Fritz Pollard, Alliance not happy with. What's happened
this week, nor should it be the group that's responsible for
promoting the hiring and retention of minority coaches
and Executives. Issuing a statement today in this comes
from Rod, Graves,
the executive director of the First Column lines. The recent
dismissals of Brian Flores and David Cully. Disappointment
given efforts to increase the representation of black
coaches, as head. Coaches in the NFL, the fact that we stand
today with only one black head coach makes clear that
the current system does not provide a sustainable path
way for the growth
in numbers of minorities as head. Coaches, for many
the time. I'm for progress is now with 11 openings. The NFL has
an opportunity
to demonstrate its commitment to diversity
of leadership. 8 head coaching positions vacant three general
manager jobs open
and we'll see what happens miles. Look.
The bottom line is,
they can put whatever
procedures they want in place to require a certain number of
interviews and to require a process of deliberate. It feels
like everybody is operating in a more deliberate way this year
than usual, but the end of the day,
he's owners are going to hire whoever they want.
And I asked somebody today who understands the process very
well and has a lot of experience with the process.
What percentage of teams do you think, know when they fire
their current head coach, who the next one will be,
and the answer was 70 to 80%. Now, Peter King. And I talked
about this earlier. He thinks this year. That number is lower
that these teams really are engaging in a broader search,
a meaningful, search an open search
or maybe they're just doing a better job of creating
the impression that they are. But regardless
the owners are going to hire.
And who they want to hire. And I don't think any amount of
pressure from the fritz, Pollard Alliance for the league
office is going to change things. The only things are
going to change it. And here's the former lawyer in me. If you
haven't heard coming out
litigation or the credible threat of litigation is
the only thing that is going to change the status quo, where
all you have to do is point to the outcome point to
the numbers, over the last 40 years, and it's obvious
that somehow some way, the current system
has biased baked into it that manifests itself.
Over and over and over again,
but until they get sued, they're not going to change. It
was the threat of litigation
that brought us the Rooney Rule in the first place 20 years ago
and where we really come in. 20 years.
What progress has really been made in 20 years miles.
Well, I don't know that there has been much of any. And you
you just said where I was exactly going to say, it was
only the threat of litigation that brought about, the Rooney
Rule in the first place. And, you know, it's so interesting,
Mike, because
I think nothing brings out the racist like, pointing out
systemic racism. ISM and I'll because yesterday I as I think
many people did I pointed out on Twitter
that Mike Tomlin was the Lone remaining black coach in
the NFL. Right and we can to call Active, right? Because
obviously one or more could be hired in this coaching cycle,
especially with there being eight openings right now, but,
you know, the funniest thing
that got thrown back in my face was somebody that was like God
but you just couldn't wait to post this because they're it
opening. So why don't you just wait? Well, your weight go take
a trip to Chicago and go stop the vowel. Yes, claimed so many
yes.
Come from we're talking about head coaching vacancies.
Okay, let's go. Tell me like go stop violence in Chicago. It's
unbelievable. The way people act about stuff that doesn't
really even affect their lives. But really, it's just
the systemic racism. That is so clear. And so obvious, when it
comes from the shadow guys, the
egg guys, and guys, with like ten numbers in their Twitter
handles, looks like, dude. You're not gonna get one of
these jobs. Anyway, a jerk, so I don't really understand why
people just Cannot handle when facts are pointed out to them.
How dare you say or do anything,
that will make people the slightest bit uncomfortable
about their belief systems or the history that we all have as
a shared people, that is undeniable. But the easiest way
to avoid ever having to feel like maybe we should improve is
just to ignore the history all
together and act like it never even happened.