In the aftermath of the racist Donald Sterling remarks and Sterling’s subsequent ban for life, I am overcome by a few overwhelming thoughts:

Chris Paul is the Players Union president, and plays for the Clippers. By nikk_la, via Wikimedia Commons

He left the NBA no choice

Or at least no good one… . The league is comprised of nearly 80% of its players who are African-American. Players and fans were ready to stage a revolt, including rumors about player boycotts from teams other than the Clippers. Like Roger Goodell during the Michael Vick incident, new NBA commissioner Adam Sliver had to bring the hammer down. Taking a Thor-like swing, Silver made a statement in an unprecedented punishment of an owner.

At this point, the stage is set for other NBA owners to force Sterling to sell the team. With his history, there is no other recourse. Socially, if the NBA is to stay legitimate and viable, there is no other option or choice.

The precedent it sets is scary though, you’ll have to admit. Sterling’s racist history is well-documented — perhaps a reason why this particular case warranted such swift and strong action. But which person out there has never made an insensitive comment or statement? Who hasn’t said something outlandish they are glad isn’t out in the ether? Who hasn’t said something to their spouse or girlfriend that they would never in a million years want their employer to hear?

If someone from the University of Indiana has a tape of Mark Cuban saying something stupid, are we going to force Cuban to sell the Mavs? Mark Jackson has made it clear where he stands on homosexuality. Is he going to be in the line of fire, too? 

The question of exactly where the line is and what is ever forgivable will be hotly debated. Perhaps that’s the good that can come of this — more good dialogue about race in this country. Something tells me that it’s already getting pretty political though, which will really hurt the chances of any kind of real debate in the garbage PTI/FirstTake/Crossfire social dialogue we’ve created over the past decade.

Where art thou, David Stern?

Where’s David Stern in all this? Glad he’s retired, that’s where.

Stern sat idly by for years as Sterling’s wrap sheet got longer and longer. Jerry Buss owned lots of real estate. Did we ever hear about him being embroiled in discrimination talk? Sterling has always had a bad reputation when it comes to race relations, which is why, while sad, wasn’t a surprise.

The fact that it wasn’t a surprise to a fan like me makes me believe now, more than ever, that Stern waited about 5-10 years too long to retire. In terms of managing public image, Stern always overestimated himself and his league.

Who gets to be the thought police?

An interesting backlash to this story will be to hear people talking about hypocrisy. Whether it’s this post about Jay-Z that has been popular on my social media feed today, or other more moderate versions I’ve read, we are going to have to figure out where the “line” is, and also accept that that line is going to be in a different place for different people.

When something like this quagmire happens, my questions isn’t whether it will happen again, but rather when? Once the precedent is set, everyone is in jeopardy.

To be clear

To be clear here, I think Silver did the right thing — the only thing he could have done given where the league is now. I don’t think he had any other choice. I believe Donald Sterling is a bad guy who ran his mouth to the wrong mistress and is paying the appropriate price. He’ll probably wind up selling his team, on which he’ll probably make about 65-times what he paid for it. His lifestyle won’t change, except he won’t get to see the organization and fans he milked for as long as I’ve been on this planet.

Prior to this season, that losing franchise had won just 17 playoff games in 32 seasons, including just four in Sterling’s first 25 years at the helm.

What I’d really like to see come out of it is a better, real discussions about issues related to race and prejudice.

If you want to read something that contextualizes this fiasco better than I ever could, check out Jason Whitlock’s piece on this fiasco.  Seriously, if you haven’t read it, you probably should.

If you don’t feel like reading any more words, here’s an informative clip from Bomani Jones on a radio show that is also worth a listen.

There is a reason why the Los Angeles Clippers will never be as liked or accomplish as much as their rival older brother Los Angeles Lakers have. It can be summed up in two words: Donald Sterling.

It isn’t because of their poor play or lack of talent in past years, though both have been clearly evident. Instead, it’s because of their owner and the bad karma that can get deep into the organization. Not everyone believes in karma but when dealing with such a man as Sterling, karma rears its ugly head over and over.

Being the leader of both the Clippers and Players Association, Chris Paul needs to step up and do something about his teams owner Donald Sterling. By Verse Photography (Flickr: 20131118 ClippersvGrizzles41) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

We all know that he has been accused of being openly racist in the past. For example, in 2006 he was sued by the US Department of Justice over housing discrimination for refusing to rent apartments to blacks and families with children. It took him three years to pay a settlement to end the lawsuit. 

Next we heard that former general manager Elgin Baylor sued Sterling by accusing him for firing him “on the basis of age and race.”   Sterling has had a history of being openly racist but his recent comment once again prove that the NBA needs to take a harder stance on racism and deal with it in a manner that is appropriate and shows that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated at any level.

Last week, TMZ found audio footage of Sterling talking to his girlfriend and telling her that he didn’t want her to bring African Americans to his game anymore.

Per TMZ, Sterling allegedly said, “You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that…and not to bring them to my games.”

The girlfriend had posted a picture of herself and Magic Johnson on her Instagram account which has now been deleted. The ironic and ridiculous part about all this is that the Clippers three most essential pieces to their team’s success are African American in Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and coach Doc Rivers.

