Al Davis takes a shot at Jessie Jackson

[SoCalRaider]

NFL: Davis, as usual, goes against the grain

BY PAUL NEEDELL
Star-Ledger Staff
Wednesday, March 26, 2003

PHOENIX -- Renegade owner Al Davis, a constant thorn in NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue's side, doesn't even attempt to feign modesty. In simple terms, he argues that his Raiders "have done more for inclusiveness and diversity than anybody else in the history of pro sports -- other than Jackie Robinson."

With the NFL's snail-like progress in the hiring of minority head coaches -- three of 32 are black -- Davis might have reason to boast. And he did yesterday during a break in the NFL's annual meetings.

Remember, Davis hired the league's first black head coach, Art Shell, in 1989. Tom Flores, the only Hispanic-American coach in NFL history, won two Super Bowls with the Raiders. And Amy Trask, the Raiders' chief executive and second in command to Davis, is the league's highest-ranking woman.

The league's diversity committee continues to try to shape the interview policy adopted last December, and is investigating whether the Detroit Lions violated the mandate when they hired coach Steve Mariucci without interviewing an African-American candidate. Davis sees "nothing wrong" with how the Lions handled their coaching change. They hired the man they wanted, a style Davis respects.

"I don't suspect that anyone would've done anything differently," Davis said.

The Lions fired Marty Mornhinweg the same day Mariucci was fired by the 49ers. Mariucci was Lions team president Matt Millen's choice from the get-go. The black candidates Millen contacted to fulfill the league policy -- including Lions offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis and Steelers defensive coordinator Tim Lewis -- turned him down, knowing they would not be interviewed in earnest.

Steelers owner Dan Rooney, chairman of the diversity committee, said, "We have to make sure the policy each team agreed upon is followed." Each team with a head-coaching vacancy is required to interview at least one minority candidate.

The Raiders did not agree to the policy. Neither did the Bengals. But of the five clubs looking for a coach this off-season, the Bengals made the only minority hire, African-American coach Marvin Lewis.

Davis disagrees with the interview policy. No surprise, since he takes exception to just about everything the NFL does. But he may have a point. It may be impossible to please those trying to pressure the league's minority hiring tactics to change.

"If the process was going to satisfy everyone, that would be one thing," Davis said. "But if you have the process and the results are not what they want, they're not going to be satisfied. What's more important, the process or the result?"

Davis noted that civil rights leader Jesse Jackson recently chimed in on the issue, calling sports teams "public subsidies."

"I'm going to wire him," Davis said, "and tell him I own the Raiders. He doesn't own the Raiders."

[Sin]

Go Al Go

[daraydaz]

No minority coaches even attempted to interview for the position because they knew that Mooch was the man for the job and they would just be going through some sort of exercise. If this violated some sort of bull**** protocol then the rules should be changed. How come the minority coaches themselves aren't complaining about this?
You hire the best available guy for the position, period!

[RaiderRex]

Originally posted by SoCalRaider
Remember, Davis hired the league's first black head coach, Art Shell, in 1989. Tom Flores, the only Hispanic-American coach in NFL history, won two Super Bowls with the Raiders. And Amy Trask, the Raiders' chief executive and second in command to Davis, is the league's highest-ranking woman.

I believe that if any other owner besides Davis had these facts on his hiring resume, the NFL would trumpet them for it. But this is hardly ever mentioned, if ever, by the NFL.

Of course, Al would probably downplay it by saying he hired who he thought was the best for the job at the time regardless of race or sex, which is probably true.

[crizpynutz]

Al is 100% right on with this one. I'm all for equality and fighting the fight, but Jesse Jackson is racist asshole. He doesn't care about MINORITY hiring, he cares about BLACK hirings (how many oriental coaches are there, or hispanic). He sees white as bad, and black as good and will stir up a hornet's nest of **** whenever he gets a chance. IMO, Jackson is one of the biggest God Damn hypocritical assholes I've ever heard speak. The guy isn't looking for equality, he's looking for every hand out he can get for the black community. I am not a racist in any sense of the word, this is just my personal feelings about Jesse Jackson as a person and what I see as his true intentions.

[Bleed]

nm

[RaiderInNY]

From crizpynutz: I'm all for equality and fighting the fight, but Jesse Jackson is racist asshole. He doesn't care about MINORITY hiring, he cares about BLACK hirings (how many oriental coaches are there, or hispanic). He sees white as bad, and black as good and will stir up a hornet's nest of **** whenever he gets a chance. IMO, Jackson is one of the biggest God Damn hypocritical assholes I've ever heard speak.

