Forbes Magazine is not one of my go-to sources for sports news and analysis. But the current post by Vincent Frank on the current state of the 49ers so clearly nailed the thoughts that have been rattling around in my brain for the past eight weeks or longer that I just had to share it.
In chronicling what he calls “one of the most historic declines in the recent history of professional sports,” Frank highlights the chain of events that led to this demise with a clear if jaundiced eye.
49er Owner and CEO Jed York
Correctly, I think, he lays the blame clearly at the feet of spoiled rich-kid owner Jed York, whose ego is as monumental as his claim to any real ability is pure fantasy. York inherited the Niners. He doesn’t know jack about football. It’s not clear what he might know jack about. Business is clearly not very high on that possibly empty list.
So you have York twiddling knobs on the team’s dashboard. GM Trent Baalke (whom Frank calls “one of the most overrated general managers in the NFL”) should be playing the role of defender of the team from dangerous meddling by ownership. Instead, he throws his fate in with York and arranges for the departure of one of the best coaches in NFL recent history, Jim Harbaugh.
Meanwhile, Baalke, not wanting a new coach who might ruffle York’s pinfeathers, reaches down into the ranks of his own organization and elevates Jim Tomsula to the top coaching slot. Frank generously describes Tomsula as, “a well-liked former position coach that [sic] seems to be in over his head.”
49ers GM Trent Baalke
Just to keep things interesting, some terrible drafting under Baalke’s leadership added more weight to the sinking Niners’ ship. Did you know that not a single player from the 2012 draft is even on today’s roster? Or that, as Frank says, “While six players from San Francisco’s 2013 class remain with the team, only Eric Reid and Quinton Dial are paying dividends right now.”
Ineptitude at every level.
And Frank lands where I do on the inevitable outcome. York’s ego and Baalke’s fawning mean that they’re not likely to fire Tomsula (which they clearly should do, like now). So who’s going to get the axe? QB Colin Kaepernick, who has admittedly had his share of difficulties. But come on, people, he’s been sacked 28 times so far this season! Do you wonder that he’s skittish, making bad decisions about releasing the ball when he’s constantly being pressured through a sieve of an O-Line that seems unable to stop anyone?
Clearly, this is a franchise barreling full-speed ahead over the waterfall. Time to jettison the useless baggage, beginning with Baalke. Go into a rebuilding phase with the idea that in 2-4 years the team can be respectable again.
Because today, as Frank says, “San Francisco is now a true laughingstock around the National Football League.”
The franchise that had every legitimate expectation of playing in Super Bowl 50 in January on their great new home turf is now going to be hoping for a tailing finish that gives them the first draft pick next spring.
How sad.