Geno being sued

[johnhuskies95]

From Pete Thamel:

https://twitter.com/PeteThamelNYT/status/212271478815719424

 

[rbny1]

Here's a link to the full NY Times article:

Geno Sued

The article is lengthy. For those who can't access it, in summary it says:

"A female security official for the National Basketball Association said in a lawsuit Monday that Geno Auriemma, the coach of the United States Olympic women’s basketball team, followed, grabbed and tried to forcibly kiss her at a hotel during a basketball tournament in Russia in 2009...

"This year, the suit claims, Mr. Auriemma retaliated for her rebuff by successfully demanding that the N.B.A. remove her as the top security official for the United States women’s team at the London Olympics...."

 

[John Glass]

From Pete Thamel:

https://twitter.com/PeteThamelNYT/status/212271478815719424

 

[UConnLen]

Here's a link to the full NY Times article:

Geno Sued

The article is lengthy. For those who can't access it, in summary it says:

"A female security official for the National Basketball Association said in a lawsuit Monday that Geno Auriemma, the coach of the United States Olympic women’s basketball team, followed, grabbed and tried to forcibly kiss her at a hotel during a basketball tournament in Russia in 2009...

"This year, the suit claims, Mr. Auriemma retaliated for her rebuff by successfully demanding that the N.B.A. remove her as the top security official for the United States women’s team at the London Olympics...."

Wow-she said, he said sounds like to me. No eye witnesses, just heresay. What a bunch of crap this is-she didn't think it was a big deal until she lost her job, blaming it on Geno. Maybe he just didn't like her work in 2009?

 

[EricLA]

Wow-she said, he said sounds like to me. No eye witnesses, just heresay. What a bunch of crap this is-she didn't think it was a big deal until she lost her job, blaming it on Geno. Maybe he just didn't like her work in 2009?

Actually, that's not exactly correct.

She provided a list of witnesses, who she said knew about the encounter, to the N.B.A. this year, in an attempt to retain her Olympic assignment, she said. But the league’s general counsel did not talk to these people, or to Mr. Auriemma, according to the lawsuit.

“I was willing to close this story in 2009,” Ms. Hardwick said in an interview last week. “If Geno had not interfered with my job and my livelihood, I would not have filed this lawsuit.”

In the suit, Ms. Hardwick, 46, a lawyer and a former New York City undercover narcotics detective, accused Mr. Auriemma, the N.B.A. and USA Basketball, which oversees the women's Olympics team, of employment discrimination.

It's possible she lost her job for some other reason, and was trying to find a scapegoat to blame and now accused him of sexual assault, but as a lawyer and former NYC undercover narcotics detective, I find it difficult to imagine that she'd be making it all up.

On the flip side, I have a hard time imagining Geno actually doing what she accused him of. Not to be overly dramatic, but if true, this would potentially be the worst thing to ever happen to WCBB at UCONN...

 

[Icebear]

Here's a link to the full NY Times article:

Geno Sued

The article is lengthy. For those who can't access it, in summary it says:

"A female security official for the National Basketball Association said in a lawsuit Monday that Geno Auriemma, the coach of the United States Olympic women’s basketball team, followed, grabbed and tried to forcibly kiss her at a hotel during a basketball tournament in Russia in 2009...

"This year, the suit claims, Mr. Auriemma retaliated for her rebuff by successfully demanding that the N.B.A. remove her as the top security official for the United States women’s team at the London Olympics...."

Demanding the NBA remove her??? The NBA provides security for the Olympic team???

 

[DaddyChoc]

2009-2012... come on lady, you was going to let it go until

 

[Santini35]

Actually, that's not exactly correct.

She provided a list of witnesses, who she said knew about the encounter, to the N.B.A. this year,...

People who "know" about something aren't people who necessarily witnessed it directly though

 

[Olde Coach]

From Pete Thamel:

https://twitter.com/PeteThamelNYT/status/212271478815719424

If Kelly Hardwick had a legitimate complaint, she would have filed it a long time ago.

