Clippers' Sterling apologizes, says 'not a racist'

[alp227]

Source: AP

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling apologized Sunday for racist comments captured on tape, saying they were a "terrible mistake."

"I'm not a racist," Sterling told CNN's Anderson Cooper in excerpts posted from an interview taped Sunday and set to air Monday. "I made a terrible mistake. I'm here to apologize."

In his first public comments since being banned for life from the NBA, Sterling said years of good behavior as an owner should count toward his future.

"I'm a good member who made a mistake," Sterling said. "Am I entitled to one mistake, am I after 35 years? I mean, I love my league, I love my partners. Am I entitled to one mistake? It's a terrible mistake, and I'll never do it again."

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/sterlings-wife-pledges-keep-stake-clippers

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Also this article reports that Donald's wife Shelly has been considering divorce for 20 YEARS but "hadn't yet done so due to financial considerations."

Meanwhile, the NBA has essentially forbidden Shelly Sterling from owning the Clippers.

[SummerSnow]

1. Oh really?....

[RufusTFirefly]

2. Boo hoo

Dude's a repeat offender. This is from a book that came out four years ago -- in other words, long before this current incident.

Donald Sterling: Slumlord Billionaire.

Sterling is also the Slumlord Billionaire, a man who made his fortune by building low-income housing, and then, according to a Justice Department lawsuit, developing his own racial quota system to decide who gets the privilege of renting his properties. In November of 2009, Sterling settled the suit with the US Department of Justice for $2.73 million, the largest ever obtained by the government in a discrimination case involving apartment rentals. Reading the content of the suit makes you want to shower with steel wool. Sterling just said no to rent to non-Koreans in Koreatown and just said hell-no to African-Americans looking for property in plush Beverly Hills. Sterling, who has a Blagojevichian flair for the language, says he did not like to rent to “Hispanics” because “Hispanics smoke, drink and just hang around the building.” He also stated that “black tenants smell and attract vermin.”

Either he's in deep denial, or he's just a garden-variety sociopath, saying what he needs to say in an attempt to extricate himself from this latest predicament.

[groundloop]

14. Apparently he used up his one mistake quite some time ago

I certainly hope the NBA can kick his rich pompous ass to the curb very very soon. It's a given he won't go down without a fight though.

[Ed Suspicious]

3. headline should read "Racist Billionaire Doesn't Recognize Own Racism"

[Jesus Malverde]

4. Curious what is keeping the League from voting him out.

Hold the vote...chickens.

[6000eliot]

5. TOO LATE!

[davidpdx]

6. I'm glad to hear the latter half of the news about his wife being forbid to own the team

The club needs a fresh start without anyone in that family involved. As others have suggested maybe even changing the name of the team.

[Jesus Malverde]

7. It's a business, he owns it and has been there longer than any other owner.

I don't think the other owners are thrilled to see his business managed by committee/fans, as their business could be next.

Why haven't they voted him out yet?

The league itself is an illusion... of a sport instead of business, belonging to the fans and not the owners etc.

It's a show.

What we do know is there are grown men, working for that fool right now even after he's been clear how he feels about them and their backgrounds.

[davidpdx]

8. Old boy's club

My guess is most of the teams are owned by men. They won't buck the system for one of their own.

I agree with you completely.

I'm sure some of the employees (especially minorities) are disgusted with him. I wouldn't blame them a bit.

[Jesus Malverde]

9. Hey they're wearing black socks and throwng clothes on the floor.

That'll show em.

[tweetio]

10. I disagree

His words are on tape.

[Lurks Often]

11. I predict a lot of lawyers getting rich over this

Let's see if I get all the potential cases:
Sterling vs Sterling in the divorce case
Donald Sterling vs the NBA to keep the team
Shelly Sterling vs the NBA to keep part of the team
Player's union vs the NBA when the team owners decide not to vote Sterling out when they decide they really don't want to set that precedent.

[theHandpuppet]

13. Oh, I think this will be the beginning of a lawsuit tsunami

The legal battles will still be going on even after this racist geezer is long dead.

[nyabingi]

12. I don't think the big story from the Sterling affair

should not have been his racist mindset (nothing surprising about that) but the fact that he is so open about sleeping around with women other than his wife.

This behavior seems to be accepted by the wives of professional athletes and other very wealthy people, but I haven't seen too much criticism of the fact that Sterling is so brazen in his infidelity.

Do marriage vows not mean anything to these people?

[Feral Child]

15. Now he's a liar

as well as a racist.

[Throd]

16. I'm not a racist. My statements are, but I am not.

[Ash_F]

17. What "years of good behavior" ?

By all accounts, he's been a dickbag forever.