It will certainly bring into sharp relief the issue of private ownership rights vs the rights of a governing body like the the NBA. I have no doubt that given an egregious crime, that a governing body like the NBA could force somebody out. That is less clear however when somebody has uttered some statements some of which at least appear to have been obtained illegally and which were the basis for the fine and suspension. I always have difficulty when any body starts to dole out punishments without any form of due process. Especially when those bodies are quasi legal in nature. As reprehensible as some of his views are, he has committed no crime. He could even argue that the US Constitution gives him the right to hold such views. If as a matter of law he is entitled to feel that way, then what standing does the NBA actually have to punish or force him out? The matter is even more complex in that he doesn't own the team in whole either. If one has issues with him, what has his wife done to be part of this? She is a 50% owner and any moves against him may well materially affect her.
While it might be possible to try, the real question is going to be whether his conduct has risen to a level to reasonably justify his removal. I'm not sure some racist statements are going to cut it. IMO, the option for removal is something that should be construed fairly narrowly and probably reserved for cases of criminal behaviour. No doubt there is a strong business case for his removal but he owns the team and has for many years. His views on some of these things are not completely unknown either but the NBA has done nothing about it in the past. They may be in a difficult place to now try and justify an expulsion. And lets be honest, there are other NBA owners whose conduct hasn't been exactly "sterling" either. And wasn't Kobe Bryant fined 100 grand for issuing a homophobic slur to a referee? Maybe he should be expelled from the league for that?
Clippers owner racist?
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Very nice analysis, Sir P. You raise some good points, and, with Sterling's wealth, this will, I think, become a lengthy and thorny legal battle. His behavior, although questionable, is, as you say, not criminal, and worse behaviors have gone unpunished. In one sense, the NBA had to do something, but they might have been wise to have given their response a little more thought. As you note, their action may well be unsustainable.Sir Purrcival wrote:It will certainly bring into sharp relief the issue of private ownership rights vs the rights of a governing body like the the NBA. I have no doubt that given an egregious crime, that a governing body like the NBA could force somebody out. That is less clear however when somebody has uttered some statements some of which at least appear to have been obtained illegally and which was the basis for the fine and suspension. I always have difficulty when any body starts to dole out punishments without any form of due process. Especially when those bodies are quasi legal in nature. As reprehensible as some of his views are, he has committed no crime. He could even argue that the US Constitution gives him the right to hold such views. If as a matter of law he is entitled to feel that way, then what standing does the NBA actually have to punish or force him out? The matter is even more complex in that he doesn't own the team in whole either. If one has issues with him, what has his wife done to be part of this? She is a 50% owner and any moves against him may well materially affect her.
While it might be possible to try, the real question is going to be whether his conduct has risen to a level to reasonably justify his removal. I'm not sure a some racist statements are going to cut it. IMO, the option for removal is something that should be construed fairly narrowly and probably reserved for cases of criminal behaviour. Not doubt there is a strong business case for his removal but he owns the team and has for many years. His views on some of these things are not completely unknown either but the NBA has done nothing about it in the past. They may be in a difficult place to now try and justify an expulsion. And lets be honest, there are other NBA owners whose conduct hasn't been exactly "sterling" either. And wasn't Kobe Bryant fined 100 grand for issuing a homophobic slur to a referee? Maybe he should be expelled from the league fveor that?
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http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/22/us/mark-c ... ?hpt=hp_t2
The league can make life very difficult for a recalcitrant owner. But a wealthy owner has many ways to fight back, and protect his interest. This will be an interesting test case about many issues.
Cuban makes some good points. He references the LGBT community. How many pro athletes are prejudiced in that regard? Sterling has been a terrible owner for decades, but prejudice is everywhere, and who is so without prejudice that he can cast the first stone?Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban: I have prejudices; everyone does
(CNN) -- Mark Cuban is known for making pointed statements. Usually they are directed at the NBA brass or referees. Or contestants on the TV show "Shark Tank."
On Wednesday, he made a few remarks about bigotry that in light of the Donald Sterling scandal caused a bit of an uproar.
