Donald Sterling has, for decades, had a less than sterling reputation - mostly for penny-pinching, but partly for prejudiced practices. TMZ, which deals in dishing TMI, released a recording in which a man who is supposedly Sterling advises his then-girlfriend not to associate with black people and insists none accompany her to games. The language is clean, the tone is calm, but the directive is decidedly discriminatory. What remains in question is whether it came from the mouth of a man who has received the NAACP's Lifetime Achievement Award and was slated to be bestowed the accolade again in May, yet also lost a lawsuit alleging biased practices in renting his properties. Did we mention his former gal pal is of African-American and Mexican heritage (or that Sterling's wife is suing her for embezzlement*)? Racism isn't always so black and white.
While those comments circulated that Sterling didn't want people of a certain color in the crowd, a crowd with clout - Magic, Kobe, LeBron and Jordan - condemned him. The commissioner was more cautious, but while he preached due process, the team felt they had to do something, so as persons no less prominent than POTUS dressed down Sterling, they undressed. Prior their playoff game Sunday, players, in protest, removed their official Clippers warm-up jackets and left them at center court. If only removing Sterling, the league's longest-tenured owner, were so simple.
*apparently, she digs up dirt and gold easily
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