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Shula hiring stirs race issues for some
As the university prepares to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first African American students being admitted to UA and honor its 40 civil rights pioneers, some are arguing that UA is not free from racism just yet. Rev. Jesse Jackson organized protests in Montgomery after a search committee headed by UA president Robert Witt and Athletic Director Mal Moore selected Mike Shula to be the Tide's next head football coach.
Jackson had previously contacted Witt to encourage him to hire Green Bay Packers Assistant Coach Sylvester Croom, an African-American. Several other noted figures publicly endorsed Croom as well, including Green Bay Packers head coach Mike Sherman. "There probably isn't a better prospect in all of football, college or pros for that job than Sylvester Croom," Sherman said in USA Today. "I'd hate to lose him because he's such a quality person and coach. There's no better candidate." After Mike Shula was given the job, the protests started. In addition to Rev. Jackson's protests, Alabama Sen. Charles Steele also spoke out against Shula's hiring. "It's a sad day in Alabama," Steele told the Tuscaloosa News. "They missed an opportunity. It's been 40 years since George Wallace stood in the schoolhouse door at the university. This would have sent a great message to the world that Alabama has changed."
Shula has been an NFL assistant for 15 years, most recently quarterbacks coach with the Miami Dolphins. He is also the son of Don Shula, the winningest NFL head coach of all time. Croom was linebackers coach at Alabama for 10 years under Paul 'Bear' Bryant and Ray Perkins and has been an NFL assistant coach for the past 17 years. His father, Sylvester Croom, Sr. was an influential minister in the Tuscaloosa community and will be honored posthumously as one of the 40 civil rights pioneers. Neither Croom nor Shula has any previous head coaching experience. The search quickly narrowed to three candidates after the firing of Mike Price on May 3. Croom, Shula and Carolina Panthers receivers coach Richard Williamson all interviewed for the job with Witt and Moore. All three were former Crimson Tide players. Had Croom been hired, he would have been the first black head football coach in the SEC, and only the fifth black head coach of the 117 football teams in Division I-A. Not everyone believes the coaching decision was racially motivated, however. Ozzie Newsome assisted Witt and Moore in making the decision to hire Shula. Newsome was an All-American while playing at Alabama and became the first black general manager in the NFL when he took over the Baltimore Ravens front office last year. He is also one of the 40 civil rights pioneers being honored by the university. "Mike Shula was hired because we felt he was the best person to lead our team, not because he was white," Newsome said. Newsome described equality in football as "an on-going process." "Is it where we want it to be, no. But, are we continuing to make progress, yes." |
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