NFL: Jets conduct toward reporter unprofessional

NEW YORK (AP) —The NFL chastised the New York Jets on Friday for unprofessional conduct but found no evidence that a female television reporter was “bumped, touched, brushed against or otherwise subjected to any physical contact” by any member of the team or coaching staff.
Commissioner Roger Goodell said while the “conduct of football jersey
the Jets clearly should have been better” team owner Woody Johnson and his staff acted promptly to correct the situation that arose last weekend when TV Azteca reporter Ines Sainz said she felt uncomfortable in the team’s locker room.
Goodell said that, as a result of the incident, the league will implement a training program for all 32 teams on proper conduct in the workplace and that the program would be underwritten by Johnson, who personally apologized to Sainz.
The NFL came to its conclusion after interviewing 17 people who were present - including Sainz - when she visited practice on assignment for her Mexican TV network.
In a letter to Johnson, Goodell said that while “there seems little doubt that passes were thrown in Sainz’s direction at last Saturday’s practice, it is also clear that she was never bumped, touched, brushed against, or otherwise subjected to any physical contact by any player or coach.
“Sainz herself was unequivocal in saying both that no physical contact occurred, and that no player or other Jets staff member made any comment or gesture that could be construed as threatening, demeaning or offensive,” he said.
Sainz said on her Twitter account last Saturday that she felt “very uncomfortable!” in the Jets’ locker room, where a few players made catcalls as she waited with two male co-workers to interview quarterback Mark Sanchez(notes), who is of Mexican descent.
“Of course you feel it when you are being stared at and when you are being spoken of in a certain way,” Sainz told The Associated Press. “I opted to ignore it … I tried to not even pay attention.”
She tweeted in Spanish on Saturday night that she tried “not to look anywhere!!”
Goodell said Sainz explained that her postings on Twitter while in Chargers jersey
the locker room reflected her “general lack of comfort in that setting, and were not related to any specific act, comment or gesture directed to her by any member of the Jets organization.”
He said she also told the NFL she had not seen or heard any catcalls, sexually explicit or offensive comments or gestures directed at her, “and did not believe she was subjected to any improper conduct.”
Goodell’s letter said Sainz “did not believe that the activity in the locker room interfered with her ability to do her job (namely, obtaining an interview with Sanchez), and did not identify any member of the Jets organization who did anything that was in her view improper. That being noted, Sainz did state that the locker room environment ‘could have been better.”’
The letter said other reporters in the locker room described the atmosphere as “juvenile, immature, high school,” but “not over the top.”
“Others agreed that the atmosphere was not hostile, that no obscene or lewd comments or gestures were made and that nobody had physical contact with Sainz, that Sainz did not appear concerned, disturbed or troubled by what was going on around her, and that nobody had difficulty doing his or her job.”
However, the letter also said the atmosphere in the locker room was described as “unprofessional, uncomfortable, and disappointing.”
The new training program will also be given to NFL rookies next year to help them deal professionally with news media and others in the workplace. The training program and related set guidelines for reporters, will be developed by the NFL in consultation with the Association for Women in Sports Media.
“Any debate over whether women reporters belong in the locker room Bears jersey
was settled long ago, and this incident offers no occasion to reopen that antiquated discussion,” Goodell said.
Johnson said the team had “learned from what happened last Saturday, and have reaffirmed our commitment to treat all members of the media with professionalism and respect.”

Friday’s Sports In Brief

NEW YORK (AP) —Joe Torre will retire as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers at the end of the season, and will be replaced by hitting coach Don Mattingly.
Torre took over the Dodgers for the 2008 season following 12 years and four World Series titles with the New York Yankees. Mattingly followed Torre to California as his heir apparent.
Torre is in his 29th season as major league manager. He nfl jerseys
turned 70 in July.
NEW YORK (AP) - The NFL chastised the New York Jets for unprofessional conduct but found no evidence that a female television reporter was “bumped, touched, brushed against or otherwise subjected to any physical contact” by any member of the team or coaching staff.
Commissioner Roger Goodell said while the “conduct of the Jets clearly should have been better,” owner Woody Johnson and his staff acted promptly to correct the situation that arose last weekend when TV Azteca’s Ines Sainz said she felt uncomfortable in the locker room. Goodell said that, as a result of the incident, the league will implement a training program for all 32 teams on proper conduct in the workplace and that the program would be underwritten by Johnson.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - NFL Players Association spokesman Carl Francis confirmed in an e-mail to The Associated Press that Indianapolis, Dallas, New Orleans and Philadelphia have voted unanimously to decertify the union. He said union leaders were still collecting voting cards from other teams.
Decertification would strip the union of its collective bargaining rights on behalf of the players, so the move might seem counter-intuitive. But because antitrust laws exempt NFL owners from being sued by unions negotiating CBAs, decertification would in essence eliminate the union and allow players to sue the NFL in the event of a lockout - giving them potential leverage.
NEW YORK (AP) - The Team Marketing Report said average ticket prices for NFL games increased 4.5 percent to $76.47, up from a 3.9 percent hike last season.
The New York teams had the steepest increases after moving into the New Meadowlands Stadium.
Jets non-premium tickets went up 31.8 percent to $114.64 on average, and the Giants rose 26 percent to $111.69. New Orleans raised its average 20.5 percent to $74.99 after winning the Super Bowl. New England’s prices stayed flat, but it still had the highest average cost - $117.84.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Michael Vick(notes) will start for Philadelphia at Detroit, the first time he’s been under center at the start of a game since his time with Atlanta - long before the world learned about his cruel world of dogfighting. Eagles coach Andy Reid made it official when he ruled out Kevin Kolb(notes) because of a concussion.
ATLANTA (AP) - The NCAA turned Indianapolis Colts jersey
down Georgia receiver A.J. Green’s appeal, letting stand the four-game suspension for selling an Independence Bowl jersey for $1,000 to a person deemed to be an agent.
TENNIS=
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Santiago Giraldo beat Sam Querrey 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 to give Colombia a 1-1 tie with the United States in their three-day Davis Cup playoff match for a World Group spot.
In the opener, Mardy Fish edged Alejandro Falla 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
In the World Group semifinals, France led Argentina 2-0, and the Czech Republic and Serbia were tied 1-1.
In Lyon, France, Michael Llodra beat Juan Monaco 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, and Gael Monfils had 27 aces in a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over David Nalbandian. In Belgrade, Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic beat Tomas Berdych 7-5, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (5) to square the match after Radek Stepanek topped Viktor Troicki - playing after second-ranked Novak Djokovic withdrew - 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.
AUTO RACING=
LOUDON, N.H. (AP) - Brad Keselowski crashed the party at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, winning the pole for the first race in the 12-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
Keselowski broke Juan Pablo Montoya’s year-old record with a lap of 133.572 mph to earn the top starting spot Sunday. Clint Bowyer was second, followed by fellow Chase driver Tony Stewart(notes).
Keselowski is 26th in the standings.
HOCKEY=
PHOENIX (AP) - The city of Glendale says a prospective buyer of the NHL-owned Phoenix Coyotes, “in a show of good faith,” has deposited $25 million in an escrow account.
The figure is equal to the amount of city funds Glendale had deposited, at the NHL’s insistence, to cover potential losses for the coming season while a local buyer was sought. Glendale, in a news release Friday, said the buyer has asked for confidentiality because negotiations are ongoing, but there have been multiple reports the city has been in talks with Chicago investor Matthew Hulsizer.
SAILING=
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Dodge Morgan, who became the first American to sail solo around the globe without stopping - and did it in record time - has died of complications from cancer. He was 78.
Morgan, who died Tuesday in Boston, set a world record in 1986 when he Dallas Cowboys jersey
completed the solo sail in his 60-foot American Promise in 150 days, 1 hour, 6 minutes.
GOLF=
ATZENBRUGG, Austria (AP) - England’s John Parry shot a 5-under 67 in the Austrian Open to take the second-round lead at 8 under. U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell (68) was a stroke back along with Pelle Edberg (68) and Jose Manuel Lara (71).

Saints expect another test of run defense

METAIRIE, La. (AP)—Saints linebacker Scott Shanle(notes) contends that familiarity breeds a better run defense.

Based on New Orleans’ season-opening performance against Minnesota and star running back Adrian Peterson, Shanle might be on to something. Another test comes Monday night at San Francisco, where the Saints will try to contain Frank Gore(notes).

“When you look at the personnel we had coming back, we have a better understanding of nfl jersey
what we’re doing in this defense,” Shanle said. “What you’re seeing over the past year is a growing knowledge of where we’re supposed to be.”
Now in their second season under defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, and with most regulars back from last season, the Saints expect to have more success slowing down the NFL’s top rushers than they had last year. New Orleans ranked 21st in rushing defense in 2009, allowing 122 yards per game.
The Saints opened the season with eight returning starters on defense. Two of the new starters, linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar(notes) and safety Malcolm Jenkins(notes), were with the team last year. Only defensive end Alex Brown(notes) is new.
Peterson—who ran for 1,383 yards during the 2009 regular season and had 122 yards and three touchdowns against the Saints in the NFC title game—was held to 87 yards and no scores in New Orleans’ Week 1 14-9 win.
That encouraged Saints coach Sean Payton, who described himself as “anxious” to see how New Orleans front seven would respond not only to the loss of veteran linebacker Scott Fujita(notes) in free agency, but also the recent season-ending foot injury to expected starting linebacker Jonathan Casillas(notes).
“You’re anxious to play that first game to see where you’re at in a lot of areas … specifically, how were we going to hold up against the run,” Payton said.
It was “a good test if you see a team like Minnesota and Adrian Peterson that rushes the ball so well and this week will be another one,” the coach continued. “We’re seeing yet another elite running back. Those are big challenges, especially on the road where we’re going to have to tackle well. I thought we tackled very well last week. Here we are again and we’re going to get a very good test.”
Shanle wonders whether the Saints’ defensive front is in for a bigger challenge at Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
San Francisco than it faced against Minnesota. The Vikings, Shanle said, gave quarterback Brett Favre(notes) more opportunities to throw after the Saints had some early success slowing Peterson.
“(The 49ers are) more consistent running the ball,” Shanle said. “Any time you have a guy like Brett Favre at quarterback, if the run maybe doesn’t work one or two plays, you’re more likely to try to do something in the air. But San Fran has been a team that has made their money running the ball. Especially after (losing) last week, they want to come out and establish who they are. And their identity is being physical and trying to run the ball.”
Last season, Gore averaged nearly 5 yards per carry, finishing with 1,120 yards rushing. His longest run went for an 80-yard touchdown. The Saints, meanwhile, gave up their share of long runs in 2009. New Orleans yielded 11 rushes of 20 yards or more, including runs of 66, 67 and 68 yards.
The longest run the Saints allowed against Minnesota last week was a 14-yarder by Peterson.
“Last year I just think it was just a lot of misfits. It was miscommunication on those long runs,” Saints defensive tackle Remi Ayodele(notes) said. “It wasn’t that we were just getting dominated on the front. So what we’ve been working on this whole offseason is being on the same page.”
Saints defensive players would like to believe their run-stuffing performance against Minnesota was the beginning of a season-long trend, but said they know better than to get too comfortable after one solid performance.
“That was just one game,” Ayodele said. “It was easy to be up for last week. It was the opening game, everybody’s watching you and you got something to prove. This is a real test coming up, being on the road on Monday night.”
NOTES: LB Anthony Waters(notes) (hamstring) hasn’t practiced since the Minnesota Vikings jersey
game against Minnesota. Also missing practice were reserve LT Zach Strief(notes) (right knee) and RB Chris Ivory (left knee). … The Saints said the team’s Gulf Coast Renewal Fund has donated $500,000 to local charities responding to the BP oil spill.

Houllier to take charge at Aston Villa next week

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP)—Gerard Houllier will officially take over as Aston Villa manager after Saturday’s Premier League match against Bolton.
Houllier was hired by Villa last Wednesday on football jersey
a three-year deal, but was still under contract as the French Football Federation’s technical director and had not agreed to a departure date.
But Villa now expects Houllier to be in charge for the League Cup match against Bolton next Wednesday.
Speaking on French television Wednesday night, Houllier said that he will leave the FFF toward “the end of the week” and confirmed that he expects his first game in charge to be against Blackburn.
The FFF would not comment on whether it had agreed to release Houllier from his contract.
Kevin MacDonald, who has been Villa’s caretaker manager since the resignation of Martin O’Neill before the start of the season, will be in charge against Bolton. He will then return to his role as reserve-team coach but has said he is considering his options.
The 63-year-old Houllier returns to English football after a six-year absence. He managed Liverpool between 1998 and 2004, winning six trophies.
Houllier may also be hiring former France fitness coach Robert Duverne to his backroom staff. Duverne worked with Houllier when he won two successive titles with Lyon in 2006 and ’07.
“It’s true that we are in contact,” Houllier said. “I had him Dallas Cowboys jersey
two years at Lyon and he is competent.”
Duverne was at the heart of France’s World Cup fiasco when he clashed angrily with Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in training before angrily storming off the field.
CLUJ, Romania (AFP) - Romanian side CFR Cluj defeated Basel 2-1 in their Champions League clash on Wednesday despite having undergone a coaching change just two days earlier.
Sorin Cartu replaced Andrea Mandorlini on Monday but Cluj, who first played in the group stage two years ago, were unaffected by the behind-the-scenes drama as they raced into a 2-0 lead by the 12th minute.
Ionut Rada headed his team in front in the ninth minute, powerfully meeting an inswinging corner from the left.
Three minutes later, Juan Culio crossed for Lacina Traore to Minnesota Vikings jersey
head past goalkeeper Franco Costanza.
Basel, whose last Champions League group stage campaign ended with them reaching the last 16 in 2003, grabbed a lifeline in first-half injury time when Valentin Stocker headed past Nuno Claro from an Alexander Frei corner.

Bayern beats Roma 2-0 in Champions League opener

MUNICH, Germany (AP)—Late goals by Thomas Mueller and Miroslav Klose gave Bayern Munich a 2-0 win over AS Roma Wednesday to start their Champions League campaign.
Last season’s runners-up were clearly missing the creative impulses of nfl jersey
injured Arjen Robben and suspended Franck Ribery in a lackluster first half. But Bayern attacked continuously after the break before finally breaking through in the 79th minute with Mueller’s goal. Klose then put the game beyond doubt with his tally in the 83rd.
“That is our game. The fans need to realize that it takes time for us to make the opponents tired,” Bayern coach Louis van Gaal said. “It’s not always fantastic, just passing the ball around. But that’s how you beat a defensive team.”
The game started with very few highlights as Bayern could not find its way through Roma’s defense. The Italians hardly ventured forward offensively in the first 40 minutes but had the first serious chance of the game five minutes from the break. Aleandro Rosi’s cross into the middle found Marco Boriello, whose deflection attempt forced a strong save by Bayern keeper Hans Joerg Butt.
“We want to offer our fans attractive football,” Van Gaal said. “And it’s more difficult to attack than defend. You need to be creative. And then we play a game like that without Robben and Ribery and I can only say ‘great.”’
Ribery was serving the last game of his three-match suspension for getting sent off in last season’s semifinal.
Bayern fans sent their team into the locker room with whistles of Indianapolis Colts jersey
dissatisfaction and the hosts came out more aggressive in the second half.
Ivica Olic’s shot was wide at the 53-minute mark before Roma keeper Julio Sergio made a fine save against Toni Kroos two minutes later and stopped Mueller in the 56th.
Looking for the final touch up front, Bayern coach Louis van Gaal brought on forwards Klose and Mario Gomez with 22 minutes remaining. And the Germans remained in control though Kroos’ shot went wide right in the 70th minute and Klose struck wide left four minutes later.
Bastian Schweinsteiger was the next Bayern player to narrowly miss in the 76th with a hard blast before Klose’s header hit the left post with 12 minutes to play.
Mueller finally broke through in the 79th minute with a superb volley into the far left corner after a headed pass from Daniel van Buyten for his fourth Champions League goal.
“In the first half it was really difficult for us because they stood really defensive,” Mueller said. “We moved the ball around a lot and made them tired that way. We just had to remain patient.”
Munich nearly gave up a counter attack goal just two minutes later but Butt fended away Borriello’s one-on-one attempt.
And Klose then doubled Bayern’s lead in the 83rd minute, poking home a Minnesota Vikings jersey
free kick by Holger Badstuber with a volley in front of Sergio.
Bayern’s second match in Group E is at Basel on Sept. 28 while Roma hosts Romanian club Cluj.

