When asked the reason for Scot McCloughan's departure, only a month in front of the draft, Jed York wouldn't say. He WOULD say, though, what the reason was NOT. No, he said, McCloughan didn't lose a power struggle with Mike Singletary. "Mike's not going to move into a more significant role in personnel," he said. Of course "the coach is always going to have a say," but make no mistake, Trent Baalke "will be the point person for the draft."
"Mike is concentrating on coaching."
I for one believed it. I accepted the prevailing view that McCloughan was let go for some personal demon. And I expressed relief that Singletary would lack the power to build a roster in his own, outdated image.
What a fool I was.
It seems so obvious now. Last year, the Niners were about to use the 10th pick. On the board were McCloughan's choice, receiver Michael Crabtree, and Singletary's, right tackle Michael Oher. A flashy wideout and a road-grading mauler. The Niners went with Crabtree, who promptly began the most ludicrous holdout in the history of sports. Meanwhile, Singletary watched in horror as his offensive line, the key to his grind-it-out design, completely collapsed.
You know the force of Singletary's will. You can hear him in your head. And you can bet, as this year's draft approached, he solemnly swore: "I'm not gonna let McCloughan screw me again."
And only a month in front of the draft, McCloughan was gone.
Oh, there was a power struggle, all right. Predictably, Singletary won. And in THIS draft--no offense, Trent--nothing and no one would get in his way.
This draft proved it. Singletary's in total control. Ready or not.
Has any draft ever been so focused philosophically? Day one, two offensive linemen who will maul in run-blocking and struggle (at least at first) in pass-blocking. Day two, a safety who will hit like a truck but be lost in coverage, and a linebacker who racks up tackles but seems strictly 4-3 (which the Niners don't play). Day three, a running back who's tougher than he is fast (like every other back we've got), a pure blocking tight end, and a slow but physical corner. (It seems like the ONLY place we recognize the need for speed is in the return game, where Kyle Williams (and free agent LeRoy Vann?) should join Ted Ginn in making things interesting, or at least competent.)
"I made the final decisions," Baalke said afterward. "But [Singletary] certainly was involved in them."
Impressively, Baalke said this with a straight face.
Believe it or not, my point isn't that we had a bad draft; actually, like most analysts, I think we did well. (Not as well as Seattle, unfortunately, but well.) We had OTHER weaknesses, but the offensive line and the return game were the ones that were most embarrassing. The first-round focus on the line was impressive (though trading up was wholly unnecessary), and the commitment to returners (including Ginn, who remember was our fifth-round "pick") was a relief. When you're pretty confident that you've shored up your two biggest areas of concern, you've had yourself a pretty good draft. And when you've done it while being faithful to an overarching vision, you've had yourself a GREAT draft.
Depending on the vision, that is. And there's the rub.
It's never been a secret. Singletary wants tough and physical, and who could disagree? "Hit 'em in the mouth! Physical with an F!" This is what makes the masses drool. This is his singular vision (pardon the pun), and now he gets to build it himself.
But every singular vision, by definition, is a rejection of any other. And though Singletary's old-school approach appeals to our primal senses, what he's rejecting is the modern recipe for building a winner.
In today's game, you win by passing, not by running. You win vertically, not horizontally. You win outside the tackles, not between 'em. You win with speed, not with size.
You win with brains, not with brawn.
Of all the folks who oughta know, WE should know best. In the '70s, the Cowboys were everything Singletary loves. A big, strong bunch of brutes who'd run down your throat and then stomp on your neck. How could the '81 Niners, midgets by comparison, possibly hope to compete?
Up to that point, the game was toughness and physicality. Ever since--for 30 years now--the game's evolved exponentially. There's nothing wrong with being tough and physical. But if that's ALL you are, you just don't have a chance.
We took such pride in being so much more. But in his first draft--and sorry, Trent, this was HIS draft--Singletary began the process of making us nothing else.
Don't get me wrong. Singletary landed some excellent players. I really don't question a single pick, at least individually. What I question, instead, is the singularity of the collective. I question only the vision.
Singletary's gonna take these guys--already tough and physical--and make 'em even more so. He's gonna make 'em run the hill. He's gonna watch 'em sumo in nutcrackers. He's gonna drive 'em with fire and brimstone.
And then, with little else, he'll put 'em out on the field.
He'll run his big backs behind his big O-line, up the gut again and again. He'll pass only when strictly necessary, and sometimes not even then. He'll make our opponents beg for mercy. He'll hit 'em in the mouth all the way to the Super Bowl, conventional wisdom be damned straight to hell.
That's how the vision goes, anyway. I'm not sure I buy it, but what choice do I have?
Singletary's in charge, of everything now, and there's no one left to stop him.
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RamItOn
Hey, Singletary has been criticized for not being an "Xs and Os guy." If that's the case, how did he become such a great player? Pure physical ability? I'm definitely not on the Singletary bandwagon, but this criticism of him (and other coaches that used to be good players) has always bothered me--how can a player be good without understanding the larger picture of the scheme he is operating in? And if he understands the scheme, does he not, to a large extent, understand the fundamentals of the game? I realize that even having an understanding of the fundamentals does not make a good coach (motivation, game planning, personnel management, etc. are other unrelated or semi-related aspects), but I have always wondered how good-players-turned-coaches can be criticized for not understanding the technicalities of at least the side of the ball that they played on. Thanks!
Jun 17, 2010 at 11:37 AM
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KG
I think that this year's picks will be able to help in the passing game, if they are allowed to run passing plays. Assuming Iupati keeps up his college intensity, this is a guy that didn't allow a single sack in 4 years and only allowed a handful of guys to even pressure the QB. Considering the WAC schedule that level may not carry over, but at Idaho he did play against Boise each year, who have proven that they can run with the big teams. Bottom line, we got some great additions to our line. Unfortunately, until we can get another Steve Young or Joe Montana, we don't have the level of QB needed to win with a pass-heavy playbook.
May 18, 2010 at 1:48 AM
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Dallas Niner Fan
Ditto, on your great interview on the 2 minute drill. Great job. By the way, I can't wait for your next article.
May 17, 2010 at 3:46 PM
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TomT
The only way to win in this league is by passing is untrue, that is the exception to the rule, not the rule itself, example Patriots, Colts. Playing strong defense and having a good run game will get you to the playoffs before teams having a weak defense and strong passing game! Singletary is our head coach and of course you draft towards his vision because if you don't draft the correct players for the way the head coach runs a team you end up like the raiders! I'm not saying singletary is our savior and this is the only way to do it but he is building the team starting with fundamentals and a team that is tough and fundamentally sound always has a chance. The way he conducted the draft is only going to help alex and the passing game and I guarantee we will be more balanced offensively than you believe! GO NINERS!!
May 15, 2010 at 6:42 PM
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Randy S
You're missing the big picture! While Sing might want a smashmouth run game, it obviously wasn't there! The 2 o-linemen will eventually help in the passing game as well. And how good can a team be if they can't run effectively? One-dimensional teams don't win SB's (Eagles, Colts)! The ability to run efficiently will help with clock-management and the pass game and open the play-action pass more. Sing has WR's now!!! And the reason for the shotgun last year was because the o-line sucked and the shotgun gave Alex more room to figure out where the pressure was coming from and have a place to run! Now if the 9ers come out this year with 90% run then I'll admit I'm wrong, but I don't believe they will convert to a 1-dimensional running team! I applaud Sing (Jimmy Raye) for opening up the offense, whatever it takes to get the "W"!
May 15, 2010 at 1:53 AM
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Shaneo
BTW, heard you on the 2 minute drill, good stuff man, backed your article 100% and all fair and legit concerns. to take a page outta Sing's own book, when it comes to coaching and winning..... Don't tell me Sing, SHOW ME!
May 9, 2010 at 8:47 PM
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ShaneO
Jeff, i was thinking the same thing about you, but i am back! Sing's stubbornness is also a major concern of mine. also just his lack of balance. last year it took him what 8-9 maybe ten games before he decides to throw the ball. then he does and ALL he does is play out of the gun. you're right our draft was nice but can this guy run a normal balanced offense or are we doomed to another year of up the gut, 3 and out football. cuz i don't care how big those linemen are, this isn't college, you're not going to just push people out of the way all game. it's a nice thought to say well it's a passing league so teams won't match up well against the 49ers. problem is, one it's a passing league cuz that's what the NFL wanted so they set the rules accordingly, and Ds know the best teams pass and still can't stop that. It's much easier in general to stop the run because you just stack the box. there is much more variety in the passing game especially with the coming out of the athletic TEs and RBs with receiver skills. It's a much more complex system and puts more pressure on the D. let's just hope we use both this year and this is all just reverse psychology of some kind on the NFL from Sing!
May 8, 2010 at 10:27 PM
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UT JD Niner
@ Terry B. - I understand what you're attempting to say, but you make my point and defeat yours when you acknowledge the fact that this article does NOT focus on the players picked, but rather the Singletary 'philosophy' or 'vision' that influenced the draft picks themselves (allegedly). If this was an article about the draft picks themselves, then your point would be valid, but it's not and therefore neither is yours. I won't even get into the fact that there are PLENTY of fans from EVERY team in the NFL that are upset about the players their respective teams select in the draft. So to say that 'fans immediately fall in love with their draft and become deaf to criticism' is wholly untrue. In fact, they are usually the harshest critics. @ Jeff Kaplan - Jeff you say that you set out to give your honest assessment of the 49ers. I believe you. What I think has happened here, is that the foundation of what you believe to be true is flawed. When Singletary took over this team, there was MUCH more talent on the defensive side of the ball than there was on the offensive side. If you are a defensive oriented team, your offense needs to be efficent, not flashy. Look back at NFL history.
May 7, 2010 at 5:29 PM
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Chuck
Where were you when we really needed you? When nolan and mcclueless were running this organization into the ground? Thank GOD Singletary is in control, maybe we might make a playoff run. He is the only coach who could have coached us to an 8-8 season with the talent we have, that is amazing! Get off him and jump on board, you were once rolling with nolan and we know where that train went, off the deep end. Why not get on Singletary's train when he has already taken us where nolan and mcclueless hadn't and that's a non-losing season! Think about it, it might hurt at first but go ahead and think.
May 7, 2010 at 3:17 PM
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Dan
It is so much more likely for a player to fail to reach his full potential when he is on an underperforming team. The 49ers are not in any way an underperforming team, anymore. Who would you credit that to? I can think of quite a few people, coach Singletary being one of them. Our draft choices are more likely to surprise than disappoint in light of this misguided analysis.
May 7, 2010 at 9:58 AM
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Terry B.
UT JD Niner, let me see if I can better connect the dots. My point was that, after following the draft for many years, I've noticed that fans immediately fall in love with their draft and become deaf to criticism. Who among us has not cheered the selections of Mike Rumph, Rashaun Woods, Kwame Harris, or J.J. Stokes? Anthony Davis is an example of this phenomenon. See my comments to Dan. A pick that should be generating intense debate is generating none. We all love the pick. Thus, Jeff's article, which is only partly negative toward the draft in that it criticizes "the vision thing" instead of the picks, generates 100 comments. You can't say ANYTHING negative about a team's draft without causing mass hysteria. I think if we could have had this debate before--and outside the context of--the draft, there would have been more difference of opinion. Surely in a league dominated by teams like the Colts and Saints, and in which all rule changes benefit the passing game, more fans would have argued that a return to a 1970s offense is not the answer. As to whether or not that is Singletary's vision, one of his choices for OC was Dan Reeves. That tells you everything.
May 7, 2010 at 7:37 AM
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Terry B.
Dan, re: National Football Post, check out their article today entitled "Rookies who won't live up to the hype." Half of the 49ers' draft class--Anthony Davis, Taylor Mays, and Navorro Bowman--made the list. Their concern about Davis is that his immaturity and lack of passion will prevent him from reaching his potential. Your post kind of proves my point--yes, you're right that there are conflicting opinions on Davis. But not on this board. Before the draft, there would have been intense debate over Davis, with some people arguing that left tackle is too important, and the top of the first round is too high, to take a chance on an immature, overweight, underachieving player who refused to weigh in at his own pro day. But now that we spent the pick, all you hear is unbridled love and enthusiasm. Reasonable doubts should not disappear simply because we drafted him.
May 7, 2010 at 7:17 AM
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Izzy
The new league rules promote the passing game and most teams have a pass-oriented offense and as a result, NFL defenses are focused on the pass. Remember when the 49ers and Chargers were the only teams using the West Coast Offense in the 80s and everybody else had a vertical passing game with a big power back. I truly believe that the 49ers won so many games in the 80s because most defenses in the NFL did not match up well with the 49ers. LBs in the 80s were big and they did not have the skill set to cover in the passing game. Defenses in the 80s did not have enough preparation time to match up with the West Coast Offense because they rarely played against it. That is why the 49er RBs killed them in the short passing game. The West Coast also had so many crossing patterns for the WRs because those LBs just could not cover. The same effect can happen with Singletary's vision of an imposing running game. There will be a number of teams that will have difficulty matching up with the 49ers. Maybe Singletary understands where most NFL defenses are putting their resources and he is taking the percentages of the match-up game to his favor. Maybe he is a lot smarter than you think.
May 6, 2010 at 11:52 PM
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Dan
The National Football Post's scouting report has nothing bad to say about Anthony Davis. The report even goes as far as to say, "Overall, he looks like the nation's premier left tackle prospect." I wouldn't fault Baalke too much for cutting in line to get the player he believes in. The point is, conflicting opinions can cloud public perception of any particular player. This really is just a great example of this effect in action. The National Football Post even seems to conflict with itself here.
May 6, 2010 at 1:59 PM
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UT JD Niner
@ Terry B.- This article and a vast majority of the comments below are about Singletary and Singletary's influence on the 49ers offensive philosophy. What are YOU talking about? You must have read a different article and mistakenly commented in this space. @ Jeff Kaplan - I know who Holmgren, Shanahan, and Parcells are, there is no need for ME to google them. However, there is the need for YOU to google them since you, in your response to my post, seem to think that Singletary's position within this organization is synonymous to theirs. Therefore, you either a) Do not have a clear understanding of what positions and functions any of these individuals hold for their respective teams, or b) Chose to use the word 'Czar' for the classical connotation it imparts (unjust, closed-minded, iron-fisted tyrannical dictatorship). So, which is it?
May 6, 2010 at 1:18 PM
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Terry B.
The number of comments seems to be a reflection of something I've long noticed: fans immediately fall in love with all of their draft picks. Anthony Davis is a perfect example. One of the scouting reports says: "Terrible work ethic --- Is Unreliable --- Immature." National Football Post, in reporting on his immense bust potential, described him as "an immature individual who simply doesn't seem to 'get it' at this stage." The same article said that he "seems like a real passive kid who doesn't have the type of killer instinct needed to consistently finish blocks in either the run or pass game. On tape, he isn't technically sound and seems content to just get by, giving up way too much pressure in pass protection for someone with his size and athleticism." He also refused to weigh in at his own pro day! And this is a guy we traded up to get and are going to give tens of millions of dollars to. My point is not to debate the merits of Davis, but simply to point out that we would be laughing at the Cowboys if they did this. Since it's our team, we become apologists and argue that Sing's immense motivational skills (hopefully with pants on) will work magic on Davis.
May 6, 2010 at 5:49 AM
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Izzy
Were you one of the few invited to Trent Baalke's film review of drafted players? (If yes) Were there any comments about Anthony Dixon, Nate Byham, and Kyle Williams regarding possible formations, downs & distance, blocking schemes that they might be used. This can give a good indication of what the 49ers offense will look like for 2010 and you might have just missed the hints. I will act in good faith and apologize for calling out your integrity by assuming that you wrote such a negative article about Singletary for shock value only. However, it is hard to overlook the fact that you claim that Tim Kawakami is copying you. Tim's article has very little valuable information and he does not offer any insight, I don't visit the Mercury News site. I always visit 49ersWebzone and recommend it to others; it will be "unfortunate" if future articles are written with intent of shock value.
May 6, 2010 at 12:42 AM
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Izzy
In response to your challenge for my honest opinion and to put my integrity on the line... It is no secret that Singletary wants to have an imposing running game to force the defense to load up the box and this will open up the passing game, creating balance. The running game struggled last year with a combination of defensive scheme (safeties playing shallow) and player injuries. The 49ers could not capitalize on the compressed defensive alignment because they did not have a deep threat (lid lifter) that will get downfield before the pass-protection collapse. I truly believe that Singletary was faced with real constraints in changing offensive philosophy in the middle of the season and it was not his stubbornness as you claim (a lip service). When the 49ers were able to install enough spread plays, they overcompensated. The last two games were more representative of the balance that Singletary wants. Singletary still wants an imposing running game but he has also added the necessary skillsets and he has the off-season to bolster the passing game. It is obvious that we do not see eye-to-eye so I will leave it to other readers to be the judge if I have been biased.
May 6, 2010 at 12:39 AM
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Dan
I don't consider it a debate whether or not Singletary wanted to draft Willis, Jeff. It doesn't even matter who drafts who. Singletary is coaching these guys extremely well and getting the absolute best out of them. Everyone (except you) seems to know this. There are so many things I find wrong about the way you view football it is impossible to make a list. As far as I can tell, you are more worried that there is no passing game than you are about the holes in our offensive line. Fortunately you and Mike Martz are not the coach. That guy refused to run the ball. I think that's why running the ball was so important last year. This is a whole new year man, things are different now. If you can't see a potential passing attack developing you have to be mentally challenged. I have to question why anyone would hate Singletary so much to repeatedly attack his credibility on his own team's so-called "fan" site. I AM a fan of this team and I also have expectations. However, since I see improvement every year, even every decision made, I'm not going to go and launch a ridiculously misguided campaign against the coach just because I don't like him, or the owners or whomever.
May 5, 2010 at 1:24 PM
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UT JD Niner
First the negative article about Singletary's influence on the 49ers' vision. Then, in the ShaneO comment (approx. 4 comments down) you refer to Singletary as a 'czar.' I cannot imagine that any writer that puts forth sentiments in an article like yours and chooses the words that you do (again, as a writer) when referring to Singletary can be anything other than a person who has an axe to grind. When someone questions your integrity (like Izzy, about 8 comments down) you respond by claiming that you 'prove' your integrity by providing your 'honest assessment of what's going on.' Really? Referring to someone as a 'czar' (a writer would surely understand the connotation) is your 'honest assessment'? So what's the REAL reason you have a problem with Singletary? THAT would be worth reading.
May 5, 2010 at 11:58 AM
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Goyin
While I agree that posts shouldn't just be to praise the team, and criticism should, and will, always be given, I find this read to be much ado about nothing. Just 2 seasons ago we were scraping at the bottom of the NFL. No matter whose vision we decide to go with it's hopefully a departure from the losing culture that's been here since 2003. Fact is, we don't know why McC left and using that situation to paint your argument just isn't a good way of going about making a point.
May 5, 2010 at 11:11 AM
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RamItOn
Oh, and by the way, welcome back. We missed your writing.
May 5, 2010 at 8:46 AM
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RamItOn
Geez, Jeff, 87 comments. It's too bad no one reads your stuff :) You know, it'd be different if Singletary had some sort of track record as a visionary, and this return to an offensive scheme that emphasizes the run exploited some naturally-occurring weakness in defenses that were built to defend the pass--but Singletary has no such record as an innovator, and just because defenses defend the pass well doesn't mean that they can't stop the run, too. This draft does appear to have Singletary's fingerprints on it, and I give his coaching one more year, like I've decided to give Alex Smith. For Singletary: stop burning all of your team's timeouts in the first quarter, start being a little more creative with the offensive playcalling. For Smith, you get injured for multiple games, you have durability issues, and you're out; you can't convert on 3rd-and-4 passes, you're out (but hey, we'll be able to get 4 yards per carry with this O-line!!!); and if you throw picks at critical times in games, you're done. Finally, why the social experimentation? Are talent and character mutually exclusive? There weren't any talented and clean guys in the draft, so he burns a 1st round pick on a guy with motivation problems, and two other picks on guys who have slipped due to character concerns. I am growing weary of this crap. Like I said, this is it for Singletary and Smith. It's playoffs or both of these guys are out on their keisters.
May 5, 2010 at 8:44 AM
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ShaneO
Hey Jeff, very excited about the season, i believe there is a lot to be optimistic about this year. As i look at our roster it seems much of the success is squarely on the shoulders of Alex Smith, the pass rush and the secondary... wow what else is new. However this year there are a lot of weapons, youth, and some speed. so i feel good. However, my point today on Sing, or my worry, is that he is too much of a wanna-be father. i read an article by Maiocco 2day saying Sing wasn't impressed with Willis till he heard his story. he didn't think he would be special but became more interested when he learned of Willis' past. How is that possible? Did anyone NOT know Willis would be a beast!? Sing at the time was supposed to coach LBs! I'm fine with takin on a guy with a shaky past but i feel Sing goes overboard with trying to help the "troubled youth" (as long as you're big) rather than evaluating talent. I hope it works out but i was just shocked by that article. Lookin forward to the year. Thanks Jeff!
May 4, 2010 at 9:05 PM
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Steve
Obvious glaring need was the o-line. So no questions there. I saw the %'s of last year's offense and the niners passed more than they ran. If all you do is one or the other you will fail, no matter who you are. Niners draft this year: You say no speed. Two o-linemen, ok no real speed there. 2nd round pick, Taylor Mays=possibly the fastest guy on the team. 3rd round pick Navorro Bowman=fast linebacker (not the fastest but has good speed. Then they chose Dixon=not much speed but it was stated they needed a goal line back, and gore has plenty of breakaway speed. Would have been nice to get spiller but the need for o-line was much greater. 5th round was Ted Ginn...Plenty of speed. The tight end is slow but it was stated last year they wanted a powerful blocking tight end. Leroy Vann=plenty of speed. I would say overall they got lots of speed along with filling some glaring needs. You cannot fill all your holes at once, but they came damn close.
May 4, 2010 at 9:17 AM
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ninergoose
I know everyone longs for the days of old when we were pitching the ball all over with Montana and Young, but we don't have Montana or Young. And forsaking the offensive line to grab a QB in the 1st round wasn't/isn't the answer. We'd be right back where we were last year. No O-line, no ability to pass or run block and no ability to control the clock. We HAD to upgrade our O-line... and show me a free agent o-lineman that we could have gotten (that would have made a difference) that we wouldn't have had to break the bank to grab and we still wouldn't know if he wasn't a Jonas Jennings in waiting. I have no problem with the two o-linemen in the 1st round. Once they get acclimated we should be set on the o-line for several years to come. Show me a good playoff team with a bad o-line. I can't think of one. It may take a little time for these guys to gel and get rolling but we basically went from poor offensive line to better-than-average (or better) in 30 minutes. I like it.
May 4, 2010 at 8:35 AM
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overthemiddle
I have read Jeff's stuff for some time now. Sometimes I agree with him - not in this case though - sometimes I don't. What Jeff does is write his views as he truly sees them. His integrity is just fine, never had a question about it before. He might be mistaken as he often is and yet his arguments and defenses are hard to find fault with. Jeff I appreciate your writings, keep up the good work. If I felt you didn't have integrity I would not read your stuff.
May 4, 2010 at 7:50 AM
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Izzy
Yeah, this year's draft has Singletary's fingerprints all over it and I think it is great that the 49ers have an Alpha Dog running the show. Numerous organizations fail because of the in-house disagreement and not having a direction (maybe the reason why McCloughan had to go). You cannot deny that Singletary has amazing leadership and everybody in the organization is rowing the boat in the same direction. Integrity is one key component of leadership, if you do not have integrity no one will follow, so when Singletary stated a balanced offensive attack, I believe he intends to have a balanced attack..... (To Jeff) I am sure that you have heard Singletary preaching for a balanced offensive attack. This might be the reason your article is getting such a heated reaction, your article is insinuating that Singletary is LYING. The worst part of it is you did it on purpose just to get a good response to your article. So Jeff, is it worth putting your integrity on the line to get a good response to your article?
May 4, 2010 at 1:23 AM
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EVBeezee
Wow...So everyone in the entire world with any football intellect knows that the 9ers needed to upgrade the O-line and add some defensive depth and they did that and it's a problem for you? This write-up sucks ass! Did you just write this to be different? Did you just want to be the oddball? Maybe pee pee on the parade of all these happy 9er fans who now believe that we just might have an O-line that will give Alex Smith a chance to be more successful. Maybe you wanted to keep loading up on playmakers who can't make plays because the QB is flat on his back or because there are no holes to run through. Maybe you know more than Ronnie Lott, a HOF DB who thinks the pick of Taylor Mays will turn out to be a steal. Maybe you should interview for the GM job Smart Guy! Maybe you and Dan B. could team up! Maybe the 9ers can just move to the arena league with all of our "playmakers"! Who needs protection anyway, right? What is this 7 on 7 passing league? You say you don't question the picks yet you question the vision? That doesn't even make sense. The picks are in line with the vision. We haven't seen them play a down and you go here? Wow! Try this again in week three or later.
May 3, 2010 at 2:42 PM
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UT JD Niner
Op-Ed piece, I get it. However, there are several things here you probably should consider. First, the reason McCloughan was let go has now 'come to light'/been confirmed, so you should consider changing your 'power struggle' argument. Second, taking Crabtree over Oher was more likely a value related decision than a 'screw Coach Sing' strategy. Third, everyone and their mother listed O-Line as the #1 need for us going into the draft, so drafting O-Linemen hardly seems like 'proving' that Singletary is 'in total control,' as you so eloquently put it. Fourth, you remind readers about Singletary wanting a tough and physical team, which is true (just like every other FB coach on the planet). Where you go off the tracks though, in my opinion, is where you try to draw a parallel to or equate that mindset to a 1970's Woody Hayes '3 yards and a cloud of dust' Ohio State offense. Go listen to what Singletary says. He says he wants a balanced attack, but wants to be able to run the ball when he needs to. (See Saints vs. Colts SB in the 4th Qtr.) Fifth, you wrote an Op-Ed piece. I get it.
May 2, 2010 at 12:14 AM
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Dan B.
I don't know how much you need someone telling you that you're awesome. But you're freakin awesome. I love reading your articles and it makes me want to be better on term papers. Disagree with you or not (I don't), you're a great writer. I just read your whole article to my girlfriend to make her see the point that I feel but cannot so eloquently say. I think the majority of people posting the negative stuff are defending an ideal that is not their own. But they adopt it just because it is their team's! Like the misguided patriot who screams we're #1, when in reality they're far from it. There's many examples of teams that win S.B.'s by being a predominant passing team but very few that did so being a predominant running team. And all the teams that had any amount of success doing so ALWAYS had a great defense that allowed them to take their time with the ball and not have to play from behind. We are setting ourselves up to go big...or go home. If Frank or P. Willy goes down, so does our season!
May 1, 2010 at 2:28 AM
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Nate
Hey, bro... if you disagree with the team's newfound philosophy, you're more than welcome to tune in to the Raydaz team across the bay. I, personally, am happy that we finally have a system that we're sticking with and a coach that will see his vision through till the end (or 'his' end... whichever comes first). As far as the last 10 years are concerned... I don't see anything worth comparing. Quite a few teams have won it all using the same philosophy. I guess I just don't get the complaining lately.
Apr 30, 2010 at 2:45 PM
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Richard Coto
In response to my earlier post you stated: "I get it, Rich. 'Real' 49er fans just accept that whoever is running the team is making the right decisions. Um, during the last decade, have you been paying ANY attention to how this team's been run?" You know what Jeff, this is a democracy we live in here in the U.S., so however we feel about our sports teams is fine, but in reality, there is nothing as fans that we can do to determine the outcome of what the front office and the coaching does. If you do not like what Baalke did, and do not agree with what Singletary wants to do, including moving on with Alex Smith, then simply don't watch. Football is entertainment, and if you do not like what the Niners are doing, go watch some other team and complain about them. Seems like fans, such as yourself, have nothing better to do than complain. For you Alex Smith haters, keep hating, because there is nothing you can do about it. Go watch some other team and leave the real fans to continue to be optimistic and believe that 'things can change for the better.' For you haters and whiners, get a life, or accept things how they are. It's easy, it really is!!!!
Apr 30, 2010 at 1:24 PM
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mister Nesbit
there will always be differences in opinion, and there will always be different kinds of fans. some believe in the coach and sit back and watch in hopes that their beliefs won't be in vain, and some do not believe at all and bitch and moan about everything the coach says or does. Jeff Kaplan is a complainer. A bitcher and a moaner. You write as if you are being forced at gunpoint to be a fan of the 49ers or write about them. there are 31 other teams in the NFL and I'm sure one of them has a fair percentile of things you agree with. So other than whining about everything that mean ole dad, I mean Singletary, has done against you, why not just jump on a different bandwagon? Or would you rather have that little way of trying to feel important for pointing out all the negative guesses you have about how things will not work out. you're a cancerous blogger who hopes that people will either get angry at you or agree with you and suck up to you (nothing better) and who should just make it easier for yourself and cheer on the saints instead of griping all the time about the 49ers head coach when you don't have a leg to stand on other than 'it didn't work last year.'
Apr 30, 2010 at 1:09 PM
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Dony
You sound like Tim Kawakami... are you imitating him? I disagree with you.
Apr 30, 2010 at 12:43 PM
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Richard Coto
I disagree with your whole article, as whose vision should it be? Some coach in the waiting, perhaps, for some fans cannot wait to hear Singletary's name in the 'Fired Section.' You should have written this article after getting more facts, like after the media spoke with Baalke and he reiterated that he is in agreement with Singletary's vision of getting players that fit their criteria. For your information, and everyone else's, Singletary is the coach and the front office should get players that will best fit the headcoach and the front office's vision of building their team. If every year a team drafted in favor of what the fans wanted, then we probably would not win one game in the upcoming season. Some fans, such as yourself, are self-centered and full of ego to think that you know what is best for the team. Like it or not, Singletary coaches the team, and not anyone else, and the real 49er fans probably realize that since pro football is after all, just entertainment, they can accept that whoever runs those teams are making the right decisions! And for you Alex Smith haters, get a life! Unfounded stupidity in your opinions about why he cannot quarterback.
Apr 30, 2010 at 12:21 PM
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49er FAITHFUL
After we (49ers) beat the jets in the superbowl this year, this article is going to make you look like an idiot. If you were a true NFL fan you'd know that the game is won on a combination of being physical and being smart. The 49ers had tough, gritty offensive linemen that were undersized but physical as well as smart. Why don't you ask Randy Cross how physical his offensive line was. They would literally punch people in the mouth. Why do you think Dan Marino never won a superbowl? Because his team wasn't physical enough. They definitely got down the field in a hurry, but it didn't matter because they couldn't punch it in or stop the opposing team. Your point was that singletary was so focused on being a smashmouth football team, but give me a break, it was his first full season of being a head coach. And if you were a true 49er fan you would've seen the adjustments he made at the end of the season to become more balanced. In conclusion the 49ers had the best offseason this year. They addressed the biggest need areas which were the offensive line, special teams returns, and a safety/linebacker to replace the vets. Next year we'll get a corner, then a rb/wr or a qb if smith blows.
Apr 30, 2010 at 12:17 PM
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Julian Hall
It's so nice to finally hear someone point this out. Everyone i know is blindly behind Singletary 1000%. While i like the improvement he has brought to the team, i can't see the Niners going all the way with a philosophy that the NFL has totally evolved past. Either Jimmy Raye is an idiot, or Singletary isn't letting him call more creative plays (i suspect the latter). The one thing in the draft that really pissed me off was the trade up. WHY? There's no way anyone wanted to take Davis, especially since Bulaga was of higher value on most other teams' draft boards. Anyways, nice article. Good to hear some thoughtful, intelligent criticism. Go Niners!
Apr 30, 2010 at 11:24 AM
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Ryan Hensley
Singletary is great and the Niners are going to kick ass. That's my knuckleheaded Neanderthalic but true statement! GO NINERS!
Apr 30, 2010 at 1:26 AM
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Montana Mike
Sing is building a dual-dimensional line. I think he got the point last year when our spread offense led to points and our pointless ineffective running game didn't. The run is no good without a respected passing game and vice versa. By land or by air we will conquer!
Apr 29, 2010 at 9:10 PM
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Dan B.
I wanted to hate on you bud. I really did. But I never can because even when you doubt my personal deity you still make sense. I respect your opinion and I only ask that you write more articles 'cause they're too few and far between. Man I would hate to argue with you 'cause I don't think I'd ever win....
Apr 29, 2010 at 7:04 PM
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Rico
I would agree that it appears that Singletary had a strong influence on this year's draft, as in my mind any true coach should. If the season is a bust then who gets the blame... the coach. If you look at the history of the 9ers they give those who are not doing so good too long before they make changes... Look at Mike Nolan. But in light of this year's draft overall I loved it. First round addresses our biggest weakness, second round you get Taylor Mays who would have been last year's top safety but Pete asked him to stay behind because the rest of the defensive starters left USC leaving him to make up for lack of experience. The only thing I really was heartbroken about was not taking Colt McCoy or Joe McKnight in the third round to add depth to the QB or RB position. I think this would have been a great time to have a solid plan if Smith lets us down instead of waiting another year and having limited options, and well I love Gore but Joe would have given us a "One-Two punch." The rest of the picks would have been strictly for special teams and it would have been the best draft hands down.
Apr 29, 2010 at 6:04 PM
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Joe Gomez
No matter what happens with our draft picks it doesn't matter because Alex Smith is still our QB. So though I agree with your article that teams that win have a strong passing game, the reason for the passing game is due to their talented QB. Our QB has no talent. He's there because we have invested millions in him so we feel we should wait and wait and wait and wait for a miracle to happen which will never come. In the end, we would've wasted 6 years on this bum. I give Oakland credit for recognizing the problem and addressing the problem. Jamarcus couldn't produce so he is history. NFL stands for NOT FOR LONG unless you're Alex Smith. Some idiots would continue to make excuses for him even when he stinks it up yet again for another wasted season. Colt McCoy was there in the 3rd round but management is banking the whole season on Alex. They will regret not taking Colt. If and when Alex struggles our other options aren't too promising. Jake Locker will be picked so fast next year we don't stand a chance of landing a legit QB. So what do we do if the Alex Smith experiment blows up? Carr? Davis? Garcia? Who knows, but Colt would've been a nice pick.
Apr 29, 2010 at 5:10 PM
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Melz
I don't know why Singletary's vision is "unfortunate." A good O-line and powerful run game will often yield consistent winning. The author is clueless here and the argument is weak. So Pittsburgh doesn't win with good defense and a strong run game? Philly doesn't win with a good run game? Go through the list of teams that consistently win and you'll see good O-lines. What Singletary wants is balance and a good OL enhances both passing and running. A good run game makes a vertical passing game more possible. The author lacks any real understanding of football and apparently has not paid attention to teams that win.
Apr 29, 2010 at 2:44 PM
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spiritofthe9ers
This article is two minutes of my life I'll never get back. Absolutely horrible. 9ers go 10-6, win the division and give hundreds of concussions on the way. Oh, and you can teach pass blocking and defense schemes, however you can never teach toughness, or how to have real swag, the kind of swag that wins games even before you step on the field...
Apr 29, 2010 at 1:44 PM
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Kevin Burns
I don't think Singletary is all crazy like we're just gonna run, run, run. He saw Smith having some success in the shotgun last year, he knows we have to pass. I mean we had needs and we addressed them. No matter what style of offense u r running, u need an o-line. We definitely could have used some speed in areas though. I'm excited about what the Niners are doing and for the upcoming season.
Apr 29, 2010 at 1:44 PM
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Chris K.
I think it's safe to say that Singletary's key focus is to have a run-based offense. Unlike you though I think it's a great strategy that we're going for. Use Gore on two downs to try and force a big gain, then on 3rd we only have to depend on Smith to complete a pass to one of our 3 (quite talented) key targets. Yeah it's a little one-dimensional but throw some curveballs in the play-calling and i think we will have other coaches guessing. Plus Singletary depends a lot more on his defense than offense. His view is that if you can stop a team from moving on offense you force a team's defense to stop our run, which in turn wears a defense down and eventually opens up holes for us to score. Now in theory it sounds great, we'll just have to see.
Apr 29, 2010 at 12:26 PM
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nevek
If this offence shows balance, as most reasonable people expect it to, I wonder if we will see an article of praise. This isn't even predicated upon winning, because your article is not about winning, it is about philosophy. You fear a predominant run attack. It is your right to feel that way, but if the offence runs a balanced scheme (win or lose) will you be man enough to say, I was wrong at least in that regard. You can then submit your resume to 49ers/jobs.org as the next coach since you seem to have all the answers. Side note: To those who covet Shanahan... Ummm, he was fired for lack of production. So what happened if he is such a great coach?
Apr 29, 2010 at 12:26 PM
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Dan
To continue: Hold the coach accountable but don't write the man off, he has a lot of rare qualities that are going to make the guys who play for him great. If you don't like the way he's going to win games, like by running the ball effectively, that's fine. Let's shift our offensive thinking to what's going on with today's defenses. Everyone picked up rookie defensive ends, we know that. Do you think defenses will be concentrating on the pass or the run next year? Note that the Cardinals all but stuffed the box with 11 and couldn't stop us last year. So you can see why a coach in our division might want to cultivate a strong running game. This year I think you will see some passing in the mix. But the run game is what will set us apart from other teams, Jeff. I think it will work well. Our division opponents were 15, 17 and 27 against the run last year. Only three games this year are against teams that succeeded against the run last year. The Chargers, Saints and Panthers were 20, 21, 22, while the Broncos ranked 26 against the run. The way I see it the coach is right. Our schedule screams... RUN THE BALL!!
Apr 29, 2010 at 11:05 AM
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nevek
I find it very strange that some people expect perfection out of Singletary (only in his 2nd year). Pete Carroll was a mediocre coach in his 1st NFL tour, to be polite. PC comes back and is being hailed as a genius. Funny how some people must be perfect... not simply show improvement... NO PERFECT... to be accepted by some. At the same time I wonder how patient some will be if the Seattle genius struggles... again.
Apr 29, 2010 at 11:02 AM
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Dan
Calling you a Seahawk fan was a low blow, I'm sorry. I'm glad you noticed though, I won't do it again. I like that the fans are making you defend yourself and you're doing ok with it. I'm sure Singletary would probably welcome his critics as well. Most competitors use their critics to sharpen their skills. The thing that was bothering me most is when our team is struggling, fans seem to shut down, complain, blame various people based on how they like to see the game played. It's worse when we see the organization joining in. This happens sometimes with other teams but you don't see it here in San Francisco. If someone needs to be relieved of their duties to benefit the team then it should be a respectful parting of ways. I think the 49ers have still managed to keep the team professional in that respect. I worry about favoritism to players and management without respect to their skills. I think the 49ers have done a good job of using the skills of their coaches and alumni to benefit the team. Singletary is a football player, and a good leader. He will make decisions based on what's best for the team. This is why you should get behind him. I'm not saying don't hold him accountable.
Apr 29, 2010 at 10:14 AM
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Alburns
I agree with your position against a pure run-based or run-first offense. Balance and unpredictability are key in the NFL. In fact, you could easily make the argument that pass-first teams get to the playoffs more often, though there is some evidence that if you can't run in the playoffs, it tends to lead to an early exit. I am for the run-when-you-need-to offense, i.e. closing-out-games offense. I guess we will just have to wait and see which one we get. I hope we didn't draft guys like crabtree and VD early to be a pure running team. I think we have the weapons to be pretty balanced, and I hope it turns out that way. From what Singletary has been saying, it sounds like he wants balance as well, but who knows whether he is just saying this to play to the media or not. We will find out come September. Also, isn't Davis a better pass-blocker than run-blocker at this point?
Apr 29, 2010 at 9:17 AM
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DILF
I stopped reading at: "Day one, two offensive linemen who will maul in run-blocking and struggle (at least at first) in pass-blocking." McShay called Anthony Davis the best pure pass-blocker in the draft.
Apr 29, 2010 at 8:52 AM
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Ninertico
Me again. Hmmm, sure seems as though you struck a chord with this fanbase, huh? The reason that I am returning is that I see that you responded to some who follow your line of thinking, but you never responded to points like these. *Smashmouth does work against pass-happy teams when you have the right personnel. *Look at the Jets last year, that could be us with a better offense. *Why do you keep saying this is a "run first" offense when Coach has said repeatedly that he wants BALANCE! *Not only that, but we went spread in the second half of the season--That's not run first. *Coach wants to "will" those necessary two yards when needed. *How often have we failed at 4th and whatever over the last five years. *You have to run the ball in the fourth to win and kill time. *Baalke and Singletary drafted perfect players for that smashmouth, "will"-two-yards team. Again Jeff, you write well and bring up some very valid points, but you still have failed to prove your point that Singletary's vision is simply a smashmouth, RUN FIRST, team. I just don't agree, but would love to read your rebuttal to the above points. Keep at it Jeff. Don't let us get you down! LOL
Apr 29, 2010 at 8:29 AM
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5280High
You may want to rethink your philosophy of which teams are prevailing in the current NFL. The Steelers, Jets, Ravens, Jaguars, Titans and Giants have all had great success with a run-first philosophy over the past couple years and have been the teams no one wants to face in the playoffs. Pass-first offenses are feast or famine, whereas run-first offenses are about consistency. There is no right or wrong way to do it as both types of offenses have won the SB in the past two years. Defensive-oriented teams want to run the ball to minimize mistakes on offense, whereas offensive-oriented teams are often trying to overcome their porous defense. In the end whichever team executes better wins the game. The NFL is cyclical, this year a run-first team like the Jets/Ravens/Titans could win the SB and everyone will start chanting "you have to run the ball to win!" next off-season.
Apr 29, 2010 at 8:14 AM
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Frank
Jeff, I guess we'll see...running when he wanted to was a staple of the Walsh-Seifert eras. It can be done...but, you've got to have the horses and it looks like now he has. At least Singletary has a focus...you may not agree with it, but I think the team will benefit from it. They need an identity and last year they struggled because they didn't have one. Running the ball doesn't mean you can't still be balanced...and it seems that's really what Singletary wants...it's up to Raye to give it to him.
Apr 29, 2010 at 6:36 AM
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Indiana Niner
Why are so many people against having a strong running game? It still works even in today's pass-happy league. Take last year's Jets for example, they still went to the AFC championship game with a rookie QB who at times looked completely lost. My point is they did it with a strong running game, great defense and a rookie QB that if he had more experience they would have been SB champs last year. I know it won't be the 49ers most of us grew up watching and I will miss the air-it-out fast-scoring teams of the 80s and 90s. I however won't miss the mediocre teams from the last decade. So if the Niners have to hit people in the mouth and play Physical with an 'F' to start winning again, then I'm all for it. Go Niners!
Apr 29, 2010 at 6:12 AM
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james
Well written article but I disagree. There is this misconception out there that we are just going to all of a sudden become a wishbone option run team. But if you look at our games we were throwing a lot more than running. Even in wins. I believe he drafted these hogs on the line so we can run when we NEED to. We couldn't do it to seal the win in Minn and we couldn't run when we had the lead at Ari. We have weapons all across the board and all I've ever heard Sing preach (no pun intended) was balance not run run run punt.
Apr 29, 2010 at 2:30 AM
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Dan
From your response to alburns from Mike Sando it sounds like maybe Patrick Willis inspired coach Singletary to be a better linebacker coach? McCloughan is a genius now that he's not a 49er? I know you were criticising him last year. I suspect you may actually be a Seahawk fan posing as a 49er sports critic. I bet you wish Pete Carroll was the 49ers coach and we had Hasselbeck as quarterback.
Apr 28, 2010 at 10:54 PM
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alburns
"By draft day, the personnel department had taught him more about Willis, Singletary said, and he came around to supporting McCloughan's position." sfgate.com gwen knapp
Apr 28, 2010 at 10:09 PM
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alburns
your comment about drafting patrick willis was wrong. He didn't want to draft him after initially watching his tape. After he got to know what kind of kid he was during the draft interviews and began to understand PW's football mindset, he was all for the draft pick. Second, if we could have closed out 2 games last year by running the ball in the 4th quarter and making first downs, we would have been 10-6. we probably had at least 3 and maybe 4 games where this was the case. this is what singletary talks about when he talks about wanting to run the ball, with a lead, close out the game and do not let the other team's offense get a chance to get the ball back. we couldn't do that and ended up losing games because of it. Taking 2 of the 4 or 5 best O-linemen in the draft makes a lot of sense to me.
Apr 28, 2010 at 7:21 PM
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Frank
It seems pretty simple to me...Singletary's vision is to be able to run the ball when they need to. Then, when defenses go 8 or 9 in the box, go play-action passing downfield. I don't see anything wrong with that...last year, he didn't have the personnel in key spots to execute that offense...now he does. What's the problem?
Apr 28, 2010 at 2:32 PM
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Charles
Jeff I believe in you. Whenever you put something controversial down you must expect a response. Keep up the good fight.
Apr 28, 2010 at 1:11 PM
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Mike
Jeff, I'm pretty sure I read your article carefully. So, if I'm not mistaken I am gathering that you feel ok with the draft; however, you DO NOT feel ok that it has Singletary's prints all over it? So, it would've been ok if it wasn't influenced by Singletary? I guess I'm confused. What vision are you looking for? The vision I see that is good enough for me, is that HE WANTS TO WIN! BADLY! If it doesn't work out, then you can bash him all you want, but for a 2nd year head-coach he sure has taken a lot of ribbing from you. Let it play out, and see what happens and mix in a POSITIVE article every now and again. You can't conclude that his vision doesn't work after one season. Their best season in eight years. I do appreciate your willingness to be critical, but you give it a whole new meaning.
Apr 28, 2010 at 10:54 AM
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49er_refugee
I understand where Jeff is coming from. Coach Sing has always been a "Hit ‘em in the mouth! Physical with an F!" kinda guy and always said that he wanted to be able to run the ball. HOWEVER, he does NOT want to be a 3 yards and a cloud of dust kind of guy. He has always stood firm saying he wants a balanced attack. Being a niner fan and watching the team failing to get a 3rd and short or 4th and inches for the last couple years, I can understand and appreciate his dedication to the run. Singletary is not as stubborn as we make him out to be. He ran a tough minicamp and went full pads in practices but when the leaders of the team convinced him that it was becoming a bit too much, he lightened the load. Also, when those same leaders (a la Vernon Davis and co.) wanted to go to a more spread offense, again he conceded to that notion and went to the spread. We need to give him more credit for realizing the talent he has on the team and utilizing them in the play calling. I (like Izzy) think that Sing's vision is to build a well balanced attack that will run the clock out when it NEEDS to close out a game (see vikings game) or get that short yardage, but it will see a lot of passing.
Apr 28, 2010 at 10:45 AM
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NinerFan4Life
Why is there an assumption that Singletary is of a run-based mentality on offense because of our 2010 draft? Yes, we drafted two powerful linemen and yes, we picked up a power back to complement Gore and Coffee but if you really look at the picks, you can see that Davis is a PASS blocker and Dixon excels at catching the ball out of the backfield (as do Gore and Coffee). I don't see that having a strong contingent of RBs makes us run oriented, they can catch as well! For this reason, defenses will creep up in the box leaving Crabtree, Morgan, Ginn, and Davis streaking the field. These picks scream balanced attack to me and Alex will be busy distributing the ball to many different receivers (which include Gore, Coffee, AND Dixon).
Apr 28, 2010 at 9:28 AM
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Louis
Jeff Kaplan should stick to second rate journalism and leave football to the pros.
Apr 28, 2010 at 8:35 AM
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Izzy
I really think that the 49ers will pass more than Jeff is suggesting. There has been too much talk about the 49ers focusing on a power-running game and running on every down at all costs. Yes, I believe that the 49ers will set up with the power formation within the REDZONE/short yardage, with their newly acquired blocking TE. This is just an observation but the 49ers are acquiring players that point toward a much more wide-open offensive attack. They added two fast-small receivers to stretch the field (Ginn & Williams). Anthony Dixon is a product of a spread offense that features a single bruising RB at Mississippi State. Jarrett Brown operated from a spread at West Virginia. Why are the 49ers evaluating so many receivers (3 undrafted), unless they intend to open up the passing game. Now add this to the fact that Alex Smith thrives in a spread formation; Crabtree is from a spread offense at Texas Tech, Vernon Davis & Delanie Walker are pass-catching TEs and QB Coach Mike Johnson learned the spread at Illinois. I think the 49ers will try to spread the defense with a 3-WR formation then pound the middle with their in-between-the-tackles straight-line RBs/mauling O-line. I think Coach Singletary is trying to create a balanced attack.
Apr 28, 2010 at 6:26 AM
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Geoff
I think your article disregards the social dimension of team development. There are four states a team can be in--Bad, OK, Good, and Great. Singletary has led the team from Bad to OK, and now he seeks to get from OK to Good. I think this draft was very high quality for that purpose. Your recipe is all about how to go from Good to Great, and in that context I agree with it. But we have to get to Good first. I don't think you can leapfrog. That's where I think Al Davis gets it wrong every year.
Apr 28, 2010 at 5:03 AM
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Dan
We have to start somewhere Jeff, innovation will come but the pieces are coming together. Piece #1 is Frank Gore if he has another year or two in him. He is such an awesome running back, you have to let him run. Passing will happen if you let it. I would rather see Alex relax and let the passing game come to him. He could be really good as long as he doesn't try to force things or get skittish. You just watch it happen Jeff, you don't know what's going to happen until you see it happen.
Apr 28, 2010 at 12:12 AM
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niner
Let's all be honest, the only reason Sing is deemed our "savior" is because of the ridiculous moves by the Yorks. Firing Mooch, asking Walsh to find a young (read cheap) GM, hiring a nobody named Nolan and then giving him the keys, "the face of the organization" etc..., then asking McCloughan to be the "strong" GM Denise York said the team needed. That having been said, Sing inspires and has players and coaches actually wanting to come here unlike the NOwin era. Sing's only fault IMO is his stubbornness that the qb is just another player. Tell that to Bradshaw, Staubach, Montana, Brady, Manning brothers, Farve, Brees, Aikman etc.. Count their super bowls and how many the great D teams of the Ravens and Bears have won (2). Too bad he didn't learn much from Walsh but he won't be here long if he tries his run run pass mentality. (you can't win that way anymore: i didn't say that Billick did, who coached the Ravens to a SB!) Once his team gets behind (remember our D is not the 85 Bears or the SB Ravens) he will have to try to pass to catch up. With Smith, he will need more than good luck! (Gruden if Smith still sucks?) But i'm a niner fan go niners!
Apr 27, 2010 at 10:34 PM
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kerry
You Jeff rambled on about his vision, yet say I don't have a problem with his picks. Well which is it. First off you must know that you need both to win, passing and running. Running the ball is still the best way to control the other team, running the ball opens up passing lanes greatly. Just because he grabs big o-linemen does not mean that passing the ball is out. In fact with crabtree morgan and ginn/jones we should have what it takes. Remember the 2000 ravens, that's the team we look to resemble. If we win this way no one will utter a word. With the nfl a bunch of pretty wrs and qbs, let's get it done the old fashioned way and knock you in the mouth, which by the way does not always imply a bruising running attack. Play the game physical no matter what your postion. A lot of your wrs and te's are big and fast, and because of it we are able to be a smart beast. We don't need to lose one to gain the other, we can have them both. We were 8-8 and I can easily point out the errors in games we should have won, all were defense: vikes, last secs=defense, seattle defense...titans defense yeah and we could not convert 3rd downs because our line sucked. Problem solved, now let's get to work.
Apr 27, 2010 at 8:47 PM
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louie
Another excellent article. A kid owner. A rookie (but old) coach. An OC in need of a job. No GM. And no one else. We're about to witness a long stretch of non-Superbowl mediocrity. Or a miracle.
Apr 27, 2010 at 8:33 PM
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Marco
Excellent points Jeff! Singletary is an X's and O's black hole, and Raye could not get hired as an OC anywhere else. Add the Yorks' leadership (i.e. lack of), and the 49ers will continue on with 6-10 type seasons for many years to come. One question for the lemmings: Where are the sharp, innovative, experienced football people in the organization? Where is the next Walsh, Ralston, McVay, Seifert, Holmgren, and Shanahan? Answer: NOwhere!!!
Apr 27, 2010 at 7:26 PM
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Mark
There have been many successful teams with a run first/play good defense philosophy. The Titans were only a yard away with a similar style. When the Ravens won they had almost no offense at all. I could go on and on but that's not my point. It's true that football has changed since those days but being different has its advantages. Back when the Niners were great they were often criticized for not being more run oriented or smashmouth. Now the opposite is true but not doing what everyone else does is not always wrong. I think a bigger point to be made when analyzing this draft is that Singletary places great importance on the offensive line. Which I think is a good thing. I think we can expect more money spent on the unit than in years past which I also believe is a good thing. Hopefully the line will hold up this year so we can see what Alex Smith and the offense can do under Raye. Until the line improves we'll never know. I think moving up and getting the two best offensive linemen possible with those picks within reason was an obvious stroke of genius that this team's been missing for a really long time. GO NINERS
Apr 27, 2010 at 6:01 PM
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ryan
nice article, I believe anthony davis's only way to make a career is with mike singletary's guidance, his pure raw talent certainly outdoes the negatives in my view. I was just thinking our greatest offensive weapon is frank gore, and why not give him the linemen for him to gain even more yards and touchdowns which he already gets at ridiculous amounts. This reminds me of the jets draft: D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold. those two have done wonders for the jets and i'm hoping anthony davis and mike iupati will do the same for us! with this line how can gore not get 1,500 yards and 10+ touchdowns for the next few seasons. I will admit we'll probably receive the same amount of sacks, or it's just Alex Smith being an idiot and throwing into the hands of the defender!
Apr 27, 2010 at 4:51 PM
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Justin
Going to nitpick a couple of things in your article. "Day one, two offensive linemen who will maul in run-blocking and struggle (at least at first) in pass-blocking." Everything I've read about Anthony Davis says that his strength is pass protection rather then run blocking. It is Iupati who is the better run blocker. "But every singular vision, by definition, is a rejection of any other. And though Singletary's old-school approach appeals to our primal senses, what he's rejecting is the modern recipe for building a winner." Singletary and Raye went to spread sets last year. I also recall them making some 3rd and 1 play action passes that resulted in big gains or touchdowns. That certainly isn't the behavior of somebody who's fixated on run and run only. Just 2 years ago, the Tennessee Titans lost Vince Young for the season and had to go to Kerry Collins. Collins would go on to finish the season with a 58% completion rate, 12 TDs, 7 ints and 2700 yards. Result? A 13-3 regular season record behind a strong running game and a stout defense. Yes you can still win lots of games without a good passing attack.
Apr 27, 2010 at 4:01 PM
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Ryan
I disagree with your premise that the players drafted clearly show a commitment to run. Yes, Iupati is a run blocking guard. But most guards are because they need to get around the corner when pulling. And I have read numerous other places that A. Davis' best skill is pass blocking. So, I see them getting balance on the line. The offense needs to be able to do both, running and passing to win. And I also disagree that the modern game is all passing. It's a half truth. If you really look to the last ten super bowl winners, most were pretty good at both. Finally, Mays is a hitter and he is fast. And this just may mean he will be a really good strong safety. I have no problem with him in the box and Goldson over the top.
Apr 27, 2010 at 3:03 PM
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Ben
As I fan I feel lucky to have a coach with a vision. Sing knew what he wanted and went out and got it. I applaud him. The Niners abandoned the run too early in the season. Now we can run and throw. We got three potential starters for next year and a replacement for Spikes with four picks. All in areas of absolute need. And a return man as well as a deep threat with our 5th pick. That's 5 picks and 5 impact players. That's 100%........... I guess you couldn't have realized that, looking at the vision of this article.
Apr 27, 2010 at 2:43 PM
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Dan
I can sympathize with you Jeff, despite your pessimism. I can understand everyone who misses Bill Walsh and everyone who misses the way Joe managed to get better the more pressure he was under. It was exciting, it was flashy, and it worked. We don't have Bill anymore Jeff, we have Mike. Basically this is what it comes down to. If you can't get behind our coach then maybe you should find a coach you like and write up his team instead of bagging on ours. It's not the 80's anymore guys. The 49ers have had some horrible years since then. It takes time to rebuild a team after so many years of disaster. If you can't give a coach a couple of years, counting the instant improvement since he took over the team, then you are impatient. If you want a different coach then name him. It can't be Walsh, 'cause he's not available. Smash mouth is not the popular, flashy football that caters to fans Jeff, it's the reality of our team. Drafting offensive linemen in the first round isn't how you cater to weekend half-fans and thrill seekers, it's how you win the big game. I'm not calling you a half-fan Jeff but I question the way you see football. You don't seem to get the rougher points of the game.
Apr 27, 2010 at 2:26 PM
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Chris
Jeff, were you bullied by the football team in High School or something?
Apr 27, 2010 at 2:08 PM
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Dan
Yes Jeff I have heard that Singletary wasn't the one behind drafting Willis. However Singletary WAS the one coaching Willis and WAS the one who crafted the defense we see the 49ers playing today, which is very, very good considering the injuries and limitations we have experienced, not to mention the situations they have had to respond to because of lack of offense and kick/punt return. The defense basically took over a few games last year. Navorro might not have come in as a big name in the draft but check him out on the web, man. This guy is a football machine, I expect him to contribute big time. His attitude seems to really fit in with the guys playing for us that work hard. I'm not saying that any of them don't work hard, I'm just saying don't discount the guy because he has to learn the complexities of the 4 linebacker defense. It'll happen. So yeah, when Mike Singletary picks a 4-3 linebacker to play in his 3-4 defense, I hesitate to question his judgment or consider any other opinion over his unless it comes from someone who knows the position better. My challenge, name someone who knows linebackers better than our coach.
Apr 27, 2010 at 2:01 PM
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TheDPC46
Wow, I can't wait to re-read this in December.
Apr 27, 2010 at 1:45 PM
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Mike
I'm thankful for Mike Singletary. Sure, he has a lot to learn, and made plenty of bonehead mistakes last year, but he is a winner and will build a winner. At least he has a vision, Jeff. I'm tired of reading your negative BS. You need a diaper over your face to catch all the crap that comes out of your mouth. They could've drafted Spiller, Dez B, and Jahvid Best and you would still be slamming this team for not addressing the offensive line. You're a joke.
Apr 27, 2010 at 1:29 PM
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Dallas Niner Fan
Jeff, I pretty much agree with what you're saying. You never said the Niners had a bad draft, you are just concerned with Sing's vision. Concerning the smashmouth approach, I think we can all agree that it is at least old-fashioned and does it fit the Niners' traditional personality? We have a very old-fashioned offensive coordinator and why do we have (Earth, Earth, and Earth) no balance in the running game? Always up the middle in a cloud of dust? How can some of you be true Niner fans when you say that the Walsh-led Niners lost games because they were not smashmouth enough or that they played teams that were more smashmouth than they were. Maybe you guys are too young to remember when the Niners played the Steelers in a regular-season game in 1980. The Niners' defensive backfield destroyed the Steelers. I have never seen a defensive backfield destroy like that. Let me give you youngsters a history lesson. Walsh was an ex-boxer, he believed in hitting your opponent in the mouth first. I never saw the Walsh Niners ever lose a game because of a lack of toughness. Speed is power. Ronnie Lott and Hacksaw not smashmouth enough????????? Tell them that.
Apr 27, 2010 at 1:22 PM
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Nick S.
Well written, Jeff. It's not wrong to question the direction of the team. If people disagree, I think that's OK too.
Apr 27, 2010 at 11:55 AM
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drewdog16
Jeff, I think you have this draft confused with the McCloughan era, that being of big and slow guys. 'Cause last I checked this was the fastest draft class we've had in the last five years. But being fast is not as important in football as being a good football player (just ask Heyward Bey). As I remember though Singletary never said he would just run, run, and run some more, he said he wanted to have the team be able to run the ball when everyone knows you are going to run, and still be successful. I think he did a good job of doing that in this draft.
Apr 27, 2010 at 11:20 AM
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Jon. Omaha, NE
I don't agree at all, and I am surprised you're so against his draft, it sounded like you liked it. You said it right there: our 2 glaring holes were O line and the return game. I think we drastically improved both, so what is the problem? We won't just run the ball. Did you watch the 2nd half of the season? We already have our young skill position players: Crabs, V Davis, Morgan, Gore hasn't slowed up much, we didn't need that, we needed to fix the O line. There were stats all over saying how we were the worst O line in major categories, that just got fixed up for 10 years now if we want with all these young big O linemen. I don't know if our new guys will be legit, no one ever knows, but they were 1st round prospects and we got 2 of them to add with Joe Staley. Besides, until our O happens consistently, our defense wins our games, therefore we need to kill as much clock as possible on offense, hence a good running game.
Apr 27, 2010 at 11:19 AM
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49erJohnny
Actually Singletary said he wants a balanced offense. He said he does not want the 49ers offense to be a 3 yard and dust offense. So I don't know where you're getting this "He'll pass only when strictly necessary, and sometimes not even then." Anyway it should be Singletary's vision, it's his football team. He's the one who's going to get the credit if they win and who's going to get fired if they lose. He needs to do things his way, if the team doesn't win then the vision was stupid, same with any other coach.
Apr 27, 2010 at 11:12 AM
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Michael Rocha
Why don't you give singletary a chance instead of being a party pooper, you disagree with his tunnel vision yet you agree with every draft pick they chose, I'm confused. Singletary has just started rolling and because of your liking the 49ers I bet you will be cheering every move when this team manifests into a very good one. Please stop making decisions on single silly imaginations and give him a chance, you can feel something in 49er land.
Apr 27, 2010 at 10:49 AM
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Jeremy
It wasn't very long ago the steelers were the team to beat, and that was before last year when they became a pass happy team. They played tough defense and ran the ball down your throat. a lot like singletary wants to do.
Apr 27, 2010 at 10:43 AM
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Ron
Singletary isn't perfect, but I definitely feel like this is the first time in a while that the Niners are headed in the right direction. Jeff, you must be comparing his vision to Bill Walsh's because if you feel that Singletary's vision is all wrong then the vision(s) we've seen over the past decade had to make you physically ill.
Apr 27, 2010 at 10:43 AM
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lind0
If you actually LISTEN to what Singletary is saying his vision is, he stresses nothing more than BALANCE. He wants physical players who are fast, stong, and play with some attitude. That sounds pretty good to me. He constantly says he's not looking for 3 yards and a cloud of dust, he wants to be able to do what the situation calls for. If you look at the second half of last year, I think it's pretty obvious that Singletary and Raye are flexible in terms of scheme, and they're obviously willing to open up and pass more if that's what is working. How many games did we fail to close out when all we had to do was run for a first down, and instead had to rely on the defense for one more stop? If you look at the top teams in the league, they're all physical teams in their own way, even the so-called finesse teams. They have great playmakers on top of a strong foundation of physical players. They're all strong and physical on the offensive and defensive lines, and that allows them to be flexible and creative in everything else they do. And if you listen, that's what he's describing. A physical, tough, fast, disciplined, smart team. Not just a running team.
Apr 27, 2010 at 10:21 AM
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jabr
"He'll pass only when strictly necessary, and sometimes not even then." How do you know that? When did Singletary say that? I remember Coach Sing saying multiple times: "We will do WHATEVER (i.e. run, pass, taser, laser, bo-baser) we have to do to win. BUT when we want/need to run the ball (i.e. in the 4th quarter to protect a lead), we will run the ball." That sounds like a great plan to me.
Apr 27, 2010 at 9:56 AM
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Paul
Seems like you need some more fiber in your diet. When you distill the last two drafts, the Niners ended up with Crabtree, Davis and Iupati, instead of Oher, Dez B and Iupati. O-line and WR had holes either way you look at pre-2009 drafts which required 2 years to fill with 1st round talent. Singletary may not be the intellectual that you are or Walsh was, but I wouldn't cast the Steelers or Giants (winners of 3 of the last 5 SBs) in Walsh's mold either. Walsh demonstrated that you could win with small guys but the Bears and Giants also proved that a brutish team could pummel the Niners. Personnel and system are fun to argue about but execution and a little luck (or conversely Rice's fumble vs NYG) can just as easily sway the outcome. Go Niners.
Apr 27, 2010 at 9:48 AM
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AncientOne
Agree we need more speed and much more moxie in play calling. If a D can stack the box it's tough to run. Look at how many futile runs by Gore on critical 3rd downs. We don't have a Super Bowl QB, but if the Niners can get a potent passing game on simple passes to our improving corps, we should do better. Biggest mistake of this draft was moving up to get Davis. He's raw. It'll take him maybe two years to learn how to snuff pass rushers - if ever. We need a RT fix THIS YEAR. Another 8 & 8 or worse and the stadium deal may go down. Rest of the draft I like except for bypassing CB after CB. But the D will be okay. This year's W/L depends on a much improved O.
Apr 27, 2010 at 9:40 AM
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Dan
We have receivers and expect them to shine this year. Every defense who plays us next year will have to account for Gore's ability to break one (or two) out for 70-80 yards on any given play, any down. This is going to open up opportunities for Crabtree and Vernon Davis that have never been there before because of the poor protection. The defense will benefit from less time on the field and other teams being desperate to make quick points when we jump ahead on the scoreboard. The other teams will be forced to put it in the air and there will be opportunities for our guys. No one will have the time to try to run on us. To address your criticism of coach Singletary- football is a contact sport. To say Singletary's physical style is obsolete is like saying ice cream is better warm. The first part of ice cream is 'ice.' Likewise the first part of football is 'foot,' as in what is going to kick your @%#. Trust me there is plenty of talent on the field to get this job done Jeff, so just sit back and enjoy the show. The second criticism I have for you is that you question Singletary's pick for linebacker. Coach is a legend at linebacker man, ask #52 if coach knows linebackers.
Apr 27, 2010 at 9:35 AM
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Ninertico
Wow Jeff! You do have a right to your opinion and the oversimplistic assumptions you make about Singletary. Our draft finally has some meat and teeth to it. How many times have we not made it on 4th and whatever? Not anymore. Those two behemoths will open lanes and drive defenders back especially with Iupati. You don't give credit where credit is due. Smash-mouth football does work as long as you have the right pieces. Our Great Bill Walsh did it his way with WCO and took players that "fit" that mold. Oh and guess what Jeff? Walsh lost to some very good "smash-mouth" teams as well as beat them. The two that come to mind are the 80's Bears and Giants, both personify that. Both won Super Bowls and I don't even want to reminisce about our failure at home against the '90 Giants, OK. So all the speed we picked up in Ginn, Vann, Williams is just for mind games? This is now a digit offense, smash-mouth between the tackles and play-action deep. We have some more yummy tidbits for this offense in Ginn and Williams. IMHO Jeff, you completely underestimate Singletary. I hope the rest of the NFL does too!
Apr 27, 2010 at 9:30 AM
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Paul
Jeff, great article. Another year of Singletary/Raye, what a tragedy. Weak ownership=no vision=no SB=failure! Keep writing, Jeff, keep the memory alive. Paul
Apr 27, 2010 at 9:23 AM
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Drew
I'd rather have Sing's vision than the crap we've been seeing around here over the past decade or so. Maybe you prefer the vision of Dennis Erickson? The Jets proved last year that a running game, no QB and solid D can take you far. The Ravens won a SB with Trent Dilfer. I know they are the exception to the Pats, Colts, Saints rule...but since we don't have Manning, Brady or Brees...I'll take this method towards winning. GO SINGLETARY!!!! I'M ON BOARD!!!!!
Apr 27, 2010 at 9:16 AM
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SLNinerFan
Thank you everyone! I thought I was the only one that noticed Jeff's negativity in most of his articles. It's almost as if we are reading articles from Raider fans and not Niner fans. This is what the Niners are about now and that is physical football. Of course they are going to get guys that can play in their system! You think if Mike Martz was the head coach they wouldn't get guys that would be in his vision?? This isn't the 80's Niners anymore (though I'm sure everyone would love to see it again). We are more in the mold of a Steelers and Ravens team. We play physical football and wear out the other team. I for one love the singular vision unlike a team like the Bills who don't appear to have a vision. I for one believe in Sing and I'm sure you will be singing a different tune when you are proven wrong once again.
Apr 27, 2010 at 9:10 AM
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Swim4speed
I'm with you on this. I've been telling friends that I really wonder if the Niners could ever win the Super Bowl with Singletary's old, outdated ways. The goal should be to win the Super Bowl, not just make it to the playoffs. Can a team win in the playoffs and in the Super Bowl with Singletary's desired scores of 14-10 and 10-9? I highly doubt it. Man, I wish the Niners had Mike Shanahan!!
Apr 27, 2010 at 9:09 AM
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Barry Williams
Why the hate? Having a powerful offensive line is the best way to win. The Cowboys lead the league every year in offensive line weight and pass the ball tremendously. I think that having the power run game along with vertical threats like Vernon, Jason Hill, Josh Morgan and Crab is a great way to win. Speed wise. Frank Gore has as many runs over 20 yards as almost every back in the league over his career. Last season he was the only back to break 2 80-plus-yard td's in one game. How much speed do you need? I dislike the thought that Sing is so old school. Jimmy Raye coached a KC offense that had 3 future Hall of Fame offensive linemen, ran the ball with force and had a 4,000 yard passer, with the TE as the leading receiver. I think you reporters just get bored and want to write to stir things up, but in the end, you will see that this will be our best year in over 8 years. Then what will you complain about?
Apr 27, 2010 at 9:03 AM
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Ninerdawg
Jeff, I went over and over and over in my mind on why you don't like Singletary, and the only conclusion I could come up with, and I hate to say it, but you simply don't like the COLOR of Singletary's shoes!
Apr 27, 2010 at 8:33 AM
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Peter
How dare you write an article criticizing the 49ers draft!?! All you see is the past and you don't understand what's going on in the present. That's probably why you'll be working a dead end job all your life. The 49ers draft two excellent offensive linemen who will be good in pass protection and we will continue to execute in the run game. Stop putting your energy and passion into negative article writing like this and do something meaningful with your life. I hate reading articles from writers like you.
Apr 27, 2010 at 8:11 AM
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Steve Birchfield
Get a life. I'm sure with your vast knowledge and wisdom you should be able to land a head coaching job with some NFL team. Unbelievable.
Apr 27, 2010 at 8:04 AM
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9er4life
what a whiney bitch fest. Get over yourself. lame excuse for writing. It's great that the draft finally has a singular focus. otherwise it just resembles congress where nothing hardly ever gets done. even if this philosophy fails (and I don't think it will as long as you are not in charge) at least we will have given it a real chance to succeed.
Apr 27, 2010 at 7:40 AM
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Ed
This article is not only stupid, but lacks intellectual honesty. It doesn't matter one bit what kind of philosophy a team has, all that matters is execution. A power, smash-mouth game is JUST as good as a pass-happy game. Look, I grew up with the 49ers West Coast Offense, and that is what I prefer. But the Pittsburgh Steelers won 2 Super Bowls, the Ravens one, the Giants one, all recently. Now tell me they are pass-happy teams! I am not happy with smash-mouth philosophy, but I respect a winner.
Apr 27, 2010 at 7:21 AM
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Michael Caya
What a terrible article. Go be a Raiders fan.
Apr 27, 2010 at 7:07 AM
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adembroski
I don't know about you, but I saw games where we barely ran the ball last year. My problem isn't a singular vision, but two opposing visions that aren't united in balance, but rather, swapped in and out as the staff sees fit.
Apr 27, 2010 at 6:44 AM
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"I
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