Report: 49ers may have misused tax dollars on Levi’s Stadium

Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor, along with other city leaders, are threatening to take over management of Levi’s Stadium from the 49ers. According to Mayor Gillmor, who cites an independent audit, the 49ers have committed the following transgressions:

  1. “The 49ers have failed to present budget documents that are mandated in the stadium contract.”
  2. The city may not be making its legal share of revenue from concerts and non-football events at Levi’s Stadium.
  3. The 49ers allegedly are taking money from the city’s General Fund and illegally putting that money into the stadium.
  4. The 49ers may have illegally used tax dollars to reseed the field more than once.
  5. The 49ers may have illegally used city money for more than one NFL event.

Here is the team’s official response:

According to NBC Bay Area, the 49ers will turn over the proper budget documents to the auditor today.

What do you make of all this?

This article has 173 Comments

  1. I don’t trust the Yorks, and I have no trust of politicians regardless of their political affiliations. Politicians specially the liberal ones get their panties in a bunch when they think the rich haven’t paid what they think is their fair share. Scum on both sides of this fight, they deserve each other and I hope both sides lose.

    1. Wow, you are not very bright. Weasels like trumpy pay a lower rate, if any at all, than just about everyone. Liberals are correct to point that out and attempt to correct.

      1. Liberals are correct to point that out and attempt to correct.

        Ha, lmao! President Obama had both houses and could have easily corrected it eight years ago….

        1. Wrong. Have your heard of the filibuster. Plus, too busy cleaning up the burning trainwreck bushy left behind – 800K jobs lost per month, 2 wars raging out of control, terrorists hiding in plain site in pakistan, GDP minus 12 percent, mini depression etc.

          1. Have you heard of Executive order? Same old talking points there buddy. I don’t have a dog in this race. Megalomaniac or liar, the choice is yours….

            1. By the way Razor, Obamacare wasn’t passed “under the cover of darkness”, as misinformed Republicans would like us to believe.

              NICE TRY Razor! The House of Representatives PASSED the ACA (with a 219–212 vote) on March 21, 2010, after the Senate had PASSED the bill (with a 60 to 39 vote)!

              And, the ACA works great in this great state of California! Why? Because California took the Affordable Care Act and ran with it, instead of spending every waking hour after it was passed BY CONGRESS, trying to prevent it from working as it was intended, like Republican Governors across the country have done!

              1. Yes, yes, the Democrats are white as Snow-den and the Republicans are evil, old, white, rich obstructionist’s. I know the talking points….

              2. Works great in California. I work in the medical insurance industry and to say you are misinformed is being very kind. This is the worst thing to pass in my lifetime. It got everybody I know that worked for a small business kicked off of their current plan because their employer was hit with such increases that they couldn’t afford it anymore so people had to scramble and get insurance through the exchange. All it did was raise rates forever. They punished 90% of the working population to appease 10%. No doctors in my county even take insurance under the affordable care act. All it did was raise rates forever for working Americans to take care of a few bums that want to chill and ride the working mans coat tails. That’s what liberals do, punish responsible good people.

              3. Just curious Razor, where did you get the talking point that Obamacare was passed “undercover the of darkness” when no such thing occurred?

                Don’t you think it’s irresponsible to use talking points that are totally false and incorrect?

                Republicans have filibustered more than 500 pieces of legislation during Obama’s term, meaning they have used this tactic nearly 400% more times during Obama’s term than any other presidential term.

                Isn’t that the definition of obstruction? You may think obstruction is OK and that’s your right, but it doesn’t change the facts Razor.

              4. It saved my sister’s life Julian, I’d call that working in my book.

                And then there is this:

                Early reports that 2016 health insurance premiums would increase in double digits brought out the usual cadre of critics to claim — once again — that Obamacare is not financially sustainable.

                We now have the full picture in California, where we are proving that health insurance exchanges can keep prices in check. Residents who enroll through Covered California, our statewide exchange, will see only modest 4% increases in 2016. Those selecting the lowest-priced plans actually will save 4.5%. Health care costs are now rising at a lower rate in California than before the law was enacted, and it has also reduced the number of insured by millions.

                These low premiums were made possible because California law gave Covered California the power to actively negotiate on behalf of its 1.3 million consumers. The board and staff of Covered California have used this authority. That’s helping the Affordable Care Act work as intended …. using market forces to hold down costs.

                So how exactly is California getting such good results? First, Covered California selects which plans can be sold through the exchange. This gives it leverage with the insurers, which want to reach this source of new customers. Those insurers then are able to negotiate better deals from hospitals and doctors. In contrast, the federal health insurance marketplace and other state exchanges take all comers and do not force insurers to improve plans to get their products onto the exchanges.

              5. Sure, nationwide, Obamacare needs some tweeks. That’s what elected officials in congress used to do, you know, fix things.

