Diversity In NFL Leadership Positions, Or The Lack There Of

I was tuning into the latest episode of Bryant Gumbel, when his infamous commentary lead me to speak about an issue that is unseen, and UN-discussed in a business that is literally bigger than life, that is the NFL. That issue being the job opportunities that are given to men of color. The league is 68% black on the rosters, but we're talking about beyond the rosters today. This off-season there was 15 job vacancies in the NFL just in the ranks of head coaches and general managers, not one was filled by a man or woman of color. Many blow it off as if it's not really a big deal, but sitting before you as someone who has future ambitions to become a coach on the highest level one day, it's a HUGE deal. This isn't a problem that just came about in the NFL, it's an on going issue that really has no sign of turning around or getting better. The NFL league office is not in the dark about the situation, they are actually very aware.In the wake of no minority hirings to fill eight head coaching and seven general management vacancies following the conclusion of the 2012 NFL regular season, NFL Executive Vice president of Human Resources Robert Gulliver stated, "While there has been full compliance with the interview requirements of the Rooney Rule and we wish the new head coaches and general managers much success, the hiring results this year have been unexpected and reflect a disappointing lack of diversity. The true question is do they care? Commissioner Roger Goodell has been asked about this on numerous occasions. Most recently he stated how sorry and disappointed he is about the results of the most recent 15 hires, but is an apology enough? They have made an effort to change thing by implementing what we know as the Rooney rule.The rule for which was established to ensure that minority coaches, especially African Americans, were considered for high-level coaching positions. But has it work? Has it had an impact? Since the Rooney Rule was established in 2003, several NFL franchises have hired African American head coaches, at the start of 2006 season, the overall percentage of African American coaches had jumped to 22%, up from 6% prior to the Rooney Rule. However, that number and percentage has declined each of the last 3 years which lead many to believe and ask, Is the Rooney rule broken? Coach Tony Dungy said about the topic, "I know the concept is good and something we need to do, Obviously, it's not working the way it should." Herm Edwards, former coach of the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs and now an ESPN analyst, has called for not only revising the rule but perhaps even changing its name. "When you use the Rooney Rule and not correctly, you put a little bit of a bad mark on Mr. Rooney's name, and that is not good," Edwards said. "If it keeps going this way, we might need to take his name off the rule. It is not being used in the right manner that Mr. Rooney meant it to be." In the last three years, there has been 21 Job vacancy's none filled by people of color, so obviously regardless of race the owner are making the wrong decisions anyways. When we take all the factual information into hand, it makes you wonder what needs to be done, and what could be done to fix this problem. It's pretty clear that the rule needs to be tweak or revamped somehow. The Rooney Rule requires National Football League teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation jobs, keyword being INTERVIEW. I don't think we can make it to where we tell these owner who they must hire to operate in their business, but many wonder if they only interview the candidate just to follow the rule, that I can't answer but I know this, the NFL better do something about it and soon, because your starting to hear the whispers of legal actions being taken, and from the outside looking in that is a battle and a war the NFL has not a fighting chance in!

Coach Lewis Giving Out Insults In Support of Pacman

Gone and nearly forgotten, Bengals cornerback Pacman Jones returned to the active roster of the Bengals last week after nearly a year away from the field due to a neck injury suffered in 2010. After a 63-yard punt return and a pulled hamstring in Seattle, Pacman has become extremely relevant as he prepares to return to Nashville for a game against the Titans, who made him the sixth overall pick in the 2005 draft. On Wednesday, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis had a conference call with the Tennessee media. Reflecting on Pacman’s problems in the NFL, which culminated in a one-year suspension after two seasons in the league, Jones took a shot at West Virginia University and former coach Rich Rodriguez. “It’s unfortunate a guy could go into college and spent three years on a college campus and not learn some of the things really they should learn,” Lewis said. “But hopefully he has learned those lessons now.” Um, really? Look, I know I’ve got a Mountaineer bias. Still, I’ll acknowledge that, under Rodriguez, the bar when it comes to problem children was pretty low. Just like it has been in Cincinnati for the entire time Marvin Lewis has been the coach. Marvin’s comment is easily adaptable to other circumstances. After all, Pacman spent two years with an NFL franchise in Tennessee, and he didn’t “learn some of the things really they should learn.” And Lewis (actually, Mike Brown) has welcomed with open arms plenty of guys with criminal tendencies to Cincinnati, where plenty of them didn’t “learn some of the things really they should learn” from Lewis or whoever else they should “learn some of the things really they should learn.” Coach Lewis undoubtedly is trying to prop up Pacman, especially at a time when Jones has said he doesn’t think the Titans stood behind him. But before throwing stones toward Morgantown, Marvin would be wise to climb down from the porch of that glass house in Cincinnati. John G. Dunn II jgdunn.blogspot.com

