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Upcoming SI story to talk about alleged sexual assault in the Dallas Mavericks organization

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by motleydeflep6, Feb 20, 2018.

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J.R. Member

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Nightclub employee: Mark Cuban intoxicated, 'gropey' during 2011 visit

While the NBA said Wednesday that it is reviewing 2011 allegations of sexual assault against Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, a man who was employed at the Portland nightclub told The Oregonian that Cuban appeared intoxicated and was "gropey" with women while taking pictures.

Cuban has denied an allegation of sexual assault after the Willamette Week alternative newspaper reported a woman's claim that Cuban put his hands down the back of her pants and touched her inappropriately while they were taking a photo at the Barrel Room in 2011.

Prosecutors declined to pursue the case, saying that they didn't believe there was evidence to support the claim and that the woman didn't want to proceed with the allegation.

Cuban told The Associated Press via email Tuesday that the alleged incident "didn't happen," but NBA spokesman Mike Bass said Wednesday that the league is reviewing the allegations contained in the original newspaper report.

On Wednesday night, The Oregonian published an account from that night that included the recollections of Christopher White, who was working as a security guard at the Barrel Room. White told the paper that he remembers a woman "jumped away [from Cuban] like she was not happy with him. ... But it sure looked like [Cuban's hand] was too low to be just on her back."

White, who told The Oregonian that he was 20 feet away, later added: "She definitely jumped after he had put his arm around her."

White said security guards had to separate them after the woman began to shout and gesture angrily at Cuban.

"This former employee of the bar who is coming forward today, seven years later, says he was watching Mr. Cuban at the critical moment when the photographs were being taken and Mr. Cuban did not put his hand in the complainant's pants," Jacob Houze, an attorney for Cuban, told The Oregonian about White's account in a statement.

"This former employee's claims about Mr. Cuban's interactions with other patrons and employees are directly refuted by all the witnesses who were interviewed by the police. Once again, this did not happen."

White, who said he wasn't among those interviewed by police about the alleged incident, said that Cuban appeared intoxicated and was slurring his words when he arrived that evening at the Barrel Room with a group that included NBA star Kevin Love.

White told The Oregonian that he "believed [the club] told [Cuban] we couldn't serve him any alcohol," that the club had five security guards near Cuban and his party at all times, and Cuban was later asked to leave the establishment.

According to White, Cuban got women to take pictures with him after pointing at them, and then "he was, like, really kind of gropey toward them. It just wasn't how you'd normally pose in a picture with someone."

#181 J.R., Mar 8, 2018

Ziggy QUEEN ANON

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J.R. said: ↑

According to White, Cuban got women to take pictures with him after pointing at them, and then "he was, like, really kind of gropey toward them. It just wasn't how you'd normally pose in a picture with someone."
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MEH.

#182 Ziggy, Mar 8, 2018
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The NBA will be looking into Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s 2011 sexual-assault investigation, specifically “reviewing the allegations... and the decision by prosecutors not to pursue the case,” after a man at the bar that night came forward to support the unnamed woman’s claims of assault. Christopher White, a security worker, told The Oregonian he witnessed the woman’s reaction after Cuban reportedly shoved his hand down her jeans and touched her inappropriately. “She jumped away like she was not happy with him,” White said. “That’s when the energy in the room kind of exploded.” He also said Cuban’s hand “sure looked like it was too low to be just on her back”–echoing police reports about the photos taken that night, noting it appeared “Cuban is reaching down toward her buttocks.” While Cuban was taking photos with women that night, White also claimed that billionaire Shark Tank star was “really kind of gropey... It just wasn’t how you’d normally pose in a picture with someone.” He said Cuban appeared to be drunk “to the point that he was eventually asked to leave the bar.” In a statement, Cuban’s attorney said White’s “claims about Mr. Cuban's interactions with other patrons and employees are directly refuted by all the witnesses who were interviewed by the police. Once again, this did not happen.”
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https://www.thedailybeast.com/nba-probing-mark-cuban-after-new-witness-emerges-on-sex-assault-report

#183 zeeshan2, Mar 8, 2018
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Ziggy said: ↑

Seems like nothing to me.
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https://www.yahoo.com/news/report-m...sault-2011-charges-never-filed-054514266.html

I dunno....seems pretty bad to me.

According to Willamette Week, the alleged incident took place in April of 2011, when the Mavericks were in town for their first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers. The woman had gone to the Barrel Room with her boyfriend and friend; the boyfriend recognized Cuban standing under a large tent outside the bar, and suggested she take a picture with him. Several hours later, as they were preparing to leave the bar, the woman and her friend say they saw Cuban standing by himself, and approached him for a photo:

“It was apparent he was very drunk,” the woman’s friend later told police. “His eyes were half closed, he was unstable on his feet, and he was slurring his words.” The alleged victim asked Cuban to pose for a picture. She told police that Cuban initially placed his right hand on her lower back.

