How to treat people and winning up a Storm

Let’s start with a bit of a digression.

Someone asked in the comments yesterday what I thought about the Ines Sainz incident, where the TV Azteca reporter from Mexico was reportedly harassed in the New York Jets locker room after a game.

The context was how female reporters are treated in the NBA and whether I’d witnessed anything like that in my years.

Generally speaking, the NBA is well ahead of the curve in its treatment of female reporters, of which there are quite a few. There have been isolated incidents – I remember Chris Gatling being fined $10,000 for some in appropriate comments to a Raptors game-night volunteer years ago – and I’m sure there are more immature boors out there hiding.

But that’s a rare exception in my personal history. The locker room is a workplace, for the athletes and for us. There are specific times we are allowed in and players know to treat us with respect and let us do our jobs. An overwhelming majority of them do.

Women in the locker room of pro sports teams is a simple fact of life – the same as it is men in the locker room of, say, WNBA teams, which have much the same media guidelines as the NBA.

There are idiots who will go out of their way to show their immaturity forever; they are a small minority, they need to be slapped down financially by the leagues they play for and they need to be called out for being the Neanderthals that they are.

Now, on an entire aside, I understand some screaming radio talking head at the FAN590 here in Toronto (some dude named Krystal or somesuch who to this point is an entire non-entity in the business here) tried to make his bones – weakly – by disrespecting a colleague of mine of this issue yesterday morning.

A punk move by guy who shows what’s entirely wrong with all-talk radio and a kid who gives that industry a worse name than it already has. But what else should I expect, right? Guy won’t have a normal discussion of an important issue because he’s too afraid. And it doesn’t make it about him.

Anyway …

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Erick Dampier was waived by the Charlotte Bobcats yesterday to get them under the tax level (no surprise there, it’s a move that’s been coming for a couple of months) and I think only one questioner asked whether he’d be a good fit here.

I don’t know what it is – maybe the time of year, maybe the realization that this isn’t a particularly good team on paper right at the moment – but this quasi-fascination with every player released, cut, waived, what have you, is quite interesting.

Dampier is not an upgrade of any significance over what they have, he’s a big and slow on a team that wants to be big and quick and multi-dimensional. A horrible fit, actually, who’d do nothing substantial to improve the team.

It’s my opinion that, having failed to do anything huge in the last month (and not for the lack of trying) that Bryan needs to sit back and wait and see how the first few weeks of the season goes before doing anything of substance.

And looking at anyone waived or cut or whatever at this point of the summer is not anything of substance.

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How ‘bout my Storm? Three point winners over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday and now one win away from the WNBA title, up 2-0 in the best-of-five series.

Do I know how to pick ‘em or what?

Let’s do this really quickly from the mail:

Q: Hi Doug. Now that the worlds are over do what benefits do you see to the Raptors now that Jay can add World Championship Coach to his resume?

Dave M, Puslinch

A: The tangible ones will be in the technical knowledge he picked up being around a great staff and watching so many other good coaches work. As he told me for a story I did in Istanbul, there are sure to be sets and defences and the like that he saw in the tournament that he will use with the Raptors this season.

(Oh, I can hear the groans now, ‘great, he’s going to bring that Euro crap over here even more. What a dope, why don’t they fire him and get a “real” coach in here. And while they’re at it, why don’t they fire Colangelo, too; and Maurizio; and anyone who’s ever been off the continent!’)

The intangibles are that he has to be feeling a sense of accomplishment, a sense of confidence that could very well translate into the one thing he needed to improve on, self-admittedly: Becoming more involved on a personal level with the players.

There was no bad, none, in Jay doing that summer gig.

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Oh, mail call.

Click. Send. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

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Really, there has to be a better way to spend $150 than this, right?

Like some Old Beat Grunt Charitable Organization?

Buying food for a food bank?

Throwing it in the garbage?

Seriously, paying money to try out for a D League team seems, to me at least, the last thing you’d want to do.

