Should racist comments force LA Clippers owner to sell team?

I was wondering what you all thought of the LA Clippers owner situation. I suppose depending on the outcome of an investigation of course--- there is a lot of talk of forcing him to sell the team for his alleged racist comments.

Should he be forced out of ownership if found guilty?
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Comments

  • callencallen Posts: 6,388
    edited April 2014
    No. Can't take property for private conversations and social views. Allow free market to run its course. Will be interesting to see what happens.
    Post edited by callen on
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  • A racist who owns and employs black people? 100%
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  • IdrisIdris Posts: 2,317
    Of course (2 my mind) he should not be forced out, we don't even know all the facts yet. Anyway, freedom of speech, let him say what he wants, no fines no pressure to sell team.




  • JonnyPistachioJonnyPistachio Posts: 10,219
    I'm curious if the league does not force him to relinquish control of the team how the fans will react.
    Something tells me they should not be able to force him out, but business will never be the same for this guy.
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  • Last-12-ExitLast-12-Exit Posts: 8,661
    No, his bigotry is not illegal. And after all, it was a private conversation that was illeagally recorded and released. But he will get blackballed. No free agents will sign with that team and no teams will trade with that team as long as he is the owner.
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    i suspect he will be fined and forced to go through some sensitivity training course ... in the end, most of these owners are assholes anyways ... it's not like his racism was s secret ... it's just out in the open now ...
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,138
    polaris_x said:

    i suspect he will be fined and forced to go through some sensitivity training course ... in the end, most of these owners are assholes anyways ... it's not like his racism was s secret ... it's just out in the open now ...

    It's been out in the open for some time. Odd that the public AND players have waited this long to give him his due. He was a known bigot / slumlord / cheap skate as far back as I can remember. I think the only reason players chose to sign contracts in the past is because it was a last resort to play for a bottom feeder team or no team at all.

    It's only in the past few years that he opened the pocketbook and his past reputation didn't seem to matter at that time.
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,138
    Also, there is no way the owners or NBA will force him to sell for this. It would set a precedent where any morally wrong deed could be used to force an owner to sell.

    My guess is that he avoids the spotlight, pays a fine, and keeps the team until the day he dies.
  • WobbieWobbie Posts: 30,175
    sure....force him sell and pocket his $700+M profit. way of the world...the rich get richer.
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  • pjhawkspjhawks Posts: 12,529
    edited April 2014
    can't force him to sell the team. suspend him for a year. he is 81 years old. a suspension would almost force him to sell

    now i'll probably get ripped on here for saying this but i think the outrage over this is way overblown. do we really need everyone to weigh in on this including the freakin president? do we really need another team like the Heat having their own protest about this? the guy is a dick and said some shit about who is then gold digging girlfriend was hanging around with. is it really that bad?
    Post edited by pjhawks on
  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    Good thread, JP - I attempted a start at it yesterday but relegated it to drafts. Damn the need to properly articulate my thoughts!

    It's been all over the place here.

    First, I'd like to hear from Sterling himself. For a blowhard, he's been pretty quiet.

    Second, I'd like to know how and why the NAACP - with all of Sterling's not-so-great past out in the open for ages - would plan to bestow a lifetime achievement award on him. Do they not review his life when planning this momentous occasion or is it based on money given? Trying to save face now? They're as full of shit as Donald.

    (sidenote - how about the term "colored people" be stricken from their name? seems a weird term to me, think it would be to the organization as well)

    Anyway, I'm in the "speak out" camp, no matter your view. I want to see and hear people for who they are, for better or worse. Silencing any voice is dangerous, as are wearing blinders or earmuffs.

    Mark Cuban, who I'm not a huge fan of, actually made sense to me when he said this - "In this country, people are allowed to be morons...they're allowed to be stupid. They're allowed to think idiotic thoughts. ... "

    Of course - say and/or do what you will - and then let the chips fall.

    I'd also toss in that Sterling's ex?wife is no gem herself. This IS all about her wanting his money.


  • JimmyVJimmyV Posts: 19,172
    These comments didn't make him a racist. He was known to be one long before this and still allowed to be part of the precious fraternity of NBA owners. The outrage now should have been outrage for years before this.

    I don't think his team can or should be taken away. Even if it were possible it would be overreach. What the owners can do is make life miserable (or, more realistically, slightly less wonderful) for him. Make him understand he is no longer wanted. Eventually he will cash in and go away.
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  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,049
    I like this quote from President Obama:

    "When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don't really have to do anything, you just let them talk. That's what happened here."

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/27/david-sterling-clippers-racist-recording-obama-backlash
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  • Cliffy6745Cliffy6745 Posts: 33,840
    How is this any different from Marge Schott? I don't see how it is at all

    I think the goal will be a punishment harsh enough that the only recourse is to sell the team, as was the case with Schott
  • Cliffy6745Cliffy6745 Posts: 33,840
    pjhawks said:

    can't force him to sell the team. suspend him for a year. he is 81 years old. a suspension would almost force him to sell

    now i'll probably get ripped on here for saying this but i think the outrage over this is way overblown. do we really need everyone to weigh in on this including the freakin president? do we really need another team like the Heat having their own protest about this? the guy is a dick and said some shit about who is then gold digging girlfriend was hanging around with. is it really that bad?

