The Real Victim

[Tecumsehsbones]

Donald Sterling blames woman for his own racial comments: ‘I was baited’

By Terrence McCoy , May 12

For two weeks, Donald Sterling’s voice has been everywhere. Since April 25, when TMZ released a recording of Sterling making racist, disparaging comments about Magic Johnson, the clip has aired on radio, on television and on YouTube, ultimately culminating in the NBA banning him for life.

Now Sterling has spoken again. Hair swept back and wearing a black suit with an open-collar shirt, he told CNN’s Anderson Cooper in an interview to be aired Monday that he was “not a racist. … I made a terrible, terrible mistake. And I’m here with you today to apologize and to ask for forgiveness for all the people that I’ve hurt.”

But the 80-year-old did more than apologize. He also blamed V. Stiviano, his 31-year-old girlfriend, for baiting him. In the recording, Sterling lambasted Stiviano for posting online photos showing her with Johnson and other African Americans. “When I listen to that tape, I don’t even know how I can say words like that,” he told Cooper. “I don’t know why the girl had me say those things.”
“You’re saying you were set up?” Cooper responded.

“Well yes, I was baited,” said the Los Angeles Clippers owner, who’s been fined $2.5 million and may be forced to sell the team. “I mean, that’s not the way I talk. I don’t talk about people for one thing, ever. I talk about ideas and other things. I don’t talk about people.”

* * * * *

Meanwhile, another leaked recording emerged over the weekend allegedly of a conversation involving Sterling. The recording, obtained by RadarOnline, has Sterling allegedly discussing the controversy with a “long-time friend.” He said that jealously over Stiviano had driven his racism.

“The girl is black,” Sterling allegedly said. “I like her. I’m jealous that she’s with other black guys. I want her. So what the hell. Can’t I in private tell her, ‘I don’t want you to be with anybody?’”

He added: “So they should take away for life your team [if] you say the wrong thing to a girl? … I know what I said was wrong. But I never thought the private conversation would go anywhere, out to the public.”
Donald Sterling blames woman for his own racial comments: ‘I was baited’

 

[Locutus]

'sup

 

[mentalfloss]

This guy deserves every bit of ridicule he gets.

 

[PoliticalNick]

This guy deserves every bit of ridicule he gets.

Maybe so. What he doesn't deserve is to have his business taken away from him. The NBA has far overstepped the mark in trying to force him to sell the team. If they got rid of every billionaire white man team owner who has done or said bad things they wouldn't have anyone left.

 

[mentalfloss]

It depends on the type of employment.

In his business PR is a critical component of the occupation, so if he fails at that, he's technically not doing his job properly.

 

[eh1eh]

'sup

Ya, not much you?

Laugh Track - YouTube

 

[SLM]

'sup

Now I want an ice cream cone. Dammit!!

 

[eh1eh]

Sterling is backing a new comedy.

Schindler's List with laugh track - YouTube

 

[talloola]

the things he said are 'unacceptable,'m BUT, i don't understand how anyone can come down that hard on him
for 'anything' he says in the privacy of his own home.

actually he has done nothing illegal, can't be arrested, but what about this so called girlfriend of
his, isn't she breaking the law by blackmailing him? is it true that she demanded money, or she
would reveal more tapes, and what kind of a person makes tapes of what others say in the privacy
of their own homes, what was her gripe, it is pretty obvious why she was with him to begin with,
and that is pretty sleezy by her, its all about money, money,money.

he hasn't threatened anyone's safety.

his wife owns 50% of the team, so i don't see how anyone can take the team away from their ownership,
and i think the speach made before the next game after information cAme out, was only done to make
sure players didn't boycott those games, As was thought would happen.

i think they know they can't take his team away from him, sure they can ban him from entering
buildings where games are being played, i guess that is the power of the nba.

i hate racial remarks too, just like anybody else, but i find this case odd.

 

[BornRuff]

Maybe so. What he doesn't deserve is to have his business taken away from him. The NBA has far overstepped the mark in trying to force him to sell the team. If they got rid of every billionaire white man team owner who has done or said bad things they wouldn't have anyone left.

Owning an NBA franchise is not like owning an independent private business. You only get to own a team at the pleasure of the governing body of the league. You know going in that you only get to be part of the club as long as the board of governors wants you as part of the club.

It isn't exactly a terrible punishment. The guy is going to get a few hundred million dollars to go away.

 

[talloola]

Owning an NBA franchise is not like owning an independent private business. You only get to own a team at the pleasure of the governing body of the league. You know going in that you only get to be part of the club as long as the board of governors wants you as part of the club.

It isn't exactly a terrible punishment. The guy is going to get a few hundred million dollars to go away.

but his wife owns half of the team, she hasn't done anything wrong against the league or any player.
they better be cAreful about taking team away on a whim, without looking deeply
into the small print, perhaps his half can be put into her name, also with fine
print to protect his financial half, in the case of the sale of the team.

