Slip kid, slip kid, slip out of trouble
Slip over here and set me free
Slip kid, slip kid, second generation
You’re slidin down the hill like me
No easy way to be free. . .
One of my favorite obscure Who tunes. Young Sir Jed York appears to be the lead slip kid as the shitstorm seems to have subsided. Michael Rosenberg of SI wrote a piece about Jim Harbaugh, who speaks evenly and glowingly about his relationship with A) the front office, B) Trent Baalke, and C) the world in general. At least in his mind, the kids are alright, and he can see for miles the clear road ahead of him and the team as he’s gpoing mobile. No more fiddling about. Well, at least for the next 2 years. And in a bit of fortuitous timing, Anquan Boldin signed a 2 year deal to remain with the Niners, all the well knowing he would have likely gotten something better than 2/$12 mill from someone else. But he won’t get fooled again. He refuted the ‘unnamed source’ story that stated there was dissent in the locker room, and certain ‘significant players’ said Harbaugh’s antics were ‘wearing thin’ and had vexed Tim Kawakami, Ann Killion, and Cousin Kevin et al into hyperventilating yet again over unsubstantiated malarkey. You’d think they’d wonder “Is it in My Head?”
Folks such as I would never stoop so low. Just call me Happy Jack.
Forty Niners Forever 
Scroll to 1:16.30 and start, go to 1:24. If you don’t like this, you don’t like Rock n’ Roll…
Definitely in my collection Snarkk –
Isle of Wight is killer.
One of the best versions of Magic Bus they ever did – Ranks right up there with the Leeds version –
Royal Albert Hall has to get mentioned too –
Got a football item from 12: from last thread
12th man says:
March 4, 2014 at 5:04 pm
“Phil I would lay money Harbaugh won’t complete his contract as is. He was in talks with Jed after his second year, confirmed by Jed not reporters, but Harbaugh broke off the talks for reasons unknown…”
Well he’s under contract through ’15 so he may have to perform regardless. If he’s leveraging to get a raise he’ll be in a better situation to win it all right here than anywhere in next two years. I could see it happening then he’ll have max leverage to bring to table. Don’t think he’ll be able t get out w/o Balkys ok. But sure he’ll try to get a raise but I don’t have too much sympathy if the answer is “NO”. Just win will solve all this.
So what’s the bet? He’ll try to get a raise or he’ll walk?
All comes down to the leverage aspect Phil.
As 12th suggests, he’s got a stacked roster in SF.
If all he’s interested in is the Contract dollars, he’ll get plenty of offers elsewhere.
I’d have to think, after reading his comments, he’s less concerned about the money?
He’s definitely posturing though.
If he wins the Lombardi with us, Jed will likely ante up.
He’s competitive enough to focus on the prize.
Tough to know right now whether he’d appreciate a lame duck year.
It’s a high stakes game of ‘Chicken’ between he and Jed if he’s not holding the prize at the end of this season.
Jim knows this team can get it done. Not many others out there with as much depth or talent right now that I’d consider in need of a Coaching change.
I’mstill thinking Jed went to FL early, perhaps to pick Uncle Eddies’ brain, on the subject?
Doesn’t seem quite as strained to me as it first appeared to be.
But, with Jim, who really knows what’s going on between his ears?
If he an Trent are working together peacefully, I’d be inclined to sweeten Jims’ contract for ’15 with some sort of incentive buffer added.
Maybe an agreement, that a SB win in the next 2 years, would open the discussions for his asking price?
Like any negotiation, both sides have to be willing to have some good faith parameters between them.
For me, my view hasn’t changed much relative to the needs on Offense.
We’ve got to improve our passing efficiency.
Is it the young QB causing the Offense to be dumbed down or, the Offensive philosophy being too damned conservative?
As Chuck proposed, pick the dynamic between the HC/OC/QB as to who, or why, it isn’t accomplishing better results.
It’s still a major mystery to me as to why we had a roadrunner like Lockette with all sorts of expectations yet, he just doesn’t become a factor?
Something just doesn’t add up there.
Can’t be as simple as ‘we need a deep threat’ when someone like him, with above average speed, busts as he did.
Smells more like a failure at the Coaching level to me.
Our WR position has been one major revolving door.
Somewhere behind the fences at 4949 Centennial Blvd there’s an answer no one is willing to share.
Mystery central…..
Posiiton Coach John Morton?
Phil, my thinking is Harbs performs this season. Depending on the outcome of the season there will likely be either a new contract/extension or Harbaugh will push hard to leave. If he wins a SB I think it’s likely he gets the biggest coach contract in the NFL, his record would be NFCCG, SB, NFCCG, SB, so unless he wants a change of scenery he will get the reward he deserves.
If they fall short again but the team makes NFCCG he still has a valid argument to get the leagues biggest contract but I doubt the team would pay it. Other, lesser results would dictate lesser pay.
This is his 4th season of 5. He and Jed tried to redo his contract after his second, his SB appearance season. Those talks ended. He tried to force the issue this year but got a lot of blowback and since there are no good openings that makes sense and probably because it was all a bluff to get paid he is back this year.
Either way this comes to a head after this season. Firstly he will be entering his lame duck year, no coach wants that label attached to them because there is no doubt the team you coach does not value them sufficiently to meet contract demands for whatever reasons. It smacks of loser and usually ends that way with some notable exceptions like Coughlin in NY and fatty at the Jets, but in general teams don’t let their coach enter lame duck years, they extend before to give stability to both coach and team.
If the sides can’t reach an agreement the team will of course shop him to get whatever picks they can for his services. A disgruntled coach does nobody any good.
As for what Harbaugh said in the national press interview SI, I personally believe very little of the substance of it. I believe he is hiding behind words. For instance it can be true that he himself didn’t say to Jed i want more money but is that true of his agent?
Talks were broken off in 2012 and it makes sense to me that coach wanted a big payday for getting into the SB and Jed felt he needed to win it to pay top money.
Harbaugh has a history of being untruthful and I don’t find what he said to quiet this issue down to be very credible. Harbaugh is by everybody’s account extremely competitive as well as a thorny character, I don’t see those personality traits ending where the subject of his performance, which is unprecedented for the first 3 years of coaching, and his desire to be paid like an unprecedented coach meet.
I understand very well your thoughts about what has transpired, ditto Spit and some others on here. These are my thoughts as clearly as I can make them.
Yep somehow I missed your good comments until now 12 but do agree with pretty much all you said here. Sounds reasonable viv-a-vis Harbaugh and Jedi. Jimi’s always looking fer leverage but I wouldn’t call that being untruthful, just maximizing his position. It will be interesting how this get resolved = Extension? (Just said he doesn’t want one) But if it goes that route I don’t say ‘untruthful’. We’ll see.. He denies “top dollar” and he shouldn’t get top dollar until he gets top results. No brainer, right?
It’s not the end of the world if he ‘has to’ coach us in ’15 as a lame duck. I doubt he quits on the team even if disgruntled because he’s too invested and in my view would like nothing better than to ‘show them FO people’ how wrong they’ve been not to have already given him fat dough- by winning it all in ’15. “NOW pay up 9ers”. I could see that. Jimi always thinks he’s going to win so I could see him taking this to the limit in ’15.
Bypassing the local Balky people in the press was well done by going national to Rosenberg @ SI to get his message out after all their muddying da waters here with their “Thin ice, rubbing wrong way, wearing thin” nonsense. Boldin scoffed at that in a good way. Coupled with Hendrix statements same day (coincidence? No…) that blew the fire out perpetrated by local media shills- right? So there is some posturing going on by both sides = Balky is going through the media to attack/hit/diminish poor old troublemaker Jim and he neutralized that with his interview in SI + some help from Anquan. Fine, draw then.
It’s all on performance once past this mutual posturing. Win a SB in next 2 years, It all gets resolved w/ Harbs holding a new contract/extension. Otherwise it will get interesting.
Yeah there’s the contract stuff with the FO and Jedi (Pronounced Jeddie- get it? Eddie II- ok I’m an optimist) and Jed did say they would talk after Draft/May. So we’ll see where that goes but agree there should be incentives built in. Awww Jedi and Jimi, that’s sweet…
As far as “more power/input” you have to take Jimi at his word, and clever words they are, that he doesn’t want any more. Well fine. One thing to come out of this is I’m not into quoting writers who are jest speculatin’ now. We know the local ones and Mike Florio is a great speculator too- I’ve read a bunch but why play that game? We have our various opinions as to how the HC/GM dynamic is playing out as influenced by media and by both sides. I whine and bitch about Balkys evil empire but Jimi’s just shown us he’s capable of deflecting that and spinning it his way. Fine, draw. We hashed this to death here in-house and that’s good enough fer me. Rather hear it from youse all = 12, NJ, Spit, Chuck, etc.
Far as the O woes go we need some players in WR, RB (maybe Lattimore). 2 of each, but I’m greedy. Coaching upgrade for the O of some kind. John Morton’s a bum? Well then. The point is well taken that talent alone isn’t the answer to other questions re: player development, drafting, coaching, scheme esp on O, play calling. We’ve covered these pretty well too so just waiting fer some hard news in those areas and to a lesser extent in the HC/GM angle. Like NJ I’m less concerned for the longer term specifically in that (new contract for Jimi, relations w/GM) as result of Boldin signing and Jimis stepping outside the GM/local media dynamic (trap). Give us the news, the facts we’ll never get in Wikipedia. Meanwhile…..
I’m goin’ back to the Who concert. That’s right (happy) Jack.
Something for us to chew on while we await the Draft Phil.
Don’t expect any FA signings, other than our own so, it’s hopefully much to do about nothing I hope.
The age old question remains, why are we so mediocre in the WR area?
It can’t all be about personnel? Can it?
Something isn’t right when Picks can’t get on the field, FAs don’t contribute much, other than Boldin, trades are made for guys like Baldwin and, we continue to struggle in the Red Zone.
Agree, Jim and Trent have to work this thing out and, stay connected on what it is that needs to be corrected, in terms of personnel or scheme.
The show will go on…….
I think the 49ers can win the Super Bowl next year even though I was saying, after the Seattle game, that our window has closed. The 49ers will get an insurgence of youth from Tank, Dial, Moody (who I think will beat-out Wilhoite (sp) for Navarro’s job for half the season), Kilgore, McDonald, maybe Lattimore, and Patton next year, and I think they can win a Super Bowl with those guys, plus a few more players in the draft. However, in order to compete for a Super Bowl ring next year the 49ers have to do a few things.
FIrst off, the 49ers have to take some of the pressure off all members of their team by creating easy, blow-out victories. This won’t be easy in the ultra competive NFC West, but against other opponents, the 49ers can’t afford to play small ball, grinding out victories because that only prolongs player exposure to injuries, whether it be the nagging variety, miss a couple of games or the dreaded season ender. The style of offensive ball the 49ers’ play leads to injuries, and creating an offense that blows teams out, creating easy weeks for all players, would help the 49ers in the post season.
In order to blow teams out, the 49ers must find a running game that’s more diverse. And to do this, the 49ers must draft one, maybe two running backs for the 49er backfield. Gore is done, and Marcus Lattimore is a huge question mark. If you want play action to work, get the linebackers worried about containing their lanes. They don’t have to contain lanes when Frank Gore is in the backfield because Gore can’t bounce the play to the outside. My grandma could run Frank down in her Rascal if Frank bounced it to the outside. Kendal Hunter wasn’t used enough in 2013, maybe because of his injury, maybe because Roman and Harbaugh fell too much in love with Gore when Crabtree went down. Whatever the reason, use Kendal more and bring in another back (maybe two) as insurance against Lattimore’s knee.
In 2014 the 49ers will have a healthy Crabtree (hopefully). Patton, Boldin and McDonald will be in their second years in the system, and Kaepernick will have another year under his belt. The key to blow outs will be quick scoring drives. If the 49ers can draft a wide receiver to stretch the field (not just run decoy routes all day like Ginn and Moss), and Kaep can find the new receiver deep, the 49ers will open up their offense. But Colin Kaepernick isn’t a great deep ball thrower…. yet. He can certainly stretch the field with longer passes than Smith, but the only bomb he threw successfully all year was to Vernon Davis. He missed two more opportunities to Kyle Williams in 2013, and the 49ers pretty much stopped throwing deep after he missed Kyle. Kaep needs to work on this if his team is going to get easy wins in 2014.
Jon Baldwin could be an X factor. 49er fans don’t think much of Baldwin, but I could see him developing into a deep threat. His hands are suspect, he’s exactly a speedster, but look at his college tape, and some the big plays he made in KC. He was, previously, more of a deep threat.
If the 49ers can use this draft to get help at the offensive skills positions with players who contribute immediately (something offensive players did in their rookie years Harbaugh’s first year in the league), AND they use the draft to sure-up their secondary, the 49ers could create some “blow out,” wins that help them in the playoffs.
But the 49ers will also need to get home field advantage through-out the playoffs to insure the NFC Championship goes through SF instead of Seattle. To do that, the 49ers’ offensive coaches will need to realize that Frank Gore is pretty much done. Sure, Gore can still pass block with the best of them, and Gore can exploit the smallest of cracks in the D line, but Gore is so limited that when he’s in the backfield, defenses know what’s coming and they can, in a way, “stack the box,” because the league knows what Gore can and can’t do. Harbaugh and Roman conceding this point early will keep the 49ers from losing an all important two or three games while figuring out that Gore is limited. And those two or three games could mean the difference between the playoffs on the road or the playoffs in SF.
Colin Kaepernick will also have to mature into a pocket passer who goes through his progressions. Alex Smith and his wife, a former Raider cheerleader, hated Candlestick (at least Alex’s wife did) because Alex was treated so poorly. The same can be said about how the 49er fans treat Colin Kaepernick. Remember Smith’s first full year (his rookie year?). Smith couldn’t even hold onto the football. People were claiming Smith’s hands were too small. Now Kaep, who’s been nothing short of amazing, isn’t getting any love either, and it does affect a players’ motivation. 49er fans remind me of Philly fans regarding our qbs. Colin Kaepernick is a great, great qb talent who won’t exactly be fired up to be a better qb with the fans hating on him. Hopefully Kaep finds the inner motivation to block out the noise and he learns despite the noise to be a better pocket passer, going through his progressions quicker.
In short, bolster the backfield with a high round running back, hope Kaep continues to mature, find a deep threat at receiver, get Harbaugh and Roman and Gore to all accept that Gore’s best days are behind him and use him accordingly, all creating a high-powered offense that can win easy games in blow-out fashion, and the 49ers will win the Super Bowl. That’s not might. If they do these things they will win the Super Bowl. The one serious threat to this plan is that Greg Roman’s offense is overly complicated and stymies big plays. He’s a college run game coordinator, and instead of Harbaugh giving Roman someone like Mangini (who’s since moved to TE coach, thank god) Harbaugh needs to give Roman some help – not figuring out how to disguise plays, but figuring out how to get quick scores in the passing attack. And hopefully the same help that Harbaugh would get Roman could also counsel Roman on how to simplify the offense so rookies to can contribute in the same fashion they did in Harbaugh’s rookie year when Roman and Harbaugh were still installing and creating the offense. Now, in year four, the offense is far too complicated for rookies to contribute…. and for what? A ground and pound attack that features Phil Dawson for the first half? I can see an overly complicated offense that’s high powered and blows opponents out. But an overly complex offensive system that relies on the defense and keeps teams in games kicking field goals is just plain stupid.
We need Kaep to see things quickly Spit.
Not radar lock himself onto primary targets.
The thought I heard from KWarner (I think) about him throwing a flat ball answers the deep ball point you suggest too.
That’s the reason Sherman got the play in the NFCC game, not air under that throw.
I believe this is as much on play calling as it is on scheme too.
I’ll assume guys like Kendall and LMJ were expected to contribute in the screen game when Baalke selected them.
Neither guy is a bell-cow RB.
They’re change up guys that aren’t utilized as such.
For me, I agree with much of your opinion, we need to find something more timing based perhaps.
Add some WCO principles and get Kaep to throw accurately from the pocket on 3 and 5 step routes.
An improved passing game and better offensive scheme will indeed give us more high scoring games. The tendency to jump out to a lead and sit back, put it on the D instead of keeping the gas on full- scoring more points, then more- consistently aggressive and unpredictable O can only help rest the D- and the O. And the fans. People here -Irish for one- said it all year = cannot win it all with a 23 point offense. 17 or 19 against SEA that’s suicide.
Agree the run game must be augmented as Frank is wearing out esp late in year the way they lean on him. If not Lattimore- please God let it be Lattimore- we will need a couple additional RBs to ensure we get one stud. Use Hunter more already and LMJ out of the backfield catching passes and/or screens to vary our attack. This will allow more room for our receivers to roam as safeties move up but it wont matter if our pass scheme remains predictable and our WRs limited to Boldin & Patton. It’s a lot needs doing on O that’s why I suggest more coaching help for the O as well as players. At this point going to a SB to win it is on a much more productive offense.
Boldin, Patton and Crabtree but we need more speed and depth with the coaching IQ/balls to use ’em. Way too predictable passing attack.
NJ what was the conversation at Skeebs w/Berger about 4 WR sets? I don’t get out much
Baldwin and Patton 40 times are almost identical, Baldwin a hair faster but both just under 4.5. Fast but not burners, VD is faster than both. Niners need a sub 4.4 burner and as Spit says they need to actually throw to that receiver sometimes not only use as a decoy.
Niners should take a RB, 3rd round or above since they are expected to lose Dixon, Gore is slowing down and Lattimore is an unknown. Also agree Hunter needs to get in the game more.
I feel like the O has been deliberately conservative partly because they don’t trust Kap to cut it loose too much, preferring the lower risk style of O. It has certainly yielded results so they have good reason to continue in the same vein but I wonder why, considering they have a SB quality D, that they have not been willing to let Kap wing it a bit more and rely on the D if he does turn it over. Seems to me that there would be benefits to letting Kap learn on the job a bit more so when they play the bigger games there is more confidence in the tools in the box.
Agree with Spit that the guys drafted in 13 and essentially red shirted have a great opportunity to contribute. It will be interesting to see how the 13 draft actually turns out in the end.
We’ve been beating this dead horse for 2 years now. Ginn comes in and catches 0 deep balls in 3 years. Moss is basically a decoy for his season. Edwards? Little, then hurt and cut. They cut Lavelle Hawkins although he looked fine. Lockette gets the heave-ho. KW? AJJ? Patton? I truly think this team doesn’t know how to throw a deep ball or develop a deep passing game. Last year was an outlier as the WR corps was decimated, but still, looking at the few guys who made big contributions, and you have an issue with the QB as well. I mean, really, A Smith never had a stable of thoroughbreds to throw to, but he would get the ball to 5 or 6 different guys in a given game. Kappy IS locking on to guys at the cost of seeing the field. This does need to get better this year.
I do think he can get better. After all, he’s only started like 28 games.
The run game is fine. They need to retool HOW they run. Stop packing the line and expecting guys to pop through tiny gaps. This is the Ken Willard offense a lot of the time. Run wide in 3 WR formations. I know this is Greek to some, but it really isn’t that fucking hard.
Great musical selections by the way. Canned Heat played at the 2nd concert I ever saw. Bachmann Turner Overdrive, Canned Heat, and Flash Cadillac and his Continental Kids. At the Cow Palace . . .
Phil, the idea to run out of 3-4 WR sets is to get the safety out of cheating on the run. When the Niners line up in their 21 or 22 package, their jumbo formation, (1 WR, 2 [even 3] TEs, 2 backs) this allows the defense to crowd the line of scrimmage. When you have teams playing press coverage with their corners, you have just about the entire defense within 1o yards of the LOS. When we run out of that we get the usual -2 to 1 yard carry.
Putting 3 WRs (or more) forces at least one of the safeties to play deeper. 4 WRs (or a TE split wide) forces a linebacker to drop into coverage, or at least honor the pass. Less guys packing the LOS means running lanes are easier to create. Which makes it easier to get to the 2nd level.
Well there you go. Constructive, specific, factual, precise info on How Niners could scheme to beat the stacked box defenses we see constantly against our K Willard running attack. Also known as the 3rd and 8 attack. Yeah this horse has been dead and buried for several years but stomping on her grave is all we got until Frank retires and the O is forced- after trying uselessly to repeat the past with Lattimore and Hunter- to change the scheme. It’s like we’re dealing with 3rd graders on O after having a PhD in Walsh on board in the glory years.
And yes I do think we need to change our approach. Ideas welcome w/ me. It beats sitting around pointing fingers and pissing and moaning at each other.
Still waiting for Ann Killion to put up or shut up regarding the ‘face of the franchise’ player that said Harbaugh’s act was wearing thin.
At least offer up a mea culpa.
Don’t hold your breath. She’ll probably double down with a new “unnamed source” that said Boldin was crossing his fingers when he said all was good in Niner land…
Ha, won’t happen. It would give the game away to admit “i’m a useless shill fer the Balky/maiocco Evil Empire; sorry I got caught redhanded”. But Harbs blew the little Empire out of the water by going outside their duo of GM-local writers club to give his side to Michael Rosenberg @ SI. Well done Jimi
If this isn’t a prime example of the blind leading the blind, it’s a pretty good imitation.
One blind idiot proclaims a hairball theory and the rest stand and cheer, “Me too! Me too!
Gore’s stats compare to Seattle’s Lynch. They won the Super Bowl, by the way and we came one play short. And according to you and the rest of the blind mice Harbaugh, Baalke and Roman don’t know shit about what they’re doing. Makes perfect sense, in bizarro world.
Maybe the baseballers buy the bullshit you peddle.
The end game is to win it all, not come close. Sorry you are too dense to see that the Niners can make some small chages to get better. Possibly enough to get them over the top. Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. And thankfully, I’m not a blind follower like you.
Stats are for fantasy leaguers and teenage girls. Take Romo for example. Romo has great stats. He’s got tons of money, but little else to show for his career other than a lot of heartbreaking losses. Boo hoo. Or Peyton Manning. Great regular season QB, but when it comes to money time, he loses.
At least I peddle something, NoFear. You merely stomp on what others write. Try being original for once in your life. Come up with something of your own rather than shitting all over someone else’s thoughts. You haven’t posted an original thought since you’ve been pestering me.
BLEEP!
Some would say we fucked up that game by going conservative after the turnover on the 1st play of the game.
Sorry if this is too difficult for you to understand.
Maybe the mindless sheep buy your blather.
BAAAAAH!
Irish bitched about it at the time and I agreed along with others outside of here
Meanwhile, the Niners offense ranked 11th in the league in scoring, behind 8 other playoff teams. Some wish to continue stomping their hooves, bleating, “Being bad GOOD! Being good BAAAAAAAD!
Yeah, 30th in passing leaves juuuuuust a bit of room for improvement, eh?
You think that’s baaaad? This is what happens when sheep follow the goats down the same ‘ol same ‘ol same:
http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140304/park-slope/severed-goat-head-most-recent-animal-part-discovered-prospect-park
In other words, NoFear, you’d stay the course? What do you think they should do, skippy?
Or do you have anything to offer here but your incessant keyboard diarrhea?
Messy! And the smell!
Bleep!
Interesting stats here: the Niners ranked 31st in plays from scrimmage. Since they were +12 in TOs (Seahawks +20), bottom 1/3 in 3rd down % (36, Seahawks 37), yet 13th in TOP at 30:34 ( Seahawks 30:32), it paints a picture for me of a team that ran the clock down on every play but couldn’t sustain drives on a regular basis. Surprise!
31st in plays when you allegedly run a ball control running offense is flat out embarrassing.
Oh useless rehash huh? Rehash this buddy. And those Santanas…
Yeah!
Ok back to work. Here’s Roman with a general look at the O. Nothing specific but for NJ look at the ball Kap throws to Patton @ 2:10 mark = nice arc on that one, well placed
http://www.49ers.com/video/videos/Greg_Roman_Conversation_Offensive_Outlook/56dcb9ff-704d-4c18-949f-b1e05b81d6df
@ 2:02 mark. That was the pass to Patton that beat AZ -kept the drive going fer our primary O weapon =Dawson to win it fer us. Nice pass! And great catch
I actually really like what Jim Harbaugh is doing right now, and I think, for the most part, I’ve evaluated this correctly from the start, with a few unforeseen twists. First off, let’s start with Roger Goodell and his $44 million last year. It stands to reason that if the commissioner made $44 million, the owners made substantially more. No owner is going to be looking up at his employee. I’d venture a guess the Yorks “CLEARED” 50-100 million last year, and probably more. If that’s the case, Harbaugh should be paid 10 million a year – highest paid coach in the NFL. Why? Because Jed and Dr. York don’t deserve it as much as Harbaugh. Lucky sperm and Dr Back into a Good Thing, York? They deserve to clear a 100 million a year? Does anyone remember the Nolan and Singletary years? Fans are stuck on comparables (what other coaches make) and that’s exactly what the owners want people to do. They’ve successfully suppressed coaching pay in the NFL. Calvin Johnson made 18 million last year. The owners won’t open their books and show America the ghastly amounts of money they make, so the only thing that fans can compare Harbaugh’s value to is other coaches. But if the fans saw what the owners cleared each year, 49er fans would be more on Harbaugh’s side, I promise you.
Jed and Dr. York were getting vilified in the press prior to Harbaugh. Paying Harbaugh one fifth or one tenth of their take home is well worth the exchange for aggravation alone. But aside from the aggravation of being vilified in the press and on the blogs, Harbaugh is also the only one capable of creating a favorable legacy for Jed. If Jed loses Harbaugh for Tomsula, Norv Turner or someone like Charlie Weis, Jed probably will never win a Super Bowl because he’ll become a laughing stock. He just doesn’t get it. So Jed needs to ask himself if it’s worth paying Harbaugh twice what Harbaugh’s making currently to have a favorable reputation around the league. As a fan, if Harbaugh isn’t paid and paid well, and he takes his talents else where, I’m gonna be one pissed follower. If they ever trot out Jim Tomsula as coach, I won’t watch. I might just follow the NFL generally, but I won’t watch Tomsula coach this team.
Ray Ratto recently wrote a smart piece about reading Harbaugh, “Between the Lines.” Ratto correctly suggested to fans that Harbaugh is orchestrating this beautifully. However, it also stands to reason that the 49ers are using CSN Bay Area to negotiate their side of the story through the press. Matt Maiocco is bought. No reason to read his articles about Harbaugh anymore, searching for objectivity. If he’s going to suggest to us that Tomsula is an adequate replacement, you’ve tipped your hand as a 49er front office mouth piece. I can’t stand Maiocco.
The big question I have now is “Who benefited from the Browns’ story?” At first, I didn’t think Harbaugh leaked the story. But now I kind of think he did. I kind of think Harbaugh’s directly benefiting more than anyone else from this Browns story, and Ratto’s right when writing, “Harbaugh didn’t get to where he is today by not thinking these things through and creating a good exit strategy.” Ratto also writes that Harbaugh only has so much leverage, and that’s the case in any negotiation, but Ratto downplays the storm of anger that would be fired Jed’s way if he let Harbaugh get out of town for any reason – a rift, money, picks, whatever. And if Harbaugh went on to win Super Bowls else where, with Jed York hiring someone like Jim Tomsula to replace Harbaugh, I promise you I won’t be able to get my pitch fork sharp enough.
Harbaugh’s hired the best agent in town, and they all worked together well to create a very smart Sports Illustrated article that reshapes the debate. Like Ratto said, Harbaugh did take shots at Jed for not paying Fangio more. Harbaugh looks like a crusader, trying to get his coaches paid better while Harbaugh sits back and, by the looks of things, defends himself. But make no mistake about it, Harbaugh’s in full offensive mode. I think Harbaugh’s playing his hand perfectly, and I don’t have any problem with the way he’s playing the game simply because Roger Goodell made 44 million last year. Did he put a helmet on last year and subject himself to brain damage like so many NFL players did making, in some cases, one tenth of Goodell’s payday? Hell, the owners make far too much money to squabble with Harbaugh over 3-5 million dollars per year. If Jed lets Harbaugh get out of town for any reason, Jed’s world, as the 49ers’ owner, will be turned upside down. If I’m Harbaugh, I’m asking for 10 million a year, far more than the highest paid coach in the NFL, and if Jed doesn’t pay it, I take my wears elsewhere and laugh while I build a championship contender else where. Think another team wouldn’t be glad to pay Harbaugh 10 million per year after what Harbaugh’s done in SF and at Stanford? Ironically even Richard Sherman is now helping Harbaugh get paid more. Think there’s another coach out there Jed can hired to do what Harbaugh’s done? Think again. Harbaugh’s the glue that keeps this coaching staff and team together. Lose Harbaugh and eventually you’ll lose your coaching staff, team and all 49er credibility.
Agree with the following exceptions:
-Owners are entitled to make ungodly amounts of money if fans, TV are willing to pay. I’m a capitalist (with no capital) who has no problem with it. Whether the NFL “should” be tax exempt is another question.
-Owners should negotiate best deal with coaches and vice versa. No one forced Jimi to sign fer $5 mil. He agreed. Fine, should he get more? Yes and he will here or elsewhere. Best bet is right here because we have the best team as I, NJ, Chuck and others have pointed out. Best chance to win and win it all = 9ers.
-I don’t think Jimi leaves period. Certainly not before his contract expires even if he gets no raise- which is possible if we stink next year, however unlikely. My guess we’ll be in the playoffs and he’ll keep his leverage or it will increase. Then before expiration in 2 years he’ll get a new contract which he will again freely sign w/9ers. 12 disagrees, thinks he’ll demand more bucks or demand trade even before 2 years- if I have that right.
Agree w/o reservations:
– Huge fan backlash against ownership if Jim leaves. Jed knows this which is why he’s following this so closely via twitter, etc. Already said “JH is going to be the 9ers HC for a long time; we want him here; we’re going to talk in May about extending…” Won’t give top dollar w/o top results tho.
-Jedi (rhymes with Eddie) may know this but agree local media w/ exception of Matt Barrows do not or are playing Darth Balkys game of “Hey Jimi’s a wacko, that’s the problem”. Ratto is guessing and speculatin’ but he could be right. Me after this recent manipulation contest outta Balkys camp via Maiocco and our local lap dogs I don’t give any attention to ’em. We here are fully capable of our own speculations.
-Mike Florio floated the Browns (non)story and continues to try to keep it alive -the controversy- or to second guess Hendrix. Fine, whatever. That’s Florio. Could Mike Lombardi been behind this as a proxy fer Jimi? Yes. So it coulda been Hendrix using the Browns (innocent?) query to triangulate against the FO =
“Hey Harbaugh’s got options, be careful with pissing off Jimi”. I doubt it tho and tend to believe Jimi when he sez he had no idea. Jed said same. This makes me think the FO/Maiocco used Florio/Browns to further their position = Jimi’s a loose cannon who should be traded by Jed. Baloney, as we have now seen them – Darths evil empire- overplay their hand with the phoney Killion story backed up by stooges @ NFL.com (simply repeating AK, no sources). Poorly played = too obvious which is why I’ll not be listening seriously to this pack of goats.
-“Ratto correctly suggested to fans that Harbaugh is orchestrating this beautifully.”
Kawakami said something similar and only AFTER Jimi de-triangulated himself out of the axis of Balky/local press. Much to their chagrin. Yeah it was beautiful BECAUSE Jimi walked off looking like $10 million bucks and now people are looking at the local press and starting to look at who they are beholden to and asking WTF is going on? Boldin coming out same day as Jimis proclamations was not an accident. Local press /+/ GM know this= to their horror.
-“The big question I have now is “Who benefited from the Browns’ story?” My guess is however it was intended is that Hendrix benefited because it served to expose the hidden triangle of Darth/Maioccos monkeys vs Hendrix. Subsequent events have tended to confirm this view w/Florio’s continued sniping at Jimi and the quick turn around in opinions-however grudgingly by Ratto, Kawakami- that acknowledge the “Plan” to make Jimi look like a wacko or to get revenge on Jimi fer not kissing their asses. BTW “Triangles” of this dysfunctional sort can only “work” when they remain hidden. Not any more.
-” Ratto also writes that Harbaugh only has so much leverage, and that’s the case in any negotiation, but Ratto downplays the storm of anger that would be fired Jed’s way if he let Harbaugh get out of town for any reason – a rift, money, picks, whatever.” 100% agree.
Okay I’ll see yer novella and raise ya one of my own Spit
All well and good, Phil, except for two things:
1) The tax exemption you mentioned; and
2) The anti-trust exemption. The law is not as explicitly worded as baseball’s, but it is very real.
The NFL is a trust, or if you will, a cartel. That brand of Rockefeller/Standard Oil capitalism was supposed to end with Teddy Roosevelt. Of course Prince George and King Cheney ignored Teddy as well, in dropping the decade-in-the-making anti-trust suit against Microsoft.
So-called capitalists constantly espouse the warm and fuzzy capitalistic utopia of their dreams, while we socialists sneer, knowing full well that the NFLs, Microsofts, and Walmarts are the rule not the exception of capitalism.
Harbaugh’s been pushing for a restructure since the Super Bowl appearance. Harbaugh is at make or break now. Maybe not quite that dire, but Harbaugh can’t afford to backslide at all. He ain’t getting $10 mill regardless of this season. Win, he gets $8 mill. Lose the Super Bowl, he might get $6.5. Anything short, they’ll tell him around $5=$6 mill and take their chances.
Coaches aren’t paid based on their owners’ salaries.
Agree.
Phil the theory proposed about Kaep throwing a flat ball holds some water for me in so much as he’s developing.
He’s a fast-baller.
Sees a target and tries to hit it.
I’ve got no problems with his potential, I’m simply in agreement with whoever posited that remark.
I believe it was Kurt Warner?
All it means is, Kaep has to develop pocket awareness and touch.
I’m certain it will come over time.
For the immediate present, it’s fair to say he’s not an elite QB just yet.
I can live with the growing pains associated with a young QB.
It could suggest why our Offense is mired in blandness too.
If the Coaches have had to dumb it down for him, it might suggest the reason why we’re so heavily attached to Frank and the Defense.
Screen passes and slants are very much touch and timing related portions of a more prolific passing attack.
If WRs and Kaep can’t develop timing in those routes, it might answer the tireless question of why WRs aren’t hanging around or being productive thus far.
Kaep has to get more proficient at reading coverages too.
Take what a Defense is giving you.
WRs have to run routes with timing and precision certainly but, to hear suggestions that some aren’t selling them because ‘they know’ they’re aren’t the primary target is infantile.
Every guy has a matchup to win.
The QB has to identify which target won their matchup and, has to be prepared to make that throw with authority.
The infamous radar-lock on Crabtree in Seattle, left 3 other targets being useless decoys, because Kaep didn’t give any of them an option to make a play.
I hardly think Kaep was instructed to go Crabtrees’ way as the only option.
That was a decision he made, pre-snap, just as he did in the Big Easy vs Baltimore in repeated attempts.
No sense having other options, if you don’t identify them or, utilize them.
Boldin didn’t look for the ball on his route. Baldwin on that one play (1st Carolina game?)was actually startled by the ball being thrown his way. Which leads me to believe they structure the fuck out of these plays. No hot reads, no improvising (unless the play completely blows up), and little option but to go where the play is designed.
Prior to to NFCCG I think it was Lockette said something like that but it’s hard to believe. If so then the issue is lack of coaching IQ
Believe it was Kurt Warner said that, yup. Kap has the potential to learn something beyond his ‘default fastball’ so I’m not worried. Be interesting to see how things progress this season with him and our use of the passing game.
Phil, I’d really like our QB to be the driver for our success rather than the kicker. Yeah, that turnover could have been a big deal but the Niners let Seattle off the hook by not getting into the end zone.
If this team doesn’t evolve, they will backslide. I don’t think it’ll be that hard if we get most of our guys on the field this time around. And, I think they will change. They have to. Everyone sees that in the building.
Hence all the thrash at HQ. People ARE frustrated with not getting all the way.
Lol yeah the QB should be the man. Sarcasm re: Dawson but thankfully he’s been good for us.
Frustration so thick we can feel it all the way over here. Me too
NJ, the thing is. these guys didn’t throw slants with Alex QBing. He certainly threw those in KC. And for much success. And it’s not like he suddenly learned how. We never asked him to do that through most of his time here. Every goddamn training camp we’de hear how well Smioth was throwing deep, and poof, the regular season rolls around, and nothing. Ginn caught NO deep passes in 3 years. Moss? Did he catch one deep route? No.
I don’t buy that this is on Kappy. Sure, they didn’t throw deep with Alex. But the bigger armed guy comes in, and they still don’t do it. And they still don’t throw timing passes or slants. Everything’s deep outs, the occasional seam routes, and a few fades.
As I’ve been saying. it’s a very rudimentary passing game.
I agree Chuck, rudimentary could also be expalined as dumbing it down too.
This whole debate took a step into Jim vs Trent in terms of WR failures.
What I’m suggesting is, maybe the Coaching isn’t that creative with the passing game or, Kaep isn’t seasoned enough at this point, to stand and deliver from the pocket.
We all see the results.
These are safe, typically outside the numbers throws with the occasional deep seam throw.
Alex couldn’t come close to delivering the strong outside throws Kaep can make all day long.
What Kaep lacks is, the ability to utilize all of his options, which involves touch and timing with the guys he’s got to work with.
I’m not ready to scrap Kaep or Harbaugh.
Simply suggesting that there’s plenty of blame to go around.
It can’t all be laid at the feet of Baalke.
WRs run routes and catch passes.
If they aren’t being Coached sufficiently it might offer some explanations as to why we haven’t had more success.
As you say, what did Moss offer?
Did he possibly feel that his talents weren’t being utilized properly?
We all knew going in that he was a head case with talent.
If we didn’t devise enough diversity within our scheme, to free him up or, utilize his speed to our advantage, it just wreaks of inferior Offensive design to me.
I’m just leaning more toward scheme being the issue, over personnel options provided to Jim and GRo.
Kappy has hit Crabs on fades that needed to be floated in there. He can make that pass. I just wish we’d run more routes that involved a WR going deep and letting Kappy air it out.
Routes have to be run in such a way as to single up a primary target or, clear areas for better matchups.
I think we rely too heavily on one or 2 guys.
It’s a development thing with Kaep, as much as it is a philosophy issue with the way the Offense is predicated.
Kaep isn’t throwing much in the way of crossing routes either.
Leading a receiver involves touch.
He’s got the IT factor.
He just has to hone the pocket comfort/timing aspect of the game.
He often looks like a primary read then take off guy.
He’s miles better then anyone we’ve had in years and, certainly lends plenty of optimism to the future of our team.
We know running the ball has to occur, in order to be balanced.
We just aren’t producing enough diversity with the passing attack, for it to be taken seriously.