WEBVTT FILE 1 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:07.000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:13.000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 3 00:00:11.846 --> 00:00:16.600 It's a fascinating dynamic of our civilization 4 00:00:16.600 --> 00:00:20.396 that we gravitate to the players like Joe Sakic. 5 00:00:20.396 --> 00:00:22.398 Who's your favorite player? - Joe Sakic. 6 00:00:22.398 --> 00:00:24.066 Why? - The captain. 7 00:00:24.692 --> 00:00:28.946 People recognize excellence, and they ignite. 8 00:00:28.946 --> 00:00:32.116 Joe Sakic! 9 00:00:32.116 --> 00:00:34.076 He was one of those guys that you couldn't wait 10 00:00:34.076 --> 00:00:36.954 - till he gets back on the ice. Two on one led by Sakic. 11 00:00:36.954 --> 00:00:39.790 In he goes. Scores! Sakic! 12 00:00:39.790 --> 00:00:44.211 The speed, the quickness, the soft hands, the eyes. 13 00:00:44.211 --> 00:00:46.672 Seeing plays get set up. 14 00:00:46.672 --> 00:00:47.757 It was like ballet. 15 00:00:48.340 --> 00:00:50.593 Sakic beats one man, beats another guy. 16 00:00:50.593 --> 00:00:53.554 Here he comes, right in, a shot-- He scores! 17 00:00:53.554 --> 00:00:55.973 The most valuable player is Joe Sakic. 18 00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:59.727 Everything arose from him touching that puck. 19 00:00:59.727 --> 00:01:03.647 Sakic fakes it, takes it. Scores! Joe Sakic! 20 00:01:03.647 --> 00:01:06.692 Shot and save. Rebound. Off the post-- 21 00:01:06.692 --> 00:01:07.777 Scores! 22 00:01:07.777 --> 00:01:10.404 Joe Sakic was the Colorado Avalanche. 23 00:01:10.404 --> 00:01:13.073 The Hart Trophy goes to Joe Sakic. 24 00:01:13.073 --> 00:01:16.327 The face of our franchise for the past two decades. 25 00:01:17.161 --> 00:01:19.747 line:5% I'm thrilled to announce that Joe Sakic has agreed to become 26 00:01:19.747 --> 00:01:21.582 line:5% the executive vice president of hockey operations 27 00:01:21.582 --> 00:01:22.750 for the Colorado Avalanche. 28 00:01:22.750 --> 00:01:24.752 Three seconds, two seconds. 29 00:01:24.752 --> 00:01:25.836 One second. 30 00:01:25.836 --> 00:01:27.004 It's over! 31 00:01:27.004 --> 00:01:32.092 The Colorado Avalanche are Stanley Cup champions. 32 00:01:32.092 --> 00:01:33.302 Joe's our captain. 33 00:01:58.327 --> 00:02:01.580 Well, that's all terrific. Of course, it almost didn't happen. 34 00:02:05.084 --> 00:02:07.503 It was a good day. It was a beautiful summer. 35 00:02:08.087 --> 00:02:11.924 line:5% I was looking towards vacation and my phone rang. 36 00:02:15.511 --> 00:02:17.513 line:5% And it was Mark Kiszla. 37 00:02:18.264 --> 00:02:20.933 line:5% And, uh, Kiz said... 38 00:02:20.933 --> 00:02:22.142 line:5% Charlie, how's it going? 39 00:02:22.142 --> 00:02:24.353 "So, have you heard?" 40 00:02:24.353 --> 00:02:28.274 The New York Rangers just offered Joe Sakic $21 million 41 00:02:28.274 --> 00:02:30.985 with 15 million up front. 42 00:02:30.985 --> 00:02:32.987 What do you got to say about that? 43 00:02:32.987 --> 00:02:35.739 There's silence on the phone for a few seconds. 44 00:02:36.991 --> 00:02:40.119 Charlie says, "I don't know anything about that." 45 00:02:41.203 --> 00:02:45.499 This is a crisis because there are a lot of things you can do in business. 46 00:02:45.499 --> 00:02:48.794 But one thing you can't make up, is money in the bank. 47 00:02:49.295 --> 00:02:51.881 We did not have that money in the bank. 48 00:02:51.881 --> 00:02:54.633 I said, "Well, I guarantee you it's happening." 49 00:02:54.633 --> 00:02:57.469 The New York Rangers are offering him a three-year contract, 50 00:02:57.469 --> 00:02:59.847 a total package of $21 million. 51 00:02:59.847 --> 00:03:02.600 But most of the money is being paid up front 52 00:03:02.600 --> 00:03:06.020 line:5% in the form of a $15 million signing bonus. 53 00:03:06.020 --> 00:03:09.565 I don't know. I don't know. I don't even know how to metabolize it. 54 00:03:09.565 --> 00:03:12.693 Wednesday, August 13th at 6 p.m. 55 00:03:12.693 --> 00:03:14.528 That's the Avs' deadline. 56 00:03:14.528 --> 00:03:18.157 So, now it was, "Okay, Charlie, what tricks you got? 57 00:03:18.157 --> 00:03:21.535 How you gonna raise this money in seven days?" 58 00:03:25.748 --> 00:03:27.082 In the movie business, 59 00:03:27.082 --> 00:03:30.044 we have a little trick when we're developing stories. 60 00:03:30.044 --> 00:03:33.088 And that's the ticking clock. 61 00:03:33.088 --> 00:03:34.673 Well, here it was. 62 00:03:35.966 --> 00:03:39.053 Seven days, and the clock is ticking. 63 00:03:40.346 --> 00:03:42.431 Sports circles across North America 64 00:03:42.431 --> 00:03:43.557 are still buzzing today 65 00:03:43.557 --> 00:03:47.061 about that gargantuan free agent offer sheet the Rangers have made 66 00:03:47.061 --> 00:03:49.396 to Colorado Avalanche captain, Joe Sakic. 67 00:03:49.396 --> 00:03:51.941 line:5% A reported three year, $21-million contract 68 00:03:51.941 --> 00:03:56.320 line:5% that features a $15-million signing bonus, all of it up front. 69 00:03:56.320 --> 00:03:59.031 Somebody had looked at our balance sheet. 70 00:03:59.031 --> 00:04:00.908 They had done their homework. 71 00:04:00.908 --> 00:04:03.202 The Avalanche lost 8 million last year, 72 00:04:03.202 --> 00:04:05.496 and according to several different reports, 73 00:04:05.496 --> 00:04:07.331 line:5% the Avalanche will be unable to match. 74 00:04:07.331 --> 00:04:10.084 I've covered sports in Colorado for nearly 40 years. 75 00:04:10.084 --> 00:04:13.504 I never had any other story involve a movie. 76 00:04:14.213 --> 00:04:18.050 This was an entertainment world connection 77 00:04:18.050 --> 00:04:20.344 imposing itself on the sports world. 78 00:04:20.344 --> 00:04:24.223 Can the Avs come up with that kind of cash that quickly? 79 00:04:24.223 --> 00:04:26.016 My job was to find the money. 80 00:04:26.016 --> 00:04:27.977 A city that loves its hockey, 81 00:04:27.977 --> 00:04:29.895 and its team's best player, 82 00:04:29.895 --> 00:04:31.647 holds its collective breath. 83 00:04:39.321 --> 00:04:41.573 So, how did you know about the offer sheet? 84 00:04:43.325 --> 00:04:44.493 Hmm. 85 00:04:45.369 --> 00:04:48.163 I don't know, after all these years, I can reveal my source, 86 00:04:48.163 --> 00:04:49.623 but I can tell you one story. 87 00:04:54.461 --> 00:05:00.134 If you wanna ask-- Or you wanna know how familiar I am 88 00:05:00.134 --> 00:05:03.679 with the fact that the Nuggets, 89 00:05:03.679 --> 00:05:05.723 and then the Avalanche, 90 00:05:05.723 --> 00:05:08.726 were never rolling in dough 91 00:05:09.476 --> 00:05:12.062 compared to their peers in the league. 92 00:05:13.105 --> 00:05:15.983 I believe it was 1989. 93 00:05:18.360 --> 00:05:21.530 line:5% Two gentlemen, Peter Bynoe and Bertram Lee, 94 00:05:21.530 --> 00:05:24.199 line:5% put together a proposal to buy the Nuggets. 95 00:05:24.783 --> 00:05:26.660 line:5% Bynoe and Lee were smart. 96 00:05:26.660 --> 00:05:30.122 They recruited a brilliant sports executive 97 00:05:30.122 --> 00:05:32.875 to be part of their ownership group. 98 00:05:32.875 --> 00:05:37.379 They gave this brilliant sports executive a piece of the team, 99 00:05:37.379 --> 00:05:39.923 and he was going to be president of the Denver Nuggets. 100 00:05:40.924 --> 00:05:43.218 line:5% His name is Dave Checketts. 101 00:05:43.218 --> 00:05:44.428 line:5% Here we go. 102 00:05:46.013 --> 00:05:48.849 line:5% That sale did not go through, 103 00:05:49.349 --> 00:05:52.519 but Dave Checketts had very intricate knowledge 104 00:05:52.519 --> 00:05:57.357 of the history of the tenants of the building 105 00:05:57.357 --> 00:05:59.318 the Nuggets and the Avalanche played. 106 00:06:02.154 --> 00:06:05.115 I mean, it's pretty obvious that-- 107 00:06:05.908 --> 00:06:07.409 why I knew what I knew... 108 00:06:07.409 --> 00:06:12.122 ...but Dave Checketts was the mastermind of this deal. 109 00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:17.795 Many owners have said to me, "You know, that really changed everything." 110 00:06:18.378 --> 00:06:21.632 And none of them would have done this. 111 00:06:21.632 --> 00:06:25.094 Um, but Charlie and I were friends before any of this happened. 112 00:06:35.187 --> 00:06:37.981 I met Dave Checketts at the NBA Board of Governors meeting 113 00:06:37.981 --> 00:06:39.316 line:5% in 1992. 114 00:06:39.316 --> 00:06:42.945 I was the newly installed governor of the Denver Nuggets. 115 00:06:43.821 --> 00:06:46.532 The team was an embarrassment. It was in the cellar. 