Jim Tomsula: “I’m not in any staff meetings or coaches meetings or anything with Al Guido.”

SANTA CLARA — This is the transcript of Jim Tomsula’s Monday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.

 

Opening comments:

“Injuries; [C] Marcus Martin left the game with a concussion, so that’s still there. That’ll be the protocol. And, [RB Shaun] Draughn left with the knee and he’s getting an MRI, so we’ll find out exactly what that is. Those are the two.”

 

WR Jerome Simpson?

“Draughn, with that knee he got popped in. I think he’s down there right now. If he’s not there right now, he’s on his way.”

 

Right before the end of the first half, it looked like QB Blaine Gabbert may have gotten shaken up on the sack and I saw QB Dylan Thompson throw his helmet on. Did he check in with any pain or anything?

“I think there was somebody, I don’t know exactly what happened right there, but we were just getting ready on the sidelines because he had gotten hit there. But, there was nothing to it.”

 

It seemed like OL Trent Brown had a nice outing. Limited number of snaps, but played well. Any sense that he’s going to–?

“Yeah, Trent, there were some things that he did that were really good. We’ve still got to keep cleaning up when things change in front of us. There’s some, when the games and the blitzes and things like that, we’re still in that process of getting that cleaned up. But, he is progressing really well and I thought he did a nice job.”

 

With two games to go, any sense that he’s going to, he and maybe some other younger guys that you would like to get a longer look at before the season ends?

“Well, Trent will probably be in the mix there. He’s gotten himself some reps. He did a pretty good job. We’ve got to keep growing. He’s got to make sure, we’ve got to make sure we’ve got everything clean in practice. And then with where Marcus is right now, we’ll have to see exactly how much that is.”

 

What was the plan at right cornerback going into this game?

“Well, we’ve been looking to get more guys on the field. I’ve been looking to get more guys on the field. I think we’ve got a couple of guys there that I like, that I personally want to see on the field and I want to see them competing and see how they are playing. I thought [CB] Dontae [Johnson] stepped in there, you’re talking about when Dontae got in there, I thought he did a heck-of-a job. I think Dontae is a really good football player. So, to see him in there, and we want to get [CB Marcus] Cromartie in there a little bit more and get some work there. And then, you saw [CB Keith] Reaser in there. So, I think those guys are all very talented, so I want to make sure we get them in there. I think they’ve earned the right to get some reps. They’ve played before.”

 

Has CB Kenneth Acker’s play, has it kind of opened the door for you to take a look at what the other guys can do?

“Well I mean, Kenneth to me this year is, you’ve seen development in Kenneth and you’ve seen Kenneth get better. He works at it. But, it’s more about those other guys than it is Kenneth.”

 

Do you just shake your head? I mean, all these running backs you’ve lost. It just seems–?

“It’s part of it. Let’s go. We’ve got to go. That’s not an excuse. And we’ll see where Draughn is. He was running the ball pretty well the other day and he does a nice job for us in protection.”

 

You have the ability to get RB Mike Davis back on the 53-man roster I think this week?

“We have to see how that goes. He’s on the IR to return, so we’ll see where that is.”

 

Do you know where his health is right now?

“That’s what I’m saying. That’s day-to-day, week-to-week. So, we’ve just got to keep watching that. I mean, you’ve got a running back with a hand, so I don’t want to–.”

 

To his point, if you wanted to, if he was healthy enough, you can bring him back now?

“Yes. He’s on the IR to return. So, he can do that, but we’re not going to put him in any danger.”

 

Speaking on that subject of an injured player, what’s your, and I’m asking about QB Colin Kaepernick, what’s your process or what’s your feeling on having injured players on the sideline at the stadium?

“That’s completely up to the medical staff. What we do, my policy with injured players is we don’t bring them on the road. If you’re an IR guy, we’re not bringing you on the road. You get way more done here. Getting on airplanes, going to hotels, trying to find places to get rehab, then you’re down in a makeshift training room and I just don’t think it’s helping you get better because when you’re on the IR, your injured, now your fulltime job is to get better. So, we don’t travel. Now, when it comes to the sideline on home games, if anybody’s going to be in a position where they can’t get out of the way, they are going to be in danger, I don’t want them around. But, [vice president of football operations Jeff Ferguson] Fergy makes those calls and the medical staff with doctors. They make those calls on who’s going to be on the sideline and who’s not, but it’s all safety related.”

 

And so, you don’t have a set policy, its case-by-case?

“Yeah. If you are injured like [DL] Glenn Dorsey, he’s not on the sidelines. I know firmly from the medical staff, Glenn Dorsey is not going to be on the sideline. He’s got that leg. They don’t want him messing around there, getting bump, banged. You know what I mean? Something comes off the sideline.”

 

Was G/T Alex Boone on the sideline?

“Boone I think was out there. He was out there in pregame and then he went in. So, he was out walking around, but he wasn’t out there for the game because with that brace they don’t think he can get out of the way. We’re more than happy to have him on the sideline. As long as the medical staff tells me he’s not going to get hurt or he can protect himself, then we don’t have any problems. I’d welcome Boone out there. And as far as Kap, again, whatever, we’re not going to get that banged. I guess that’s where they are at with that.”

 

How do you think LB Eli Harold did yesterday?

“You know, there were some really good plays with Eli. The one pass, you saw, he slipped in coverage. He was turning there, but the feet got a little bit wide on him. But, Eli had a couple of really good plays there. He had some really good effort plays chasing the ball down. He had some really nice plays with the collision on the tight end and crushing the edge in the run game. I really like where he’s heading. That’s another one of our young guys that we’re really excited about. He’s a little small right now and not as strong as we want him to be, but he works at it. When he strikes you, he strikes you with everything he’s got. So, we figure we pack on a little bit more muscle and a little bit more weight, he’s going to be striking with everything that he puts on. We’re excited about him and I thought yesterday he represented himself well.”

 

Are you aware of what CBS sideline reporter Jay Feely said based on a conversation with COO Al Guido? Were you made aware of those comments?

“Jay Feely?”

 

Yeah, the former kicker.

“The kicker, the guy that I had to talk to on the–.”

 

Yeah.

“He was talking to Al Guido?”

 

So, no. OK. Anyway, it was his perception that, Jay Feely said on the broadcast that one thing that maybe this organization didn’t account for was just the lack of, with all the veterans that left in the offseason, that there was kind of a leadership void. Obviously, there are some still leaders here, but that was tough to account for. How would you assess, with guys like Indianapolis Colts RB Frank Gore and former DT Justin Smith and former LB Patrick Willis and others that have gone, has that been a challenge for you just as a head coach, getting guys to step into those positions?

“As you stated that, we knew there was a core group that was not here. There was a core group here with Justin and Frank. I was with all those guys the whole time. There was a core group here that built up through some tough times and got into some really good times and did a heck-of-a job leading and just the tightness, you know what I mean? I don’t think we’ve hidden from that. That core is gone. We’re developing another core. We’ve got to develop a core. I think there’s a lot of pieces to that core here. A lot of them are young, but I keep talking about the [DB] Jimmie Wards and the [TE] Blake Bells and the Eli Harolds and the [S Jaquiski] Tartts. We’ve got some guys there that I’m really excited about. And you match that with an [NT] Ian Williams. You know, you’ve got [LB] NaVorro [Bowman] here, you know what I mean? But that young crew I’m really excited about. Now, is it a welded together core? No, not yet. But, are they working towards it? Do they have the intangibles? I believe they do. So, I’m really excited about them. But, I don’t think we’ve, I’m not sure where you were going with that, but I don’t think we were hiding behind, I mean, they left, other guys are here and we’re building that.”

 

Has it been a challenge as a head coach to make sure that type of leadership has been replaced in the locker room or at least try to develop it?

“Yeah. It’s being developed. We had, with Dorsey and [S Antoine] Bethea, those two guys, felt real good about them. And obviously, Dorsey’s not back in yet, but Bethea is, you know, his workouts so he’s more around the guys. But, yeah that’s what we have to do. That’s what we’re doing.”

 

Is Al Guido in a position to make a statement about players who are leaders or lack of leadership on the team? Is he in the locker room with you, in coaches meetings with you? Is he the one who would make that statement?

“I don’t know who made that. I don’t know that that was who made the statement.”

 

It was Jay Feely’s interpretation of a conversation he had with him.

“OK. Yeah, I don’t know anything about that, but no I’m not in any staff meetings or coaches meetings or anything with Al Guido. I think Al Guido, I’ve got a lot of respect for Al Guido. He’s a great guy, he really is. But in terms of that, I meet with [general manager] Trent [Baalke] and I meet with the owners.”

 

You mentioned Ian Williams as part of that young core. He’s not signed for next season. Is that something that you think will happen or you want to have happen?

“Again, I’m not going to get into, I don’t know where that is on the business side. I’m a big Ian guy, you know that. [DT] Quinton Dial is also in that. I’d throw a few names there, but there’s a core group of guys there.”

