CSNbbs

Note that I don't ask should the race of a coach matter, which is an entirely different question. Just wondering if KSU football has any advantages because of back to back head coaches with exceptional leadership qualities and character who happen to be Black?

Personally, I can argue both sides of this question.

One response is no, ultimately players commit and play hard where they think they can win and achieve their goals. Success is color blind. Being a White coach with mostly Black players certainly doesn't seem to be a disadvantage to Nick Saben or Brian Kelly. Add to this side of the argument that not all football talent is Black, and this view says the race of a HC does not matter.

On the other hand, the majority of preps and college football talent is Black. Do recruits think a HC of the same race helps them better relate to the coach? If you are a parent, does a great role model of a man and a leader that looks like your son matter in his college choice? Does seeing someone who looks like you leading the program make you a little prouder, play a little harder? This point would say a Black head coach is an advantage. Perhaps not a huge advantage, but when recruiting and effort is a game of inches, it tips the scale.

What do you think? Does having a Black HC with the character of Hazell and Haynes matter to our football success? Hope I've made it clear that there are legitimate views on both sides of this question. What's yours?

Finally, I am proud of KSU for giving both Hazell and Haynes a shot. It's particularly important because of the kind of people both seem to be: great leaders, great men and great citizens.

I would try to look at it from the prospective of the parents, so if my son was being recruited by multiple coaches I think what I would be looking for in a coach would be:

1) How genuine he is about what he says
2) His past as far as incidents, academics, and player reactions
3) As far as color goes it would be the color of the team and not the color of the coach. If I will have to watch him play for four years it will not be in an ugly uniform.

To some people it matters and to some it doesn't. It obviously shouldn't matter but in reality it does. One day people will stop asking these questions (I am not criticizing you for asking just a statement) and then is when you will know it does not matter.

I remember when I was a kid I was always asked by adults what my nationality was. Although I was American I dutifully responded I was Greek and Italian. Fifty or so years later hardly anyone asks that question of kids anymore. It just doesn't matter to many people. Hopefully some day the same will be true for black and white.

I found it interesting that when that ESPN reporter was suspended for calling out RG3 for not really being black because he was a Republican and was marrying a white women. In the 1970's Archie Bunker and George Jefferson use to say similar things on there comedy TV shows and everybody laughed and said it was good the country could talk about such things and consider them funny. Yet here we are 40 years later having a sports reporter making these types of comments like RG3 has something wrong with him. It seems like we are regressing a bit doesn't it.

(12-19-2012 02:27 PM)burden Wrote: [ -> ]To some people it matters and to some it doesn't. It obviously shouldn't matter but in reality it does. One day people will stop asking these questions (I am not criticizing you for asking just a statement) and then is when you will know it does not matter.

I remember when I was a kid I was always asked by adults what my nationality was. Although I was American I dutifully responded I was Greek and Italian. Fifty or so years later hardly anyone asks that question of kids anymore. It just doesn't matter to many people. Hopefully some day the same will be true for black and white.

I found it interesting that when that ESPN reporter was suspended for calling out RG3 for not really being black because he was a Republican and was marrying a white women. In the 1970's Archie Bunker and George Jefferson use to say similar things on there comedy TV shows and everybody laughed and said it was good the country could talk about such things and consider them funny. Yet here we are 40 years later having a sports reporter making these types of comments like RG3 has something wrong with him. It seems like we are regressing a bit doesn't it.

I don't take this as criticism, burden. In fact, for the most part, I agree with you.

You've identified what I think is the ultimate impact. It will come down to the athlete. For those athletes that select the color of success, the race of a head coach won't matter. Neutral consequence. For those athletes that find it more comfortable to work with a Black head coach, it's an advantage. For those athletes who don't want to play for a Black head coach, they are not "OKG's" anyway, so we have an advantage of not signing the wrong kids. Net, in circumstances where having a Black HC is an advantage, we have an advantage.

It should not matter the race of the coach. That said, it is great to see Kent have back to back african american coaches. With something like 80% of the players being african american the number of opportunities for them to be head coaches is low. There are still a lot of school that have never hired a non-white.