Geno did her no harm in Russia. If Geno has reservations about her appointment to lead the security team for Women's basketball in London, he probably has good reasons --- and a responsibility to inform USB of his reservations.

Sexual harassment charges are a powerful tool that many women use to "punish" powerful men who have slighted them. My guess is that Kelly Hardwick has a chip on her shoulder and she is attacking Geno with the most effective weapon she has in her arsenal.

You can bet your last dollar that Geno will have a team of VERY GOOD LAWYERS all over this case. And he won't lose much sleep over it. He has many bigger issues
on his plate right now.

 

[HuskyNan]

It's possible she lost her job for some other reason, and was trying to find a scapegoat to blame and now accused him of sexual assault, but as a lawyer and former NYC undercover narcotics detective, I find it difficult to imagine that she'd be making it all up.

Didn't a judge sue a Mom & Pop dry cleaner for $15 million for losing his pants? Just because someone has held a position of authority doesn't make their comments unimpeachable.

 

[alexrgct]

Whatever truth there is or isn't to this story, there is a percentage of the population who will believe it, regardless. This is really, really bad.

 

[DaddyChoc]

bad pub... for Geno or anyone falsely accused of S.H.

 

[connboy77]

This is absolute nonsense and I don't believe one word of it. Sounds like sour grapes to me. These ridiculous charges though false may have an adverse effect on recruiting.

 

[tennfanatic00]

The problem here isn't whether he kissed her in 2009. The problem is if he had her removed from her job as a result of that incident.

The burden of proof there is huge. He could cop to kissing her and making advances, but that doesn't mean he had her fired because she rejected him.

I doubt much will come of this except for some negative publicity on the recruiting trail.

 

[NYCHUSKIES]

.. So the incident happened in 2009. However, she waited until not only 2012, but until Geno did something to her "livelihood"??.. I took a law class and there are limitations to the amount of time someone reports a sexual harassment. In other words, the more you wait to make these claims, the more illegitimate your story would sound to the court. Especially since this woman suing Geno does not work for Uconn or the NCAA for that matter. And again, what does the N.B.A. have to do with official security or security duties for this upcoming Olympics?? crap... !

This just sounds like a bitter woman who used what she thought was " a weapon" against the all powerful Geno (lol), because she, in her mind, came under the impression that Geno has pull in the NBA or how they handle their stuff at the NBA. Geno, a women's college basketball coach, calling up Stern from the NBA to tell him, "hey push this security officer off from the Olympic roster for security officials for the olympics.. Geno's lawyers are going to eat this woman up though... 1. Why did she take this long to come out with this news? normally, when like this happens, almost immediately its on ESPN. 2. The incident happened is a hotel i Russia. Not in a hotel room, but inside a hotel facility with a lot of people in it at all hours.. 3. the NBA is going to crush her the most because she is an NBA official, and it has nothing to do with NCAA players (thank god for Geno on that one).

 

[caravaggio]

I really hope this is not true but:

1) This is going to hurt Geno and UConn's images regardless of the truth.

2) As much as it pains me to say this, I don't find her claims implausible.

3) From the NYT article, she makes claims regarding her disclosures to others, including management, shortly after the event in 2009--ranging from the same night to shortly afterwards. These are claims that could be easily disproved (interviewing her boss about whether she did inform him of it back in 2009, fx). Therefore, it would be pretty foolish, for someone with a law degree and in law enforcement to make these claims unless they are true.

4) Likewise, her rationale for not pursuing action until now seems quite logical to me. If it did happen, I can see why she would just "drop" the matter as a stupid mistake by Geno...until she was removed from the Olympic security detail at Geno's request (again a detail, if not true, would again be easily discoverable)...which then led her to seek an investigation immediately. Only after the investigation was completed by the NBA counsel, without interviewing her list of witnesses, did she sue.

The problem here isn't whether he kissed her in 2009. The problem is if he had her removed from her job as a result of that incident.

The burden of proof there is huge. He could cop to kissing her and making advances, but that doesn't mean he had her fired because she rejected him.

I doubt much will come of this except for some negative publicity on the recruiting trail.

