Former Fresno State women’s basketball players Paige Diggs (center) and Kendra Walker-Roche (left) speak on behalf of other former and current players in denouncing the $19.1 million verdict awarded to former women’s basketball coach Stacy Johnson-Klein handed down last week. The rally was in the Free Speech Area on Monday. “The main point is, we support our administration 100 percent,â€Â Walker-Roche said. “This is all our words. Everything we say is the truth.â€Â The players, some of whom testified in the trial, had previously criticized their former coach for her actions, both on and off the court.
blah • Nov 19, 2011 at 9:54 pm
She’s no ordinary person, because an when an average female becomes sexually harassed, she would probably take home is around 2000 – 5000 dollars on average. I mean Stacy has the power to drain Fresno State dry. I believe this was orchestrated and she was an agent.
Aaron • Nov 24, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Actually, as a person involved in collegaite athletics, it is all about the student-athlete and coach relationship. The coaches's first job is to protect their athletes. Athletes go to a school for the coaching staff because they feel safe there. Their parents feel safe there. End of story. Coaching is about seeing young men and women grow and mature. THis case should not be compared to male coaches being fired etc. That's a flawed defense, every case needs to stand on it's own merit.
Maria • Aug 20, 2009 at 5:10 pm
as a former player on the team i can assure you we were not given money to testify. We testified because we were finally allowed to use our voice. We did not dislike SJK because she was mean, or she made us run too much. We were a very strong group of women who could handle any kind of physical punishment on the court. SJK was fired because the university felt the players were not safe in her presence. SHe took pills from players, she gave pills to players and allegedly took a bonus that was not hers. Those were just a few of the things she was terminated for. I do not understand you people who judge the players and seem to think we were weak, and could not handle the demands of a college coach. To all of you parents, think of your child and think of what kind of college experience you want them to have. Learn more details about the case, talk to both sides before you continue to judge.
Maria • Aug 21, 2009 at 12:10 am
as a former player on the team i can assure you we were not given money to testify. We testified because we were finally allowed to use our voice. We did not dislike SJK because she was mean, or she made us run too much. We were a very strong group of women who could handle any kind of physical punishment on the court. SJK was fired because the university felt the players were not safe in her presence. SHe took pills from players, she gave pills to players and allegedly took a bonus that was not hers. Those were just a few of the things she was terminated for. I do not understand you people who judge the players and seem to think we were weak, and could not handle the demands of a college coach. To all of you parents, think of your child and think of what kind of college experience you want them to have. Learn more details about the case, talk to both sides before you continue to judge.
prima facie • May 1, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Fresno State can discriminate against me for half that amount. And I don’t look nearly as hot and she does.
prima facie • May 2, 2008 at 4:57 am
Fresno State can discriminate against me for half that amount. And I don’t look nearly as hot and she does.
Fresno State Fan • Jan 2, 2008 at 6:26 pm
I’m a big fresno state fan but i have to say that stacey johnson klein won her case because she filed a lawsuit that fresno state was sexually discriminating Fresno States Defense : SJK a Terrible Coach. Fresno State should have fought back and look liked the victim by saying that they weren’t discriminating and that she was filing a lawsuit just for the compensation! I believe she was being discriminated against! and i also happen to believe that the women’s basketball players who testified where given money to do so.
Fresno State Fan • Jan 3, 2008 at 1:26 am
I’m a big fresno state fan but i have to say that stacey johnson klein won her case because she filed a lawsuit that fresno state was sexually discriminating Fresno States Defense : SJK a Terrible Coach. Fresno State should have fought back and look liked the victim by saying that they weren’t discriminating and that she was filing a lawsuit just for the compensation! I believe she was being discriminated against! and i also happen to believe that the women’s basketball players who testified where given money to do so.
Ima Weiner • Dec 16, 2007 at 7:05 pm
$19 million is outrageous. Showing support for the Welty admin. is more outreageous than the settlement.
Ima Weiner • Dec 17, 2007 at 2:05 am
$19 million is outrageous. Showing support for the Welty admin. is more outreageous than the settlement.
Whatever • Dec 15, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Aaron, you’re avoiding the topic by focusing on what you know about athletics. They had perfectly good reasons to fire her and I’m sure she was an awful coach. But Fresno State went about firing her in a way that the jury ruled was discriminatory.
Lopes was doing some bad stuff but was given a chance to resign (I think with pay) and therefore keep a low profile.
With SJK the university made the investigation to fire her very public and damaged her reputation, what little she had left of it anyway. They didn’t offer her a chance to resign with a severance payment, either, according to her attorneys.
The lawsuit was about equal treatment and the attorneys made a good case that the university was out to get her because she was a crazy female.