Wonder how many saps, er, great basketball players who just need to be seen, that they’ll get to this.

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Comments

[John]

Comon people... I wasn't there obviously, but tight jeans and a push up bra?? That is baiting?? If she was in her bra and panties I could understand. I see girls in tight jeans everyday, it doesn't mean that I have a duty to harass them.

The player's have all the privacy they want when they go home. They are still in an NBA facility when they are being interviewed. It's part of the gig, get over it. Unless her questions were, "How does my chest look in this shirt?", they should keep the comments basketball related.

[John]

*NFL facility, and *football related, sorry

[pk]

Sorry Doug, can you just explain a bit more?
Is Dampier getting paid by Bobcats right now? (but the money is not counted towards the salary cap thus avoiding the luxury tax)

Blogger's note: As far as I understand it, there was a clause in the contract that allowed him to be waived and with only a minor amount counting towards the cap/tax.

[jc]

Hi Doug,
From what I see, some in sports media are unlikely to share their opinion on others in the same field but i applaud your assessment which is justly offered. Not sure what market research The Fan has done, but handing the 9:00 shift to someone who just seems to complain for the sake of complaining can't be good for their sports focused audience. I am certainly inclined to stop listening.

[AC]

Hey doug... having a bad day?

Blogger's note: Not at all, actually.

[Warren Z]

Wow Steph.

It's like rapists who use the defence "hey, she was askin' for it."

[Geoff Read]

Hi Rob V,

The relevant passages in the (Canadian admittedly) labour code on sexual harassment are as follows:

247.1 In this Division, "sexual harassment" means any conduct, comment, gesture or contact of a sexual nature

(a) that is likely to cause offence or humiliation to any employee; or

(b) that might, on reasonable grounds, be perceived by that employee as placing a condition of a sexual nature on employment or on any opportunity for training or promotion.

247.2 Every employee is entitled to employment free of sexual harassment.

247.3 Every employer shall make every reasonable effort to ensure that no employee is subjected to sexual harassment.

... now it seems to me that the behaviour that the NY Jets allegedly engaged in could reasonably be expected to "cause offence or humiliation" to Ines Sainz. The locker room is her place of work as it is the players - she is "entitled to employment free of sexual harassment."

I don't know what the law says in NY state, but I would assume it's something similar. Note that she does not have to feel either "threatened" or "endangered" for the behaviour to qualify as sexual harassment.

[Steph]

For those that have trouble reading, what I said was "could be construed as baiting". I did not day it was, and I would not support this argument. But you could be sure that some lawyer would use “baiting” as a defence as it has been used many times on both sides of the law to try and make or break a case.
..
Doug, there are different policies between the NFL and the NBA as far as reporters access to the locker room right? I remember hearing you state a few times that Bosh was always very slow coming out of the locker room because he always wanted to be at his best for an interview. If my assumption is correct, just how can you correlate the event from the NFL to the NBA? The NBA’s policy clearly provides for a better gender neutral work environment.
..
As head of the writers association, where do you stand on the locker room issue? Where do the many female journalists stand regarding this issue? I would expect they would want to have the same access, but would likely prefer waiting for the players to be ready as opposed to going in and being put in an uncomfortable environment. Now turn the table around, just how comfortable would you be?

Blogger's note: As president of the PBWA, I demand equal access for all. And there is 10-minute cooling off period after every game and every single arena I have ever been in has a back room that has no media access where players can dress in private. The vast majority to.

[Geoff Read]

Hi,

I also think people need to realize that she picture from teh Star does not show the reporter in what she was wearing when she conducted the interview....

Blogger's note: Who cares? That's not the issue. No one doing his or her job in the proper confines of a professional environment should ever, ever, ever be subjected to harrassing behaviour. I don't care a whit what anyone was "wearing" it has NOTHING to do with the issue.

