Jim Rome the "Wife Beater"?

The Facts and Intent of David Stern's Shocking Comments

by Jeff Jones

NBA commissioner David Stern’s patience with reporters and handling difficult questions may be quickly wearing thin.

While participating in a phone interview with media personality and radio host Jim Rome, the duo’s usual competitive banter took a turn for the worst when Rome asked if the NBA Draft Lottery was fixed – an inquiry he defended as a “fair question.”

Judging by the commissioner’s response, this question didn’t fit all of Stern’s criteria for “fairness.”

Stern skirted around the question for a while but quickly became fed up with what he thought was a "loaded question" and decided to ask a one of his own – “Have you stopped beating your wife yet?” Stern first whispered then repeated for all to hear.

FYI:
A “loaded question” is one that includes an unjustified assumption.  So in Stern’s example, whether Rome replied with a “yes” or “no”, he has admitted to, at one time, “beating his wife.”

Therefore, “is the NBA lottery fixed?” actually is not a loaded question at all – it’s just a question…

Stern and Rome continued to debate the validity of Rome’s fixed lottery question for a few minutes before Stern abruptly ended the call saying, “Listen, I’ve got to go call someone important like Stephen A. Smith now.”

The story here is not Stern and Rome’s relationship, which may or may not have suffered real damage today.  Instead, the story is how Rome and Stern will work together to ensure that all listeners understood the intent of Stern’s “wife beating” comment was to point out what he thought was a logical fallacy, and not to out Jim Rome as a violent, abusive husband.

Click to hear audio