Turmoil in Fresno Firing of Johnson-Klein becomes lightning rod

SFgate.com ^ | Wednesday, March 9, 2005 | Ron Kroichick, Chronicle Staff Writer

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Fresno -- Saturday's women's basketball game at Fresno State carried the familiar trappings of a home finale. SNIP

The ceremony also contained one small omission, The video message taped by senior Veronica Mack, played on the huge screen above midcourt, thanked every Fresno State coach -- except deposed head coach Stacy Johnson-Klein, the erstwhile public face of the program.

Johnson-Klein had been fired three days earlier, the culmination of a three-week saga rife with splashy headlines and explosive allegations against her: taking prescription painkilling medication from players, financial misdeeds, even ordering the team bus to stop at a department store before transporting an ailing player to the hospital.

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During the trip to Louisiana Tech for a Feb. 3 game, she led the team out of a Ruston, La., restaurant without paying the bill. Twenty of the 27 people in the group had been served, but Johnson-Klein was among those who had not. Police soon arrived at practice, where Johnson-Klein paid for the meals.

SNIP Another eye-catching incident widened the rift between Johnson-Klein and her players. Sophomore guard Angelica Lopez received a pill from Johnson-Klein or her husband on Dec. 20 during a road trip, according to the Bee, and later passed out on the bench and again in the trainer's room after Fresno State's victory over Long Island.

The team bus dropped off the players at their Manhattan hotel. The assistant coaches then planned to take a dehydrated Lopez to the hospital to receive intravenous fluids. But Johnson-Klein instructed the bus driver to stop at Macy's first

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hmm what a nutty lady

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