Jim Tomsula: “I think there are areas that have gotten, yes, dramatically better.”

SANTA CLARA

This is the transcript of Jim Tomsula’s Wednesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.

 

Opening comments:

“The injuries; first of all, not an injury, but [LB NaVorro] Bowman will be off today as normal. [G/T Alex] Boone had an MRI the other day, got it classified here as a knee sprain, taking that week-to-week and then same with [LB Michael] Wilhoite with the ankle, week-to-week. [RB Kendall] Gaskins, he’s in the concussion protocol, so he won’t practice today. And then, [WR] Torrey Smith won’t practice today. The medical staff has continued to treat his back. He had those spasm things, so they’re continuing to treat that. I’ll keep you updated on that, but we’ll just see how that goes. And then, [DB] Jimmie Ward is back. He was the other guy that got a ding.”

 

What about LB Aaron Lynch?

“Aaron Lynch, he’ll be practicing. He practiced last week. I don’t know if he’ll have the blue shirt on or not. I’m not sure if he’s finished with that, but we feel really good about him and [TE] Vance McDonald I know we feel really good about.”

 

McDonald stayed here over the weekend, right?

“Yes.”

 

But you took Lynch there. What prompted you guys to declare him inactive?

“McDonald?”

 

No. Lynch, because he went there, right?

“Yeah, he went there. Just talking to the trainers, they just didn’t like where he was at. So, they thought it would be best if we just shut him down that day and get ready to go this week. Purely medical there. He did know his stuff and was here and all that.”

 

When you’re preparing for a different quarterback, what can you gauge from the short time you’ve seen Cincinnati Bengals QB AJ McCarron?

“Well again, you go back to the preseason games and you’re obviously aware of him from his college career. He’s a talented guy. He can throw the football. He can run their offense, you know that. But, he’s a good football player, obviously. We all know enough about him to know that he’s a good football player. So, I just see them running their offense.”

 

A couple times this season after a team has lost you hear the players say, ‘We’ve had a good week of practice and it hasn’t translated to the games,’ and most recently with Cleveland. So, this week with three games left, where has the disconnect been between having those great practices not translating to the games and what do you do as a head coach to bring that gap together?

“Well, we discussed it in Cleveland because we really felt like it was a really good week. That was a big part of the disappointment. But, we’re attacking it this week and going back to doing it and practicing and doing those things Saturday. And the awareness to me is on Sunday morning. That’s what we talked about here yesterday as a team. Sunday morning, we have to not see how it’s going to go. We don’t need to be on the sidelines saying, ‘OK, here we go. How’s this going to go today?’ We need to get on the sidelines and say, ‘Here we go and here’s what we’re going to do.’ So, that’s just as honest as I can tell you what we talked about yesterday.”

 

Does this team have, just by their presence and their work ethic former 49ers Justin Smith, Patrick Willis, Frank Gore, you didn’t really have to say much, but they just had that intangible that raised their teammate’s play. Has this team developed those types of leaders yet or is there a couple key players that fill that role?

“Well, I think we’re in the process of that. I think we’re in the process of what you’re talking about there. There’s a core of young guys that you’re really excited about. We keep talking about them, that you see that in them and it’s growing. And, I think that is what we are in the process of building. If there’s something we’re building, that’s what we’re building. Those guys, those people. And, that’s why I have a lot of faith in the locker room. I do. There’s the right mentality and the right people and to keep raising that. I hope I’m answering your question.”

 

It’s obvious that you respect and admire your players from the way you talk about them. Do you ever wonder if you’re too nice a guy?

“No.”

 

What’s the meanest thing you’ve done to them?

“Well, I’m not going to get into personal things, but I handle those things in there. I’m not going to handle those things out here. So, yeah. Too nice, I don’t think that’s near correct.”

 

Did you talk to T Joe Staley and just kind of see where he was coming from?

“Yeah. Not in depth, to be honest with you, not in depth. But, ‘What the heck?’ and ‘Yeah I didn’t mean it that way.’ So, there’s nothing to it. We’re moving forward. There’s nobody that overlooked anybody or anything like that. That’s very clear.”

