NFL Shakes Down Jets’ Owner For ‘Media Training Program’

Added on Sep 17, 2010 by Jason Kearney in

NFL

The NFL announced today that they’re implementing what they’re calling a ‘training program’ for players on how to deal with the media. This is their response to the manufactured controversy over TV Azteca reporter Ines Sainz. You’ve all heard about that, and to her credit she’s not been the one whining incessantly. Anyway, the NFL ruled that although there was ‘unprofessional conduct’ that Jets’ owner Woody Johnson and his staff acted properly to deal with the situation.

Here’s the way situations like this work–it’s essentially a racket perpetuated by professional ‘victims’. The ‘advocacy group’ for the ‘victim’ makes a stink, and someone cuts a check to them. In this case, that would be the Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM) who will ‘consult’ with the NFL on their ‘media training program’. Also lost in the small print of the press release is the fact that Jets’ owner Johnson has ‘agreed to underwrite the program’. In other words, he was the ‘victim’ of a shakedown. Now he’s got plenty of money and its likely worth it to him to make the problem go away but that doesn’t change the fact that this is a shakedown.

Some have argued that suggesting that Sainz’s own behavior played a role in her very innocuous ‘harassment’ is tantamount to saying that rape victims ‘deserve it’ based on the way they dress or act. That’s absurd. Basically, this is Sainz’s act and the reason that different standards apply to her. It’s the same reason that ‘Elvira, Mistress of the Dark’ isn’t held to the same professional standards as longtime New York Times movie critic Pauline Kael. It’s like the goth kids at the mall who have more rivets in their face than a DC-10 but get offended when people stare at them. If your goal is to provoke a reaction you can’t call foul when you get one.

Sainz has said as much:

“I guess I never really give it any thought when I’m working in a locker room, the radio TV studio or anywhere in which my path crosses with an attractive female colleague…but I do have an opinion on it though and it is not PC. My feeling is that if you are a sexy, attractive female that can use you looks, figure, attire or sexy attitude to do your job better, do what you need to do.”

Johnson released this statement, which presumably was part of the shakedown deal:

“We’ve learned from what happened last Saturday, and have reaffirmed our commitment to treat all members of the media with professionalism and respect. The commissioner has developed a constructive approach that emphasizes education and awareness. I believe what emerges will improve the working relationship between all media and the NFL.”