I am baffled over the ignorance of this trials mere existance.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2007/09/16/2007-09-16_nba_commisioner_david_stern_could_come_a.html

This article is by Filip Bondy:

James Dolan contends that he and Isiah Thomas are innocent of all charges brought by Anucha Browne Sanders, and that her case is based on flights of female fantasy. The owner better be able to prove his version of reality in court.

Because if Dolan loses this civil suit now making such lurid headlines, if a jury finds that he acted illegally by firing Browne Sanders or that Thomas sexually harassed the woman, then Dolan may lose more than a few more million dollars, which never seems to trouble him. He may finally have given the NBA its long-awaited opportunity to come down hard on the league's most embarrassing owner. Dolan could face a suspension that would be welcomed with almost universal applause by long-suffering Knick fans.

If David Stern is smart - and nobody ever accused him of anything otherwise - then this disaster may yet turn into the commissioner's chance to exile the Knicks' resident bully for at least awhile.

According to a code of conduct put into writing last year, Stern has the right to punish an owner or executive for behavior detrimental to the league. And while Stern won't comment on ongoing litigation, the NBA is understandably fed up with the Knicks' ownership. If there is an unfavorable verdict for Dolan, the commissioner surely will summon Dolan to discuss the ramifications.

"He has the right to do something," one league official said of the commissioner, referring to this case. "I'm sure David would deal with it."

The code of conduct was formalized last year at Stern's request, inspired by Mark Cuban's misbehavior at Mavericks' games. It was primarily aimed at the antics of owners and executives sitting courtside at games, specifically ordering them to stay out of huddles and to refrain from screaming at officials. The league has separate codes of conduct for players and for fans.

The alleged actions of Dolan and Thomas fall into a very different category, and a more serious one at that. The range of potential punishment from the league is wide and unspecified, but Stern would look foolish if he just slapped wrists in this matter - again, assuming the civil verdict goes against the Knicks. How can Stern show leniency toward Dolan and Thomas, then come down hard on players and coaches?

Typically, suspensions are not meted out by sports commissioners when there is no criminal conviction. But there is at least one precedent for such an exile of a very visible owner. On July 30, 1990, George Steinbrenner was banned from day-to-day operations of the Yankees by then-commissioner Fay Vincent because of the way he had despicably treated one of his own employees - Dave Winfield. Steinbrenner hired an operative to dig up dirt on Winfield and his charitable foundation.

People forget that at the time, this decision by Vincent was greeted with considerable joy by Yankee fans, who were fed up with their team's mediocre performances. Steinbrenner was permitted to retain ownership, but the ban effectively put an end to the Yankees' self-destructive personnel policies. Without Steinbrenner's bluster and impatience, management committed to developing homegrown talent that would lead to the Yanks' revival in the mid-'90s.

The same goes for Thomas, of course. If he is found to have sexually harassed a fellow Garden employee, then Stern will have to do something about that. Stern can't be seen tacitly condoning such behavior. And Thomas is governed by the same code of conduct as Dolan.

Again, if Dolan and Thomas win this case, all of this is moot. But if Browne Sanders walks away with millions, if so many of these ugly charges are validated, then the Garden will be exposed as some kind of white-collar, corporate nightmare. Stern has imposed penalties all too often in recent years on meaningless issues such as baggy pants and improper posture for "The Star-Spangled Banner." Here may be his chance to make a real statement about comportment and decency in the workplace.

Decades ago, the commissioner was able to rid his league of Ted Stepien, the controversial Cleveland Cavaliers owner who died just last week. Stepien had made some outrageous comments about race, and had traded away his team's first-round draft choices. Stern was instrumental in finding other owners for the Cavs. He solved that problem, more than anything, with money.

Dolan isn't interested in money. He is forever waiting for the chance to prove he is a genius. But if he loses this lawsuit, then he not only looks dumb. He looks vulnerable. Finally.