2014 NBA

[Paelos]

So yeah, Hawks won a game. Um, how is Indy this bad?

[ghost]

So yeah, Hawks won a game. Um, how is Indy this bad?

I think they were playing above their talent level for much of the season.   And I think there is probably a locker room issue.

[WayAbvPar]

whytheNBAsucks.gif

[Paelos]

Now we begin the long ridiculous journey of the first round that takes a month. Why? The Hawks played on Saturday, they don't play again until Tuesday. We need a 3 day layoff when they don't even leave town? And yet, when they do change cities, they play on 2 days rest. The fuck? How does that make any sense at all. It should be reversed.

[Malakili]

Now we begin the long ridiculous journey of the first round that takes a month. Why? The Hawks played on Saturday, they don't play again until Tuesday. We need a 3 day layoff when they don't even leave town? And yet, when they do change cities, they play on 2 days rest. The fuck? How does that make any sense at all. It should be reversed.

I imagine its all decided with TV ratings in mind.

[Ghambit]

Clippers are a dead team walking.  All that work to become championship calibre?  Yah, flush it down the toilet.

[Malakili]

Clippers are a dead team walking.  All that work to become championship calibre?  Yah, flush it down the toilet.

I listened to that whole recording.  

[Hoax]

VS: I wish I could change the skin. The color of my skin
DS: That isn't the issue. You've missed the issue.
VS: What's the issue?
DS: The issue is we don't have to broadcast everything.
VS: I'm not broadcasting anything. I don't do anything wrong.

DS: Why are you taking pictures with minorities... why?
The conversation centered around a now-deleted photo that Stiviano put on Instagram of herself and Magic Johnson (pictured)
The conversation centered around a now-deleted photo that Stiviano put on Instagram of herself and Magic Johnson (pictured)
VS: What's wrong with minorities? What's wrong with black people?
DS: Nothing, nothing, nothing.
VS: What's wrong with Hispanics?
DS: It's like talking to an enemy. There's nothing wrong with minorities, they're fabulous. Fabulous. Because you're an enemy to me.
VS: Why?
DS: Because you don't understand.
VS: I don't understand what?
DS: Nothing, nothing.
VS: That racism still is a lie?
DS: No but there's a culture.
VS: What culture?
DS: People feel certain things. Hispanics feel certain things towards blacks. Blacks feel certain things towards other groups. It's been that way historically and it will always be that way.
VS: But it's not that way in my heart and in my mind.
DS: But maybe you want to adjust to the world.

DS: Yea it bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you're associated with black people. Do you have to?
VS: You associate with black people.
DS: I'm not you and you're not me. You're supposed to be a delicate white or a delicate Latina girl.
VS: I'm a mixed girl.
DS: Ok well.
VS: And you're in love with me. And I'm black and Mexican. Whether you like it or not. Whether the world accepts it or not. And you're asking me to remove.... you want me to have hate towards black people?
DS: I don't want you to have hate. That's what people do- they turn things around. I want you to love them- privately. In your whole life, everyday you can be with them. Every single day of your life.
VS: But not in public?
DS: But why publicize it on the Instagram and why bring it to my games?
Recorded: A call between Sterling and his girlfriend was released and he is heard making racist assertions
Recorded: A call between Sterling and his girlfriend was released and he is heard making racist assertions

VS: I can't believe that a man who's educated, a man who's a scholar, a man...
DS: Well believe it, and stop talking about it. Let's finish our discussion with a period, ok?

VS: I took a picture with someone I admire (Magic Johnson).
DS: Good
VS: He happens to be black, and I'm sorry.
DS: I think the fact that you admire him- I've known him well, and he should be admired. And I'm just saying that it's too bad you can't just admire him privately, and during your entire f****** life, your whole life- admire him, bring him here, feed him, f*** him, I don't care. You can do anything. But don't put him on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games, OK?

[Threash]

Am i a horrible person for thinking it makes it super extra racist that he is complaining about Magic Johnson and not some random black dude?

[Ghambit]

That's not even the entire convo.  Thing was painful to listen to; gave me flashbacks to a few convos I wish I recorded myself actually.  Honestly, as much as I hate sugarbabies I kinda commend his particular half-breed trophygirl for having the balls to record it.

Let's see how much tapdancing occurs in the media come Monday.  Honestly, I really hope people just talk openly rather then just shuffling shit under-the-rug (like StephenA tends to do).  Tired of it at this point.

Am i a horrible person for thinking it makes it super extra racist that he is complaining about Magic Johnson and not some random black dude?

Nope, not at all.  But, you have to realize the point of privilege Sterling comes from.  To him MJ is a flea on the social/financial spectrum.  His celebrity means little.  Relatively speaking, MJ to him is exactly some "random black dude."

