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TMZ has released an audio recording where a voice identified as Donald Sterling, owner of the LA Clippers, is making highly offensive remarks about African-Americans to his then-girlfriend V. Stiviano. The Comments He are some of the comments attributed to Sterling on the recording: - "It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that youre associating with black people. Do you have to?" - "You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that ... and not to bring them to my games." - "Im just saying, in your lousy (expletive) Instagram, you dont have to have yourself with, walking with black people." - "...Dont put him [Magic] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And dont bring him to my games." League Responds NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has expressed profound disappointment over the comments and has urged the public to allow for due process to run its course before any action is taken. "All members of the NBA family should be afforded due process and a fair opportunity to present their side of any controversy," Mr. Silver said, "which is why Im not yet prepared to discuss any potential sanctions against Donald Sterling. We will, however, move extraordinarily quickly in our investigation." The Clippers have declared that these comments do not reflect the views of Sterling and that they are looking into the issue. The public was also reminded that the source of the recording, Stiviano, is being sued by Sterlings wife for embezzling $1.8 million in the form of cash, cars and other items from the Clippers owner, thereby suggesting that the veracity of the recording should be questioned. Investigation The first step for the NBA is authenticating the recording. That means confirming that the voice on the recording is that of Sterling and that the recording was not doctored. Sterling may admit that the voice is his, but allege that his ex-girlfriend doctored the tape as payback for being sued by the Clippers owner. Authenticating the recording may not be an easy process. The NBA will need to get Stiviano to agree to be interviewed (likely under oath), which she may decline. If she refuses to talk to the league, there is little it can do to force her since the NBA does not have subpoena power (or an ability to force Stiviano to submit to an interview). The NBA could also hire an expert to review the recording to assess the likelihood that it has been tampered with and whether the voice is that of Sterling. The NBA is being criticized for not suspending Sterling pending the outcome of the investigation. While the sentiment is understandable, the NBA is bang on here. It is important to observe the principles of fundamental justice, which include that justice be administered fairly. A person is entitled to a fair shake even in the face of despicable comments. The NBA is proceeding with its investigation expeditiously and is aiming to have it done in a "few days". Until then, it is important, if not critical, that the process be respected. Fines, Suspensions and Sale of Team Some people around the league want Sterling gone permanently given his a history of being racially insensitive. In 2009, Sterling was sued for discriminatory housing practices after being accused of seeking to drive African-Americans and Latinos from his apartment buildings. The billionaire settled the lawsuit by paying $2.725 million. He was also sued by his former GM Elgin Baylor, who filed a wrongful termination lawsuit that included allegations of racism. In part, Baylor alleged that Sterling rejected a coach because he was African-American. While some want Sterling gone, the NBA is unlikely to force Sterling to sell the team. If the league tried, they would likely be sued by Sterling, who in part, would allege that the league is violating antitrust laws. If successful, such a lawsuit could get Sterling a massive payout. A more likely scenario is a long suspension. And there is a precedent for that: former Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott. In December 1992, Schott was quoted in the New York Times as saying that her use of the N-word was a joke after referring to Eric Davis and Dave Parker as her "million-dollar n------". In that same interview, she made favourable comments about Adolf Hitler. As a result, MLB suspended Schott for one year. In 1996, she was suspended for another two years after more racially insensitive comments. In 1998, with her health failing, she agreed to sell the team. Apart from a suspension, we could also see a substantial fine. Ultimately, a fine of $1 million to $5 million would not be surprise. If authenticated, the comments are of course completely unacceptable, highly offensive and frankly disturbing. As well, according to a recent report, African-Americans comprise 76 per cent of all NBA players, while 81 per cent of players are of colour. So the NBA knows one thing: it has to get this right. And that may mean a long suspension and hefty fine. Expulsion, however, doesnt seem likely given the legal challenges. Jamie Langenbrunner Jersey .C. -- Marcus Paige and his North Carolina teammates have endured so many wild swings -- big wins, surprising losses, NCAA drama -- that no one can blame their Hall of Fame coach for wondering whats next. Ken Daneyko Jersey . TSN2 December 18 Knicks at Bulls 8pm et/5pm pt TSN2 December 18 Thunder at Warriors 10:30pm et/7:30pt TSN2 December 21 Pacers at Timberwolves 7pm et/4pm pt. 