 

You talk about that right mentality and the right guys. Is it discouraging at all that it’s not translating every Sunday? You have some good moments and–.

“Yeah. There’s been some (up and down), that’s what we’ve got to get away from. That’s, you know, when we talked about we’re not going to go around it, we’re going to go through it. OK. There’s some (up and down), things and we’ve got to get that out. The consistency needs to, and that was a thing you were feeling good about. There were a couple weeks there where you saw it and then we stepped on our foot. Now, let’s get back on it and pick that up and keep going.”

 

QB Blaine Gabbert is known for watching a lot of film and stuff. So I’m wondering, do you go in there at all with him after a game like this to see him break it down or see how he reacts?

“No, I wasn’t in there. I mean, I’m in with the team. But, those individual meetings in there when he’s with [offensive coordinator] Geep [Chryst] and [quarterbacks coach] Steve Logan, no, those guys are handling that. Blaine is, you accurately described him.”

 

That he goes over his mistakes and–?

“Oh, yeah. When I say own it, fix it and move on, he’s an own it, fix it and move on guy.”

 

You add up those nine sacks, do you assign some of them to Gabbert?

“Yeah. There’s a couple there. We step out of bounds. You know, throw it away, things like that. But it’s everybody. The quarterback doesn’t work in a, what do we say all the time, doesn’t work in a vacuum either. But, it takes all of us. We need to protect, we need to run the correct routes, the timing needs to be correct, the spacing. So, there’s a lot of things there that go into a play and it’s not all Blaine Gabbert.”

 

You said after the opening game win you thought you still had a lot of work to do despite the outcome of that game. Do you think your team has gotten better in some areas that you wanted them to improve upon from that point on?

“Yeah. I think there are areas that have gotten, yes, dramatically better. There are, in terms of what we’re talking about, building through the locker room and the players, I think they’re really working hard. When you go through a tumultuous season like this, you get stretched at the seams. And a lot of times, again, that’s what ends up happening in newspapers and internets, the seams pop and then you’ve got chaos. None of that. We’ve got, I mean you get stretched, but these guys keep pulling it back and the intentions and where we want to go stays strong. So, that part of it. Now, in terms of the performance on the field? Again, we just talked about the (up and down) nature in which we’ve played. And that can’t happen. It can’t happen. That’s the focus right now, getting that straightened out.”

 

If Gaskins can’t get cleared concussion-wise by later in the week, is bring RB Jarryd Hayne back up from the practice squad something and are you curious to see him return punts again later this season?

“I’m not going to talk about any roster things. By the way, Kendall did look good today. But yeah, I mean, we see Jarryd in practice. He’s practicing very hard.”

 

Back to leadership, you have a young team. I would imagine that young guys are sometimes hesitant to overstep their bounds.

“Exactly.”

 

Do you encourage them to start, at this point, to start taking on–?

“You’re just starting to see more of it happen. You are. To me, I don’t think you can force those things. I don’t think you force them. I think you provide an environment for it to grow and foster. I think that’s just what I believe. So, I’m not forcing anybody. And people lead in different ways. Some people are very verbal. Some people are not. So, to me you can’t fake it either. You have to be who you are. But, we do have some guys that you see it growing.”

This article has 137 Comments

  1. Tomsula makes himself sound clueless when he says stuff like this team has improved dramatically from week 1. That was the best game they’ve had all year.

    1. Jack:

      People have brought up that a large amount of Tomsula’s compensation is guaranteed. The guarantee is a disincentive to replace him (at least after only one year). But if he could be moved back to DL coach it would mitigate some of those dollars spent. Is it unrealistic to tell a new HC that he would need to keep Tomsula on as DL coach? Maybe it would be worded as a strong attribute for selecting the new HC if he were to keep Tomsula on as the DL coach. Since we’re not talking about coordinators, would a new HC be likely to accept this?

      1. Oh sure. That will be fine Jeb. Sign me up. Anyone else? Baalke wants to play tight end? No problem.

    2. Tomsula is clueless. This team is probably going to be 4 and 12. I would like for him to explain if he can how this team has improved. I do.not believe he can.

