Donald Sterling

[Peppermint Patty]

Banned from the NBA for life. Fined $2.5 million for racist remarks,

 

http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2014/04/live-nba-commissioner-to-make-statement-on-clippers-owner-donald-sterling/?cmpid=bna

[mytwocents-28]

Good. He deserves it!

[Peppermint Patty]

His net worth is $ 1.9 Billion. That fine amounts to about $300 to the average working man. The best part is that he is out of a very elite club.

[TxHoops]

Lifetime ban was the only way to address this.  Sell the team and get out of the league.  There is no place in the NBA for an idiot like him.  Oh, and poor thing, he is only going to make a projected 4200% return on his investment.  Maybe his wife will finally file for divorce and get her share of the $800M.

[Eagle11]

I still think this is about the stupidest crap show ever. I still try to understand what was so bad. He called Magic "a black man"......proper wording used. He asked his hooker to not bring him to games and rub it in his face.......nothing wrong there.......he did not say "no blacks allowed at Clippers games". He was recorded in a private conversation which is wrong......the only "crime" committed.

 

I sure hope no one records conversations that I have in my private home because I, as most everyone on here, have said things that may not be in best taste.

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

I still think this is about the stupidest crap show ever. I still try to understand what was so bad. He called Magic "a black man"......proper wording used. He asked his hooker to not bring him to games and rub it in his face.......nothing wrong there.......he did not say "no blacks allowed at Clippers games". He was recorded in a private conversation which is wrong......the only "crime" committed.
 
I sure hope no one records conversations that I have in my private home because I, as most everyone on here, have said things that may not be in best taste.

http://setxsports.com/ip/index.php?/topic/105220-the-race-card/page-8#entry1486236

Also I suggest you listen to the full length audio, not just the clips, the full length audio of what that idiotic clown said, mind you this isn't his first rodeo as far as discrimination is concerned along with the harassment issues in the past he had under David Stern's watch. Good riddance to him.

[Peppermint Patty]

It will be interesting to see how the owners vote on this issue. They will set a precedent for how they can  basically have their teams taken from them.

[king]

The media is going to do everything they can to start a race war.

[king]

My question is how can a tape that was illegally made ( Californias law is that both people have to know of recording and thats where tape was made ) be played anywhere without suffering the consequences of airing it ? I think Sterling sues TMZ, CNN , Espn etc. The NBA cant use it in court so they better think long and hard about addressing it today in public.

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

My question is how can a tape that was illegally made ( Californias law is that both people have to know of recording and thats where tape was made ) be played anywhere without suffering the consequences of airing it ? I think Sterling sues TMZ, CNN , Espn etc. The NBA cant use it in court so they better think long and hard about addressing it today in public.

he'll have a case against the girl, but its been said that Sterling knew he was being recorded. That guys private life is a freaking mess. And he is about to get divorced, any money he gets half or more than half is going to his wife. He wins and loses at the same damn time. Karma is a……




As far as him and the NBA: those issues will never see a courtroom, he's finished as far as that goes. An arbitrator would hear those issues and thats not a battle Sterling is going to win.

[Amphibious Rodent]

It's hard for me to believe that anyone would agree that taping a personal conversion in ones private residence would be acceptable, much less legal. I Read where he allowed her to tape him, because him being 80 years old couldn't remember his conversations. Don't know if that will hold up in court however, if its true.
My problem with this whole thing is, who of us, if we can be honest with ourselves hasn't said things in the privacy of our own homes that we would never say in public. We probably really need to give that alot of thought. We now live in a society that everyone has a recording device. If someone wants to get some dirt one you, its pretty easy. Specifically if it's someone you trust. And this case it was. She baited him. IMO.
I'm not taking this mans side, don't misunderstand me. He's got issues.
But making it OK to record a private conversation in the privacy of your own home is wrong. Yea, I know, we found out alot about the man. But be careful what you ask for. Don't need to set a precedent here. You could be next, or another innocent person.
Again, my problem is with how the evidence was ascertained.

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

Also alot of ppl think this is his 1st incident, its just one in a long line of issues he has had regarding discrimination and harassment.

[TxHoops]

By the way, this would be legal in Texas. As long as you are a party to the conversation, you can record it without the other party knowing. As for who among us hasn't said things that we didn't want revealed, maybe so. But I have never gone on a disgusting, bigoted diatribe because, well, I'm not a racist a-hole like Sterling. He's getting exactly what he deserves. Sadly, because of his age and his history of this BS, he won't learn a thing and will die full of the same senseless hate he has likely carried with him his entire life. If the idiot wasn't a billionaire, I would actually feel sorry for him.

[Amphibious Rodent]

By the way, this would be legal in Texas. As long as you are a party to the conversation, you can record it without the other party knowing. As for who among us hasn't said things that we didn't want revealed, maybe so. But I have never gone on a disgusting, bigoted diatribe because, well, I'm not a racist a-hole like Sterling. He's getting exactly what he deserves. Sadly, because of his age and his history of this BS, he won't learn a thing and will die full of the same senseless hate he has likely carried with him his entire life. If the idiot wasn't a billionaire, I would actually feel sorry for him.

