The Return of Royalty in Cleveland

After four straight NBA Finals appearances, two championships, and two Finals MVPs, the best basketball player in the world returned to his hometown team, where his career begin. I didn't think he'd consider a return until later in his career. It surprised me because the Cavs have been the worse team in the league since he left. But as I read his masterfully written article "I'm Coming Home" explaining his decision, I realized it was a perfect move in almost every way. First, let's talk from a basketball point of view. Ironically, LeBron's departure - which allowed the Cavs to go from the NBA's best record to the worst record - actually facilitated the infusion of young talent (Kyrie Irving, Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett...kinda) that made them more appealing; and may serve as trade chips to get a big fish like Kevin Love. That team, as currently constructed without Love, doesn't look like a contender right now. But assuming Irving and Wiggins develop, they could be a contender in 2-3 years and remain there for a decade. Can you imagine the legacy boost of winning a championship in CLEVELAND? That's like winning 2 or 3 for a winning franchise. From a business standpoint, he was saavy enough to fund his lifelong friends' educations and empowering them to become his agent and advisors; they now have businesses, all based in Cleveland. His best friend and agent, Rich Paul's, second biggest client now plays for the Cleveland Browns; some guy named Johnny Manziel. Imagine the marketing opportunities for two of the most polarizing and popular athletes both in little Cleveland represented by the same agency; and they're friends. That usually doesn't happen outside of big marketing locations like New York and Los Angeles. And hell, LeBron might want to own the Cavs one day; and he seems business saavy enough to be in position financially one day. But most importantly, it made sense from a personal perspective. For someone who had to watch his hometown fans burning his jersey, I can't imagine a better story than righting that wrong and returning your hometown team to glory. Now those ppl are rushing to buy new ones, since the popular Google search, "how to un-burn a jersey" probably isn't getting ppl too far. As much as he's done with his charitable foundation in Miami, he really wants to help and inspire the youth of his hometown above all else. Plus his wife wants to raise their kids there. Overall, as much Miami hates it and LeBron haters try to use it against him, this was a hell of a move on all counts. Congrats Cleveland, after all of your sports heartbreak, the King has returned.

Do Better: Donald "The Dinosaur" Sterling Fucking Up

There's enough people re-hashing everything the Clippers owner said on the tape that now has people of all races requesting his dismissal as the team's owner. Everyone has re-hashed how deplorable his bigoted, racist, sexist antics have been. So I won't bother you with that again. I'll tell you simply the different ways that he just royally fucked up. I'll pull in a dark-skinned Black man, actor Bill Dukes, to help me make my point:

The secret's out:  We know he's not alone in his mind state sadly. He's from an era when rich white men could look down on, exploit, and mistreat minorities, women, or the poor without anyone thinking twice of it. He's paid his way out of having to fess up many times before; this time he got set up and caught. At least the other old bigots and racists learn to dust their tracks.

• Worse possible timing: He's been the laughing stock of the league for years and his franchise was branded undesirable to go to. They had just started making ground shedding his reputation as an cheap, out-of-touch, racist, sexist bastard because his team is now a legit title contender and a trendy destination. And the Lakers are in a downturn, so the opportunity is there. Now he's on the verge of being abandoned by his fans, coaches, and players.
• His dick got him in trouble: Yep, even at 80. Sterling's lawyer claimed that the woman who released the tape, his half-Black, half-Mexican mistress V. Stiviano, was trying to get him back for the lawsuit his family had against her. Well, SHE GOT HIS ASS. She pressed "record" and provoked him and he fell in the trap quickly.
• Forgot where he came from: He grew up poor and working with lower to lower middle class people in law. Now he's rich and maintains such feelings thinking that his money makes him bulletproof. Rich ppl cut ties with rich ppl who are "bad for business" quickly. You may have made yourself a lepper professionally.
• Using slave master language: His language about how he gives his players food, houses, and cars sounded much like how I'd imagine a slave master would highlight that his actions are justified by the food and shelter he provided the free labor on his plantation. Like I can only associate with the Black people I'm exploiting for money, noone else. I can only guess who Chris Paul felt hearing that.
• And most importantly...
• Wrong sport, wrong place, wrong time: You decided to buy an NBA team (the least white of the major sports leagues), which he moved from San Diego to Los Angeles (one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world). In 2014, you're trying to make ur multi-cultural girlfriend stop associating with basketball royalty like Magic Johnson? WTF? If you bought a hockey team and moved it to Idaho, you might not have these problems.

It's 2014 and the world has changed a great deal since the heyday of the mindset Sterling has illustrated to the world this week. Especially if he wants to keep young girlfriends who grew up in a more progressive world. The commissioner can't just snatch his team from him, but they need to find a way to add pressure or have a vote to get him out. Sponsors are leaving, fans are leaving, players and coaches may leave when their chance comes and he's turned a city against him that he was just starting to see slant his direction over the Lakers. Now ppl are waiting for you to be removed from his position whether by force, sale, or his death (sad but true). Take a bow you dinosaur, you've made quite a bed for yourself this time. I hope you're faced to sell it to Magic Johnson of all people and he spits in ur face right after the contract is signed. Do Better...