This article has 282 Comments

  1. Grant:

    Do you think Tomsula will start off his presser with…”Well we’re 4 and 10 but we’re 0-5 in the division?”

  2. Here’s a recap of grades from PFF for the Bengals game.

    https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/12/21/pro-cin-sf-grades/

    Dial, Williams and Bowman all with above +5, and Ward with +4.7 (highest grade of his career I believe). Brooks also with +3.3. Very high grades for the D. Grant, do you still think the DL deserved a C for the game?

    Trent Brown with +2.4, +2.2 of that for pass protection. How in the world has Pears been starting ahead of him?

    1. The defense rebounded nicely and the run defense especially was impressive, but the Bengals didn’t try to do anything offensively other than protect the ball and run the clock after they went up by 24. I don’t think McCarron threw a pass after the first possession of the second half.

    2. “How in the world has Pears been starting ahead of him?”

      Scooter,

      This coaching staff has absolutely no clue what they are doing. That’s the only explanation I can muster.

      1. Sadly, that’s all I can come up with too.

        Baalke deserves a lot of blame for not getting the right players for a functional offense. He does. But he can’t be blamed for the CS putting Pears and Devey on the right side next to Martin at centre, when the CS had access to Tiller and Brown from the get go. Or for deciding to go with Martin at centre instead of Looney.

        Actually, I take that back, he can be blamed. He was on board with hiring this CS in the first place.

        1. Baalke can’t be blamed for playing time, but he bares all of the blame for the roster since he’s the one who has the final say.

  3. Hey Dumbsula, instead of trying to clean things up in week 14, how about getting your boys to play down right nasty and mean? Your team looks like a bunch of pansies!

    1. Tomfula is a better name for our fat plumber and meat cutter. see how nice Tomfula can cut the meat according to Grant’s father.

  4. 49ers clinch last place in NFC West with loss to Bengals.

    Do you think Coach T plays his starters the full game, while the Lion’s and Ram’s coaches pull their’s to prevent injury, as coach T screws Niner fans out of a Top 5 pick by winning out with this strategy?

  5. Al Guido might as well be Guido Sarducci of SNL fame with respect to the competence with which he speaks for this self-destructing organization! This dysfunctional group may be more laughable than SNL, of course, that’s laughing at not with!

  6. USA TODAY:

    50 things we learned in Week 15 of the 2015 NFL season

    26. Maybe things will be OK with the Bengals. AJ McCarron capitalized on opportunities provided by the defense, turning three first-half takeaways into two touchdowns. Also, his deep ball down either sideline has been very nice. Dimes to A.J. Green and Marvin Jones.

    27. Then again, you can’t play the 49ers every week.

  7. http://blogs.mercurynews.com/kawakami/2015/12/21/note-to-future-49ers-tv-sideline-reporters-if-you-are-talking-to-this-man-you-are-not-supposed-to-quote-him-by-name/-My definition of 49ers leaking: When team execs have a pre-planned message to send out and the targeted media entity repeats it almost exactly as 49ers management whispered/texted/said it.

    The Al Guido/CBS game broadcast “report” of the organization’s support for and confidence in coach Jim Tomsula yesterday was a classic “leak” case accidentally revealed to everyone, just because that’s how clumsily and obviously the 49ers execs roll these days.

  8. Guido–the rising star in the 49ers front office who is expected to replace Paraag Marathe after the Super Bowl–didn’t accidentally bump into sideline reporter Jay Feely or the CBS crew in the hours or days before yesterday’s game.

    This was an assignment. This was a plant. A leak.

    Guido clearly tried to guide CBS to a conclusion–that Tomsula was given a tough situation and has the full organization’s support for 2016–which CBS happily regurgitated on air.

    It blew up when Feely said Guido’s name and connected the “conclusion” too closely to Guido’s conversation.

    Oops! You could imagine what Jed York and Trent Baalke were thinking when they heard about this: That’s not how it’s supposed to
    work.

    1. Will the Cheapness ever end?…It appears the York’s will stoop to anything to save a buck (keeping Tomsula)–including lie to 49er PSL holders and fans about this situation.

    1. Cassie:

      Don’t frighten me…Do you suggest that the front office have Corleone on staff who might rub-out Guido for such an heinous blunder, or even worse, any inquisitive PSL holders?

  9. Is it possible that Paraag is making a palace coop, in an attempt to regain his prior position the Jedster demoted him from?
    This is Machiavellian to its very core…Think of it. Paraag, having never been linked positively to leaking (only rumored for lack of evidence) taught Guido the art of leaking, but did so incorrectly. This would set Guido up for the fall–an idiot for failing to fulfill the Jedster’s first assignment, putting Paraag in line to regain his position.

  10. Quick pole:

    Who do you think will be the first to talk to the media following the season, Jed or Trent?

    My money is on Trent, Jed will push him out there to take some of the arrows and pave the way for Tomsula’s return.

    Jed will finally talk to the media after much of the dust has settled and many stories have already been written and will appear in a very controlled and scripted environment and then quickly disappear.

  11. Question for the group.

    If Baalke is the one that is replaced, are the odds high that the new GM will demand that he choose the HC. Or is it common that new GMs are brought in and the HC is retained. I’m thinking the latter, but I really don’t know.

    1. I can’t see any GM hired keeping Tomsula. The new GM would want to bring in his own guy. If your going to build something you might as well use your own materials and tools.

      1. Prime: I agree in principle. But here’s what prompted my question. BASG mentioned that he thinks one of the reasons Tomsula will stay is because Denise York thinks the world of him. With someone like DY, who is not football-savvy, these types of relationships probably dominate her decision making. Therefore, I could see her wanting to keep Tomsula but agreeing that getting rid of Baalke would give the fan base some of what we want. Promote Gamble or bring someone else in and keep Tomsula. If Tomsula fails again, then maybe move on. Of course, it’s all speculation, but I suppose something like this or a variant of it is plausible.

        And before you pooh-pooh the idea, think about whether or not you’ve retained someone (insurance agent, investment adviser) just because you’ve built a relationship with them, even though you know you could do better. I’m not saying I want this, just looking at some options that are realistic given that it is highly unlikely they will blow the FO up and admit abject failure on their part.

        1. Cubus, I agree. With all his roster moves and failings, Baalke has essentially fired himself.
          I also think that Tomsula will still be HC, because they want to value continuity, and if they fired him, the whole team would implode and they would be back to the Erickson days.
          Tomsula is being a leader, and has absorbed all the ire from the pundits and fans, and deflected criticism from Jed. I actually want him to stay because he did go bold and went for it on 4th down several times. I have been really harsh in my comments towards the coaches, and Tomsula is not blameless. Tomsula must, however, part with his OC because of his 32nd ranking. Maybe they can lure a hungry and innovative college coach.
          Maybe Mike Bloomgren, the OC at Stanford.

        2. I agree with everything you said. I sure hope they see beyond Tomsula’s nice guy persona.
          The NFL is planning to be a 200 billion dollar operation by 2018. This is a big deal and you can’t have amateurs run this type of operation.

          1. Well, someone…some team…needs to be at the bottom-feeder end of the bell curve, 200 billion or not.

    2. It’s hard to imagine that if York decided to fire Baalke that he wouldn’t fire Tomsula also. I can see Tomsula going and Baalke staying but not the other way around. The new GM would have his choice of head coach and no new GM is going to retain Tomsula after the season we just had.

      1. See my post to Prime immediately above. My thinking is it might not be about Jed, but maybe more about Denise. Of course, I don’t really know – just speculating like everyone else.

        1. I don’t believe Denise really has any direct input into these kinds of decisions. Regardless of her owner status you would be hard pressed to convince me that she asserts her wishes on these kinds of matters.

          1. Yeah, it’s something I thought about. I’m just throwing out an idea, but it really would be good to have an example of where she has inserted herself in the past into the decision making to give this thought any legs.

          2. All I know from the Yorks is they are worse then the Clipper and Warriors management and yet they got new owners and the NFL can’t find it fitting to throw York out of the league for what he has done and what his family has done. I thought there were laws, but I guess NFL Is like pro wrestling, push the envelope and see what you get away with.

          3. I think Tomsula gave us a clue when he said he talked with the OWNERS. That is plural, not singular.

          4. I think Denise has quite a bit of influence behind the scenes. She’s known to be cheap. It’s not a cheap persons game. It’s about family, passion or ego for these owners. Some want to win, some want to show off and some simply inherited the team. Denise doesn’t like football, she doesn’t like the spotlight and she has no passion for the franchise. It’s a business that she acquired after her brother messed up. It’s all about profit for her.

            She would still make a ridiculous amount of money after hiring great coaches but their reluctance to do so signals that the bottom line comes first. She hired her son to run a business that he is unqualified to run. They pissed people off with contract structuring, removed the chief negotiator of contracts from a prominent role but still continue to utilize him to negotiate contracts.

            They screwed Smith when they re-signed him. They screwed Kaepernick when they extended him. They didn’t want to pay Harbaugh. There is absolutely no commitment to greatness. Denise York is the type of owner that the salary cap floor was created for. Eddie D. was the reason for the salary cap. It started with him and it starts with her, don’t fool yourself.

