Donald Sterling Talking Was A Bad Idea (UPDATED: Silver Responds)

((HT: CNN/youtube))

A terribly, horrificly-executed, oh-my-GAWD-why-in-the-blue-hell did you do this-and WHO TOLD YOU TO TALK TO CNN- kind of an interview that rambled and proved that the Clippers owner has no business being an owner of anything ever again...

Trying to garner sympathy early, the old man told stories about grandchildren...
This wasn't a bad gambit...


But then denigrating Magic Johnson in a deeply disturbing manner...
The transcript from Deadspin:

Here is a man.. he acts so holy. He made love to every girl in every girl in America in every city and he had AIDS. When he had those AIDS, I went to my synagogue and I prayed for him.

What has Magic Johnson done? He's got AIDS. Did he do any business? Did he help anybody in south L.A.? I think he should be ashamed of himself. What does he do for the black people? I'm telling you he does nothing. It's all talk.

I spent millions on giving away and helping minorities. Does he do that? That's one problem I have. Jews, when they get successful, they will help their people.

And some of the African-Americans, maybe I'll get in trouble again. They don't want to help anybody. What has Magic Johnson really done for Children's Hospital which kids are lying in the hallways. They are sick. They need a bed. What has he done for any hospital? What has he done for any group?

Seriously... that's where Sterling went...

"Those AIDS"

Here is a gentleman who just screams "white guy entitlement" and is out of touch with the rest of us.

He firmly believes his players love him- which they don't...

He is quite enamored with his own successes which lend themselves to, Sterling thinks, the adoration and respect of others.

He bought the team for a mere pittance, wanted nothing to do with San Diego, was involved in a lawsuit with the NBA over the relocation of the franchise- which he was going to do regardless of what anyone thought- even the fellow members of his trade association.

He failed to invest in the franchise early- causing them to be a laughing stock in the league. And when he finally did, shocking no one except maybe Sterling, the team started having on-the-court success. Which is where they are now...

He treated employees with a profound lack of respect (see Elgin Baylor) and thinks of himself as bullet-proof in the consequences.

He thinks V. Stiviano set him up- which may be the only part of truth in this whole proceeding- thinking that either the Sterlings were going to divorce and her gravy train was going to end or she was going to be kicked to the curb outright- and if he wasn't aware of the recording in a two-person state... the person who leaked the recording may be guilty of a crime.

And, regardless of what anyone thinks, the sides in the Sterling marriage are putting up their battle lines for what surely will be some tremendous legal drama over the next however-long-this-will-take. Shelly Sterling and her attorney will almost certainly chase after Donald Sterling's competency as an owner and may even maintain that the statements he has been making publicly are that of someone in the throes of a disease. Donald Sterling will be unfit to own and has been unfit to own for however long the disease has been effecting his brain.

Donald Sterling will battle the competency angle and say he wants a divorce from his wife of 60 years. The divorce proceeding will be running in tandem with the Shelly Sterling lawsuit. And it will all be a test.

It will be a test for the NBA next season for the players who won't play for a Sterling but will have Dick Parsons as a CEO who the Sterlings and their representatives may or may not even want to answer to in questions involving authority and day-to-day operation of the franchise.

Who will want to stay? Who will want to play? And will anyone even be around for the franchise come the beginning of training camp in the 2014-15 season...???

We're not even close to being done...

2245 UPDATE: Commissioner Adam Silver responded and it's what you would expect

"I just read a transcript of Donald Sterling's interview with Anderson Cooper and while Magic Johnson doesn't need me to, I feel compelled on behalf of the NBA family to apologize to him that he continues to be dragged into this situation and be degraded by such a malicious and personal attack. The NBA Board of Governors is continuing with its process to remove Mr. Sterling as expeditiously as possible."

Shelly Sterling Wants To Keep The Clippers

((HT: KABC-TV))

Of course, she does...

Color the HQ shocked...


She has hired attorney Pierce O'Donnell to represent her interests and, as the HQ has maintained the entire time, if she files for divorce from Donald Sterling the co-ownerships muddies the waters a great deal. But if the league continues to try and see how Shelly Sterling locks in to this whole situation, if you find the videos where Shelly backs her husband and claims he is not a racist it's going to be an interesting race to see who gets the Clippers.

O'Donnell said Shelly Sterling was defending herself and not her husband.

Of course, he did...

LA Mayor Thinks Sterling Will Fight For Clippers

((HT: CBS News/Face The Nation))

Shocking no one, really, the mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti thinks that current Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling will hang on to the NBA franchise in a very protracted battle...

