Current Events

Banned For Life!

DJ April 30, 2014

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April 30, 2014

Current Events –

Banned For Life!

The swift hammer of justice has fallen hard on racist LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling, as the league has doled perhaps its harshest penalty in history.

Current Events
Yesterday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver struck Sterling with a stunning one/two punch by fining the owner $2.5 million dollars (the maximum under current league guidelines), then banning him for life from all NBA activities. This means Sterling can no longer be involved in any team personnel or financial decisions, and is permanently banned from the Clippers locker room, practices and from even being in the building during home games.

Sterling then went in for the knock out punch by initiating league proceedings along with other NBA owners to force Sterling to sell the team. Ouch!

“The central findings of the investigation are that the man whose voice is on the recordings … is Mr. Sterling and that the hateful feelings are those of Mr. Sterling. The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply disturbing and alarming,” Silver said during a news conference Tuesday.

“As for Mr. Sterling’s ownership interest in the Clippers,” Silver added, “I will urge the board of governors to force a sale of the team and will do everything in my power to ensure that happens.”

Current Events
Silver’s actions were seen as crucial to the survival of the Clippers franchise and he is being widely applauded for his swift response. Various team members are said to have been mounting a boycott of their current playoff series, threatening to simply not show up to play so long as Sterling remained their boss. Clippers head coach Doc Rivers went public with sentiments that he has considered not returning to work for Sterling next season. Also, several free agent players made it clear that they would never consider the Clippers as a desirable place to play so long as Sterling was the owner. Collectively, these actions were powerful enough to threaten the stability of the Clippers franchise, which would have had a direct impact on the strength of the league itself.

As for Donald Sterling, he has reportedly contacted his now “ex” girlfriend regarding 100 additional hours of recorded phone conversations, asking her “How can we make all this go away?” Sterling also angrily assured the league that he has no intentions of selling his team. However, if Silver can get 3/4ths of NBA owners (about 23 of them) on board, Sterling can indeed be forced to sell.

OK WASSUP! covers the current events of the day,

including yesterday’s ruling by the NBA to ban LA Clippers owner

Donald Sterling for life over his recorded racist remarks.

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DJ April 30, 2014

9 2 minutes read

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Truthizz

April 30, 2014 11:56 AM

While I appreciate the steps taken by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver yesterday, I feel the NBA is way late in dealing with Sterling.

As DJ points out- many (if not most) NBA players/teams had made it quite clear that they were ready to BOYCOTT the playoffs..meaning a LOSS of MILLION$ of dollar$ in addition to the tens of MILLION$ of dollar$ in loss as sponsors bail by the minute from the Clippers organization.

Given that reality did Mr. Silver (the owners) really have a choice but to come down hard on Sterling?!

No. And it still ain't over.

Susan

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April 30, 2014 3:59 PM

I was expecting a lot more from the NBA. I understand that this is the maximum penalty that they can give but I am not satisfied. Like many, I am disappointed that the NBA and others allowed this to go on for so long. What is a 2 million dollar fine to a billionaire? Oh and he loses his team but that requires him to have to sell it and make a profit (potentially a more substantial profit). I don't know the law but is there any requirements on how much he can sell it for?

April 30, 2014 5:35 PM

The truth is, I get angry thinking about just how many people were/ARE complicit in ignoring the well-documented (and long history of), racist and bigoted acts committed by people in HIGH (executive decision-making) positions of authority. For money.

Since this story broke, Bomani Jones (sports writer/ESPN pundit) has been busy CALLING OUT the NBA and sports media (in particular) for ACTING like Sterling's reprehensible history is some kind of "New" revelation?!

Bomani points out that, in 2006, he actually wrote a piece FOR ESPN detailing Sterling's racist impulses against "Black and Brown people" titled "Sterling's Racism SHOULD BE News."

Bomani's piece centered mostly around the Federal Government's case against Sterling for Housing Discrimination. It got mostly NO attention. Not even ESPN.

But Sterling gets caught on tape disparaging Magic Johnson and in an instant, all H*ll breaks loose!?!

Wow….smh.

Samantha

April 30, 2014 7:41 PM

Though I understand their decision, I am unsure if I agree with the outcome. Should we ban everyone that says something that we do not agree with? Even if what they said was vile or inappropriate. I just think we have to come up with a better option than immediate firing or expulsion.

Mr. BD

April 30, 2014 8:52 PM

I think this was the right thing to do. Presedent was already set with Marge Shott who used to own the Cincinatti Reds and got banned over racist comments too. Thank you NBA for answering the call.

Walter

April 30, 2014 10:46 PM

The NBA is equally to blame and I am happy to see them taking some responsibility by letting this horrid man go. Now they must come to terms with their involvement.

Jessica

May 1, 2014 12:11 AM

How come whenever there is a inarguably overt racist who is publicly shamed (see Paula Deen, Don Imus, etc.) everyone becomes a critical race expert?

Liam

April 30, 2014 12:03 PM

Like what happened with the NAACP, money talks and is a strong motivator for action. Even if it is not the action we all want to see. Personally, I would have preferred to see the boycott and the crumbling of the organization. People need to see how their words affect others in other places than the wallet. And that includes the NBA.

Sterling is not the first and certainly not the last and this could become an eye opener for those involved now and in the future.

Linda

April 30, 2014 6:43 PM

It should be no surprise to anyone that this behavior is occurring in higher management. Money/greed does not discriminate and anyone can be in this position, color aside. The sad part is the general consensus is that this behavior is not happening behind the scenes. Worse is when people of color try to expose injustice they are told that they are blowing things out of proportion.