NBA Owner Sterling

[n david]

First, what the man said was wrong. I do not approve or agree with what he said. It was racism, plain and simple.

That said, is the lifetime ban from everything and the $2.5 million fine, along with the strong encouragement that the rest of the owners vote to take his ownership away appropriate or heavy handed?

[Fionn mac Cumh]

First, what the man said was wrong. I do not approve or agree with what he said. It was racism, plain and simple.

That said, is the lifetime ban from everything and the $2.5 million fine, along with the strong encouragement that the rest of the owners vote to take his ownership away appropriate or heavy handed?

Dude has a blatant history of racism. Thats bad for business when your sport is 85% black and a major part of black culture. Its bad for business. This is like you having a business partner who insults the majority of your customers and workers at the same time. I would force him out ASAP

[Pressing-On]

In full context of his remarks, I was more offended that they are BOTH a disgusting couple.

Later, the man went on: “You can sleep with them, you can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that and not to bring them to my games.”

[n david]

In full context of his remarks, I was more offended that they are BOTH a disgusting couple.

Later, the man went on: “You can sleep with them, you can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that and not to bring them to my games.”
I agree! It's horrible that he was accepting of her sleeping around. Then again, this guy's moral compass is completely broken.

[n david]

I listened to the presser.

1) IMO, the commish had to give the max, or face chaos. He sounded very uncomfortable. Didn't see it, but his voice was not confident at all.

2) The commish said the punishment was only based on the 9-minute phone conversation (more on that). If this is true, IMO it was heavy handed and excessive. If they had based it on more than just one issue, I would be okay with the lifetime ban.

3) I abhor what he said, at the same time I hope he sues both the gold digger who baited him into saying these things and TMZ who paid and distributed the audio. This was supposed to be a PRIVATE conversation (more on this, too). IIRC, Cali requires both parties consent to tape a phone conversation.

Listen to the audio, he did not volunteer the information, he was responding to her questions baiting him into saying these things.

4). Mark Cuban said it's a slippery slope. I agree. Will the NBA now start legislating private conversations? What if someone records a conservative owner during a private conversation giving his opinion of homosexuals or other non-pc topics?

I don't like that they used a felonious recording of a private conversation to make a heavy handed punishment.

That said, I don't think the NBA commish had a choice but to do so.

[Fionn mac Cumh]

I listened to the presser.

1) IMO, the commish had to give the max, or face chaos. He sounded very uncomfortable. Didn't see it, but his voice was not confident at all.

2) The commish said the punishment was only based on the 9-minute phone conversation (more on that). If this is true, IMO it was heavy handed and excessive. If they had based it on more than just one issue, I would be okay with the lifetime ban.

3) I abhor what he said, at the same time I hope he sues both the gold digger who baited him into saying these things and TMZ who paid and distributed the audio. This was supposed to be a PRIVATE conversation (more on this, too). IIRC, Cali requires both parties consent to tape a phone conversation.

Listen to the audio, he did not volunteer the information, he was responding to her questions baiting him into saying these things.

4). Mark Cuban said it's a slippery slope. I agree. Will the NBA now start legislating private conversations? What if someone records a conservative owner during a private conversation giving his opinion of homosexuals or other non-pc topics?

I don't like that they used a felonious recording of a private conversation to make a heavy handed punishment.

That said, I don't think the NBA commish had a choice but to do so.

Read what I wrote. Also this has to do with his racist past as well. Look his past up.

[n david]

Read what I wrote. Also this has to do with his racist past as well. Look his past up.
Did you listen to the presser? The question was asked if his past had anything to do with the punishment. The commish said no. He punished him based on this illegally taped, private phone conversation.

I understand he's been accused of things and sued by the Justice Dept before. But that had no bearing on the punishment, per the Commish.

[Fionn mac Cumh]

Did you listen to the presser? The question was asked if his past had anything to do with the punishment. The commish said no. He punished him based on this illegally taped, private phone conversation.

I understand he's been accused of things and sued by the Justice Dept before. But that had no bearing on the punishment, per the Commish.

Ok lets pretend that it didnt. You now what did? The huge backlash. You know what was part of that backlash? The phone call along with his racist past. I dont think these cry baby millionaire athletes are the victims by any stretch of the imagination. That being said, either is some old fart bigot billionaire either. You cant be in the public eye and say things like that like it or now. Especially when the majority of you employees and customer base is the minority you dont like. Stop acting like he is some victim here. Again, he will sell the team he bought for 13million for 1.5billion. Let that sink in.

[Fionn mac Cumh]

There are no victims in this whole thing. We are talking about a billionaire racist and a bunch of minorities who own their riches to a bigot. Doc Rivers knew Sterling was a racist. So did the other players. I just want this whole thing to go away now.

[n david]

Ok lets pretend that it didnt. You now what did? The huge backlash. You know what was part of that backlash? The phone call along with his racist past.
We don't have to pretend, unless you think the Commish is lying. Why would he lie and say he based the punishment solely on the phone call and not on past accusations of prejudice?

