2007-02-22

Racism Against Lovie Smith?

Lovie was the lowest-paid coach last year, but had the second-highest accomplishment. The year before that he was also the lowest-paid, but out-performed most. What is going on here? The Bears won't renew his contract that ends next season, and won't agree to a new extended contract that meets his terms. I do not recall this ever before happening to a coach on such an upswing. Lots of spanking new first-time head coaches are getting much better offers for their first jobs than Lovie.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

If I owned the Lions, or any other team for that matter, I'd take him in a heartbeat. In fact, the Lions could have had him and passed. Of course, the way the Lions chew up and spit out coaches he probably would have failed miserably here like all the others.

It is pretty disgusting that this guy takes his team to the Super Bowl but can't get a contract extension, but I guy like that tool Matt Millen can run a franchise into the ground and still hang onto his job with no end in sight.

I don't get it.

uptownseteve said...

Matt Millen is a living example of the white good ol boy network in action.

Totally unqualified, unexperienced, undistiguished and unaccomplished.

But keeps his job because his (white) boss likes him.

This occurs at every level of American life.

Nadir said...

I'm with you, Six. This is sick.

It's too early to call it racism, but it doesn't look pretty on Chicago's part.

Paul Hue said...

If Lovie was white I have have no explanation (or care, actually).

uptownseteve said...

If Lovie was white, with his talent and level of accomplishment, he wouldn't be the lowest paid coach in the league.

Duh.

Nadir said...

I suppose if Lovie was white, it wouldn't be as much of an issue, but because Lovie is a winner, he should be paid.

Nadir said...

"If Lovie was white, with his talent and level of accomplishment, he wouldn't be the lowest paid coach in the league."

I can't argue with that...

Paul Hue said...

I can think of no reason other than race to explain this situation. I follow sports very little, so it's possible I missed if in the past 20 years the lowest-paid coach won Coach of the Year and transformed a bottom-dweller into a super bowl team. I am only noticing this because I am pulling for black guys to gain their fair share of sports success with a clipboard and in the board room. However, I have read no claims that this has ever happened before. Meanwhile, the NFL has the most black coaches ever, and the first young coach (all earning more than Lovie).

Very interesting.