116 00:06:47.074 --> 00:06:49.076 They were losing a lot of money. 117 00:06:49.076 --> 00:06:51.662 Charlie and I have a lot in common. 118 00:06:51.662 --> 00:06:55.874 We both have lived in a world where franchises are losing money 119 00:06:55.874 --> 00:06:57.126 or deep in debt. 120 00:06:58.836 --> 00:07:02.172 line:5% My first job in sports had been at the Utah Jazz, 121 00:07:02.172 --> 00:07:05.676 line:5% a club that, in the 1980s, was bankrupt. 122 00:07:07.928 --> 00:07:12.558 There were days I could not cash my paycheck 123 00:07:12.558 --> 00:07:17.563 line:5% until Adrian Dantley, our best player, deposited his. 124 00:07:17.563 --> 00:07:20.983 Yeah. Hair on fire is the vernacular. 125 00:07:20.983 --> 00:07:24.528 Well, I mean, fortunately for me, 126 00:07:24.528 --> 00:07:29.074 by the time that this story starts with Charlie Lyons, 127 00:07:29.074 --> 00:07:32.327 I was running kind of a different show in New York. 128 00:07:32.327 --> 00:07:35.581 Dave Checketts' career continued to skyrocket 129 00:07:35.581 --> 00:07:38.417 and in very short order, went to work for the Knicks 130 00:07:38.417 --> 00:07:43.922 line:5% and then oversaw the entire Madison Square Garden empire 131 00:07:43.922 --> 00:07:46.884 line:5% that included the Knicks and the Rangers. 132 00:07:49.178 --> 00:07:51.805 I was immediately like, "I want to get to know this guy. 133 00:07:51.805 --> 00:07:54.766 I think the stuff that's coming out of his mouth is really smart." 134 00:07:54.766 --> 00:07:57.019 Under what conditions, for instance, 135 00:07:57.019 --> 00:08:00.772 do you take and trade away young players to go for it? 136 00:08:00.772 --> 00:08:04.401 Dave was kind of my mentor. 137 00:08:05.485 --> 00:08:08.488 It's one of the most unique things about sports, 138 00:08:08.488 --> 00:08:12.951 is that you're partners with all of these other franchise owners, 139 00:08:12.951 --> 00:08:17.331 and yet, you want to beat them all the time, too. 140 00:08:17.331 --> 00:08:20.334 You want-- You want to win when they come in, 141 00:08:20.334 --> 00:08:23.045 and you want to be on equal footing 142 00:08:23.045 --> 00:08:26.298 when it comes to the quality of your arena. 143 00:08:28.258 --> 00:08:31.887 line:5% Because McNichols Arena was just the oldest, 144 00:08:31.887 --> 00:08:35.015 most rundown building in the league, 145 00:08:35.015 --> 00:08:38.268 the Nuggets were held up as the poster child of franchises 146 00:08:38.268 --> 00:08:40.771 that were bleeding money and were in trouble. 147 00:08:42.439 --> 00:08:47.110 line:5% McNichols Arena, I would call it-- affectionately call it a nice dump. 148 00:08:50.989 --> 00:08:53.992 It's a very simple business in a certain respect. 149 00:08:53.992 --> 00:08:55.452 It's very much like Broadway. 150 00:08:56.036 --> 00:09:01.583 You have your arena, and that generates a big portion of your revenue. 151 00:09:01.583 --> 00:09:04.628 line:5% And McNichols was the oldest facility in the league. 152 00:09:04.628 --> 00:09:08.006 line:5% It was rundown. And you didn't have very many luxury suites. 153 00:09:08.006 --> 00:09:09.591 line:5% So the result is, 154 00:09:09.591 --> 00:09:13.095 line:5% it didn't have any ability to generate any additional revenue. 155 00:09:13.095 --> 00:09:15.305 And it wasn't a great place for the fans. 156 00:09:15.305 --> 00:09:18.308 You gotta ask? 157 00:09:18.308 --> 00:09:21.395 Jeepers! Look at the crowds! 158 00:09:21.395 --> 00:09:23.855 But you start doing the math. 159 00:09:23.855 --> 00:09:26.858 One sports team in a small market 160 00:09:26.858 --> 00:09:32.656 was not enough to generate the returns to build a new state-of-the-art arena. 161 00:09:33.448 --> 00:09:36.410 So it was clear we needed a second team. 162 00:09:37.577 --> 00:09:40.580 There is no other way to do it. 163 00:09:41.581 --> 00:09:43.917 They were looking around for a team. 164 00:09:43.917 --> 00:09:46.670 Sakic scores! 165 00:09:47.713 --> 00:09:51.383 Lately, ice hockey has become one of the hottest sports going. 166 00:09:51.383 --> 00:09:53.719 By this time, Gary Bettman had gone over 167 00:09:53.719 --> 00:09:55.721 to the National Hockey League as commissioner. 168 00:09:55.721 --> 00:09:58.432 line:5% We're getting the word out there that we've got a great sport. 169 00:09:58.432 --> 00:10:01.685 line:5% Everything associated with it is fun, it's exciting, it's hip, 170 00:10:01.685 --> 00:10:03.437 and the people are thinking about us. 171 00:10:03.437 --> 00:10:05.564 And I got a call from a gentleman 172 00:10:05.564 --> 00:10:08.025 at the Walt Disney Company, and he said, 173 00:10:08.025 --> 00:10:12.446 "Look, I'm thinking that the Quebec Nordiques are gonna be sold." 174 00:10:13.905 --> 00:10:16.158 I was at The Denver Post as a part-time guy, 175 00:10:16.158 --> 00:10:18.952 line:5% and just happened to get a scoop dropped on my lap 176 00:10:18.952 --> 00:10:22.748 line:5% that the owners of the Denver Nuggets were going to make an offer 177 00:10:22.748 --> 00:10:24.291 line:5% for the Quebec Nordiques. 178 00:10:24.875 --> 00:10:28.086 Quebec City is the smallest of the small-market teams 179 00:10:28.086 --> 00:10:30.088 in the 26-team NHL. 180 00:10:30.672 --> 00:10:32.883 Quebec was in financial distress. 181 00:10:32.883 --> 00:10:35.761 line:5% The projections for the '95-'96 season 182 00:10:35.761 --> 00:10:39.139 line:5% are that we're going to lose between 12 and 14 million. 183 00:10:39.139 --> 00:10:41.641 I'm never gonna forget the day Marcel looked at me 184 00:10:41.641 --> 00:10:43.310 line:5% and there were tears in his eyes. 185 00:10:43.310 --> 00:10:47.814 line:5% He said, "You know, I-- I-I got to-- I got to sell 186 00:10:48.732 --> 00:10:50.734 and I want to sell to you." 187 00:10:51.234 --> 00:10:53.862 As he was saying he had to sell, 188 00:10:53.862 --> 00:10:57.282 he went into a monologue about Sakic... 189 00:10:57.282 --> 00:10:59.743 Joe Sakic with a shot-- He scores! 190 00:10:59.743 --> 00:11:04.039 ...as if to say, you're this close to winning a championship. 191 00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:06.333 The Quebec Nordiques are moving to Denver. 192 00:11:06.333 --> 00:11:07.709 The COMSAT Corporation, 193 00:11:07.709 --> 00:11:10.712 which already owns the Denver Nuggets, has purchased the Nordiques franchise. 194 00:11:10.712 --> 00:11:13.465 They will begin play in Denver next season. 195 00:11:14.091 --> 00:11:17.636 Uh, first of all, I want to thank you all for waiting patiently. 196 00:11:17.636 --> 00:11:19.888 line:5% With me on my left is Charlie Lyons, 197 00:11:19.888 --> 00:11:22.265 president of the COMSAT Entertainment Group 198 00:11:22.265 --> 00:11:23.975 and who will be the governor of the franchise. 199 00:11:23.975 --> 00:11:25.852 And we're here to answer your questions. 200 00:11:27.604 --> 00:11:31.358 line:5% Let's face it, Charlie didn't know much about hockey 201 00:11:31.358 --> 00:11:32.776 other than there was frozen water. 202 00:11:32.776 --> 00:11:34.736 Uh, the answer is, uh-- 203 00:11:34.736 --> 00:11:39.825 Let's be clear, I knew nothing about hockey, truthfully. 204 00:11:39.825 --> 00:11:42.536 I think the press reports in Denver have been accurate. 205 00:11:42.536 --> 00:11:46.123 line:5% Pierre will be executive vice president general manager of the club. 206 00:11:46.123 --> 00:11:49.709 It was always a very close relationship between Pierre Lacroix and Charlie Lyons. 207 00:11:49.709 --> 00:11:53.547 Pierre was a larger-than-life brain. 208 00:11:53.547 --> 00:11:54.631 Let's start there. 209 00:11:56.425 --> 00:11:58.218 Pierre comes in, he knows everything about hockey. 210 00:11:58.218 --> 00:11:59.636 He's a hockey lifer. 211 00:11:59.636 --> 00:12:01.304 And he said, "You know what? 212 00:12:01.304 --> 00:12:03.056 We're gonna win. 213 00:12:03.056 --> 00:12:05.851 But the only way we're gonna win is if we're a family." 214 00:12:05.851 --> 00:12:08.061 I've been involved with professional sports 215 00:12:08.061 --> 00:12:09.146 for over 30 years. 216 00:12:09.146 --> 00:12:12.858 The one thing that I'm a big believer, and I'm 100% convinced, 217 00:12:12.858 --> 00:12:16.027 is that what wins in professional sports is chemistry. 218 00:12:16.027 --> 00:12:19.865 To have that aspiration to be the champion of the world 219 00:12:19.865 --> 00:12:22.742 means the only way you're gonna get there is if you get there together. 220 00:12:22.742 --> 00:12:25.829 The support of this ownership group has been incredible. 