            1. She’s known to be cheap.
              —————
              Says every fan of a struggling team. They’ve never been close to the league minimum in spending. If it wasn’t for the recent unexpected departures we’d be hurting for cap space. Save the tired cliche’s and come up with new material.

              1. Coffee,
                Not every fan of struggling teams says that. Many of the worst teams in sports are the ones that spend the most money. People don’t buy NFL teams to make money, they buy them as a toy because they are already filthy rich. The York’s didn’t buy the 49ers, they acquired them as part of a settlement. The team is valuable to them because it makes them money.

                “Save the tired cliche’s and come up with new material.”

                Why don’t you remove your head from your rear and bring it into reality? The only time the York’s have spent money is when they tolerated Harbaugh for four years while he got a stadium built for them. Here’s some new material for you:

                http://sierrafoothillsreport.com/2014/12/28/john-york-how-an-an-oakie-from-muskogee-has-ruined-the-san-francisco-49ers-legacy/

                Salary cap space by year under the York’s.

                2016: $42+million
                2015: $13+ million

                Harbaugh era:
                2014: $6.5 million
                2013: $6.5 million
                2012: $1.5+\-million

                Pre-Harbaugh:

                2011: $28+million
                2010: $33+million
                2009: $25+million

                The coaching salaries follow the same curve. There is nothing cliché about it, it’s cold hard fact. It’s almost as if they decided to spend money for a few years so that they could print money for many years.

    3. I don’t Baalke or Tomsula will be gone after this season Cubus. Past history shows that the Yorks will allow the situation to decay further before making any big changes, and it usually doesn’t involve the GM.

      1. Well, Mid, the empty stadium and fan discontentment (flying banners) might be a major factor in prompting changes. I wish I had an idea of how much the 49ers make per year in concession and other “during the game” revenue.

        It will be interesting to see if anti-Jed banners will/can be flown before the Superbowl game starts.

        1. I don’t think any owner can stand by and not fire a coaching staff and GM when it’s clear as day the players don’t play with any sort of care. How do you sell that to your fan base or make excuses for guys not playing hard?

          1. I am torn, I definitely want Chryst gone, but Mangini has had good games. McGaughey could be fired, and I would never shed a tear.

            1. Seb: All of them are third-rate coaches. There are better candidates out there…but would they want to come?

          2. It seems obvious for sure, but look at what people like Maiocco, BASG and others are saying. They pretty much expect no changes to the GM and HC. It boggles the mind.

            But when you think about it, there’s examples of this all over the corporate world. CEOs and management that are kept far too long despite poor financial performance. Unless you work for the corporation or are a major stockholder you’re unlikely to care. Large entities seem to have an “inertia” that can keep them afloat for a long time. I see parallels to NFL teams. Many stockholders just sell their shares even if they have to take a loss – they get out and move on. Many fans will just stop going to the games – they figure out something else to do on Sundays. At some point in both situations, people in charge will take notice, but how low does it have to go before they do?

            1. They need to think it through. They should not fire anyone if they do not have their replacements lined up ahead of time. This past coaching search was so embarrassing. They should not repeat dysfunctional history.

        2. It will be interesting to see if anti-Jed banners will/can be flown before the Superbowl game starts.

          I doubt a banner can be flown over during the Super Bowl or the leadup to it because of security concerns.

          1. Agree. There will be an air show (Blue Angels?) and that alone will restrict the air space. They might be able to fly, but the restrictions might be too many hours before the game starts to result in an impact.

            1. Heck, fly during the week leading up to game. All those events going on across the South Bay? Fly it baby! Fly it!

  12. For Tomsula to say he’s not involved…why is he the coach then? I am really flabbergasted by that! Did he say ‘it’s on me?’ I really can’t stomach any press conference until the rat is sent on his way. I want Tomsula OUT OF HERE!

  13. LEt’s say if York did fire the GM, wanted to keep Tomsula, what about if the new GM were to say they got fire Tomsula. Would York do it?

    1. Easy. They could stipulate that if the GM wanted the job, he would have to accept Tomsula. Only GMs who will let Tomsula be the coach will be hired.

    1. Are you sure it’s not that Al Guido who threw four TDs in a single high-school game? Wasn’t he selling women’s shoes in some mall in a Dallas suburb when he was discovered by Jerry Jones?

  14. Al Guido: “…They knew what they were getting into when they had all the defections….”
    perhaps Al should have used the word “defecation” to describe what the F.O. has gotten itself bogged into?

    1. Rather than have a rookie compete with Gabbert, I’d prefer to trade for a QB to compete with him (and still draft a QB). Glennon makes sense to me as he is on a team with Winston now firmly at the helm.

    2. The 49ers Have a Good Young Core on Defense – Agree. They need MLB and another pass rusher. I have hopes for McCray developing into a violent safety.

      Eric Mangini Is a Predictable Play-Caller – Not true. His own DBs have a hard time predicting what Mangini wants.

      Geep Chryst Is a Conservative Play-Caller – Agree. Its a weird kind of conservative. Chryst has a good fullback riding the pine while his quarterback throws 2 yard passes to receivers bracketed by DBs. Maybe its because he ran out of running backs.

    3. Good write-up Grant, and spot on.

      Does anyone trust Baalke to rebuild an offense. We should have 2 GM’s just se wan keep Baalke for the defense. He sure can draft the heck out of a LB

  15. Anyone here think Kaep to the Cowboys makes sense next year? There are some rumblings they are interested. I think that would be an excellent landing spot for him. Good OL, good skill position players on offense, and a place where he can spend some time as the backup and be a quality backup if (when) Romo gets hurt, and in a few years potentially take over.

    1. Oh great. Another Haley situation? Kaep will come back and haunt the Niners for years?
      I still want Kaep as the Niner QB, but the way he has been treated, I would not blame him a bit if he wants out. If so, the Niners should trade him to an AFC team, because if he is cut, he would probably go to the Rams who would play the Niners twice a year.

        1. Lets see, he was promised that if he signed a very team friendly contract, they would use the money saved to sign veterans to keep the team together. With all the FA defections, he probably was a teensy bit miffed.
          When someone in the FO leaked that Gabbert studied 5 times longer than Kaep, it definitely was not something Kaep wanted to be disseminated.
          When players like Romo are allowed to stand on the side lines, and even Boone with his bum knee that limits his mobility, yet Kaep is forbidden to associate with the team at games, I would consider that a slap in the face. I saw Dalton standing on the side lines, and he was at an away game.

          1. If anyone treated CK badly, it was his agents for allowing the contract to be structured the way it was. Other agents around the league were major POd about how dumb it was.

      1. I hope Kaep goes somewhere he can be successful, and I think the Cowboys would be a good landing spot.

      2. No team will trade for Kap and assume the 14 mil salary. The only way a trade will happen is if Kap agrees to a restructured contract as part of the trade. I don’t see Kap doing that when he can simply wait till April 1 and force the Niners to let him become a free agent.

        The Niners will get nothing for Kap.

    2. Scooter: A week or two ago, I posed the idea that we might pick up Rivers. Your thoughts on that. I know he would probably be fairly expensive, but he would be a radical departure from what we’ve had the last umpteen years. I would be very intrigued to see if he could somehow transform the offense (assuming we have a decent OC).

      The other idea would be Peyton Manning. Again, because he might effectively be the OC as well as the QB, it would be interesting to see if he could transform this offense. But it would be a crapshoot for sure, because he looks like he is at the end of his career. I think I’d prefer Rivers.

      1. If they can get Rivers without having to give up a lot (i.e., be able to keep their first rounder), then yeah, I’d be on board with that move cubus. Good QB to have for the next 2-3 years while they groom someone else. But I don’t really see the Chargers agreeing to do so after the extension they gave him in August.

        I’d be against bringing in Manning.

        1. I just think that having a good OC is not enough for this team. We need a QB from outside the team – one who is a good passer and aggressive at it. One who learned/developed his craft ouside of this team. There hasn’t been a good homegrown (or almost homegrown) QB since Young. We need an outsider if we want to see a competitive offense fairly quickly. I know, I know, you need a good OL which I agree with, but that can also be addressed by having A.Davis coming back and using some of the FA dollars for OL.

          1. Yeah, we definitely need a new and competent OC. Manning is good at running an offense with himself at QB, but he’s not near the QB he used to be.

    3. Kaep to anyone makes sense if the Niners get a good pick(s). I’m not sure he fits their offense. I’m thinking Buffalo.

        1. Nobody is going to give a draft pick for Kaep, since he will likely be cut June 1st with no strings attached. Other teams just need to wait.

            1. It has to, otherwise he would have the 2016 salary guaranteed. But, I’m not sure if they couldn’t have him “off the books” by April 1st and still designate him as a June 1st cut. I think you can do that for one or two players.

              1. Cubus, I don’t think they can do that. If he is designated a post June 1 cut I believe technically he is on the books until that point.