    I mean, saying that you don't want people you are close with to associate with black people in public is pretty awful. As is saying that you buy houses, cars and everything else for the players as if their skills are meaningless.
  • JimmyVJimmyV Posts: 19,172
    I will say that the NBA is a strange business to be in if you have a problem with black people.
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  • unsungunsung Posts: 9,487
    callen said:

    No. Can't take property for private conversations and social views. Allow free market to run its course. Will be interesting to see what happens.


    Agreed. The market will decide correctly.
  • i say make him keep the team.

    why make him sell and reward him with the profits he will get?

    what is done is done. his business will never be the same. corporate sponsors are abandoning him faster than fox news abandoned cliven bundy.

    racism is something that will not go well in sports. especially in basketball where the majority of the players are of ethnic minority descent. players would refuse to be drafted by this team. free agents will not sign. current players will opt out. fans will not buy the merch, unless they are racist assholes doing it for a joke. maybe the players should just refuse to play? the league would have to act then, because too many teams would lose money when the clippers no show at the away games.

    interesting situation for sure.

    and just think, two weeks ago the supreme court declared that racism is over and then we get bundy and this dude resurrecting it from the dead.
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  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    brianlux said:

    I like this quote from President Obama:

    "When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don't really have to do anything, you just let them talk. That's what happened here."

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/27/david-sterling-clippers-racist-recording-obama-backlash

    Obama LED the backlash?

    I don't think so - people were speaking out on this before and with him.

    Sorry man, while I totally agree with his quote, that was one oddly-worded article (not to mention - David Sterling?).


  • lukin2006lukin2006 Posts: 9,087
    what i find interesting is that naacp has honored him in the past and was about to honor him again ... hmmm. Also his sponsors will eventually come back once this all blows over and players will play for him, those are 12 highly paid jobs he has available ... money talks these days ... imo.
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  • callencallen Posts: 6,388

    I'm curious if the league does not force him to relinquish control of the team how the fans will react.
    Something tells me they should not be able to force him out, but business will never be the same for this guy.

    Or imagine players. Who's going to play for him? Coach? He's likely toast but can't take private property due to opinions. As bad as they are.
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  • callencallen Posts: 6,388
    edited April 2014
    pjhawks said:

    can't force him to sell the team. suspend him for a year. he is 81 years old. a suspension would almost force him to sell

    now i'll probably get ripped on here for saying this but i think the outrage over this is way overblown. do we really need everyone to weigh in on this including the freakin president? do we really need another team like the Heat having their own protest about this? the guy is a dick and said some shit about who is then gold digging girlfriend was hanging around with. is it really that bad?

    Agree. Cringed when I read Obama elected to add his thoughts. He needed to Stay out of it. For a few reasons
    Post edited by callen on
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  • callencallen Posts: 6,388
    JimmyV said:

    I will say that the NBA is a strange business to be in if you have a problem with black people.

    Well but remember the cotton farmers. Same thing.
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  • CosmoCosmo Posts: 12,225
    I'm looking on the bright side... Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to the Lakers.
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  • callencallen Posts: 6,388
    Cosmo said:

    I'm looking on the bright side... Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to the Lakers.

    :)) :))
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  • normnorm Posts: 31,146
    NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has tentatively decided to suspend Clippers owner Donald Sterling INDEFINITELY and impose a multi-million-dollar fine -- but Sterling will NOT be forced to sell the team -- sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ Sports.

    We're told the suspension does NOT include members of Sterling's immediate family, but the NBA will have approval rights on who is running the team.

    We're told Commissioner Adam Silver had a forensic expert review the recording and found no evidence it was altered and confirmed Sterling's voice.

    And we're told ... an NBA investigator spoke with Sterling by phone after we posted the recording and the Clippers owner agreed to sit down for a follow-up interview but then changed his mind and backed out.

    And we're told V. Stiviano told NBA reps the same thing we've reported ... that she had Sterling's consent before she recorded him.

    One source tells us the fine has been tentatively set at $5 Mil.
  • mca47mca47 Posts: 13,290
    How can anyone "force" someone to sell their business for being racist or any other crazy idea they have in their head? If all racists had to sell their businesses then unemployment in the south would be near 95%! :))
    Joking aside, there is no way he's coming back from this. Players will want to leave, fans will stop going to games, he'll lose a TON of money as a result. Money was and has been this guy's bottom line the whole time. He shouldn't be forced to, but he should also probably sell while the team still has some value.
  • JimmyVJimmyV Posts: 19,172
    callen said:

    JimmyV said:

    I will say that the NBA is a strange business to be in if you have a problem with black people.

    Well but remember the cotton farmers. Same thing.
    You might be right.
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  • normnorm Posts: 31,146
    banned for life!
  • Cliffy6745Cliffy6745 Posts: 33,840
    DAMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNN
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