Donald Sterling vs. NBA : "Fighting to the Bloody End"

Headline: Donald Sterling Banned For Life From NBA, Fined $2.5 Million

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced a lifetime suspension and a $2.5 million fine for the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday during a press conference that will be remembered as a landmark moment in league history. The punishment was levied just days after audio recordings of Sterling making racist comments were released by TMZ and Deadspin.
“Effective immediately, I am banning Mr. Sterling for life from any association with the Clippers organization or the NBA,” Silver said during a press conference in New York on Tuesday afternoon.

Headline: Clippers owner Donald Sterling vows to ‘fight to the bloody end’ in battle over team

Donald Sterling's lawyer has written the NBA stating the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers does not intend to pay the $2.5 million fine imposed by the league for racist comments.
Clippers owner Donald Sterling has not backed down from the NBA's threat of terminating his ownership rights. In fact, he seems more intent to fight the lifetime ban and $2.5 million fine imposed by NBA commissioner Adam Silver for Sterling's recorded racist remarks.
Sterling attorney Max Belcher told ESPN LosAngeles' Ramona Shelburne that Sterling has no intention of selling the team. He plans to "fight to the bloody end."

Headline: Attorney: Donald Sterling agrees to sell Clippers

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling agreed Wednesday to sign off on selling the team he's owned for 33 years to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion, bringing the possibility of a resolution to weeks of rumors, uncertainty and looming possibilities for legal action.

The "bloody end" may end up without blood but 2 billion-dollar cash. Sterling's modest investment of 12 million in 1981 turned into 2,000 million. Not bad at all. Even the "fight to the bloody end" can not stand against the record 2 billion dollar profit in the sale.

I was really excited when the phrase of "fight to the bloody end" came out about more than a week ago. But, now, Sterling's willingness to sell Clippers disappointed me as there may not be a fight that I was hoping to see. I was hoping to see NBA's loss and Sterling's win. There will be no more media party or bloody legal game any more.

Personally, I am pretty sure that Sterling will win against NBA. My feeling is that NBA overstepped on a personal right of a free speech when they decided against Donald Sterling. NBA made a wrong decision on the basis of group psychology as an administrative body. A few guys get together and felt like they can do anything they wanted as a group, not as an individual. In a group psychology, people are much more brave and careless as a group and brazenly or erroneously do what each individual may not do as a person.

I know white people talk something like that all the time when they are together in a private place. I remember having heard so much of such talks about black bashing and racist remarks in the operating room while I was in medical practice.
Anyway, I am not here to discuss about the merit or lack of merit on black bashing. I am not talking about right or wrong about Sterling's attitude or deed.

I just loved the phrase of "fight to the bloody end" regardless of whatever it was for.
For a Korean immigrant (like me) who crossed over the Pacific with nothing but $50 in his pocket, the phrase is a perfect fit for his struggle in his new life in America.

Just like the case of Donald's "fight to the bloody end", the same fight of mine ended up to what I am today. Well, alas, my fight didn't end up with 2 billion dollars but it ended up enough financial security and freedom. In the end, there was no blood at all but I got something that is way beyond what I expected 50 years ago when I arrived at the new world.

I like the brave old man, Donald Sterling, because there is something I, as an another old man, can share with him. To me, Sterling was a hero. Forget about LeBron, Shaquille, Kareem, Michael, or Magic. They are no machos. This clunky old man is really the mother of all machos.
I am glad what he said and I respect him for that. He warmed my heart and made me inspired when I looked back the long road behind me. 

Here, I love the mentality of fighting to the bloody end. If one keeps the same mentality and attitude, he may not see the blood at the end but he may see a happy and prosperous ending. Even after all those fights are over, I still like to live in the spirit of fighting to the bloody end.
Nowadays, sometimes, I question myself, "Do I still have to live like that?"
An old habit is hard to get rid of. Hell, let it be.

June 9, 2014
SNUMA WM