"If I see a black kid in a hoodie and it's late at night, I'm walking to the other side of the street," he said. "And if on that side of the street, there's a guy that has tattoos all over his face -- white guy, bald head, tattoos everywhere -- I'm walking back to the other side of the street."
Cuban said everyone has prejudices "in one way or the other."
The Mavericks owner issued a five-part tweet Thursday afternoon in which he apologized to Trayvon Martin's parents for the hoodie reference, but stood by the context of his answers and called for more tolerance.
Martin, a Florida teenager, was wearing a hoodie when he was killed by neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman in 2012. The case sparked a heated nationwide discussion about race as well as a debate over Florida's "stand your ground" law.
Cuban wrote: "I think that helping people improve their lives, helping people engage with people they may fear or may not understand, and helping people realize that while we all may have our prejudices and bigotries, we have to learn that it's an issue that we have to control, that it's part of my responsibility as an entrepreneur to try to solve it."
CNN commentator and ESPN senior writer LZ Granderson said he thought Cuban was trying to have a nuanced conversation but didn't do it very well.
Granderson said he was disturbed that Cuban equated the hoodie stereotype -- something he said has led to unjust treatment of African-Americans and even killings -- to the stereotype of the tattooed white man.
"One has history and the other doesn't or the same sort of emotional response," Granderson said.
Cuban is one of 30 NBA owners who'll decide whether racist remarks made by Sterling are damaging enough to terminate his ownership rights to the Los Angeles Clippers. Cuban told business owners during a Q&A session that he knows how he will vote but wasn't ready to announce his decision.
Granderson still expects Cuban to vote against Sterling on June 3 when the NBA Board of Governors meets to decide the fate of the Clippers franchise.
"If you listen to the entire interview, he certainly made it sound as if he's going to vote Sterling out, but not without some regret," Granderson said. "And he voiced that regret, which is we all have bigotry."
In his interview Cuban said when he runs into bigotry in his organizations, he tries to find solutions.
It does society no good to respond to someone's racism or bigotry by telling them to "go take their attitude somewhere else," he said.
It's better to work with them and teach them why their views are wrong.
When Cuban was asked how you keep bigotry out of the NBA, where he has been an owner since 2000, he told the conference audience: "You can't keep that ugliness out of the league. There's no law against stupid. I learned that a long time ago."
The league can make life very difficult for a recalcitrant owner. But a wealthy owner has many ways to fight back, and protect his interest. This will be an interesting test case about many issues.
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That is unless Sterling decides to voluntarily let go of the team. These are some of the rumblings that are now coming out of sports news organizations. Well if the NBA wants him gone that bad, it may well be time for Sterling to leverage some of their desires to see him gone. I don't know what all the costs may be to an owner trying to sell, but it maybe that the NBA picks up some of those costs in the interests of getting a deal done. I doubt that the league wants to take on the team outright but I'm sure they have a list of possible suitors for a franchise in a big market.
If they want him gone that bad, it may simply be a question of "make it worth my while to leave quietly".
If they want him gone that bad, it may simply be a question of "make it worth my while to leave quietly".
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Looks like the old goat is going to roll over. Must be getting tired.Sterling to allow wife to negotiate sale of Clippers
The Sports Network
5/23/2014 2:03:17 PM
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling may go down without a fight after all.
Earlier this week, the NBA initiated a formal charge to end Sterling's ownership of the team he bought in 1981 and reports Friday indicate that the embattled owner will allow his wife, Shelly, to negotiate a sale.
ESPN said Shelly Sterling and her lawyers have already begun talks with the NBA about a sale, and celebrity gossip website TMZ.com cited sources as saying Donald Sterling made the decision because he believes the NBA will eventually force him to sell.
NBA spokesman, Mike Bass, made the following statement in regards to the Sterling news.
"We continue to follow the process set forth in the NBA Constitution regarding termination of the current ownership interests in the Los Angeles Clippers and are proceeding toward a hearing on this matter on June 3."