              2. Yeah, aware of all that cubus. But, on rethinking, it probably is just a salary cap based designation, and any guarantees accruing between being cut and the June 1 date are voided.

              3. Well, I don’t think anyone, outside those involved, know the exact language of the contract. The choice of April 1st is potentially telling. If they are able to use this against CK then they can push out some of the dead money – thereby yielding more cap space in 2016. That would be a contract move you would expect from this FO.

        2. I’d demand nothing less than RG3 compensation the Rams got in 2012. Three first rounders plus a second rounder to sweeten the pot would do.

          Seriously, I’d be happy with any picks. I’d consider trading CK+2nd rounder to move back into the first for Scooby Wright.

          1. I just contradicted myself. I don’t think CK will be on the team on draft day, so no draft day trades.

            1. Maybe not a “draft day trade”, but a deal could still be done (see Seachickens trade for Graham).

          2. How about Kaep for Ronald Leary, the backup LG behind La’el Collins that was the starter in 2013 and 2014? Leary will be a RFA this coming season, so 49ers could work out a trade to obtain his rights.

  16. “San Francisco is the worst team I have ever seen. It is the worst coached team I have EVER seen.” – Colin Cowherd, 21/12-15

    1. He must not watch very much football. There were a lot worse teams. The winless Detroit team. The winless Tampa bay team. Several one win teams looked a lot worse than the Niners, and were constantly being blown out with putrid coaching.
      This season, the Browns have looked worse at times, and 14 teams have given up more points than the Niners.

      1. Seb: Points don’t matter, they are irrelevant particularly when the Niners are playing to avoid 44-3 scores…they are not playing to win. Moreover, 14 teams do not have a worse record than the Niners, do they? So points are irrelevant.

        Coaching? yes, it is a terribly coached team. But what do you expect when you hire that band of clowns to coach the team? They are an exact image of their coach.

  17. I would love to hear responses to this question:

    If you had the superpower to make the 49ers video scoreboard do anything you wanted during games (wouldn’t matter if they tried to turn it off), what would you have it do?

    I’d have animated cartoons of Jed pooping on fans, followed by videos of Steve Young, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Ronnie Lott talking about how they wouldn’t trust Jed to babysit their dogs let alone run their former team.

    1. I would just put up plays from the Super Bowls to inspire the players.
      Being crass and classless may seem funny to some, but it is embarrassing to true die hard Niner fans. Spewing hatred towards the owner does no good, it just defines the haters. I expect no less from them, but their disgusting screeds just turn my stomach.
      You should post this on NN, they have devolved into hating Jed so badly, they would hurl insults at him all day if they could.

      1. Why stop at 9er Super Bowl clips? Let’s have clips from Saving Private Ryan and Braveheart. I could easily see Razoreater as William Wallace and Jed as the evil Longshanks.

        1. Yeah, I could see little Jed reinstating Prima Nocta and not being abe to get it up when the time came. That dude is impotent on all levels.

    1. Wow … just wow !

      Thanks, Midwest …Borland was
      a star .. but a man’s gotta do..what a
      man’s gotta do

    2. I notice how so many players are being put on the CTE protocols. I wonder if that has anything to do with the upcoming movie.

      1. I doubt it Seb. It’s more that the players are becoming more aware of what CTE can do to them.

      2. Players aren’t putting themselves in the protocol. It’s the league covering their butts. As soon as a player takes a hit to the head they are pulled from the game and evaluated. If the doctors feel the player is exhibiting symptoms he’s done for the day and he will enter the protocol that week. It’s automatic, there’s no choice to be made. Even if the player isn’t pulled from the game they will still be re-evaluated the next day and could still end up in the protocol. The decision is made by the doctors.

  18. How the Niner should strategize against the Lions.
    Elevate Hayne and get the ball in his hands as much as possible in a variety of ways.
    Stop shooting themselves in the foot.
    Sit Pears. Start Brown.
    Emphasize reducing the unforced errors.
    On first down, run the RO so it could either be a run or a pass.
    Run the no huddle with quick snaps. Do not wait until way behind before starting to use that tactic. Try to catch them with 12 men on the field, and throw a long bomb if it is a free play.
    Stop the mental errors.
    Do not run the ball if confronted with 2nd and short. They will be expecting the run, so do the play action pass for an explosion play.
    Be smart.
    The offense needs to be less predictable and conservative. They need to make in game adjustments to exploit the weaknesses of the defense.
    Put a man in motion and let Gabbert read the defense’s reaction.
    Invite the blitz, then attack the position where the blitzer left. Study how the Bengals did that last game.
    Coaches need to put the best players in positions to succeed. They need to think quick on their feet.
    Niners can win if they are focused, prepared and energized. They should play like their jobs are on the line. They should play to make the fans proud of them.
    They should play Niner Football, with quick, smart, efficient and effective plays.
    They really need to stop shooting themselves in the foot.

    1. Seb… You should capture your wisdom, publish it, and make millions. You could go on the coaching lecture circuit and make even more. I’m confident no one, and I mean no one, has thought of the things you have–certainly not the crack staff employed by Jed. You’re simply brilliant. Tom Landry, Bill Walsh, Chuck Knoll, and Bill Belichick have nothing on you. Example… “Invite the blitz, then attack the position where the blitzer left.” That’s fresh innovation!!

        1. My dad? Gosh no… Seb has replaced my dad as THE oracle of football knowledge. I don’t deserve to even have Seb’s shadow fall on me.

      1. Alas, the coaches seem incapable to devise plays to accomplish those goals, so I am resigned to watching more futility.
        Another point I forgot to mention. I hope Tomsula spits again, and makes the GM disappear like Marathe.

  19. I have long thought that one of the reasons that Jed/Trent have wanted Tomsula as coach is that he comes cheap. That is true. However, do they honestly think that he is a good head coach? Do they think that he is just a few players away from turning this all around? Do they think he is a great teacher who is just got off to a rocky start and that next year will be different? Do they think that he can make a few tweaks to his staff and find and entice a competent Offensive Coordinator to join his staff and things will really take off?

    We are fans and we are critical by nature. I am trying to be objective and seriously look at what are the motivating factors in keeping Tomsula and the majority of his staff for the coming year. The only things I can come up with is that he comes cheap and that he has ingratiated himself to the York family and to Baalke. What am I missing? What does he bring to the table as a Head Coach that would warrant keeping him for another year? I really am curious.

    1. It is curious to me that before this thread was derailed by responses to a posters grandiose statements, as is unfortunately often the case, no one was able to state what it is in Tomsula that makes York/Baalke think he can do the job? I don’t see it, and I think most posters on this forum don’t see it. What does Tomsula have that they see and we don’t. Besides the fact that he is cheap and malleable? I really am curious.

      1. No one is able to state… hmm, anyone can post anything anytime. I started a new post thread, but nobody responded to yours. Maybe they would rather hope the Niners suck and lose the last 2 games because they want a high draft choice.
        You should have put in Goff, Wentz and Manziel to generate hits.

      2. Tomsula rose up in an ‘aw shucks’ manner and coached a wining game at the end of the Singletary era. He was cuddly and lovable, at the team won. His personallity screams ‘aw shucks’ loyalty–bleed red and gold. That wasn’t lost on the Yorks. I’m confident the Yorks insisted Tomsula have a place in Harbaugh’s new staff. Fangio could live with it so okay… So many lovable stories about Tomsula–living out of his car, humble loyalty, great teacher (??), affable and easy going with players. Lovable (again…). Trent puts up with him because Tomsula is favored by the Yorks. Trent had issues with Harbaugh, he now has issues (way different issues) with Tomsula, but can’t do much about it. Trent is a product of the Parcells school of football. No way Tomsula would be confused with a Parcells disciple. Not all is rosy between Tent and Tomsula. Trent just grits his teeth and plays along.

      3. Tomsula, was a classic overreaction choice to Harbaugh. They just screwed up and thought that JH was the problem. They chose somebody who didn’t have Harbaugh’s weaknesses but they failed to chose somebody who had strengths that JH possessed that helped us win.

        1. I thought that the Niners could have withstood the storm if they had chosen Fangio. Maybe the insistence that Tomsula become the DC was the deal breaker, but I bet Fangio would have fought to keep the team together.
          Tomsula should have become a coordinator before he became a HC.

          1. Fangio can coach and knows how to get his players to show up for games and doesn’t coddle them. Fangio loves veterans over rookies and youth. He wouldn’t play people no matter how talented unless he felt like they fully grasped the play book. He would have been a much better choice over JT. I don’t know that he could have kept J Smith around.

            1. A lot of players were rooting for Fangio, and probably were dismayed when he was not chosen. Heck, I surmise that Willis may have stayed for Fangio, and Frank left too because he saw the writing on the wall.

