STERLING'S LEGAL HOUSE OF CARDS.

Byline: TOM HOFFARTH

Why has the outrage around here been so tempered toward Clippers owner Donald T. Sterling, who has once again staggered across that fine line that separates humanitarianism from humiliation?

Do we have to drag everyone through his raunchy legal resume again?

Two years ago, it was a lawsuit against his $500-a-night sex ``freak'' (his words) that came to light when he provided pages of graphic deposition for all to read, right?

Last year, wasn't he ordered to pay more than $5 mil to the Housing Rights Center in a case in which he was accused of trying to drive out non-Korean tenants, particularly blacks and Latinos, at some of the apartments he owns in Koreatown? Didn't he say then that ``Hispanics smoke, drink and just hang around ... (and) black tenants smell and attract vermin''?

So a couple of days ago, when the U.S. Department of Justice announced it has sued The Donald, his wife, his family trust (but not his hooker gal) again for housing discrimination, claiming he refused to rent apartments to blacks, Latinos and families with children, were any of us terribly surprised?

Then why weren't enough of us -- particularly minority Clipper season- ticket fans -- just plain angry?

More important, why haven't any of the Clippers' high-profile players -- say, Elton Brand, Sam Cassell, Shaun Livingston and Corey Maggette, just to name a few who happen to be wealthy L.A. residents, thanks to Sterling's money -- been man enough to voice an opinion about whether their boss should be held accountable for all this garbage?

Is there there some non-discriminatory Archie Bunker Rehab Center where Donald Tokowitz (his real name, by the way) can get help for this addiction to idiocy? Perhaps the land baron who has more than 100 rental properties in the city and is reported to be worth $1.5 billion can add a Cuckoo's Nest wing for himself on this $50 million housing center that he's supposed to be building near downtown L.A. to help service the homeless?

By the way, what booster-supported rent- controlled downtown loft is Dwayne Jarrett living comfortably in these days with Matt Leinart's hand- me-down bunk bed?

So what if Brad Penny didn't want to give Greg Maddux his No. 31 -- doesn't Maddux realize that the great Don Newcombe once sported No. 36?

Is that Kenny Lofton roaming around in center field for the Dodgers, or Mickey Rivers?

Next time the Dodgers show that movie trailer for ``Beerfest'' up on the Diamondvision as a between-inning promo, who wants to explain to the kids in the stands that spanking women and seeing a group of bladder busters relieving themselves in a communal urinal is just harmless fun?

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