JR SportBrief Hour 1

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We're still being charged for water that we can't use. Listen and subscribe to Beyond Black History Month on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts from. Looking for stories about the Black community and you don't want to wait until, oh, I don't know, February? Then check out Beyond Black History Month, the podcast that tells inclusive stories year round. Like how today's labor movement is connected to the civil rights movement. And why Black neighborhoods keep getting hit with water crisis after water crisis.

We're still being charged for water that we can't use. Listen and subscribe to Beyond Black History Month on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts from. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief on CBS Sports Radio. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief on CBS Sports Radio. That's right, it is the JR Sport Brief show here with you on CBS Sports Radio. I am coming to you live from the Rocket Mortgage Studios.

Whether you want to buy a home or refinance your current one, Rocket can. I'm going to be here with you for the next four hours. Much love to everybody locked in and tuned in. Congratulations, you're here at the beginning. The impetus, the genesis, the beginning of the JR Sport Brief show.

This is when I get started, 10 p.m. Eastern Time, 7 p.m. Pacific. Thank you so much to super producer and host Dave Shepherd. And otherwise, you can always listen on the free Odyssey app, A-U-D-A-C-Y. You can listen on your local CBS Sports Radio affiliate. You can listen on Sirius XM channel 158. You can listen on a smart speaker. All you have to do is ask that smart speaker to play CBS Sports Radio. We got a lot to do here over the next four hours.

It's very, very simple. There's a lot of news. There's good news and then there's bad news. We'll get to this in about an hour from now.

Tom Brady is not, I will repeat, Tom Brady is not present at Buccaneers practice. Personal reasons. Personal reasons means it's not your business. It's not my business.

So what does that mean? We'll talk about it. I mean, if I'm the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I'm not too worried about it. Outside of that, we've had a surprise retirement, especially from the New England Patriots. James White. James has decided to retire.

Call it a wrap. No longer running back, no longer wide receiver for the New England Patriots. We'll talk about that. Kirk Cousins is in the news as well for the Minnesota Vikings.

We've talked about this for a few nights as well. God only knows what will take place with Deshaun Watson, but if Deshaun Watson has to be gone for a long time, then the Cleveland Browns have pretty much made it clear, known that they will not just settle for a Jacrobi preset, that they might go ahead and decide to bring in Jimmy Garoppolo. Jimmy Garoppolo. Yeah, Jimmy Garoppolo from the San Francisco 49ers.

Kevin Durant, current member of the Brooklyn Nets, he's made it clear that if he's going to go anywhere, that he likes what's going on with the Philadelphia 76ers. And we'll talk about it all as we continue on. Here's the deal. You want to give me a holler at CBS Sports Radio 855-2124CBS?

That's 855-2124CBS. You can also find me online everywhere. That is at JR Sport Brief before we really dive deep. And I'm really excited to talk about this issue. And it's not even an issue. It's an accomplishment.

It's a beautiful thing to be honored in such a space. And that's Bill Russell. We're going to talk about that in a minute. But before we even move forward in any type of capacity, super producer and host Dave Shepherd. Dave, how are you? I am doing well.

Always appreciate you asking. And I'm doing even better because of what you were going to talk about, sir. And it is long over freaking due. Well, let's get right to it.

We don't have to waste time. It was announced this afternoon that Bill Russell, unfortunately, we learned this, we known this. He passed away approximately two years, or not two years, two weeks ago at 88 years old. Bill Russell is gone. The most accomplished player that the NBA has seen. Eleven championships. Five-time MVP. Twelve-time All-Star. Sportsman of the Year with Sports Illustrated in 1968. About ten years ago, Bill Russell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Yeah, because he didn't just play basketball. Bill Russell was also an advocate for human rights.

He was an advocate for rights of African Americans and Black Americans all over the United States of America. He played up in Boston. Bill Russell was one of the first famous professional athletes that the country has seen. And not only did he do an amazing job throughout the course of his playing career, but he was an advocate all the way. I told you, he just passed away at 88 years old. It was only two years ago that Bill Russell was on a knee letting everybody know that he was in lockstep with every athlete who decided to take a knee for injustice.

