This is my Sunday column. SANTA CLARA – Training camp for the San Francisco 49ers started today. What person on the 49ers is this season all about? Is it the man standing in the middle of the practice field directing drills — head coach Jim Tomsula? No. Practice isn’t the full picture. Games may not even be the full picture. Look beyond what the team presents you. The key figure…
This is my Friday column. Trent Baalke, you sly dog. I thought I had you figured out. I thought I could read you like a map. I knew you revealed your master plan for the 49ers’ coaching search when you said, “This isn’t a rebuild situation. This is a reload situation,” at the end-of-the-season press conference. But, I still couldn’t predict who you would hire. I figured you would promote…
This is about gravitas and Adam Gase. Gase is the favorite to be the next head coach of the 49ers. Gase is the only coach the 49ers have interviewed twice so far this offseason — they interviewed him for a second time Tuesday, according to reports. Gase is 36 years old. He looks like a teenager. He has been an offensive coordinator for two whole seasons and has done impressive…
This is my Friday column. Let’s play a game. Based on what we know about Jed York and Trent Baalke, which isn’t much, and what we know about their head-coaching search, which is even less, predict which coach they will hire. Easy, right? I think I know the answer, based on next to nothing. And not only that — I think I know the exact words and phrases York and…
SANTA CLARA – Joe Looney was interviewed next to his locker Tuesday afternoon. Here’s a transcript. Q: Do you think improved from the Ravens’ game to the Broncos’ game? LOONEY: Yeah, I thought I played a little better. There is always stuff I can get better at doing, but I thought I played a better game with my pad level. Q: You were on the inactive roster so much the…
This is my Sunday column on what makes Jim Harbaugh a good head coach. SEATTLE — Serious question — what makes Jim Harbaugh a good head coach? Clearly, he is a good coach. His record reflects that. More than three wins for every loss as a head coach in the NFL. But Harbaugh doesn’t call his own plays like Bill Walsh or Sean Payton, and Harbaugh isn’t a defensive specialist…
SANTA CLARA — Greg Roman spoke in the media tent Friday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. Opening comments: “Good afternoon. We’ve got the Atlanta Falcons coming in. It’s obviously a big day, historic day, Monday night, Candlestick Park, I think it speaks for itself. But, we know what the Atlanta Falcons are capable of. It was less than one year ago that we looked up…
Here is my Friday column on Mike Solari. SANTA CLARA – You need to know about the 49ers’ offensive line coach, Mike Solari. You may not even have heard of him or seen his face – the 49ers’ position coaches don’t get much pub under Jim Harbaugh, rarely talk to the media. But if you’ve studied the sideline during a game and seen a coach with a thick, full gray…
SANTA CLARA — Greg Roman spoke in the media tent Thursday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. Opening Statement: “Good afternoon. I’d just like on behalf of the offensive staff to send out best wishes to [Houston Texans head] coach [Gary] Kubiak, [Denver Broncos head] coach [Jon] Fox and their families. Our thoughts, prayers are with them and their families and their health. [Offensive…
SANTA CLARA – The 49ers practiced in shorts and shells Tuesday evening in preparation for Friday night’s preseason game against the Chiefs. Here’s what stood out to me during the evening practice. THE GOOD 1. MarQueis Gray – He made two jaw-dropping catches during 11-on-11 team drills. First, he ran a seam route down the middle of the field. Tolzien threw it up for Gray. Gray jumped, twisted and caught…
SANTA CLARA – Fourth round pick Joe Looney spoke to reporters after Jason Slowey this afternoon. Looney suffered a Lisfranc fracture at the Senior Bowl in January which required surgery. He’s still rehabbing, and today he discussed how that process is going, what he’s doing in the meantime and what position on the offensive line he will play once he returns. Here’s a transcript. Q: What are you doing these…
SANTA CLARA – I participated in a group interview with third-year backup tackle Alex Boone. He starts with praise for Aldon Smith, and then he talks about his own role on the team this year. I included almost the entire 10-minute interview because Boone had some great lines. He’s a funny guy. Enjoy. Q: What’s it like to go against Aldon Smith in practice? BOONE: What’s it like to go…
When asked about being a first-year NFL coach and dealing with the uncertainty regarding the league’s labor situation, Harbaugh busted out one of his mottos, coming, perhaps, to a T-shirt near you, “All obstacles can and must be overcome.”
