Is Donald Sterling Insane?

Rhetorical question, I know. But if I told you an owner of a professional basketball team was heckling his highest paid player during games, what would you say? You would probably revoke my exclusive, and super hard to get blogging license, right? But unfortunately Clipper’s owner Donald Sterling is doing exactly that to star (almost spit out my proverbial coffee after writing star) point guard Baron Davis. I’m being a bit sarcastic with “star” but Davis is the highest paid player on the Clipper’s roster, and before he got fat, lazy, and lost all semblance of skill he was a great player in the league.


I’ve lived through some pretty monumental sports scandals before (Tiger Woods banging pornstars and waitresses on a nightly basis, Michael Vick torturing man’s best friends for the excitement of gambling, and the “Love Boat” to name a few) but nothing quite like this. According to ESPN, this is what Sterling said:

“Why are you in the game?”

“Why did you take that shot?”

“You’re out of shape!”

(Here's the full report by ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=5915935)

Holy Jesus. Hate to break it to you Mr. Sterling, but, you’re signing his checks. It would be like Jimmie Johnson driving a Smart Car in the Daytona 500 then complaining because he didn’t win his sixth in a row…or Albert Haynesworth bitching incessantly because he was benched due to his conditioning (oh wait, that actually happened).

Mr. Sterling’s response (according to ESPN) to reports of the heckling: “When they make shots, it's great, when they don't, we're all disappointed.” WOW! Now I get it! Doesn’t every owner heckle their highest paid player when they miss a shot?

And don’t think I’m defending Baron Davis; he’s deserving of every criticism that comes his way…by all accounts he is poorly conditioned and was out of shape at the start of camp—and considering his play as of late—still is. But it comes from the fans that pay good money for those seats (and blow-hard bloggers like myself)…not from one of the worst owners in basketball who signed Baron is the first place. Donald Sterling is such an embarrassment to the league…he was sued by Elgin Baylor for reportedly saying some inappropriate things about black people and recently settled an ugly housing discrimination lawsuit (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=dw-sterling110409).

Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2010-2011 Los Angeles Clippers!