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http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=5568266
Owner apologizes to Ines SainzEmail Print Comments249 By Rich Cimini
ESPNNewYork.com
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NEW YORK -- New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, addressing the alleged harassment of a female TV reporter Saturday at practice, told ESPNNewYork.com Monday that the team will begin interviewing players as part of its investigation with the league office.
"Right now, we're working with the league and we're doing all the fact finding, checking the facts, doing the interviews," Johnson said. "Interviews with the players will start [Tuesday]. We've talked to some of the non-players, but [Tuesday] we'll get into it all."
The Jets open the season Monday night against the Baltimore Ravens at the New Meadowlands Stadium.
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Johnson said he called the woman, Ines Sainz of Mexico's TV Azteca, and offered an "open apology" to her. He also said he has interviewed "non-players" involved in the alleged taunting.
"I called her the minute I found out about it, and I finally spoke to her later on in the day," Johnson said. "We take this very, very seriously, as you can imagine. We want all of our reporters, female or male, to be comfortable wherever they are, on the sideline, in the locker room or at a game. We have to make the working environment professional, representing the New York Jets well."
Asked if he believes any of his players and/or coaches did something wrong, Johnson said: "I've got to make sure I know all the facts. There are no surprises I haven't heard about. But after we get them all, I'll let you know.
"We'll have to look at what it all adds up to and how do we respond to it?" he added. "We certainly don't want any kind of allegations like this, or anything like this to happen. I apologized to her -- if anything happened, what happened, kind of an open apology."
The NFL is looking into a complaint made by the Association for Women in Sports Media against the Jets after Sainz reportedly was subjected to footballs being thrown in her direction at practice and, later, players' catcalls inside the locker room.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league already has contacted the Jets.
Sainz attended practice Saturday as a working member of the media. According to an account in the New York Post, Jets defensive backs coach Dennis Thurman purposely overthrew footballs to players during a drill for defensive backs so that the passes would land near Sainz on the sideline.
Linebacker Jason Taylor, who is not part of Thurman's unit, volunteered to take part in the drills, the Post said. Jets coach Rex Ryan also got involved, according to the Post, when he had Thurman run a pattern near the sideline and intentionally overthrew the coach in Sainz's direction.
Afterward in the Jets locker room, Sainz was reportedly greeted by catcalls and hooting. When a reporter approached Sainz to see if she was OK, lineman Kris Jenkins yelled, "This is our locker room!"
Members of the Jets public-relations staff were present and did not discourage the behavior.
Saying she felt "very uncomfortable," Sainz discussed the experience on her Twitter account.
"I die of embarrassment!" Sainz wrote in Spanish. "I am in the locker room of the Jets waiting for Mark Sanchez while trying not to look to anywhere!"
In a later Twitter post, she wrote, "Thanks all for your support and concern. I already testified before the NFL, and now is up to them to decide whether or not there will be consequences!"
Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum called Joanne Gerstner, a board member of the AWSM, on Sunday to discuss the matter. The two organizations were working to schedule an educational and awareness session with the team, according to Jets spokesman Bruce Speight.
Speight added that he also addressed the situation at the team meeting Sunday in advance of New York's season opener.
The AWSM said in a statement Sunday night that both the NFL and the Jets were "responsive to our concerns." On Monday, the organization issued another statement saying it was working with the Jets and the NFL.
"If Jets players, coaches and staff allegedly involved in the incident are found to have acted in unprofessional and harassing behavior toward Ms. Sainz, we expect and demand reprimand and punishment by the NFL and Jets," the statement read.
Acknowledging that an educational seminar will take place, the group further said in the statement: "We remain vigilant in holding leagues, teams, athletes and the media accountable and we serve as an advocate for all women in the business. AWSM also wishes to strengthen dialogue with leagues and teams to help elevate standards and maintain a harassment-free work place."
Rich Cimini covers the Jets for ESPNNewYork.com.
. But if I said something, bam sexual harrasment.
