Friday, February 13, 2009

Who Is Out Of His Tree...??? Baylor or Sterling...???


Let's go back to Lisa Dillman's article in the LA Timeswhere former GM Elgin Baylor has decided to sue the Los Angeles Clippers claiming racial and age discrimination.

Baylor maintains that owner and well-renowned El Cheapo Donald Sterling has instituted a "Southern plantation-type structure" during his 22 years within the franchise. Baylor also accuses in his civil lawsuit that the Clippers had a decades-long racist structure within the organization.

From the Dillman piece:
"The complaint against Sterling and others, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by The Times, presented Baylor's version of an eroding relationship between Baylor and Sterling. Baylor contends, among other things, that the Clippers owner had "a pervasive and ongoing racist attitude as expressed to then-NBA player Danny Manning during contract negotiations."

Baylor also named the Clippers, the NBA, and Clippers President Andy Roeser. When someone approached Sterling about Baylor's suit, his response was:
"Really? Against who?"

According to Baylor's suit, Sterling wanted the team to consist of "a bunch of poor black boys from the south and a white head coach." The suit also alleges the "Caucasian" head coach got a 4-year, $22-million deal while Baylor only had a salary of $350,000. And, apparently, the NBA "condoned, adopted, and ratified" the dynamic run by the blue and red side of the Staples Center.

Those of us at OSG HQ would like to ask the following:
Why did Baylor stay around so long if he was so chapped at Sterling...?
And why did the Clippers keep Baylor around for 22 years when he drafted the following guys: LaRon Ellis, Terry Dehere, Elmore Spencer, Joe Wolf, Lamond Murray, Michael Olowokandi, Marvin Ely, and Yaroslav Korolev...

Here's the draft position the Clips had during Baylor's tenure going backwards:
14, 12, 4, 6, 8 and 12, 2, 3 and 18, 4, 1 and 22, 14, 7, 2, 7 and 25, 13, 16 and 25, 22, 8 and 13, 2, 1 and 6, 4-13 and 19, and 3...

Where's the level of success that would warrant a 22-year tenure...?
Actually, Baylor was economically feasible... he fit Sterling's model...
And if Baylor was so damn mad, why didn't he file a civil lawsuit sooner...?

All this does is lend itself to "cry wolf" syndrome and future lawsuits. Those lawsuits that would have merit could be lost with all the bad publicity this one could garner.

Here, there are no winners...
If Baylor is correct, Sterling and the Clippers are exposed and confirmed for being a horribly-ran organization once and for all.
If Sterling is correct, Baylor is exposed for being an angry, old man with a chip on his shoulder as his basketball time fades from view. He'll be remembered for this action, and not the true on-court talent he was.

There is a scheduled Thursday presser at Baylor's lawyer's office...

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