The Goat Pen

if I were banned for life, I'll be damned if I pay $2.5m to any pencil necked geek commissioner.

You don't have to "pay" it...they'll withhold it from the league dispersement checks.

He got the Marge treatment & she was by far much worse. She hated everyone and didn't care.

BigRedMan wrote:
Let the people with their pocketbooks make the choice of whether they want to support him or not.

The league had to get out in front of this thing now, brm - they didn't have the luxury of waiting to see how big the hit was going to be.

Irsay's arrest was tame by comparison - he didn't disparage a whole segment of the viewing public and most of his employees - so he has plenty more rope before he gets the noose. He can probably run naked through the streets and still keep his team.

AlabamAlum wrote:BRM,

It may not be fair, but people are held to different standards. When I was a COO, if I got my name in the paper for something idiotic I did or said, I would suffer far worse consequences than some ER tech who did the same thing. It's just the way it is...he owns a team that is primarily black in a league that's primarily black with a good number of black fans.... and sponsors who want to sell to them - and in the end, that cooked him. Does he deserve a lifetime ban? Maybe not, but as Will Munny said, "Deserve's got nothing to do with this."

Sure I get that. However, you wouldn't be forced to sell your Doctorate degree to someone because of it.

To me it is a giant knee jerk over reaction. OH SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!

bluetick wrote:

BigRedMan wrote:
Let the people with their pocketbooks make the choice of whether they want to support him or not.

The league had to get out in front of this thing now, brm - they didn't have the luxury of waiting to see how big the hit was going to be.

Irsay's arrest was tame by comparison - he didn't disparage a whole segment of the viewing public and most of his employees - so he has plenty more rope before he gets the noose. He can probably run naked through the streets and still keep his team.

I understand they couldn't sit by and do nothing. However, this sits a marker in history and if anyone that isn't white makes a similar statement about white people, they will have to be held accountable just like this.

What we need is a debate between Sterling and Isaiah Thomas on race baiting...

The LA Clippers are not a business unto themselves. They are a franchise of the NBA.

BigRedMan wrote:
I understand they couldn't sit by and do nothing. However, this sits a marker in history and if anyone that isn't white makes a similar statement about white people, they will have to be held accountable just like this.

Your point is taken, but there's not a whole lot of minority ownership in any of the major sports so a test may be a long time coming.

BRM,

No, they wouldn't take a degree, but I could be fired and made virtually unhirable - and if I owned a franchise I could be forced to sell or close. I remember a few years back reading about a McDonald's franchisee being forced to sell because the owner kept adding non-approved menu items. I bet if he had came out and talked about how he really hated all the coloreds who worked for him or the wetback customers, the result would be the same.

Why does BRM hate colored people?

Silver is a genius. Perfect amount of controlled anger and deference. He played this perfectly by putting the heat on the owners to deal with Sterling in the most meaningful way while himself dealing with him to the fullest extent he is allowed to unilaterally. He saved a lot of animosity from the public by working within the Constitution governing the ownership and setting Sterling up to cash out of the franchise. The Clippers can now go about playing their game with less stress than would have been there if Silver didn't do what he did.

The only way this can go bad for him is if the owners decide to fire him...which would be a worse PR move.

The owners will follow suit. They could be pointy-hat wearing KKK members and think that Sterling is too pro-minority, but they can't risk having a 'let him stay' vote of theirs going public.

Agreed, savvy move by Silver.

Look for Sterling's mistress to have an "accidental" drug overdose in 12-16 months.

Well said Brook.

Bklyn wrote:Silver is a genius.

Judging from the photos of him at the press conference, Silver is also Nosferatu.

Good god, those ears...

Rachel Maddow, of all people, is making some good points (yeah, I know, it's her research staff, but she's the one presenting them). Pete Rose gets banned for life for gambling, how can there be any question that Strom Thrumon Jr (probably the only time Sterling gets to be referred to a "junior") would get a similar punishment?

Actually, gambling is a worse offense and specifically referenced in the bylaws of the ownership group. Sterling's actions, this time, were just speech. So, I wouldn't equate Rose and Sterling, personally.

I respect this idea and glad it didn't have to happen...

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/thompson/2 ... ady-to-go/

Pete Rose was just one of the examples mentioned by Maddow, but I was drunk and didn't feel like listing the others. But her point was, there is plenty of precedence for banning players/managers/owners (Steinbrenner was mentioned in the latter category, something about Nixon and Watergate, which I didn't know about)...

Bklyn wrote:Actually, gambling is a worse offense and specifically referenced in the bylaws of the ownership group. Sterling's actions, this time, were just speech. So, I wouldn't equate Rose and Sterling, personally.

I respect this idea and glad it didn't have to happen...

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/thompson/2 ... ady-to-go/

horrible idea. that alienates fans