The NBA should not allow this man to own a NBA franchise any longer. New commissioner Adam Silver has a Goodell-and-Vick-like opportunity to step up and take action early in his regime. He has a chance to do something that his predecessor David Stern failed to do on many occasions.

Simply letting Sterling go this long without punishment shows some sort of weakness within the NBA front office. Donald Sterling is a disgrace of a human being, a disgrace to the NBA and a disgrace to all of his African American employees. If I were any of the Clippers players or coaches, I would seriously consider boycotting the rest of the season until Sterling stepped down as owner. Drastic times call for drastic measures and with star player Chris Paul heading the Players Association, and Kevin Johnson involved, this situation is far from over.

Kobe took the shoot and scored, about sums up the irresistible edge the NBA possesses in today’s sports market.  It came from two, jet black haired Armenian boys, speaking broken English from a curling bench in the gymnasium. And before I could correct their grammar, I paused, and took in the oddity of what NBA basketball now means to the rest of the world.

Staples Center is still where Los Angeles’ sports heart beats. By Daniel Lobo (Staples Center Uploaded by JoeJohnson2) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

How David Stern has continued to underwhelm the outrageous, with a worldwide marketing attack, building riotous fan bases, is miraculous and genially creative. Turn the channel to a Spanish network playing a sensationalized love affair between Carlos and Olga, and your certain to run into a high flying commercial production starring the Hollywood five.

Who are the Hollywood five? A five pronged attack of super humans.

Uncanny in their heroes names, “the Mamba,” “Superman Part Deux,” “Snaggle Tooth Spaniard,” “Meta World,” and “Nash,” conjoin a makeup of champion potential. Endorsing these five is a perfectly unapologetic front forging a final blaze for the older fans(our fathers and grandfathers) who split after the first lockout in 1999.

A sinister 1-4 start didn’t help things much. But after last night’s crushing continuum of victories (now 4 of their last 5), 119-108 over the Houston Rockets, the perennial powerhouse is hosing their way through mite-sized foes and reminding the more mature fan of former “share the ball” star fronts of the 80’s: the Boston Celtics, Showtime Lakers and Bad Boy Pistons.

If jumbled together randomly, David Stern fell into one mighty miracle when Dwight Howard and Steve Nash both said yes to the next blockbuster dubbed The Mamba’s Revenge. Currently the story line is fitting: Five stars align, experience sudden failure, overcome and conquer. They battle their way through valiant foes, but ultimately face off against the megadeath machine, the Miami Heat. The Old and the New: Kobe Bryant verses LeBron James. Television numbers soar, world dominance elongates, David Stern earns himself a star on the walk of fame.

Which is why saying nothing at all to two teen Armenian cats pointing and hollering in a small, humble gym at a Hilton hotel was the right thing to do. The mind numbing reality that the NBA is not only stable but more popular since its second lockout is a force unfazed by my incessant needs to correct grammar and put sentence malfunctions in their place. I may even start using Kobe took the shoot, if it means I can join the club.

It’s material anarchy, a disintegration of our great society succumbed with paranoia, and Polly Pocket is to blame. Her make believe world in a woman’s compact blush-mirror is a vortex sucking souls into a plastic world, a world known as Black Friday.

Much like Arnie’s world…

All I wanted was a tooth brush!? A simple .99 cent tooth brush because the bristles on mine resembled Kei$ha hungover.

Had I known I would be forced to weave cart- traffic like a rat zig zagging in-and-through a labyrinth I’d opted for bad breath. Decided it best to hole up and eat turkey sandwiches. Play it safe and sit still, staring at ESPN until my eyes felt like molasses.

As of Monday, another battle ensues. Cyber bullies and pornographic fairies come out to play, their minions rallying the world around 90% off of 90% itemized bin sales.

Out whip our fourth, fifth and sixth credit cards, while our buyer’s- credit swivels down the drain. And though we lose our homes and our jobs, we continue to buy buy buy, seek, seek, seek, all the way to bankruptcy court.

According to multiple sources Black Friday sales are up 20%.

The expectation then is a whopping increase come Cyber Monday, a day our fingertips can click click click without moving any other part of our bodies.

As if it wasn’t difficult enough?

First we battled the world and now, without further adieu, a legion of Internet aliens.

It’s an unwinnable battle really. For the few hoping to tighten their financial belts, ignoring Black Friday is one thing, but ignoring the cyber-juggernaut is an entirely different difficulty.

Our simpleton fights against the holiday-ten are over, our battles with Richard Simmons commercials and the guilt of Jenny Craig in the rear view mirror. Toys that never broke: soccer balls, Jax and a game of Uno, are relics of an archaic world now.

We’re waging war on behalf of future generations and their children’s children. We’re stockpiling dusty Y2K storehouses with the bare essentials: beer, beef, barbecue coal and toilet paper.

On a side note, the NBA lockout is nearing an end.

NBA and NBPA are deciding it best to get in on some of this here action. Cyber Trolls are frolicking in LeBron James and Kobe Bryant jerseys while David Stern ring leads the parade.

A sixty-six game schedule is set to ensue starting on Christmas day. A triple header including a rematch between the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks will headline the event.

