Regarding comments made by Donald T. Sterling to T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times, here’s my post over at TrueHoop:
Try to imagine you’re at a business gathering, maybe a trade show. Your boss holds court in one corner of the room. He’s surrounded by people who are insiders in your industry — some of whom know you personally, while others are only vaguely familiar with your work.
The next morning you find out through a third party who doesn’t even work for your company that your boss told those insiders he has no idea why the company hired you (only he called you “Whatshisname.”).
Or maybe your boss told the circle you have lousy taste in personnel and couldn’t attract the real comers in the field, even though that was your job. Your boss complained about how his investments in capital improvement would attract better talent, only you couldn’t close.
The irony of Sterling’s griping about his organization’s inability to lure top talent is almost too obvious to acknowledge. You might agree with Sterling that the signings of Gomes and Foye represents a failure for the franchise this summer. You might hold Clippers general manager Neil Olshey accountable for that, or head coach Vinny Del Negro for his input in those choices. I think Olshey exercised discipline and deployed a sound long-term strategy given the circumstances — Sterling being one of the primary circumstances. Intelligent people can disagree about how the Clippers fared this summer in the marketplace. But whichever side of the argument you fall on, there isn’t a reasonable excuse in the world for what Sterling did to Gomes, Foye, Olshey and Del Negro.
The Clippers’ curse isn’t a supernatural phenomenon. It has a name, a face and an unfortunate history of personal failure.
Over the past few years, I’ve gotten to know a lot of people who work for the Clippers. They work across the organization in sales, marketing, communications, digital media and basketball operations. These are professional people who are proud of their work — and they should be because every day they do a solid job for a brand that few people think very much of. Yet they do the work, some of them with a sincere hope that one day they’ll be able to say that they had something to do with the moment the Clippers became an entity that mattered in Los Angeles and in the NBA.
Although I haven’t met Foye, last week I visited with Gomes for the first time one-on-one. I found a thoughtful professional. A very measured executive for one of the league’s most well-respected franchises told me that Gomes is one of the best people involved in professional basketball. Olshey is eager to do his job well. He’s always courteous, has pretty decent taste in basketball players and is a more creative dealmaker than he’s been allowed to be. Del Negro has been with the team for only five weeks, but has brought the kind of charisma and exuberance that vaulted him to the top of Sterling’s list of coaching candidates.
Whether Gomes, Foye, Olshey and Del Negro are basketball geniuses or likable doesn’t really matter. As employees of the Los Angeles Clippers, they all warrant Sterling’s basic respect, which ultimately requires so little of such a blessed, wealthy man. All Sterling has to do when asked about his employees in polite company is offer an endorsement — or, at the very least, not publicly humiliate them. That’s his only ambassadorial duty as team owner on a day when the Clippers introduce the media to some minor stylistic tweaks on their uniforms.
Imagine it’s your world again. We return just as you’ve found out your boss was trashing you to people outside your company. Now ask yourself:
Is this a place you want to work?
30 Responses
unreal quote. great take.
Posted on August 17th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Im glad DTS doesnt even talk to our players and doesnt have a say in who the team picks up in FA or trades because 1. him being involved would only bring the players down because he is too eccentric and 2. if he was making the decisions we would be stuck with players like T-mac and AI with ridiculously pricey deals just because they have big names even those they are definitely past their days that made those names big. In my opinion, the less DTS has to do with this team the better.
Posted on August 17th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
I have a feeling that TJ made up these quotes, sterling is an ass but TJ is in the same class
Posted on August 17th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Clipper fans should organize a campaign. Bombard David Stern, NBA, ESPN, TNT, etc. with a simple letter or email. Protest Sterling’s perpetual abuse/neglect of fans, players, employees, hell, the whole city… just by owning the team.
Campaign for him to sell the Clippers or at least give up 51% stake. Make noise. The Clippers’ problem has always been one guy. Sterling. Organize to get rid of him.
(non-violently of course)
Posted on August 17th, 2010 at 10:13 pm
TJ and Sterling belong together. Far away from me, please. BTW, Huge props to Gordon for calling out Baron’s poor motivation and leadership. That’s a 21 year old kid calling you out, Baron.
NRM Reply:
August 17th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
when/where was this? link
Posted on August 17th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
This article makes the organization sound like they’re a joke and us fans too for supporting it.
‘The other team of LA’ the clips man o man.
Yea, where’s the link where Gordon calls out Baron?
What’s your take on this DJ?
Posted on August 17th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38742193/ns/sports-player_news/
The kid is taking leadership. that’s awesome!
WAKE UP BD!
Josh Reply:
August 18th, 2010 at 11:10 am
I saw another article, don’t have link, which was by the interviewer, who discussed Eric’s change in tone when the topic switched from his other teammates to Baron, in addition to the words in the quote. I’d be pissed if I were EJ also, at Baron’s shot selection, effort, leadership, etc.
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 12:09 am
I wish Stern would find a way to take some action and force the sale of the team.
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 12:19 am
A bunch of years ago i was at E3 standing in the entrance to the Exhibit Hall in EA’s Booth when in walked (mid playoffs) David Stern and right into me. “Hi, Mr Stern” I said “How’re you doing?”
“OK” he said and I said “I’m a long time Clipper Season Ticket holder. What are you going to about Donald T. Sterling?”
Stern looks at me and says, trying to be jocular, “He’s a great guy he gives to charity”. So as David Stern tries to move on I delicately take his arm and say as he stops “Let me tell you a little story. We were hanging around during half-time and a distinguished fellow I know told us that in the next day or two he was heading up to Sterling’s office on an errand for a famous international charitable organization. It seems that Donald T. Sterling had made a pledge to
donate some needed funds but had welshed, failed to pay, tried to screw the organization”.