  2. “That’s, you know, when we talked about we’re not going to go around it, we’re going to go through it. OK.”

    “OK” reared its head again. When he makes statements like the above you get a sense that is about all there is to him. He wants to will his team to do well. But when they don’t he has nothing to fall back on.

    I was very disappointed to hear him say he stays out of the meetings with Gabbert, Chyrst and Logan. He should be in there, if not always, at least he majority of the time until the offense begins to show some promise. He was billed as a great teacher. I just don’t see it. And, no Jim, you are not getting better as a team. As Parcells once famously put it, “you are what your record says you are.”

    We are stuck with Tomsula because York/Baalke will not want to own their mistake too soon. But I would love for the media to ask Tomsula what changes he is planning to make in the coaching staff. Is he going to make them now or at the end of the season. He needs to be put some of his views on record. Those questions are appropriate given the abysmal state of the offense. I think the press is being way to kind in their questioning.

  3. I’m against a team tanking to get a better draft pick. But I’m for the Niners tanking in order to spur the clearing out of the current F.O. and coaching staff.
    It’s good that the entire York clan was at hand to see their team humiliated by their in-state sad-sack team.

  4. Coach, I hate to be rosily scenarioed. There was absolutely no dramatic improvement in any area. Be a man, admit you laid an egg, and move on. Do not insult our intelligence with delusional platitudes. You need to look in the mirror and admit that your assessment of the players is so bad, you refuse to sit Pears who has led the collapse of the O line. and refuse to elevate Hayne who is demonstrably better than the crapola couch potatoes you think are any good.
    Well, at least you have stopped spitting on the field, but do not continue to stammer, hem and haw and bloviate in the PCs. Bill Walsh is rolling over in his grave. Try to show at least a modicum of competence, instead of acting like a blustering buffoon.

      1. And Mcgaughey, the ST coach. He actually said that Hayne needs to learn how to play football. This implies that Hayne has not learned yet. Guess what? McGaughey’s job is to teach Hayne how to play football, so he is just admitting what a colossal failure he has been in failing to teach Hayne for 7 months how to play football.
        Great job, coach. Throw him under the bus again. Blame him for his own player being blocked into him. Blame him for a fumble that did not result in a turnover. Special Teams have been a huge disappointment, especially when behind. Instead of Hayne who is conditioned to catch the ball in traffic, you put in some other player who is content to just call for a fair catch, when while behind, he should be trying to gain some yardage or even break one long. ST stupidity starts at the top.
        Jed should get mad and fire all 3 coordinators. If Tomsula threatens to walk, tell him that he is not on firm ground, either.

        1. Get em Seb.

          I think there are two components to teaching. The first is instruction, the second is the responsibility of the student is learning. I don’t think the coach meant it as a slam but rather a candid assessment of what Hayne needs to do. I am ok with you starting to demand their jobs though.

      1. Well, they looked scrambled, and were beaten over easy. This is not the time for sunny side up.

    1. They aren’t going to put a For Sale sign out front of Levi’s because a reporter has speculated that it might happen? I don’t remember any sources being mentioned.

      1. No. You missed my point. The point was that he didn’t absolutely, adamantly deny that the Yorks are planning to sell the team.

        1. Ignoring a reporter’s speculation is probably one of many strategies no matter what the Yorks plan to do. Denying a possible sale based on one reporters speculation might just stir up more speculation.

          It’s like “Have you stopped beating your wife John?”

          He just wants the “fans” to know that the family cares. Of course I haven’t read what he had to say, and don’t intend to.

    1. I am going to predict Niners 3-2, because the refs will screw over the Bengals to keep it close.

      1. I picked that score and it didn’t work out last week. The Seb is supposed to be optimistic beyond all reason.

    1. Could the Niners actually win this game? – Yes, but they probably will lose. The D is better at home, Lynch and McDonald will probably be back. But they lost Boone, and this O-line can’t afford to lose anything.

      Can the 49ers take advantage of an inexperienced backup? Yes, but they will tire from being on the field all day. There’s also a hance Mangini will attempt to fool the Bengals QB, but accidentally fool his own players into being out of position.