Catching up with Pac

Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones returns to Tennessee on Sunday to play the Titans, and he says he has mixed emotions about the team that drafted him, gave him his start, and eventually got rid of him after he became the poster boy for off-field problems in the NFL. Jones told Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean that he blames himself, but he also wishes he had more support from the Titans. “Yeah, I did fuck things up off the field,” Jones said. “I blame myself for that. But I will say when times got hard [the Titans] weren’t there for me. But I ain’t holding no grudges, man. Life is too short for grudges. I don’t have time for all of that.” Jones said he doesn’t expect Titans fans to give him a warm welcome on Sunday. “Hell no fans aren’t going to give me a good ovation,” Jones said. “They booed me when I was there, so you know they are going to boo me when I’m on the other team. But I don’t care. That shit don’t bother me.” As far as the injury. Jones said he plans to play, Coach Lewis said it too early to tell. Coach Lewis praised Pacman monday in his press conference for being explosive, and a enthusiastic teammate. Yes guys that a good thing.

Bengals @ Broncos Week 2 Preview

So we come into week 2 as winners off a win last week. Call it how you want it, rather it was lucky or what the Cincinnati Bengals are 1-0. A week that wasn't pretty, no consistency, Dalton get banged up, and the most positive thing was Cedric Benson and getting over 100 yards and carrying this team. That week is over and done with me, and now we face the Denver Broncos. This is a Broncos team that has just as many question, and insecurities as our Cincinnati Bengals, which mean this is another game that's really a toss up, a game that can go either way. So what's the keys!?! For us, we need Dalton to play the whole game, he has an injury to his throwing arm, so it will be very interesting to see how this go today. In order for Dalton to survive and play a good game, the O-line MUST play on a level we believe they can't. Believe it or not that's not the most important thing, the most important factor for the Bengals to come home 2-0 is the secondary. This secondary must not allow Kyle Orton to pick them apart. Orton is the Denver Broncos he is the only chance that team have to be successful, so they must contain him. The D-line will have to provide help by getting pressure on Orton and not giving him the time to pick their weak secondary apart. Offensively the Bengals must play their same game, but even better, Benson must get over the century mark again, and the Bengals receivers must step up to open up A.J. Green and keep the bracket coverage away from the new impact receiver Jermaine Gresham. This game will be a battle between these two Defenses. Broncos D, and Bengals D is very similar in many ways I give the Bengals the edge on that side of the ball, however I give the Broncos D the better matchup because the Bengals offense is weak, and weaker than the Broncos offense. It should be another very interesting week for WHO DEY nation. The fan in me has the Bengals winning a close game 21-17, the realist in me has the same score but the Broncos being winners. John G. Dunn II jgdunn.blogspot.com

Ortiz can only beat Mayweather IF.........

So as we near a couple hours til the much anticipated fight (as we do every Mayweather fight), most people love Floyd, and want him to win. The Floyd bandwagon is always packed and filled with people. Of course I like to be different and I love the underdog so I like Ortiz. I think Ortiz has as much of a chance to give Floyd his first lost as anybody do. For Ortiz to win it a simple game plan, but will be VERY difficult for him to execute. Ortiz must use his power to his advantage, he must land punches early and often. Ortiz must get up in the fight early, up as in, up on the scorecards. If Ortiz can get up early on the cards, he forces Mayweather out of his comfort zone, and that defensive approach. Floyd approach to every fight is to use his speed to dip and dodge, and stick and move. If Ortiz can win the first few rounds, and force Mayweather to be the aggressor, then that's when he can sit back and use counter punches and possibly not only win, but knock Floyd out. Ortiz can't go the distance and win with Floyd, if he don't get up early on the fight. Stay tune ppl, but this is the game plan and the only way Ortiz can win this fight tonight! John G. Dunn II jgdunn.blogspot.com

Week 1 Preview: Bengals @ Browns

So week 1 is finally here. The wait has ended. It just so happens to be on this day September 11, where 10 years ago all our lives changed forever. As a fireman it really hurts me, mad about the fact I was 13 had no idea what was going on or had no way to help. All I knew was that even then I wanted to be fireman and I wanted to help people and my brothers but couldn't. Sports was our medicine, sports is the medicine for this country. So this is not a day to be feeling sad, mad, or etc.this is a day for rejoice, be thankful for what we have, the ability we have to love and the dose of medicine we will be taking in today. So with that said will WHO DEY nation please stand up. I'm talking about the genuine, true Bengal fans. Not the fans who expect them to lose, not the fan who think they're going to do anything but win. I know Cincinnati fan base is one the worst as far as commitment, but don't stand up if your going to bash them on Facebook as soon as they turn the ball over, or get a 3 and out. The expectations is not high at all for this team worldwide, but the fans that I want to stand up, are the fans that regardless of what everybody say, you still believe whole heartedly that, not only that this team can be successful, but also that they will be. True of the matter is, you never know what can happen, the NFL consist of the best against the best, which mean any given sunday, anybody can win and anybody can be beat. The 2011 Cincinnati Bengals can be one them teams that surprise everybody and I think it starts today, so let me tell you what must occurre for this to happen. We all know they must ride the back of Cedric Benson, and I think he will carry them today running for 110-120 yards and 2TD's.  Dalton will be better than expected, I only say that cause nobody believe he can be a good QB yet. Coach Gruden can help this kid out a lot by using the strength of Dalton's accuracy to the team advantage, by throwing short intermediate passes and mixing in some screen, and I think Gruden will do these things. So we all know Benson will be a key to this team success, but I think more importantly than him, is the play of the defense. This defense will be the difference maker not just this week, but every week this year. I personally think this Bengals D is could be a sleeper. There so much youth and talented there and with the knowledge and skill of Coach Zim coaching that D it only a matter of time before these guys are performing as one of the top unit in the game. I know it seem like I'm being blind to the fact that this team is extremely young with a new QB and OC, but I'm not. I genuinely think this football team can win today. The Cleveland D is not as good as I think people give em credit for, not that they don't have talent there, it just unproven, sort of like the Bengals D. Colt McCoy I think he's overrated and even if he's not, there nobody for him to throw the football too. Hillis will be Hillis, I'm personally not a big believer in him either, he only had 1 good year, and with Brandon Jackson banged up I don't see him being able to carry the load all game. I have the Bengals winning today 24-14, maybe it the fan in me, but I'm a realist too. I like what I saw from the 1's this pre-season, this team can be good, this team will be good and It starts today.

John G. Dunn II
jgdunn.blogspot.com

Are You Wondering Who is Bengals 3rd pick Dontay Moch???

Dontay Moch was the Bengals 3rd pick. A name you probably never heard, because he a kid from From Nevada, and the WAC conference, but this kid can make a impact on this Bengals D. Want to know who he is, I got you! Check out the highlight video below!

Dontay Moch is a top linebacker prospects. 6-1, 248, Yet another defensive end looking to make the conversion to rush linebacker, Moch can flat out fly. He ran a 4.40 40 at the combine to validate the straight-line speed he displayed at Nevada the past four years. That included 2009 WAC Defensive Player of the Year honors with 19.5 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks, and another 22.0 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks as a senior. He has speed and quickness to spare. The question is whether Moch can develop a secondary pass-rush move, prove he can hold his own against the run and handle coverage assignments as a linebacker. If not, he'll be a stiff-hipped athlete who will struggle much the same as former Jets first-round pick Vernon Gholston. Moch holds virtually all of Nevada's pass-rushing records, and was the WAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2009. As an NFL prospect, Moch projects as an outside linebacker, where his speed and quickness off the snap can best be exploited as a pass rusher in the 3-4 scheme, and his ability to run fits well in the 4-3. However, we have seen dominant college pass rushers with stiff hips have trouble at the next level before. As for positives and negatives, POSITIVES: Three-year starter at end is a record-setting pass rusher with superior speed who projects well to the outside linebacker position in the NFL. Played some outside linebacker as a freshman, and often was given assignments dropping off from end. Quick off the snap. Good at shedding blocks with his hands, and has a strong bull rush. Can flat out fly. Big hitter, fearless. Can be effective dropping off into zone coverage against the pass. Productive, durable, intense defensive leader. NEGATIVES: Former track star. Stiff in the hips and simply cannot change directions well. Pass rush either works on initial quickness and speed or it fails. Lacks a double move. Not stout against the run as a down lineman. Will have great difficulty with NFL man coverage assignments as a linebacker. Did very little in one-on-one attempts against Boston College's Anthony Castonzo in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. As far as his role with the Bengals,the plan is to use him how Michael Johnson is used, he adds speed to the defense and will be able to eventually shut down any thing ran off tackle or to the outside.

John G. Dunn II
jgdunn.blogspot.com