JR SportBrief Hour 1

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Visit trytheroom.com slash tech. This is when I get started. 10 p.m. Eastern Time, 7 p.m. Pacific. And we got a full slate. We got a busy night. I mean, Yudoka just got suspended for the entire season. We're gonna get into that momentarily. The Steelers and the Browns, they're playing a football game, or at least they're trying to play an entertaining football game, just out of halftime.

The Steelers lead 14 to 13. Sean Payton, someone who is not in the NFL right now, he's broadcasting. He was on a podcast and said that he is, he's open to coaching next year.

What a shock. I think there might be a job that would probably be waiting for him. Speaking of jobs open, that team is probably, or maybe, the Dallas Cowboys. Dak Prescott looks like he might be returning sooner than later. Jerry Jones always won for competition, lets everyone know that he would love to have a quarterback controversy. Ben Simmons, speaking of controversy, Ben Simmons has opened up his mouth. Ben Simmons has spoken, and I'm not sure he provided too much clarity as he sat down with JJ Reddick. The Baltimore Ravens have tried to shore up their defense by bringing in Jason Pierre Paul, and Christian McCaffrey, someone who is very familiar with injury over the past several years, he's dealing with ankle stiffness.

No, they gave that man all that money after his 1,000 yard rushing, 1,000 yard receiving season, and he's just been a whole lotta hurt. And so we got a lot to do here. Hey, it's a real simple question. I'm gonna ask our producer hanging here with us tonight. I want to talk to Jack Stern real quick. Jack, how are you this evening? I'm happy that you're here. I'm happy to be here as well, JR. There is no place I would rather be at 1002 on the East Coast than sitting in the control room producing for you. Oh, that's such a nice thing to say. Thank you, Jack, and I didn't have to pay you a dime, so thank you very much. Okay, here's the deal, folks.

You want to give me a holler? The number is as follows. It's 855-212-4CBS.

That's 855-212-4CBS. You can follow me online. It's at JR Sport Brief on all social media.

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. If you follow, you will already know about everything that we plan on discussing. Here's the scenario. Last night, a little after midnight, the news started to break and come down the pipe that the Boston Celtics and Amy Udoka, they were going to have some type of issue. There was going to be some type of punishment that was going to come through the pipe and we were kind of left in the dark as to what it was. About an hour later, we got another message from Shams. He came through and he said, oh, this is a workplace violation that Amy Udoka had a personal, intimate relationship with a female staff member and it goes against team policy and they were just waiting on the punishment.

Well, 40 minutes ago, the world found out what that punishment is. We didn't get any further details as to who and I don't think it really matters. We didn't find out anything else, but the Boston Celtics released a press release about 40 minutes ago now. The Boston Celtics announced today that the team has suspended head coach Amy Udoka for the 2022-23 season for violations of team policies. A decision about his future with the Celtics beyond this season will be made at a later date.

The suspension takes effect immediately. A few things here. His ass might be done, period. A decision about his future with the Celtics beyond the season will be made at a later date. He might never coach for the Boston Celtics again. Amy Udoka, he just got the job as the head coach of the Boston Celtics and not only did he get the job, he took this team to the finals. Danny Ainge decides, hey, I don't want to do this anymore. Brad Stevens goes upstairs and takes the president's spot. Amy Udoka, who's basically been an assistant head coach in the NBA, starting off with the San Antonio Spurs, used to play for him even though it was sparingly, Philly, Brooklyn, and now he became head coach of the Celtics and he helped turn the team around.

They actually went to the NBA Finals. We know that they ultimately lost and now Amy Udoka might be gone? You want to talk about ruining and screwing up an opportunity? Well, yeah, he did screw up an opportunity by screwing someone that he had no business screwing. And here we are. The Boston Celtics, they're just tailor-made for Jerry Springer right now. We should be talking about, I don't know, Grant Williams and his injury. We should be talking about what the Celtics will do in a packed Eastern Conference, how they plan on bouncing back, but Amy Udoka is the central figure here and he's supposed to be the leader. He's supposed to be the guy going out there setting an example.