 

[caravaggio]

.. So the incident happened in 2009. However, she waited until not only 2012, but until Geno did something to her "livelihood"??.. I took a law class and there are limitations to the amount of time someone reports a sexual harassment. In other words, the more you wait to make these claims, the more illegitimate your story would sound to the court. Especially since this woman suing Geno does not work for Uconn or the NCAA for that matter. And again, what does the N.B.A. have to do with official security or security duties for this upcoming Olympics?? crap... !

This just sounds like a bitter woman who used what she thought was " a weapon" against the all powerful Geno (lol), because she, in her mind, came under the impression that Geno has pull in the NBA or how they handle their stuff at the NBA. Geno, a women's college basketball coach, calling up Stern from the NBA to tell him, "hey push this security officer off from the Olympic roster for security officials for the olympics.. Geno's lawyers are going to eat this woman up though... 1. Why did she take this long to come out with this news? normally, when **** like this happens, almost immediately its on ESPN. 2. The incident happened is a hotel i Russia. Not in a hotel room, but inside a hotel facility with a lot of people in it at all hours.. 3. the NBA is going to crush her the most because she is an NBA official, and it has nothing to do with NCAA players (thank god for Geno on that one).

As tennfanatic points out, it is not the kissing but the removal of her from the security detail that would be the liable act here, so there definitely would not be any statute of limitations difficulties.

 

[Bezzz]

This is from the NYTimes article...explains the NBA connection to the Olympics:

"The United States Olympic basketball command structure tends toward the byzantine. USA Basketball is an umbrella organization that oversees the men’s and women’s basketball teams. The N.B.A., which also runs the W.N.B.A., a women’s professional league, is a member of USA Basketball and benefits commercially from its marketing successes."

 

[DaddyChoc]

no one witnessed it... her drinking buddy got off the elevator on a different floor

 

[msf22b]

We live in a time in which stories of sexual harassment in its various forms dominate a segment of our news: Philadelphia, Penn State, Horace Mann just last Sunday (I knew and worked with one of the accused and so commented with regard the Times story).
These events and the silly following reprecussions..(the apparent subject of the lawsuit), are dangerous in that the stories are so similar, so much of a type, that the public has gotten used to immediately judging the alleged perpetrator guilty.
These things don't go away quickly. Those who think this will soon pass are mistaken.
And the slightest grain of truth will bring a hoard of me-toos in the next 24.

 

[Tonyc]

Dont know anything but here is a prominate powerful man with alot of money who got her kicked off her job. If he was a broke poor slob we wouldnt hear about it. My feeling is its been 3 years why bring it up now? Because she lost her job for whatever reason. I think the truth has been exaggerated, and twisted for money. Heck we havent heard of any other lawsuits or problems.

 

[Vowelguy]

Sexual harassment charges are a powerful tool that many women use to "punish" powerful men who have slighted them. My guess is that Kelly Hardwick has a chip on her shoulder and she is attacking Geno with the most effective weapon she has in her arsenal.

Many?
And you base this on ... ?

 

[CTGirl15]

Well, that's not good. This is going to get ugly no matter what. Either way, this is bad news for both UConn and USA Basketball as Geno is a representative of both. People on both sides are going to get hurt and my guess is no one is going to look good coming out of this case.

It's instinct to immediately defend Geno, but there is a lot of information to be considered here and my guess is that over the next few weeks plenty of information will be released about this.

I guess we will just have to wait and see how this progresses.

 

[Ctpaul0825]

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-women/hc-hardwick-vs-geno-suit-pdf-20120611,0,212690.acrobat

 

[UConnChapette]

Just going to have to let this thing play out. Way too soon in the game to pass any kind of judgement against Geno or Ms. Hardwick.

What we do know is that this is going to be THE topic of conversation among many fan bases as further justification for their intense hatred of Geno. It will be a distraction as Geno coaches the US team, and on the recruiting trail as some opposing coaches will no doubt use this in negative recruiting. And it will be a distraction for UConn as long as this thing plays out.

Whether there is any validity to the accusations or not, it has the potential to be very damaging for all concerned. This just sucks.