Benny posts: 1) The legality of the recording is irrelevant….truly. It doesn’t change the fact.
2) The recording was done legally; I know, I’ve read the Penal Code section.
3) The real issue is the length of the ban. Ron Artest/Jermaine O’neal jumped into the stands and punched fans….during a game. This is unequivocally worse action than being a private racist. It effects the integrity of the game. Laterell Sprewell choked out his coach on the basketball court….also affecting the integrity of the game. Kendrick Perkins was recently arrested for punching a male and a female. Dante Cunningham was arrested for choking his girlfriend, punching her and then rearrested for threatening her in violation of the restraining order.
None received anything close to a lifetime ban. What Sterling did was outrageous and unacceptable, but fairness dictates another result.
Luke: What exactly was outrageous and unacceptable about what Sterling did? He did nothing. He said in a private conversation that he wished his mistress would not post photos of herself with blacks nor bring them with her to games. Those are sentiments that many perhaps most Americans would share in that situation (older man, younger mistress posting sexually provocative photos of herself draped all over studly young powerful black men). When Jay Z, part owner of the New Jersey Nets, wears a black separatist medallion to games, what should be the consequence? Sterling did not conduct his team’s business in a racist way, almost of his players are black, his coach is black, and his GM for 22 years, Elgin Baylor, was an incompetent black. Former Knicks great Larry Johnson called for an all-black basketball league. Is that worth a punishment?
