Note: The reason why I didn't link to the article is ANG Newspaper's website archive is so poorly designed and maintained, the link would go bad after 30 days. Here's Monte's article below, and his photo to the left.
Al could trump rest by hiring minority
Monte Poole
MAYBE AL DAVIS, often accused of being past his prime, is the one NFL executive who will see what his colleagues have missed.
And wouldn't he love that?
The Raiders owner is the last of the nine bosses to have interviewed candidates but remain undecided about his next head coach. Six have hired their new man, and two others are believed to be an announcement away.
Which leaves Al in a position he relishes, able to defy convention, be contrary, go his own way.
It's as easy as hiring Maurice Carthon or Ron Rivera as Oakland's next head coach. Or Tim Lewis, Jerry Gray, Hue Jackson, Ted Cottrell, Greg Blatche or Donnie Henderson.
Each is a man of color, touted as capable of a being quality head coach in the NFL. Men of color, given such an opportunity, have done exceptionally well. So well, you'd think NFL owners would have noticed.
Maybe they have, but are too race-conscious to acknowledge it.
Otherwise, they are clinging to ignorance in spite of the obvious.
Most observers noted the results achieved in 2005 by Tony Dungy in Indianapolis, Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati and Lovie Smith in Chicago. There was widespread acknowledgment of the strides made by Romeo Crennel in Cleveland.
Four African-American head coaches, all former coordinators, all longtime dues-paying members of the coaching fraternity, experiencing success in a league reluctant to hire head coaches of color.
With Smith and Dungy finishing 1-2 in the Coach of the Year voting, and Lewis tied for fourth, it was an undeniable breakthrough. Equality, finally, is at hand. Fairness at last. That's what the folks at the barber shop say.
Ahh, but team owners and presidents, those who do the hiring, don't go to the barber shop. Don't hear what's said there, either.
How else to explain the sixhires this off-season, as well as the two reportedly decided? The new wave looks a lot like the old wave. Some are relatively young, maybe prematurely promoted. Some are relatively old, perhaps overdue for an opportunity. Several were downright mystifying.
All are indisputably white.
Brad Childress (Minnesota), Mike McCarthy (Green Bay), Eric Mangini (New York Jets), Rod Marinelli (Detroit), Sean Payton (New Orleans) and Scott Linehan (St. Louis) now have their chance. Buffalo reportedly is ready to hire former Chicago Bears coach Dick Jauron, while Houston will hire Denver assistant Gary Kubiak, who became available Sunday after the Broncos were ousted from the playoffs.
Eight positions filled, none by anyone who brings similar socio-ethnic experiences or points of view as those currently among the most successful coaches in the league.
It is apparent is that few employers are influenced when Denver safety John Lynch says two of the greatest positive influences on his life — his life! — are Dungy and Herm Edwards, neither of whom coaches the Broncos. And that few understand the amplitude of the statement when Bengals receiver Chad Johnson says his head coach, Lewis, is "like a father" to him.
Mangini, who turned 35 last Thursday, spent one season as defensive coordinator in New England, after five years coaching defensive backs. Before that, he was a quality control coach, which means he was responsible for coffee and doughnuts.
And McCarthy, architect of a 49ers offense that finished at the bottom of the league, gets rewarded by the Packers.
Why not hire former FEMA boss Michael "heckuva job" Brown?
Whatever happened to the notion that the NFL is a copycat league, where needy teams try to mimic the latest, hottest organizations?
Rivera, defensive coordinator under Smith with the Bears, went from hot to not hot in the blink of an eye. Same with Tim Lewis, who serves in the same capacity for the New York Giants. Henderson and Cottrell, two more DCs, got courtesy interviews and now find themselves unemployed.
Boys and girls, black head coaches typically make a positive impact. Art Shell improved the Raiders, Ray Rhodes improved the Eagles, Edwards improved the Jets, Dungy improved the Colts. Dennis Green improved the Vikings (he's got a ways to go with the Cardinals).
For evidence of turnaround jobs, consider Dungy with the Bucs. Or Smith with the Bears. Or Lewis, becoming the second coach in Bengals history to have a winning record (27-21) after three seasons.
Only Rhodes (37-42-1 with two teams) and Edwards (41-43 after going 4-12 with the injury-depleted Jets in'05) are sub-.500.
These men have done well not because they are black but because they were highly qualified by the time opportunity knocked.
History reveals progress is not progress until those in power see it as progress. The hirings this off-season serve as a potent reminder — even if Al bucks the trend.
Monte Poole can be reached at (510) 208-6461 or by e-mail at mpoole@angnewspapers.com
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