Paying a coach to lose?

Wow

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/3319...-practices

Bruh, that isn't even the 1/3 of the allegations... this is crazy....

But I agree, the Rooney rule is a joke the way its set up. It is a token interview.

Not choosing sides here but these are allegations at this point. Flores isn't the only coach to get fired or interview when someone else was the favored candidate. Let the legal process sort through this to separate fact from opinion.

Being a Dolphins fan is never boring.

(02-01-2022 09:03 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  Not choosing sides here but these are allegations at this point. Flores isn't the only coach to get fired or interview when someone else was the favored candidate. Let the legal process sort through this to separate fact from opinion.

I think the thing that's more in Flores's favor here comes down to the Belichick texts. Flores hadn't even had his interview yet and the team already knew who they were going with. That would show a 100% sham Rooney Rule process there.

It's weird in general, too. Flores is at least a decent coach and had back to back winning seasons on a team that only had one other winning season (2016) since they last won the division in 2008. Should be the kind of guy you'd at least want to have a legit interview process with to see if he can change your mind about your preferred candidate.

John Elway releases a statement...

Quote:Former Broncos G.M. and current Broncos personnel advisor John Elway has issued a statement in response to the allegations made about the team in the Flores lawsuit.

“While I was not planning to respond publicly to the false and defamatory claims by Brian Flores, I could not be silent any longer with my character, integrity and professionalism being attacked,” Elway said in a statement issued on Thursday. “I took Coach Flores very seriously as a candidate for our head coaching position in 2019 and enjoyed our three-and-a-half hour interview with him. Along with the rest of our group, I was prepared, ready and fully engaged during the entire interview as Brian shared his experience and vision for our team. . . . It’s unfortunate and shocking to learn for the first time this week that Brian felt differently about our interview with him.

“For Brian to make an assumption about my appearance and state of mind early that morning was subjective, hurtful and just plain wrong. If I appeared ‘disheveled,’ as he claimed, it was because we had flown in during the middle of the night — immediately following another interview in Denver — and were going on a few hours of sleep to meet the only window provided to us. . . . I interviewed Brian in good faith, giving him the same consideration and opportunity as every other candidate for our head coaching position in 2019.”

At paragraph 21 of the complaint, Flores made this allegation about his 2019 interview with the Broncos: “John Elway, President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Ellis and others, showed up an hour late to the interview. They looked completely disheveled, and it was obvious that they had [been] drinking heavily the night before. It was clear from the substance of the interview that Mr. Flores was interviewed only because of the Rooney Rule, and that the Broncos never had any intention to consider him as a legitimate candidate for the job. Shortly thereafter, Vic Fangio, a white man, was hired to be the Head Coach of the Broncos.”

The presence of the word “defamatory” in Elway’s statement raises the question of whether Elway is considering suing Flores for defamation. The strong Wednesday night statement from Dolphins owner Stephen Ross created a similar perception.

Elway Statement

(02-03-2022 10:30 AM)e-parade Wrote:  

(02-01-2022 09:03 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  Not choosing sides here but these are allegations at this point. Flores isn't the only coach to get fired or interview when someone else was the favored candidate. Let the legal process sort through this to separate fact from opinion.

I think the thing that's more in Flores's favor here comes down to the Belichick texts. Flores hadn't even had his interview yet and the team already knew who they were going with. That would show a 100% sham Rooney Rule process there.

It's weird in general, too. Flores is at least a decent coach and had back to back winning seasons on a team that only had one other winning season (2016) since they last won the division in 2008. Should be the kind of guy you'd at least want to have a legit interview process with to see if he can change your mind about your preferred candidate.

What I think hurts his case is that he's filing a class action suit. That is a "shotgun spray at the target" approach where you hope to hit something to get a win in your favor. I'm not defending anyone at this point but I'm not assuming that Flores was wronged on the level of DISCRIMINATION or RACIAL PREJUDICE. That is where the facts need to be examined and not subjective opinion. See the statement that John Elway released pointing out this fact. Again, Flores was a head coach in the NFL - he can't argue that he was never given employment based on race. There are plenty of coaches that interview for jobs and don't get hired. The issue may reside in the Rooney Rule - its intent, effectiveness, viability, etc.

Dolphins owner responds...

Quote:“With regards to the allegations being made by Brian Flores, I am a man of honor and integrity and cannot let them stand without responding,” Ross said in a statement. “I take great personal exception to these malicious attacks, and the truth must be known. His allegations are false, malicious and defamatory.

“We understand there are media reports stating that the NFL intends to investigate his claims, and we will cooperate fully. I welcome that investigation and I am eager to defend my personal integrity, and the integrity and values of the entire Miami Dolphins organization, from these baseless, unfair and disparaging claims.”

Burden of Proof

Release the emails from the WFT investigation.

All of them. Not just the few that Goodell cherrypicked to get rid of Gruden.

(02-03-2022 04:45 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  Dolphins owner responds...

Quote:“With regards to the allegations being made by Brian Flores, I am a man of honor and integrity and cannot let them stand without responding,” Ross said in a statement. “I take great personal exception to these malicious attacks, and the truth must be known. His allegations are false, malicious and defamatory.

“We understand there are media reports stating that the NFL intends to investigate his claims, and we will cooperate fully. I welcome that investigation and I am eager to defend my personal integrity, and the integrity and values of the entire Miami Dolphins organization, from these baseless, unfair and disparaging claims.”

Burden of Proof

When Stephen Ross has to tell you that, "I am a man of honor and integrity," you know that he is not. None of this is happening if Ross does not fire a coach that went 19-14 the past two seasons with Tua Tagovailoa and Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. Who made the decision to draft Tua Tagovailoa over Justin Herbert? Ross was a big fan of Tagovailoa.

I am not a big fan of the class action lawsuit against the NFL. I don't think it is going to force the owners to change their hiring practices and there are owners that have been very fair in their hiring of minorities and women. But at the end of the day, they are going to hire whomever they want. Flores had a fully guaranteed five-year deal, so he is getting paid the next two seasons. This was not about money for Flores, and I think he needed to find a different way of drawing attention to the issue.

Ross is in real trouble because I think he did offer Flores $100,000 per loss if he tanked games. They supposedly have a witness to the conversation. If they can prove that Ross is gone. I think Bill Belichick had spoken to the Giants about hiring Brian Daboll, so that is probably not going to go well for the Giants. At the end, I just don't see how Ross and the Giants help the class action lawsuit.

Would Brian have received the offer if not for the Class Action?

Quote:After a long and often unpredictable search for a new head coach, the Texans have found their man, announcing a deal with former Bears and Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith on Monday, after CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones and CBS Sports HQ's Josina Anderson reported the sides were finalizing a contract. The 63-year-old Smith, who spent 2021 as Houston's associate head coach and defensive coordinator, only recently emerged as a candidate for the Texans' vacancy but outlasted reported finalists Josh McCown and ex-Dolphins coach Brian Flores for the job.

Lovie Smith Back in the NFL

(02-07-2022 08:51 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  Would Brian have received the offer if not for the Class Action?

Quote:After a long and often unpredictable search for a new head coach, the Texans have found their man, announcing a deal with former Bears and Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith on Monday, after CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones and CBS Sports HQ's Josina Anderson reported the sides were finalizing a contract. The 63-year-old Smith, who spent 2021 as Houston's associate head coach and defensive coordinator, only recently emerged as a candidate for the Texans' vacancy but outlasted reported finalists Josh McCown and ex-Dolphins coach Brian Flores for the job.

Lovie Smith Back in the NFL

The Texans would have hired Josh McCown instead of Lovie Smith if the lawsuit had not been filed.