Dungy Claims Lewis Denied Because of Race

Tampa Bay Buccaneer Coach Tony Dungy suspects Marvin Lewis was passed over for the Buffalo Bills’ head coaching position and other openings because he is black.

“It’s just difficult to imagine,” Dungy told Sports Illustrated shortly after speaking to the Baltimore Raven assistant after the Bills hired Tennessee Titan defensive coordinator Gregg Williams Thursday.

“I don’t think anyone would have suggested 10 days ago that Marvin Lewis wouldn’t have a head-coaching job after all of this sorted out. . . . But, in fact, it has happened and only one team really talked to him. And that’s a shame on our part, on the whole league.”

Lewis, the mastermind of a unit that broke the NFL record for fewest points allowed in a season, interviewed Monday with Buffalo General Manager Tom Donahoe.

NFL rules prohibit teams from talking to assistants from other teams until their season ends. Six teams had openings since the completion of the 2000 regular season, but Lewis’ only interview was with the Bills.

According to https://ESPN.com, no contract offer was made to Lewis by Donahoe. Lewis’ agent, Ray Anderson, reportedly sought a contract similar to the $1.5 million per year Baltimore Coach Brian Billick is earning.

Lewis also showed interest in the USC coaching position but was not contacted by Athletic Director Mike Garrett.

“You would have thought more than one team out of [six] would say that here’s a guy that should be at least talked to,” Dungy said. “. . . If he were white, would it have been one out of [six]? I don’t think so.”

Miami Dolphin Coach Dave Wannstedt signed a one-year contract extension through 2003. Wannstedt also said he was not offered the Miami Hurricane coaching job. . . . Cleveland Brown Coach Butch Davis added Terry Robiskie as an offensive assistant coach. . . . Chris Palmer, fired as Cleveland’s coach, joined the expansion Houston Texans as offensive coordinator.

College Football

Wisconsin Coach Barry Alvarez, courted by Miami to become the Hurricanes’ new coach, agreed to a contract extension, saying he plans to finish his coaching career with the Badgers.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on its Web site that the deal would increase Alvarez’s annual compensation from just over $1 million to $1.5 million.

Baseball

Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees were near agreement on a 10-year contract worth nearly $190 million, according to a baseball official familiar with the negotiations.

Jurisprudence

Mark Chmura chose not to testify in his sexual assault trial in Waukesha, Wis., after his attorney told him there was no need to because the case has gone so well.

Chmura’s teenage accuser, a former baby-sitter for the family, has said the former Green Bay Packer called her “jailbait.”

Chmura’s wife, Lynda, testified that she never heard him say the word “jailbait” to anyone.

The NFL asked Judge Richard Hubbell to dismiss the remaining three claims of a suit brought by the Oakland Raiders, who contend the league owes the team money for losing the Los Angeles market.

Tennis

Martina Hingis defeated Ai Sugiyama of Japan, 6-0, 5-7, 6-2, to reach the semifinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open at Tokyo. In another quarterfinal, Lindsay Davenport routed Iva Majoli of Croatia, 6-2, 6-0. Davenport will meet Anna Kournikova of Russia, who beat Anne-Gaelle Sidot of France, 7-6 (4), 6-2.

Passings

Carol Anne Letheren, one of the few women in the International Olympic Committee and the Canadian official who asked Ben Johnson to return his gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, died at 58 after collapsing from a brain aneurysm Thursday. (See story, B7.)