Monday, April 28, 2014

Your Turn

What do you think the NBA should do about Donald Sterling?

98 comments:

figgy said...

Nothing.

Lots of people are racists, especially old white guys. That doesn't make it okay, but it is a fact.

So let the market work; if people don't want to go to their games to show their feelings, or if players don't want to work for him, let them do as they want. It's not like he said this publicly.

But having the NBA be the thought police? No thanks. Smacks of Big Brother.

sandybrook said...

They can suspend him for several years and hope. He dies before he gets reinstated and fine him up to $1 million. Beyond that probably nothing--they dont have a by law that can force him to sell plus hes nothing new to them as far as being a racist goes.

Unknown said...

Guillotine.

pegd said...

agree nothing.

Harry Knuckles said...

Nothing. He is entitled to his opinions. We all are.

Steampunk Jazz said...

+1figgy. The NBA approach will be to hit his pocketbook. (but trusting Sugarbread), Everybody is going to protest which will hit them in the pocketbook, only this time , its the public making their feelings known.

FSP said...

Make him attend WNBA games for a year.

OneEyeCharlie said...

I defer to TTM. She knows far more about basketball than I; and I'm OK with that.

Bacon Ranch said...

As vocal as Magic is being about this he should just shut up and buy the Clippers.
Problem solved.

MontanaMarriott said...

Although he is protected by his first amendment right to voice his opinion I am always curious to ask would there be more or less outrage had he said the K word (offensive for Jews) or the F word (offensive for gay)?

That has always been my gripe whenever this issue comes up, have we become too sensitive a culture OR do we deem certain words more offensive than others?

MadLyb said...

Fire him ASAP. He's making a lot of money off of black guys. Fuck this racist cracker asshole!

Kno Won said...

I suppose the question is, what *can* they do, legally?
They've known for years this crumpled old bastard was like this.

nurysp said...

dispicable
If this was said that abt Jews he would be outta there

Unknown said...

They will put a lot of pressure on him as will sponsors ect ect. I predict that shortly the clippers will announce that he is turning over control and ownership of team to his children or some type of family trust and he will withdraw from public life.

Bacon Ranch said...

FR
SI
PG
IH
ST

supapimp said...

Billionaires are not nice people. 'Nuff said

Unknown said...

How can you suspend the owner of a team - he still owns it. The league going to buy him out? I am not sure it is constitutional to interfere with the property rights of someone racist or not? All
depends on the system they have set up now and if he agreed to any such rules which I doubt exist to cover this situation.

The dude is what 80. Newsflash, people of a certain generation are going to have certain opinions and it is mostly too late to change them now you just hope they are smart enough to keep it to themselves not even share with golddigger girlfriends. He can't be 100 per cent racist if he'll sleep with a mixed race woman.

Hang out in a nursing home sometimes, between the Alzheimer which takes away people's filters and the fact people in their 80 and 90s even in Canada still hold politically incorrect beliefs, it's fun.

missbunny said...

It is a complicated issue between free private speech (disgusting speech) and public hate speech. In addition, property rights and nba rules. I can't really make a judgement call. I do want to point out that everyone involved reminds my of a soap opera. You have Sterling, the rich guy; Silver, the nba commission; the estranged society wife; and the mistress, V. I don't know what will really happen, but if this were General Hospital: the mistress will be dead in a fortnight and everyone is a suspect!

Unknown said...

I agree Figgy it is not really the NBA's job...

Bacon Ranch said...

He owns the team Mad, they can't fire him that easily.

Leekalicious said...

Hatred based on race isn't an 'opinion'. It's a judgment based solely on the colour of a person's skin. This goes against a person's basic human rights. (To be treated equally).

Count Jerkula said...

SI just posted a story that Magic Johnson and the Guggenheim Partners are interested in buying the team, if Sterling is forced to sell. Makes me think this wasn't a set up by a bitter whore, but a hit, to force him to sell.

With Dr. Jerry Buss dead and Kobe old, broke down & over paid, a Magic Johnson owned basketball franchise in LA, with top young talent, would own the city.

