuring out how to incorporate more people in the conversation. Of course, I like to smash glass ceilings and challenge norms; so in most cases, I don’t stick with convention, ha. Radio is NOT “one size fits all. From the last 12 years of trying and failing and growing as a host, I’ve compiled a list of twelve guidelines I always keep in mind.

• Criticize actions and choices, not people. The athletes, coaches, GMs, owners and commissioners we cover all worked really hard to get where they are. Most of them poured in time and effort over years to pursue their dreams. They sacrificed and practiced and committed and suffered to be in the arena. They may screw up and fail in HUGE moments; I may not agree with their choices or decisions. But people are not trash! Even kickers deserve respect for making it to the show. I can acknowledge their mistakes and miscues without calling them names or saying they suck. I try to criticize actions instead of taking aim at people and making my opinions personal.

• Redemption stories always resonate. As a society, we LOVE a good comeback! We’re drawn to people who get knocked flat but find a way to get back up and try again. Alex Smith returned to the NFL after life-threatening injuries and extensive rehab and recovery. Klay Thompson won another ring after missing two years. University of Virginia men’s basketball made dubious history as the first top seed ever to lose to a 16, only to win the title a year later. Athletes and coaches get blamed, cut, fired and dumped; when they later end up winners or champions, their stories are worth highlighting. We can all relate to second chances and appreciate people who capitalize on theirs.

• Know your audience. Take time to figure out who’s listening and how and when and where. As a national host, I can’t possibly create or deliver interesting content if I don’t know who’s tuning in. And audiences change over time. When I first started in this business, men made up the vast majority of sports radio listeners. Maybe that’s still true for some shows, but not mine. Just as sports leagues target female fans more and more, I know a large chunk of my audience is women (which I love)! They enjoy listening to someone who’s a lot like them.❤️

• Life would be incredibly boring and stale if we all agreed. It’s alright if we don’t see eye to eye. I don’t need everyone to agree with me all the time, and I don’t feel threatened by people who don’t. I will tell you where I stand and why I believe my opinions are justified. I’ll lay out my arguments to try to persuade and convince you on merit. I love a lively discussion and energetic debate (that doesn’t get personal). When people talk, good things happen! That’s the “After Hours” motto. But if we don’t share the same perspective, I’m okay with that, too.

• It’s fine to admit I don’t know or I say I was wrong. To err is human. Just like athletes and coaches, I make mistakes. I recall information incorrectly, mispronounce names, juxtapose numbers and dates, and say dumb stuff. I also find myself in situations when I don’t have the answers or can’t remember. It’s impossible to be right 100% of the time or communicate perfectly over 20 hours of live radio per week. It’s humbling. But imperfection is both authentic and relatable, so I embrace the suck, ha!

• Connection is the ultimate goal. The spring of 2020 hammered this home like nothing else could. Working solo in the corner of a spare bedroom during a pandemic without sports led to a seismic shift in my perspective. More than ever, connecting with people across the airwaves and miles became my top priority. Sports bring us together despite our differences; I want my show to do the same. Finding common ground, staying genuine and reliable, looking on the bright side, offering hope and encouragement, sharing my life with listeners–these build true connections.

• Do NOT stick to sports. What terrible advice to give a radio host. Are there times when I talk wall-to-wall football or basketball or breaking news? Of course. Do I need to dedicate my show exclusively to sports every second? Heck no. We are not one-dimensional as humans. We juggle a myriad of responsibilities, roles, interests, hobbies, challenges and demands on our time. Stories about moving, my latest chili concoction, the neighbor’s obnoxious light, nearly choking at Thanksgiving dinner, bad dates, travel headaches, cookie recipes, running half marathons, my nieces, my faith, Grammy Helen, Penny, finally getting married after years of waiting–listeners can hear I’m just like them in many ways. I could offer the most brilliant opinion or analysis, but that’s not what resonates and sticks. Sharing my heart is how I cultivate relationships, even over the radio.

• There is no shortcut to experience. I can teach and train; I can tell aspiring broadcasters how I do what I do. But the only way to truly find a style and unique identity is to practice! Reps are the key. The number of times I’ve tried and failed or fallen short of my goals probably equals the number of times I’ve successfully carried out a plan or implemented new ideas. But along my journey, I’ve decided I’m not afraid to mess up. When I stumble or make a fool of myself, it’s not the end of the world. Learn from the mistakes and chalk it up to valuable experience. Then try again!

• Social media is not real life. In fact, it’s neither social nor actual media. Use it sparingly. It’s a tool to connect with people outside of the show, an opportunity to promote what I’m doing on air. Each site represents a minor percentage of the listening audience, so the reaction, positive or negative, is rarely an accurate gauge of the whole. The term “brain rot” refers to mindless scrolling. Don’t overestimate the lasting value of clicks or likes or impact and put social media on a pedestal where it doesn’t belong. (Social media’s redeeming quality is animal videos.😜)

• Take time off. Such a critical lesson I needed to learn for the sake of creativity and career longevity. So many media people deal with severe FOMO. I carried similar anxieties during early on, especially when I broke into network radio. I was afraid to take time off or truly check out in case I missed something. Even when I was away, I kept tabs. Not anymore! I finally understood sports aren’t going anywhere; they’ll be waiting when I get back, ha. Now I tune out when I can. I rarely watch sports “for fun,” except when I attend games in person. Instead, I use vacations and days off to give my mind and soul a break from sports. That allows me to return to work refreshed and rejuvenated and reenergized.

• Choose your battles. Not every battle is worth fighting. Not every hill is worth dying on. Not every conflict is worth your time and energy. A crucial truth from the last 12 years and the best piece of advice I can pass on. Be selective in responding to opposition and criticism. Most of it won’t matter tomorrow. Choose wisely when it comes to taking a stand. Defend the principles and values that matter most to you. Don’t waste your time arguing with fools.

There are hundreds of other lessons and tips and wisdom I could write down. Maybe someday I will! For now, my Syracuse students get the payload. As a bonus: I am convinced we agree on nothing in this country except football…and dogs!😍

I’m not even remotely the same host I was when we launched “After Hours” more than 12 years ago. Thank you for caring about me beyond the radio show! Thank you for sharing this ride. And stay tuned for some big news coming soon! Amy Xo

This entry was posted on February 4, 2025 at 4:06 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.