Garcetti made these remarks on the Sunday morning talk show circuit...

Here's Bob Schieffer with Garcetti


The prevailing thoughts are that Sterling will do exactly that- and a divorce proceeding will muddy the waters even further. Sterling's wife, Shelley, has come out with a statement condemning her husband's remarks. But she didn't mention anything about selling the team.

All that has to be done is any kind of divorce proceeding since California is a community property state. Shelley can claim the team is half hers, anyway. With Donald Sterling reportedly fighting prostate cancer, he may feel with the size of his ego that he has nothing to lose at this point and will make a point to be profoundly annoying in keeping his franchise.

Sterling could make the point that the league may not have any leg to stand on since this recording was made without his permission and was only meant to be personal opinion. He may also claim that being forced to sell would be an unfair business practice since he may not get proper reimbursement if the team is "sold" at less-than-market value.

This is not a good equation...

Judge Orders Ric Flair's Arrest Over Lack Of Spousal Support

((HT: WCNC-TV/WBTV))

A Mecklenburg County (NC) judge has issued an order for the arrest Ric Flair, who was held in contempt earlier this month for not paying his estranged wife more than $32,000 in spousal support.

Flair was supposed to be paying $4,000 a month to Jacqueline Beems (his fourth wife), who filed for a legal separation last June. The two were divorced late last year. The money was intended to go for her car payment, health insurance and legal fees. Flair hasn't paid $32,352.51, according to court documents obtained by the Charlotte Observer newspaper and Brad Smith, Beems’ attorney.

The order for arrest was issued two weeks ago, but Flair can stay out of jail if he pays up...

Smith said Beems doesn’t know where Flair is.
The HQ would like to tell Smith and Beems that all they have to do is look hyah...
((HT: ABC))


Smith has also said recent accusations that Beems made harassing phone calls to Flair’s new girlfriend are “unfounded and outlandish.”

But...

Beems turned herself yesterday and was charged with "making a harassing phone call"- a misdemeanor. She’s accused of making a series of phone calls to Wendy Barlow Kidder, Flair’s girlfriend, according to Smith. Beems was released on a $500 bond.

Flair and Beems were married in November 2009 and separated in June 2012, when Beems accused her husband of committing “acts of marital misconduct.”

Basically, having multiple affairs... which Flair, of course, is denying...

Anna Benson Busted For Breaking In And Threatening Husband... 911 Tape Released

((HT: MyFoxAtlanta/TMZ))

While wearing a bulletproof vest, carrying a gun, and swinging some kind of metal baton...

Anna (pictured right, thanks MyFoxAtlanta) and Kris Benson are in the process of a divorce and Anna doesn't seem to be taking it all that well...

Over the weekend, according to TMZ, she was upset that she was given an vacate order from their home. Anna, apparently, barged into their home, threatened him with the gun and the baton wanting money...

Kris then told Anna that he would get her whatever money she was looking for. He left the house and called local police...

Anna Benson was charged with two counts of felony aggravated assault with a weapon, one count of criminal trespass and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Here's the 9-1-1 call from her husband from the evening...


You may remember Anna Benson from her time on "Baseball Wives"
Here she is with Howard Stern...

McCourts Back In McSuperior Court

A court hearing is scheduled in downtown Los Angeles as Jamie McCourt thinks her ex-husband, Frank, wasn't all that forthright in telling her what the value of the Dodgers was at the time of their divorce proceedings.

She's suing for an additional 770 million dollars.

She initially settled for $131-million since she went on the advice/evidence that Frank McCourt testified his assets were worth only $300-million. Frank McCourt then sold the Dodgers for $2-point-1 billion dollars. Jamie McCourt says she should be awarded at least 900 million dollars.

Here's Hal Eisner in front of the courtroom...
Los Angeles Local News, Weather, and Traffic

The HQ would like to remind Ms. McCourt about all the debt she and her husband incurred as owners of the team and how much they used the team coffers as their personal piggy bank.

This case should be dismissed fairly quickly...

Deion's Divorce Drama

((HT: WFAA-TV Dallas))

A suburban Dallas judge is hearing both sides of the Deion and Pilar Sanders divorce proceedings- trying to do what's best, ultimately, for the children and deal with dual (and dueling) protective orders ffrom one to the other...

Nearly 20 people are expected to testify by the time the hearing is over including the Sanders' maids and their three children ages 12, 10 and 8.

Here's the noon live shot...


The kids are probably going to be considered witnesses in the eyes of the court and the representative for the children is demanding the parents live apart immediately.