Johnnie Cochran at it again.

[Guest Sandman9000]

ESPN.com brings the content.

 

BALTIMORE -- Attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr. released a report Monday that criticizes the NFL's hiring practice involving black head coaches, and threatened to sue the league if it does not adhere to suggestions to remedy the situation.

 

 

The report, called "Black Coaches in the National Football League: Superior Performance, Inferior Opportunities,'' was compiled by the Washington law firm of Mehri & Skalet.

 

 

It addresses the league's hiring and firing of minority coaches, using statistical information compiled over the last 15 years.

 

 

Calls to the NFL on Monday night were not immediately returned.

 

 

Dr. Janice Madden, a labor economist, determined that black coaches averaged 1.1 more wins per season than white coaches and led their teams to the playoffs 67 percent of the time compared with 39 percent of the time for white coaches.

 

 

But Cochran noted there have been only five black head coaches since 1986 -- Art Shell, Dennis Green, Tony Dungy, Ray Rhodes and Herman Edwards. Only Indianapolis' Dungy and Edwards of the New York Jets are currently employed as head coaches.

 

 

"Black coaches are being held to a higher standard,'' Cochran said at a news conference. "Now is the time for the NFL to step up and make a change.''

 

 

To stimulate the hiring of African-Americans as head coaches, Cochran proposed that commissioner Paul Tagliabue "reward at least one team each year for developing a diverse front office'' with a draft pick.

 

 

He also asked the NFL to require team owners to include "diverse racial groups'' when interviewing candidates for coaching positions. According to the report, "owners can choose to opt out of this requirement ... but to do so they must forfeit a draft pick.''

 

 

Cochran suggested teams surrender a first-round pick for refusing to interview minorities for head coaching jobs, and a third-round pick for not interviewing minorities for assistant head coach or coordinator.

 

 

The creators of the report plan to talk to Tagliabue about their proposal in the next few days. Cochran said he is prepared to take legal action.

 

 

"We can litigate this. We can bring a lawsuit,'' Cochran said. "I think the NFL is reasonable. They understand that this can end up in the courts, and they'd rather not see that happen. But let's see if we can have a dialogue. You only litigate after you've done everything you can to negotiate.''

 

 

Cyrus Mehri, whose name is under Cochran's on the report, served as counsel in two of the largest race discrimination cases in history, involving Texaco and Coca-Cola.

 

 

"We're asking for a fair opportunity to compete,'' Mehri said.

 

 

Cochran said he doesn't want to bully the NFL or make money on the deal.

 

 

"Our motives are driven not by personal desire or financial gain, but to correct what we see as a great inequity in America's game,'' Cochran said.

 

 

Mehri said black coaches have less of a chance to retain their job than their white counterparts.

 

 

"One bad year and you're out,'' he said. "There seems to be a lack of patience as far as black coaches are concerned.''

 

 

 

Listen. I'm for equal opportunities as much as the next person, if not more. But this "lawsuit", if it even materializes, is almost the definition of bullshit. I mean, a draft pick for having a "diverse front office?" That's gotta be the dumbest idea I've heard in a while!

[Guest bob_barron]

Oh god- what a joke.

 

Doesn't Johnnie Cochran have something better to do?? Like beat his ex-wife

[Agent_Bond34 0]

Oh god- what a joke.

My thoughts exactly.

 

I don't care what color this guy is, but, Johnnie Cochran is a fucking dumbass if he actually goes through with this.

 

All he's gonna do is end up making himself look bad, and probably lose a lot of money in the process.

[Guest Human Fly]

I've got a friend who says that he woud listen to this kind of crap if there was a big deal about the lack of Oriental, Hispanic, Samoan, etc. coaches.

[Guest DrTom]

I've got a friend who says that he woud listen to this kind of crap if there was a big deal about the lack of Oriental, Hispanic, Samoan, etc. coaches.

Your friend has a point. There's no outcry from Orientals or American Indians about their lack of representation on the sidelines. Good grief, what a ridiculous "lawsuit" to consider. This is what happens when meddlesome do-gooders like Cochrane try to infect private enterprises with their poisonous brand of race-based liberalism. Black coaches have the same opportunities that white coaches have, and that's what is required under the law.

 

A draft pick for a diverse front office indeed. Heck, if I were a team president, I'd deliberately hire minorities into worthless "executive" positions I invented, just to get the competitive advantage of a draft pick -- especially if it's a good one. No, Johnnie, stick to making up clever rhymes to get your rich murdering clients off the hook, and leave professional sports alone.

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

I may be black, but man... Cochran is full of shit.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Can't somebody just put a bullet in his head?

 

"Calls to the NFL on Monday night were not immediately returned."

 

Gee, I wonder why?

 

"Cochran suggested teams surrender a first-round pick for refusing to interview minorities for head coaching jobs, and a third-round pick for not interviewing minorities for assistant head coach or coordinator."

 

WTF?!?!?!?!

 

I wonder if Herman Edwards gets fired in the off-season due to the pathetic efforts of his team, will Johnnie C. accuse the Jets of a hate crime...

[Guest MrRant]

I'm suprised no one has pointed out that the last how many Super Bowl winning coaches have been white? Nice to see he glossed over that one to bend the facts to his wants.

[Guest bob_barron]

Can't somebody just put a bullet in his head?

 

"Calls to the NFL on Monday night were not immediately returned."

 

Gee, I wonder why?

