USA TODAY Sports columnist Christine Brennan supports the decision of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to ban Donald Sterling. Christine Brennan, USA TODAY Sports
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addresses his decision to ban Clippers owner Donald Sterling.(Photo: Andy Marlin, USA TODAY Sports)
The era of leniency and looking the other way in our professional sports world has met its match in new NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
Banned for life? Now that's some serious punishment.
Isn't it wonderful to see a 21st century commissioner throw the book at someone who deserves it?
BANNED: Silver boots Sterling from NBA
REACTION: LeBron, others support Silver
Silver did the absolute right thing Tuesday in banning Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life for his reprehensible racist comments that exploded throughout the news media since last weekend.
The commissioner's news conference in New York riveted the nation – and not just sports fans. The issues at play were the topics that often help form the foundation of high school history classes: racism vs. racial tolerance and advancement, the value of diversity in society, public figures and their private lives, ownership and its responsibilities.
This was about sports, but also about so much more. The conversation transcended sports, and so did Silver's unyielding performance.
VIDEO: Silver hands down discipline
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced Clippers owner Donald Sterling's punishment, which included banning him for life from the NBA and a $2.5 million fine.
He punished Sterling in every way he possibly could – and even in ways he could not. He said he fully expects the support of at least three-quarters of the other NBA owners, a league requirement to remove Sterling as an owner. That's the only thing that's left to do. Silver fined Sterling the maximum of $2.5 million, he made sure Sterling will never appear at a Clippers' game or practice again, and he banned him from making any decisions about his team or the league.
In other words: the works.
The rookie commissioner kicked out the league's longest-tenured owner – forever.
Not since Kenesaw Mountain Landis have we seen a commissioner in any sport debut in the public eye with such a bold stand. This clearly doesn't happen very often. Landis banned the Black Sox 94 years ago.
And now, Silver, a 22-year NBA executive who became commissioner in February, has dealt with Sterling.
Silver was bold and angry and decisive. He set the perfect tone the moment he stepped to the microphone and began to methodically lay out the end of Sterling's NBA career. It was a moment in which almost anyone who was watching could think: This man is saying exactly what I'd be saying if I were up there.
When does that happen anymore in our over-priced, over-indulgent, often out-of-touch professional sports leagues?
Well, it happened Tuesday.
Taking the team from him -- the rare act of kicking out the owner -- is not only the proper decision ethically and morally, it's also the right move financially. Sterling has become toxic to the league's business fortunes. His presence is an economic burden that the other owners will not want to tolerate.
TRANSCRIPT: Everything Silver said Tuesday
CLIPPERS.COM: Website changes in an instant
NBA owners are in this together. Whatever they thought of a process that began with a leaked audiotape, their reality is this: their bottom line certainly will be harmed by sponsor defections, as well as possible boycotts and work stoppages, if Sterling somehow remains the Clippers owner. They need to get rid of him.
That's made easier now because Silver threw the figurative book at Sterling. It was real, serious punishment of the boss, the owner, the man in charge. It was a message to all NBA players, fans and sponsors that Silver, not Sterling, is in charge, and that no one – not even an owner – is above being punished for behavior such as Sterling's.
It was historic, and almost unprecedented. In other words, it was perfect.
GALLERY: Donald Sterling through the years
Source: Top Stories - Google News - http://ift.tt/1ksxIIg
0 comments:
Post a Comment