221 00:12:25.829 --> 00:12:27.873 He had the same philosophy in mind. 222 00:12:27.873 --> 00:12:29.791 Always wanted to support us 223 00:12:29.791 --> 00:12:33.545 in order to offer the people of Colorado the best product available. 224 00:12:33.545 --> 00:12:36.298 Shot-- Score! 225 00:12:36.298 --> 00:12:37.591 Joe Sakic! 226 00:12:37.591 --> 00:12:38.842 That's a perfect partner. 227 00:12:38.842 --> 00:12:41.136 And then on top of it, he moved across the street, 228 00:12:41.136 --> 00:12:42.971 so we became best friends. 229 00:12:42.971 --> 00:12:45.098 He became godfather to my kids. 230 00:12:46.266 --> 00:12:49.686 What happens next? - I mean, we kick ass is what happens. 231 00:12:52.147 --> 00:12:55.275 Mellanby, trying to clear. Didn't get it out. Sakic held it in. 232 00:12:55.275 --> 00:12:56.401 Still held in. 233 00:12:56.401 --> 00:12:59.905 Uwe Krupp, shot-- Score! 234 00:12:59.905 --> 00:13:04.910 The Colorado Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup! 235 00:13:07.746 --> 00:13:09.539 I can't fucking believe this! 236 00:13:09.539 --> 00:13:10.832 We won, baby! 237 00:13:10.832 --> 00:13:12.834 - We won the fucking Cup! We won the Cup! 238 00:13:12.834 --> 00:13:14.252 Charlie! 239 00:13:25.722 --> 00:13:30.018 The Denver community absolutely embraced the Avalanche from day one, 240 00:13:30.018 --> 00:13:32.562 and the Avalanche fell in love with the Denver community. 241 00:13:32.562 --> 00:13:37.234 Yelling and screaming, holding up the newspapers, 242 00:13:37.234 --> 00:13:39.528 holding up anything that they can. 243 00:13:39.528 --> 00:13:41.071 Some of the pom poms. 244 00:13:41.071 --> 00:13:43.782 And they're going to celebrate. Ed? 245 00:13:46.660 --> 00:13:51.164 Our president, Charlie, has a special presentation 246 00:13:51.164 --> 00:13:52.999 to make to the whole team. 247 00:13:52.999 --> 00:13:54.834 I'll tell you what I wanna do for you guys, 248 00:13:54.834 --> 00:13:57.921 'cause you're the best people in professional sports 249 00:13:57.921 --> 00:14:00.966 and it's an honor to be part of your family. 250 00:14:00.966 --> 00:14:05.178 Uh, Pierre and I got together and figured what you need is a vacation. 251 00:14:05.178 --> 00:14:08.348 So we're gonna send you away-- We'll send you away for a week, 252 00:14:08.348 --> 00:14:10.892 and you're gonna stay in a real nice spot-- 253 00:14:10.892 --> 00:14:13.770 real nice resort-- for seven days. 254 00:14:13.770 --> 00:14:15.397 So, what the heck! 255 00:14:15.897 --> 00:14:17.566 Riot! Riot! 256 00:14:20.277 --> 00:14:25.031 When Joe Sakic held up that cup in front of the crowd, 257 00:14:25.031 --> 00:14:26.116 they went nuts. 258 00:14:26.116 --> 00:14:29.494 You, the people of Denver, the state of Colorado, 259 00:14:29.494 --> 00:14:32.080 you have the best sports fans in America. 260 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:35.000 - Thank you very much. 261 00:14:35.792 --> 00:14:37.419 What is a star? 262 00:14:37.419 --> 00:14:38.587 It's intangible. 263 00:14:43.008 --> 00:14:44.551 The truth is that 264 00:14:44.551 --> 00:14:49.723 if you actually spend a lot of time thinking about that success 265 00:14:50.765 --> 00:14:55.395 you're gonna fall on your face because it's fleeting, it comes and goes. 266 00:14:55.395 --> 00:14:57.314 So what it did for me 267 00:14:58.523 --> 00:15:02.152 is it made me want to work harder at everything else, 268 00:15:02.152 --> 00:15:07.407 and it just increased the pressure to be better at everything you do. 269 00:15:12.329 --> 00:15:15.582 Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States. 270 00:15:16.791 --> 00:15:19.336 I'd like to welcome all of you to the White House, 271 00:15:19.336 --> 00:15:22.631 especially Charlie Lyons, the President of Ascent Entertainment 272 00:15:23.423 --> 00:15:28.094 line:5% and, of course, the 1996 Stanley Cup winners, the Colorado Avalanche. 273 00:15:29.888 --> 00:15:31.348 We have a championship. 274 00:15:31.348 --> 00:15:32.807 We now have two teams. 275 00:15:32.807 --> 00:15:37.812 We now have the pieces to build a state-of-the-art venue. 276 00:15:39.731 --> 00:15:43.693 My first stop was the great Mayor Wellington Webb's office. 277 00:15:44.861 --> 00:15:46.863 Mayor Webb was beloved. 278 00:15:46.863 --> 00:15:48.948 Great big city leader. 279 00:15:48.948 --> 00:15:54.496 He was interested in Denver being one of the greatest cities in the world. 280 00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:59.459 line:5% It's always been my belief that if you're going to be a big city, 281 00:15:59.459 --> 00:16:02.921 line:5% uh, that you have to have all the sports in order to compete. 282 00:16:02.921 --> 00:16:05.382 It's kind of that ego thing for cities. 283 00:16:07.509 --> 00:16:11.054 By them winning and bringing the Stanley Cup to Denver, 284 00:16:11.054 --> 00:16:13.848 it gave us what the kids call swag. 285 00:16:18.019 --> 00:16:19.896 I said, "Mayor Webb, we just won the Cup. 286 00:16:19.896 --> 00:16:22.857 You got your championship, man. Come on. Let's go." 287 00:16:24.359 --> 00:16:27.362 Every sports team wants a new arena or a new stadium. 288 00:16:27.362 --> 00:16:30.865 We have no illusions about what it takes to be successful. 289 00:16:30.865 --> 00:16:32.409 The question's always, who pays? 290 00:16:33.076 --> 00:16:34.077 That's it. 291 00:16:34.077 --> 00:16:37.914 Is this good for the taxpayer, and not just good for the owners? 292 00:16:37.914 --> 00:16:41.751 And so he wasn't just going to roll over for a professional sports team. 293 00:16:41.751 --> 00:16:43.044 You had to make the case. 294 00:16:43.044 --> 00:16:44.462 There's nothing wrong with this market. 295 00:16:44.462 --> 00:16:46.339 It's probably the best sports market in the country. 296 00:16:46.339 --> 00:16:48.842 And he pushed back. He was tough. 297 00:16:48.842 --> 00:16:54.472 The people need to decide whether they want to invest in a stadium. 298 00:16:54.472 --> 00:16:58.143 They were having trouble putting a deal together for a new arena. 299 00:16:58.143 --> 00:16:59.310 A lot of trouble. 300 00:16:59.310 --> 00:17:01.312 So much trouble that people like me thought, 301 00:17:01.312 --> 00:17:02.814 "Well, maybe this won't ever happen." 302 00:17:02.814 --> 00:17:05.191 When the negotiations started breaking down, 303 00:17:05.191 --> 00:17:07.110 trying to close the deal on the Pepsi Center... 304 00:17:07.110 --> 00:17:11.698 I hinted that maybe we would move the team to Singapore 305 00:17:11.698 --> 00:17:13.408 or someplace local. 306 00:17:13.408 --> 00:17:14.951 I had a news conference. 307 00:17:14.951 --> 00:17:16.494 I passed a vending machine. 308 00:17:16.494 --> 00:17:18.413 And I just happened to see a Coca-Cola in there 309 00:17:18.413 --> 00:17:20.540 and asked my press person, Andrew Hudson, 310 00:17:21.666 --> 00:17:23.543 did he have change for the vending machine? 311 00:17:23.543 --> 00:17:26.004 He said, "No, you're not gonna do what I think you're gonna do." 312 00:17:26.004 --> 00:17:27.797 And I said, "Yeah, I think I'm gonna absolutely do 313 00:17:27.797 --> 00:17:29.174 what you think I'm not gonna do." 314 00:17:30.967 --> 00:17:34.053 He got up with a Coke can and said, "That's what I think of that." 315 00:17:37.307 --> 00:17:39.267 What fun is a negotiation if you agree? 316 00:17:39.267 --> 00:17:41.102 You might as well beat each other up for a while. 317 00:17:41.102 --> 00:17:43.897 But under all of that charade, 318 00:17:43.897 --> 00:17:48.318 many of us didn't realize how far out on a ledge Charlie was. 319 00:17:49.027 --> 00:17:51.696 During the course of that season, 320 00:17:51.696 --> 00:17:56.034 Charlie had a big project going 321 00:17:56.034 --> 00:17:57.243 that was not hockey. 322 00:18:02.081 --> 00:18:04.000 All the while, while this is happening 323 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:06.211 for the teams in the building, 324 00:18:06.211 --> 00:18:09.839 I was doing my level best to build a media company. 325 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:13.468 line:5% We had a subsidiary, Beacon Communications, 326 00:18:14.052 --> 00:18:16.429 line:5% that was an independent film company, 327 00:18:16.429 --> 00:18:20.058 and we came up with a strategy where we like to own our films. 328 00:18:21.267 --> 00:18:23.728 Charlie Lyons was going to become a movie mogul. 329 00:18:25.605 --> 00:18:27.899 line:5% My guest today is a former carpenter 330 00:18:27.899 --> 00:18:32.612 who's made more blockbuster movies than any actor in history. 