Rivera talks minority hiring and Cam Newton (Florio criticizes)

[Mr. Scot]

From PFT (link)

Florio agrees with his comments on minority coaches...

One of the few remaining minority head coaches in the NFL addressed the dynamic in comments to Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer, calling the lack of minority hires “disheartening.”

“I’ll give you a name, Perry Fewell,” Rivera said, referring to the Giants defensive coordinator. “He’s a great coach and I really think he should have been in the cycle.”

Fewell, as far as we can tell, didn’t even get an interview this year.

“This guy went to the Super Bowl last year and helped design a [heck of a] defense,” Rivera said. “Sometimes you do sit there and go, ‘Wow, some guys do get overlooked,’ and it’s happened to me, too. Hopefully Perry will have a great opportunity next year.”

Rivera may have a point. The last time the Giants won the Super Bowl, their defensive coordinator (Steve Spagnuolo) immediately became a “hot” head-coaching candidate. A year later, he went to the Rams. Three years later, he was fired. One year later, he was fired again as defensive coordinator of the Saints.

Regardless of race, the problem becomes that owners allow themselves to get caught up in whomever the media identifies as the “hot” candidate, locking in on a name before doing proper due diligence. For whatever reason, the “hot” name far more often than not belongs to a white coach. (Maybe the media isn’t as liberal as everyone assumes.)

But thinks he's off-base about Newton...

And while we agree with Rivera’s observations on minority coaching hires, we need to mention — and to disagree with — another comment he made about his quarterback, Cam Newton.

“It kind of bothers me when people say, ‘Well Cam is a black quarterback,’” Rivera said. “Well, he’s a quarterback. Aren’t we past that yet?”

Unless I’m missing something, I think we are past that. Though improvements clearly are needed when it comes to hiring coaches, coaches have become color blind when it comes to quarterbacks. I’m not aware of anyone calling Cam Newton or any other current African-American signal-caller a “black quarterback.” (I’m wrong, please correct me with links pasted in the comments.)

They’re all quarterbacks, regardless of skin color. Hopefully, one day, they’ll all be coaches, too. Without regard to any superficial factor that has no bearing on ability, intelligence, or character.

While no owner or other employer will ever declare that decisions of this kind are being made at least in part based on rate, the numbers are what they are. And the numbers are, as the NFL freely admits, disappointing.

[rayzor]

nvm.

he passed on hue.

for shula.

that was disheartening.

[Panther_Brotherhood]

Look at Wilson, Kaepernick and RGIII. All not-white and loved by the media. Once Cam is in the playoffs, the media will love him too.

[Ruff]

Cam isn't hated because of his race, I'm fairly certain. Cam is hated because so many people are jealous. The guy is a top high school QB, gets recruited to Florida during the Urban Meyers years, years a National Championship at Auburn in only one year there, gets drafted #1 overall, breaks all sorts of rookie records, breaks all sorts of two year records, huge sponsorship deals, etc.

The game, and everything with it, come so easy to Cam that it grates on peoples' nerves. His smile is so electric, people hate it. He goes back to school, people hate it. Cam is the one guy everyone wants to hate. It's not because of his race, it's because he just damn better than everyone.

[Mr. Scot]

nvm.

he passed on hue.

for shula.

that was disheartening.

Granted, but to be clear, I'm pretty sure you're not saying that was race-based.

[beastson]

Cam isn't hated because of his race, I'm fairly certain. Cam is hated because so many people are jealous. The guy is a top high school QB, gets recruited to Florida during the Urban Meyers years, years a National Championship at Auburn in only one year there, gets drafted #1 overall, breaks all sorts of rookie records, breaks all sorts of two year records, huge sponsorship deals, etc.

The game, and everything with it, come so easy to Cam that it grates on peoples' nerves. His smile is so electric, people hate it. He goes back to school, people hate it. Cam is the one guy everyone wants to hate. It's not because of his race, it's because he just damn better than everyone.

He made a lot of people eat crow

Although some of his antics were immature, the main issue was proving everyone wrong and showing no love after as well... as he shouldn't have

[TheRumGone]

brian billick comes to mind when labeling "black quarterbacks" although he didnt use that phrase. He said something like, "who looks like Cam and has won a superbowl" or something of that nature. Not sure if he meant the color of his skin or the fact he is a 6'6" 250 lb monster.

[rayzor]

Granted, but to be clear, I'm pretty sure you're not saying that was race-based.

i don't think it was a consideration.

what i'm wondering is how much rivera thought it should be since he found it disheartening that no minorities were hired for HC jobs. if he thought it was a big enough deal then maybe he should have hired hue to be his OC, unless OC doesn't count. guy was certainly qualified enough.

[2jakefansinva]

the reason people hate Cam is..........he's given them plenty of ammo.

from the laptop at Fla. to the school transfers and the pay-4-play at Aub...... he's loaded them up.

when I talk to people I know that know football, they all refer to him as.......... "Scam" Newton.

and these are the educated fans.

It's going to take awhile to rebuild his reputation............if it can ever totally be rebuilt.

[jtnc]

the reason people hate Cam is..........he's given them plenty of ammo.

from the laptop at Fla. to the school transfers and the pay-4-play at Aub...... he's loaded them up.

when I talk to people I know that know football, they all refer to him as.......... "Scam" Newton.

and these are the educated fans.

It's going to take awhile to rebuild his reputation............if it can ever totally be rebuilt.

Okay, laptop big fuging deal, did you not hear about the Alabama players that stole laptop, and used a credit card fraudulently? They were actually charged with burglary, and will be prosecuted. Cam was not.

And people who "know" football, you mean rednecks who live in trailers? Are those the people you're referring to? Those who are pissed Cam destroyed their college team?

Please tell me this is a fuging troll post, or are you just the daily dose of idiot?

[rayzor]

lol at you calling them educated and wondering if it can ever be "rebuilt" or that it needs to be.

seems you give that BS as much credence as your "educated" people.

[Mr. Scot]

i don't think it was a consideration.

what i'm wondering is how much rivera thought it should be since he found it disheartening that no minorities were hired for HC jobs. if he thought it was a big enough deal then maybe he should have hired hue to be his OC, unless OC doesn't count. guy was certainly qualified enough.

It is ironic, isn't it?

[LinvilleGorge]

Personally, I find it disheartening that Rivera is still our head coach.

[LinvilleGorge]

Not sure if he meant the color of his skin or the fact he is a 6'6" 250 lb monster.