Who Are The Minority Candidates This Year? (1 Viewer)

[Limp Ditka]

More Rooney Rule fun......

The following HC jobs are currently open

Oakland

Denver

Detroit

Cleveland

St Louis

NY Jets

The only blip I've heard about a minority candidate in line for an HC interview is Leslie Frazier with St. Louis.

Have I missed someone else?

Are there guys in line for interviews that are being held up by coaching on a playoff team?

 

[The Shizzle]

Isn't the Seahawks job up for grabs too? Wasn't there some shenanigans in regards to naming the successor to Mike Holmgren?

 

[RBM]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

 

[Limp Ditka]

Isn't the Seahawks job up for grabs too? Wasn't there some shenanigans in regards to naming the successor to Mike Holmgren?

I know the NFL stepped in with St Louis and told them they could not hire Haslett if he met the contract incentive of 6 wins and your in as HC. Not sure if they did the same in Seattle.

 

[Buffaloes]

Leslie Frazier and....I can't think of any others of the top of my head.

 

[Mimo]

Jerry Gray - Redskins DB Coach is a candidate.

 

[Limp Ditka]

Jerry Gray - Redskins DB Coach is a candidate.

With who?

 

[Kleck]

Winston Moss - Green Bay Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers

MJS had a blog yesterday that the St. Louis Rams contacted the Packers about interviewing Moss.

Rams plan to interview Moss for head coaching job

 

[DawgPoundNJ]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

I agree. The Rooney Rule is a good on paper, but put to work insults more good people than it does employ them. For example, the Lions were in love with Steve Mariucci in 2003 and wanted to hire him. This is the case with many coaching vacancies today; they have their hearts set on a particular candidate and are searching for the token interview. The Lions hired Mariucci anyway under the guise of not wanting to insult someone with a token interview. They were right. If I was black, would I want a courtesy interview knowing I had zero chance at landing the job and I'm there only to satisfy a league mandate? No. This program works:

Minority Coaching Fellowship Program

Many black players want to coach and this program gives them the opportunity to get started. This program creates assistant position coaches, then position coaches, then coordinators, then head coaches. As with any candidate pool, the cream will rise to the top. I don't believe that racism is as strong as people make it out to be in the NFL as most of the players are black and the stakes to succeed moneywise and fanwise are too high to weed out candidates based on skin color. What do I know though...

 

[Mimo]

Jerry Gray - Redskins DB Coach is a candidate.

With who?

Detroit

 

[Limp Ditka]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

I agree. The Rooney Rule is a good on paper, but put to work insults more good people than it does employ them. For example, the Lions were in love with Steve Mariucci in 2003 and wanted to hire him. This is the case with many coaching vacancies today; they have their hearts set on a particular candidate and are searching for the token interview. The Lions hired Mariucci anyway under the guise of not wanting to insult someone with a token interview. They were right. If I was black, would I want a courtesy interview knowing I had zero chance at landing the job and I'm there only to satisfy a league mandate? No. This program works:

Minority Coaching Fellowship Program

Many black players want to coach and this program gives them the opportunity to get started. This program creates assistant position coaches, then position coaches, then coordinators, then head coaches. As with any candidate pool, the cream will rise to the top. I don't believe that racism is as strong as people make it out to be in the NFL as most of the players are black and the stakes to succeed moneywise and fanwise are too high to weed out candidates based on skin color. What do I know though...

Does it really work? It was established 21 years ago and I'm not sure I'd call it successful based on today's crop of minority HCs in waiting. It doesn't sound littered with viable candidates. How many of the minority HCs of the last 10 years can say that this program is one of the steps that got them there? I honestly don't have know this info off of the top of my head and think it would be a good gauge.

Does anyone know if any of these guys went through this program?