I agree he does deserve punishment. I'm just making the point that what we say in private should be in private. If conversations you've had with your closest confidants where made public. Alot of people may have lost respect for you to say the least.
I know the laws are different I different states.
He will get what he deserves, but we also need to protect our rights.

[Eagle11]

Buddy, I know he has a very checkered past but Silver went out of his way to say this decision was based solely on this recording.

 

Dante Stallworth pled guilty to DUI manslaughter charges and was suspended a year. (I know that is NFL) I think Ron Artest going into the stands and hitting a fan was worse than this and he missed a year

[OldTimer]

What he said - taken in context - is totally unacceptable. 

 

But with that being stated - there have been a lot of "unacceptable" comments and actions from players, coaches majority owners and minority owners (and I mean in this case owners with a fractional interest in a franchise) that have been worse or equally offensive and no action was taken - that needs to change as well.

 

This action will not clean up a league that through the years needs a lot of soap.  ;)

[KABrother]

His net worth is $ 1.9 Billion. That fine amounts to about $300 to the average working man. The best part is that he is out of a very elite club.

From my understanding the $2.5 million fine is the max financial punishment that could be used. I agree with a few of the commenters that his comments were made in private but as a person of his stature, his private life often becomes public. When Kobe and Tiger had their infidelity issues, that was a private matter that became public because of who they are...that's the price you have to pay to be in the spotlight

[KABrother]

It will be interesting to see how the owners vote on this issue. They will set a precedent for how they can basically have their teams taken from them.

I think some owners may not want I vote to kick him out but will. Just think of the backlash if the public finds out an owner voted to keep him in the league...all of the sudden the media makes that owner become the grand dragon of the KKK for supporting a racist...then bye bye sponsors and fan support

[Amphibious Rodent]

What he said - taken in context - is totally unacceptable. 
 
But with that being stated - there have been a lot of "unacceptable" comments and actions from players, coaches majority owners and minority owners (and I mean in this case owners with a fractional interest in a franchise) that have been worse or equally offensive and no action was taken - that needs to change as well.
 
This action will not clean up a league that through the years needs a lot of soap.  ;)

It's not just a league that needs to be cleaned up. In my view this has not so much to do with the league. It's people of all races, that are prejudice. We need to educate people, of course that's a daunting task. But it starts here. Starts with us, look at yourself

[AledoBearcatsCO2014]

Can the NBA legally fine someone for having an opinion? Obviously it's an "offensive" opinion... 1st amendment though.

[OldTimer]

It's not just a league that needs to be cleaned up. In my view this has not so much to do with the league. It's people of all races, that are prejudice. We need to educate people, of course that's a daunting task. But it starts here. Starts with us, look at yourself

I tend to agree with you - but that is about our current society in general - what we are talking today is the NBA.  But the same thing can be said about all professional leagues and further all people.

 

But you have to be fair about what is punished (in society as well as the NCAA, NBA, NFL, etc..) - if you punish one race or group of people grouped together by another basis (women, gays, etc..) for "offensive" comments then you need to punish all races for "offensive" comments - that is just what is right.

 

We can always argue if racist speech is worse than say murder, rape, theft etc... because at the current time the NBA (and other leagues) seems to have turned a blind eye to all of these issues it appears IF the athlete (and in some cases owners) charged is good.

[Peppermint Patty]

Mr. Sterling is known to be a very litigious person. This is not over by any means.

 

It is rumored that is the main reason the NBA has not dealt with him in the past. They did not want to be dragged through the courts and spend millions of dollars.

 

He will die of natural causes as the owner of the Clippers.

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

Mr. Sterling is known to be a very litigious person. This is not over by any means.
 
It is rumored that is the main reason the NBA has not dealt with him in the past. They did not want to be dragged through the courts and spend millions of dollars.
 
He will die of natural causes as the owner of the Clippers.

he might be the owner of the name, not a team, if he is the owner still by training camp no one will play for him, and rightfully so.

[Amphibious Rodent]

he might be the owner of the name, not a team, if he is the owner still by training camp no one will play for him, and rightfully so.

That I'd like to see. People standing up for something. There have contractual obligations. But a person that really believes in something and stands up for it as well. That I'd like to see. Certainly the media and most people would stand behind the players on this issue.
What is really like to see is Americans standing up for many other rights that are equally important as this issue and making much needed change across America. We really do have alot of problems that we need to force our government to fix.

[LumRaiderFan]

he might be the owner of the name, not a team, if he is the owner still by training camp no one will play for him, and rightfully so.

The players and coaches and NBA brass have known who this guy is for years...they may choose not to play/coach for him now but the rightfully so part about their decision is past.