                That was before the tea party made it clear to the Republican establishment …… that working across the aisle is now the kiss of death.

                The very foundation of our democracy, finding solutions through compromise is now a four-letter-word thanks to the tea party, and cowardly Republicans in Washington. That’s a fact!

                The big lie being sold to Americans is the notion that we can simply replace Obamacare with something better. Republicans know very well that you cannot simply get rid of Obamacare. It must be fixed or replaced, and Republicans have no plan for fixing Obamacare because the core principles of Obamacare are what makes it what it is. You get rid of the mandate, then you have to allow insurers to drop the sickest people off of the books and allow insurers to drop patients with pre-existing conditions and every politician knows that, if they vote to go back to allowing insurers to let sick people die, they will be voted out of office.

                The Affordable Care Act is here to stay. Therefore, responsible politicians ought to acknowledge this fact, and move to make reasonable changes to strengthen the law, and not pretend that they can can simply replace it with some fantasy program that doesn’t exist.

              6. All of the Republicans and 34 Democrats voted against Obamacare n the House.
                No Senate Republicans voted for it.

          2. Wrong. Ever heard about the filibuster-proof Senate Obama and the dems had all throughout 2009?

            1. You are wrong. Al Franken was delayed taking MN seat and martha coakly lost election. 59 senate seats. get your facts straight. Then there is the issue of intent. Dems want to fix the problem and R want to block efforts to do that.

              1. Enough with the BS exuses and condescension particularly with Undercenter. The Dems had no problem under cover of darkness to get Obamacare passed….

              2. You’re correct on this one Posse.

                Anyone who doesn’t think the Republican Party doesn’t want the wealthy to pay as little as possible in taxes hasn’t read the Republican platform in the last 20+ years.

                Just read Trump’s tax plan. Nothing but massive tax breaks for the top 1%. Donald Trump’s new tax plan gives the top 1% an average cut of at least $122,400, while the middle class could get a break of less than $500, according to a new analysis. The top individual income tax rate would fall from the current 39.6 percent to 33 percent, and the corporate tax rate would drop from 35 percent to 15 percent. He would also eliminate the federal estate tax and gift taxes. And Trumps plan would add more than a TRILLION dollars to the deficit. Corporations and the wealthiest Americans win big with Trump, leaving our children to pay the bill (plus interest). MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THE YORK FAMILY!

                In other words, all those hard working, blue collar Trump supporters are voting against their self interest. That’s what you get when your political base also happens to be the least educated.

                Congress is supposed to be a place of compromise, a grand meeting of the minds. Only one BIG problem with that American ideal, however the Republicans have just said NO to everything, as shown by the 112 Republican filibusters in 2007 and 2008, which was a record breaking number then.

                However, it didn’t stop there.

                As a matter of FACT, Republicans have filibustered more than 500 pieces of legislation during Obama’s term, meaning they have used this tactic nearly 400% more times during Obama’s term than any other presidential term.

                It’s called obstruction, and since the birth of the Tea Party, the cowardly Republican Party has made partisanship their way of life, and America has suffered because of it, IMO.

                However, this is supposed to be a football forum?

              3. Did I say Trump’s tax plan would add more than 1 Trillion dollars to the deficit? I meant $5.9 trillion over 10 years! That’s according to the right-leaning Tax Foundation released an analysis Monday.

                This, from the leader of a party that has used the deficit as an excuse to cut spending on middle income and poor families since George W. Bush’s Great Recession of 2008.

                What a complete sham! How stupid is the Republican base?

            2. It was the untimely and sad passing of Ted Kennedy and the election of a Republican Senator from Mass that removed the 60 seat majority.

              Republicans successfully stalled until then, and thwarted the Dems plans.

              1. Neither “Breakfast” or Seb have told us, point by point, about the greatness and wonders of Hillary.

                Instead, they call names, or they blab on about Bush. Watch for it……………….

              2. American politics is, and always has been a dirty game.

                For me, when it comes to politics, it usually comes down to “the lesser of two evils.”

                Hillary is hardly pure, but when compared to Donald J Trump, and a large percentage of his most adamant supporters, Hillary is as pure as the driven snow!

              3. Ted Kennedy was an unindicted felon (Chappaquidick) and a a traitor. If there is justice after death he is burning in hell.

            3. Exactly, the Democrats and Republicans all have excuses and they all stink. I have been an Independent since we got into the Bushes, and the reason we have a Trump right now, is because of Washington being run like the 49ers front office….

              1. It’s a one party system. Both parties are corrupt. Any high level politician is either corrupt or being blackmailed.

                The media is corrupt except for the Cohns :-)
                It is easy to see that the media is pro Hilary. If you are not convinced you should read wikileaks.