NBA commissioner Adam Silver last month banned Donald Sterling for life and fined him $2.5 million over racist comments the Clippers owner made that were recorded by his girlfriend and posted online.
Silver also said April 29 he would urge the other owners to force Sterling to sell the team. The NBA says its constitution provides grounds to terminate Sterling's ownership.
On the heels of the NBA's decision earlier this week, Sterling has until May 27 to respond to the charge. Under the NBA constitution, he also has the right to make a presentation at a special meeting of the Board of Governors planned for June 3.
Sterling had reportedly threatened to sue the NBA and said he would not pay the fine, claiming through a lawyer that he has done nothing wrong and his punishment is unwarranted.
Audio of Sterling urging his girlfriend not to bring African-Americans to Clippers games and disparaging Magic Johnson was first published by TMZ. Deadspin.com later posted a longer clip.
The comments sent shockwaves through the league, leading to a protest from Clippers players, who dropped warmup jackets at midcourt before a playoff game and practiced with their shirts turned inside-out to hide the team's logo.
Sterling told CNN's Anderson Cooper he "is not a racist" and "made a terrible, terrible mistake," but also took further shots at Johnson, saying the Hall-of- Fame former Lakers star doesn't do enough for the black community.
The Clippers lost to Oklahoma City in the Western Conference semifinals.
Racism has to go. But how many players are racist? How many athletes, of both sexes, in all the sports, of all different races, are racist? How many athletes are intolerant of gays? We have seen evidence in the media with their own comments.
Dangerous precedent ... Who can be kicked out of what league for what cause?
And Sterling was tolerated for decades, until it seems he was set up by his girlfriend, in a private conversation, taped for her own purposes.
Sterlling was a terrible owner. But this situation opens up a few issues that are not resolved with his expulsion. More fallout to come, methinks ...
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Sterling launches aggressive defense
Posted by Mike Florio on May 28, 2014, 12:15 PM EDT
The NBA’s issue with Clippers owner Donald Sterling became an NFL issue the moment Commissioner Roger Goodell said publicly that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver “made the right decision.”
Sterling, despite reports suggesting he was ready to go away quietly, strongly disagrees. In his formal filing to the NBA’s Board of Governors in response to the penalties imposed by Silver — lifetime ban, $2.5 million fine, and requirement to sell the team — Sterling makes arguments that will force the NBA, the NFL, and other sports leagues to consider more carefully the question of whether Sterling’s punishment fits his crime.
Sterling repeatedly argues that his shocking, blatantly racist remarks were made privately during a “lover’s quarrel” and were “illegally recorded.” One on hand, it doesn’t matter how the world gets a glimpse of the contents of a person’s soul. On the other hand, a large chunk of George Orwell’s vision of the future has come to fruition, with the role of Big Brother being played by anyone and everyone with a handheld device that can record audio and/or video.
“We do not believe a court in the United States of America will enforce the draconian penalties imposed on Mr. Sterling in these circumstances, and indeed, we believe that preservation of Mr. Sterling’s constitutional rights requires that these sham proceedings be terminated in Mr. Sterling’s favor,” Sterling’s submission argues.
Regardless of the contents of Sterling’s comments, the circumstances of the manner in which they were harvested raises the stakes not only for sports owners but for anyone and everyone whose words uttered in private and under the application of various stressors may or may not reflect what they truly and actually believe.
It’s hard to open the mind and accept that point in connection with Sterling, who started this excursion as an unsympathetic figure and whose image somehow became even worse after Sterling decided to sit for an interview with Anderson Cooper. But if the perception/reality that Sterling is a scoundrel influences the ultimate outcome, an unfortunate precedent could be set for the many non-scoundrels who may end up in similar predicaments.
Speaking of precedent, Sterling’s submission identifies various other infractions committed by NBA players, executives, and owners that have resulted in far lesser penalties. Setting aside the question of whether the same standard should be applied to owners and players, Sterling points out that one owner donated $500,000 to the National Organization for Marriage, prompting a call for a boycott from LGBT advocacy groups. (While not identified by Sterling, he’s apparently referring Doug DeVos of the Orlando Magic.)
