Isiah Thomas Is a Sick Bastard

Allegations brought on Thomas
Ex-Knicks exec says Isiah told dancer to flirt with refs

Posted: Saturday June 30, 2007 10:47AM;
Updated: Saturday June 30, 2007 11:10AM

NEW YORK (AP) -- The former Knicks executive who is suing Isiah Thomas for sexual harassment alleged in court papers that Thomas urged a cheerleader to flirt with referees and guard Stephon Marbury cursed at her, according to newspaper reports Saturday.

Anucha Browne Sanders, a former senior vice president of marketing and business operations, filed documents to answer the Knicks' attempt to have her lawsuit dismissed.

In the papers, which were unsealed Friday, Browne Sanders alleges cheerleader Petra Pope told her that Thomas encouraged Pope to flirt with officials before a game against the Nets in 2004, the Daily News reported.

"What she told me was that Isiah asked her to go into the referees' locker room and make them happy," Browne Sanders testified.

She also claimed in the documents that Marbury directed an obscenity at her after she complained about the player's cousin -- who was also employed by the team -- had made graphic sexual comments to her staff, the Daily News reported.

The New York Post reported that Marbury, in a January deposition, acknowledged calling Browne Sanders a derogatory name.

Marbury is not a defendant in the lawsuit.

The Knicks said in a statement the lawsuit was "riddled with fabrications," the newspapers reported.

Browne Sanders filed a lawsuit last year, claiming she was fired "for telling the truth" while going through internal channels to stop the harassment. She has accused Thomas of telling her he was "very attracted" to her and "in love" with her and tried to kiss her.

The 44-year-old former Northwestern basketball star is seeking reinstatement to her job and unspecified damages.

Thomas and Madison Square Garden are listed as the defendants in the lawsuit, which charges them with sex discrimination and retaliation. Madison Square Garden said she was fired because she "failed to fulfill professional responsibilities."

In seeking a dismissal of the lawsuit, Thomas said Browne Sanders brought the action to harm him and secure a financial payout from him and Madison Square Garden.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ml?eref=si_nba

Cue mikejones99 and his misogyny...

I find this hard to believe.

That bitch was probably askin for it.


hahaha...just kidding, had to be said

GMOTY

whatever...

This is all Hugh Hefner's fault

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by T Park

I find this hard to believe.

---

Why? This is the same "man" that told his players to land on Bowen and break his ankles.

Isaiah has proven exactly three things since his retirement:

1. He knows college talent like no other.
2. He's perfectly willing to trade that talent for any bad contract or bad guy you have.
3. He's an asshole of the highest degree.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MrChug

That bitch was probably askin for it.


hahaha...just kidding, had to be said

---

:rolleyes

Quote:

---

She has accused Thomas of telling her he was "very attracted" to her and "in love" with her and tried to kiss her.

---

She kind of looks like Magic, so I can understand why Isiah would want to kiss her.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by T Park

I find this hard to believe.

---

Yeah, because when I think of Isiah Thomas and shit like 'break Bowen's foot', I think of class and professionalism of the highest order :rolleyes

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by greywheel

She kind of looks like Magic, so I can understand why Isiah would want to kiss her.

---

:lol
FWIW, this is all he said she said at this point.

Quote:

---

Why? This is the same "man" that told his players to land on Bowen and break his ankles.

Isaiah has proven exactly three things since his retirement:

1. He knows college talent like no other.
2. He's perfectly willing to trade that talent for any bad contract or bad guy you have.
3. He's an asshole of the highest degree.

---

Hes also been accused of stuff like sexual harassment before and that was found to be bull.

So once again, pardon me if I won't believe a stripper...

What??

The fuck is wrong with you people?

Depends on what she looks like before I can say if it was right or not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by T Park

Hes also been accused of stuff like sexual harassment before and that was found to be bull.

So once again, pardon me if I won't believe a stripper...

---

Wait, so now front office marketing execs = strippers? :lol You're nuts.

Hey, I am the last person to defend Isiah Thomas. I think he is a jackass of the highest order, with that unbeatable combination of ego, arrogance, and incompetence.

But...

You gotta realize, this is a BIG-BUCKS LAWSUIT. All of this may just be posturing by the plaintiffs to force the defendants into settling for high dollars. Take it all with a large grain of salt.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brutalis

The fuck is wrong with you people?

Depends on what she looks like before I can say if it was right or not.

---

:lmao

Ugly bitch = Isaiah's Innocent

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by T Park

Hes also been accused of stuff like sexual harassment before and that was found to be bull.

