MRMADD Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 We all know that Mike Wilbon and others in the media are constantly beating the drum for more black coaches in the NFL. Almost 70% of NFL players are black. The NFL has responded to this injustice by insisting that each team with a coaching vacancy at least interview a black candidate. Every year we read the same old articles about how many black coaches are being considered for head coaching positions. We know that a lot of people breathed a sigh of relief when crusty old Al Davis hired Art Shell back and gave the NFL at least one new black coach. But... I'd suggest that the skills and experience required of an NFL coach are wholly different that those of an NFL player. Coaching in the NFL is a highly specialized profession. It requires years of training, usually at lower levels of the sport, before you're qualified. That means that someone who spends five or so years as an NFL player is probably less qualified than someone who starts coaching straight out of college. Want some proof? Take a look at the current 32 NFL coaches. Of them, 10 played in the NFL. Twenty-two never played in the NFL (although four of them did at least make it to a training camp or two before getting cut). The ten who did play are Kubiak, Cowher, Fisher, Holmgren, Jauron, Edwards, Dungy, Schotty, Shell, and Del Rio. Most of these guys, with a few exceptions, weren't great players and didn't play more than a couple years before they moved on to coaching. So the fact that 70% of NFL players are black does not mean that 70% of coaches should be black. The percentage of black coaches and black players are totally unrelated, because it stands to reason that the majority of coaches won't come from the ranks of the players. They'll come, largely, from the coaching ranks of high schools and colleges, which aren't anywhere near 70% black. And the argument, espoused by Mike Wilbon back when Turner was fired and Robiskie took over, that black players will play harder for black coaches, is outrageously stupid. I think the NFL should rescind the "you must interview a black coach" requirement because it's stupid, mildly racist, and often ignored. Anyone care to argue the other side? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SackMachine Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 The only arguement you can really have against it is that some people believe that some nfl owners are racists, so the nfl put this rule in to shut those people up. I agree with you though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portis&taylor Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 So what are u saying black people are to stupid to be head coaches? Not many get a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonBurgundy&Gold Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 You act like there are no black assistant/position coaches out there to be hired or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRMADD Posted March 6, 2006 Author Share Posted March 6, 2006 So what are u saying black people are to stupid to be head coaches? Not many get a chance. I have a serious question for you: can you point out the section in my post that led you to conclude that I think black people are too stupid to be head coaches? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonBurgundy&Gold Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 I have a serious question for you: can you point out the section in my post that led you to conclude that I think black people are too stupid to be head coaches? I'm pretty sure he's talking about this... "But... I'd suggest that the skills and experience required of an NFL coach are wholly different that those of an NFL player. Coaching in the NFL is a highly specialized profession." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhutanibeast Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 no i cant. nice argument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRMADD Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 You act like there are no black assistant/position coaches out there to be hired or something I do? Well, let's look at yield. What percentage of assistant coaches in the NFL are black? I don't know, but I'm willing to guess, just based on glancing at coaching staffs during games, that it's not much more than 20%. Probably a lot less. So if the pool of qualified candidates is restricted to assistant coaches in the NFL, you'd expect that 20% of head coaches would be black. That's 6 head coaches, right? Well... there are seven black head coaches now. The better question is how many of the very best assistant coaches are black? Would you overlook Gregg Williams, for example, just to hire a black coach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jofizz Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I believe race is the least important factor in hiring a head coach. I think a coaching job should always go to the best qualified candidate for the job. I don't care if they're black, white, green, yellow, ugly, or good looking. Whoever has the most impressive resume, and can fill the teams needs best should always get the job. Rules like the ones requiring teams to interview at least one African-American are not necessary. That's my two cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Die Hard Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Jack Del Rio was actually a very good football player. And although there are a disproportionate amount of black head coaches... I'd venture a guess and say there's a greater percentage of assistant coaches that are black. I agree with the premise of the proportion ratio of players to coaches and race. It's irrelevant. The fact is... it's a completely different type of person that wants to coach... than wants to play. Most athletes don't want anything to do with coaching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRMADD Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 The fact is... it's a completely different type of person that wants to coach... than wants to play. Most athletes don't want anything to do with coaching. That's certainly true. I think it's a totally different skill set. And... assistant coaches make peanuts compared to players. If you're a decent player making millions a year, and you retire after ten years, do you really want to start at the bottom as a position coach in the NFL making $100,000? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRMADD Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 "Jack Del Rio was actually a very good football player." Don't forget Art Shell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonBurgundy&Gold Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I believe race is the least important factor in hiring a head coach. I think a coaching job should always go to the best qualified candidate for the job. I don't care if they're black, white, green, yellow, ugly, or good looking. Whoever has the most impressive resume, and can fill the teams needs best should always get the job. Thats all fine and dandy, but not everyone else thinks that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adarsh1 Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Lavar Arrington is gonna be a coach one day and it's gonna be funny to see how his players react to him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant15fromNJ Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I think let the owners hire who they want and if he is not black fine or if he is black the cool to. I dont get when people get mad over there not being many black head coaches. I know I would hire whoever I think is the best for the job and thats it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinfan2k Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 very contreversial point im might bring up, though that many nfl owners grew up during segregation and before the civil rights movement, and maybe that is a reason why teams must interview a black candidate. however i do not think the nfl is a equal opportunity employer, or maybe they do not push many minorities in that field. Look around at most of the coachign trees in the nfl, very few of them had black coaches. (only rhodes, dungy to name a few).. I think several years from now, we will see an increase in the amount of black coaches. I just want how come there are not any Indian head coaches from India? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indaslums Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 The most qualified person should get the job. When the Bengles had thair heart set on Marvin Lewis were they forced to interview whiteskinned coaches? If I was a black canidate I wouldn't want to be brought in for an interview if the owner had already in his mind picked the next coach. I feel like all this equal rights crap is charity and it's outdated. If my team needed a new coach I would want them to hire the most qualified person for the job who cares if he is black or white. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indaslums Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Just one more thought....... they can keep teh whole "interview one black coach" rule if they also put in a "you must interview one WHITE runningback or cornerback rule" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jofizz Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Thats all fine and dandy, but not everyone else thinks that way. ...I was sharing my opinion. If you look at the end i said "That's my two cents". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonBurgundy&Gold Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I do? Well, let's look at yield. What percentage of assistant coaches in the NFL are black? I don't know, but I'm willing to guess, just based on glancing at coaching staffs during games, that it's not much more than 20%. Probably a lot less.So if the pool of qualified candidates is restricted to assistant coaches in the NFL, you'd expect that 20% of head coaches would be black. That's 6 head coaches, right? Well... there are seven black head coaches now. The better question is how many of the very best assistant coaches are black? Would you overlook Gregg Williams, for example, just to hire a black coach? I think 20 percent is very generous to your argument and nowhere near realistic. No facts or stats to back that up but I would imagine its significantly higher than that. GW is a name people cannot argue with. There is no argument you could make as to whether or not he deserves a job as head coach. All the black guys that are coaching now were in the GW category, you simply couldn't deny what they had done to deserve to get jobs. But look at some of the guys that got hired this past offseason and look at thier resumes and tell me what exactly makes them qualified to be head coaches. You really can't find anything solid on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonBurgundy&Gold Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 ...I was sharing my opinion. If you look at the end i said "That's my two cents". I wasn't trying to be mean. I was just saying that if everyone actually felt the same you did, we'd never even have this topic of discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jofizz Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I wasn't trying to be mean. I was just saying that if everyone actually felt the same you did, we'd never even have this topic of discussion. Oh, Alright..just a little misunderstanding..no hard feelings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_e_b Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 What I don't get is why they thing the owners are racist. As one guy said, around 70% of football players are black. If they were racist don't you thing they wouldn't want black players either. If anything sports are getting racist against white people as you see less and less white runningbacks in the NFL and very few white receivers and most of them play for the Rams it seems. However I don't find anything in football to be to much racist, basketball on the otherhand is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APBT Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 A good question would be, if all NFL owners were black would there be more black Head coaches? Try that one on and see if it fits?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonBurgundy&Gold Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 What I don't get is why they thing the owners are racist. As one guy said, around 70% of football players are black. If they were racist don't you thing they wouldn't want black players either. If anything sports are getting racist against white people as you see less and less white runningbacks in the NFL and very few white receivers and most of them play for the Rams it seems. However I don't find anything in football to be to much racist, basketball on the otherhand is. :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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