If you think hiring a football coach is just about finding someone who can recruit and knows his Xs and Os, you haven't been paying attention to recent SEC news.
Coaching hires are about politics. Every move made by a university is viewed as some kind of major statement.
Auburn's decision to hire Gene Chizik was a statement of racism according to former NBA star Charles Barkley. He wanted to see his alma mater make a splash by hiring Buffalo coach Turner Gill, who is black.
"I thought we had to do something spectacular to bring attention to the program," Barkley said. "Clearly, if we'd hired a black coach, it would have created a buzz."
Yes, but would it have helped the bottom line? That's where I think racism plays a role in this. I don't believe most university presidents are simple-minded bigots, who say behind closed doors that "a black man can't do this job."
There's too much evidence to the contrary. The NFL has seen an influx of highly successful black coaches. And intelligent people know that skin color has nothing to do with coaching acumen.
But NFL coaches don't have to deal with boosters and fund-raising. That's where racism manifests itself in the college ranks.
Presidents and athletic directors are in the donation business. They have to consider the following question before making a hire: "Will this man be able to connect with our boosters in a way that will keep our coffers full?"
Look at the past presidential election and you'll see that white votes were cast right down age lines. The younger the voter, the more likely he voted for Barack Obama, the black candidate. The older the voter, the more likely he voted for John McCain, the white candidate.
Younger whites have grown up in schools with blacks. They have black friends, black neighbors, black spouses. But older people grew up in a world with separate bathrooms and separate schools. It's hard to wash your mind clean of those sins.
Well, it's no secret that most of your ultra-rich boosters to athletic programs are older people. So if you think ADs aren't thinking, "Hey, can this black man reach our older, white donors?" you're not being realistic.
And racism is at play in this. Anyone with half a brain knows that the following numbers - 70 percent black players, fewer than one percent black coaches - show an obvious racial problem.
ESPN's Mark Schlabach, a Georgia graduate, wrote this week that two SEC coaches told him ahead of time that Gill would never get the Auburn job. Why? Because Gill is married to a white woman.
There will come a day when the big college boosters are products of the 1980s and 1990s, not children of the '40s, '50s and '60s. When that day comes, the color of a man's skin - or the color of his wife's skin - won't matter nearly as much.
For Auburn, the fact that Gill's name got out has hurt them. When Auburn chose a man with a worse head coaching record, that's when the fire storm ignited.
Tennessee should be very happy that its coaching search was run on a more hush-hush basis. Mike Hamilton is believed to have interviewed Gill. But he ran his search like a covert CIA action.
If he hadn't, you can bet that more folks would be wondering why the Vols chose the young, white Lane Kiffin over the young, black Gill.
Trying to be upstanding, Auburn president Jay Gogue refused to let his athletic director deal with agents. He forced him to call schools' athletic directors before contacting coaching candidates. But that's also how everyone in America knew who the Tigers were interviewing. It's why Auburn is getting "Gilled" in the press and Tennessee is not.
But race isn't the only political angle to hiring a coach. There's also a matter of "connections."
Auburn's Chizik is a Pat Dye pal. And unlike former coach Tommy Tuberville, he's told Dye that he wants him in and around the Auburn program again. Dye's former players are up for assistant coaching positions. Dye's buddy boosters will be Chizik's buddy boosters.
That's smart. Until Dye and his boys start to meddle in the new guy's business.
Tennessee has gone in the opposite direction. Kiffin said all the right things at his opening press conference, but at this point it's becoming pretty clear that former coach Phillip Fulmer's players aren't going to be a big part of the new inner circle at UT.
Recently, Cleveland Browns strength coach Tom Myslinski let UT know that he'd be interested in returning to his alma mater to join the Vols' staff in the same capacity. But he wasn't even given a courtesy interview.
To an extent, that's understandable. "The king is dead, long live the king" sounds good, but it's not always realistic. Some of the dead king's guys might never buy into the new king's ways.
For example, the one group that I believe will be harder on Tennessee's new coach than any other will be the former Vols who played for Fulmer. Speaking with many of them, I sense a real feeling of "OK, hotshot, let's see what you can do?"
With so many former Fulmer players serving as opinion-shapers in the local media, it'll be important for Kiffin to start winning those guys over. Either by hiring one of them or cozying up to them away from the field.
That's just smart politics and coaching hires are all about politics.
