In N.Y., Carron Phillips writes while the NFL Combine's interview process "is important," the league's "style of 'outside the box' questioning would be questionable even if it were administered by trained professionals." It is "not as though questions about a person’s moral and ethical judgement are out of place in an interview." They could "help franchises avoid big, embarrassing scandals." However, perhaps those questions "would be better trained on the people in the owner’s suites than the ones on the field" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/5).
NOT GOING AS PLANNED: In Boston, Christopher Gasper wrote there is an "undercurrent of concern" among minority NFL coaches that "forward progress has been stopped." It is "not just the lack of hires the last two cycles that triggers dismay," it is the feeling that the Rooney Rule has "become a bureaucratic speed bump, followed in practice but violated in spirit" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/3).
OFFICIALLY SPEAKING: The NHL is the only major league "to not have a woman officiate on its stage," but it is "actively looking to change that." The league has been "encouraging women to participate in its annual combine ... to help identify potential future officiating talent." NHL Dir of Officiating Stephen Walkom said that the league "plans to reach out to Division I coaches this year for help spreading the word ... to their seniors, women's players in particular" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/5).