He was in his 80s. Bill Russell, not only one of the greatest basketball players of all time, one of the greatest athletes that the United States of America has ever seen, Bill Russell, his reach extends past that. He's one of the greatest advocates of humanity. And you can't take that away from what the man has been able to say, do and accomplish.

And it was awesome news, damn good news, amazing news. Late this afternoon, when we all learned via the NBA that Bill Russell, yes, the Boston Celtic, yes, NBA legend. But Bill Russell would pretty much be the first athlete that the NBA has seen who will have his number retired across the board. Amongst every single NBA franchise, no one outside of wearing it now and LeBron James happens to be the most famous athlete wearing the number six. No one will ever wear the number six, and that is to honor Bill Russell.

We heard this a few weeks ago. Upon his passing, Magic Johnson decided to send out a tweet, not that Magic Johnson and his tweets mean anything, but Magic Johnson sent out a tweet and he said, man, we need to retire this number, number six. And it's not just because what he has meant on the court, but really, it's clear as day. Bill Russell was an advocate for human rights. Bill Russell was an advocate for equality. Bill Russell didn't just block shots and catch them and send them on the way for a fast break.

That's all good and well. Bill Russell meant so much more to outside the game than he did to end. His own city did not initially embrace him. Eleven championships later, 10 championships later, Bill Russell was able to go out and still be a representative of the city of Boston.

More recently, he's talked about his accomplishments in Seattle. He's a legend. And not for what he's done on the basketball court, but for what he has done away from the court, for what he's done in the case of civil rights, human rights, equality. And so the NBA says no one will ever wear the number six. The most notable, the most popular, the most famous player running around wearing the number six right now. It's LeBron James. And of course it is. But who the hell is going to care after LeBron decides to hang it up?

All these comparisons between errors and this guy can do this and that guy can do that and we can't do this. Bill Russell grabbing the rebounds, putting up the shots, blocking the shots, taking the shots and initiating a fast break offense in a time and in an era where blocked shots did not matter. Bill Russell is the man. Everything that he's done away from the court, I can't even call it a cherry on top.

It's probably more important. Sitting down in 1967, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and talking about Muhammad Ali and how he has been stripped of his boxing license because he did not want to compete in the Vietnam War. Bill Russell never being afraid to speak his mind, whether it be about the city that he plays in or afterwards, how it may impact public policy. The NBA has just celebrated 75 years old. The NBA has just moved away from a space where they will be 76 years old. The NBA has not yet been in a space where they just want to willy and nilly retire numbers. But the number six for Bill Russell will be retired and no one will ever wear it again. This is not the 23 from Michael Jordan. This is not the 11 from Isaiah Thomas. This is not the number for anybody else.

Listen very closely. Number six. I think about number six and I go, well, who wore number six?

Eddie Jones? Los Angeles Lakers, Eddie Jones? I can't think of any player who wore the number six.

And were people even noticed or gave a damn? Bill Russell wore the number six. He has passed away and the NBA, not just one franchise, not two franchises, not three franchises, every franchise is going to have to recognize this man. No player will ever wear the number six again. And they can thank Bill Russell for what he did on the court and they can thank Bill Russell for moving out the way and allowing them to monetize every instance of that number. That number six.

He passed away a week ago. He's one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He's one of the greatest winners of all time. And now we're learning that Bill Russell won't even have complete control over that number six. The NBA is going to honor him. The NBA says no one will ever wear that number again. And I agree with him.

No one should. He's meant so much to the game. The modern NBA has been around for approximately 75, 76 years old.

That's not a long time. And if I have to think about anyone, who is the epitome of winning? The epitome of championships?

The epitome of success? I don't have to go any further than Bill Russell. And so his number six will be retired across the entire NBA. No one will ever wear the number six again. And for what he's done to lay the foundation of the league? I can't complain. Not a damn bit.