 

"Cochran suggested teams surrender a first-round pick for refusing to interview minorities for head coaching jobs, and a third-round pick for not interviewing minorities for assistant head coach or coordinator."

 

WTF?!?!?!?!

 

I wonder if Herman Edwards gets fired in the off-season due to the pathetic efforts of his team, will Johnnie C. accuse the Jets of a hate crime...

Like Jessie Jackson did when Ray Rhodes was fired from the Pack??

 

Jessie was pissing and moaning like crazy and the funny thing:

 

Ray Rhodes didn't even have a problem that he was fired.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

"Like Jessie Jackson did when Ray Rhodes was fired from the Pack??

 

Jessie was pissing and moaning like crazy and the funny thing:

 

Ray Rhodes didn't even have a problem that he was fired."

 

Oh, I NOW remember that. And wasn't there some flack because Mike S. got the same (or relatively same) record during his first season as did Ray R.?

 

I remember years ago during a Super Bowl pre-game show Ronnie Lott bitching about no black head coaches. That's probably the only time in my life I'd ever get the nerve to walk up to him and say, "shut the F' up."

 

I'd then proceed to run away...

[Guest MD2020]

Dr. Janice Madden, a labor economist, determined that black coaches averaged 1.1 more wins per season than white coaches and led their teams to the playoffs 67 percent of the time compared with 39 percent of the time for white coaches.

 

I keep coming back to this quote. Is it me, or isn't this inherently flawed? I mean, since most of the teams are coached by whites, but less then half of the teams get into the playoffs, then of course white coaches aren't going to have a high number of playoff percentage.

 

Anyway, the NFL could use more black coaches, but this ins't the way to go. I had to sit through 4 years of Ray Rhodes, and it was bad near the end. But not as bad as Rich Kotite. Bad Coaches are bad coaches, no matter what the color.

 

Besides, it would be nice if JC had a client to sue with. Right now, he's just being a media whore.

[Guest Choken One]

I'm sure P.Diddy will do something shortly, it's been a few months...so give it time.

[Guest bob_barron]

"Like Jessie Jackson did when Ray Rhodes was fired from the Pack??

 

Jessie was pissing and moaning like crazy and the funny thing:

 

Ray Rhodes didn't even have a problem that he was fired."

 

Oh, I NOW remember that. And wasn't there some flack because Mike S. got the same (or relatively same) record during his first season as did Ray R.?

 

I remember years ago during a Super Bowl pre-game show Ronnie Lott bitching about no black head coaches. That's probably the only time in my life I'd ever get the nerve to walk up to him and say, "shut the F' up."

 

I'd then proceed to run away...

I think Sherman had the same record but Ray made a lot of stupid calls that cost the Pack some games.

 

And Ray has a track record of sucking ass as a coach

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

I've got a friend who says that he woud listen to this kind of crap if there was a big deal about the lack of Oriental, Hispanic, Samoan, etc. coaches.

Your friend has a point. There's no outcry from Orientals or American Indians about their lack of representation on the sidelines.

Probably due to the lack of Oriental & American Indian players in the league. I'm sure if there were a large percentage of either/both of those races in the NFL, it would be an issue.

 

But, yeah, this suit is ridiculous.

[Guest razazteca]

I can think of maybe 2 black coaches who could of been head coaches this year

 

Sherman Lewis, who now is an assistant for the Redskins as Defense coorindator

 

and the Assistant Rams coach Lovie

 

I think Dennis Green left because he did not want to listen to the cry baby Randy Moss.

[Guest imajackoff?]

I can think of maybe 2 black coaches who could of been head coaches this year

 

Sherman Lewis, who now is an assistant for the Redskins as Defense coorindator

 

and the Assistant Rams coach Lovie

 

I think Dennis Green left because he did not want to listen to the cry baby Randy Moss.

Marvin Lewis is the Redskins DC now. It's a joke that he isnt a head coach. Sherm Lewis was the DC for the Packers. How can Art Shell have a 56-41 record as a head coach and not get another head coaching job for 8 years and counting?? I hate Cochran as much as the next guy, but to say that he doesnt have some valid criticisms of the NFL hiring practices is incorrect.

[Guest razazteca]

well Lewis (Sherman or Marvin) could be the next coach for the Bengals, Rams, Cowboys, Jets, Steelers next year.

[Guest ant_7000]

I like Cochran and all I have to agree that lack of black coaches should be addressed, but a lawsuit isn't necessary.

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

Well, I guess it's good that Cochran's trying to call attention to a problem. Or course, the way he's doing it is pretty damned despicable to me, but his heart seems to be in the right place. Yes, I said that. Johnny Cochran's heart is in the right place. Do I think that a lawsuit is necessary? No. Do I think that his statistics about black coaches in the NFL prove that black coaches are as qualified or even more qualified than white coaches? That's ludicrous. But if this makes the NFL adopt a policy like Major League Baseball's, where they have to merely interview at least one minority for head coaching jobs, then maybe the job gets done.

 

Winning is color-blind to me. I just think that when NFL head coaching positions open up, owners have a few guys in mind already, and don't think to scour the coaching ranks in case there's someone better. I mean, when Washington fired Marty Schottenheimer, they knew they wanted Spurrier. When Tampa fired Dungy, they wanted Mooch or Gruden or Tuna. And when Philadelphia fired Rich Kotite, they had Ray Rhodes in mind to take his spot.

 

LUNATIC

- Pimpin' ho's and clockin' a grip like my name was Dolemite.