      4. What does Tomsula have that they see and we don’t. Besides the fact that he is cheap and malleable?

        I don’t think it’s one certain trait Leo. I would guess it would be a combination of: Familiarity, personality, likability, success as a position Coach, information link, loyalty etc. This has been talked about many times before but it’s prudent to why Tomsula has this job, and that is he was the anti Harbaugh. Whether it’s Jed, Baalke or both, Harbaugh wasn’t interested in cow towing to their whims and desires. As soon as Jed said his philosophy differed from Harbaughs going back to 2012, it’s easy to see how this played out. Harbaugh wouldn’t give a flying f*ck what Jeds philosophy was, nor would he be interested in Jeds thoughts on how to improve the team. With Baalke, it was likely more a competitive streak that both men possess that derailed their relationship. It’s tough for a HC to accept being told who he’s going to keep on the team he Coaches as well and for good reason.

        In Tomsula, they had a guy who was grateful to have the job, who would do whatever they asked with no questions asked and welcome their input into the day to day running of the team. They were also arrogant enough to believe that the team had so much talent that anybody could win with this group. That is what is so disturbing about the whole situation. We have a young guy playing owner with his Moms football team, who believes he knows everything but truly knows nothing, and a GM who is not willing to give up final say on personnel even though he can’t evaluate and draft quality offensive players.

        To put it bluntly, the guys in charge wanted a yes man who wouldn’t make waves and that is exactly what they got.

        1. Well said Rocket. Now lets hope the owner can do some self reflecting and put his personal issues and agendas aside and do what is right for the team. Hire someone competent, proven and driven, all the while being able to get along with everyone in the building. There is someone out there with this on their resume.
          It hasn’t worked with Jim Tomsula and its pretty clear it hasn’t worked with Trent Baalke. Jed York has to swallow all of this and I think he will because there is a tradition here with the 49ers that is almost extinct. One more year of the same will completely abolish it. I don’t think he wants that. I dint think he can afford that.

  20. After JH was mutually parted, I am sure that prospective HCs gave Jim a call to see if he had any advice. I am sure JH gave a not so glowing recommendation. Several prospective candidates turned down the offers or made so many demands that they were rejected, so Tomsula was the fallback candidate. My proof of this assertion was the debacle trying to find the assistant coaches. The coaching fraternity is a close knit bunch, so many coaches loathed what Jed did to JH, and many just assumed that Jed would do the same to them if they came aboard. Baalke scraped the bottom of the barrel, and probably had to promise that they would not fire them mid season because of all the defections, retirements and the daunting schedule which was the third hardest in the league.
    Tomsula may be a victim of the Peter Principle, where people are elevated to a place of incompetence. Tomsula is a great D line coach, but like Singletary, has very little Head Coaching acumen. Too many games, he has a bludgeoned look on his face, and cannot make those in game adjustments that are critical for winning games. His stubborn insistence to keep playing Pears has been his main fault. It is nice to see his loyalty to the players, but when their play hurts the team and allows the franchise QB to get injured because of their incompetence, it is a recipe for failure.
    His second fault is relying on his assistants assessments to bench Hayne. Keeping Hayne on the side lines just meant that he sheathed a potent weapon. It would be OK if the replacements shined, but they sucked, and made their poor decision open to scathing criticism. Keeping Hyde on the roster also was a bad decision, because Hayne should have taken his spot. Instead they waited until they were eliminated from the playoffs before putting Hyde on IR.
    I like Tomsula, and his bold decision to go for it on 4th downs makes me want to have the Niners retain him. I feel like he has read my posts.Too bad his coordinators have let him down with conservative and predictable play calling and poor schemes on defense. The players like him, so the locker room has not disintegrated, which could easily have happened with any 4-10 team.

    1. Yes, it’s all the fault of those lazy, stupid coordinators. Peter Principle? Let’s change that to the Tomsula Rule…

    2. “I feel like he has read my posts.”

      As long as he’s done this than we should keep him. But if we bring in someone else we have to work some kind of clause in their contract….

      Just………wow

      1. Well, when he went timid, I ripped him up and down and sideways. When I said he should go bold, and go for it on 4th down, then see him go for it 3 times the next game, what else can I surmise?

        1. Exactly! You were the only one on the face of this planet with sufficient intellect to think through and offer that sage advice. Since Tomsula trolls Grant’s blogs, he (Jimmy) came across your post and his light bulb came on. Done!

          1. Thank you for all the attention. While you are at it give your dad a little advice from me. Baalke should really look into that bait shop. He should do that because after his record drafting and signing FAs, he should acknowledge that some fish, the others cut bait, and your dad is more associated with the latter.

          2. I am the only one to write it down and put in in a post. Most posters are dithering about draft choices, as if the season is over, while I am conjecturing about how the Niners can improve. Do not be fooled, on NN, they were outing a FO plant, so it is logical to assume that the 49er organization reads blogs on a 49er site. There are anonymous media types on this blog, and Grant is no slouch. Bob Lange would be accused of incompetence if he, as PR head, does not monitor the blogs.
            Diss me all you want, but the very fact that you are talking about this just means you spent the time to read it. I really do not give a hoot if you do read my posts. My target is for the ones who read the banality and yearn for thought provoking commentary, that dwells upon a downtrodden team that needs a lot of help. I also am an American who wants to stand up for Jarryd Hayne, because his highlight reels are more impressive than many NFL highlight films. Here is one American who acknowledges his skillsets and wants him to play. I have constantly ripped the coaches for sheathing a weapon. How many others on this blog site have championed Hayne? I feel pretty original.

            1. Sheathing weapons… Nice imagery. Is that the Battle Hymn of the Republic I hear? Close my eyes and I see the Australian flag snapping in the breeze. By the way, I would like to see him play eventually…

    3. It’s truly fascinating how self delusion and narcissism can combine to produce a lack of self awareness the likes of which we are encountering here. Unbelievable.

    4. Seb… Nothing personal, have to laugh… You lead in with ‘After JH was mutually parted’. I had a vision of JH being split in half–a Spanish Inquisition kind of thing.

  21. Fooch has a pretty good first 5 picks in this mock, I could see all of those happening. Not so big on our selection but oh well:

    1. Tennessee Titans – Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
    2. Cleveland Browns – Jared Goff, QB, Cal
    3. Baltimore Ravens – Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State
    4. San Diego Chargers – Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
    5. Dallas Cowboys – Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida
    6. San Francisco 49ers – Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis

    1. In that scenario I’d probably go with either Smith or Stanley. I’m not so big on Stanley as the #2 LT in this draft so I’d most likely go with Smith.

    2. I lean toward Goff because of his pocket footwork. I’m hoping Cleveland gets swept up in the Lynch mania.

      Lynch would be a gamble pick. If (a big if) Lynch develops good pocket skills he could star. If not, he’s a CK with better short-medium accuracy. He can be productive, but will limit the kind of offense to run.

        1. Could be right Grimey but I still see a QB going in the top 3 even if it’s by trade.

        2. If the Browns can trade Manziel before or during the draft, they will select a QB. Otherwise the 49ers at 5 or 6 will have their choice of the top rated QB.
          Dallas might lose out and hopefully so will we. That could also be the determining factor of who gets the best QB if the Cowboys decide Romo has a couple more years left. Witjn that top 7 there are some teams who desperately need a QB but none moreso than the 49ers.

          1. Intangibles are always important, they are especially important in the qb position. Paxton Lynch’s intangibles leave much to be desired, I am not in favor of drafting him. The niners need leadership from players and the next qb must be someone who can develop into a leader.

            People forget that there was a serious debate between Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf as the first pick based primarily on their college production and measurables. We should pass on Lynch, IMHO.

      1. Tomsula and his crew limit the kind of offense we can run. Hard to believe any QB would limit us more!

    3. I keep hearing how Goff has the stronger arm. I saw Lynch throw laser beams. It might be the offense or his receivers that limit his down field passing.

      1. Lynch has plenty of arm, Memphis just doesn’t take shots down the field as much. I think Lynch would be the pick in that scenario. I would prefer Goff but Lynch has a ton of upside.

      2. Goff or Lynch? Lynch or Goff? It doesn’t matter, folks! The Niners will be picking top 3 for the next 5 years + .

        For the 2017 they can select Keller Chryst, and for the 2018 draft they can select Rosen from UCLA, etc, etc….and nothing will change, we’ve been through it before, unless a respectable coaching staff is brought in and replaces this band of clowns.

    4. Final draft order prediction from ESPN:

      5. San Francisco 49ers

      Record: 4-10

      FPI odds of top pick: <0.1 percent

      FPI odds of top-5 pick: 44.5 percent

      Comment: Despite their record, FPI considers the 49ers the worst team in football based on a composite ranking of their offense, defense and special-teams efficiencies. So in a dark way, you could say the 49ers have over-won this season. Happy holidays!

      1. Coffee’s for Closers® December 20, 2015 at 9:35 pm
        Yea I forgot that we have Detroit in our schedule. So it looks like we’re picking 5th.
        ———————–
        Well, I think between mine and ESPN’s prediction you can safely lock it in that the 49ers will be picking 6th next Spring. :)

    5. The elephant in the room is the Chargers and whether they will trade Rivers or not. I’ve seen reports saying their front office is ‘very interested’ in Goff. If that is true and the team does trade Rivers in order to take Goff, then all bets are off as to how the top of the draft will unfold.