                The media was pro Bush when he wanted to illegally invade Iraq. There was a good documentary called “They were selling a war” by Bill Moyers.

                Trump is a racist perv and Clinton should be in prison. Obamacare was written by insurance companies and bankers. The Bushes are war criminals. We the people are screwed.

            4. Speaking about pretenders:

              It’s official! Tim Tebow is the worst hitter in the @MLBazFallLeague hitting .083 in 24 ABs

              Southern League Neck @sleagueneck 9:20 AM – 26 Oct 2016

              1. Breakfast of Idiots: This thread is about the 49ers and the stadium deal, not MLB or your pathetic politics.

          3. ThePosse – I come from a political family, my Dad was mayor of a bay area city back in the early 70’s. I am going to leave it at that. Never considered myself as bright but at least the light comes on, do I need to say more.

          4. And, man, what a trainwreck it was Posse. Bush left a trail of destruction from the U.S. to the Middle-East, while bailing out the very people (big banks) who bankrupted this country!

            How quickly some Americans have forgotten what an absolute disaster George W. Bush’s administration was!

            1. Bush??

              And didn’t all the libs vote affirmative for what Bush did in the middle east? All of them used poor judgement, as did my favorite President JFK did in the Bay of Pigs incident.
              Why cant the libs just stick to football instead of always telling us how to live?

              1. Mobile Weapons Labs? Seriously?

                Everyone knows the Bush Administration pushed us into war by manufacturing false intelligence of WMA’s. Many weak-kneed Democrats in congress went along with the administration, based on manufactured reports (just ask GOP Secretary Of State- Colin Powell) and for fear of being labeled “soft on terror”. But make no mistake, Iraq was Bush’s war. Without a presidential administration hell bent on invading the wrong country and pushing the false reports of WMA’s and “mushroom clouds” (Bush’s words), we would never have invaded Iraq, and the middle-east would be far more stable than it is now.

                And it was Bush who signed the Status of Forces agreement that facilitated our withdrawal of troops in 2011. It established that U.S. combat forces would withdraw from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009, and all U.S. combat forces will be completely out of Iraq by December 31, 2011. That’s entirely on Bush.

                What a shame!

            2. Breakfast of Idiots: This thread is about the 49ers and the stadium deal, not MLB or your pathetic politics.

            3. Breakfast of Idiots: This thread is about the 49ers and the stadium deal, not Health care, not HilLiary, not MLB or your pathetic politics.

      2. Liberals sure are!!!! just look at the tolerant and filled with love Clinton Crime Family-and their followers! Everyone of them filled with love and tolerance!

        Just stick to football……………….

        1. Saw, you are Hillaryous. Whining about football, when all you like to do is attack me, and say nothing about football.

  2. I wonder if York Inc. perpetuates a vision of football incompetence to use as a possible defense during litigation? No one who knows the history questions the York’s increasing level of incompetence. Has the family assigned Jed the role of head stooge and fail guy? Jed certainly plays his part to perfection.

  3. Gee Grant, what do YOU think about it? Do you have any insight, information or perspective to help your readers resolve the conflicting claims by both parties? Do you have any Insider points to make? Have you researched the parameters of the City’s stadium deal?
    Somebody’s lying or exaggerating….but who?
    Is it helpful for me or Razor or Seb to prattle on and on without any practical knowledge of the facts?
    This isn’t breaking news since it was a point of discussion yesterday in your comments section, so, is this post just like a tweet?

      1. Audits don’t come up with “may have”. They come with either “did” or “didn’t”. Audits are not suppose to raise questions they are suppose to answer them.

        1. The Niners have to turn over their budget documents before the auditor can answer the questions.

          1. Budgets are predictions. They are no substitute for what actually transpired. In other words, they do not tell what was actually spent on what. I have been through an audit every year for the last 14 years and no one has ever asked me for my budgets.

          2. I’ve been doing public and private commercial real estate deals for about 30 years. Budgets may be part of documentation supplied in an audit as part of a commercial construction draw but no one, and I mean absolutely no-one specifically audits budgets. They audit financials. An audit specifically on a budget would be a monumental waste of time. As part of a management agreement for a tenancy in common type situation a budget can be required by the owner. I’m not sure if the 49ers have joint tenancy, tenancy by the entirety, or tenancy in common with Santa Clara. It all depends on the Management Agreement as to the requirements under the contract. If the 49ers are supposed to submit an annual budget to Santa Clara and they are not complying then it’s an issue. The agreement should be a matter of public record for an industrious young reporter to go research. Otherwise, when politicians talk, you should assume there are ulterior motives related to money. A very realistic explanation could be:

            Mayor Gillmor: “Wait just a minute, Jed York only donated $2,500 to my political campaign but he was able to pony up $1M to Kaepernick charities in a matter of days. I’ll show Jed.”