Babs said...

On the figgy train. There are lots of opinions out there. We don't all agree much of the time, but I don't want the thought police after me, either. Let the folks who buy the tickets mete out the "justice". Soon there will be an arena full of empty seats, and he'll be done.

And if the players are that up in arms about this (as they rightfully should be) they should quit the team. Turning jerseys inside out, and condemning what the man said/believes, are just lip service. Put your money where your mouth is and LIVE your moral indignation.

AngelBear said...

He should be protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution that guarantees freedom of speech. Shouldn't we all??

DavidHowesCREBroker said...

Making money is all that he is about. He doesn't care if the team in a perennial loser. When he bought the team in the 80's he wouldn't pay top players to play for him. He is a bottom-line business guy who should never have been allowed to buy any team. There are no true Clipper fans. Most of their home games are fans from the visiting team. Sad. He doesn't want black fans in the stands, but will allow black players. People should boycott him (the team) until he is forced to sell -- at a lo$$.

Staple611 said...

@Montana:

The First Amendment does not apply here. The First Amendment applies ONLY to the government infringing speech. The NBA can do whatever it wants with respect to speech.

Count Jerkula said...

@Tina: Plenty of owners have been suspended. You basically become a stock holder, sharing the profits but no say in the day to day operations.

George Stienbrenner was suspended by MLB 3 times. The last time, when Gene Michael ran the team, is what lead to their late 90's early 2000's dynasty, by putting the emphasis on developing young players, not making gin fueled trades and roster moves.

Unknown said...

Is Jay Z a part owner of the Brooklyn Nets? Go Raptors.

Unknown said...

Tina - FYI - the NBA bylaws allow the league to suspend an owner just like a player. What they can't do is take control of ownership unless team not paying bills or in financial straights.

surfer said...

Read an interesting article last night about this. Basically, it said that the league "will encourage him to sell," and if that happens, he could conceivably end up making close to a billion dollars from the sale. Not exactly a lose-lose proposition.

Magic also released a statement saying he will no longer comment on the Sterling situation.

MadLyb said...

@Bacon Ranch - true. He should not be allowed to own a team. Hey, I know: remove him as owner and send the Clippers aka "Sonics" up here! That will solve two big problems.

I'm so sick and tired of racists. There was a very brief time when they were to embarrassed to speak up. I guess being a dormant, pus-filled festering boil wasn't working for them.

Unknown said...

Count does this guy have much say in the day to day operations anyway? I thought most owners don't, that is why you hire managers for.

missbunny said...

Yeah, he will probably settle the dispute with the wife by giving her the team in a settlement since she is already trying to get $ back spent on the mistress

Count Jerkula said...

And by the way, Sterling was always known as a shit bag. Cheap owner who wouldn't put money into scouting, so many times made bad draft choices; wouldn't resign players who made it to free agency; had Elgin Baylor as GM for over 20 years, when the guy was flat out inept; etc.

He was also brought up on charges by the Justice Dept for shadiness w/ his real estate biddness. I forget if it was not renting to blacks or slum lording.

Bay Area Sports Guy said...

The Barkley resolution seems right....suspend him for a long period of time to shame himand fine him...forcing him to sell the team...but him making 1 billion off a team doesn't seem like too much punishment.

Unknown said...

I like this theory

"SI just posted a story that Magic Johnson and the Guggenheim Partners are interested in buying the team, if Sterling is forced to sell. Makes me think this wasn't a set up by a bitter whore, but a hit, to force him to sell."

Unknown said...

The league cannot force him to sell. Unless he digs his heels in he will turn team over to family member or family trust and he personally will step away which will defuse the whole situation- the league and other owners will support this solution.

MadLyb said...

Maybe he should stop being a hypocrite and try building a team with all white guys. Let's see how that works out for him.

lazyday603 said...

Forced sale like baseball did to Mrs Hitler Marge Schott. The NBA must have a shortlist of billionaires wanting to buy a franchise. Fine the current douche 10% of the sale price and donate it to charity.

