In an "extraordinary television interview that deepened the anger over his ownership of the Clippers, Donald Sterling attacked" Basketball HOFer Magic Johnson, "suggested that African Americans have not done enough to help their community and blamed the media for creating the turmoil that envelops his team and his family," according to a front-page piece by Rainey, Karlamangla & Nelson of the L.A. TIMES. Sterling's interview on CNN "featured several broadsides against Johnson," as the banned Clippers owner "insisted that players, fans, sponsors and fellow owners continue to support him." Sterling, who was "alternatively apologetic, defiant and seemingly on the verge of tears," said that he "believed he can maintain his hold on the team" (L.A. TIMES, 5/13). CNN's Anderson Cooper said he and Sterling spoke for about 1 hour, 20 minutes, and "for the first hour Sterling was apologetic, denied he's a racist and said he was goaded by V. Stiviano." But Cooper added, "Towards the end, he said some things that many of you will no doubt find shocking." Cooper: "Throughout this hour, you'll hear Donald Sterling explain, excuse and apologize repeatedly. We'll leave it to you to decide if you think his apology's sincere" (CNN, 5/12).
EXCERPTS FROM THE INTERVIEW:
Cooper: “There were no ground rules, nothing was off-limits and there was no PR entourage telling him what to say and when to stop. These are Sterling's words and his alone."
Sterling: “I want to explain a couple of things that I said. One of the things that I said was 'don't bring blacks to my game.' Well 25 percent of my home games are black people and I love them. She would always use the word 'black.' 'That's a black girl, that's a black guy, this is black, that's black.' So when she said to me, 'I'm going to bring four gorgeous black guys to the game,' players she was referring to, I was a little jealous, maybe."
Sterling: "I wanted to apologize also to my partners. I have 29 partners in the league, that's a wonderful league. I respect them and I love every owner, every owner knows me. I love the commissioner. I'm sure that it's terribly difficult for him to impose severe punishment because he knows me so well."
Cooper noted former Clippers GM Elgin Baylor "made a claim that you had a 'plantation mentality'" about his players.
Sterling: "I think you have more of a 'plantation mentality' than I do. I think you're more of a racist than I am because I'm not a racist and I've never been a racist and I'll never be a racist. I don't know what that means to have that mentality."
Sterling: "I apologized to the league. People want me to hire a wall of lawyers and them to hire a wall of lawyers and to go to war. I don't think that's the answer. I think the answer is the league is a good league, all honest people, and I think that whatever they decide that has to be done, I think I should work with them and do it."
Cooper: "The NBA says they want you out. Are you willing to give up ownership of the Clippers?"
Sterling: "Well, I'm not sure that's what they want. … That's your opinion and that's what the media says. I'm a good owner. I have a good team. There are people that want to buy my team. But because the media says that the owners want me out doesn't mean that they want me out."
Sterling said he has "talked to several of the owners" and "they support me. They can't understand why I would say that."
Cooper asked, "You're saying there are some owners of NBA teams who want you to remain owner of the Clippers?"
Sterling: "I don't speak for the league or for the owners. They speak for themselves. … I embarrassed the league. I humiliated them.”
Asked if he would fight to retain ownership of the team in court, Sterling said, "We're not there yet, so why should I address that issue? I don't want to fight with my partners. We all do what we have to do in life. I love them and I respect them and whatever their decision is with regard to the disposition of my terrible words then I have to do it, I think. The players don't hate me. The sponsors don't hate me. The fans don't hate me. The media hates, it's all the media."
Sterling, on Clippers players, "Why wouldn't they like me when I'm respectful and I treat them with respect? … Do you think they're all going to walk off the team? Can any of us just stop working? We all have to work. We all have to earn a living. We all have bills. We may work for an employer we don't love. I contend that they love me."
