Bob Ryan [several merged threads]

[SmedIndy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2003/story?id=1550082

Bob Ryan was trying to make a valid point - but said something hideous and wrong in doing so.

I put this here because it's not about sports - its about a sportswriter making an idiotic comment.

[sweaver]

I'd like to smack Bob Ryan.....

...wait, I take that back. :D

[Skip]

I'm shocked. SHOCKED!!

What a stupid comment by a guy I generally like.

[KCBOOMER]

Smed,

what Ryan's says here is just plain mean and ill-spirited. There are many ways to say what he wanted to say without the personal attack on Kidd's wife. Even if he took the words "smack her" out of his comments for something innocuous his comments cross any reasonable border of civil decency.

[Craig S.]

Bob Ryan is my favorite sportswriter, but this was not a smart move on his part.

I understand exactly what he's trying to say, but he should have taken the "smack" comment back immediately. I wouldn't hold it against him, because I don't think he's in any way advocating Jason Kidd's past actions, but it was a truly stupid move.

I think it's just a dumb mistake, and one that shouldn't be blown too far out of proportion. I've heard him make enough intelligent comments that I don't think one stupid diatribe should brand him.

[satchel]

Perhaps he should stick to writing, and limit the extemporaneous remarks in the future. Some people really need their editors. I totally agree that there are a myriad appropriate ways he could have expressed his thoughts.

[JamesI]

This was poor on his part.

[b-ball-lunachik]

I'm not one for doing polls, so I apologize in advance. :D

This topic was big on sports radio here today. Bob Ryan from the Boston Globe was suspended for making comments about Jason Kidd's wife on a show over the weekend -- I believe it was ESPN's sportsreporters (can't believe I missed that show -- I watch almost every week)..

Anyway, back on topic...Ryan was suspended for one month without pay for his comments which can be found here along with his apology today:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2003/story?id=1550082

http://www.boston.com/news/daily/06/ryan_statement.htm

Before I give my take, I'd like to hear yours:

-- do you think the punishment was just, too much or not enough and why?

[JamesI]

Well a suspension is probably fair, I don't know about at month though. Had he actually smacked her he probably would have gotten a shorter suspension!

[Craig S.]

He said something he shouldn't have said, and he realized his error in hindsight. I'm sure we've all done this in the past, only not on the same stage as Ryan. He didn't commit a crime, he didn't physically harm anyone, and he wasn't even berating Mrs. Kidd. He just said something in a really poor way.

I think the suspension is ridiculous. I don't know what it's supposed to prove, and I hardly think he needs a deterrent to such behavior in the future. This is only to appease others, and that's not a reason for inflicting that punishment.

[pwdennis]

It seems that the thought police are out in force again - I don't like Ryan's comments but this punishment is far too severe

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2003/story?id=1550082

[LeGrandOrange]

This should go in IYM.

It's not a harsh punishment...those were stupid, stupid, stupid words uttered by Ryan. A professional of his calibre should not be saying that he wants to slap the wife of a high profile athlete. He shouldn't be employed if he says junk like that.

Last I heard, threatening to hurt somebody was a crime, and I believe slapping someone does quantify as hurting somebody. Bob didn't help himself by not backing down on his stance and while I'm not recommending he be arrested for saying things, I'm just saying it's a good punishment.

Maybe Woody Paige will win more games of Around the Horn now...

[SmedIndy]

PW - I totally disagree with your comment about "thought police". This was a poor choice of words and he should be punished.

[rcartman28]

A month seems a bit harsh, although he should have taken the "mulligan" when he had the chance. I agree with his point, but you can't be saying you want to smack somebody on television, although if Scott thinks Ryan should be out of a job, then what about his point guard who actually did smack her ????

[KCBOOMER]

Suspending him was fine but a month is simply too severe in this case. The punishment is way out of line with the crime. He insulted someone. He didn't beat them or discriminate against them, he just suffered oral diarrhea with a poor choice of words.

All the TV talking heads are under great pressure to be entertaining and to draw ratings. They are under little pressure to be accurate and thoughtful I mean how else to explain a know-nothing like Chris Russo being on the airwaves?

This will blow over unless Martha Burke decides this is the time for her next publicity stunt.

[sweaver]

Bob Ryan makes his living with words. He must be more careful in his choice of them.

A month is a long time, but I think this is to make a point. It could have been a week, or two, but perhaps Ryan had a vacation coming up.

[pathogan]

Originally posted by pwdennis
It seems that the thought police are out in force again - I don't like Ryan's comments but this punishment is far too severe

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2003/story?id=1550082

Thought police?Man,oh man :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[pwdennis]

Originally posted by SmedIndy
PW - I totally disagree with your comment about "thought police". This was a poor choice of words and he should be punished.

I didn't say he didn't deserve some sort of sanction. I simply stated that, IMHO, the punishment is too severe. A week probably would have been overkill. Professional athletes get into brawls and get 3 game suspensions.

