Rooney Rule works on Race
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January 30, 2009
The Super Bowl. Just three words. One game. And the two dumbest weeks in journalism. Okay, I’m no John Facenda, the NFL’s “Voice of God.” But the Super Bowl is no Olympics, either. With all the buildup, the waiting, and the unbelievably idiotic interviews, the game is almost always anticlimactic. But if you get past the hype and hysteria, there’s something happening here – and what it is, is exactly clear. In 2002, just two of the NFL’s 32 head coaches were minorities – or six percent. That’s higher than most industries could claim – including college football, which has only three percent minority head coaches. It’s a sad state of affairs when America’s colleges, those bastions of open-mindedness, can’t compete with the cut-throat capitalistic NFL for minority hiring. But the figures were even more embarrassing for the NFL because fully 70-percent of its players are African-American. Well, what to do? They considered affirmative action, but they rejected it because it often stigmatizes those who get hired. So, the NFL actually engaged in some original thinking, and came up with the Rooney Rule – named for Dan Rooney, the second-generation owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the best-run franchises in sports. Here’s how it works. Whenever a coaching position opens, that team is required to interview a minority candidate. Not, hire just interview. Yes, this does result in some token interviews, which can be aggravating, but far more often it allows good candidates to get past the old boy network, get a chance to make their pitch when it matters most, and get a job they might not otherwise have been considered for. It gives them a chance – that’s all. It reminds me of the classic scene, 40 years ago, when Bo Schembechler first told all his Michigan players that he would treat them all exactly the same: Like Dogs! The white guys got scared – this guy is crazy – while the black guys said, “Cool – now we’ve got a chance.” Only one team has violated the Rooney Rule: the Detroit Lions, under former team president Matt Millen. They were fined $200,000, but were further punished when their last three coaches, all white, all bombed. Which gives us the Millen Rule, which goes like this: If you own a pro football team, never hire Matt Millen. Ever. That’s the rule. Under the Rooney Rule, minorities don’t get stuck on the outside looking in, but they don’t get a free pass, either. They just get their chance. After that, they’re on their own. But they know that if they get the job, they got it on their merits – and everyone else does too. In other words, the candidates get to keep their dignity, while the owners get to keep their autonomy. It’s worked out better than even Rooney had hoped. Just four years after the NFL introduced the Rooney Rule, the number of minority head coaches more than tripled, from two to seven. They’ve done even better on the job. Of the last six coaches to lead their teams to the Super Bowl, half have been African-Americans. That includes Tony Dungy, who won Super Bowl XXI, and Mike Tomlin, whose Pittsburgh Steelers will play this Sunday. Even if the Steelers win this weekend, Dan Rooney’s six Super Bowl rings might be overshadowed by the simple rule that bears his name. The rest of the nation should take note.
Copyright © 2009, Michigan Radio
Nice take on Super Bowl hype and evaluating people on merit.
But, and I hate to be shallow here, aren't Fridays supposed to be about the University of Michigan?
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Thank you for the kind words. To clarify the mission given to me by Michigan Public Radio and the Detroit News, they like commentaries with a connection to the state of Michigan (not just UM), but in about a third of the time, I'm free to address pretty much anything that catches my attention -- e.g. Jackie Robinson, Yankee Stadium's role as America's front porch, and even dumb games your kids shouldn't play (which, believe it or not, got the most hits on UM's iTunes that week).
Of course, you're always free to skip over any and all non-UM related subjects. At this price, you can afford to be picky!
Again, thanks for your comment.
-John
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