Ines Sainz, a sports reporter for TV Azteca is claiming she was "embarrassed" while attending New York Jets practice last week. Her allegations include both inappropriate contact on the field and inappropriate language in the locker room

Witnesses claim that players and coaches were intentionally running drills in order to be near Sainz on the sidelines. In the locker room, Sainz tweeted that she was very uncomfortable because of the actions of the players.

The backlash of fans and some media immediately called out the New York Jets—most notably defensive tackle Kris Jenkins—for lewd behavior and sexual harassment.

The NFL has even started an official inquiry, investigating a number of the Jets—Jenkins, along with Mark Sanchez, Rex Ryan and defensive backs coach Dennis Thurman to see what, if any, wrongdoing was committed. Depending on what is decided, fines and suspensions could both be in play under the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Another faction quickly formed accusing the reporter of being inappropriately attired and having a penchant for flirting with players.

Pictures of both her outfit that day, as well as any more-sensual images reporters could Google, quickly found their way onto article after article. Worse yet were news websites like CBS who used bikini shots of the former Miss Spain to make their point.

Sadly, as information comes out, it seems as if neither side has much innocence to play around with.  

 

Ines Is No Saint

Personally, for those of us who have never met Ms. Sainz, none can say much about her personal life or the demeanor by which she conducts herself in private.

Professionally, the character she plays on TV is quite the trollop.

When Terrell Owens was having ankle trouble, he wouldn't talk to reporters, save Sainz who got the juicy exclusive from "behind the curtain." (Note: notice the blatant lewd behavior the male anchor is exhibiting in the video clip. Sainz flirting is one thing, but come on man)

Perhaps that clip tells more about Owens than Sainz. Who wouldn't go over and take the chance to ask an exclusive question to a superstar that is otherwise unavailable?

During the 2009 Super Bowl, Sainz hosted a "Strongest Right Arm" competition, and went around measuring players arms, making sure to smile toward the camera and wink a lot in the process.

The next year doesn't appear to be any different when she could be seen sitting on the shoulders of two of the Indianapolis Colts.

Mexican TV is a culture where sex, over humor, is considered quality entertainment. And Sainz is TV Azteca's Kenny Mayne. The role she plays on TV is one where her employers objectify her for fluff pieces.

Thanks to the popularity of Hard Knocks, this was supposed to be a simple interview with Mark Sanchez, who also has quite a Mexican following.

This time around, it appears Sainz may have been playing the straight man in this schtick as nothing in the interview seems rather titillating.

Even the camera work of the Sanchez interview seems different (at least the footage TV Azteca has shown). In an interview with Dani Alvez, one can see that the network is just fine putting Sainz' open blouse on film or her short shorts in an intro.

In similar interviews with Pedrito Rodriguez and Javier Hernandez, Sainz is never off camera and both attire and body language say "flirting in a bar" more than "conducting an interview."

This isn't blaming the victim, Sainz simply isn't one.

Her TV persona is based off of the premise that sex sells. NFL players are used to seeing her every winter at the Super Bowl, having her caress their strong arms, sit on their shoulders, and wink, smile, and nod for the camera—all while being dressed like she is playing, not working.

She isn't a journalist, she's an actress whose act has long involved flirting with professional athletes.

 

The New York Jets Shouldn't Get Off Scot-Free Though

Not so fast my friends.

Lest the more sensitive or feminist among the crowd think this is too hard on poor little miss Sainz. Kris Jenkins, and the rest of the Jets need to be admonished as well.

A witness reported that Jenkins yelled both, "Don't let her act like she doesn't know English. She speaks English." and "This is our locker room!"

Jenkins is roughly 30 shades of wrong in both quotes.

First, why was he shouting? Why was he angry?

Nothing on the back of the NFL press pass says anything about a veteran having say over the actions of the media.

As someone who's been to plenty of football media sessions, it is easy for a player to get his way in the locker room. If Brett Favre doesn't want to talk to the media, he gets a PR Department escort to guard his locker and does a quick press conference later. If a player doesn't like a certain reporter, that reporter doesn't get one-on-one with the athlete in question, PR people make sure of it.

So, why was Jenkins yelling?

Simple, he was chest beating—letting everyone, players, media, Sainz herself—know who the alpha male in the Jets locker room is. She can have her interview with the pretty boy quarterback, but Jenkins was going to make sure everyone knew exactly who the big dog is.