      Can the 49ers shut down Hill and Bernard, too? – Yes, if thy run from a traditional formation. If they spread the 49ers out and gouge in the middle like Seattle of Cleveland they can run on the 49ers.

      Can the 49ers Block Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap? – Is a bear Catholic? Does the pope shinola in the woods? Gabbert’s going to get killed.

      Can the 49ers Exploit Dre Kirkpatrick? – No. Gabbert won’t have enough time to throw.
      I don’t know what Ellington is. Neither do the 49ers.
      Patton will flash just enough to force Baalke to waste a roster spot on him next year. They should activate DeAndrew White.

      Can the 49ers Score 16 Points? – Only if there’s a defensive touchdown.

      1. “Patton will flash just enough to force Baalke to waste a roster spot on him next year.”

        I have to say, from what I have seen from this season I think he is worth a roster spot as a backup WR and core STs player. I just really hope they don’t go into next season thinking he can be the #2 WR opposite Torrey Smith. Ideally he wouldn’t even be the #3, though they’ve trotted out worse #3 WRs in the past 10 years.

        1. Patton needs stupid management in the offseason. I’m really anxious to see if Smelter doesn’t stink next year…..

          1. Its a real measure of how we all feel about Baalke’s ability to judge WR talent that its more about seeing if Smelter doesn’t stink rather than if he’s actually any good!

            Patton does a lot of silly things, but I think for a backup WR and STs player his attitude isn’t a bad one to have.

            1. What gives me hope (though not 100% expectations) about Smelter… he has asymmetric properties. Size, strength, huge hands, physicality, general athleticism.

              This means that if he develops average or better receiving skills, he will be able to threaten defenses in unique ways most receivers can’t. He will be a matchup problem. He was a crunching blocker in college too.

              It was speculated he had 4.45 to 4.5 range speed. If he’s sub 4.5 I think he has a really good chance. I hope he’s taking notes from Boldin.

        2. I’m not a Patton hater, its just that his kills seem uniformly medium. He’s not small, but he’s not especially big. He has good speed, but is no burner. I’ve seen him run good routes, but not those precise routes impossible to cover. He’s no wimp, but he’s not a particularly powerful receiver.

          Having an established physical ability creates motion and holes in a defense.

          A blazing receiver can force defenders to give him space. This opens up alot of underneath routes.

          A big, strong receiver can force defenders to cover too closely. This opens up double moves, fly patterns and creates PH/PI opportunities.

          If/when Patton establishes a primary move… it will open up everything else. For now he’s Mr. Even Steven.

          What does stand out is his energy and fight. That’s always welcome on a 4 win team.

    2. Good stuff Grant.

      Thanks for taking the weekly burning questions and making it yours. No BS intended. Appreciate all of the work you do. It’s far more difficult than most realize or give credit for. Keep up the entertainment.

    3. “Quiz: Which team has given up the fewest points per game at home this season?

      Answer: The 49ers. They have given up no more than 20 points in any home game this season and only 15.8 points per home game on average. Their defense has been surprisingly good and remarkably consistent at Levi’s Stadium.”

      This to me is one of the biggest head scratchers. The offense has been consistently “bad” for virtually the entire season. But the defense peaks and valleys according to whether the game is played at home or away.

      1. Despite what the yardage stats show, the defense has played good on the road at the last couple weeks.

        The pick 6 in Chicago was huge, and they did a decent job of keeping them out of the end zone. Bend but don’t break, it’s what we saw Fangio do so well here.

        Last week they held Cleveland to only 1 TD while helping set up the offense with terrific field position all day.

        1. But Fangio’s defense was very seldom subject to the “big play”, which Mangini’s defense suffers from most if not every game.

          1. Sure they’ve given up big plays, but the D hasn’t given up any long scoring plays for the last 2 weeks.

            That’s bend but don’t break and something we also saw from them under Fangio.

        2. The defense didn’t play anything approaching good last week Jack. That was one of the worst offenses in the league they faced and gave up over 200 yards on the ground and almost 500 total. The week before they were helped by missed FG’s. There is always a positive you can find if you look hard enough but the past two weeks did not feature good overall play by the defense.