He deserves it all for what is coming his way. The phone lines are open to you right now. 855-212-4CBS. That's 855-212-4CBS. What do you think about this number being retired? What do you think about no player ever wearing the number six? Is it too much?

Is it too much just brutality and bringing them on? We're going to talk about it on the other side. The phone lines are open. It's the JR Sportbree Show, CBS Sports Radio. You're listening to the JR Sportbrief on CBS Sports Radio. JR wants to hear from you. Call him now at 855-212-4CBS.

That's 855-212-4227. That's right. It's the JR Sportbrief Show here with you on CBS Sports Radio. Amongst all the ridiculous things that we've had to hear over the past few days. Kevin Durant. Deshaun Watson. Who's going to play? Where will they go?

How many games will they be suspended? The NBA actually has good news for us tonight. And it's not good news because he's not here with us.

But it's good news because it really honors him. Bill Russell. The number six. When we wind down the careers of every existing NBA player. Bill Russell. That number six will no longer be worn by any NBA player. It's to honor Bill Russell and what he's done on the court. What he's done off the court. And the final remaining players who wear that number.

That number six. LeBron James. Chris Staps Porzingis of the Washington Nationals. Alex Caruso of the Chicago Bulls. Lou Williams. Montrezl Harrell who's a free agent. Nikhil Alexander-Walker.

Hamadou Diallo. Quinton Grimes. Brenton Forbes. And after that. Let's forget it. That number six will never be worn by another NBA player.

And as it should. The contributions of Bill Russell not just to the NBA but to society can really be overlooked. And it's not about eleven NBA championships. It's not just about standing up against racial injustice.

It's about everything that this man has stood for his entire life. Magic Johnson put out a tweet not too long after his passing. Magic Johnson basically said. Yeah.

The NBA needs to retire the number six in honor of Bill Russell. I said to myself at that time. Sure. Okay. Yeah. That's that's that's fine.

That's good. But the NBA is taking it so further. The NBA will honor Bill Russell throughout this entire season. Patches on a jersey.

Floor designations throughout the entire year especially when you pull up to the scores table. And then we're going to get to this point. No one will ever. I repeat. Never wear the number six. If you got it now.

Good and well. LeBron James is the most famous player to have the number six on his back. After LeBron.

Nobody else. 8 5 5 2 1 2 4 CBS. That's 8 5 5 2 1 2 4 CBS. Rick. He's calling from Georgia. You're on CBS Sports Radio. Go ahead, Rick. Yeah.

I'm. A follower of Bill Russell. He was a man of integrity. He was a man of. He was a defensive man. And he was also a good friend with.

Well. A lot of people don't know that. When he would go to the West Coast, he would sleep in the chamber in his house.

And then when they come to the East Coast, will sleep in Bill Russell's house. Lots of people don't know that. They were not arch enemies, but they were very competitive.

They, you know, I want to know. And it was amazing to hear about him having his jersey retired. He was a. He talked on some of the announcements on the radio and TV and he was a man of integrity. Anybody was ever. You know, absolutely.

I think the the alternative. Thank you so much, Rick, for calling from Georgia. He was one of the greatest of all time. And it's not just an appreciation for what he did on the basketball court. It's what he stood up for when he wasn't on the court. It was his consistency when he wasn't playing. It was taking a look at Bill Russell and saying, oh, my God. Yes, he dominated on the court.

He dominated early before that, and he dominated all the way through. We can go ahead and take a look at Will Chamberlain. People will say, yes, a better offensive player.

Bill Russell is all about the defense, but Russell is all about stopping you, slowing you down. He's about punishment. Gary calling from Danbury. He's on CBS Sports Radio. Go ahead, Dan. Gary. Hey, J.R., it's Gary from Danbury.

First time, long time. And I agree with everything you're saying tonight about the great Bill Russell. But there was also the great Julius Irving, who I believe were number six in Philly.