[RedSeat]

Originally posted by pwdennis
I didn't say he didn't deserve some sort of sanction. I simply stated that, IMHO, the punishment is too severe. A week probably would have been overkill. Professional athletes get into brawls and get 3 game suspensions.

Agreed.

Jason Kidd had a self-imposed 4 game suspension when he actually did smack Joumana. I don't see how Ryan's comments should merit a greater punishment than that.

Ryan should never have said what he did, but it's really troubling that Jason Kidd is being portrayed as a victim because of what Ryan said and because of the taunting of the Boston fans. Ryan made a poor choice of words. Kidd committed a despicable crime.

[Craig S.]

Originally posted by RedSeat
Jason Kidd had a self-imposed 4 game suspension when he actually did smack Joumana. I don't see how Ryan's comments should merit a greater punishment than that.

Because Jason Kidd's being out of the lineup hurts his team. And because well-paid athletes are hardly responsible for their behavior.

I agree completely with the idea that this whole thing is a sham. Ryan erred, but to punish him worse than an athlete gets for smacking up his wife is ridiculous.

[qtlaw]

The ultimate punishment is that Ryan should be remembered for being thoughtless.

Yet again it seems that people are blaming the victim, Ms. Kidd. I'm no JKidd worshiper but whatever Ms. Kidd did or did not do, what did she ever do to Ryan to give him the right to voice his opinion as to whether to hit her or not? More importantly, Ms. Kidd has had the dignity to not attack Ryan.

As Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote, let the "marketplace of ideas" govern. Are people going to say no big deal? or are the people going to say this is not acceptable speech and criticize Ryan? Nobody censored Ryan, he spoke it and now he needs to deal with the consequences.

Whatever his intentions, a man hitting a woman is simply distasteful and I would hope that others share this view. To brush this off as no big deal would only perpetuate the view that a man hitting a woman is acceptable and tolerated. For the sake of my mother, sister and wife I hope not.

[Craig S.]

Originally posted by qtlaw
Whatever his intentions, a man hitting a woman is simply distasteful and I would hope that others share this view. To brush this off as no big deal would only perpetuate the view that a man hitting a woman is acceptable and tolerated. For the sake of my mother, sister and wife I hope not.

I totally agree. However, Ryan's intention was never to hit Ms Kidd, despite his stupid words. Jason Kidd, on the other hand, did hit his wife, and was hardly punished.

There's a big difference between being frustrated and saying, "I feel like strangling him" and actually strangling someone. Mr. Ryan said something in frustration and was given a punishment comparable to someone who committed the act.

[qtlaw]

To me the point is not Ryan's actual intent, that's almost irrelevant. What's relevant is him saying it on a national forum and not qualifying it or explaining it. Publishing such a thought in a national forum is irresponsible, whatever his actual thought was. There is no ambiguity that he was saying this in response to his feelings about a woman who he has probably never met nor talked with.

[Craig S.]

Originally posted by qtlaw
To me the point is not Ryan's actual intent, that's almost irrelevant. What's relevant is him saying it on a national forum and not qualifying it or explaining it. Publishing such a thought in a national forum is irresponsible, whatever his actual thought was.

I agree that he should have qualified it, although you have to remember that it wasn't actually published. He said it on a show, not in his column, which to me is a big deal. Saying something off-the-cuff is one thing, but writing it would have been far worse, since he would have had more time to deliberate its rightness or wrongness.

I'm not arguing that he didn't do anything wrong, only that I think the punishment doesn't fit the crime.

[pathogan]

...and Kidd hitting his wife was criminal. Both were thoughtless and senseless and brutal...and another reason not to watch TV.sigh

[TimmyB]

Ryan is a fine journalist who seems to be getting caught up in making all his live appearances on the tube a PTI-audition.

While the punishment seems harsh (especially in light of the punishment Kidd received for actually hitting his wife), Ryan has to realize (and every other reporter/commentator has to realize) that the words of reporters and talking heads reach people and they have an effect.

Domestic violence is a problem. Right before Ryan shot off his mouth he needed to have his internal editor working -- was what he was about to say going to be part of the solution or the problem? He added to the problem.

Now, by no means am I suggesting that the next idiot who beats his wife can use the "Bob Ryan made me do it" defense. Each is responsible for one's own actions.

Ryan has to be responsible for his.

Is he free to say such things? Sure he is. (I know there are a bunch of lawyers out there -- he is, right?)

But, he has to realize that his employers are just as free to suspend him for bringing embarrasement, etc. to their organization. Sadly, that part is probably more about money than anything else.

[Craig S.]

Originally posted by TimmyB
Ryan is a fine journalist who seems to be getting caught up in making all his live appearances on the tube a PTI-audition.

You're right - you can see it on shows like Sports Reporters where guys like Ryan and Lupica have to try outdoing one another with the witty banter. Really, I'd rather just have them give their opinions without the often-dark humor or outrageous lines that go with it.