Tony Dungy

Romeo Crenel

Lovie Smith

Mike Singletary

Mike Tomlin

Marvin Lewis

 

[DawgPoundNJ]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

I agree. The Rooney Rule is a good on paper, but put to work insults more good people than it does employ them. For example, the Lions were in love with Steve Mariucci in 2003 and wanted to hire him. This is the case with many coaching vacancies today; they have their hearts set on a particular candidate and are searching for the token interview. The Lions hired Mariucci anyway under the guise of not wanting to insult someone with a token interview. They were right. If I was black, would I want a courtesy interview knowing I had zero chance at landing the job and I'm there only to satisfy a league mandate? No. This program works:

Minority Coaching Fellowship Program

Many black players want to coach and this program gives them the opportunity to get started. This program creates assistant position coaches, then position coaches, then coordinators, then head coaches. As with any candidate pool, the cream will rise to the top. I don't believe that racism is as strong as people make it out to be in the NFL as most of the players are black and the stakes to succeed moneywise and fanwise are too high to weed out candidates based on skin color. What do I know though...

Does it really work? It was established 21 years ago and I'm not sure I'd call it successful based on today's crop of minority HCs in waiting. It doesn't sound littered with viable candidates. How many of the minority HCs of the last 10 years can say that this program is one of the steps that got them there? I honestly don't have know this info off of the top of my head and think it would be a good gauge.

Does anyone know if any of these guys went through this program?

Tony Dungy

Romeo Crenel

Lovie Smith

Mike Singletary

Mike Tomlin

Marvin Lewis

Herm Edwards, Mike Tomlin, Marvin Lewis, and Lovie Smith

 

[jeter23]

I wonder if Romeo could get a token interview with anyone.

 

[bcr8f]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Asking for one interview is crossing the line?If teams would consider minority candidates the same way they do minority players there would be no need.

 

[DawgPoundNJ]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Asking for one interview is crossing the line?If teams would consider minority candidates the same way they do minority players there would be no need.

That's why I like the Fellowship program to increase the coaching pool to pull talent from.

 

[Max Power]

I'm sure Ron Rivera will get a call and likely an interview. During which time he will forgo his current DC duties and SD will lose miserably.

Enjoy

 

[Da Guru]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

I agree. The Rooney Rule is a good on paper, but put to work insults more good people than it does employ them. For example, the Lions were in love with Steve Mariucci in 2003 and wanted to hire him. This is the case with many coaching vacancies today; they have their hearts set on a particular candidate and are searching for the token interview. The Lions hired Mariucci anyway under the guise of not wanting to insult someone with a token interview. They were right. If I was black, would I want a courtesy interview knowing I had zero chance at landing the job and I'm there only to satisfy a league mandate? No. This program works:

Minority Coaching Fellowship Program

Many black players want to coach and this program gives them the opportunity to get started. This program creates assistant position coaches, then position coaches, then coordinators, then head coaches. As with any candidate pool, the cream will rise to the top. I don't believe that racism is as strong as people make it out to be in the NFL as most of the players are black and the stakes to succeed moneywise and fanwise are too high to weed out candidates based on skin color. What do I know though...

Does it really work? It was established 21 years ago and I'm not sure I'd call it successful based on today's crop of minority HCs in waiting. It doesn't sound littered with viable candidates. How many of the minority HCs of the last 10 years can say that this program is one of the steps that got them there? I honestly don't have know this info off of the top of my head and think it would be a good gauge.

Does anyone know if any of these guys went through this program?

Tony Dungy

Romeo Crenel

Lovie Smith

Mike Singletary

Mike Tomlin

Marvin Lewis

Speaking of Marvin Lewis..how does he still have a job??

 

[anakin]

Marshall Faulk also said he wanted to be considered in St Louis. I'd rather "The Joker" be on the sidelines than in the studio.

 

[brutha]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Welcome to America.I'm gonna be real pissed if Hispanics and "Asian Americans" aren't interviewed. Anybody with me on a 60s style picket line? Stop all the racist oppressin from the man! No nukes! Peace love dope! blah etc

 

[brutha]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Asking for one interview is crossing the line?If teams would consider minority candidates the same way they do minority players there would be no need.

right, because blacks would get major preferential treatment and almost all coaches would be black. That's what I'm talkin bout well wait when it comes to players, actually the whites are the minority, so.......hmmmm

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Raheem Morris (new Bucs DC) has been talked about as a potential HC candidate.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

What you haven't heard? It's ok for something to be racist as long as it's not negatively impacting a minority. I thought everyone got the memo.

