San Fran. 49ers Team Training Tape Scandal

Bo · 06-02-2005, 11:07 AM

49ers' PR Director Apologizes for Video

By JANIE McCAULEY

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Kirk Reynolds made just the kind of offensive guffaw he'd preached to the 49ers players about avoiding. San Francisco's well-liked public relations director is suddenly on his way out of the organization after producing a controversial in-house video meant to prepare players for dealing with the media.

It showed them exactly what not to do, all right.

The 15-minute film leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle features racist jokes, lesbian soft-porn and topless blondes - and even a scene of Reynolds impersonating San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom in the mayor's office.

Reynolds called it a ``terrible mistake.''

``I'm more sorry than anybody,'' he said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. ``My intention was to deliver a message important to our team. Certainly the execution and my decision-making were way out of line. I deeply regret it.''

Reynolds said he made the video to coach players on handling media questions in diverse San Francisco - and never meant it for public consumption.

The video was shown to players last August during training camp in Santa Clara, where it was part of a diversity workshop.

``I certainly offended people and I never intended to offend anybody,'' Reynolds said. ``Anybody who knows me, that's not a reflection of who I am. I did something for a certain audience that got out of hand. ... It was contradictory to my values and beliefs and contradictory to the team's values. I completely apologize to anybody who was offended.''

The mayor and the city's gay leaders are among those furious with the video - and Reynolds knows the anger probably stretches across the country.

The team's owners are embarrassed. The Chronicle published an image showing Reynolds with the half-naked women under a screaming headline Wednesday.

General manager Terry Donahue showed a snippet to team owner John York in January, just one day before he was fired, and sent a copy to York at York's request in March. Team lawyer Ed Goines got the tape about three weeks ago, the Chronicle reported.

Team owners Denise and John York on Wednesday called the video offensive, inexcusable and ``absolutely contradictory to the ideals and values of the San Francisco 49ers.''

``Ostensibly, the video was created to raise player awareness about how to deal with the media and to demonstrate by example how poor conduct can unintentionally make news,'' the Yorks' statement said. ``Unfortunately, this video is an example in itself.''

An NFL statement supported the Yorks' viewpoint.

``We share their view that the video was inappropriate, offensive in every respect, and of no value whatsoever,'' the league said. ``It does not reflect the 49ers' values and traditions or those of the league and its member clubs.''

The Yorks didn't address Reynolds' future. Reynolds said he told the team recently he planned to ``depart before training camp'' to explore other interests, and said this incident would likely speed up the process.

``I'm focusing on dealing with the issue and what I've created,'' Reynolds said. ``I'm going to stand up to what I've done.''

Goines said in a statement that the team's executives never reviewed or approved of the video, and has since issued ``appropriate discipline to the person or persons responsible.''

Reynolds opens the film sitting behind the mayor's desk, then goes to Chinatown, where a 49ers team consultant uses racial slurs about the Chinese community. Next comes a topless, lesbian wedding filmed at a strip club and officiated by Reynolds, again impersonating the mayor.

``I know the courts say we can't do this,'' Reynolds says before the happy couple engages in heavy petting. ``We make our own rules here in San Francisco.''

Reynolds then goes to SBC Park, where acting as ``mayor'' he throws out the opening pitch, then takes a bribe from the catcher, who thanks him for supporting ``hookers and booze.''

``You do something controversial, you say something controversial, it will have an impact on this team. So remember, be mindful of your actions,'' Reynolds says, wearing only a towel before joining three topless blondes for a group hug in a strip club's dressing room.

Newsom - shown the tape by the Chronicle - was not amused.

``It wasn't right to do it to the Asian community, particularly the Chinese community. It was wrong to do it to the gay and lesbian community. It was wrong to exploit women as they were exploited in this video,'' the mayor told Fox affiliate KTVU. ``The video is reprehensible.''

Coach Mike Nolan, left to face the media Wednesday at the 49ers' practice facility, stressed that the video reflected decisions made by an old ``regime,'' and that York has since put the team in the right direction.

``I will say this: We do a lot of the sensitivity training, and we do it in the right manner. This is an example of how you do not do it,'' said Nolan, who was hired in January. ``That's not what the 49ers will be about.''