After wearing 32 for the New Jersey Nets. And that's another great number six, in my opinion. Oh, absolutely. But if we really have to dial deep and dig deep into what Bill Russell meant to the game versus Dr. J, we can appreciate Dr. J. And I know you're from the Northeast.

You're from Connecticut. That's fine. But when it comes to a societal impact, there's no comparison. Oh, I agree with you. I agree with you. You know, 100 percent.

I'm actually a New York guy who's moved up from I moved up to Connecticut. And society wise, no doubt about it. Bill Russell had had much more of an impact.

But but when you would talk about great number six is we still got to say that the doctor was one of the great ones. That's all. That was all I wanted to say tonight. Absolutely.

Thank you so much, Gary, for calling from Danbury. No, this there is no disputing everybody. Everybody knows Dr. J. But Dr. J's impact away from the basketball court versus Bill Russell, what Bill Russell had to endure, what he had to start with, what he had to finish with, what he had to endure his career with, what he had to do to go ahead and win them championships.

No comparison. It's Bill Russell all the way. There's a reason that his number six, not Dr. J's number six. There's a reason that Bill Russell's 96 or excuse me, number six will never be worn again outside of the individuals who happen to wear it now.

Travis is calling from Wisconsin, your CBS sports radio. Hey, how's it going, man? Very well. Hey, not only did he play great and he was an awesome man, but he taught generations of how to play the game the right way. Which taught me, which I teach the children now is you don't just play the game the right way, but you do the same thing in real life with respect, honor. And that's the way it is. But I think it's kind of perfect because there is one other sport where no one is allowed to wear a certain number.

And it's kind of ironic that the two numbers add up to number six. Go ahead. Dive deeper.

Go ahead. Well, take a baseball. The number 42.

Nobody's allowed to wear it anymore. Four plus two equals six. Yes. Jackie Robinson. Yes.

And they were both great men, changed lives, taught people to do everything the right way. So it's about time the NBA did something. That's pretty much all I got to say. No, no, no coincidence there. Just just how it is. Right. Just how it is. Yeah. Just look at the stars and you see them both.

OK. All right. Well, thank you, Travis, for calling from Wisconsin. Well, yeah, we can look back at the Major League Baseball. No one will ever wear the number 42 again. I'd say the last famous Major League Baseball player to wear number 42, Mariano Rivera. And right now in the NBA, the last person to wear number six, the most famous individual to wear number six.

His name is LeBron James. The same number as Mr. Bill Russell. That number is now going to go into the I don't want to say the closet, but it's done.

It's moving towards extinction. The number six will honor Bill Russell long after LeBron James is gone. It's eight five five two one two four CBS. That's eight five five two one two four CBS Bill Russell. The number six.

If you're not wearing it now, you will never wear it in the NBA. We'll talk about the Lakers, Kyrie. We'll get into Tom Brady. It's the J.R. sport. We show on CBS Sports Radio. You are listening to the J.R. sport brief on CBS Sports Radio. You are listening to the J.R. sport brief on CBS Sports Radio.

What's happening there? I love your show, man. Let's see you every night when I'm getting off work.

You take me to the palace every night, buddy. Call in now at eight five five two one two four CBS. It's the J.R. sport show here with you on CBS Sports Radio. Bill Russell, no one in the NBA. If you don't wear the number six right now, you will never wear it again. He passed away last Sunday, two Sundays ago, and the NBA is going the extra mile to recognize his accomplishments, what he's done on the basketball court and away.

And I think it's beautiful. We know about number 42 with Jackie Robinson, what he meant for the Major League Baseball breaking the color barrier, coming back and then what he did for the league and what it's meant for right now. The NBA feels the same way about Bill Russell. Number six. No one will ever wear it again. The biggest names right now wearing number six, I would say, are Kristaps Porzingis of the Washington Wizards.

And then you have obviously LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers. I think it's a beautiful thing what they've done. J.R. calling from Maryland. You're on CBS Sports Radio. Go ahead, J.R. Oh, let me put you young children in your place now. As long as my father lived. As long as I live. When I die, my children live. I will live. It's up to me. The NBA.

