Marian Washington’s lawsuit against Dick Vitale and others connected with a magazine critical of the Kansas women’s basketball coach has drawn attention — and some understanding — from other Big Eight coaches.
Washington is suing Vitale, writer Joe Smith, publisher Raymond Levy and editor Ken Leiker for $10 million over comments made in the 1993-94 edition of Dick Vitale’s Basketball.
Nebraska coach Angela Beck said she hadn’t heard about the magazine until she heard about the lawsuit.
“I’d never even read it,” Beck said. “My feeling is that the publication, when it came out, was read by very few Americans. If it had come out on the front page of USA Today or on national television, I can see how she would have been damaged more.”
Now, the article is the subject of much greater focus.
The article stated, “The Jayhawks are loaded with talent, with swingman Angela Aycock and guard Charisse Sampson heading the list. But coach Marian Washington usually finds a way to screw things up. This season will be no different.”
Beck said the recent surge in women’s basketball’s popularity has created increased criticism.
“All of a sudden we have been brought into the limelight where Dick Vitale might care about women’s basketball,” Beck said. “That doesn’t mean everybody agrees with what he says. The neat thing about America is all of us can have our opinions. I think she has had great players, but I think she’s done a great job, too.”
Oklahoma coach Burl Plunkett agreed that basketball coaches were easy targets.
“I’ve been coaching 34 years. In 34 years, you get criticism,” Plunkett said. “When you coach and get some recognition, everybody wants to rake you over the coals. Her teams are, for us, very competitive. I respect her a great deal and have nothing but good things to say about her.”
Beck said she thought the suit might have been the culmination of complaints Washington may have received over time.
“I know Marian is a woman of principle,” Beck said. “She has been involved with basketball over 20 years. You get to a boiling point to where you can’t take it anymore. I think it might be a reflection of some of the things she’s had to deal with over 20 years, the battles she’s had to fight.
“I was surprised,” Beck said. “I respect that she probably thought this out long and hard before she made a move. The negative thing is I hate to see her brought out in a negative limelight.”
Added Kansas State coach Brian Agler, “There’s no question Marian Washington has done a lot for women’s basketball, to help get the sport on the rise to the level it is, and has made a huge impact on what’s going to happen in the next 20 years.”
