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More About Dolphins Coaching Job and Race

December 19, 2004


Shell says he wants shot with Dolphins.
Race factors into search for Dolphin coach.

Let’s go over a few things. As per my previous entry, Mr. Wooten said he was “optimistic the Dolphins will conduct a wide-ranging search that would last into January.” My question is: who put him in charge of the Dolphins?

Consider this:

“You guys tell me,” Shannon said. “I’m an assistant coach at Miami and they’re going to pass over (Patriots) defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel and all those other guys to talk to me? Do you see it happening?”

The Dolphins can’t interview Crennel and other NFL assistants, however, until the end of the season. And if Saban is going to take over the Dolphins, he wants it to happen by the end of this week.

And now consider this:

Shannon said he doesn’t like the NFL’s so-called Rooney Rule that mandates clubs interview minority candidates or risk a fine because he believes it sends the message that a black coach can get interviewed only because of his race.

That stance likely would make the people at the Fritz Pollard Alliance cringe. The alliance of coaches and NFL personnel who promote minority hiring practices is trying to become an active part of Miami’s interview process; representatives of the group called Shannon and Shell to discourage them from interviewing.

Shannon has a point. But, regardless, Mr. Wooten’s group’s representatives are calling the minority candidates we want to interview, so how are we supposed to interview anybody? They want us to wait until January. Let Nick Saban get away just so we can appease this group? Forget it. They are unreasonable – they don’t run the Dolphins.

As far as Art Shell:

With the focus still on LSU coach Nick Saban, the Dolphins expect to soon interview former Raiders coach Art Shell, who has told friends he considers himself a legitimate candidate and wants a chance to sell himself to owner Wayne Huizenga.

…

Shell ”is not turning down any interviews no matter who calls,” according to a source close to the former coach.

…

That won’t deter Shell, however. He believes he has a legitimate chance to impress the Dolphins in his coming interview based on his ability to communicate with players, his 56-41 record with Oakland that included an AFC title game berth in 1990, and his intentions of installing a vertical passing game and power running attack on offense.

That’s the attitude to have. Teams have their favorites and the coach they want, their top priority – regardless of race. If you are the underdog, you have to go in there and see if you can impress them. That’s all you can do.

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 19th, 2004 at 1:47 pm and is filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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