Former Magic assistant George Scholz's reverse
discrimination lawsuit against the team began Tuesday in Orange
County Circuit Court. Scholz, who is white, says he was fired in
1992 so the Magic could hire a black assistant coach to replace
him. Dan Brodersen, Scholz's attorney : "We feel we have an
abundance of evidence that the Magic was receiving pressure to
hire a black coach and they acted on that pressure by terminating
George." According to the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, Brodersen also
said current coach Brian Hill and former boss Matt Goukas
confided to Scholz that the team was feeling community pressure
to add a black assistant and that they had drawn up a list of
qualified black candidates a month before Scholz was fired (John
Romano, ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 1/10). Among those subpoenaed to
testify in the trial, which will be broadcast on CourtTV:
Goukas, ex-Magic guard Scott Skiles, trainer Lenny Currier, Magic
President and Part-Owner Bob Vander Weide, and local sportscaster
Glen Dehmer. Scholz, who was unable to find another job for two
years, is currently head coach at Jacksonville Univ. (Tim Povtak,
ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/10).
