OT: Donald Sterling

[ProdigalSun]

Just wow... I might just boycott playing if I were a Clipper's player

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2042520-donald-sterling-caught-on-tape-making-racist-remarks-to-girlfriend?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national

 

[Finito]

Just wow... I might just boycott playing if I were a Clipper's player

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2042520-donald-sterling-caught-on-tape-making-racist-remarks-to-girlfriend?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national

They should. Wonder what the NBA would do. You have an owner flat out saying I don't want black people at my games.

 

[overseascardfan]

Ironically, his girlfriend is half black and half Mexican.

 

[Battle of Evermore]

He can make Suns fans appreciate Sarver. This guy is a piece of work. I am sure his GF likes his brains and intelligence BAHAHAHAHAW

 

[Lefty]

Disgusting. Every player and fan should protest until this racist is out of basketball.

 

[TJ]

Honestly, who's surprised by this? I didn't even flinch when I read the report.

Just Sterling being Sterling - and old fashion bigot.

 

[Mainstreet]

If his comments are as reported, the NBA Commissioner needs to take action. This is an insult to the NBA and taints the league and it's other owners.

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is a link from ESPN about the story. If the reported information is true, this will cause a shakeup in the NBA. I don't see how the Commissioner walks away from this.

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/10843525/nba-investigating-offensive-audio-recording

 

[Cheesebeef]

Baseball forced Marge Schott out of the league back in the day, right? Wonder if the NBA has those kind of balls to do the same.

 

[Superbone]

This excuse for a human being needs to have the Clippers wrestled from him immediately and be banned from the NBA for life. He should not be allowed to step foot in any NBA arena. He is a pathetic waste of space and the world would be better off without him.

 

[Hoop Head]

I can understand the uproar due to Sterling having a history of racism linked to him. He is the owner of the team and this is something he said in private that was apparently recorded without his knowledge. I'm sure this will effect potential free agents, rookies, and other personnel from joining the Clippers and rightfully so.

The only thing I don't quite agree with is this being the final straw that gets the NBA front office to step in an punish him or even take control of the team away from him. This is something he said/did in private that was recorded and leaked out, which of course doesn't make it better or acceptable but something someone says in private to someone else shouldn't have enough weight in order for the NBA to possibly wrestle control of the team away from him. That said he has done enough in the public eye, like his real estate discrimination lawsuit a few years back, that should have had the NBA step in and do something, fine him or something. Being an owner it's difficult to judge how this should be handled because in a way he owns 1/30th of the NBA by owning 1 of the teams.

I'm not condoning his actions in anyway it's just how all this became a public matter is questionable and if/when/how he is punished will be interesting, especially if it's as severely as being forced out as owner. I don't see him taking any sort of punishment lying down so it's in the NBA's best interest to solve this as quickly as possible it's just a matter of how they solve it that will be intriguing.

 

[KloD]

I can understand the uproar due to Sterling having a history of racism linked to him. He is the owner of the team and this is something he said in private that was apparently recorded without his knowledge. I'm sure this will effect potential free agents, rookies, and other personnel from joining the Clippers and rightfully so.

The only thing I don't quite agree with is this being the final straw that gets the NBA front office to step in an punish him or even take control of the team away from him. This is something he said/did in private that was recorded and leaked out, which of course doesn't make it better or acceptable but something someone says in private to someone else shouldn't have enough weight in order for the NBA to possibly wrestle control of the team away from him. That said he has done enough in the public eye, like his real estate discrimination lawsuit a few years back, that should have had the NBA step in and do something, fine him or something. Being an owner it's difficult to judge how this should be handled because in a way he owns 1/30th of the NBA by owning 1 of the teams.

I'm not condoning his actions in anyway it's just how all this became a public matter is questionable and if/when/how he is punished will be interesting, especially if it's as severely as being forced out as owner. I don't see him taking any sort of punishment lying down so it's in the NBA's best interest to solve this as quickly as possible it's just a matter of how they solve it that will be intriguing.

You're exactly right. The guy is and has always been a Grade A piece of ****. But, he didn't say it in a press conference or anything. The league can fine him I suppose, but I think he'll make an apology and that will be that. As bad as it is, he's free to feel any way he wants. I think it will be his bottom line that suffers for a short while. The American public has a very short and forgiving nature however, but it will go away eventually and he'll go on owning the team.

 

[TheHopToad]

The NBA may have legal obstacles in their way if they try to force him out, simply because the conversation was recorded without his permission, which is illegal in the State of California.

Additionally, apparently it's looking like a blackmail scheme and he could have been provoked into the comments. It's been reported that the woman on the tape is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family alleging she embezzled more than $1.8 million. That said, the comments appear to have been his and that is sad. If he has any decency, he will voluntarily step away and sell the team.