So once again, pardon me if I won't believe a stripper...

---

She must have something on the ball - played basketball for Northwestern, a pretty tough school academically. And they don't just let anyone in who can play.

Wait a minute. TPark did you just call a former Knicks executive a stripper just because she's female?

Check yourself.

damn if isiah is doing this, i wonder what cuban is doing:lol

the only thing that confuses me about this is the fact that this incident took place almost 4 yrs ago. why come forth now and not then? mo'money.. mo'money.. mo'!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kori Ellis

Wait a minute. TPark did you just call a former Knicks executive a stripper just because she's female?

Check yourself.

---

Oh Shit.

:(

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...wnesanders.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...2059273787.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by saporvida

the only thing that confuses me about this is the fact that this incident took place almost 4 yrs ago. why come forth now and not then? mo'money.. mo'money.. mo'!

---

I believe the story is that the incidents started happening three years ago. She went through the proper channels internally to report the harassment. It continued. She kept complaining and then 1 1/2 years ago was fired. She filed the lawsuit then, but all the details are coming out now.

I might be wrong, but I think that's how it went.

Yes, I verified I'm correct. She was fired in January 2006 and filed the lawsuit right after that (within a few days).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kori Ellis

I believe the story is that the incidents started happening three years ago. She went through the proper channels internally to report the harassment. It continued. She kept complaining and then 1 1/2 years ago was fired. She filed the lawsuit then, but all the details are coming out now.

I might be wrong, but I think that's how it went.

---

either way i do agree that isiah is a douche. god as a kid i actually used to love watching him play ball. then again i didn't really realize how the game was played like i do now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kori Ellis

Yes, I verified I'm correct. She was fired in January 2006 and filed the lawsuit right after that (within a few days).

---

Courts take time, people. You can't just file on Fridays and go 15 rounds on Monday.

I'm sure this was the case TPark said was "bull". It was filed when she was fired, he never heard anything else, so he assumed it was bull. Actually, she was a woman, so he assumed it was bull.

You're giving mikejones99 a run for board misogynist, TPark. Stripper?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by YoMamaIsCallin

Hey, I am the last person to defend Isiah Thomas. I think he is a jackass of the highest order, with that unbeatable combination of ego, arrogance, and incompetence.

But...

You gotta realize, this is a BIG-BUCKS LAWSUIT. All of this may just be posturing by the plaintiffs to force the defendants into settling for high dollars. Take it all with a large grain of salt.

---

This isn't a big bucks lawsuit. When she filed it she just wanted to get her job back.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by __JaG__

:lmao

Ugly bitch = Isaiah's Innocent

---

worddd

So TPark hasn't responded to calling either the female executive a stripper or the female cheerleader a stripper, who was it TPark?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by T Park

Hes also been accused of stuff like sexual harassment before and that was found to be bull.

So once again, pardon me if I won't believe a stripper...

---

Oy vey. :nope

I don't see how the Woman can sue the Knicks for sexual harassment on behalf of a cheerleader...seems to me that women have a different interpretation of just what harrasment is. And if Isiah telling her he has feeling for her and making a pass at her constitutes sexual harrasment, then I feel sorry for anyone that hires her.

If she believes she was fired or dismissed because she rejected Isiah...well maybe she has a point, although I don't see anything he said to her that proves he harassed her. And it's not to hard to say someone is doing a shitty job for the Knicks given their current state.


This stuff is bs golddigging and sour grapes, if all he did was say he was attracted to her and try to kiss her, before being rebuffed...if that's sexual harassment, she just needs to not work around men...


Oh...and if she was raising hell because Isiah hit on her and Marbury calling her names...I can see why they fired her.



If Stephon Marbury talking shit constitutes a lawsuit...heaven help him and the Knicks when the refs and his opponents find this out.



Sounds like a woman working in a field she shouldn't be working in. I see absolutely nothing that happened to her that constitutes sexual harassment as I define the term. Marbury is at best a co-worker...if he talks shit to some guy in the bar are the Knicks accountable for that as well?


Gold digger...just the fact that she is trying to get some money based on the things she says happened to her is probably illustrative of why she was fired. I hope she doesn't win. And I hope she finds a job where there are no men and no one will ever be attracted to her and no coworker will ever call her names.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Whott

I don't see how the Woman can sue the Knicks for sexual harassment on behalf of a cheerleader...seems to me that women have a different interpretation of just what harrasment is. And if Isiah telling her he has feeling for her and making a pass at her constitutes sexual harrasment, then I feel sorry for anyone that hires her.

If she believes she was fired or dismissed because she rejected Isiah...well maybe she has a point, although I don't see anything he said to her that proves he harassed her.

---

Umm.. I think you are misunderstanding the story. The executive says she herself was harrassed by Isiah - not just the cheerleader thing. He repeatedly made sexual advance toward her and she asked for it to stop. She went through the proper channels through the company for it to stop. It didn't stop. And when she kept resisting/accusing, she was fired.

The Knicks haven't been able to explain why she was fired, except a vague excuse about her work not being up to standards. But she was never warned/told anything about her work not being good.

She only sued initially to get her job back. Then later, the lawyers etc added the Knicks owner/organization as part of the defendants, etc and it all got ugly.

And just FYI, Whottt - any man who is your boss shouldn't be trying to kiss you at work or otherwise.

By the way, I'm not saying that I think Isiah harrassed her. I'm just explaining what her story is. Many sexual harrassment cases are BS.

And I always thought Isiah would be harrassing male interns, if anyone.

Kori...could you post the part where she says he repeatedly harassed her? All I see is her saying he tried to kiss her and said he was attracted to her, and she obviously considers that harassment. I mean when she was citing harassment...she said he told her he was attracted to her and tried to kiss her...that's the harassment she mentions on his part...I am not saying I didn't miss a detail though.


And you can say a boss shouldn't be asking his employees out...but that isn't harassment, and there are a lot of women I have met that wouldn't mind it if their boss did ask them out...especially if he was a multi-millionaire...in fact, I have met some women that would take a shitty job in the hopes that he would ask them out.



If she was fired because she blew him off then I definitely think that is a case of harassment, ditto if he kept hitting on her after she asked him to stop...but, on the general surface, if she was saying he harassed her because he was attracted to her and tried to kiss her, and it making a big stink about that...she needs to be fired.


Just the fact that she is trying to sue Marbury because he called her some names, tells me she is digging...if she wants to work in a man's field and industry dominated by male athletics...then she's going to have to put up with the same shit.

You are acting like the entire story is in the article. The harrassment, and her dealing with human resources or whoever to try to stop it, was going on for over a year as I understand it. The whole story isn't just an incident of him making one advance to her.

And no, people in a position of power aren't supposed to date or try to kiss people on the job.

There's a reason most corporations of rules against interoffice dating.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kori Ellis

By the way, I'm not saying that I think Isiah harrassed her. I'm just explaining what her story is. Many sexual harrassment cases are BS.

And I always thought Isiah would be harrassing male interns, if anyone.

---

Male Interns who happen to favor Magic Johnson...

Quote:

---

Just the fact that she is trying to sue Marbury because he called her some names, tells me she is digging...if she wants to work in a man's field and industry dominated by male athletics...then she's going to have to put up with the same shit

---

She didn't try to sue Marbury. The incident with Marbury was just documented during this case investigation of Isiah. I think moreso they brought him in to further the case against the Knicks because they were allow stuff to go on (i.e. his cousin saying whatever).

"And remember, nothing says 'good job' like a firm, open-palm slap on the behind."

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kori Ellis

You are acting like the entire story is in the article. The harrassment, and her dealing with human resources or whoever to try to stop it, was going on for over a year as I understand it. The whole story isn't just an incident of him making one advance to her.

---

All I know is that she says, "he said he was attracted to me and tried to kiss me" as if I Isiah was telling her to suck him off or she was fired.

Quote:

---

And no, people in a position of power aren't supposed to date or try to kiss people on the job.

There's a reason most corporations of rules against interoffice dating.

---

And there's a reason that secretaries have been marrying their bosses for a hundred years also....and it's not all because of the bosses. Asking someone out on a date and telling them you are attracted to them, is not harassment. And neither is attempting to kiss someone by misreading a signal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by whottt

All I know is that she says, "he said he was attracted to me and tried to kiss me" as if I Isiah was telling her to suck him off or she was fired.






And there's a reason that secretaries have been marrying their bosses for a hundred years also....and it's not all because of the bosses. Asking someone out on a date and telling them you are attracted to them, is not harassment. And neither is attempting to kiss someone by misreading a signal.

---

What I'm trying to tell you is that according to her story, that's not all that happened. He allegedly was harrassing her ongoing, that's why she had to go to human resources or whatever department and go through their channels to try to get it to stop. She filed a grievance, they were investigating internally and all that. This went on for quite a while. Then, she was fired abruptly.

