Agitated Augmon sprays reporters with lotion

tolne57 · Mar 15, 2005

More info on the incident:

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050315/COLUMNISTS0306/503150338/1002

Augmon's conduct cannot be tolerated

Sometimes it's hard to believe the calendar.

Is it really 2005, or are we still in prehistoric times?

You rub your eyes, shake your head, and look again.

If it really is 2005, then why would anyone in this day and age make a lewd comment to a woman in the workplace? And in the presence of others, no less?

These are questions the NBA is now sorting through with veteran forward Stacey Augmon.

FLORIDA TODAY learned Monday that the league is investigating and taking seriously an alleged lewd comment the Orlando player made to a female TV news reporter after last Friday night's Magic loss to Minnesota at the TD Waterhouse Centre.

Actually, there are two incidents the NBA is investigating. The other involves Augmon shouting threatening obscenities at our own FLORIDA TODAY reporter John Denton, as well as throwing a bottle of body lotion at him, after Sunday night's loss to New Jersey. But as bad as that incident was -- and it was ugly -- it pales in comparison to what might've happened Friday night.

After the game against the Timberwolves, several reporters were interviewing Magic guard Jameer Nelson, who was sitting at his locker, which is adjacent to Augmon's locker. Lauren Johnson, a Central Florida News 13 reporter, lowered to a knee in front of Nelson, so as to place a microphone in front of him while also allowing cameramen a clear line of vision.

That's when Local 6 News sports photographer Tee Taylor said Augmon directed a lewd comment about Johnson being on her knees in front of a player.

Taylor talked with Johnson outside the Magic locker room after the alleged incident. "She was distraught," he said. "She's also afraid. She's young, and she doesn't want to make an issue of it."

If that's true, that would be sad, because many professional female journalists prior to Lauren Johnson paved the way and bravely spoke up to sexual harassment from Neanderthal-like players, all of which paved the way for her to even have a career.

But Johnson wouldn't return phone messages Monday. Instead, CFN 13 vice president and general manager Robin Smythe called, but only so she could refuse comment. Smythe wouldn't even say whether she is actually aware of the alleged incident.

But that's OK, because the NBA is aware. And moving forward.

"Our security department is investigating exactly what happened," said Brian McIntyre, the NBA's senior vice president of basketball communications. "We take lewd remarks directed at the media very seriously. Our goal is to make the workplace as professional as possible."

Nothing short of that is acceptable.

These are trying times for the NBA, what with the reprehensible fan-player brawl in Detroit earlier this season. But I believe the league is trying. And I also believe that if the allegations concerning Augmon are true, then he'll receive a stiff punishment, as he should.

Right now, it's wait and see.

What we do know is that Augmon has been a cancer waiting to spread. It's hard to believe the Magic actually pursued him as an offseason free agent, and said he would bring leadership to the locker room. Augmon has been anything but. And if they don't get him away from developing rookies Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard, then the organization deserves an even bigger black eye than it already has.

It's long been known that Augmon violates NBA rules by refusing to talk to the media. But the league has looked the other way because, frankly, none of us really care what a loser like Stacey Augmon has to say. The problem though, is that Augmon likes to interject snide and obscene comments into other interviews.

That's what happened after Sunday night's Magic loss to New Jersey.

Our reporter, John Denton, who is as professional as they come, was interviewing Steve Francis along with other reporters. Given that the Magic have lost four straight and seven of their last 10, and now have a five-game road trip ahead of them, the Orlando Sentinel's Tim Povtak asked Francis if he was concerned about "the wheels coming off."

That's when Augmon, sitting next to Francis, blurted, "That's a stupid (bleeping) question."

The reporters chose to ignore him, but Augmon wouldn't have it.

Even louder, he said, "That's a stupid (bleeping) question."

At that point, Denton stated the obvious. He told Augmon they weren't interviewing him. They were interviewing Francis.

Augmon rose to his feet enraged, approaching Denton and shouting obscenities. Denton turned and starting walking across the locker room, away from the scene Augmon was creating, while Magic publicist Joel Glass jumped in front of Augmon. At that point, the player threw a bottle of body lotion at Denton. The contents spattered the back of his jacket and sprayed other reporters, too.

