Sports Racism?

[Boris]

This really made me wonder espn link (http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0609/1565528.html) .

Paul Silas (black guy) was fired at the end of the season. The Hornets had some injury problems but I guess Silas wasn't getting the job done. Now the Hornets go and offer Tim Floyd (white guy) a three year contract with base pay of $4.8m!?!?!? That number does not include salary incentives. Floyd had an OK career at Iowa State before accepting a job with the Bulls in the post Jordan era. He resigned in 2001 with an illustrious 49-190 record and has not coached since. Floyd says this is his dream job. No [censored].

[andyfox]

Silas has since gotten a new job. There are certainly more black coaches in the NBA than in any other sport and, of course, there are a much higher percentage of black players in the NBA than any other sport.

I heard that Pedro Martinez said that the ruckus over Sammy Sosa's corked bat had an element of racism in it, Sammy being Latino. I don't quite understand Pedro's take on this. Sammy's the most marketable and marketed major league baseball player.

[Boris]

Silas receiving another head coaching position so soon after his departure from the Hornets is further evidence that the Hornets coaching decision was racially motivated. Also note that Floyd has a higher guaranteed salary than Silas ever had. I'm sorry but no matter how you look at it this one just stinks. Floyd's coaching resume is just plain mediocre.

If the Hornet's had brought in some one like a Jackson or a Popovich or an Adelman then you could understand the decision. But to fire a guy with a decent track record and then bring in poorly qualified candidate and give him a higher salary is just strange. If I was black I would certainly start to believe the conspiracy theories.

The Pedro quote is just noise. Pedro was sticking up for his latin homeboy. I don't think anyone really took it seriously.

[Clarkmeister]

The report I heard stated that Floyd was making $4.8mm over the life of the 3 year contract, not $4.8mm per year. Supposedly the contract is highly incentive laden.

And though Silas got fired, he was immediately re-hired at about triple his old salary. Seems he did OK.

Though I do agree in general that there is substantial racism in coaching hiring practices. The NBA, while not ideal, is by far the most progressive of the leagues in this regard.