View topic - Rooney Rule expanding?

[thesteelhammer Profile]

The Associated Press reports NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the possibility of expanding the Rooney Rule to vacant general manager positions was discussed during the owners meeting and could be implemented in the near future.

Do we still need this kind of affirmative action in this country?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/nfl/05/20/rooney.ap/index.html

NFL teams looking to hire general managers may soon be required to interview at least one minority candidate.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday the league's owners discussed expanding the Rooney Rule -- which already applies to coaching openings -- during the final session of their two-day meetings in South Florida. No vote was taken, though Goodell indicated any changes could be made soon.

"It's a judgment I will make with the diversity committee," Goodell said.

The Rooney Rule is named for Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who was not at the meeting for a good reason: He's at what Goodell described as "ambassador school."

Rooney, a lifelong Republican, was picked by President Barack Obama earlier this year to be U.S. ambassador to Ireland.

"When he gets concluded with his tutoring, I will probably speak with him and we'll make a determination from there," Goodell said.

The Rooney Rule was born nearly seven years ago, when two lawyers threatened to sue the NFL if it didn't open up more opportunities for minorities. Rooney led a committee to develop a policy to stop what the league viewed as an embarrassing lack of diversity.

Expanding that policy to GMs isn't expected to meet much resistance.

"It's a good idea," Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said. "We certainly have it with the coaches and this would be expanding it to the general managers. From what I understand, we did follow that when we did hire Bill Parcells."

In other developments before the meetings closed Wednesday morning with a 21/2-hour session:

--Seeking ways to generate new revenue streams, NFL clubs can now arrange to have their logos on cards sold by their respective state lotteries.

Delaware became the only state east of the Mississippi River to allow betting on sports after new legislation was signed last week. The NFL is strongly against betting on the outcome of games, but said the lottery move could generate significant money to be directed back to "many different public purposes," Goodell said.

In states where there are more than one NFL team, those clubs will be expected to negotiate how to proceed with the lottery.

--Talks were held on a tougher anti-tampering stance involving free agents, although Goodell said some owners simply suggested that clubs adhere to the rules already in place.

Some teams have said clubs have illegally reached out to agents before signing periods begin, which could theoretically make it tougher for a team to re-sign its own player. The proposed change would likely install a short window of opportunity for teams to talk to free agents before the signing period begins -- but with no contracts finalized.

"We're discussing it, that's all," Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said.

The issue was tabled Wednesday. Talks will continue, Goodell said, and a vote is likely in October

[deltadweller Profile]

I'm 100% against afirmative action, but 100% for an equal opportunity. All the rule requires is that you interview minority candidates. A rule that brought Tomlin to the steelers. If it gives minorities a chance to be interviewed it seems like a good thing. May the best candidate get the job regardless of ethnicity.

[thesteelhammer Profile]

looks like it is going to happen

Len Pasquarelli, of ESPN.com, reports the NFL has announced it has extended the Rooney Rule to vacant general manager and other front office positions.

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/Features/NFL+Features/2009/edholm061509.htm

NFL teams now must interview a minority candidate, just as they must for a head-coaching position, when they are filling the franchise’s most senior football personnel position.

Commissioner Roger Goodell told all 32 teams this news today, after talks of this happening heated up at the spring meeting in May. It was first suggested by Steelers chairman Dan Rooney, who oversees the league’s diversity committee, and most clubs endorsed it quickly.

“The discussion at the league meeting identified the strong reasons for taking this step, which in large part simply confirms a recommended practice that clubs have voluntarily embraced,” Commissioner Goodell said. “The recommendation also recognizes that this process has worked well in the context of head coaches, and that clubs have deservedly received considerable positive recognition for their efforts in this respect.”

Rooney first adopted the rule to apply to head coaches in December 2002, and he ended up hiring Mike Tomlin, who is African-American, two seasons ago after Bill Cowher moved on. Tomlin led the Steelers to a Super Bowl title in February.

The front-office positions for which the new rule applies includes the titles of general manager, executive vice president of football operations and the like.

There are five African-American senior football execs right now — Cardinals GM Rod Graves, Lions GM Martin Mayhew, Ravens GM/executive vice president Ozzie Newsome, Giants GM/senior vice president Jerry Reese and Texans GM Rick Smith. Newsome and Smith both serve on the league’s Competition Committee. NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Ray Anderson, the NFL’s senior football executive, also is African-American.

The league has issued an exception to the rule to apply to this situation, and I think it’s smart. If the position is held or filled by the owner or a member of his family, or if a club has a preexisting contractual commitment filed with the league office to promote a current member of its staff if the senior football operations position becomes vacant, they do not have to interview a minority.

“The more thorough the search, the more likely clubs are to find the right candidates, and to be able to groom future leaders from within their organizations,” Goodell said.

Rooney is joined on the NFL’s Workplace Diversity Committee by Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn, Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Giants president and CEO John Mara and Javier Loya, a limited partner of the Texans.

[pedd Profile]

rooney is the opposite of al davis and jerry jones! they only mess up there own teams, rooney wants to fuck up every team.

[mckeesrockstheburg Profile]

Your body of work will define you and people in the league know who is out there. Tomlin would have gotten a gig somewhere if not with the Steelers. His work was known and Tony Dungy was in his corner. I see the problem with the Rooney Rule is that the old "Token" thing can come back to bite you. If you are "forced" to interview a minority and still don't hire him, what have you gained but a reputation that "interviews" just to satisfy the rule but doesn't hire.

Let your work speak for you, no matter who you are, and prepare for the interview. Yes, MT probably got to the interview becasue of the rule, and HE was the driving force to MAKE Rooney's hire him but he was a known entity by then. He is a different cat and from all I read and see, he is NOT an affirmative action hire. This guy brings the goods and his body of work is spreaking quite loudly. I liked Whiz but I just think we needed something new, fresh, and "outside the box" after 15-yrs with BC. I think MT wowed them in interview. I am a BC fan but disappointed in the letdown after his SB win. I could not see Grimm as HC. We got the right guy. I believe he wins 3 - 4 more SB before he's done.

His big problem: dare I say it? You all know what it is. Bruce Arians. We need a young, new face as OC. They are out there and their work is speaking. We just have to get MT to look around. This could be his Achilles heel, letting Arians run the offense.