 

[renesauz]

Isn't the Seahawks job up for grabs too? Wasn't there some shenanigans in regards to naming the successor to Mike Holmgren?

I know the NFL stepped in with St Louis and told them they could not hire Haslett if he met the contract incentive of 6 wins and your in as HC. Not sure if they did the same in Seattle.

Which is absolute BS. If a coach is already on staff, the rule shouldn't apply. The rule is dubious enough as it is.

 

[renesauz]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Asking for one interview is crossing the line?If teams would consider minority candidates the same way they do minority players there would be no need.

The problem is that if such discrimination really does exist, this rule is worthless as a method to counter it. And if said discrimination does NOT exist, then the rule is an affront to both qualified and unqualified candidates regardless of the color of their skin.

 

[TheWick]

I think the Rams are just having this Moss guy in to please the NFL. I think Haslett is going to stay...which SUCKS

 

[Eviloutsider]

They are also instituting the "Riggins rule" where every team has to invite one white running back to training camp.

 

[Eviloutsider]

I think the Rams are just having this Moss guy in to please the NFL. I think Haslett is going to stay...which SUCKS

As a Packer fan, I hope not.

 

[TheWick]

I think the Rams are just having this Moss guy in to please the NFL. I think Haslett is going to stay...which SUCKS

As a Packer fan, I hope not.

Whats the deal with this guy? No good?

 

[Eviloutsider]

I think the Rams are just having this Moss guy in to please the NFL. I think Haslett is going to stay...which SUCKS

As a Packer fan, I hope not.

Whats the deal with this guy? No good?

As a fan you can never really tell. All you can do is look at the results of his players and the LB core this year was weak. Plus, he is being talked about as a DC replacement if needed and I would rather someone from the outside be brought in.

 

[spacevan]

Let us not judge by the color of our skin but by the quality of thy playbook.

 

[NeverEnough]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

 

[Grigs Allmoon]

I think the Lions should hire that Korean dude from the "Mayne Event" bits.

 

[Idiot Boxer]

Without the Rooney rule, Wisenhunt would be coaching in Pittsburgh, not Tomlin. Not making a value judgment between them, they both seem to be pretty good Head Coaches, however, Tomlin probably would not have gotten the interview if not for the Rooney rule as he was a relative unknown. I would wager that the Steelers probably felt, going into the interviews, that one of the two in-house HC candidates would get the job, but the Steelers interviewed him in earnest and they really liked him and ended up hiring him, much to the dismay of Alan Faneca. Do I like that teams are forced to interview minority prospects...I'll just say that I wish it weren't necessary, but at times it is. At least pro football isn't as sad as college football when it comes to hiring minority coaches.

 

[Marvelous]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

When there is an institutial bias against minority coaches, asking owners to give up 4 hours every time time they have a HC vacancy to remedy the problem is not asking a lot. Getting minority coaches into the talent pool was step 1. Getting them face time with owners is step 2. The fact that we don't talk about it as much now shows that minority coaches are looked at more evenly with all coaches than before.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

Two Minority HCs before the Rooney Rule, and now we have Six. Seven last year. Idiot Boxer is right that the rule is partially responsible for Tomlin's hiring:

Link

"Mike Tomlin wouldn't have gotten this opportunity without this rule," said Shell, the first modern black NFL head coach. "He never would have sat down with Dan Rooney."

Said Rooney: "To be honest with you, before the interview he was just another guy who was an assistant coach. Once we interviewed him the first time, he just came through and we thought it was great. And we brought him back and talked to him on the phone and went through the process that we do, and he ended up winning the job.

"[The rule] wasn't the most important thing because he was the most important thing. Mike got the job because he showed us his ability and showed us what he could do, and we believed in him."

