Is This the Way the Rooney Rule is Supposed to Work?

The NFL has a policy called the "Rooney Rule" which requires teams to interview a minority candidate for a head coaching vacancy. Even though this sometimes results in a dog and pony show it's a good rule because the biggest challenge for a young black head coach is getting seen as head coach material. Also, once the name is out there it gives the prospective coach the chance to interview, to get used to the process, and maybe impress some people.
But an unintended consequence of the rule is manifesting itself this year.
The St. Louis Rams, evidently happy with their interim head coach Jim Haslett probably intend to give him the head coaching position. However, doing so would violate the Rooney Rule, so they can't name Haslett without a full offseason interview process.
The San Francisco 49ers are equally impressed with their head man Mike Singletary and if they intend to give him the permanent title, no such obstacle stands in their way because Singletary is black.
Haslett is taking the high road saying he believes in the Rooney Rule so much that he wants it to be followed, even to his own detriment.
Kudos to Haslett, to the Rooneys who followed through on the rule by naming Omar Epps, I mean Mike Tomlin as their head coach, and to the NFL for having such a rule.
But isn't there a way to avoid a system where white coaches aren't penalized for essentially, being white?