The Latest $19 Million Basketball Payoff

BEFORE......................AFTER













BEFORE
Source: killerfrogs.com
Picture of Stacey Johnson-Klein coaching her women's basketball team at Fresno State.

AFTER
Source: Fresno Bee
Picture of Stacey Johnson-Klein after being rewarded $19 million in a sexual-discrimination lawsuit against the school.

SUMMARY
In a stunning verdict, Fresno State University lost a $19 million sexual-discrimination suit to its former women's basketball coach. The award was broken down as follows: $0.6 million for economic losses from her firing, $4.4 million for future economic losses, $3.0 million for noneconomic suffering before the trial date, and $11 million for noneconomic suffering she will endure for the rest of her life.

Unbelievably, this is the third such case that the school has lost in six months. The former women's volleyball coach was awarded $5.9 million (later reduced to $4.5 million by a judge) and the school reached an out of court settlement with the former Associate Athletic Director for $3.5 million. For anyone counting, that totals $27 million.

MY TWO CENTS
I do not support any discrimination of any kind. Stacy Johnson-Klein clearly deserves to be compensated. But $19 million? In my opinion, this is about 19x too much.

Where is the outrage?

Our legal system is out of control. There is no balance. These trends will bankrupt the country.

Who will be paying for this? You and me and all taxpayers. And probably higher tuition fees and higher insurance costs.

And why does the President Welty still have a job and why does he have the support of students and his bosses? How many lawsuits does he have to lose? Three lawsuits doesn't appear to be enough.

KEY TESTIMONY (Source Fresno Bee)
"Johnson-Klein said:

• Randy Welniak, her supervisor, sexually harassed her, saying she shouldn't dress provocatively at games and public events, and used the word "cleavage."

• Former athletic director Scott Johnson sexually harassed her when he said in public that a booster might want to "play defense" with her.

• Her former assistant coach, Drew Champagne, offered to testify on her behalf in exchange for sex.

• Fresno State had a double standard for women's and men's basketball, including a different level of tolerance on substance abuse.

Fresno State said:

• Johnson-Klein took a half-bottle of prescription painkillers from a player.

• She told several assistant coaches to give part of their bonuses to the team secretary; the coaches paid taxes on the full amount.

• She talked restaurants into feeding her for free, then pocketed the per diem.

• She bought 900 prescription painkillers from late October 2004 through late January 2005; President John Welty testified he would have fired her just for this had he known."