NBA commissioner Adam Silver banned Donald Sterling from all NBA activities for life, fined him $2.5 million. Is this enough?

SFC Christopher Walker, MAOM, DSL — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 16:37:32 -0400

Response by SSgt Gregory Guina made Apr 29 at 2014 4:41 PM

SSgt Gregory Guina — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 16:41:46 -0400

Not much else could be done. Additionally the commissioner is encouraging that the board of governers force the sale of the team.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2014 4:44 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 16:44:54 -0400

Not to worry, he's going to have to leave the country. He's not going to be able to go anywhere in the US without people sharing their "thoughts" with him!

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Apr 29 at 2014 4:47 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 16:47:08 -0400

For using the N word? You'd have to ban and fine most of the athletes as well.. Not to mention just about every rapper on the planet..

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Apr 29 at 2014 4:51 PM

SGT Ben Keen — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 16:51:35 -0400

To think this all came from a fight he had with his girlfriend over a picture shared on Instagram! I think what the commissioner did was in the best interest of the NBA, it's players and other teams. While not a huge basketball fan myself, I see why he wanted to act quickly and why he thought this was the best course of action. Keep in mind, according to reports, Don Sterling has never expressed sorrow for his comments. And while yes, I'll admit I've said things in the middle of a fight with my ex, after I calmed down and all, I came to my sense and realized what I said was wrong. I'm thinking we'll see Magic Johnson owning the Clippers here in the next few days.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Apr 29 at 2014 5:16 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 17:16:20 -0400

As a successful businessman, I suspect that the team wasn't his only source of income or business venture but I think that it is all the NBA can do to him since he has a contract with them. Will definitely put a crimp in his style though and I commend the NBA.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Apr 29 at 2014 5:30 PM

SFC William Swartz Jr — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 17:30:55 -0400

Do not know what else could be done to him, although he is probably going to be forced to sell the team, when that does happen, he will make over $500 million....not sure what else some may like for him to face or what other "penalties" he could face?

Response by SSG Nathan Bryant made Apr 29 at 2014 8:56 PM

SSG Nathan Bryant — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 20:56:05 -0400

Not quite enough - YET. If the other Team Owners vote 75% or better to oust Donald Sterling, the current L.A. Clippers owner . . . then that will definitely settle things.

The guy has earned the majority of his 1.9 billion dollar worth from properties owned in CA and Las Vegas, but I'm sure he is enjoying the recent success of the Clippers. Furthermore, he was dating a minority female (half Black, half Mexican) . . . although he is married. Dude is a hypocrite. Sorry a$$. Regardless of the team, his money, or anything else, I hope the guy makes amends with God. He is already 80 years old and before too long, he will see if he is banned from the Gates of Heaven.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Apr 29 at 2014 9:09 PM

MSG Wade Huffman — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 21:09:31 -0400

The Commissioner maxed out that was available through the commission. I'm pretty confident the votes will be there among the owners to force the sale. The REALLY BAD part is that the POS bought the team in 1980 or 81 for approximately 50 million. I would expect the sale to bring close to the 1 Billion mark and he will reap the profit.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2014 9:39 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 21:39:10 -0400

He needs to go and how does he look a black player in the eyes. It was far worse with the N word because it was more than a word. Hank Aaron suffered because of that kind of hatred. Bob Gibson (one of the greatest pitchers ever) is still my sports idol of all time. I admire his courage living with the Jim Crowe Laws.

Shame on Don Sterling.

http://stlluna7.wordpress.com/2014/02/19/black-history-month-and-bob-gibson/

My blog during Black History Month.

Black History Month and Bob Gibson.

I think much of America lives in a dream world. It is kind of like fast food and they get their news in a drive-through window. It is also Black History Month and that is a noble cause for sur...

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2014 1:31 PM

MCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 13:31:27 -0400

Sterling was set up and egged on by his girlfriend... not that this excuses any of his rant. He was caught red-handed with the microphone on, and is now paying the price for his bigotry.

If you read Kareem Abdul Jabbar's comments, Sterling has had this coming for years - and nobody did a darned thing about it. He was even being given that NAACP award for lifetime achievement and service just a couple of years after he was fined by the federal government for refusing to rent his apartments and homes to Black families because "they stink and bring down property values."

Yeah, he's pretty special.

