The Oakland Raiders former wide receiver Ronald Curry gets a foot, a large one, in the coaching door, as San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh hires him as an offensive assistant for the 2013 Season.

It’s a great move by Coach Harbaugh to bring the talented Curry in to gain valuable team management skills. Moreover, it’s a fantastic chance to be able to give birth to the career of a promising young black coaching talent.

With so many black NFL players, yet so few black head coaches in the NFL and NCAA, people like Ronald Curry need someone to invest the time and provide the opportunity for them to learn.

But hiring Curry should not be thought of as an “affirmative action” move. Indeed, that’s an idea for psychotics. The point is that Curry is being given a chance that normally does happen to someone white; that Curry is black should not even be considered as meaning he’s not qualified in some way.

Jim Harbaugh knows Ronald Curry because he was on the coaching staff of the Raiders when Mr. Curry was one of the league’s most effective pass catchers. Obviously Jim saw something in Ronald such that he felt he could help the coaching staff.

“The 49ers are our staff are pleased to be initiating Ronald’s NFL coaching career,” San Francisco head coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Our team will greatly benefit from Ronald’s athletic experiences, and we are happy that he and his wife, Stacie, are joining our football family.”

In addition, John Morton, the San Francisco 49ers current wide receiver coach, was also with the Raiders organization when Ronald Curry joined the team.

Stay tuned.

Crystal Drafts NFL Legends and World Experts to Touch Down in Alaska

LOS ANGELES, April 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — This June 2-14, legendary National Football League (NFL) pros will quarterback an inspiring guest speaker series on Crystal Cruises‘ “Klondike Explorer” voyage to Alaska. Team roster highlights for the Crystal Symphony sailing include the NFL’s “winningest coach,” and only perfect season coach, Don Shula , and 30-year NFL Official veteran, a.k.a. “The Dean of NFL Referees,” Dr. Jim Tunney , amongst others. The legends will not only take time out to share rousing tales from the field with guests, but also tackle motivational topics that are applicable to success in any industry, such as team-building, victory, and leadership.

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The NFL Player Development department has teamed with the NCAA to assist NFL players aspiring to careers in coaching. The NFL-NCAA Football Academy will take place February 13-16 in Orlando, Florida. The program was developed to provide 30 current and former NFL players with tools and networking opportunities for potential careers in the football coaching industry.

Participants will include 12 active and 18 former NFL players who are interested in a future career in coaching. The NCAA also will invite football coaches who have less than eight years of college coaching experience to take part.

“This is an excellent opportunity for the NCAA and the NFL to collaborate in developing both the student and professional athlete as well as to sustain and grow the most popular game in America,” said TROY VINCENT, NFL vice president of player development.”

Sessions will include instruction from NFL, college and high school coaches, business leaders and athletic administrators. Topics include how to build a personal and professional brand; managing budgets; successful networking; media messaging; coaching contracts; building relationships in college; effective leadership; understanding the academic landscape; and the interview process. Participants also will experience mock interview sessions. Keynote speakers include NFL coaching great DAN REEVES, University of Notre Dame head coach BRIAN KELLY, Williams College head coach AARON KELTON and NFL Network analyst and former Redskins general manager CHARLEY CASSERLY.

“Working with the NFL is a phenomenal opportunity to broaden the scope of the NCAA football academies as we continue to provide opportunities for individuals who one day want to be head football coaches at the collegiate level,” said Robert Vowels, NCAA vice president for student-athlete affairs. “We’ll continue with our NCAA football academies and will work with the NFL to develop its program and in understanding the football coaching landscape in the NCAA.”

The NFL is also working with the NCAA on a Life Skills and Professional Development Summit in February.

NFL Player Development prepares and supports players mentally, emotionally and physically for life on the gridiron and during their transition to post-football careers. Through programming like NFL Prep, NFL Life, and NFL Next, the NFL Player Development department assists players in adjusting to life within the NFL, while challenging them to prepare for their next careers after their football-playing days are through.

We’ll miss coach Palmer a great deal as he was always a very good interview. We wish him the best. Below is the Official release…

HARTFORD COLONIALS HEAD COACH / GM CHRIS PALMER NAMED TENNESSEE TITANS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

CHRIS PALMER, who served as the Hartford Colonials Head Coach and General Manager during the 2010 United Football League season, has been named offensive coordinator of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.

Palmer, a Brewster, N.Y. native, rejoins the NFL coaching ranks following his one-year stint in the UFL with the Colonials. He joins a list of former UFL coaches who have been hired by NFL teams in recent weeks. The group includes Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, who led the Florida Tuskers to the 2010 UFL championship game.

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HARTFORD COLONIALS HEAD COACH/GM CHRIS PALMER TO SPEAK ATCONNECTICUT NIKE COACH OF THE YEAR CLINICS

Chris Palmer, the Head Coach and General Manager for the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League, will be a guest speaker as part of the Connecticut NIKE Coach of the Year Clinics on Saturday, Feb. 5, at the Hartford/Windsor Marriott.

Palmer, who has 20 years of NFL coaching experience, is scheduled to discuss the topic “Developing Your Young Quarterback” on Saturday from 2:15to 4 pm.

Considered by many as a quarterback guru, Palmer has mentored Doug Flutie, Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo and Eli Manning during the early part of their professional careers. He has been the Quarterbacks Coach on two Super Bowl teams: the 1996 New England Patriots and the 2007 New York Giants.

Palmer’s coaching resume includes a two-year stint (1999-2000) as Cleveland Browns Head Coach. His first NFL coaching job was in 1990 as an assistant with the Houston Oilers. He also has been on coaching staffs for the New England Patriots (’93-96), Jacksonville Jaguars (’97-98), Houston Texans (2002-05), Dallas Cowboys (’06) and New York Giants (’07-09).

Palmer earned a Super Bowl ring in his first season with the Giants. In his first season working with Palmer, Manning was named MVP of Super Bowl XLII after guiding the team to a 17-14 victory over the Patriots.

Palmer announced his retirement from the NFL on Jan. 29, 2010. He was named Head Coach and GM of the UFL’s Hartford Colonials on Feb. 16.

Palmer began his coaching career in 1972 as a UConn assistant. He later served as Head Coach at the University of New Haven (1986-87) and BostonUniversity (’88-89). He also was an assistant coach at Lehigh and Colgate, followed by stints with the CFL’s Montreal Concordes and the New Jersey Generals of the defunct USFL.

by Kelley Fisher / Contributing Writer / FRO

In a rivalry recently fueled by the defection of Nick Saban from head coach of the LSU Tigers, to pursue his NFL coaching aspirations (unsuccessfully), and back to head coach of Alabama’s Crimson Tide, the stakes were high today in Tiger Stadium. After a series of gutsy moves called by the “Mad Hatter” Les Miles, the Tigers pulled off the upset win over Alabama with a final score of 24-21.

Historically, the Tide has had the upper hand over the Tigers, even at home at Tiger Stadium where the record stands at 24-6-2. It wasn’t until Saban became head coach for LSU in 2000 that the Tigers began to leave the field with more of a winning record than Alabama. Saban exited his position with a record of 4-1 against Alabama. Les Miles took over head coach responsibilities for LSU and won the first match up between the two teams but has lost for the past two years. Read the rest of this entry →

JETS IN TORONTO TO FACE BILLS: PLAYOFF HOPES STILL ALIVE

by TJ Rosenthal for Football Reporters Online

watch the Video here

The NY Jets saved their season last Sunday against Carolina with a 17-6 win.

That win will mean nothing if Gang Green can’t continue a much needed win streak

that includes  tough AFC East battle with the Buffalo Bills in Toronto tonight. It’s Thursday night football. A short week to prepare followed by either a happy long layoff before week 14, or the realization that postseason dreams will be all but

over.

For the Jets , RB Thomas Jones will be a key factor tonight. The Newark Star Ledger reported this week that Jones is second only to the Chargers LaDanian Tomlinson in yardage gained since 2005. An impressive stat for a humble guy.

For the Jets to go to 6-6, he’ll need to add to that tonight against Buffalo, a team that owns the league worst  32nd ranked rushing defense. Can QB Mark Sanchez‘s color coded bracelet minimize the interceptions for a second straight week? It better. Sanchez threw five interceptions in the Jets previous meeting with the Bills.

A sickening  week six OT loss that also saw NG run killer Kris Jenkins injure his knee and thus become lost for the season.

The 4-7 Bills are a different team since the last time the Jets faced them. Head coach Dick Jauron is gone, fired weeks ago in favor of interim Perry Fewell. Fewell got his first NFL coaching win last week at home against Miami. This thanks to the resurgence of WR Terrell Owens, who credits his recent hot play to the new starter QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Owens said this week that the relationship between himself and former starter Trent Edwards simply was not there. RBFred Jackson has supplanted Marshawn Lynch as the starter as well. Lynch who started the year serving a three game league suspension, has yet to find a rythym in 2009.

With Tampa Bay on the schedule next before a tough finish against Atlanta, undefeated Indy, and the first place Bengals, the Jets are in position to make the stretch drive interesting. This is as big of a game as a 5-6 team can have. Let’s call

it a playoff game because in essence it is. Win, or go home.

Three keys to the Buffalo Game:

Darrelle Revis vs Terrell Owens: Owens is on fire the past two weeks. Revis has shut down top wideout all year starting on opening day in Houston against Andre Johnson. Randy Moss twice. you get the idea. Tonight must be the same.

Thomas Jones vs Bill Run defense: Jones has to go for close to 100 Yds. and a TD against the 32nd ranked D. If not, that would mean the onus would’ve been on Sanchez. Bracelet or not, the Sanchise is being asked to manage things and keep the chains moving, not take 2009 into his own hands.

Can we get an unsung hero tonight?: moments like these call for the unsung hero. The guy who wasn’t a threat on paper, in game films. Let’s look for a Brad Smith, Danny Woodhead, or perhaps a Jet interior defender like Sione Pouha tonight. The Jets need a big contribution from one perimeter guy tonight to help push things over the edge. If the QB isn’t allowed to, or can’t light it up, it will take, oh god am I actually saying this? 52 flashlights. This of course to quote ex Jet head coach and now ex UVA head coach Al Groh who used this reference in 2000 after the Jets beat Tampa with former Jet Keyshawn Johnson who mocked WR Wayne Chrebet that week before the game.

Follow TJ Rosenthal on twitter@ thejetreport