12/18/24
May 09, 2003
In Defense Of Bob Ryan: Can't say I agree with this guy, but here's a great line: "Face it: The same team calling for Ryan’s firing after his suggestion that Mrs. Kidd be "smacked" will break the bank this summer to re-sign a man who actually did smack her!" Also, stay through the Ryan rant for several very funny Ostler-like "random thoughts"
posted by pucksnsuds to general at 09:16 AM - 3 comments
Rcade: I think you and I normally are on opposite sides of the fence, but I agree with you here. Had I said something in my newspaper to that affect, I would have expected disciplinary action from my home office. There's a difference when you're talking about someone who has already been through such an experience, and although I'm not a fan of Mr. (for the incident) or Mrs. (for sticking around) Kidd, Ryan had a chance ... no, several chances ... to retract this at the time. He should have. Something good may come of this, though. It's my fervent hope that keeping Ryan off TV for a month will force "Around The Horn" off the air.
posted by wfrazerjr at 10:00 AM on May 09, 2003
"If my wife said those kinds of things about me, I'd smack her too." I don't think those are comparable incidents. My feeling is that Ryan's comment was along the lines of one's mother saying "I oughta kill you."
posted by yerfatma at 10:38 AM on May 09, 2003
There's a difference here that Ryan's defenders appear to be overlooking: His "smack her" crack was about a woman who was the victim of domestic violence. Perhaps it was just an ugly coincidence, but it's possible that's why chose to make that particular joke. It wouldn't be the first time. In the late '80s, Dallas TV sportscaster Dale Hansen showed a clip of a Robin Givens interview in which she insulted Mike Tyson while he was present. Hansen responded with a quip like this paraphrase: "If my wife said those kinds of things about me, I'd smack her too." He took the same kind of heat Ryan is taking now. As I said elsewhere, I think the month-long suspension is too harsh, but some kind of punishment or reprimand was justified.