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A very interesting news item came my way today.
Last Friday night, The Zen Master, Phil Jackson, Head Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach, was asked about the Los Angeles Clippers. It seems that the Clippers are cursed.
A near perpetual resident of the cellar in the NBA standings, the Clippers have been blessed with plenty of very high draft choices. In the NBA high draft choices are the best way to build a team. The problem for the Clippers has been their draft selections have been huge busts. Some were plagued by injury, some ended up as NBA role players and others were just terrible choices.
Last week the latest Clippers draft pick, selected first overall, Blake Griffin underwent season ending surgery after sitting out the first half of the season hoping to get into playing shape.
So, the media asked Phil Jackson: Do you believe in curses?.
Phil’s response?
As reported by J. A. Adande on the Truehoop blog:
“I don’t,” Jackson said before the Lakers played the Clippers Friday night. “I’m of that generation that believes in karma. I do think there is karma in effect, ultimately. But I can’t proclaim anybody else’s karma. That’s their own making. If you do a good mitzvah [a Jewish term for an act of kindness], maybe you can eliminate some of those things. You think Sterling’s done enough mitzvahs?”
Another reporter replied that Sterling is a major humanitarian (at least if you believe the ads Sterling has placed in the Los Angeles Times over the years).
“Yeah, but how about all those other incidents?” Jackson said.
Sterling has had his share of lawsuits brought against him, most notably a civil suit that in November resulted in him having to pay a record $2.725 million to settle a suit that claimed he discriminated against African-Americans, Hispanics and families with children in the apartment buildings he owns.
So Phil doesn’t believe in curses but his does believe in Karma and the power of a mitzvah to change Karma. I think I agree. Doing good in our world creates good energy in our world. The more good energy that is created, the better things may turn out.
I don’t think it is determinative, but I do think it makes a difference. Whether that is the answer to the Clippers woes I would not claim to know.
But what of Mr. Sterling?
I have two issues with Mr. Sterling.
1) Ads in the LA Times tooting your horn? You need to tell people how much charity you give? It may be a mitzvah to give charity, but it is no mitzvah to publicize it. In fact the highest level of charity is “matan b’seyser”, giving in secret, without anyone knowing. Mr. Sterling, you could do better than to take out expensive ads telling us how great you are. Just be great and we will figure it out on our own.
2) On this Martin Luther King Day, I think it is time to call out Mr. Sterling for his discrimination against minorities. Bigots like him, prevent Dr. King’s dream from becoming a reality. A dream that I share with him. So Mr. Sterling, change your ways or risk the effect of more bad karma…
I know that love is ultimately the only answer to mankind’s problems. And I’m going to talk about it everywhere I go. – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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