Donald Sterling: Don't Bring Black People to My Games

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Key Arena is open. Just saying.

Now social justice warriors ---> social justice vampires, apparently.

I am open and honest with my biases. The Clippers have always represented the worst of pro sports. There's a window of opportunity to right a handful of wrongs; might as well take it.

And while I get the social justice crowd can sometimes be annoying, reflexively telling people that object to racism/sexism/homophobia/other stuff to chill out is kind of tiresome too. After years of institutionally accepted bigotry against anyone not a rich, white male, it's a bit nice to see consequences for bad actions. Yes, folks can go too far (Twitter activism shouldn't be a thing, for example), but also people in power shouldn't be dicks.

[Lights Out]

I find it pretty amusing how a Seattle fan has no qualms with coveting other cities' teams after all the outrage when OKC took theirs.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Seattle didn't have the problems other markets have, and other markets have been treated more fairly than Seattle was.

Hansen's behavior has been deplorable, but so too has the NBA's.

Again, it's not likely much will happen with the Clippers, but that doesn't mean we can't play some fun thought experiments.

[Lights Out]

Seattle didn't have the problems other markets have, and other markets have been treated more fairly than Seattle was.

Hansen's behavior has been deplorable, but so too has the NBA's.

How so? They let Sacramento keep their team because they made a competitive offer. Boo hoo.

Maybe instead of being hypocrites, Seattle should stump for an expansion team instead of trying to do what Oklahoma City did to them.

[LMU]

Let's not kid ourselves. Five years ago, the Clipper fan base was Clipper Darryl, Billy Crystal, and 372 hipsters.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

Let's not kid ourselves. Five years ago, the Clipper fan base was Clipper Darryl, Billy Crystal, and 372 hipsters.

some how I don't imagine hipsters being interested in basketball or sports in general.

[Lights Out]

Finally an answer to the question of whether or not Sterling can be forced out of the league:

Q: Is it possible for Silver and the NBA to terminate Sterling's franchise ownership?

A: Yes. Under the terms of Paragraph 13 of the constitution, the owners can terminate another owner's franchise with a vote of three-fourths of the NBA Board of Governors, which is composed of all 30 owners. The power to terminate is limited to things like gambling and fraud in the application for ownership, but it also includes a provision for termination when an owner "fails to fulfill" a "contractual obligation" in "such a way as to affect the [NBA] or its members adversely." Silver and the owners could assert that Sterling's statements violated the constitution's requirements to conduct business on a "reasonable" and "ethical" level.

Any owner or Silver can initiate the termination procedure with a written charge describing the violation. Sterling would have five days to respond to the charge with a written answer. The commissioner would then schedule a special meeting of the NBA Board of Governors within 10 days. Both sides would have a chance to present their evidence, and then the board would vote. If three-fourths of the board members vote to terminate, then Sterling would face termination of his ownership. It would require a vote of two-thirds of the board to reduce the termination to a fine. Terminating a franchise would obviously be a drastic remedy, but the potential of the termination procedure gives Silver and the other owners vast leverage in any discussion with Sterling about an involuntary sale of his team.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/10852199/challenge-donald-sterling

There will be no excuse now for the NBA not to take action. If they don't get this piece of crap out of basketball, any more controversies from him will also be the NBA's fault.

[The_Admiral]

There was the very short lived "Posts that make you go hmmmmm".

That was going to be a great thread and it never should have been deleted.

And while I get the social justice crowd can sometimes be annoying, reflexively telling people that object to racism/sexism/homophobia/other stuff to chill out is kind of tiresome too. After years of institutionally accepted bigotry against anyone not a rich, white male, it's a bit nice to see consequences for bad actions. Yes, folks can go too far (Twitter activism shouldn't be a thing, for example), but also people in power shouldn't be dicks.

I haven't done so reflexively. I put adequate consideration into determining whether people were being vampires by hoping that one bunch of fans would profit from another bunch of fans because of a dying racist slumlord. I weighed the pros and cons and decided that no, stfu about this, Seattle, it's not your business.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Seattle didn't have the problems other markets have, and other markets have been treated more fairly than Seattle was.

Hansen's behavior has been deplorable, but so too has the NBA's.

How so? They let Sacramento keep their team because they made a competitive offer. Boo hoo.

Maybe instead of being hypocrites, Seattle should stump for an expansion team instead of trying to do what Oklahoma City did to them.

I think it's well established that Seattle will accept any entree available into the NBA. The league is keeping the door closed for now, for a variety of reasons.

[LMU]

Clipper basketball is brought to you by ... Christ, I can't find it. To hell with it!

[Lights Out]

Seattle didn't have the problems other markets have, and other markets have been treated more fairly than Seattle was.

Hansen's behavior has been deplorable, but so too has the NBA's.

How so? They let Sacramento keep their team because they made a competitive offer. Boo hoo.

Maybe instead of being hypocrites, Seattle should stump for an expansion team instead of trying to do what Oklahoma City did to them.

I think it's well established that Seattle will accept any entree available into the NBA. The league is keeping the door closed for now, for a variety of reasons.