Said Tomlin: "I think it's given me an opportunity to present myself maybe in some situations that I wouldn't have had."

Rooney said he is pleased and somewhat embarrassed to be associated with the rule.

"I really feel and hope," Rooney said, "that we will not need a Rooney Rule very long."

Lovie Smith:

Wooten, head of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, a group that advocates for the hiring of black coaches, says a Dungy-Smith Super Bowl is the Rooney rule in action.

"All that (the Rooney rule) is doing is trying to give everyone the same opportunity at the same time," Wooten said. "I know Lovie benefitted from the rule in getting his job. I can't tell you the details, but trust me."

Marvin Lewis:

That appears to be the case with Marvin Lewis, who interviewed with the Cincinnati Bengals after the 2002 season. To some, it seemed like the Bengals interviewed Lewis just to satisfy the Rooney Rule.

"And guess what? Marvin Lewis knocked their socks off," Mehri said of the former Steelers assistant who just completed his fourth season as the Bengals head coach. "If not for the Rooney Rule, there would not be as many (minority) head coaches as there are today."

The last two quotes are from members of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, the group that helped bring about the Rooney Rule, so maybe their opinions should carry less weight.NYU Law Review Note on the Rooney Rule and Unconscious Bias

The numbers don't lie - two before the Rule, six right now, and seven last year. Maybe the Rule wasn't directly responsible for hirings, but it sent a clear message to the owners, a message that was received. You can't say the minority coaches hired since the Rooney Rule was instituted have been worse than the average NFL coach on the whole (even Lewis had the Bengals respectable for a moment), and you might even argue that Smith and Tomlin were two of the best hires in the NFL since the rule, minority or otherwise.

It seems to me that the rule has done more good than harm, and that it's bringing about the conditions that will mean it is no longer needed soon. The next front in this effort is the college coaching ranks (Auburn passing on Gill for Chizik was terrible, feel sorry for you Auburn fans), and maybe NFL front offices - although the Mayhew hire in Detroit was a step in the right direction, and certainly helps the case that the Rooney Rule is "trickling up" to front office hiring practices too.

 

[Golden Mike Tomczak]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Asking for one interview is crossing the line?If teams would consider minority candidates the same way they do minority players there would be no need.

The problem is that if such discrimination really does exist, this rule is worthless as a method to counter it. And if said discrimination does NOT exist, then the rule is an affront to both qualified and unqualified candidates regardless of the color of their skin.

Agreed.

 

[Idiot Boxer]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Asking for one interview is crossing the line?If teams would consider minority candidates the same way they do minority players there would be no need.

The problem is that if such discrimination really does exist, this rule is worthless as a method to counter it. And if said discrimination does NOT exist, then the rule is an affront to both qualified and unqualified candidates regardless of the color of their skin.

I think it has proven its worth (see Sigmund Bloom's post). Let us all hope it doesn't need to be a rule for long.

 

[Chaka]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Asking for one interview is crossing the line?If teams would consider minority candidates the same way they do minority players there would be no need.

It's not a request, it's a mandate.

 

[Marvelous]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Asking for one interview is crossing the line?If teams would consider minority candidates the same way they do minority players there would be no need.

The problem is that if such discrimination really does exist, this rule is worthless as a method to counter it. And if said discrimination does NOT exist, then the rule is an affront to both qualified and unqualified candidates regardless of the color of their skin.

Agreed.

Completely disagree. If discrimination exists, the best way to counter it is to increase interaction between the groups. Racist attitudes apply to a group as a whole and when you meet a person as an individual, many of them go away. Mandating interviews does have an impact on it. Also, talking to a person about a job that you would not ordinarily consider him for changes the impression of the person. All positives for the minority coach.It may not help every minority coach and it may not change opinions of every owner, but every little bit helps.

 

[Novice2]

Who Are The Minority Candidates This Year?,

They are all in college. All 6 or i it 7 of em? America may have elected a black president but black coaches in college or the NFL? Paleezzzzz

 

[Limp Ditka]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Asking for one interview is crossing the line?If teams would consider minority candidates the same way they do minority players there would be no need.

