Donald Sterling and the NBA

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Replies

  • HerkMeOff
    HerkMeOff Posts: 1,002 Member
    I don't care. His mistress recorded a private conversation and used it against him. In response, he's been called a racist in some criticisms that were full of racist remarks themselves. He's probably a *kitten*, hell, he is a *kitten*, but I just can't be bothered to care about a private fight between two individuals that involves a sport I don't watch.

    So you don't care?

    Wasn't sure if you made that clear.
  • lngbrd
    lngbrd Posts: 279 Member
    [I just can't be bothered to care about a private fight between two individuals that involves a sport I don't watch.
    [/quote]













    This
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    I don't care. His mistress recorded a private conversation and used it against him. In response, he's been called a racist in some criticisms that were full of racist remarks themselves. He's probably a *kitten*, hell, he is a *kitten*, but I just can't be bothered to care about a private fight between two individuals that involves a sport I don't watch.

    So you don't care?

    Wasn't sure if you made that clear.

    meh
  • rm33064
    rm33064 Posts: 270 Member
    I think it's a huge over reaction to something that really wasn't all that racist to begin with. All he said was he didn't want HIS girlfriend to bring black people to his games or post them on Instagram. His Mexican girlfriend by the way. He says himself on the tape that he isn't racist and loves minorities, she says on the tape she doesn't think he is racist either.The guy was about to get a 2nd NAACP award this week. All these people piling on calling this racism are just doing so because it's easy and fashionable to do. 99.9% of these people are nowhere to be found where there is real racism going on and the victims could really use these celebrities to take a stand and shed light on it. A dangerous precedent was set today in our smart phone filled society.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    is he an a-hole? sure, no doubt about it. he has a right to say what he wants IMO, and honestly it probably isn't any more or less racist than some of the things his players have probably said at one point or another.. banishment is a bit Ludacris, though i can see hitting him up with a fine.

    And here we go with the "free speech" argument.

    The NBA is a private company, for all intents and purposes. He represents the NBA. The NBA can mete out any punishment it wants.

    I did think it was a bit harsh, but it isn't like he's going to die in a gutter over it. I wish the professional sports organizations were this harsh on rapists, drunk drivers, murderers and dog abusers, though.
  • HerkMeOff
    HerkMeOff Posts: 1,002 Member
    I think it's a huge over reaction to something that really wasn't all that racist to begin with. All he said was he didn't want HIS girlfriend to bring black people to his games or post them on Instagram.

    ....yea...that's not racist....
  • rm33064
    rm33064 Posts: 270 Member
    I think it's a huge over reaction to something that really wasn't all that racist to begin with. All he said was he didn't want HIS girlfriend to bring black people to his games or post them on Instagram. His Mexican girlfriend by the way. He says himself on the tape that he isn't racist and loves minorities, she says on the tape she doesn't think he is racist either.The guy was about to get a 2nd NAACP award this week. All these people piling on calling this racism are just doing so because it's easy and fashionable to do. 99.9% of these people are nowhere to be found where there is real racism going on and the victims could really use these celebrities to take a stand and shed light on it. A dangerous precedent was set today in our smart phone filled society.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I think it's a huge over reaction to something that really wasn't all that racist to begin with. All he said was he didn't want HIS girlfriend to bring black people to his games or post them on Instagram. His Mexican girlfriend by the way. He says himself on the tape that he isn't racist and loves minorities, she says on the tape she doesn't think he is racist either.The guy was about to get a 2nd NAACP award this week. All these people piling on calling this racism are just doing so because it's easy and fashionable to do. 99.9% of these people are nowhere to be found where there is real racism going on and the victims could really use these celebrities to take a stand and shed light on it. A dangerous precedent was set today in our smart phone filled society.
    Are you aware of the multi-million-dollar court awards against him for housing discrimination against minorities?
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    It's stupid. You got a gold-digger wife trying to frame a racist rich guy, and the media jumps all over it.

    Means nothing in the long run to ANYONE, except to be symbolic.
  • rm33064
    rm33064 Posts: 270 Member
    On a scale of 1 to 10 it's a 2...
  • NormInv
    NormInv Posts: 3,303 Member
    BTW there are precedents:

    guy slapped baby on plane dude: http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2013/02/joe-rickey-hundley-fired-slapping-toddler-video/

    woman who tweeted that she was going to Africa and hope she didnt get AIDS

    I am not defending Sterling by any means. Scumbag of the earths. But I feel very strongly about the conduct of the bish who recorded him.
  • sentaruu
    sentaruu Posts: 2,206 Member
    is he an a-hole? sure, no doubt about it. he has a right to say what he wants IMO, and honestly it probably isn't any more or less racist than some of the things his players have probably said at one point or another.. banishment is a bit Ludacris, though i can see hitting him up with a fine.

