NBA tenatively approves Clipper sale, Sterling drops lawsuit.

[Future Celtics Owner]

So a senile old man, 5 years in to alzheimers,  saying racist remarks in THE PRIVACY OF HIS HOME, is worse than another man who has the views of and belongs to a group that believes in black power and whites are the devil? BTW Jay z is not senile, nor demented. So he has no excuse but being a racist sexist elitist pig.
Give me a break!

You do know that Donald Sterling has been systematically screwing black people and other minorities in his real estate dealings for many, many years prior to this, right?

And that Sterling's lawyer went on the record saying that he was 98% positive that a judge wouldn't find Sterling mentally disabled?

And that the only reason Shelly Sterling is saying that Donald has Alzheimers is to keep him from interfering with the sale of the team? And that she referred to the diagnosis as Plan B after he told her he wasn't going to let her sell the team?

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/10/sports/basketball/donald-sterling-impairment-eased-clippers-sale-to-steve-ballmer.html?_r=0

Yea I do, I posted about it a page or two back.

So then you know that characterizing Sterling as an old man 3-5 years into Alzheimers is, at best, a reach?

No not at all.

[D.o.s.]

 

[Future Celtics Owner]

yea i just saw that video very interesting. I just can not believe the man is 3-5 years in to alzheimers and people are making him out to be the devil. Yes he was most likely not a great person, but I can think of a lot worse that are not being vilified by the NBA. Like Jay z hating white people and being apart of the 5% nation who openly states whiter man is the devil. That is much worse.

I think it illustrates the NBA's hypocracy and righteous indignation when it comes to race.  This is the same NBA that welcomed with open arms....Overt racist sexist crime promoting (just listen to his "music") jayz as a co-owner of a franchise.  If they want to stop Sterling from attending NBA games...Why do they and their media at ABDNC and ESPN not only embrace....But caption ad-nauseum the ultimate overt racist...spike lee....Whenever the knicks have a televised home game?  The NBA banishes Sterling but embraces life long race-hustler jesse jackson sitting in the front row of the first televised Clippers home game after the Sterling revelations?

Don't forget Jordan. He said he was a racist while growing up.

[Future Celtics Owner]

Maybe you need to read what I wrote.

[D.o.s.]

So you don't think there's any way Sterling might not be suffering from Alzheimer's, despite the fact that the only people who've concluded that he is were being paid by Shelly Sterling in order to keep him from interfering with the sale of the team?


That is mindboggling.

[D.o.s.]

double post.

[nickagneta]

So a senile old man, 5 years in to alzheimers,  saying racist remarks in THE PRIVACY OF HIS HOME, is worse than another man who has the views of and belongs to a group that believes in black power and whites are the devil? BTW Jay z is not senile, nor demented. So he has no excuse but being a racist sexist elitist pig.
Give me a break!

You do know that Donald Sterling has been systematically screwing black people and other minorities in his real estate dealings for many, many years prior to this, right?

And that Sterling's lawyer went on the record saying that he was 98% positive that a judge wouldn't find Sterling mentally disabled?

And that the only reason Shelly Sterling is saying that Donald has Alzheimers is to keep him from interfering with the sale of the team? And that she referred to the diagnosis as Plan B after he told her he wasn't going to let her sell the team?

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/10/sports/basketball/donald-sterling-impairment-eased-clippers-sale-to-steve-ballmer.html?_r=0

Yea I do, I posted about it a page or two back.

So then you know that characterizing Sterling as an old man 3-5 years into Alzheimers is, at best, a reach?

Isn't that reach that Shelley Sterling and the NBA is using to sell the team out from under Donald Sterling? Isn't it just that legal technicality that got the sale approved because Shelley took over the Sterling Trust?

I'm confused. Are you advocating he isn't suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's or that he is?

I still find him a racist but I am confused where you are going with this.

[D.o.s.]

I think that the idea that Donald Sterling's behavior should be somehow excused because he's "a senile old man 5 years into Alzheimer's", is suspect, specifically because A) his lawyer is going on the record to ESPN reporters saying that Sterling most likely wouldn't be found mentally incompetent by a judge and B) because the only reason the Alzheimer's/mentally unfit label surfaced in the first place was as a backup legal strategy to expedite the sale of the team.