Unknown said...

Yes I thought I heard his wife, poor woman, was the one effectively running the team. Hmmm. The plot perhaps thickens.

Kno Won said...

Wish we had upvote arrows.
Also, when the people who are actually DOING the physical work that is making you money are the very people you're trying to avoid being seen with, there's your extra stupid racist.
A racist car dealer is one thing. A racist owner of an NBA franchise is altogether different, in my opinion.
Same would be true for any World Cup team owner recorded saying "Don't bring any spics or wops to my games" Pretty frickin' stupid.
In addition to simply being a 19th century asshole, how about some good old-fashioned biting the hand that feeds you?
Asshole on multiple levels.

Count Jerkula said...

@FSP: That would be cruel and unusual punishment.

missy prissy said...

Not that I agree with racism or anything like that, but it's not a jugement based SOLELY on the colour of someone's skin, he doesn't hate them BECAUSE their skin is black, but because of misperceived notions and stereotypes about black people as a group. Just sayin

FSP said...

TB
HA
AC
NO
KN
S !

MadLyb said...

@Kno Won Uno - I'd definitely upvote your comment.

Seattle_Strips said...

Ah, the old blame the woman argument. She totally made him say it, obviously!

Isn't it funny how racism and misogyny go hand-in-hand?

FSP said...

@Count - I thought it might be a little too much.

Count Jerkula said...

@Tina: Jay-Z divested his 2(?)% ownership of the Nets to lend his name to the Sports Agency he started.

Some owners, like Brooklyn's Prohkorov (?) are hands off. Other's, like Mark Cuban are hands on, and yet others, like Knicks' Jim Dolan, are meddlesome. Long thought that Elgin Baylor was just an LA legend who acted as a figurehead/puppet, while Sterling pulled the strings.

Groggy said...

If it is confirmed that he is the one making those comments and the tape has not been edited/tampered with, then he needs to go. The NBA should buy him out take control of the team as a caretaker until a new owner can be found. That said, there seems to be the possibility of some shady stuff going on with that tape, so I think it's prudent to wait until all the facts are known and the tape is verified.

Count Jerkula said...

@Let Love: She didn't make him say it, but I'm sure by the second "date" she knew his opinion of minorities and obviously collected evidence to use for extortion once the relationship ended.

Anonymous said...

@count
This is by far the most interesting comment about this story since it broke. Now I'm invested.

I kinda dig a cut throat Magic. If this is pulled off this could b epic...off to Google.

Steampunk Jazz said...

@ Montana, I think that the response machine is in place and working due to the racial unrest brought on by 'stand your ground' and others of that ilk.

Unknown said...

Oh no the old man was an easy mark like Mel Gibson was an easy mark. But taping conversations without consent is illegal in the state of California.

A scheme to take advantage of a racist old man whether the girlfriend, the wife and/or whoever else might be involved if such scheme existed is just as unethical and reprehensible because their goal is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ not to champion the fight vs bigotry.

Sherry said...

I listened to the tape and I swear at one point it really seemed like she was trying to get him to say something racist. Now maybe that's just me but he kept asking her "really?" if I remember correctly.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong and honestly I'm good with that. The more you know.....

Unknown said...

Though I suppose you could kill 2 birds with one stone.

MISCH said...

Ban him…

Count Jerkula said...

@Fancy: Magic is just the front man. From one story I read, Guggenheim partners have over $200 BILLION in assets behind them, but that money doesn't buy public interest. Magic Johnson does. Magic also buys 30years of contacts with the movers and shakers in LA.

Carol said...

NBA if it forces him to sell or puts him on suspicion should be sued until they don't have a dime left.

Do nothing to him.

Carol said...

Meant to say suspension.

rolotomassi said...


who benefits most from leaking the tape...too coincidental that Magic Team have their paperwork finally in perfect order & time to buy Team; wife'll get a windfall; mistress too...

Brian Brown said...

I'm just glad the NAACP didn't give Sterling a second 'Lifetime Achievement Award' as they were scheduled to next month.