Ill be drinking spiked eggnog under my Christmas tree talking to Santa Claus about finances, wondering where and when the miniature kingdom of mine red lined into shambles and my life began to resemble everyone else’s.

On a side note, I succesfully got a new tooth brush. Though I was frightened by the following: a woman wearing a Mrs. Claus outfit walking in reindeer slippers, triplet boys crying in an octave arrangement as beautiful as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and a barbie in a noose of dental floss, I purchased the only tooth brush left, a buzzing light up tinker bell.  

It seemed to be a hard-fought and physical game. Both teams were playing really hard and it was a close game. I’m writing this actually while it’s still going on. But the TV is off.

The Heat had the ball and Joakim Noah slipped and fell while guarding Chris Bosh. Bosh turned and drove to the basket and was fouled by three Bulls players. Carlos Boozer was the second Bull to get to Bosh and, arms raised above his head, made sure that Bosh wasn’t able to get a shot off. While arms were tangled, Boozer was clearly the stronger of the two and Bosh ended up sprawled out toward the baseline while Boozer stood where he landed, on his feet, with his arms raised.

After talking with his fellow officials, Joey Crawford went to the scorer’s table and called Boozer for a flagrant foul. My TV was off before Bosh could even shoot a free throw. The Heat were losing by three points (I think) at the time of the foul. I’m sure it won’t be for long…

This is the NBA I despise. Where there is espoused-only toughness. Where 6’10” athletes need protection from the refs. Where a hard foul turns into a flagrant foul and where the refs still don’t have control of the game.

This is the NBA, where Kevin Garnett can spout off a profanity-laced tirade and bully all he wants. Where Rasheed Wallace can call Vladamir Radmonavic “Borat” without repercussion.

This is a league that is all bark and no bite. Where a player’s acting tough is always rewarded and where a player’s actual toughness almost never is.

This is the NBA where a “tough” act that is actually related to the game – basketball warrior protecting his basket – is penalized most harshly.

Listen, I get it. When there are players whose athleticism and star power make them transcendent, you want to give them every opportunity to show that off. To market the game, it is important to have defining slam dunks and plays that maximize a player’s athleticism.

Tell that to Michael Jordan. Jordan was hacked harder than the Boozer foul at least a few times per game in the playoffs. Did we appreciate the game less then? Did it negatively affect Jordan then?

Tell that to Shaquille O’Neal. While he was the most difficult player to officiate, Shaq was fouled harder than Boozer fouled Bosh probably ten times per game. Since Shaq was typically the one left standing, the fouls were almost never deemed flagrant. Again, did it make me appreciate Shaq less? Absolutely not. How many more dominant years might Shaq have had if the NBA was as liberal with doling out flagrant fouls from 1997-2004 as they are now.

I’m not saying a league needs to allow a McHale-like clothesline. I don’t want to get back to the fighting times, when Kermit Washington almost killed Rudy T (for more, read The Punch – a great book).

What I am saying is that I’d love to see how LeBron would actually react when it wasn’t so assured that he’d be protected by the officials. I’d love to see whether Chris Bosh would go into a shell or change his takeoff point the next time he drove to the basket in order to absorb contact.

Unfortunately, today’s NBA doesn’t allow for or require these things from its players. Call it “Namby Pamby” or “weaksauce” or just overprotected, marketing-driven basketball. It doesn’t matter what you call it. It’s the way of the world now.

Miami’s BIG 3 will continue to roll. And I’ll continue to watch hockey — or maybe just keep the TV off altogether. I do live in California, and it is starting to get warmer…

What if I could, as a fan, interview anyone in the sports world, ask them any question, and get a real, truthful, insightful answer. I wouldn’t have to publish it. I’d just want to know. As a fan. If you think you have their answers, please tell me.

My interview questions for Phil Jackson:

Who was more fun to coach – Shaq or MJ?

Kobe or Michael – and why?

Seriously, what happened to the Lakers this year?

My questions for Lakers’ GM Mitch Kupchak:

What really happened with the Ariza deal? Was there a problem with him that was never publicized? Did Kobe push hard for Ron? Would you do it differently if you could?

Would you rather have a slightly mentally unstable Artest or the Artest we saw all year?

For Frank McCourt:

What the hell?

For Stu Lantz:

Tell me one Chick Hearn story nobody has ever heard before.

For Tommy Lasorda and Vin Scully:

When did you know McCourt was going to be a failure as the Dodgers’ owner?

For Bud Selig:

How much did you really know about steroids throughout the 90’s?

What did you really think would happen with Frank McCourt? When did you know he wasn’t the guy?

For Mark Cuban:

Will you please buy the Dodgers already?!

For David Stern:

Did you make Jordan retire because of gambling?

Who wins in a fight- Prokerov or Cuban?

For EVERY major college basketball and football coach:

Who was paid to go to your school and how much?

For EVERY Major League Baseball player who played between 1980 and now:

How much performance enhancing drugs did you use and for how long?

There are so many questions that could be asked, I could have sat here for hours and hours writing them. I’ll leave it there for now and ask you the question: WHAT WOULD YOU ASK?