    And here we go with the "free speech" argument.

    The NBA is a private company, for all intents and purposes. He represents the NBA. The NBA can mete out any punishment it wants.

    I did think it was a bit harsh, but it isn't like he's going to die in a gutter over it. I wish the professional sports organizations were this harsh on rapists, drunk drivers, murderers and dog abusers, though.

    if you had read like 4 more posts you would have seen I agreed that he should be held accountable for his speech. :drinker:
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    BTW there are precedents:

    guy slapped baby on plane dude: http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2013/02/joe-rickey-hundley-fired-slapping-toddler-video/

    woman who tweeted that she was going to Africa and hope she didnt get AIDS

    I am not defending Sterling by any means. Scumbag of the earths. But I feel very strongly about the conduct of the bish who recorded him.

    I'm pretty sure there's a rule to be found here about not dating gold digging *kitten*, but then again maybe the rule is don't lose your **** over them because you shouldn't get emotionally attached in the first place. Or, the rule is always cary a tape recorder if you are one so you can sell stuff to TMZ. Or, or . . . Yea. I'm entertained.

    But I don't care . . .


    Bah . . .
  • rm33064
    rm33064 Posts: 270 Member
    [/quote]
    Are you aware of the multi-million-dollar court awards against him for housing discrimination against minorities?
    [/quote]

    Yes I'm in the real estate business. The truth is property values are much lower in high minority neighborhoods. It's illegal and probably immoral to attempt to change the demographics of your real estate holdings but it isn't necessarily racist. It's business and guess what, it's being done in every city in every state in the union and there are many minority owners who engage in the practice,
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    is he an a-hole? sure, no doubt about it. he has a right to say what he wants IMO, and honestly it probably isn't any more or less racist than some of the things his players have probably said at one point or another.. banishment is a bit Ludacris, though i can see hitting him up with a fine.

    Agreed.
    How many of us have said less than politically correct things during private conversations with friends/family/significant other. Think about the possibility of all your comments, regardless of context or when/where you said them, being reason enough for someone to strip you of your entire livelihood.
    Is the man disgusting and a pig? Absolutely..but so are white supremacists in my mind..and they have the right to march on the capital and hand out hate info to anyone they please.

    Interesting read:
    http://time.com/79590/donald-sterling-kareem-abdul-jabbar-racism/

    He has the right to be a jerk, sure. The NBA also has the right to fine him.

    I don't get how the fact that racists are legally protected to racist free speech is a part of this conversation. This has nothing to do with his free speech rights.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    I can't wait till one of the players actually gets arrested or caught using a homophobic or racist slur. Somehow I doubt they will get a lifetime ban...
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    Also while we are on the bandwagon for racist comments why dont they ban Charles Barkley for life, and fine him?

    He stated about this very incident "You can't have this guy making statements like that. He has to suspend him and fine him immediately...We can not have an NBA owner discriminating against a league that's...we're a black league," Barkley said

    that is racism, or as I like to say hidden racism.

    If people here feel like arguments like this are intellectually valid, I'm going to save myself from all the "head-desk" bruising and check out of this conversation now.
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    Who the F cares if this was in the privacy of his own home and he didn't know he was recording him. We are talking about an "Owner" in a position of power where the majority of his employees are African American. Who has also faced the largest racial discrimination lawsuit settlement in history, who was quoted as saying "I want a bunch of poor black boys from the south and a white head coach" in a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by African American Elgin Baylor.

    The symbolism of an owner in a position of power and his views towards black people is disgusting, and the fact people are defending him because it was in his private space is laughable. Well it aint private anymore, and its bad for business. Talent that makes the NBA money. African American. The NBA more than any other sport is viewed by African Americans. No sponsors want to associate with a racist. No player will want to play for one.

    There is no place for that man in the NBA and I couldn't agree more with what was done. And the people defending him have my head spinning.
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    no, in the NBA.

    it makes no difference, the NBA is dominated by black players and white owners. Im SURE you can find clips of players calling whites names, voicing their opinions in public and private but they can because their opinions don't effect those white owners. Sterlings opinions DO and HAVE effected his actions both in the NBA and other ventures he has been in and out of court for over the decades.

    If this were the NHL or Golf sure the African American owner would be held to the same standard, and who would want such a MF around them... would YOU be okay with a racist Non-White person calling the shots at your job??

    so, there is a double standard then?