331 00:18:32.612 --> 00:18:35.198 I guess maybe it was you're seeing a pattern here. 332 00:18:35.198 --> 00:18:39.911 He starred in seven of the top 20 moneymaking films of all time. 333 00:18:39.911 --> 00:18:43.039 It's just we weren't afraid to try and get the Nordiques. 334 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:44.749 Please welcome Harrison Ford! 335 00:18:46.209 --> 00:18:51.089 We weren't afraid to approach Harrison at the height of his career 336 00:18:51.089 --> 00:18:52.549 as an independent company, 337 00:18:52.549 --> 00:18:55.260 even though we had never done anything large before. 338 00:18:55.260 --> 00:18:57.929 He was going to have Harrison Ford in this movie, 339 00:18:57.929 --> 00:19:01.599 and it must have an airplane in it, and, man, it was going to be cool. 340 00:19:03.226 --> 00:19:05.520 We thought Harrison was a really safe bet 341 00:19:05.520 --> 00:19:10.775 line:5% to commit to his salary in the absence of having the film green lit, 342 00:19:10.775 --> 00:19:13.403 so you're committed to pay him whether you make the movie or not, 343 00:19:13.403 --> 00:19:16.447 which is a really tricky thing in the business. 344 00:19:17.115 --> 00:19:20.952 He loved the script and decided that this was something he wanted to do, 345 00:19:20.952 --> 00:19:22.620 and Sony was excited about it. 346 00:19:22.620 --> 00:19:24.414 A Columbia Pictures release. 347 00:19:24.414 --> 00:19:25.498 Perfect. 348 00:19:25.498 --> 00:19:28.835 It was all on a gimbal on the Sony back lot. 349 00:19:28.835 --> 00:19:31.796 We knew we were going to be releasing a major film, 350 00:19:31.796 --> 00:19:35.008 but we had no idea what was going to happen. 351 00:19:36.551 --> 00:19:39.679 line:5% If ever there was a recipe for a lot of trouble 352 00:19:39.679 --> 00:19:42.640 line:5% it's where we were sitting at that moment. 353 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:44.017 line:5% We were losing money. 354 00:19:44.809 --> 00:19:48.479 If we don't get a building, it's really hard to make the two teams work. 355 00:19:48.479 --> 00:19:51.274 So, look, let's not kid ourselves. 356 00:19:51.274 --> 00:19:54.277 There was a lot riding on all of this. 357 00:19:54.277 --> 00:20:00.033 As the leader of this chaos, I had to be certain that we didn't blow it 358 00:20:00.033 --> 00:20:03.202 because that was a bet-the-ranch move 359 00:20:03.202 --> 00:20:07.332 line:5% to make a movie that big and everybody's watching. 360 00:20:09.208 --> 00:20:12.629 To this day, I can't tell you what was opening night 361 00:20:12.629 --> 00:20:14.047 line:5% of the Avalanche season... 362 00:20:14.047 --> 00:20:16.215 or what night the Avalanche got eliminated. 363 00:20:16.215 --> 00:20:18.551 But Charlie would remind me. 364 00:20:19.260 --> 00:20:20.929 "July 25th." 365 00:20:20.929 --> 00:20:22.347 On July 25th... 366 00:20:22.347 --> 00:20:23.890 "July 25th." 367 00:20:23.890 --> 00:20:25.558 President of the United States. 368 00:20:25.558 --> 00:20:27.727 "The movie opens July 25th." 369 00:20:27.727 --> 00:20:29.562 Harrison Ford. 370 00:20:29.562 --> 00:20:32.523 Air Force One. Opens everywhere, July 25th. 371 00:20:35.735 --> 00:20:38.279 Around that same time frame, 372 00:20:39.030 --> 00:20:42.992 we had an unfolding situation with free agency. 373 00:20:42.992 --> 00:20:47.622 Contract negotiations will begin next week with captain, Joe Sakic. 374 00:20:47.622 --> 00:20:49.415 We're now past July 1. 375 00:20:49.415 --> 00:20:52.293 There are some in the NHL who feel that with Patrick Roy 376 00:20:52.293 --> 00:20:57.465 making $4 million plus a season and Forsberg now striking it rich, 377 00:20:57.465 --> 00:21:01.636 the Avalanche may not be prepared to dig so deep into their pockets again. 378 00:21:01.636 --> 00:21:04.305 It was a potential gathering storm, 379 00:21:04.305 --> 00:21:09.394 line:5% but there was so much confidence in our organization about Pierre. 380 00:21:10.186 --> 00:21:11.688 Pierre was the best at this. 381 00:21:11.688 --> 00:21:15.650 We will take all the time we need in order to make the right decision. 382 00:21:15.650 --> 00:21:18.695 I remember calling Sakic, and he was sort of hinting 383 00:21:18.695 --> 00:21:21.781 that he wasn't real thrilled with the negotiations with the Avalanche. 384 00:21:22.699 --> 00:21:26.369 And it was all happening at the same time. You have a major movie coming out, 385 00:21:26.369 --> 00:21:27.745 where you're going to live or die... 386 00:21:27.745 --> 00:21:31.791 Harrison Ford brings Air Force One in for a landing in theaters this Friday. 387 00:21:31.791 --> 00:21:33.793 How do you think the film is going to do? 388 00:21:33.793 --> 00:21:34.877 Well, you never know. 389 00:21:34.877 --> 00:21:38.464 But this film is as well-equipped to do well as any film I've ever made. 390 00:21:38.464 --> 00:21:42.176 Everybody's become accustomed with seeing a movie loss of $150 million. 391 00:21:42.176 --> 00:21:43.594 It's possible to do. 392 00:21:44.262 --> 00:21:48.474 line:5% We're steaming towards that opening with uncertainty. 393 00:21:48.474 --> 00:21:51.561 Air Force One took off at the box office this weekend. 394 00:21:51.561 --> 00:21:55.648 The Harrison Ford film brought in more than $37 million over the weekend. 395 00:21:55.648 --> 00:21:57.942 Thankfully, people loved the film. 396 00:21:57.942 --> 00:21:59.610 This is a president as a hero. 397 00:21:59.610 --> 00:22:01.821 It's a great film, fun adventure. 398 00:22:01.821 --> 00:22:04.240 It was a combination where you had a great director. 399 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:06.701 line:5% A great writer named Andrew Marlowe. 400 00:22:06.701 --> 00:22:08.161 line:5% A perfect performance. 401 00:22:08.161 --> 00:22:11.873 line:5% Marc and Army delivered a great film. On time. On budget. 402 00:22:11.873 --> 00:22:14.667 We had the number one movie in America. 403 00:22:17.587 --> 00:22:19.922 So, life's good. The movie's performing well, 404 00:22:19.922 --> 00:22:22.467 and I read the sports section every day. 405 00:22:22.467 --> 00:22:25.678 I'd pick up and I go, "Oh, poor Dave, that sucks. 406 00:22:25.678 --> 00:22:26.929 He lost Mark Messier." 407 00:22:32.602 --> 00:22:38.149 line:5% When you are building a team, imagine a wheel. 408 00:22:39.025 --> 00:22:40.902 I think it's easy to get a rim. 409 00:22:42.028 --> 00:22:44.030 I think it's easy to get spokes. 410 00:22:45.031 --> 00:22:47.784 It's really hard to get the hub. 411 00:22:48.785 --> 00:22:50.995 Messier was the hub of the wheel. 412 00:22:50.995 --> 00:22:55.249 Life after Mark Messier began today for the New York Rangers. 413 00:22:55.249 --> 00:22:58.169 Vancouver? That shocked everybody. 414 00:22:58.169 --> 00:22:59.962 They had a big void at center. 415 00:22:59.962 --> 00:23:01.589 - An explosive hole. - Mm-hmm. 416 00:23:01.589 --> 00:23:02.965 You know where this goes. 417 00:23:03.883 --> 00:23:05.510 In professional sports, 418 00:23:05.510 --> 00:23:11.057 you are 100% dependent upon the performance of human beings. 419 00:23:11.057 --> 00:23:13.351 I mean, it really is 420 00:23:13.351 --> 00:23:17.605 the ultimate human performance show. 421 00:23:18.231 --> 00:23:23.194 Mark Messier was literally the savior in New York. 422 00:23:23.194 --> 00:23:24.529 The messiah! 423 00:23:24.529 --> 00:23:25.696 And rightfully so. 424 00:23:25.696 --> 00:23:29.075 Greatest leader I've ever covered in any sport, 425 00:23:29.075 --> 00:23:30.618 and nobody's in second place. 426 00:23:30.618 --> 00:23:33.621 But this was a time when, I mean, 427 00:23:33.621 --> 00:23:36.958 you're delusional if you don't know that the player was in decline. 428 00:23:36.958 --> 00:23:39.335 Our hockey experts felt like 429 00:23:39.335 --> 00:23:43.297 giving him more than one year guaranteed would be a mistake. 430 00:23:43.297 --> 00:23:45.925 And Mark left and went to Vancouver, 431 00:23:45.925 --> 00:23:51.097 and that set off for us a torrent of negative reaction, 432 00:23:51.097 --> 00:23:53.182 and there wasn't much I could do about it. 433 00:23:53.182 --> 00:23:56.978 line:5% Yeah, I think when you're put on the back page of the New York Post 434 00:23:56.978 --> 00:23:59.981 and the headline reads "Dumb & Dumber," 435 00:23:59.981 --> 00:24:01.941 that's about as bad as it gets. 436 00:24:03.568 --> 00:24:08.072 The only thing I said about that was, "Well, I'm dumb, so you get to be dumber." 437 00:24:09.615 --> 00:24:11.951 Do you realize what you've done? 438 00:24:12.451 --> 00:24:13.452 Hey! 439 00:24:13.452 --> 00:24:15.746 I couldn't be in New York as long as I was 440 00:24:15.746 --> 00:24:17.999 and be overly sensitive to the press. 