Ironically, he is scheduled to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award next month from the NAACP! How does that happen, and won't that be awkward!

http://www.naacp-losangeles.org/events.php

Maybe Al Sharpton will boycott the dinner and refuse to accept his NAACP Man of the Year Award. What a pickle....

 

[Hoop Head]

Ironically, he is scheduled to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award next month from the NAACP! How does that happen, and won't that be awkward!

http://www.naacp-losangeles.org/events.php

Maybe Al Sharpton will boycott the dinner and refuse to accept his NAACP Man of the Year Award. What a pickle....

Even before this debacle that is ridiculous that the NAACP would honor him in any way. I imagine that will be cancelled and the invitation rescinded, if it's not then I think people should really look at the NAACP a lot differently. There is no positive spin they could put on him getting an award like that.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Even before this debacle that is ridiculous that the NAACP would honor him in any way. I imagine that will be cancelled and the invitation rescinded, if it's not then I think people should really look at the NAACP a lot differently. There is no positive spin they could put on him getting an award like that.

No kidding. How bizarre. It's not like today is the first time we learned that this guy is a racist.

 

[JS22]

The NBA may have legal obstacles in their way if they try to force him out, simply because the conversation was recorded without his permission, which is illegal in the State of California.

He may not get forced out, but there's no way in hell that team survives with him as an owner. Nobody will want to play or coach there until he's gone.

I also wouldn't be surprised to see players currently on the roster raise a stink in the offseason.

He's got no choice but to step down, really.

 

[KloD]

He may not get forced out, but there's no way in hell that team survives with him as an owner. Nobody will want to play or coach there until he's gone.

I also wouldn't be surprised to see players currently on the roster raise a stink in the offseason.

He's got no choice but to step down, really.

Sorry, but I gotta think you're being just a tad naive. The money these players make will have them signing. Yes, perhaps some that have options will not choose the Clippers, but money talks pretty loud and all he has to do is apologize and they will have that to point to and claim forgiveness. This will blow over in time as does the behaviors and crimes of some professional athletes.

 

[ajcardfan]

I can't think of a time I've ever been more stunned over comments made by anyone ever. It's so racist, it takes your breath away. It's like, "Dude, you are saying these things OUT LOUD!!"



The integrity of the league and the game, for the short term at least, is at stake here. There has to be something they can use in their ownership agreements to force out Sterling ASAP. Sterling can file in court, and to the NBA, to be reinstated, but that will take time, maybe enough for the playoffs to be over even.

 

[elindholm]

The woman with the tape is an alleged extortionist. I'm not defending Sterling in any way, but this is likely more complicated than it sounds. Audio files can be manipulated pretty easily, and much more dramatically than I realized until I started playing with the process myself.

 

[JS22]

Sorry, but I gotta think you're being just a tad naive. The money these players make will have them signing. Yes, perhaps some that have options will not choose the Clippers, but money talks pretty loud and all he has to do is apologize and they will have that to point to and claim forgiveness. This will blow over in time as does the behaviors and crimes of some professional athletes.

Sure, some scrub trying to hang onto his NBA dream will sign. Maybe even some overpaid role players. But do you think Doc Rivers would have signed on after this? Or Chris Paul?

This is something that is going to get blown up big time on ESPN and everywhere else. Just as the Clippers were starting to crawl out of their hole, Sterling drags them right back down into it.

 

[KloD]

Sure, some scrub trying to hang onto his NBA dream will sign. Maybe even some overpaid role players. But do you think Doc Rivers would have signed on after this? Or Chris Paul?

This is something that is going to get blown up big time on ESPN and everywhere else. Just as the Clippers were starting to crawl out of their hole, Sterling drags them right back down into it.

Professional sports play home to some pretty despicable human beings and many get forgiven, all they have to do is make a public apology and it's in the interest of the NBA to sweep this away quickly. My bet is a fine, some short suspension, and a public apology. In a short amount of time some other despicable thing will be done or said by someone else involved in the sport and this will essentially be forgotten. It's not like we didn't already know about this guy. It's not the first, or second event with him concerning racism. Yes, I know that the league is pretty much a minority league so initially people involved are vocally pissed. Obviously I could be wrong and I'm just as offended as the next guy, but we see how short the publics memory is with this stuff. That and he was illegally taped in a private phone conversation with his girlfriend. If Chris Paul or Doc Rivers didn't already know they were working for a racist, they are ignorant to who is Donald Sterling and I find that hard to believe.

