NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith learned last week that he was the subject of a disparaging, 10-year-old email chain of communication between now-former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden and associates. The coach – working as an analyst for ESPN at the time – slammed Smith with racist criticisms of his physical features and his intelligence. And after the news broke, Gruden insisted that he was not a racist. Smith discussed the trying episode with @usatodaysports: "Does the fact that Jon Gruden is gone mean we’ve solved racism in football? No. If he had stayed, would it have continued to identify the problem that we have at almost every aspect of America? Sure. But, now that he’s resigned, do I have a more positive or less positive feeling? I don’t. I don’t have either.” 📷: Chris Carlson, @apnews #nfl