THE NFL / BILL PLASCHKE : Vikings’ Success Should Force NFL’s Hand on Blacks

Not everyone in the NFL is giddy over parity these days.

Not here, anyway.

The Minnesota Vikings are in first place in their division and are considered the only NFC team with any chance of keeping the Dallas Cowboys or San Francisco 49ers from the Super Bowl.

Yet they are doing it with a face that makes some executives squirm.

They have an African-American coach who was one of only 12 rookie coaches in NFL history to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons.

And an African-American quarterback who leads the league’s second-ranking offense.

And an African-American defensive coordinator who oversees the league’s sixth-ranking defense and is considered one of the league’s top head coaching candidates.

The farther the Vikings advance in the playoffs, the more other teams will have to look in a mirror. And the better the odds that those teams will finally realize what they are seeing.

Parity, asks Warren Moon? What kind of parity is there when only five of the league’s 84 quarterbacks are African American?

Parity, wonders Tony Dungy? What kind of parity is there when there has never been an African-American offensive or defensive coordinator who has been promoted to head coach, even though many coaches come from those ranks.

Parity, asks Dennis Green? Then he says nothing.

As one of only two African-American head coaches in a league in which African Americans represent about 65% of the players, he knows that his work will be heard more loudly than his talk.

Moon, who has kept quiet for much of his 10-year NFL career, works differently.

“What is going on with African-American quarterbacks still bothers me,” he said. “Unlike white quarterbacks, this league does not allow African-American quarterbacks to develop. Either we start right away, or we get shipped off to Canada.”

Moon’s point is that although three of the league’s 28 starters are African American--he, Randall Cunningham of the Philadelphia Eagles and Jeff Blake of the Cincinnati Bengals--only three of the league’s 56 backups are black--Rodney Peete of the Dallas Cowboys, Jay Walker of the New England Patriots and Vince Evans of the Raiders.

Backups become more than just starters. Backups become assistant coaches who later become head coaches. Backups learn about schemes and decisions and philosophies better than anyone else.

Backups work the headsets, and when is the last time you’ve seen an African-American player wearing a headset?

“That is the only way to become successful in his league, is to be given time to develop,” said Moon, who developed in the Canadian Football League. “Yet for some reason, we don’t want to give young blacks that time.”

Doug Williams, former Super Bowl most valuable player while quarterback for the Washington Redskins, put it another way.

“If Jay Schroeder were black, he would not still be in this league,” said Williams, now an assistant coach at Navy. “I’m glad to finally see Warren looking at this issue from that standpoint.”

Moon not only talks about it, he has phoned Steve McNair, Alcorn State’s star quarterback, and offered his advice.

“I want to let him know what he has to deal with,” Moon said. “I want to pass him the torch, the way Doug Williams passed it to me.”

One of the most fair-minded of NFL powerbrokers--George Young of the New York Giants--does not quite agree with Moon and Williams.

“White people do dumb things, and say dumb things, and are sometimes insensitive, I understand that,” Young said. “But I tell you one thing: Coaches are selfish. They will play people they don’t like if they think they have a chance to win.

“Black, white or gray, one thing all coaches have in common is that they like to make their house payments.”

There is no torch that can be passed to Dungy, who has done splendid work with three defenses-- Pittsburgh, Kansas City and the Vikings--yet has never been given more than a token job interview.

“I have learned that you don’t get jobs through interviews,” he said. “Somebody has to like you. They have to call you and tell you they want you to be the coach. Then you come in and interview and work things out.”

That has never happened to Dungy, even though he has been mentioned prominently for several jobs over the years.

There could be as many as half a dozen openings in February. Because championship teams are now being built on defense, Dungy, renowned for his defenses, would be perfect for some of them.

But he’s not holding his breath.

“Maybe I’m just hardened, but I know that jobs aren’t given on merit,” he said. “It’s . . . the perception of the owners. You ask them, who is an NFL coach, and they think of (Vince) Lombardi, (George) Halas, Paul Brown. Their perception is that they want a guy like that.

