Is Clippers' infighting over?
Well, that's what the Clippers are trying to the public think, especially with team president Andy Roeser going on Fox Sports Prime last night to explain just that. However, Donald T. Sterling may still need some time to put coach Mike Dunleavy's harsh words behind him.
We can only really speculate on Sterling's true feelings because he has repeatedly refused interview requests this week. There certainly are some divided members in the organization on various issues. Is that natural? Perhaps. But a lot of this stuff is carrying into the press, and that ain't pretty.
In another Clipper note of interest, Clipper Darrell -- the boisterous fan with a half red and half blue suit -- indeed is mulling over a job offer to become Maverick Darrell.
Just when you might think things can't get any weirder in the NBA world and Clipper world, how bizarre would it be to see Darrell get up and move to Dallas and cheer for a different team? I can't possibly see that happen. But who knows? Weird stuff is happening practically every day in the kooky world of professional basketball.
Why would Donald Sterling think of firing Elgin Baylor, now? What could Elgin have possibly done to get fired, that he hasn't done a hundred other times, over the past 20+ years? Donald Sterling's team does not win because they are a reflection of their owner. I say this as a long-time Clippers fan who attended their games at the San Diego and L.A. Sports Arenas. They won a couple of years ago because, for the first time, Sterling showed he cared and did what a winning owner would do... spend the money to keep his best players. This year, we lost Elton Brand... and we did nothing to improve the team after that. In the past year, guys like Kevin Garnett, Pau Gasol, and Shaq have changed teams. We never go after guys like this, even when we need to, such as after losing our lone all-star. Now, Jason Kidd is out there and we should be trying to get him in here. Changing the losing culture is important, and I think Kidd could help do that. Hey, congrats on 3 road wins out of seven, but no one should be happy with a losing road trip! Did Mike Dunleavy really say they'd talked about how winning 3 out of 7 on the road would be great? If you can't think 4 out of 7, you'll never achieve it. The organization, from top to bottom, must buy into the notion that the Clippers MUST NEVER ACCEPT a losing ANYTHING, ever. It must NEVER be okay with the players, or okay with the coaches, or okay with the front office, or okay with the owner, to lose. Then, and only then, would we see a change in the team's fortunes.