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Liotta: Wrong person takes fall for 49ers’ issues
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Niners coach Mike Nolan has made many smart decisions.
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - Mike Nolan returns. Neutered. Not good enough to be the man in charge of the 49ers’ football department.
Nolan, the man who put the 49ers back together again after the Terry Donahue debacle, was smart enough to hire Scot McCloughan (now the 49ers’ general manager).
Smart enough to hire Mike McCarthy (now the head coach of the Green Bay Packers).
Smart enough to hire Norv Turner (now the head coach of the San Diego Chargers).
Smart enough to hire Mike Singletary (football’s favorite interviewee for head-coaching jobs).
Smart enough to select with the 11th overall pick last year linebacker Patrick Willis (the Defensive Rookie of the Year).
Nolan, along with McCloughan, brought class and a competitive nature — but apparently not enough wins — back to the 49ers. And this is how they repay him. With a public humiliation. By allowing him to return with his tail between his legs as only the football coach.
Mike Nolan deserved better. The Yorks don’t deserve him.
Random thoughts:
» My new favorite story regarding Bryant Young: Nolan told Peter King of Sports Illustrated that, in practice, Young loved to “be first in all the drills and he’ll hustle to get there, just to be first. Now, he’s got guys who will actually race to get to the drills in front of him.” The Niners will be reminded of what Young has left them every time a player races to be first for a drill next season. A priceless contribution.
» As great as Randy Moss has been this year, I can’t get out of my head what a petulant quitter he was while with the Raiders. Playing football is easy when the team you play for is winning. It’s hard as hell to play when that team is losing. Moss couldn’t do it.
» Beware the Washington Redskins this playoff season. Over the last four weeks, what was the worst bad-weather team in football beat the Chicago Bears in the cold, beat the New York Giants in the slop, beat the Minnesota Vikings in a dome and beat the Dallas Cowboys in a downpour.
» It’s official. College football’s bowl games are too long.
» How’s this for the other end of the Bay Area’s place in sports: From the fourth game of the AL Championship Series through Sunday, the Boston sports fan has witnessed the Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics combine to win 48 of 51 games.
» Still can’t get over Saturday’s New England Patriots-Giants game. That was why sports fans care about these silly games. What looked like a mismatch, just-get-it-over-with game on paper blossomed a titanic football game that elevated everybody who witnessed it, reminding us of Flutie-Kozar, Ali-Frazier, Borg-McEnroe, et al.
» Anybody who second-guesses Tom Coughlin or the Giants about their approach last week against the Pats — and how that affects their effort against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this weekend — has a cowardly approach to competing.
Tim Liotta is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to The Examiner.
Comments from Examiner Readers
9:26 PM MST on Sun., May. 11, 2008 re: "Giants’ Zito is trying, but that’s not enough"
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3:37 PM MST on Sat., Dec. 22, 2007
re: "Liotta: It was little, but it could be big"
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11:18 AM MST on Sun., Dec. 9, 2007
re: "Liotta: Is Rios really that exciting?"
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1:29 PM MST on Sat., Dec. 8, 2007
re: "Liotta: Is Rios really that exciting?"
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7:24 AM MST on Sat., Dec. 8, 2007
re: "Liotta: Is Rios really that exciting?"
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Examiner Reader said:
Make up an injury? I'd make him clean the toilets at the ballpark 40 hours a week. At least the Giants would get something back for that ridiculous salary of his!
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Examiner Reader said:
how much more do we need to hear Liotta's wrong comments? he was wrong about Baron Davis, and has been wrong too many times about the 49ers and Mike Nolan...it's getting lame....
113 agree | 125 disagree
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Stoeten in TO said:
Considering the debate I've heard, this is probably a fair trade. A lot of Toronto fans think it's crazy to give up Rios. The Jays don't run so his SB numbers don't reflect his true speed. In the NL he'll be a perennial 30-30 guy at least, and he hits for average, and has great range and a great arm. Maybe I'm too biased being in Toronto, but Rios to me looks like a perfect cornerstone hitter for an NL West franchise. Plus, he's one of the few Jays who was consistently getting clutch hits last year. Anyway, I'm just saying, don't base your interest in him on the fact that he got looked over in the US media being in Toronto. Trust me, people here weren't rushing out to read Lincecum box scores either.
122 agree | 84 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Well stated - but Lincecum is money in the bank #1 potential SP under control for 5 years are VERY rare. 25 HR-15 SB corner OF under control for 2-3 years are not as rare.
105 agree | 98 disagree
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SteveToronto said:
You guys and Sabean are out of your minds if you dont make this trade! Rios is a proven commodity at the age of 27. 2 time allstars whose numbers have improved everyyear over the last 4 years and are on the verge of super stardom dont grow on trees! 23 year old pitchers who are "supposed" to be stars one day come along to every organization at least once a year
104 agree | 112 disagree
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