John Pennington hosts the Hall's Salvage Sports Source on Sunday at 11 a.m. on WATE.
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Comments » 102
TommyJack writes:
Nice work.
gohawks1 writes:
Uh-oh. Here we go.
ncvol writes:
Sir Charles stirred a hornets nest ....I honestly think that anyone can raise money for the university that is honest, upright, and talk the talk. I don't think race would play a part in this at all. All races have influential friends that are willing to give to a worthy cause. Go Vols !
CoverOrange writes:
John, JMHO, if you had left out the part about young and old and presidential voting you would have had a decent article. Your reasoning doesn't have data to support it.
Boosters will support whomever is winning.
SignalMtnVol writes:
What is this? I know that racism cuts both ways, and it's the ignorance of the racist people, white and black, that perpetuates all of this.
When will someone , white or black, be able to stand on their own merits or acheivements without having to check some damn box identifying race? When will we STOP telling people that they HAVE to interview a person, or hire a certain person, based on race? It's all propaganda from both sides, and to both sides I say,
If you want something to be truly yours, you must earn it, not just be presented with it.
I will now throw my soapbox in the firewood pile.
khelton657 writes:
Ridiculous....his summary statement proves it " Coaching hires are all about politics"..don't quite think so
bobbyutvol writes:
Everybody knows BARKLEY is a racist... Get over it
newtonrail writes:
John wasn't referring to Dem/Rep Politics, but maybe you knew that.
FWBVol writes:
I am 50 years old. In 2000 I voted for Alan Keyes in the primary and then George Bush. In 2008, I voted for John McCain. I don't look at the color of a man's skin when deciding the direction of this nation.
And for my two cents worth, I think Turner Gill would have done a better job at Auburn than Mr. Obama will do in the White House. What does that say about me?
VolinCalif writes:
John. I think you are from down toward Etowah. but I know you're from E. Tenn. I have never thrown darts at a reporter and their views. Allow me to tell you a thing or two. My grand parent was a Weaver my wife's was a Collins all were from the Johnson City area. Yes you got it Mulungcons, FPC, mixed race. You can look it up yourself. I know I'm waterd down so are lots of people an most don't give a damn. Hate was a two way street and comments like you are making just kindle the fire. You are beating a dead horse because in your Gen. that was the popular thing to do, give it up man. Most know there is a diffenence in playing skills and coaching memtality, consider the players on the bench are mostly White, the odds of them becoming a coach is much better than the Black players out there playing the game. It is the only area in football for the bench players to go. The other thing is that the IQ is not that great in a large number of Football players they are action people, I'm not bad mouthing the players. Nor am I putting down Blacks, Most never really play college sports, they are Dr's,Lawers,Engr's and yes Pres's. So stop your popularity seeking, The odds are against there being many geat Black coachs. The AD are CEO's let them do their job it's like our judicial system it is really a lot about $. Yes another debate, Ask a Black man about that one.
tnbigg writes:
Exactly...well said...
pdhuff#552644 writes:
I will defer to the Rev Sharpton on this one.
I'll wait to see if he considers this a worthy cause.
kabul_vol writes:
Why would you write an article stoking the fires of perceived racism?
What purpose does it serve?
Did Auburn make a questionable hire? Almost certainly. Was it about race? We don't know. Why is everyone so quick to think that Turner Gill was entitled to this position? It sounds like a lot more qualified people were considered but ultimately not chosen for this job. But, yet, Charles "the village idiot" Barkley and now journalists are focusing in on Turner Gill. What about the other more qualified coaches that were turned down in favor of a 5-19 Cheez-it?
We as a society have set up an system where an automatic claim of racism is charged every time a person of color is not selected. Its ridiculous.
jopad#212858 writes:
Nice Post VolinCal--I have Weavers in my background too and am an admirer of the Mulegeons because of the difficulties they faced. Been to Verde Valley several times.
MidTennVol writes:
To me, Pennington, this soapbox lecture is laden with sophistry, with one, huge, gaping, wind-sucking black hole of logic. (I am one of those younger whites, 49 years old.)
That black hole is this: those rich, white, racist boosters want to win...in Auburn, Alabama just as much as in Knoxville, Tennessee or Starkville, Mississippi. History has proved that these people are quite pragmatic when it comes to winning; they don't care if the guy is green, brown or blue, as long as he gives the program a chance to win.