[The J]

Hmm... I can't help but wonder if both weren't in the wrong. What she wore, while not completely crossing a line, wasn't completely appropriate work attire. And before you tell me it was just a tight blouse, push-up bra and skin tight jeans, don't forget that the NFL (and NBA) mandates that their players wear a suit and tie. I'm sure most other reporters were wearing something closer to what players have to wear, so why not her. And let's not forget that she was a former Ms. Spain, who referst to her self as the "sexiest sports reporter" was probably using her attraction as her main asset.
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But Like I said both were in the wrong. Just because she is attractive, and just because her outfit was emphasizing this fact doesn't mean the players shouldn't be expected to be professional. If they had an issue with her outfit they could have complained to the Jets or the league, so it doesn't slightly excuse sexual harassment as "she was asking for it". I mean, if Doug walked into a WNBA locker room wearing a tight shirt and tighter jeans, as hard as it would be for them to resist, the women wouldn't yell cat calls at him.

[M]

"When did becoming an athlete mean you loose all rights to privacy"
Maybe when they started trying to "brand" themselves with some kind of celebrity status.

[Ryan]

Man walks into women's changeroom, he's fined.

Woman walks into men's changeroom, he's fined.

What gives?

[Don M]

Interviews should never be allowed in the locker room in the first place. Conduct them outside the locker room after an athlete has finished dressing. This is just common sense! I would not appreciate a female reporter coming into my dressing room. That is to be used only for showers and changing into street clothes.

[Jerry]

The locker room is a place of work. I am sure that if any of us made inappropriate comments to a woman at our place of work, no matter how she was dressed , we would be quickly dealt with, and rightly so. Why should it be different for a professional sports player?

[Rob.V]

@ Steph - I "dont" disagree with you regarding a certain amount of privacy. Although I do not think her jeans and top should ever be considerd "baiting", I also agree with you and "disagree" with Doug. Common sense says to dress a litle more appropriately for work. I cannot believe that there isn't an element of: I need to look good for the boys dressing like that 9but thats a moot point really)... it's not her fault they are IDIOTS!!!

@ Steph - All I'm saying is that this is all T.B.D. To imply that there was "sexual" harrassment one would have to have been there to see and hear it for themselves. A) and B) are fine, but she wasn't even aware of an A or B herself so I'm going to hold my judgement until more facts are revealed.

Good conversation today.

[Geoff Read]

Hi Doug,

I agree with your "blogger's note" wholeheartedly that it doesn't matter what she was wearing.

Rob V - of course, you're right that none of us were there and we should keep an open mind etc. That said, if we can assume that the information that has come out that the players made catcalls or sexually suggestive comments or whatever, that in itself would constitute sexual harassment.

[LX]

I heard Greg Brady on the Fan mocking Mary Ormsby. Some kind of trend? Too bad.

Blogger's note: If he did, after the fact, with nothing to add, he's a punk, too

[Penguin]

Have to add myself to the other comments who crapped on Krystal. I enjoy the Fan, but cannot listen to him.

[doug]

I could say so much on this Ines issue..but why bother, I might as well beat my head against the wall, it would be more pleasurable, but I will say this....sometinmes I like to think we have progressed as a society or are progressing, or even just a little more tolerant or enlightened...then i read some of these responses and just shake my head, as they are serious points of views from others...just mind-boggling

Plus i am tired of this argument that it's just schtick, it's all innocent...to a lot of people yes, but tolerance, acceptance, a willingness to compromise and live together despite our differences is eroding...and it has to stop, and to me the Rush Limbaugh's, the Becks and the Krystal's of this world are as much to blame as anyone....all for the sake of ratings, what about the hate, anger, unwillingness to conduct a "intelligent" conversation, or exchange of ideas...were not a tolerant society, and hate and anger everywhere is palpable...sorry for the rant, for that reporter did nothing wrong, not one thing....if you think a woman no matter her appearance needs to hide it just to appease the immature, ignorant one's in the locker room..then that's just wrong...also Rex Ryan needs to take some blame, he has created a culture in the Jets locker-rrom, of immaturity, macho guy , good old boy nonsense...do you think this would have happened in a Tom landry dressing room??..or Bill Cowher....not at all, here's a excellent article about the culture of Rex...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/news/story?page=howard/100915

guess i did have a bit to say but I am tired of this intolerant society and the culture of hate that just seems to be proliferating, it needs to stop... ....a load of crap...

