Looks like the Washington football franchise has hired their new football coach, Jay Gruden (brother of former head coach John), to take over from Mike Shanahan. I don't think there will be any movies coming out titled "Brother of Chucky" anytime soon.
I know what you're thinking. You think I'm going to talk about how Gruden will be the difference maker in Washington or how he is going to be another in the long line of Washington head coaches that won't get it done. Nope. All I know about Gruden is from his time on this year's version of the HBO show "Hard Knocks".
I want to talk about the "Rooney Rule".
The rule, established in 2003, is named after Steelers owner Dan Rooney who was the chairman of the league's diversity committee. It requires teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior operation football jobs. The first early hires were Marvin Lewis and Lovie Smith. It even worked out well for the Steelers when they hired Mike Tomlin in 2007. He has gone 71-41 and won Super Bowl XLIII.
Let me make it plain like Malcolm. On paper, great. But then comes the Washington team. and they are not alone with this hustle. While they satisfied the requirement (they interviewed two black assistant coaches, including Raven OC Jim Caldwell), the fix was already in. Less than a week after the Bengals were eliminated from the playoffs, there were reports of Gruden having dinner with GM Bruce Allen. Less than two days later, they found their man.
This is where I put on my ownership hat on. Again, on paper, I feel that nobody should tell me how to run my team, select my players and pick my coaches. For all the fanfare that the rule that generated, the coaches selected under this rule have a combined record of 384-390 with two conference titles and only one Super Bowl. Still, when I see how the Washington football team consternates the spirit of the rule, it still makes it hard to digest.
But as Omar said, "The game is the game."
I know ,I sent u a text after cincy hung themselves bout ur team going after cincy oc or dc for the hc open job ,& they decided on Gruden ,but another candidate I 4got 2 give a shout out is Az. Cards DC is Todd Bowles ,who has been having the best D's in the league for the last 4 yrs. @least. Now I have wrong a plenty, he didn't get a thought , know I could b wrong ,but doubt it ,& I'm not piling n Da Chocolate City Crew ,talking bout all NFL teams that r in need ,maybe Dallas should if nuffin else ,The DC Job ,& My BlkByrds drafting a center ,hint-hint from Ark. Razorback ,cuz dat dude there rite now , DAYUM, yall know what? U saw what I saw, so nuff said. Sorry folks abut throwing those last lines in but our center stinks & yall know I'm being kind with my remarks. But Easy I have 2 disagree on da Rooney Rule, without it there's no Dungy Lovie ,Marvin ,Cardwell, & definitely NO OZZIE,so half of it is FOOLS GOLD ,da other half is da real thing Brah.
ReplyDelete