>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS ON "ARIZONA HORIZON", THE JOURNALISTS ROUNDTABLE LOOKS AT THE FIGHT BETWEEN MARICOPA COUNTY AND THE ARIZONA STATE SENATE OVER ELECTION AUDITS.

ON "CRONKITE NEWS" - WE TAKE YOU TO A MAJOR BALLET COMPETITION TO SEE HOW DANCERS ARE ADJUSTING TO THE PANDEMIC.

AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN" - HOW TRADITIONAL PARENTING MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT APPROACH FOR ALL CHILDREN.

ALL THIS AND MORE AHEAD IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

[ ♪♪♪ ] >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON".

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE STATE CONTINUES TO SEE A STEADY DECLINE IN NEW COVID CASES.

THE 7-DAY AVERAGE OF NEW CASES IS NOW BELOW THE 4,000 MARK FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE LATE NOVEMBER, AND THE 7-DAY AVERAGE OF COVID-FATALITIES IS DOWN, TOO, THOUGH NOT BY MUCH.

WE STILL HAD 196 NEW DEATHS REPORTED ON THE DAY, WHICH RANKS FOURTH IN THE NATION, AND WE'RE APPROACHING 14,000 TOTAL COVID FATALITIES IN THE STATE.

AS FOR VACCINES - THE WHITE HOUSE HAS APPROVED USING ACTIVE DUTY TROOPS TO SUPPORT COVID VACCINATION SITES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE FIRST CONTINGENT OF MORE THAN A THOUSAND ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL WILL ARRIVE IN CALIFORNIA TO BEGIN OPERATIONS THERE WITHIN THE NEXT 10-DAYS, WITH ADDITIONAL MISSIONS IN OTHER STATES SOON TO FOLLOW.

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, AGAIN >> BASICALLY SAID IT TRIBES HAD THE RIGHTS FOR GAME, STATES CAN DO WHAT IT DOES, HORSE RACE OF COURSE, AND THE TRIBES WILL SHARE THE REVENUES.

THE GOVERNOR WANTED TO MODERNIZE THE CONTEXT.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS TELL YOU WHAT TRIBES, WE'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING, ROULETTE, CRAPS, AND GAMING LOCATIONS, CASINOS, AND MACHINES, BUT IN EXCHANGE YOU LET US DO THINGS OFF THE RESERVATION.

>> NOTICEABLY SPORTS BETTING, SAYING I SAID THE CARDINALS WILL WIN.

AND HERE IS HOW MANY THE QUARTERBACK WILL GET.

THERE'S THE EF "W"S, AND THEN OTHER ISSUES IN TERMS OF FANTASY SPORTS BETTING.

THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO APPROVE THAT END OF IT.

IT'S ALL TIED TOGETHER.

IF THE TRIBES DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY ARE GETTING, THE LEGISLATURE CAN'T DO WHAT THEY WANT.

>> THE TEMPERATURE OF THIS, SOCIETY AT LARGE, ARE WE READY FOR THIS.

>> WHETHER WE ARE READY OR NOT.

WE ARE SEEING THE SPORTS LEAGUE STARTING TO GET IN BED WITH GAMBLING.

THEY DID NOT WANT TO HAVE A CONNECTION WITH THESE.

WE ARE SEEING AS EVERYTHING IS SO MUCH MORE MONEY FOCUSSED.

AND THERE'LL BE A GAME WHERE ARIZONA HAS A HUGE RAINY DAY FUND.

THERE ARE WAYS THAT THE STATES NEED TO BE MORE CREATIVE.

WHAT HOWIE LAID OUT IS FASCINATING, FOR SO LONG THERE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT THE POISON PILL.

WHAT IT WOULD DO IF THE STATE TRIED TO DO OTHER GAMING, AND WOULD IT TAKE AWAY THE RIGHT OF AMERICAN GAMING.

NEVADA IS ONE OF OUR NEIGHBOURS, AND LAS VEGAS MADE A LOT OF MONEY FROM SPORTS GAMING, CAN ARIZONA GET SOME OF THAT CASH, THAT CAN BE HUGE.

