Dear Donald Sterling,
Please just go away.
Signed,
A lot of people
The Los Angeles Clippers owner is making headlines again—which isn’t to say he ever stopped making headlines. He hasn’t. Not since he was recorded making racially charged comments and banned from the NBA for life.
This time, though, he’s looped Kobe Bryant into his crapstorm.
According to USA Today‘s Brent Schrotenboer, Sterling is, like pretty much everyone predicted, not going away quietly:
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling said the NBA’s efforts to terminate his ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers are “illegal” and are based on a recording of a private conversation that itself broke California law, according to his 32-page response sent to the league Tuesday and obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
Sterling says he will fight the charges and noted that he has received offers of more than $2.5 billion for the team. He also noted that a forced sale of the team would cause his family to take an “egregious” tax hit on the sale of the club.
“A jealous rant to a lover never intended to be published cannot offend the NBA rules,” Sterling’s attorneys wrote.
Unfortunately, I’m no lawyer (sorry to ruin that illusion). But one has to think the NBA was prepared for this, and has some semblance of legal ground to back up its decision, otherwise, why oust Sterling in the first place? Were they just going to hope he’d slink away quietly?
Legal stances aside, though, Sterling’s 32-page document referenced Kobe, as Dan Woike of the Orange County Register was kind enough to point out:
Kobe Bryant's use of a homosexual slur is mentioned on on page 7 of Sterling's legal response to the NBA.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) May 28, 2014
"It’s facially ludicrous that what Mr. Sterling said in these circumstances could produce the equivalent of a death penalty while (cont)
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) May 28, 2014
"… Kobe Bryant called a referee a “f—ing f—-t” on national television sustaining only a modest $100,000 fine.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) May 28, 2014
Also, there was this not-so-relevant tidbit that you still most definitely need to see:
If you had to drink every time the words "private lovers' quarrel" appear in Sterling's response, you'd be hammered by page 10.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) May 28, 2014
Okay, here’s the thing: What Kobe did said was reprehensible. I won’t defend it. Years later, I’m willing to bet he won’t defend it either. But, twisted as this may sound, what Sterling said was worse.
Kobe dropped a slur, or a combination of slurs. Then it was over. Sterling went on a freaking rant. It was despicable. And Kobe at least showed remorse and has been able to redeem himself, even if only slightly.
Proud of @jasoncollins34. Don't suffocate who u r because of the ignorance of others #courage #support #mambaarmystandup #BYOU
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) April 29, 2013
We sat there listening to commissioner Adam Silver, meanwhile, acknowledge how unrepentant Sterling was. And then we had to listen to him speak with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, basically claiming innocence, or rather, that he wasn’t racist.
Now, I won’t pretend to know all the facts or be an expert on race, sex or any issue that extends outside sports. So let’s make that clear. My opinion isn’t steeped in flawless knowledge of right and wrong, nor am I inside Sterling’s head (thank God for small favors.) Then again, I don’t have to be. Not to know that what he said/did/has done previously is wrong.
Sterling has a past. A more than checkered past. What Kobe said was horrible, but it doesn’t compare to this. It remains deplorable how offhand comments like Kobe’s seem, how often they’re used in that context, with inhumanely negative connotations. Seriously, it does. And that needs change.
Someway, somehow, that needs to change.
But Sterling, no matter what defense he uses, still needs to go.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