“On the topic of HIV/AIDS, the same owner had this to say in an interview 2010,” Sterling’s submission states. “‘When HIV first came out President Reagan formed a commission, and I was honored to be on that commission. I listened to 300 witnesses tell us that it was everybody else’s fault but their own. Nothing to do with their conduct, just that the government didn’t fix this disease. At the end of that I put in the document, it was the conclusion document from the commission, that actions have consequences and you are responsible for yours. AIDS is a disease that people gain because of their actions. It wasn’t like cancer. We all made the exceptions for how you got it, by accident, that was all solved a long time ago. . . . That’s when they started hanging me in effigy because I wasn’t sympathetic to all their requests for special treatment. Because at that time it was always someone else’s fault. I said, you are responsible for your actions too, you know. Conduct yourself properly, which is a pretty solid Christian principle.’”
Sterling points out that the NBA took no action in either situation.
“No owner, coach, or player has ever been fined close to $2.5 million, banned for life, and forced to sell their property for any offense, let alone an alleged private speech-related offense,” Sterling’s submission contends. “The NBA claims a commitment to diversity and inclusion, but it appears to have ignored many public statements undermining those principles in the past. In fact, the only permanent bans of record — other than the ban the Commissioner currently requests — involve gambling violations and repeated violations of the NBA’s substance-abuse policy. And further, as far as Mr. Sterling is aware, no one in the NBA has ever been punished for speaking in a private constitutionally protected setting.”
Again, Sterling deserves no sympathy. But the handling his situation sets a precedent for the NBA and, presumably, the NFL; otherwise, Goodell wouldn’t have publicly praised Silver for making the right decision.
Goodell has a chance to apply that precedent in the case of Colts owner Jim Irsay, whose transgression consisted of allegedly driving an automobile while under the influence of potent medications. Reasonable minds could conclude that creating a public-safety hazard is far worse than making convoluted private statements in the heat of an argument with a love interest that were illegally recorded. It remains to be seen how Goodell’s mind processes the situation in light of the proposed Sterling penalties.
Posted by Mike Florio on May 28, 2014, 12:15 PM EDT
The NBA’s issue with Clippers owner Donald Sterling became an NFL issue the moment Commissioner Roger Goodell said publicly that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver “made the right decision.”
Sterling, despite reports suggesting he was ready to go away quietly, strongly disagrees. In his formal filing to the NBA’s Board of Governors in response to the penalties imposed by Silver — lifetime ban, $2.5 million fine, and requirement to sell the team — Sterling makes arguments that will force the NBA, the NFL, and other sports leagues to consider more carefully the question of whether Sterling’s punishment fits his crime.
Sterling repeatedly argues that his shocking, blatantly racist remarks were made privately during a “lover’s quarrel” and were “illegally recorded.” One on hand, it doesn’t matter how the world gets a glimpse of the contents of a person’s soul. On the other hand, a large chunk of George Orwell’s vision of the future has come to fruition, with the role of Big Brother being played by anyone and everyone with a handheld device that can record audio and/or video.
“We do not believe a court in the United States of America will enforce the draconian penalties imposed on Mr. Sterling in these circumstances, and indeed, we believe that preservation of Mr. Sterling’s constitutional rights requires that these sham proceedings be terminated in Mr. Sterling’s favor,” Sterling’s submission argues.
Regardless of the contents of Sterling’s comments, the circumstances of the manner in which they were harvested raises the stakes not only for sports owners but for anyone and everyone whose words uttered in private and under the application of various stressors may or may not reflect what they truly and actually believe.
It’s hard to open the mind and accept that point in connection with Sterling, who started this excursion as an unsympathetic figure and whose image somehow became even worse after Sterling decided to sit for an interview with Anderson Cooper. But if the perception/reality that Sterling is a scoundrel influences the ultimate outcome, an unfortunate precedent could be set for the many non-scoundrels who may end up in similar predicaments.
