# Bob Ryan: Genuine Grade A Moron
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [May 7, 2003, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661 "2003-05-07T14:12:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2003, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/1 "2003-05-07T14:12:40Z")
> [@](#):
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> During the show, Ryan said Kidd should expect taunts from the crowd, then criticized the Kidds for using their son “as a prop” and called Joumana Kidd an “exhibitionist”
>
> Then, in a comment that was not picked up clearly on tape, he said: “Oh great. I mean she needs (inaudible) to smack her.”
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> Lobel immediately interrupted Ryan, asking him to retract the statement.
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> “You just don’t want to smack her, you don’t mean to say that. No, do you, really? Tell me you don’t?” Lobel said.
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> “Why should I say anything different then I said all last playoffs last year,” Ryan said.
[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2003/playoffs/news/2003/05/06/kidd\_ryan\_ap/](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2003/playoffs/news/2003/05/06/kidd_ryan_ap/)
and
[http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2003/story?id=1550082](http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2003/story?id=1550082)
Way to go moron. That one month suspension without pay, and prohibition from putting your smug ass on radio or TV must have finally got your attention though.
As a Celtics fans from back in the day, it dumb ass moron fans like you that have given Boston a bad rep. Please do the world a favor and STFU.
ESPN has not done anything though.
> [@](#):
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> Ryan also works for ESPN as a regular panelist on “Around the Horn” and “The Sports Reporters” and is a regular guest on ESPN Radio.
So far, the silence from Bristol is deafening. Although I am sure the jokers at FoxSportsNet will have a field day with this.
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### Author:  [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/2 "2003-05-07T14:54:11Z")
Stupid thing to say? Yes. But getting suspended a month without pay for that seems like overkill- especially when the guy who actually hit her was only suspended for 4 games. With pay.
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### Author:  [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/3 "2003-05-07T14:58:22Z")
I’ve never liked Bob Ryan, and he got what he desrved.
BUT…
Does anyone else find it ironic that Bob Ryan (contemptible jerk though he is) has received a greater punishment for making jokes about spousal abuse than Jason Kidd\* ever got for actually COMMITTING spousal abuse?
\*Kidd received a $1000.00 fine and two years probation. Ryan’s suspension will cost him more than $1000.00, I’d wager.
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### Author:  [@coyasicanbe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coyasicanbe)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/4 "2003-05-07T15:36:06Z")
I believe Ryan is actually an OK guy, but he’s got himself caught up in this stupid, escalating insult game that every sports radio show in America seems to play. And the “Sports Reporters” on ESPN is the worst of the bunch. Four guys sitting around trying to outdo each other with the most wildly exaggerated insults they can muster. It seems these guys (unfortunately, they’re almost always “guys”) feel they won’t be noticed if they aren’t outrageous in everything they say.
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### Author:  [@fatmac98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fatmac98)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/5 "2003-05-07T16:11:13Z")
Gimme a break, it was a figure of speech. . . this is all being blown way out of proportion, stop being so sensitive people.
I agree with the previous posters that note that Jason Kidd actually did give the woman a smack. . . and got no where near a 30 day suspension.
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### Author:  [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/6 "2003-05-07T19:17:27Z")
Umm the actual facts:
> [@](#):
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> Kidd was taunted with chants of “wife beater,” referring to 2001 charges, **later dropped** , that he hit his wife, Joumana.
Emphysis mine.
[http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030507/ap\_on\_sp\_ba\_ne/bkn\_kidd\_s\_wife\_columnist\_2](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030507/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bkn_kidd_s_wife_columnist_2)
Kind of ruins all the Kidd got off easier stuff. He never was convicted and could have avoided any suspension if he chose to fight it. Not that that matters anyway, it is about the stupidity of Bob Ryan.
Ryan’s a complete dipshit-- saying someone should smack a woman because she has the temerity to bring her child to a basketball game in which his father is playing.
And it wasn’t a “figure of speech”, read the linked stories before you post please. Ryan meant what he said and **twice** refused offers to retract his stupidity. This was no “slip of the tongue”, as he said what he meant, and meant what he said.
And **fatmac98** , even Bob Ryan disagress with you.
> [@](#):
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> But in a statement Tuesday, Ryan apologized for the “inappropriate and offensive remark.”
>
> “It was, of course, atrocious judgment on my part,” he said. “I wish to state clearly that I am aware of the very real problem of violence against women in our society, and that in no way is it a joking matter.”