    UH YEAH!! of course there is.. Did African American people enslave, segregate, and deny rights to white folks? NOPE! With power comes great responsibility!!

    many people were enslaved at one point or another. This is not relevant to the current topic really.

    ok. this poster doesn't understand hitsorical context. You don't think the history of racism plays a roll in today's world?

    You might want to check yourself because your privilege is showing. How embarassing.
  • dwm2112
    dwm2112 Posts: 77 Member
    Sterling's a racist idiot. But you know what? The U.S. has a right to free speech written into its Constitution. In America, he's within his rights to be a racist idiot. It's not against the law. Citizens also have the right to due process. Trial in the media or public opinion is not due process. Mob mentality advocating revenge scares me.
  • jchap389
    jchap389 Posts: 54
    is he an a-hole? sure, no doubt about it. he has a right to say what he wants IMO, and honestly it probably isn't any more or less racist than some of the things his players have probably said at one point or another.. banishment is a bit Ludacris, though i can see hitting him up with a fine.

    Agreed.
    How many of us have said less than politically correct things during private conversations with friends/family/significant other. Think about the possibility of all your comments, regardless of context or when/where you said them, being reason enough for someone to strip you of your entire livelihood.
    Is the man disgusting and a pig? Absolutely..but so are white supremacists in my mind..and they have the right to march on the capital and hand out hate info to anyone they please.

    Interesting read:
    http://time.com/79590/donald-sterling-kareem-abdul-jabbar-racism/

    He has the right to be a jerk, sure. The NBA also has the right to fine him.

    I don't get how the fact that racists are legally protected to racist free speech is a part of this conversation. This has nothing to do with his free speech rights.

    Wait, what?
    Have you not read a single post in this whole thread?
    Pretty sure almost every one of us has agreed with the fining.....
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    no, in the NBA.

    it makes no difference, the NBA is dominated by black players and white owners. Im SURE you can find clips of players calling whites names, voicing their opinions in public and private but they can because their opinions don't effect those white owners. Sterlings opinions DO and HAVE effected his actions both in the NBA and other ventures he has been in and out of court for over the decades.

    If this were the NHL or Golf sure the African American owner would be held to the same standard, and who would want such a MF around them... would YOU be okay with a racist Non-White person calling the shots at your job??

    so, there is a double standard then?

    UH YEAH!! of course there is.. Did African American people enslave, segregate, and deny rights to white folks? NOPE! With power comes great responsibility!!

    many people were enslaved at one point or another. This is not relevant to the current topic really.

    ok. this poster doesn't understand hitsorical context. You don't think the history of racism plays a roll in today's world?

    You might want to check yourself because your privilege is showing. How embarassing.

    Oh it's you. The professional victim herself.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Sterling's a racist idiot. But you know what? The U.S. has a right to free speech written into its Constitution. In America, he's within his rights to be a racist idiot. It's not against the law. Citizens also have the right to due process. Trial in the media or public opinion is not due process. Mob mentality advocating revenge scares me.
    It is not against the law and that is why the government, the entity to which the Constitution applies, has not arrested him.
  • asamuels85
    asamuels85 Posts: 170 Member
    [/quote]

    What happens when my boss owns the company. And it doesn't affect me in the least. I just simply "don't like it". At what point does my "sentiment" start to infringe on HIS rights as a human, a business owner etc.
    It's really tough to argue sentiment and feelings in court. There has to be some justifiable and concrete evidence that this was causing disruption in the team PRIOR to it becoming public.
    Again, if there are other players that prior to this left because of unfair treatment, then why is the league just now saying this behavior is unacceptable?
    [/quote]

    Ummmmm you are missing the point YOU DONT AFFECT YOUR BOSS WITH SENTIMENT, WITH ACTION or anything else..... HE HAS POWER OVER YOU!! and will have power over your replacement once you disagree and leave.
    Money is what makes this come out now.. if they didn't do something the NBA stood to lose a lot of money.. did you see ALL the Clippers players toss their uniforms onto center court in protest? Nobody should have to work like that, not in a country of equality.

    Im white, but why do so many white folks not understand the power that they have? SENTURUU... NO whites have never been enslaved by blacks in this country.??? whaaat? now you're credibility is shot AND you still dont understand the Legacy of the white land owner in America
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Are you aware of the multi-million-dollar court awards against him for housing discrimination against minorities?

    Yes I'm in the real estate business. The truth is property values are much lower in high minority neighborhoods. It's illegal and probably immoral to attempt to change the demographics of your real estate holdings but it isn't necessarily racist. It's business and guess what, it's being done in every city in every state in the union and there are many minority owners who engage in the practice,
    So then you are aware of the statements he made about WHY he wouldn't rent to them?
  • jchap389
    jchap389 Posts: 54
    Sterling's a racist idiot. But you know what? The U.S. has a right to free speech written into its Constitution. In America, he's within his rights to be a racist idiot. It's not against the law. Citizens also have the right to due process. Trial in the media or public opinion is not due process. Mob mentality advocating revenge scares me.
    It is not against the law and that is why the government, the entity to which the Constitution applies, has not arrested him.

