Paul Allen statement on alleged Donald Sterling remarks

[SlyPokerDog]

Statement from Trail Blazers Owner Paul Allen concerning racial comments allegedly made by Clippers Owner Donald Sterling


PORTLAND, Ore. (April 28, 2014) – In response to the racially-charged statements allegedly made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen has issued the following statement:

“The kind of statements attributed to Clippers owner Donald Sterling, if true, are abhorrent, and not acceptable for the owner of an NBA franchise or anyone in professional sports. We at the Trail Blazers reject any and all such sentiments, and believe NBA leadership should take swift and impactful action in this case.”






http://www.nba.com/blazers/paul-allen-statement-alleged-donald-sterling-remarks

 

[Natebishop3]

Is he the first white owner to speak out?

 

[BlazerCaravan]

A statement like this is often boring, but hard to word just right. As legalese rebukes go, this one is really good.

 

[magnifier661]

Barkley will be proud

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Is he the first white owner to speak out?

Paul Allen isn't white, he's Billionese.

 

[jlprk]

Why don't the owners discuss it privately and leave the media out of it. Like they did with Shinn. There is no need for a public cross-burning.

Heh heh...like that one?

 

[Nikolokolus]

Henry Abbot posted a tidbit earlier in the day on twitter. Basically in the NBA's bylaws, a 3/4ths majority of owners can force Sterling to relinquish his team. It'll be interesting to see if they go this route (kind of doubt it).

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Why don't the owners discuss it privately and leave the media out of it. Like they did with Shinn. There is no need for a public cross-burning.

Heh heh...like that one?

Don't worry your little head; the oligarchs still have control.

 

[Denny Crane]

From what I've read, the NBA's by-laws are very secret, and that only under financial hardship is it possible for any league to force out an owner by some sort of vote.

MLB sanctioned Marge Schott twice, first a one year suspension, then a two year one. She eventually gave up her team (Reds).

 

[BlazerCaravan]

From what I've read, the NBA's by-laws are very secret, and that only under financial hardship is it possible for any league to force out an owner by some sort of vote.

MLB sanctioned Marge Schott twice, first a one year suspension, then a two year one. She eventually gave up her team (Reds).

Money talks; she was forced out when the sponsors starting drying up. That's starting to happen with Sterling.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Why don't the owners discuss it privately and leave the media out of it.

Because it means something to the players.

 

[RoyToy]

Seems like he stopped just short of saying Sterling shouldn't be an owner

That's all that needs to be said

 

[BigGameDamian]

Money talks; she was forced out when the sponsors starting drying up. That's starting to happen with Sterling.

So Adam Silver will pony up money so Sterling can't say no to his deal? Which is to stay the hell away from the NBA and sell the team to Magic.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

From what I've read, the NBA's by-laws are very secret, and that only under financial hardship is it possible for any league to force out an owner by some sort of vote.

MLB sanctioned Marge Schott twice, first a one year suspension, then a two year one. She eventually gave up her team (Reds).

MLB is not the NBA. Like you said the NBA's by-laws are very secret.

 

[jlprk]

Money talks; she was forced out when the sponsors starting drying up. That's starting to happen with Sterling.

Sly tells me this must be a coordinated, planned campaign from some powerful people or agencies.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I think Sterling will prove to everyone he his not a racist by announcing that he's moving the team to Mexico City.

 

[jlprk]

Because it means something to the players.

When Denny chews you out, we're interested. Should the whole world know?

 

[ripcityboy]

People are acting like this hasn't happened before. I remember that old Nazi herself, Marge Schott, the Red's owner, made some chipper comments about Hitler and they suspended her ownership privileges. They hired another CEO to run the team. The same thing will happen to Sterling, although I would assume for a greater period of time.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Sly tells me this must be a coordinated, planned campaign from some powerful people or agencies.

No, crazy conspiracy theories are your thing.

 

[illmatic99]

Is he the first white owner to speak out?