I guess it is easy to pull the wool over the eyes of those dummies running the NAACP, huh?

Anyway, they will probably "suspend" him for a period of time and try to force him to sell the team. The most analogous situation we can probably reference is the Marge Schott controversy in MLB.

AsileM said...

Master brought you here to work...

KSam said...

Unfortunately, they can't fire him - he is the owner of the team, not an employee. I would like the idea of fans boycotting the games and hitting him huge financially, but then that would have a negative impact on the players, who don't deserve that...

Zeeky_Boogy_Doog said...

It's alleged that he knew she was recording their conversations, and that he wanted her to do so. Was worried about forgetting things, wanted a record of what he said. No idea if it's correct, though.

Unknown said...

What is interesting is that Sterling as the son of Jewish immigrants apparently suffered discrimination himself as a young man, in particular as a young lawyer starting out and had no choice but start his own firm. His real last name is Tokowitz.

Unknown said...

I heard that Zeeky and it made me think if that is true and not just her backpedalling, he may have Alzheimer which makes this all even more interesting. You going to penalize someone with Alzheimer?

auntliddy said...

If girlfriend exposed him as racist asshole, good for her. Stop blaming thr women. Only sterling responsible for what comes out of his piehole. I dont know that nba has to do anything ; just let him ramble on, now we all see what an idiot asshole he is. He's digging his own grave with both hands.

JSierra said...

I do like how he tells her she can fuck black guys, so that was nice I guess.

I don't think there really is much that you can do, aside from disagree with it. Assholes are assholes but we're assholes too if we try and tell someone what they can and cannot think or believe and punish them for having an opinion. It does sound like the GF is baiting him though, she keeps prying and prying and asking questions that are pretty obviously going to get a certain response. Do you need to record yourself to remind you that you're racist?

JD said...

or will it diffuse the situation? we may never know.

Diana said...

This is so stupid. Being a moron or an asshole is not against the law. If it was, 99% of the world population would be in prison.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Maybe not but it is about the best that anyone that is angry about his comments can hope for since they cannot force him to sell. He may end up selling the team but probably not at fire sale price.

B626 said...

81 is as 81 does. Ignore him.

Unknown said...

He was out to dinner with his wife last night, she despite her released statement of earlier that day, claims her husband is not a racist, He's a proven racist, and the tape was untrue. Both Sterlings are racists, and the NBA needs to force the sale of the club or suffer the consequences. When a man says he wants his team run like a southern plantation, he is a racist and there is no place for that in organized sports or society. Both Sterlings need to go and just be slum lords, who are regularly fined for hurting their minority tenants.

Unknown said...

The NBA should do nothing. Not their place, the girlfriend set him up for reasons unknown. This was a private conversation made public.

People can vote with their wallets.

CK76 said...

Interesting theory.

And who is going stage the intervention with the whore's eyebrows?

CK76 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
CK76 said...

Why stop at the players, only not only allow white fans, to wear the merchandising, etc.

An old rich guy is an entitled ass, what a surprise....

Count Jerkula said...

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sterling's Whore got herself an anti papparazzi shield. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL SFW

I am surprised she isn't using the press to jack up her hourly rates.

MadLyb said...

@Groggy - You are likely right about this. The media likes to stir shit, and of course I jump right in, being an angry individual and all.

MadLyb said...

Oh, and fuck the misogynist pieces of shit who like to jump on any chance to call a woman a "whore". You're even more pathetic than I am.

RowdyRodimus said...

Here's a wrestling analogy. Bill Watts was brought in to WCW (which at the time was owned by Ted Turner) to be a booker. One of the dirt sheets did an interview with him and asked him a loaded question about people owning businesses being able to dictate their clients. Bill said (paraphrasing) "If a guy owns a chicken restaurant and doesn't want black customers, they should be able to say no blacks allowed, they're the ones who put in the money and time to build it they should be able to say who comes in."