It’s still all ridiculous. The university probably wanted to make this public to look like it was cleaning up the athletics department. Major backfire.
Whatever • Dec 15, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Aaron, you’re avoiding the topic by focusing on what you know about athletics. They had perfectly good reasons to fire her and I’m sure she was an awful coach. But Fresno State went about firing her in a way that the jury ruled was discriminatory.
Lopes was doing some bad stuff but was given a chance to resign (I think with pay) and therefore keep a low profile.
With SJK the university made the investigation to fire her very public and damaged her reputation, what little she had left of it anyway. They didn’t offer her a chance to resign with a severance payment, either, according to her attorneys.
The lawsuit was about equal treatment and the attorneys made a good case that the university was out to get her because she was a crazy female.
It’s still all ridiculous. The university probably wanted to make this public to look like it was cleaning up the athletics department. Major backfire.
Aaron • Dec 15, 2007 at 5:26 am
Actually, as a person involved in collegaite athletics, it is all about the student-athlete and coach relationship. The coaches’s first job is to protect their athletes. Athletes go to a school for the coaching staff because they feel safe there. Their parents feel safe there. End of story. Coaching is about seeing young men and women grow and mature. THis case should not be compared to male coaches being fired etc. That’s a flawed defense, every case needs to stand on it’s own merit.
Dan • Dec 12, 2007 at 7:55 pm
To the ladies: my experience as a former college athlete was that coaches aren’t necessarily nice to their players. You do what they tell you or you’re punished. I suspect the jury dismissed your testimony because it was so over the top, and there were those “I hate you” statements from some of you that the media reported in their coverage. I think that stuff hurt your credibility which wasn’t much as far as I was concerned.
Dan • Dec 13, 2007 at 2:55 am
To the ladies: my experience as a former college athlete was that coaches aren’t necessarily nice to their players. You do what they tell you or you’re punished. I suspect the jury dismissed your testimony because it was so over the top, and there were those “I hate you” statements from some of you that the media reported in their coverage. I think that stuff hurt your credibility which wasn’t much as far as I was concerned.
Whatever • Dec 12, 2007 at 1:58 pm
“You Are Fools” is right that the case had nothing to do with the student-athlete experience at Fresno State. It’s about equal treatment among employees. I’m sure she was a horrible couch and an all-around crazy person.
The award is ridiculous but the university did not handle things the proper way or they wouldn’t be in the pool of crap they’re in now.
Whatever • Dec 12, 2007 at 8:58 pm
“You Are Fools” is right that the case had nothing to do with the student-athlete experience at Fresno State. It’s about equal treatment among employees. I’m sure she was a horrible couch and an all-around crazy person.
The award is ridiculous but the university did not handle things the proper way or they wouldn’t be in the pool of crap they’re in now.
2 girls 1 cup dot com • Dec 12, 2007 at 12:17 pm
you are fools, Stacey Johnson Klein WAS IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM a champion for athletic equity. Pull your head out. SJK set the women’s movement BACK. The sexy attire, her proving that she could be even more of a hard ass than any male coach at any university.
Title IX was doing just fine without the antics of SJK.
If 90% of SJK’s players wanted her employment terminated and she was popping pills on the side, the university was within their authority to let her go.
Title IX is also a joke and will hopefully soon meet its end.
What problem do you have with allowing these players their rightful forum?
2 girls 1 cup dot com • Dec 12, 2007 at 7:17 pm
you are fools, Stacey Johnson Klein WAS IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM a champion for athletic equity. Pull your head out. SJK set the women’s movement BACK. The sexy attire, her proving that she could be even more of a hard ass than any male coach at any university.
Title IX was doing just fine without the antics of SJK.
If 90% of SJK’s players wanted her employment terminated and she was popping pills on the side, the university was within their authority to let her go.
Title IX is also a joke and will hopefully soon meet its end.
What problem do you have with allowing these players their rightful forum?
you are fools • Dec 12, 2007 at 11:45 am
You players have no clue. This case was never about you or how you felt. It was about wrongful termination and equal treatment. If the men’s coach is allowed to get away with murder than so is the woman’s coach. It is about equality that woman have fought for for years. Your ignorant rally is setting back all the work that of the people who fought to give you the very opportunity to be a division I athlete. Wake up!
you are fools • Dec 12, 2007 at 6:45 pm
You players have no clue. This case was never about you or how you felt. It was about wrongful termination and equal treatment. If the men’s coach is allowed to get away with murder than so is the woman’s coach. It is about equality that woman have fought for for years. Your ignorant rally is setting back all the work that of the people who fought to give you the very opportunity to be a division I athlete. Wake up!