Nah.. Cuban, Holt (Spurs), Alexander (Rockets), Harris (Sixers) all have echoed PA

 

[jlprk]

Denny, Sly says you should reveal all confidences to us. Please inform us.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

People are acting like this hasn't happened before. I remember that old Nazi herself, Marge Schott, the Red's owner, made some chipper comments about Hitler and they suspended her ownership privileges. They hired another CEO to run the team. The same thing will happen to Sterling, although I would assume for a greater period of time.

It's different, 80% of MLB players weren't Jewish.

 

[Denny Crane]

MLB is not the NBA. Like you said the NBA's by-laws are very secret.

My first thought was that the rest of the teams could refuse to play against the Clippers. After only a little bit of thought, I realized he'd have an anti-trust lawsuit that the NBA doesn't want any part of.

I seriously doubt the owners want any sort of precedent where they could be forced to divest themselves of their team.

If the sponsors are really dropping out, maybe the NBA has some sort of lawsuit against him for breaking some fiduciary responsibility. They'd sue for creating ill will toward the league brand and lost revenue (BRI income).

If Sterling has been this racist creep all along, then why haven't the owners acted until now?

 

[jlprk]

No, crazy conspiracy theories are your thing.

Wait, you think Putin is behind events in Ukraine. And that Saddam had bad schemes. Or is that Denny who said that.

Or is Denny the one behind bad schemes. Okay, a compromise. It's you.

 

[BBert]

Why don't the owners discuss it privately and leave the media out of it. Like they did with Shinn. There is no need for a public cross-burning.

Heh heh...like that one?

I would have gone with lynching.

 

[jlprk]

Owners publicly criticizing other owners. This is good for the league. Of course, if players criticize other players, suspend them.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

If Sterling has been this racist creep all along, then why haven't the owners acted until now?

If? So you think he just woke up one day said, "Hey, I'll be racist!"

Did the owners have anything to act on? Did they have recorded statements from his mouth?

 

[Denny Crane]

If? So you think he just woke up one day said, "Hey, I'll be racist!"

Did the owners have anything to act on? Did they have recorded statements from his mouth?

Past lawsuits and settlements in lawsuits of racism nature.

Private investigator.

I think they had to know all along, but they don't have the recourse people think - like taking a vote to oust him.

 

[maxiep]

My first thought was that the rest of the teams could refuse to play against the Clippers. After only a little bit of thought, I realized he'd have an anti-trust lawsuit that the NBA doesn't want any part of.

I seriously doubt the owners want any sort of precedent where they could be forced to divest themselves of their team.

If the sponsors are really dropping out, maybe the NBA has some sort of lawsuit against him for breaking some fiduciary responsibility. They'd sue for creating ill will toward the league brand and lost revenue (BRI income).

If Sterling has been this racist creep all along, then why haven't the owners acted until now?

Because he's always fielded a shitty team. Now that they're good, he's more of a pain in the ass.

 

[Denny Crane]

I don't have any special insight into what's going on at the league level, or even at the team level.

What I do see is that everyone involved is being very careful about how they phrase things. Words like "allegedly" and "if true." The words on the audio tape that we've heard are unacceptable, period. I don't think anyone really involved wants to make a mistake, like should the tape turn out to be a hoax.

Here's Mike Woodson, recently let go by the Knicks, talking about whether he'd be open to working for the Clippers:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b...work-sterling-comments-true-article-1.1770341

"No, if this comes out to be true, no, absolutely not," Woodson said while working as a studio analyst Saturday for NBA-TV, less than a week after he was canned by the Knicks. "But again, we've got to let this unfold and see where we are with it.

"I played for the Clippers back in the middle 80s for Donald and those were the tough times. When I say tough times, now he finally has a team that has arrived and has a legit shot to win the title this year. So in (Clippers coach Doc Rivers') defense, I just think Doc has to stay the course and try to keep all the distractions behind him and focus in on his team, because this is not going to go away."