The problem is that if such discrimination really does exist, this rule is worthless as a method to counter it. And if said discrimination does NOT exist, then the rule is an affront to both qualified and unqualified candidates regardless of the color of their skin.

Agreed.

Completely disagree. If discrimination exists, the best way to counter it is to increase interaction between the groups. Racist attitudes apply to a group as a whole and when you meet a person as an individual, many of them go away. Mandating interviews does have an impact on it. Also, talking to a person about a job that you would not ordinarily consider him for changes the impression of the person. All positives for the minority coach.It may not help every minority coach and it may not change opinions of every owner, but every little bit helps.

But what about the double standard, and negative impact upon a non minority coach it creates? Is that fair, and if so, why?Example...Mike Singletary replaced a fired head coach during the season. Mike Singletary was handed his job as 49ers head coach based on his performance as interim head coach. The NFL didn't make a peep about this decision. No other candidates, minority or not, were allotted the opportunity to interview for this position.Jim Haslett also replaced a fired head coach during the season. Haslett was told by St Louis brass that if he finished his stint as interim head coach .500 or better, then he would have the interim label stripped and be signed to a contract as head coach of the Rams. The NFL cried foul, said they wouldn't be adhering to the Rooney Rule. In turn, the Rams could not guarantee, or contractually promise Haslett the position.How is this fair to Jim Haslett, who was put in a position to earn his job, based on performace, but told he could only be placed into a pool of candidates regardless of how he did? Meanwhile, another coach was given basically the same opportunity and didn't have to still interview for his job?How is this fair to the Rams, who aren't allowed to hire internally based on performance when another organization was allowed to?How is this fair to the Rams, who had to risk Haslett exceeding expectations and making himself a commodity on the open market. This would have left the Rams in the position to have to match offers from other franchises if they presented themselves to Haslett?How is this fair to any other candidate, minority or not, that was qualified for the SF job? For what's right with the Rooney Rule, there seems to be a whole lot wrong with it too.

 

[Idiot Boxer]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Asking for one interview is crossing the line?If teams would consider minority candidates the same way they do minority players there would be no need.

The problem is that if such discrimination really does exist, this rule is worthless as a method to counter it. And if said discrimination does NOT exist, then the rule is an affront to both qualified and unqualified candidates regardless of the color of their skin.

Agreed.

Completely disagree. If discrimination exists, the best way to counter it is to increase interaction between the groups. Racist attitudes apply to a group as a whole and when you meet a person as an individual, many of them go away. Mandating interviews does have an impact on it. Also, talking to a person about a job that you would not ordinarily consider him for changes the impression of the person. All positives for the minority coach.It may not help every minority coach and it may not change opinions of every owner, but every little bit helps.

But what about the double standard, and negative impact upon a non minority coach it creates? Is that fair, and if so, why?Example...Mike Singletary replaced a fired head coach during the season. Mike Singletary was handed his job as 49ers head coach based on his performance as interim head coach. The NFL didn't make a peep about this decision. No other candidates, minority or not, were allotted the opportunity to interview for this position.Jim Haslett also replaced a fired head coach during the season. Haslett was told by St Louis brass that if he finished his stint as interim head coach .500 or better, then he would have the interim label stripped and be signed to a contract as head coach of the Rams. The NFL cried foul, said they wouldn't be adhering to the Rooney Rule. In turn, the Rams could not guarantee, or contractually promise Haslett the position.How is this fair to Jim Haslett, who was put in a position to earn his job, based on performace, but told he could only be placed into a pool of candidates regardless of how he did? Meanwhile, another coach was given basically the same opportunity and didn't have to still interview for his job?How is this fair to the Rams, who aren't allowed to hire internally based on performance when another organization was allowed to?How is this fair to the Rams, who had to risk Haslett exceeding expectations and making himself a commodity on the open market. This would have left the Rams in the position to have to match offers from other franchises if they presented themselves to Haslett?How is this fair to any other candidate, minority or not, that was qualified for the SF job? For what's right with the Rooney Rule, there seems to be a whole lot wrong with it too.

