No mention of Flores’ lawsuit in the Goodell Super Bowl
Every year at the Super Bowl, journalists have the opportunity to ask the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell questions that need to be answered on live television as the world watches. This year, the questions and topics ranged from two Black midfielders make history, Damar Hamlin, administrativeand potential ways in which the league will broadcast upcoming matches. However, the dark cloud – no pun intended – that has hovered over the NFL for more than a year was not mentioned once on Wednesday. And it’s proof that the NFL loves the fact that people seem to have forgotten it Brian Flores, Steve Wilks and Ray Horton are having a class action lawsuit against the union for alleged racist recruitment practices.
Distractions are part of the game
It’s been over a year since the former Miami Dolphins head coach – and now defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings – dropped a bomb on the sports world when he decided that legal action It’s the only way to get people to fully understand just how rigged the game is to Black coaches in the NFL.
“It’s hard to say… but this is bigger than football. This is bigger than coaching,” says Flores.
A few days later, Goodell was on stage answering questions at the Super Bowl about that, etc.
“I think I would start with the basis that racism or any form of discrimination goes against our values. And indeed something that we will not condone, he said at last year’s press conference.
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Same as it ever was
On Wednesday, it was more of the same. “I do, but I still feel like there’s better work, and more work ahead of us,” Goodell said about the “meaningful progress” that’s taken place with diversity amongst head coaches. “I think that there is progress, and we’re pleased to see progress. But it’s never enough.”
A lot has happened since Goodell took the stage last year in Los Angeles and when he returned to it in Arizona. For instance, Steve Wilks and Ray Horton joined Flores’ lawsuit. Flores spent last season as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he’s now with the Vikings — as an assistant, again. Wilks was the interim head coach of the Carolina Panthers, but due to the history of men bearing that title with skin color minehe never got a chance to get a permanent job — no matter what the owners of the Panthers have David Tepper claims to be trying to erase the league’s “old boy network”.” Horton is Coaching at USFL. And you can still count the number of African-American head coaches in the league on one hand and have a few fingers to spare, like Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh), DeMeco Ryans (Houston) and Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay). ) were the saddest. trinity.
I think Goodell says progress is happening. Is it similar to you? Maybe my eyesight is bad.
Last fall, Plaintiff’s attorney has alleged racial bias against the NFL because the federation wants everything to go to arbitration – where no one can see. In court documents, the lawyer wrote that “arbitration would allow an unconsciously biased ‘kangaroo court’ to decide the outcome. If arbitration is where things end, that means Goodell will be the referee – which is in the best interest of the teams being sued and the league. The latest happenings week before it was reported that the judge presiding over the case requested further written summaries of the arbitration by the end of the month.
What does it mean?
That this is still in limbo, as we are waiting to see if this will take place in court or behind closed doors.
But, even if this umpire’s decision goes in the direction of Brian Flores, Steve Wilks and Ray Horton, we don’t know when things will settle down – it’s a win for the tournament. Because while the federation might lose in this case, they have a winning strategy. That’s ignoring it, as others did on a Wednesday afternoon in Glendale, Arizona.