Players defend video; owners issue apology

Thursday, June 2, 2005 | 11:09 a.m.

SUN WIRE SERVICES

San Francisco 49ers owners John York and Denise DeBartolo York apologized Wednesday for a players' orientation video that contained racist and sexist material. At the same time, players defended the video's star and producer, team public relations director Kirk Reynolds.

"The video was offensive in every manner," the Yorks said in a statement. "We regret that anyone from our organization would produce such senseless, inexcusable behavior. ... Policies are being put in place to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again."

The training video showed Reynolds, posing as the mayor of San Francisco, cavorting with topless dancers when the topic of dealing with women in the locker room is broached, spoofing gay marriage, and talking with a man in Chinatown who spoke in an exaggerated accent while wearing glasses and buck teeth.

Players appeared more upset that the tape on how to deal with the media, which was shown to the team during training camp in August, reached the public. The tape was sent to the San Francisco Chronicle anonymously.

"It wasn't meant to harm anybody or be any kind of negative message at all. It was supposed to be an in-house thing," linebacker Julian Peterson said at the 49ers' Santa Clara facility, where the team gathered for an off-season practice.

"I know Kirk personally. I know he has not addressed anybody with racial slurs. I'm just so upset this got out of proportion like this."

Safety Tony Parrish said that events that take place in a locker room or on a football field are not always for public consumption.

"Is the video insensitive? Yes," Parrish said. "But what type of video is it? It's a public-relations video. 'How-not-to' type of video. It's the same type of sarcasm and satire that has (comedian) Dave Chappelle as the No. 1 show."

Reynolds resigned last Thursday, according to Sam Singer, a spokesman for the Yorks.

Mara, 88, had an operation three weeks ago to remove cancerous lymph nodes under his left arm and in his neck, said John K. Mara, one of his sons and the Giants' executive vice president.

The announcement came 10 months after the disclosure that another co-owner, Robert Tisch, had inoperable brain cancer. Tisch has been receiving treatment ever since, and team officials say he is doing well.

Birk underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn labrum in his right hip. Trainer Chuck Barta said Birk's recovery window is 60 to 90 days, which would get him back with time to spare before the Vikings open the regular season on Sept. 11.

This will be the fourth operation for Birk in the past year, with the other three repairing sports hernias.

Team president Bill Polian said he is reviewing what happened and will make an announcement on a punishment next week.

"Once we have marshaled all the facts, we will make our decision accordingly," Polian said. "By the middle to late part of next week, we hope to have all the facts and a decision about what discipline to impose."

Officers arrested Doss in Akron, Ohio, after estimating they heard five to six gunshots outside a city restaurant early Sunday.

Doss, 24, was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, discharging a firearm within city limits, inducing panic and obstructing official business.