Is that harassment? 

No.

Is it really stupid?

Definitely.

Final word on Jenkins, it isn't your locker room. It is the New York Jets' locker room and you are their employee. That same employer has contractual obligations as a member in the NFL to let the media have a certain amount of access to the players.

Sainz was not in Jenkins' bedroom. She was in his place of employment, which incidentally, was also her place of employment at that moment. She has every right to be there as you do. Period. Chest beating about it is both idiotic and immature.

He might as well have urinated on the floor to mark his territory. It would have accomplished just as much—little more than making him look like an ass. 

 

Wait, Why are Girls in the Locker Room!?

This question is bound to come up, so it needs to be addressed.

Our culture has a double standard when it comes to reporting. Any credentialed female can stand with the herd in any locker room in the United States and avert her eyes as NFL players walk out of the shower and toward their locker. 

Most reporters give athletes the common courtesy of at least getting boxers on before an interview, but not always.

During one preseason game in 2007, I watched six reporters (mostly female) rush Tony Romo before he had even begun toweling off. He made them (rightfully) wait until he had pants on.

What was the urgent topic every single one of those reporters wanted to ask about?

His relationship with Carrie Underwood of course!

So, while a female reporter can stand next to a nearly naked Tony Romo and ask about his personal life, nude female athletes are squarely (again, rightfully) off limits to the male media.

So the argument that women shouldn't be in the locker room--at least while players are changing--is valid.

It gets even stranger when the woman in question isn't a familiar face and especially when she's an international sex symbol.

Personally, I see no problem if Nancy Gay (AOL Fanhouse), Judy Battista (New York Times), Cindy Boren (The Washington Post), or Lesley Visser (CBS) wants to enter the locker room. Yet, it is a slippery slope if Ines Sainz gets automatic entry.

Interviews can be done in the hallway just as easily (in fact, more easily) than in the locker room. Sanchez could have gotten ready and done the exact same interview 10-minutes later in a more appropriate locale.

At the very least, the Jets should have assigned a PR-lackey to Sainz knowing what had happened out at practice and that a stir was likely. Said lackey would have discouraged any inappropriate behavior from either side. 

 

One Parting Shot At The Coaching Staff

Guys, your players are immature.

They shouldn't be, Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith both spend plenty of time telling them to act professional, act like men. Interacting with the media—male and female—is part of that process of learning to hold yourselves to a higher standard.

The Jets didn't.

The Jets, save maybe Jenkins, didn't do anything egregiously wrong or stupid, they were just acting like fools around a pretty girl—something every man can admit to doing once or twice.

But it certainly wasn't professional, it was not a higher standard.

The coaching staff should have known, should have identified, and should have stopped the behavior. Instead, they seemed to encourage it and even joined in.

That isn't coaching, that isn't leading men, that is buffoonery. Much of this could have been stopped by running the drill another way and not letting Jason Taylor to join in, since it wasn't even his position group.

In the one defense of the Jets and their coaches, catching a pass and handing the ball to Sainz would've made a nice little bit of TV, either for TV Azteca or HBO. Perhaps practice being "entertainment" instead of work was a little too natural for the group.

The Final Verdict

The absolute answer on all of this will come soon enough from the NFL.

However, it is clear already that all parties seem to share somewhat equally in the matter at hand.

Already the NFL is planning some sensitivity classes for the Jets—classes that should probably extend to the entire NFL and on a yearly basis. Rookies are taught about dealing with the media coming it, but veterans need to be reminded as well.

Jets owner, Woody Johnson has also called to apologize to Sainz, and it would not be surprising to see Jenkins do so as well, either voluntarily or as a prerequisite for avoiding a large fine.

On the other side of the aisle, it will be interesting come February when Sainz will, no doubt, be in Dallas to cover the Super Bowl.

Will she be in a jacket and modest skirt?

Or will she be poured into jeans and carrying her trusty tape measure?

If she wants to move past this incident and be seen as an actual journalist, she (and her television station) should make sure it is the former instead of the latter.

 

Michael Schottey is the Managing Editor of the College Writing Internship at Bleacher Report and a NFL Featured Columnist. Mike is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a credentialed member of the NFL media. Follow Mike on Twitter