Armour: Silver better get it right with Donald Sterling's punishment
No pressure on Adam Silver or anything, but this will be the most important day the NBA has had since the merger with the ABA.
For the last three days, the NBA has been drowning in the cesspool dredged up by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling and his racist comments. Players are outraged, sponsors are appalled and ticketholders are disgusted.
Even Michael Jordan felt compelled to speak out, no small thing for a guy so averse to taking a stand he won't even say if he thinks the sky is blue.
The NBA has a chance to reclaim its dignity when Commissioner Silver announces Sterling's punishment this afternoon. Get it right, and Sterling becomes little more than a bad memory. Get it wrong, and the NBA might never recover.
"It's so remarkably buffoonish, if he goes it goes," said John Sweeney, director of the Sports Communication Program at the University of North Carolina and head of the school's advertising specialization.
"But I've got to tell you, if they hedge, watch out. If the NBA hedges, watch out."
The NBA Constitution isn't public, so it's unclear exactly how far Silver can go in disciplining Sterling. But a look at the events of the last few days shows that, for the future of the NBA, Silver had better go as far as he can.
There's already been talk about boycotting playoff games. It's one thing to consider walking out on a Tuesday night game in mid-December that no one will notice, let alone miss. It's quite another to consider walking out on the playoffs, the games that make the entire season worthwhile.
But don't underestimate the players' rage. If Sterling is allowed to remain in the game, the players won't stand for it. Neither will sponsors, who couldn't get away from the Clippers fast enough Monday. State Farm, Kia, CarMax, Virgin America, airline, Red Bull, Yokohama tires, Mercedes-Benz – they all bailed.
Most ominous, however, was the statement from Anheuser-Busch.
"As the official beer of the NBA, we are disappointed to hear the alleged recent comments attributed to L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling," the statement said. "While Anheuser-Busch and Bud Light are not team sponsors of the L.A. Clippers, we fully support the NBA's efforts to investigate quickly and trust that they will take appropriate action."
Left unsaid was what happens if the NBA doesn't, but you can guess. Corporate America still has scorch marks from being burned by Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong, and it's not about to go to bat for a guy like Sterling, with his long history of racist and unsavory behavior.
Forcing an owner to step away from his team strikes some as extreme, maybe even illegal. But Silver has no other choice.
A fine would mean nothing to Sterling, who has a net worth of $1.9 billion. That's billion, with a b. A suspension ensures this ugliness would continue festering through the playoffs and the off-season.
And sensitivity training? Please.
No, the NBA has to get its good name back and it has only this one day to do it. Don't blow it, Commissioner.
