Brian Flores Suing NY Giants and Maybe the Whole League Over Hiring Process

[EDGECRUSHER]

Apparently, Belichick texted Flores thinking it was Brian Daboll. Thing is, the other texts say "Hear from Buffalo and NYG that you are their guy". That is not someone who officially knows anything, that's an old boss half congratulating you because he thinks you're getting the job. I wonder how Bill feels about Flores including his texts in a lawsuit like a week later.

Ross was dumb not to fire Flores after the Jacksonville loss. What excuse could Flores have had then? It's seem very clear now that Flores is an asshole bordering on mental illness. Another stain on this franchise due to shitty management.

[EDGECRUSHER]

The sham interview allegations if proven are league rule violations that will draw a half millions dollar fine.  Not a good look but not a serious consideration for a billionaire.

OTOH, offering an incentive to someone to purposely lose a game violates federal anti racketeering laws.  This is big.  Probably the biggest sports scandal in the past 102 years rivaling the 1919 world series.

Can't really prove the sham interview allegations since it's just a matter of opinion. I'm definitely with you on the losing on purpose thing though, if it can be proven. If it can, should be easy as there will be a financial trail.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Can't really prove the sham interview allegations since it's just a matter of opinion. I'm definitely with you on the losing on purpose thing though, if it can be proven. If it can, should be easy as there will be a financial trail.

Sham interviews can be proven, it requires evidence or testimony that a decision was made prior to the interview or that Flores was not actually under consideration.  Hard to prove without a cooperating witness, easy to prove if someone with knowledge won’t lie under oath.    But that is minor. 

Ross may have committed a serious felony. 

[Spider-Dan]

OTOH, offering an incentive to someone to purposely lose a game violates federal anti racketeering laws.  This is big.  Probably the biggest sports scandal in the past 102 years rivaling the 1919 world series.

One team losing on purpose (as opposed to two teams colluding to fix the result) has nothing to do with racketeering.

[Spider-Dan]

Can't really prove the sham interview allegations since it's just a matter of opinion.

Given that the applicable teams are certainly part of the lawsuit, I would imagine that communication records will be subpoenaed.
So it's probably not likely to remain "a matter of opinion" for long.

[ArtieChokePhin]

Now I see why Flores got fired.  He's truly a piece of shit.  He's done in this league now

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

One team losing on purpose (as opposed to two teams colluding to fix the result) has nothing to do with racketeering.

Wrong, you don’t need both teams in on it to fix a game.  By default teams try to win.  The Cincinnati Reds weren’t aware or participants in the 1919 scandal, they were trying to win because that is what teams do.  Only time both teams would need to be in on it would be to orchestrate a tie.

 

[EDGECRUSHER]

Given that the applicable teams are certainly part of the lawsuit, I would imagine that communication records will be subpoenaed.
So it's probably not likely to remain "a matter of opinion" for long.

This would imply that the Giants sent out emails stating things like "We're going with Daboll but let's call up a black guy first to meet league requirements before we announce it". Granted, some of these guys are REALLY stupid so I can't 100% discount emails like that exist. However, barring any emails like that, he has no case. He needs definitive proof of a sham interview and even then, so what? The team will just say they were forced to by the NFL and the Rooney Rule and that will be the truth.

He may have better luck with Ross and his financial bounty but once again, so what? What is the damage he is saying he suffered? He got more money to suck? Even if everything is proven, I don't see how the teams pay him out in a lawsuit. Can't prove racism without confessions from these teams that they are racist, it's a very arbitrary thing.

He's doing the talk show rounds starting tomorrow so this is his new career now.

[pondwater]

Just like affirmative action, the Rooney Rule has outlived it's usefulness. If there are no suitable minority candidates, no minority candidates that you are interested in hiring, or no minority candidates that you are going to hire. But the Rooney Rule says that you "Have" to interview one. Then of course the interview is going to be a sham. It's a sham because the whole rule is a sham. These days no team is passing over a minority candidate if they think they have the head coaching skill to win them games.

As far as Ross paying Flores to lose games. I'm fairly certain that happens every year in the NFL. Is there actually any proof that Ross did any of this? Or is it a he said, he said situation?  

In my opinion, Flores is a disgruntled employee who was fired for not making the playoffs after a certain period of time. Now, if he has an issue with the Giants hiring practices. Sure, go ahead and address it. However, to drag Miami into it kind of proves that he's just pissed off that no one is blowing his phone up to hire him as HC and his ego (that we all know and love) won't let him accept this reality. If he had a problem with anything Miami did, it should have been addressed at the time he was fired. Not when his coaching career does a crash and burn. What a prick!!!!

[Spider-Dan]

This would imply that the Giants sent out emails stating things like "We're going with Daboll but let's call up a black guy first to meet league requirements before we announce it".

I think an e-mail saying something to the effect of "Well, go ahead and start preparing the announcement of Daboll's hiring, but we can't release it until after the mandatory interviews are done" is not exactly unlikely.

[Spider-Dan]

Wrong, you don’t need both teams in on it to fix a game.  By default teams try to win.  The Cincinnati Reds weren’t aware or participants in the 1919 scandal, they were trying to win because that is what teams do.  Only time both teams would need to be in on it would be to orchestrate a tie.

And I'm saying that what you're describing has nothing to do with racketeering.  So if it is against the law, it's not racketeering law.

[EDGECRUSHER]

I think an e-mail saying something to the effect of "Well, go ahead and start preparing the announcement of Daboll's hiring, but we can't release it until after the mandatory interviews are done" is not exactly unlikely.

It's not impossible but it is unlikely since those emails would be between Owners and GM's and they would probably discuss that in person. Certainly could happen because they can be idiots but I don't think they will find anything.

[DenverFinFan]

Another scandal? Most cursed franchise in sports since 62-7

[Spider-Dan]

Well, looks like I misread this badly.

Ross also invested over $17M in a gambling startup in November 2019, right around the same time he was paying his head coach extra to lose games.  This is... not good.

You can make whatever arguments you want about tanking - and many of us have complained that the Dolphins did not tank egregiously enough in 2019 - but when gambling also gets involved, you are in big trouble.  Like, "forced to sell the team"-level trouble.

[ArtieChokePhin]

Just like affirmative action, the Rooney Rule has outlived it's usefulness. If there are no suitable minority candidates, no minority candidates that you are interested in hiring, or no minority candidates that you are going to hire. But the Rooney Rule says that you "Have" to interview one. Then of course the interview is going to be a sham. It's a sham because the whole rule is a sham. These days no team is passing over a minority candidate if they think they have the head coaching skill to win them games.

As far as Ross paying Flores to lose games. I'm fairly certain that happens every year in the NFL. Is there actually any proof that Ross did any of this? Or is it a he said, he said situation?  

In my opinion, Flores is a disgruntled employee who was fired for not making the playoffs after a certain period of time. Now, if he has an issue with the Giants hiring practices. Sure, go ahead and address it. However, to drag Miami into it kind of proves that he's just pissed off that no one is blowing his phone up to hire him as HC and his ego (that we all know and love) won't let him accept this reality. If he had a problem with anything Miami did, it should have been addressed at the time he was fired. Not when his coaching career does a crash and burn. What a prick!!!!

The Rooney Rule was never really useful to begin with.  No more of this forced diversity bullshit.   You hire the man you think is best for the job, regardless of race.  The SCOTUS is about to make a decision whether or not to ban racial considerations on college and job applications.   If that's the case, the Rooney Rule could and should be included in that.