Additional racist comments attributed to Clippers' Donald Sterling released

[dallen]

They claim they do. When David Stern voided the Chris Paul to the Lakers deal, the Lakers were not going to sue because it's cutting off their nose to spite their face. At the end of the day, they are playing a game, and they've kinda implicitly agreed that the Commissioner has the final say on Rule interpretation.

If you remove the Clippers franchise from the NBA, though, Sterling has no more incentive to play by the rules. He's not going to simply lie down and accept the NBA cancelling his contracts on their say-so. It's going to go to a court.

And I'm not so sure a judge would agree that the NBA has the power to do that unilaterally.

What would be the poing of fighting it though? The longer he drags out a fight he has no hope of winning the more he lowers the value of the team. (not winning in a legal sense, winning in a actually being a part of the NBA sense)

 

[dallen]

I'm with Schmitty on this as to the reaction by the NBA. They are racking up a lot of potential liabilaties by moving this drastic this quickly. The pressure to punish rapidly for public sentiment may get them in a place to where the wiggle room is gone. I hope they had excellent legal counselor because they appear to have set a lot of prescident moves over the last few days.

Silver is an attorney

 

[Texas Ace]

Besides the constitution I'd like to see the paperwork that owners agree to when signing on for ownership. Surely Silver and the rest of the league attorneys have something firm in hand that will back up this punishment.

I don't think the head of the NBA would rush to judgment w/o a leg to stand on just to placate the masses. There's got to be some sort of ownership code of conduct that all owners must adhere to and I'm guessing that's what they're banking on to uphold this ruling.

Right.

 

[UncleMilti]

Sterling is a total asshole, but he will add some serious cash to his coffers if the NBA forces him to sell the team over words and statements he made in his own home.

That is the kicker....he can be whatever he wants to be in his own home..racist, bigot...whatever. No court in this country will punish him for his right of free speech.

Cuban basically said the same thing. The NBA is acting like they are the Supreme court, with Silver one of the Justices.

The fallout from players and fans will add up to forcing the guy to give up the team.....to me that is more justice than the NBA pulling a power move on him.

 

[boozeman]

I'm with Schmitty on this as to the reaction by the NBA. They are racking up a lot of potential liabilaties by moving this drastic this quickly. The pressure to punish rapidly for public sentiment may get them in a place to where the wiggle room is gone. I hope they had excellent legal counselor because they appear to have set a lot of prescident moves over the last few days.

It was hardly surprising. The "outrage" on Twitter was only equaled by the lauding of Silver for delivering "justice". There are mass murderers who have been judged less quickly and harshly. Just the way our society is now I guess.

 

[BipolarFuk]

Forced to sell the team? OH NOES!!

Bought it for 12 mil 20 years ago and now is worth almost 600 mil.

 

[boozeman]

Forced to sell the team? OH NOES!!

Bought it for 12 mil 20 years ago and now is worth almost 600 mil.

Hmmm. Lemme think. Yeah, I am going to go with he doesn't get what the team is worth because he's going to be forced to sell.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Silver is an attorney

He still needs legal counsel to fall back on if things go sideways for him. I wouldn't take on that chore by myself even if I was a former Chief Justice.

 

[Cotton]

Two rap songs already mention Sterling. They are both fucking horrible. Not because of what they are trying to express; they are just really bad.

Needless to say, NSFW.

 

[Cotton]

Ugh.

 

[boozeman]

Two rap songs already mention Sterling. They are both fucking horrible. Not because of what they are trying to express; they are just really bad.

Needless to say, NSFW.

I gotta tell ya, excellent musical work like that will really aid in making people more racially sensitive.

 

[Carl]

I think Silver might be jealous of the real Donalds hair.

 

[BipolarFuk]

Too bad one of Teh Jer's whores doesn't get him liquored up and record him.

 

[EZ22]

A lifetime ban doesn't seem so bad when you're 81.

 

[EZ22]

Freedom of speech in government is worlds different than in private organizations that have conduct/behavior requirements in their contracts.

 

[EZ22]

Doesn't surprise me that Schmitty and many others here are defending this guy.

 

[NoDak]

Doesn't surprise me that Schmitty and many others here are defending this guy.

Who's defending him? Pretty much everyone has said he's a POS and are only questioning the process and the way it's taking place.

 

[Carp]

To me it does not matter how it got out. He said it and admitted to it. If I am another owner I don't want a fellow owner in the league I am invested in to have those views.

 

[Smitty]

Doesn't surprise me that Schmitty and many others here are defending this guy.

Doesn't surprise me that you so quickly forget things like due process.

 

[Smitty]

Freedom of speech in government is worlds different than in private organizations that have conduct/behavior requirements in their contracts.

Yes, but private organizations can dictate what their employees say and do. A television network can dictate what their show hosts say and do. A commercial sponsor can withdraw their funding if they don't like the message that is being sent.

When you are the owner, though, you own something. You have property rights that are just as sacred as the right to the house you own. Donald Sterling owns the property that is the LA Clippers. I have a hard time believing the league can actually take it away from him or force him to sell it to them if he doesn't want to.

And a lifetime ban is very similar. Oh, so I can't make personnel decisions for the team I own, eh Adam Silver? Kindly go F yourself, I own this team, I'll sign whoever I want.

In the end the league will slog him down with litigation and they will come to some sort of agreement that he turns over control, like what happened with Marge Schott, but I'd be shocked if you ever see a Court actually order that they have the unilateral power to deprive him of the right to run the team that he owns.