What I would like to know, is Shaq going to be disciplined for his comments about the situation, when he said, "This is a Black league, there's no doubt about it"? If Bob Costas said the inverse about Baseball, he'd be out of a job... How about some parity?

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2014 1:36 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 13:36:29 -0400

My issue with this is that we're basically banning stupidity. The guy is a moron, but being an idiot isn't illegal. If so, 49% of our population would be in prison.

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Apr 30 at 2014 5:36 PM

SSG Robert Burns — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:36:58 -0400

He's going to be laughing all the way to the bank. He paid 12 million for the team. It's worth $500 million and I'm sure it will sell for twice that.
Banned for life? Who knows how many months that could be! LOL

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2014 9:54 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 21:54:16 -0400

I am glad to see that someone is actually being held accountable for something.

STILL waiting for justice in the for the Fast and Furious fiasco. And for the four deaths in the TERRORIST attack on US SOIL in Benghazi. Sure Silver is an idiot for what he said and if he believes what he says he is a fool. But it was only words and wrong mindset. These attacks killed at least four Americans. Where is the accountability and where is the outrage? Where is the media and the social media demanding justice?

Just goes to show that nobody cares unless there is money or their family involved. Only then will people expect something to happen. The rest is just talk.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2014 11:58 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 23:58:48 -0400

I'll tell you like this, I agree with Mark Cuban.

The reality is you can't force a private American to sell off his property.

People spend too much time in other people's business. It's called capitalism. If the people agree enough, they will force him out without offending his constitutional rights.

Response by SSG Robert Burns made May 1 at 2014 8:28 AM

SSG Robert Burns — Thu, 01 May 2014 08:28:31 -0400

For all my Cowgirls out there.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made May 1 at 2014 8:53 AM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Thu, 01 May 2014 08:53:50 -0400

I believe the $2.5M fine was the max allowable fine according to the NBA's Constitution.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2014 9:13 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 01 May 2014 09:13:49 -0400

Sounds pretty fair to me, I mean the problem has been eradicated. You really can't change a person and how they think. He grew up in a era where it was okay so for such feelings to exist. Makes sense if he is still bigoted.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2014 9:29 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 01 May 2014 09:29:30 -0400

I think punishing someone to that extent over a private conversation is ludacris. I can see the fine, if he violated some kind of behavior clause in the NBA contract but pretty much forcing him to sell HIS stake in the team seems somewhat un-American to me.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2014 10:44 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 01 May 2014 10:44:17 -0400

What are we the thought police now??? Don't get me wrong, that dude is a bigot and closed minded. But everyone knew he was a bigot before he bought the team, why was he even allowed to buy into the league?? We're persecuting this guy because somebody paid this Jezebel to set him up. These were private conversations between "lovers." This whole situation was a complete setup, there's been no due process. And the NBA has blatantly reared its HIPPOCRATIC face. Again, don't get me wrong, this man is a biggot and there should be no place for him in today's world.

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-Sports/2014/04/29/8-Things-That-Wont-Get-You-Banned-by-the-NBA

8 Things That Won't Get You Banned by the NBA - Breitbart

That, of course, is why Sterling was ousted. Everyone knew for decades that Sterling was a disgusting pig racist – he had federal lawsuits led by the Department of Justice against him for discriminating against blacks, Hispanics, and Asians in housing (one allegation in the 2006 DOJ lawsuit: he said black people “smell”). That would have been an excellent reason for ousting Sterling years ago. The NBA did nothing. Neither did the NAACP, which...

Response by CPT Daniel Walk, M.B.A. made May 1 at 2014 3:32 PM

CPT Daniel Walk, M.B.A. — Thu, 01 May 2014 15:32:52 -0400

Despite anachronistic opinions, his employment practices are well within the legal and ethical guidelines. He holds some personal opinions about the value of blacks and, probably, other non-whites, but goes to work every day and treats every one of them with the due respect.

I would say this man is doing exactly what we expect. He holds opinions that we don't agree with, but sees beyond his opinions to the value that every person provides to their employer and society.

The disturbing thing is the continue one-up-manship of every organization to see who can apply the greatest amount of politically correct torture when someone speaks in a way that is not "acceptable."

As previously stated, when it comes down to it, he will laugh all the way to the bank. Basketball is not his only investment.

Take it for what you will...

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me--
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

-Martin Niemoller