“Their impression is that a head coach is a 45- to 50-year-old white guy.”

And that is not Dungy, who looks like a CEO, thinks like a professor, and turns 40 next year.

“I think Tony Dungy deserves a shot, and I think he will get one, because he has paid his dues like any coach of any color,” Young said. “I don’t think owners are preoccupied with color, especially during these times. The problem is that you look around, and there just aren’t that many black head coaches at any level.”

In college football, there are four black head coaches in Division I-A. Ironically, the most recent hire came from Green’s Viking staff. Tyrone Willingham, who coached the Viking running backs, has just succeeded Bill Walsh at Stanford.

“When looking for an NFL coach, you look at your choices, and it becomes a numbers game,” Young said. “How many blacks are there to choose from?”

Plenty more soon, one thinks, if the Minnesota Vikings remain successful. At the risk of losing our objectivity, we think that makes them worth cheering for.

MONK

The skinny on the record that will probably be broken today when the New York Jets’ Art Monk catches a pass in his 178th consecutive game:

--The streak has lasted three times as long as the average career, more than 11 years. It began Oct. 2, 1983, against the Raiders in Washington when Monk was with the Redskins.

--The man whose record he will be breaking, Steve Largent, is an Oklahoma Republican who was recently elected to the U.S. Congress.

Largent, who caught all his passes for the Seattle Seahawks, said his new game is rougher than football.

“Nobody throws a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct when they hit you in the back,” he said of politics.

--The Ram defense came the closest to ending the streak, in Anaheim a year ago.

Playing for the Redskins, Monk didn’t catch a pass until 1:40 remained in the game, when Rich Gannon found him for a four-yard completion.

“It got to the point where I didn’t think I would catch one in that game,” Monk said.

To Monk’s credit, it was not a charity toss. The Redskins were driving for the go-ahead score in a game they eventually lost, 10-6.

--After spending his first 14 years with the Redskins, Monk will set the record in a Jet uniform because of bad judgment by the Redskins and an intrusion by former Ram Henry Ellard.

Last spring, Monk turned down the Redskins’ one-year offer of $600,000. The Redskins then signed free-agent Ellard for $900,000.

When Monk realized he wouldn’t get much more money elsewhere, he returned to the Redskins and said he would play for the $600,000.

Sorry, they said. Their wide receiver money was spent. So he signed with the Jets for $575,000.

--The second-longest active streak is held by Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers, who is at 140 games and counting.

“That doesn’t bode well for Art,” Largent said.

THE MEN FROM THE BOYS

Watching the contenders in the final weeks of an NFL season is a bit like watching your car being washed. The process reveals both the dents and the shiny parts.

Shiny: Steve Young of the San Francisco 49ers has helped account for 16 touchdowns in their last four games--13 passing and three rushing.

The battle between the 49ers and Dallas Cowboys will pale in comparison to the MVP duel between Young and Dan Marino.

Dented: In five games, the Green Bay Packer defense has allowed an average of 27 points. They have not recovered a fumble in a month.

This week they announced that all media access would be reduced by more than 50%. Just as we figured. It’s all our fault.

Shiny: Andre Reed, Buffalo receiver, has caught 355 yards’ worth of passes in the last four games and scored four touchdowns. Jim Kelly should cuss him out on the sidelines more often.

Dented: In his last three games, Jeff George of the Atlanta Falcons has completed barely 50% of his passes--60 for 118--with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. New team, old stripes.

Shiny: Bam Morris, the Pittsburgh Steeler rookie running back, has gained 511 yards and scored five touchdowns in the last six games he has played. At that pace, if he had played all season, he would rank third in the AFC in rushing, ahead of even Marshall Faulk.

Dented: Joe Montana hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass to a wide receiver since before Halloween.

Shiny: Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys has scored 10 touchdowns in the last five games. He would trade them all for a chance to catch Barry Sanders and win his fourth consecutive rushing title. Which won’t happen.

Dented: Bernie Parmalee, Miami Dolphin running back, has averaged 2.5 yards a carry in the last three games, with 92 rushing yards and no touchdowns. A nice story while it lasted.

