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

[DEAD!]

The NAACP is going to honor Sterling with a lifetime achievement award in May.

http://deadspin.com/naacp-to-honor-noted-racist-donald-sterling-again-1568142191?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

Why would they even consider this in light of his history?

He's on the phone with them right now assuring that no blacks will be in attendance, including the New Zealand All Blacks.

Well, at least the All Blacks will be in Chicago.

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/04/07/new-zealand-all-blacks-to-play-at-chicagos-soldier-field-in-november/

[CS85]

Silver says Sterling won't be punished just yet. Gonna mull it over.

Also Adam Silver is really creepy looking.

http://deadspin.com/adam-silver-will-not-discipline-donald-sterling-yet-1568218700?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

[The_Admiral]

Press conference was weird. "Well, I wanted to talk about some business-related stuff and the dead ex-owner here, but I guess I'd better say something about the weird old racist since none of you will leave me alone about it." Like, sorry to put you out, dude who runs this entire league.

I also liked

"What can you do to punish Donald Sterling?"

"I dunno, stuff."

I also-also liked Silver's use of the passive voice, i.e. "I can't speak for past decisions that were made" or whatever he said. Well, you kinda can, because it's not like you just started working here; you were second in command during the last round of Sterling being gross. Also, "decisions were made" by whom, exactly? Ostensibly, the top brass at the NBA, like David Stern, whom you certainly won't sell out at a time like this, and, well, yourself.

Guys, I kind of have a feeling Sterling won't be forced to sell his team!

[hbgoo1975]

I hope the Clippers play for their city and their fans, but not him. These senile owners have gotten away with everything, and Sterling is no exception. The Clippers would be better off without him someday.

[wonderbread]

That's the thing, they cant force him to sell. They can make things hard on him, and fine him, and suspend him, and put sanctions and all of that, but they can not make him sell the team if he does not want to

[The_Admiral]

I also got a chuckle out of making sure Sterling had due process as some sort of universal principle of the NBA, as if the old commissioner didn't just do whatever the hell he wanted because he said so. I'd love to have seen the kangaroo court that was part of Ron Artest's "due process" when Stern threw him out of the league for the year. I mean, yes, he does deserve that, but let's not get high and mighty about it. You're the NBA!

[wonderbread]

I hope the Clippers play for their city and their fans, but not him. These senile owners have gotten away with everything, and Sterling is no exception. The Clippers would be better off without him someday.

Chris Paul pretty much wrote this in a statement

[Lights Out]

Good news:

Steve Kyler @stevekylerNBA · 5m

There have been comments suggesting Silver may meet with Donald Sterling soon... and present him options before sanctions.

Steve Kyler @stevekylerNBA · 4m

The prevailing thought is that Sterling could be given the option to hand off the team and avoid fines and a suspension.

Steve Kyler @stevekylerNBA · 4m

People close to the process have suggested that there has been a "succession" plan in place that would move control of the team.

Honestly, and I'm dead serious here - Sterling being forced to sell/give up the team would be even better than a championship to me. Not having to deal with this piece of :censored: anymore, not having to constantly worry when he'll run his mouth and ruin the team, finally rooting for a freaking NORMAL organization.... it would be like paradise compared to this.

[dbadefense1990]

If the NBA Finals are between the Clippers and the Heat, I think neutrals could be motivated to root for the Lebron Era Heat for the first time ever just so Sterling doesn't get the opportunity to touch a Larry O'Brien Trophy.

A universe where the LeBron-Heat and the Sterling-Clippers play for an NBA championship would be the same, sadistic, hellacious universe where (1) the Yankees and Red Sox would somehow play each other in the World Series, (2) Duke and Kentucky would play for the NCAA basketball championship, (3) the Cowboys and Patriots would play in the Super Bowl, (4) the NCAA football playoff would consist of SEC teams only, (5) the Coyotes would meet either the Panthers, Red Wings or Penguins for the Stanley Cup, and (6) the FIFA World Cup final would involve Christiano Ronaldo.

And that sadistic, hellacious universe where no one wants to go to is:

ESPN

[dbadefense1990]

I hope the Clippers play for their city and their fans, but not him. These senile owners have gotten away with everything, and Sterling is no exception. The Clippers would be better off without him someday.

They'll never be able to wrangle this sports city. No matter the successes of the current Clippers core, they'll never be as beloved and revered like the Lakers have been. Chris Paul getting booed at Dodger Stadium isn't because Laker fans hate him per-se, but because Laker fans hate what Paul represents, as a player playing for a bastard owner who discriminates against the core demographic of the typical Laker fanbase.

[CS85]

I hope the Clippers play for their city and their fans, but not him. These senile owners have gotten away with everything, and Sterling is no exception. The Clippers would be better off without him someday.

