Norv Turner - Franchise Killer

by billwalsh4ever on Nov 6, 2007 10:52 AM PST Comment 46 comments

[EDITOR'S NOTE] - 11:15AM - I was actually planning on addressing Norval this week after seeing another article, so I figured I'll pull this diary up and add my own comments at the end. Also, I changed the title from Root against the Chargers.

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I really have never had much of an opinion of the Chargers in the past, but now I want them to lose every game I watch. One, they hired Norv Turner from us in the last minute which really screwed over the 49ers. Second, if they continue to lose and do not make the playoffs there is a chance that Turner gets fired and he will come back to the 49ers as our offensive coordinator. That is why I have been rooting for every team that plays the Chargers since the season started. I know this may be a long shot, but getting Norv Turner back would be great.

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I've always been intrigued by the Chargers because they usually bring some entertaining aspects to the game (minus that Lights Out crap from their steroid-infested linebacker.

However, Norv Turner is another story. The man has managed to hurt two franchises at once, which has to be a new kind of record. Can anybody think of someone who brought down two franchises at the same time? Obviously, the 49ers have other issues beyond losing Turner, but I definitely think his leaving the team has had a prominent effect.

Anyways, I was over at Deadspin yesterday and they linked to a great site called The Coach is KILLING Me!. I know we shouldn't wish misfortune on others, but as long as the 49ers season is going down the crapper, it might be worth it to bitch about Norv. Thoughts? Personally, I agree with sfgfan and think he burned the bridge and would not be back. Of course I would have thought he burned every potential coaching bridge after that bang-up job in Oakland, but clearly the Chargers thought differently. I'd say I'm curious to see how the Norv saga plays out in San Diego, but I've seen that movie already.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.

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I don't know.

Shaun Merriman aside, I like the Chargers. I don't think it was so bad that they hired Norv, it was his choice. The Chargers were just doing what they could (or believed they had to) to field a winning team. The 49ers did the same thing by asking for permission for interviews for other coaches from other teams. Only problem was, you can't block ANY coach from interviewing for a head coaching job, but you can block them for coordinator jobs (if it's that late in the off-season).

Norv had the choice to stay or go. The 49ers offered him a (supposedly) handsome raise. He obviously thought he wanted to go, so hate him, not the Chargers. Norv Turner does not make the Chargers, so it's just wrong to hate them. Besides, it's very unlikely that he'll come back (or be asked back for that matter) if he's available again after this season. A move like the one he made generally burns the bridge behind you, so it's hard to come back.

by sfgfan on Nov 6, 2007 10:57 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Hatin' on Norv?

I think Norv was absolutely right in taking the offer from the Chargers, and the Niners were right in letting him go. Norv wanted to prove to himself that he could be a head coach, provided it wasn't for Dan Snyder or Al Davis. The Niners needed to let him go be a head coach because you can't just say no when someone is offered a promotion.

In the end, and I think we all knew this was coming, it was a bad move for Norv, because he ISN'T head coach material. He kind of stinks. But as an OC, he's got the smarts.

Ultimately, it was just a bad idea on Norv's part to leave. He had a sweet gig with the Niners, where he'd be viewed as a savior for at least three years (provided the offense grew), and took a job where all the accountability is on him. What's worse, he took over a pretty darn good team, and this is what they've turned into. I feel for Norv. But I want him to get fired and for the Niners to re-hire him. No hard feelings, Norv, you did what you needed to do, and now we have you back. Now don't do it again!

I needed the Niners to be good to make up for the fact that the Giants just sucked!

by Drunken Miller on Nov 6, 2007 11:54 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Thing is...

... Norv took over a team full of talent but completely lost in terms of coaching. They lost Wade Phillips and Cam Cameron, their two coordinators. Cameron was easily replaced by Norv, as he is probably the better offensive mind. However, the defense is a totally different story.

After they lost Wade Phillips, they also lost Greg Manusky, who many thought would succeed Phillips. So there went their top two defensive assistants. On top of it, they also lost (or fired) Marty, who has always been considered a more defensive-minded coach. So basically the defense was left without leadership, which leaves the team without a system and direction.