Speaking of precedent, Sterling’s submission identifies various other infractions committed by NBA players, executives, and owners that have resulted in far lesser penalties. Setting aside the question of whether the same standard should be applied to owners and players, Sterling points out that one owner donated $500,000 to the National Organization for Marriage, prompting a call for a boycott from LGBT advocacy groups. (While not identified by Sterling, he’s apparently referring Doug DeVos of the Orlando Magic.)
“On the topic of HIV/AIDS, the same owner had this to say in an interview 2010,” Sterling’s submission states. “‘When HIV first came out President Reagan formed a commission, and I was honored to be on that commission. I listened to 300 witnesses tell us that it was everybody else’s fault but their own. Nothing to do with their conduct, just that the government didn’t fix this disease. At the end of that I put in the document, it was the conclusion document from the commission, that actions have consequences and you are responsible for yours. AIDS is a disease that people gain because of their actions. It wasn’t like cancer. We all made the exceptions for how you got it, by accident, that was all solved a long time ago. . . . That’s when they started hanging me in effigy because I wasn’t sympathetic to all their requests for special treatment. Because at that time it was always someone else’s fault. I said, you are responsible for your actions too, you know. Conduct yourself properly, which is a pretty solid Christian principle.’”
Sterling points out that the NBA took no action in either situation.
“No owner, coach, or player has ever been fined close to $2.5 million, banned for life, and forced to sell their property for any offense, let alone an alleged private speech-related offense,” Sterling’s submission contends. “The NBA claims a commitment to diversity and inclusion, but it appears to have ignored many public statements undermining those principles in the past. In fact, the only permanent bans of record — other than the ban the Commissioner currently requests — involve gambling violations and repeated violations of the NBA’s substance-abuse policy. And further, as far as Mr. Sterling is aware, no one in the NBA has ever been punished for speaking in a private constitutionally protected setting.”
Again, Sterling deserves no sympathy. But the handling his situation sets a precedent for the NBA and, presumably, the NFL; otherwise, Goodell wouldn’t have publicly praised Silver for making the right decision.
Goodell has a chance to apply that precedent in the case of Colts owner Jim Irsay, whose transgression consisted of allegedly driving an automobile while under the influence of potent medications. Reasonable minds could conclude that creating a public-safety hazard is far worse than making convoluted private statements in the heat of an argument with a love interest that were illegally recorded. It remains to be seen how Goodell’s mind processes the situation in light of the proposed Sterling penalties.
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So, the old goat finds some strength to fight once again. It will be interesting.
Many issues and story lines ...
Public figures.
Privacy.
Modern-day electronic devices.
Money, power and sex.
A beautiful woman bringing down a rich man.
V. Stiviano is facing some troubles herself. California law prohibits recording someone without their permission. She said she was paid by the Clippers "off the books." That is a problem with the IRS. And then there are the $2M in "gifts," while Sterling says he has paid for sex.
Orwell's 1984.
Private clubs. Who can join? Who can be kicked out?
Racism.
Hypocrisy.
Intolerance.
Legal system.
............
As long as Sterling is willing to fight, the drama plays on. How would it play out in court? Would the NBA find it could not enforce its decision to expel Sterling? All of those who pile on verbally on record against Sterling expose themselves to scrutiny of their own "private words" and their actions. It is my experience that athletes can be amongst the most intolerant of people (Male and female, they are amongst the most gifted physically, socially, culturally and financially). We see that with the intolerance shown to Michael Sam and others who are gay. If the NBA succeeds in kicking Sterling out of its club, what precedent does that set for other pro sports team owners and their leagues?
Donald Sterling has a terrible reputation as an owner going back decades. He has lots of enemies and is generating huge amounts of ill will towards himself. Every time he speaks publicly he makes it worse for himself.
Looking forward to seeing how it plays out. Looking forward to seeing the fallout. It would be nice if something good came out of the entire mess. And it will be interesting.
Many issues and story lines ...
Public figures.
Privacy.
Modern-day electronic devices.
Money, power and sex.
A beautiful woman bringing down a rich man.
V. Stiviano is facing some troubles herself. California law prohibits recording someone without their permission. She said she was paid by the Clippers "off the books." That is a problem with the IRS. And then there are the $2M in "gifts," while Sterling says he has paid for sex.