[DougG]

The Fan 590 must have entered a contest with AM 640 to see who can employ the most right-wing nut jobs in radio. However, they have a long way to go. 640 should change their name to Fox News North or the Ford station.

[mikelovesraptors]

Nice Doug....For those who don't know, it was Mary Ormbsy..a real class act...I cannot believe Stephen Brunt went on Krystal show today. They are all buds from Bobcat show...i am waiting for Bob to blast this pile of crap back to Halifax...just take the Brady Bunch with him...are you still allowed on the FAN?

And the Eric D. things is cause we NEED a bigman, inorder to put Bargs at the 4. And dont tell me Amir...cause he is too darn short. GREAT as always DOUGIE!

[M]

I'm amazed at how some people like Ryan always want to blame others for their moral lapses. Like the rich guy walking down the street wearing a Rolex and an expensive suit is " asking" to be mugged, or the store with a fancy item in the window is "asking" to be robbed. The poles must have moved because our moral compass is seriously askew.

[Aditya]

There was no bad, none, in Jay doing that summer gig.
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Jay's gonna be fatigued 40 games into the season...count on it.... gonna ask for his release next......

[Lorie]

Hi Doug,
Do you know if Mary Ormsby will be offering her thoughts on the Inez Sainz-NY Jets events in the paper or online at any point? Still very much interested in what she has to say on this issue. And thanks for speaking up, speaking out, and as always providing a forum for our exchange of opinions here. We sure don't always agree, (especially today) but here on your blog (unlike certain radio programs) we are able to read, think and comment fully and without interruption. The world could use more of this kind of civility and respect. And, commenter "@doug", I apologize for once referring to you on this blog as a "cranky old guy"...even though you may well be one, your comments are always worth reading and those today, especially so. It is incredibly discouraging to me, too, that we continue to fight many of the same old battles: different adversaries perhaps, but sadly the issues remain unchanged.

[Mr. Cook]

I apologize for the length.

This notion that a female reporter cannot dress as she pleases and not be harassed while working is, to put it frankly, insane. It speaks to a larger issue, which I will get into momentarily, but for now just think about it: A woman cannot just go to work and not be harassed because she chooses a certain style of clothing? Really? And that's okay? No. No, it's not. There's no qualifications for it, no scenarios that we need to be open minded about, no contrasting it against entirely implausible and fictitious scenarios of men doing the same thing. It's all unacceptable. You absolutely, without any reservations, should not be harassed at work for any reason, ever.

First, take a look at the commentary we've had so far on this blog. There is what appears to be 'legitimate' discussion ongoing about the merits of mitigating factors in making a decision about this event. This is the 'larger issue' problem. It is normalized that a woman's behaviour or attire is influential on her being victimized. That somehow the inappropriate advances of another person are reliant upon some magical invitation that comes from denim leg-covers. And that, Raptors fans (what, Raptors?), is a major problem. And the major problem I'm referring to isn't the specific event that happened--because that's so beyond the pale it seems obvious--but rather that this topic is up for discussion. That's crazy. A woman is harassed at work and we get all of 3 comments into the discussion and someone suggests it might be partially her fault.

It means that ludicrous ideas like "well if a man went into a woman's locker room dressed highly sexualized it would be..." become confused with legitimate reasoning. Here's the difference between the two scenarios: We have lived forever and continue to live to some extent in a male-dominated, patriarchal society. A woman entering a men's lockeroom shouldn't matter at all, it should make no difference as to which sex does what, it should only matter that it is a reporter walking into a designated work area to do a professional job in association with other professionals. Forget anything else, it means nothing.