Posted on 12/19/2001 7:36:07 PM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Notre Dame has never had a black head coach in any sport. The Rev. Jesse Jackson urged the Irish to start with football.
``They should consider one, at least put credible black coaches in the mix,'' Jackson said Wednesday. ``A university of that magnitude, if they were to hire an African-American coach, it would be a huge breakthrough.''
Jackson is working with the Black Coaches Association to help promote black candidates for all Division I-A openings. The BCA sent a list of prospective black candidates to all Division I-A athletic directors and university presidents in October.
Jackson first issued a statement asking Notre Dame to hire a black coach on Dec. 10, a day after the school introduced George O'Leary as Bob Davie's successor. But O'Leary resigned five days later after admitting he had lied about his athletic and academic background.
There were only five black Division I-A coaches this season.
Jerry Baldwin was fired by Louisiana-Lafayette after going 6-27 over three years. Tony Samuel is 19-35 in five seasons at New Mexico State. Fitz Hill was 3-9 in his first season at San Jose State. Bobby Williams is 12-11 in two seasons at Michigan State.
The other coach is Stanford's Tyrone Willingham, who has a 44-35-1 record over seven seasons. According to published reports, athletic director Kevin White received permission to talk to Willingham before hiring O'Leary, but never interviewed him.
Willingham declined to comment Wednesday.
``I don't get into speculation and I don't try to discuss rumors,'' he said.
Notre Dame spokesman Lou Nanni said the university agrees the percentage of head football coaches who are black is ``deplorable.''
He said, though, that the university has made progress in diversity since White was hired in March 2000, pointing to the hiring of an associate athletic director and two assistant athletic directors, all of whom are black.
``There needs to be better representation,'' Nanni said. ``It's something we need to do because it's the right thing to do. But that's not the sole criteria ever. ... When the right person surfaces, whether it be in the football position or in some other position, it certainly will be a priority for Notre Dame to have a minority coach, African-American or otherwise.''
Oregon coach Ernie Kent last year interviewed for the head basketball coach's job at Notre Dame, saying he got as far as talking money, but decided he was not interested. White has never said who he talked to other than Mike Brey, who was hired.
Since the end of the 1995 college football season, there have been 112 head coaching jobs at Division I and five have been filled by minorities, BCA executive director Floyd Keith said.
The key, Jackson said, is for alumni to support black candidates.
``They've gotten over the issue of recruiting black athletes. They've gotten over recruiting black quarterbacks, they've come to grips to that. Every step is some trauma,'' he said.
The successes of Dennis Green with the Minnesota Vikings and Tony Dungy with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has proven that blacks can coach at the top level, Jackson said.
Among the criteria White has listed for the next Notre Dame coach are head coaching experience and a record of success. Jackson said that leaves too many black candidates out.
``We must remove this idea that we set criteria that eliminate people from possibilities,'' he said.
That last statement just says it all, Jesse.
First off, I believe that affirmative action should be abolished. Therefore, no schools should be forced into hiring a black coach, but the above statistic is just embarrassing to me. You mean to tell me that out of 112 coaching positions there were only 5 blacks who met the coaching criteria? That's ridiculous.
Call them the "Mighty Rainbows"
Here's a crazy idea: hire a coach based on how good he is.
He's just not satisfied that the NFL, at least, is rapidly becoming an "All-Black League") just like the NBA. Nope; not enough for ol' Jesse, the twit...............
You're onto something there, onyx! While we're at it, let's make it "Alan Keyes for ole Notre Dame" head football coach. Jesse Jackson is a racist a-hole.
You're right -- he does a great job; but why would he want to take a step "down" to coach at Notre Dame? Isn't Stanford one of the coaching plums?
Any Asian, Gay or Jewish coaches out there?
Jesse better bring along NOW, GLAD and all the other special rights leaders!
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