Jesse Jackson blasts Bama

[Ragone]

http://espn.go.com/ncf/news/2003/0510/1551901.html

You know, the more i think about it, the more programs are leary to hire African Americans because of the backlash if they choose to fire them.. If Marvin Lewis loses 48 games the next 3 years and gets fired, Jesse Jackson will be camped out in Cincy..

Take Nolan Richardson for example, a great coach.. but his style and method had worn its welcome in Arkansas and was time for a change. He cried racism and the Rainbow Coaltion comes storming in..

I am very open minded, and while i do think the racial diversity in coaching needs to be examined.. it doesn't need to be crammed down our throats at every turn/job opening

[GrantDawg]

This one he is probably right about though. Even a blind mule can find a turnip every once in awhile.

[Easy Mac]

Never talk to JJ in person, the guy doesn't shut up. 45 fucking minutes I got to ask him 5 questions, 2 were even phrased in a yes and no way.

Nice guy though if you take out all the racial stuff, very very polite, suprised he had time to talk to a college kid.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Typical Jesse. Let's face it, he isn't interested in having minority candidates considered fairly, he just wants the job handed to them without regard to anything else.

The only thing that bugs me a little is that anybody bothers to cover this frickin' idiot anymore. This was so predictable a reaction that the ESPN story could have been written within minutes of him first poking his nose into the situation, all that was left was to fill in the appropriate names & dates.

[ISiddiqui]

Jeez... you have two basically equal candidates and you can't select the one who has the lighter pigmentation without getting blasted? COME ON!

I mean, it wasn't like Shula was going against Tony Dungy or something.

[GoldenEagle]

I have stated before that I thought Dennis Green was the best guy for the Bama job. I dont guess he showed interest because he was not interviewed.

I dont know if I would hire Croom or Shula. They both have the same coaching experience basically. But let's admit it, Bama was probably concerned they would lose some revenue if they hired a black head coach.

[GrantDawg]

Sorry, these two guys were not equals. They had the Alabama pedigree, been assistant coaches and cordinators in the NFL, and neither had head coaching experience.

That is were the equality ends. Croom has years of experience in coaching COLLEGE football and has recruiting experience (and was pretty good at it). Shula has never recruited a single player. Croom has a reputation as a bright coach with a good future. Shula has the reputation for not being the sharpest tool in the shed.

So, Croom had things going him, and Shula had the fact he was white.

[Ragone]

This is exactly what i mean.. put to a reasonable arguement like Grantdawg has made.. I'm fine with looking into the hiring..

But when you go around and yell at EVERY opening because you didn't hire a minority.. its going to cause people to just roll their eyes..

What next? Mike Grier/Anson Carter are going to be free agents.. and Jesse Jackson is gonna file a grieveance with every nhl team that doesn't try and sign them?

[tucker342]

Ya, Jackson is annoying, he's not helping African-Americans in this country at all if you ask me.

[ISiddiqui]

I would say Shula's defense at Miami was great, while neither side of the ball in Green Bay was much to crow at. Brett Farve tends to make that team work. Without him, they'd be 4-12. Going on recent history, I'd put Shula on even keel with Croom.

And I wonder how anyone saying that the only thing Shula had was that he was white can really believe that. Look at his name: SHULA. Does that, perchance, remind you of anyone? It is no secret that his poppy is revered in that state. It's very good PR to hire someone named Shula in Bama.

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by ISiddiqui
I would say Shula's defense at Miami was great, while neither side of the ball in Green Bay was much to crow at. Brett Farve tends to make that team work. Without him, they'd be 4-12. Going on recent history, I'd put Shula on even keel with Croom.

And I wonder how anyone saying that the only thing Shula had was that he was white can really believe that. Look at his name: SHULA. Does that, perchance, remind you of anyone? It is no secret that his poppy is revered in that state. It's very good PR to hire someone named Shula in Bama.

