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What: “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel”

Where: HBO, tonight, 10

One of the segments on this edition of HBO’s sports magazine show could have been titled “Father Knows Best,” or “Disparity in College Football.”

HBO deals with a complex topic by focusing on , the Hall of Fame San Diego Charger tight end, and his son, Kellen Winslow Jr., a heavily recruited tight end from Scripps Ranch High in San Diego.

Kellen Sr. believes strongly there are not enough African American coaches in college football, particularly head coaches or offensive and defensive coordinators. He wanted his son to go to a school where black coaches are involved in decision making.

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The father chose Michigan State, which has a black coach, Bobby Williams. The son chose Washington, which did not please his father.

This is not the first time this drama has played out on television. Kellen Jr. was supposed to announce his college choice on signing day on Fox Sports Net’s national college football show. His father works on that show, along with Kevin Frazier and Artie Gigantino. But before the show, Kellen Sr. said he wouldn’t sign the letter of intent if his son chose Washington.

So Kellen Jr.’s decision was put on hold. Eventually, a compromise was reached and Kellen Jr. chose Miami, which has a defensive coordinator and two position coaches, including a receivers coach, who are black.

Correspondent James Brown asked Kellen Sr. if his stance could be construed as reverse discrimination. “When I’m talking to my son about race, I’m not thinking of reverse discrimination,” Kellen Sr. said. “This boils down to a father teaching his son about the ways of the world. A black father teaching his black son about the ways of the world.”

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