[Paelos]

ESPN isn't in bed with the NBA, so they're already running it as front page on the website. I don't think they'll stuff any of this under the rug.

[Ghambit]

“We have heard the tape on TMZ. We do not know if it is legitimate or it has been altered. We do know that the woman on the tape -- who we believe released it to TMZ -- is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling that she would 'get even.' Mr. Sterling is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings. It is the antithesis of who he is, what he believes and how he has lived his life. He feels terrible that such sentiments are being attributed to him and apologizes to anyone who might have been hurt by them.

   Woman scorned and all that.

[Ingmar]

I guess Sterling was tired of Dan Snyder getting all the 'worst owner in sports' buzz lately. What a cretin.

[Threash]

“We have heard the tape on TMZ. We do not know if it is legitimate or it has been altered. We do know that the woman on the tape -- who we believe released it to TMZ -- is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling that she would 'get even.' Mr. Sterling is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings. It is the antithesis of who he is, what he believes and how he has lived his life. He feels terrible that such sentiments are being attributed to him and apologizes to anyone who might have been hurt by them.

   Woman scorned and all that.

Oh please, how can they have heard the tape and not know whether it was altered? he either said those things or he didn't, and if he hadn't he'd know for sure.

[Paelos]

This is pretty consistent with some of the other crap he's said over the years. It's not shocking given his history, nor do I think it was doctored. I think people across the USA are just finding out what kind of scumbag he really is.

[HaemishM]

This is the first I've heard of this but... HOLY SHIT. 

[Paelos]

Clippers are unshockingly getting annihilated.

[Ghambit]

Just as I suspected, there's more.  I was going to "go there" but turns out Sterling will just do it for me:
The extended clip.

 

Somewhere, far away, Bryant Gumbel (who tried his best to investigatively shed light on this exact topic during the Stern regime, and was lambasted for it) is laughing his ass off.

[Paelos]

Even funnier he made his wife show up to the game. So not only is he not man enough to take the hit in public, he sends the woman he cheated on to face the inevitable questions about what his mistress put on tape.

But did Mrs. Sterling threaten divorce? Nope, she sued the mistress for community property. I mean this is only the kind of crazy you see in the uber-rich.

[Ingmar]

The part where she basically says "well I thought it was OK to leave Matt Kemp in there because he's less black than me" is the cap on the whole what-the-fuckness of it. "I hate black people, except I have a black girlfriend, and somehow I assume she'll be ok with me hating black people." Soooooo weird.

[HaemishM]

Not weird for me... maybe because I come from the South. Old racists really like the idea of their strange being a little dark. Probably got something to do with the power trip they can't get because one can't be a slaveowner anymore.  I wish I was kidding, but I'm afraid that's probably closer to the truth than anyone would care to admit.

[Ghambit]

Even funnier he made his wife show up to the game. So not only is he not man enough to take the hit in public, he sends the woman he cheated on to face the inevitable questions about what his mistress put on tape.

But did Mrs. Sterling threaten divorce? Nope, she sued the mistress for community property. I mean this is only the kind of crazy you see in the uber-rich.

Stuff like that happens all the time in this world.  The ol' mistress-embezzlement lawsuit is an age old trick; I've seen it before.  Hell, in my old line of work the owners would give the crew carte blanche and a black amex... then if they had a falling out for whatever reason, it's "you stole from us!"

As for his wife, it's likely she is under a pre-nup that hasn't matured yet... so she's going nowhere until it does.  Also, I dont hold her accountable at all - yet.  It's often women in her situation are the ones that truly appreciate, identify, and empathize with "the help."  That's probably the reason she went to the game; she was supporting her team and quietly siding with them.   She could really give two fucks about Donald, I can guarantee you that... and likely has a boy-toy of her own to toodle around on her jet with.  When her pre-nup is up she'll start liquidating assets and pocketing the cash, just like the mistress did.

Not weird for me... maybe because I come from the South. Old racists really like the idea of their strange being a little dark. Probably got something to do with the power trip they can't get because one can't be a slaveowner anymore.  I wish I was kidding, but I'm afraid that's probably closer to the truth than anyone would care to admit.

I'd agree, but this is not your typical southernish racist issue.

[Ingmar]

Not weird for me... maybe because I come from the South. Old racists really like the idea of their strange being a little dark. Probably got something to do with the power trip they can't get because one can't be a slaveowner anymore.  I wish I was kidding, but I'm afraid that's probably closer to the truth than anyone would care to admit.

 

[Sir T]

Not weird for me... maybe because I come from the South. Old racists really like the idea of their strange being a little dark. Probably got something to do with the power trip they can't get because one can't be a slaveowner anymore.  I wish I was kidding, but I'm afraid that's probably closer to the truth than anyone would care to admit.

