Eddie Debartolo - The Big What If

Let's talk about it....

What would have happened to the 49er franchise if Eddie didn't get caught up in the scandal and wasn't thrown off the team?

I have to believe that even if the downturn was inevitable, it doesn't take 9 years to get a winning season.

With the salary cap in place... who knows?

i would have to know more about the whole deal with the salary cap issues.........but garcia owens peterson and hearst are retained much dont get fired and we continue winning seasons and going to playoffs and stuff................and probably draft rodgers lol, but then again we might never have gotten harbs to start this new era

Eddie D was the man and LOVED the 49ers more than anybody.. Making dumb mistakes does not change that no matter who says what.. People will say its his fault he lost the team blah, well guess what he put more sweat/tears heart break money and devotion and LOVE into this organization than you could fathom...

He got caught up in scandals and was still living in the past where you could get away with anything which isnt todays world. Alot has changed since 40 years ago... If he was still president he'd be buying our team jets and Jerry jones and the Cowboys would be our arch rivals.

Originally posted by Jcool:
With the salary cap in place... who knows?

With Carmen Policy as Eddie D's right hand man. There was no such thing as a salary cap. He was a great football executive. He made everyone else look like they were rookies.

Originally posted by MarkD:
With Carmen Policy as Eddie D's right hand man. There was no such thing as a salary cap. He was a great football executive. He made everyone else look like they were rookies.

Didnt help Cleveland much...

Originally posted by Jcool:

Originally posted by MarkD:
With Carmen Policy as Eddie D's right hand man. There was no such thing as a salary cap. He was a great football executive. He made everyone else look like they were rookies.

Didnt help Cleveland much...

Cause Cleveland didn't have Eddie D

This is not the same NFL. Different players, different rules. Hard to say he would be able to adapt.

Originally posted by Jcool:

Originally posted by MarkD:

With Carmen Policy as Eddie D's right hand man. There was no such thing as a salary cap. He was a great football executive. He made everyone else look like they were rookies.

Didnt help Cleveland much...

Policy? Hmm. He ran a good trick on the salary renegotiations. But the salary cap was always going to beat him.

i remember when they fired mooch, Eddie D. wanted them to Hire Bob Stoops

Originally posted by Controller_SD:

Originally posted by Jcool:

Originally posted by MarkD:
With Carmen Policy as Eddie D's right hand man. There was no such thing as a salary cap. He was a great football executive. He made everyone else look like they were rookies.

Didnt help Cleveland much...

Cause Cleveland didn't have Eddie D

Ownership of the Browns sucked. That is why they never did anything with Policy.

Originally posted by MarkD:

Originally posted by Controller_SD:

Originally posted by Jcool:

Originally posted by MarkD:
With Carmen Policy as Eddie D's right hand man. There was no such thing as a salary cap. He was a great football executive. He made everyone else look like they were rookies.

Didnt help Cleveland much...

Cause Cleveland didn't have Eddie D

Ownership of the Browns sucked. That is why they never did anything with Policy.

how about picking the wrong qb in tim couch? coulda had mcnabb and selecting the wrong qb be it in a draft, trade or FA will stunt the growth of a franchise

Originally posted by crabman82:

Originally posted by MarkD:

Originally posted by Controller_SD:

Originally posted by Jcool:

Originally posted by MarkD:
With Carmen Policy as Eddie D's right hand man. There was no such thing as a salary cap. He was a great football executive. He made everyone else look like they were rookies.

Didnt help Cleveland much...

Cause Cleveland didn't have Eddie D

Ownership of the Browns sucked. That is why they never did anything with Policy.

how about picking the wrong qb in tim couch? coulda had mcnabb and selecting the wrong qb be it in a draft, trade or FA will stunt the growth of a franchise

Dwight Clark was the Gm. I believe he made the picks, not Policy

We would already have a new stadium.

-1999-2004 would have still been rough, but we would have probably had better coaching (Mooch, Garcia, and Owens might of still been around due to better management policy), a new stadium going into 2003, and at least a couple more playoff appearances (nothing dominant, but respectable until the cap reached full restoration in 2006). Heck, maybe even beat the Steelers in the race for #6 in 2008 (we end up drafting Aaron Rogers, fire Mooch in 2006, and hire then-OC Mike McCarthy as HC).

BUT who cares about 'what ifs' anymore, we're back where we need to be.