Harbaugh: “I’m strongly opposed to domestic violence or violence to children. Will not be tolerated.”

Jim Harbaugh was interviewed on the Murph and Mac Show Tuesday morning. Here’s a transcript.

Q: How did you bring back Kassim Osgood?

HARBAUGH: If we make the decision to designate Glenn Dorsey as the player exemption to return then it would open up a spot.

Q: What’s it like having Alex Boone back on the team and is there any awkwardness given that he wasn’t around all offseason?

HARBAUGH: We saw Alex yesterday. He was here taking his physical and we got a chance to sit down and talk. We got through the awkwardness pretty quickly and we moved forward there. Like we talked about to Alex and to any football player, really – a football player will be known by his talent, his execution and his effort. That’s how any player gets known and that’s how Alex will be known going forward. Yeah, after the awkwardness we very quickly moved in to, “Hey, give me a hug, good to be back and let’s start playing some football.”

Q: Can he play on Sunday?

HARBAUGH: That decision hasn’t been made yet, but he could potentially play. He’s going to get back to practice today. We’ll make that decision later in the week.

Q: Is Ray McDonald in the building and will he practice with the team this week?

HARBAUGH: As you probably anticipated, there is not a lot that I’m going to be able to tell you about that. That’s, as you know, a legal matter, and it would be a disservice to talk about the details because I just don’t know.

Q: Do you know if he can practice with the team? Is that something you can answer?

HARBAUGH: Yeah, yes. There are going to be two principles in play here. One is – I’ll speak for myself, I’ll speak for the 49ers – we will not tolerate domestic violence. Second principle is going to be that we’re firm believers in due process and I ask for your understanding on those two principles.

Q: What is your moral philosophy about something like this? How repulsive is it for you and how much room do you have for forgiveness on something like this?

HARBAUGH: I’ll be very clear. You’re asking me how I feel about domestic violence and I can be very clear on that. If someone physically abuses a woman and/or physically or mentally abuses or hurts a child, there is no understanding. There is no tolerance for that.

Q: Is it the kind of thing where you wouldn’t want a player like that on your team?

HARBAUGH: Yes, yes, we would not.

Q: Donte Whitner said if a player puts his hands on a woman than he is done in your book. Is that an accurate representation of you?

HARBAUGH: You don’t need a source to know how I feel. I’m strongly opposed to domestic violence or violence to children. Will not be tolerated. You don’t need to quote a source. I can tell you exactly and be perfectly clear how I feel about that.

Q: How much of this is going to affect the team’s preparation this week?

HARBAUGH: Well, I mean, like I said at the beginning. This is a legal matter. I’m not here to tell you what happened because I don’t know. I think we all owe, to everybody involved, the ability for due process to take place. All of the questions that you could ask me, I understand why you’re asking but this is a process that has to be conducted, has to be concluded and then we’ll be in a better place and time to have this discussion and/or make judgements.

This article has 25 Comments

  1. Talk about backing yourself into a corner. I can see it now. Girlfriend regrets calling the cops, refuses to testify. Charges get dropped due to lack of evidence…..

    1. What stands out to me is this one thing Harbaugh has said several times , No tolerance for domestic violence or hands on a women, Some reports I read was that their were 49ers present at least at the time of arresst, even if charges are dropped I think Harbaugh will be clear on Ray not being on the team going forward if he did hurt her as no 49er or football player would respect him as he has said this repeatedly, you touch a women your done in my book attitude. How that messes with their salary cap I have no idea but unless further details or evidence comes forward that it was a mutual comabative situation which would still be very murky and bad for ray as most sane people would agree a 300 male should never strike a women under any situation unless maybe that female is going to shoot you and even then who knows. Just rambling thoughts.

      1. 10-6, perhaps 9-7 or worse at this point. And given how poorly this organization has handled this and similar matters in the past, it’s difficult to pull for them.

        1. I have one experience with this kind of situation. I had a woman who lived with me that liked to close the bar and would come home drunk. Problem was, she got ornery when she did so. On such occasion, she attempted to leave, which I could not allow in her condition, so I took her keys. To avoid personal injury, I had to hold her down. I soon became afraid of losing my composure, so I called the cops. I was waiting for them, and as soon as they saw the bite marks with some blood on my body, they arrested her….

    2. Razor, if it plays out like you describe, I will be troubled if the organization doesn’t investigate, or hire professionals to investigate, the incident and then draw its own conclusions.

  2. I hope this a huge misunderstanding.
    .
    He’s not really known as a problem guy.
    .
    Right now he’s, of course, not talking, except to say that he looks forward to the truth coming out.
    .
    But she did have bruises on her according to the report.
    .
    So, what would be the truth that he’s referring to?
    .
    .
    .
    *ALOHA*

    1. Kaualrobe– Not saying one way or the other what happened but the bruises on her arms and neck could have been gotten by having her arms grabbed or being pushed away if she were hitting on him. Some people with thin skin will show bruises easier than others. Again not saying he didn’t assault her only that those bruises could have another explanation.

      1. You’re absolutely right and I agree with you.
        .
        I’m not suggesting he’s guilty.
        .
        I’m just curious.
        .
        .
        .
        *ALOHA*

  3. I’ll ask nicely. This is a 49er blog. We are beating another dead horse here. We are focusing on the negative. If this were the offseason and you had nothing else to write about, then I get it. But we are about to open the season in less than a week. How about some football chatter.

    Did Frank Gore get enough work in to be ready for the season opener?

