Clippers' Sterling needs to look in the mirror

By John McMullen

They say money can't buy you happiness but I suspect that little nugget came from someone who doesn't have all that much of it.

Paul McCartney does have plenty of Benjamins and didn't care too much for money since money couldn't buy him love.

Others say money really doesn't solve problems, it just creates new ones. I suppose Antoine Walker, Eddy Curry, Derrick Coleman and Latrell Sprewell could certainty speak to that. I mean who knew Spree was right when he said $7 mil wasn't enough to feed his family.

Me?

I would just like the chance to disprove all of those theories but I'll continue down the path of "starving artist," hoping the better-half doesn't kick me to the curb anytime soon or at least until the Powerball comes up McMullen -- I'm certainly due.


Donald Sterling has really amped up the eccentricity by taking aim at his disappointing point guard Baron Davis.
The one thing I do know about money, however, is that people that have lots of it tend to be eccentric; crazy is the term used for the rest of us 9-to-5, ham-and-eggers.

Clippers' owner Donald Sterling is the NBA's resident whackado. Long-regarded as the worst curator in The Association, Sterling has taken that reputation to new heights over the last year or so by heckling his own players.

A psychiatrist's dream, Sterling has really amped up the crazy ... I mean eccentricity ... by taking aim at his disappointing point guard Baron Davis.

Recent reports from those within earshot had Sterling taunting his own quarterback from his courtside seat at Staples Center with verbal barbs like "Why are you in the game?" -- "Why did you take that shot?" and "You're out of shape."

Sure, Sterling's not ready for that 10-minute spot at the Chuckle Hut but impressive wit aside, let's be honest -- he is telling the truth.

If you see Davis sniffing around your pancreas, run. He's a Stage 4 cancer, a player that can kill the chemistry of any locker room quicker than Blake Griffin will posterize his latest victim.

Davis, who has already missed 14 of the Clips' 25 games this season, is averaging just 7.4 points per game while making a team-high $13 million. Meanwhile, after this season, he still has another two years and close to $29 million left on his massive five-year, $65 million dollar deal he signed in the summer of 2008.

Other Clippers like Chris Kaman have also been the subjected to Sterling's bizarre motivational techniques but the underachieving Davis is clearly the red-headed stepchild.

"[Sterling] started getting a lot more vocal during the second half of last season," a team source told YAHOO! Sports. "He never had done that before at games. Baron's his pet project. He absolutely hates Baron. He wants to get his money back."

A supremely talented player, Davis has always "struggled" with his conditioning and giving him a big money deal was a risky roll of dice.

Psychology 101 tells us the light isn't going on for guys who aren't in love with staying in shape naturally when you give them the keys to the castle. Davis "earned" a $65 million dollar contract with a laissez-faire attitude. Expecting that to change in Los Angeles was a longshot at best.

So when Sterling is readying his next verbal volley, I recommend he directs it at his own reflection. After all, he's the one who signed off on the deal that now haunts him.