David Stern vs Jim Rome

David Stern, Jim Rome battle on radio

NBA commissioner David Stern got into a heated exchange with Jim Rome Wednesday when the radio host asked him if the Hornets winning the draft lottery was fixed.

"I know that you appreciate a good conspiracy theory as much as the next guy, was the fix in for the lottery?" asked Rome, who hosts a daily show on CBS Sports Network.

"I have two answers for that," Stern said. "The simple easy one, no, the second, a statement, shame on you for asking."

Rome went on to say that he thought it was his job to ask because people wonder.

"No, it's ridiculous, but that's OK," Stern said.

Rome, who used to host the show "Jim Rome is Burning" on ESPN, said he didn't think the question was ridiculous.

Stern responded: "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?"

Since Rome has no history of spousal abuse, it appears that the commissioner was using a traditional loaded question as a tool to make his point -- that the question itself, in this case about the lottery, presumes guilt.

Rome responded: "I don't think that's fair."

The exchange:

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For what it's worth, Rome has since called the line fair, acknowledging it as a "rhetorical device".

Since Rome has no history of spousal abuse, it appears that the commissioner was using a traditional loaded question as a tool to make his point -- that the question itself, in this case about the lottery, presumes guilt.

Oh, really? Thanks ESPN.

I'm shocked that ESPN would even know such a thing.

Hard but fair

David Stern is a secure, secure man.

Woj: David Stern's tantrum to Jim Rome another reason why it's getting time for him to leave

I'll be pissed if they change how the lottery is presented based on punks with conspiracy theories.

as fun as the lottery is they should just have it be based on, worst gets first


also nothing wrong with asking the question, its being talked about all over the place

They do the lottery to try and stop tanking.

Move on sauru. The Celtics didn't deserve Tim Duncan then with scumbag Rick Pitino running the show.

They do the lottery to try and stop tanking.

i understand why they do it but it seems teams still do it anyway. i could play conspiracy theorist and say they do the lottery so they can pick where the top 3 players go each year but i wont do that.......yet



btw, we should have had duncan but then we would have been stuck with pitino so in the end i am glad we didnt get him lol

How many teams truly tank the whole season though, or tank in so much as actively trying to lose games (ie intentionally missing shots, sabotaging plays, etc)? Seems to me it's more a case of lousy teams raising the white flag towards the very end of a lengthy and unsuccessful regular season, giving their better players a chance to rest up if they wish and some lesser used players a chance to prove their worth and be evaluated in a more competitive environment than practice.

The fact that they're likely to get better odds in the lottery is a happy by-product of the whole affair, albeit not very pretty to watch. At the end of the day, I don't believe that many (if any) teams devise specific strategies to lose; they just phone it in when the season is well and truly lost, enjoying the benefits of giving key players a chance to rest and heal, giving benchwarmers a bit of a run and yes, positioning themselves for a better chance to improve through the Draft.

btw, we should have had duncan but then we would have been stuck with pitino so in the end i am glad we didnt get him lol

Textbook silver lining.

Since Rome has no history of spousal abuse, it appears that the commissioner was using a traditional loaded question as a tool to make his point -- that the question itself, in this case about the lottery, presumes guilt.

Oh, really? Thanks ESPN.

Yeh, thanks ESPN for telling us something we all already know... jeez