    Are we ready to pass more than 26 times a game which was a league low?

    Will Hyde immediately get half the carries if Gore doesn’t have instant success?

    Will the defense still be able to stop the run as in years past?

    How many 3 receiver sets will we see?

    What do you think our strategy will be versus the Cowboys?

    How loud is Cowboys stadium in comparison to the Saints dome?

    These are the kind of questions and topics I’d like to read considering we play in 5 days.

      1. – Gore enough work? Yes. He’s a veteran that practices very hard.
        – 26 + PPG? Yes. If not the passing game (or QB) needs an overhaul… or the 49ers run so well they barely need to pass in the 2nd half
        – Hyde immediately get half the carries? No, unless there is something very wrong with Gore.
        – The D will stop the run better then most teams, but nowhere as good as 2011.
        – More 3 WR sets, but no drastic change in offensive philosophy. More passes to backs. More 2TE sets if McDonald gets becomes what we have hoped.
        – Don’t know how loud the cowpies stadium is. New Orleans has one of the best home field records in NFL history, loudness or not.

        .

    1. 1. Yes. Gore doesn’t need much work in the preseason.
      2. Yes. We have a healthy corps of quality WRs now.
      3. Why wouldn’t Gore have success (strange question)?.
      4. Not too many in this weeks game, I’d say. Vernon should have quite a few targets.
      5. Run. The. Ball.
      6. Never been to either one.
      .
      .
      .
      *ALOHA*

    2. The good thing about this site is that someone like you can direct the conversation to the things you posted. If others find it interresting than they can respond. One thing about Grant he will create multiple subject blogs which gives posters a choice.

    3. Bay,
      I hear ya, regarding the RayMac issue, but it’s like the elephant in a small room. You can try to ignore and avoid it, but sooner or later you will bump into it.

      There may some other sites that can give you a full focus on football, but again, like it or not this is a fluid story that will likely be in the publics view for a while.

  4. Did Frank Gore get enough work in to be ready for the season opener? Frank walks over to Bay and politely slaps him, telling him to never question his readiness ever again….

    Are we ready to pass more than 26 times a game which was a league low? Depends on what the defenses are showing….

    Will Hyde immediately get half the carries if Gore doesn’t have instant success? Frank starts to get up again, but it’s Mr. Hyde who gets to Bay first and slaps him….

    Will the defense still be able to stop the run as in years past? I see no evidence that suggests they cannot…

    How many 3 receiver sets will we see? More on first downs, but really again predicated on what the defense is showing….

    What do you think our strategy will be versus the Cowboys? On offense, the weak linebacking corps should provide the TE’s with plenty of opportunities, while their RE is really a linebacker. On defense, make the Cowboys run the ball, and when Romo goes to pass, hit him repeatedly in the back….

    How loud is Cowboys stadium in comparison to the Saints dome? Louder then normal because it’s the 49ers, but not as loud as the Super Dome…..

    How’d I do?

    1. I don’t know. My head hurts from getting slapped so many times : ) Razor we all love Gore, but reality is reality. He’s at the end. What do you expect him to get better? I am looking at his last 13 starts including the playoffs.
      While there were a few good games sprinkled in, the rest look like this:
      2.9 ypc
      3.7 ypc
      3.7 ypc
      2.4 ypc
      2.8 ypc
      1.1 ypc
      3.3 ypc
      1.3 ypc

      I put my helmet on so I won’t get slapped anymore. I won’t be able to stand watching Gore get hit at the line and get no positive yards. We need to feed a back that can get outside and that can move a pile and get some positive yards after contact.
      In our last 11 games, Gore had 3 TD’s. In Lynch’s last 11 games he had 10 TD’s. We need a better plan or we plan to fail : )

  5. Bay,

    Couldn’t agree more. We should focus on football, though all these sports networks (ESPNs, NFL Network, Fox Sports, etc.) have a tendency to over pursuit a story until the fan base is exhausted (Tebow, RGIII, Manziel, Sam, A. Smith, etc., etc.).

    Can’t wait for football to start…

    Though in the interst of striking the horse again, the 49ers have to know what transpired. The event was well attended by players. I don’t think that the niners would ask for restraint if R. McD. were obviously guilty. I suspect there will be less to the story when it all comes out. Remember the old axiom: “Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned. “

    1. Again anything is possible he could actually be guilty of abuse. One thing though the bruises being where they are could also reflect someone being restrained or pushed away ( neck bruises) than someone being assaulted. The alternative explanation for the neck bruises would be strangulation which if someone of McD did would have done much more damage than just bruises. I think there are just to many questions left unanswered for us to be ready to get the horse, a rope and go looking for a tree.

  6. Bay
    When stuff hits the news about a player it is inevitable that the coach and gm will have to stand up at a Presser and absorb a lot of darts. These were those moments. Harbs will go through it with the Dallas Press too. Some reporters also have agendas. Whether RayMac plays is a loaded question but contains a football element.
    Now in terms of football, it seems to me us fans in this room are a bit smugly over-confident about the Cowboys. Their offense is likely to put some points on the board. On paper our offense should too, but we haven’t seen much this year. Show me Niners, I want to believe,

    1. Somehow the Seahawks have taken the majority of my hatred I had for the Cowboys. I’m sure it will re-manifest itself soon….

      1. I hate the owner.
        .
        I hate the star.
        .
        I hate the ‘America’s Team’ crap.
        .
        I. Hate. The. Cowboys.
        .
        The cheerleaders are cool though…
        .
        .
        .
        *ALOHA*

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