06/02/05 03:33

Credit: AP

**BCWWF** · 06-02-2005, 12:27 PM

It must have been a lot worse then those discriptions make it sound. I want to know how lesbian porn fits in there also.

**RoXer** · 06-02-2005, 01:55 PM

This movie sounds interesting. It definitly sounds better then The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

**The Outlaw** · 06-02-2005, 06:39 PM

ROFL yeah just saw this

**BCWWF** · 06-02-2005, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joey RoXer

This movie sounds interesting. It definitly sounds better then The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Lol, YES! I heard the ad going on in the background so I looked up expecting it to be a movie about some hot chix who share some pants or something, but no. No Hilary Duff, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Baines, Mandy Moore, or any other such female and a movie like that fails.

Now back to the topic.

**Gonzo** · 06-02-2005, 09:27 PM

I can imagine things of this nature go on all the time. Now of course not something specifically like this but stupid shit teams do that goes unnoticed or undiscovered. Its Pro sports, doesn't shock me at all.

**DegenerationY** · 06-02-2005, 11:48 PM

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...sclaimer01.DTL

That's the link to scenes from the video. A bit distasteful, but not all that bad IMO...

**BCWWF** · 06-03-2005, 12:50 AM

Damn, I need to use my mac more often

**The Outlaw** · 06-03-2005, 05:41 PM

LOL

**Gonzo** · 06-03-2005, 07:37 PM

Haha wow. Who the fuck does that? Its nothing I find offensive but I can see where some people would be pissed. That is funny as hell.

RP · 06-09-2005, 07:50 AM

Yah i'm not sure what everyone is so pissed about. Its tame compared to what actually happens with players and they're night life.

Sometimes media just needs something to bitch about. This wasnt even suppose to be seen by anyone. Its just a tape which has a point. The way it expresses that point is by actually showing what happens to some players when they are too permiscuous in there night life. Instead of showing the sugar coated, finger waving version everyone else shows.

Why are people so fucking stupid.

**YOUR Hero** · 06-09-2005, 06:53 PM

Joe Montana signed my balls.

RP · 06-09-2005, 09:35 PM

You have balls Your Hero. I like your balls.

06-02-2005, 11:07 AM	#1
Bo Bo Knows Posts: 2,786	San Fran. 49ers Team Training Tape Scandal 49ers' PR Director Apologizes for Video By JANIE McCAULEY SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Kirk Reynolds made just the kind of offensive guffaw he'd preached to the 49ers players about avoiding. San Francisco's well-liked public relations director is suddenly on his way out of the organization after producing a controversial in-house video meant to prepare players for dealing with the media. It showed them exactly what not to do, all right. The 15-minute film leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle features racist jokes, lesbian soft-porn and topless blondes - and even a scene of Reynolds impersonating San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom in the mayor's office. Reynolds called it a ``terrible mistake.'' ``I'm more sorry than anybody,'' he said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. ``My intention was to deliver a message important to our team. Certainly the execution and my decision-making were way out of line. I deeply regret it.'' Reynolds said he made the video to coach players on handling media questions in diverse San Francisco - and never meant it for public consumption. The video was shown to players last August during training camp in Santa Clara, where it was part of a diversity workshop. ``I certainly offended people and I never intended to offend anybody,'' Reynolds said. ``Anybody who knows me, that's not a reflection of who I am. I did something for a certain audience that got out of hand. ... It was contradictory to my values and beliefs and contradictory to the team's values. I completely apologize to anybody who was offended.'' The mayor and the city's gay leaders are among those furious with the video - and Reynolds knows the anger probably stretches across the country. The team's owners are embarrassed. The Chronicle published an image showing Reynolds with the half-naked women under a screaming headline Wednesday. General manager Terry Donahue showed a snippet to team owner John York in January, just one day before he was fired, and sent a copy to York at York's request in March. Team lawyer Ed Goines got the tape about three weeks ago, the Chronicle reported. Team owners Denise and John York on Wednesday called the video offensive, inexcusable and ``absolutely contradictory to the ideals and values of the San Francisco 49ers.'' ``Ostensibly, the video was created to raise player awareness about how to deal with the media and to demonstrate by example how poor conduct can unintentionally make news,'' the Yorks' statement said. ``Unfortunately, this video is an example in itself.'' An NFL statement supported the Yorks' viewpoint. ``We share their view that the video was inappropriate, offensive in every respect, and of no value whatsoever,'' the league said. ``It does not reflect the 49ers' values and traditions or those of the league and its member clubs.'' The Yorks didn't address Reynolds' future. Reynolds said he told the team recently he planned to ``depart before training camp'' to explore other interests, and said this incident would likely speed up the process. ``I'm focusing on dealing with the issue and what I've created,'' Reynolds said. ``I'm going to stand up to what I've done.'' Goines said in a statement that the team's executives never reviewed or approved of the video, and has since issued ``appropriate discipline to the person or persons responsible.'' Reynolds opens the film sitting behind the mayor's desk, then goes to Chinatown, where a 49ers team consultant uses racial slurs about the Chinese community. Next comes a topless, lesbian wedding filmed at a strip club and officiated by Reynolds, again impersonating the mayor. ``I know the courts say we can't do this,'' Reynolds says before the happy couple engages in heavy petting. ``We make our own rules here in San Francisco.'' Reynolds then goes to SBC Park, where acting as ``mayor'' he throws out the opening pitch, then takes a bribe from the catcher, who thanks him for supporting ``hookers and booze.'' ``You do something controversial, you say something controversial, it will have an impact on this team. So remember, be mindful of your actions,'' Reynolds says, wearing only a towel before joining three topless blondes for a group hug in a strip club's dressing room. Newsom - shown the tape by the Chronicle - was not amused. ``It wasn't right to do it to the Asian community, particularly the Chinese community. It was wrong to do it to the gay and lesbian community. It was wrong to exploit women as they were exploited in this video,'' the mayor told Fox affiliate KTVU. ``The video is reprehensible.'' Coach Mike Nolan, left to face the media Wednesday at the 49ers' practice facility, stressed that the video reflected decisions made by an old ``regime,'' and that York has since put the team in the right direction. ``I will say this: We do a lot of the sensitivity training, and we do it in the right manner. This is an example of how you do not do it,'' said Nolan, who was hired in January. ``That's not what the 49ers will be about.'' 06/02/05 03:33 Credit: AP