Shula was QUARTERBACK coach at Miami. He was not working with the defense, and was Offensive cordinator of some really bad offenses at Tampa Bay before he was fired for being inept. Croom worked with running backs at Green Bay and did get yards out of players others past up.

Quoting Len Pasquarelli (who likes the hire, by the way) [q]It didn't help, either, that during a four-season stretch (1996-99) as coordinator in Tampa Bay, the Bucs were seen as underachievers and their offense cited as the principle reason for the team's shortcomings. In those four seasons, the Bucs statistically ranked 28th, 29th, No. 22 and 28th, respectively on offense.[/b]

So, his biggest claim to fame was a nearly dead last offense in Tampa, and the "progress" of Jay Fiedler. Whereas Croom coached for ten years under Bear Bryant and recruited top players in state year in and year out. Please get some facts before you post.

Compare that to Croom: [q]Croom achieved noted success during his four years at the helm of the Lions' offense, with his 1997 troops ranking second in the NFL, running back Barry Sanders becoming the third person in league history to crack the 2,000-yard barrier, rushing for 2,053 yards, and both Herman Moore and Johnnie Morton posting more than 1,000 yards receiving. In 1999, Morton and Germaine Crowell combined for 161 receptions and 2,467 yards. Tight end David Sloan also performed well in '99, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl on the strength of 47 receptions for 591 yards, the best production from a Lions tight end in 20 years.

Prior to his tenure with the Lions, the 47-year-old Croom tutored running backs for five seasons with the San Diego Chargers (1992-96). In 1994, under Croom's guidance, second-year back Natrone Means set team records with 1,350 yards rushing and a string of five consecutive 100-yard rushing games. It was in San Diego where Croom first joined the staff of Bobby Ross, whom he followed to the Lions in 1997 as offensive coordinator.

Croom had broken into the NFL as running backs coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987, coaching there for four seasons before spending one year (1991) in the same role with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native launched his profession in his home state, coaching at his alma mater, the University of Alabama, for 10 seasons (1977-86). Croom oversaw both inside (1977-81, 1984-86) and outside linebackers (1982-83) during his tenure with the Crimson Tide and enjoyed back-to-back national championship seasons in 1978-79. In addition, Alabama led the Southeastern Conference in total defense during the 1979-80 seasons.

Croom enjoyed a measure of teaching success with the Tide, with four of his players developing into National Football League first-round draft picks: E.J. Junior (1981), Mike Pitts (1983), Cornelius Bennett (1987) and the late Derrick Thomas (1989). [/q]

There is no comparison between the two. Shula has a name, but his rep is not good. Croom has a good rep, pedigree, track record and experience recruiting that Shula does not have.

[FBPro]

Big shock......JJ = diarrhea of the mouth.

[ColtCrazy]

If Jackson thinks he knows so much about who should be hired, slap a heatset on him and send him to Indiana. If he can't make them win, I'll shut up.

[EagleFan]

Shula had more than being white going for him. He's the son of a hall of fame coach. That had to play a lot into it. It's not like he was Rich Kotite's son.

[JonInMiddleGA]

And IMO the name value of Shula cannot be underestimated.

Look at the situation Alabama was in -- Third coach in less than a year, you certainly don't want it to be four in a year or two. Nobody knows how the players will react to all the turmoil, there's every possibility IMO that the Tide will stink on ice for a year or more.

Shula may suck too. But he'll get more rope (i.e. paitience) from the alums because of the legacy that he's connected to.

I think there's every chance he'll eventually be fired after failing to bring 'Bama to the promised land. But he'll get at least 3 years to do that because of his name, whereas Croom (or nearly any other coaching candidate, black or white) would have had the wolves pacing outside his door by late September 2004 (presuming the team doesn't perform).

[TroyF]

Jon,

I agree with you. It's just tough to stomach watching this happen time and time again. Guys with superior track records getting passed over for one reason or another.

In this case, I agree, the excuse is valid. The name Shula carries major weight. Bama couldn't afford another screw up. On the other hand, there's ALWAYS some excuse. This would be a lot more understandable if it didn't happen 99 times out of 100.

