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Clippers Sold, Sterling Declared Incompetent
by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700
Copyright
May 30, 2014
All Rights Reserved.
Confirming rumors ignored by CNN’s Anderson
Cooper, 80-year-old Los Angeles Clippers owner and real estate mogul Donald
Sterling was declared mentally incapacitated, handing the sale of the Clippers
to his estranged wife 79-year-old Rochelle “Shelly” Sterling. When TMZ Sports released April 26 a
secret recording made by Sterling’s 31-year-old ex-girl friend V. Stiviano of
the octogenarian telling her to not associate and bring blacks to Clippers
games, it turned the sports world on its head.
Sterling’s hateful words slashed the African American-dominated National
Basketball Association, prompting newly minted Commissioner Adam Silver to fine
Sterling $2.5 million and ban him for life.
Sterling disappeared off the map until CNN’s Anderson Cooper received an
exclusive interview May 12, attempting what turns out to be a “feeble” apology.
Cooper, a hard-driving, astute broadcast journalist with CNN, denied that
Sterling was disabled, dismantling the 80-year-old on national TV. Completing the sale of the Clippers for $2 billion to 58-year-old former Microsoft CEO
Steve Ballmer, Shelly confirmed her husband was determined by medical experts to
be mentally incapacitated and removed from decision-making from the family
trust. Yet where were Sterling’s
handlers, especially Shelly, when she allowed her demented husband to make a
fool of himself on national TV?
Sterling should have been prohibited from an interview on national TV because of
his disability. Removing a joint-tenant from a Family Trust is no easy matter. Independent medical examiners take
their work seriously before declaring someone mentally incompetent. CNN had plenty of evidence to
suggest that Sterling was not fit to conduct and interview.
Whatever the marital problems or family issues with Donald, Shelly should
have vetoed the CNN interview but chose to let it happen. While not admitting the date of
Donald’s incapacity, Shelly used the disastrous CNN interview to confirm her
husband’s disability. Her decision
to let the interview go forward May 12 was a calculated move to put on the
record the extent of her husband’s mental challenges. When Cooper baited Sterling into
ranting about Magic Johnson, it trashed Sterling’s feeble attempt at a mea
culpa. NBA officials and the media
had spent two weeks trying to justify Sterling’s racist, citing fines paid to
federal housing authorities in his rental business. Sterling’s attorney Max Blecher
tried to characterize Sterling’s remarks as a private lover’s quarrel, also
revealing Sterling’s abysmal judgment.
Falling in love with a 30-something showed abysmal judgment.
Cooper’s interview nailed what was an already closed casket on Sterling’s
NBA career. With a the Players
Association threatening to boycott the 2014 NBA playoffs, Silver had no choice
but to evict Sterling from the league.
While Blecher argued that Sterling simply had a private lover’s spat and
was recorded illegally, that has nothing to do with violating NBA rules. Under the NBA franchise agreement and constitution, owners wave the right to litigate. Sterling triggered 13 (d) of the NBA
constitution, giving the commissioner to right to terminate a franchise
agreement when an owner damages the NBA brand.
Sterling’s racist rant harmed the NBA brand, generated cancellations from
advertisers and cost the league cash.
Sterling complained to Cooper that “V” set him up to make racist remarks,
much the same way Cooper got Sterling to rant about Magic Johnson.
NBA officials are likely to approve the sale of the Clippers before
holding a June 3 hearing to force the Sterling to sell. Now that Sterling’s been declared
incompetent and Shelly can sell the team with only one signature, the NBA will
likely approve the sale before the June 3. hearing. “Commissioner Silver has
consistently said the preferred out to the Clippers proceeding would be a
voluntary sale of the team,” said Mike Bass, NBA’s executive vice president of
communications. With Sterling out
of the picture, his wife Shelly just negotiated the deal-of-a-lifetime for the
Family Trust, something Donald won’t enjoy in the years ahead when his cognitive
impairments deteriorate. Many folks
know why Sterling acquitted himself so poorly on national TV. CNN and Cooper should have taken
into consideration Sterling’s mental condition before broadcasting the
blockbuster interview.
Ballmer capitalized on Sterling’s misery buying an NBA franchise for
nearly four-times the price of $550 million Milwaukee Bucks April 17, 2014. While there’s big difference in
value between Milwaukee and Los Angeles, it’s unknown whether or not Ballmer
will find the franchise profitable anytime soon.
“I love basketball,” said Ballmer, expressing satisfaction with the
unprecedented deal. “And I intend
to do everything in my power to ensure that the Clippers continue to win—and win
big—in Los Angeles . . “ said Ballmer, allying concerns that he might move the
team to Seattle. While there’s
little sympathy around the league for Sterling, it’s clear that his dementia
most likely caused his racist rant and abysmal judgment. Running around with a 30-something, uttering racist remarks and wrecking his NBA career
shows just how far Sterling had gone over the deep end.
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