Patriots still strong despite preseason forecasts

The New England Patriots ended last season badly - Tom Brady with a mediocre stretch of games, Wes Welker with a knee injury and the Baltimore Ravens with a lopsided first-round playoff win over Bill Belichick's team.
The New York Jets reached the AFC title game, then grabbed the nfl jersey
offseason spotlight by adding big-name veterans, making ''Hard Knocks'' must-see TV and signing, after a long holdout, the only player who coach Rex Ryan says can cover Randy Moss, Darrelle Revis.
Then this season's games began.
Patriots 38, Bengals 24.
Ravens 10, Jets 9.
So the national sports magazine that had New York quarterback Mark Sanchez on the cover when it picked his team to win the division over New England put Brady there this week for the 12th time, with Moss by his side.
The Patriots are off to a good start in pursuit of their seventh AFC East title in eight years, but one game doesn't make a season. How these teams compare will be clearer Sunday when they meet at the New Meadowlands Stadium, where Revis will try to shut down Moss.
''I look forward to the matchup,'' Moss said. ''I have a lot of respect for Darrelle Revis. He's a young player who definitely matured faster than most young players do. I'll get the best from him. He'll get the best from me. The only thing I can say is, collectively as a team, hopefully we get the best of the Jets.''
Three-time Super Bowl champion New England dominated Cincinnati, another team that got offseason hype when it signed Terrell Owens to join Chad Ochocinco as a dangerous wide receiving duo who also happen to be reality TV stars.
''Hype doesn't come from us,'' Patriots running back Sammy Morris said. ''We're just focused on going and playing the game.''
Brady was sharp in the opener, completing 25 of 35 passes for 258 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions just three days after he was ''scared out of my mind'' but unhurt in a two-car crash. He wasn't sacked as the Patriots overcame the absence of two-time Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins, an unrestricted free agent who hasn't reported.
Welker had eight catches for 64 yards and two TDs less than eight months after surgery for a torn knee ligament. Moss, despite feeling unappreciated by his lack of a contract for 2011, had five receptions for 59 yards before voicing his concerns at a postgame news conference.
Add in touchdowns on interception and Minnesota Vikings jersey
kickoff returns and the dominance was thorough.
''We put it all together,'' nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. ''We were flying around. There were times when it was like we were on another planet.''
Now they're back down to earth, where Belichick likes it.
''I don't think there's anything that carries over into the next game, per se,'' he said. ''It doesn't really matter how you did last week or who you did it against. It's different people. It's a different scheme. It's different the next time you do it. You have to prove it every week in this league. Last week doesn't mean anything.''
The Jets hope he's right.
Against the Ravens last Monday night, they gained just 176 yards with six first downs and no touchdowns. Sanchez threw for 74 yards.
Brady has said he ''hates'' the Jets and wouldn't watch ''Hard Knocks.'' On Sunday, he'll get a closeup view of the defense that was ranked first in the NFL last year.
New England's defense is rebuilding with speed and athleticism. Only four defenders who started the 33-14 playoff loss to Baltimore started against Cincinnati. The first-string cornerbacks are rookie Devin McCourty and second-year pro Darius Butler. And two reliable veteran starters, defensive end Ty Warren and cornerback Leigh Bodden, are out for the season.
''We wanted to contain them and limit the big plays,'' Butler said of the Bengals. ''You can be more aggressive and take your shot because even if you miss your tackle, there's three or four more guys coming to back you up, so it gives you more confidence when you have speed out there.''
The defense lost four mainstays before last season - Tedy Bruschi and Rodney Harrison to retirement and Richard Seymour and Mike Vrabel in trades. The current Patriots have just eight players from their last championship team that won the Super Bowl after the 2004 season.
While television viewers' eyes were on the Jets training camp and their ears on Ryan's salty language, the tightlipped Belichick kept the Patriots out of the spotlight.
''Who knows what's right or wrong?'' Brady said. ''Our style has worked for us and that's what's most important. We're not trying to be the Jets and they're not trying to be the Patriots.''
Those two styles will clash on Sunday - a loudmouthed team whose coach talks about winning the Super Bowl and a quiet club that focuses on the next game, not the next title.
''As a team, I can honestly tell you we're Indianapolis Colts jersey
not riding high,'' Moss said. ''The Jets were the Super Bowl favorites to whoever's eyes and we respected that. And I think that the only motivation that you can have as a player or coach is to go out here and just work harder every day.''