He's supposed to be helping the squad take the next step. It was only after a loss to the finals or in the finals to the Golden State Warriors where Amy Udoka, he said that us going to the finals and losing to Golden State, it was a learning experience. Listen to this. It's gonna hurt and it'll hurt for a while and probably, you know, that stuff never goes away. I've lost one before and so that was part of the message. Let it propel us forward. The experience and growth and progress that we made this season, obviously getting to your ultimate goal and falling a few games short, it's gonna hurt and there are a lot of guys and they're very emotional right now. So the message was, you know, we thank them for the effort and the growth and everything they allowed us to do coaching-wise this year and the biggest message was learn from this, grow from it, take this experience and see there is another level to get to with a team like Golden State.

That was June after losing to the Warriors in the finals. Amy Udoka, he put out a statement, his own. It reads as follows, this came out right after the Celtics and of course this was all orchestrated so the statements come out in sync and all in time. Reads as follows, I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization and my family for letting them down. I'm sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation and I accept the team's decision. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment.

That moves me to my second thought. Well, first we know that he's suspended for a year. The Celtics made it clear in their statement he might not ever return as head coach. Joe Mazzulla is the interim head coach. The assistant who was next in line, he will now be coaching the Utah Jazz.

He's gone from the organization and if Joe Mazzulla has great success this season with the Boston Celtics, well they might not bring back Amy Udoka. He might have gotten himself out of a job because he thought with the wrong head. It happens and so here we are. I can't remember a scenario or situation like this and let's all be clear. People sleep with their co-workers all the time. People in power abuse that power and they sleep with people who they manage. Someone called last night and called them underlings. I'm just like don't don't call them underlings man. That's it's inappropriate.

Underlings just sounds awful. Don't say that but the fact is this happens every day all over America, all over the world. Damn it we got eight, nine billion people here. I don't know how many billions of people are on this floating rock in the middle of nowhere.

I know this, nine billion people had to get here somehow and not everybody got here in some you know some positive beautiful situation. People are doing the nasty. They're doing it with their neighbors. They're doing it with their friends. I hope they're not doing it with their family. They're doing it with their co-workers. How many people at work meet at work and they they get married. They have kids.

They have families. It happens but it's not encouraged when you are in a position of power. You're not supposed to do it when you're higher up on the the professional food chain. When you're a coach. When you're a manager. When you have people who work for you it's a no-no.

I don't care if it's the Boston Celtics or if it's the Boston printing company down the block from the arena. You're not supposed to do it. And why? Nobody's trying to get sued. Nobody wants a sexual harassment lawsuit. Nobody wants a loss in productivity. No company where you're trying to make money.

Nobody's trying to lose money because you know Bobby and Susie they used to do the nasty and now they don't get along. Now imagine taking that into a a public setting. Imagine taking that to a brand in the United States of America. One of the most successful basketball teams on earth.

The Boston Celtics. Here's some facts. Ami Udoka screwed up. He did.

You're not supposed to do this. It happens all the time. We don't know who it is. People can speculate. We don't know the circumstances. We don't know if it was someone on the staff which has been reported and we don't know the who's, whys, what's, when, when. We don't know that.

I'm sure one day it will come out and everyone who's interested in a TMZ story will go ahead and get it. But this isn't what you're supposed to do. If you're the head coach of a basketball team let alone in your first year with the Celtics. Ami Udoka's kicking himself and I haven't even mentioned Nia Long. His longtime partner of 10 years of which I know at minimum they have one child who's about 10 years old who is probably old enough to understand something ain't right here.

