Culley Out as Head Coach / Lovie Smith Hired

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

I find it captivating that Flores noted in his suit focusing on the league's racist hiring practices that the Dolphins' owner in 2019 was incentivizing him with $100k bonuses to lose games. Kinda feels like how the Texans might have felt about David Culley and him getting the ragtag underachievers to beat the front-running Titans this season.

There were so many shady player suspensions just prior to a gametime in 2021, and Caserio said before the season started that success would not be measured by wins.

Anyhoo, would seem that Flores is out of the running, leaving Gannon, McCown, and presumably O'Connell still in the mix to be the next head coach of the Texans.

If that part is true, it just means the Dolphins owner is stupid. You can't be that obvious even in house. Hugh Jackson made similar claims today but said it was a coded message where the Browns owner (who knows about skirting rules and laws) told him there were bonuses for a younger team and things like that.

The funny part of this whole sad affair is there is not one part of it that raises to the level of mildly surprising. Obviously teams lose on purpose. Obviously the Texans paid a black coach to oversee the losing before hiring another coach to have a chance to win. Obviously NFL owners are racially motivated in their hiring practices. I just doubt any of that results in a legal victory for Flores. But it will likely result in a boardroom victory for black coaches. The NFL will have to actually change their practices now that it's big news.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by barrett

The NFL will have to actually change their practices now that it's big news.

I'm skeptical how much will actually change though. They changed their hiring practices around the time of the introduction of the Rooney Rule when maybe just Tony Dungy was about the only black head coach. And for whatever a sham that rule has since become, there was an increase in the hiring of minorities for awhile in the years since. It just seems to be at its lowest point now than it has been in a couple decades.

I'm not sure how the league adds more teeth to the rule, probably in how it just enforces/penalizes the existing rule. But the teams and owners are going to do what they're going to do.

[chuck]

I like how they named the Rooney Rule after a white guy.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

I'm skeptical how much will actually change though. They changed their hiring practices around the time of the introduction of the Rooney Rule when maybe just Tony Dungy was about the only black head coach. And for whatever a sham that rule has since become, there was an increase in the hiring of minorities for awhile in the years since. It just seems to be at its lowest point now than it has been in a couple decades.

I'm not sure how the league adds more teeth to the rule, probably in how it just enforces/penalizes the existing rule. But the teams and owners are going to do what they're going to do.

I don't think any rule will change things. But if the bad press hits the bottom line, or even threatens to, I wouldn't be shocked if owners just decide in a backroom that 'X' number of them just need to go hire black coaches to remove the media eyes. In the end this is just 32 rich guys who do get together and decide what happens more than any rule does. If those guys just decide to hire some black coaches it all changes without rules.

[nunusguy]

Denver Broncos announce they're up for sale, ending 38 years of ownership by Bowlen family
***
Will Oprah or another Black billionaire lead a group to become the first black majority owned NFL franchise ?

[barrett]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

Denver Broncos announce they're up for sale, ending 38 years of ownership by Bowlen family
***
Will Oprah or another Black billionaire lead a group to become the first black majority owned NFL franchise ?

NFL would jump all over that right now.

[Keith]

Gannon no longer a candidate, neither is McCown. Apparently the Flores is lava, too.

Heyyyyy Lovie... buddy... wanna head coach?

It's as if the leadership at the Texans has no direction. Hopefully the team won't give Lovie another four-year contract for when they let him go next January.

[bikerack]

My friend sent me this message...

"Caserio wanted a younger head coach but struck out. On to plan D"

Also, sounds like Pep is in line for OC job unless he decides he wants to move on. JAX has put in a request to interview him. Pep's son playing at Pearland HS may keep him from leaving.

(this is me speculating) - If I were Lovie/Caserio, I would try to get Flores to come in as a DC since he isn't going to be a HC this year. If someone hires him away next year, the Texans would get draft comp.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

Gannon no longer a candidate, neither is McCown. Apparently the Flores is lava, too.

Heyyyyy Lovie... buddy... wanna head coach?

It's as if the leadership at the Texans has no direction. Hopefully the team won't give Lovie another four-year contract for when they let him go next January.

Yep. Firing a placeholder coach to hire another placeholder coach seems odd. Especially when you fired Culley late. Why pull the trigger on that firing if you didn't have a guy in mind already? If you did have a guy then how did that fall apart? How does it cost you $30+ million to employ two guys nobody wanted as head coach?

But honestly I'm happy for the decent candidates who didn't end up here. This place is a dumpster fire that will remain so as long as Cal is 'in charge'.