A few questions before the lock

to the first question. Google is your friend.

to the 2nd question

Originally posted by bigmur49:
First, who is Michael Lombardi?? He seems to be hihg on the GM list but I don't know who he is. The only one I know is the guy on NFL Network, and though I like his insights and breaking stories I assume that is not the one people are talking about.

2. Could Eddie DeBartalo just come work for the Niners? Basically be co-president with Jed? Jed keeps saying he will use his uncle for advice (which sounds good but might be just to appease fans), so can he just become an official member of the staff?

1. Was a Walsh coach and a GM of some success.

2. I just don't see the Yorks conceding that much ground.

he helped build the Raiders '02 SB team as a GM I think

Originally posted by bigmur49:
First, who is Michael Lombardi?? He seems to be hihg on the GM list but I don't know who he is. The only one I know is the guy on NFL Network, and though I like his insights and breaking stories I assume that is not the one people are talking about.

Lombardi worked for the Raiders for nearly a decade. When I say worked, I actually mean he shook his head in approval of whatever Al Davis said. He also spent a decade with the Browns. They played so bad during his tenure that Modell moved them to Baltimore.

Originally posted by bigmur49:
Could Eddie DeBartalo just come work for the Niners? Basically be co-president with Jed? Jed keeps saying he will use his uncle for advice (which sounds good but might be just to appease fans), so can he just become an official member of the staff?

What makes you believe that after ten years DeBartolo Jr. would be relevant in any way? He was the team's owner. He shelled out cash and bought out the competition.

DeBartolo Jr. was successful because he hired Bill Walsh.

And yes, the fat idiot on TV is the same dude.

With regard to Debartalo it sounds good because I have alittle more faith in him than anyone with the last name York.

I agree he might be too out of touch, and personally I think Jed is making reference to him to use the age-old trick of appeasing Niner fans by playing on our feelings of nostalgia to the goold old days.

Micheal Lombardi- not that good of a GM.


Reference to DeBartolo Jr.- im guessing that he is just asking him about what his mindset was back before his glory days. remember the niners werent that good before he hired Walsh and York probably just wants some insight on how to weather the storm

Lombardi and Tim Kawakami hate each other. I can see Kawakami writing a number of incendiary columns if Lombardi gets hired.

I'm going to reserve judgement on him as a GM. I just don't know enough about him.

As for Eddie D -- you know -- the guy has been away from the game and the limelight for a long time. You tend to forget about the frustrations and remember only the good times. Once you've been around the game -- well -- you always want back in.

If Eddie wants a seat at the table? I'm sure that Jed will let him have that seat and more. I'm just not sure how much control Jed will give him.

However -- as of right now -- he certainly does have Jed's ear it seems.

[ Edited by billbird2111 on Dec 27, 2010 at 20:28:58 ]

Originally posted by Chief:
And yes, the fat idiot on TV is the same dude.

Originally posted by redrathman:

Originally posted by bigmur49:
First, who is Michael Lombardi?? He seems to be hihg on the GM list but I don't know who he is. The only one I know is the guy on NFL Network, and though I like his insights and breaking stories I assume that is not the one people are talking about.

Lombardi worked for the Raiders for nearly a decade. When I say worked, I actually mean he shook his head in approval of whatever Al Davis said. He also spent a decade with the Browns. They played so bad during his tenure that Modell moved them to Baltimore.

Originally posted by bigmur49:
Could Eddie DeBartalo just come work for the Niners? Basically be co-president with Jed? Jed keeps saying he will use his uncle for advice (which sounds good but might be just to appease fans), so can he just become an official member of the staff?

What makes you believe that after ten years DeBartolo Jr. would be relevant in any way? He was the team's owner. He shelled out cash and bought out the competition.

DeBartolo Jr. was successful because he hired Bill Walsh.

Eddie's relentless pressure on Walsh was a big factor (I think) in Walsh getting out when he did. He was on the hot-seat virtually every year the Niners didn't win the Super Bowl after 82. Also, this organization ran pretty well for a long time on the foundation Walsh built but the cracks started appearing when Debartolo turned it over to Policy. That turned out to be a very bad hire. Poor drafts and busting the Niners for almost a decade with his mismanagement of the cap. Policy really got to show his true colors when he took over the Browns.

Eddie was very fortunate to get Walsh when he did. Eddie was a perfect owner for the pre-cap era when money really talked and we were fortunate that he wanted to win so badly. But the post-cap era doesn't necssarily give the advantages that Eddie enjoyed in the hey days of the Niners. If pure desire for winning was enough these days than the Cowboys would have more than playoff victory since 96. I am glad that Jed gets to consult Eddie but I am not terribly confident that he has all the answers.

[ Edited by BHulman on Dec 27, 2010 at 20:55:12 ]

Originally posted by BHulman:

Originally posted by redrathman:

Originally posted by bigmur49:
First, who is Michael Lombardi?? He seems to be hihg on the GM list but I don't know who he is. The only one I know is the guy on NFL Network, and though I like his insights and breaking stories I assume that is not the one people are talking about.

Lombardi worked for the Raiders for nearly a decade. When I say worked, I actually mean he shook his head in approval of whatever Al Davis said. He also spent a decade with the Browns. They played so bad during his tenure that Modell moved them to Baltimore.

Originally posted by bigmur49:
Could Eddie DeBartalo just come work for the Niners? Basically be co-president with Jed? Jed keeps saying he will use his uncle for advice (which sounds good but might be just to appease fans), so can he just become an official member of the staff?

What makes you believe that after ten years DeBartolo Jr. would be relevant in any way? He was the team's owner. He shelled out cash and bought out the competition.

DeBartolo Jr. was successful because he hired Bill Walsh.

Eddie's relentless pressure on Walsh was a big factor (I think) in Walsh getting out when he did. He was on the hot-seat virtually every year the Niners didn't win the Super Bowl after 82. Also, this organization ran pretty well for a long time on the foundation Walsh built but the cracks started appearing when Debartolo turned it over to Policy. That turned out to be a very bad hire. Poor drafts and busting the Niners for almost a decade with his mismanagement of the cap. Policy really got to show his true colors when he took over the Browns.

Eddie was very fortunate to get Walsh when he did. Eddie was a perfect owner for the pre-cap era when money really talked and we were fortunate that he wanted to win so badly. But the post-cap era doesn't necssarily give the advantages that Eddie enjoyed in the hey days of the Niners. If pure desire for winning was enough these days than the Cowboys would have more than playoff victory since 96. I am glad that Jed gets to consult Eddie but I am not terribly confident that he has all the answers.

I think your observations are correct. I think the architect of the colts has had a long consistent record, and of course the Patriots and Steelers have done well. But like all great teams there will be turn over and those teams will follow the Niners into down years. Just like Dallas is experiencing now. So it will be interesting to see what Jed does. I am excited. I hope we don't lose Baalke in the process and hope he stays with the team in some position. I would like to see Jim Harbaugh and Baalke be the team just for newness and freshness. But time will tell. I just dont think E. Bartolo Jr was the genius who understood the whole football operations but the team that was put together was one of those once in a lifetime teams that just performed well at all levels. BArtolo as the owner was willing to spend, Walsh was a great coach, Walsh brought in good coaches and it all worked together especially when Montana, and Lott came to the team.