Gary Coleman, the NFL wants you

Townhall.com ^ | July 30, 2003 | Ben Shapiro

[UltraConservative]

Right on the money!

[Rays_Dad]

bump for later

[Charles Henrickson]

Affirmative Action reaches the playing field, as seen here . . .

[End Times Sentinel]

If I was a black Assistant Coach in the NFL, I'd openly hire myself out to teams needing to interview "someone of color".  Fly my family and myself out, set us up in a suite at the Ritz Carlton for a couple of days, show me your city, buy me a couple of dinners and don't ask any questions I don't want to answer.  Slip me $10 k in cash at the end of the trip and I'll provide you with a "Thanks for your consideration" letter.

 

That way everybody's happy including Je$$e who'd be duly impressed with my race huckstering.

 

Owl_Eagle

”Unleash the Hogs of Peace.”
P.J. O'Rourke Parliament of Whores

[Rays_Dad]

bump for later

[Charles Henrickson]

Affirmative Action reaches the playing field, as seen here . . .

[mr.pink]

I fully support the NFL demanding teams with front office openings to interview minority candidates. But it's criminal what they have done to Millen....he tried to do what they wanted but qualified candidates knew Mooch was his man and decided to cold shoulder the invites.

During a panel discussion on the topic one person noted that just going through the interview process, even if the candidate knows it's a sham, is still immensely worthwile as a learning experience. I agree fully with that. Tony Dungy was turned down many times because he was a flat out bad interview.

[Charles Henrickson]

Sorry for the extra man on the field (#6, after #3). I sent out my primary message on a post pattern, but it was blocked, so my safety valve came out of the backfield.

[Cacophonous]

I wonder if that policy could survive a court challenge?

[joesnuffy]

They should have at least 30% of all Head Coaches should be legally certified "mentally ill" persons...crank up the diversity baby

[discostu]

While I don't agree with the NFL's fine on Millen I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around it being dictatorial power. It's a fine, the NFL being the franchising body fines franchise holders and their employees all the time. Usually it's for a good reason, this time it wasn't. Dictatorial power? Nah.

[Semper Paratus]

Business and government contractors do that by window dressing minorities and women as "partners" who are generally very silent.

[dfwgator]

What 'chu talkin' 'bout Ben?

[mhking]

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[thegreatbeast]

Wouldn't it also set up black coaches for a lot more rejection that they wouldn't normally be in line for? Now guys who wouldn't have been on the short list will be run around only to have their hopes dashed. Why pretend that someone has a shot when they don't?
A lot of time teams won't fire a coach until they have his replacement all but signed. How does this help the process?
What nonsense.

[BMiles2112]

I fully support the NFL demanding teams with front office openings to interview minority candidates.

Why?

[mr.pink]

Because I believe it's important for minority candidates to be exposed to the interview process. Again, the Dungy example.

If the league decided to demand hiring or quotas, I'd be dead set against it. I think the process it now has in place, along with the success of the black coaches who have been given HC jobs (Dungy, Edwards, Green) will lead to a natural balance and fluctuation in minority HCs based purely on ability.

[mr.pink]

Oh...I'll add that the progression of percentages of black QBs has risen dramatically in the last ten years as a result of opportuity and performance....I'd expect the black HCs situation would follow the same model and for the betterment of the league itself.

[BMiles2112]

I've got two disagreements with that.

First, it seems, (tell me if I'm wrong), that you're of the opinion that minority (read: black) candidates are in some way discriminated against by teams denying them interviews. I don't believe this, as the percentage of black head coaches is approximately the same as the general population - >10%.

Second, if these candidates are discriminated against by certain teams, and they are qualified, that's the team's loss. This candidate will be picked up by a team that puts winning ahead of race. I think every team does this, or we'd have a lot less black players on the field. I have to believe that teams put as much research into prospective head coaches as they do with prospective players.

[BMiles2112]

Oops, that was to #17.
I'll agree with you here. And it is my point. There are more black quarterbacks in the league, because teams picked up quarterbacks that they felt were the most qualified, and they happened to be black. Not because Paul T. told them they had to.
You may be right in that in 20 yrs there could be 10, 20, or 30 black head coaches, with or without the mandated interviews. Or there may only be 2. It doesn't matter. The teams have learned or will learn to hire the best candidate. It would be better for the league if it took the same route with HC's as it does with QB's. Forcing interview or hiring quotas will only lead to more discrimination and tension between the races.