The writer hated Watts so he sent a copy of the interview to Hank Aaron who was working for Turner Sports and that ended up getting Watts fired and pretty much blacklisted from wrestling for a long time. What he didn't send was the rest of what Watts said which was "...Now that would be stupid to limit your clientele like that since you'd be losing out on a lot of money but they should have the right to do it." which completely changes the quote but the writer had an agenda and used fast and loose editing to make him seem like a racist and get him fired.

Are we 100% sure this isn't something like that in some way?

Unknown said...

Sterling is a loser. But, it will hurt the minimum wage workers so much if people boycott the games. Sterling won't lose much, but the hard-working arena employees will lose too much.

He' needs to go away, let wife keep the team or sell it and birth that overdue baby in his belly.

Unknown said...

Btw, Happy Birthday Steampunk! Have a great rest of your day!

audrey said...

I am pretty certain most of the people he has associated with over the years know he is like this. He didn't turn racist over night. He could go for some sensitivity training, but something tell me he wouldn't change.

sheit_ur_duinit_wrawng! said...

Whatever. Local radio played clips of Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne's filthy racist rants against this guy. Is that ok? Kanye rages against white people everyday. Hail to the guy who thinks he is black Jesus. JayZ is seen wearing controversial Medallion With Ties To Anti-White Five Percent Nation Group up front and center at a NBA game. Where are the outcries of racism towards these people? The media worships at their feet. Its a stupid world we live in. My skin is orange fur, as my picture depicts so I'm neutral, but I am sick of the reverse racism that is tolerated in this country. Plus, its funny how the media keeps saying "allegedly" and the tape has not been authenticated to make sure it is indeed the old dude and not doctored, yet everyone has jumped on the bandwagon of burn him at the stake. What happened to innocent until proven guilty-- I am not saying what the old dude "possibly"said was right, but lets face it, everyone knows he was goaded and set up by a gold digging ho bag.

SugarTitz said...

Ok so I am putting my money where his mouth is and where it's pretty clear the players feelings are and betting gs Tuesday.

TLP said...

nothing
while undesirable, racism isn't illegal. He broke no laws.

Leekalicious said...

@MadLyb

I think that racism and misogyny are often found together because they have the same root: one person thinking that they are superior to another person based on race/sex/sexuality/whatever. Intolerance. Inability to empathize.

auntliddy said...

Im with except for part of blaming his girlfriend as money grubbing ho. He still said it and has mile long record of racist statements. There isnt any doctoring of tapes going on. As for racism against whites, or any other group, equally offensive. Let people say what they want, expise themselves fir who they are. Then each person makes up own mind-to bother with this person or not. But you see you are railing against racism and set ups, yet ur sure the GF is a manipulative ho? Do you not see the dichotomy there?

auntliddy said...

Audrey, excellent point. Excellent.

Erik said...

Force him to sell the team. The NBA stands to lose a lot of money if he's not gone ASAP.

Meg said...

Will be interesting to see what they do. Can't really "suspend" him from owning the team can they? They can sanction him I guess, but if they try and force him to fire sale it he could sue. I suspect some hefty financial punishments, sponsors will pull out, and he'll sell. Can't see that the NBA can do all that much more.

Count Jerkula said...

@MadLyb: She was provided compensation for fucking that old douchebag. She is a whore.

cricket said...

Nothing People might not like it but the man has a right to his own feelings.

Count Jerkula said...

@Rowdy: There were so many better reasons for getting rid of Watts. I LOVED Mid-South and the UWF, but his WCW time not so much. Guy made more black guys stars than anyone. Junkyard Dog, Butch Reed, Ron Simmons, partial credit on Kamala w/ World Class.

Unknown said...

Looks like he will be turning team over to daughter and son in law. Son in law is executive with team and has denounced his father in law (as has his daughter).

Unknown said...

Nada. He had no idea his private conversation had been recorded. I'm fucking sick and tired of the American thought police. It's getting sickening. He should be able to say what he wants and so should all of us. The reason why there is less white supremacist violence in the U.S. than Europe over all? Because we have more freedom of speech. The drag queen he's with is a money grubbing ho. She is no better than he is.

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