\*Thanks for playing, please pick up your parting gift at the door. \*
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### Author:  [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/7 "2003-05-07T19:21:26Z")
If someone said that about my wife (when I get married), I would ask them to repeat it to my face. Ryan is a schmuck and Kidd is soft.
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### Author:  [@fatmac98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fatmac98)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/8 "2003-05-07T21:14:30Z")
Not going to argue with you.
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### Author:  [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/9 "2003-05-08T02:38:31Z")
> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by elf6c \*
> \*\*Umm the actual facts:
> [snip]
>
> \*Thanks for playing, please pick up your parting gift at the door. \* \*\*
[From here](http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/sports/features/5644/index1.html)
> [@](#):
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> But Jason and Joumana both know that Jerry Colangelo’s zero tolerance for domestic violence helped seal their fate in Phoenix. On January 18, 2001, Joumana called 911 and told a police dispatcher that her husband had just struck her in the face. When police arrived, Kidd was arrested and booked for misdemeanor assault. He issued the standard apologies to his family, his team, and the public, and after a plea agreement was ordered to undergo six months of counseling. He continued therapy long after the schedule required by law, and eventually pressured the Suns into hiring his counselor as a full-time consultant. He even changed the music he listened to from blood-boiling rap to R&B ballads
and [here](http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/nets/2001-12-12-kidd.htm)
> [@](#):
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> But inside his jail cell, Kidd realized that living large had left him feeling empty. Just hours earlier, he’d reached the breaking point, striking his wife, Joumana, in the face during an argument over the feeding of their 2-year-old son, T.J. She’d called 911, and suddenly Shangri-La was awash in flashing red lights, shrieking sirens and hovering TV news helicopters. After searching his soul, Jason phoned Joumana from the police station. But before he could get out any words, Joumana apologized for summoning the police. “No, you did the right thing,” Jason told her. “Please don’t leave me. I’ll take whatever steps I have to to make changes. Turn off the TV, and let’s concentrate on us.” He pleaded guilty to spousal abuse, was fined $200 and was ordered to undergo six months of weekly anger management counseling. After completing the counseling, his record was expunged.
He hit her, no doubt about it. He pled guilty and admitted it, went on TV to say he and Joumana had gotten past it, and went through counseling. I mean, if you’re going to get snippy with people about the facts, you might as well have all of them.
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### Author:  [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/10 "2003-05-08T02:38:50Z")
> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by elf6c \*
> \*\*Umm the actual facts:
>
> Kind of ruins all the Kidd got off easier stuff. He never was convicted and could have avoided any suspension if he chose to fight it. Not that that matters anyway, it is about the stupidity of Bob Ryan.
>
> \*Thanks for playing, please pick up your parting gift at the door. \* \*\*
Okay, humor me here… if Jason Kidd was innocent, why did he accept that 4 game suspension? Why didn’t he fight to preserve his good name? If I were falsely charged with battering my wife, I’d NEVER agree to a deal that implied I was guilty. Jason Kidd DID agree to it. Why?
Because Kidd was guilty as Hell, that’s why! That he wasn’t convicted is irrelevant- he KNEW that if he fought the suspension, evidence would come out that would only make him look worse.
Kidd is an abusive turd, and he got away with his crime, virtually scot-free. I have no sympathy for Bob Ryan, but it’s bizarre that a guy who beat his wife got a substantially lesser punishment than a guy who made tasteless jokes about it.
Of course, the reason is supply and demand. There are thousands of people who can write a column as well as Bob Ryan. There aren’t many people who can pass like Jason Kidd.
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### Author:  [@The\_Grapist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Grapist)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/11 "2003-05-08T03:14:41Z")
> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by fatmac98 \*
> \*\*Not going to argue with you. \*\*
this post has been Graped by the Grapist!
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### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/12 "2003-05-08T07:34:02Z")
> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by astorian \*
> \*\*
>
> Does anyone else find it ironic that Bob Ryan (contemptible jerk though he is) has received a greater punishment for making jokes about spousal abuse than Jason Kidd\* ever got for actually COMMITTING spousal abuse?
> . \*\*
Well, to be fair, the Boston Globe isn’t really in much of a posistion to punish Kidd…
As far as Ryan goes, it’s a simple rule. Don’t say shit that makes _your employer_ look bad. Personally, I’d give him his walking papers and find someone else.
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### Author:  [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/13 "2003-05-08T13:47:21Z")
Thanks for the additional information **Jimmy Chitwood**. I did see the plea agreement listed in any of the stories I saw, just the dropped charges. Big difference.