Only a fool would allow racism to prevent a hire of someone who could win. The old, rich, racist boosters at Mississippi State had no problem giving a black man named Sylvester Croom a chance. Why? Because they wanted to win.
That is MISSISSIPPI, Pennington -- a state that, when I was a kid, was described as "sweltering in the heat of injustice," according to a popular black preacher many of us remember.
To paraphrase Richard Pryor, you don't get to be old and rich (e.g. a booster or trustee) being no fool. Some of these boosters may be closet racists and express it in other forms but I don't buy your canard that it prevents the hiring of a black football coach.
Show me the evidence, the proof, even some anecdotes or anonymous sources to support this editorial.
Who among us with an IQ above room temperature cares what a loudmouth like Charles Barkley has to say about anything other than the game of basketball?
Thank the good Lord that we have had reasonable people at the helm of UT's football program over the years. See http://web.knoxnews.com/web/blackhist....
By the way, did you even talk with people like Condredge Holloway or Kippy Brown or Roland James or Mrs. Reggie White before writing this editorial?
VolHooch42 writes:
This whole thing started a few weeks ago when I watched Tim Brando sit on the air with Spencer Tilman & pose the question of why there weren't more black coaches in the NCAA & NFL. Most people don't care about this phooey... they just want the best man for the job irregardless of skin color. Nobody has a right to tell Auburn University ( or any other school ) who they should hire for crying out loud. Kabul... dead right Sir.
jimr07 writes:
great post. i agree completely
tennrich1 writes:
You statemented my sentiments PERFECTLY....
jandjhome#228397 writes:
John I have liked all of your previous articles and have praised many of them with posts but this one stinks.
DarthVol writes:
I'm guessing a gay mexican pentecostal with a speech impediment has no chance of becoming a head coach....EVER.
ggriggs939#223122 writes:
Selection of a coach depends on several factors and color does not define any of the skills. However, color does intrude into the selection process, but the colors used are Green and Gold.
invisiblekid writes:
Where was this uproar when Nebraska hired Pelini over Gill at his alma mater last year? Apparently, racism only becomes an issue when it occurs in the South.
I also think that Pennington does a disservice to the reader in not mentioning that Schlabach also said that numerous other candidates were interviewed:
"How Jacobs settled on Chizik is perplexing. Jacobs talked to nearly anyone who was interested in coaching at Auburn. He interviewed at least eight candidates: Ball State's Brady Hoke, Louisiana Tech's Derek Dooley, Buffalo's Turner Gill, TCU's Gary Patterson, Wake Forest's Jim Grobe, Tulsa's Todd Graham, Georgia assistant Rodney Garner and Miami offensive coordinator Patrick Nix."
I don't believe for a second that Chizik was the right hire for Auburn. I think anyone on that list would have been a better choice. But I also don't think it's fair to say he got the job over Turner Gill, and only Turner Gill, due to race alone either.
crmcm44#321757 writes:
The only time percentages are an issue is when they don't favor minorities. 70% black players being an example.
allntl1#565211 writes:
Agree to some extent but remember white christians voted overwhelmingly for McCain due to their values not race.
Black christians voted for Obama due to his race not his values.
Coaching wise we see what Kentucky did to Tubby Smith, 18-20 wins a season was not enough. Is that because a black man has to do more to impress, I think so.
Remember UT did show interest in some black coaches. If Tony Dungee had shown interest in the Auburn or UT job he would have been hired and loved until he proved he could not win.
My point is you can not blanket everything black and white, in the end it's all about the money and can you fill the stadium.
92volalum writes:
if the past election hasn't proved to people that most americans rich and poor look beyond color.... so lets get over it and quit telling people what to do and when to do it.... it goes back to giving people something instead of earning it....
HallowedHill writes:
I can't say how much being a certain race might help someone get a HC position, but I can say that it won't keep your job if you aren't winning.
ESPN's Pat Forde recently rated UT's hire of Kiffin as a C- suggesting that Gill or Strong would have been a better hire. Clearly Mr. Forde's superficial analysis of the issue overlooked UT's offensive woes and the timing of the hire - why else would he recommended Strong, a defensive coordinator and Gill who hadn't even won the biggest game of his life yet at the time Kiffin was hired, ... against Ball State.
