White Privilege

Often times discussions of race relations talk about how people of color get less than whites. It might be easier to see how much effort is put to make things easier for whites in ways they don't notice.

Particularly with affirmative action, people focus on how they expect that the most qualified white guy will lose out to the supposedly less qualified person of color. What they don't think about is that affirmative action plans chose from qualified applicants, it's usually the extra bonuses for less job relevant stuff that puts whites ahead.

This page highlights another angle, where what is given to everyone is so low, that all the real advantages just happen.

BTW, Scott Plous has great infomration on Affirmative Action. Link here.

Why the Second Chance?

from: The 49ers web site:

From 1995-98 Erickson was the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. During his time there he posted a 31-33 record (the same current mark as Mike Holmgren). He inherited a team that had posted the NFL's second worst record (14-34) in the three seasons prior to his arrival.

The Seahawks were 8-8 in Erickson's rookie season as head coach in 1995, and followed with marks of 7-9 (1996) and 8-8 in 1997 and 1998.

This is incredible spin:

Meanwhile, the defensive unit finished eighth in the league, including a club record for fewest yards allowed in a single game by holding the Indianapolis Colts to 118 yards of offense in a 31-3 win (9/14). That made the Œ97 Seahawks one of just four teams to record top ten efforts on both offensive and defensive sides of the ball (Denver, Green Bay and Pittsburgh were the others).

Under Erickson's guidance, the Seahawks were exciting, with 10 of the club's wins coming within the two minute mark. He also led the Seahawks to the greatest comeback in franchise history, overcoming a 20-point deficit in a 31-27 win at Denver (12/10/95). His offense was responsible for producing 35 300-yard plus performances of total offense, including nine 400-yard games, a 554-yarder, and the club's first 400-yard plus passer (Warren Moon's 409 vs. Oakland, 10/26/97) since Dave Krieg's 410-yard effort at the Raiders (12/18) in Œ88, a span of 136 games.

The '95 team rebounded from a 2-6 first half of the season to win six of seven and be in playoff contention until a Week 17 loss at Kansas City to the Chiefs, who finished with the NFL's best record. The 1996 team started 0-3, but came to .500 (5-5) after a three-game winning streak and finished the season 7-9, despite the loss of then starting quarterback John Friesz in the 10th game.

All I want is the same kind of spin for everyone.

from: The Times Picayune

When Tim Floyd was asked if he believed in "serendipity" -- finding something by accident -- there was a long pause, a little soul searching, thoughts of one door closing, another opening, then, finally, an answer.

"You know what," he said, "I guess I do."

In May, the Hornets showed Paul Silas the door. Floyd knocked, and sure enough, another door opened.

We'll see if Paul Silas is visited by the same kind of luck.

from: Some bball forum

Floyd joins the Hornets after serving as head coach of the Chicago Bulls for over three seasons. The Bulls compiled an overall record of 49-190 (.205) under Floyd despite a young roster and a high turnover rate among players (26 of the 36 players Floyd coached while in Chicago were no longer playing in the NBA a year after the end of Floyd's tenure). Floyd resigned as head coach of the Bulls on Dec. 24, 2001, 25 games into the 2001-02 season.

"We are convinced that Tim is the perfect fit and the right coach to take our team to the next level," said Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Bob Bass. "He thoroughly impressed us with his NBA experience and the ideas and coaching philosophies he shared with us during the interview process and we have no doubt that he will continue to impress us when the team takes the floor next season."

For locals, there's Andy Wappler. 'Nuf said.

On the national front, there's ESPN's Jeremy Schapp.

I'm not knocking the stars, the headliners. They're good, and don't deserve to be bumped out.

It's like with the networks, no one is saying you have to replace "Friends" with "Sister Sister". But what about "Becker" or "My Wife and Kids", "Still Standing", or "Less Than Perfect". How come some of these people get so many chances in so many failed sitcoms?

Felix Frankfurter: "There is nothing so unequal as the equal treatment of unequals."