Quotes from 49ers owner Jed York at yesterday's news conference. I think his comments make the fissure with Coach Jim Harbaugh much more understandable. From the front page of this morning's San Jose Mercury News:
"We need to make sure we're much better with alcohol on this team."
"We need to make sure we're helping our guys."
"The NFL is made up of players that have mixtures of personality. We need to find a way to get to the guys that are potentially on the edge, that have the ability to really be good guys.....And that's when you get to the teacher to make sure that you find a way to reach those guys instead of going to the other side, keeping them on the side of the road that fits with our core values."
"There were things in conversations we had, I know what my gut was. And we did things that probably doesn't jell well with who I am. And I would rather do the things that we need to, but stay at the level of class that I expect of the San Francisco 49ers. And this isn't shooting at Jim and saying, 'Jim made all these decisions.' I want you to clearly hear that I'm not saying that."
Author Mark Purdy then added, "Fair enough. York wasn't saying that. But he was saying something. At minimum, it seems to validate part of the hearsay swirl around the Harbaugh-Baalke-York indigestion." For those who don't know, Trent Baalke is the 49ers' GM.
[Edited on 12/30/2014 by robslob]
WTF ?
Worse than most politician speak.
Was he drunk ?
So decision by entire 49er's organization to look the other way on players discretions was Harbaugh's call?
I actually thought he made a lot of sense. Aldon Smith ran into a tree while drunk around 5:00 AM in September 2013. Wanna know where he was going? He was on his way to practice. That was I believe on a Thursday, and he was allowed to play in a game three days later. Coach's decision. Should the owner have gotten involved in that one? No, I don't think it's the owner's area to make that decision. But it IS in the owner's power to decide who is in the position to make those decisions.
[Edited on 12/31/2014 by robslob]
Harbaugh seems to be able to get the players to perform at a high level for several years before his personality rubs everyone the wrong way and he pisses people off.
This may not be a big issue in college as the players turnover every 3-4 years but if he turns a blind eye to player indiscretion's for the sake of winning I am not so sure this will be good for Michigan's football program in the long run.
Nice guys often make terrible coaches - few of his players liked Bill Walsh or Vince Lombardi - but they garnered total respect from players and the organization. But a coach that brought a once proud organization out of the dregs like Jim Harbaugh did with the 49ers 4 years ago (3 NFC Championship appearances with 2 different QBs, a Super Bowl appearance) doesn't likely get chased out of town without a good reason. Maybe he is just more suited for college where he doesn't have to be held as accountable, that's why Saban and Petrino left the NFL (though neither had nearly the success that Harbaugh did in San Fran/Santa Clara).
I think it's the NFL's gain and the BIG 10's loss, though Michigan will likely improve. Jim Harbaugh was always pissy as a QB for the Bears back in the day and things haven't changed.
Harbaugh seems to be able to get the players to perform at a high level for several years before his personality rubs everyone the wrong way and he pisses people off.
This may not be a big issue in college as the players turnover every 3-4 years but if he turns a blind eye to player indiscretion's for the sake of winning I am not so sure this will be good for Michigan's football program in the long run.
I think you are on to something here.
Jim Harbaugh was always pissy as a QB for the Bears back in the day and things haven't changed.
Pissy is a good word for Harbaugh. I'm a Niners fans and I liked his results but I never quite could stomach his personality. Especially on the sidelines. You would think that no one on the squad had ever committed a penalty or even had the potential to commit a penalty. That kind of mad dog quality, that over-testosterone drive in a coach has always turned my stomach.
[Edited on 12/30/2014 by robslob]
RIP Al Davis
"Just win Baby"
but serously; alcoholism is a serious injury; have to put the person ahead of the W
Harbaugh was one tough SOB as a player, though. AFC Wild Card game in 1995 the Chiefs beat the chit out of him for four quarters and the bastid still beat us. 2nd toughest QB I ever saw as far as taking a beating and getting back up.
Pissy is a good word for Harbaugh. I'm a Niners fans and I liked his results but I never quite could stomach his personality. Especially on the sidelines. You would think that no one on the squad had ever committed a penalty or even had the potential to commit a penalty. That kind of mad dog quality, that over-testosterone drive in a coach has always turned my stomach.
[Edited on 12/30/2014 by robslob]
I agree rob..well put. I loved him as the QB here in Indy. A fun few years with him. One thing I first noticed about him here that he was VERY INTENSE. That can be good and bad also.
But what you said about him being a coach I agree. I liked his results, but everthing else is annoying.
I am in away suprised he went back to colege , but then again not. I thought he would get on with another NFL team and try and win the big one. Maybe money talks I guess . I see him getting back to the NFL some day.
I really like his brother,John , as a head coach.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
I really like his brother,John , as a head coach.
Like brother Jim, John Harbaugh may be a good football coach; that is most likely undeniable. But l have great disdain for him as a person. Why?
When the video of the Ray Rice/fiancé elevator incident first got publicized I saw another video of John Harbaugh's reaction on the internet: "It's not a big deal. Ray's a solid guy, we stand behind him 100%."
WHAT????? A woman was knocked unconscious and dragged out of an elevator and you just said it's "NO BIG DEAL"????? In my book, that makes him a complete loser as a person.
In my opinion, that thick-headed, over-testeroned stereotype of a football coach runs very strong in the Harbaugh family.
[Edited on 12/31/2014 by robslob]
