How Steve Ballmer Got His Groove Back

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steve ballmer clippers speech

Clippers.com

Steve Ballmer talks to Clippers fans

Steve Ballmer high-fived his way through a crowd of L.A. Clippers fans on Monday at a rally that officially introduced him as the team's new owner.

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The sale closed last Tuesday after a California court confirmed that Shelly Sterling, on behalf of the Sterling Family Trust, had the right to sell the franchise. Her husband, Donald Sterling, had been fighting the sale.

Many people in the tech industry have seen Ballmer's jubilant style when he steps in front of a crowd, made famous by the so-called Steve Ballmer monkey dance video that went viral on YouTube years ago.

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But Ballmer was new to a lot of folks in L.A. who had never seen the Seattle billionaire before.

In recent months, Ballmer wasn't as happy in the public eye. He left the role of CEO of Microsoft in tears, then spent a few months playing golf and "rebooting" before he decided to buy the Clippers, outbidding Oprah Winfrey, and paying $2 billion for the team. At the rally, he assured fans he wasn't going to move the basketball team to Seattle.

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And, after months of controversy that resulted in the sale of the team, fans loved seeing Ballmer's confidence and energy.

Here's part of a Vine video taken by jovanbuha who attended the rally. He calls it "Steve Ballmer going crazy."

Ballmer Clippers Rally

Vine/jovanbuha

Steve Ballmer at Clippers fan rally