          1. They get stuck on the field due to the horrible offense. The Browns ran 20 plays more than the 49ers last week and the Bears ran 15 the week before.

            “The week before they were helped by missed FG’s”

            Yes they were. Bend but don’t break. Forced the FG attempts instead of giving up TD’s.

            1. The defense couldn’t stop them in the first half either, so the being on the field too long excuse doesn’t fly. The only reason the Browns didn’t score more was because they fumbled and Manziel threw a ridiculous pass across the field for a pick. In the second half they moved the ball up and down the field, scored 2 TD’s and called it a day. As I said, you can find positives anywhere if you look hard enough but saying last week was anywhere near a good defensive performance is an extreme reach.

              1. Sure I’ll give them credit for that. Doesn’t change fact they played like crap for most of the game.

      2. Cubus,

        It is very strange indeed. It also gives me the sick feeling that the Niners have a chance to win this weekend because of it. Facing the backup QB and a team that can’t help but look at the Niners as a week off, it lines up as a chance for another ugly win possibility.

  5. Reflecting on Tomsula’s fragmented, stream of consciousness way of communicating… Imagine if he was the commander on Apollo 13 when things went bad. They never would have made it back…

    1. Obviously, Tomsula is not doing his job on the side lines, but he is an embarrassment in the PCs.
      Jed will keep him because Tomsula is like a lightning rod, and will accept all the strikes of condemnation that otherwise would hit Jed and Baalke.
      However, even though I think he is floundering, I do not want him fired. Why? Because Tomsula followed my advice and went for it 3 times on 4th down.
      Tomsula may be belligerent to keep Pears in at RT, He may bully Hayne by keeping him on the side lines, he may be bombastic in the PCs, but at least he is bold.

  6. Is it too early to say that Jed York may have been incorrect in claiming that Jim Tomsula was the next Steve Kerr?

  7. Jed York ‏@JedYork Nov 28
    I have a few pairs of tickets for tomorrow’s game. Let me know if you can make it #FaithfulFanTix

    Wonder if he has a few for this Sunday.

  8. http://www.ninersnation.com/2015/12/17/10340464/49ers-links-browns-coach-calls-out-49ers-no-fight

    One reason that Pettine would call out Tomsula for his team having no fight is that he does not respect him. Coaches usually try to cover for each other. It is a small fraternity and, with a few exceptions, they look out for each other. I think it is clear that not only do they think that Tomsula doesn’t belong in their fraternity they don’t like him.

    Being liked by opponents coaches is not critical to winning, but it speaks volumes about the ability to attract capable assistants to your staff.

    Tomsula is a joke. But he is not just our joke he is now the leagues joke.

    1. It’s possible that the way Tomsula got his HC job (jumping over coordinators as a owner favorite) has alienated him the coaching community. If the front office has half a brain, they will realize that under these circumstances no highly capable coaches will come to work for Tomsula. It’s either fire him now or fire him after him later (maybe mid-season next year). Observing the FO incompetence of the past 2-3 years, it’s possible they do not yet have a coach lined up who will be willing to replace Tomsula. Maybe Mangini as an interim HC will be better than Tomsula as he’s now.

      1. That’s a good point Mood and the way the hiring of the staff unfolded after Tomsula was named, seems to indicate that to be the case. They really struggled to find coordinators which is why they wound up settling for Mangini and Chryst. Tomsula likely doesn’t have many contacts, but there is also the possibility a lot of Coaches didn’t see him as deserving his title and didn’t want to align themselves with an impending disaster.

        1. Maybe JH gave glowing recommendations to all the prospective coaches.
          Just kidding. JH told every coach who called him that Jed would stab him in the back, too.

  9. I used to be fairly steadfast in the idea that Tomsula would get a chance to redeem himself in a second season but at this point he’s got a 50/50 chance at best of returning. 3 straight ugly losses and I don’t think he comes back for season 2.

    1. He comes cheap and the Yorks will want to ride this pony for as long as they can. I think it is a four year contract. So we will have him for at least two years.

      In addition, the last firing and hiring was such a Cluster F*** that the next coach will have to be an outsider (very uncomfortable for the Yorks) and will cost a lot more money. Jim Tomsula will continue as our coach.