This guy is the biggest piece of trash there is. Him, Bill Cosby, Al Sharpton and so only care about themselves and nobody else. These pieces of excrement like to make people believe their pro- civil rights, pro-black, pro- this and that. F you and your god-damm bull**** efforts! They care about themsleves, their hypocritical, womanizing, money hungry, wannabee moral right activists. Dont preacch if you dont practice it. People should shun these idiots and everything they have to say Thanks you

f-them!

[Mr.Murder]

Al Davis has been a maverick in his hiring policies, Excellence is a goal that ALL creeds are capable of , the VERY best can call themselves members of the Raiders Organization. Al is not the type to give a lyp-synch to such by giving bogus interviews to jerk a candidate's chain, that much is obvious. The league policy is a sell-out, all not about that on a personal or professional level.
Jackson is correct in stating sport teams are heavily subsidized by taxes, as are large percentage of advertising dollars that back the sport. Fact remains that the best find their way to top in all fields. Al Davis worked his tail off and put all of his efforts into this sport, for Jackson to assume otherwise would be ridiculous of course, albeit his statement was in general and not specific. IF Jackson were to start on the subsidy listing for big business bandwagon I wish he would blow the lid off the Enron into NFL scam that is the Houston Texans, then again some white patsy would probably be sent to shoot his ass, another story again.
The guy is a human, he has his faults, but he took his share of threats and I think in that regard deserves the opportunity to speak, a right endowed every American regardless, but his words carry more notice in media. It is sad that for the most part he is used a punch clown for negative spin on the causes he champions.
If his name were Jesse Bush he would be president without having garnered a majority of votes, then again that is another story as well. Fact of the matter is Raider Nation stands by personnell decisions across the board based on Merit. As Al said the process being put over the result would lead to more whining, and he isnt the type to lyp-synch greatness in any phase of life.

[crizpynutz]

Murder, I hear what you are saying. The issue I believe does need to be addressed. Only 3 out of 30 head coaches are black and somewhere, somehow an injustice is being done. Is the NFL the problem, or is the problem earlier in the process? My meaning here is, where are all the black college coaching candidates? The NFL is a win or else league with very little patience, and for some reason I feel that if a black coaching candidate was to surface who warranted the job, he would get a fair shake, most of the time. This isn't a perfect world and I won't pretend to believe so.

My issue, and what really gets to me is Jesse Jackson. Do I applaud his ability to bring issues to light? Yes. Do I feel his intentions are pure and just? No. Do I feel that he goes about handling these issues in the best way? No. Threatening to sue the NFL is not the means by which to fix the problem. It's like trying to bust all the small time drug dealers to fix the drug trade issue. To fix a problem you have to go to the root of it. In football I feel the problem is much earlier than the NFL. I don't see Jesse Jackson actually trying to fix a problem, but just trying to get headlines. He isn't looking out for ideals, but instead he is looking out for his own 'people' -- i.e. blacks. Is that wrong? No, but I don't have to agree with his methods either.

[RaiderRex]

Originally posted by Mr.Murder
As Al said the process being put over the result would lead to more whining, and he isnt the type to lyp-synch greatness in any phase of life.

Here's an excerpt from a Len Pasquareli column from espn:
Lions president Matt Millen reiterated at the predraft scouting combine in Indianapolis last week that he contacted five minorities who were potential candidates. All of them, convinced that Steve Mariucci was the Lions' choice and that any interview would be a sham, declined to meet with team officials.

This is a perfect example of what Al is talking about. The process system is a joke. Millen tried. They refused to be interviewed. How could you fault Millen for that? It's not his fault they didn't interview. It's their fault. Afterall, it's the process more than the result that could get the Lions in trouble with the league.

[JDRAIDER]

I Am A Successfull Business Owner And A Di - Hard Raider Fan. I Also Have A Great Amount Of Respect For Al Davis. The Profit Curve Will Take Care Of The Minority Gap In The " For Profit " Businesses. If Al Davis Thought It Could Get Him More Wins And Fill Up Seats And Sell Advertising He Would Hire A F...... Ailen!!!!
In Government, And Not For Profit Agencies / Schools / Federally Funded Business/ Military / Ect. There Is An Absolute Need For Racial Diversity.