US Soccer / NWSL - Independent Investigation Report

This will all stop once colleges end the scholarship scam + start paying players as employees.

1. Employees have certain rights + can take employers to court if they're being abused (scholarship awardees have no rights and can't complain in any way)
2. Employees can have representation (agents) and can unionize to protect themselves

Right now all the power is in the Collages / Coaches hands. Change the rules + the abuse stops and instantly + all the "problems" go away.

The reason groups like the NWSL is having issues like this is because they're pulling leadership from the College pool. Taking advantage of players via scholarships + bullying is all they know. If colleges played by the same rules as the professional teams there wouldn't be in issue.

All of the money would go to men's football and basketball. Women's athletes would make minimum wage which would be a lot less than what they currently get in from a scholarship.
 
This will all stop once colleges end the scholarship scam + start paying players as employees.

1. Employees have certain rights + can take employers to court if they're being abused (scholarship awardees have no rights and can't complain in any way)
2. Employees can have representation (agents) and can unionize to protect themselves

Right now all the power is in the Collages / Coaches hands. Change the rules + the abuse stops and instantly + all the "problems" go away.

The reason groups like the NWSL is having issues like this is because they're pulling leadership from the College pool. Taking advantage of players via scholarships + bullying is all they know. If colleges played by the same rules as the professional teams there wouldn't be in issue.
I think students at private universities have protections similar to employees. I think students at public universities have more protection than employees. I think the problem that students have is that they can’t afford a lawyer from the beginning of the “administrative” process through trial if necessary.

1. Whether private or public school students, the fight begins by familiarizing oneself with the student handbook similar to how employees have to familiarize themselves with their employment handbook to know their rights for protection;

2. Public universities are government actors, so in theory the Constitution should provide protection through a due process claim. The Constitution requires fairness. So if a student can prove a.) They were treated unfairly and b.). they suffered damages from the unfair treatment, they should in theory prevail with their “ConstitutionalTort” due process claim.
3. Private universities are not government actors so the student handbook is essentially a contract between the school and student. Inherent in every contract whether explicitly stated or not is the “Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing.” So again, if a student can a.) prove they were treated unfairly and b.) prove damages they prevail under contract law for a breach of the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing.

I don’t think most students have the money to pay for an attorney. These are not the types of cases attorneys take on contingency. Most pro bono attorneys would rather help a family getting evicted, a disabled person apply for SSDI, elder abuse, wrongful convictions etc.

so yeah, I see access to good attorneys as the problem.
 
USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn wants execs 'gone' after 'abhorrent' failures amid abuse

Sauerbrunn said Tuesday that she wants those enablers "gone."

Yeah the problems are much deeper vs just the coaches, assistants, etc really the enablers, execs, managers, admin people also had a hand in the abuse, covered ups, etc.

The part where the bad actors get reshuffled around, get now jobs without the details of investigations, why they where let go, etc are not share with other potential employers, GP or anything. Burying the dirty laundry has gone on for too long, time to come clean and get rid of the abusers out of the system once and for all.
The insurance company buys the dirty laundry from the plaintiff. The true value of the dirty laundry depends on how the depositions & discovery go. For example, if the defendant is caught lying through their teeth on video, well then the pay out is enough to buy silence.
 
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The Yates report that USSF paid for recommends that USSF re-exert much of the control over the NWSL that it gave up last year, ironically because of misconduct that occurred when the USSF was still managing it. The misconduct that occurred is the inevitable byproduct of centralized control that USSF has imposed on every level of soccer for decades. US Gymnastics is the only other national sports governing body that ever exerted as much control over an entire sport and look what happened there.
 
Well looks like this is spilling over to the men's side now also, lets see what happens in the youth environments

USL Statement on Sally Yates Report.

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Well, it looks like the girls from the FBI had it rough as well.

A hostile work environment of sexual harassment and retaliation against female agents who complain about it have persisted at the FBI for more than a year after FBI Director Christopher A. Wray pledged to fix the problem, according to several whistleblowers.
 
Well looks like this is spilling over to the men's side now also, lets see what happens in the youth environments

USL Statement on Sally Yates Report.

View attachment 14813
Amen! The worse thing a coach can say to a child is, "if you complain to your parents about my coaching & yelling, you will sit on the bench when YNT scouts and college coaches are watching. I will tell them everything about you."
 
I think students at private universities have protections similar to employees. I think students at public universities have more protection than employees. I think the problem that students have is that they can’t afford a lawyer from the beginning of the “administrative” process through trial if necessary.