“He then moved his hand down until it was on her buttocks,” according to [Portland Police Detective Brendan] McGuire’s summary of the alleged victim’s statement. “Cuban then pushed his hand down the back of her jeans and inside her underwear where he cupped his hand over her groin area and inserted the tip of his finger into her vagina.”

The woman discussed the matter with family and friends before reporting it to police more than a week after the alleged incident. She submitted cellphone photos as evidence, including two that the detective on the case described as “significant”:

“In both images, Cuban’s right shoulder is lowered and he appears to be stretching to reach his arm down,” (Detective) McGuire’s report says. “In one of the pictures, his arm can be seen behind [the alleged victim] and it appears Cuban is reaching down toward her buttocks.”

McGuire also noted the alleged victim’s expression: “Her teeth are clenched, eyes wider than the other pictures and brow raised showing a look of surprise and strain.”
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#184 TheresTheDagger, Mar 8, 2018

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Hey, who among us hasn't drunkenly stumbled into a nightclub surrounded by security guards, gestured at some women who stepped right up for a photo with us, then innocently shoved our hand down one of their pants and stuck just the tip of our finger inside of her? It's like, if you don't want to be sexually assualted, WHY'D YOU TAKE THE PICTURE, amirite fellas?

#185 Hippieloser, Mar 8, 2018
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HillBoy said: ↑

I listened to Norm & Donnie on The Ticket this morning and will also be tuning into Dennis & Collishaw at 3:00 (can't wait to see what Dale Hansen has to say tonight). They went to extrordinary lengths to give Cuban the benefit of the doubt. What leads me to believe the woman is the fact that she never came after him for money (ala Kobe) and as one who remembers what a party animal Cuban was back in the day, this is exactly the sort of juvenile stunt he'd pull when he was hammered. Whether he did or didn't is not the issue because it's a case of he said - she said. It's the optics that look bad here given the toxic culture that was going on during his watch. In my mind, this makes the events of the past week appear all the more bogus.
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Back in the day? BaCk In tHe dAy???

Dude, Cuban is still a party animal. We even have evidence of that from his courting of Parsons and DJ.
In fact, I actually wondered if he got divorced or something with the amount of clubbing it seemed he's been doing over the past decade or so. He must have a saint of a wife or a wife who dgaf whatever he does as long as he keeps cutting them checks or CTC (to quote the great Sheed).

#186 ferrari77, Mar 9, 2018
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Id be surprised if he's never groped a woman in that situation. Dude is the typical, old, fat, eternal frat boy who doesn't realize he doesn't look good doing it anymore.

#187 fba34, Mar 10, 2018

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#188 zeeshan2, Mar 20, 2018

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“I’m using my name because I’m still not sure the Mavericks get it,” she wrote. “Since the story broke, owner Mark Cuban has repeatedly claimed he oversaw only the basketball side of that franchise, not the business side.

“Sorry. It doesn’t work that way. You own 100 percent of the team, Mark. The buck stops with you. When I worked on the Mavs’ business side, all marketing, promotional and broadcasting decisions went through you. Nothing was decided without your approval.

“I am using my name because I am convinced that Cuban still doesn’t recognize the culture he’s helped create or the plight of the women who still work for him. From where I sit, Mark’s response was to rush in like some white knight in a T-shirt and jeans and yell, ‘Don’t worry, ladies of the Mavs, I will help you with paid counseling and a hotline you can call!'”

I’m using my name because I’m encouraged by people like Dirk Nowitzki and Rick Carlisle. After SI’s story broke, they didn’t duck questions; they didn’t blame the victims. Accused of nothing, they still recognized they represented their organization. They showed support for those of us who came forward. I’m using my name because I want people to understand there are economics tied to this #MeToo movement. We were told at staff meetings: Texas is a right-to-work state. You have the right to work here; we have the right to fire you. If you work in fear that you could be fired at any time, you’ll be reluctant to complain.

I’m using my name because I know that the human resources department is not always a safe haven. At the Mavericks—and I’m sure elsewhere—HR was there to protect management, not employees. Many workers, especially middle-class and minority workers do not have a voice or an advocate at their jobs. They should chronicle what happens around them, find a support group outside of work. But they should be cautious in dealing with HR.

Yes, I was harassed while I worked for the Mavericks. But I am using my name now because I will never say that I am a victim. I am tougher. I am wiser. I am my own advocate.

I am Melissa Weishaupt.
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#189 zeeshan2, Mar 20, 2018
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@HillBoy what's the talk on Dallas radio over this new SI article from Melissa Weishaupt?