There is absolutely nothing in the Rooney rule that prevents the Rams from offering Haslett the coaching job. I don't see the problem.

 

[Ozymandias]

Norm Chow. It's about time we had an Asian.

Any Jewish candidates? Any deaf people? A coach with a seeing eye dog?

 

[Ozymandias]

Norm Chow. It's about time we had an Asian.

Any Jewish candidates? Any deaf people? A coach with a seeing eye dog?

I guess the only place where the blind get an even chance is as a ref.

 

[Limp Ditka]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Asking for one interview is crossing the line?If teams would consider minority candidates the same way they do minority players there would be no need.

The problem is that if such discrimination really does exist, this rule is worthless as a method to counter it. And if said discrimination does NOT exist, then the rule is an affront to both qualified and unqualified candidates regardless of the color of their skin.

Agreed.

Completely disagree. If discrimination exists, the best way to counter it is to increase interaction between the groups. Racist attitudes apply to a group as a whole and when you meet a person as an individual, many of them go away. Mandating interviews does have an impact on it. Also, talking to a person about a job that you would not ordinarily consider him for changes the impression of the person. All positives for the minority coach.It may not help every minority coach and it may not change opinions of every owner, but every little bit helps.

But what about the double standard, and negative impact upon a non minority coach it creates? Is that fair, and if so, why?Example...

Mike Singletary replaced a fired head coach during the season. Mike Singletary was handed his job as 49ers head coach based on his performance as interim head coach. The NFL didn't make a peep about this decision. No other candidates, minority or not, were allotted the opportunity to interview for this position.

Jim Haslett also replaced a fired head coach during the season. Haslett was told by St Louis brass that if he finished his stint as interim head coach .500 or better, then he would have the interim label stripped and be signed to a contract as head coach of the Rams. The NFL cried foul, said they wouldn't be adhering to the Rooney Rule. In turn, the Rams could not guarantee, or contractually promise Haslett the position.

How is this fair to Jim Haslett, who was put in a position to earn his job, based on performace, but told he could only be placed into a pool of candidates regardless of how he did? Meanwhile, another coach was given basically the same opportunity and didn't have to still interview for his job?

How is this fair to the Rams, who aren't allowed to hire internally based on performance when another organization was allowed to?

How is this fair to the Rams, who had to risk Haslett exceeding expectations and making himself a commodity on the open market. This would have left the Rams in the position to have to match offers from other franchises if they presented themselves to Haslett?

How is this fair to any other candidate, minority or not, that was qualified for the SF job?

For what's right with the Rooney Rule, there seems to be a whole lot wrong with it too.

There is absolutely nothing in the Rooney rule that prevents the Rams from offering Haslett the coaching job. I don't see the problem.

Ummmm......http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/10/25/nfl-voi...deal-with-rams/

NFL Voids Jim Haslett's Contract with Rams

Posted Oct 25th 2008 3:35PM by Bruce Ciskie (author feed)

Filed under: Rams, NFC West, NFL Coaching

The Rooney Rule is well-intentioned.

It's designed to assure that minority coaching candidates get their fair shot at jobs. It's a jab at the "good ol' boy" network, as you can't just hire some random retread who has a .450 win percentage but led a team to a 9-7 season once. Well, you can hire that guy, but not before you go through an actual interview process.

Anyway, the St. Louis Rams tried to -- in essence -- sneak past the Rooney Rule. They fired Scott Linehan, named defensive coordinator Jim Haslett the interim coach, and then gave Haslett a contract that calls for him to be named the full-time head coach automatically if he leads the Rams to six wins.

PFT reported that this provision caused Dan Rooney, owner of the Steelers and namesake of the rule, to lob a phone call to the league office.

Now, CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco (via PFT) reports the league has voided Haslett's contract.