They'll never be able to wrangle this sports city. No matter the successes of the current Clippers core, they'll never be as beloved and revered like the Lakers have been. Chris Paul getting booed at Dodger Stadium isn't because Laker fans hate him per-se, but because Laker fans hate what Paul represents, as a player playing for a bastard owner who discriminates against the core demographic of the typical Laker fanbase.

If this becomes a Lakers-pissing-on-Clippers thing....

[HedleyLamarr]

Good news:

Steve Kyler @stevekylerNBA · 5m

There have been comments suggesting Silver may meet with Donald Sterling soon... and present him options before sanctions

Steve Kyler @stevekylerNBA · 4m

The prevailing thought is that Sterling could be given the option to hand off the team and avoid fines and a suspension.

Steve Kyler @stevekylerNBA · 4m

People close to the process have suggested that there has been a "succession" plan in place that would move control of the team.

Honestly, and I'm dead serious here - Sterling being forced to sell/give up the team would be even better than a championship to me. Not having to deal with this piece of anymore, not having to constantly worry when he'll run his mouth and ruin the team, finally rooting for a freaking NORMAL organization.... it would be like paradise compared to this.

I'm curious as to what sanctions the NBA could do, in regards to the CBA. Could the NBA legally force the Clippers to forgo their 30th of league-generated revenue? Lose draft picks (which don't mean crap if you're not in the top 5 of a good draft class)? Make the Clippers play under a lower salary cap or stricter luxury tax? Restrict their ability to sign meaningful free agents?

Pretty sure the NBA can't touch any Clippers-only income (ticket/concessions sales, local/regional TV, whatever they get for being a tenant at Staples Center, etc)....

Don't see a suspension being all that much of a punishment. They can fine him, but that fine likely won't even be felt in comparison to what he makes per season.

Taking emotion out of this (because if this is indeed Sterling, he should be held accountable in some manner), I'm not sure how harshly he should be punished. He didn't physically put anyone's health/life in danger. He hasn't complained about NBA personnel (as in criticizing the refs). He hasn't committed a crime. And he certainly didn't make these comments public on his own accord....someone recorded what Sterling viewed as a private conversation and made it become public knowledge. It's an off-the-record set of comments that I'm sure Sterling didn't want made known.

It may not be the popular opinion, but we should let the legal process take its course (as in, first verifying that this is Sterling, then if he should seek any charges for this taped conversation) before the NBA makes a decision. And as weird as it sounds....should Sterling win any sort of court case involving this taped conversation, it'd be kind of wrong to place disciplinary action on a person that was the victim of a crime, even when they're at this high a magnitude of race intolerance.

[gongofdoom]

If you are black, how do you play for the clippers after this.

[mod deleted]

You actually in your heart of hearts believe that NONE of the owners or league officials or coaches or players knew ANYTHING about the fact that Sterling has been making bigoted and racist comments for the past 30 YEARS.

Not 30 HOURS.

Not 30 DAYS.

30 YEARS.

EVERYONE in the league has known about this for decades, especially the commissioners and players. So why aren't you getting on Doc Rivers for being a *bag and handwaving away Sterlings racism because he's willing to pay Doc $8,000,000 a year or whatever. Same thing goes for Chris Paul and the $12,000,000 or whatever a year that he is getting. Those are the very definitions of being a 'Yassa boss step'n'fetchit' negro.

And Lebron is an even bigger douche farting out some meaningless bullsh*it that his publicist wrote about outraged he is. Really, so what about boycotting the playoffs? "Well, you know, I mean it's the playoffs and I have to support my team, so."

F*UCK THAT NOISE. If you truly were outraged by what Sterling is alleged to have said, you'd say "Fuc*k the playoffs, I'm out." You don;t think the rest of the heat wouldn't follow you? Seriously?

[wonderbread]

Is there anything you like gongofdoom? Why do you get so pissed off and rant every time you post. Just swallow a chill pill dude

[gongofdoom]

Good news:

Steve Kyler @stevekylerNBA · 5m

There have been comments suggesting Silver may meet with Donald Sterling soon... and present him options before sanctions

Steve Kyler @stevekylerNBA · 4m

The prevailing thought is that Sterling could be given the option to hand off the team and avoid fines and a suspension.

Steve Kyler @stevekylerNBA · 4m

People close to the process have suggested that there has been a "succession" plan in place that would move control of the team.

Honestly, and I'm dead serious here - Sterling being forced to sell/give up the team would be even better than a championship to me. Not having to deal with this piece of anymore, not having to constantly worry when he'll run his mouth and ruin the team, finally rooting for a freaking NORMAL organization.... it would be like paradise compared to this.

I'm curious as to what sanctions the NBA could do, in regards to the CBA. Could the NBA legally force the Clippers to forgo their 30th of league-generated revenue? Lose draft picks (which don't mean crap if you're not in the top 5 of a good draft class)? Make the Clippers play under a lower salary cap or stricter luxury tax? Restrict their ability to sign meaningful free agents?

Pretty sure the NBA can't touch any Clippers-only income (ticket/concessions sales, local/regional TV, whatever they get for being a tenant at Staples Center, etc)....

Don't see a suspension being all that much of a punishment. They can fine him, but that fine likely won't even be felt in comparison to what he makes per season.

Taking emotion out of this (because if this is indeed Sterling, he should be held accountable in some manner), I'm not sure how harshly he should be punished. He didn't physically put anyone's health/life in danger. He hasn't complained about NBA personnel (as in criticizing the refs). He hasn't committed a crime. And he certainly didn't make these comments public on his own accord....someone recorded what Sterling viewed as a private conversation and made it become public knowledge. It's an off-the-record set of comments that I'm sure Sterling didn't want made known.

It may not be the popular opinion, but we should let the legal process take its course (as in, first verifying that this is Sterling, then if he should seek any charges for this taped conversation) before the NBA makes a decision. And as weird as it sounds....should Sterling win any sort of court case involving this taped conversation, it'd be kind of wrong to place disciplinary action on a person that was the victim of a crime, even when they're at this high a magnitude of race intolerance.

You do realize that if Sterling sells the team he wins, right? There is no way the league can force him to sell the time for below market value. And the league can't force him to donate the profit he would make off the sale, which is in the neighborhood of $450,000,000 to charity. He gets to keep ALL of it and walk away smiling and being a racist and you can't do dick.

And y'know what? I hope that's exactly what happens, that the league tries to make him sell the team and he sues and eventually does sell and walks away with a profit of half a billion dollars. Because the league has known he's a bigot for 30 years and done NOTHING. And so now you're gonna try and stir up some faux outrage?

FU*CK.

THAT.

[CubsFanBudMan]

The Timberwolves lost five first-round draft picks and were fined $3.5 million for an off-the-record conversation between Joe Smith and Kevin McHale.

The Raptors GM just got fined $25K for using an expletive at a public rally.

So there's probably some wiggle room. To suggest the NBA is powerless to punish is inaccurate. They can get creative in unprecedented circumstances.

[IceCap]

If this becomes a Lakers-pissing-on-Clippers thing....

Let's be honest though...there's a case to be made that this should be enough to discourage someone from rooting for the Clippers.

Let's consider the fact that the Clippers aren't like other "B" teams in major markets. Cubs/White Sox, Rangers/Islanders, etc... are all based around the idea that one team appeals to one part of a metropolitan area while the other team appeals to another. The Lakers/Clippers situation isn't like that. If it were the Clippers would be playing in Anaheim and trying to appeal to Orange County while leaving LA-proper to the Lakers. Instead the Clippers have decided to try and appeal to the same base fanbase as the Lakers.

So if you're a Clippers fan and you're disgusted by Sterling's comments (and if you're a decent human being you should be disgusted by his comments) why stay loyal to the Clippers? It's not like they're your hometown team that you support despite the owner. The Lakers, technically speaking, represent you as much as the Clippers do as a Los Angeles-based NBA fan. And they're not run by a racist.

Also, it's not like Sterling is a relatively new owner. He's owned the team since 1981. He's the only owner the team's known since coming to Los Angeles. So it's not like the "Los Angeles Clippers" have a legacy of non-racist douchebag owners a fan can say Sterling infringed upon. In many ways Donald Sterling IS the Los Angeles Clippers.

So yeah. If I were a Clippers fan in the LA metro area I would switch allegiances. There's nothing about the Clippers team that I can't get out of basketball fandom from the Lakers. They represent the same area and they aren't run by a racist pos.

That is, of course, assuming he doesn't sell the team. admiral is right. You can't dissolve arena and tv contracts because Donald Sterling is a despicable human being, and you can't revoke his ownership of the team for that reason either. The NBA can apply pressure and make it known they want him gone, but if he decides not to sell, well that's that. Besides, if he sells he'll get hundreds of millions of dollars out of it. I'm not sure how that really punishes Donald Sterling in the long run.

And so now you're gonna try and stir up some faux outrage?

I'd say your act's worn thin, but I don't think it ever really had legs.

Anyway that's a disingenuous position to take. A racist says something offensive and people are just stirring up "faux outrage"? Sorry gonger. People are outraged because...surprise, people don't like racists! I'd say it's a very genuine form of outrage myself.

[Lights Out]

If this becomes a Lakers-pissing-on-Clippers thing....

Let's be honest though...there's a case to be made that this should be enough to discourage someone from rooting for the Clippers.

No, there isn't. Most of us fans started rooting for the team before we even knew who the owner was because of the players on the team. We root for the players, the coaches, the front office people, and all the other good employees of the team, just not that piece of :censored: Sterling. And the Lakers would be just about the last team any self-respecting Clipper fan would ever ditch their team for.

[IceCap]

Well I was addressing the LA-based Clippers fans who probably chose the Clippers because they were a local team that represented their locale.

[CS85]

Not sure where all that went, but :

Basically I was worried that Laker asshattery would be afoot with posts like, "Clippers gonna Clip."