In A Word Scandalous,But is it?

Richard Lapchick is the director of the University of Central Florida’s Institute  for Diversity and  Ethics in Sport. He is very involved in efforts to increase the number of minority football coaches  in college. (Fyi, the school at which he teaches has one George O’Leary, former Georgia Tech head man, as its head football coach and no Coach O’Leary is not  a minority) Mr Lapchick is working with the BCA, the Black Coaches and Administrators Group, headed by Floyd Keith, to increase the number of minority head coaches at major football playing institutions.

At this moment, there are 120 Football Bowl subdivision schools. Alas, there are only 9 minority head coaches and I agree with Lapchick that the number needs to increase. But he is not just looking at the hiring but where they are hired. Case in point. Three minority head coaches were fired after the 2008 season. They coached at Kansas State, Mississippi State and Washington. Four coaches were hired, a small increase, but an increase nonetheless. The problem as seen by Dr Lapchick is that the schools where these hirings occurred; New Mexico, New Mexico State, Eastern Michigan and Miami(Ohio)  are not powerhouses. Neither is Kansas State, but I digress.

Lapchick calls it “scandalous” that five of the six BCS conferences have no minority head coaches. Is it a problem-yes, does it need correcting-yes. But does it fall in the realm of scandal? I submit that it does not by any definition of the word. He also thinks that there should be a civil rights movement in college sports. Some even think that a lawsuit might be the way to go.

Again, I have problems with that approach, although I am not dogmatic about it. There is a need for more minority head coaches, but at the right schools. How does one define that? By size, by winning percentages, by bowl games, by what and who defines it? Conveniently left out of the discussion is the number of minority basketball head coaches. In my conference of choice, the ACC, the numbers are even, for example. Nationwide, I would guess that the numbers are pretty good. It has taken a while but I don’t think a lawsuit was necessary.

In the interest of full disclosure, my Tarheels have yet to hire  a minority as a head coach for any sport. Although, i don;t wish per se for someone to be fired, I hope that the Heels will rectify that situation in the near future. Listening, Mr Baddour?