Letters to the Editor

W A S H I N G T O N, August 28, 2001 -- On August 24, Nightline looked at the lack of minority football coaches at the Division I-A level. Since last season, the number of African-American coaches fell from six to five out of 115 schools - a mere four percent. The broadcast profiled San Jose State's new head coach Fitz Hill and the father-son team of Kellen Winslow Sr., a former NFL Pro-Bowler, and Kellen Winslow Jr., a freshman football player for the Miami Hurricanes.

Dear Nightline:

Saw the story on the great white coach, no surprises here. ABC continues to define and divide our society along racial lines. Your racism is blatant.

How about ABC examining the racial discrimination clearly evident in the hiring and employment of NBA players? The make-up is over 75% black so according to the criteria used by the talking head, there must be rampant racism there. (I doubt we'll see a story on that).

Do you ever wonder why journalists and the major networks are held in such low regard?

K. Murphy

Dear Nightline:

I figured out immediately the tone of your broadcast on the lack of black coaches in the NCAA. I wonder why you don't look at both sides of the issue. Why not ask why the imbalance of white players in the NFL and NBA is allowed? Why shouldn't the black/white ratio be basically the same as the ratio in the general population of this country? It is amazing that we allow the race card to be played in a television show such as Nightline, which the white population will just swallow and try to make changes to suit someone else. When do we stand up for our rights or do we have any left to stand up for?

Sammy Arnot

Dear Nightline:

Why is the race of the Coach the subject? Shouldn't the media being focused on subjects that bring our society together instead of constantly focusing on race and looking for every way possible to divide the nation along racial and gender lines.

We shouldn't be focused on how many white coaches have been hired, or how many black coaches have been hired, or how many female coaches have been hired. Until the media shakes loose from it's own racism and racial bias, it will be difficult for race relations to improve significantly.

Mary Conway

Dear Nightline:

In regards to the subject of Black/White coaches: Does the team coaches and managers not have a duty to hire the best coaches they think will put the team in champion ship play offs? Is there a hint of race preference here? Should one hire a black coach because he is black and not the best for the team? To me it looks like you look at the record and such and not the color.

If this is the politically correct thing to do, then I have a question. Should you use the same train of thought when getting players for the team, If you look very close quite a few of the teams have 90 percent black players, why not equal out the colors of players on the team, just like the coaches. Don't you think it would be the best this way half and half black/white coaches, and half and half black/ white players on the team. Thanks

Bud Bourland