Donald Sterling And The Question

Donald-SterlingNBA Commissioner Adam Silver just held a press conference concerning the Donald Sterling controversy. Sterling’s been banned, fined and pressured to sell the team. The commissioner had no choice and I fully agree with his decision (as much of it as I know right now).

It is not a surprise there are mean spirited jerks running teams. Baseball had Marge Schott, who once defended Hitler. Basketball still has Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov whose fortune came under ‘interesting’ circumstances.

Kremlin leaders gave him what amounts to an insiders opportunity to buy one of the state’s most valuable assets. It was acquired from the Kremlin in a so-called auction for the measly sum of a few hundred million dollars in a process that even Prokhorov’s business partner admits wasn’t perfect, and probably not even legal under Western standards. But it was legal in Russia”. – 60 Minutes

If you didn’t watch the press conference you probably didn’t hear this question asked toward the end. I don’t have the exact words, but a reporter asked Silver a question that began, “As a Jew…”

Silver is Jewish. Sterling is Jewish. I am Jewish.

Silver dodged the question. I won’t. As a Jew I am mortified. It’s not the first time.

Maybe I’m the naive one here. It’s how I was brought up. Maybe I shouldn’t expect more from any single group of people. I do.

There’s a limit to how much Sterling can be punished. He will be allowed to sell, not have his team taken. That is as it should be. However, it means Sterling will be capable of laughing all the way to the bank, should he choose.

Jerks like him are capable of that.

8 thoughts on “Donald Sterling And The Question”

  1. Sterling is stupid for what he said and should be punished somehow. The problem here is NBA uses African-Americans to make money on the court like slaves in a different venue & that’s wrong, pure and simple. The NFL does it too & to some degree baseball as well. We all play into it and that’s wrong. It’s a sterotype pure and simple. As a jew myself, my take is that both Sterling and Silver R wrong, pure and simple.

      1. Couldn’t agree more Geoff. It’s not like pro athletes are underpaid, like most working-class folks. I thought Silver did a very good job fielding some tough questions today.

        1. I think what’s wrong is how inner city African-Americans think ONLY way to top is via pro sports & used as “pawns” or “slaves” whatever word one wishes to use to make a buck. What should happen is US Gov to help – really help – African Americans make it in inner city schools and as teacher/administrator for 40 years I can attest to FACT that our GOV has FAILED big time in that arena of life!

  2. If you had known what this Sterling was like, would you have attended one of his games within the past month?

    Do you plan on seeing the Clippers play again? Sterling may have been shun from the Clippers, but I bet he is still making money off his players every time they step on the court. That 2 1/2 million he was find was just a drop in the bucket to him. I would love to see his house in Malibu. Do you have a picture of it?

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