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Jets announce return to Cortland for camp

They're camping in Cortland. Again.

The New York Jets made it official Wednesday, announcing they will conduct training camp in Cortland, N.Y., for the fifth time in six years. They made the decision after exploring other options last fall, including Stony Brook University. Owner Woody Johnson took the suspense out of it in late January, saying "we'll probably be" returning to SUNY Cortland.

"I love the fact that we are going back to Cortland," Rex Ryan said in a team-issued statement. "Everyone knows how I feel about going away. I think it is a big part of building our team camaraderie."

The Jets haven't announced a start date, but the players are likely to report July 23. By rule, teams aren't allowed to start prior to 15 days before the first preseasn game. The Jets open the preseason Aug. 7 against the Indianapolis Colts.

An Internet petition, addressed to SUNY Cortland president Eric J. Bitterbaum, is seeking to ban Michael Vick from the campus because of his past ties to illegal dog fighting. The petition has accumulated more than 22,000 signatures. In a statement released by the Jets, Bitterbaum said "this summer’s training camp will bring millions of tourist dollars into the Cortland economy." He made no mention of the petition.