They've done a good ploy. It's marketing, but I know where in the world those children should be proud to wear number six like Michael Jordan. I watched him in high school when he went to college.

I didn't like him, but I know he's going to be this great. But when I die, like I tell my children, as long as they live, they got a right to wear my name and my number. See, they should be proud to put on that number 23. Put on that number six.

Don't take that away from that man's legacy. Wear that number proud. Don't retire his number.

If he's good enough to wear that number, then put number six on you. I don't like that. The NBA is marketing.

I specialize in marketing advertising. That's a good ploy, sir. But like I say, I tell my children, when I die, as long as they live, I'm going to live. Let them keep wearing number six.

I can't stand that kind of rhetoric. I'm sorry, sir, but that's the way I feel about it. Number six, you can retire the number in honor, but let them keep wearing that number six because I represent Bill Russell.

All right. OK. All right, JR. Well, I don't know how many people wear number six thinking about Bill Russell, but I certainly understand it. Bob is calling from Maryland. What do you say, Bob? You're on CBS Sports Radio. Go ahead.

Yes. Good evening, my friend. I'm glad you brought my man up once again. He's my favorite basketball player. But not only that, what he did also feel. You work with Dr. King, as you know, all those years.

He's always, always going to march for freedom for black people and minorities. Unfortunately, I never met him. I met Ted Williams. I met Babe Ruth and I met Jackie Robinson, but I never met Bill Russell. And as you said, when he first came up with Boston, he despised him because of the color of his skin.

Once they started winning pennants, you know, that 11 different ones in 13 years. Everybody up there, everyone practically loved him. Especially the white people. That's a hypocrite.

That's just being a hypocrite. It really is for the whites. And I am white. Bill Russell, if you ever notice, I liked MJ, but he never went out in the open and worked with kids and all that and worked for minorities.

And he was a black man. And many of them didn't do that. They figured you just give them money. That's the answer to everything. Just give people money.

That's not it. That's like a father. I take care of my kid.

I give my ex-wife money and all this. But the father, you're not there. That's the difference. How are you going to influence your son? OK.

So you're not in fact, as far as I'm concerned, if you live that way. But Bill Russell, I told you before I called that Sunday night when you when you when you first announced that he had died. He will always be my man. And as far as I'm concerned, not just because, like I said, I don't want to reiterate it, but because of what he did off the field. OK.

The court rather. Well, thank you so much. May he rest in peace and may his immortal soul be in heaven with Jesus where he deserves to be. And I have to say one final thing, my friend. Oh, my goodness.

I love Bill Russell. Well, thank you, Bob. Appreciate you calling, Marillyn. Larry is calling from Louisiana.

You're on CBS Sports Radio. Go ahead, Larry. J.R., whoever thought it is, need a big hug and a kiss. And yes, whoever thought of it.

Yes, yes, yes. And your show is number one. I love listening to you every night, like the guy said earlier. But that's all I got to say.

You're having a good show tonight. Thank you. That's it.

Damn, damn. I mean, Larry, that's it. You're not going to talk about Bill Russell. I he's in my heart.

I've seen him play. And all I can say, the man the man was good. Great.

Unbelievable. But retiring that number is a lot. It's not just easy now, but I must say he did a lot. He said just enough. He didn't overdo it. And whoever thought of it. Yes.

Give him a hug and a kiss. OK. Well, thank you, Larry, for calling from Louisiana. The impact of Bill Russell. Not just from the basketball court being the all time champion.

Community. He was the greatest ambassador that the NBA has ever seen. No ands, ifs or buts about it. The NBA can go about naming their you know, their MVP trophy, the Bill Russell MVP trophy.

That's fine. This man was the NBA through and through. Top to bottom. Naming an award after him, naming the trophy after him, naming the entire or at least honoring him throughout the entire season after him. He deserves it. Bill Russell has seen the NBA from the beginning until what we have right now, which is pretty much almost a 10 billion dollar industry being able to take advantage of the personalities, the style of play and make it money. Bill Russell has seen it all. 8 5 5 2 1 2 4 CBS.