      Is there anybody out there who thinks that Tomsula can pull this off? Can he put together a staff and coach this team into the playoffs within a few years? I’m not looking for a fight I’m just curious if anybody on this board is a believer? You may want to keep your head down right now, I understand that. I am not a believer.

    2. I’ve never ever wanted the Niners to lose a game — never, not even during the depths of despair of the Nolantery seasons.

      But I want them to lose badly in each of the 3 remaining games because that’s the only way it seems we have a chance that the ownership will clean house in the off-season and actually overpay to get some respected football minds to come in and take full control.

  10. After Picking the Browns last week victory, TomD will keep his streak alive by picking the 49ers home loss to a playoff hungry, AJ McCarron led Cincinnati team.
    AJ McCarron

    Why One Works and One Didn’t

    TomD’s prediction: I did predict a Bears win last week and if not for a couple of routine FG misses by a Pro Bowl caliber place kicker, I win this bet.
    Look for TomD to get back on track this week–figuring the unpredictable last week, I will stick to this trend, picking the unpredictable again–Cleveland.

    TomD

    December 12, 2015 at 9:02 am

    The 49ers will be sky-high after their 1st road win this year and play down to the level of a team they feel is inferior. The 49ers will be matching up against a skilled Cleveland run defense which has allowed 115.8 rushing yards over its last five matchups. For the season, it allows 136.3 rush YPG. San Francisco’s defense could allow points against the Browns heading into halftime. The 49ers surrender an average of 13.3 points per road game in the second quarter, more than any other team in the league. The Browns hold the upper hand in time of possession battle this week, because San Francisco averages a time of 27:36 per game, ranking 31st in the NFL.

  11. A Holiday sampler platter of York fueled futility:

    York backing Singletary before he was eventually fired:

    “We will win the division!”

    No, Jed. No you won’t.

    York acting like a passive aggressive bit#% after getting rid of Harbaugh:

    “You’ve got a lot of (coaches) who are there, and you’re going to have people that understand what we do well and put our players in a position to make plays. And it’s very simple. You look at Seattle. They have a fairly simple philosophy on both sides of the ball. They let their players make plays. There’s something to be said for that. And I think you’re going to see a lot of that from us. You’re going to see a lot of intensity, a lot of competition — but put our players in position to make plays.”

    Yes, Jed. It’s very simple, isn’t it? This quote was the ultimate red flag of incompetence, arrogance and entitlement. Things are simple for people that have been handed everything in life. No F’n clue.

    “It’s not fixing Kaepernick. I think Kap is an unbelievable player. He’s a young guy that continues to need to grow and mature, but we all do. You look at Anquan Boldin. Anquan Boldin is going to try to get better in the offseason and he’s already a Hall of Famer. Frank Gore is the same way. But with Kap, again, you’ve got a guy in Geep Chryst that knows him better than anybody else. You’ve got a great guy in Steve Logan that’s coming in that’s going to work with him on fundamentals and allow us to put together a system that’s going to put Kap in the best position to make plays. How many quarterbacks in this league can run 90 yards for a touchdown? I can’t think of many. But you’ve got to put Kap in a position where he can make those plays. And put Kap in a position where we can run the ball. We can throw the ball in ways that allow him to be successful, and let him be the absolute stud that he can be on the field. And I think that’s what you’re going to see from us next year. Defenses are not going to want to play against us because you’re not going to know where we’re going to hit you.”

    SMH. Sure, Jed. Every team the Niners have played this year knew where they would hit them. The punches just weren’t effective. This quote alone guaranteed offensive futility for the upcoming season.

    “We’re trying to win a Super Bowl,” York said, via the San Francisco Chronicle. “We haven’t been able to do that. And I think what we’re trying to do is build a team that focuses on our core strengths. I think we got away from that a little bit. I think we tried to do too much and be something that we weren’t. I think you’re gonna see us get back to the basics, get back to letting our players go out and make plays. . . . You look at our offense last year. It wasn’t I think where it should have been. I think we have better talent than what our results showed.”

