Disgraced NBA owner Sterling provokes fresh outrage

Controversial new remarks by Donald Sterling, disgraced ownerof the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team, provoked fresh outrage Tuesdaydespite his apology for earlier racially-charged comments.In a rambling interview with CNN, Sterling apologized for advising his girlfriend ina secretly recorded phone call to avoid her black friends in public -- particularlywhen attending Clippers games.Sterling's first lengthy response to the scandal that broke two weeks ago was aimedat salvaging his reputation and making the case that he should be allowed to retainhis coveted basketball franchise.But, far from quelling the controversy, the embattled real estate mogul ignited anew firestorm by attacking basketball great Magic Johnson, a beloved figurethroughout the US sports world. Speaking to CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, Sterling called Johnson a poor rolemodel because he had contracted HIV and suggested he had not used his fame orfortune to help fellow African Americans."He acts so holy," the 80-year-old billionaire said of Johnson. "He does nothing. It'sall talk."The attack provoked fresh condemnation from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, whosaid in a statement that the league was pressing ahead with efforts to removeSterling "as expeditiously as possible."Silver also apologized for Sterling's attack on the basketball legend. "While Magic Johnson doesn't need me to, I feel compelled on behalf of the NBAfamily to apologize to him that he continues to be dragged into this situation andbe degraded by such a malicious and personal attack," Silver said. The Clippers' popular coach, Doc Rivers -- who like most players on the team rosteris African American -- also spoke up for Johnson.And, responding to Sterling's expression of regret for his racist comments, Riverstold USA Today: "Whatever it is, that doesn't sound like much of an apology to me."For his part, Johnson vowed to stay above the fray. "After this week, no moreSterling talk," he wrote to his Twitter followers, a sentiment retweeted hundreds of times.Johnson, now a successful businessman, is among a handful of prominent figureswhose name has been mentioned as a possible successor to Sterling as owner of theClippers.The controversy has been a distraction for the team, who have their bestopportunity in years to fashion a deep playoff run.The team is tied 2-2 in their best-of-seven Western Conference semi-final seriesagainst Oklahoma City and are scheduled to take the court again later Tuesday.Already banned for life by the NBA for the bigoted comments to his girlfriend thatprompted the league to attempt to strip him of ownership of his club, Sterlingcalled the remarks a "mistake.""I'm not a racist," he told CNN. "I made a terrible mistake. I'm here to apologize."He pinned much of the blame on V. Stiviano, the young woman he chastised in theleaked phone conversation."I was baited," Sterling said. "I mean, that's not the way I talk. I don't know why thegirl had me say those things."Meanwhile, Sterling's estranged wife Shelly, who has said she'll fight to keep herownership stake in the team, told NBC television that her estranged husband wasmore likely senile than racist."He's not the man I know, or I knew," she said. "There’s something wrong. I reallythink, personally, he has dementia." Source: AFP