If Sterling never decides to renege on the original sale, we're not having a conversation about whether or not he's mentally fit to make his own decisions, so color me skeptical about the idea that we're supposed to feel an iota of sympathy for this dude because all of a sudden he's 5 years into a serious disease... at least (and only) according to experts paid for by the woman who stands the most to gain from the diagnosis.

Especially when its functioning as little more than a false equivocation to complain about "all those nasty black people" the NBA supports.

[nickagneta]

I think that the idea that Donald Sterling's behavior should be somehow excused because he's "a senile old man 5 years into Alzheimer's", is suspect, specifically because A) his lawyer is going on the record to ESPN reporters saying that Sterling most likely wouldn't be found mentally incompetent by a judge and B) because the only reason the Alzheimer's/mentally unfit label surfaced in the first place was as a backup legal strategy to expedite the sale of the team.

If Sterling never decides to renege on the original sale, we're not having a conversation about whether or not he's mentally fit to make his own decisions, so color me skeptical about the idea that we're supposed to feel an iota of sympathy for this piece of **** because all of a sudden he's a guy who's 5 years into a serious disease only according to sources paid for by the woman who stands the most to gain from the diagnosis. Especially when its basically a false equivocation to complain about "all those nasty black people" the NBA supports.

Okay that I understand.

But if there is some truth to the Alzheimer's claim then it would give some credibility to the idea that Sterling could have been living, even temporarily in his mind, back in the 1950's and 60's and so was thinking he was saying stuff that many in America felt was socially acceptable to say.

Not saying that is the case but being having more first hand knowledge with this disease than about 99% of Celticsbloggers, its extremely plausible.

Either way, I think the man a scumbag and a racist. I just think he might have thought he was saying stuff that was socially acceptable because he might have strayed from reality there during the conversation with his girlfriend. If he was 100% cognizant of where and when he was, he might not have said it, even if it is the way he feels. The disease can do that to people.

[Mencius]

And on this weeks episode of Heresy Hunters...

Leave the canoli, take the wiretap. It?s time to go to the mattresses.

[saltlover]

I think that the idea that Donald Sterling's behavior should be somehow excused because he's "a senile old man 5 years into Alzheimer's", is suspect, specifically because A) his lawyer is going on the record to ESPN reporters saying that Sterling most likely wouldn't be found mentally incompetent by a judge and B) because the only reason the Alzheimer's/mentally unfit label surfaced in the first place was as a backup legal strategy to expedite the sale of the team.

If Sterling never decides to renege on the original sale, we're not having a conversation about whether or not he's mentally fit to make his own decisions, so color me skeptical about the idea that we're supposed to feel an iota of sympathy for this piece of **** because all of a sudden he's a guy who's 5 years into a serious disease only according to sources paid for by the woman who stands the most to gain from the diagnosis. Especially when its basically a false equivocation to complain about "all those nasty black people" the NBA supports.

Okay that I understand.

But if there is some truth to the Alzheimer's claim then it would give some credibility to the idea that Sterling could have been living, even temporarily in his mind, back in the 1950's and 60's and so was thinking he was saying stuff that many in America felt was socially acceptable to say.

Not saying that is the case but being having more first hand knowledge with this disease than about 99% of Celticsbloggers, its extremely plausible.

Either way, I think the man a scumbag and a racist. I just think he might have thought he was saying stuff that was socially acceptable because he might have strayed from reality there during the conversation with his girlfriend. If he was 100% cognizant of where and when he was, he might not have said it, even if it is the way he feels. The disease can do that to people.

About the only thing Alzheimer's explains is why he got caught on tape saying what he said, not that he would say such things.  The man settled with the US Department of Justice in a housing discrimination suit.  I've seen it written that he paid the largest ever settlement in such a case, although I haven't seen such a statement sourced, so I cannot verify.  Regardless, this man's racism has been a matter of public record for a decade, and probably no real secret for some time before.  5 years into Alzheimer's won't explain that away.  He's not a senile old man who says things.  He was a racist who denied Black and Latino people equal housing because they smelled funny or had too many children.  Now he's just not as good at hiding it.  Pity should be minimal.

[Mencius]

There's enormous room for hypocrisy and moral preening on this issue.  I think what people say publicly reveals far less than do the real world decisions they make about where they choose to live and send their children to school.

[D.o.s.]

And on this weeks episode of Heresy Hunters...