Orwell's 1984.
Private clubs. Who can join? Who can be kicked out?
Racism.
Hypocrisy.
Intolerance.
Legal system.
............
As long as Sterling is willing to fight, the drama plays on. How would it play out in court? Would the NBA find it could not enforce its decision to expel Sterling? All of those who pile on verbally on record against Sterling expose themselves to scrutiny of their own "private words" and their actions. It is my experience that athletes can be amongst the most intolerant of people (Male and female, they are amongst the most gifted physically, socially, culturally and financially). We see that with the intolerance shown to Michael Sam and others who are gay. If the NBA succeeds in kicking Sterling out of its club, what precedent does that set for other pro sports team owners and their leagues?
Donald Sterling has a terrible reputation as an owner going back decades. He has lots of enemies and is generating huge amounts of ill will towards himself. Every time he speaks publicly he makes it worse for himself.
Looking forward to seeing how it plays out. Looking forward to seeing the fallout. It would be nice if something good came out of the entire mess. And it will be interesting.
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.
Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.
Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.
Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
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My sense is that, deplorable as Sterling's actions have been, it will be very difficult for the NBA to strip him of his team and enforce a $250M fine. He has been, can, and will be shunned, shamed, and scorned (that's the best I can do for alliteration), but I just don't see how a big-time lawsuit against him for private remarks can win. If he decides to fight, I think there will be a compromise worked out.
In my opinion, Commissioner Silver and the NBA leapt before they looked. I think they would have been wise to have immediately decried the comment (so as not to look in any way sympathetic to Sterling or reluctant to call him out), but then to have sat down with their lawyers for a day or two and thought it through in order to figure out just what sanctions they could successfully apply. Then, with some thought behind it, announce their intentions to do X, Y, and Z to Sterling. I could be dead wrong about this, as I'm neither a lawyer nor knowledgeable about the NBA's rules regarding owners, but it looks to me that they have over-reached on this.
Of course, only time will tell.
In my opinion, Commissioner Silver and the NBA leapt before they looked. I think they would have been wise to have immediately decried the comment (so as not to look in any way sympathetic to Sterling or reluctant to call him out), but then to have sat down with their lawyers for a day or two and thought it through in order to figure out just what sanctions they could successfully apply. Then, with some thought behind it, announce their intentions to do X, Y, and Z to Sterling. I could be dead wrong about this, as I'm neither a lawyer nor knowledgeable about the NBA's rules regarding owners, but it looks to me that they have over-reached on this.
Of course, only time will tell.
Pretty much my perspective too South P. IMO, the NBA did over-reach but certainly I am not an advocate for Sterling (or his comments).South Pender wrote:My sense is that, deplorable as Sterling's actions have been, it will be very difficult for the NBA to strip him of his team and enforce a $250M fine. He has been, can, and will be shunned, shamed, and scorned (that's the best I can do for alliteration), but I just don't see how a big-time lawsuit against him for private remarks can win. If he decides to fight, I think there will be a compromise worked out.
In my opinion, Commissioner Silver and the NBA leapt before they looked. I think they would have been wise to have immediately decried the comment (so as not to look in any way sympathetic to Sterling or reluctant to call him out), but then to have sat down with their lawyers for a day or two and thought it through in order to figure out just what sanctions they could successfully apply. Then, with some thought behind it, announce their intentions to do X, Y, and Z to Sterling. I could be dead wrong about this, as I'm neither a lawyer nor knowledgeable about the NBA's rules regarding owners, but it looks to me that they have over-reached on this.
Of course, only time will tell.
Wasn't a bad attempt at an alliteration at all! Here's my off the cuff shot:
Sterlings shunning, shaming and scorning should silence silly social sentences still said by sickos.
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Good grief, Guys!
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.
Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.
Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.
Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
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notahomer wrote: Pretty much my perspective too South P. IMO, the NBA did over-reach
Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp--or what's a heaven for? But only if that man is not a sports-league commissioner....
