Comments on: Black Coaches Racism Catch-22 http://manzine.org/2009/10/20/black-coaches-and-the-racism-catch-22/ Lifestyle magazine for men by men. Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:14:40 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Will Truman http://manzine.org/2009/10/20/black-coaches-and-the-racism-catch-22/#comment-436 Will Truman Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:29:27 +0000 http://manzine.org/?p=1623#comment-436 That the firing got attention was no surprise. That everyone decided that the firing was racist and emblematic of racism on the whole? Given the lack of data to support that argument and the certainty with which it was assumed that Willingham's race was a deciding factor, I don't think "random" is entirely wrong. Maybe a little wrong, but the reaction was quite disproportionate. Bob Davie signed a five year extension on his contract in December 2000. He was fired in December of 2001. The guy whose job Willingham took in Washington was fired less than half-way into his contract. What Notre Dame did to Willingham may have been unusual for Notre Dame (a program unaccustomed to having to fire <i>anybody</i>), but college football was changing and so was Notre Dame. Contracts don't mean what they used to. That the firing got attention was no surprise. That everyone decided that the firing was racist and emblematic of racism on the whole? Given the lack of data to support that argument and the certainty with which it was assumed that Willingham’s race was a deciding factor, I don’t think “random” is entirely wrong. Maybe a little wrong, but the reaction was quite disproportionate.

Bob Davie signed a five year extension on his contract in December 2000. He was fired in December of 2001. The guy whose job Willingham took in Washington was fired less than half-way into his contract. What Notre Dame did to Willingham may have been unusual for Notre Dame (a program unaccustomed to having to fire anybody), but college football was changing and so was Notre Dame. Contracts don’t mean what they used to.

]]> By: Ugh http://manzine.org/2009/10/20/black-coaches-and-the-racism-catch-22/#comment-435 Ugh Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:52:22 +0000 http://manzine.org/?p=1623#comment-435 <i>almost randomly Willingham became a cause celebre</i> Wha? Willingham was the coach at the only school that has its own personal TV contract with network television, the school with perhaps the highest profile in the country and certainly the school with the most tradition (or at least the most legendary tradition), he was the first black coach hired by Notre Dame, <i>and the first coach they ever fired before the end of his contract.</i> There wasn't anything random about the attention his firing got, it screamed out for attention. almost randomly Willingham became a cause celebre

Wha? Willingham was the coach at the only school that has its own personal TV contract with network television, the school with perhaps the highest profile in the country and certainly the school with the most tradition (or at least the most legendary tradition), he was the first black coach hired by Notre Dame, and the first coach they ever fired before the end of his contract. There wasn’t anything random about the attention his firing got, it screamed out for attention.

]]> By: Logtar http://manzine.org/2009/10/20/black-coaches-and-the-racism-catch-22/#comment-430 Logtar Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:09:25 +0000 http://manzine.org/?p=1623#comment-430 Racism is hard to gauge at times. Some people will never admit they are racist, yet they hold very strong to prejudice about race. I think when it comes to a coaching job which to me is not as simple as just measurable by percentages, it is hard to gauge if there is true failure or success attached to race. I go back to thinking that I want to be where I am wanted, if the people in an organization or even the fans or alumni of a program are not going to respect a black coach, I would not want to go there... however, without some people being brave and actually facing those challenges we would never have any progress in this arena. Racism is hard to gauge at times. Some people will never admit they are racist, yet they hold very strong to prejudice about race. I think when it comes to a coaching job which to me is not as simple as just measurable by percentages, it is hard to gauge if there is true failure or success attached to race.

I go back to thinking that I want to be where I am wanted, if the people in an organization or even the fans or alumni of a program are not going to respect a black coach, I would not want to go there… however, without some people being brave and actually facing those challenges we would never have any progress in this arena.

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