Jets visit Ground Zero

[Morrissey]

Rex Ryan, Antonio Cromartie, New York Jets take humbling trip to Ground Zero, pay tribute

BY Kevin Armstrong

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Thursday, September 1st 2011, 4:00 AM

Read more: http://www.nydailyne...l#ixzz1WiNDAKPL

The Jets visited Ground Zero Wednesday, paying tribute to the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001 and encouraging construction workers currently rebuilding the area.

"Very humbling experience," tweeted Antonio Cromartie. "Just walked out to see Ground Zero. A really heartfelt experience God Bless everyone."

In town for a charity luncheon at Ciprani on Wall St. - which raised more than $750,000 for the Alliance for Lupus Research and the New York Jets Foundation - coach Rex Ryan and his team took coach buses afterward to the site. Ryan, dressed in a suit and wearing dark sunglasses, was accompanied by his wife, Michelle. Mike Tannenbaum and Woody Johnson were also on hand.

"It was a very enthusiastic welcome from these workers who are going around the clock to complete this project," said Jamie Loftus, chief spokeswoman for the Port Authority.

Jets right guard Brandon Moore said players were completely unaware of visit until they got on buses after the lunch.

"It was a poignant trip," Moore said. "Helped get us out of our preseason bubble."

Mark Sanchez's father, Nick, a fireman from Orange County, Calif., who spent several weeks assisting with the recovery in 2001, expressed admiration and gratitude for the team's gesture.

"I tip my cap to them as an organization for taking the time from their preparation for the season to honor the people involved," he said. "I think it's a wonderful thing."

The Jets open the regular season on Sept. 11 - the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks - when they host the Dallas Cowboys in the Meadowlands. Sanchez's father and others from his unit plan to be in attendance.

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[JiFtheOracle]

I <3 Rex Ryan