Sunday, April 27, 2014

Additional racist comments attributed to Clippers' Donald Sterling released - CNN





  • NEW: Man on recordings says people have to accept the culture they live in

  • NEW: He's generous to his players, man says when reminded many of them are black

  • Clippers team president questions authenticity of racist recording

  • NBA: Investigation into alleged comments will move "extraordinarily quickly"




(CNN) -- The sports gossip website Deadspin released an additional audio recording Sunday from a conversation full of racist comments attributed to Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.


The recording is five more minutes of a conversation that purports to be Sterling talking with girlfriend V. Stiviano earlier this month about her Instagram photo feed. The photos include images of her with African-Americans, including NBA great Earvin "Magic" Johnson.


If authentic, the remarks seem to reflect Sterling's embarrassment and frustration with Stiviano over her associating with African-Americans at Clippers games and for posting such pictures on her Instagram account.


In the longer recording, a man and woman talk about the photos and he tells her he cannot change cultural beliefs, Deadspin reported.


The woman says she doesn't think Sterling is racist but the people around him have "poison minds."


"It's the world! You go to Israel, the blacks are just treated like dogs," the man says.


He says there are white Jews and black Jews, and they are treated 100% differently.


"And is that right?" the woman asks.


"It isn't a question -- we don't evaluate what's right and wrong, we live in a society. We live in a culture. We have to live within that culture," the man replies.


When the woman says she doesn't share the man's views about race, he tells her: "Well then, if you don't feel -- don't come to my games. Don't bring black people, and don't come."





Shaq, Barkley react to offensive comments

The woman, who says she is mixed race, reminds him most of his team's players are African-American.


"I support them and give them food, and clothes, and cars, and houses. Who gives it to them? Does someone else give it to them? Do I know that I have -- Who makes the game? Do I make the game, or do they make the game?"


NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Saturday that Sterling, who has owned the basketball franchise for nearly three decades, is now under investigation over the comments attributed to him.


According to the website TMZ, Sterling reportedly made the discriminatory remarks during an argument he had with Stiviano on April 9. TMZ posted a 10-minute recording online Friday, purporting to be the argument.


Clippers President Andy Roeser on Saturday suggested a woman -- whom he doesn't mention by name -- was "getting even" with Sterling over a lawsuit.


According to a report from CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS last month, Rochelle Sterling, the wife of Donald Sterling, filed a lawsuit last month against a woman she said was having an affair with her husband.


Reaction: 'Disturbing and offensive'


NBA promises speedy investigation


Silver said that the league's investigation will seek to determine whether the tape is authentic and to figure out the context in which these "offensive and disturbing" comments were made.


But he cautioned that Sterling must be afforded due process, so he would not speculate on any possible punishment -- but said that the investigation will move "extraordinarily quickly."


Speaking about the recording, Roeser said, "We do not know if it is legitimate or it has been altered. We do know that the woman on the tape -- who we believe released it to TMZ -- is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling that she would 'get even.'"


Neither TMZ nor Deadspin has said who made the recording or how the websites obtained it.


Attempts to reach Stiviano on Saturday were unsuccessful.


The man alleged to be Sterling takes particular exception to a photo she posted to Instagram with Johnson.


"In your lousy f**ing Instagrams, you don't have to have yourself with -- walking with black people," the man says.


"If it's white people, it's OK?" she responds. "If it was Larry Bird, would it make a difference?"


Bird, the longtime Boston Celtics star, was Johnson's NBA rival.


"I've known (Magic) well and he should be admired. ... I'm just saying that it's too bad you can't admire him privately," the man on the recording says. "Admire him, bring him here, feed him, f**k him, but don't put (Magic) on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games."


Magic's response


Johnson responded Saturday afternoon via his verified Twitter account.


"I feel sorry for my friends Coach Doc Rivers and Chris Paul that they have to work for a man that feels that way about African Americans" read a tweet from @MagicJohnson. "I will never go to a Clippers game again as long as Donald Sterling is the owner," read another.


Even President Barack Obama weighed in.


At a press conference with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Sunday, Obama was asked about the comments on the recording.


"When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don't really have to do anything, you just let them talk. That's what happened here," the President said.


Obama also said Sterling's alleged comments are an example of how "the United States continues to wrestle with the legacy of race and slavery and segregation."


The president of the California NAACP suggested fans boycott Clippers games.


"We also suggest that African Americans and Latinos should honor his (Sterling's) request and not attend the games," Alice Huffman said in a statement released Saturday.


Sterling was to receive a lifetime achievement award at an event next month to mark the 100th anniversary of the Los Angeles NAACP, but the national organization tweeted Sunday that wouldn't happen.


Team says Sterling upset


Roeser said Sterling is upset and apologizes for sentiments attributed to him about Earvin Johnson. "(Sterling) has long considered Magic a friend and has only the utmost respect and admiration for him -- both in terms of who he is and what he has achieved."


Sterling is "emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings," Roeser said.


"I don't know if I'm surprised or not," Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said at the team's practice Saturday, adding that he "obviously" didn't like the comments.


Rivers, who is in his first year coaching the team, told reporters that he didn't want the controversy to distract from the playoffs. He said he would be the sole person speaking on behalf of the team.


Miami Heat forward LeBron James was one of several players and former players weighing in on the controversy. James spoke to reporters before the playoff game against the Charlottle Bobcats Saturday night.


"If the reports are true, it's unacceptable. It's unacceptable in our league. It doesn't matter if you're white, black, Hispanic, whatever, all across the races. It's unacceptable and as a commissioner in our league, they have to make a stand, and they have to be very aggressive with it."


"Should this guy continue to be an owner?" asked Shaquille O'Neal, who also called the comments "repugnant."


"We cannot have an NBA owner discriminating against the league," said Charles Barkley. "We're a black league."


Both discussed the issue during the Atlanta Hawks-Indiana Pacers halftime program on TNT, which like CNN is a division of Time Warner.


The players union's response will be led by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA star. "The reported comments made by Clippers owner Donald Sterling are reprehensible and unacceptable," he said in a statement.


Meantime, Sterling will be conspicuously missing from his usual courtside seats. He's agreed not to attend the Clippers playoff game Sunday in Oakland, California, against the Golden State Warriors.


Will the NBA make Sterling the first owner to give up team?


CNN's Joe Sutton and Kevin Dotson contributed to this report









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