Leave the canoli, take the wiretap. It?s time to go to the mattresses.

Do you even know why you're quoting someone else misquoting The Godfather?

[Finkelskyhook]

I think that the idea that Donald Sterling's behavior should be somehow excused because he's "a senile old man 5 years into Alzheimer's", is suspect, specifically because A) his lawyer is going on the record to ESPN reporters saying that Sterling most likely wouldn't be found mentally incompetent by a judge and B) because the only reason the Alzheimer's/mentally unfit label surfaced in the first place was as a backup legal strategy to expedite the sale of the team.

If Sterling never decides to renege on the original sale, we're not having a conversation about whether or not he's mentally fit to make his own decisions, so color me skeptical about the idea that we're supposed to feel an iota of sympathy for this piece of **** because all of a sudden he's a guy who's 5 years into a serious disease only according to sources paid for by the woman who stands the most to gain from the diagnosis. Especially when its basically a false equivocation to complain about "all those nasty black people" the NBA supports.

Okay that I understand.

But if there is some truth to the Alzheimer's claim then it would give some credibility to the idea that Sterling could have been living, even temporarily in his mind, back in the 1950's and 60's and so was thinking he was saying stuff that many in America felt was socially acceptable to say.

Not saying that is the case but being having more first hand knowledge with this disease than about 99% of Celticsbloggers, its extremely plausible.

Either way, I think the man a scumbag and a racist. I just think he might have thought he was saying stuff that was socially acceptable because he might have strayed from reality there during the conversation with his girlfriend. If he was 100% cognizant of where and when he was, he might not have said it, even if it is the way he feels. The disease can do that to people.

I went through Alztheimer's with my dad the last 2+ years of his life.  It's a heartbreaking condition. 

Listening to Sterling in the small TV sample size....His incoherence looked and sounded more from his overt exhaustion than from dementia.   I couldn't agree more with what he said about the Great Liar.....Both to the girl and to CNN.  There was no need to apologize...  He didn't say anything racist about the Great Liar....And he sure as hell is right about him being a lousy role model.

So if the NBA is going to banish Sterling for racism...And they're going to try to force a sale via an allegation of dementia.....What is the rationale for embracing jayz as an owner?  spike lee?  jamele hill?  the "reverend" jackson?  All whom have said and done far worse than Sterling would ever dream of....None of them have never been alleged to have dementia ....  Not mentioning the fact...Also...That the racist Sterling has made more black Americans millionaires than all of the afformentioned racists combined. 

Doesn't make Sterling virtuous... But it makes the NBA indignant hypocrites.  If they're so interested in guarding their wholesome brand...Why not condemn and banish all racism?  Why allow the playing of gangsta rap during timeouts if they're supposedly promoting a family-oriented environment?  The silly indignance concerning Cuban's words....Which were by far the most lucid of this entire fiasco...  Why not condemn Jordan's words?...As harmless as they were...  The grandstanding  Rivers and Paul.. .Who posed with the "reverend" Jackson like they were some kind of victims...Are no more victims of Sterling than the NBA is.

[Neurotic Guy]

I think Alzheimer's absolutley could (if legit) mitigate the fault I find with Sterling's 'caught on tape' comments.   We may not want to admit it but we all have biased and prejudicial thoughts.  When we are of sound mind, we use our good brains to quickly filter our thoughts before words emerge from our mouths.  This filtering helps us to dismiss certain thoughts as nonsense or faulty thinking (as when we draw a conclusion based on insuffient information or based solely on a stereotype), or helps us to calculate the impact our words might have on our present audience (we may feel much freer to say certain edgy things when in the company of our closest friends than with neighbors, co-workers, boss, grandmother or strangers). 

Among other things, Alzheimer's (and other disorders that impact the ability to think) impacts the ability to filter thoughts.  A person with Alzheimer's might be far more likely to blurt something out or to make an illogical argument because of the inability to hold together a logical train of thought or to consider the impact of his comments. 

Alzheimer's wouldn't excuse his prior behavior, but would provide a relatively benign explanation for insensitive comments in lieu of a history of such comments.   I guess my point is to suggest that if his punishment is only the result of (response to) his current comments (as Silver stated), I would have a hard time with the level of the punishment--  if he is actually suffering from Alzheimer's.   That said, I do want to say that if the punishment is based on the totality of his behavior over the years, then I think the punishment is overdue.