I don't believe Chizik was the right hire by Auburn, but their boosters historically dabble too much in coaching politics, and once again, we see them run off an able-minded coach - I think Auburn shot themselves in the foot and that Gill may be too-classy an individual to get wrapped up in that mess.
In a day where the President of the USA is black, I think we can lay to rest these blanket, generalized claims of race. At least to some degree, are we not just playing into the racist stereotypes by assuming SEC wouldn't accept a black coach? It's patently racist to say someone should get the job because of their race, whether it's black or white. Barkley's comments are racist simply because he thinks a 'black' coach would make a bigger 'splash' and subsequently make a better coach.
Being white didn't help Fulmer this year and being black hasn't helped Willingham. Show me a coach that can win and I'll show you the best coach for the job.
smokymtman writes:
Far too many black players (70%)...where are all the Asian and Hispanic players?
Volalumnus writes:
Kind of a backhanded and cheap way to bring in everyone talking about race to turn it into the Fulmer/Kiffin issues.
Some of these guys need to move on Pennington. Fulmer was out for several years with a huge block of the Volnation, and the reality is that whether Kiffin is great or sucks, Fulmer is not going to be the coach anymore.
That was the reason Fulmer was fired in the first place. He and those around him refused to turn to the next page and learn something new.
Volalumnus writes:
Very right.
DadwasaVol writes:
What it says about you is that you have voted for politicians that use race, bigotry, and fear in order to get elected. You probably voted for Corker as well. How did you like HIS campaign?
JayTee writes:
Since most of the players in the SEC are black according to your point of view the SEC teams are not recruiting enough white players.
Get use to it folks it will be like this as long as OBAMA is king.
allntl1#565211 writes:
I find it funny to see Pat Forde of ESPN brought up in this conversation. Mr. Forde from Louisville, KY wrote an article in our paper on why Kentucky is better than Duke. He stated that Duke was a racist school that only recruited white players to appease the racist alumni. He even named players that were overated including Bobby Hurly. This was in the 90's when Duke was dominating basketball. He also loved to bash Peyton Manning and Tennesse as being overated and chockers. Please do not mention this race baiters name in a serious conversation again. Pat Forde was hired shortly after this article in the paper appeared which tells me ESPN does not care who they hire.
eefor10c writes:
70% of the players are black--in schools that probably have enrollment of 85-90% white. Where are the calls of racism on this issuue?
TommyJack writes:
Auburn could not have hand-picked a coach that played more into the hands of Barkley, Sharpton. Had they selected a winner, there would have been less calls of racism. Many question this selection for lots of reasons...easy to throw racism into the mix. The Aubby AD and president showed no "thinking ahead". Lots of better choices out there. Methinks the coach at Richmond will now be considered for a better gig.
BuckFama writes:
Very nicely said, FWB.
Pennington is obviously piddling in one of the many areas that have shown to overtax his intellect. His naivete, or perhaps his own bias or guilt, pertaining to the subject of racism (actually BIGOTRY ... they're two separate concepts) shows when he throws out the "old white guy" voting trend but fails to write that blacks voted at a MUCH HIGHER percentage for Obama than did whites for McCain.
KNS, why are we still presented the tripe that comes from Pennington's little mind? It has been shown to be consistently bad for the past few years. Cut him loose.
Merv writes:
Good column, John. It's hard to disagree with what you say, given the lopsided numbers.
cainclifton23 writes:
How do we know that Gill REALLY deserved the Auburn job, I mean he won games at BUFFAlO... how do you know he can win in the SEC, or Recruit in the SEC... no one knows... so we should stop pulling the race card.
Volfantm writes:
Contrary to Pennington, I do not applaud the secrecy of the UT interviewing process. It's a public university, why hide the process. I think the following article paints a more accurate picture of Auburn as well.
http://www.sportsline.com/collegefoot...
vut56#231073 writes:
At the risk of a burning cross in my yard, I must chime in; of course, race matters.
Fact: black football players had no chance to play in the SEC until UT and Dickey gave Lester McClain a chance. What kept them out, until then? You tell me. They weren't qualified? They weren't "around." We couldn't find one capable?
Fact: black football players probably graduate at a lower rate than white players. (I have no facts to prove that.) That they do not must be shared by themselves and the University. Universities can point with pride to all the assistance given athletes to move them on and out. Perhaps true, but how do we account for the fact many (white and black) players who get through college can barely read or write?