I'd say its more to do with the extra pleasure they get from feeling guilty.

[Paelos]

Not weird for me... maybe because I come from the South. Old racists really like the idea of their strange being a little dark. Probably got something to do with the power trip they can't get because one can't be a slaveowner anymore.  I wish I was kidding, but I'm afraid that's probably closer to the truth than anyone would care to admit.

 

He's right. That's more common in the south than you'd think.

[Paelos]

I'd say its more to do with the extra pleasure they get from feeling guilty.

No, Haemish is pretty close to it. There's a power play involved by literally fucking black people for these guys. Then they can discard them at will.

They want sex things they don't have to think of as people.

[HaemishM]

Just listened to the whole Deadspin recording. FUCK. ME.

It's not just about having sex with what he considers a lesser human that he can exert power over. It's the same kind of "job creator" power trip over his players. "I feed them, I give them cars and houses."

Fuck that piece of shit in his earhole. I hope the NBA is allowed to revoke his franchise and give it to someone else. All these idiots talking about how the woman that made the tape is a gold digger who is just trying to damage his reputation. AND? How does that make what he said any less despicable? I don't have to give two shits about what this chick was trying to do, she didn't say what he said on that tape, he did.

[Paelos]

One of the really messed up things about the NBA is bylaws are confidential. So nobody really knows what the maximum penalty is for something like this.

I've never trusted the NBA in terms of being a truly competitive sport. It's fun for what it is, but I think the organization controls which teams are successful to a degree. They thrive on star potential, I think they fix games through the refs, and there are numerous instances where refs have admitted they were fixing games. The lottery is closed, the bylaws are closed. It's just a bunch of shady shit that seems to protect these owners and nobody else.

[Ghambit]

Just listened to the whole Deadspin recording. FUCK. ME.

I'm waiting patiently for the tv-media to play that last bit to the world.  I haven't seen them do it yet.  To me, it's way more of a timebomb than the earlier tapes.  As an aside, Arison (Heat owner) is starting to feel the heat (pun intended) a bit in MIA.  Undeservedly so; I dont believe him to be a racial hardliner.  He's a younger, hipper, more culturally active Arison.  His father (RIP) though?  Not so sure.  Nevertheless, guys in his position have to answer for idiots like Sterling, unfortunately.

As for the NBA and the sports media are concerned, like I said at the start... they will tapdance around much of the issue; likely just chalking up Sterling as your typical bigoted individual w/o tackling the innate cultural differences involved.  And before I get pegged, yes, I have worked directly and closely for a guy just like Sterling - eerily so.  The only reason I stayed on is because of his wife (who was the one that hired me in the 1st place and I knew since I was a kid).  Cool guy mind you and I actually liked him alot - we got along very well.  But deep down we both knew he really could give two fucks.  To him everyone should just stick to their own kind and blacks were lowest on the totem pole.

As a further aside:  The last guy I worked for, a very wealthy Black-American from the south, was also fairly bigoted - mostly towards whites.  Uncomfortably so.  We were friends and close enough that he felt comfortable showing that side to me.  He forgot my mother, and the majority of my close family, are white though.     Needless to say, it was one of the catalysts for me quitting that job.

The only way that type of mentality goes away is for those old crusty WW2 era guys to just die.  That goes for blacks, whites, jews, whatever.

Ahhh memories.  Reminds me of a few months ago when I had to have the HOA scrape the KKK and swastika (done artfully in concrete) off my back sidewalk.  The jewish couple next door were all like "hey, look at that!  One for you and one for me!"  I was all like "yah, more like both for me!  It's in my backyard, not yours."  

p.s.
Just read how Doc Rivers had his house burned down and all of his animals tortured and burned when he lived in San Antonio (likely due to race and marrying outside of it).  
Fuck me, I couldn't do it.  I'd have to walk out of the NBA if I played/coached on the Clippers.

[Paelos]

Nobody is going to walk away from their money on their contracts as a player. What they will do is not sign any more deals with the Clippers. Now that this is out there, I don't know how the NBA can let him run a team. Why would you sign up to play for a confirmed bigot when there are 29 other teams who would be willing to pay you?

[Ingmar]

Plus, walking out on your contract would just mean that this knob would get to keep more of his money, which I would hardly be inclined to let happen were I one of his players.

[Threash]

Welp, banned for life and the maximum allowed fine which is a paltry 2.5 mil.  That was the worst they could do, he pretty much has to sell the team at this point.

[Trippy]

Impressively quick and decisive decision.

[Malakili]

Adam Silver said the owners can force him to sell with a 3/4ths vote, which it seems like they have.

[Trippy]

And he'll likely make >$500 million from doing so