Now EXILED LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for decades has been vehemently despised by personnel, employees, fans and whoever else he’s infuriated. But is he the worst owner ever?
In the world of sports, owners for the most part represent multiple faces and spectrums that have an adverse effect on their franchises in whatever sport they play in – the Los Angeles Clippers and Donald Sterling are Exhibit A.
For the Clippers, many have fallen under the wrath of now-exiled Sterling, whom is responsible for the severe rift between him, his franchise and the coaches and players that worked for him.
But is he the worst of them all? Even with his track record is there someone that could top him?
Here is a list of the five worst owners that ever graced the sports world.
5) Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals 1991-present)
After taking over the Bengals following his late father Paul Brown’s passing, Mike has been responsible for a tailspin unlike any other seen in the NFL.
23 years have gone by and the Bengals haven’t won a playoff game.
23 years. Let that sink in. 23 years of zero progress and a lot of anger from the good people of Cincinnati who is still yet to see a separate general manager under his ownership.
The city at that time also had to deal with an owner who put herself in hot water on numerous occasions for her remarks towards blacks, Asians, Jews and whoever else she could offend.
4) Marge Schott “The Red Menace” (Cincinnati Reds 1984-1999)
A woman I believe far worse than Sterling himself could perceive himself to be (numerous occasions of her making racial slurs and the insensitivity of an opening day postponement in Cincinnati following umpire John McSherry’s collapse and eventual death on the field that day.)
She was banned twice by Major League Baseball (1993) for racist comments and (1996-1998) for an interview with ESPN talking about Adolf Hitler “Everybody knows he was good at the beginning, but just went too far.”
The only exception that she has compared to Sterling is that the Reds were largely successful under her reign, winning a World Series in 1990, two NL West/Central Division Titles and 9 winning seasons out of 16.
3) Chris Cohan (Golden State Warriors 1995-2010)
The Warriors before his arrival were a fast-paced, run-and-gun offensive circus with legends Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Mullinlighting up the scoreboard with head coach Don Nelson at the controls.
Although Nelson, Hardaway and Mullin were still around by the time he took ownership, Cohan only had two winning seasons and one playoff appearance (2007) in 15 years of ownership.
His mark on the Warriors included baffling draft selections (Mike Dunleavy Jr. 3rd overall 2002), coaching and general manager hirings (the worst being Garry St. Jean) and simply turned the Warriors in the second biggest laughing stock in the NBA (note: I said second).
2) John Spano (New York Islanders 1996)
A con that pulled wool over the eyes of his franchise, his partners, his bankers and everyone else in-between, Spano’s four-month reign as “owner” of the New York Islanders will live in infamy and has ultimately crushed the Islanders as an organization to even the modern day (an ESPN 30-For-30 special called “Big Shot” highlights his tenure).
Spano is an individual that put an almost permanent black eye on the National Hockey League when he “purchased” the Islanders in 1996.
His list of crimes are indeed a lengthy one (mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud to name a few) when he was exposed for not having a fraction of the money necessary to buy the Isles ($165 million). The two years that followed his alleged purchase of the team, information was leaked on how he conned the Islanders and the NHL into thinking he was an extremely wealthy man who could buy an NHL franchise.
Two lengthy prison sentences, deception and the slow, painful destruction of Long Island’s beloved Islanders was the legacy Mr. Spano left.
But even he isn’t the worst. That title belongs to none other than…
1) Donald Sterling (Los Angeles Clippers 1981-2014)
Not even a sleaze like Spano could have knocked off the ruler of ineptitude and bigotry who goes by the name of Donald Tokowitz Sterling.
The Clippers are routinely in the top echelon of worst sports franchises in many polls for the sole facts that consist of massive amounts of failure, tumultuous relationships between owner (Sterling) and everyone else around him.
But the biggest reason why they have been so porous is the fact that they were gifted Chris Paul by the NBA they built a great team with an NBA Championship coach in Doc Rivers, caused a brief split in LA regarding basketball fans and Sterling STILL FOUND A WAY TO SCREW IT UP.
Before Paul and Blake Griffin changed the fortunes of the Clippers, they were a joke. An embarrassment to professional sports and at the forefront of it all was a disgusting owner who saw dollar signs and cared nothing for the fans of his red-headed stepchild in Los Angeles.
(987-1671 with two playoff series victories in 33 years under Sterling in both San Diego and Los Angeles).
He is Schott and Cohan rolled into one. A real estate mogul who only cares about himself and doesn’t bat an eye for others that he has ruined or has stepped in his way.
The people I feel for are not just the players and coaches who have worked for this monster since 1981, but the broadcasters, tech staff, employees and anyone who has ever come in contact with him.
Now that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has banned Sterling from the NBA for life, the Clippers will now begin a slow healing process that will bring the franchise and the league itself on better terms with its fans across the globe.
Ding dong the witch is dead.
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