Ain't none of my business though. Ami Udoka is not just gonna hear about this and and how his behavior affects the basketball team how it affects the Boston Celtics he's gonna hear about this in the quote-unquote Hollywood media. Whether or not it is a reputable organization if you want to call People Magazine one or whether you want to say it's the shade room where Ami Udoka is basically being eviscerated for screwing up his career potentially screwing up his relationship maybe and then also doing the same damn thing to the Celtics a team that just went to the finals and you you couldn't control yourself. It happens a lot of people can't control themselves a lot of people aren't in the position of Ami Udoka and so without knowing all of the details a year-long suspension to me sounds very very long but you have to think about his credibility. Has his credibility or will his credibility take a hit in the locker room he had to go away for some amount of time is it a couple of months is it is it fair do you continue the circus you know do I think the penalty is harsh for a year yes but I understand it the Boston Celtics had to absolve themselves of this distraction it's gonna be talked about all season long the folks on TNT will talk about it I'm sure Charles Barkley will have a clever joke ready I'm sure Shaq will have a clever joke I'm sure Kenny the Jetsmith will tell these guys okay guys chill out relax if the Celtics do great it will be talked about if they stink it will be talked about and so here's the reality if Ami Udoka was suspended for a month or two months and the Celtics were winning or losing there was gonna be controversy this would have been brought back up and driven into the ground into a whole nother level in order to completely or let me not say completely in order to really try your best to eliminate the largest distraction he had to go and he's gonna be gone for a whole year so if the Celtics stink by the time we get to to February or January there's not gonna be any added or when's Ami coming back or he came back and now they stink the punishment is harsh even though we don't know the full details quote-unquote of the the violation before a team just trying to play basketball they're gonna have to answer these questions on Monday they're gonna have to go into media day Tatum and Brown and and and Missoula and regardless of what is is put out what statements are made beforehand this is gonna be a topic of conversation and if you're the Celtics maybe this is something that galvanizes the team maybe this pulls everyone together to say hey it's us in this room screw the distractions that's their best bet and I'm you Doka yeah he had to go for an entire year and we don't need to know the details to go ahead and draw that conclusion penalty harsh yes but necessary to eliminate the distraction he potentially screwed up his career someone will give him a chance if he's no longer going to be coach of the Celtics potentially screwed up his relationship and maybe maybe this is not maybe he's done some damage to the current team they gonna bounce right back was it gonna bother them maybe maybe not but because he wanted to participate in some extracurricular activities he's done damage to quite a lot I mean Doka it's been announced that he is going to be suspended for the entire upcoming NBA season the Boston Celtics have made it clear he might not come back ever after this season they're gonna determine that at a later date is the penalty harsh yes was it necessary I believe it was as well I'm gonna open up the phone lines that's eight five five two one two four CBS that's eight five five two one two four CBS do you think I mean Doka should have been suspended for the entire year is the punishment harsh what would you have done we're gonna talk about it on the other side it's the JR sport brief show right here with you on CBS Sports Radio that's right it's the JR sport brief show here with you on CBS Sports Radio the Celtics have handed down that suspension time I meet Doka what is it one full season Boston Celtics have told him you're gone all year and they also said his future past that will be determined at a later date so there's no guarantee that I mean Doka will return as head coach of the Boston Celtics assistant coach Missoula will go ahead and take over and if he has success I don't know if they go back to the finals and what the hell you bringing back on me for you can tell him to stay home we didn't need you and we didn't need you out here sleeping with the assistant people on the staff and so I made this clear last break was the penalty of a year harsh I believe so and that's without knowing all of the details but when you're in a position of power when you work in a corporate entity you know this is this is potentially what can happen there's a reason for it because nobody's trying to be sued nobody wants a mess at work nobody wants personal issues screwing up the money and so what the Boston Celtics needed to do was eliminate a distraction and when I say eliminate I should probably use the word lesson because his his presence his behavior is gonna linger over the team all season long even if he's gone to have his return lingering whether the team is performing good or bad it's not fair to the players he has to go the penalty is harsh yes but for the betterment of the team and for the focus the goal to actually win I don't care what he accomplished last year as a first-year head coach he he had to go the phone lines are open eight five five two one two four CBS that's eight five five two one two four CBS what do you think about the Celtics suspending I'm II Doka for the entire season for having