I'm not saying the woman isn't lying. I'm saying the whole case isn't spelled out in one quote in an article.

The harrassment was being investigated for a while internally (months or a year?) and then this case his been been going on since January 06. Don't just take one quote and think that's the whole case.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Johnny_Blaze_47

"And remember, nothing says 'good job' like a firm, open-palm slap on the behind."

---

:lol

If there are lots of complaints about separate incidents by her...she'll probably win this case easily. Even if Isiah is innocent...All I know is that...based on this article, she's offended because Isiah was attracted to her and tried to kiss her...and because Marbury got pissed and told her to suck his dick. So far I am unmoved to chivalry on her behalf.

Continuously asking your colleagues, subordinates, or boss out even after s/he has rejected you is a form of harrassment. This is different from say, asking your neighbour out because there are professional relationships involved and it could be argued that continuous unwanted advance can cause a person to suffer at his/her workplace.
Workplace harrassment is quite broad, and may not involve any physical touching, or even sexually suggestive language.

Her statement in January 2006 ..

"I am a business woman who has held executive positions in corporate America for nearly 20 years. Working in professional sports has been my dream since I was a little girl growing up in Brooklyn. Getting hired by the Knicks in 2000 and being promoted to senior vice president of marketing and business operations was one of the highlights of my life. It has also been a source of great pride for me that I consistently did an excellent job and received superior performance evaluations as well as praise and promotion for my work. I am extremely proud that I rose to be the second highest-ranking executive in the Knicks and one of the highest ranking African American women in professional sports.

Pursuing this complaint was a very painful decision because I knew it meant I would not only say farewell to my dream job -- but that I would probably never be able to work again in professional basketball. Filing this complaint would mean an end to my cherished career.

I took this action because I had no choice. My pleas and complaints about Mr. Thomas' illegal and offensive behavior fell on deaf ears. He refused to stop his demeaning and repulsive behavior and the Garden refused to intercede. I am outraged that I was fired for telling the truth and I am outraged that they have destroyed what was a stellar sports career.

No woman, regardless of the industry she works in, should have to endure this kind of abuse on the job. Everyone has the right to expect that they will not be sexually harassed no matter where they work or who they work for.

I was warned that Mr. Thomas and the Garden would launch a campaign to smear me and I was not surprised nor will I be at any false and viscious accusations that many spread about me and my family. This is all a diversion. In court, they will have no choice but to deal with the real issues of my complaint."

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ambchang

Continuously asking your colleagues, subordinates, or boss out even after s/he has rejected you is a form of harrassment. This is different from say, asking your neighbour out because there are professional relationships involved and it could be argued that continuous unwanted advance can cause a person to suffer at his/her workplace.
Workplace harrassment is quite broad, and may not involve any physical touching, or even sexually suggestive language.

---

True...and or course, all women are innocent pure of heart angels and would never manipulate the law to their advantage, and they would never have hard feelings over a dismissal for legitimate reasons either...t'would be unheard of.


I just want to hear she told him she wasn't interested and it continued, or he told her to blow or go...it's not in this article.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kori Ellis

I took this action because I had no choice. My pleas and complaints about Mr. Thomas' illegal and offensive behavior fell on deaf ears. He refused to stop his demeaning and repulsive behavior and the Garden refused to intercede. I am outraged that I was fired for telling the truth and I am outraged that they have destroyed what was a stellar sports career.

."

---

And so far...her demeaning repulsive behavior is, Isiah asking her out...Isiah telling a cheerleader to go fuck some refs on his behalf(this is the most alarming thing) allegedly, the cheerleader isn't suing I notice...and Marbury telling her to do some thing illicit because she was fucking with his cousin.


IF there is more.....a history of Thomas making advances, which I still haven't seen...and she filed complaints...she'll win. It hurts her case that the cheerleader isn't doing anything, making a big deal about him saying he was attracted to her and tried to kiss her, makes Isiah sound almost like a gentleman and her sound like a bitch, so she should probably stop using that as an example of the harrasment...and the stuff about Marbury is a joke.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kori Ellis

And just FYI, Whottt - any man who is your boss shouldn't be trying to kiss you at work or otherwise.

---

True. I have a ton of women that work underneath me... if i were to make advances at them, it would cost me big time. When you are an employer/boss, there are somethings that are just off limits. This is one of them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by whottt

True...and or course, all women are innocent pure of heart angels and would never manipulate the law to their advantage, and they would never have hard feelings over a dismissal for legitimate reasons either...t'would be unheard of.


