News Flash: Donald Sterling is a racist.
In other news, the Earth is round, Hitler was evil and the Cubs suck.
The recent release of a tape recording in which the Los Angeles Clippers owner and real-estate mogul vents his racist views to his black-Mexican girlfriend has triggered outrage from NBA players, coaches and owners. Even President Obama chimed in, calling Sterling’s comments “incredibly offensive.’’
Offensive, but not surprising.
After all, this is the same man who was sued by the federal government for housing discrimination in 2006 and agreed to pay a $2.7 million fine to settle the dispute.
Sterling also was sued by former Clippers executive Elgin Baylor for age and race discrimination in 2009. Baylor alleged that Sterling once told him he wanted to have a team with “poor black players’’ and a “white Southern coach.’’
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Sterling bought the Clippers in 1981, making him the longest-tenured owner in the NBA. He has a well-earned reputation as a skinflint who once questioned why he should have to pay for his players’ socks.
Though the Clippers have recently become a title contender, their record under Sterling’s ownership is miserable: They’ve won only two playoff series in his 33 years and were once dubbed “the worst franchise in sports history’’ by Sports Illustrated.
So why has the NBA tolerated a terrible owner with a plantation mentality for so long?
First, he’s a billionaire and the NBA loves filthy rich owners. Second, NBA owners are part of an exclusive club that likes to protect its own. Third, it’s legally very hard to force an owner to sell his team.
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Now, of course, everybody is hopping on the anti-Sterling bandwagon. But why so late? Do you mean to tell me this was the first time LeBron James, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan heard that Sterling was a racist? And what about Doc Rivers? When he agreed to coach the Clippers, I guess he didn’t do any Internet searches on his new boss.
Let’s not excuse David Stern, either. Maybe I missed it, but I can’t remember the former NBA commissioner ever publicly castigating the league’s most embarrassing owner. In fact, Stern’s stamp of approval allowed the Clippers to get All-Star Chris Paul in a trade that led to their current revival.
Sterling is a despicable old man, but he’s not the only person in this sordid affair who should be ashamed of his behavior.
(Update: New NBA commissioner Adam Silver just issued a lifetime ban against Sperling and fined him $2.5 million. Good move. Now the next step is to force Sperling to sell the franchise.)