06-02-2005, 12:27 PM	#2
BCWWF The People's Member Posts: 18,092	It must have been a lot worse then those discriptions make it sound. I want to know how lesbian porn fits in there also.

06-02-2005, 01:55 PM	#3
RoXer History's Greatest, Mr. E Posts: 42,425	This movie sounds interesting. It definitly sounds better then The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

06-02-2005, 06:39 PM	#4
The Outlaw Unofficial Legend Posts: 11,931	ROFL yeah just saw this

06-02-2005, 09:27 PM	#6
Gonzo feel the madness Posts: 11,360	I can imagine things of this nature go on all the time. Now of course not something specifically like this but stupid shit teams do that goes unnoticed or undiscovered. Its Pro sports, doesn't shock me at all.

06-02-2005, 11:48 PM	#7
DegenerationY WARRIORS Posts: 9,414	http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...sclaimer01.DTL That's the link to scenes from the video. A bit distasteful, but not all that bad IMO...

06-03-2005, 12:50 AM	#8
BCWWF The People's Member Posts: 18,092	Damn, I need to use my mac more often

06-03-2005, 05:41 PM	#9
The Outlaw Unofficial Legend Posts: 11,931	LOL

06-03-2005, 07:37 PM	#10
Gonzo feel the madness Posts: 11,360	Haha wow. Who the fuck does that? Its nothing I find offensive but I can see where some people would be pissed. That is funny as hell.

06-09-2005, 07:50 AM	#11
RP King of Love and Piss Posts: 62,991	Yah i'm not sure what everyone is so pissed about. Its tame compared to what actually happens with players and they're night life. Sometimes media just needs something to bitch about. This wasnt even suppose to be seen by anyone. Its just a tape which has a point. The way it expresses that point is by actually showing what happens to some players when they are too permiscuous in there night life. Instead of showing the sugar coated, finger waving version everyone else shows. Why are people so fucking stupid.

06-09-2005, 06:53 PM	#12
YOUR Hero Adminstigator Posts: 102,491	Joe Montana signed my balls.

06-09-2005, 09:35 PM	#13
RP King of Love and Piss Posts: 62,991	You have balls Your Hero. I like your balls.