If we were serious about educating athletes, we would not let them play unless they made "meaningful" academic progress; then, let them stay around until they did and not
permit a single one to jump into the NFL until they had a degree.
Slave owners did not give a hoot whether the "hands" could read or write as long as they could chop cotton; Neither the NFL nor most athletic departmens weep over an athletes ability to read, write, or coach as long as they can block,
tackle, run or catch.
The system is stacked and will not change until someone steps up and takes some positive action...as did Dickey and Woodruff.
Whatever the number of black athletes in Div 1A (70% +/-), there is no logic that an equal number are not capable of coaching...and winning.
abnermc writes:
I liked watching Condredge play (& Lester Mcclain too)& the talk back then was "we needed more black players".Now I guess it should be required of each game that we have 11 whites & 11 blacks on the field @ all times.
I think there is little argument that Barkley is the biggest racist of all.
In today's world it will be a coach that wins or he wont be there long. If you just go by resume, Auburn could have done no better than Fulmer or Tuberville. BTW, how come there are no female coaches?
Flyfisherman writes:
Hey, Charles Barkley says it, it must be true right?? He's always been known as an authority on the directions and needs of major college football...Give it a rest Chuck. I'll take 7:1 that no one gives a rat what you think!
VolinCalif writes:
Hmmmm. You must have failed your Amer. History class. Knoxville was true to the union (North), But many from north of the M&D line never looked at what was really happening in this country. Tax, Tax yes $$$ Same then as today. Human rights was almost a after thought.
khelton657 writes:
Yep, I knew it...
ncvol writes:
That my friend was inappropriate. Why are you going there. I think that I believe that Jesus is the only King.
volroadwarrior writes:
You are exactly on target. Pennington is just another media sycophant. Chyzik, like Croom, will not be there long if he doesn't win. Kiffin will not be here long either if he doesn't win. Even Fulmer's stellar past records and connections couldn't save him when he started losing.
College Presidents and ADs are ultimately accountable for their programs to succeed, however they define it. Armchair quarterbacks, journalist and race baters can run their mouths all they want without consequence.
blitzshoot writes:
White kids do not often start because they are not the most skilled at a position. I do not hear the bell toll for this to change as most see this as "the best players
should play." Without mention of race. I agree. Should this apply to a coaching staff?
I do believe that Turner Gill can coach at a BCS school.
Has nothing to do with his skin color, but what he has done that others couldn't do at Buffalo. IMO people needto be careful about pulling the race card or EVERY hire will become a covert operation just to avoid this issue.
CoverOrange writes:
Not argueing with you but wanted to point out that historically, the 90% of the black population has voted always voted Democratic and 40-45% of the white population voted Democratic. Both percentages went up between 5 and 7% therefore, you can reasonable deduce that Obama equally swayed both sets of populations. It wasn't about race.
Younger people tend to be more idealistic. Older generations tend to recognize how reality intrudes on idealism as time goes by. Obama was an ideal candidate. MHO only.
dwolfcreek#397971 writes:
barkley ,if not for white people , you be riding on back of a garbage truck .
Madkels writes:
Hey John, thanks for helping to support my theory that news writer and editors are liberal and slant to the left. Junk articles like this are exactly why newspaper advertising and readership are in decline.
The reason older American's voted for the republican candidate is because older people are more CONSERVATIVE. As we get older, we tend to become more conservative because we learn that liberal policies haven't worked over time. Younger people are drawn to ideological policies espoused by the left, therefore they haven't experienced the life lessons most older people have. So much for your racist theory on that.
As for coaches, people just want a winner that will elavate the program. Plus, what evidence do you have that boosters in their 20's, 30's, and 40's aren't big donors? Do you have statistics to prove your theory? Connecting with donors - win games and the donors will pony up..lose and you will have issues no matter your race...it's that simple.
As for Auburn, maybe Gill being married to a white women is an issue for their AD. But most AD's will pick the candidate who can bring the wins. It's called job security.
Sounds like you just wrote this story on gut feelings and your liberal bias. Do a better job next time.
JimBobJumpback writes:
Racism at Auburn? Hard to say for sure. What is a sure thing is that Charles Barkley is an idiot that misses the limelight. Man has done nothing is his career (outside of Bball) to indicate he has a lick of sense. Governor of Alabama? My azz..
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