441 00:24:17.999 --> 00:24:19.417 But I did see that. 442 00:24:19.417 --> 00:24:20.793 And I think they, 443 00:24:20.793 --> 00:24:22.712 as an organization, have a plan in place. 444 00:24:22.712 --> 00:24:26.841 The in-case-of-Mark-leaving plan, and they have to find a way to move forward. 445 00:24:26.841 --> 00:24:29.051 This is the kind of off-season-- 446 00:24:29.051 --> 00:24:30.553 The kind of summer 447 00:24:30.553 --> 00:24:36.100 that would make most general managers just pull their hair out. 448 00:24:36.100 --> 00:24:40.771 But Neil-- Neil still has retained almost all of his hair. 449 00:24:40.771 --> 00:24:42.732 Congratulations, Neil. 450 00:24:42.732 --> 00:24:44.525 That was a joke, by the way. 451 00:24:44.525 --> 00:24:50.573 I just knew that we needed to do something to plug that giant hole left by Messier. 452 00:24:50.573 --> 00:24:54.785 And that's when I started to focus on Joe Sakic, 453 00:24:54.785 --> 00:24:56.746 who was a Group 2 free agent. 454 00:24:56.746 --> 00:24:58.831 Oh yeah, he was Group 2. 455 00:24:58.831 --> 00:25:00.917 And then I thought, what the hell does that mean? 456 00:25:04.462 --> 00:25:07.131 What exactly was a Group 2 free agent? 457 00:25:07.965 --> 00:25:09.050 Go ahead. 458 00:25:09.050 --> 00:25:10.176 Paragraph ten, 459 00:25:10.176 --> 00:25:13.304 subsection two of the six-year collective bargaining agreement 460 00:25:13.304 --> 00:25:14.889 was Group 2 free agency. 461 00:25:14.889 --> 00:25:17.934 A Group 2 free agent was in a position 462 00:25:17.934 --> 00:25:22.897 where they could be open to receiving a free agent offer sheet. 463 00:25:22.897 --> 00:25:25.149 Except for the fact that his former team has 464 00:25:25.149 --> 00:25:28.361 168 hours in which they can match it and keep him. 465 00:25:28.361 --> 00:25:29.904 No one ever did this, 466 00:25:29.904 --> 00:25:35.534 because if the team that held the rights to the player decided not to match, 467 00:25:35.534 --> 00:25:40.539 line:5% they received your next five first-round draft picks. 468 00:25:41.249 --> 00:25:43.709 To go to five straight drafts and have your fans say, 469 00:25:43.709 --> 00:25:46.754 "We don't have a first-round pick this year, and we didn't win the Stanley Cup?" 470 00:25:46.754 --> 00:25:48.381 That's punitive, and I'm sure 471 00:25:48.381 --> 00:25:51.926 a lot of owners thought there's no chance anybody's gonna do this. 472 00:25:53.511 --> 00:25:54.804 So, I thought about that. 473 00:25:54.804 --> 00:25:57.598 But in the Sakic situation, 474 00:25:57.598 --> 00:26:00.643 we still had a really good team. 475 00:26:00.643 --> 00:26:03.437 We had one of the best defensemen in the league in Brian Leetch. 476 00:26:03.437 --> 00:26:07.108 We had one of the best goaltenders in the game in Mike Richter, 477 00:26:07.108 --> 00:26:09.902 we had the best hockey player that ever played the game. 478 00:26:09.902 --> 00:26:13.406 And plugging Joe Sakic into the middle of that team 479 00:26:13.406 --> 00:26:18.119 meant that we were Cup contenders, I felt, for the next few years, 480 00:26:18.119 --> 00:26:20.371 and I think Neil agreed with that. 481 00:26:20.371 --> 00:26:21.998 And what people think on the outside, 482 00:26:21.998 --> 00:26:25.418 is that Neil Smith decided, "You know what, I'll sign Joe Sakic. 483 00:26:25.418 --> 00:26:27.420 Why don't I sign Joe Sakic?" You know? 484 00:26:27.420 --> 00:26:29.213 That's not how it works. 485 00:26:33.843 --> 00:26:36.178 Dave Checketts, the president of Madison Square Garden, 486 00:26:36.178 --> 00:26:38.556 walked into my office and said, "Well, we're gonna do it. 487 00:26:38.556 --> 00:26:41.183 We're gonna sign Sakic to an offer sheet." 488 00:26:41.183 --> 00:26:45.146 And I said to him, "Dave, this never works in the NHL. Never." 489 00:26:45.146 --> 00:26:47.940 The Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup, 490 00:26:47.940 --> 00:26:49.859 and they lost $8 million, 491 00:26:49.859 --> 00:26:53.612 line:5% and they couldn't get their new arena financed. 492 00:26:53.612 --> 00:26:55.531 It was very attractive to me, 493 00:26:55.531 --> 00:26:59.994 just thinking of the situation that once we launched this offer sheet, 494 00:26:59.994 --> 00:27:03.789 they were gonna have seven days and I really liked our chances 495 00:27:05.249 --> 00:27:07.043 by front-loading it 496 00:27:07.043 --> 00:27:11.380 and making it so they had to write a check for 15 million bucks in seven days. 497 00:27:12.715 --> 00:27:16.761 The way we'll do it was to heavily front-load an offer 498 00:27:16.761 --> 00:27:21.140 so that Colorado couldn't possibly come up with that much money 499 00:27:21.140 --> 00:27:24.018 to match the offer, and they'd have to take the draft picks. 500 00:27:24.018 --> 00:27:28.022 I know it sounds terrible, but it's within the rules. 501 00:27:28.022 --> 00:27:29.732 I had the right to do that. 502 00:27:29.732 --> 00:27:32.193 It wasn't that I was doing something illegal. 503 00:27:35.946 --> 00:27:37.365 Sound is speeding. 504 00:27:37.365 --> 00:27:39.533 Okay. Can we get a slate in? 505 00:27:39.533 --> 00:27:41.035 Pardon me, sir. 506 00:27:41.035 --> 00:27:43.871 Joe Sakic interview, take one. You got that, Tim? 507 00:27:43.871 --> 00:27:46.457 My agent gave me a call 508 00:27:46.457 --> 00:27:49.460 line:5% and asked me if I'd be interested in listening to 509 00:27:49.460 --> 00:27:50.669 the New York Ranger proposal, 510 00:27:50.669 --> 00:27:54.298 if that would be a destination that I'd go to. 511 00:27:54.298 --> 00:27:58.177 And, you know, obviously, New York Rangers, Madison Square Garden. 512 00:27:59.053 --> 00:28:01.555 - I always loved playing in New York. Sakic on a breakaway. 513 00:28:01.555 --> 00:28:03.682 - And he scores! Nice play. 514 00:28:03.682 --> 00:28:06.769 It was an exciting possibility to think about you getting an opportunity 515 00:28:06.769 --> 00:28:08.104 to play with Wayne Gretzky. 516 00:28:09.897 --> 00:28:11.315 Is there someone you're dreaming of being, 517 00:28:11.315 --> 00:28:12.817 or you're thinking about playing in the NHL? 518 00:28:12.817 --> 00:28:14.235 I still remember those days. 519 00:28:14.235 --> 00:28:16.737 We always jumped the fence to get into the school, 520 00:28:16.737 --> 00:28:19.073 and my friend was always Mark Messier and I was Wayne Gretzky. 521 00:28:19.073 --> 00:28:20.866 So, yeah, I had a lot of interest. 522 00:28:23.494 --> 00:28:26.622 My agent flew to New York, met with them quietly, 523 00:28:26.622 --> 00:28:28.499 didn't want anybody to know what was going on. 524 00:28:28.499 --> 00:28:29.667 And it was really secretive. 525 00:28:29.667 --> 00:28:32.795 A couple hours later, he called me and gave me the offer. 526 00:28:33.921 --> 00:28:36.048 That'd be pretty stupid not to sign something like that. 527 00:28:36.048 --> 00:28:37.466 I said, "We have a deal." 528 00:28:38.717 --> 00:28:41.262 The offer sheet came in at the last minute of business 529 00:28:41.262 --> 00:28:42.847 on the night of the first day. 530 00:28:42.847 --> 00:28:45.599 - Was that intentional? - Yes. 531 00:28:47.726 --> 00:28:51.063 I've always done free agent offer sheets 532 00:28:51.063 --> 00:28:53.607 when no one thinks it's about to happen. 533 00:28:53.607 --> 00:28:56.652 I like the shock value of saying, "Guess what?" 534 00:28:59.697 --> 00:29:03.367 So we've been ambushed and we've got seven days. 535 00:29:03.367 --> 00:29:07.621 At that time, Charlie and Pierre Lacroix were neighbors. 536 00:29:09.165 --> 00:29:12.460 I wandered across the cul-de-sac, 537 00:29:13.043 --> 00:29:17.798 and Pierre has that look on his face, like, "What tricks you got, big guy?" 538 00:29:18.674 --> 00:29:21.552 He wasn't in full control, it was in Charlie Lyons' control. 539 00:29:21.552 --> 00:29:24.972 Here I was, sitting with arguably one of the greatest general managers 540 00:29:24.972 --> 00:29:27.933 in the game, and he had no bullets. He didn't have a gun. 541 00:29:27.933 --> 00:29:29.685 There was nowhere for him to go. 542 00:29:29.685 --> 00:29:31.228 He was not a happy man. 543 00:29:31.228 --> 00:29:34.857 And he was upset and shocked. 544 00:29:34.857 --> 00:29:38.527 Everybody thought there should be some courtesy, 545 00:29:38.527 --> 00:29:39.904 but it's war. 546 00:29:40.696 --> 00:29:42.573 It's the National Hockey League. 