TroyF

[cmp]

Alabama got the guy they wanted. I don't see any problem in that. It's like the Detroit Lions situation, they got the guy they wanted and are blasted for it. Now every team that does not hire a black head coach will be scrutinized by everyone.

[GoldenEagle]

But a guy should not be hired because his last name is Shula. I am going to agree with Grantdawg here and say he was hired because he was white. I think Shula is a better coach that what Grant makes him out to be, but there is no doubt in my mind that Shula got the nod because he is white.

[Young Drachma]

Cross post from my blog


So explain to me how a 37 year old NFL assistant coach with a terrible record and who actually got FIRED a few years ago for sucking it up, gets hired at his alma mater over the guy who was recruited to be an assistant for the Green Bay Packers and who was obviously going to spend the rest of his career there?

The reason Sylvester Croom got denied over Mike Shula is simple. Mike's dad is one of the best coaches in NFL history, Mike played QB at 'Bama and they figured that he was the safe choice. At the worst, he'll go in there and stink it up for a while. Then they'll say that he was hampered by the sanctions or couldn't handle the pressure. Hell, they might not even make excuses for him. If he does well, he'll leave and go to the NFL. After all, what 37 year old wants to spend the next 30 years coaching in college? He'll want a new challenge, while Sly Croom would've spent his career there - and did I mention that it was ALSO his alma mater?

The problem is simple. The media made a huge stink about Alabama hiring a black coach, to make him the first one in the SEC. That was the nail in the coffin for Croom. The fact is, HE'S QUALIFIED. It's not like he needed some sort of affirmative action boost. That's why I get so mad when well intentioned people make all these claims about the benefits of integration related to white people. Who the hell cares about what the residual benefits of integration are. If the job doesn't get done, if kids aren't learning or in this case, if the team is losing - who cares how much of a feel good story it would be to have Alabama be the first team in the SEC to hire a black coach?!

I wish that people would just get over it. Believe it or not, there are plenty of black folks out there that don't need someone to stump for them simply because of their race. How about saying, "Hey, that's guy is qualified and talented. He deserves a shot", instead of "Gee, wouldn't it be great if there was more diversity?"

I hope you're listening Rev. Jackson. The reason the people at Alabama didn't hire him had more to do with you and the media bullying them than it did with them being ignorant and hiring the guy who is worse. But Shula will fail, just give him time.

[Young Drachma]

Originally posted by Ragone
http://espn.go.com/ncf/news/2003/0510/1551901.html

I am very open minded, and while i do think the racial diversity in coaching needs to be examined.. it doesn't need to be crammed down our throats at every turn/job opening

This my basic point. I think that by people like Jackson running their mouths, it makes things worse. Anyone looking at those two are going to realize that Shula is the worse candidate, but the people at 'Bama didn't want to get "bullied" into a choice, for fear it might cause people like Jackson to keep it up.

Its a shame, because their program will suffer. That said, its better that Shula got it now. That way when he gets fired and Croom can come down in a few years, the NCAA sanctions will be over.

[Young Drachma]

Originally posted by gold101
Alabama got the guy they wanted. I don't see any problem in that. It's like the Detroit Lions situation, they got the guy they wanted and are blasted for it. Now every team that does not hire a black head coach will be scrutinized by everyone.

The Lions situation is interesting. Do many of you remember when they hired Marty whats his face instead of interviewing a candidate was more qualified? He was a buddy of Matt Millen and he did an awful job and got canned. You mean to tell me they couldn't find a minority candidate that could've come in there and done something with a team that had some talent?

The problem is, these execs aren't "wasting their time" identifying candidates that are not "conventional" ones in their mind. In other words, their buddies, friends or whoever else they want to choose. It shouldn't be such a big deal to hire (or fire) a minority coach. Its the fact that they're not even getting looked at it, which makes it bad.

We're at the point that we can have black quarterbacks get benched and no one says anything racial about it. We're not there with coaches yet, because there are so few who even get chances.