1. Whether private or public school students, the fight begins by familiarizing oneself with the student handbook similar to how employees have to familiarize themselves with their employment handbook to know their rights for protection;

2. Public universities are government actors, so in theory the Constitution should provide protection through a due process claim. The Constitution requires fairness. So if a student can prove a.) They were treated unfairly and b.). they suffered damages from the unfair treatment, they should in theory prevail with their “ConstitutionalTort” due process claim.
3. Private universities are not government actors so the student handbook is essentially a contract between the school and student. Inherent in every contract whether explicitly stated or not is the “Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing.” So again, if a student can a.) prove they were treated unfairly and b.) prove damages they prevail under contract law for a breach of the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing.

I don’t think most students have the money to pay for an attorney. These are not the types of cases attorneys take on contingency. Most pro bono attorneys would rather help a family getting evicted, a disabled person apply for SSDI, elder abuse, wrongful convictions etc.

so yeah, I see access to good attorneys as the problem.
Constitution? mmm.

Or there is this, and remember CA is pretty liberal so is on the upper end of the scale. If you are sexually harassed you can report it and then if they fire you you can sue but beyond that if they don't like how you sneeze or think you don't work hard enough you can simply be fired. It is very subjective.

California rules for firing

summary -
Can I Be Fired For No Reason in California?
Wrongful Termination Discrimination Attorneys in California
California is an at-will state, which means that an employer can fire you for any reason at any time, with or without cause. This means that if your boss doesn’t like your personality, if you run out of work, if they think you’re lazy, or if they just don’t need you anymore, they can fire you at any time.

Most employee handbooks now include a disclaimer about at-will employment. Most employee handbooks define at-will employment and ask employees to sign an acceptance of the company’s at-will status. At-will employees, however, have the right not to be terminated for reasons that are illegal under state and federal law.

Being an at-will employee does not give your employer all the reasons to fire you, and there are exceptions. An employer can’t terminate you for any illegal reason.

Some illegal reasons for terminating an employee in California include discrimination based on:


  • Age (40+)
  • Sex
  • Gender
  • Religious belief
  • Sexual orientation
  • Nationality
  • Race
  • You also cannot be fired for taking leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
  • Finally, you cannot be fired in retaliation for reporting your employer’s illegal activities (such as sexual harassment) or for participating in an investigation of illegal activity.
If you are fired for any of these reasons, it is considered wrongful termination and you may be entitled to sue the employer for discrimination.

There are also other occasions where an employer can’t easily fire an employee, such as if the employee has an employment contract with the employer or if the employee is a member of a union and is covered under a union collective bargaining agreement.
 
I think students at private universities have protections similar to employees. I think students at public universities have more protection than employees. I think the problem that students have is that they can’t afford a lawyer from the beginning of the “administrative” process through trial if necessary.

1. Whether private or public school students, the fight begins by familiarizing oneself with the student handbook similar to how employees have to familiarize themselves with their employment handbook to know their rights for protection;

2. Public universities are government actors, so in theory the Constitution should provide protection through a due process claim. The Constitution requires fairness. So if a student can prove a.) They were treated unfairly and b.). they suffered damages from the unfair treatment, they should in theory prevail with their “ConstitutionalTort” due process claim.
3. Private universities are not government actors so the student handbook is essentially a contract between the school and student. Inherent in every contract whether explicitly stated or not is the “Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing.” So again, if a student can a.) prove they were treated unfairly and b.) prove damages they prevail under contract law for a breach of the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing.

I don’t think most students have the money to pay for an attorney. These are not the types of cases attorneys take on contingency. Most pro bono attorneys would rather help a family getting evicted, a disabled person apply for SSDI, elder abuse, wrongful convictions etc.

so yeah, I see access to good attorneys as the problem.
I don't know if you've ever been in a college town before but in those situations Colleges "own" the local police force.

Even if students had $$$ what law firm would take the case when 1/2 (or more) of their partners are alumni of the college students would like to sue.

This is what the NWSL players mean by addressing power vs title or position/role.

Again the easy way to solve all this is to pay the players + make them employees. All the lawsuits + scandals + abuse would go away because it would be addressed legally in court where there are established processes + standards.
 
Constitution? mmm.

Or there is this, and remember CA is pretty liberal so is on the upper end of the scale. If you are sexually harassed you can report it and then if they fire you you can sue but beyond that if they don't like how you sneeze or think you don't work hard enough you can simply be fired. It is very subjective.

California rules for firing

summary -
Can I Be Fired For No Reason in California?
Wrongful Termination Discrimination Attorneys in California
California is an at-will state, which means that an employer can fire you for any reason at any time, with or without cause. This means that if your boss doesn’t like your personality, if you run out of work, if they think you’re lazy, or if they just don’t need you anymore, they can fire you at any time.