547 00:29:43.115 --> 00:29:47.661 It's a culture where you fight for every last inch. 548 00:29:48.370 --> 00:29:51.832 So now it was "Okay, Charlie, what tricks you got? 549 00:29:51.832 --> 00:29:55.461 How you gonna raise this money in seven days?" 550 00:29:55.461 --> 00:29:59.798 You better not mess this up. 551 00:30:01.926 --> 00:30:05.596 Well, I just remember thinking, "Oh, boy, you know, I'm gonna have a long week." 552 00:30:05.596 --> 00:30:08.140 I've described it as an insane asylum. 553 00:30:08.140 --> 00:30:11.519 We've retained a psychiatrist to help us deal with the media. 554 00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:13.896 It's like a nuclear bomb going off. 555 00:30:13.896 --> 00:30:16.190 Neil Smith has given Sakic a... 556 00:30:16.190 --> 00:30:19.527 line:5% $15 million signing bonus. All of it up front. 557 00:30:19.527 --> 00:30:21.445 This is like winning the lottery. 558 00:30:21.445 --> 00:30:24.657 We'll see. We're very surprised about it. But I am very excited about it. 559 00:30:24.657 --> 00:30:26.575 There was calls coming in from everywhere. 560 00:30:26.575 --> 00:30:29.245 There were double agents that were going back to Dave, back to me. 561 00:30:29.245 --> 00:30:31.539 Trying to find stories as soon as they could. 562 00:30:31.539 --> 00:30:33.415 I don't know where that story came from! 563 00:30:33.415 --> 00:30:35.584 Fans were saying, "Please-- Please, Joe. Stay." 564 00:30:35.584 --> 00:30:37.753 Pierre Lacroix offered these thoughts. 565 00:30:37.753 --> 00:30:41.340 I want to ask our fans to trust us. We'll make the right decision. 566 00:30:41.340 --> 00:30:43.801 line:5% By the looks of it, the Avalanche will be unable to match. 567 00:30:43.801 --> 00:30:47.304 I got to be honest with you, I wasn't too worried about the economics. 568 00:30:47.304 --> 00:30:48.722 One minute you think they're gonna match, 569 00:30:48.722 --> 00:30:50.140 the next minute you think they're not gonna match. 570 00:30:50.140 --> 00:30:52.810 Everybody telling me, "Don't match. Don't match. Don't match." 571 00:30:52.810 --> 00:30:55.646 "Hurt the league. Hurt the league." "Five draft picks. Five draft picks." 572 00:30:55.646 --> 00:30:56.772 - Five... - Five... 573 00:30:56.772 --> 00:30:58.357 - ...future... - ...first-round draft picks. 574 00:30:58.357 --> 00:31:01.110 The media criticized me for putting more attention 575 00:31:01.110 --> 00:31:05.823 on Air Force One than I was on July 1st free agency. 576 00:31:05.823 --> 00:31:08.325 They were right. What if we can't pull this off? 577 00:31:08.325 --> 00:31:10.869 He is going to New York. 578 00:31:18.294 --> 00:31:21.797 Aviation is a great proxy for life. 579 00:31:21.797 --> 00:31:25.175 When things go wrong when you're flying an airplane, 580 00:31:25.175 --> 00:31:28.262 there's a tendency to want to immediately address it. 581 00:31:28.887 --> 00:31:30.556 But that's the worst thing you can do. 582 00:31:31.432 --> 00:31:33.100 History is replete 583 00:31:33.684 --> 00:31:37.438 in situations where that first move makes a situation worse. 584 00:31:38.897 --> 00:31:43.485 So, one of the things they drill into you when an emergency has occurred, 585 00:31:43.485 --> 00:31:45.821 take your hands, don't touch anything. 586 00:31:46.655 --> 00:31:49.700 Sit on 'em. Catch your breath for a moment. 587 00:31:50.534 --> 00:31:52.578 Let your head clear. 588 00:31:53.871 --> 00:31:56.790 It's okay to go screw up, but you got to learn from it. 589 00:31:57.625 --> 00:32:01.920 For me, Dikembe Mutombo was the mistake. 590 00:32:03.339 --> 00:32:08.218 The Nuggets were the first eighth-place team to beat a first-place team. 591 00:32:08.218 --> 00:32:13.349 That's when Dikembe became famous. And he must've been beloved in Denver. 592 00:32:13.974 --> 00:32:17.269 It was a-- A miracle. 593 00:32:18.187 --> 00:32:21.106 line:5% The Hawks swoop in and signed Dikembe Mutombo. 594 00:32:21.106 --> 00:32:23.734 It was just a time for me to move on with my life. 595 00:32:23.734 --> 00:32:26.403 Losing a gentleman of that class 596 00:32:26.403 --> 00:32:29.698 that was that powerful a personality in the locker room, 597 00:32:29.698 --> 00:32:33.952 that was that tremendous in the community, I was devastated. 598 00:32:33.952 --> 00:32:36.830 You learn, unfortunately, sometimes the hard way. 599 00:32:41.919 --> 00:32:43.796 You lose a star like Dikembe, 600 00:32:43.796 --> 00:32:46.799 it sits there like a damn parrot on your shoulder, 601 00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:50.010 screaming in your ear, "You dumbass, don't do this again." 602 00:32:51.220 --> 00:32:55.557 The New York Rangers are trying to steal away your captain. 603 00:32:55.557 --> 00:32:58.936 Charlie Lyons takes that right to heart. 604 00:32:58.936 --> 00:33:01.897 This was not gonna happen with the Avalanche. 605 00:33:01.897 --> 00:33:04.233 We're going to go into this like warriors. 606 00:33:06.652 --> 00:33:10.280 The beauty of a hit movie is it's noisy. 607 00:33:10.280 --> 00:33:13.325 The President of the United States of America, 608 00:33:13.325 --> 00:33:15.452 Harrison Ford, ladies and gentlemen! 609 00:33:16.745 --> 00:33:18.163 That was a very good movie. 610 00:33:18.163 --> 00:33:20.374 So good, according to President Clinton, 611 00:33:20.374 --> 00:33:21.917 he's already seen it twice. 612 00:33:21.917 --> 00:33:26.588 This whole bringing this movie into it, it's a crazy story. 613 00:33:26.588 --> 00:33:27.673 It's an amazing story. 614 00:33:27.673 --> 00:33:29.299 I can tell you, I was writing a lot that 615 00:33:29.299 --> 00:33:31.802 Avalanche fans, if they wanna keep their team together, 616 00:33:31.802 --> 00:33:35.055 they better go out and buy Air Force One tickets every single day. 617 00:33:35.055 --> 00:33:38.976 New York said, "Whatever you do, do not go see Air Force One." 618 00:33:38.976 --> 00:33:41.353 "Boycott Air Force One," that was the headline. 619 00:33:41.353 --> 00:33:42.771 Yes, they promoted our film. 620 00:33:42.771 --> 00:33:45.399 - Air Force One sold out for 4:40? Yeah. It's sold out. 621 00:33:45.399 --> 00:33:50.362 When you say don't go see Air Force One, think of why not? 622 00:33:50.362 --> 00:33:52.072 "Maybe I should go look at it and see what it is." 623 00:33:52.072 --> 00:33:53.657 Oh, yeah. Of course I saw that movie. 624 00:33:53.657 --> 00:33:56.535 I thought my future might depend on it as well. I might have seen it twice. 625 00:33:56.535 --> 00:33:58.287 line:5% Do you remember saying, "I plan to go see it, 626 00:33:58.287 --> 00:33:59.621 line:5% so maybe I'm the dumbest one of all"? 627 00:33:59.621 --> 00:34:02.040 No, but that sounds like something I would say. 628 00:34:02.040 --> 00:34:03.542 - I hope he liked it. - I love the movie. 629 00:34:03.542 --> 00:34:04.793 I did not see it. 630 00:34:04.793 --> 00:34:06.879 The New York Rangers were very confident. 631 00:34:07.546 --> 00:34:13.594 Dave Checketts bet me a steak dinner that the Rangers would get Joe Sakic, 632 00:34:13.594 --> 00:34:17.055 and I went, "No. That's not gonna happen." 633 00:34:17.055 --> 00:34:18.223 They'll find a way. 634 00:34:18.223 --> 00:34:21.852 Look, it's really easy to draw a straight line, saying, 635 00:34:21.852 --> 00:34:24.104 "The movie's doing well. Therefore they have the money." 636 00:34:24.104 --> 00:34:25.189 It doesn't work that way. 637 00:34:25.189 --> 00:34:26.273 Didn't they teach you that at Yale? 638 00:34:26.273 --> 00:34:29.026 You can't go to your film company and say, "Hey, congratulations, 639 00:34:29.026 --> 00:34:31.862 you don't have any money from the windfall you generated 640 00:34:31.862 --> 00:34:33.489 to make future big movies, 641 00:34:33.489 --> 00:34:35.616 because we're now going to pay a hockey player." 642 00:34:35.616 --> 00:34:40.037 What it did is it increased our confidence about our ability to execute on a plan... 643 00:34:40.037 --> 00:34:41.497 Cut the green wire. 644 00:34:41.497 --> 00:34:46.418 Everybody could see these guys got a movie that just was the top movie in history. 645 00:34:46.418 --> 00:34:48.629 That drives instant respect. 646 00:34:48.629 --> 00:34:50.464 So, they pick up the phone. 647 00:34:52.424 --> 00:34:54.468 Well, I remember the frantic phone calls. 648 00:34:56.136 --> 00:34:59.681 I knew, for any plan to work here, 649 00:34:59.681 --> 00:35:03.435 we had to settle the arena situation first. 650 00:35:03.435 --> 00:35:08.357 If there was ever a time to stop the theatrics 651 00:35:08.357 --> 00:35:12.486 on both our parts, between the city and Ascent, this is the moment. 652 00:35:12.486 --> 00:35:15.197 We both have to represent our side. 653 00:35:15.197 --> 00:35:17.366 But the mayor saw what was going on, 654 00:35:17.366 --> 00:35:22.329 he saw that Denver was getting victimized by a mega operation in New York. 655 00:35:22.329 --> 00:35:24.623 I never accepted that bullshit. 