The NFL office has notified the Rams that the contract that would have made Haslett the full-time coach after this season if he won six games was not in accordance with the Rooney Rule that the league has in place for hiring practices.

The Rooney Rule is aimed at getting more minorities interviewed for jobs, which everybody thinks is a good thing.

But the question here is this: How can the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts name their successors without adhering to the Rooney Rule, while Haslett and the Rams are being subject to it?

Prisco's question is a valid one.

And I don't buy the explanation that the Jim Mora (Seattle) and Jim Caldwell (Indianapolis) hires happened during the offseason. The teams involved clearly didn't adhere to the rules regarding the interview process.

Obviously, the league wouldn't raise a stink about Caldwell's hire, as he is a minority. However, I'm very surprised they allowed Mora's hire to go through, especially now that they have blocked Haslett from being automatically hired as the "permanent" head coach.

It's something the league needs to address, because the Rooney Rule is useless unless it's going to be consistently -- not arbitrarily -- applied.

If you don't see a problem with that, I don't know what to tell you.And the hiring of Singletary only compounds it.

 

[Idiot Boxer]

Absolutely ridiculous that the NFL needs to force teams to consider the color of a guys skin when interviewing candidates.

Asking for one interview is crossing the line?If teams would consider minority candidates the same way they do minority players there would be no need.

The problem is that if such discrimination really does exist, this rule is worthless as a method to counter it. And if said discrimination does NOT exist, then the rule is an affront to both qualified and unqualified candidates regardless of the color of their skin.

Agreed.

Completely disagree. If discrimination exists, the best way to counter it is to increase interaction between the groups. Racist attitudes apply to a group as a whole and when you meet a person as an individual, many of them go away. Mandating interviews does have an impact on it. Also, talking to a person about a job that you would not ordinarily consider him for changes the impression of the person. All positives for the minority coach.It may not help every minority coach and it may not change opinions of every owner, but every little bit helps.

But what about the double standard, and negative impact upon a non minority coach it creates? Is that fair, and if so, why?Example...

Mike Singletary replaced a fired head coach during the season. Mike Singletary was handed his job as 49ers head coach based on his performance as interim head coach. The NFL didn't make a peep about this decision. No other candidates, minority or not, were allotted the opportunity to interview for this position.

Jim Haslett also replaced a fired head coach during the season. Haslett was told by St Louis brass that if he finished his stint as interim head coach .500 or better, then he would have the interim label stripped and be signed to a contract as head coach of the Rams. The NFL cried foul, said they wouldn't be adhering to the Rooney Rule. In turn, the Rams could not guarantee, or contractually promise Haslett the position.

How is this fair to Jim Haslett, who was put in a position to earn his job, based on performace, but told he could only be placed into a pool of candidates regardless of how he did? Meanwhile, another coach was given basically the same opportunity and didn't have to still interview for his job?

How is this fair to the Rams, who aren't allowed to hire internally based on performance when another organization was allowed to?

How is this fair to the Rams, who had to risk Haslett exceeding expectations and making himself a commodity on the open market. This would have left the Rams in the position to have to match offers from other franchises if they presented themselves to Haslett?

How is this fair to any other candidate, minority or not, that was qualified for the SF job?

For what's right with the Rooney Rule, there seems to be a whole lot wrong with it too.

There is absolutely nothing in the Rooney rule that prevents the Rams from offering Haslett the coaching job. I don't see the problem.

Ummmm......http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/10/25/nfl-voi...deal-with-rams/

NFL Voids Jim Haslett's Contract with Rams

Posted Oct 25th 2008 3:35PM by Bruce Ciskie (author feed)

Filed under: Rams, NFC West, NFL Coaching

The Rooney Rule is well-intentioned.

It's designed to assure that minority coaching candidates get their fair shot at jobs. It's a jab at the "good ol' boy" network, as you can't just hire some random retread who has a .450 win percentage but led a team to a 9-7 season once. Well, you can hire that guy, but not before you go through an actual interview process.