#190 Deuce, Mar 20, 2018
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If it can be proven that Cuban either know or participated, is there any reason why he shouldn't get the Sterling treatment?

Is spouting racist crap on tape really worse than workplace sexual harassment?

#191 dharocks, Mar 20, 2018

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[DEADSPIN]: A Used Condom, Screaming, And p*rn: There's So Much More To How Bad Harassment Was At The Dallas Mavericks

#192 J.R., Mar 23, 2018
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J.R. said: ↑

[DEADSPIN]: A Used Condom, Screaming, And p*rn: There's So Much More To How Bad Harassment Was At The Dallas Mavericks
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One former employee I talked to did not see the condom drop happen, but did see the condom on the ground; they also saw when Buddy Pittman, then the head of human resources, walked over to pick it up with a paper towel. (Pittman could not be reached for comment.)
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What a LOSER.

#193 Ziggy, Mar 23, 2018

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@swyyyguy please defend yourself

#194 Louka, Mar 23, 2018
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TheresTheDagger said: ↑

Cuban then pushed his hand down the back of her jeans and inside her underwear where he cupped his hand over her groin area and inserted the tip of his finger into her vagina.”

...

“In one of the pictures, his arm can be seen behind [the alleged victim] and it appears Cuban is reaching down toward her buttocks.” McGuire also noted the alleged victim’s expression: “Her teeth are clenched, eyes wider than the other pictures and brow raised showing a look of surprise and strain.”
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Which page, was that particular photo in this thread?

Either way, this sounds like basically rape. Charge him and throw away the key. Absolutely disgusting. What a horrible person. But anyone have that wide eyes clenched teeth pic? Because if that can be used as evidence of penetration, should be an open & shut case. Disgusting.

#195 likestohypeguy, Mar 23, 2018
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Louka said: ↑

@swyyyguy please defend yourself
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I’m sure he wishes he was there

#196 Roc Paint, Mar 23, 2018

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For years, one guy in the Dallas Mavericks sales department would come into the office and watch p*rn at his desk. Former employees don’t remember exactly how often he did it—they were trying to avoid seeing it, after all—but it was often enough that multiple people who worked with him remembered seeing it multiple times.

Some recalled that he watched on his personal laptop; others said it was on his phone. Either way, they saw it, especially those who sat near him. One woman who worked there put it this way: “We all knew what he was doing and just looked the other way because he was in his own world.”

The p*rn-watcher stayed there until 2014, although nobody I talked to was sure exactly why he left. (The employee didn’t respond to requests for comment.) When I asked people who had worked with him why they thought he was allowed to watch p*rn at work, they gave a mix of reasons: He had been there for quite a while; he had a reputation for bringing in a lot of money; new hires assumed it was OK. Above all, people believed he was close with the important people above them, including director of ticket sales Rob Erwin and vice president of ticket sales George Prokos—both of whom were known for screaming at their subordinates and turning a blind eye to everything except the number of tickets sold.

In February, Sports Illustrated published a scathing report on the history of sexual harassment within the Mavericks organization. Since then, Deadspin has talked to eight former and current employees. All asked to stay anonymous for fear of retribution, citing the tiny size of the world of professional sports. Many echoed similar points: SI described the sexual harassment accurately but the story was incomplete because it didn’t address the toxic culture more generally, especially the bullying, screaming, and other forms of harassment that intimidated them into silence.

Neither Prokos nor Erwin, who now is listed as working for the Washington Wizards, responded to emails sent to their work accounts asking for comment. In response to an email outlining what employees had told Deadspin, new Mavericks CEO Cynthia Marshall—who was brought in from outside the organization a week after the SI story dropped and said she is now running all non-basketball operations for the team—called the behavior that the former employees described as “completely unacceptable.” Marshall said that she couldn’t speak too much to what had happened in the past—she wasn’t there, after all—especially while an investigation by lawyers hired by the Mavs is ongoing, but she was realistic about the toxic culture (“I can’t afford to believe it’s all in the past”) and said she wants to change it.

It will take a lot to change it.

“It was like being married to a Hollywood star, knowing he was abusive emotionally and physically to you, but you stayed with him because he’s a star,” one former employee told me about working for the Mavs. “It was the best and worst experience of my life.”
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#197 zeeshan2, Mar 23, 2018
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'Mavs scandal allegations now extend to AAC: Sexual, gender issues and a hangman’s noose'

#198 J.R., Mar 30, 2018

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J.R. said: ↑

'Mavs scandal allegations now extend to AAC: Sexual, gender issues and a hangman’s noose'
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LOL. Love the huge photo they used .

#199 donkeypunch, Mar 30, 2018
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#200 zeeshan2, Mar 30, 2018

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