OT - Clippers Owner Donald Sterling to GF -- Don't Bring Black People to My Games

[SlyPokerDog]

The no "Clipper" warmup clothes.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

 

[maxiep]

The owners most certainly have a moral and ethical duty to the league to further the league's growth and appeal. And there's most certainly a fiduciary responsibility to not harm the other owners or the league.

Again, not illegal. Thanks for confirming that.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Donald Sterling's wife is sitting courtside across from the Clippers' bench.

 

[Sedatedfork]

That's awesome

 

[BBert]

One doesn't have to do something illegal to be punished by the league for doing something that the league thinks makes them look bad. The Dallas P.A. announcer got suspended for two games for posting tweets critical of officiating.

Sterling didn't go out of his way to embarrass the league. His "girlfriend" seemingly went out of her way to embarrass him, and in so doing, screwed him worse than she probably imagined. It sure sounded like she was leading him on, like leading a horse to water. He didn't have to drink. But he did. He's not the first or last guy to say something stupid when he's getting needled by his girl friend. LOL

I doubt anyone doubts Sterling's true colors came out in this recording. He is who we thought he was.

Will the masses make waayyy more out of this than is really warranted? Of course they will. Everyone loves drama, and it's even more fun when it's some rich arrogant prick racist getting skewered.

Grab the popcorn.

 

[maxiep]

If they NBA wants Sterling out of the NBA I think they will have to set him up or find something else on him. I don't think you can just throw him out of the NBA because of what he said. There is no rule that it goes against sports. This isn't like when Pete Rose bet on baseball or Tanya Harding was involved in taking Nancy Kerrigan out.

This is the problem with partnerships, which essentially any professional sports league is. You can't legislate against everything. In debt deals we have what's known as "bad boy" acts; things which the borrower does which diminishes the asset can result in an immediate calling fo the loan.

In player contracts, there is a personal conduct clause. Among owners there is no such agreement. There needs to be one. Currently, there are more people interested in owning a team than there are owners.

Create a personal conduct clause for owners. Denny has it right: What Sterling voiced hurts the value of the entire league. Owners need to have recourse.

 

[PapaG]

If the commissioner has the power to void trades, with the approval of the majority of owners I'm sure he would have the power to void contracts.

A contract is a contract. It sets a dangerous precedent allowing majority rule to void contracts, and it wouldn't even be legal. The union should be opposed to giving the league that sort of power over their contracts.

 

[PapaG]

Franchise values have little to do with the players currently on the roster.

A team with no players under contract isn't worth the same as the Clippers right now. Come on, you know better than that.

 

[PapaG]

I do think this is the inevitable end. Again, Marge Schott was forced out of majority ownership of the Reds less than a year after saying Hitler wasn't such a bad dude.

Yeah, we've discussed this precedent the last few days. Sterling will be forced out, too, but there won't be a release of the players he has under contract.

 

[maxiep]

With the approval of the majority of owners have Silver allow any Clipper to be a free agent when the season is over. If the players don't feel comfortable playing for Sterling they shouldn't have to.

Sweet! Can they do that for the Blazers, too? Do you realize what a slippery slope that is?

What I can see is a player having a clause in his contract inserted where it states he has a no trade clause for any team owned by Donald Sterling.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

It could be worse. Slysilverdog wants to ban anyone who doesnt walk on all 4's. Take a look under his cold wet nose and youll see a mini hitler stash

 

[Sedatedfork]

A contract is a contract. It sets a dangerous precedent allowing majority rule to void contracts, and it wouldn't even be legal. The union should be opposed to giving the league that sort of power over their contracts.

The league is all powerful. They prohibited the Maloofs from selling their team to the highest paying purchaser. They have a salary cap. Players can be traded to other teams. They don't allow teams to sign 18 year old players. Maybe this would be different, but it is not all that much different than things the league has done on a regular basis.

 

[maxiep]

No, it isn't. This isn't a democracy. Remember when Obama turned us into a totalitarian PC state?

"Tough shit".

To be fair, that's just what Our Dear Leader has decided today. Tomorrow, his whims may carry us in a different direction. #hopeandchange #Lightbringer

 

[PapaG]

The league is all powerful. They prohibited the Maloofs from selling their team to the highest paying purchaser. They have a salary cap. Players can be traded to other teams. They don't allow teams to sign 18 year old players. Maybe this would be different, but it is not all that much different than things the league has done on a regular basis.

None of those things were collectively bargained. Player contracts are collectively bargained. Would this also mean that the NBA owners can void a player contract if that player is a drug addict who isn't playing well? What if an owner doesn't want to employ a drug addict, because it's against his personal beliefs, and the other owners agree to a vote to void that contract. How about a player who beat his wife. Would Jason Kidd's contract had been able to be terminated? Think the players' union would think that's OK?

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Didn't that happen with Roy Tarpley back in the early 90's in Dallas?

 

[Sedatedfork]

None of those things were collectively bargained. Player contracts are collectively bargained. Would this also mean that the NBA owners can void a player contract if that player is a drug addict who isn't playing well? What if an owner doesn't want to employ a drug addict, because it's against his personal beliefs, and the other owners agree to a vote to void that contract. Think the players' union would think that's OK?

No, but if the proposal had support of the players and the owners, which it could, the CBA could be amended for this specific situation.

 

[PapaG]

No, but if the proposal had support of the players and the owners, which it could, the CBA could be amended for this specific situation.

