Proposal: Taboo topics

[PantherU]

The discussion:

It is highly likely that race played a role in Chancellor Mark Mone selecting LaVall Jordan over TJ Otzelberger for the job in 2016. Do we include a line in our proposal that addresses race in the hiring?

Further: is that line something like, "we recommend the university hire the coach they believe will be the most successful in the position, regardless of race?

Further: is it important to any fan to hire a black coach who is more representative of the majority of college basketball players

I, personally, would appreciate it if some of our black fans take a vocal role here. I feel like I may be overstepping by even starting the thread, and as a white guy I don't want to be speaking for anyone who has a different life experience than I have who might be coming to this with a wildly different perspective.

[Cactus Panther]

Hire the best candidate, period. Race, color, sex or any other protected group should not enter into the decision, nor should it be used as a "plus" factor in the consideration process.

Having stated that, the issue may be too sensitive to broach. The topic is best left to an employment attorney rather than anyone here in our group.

[BBFran]

All things being equal (by which I mean qualifications, experience, temperament, and the thousand other things that go into being a good college head coach) I have absolutely no problem with preferring a black coach in hiring, given the disproportionate number of college players who are black and the fact that we are the state’s true urban public university.

Of course, all things are never equal. I’ll make this observation, however: we have had three black head coaches. One was among the best coaches in our basketball history. Two certainly were not. That’s probably not too different from the overall “hit rate” our white coaches have had. And I suspect that you would find that to be true writ large over college basketball.

So when it comes down to it, I believe this issue is little more than a red herring. Whether or not it’s a data point in the hiring matrix should make no difference to where the program goes from here.

[Spirit of Bruce]

I don't believe in having a PC checklist of buzzwords that candidates have to meet for the sake of PR and pats on the back at faculty dinner parties. That is what got us the sh*t situation we're currently dealing with.

I want the best coach, and if the best coach available is a white male, that's the way it is. There's no reason to be hand-wringing over it.

[73withharoldlee]

I believe silence should be taboo. Let people express their feelings. There are good candidates out there. Maybe we have one right in front of us.

[PantherU]

Dec 3, 2021 14:46:46 GMT -6 73withharoldlee said:

Maybe we have one right in front of us.

Michael Poll will take us to the Final Four by year three.