I just want to hear she told him she wasn't interested and it continued, or he told her to blow or go...it's not in this article.

---

I am not arguing whether she was golddigging or whether she was actually harrassed, i wouldn't know, and I am not quite sure how people could be so convicted of their argument without being one of the involved.
I am merely stating that a person who has been asked out repeatedly despite rejected the pursuers advances is in fact, being harrassed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mardigan

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...wnesanders.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...2059273787.jpg

---

A wise man once said, "for every buzzard there's another buzzard." Well this shit looks extinct.

:fro

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ambchang

I am merely stating that a person who has been asked out repeatedly despite rejected the pursuers advances is in fact, being harrassed.

---

And I would agree with that. 100%.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by conversekid

True. I have a ton of women that work underneath me... if i were to make advances at them, it would cost me big time. When you are an employer/boss, there are somethings that are just off limits. This is one of them.

---

When I worked at the Olive Garden in SA in the early 90's I had a female boss that was always hitting on me...I fucked her. Lots of times. Was one of my favorite jobs and I think she was my favorite boss ever. I was sad when the time came to leave that job.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by whottt

I was sad when the time came to leave that job.

---

I bet she was sad everytime you came.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ESPN

Sanders also claimed a member of her staff admitted to consensual drunken sex with Marbury after a night at a "gentlemen's club" and said "she did not believe she could say no because of who Marbury is."

---

I'm having trouble with this statement.

Everybody in the league knows it's easy to stop Marbury from going inside.

Some bullshit happens every day, no doubt about it. But before you make up your mind, check the Duke Lacrosse scandal. Bitch claimed "rape" yet was VIDEOTAPED leaving the party and having her door held by a couple gentleman partiers. That story went to hell, too.

Isiah could have been a jerk...I would believe that instantly, if she would just list an example of him actually being a jerk...like she did with the cheerleader.


But this woman also could have a ridiculous definion of sexual harassment and have made herself a pain in the butt by making allegations over a single incident(involding her and Thomas) and trying to stir up stuff with that cheerleader(without the cheerleader being involved) and wanting Marbury to be discliplined for calling her some names(I wonder if she wanted him suspended)...


I mean I just haven't heard her say Thomas did anything that fits the definion of being sexually harassed....she's got no problem being explicit about what the cheerleader was asked to do...how come her example that IMO, the entire cases hinges on, seems so tame?


There just needs to be a better example of the harassment of her, by Thomas. Thomas has proven himself to be a dumbass before so it shouldn't be very hard for her to come up with an example if he was actually doing it.

My knee jerk reaction to cases like this is to call bullshit til further notice. We will see where this leads...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by whottt

I don't see how the Woman can sue the Knicks for sexual harassment on behalf of a cheerleader...seems to me that women have a different interpretation of just what harrasment is. And if Isiah telling her he has feeling for her and making a pass at her constitutes sexual harrasment, then I feel sorry for anyone that hires her.

The Cheerleader thing is to show past conduct towards females.

If she believes she was fired or dismissed because she rejected Isiah...well maybe she has a point, although I don't see anything he said to her that proves he harassed her. And it's not to hard to say someone is doing a shitty job for the Knicks given their current state.

Yeah, maybe she does have a point.


This stuff is bs golddigging and sour grapes, if all he did was say he was attracted to her and try to kiss her, before being rebuffed...if that's sexual harassment, she just needs to not work around men...

Apparently you need about a week refresher course on sexual harrassment in the workplace.


Oh...and if she was raising hell because Isiah hit on her and Marbury calling her names...I can see why they fired her.

And I can see why you might be prime candidate for a lawsuit for treating someone the same



If Stephon Marbury talking shit constitutes a lawsuit...heaven help him and the Knicks when the refs and his opponents find this out.



Sounds like a woman working in a field she shouldn't be working in. I see absolutely nothing that happened to her that constitutes sexual harassment as I define the term. Marbury is at best a co-worker...if he talks shit to some guy in the bar are the Knicks accountable for that as well?

Luckily for women, you don't get to define the term.


Gold digger...just the fact that she is trying to get some money based on the things she says happened to her is probably illustrative of why she was fired. I hope she doesn't win. And I hope she finds a job where there are no men and no one will ever be attracted to her and no coworker will ever call her names.

---

Probably ilustative? And as for the rest of that statement? Well, I guess it just goes to show you need to grow up.