Knowing instinctively that what I’d just told him was true all David Stern could do was grunt, shrug and move on his way.
Donald Sterling is an asshole. An egomaniac. A fool. And acknowledged as the worst owner in Professional Sports,
The NBA can do nothing about Sterling.
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 1:15 am
One word correction at end of second paragraph: “OK” he said and I said “I’m a long time Clipper Season Ticket holder. What are you going to do about Donald T. Sterling?”
Added the word “do” after – “to” – and before – “about”: What are you going to do about Donald T. Sterling?”
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 1:20 am
We have the perfect solution to save the Clippers franchise.
Viva Las Vegas: check it out.
http://www.noregard.net/2010/08/team-dreamin-2011-clippers.html
jgroove Reply:
August 18th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Uh, no. We don’t want our team to move. They have been in LA for over 25 years. They can still be successful here.
Josh Reply:
August 18th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
Thanks for that contribution. When you have less than 15% unemployment let us know.
That’s our team.
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 7:18 am
I think Sterling must have been on meds when he said that. Maybe he is on meds all the time?
What he said is actually kind of funny, when you read it in light of how the Clippers have been the laughing stock of the basketball LSM for so long.
What he said so fits into his image, you just got to laugh for not wanting to strangle the guy and wonder why Geffen couldn’t have done a better job in convincing Sterling to sell out.
Maybe it is true that Sterling will never sell while he is alive because he just loves the limelight and just loves to make a fool of himself in public over and over again.
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 7:20 am
We need someone who can perform inception on DTS
Juicebox Reply:
August 18th, 2010 at 11:35 am
I’m in only if Ellen Page agrees to be the architect.
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 8:42 am
Ah the levels.
See, VDN wouldn’t be the coach if not for Sterling and Olshey isn’t qualified to be an NBA GM and wouldn’t have the title if it weren’t for Sterling.
Its like recursive failure.
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 9:13 am
I kept re-reading the quotes thinking that the whole thing was a parody written by TJ. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. Unbelievable.
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 9:45 am
Hey Clipers fans i am a die hard, Have been forever and a year. lets give it one more year i think we will all be happy.. But at the same time we should push for new management cuz i think DTS would spend if he was fully convinced by the people making the basketball choices. he was willing to spend for Kobe and they offered 100m to Lebron. To me that is spending. It all starts with the management group.. lets hope for the best
Bongstradamus Reply:
August 18th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Its more than management. There was clearly better options available for DTS to hire but his primary motivation was to not spend money. He got the best deals he could for the coach and GM he hired. Otherwise he would have spent more money and gone after someone legit. Sure VDN wasnt a bad hire for the price, but JVG was clearly the best coach “available”. And Olshey? I think hes doing a good job with what hes been given, but let’s be real, DTS didnt go after Rod Thorn. DTS didnt do everything possible to secure Kevin Pritchard.
DTS likes that his franchise is profitable. He likes that we buy the same excuses year in and year out and still remain fans. DTS doesnt need to change, we’ve shown that we condone his behavior and ownership by continuing to buy tickets to games.
Honestly, the best power we have as fans is by voting with our dollar.
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 10:05 am
“Protest Sterling’s perpetual abuse/neglect of fans”. the only way to protest is to stop giving him money. if you were in a relationship with someone who abuses you and neglects you and you keep giving them money what does that say about you. the abuser has no intention of changing. he has gotten rich off being an abusive asshole so where’s his motivation to change? and those people who say sterling went after lebron… yes because it would have made him money. if you follow sterling for the past few decades he always says he wants to win, he always says the losing hurts him. his rhetoric doesn’t change. his actions don’t change. last year was the last year i gave him money. i got $200 season tickets on stubhub for $20 because the team was wretched (they lost to the sacramento kings playing without their tyreke evans).
this year i don’t even think that will get me there. i have been a clipper fan since the danny manning days but sterling makes it nearly impossible.
BEING A CLIPPER FAN USED TO MEAN YOU ROOTED FOR THE UNDERDOG. NOW IT MEANS GIVING MONEY TO A RACIST SLUMLORD WHO BLATANTLY DOESN’T GIVE A F^#% ABOUT YOU OR WINNING. other people can give him their money. i refuse. that is the only way things will change. not by writing to espn or tnt or anyone else who rarely televises their games.
TNT57 Reply:
August 27th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
I have been posting these exact sentiments for the past 3 months and now people are finally getting it. Good post.
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Let’s organize a “Fire Sterling” party, the ‘price’ of admission will be a letter to Stern demanding a solution to the Sterling problem. Wonder if Geffen would attend?
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
There should be Sterling Sucks chants every moment he’s in attendance at Clipper games.
Posted on August 18th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
Sterling owes us, the season ticket holders an apology! I wonder if we shouldn’t organize somehow and withhold outstanding payments on our packages till he does so. After all, he had just undrmined the value of these tickets. He is wealthy, and he can chose to be an idiot all he wants, but he has no rights to play with our money!
TNT57 Reply:
August 27th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Why are you supporting him with your money? NOT buying tickets is the only way to get his attention.
Posted on August 19th, 2010 at 9:36 am
I’m a clipper die hard since I was a kid, and had season tickets last year. I refuse to go to another game. Last year was pathetic, with such a talented team. Point is that they don’t want to play for sterling, can’t blame Baron for not having motivation. I’ll watch when Sterling sells them, GO LAKERS
Posted on August 19th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
DON’T BUY TICKETS! But if you do, make sure to BOO Sterling everytime he enters or exits the arena. We can humiliate him just as easy and the players will love it.
Posted on August 27th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
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