    Touche
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Who the F cares if this was in the privacy of his own home and he didn't know he was recording him. We are talking about an "Owner" in a position of power where the majority of his employees are African American. Who has also faced the largest racial discrimination lawsuit settlement in history, who was quoted as saying "I want a bunch of poor black boys from the south and a white head coach" in a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by African American Elgin Baylor.

    The symbolism of an owner in a position of power and his views towards black people is disgusting, and the fact people are defending him because it was in his private space is laughable. Well it aint private anymore, and its bad for business. Talent that makes the NBA money. African American. The NBA more than any other sport is viewed by African Americans. No sponsors want to associate with a racist. No player will want to play for one.

    There is no place for that man in the NBA and I couldn't agree more with what was done. And the people defending him have my head spinning.

    "Shouldn’t we be equally angered by the fact that his private, intimate conversation was taped and then leaked to the media? Didn’t we just call to task the NSA for intruding into American citizen’s privacy in such an un-American way? "

    http://time.com/79590/donald-sterling-kareem-abdul-jabbar-racism/
  • rm33064
    rm33064 Posts: 270 Member
    Who the F cares if this was in the privacy of his own home and he didn't know he was recording him. We are talking about an "Owner" in a position of power where the majority of his employees are African American. Who has also faced the largest racial discrimination lawsuit settlement in history, who was quoted as saying "I want a bunch of poor black boys from the south and a white head coach" in a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by African American Elgin Baylor.

    The symbolism of an owner in a position of power and his views towards black people is disgusting, and the fact people are defending him because it was in his private space is laughable. Well it aint private anymore, and its bad for business. Talent that makes the NBA money. African American. The NBA more than any other sport is viewed by African Americans. No sponsors want to associate with a racist. No player will want to play for one.

    There is no place for that man in the NBA and I couldn't agree more with what was done. And the people defending him have my head spinning.
    Everybody is acting like this some one in a million isolated incident. We all have some sort of bigotry in us and if you want to stand up and say you're a saint and you harbor no bigotry for anyone or anything go ahead, but I call b.s. Sterling is not the only one, he is one of many and I find what they are trying to do him a very dangerous precedent.
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    is he an a-hole? sure, no doubt about it. he has a right to say what he wants IMO, and honestly it probably isn't any more or less racist than some of the things his players have probably said at one point or another.. banishment is a bit Ludacris, though i can see hitting him up with a fine.

    Agreed.
    How many of us have said less than politically correct things during private conversations with friends/family/significant other. Think about the possibility of all your comments, regardless of context or when/where you said them, being reason enough for someone to strip you of your entire livelihood.
    Is the man disgusting and a pig? Absolutely..but so are white supremacists in my mind..and they have the right to march on the capital and hand out hate info to anyone they please.

    Interesting read:
    http://time.com/79590/donald-sterling-kareem-abdul-jabbar-racism/

    He has the right to be a jerk, sure. The NBA also has the right to fine him.

    I don't get how the fact that racists are legally protected to racist free speech is a part of this conversation. This has nothing to do with his free speech rights.

    Wait, what?
    Have you not read a single post in this whole thread?
    Pretty sure almost every one of us has agreed with the fining.....

    I was responding, in particular, to this that you said: "Is the man disgusting and a pig? Absolutely..but so are white supremacists in my mind..and they have the right to march on the capital and hand out hate info to anyone they please."
  • cparter
    cparter Posts: 754 Member
    Correct me if I am wrong here as I surely don't follow basketball of any kind. Isnt he talking to his girlfriend on the phone asking her not to be bringing her guys around? Isn't one of them interested in buying the team? Isn't that kinda convenient that this happened? I could be wrong but that is what I pieced together from the few stories I was able to sift through. Anyone?
    Should it matter. For one, the guy has a history of racism but now he has got caught on tape and admitted it was him. The NBA constitution and bylaws give the commissioner the right to ban him but it takes 75% of the owners to force him to sale the team.

    It does not affect me one way or the other. I did not raise an eyebrow to either side of the punishment spectrum. If he would have been fined only (fine), he was banished (fine) or if nothing was done (fine). In the end, trash is taken care of and in this case it was swift and without forethought. Yes, they can. Yes, they did. Yes, the team is as good as sold to a new owner group.
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