 

[AfroSuns]

The woman with the tape is an alleged extortionist. I'm not defending Sterling in any way, but this is likely more complicated than it sounds. Audio files can be manipulated pretty easily, and much more dramatically than I realized until I started playing with the process myself.

Hence the investigation. Yes...its easy to cut/edit/slice/insert and do all kinda stuff with a media file, but those modifications are also detectable...actually its impossible for you to prevent detection from a good forensic tool. That is a really clear crisp recording..not choppy or something similar to mask alterations.

Giving his history...the first assumption is, its him. No doubt the woman is releasing it for her own selfish reasons but if she is doing this because she was accused of embezzling over a million dollars, why would she play the only card she has now? it is not going to get her from being prosecuted by the family, its actually going to do the opposite. Maybe this is just an excerpt and she's got even more damaging recordings of him.

How the recording was obtained may not give the league legal means of forcing him out, but i disagree that an apology is just going to make this disappear. Yes, he is going to be able to sign players, the question is what kind of players will the Clippers able to attract now. For that Franchise to survive, he will at the very least have to play some limited role. Former employee accusing Sterling in the past is SO MUCH different than hearing it from the horses mouth. I dont see how a black superstar who is being courted by multiple teams want to sit in a room with him. Yes...in time people will forget, but the Clippers franchise will lose recruiting leverage for a long time with him at the helm.

 

[motion3]

This guys life is a mess. 81, and he's ditching his wife of 50 years to hang around with a mediocre looking 30-something chick. Buying her property, multiple cars, and giving her money... a good couple million.

Apparently they have an open relationship, but he's paranoid of looking like he's being cuckolded (with a mistress mind you) by younger black former (or current) athletes in public.

Now his wife (who hasn't divorced him) is suing the mistress for all the assets she's managed to squeeze out of Donny boy.

Who know what else....

He's old, racist, and likely a total douchbag, however he's only got another 15 years max. So the teams going to change hands eventually period.

 

[KloD]

Hence the investigation. Yes...its easy to cut/edit/slice/insert and do all kinda stuff with a media file, but those modifications are also detectable...actually its impossible for you to prevent detection from a good forensic tool. That is a really clear crisp recording..not choppy or something similar to mask alterations.

Giving his history...the first assumption is, its him. No doubt the woman is releasing it for her own selfish reasons but if she is doing this because she was accused of embezzling over a million dollars, why would she play the only card she has now? it is not going to get her from being prosecuted by the family, its actually going to do the opposite. Maybe this is just an excerpt and she's got even more damaging recordings of him.

How the recording was obtained may not give the league legal means of forcing him out, but i disagree that an apology is just going to make this disappear. Yes, he is going to be able to sign players, the question is what kind of players will the Clippers able to attract now. For that Franchise to survive, he will at the very least have to play some limited role. Former employee accusing Sterling in the past is SO MUCH different than hearing it from the horses mouth. I dont see how a black superstar who is being courted by multiple teams want to sit in a room with him. Yes...in time people will forget, but the Clippers franchise will lose recruiting leverage for a long time with him at the helm.

Hey, you guys might be right, I highly doubt it, but you could be. First though, the family can't "persecute" the woman. That is the job of a prosecutor and this isn't a criminal case. Sterlings wife is suing her for receiving gifts from her stupid husband. She won't win, but she's angry, hurt, and wealthy so why not try. Second, There is plenty of evidence of his racist BS and I'm not talking about the accusations of Elgin Baylor who lost his legal battle with Sterling as the only example, there's legal cases he's paid to go away and other examples of his blatant racism I've read over the past several years. I knew for years his racist behaviors just from reading articles, I find it highly unlikely his players and coaches don't know about this stuff and more too. Even Baron Davis has come out about this latest example with an of course this is who he is reply, and third, time will tell, but there's nearly an endless list of dispicable behaviors players/coaches/ and owners have been "forgiven" for. While the racist private rants of some old billionaire are ugly, they aren't enough to prevent talent and coaches from taking his money. Sure maybe a few with options, but IMO a year from now this will be just another wart on his wart covered ass. Time will tell, but I've little faith in the American publics long term memory and just as I can't predict the future, neither can all those who are making claim that this is the end of Donald Sterling and his ability to field a decent team. We'll see....

 

[Mainstreet]

What troubles me the most in this whole affair, Commissioner Adam Silver reportedly said the league was going to move "extraordinarily quickly" in gathering information. Although he says due process will be observed, what I want more than anything is the NBA to get it right. Due process can only be completed when all the evidence is presented. I do not want the NBA to skim this matter over to get a quick resolution.

Although the matters are completely different, I still feel the NBA did not properly expand their research league wide in the Tim Donaghy incident to make sure other referees were not included or otherwise pressured.