>> WHEN THE GOVERNOR UNVEILED HIS BUDGET AND HAS A 2 MILLION TAX CUT.

IT DOES NOT ANTICIPATE THE REVENUES.

WHAT DOES HE HAVE DONE THE ROAD.

THAT IS A PART OF WHAT A LOT OF FOLKS GO.

DOES THIS GO TO EDUCATION, FURTHER TAX CUTS.

TO DEALING WITH THE HOMELESS, AND THE ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH PROBATE.

>> HOW MUCH HORSE TRADING IS THE GOVERNOR WILLING TO DO IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

IT'S LOCKED INTO CEMENT AT THIS POINT.

THIS IS CAREFULLY NEGOTIATED, COMPACT.

WHAT COULD UPSET THE APPLE CART IS THEY DIDN'T GET MUCH IN HORSE TRACKS.

THEY WANT SOMETHING CALLED HISTORIC HORSE RACING.

YOU DO TO A TERMINAL ON A RACE CONDUCTED IN THE PAST.

YOU DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF THE PAST.

THAT'S NOT INCLUDED.

AND IF THEY DON'T GET THAT.

IT COULD UPSET THE APPLE START.

>> THANK YOU BOTH GENTLEMEN.

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.

>> THANK YOU TED.

>> NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON", APPROACHING THE NFL TO MOVE TOWARDS COACHING AND LEADERSHIP POSITIONS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

>> THIS IS SET TO BE A BIG FOOTBALL WEEKEND, WITH THE SUPER BOWL FEATURING THE TOP TWO TEAMS IN THE NFL, SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY.

ASU'S GLOBAL SPORTS INSTITUTE IS SET TO RELEASE A STUDY ON HEAD-COACHING HIRES IN THE NFL, AND THE NEED TO SEE MORE AFRICAN AMERICANS IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP.

>> IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT TIME.

>> ROGER GOODELL, WHEN YOU SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER MATTER.

>> BLACK LIVES MATTER?

>> WELL, PROVE IT.

PROVE IT.

>> TODAY, IT'S NOT IBM OR ANY FORTUNE 500 COMPANY:.

>> WILLIAMS SAYS THAT'S THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION THAT OWNERS ARE ASKING CAN BLACK PEOPLE LEAD.

OF COURSE WE CAN, BUT YOU HAVE TO GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD.

EVERYBODY NEEDS AN OPPORTUNITY.

WE HAVE THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN IN THE NFL IN 1946.

BEFORE BASEBALL.

CAN THEY PLAY, FIF.

OF COURSE THEY CAN PLAY.

CAN WE HAVE MORE THAN THREE ON A TEAM.

OF COURSE YOU CAN.

CAN THEY PLAY MIDDLE LINE BACK.

THINKING MAN - OF COURSE THEY CAN.

THE IDEA OF BLACK AFRICAN-AMERICANS NOT BEING ABLE TO PLAY QUARTERBACK GOES INTO A HISTORICAL DILEMMA OF BLACK AMERICANS NOT BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN MAINSTREAM AMERICA.

QUARTERBACK IS A UNIQUE POSITION.

CONSIDERED TO BE SMART.

BELL GENT.

THAT AND WHAT A QUARTERBACK SENIOR SUPPOSED TO BE.

GRASZ UNDER PRESSURE.

ALL THE SKILLS THAT BLACK MEN ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE.

IT WAS AND CONTINUES TO BE FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN SPORKS MEN TO BE ANTICIPATED.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT SUPREME LEADERSHIP.

YOUNG KIDS CAN LOOK UP SAYING I COULD BE A LEADER MYSELF.

DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN FOOTBALL, SPORTS.

IT COULD BE IN GOVERNMENT, MEDICINE, LAW.

I CAN BE A LEADER BECAUSE THIS GUY IS A LEADER NOW.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT A GUY LIKE PATRICK MAHOMES, AND LEMAR JACQUE SON, IF YOU LISTENING CLOSELY, THEY ARE TOUTED FOR THEIR ATHLETIC SKILLS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY WE ACCEPT PATRICK MAHOMES, THEY TALK ABOUT HOW WELL HE FELLOWS ACROSS THE BODY AND GET OUT OF THE YAMS.

RARELY WILL YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT PATRICK MAHOMES IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP ABILITY AND INTELLECTUAL INTELLECTUALLY HOW HE CAN CHANGE COURSE.

THE GREAT CHALLENGE IS HOW TO CHANGE IT.

WE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM, FOR DECADES.

HERE IS 2021, HOW DO YOU CHANGE PEOPLE'S HEARTS.

THAT'S THE CHALLENGE OF TO 21.

>> I SAY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CLIMATE IN AMERICA TODAY.

THAT ASPECTS FOR ITSELF.

>> SOMETIMES A COACH FEELS A CERTAIN WAY, BUT HAS TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT THE COACH ACE OR GENERAL MANAGER SAYS WHERE DUDS A HEAD COACH COME FROM.

MOST WHITE COACHES COME FROM THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS, AND MOST OF THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS WERE QUARTERBACK COACHES, AND QUARTERBACKS.

AS WE SEE THE GLOBAL SPORTS INSTITUTE COMING UP WITH THESE STUDIES, PUTTING A STATISTICAL FACE ON RACEISM NOW THE BALL MOVEMENTS TO THE COURT OF THE INSTITUTION AND TEAM.

WILL YOU PAY ATTENTION AND MAKE CHANGES.

>> WE SPOKE WITH WILLIAM C. RHODEN, FROM ESPN'S "THE UNDEFEATED" AND A VISITING PROFESSOR WITH ASU'S GLOBAL SPORTS INSTITUTE, ABOUT THE PUSH TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NFL.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON THIS, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THE STUDY ON HEAD COACHING HIRES IN THE NFL.

>> THIS IS AN ONGOING DILEMMA.

>> WHAT A BOILS DOWN TO YOU CAN'T LEGISLATE WHAT IS IN PEOPLE'S HEARTS.

YOU HAVE 328 OWNERS, AND THEY THINK YOU CAN'T TELL US WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, WE'LL HIRE WHO WE WANT TO HIRE, PROMOTE WHO WE WANT TO THE PROMOTE, AND YOU CAN'T MAKE YOU DO THE RIGHT THING.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

AND ON THE END OF THE DAY YOU HAVE 32 MULTIBILLIONAIRES, 30 OF THEM ARE QUHIT MALE AND THEY TOLD THE COMMISSIONER, WHO WORKS FOR THEM.

YOU CAN SAY ALL YOU WANT ABOUT BLACK LIVES MATTER, BUT WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED.

>> ONE THING I THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN I LOOKED AT THE CAPITAL RIOTS.

THERE'S A WHITE GUY IN THE MIDDLE.

>> OUTSIDE SOME CHAMBERS, AND TO ME, THE OWNERS, A GROUP, NOT ALL.

SEEMED TO CENTER THEIR OWN LITTLE CONFEDERATE FLAG IN THEIR ORGANIZATION, AND THEY ARE SAYING THIS IS A WHITE MAN'S LEAGUE, AND WE ARE GOING TO HIRE WHO WE WANT TO HIRE.

WHITE GUY RECOLLECTS SOMETHING BLACK GUYS CAN PLAY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BEING COACHES, PRESIDENTS, NO, WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED.

I THINK THAT IS WHAT ROGER GOODELL WANTS TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

YOU CAN CREATE LAWS, BUT YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE HEARTS.

>> IN THE STUDY NOW, NUMBERS ARE FASCINATING, INCOMING OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS, MOST OF THE FOLKS COME FROM QUARTERBACK COACHES, BUT 67 OF 68 WERE WHITE.

YES, IT'S A WHAT COMES FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG.

HERE IS THE PROBLEM, THE GOAL POSTS ARE ALWAYS MOVING.

AT THE TIME YOU HAVE TO BE A DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR.

AND BLACK GUYS DOMINATE.

WELL THEY HAVE TO BE A QUARTERBACK'S COACH.

AND YOU HAVE TO BE AN OFFENSE COORDINATOR.

>> YOU HAVE THE SUPER GOAL, WHERE THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR IS BLACK.

THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATE JOR FOR CHIEF S IS BLACK.

THE SPECIAL TEAM'S COACH.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, AT ALL THE NUMBERS YOU WANT.

AT THE END OF THE DAY.

IT GETS TO THESE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE TEAM.

AND LISTEN.

WHICH DON'T CARE.

WE ARE GOING TO HIGHER WHO WE WANT TO HIGHER.

IT WILL BE MORE WHITE MEN THAT LOOK LIKE US.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU U IF I WAS AN NFL OWNER.

MY NO.1 GOAL IS TO WIN.

WHAT ARE YOU WORRYING ABOUT.

WHY ARE THEY WORRIED ABOUT CASE, DON'T THEY WANT THE BEST PERSON AVAILABLE.

>> IN THE NORMAL BUSINESS THAT IS HOW THEY WORK.

WE WANT THE RIGHT GIRL.

WE CAN'T THE BEST PEOPLE.

WHEN YOU GO TO THIS BUSINESS.

WE WOULD MIKE THE SAME DINGSES THAT THE COACHES MAKE ON THE FIELD.

MOST DEFENCE IS 99% BLACK.

AND MOST OFFENSE WHILE THE.

BECAUSE THEY ARE GETTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE.

THEY HAVE NO CHOICE.

WE GET A GUY IT'S GOING TO CHANGE.

AT A CERTAIN POINT.

YOU'LL WANT TO WIN, AND YOU ARE GOING TO SEE MORE GUYS BEING MADE HEAD COACH.

THE BURDEN IS YOU ARE GOING HAVE TO WIN.

UNDERSTAND, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE A GRACE PERIOD OR SIX YEARS, YOU'LL HAVE TO COME IN.

I THINK IT WILL CHANGE, IT WILL BE OVER THE PERIOD OF 5-10 YEARS, WHERE THE NFL WAS IN 1953.

THE QUOTA SYSTEM, NOW, 80% PLAYERS ARE BLACK.

WE'LL EVENTUALLY GET IT BACK.

RIGHT NOW THERE'S NOT A LOT OF RESISTANCE.

>> AND LAST QUESTION HERE, HOW DOES ALL OF THIS TRANSLATE TO THE NON-SPORTING WORLD.

>> THAT IS THE GREAT QUESTION.

WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

IT TRANSLATES.

YOU HAVE A PRESIDENT, A WOMAN VICE PRESIDENT.

ISN'T THAT SOMETHING.

WE ALREADY HAD A BLACK PRESIDENT.

THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS MOVING ON.

WE ARE JUST WAIT FOR THE NFL TO CATCH UP.

>> DO YOU THINK IT WILL CATCH UP.

>> I REMEMBER BEING OCCUPANT THE BACK WITH MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, GREAT-GRANDFATHER.

COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE, THEY WOULD SAY HALLELUJAH, SHUT UP BOY, GO OUT THERE AND WORK.

IT IS GOING TO GET BETTER, LOVE ALWAYS WINS.

>> YES.

>> AND FOOTBALL FANS WANT A WINNER, AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE THERE, I WOULD THINK.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> WIM C RHODES, GLOBAL SPORTS INSTITUTE.

FASCINATING STUFF.

GOOD CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THE PLEASURE IS MINE, THANK YOU.

[ ♪♪♪ ] [ ♪♪♪ ] >> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW, I'LL TED SIMONS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS - ON CRONKITE NEWS - HOW A LOCAL 4TH GRADER AND HER GIRL SCOUT TROOP PLAN TO SELL COOKIES DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AND ON BREAK IT DOWN - THE NEW WAVE OF PARENTING THAT CATERS TO THE CHILD.