IT'S ABOUT CHARACTER, NOT COLOR

BY: Michael A. Aun, FIC, LUTCF, CSP, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame

I first met Coach Willie Jeffries through my attorney, the late Craig S. Kelly. Kelly represented Jeffries and a number of other college coaches like Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer and Texas A & M's Dennis Franchione and Bill Beilicheck of the NFL's New England Patriots.

Kelly had called me to see if I could help "Jeff," as he his known to his friends, with some tips on communicating. Jeff was the first African-American coach in history to take a position as head coach of a Division 1-A football program at Wichita State University. He had been a very successful coach at South Carolina State in Orangeburg, SC.

Jeff showed up at a speech I was giving in Wichita and we spent some time together. I quickly found out that he had very few problems communicating. He was very articulate.

In those days, it wasn't about communicating; it was about color. He was being judged by his color.

Jeff was a pioneer who would have a much easier go at it today. Wichita State University and Kansas itself weren't exactly a hotbed of talent for young black athletes in those days. Jeff had to make the program work with the white kids, which was what made him such a remarkable coach and mentor. It occurs to me, it's not about color, it's about character.

The influx of new minority coaches into the Pros is because of the Rooney Rule, named after Pittsburgh owner Art Rooney, who wanted to see more minority coaches interviewed for head coaching slots in the NFL.

The hypocrites in the NCAA need to take a long, hard look at the Rooney Rule instituted by the NFL requiring colleges to interview a minority coach before filling the position.

The NCAA would rather beat some kid up for taking a part-time job to have some walking around money while the universities it regulates take in millions of dollars each year because of the efforts of some of these same kids. In other words, it's about money.

The NCAA is so busy being the pompous, self-important police force that it fails miserably at so many other levels.

Much was written about the all-black cast of Super Bowl coaches in Super Bowl XLI in Miami. Coaches Tony Dungy and Lovey Smith were the first two men of color to make it to the big dance. Interestingly, I don't see either man as a minority. I don't see their color; I only see their character.

I didn't see African-American leaders; I saw affable American leaders.

I didn't see minority coaches; I saw motivated coaches.

I didn't see alternatives to white coaches, I saw able black men taking on traditional roles that were previously held by their white counterparts.

It's not about white and black; it's about winning and blossoming.

The NFL and the NCAA are made up of teams that are bottom-line organizations. But for the Willie Jeffries' of the world to get a break, they have to be extraordinary people who can take the heat while they are in the coaching kitchen.

Jeff spent 29 seasons patrolling the sidelines on a college level, winning 169 games, 122 of which came in his 19 seasons at South Carolina State University. He coached the likes of Harry Carson, who was recently enshrined into the NFL Hall of Fame and earned two Black College Football National Championships.

Willie Jeffries was a man who set the stage for what you now see at the college and professional level. He was the pioneer. He was the first. Make no mistake about it; his job was the toughest.

On May 11, 2002, Coach Willie Jeffries was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award in Indianapolis by the Black Football Coaches Association. He was a man who never sought the limelight and the awards. I wonder how long it will take the predominantly white American Football Coaches Association to give him similar recognition.

Coach Willie Jeffries reminds me a lot of former Secretary of State Colin Powell. I first met Mr. Powell when I was presented the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame Award by the National Speakers Association in Washington DC in 2000. Both Powell and the late President Ronald Reagan were recipients of this honor.

When you talk to the Colin Powell's and Willie Jeffries' of the world, you just don't see color; you only see character.