    Do you now, Jed? Are you qualified to evaluate NFL talent? Last years 8-8 finish looks like one of the all time great coaching jobs compared to this team.

    “Culture is huge. That’s the difference between a championship-caliber team and a championship team,” York says. “You look at the Golden State Warriors. They were the dumbest team in the NBA for letting Mark Jackson go, who won the most games in the franchise’s history. How could you be so dumb? They bring in Steve Kerr, who has been around the game for a long period of time but has never coached before. Kerr changes the culture, comes in with a different perspective, and look what happens.”

    How did changing the culture work out for you, Jed? Culture is huge. It’s the difference between the playoffs and a top draft choice. You were an idiot for letting Harbaugh go and you’re an idiot for the futility that has followed. Tomsula came in, changed the culture and look what happened.

    1. BigP,

      If that doesn’t spell out where the problems start with this team, I don’t know what does. A guy who doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing but making decisions and analogies as if he does. I remember during the PC after they dumped Harbaugh, he said he and JH had a difference in philosophy going back as far as 2012. The fact he thinks he has a philosophy and that it is worthy of mentioning is the sign of supreme ignorance and ego. You read stuff like this and it just gives you no hope that anything positive will happen as long as this idiot is running the show.

      1. Rocket,
        Jed’s biggest problem is that he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. He is completely unaware of his shortcomings. His second biggest problem is that he doesn’t learn from his mistakes. He blames other people for them. His third biggest issue is that he’s a coward. Cowards don’t make good leaders. Cowards don’t leak info to the media. Cowards don’t preach about accountability and then hide when it’s time to be accountable. Jed is such a terrible leader that a new Mark Davis hairstyle alone would be enough to put him at #32 amongst owners. When I have seen Jed speak, it reminds me of the scene in Ace Ventura when Jim Carrey uses his butt cheeks to mimic his spoken words. *Drops mic

      1. Mid,
        I appreciate it. I just wish we were talking about the playoffs and not this inept turd of an owner.

      2. Big P,

        Cowards don’t leak? Cowards don’t preach about accountability and then hide when it’s time to be accountable?

        1. Ex,
          My older IPad gives me fits trying to type. It’s so slow that I have to keep correcting little things and I missed it. I think my tone conveys my sentiment when it comes to all things Jed. I just had to go back and fix tone after it switched it to tine, which it just switched to time when typing it again. Time for a new tablet.

          1. It happens.

            I definitely understood your tone regarding Jed!

            I don’t think he’s quite as bad as you apparently do, but I sure wish they’d sell the team or, failing that, Jed would realize he needs to hire a football man and then stay out of the way.

            You’re absolutely right that he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know, which is probably the single biggest obstacle to the team getting better, long term.

            The team being sold doesn’t seem very likely, so we’re left to hope Jed find some capacity to learn from his mistakes.

    2. Big P,
      You’ve offered a tasty smorgasbord of holiday offerings! I’m just adding some alcohol to it!

  12. TrollD, thank you for bringing up your predictions. On the first game of the year, you predicted the Vikings would beat the Niners 52-0. Too bad you missed the exact score by 69 points. Keep up the good work.

    1. Seb,
      Are you celebrating the Seinfeld tradition “Festivus for the Rest of us” by getting back at TomD’ miserable prediction? (lol).

  13. Tim Kawakami ✔ @timkawakami
    Went up to talk to Andrew Bogut. Who first wanted to discuss one thing: Why in the world aren’t the 49ers playing Jarryd Hayne?

    1. Because they’re dumb@$$€$. You should already know the answer to that Bogut. C’MON MAN!!!

    2. Its obvious. They want to lose. If Hayne played and had a great game, they would look even more clueless.

  14. I think Fooch over at NN has correctly identified the immortal lines for which Tomsula will be remembered long after he’s gone. They appear in the 8th paragraph of this rambling in Grant’s column above and reproduced below:
    “There’s a core of young guys that you’re really excited about. We keep talking about them, that you see that in them and it’s growing. And, I think that is what we are in the process of building. If there’s something we’re building, that’s what we’re building.”