Who do they get to replace Phillips? They hire Ted Cottrell. Who? He worked under Phillips in Buffalo and eventually became the defensive coordinator there. However, if many would recall, Buffalo's defense of recent years was like Washington Redskins, lite. They had big name free agents, a fairly talented secondary, and yet the defense underachieved. Sure, that could be on the headcoach and GM as well, but part of it has to be on Cottrell.

Basically, what I'm saying is that Norv left a very cush (sp?) job in S.F. to take over a very screwed up team (coaching-wise). They replaced one of the better defensive coordinators with a average (at best) coordinator, and took in a VERY offensive minded head-coach. They completely changed their identity in one offseason, and it's screwed everyone on that team over. I don't dislike Norv because he chose to leave. I dislike the fact he did it so late. There has to be some kind of respect for your current employer and the industry, NFL rules be damned.

by sfgfan on Nov 6, 2007 12:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Ba-zing

This is fantastic:

http://www.jasonwoodmansee.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/11/04/no_stupid_mistakes.jpg

And because I have nothing add, I'll just post this article about Turner (which I've now posted at least 3 times):

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/footballoutsiders/2007/02/19/The_Terrible_Mr_Turner

Norv Turner sucks. I hope he gets eaten by giant pandas. If this isn't frightening, I don't know what is:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3a/Su_Lin_giant_panda_bear_cub_at_the_San_Diego_Zoo.jpg

We are not who I thought we were.

by marcello on Nov 6, 2007 12:33 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

stupid all around

the chargers were stupid for firing marty, norv was stupid for taking the job, and the niners were stupid for promoting hostler. we're stupid for thinking norv wouldn't take any HC job offered to him. stupid all around.

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Nov 6, 2007 12:35 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

So...

... you're saying the 49ers shouldn't have hired Norv in the first place?

by sfgfan on Nov 6, 2007 1:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

no

not exactly. But, yeah, a little bit. I mean, Norv was obviously the best guy for the job, but the team should have known that with even a modicum of success that he would be considered for every open head coach position. We were trying to get Smith a consistent strong coordinator that could help him develop over several seasons. So in a way it may have been a mistake to take a guy who has been a head coach before.

The problem is that pretty much every coordinator who does well gets pried away to be a head coach, so there's really no good answer to the problem.

What I really meant was that we as fans should have tempered our excitement last season - we should have known Norv would bolt. Which of course he did. What a dumb ass.

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Nov 6, 2007 2:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I had thought...

I was hoping he had learned his lesson in Oakland and that he had realized his calling was as an Offensive Coordinator. Shame on me I suppose. As I pointed out elsewhere, I'm more upset he chose to leave so late, rather than just stick as an OC for another year.

As I also pointed out, it's not like he jumped onto a guaranteed winner. On the surface (and I admit guilt in this too), they looked like a talented team about to jump into the Colts-Patriots territory. Delving deeper, and it could have been realized that it wouldn't be that easy to take that team (the Chargers) to the promised land.

by sfgfan on Nov 6, 2007 2:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe not Colts-Pats...

But if you've got a team featuring such talent LaDanian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Phillip Rivers, Shawne Merriman, etc, you should definitely be putting up a good number of wins.

Look at the 49ers. The precedent was set last year with a 7-9 record. If they finished 6-10, you can feel pretty good about that, so long as improvement has been made. With the Chargers, they won 14 games last year, right? Without major turnover of talent, you should be able to expect them to win 10 games this year still. Obviously, with a completely new coaching staff, that's a tough thing to do. But if you have the talented players, you shouldn't be struggling at 4-4 I'd think. Might just be my opinion, but I thought he was going to a team that's a guaranteed winner unless the coaching staff totally blew it. And with Norv taking over as HC, I figured their chances were not that good.

But I totally agree, I thought that after Oakland, he would realize his true calling, accept a huge paycheck from the Niners, and settle in for the long haul. While I don't wish him any harm beyond a losing record so he gets fired and comes back to the Niners next year, I do want to kick him squa' in the nuts for leaving us like he did.

I needed the Niners to be good to make up for the fact that the Giants just sucked!

by Drunken Miller on Nov 6, 2007 3:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

My suspicion

I suspect that what is Norv's problem, that he keeps being promoted to his level of incompetence, is also Nolan's problem.

Being a good head coach means getting good assistants and then letting them do their jobs. I think that this year Nolan has struck out. He didn't get good assistants (clearly not his fault) and he hasn't let them do their jobs (his fault).

