First things first: If Donald Sterling said all those heinous things (and I think he did since the NBA probably did a good job of verifying it really was him on that recording) then he should be considered to be an 80-year-old piece of scum. There is no excuse for him.
Now let's move on to the second topic: It all may be part of a larger plan that has nothing to do with racism but everything to do with money.
When the story unfolded there were a few inconsistencies that are still unresolved. If this man is a bigot then why would he have invested in an NBA franchise? Why would he have not been exposed as a racist during more than 30 years of owning the team? And why would his alleged mistress be a woman of mixed race? Of course there could be plausible answers to each of these questions (for example: he saw a good value in buying the team and it overshadowed his racial views, his prejudice wasn't found out because everyone assumed he wouldn't have bought the team if he had such beliefs, and the need for female companionship was so powerful he could go against his own grain).
The inconsistencies are joined at the hip with several other issues in the life of Mr. Sterling: He is going through what appears to be a nasty divorce. His wife appears to be cut from the same cloth as him sharing similar histories of litigation, racial insensitivity, and personal profiles that seem to place the almighty dollar at the center of their respective worlds. On top of this is the issue of age and whether the judgment of this octogenarian is suitable for American society in 2014.
BTW, now is a good time to re-read the first paragraph of this posting. None of what was just written is an excuse for what he said.
However, what he said, how it was released, when it was released, etc., may indicate that it is all a set-up.
Why? Because this man may not really care what anyone thinks of him, whether he will continue to own the Los Angeles Clippers, or even if he has to pay a fine of $2.5 million to the NBA.
My suggestion is that he has done all of this so he can sell the team for as much as possible.
The Clippers have always been a stepchild in the world of professional sports teams in Southern California. The Lakers were everyone's favorite team with magnetic stars, a storied history of championships, and a never-ending parade of celebrities following them from front-row seats. The Dodgers, Angels, Kings, and even college teams have had more passionate fan bases than the Clippers. The bottom line is that an ugly girl doesn't get as many suitors as a prom queen.
Because of his divorce -- and maybe his estate planning needs -- I believe Donald Sterling was getting ready to sell the team so he could pay off his wife and move on with his life. But he was not going to get a high price unless he built up the Clippers' fortunes. This process started a few years ago when he began spending money to sign better players and a competent coaching staff. Their record improved and they are now playing in the post-season. This is a reversal: prior to 2010 the Clippers had only reached the playoffs in four seasons (out of 29) under Sterling's ownership. Since that time they have made the post-season each year. A sports franchise's value will usually increase during these periods since good performance signals increased attendance and revenues. This pattern of building up a business prior to sale is actually quite common among many industries.
So it's good news for Donald Sterling. But it's not enough for someone with a history of being motivated by greed. It's one thing to fetch a good price. It's another thing to sell at the top price.
Getting the top price can happen due to a variety of factors. One of the most obvious is luck -- the right buyer comes along at just the right time. Another is to create a strong desire among multiple bidders. In the case of the Clippers there normally would be good interest among prospective purchasers, but not necessarily strong interest. And certainly not scorching desire.
So what does an owner do to create rabid attention among potential buyers? He creates publicity. In this case he reverses logic by creating a perception that the franchise not only needs a new owner, it also needs a savior who can redeem the franchise from an evil owner.
This is the move of a man who doesn't care so much about his own reputation. Instead, he cares about making as much money as possible so he can use the proceeds to pay off his wife.
A signal of what this means can be found in the media coverage. News reports suggest the sale price could be $800 million to $1 billion. That is a difference of $200 million. Not a trifling amount even to a billionaire. And certainly an amount that can help reduce the pain of divorce in California -- a state which has laws that structure divorces to be an equal division of assets between the former spouses.
By creating the headlines Donald Sterling may be creating a bidding war since potential buying groups are springing up each day. His gain? Hundreds of millions of dollars. His loss? A reputation that he doesn't really cared about.
Finally, if this speculation is true, then keep in mind his former alleged assistant/girlfriend/mistress by also be an accomplice. After all, she didn't release the recording until after the playoffs started. And even though there is a lawsuit between him and her, the gain Sterling receives from the increased price of the Clippers could be used as part of his settlement with her.
Yes, he is scum. Yes, he is greedy. Yes, he may be crazy like a fox.