Most employee handbooks now include a disclaimer about at-will employment. Most employee handbooks define at-will employment and ask employees to sign an acceptance of the company’s at-will status. At-will employees, however, have the right not to be terminated for reasons that are illegal under state and federal law.

Being an at-will employee does not give your employer all the reasons to fire you, and there are exceptions. An employer can’t terminate you for any illegal reason.

Some illegal reasons for terminating an employee in California include discrimination based on:


  • Age (40+)
  • Sex
  • Gender
  • Religious belief
  • Sexual orientation
  • Nationality
  • Race
  • You also cannot be fired for taking leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
  • Finally, you cannot be fired in retaliation for reporting your employer’s illegal activities (such as sexual harassment) or for participating in an investigation of illegal activity.
If you are fired for any of these reasons, it is considered wrongful termination and you may be entitled to sue the employer for discrimination.

There are also other occasions where an employer can’t easily fire an employee, such as if the employee has an employment contract with the employer or if the employee is a member of a union and is covered under a union collective bargaining agreement.
Or if their pregnant or complain to higher up managers about unhealthy working conditions. Unsafe working conditions for mental health. Threats & Intimidation + Retaliation is no reason to fire and best to work things out.
 
This will all stop once colleges end the scholarship scam + start paying players as employees.

1. Employees have certain rights + can take employers to court if they're being abused (scholarship awardees have no rights and can't complain in any way)
2. Employees can have representation (agents) and can unionize to protect themselves

Right now all the power is in the Collages / Coaches hands. Change the rules + the abuse stops and instantly + all the "problems" go away.

The reason groups like the NWSL is having issues like this is because they're pulling leadership from the College pool. Taking advantage of players via scholarships + bullying is all they know. If colleges played by the same rules as the professional teams there wouldn't be in issue.

None of the three individuals discussed in the Yates report ever worked as a collegiate head coach. All of their head coaching experience occurred in professional leagues in which player employees had representation. Neither of the two other individuals who were recently fired by Thorns as a result of this had prior involvement in college soccer either.
 
Constitution? mmm.

Or there is this, and remember CA is pretty liberal so is on the upper end of the scale. If you are sexually harassed you can report it and then if they fire you you can sue but beyond that if they don't like how you sneeze or think you don't work hard enough you can simply be fired. It is very subjective.

California rules for firing

summary -
Can I Be Fired For No Reason in California?
Wrongful Termination Discrimination Attorneys in California
California is an at-will state, which means that an employer can fire you for any reason at any time, with or without cause. This means that if your boss doesn’t like your personality, if you run out of work, if they think you’re lazy, or if they just don’t need you anymore, they can fire you at any time.

Most employee handbooks now include a disclaimer about at-will employment. Most employee handbooks define at-will employment and ask employees to sign an acceptance of the company’s at-will status. At-will employees, however, have the right not to be terminated for reasons that are illegal under state and federal law.

Being an at-will employee does not give your employer all the reasons to fire you, and there are exceptions. An employer can’t terminate you for any illegal reason.

Some illegal reasons for terminating an employee in California include discrimination based on:


  • Age (40+)
  • Sex
  • Gender
  • Religious belief
  • Sexual orientation
  • Nationality
  • Race
  • You also cannot be fired for taking leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
  • Finally, you cannot be fired in retaliation for reporting your employer’s illegal activities (such as sexual harassment) or for participating in an investigation of illegal activity.
If you are fired for any of these reasons, it is considered wrongful termination and you may be entitled to sue the employer for discrimination.

There are also other occasions where an employer can’t easily fire an employee, such as if the employee has an employment contract with the employer or if the employee is a member of a union and is covered under a union collective bargaining agreement.
I agree that if you are not in a “protected class” that there is not much protection in “at-will” states and even less protections in “right-to-work” states. Seems to me then, that students may have more rights than employees because either the Constitution or Contract law requires ALL students be treated fairly. I think is fair to say that in the employment context, the law doesn’t care how one is treated unless they are in a protected class.
 