            Happens all the time. I’m no fan of Jed or the 49ers front office but this smacks of politics as usual. Especially in California.

      2. Grant
        No, I suspect not exaggerating. As you mention below, w/o the required docs, the audit can’t tell. Then there will be semantic arguements about flow of funds and whether they pass through the General Fund and a lot of parsing of phrases to avoid outright lies. The team response actually avoided the questions; yes, monies have come in, but all that are due?
        So, there’s an interesting story here somewhere:
        -difficulties of private-public partnerships (is the least aspect of the story)
        -malfeasance; real or,imagined?
        -municipalities getting steam-rolled on contract details as they reach for the shiny Apple of potential revenue?
        There will be smoke and noise that has to be sorted through to get to the real facts and factors. Perhaps it’s more of a Phil Matier story.

    1. BT, it is very helpful to me, because it just gives me another chance to rip Jed and the FO again……;p

  4. More bad PR for the worst sports franchise (ESPN). “Where there is smoke, there is fire.” The Yorks suck. Looking forward to seeing how this is resolved. My guess is that it will come down to their handing over a check and apologizing for an “accounting error.”

  5. The best part is the response of the fans to Bob Lange on Twitter (link shown above in Grant’s writeup).

  6. I can only imagine Jed is taking advice from Clinton Aides and whitewashing his Levi’s documents….

      1. Donald Trump is a con artist sebnynah. Not releasing his tax returns is part of his con.

        If Trumps base of supporters weren’t the least educated base of political supporters in this country, they might be able to understand how incredibly disingenuous this guy is.

        How different would politics be in this country if these deep red states like Oklahoma, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi & Louisiana weren’t so incredibly under-educated, and there weren’t so many low-information voters?

        One can only dream of such a country!

        Well, it may be too much to ask for better education throughout the south, but it’s comforting to know that demographics, in states like Texas, are turning red states blue. If the Republican Party doesn’t find a way to divorce themselves from the tea party, and stop with the demagoguery and blaming all of our problems on immigrants & Obamacare, we are less than a generation away from a Republican Party that has become irrelevant to the American political system. Republicans are on their way to becoming a permanent minority part in congress, the same way they can no longer win a national election. They can only jury rig a majority in the House of Representatives for so long.

        Unfortunately, our system is based on the checks and balances of a 2 party system. While a permanent Democratic Super Majority is better than the broken congress we have now, this country is better off with 2 relevant political parties in the long run, so let’s hope the GOP can do some soul searching and figure it out at some point.

        They can start now by denouncing Trump and all of his race baiting, immigrant bashing, and misogynist nonsense.

        1. And i say the filled-with-love-and tolerance libs have turned this into a forum for invective. What about football?????????

        2. I just read “Hillbilly Elegy” by J. D. Vance. I recommend it highly to anyone who wants to know why poor white southerners keep voting against their own economic self interests by electing Republicans election after election.

          One day these “Hillbillys” will wake up and realize that the Republican party does not have their interests at heart. That is when the current Republican party will become as extinct as the Whig party.

        3. There is only one candidate under an FBI investigation. There is only one candidate who made 100 mil while working as a “public Servant” for “the people”. And you call me uneducated. Go get a clue. You are embarrassing yourself.

        4. My major beef is not with emails that never were shown to be compromised, so there was no damage done, compared to a demagogue and megalomaniac who wants to use nuclear weapons.

          I have generally refrained from being too political, and have backed off after posters begged me not to go there, but this election is dominating our psyche. It may be the most important choice we make in out lifetimes. Do we go towards empowerment, or do we take a leap off the cliff?

          I think the Latino vote will determine this election.

          But the Brexit vote shows how easily some may be duped without thinking through the consequences.

        5. Breakfast of Idiots: This thread is about the 49ers and the stadium deal, not Trump, not MLB or your pathetic politics.

      2. It was a joke, just like this election. Whitewash Levi’s Ha Ha. No need to try and persuade us with the rhetoric, gentleman. Vote your conscious, as will I. For me, it will be a write in. Gary Johnson

        1. Razor,

          Kudos to you for not falling into “The lesser of two evils” crap. Voting for the lesser of two evils is how we get stuck with people like Trump and Clinton.

          I support Jill Stien. I lean left but I would never sell my soul and vote for a Democrat. You support Johnson. You and I could actually have a healthy discussion without talking points and name calling.

          I tip my cap to you and all the other Johnson supporters.

        2. If I thought Gary Johnson could win, I’d consider it. However, throwing away a vote that could go against a guy who’s a threat to our democracy, and our planet, would make it hard for me to sleep at night Razor. Hillary may not be perfect, but she’s far, far more qualified than Trump, who recently asked:

          – “why do we have nuclear weapons if we don’t use them?”