  22. SiriusXM NFL Radio ‏@SiriusXMNFL 1m1 minute ago
    Some draft news:

    Dak Prescott
    Cody Kessler
    Kevin Hogan
    Shawn Oakman
    Kenyon Drake

    Have all accepted an invitation to the 2016 @seniorbowl
    —————————
    I’m curious to see and hear what kind of reviews Oakman gets. I like Oakman and Adolphus Washington as DE options.

  23. Well we knew this had to happen:

    http://www.ninersnation.com/2015/12/22/10647700/eli-harold-expected-to-add-weight-muscle-before-2016-season

    Let’s hope he can maintain his acceleration. Between him and Rush unless someone falls into our lap I don’t see a real need to push for a OLB in the next draft. I’m not even sure there is anyone worth pushing for anyway. Outside of Calhoun and maybe Lewis Neal it’s hard to get too excited about anyone at this point.

    1. Aren’t the Niners playing a game this week? I guess you want them to lose so they get a better draft choice. Now we are talking about the 2016 season.
      I would rather talk about how the Niners will guard against C Johnson. Dontae Johnson might be the best match up.

      1. Do you really think that anything that is said here has the slightest impact on the Niners performance?

        1. Well, 99% of what is said is pure drivel, but a few nuggets of wisdom can be gleaned from the banality. I notice now that Niner players are starting to say they need to stop shooting themselves in the foot. Where have I heard that quote before?

    2. CfC, one guy I’d look at around the 3rd round is Auburn’s Carl Lawson (if he declares, which he probably won’t due to injuries the past two years which will have affected his stock).

      But I agree that OLB is starting to look like an area that might take a backseat in the draft. Maybe they will sign a mid-tier FA OLB to replace Brooks and compete with Harold and Tank.

      1. Curious what you guys base your opinion on that OLB is not a top need? As far as I can tell we have a relatively poor pass rush when compared with the 2011 through 2013 years.

        1. Oh, its a need, but the need at other positions is probably higher and as CfC points out, the edge players don’t look that special. Aside from Bosa I don’t think any of them are worth a top 5 pick, and Bosa will likely be gone before the 49ers pick. And the second round guys look ok but nothing to get too excited about.

          I expect it will be a position they look to address in FA more so than with a high draft pick.

          1. Oh boy – a FA pickup of a good/great OLB is gonna cost beaucoup bucks. Do you happen to know who is available off the top of your head?

            1. It’s always a matter of who is actually going to make it to free agency. Von Miller will likely be the biggest 3-4 pass rusher IF he actually is available which is not certain. I still like the idea of trying to bring in Nick Perry if he hits the market.

              Looking at a lot of the names there are quite a few familiar looking ones but that’s because they’re all 35+ years old.

        2. With the left side seemingly in good hands I could see them waiting to see how Harold, Rush and even Tank look next year before thinking they have a real big need at OLB on the other side. That’s not to say that if someone fell into their lap like Harold did last year that they wouldn’t pull the trigger in the third or fourth but outside of that I think it’ll be 5th or later before they address the position.

  24. Yep , lets fixate on something that will happen 5 months from now while the Niners are playing their last 2 games. Sounds like the team is not the only ones who overlook games.

    1. It’s called being a fan. It is permissible to look ahead and consider the possibilities. Having thousands of fans fixated only on the next game won’t contribute squat to how the 9ers play in a few days. Only exception would be Tomsula gaining strategic and tactical insight from your posts.

      1. Dither away. I have never ever said that someone should not be able to post unless it is racist or offensive. This blog site is endless and an open forum. I got my points down. Tomsula should read them, because I just gave him a blueprint on how to win the game. I do not claim to have all the answers, but if they only stop shooting themselves in the foot, they might win this game.
        I have said many times that you should ignore my posts. Seems like at least one poster has to engage me, thinking he or she will benefit from the experience. Many others have learned their lesson, and avoid me like a plague. I am happy. I get to post about a team I love and get in a few digs while inflicting hits to your psyche so much you have to attack me.

        1. Not sure I’m benefitting from the experience–not convinced that’s important. Don’t recall you advising me not to read your posts…might be my oversight. If Tomsula indeed reads through all these posts, I’m sure his blank mind will gobble up all the blueprints he can. Perhaps he’ll just search Sebnynah and go from there.

          1. EXACTLY Many posters do not benefit. I am maddeningly persistent and use my debate skills to wear down the opposition. I use my verbosity to make them finally admit that they sincerely regret even starting with me.
            You will benefit from not engaging me, and just let me post in peace. Usually, I can be pleasant and conversant, but just return volleys back at them if they get nasty.
            Oh how I long for a site where posters can opine in a civil and respectful manner, and talk intelligently and astutely over the Art of Football. I am not omniscient , and have had to eat crow and admit my mistakes. However, when I post that the Niners need to stop shooting themselves in the foot, I expect posters to agree with that statement instead of being derided as a self absorbed narcissist.

            1. Seb “I am maddeningly persistent and use my debate skills to wear down the opposition.”

              Its not your debate skills that wear people down. Your verbosity maybe.

              1. Still want to talk about the next game, but with this team, maybe draft choices are a better diversion.
                I am flexible. I think the Niners should bundle picks and trade back to get 3 draft choices in the first 2 rounds. Then they should select Leonard Floyd LB, Jason Spriggs OT and Kevin Hogan QB.
                Floyd and Spriggs would fill 2 huge needs, and Hogan did not pad his stats, but he is accurate and a good game manager. I think he will shoot up on the draft board after they study his games more. Also, if they select Hogan, they might attract Shaw to come to the Niners. Maybe Tomsula would gracefully step down to become the DC

              2. So Seb, what do you want to talk about the next game? I would say 27 DET 14 SF. Since we can’t seem to score more than that with BG at the helm. He’s consistent though and plays great in the last 7 minutes of every game. King of garbage time. I think if we can’t mount a pass rush we’ll get annihilated. You’re right Donte Johnson should play C Johnson with safety help. Which defense shows up on the road? If our home defense shows up and they can keep DET to 14 points we have a chance. With no running game and a guy from the Hawks practice squad its going to be hard.

              3. Wilson, I worry about the Niner pass rush. If Bradford has time, he will pick apart the secondary. 2 games ago, Mangini blitzed like crazy, but the Bengals still had a stout line to give him enough time to McCarron to throw.
                I really hope Lynch can come back, because I have seen enough of Lemonier. He may fit the profile for a prototypical LB, but he has hurt the team with his head slappingly bad fouls.

              4. You mean Stafford right. Bradford got traded to the Eagles from the Rams and had his second or third knee injury this year. Stafford is much much better than Bradford (several 5000yd seasons). I think teams have seen enough film on the 49ers to know where the blitz is coming from. Its not effective any longer. I expect Lynch to be back.

              5. Hmm. maybe not wait until 7 minutes left and start out the game with the hurry up with quick snaps? Maybe he can double his average.
                I really hope Tomsula can light a fire under them and get them energized. This team does have talent, but they need to be on the same page. Hope Brown can start,and surprise them.
                You know me, Hayne is my answer to the running game.;p

              6. The only issue I see with your plan is that the other teams have been playing prevent defense and giving him lots to f room to throw that he won’t have in the first three quarters. Nearly everyone here has been calling for him to be more aggressive with his throws. They don’t need to be in a hurry up offense all the time, they need to do simple things like run routes past the marker and not throw to receivers who can’t get the first down. Imagine how that would change the game if we had more than 1 first down.

              7. Well, whatever they have been doing, they need to change. The playcalling is too conservative and predictable.
                Gabbert should work on his pump fakes, and sleight of hand, because the best offense is one where the defense cannot follow the ball.
                Also, getting the running game going because the lack of running just means third and long. Maybe put Ellington in motion and have him swing behind the QB for an end around, or fake the pitch and roll the other way. Gabbert should always roll away from Ansah, since he has 13.5 sacks.

      1. Lions will be smelling fresh meat…9ers will provide it. Game will be ugly, higher incidence of injuries.

    2. Yep , lets fixate on something that will happen 5 months from now while the Niners are playing their last 2 games. 

      I fixate on the draft the moment the previous one is over Seb. It’s called paying attention to what talent is available that can be plugged in where a team is weak at.

    1. Fan’s

      As a gambler I have to look at trends–very important. Currently, the trend for the York’s is cheapness, and cheapness was the trend for the 12 years prior to Harbaugh with coach hires. 12 +1 =13 years of cheapness, and I present the following report about Agents and players saying the same thing.

      Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole.

      “It’s not going to be (Mike) Shanahan. He’s not going to do that. Geep Chryst? I’m lost on this one.
      “It’s not going to be (Mike) Shanahan. He’s not going to do that. Geep Chryst? I’m lost on this one.
      that they’re going on the cheap on the assistant coaching staff,” said Cole, who was on top of the Jim Harbaugh-to-Michigan story several hours before it was confirmed by CSN Bay Area’s Dave Feldman.

