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Last Updated: Aug 10th, 2006 - 15:58:39 |
JACKSONVILLE - All week long during the buildup for Super Bowl XXXIX, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has done the delicate dance that most African-American quarterbacks in the NFL have to do when they reach a major stage.
McNabb has been gracious about answering those questions and talking about what it means that Doug Williams, the only black quarterback to win a Super Bowl , blazed a trail and that Titans quarterback Steve McNair followed.
"To be in that list of only three who have played in the Super Bowl, which I will be a part of, says a lot," McNabb said. " (Williams) did a lot for us to give us an opportunity and the door has been opened. What Steve McNair was able to do in the Super Bowl, it gives the kids now at the collegiate level, high school, Pop Warner, an opportunity to dream and have aspirations of playing on this level and winning a Super Bowl."
There is a group called the Field Generals, composed of former and current black NFL quarterbacks, dedicated to preserving the history and promoting the growth and development of future black quarterbacks. It is a fine organization with a noble cause. But being a black quarterback in the NFL has lost some its relevance.
NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue offered some insight into a more pressing diversity issue for the NFL yesterday during his state of the league address when he said there doesn't seem to be a deep pool from which to draw qualified black general manager candidates. Unlike the situation with openings for coaches, where teams are required to interview at least one black coach for the vacancy, when an NFL GM position becomes available, teams aren't required to include a minority candidate. And the GM usually hires the coach. Perhaps more black general managers in the league will trickle down to the problem of a lack of black head coaches in the NFL.
Ozzie Newsome, the former Cleveland Browns tight end, is the only black GM in the NFL right now. He calls the shots for Baltimore. Maybe no one has told NFL owners that it's 2005.
A group of reporters here at the Super Bowl was tossing around names of African-Americans in NFL front offices, and the number was running along the two hands' level. Jerry Reese with the Giants, James Harris with the Jags, Bobby Grier with Houston. Maybe there needs to be an organization formed to groom candidates for those jobs. It certainly seems to be more relevant and urgent than the dearth of black quarterbacks right now.
Giants GM Ernie Accorsi said part of the problem is that there are minority candidates on every team in the league, but unlike coaching candidates, not many people are aware of them outside of their own teams. Accorsi couldn't name any minority front office people on other teams.
The Giants have an internship program in their player personnel department, and Reese, who is their player personnel director, has moved up the ranks. Accorsi said Reese is ready for a GM job in the league and he expects he will get one soon.
"Player personnel departments are increasing in size around the league and minorities are being hired," Accorsi said. "In our organization we're well-represented. I always try to keep that in mind when I'm hiring."
NFL scouts, personnel directors and coaches seem to care more about putting a winner on the field than the race of the man under center. And as parity continues to take hold in the league and as teams seek ways to put greater distance between themselves and the next team, the search for talent on the field and in the front office will take on greater significance.
There was an interesting item in the Philly Daily News about how Eagles coach Andy Reid tracked Donovan McNabb. It seems Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni went to Green Bay to study the West Coast offense because he had a sophomore quarterback (McNabb) he wanted to use in the system. Reid was the Packers' quarterback coach and he followed McNabb's progress in the system. When McNabb entered the NFL draft, Reid knew what he was capable of doing in his offensive system. And Reid didn't care whether McNabb was red, yellow or purple.
"He (McNabb) certainly doesn't have the issue of being a black quarterback in the Super Bowl," said Marlon Briscoe, who played quarterback for the Broncos for one season in the 1960s before being switched to wide receiver. "He's a quarterback in the Super Bowl that happens to be black."
Talent is colorless. Unfortunately, the people who tap talent aren't color-blind. Winning is the equalizer. We have seen that with NFL quarterbacks. We are beginning to see that with NFL coaches. But it hasn't trickled up to the front office yet. But it's only 2005.
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