Other incidents involving Augmon are now coming to light, too. Taylor, the Local 6 News sports photographer, said that last month he was joking with Magic players Dwight Howard and DeShawn Stevenson, engaging in a little verbal sparring. When Taylor said he laughingly told Howard not to hit him, otherwise he'd be supporting the journalist financially, he said Augmon became enraged from across the locker room.

"I didn't hear exactly what he said, but there was a commotion going on," Taylor said. "I found out later he was cursing me out."

Which is pretty bad.

But not as bad as making a lewd comment to a female reporter would be.

If it proves true, the NBA needs to move swiftly and severely. And the Magic shouldn't hesitate to jettison Stacey Augmon from their organization, no matter what the financial cost.

Let him go draw on cave walls someplace.
Click to expand...

Easy · Mar 15, 2005

Let him go draw on cave walls someplace.
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Exactly.

Faos · Mar 15, 2005

I just fired off this email to the reporter who wrote the article. They never answer, but I'll keep sending them.

I enjoy reading the articles about the Magic falling apart. Especially after the Orlando media was so quick to crucify Tracy McGrady and how the Magic got the better end of the trade.

I can't thank the brains at the Magic enough for sending us T(eam)-Mac.

God bless you, Weisbrod.

Manny Ramirez · Mar 15, 2005

Originally posted by SamFisher
PUT THE F-N LOTION IN THE F-N BASKET!!!!!!!!!!!
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Classic

NIKEstrad · Mar 16, 2005

And the Magic now have fallen under .500 and hold a 1/2 game lead for the 8 seed.

Meltdown begins?

RunninRaven · Mar 16, 2005

Originally posted by Htownhero
It is refreshing to not have to defend his turnovers and stupid techs every other game isn't it?
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Boy howdy.

Everytime I look at a Rockets box score now and see turnovers around 10, and even on bad games never really more than 15 or so, I am amazed at to think that during years previous, I would have glady accepted 15 as a great game. I am so so so so glad the Rockets pulled the trigger on that trade.

tigermission1 · Mar 22, 2005

Gee...If I were a reporter, and wanted to ask Augmon a few questions, what would they be?

(From Inside-hoops)

Mock Questions for Stacey Augmon

1 - So Dwight, how's the rookie season going?

2 - Got any lotion?

3 - Do you enjoy stealing money from hungry children?

4 - Is it true that each time you miss a jumper, a baby seal gets clubbed on the head?

5 - I hear you like to talk to the media.

6 - Will you be my friend?

7 - Who do you think has had a better NBA career, you or Rick Brunson?

8 - Your career three-point shooting percentage is 15.2 percent. You've made a total of 12 three-pointers over 14 years. Do you think if lucky fans were chosen at random, and they just fired tons of threes, they might be able to match your production from that range?

9 - You were waived by the Houston Rockets in 1999. I have no question, I'm just reminding you.

10 - In your career, you have averaged 1.6 assists per game and 1.29 turnovers per game. For young players out there who look up to you as a role model, would you agree that closing your eyes when you pass the ball probably wasn't the way to go?

11 - So far this season you are averaging half an assist per game, with 1.4 fouls per game. Did coach advise you that slapping the defender on the arm was more helpful to team success than making good passes that lead to baskets?

12 - Is reading fundamental?

13 - When Orlando reporters are trying to interview Steve Francis, do you think they're trying to interview you, or Steve Francis? Not a trick question.

14 - Are reporters the devil?

15 - Who are you?

Tom Archer · Mar 22, 2005

Originally posted by SamFisher
PUT THE F-N LOTION IN THE F-N BASKET!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

LOL! I wonder if anyone else got this...

Davidoff · Mar 22, 2005

Originally posted by Tom Archer
LOL! I wonder if anyone else got this...
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Yeah I did... "It puts the lotion on, or it gets the hose again!!!!"

WAAAAA... WAAAA... WAAAAAAAAA...(pinching my nipples)

Tom Archer · Mar 22, 2005

Originally posted by Da-Glyde
Yeah I did... "It puts the lotion on, or it gets the hose again!!!!"

WAAAAA... WAAAA... WAAAAAAAAA...(pinching my nipples)
Click to expand...

Cool. I'm not the only one with a sick, twisted sence of humor around here

Xerobull · Mar 23, 2005

Holy crap, this has to be the funniest story out of the NBA in a long, long time. Every time I see the thread title it cracks me up.

Squirt!

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