I want to ask our super producer and host, Dave Shepherd, what are your thoughts? It's a beautiful thing. I believe the NBA ultimately retiring the number of Bill Russell. J.R., the NBA got this right. And they deserve, you know, absolute applause for this. To me, it was common sense.

It was overdue. But here, Adam Silver is getting it done and doing what is, we believe, the right thing. He does it time and time again. But J.R., the real way that we should be honoring Bill Russell is you make mandatory education at the rookie symposiums for all these individuals that aren't like you and aren't like me and aren't historians of sports and don't take the time to study the adversity and the just incredible turmoil that so many athletes in this country, because of the color of their skin, had to endure 50, 60 years ago. I don't know if players understand this was the greatest player in the world in the sport of basketball. And he had individuals from his own community break into his home and defecate in the bed that he sleeps in and that his wife sleeps in. And all Bill Russell did was turn the other cheek.

He never backed down, but he was the bigger human being. Individuals like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, who are garnering an awful lot of the headlines these days, J.R., I guarantee you they're not taking time to study up on Bill Russell. That needs to change and change right now. You see, I think they know. I think it's a matter of not caring. And they're acting like this? I think it's a matter of not caring.

Yeah. Okay, that's fair. Because they're both highly intelligent. You've said that multiple times about both those individuals. And you and I both know the majority of the conversation surrounding basketball, the NBA aside from Westbrook, is Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving's lack of treatment and professionalism specifically with their organization and teammates, the anti Bill Russell. Are they really just that apathetic to what Bill Russell and they really couldn't give that much of a you know what about him?

Yes, it's unfortunate, but the answer is yes. We have seen player empowerment continue to increase here in the NBA. If you want to slide over to the WNBA, I mean, well, damn it.

The answer is absolutely yes. And it doesn't matter what sport, what sport it is. Last night, we talked about individual sports, individuals like Usain Bolt. We can go ahead and look at Michael Phelps. They don't have anybody to tag in.

They don't have anybody to go ahead and and take a breather or take a break. But when it comes to individual sports and yes, sure, Bill Russell did not compete in an individual sport. But he changed the game with his defense, his ability to shot block, which was not recorded, blocks were not recorded. When he played to initiate the offense and go ahead and get an easy two is extremely important.

But as Shep just said, his reach outside of the basketball court issues of social or excuse me, social justice. You're Muhammad Ali's, you're Jim Brown's, you're Kareem Abdul Jabbar's. Bill Russell was right there. It was only a few seasons ago that Bill Russell on social media.

Took a knee. You're going to yell at Bill Russell. You're going to have a fit with Bill Russell. Someone who actually lived through discrimination.

We got a lot of folks who will go online, will open up a Web site and just complain and whine and make money off of it. Bill Russell lived it. And he has never been shy.

He has never ran away from any of his experiences. Never. 855-212-4CBS.

That's 855-212-4CBS as we continue on. Absolutely. We'll talk about Bill Russell.

We'll talk about the Lakers and Kyrie. We got a lot to do. It's the J.R. sport we show CBS Sports Radio. Fantasy football leagues are one on the waiver wire and with trades and with savvy starter sit decisions. The Fantasy Football Today podcast will help you along the way with the best advice on how to manage your team and dominate your league. With eight episodes per week, Fantasy Football Today is the only resource you'll need. Start sit.

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Grade the trade. Fantasy cops to settle your league disputes and so much more. Check out Fantasy Football Today anywhere podcasts are found. Looking for stories about the black community and you don't want to wait until, oh, I don't know, February? Then check out Beyond Black History Month, the podcast that tells inclusive stories year round. Like how today's labor movement is connected to the civil rights movement and why black neighborhoods keep getting hit with water crisis after water crisis. We're still being charged for water that we can't use. Listen and subscribe to Beyond Black History Month on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts from.