Norv Turner as head coach has shown he is a great offensive coordinator. In a few years Nolan will show someone how good a defensive coordinator he is.

by Bob In Pacifica on Nov 6, 2007 7:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This isn't communist Russia!

How do you argue against a promotion? Norv, got offered promotion from OC of a 7-9 team to HC of a 14-2 team. I mean seriously, are you going to pass up on an oppurtunity like that? Hell, no!

The timing has little to do with Norv, it's not like he sat around for months waffling back on forth between staying or going. The job offer came late and I really see no way he could say no.

As far as burning bridges, we're not talking Mangini/Bellichick shit here. We're talking an OC, who's been around the block a few times, gets another shot at being a head coach and you're going to hold it against him? That's garbage. If Norv gets fired and the Niners have their heads too far up their ass to pursue Norv as a head coach then the organization has serious issues. This is football, it's about winning, it's not about hurt feelings.

by methodrampage on Nov 7, 2007 10:19 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

Norv turning down that job would've been like Trent Dilfer declining to replace Alex Smith when he got hurt so he could stay a backup. Yes, we know Diler can't play, just like we know Norv can't be a HC, but if they didn't believe they could do the job, they would've already retired.

"You gotta bring ass, to get ass." --EDDIE DeBARTOLO JR.

by Josh from Hollywood on Nov 8, 2007 1:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Dilfer

"Hey Dilfer, Smith is out. Go find your helmet and get in there."

"Sorry coach, I'm more suited for sideline duty. Maybe you should consider Hill."

When's the last time anyone of us turned down a promotion to stay at our same position at our same job?

by methodrampage on Nov 9, 2007 1:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

QB killer

This post ties in perfectly with my thoughts on whether Alex Smith is the QB of the future. If you think about it, there is no reason that explains Smith's drop-off from last year as well as the absence of Norv.

The he's-still-young excuse doesn't work. If Doogie Howser cuts off the wrong leg, no one gives two shits about how old he is, he's fired.

The no-viable-receivers excuse is just as flawed. Darrell Jackson was a standout receiver when Hassleback threw him the ball and there's no reason he shouldn't be just as good with Smith.

The o-line is largely the same as last year, the running back is the same guy, the defenses he's facing aren't any better. The one thing that has changed is the OC. Smiths QB rating with Norv was in the 70s. Without Norv, it's in the 40s.

Smith can be a good QB, but he needs a good offense in which to operate. Norv was that guy. Hos is not. At least, not yet.

by Nineraguan on Nov 6, 2007 12:41 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

D-Jax Sux

He cuts off patterns when he thinks he'll get hit. He alligator-arms balls in traffic. He drops tons of passes (nothing new, he was consistently at the top of the "Most Drops" stat in Seattle), would rather go out of bounds or even take a knee than attempt to break tackles, and doesn't practice hard (another trait he brought from Seattle). Also, numerous leg injuries have robbed him of his deep speed, and as one fantasy website stated: "He was always just a system reciever, and now he's lost his system. The Seahwaks knew what they were giving up, that's why it's no surprise they didn't mind trading him to a division rival."

"You gotta bring ass, to get ass." --EDDIE DeBARTOLO JR.

by Josh from Hollywood on Nov 6, 2007 1:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

D-sucks

D. Jack, well he did recover the ball in the endzone in week one against Arizona. Besides a few first downs and the fumble recovery D. Jack has been a bust. On the field he seems unmotivated, soft, and unwilling to take the big hit.

jfainsf49

by jfainsf49 on Nov 6, 2007 1:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

OL

The OL is the same, physically, sure. It'll be tough to convince most 49ers fans (especially the ones on this site) that the offensive line is performing on the same level as last year. They're no where near their (probable) over-achieving performance from last year.

by sfgfan on Nov 6, 2007 1:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

23

How does Smith still being the youngest starting QB in the league not factor in at all? He's 23, which is still only a year older than Jamarcus Russell and Brady Quinn. He's the same age as Trent Edwards and 3 years younger than John Beck. BTW, Doogie Howser was a fictional TV character.

