In today's Chicago Sun-Times, columnist Greg Couch raises a very interesting point about race and the Notre Dame football coaching position. Its not all that far fetched.
-snip-
Building a major-college football powerhouse is not a snapshot. It's a process. And it's exactly this panic feeling from Notre Dame nation that forced out Willingham way, way before it was time. If the final minutes had gone wrong, Notre Dame would have found itself in a mess. If you think the racial implications of firing Willingham weren't resonating, especially after that Michigan game, then you were wrong.
Look, Willingham was the first black head coach Notre Dame had hired in any sport.
He started 11-3, and then lost to Michigan and Michigan State. And one more year later, he was fired.
Weis started 11-3, and then lost to Michigan, and was on the verge of losing to Michigan State. And Weis has a 10-year contract extension. Meanwhile, Willingham's Washington team beat UCLA on Saturday, and started its turnaround.
Too simple of a way of looking at it? Maybe. But it absolutely would have been an image problem. Now, that's shelved.
-snip-
Click here for entire column.
No comments:
Post a Comment