John Kopp discusses how he came about his recent cover story. -Ed
Scanning the internet for various sports stories a couple weeks ago, I came across the release of the Black Coaches and Administrators Hiring Report. This announcement interested me as a sportswriter, because I knew Temple had faired well in the 2006 report. Sorting through this year’s report, I noted the BCA had called for the institution of a doctrine in college football that would mirror the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires NFL teams to interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching vacancies.
Immediately, I related this back to Temple and I had the base for an in-depth story. Temple has long been one of the loudest supporters of diversity in any aspect of higher education, including athletics. I figured Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw would have a strong opinion on the subject, being the head of a diverse athletic department. And, he did. Bradshaw sat down with me before Temple’s win over Miami (Ohio) Saturday, speaking openly about Temple’s hiring practices and role as a Division I-A institution. He had given a speech on staff diversity in June to the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association and later provided me with his notes, which outlined his beliefs on ways institutions could improve their diversity.
Perhaps the most beneficial factor in covering the story was speaking to several minority coaches and administrators, each with their own separate opinions on the matter at hand. Minorities often get placed under the assumption that they all share the same opinions, an ignorant thought that couldn’t be further from the truth. Temple assistant coach Andrew Dees didn’t agree with the argument that the percentage of minority coaches should reflect the percentage of minority players. Buffalo head coach Turner Gill said he understood the position minorities are in, but didn’t feel a responsibility to hire anyone but the best fit for his coaching vision. And, DeAndre Smith, an assistant head coach at Miami (Ohio) said athletic directors should lessen the value they place head coaching experience, because most minorities haven’t had that opportunity.
