Jack’s Blog

Take an eccentric, billionaire owner who has a history of not shelling big money for players (not to mention not paying fired coaches), then finally opens the purse strings (for a huge ego point guard who’s more an aspiring director than hoops junkie) and reacts to his superstar’s poor play by sitting courtside taunting him and you have a recipe for a team with the worst record in the NBA.

Donald Sterling, owner of the Clippers is not short on ego himself.  Earlier in the year, he took a quarter page ad in the Los Angeles Times to announce an “all-white” party he was throwing at his Malibu mansion, only to end the ad with the disclaimer that, unless you had an invitation, you weren’t welcome.  That’s spending big money (how much does a 1/4 page in the Times go for?) simply to let people know he’s richer than the readers are and even if there were people out there who had more than he did, they couldn’t go to his party.  That’s one world-class schmuck!

He decided to go all-in for Baron Davis whose nickname is “CK” which stands for Coach Killer, a moniker that B Diddy is most deserving.  After being wooed by his best old ex-friend Elton Brand to join him in the City of Angels (naturally after Davis put up career numbers in his contract year - surprise!), Davis saw Brand hightail it out of town to sign with the 76ers.  That should have been a hint-and-a-half about the Clips’ organization and Baron.  Davis attended Crossroads High School and UCLA (neither exactly situated in the hood, both better known for the actors they produce), yet wants people to think he has street cred.

At the outset of this year, his life must have been at a “crossroads.”  He’s billing himself as a budding director (he’s probably upset with the word “budding”), yet was viewed as the leader of a talented, but young, bunch of basketball players.  As is the case with most point guards, he was the natural leader of this heretofore group of losers.  He could cement his legacy as the guy who brought together the young gifted players (Blake Griffin and the Erics - Gordon & Bledsoe to name three) and got the Clippers into the playoffs.  Not an easy task considering they reside in the West, but along with All-Star center Chris Kaman, a do-able goal.

What was The Baron’s opening act?  Report out of shape and catch the wrath of guys in the know, e.g. Kenny Smith and Greg Anthony, both lead guards who understand the importance of the PG’s role.  Both blasted Davis for coming to camp as he did.  Baron’s take on it?  The problem wasn’t a weight issue but a severe hamstring injury.

In reality, Sterling and Davis are made for each other - two rich guys (one with billions, the other a mere pauper who signed for only $65 million) who accumulated much of their wealth by “stealing” it, The Donald by, reportedly, being one of the world’s most famous slumlords and Baron getting his through fraudulent play.  At this point, their legacies would be as follows: Davis would fall into the category of Eddie Curry and Jerome James, while Sterling would be the second coming of Ted Stepien.

I wonder what Vince Lombardi would think of the Clippers’ situation.  It was the late, great coach who once said:

“Build for your team a feeling of oneness, of dependence on one another and of strength to be derived by unity.”

In the latest Sports Illustrated, there is a absolutely sensational article regarding the “Core Four” - four New York Yankees who entered the majors in 1995 and have played together and been largely responsible for the enormous success the Bronx Bombers have had since that time.

One of the four, Mariano Rivera (the other three are Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte), made some poignant comments in the piece after the quartet was asked which one of them young players should ask for financial advice.  Posada replied, “Mo.”

Rivera’s statements should serve as advice that should be heeded by every young professional athlete.  Before quoting Rivera’s sound counsel, allow me to introduce a prime example of someone who ought to be listening -and listening intently. 

Jerome James just concluded his NBA career - sitting in street clothes on the Chicago Bulls’ bench.  He was obtained by the Bulls in a trade between them and the New York Knicks, mainly because of his enormous contract.  NBA trades now are as much, if not more, about money than acquiring talent.  To oversimplify current trades, the money of the players switching teams has to somewhat balance.  When the Bulls unloaded Larry Hughes, he of the 5-year, $70 million contract, James had to be thrown into the deal, even though he had sustained a career-ending Achilles tendon injury and would not play a second in a Bulls uni.  This change of address couldn’t have been too surprising to James since in each of the past two years, he’d played in only two games during each one.  One reason he needn’t fret was the contract he’d been offered by Isiah Thomas - someone many guys in, and now out, of the league ought to keep on their Xmas card list.

James contract, which he was offered after showing brief flashes of ability in eleven games of the 2005 NBA Playoffs (to quote Jim Mora, “Playoffs???” - not an entire season, but playoffs!!!), was for 5 years and $30 million.  His salary for this season, in which he even never suited up, was $6,600,000.  “What economic downturn?” Jerome must have been thinking.

But now his career is over.  And now is the proper time to invoke the wise words of Mariano Rivera regarding the longevity of a professional athlete’s career: “I understand we do this in a period of time.  We cannot do this forever.  So whatever you make, you’ve got to take care of it.”

A brief break during this bit of wisdom to reflect on a recent story I heard about James’ modes of transportation.  One is a Maserati and the other is a Rolls Royce.  Admittedly, this is second hand information, i.e. I have not actually seen either of these two vehicles but, as is said by real journalists, it does come from a “very reliable source.”

Back to Rivera’s sage guidance: “I’m going to do whatever it takes to save the money that I have made, because I know that I’m not going to be working after that, or making the kind of money that we are making now.”

I don’t claim to have any idea how much money Jerome James has stashed away but I’d venture to say that a 34-year-old with both a Maserati and a Rolls, coupled with a contract that just ran out, might want to think about the old proverb that says:

“Money talks, but all it ever says is goodbye.”     Â