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There is no way IMO that the Clippers owner can stop the NBA from forcing the sale despite the evidence being a secretly recorded conversation. His lawsuit threat notwithstanding he faces on Tuesday a forced toss out of the league. The fine might be avoided if he sells.
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Dunno, Toppy, just my hunch, but it seems to me a stubborn owner can fight it, possibly successfully. If he stays the course.Toppy Vann wrote:There is no way IMO that the Clippers owner can stop the NBA from forcing the sale despite the evidence being a secretly recorded conversation. His lawsuit threat notwithstanding he faces on Tuesday a forced toss out of the league. The fine might be avoided if he sells.
He expressed a prejucial atttitude towards an ethnic group. There must be countless situations like this, but they used to go unrecorded. Michael Jordan, who has so much respect and goodwill favouring him, expressed racist attitudes towards whites in his younger days. Where is the line drawn on prejudice? I don't think we know yet. It is in the hands of public opinion and the courts.
We see lawsuits fighting exclusion from private clubs. Sterling is fighting exclusion from an elite club.
I dunno how this will turn out, obviously. But nothing would surprise me. Stays with punishment, and counselling. Goes. Fight goes on forever. Whatever ...
He is one of the worst owners ever. He won't be missed. But if he chooses to fight, it seems to me the outcome is unknown.
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.
Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.
Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.
Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
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CNN) -- Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has signed a binding agreement to buy the Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion from the Sterling family trust, a source familiar with the situation told CNN on Thursday night.
The sale, negotiated by Shelly Sterling -- co-owner with estranged husband Donald Sterling -- will have to be approved at a NBA Board of Governors meeting.
And it still may have to be approved by Donald Sterling, according to earlier comments by his attorney.
Maxwell Blecher told CNN earlier that his client would have to consent to a sale and wants to be vindicated by the NBA, which is in the process of terminating the Sterlings' ownership in the team for racist remarks Sterling made in an audio recording released online in April.
Lemon: He's an 8-track in an iTunes era
Sterling to 'fight to the bloody end'
The NBA has damaged Sterling's reputation, Blecher claimed in a lengthy interview with CNN's "The Situation Room."
"They know he is not a racist," he said.
Blecher said Sterling is troubled by the charges of racism. He thinks of himself as an exemplary owner with a 33-year history of supporting the African-American community, Blecher said.
"He wants to be vindicated. He doesn't want his tombstone to say, 'Here lies Donald Sterling, racist.' And the NBA has the power to make that right," Blecher said, without saying what Sterling wants the league to do.
In April, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Sterling, fined him $2.5 million and prompted the league's other 29 owners to begin proceeding to strip the longtime owner and his wife of the team.
Sterling is considering suing the NBA if he doesn't get the resolution he wants. Blecher said they weren't in a rush to file the lawsuit and were waiting in part in deference to Shelly Sterling as she negotiated the sale.
Biggest NBA deal ever
Ballmer is worth $20 billion, according to Forbes magazine. Another source said Ballmer's offer earlier Thursday was $1.8 billion and Shelly Sterling was hoping to get a price that "started with a two."
A group that included media moguls David Geffen and Oprah Winfrey also made a bid of $1.6 billion, the source told CNN.
If the deal goes through, it would be the largest sum paid for an NBA franchise. Last month, the Milwaukee Bucks, a bad team in a small television market, sold for $550 million.
But the Clippers are in the second largest market in the league, albeit one they share with the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most popular teams in professional sports.
The Clippers, however, have been more successful in recent seasons, including this one that ended in the second round of the NBA playoffs. They also have stars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. And their TV contract reportedly will expire in 2016 and could mean billions to the owner.
The purchase would have to be approved by 75% of the NBA's 30 owners. Last year they denied a sale to a group that included Ballmer that would have resulted in the Kings moving to Seattle, after the league's relocation committee recommended keeping the team in Sacramento.
Ballmer, who attended several Clippers playoff games, told the Wall Street Journal earlier this month he would not move the team from Los Angeles.
Donald Sterling has been the controlling owner of the Clippers since buying the team in 1981 for $12 million.
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.
Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.
Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.
Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.