The NBA and Damage Control

Banned for Life

By Eric M. Seidel, CEO

The Media Trainers, LLC

When NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life, he had little choice to act swiftly and decisively. Too much was at stake. Reputation, image, morale and, perhaps most importantly, money. Sponsorships and other revenue-bearing relationships were on the line. A number of sponsors already had bailed, and others were hedging their bets by "pausing" their relationship with the team and the league.

Silver's declaration has been widely applauded and seems to have been a major step in getting the NBA's business back to normal. But his work has just begun. There will be more, especially since some questions still beg for answers. 

For instance, Sterling's bigoted business practices have been known for years. And that very question came up at Silver's pronouncement news conference:
















Clearly, Silver was prepared for that question. He had to be, since it was obviously going to come up. And he handled it well, at least for now. But this won't go away. The league had a rotten apple, and apparently had turned a deaf ear and blind eye to the problem for years. Silver will have to come up with a better, more comprehensive and credible answer. Perhaps even admitting the NBA was remiss in failing to confront Sterling and his biases much earlier. 

Another question, however, just might have helped lead Silver to a response he'll need to employ in the very near future: 

But, there's also the other side of the coin. This was a private conversation that was secretly recorded and distributed for public consumption:

















And the fact that Sterling reportedly admitted to Silver it was indeed his voice and his words helps solidify the commissioner's position.

But both Silver and the owners have much more repair work to do.

Paula Deen: Get Thee to a Kitchen. Quickly!

By Eric M. Seidel, CEO

The Media Trainers®, LLC

First, a couple of preliminary thoughts about this Paula Deen thing:

1.             Are you prepared to have your reputation and livelihood assaulted for something you said 30 years ago?
2.      Paula needs to get back to her kitchen and away from all this chatter.

The Internet has changed just about everything. Lives can be turned upside down, thanks to this worldwide archive. Sometimes, its “victims” do it to themselves and get what they deserve (e.g. pictures on Facebook; videos on Youtube). But, even those who are held accountable for a failure somewhere in their distant past should learn from Paula Deen how not to react, or, in this case, overreact.

In short, after standing up the Today Show the first time, then offering three fairly weak takes at apology videos on www.youtube.com, and then finally appearing on Today, Paula, indeed, has overreached.

All she needed was a written statement. That’s it. Just a statement saying what she said was definitely wrong, no doubt about it. It was three decades ago, and in an honest answer during a legal deposition (where honesty is a good thing). Then, let it fade away.

But Paula has fed the beast, the Internet, which devours as it travels at light speed. As a result, the proverbial toothpaste has left the tube, squeezed and squeezed by Paula herself. So, let’s examine her latest “performance” (and, hopefully, final act in this too contrived of a drama) on the Today Show with Matt Lauer.

Paula was all emotion. She led with a statement saying, in effect, all of God’s creatures are created equal and she’s always believed that.

Matt was cold and calculating, asking what's the real reason you're here, money or image?

Matt prods: But you used the word, albeit 30 years ago, so then, what are your true feelings?

He keeps digging, looking for controversy, inferring that since Paula's from the South, and considering the South's history regarding race relations...:

Paula Deen actually did okay on Today, considering Matt Lauer’s questions. He was looking for a news scoop and didn't get it. She was looking for absolution, and it remains to be seen if she'll get that.

But, she didn't need to put herself through all of this. Apologies have become a dime a dozen (Do Apologies Really Work?). They’re almost a daily occurrence and we've become pretty much immune to them.

Draft a statement. Release it. Stop feeding the media beast. If Paula Deen had done that, instead of continually breathing life into the story, I wonder if she would've lost as much as she has.

The Philadelphia Story: Unintended Consequences?

By Eric Seidel, CEO
The Media Trainers®

"There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club."

--John Duesler, President, The Valley Club, suburban Philadelphia

That statement was John Duesler’s second mistake. His first one was summarily ending the agreement his club had with Creative Steps and its summer camp program instead of finding a better time to make his swimming pool available. Now, whether or not deserved, he and his club have gained a national reputation and perception of racial bias and exclusivity. (Click on the video below for a local Philadelphia TV news story.)


Sadly, this didn’t have to happen. But, in knee jerk reaction to member complaints, Duesler failed to think about the results of his actions. Now, a case is being made that the influx of 65 minority kids in the club pool recently ignited latent racism among the club’s regular members.


His initial statement (above), especially the use of the words “complexion” and “atmosphere” are, at best, unfortunate. At worst, they may shed light on his honest feelings and, perhaps, those of some club members. All the protestations by members that they are not racists tend to ring hollow now in many ears. It may not be fair, or even true, but club management’s actions and statements, plus media reports are creating a much more damaging perception.

Crisis, or the potential for it, often triggers panic and careless, unthinking response. The result is usually unanticipated, unintended and unwanted impressions. The Valley Club’s management and some of its members failed to consider the consequences of their actions and statements.

Which reminds me of what Forrest Gump once said:


“Stupid is as stupid does.”