Anyway, the St. Louis Rams tried to -- in essence -- sneak past the Rooney Rule. They fired Scott Linehan, named defensive coordinator Jim Haslett the interim coach, and then gave Haslett a contract that calls for him to be named the full-time head coach automatically if he leads the Rams to six wins.

PFT reported that this provision caused Dan Rooney, owner of the Steelers and namesake of the rule, to lob a phone call to the league office.

Now, CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco (via PFT) reports the league has voided Haslett's contract.

The NFL office has notified the Rams that the contract that would have made Haslett the full-time coach after this season if he won six games was not in accordance with the Rooney Rule that the league has in place for hiring practices.

The Rooney Rule is aimed at getting more minorities interviewed for jobs, which everybody thinks is a good thing.

But the question here is this: How can the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts name their successors without adhering to the Rooney Rule, while Haslett and the Rams are being subject to it?

Prisco's question is a valid one.

And I don't buy the explanation that the Jim Mora (Seattle) and Jim Caldwell (Indianapolis) hires happened during the offseason. The teams involved clearly didn't adhere to the rules regarding the interview process.

Obviously, the league wouldn't raise a stink about Caldwell's hire, as he is a minority. However, I'm very surprised they allowed Mora's hire to go through, especially now that they have blocked Haslett from being automatically hired as the "permanent" head coach.

It's something the league needs to address, because the Rooney Rule is useless unless it's going to be consistently -- not arbitrarily -- applied.

If you don't see a problem with that, I don't know what to tell you.And the hiring of Singletary only compounds it.

I can't speak to the application of the Rooney rule in the Mora and Caldwell designations. The 9ers waited until after the season to hire Singletary. They did not have to intereview anyone else because Singletary is a minority. I don't really have a problem with that. The Rams can hire Haslett if they want to. They just have to afford an interview to a minority. That minority may not get the job, but will benefit from having his name mentioned as a candidate. Bottom line, however, is that if the Rams want Haslett for their coach, there is no reason they can't have him.

In the meantime, minority coaching in the NFL is approaching respectable levels. I still don't see the problem.

 

[boubucarow]

I agree that it is idiotic that Singletary can be hired and Haslett can't be before interviews solely due to the color of their skin. However, the Rooney Rule was needed and probably still is needed and hopefully won't be needed soon. The rule could be rewritten to always force a certain number of interviews that must include at least one white candidate and one minority candidate. This would make it more race neutral.

 

[Kleck]

I think the Rams are just having this Moss guy in to please the NFL. I think Haslett is going to stay...which SUCKS

As a Packer fan, I hope not.

Whats the deal with this guy? No good?

As a fan you can never really tell. All you can do is look at the results of his players and the LB core this year was weak. Plus, he is being talked about as a DC replacement if needed and I would rather someone from the outside be brought in.

Same here.

 

[videoguy505]

I wonder if Romeo could get a token interview with anyone.

Every team should bring in Romeo Crennell and Art Shell for a token interview, just to show how stupid this rule is.

 

[fatness]

The problem is that if such discrimination really does exist, this rule is worthless as a method to counter it.

I think Boom covers why you're wrong more thoroughly than you cover why you're right.

The numbers don't lie - two before the Rule, six right now, and seven last year. Maybe the Rule wasn't directly responsible for hirings, but it sent a clear message to the owners, a message that was received. You can't say the minority coaches hired since the Rooney Rule was instituted have been worse than the average NFL coach on the whole (even Lewis had the Bengals respectable for a moment), and you might even argue that Smith and Tomlin were two of the best hires in the NFL since the rule, minority or otherwise.It seems to me that the rule has done more good than harm, and that it's bringing about the conditions that will mean it is no longer needed soon. The next front in this effort is the college coaching ranks (Auburn passing on Gill for Chizik was terrible, feel sorry for you Auburn fans), and maybe NFL front offices - although the Mayhew hire in Detroit was a step in the right direction, and certainly helps the case that the Rooney Rule is "trickling up" to front office hiring practices too.