Neither side wants to renegotiate the CBA. One thing that I can always count on in this country are people overreacting in order to "feel good," not looking at all at the long-term implications of the short-term solution.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

A team with no players under contract isn't worth the same as the Clippers right now. Come on, you know better than that.

Bull, a new owner would love to take over a franchise with a clean slate. We're talking a LA franchise. Location, location, location is what sets the value on that franchise. TV market size, potential sponsors. Clippers could go back to completely sucking and the value of the franchise would be the same.


Did the Lakers value go down because they didn't make the playoffs and signed Kobe to a crippling extension?

Did the Knicks value go down because they didn't make the playoffs?

 

[PapaG]

Didn't that happen with Roy Tarpley back in the early 90's in Dallas?

Here is an interesting article on Gilbert Arenas, and why his contract wasn't voided even though he had felony gun charges against him.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/sports/basketball/19arenas.html?_r=0

 

[PapaG]

Some other examples of player contracts being voided, but not completely.

Such extreme action is rare. The language is purposely vague and subject to interpretation in order to cover a variety of circumstances. The clause has also never been successfully applied.

The Golden State Warriors most notably used it in an attempt to void the remaining three years and $23.7 million of Latrell Sprewell’s contract after Sprewell choked Coach P. J. Carlesimo in 1997. But the punishment was overturned by an arbitrator, who reinstated Sprewell’s contract and reduced his league suspension to 68 games from 82.

Teams have tried to void contracts, sometimes successfully, citing reasons other than moral turpitude.

The Boston Celtics cut Vin Baker and terminated his contract for violating terms of his alcohol-treatment program in 2004, although the sides eventually reached a financial settlement. And Roy Tarpley’s contract was voided because he violated the league’s antidrug policies.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Some other examples of player contracts being voided, but not completely.

It will be interesting to see what happens. Like you said grab some pop corn and watch the show.

I do think that this is different than your examples, if a Clippers player sues because he feels the team is a now a hostile work environment I don't see the league arguing against it.

 

[crandc]

Maxie, nothing Sterling said is a crime. I never claimed that.

Look, so far as I know, none of us are lawyers and I can say with certainty that none of us know the intricacies of the fine print of NBA regs. So it's realy just speculation to talk about what the NBA could or could not do under what contract.

Not that ever stopped anyone....

Now, as I said, I'm no lawyer, but I would say that if a person is really involved in a criminal case against a girlfriend or ex girlfriend his/her lawyer would say very firmly don't have personal contact with that person.

Sadly, the Clippers are clearly distracted and clearly it's affected their play. Either that or they decided to blow the series. Sad, either way. They worked hard for their #3 seed and now can't enjoy the results.

 

[maxiep]

Oh! They going to give him new players? Gee never thought of that, from where sir?

The Washington Generals.

 

[maxiep]

What the fuck is Wes Matthews doing down in Oakland? We have a game tonight!

 

[maxiep]

Maxie, nothing Sterling said is a crime. I never claimed that.

Look, so far as I know, none of us are lawyers and I can say with certainty that none of us know the intricacies of the fine print of NBA regs. So it's realy just speculation to talk about what the NBA could or could not do under what contract.

Not that ever stopped anyone....

Now, as I said, I'm no lawyer, but I would say that if a person is really involved in a criminal case against a girlfriend or ex girlfriend his/her lawyer would say very firmly don't have personal contact with that person.

Sadly, the Clippers are clearly distracted and clearly it's affected their play. Either that or they decided to blow the series. Sad, either way. They worked hard for their #3 seed and now can't enjoy the results.

Are you kidding me? I think it's great.

I look forward to Memphis, GS and Dallas all advancing. #BlazersinNBAFinals

 

[SlyPokerDog]

What the fuck is Wes Matthews doing down in Oakland? We have a game tonight!

Did you really just go with a "all black people look the same to me" post in a thread about racism?

 

[maxiep]

Maxie, nothing Sterling said is a crime. I never claimed that.

Look, so far as I know, none of us are lawyers and I can say with certainty that none of us know the intricacies of the fine print of NBA regs. So it's realy just speculation to talk about what the NBA could or could not do under what contract.

Not that ever stopped anyone....

Now, as I said, I'm no lawyer, but I would say that if a person is really involved in a criminal case against a girlfriend or ex girlfriend his/her lawyer would say very firmly don't have personal contact with that person.

Sadly, the Clippers are clearly distracted and clearly it's affected their play. Either that or they decided to blow the series. Sad, either way. They worked hard for their #3 seed and now can't enjoy the results.

There are a few posters who are lawyers, or at least claim to be. Stevenson, for example (although I'm sure he actually is a lawyer).

My point was that part of my love of free speech is to defend all speech, no matter how much I disagree with it. Sterling is a scumbag, and a Jewish bigot, which makes him even more of an ass, because he comes from a people who were almost exterminated simply because of their race/religion. Fuck that guy, but he did make my life easier. Now, I no longer have to wonder what he thinks. I can dismiss him entirely.

The beauty of our system is we can defend free speech and punish his thoughts in other ways, economically and socially for example.

 

[maxiep]

Did you really just go with a "all black people look the same to me" post in a thread about racism?

Yes. Yes I did. All dogs of the same breeds look alike to me, too.

 

[maxiep]

Did you really just go with a "all black people look the same to me" post in a thread about racism?

By the way, it wasn't the guy's face, but his upper body.