 

[BornRuff]

the things he said are 'unacceptable,'m BUT, i don't understand how anyone can come down that hard on him
for 'anything' he says in the privacy of his own home.

actually he has done nothing illegal, can't be arrested, but what about this so called girlfriend of
his, isn't she breaking the law by blackmailing him? is it true that she demanded money, or she
would reveal more tapes, and what kind of a person makes tapes of what others say in the privacy
of their own homes, what was her gripe, it is pretty obvious why she was with him to begin with,
and that is pretty sleezy by her, its all about money, money,money.

he hasn't threatened anyone's safety.

his wife owns 50% of the team, so i don't see how anyone can take the team away from their ownership,
and i think the speach made before the next game after information cAme out, was only done to make
sure players didn't boycott those games, As was thought would happen.

i think they know they can't take his team away from him, sure they can ban him from entering
buildings where games are being played, i guess that is the power of the nba.

i hate racial remarks too, just like anybody else, but i find this case odd.

The NBA's decision has nothing to do with if what he did was legal or not, or for that matter if what the girlfriend did was illegal. That is a separate matter for the courts to work out.

What the NBA is dealing with is the fact that he did express these beliefs, and it isn't the first time this has been a problem. No matter how the information came out, having someone like that as part of their organization simply wont work.

but his wife owns half of the team, she hasn't done anything wrong against the league or any player.

The board of governors says that since they never approved her as an owner, there is no problem removing her along with sterling. In the end though, they really don't need any more reason other than telling her that the board voted and she is out.

The fact is that she is only an owner by way of Donald, so her fate as owner goes as his does.

Remember though, it is not like they are just appropriating the team, they are going to make hundreds of millions of dollars in profit on the sale of this franchise.

It sucks that she wont get to be part of the club anymore, but squabbles between billionaires over what are essentially vanity investments is not something I am going to lose sleep over.

 

[talloola]

The NBA's decision has nothing to do with if what he did was legal or not, or for that matter if what the girlfriend did was illegal. That is a separate matter for the courts to work out.

What the NBA is dealing with is the fact that he did express these beliefs, and it isn't the first time this has been a problem. No matter how the information came out, having someone like that as part of their organization simply wont work.

yep i understand all of that, but the legal side of things can step in if they feel the persons human
rights, or freedom of speech has been threatened.
the nba can't be 100% free to make any decision they want, others have to be protected from the
organization going over and above what they legally are allowed to do, then the courts could
step forward, wagging their finger, saying no no no.

in my opinion this could be in the courts for years.

 

[BornRuff]

yep i understand all of that, but the legal side of things can step in if they feel the persons human
rights, or freedom of speech has been threatened.
the nba can't be 100% free to make any decision they want, others have to be protected from the
organization going over and above what they legally are allowed to do, then the courts could
step forward, wagging their finger, saying no no no.

in my opinion this could be in the courts for years.

He could raise hell if he wanted, but he wont get the team back. The most he would get is money for damages, and does he really need anymore money?

If he wants to be a jerk just to be a jerk, which is certainly a possibility, he can do that, but I think with his cancer and all of this drama already, he may just decide to take it easy.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

yep i understand all of that, but the legal side of things can step in if they feel the persons human
rights, or freedom of speech has been threatened.
the nba can't be 100% free to make any decision they want, others have to be protected from the
organization going over and above what they legally are allowed to do, then the courts could
step forward, wagging their finger, saying no no no.

in my opinion this could be in the courts for years.

Nope, it's an owners' club, just like a homeowners association. You submit to the rules of the association, or you sell up and f*ck off.

Again, nobody is "discriminating" against Sterling, or violating his freedom to do any damn thing. The NBA owners have a rule: if you do something so monumentally dumb that, in the opinion of your peers, your threaten the league (and its revenues), they can vote you off the island. Sterling knew that was the rule when he bought in.

 

[Sal]

80 versus 30 something, wtf?

isn't that pedophilia...

sorry just sayin'

of course he lost his mind... but that was long ago when he decided a 30 year old was simply captivated by him

I know, not the topic but jesus rotest: if one of those sperms succeed, the kid is going to have three heads (no pun intended)

 

[talloola]

Nope, it's an owners' club, just like a homeowners association. You submit to the rules of the association, or you sell up and f*ck off.

Again, nobody is "discriminating" against Sterling, or violating his freedom to do any damn thing. The NBA owners have a rule: if you do something so monumentally dumb that, in the opinion of your peers, your threaten the league (and its revenues), they can vote you off the island. Sterling knew that was the rule when he bought in.

we'll see, he probably won't live long enough to know the final ruling in the courts, it will take
about 10 years.

 

[BornRuff]

we'll see, he probably won't live long enough to know the final ruling in the courts, it will take
about 10 years.

Based on his answers in his interview tonight, it really doesn't seem like he wants to go down that road, which is for the best.

He can't really gain anything from doing that.

 

[talloola]

Based on his answers in his interview tonight, it really doesn't seem like he wants to go down that road, which is for the best.

He can't really gain anything from doing that.

thats right, better that he just quietly let it all go.

 

[gopher]

Maybe so. What he doesn't deserve is to have his business taken away from him. The NBA has far overstepped the mark in trying to force him to sell the team. If they got rid of every billionaire white man team owner who has done or said bad things they wouldn't have anyone left.

Marge Schott was forced out of baseball for making racially insensitive comments about Jews. Therefore, the NBA's actions in forcing him out are not unprecedented in sports.