I'm a white guy and I have a large number of different colored friends. Do I make an effort to have friends of different ethnicities? No. Does the color of their skin give them any more or any less merit in my eyes? No. Does their skin color make me more or less inclined to befriend them? No. Being black, or brown, any other shade for that matter doesn't make someone who they are. When it comes to my friends, I want to be able to talk about sports and joke around. Ethnicity plays zero role in those abilities.
Then why can't the NFL understand that? I'm referring to the Rooney Rule, a mandate in the National Football League that requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate when a coaching job is vacant. Established in 2003, the rule is named after Dan Rooney, the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the chairman of the league's diversity committee. The Steelers have had a long and successful history of giving African Americans high-ordered positions. In 2007 they gave the head coaching job to Mike Tomlin, an African American, and that turned out to be a stellar choice.
Don't get me wrong, I don't want to sound like my argument is "NFL teams shouldn't hire black coaches!" Not by a long shot. What I'm trying to say is, "Why should skin color matter?" If someone knows their football and has a great coaching mind, then that's that. Point finale. The rule was created in order to combat racism and give minority candidates a fair chance, but by segregating them as different and literally forcing teams to consider them, it actually accomplishes the exact opposite. Teams should hire their coaches based on their knowledge and their previous success. Throwing skin color into the decision is unnecessary, insulting, and works against its own purpose.
In 2003, the Detroit Lions were fined $200,000 for immediately hiring Steve Mariucci after they fired Marty Mornhinweg. The team had their successor lined up and their decision was made, but because they didn't do the necessary "let's entertain the media and the league by bringing in a black guy to chat about the job" song and dance, they were charged a hefty fee.
This offseason, reports broke that the Seattle Seahawks had reached an agreement to hire Pete Carroll as the team's new head coach. Before they could announce the acquisition, they had to set up an interview with a minority candidate in order to avoid being penalized. Their decision was made, they just needed a 'loophole black guy'. They reached out the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and offered him an interview. Frazier knew he was being brought in with little actual interest and he was simply a bystander of the Rooney Rule, so he abruptly turned down the offer. Frazier knew the Seahawks were going to hire Carroll one way or another, and he didn't feel like being a pond in their game. Of course, Seattle eventually found someone else to come in for a meeting and then announced their hiring of Carroll within days.
If a quarterback has a great arm, does it matter what skin color he is? Does it make him any better or any worse? What about a phenomenal writer? What about a politician running for president (umm...)? By separating candidates into 'minority' groups, the NFL is simply making matters worse. If a guy knows his football, he should succeed no matter what. Let everyone earn their positions on an equal playing field.