an intimate personal but consensual relationship with a staffer let's go to Manny he's calling up from flushing you on CBS Sports Radio what's up Manny hey how you doing my brother I'm good thank you what's up I'm good man I mean it's you know in a way it's sad but you know but also disappointing because you know you may have took one of those brought me at the time prior to this situation he was received as one of the best young coaches in the game I mean just took the Celtics to the finals and now all of a sudden you heard these these death story I mean in a way I'm there I'm very disappointed because he should know better I mean you know my dad always said use your head and unfortunately he did not use his head and you know regardless if you're a worker or you know particular power just don't do it man what was the I mean why are you wasting your damn time for that I'm just saying well he had a wife or he should they excuse me he made Oka and Nia long they were not married but they were together and he yeah he decided to you know find somewhere else to put his head down I don't know we don't know so I'm sure sooner than later we'll we'll find out there too like we have no details for now but you can rest assured somehow some way the details are gonna come out you know we've had a Chris Haynes from TNT he shared earlier this afternoon that it wasn't the assistant coach you know well what are we supposed to do go through 20 other women who are on staff well I'm not doing that somebody will so many rumors and so many people speculating who what when where why now why did this come out now what does it matter is someone I don't know somebody was unhappy was a staff run ahead I mean we don't know was it somebody else's spouse we don't know it doesn't matter though eight five five two one two for CBS and James is calling from LA you're on CBS Sports Radio what's up James what's up they are great so as always it's disappointing man that you know this is the young up-and-coming coach and you know even though I'm a Lakers fan to the tilt the Celtics you know had had their guy I was very jealous of that but morality still makes a big play in the world today and so that's kind of refreshing to hear that when you look at what happened with Rick Latino urban Meyer even reports of Ed Orgeron down at LSU he had to go because of something like that it's refreshing to see that morality still is the key play in the world we live in today and the Celtics were no nonsense organization about it they didn't ask you questions anyway so time soon as it came out I'm sure they questioned him did this happen boom boom boom yeah okay you're done you're done for at least a year you know they didn't hold on to it and let it linger they put the chopping block we were here before you we're gonna be here after you we're gonna do what we have to do to win without you okay and you know I respect that you know I'm a record fan I respect the morality thing about it man because you know just the way we're living now everything is so immoral it's refreshing to hear that okay well thank you James for calling from LA I'm not you you do have a point if we have to think about how quickly the Celtics reacted just for I guess for a day's time okay yeah sure they they acted quick I'm gonna assume that and this is because both Shams and Woge are our mouthpieces to to management all across the NBA general managers presidents owners etc that the team was the one who kind of leaked this information out and they did it to take the temperature to kind of see what people were saying how they were feeling and then they made the decision 24 hours later I'm sure they had an idea as to what they wanted to do to suspend him for an entire season but I don't want to give him all the credit in the world of you know being upstanding because I'm a youdoka he ain't screw nobody over but himself the team and his family and that's that's who he apologized for or to and as well as the fans of the Boston Celtics and so it's a tricky situation and let's just be clear do I think he's gonna come back it's tough if the Celtics stink are they gonna have the pressure on him to come back and save him I don't think so if the Celtics just have more success go back to the playoffs maybe they go to the Eastern Conference Finals are they gonna return him back if they go to the finals why they gonna bring him back knowing that they have not made a decision and it's impossible to do that but knowing that they have not committed to him past this year after his year-long suspension I don't think it bodes well for his ultimate return in a totally different case and this was due to on the field cheating not off the field cheating we saw Alex Cora have to have to take a one-year suspension from the Red Sox he came back what he did didn't have anything to do with the Red Sox at the time it had everything to do with what took place with the Astros everything about Ami Udoka it has to deal with the Celtics and it doesn't appear good the chances don't appear good I think that he comes back it's the JR sport we show here with you on CBS Sports Radio speaking of returns someone in the NBA he actually played people were awaiting his return in Brooklyn after Philadelphia and it never came it never happened that's Ben Simmons he sat down with JJ Reddick the old man and the three podcast and he talked about his exit from Philadelphia he talked about his mindset and then he also left some questions unanswered we're gonna talk about that on the other side of the break I'm gonna leave the phone lines open if you want to give me a holler I'm gonna get Jack Stern's opinion on what's taking place with Ami Udoka