Article:Trizz vs. The Rooney Rules

Ahhh January, the time of year where we don't quite care about college basketball yet, nor the NBA, the MLB's hot stove has cooled off, and its all about the pigskin. First we have the BCS, which we all hate yet we all watch and then its the NFL playoffs, win or go home, and then its one of my favorite things about football when teams grab their best Donald Trump toupee and tell coaches "You're fired."

Then comes the frantic carousel on who will replace him, do you go with the unproven coordinator, the big name college guy, do you go with the old schooler, do you hire from within or do you hire the token black guy. I know the Rooney rules was initially put in place to help black coaching candidates but I think of it as more of a backhanded compliment. Like, hey you're black how would like an interview, you probably won't get the job but we'll humor you.

It's like that Seinfeld episode, where George tries to convince his boss he has black friends. I understand that black coaches wasn't in the norm but we are in a different time, I think interviewing someone because they are black is just as insulting as not interviewing them. I mean sure some people get lucky like Mike Tomlin, who was pretty unqualified but he's doing a hell of a job but then you have Art Shell, who was downright awful.

Take Mike "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride" Singletary, who is often the token black candidate he gets plenty of interviews because of his skin color, but he's only a linebackers coach not even a coordinator. He goes on numerous interviews only to not be hired, is it because he has a sweaty handshake, perhaps, but its because teams don't think he can lead their team to Lombardis but they humor him just to meet their minority quota.

You look at Tony Dungy, Lovie Smith, Romeo Crennel, Herm Edwards they are known as great coaches. If they ever have to look for another coaching gig they will be interviewed because of their talent not because they are black (well maybe not Herm Edwards, he sucks he'll be the token black guy).

Yes, I'm well aware that in SOME cases, racism still exists but it appears every time someone of color gets fired, or criticized they are they are quick to play the 2 of clubs. (Yes, I declare the race card the 2 of clubs, I don't know why but it is) and more often than not its not the case.

{For the record, if Mike Singletary gets hired this year, this post never happened lol}