Some WZers are crazy (as evidenced by current poll)

Originally posted by SBinMT:
The results of the latest WZ poll about recent 49er head coaches is baffling.

Regarding the worst 49er HC in recent history, I think it's a toss-up between Nolan and Sing. People forget that Erickson's first team missed the playoffs only b/c Donahue didn't give him a kicker (I think they went through four that year, most or all of whom missed makable game winners). Erickson's first team beat the world champion Bucs on the road, and beat the Rams when they were still the greatest show on turf. His first team also had a winning record, and gave us some blowout wins, something we have seen only every few years (at best) from Nolan and Sing. He even won big games with Rattay at QB.

Erickson's second year was a different story, obviously, as the team went 2-16. But again, something is forgotten: Donahue jettisoned Garcia, Owens, Hearst, Deese and others before that second season. While the 49ers were indeed an aging squad, such a move was intended to save money, and never gave the team a chance to be competitive (just like this year's Cardinals).

I don't mean to suggest that Erickson was a great NFL coach, because he never was. His considerable successes were all at the college level. He did, however, bring some basic football competency - much more so than the jokers we've been watching since 2005.

BTW, Harbaugh gets my vote for next year.

Erickson actually had head coaching experience and almost always had producing offenses wherever he coached.

Our problem is that we followed up with two coaches with 0 head coaching experience and 0 knowledge of the offense.


All I want is an experienced offensive HC. Yes, Jim Harbaugh has more experience as a head coach than did Nolan and Singletary on their first hire.

st. ides getting ill

Since when is 7-9 a winning record?

and there aren't 18 games in the season yet. We went 2-14, not 2-16 (though it certainly felt like the latter).

Erickson was a terrible hire, but, yes, he can't be blamed for everything that was terrible about the 49ers then.

Sing is the worst coach of the three and has the most talented team. Nolan is the best coach who did a good job rebuilding the team but started making dumb decisions when he was desperate to keep his job. Erickson was an average coach unsuited to be in the NFL; at that time, we were a playoff team and a very attractive destination for coaches. We could have hired a very good coach, but we didn't, though it might not have mattered.

I was puzzeld by the poll as well.... i thought Dingleberry would for sure lead the voting. I voted for him--- worse of them all, hands down.

I've always said, what this team has accomplishes this year... is in spite of him. He is not "out-coaching" anyone. Hell he's not even keeping pace.

Is he gone yet???

Singletary is the worst without a doubt. Erickson was average, and if it were not for a few f**kups, they could have had a winning record in '03. '04 I'll give him a pass, because there was NO talent on that team, but we needed a scapegoat to take the blame. Nolan, even though he was a terrible HC, at least he new X's and O's. Singletary, I feel he excels no where, and deserves to be fired the second the season ends.

Originally posted by SBinMT:
The results of the latest WZ poll about recent 49er head coaches is baffling.

Regarding the worst 49er HC in recent history, I think it's a toss-up between Nolan and Sing. People forget that Erickson's first team missed the playoffs only b/c Donahue didn't give him a kicker (I think they went through four that year, most or all of whom missed makable game winners). Erickson's first team beat the world champion Bucs on the road, and beat the Rams when they were still the greatest show on turf. His first team also had a winning record, and gave us some blowout wins, something we have seen only every few years (at best) from Nolan and Sing. He even won big games with Rattay at QB.

Erickson's second year was a different story, obviously, as the team went 2-16. But again, something is forgotten: Donahue jettisoned Garcia, Owens, Hearst, Deese and others before that second season. While the 49ers were indeed an aging squad, such a move was intended to save money, and never gave the team a chance to be competitive (just like this year's Cardinals).

I don't mean to suggest that Erickson was a great NFL coach, because he never was. His considerable successes were all at the college level. He did, however, bring some basic football competency - much more so than the jokers we've been watching since 2005.

BTW, Harbaugh gets my vote for next year.

Although, I agree with your point, i wanted to clear some of your facts.
* Erickson did not have a winning record. 7-9 was his best.
* That year the team beat the champoin Bucs at home.
* The NFL is still pondering going to an 18 game schedule, so 2-16 is not possible, yet.

To those of you who pointed out my errors: I stand corrected. I didn't actually look anything up before writing this, thinking that my memory was good enough. I appreciate the detail that all of you brought to this thread.