Darrel Jackson, ever heard of a system WR? Outside of Seattle's system he isn't as viable as everyone thought. Maybe Seattle knew what they were doing when they gave up a "#1" WR for a 4th round draft pick.

by methodrampage on Nov 7, 2007 10:27 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

To qualify about Alex Smith

He's played pro ball for almost two years less than Tony Romo sat on the bench.

I think he's started fewer games in Pro Ball and College combined than the number of games Tony Romo was considered a lifetime backup.

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down. Over and over. / My Blog, For Writers

by howtheyscored on Nov 7, 2007 5:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't underestimate

The tiny hand effect. Sure Smith has been in pro-ball going on his 3rd year but he still has less overall football experience then say Tony Romo. I, for one, do not believe that Smith really gained anything from having his world beat down every game during his rookie season than he would have from learning on the sidelines.

Not only is it his 3rd year of pro football but it's also his 3rd year with a new OC. I'm not sure how to qualify the impact that has had on Smith but it's worth considering and can't be beneficial.

Honestly, I think Smith will be Nolan's undoing. Both of their immediate fates are tied together.

by methodrampage on Nov 9, 2007 8:14 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Build around Smith

I think Nolan or the OC should build the offense around Smith. This probably isnt a new idea but it seems to make sense. Since we have a revolving door policy at OC, why not build the offense to better suit Smith. That way, if the Niners continue cycling through OCs it will/should have little effect on Smith.

jfainsf49

by jfainsf49 on Nov 9, 2007 8:38 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Makes sense, but it doesn't.

It makes sense that you would want to design an offense around Smith, but at the same time it doesn't. The team, the way Nolan has constructed it, is supposed to be more balanced. That's why Frank is there. That's why Vernon was drafted. All that is missing is a true #1 receiver.

It also doesn't make sense to force a coordinator into a system. While offense is offense (in the general sense), I'd imagine it's almost as bad as throwing a defensive coach an offensive playbook and asking him to call plays. Coaches, especially playcallers, need to be comfortable (and confident) in the system they're running. That's best attained by having them bring their own system.

by sfgfan on Nov 9, 2007 8:50 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Easy Solution

Urban Meyer holds the key to our salvation. If a OC brings in his system and you've got a small handed 23 QB who ran a spread offense in college why no bring in an OC who's system would match up better with Smith's natural playing style?

And what system is it exactly that Hostler is running? And why couldn't he make his system the Alex Smith system? It's not like he's some big name guy that knows exactly what he's doing.

by methodrampage on Nov 9, 2007 1:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hostler

It's very true that he probably doesn't have a defined system. Just two years ago, he was tutoring a rookie Smith in the intricacies of the West Coast Offense. I'm sure that if Nolan was granted his Zampese interview, the offensive system would have taken a more dramatic change.

Hostler's system, as I recall, is supposed to primarily be Norv's system. Hostler wanted to add some "West Coast" elements to it, but on the whole it should be similar to Norv's. Of course, it doesn't matter what system you're running if you just can't string plays together.

by sfgfan on Nov 9, 2007 2:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Other Options

Norv Turner = Overrated
Jim Fassel = Underrated

I lived in Colorado in the mid-90's when Fassel took over the O.C. after Dan Reeves was fired, and Wade Phillips was named head coach. Over the next 2 years, he helped Elway to his best statistical seasons up to that point, and Elway lauded the work he did there, emphasizing how well Fassel did at maximizing his strengths.

Once Shahahan replaced Phillips, Fassel moved on to Arizona, where as O.C., he revitalized the Cardinals' passing game (6 games with 27+ points) despite being saddled with a QB tandem consisting of Kent "Totally Average" Graham and the decaying corpse of Boomer Esiason.

His work in Arizona landed him the head coaching gig with the Giants, where he won NFL Coach of the Year in 1997 (leading them to a 10-win season and a division title, despite starting Danny "Totally below Average" Kanell at QB), got the Giants into the Super Bowl in 2000, and actually made Kerry Collins look like a good NFL QB.

He announces NFL games on the radio now, so he's still close to the game. He coached at Stanford (where he first worked with Elway) so he has Bay Area ties. I know Bill Walsh praised his work at times, so he has the Ultimate Stamp of Approval. The worst 2 black marks on his career seem to be that a) he was the coach of the Giants when they blew that big lead to the Niners in the 2002 playoffs (I can definitely give him a pass for that one), and b) he failed to turn around the Ravens as their O.C. the last couple of years and had to be replaced by Billick last year (and boy, has HE turned that offense around since, huh?)

