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SPORTS Thursday 9 January 2020
Column: Black coaching hires still at dismal level in NFL

By TIM DAHLBERG Rooney spearheaded the
AP Sports Columnist minority hiring rule nearly 20
A year ago, Richard Lap- years ago. The numbers are
chick was at least willing to so bad on the GM side that
consider it might be cycli- Lapchick gave the league
cal. Not any longer. an F grade in that category
Not after all but one of the for racial and gender hir-
coaching vacancies in the ing practices as part of an
NFL have been filled. Not overall B grade.
after — in a league where "It's a serious problem," Lap-
70% of players are minori- chick said. "It's fair to say
ties — blacks have been nobody is feeling pressured
hired for only two of the 19 to diversify, especially at
open head coaching spots the club level."
over the last three years. If it's a problem, it's one that
"It's very discouraging that doesn't get a lot of atten-
this continues to happen," tion outside of the annual
said Lapchick, the director head coach hiring season.
of The Institute for Diver- That might be, Lapchick
sity and Ethics in Sport at said, because players
Central Florida. "It's not like themselves have been rel-
there are no qualified can- atively silent on the subject
didates. These people are even while speaking out
out there and ready." on social issues outside the
They may be ready, but NFL league.
owners apparently aren't. It's also true that as recently
Despite the adoption of Former Baylor head football coach Matt Rhule speaks to reporters outside his home Tuesday Jan. as the 2018 season there
the Rooney Rule in 2003 7, 2020, in Waco, Texas. were eight black head
to increase the number of Associated Press coaches before five of
black head coaches, there them got fired.
are only three among the Lapchick, who annually the past two decades to quirements with sham inter- NFL defenders point to that
four minority head coach- gives sports leagues grades promote minority hires. The views. stat and argue that the lat-
es (Washington's Ron Ri- on their efforts to diversify. Rooney Rule not only man- Still, the number of black est hirings are indeed cy-
vera is Hispanic) currently "This is a serious cause for dated that teams inter- head coaches stands at clical and the low current
employed in the league. concern that we've now view coaches of color for just three, down from a number of minority coach-
And, with only the Cleve- gone three years with the coaching vacancies but peak of eight. The situation es is an aberration. NFL
land Browns still looking, lowest numbers we've had was later updated so that in the GM's office is even owners are so desperate
that number won't be in a long time." the general manager job more bleak, with just one to win, they say, that they
changing much — if at all. Just why those numbers was included. black general manager. would hire their worst en-
"There's not much to be are so low is open to de- And before last season, the Not exactly the type of emy if they thought he had
optimistic about from this bate, especially since the rule was toughened so that progress envisioned when the best chance of getting
year's results for sure," said NFL has made efforts over teams couldn't skirt the re- former Steelers owner Dan them to a Super Bowl.q
Peterhansel wins Dakar 4th

stage, Sainz stays in front

AL ULA, Saudi Arabia (AP) (Paulo Fiuza) and I are were the toughest sector
— Stephane Peterhansel starting to communicate I've ever faced in the Da-
finally made his mark on more serenely and accu- kar. It was insane," Sainz
the first Dakar Rally in Saudi rately, it's getting better," said. "There were rocks all
Arabia when he won the Peterhansel said. "This new over the place and I could
fourth stage on Wednes- Dakar is brilliant, it has all see the tracks of the bikes,
day. the ingredients: superb it was devilish. At times like
The most successful driver landscapes, tricky naviga- these, making it to the fin-
in Dakar history, the 13- tion, and enough difficul- ish without running into Driver Carlos Sainz, of Spain, and co-driver Lucas Cruz, of
time winner overcame a ties to make a selection." trouble already feels like Spain, race their Mini during stage four of the Dakar Rally be-
tween Neom and Al Ula, in Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Jan. 8,
flat tire and wrong turn to Carlos Sainz drove con- a win." Peterhansel was 2020.
dominate the second part servatively to be seven less than 12 minutes off the Associated Press
of the 453-kilometer stage, minutes back in third, and overall pace in third, and
as the rally left behind the became the first driver to nobody else was within 23 of Chile was declared with Honda teammates
Red Sea and moved east retain the lead. He was minutes of Sainz's lead. the motorbike winner Ricky Brabec and Kev-
inland to Al Ula. three minutes ahead of Former Formula One after Sam Sunderland, in Benavides to stay on
Peterhansel held off de- Al-Attiyah, who was penal- champion Fernando who came in 11 seconds course but pushed ahead
fending champion Nasser ized three minutes before Alonso conceded 26 min- ahead, was slapped with right at the stony end for
Al-Attiyah by more than the stage for not letting a utes and dropped nearly a five-minute penalty for his maiden stage win.
two minutes for his 77th competitor pass on Tues- three hours behind the speeding. The British rider "It took me 220 or 240 kilo-
stage win. day despite warnings. leaders. dropped to eighth. metres to catch Ricky," Ig-
"My (first-time) co-driver "The last 100 kilometers Jose Ignacio Cornejo Ignacio Cornejo worked nacio Cornejo said. q