656 00:35:24.623 --> 00:35:27.501 We're tough people, we don't back down from anybody. 657 00:35:27.501 --> 00:35:30.546 Somebody putting some money up for us, that don't mean nothing. 658 00:35:30.546 --> 00:35:32.506 - Bring 'em on! - And Wellington said, 659 00:35:32.506 --> 00:35:34.716 "Yeah, this is the time. Let's bring it home. 660 00:35:34.716 --> 00:35:37.803 Got to keep the captain, and let's get that Pepsi Center built. 661 00:35:37.803 --> 00:35:39.471 That's a priority of mine." 662 00:35:39.471 --> 00:35:40.764 Fans are real funny. 663 00:35:40.764 --> 00:35:43.141 They say they support their team no matter what. 664 00:35:43.141 --> 00:35:45.769 But the reality is, fans show up when teams win 665 00:35:45.769 --> 00:35:47.437 and they don't show up when teams lose. 666 00:35:47.437 --> 00:35:50.482 Neither one of us want an arena that's gonna be empty, 667 00:35:50.482 --> 00:35:53.819 so maybe we do better, by the city taking less money up front, 668 00:35:53.819 --> 00:35:56.488 providing the team to accumulate more dollars 669 00:35:56.488 --> 00:35:59.616 so that they can make sure that they can purchase the players they need 670 00:35:59.616 --> 00:36:00.701 to fill up those seats. 671 00:36:00.701 --> 00:36:03.078 So, we said, "Let's use that analogy. 672 00:36:03.078 --> 00:36:05.998 If the team is winning, the city will get more money, 673 00:36:05.998 --> 00:36:09.376 and we didn't want to be the Boston Red Sox trading Babe Ruth." 674 00:36:09.376 --> 00:36:12.004 We wanted to make sure Joe stayed here. 675 00:36:15.966 --> 00:36:18.969 I had a lot of people on the streets ask me if I heard-- 676 00:36:19.636 --> 00:36:21.722 If I have any inkling on what's gonna happen, 677 00:36:21.722 --> 00:36:23.557 and I-- Honestly, I had no idea. 678 00:36:23.557 --> 00:36:25.434 The President may be alive, 679 00:36:25.434 --> 00:36:27.060 but he may not be the president. 680 00:36:27.060 --> 00:36:28.812 I'm just going to wait and see what happens. 681 00:36:28.812 --> 00:36:31.523 I do recall making a lot of calls 682 00:36:31.523 --> 00:36:33.984 and hearing stuff about things that are in progress. 683 00:36:33.984 --> 00:36:35.611 The wheels are in play. 684 00:36:35.611 --> 00:36:37.905 So, there were three great moving parts. 685 00:36:37.905 --> 00:36:40.157 So the first step was the arena. 686 00:36:40.157 --> 00:36:44.328 The second step was there was this wonderful partner in town 687 00:36:44.328 --> 00:36:47.414 line:5% and great corporate presence in Liberty Media. 688 00:36:47.414 --> 00:36:51.126 line:5% So I thought, "Maybe, what the heck, let's give them a buzz, 689 00:36:51.126 --> 00:36:53.837 and see whether or not they're interested in buying 690 00:36:53.837 --> 00:36:58.675 a small piece of the combination, the Pepsi Center and the two teams." 691 00:36:58.675 --> 00:37:00.344 And then the biggie. 692 00:37:00.344 --> 00:37:05.390 We had been staring at the end of the Fox broadcasting agreement. 693 00:37:05.390 --> 00:37:06.892 So why not re-up it? 694 00:37:06.892 --> 00:37:08.352 Fox is a great partner. 695 00:37:08.352 --> 00:37:12.189 Let's keep the games on TV and maybe get a little up-front cash. 696 00:37:12.856 --> 00:37:16.902 The idea of stabilizing the two teams 697 00:37:16.902 --> 00:37:22.491 on the premium cable sports service in the world, that's a no-brainer. 698 00:37:22.491 --> 00:37:25.077 - Good, then that settles it. - It doesn't settle it at all. 699 00:37:25.077 --> 00:37:27.079 I had no idea if any of it was gonna work out. 700 00:37:29.039 --> 00:37:33.377 The plan was sort of stirring around and also, it was being debated. 701 00:37:33.377 --> 00:37:34.795 This is a military situation. 702 00:37:34.795 --> 00:37:37.381 I'm the Secretary of Defense. Check your regs. 703 00:37:37.381 --> 00:37:39.549 The media was saying, "What the heck is going on?" 704 00:37:39.549 --> 00:37:41.635 Just tell me whether they match it or not. 705 00:37:41.635 --> 00:37:44.262 "Are you keeping Joe? We really don't care about any of that other shit." 706 00:37:44.262 --> 00:37:46.181 Will the Avs match the Rangers' offer? 707 00:37:46.181 --> 00:37:49.184 Will Joe Sakic remain a Coloradan or become a New Yorker? 708 00:37:49.184 --> 00:37:51.645 Today, nobody really knows. 709 00:37:54.481 --> 00:37:55.774 On that fateful day, 710 00:37:55.774 --> 00:37:58.527 everybody was kind of congregated in my office. 711 00:38:00.904 --> 00:38:03.115 line:5% Be young, have fun, drink Pepsi. 712 00:38:03.115 --> 00:38:06.660 line:5% And if you're Joe Sakic, figure out to do with your $21 million. 713 00:38:06.660 --> 00:38:09.371 The Colorado Avalanche today matched the Rangers' offer. 714 00:38:09.371 --> 00:38:11.415 Get off my plane! 715 00:38:14.960 --> 00:38:16.378 - It worked. - Joe's back! 716 00:38:18.296 --> 00:38:21.717 Denver wanted to hug Joe so badly. 717 00:38:21.717 --> 00:38:23.301 This decision is great. 718 00:38:23.301 --> 00:38:26.471 I was ready to go to New York, but I'm just happy everything worked out. 719 00:38:26.471 --> 00:38:28.765 We promised our fans to be competitive. 720 00:38:28.765 --> 00:38:30.976 He came over to the house and brought the check. 721 00:38:30.976 --> 00:38:32.811 It's a great day. No question about that. 722 00:38:32.811 --> 00:38:34.563 line:5% - There was no hard feelings. - In the end, 723 00:38:34.563 --> 00:38:37.566 line:5% Joe Sakic turned out to be a false, post-Messier Messiah. 724 00:38:37.566 --> 00:38:38.817 More than anything else, 725 00:38:38.817 --> 00:38:41.319 I was just so disappointed we didn't get him. 726 00:38:41.319 --> 00:38:44.156 line:5% The Avalanche have their captain and their captain has his windfall. 727 00:38:44.156 --> 00:38:47.034 And everybody's bouncing from press conference to press conference. 728 00:38:47.034 --> 00:38:49.036 It took three years of haggling 729 00:38:49.036 --> 00:38:50.537 between Ascent and the city of Denver 730 00:38:50.537 --> 00:38:52.956 to agree on terms to build the Pepsi Center. 731 00:38:52.956 --> 00:38:55.792 Both the Avalanche and the Nuggets are gonna be here 25 years. 732 00:38:55.792 --> 00:38:59.254 It's a great deal for the city, but it's a great deal for us. 733 00:38:59.254 --> 00:39:02.799 I think it was a great breakthrough and now we don't back off of anybody. 734 00:39:02.799 --> 00:39:05.343 Mr. President, welcome aboard, sir. 735 00:39:05.343 --> 00:39:07.512 It's the movie that saved the Avalanche. 736 00:39:07.512 --> 00:39:09.848 Liberty Two-Four is now Air Force One. 737 00:39:12.851 --> 00:39:14.352 Did you leave something out, Charlie? 738 00:39:15.103 --> 00:39:17.230 - Does that surprise you? - No. 739 00:39:20.609 --> 00:39:23.111 - I'm sorry. - Oh, Charlie. 740 00:39:23.111 --> 00:39:24.988 There was a lot going on. 741 00:39:24.988 --> 00:39:26.990 You remember when you came to my trailer? 742 00:39:26.990 --> 00:39:28.325 You and Army? 743 00:39:29.242 --> 00:39:30.827 We do. 744 00:39:30.827 --> 00:39:32.287 Yeah? 745 00:39:32.871 --> 00:39:33.997 There's more. 746 00:39:35.207 --> 00:39:36.249 More? 747 00:39:36.249 --> 00:39:37.667 Yeah, let's watch the rest. 748 00:39:48.303 --> 00:39:50.055 Release dates are really important 749 00:39:50.055 --> 00:39:52.808 for theatrical motion pictures. 750 00:39:52.808 --> 00:39:57.062 And there's this communication that goes on between the studios 751 00:39:57.062 --> 00:39:59.064 as to who's claiming what, 752 00:39:59.064 --> 00:40:01.316 who's gonna put their flag in the ground. 753 00:40:01.316 --> 00:40:03.235 The movie opens July 25th. 754 00:40:03.235 --> 00:40:05.237 If you looked at the movie calendars months ago, 755 00:40:05.237 --> 00:40:08.323 that would have been the only movie to open on July 25th. 756 00:40:08.323 --> 00:40:11.284 Now, there are reports that-- Wait, no, this is important-- 757 00:40:11.284 --> 00:40:15.247 There are reports that Warner Bros. will release Conspiracy Theory on that date. 758 00:40:15.247 --> 00:40:16.957 Titanic may come out on that date. 759 00:40:17.624 --> 00:40:22.045 line:5% Sony had asked my partner and I to go down and convince Harrison 760 00:40:22.045 --> 00:40:25.715 that a date in November was their desired date 761 00:40:25.715 --> 00:40:27.509 to release Air Force One. 762 00:40:27.509 --> 00:40:28.885 I think they were of the view 763 00:40:28.885 --> 00:40:33.306 that we would go down and inform him in a way that would make him happy... 