NFL eyeing Rooney Rule expansion

[Guest]

The NFL has discussed an expansion to the Rooney Rule under which teams would be required to interview minority candidates for vacant coordinator jobs, league sources told ESPN.

The NFL expressed its disappointment in a statement after 14 head coach and front-office jobs were filled without one minority being hired. The league indicated changes were being discussed.

No decision has been made, but the NFL likely will mandate that teams with returning head coaches include minority interviews for coordinator vacancies, hoping to broaden the pool of potential head-coaching candidates, one source said.

There has been some internal debate that would not mandate new head coaches to interview minorities for those coordinator positions, but the discussions will continue.

The Rooney Rule currently requires teams to interview at least one minority for head coach and general manager positions. It also could be expanded to team president openings, sources said.

Owners have leaned toward head coaches with experience on the offensive side of the football, even though the San Francisco 49ers' Jim Harbaugh is the only coach of the four NFC-AFC championship finalists who meets that description.

The Indianapolis Colts hired Pep Hamilton to succeed Bruce Arians as their offensive coordinator on Friday, making Hamilton and Jim Caldwell of the Baltimore Ravens as the only minorities who call plays for NFL teams.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/88...ording-sources

[kmanharris]

This rule is retarded IMO. If you are the most qualified for the position, you will be hired. It doesn't matter the color of your skin.

[DoubleDeuce]

The Rooney Rule breeds more racism.

As soon as the world stops worrying about garbage like this, it'll go away.

[BigBucs]

This rule is retarded IMO. If you are the most qualified for the position, you will be hired. It doesn't matter the color of your skin.

Andy Reid vs Lovie Smith...... go!

[Guest]

This rule is retarded IMO. If you are the most qualified for the position, you will be hired. It doesn't matter the color of your skin.

What sucks more is the stereotype for the coach who is now going to be viewed as the "token black candidate." When the Redskins hired Mike Shanahan, it was rumored for at least a year that Daniel Snyder wanted Shanahan to coach. Most of the assistants he added were on his staff with Denver, and he knew for some time. So is that guy getting an interview really going to have a shot?

[Guest]

Andy Reid vs Lovie Smith...... go!

Might be different for me, but I'd take Smith 11 times out of 10 over Reid. I have not been an Andy Reid fan over the past four years.

[kmanharris]

What sucks more is the stereotype for the coach who is now going to be viewed as the "token black candidate." When the Redskins hired Mike Shanahan, it was rumored for at least a year that Daniel Snyder wanted Shanahan to coach. Most of the assistants he added were on his staff with Denver, and he knew for some time. So is that guy getting an interview really going to have a shot?

Exactly. The rule just belittles non-white coaches. Most of the time they are just being brought in to satisfy the rule.

Which is worse? Not interviewing a guy because he isn't qualified or interviewing an unqualified candidate simply because he is black and you have to meet a quota?

[ralaw]

I believe the intent of the RR is to allow minority candidates to get some exposure and to provide more awareness and training for minority candidates at entry level coaching positions. I really don't see it as being much of an issue.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Andy Reid vs Lovie Smith...... go!

I keep seeing people bring this up, and honestly I don't get it.

Reid has seven 7 division titles & 10 post season wins. Only 3 losing records in 14 seasons, and missed the playoffs in back to back seasons one time.

Smith made the playoffs a total of 3 times in 9 seasons, and ONCE in the last 6.

Why the outrage? Lovie Smith stinks.

[JimLeavy59]

And Andy Reid doesn't? Reid should have been fired years ago.

[Warner2BruceTD]

And Andy Reid doesn't? Reid should have been fired years ago.

As in one year ago? Maybe? That was an 8-8 season coming off two straight division titles & three straight playoff births. If you would have fired him last year, that would have been quite the bold move.

Also, offensive "guru" Reid has seven top ten offenses under his belt (and two #11 finishes), while defensive "guru" Smith has only three top ten defenses.

[EmpireWF]

And Andy Reid doesn't? Reid should have been fired years ago.

Probably should've been canned after the last Eagles wild card loss, though even that may have been premature. Even so, can't argue with the results...despite never winning a SB, the amount of consistency during his run was incredible.

As for Love Smith, he was just a great underachiever in his stint. The Bears were never really horrible under him, only 3 sub-500 seasons (including his first year there). Two seasons, they missed the playoffs based on 1 win. They definitely should have had more chances at the Super Bowl (besides their one loss), but I could think of plenty of worse coaches during his span in Chicago.

[ralaw]

This rule is retarded IMO. If you are the most qualified for the position, you will be hired. It doesn't matter the color of your skin.

This should be true, but you have to consider the fact that whites by in large are given more opportunities to be trained, prepared, etc to be the most qualified. This is what the RR was intended to deal with.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Probably should've been canned after the last Eagles wild card loss, though even that may have been premature. Even so, can't argue with the results...despite never winning a SB, the amount of consistency during his run was incredible.

As for Love Smith, he was just a great underachiever in his stint. The Bears were never really horrible under him, only 3 sub-500 seasons (including his first year there). Two seasons, they missed the playoffs based on 1 win. They definitely should have had more chances at the Super Bowl (besides their one loss), but I could think of plenty of worse coaches during his span in Chicago.

I think they both deserved to be fired, and this was the right year to do it in both cases.

The Reid era clearly ran its course in Philly and the bottom fell out this season.

And let's be honest, where was Chicago ever going to go with Smith? Same shit every year, either miss the playoffs by a hair or not be a serious SB threat. And always the same core problem (o-line). The franchise ran out of scapegoats. It was time to try something new while Cutler, Forte, & Marshall are in their primes.

[EmpireWF]

No doubt there, the Bears needed a new GM. If the new guy felt it was best to start fresh at the HC spot, can't really argue there.