Head coach Tyrone Willingham will not be retained for 2005.

Notre Dame didn't hire him strictly because of his record.

They hired him because they caught him openly lobbying for the Washington job.

With that, they fired his ass.

Just something I was told from a good friend at ND.

 

Did you mean fire ?

 

why aren't there any female NFL or NBA head coaches? What makes you think any number prospects deserve jobs based on their race? I don't quite understand how teams in the NBA can be 80% black yet there is no push to say there should be more whites since obviously the population here is by far majority white. Certainly more whites are qualified based on numbers alone, right?

If not, then its ok to say blacks are more athletic and thereby more qualified athletically to play sports yet its impossible to say another race is more qualified in another field? Can you have it both ways?

People are hired based on need and if not, and racism comes into the decision, then it hurts those that use that as part of their screening and eventually their business itself. Sure I am oversimplifying to an extent yet because you feel more blacks are qualified and deserving doesn't make it so. If I feel more whites are qualified to play in the NBA or NFL that doesn't make it so either.

The administration which hired Ty Willingham is just as racist the day it hired him as the day it fired him. Same people are in place. Are there outside pressures to get rid of him? Sure but just like there was with Ron Zook, just not nearly as much. All coaches face pressure when they lose. ND felt they had a savior in place to bring them back to glory and his name is Urban Meyer. They felt they could not afford to wait with UF calling.

How long is Suzy Kolber @ ESPN going to have to prove she deserves joe theisman's job? Or paul McGwire's? they suck. How many females are qualified for color commentator or play by play positions?

same argument yet people prefer to use race when they see fit since it holds more emotional weight. What if we find out Asians make the best NBA coaches? should we be forced to hire mexicans when they feel qualified? Once again, I am oversimplifying my argument.


I think ty willingham is an excellent coach who was in the wrong situation. I don't see him as a black coach nor do i really care why he was fired. Its their right to hire and fire who they want, when they want.

He will be rehired by another university soon enough, namely Washington U, where he will have a chance to redeem all black candidates again.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head right there.

Although racism is alive and well, (if not, Croom would be Bama's coach) I honestly don't think Notre Dame plays that game.

 

I don't think that the decision was racial, but I do think that it will receive much press in that vein.

That being said, Willingham's team did improve this year over last year. Three years isn't long enough.

And on a side note, Florida may have to ask Zook back after no one is going to want their job!

 

The fact that we are having this discussion is one big reason why school's hesitate to give black coaches an opportunity. It's not that they are all racists, it's because many fear the public outcry and potential lawsuit for firing a black coach should he fail.

I have no idea if Willingham was given a fair chance, but even if he wasn't, why does it have to be because of his skin color? Hell, coaches are often screwed and wrongfully fired ... see Frank Solich.

As long as the black community continue to cry foul every time a black person is fired, schools will hesitate to hire a black coach.

 

I could not disagree more. I don't think AD's sit around and say "Well, this guy is the most qualified and I'd like to hire him, but I'm not because I'll get accused of racism if I ever have to fire him".

 

Then what is your argument for having so few black coaches?

And yes, I believe employers do discuss the potential risks when making such a decision.

 

That's something the powers that be will have to answer. I don't know.

The point of my previous argument is that if an AD is a racist, he's not even going to give a minority the opportunity to succeed.

If the AD is not a racist, then he will give a minority the chance to succeed & not even worry about the thought of being labeled one because his character would speak for itself.