and yes we'll we'll hear the words of Ben Simmons to see if he's telling the truth or whether he's full of it it's the JR sport we show here with you on CBS Sports Radio we started off the show talking about Ami Udoka suspended for an entire year here from the Boston Celtics harsh penalty yes sleeping with a co-worker or staffer you're not supposed to do it that's deserving of a punishment in many cases it's deserving of just getting the boot and the Boston Celtics made it very clear that yes Udoka will be suspended for the entire year and for his long-term status with the team well we'll determine that at a later date and so I said that the penalty is harsh but it's necessary if you want to eliminate distractions or the thought or the idea that Udoka will return at some point the Celtics could be on a 10-game winning streak he's supposed to just come back and take over is that fair they could be on a 10-game losing streak is it fair to now expect him to come in and and be a savior it just it leaves a foul and bad taste I think in everybody's mouth and so he made his decisions and now he has to deal with the consequences and all of this is obviously coordinated between he his management the team he apologized because not only did he potentially cook his career and he'll get another chance maybe somewhere else he's screwing up the potential of the basketball team supposed to be their leader and he screwed up his own relationship his own family life that's one hell of a trifecta 8 5 5 2 1 2 4 CBS that's 8 5 5 2 1 2 4 CBS I want to talk to you about Ben Simmons momentarily because Ben Simmons actually we know he might have screwed up his career maybe he gets a chance to turn things around with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant but Ben Simmons spoke to JJ Riddick and I want to share that with you momentarily before I do that producer with us tonight Jack Stern I gotta ask you based on the suspension that udoka has received you know what are your thoughts man what are you thinking well I think it's completely unfair if I'm being completely honest because what he did he didn't beat anyone he didn't hurt anyone he didn't jeopardize anyone's safety and if the worst thing he did was go out and sleep with the team employee which by the way as you attested to a little bit earlier in the show a lot of people meet their girlfriend their boyfriend their future spouse at work so I don't think anything he did was completely different than anything else that anyone else does and you know it seems like there's kind of this double standard especially in the NBA recently with what we saw with the Suns and Mercury owner where owners can get away with doing essentially whatever they want whereas anyone who works for them whether it be the janitor or the head coach gets harshly penalized for any type of infraction and don't get me wrong I understand there's a massive difference between the owner of the team and the people who work for them but if you're gonna set the precedent you have to do it from up top and I think the league needs to be a lot harsh more harsh on everyone for what they do if they're gonna hand down penalties like this for an entire season I I thought it was overblown maybe I'm a little bit biased in the situation because I really like I'm a udoka I thought he was the next big-time coach in the NBA still could be as potentially at one point but I I just don't think it's right I think he should have been suspended for a month he should have been forced to undergo sensitivity training now he's essentially been blackballed by the league for an entire season and I feel really bad for the young guys on the Celtics from Jason Tatum to Jalen Brown to the bench players I mean he was kind of the glue that brought the team together in my opinion and now they don't have him I wouldn't be surprised if they underachieve this year well yeah well I think that especially if you take a look at the Eastern Conference there was a very high possibility that the Celtics would take a step back they weren't necessarily expected to go where they went last year but I think it's important to delineate the fact that there's there's the league and then there's the the teams this is a decision that the Boston Celtics wanted to go out and and hand down and this was something that they felt would affect their team going forward and they have the power and their right to do so we know that there's a double standard I mean when you sit all the way at the top of the totem pole when you own the whole shebang and the other owners are the ones who hold you accountable yeah you you get those scenarios I spent time a couple of days ago talking about sovereign his situation and really that you know other owners are then they're not gonna come out with the hammer because they don't want the hammer to come back and swing on them and so this this this situation what I mean you Doka is very unique you know he he broke a rule this is something that's that's commonplace in almost every place in the United States of America if you are in a position of power don't have a relationship with the people who work for you people do it yes but it's risky as hell and when you're in a high profile job and with a high-profile situation the risks as to what could potentially happen are even higher and so I'm you Doka's is finding that out first hand is he the first person to do this hell no he's not is he the first one to get caught in such a major situation as a coach with a staffer in a case like this in the NBA yes yes he is I mean this is this is commonplace but just cuz it's commonplace doesn't mean that it's gonna be permissible and and for the