REAX: In L.A., Robert Lopez notes while Sterling "apologized repeatedly" for his initial remarks, at the same time, he "made other statements that are likely to spark new outrage" (L.A. TIMES, 5/13). VARIETY's Brian Lowry noted while Sterling "seemed to be in enough possession of his faculties to sit through such an experience, his erratic, strange performance -- one that will be studied in crisis public-relations classes for years to come -- certainly gave the impression of somebody who was not mentally clicking on all cylinders." But with his comments he "kept digging the hole he was in deeper and deeper" (VARIETY.com, 5/12). L.A. city leaders "lashed out" at Sterling's comments. L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson: "Somebody needs to put some tape over his mouth" (L.A. TIMES, 5/13). In L.A., Steve Lopez writes, "I am hereby personally asking the Sterlings to please sell the team immediately, or to at least stop granting interviews" (L.A. TIMES, 5/13). USA TODAY's Nancy Armour writes it "didn't seem possible" that Sterling could "further damage his own image and, by association, that of the NBA." Yet that is "exactly what he did." There is "no longer any possible way Sterling can survive" the situation (USA TODAY, 5/13). The N.Y. Daily News' Frank Isola said, "It's right out of the media relations crisis handbook 101, you try and look sympathetic, you apologize. To me, he looked very pathetic." Isola said if you "go after Magic Johnson, you're going to be in a lot of trouble" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 5/12). Meanwhile, TNT's Kenny Smith said of Sterling, "His credibility is gone in terms of what he has to say.” TNT’s Charles Barkley added, “I feel bad for the NBA because we had an amazing playoff" ("Inside The NBA," TNT, 5/12). ESPN Radio's Tom Waddle: "I still believe that there is a scorched Earth policy that Donald Sterling is going to implement going forward and I think this is going to be an issue for a long, long time." ESPN’s Adnan Virk: “He is delusional on a lot of fronts" (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 5/13).
SILVER FIRES BACK: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver immediately apologized to Magic Johnson in a statement after hearing Sterling's comments: "I feel compelled ... to apologize to [Johnson] that he continues to be dragged into this situation and be degraded by such a malicious and personal attack" (NBA). In N.Y., Scott Cacciola writes it was "only a written statement," but Silver's "exasperation was clear." Silver "slapped Sterling with a public rebuke" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/13). Dodgers Exec VP & CMO Lon Rosen, who served as Johnson's agent for many years, said Johnson is the "exact opposite" of the way Sterling portrayed him. Rosen: "I've known Earvin since 1979 and his whole mission in life has been to create business opportunities in urban America and to be charitable" (L.A. TIMES, 5/13). Johnson tweeted, "I'd rather be talking about these great NBA Playoffs than Donald Sterling's interview. ... After this week, no more Sterling talk. Just the NBA Playoffs, my @Dodgers and my @LA_Sparks!" (TWITTER.com, 5/12).
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS: YAHOO SPORTS' Adrian Wojnarowski reports many within the NBA "believe they know how Silver and the owners will ultimately make this right: awarding Magic and his ownership group's bid the franchise." The league can "transform a pariah brand name into a magnificent monolith" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 5/13). SPORTS ON EARTH's Shaun Powell writes the auction of the Clippers will be the "most-watched in NBA history." The "most logical and anticipated prospective buyers" include Johnson and Guggenheim Partners, Lakers investor Patrick Soon-Shiong, DreamWorks SKG co-Founder David Geffen, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 5/13).
STERLING'S LEGAL BATTLE: SI.com's Michael McCann writes Sterling's "occasional incoherence may signal legal trouble ahead for the NBA: Could the 80-year-old billionaire argue he is less blameworthy because of advanced age and associated mental limitations?" Sterling gave "several odd responses" during the interview which, when "coupled with his wife's suspicions, may cause the NBA anxiety" (SI.com, 5/13). Clippers Interim CEO Dick Parsons said, "My personal belief is that the league will prevail, which means that there will be an ownership change. ... That's a personal belief based on having not only looked at the docs but looked Adam Silver in the eye and seen the determination. ... There's so much momentum for doing the right thing and so much support for doing the right thing at the end of the day, I believe ownership will change" (L.A. TIMES, 5/13).
WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED: In L.A., Broderick Turner writes the Clippers are "back to dealing with fallout" from remarks from Sterling and his wife, Rochelle. Clippers coach and Senior VP/Basketball Operations Doc Rivers said, "I think there's a couple of guys that I'm sure it affects. One day it does, one day it doesn't." He added, "I'll stand by Magic every day of the year because I've known him for a long time" (L.A. TIMES, 5/13). Rivers said of Parsons, "He’s going to make a big difference, for especially the folks downtown. They have lives and careers and they want to know if they’re safe, where do we go from here?” (N.Y. TIMES, 5/13). ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst wrote it has "become clear that no one has benefited more from the events of the past 15 days" than Rivers, who has "taken the unanticipated sequence and weaved it into a stockpile of capital and a rare expansion of influence" (ESPN.com, 5/12).
GETTING SCOOPED? ABC's Barbara Walters conducted a sit-down interview with Rochelle Sterling, but yesterday said that she "doesn't feel like she was scooped" by CNN's interview of Donald Sterling. Walters: "I didn't try to get Donald Sterling. When I was out there he was not doing any interviews. I talked to him privately, but he didn't want to do interviews. I went back. Anderson Cooper stayed (and interviewed Sterling), and he did a superb job" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 5/12).