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A night after the Blue Jays got blown out of the dome by the Red Sox, they needed a strong performance from the next starter. Happ gave them that with six shutout innings and Toronto hitters woke up to rebound and beat Boston 7-3. "Everybody knows, especially after last night, that demolition, we knew we got to come through today," catcher Dioner Navarro said. "We were expecting J.A. Happ to give us a shot and he did a great job and the offence came through." Happ (8-5) dominated in what manager John Gibbons called the leftys best start of the season. He allowed five hits and struck out four while throwing 68 of his 103 pitches for strikes. But what Happ did particularly well Tuesday night was work out of trouble. He got an inning-ending double play in the third, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, stranded a runner at third in the fifth and was masterful in getting a double play and then a final strikeout in the sixth. "I was trying to just take a breath and make a pitch," said Happ, who never looked fazed when runners were in scoring position. "Its a confidence-builder, gives you more confidence as you keep going out there and try to execute pitches." Given the jams he got himself into, Happ was far from flawless. He also got some help defensively, like when third baseman Munenori Kawasaki sprinted into foul territory to make an over-the-shoulder catch to end the second. But unlike Mondays starter, Drew Hutchison, Happ didnt make any mistakes that proved costly. Locating his curveball so effectively played a major role. "He established it, he used it quite a bit," Gibbons said. "He had a good curveball tonight that he was throwing over the plate and a good change-up. That was big." Happ operated with a razor-thin margin for error most of the night. Outfielder Anthony Gose manufactured the Blue Jays first run in the third by drawing a walk, stealing second and scoring when Melky Cabreras line drive hit Jake Peavy and the pitchers throw to first got away from Mike Napoli. That gave the Blue Jays a one-run lead, but the offence didnt explode until the sixth. That inning proved to be Peavys undoing. Jose Reyes led off with a solo shot, and then Navarro drove in two more runs with his seventh home run of the season. "Thats awesome," Happ said of the Blue Jays sixth-inning showing. "What were trying to do is let these guys get in the dugout and try to continue to go to work against a tough pitcher in Peavy, and we eventually got to him.dddddddddddd" Peavy finished with five earned runs on eight hits against him to drop to 1-9 this season. "Ive got to be better," he said. "Thats all there is to it." David Ortiz hit his 23rd home run of the season off Blue Jays reliever Dustin McGowan in the eighth to break up the shutout. But the offensive muscle the Red Sox flexed Monday night in a 14-1 stomping never quite materialized. "Theres no bank that we can take runs and put them in and take a loan out the next day, unfortunately," manager John Farrell said. "It would have been nice to be able to do that today." But that didnt stop Boston from making things interesting. And after some small ball by the Blue Jays (52-49) got it to 7-1, closer Casey Janssen ran into some problems in the ninth. Janssen, who had previously been bothered by a stomach illness, gave up a two-run home run to Stephen Drew and had two runners on and two outs when Gibbons went to lefty Brett Cecil to face Oritz. "I made some bad pitches and they hit them and made some good pitches and was able to get a little bit of success," said Janssen, who brushed off concerns about his health. Cecil needed only two pitches to get Ortiz to ground out and pick up his fourth save of the season and help the Blue Jays put Mondays blowout loss behind them. With two games left against the Red Sox (47-53) and the Blue Jays still within striking distance of the American League East-leading Baltimore Orioles, Happ was glad he was able to help Toronto get back on track. "I think the good thing is, whatever you want to say about last night is it counts as one and tonight counts as one, so were even," he said. "As bad as it may have seemed, we kind of came back, and as far as wins and losses they count the same." Notes: Called up earlier in the day, second baseman Ryan Goins drove in the Blue Jays sixth run with a single in the eighth. Along with Goins, Toronto purchased the contracts of top pitching prospect Aaron Sanchez and reliever Esmil Rogers and designated lefty long man Brad Mills for assignment and optioned catcher Erik Kratz and outfielder Darin Mastroianni. ... Milos Raonic served up the ceremonial first pitch, using a racket to hit a tennis ball to Mark Buehrle behind the plate. Knowing how hard the tennis star can hit it, Buehrle put on a catchers mask before getting in the way of Raonics over-handed volley. ... The paid attendance was 29,269. ' ' '