NFL Plays the Race Card

So, let's just get right down to it. Today the NFL issued the following statement since all head coaching vacancies have been filled...by white guys:

"While there has been full compliance with the interview requirements of the Rooney Rule and we wish the new head coaches and general managers much success, the hiring results this year have been unexpected and reflect a disappointing lack of diversity. The Rooney Rule has been a valuable tool in expanding diversity and inclusion in hiring practices, but there is more work to do, especially around increasing and strengthening the pipeline of diverse candidates for head coach and senior football executive positions. We have already started the process of developing a plan for additional steps that will better ensure more diversity and inclusion on a regular basis in our hiring results. We look forward to discussing these steps with our advisers to ensure that our employment, development and equal opportunity programs are both robust and successful."

I highlighted the two things I did because I wanted them to standout. Why is the NFL disappointed in this? If a coach is not what a team is looking for, why do they have to pick him, regardless of skin color? How come no women were interviewed for this position? What about the midget contingent? They are people/athletes/coaches too, you know..

NFL, is it an issue that you think teams are afraid a black coach will ruin their franchise? Well, minority (i.e., African American...and Ron Rivera) coaches have a combined 852 and 787 record. Some were way better than others. This is out of 20 coaches. Of those twenty, Tom Flores, Tony Dungy, and Mike Tomlin have won a Superbowl. A few more made it to the Superbowl. At least 1/9 of all Superbowls have had a minority head coach take their team to the big dance and half of those coaches won. The NFL goes on to say they are developing a plan to correct this and ensure diversity. How? Seriously, how? Do you suddenly mandate the league must have 15 percent of all coaching staffs be minorities? That's bullshit.

I will never be able to relate to this, but if I was one of those minority coaches who got contacted by a team for an interview I would be skeptical. Imagine if it is publicized that one of the 32 teams with an open coaching position was in the media constantly being written about how one particular coach was their target, and then you get contacted by that team. I wonder how many of the 7 teams with vacancies rejoiced when Lovie Smith was fired? Is he dark enough for you, NFL? I seriously find the this statement by the NFL to actually be offensive. It makes the NFL look like it has racial inequality when they make a statement like this. You still have three currently active minority coaches (Leslie Frazer, Marvin Lewis - also the second longest tenured active coach - and Ron Rivera).

Does the amount of black coaches really matter? This article from the Wall Street Journal in 2009 stated that at least 90% of the wide receivers, defensive backs, and running backs are black. It also points out that 81 percent of starting quarterbacks are white, and 3 percent (at the time) of kickers were black (1 out of 32). Another interesting note from this article - Hines Ward is not classified as "black", but his father was black and his mother was Korean. Therefore, Obama must not be black either.

It is all very odd. I get that the NFL wants to be the new land of opportunity as it takes on the mantle of being the United States' greatest sport. But you don't force a team to do so. Maybe there are still some disturbed, racist minds in the football offices so you have to institute the Rooney Rule. Some teams probably follow the rule because they have to. Others probably do it because they want the best possible candidate.

Ron Rivera (with the Panthers) is Hispanic, so the NFL should be satisfied. Yet the statement they posted on NFL.com clearly calls for more African American coaches, at least how I see it. What does it matter? Do you think some African American kid will watch the 2013 season and have his dreams crushed when he doesn't see a black man holding a clip board on the sidelines? Seriously. There is enough opportunity for the players to make a team and be stars, media darlings, etc. Robert Griffin III had his "blackness" questioned by an African American analyst on ESPN, and probably fueled some debate of that same ilk in the African American community. When you draw attention to race, racist claims will be brought up. What happens next, nobody knows. I don't think it even mattered until you, the NFL, issued your stupid statement.