Banned Clippers Owner Donald Sterling yesterday "stunned" a packed L.A. County courtroom by calling his wife, Shelly, a "'pig' after suggesting in earlier testimony that he intends to have his say for a long time to come and pledging to continue his fight with the NBA until his last breath," according to Rainey & Cook of the L.A. TIMES. Donald Sterling during the hearing said, "I will never, ever, ever sell this team. And, until I die, I will be suing the NBA to make them pay for the terrible violations of antitrust that they have imposed on me and my family." Sterling appeared "willing to do whatever it would take to prolong his contest" with Shelly and the NBA. Even by Donald Sterling's "pugilistic standards, though, the outburst he leveled at his wife of 58 years Wednesday stood apart." After he had "finished on the witness stand and after only about 20 minutes of his wife's testimony ... she approached him in the front row of the court gallery." Donald said, "Get away from me, you pig." She "gasped and backed away as her husband added, 'Shelly, how could you lie?'" Judge Michael Levanas said, "Please don't make any statements to your wife. It's somewhat disturbing to hear that, for everyone, I think." Rainey & Cook note Donald Sterling's "serial outbursts seem certain to complicate his attempts to win back the Clippers, along with alienated fans, players and sponsors." He resumed his testimony yesterday and "once again criticized the NBA, the veteran lawyer representing his wife and even his own attorney" (L.A. TIMES, 7/10).
COURT REPORT: Reaction to Donald Sterling's testimony yesterday was varied. In L.A., Everett Cook wrote Sterling was "even more combative" yesterday than he was on Tuesday. Sterling "slammed his fist on the stand during examination and raised his voice when agitated, which was often" (LATIMES.com, 7/9). But the L.A. TIMES' Javier Panzar noted Sterling was "only a little less combative and blustery than he was Tuesday" (LATIMES.com, 7/9). In N.Y., Billy Witz writes his outburst "overshadowed what had been a milder day on the witness stand." He was "more responsive and less combative, but he was not exactly cooperative" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/10). Also in N.Y., Joe Tacopino notes Sterling "bizarrely began his testimony by saying that he loved his wife, but then berated her for allegedly misleading him" (N.Y. POST, 7/10). It was "a day of contradictions for the couple, who went from loving to fiery in a matter of minutes" (LATIMES.com, 7/9). Headline in USA TODAY: "Marital Discord Surfaces At Trial" (USA TODAY, 7/10). In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes the Sterlings' "honeymoon became a horror show" yesterday. Shelly Sterling took the stand and "chillingly spoke of her husband as his he were incapacitated." Of all the "bad L.A. Clippers teams the past 30 years, Donald and Shelly Sterling are now officially the worst" (L.A. TIMES, 7/10).
TAKING THE BULL BY THE HORNS: In California, Dan Woike notes Donald Sterling has "big issues with the NBA, and he's not staying quiet about them either." Sterling said, "This is the worst corporation in America. Everyone will find out how dishonest and terrible they are." He added, "I've been disillusioned for years. The reason I'm disillusioned is because here's all this money missing out of the NBA. I've been asking questions. How much does the commissioner make? Why are these teams losing money?" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 7/10). Sterling said of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, "This guy's been in office all of 60 days, and he's going to show the world he's not going to permit racism. But I'm not a racist. I love all people" (USA TODAY, 7/10). In L.A., Jack Wang notes Sterling "questioned the NBA's finances and made a vague reference to former commissioner David Stern having $150 million stashed away, though it wasn't clear if he meant personally or in NBA accounts, or whether he was making an accusation of impropriety." He called the NBA "a 'terrible institution' that lied when it said Shelly Sterling could keep 20 to 25 percent of the Clippers after the sale" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 7/10). SI.com's Michael McCann notes Sterling used "most of his testimony to levy accusations against NBA officials." He described them "as liars and bullies." For two reasons, Sterling's "verbal rampage could backfire with the one person who matters: Judge Levanas." First, consider that Sterling's "incessant insults and salacious accusations are arguably a waste of the court's times." Second, Sterling coming across as "an angry and vengeful person does nothing to contradict the physicians who diagnosed him as suffering from cognitive impairment" (SI.com, 7/10).
TIMING OF THE CASE: Levanas yesterday indicated that the case was "unlikely to be resolved by Tuesday, when the agreement" between prospective Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer and the Sterling trust "is set to expire." However, the agreement "can be extended by 30 days" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/10). The AP noted if the sale "isn't completed by Sept. 15, the league said it could seize the team and put it up for auction" (AP, 7/9).
