01-17-2015, 11:00 PM
In five years, we will look back on this as a legendarily bad deal.
I realize that Harbaugh had worn out his welcome. A year ago, I listened to Brent Jones speak very candidly about Harbaugh on KNBR. He didn't say that he'd lost the locker room, and he said that Harbaugh probably had his fans and ticked off other guys -- particularly those who weren't playing much -- but at the same time, Harbaugh is clearly high maintenance on professional players, and that he had worn out his welcome, perhaps after the second year. Jones said, essentially, he wouldn't like playing for him. At the same time, you have a very young owner, who is caught between two high ego guys, Baalke and Harbaugh. Harbaugh took the team to three NFC championships and a Super Bowl. His worst year was this year, 8-8, and with all the injuries he probably did well to finish at that level. But Harbaugh has the fourth winningest record in the Super Bowl era. I don't think Baalke is near the performer that Harbaugh was. Just look at the 2012 draft. One player is in the roster from that draft. But at the same time, management clearly signalled a preference for Baalke. Baalke is more digestible to Jed and presumably Paraag and others. So Harbaugh needed to go.
They had a sham of a search, selected Tomsula who kept Rathman and no one else. Fangio, who shares a few personality habits with Harbaugh, is no longer DC. All defensive coaches from a damn good defense...gone. Except Tomsula, who coached the fewest players. And look at the 49ers web page. The vibe feels like they're overreaching in their justification of Tomsula.
Two predictions. Tomsula will hire a crappy OC. The team will be 7-9 or worse next year. Kaepernick will not develop and will not be a 49er in 2017. Tomsula's overall record will be less than .450 and maybe less than .400.
Bad, bad, BAD hire.
I realize that Harbaugh had worn out his welcome. A year ago, I listened to Brent Jones speak very candidly about Harbaugh on KNBR. He didn't say that he'd lost the locker room, and he said that Harbaugh probably had his fans and ticked off other guys -- particularly those who weren't playing much -- but at the same time, Harbaugh is clearly high maintenance on professional players, and that he had worn out his welcome, perhaps after the second year. Jones said, essentially, he wouldn't like playing for him. At the same time, you have a very young owner, who is caught between two high ego guys, Baalke and Harbaugh. Harbaugh took the team to three NFC championships and a Super Bowl. His worst year was this year, 8-8, and with all the injuries he probably did well to finish at that level. But Harbaugh has the fourth winningest record in the Super Bowl era. I don't think Baalke is near the performer that Harbaugh was. Just look at the 2012 draft. One player is in the roster from that draft. But at the same time, management clearly signalled a preference for Baalke. Baalke is more digestible to Jed and presumably Paraag and others. So Harbaugh needed to go.
They had a sham of a search, selected Tomsula who kept Rathman and no one else. Fangio, who shares a few personality habits with Harbaugh, is no longer DC. All defensive coaches from a damn good defense...gone. Except Tomsula, who coached the fewest players. And look at the 49ers web page. The vibe feels like they're overreaching in their justification of Tomsula.
Two predictions. Tomsula will hire a crappy OC. The team will be 7-9 or worse next year. Kaepernick will not develop and will not be a 49er in 2017. Tomsula's overall record will be less than .450 and maybe less than .400.
Bad, bad, BAD hire.
Audaces fortuna iuvat