Three black former NFL head coaches say the league needs to rethink its Rooney Rule for promoting minority hiring after 15 top vacancies - eight head coaching jobs and seven general manager positions - were all filled by white candidates since the regular season ended a month ago. ''I know the concept is good and something we need to do,'' said Tony Dungy, who was with the Indianapolis Colts during the 2006 season when he became the first black coach to win a Super Bowl. ''Obviously, it's not working the way it should.'' Herm Edwards, former coach of the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs and now an ESPN analyst, has called for not only revising the rule but perhaps even changing its name. ''When you use the Rooney Rule and not correctly, you put a little bit of a bad mark on Mr. Rooney's name, and that is not good,'' Edwards said Wednesday. ''If it keeps going this way, we might need to take his name off the rule. It is not being used in the right manner that Mr. Rooney meant it to be.'' Jim Caldwell is no stranger to the Super Bowl, having led the Colts there three years ago after replacing the retired Dungy. It was only after Peyton Manning was sidelined for the 2011 season that Caldwell was fired. ''It has been a great rule and it has worked in the past,'' he said. ''Just like anything else, you have to, after a certain period of time, revisit it and take a look and see if it needs a little tweaking. I think it does in this particular case.'' Caldwell added: ''That's one of the reasons that the Rooney Rule was put in place, because you're trying to avoid those situations, if possible. We're at that stage where guys like Lovie Smith, who didn't get an opportunity, who had won and been very successful previously ... obviously, there's some concern there, and that's why I think the rule is going to be revisited.'' Source: Associated Press
How about we get past the whole "minority" thing as individuals, as a league as a nation and just hire the best and most qualified candidate no matter the color of the skin or the ethnic background of the candidate? What ever happened to moving on and "not seeing color and race?"
I could go on and say how Edwards had 2 chances and failed. How Dungy couldn't get it done in Tampa and had to have a francise QB to win a Superbowl. And how Caldwell couldn't get it done WITH a franchise QB. Personally I could care less who is coach. As long as they come in and get the job done. Mike Tomlin should be the poster child for minorities. He gets the job done without all the BS. He shows you on the field why he belongs. And I respect him for that.
ok, now this is pissing me off. shut the heck up. what do you want? you want teams to be FORCED to hire black coaches now? lovie smith didn't get a job because he's black? give me a freaking break!! lovie smith didn't get a HC gig because he doesn't know what the heck to do at the QB position in the nfl! Which is the same reason Ken Whisenhunt and Brian Billick and many other WHITE coaches didn't get HC gigs this year. Oh, wait a minute, they're not black so they must have been offered 7 head coaching gigs apiece and just decided to pass them over. god, i cannot stand stupidity and caldwell seems to have a strong case of it.
Yea well I want more crackers on nba rosters. Obviously whitie aint gettin a fair shake in that league.
