NBA

[KennyTheKangaroo]

"In this country, people are allowed to be morons," Cuban said. "They're allowed to be stupid. They're allowed to think idiotic thoughts.

[PensFanInDC]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10854 ... king-owner

I think I agree with Cuban. Let the sponsors and fans force the sale. The NBA should not do it. It is indeed a slippery slope.

/libertarian

Assuming he says "up yours, just to stick it to everyone I will run this team with my own fortune, pay league mininmum salaries, and wont care who shows up to watch" that will have financial implications for the rest of the league. At what point can they demand action?

If he pays league minimum salaries then no real player will want to play there. The on the court product will falter and the team will lose value. He won't do that. He's going to be gone I think. I just don't think the league should be able to force him to sell. I don't know one thing about what owning a sports franchise entails though. Are there league stipulations that can force the sale?

[pittsoccer33]

They can force a sale if there is gambling/game fixing or if the the team is faltering financially.

[columbia]

2 pm press conference scheduled.

[PensFanInDC]

Maybe the players (most of whom I assume are black) make a stand and refuse to play at the beginning of next season if nothing happens to him. Yes, it is a breach of contract, but it would send a helluva message.

[PensFanInDC]

Also:

I can't believe I now have multiple posts in an NBA thread.

[columbia]

Yep. I'm heading to Italy and let me know when you've addressed the situation.

[columbia]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10854 ... king-owner

I think I agree with Cuban. Let the sponsors and fans force the sale. The NBA should not do it. It is indeed a slippery slope.

/libertarian

Well, it's a private business matter, so the the league doing whatever it wants - provided that it's allowed by the NBA constitution - would seem to be a libertarian outcome.

[ulf]

I'd expect the players association to demand some sort of free agency for current LAC players unless he is forced out

[Shyster]

I feel like it would be difficult for a bunch of hockey fans to sympathize with the black community (because statistically, hockey players and fans are pretty predominately white) but c'mon, this goes well beyond just "being offended". Trust me, I think it's ridiculous when people are offended whenever someone says something marginally offensive.

But this goes well beyond just being offended. I think it goes without saying that blacks have gone through some terrible crap in this country and Sterling's comments are very racist and pretty much "blacks are not on the same level as whites" (I think at one point he refers to blacks as "the enemy"...could be wrong though).

Now obviously I can't say for certain because I'm whiter then a ghost that feel in a bucket of bleach, but I would feel like as a black person having to deal with a lifetime of people saying that I'm not on the same level of humanity or whatever as them gets pretty damn hurtful and whatnot. I think Sterling should definitely lose his ownership of the team.

So something "marginally" offensive doesn't deserve punishment, but something "damn hurtful" does? What is the dividing line? Who gets to choose? For example, is does something qualify as "damn hurtful" in relation to the most sensitive possible offended person (e.g., someone who brings their own fainting couch wherever they go) or only when found to be so by the most thick-skinned person of that class?

I say no to it all. I don't care why someone is offended or what they or their ancestors went through. No one has a right to not be offended.

[tifosi77]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10854 ... king-owner

That's more or less confirming what was being speculated over the weekend; that other owners have been slow to call for Sterling's ouster because of the potential ramifications on their own ownership positions. I guess in that light it isn't surprising that Cuban is the one making this public statement.

Reports are that there are hundreds of hours of conversations made with his consent. She is on the payroll employed as an Archivist to record his thoughts and accounts of life. Also, she is not the first that his wife has filed suit against to have property returned.

I heard that this morning, that he frequently has his conversations recorded - at his own behest - because as he ages he is becoming ever more forgetful and he wants to have a record of everything he says.

[tifosi77]

Maybe the players (most of whom I assume are black) make a stand and refuse to play at the beginning of next season if nothing happens to him. Yes, it is a breach of contract, but it would send a helluva message.

If I'm not mistaken, federal law would protect the players from any breach of contract claims (both from the Clippers and the NBA) because this is a racial discrimination matter.

I think the only real question for the players is whether or not they want to throw away the chances of playoff success by taking what by all accounts (I have zero interest in basketball) is a very good team and essentially tossing it into the trash bin. Athletes have a very short shelf life, and good teams (in any sport) usually even shorter still. Two, three years. As professional athletes, can the individual Clippers players afford to just up and bail on what may be their best chance?

[Staggy]

Woahhh Silver just dropped the nuke and banned Sterling from the Clippers and NBA for life.

Also a $2.5 million fine (maximum allowed) and is urging the board of governers to force a sell of the team.

[tifosi77]

That's kind of a big deal.

[Ad@m]

Banned from the NBA for life

Fined 2.5 Million

[columbia]

That's kind of a big deal.

"Don't let the door hit you in the ass."

[tifosi77]

Of two minds on this: On the one hand, the guy is a turd and I can totally understand wanting to be rid of him. On the other, encouraging the board of governors to invoke their power to force the sale of the team, if successful, really only serves to put $1 billion in Sterling's pockets.... I guess they can deduct the $2.5 million fine from that.

[Letang Is The Truth]

i think the NBA was smart not to take this to the owners. if it came up 50/50 then everyone looks kind of silly

[skullman80]

Guy got what he deserved. Good on the NBA.

[count2infinity]

remember when George Steinbrenner was "banned for life"?

[America]

I don't agree with this.

[DelPen]

If this is what their NBA rules allow then fine. But I wonder how many owners, GM's and those what work for the league including the commisioner have said something almost as bad or worse, maybe not about blacks but about another group of people or even individuals in any context.

[Beveridge]

Silver is Gold

[KennyTheKangaroo]

what exactly constitutes a ban for life?

[columbia]

I just discussed this with someone at work, who is from central Africa. His take was, "well, i don't really pay attention to these things in the US, because I never had to deal with it at home."

Which makes sense, I guess.