Sterling character
Apr 29, 2014, 12:00 PM | Updated: 12:00 pm
Even if you’re tired of hearing about the Donald Sterling NBA race scandal, I get to have my say anyway, because I was there first.
I thought Donald Sterling was a bum back when the Clippers were in San Diego. People I know who worked for him told astounding stories about his refusal to pay bills to small local businesses, his embarrassing cartoon antics drinking wine on the players’ bench and his penchant for promoting himself before promoting the team. Even then there were rumors about his overt negative attitude toward people of color, in spite of his ownership position in a minority-dominant sports league.
That was San Diego — has Los Angeles been different? Only lately, and that’s only because he has real jocks instead of jokes playing winning basketball. A long-term contract with Donald Sterling still needs to be called “12 Years a Clipper”: “Alleged” discrimination against Elgin Baylor, “alleged” discrimination as a landlord, “alleged” racist remarks about Magic Johnson…”alleged”?
No! He’s still a bum!
I’m Pat McMahon.