Of course the Commish felt he HAD to act and give the max punishment, or else he'd have all kinds of stupid chaos with players boycotting and Al Sharpton bringing a riot to NBA HQ.

I dont think these cry baby millionaire athletes are the victims by any stretch of the imagination.
Of course not. These are grown men making millions of dollars playing a game. Gimme a break.

That being said, either is some old fart bigot billionaire either. You cant be in the public eye and say things like that like it or now. Especially when the majority of you employees and customer base is the minority you dont like.
It was a private conversation. As much as I abhor his comments, he has a right to a private conversation. Or is free speech lost now?

Stop acting like he is some victim here. Again, he will sell the team he bought for 13million for 1.5billion. Let that sink in.
:lol

I never said he was a victim. He got what he deserved. Did he really think that this (I'll be nice) VERY loose woman cared about anything else but his money? How stupid can this guy be? I listened to the 9 minute call, completely amazed that he realized she was baiting him. She knew what she was doing. She was setting herself up for a big payday.

[Praxeas]

First, what the man said was wrong. I do not approve or agree with what he said. It was racism, plain and simple.

That said, is the lifetime ban from everything and the $2.5 million fine, along with the strong encouragement that the rest of the owners vote to take his ownership away appropriate or heavy handed?
aside from the ban, the money was pocket change and the Clippers and the NBA will NEED another owner. It's good business. Who wants to play for a white man that hates blacks?

He needs to go

[Praxeas]

I listened to the presser.

1) IMO, the commish had to give the max, or face chaos. He sounded very uncomfortable. Didn't see it, but his voice was not confident at all.

.
It's his first big shin dig

[n david]

aside from the ban, the money was pocket change and the Clippers and the NBA will NEED another owner. It's good business. Who wants to play for a white man that hates blacks?

He needs to go
He's been voted either the absolute worst or one of the worst to play for, for a long time. The fact that he's racist has been known as well. Yet CP still signed to play with them, and Doc Rivers still signed to be the coach.

I agree, it's better for the Clippers to get rid of Sterling.

[Praxeas]

He's been voted either the absolute worst or one of the worst to play for, for a long time. The fact that he's racist has been known as well. Yet CP still signed to play with them, and Doc Rivers still signed to be the coach.

I agree, it's better for the Clippers to get rid of Sterling.
This recent event can't be compared to the Past. It's blatant and what the players knew about the man we can only speculate

But NOW it's far far different. It's bad for the league. I didn't know about Sterling before this came out

[n david]

California's wiretapping law is a "two-party consent" law. California makes it a crime to record or eavesdrop on any confidential communication, including a private conversation or telephone call, without the consent of all parties to the conversation. See Cal. Penal Code § 632. The statute applies to "confidential communications" -- i.e., conversations in which one of the parties has an objectively reasonable expectation that no one is listening in or overhearing the conversation.

Source Link (http://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/california-recording-law)

Hopefully she's charged for breaking the law.

[Praxeas]

Source Link (http://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/california-recording-law)

Hopefully she's charged for breaking the law.
He's still bad for the league, the Clippers and LA

[n david]

Read on a couple websites a theory going around now is that Magic Johnson may have paid this hooker to set Sterling up, so Johnson and his company could buy the Clippers when Sterling was kicked out.

If this is true, Johnson and his group should be banned as well.

[Fionn mac Cumh]

Free speech only protects you from govt actions not your employer. Also how you are in your private is how you really are. But I guess its OK to be a closet racist. Just don't let it become public. This isn't the legal system here. We can't just deem the conversation emissable. He said what he said and we all heard it.

[n david]

Free speech only protects you from govt actions not your employer.
So employers are okay to take our private phone conversations and use them to fire us? You're kidding, right? I believe what you mean is because Sterling had a contract with the NBA, and because in the contract there is likely language which governs how the owners are expected to represent their team...that is the small ledge the NBA is standing on to ban Sterling for life and try to force him to sell the team.

Also how you are in your private is how you really are. But I guess its OK to be a closet racist. Just don't let it become public.
I agree. It's not okay to be racist, in the closet or out. I've already spoken against what he said; however, I do believe that private conversations should be left private. It's ridiculous that not only do people not have any privacy because of big brother, but people like Sterling have to worry about being set up and recorded.

This isn't the legal system here. We can't just deem the conversation emissable. He said what he said and we all heard it.
Yes, but why did he say what he said? Did the Commish not hear what I and many others heard -- that this hooker was steering the conversation and baiting him into saying these things? Listen to the audio. He's not doing a Mel Gibson-style rant. He's answering questions and responding to what she's saying.

Again, what he said is despicable. But would he have said any of that to her on that phone call without her driving the conversation the way she did?

I don't think so.

[Fionn mac Cumh]

The sad truth is if you are rich and or famous you have no private life. You also have to be very PC about everything you say and do or risk an economic boycott. That's just how it is. I just don't think he was baited into having said what he said.