Jon Gruden doesn't excel at his job. He is a great thinker.
Because he holds a Super Bowl ring, the Oakland Raiders head coach was able to stay in the NFL as both an analyst and coach. Smart people will quickly point out that Grudens greatest achievement was not something he earned. The 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were not his creation. Gruden's predecessor Tony Dungy, a Black man, built the team and its outstanding defense.
Advertisement
Dungys race must be mentioned as Gruden made racist remarks about DeMaurice Smith, the president of NFL Players Association, in 2011. Gruden said that Dumboriss Smith's lips were as big and swollen as michellin tires in 2011, when he claimed that Dumboriss Smith was a Black man.
Smith stated that this isn't the first time Smith has made a racist comment and will likely not be the last. It is a job that requires thick skin for someone with darker skin. This has been the case for many corporate America employees who are like me. People sometimes say things behind your back that you find racist, just as you hear people speak and write about yourself using thinly coded, racist language.
Racism like this is a result of the fact that I am at the same table with them and that they don't think anyone who looks like me belongs. My family must see this, and I am sorry. However, I would prefer them to know. It will not define me.
Ironically, Smith was elected to remain in his position by the NFLPA team members on the same day Grudens comments were reported. This is despite multiple reports earlier in the year suggesting that Smith may have been moving on.
G/O Media may get a commission Save 25% Probulin TrimSynergy Kickstart your digestive system!
It supports digestive health, immune function and weight management. Probulin: $40 off
Black people are more likely to unite in the face racism.
Advertisement
Gruden, like many white men caught saying or doing wrong things, made matters worse by his anger at being held responsible. Gruden was full Brett Kavanaugh after Sunday's defeat to the Bears.
He declared that he was not a racist. This is what all racists will say when they are exposed. He said, "I'm not going to answer all of these questions today because a series about the NFL's biggest story was too much."
Advertisement
It makes you weak when you are given things that you have never been qualified for. Gruden was unable to predict the future of his prospects, so he tried hard to get a show on TV. The Raiders signed him to an illegible 10-year contract worth $100 million. His winning percentage is just.500, and he has only been to the playoffs five times during his 15-year tenure as a head coach. The Raiders' most outrageous act in 2018 was not rewarding a poor coach with a ridiculous contract. It was who they chose to place in power and how they did it.
For those who are wondering, Raiders owner Mark Davis admitted that Gruden was hired by him before he fired Jack Del Rio as head coach. The Raiders evaded the Rooney rule and held interviews with Bobby Johnson and Tee Martin for show. After Gruden was in place, Mike Mayock was hired by the Raiders to be their general manger. Mayock didn't have any prior experience in the front office before he took the job. However, he had been a draft analyst for NFL Network and once stated that he would take Blaine Gabbert over Cam Newton. Gruden wanted Mayock and the Raiders wouldn't let the Rooney Rule stop Gruden, according to reports.
Advertisement
Two black men were hired by a Black league to positions of power that are not often open to people of color. This was because their employer set up a rule that would prevent such situations or make them less common. Gruden and Mayock, however, had not proven they were worthy of these jobs or the high salaries.
This is a perfect example of how gender and race work in America for unqualified white men. I challenge you to find better examples.
Advertisement
Gruden could be punished for his words and even receive a suspension. Whatever punishment Gruden receives, it will not be enough to cover the crime. He was not an employee at that time so the league cannot punish him harshly. The Raiders are also tied because Gruden was working for ESPN at the time he sent the email.
If you're looking for someone to be an example to Gruden, this is not the person to do it. This is the latest example of the flaws of the white man in control. It also shows how many people think about people of colour. The silver lining to all this is that the Bears won the game against the Raiders on Sunday. Justin Fields, a young Black quarterback, won the game, giving him a winning record. Gruden had to play Nathan Peterman as the worst quarterback in NFL history. It was pure serendipity.
