NFL Fines Lions $200G Over Coach Search

AP via Earthlink ^ | July 25,2003 | Associated Press

[John W]

ALLEN PARK, Mich. - The NFL on Friday fined Detroit Lions president Matt Millen $200,000 for failing to interview minority candidates before hiring new coach Steve Mariucci.

Mariucci was the only person interviewed for the job after Marty Mornhinweg was fired Jan. 27. Detroit has maintained that five minority candidates turned down interviews because it appeared inevitable Mariucci would be hired.

"While we respectfully disagree with the decision made by the commissioner and the league's diversity committee, we continue to enthusiastically support all initiatives which promote diversity in hiring with respect to coaching and front office positions in the NFL, and remain proud of the Lions' long-standing record of diversity within our employment ranks," team spokesman Bill Keenist said. "We will have no other comments on this issue, choosing rather to focus on the start of training camp and the 2003 football season."

[Dan from Michigan]

Bullsh*t.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Shakedown in the NFL. What a joke.

[Bikers4Bush]

Puke.

[HenryLeeII]

How can you interview someone if they turn you down? Besides, Millen et al in the Lions organization wanted Mariucci, who has a proven track record and is (I believe) from the Detroit area. He's the only candidate he wanted. Even other white coaches knew it would be a waste of time to interview. But, I'm sure 50% is being siphoned off to the Jesse Jackson Offspring Payoff Fund...

[bird4four4]

As an Eagle fan I can look back at Ray Rhoads, who was black. He inherited a good team, won coach of the year his rookie season. The next two years were dismal to say the least. 3-13 is nothing to brag about. Then in comes Andy Reid, and the past two years they've gone to the NFC champion game. Coaches are paid and expected to win, not be a minority.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

The NFL is a joke!! This is the same league that said Brittney Spears was a bad influence to their athletes who beat up women (and kill, in the case of Rae Carruth) and do drugs.

[ServesURight]

Rhoades is an excellent defensive coordinator but a horrible coach. He pulled the same stunt with the Packers a few years ago.

I don't care what you're race is, if you suck you suck. Period!

[Mr. Jeeves]

I'll bet the NFL ends up donating the fine as protection money to one of Jackson's shakedown "charities".

[Zack Nguyen]

The NFL would have been fine, I suppoe, if the Lions had paraded in a few blacks or hispanics for he cameras and show and not considered them at all. Just so long as the NFL looks "diverse." I can't think of anything more insulting to a black or hispanic coach.

[chiefqc]

Hey they did'nt interview me, I think I'm going to sue.

[discostu]

Let's see the salary cap this year is a touch over 60 million. A 200G fine leveled at the team would be... not even a slap on the wrist. Pure symbolism. Which is good this doesn't deserve substance.

[dead]

If I was an NFL owner, and knew I wanted to hire a coach who happened to be white, I would really break the NFL's collective balls.

I'd make sure the cameras were there when I interviewed a bunch of mental patients who happened to be the "right color" just to make a mockery of the whole stupid concept.

[mountaineer]

Wasn't that top-notch coach Dennis Green available?

[Catspaw]

Mooch is from the UP, Iron Mountain to be exact. Iron Mountain is closer to Green Bay than it is to Detroit.

[BMiles2112]

"we continue to enthusiastically support all initiatives which promote diversity in hiring with respect to coaching and front office positions in the NFL"

Oh, I see, this only applies to coaching and front office positions.

remain proud of the Lions' long-standing record of diversity within our employment ranks

Uhh, has anyone seen the Lions roster? It just screams diversity - black, black, black, black, black, black, kicker, black, QB, black, etc....

If you're going to force a team into stupid hiring practices, at least make them be consistently stupid, so we can see our stellar W-L record plummet even further.

[Mr. Bird]

While I think the NFL's position on this is preposterous, the Lions' mistake was flouting the new guidelines within months of their implementation.

The No Fun League has plenty of stupid self-flagellating rules and regulations, and this is one of them. BUT, it's their league....

[PatrioticAmerican]

"Sorry we lost, but, hey, we had to have a minority as a coach, or else."

[Fizzie]

Exactly. The five minority candidates chose not to interview, because it seemed inevitable Mariucci was the cast-in-stone choice.

So Detroit gets fined for not interviewing people who didn't want to interview. We have truly become insane.
Yes, this sounds very much like a $$$$ shakedown.

[gunnedah]

A group of Americans should get together and bring suit against the NFL for not having enough Asians,Koreans and Japanese Americans on their rosters.
I wonder when America will awaken and say enough of this BULLS$$T.