None of the three individuals discussed in the Yates report ever worked as a collegiate head coach. All of their head coaching experience occurred in professional leagues in which player employees had representation. Neither of the two other individuals who were recently fired by Thorns as a result of this had prior involvement in college soccer either.
"The investigation was initiated following a report in The Athletic in 2021 that detailed allegations of sexual harassment and coercion from 2015 made against former Portland Thorns manager Paul Riley. Former Thorns players Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly alleged that Riley invited both players back to his apartment and asked them to kiss each other in exchange for getting the team out of a conditioning drill the next day, as well as drinking with players and sending lewd photos to Shim. "

Paul Riley coached for CW Post now called LIU Post or Long Island University from 1986 to 1997
 
"The investigation was initiated following a report in The Athletic in 2021 that detailed allegations of sexual harassment and coercion from 2015 made against former Portland Thorns manager Paul Riley. Former Thorns players Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly alleged that Riley invited both players back to his apartment and asked them to kiss each other in exchange for getting the team out of a conditioning drill the next day, as well as drinking with players and sending lewd photos to Shim. "

Paul Riley coached for CW Post now called LIU Post or Long Island University from 1986 to 1997

I stand corrected. Two of the three never had any involvement in collegiate soccer. The third was a head coach at a college no one had ever heard of 25-30 years ago and which was not Division 1 and therefore did not have college scholarships when he was there.
 
I don't know if you've ever been in a college town before but in those situations Colleges "own" the local police force.

Even if students had $$$ what law firm would take the case when 1/2 (or more) of their partners are alumni of the college students would like to sue.

This is what the NWSL players mean by addressing power vs title or position/role.

Again the easy way to solve all this is to pay the players + make them employees. All the lawsuits + scandals + abuse would go away because it would be addressed legally in court where there are established processes + standards.
Definitely hard to get legal representation. I definitely think there’s bias.
I don't know if you've ever been in a college town before but in those situations Colleges "own" the local police force.

Even if students had $$$ what law firm would take the case when 1/2 (or more) of their partners are alumni of the college students would like to sue.

This is what the NWSL players mean by addressing power vs title or position/role.

Again the easy way to solve all this is to pay the players + make them employees. All the lawsuits + scandals + abuse would go away because it would be addressed legally in court where there are established processes + standards.
I agree access to legal representation needs to be better. I’m not really interested in suing my undergrad or law school. But, I don’t think employment law is a magical solution. The following case provided for a heated debate when I was in law school:
 
I stand corrected. Two of the three never had any involvement in collegiate soccer. The third was a head coach at a college no one had ever heard of 25-30 years ago and which was not Division 1 and therefore did not have college scholarships when he was there.
I will say some of the coaches are dating and some marry their players in college.

DD: Dad, I'm in love and I'm getting married
Dad: Wow, whose the lucky guy/girl
DD: Coach
 
I stand corrected. Two of the three never had any involvement in collegiate soccer. The third was a head coach at a college no one had ever heard of 25-30 years ago and which was not Division 1 and therefore did not have college scholarships when he was there.
Wrong again...

The LIU Sharks are the athletics teams representing Long Island University's (LIU) campuses in Brooklyn and Brookville, New York. The Sharks compete in NCAA Division I athletics and are members of the Northeast Conference.
 
Wrong again...

The LIU Sharks are the athletics teams representing Long Island University's (LIU) campuses in Brooklyn and Brookville, New York. The Sharks compete in NCAA Division I athletics and are members of the Northeast Conference.

Yes, 20 years after he left they moved to D1.
 
I had a top Doc warn me back in the day about the truth and of the realities of some of the very top soccer programs, in Youth, College and Pros in the US. The top players were getting signed in 8th grade back then as well from Big U, so keep that in mine. He told me about one of his top players ((YNT and top player in Socal)) already signed that got a boyfriend in High School and slacked off her Senior year. She was confused with what she wanted in life. Her parents wanted the college she worked hard to get a full ride in soccer and school. Dream school with a very intense coach. She showed up out of shape and failed beep test and puked. Coach pulled her by the ponytail and whispered in her ear: "You won't like it here and based on what I'm seeing, you won;t ever play here." She heard all she needed and quit. Married her boyfriend and all is good. Their has to be a better way to deal with the girls. Parents also need to listen to their dd. I know one parent that flew across the country to spend a few months with her dd. Depression and she needed her mom because her coach was super insensitive and did not have time or training in mental health.
 
None of the three individuals discussed in the Yates report ever worked as a collegiate head coach. All of their head coaching experience occurred in professional leagues in which player employees had representation. Neither of the two other individuals who were recently fired by Thorns as a result of this had prior involvement in college soccer either.

No 5 coaches suspended from NWSL, 3 out of the 5 college coaches so yeah the majority says otherwise.

Yates report only covers the abuse up until Oct 2021
2 additional coaches let go bewtween that time and June 2022.

Your lacking facts attempt to spin this any other way goes to your lack of creditable or other motives.
 
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