David Stern to Jim Rome: Have You Stopped Beating Your Wife Yet?

[Eja117]

Rome should have framed his question much differently.  Something like this, I think would have been a more appropriate question and still would have been good copy for Rome

"Mr. Commish, while I know that the lottery is not fixed, there seems to be some people that do, what can the league do to eliminate that perception?"

How does Rome know it's not fixed?  Maybe he could have said "I don't think or believe"

[cltc5]

One is a psuedo journalist and one is a commish, it was an fair question I thought but poorly worded as Moranis aptly demonstrates.   I thought the response was neither clever or proper.  He gets paid the big bucks to answer stuff like that and the fact that there is such insinuations out there about the draft  wasn't helped by an immature and defensive answer.

Stern is arrogant as they come.  Pride commeth before the fall...

well said.  I cant stand either guy but Rome asked a legit question, that was already out there anyway.  Stern took the low road and continuted defer the question, only making him look worse.  Someone should ask Stern if he still beats his referees

[rickyfan3.0...]

God, it's an expression. Why are people freaking out over this? So dumb. I hate everyone.

[Moranis]

Rome should have framed his question much differently.  Something like this, I think would have been a more appropriate question and still would have been good copy for Rome

"Mr. Commish, while I know that the lottery is not fixed, there seems to be some people that do, what can the league do to eliminate that perception?"

How does Rome know it's not fixed?  Maybe he could have said "I don't think or believe"

because all sane rational people know it is not fixed.

[Chris]

I love David Stern.  He just has embraced the evil role so well, and has such a bad case of senioritis.  He knows he will be retiring soon, and he is making sure that everyone remembers him for what he is...a huge (insert word I cannot put on this site here).

And I respect guys like that.  No need to disguise it.  Just be who you are.

Like him or not, the guy got the job done and has done a ton for the league.  Because he has been so successful, he gets to be remembered as "prickly" or "difficult", rather than the more colorful words that would be used for lesser men. 

But he has always been entertaining to watch, and now that he is on his last legs, I have a feeling the finale will be spectacular.  I think this years draft, for example, will be must see TV. 

[Celtics4ever]

Magic and Bird revived the league and Jordan carried the torch.  Stern rode their coat tails....

[NoraG1]

Rome should have framed his question much differently.  Something like this, I think would have been a more appropriate question and still would have been good copy for Rome

"Mr. Commish, while I know that the lottery is not fixed, there seems to be some people that do, what can the league do to eliminate that perception?"

How does Rome know it's not fixed?  Maybe he could have said "I don't think or believe"

because all sane rational people know it is not fixed.

You mean all brainwashed people who believe everything authority says. I guess the government never lies either. There is nothing wrong with being sceptical. 

[Eja117]

Rome should have framed his question much differently.  Something like this, I think would have been a more appropriate question and still would have been good copy for Rome

"Mr. Commish, while I know that the lottery is not fixed, there seems to be some people that do, what can the league do to eliminate that perception?"

How does Rome know it's not fixed?  Maybe he could have said "I don't think or believe"

because all sane rational people know it is not fixed.

Exhibit A in why I never claim that either I or Jim Rome are either sane or rational

[indeedproceed]

I don't think anyone should call others wholly irrational or wholly same based on any one opinion other than being or not being a celtics fan. Those stop now. Official warning.

[Finkelskyhook]

Surprising from Stern. That type of response, no matter how legitimate or not the question was, is immature and a strong indication of a defensive behavior implying guilt imo. If he truly has nothing to hide, he would answer in a clear and respectful way and make Rome look stupid. Instead his answer gives Rome credence imo.

If an NBA player or coach answered a question that way to a reporter, Stern would fine them. I would love to see a federal investigation into potential NBA corruption. It's long overdue.

the government probing corruption is a little like the Vatican trying Sandusky

lol....Or George Mitchell doing a report on MLB.

[Finkelskyhook]

Could you please cite the study you used for the claim that half to one third of calls are blown calls? Thanks in advance.

That was not a study just opinion.   Listen to the groans from the  jumbroton.   I did find this article though.

http://walterfootball.com/nbarefs.php


Nut nothing ever happens to same old bad refs.  They blow call after call and yet they still have work.   That might not be a conspiracy but it is hardly a best practice in business.

Have you ever been to a baseball game?  If you used groans as a criteria...LOL...We have fans who call balls and strikes 400ft away in the left field bleachers for God's sake and make asses of themselves when the umpire...2ft away...makes the "wrong" call.

A third of the NBA officials come from the D-League.  Go to a D-League sometime where there's no stars...No agendas..And watch the officiating.  It's the most evenly officiated and most competently officiated professional basketball you'll ever see.  They are as consistently "bad" as NBA officials as they were consistently great as NBDL officials.  The new bad refs are as bad as the old ones....

Well, sort of....

A lot of the calls they're not being blown...The messiah doesn't travel...Period.  He rarely fouls...Obviously not in a title game with the game on the line.  Those aren't blown or missed calls.  They're correct by the standard of star rules.  Like Garnett's screens...Get called one in 6 times.  Pierce, Wade, Los Nash, Anthony, and Paul's travels get called once in....maybe 25 times. 
Those aren't mistakes.  They're doing what they're supposed to be doing.

The lottery....Officiating...It's by design, folks. 

As long as fan interest stays intact...Stern is being his usual brilliant self.

[Smitty77]

Here is your NBA corruption:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--nbpa-executive-director-billy-hunter-sought-union-investment-for-bank-with-ties-to-son.html

PLEASE read the ENTIRE article.  It is LONG, but read it all!!  The NBA is as bad as many mobs!  Some might say it is a mob.

Smitty77

[Celtics4ever]

Nepotism happens all the time.  Seems like the Player's Association more than the NBA in that article though.

[TripleOT]

David Stern is a piece of garbage.  The NBA and its fans will be a lot better off when Herr Stern takes his dictator act to the retirement home. 

The fact that Stern kept refs on the NBA payroll despite felony convictions tells you everything you need to know about the guy.  A commissioner with integrity would have never allowed felons to preside over the game. 

Mike Wilbon just brought up the draft and conspiracy theories to Herr Commiss at halftime on ABC, and Stern didn't come back with the same snide retort as he did to Jim Rome. 

[soap07]

The fact that Stern kept refs on the NBA payroll despite felony convictions tells you everything you need to know about the guy.  A commissioner with integrity would have never allowed felons to preside over the game. 

Would you mind being specific here?