Celtics they did what they feel that they had to do to kind of bring things back to normal as much as possible and that unfortunately was to at least for a year at least for a year and maybe permanently still I mean Doka go home stay home we don't want you we don't eight five five two one two four CBS Don he's calling from DC your CBS Sports Radio what's up Don how you doing man I'm very well great great actually it's Washington State but it's okay amazing well thank you for calling from the great white north thank you there you go two things first some companies do have policies against conceptual relationships some don't so depends on what company says not every company found on consenting relationships between employees the second point is well most the most most don't want the people in charge sleeping with the people on almost all I would say but go ahead that's a question of abuse if it's too considerate person consider relationship and there's no policy against it that wouldn't fall under sex or abuse I've been a couple of books on it well well well well well Don I don't I don't want to split here's I think I think we both understand most companies do not want the managers sleeping with the employees would you would you agree with that oh yes and no I'm sorry okay well that's I think you I think you get my point for many reasons most places do not want the bosses the people in charge having sexual relationships with the people that they hire I think we understand why what else you got suppose Jason Tatum had a relationship with the secretary or whoever it was you think the subject sort of suspended him a year I never heard such a thing and if he was to have a relationship with a secretary do I think he would or should be suspended for a year no no I don't because he's not in charge he is not management he's not in a position to hire a fire is it morally the best or right thing to do no it's not and so I don't think it's the same situation when you have a head coach who's supposed to be the leader of the whole shebang no I think I think there's since we don't know if he did have the supervisory relationship we're assuming that I would rather have the Celtics say hey he was in a supervisory position who that's why we have to take the steps that we took who eat udoka yeah well he's it's it's very well no it's it's very clear he's the head coach right right it was reported and said that he had a relationship with a staffer okay right if you are the head coach you are the top the only person above you is the GM anybody else on is a staffer is below him that goes without saying not in terms of organizational charts I don't know well well well Don Don come on please I'm still I've been on sexual harassment committees I'm not asking well Don I appreciate that but I'm not I understand the weeds here but if I have to think about a basketball team okay I'm not asking you about you know every corporation and company in Northam we're talking about basketball okay he is the top guy on the basketball staff as the head coach there's a reason he's called the head coach okay I can tell you I haven't sat on sexual harassment boards and committees but I have a very good understanding of the organizational structure of a professional basketball team please trust me on that okay he is the top and so whoever he had a relationship with it's inappropriate for him to do so that's why he got the boot oh I have no problem with that in terms of a policy I'm just saying some places they don't have that kind of policy I will not disagree well I'm I'm not talking about most places I'm telling you about the NBA right right I mean this is not the this isn't the bread delivery service this isn't Joe and Joe and blow you know mom-and-pop pizza delivery this is the NBA this is not like Ohio State University right work a coach has no fair with the secretary that's different to you right I don't well I don't people have affairs all the time but I'm talking specifically about this scenario and situation right okay all right well thank you thank you man no doubt I don't I don't know how many different directions don wanted to go in we can we can give examples of everywhere I can talk about people having affairs all day I could talk about different businesses all day but when the goal is to win basketball games and the head coach isn't being the leader that you want him to be that you need him to be when the coach is going to be a distraction you tell him to go away and I don't care what any company has on paper well we don't care if you have a relationship most businesses I don't care the people who own them don't want people just screwing around they don't want it it's dangerous it's dangerous for the money it's dangerous for the business because the last thing you need or want or for emotions or lawsuits to come and destroy business what happens if whoever was sleeping when I made okka says oh he fired me because I'm not sleeping with him anymore what happens when they get the beat up madness you open up Pandora's box so let's not let's not uh lawyer eyes and I made up my own word but let's not just beat the situation with the lawyer stick let's use a little bit of common sense there's a reason he got suspended and it makes all the sense in the world it's the JR sport we show here with you on CBS Sports Radio we're gonna take a break we'll talk Ben Simmons we'll talk Ravens I'll tell you about what's going on Thursday night football what would you do with an extra 20 hours a week how about 40 get part-time or full-time help with a virtual assistant from the room trusted by entrepreneurs executives 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