          Here are some other things Trump has said, or clearly doesn’t understand:

          – Trump said he was open to nuking Europe because it’s a “big place”

          – Trump said that “you want to be unpredictable” with nuclear weapons

          – Trump said he wasn’t that worried about more countries getting nukes since “it’s not like, gee whiz, nobody has them”

          – Trump had no idea what the “nuclear triad” was

          – Trump said he’d be OK with a nuclear arms race in Asia

          – Trump said it didn’t matter if Saudi Arabia acquired nuclear weapons because “it’s going to happen anyway”

          And what exactly has Hillary, who has experience on Capitol Hill & has served as Secretary of State, done? Unknowingly sent some emails that had some questionably “classified” information, on a personal server, that doesn’t come close to rising to the level of breaking the law, according to the FBI?

          And you want me to throw away a vote that could help defeat one of these candidates?

          No thanks!

          Like I said, I hope someday we have a viable 3rd party to, if nothing else, help counterbalance the Democratic Party, because the GOP is well on it’s way to becoming extinct.

          1. Breakfast,

            Your line of thinking is why third parties will never be viable. If all the people like you would vote third parties they would rival the two major parties. Especially this year, Trump and Clinton are the most unpopular candidates ever.

            There was a large group of “Never Trump” Republicans. Clinton rigged the primaries and screwed Bernie with the help of the DNC. Both parties are fractured.

            Clinton is just as dangerous as Trump. She continues to talk crap on Russia and wants regime change in Syria. That could lead to WWIII. Hilary also admires Henry Kissinger who is wanted for war crimes.

            Bill Clinton asked Trump to run. This whole election is a reality show. Hilary becomes president and Trump gets his own network. I believe it has already been named “Trump TV”

            Trump will say any stupid thing he can so his friend will get elected.

            You only waste your vote when you vote for someone who doesn’t share your beliefs and ethics.

            1. I wish it were that simple #80. I’d love nothing more than a viable, 3rd party to break up the system.

              However, I’m a realist. Until we take the money out of politics, we are stuck with a 2 party system.

              1. Realist or defeatist?

                If you support Clinton or Trump, you are supporting every bad thing they would potentially do. If you can sleep at night, then more power to you. Or should I say more power to the establishment.

              2. Like I said #80, until we get rid of the ungodly amounts of money that influence our politics and elections, it doesn’t matter what you and I would like to see.

                Study after study have all come to the same conclusion. Money talks, while fairness walks. Over 90% of the time, the opponent or lobbying group that spends the most money, wins the day. It’s really that simple.

                You may think both parties are created equal when it comes to the influence of money in politics, but you would be wrong #80! It was the Conservative appointees to The United States Supreme Court who ruled (5-4) that freedom of speech prohibited the government from restricting independent political expenditures by a nonprofit corporation. The principles articulated by the Supreme Court in the case have also been extended to for-profit corporations, labor unions and other associations. All four liberal leaning Justices ruled in favor of the FEC.

                #80, you may think you have as much influence as anyone else when it comes to voting and electing political representatives, but you don’t. The conservative Justices of the Supreme Court who’s majority opinion (Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the initial opinion of the Court) ruled in favor of Citizens United over the FEC giving special interests and their lobbyists excessive power in Washington, while undermining the influence of average Americans like you and I, who make small contributions to support their preferred candidates. Therefore, by and large, it’s the special interests that now determine elections. And the deeper the pockets, the better the results.

                Hillary Clinton and the Democratic platform are running against Citizens United, and would like to restore campaign finance laws in order to limit the influence of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns.

                According to recent surveys, as many as 75% of Americans support an effort by Congress to reinstate limits on corporate and union spending on election campaigns.

                Until congress votes to reinstate limits on corporate and union spending on election campaigns, which Donald Trump and the GOP are opposed to doing, your dream, #80, of a viable 3rd party that actually has influence in Washington and can win elections will never come true.

                Enjoy your dreamland #80, because in the real world we live in, your dream is just that, pure fantasy!

              3. Breakfast,

                Every journey begins with a single step.

                You say Hilary wants money out of politics. Maybe she should give back all that Wall Street money. Hilary will say anything you want to hear.

                You are living in the dreamland. We live in a one party system. Wake up. You are living under tyranny. But unlike me you give them consent.

                I sure you will disagree but I think we can do better. Call me a dreamer all you want, but you are just as much a defeatist.

                When you vote for the lesser of two evils you are partaking in evil. I assume you voted for Obama, if so you share some of the blame for all the innocent civilians killed by drone strikes. How can you vote for corrupt parties and expect anything other than a corrupt government.

                Vote for Stein if you lean left like me. Vote for Johnson if you lean right.

          2. Breakfast of Idiots: This thread is about the 49ers and the stadium deal, not the national election, not MLB or your pathetic politics.

  7. i think fans should fight back against Jed Yorks false and irresponsible claims he is a professional sports owner! nothing more than a carpetbagger from Ohio scaming people.

    1. We no longer shop at UP Mall here in Mishawaka, where it is owned by the DeBartolo’s. We also have stopped purchasing any 49er material until the culture in the front office changes….

  8. I am glad Jed’s incompetence is front and center and I am proud to have been the leader in pointing out what a poor NFL executive he is.

    #TheMunchkinMustGo

    1. Sorry, it was Germinator who was way before you. You are claiming, but you were just parroting.

      1. Seb,

        Rollo was the first person to tell people not to stare at the sun. He was the first to say that cigarettes were bad. But most importantly he was the first to say that Jed was bad, that is like saying the sky is blue.

      1. They already did that when they traded Andy Lee to the Panthers for a 4th round pick after we sent him to Cleveland for a 7th.

    1. Unbelievable that Baalke let Collins get away. But hey, look at the bright side. Maybe the Browns will win more games than the niners and we’ll have the #1 pick.

      1. Cubus do you think ownership has put a stop to Baalkes’s ability to do any further deals and let the year play out?

        1. That’s why I believe they should fire Baalke now rather than wait until the end of the year. I would prefer to have the new GM working with the scouts to get ready for FA and the draft.

          Having said that I’ve been reading some posts over at NN and apparently there are some issues with Collins that I wasn’t aware of. Here are some excerpts:

          With Jamie Collins contract coming up, he was at one point asking for what one league source described as “Von Miller money.” Von: 6-$114.5M

          — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 31, 2016

          Collins on the second play of the game does whatever he wants and Bills gain 28 yards. Been happening all year. It was not going to continue
          — michael lombardi (@mlombardifoxtv) October 31, 2016

          1. Interesting. He’s a valuable chess piece, but if he was asking for that and not doing his job, then it explains how they got him so cheaply….

            1. Hightower is the better and more important LB to the Patriots. That is why they let Collins leave. But I think he may have had some attitude/ on field discipline issues this year – only real reason I can think of for letting Collins go now and for so little in compensation rather than letting him walk at the end of the year.

              Regardless of the reason, the 49ers were asleep at the wheel. But, if he wants Miller type money, who says the Browns will be able to extend his deal before he hits FA? I haven’t heard anything about him signing a new deal yet. Browns could always use the franchise tag on him I guess.

              1. Hmmm, looks like the Browns want to try and win. Baalke does not have a clue how to be a GM, by doing nothing. Maybe he knows he is a dead man walking, and does not want to help his successor.

  9. Let’s see, the Niners get millions in rent reductions, then the mayor resigns. Then Jed is caught financing political shills. Now this lack of accounting.

    Nope, nothing there. Jed is doing a GREAT job.

    (running this once classy and Championship franchise into the gutter to become a dysfunctional dumpster fire).

    1. Jedster .. Is .. a dumpster fire .. and
      the only winners in this airing of his financial
      dirty laundry … will be the cadre of
      lawyers every billionaire has in their
      back pockets ..

  10. Hey, guys, I have a confession to make. Since the Cardinals game, I have been rooting for us to lose. Frankly, it’s the only way I can turn on the set. And I must tell you that it is liberating. My anti-Niner team is 3-0 and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.

    Seb, please don’t condemn me for this. As I said, it’s the only way I can turn on the set. I detest the organization. I’m fine with Kelly, but we can see he has little to work with.

    1. To clarify: I’m not rooting for them to lose so we can have better draft position. In my opinion, this franchise has re-entered the category of bottom-dweller, with the Browns, Jaguars, etc. The Harbaugh error was a blip.

      1. Keep yer chin up .. George …

        a wise man once said …

        ” … it’s always darkest .. before the dawn …”

        (yeah … I don’t believe that.. either ..
        as long as Jedster is at the helm)

        1. Ya kno … in any scandal … it’s always
          the low person on the totem pole .. who
          ends up falling on the sword … and ..

          with that in mind … I worry about
          Joan in Accounting …

          I don’t know her .. but… no question ..
          she’s almost as popular .. on these threads ..
          as Cassie ..

          1. Hey…. Joan left three years ago, just so you know. She was a casualty of John York’s budget reductions. Joan was making 14.50/hr. Jackie replaced her, at 13.75/hr. Jackie is nervous…

    2. George, I may join you, because if they fail spectacularly, Jed may be held accountable…..;p

  11. so let me get this straight. we have possibly the worst linebackers in the nfl and baalke doesnt trade a conditional 3rd round pick for a proven starter. this man is an idiot and needs to be gone asap

  12. If a comedy series could be made of the 9ers, who would play such parts as Denise, John, Jed, Trent, Chip, etc? A high quality show like Parks and Rec or The Office. Joe Pesci could play Eddie D. I wonder…

    1. Cassie,

      Here is my cast

      Denise- Lily Tomlin
      John- Bob Uecker
      Jed- Jerry Mathers
      Trent- Gary Busey
      Chip- The reanimated corpse of Chris Farley

      1. BTW, I like your Joe Pesci Eddie D suggestion. He can play dual roles when Carmen Policy comes to visit.

  13. Jonathan Banks released by Bucs. Slay has proven unequivocally to have been the better selection.

    1. Sure has. Good call. I liked Banks heading into the draft. A press-man team may look to pick him up and see if he can play better in that scheme.

      1. Thx mate. Its like my uncle used to say, if you got s**t for brains luck will have to do. Sometimes I get one right.

      2. I didn’t Banks and it is no surprise, but I wasn’t that keen on Slay either. Win some, lose some. Still better than Baalke, lol…Well done CFC!

    1. “It’s clear Baalke’s approach of building solely through the draft is not a sustainable way to grow a football team. ”

      I’ve been saying this for the two years I’ve been posting on this site. There needs to be an integrated approach employing both the draft and FA/trades.

      1. I think the Patriots are an excellent model of how to integrate the two and seem quite proficient at it….

          1. Elway has done a magnificent job. The only consolation for me is the 55-10 Super Bowl….

  14. I was one of the fools who thought we would be good this year. I bought into the BS about how good DeForest Buckner was going to be and how a year’s experience was going to turn Arik Armstead into a stud player. Now I watch Buckner and Armstead being tossed around like a bunch of sticks down after down, I see average running backs running through our defensive front to the tune of double digit yards per rush average and I have to ask myself what was I thinking? I ignored the biggest clue that this was going to be a bad year. $ 40 Million under the cap. That alone should have told me that Jed was not planning to field a competitive team this year.

    If Armstead and Buckner do not show improvement in the second half and are bonafide busts, we will suck for at least another 4 years. There is no way an NFL franchise can win with multiple year first round busts.

    Even if Baalke is fired, a new guy will take at least three drafts to fix the talent level on this team. We are going to suck until 2020 if not longer. Get used to it.

    1. Rick, I feel your pain. It sucks to be a faithful fan, and have the FO intentionally lose.

  15. Prime, did I hear that right? He said Akeem Hicks from the University of Vagina, Canada?;>)

  16. This is so Yorkie and thus they deserve all of this heat and more… Remember the days when John York ordered the water and Gatorade to be behind lock and key because he felt the players were consuming too much wasting his precious dollars? Well, that ugly little balding apple (aka Jed) didn’t fall far from the tree…

    Bottom line is the Yorks are all about making money at others expense. Whether that’s their bait and switch tactic of firing Harbaugh once that overrated stadium was built or siphoning money from tax payers to re-sod the field it’s all good with the Yorks.

    The only way to get under their skin and force change is to embarrass them on a national level (especially Denise)… Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean squat unless they sell the team. They will continue to employ people from a small pool that their social anxiety and big egos accept.

    It’s almost too predictable — Baalke gets fired at season’s end in favor of promoting Gamble who keeps Kelly as HC because that’s his buddy and we’ll then hear from Jed how all will be great going forward because all he does is hang super bowl banners (nevermind the Yorks haven’t done squat in ~16 years of ownership). Too bad though that Chip Kelly is a yes-man who really has no future as a HC in the league with his college offense and he probably knows it… But hey, at least the Yorks will be nice and comfy while counting their benjamins.

  17. Baalke is one of the three blind mice when it comes to the draft, plus we’re stuck with a college coach running a gimmick offense. I’d say it’s 2 Minutes To Midnight….

  18. Jed York is an embarrassment. He runs what has been called the worst franchise in sports. He is laundering money and violating Measure J. He moved the 49ers out of San Francisco. The new stadium sucks. He doesn’t spend money on the team. He uses leaks to demonize people he wants to get rid of. He hasn’t fired Trent and Paraag.

    He asked to be held accountable, but his mommy is the only one he answers to. Denise, either remove Jed or sell the team. I know you were embarrassed by the banners last year. I hope you enjoy the next one Sunday. Eventually the banners will have your name on it. Save yourself from the future embarrassments. Sell the team and get a 4 billion dollar paycheck.

  19. Scrolling through yesterday’s comments, I’m glad I missed the Politics Hour. Doesn’t really belong on this site, and besides, y’all aren’t getting enough of that stuff already?

    1. You missed it while I skipped over it, and I agree with what you said about it.

        1. That is the equivalent of saying we should be talking about the Raiders and Cowboys.

          1. While I detest both teams, at least the Raiders went bold, and won. They signed a bunch of FAs, and now they are 6-2.

            Cowgirls show how important O linemen are to a team’s success. They have a rookie QB, who, when given time and protection, looks good.

              1. Hey, how about talking about Michael Crabtree?

                Baalke tried to lowball him, with no guarantee of playing time and a cut in pay. Looks like he is doing well on his new team.

              2. There is zero truth in that since Crabtree himself stated the 49ers offered more than the other teams.

              3. knew you would say that. Baalke did offer more than the Raiders, but he offered less than his current contract. More importantly, he did not guarantee playing time, which to MC, was just as important than money.

                The Raiders did offer a lower contract, but they also promised him that they would renegotiate a new one once he proved his worth. The Raiders KEPT THEIR WORD, and now MC earns more than the Niner offer, hence, Baalke lowballed him.

              4. Seb I thought Crabtree wanted out because the QB he played for was more concerned about working out then studying the film?
                The storm is coming when?

              5. Baalke did offer more than the Raiders, but he offered less than his current contract.

                Every team did because Crabtree was on a downward trend at the time.

              6. It is telling to know that players will accept less money to play elsewhere, because they see the Niners as a losing organization. However, now MC has a contract that will pay him millions more, and is earning every penny of it with his stellar play. Sure wish Baalke could have kept his word and retained veteran leadership, but he is too cheap and likes to lowball players.

                MC was just fearful that he would have gotten cut on the team bus…..

              7. Prime, if you listened to the Niner Super Bowl, MC was whining that he was open, and demanded that Kaep throw him the ball. Kaep tried 3 times, and MC failed to score.

                Next season, MC said that he would be one on one with Sherman, so Kaep should throw him the ball, and we all know how that turned out.

                Maybe MC should have been more of a team player, and the Niners may have won a couple more rings.

                MC is fortunate that he has Amari Cooper that dictates the opposition double teams him, so MC has an easier time playing. while playing for the Niners, he would get the double teams, and did not seem to get open a lot, and when he did, he had some unfortunate drops.

                I concede Carr is doing well. That 500 yard game was impressive.

              8. You are making more baseless accusations on why Crabtree did not resign with the 49ers; it is not surprising of course since one of the reasons he stated was that it was because of the QB.

              9. Seb you deny the stats, the players around the league comments, the regression in his skill set, the on field failures of Colin Kaepernick. I am just wondering when you will finally realize or stop the charade? Don’t you think its time to admit he is not the players he once was?

              10. Both of you, I admit that MC did diss Kaep, but he was also part of the mass exodus of talent and leadership. MC did not leave only because of Kaep, but he saw how the ship was sinking, and bailed because he wanted to play more.

                Defending Baalke and say that he did not lowball players, defies reality because the Niners are 45 mil under the salary cap.

                Baalke is cheap as chips, and tries to lowball everyone. No wonder decent free agents avoid the Niners like the plague.

              11. I know you live in your own universe of truth Seb, but quit whitewashing the facts. There was an exodus of leadership that occurred mainly due to injuries and age. Cowboy retired because he no longer felt that he had any functional strength in one of his arms and Willis because of his feet. Meanwhile, Gore was allowed to walk because of his age and the belief that Hyde was ready to be a full time starter. I agree that Baalke has failed to find new leaders for the team and the current state of the 49ers roster is partly on him, but the reality is several things, including very poor ownership and a bad deal for a subpar QB, have caused this team to fall into the NFL basement of pitifulness.

              12. Mid, if you could recall, Justin Smith was working out like a fiend, pushing himself with long workouts.

                I do not have all the facts, but from those workouts, I surmise he was told to get his 40 time under a certain number, or they would be moving on from him. I think cowboy did not show loyalty, because they were not loyal to him.

                Iupati left because Baalke was too cheap. Period.

                Willis left because his heart was not in it. Maybe he was sick of how they treated JH.

                Gore left and was not even offered a contract, and now he is on track for another 1000 yard season. I wanted them to retain Gore because he was the heart and soul of the offense. I even wanted to trade away multiple players to get back Gore. Throwing away such veteran leadership just amply demonstrates that Baalke does not value the important things.

                With 50 mil in cap space, they very easily could have retained Boldin, but Baalke disdained his veteran leadership.

                Crabtree was the most egregious error, because he did have talent, was a leader on the squad, and they needed WR help. Say what you will, but I say that Baalke lowballed him by not promising him any playing time. Now look how well he is performing, surrounded with talent.

                You can have your own narrative, but the sacking of JH was followed by a wholesale exodus of veteran leadership. I just put 2 and 2 together and get 4.

  20. So the Bills just signed Percy Harvin out of retirement. Talk about desperate.

  21. Ed Werner ESPN reporting the Eagles offering a 5th for Torrey Smith but Baalke wants a 3rd. So take a 4th Einsteinium!

Comments are closed.