“Look at those beautiful black bodies.” – Clippers owner Donald Sterling
photo via AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
How crass is that? It reminds me of how slave owners would display their human “chattel” at auctions. You would think a man who had to pay out over $2 million dollars in a housing discrimination settlement would have learned SOMETHING from the experience.
Elgin Baylor’s (former Clipper’ GM) wrongful termination lawsuit is exposing all of Donald Sterling’s demons. While I’m sure this is only the tip of the iceberg, the question has to be asked; why did Elgin Stay for 20 plus years?
He’s indicated that during the last 10 years of his employment, he endured comments about his age and ability to perform his job from both Sterling and Clippers president Andy Roeser.
Baylor has also stated that he only received 1 raise for the the last 16 years of his employment, even when the Clippers went to the second round playoffs in ’06.
So what kept Elgin there? Why did he stand by and watch Donald’s treatment of his players and not take some sort of action? 22 years is a long time to keep quiet. Forgive me if I don’t leap to Elgin’s defense in his suit.
While I feel his claims are valid and justified, I struggle with the idea that he turned a blind eye while this type of behavior ran rampant in the organization he was apart of for so many years.
