Notable punishments for owners
ESPN Stats & Information
http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/1...-sports-owners
Notable punishments handed down to major professional sports owners:
• November 1974: George Steinbrenner, Yankees (MLB). Indicted on 14 criminal counts for making illegal contributions to Richard Nixon's presidential campaign in 1972. Pleaded guilty to two -- making illegal campaign contributions and obstruction -- and was fined $20,000. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspended him from baseball for two years, but the punishment was later reduced by nine months, allowing Steinbrenner back for the 1976 season.
• January 1977: Ted Turner, Braves (MLB). Fined and suspended for one year (Turner appealed the suspension) for tampering with pending free agent Gary Matthews.
• July 1990: Steinbrenner. Outfielder Dave Winfield sued Steinbrenner for failing to pay the Winfield Foundation the $300,000 guaranteed in his contract. Steinbrenner then paid notorious gambler Howie Spira $40,000 for information on Winfield. On July 30, 1990, Commissioner Fay Vincent banned Steinbrenner from running the Yankees for life. Two years later, Vincent allowed Steinbrenner to return for the 1993 season.
• February 1993: Marge Schott, Reds (MLB). Suspended one year (reduced to eight months for good behavior) and fined $25,000 by the game's executive council for bringing "disrepute and embarrassment" to the sport by using ethnic and racial slurs.
• July 1996: Schott. Suspended by MLB through the 1998 season (she sold team when she faced another suspension upon her return) after making laudatory comments about Adolf Hitler and using racial slurs.
• March 1999: Eddie DeBartolo, 49ers (NFL). Suspended for the 1999 season and fined $1 million after he pleaded guilty to a felony in a gambling scandal in Louisiana.
• December 2000: Glen Taylor, Timberwolves (NBA). Salary-cap violation for "under the table" deal with Joe Smith. The team was fined $3.5 million and stripped of five first-round picks (later reduced to three). Taylor was suspended through end of August 2001, During which time he was not allowed to attend games, negotiate contracts or speak with media.
• November 2009: Bud Adams, Titans (NFL). Fined $250,000 for making an obscene gesture at Bills fans.
• July 2010: Dan Gilbert, Cavaliers (NBA): Fined $100,000 for writing an open letter to fans about LeBron James.
• September 2011: Michael Jordan, Bobcats (NBA): Fined $100,000 for talking about the NBA lockout.
• October 2011: Micky Arison, Heat (NBA): Fined $500,000 for tweeting about the lockout.
• January 2014: Mark Cuban, Mavericks (NBA): Fined $100,000 for confronting referees after a loss. Cuban has been fined several other times for similar incidents, with the total amount believed to be $2 million.
• April 2014 - Donald Sterling, Clippers (NBA): Banned from the Clippers and the NBA for life for making racist comments and fined $2.5 million, the maximum allowed under league's constitution.
$2,500,000, that was excessive. I hope the money goes to a worthy cause, but more than likely it'll go into Lebron and KD's pockets.
Not surprised about Stirling though, long-time piece of ****.
Originally Posted by Beast
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. ://">://" onclick="kh99_iqts_show('336159_1'); return false;">Show Quote $2,500,000, that was excessive. I hope the money goes to a worthy cause, but more than likely it'll go into Lebron and KD's pockets.
Not surprised about Stirling though, long-time piece of ****. I don't think they should have done anything. What he said was a private matter and should have been kept that way.
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im kinda torn on this.
I do think Sterling has a lawsuit case he could win.
Bottom line is that it was private conversation that was recorded but...
..thats how it is in sports and the mainstream and the media. Watch what you say. Sports athletes are held to a ridiculously high standard where they can get accused and never charged fo a crime and be suspended and fined (Big Ben)..
its the territory. I think the guy has a case but on the other hand, it's part of the business... watch what you say and where you say it... or better yet... keep stupid ignorant comments to your self
Originally Posted by Kipper
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. ://">://" onclick="kh99_iqts_show('336164_1'); return false;">Show Quote im kinda torn on this.
I do think Sterling has a lawsuit case he could win.
Bottom line is that it was private conversation that was recorded but...
..thats how it is in sports and the mainstream and the media. Watch what you say. Sports athletes are held to a ridiculously high standard where they can get accused and never charged fo a crime and be suspended and fined (Big Ben)..
its the territory. I think the guy has a case but on the other hand, it's part of the business... watch what you say and where you say it... or better yet... keep stupid ignorant comments to your self Im sure he was unaware he was being recorded. To me, its taking away from the freedom of speech issue. Now I know that if you say something offensive at work, you can get in trouble for it. So I guess since the law isnt an issue, than its not technically violating any rights.
I think they should have just let him keep on. The Clippers wouldnt have signed any good free agents for years to come. Or do what the Rockets owner said, allow all the current Clippers players to walk if they wanted to.
You have to look at this through new NBA commish Adam Silver's eyes. He wanted/was wanted to make a big statement with this being his first big test as commissioner and though I think they might've been a little bit extreme, I think this was a good call.
But this isn't going away any time soon. Like what Kip said, he well take this to court and there's gonna be a voting for league owners on whether or not he should be removed, so this is gonna drag out.
Sterling actually has some leverage if they go to court. What he'll have is that he was expressing his opinion (isn't illegal despite how arrogant, insultive, racist, and disrespectful it was) and remember this: if the tape was taken in California, it is illegal for someone to publicly release an under-the-table tape/video/audio like that without having everyone's permission, which I highly doubt they had his.
But also if they were less harsh and eventually he came back and didn't sell them clippers could most likely go dormant. Sources said Rivers and coaching staff was going to step down, players were going to leave or request trade, and no one, no matter how attractive and appealing LA is, would go there with a bigot of an owner like him there. It'd turn into a disaster for the franchise. Really sad how this is unfolding.