So let's hear it, why SHOULDN'T Jim Fassel be the next Niners O.C.?

"You gotta bring ass, to get ass." --EDDIE DeBARTOLO JR.

by Josh from Hollywood on Nov 6, 2007 1:14 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Sounds good

And Nolan can be the defensive coordinator. So who's the head coach.

by Bob In Pacifica on Nov 7, 2007 2:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm glad you asked.

Me, of course. Hey, I may not be much of an X's and O's guy, but at least I know when to use a time out, challenge a play, and go for it on 4th down. That alone would make me a HUGE upgrade.

"You gotta bring ass, to get ass." --EDDIE DeBARTOLO JR.

by Josh from Hollywood on Nov 8, 2007 1:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Tough to keep changing.

Sprint Right Option you make some really good points and you are right Jim Fassel was a good OC. The real reason I am hoping for Turner is we cannot keep throwing a new OC at Smith each year. It is killing his development. I have said in the past that he has already had 3 OC's in 3 years which has really hurt him. I do not doubt Fassel is a good OC but at this point we cannot keep playing musical OC's each year. The only sound reason to get rid of Hostler is if we get Turner back, otherwise we have to stay with Hostler at least one more year.

by billwalsh4ever on Nov 6, 2007 1:30 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Not necessarily true.

Just like most things in life, you don't stick with mediocre just for the sake of continuity. If Nolan had been granted his interview with Zampese after Norv bailed, he would have been worlds ahead of any of the 49ers internal options. Unless Hostler puts together a miracle during these last few weeks and catapults the 49ers into the middle of the pack in offense, it's highly unlikely he'll be back. Stability is one thing (and I've been using it as reason for Smith's stunted development), but it's another thing to bring in someone who is BETTER. You can't sacrifice better quality for the sake of stability, especially when the better quality is supposedly worlds better.

by sfgfan on Nov 6, 2007 1:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Mediocre???

Man, I'd be SO happy with mediocre right now! =)

I needed the Niners to be good to make up for the fact that the Giants just sucked!

by Drunken Miller on Nov 6, 2007 3:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Dont like the play calling huh?

I said from week 1 that our offense sucked but no...everyone wanted to look at it with rose colored shades. Last year Nolan took the ship and start calling the defense plays we got better. This year he or ownership needs to start calling plays because it seemed as though Nos or Hos is sleepy and calling 3-49 HUUUUUUUUUhh.

"Niners Are Back!!!"

by mississippininer on Nov 6, 2007 6:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

WTF?

I'm sorry, I'm a little lost...

Are you saying Mike Nolan or John/Denise York should be calling plays on offense now?

I needed the Niners to be good to make up for the fact that the Giants just sucked!

by Drunken Miller on Nov 7, 2007 8:14 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That picture is too funny

If Norv Turner gets fired from the Chargers after this season would you want to fire Jim Hostler and bring back Turner? and would Turner want to come back? or try again as a head coach? maybe this was talked about already i didn't read the comments above.

by rimrock101 on Nov 6, 2007 3:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

It's the primary point.

I think bringing Norv back was the primary point of the original post. Football reasons only, I don't think there's a single doubt you bring him back.

However, what will it take for him to leave again like he did? Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me. What if the Cowboys (the team with a very big place in his heart) decided they hated Phillips, would he bolt again after next season? Would you be willing to risk stretching instability even further?

If it came down to it, and Norv still wanted to be a head coach (and actually believed he could be one), I would pass over him in an instant for someone like Ken Zampese. At least with Zampese, you may get two or three years out of before he becomes a head coach (or even a candidate for one).

by sfgfan on Nov 6, 2007 3:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

There's an old saying back in Tennessee

It's actually from Texas, but I'm sure you heard it in Tennessee...

Fool me once shame on... Shame on YOU. You fool me can't get fooled again!

I needed the Niners to be good to make up for the fact that the Giants just sucked!

by Drunken Miller on Nov 7, 2007 8:11 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Chargers had been playing well.

running into Purple Jesus didn't help things and they lost Luis Castillo for 6 weeks. That ain't Norv's fault.