Cowboys coordinator takes blame for botched play

Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is taking the blame for trying an ill-fated play at the end of the first half against Washington instead of having Tony Romo take a knee.
''I called the play,'' Garrett said Wednesday. ''It's my fault.''
Garrett called for a Hail Mary when Dallas was at its own 46-yard line with 4 seconds left and trailing 3-0. Before the snap, a penalty pushed the Cowboys back 10 yards. Romo ended up shoveling the ball to running back Tashard Choice. He fumbled and the Redskins returned it for nfl jerseys
their only touchdown in a 13-7 victory.
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said Monday he was ultimately to blame because he could've overruled Garrett. The offensive coordinator realizes he should've done it on his own.
''In hindsight, it should have been called off. Absolutely,'' Garrett said. ''We've had an aggressive style here, really throughout our football team and on the offensive side of the ball, for the last three years and it's served us well. Having said that, you have to manage situations better.
''That was a situation where we should have just taken a knee and should have gone into the locker room.''
The play loomed so big because Garrett's offense Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
cored only one touchdown, despite producing 380 yards. It's a problem they had last season, too.
''You look at our third downs, we got into some third-and-12s, third-and-13s, -14s, -15s that were all on drives after penalties,'' Garrett said. ''You have to be able to sustain your concentration and focus throughout a drive. Obviously making some big plays and having some of the drives be shorter (would) help too, but we'll continue to address it individually and collectively and make sure we get that right going forward.''
Things could change Sunday, at home against Chicago, because Dallas may have right tackle Marc Colombo and left guard Kyle Kosier back in the lineup. Both missed the opener, but practiced Wednesday.
Colombo's return would mean sitting Alex Barron, whose three holding penalties included one on the final play that wiped out a potential game-winning touchdown catch by Roy Williams.
''We emphasize the importance of Indianapolis Colts jersey
working hard each and every day in meetings and practice and rectifying some of the things that have gone wrong and going forward,'' Garrett said. ''The Bears are going to be here on Sunday. It's going to be a great challenge for us.''