Shiny: John Elway of the Denver Broncos has completed 65% of his passes in his last three games for 877 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Coach Wade Phillips told his team that Elway, suffering from a knee injury, will not play against the Raiders Sunday except in an emergency. And we’re Red Smith.

Dented: Boomer Esiason of the New York Jets has thrown as many interceptions, three, as touchdown passes in the last two games while completing only 52% of his passes. His reputation as a three-quarter quarterback lives on.

Shiny: Dave Krieg of the Detroit Lions has thrown 10 touchdown passes with no interceptions--that is not a misprint--since replacing injured Scott Mitchell five games ago. He is doing it with the same offense that Mitchell couldn’t learn.

Dented: Since gaining 273 yards in his first two games this season, running back Charlie Garner of the Philadelphia Eagles has gained 113 yards in his last eight. He will only become a top running back when he realizes that top running backs play hurt.

Shiny: Fuad Reveiz of the Minnesota Vikings has connected on 16 consecutive field goals. The best kicker nobody knows.

Dented: After scoring eight touchdowns in the first six games, running back Natrone Means of the San Diego Chargers has scored once in the last seven. Since rushing for 100 yards in five consecutive games, Means hasn’t accomplished that feat in a month.

Don’t blame him, blame his battered offensive line. There are not enough weeks in the season for them to get strong again. Could it be that the Chargers will not win another game?

Shiny: The New England Patriot defense, after allowing opponents to gain at least 300 yards in nine of the first 10 games, has held its last three opponents under 300 yards. Bill Parcells back in the playoffs? Has he ever done a better coaching job?

Dented: Quarterback Vinny Testaverde of the Cleveland Browns has committed four turnovers in two games, and 16 of the team’s 29.

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QUICK HITTERS

* NAIL-BITING TIME: With three weeks remaining, 25 of the 28 NFL teams are in the running for playoff berths, an NFL record for this late in the season.

* TOUGH NIGHT: Poor Al Davis. During his finest moment this season, with his Raiders using his name as their inspiration to intimidate the San Diego Chargers, a couple of things happened that might make him want to forget Monday night:

--During pregame drills, Charger wide receiver Tony Martin flattened Davis along the sideline.

--During the game, while getting a hot dog, Davis slipped on the floor and banged his knee.

* THAT SAME ANIMAL HAS BEEN SPOTTED AT ANAHEIM STADIUM: New England Coach Bill Parcells, on the reason he ordered more passes earlier this year while his running game struggled: “I don’t think I have to get hit in the face with a skunk four times before I smell it.”

* HE’S BACK: Former USC quarterback Sean Salisbury, released by the Houston Oilers when he declined to take a salary cut after a nightmare training camp, has resurfaced as Warren Moon’s sideline confidant with the Vikings.

Although Salisbury is a third-stringer behind Brad Johnson, Moon seeks Salisbury out for advice and support during games. Salisbury suggests everything from mechanical changes to plays.

Salisbury is considered by many to be a top quarterback coach candidate, but he says he is not ready to retire. When looking for a veteran influence, the two expansion teams could certainly do worse.

* THE OTHERS: A list of the league’s other top sideline quarterbacks:

1. Bernie Kosar, Miami Dolphins. It was Kosar who invented and called the fake spike play that led to Dan Marino’s winning touchdown pass against the New York Jets a couple of weeks ago.

2. Jim Harbaugh, Indianapolis Colts. This son of a college coach has accepted his benching well. Last week he ran onto the field to replace injured Don Majkowski, handed the ball to Marshall Faulk on his first play, watched Faulk run 45 yards for a touchdown, then returned to the sideline for the rest of the game.

3. Mike Tomczak, Pittsburgh Steelers. Smarter than the starter, that’s for sure.

4. Steve Bono, Kansas City Chiefs. Those photos of him huddling with Joe Montana will be worth money some day.

5. Vince Evans, Raiders. Fulfills the Raiders’ sole requirement for their backup quarterback. Nobody else can break up a sideline fistfight or shouting match like this guy.