"Any entree available" still includes the same method of entry that Seattle complained about OKC using. You can't have a big protest complete with a documentary over relocating teams and then want a team to be relocated to your city, it just doesn't work that way.

[FiddySicks]

Let's not kid ourselves. Five years ago, the Clipper fan base was Clipper Darryl, Billy Crystal, and 372 hipsters.

There's no way there were a whole 374 people who collectively liked the Clippers five years ago.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

There was the very short lived "Posts that make you go hmmmmm".

That was going to be a great thread and it never should have been deleted.

And while I get the social justice crowd can sometimes be annoying, reflexively telling people that object to racism/sexism/homophobia/other stuff to chill out is kind of tiresome too. After years of institutionally accepted bigotry against anyone not a rich, white male, it's a bit nice to see consequences for bad actions. Yes, folks can go too far (Twitter activism shouldn't be a thing, for example), but also people in power shouldn't be dicks.

I haven't done so reflexively. I put adequate consideration into determining whether people were being vampires by hoping that one bunch of fans would profit from another bunch of fans because of a dying racist slumlord. I weighed the pros and cons and decided that no, stfu about this, Seattle, it's not your business.

The only place I've seen Seattle opportunism is on this board, from me. Up and until you see Steve Ballmer writing bad press releases, one city profitting from another city's misfortune (when said city is actually not a city but a faux market propped up by the success of others) is just idle chatter on my behalf. Is that so wrong?

EDIT:

Fwiw, Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer would not do to another city what Clay Bennett did to Seattle. Bennett lied about his intent to keep the Sonics here, he proposed a ludicrous stadium with a ludicrous funding plan, and took the first chance to relocate he could.

Hansen and Ballmer would be very clear about their intent to relocate any franchise they purchase, and would not play games beforehand. It's a slight but important difference.

[rams80]

You say Po-TAY-to, I say Po-TAH-to.

[Lights Out]

Even Sterling's own son-in-law is :censored:ting on him:

Here are the words of his son-in-law Eric Miller:

“I find the statements and representations made by the Clippers’ team owner to be deplorable and disgusting. There is no room in sports or society in general, for racism.”

Miller goes on: “I pledge my full support for the wonderful players, coaches and staff members of the Clippers organization. I have complete faith that Commissioner Silver will deal with this matter swiftly and severely.”

And then Miller says, “If these comments should happen to cost me my employment with the team, it is but a small price to pay to speak out against ignorance and racism.”

Donald Sterling’s daughter, Joanna Sterling Miller — who is married to Eric — says, “I am devastated and saddened by the cruel and insensitive comments expressed in these audio tapes.”

http://www.tmz.com/category/tmzsports#ixzz30DnxXqMW

[wonderbread]

Even Sterling's own son-in-law is :censored:ting on him:

Here are the words of his son-in-law Eric Miller:

“I find the statements and representations made by the Clippers’ team owner to be deplorable and disgusting. There is no room in sports or society in general, for racism.”

Miller goes on: “I pledge my full support for the wonderful players, coaches and staff members of the Clippers organization. I have complete faith that Commissioner Silver will deal with this matter swiftly and severely.”

And then Miller says, “If these comments should happen to cost me my employment with the team, it is but a small price to pay to speak out against ignorance and racism.”

Donald Sterling’s daughter, Joanna Sterling Miller — who is married to Eric — says, “I am devastated and saddened by the cruel and insensitive comments expressed in these audio tapes.”

http://www.tmz.com/category/tmzsports#ixzz30DnxXqMW

they can't honestly say they didn't know this :censored: was going on. I mean come on now, they are just covering their asses to try to not look like bad people.

[IceCap]

Hansen and Ballmer would be very clear about their intent to relocate any franchise they purchase, and would not play games beforehand. It's a slight but important difference.

Hansen would just act like a petulant child and then try to sabotage the arena deal that would keep the team in his sites in their present location. His stunt in Sacramento probably burnt a lot of bridges with the NBA.

Anyway all of this talk about the league contracting the Clippers or moving them is just crazy talk. They're probably going to get rid of Sterling one way or another (arranging a buyout and hoping he just goes away is more likely then him being forced out) and that'll be that.

Yes, the Clippers are a ridiculous franchise that just sort of survives on the Lakers' table scraps, but they make way more money doing that then they probably would elsewhere, so that's how it's going to stay.

[Soarindude]

Whatever happens, it sure will be interesting. Or so un-interesting that it becomes interesting.

[The_Admiral]

I won't go full-on conspiratorial, but the talk that Magic Johnson is going to buy the team after his presence with the clandestinely taping mistress catalyzed this whole mess...well, it smells funny.

[CS85]

I won't go full-on conspiratorial, but the talk that Magic Johnson is going to buy the team after his presence with the clandestinely taping mistress catalyzed this whole mess...well, it smells funny.

This wouldn't surprise me at all. Considering her motivations in even being with Sterling are purely and obviously financial, there's no doubt that if Magic offered her a fortune to get hundreds of hours of Sterling on tape (which she alleges she has) that would be the seed enough to get the wheels turning on this ouster.

It all adds up. Clippers in a high profile playoff series, Magic denied a Lakers buyout just a month or two ago, and what do you know? Poof, racism scandal emerges.