Ines Sainz, is a former Miss Universe who now works as a reporter for Mexico’s Azteca TV and recently was in New York to interview the Jets’ Mexican-American quarterback, Mark Sanchez. She showed up looking sweet, as you can see from the photo and some team members took a hot tub time machine back to high school when they caught sight of her.

The reason we know about it is that Ms. Sainz, took to Twitter to report that she felt embarrassed and uncomfortable by the “boys being boys” behavior. Just like that, the NFL corporate machine went into high gear to investigate the situation and come up with a way to deal with what they viewed as harassment of a valued media member.

Sanchez, a Mexican-American, is routinely pestered for interviews from Spanish-language media outlets. It’s great for the NFL’s quest to expand its fan base into international markets; you know how Roger Goodell craves that market outside the U.S., right?

On the day after the Jets couldn’t score a touchdown during their ugly loss to the Baltimore Ravens in their season opener, they will return to their practice facility and take part in an investigation about the facts surrounding the time Ms. Sainz was on the premises.

The team has already gone into their cover-your-ass mode and as a result is expected to bring in a corporate trainer to remind everyone that unlike episodes of “Mad Men”, it’s not OK to harass a woman in a work environment, just because she is luscious to look at.

Work and environment are the operative words in this context. This wasn’t a club, a bar or even a gym. Rules of decorum are different depending on the environment. In case you hadn’t noticed, employment laws have cropped up in the past two decades to limit the level of stupidity that can be demonstrated towards the opposite gender when they are working.

Sainz was attired in a pair of blue jeans, white short-sleeved blouse and boots. It wasn’t what she was wearing as much as how it looks on her when she wears it. She is a knock-out.

Is she inappropriately dressed for the situation?

The answer is it doesn’t matter. Discipline and decorum dictate that you wait until she’s gone to hoot and holler and suggest things that you wouldn’t want your wife or daughter to have to hear if she stepped into a similar situation.

Her tweet from the locker room, sounded like this:”I die of embarrassment! I am in the locker room of the Jets waiting for Mark Sanchez while trying not to look to anywhere!” (translated from Spanish)

That came on the heels of what Christine Brennan of USA Today reported about the behavior of the men while still in the midst of practice: “players and one coach are alleged to have tried to run into female reporter Ines Sainz of Mexico’s TV Azteca during a passing drill.”

On Sunday, the New York Post reported: “Prodded by his players, defensive backs coach Dennis Thurman purposely overthrew passes to them in interception drills so that the footballs would land next to Sainz on the sidelines. Rex Ryan then joined in the fun, having Thurman run a sideline pattern and also intentionally overthrowing in Sainz’s direction.”

It is important to note that other media members who were present were perplexed about why no one from the team was putting a stop to it all, or why Ms. Sainz didn’t approach the head of media relations to complain and keep it from blowing up. According to some who took the time to talk about it on the record, they had never seen or heard anything quite like it.

In the wake of the uproar, a team spokesman issues a statement: “The New York Jets believe that reporters have a job to do, and it is our obligation to provide them with proper and professional access.” Team owner Woody Johnson gets it. He was unafraid to get on the phone and listen to what Ms. Sainz had to say. Despite not knowing all the facts he issued an apology if his employees were out of line and wanted Sainz and her employer to know that the Jets will be a place that is comfortable for all media members to ply their trade, no matter their gender.

After the full investigation by the team and the NFL, Johnson has promised to punish anyone who embarrassed the team and Ms. Sainz. In case the players and coaches have a hard time remembering how they are supposed to behave, there is a meeting looming with a corporate trainer. “We are working with an organization to schedule an educational and awareness session with the team,” said Jets spokesman Bruce Speight.” .

The rule is simple: if you wouldn’t say it in front of the owner, don’t say it.

Used with permission of the author.

Paula Duffy is a national sports columnist for Examiner.com and the Huffington Post and regularly comments on sports/legal matters for radio affiliates of ESPN and Fox Sports. She founded the sports information site, Incidental Contact, is the author of a line of audio books designed for sports novices and in her spare time practices law in Los Angeles. 

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