764 00:40:34.850 --> 00:40:40.188 ...and I'll never forget going into his trailer after a long day 765 00:40:40.188 --> 00:40:42.065 and he says, "What do you guys want?" 766 00:40:42.065 --> 00:40:46.862 "The studio has suggested November," blah, blah, blah. 767 00:40:46.862 --> 00:40:48.446 And he looks, he said, "That's all great. 768 00:40:48.446 --> 00:40:51.449 I want to go in July, The Fugitive date. That's my date." 769 00:40:53.326 --> 00:40:54.411 Say that again. 770 00:40:54.411 --> 00:40:58.206 "That's all great, guys. We're going in July." 771 00:41:01.042 --> 00:41:06.256 And so, being the strong-willed characters that we were, 772 00:41:06.256 --> 00:41:08.175 we looked at you and said, "Okay." 773 00:41:10.135 --> 00:41:12.179 - And did we come out in July? - Yes, we did. 774 00:41:12.179 --> 00:41:14.639 How did we do against Titanic? 775 00:41:14.639 --> 00:41:16.224 Well, that's the interesting thing. 776 00:41:16.224 --> 00:41:17.434 You didn't stop there. 777 00:41:17.434 --> 00:41:20.854 That upset you, didn't it? - No, it didn't upset me. 778 00:41:20.854 --> 00:41:23.857 I-I thought it was bad business for everybody involved, 779 00:41:23.857 --> 00:41:26.193 and so I said so. 780 00:41:26.193 --> 00:41:27.569 You picked up the phone-- 781 00:41:27.569 --> 00:41:30.488 I spoke, myself, to the head of a studio. Yeah. 782 00:41:30.488 --> 00:41:34.284 He gets on the phone, and the studio executive pleads his case. 783 00:41:34.284 --> 00:41:36.620 Why would you want to compete with that 784 00:41:36.620 --> 00:41:40.207 when you have a free ride if you wait until November? 785 00:41:40.916 --> 00:41:43.460 - To which he said... -"Pick another date." 786 00:41:45.503 --> 00:41:47.839 Which, in fact, they did. 787 00:41:47.839 --> 00:41:50.217 Will his movie open on the same date? 788 00:41:51.760 --> 00:41:53.470 No, but it has nothing to do with me. 789 00:41:54.804 --> 00:41:57.224 - His movie is not ready. - You're good on the phone, aren't you? 790 00:41:57.224 --> 00:41:59.935 His movie is not ready to be released. 791 00:41:59.935 --> 00:42:01.144 The result is, 792 00:42:01.144 --> 00:42:04.439 we ended up getting on that date and the rest is history. 793 00:42:04.439 --> 00:42:06.191 Titanic moved to December 794 00:42:06.191 --> 00:42:10.612 and Conspiracy Theory just nudged a couple of weeks, 795 00:42:10.612 --> 00:42:14.032 but it was enough to make all three movies very successful. 796 00:42:15.200 --> 00:42:16.910 A hell of a story, Charlie. 797 00:42:17.494 --> 00:42:21.331 Well, I think everybody owes you an enormous debt of gratitude... 798 00:42:21.331 --> 00:42:23.625 - Charlie. - But I'm afraid of that. Yes? 799 00:42:23.625 --> 00:42:26.086 - I'm afraid of what you're gonna say here. - Yeah. 800 00:42:26.086 --> 00:42:29.547 Yeah, so as one was slowly turning to poo, 801 00:42:30.382 --> 00:42:32.717 - the other was rising from the ashes. - Yes. Yes. 802 00:42:32.717 --> 00:42:34.761 - Or from the poo, as it were. - Like a zenith, yes. 803 00:42:34.761 --> 00:42:37.847 - Yeah, like a zenith from the poo. - Yes. 804 00:42:37.847 --> 00:42:39.891 - That's me. Yeah. - That's it. Yes. 805 00:42:39.891 --> 00:42:42.394 - So, you saved everybody. - Again. 806 00:42:42.394 --> 00:42:44.896 - And, you know, there was-- - Again. Again. 807 00:42:44.896 --> 00:42:46.731 Yeah. It's true. Over and over again. 808 00:42:46.731 --> 00:42:48.608 You're welcome, Charlie. 809 00:42:48.608 --> 00:42:51.027 That wasn't so hard, right? 810 00:42:51.027 --> 00:42:53.989 - I helped create chaos. - You did indeed. 811 00:42:54.948 --> 00:42:57.367 This is much better than I thought it was gonna be. 812 00:42:57.367 --> 00:42:59.411 It's a regular thriller, ain't it? 813 00:43:02.205 --> 00:43:03.248 line:5% Here we are. 814 00:43:05.083 --> 00:43:07.836 - Charlie, it's good to see you. - Good to see you, brother. 815 00:43:07.836 --> 00:43:10.672 - So, you matched the offer. It's true. 816 00:43:10.672 --> 00:43:14.092 I-- [chuckles] I walk into my office, 817 00:43:14.092 --> 00:43:16.553 and leaning on the file cabinet is a package. 818 00:43:18.638 --> 00:43:20.807 The package has my name. 819 00:43:21.516 --> 00:43:24.561 Handwritten. Nothing official about it. 820 00:43:24.561 --> 00:43:29.274 The Garden address and a P.O. box in Denver, Colorado. 821 00:43:30.859 --> 00:43:32.777 I don't want to open this. 822 00:43:32.777 --> 00:43:34.696 You got to get the security guys... 823 00:43:34.696 --> 00:43:36.573 - We got to do a sweep. - ...get them up here. Yes. 824 00:43:36.573 --> 00:43:39.576 Get 'em up here. Tell 'em they got to open this. 825 00:43:39.576 --> 00:43:44.456 They got to figure out whether this is anything lethal. 826 00:43:44.456 --> 00:43:47.959 And my security guy walks back into my office. 827 00:43:47.959 --> 00:43:52.297 He's holding the picture so I can only see the back of it. 828 00:43:52.297 --> 00:43:54.424 And he said, "Dave, it's a picture. 829 00:43:54.424 --> 00:43:57.552 Everything's okay, but you're not gonna like it." 830 00:43:59.304 --> 00:44:00.722 He hands it to me. 831 00:44:01.556 --> 00:44:04.851 There it was, Nelson Rockefeller flipping the bird, 832 00:44:04.851 --> 00:44:06.853 and I knew who it was from. 833 00:44:08.146 --> 00:44:11.232 I'll tell you the truth, Charlie, I was never mad at you. 834 00:44:11.232 --> 00:44:13.276 - I was mad we didn't get him. 835 00:44:14.361 --> 00:44:17.364 And I walked into this room next to my office, 836 00:44:17.364 --> 00:44:21.409 and there's one of those large commercial garbage cans. 837 00:44:21.993 --> 00:44:25.121 - I smashed and broke it. - Oh, no! 838 00:44:25.121 --> 00:44:27.040 And threw it in the garbage can. 839 00:44:27.040 --> 00:44:29.501 - Don't you wish you had it today? - I wish I had it. 840 00:44:29.501 --> 00:44:30.960 It would be worth a lot now. 841 00:44:34.589 --> 00:44:37.884 Everybody says to themselves, "What would have happened if?" 842 00:44:37.884 --> 00:44:40.011 If the Avalanche don't match, 843 00:44:40.011 --> 00:44:43.098 Joe Sakic gets a hero's welcome to New York, 844 00:44:43.098 --> 00:44:47.143 and I think the Rangers would have won at least one more Cup. 845 00:44:48.061 --> 00:44:52.565 Do the Avalanche win the 2001 Stanley Cup? 846 00:44:52.565 --> 00:44:54.025 I don't know. 847 00:44:54.025 --> 00:44:55.652 I think they used this, and rightly so, 848 00:44:55.652 --> 00:44:57.946 as an example of how crazy things could go 849 00:44:57.946 --> 00:45:00.740 if you didn't have restrictions on the salaries. 850 00:45:02.200 --> 00:45:05.787 The sun had set for the rascals 851 00:45:05.787 --> 00:45:08.123 stringing it together with chicken wire. 852 00:45:12.585 --> 00:45:17.424 line:5% Between the Waltons and the Kroenkes, I think Denver is in great hands. 853 00:45:17.424 --> 00:45:20.885 I just couldn't be happier with the shape that they're in. 854 00:45:20.885 --> 00:45:24.681 Joe retires, decides to come back 855 00:45:24.681 --> 00:45:28.643 and learn the business from Pierre Lacroix as general manager. 856 00:45:28.643 --> 00:45:32.021 The Cup is coming back to Colorado! 857 00:45:32.021 --> 00:45:33.398 How about this team? 858 00:45:34.232 --> 00:45:36.901 Joe Sakic is hockey in Colorado. 859 00:45:36.901 --> 00:45:39.654 So, think of all I've done to help the Avalanche. 860 00:45:42.240 --> 00:45:45.285 There should be a statue of me in front of the building, don't you think? 861 00:45:48.788 --> 00:45:52.917 - I'm so proud of you. So proud of you. - 25 years later, I'm still here. 862 00:45:52.917 --> 00:45:55.211 - They can't get rid of me yet. - That was the idea. 863 00:45:55.211 --> 00:45:56.713 It's been remarkable. 864 00:45:56.713 --> 00:45:59.007 We always try to maintain the same culture that Pierre brought. 865 00:45:59.007 --> 00:46:00.258 And you own the town. 866 00:46:00.258 --> 00:46:03.136 This is a great city, and they love the Avs, always have. 867 00:46:03.136 --> 00:46:05.597 The culture that you've created in this town, 868 00:46:05.597 --> 00:46:09.642 and the way you're beloved, we couldn't have been happier for you. 869 00:46:09.642 --> 00:46:12.812 And that, when it came time for Pierre to hand the baton, 870 00:46:12.812 --> 00:46:14.063 he handed it to you. 871 00:46:14.689 --> 00:46:17.275 It was all about saving Sakic. 872 00:46:22.530 --> 00:46:24.949 So all of this is about saving Sakic? 873 00:46:24.949 --> 00:46:26.326 That's pretty much it. 874 00:46:26.326 --> 00:46:28.536 Well, and the movie was kind of important, too. 875 00:46:29.662 --> 00:46:32.332 - Yeah. 876 00:46:32.332 --> 00:46:34.834 - Don't do that again. - Yeah.