Hyperbole alert: NFL diversity chair compares Lions hiring black coach to Obama being elected president

The Fritz Pollard Alliance is the biggest cheerleader behind the overreaching NFL rule that a minority be interviewed for each head coach vacancy. In theory it sounds like a fair idea, but the end result is many sham interviews--minority applicants go through the motions even though general managers have already made up their minds on who they are going to hire. It's dishonest, no--make that cruel to the candidates for raising their hopes. Oh, the Alliance wants to expand the rule. named for Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, to cover offensive and defensive coordinators as well as assistant head coaches. Affirmative action proponents always seek expansion because the grievances never end.

Earlier today the Detroit Lions hired their first black coach, Jim Caldwell, who was the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, last season's Super Bowl champion.

John Wooten, the chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, thinks the hiring is well, transformational.

"This is meaningful,” "Wooten told the Detroit Free Press. "This is big for us. Detroit was, I almost had the same feeling that I had when I saw Virginia come in six years ago with President (Barack) Obama, had that same feeling when I heard Detroit was in with Jim Caldwell. This is huge for all of us."

Eleven years ago the Lions were fined $200,000 for not interviewing a minority candidate, even though five minority possibilities declined interviews for the head coaching job that went to Michigan native Steve Mariucci. They believed the hiring of the successful ex-San Francisco 49ers coach was inevitable.

With Caldwell's hiring, there are now five minority head coaches in the NFL. Eight years ago both Super Bowl teams, the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears, were led by black men. In 2011 there were eleven NFL teams with minority head coaches.

Caldwell's accession is not "huge" for whoever "all of us" happens to be. But he may end up being a great field marshal for the long-suffering Lions. Is he qualified? Certainly much more so than Obama was when he was elected.

Technorati tags: current affairs Obama Barack Obamasports NFL newsmichigan detroit