Auburn And The Race Card

I've been reading with interest how Auburn's football search was racist because a black coach, Kendall Gill, was not hired. Instead, the school went with Gene Chizik, a former defensive coordinator at Auburn, but a less-than-successful Head Coach at Iowa State the last two years (5-19).

However, it's not as though Chizik was some pasty white dude who was just plucked out of the air above Iowa's cornfields. He had a recent history at Auburn, and just like happens in 90% or more of many jobs everywhere, it isn't always WHAT you know as much as WHO you know. Chizik had a connection at Auburn already.

Was the hire the result of "racism?" Unless you could be behind those doors of decision, how could you know? Maybe, just maybe, Gene Chizik's interview was a "10" and the school didn't want to miss the opportunity they possibly saw. I have no idea whether that is the case, but all of the so-called pundits, the writers who are playing up the politically correct card, don't know that it's not the case, either. In fact, one of the internet writers on one of the top services basically said that while he doesn't totally agree with Charles Barkley that the hire was racist when Turner Gill was available and interested, he believes the race card should be played because there are not enough black coaches in college football.

Are you kidding me? What happened to responsible journalism? Auburn -- like the school or not -- shouldn't be media-lynched just because the general issue of low numbers of black coaches in college football should be magnified.

Was Chizik a better hire than Gill? Nobody knows, because the verdict on Chizik can't possibly be reached until at least a couple of years down the road. The decision has been made, so we will see whether the guy is a stud or a dud.

Why is it Auburn? Why not Clemson, where the hiring of Dabo Swinney came without even a blip on the coaching radar by a black man. And in a state where the NAACP is still boycotting because of the Confederate flag at the State House, one would think the Black College Coaches of America would have been all over it. But the silence was almost deafening.

My biggest problem with all of the race-card playing is that it isn't reciprocal, and it isn't applied equally. If you challenge Auburn's hire of a white guy, shouldn't you challenge Clemson's hire, and Washington's, and Mississippi State's, etc. But to systematically go off on one school is unfair targeting.

Should there be a quota on the number of black coaches there should be in the NCAA? If not, then don't throw percentages up on the big screen every time a black coach is not hired. If so, then let's make it JUST for EVERYBODY. If blacks make up 13% of the population, find a way to ensure they have 13% of the coaching jobs, and let's ensure that the same percentages apply with players, not only in college, but in professional sports as well. But start talking like that, and it isn't popular.

Racism is only racism to the politically correct, when they feel like they are the victims.

Let's get over the Civil war, slavery, and the struggle for equality, and move on to all see what we can do individually and collectively to make America a great, safe country for everyone.

After all, we now have a black President to lead the way. He has reached the top of the mountain, and should be an inspiration to us all to be more peaceful and civil, and try to actually get along better with others, no matter their background.