tOffical all things Sterling thread

[JDM]

There is no comparison.

One had a private conversation with his domestic partner in which he asked her not to broadcast interactions with black people on social networks.

The other chose to broadcast racism on social networks himself and isn't apologizing about it.

While both are instances of racism and I agree the deciding factor should be the fact that one was a contractually limited action (public statements) and one was not (a private conversation), there is still a large difference in the degree of comments in question. Both are racist, sure, but even ignoring the double standard factor, one is substantially more deliberately hateful than the other.


Both are hateful, racist statements that should be completely shunned by any rational adult. But they are not on the same level.

 

[TBBishop]

I find it hard to believe that Magic would want to alienate his Lakers foundation by owning the other Los Angeles based NBA team.

Can you picture Magic publicly rooting for anyone other than the Lakers?

I can see Magic rooting for any team that makes him money. I personally think they need to sell to someone who will move them to Seattle.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I'm outside your house right now taping your conversation with your wife from your bedroom. And I'm going to sell it to TMZ. And you're cool with that. right?

That is different - that is eavesdropping and could fall under the illegal wire tapping laws. What happened in this case if reported correctly today -is that Stiviano recorded her private conversations with Sterling and further more she has over 100 hours of such recordings and warned him that the conversations go back to last September in being recorded. She also informed him that somehow those recordings could end up in the wrong hands if the 1.8 million dollar lawsuit against her did not go away. Sterling could have easily fixed everything -but did nothing.

You might not be okay with someone secretly recording a conversation between you and him or her, but that does not make it illegal.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Bull. You don't have to support the man or his opinions to vote against committing a massive contractual violation.


Or to refuse to set the precedent that any private conversation is grounds to take your property worth hundreds of millions.

The general public probably wouldn't see it that way though.

If they see that the owners of Toronto, Brooklyn and Denver voted no, then it's automatically assumed that they support Sterling's beliefs and opens another whole can of worms.

 

[JDM]

If they behave themselves, they won't have to worry about anything being "twisted" to apply tot hem next.

With the exception of maybe some Amish guy somewhere, the rest of the population of the country is not capable of (and should not be expected to) keeping every private conversation they ever have to the standard of political correctness that would guarantee they are safe from being booted.


The owners won't set that precedent.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I can see Magic rooting for any team that makes him money. I personally think they need to sell to someone who will move them to Seattle.

Magic Johnson most likely does not have that kind of money without a leveraged purchase and that's risky, but I would not have a problem with him purchasing the Clippers and might join him in the fan base.

 

[HammerDown]

It wasn't thought crimes. He said them outloud. Even more so, it was nothing illegal, he's not being tried in a court of law, he's being tried in the court of public opinion. Sometimes the CPO is the only way to handle the ills of our society.

It was a private conversation. It's none of our business. No one had the right to hear it.

Interesting that before TMZ aired his private conversation there was no problem at all. Now there's a huge issue.

This is bullshit.

 

[cane_man]

Think the remaining owners have no choice to vote Sterling out of the league. The ramifications would be huge if it was leaked who voted no, to not to have him removed.

Twist that comment around your brain for another moment.

 

[HammerDown]

Magic Johnson most likely does not have that kind of money without a leveraged purchase and that's risky, but I would not have a problem with him purchasing the Clippers and might join him in the fan base.

Magic surely doesn't have the cash on hand but he could put a group together and no doubt has a limitless credit line from the big boys.

 

[TBBishop]

There is no comparison.

One had a private conversation with his domestic partner in which he asked her not to broadcast interactions with black people on social networks.

The other chose to broadcast racism on social networks himself and isn't apologizing about it.

Oh, because if he just said I'm sorry, you would change your tune. Yeah! No one is saying anything about LJ because what he said is ridiculous. It's irrelevant.

 

[JDM]

The general public probably wouldn't see it that way though.

If they see that the owners of Toronto, Brooklyn and Denver voted no, then it's automatically assumed that they support Sterling's beliefs and opens another whole can of worms.

It won't be a handful. It will be a strong majority. They won't set the precedent that a private conversation can have them forced out of a several hundred million dollar investment.


How long of a shelf life do you think this has? It will absolutely be a short term hit, which is why the short term response is so strong. They want to protect the product for this year. But they know they don't have the contractual teeth to follow through, and they know there aren't the votes to kick him out if they did. This is all about keeping the product selling for these playoffs. By next season it's a moot point.

 

[dirtboy068]

I've felt kind of bad for him since all of this started. imo I felt as it was a set -up. what he said was way fucked up but i'll be damn if i would want some of the terrible things I've said in a private conversation public. that being said, what was the NBA to do? they had to show some muscle , and they knew anything short of forcing him to sell the team wouldn't sit well in the eyes of the public.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

It was a private conversation. It's none of our business. No one had the right to hear it.

Interesting that before TMZ aired his private conversation there was no problem at all. Now there's a huge issue.

This is bullshit.

That's the reason you have to be careful who you express your personal opinions too. If he wanted that opinion to not get out, then he shouldn't have shared with a 23 year old bimbo when he was sleeping with her. It's not about being a private conversation -it's about his personal views which are no longer private and his opinions are harmful and destructive to the benefits of the NBA

 

[HammerDown]

Oh, because if he just said I'm sorry, you would change your tune. Yeah! No one is saying anything about LJ because what he said is ridiculous. It's irrelevant.

In other words "he was just kidding."

Absolutely outrageous.

 

[TBBishop]

I'm outside your house right now taping your conversation with your wife from your bedroom. And I'm going to sell it to TMZ. And you're cool with that. right?

Last I checked it wasn't someone outside his house recording the conversation, it was the person IN the conversation. Don't spend that 10¢ TMZ gives you for my conversation in one place!

 

[RobToxin]

"Larry Johnson's racism doesn't bother me because he's not an old, rich, white guy." - PC Hypocrites

 

[cane_man]

What did I miss? Are we talking about Johnson saying that black people should start their own league or was there something where he said that he hates white people? I mean I'm just trying to figure out why you're trying to steer this convo toward Johnson's comments about a black owned league. Are you really comparing the 2?

I think he was talking about johnson PUBLICLY supporting a business that would purposefully disclude certain people based on race, color or creed.

 

[HammerDown]

I've felt kind of bad for him since all of this started. imo I felt as it was a set -up. what he said was way fucked up but i'll be damn if i would want some of the terrible things I've said in a private conversation public. that being said, what was the NBA to do? they had to show some muscle , and they knew anything short of forcing him to sell the team wouldn't sit well in the eyes of the public.

If you have anything negative to say about black people, homosexuals, Jews or terrorists, you will be dealt with swiftly and mercilessly. This is 2014 America, people.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

Sterling is a POS but forcing him out of the NBA based on things said in the privacy of his own home is bullshit.

If you want to include his past as an owner and POS I am a little more comfortable with that but Cuban is right, this wasn't justice.

I have no problem with a group of people doing unspeakable things to him in a back alley or dungeon but am very uncomfortable with the NBA being the source of that sword.

The grey area comes in if there are rules in the NBA constitution against this. If those are in place it is slightly better.

 

[HammerDown]

"Larry Johnson's racism doesn't bother me because he's not an old, rich, white guy." - PC Hypocrites

"Everyone knows he was just kidding. Stop being an asshole about this."