The Rooney Rule

by phredex20 on Jan 12, 2009 6:46 PM PST Comment 15 comments

i had read some comments in some of the past post about the Rooney Rule. i just wanted to blog down some thoughts. having come from a corporate work place (happily out of it now) i can understand this rule and why it IS needed in the nfl. Let me first say that it is concerning that there aren't more minority head coaches at the pro and college levels. also, al davis was the pioneer when it came to hiring the likes of art shell, tom flores, etc.

in my view, there is such a surplus of qualified canidates for head coaches in this industry that just getting an interview is a major deal. alot of the time, its not what you know, its who you know, just to get in the door. some say that its a waste of time for qualified minority canidates to be interviewed. they choke, stumble, and so on. but that is the point. going through the process is what its all about. a minority canidate may have all the football knowledge of the gods, but may lack the interview skills or front office mojo needed to convey schemes, critical points of interest, or overall winning football philosphy. this is mostly because they were never exposed to that atmosphere to learn and gain experience. hence the rule. this gives good coaches a chance that they might never get, even to just get interviewed. and, if they are any good, they will learn and grow from the process reguardless of the outcome of the interview.

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I should've read this

before posting a comment on the other fanpost first. You are right though. This helps these coaches be heard and get their feet in the door.

by Raider76 on Jan 12, 2009 7:13 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

It seems like minorities get a fair shot at the pro level

There have been a lot of minority coaches. But at the college level there hasn’t been nearly enough. Maybe its just coincidence but it doesn’t seem very reasonable.

by Brendan Scolari on Jan 12, 2009 8:19 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

okay here's my two-bits on the Rooney Rule and whatnot

I can’t stand how much people won’t shut up about how few black/minority coaches there are. Everyone says, “They never interview black coaches”. That implies that Athletic Directors and owners are racist. It’s hard to be racist in sports, where your teams are full of players of mixed origins. Now if someone makes a team and says “only whites can play”, then I start to be outraged.

Why would an owner not hire the best coach because of race? That’s stupid to imply or even actually mean that. If there’s some young guy white guy with little experience and questionable philosophies, and a black man with 7 years of NFL coach experience and a proven winner, who the owner pick? Obviously the black man. People just automatically assume that because there’s few black coaches that people are racist to them. They’re not, these coaches just may not be good coaches. There’s plenty of whites being passed up as well, but you don’t hear about a rule for them. The Rooney is kinda useless to me and a waste of time to owners and Athletic Directors. If they deserve their position, then they’ll hire the best coach for the job.

Just my two-bits form Mr. Two-Bits himself.

Silver and Black Pride: Where Bacon hating happens
Fear the Fin: Where Sharks cakes happen
Athletics Nation: Where Billy Bean happens
Pounding the Rock: Where otstanding happens
Rakes of Mallow: Where Brady Quinn happens
S&B Nation: Where lazy people have nothing better to do happens

by KA1Z3R on Jan 13, 2009 2:04 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Let's not get into Race.

It’s too sensitive a subject. If you want proof look as Charles Barkley

by Raider76 on Jan 13, 2009 2:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

sorry ask Barkley

by Raider76 on Jan 13, 2009 2:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not trying to be racist

I also think that making special rules for minorities is the same thing as being racist.

That’s my final two-bits.

by KA1Z3R on Jan 13, 2009 2:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's essentially

affirmative action

Win, Lose, or Tie, Raiders til I die!

by mikesd1981 on Jan 13, 2009 9:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think you are.

We will agree to disagree on this subject.

by Raider76 on Jan 14, 2009 1:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's called

reverse discrimination.

Win, Lose, or Tie, Raiders til I die!

by mikesd1981 on Jan 14, 2009 6:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

No it isnt,

since nobody is getting discriminated against.

63, rest in peace man

by autumnwind on Jan 14, 2009 10:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think the Rooney Rule is complete garbage,

I happen to be a minority(not that that matters) and I think this rule is ridiculuos. Only 12% of this country is affrican american and more than 12% of the coaches in the NFL are black.(Off the top of my head I can count Herm Edwards, Mike SIngletary, Lovie Smith, Marvin Lewis and Mike Tomlin, I am sure I am probably missing 1). This is 2009, nobody is not hiring a coach because he is black. If anything hiring a African American brings positive attention to your team, example the Steelers hiring Mike Tomlin 2 years back. It gets to be a joke that Rob Meeks(Ind def cordinator) is this years minority canidate and has to go interview for every job so they meet the Rooney Rule. Its crap.

On a side note the Raiders should be grandfathered past the Rooney Rule since they have hired 2 minority coaches BEFORE 1990 even. And Tom Flores was hispanic. Since there are a few African AMerican head coaches anyway, they should make a rule that every team has to interview a Hispanic and a Asian before they can pick a coach.

63, rest in peace man

by autumnwind on Jan 14, 2009 11:06 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Since there are a few African AMerican head coaches anyway, they should make a rule that every team has to interview a Hispanic and a Asian before they can pick a coach

Umm………the Rooney rule does cover that by the way . Not just African Americans. That makes your whole comment useless since you don’t know know that.

Win, Lose, or Tie, Raiders til I die!

by mikesd1981 on Jan 14, 2009 11:15 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

What the Rooney rule does now

is kinda make a mockery out of minorities. Some of them get interviwed just to meet the the requirement, and it actualy is more degrading than it is helping them.

Win, Lose, or Tie, Raiders til I die!

by mikesd1981 on Jan 14, 2009 11:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs