SI.com: Steelers choose Vikes' Tomlin to succeed Cowher

[Chocolate Lab]

You can think that, but no way do I think a team would invest millions in a guy to be PC.

Exactly... That's why I've never believed teams would ever be discriminatory in their hiring. There's way too much money invoved these days for someone to ever pass on a superior candidate no matter his or her color, religion, height/weight, etc.

 

[Alexander]

Doesn't mean much to me other than they've continued their color-blindness as it pertains to talent and judgement.

It is just their color-blindedness that helped Tomlin get the job IMO.

He simply does not have the resume as some others. He's never been a head coach on any level, has only six years of NFL coaching experience and has only been a coordinator for a year in the NFL.

Change the color of his skin and he probably doesn't even get an interview.

 

[burmafrd]

Man, guess what? Some really stupid people in all sorts of areas are hired on a whole lot less as regards actually showing ability. He may have been #3 or #4, but if they wanted to make a POLITICAL statement then they hired him.
To me, Rivera has it all over Tomlin. ANd he is black too.
BUT I bet that they found they could get Tomlin CHEAPER.

 

[Avery]

My Steelers friend at work is going to be depressed this week; he was dead-set on Grimm.

 

[Alexander]

To me, Rivera has it all over Tomlin. ANd he is black too.

No, he isn't.

 

[Cochese]

No, he isn't.

:laugh2:

 

[theogt]

Wow, so...uh....how about that Dick LeBeau character? At least we can hope, right?

 

[WoodysGirl]

Oh I'm sure he's knowledgeable enough to talk the talk, but he may not be completely comfortable with a base 3-4 defense and as we have all seen, that's not exactly a good thing.

Well yeah, I'm pretty sure Pitt's base 3-4 is gone, but I think maybe he showed them enough to where he would be willing to incorporate it into his defense. I don't know. I don't know enough about Tomlin other than he came from Tampa Bay before he went to Minny.

Where are his contract numbers?

It could be just "million" and that was a factor in his hiring.

And there is a reason why it is dubbed the "Rooney Rule". I wouldn't dismiss the idea, not in the least.

Numbers aren't out yet, but a standard coaching contract wouldn't be for less than a mill per year. Even Lovie gets over a mill per year. It may be for 3-4 yrs, for a 1.5 mil with escalator clauses. Who knows.

As for associating it with the Rooney Rule, I just feel there's too much money at stake for that to be a driving factor in hiring the right guy to run the team.

 

[burmafrd]

I thought he was. Probably got him mixed up with Luvie.
BUT I still think Rivera has it all over Tomlin.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The hire surely will bring about significant change, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The 3-4 will be out the door, replaced by Tomlin's signature Cover 2. Assistant coaches like defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will become irrelevant

He should be on a plane TODAY on his way to the big D.

 

[burmafrd]

I think that since it was called the Rooney Rule, that there was a LOT OF PRESSURE to have a black coach.

 

[WoodysGirl]

It is just their color-blindedness that helped Tomlin get the job IMO.

He simply does not have the resume as some others. He's never been a head coach on any level, has only six years of NFL coaching experience and has only been a coordinator for a year in the NFL.

Change the color of his skin and he probably doesn't even get an interview.

I disagree. I fall back on Jack Del Rio. He was pretty light on coaching experience before being offered the Jax position, but he was hired. And Jax actually took a lot of heat for hiring him over less established candidates. Which I'm sure Pitt will get even more for the reasons we're discussing in this thread.

I agree he's very light on experience, even at the coordinator level, so I am curious as to his ability to run a team where some of the players may be older than him.

 

[theogt]

I think that since it was called the Rooney Rule, that there was a LOT OF PRESSURE to have a black coach.

Burm, you really need to hit the quote button. I get confused with you in threads.

 

[Murph80]

Wisenhunt will be happy with this hiring. Now he can bring Grimm and Labeau with him to Arizona

 

[Da Hammer]

Wisenhunt will be happy with this hiring. Now he can bring Grimm and Labeau with him to Arizona

if he did. Arizona just might finally end their ways of losing even with their incompetent owners. they would actually be real scary in a year or two!

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Glad to see another minority get a shot at a head coaching job in the NFL!

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

I've met this guy several times....he went to Denbigh High School in Newport News, VA. He played WR for William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. He was frat brothers with my roomate in college...I went to James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA...so he hung out at our place a couple of times. I kid you not, even as a college aged guy....he was EXTREMELY organized. This is going to be a good hire for them

 

[burmafrd]

The question I have: was he REALLY the best candidate they talked to?

 

[Gaede]

haha, somehow I knew this thread would change directions and eventually venture into race relations.

Maybe Tomlin never would've been interviewed if not for the rule. But is that a bad thing? The rule gave him the opportunity for the interview, he took advantage of the opportunity, and impressed the organization enough to get hired. How is this a bad thing?

 

[WoodysGirl]

The question I have: was he REALLY the best candidate they talked to?

Apparently the Steelers FO thought so. He may not have the quals than some of the other candidates, but maybe they considered him a better fit for their organization at this time than those others.