The clatter of heels in the “manly” football discussion has stirred quite a controversy among people clinging to the ideals of supporting sports opinions from those who sport loafers.
By Cassandra Lovoi
Contributing Writer
For years, woman’s sphere in society revolved solely around the premise of perceived beauty, resulting in a male-dominated sports arena. Change has come with the adoption of former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to the college football selection committee. The clatter of heels in the “manly” football discussion has stirred quite a controversy among people clinging to the ideals of supporting sports opinions from those who sport loafers.
Rice’s selection raised the eyebrows and tempers of former Auburn coach Pat Dye, who claimed, “All she knows about football is what somebody told her, or what she read in a book, or what she saw on television. To understand football, you’ve got to play with your hand in the dirt.”
Although she never ran fade routes or delivered a perfect spiral to a receiver in the end zone, that does not discredit her knowledge of the game. Rice was bred into a football family. Her father was a renowned coach and she even was an active member in the hiring of coach Denny Green at Stanford, conducting interviews for potential candidates. Rice is not only a fan, but an interpreter of the game. She is always eager to learn about the nuances and systems of the game.
Despite attempts to denounce Rice’s ability on the committee, change is coming in the sports realm. Her qualifications speak volumes- she is not solely a fan of the game, but rather a student of the game. For Rice, part of the passion that spawned from the game was the ability to always learn more.
Likewise, the former Secretary of State is not new to the concept of tough decision making. Her diplomatic position deemed her responsible for making choices that affected the entire world, not solely the United States. She’s more than capable of heated discussion about a passionate topic. She’s no stranger to disagreement, let alone voicing her opinions and supporting them with facts and statistics.
There are no set guidelines for a selection committee, yet Rice has proved herself worthy of the opportunity. Despite Dye’s analysis of the “rules” governing one’s worthiness to discuss the x’s and o’s on a chalk board, no one- whether it be male or female, experienced player or spectator- knows everything about the game of football.
The game, as the realms of the work force, is changing. Football has a new voice: one whose pitch might be slightly higher in tone than others, but just as capable.