Hopefully, the Chargers will bring back Marty soon and Norv can have his old OC job back.

Lott's Prayer: Almost as many words as the Lord's Prayer, but the Lord wouldn't recognize any of them.

by Nosetackle Supreme on Nov 6, 2007 3:31 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Better

Let's bring back Seifert as OC, postmortem BW as head coach, and I can guarantee a better season next year.

I mean, it can't get much worse!

by LA49er on Nov 6, 2007 4:06 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Hmm.

Wasn't Seifert a defensive minded coach? For some reason I recall him being the defensive coordinator before becoming head coach.

by sfgfan on Nov 6, 2007 4:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Correct you are!

You recall him being a DC because he WAS a DC!

I needed the Niners to be good to make up for the fact that the Giants just sucked!

by Drunken Miller on Nov 7, 2007 8:09 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Does anybody else see A. J. Smith

As kind of like Billy Beane?

I've never seen this opinion expressed, but I've been feeling it for a little while, and became pretty convinced when they hired Norv Turner. I think the idea that anybody hired Turner to be a head coach after Washington and Oakland because they thought he was a GOOD head coach is a complete joke. A.J. Smith didn't hire Turner because he thought he'd be a good coach. A.J. Smith is too damn smart for that. He hired Turner because 1) the two are personal friends, and 2) he knew Turner could be his tool.

Marty Schottenheimer was fired pretty much only because he didn't listen to what Smith had to say about players, development, gameplanning, and playcalling.

In baseball you can have a coach who is the GM's tool, as Billy Beane is famous for. In football it was a novel idea, and Smith has just a big enough ego to think that he could do it. But that's not how it works in football.

And Norv did the smart thing. His personal friend told him he could come along to glory and money and he wouldn't even have to do any of the work, and all he had to do was follow directions! Why turn that down? San Diego should have been an absolute sure thing. It's unbelievable that even Norv Turner can have this much of a negative effect on a team. So much for being able to hire a coach to be your tool.

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down. Over and over. / My Blog, For Writers

by howtheyscored on Nov 6, 2007 5:43 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Al Davis?

isn't that was Al Davis is famous for? Hiring a HC that he can boss around and be his tool. Funny, he once had Norv Turner as coach also... and where did that get him? Oh right, NOWHERE.

Message to owners: YOU ARE THE OWNER. Hire a coach, let him do his job.

Bring back the classic Uni's!

by wjackalope on Nov 7, 2007 9:51 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

One nice thing about the past three years...

John York has finally learned just that. He's been pretty non-existent on the football side of things at 49ers headquarters.

by sfgfan on Nov 7, 2007 11:24 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Coaching

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat has an interesting article about Nolan's regime:

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20071106/SPORTS/711060325/1010/SPORT01

I agree that as good as Nolan is with the defense he is pretty clueless about the offensive side of the ball. Unfortunately, he is unable to keep away from the offense.

I suspected early on that Hostler's conservative play-calling was because of Nolan's undue influence. While I think that Smith is proving his earliest critics correct, I would not doubt that Nolan's overly conservative style has hurt him. He might very well flourish with someone else controlling the offense. Unfortunately, Nolan would have to give up some of his authority, which is what Cohn suggests.

by Bob In Pacifica on Nov 6, 2007 7:21 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Time for a Change

This will be my motto for the rest of the season: write Bill Cowher a monster check and hand him the reins. Clearly this franchise needs someone who has succeeded before as an NFL head coach. And before we give up on Alex Smith, let's get the kid a REAL mentor to teach him. He has the talent but no one is guiding him properly.

by jaytierney on Nov 7, 2007 11:55 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'm starting to find it hard to believe

After three years, you'd think that a guy as bright as Alex Smith would start picking up some of his mistakes on his own even if he had no one to mentor him.

And you'd figure that as badly as he's been playing that the Niners' coaches are even studying videotapes of Smith trotting out to the huddle. Throwing off the wrong foot. Throwing too soon. Watching the receiver too long before throwing it. If I had the films every week I'd be pointing out these mistakes every week. I'd be trying to coach him how to overcome these mistakes.

But at some point you run into the wall. Some things can't be taught. Some people can't be good quarterbacks.

by Bob In Pacifica on Nov 7, 2007 3:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs