As you all know, Robin Williams died yesterday, by his own hand apparently. While the news is sad and he had his problems to deal with, he was a local legend. He grew up in the North Bay and went to Redwood high school in Larkspur. He was a fixture at Giants and 49er games over the years, and I did manage to bump into he and Will Durst at a Giants game somewhere in the late 80s. We talked baseball for about 10 seconds and he was on his way to the nice seats behind home.
Saw his stand-up a bunch of times in the 80s, when you couldn’t walk 5 blocks without hitting a comedy club in San Francisco. He would often crash other comedians’ routines, and he did that one night when a few of us went to see Rick Reynolds. He did about half an hour with Rick, and then did about 2 hours of his own stuff. Just non stop crazy. The crowd was all in pain from laughing so long and so hard.
Truly sad day. RIP, Robin.
Forty Niners Forever 
Comparing schedules, 9ers/Seahawks, I think the Eagles and NYG games could be a big factor for us.
We get Philly at home, ‘Hawks have to travel to Philly, us to NJ for NYG.
‘Hawks get Dallas, NYG at home.
Though we get DC at home and ‘Hawks travel to DC, pretty sure they’ll be a non-factor, as we each should win.
I’m not too concerned for Dallas in week 1, we just can’t lay an egg there.
Can’t wait for this thing to get rolling.
NoFear:
Your first sentence read…
“Only here can explaining that whether we want to run a wide-open high-flying offense or not we made the best use of the capabilities of the offense we have be re-stated in all seriousness as advocating it.” This sentence pretty much rocks my world. I read that fucker like five times trying to figure out what you meant. Then I got my secret decoder ring out of my box of Flintstones and decoded your message.
“Putin orchestrated the bombing of the World Trade Center. Stop. Dig your bunker deeper, he has nukes. Stop. The KGB tortured me in 1980 when I was seventy years old. Do the math. Stop (my hair from falling out).
Aside from all of this insanity, NoFear’s right about the 49er offense. If Kaep’s given two plays at the line of scrimmage and it’s up the qb to make a good decision, AND, I’ll add, you have no offensive weapons (in 2013) how is Roman to blame for what Berger calls a Sardine Can offense? In addition, NoFear’s best point was that in the last three years no other coach in the NFL has won more games than Harbaugh with his “caveman” scheme.
Roman and Harbaugh last year said, “We don’t have Crabtree, Moss, Walker or Ginn…. We’ve got Frank, Vernon and Boldin. We’re going to run power, tight formations.” It makes me laugh that NJ, Chuck, Del and Berger blame Roman and Harbaugh for running power formations with Frank Gore, Vernon and Boldin. Those guys are power skill position players. You’re not going to run spread plays with them. You don’t “open it up,” with Frank, Boldin and Vernon.
Now I’ll blow the whistle on myself because I was guilty last year of crying “Harbaugh’s the only person in the NFL who can keep Kaep under 300 yards passing,” but that was my own impatience. I was critical that the 49ers weren’t developing Baldwin, Patton and McDonald, but the reality was the offense was too complex and that’s why they overhauled it this offseason – partly so new players could catch on quicker. But to NoFear’s point, without key offensive players and two rookies in Patton and McDonald, the 49ers still made the NFC Championship game and were inches from a ring. That’s the sign of great coaching – not replaceable coaching.
What irks me more than anything is the stupidity of Del, NJ and Chuck thinking because of last year’s anemic offense Harbaugh is somehow expendable. Del’s not an issue because while hating Harbaugh he loves Manning. NJ just loves Baalke and can’t see beyond his Baalke Nerdgasms thinking that if Jim Harbaugh leaves the 49ers will spiral back down into the cellar in a matter of two years. Think Cowboys and Jimmy Johnson, NJ. Believe it.
The thing about Unca is that he’ll sit on the fence until the fence falls over. He’ll play both sides of the argument, and then accuse you of playing both sides of the argument, muddying the water.
I hate Smith. Unca rode the fence wearing a jersey in year 8 that read, “Last Chance,” taped over Smith’s name on Unca’s number 11 jersey when he went to Niner game in 2010 when Sing was the coach. How’s that for riding the fence? Almost everyone had an opinion on Smith, but not Unca. Now with Harbaugh’s contract up in the air and Jed York flirting with a pitchfork nation storming the gates of Santa Clara after a Harbaugh exodus that’s followed by a mass exodus of free agent and coaching talent, Unca’s all to happy to ride the fence once again…. scared to death to be on the wrong side of history.
The biggest idiot of them all, however, is NJ49er blindly following Trent Baalke no matter what, thinking that the key to a 6th ring lies within Trent Baalke’s brain and his moves to find a new HC. This moron is where the real threat to humanity lies. Nevermind what John Madden said about it being easier to find a suit than a ball coach. Nevermind that when I asked NJ who could coach the 49ers his serious answer was Charlie Weis. Charlie fuckin’ Weis? Fuck me. Forget what I posted about the York’s record pre Harbaugh, something like 75-115 (ouch). Instead of listening to logic, the real threat to society, NJ49er, just blindly follows Trent Baalke. If Trent Baalke jumped off a bridge, NJ would no doubt follow…. with hearts in his eyes.
Spit the simple defense I make for Baalke is the talent factor.
He’s provided a very good return on each and every deal he’s been involved in.
We’re miles ahead of the youth movement, that you yourself stated was an important factor for you.
That comes from good Draft success and Coaching them up.
I agree, youth is important, especially with the Contract demands put on the GM to keep things in balance.
Baalke has balanced the need for Veteran talent and production with the ability to Draft for depth and future continuity.
To pay the stars like Vernon and others, you need cheaper production to balance the Cap.
Our biggest weakness, and perhaps Baalkes’, has been finding the young WRs and, getting production from them.
My simple argument isn’t about Harbaugh vs Baalke, it’s about the 2 of them having a common vision and working to get players that fit what they’re trying to do.
Citing Jones in Dallas is laughable, because that supports my point about the value of a good, competent GM/talent evaluator to the success or failure of the Team.
Jones is a meddling idiot who can’t step aside or share the spotlight.
Jed has been able to do that.
Jerruh loves him some attention along with 8-8 seasons apparently.
If Harbaugh walks, you’re already at the head of the line to hang Jed for it.
Seems to me Jed has done his part to work on getting the extension done.
Harbaugh has a say in this process too.
Once again, you resort to the name calling and inuendo that suggests your opinions are more valid then those of us sharing ours here.
I can accept what you’re saying, without calling you an idiot for saying it.
A GM is as equally important to a successful team as a HC who develops that talent.
Whether you chose to buy that or not is your business.
I’m advocating for a broader passing attack, that’s it.
If WRs aren’t producing, it just might fall on the Coaching.
I’ve had my doubts about John Morton just as I’ve questioned Jim’s desire to throw.
A certain amount of that falls on the development of Kaep too.
We run the ball exceptionally well. Nothing wrong with that.
Add a potent passing attack and we’re that much tougher to stop.
As for quoting Madden’s opinion about finding another suit?
I’ll assume you’re talking GM.
Consider his history.
Pre Cap, and an owner that was Jerruh, before Jerruh, an owner/GM/Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.
At least Al was a decent football man in his day.
Al was all about everyone go deep.
Speed, speed and more speed.
The game has changed, dramatically, since John Madden roamed the sidelines.
Mugging WRs and headslaps were a major advantage, as were the roided up DLinemen that John Coached.
Find the succesful Franchises in this day and age and you’ll find good GMs making things work.
Laughable… I just went over to Skeeber’s blog and he’s still trying to build his case regarding who named his blog. That’s funny. Why would I make up my claim that I named his blog? What do I have to gain?
When I claimed I named his blog the “49er Outsider,” because Football Prospectus was once called the NFL Outside to show a emphasis on objectivity (suggesting we do the same with 49er Outsider), when Skeebers objected I asked him if that wasn’t how the name was formed, how did he come to name his blog and he conveniently said, “The same way.” But now he has a different tall tale. I guess Skeebers believes coming up with fabricated stuff months later will somehow lend credence to his argument. “Oh what tangled webs we weave when we practice to deceive.” Skeebers is a liar. I’ll patronize the criminally insane (Chuck) but I won’t patronize a liar. And I know the truth. Like I said, Skeebers… it’s the old line from True Romance….. “Now tell me, am I lying?” Your lie must still be bothering you.
On the fence? I thought Smith would do better with better coaching, for about 8 years. No fence there, but keep your spiel up. Funny how you do a 180 and call it impatience, but the rest of us are idiots for our POVs while you flap-jack your opinions and play both sides. If it keeps you warm at night, roll with it.
Everyone changes their tune. NoFear couldn’t post for an entire season as Alex Smith went 13-3 with Harbaugh. He magically appeared when The Niners lost the NFCCG vs the Giants. All of a sudden it was, ‘gee, I hope we get something from Smith since he did so well last year.’ That Smith bore fruit and did much better with better coaching? Hey, yippee. We got some stuff from it.
In the end, I do fault the play calling and the formations for SOME of their struggles. Especially in the red zone. Is that so hard to grasp? But I don’t think, Gee, I wish Baalke had gotten Gronk for this play on the 8. Do you think Harbaugh is saying, “Gee, I wish I had Ted Ginn” when he barely used him when he was here? You think he’d open up the formations (yeah, Mouse Davis, NoFear. I want 10,000 passing attempts, hyuk) and use more WRs? He didn’t when he HAD all those guys. And we did struggle on 3rd down. TOP. 3 and outs. Still do.
Sure, we should keep everyone. How realistic is that?
BLEEP!
Exactly. You never said Alex Smith would be better with better coaching before Harbaugh got here. But you’ll claim you did. You sat on the fence until the situation shook out never saying, “There’s something good in Alex Smith…. I believe in him. He just needs a coach.” But now in hindsight that’s your game. And, as predicted, you claim I flip flop. Now with Harbaugh you’re sitting on the fence. I , however, am doing no such thing. I was 110% in the anti Alex Smith camp, and I’m 110% in the Jim Harbaugh camp now. Jed York is a fuckin’ moron for not giving Jim Harbaugh 10 million a year if that’s what he wanted. What does Jed York have to lose? The answer is nothing but money for a guy with plenty. What does he stand to gain? Stability and rings. For a rich man, Jed York is stupid. York may be thinking, “I’ve got Harbaugh under contract for two more years so what’s the hurry to give him more money if we’re far apart?” The hurry is you avoid resentment, and avoiding resentment creates long-term relationships. Ask my thousands of ex girlfriends strewn across the wasteland. They’ll tell you. What did I have to gain?
Yeah. But what did they have to gain by becoming your ex?
I think you’re confusing the word serenity with heartbreak.
Bullshit. I said it for 7 years.
How am I sitting on the fence? I think our play calling is woefully conservative. Our red-zone scheme is terrible. I think we’ve pissed away a few golden opportunities to win it all.
You want us to pass all the time, now you want us to run all the time. Or something like that. What is it again?
Is Harbs Belichick? A guy who took a while to figure out how to loosen up a tad to get over the top? Even Tom Coughlin unwound himself enough so see over his own hubris. Well, at THIS point and time, Harbaugh is Marv Levy. He’s Bud Grant. He’s Marty Schottenheimer. He’s close, but no cigar. He tightened up unimaginably badly in the Super Bowl after tightening up nearly as bad in that NFCCG vs Atlanta. He was wimpy in the Seattle CG. He has been outcoached in these big games.
Clear enough?
If anyone is riding the fence, it’s Jed. He’s is hedging his bet with Harbaugh. He thinks, rightly or wrongly, that Baalke has gotten Harbs enough to win it all. Harbs is on the 5 year plan. If he doesn’t deliver, what then? Make him the highest paid coach for not winning it all? “Garsh! I was close! Gimme the money or I walks!” I’m much happier that Kappy is under contract than Harbaugh at this point. A better offensive mind could wring out a shit-load more points than Harbaugh has. If he blows it this year, he will likely be a lame-duck HC. HE knows this. Which is why we hear this talk of opening things up. You like to think WAY too much into this. It’s fucking simple, Simon. Jed will not pay Harbaugh what he wants if he doesn’t win it all. It’s on Harbaugh to deliver. End of fucking story. It’s not about Baalke, or Jed or Paraage. It’s about Harbaugh getting his players in position to win it all and not choking in the clutch moments.
Say what you want about Jed, but you project what you think will happen, and call him an idiot for it. Pretty fucking stupid in my book.
He’s Marv Levy? Interesting. Marv Levy coached as a head coach in college, the CFL and the NFL for over 25 years before making a championship game or Super Bowl. Jim Harbaugh did it as a head coach in like 5 years, or one quarter of the time. Jim Harbaugh’s still a very young man, comparable to Marv when Marv went to the big dance. I don’t care if Jed York re-signs Harbaugh or not, Harbaugh will win Super Bowls even if he has to start all over with another organization that pays Harbaugh his fair market value.
Another part of you sitting on the fence is that you’re easily swayed. Nobody who does any research (or is educated) would make the claim that Harbaugh is Levy. It took Levy two and half decades to reach the Super Bowl. It took Harbaugh, as a head coach, half a decade. And again, Levy did it at the end of his career. Harbaugh’s doing it, and learning his craft, at the beginning.
The best thing about this is that I get to quote you later. To you, Jim Harbaugh is Marv Levy. Don’t backtrack later.
Waaah! You always whine like a bitch when caught in your hyperbolic rants?
As of now, they have both won how many rings? Hmmm. The rest of your screed is just another fart in the tornado of bullshit you spew (thx NoFear).
I think the Belichick comparison is valid, he was WAY too intense for his own good. Just when he was starting to get it, Art Modell forever fucked over Cleveland and Bilick/Ozzie reaped the rewards. By the time Belichick got to NE he had his plan in place, and his mindset a little bit ratcheted down from Nurse Rachet levels.
This is something Harbs could use. A little dose of lighten-up.
Why don’t you just plagiarize all my thoughts? I was the first one comparing Jim Harbaugh to Tom Coughlin, saying he needs to calm down to win Super Bowls. In fact, the day after our Super Bowl loss to the Ravens I wrote on this very same blog the reason we lost the Super Bowl wasn’t because the offense or the defense, but because Jim Harbaugh was too tight and the fish rots from the head. His tighter than a drum asshole led to mistakes – like a penalty on the first play of the game and turnovers. I cited Coughlin and also cited Bill Walsh loosening up the team with his bellmen’s uniform. Now, for your own spin you cite Belichick. Create a bibliography for me, would ya? Work cited?
But this isn’t the issue. This issue is you’re playing the company line – whatever Jed York thinks is good for the team must be so. If Jed dumps Harbaugh you’ll be happy. If Jed keeps Harbaugh, you’ll be happy. Get off the fence and grow a pair.
Robin Williams’ wife or ex wife says he was suffering from the early stages of Parkinsons’ disease. He didn’t want to live like a bobble head doll. Makes me like him that much more. I’d do the same…. but maybe not a hanging. I’d buy a righteous classic car, rob a bank, get in a car chase and with the cops in hot pursuit I’d jump it like the Dukes of Hazard and somehow blow it up and myself with dynomite mid-flight blaring AC / DC’s Thunderstruck….
At least I have a pair. Can’t say the same for you.
New thread is up.
Gee, tightly wound up coaches? It takes a geneous to figure out who those are.
Blow much smoke up your own ass?