      “They don’t believe in paying coaches right now. The word around the league in talking to people who are both coaches and who represent coaches, San Francisco is not the place to go to make money.”

      Here’s more from Cole:

      “In talking to three players, including two guys on offense, basically they were dismayed by this hiring and were disgusted in certain ways because they believe that this is a sign that management has chosen to go incredibly cheap in terms of replacing the coaches that left.”

  25. An Armstead Mystery

    http://www.ninersnation.com/2015/12/22/10654224/arik-armstead-seems-to-take-worst-angle-ever-against-tight-end-tyler

    Armstead’s big weakness coming out of college was ball location. He can get great push, even roller-skate the O-lineman… be he’s slow to disengage to tackle the ball carrier. Even when he stuffs his gap, runners fly right past him.

    Arik’s getting very good at playing the first 75 percent of a snap. His worth as a high draft pick will be determined by the way he plays the last 25 percent of a snap.

    1. The exact same things showed up on his Oregon tape. He’s a big, athletic and strong guy, but he didn’t commit solely to football until his final year in College. He has a lot of learning to do before he can hopefully live up to the draft slot.

  26. Arrrrg. The Niners signed DuJuan Harris from the Raven PS. Gosh darrnit flibberty flocket ding dong balderdash succotash. I am a loss for words….

    1. Eric Branch – http://www.sfchronicle.com/49ers/article/49ers-Jarryd-Hayne-on-his-old-film-What-6716081.php?t=cd766a08137d4f3860&cmpid=twitter-premium

      I’d rather see Hayne instead of Ellington returning punts, but the 49ers have draft picks invested in like Ellington, Patton etc. Makes sense to get a good look at them before deciding who’s head will roll in the offseason.

      Hyde will be in next season’s camp. I’m excited to see how he’ll improve. He could have a decent shot at running back depth.

        1. Ha! Meant Hayne, not Hyde. I constantly have to stop myself from typing Gabbter instead of Gabbert too.

    1. The guy is so bad Baalke is showing up at practice and coaching players. The wheels are coming off.

  27. Oh, who are we kidding? In the Jed York bubble, this franchise is perfectly run. Lean and mean. Streamlined. Facebook and Apple combined, with a football twist. And there’s a good chance they made their biggest change already when they reassigned Paraag
    cheapness, money and the Yorks:

    Marathe, which I called a PR-based move at the time to stop the fans from whining and crowd-funding anti-Jed airplane banners.
    The Yorks are about money. That … is … all. A Super Bowl win in New Orleans would’ve made them a lot of money, but they lost, then they suffered another crushing playoff defeat a year later. So, bye-bye Harbaugh and his expensive staff. Marathe was a prized employee, and if he was in charge of leaking less-than-complimentary tidbits about Harbaugh or Colin Kaepernick, it was only because he had reason to believe the Yorks would appreciate his texts to Jay Glazer, Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport or whomever.
    http://www.bayareasportsguy.com/want-to-know-the-49ers-plans-just-listen-to-their-announcers/

  28. It’s a little early, but I want to wish a Merry Christmas to everyone on in the 49ers family. Hope you all have a safe and fun holiday with your friends and family. And Happy Holdidays to those who don’t celebrate another holiday other than Christmas.

    1. The linked article above contains a fundamental error. The case covered in the article was not heard by the DC Circuit, which is a federal circuit court of appeals with appellate jurisdiction over cases heard in DC US District Courts. It was heard by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which sits in Washington DC. They are two distinct courts with distinct jurisdictions. The Federal Circuit has subject matter jurisdiction over appeals from certain types of cases whereas the DC Circuit has jurisdiction over regional appeals.

      The Federal Circuit has original jurisdiction over appeals from decisions made by certain federal administrative agencies, as well as appellate jurisdiction over decisions rendered by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Trial and Appeal Board. The case at issue (In re Tamhttp://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/opinions-orders/14-1203.Opinion.12-18-2015.1.PDF), the USPTO Trial and Appeal board found a trademark to be disparaging under the Lanham Act. The applicants for the trademark appealed to the Federal Circuit. The Federal Circuit ruled that the pertinent portion of the act is unconstitutional as a content based restriction on speech that was not narrowly tailored to meet a compelling government interest.

      Unlike the other US Courts of Appeals, the Federal Circuit’s precedential decisions (which the one in question is) are binding as precedent on all U.S. Courts, even other Circuit Courts, other than the Supreme Court. Other US Circuit Court decisions are only binding on the courts within their regional jurisdictions.

      In the Washington case, the team filed its appeal from a USPTO Trial and Appeal Board finding in U.S. District Court in VA. The judge in that case erroneously ruled that the case did not need to be removed to the Federal Circuit and then found that the prohibition against disparaging trademarks was constitutional. That case is on appeal with the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Given today’s decision by the Federal Circuit, I expect that the Fourth Circuit will either remand the case to the District Court and require the court to rule consistent with the Federal Circuit’s findings, or remand the case to District Court and order the District Court to remove the case to the Federal Circuit. In either of those instances, the termination of the trademark will be overturned. The Fourth Circuit could do something unexpected, such as find that the Federal Circuit’s findings are not precedential and uphold the termination of the trademark, which would set up an almost certain U.S. Supreme Court case.

      The Tam case may make it to the U.S. Supreme Court. That would likely be after the Fourth Circuit rules on the Washington case but before the Washington case makes it to the U.S. Supreme Court. That would give the U.S. Supreme Court a chance to rule first on a less politically charged case. And given the current makeup of the court, I suspect that if the Court does take the Tam case, it will uphold the finding of the Federal Circuit, which will make the termination of Washington’s trademark invalid.

      1. I defer to your expertise.
        They will forever be the Native Americans to me.
        The R word is as offensive as the N and J words.

    1. Thank God I don’t give a rat about the Pro Bowl. Boring, rip off, voting in a 49er like that? Fans are on drugs. Bowman did NOTHING.

  29. November 11, 2015 at 12:34 pm
    Baalke will replace Tomsula with Mangini and promote Sparano to OC. Baalke will then hire Bobby Petrino to be our DC.
    ———————-

    I’m keeping this one in my pocket because at least part of it is all but guaranteed to come true by this time next year.

    1. Baalke knows he has to replace Tomsula because they will lose the fanbase if they don’t do something. They don’t want to make the change, but they will have no choice. They stuck with Nolan for 2 seasons too long, and that was before social media.

      This is a reactionary front office. They screwed themselves so bad by the way they got rid of Harbaugh and followed up with this turd of a season. They are running out of people to scapegoat!

      1. Did you see this from Bay Area Sports Guy?

        Jed will do a press conference after the season ends. He will come armed with several talking points, including these five.

        The 49ers “defections” (wow, what a word; take that, Chris Borland and Anthony Davis) had more to do with their 4-12/5-11/6-10 finish than anything else. Well, other than a disappointing performance by the man they signed to be their “franchise quarterback,” of course.

        Tomsula did a fantastic, borderline heroic job keeping this team together under trying circumstances. He deserves a chance to see his vision take shape with the locker room leaders who’ll surely step forward in 2016.

        We understand that the offense was unacceptable, and we will be making changes to ensure that the team has an offense that the FAITHFUL can be proud of. (This press conference may either follow, or contain the announcement, that Geep Chryst has been relieved of his duties.)

        We have absolute faith that Trent Baalke and the rest of the staff can take advantage of their abundant cap space and high draft picks and remake this team in a jiffy.

        Every team out there has “leaks.” That’s just the media climate we live in today. The 49ers don’t have any more than any other team. When you run a huge business, sometimes stuff gets out there. But there is not a concerted, systematic effort by this front office to leak information to hurt individuals.

        That’s what we’re getting: another year of Tomsula and a load of bull from the same guys who brought us “Again, it was a mutual parting. This was on two different parties. This was on us and this was on Jim. So, it wasn’t that one side had a philosophical difference that couldn’t overcome it. This was two parties that decided that it was best to move in separate directions.”

          1. He doesn’t have a lot of hope for the GM and owner making the best decision for the franchise.

          2. Mangenius failed miserably on the road this year. Bears game was given to them by their kicker missing a chip shot. I bet Tomsula was the one that whipped the defense into shape so the Bengals did not run roughshod over the Niners like Seattle and the lowly Browns did.
            Mangini has a track record of excelling as a coordinator, but regressing as a HC. This year the Niners are less than bad. Mangini is not the answer.

        1. Wilson, you wrote something very deep and insightful. It was spot on.
          You are truly a worthy opponent. ;p

          1. Well thanks Seb. Have a nice holiday. I just quoted some one else’s work. Can’t take credit for that.

      2. If the Yorks operated by what the public/press wants, they would have never let Harbaugh go.

        Lots of owners hire terribly inept coaches –Snyder and Jones for example, and they stick to them as if they were lovers. Expect Tomsula back next year, and for 3 more. The Niner front office is preparing the propaganda at this very moment: Excuse 1: Tomsula didn’t have a chance, we need to give him a better team
        Excuse 2: Tomsula was a rookie coach
        Excuse 3: Harbaugh didn’t leave a team for him to coach
        Excuse 4: Assistant coaches didn’t try hard enough..
        Excuse 5: The public didn’t support him, so we are giving him 3 more years

    2. I hope not. Because if he does Jed will fall in love with Mangini and after a nationwide search will appoint him as the new head coach for 2016. Mangini being marginally better than Tomsula will have slightly better sucessin 2016 and will survive for a few mediocre years prolonging our pain.

      1. Yep, if Mangini could get the defense to play as well on the road as they do at home I’d be in. He’d need some serious help in terms of talent and coaching on the offensive side of the ball.

        1. Does Mangini set the tone for the defense? Is he allowed to put the kind of pressure on players that Tomsula seems reluctant to apply? I have no idea, but I wonder about Tomsula’s recently “as leaked” role of helping any troubled players when Harbaugh was applying his “as leaked” pressure.

          1. It seems to take a different mind set to play on the road, especially an early game three time zones away. Harbaugh and Walsh seemed to know what that mind set was.

  30. I have a New Years prediction. There will be discussions “started” by unnamed sources about how far behind all the young 49ers were when the previous “teachers” moved on to other interests. There will be further observations about how explosive progress is expected under the current “teaching” staff in the 2016. There will be no discussion about winning the 2017 Superbowl or else for the current head master.

    Enjoy the holidays and don’t throw anything at your 65″ flat panel or your kids, including grand kids. or their kids. That goes for watching Jed’s 2016 press conference too.

    1. Spot on.

      I have noticed that McDonald’s trouble in catching passes is often when he is in traffic. That could be a sign that he hears footsteps. I had high hopes for him, but it appears to be time to move on.

    2. We used to criticize Kap for not throwing to Vance, or at least throwing catch-able balls to Vance. But think how many potential interceptions Kap thus avoided…

    3. The coaches should instruct Vance to forget about gaining yards after the catch. They should tell him to concentrate on running past the sticks, catching the ball and falling to the ground while securing the ball. Maybe he wont drop those, because he will not be thinking about running with the ball before trying to catch it.

    4. I can’t help but wonder if the concussion McDonald suffered a couple weeks ago played a role in his drops. Not a good excuse, but those drops were worse than his usual ones – the passes were gimme’s. Regardless, he’s unreliable as a pass catcher, which makes him a liability.

      I knew Ward had been playing well recently (in fact, for most of the year), but I hadn’t realised he’d played that well over the past 3 weeks. Good for him.

      1. Brent Jones on KNBR compared Vance to Wesley Walls. He mentioned that Wesley did well in practice and classroom but somehow never got it together in games. However, once he was traded, he flourished elsewhere. Maybe Vance needs a change of scenery.

  31. How to improve the Niners.
    Jed needs to eat some humble pie and admit he did a poor job.
    Tomsula provides leadership and continuity. He also absorbs lots of heat that would otherwise be directed at Jed. He needs to stay.Players like him.
    Baalke need to acknowledge the poor drafts and feeble FA acquisitions, and cede some power, or he should be replaced. Being tight with Jed is not reason enough to forgive his failures.
    Chryst needs to be mutually parted. He has dishonored the proud traditions of the vaunted Niner offenses, from Albert to Brodie to Joe to Steve. He has set new records in futility. The Niners will not get better if he remains as OC.
    Mangini is a tossup. He may be retained, but could easily be let go. The Niners should talk to Pat Narduzzi, the DC at Michigan St., and get him on board before jettisoning Mangini.
    Niners should look hard at college Offensive coordinators like Rhett Ashlee of Auburn, Mike Norvell of AZ St, and Tom Herman of Ohio St. These coaches are on a hot list of college coaches. Make sure their services are secured before making a move. Forget about OC candidates from the NFL, JH has poisoned that well.
    Above all, Jed should stop being cheap and hire Bob Ladoceur for at least a million dollars, and put him in charge of assessments and field operations. Bob needs to study what is wrong, and outline ways to fix the problems. Ladoceur is the closest coach I can compare with Walsh, with his molding of young players and the championship attitude on and off the field. His knowledge and experience is worth a million dollars without him uttering a word, but when he talks, I want Jed to listen closely, and try to learn from a master.

    1. You should have ended your post after the first sentence. If you need a HS coach to figure out what’s wrong, you don’t have the right NFL HC. Ladoceur kicked the crap out of weak opponents with a roster of excellent players. Motivator of young men? Yes. Master? No.

      Coaches don’t need to be liked, they need to be respected and feared. They need to have the ability to motivate players and Tomsula has failed miserably in that and all other areas.

      Ownership is the problem. They have had successful HC’s twice and they have screwed up the situation both times. They wont eat Tomsula’s salary and they won’t admit that they were wrong about him. They feel threatened by people that know more about running a franchise than they do and it bothers them that they lack the intangibles that would endear them to the fan base. For a family with such a strong business acumen, it’s a huge red flag that they have ignored the reality that they would be much more successful by simply getting out of the way.

      1. Seb and I went round and round over this.

        “Coaches don’t need to be liked, they need to be respected and feared. They need to have the ability to motivate players and Tomsula has failed miserably in that and all other areas”

        He sees it differently.

          1. Tomsula is liked by the players but isn’t respected or feared by them. He doesn’t ultimately matter because he’s a neutered HC. Harbaugh was great until Baalke and Jed started to undermine him after the 2013 season. Walsh realized that he wouldn’t achieve ultimate success without his players fearing and respecting him. He made them uncomfortable and had extremely high standards.

            Tomsula has zero power. He is a puppet of a HC and everyone knows it. He may not be a bad guy but he is unqualified to be a HC. He played the political game behind Harbaugh’s back and deserves the scorn directed towards him. He’s a clown and a horrible coach that was hired solely because he will agree with management. He’s so far out of his league as an NFL coach that he mirrors Jed’s incompetence as an owner. Singletary looks like a genius compared to Tomsula. Think about that for a moment; the situation is so bad that a pants dropping former HC makes the seat of his pants ripping current HC look bad. Tomsula’s fate should have been sealed when he farted on the press conference podium. He is an absolute clown.

      2. Bob Ladoceur runs a football camp, so he knows a little about football.
        Seeing how the Niners have played, they would benefit from getting back to the basics. With his impressive winning streak and overall record, Bob could teach the Niners how to win, something they have forgotten how to do.

        1. Ladoceur ran the ball nonstop over weak opponents with a stacked roster. He was able to do that because of the massive talent difference between his team and their opponents. He ran a prehistoric offense that worked because the competition was too weak to stop it. He accomplished some wonderful things but they always had an undeniably massive advantage over their opponents.

          The Niners didn’t forget how to win; they have invited conflict and sabotaged the only two winning HC’s they have had under the York’s. Mariucci and Harbaugh were dumped because they knew what it took to win and the York’s weren’t comfortable with that. They can’t get out of their own way. I honestly don’t think Denise cares about the team one bit. If she did she wouldn’t have hired her son to run it. If she cared she wouldn’t allow Jed to run it further into the ground. She doesn’t care. She cares about money and will sell the team the moment she believes it has hit its peak value. She did it with the Pittsburgh Penguins and she will keep the Niners in NFL purgatory until she is ready to sell.

          1. Ladoceur had many games against Socal powerhouses, and did well. He is the exact type of coach I like. Good players will want to join his squad so they can win championships. Going undefeated for years is hard to do.

            1. Seb,
              He was a great high school coach. His greatest strengths are his motivational abilities. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him, but I don’t see how he could help the team. He has had offers before and he declined them. I believe that he believes that he can have a greater impact on young men than adults. The NFL isn’t high school; it’s a cut throat business. The Veer offense won’t work and you can’t always have a stacked roster.

              1. Well, looking back at the Browns game, the Niners could have used some motivation.
                I concede that as a strict tactician, Ladoceur may not be the best one to use, but his organizational skills and the intangibles are where he could best help the Niners, and they are floundering in those categories right now.
                I also do not think he needs to drop everything to be a Niner consultant. He could be a part time aide that assesses problems and outlines fixes,while still running his football school.

    1. Anybody who is in a GM position in the NFL is going to be a control freak and want to have his way. But having a GM doing coaching is almost a case study in dysfunction. Does anybody believe that Harbaugh would have put up with Baalke trying to coach? Does anybody believe that Tomsula has the stones to tell Ballke to get the hell off the field? This organization is even more screwed up than I thought. I had hope that if Baalke could have one more hire he might be able to bring in a strong offensive mind to turn things around. This latest evidence of his inappropriate involvement seems to indicate that he likes things the way they are. He can do a little of everything, there is no way he wants a strong head coach.

      I am a fan of the niners always and it pains me to say that it looks like we are going to have to get worse before things get better. A complete house cleaning is called for, but it will take complete failure for Jed to see this.

  32. With Christmas right around the corner, what stocking stuffers should considered for Jed, Jimmy, and Trent? For Jed….certificate for lobotomy reversal…

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