**astorian** Kidd wisely wanted this out of the limelight as quickly as possible. An appeal would have prolonged the media attention. Looks like he might have done it if he entered into a plea agreement though. Regardless, as I stated:
> [@](#):
>
> Not that that matters anyway, it is about the stupidity of Bob Ryan.
and as **spooje** wisely pointed out:
> [@](#):
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> Well, to be fair, the Boston Globe isn’t really in much of a position to punish Kidd…
Nor is the NBA in much of a position to punish Ryan.
Although I have to laugh at the dumbest thing I have seen today:
> [@](#):
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> He even changed the music he listened to from blood-boiling rap to R&B ballads.
Ahhh- it was the evil “blood-boiling” rap music behind it all. Maybe poor Bob Ryan was listening to some hard-core East Coast rap prior to the show too. :dubious:
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/14 "2003-05-08T16:01:07Z")
Jason Kidd _is_ a wife beater and I hope he never stops hearing it. Anyone who knows anything about domestic violence knows that it’s _never_ a one time incident. It’s also completely typical for these guys to be abjectly apologetic afterwards and to promise to change. I think that Kidd probably is trying to use his wife and kids as props at this point, but it was incredibly insensitive to say that she should be smacked.
I agree that the suspension was probably overkill. though, and i agree that it’s ridiculous for Ryan to get a worse punishment for saying it than Kidd got for doing it.
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### Author:  [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/15 "2003-05-08T16:20:50Z")
> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \*
> \*\*Jason Kidd _is_ a wife beater and I hope he never stops hearing it. Anyone who knows anything about domestic violence knows that it’s _never_ a one time incident. It’s also completely typical for these guys to be abjectly apologetic afterwards and to promise to change. \*\*
Never? Never ever ever?
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### Author:  [@PatrickM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickM)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/16 "2003-05-08T16:23:14Z")
So we can agree on the following:
1. Bob Ryan deserves punishment for remarks made about Mrs. Kidd.
2. One of Ryan employers, The Boston Globe, acted properly in suspending him ( although for my two cents the punishment is too harsh for the transgression. A week’s suspension would be sufficient.)
3. Jason Kidd beat up his wife at least once.
I’d submit the following is also true: Mrs. Kidd and her child are on tv much too much during her husband’s team’s games. I’d like it much better if ABC/ESPN/TNT or whoever whould just show the game, damnit, or show the cheerleaders, or show generic crowd shots, rather than focusing on celebrities in the first row of seats. During the game I personally hate seeing shots of Jack Nicholson, Spike Lee, Mrs. Kidd, etc.
(Of course, as a straight male the sight of Mrs. Kidd pleases me in certain purient and probably sinful ways much more than shots of Nicholson or Lee do, but there are other tv venues for that sort of thing besides the NBA playoffs. 🙂 )
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### Author:  [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/17 "2003-05-08T16:48:13Z")
I’ll go you one further, **PatrickM-** I’ve seen shots of Mrs. Kidd during important games (Sixers fan) and I’ve probably said something damn near to what Ryan said, depending on how the game was going. Of course, it would’ve been to the TV screen, and I certainly would’ve immediately retracted it had anyone else heard it. “No,” I’d say, “of course the woman doesn’t deserve any (more) physical harm to come her way merely because her husband is Jason Kidd and she goes to his games. The very thought of actually hitting a woman turns my stomach.” Mr. Ryan certainly had that opportunity, and he stuck to his ill-aimed, poorly constructed guns. Ay, there’s the rub.
By the way, anyone seen Glen Rice’s wife? I hope Rice ends up on the Nets (or Kidd on the Rockets) so she and Joumana can sit together.
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### Author:  [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2003, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-ryan-genuine-grade-a-moron/173661/18 "2003-05-09T03:33:41Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by astorian \*
> \*_Does anyone else find it ironic that Bob Ryan (contemptible jerk though he is) has received a greater punishment for making jokes about spousal abuse than Jason Kidd_ ever got for actually COMMITTING spousal abuse?
> \*\*
Jason Kidd didn’t become an abuser in a vacuum. If he is trying to change his behavior, that’s great, and I hope he succeeds. But Ryan’s remarks were a **perpetuation** of the mentality that influences men to hit their wives (and children).
Kidd is not the only abuser in America. A lot of people heard that remark, and odds are, some of them are abusers, and felt validated, even if only subconsciously. It’s not enough for one man to change. If domestic violence is ever going to die out, our whole society is going to have to change.