    “Wherever you go, there you are” — Buckaroo Banzai

    1. Sad and sobering. So many people who don’t realize the dangers in the supposed greatest Country in the world from people you should be able to trust with your safety.

      1. I was 14 years old and standing in front of my own home the first time I “fit the description”.

        Rocket, I’d like to thank you and others on this blog for being open minded. These are tough issues to communicate about and I’m proud of the way the discussions have been handled the last few days.

      2. I was back from riding the Fat Man for SAC and strolling near San Jose State where I was a student. I was wearing my old fatigue jacket, new khakis, and a military haircut.

        At a traffic light that had just turned yellow, two guys in business suits and I started across the street a little late. A cop standing nearby called me back ignoring the two guys in suites. I ask the officer why. Clearly a mistake. You don’t ask “the man” why. He was immediately ready for a confrontation which I had the sense not to provide. That was in 1957.

        A funny side light to this “asking why” problem was in boot camp before I had the chance to go to flight school. We were in formation waiting to go into a mess hall at Parks AFB. It was raining. Because of my name I was in the front rank. Our drill sargent hollered my name because he wanted to send someone back to the our barracks for something. He immediately changed his mind and sent someone else while announcing very loudly that I would probably ask why.

        Between that moment in boot camp and the moment at an intersection in San Jose, no one ever got on my case for asking why.

        Today even implying why in the wrong situation can lead to a dangerous outcome.

          1. I tell you what Armstead has been pretty damn impressive for a 21 year old kid. These guy can be an absolute force in a couple years. I’m willing to bet balke will target Smith or Jack at MLB.. It’s time to rebuild the middle of that D. That’s of course if Tunsil is off the board.

          2. Sure is Grimey. Very similar looking athletes, but Buckner brings a far more developed technique and understanding of the position.

    1. GT, also thanks for this! For those who haven’t listened, Deeny’s interview starts at around 24:15.

    2. Good stuff from Deeney and I obviously agree with his thoughts on drafting a QB with the first pick. Problem is I don’t think Goff will be there…

    1. Their pick for the 49ers at #5 is a lock. Josh Doctson, WR, TCU had a season ending injury. Perfect.

    1. Classic. Baalke always looks like a serial killer, Tomsula always looks like he’s holding in a fart and York always has that Viagra commercial look on his face. Three dipshi#% is more like it.

      1. Hey…. My dad might look that way, but he has a good heart. Sometimes my dad does look the Tom Brady courtroom sketch.

  15. As I stated in an earlier column, 52-0 to the Vikes was a euphemism as to the lousy season the 49ers would have…Everyone who cares about honesty (except for Seb, and others) omit my preseason analogy of the 49ers being the Titanic head for a wreck, after their 4-12 record which they may upgrade to 6-10 after a few late season garbage time wins as coaches pull starters…Opposite me are the Seb’s of the sporting world and their poor predictions: 10-6…Worse than my predictions as I’m a gambler–Seb a fumbler like his hero Hayne, who he predicted as a 49er difference maker when no other NFL team wants him. Again, I refer to my Cleveland Brown winner payoff at the casinos in my above post as proof of my NFL prediction acumen….I may offer my NFL prediction website soon.

  16. Great Minds think Alike:

    Posted on December 17, 2015 by Tim Kawakami

    GNFL Picks, Week 15: I’ll go with Aaron Rodgers over the Raiders and A.J. McCarron over the 49ers, both as road favorites (yikes)

  17. Niners Nation
    ‏@NinersNation Tomsula: Tomsula seems to have no idea why the 49ers have good practice weeks, but don’t convert it on game day.

    Damon Bruce ‏@DamonBruce · Dec 16

    Damon Bruce Retweeted Niners Nation
    Coaching could be why?

  18. Tech multibillionaire Ellison, co-founder of Redwood City-based Oracle, is no stranger to high-profile real estate purchases. In 2012, Ellison paid $300 million for about 98 percent of the Hawaiian island of Lanai. In 2013, to improve access to Lanai, Ellison bought Island Air.

      1. I concur. Maybe they can copy a few innovative plays that Stanford runs. That flea flicker for a TD just makes me wonder if Chryst could think up a play like that, or if he is too obtuse.

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